After the press conference, Tsukasa Higashino took the special bus prepared by the school to go home.

The bonus of the double gold reward will be taken later, and today it is just to get a double gold reward certificate.

Ryoko Okano was obviously moved by Tsukasa Higashino's previous mention of himself on the Gold Award stage, and her eyes were red.

Higashino asked the reason, but the other party was too embarrassed to answer, so he could only shake his head and say 'no'.

Looks like a teenage girl.

However, since Ryoko Okano didn't want to say it, then Higashino Tsukasa wouldn't ask deeply, and he had a conversation with Ryoko Okano without saying a word.

It wasn't until he was about to get to the bottom of the apartment building where Higashino Tsukasa lived that Ryoko Okano took out a document from the pocket next to him and handed it to Higashino: "Higashino-san, this is what Principal Yoshimine asked me to hand over to you. ”

"Huh?" Higashino raised his eyebrows and took the document from Ryoko Okano's hand.

This is... Chihaya Higashino's resuming school documents?

Higashino's eyes quickly descended, and he immediately saw the seal of the principal of Kita-Yoshijuku.

"Then the things I'm going to hand over to you have been brought, so I'll go first, Higashino-san."

Ryoko Okano smiled and waved to Tsukasa Higashino, who had already gotten out of the car, and then let the driver drive away.

"It's really—" Higashino looked at the resumption papers in his hand, and then shook his head.

Two of these principals are human spirits, and they don't need to be brought up by Tsukasa Higashino, who has already prepared Chihaya's resumption of school documents.

But...

"I don't need this right now."

Tsukasa Higashino held the resumption documents steadily, and then walked upstairs.

Back home, as soon as Higashino Chihaya saw Higashino Tsukasa, he ran over: "Ace! You're back! I saw you on TV just now, and suddenly you were gone on TV, so I'm so worried. ”

"Really?" Higashino Tsukasa smiled and touched Higashino Chihaya's head: "What is Chihaya Sister worried about me?" ”

"I'm afraid that Ace has been deceived by the bad guys." Higashino Chihaya pouted: "Ass is very stupid, and he is not as smart as me, maybe he will really be deceived by someone, and my sister wants to protect Asi." ”

As she spoke, she also waved her small fist, and the expression on her little face was very serious.

This cute and delicate appearance made Higashino Sile laugh: "Aren't I coming back, by the way, has Sister Chihaya eaten?" ”

"Eat." Chihaya Higashino nodded.

"Then Sister Chihaya is definitely not hungry, right?" Tsukasa Higashino asked pensively.

"Well, I'm not hungry, and I have to control my appetite at night, otherwise it's very unhealthy." Higashino Chihaya babbled.

She wasn't hungry, and Higashino ordered a bowl of pork rice bowl, and she was a little overwhelmed.

"Then I'll eat oden alone, Sister Chihaya isn't hungry anyway." Tsukasa Higashino takes a box of oden from behind.

"Huh?" Higashino Chihaya was stunned, and could only put his index finger to his mouth as he watched as Higashino unwrapped the plastic lid that sealed the oden.

The light yellow grease, the wafting white gas, and the fragrance rose all of a sudden.

"Ace..."Chihaya Higashino swallowed his saliva and called out to Tsukasa Higashino, who had already filled a bowl of oden.

"What's wrong? Chihaya-sama? Tsukasa Higashino glanced at Chihaya Higashino strangely.

“... No, nothing. ”

Chihaya Higashino shook her head.

Tsukasa Higashino has to move chopsticks again.

And then—

"Ace, Ace, Ace..."Higashino Chihaya screamed again.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing..."

Chihaya Higashino swallowed, but when he thought of it, he said in front of his brother that he wanted to control his appetite.

She could only bow her head very aggrieved and sad, turn her face sideways, and no longer call 'Asa Asah', and no longer look at the oden that Higashino Tsukasa used in a bowl.

And then...

"Eat, Senhaya-san."

Higashino Tsukasa smiled and put the dishes and chopsticks in front of Higashino Chihaya, and added: "I can't eat it alone, and I have to rely on Sister Chihaya's, otherwise it will be a waste of things?" ”

Looking at the hot oden in front of him, and then at Tsukasa Higashino, Chihaya Higashino nodded happily: "Hmm! ”

There wasn't much oden, so Tsukasa Higashino ate a little bit and gave it all to Chihaya Higashino.

Looking at the cute appearance of Higashino Chihaya biting the dried tofu, Higashino Tsukasa laughed twice, and suddenly felt that this simple and happy life was actually quite good.

During these days, he constantly visited street shops by himself, not only to expand his knowledge of Japanese food, but also to experience the mood of Goro Inohira, the author of "The Lonely Gourmet".

Eat alone.

This is undoubtedly a very lonely thing, but there is a special charm in this loneliness.

You don't have to care about other people's eyes, you can eat whatever you want, and you can order whatever you want.

You can overeat, or you can stop eating and no one will judge you for what you do.

It's a very simple joy.

Tsukasa Higashino already fully understands Inokashi's mood.

He also believes that empathy and painting are the most perfect in this state.

"It's almost time to start painting the original manuscript of The Lonely Foodie."

Tsukasa Higashino muttered softly to himself.

With just over twenty days to go until mid-September, the original manuscript of "The Lonely Gourmet" would need at least forty to fifty pages.

According to the plan of three pages a day of the original manuscript of "Midnight Bells" and one page of the original manuscript of "The Lonely Gourmet", it is almost time to start writing.

Some may say that it is a little late.

But in fact, it is not too late for Higashino Tsukasa at all.

He can now finish a page of the original in an hour and a half.

And three pages of "Midnight Bells" a day, and one page of "The Lonely Gourmet" are the usual number of pages.

But don't forget, Higashino Tsukasa also has holidays, and Higashino Tsukasa can also be used to draw manga during the Kitagijuku Art Festival.

The gap in between was enough for him to complete the first episode of "The Lonely Gourmet".

In addition, the blue bird is also close to completion, so it is almost sandpaper and polishing wax to polish and polish the rough places...

"There's plenty of time."

Tsukasa Higashino nodded contentedly.

And just as he was about to refine his plan, his mobile phone suddenly rang.

It's so late... Who, exactly, made the call?

Tsukasa Higashino took out his phone in confusion and glanced at the names on it.

"Hosoya editor?"

What's the matter with her calling so late?

Tsukasa Higashino connected the phone: "Hey? Hosoya editing? ”

"Ahh It's Higashino-sensei, right? I just saw you on TV Asahi, and congratulations on winning the double gold award in both the adult and student categories. ”

Hosokawa Koharu said, glancing at the bottom of the TV screen about Tsukasa Higashino's double gold award.

Until now, this news has not disappeared, so you can imagine how hot it is.

Hosokawa Koharu was also surprised, even dumbfounded.

Own this author... Not only comics, but also oil paintings?

And it's a double gold reward?

It's so almighty, isn't it?!

But—

"There is one more thing I want to tell you, I can't get through to you on the phone today, so I can only bother late at night."

It's no wonder that Tsukasa Higashino was busy with the award ceremony all day today, and the phone was set to be completely muted, and even the vibration was turned off, so naturally he couldn't get through.

"What is the matter?" Tsukasa Higashino asked her.

"It's about "The Lonely Gourmet" that you are going to publish in the monthly magazine "Aoba".