Huh? Who...?
I finally found your hideout!
And I worked up my courage to challenge you!
How dare you make a fool of me that time!
Wh-Who is she?!
Don't Underestimate Debugging?
I-I think you have the wrong person.
Pretending not to recognize me?!
It's not a mistake.
Tamaki Honda, 1st-year, class 2. You were in the room!
I will never forget last week Saturday!
It was evening when I entered the building and opened the door...
That's right, there was a delivery man.
But I...
I'm interested in joining the club.
Later!
Four-eyes chased me out.
But I saw you in the room too!
She's the one who came during that hectic time.
I'm sorry, I don't remember clearly.
What?!
My sister told me that you belong to the SNS Club.
Your sister?
Shinda sakana no...
Shinda sakana no me Nisshou busoku Shuttle run Club.
It's too long for a pipsqueak like you!
I've been growing 2 mm every year. Dad measured me this year too and...
Never mind that!
Tamaki Honda, I'm challenging you right now!
Ch-Challenge?
I belong to the Illustration Club and I'm not about to be dissed by the SNS!
This is a duel between artists!
That's one of my favorite books. It was published by the Literature Club.
We'll create character designs for one of the stories in it.
And we'll see who creates better designs.
If I win, you can give me one of the club's games.
If little by little, all kinds of people can play our games...
That's the kind of club I want us to be.
I think I should give her one.
Oh, what am I to do?
Got the wind knocked out of you?
It's just...
Humph! I don't know how well you can draw,
but I'll bet the others had to hold your hand all the way.
Must be rough without someone who can draw.
It wasn't like that.
They helped me, but I really practiced by myself.
Besides, you went to middle school in the boonies,right?
Have you even gotten used to living in the city?
It ain't in the boonies.
Tondabayashi ain't in the boonies.
Sorry! I didn't mean to badmouth your hometown.
Never mind that!
You started it!
So? Will you accept my challenge or not?!
The others taught me and I can draw all kinds of pictures.
For their sake, I cannot lose to her.
I accept!
That's more like it.
I can't afford to lose either.
My life took a 180-deg turn after reading this story.
It's why I've been drawing to this very day!
What? Hey!
That title looks familiar...
Okay, I'll read it to you.
My name is Aya. I battle the strange beings that are secretly taking over the city.
Appearing when least expected to subjugate these beings,
people call me Twinkle Star, the Stardust Shrine Maiden.
My personal life is full too and I sparkle every day like a star!
Recently, I found a boyfriend.
But lately, someone else has piqued my interest..
A man who shared his umbrella with an abandoned cat...
made Aya's heart race.
Oh, why is Aya so enthralled?! She has a boyfriend!
This is Seki's story, after all!
Should I be reading this?!
Hey, what's wrong? The good part's just beginning.
Th-This is the character we draw?
Yes!
From that day, Aya and Baruta, the man with the umbrella, were inseparable.
Today, she agreed to go to the amusement park with him!
But she runs into her boyfriend!
Aya didn't think she was two-timing him,
but his eyes were already cold and distant.
"Aya, let's split up."
His words pierced through Aya like a meteor.
At that moment, Baruta gently put his arm around Aya's shoulder.
What should she do about her feelings for Baruta...?!
What is that?!
Why'd you draw such a sorry-looking heroine with glasses?
Take this seriously, will you?
Oh, but...
But the aliens attacked Earth and her happiness didn't last.
As the aliens and the Earth defense forces battled in the city...
This story is a classic. I could read it over and over again!
I'm so glad I was born.
Okay, next round. Did you draw the boyfriend?
Judging from the heroine's drawing, I'll win easily.
Whoa... She looks so serious.
She's drawing with such detail... It's a middle-aged man?
What? Tamaki Honda is creating the other character, Baruta!
She's got guts to ignore the subject I gave her!
No!
The intensity in those eyes! She could care less about the challenge.
Such passion! She's putting every fiber of her being into her pen!
And that spirit is manifesting itself on paper!
It's a passion...a dynamism that transcends character design!
I've lost.
Huh?
You'll rue this day, Tamaki Honda!
Oww!
- A-Are you okay? - Stay away!
I don't need sympathy from an enemy.
One day , one day, I'll...
Here, take this.
This is the game your club created.
The president wants lots of people to play it.
Minaha.
Minaha is my name!
This is by no means over!
One rainy night, Baruta tells Aya...
I must go to my comrades who are fighting.
I'm sure of it...
'Morning, Honda!
Oh, hi! Good morning!
Doesn't it feel like summer?
Oh, stars of destiny... How cruel to toy with Aya and Baruta!
Y-You're the Stardust Shrine Maiden?!
Glancing at Aya's breast, Baruta's expression is one of surprise and fear.
Aya takes a step back from Baruta... for they are enemies.
Still...
I wish beautiful days like this never end.
"Wait!" Aya can no longer endure a destiny like this...
Let's...
Run away!
I'm sorry, Seki! I'm a terrible person!
Honda!
I should return this book to her.
But what grade is she? What class?
She mentioned an older sister... Could it be an upperclassman?
Maybe I'll run into her in the middle school building.
Jeez... Why is creating a game so difficult?
You just realized that?
The ideal is like, "I was composing music and the game was already done!"
That's wishful thinking.
How could you... How could you create such a sad story?!
I couldn't stop crying!
And I had no idea it was a story written by Iris Sensei!
Every sentence stroked my heart ever so gently...
I finally managed to make it to the true ending...
Only...only...!
There was a bug and the game froze!!
I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry...
I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry.
This club has a homepage, right?
Yeah, a really simple one.
I went online looking for a patch to the game.
But...!
That homepage didn't even have a story introduction!
Who made that web page?!
Her.
I'm still learning about creating web sites.
I didn't think it was wise to attempt something I wasn't used to.
Cheer up, President! That homepage is cool!
This is an updated version with the bug removed.
An updated version!
I can finally make it to the true ending!
I can't wait until I go home to play it!
Do you have a PC? I want to play it now!
Sure, use my notebook.
Thank you!
Thank you for fixing the bug so quickly!
The game was beautifully done!
I learned by imitating others.
She has intense likes and dislikes.
Thank you for letting me your notebook PC!
What was your role?
I did the music.
Oh! I thought the music was amazing too!
U-Umm...
Um, I did the artwork...
Well, don't brag.
It was totally lost in Iris Sensei's epic story...
Your artwork.
Not even a single feature art.
F-Feature art?
Don't tell me you don't know what that is?
I-I think I've heard of it.
The others taught me and...
Feature art...
is a special drawing that's used
to mark the start of a new event or development.
Don't you even know the basics?
You can't just draw anything and put them in a game.
How mean...!
Now, now...
This was Honda's first time.
So cut her some slack... as a favor to me, okay?
Listen, you...
I haven't forgotten that you chased me out of here.
Besides, who are you? Can you do anything?
Or do you just debug?
How rude! Don't insult debuggers!
Anyway, I belong to the Illustration Club.
But it was getting boring and...
I'd always been curious about the SNS Club.
That's why you came that time?
I'm sorry we were so rude to you.
Oh, it's okay, I'm sorry I said such harsh things.
How about joining up?
It's reassuring to have someone who can draw.
Well, I just changed my mind.
You probably plan to relegate me to debugging chores.
You have such a bad impression of debuggers!
And by the way, I'd think twice about being rude to me.
You were rude to me first.
Yup, what a difference.
During the Club PR event,
you were asleep, so I couldn't ask questions.
I'm very sorry about that.
But it's not too late.
I still think she's being rude to you, Seki.
No, I'm not giving up on her yet.
By the way, is Iris Sensei a member of this club?
Well, yeah...
When she comes again, can she sign this?
Is this your idea of a joke?
Don't insult Iris Sensei by pretending to be her!
You are not Iris Sensei!
Didn't work...
I'd love to know more about the SNS members.
I know! Your homepage...
What if I create detailed member profiles for you?
That'd be great! Let's go for it.
We'll have to gather new images to introduce each member.
Shouldn't we discuss it first...?
You should be grateful, Tamaki Honda.
Artwork is the face of the homepage!
I just created the canvass to display your work!
So draw some interesting pictures to introduce yourself!
Interesting pictures... Interesting pictures.
Tama, are you brainstorming?
Thinking with that frown won't produce results.
At times like this, you need to have fun!
- Have fun? - Yup.
It's time for "refresh and input"!
Y-Yumine... I'm scared.
Are we even allowed here in our school uniforms?
It's just a game center. There's no school rule that says we can't come.
Please give me great ideas!! Unreasonable request
Leaning Tower of Pisa Pisa
I had so much fun today.
I'm glad.
Why were you looking for fun things? It is for your next game?
It's for our homepage. We want to post interesting profiles.
Yumine, I love this picture.
Can I use it for my member profile?
Do you have to flaunt my awful pose to the whole world?!
- This is about you, right? - That's true.
Tama, hang in there.
Is it better if you have to click on an image?
Aw, it's just a lure.
What happened, Yumine?
I noticed an article that a singer I like is retiring.
But it was just a lure to make you click on it and whet your appetite.
I fell for it.
That's it!
Anyway, I got this idea from Yumine.
For my intro, I'm using an image of chopped burdock!
Oh, and it tasted great.
The trick is to add a drop of sesame oil at the end.
That's not the point. We don't understand it.
Murakami is an image of a beverage...
Where do you find these things anyway?
My brother was sleeping and he looked so funny, I did a sketch.
Sketched?! It doesn't even look real!
Although, I can't draw either, so I picked a photo and song lyrics.
Let's preview.
What club are we introducing anyway?!
O-Oh, I...
I drew a picture of your game story!
I did it while the image was fresh in my mind.
I can read it over and over again. I'm always drawn to the heroine.
She's so good at drawing.
I appreciate your drawing, but...
You're not a club member, right? Yet you want a profile page?
Hey, why don't you join from now?
No thanks! Really!
And Tamaki Honda! Why didn't you draw anything?!
Well...
What's an artist if you don't display your art?!
I'm not good at drawing like you.
That is so lame.
It's not only art.
What if someone you like gave you a birthday present?
Even if it's not perfectly made,
wouldn't you cherish it more because it was made just for you?
Like Dad's handmade presents!
Don't get so schmaltzy!
Okay, I'll draw!
I want to draw lots of pictures and post them on our web site!
That's the spirit.
I must practice so that my art is worthy of showing Iris Sensei.
And I'll bring alive Sensei's previous work, "Stardust Intenzione,"
with my art designs!
I have to go! Please give my best to Iris Sensei!
I don't think I should reveal my identity to her.
Especially with that dark past.
Who is she anyway? She didn't say her name.
Minaha appeared out of the blue.
I think she's in junior high...
but she didn't tell me her grade or even her last name.
One thing is certain though... she draws better than me.
What's going to happen from now?
Even if I draw...
What are you doing to Tama?!
Are you Iris Sensei?
Hold it!
Will you still be my president?
Skill Up Part 2