Ashirogi
Hiramaru
Aoki
Eiji
Arai
The participants of the Leaders Fest are...
Arai, Eiji, Aoki, Hiramaru, and us.
Five spots are already taken.
The deadline will change depending on what spot we're in,
but since we also have PCP to deal with, how far in advance should we prepare the manuscript?
Shuujin.
Will you let me handle this one-shot?
I want to see how far I can get by myself.
By yourself?
Shuujin, you just said to Hattori that you're Ashirogi Mutou all the way.
That you didn't want to cause me trouble by doing Rabuta.
I was happy.
I don't want to drag you down, either.
I don't want PCP's quality to suffer because of this one-shot. Or Rabuta's, either.
I want to grow.
I'll just do as much as I can.
I want to try it!
With PCP still running, you'll work on Rabuta, and I'll handle the one-shot's storyboard.
If we can pull this off, we'll expand our horizons.
Ashirogi Mutou will become something greater!
You're right.
Ashirogi
Hiramaru
Even if we're working on different manga, we're still Ashirogi Mutou!
Yeah!
A special one-shot with center color spread on page 45
Rabuta & Peace
Original work: Kido Takaaki Artist: Shiratori Shun
ano ne moshimo ima sugu ni kimi no moto he to
Hey, if I could go to where you are right now
ikeru naraba kono koe ga nakunattemo ii ya
then I could accept losing my voice
mezasu basho ga amari ni mo tooku
The goals I've set myself seem impossible to reach,
boku wa mou michi ni mayoisou da
and I feel lost on my path
kowareta jishaku wo ate ni shiteru n da
I'm relying on a broken compass and hiding in another's shadow
dareka no kage ni kakurete sa
nanika wo te ni ireru tame nanika wo tebanasu nante koto wo
If we keep letting go of some things in order to find something else,
tsuzukete mo kitto bokura wa otona ni wa narenai
then I'm convinced we can never grow up
tsuzukete mo kitto bokura wa otona ni wa narenai
narenai
Never
Punch and Independence
Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thur
Fri
What happened, Mashiro?!
Takagi?!
You two were full of energy last week!
What happened?
Oh, sorry.
I can't think of anything besides Rabuta and PCP.
And Mashiro is trying to come up with another story.
Huh? Mashiro is also working on two manga?
What should I do for the one-shot...?
I can't think of anything!
That's great, but...
Hey, I'm going out for a bit.
Saikou...
What can I draw? What am I good at?
After my uncle died, all I did was sit at home playing video games.
And after I decided to be a manga artist with Shuujin, all I've done aside from school is bury myself in manga.
I've never done anything out of the ordinary.
Unlike Shuujin, sci-fi or mystery is impossible for me.
And unlike Fukuda and Shiratori, I don't really have any hobbies.
What do I have?
What do I like?
I like...
This can work!
We're leaving!
Have a good New Year's!
Something I like? It can only be one thing!
Shiratori, make sure you visit your parents!
Okay.
Mashiro, you should at least say goodbye to them!
It's the last time you'll see them this year!
Sorry! Goodby—
They've already left!
Are you still thinking about what to do for the one-shot?
If so, I can think of some ideas—
I've got it already.
Once an idea hits you, the rest comes quickly!
Wh-What're you gonna do?
A love story.
That's not Ashirogi Mutou's style!
How'd you end up picking a love story?!
Because the thing I like most is Azuki.
That's it?
At first, they simply gaze at the person they like.
Like me and Azuki.
It starts with him wondering, "Does that girl like me?"...
He's off in his own world now.
But it may actually work.
What?!
It's rare to find a romantic who loves as earnestly as Saikou does.
I see.
Maybe a love story'll work.
I want to compete with this!
How's that?
Thanks!
It's good!
I'll make this into a storyboard.
Finally, we've got the first chapter of Rabuta in the bag.
We only need two more chapters to submit it to the serialization committee.
When is the committee?
Mid-February.
But since we've also got PCP to worry about, I have to get it done before New Year's.
You're on break until January 11th, right?
Yeah, and the New Year's party is on the 12th.
Takagi, we could shoot for the April committee instead of the February one, if you'd like.
No, I'll do it.
I did put on that big show in front of your mom, after all.
So if you don't go to the New Year's party, you could pull it off, right?
Well, we kinda have to go to that...
I can't do it!
Um, I'll go home and make a clean copy of chapter one!
Yeah, go for it...
So, what's the deal?
I can picture the guy's point of view by comparing it with my own,
but the girl's...
Ask me anything!
Like what?
Like about a-girl's-heart!
I'll think of it on my own.
Meanie! Then how about asking Miho?
You're probably styling the heroine after her anyways, right?
Asking Azuki something like that would be too embarrassing!
I'll be here every day until the storyboard's completed, so feel free to ask me for advice.
R-Right. Thanks.
I can't do the storyboard.
The storyboard for chapter two of Rabuta isn't done, either.
Are we really going to the New Year's party in this kind of mood?
It might actually cheer us up.
Yuujirou!
You said there was no point in entering the Leader's Fest, you bastard!
GIRI is popular! There's no need for you to enter!
So why did Ashirogi and Master Niizuma, whose manga are more popular than GIRI, enter anyways?
Isn't that strange?!
Fukuda...
I'll do it, too!
Good evening.
Look, it's both of the "Jack Girls."
Hey Fukuda, that's rude!
GOOD AFTERNOON!
It looks like all of you are entering the Leader's Fest.
I'm in, too! Game on!
Wait, Fukuda...!
It's noisy over here.
What's wrong, Yuujirou?
Chief Editor!
Why don't you rank us while you're at it?
What are you talking about?
Chief, Fukuda was talking about entering the Leader's Fest...
Hey, don't get in my way!
You're getting ahead of yourself!
You could at least rank us privately!
Come on, now!
Very well.
Let's do as Fukuda suggests.
After all the one-shots have run, we'll put out a survey so the readers can vote on which one they liked best.
I understand. Aoki and I are planning on a love story.
What?! A love story manga? You and Aoki?
Is something wrong with that?
No, that's not it. It's just that we were also—
Sounds interesting!
This time, I will also enter with a manga about love conquering all!
No way!
You, too?
Yes!
During the audition for NATURAL,
Mashiro was really cool when he came to take away his girlfriend!
I'll write something like that!
These are supposed to be shounen manga, but these guys...
Fine, dammit!
I'll do a love story, too!
What?
All the authors participating in the Leader's Fest will compete with love stories.
It's an interesting experiment.
Did someone call me?
Hiramaru, this is bad!
Aoki is here!
Get it together!
What do you think, Hiramaru?
Wh-What a coincidence!
I was just thinking about doing a shounen manga version of Kimi ni Todoke....
Sounds good.
Arai!
Actually, back when I was a contributor, I did love comedies all the time.
Interesting.
It's not the Super Leader's Fest...
It's the Super Leader's Love Fest.
A competition to see who can create the best love story?
I'm stepping outside to make a call!
What? The party's about to start!
Connected
Azuki Miho
Mashiro? Is something wrong?
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Azuki! You've been aware of me since 4th grade, right?
Connected
Azuki Miho
Huh?
Yeah.
Connected
Azuki Miho
Does "aware" mean "in love"?
Mashiro, why are you asking about this?
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Oh, sorry.
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
I'm doing a one-shot.
Seven authors will publish love stories, and they'll all be ranked.
I think it was love at first sight.
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
I liked you after taking just one look at you.
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Connected
Azuki Miho
Ask me anything. I'll answer honestly.
L-Love at first sight... what was it about me that you fell for?
Love at first sight doesn't follow any rhyme or reason.
The atmosphere that emanated from you... it fit me perfectly.
That's what I thought.
I see.
I'll use this!
Thanks, Azuki.
I'll make this one-shot great!
Kengo is watching me, like I thought.
Kengo is watching me, just like I thought!
She realized that I'm watching her!
0:10:30.755
She realized that I'm watching her!
0:10:30.755
Kengo is watching me, like I thought.
I know she'll look at me again.
She'll look at me again...
If I turn around and our eyes meet...
I have to be brave
and not look away.
I have to be brave and not look away!
Have to be brave...
Turn
This is the moment our first crush became love. I know it!
This is the moment our first crush turned into love.
I know it!
It really is a love story!
It's pretty good!
Really?!
You did it!
What is it?
Actually, Mashiro came up with this one.
I see.
That's why it has a different style than normal.
Personally, I think it's good,
but I can't predict how Jack readers will respond to this kind of outlook on love.
It's worth a shot, though.
I think there are some parts that need polishing, but let's go with this.
Okay!
Now, Takagi, show me chapter two of Rabuta.
This is no good.
Peace isn't acting like a dog anymore.
Takagi, I know you're good at advancing the story by having the characters think deeply about things,
but this time, that's working against you.
Peace is a dog.
I'm not saying he needs to think completely like a dog, but you at least need to simplify his feelings.
I understand.
I'll start again from scratch.
Good luck.
And now, I have a message for you.
On February 16th, in Issue #11,
the 50th chapter of PCP will be getting a front-page color spread to commemorate its one-year anniversary.
I see. A year, huh?
We knew that, of course. But it's still great to hear!
Yeah!
Your contract price and the per-manuscript payments will also be raised come February.
All right!
Let's see. Payment is per page, so 19 pages, four times a month, would equal...
Don't calculate that here!
No, you're pros. You should be happy.
Also, the second drama CD has been confirmed.
This Azuki Miho that you recommended is now pretty popular.
She's gotten a lot of work since then.
Your first anniversary will also be celebrated at the serialization awards ceremony.
We really made it to a year.
Yeah!
Everything's going well.
But...
Niizuma
Eiji Ltd.
I'm amazed at how you can write three works simultaneously.
Doing a bunch of stuff at once is fun!
A bunch of stuff?
Why is it okay for you to do that, but not okay for Takagi to write the story for Rabuta & Peace?
Huh?
I'm talking about what you said before!
Rabuta isn't by Ashirogi.
It's true that Takagi only wrote the story.
That's not what I mean.
Huh?
Rabuta & Peace is by Shiratori Shun.
I have no time!
You don't necessarily have to make the February serialization committee, right?
Shuujin, let's both do our best!
Easy for you to say. I'm the one who practically has to start from scratch.
Don't act like this doesn't involve you.
We're going to release this as an Ashirogi Mutou manga.
You may say that, but you did all the work on that one.
What I'm working on is Shiratori Shun's story.
Can you say that this is Ashirogi Mutou?
What's wrong?
Are we going to be okay?
Normally, wouldn't we both be desperately working on that one-shot?
Shuujin...
PCP won't become an anime.
Even so, if I work hard on this and Rabuta becomes an anime, would that make you happy?
That's...
I guess I was selfish for wanting to start another manga besides PCP so we could get an anime adaptation.
That's not what I'm saying!
If you really want an anime adaptation, what we're doing now is strange!
I'm telling you to be more selfish!
Don't fight!
Akito, apologize to Mashiro!
Just because you're frustrated with your work doesn't mean you can take it out on Mashiro!
That's not it...
Shiratori, I can't write Rabuta unless I observe dogs up close.
Can I come over?
Well, I'm leaving.
Wh-What was that about?
What should I do? Should I go stop him?
I can still—
It's fine.
It makes sense to be with Peace when he's writing Rabuta.
Are you really okay with that?
Do you really think it's a good thing for him to write Rabuta?
It's not right for me to stop Shuujin from broadening his abilities as an author.
If he does, it'll improve Ashirogi Mutou as well.
But what will you do if it doesn't?
What if Rabuta does well, and he works on that full time?
Even if that happens, Shuujin wouldn't do anything to hurt Ashirogi Mutou.
I'll believe in him.
Taking care of a dog must be pretty hard.
You have to play with him and take him for walks every day.
The toughest part is paying for his food.
Peace is worried.
Dogs can tell what you're feeling from your expression.
They know when you tell a lie, too.
Really?
I guess the manga you made isn't so far from reality.
That's right.
Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to come up with Rabuta & Peace.
I see.
Good night!
You, too!
Akito didn't come to the studio today, either.
Yeah.
He's been gone all week!
And today's the meeting and the deadline for turning in your manuscript.
Yeah.
Oh, is it time for your regular love letter from Miho?
It's from Shuujin.
Takagi Akito
No Subject
I'll discuss PCP outside with Hattori. You concentrate on the one-shot.
Wh-What's with this?
He doesn't feel like coming?
And he's just sending a text instead of calling in person!
He's being thorough about this.
I'm calling him!
No!
Don't.
But...
You'd better not involve yourself in this.
Takagi told me he would meet me to discuss PCP one-on-one,
and to meet you later at your studio to discuss the one-shot.
I see.
Mashiro, it's 11 PM...
Oh, you can go.
We're leaving, then!
Good night.
Good work today.
Mashiro.
I have something to talk to you about.
What?
I'd like to quit this assistant job at the end of the week.
Why?
If Takagi is really aiming for a serialization, I think I should stop being an assistant.
Okay.
That's true.
I'll start looking for a replacement.
Thank you.
And Kaya, is it really okay with you?
That Takagi wants to stay over at my place for a while to observe Peace, I mean.
What?!
He didn't tell me that!
What? Really?
Mashiro, what should I do?
You should let Takagi do what he wants.
Just think about making Rabuta better,
and don't worry about me.
Because you and I are about to become rivals.
Why won't Shuujin come?
Does he want to work with Shiratori now?
No, I have no time to worry about him.
I have to make the manga for the Love Fest!
Otter No. 11 The End
You've worked hard on this over the years.
I'm overwhelmed with emo—
Enough with that. Tell me what to do during my tea date with Aoki!
I'll help you out in exchange for a good storyboard for the one-shot.
Here.
Hiramaru Kazuya
"Never reaching you"
Storyboard
Hiramaru Kazuya
"Never reaching you"
Storyboard
Hiramaru Kazuya
"Never reaching you"
Storyboard
Hiramaru Kazuya
"Never reaching you"
Storyboard
Hiramaru Kazuya
"Never reaching you"
Storyboard
Hiramaru Kazuya
The protagonist is convinced he's so unpopular... This is great!
I showed you!
It's the story of a boy who falls in love with an angel.
A love fantasy. That's just like you, Aoki.
You guys have any love experience?
Nope!
Only one-sided...
Useless.
And you?
Idiots! I was the Romeo of Hiroshima!
You're already done with the manuscript?
Can't stop the love!
What's with this character design?!
The final climax isn't quite there.
It just isn't expressed well.
Okay. I still have time, right?
Yeah. But everyone's already done except for you and Fukuda.
So this is the limit of what I can do alone...
I have the image in my head, but I don't know how to express it through dialogue.
Hattori, today is the serialization committee, right?
Yeah, it just started.
If you're worried about Rabuta, I can call you with the results.
No, thats okay.
I'll redo my storyboard and send it to you again.
They should have long since finished with the storyboard for the committee.
So why aren't you here, Shuujin?
"Go ahead and do Rabuta," I said.
Wasn't I just bluffing?
Huh? I turned in my manuscript yesterday.
Is that Kaya?
Sorry, Saikou!
Shuujin!
Today's the serialization committee, right?
Yeah.
Rabuta got in.
Well, congrat—
Say that to Shiratori.
It's all right now.
I helped out with chapters two and three of the serialization storyboard,
but he did chapters four through seven himself.
He did? By himself?
Rabuta & Peace is a manga by Shiratori Shun, you know.
Shiratori had the talent to write the story all along.
With a short training camp, he was able to do it.
So you stayed over to Shiratori's place to make him independent?
Shiratori and Hattori both gave the green light on going forward without me.
You said you wanted me to do Rabuta, but I'm not that skilled.
I'm fine with just Ashirogi Mutou's manga.
Now I can concentrate on PCP and the one-shot.
Let's take the top spot in the Leader's Fest!
Shuujin! Hit me!
This is the end of Ashirogi Mutou!
It finally devolved into a fist fight!
Stop it, both of you!
You were just "experiencing youth?" Don't make me laugh!
You guys are too timid for that.
We were both trying to cover for each other, but ended up wasting time and effort going in weird directions.
Now we've cleared the air.
Let's go back to the studio and work on that storyboard for the Love Fest.
Yeah!
For starters, I think we should give the protagonist a friend who makes wisecracks.
I get it! Otherwise, the story between the protagonist and the heroine drags on and the setting stagnates...
Yeah.
In the end, Aoki won it.
Love Story One-shot Results
Within 1000 votes
1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
Within 1000 votes
1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
Within 1000 votes
1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
Within 1000 votes
1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
Within 1000 votes
1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
We did better than Eiji and Iwase, though.
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
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1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
Within 1000 votes
1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
Love Story One-shot Results
Within 1000 votes
1 What God gave me... 2 I Don't Understand 3 Boy E Girl B 4 A Small Time 5 LOVE power A to Z 6 Setsuna Yui 7 Fourberty
Aoki Kou Hiramaru Kazuya Arai Kisaku Ashirogi Mutou Niizuma Eiji Fukuda Shinta Akina Aiko Hachihonki Hachirou
But we did expand our horizons as Ashirogi Mutou.
My drawing speed went up.
Yeah. Let's take our time, work on PCP,
and make our next manga into an anime.
Yeah!
Akito!
Mashiro!
mogakinagara saikou no yume wo
The times when I fight and struggle and dream
katachi ni suru kono shunkan ga suki sa
of all the things I want in life is the best
tatakau you na te wo tsunagu you na
That's when I feel the bond between us and our strength to fight
kankaku ga shigekiteni da ne
Our view of the world overlaps and stimulates us
kousa shite
dakara motto migakou jibun rashiku arou
Let us polish ourselves, be more like how we should be
tsuzuita michi ni aru hazu
The future can be found on the path we walk
mirai wa
shinzuru mono ga chigau nakamatachi
My comrades believe in different things than me
Rival...and Friend!
butsukariau Pride
Our pride clashes
yuzurenai kore kara mo kokoro no mama susumou yo
I can't give up on it, I have to do what my heart commands me to do
junbi wa dekita
I'm ready
ikki ni kakeagaru tame no
I've got the unbending pride
akiramenai Pride
to run to the top now
hisshi nanda yo suki dakara suki wo mune ni susumu n da
This is my only choice, this is what I love and this is what I'll do
donna ashita ga matteru ka shiranai
I don't know what tomorrow will be like
asu mo
But I know that tomorrow, again,
bokura wa
girigiri
ganbatteru darou
we will do our best to get by
Next Time
Preview
Come on, Hiramaru.
Let's hurry up and start your new serialization.
I want happiness more than a new series!
I know. I'll do something about it.
Next time: Commemorative Photo Shoot and Classroom.
Commemorative Photo Shoot and
Classroom
My dream is to be joined with Aoki!