Chapter 193: Chapter 192 – Deadlines
Autumn came faster than she anticipated.
For Rika Saionji, the thrill of being a serialized manga artist faded sooner than she wanted.
Weekly deadlines.
Editorials.
Editing.
Storyboards.
Revisions.
Followed by a deadline.
Another deadline.
Her apartment did not look like it was just disorganized.
It was like a battlefield.
Manuscript pages already finished lay all over the floor.
Empty coffee mugs filled the entire table.
Reference books stood stacked high enough for them to fall anytime.
Post-it notes adorned all walls.
Calendar was hung next to her desk.
Each and every one of its dates had something written on it.
Storyboard Due
Editorial
Backgrounds
Dialogue revision
Chapter Deadline
Rika looked at the calendar.
"...Who was the one with such a stupid idea of becoming a manga artist?"
Her editor called.
"Rika. How is the seventh Chapter?"
"...Alive."
"Barely?"
"...Barely."
"I’ll see you tomorrow."
The call ended.
She buried her face on her desk.
"I miss sleep."
---
Across the city...
Kuro was also experiencing big changes in his life.
As a part of his psychology program, he started working under licensed counselors’ supervision in a community counseling center.
He would talk with each and every client there everyday.
University students with severe anxiety.
Parents dealing with complicated family issues.
Office workers suffering from stress.
Even though he was not a licensed psychologist yet, he spent countless hours observing therapy sessions, taking notes and slowly starting his supervised counseling.
All those conversations echoed in his head even after the end of work.
His supervisor once said to him one evening with a smile.
"You listen so naturally."
Kuro shook his head.
"I am still learning."
"Aren’t we all?"
---
They used to meet every Friday.
Their favorite café was their meeting place.
Rika used to complain about deadlines.
Kuro used to tell university-related stories.
It was definitely not fancy.
But it was enough.
However...
Friday became Saturday.
Saturday became next week.
Next week became...
"When was the last time we actually ate a proper dinner together?"
Rika asked herself that question in silence one night.
She looked at the clock.
11:47 PM.
Another Chapter was still not finished.
She sighed and kept on drawing.
---
Kuro realized that too.
He used to send messages to her.
Kuro: Good luck today.
Several hours later...
Rika: I am sorry! I just saw it! Thank you!
There were also times she would simply forget to answer.
Not because she didn’t care.
Because she simply fell asleep at her desk.
---
Finally, he decided to pay her a visit to her apartment.
He knocked gently.
After a minute or two, the door opened slowly.
She stood there dressed in overly large pajamas that had ink stains on one sleeve.
Her hair was completely messed up.
Dark bags were clearly visible under her eyes.
She blinked.
"...Kuro?"
"You forgot your phone."
She looked around.
"...I did?"
He silently passed it to her.
More than thirty missed notifications decorated the screen of her phone.
She laughed weakly.
"I guess I really did."
He took a look inside the apartment.
Manuscript pages were scattered all over the surfaces that could be found there.
The only clean place in her apartment was her drawing desk.
"You are working nonstop."
"I have to."
"The deadline is tomorrow."
"When did you last eat?"
"..."
She looked down.
"I honestly don’t remember."
Without a word, Kuro went to the kitchen.
Half an hour later, he brought a simple dish of hot noodles on the table.
Rika stared at it.
"You made dinner."
"You forgot."
She smiled apologetically.
"I guess I did."
She quietly ate everything.
Only when she put down the bowl, she noticed how hungry she was.
"...Thank you."
---
The weeks went on and on.
Their schedules became even busier.
Sometimes they would only exchange messages.
Good morning.
Good luck today.
Don’t forget to eat.
Sleep whenever you can.
Those small conversations became their connection.
Even when they couldn’t meet.
---
One evening, they finally managed to organize themselves to have dinner together.
It had been almost three weeks.
She rushed towards the restaurant carrying her sketchbag.
"I am sorry I am late!"
Kuro smiled.
"You made it."
"I almost didn’t."
She sat down completely exhausted.
"I have exactly forty-five minutes."
"Let’s then enjoy forty-five minutes."
Halfway through dinner...
Her phone rang.
It was the editor.
She looked at the screen of her phone.
Then at Kuro.
"I am sorry."
He nodded.
"Go ahead."
Ten minutes later, she came back.
"...They moved tomorrow’s deadline."
Kuro was surprised.
"Forward."
"I have to go."
She got up immediately.
"I am really sorry."
Kuro smiled softly.
"I know."
She hesitated.
"I will make it up to you."
"You don’t have to."
"I want to."
She rushed away.
Kuro silently watched her disappearing in the crowd.
Dessert was not touched anymore.
---
That night...
Rika cried for the first time since the serialization began.
Not because of the deadlines.
Because she felt guilty.
She called Kuro.
"...I am sorry."
"For what?"
"I am becoming a terrible girlfriend."
Silence.
Then Kuro answered.
"No."
"You aren’t."
"You keep canceling."
"I barely reply."
"I am always working."
"I know."
"I hate that."
Kuro smiled softly even though she couldn’t see him.
"Rika."
"Hm?"
"Do you remember what you told me after your first rejection?"
She thought about it.
"...Dreams are worth pursuing."
"Exactly."
"You’ve worked so hard to not give up now."
"But what about us?"
He answered without any hesitation.
"We are not competing against your dream."
"We are walking by your side."
She wiped away another tear.
"...Really?"
"Really."
---
The next weekend, they finally managed to meet at their favorite café.
Neither of them had much time.
Both looked tired.
Still, somehow...
Being together was peaceful.
Rika quietly reached across the table.
"I have been thinking."
Kuro looked at her.
"I don’t think it is always about supporting someone to stand beside them every moment."
She smiled softly.
"Sometimes..."
"It is about trusting that they will keep walking..."
"...even when your own path is busy."
Kuro interlaced their fingers.
"I was thinking the same thing."
They both laughed.
No dramatic promise was said.
No impossible vow that they will always have time for each other.
Instead...
They made a choice that was more realistic.
Stronger.
They respected each other’s dreams.
Celebrated each other’s successes.
Understood that love was not measured in hours spent together.
Sometimes...
It was about letting someone become the person they are working so hard to become.
As they were leaving the café, Rika smiled.
"Next Friday?"
Kuro nodded.
"If you have time."
She laughed.
"I will make time."
For the first time in weeks...
Neither felt guilty.
Because they finally understood.
Relationship was not about slowing someone down.
It was about having enough faith to let them keep moving forward.
Winter crept up on them without either of them noticing.
The first chilly wind blew in the city, and Christmas lights appeared in shops’ windows.
For most young people, winter signified dates in cafes and spending time together.
For Kuro and Rika...
That meant even busier schedule.
On a Friday evening, Kuro closed the doors of counseling center late, after spending too much time doing paperwork.
Heading to the station, he felt the vibration of the phone in his pocket.
The message from Rika.
Rika: Are you awake?
He grinned.
Kuro: Just finished work.
And then a photo.
The drawing table of Rika was literally covered in manuscript papers. Unopened cup of instant noodles was placed next to her tablet, and she drew a little smiling face on it.
Another message.
Rika: Chapter 15... still fighting me.
Kuro glanced at the photo and responded.
Kuro: Have you already eaten your noodles?
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
And finally...
Rika: ... Not yet.
He burst out laughing.
Kuro: Eat first, draw second.
Right away she responded with a grumpy emoticon.
Rika: You sound exactly like my editor.
Kuro: Probably your editor is right.
Rika: I refuse to acknowledge that.
---
An hour later, a new photo arrived.
Empty cup of noodles.
Next to it there was a thumbs-up sign drawn with a marker.
Rika: Mission accomplished.
Kuro smiled, responding to it.
Kuro: Good.
A minute later, another message came.
Rika: Thank you.
He stopped.
Kuro: For what?
This time her answer took longer.
Rika: For never making me choose between my dream and you.
Looking outside the window of the train, watching the lights disappearing in the night, Kuro remembered all those evenings they cancelled.
All those unfinished dinners.
All those unanswered messages.
Oddly...
He did not remember being lonely.
He remembered being proud.
Proud of a girl who once cried after her first rejection and who worked hard now to make thousands of people read her stories.
One last message appeared on the screen before their train reached the station.
Kuro: Your dream is a part of you.
Kuro: If I ever asked you to give it up, I would not be loving you.
Several minutes of silence.
And then...
Short message appeared.
Rika: I love you.
He read it twice, smiling.
Tucking the phone into his pocket, he walked into the chilly winter air.
Winter was cold, but for some reason...
His heart was warm.
Very far away, in the bright apartment filled with ink, paper and sketches, Rika smiled, sitting down to her desk.
Picking up her pen, she continued to write her stories, even though the deadline was still there.
Because somewhere in the city...
Someone believed in her enough to support her silently, when they could not be together.
Sometimes love did not consist of fancy romances.
Sometimes...
It consisted of one simple question:
"Have you already eaten your noodles?"
