Love Tennis and Yumiko Miura

"Eh? As for me..."

"Nozaki is here too."

"Of course there's nothing wrong with what I said!"

"Then we'll call you at noon." Zhixian smiled and pulled Yu Zichai away.

----split line----

Lunch break.

"Sakura, let's have lunch together." Nozaki, who is 190cm tall, stood at the door of Chiyo's class.

Umetaro Nozaki: Obstacle Nozaki?! He's plain-looking, and the girls think he's a useless obstacle. (Reference to the electronic sound of the Pokémon anime's Pokedex.)

"Okay, I'll be right there!" Sakura smiled brightly and walked towards Nozaki with her lunch box in her hand.

At the dinner venue, Zhixian and Mikoshiba were waiting for the two.

"Let's have dinner now that everyone is here."

"I'm starting." X4

"By the way, Tachibana-san brought a bento today." Sakura said in surprise. Although she had never eaten lunch with the others, she knew that Zhixian seemed to have a whole wheat sandwich and unsweetened oolong tea for lunch every day.

"Ah, my mom came back from a business trip and insisted on making a bento." Zhixian answered calmly. Although it was a bento, there was still a bottle of oolong tea beside him. "Yukisoba, this is for you."

Chixian gave the fried shrimp in his lunch box to Mikoshiba, and then exchanged it for the kelp knot.

"Eh? But..." Mikoshiba was a little at a loss. Although he wanted to exchange dishes, he didn't think of exchanging kelp knots for fried shrimp.

"It's okay. I don't like fried food. It would be a big help if you could help me out."

"Wow." Chiyo couldn't help but sigh. She was originally wondering why Zhixian was the prototype of the senior sister in the comics, but now she understood a little.

"As expected of Nozaki-kun... What are you doing, Nozaki-kun?" Chiyo looked confused.

"Record inspiration." Nozaki was seen drawing something with a pen and paper in his hand, while the half-eaten lunch box was placed aside.

...Is this what friendship between boys is like? It was hard to understand, and Chiyo was completely confused.

If fans and readers of Yumeno Sakiko knew the prototypes of these characters and the author's own experience in collecting materials, they would probably cry...

"Speaking of which, I want to add a new character to the comics next," said Nozaki.

"Do you want to observe characters with the characteristics of girls' comics?" Zhixian immediately understood Nozaki's idea.

"That's it. It would be a great help if you could."

"Is that okay with my friend?" Mikoshiba raised her hand. "It's exactly like a shojo manga!"

"Oh! You're so reliable, Mikoshiba! You're just like me!"

"Hehe!" The complacent Mikoshiba.

"Yes, yes, very reliable." Zhixian responded, of course, in a sticky tone.

If Mikoshiba had a tail, its tail would have probably reached the stratosphere.

"Then let's wait until the internship is over and I'll introduce you to each other." It was finally decided.

"Sure, I can start drawing the content I collected right after the internship." Nozaki nodded repeatedly, looking very much looking forward to the internship. "Ah! I'll be thankful for your hard work then."

"No! It's not hard! I'm also looking forward to the next plot~" Chiyo responded instantly.

Is Paras really that fast? It must be because of his high effort level!

17. So-called freedom

For his internship, Hayama chose an electronics manufacturer. It wasn't just the company's office and research facilities; it also housed the Liberation Museum. The museum also featured a surrounding screen theater, making it a beautiful and entertaining company.

Because they were in the same group, Zhixian followed Ye Shan nonchalantly, looking at everything in front of him calmly as if he was just passing by - the men and women chattering and playing noisily, and the extremely precise mechanical products that looked very rigorous and delicate, and contained scientific principles.

However, there is no correlation between the two, but rather a combination of exact opposites.

Human society can function freely without anyone, but the operation of machinery cannot be done without any component, even if it is just a screw with no sense of existence.

The screws in human society also have no sense of existence. The difference is that people are dispensable, but screws are crucial.

This has nothing to do with whether you contribute silently or not, because people tend to trust their own eyes and their own judgment. Even if you silently water the flowers in the class every day, no one will look at you because they don’t intend to see it, or there is no need to see it.

Most people who see it will speak based on your so-called positioning -

"Look at that otaku. He doesn't talk much but waters the flowers every day. Is he hoping a flower fairy will appear?"

"Wow, that's disgusting! Otakus are really disgusting!"

On the contrary——

"Wow! I didn't expect that classmate xx is not only good at studying and sports, but also very kind! Look, he's even so gentle with plants!"

Then change the gender -

"Look at that xxx, watering the flowers and pretending to be enthusiastic, but she's just putting on a show. She doesn't even like plants, right?"

"That's what I mean! ***** is *****. It's ridiculous that those boys can't see it. They are so superficial."

In short, people always hope that the world will work in accordance with their own wishes, and if it does not work in accordance with their wishes, they can just "interpret" it so that it works in accordance with their wishes.

I think that is how it should be.

If I think they are rebelling and fighting for their freedom, then they are rebelling and fighting for their freedom. Not only will I speak out, I will also tweet about it so that the whole world knows what I think - after all, I am a person with free speech.

Those who oppose me are against freedom of speech. I have the right to defend my freedom of speech, so my actions are just. Those who slander and question me are anti-freedom people who hinder progress. They can't even tolerate freedom of speech, so how can they pursue and realize freedom?

There are always more mediocre people than geniuses, so mediocre people are extremely easy to incite, more likely to believe the remarks of the stick-makers, and willing to support the stick-makers who make the remarks. They can let the stick-makers' narrow selfish speeches rise to a higher level and even naively think that they support the truth.

Freedom, or perhaps the so-called "freedom," has allowed those statements that are called freedom but are actually blasphemous to prevail. Ultimately, whether there has been investigation or understanding is no longer important. What matters is that people have gained a great sense of satisfaction in supporting "freedom," and even more importantly, there are important figures who express the same views as them.

I am really good. I am really good. I am really really really really good.

Ha! You're spouting off like someone with ADHD and a mental illness without sedation.

Human society is so complex.

Many people like to follow the crowd and like to follow someone's lead because they think that person is wise enough and what he does cannot be wrong.

This requires sufficient personal charm, like the Godfather.

However, personal charisma these days is likely more about appearance—if you're handsome, you're right, and if you're handsome, good at studying, and good at sports, then you're definitely a top-tier idol! You're doing everything right, and we all support you! If someone denigrates you, we'll all stand up for you, because we all support you. Even if you've done something wrong, it doesn't matter now, because someone will defend you. If things get out of hand, you can feign ignorance, then delete your tweet like a certain Sima Fatty, then say "Tokyo wakes up," as if the sun rises as usual.

Oh, freedom of speech.

----split line----

Afterwards, Chixian saw Hikigaya outside the main group. He seemed to be talking to Shizuka Hiratsuka.

Perhaps Hikigaya Hachiman is the one who sees through everything. Recalling the other party's article, Zhixian couldn't help but think.

After the tour, Ye Shan suggested going to Saria. Zhixian decisively rejected Ye Shan's invitation and left the group.

Before leaving, he glanced at the blonde girl in the crowd.

......

"Let's go to Nozaki's house and help." Zhixian said to himself.

18. Popular supporting characters in comics

"Ah, Ju, you're here." After Zhixian entered Nozaki's studio, the big cartoonist who was writing furiously at the drawing table turned around and said a simple hello before continuing to work.

Incidentally, it was Chiyo who opened the door.

"You're quite motivated." Zhixian sat down next to Chiyo and took a manuscript. "It's blacked out, right?"

"Ah, yes," Chiyo replied, "Nozaki-kun said he got a lot of great inspiration from his internship, so he plans to draw it right away."

Zhixian looked at the stack of manuscripts on the square table, then looked at the manuscripts next to Nozaki, and came to a conclusion -

"I successfully completed this month's manuscript before the deadline, so I can now devote myself to the new creation. After all, it is a rare extra chapter."

After completing this month's series, Nozaki plans to follow up with readers and draw a collection of short stories featuring supporting characters that have little to do with the main story. Given the size of a monthly manga, I could probably draw three or four short stories.

The senior sister mentioned earlier playing tennis is also one of the extra plans.

"New characters will be introduced after this extra episode. I'm really looking forward to it!" Chiyo smiled with her eyebrows curved, and her eyes that loved to smile showed up whenever she mentioned Nozaki.

"Are you planning to lay the groundwork in the extra chapter and then have him appear in the main story? That's a good idea." This kind of character also exists in Detective Conan - Officer Shiratori. And precisely because he is a character in the theatrical version, the possibility of him being the boss is ruled out.

"Tachibana-san's regional qualifiers are coming up in a few days, right? We'll be there to watch!"

"I'm not nervous at all."

"You're not nervous at all?" Chiyo said that she would be nervous when the teacher called on her to answer a question.

"...Do you get nervous when answering what 1+1 equals?" Zhixian asked back.

"Not really."

"It's the same principle. For me, the questions for my opponents in the qualifiers are not beyond the scope of the syllabus. It's just the difference between one plus one equals two and two plus two equals four." It's just that my teammates are at the same level of one plus two equals three.

"Uh, isn't this metaphor a bit too much?" Chiyo said with an awkward smile.

"Would Miyamoto Musashi care about the kids playing with kendama on the street?"

"Miyamoto Musashi should be concerned about Sasaki Kojiro, right? Or other swordsmen?"

"I'm being a bit arrogant and comparing myself to Musashi. My opponent in the regional qualifiers is a beginner wielding a wooden sword, someone who's never even touched a real sword, while I'm holding a sharp, bladed weapon—Niten Ichiryu, or two swords."

"...It's a rather exaggerated metaphor, but I get it."

"There was once a very strong tennis player in the Japanese tennis world who was nicknamed the Samurai, so I used that metaphor."

"Hmm, holding a katana and holding a tennis racket? They do have some similarities!"

"I'm glad you understood. I'm actually a bit of a history buff."

"Ahahaha, I kind of get that." Chiyo had overheard Chixian suggesting that Nozaki draw a sequel set in the Warring States period, but she'd put it on hold because the armor and all was too much trouble. She'd also heard that Chixian often guest-starred as a guard in the drama club.

Although the armor was initially a bit heavy due to the wrong material, Zhixian expressed his willingness to make another cameo appearance after making a cameo appearance - he quite liked that set of armor.

"Aside from tennis, Tachibana-kun has many other hobbies." Chiyo felt that the more she got to know the boy, the harder it was to connect him with the person in the rumors.

Actually, the boys I met at Nozaki's house were different from what they appeared to be, Chiyo thought.

Whether it is Nozaki, Mikoshiba or Chixian, they are all very good and gentle people who are worth interacting with (interaction here does not mean romantic interaction).

It's so great to be Nozaki-kun's assistant! Looking at Nozaki's broad back, Chiyo couldn't help but think.

----split line----

"Sorry, Nozaki, can I stay overnight tonight?" Zhixian asked Nozaki after finishing work.

"No problem, tomorrow is a day off anyway," Nozaki replied.

"Eh? Does Tachibana-san often stay overnight?" Chiyo asked curiously.

"Tachibana and Mikoshiba both occasionally stay overnight."

"No one is at home today, so I'll just have a meal at Nozaki's place and discuss the extra story with my senior." Zhixian also explained.

"Ah! I'm also looking forward to the extra chapter about the senior sister!" Chiyo clapped her hands.

After all, he is the third most popular supporting role in the popularity vote.

"I didn't expect this character to be so popular." Zhixian sighed. No one would be happy if the gender-reversed version of themselves is popular, right?

It’s better to say that there is a kind of subtle emotion that is difficult to describe. I can’t say that I hate it, but I can’t accept it frankly either.

There's nothing we can do about it, since this is the third character in the popularity vote!

18.5 Intermission

When she was just notified of the job internship, Yumiko had already decided on her group and where she would go.

The team members are two same-sex friends, Yui Higahama and Hina Ebina. The place they are going to is the place Hayato Hayama is going to. She thinks that Hayama will definitely choose a good place when he chooses a place, so she just needs to follow him.

And when it comes to workplace internships, Yumiko has no idea at all. She has no idea what kind of job she will do in the future, so she was too lazy to just follow Hayama about the location of the workplace internship.

If Yuigahama and Ebina were to decide, it wouldn't end well. Yuigahama was indecisive, and Ebina was a fujoshi. She had no desire to intern at the editorial office of a BL manga publisher! Absolutely not!

So it’s better to follow Ye Shan, who is a man of his own ideas. We are all friends, so it’s easy to chat and communicate with each other. After finishing, we can even have dinner together outside.

This is how I spent a day doing nothing but having fun.

However, Yumiko never expected that a mere internship would be completely beyond her expectations.

First, malicious and defamatory text messages about Tobe Yamato and Ooka spread throughout the class.