"What's with this panel where the eyes and mouth are placed together? Did you eat the nose in the middle? It might not be that obvious when you stare right at it, but if you hold it a bit further away, doesn't it look ridiculous? Even for a comedy manga, this is way too ridiculous."
As the semester ended and the holidays arrived, Baumkuchen Studio also became lively. High schoolers weren't the only ones welcoming the holidays after exams; university students were too.
Having scraped through her university final exams with barely passing grades, Sahoto Ashisu didn't have to worry about makeup exams and could devote herself entirely to drawing manga during the holidays.
However... it was hard to put into words.
When Sahoto worked as an assistant for Mihari, she did a pretty good job. But as soon as she started drawing her own original work, the results left Rin Ito somewhat exasperated.
Previously, Rin Ito had helped her brainstorm an outline for a long-running serialization. Miss Orie had taken the outline and rough drafts to the editorial department for review. While there were no problems with the outline itself, her specific paneling and art style still required a lot of practice.
"Sahoto... this is indeed a bit..." Mihari, who was also providing guidance alongside them, didn't know what to say.
The reason Sahoto had previously been rejected over thirty times wasn't just because of plot issues, but also due to her bizarre paneling and aesthetic sense... Paneling could be taught and practiced, but her aesthetic sense required a different approach entirely.
After giving Sahoto some basic guidance, Rin Ito picked up his phone to ask Nanami about her voice recording progress. Eriri, Utaha, Megumi, and the others had all gone to the recording studio to keep Nanami company while she recorded.
Because they needed to leave time for printing and packaging, Rin Ito could only urge them to finish as quickly as possible.
Not long after he put down his phone, it vibrated again... Previously, when they were all attending classes, they would at most send him a message. But after the holidays started, the frequency of messages and calls increased significantly.
After arriving at Baumkuchen Studio, besides guiding Sahoto, Rin Ito also had to deal with Moeha, who kept pestering him to play with her. Fortunately, Rin Ito had finished drawing his manuscripts during their exam week; otherwise, he would be too busy to handle everything right now.
Taking out his phone and glancing at the screen, it was a call from his editor, Orie. Frowning slightly, Rin Ito answered the phone... I just submitted my manuscript not long ago, and it's not time for Mihari or Eriri to submit theirs yet. She probably isn't calling to demand manuscripts.
Since they joined Baumkuchen Studio, it was much more convenient for Orie to demand manuscripts than before; she could just call Rin Ito's phone directly.
Rin Ito: [Is there a problem with the manuscript?]
Orie: [It's not a problem with the manuscript. Ito-sensei, are you at Baumkuchen Studio or at home? May I come over and bother you for a bit?]
Rin Ito: [I'm at Baumkuchen Studio right now.]
Orie: [Alright, please wait a moment, Ito-sensei. I'll be there shortly.]
Rin Ito was somewhat puzzled as to what could be so important that it required speaking face-to-face. But since Orie said it wasn't a problem with the manuscript... If it's not the manuscript, then it must be an issue with the cosplay outfits? Is there an error that requires them to be remeasured and remade?
If Sajuna and the others' outfits need to be remade, the schedule will indeed be a bit tight.
Not long after, the doorbell rang.
Rin Ito ran to the entryway and opened the door. Standing before him was not only his editor, Orie Tsukimoto, but also Akane Kosaka. In Rin Ito's memory, the only time they had met was at Baumkuchen Studio's founding celebration party.
However, Rin Ito remembered that they had barely spoken that day; at most, they had greeted each other and exchanged business cards.
Akane Kosaka was the president of a mainstream company, while Orie Tsukimoto was an editor for an adult manga editorial department.
How did they end up together?
"Miss Kosaka and Orie... did you two run into each other by chance, or did you come together?"
Akane Kosaka smoothly tucked a strand of her wine-red hair behind her ear, a confident smile in her eyes. Beside her, Orie was full of excitement, looking like an elementary school student who had just learned she was going on a field trip the next day.
"How about we chat in my car?" Akane Kosaka raised an eyebrow and shot Rin Ito a look, while the excited Orie nodded repeatedly, gesturing for Rin Ito to agree.
"Wait... what exactly are you guys trying to talk about? Is it something we can't discuss here?"
Baumkuchen Studio had a break room, a game room, and a training room, but it lacked a proper meeting room.
If they were discussing business, a car, being a relatively private space, was indeed better than here. But... what could possibly require us to talk in the car?
"You'll know once you come."
Akane Kosaka smiled and beckoned to Rin Ito with her finger. Orie followed suit, waving at Rin Ito and signaling him to hurry up and follow.
"Acting so mysterious..."
Well, she's not going to eat me or steal my kidneys anyway... Although somewhat puzzled, Rin Ito followed them. Akane Kosaka even thoughtfully opened the rear door for Rin Ito and made an inviting gesture.
Is she taking me somewhere?
Under Rin Ito's confused gaze, Akane Kosaka also slid into the backseat. Orie tried to get in after her, but Akane Kosaka slammed the door shut with a loud bang.
Orie stared dumbfounded at the closed car door... Wait, I haven't gotten in yet!? Why did you close the door!? I haven't gotten in the car yet!!!!
Ignoring Orie outside the car, Akane Kosaka handed a document to Rin Ito.
"Living Together with a Catgirl... A multimedia project proposal!?"
Rin Ito's voice rose a few pitches. Seeing Rin Ito's surprised reaction, the confident smile on Akane Kosaka's face deepened.
"That's right, take a look."
Rin Ito opened the proposal and carefully read it page by page. The animation studio wasn't Akane Kosaka's 'Rouge en Rouge', but another company with a good reputation in the industry.
The multimedia project included not only an anime adaptation but also subsequent light novel adaptations and ASMR projects if the disc sales met their targets.
Wait... how could I, the author, not know anything about this!?
After his initial burst of joy, Rin Ito quickly calmed down.
"Did you do this?" Rin Ito waved the proposal in his hand. Although it wasn't her company, Rin Ito was certain she had put in a lot of effort behind the scenes.
Rin Ito was well aware of his own standing.
He was doing quite well in the adult manga industry, and it would be perfectly normal for a company to want to adapt his works into hentai anime. However, the company listed on the proposal wasn't a studio specializing in hentai, but a mainstream animation studio. It was a proper anime adaptation, not a hentai one.
This made the situation quite intriguing.
As for the Orie who didn't get in the car... Most likely, Akane Kosaka had already shown the proposal to Orie and wanted her to help persuade me.
"I only helped with networking and making recommendations." Akane Kosaka's wine-red eyes looked at Rin Ito with a half-smile. "Do you want to sign this proposal?"
Rin Ito let out a long breath and set the proposal aside.
"Tell me, is there anything I can help you with?" Rin Ito wasn't a child; he didn't believe Akane Kosaka would do him such a huge favor for no reason.
Rin Ito had no idea how many connections she had used or how many favors she had called in for this.
She was offering terms Rin Ito couldn't refuse. How many manga artists yearned for an anime adaptation opportunity like this?
But... miracles and magic don't come free.
Actually, Karen had also mentioned this to Rin Ito before. Her connections were much stronger than Akane Kosaka's. If Karen made a move, she could probably even get Akane Kosaka herself to handle the project.
But Karen was purely helping out of the goodness of her heart, entirely because of her close relationship with Rin Ito.
Just like how Ichika wanted to rely on her own hard work, Rin Ito's pride couldn't accept an anime adaptation obtained like that. Given how many wealthy young ladies Rin Ito knew now, living off them was something he could do in a heartbeat.
Rin Ito still didn't possess that stereotypical male pride acting up.
But if it was an exchange of benefits, it was a different story. That fell within the realm of what Rin Ito could accept... Regardless of whether I can fulfill her conditions, I should at least hear them out first.
"It's very simple." Seeing Rin Ito catch on so quickly, Akane Kosaka was equally straightforward. "My condition is something you can definitely achieve, and you can achieve it very easily."
Rin Ito raised an eyebrow...
"Is it about Mashiro?"
"No, it's not."
Something I can easily achieve, enough for Akane Kosaka to use her connections to get my work adapted into an anime... Besides Mashiro, Rin Ito genuinely couldn't think of anything else.
"I'm all ears."
Akane Kosaka stared deeply into Rin Ito's eyes with a gaze full of profound meaning.
A moment later, she parted her red lips, her confident voice slipping out.
"As long as you break up with your girlfriend and spend one night with me, you can sign this proposal."
"...?" Hearing Akane Kosaka's condition, Rin Ito froze for a second. Then, leaning back defensively, he sucked in a breath of cold air and stared at Akane Kosaka with an expression of utter disbelief. "You're trying to use the casting couch on me!?"