Tokyo: The Manga Begins with the Funeral of Frilian

The line moved very slowly.

The woman in the Chanel suit in front of me bought three whole boxes of strawberry cakes.

The shop assistant carefully tied the package with a ribbon and presented it with both hands.

When it was Kamiya Yuma's turn...

He was already sweating profusely.

"What do you need?"

The shop assistant asked with a smile.

"cake."

Yuma Kamiya stared at the dazzling array of desserts in the glass display case.

There's Mont Blanc, strawberry mille-feuille, and cheese tart.

He turned to look at the shop assistant.

"Which one... is the best?"

The shop assistant was clearly taken aback, probably because it was the first time she had encountered such a question in a cake shop in Ginza.

"Are you giving this as a gift or eating it yourself?"

"Give it away."

"What kind of food does the other person like?"

Yuma Kamiya thought for a moment.

Shiori Shirakawa's tamagoyaki is sweet.

"Sweet."

  

"This strawberry shortcake is very popular; it was just made today."

"This is it."

Yuma Kamiya took out his wallet.

The shop assistant gave a number.

His fingers stiffened for a moment.

A single cake cost him several times more than the combined cost of his round-trip tram fare.

"Would you like a ribbon? We'll wrap it for free if it's a gift."

"want."

Kamiya Yuma counted out the banknotes.

The shop assistant took the money and tied a pretty bow on the cake box with a pink ribbon.

Yuma Kamiya took the paper bag.

Carefully held in my hands.

As I walked out of the cake shop, the sweet aroma of cream wafted from the paper bag.

My stomach was growling like thunder.

He glanced down at the paper bag.

"Stop yelling, it wasn't bought for you."

He muttered something to himself.

I quickened my pace and headed towards the subway station.

From Ginza to Shiori Shirakawa, who lives in Setagaya Ward.

You need to take the Hibiya Line and then transfer to the Den-en-toshi Line.

There weren't many people on the tram.

Yuma Kamiya sat leaning against the door, his hands protecting the paper bag.

An office worker was sitting across from me.

He was eating a convenience store rice ball.

Kamiya Yuma stared at the rice ball for five seconds.

Then he looked down at the paper bag again.

"no."

He resolutely turned his head away.

Staring at the lights rushing past outside the car window.

When the Den-en-toshi Line arrived at Yoga Station.

It was completely dark by then.

From the station to Shiori Shirakawa's apartment.

It takes about ten minutes to walk.

The last time I came, it was raining heavily, and I couldn't see anything.

It was only then that he noticed that ginkgo trees were planted on both sides of the road.

The streetlights shone on the leaves, casting dappled shadows.

When I stood in front of Shiori Shirakawa's house.

Yuma Kamiya took a deep breath.

Then I rang the doorbell.

The sound of slippers stepping on the floor came from inside, growing louder as it approached.

"Who is it?"

Shiori Shirakawa's voice came through the door.

"it's me."

The door was opened.

Shiori Shirakawa stood inside the door, wearing a plain-colored loungewear.

The moment she saw Yuma Kamiya, her eyes widened.

"Kamiya-kun? What brings you here?"

"this."

Yuma Kamiya handed over the paper bag.

Shiori Shirakawa took it instinctively and looked down.

Pink ribbons, an exquisite cake box.

"this......"

"A gift of thanks."

Yuma Kamiya said.

"The last time they made tamagoyaki, they even let me stay overnight."

Shiori Shirakawa held the cake box, speechless for a long time.

"Where did you buy it?"

Ginza.

"Ginza?"

Shiori Shirakawa's voice rose by half an octave.

"You went all the way to Ginza to buy a cake?"

"Onodera-senpai said it's just a short ride on the Hibiya Line."

"Wait a minute, why is your face so pale?"

Shiori Shirakawa finally noticed that his expression was off.

She reached out and grabbed his wrist.

Kamiya Yuma's hands were ice cold.

"How long has it been since you last ate anything?"

"I overslept this morning..."

"You overslept again this morning! You said the same thing last time!"

Shiori Shirakawa's tone was both urgent and angry.

"You bought a cake but didn't eat anything yourself?"

"I bought a beef bowl."

"When did you buy it?"

"last night."

Shiori Shirakawa stared at him for two seconds.

Then he grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the room.

"Come in."

She was incredibly strong.

Kamiya Yuma stumbled slightly as he was pulled.

I almost bumped into the shoe cabinet in the entryway.

"Wait a minute, I'll go first..."

"Sit down first."

Shiori Shirakawa pressed him down to sit at the low table.

I turned around and went to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water.

She handed the water glass to Yuma Kamiya.

"Drink some water first."

Yuma Kamiya took the cup.

I drank most of the glass in one go.

The icy water slid down my throat.

He then realized how thirsty he was.

"What on earth are you doing? Are you planning to starve yourself to death?"

Shiori Shirakawa knelt opposite him, her hands supporting her knees.

"The manuscript has been approved."

Yuma Kamiya said.

Shiori Shirakawa was taken aback.

"What?"

"Submitted a manuscript, 'The Burial of Frillie.' Went to the editorial office for the review meeting this morning."

Yuma Kamiya put down his water glass.

"Passed. Top prize."

Shiori Shirakawa's expression froze.

She opened her mouth.

"The highest prize?"

"Um."

"Weekly Shonen Jump's Newcomer Award? Grand Prize?"

"Um."

Shiori Shirakawa suddenly stood up, turned around and took two steps, then turned back.

"Wait a minute, let me catch my breath."

She took a deep breath.

Shiori Shirakawa knelt down again opposite him, her eyes bright.

"What about the bonus?"

"Two million yen. It will arrive next month."

Shiori Shirakawa counted on her fingers, then gasped.

Yuma Kamiya nodded.

Then his stomach growled again.

Shiori Shirakawa stared at him.

He stared at Shiori Shirakawa.

"I'm so hungry."

Shiori Shirakawa took a deep breath and stood up.

"Wait."

She turned and walked toward the kitchen.

Yuma Kamiya sat at the low table, smelling the miso wafting from the kitchen.

He placed the cake box on the table; the box was slightly tilted.

He reached out to straighten it, thinking that Shiori Shirakawa hadn't eaten yet.

When Shiori Shirakawa came back carrying the bowl.

I saw that Kamiya Yu was staring blankly at the cake box.

She placed the bowl in front of him.

A bowl of miso soup with tofu and a pinch of chopped green onions floating in it.

Yuma Kamiya glanced down.

"this......"

"Drink the soup first."

Shiori Shirakawa sat down opposite him, her arms crossed.

"You've been hungry for too long; your stomach can't handle eating anything else right away."

I want to eat meat.

Yuma Kamiya said.

"Damn it."

"I really want to eat meat."

"Damn it."

Shiori Shirakawa was like a dictatorial monarch at this moment.

"Drink the soup first. After you finish this bowl, wait for your stomach to calm down before eating anything else."

Kamiya Yuma looked down at the soup, then looked up at her.

Shiori Shirakawa's expression was resolute.

He gave up, picked up the bowl, and took a sip.

The warm miso soup slid down my throat, leaving my stomach feeling cozy.

"Drink slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Shiori Shirakawa's tone softened.

"What did the editorial department say?"

"Onodera-senpai asked me to submit the storyboard outlines for the first ten episodes by Friday."

Kamiya Yuma put down the bowl and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"I need to start drawing in the next couple of days."

"So fast?"

"Yes, serialization requires a lot of preparation in advance."