Original subtitles

WOOF

WOOF

Episode 7: I Didn't See It Coming.

Episode 7: I Didn't See It Coming.

Wrap-up - Snooze

Stop

It's 10 PM, so please wrap up for the day.

Got it.

Let's message Nekonote-san to call it a day, too.

Come to think of it, Nekonote-san's still a total mystery.

That's one way to put it. But you're right.

All I know about her is she's a newbie that Sato-san took under her wing.

I've reviewed the instruction file. I'll let you know once I've completed the task. It's done. I'd appreciate it if you could check it.

She mostly rants about her obsession and doesn't really post about herself.

Nekonote

The ribbon cake - is super sweet lolol

Got a ribbon cake for my fave's b'day! lolololol Can't stop laughing lolol

Hey, why don't we video call her?

Huh? Oh, right. I didn't think of that.

Only if Nekonote-san's up for it.

But with Nashida-san at a meeting, now's our chance.

Off to my meeting I go!

You're right.

Nekonote

Connecting...

Nekonote

Connecting...

Nekonote

On call

Nekonote - On call

C-Can you hear me?

Y-Yes, loud and clear! All good!

I'm glad.

What's with the awkward silence?

Oh, uh, nice to meet you. I'm Futami.

Nekonote - On call

N-Nice to meet you. I'm Nekonote.

This is Ha-san... Um...

I'm her on-site assistant, Hazama.

N-Nice to meet you.

Likewise.

Sh-She looks so young.

Yup, definitely young.

Nekonote - On call

Totally young, right?

Uh, this all feels off.

Her bubbly vibe on social media and her serious tone when it comes to work...

Neither matches who she is in person.

Nekonote - On call

She's totally not who I was expecting!

Um, Futami-sensei.

Have I, uh, done something?

Huh?

I-I mean, we've been communicating fine over chat this whole time,

but now, you suddenly call me.

I'm worried I may have done something wrong.

I made her cry!

No, of course not! Your work is flawless! Right?

Definitely! You're talented and fast. You're a lifesaver.

Then, why?

I just wanted to introduce myself properly since we've been a team for three months now.

And I was wondering if we could meet up in person.

Huh? In person?

Yeah. Just something casual, like grabbing a drink.

Uh, actually...

I appreciate the thought, but I'm based in Aomori, so...

Oh, I can pay for your transportation.

But I'd feel bad.

Don't sweat it. Or we could grab something to eat if you don't drink?

Well, I, um...

Huh? Did I come on too strong? Or wait, did I...

Did I harass you just then?

Ah, she's spiraling.

Oh, uh, no, I mean...

I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable.

No, it's not that.

It's just...

I'm 16.

I'm still a minor.

Time-out!

Huh?

W-W-W-Wait.

So, uh...

You're underage?!

Yes.

What?!

I-I'm sorry. It's not like I was trying to hide it.

I just didn't want the age difference getting in the way.

Hold on. I'm still processing this.

So you're, like, "first year of high school" age?

Yes.

And Sato-san's your editor, huh? That's amazing at your age.

Not at all. I-In fact, um, I...

I stopped going to school. Like, completely. And I hardly leave my house.

That doesn't matter!

Huh?

You're a genius if you can draw at this level at only 16!

So did you submit your work and win an award?

N-No. I didn't win anything. Sato-san just happened to notice my work.

That's still amazing!

Uh, but wait. If you're this talented, are you working on something already?

Are you gonna leave me?

There you go being self-defeatist again.

N-No, I don't plan on quitting right now.

Working for you is a great learning experience, and I'm enjoying it.

I don't know if it's actually possible to learn stuff from me.

But I have! I didn't know you could add a white outline to handwritten text

to make it easier to read until I became your assistant.

And...

It made me so happy.

I don't really have any friends and I've never won an award in my life.

To Subaru Futami Nana - Subaru's feelings brought me to tears. Mitsuki's feelings brought me a smile. Highly acclaimed by Kimi Cho's author,Takizawa Ren! A precious story of two souls, united by shogi and divided by years.

But your first volume got released and I got a copy of it.

And that's when I found my name in the "Special Thanks" section of the afterword.

Special Thanks - My editor: Sato-san / Shogi advisor: Kakunodate-san My assistants: - Hazama-san. Nekonote-san / Design: - Tsukinawa-san My readers Osho (King) - Thank you very much - I hope to see you in the next volume! - Futami Nana

It felt like I'd been recognized for the very first time in my life.

Nekonote-san

I'm sure Sato-san also recognizes your talents, Nekonote-san.

Uh, y-you're right. I'm sorry.

A-Anyway, what I really want to say is...

I hope we can work together for a long time.

Me, too. Let's do our best together.

Okay!

But, uh, I'll have to rethink your working hours.

I don't wanna break any labor laws.

True. We should get that all straightened out.

Ah, I'm sorry for causing trouble.

Nekonote

Wait... This is pure bliss

I can't stop smiling!

Ha-san! Emergency!

What is it this time?

I think Toko-san's on her way here!

Dang, I gotta clean this place up.

I should take a shower, too.

Do you think I should change the sheets for new ones?

It's her first time here and you're worried about that?

Sorry for dropping by at such short notice.

W-Welcome.

Thank you for having me.

Oh. Good evening. My name is Kakunodate Toko.

Hi.

That's not how you greet people.

Oh my gosh. You're getting good at shogi, Hazama-san.

Have you been practicing?

I play the app sometimes. Tsume shogi is my favorite game.

That's all? Wow.

Hey, Futami. Have you noticed?

Yes, I can't believe Ha-san.

You're about an amateur 5-kyu player now.

Oh, goodness. Really?

She's totally fawning over her.

We're about the same age, so you don't have to be so polite with me.

You're being polite, too.

All right. From now on, if you talk politely, you lose.

Knock it off! Are you a couple who just started dating?!

Seriously! Showing up outta nowhere and acting like you own the place...

I'm sorry. Was I bothering you?

Ugh. Yeah, big time.

We mangakas sacrifice sleep every single day to—

But Nashida-san, you said you were waiting for your storyboards to be reviewed.

Yeah. And it's perfect timing for us, since we have room in our schedule.

But I get uncomfortable when someone I don't really know is around!

Talk about having no filter.

Besides, I feel left out because I don't know Toko-san that well.

Now, now.

In that case, let's play a game of shogi to break the ice.

Huh?

Ah, so you're trying to pull me into your game, huh?

It's nothing like that.

Uh, Nashida-san, was it? Have you ever played shogi before?

Nope.

Let's play a little game, then.

Bring it on!

I'm not going down without a fight.

Wow!

That was a great move!

I can't believe this is your first time playing!

I'm obsessed.

You're such a fast learner, Nashida-san. You're a genius.

No! Don't be so kind to me, or else I'll fall in love with you.

Kakugyo (Bishop)

Feelings of joy, excitement, and wanting to do more is what motivates us.

If this opens the door to shogi for you, that's all I can ask for.

Toko-san.

Please talk some sense into my editor, too.

That's, uh, different.

I do better when I get compliments. His constant criticism kills my motivation.

Oh, yeah. What brought you to Tokyo today, Toko-san?

I had a match.

What, really? Are you okay? You must be tired.

I'm fine. I lost.

And I didn't want to be by myself.

Thank you for allowing me to come over.

Huh? I understand Toko-san feeling down, but what's your issue, Nashida-san?

Listening to her made me feel depressed again.

Why didn't I? I usually would've caught that.

You're beating yourself up on an empty stomach. You'll feel better once you eat something.

Let's eat.

Resurrected!

That hit the spot! I'm alive again.

All I needed was a warm meal.

That's great to hear.

Um, are you always like this when you, uh, lose a game, Toko-san?

I sure am.

I'll never get used to the feeling of losing,

and if it does stop hurting, I bet that means it's time to quit.

Be honest. Do you ever feel like giving up?

You just dropped that one in.

'Cause I do. Every single day.

Yeah, I totally feel like quitting sometimes.

What? And you say that with a smile?

The day I left the Shogi Promotion Association, on days like today when I lose,

or when a sudden feeling of emptiness hits me.

Wow, you feel that way even at your level?

Of course. Because it's always been a fight with myself.

I do have friends and I love my job, but I'm all alone when the game begins.

Isn't it kind of the same for mangakas?

Exactly. Everyone's there to help, but when it comes down to it, you're on your own.

Celestial solitude.

I knew it. We all have it rough, don't we?

Yeah, it sucks.

It does.

Um, why don't you all quit, then?

I, uh, don't know.

Why, you ask? That's obvious. It's because... Well, you know...

There ain't no reason!

Why are you talking like that?

I hate it sometimes, but I gotta do it if I wanna survive.

Hey, you're being too loud, Nashida-san.

But she makes a good point. That's pretty deep.

Don't buy into that. You can't seriously agree, Toko-san.

I'm so stuffed. It's pure bliss.

You're right there.

We gotta work hard if we wanna eat good food.

Right again.

Wanna stay the night at my place, Toko-san?

Huh? Are you sure?

Yay! Let's play games! You can sleep next to me.

What? No way! Toko-san's sleeping next to me.

Aw, c'mon.

Okay, please revise the storyboards for Chapter 10 based on what we discussed.

Okay.

Do you have any plans now, Futami?

Not much. Just heading home to revise the storyboards.

Well, I was thinking it'd be nice if we grabbed something to eat.

Let's do it.

Roger. Think about what you want to eat while you're waiting for me.

I'll go grab my stuff.

Yay! It's been a while since someone treated me to a meal!

Cow

Or that's what I thought.

How did things turn out like this?

More meat, anyone?

Ooh, me.

It's been a while, Futami-sensei.

How have you been?

Um, good.

I hope you don't mind us joining you for dinner.

I mean...

There aren't many places to eat near the office,

so this happens pretty often.

I see.

I was thinking of sending you another email, Futami-sensei.

Hey, Setouchi. No talking business over dinner.

Whoa.

Oh, my bad. That just slipped out.

You still get jealous easily, don't you?

Nothing of the sort. Didn't you say something about waiting two years the other day?

That was just me getting in the right mindset, but naturally, the sooner the better.

This feels kinda awkward.

Don't mind those two.

Oh, yeah. Didn't you once work as Takizawa-sensei's assistant?

Yes, I did.

Off the record, Takizawa-sensei's Kimi Cho is getting a live-action adaptation.

Kimi Cho Live-action Adaptation - Confirmed

Whoa! Even though the anime's still airing?

And there's a project planned for a Kimi Cho spin-off on a manga app.

Boss lady's in charge of the main series, but I've been assigned to the spin-off.

Huh?

Futami-sensei, how about we team up?

What?

Asakura!

"Et tu, Brute?" I told you we'd figure it out together, didn't I?

Huh? But don't you think it's a great idea?

It's common for the formal assistant to do the spin-off.

Well, I guess.

Yeah, but that's not the point.

The art style won't be too different, so it'll work for the readers, too.

Still, I'm sure Takizawa-sensei would like to have a say in it.

Ah, I'm sure she'll be fine with Futami-sensei doing it.

Huh?

We don't know that yet.

I didn't know you worked for Takizawa-sensei. Have you submitted to non-shojo magazines?

Oh, u-um...

We're talking about the spin-off.

There's no harm in discussing personal preferences.

It might spark an idea for her next series.

Don't do anything rash, you two.

Will you at least listen to the plot?

It might actually be perfect for you, Futami-sensei.

Like I said, that's not the problem.

Hm?

What kind of characters do you find easiest to draw?

Oh?

We first need to consider her current serialization's schedule!

What's happening here?

Can't you be a little more flexible?

I'm in my "main character" era!

It's as if my days where nobody paid attention to me never happened!

Like I'm now in demand!

It all comes down to whether Futami wants to do it or not.

And that's already been sorted out between us. Right, Futami?

But I do love this feeling.

What? Are you saying you want to work with one of them?

No, that's not what I meant.

It just feels like creators have to beg for a chance for their work to be serialized,

Please... Please give me a chance...

so I'm surprised that editors are approaching me instead.

Publishers can't afford to say no in today's saturated entertainment market.

That said, I don't think I can handle two serializations at once.

I can see it being a disaster.

But there are advantages to it, too.

For one thing, it simply gets you more exposure.

Getting noticed is the most important thing nowadays.

If one goes viral, it can bring attention to the other one if you have multiple series on the go.

Right?

Sure, it's the author-buy effect.

Besides, it helps spread the risk in case one of the series gets canceled.

I see.

Right? And my magazine is targeted at a different demographic,

so it can show a fresh side of you!

Hey! An original work from scratch is totally different from a spin-off.

What?

Will you listen to my pitch now?

Wh-When'd our dinner turn into a pitch contest?

Cow

Oh. Are you okay, Futami?

Oh, yeah. I drank a bit too much, so I wanted to get some fresh air.

I'm sorry for all that.

It was interesting to learn all the new things.

But I don't think I have the time to do more than one serialization.

Hey, is time really the only issue?

What do you mean?

Aren't there other reasons?

Like, you can't think of anything else you want to write about?

There are tons of things I wanna write about.

Like?

Sports manga.

Sports? What kind?

Volleyball. I used to play a little when I was in elementary school.

And if we're talking about what I can do, I know sign language.

What? Seriously?

Yup.

I have a relative who's hearing impaired.

I didn't know that.

Lipreading meant we could always communicate, and writing stuff down was an option,

but I wanted to speak the language, so I learned it.

It'd be fun if I could write about how I felt back then.

Oh, and another idea I have is a family drama with an alien.

Talk about a sudden genre change.

I have a lot of stories in mind. Tons.

Stories I think would be fun to tell and draw.

No wonder it's so cold tonight.

They say a finished flop is better than a masterpiece that never left your head.

My second series will have to wait until I have time to dedicate to it.

Not that I want to end my current serialization!

I know. I get it.

Whew.

Let's go back inside.

Okay.

So cold.

Ah, it stopped snowing. Thank goodness.

Futami-sensei, I'll send you an email about what we discussed earlier.

Same here.

Huh? Uh, okay.

No need to do that.

Whoa. Sato-san?

I've decided. Now. Today.

Futami's going to do another series. With me.

Sorry, but she's all mine.

Huh? Uh, no, no, no.

No?

Um...

You're joking, right?

I'm serious.

Damn serious.

You're gonna work on two series with her? That's not fair!

No monopolizing!

Shut up!

I won't!

Uh, wait, Sato-san...

I seriously can't.

No, you can. I know it.

Based on what evidence?! I barely make the deadlines now,

and I cause Toko-san a lot of trouble!

You'll be fine.

Like I said, based on what evidence?!

You'll manage.

Listen to me! Where's the evidence for that? I don't have any plans! You hear me?

Next episode: This Is Also Part of a Mangaka's Work.

Next Episode This Is Also Part of a Mangaka's Work.