Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist.

Chapter 92 Like Repels Like (Tenth Update!!)

Landlord's daughter?

This was Erina's first time meeting Sasagawa Ayano, since Sasagawa Ayano had never appeared before.

Yes, it's been four months since Aragaki Eri and Erina moved to this apartment, but this is the first time Sasagawa Ayano has appeared here since they moved.

After all—first of all, after Aragaki Eri rented Sasakawa Nobunari's apartment, she was told that the rent would be paid directly by bank transfer.

It's similar to the WeChat transfer in Eri Aragaki's previous life, so of course there's basically no need to meet the landlord or the landlord's family to pay the rent every month.

Occasionally, if there are problems with the apartment's water or electricity and repairs are needed, we just call the landlord, Sasakawa Nobuyuki, and he sends a professional repairman to fix it.

Erina would never have had the chance to see Ayano Sasagawa.

She only knew roughly that she had rented the apartment through a referral from the convenience store manager.

In addition, Eri Aragaki mentioned that the landlord's surname is Sasagawa and he is a business president.

But there was nothing to doubt about what the other person said; they could accurately state my sister's name and address, so they must not be a stranger.

She turned and shouted into the living room, "Sister, it looks like the landlord's family is looking for you."

"Okay, I'm coming right now—"

Eri Aragaki immediately stood up from the sofa, walked to the entrance, and saw that it was indeed Ayano Sasagawa.

She hadn't changed much since the last time she signed the rental agreement; she was still impeccably dressed and had that same flawless, polite smile.

He had an extra paper bag in his hand that looked like it contained something.

"Um, hello, Ms. Sasakawa, it's been a long time."

Eri Aragaki quickly greeted her, saying, "Ms. Sasagawa, please come in first."

"Okay—then I'll take my leave."

Sasakawa Ayano was very polite; she took off her shoes upon entering and then asked with a smile, "Is this your younger sister?"

"Yes, this is my younger sister, Erina."

Eri Aragaki responded.

"Hello, my name is Erina Aragaki."

Erina also gave a formal self-introduction.

Hi~ Hello.

And so, Ayano Sasagawa followed Erina and Eri Aragaki into the apartment.

As she walked into the living room, her gaze swept around and she saw two girls she didn't recognize sitting on the sofa. One had her hair tied in a low ponytail and was watching TV while hugging a cushion, while the other had long hair and was holding a water glass.

Sasagawa Ayano looked at them curiously a couple more times, but still politely bowed slightly and greeted them, "Hello."

Natsume Akane stood up from the sofa, still holding a water glass in her hand, nodded, and said, "Hello."

Ayane Takeda also stood up, put the cushion aside, and gave a slightly reserved bow, saying, "Hello."

Eri Aragaki quickly caught up from behind and stood between the two groups, gesturing, "Ms. Sasagawa, these are my friends."

Then, turning to Natsume Akane and Takeda Ayane, she said, "This is my landlord's daughter, Ms. Sasagawa."

"You don't have to keep calling me Sasagawa-san, just call me Ayano, Eri-san."

Sasagawa Ayano waved her hand gently, "Didn't we say that when we signed the contract?"

Eri Aragaki thought about it. On the day they signed the contract, Ayano Sasagawa had indeed mentioned that she could call her by her first name, but she hadn't really kept in touch with the landlady's daughter since.

So she changed her mind and said, "Okay, Ayano, would you like some tea?"

Ayano Sasakawa sat down on the sofa and placed the paper bag she carried with her at her feet. "That's fine, barley tea will do."

Eri Aragaki turned and went to the kitchen to pour a cup of barley tea, then brought it over and placed it on the coffee table in front of Norino Sasagawa.

"Thanks."

Sasagawa Ayano thanked her, picked up her cup, took a sip, and then looked around the apartment.

When she last visited, the apartment was empty, with only basic furniture and appliances. Now, almost half a year later, it's filled with traces of life.

Several comic books and single volumes were stacked on the coffee table, several game discs were piled up next to the TV cabinet, and a potted green ivy had appeared on the windowsill, its leaves drooping down the edge of the pot.

She then saw the studio that was not closed. Through the open door, she could see several worktables inside, with drawings and tools laid out on them.

Her eyes lit up immediately.

Eri Aragaki sat down on the sofa opposite her and asked, "Ayano, is there something you need this time?"

"That's right, because next month my father said that the old bank account needs to be replaced because the bank says that all old magnetic stripe bank cards are expiring soon."

Sasakawa Ayano turned her gaze away from the studio, put down her teacup, and said, "The old account is going to be deactivated completely, so we need to use a new bank account to collect rent, or pay in cash. I thought I'd pass on the message to my father since I was here."

Eri Aragaki suddenly realized that this was the reason.

She didn't doubt it, because she had recently received the same message from the bank and had just changed her bank account last month.

"Okay, I understand. Thank you for making this trip, Ayano."

She immediately said, "Actually, you could have just sent a message; there was no need to come all the way here."

Sasagawa Ayano replied with a smile, "No trouble at all, because there are also some personal reasons."

She took something out of the paper bag at her feet and placed it on the coffee table.

That was a brand new Attack on Titan Volume 1 standalone edition.

The plastic wrap on the single volume has been removed, but the cover is well protected, without even a crease.

"Didn't I tell you before? I heard you're a cartoonist, and I've seen your comics, they're really good!!"

Ayano Sasakawa pushed the manga forward, looked into Eri Aragaki's eyes, and said, "I'm not just talking about Attack on Titan, but also—Wu Song. I really like your work, could you sign it for me?"

Eri Aragaki blinked and then said, "Ah, an autograph? Okay."

Meanwhile, Erina, Ayane Takeda, and Akane Natsume, who had been watching the situation closely, suddenly realized what was going on.

Both Erina and Ayane Takeda were happy for Eri Aragaki.

Only—Natsume Akane, leaning against the sofa armrest, holding a water glass in her hand, lingered on Sasagawa Ayano for a long while.

As Natsume Akane looked at her, she felt a sense of alienation, as if another creature of her kind had suddenly appeared in some territory.

Eri Aragaki then took the brand-new first volume of "Attack on Titan" from Ayano Sasagawa and began signing it.

She was neither completely unfamiliar with this nor particularly familiar with it. Before this, Masaya Sakurai had asked her to design a fixed signature for the Attack on Titan series, and she had also signed her name several times in the author's section, the opening color page, and the preview for the next issue of the magazine.

However, this is the first time he has signed a fan's copy of a manga.

She turned to the title page, picked up the pen she usually used to jot down storyboard inspirations from the coffee table, paused the pen tip on the paper, and then quickly wrote the pen name "Don't Eat Pears" on the Attack on Titan manga.

"Could you draw a portrait of Mikasa in this blank space on the first page?"

Ayano Sasagawa watched from the side, "I really like Mikasa. I've liked her since her first appearance."

"Can.

Eri Aragaki didn't think there was anything wrong with it. She changed the angle of her pen and quickly made a few strokes above the signature.

She drew Mikasa in profile, wearing her signature scarf, her hair blowing in the wind, her eyes cold but powerful.

No need for blackening or adding halftone dots, just the simplest pencil lines, but it captures Mikasa's cool yet gentle temperament.

After finishing the drawing, she closed the volume and handed it back to Ayano Sasagawa.

Seeing the signature and Mikasa's portrait, Sasagawa Ayano accepted it with satisfaction and carefully put the volume back into the paper bag.

She picked up her teacup, took another sip of barley tea, and then glanced towards the kitchen.

"Are you preparing dinner?"

She could already smell the delicious aromas coming from the open kitchen.

The aroma of fermented black beans and pork bones wafted from the steamer, while the sweet and spicy scent of curry chicken bubbled and steamed on the stove.

There were also chopped green peppers and beef that hadn't been cooked yet, but they were already arranged on the plate. The various aromas mixed together, making it quite tempting.