Track 4

WHOOA~...! So schools in PatiBattle can blow up too~~~!

So this is what the story’s about, huh.

Is this the first time both of you have read PatiBattle?

Yeah, I don’t really read shonen manga.

I only follow the anime~ Uhhhh, which arc was it again…?

……

……Golem. I came ‘cause you called, but why are they here exactly? Did you snitch?

Huh? Um… I…

Oh! Yeah. It was around the beginning! I remember my uncle telling me how he worked on that season.

HUH?

If I recall, you did mention your uncle being an animator when we first moved in.

Nowadays he works exclusively as an animation director~

I-I never heard anything about this!?

(Idiotake has a relative in the industry…?? I-I’ll interrogate him later…)

…Wait, that’s not the point!

Why are you guys even here? Hm? So? Golem, care to explain to me?

Uhm…

Well, my dear Watson, it’s ‘cause of natural truth! I witnessed Kiroku carrying around a manga, and so of course I had to ask, “What are thoooose!?” and thus was undoubtedly the order of the world.

Isotake, I believe you have ‘truth’ and ‘order’ mixed up.

And then, and then, Kiroku was like, “I borrowed it from Ushio to make a doujinshi”!?

And after digging into what a doujinshi is, we found out there’s this thing called a doujinshi exhibition. Apparently, it’s like some sort of festival or something…

You can’t say no to something that sounds THAT insane! I mean, think about it, festivals are made to be participated in!

So I’m just here to keep Akuta company since he’s all hyped up about this.

As for me, Isotake invited me while I happened to be passing by.

*sigh* I see…

Should I… not have said, anything…?

You think? There was obviously no need to get these uncultured normies involved.

…*sigh* At least we’re not doing anything too shippy this time, so I guess it’s okay…

? So, rry…

Huh? What’s a hippy!?

Look, Kiroku just answered us when we asked him about it, so blaming him for that is just completely wrong.

It is as Nanamegi said. Besides, I am sure you have your reasons, but keeping me in the dark is unfair, Uu-chan.

…

(I guess there’s no hiding it from them then…)

…Fine. But you guys are the ones that asked to do this. I’ll take that as your commitment for what’s to come.

Yes sir!

Then before we start, we need to get this outta the way…

Um, so…

?

…

The thing is, I like manga…

I know.

Well yeah, but like, for the others.

Oh yeah, I knew too.

What?

Me, too…

Huh?

Well, I had a feeling.

Urgh.

I mean, you’re always reading Dive on the balcony.

Plus, I’ve also seen you hanging around in the bookstore.

ERM…

What’s wrong? You can keep going, Uu-chan.

…It took a lot for me to expose myself just now, you know.

Is that, so…

(Kurama must be feeling what I felt back then… when I introduced Nanamegi to my friends in Kanazawa…)

Ohh, so that’s why Ushio’s into making desserts. It’s because of this manga.

Indeed. Uu-chan’s love for desserts originated from his love for PatiBattle.

Yeah… and writing a doujinshi is just another part of it.

I plan on… writing… a novel… about the character Reito… for the upcoming Winter Comic Paradise… ComiPara.¹

Kurama… I didn’t know you could, write a novel…

Never tried it before, actually. Is there a problem with that?

FOR REAL!? Which means you’re committing to a challenge of a lifetime? Are we about to witness the second coming of Shakespeare?

I’m not trying to become an author or anything, okay? It’s just…

I’ve had a lot of thoughts going through my head about the recent PatiBattle development, and jotting them down and turning them into a doujinshi seemed like a good idea, so…

(To be honest, I still haven’t properly worked things out yet… like what Reito’s feelings are exactly in the recent arc. But if I put myself in his shoes…)

(If I were to imagine myself as him… then I’d be able to understand.)

(I have a feeling that’s what Sanseiu-sensei meant when they said that they’ll “just put everything into a book.”)

So you decided to turn all your thoughts and feelings... all of your love into a doujin instead.

I see, I totally get the feeling. Like, when your emotions are so strong you just need to channel them through a creative outlet.

So you want me… to draw the illustrations, for your novel…?

No, I want you to draw the cover.

The, cover…!?

Wow, look at you go, Kiroku! And right after the Kanazawa collab too, it’s just one offer after another! Well aren’t you Mr. Popular~!

The cover’s like, the face of the novel, so it makes sense to ask Kiroku to do it.

Indeed. I am sure we can expect another wonderful creation this time as well.

Ooh! Oh, then me and Kiroku can decide on the cover formatting and stuff together! I searched it up just now, but apparently cover designs are really important for doujinshis.

U-Uh…

(How did I… get roped into drawing a cover design…?)

(But since Kurama’s counting on me to draw the cover, and Isotake’s already on board with it, then…)

…

Yes?

I…

I’ll try to draw… the cover…

Gotcha, thanks.

In that case, Nanamegi and I can handle the behind-the-scenes production and procedures.

Sure, that’s something I can do.

By the way, I’ll take care of all the costs, so don’t worry. You guys will be properly compensated too. I’ll be making more money from my part-time job soon.

From the one Nishizono-san introduced to you?

Yeah.

Oh, also this is really important, so I’ll let you guys know in advance.

Secondary creations are borderline copyright infringement. They’re only able to exist because the author and companies turn a blind eye to it.

That’s why, no matter what your role is, as long as you’re a part of the creation process, you should know the series properly from volume 1. It’s only respectful to the original author. This is the bare minimum.

Okaaay.

Then with all that being said!

“Project: Aiming for Ushio’s ComiPara Debut,” AKA “Project C” is now a go!