The next day, Haruki pushed open the café door and caught sight of Kotone waving from a corner table. She smiled warmly as he approached, and he returned the smile. Sliding into their seats, they ordered coffee.
"So, when did you arrive?" Haruki asked.
"I got here last week," Kotone replied. "I went to see Grandma Sachiko first. Just came back to Tokyo yesterday."
"Back here already? I thought you'd be staying with your grandma for a while."
Kotone gave a small smile. "Oh… that's a long story."
Osaka, One Week Earlier
Kotone arrived at her grandmother's house the day before. After freshening up, she carried down a copy of Violet Evergarden—the Japanese translation—with her name printed on the cover.
Sachiko looked up from the table. "You're up early. Shouldn't you rest more after such a long trip?"
"I'm not that tired, Grandma. I want to show you something." Kotone held out the manga.
Sachiko adjusted her glasses and studied the cover: a girl in a doll-like dress clutching an umbrella in one hand, a suitcase in the other. At the bottom, the words: Created by Kotone Shirasaka.
Her brow furrowed. "You made this?"
Kotone nodded. "Yes. I finished it while I was abroad."
Sachiko frowned slightly. She had always told Kotone not to go down that path, reminding her that she was meant to be studying in America, not drawing manga. However, as she flipped through the pages, her expression softened.
The house was quiet except for the sound of turning pages. Kotone sat across from her, hands clasped in her lap, waiting.
After reading three chapters, Sachiko closed the manga.
"So… what have you decided now that you've finished your studies?" she asked.
Kotone hesitated. "I… want to draw manga, Grandma."
Sachiko looked at her for a long moment before letting out a sigh. "Your talent is just like your father's. He could draw scenes that felt alive, like paintings. I remember when he showed me his first manga. He was working at a bank then, but he didn't like it there. He wanted to draw, even though we knew how uncertain the industry was."
Kotone shifted in her seat.
"He finished one story and submitted it to a publishing house in Tokyo. They accepted it, and he went there to sign the contract. We weren't entirely supportive, but your grandfather said, 'Let him go. If he succeeds, it's good for him. If not, he'll come back.' But then the accident happened, and your grandfather blamed himself for letting him go."
Kotone didn't know what to say. She stared at her hands, tight in her lap.
Her voice trembled slightly as her eyes grew wet. She picked up Kotone's manga again, tracing the cover illustration with her finger. "I know one tragedy shouldn't stop another dream. You went abroad and even got your work published. I'm proud of you. I give you my blessing. Keep drawing your manga."
Kotone blinked, holding back tears. "Thank you… Grandma."
She stood and went to her grandmother, hugging her. Sachiko didn't move, just let her hug her.
After a while, Kotone pulled back. "I want you to come with me to Tokyo… so I can take care of you."
Sachiko shook her head. "I don't want to leave home. But… promise me you'll come back during every holiday?"
"I promise," Kotone said, nodding.
Café
Kotone said, "So… that's what happened. Now I'm here in Tokyo."
Haruki nodded. "Do you have any new work lined up? If not, I always have space on my team, like before. You could help out as my assistant until you have something lined up, you know how many manga I'm juggling on top of the anime."
Kotone laughed. "Thanks for the offer. I have an idea, but it still needs some rough editing. I'll show it when it's ready. But seriously… how do you come up with so many ideas? I finished Violet Evergarden over a year ago and still feel like I'm not ready for the next one."
Haruki shrugged. "If you need help with manga, just ask. I'm happy to help."
Kotone smiled. "Alright, enough manga talk. You always come back to it. What do you even do outside of work these days?"
Haruki scratched his neck. "You know how it is. Manga and anime keep me busy. When I do get free time, I just… play some games."
They fell into a steady rhythm after that, talking about small things, cafés they liked, the neighborhood, a couple of shows they'd both seen. Nothing serious.
When they finally left the café, evening had settled over the streets as they parted ways.
Haruki glanced at Kotone. "It's good… having this kind of day."
Kotone nodded. "Yeah. Maybe we should do this more often. Otherwise, you'd be lost in the manga and anime world all the time."
Haruki smiled. "Maybe we should."
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)