Editing Hyouka:Volume 6 4 (section)

=== 4. ===



Why did I draw manga in the first place, again?

After school on Wednesday, even though Asanuma-san was cornered by Shinohara-san and the others and looked almost lifeless, when I asked her if she wanted to abandon the project, she responded with a clear "No."

"If we finish the manga, Shinohara-san will quit. That's okay with you?"

There was no point in asking her that. If we didn't finish it, we'd be the ones forced to quit instead. It was a lose-lose situation. As she listened, Asanuma-san started to smile stiffly, and she responded, "Sounds perfect to me. If she's willing to kick us out, then I'm fine with returning the favor."

I didn't draw manga to kick Shinohara-san out of the Manga Society. Though, if you did ask me why I did it, I wouldn't be able to give a good answer.

It's so strange. Up until yesterday, I thought I knew why.



Even then, the preparations for the manga continued as planned.

The story was all but finished, and for the most part, the dialogue was complete as well, and yet no matter how many times I looked it over, I couldn't be satisfied by what I had. I got a weird sense of déjà vu from it—probably because the story was basically about me—but I feel like I didn't enjoy the process of creating it. Of course, if I refused to draw the manga until I perfected the ultimate story, then I'd probably be at this for another ten years. My only option was to play the cards dealt to me.

I started the manga's rough draft on Thursday after school. Though the budget was pretty much decided already, you couldn't really make a book with only 10,000 yen, so the original plan to settle the page count ahead of time didn't change. More accurately, Asanuma-san hated the idea of changing her original plan to match the situation forced onto her by Hani-san. Also, I honestly wasn't even sure if I'd be able to write something good enough to publish in Asanuma-san's book until I made the rough draft.

Though it was a little messy, the preparations for the rough draft included splitting the pages into panels and then adding speech bubbles before I started to draw the images. Now that I was at this step, both my classroom and the library were out of the question, and I didn't want to worry my parents by doing it at home, either. Drawing it in the Manga Society clubroom would almost definitely be seen as me challenging the reading faction, so the only option left to me was the Classics Club's earth sciences lecture room. I really wanted to leave the Classics Club out of the Manga Society's drama as much as I could, but, well, it wasn't like it was the first time I used the lecture room to draw manga.

Fuku-chan was the only one who showed up this time. Normally I'd be over the moon at this, but I had a mission today, and it looked like he was busy with his own work as well.

"Hey!"

"Hi."

This smiling exchange was all that really took place, and I sat at a desk a little far away and took out my notebook. Doing the rough draft on manga manuscript paper was normally the ideal option because it made doing the actual thing much easier, but because the paper itself was really bulky, difficult to carry around discreetly, and—above all—expensive, I settled on doing it in a normal notebook.

It was time to begin.

Almost as if each stroke was a prayer, I carefully started to draw the panels. <i>Please turn out interesting. I know I'm still an amateur, but I'm trying as hard as I can. So much of the manga I read before you was so very interesting. You should be able to become the same. Please...</i>

The seasons continued its slow transition from the spring into summer. A peaceful breeze wafted in from the wide-open window. The lines I drew without a ruler were straight, and the circles I drew without a compass were smooth. With the simple appearance of the story's cast, each one of them with only circular eyes the shape of a rain doll, I would now decide how everything would unfold.

I did mess up a bit. Without thinking, I started the rough draft in the same notebook that contained the dialogue I planned earlier. I tend to do everything in one notebook, as I hate having to carry a bunch of them around school with me. It didn't affect me much at first, because I had a clear idea of how I wanted to start the story, but as I got to the third and fourth pages, I started needing to flip back and forth through the notebook more and more to check the dialogue. It really was becoming a hassle; I'll make sure I definitely split the drafting and planning into separate notebooks next time.

While my mistake did slow things down, I continued to make progress. Unfortunately, as I did, the sense of unease that I felt when Asanuma-san first gave me the vague "Manga Society" theme slowly grew larger and more tangible with every page. Yet, the thought that this story might be used to oust Shinohara-san from the club never crossed my mind. When I reach this point, I forget about everything aside from manga. It'd probably all come rushing back the second my hand stopped moving, though.

I continued to draw, flipped through my notes to check the dialogue and flipped even more to check the story, and then continued to draw some more—how long was I at this, I wonder. My hand stopped as I heard a slight vibration.

Someone had messaged me. I opened my bag and took a look at my phone. It was from Hani-san, surprisingly, and her message was only one short sentence:

<i>Come as fast as you can.</i>

If Hani-san sent it, then that meant something probably happened in the Manga Society clubroom, and she wanted me to come there. I had any number of ideas about what might've happened, and none of them sounded good. I couldn't stop imagining the possibility that a fight might've broken out and someone got hurt. I stood up immediately, making a loud sound as the seat slid back.

"Ah! You scared me!" I heard from across the room.

He wasn't the only one scared. I'd completely forgotten he was even here.

"I'm sorry, someone messaged me," I said flustered, as if it was a proper excuse. I quickly closed the notebook on top of my desk, and, thinking I was better safe than sorry, I added, "Watch this!"

As I did, he looked back at me with a confused expression. "You want me to look at it?"

As if!

"No, I mean look after it."

"Look after it?"

I guess that would be a confusing request to have thrown at you all of a sudden. My wording probably wasn't the greatest, but I didn't have any time to spare. I ran out of the earth sciences lecture room as fast as I could.



I quickly made it to the first prep room, but nothing was wrong.

The reading faction was sitting in the front of the classroom like usual, and the drawing faction was gathered in the back, everyone reading manga or talking with each other. There wasn't the greatest atmosphere, but it looked like nothing terrible had happened at least.

Shinohara-san was sitting at a desk in the center of the reading faction, laughing with her friends. Asanuma-san, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she still hadn't recovered from her experience yesterday, or maybe she had something to do—I don't know. The rest of the drawing faction didn't seem that depressed, so it probably wasn't likely that she'd gotten chased from the classroom or anything.

I had to find Hani-san first. After I scanned the room, though, I finally realized she wasn't there. Shinohara-san spotted me looking around and asked, 'Looking for someone?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Asanuma's not here."

One of the nearby sophomores snickered, "She's probably off crying somewhere," but Shinohara-san didn't turn around to acknowledge the comment. I was looking for Hani-san, but it might not be good if I said that right now. I'll just play along, I guess.

"I see. Thanks."

I turned around and heard giggling behind me. I wasn't certain, but it didn't sound like Shinohara-san had joined in.

If Hani-san wasn't in the clubroom, then the only other possibility I could think of was that she meant our Class 2-C homeroom. Both of us were in the same class, after all, so I guess I should've assumed it was that one first. Just to be safe, I sent her a text.

<i>Accidentally went to the Manga Society. Where should I go?</i>

I walked some ways away from the first prep room and waited a couple minutes for a response, but nothing came. I figured it'd be faster to just go there and check for myself, so I climbed the stairs and headed towards the room.

When I got there, however, I still couldn't find her. There were around five students in the room, some of them from other classes, but they were each sitting down at a desk. Some of the girls were talking near the entrance, so I asked them, "Hey, have you seen Hani-san?"

"Honey? We've been here for a while, and we haven't seen her."

I had no idea she was called Honey. I honestly don't think it fits her quiet appearance at all.

But anyways, something's not right. If she wasn't in the Manga Society or our classroom, then I had no idea where she wanted me to go. I work in the library, so that's a possibility, but I really doubt it.

"You looking for Honey?"

"Not really. She called for me."

"To come here?"

"I don't really know. It's okay, I'll look somewhere else. Thanks."

I left the classroom and looked down at my cellphone. Still nothing. I was really curious about what happened, but if I can't get ahold of her, then there's probably nothing else I can do. I should've gotten her number.[2. Cellphones in Japan use a phone address for sending messages, rather than the phone number.]

"Might as well work on my rough draft, I guess."

I walked to the Classics Club room, completely at a loss.



Back in the earth sciences lecture room, I let out a small scream.

"Where's my notebook?!"

The book that I'd left sitting on top of my desk was missing. That's completely ridiculous! Where could it have gone?!

Fuku-chan was still sitting at his desk, facing his work, but he dropped the mechanical pencil he was holding when he heard my voice.

"You... you scared me. What's wrong now?"

Before I left, I asked Fuku-chan to look after my notebook, but my wording wasn't perfect. He mistook my request for me giving him permission to look at my notes. I'm pretty sure I corrected myself, but there might've still been a misunderstanding.

"Hey, Fuku-chan. Do you have the notebook I left here?"

"Nope, I don't."

"Then where is it? This is weird."

As I started to rummage through my bag, he started to talk with a bit of worry. "Um... were you by chance not the one that asked for that notebook?"

The blood drained from me. I raised my head, defeated. There wasn't a single thing in his expression that showed he was joking.

"I wasn't."

"...Oh." He lowered his head suddenly. "It's my fault. A girl came here and took the notebook, telling me you asked her to get it for you. You even told me to look after it, and I still didn't question her."

So someone stole it?

"When was that?"

"I was working on this stuff, so I'm not really sure... I'm pretty sure it wasn't too long after you left."

"Who would do something like that?!"

"I didn't get the best look at her, but it was someone I didn't know. She came in a rush and asked me if your notes were here."

It was Hani-san. There was no doubt. She sent me a message to lure me out and then took it while I was away. It didn't even cross my mind that she might go after my notebook, so I carelessly left it an easy target.

"It was a quiet-looking girl. I figured something must've happened, so I pointed at your desk. I was such an idiot."

It wasn't his fault... No one could've predicted this would happen. There was the time when my chocolate was stolen, but we figured out who did it and why pretty quickly, so it wasn't a huge shock. He also made up for it after. This time was different, though. I strongly shook my head.

"It's not your fault, Fuku-chan. In fact, I'm thankful you were here, because now I know who took it. Sorry for yelling when I came in."

I pulled out the chair next to me and sat down unsteadily.

Hani-san was in the reading faction, so we were on different sides in the Manga Society, but we'd always talk normally in class. It's not like I trusted her or anything—the word "trust" is too strong to describe our relationship. She didn't even tell me that she was chosen to be the next club president, so she probably felt the same way. And yet, she did something like this.

In order to get me out of the room, she needed my phone mail address. I gave it to her yesterday, after she told me what was happening in the Manga Society clubroom and suggested we exchange contact information. So basically, what if she'd been watching me and planning ever since then on how to get my notebook?

Why, though?

Why did she have to steal my notebook?

I can only think of one reason.

Hani-san wants to sabotage Asanuma-san's manga. She laid a trap for me and tricked Fuku-chan, all because she didn't want me to finish it!

All of it spun around in my head—the pointless conflict between the reading and drawing factions, the weaponized manga, the club president coup d'état, and now this theft. Why? Why did everything turn out this way? Why was I dragged into the middle of it all? Losing the notebook itself wasn't all that bad; I could just rewrite everything. The thing that hurt the most was that Hani-san stole it. It's not like I trusted her. We weren't really that close. But the lies!

"Mayaka. Mayaka!"

I snapped back to my senses. Fuku-chan was bent over my desk, staring at me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to bawl my eyes out and have him comfort me, but it was too soon to give up.

I took in a deep breath and slowly let it back out. My feverish mind tried to convince itself this was all just some kind of lie, dream, or misunderstanding, but unfortunately, I knew that wasn't the case.

"It looks like that notebook was really important to you," Fuku-chan said with a serious expression.

"The notebook itself isn't really... I was drawing manga in there, so it's just that I didn't want anyone else to see it."

"She stole a manga?"

I shook my head. It wasn't a manga that was stolen. It was only the lines, story points, and part of the rough draft—but how do I explain that to him? As I stayed silent, Fuku-chan pulled back and placed a hand on the desk. "I'll go get it back. Do you have any idea who she is?"

"I'm positive she's someone I know, but... it's okay."

"I won't go saying it's my responsibility anymore, but it really bugs me, and I can't let it slide. Who is it?"

I shook my head softly. "It's not your fault, and things might get bad if the others find out... I don't want to get you involved in all this."

I really shouldn't have worked on the manga in the earth sciences lecture room. Just look at what became of it. As I stared at the floor, he finally said, "Mayaka... I want to be involved, though."

"I know..."

Fuku-chan stared intently off into space but finally said, "I know I might not be a lot of help, but please tell me what's going on. I understand it won't be good if I confront her now, but let both of us try and figure out another way to get it back for you."

I probably had a bit of a sad smile then.

"You really do feel responsible, don't you?"

"Yeah, guess so. Even though I was fully aware of how messy things were in the Manga Society, I still let myself get duped like that."

I never really intended on telling him about the current state of the Manga Society. I just didn't want him to worry. Funnily enough, though, now that I pretty much had to tell him everything, I felt strangely at peace.