"Teacher Gangno, I haven't seen you for a long time. Thank you for taking care of me about asking for leave."

Higashinoji nodded to Okano Ryoko, and then took over a bag of horse meat jerky packaged in Kumamoto Prefecture as a souvenir - I couldn't help it, I bought too many, and he only brought a few textbooks today, and the others were not horse meat.

It’s all about Kumamon.

They were all happily eating the Fukushima Madoka over there.

"How embarrassing...but it's really a big help for Higashikata-san to come back so soon."

After thinking for a while, Ryoko Okano took the dried horse meat and answered the other party: "The Mutono Art University has made preparations. The activity mobilization book here has also been prepared."

"I have troubled you all this time." Higashino thanked him.

This is the reason why he stayed in the studio for so long - you must know that he had previously agreed to Okano Ryoko's exchange and study activities at Mutono Art University.

This matter still needs to have a beginning and an end, and it cannot be made difficult for Ryoko Okano.

"You don't have to be so polite." Ryoko Okano waved her hand.

She has always been very satisfied with her favorite student, and what she appreciates the most is that Higashinoji has never been arrogant and has always been friendly with the students in the studio.

As the only male student in the studio, Higashinoji did everything he could do, which naturally made her have an unusually high tolerance for him.

but...

"Higashino-san, before we get down to business, I want to ask you something first." Ryoko Okano coughed dryly: "It's that Kumamon..."

Before she could finish speaking, Higashinoji had already understood it. He lowered his voice and replied: "Bring it to Mr. Okano tomorrow."

"Well, I'm sorry to trouble you, Higashino-san... Then there's the mobilization letter from Mutono Art University..."

Okano Ryoko obviously knew that Higashinoji was coming to school today, so he directly took out a mobilization letter from the lesson plan in his hand and handed it to Higashinoji.

Higashino took the lesson plan and looked over it roughly.

This is actually not much different from the mobilization letter for college students in the previous life. It probably means that the students of Kokuijuku cannot do anything dangerous during the exchange and study period, and they will not be held responsible if anything happens... This is also equivalent to a letter of responsibility.

It is similar in nature to the responsibility letters that "You are not allowed to bathe in the river during summer vacation" that Higashinoji saw in China when he was a child.

After reading the mobilization letter, Higashino signed it without hesitation, stamped it and handed it back to Ryoko Okano.

"Okay, I did receive it. Higashino-san, you should be free next Monday, right? I'm going to Mutono Art University for a week-long exchange."

"I can spare some time...but I may have to take my sister to the hospital for a routine check-up...I may take a leave then. That should be okay, right?"

Higashinoji sighed and asked Okano Ryoko.

Next Monday, October 12th.

Every month, Higashinoji takes Chihaya Higashino to the hospital for a routine checkup. Now that another month has passed... of course Higashinoji will take her to the hospital.

"Well, that's no problem. I'll say hello to the teacher at Mutono Art University when the time comes."

As a teacher at Kita Yoshinori, Ryoko Okano naturally knows about Higashinoji's family situation, and also knows that he is living alone with his sister.

"Then please trouble Ryoko Gangano." Higashino nodded in thanks.

That’s pretty much it.

Then we just wait until next week to visit and study at Mutono Art University.

...

There will be no other fluctuations in the next few days.

Higashinoji brought another batch of Kumamon peripherals and distributed them to the girls in the studio and Ryoko Okano.

Then it’s time to draw comics.

The sales volume of "Midnight Ring" continues to rise, reaching 300,000 copies in a short period of time... Some people even commented that the sales volume of "Midnight Ring" is expected to challenge the average sales of one million copies.

On the other hand, there were many letters from readers of "Aoba" to Higashinoji.

These readers gnashed their teeth with hatred in the letter - I originally thought you had become a good person and stopped drawing horror pictures to scare people, but who knew that you were even more outrageous than horror comics. If you watch "The Lonely Gourmet" on an empty stomach at night, your stomach will be like that

The feeling of colic makes many readers go out late at night and find restaurants for late-night snacks.

This made them hateful and angry, and they wanted to pull Higashinoji out from behind the comics and beat him up.

So what if it's annoying? Don't you want to watch it?

Watching "The Lonely Gourmet" while eating, they really felt that the food was so delicious that even plain rice seemed to be enough to finish two or three bowls.

If you really don’t have the conditions, you still have to make instant noodles to appease your empty stomach. That’s why there is such an interesting phenomenon.

These readers are scolding Higashinoji, an old thief, and at the same time they still want to read it. This is particularly contradictory.

These contradictory emotions are expressed in letters from readers, and the entire previous article is full of criticism of Higashinoji.

However, the Japanese only have a few words to curse people over and over, so when translated, it is similar to an interesting comment like "The old thief Higashino has lost his conscience, and Goro and I will live and die together."

Of course, this group of readers will scold each other, and in the end they will still say something in the reader's letter - but you are indeed very good at drawing, and "The Lonely Gourmet" is very interesting, you must continue to draw it, otherwise we will go to hell with you.

That Japanese food kiosk is your spot.

The compliment after this plus the Japanese words like ‘idiot’ and ‘hanhan’ before it... even have a bit of a tsundere meaning.

This made Tonoji feel a little funny inexplicably.

"My readers are really a bunch of arrogant people."

After sighing inexplicably, Higashino looked down again.

In addition to the readers' letters sent by these little tsundere readers, there are also quite a few people asking questions below, asking whether Mr. Higashino is the designer of Kumamon Bear.

After all, Higashino Tsukasa just appeared at Urashima Publishing House a few days ago and was photographed and posted in the newspaper.

Although the photos are not clear, you can find the similarities as long as you compare them carefully.

So the fans below are very curious.

Most of the fans who were previously a group of chaotic evil rebelled directly and became lawful neutral, raising the banner - Mr. Higashino and Tsukasa Higashino are the same person! Don't fight anymore! Let's work hard together!

Of course, there are still some people who still have the same idea as before——

Higashinoji is an oil painter, but he knows ghost comics?

Teacher Higashino is a cartoonist and knows a lot about art design.

To this kind of question, Higashinoji has no idea of ​​replying for the time being.

After all, I will have an exclusive interview soon, so I will be honest with you in the interview then.

Of course, the gossip in newspapers and magazines is better than him standing up and admitting it.

The days passed like this, and soon the day came for Higashinoji to be interviewed...

On this day, Higashinoji got up early and started drawing a few pages of the original manuscripts of "The Lonely Gourmet" and "The Ring".

Then I played a two-player cassette game with Chihaya Higashino for a while. It was a game where a snowman shot snowflakes at monsters. After turning the monster completely into a snowball, he could push it away and crush other little monsters.

Higashinoji played with her for ten or twenty levels before putting down the controller and preparing lunch. After Higashino Chihaya had lunch, Higashinoji began to draw "Midnight Bell" and "The Lonely Gourmet" again, and then drew another

Two pages later, the time came to 4:30 in the afternoon, and Higashino packed up and went out.

He first went to Urashima Publishing House. It was already five o'clock at this time. As soon as Hosokawa Koharu saw him coming, he took him into the publishing house without saying a word.

Urashima Publishing House had obviously tidied it up, and even dedicated a table to Higashino Tsukasa.

An exclusive interview with a comic book author...it's nothing more than having some casual conversations with the comic book author, interviewing him about his recent activities, and then watching him create comics on the spot...that's probably the process.

It seems that the other party also cares about this exclusive interview.

Originally, this type of interview was supposed to be held at Higashinoji's home, but considering that Higashinoji had Chihaya Higashino with him, Hosokawa Koharu suppressed the matter and changed the location to Urashima Publishing House.

The people on the TV station's program team also respected Higashinoji, and knew that he was a hot news item, so some people were waiting at the editorial department door early.

"Teacher Higashino, thank you for your hard work." The male host in charge of this interview held the business card in both hands and handed it over with a very respectful expression.

"Well, thank you for your hard work. It's an honor for me to participate in the interview with your radio station." Higashino smiled and shook hands with the other party, and then said apologetically: "I'm really sorry, I don't have a business card..."

"Haha, after all, Mr. Higashino is also a high school student, so it's natural that he doesn't have a business card." The other party extended his hand kindly and said repeatedly: "Please, please."

Higashinoji also smiled and nodded repeatedly, and at the same time took the time to glance at the name on the other party's business card.

This male host's name is Shun Matsui, and he is a staff member of Japan TV Station.

The so-called Nippon TV Station, in fact, its full name is Nippon Television Network Co., Ltd. It is a wireless TV station mainly based in the Kanto Metropolitan Area as its broadcasting area. It has a long history in the industry and is very famous.

For such a TV station to make a special trip to record an exclusive interview with Higashino, I have to say that the other party is indeed sincere.

But thinking about it carefully, Higashinoji felt that this decision was quite normal.

The TV station industry in Japan is not like China. There are various TV stations here, many of which are commercial TV stations, and everything is based on ratings.

Japan TV is such a commercial TV station, so it’s quite normal that they would invest part of their resources into the designer of Kumamon.

Higashino entered the Urashima editorial office and was placed on a table, with cameras set up behind and on the sides.

Someone also made a special trip to take a close-up of the tabletop in front of him, preparing to take a close-up of Higashino's painting later when he was painting.

Seeing Higashinoji being surrounded, Hosokawa Koharu, who had been standing by and watching, felt his heart tightening for some unknown reason.

It was like seeing her own cub go to the slaughterhouse. Higashinoji was not anxious, but she became anxious.
To be continued...