Artistic Creation Award.

This is an art grand prix competition jointly organized by the five major art academies in Tokyo, and it is open to young people from all over Japan, rather than a competition for young people in Tokyo, as was the case with Tsukasa Higashino's previous Tokyo Youth Art Awards.

The last time I went to Musashino Art University for exchange and study, Tsukasa Higashino had already been invited to participate in this competition on the first floor of Yamauchi.

And Higashino Tsukasa agreed without thinking about it.

After all, it was a competition held by young people, and the scale was so large, he had to join in the fun.

However, time has passed, too long has passed since the time of exchange and learning, and Tsukasa Higashino has been busy with the animated film "Midnight Bell" and the comics "Winner is Justice" and "Lonely Foodie".

So I just forgot about it.

It wasn't until today that Yamauchi took the initiative to mention it on the first floor, and Higashino Tsukasa patted his head and suddenly realized - oh, it turns out that there is such a thing.

"Well, I don't think Higashino-san will forget about it, but I haven't received the entries submitted by Higashino-san, so I'm a little worried, so I asked." Yamauchi said on the first floor on the phone.

He still has a lot of confidence in Tsukasa Higashino.

Because unlike other lifeless student works, Tsukasa Higashino's paintings are very spiritual, as if the whole person can experience the emotions expressed in oil paintings...

It's amazing to be able to do that.

But Tsukasa Higashino didn't submit his work for a long time, and he didn't say anything for a reason, so he was a little worried... Could it be that Tsukasa Higashino is uninspired?

- It's quite possible!

After completing a particularly good work, it is easy for people's brains to be in a bottleneck period, unable to surpass the previous works in a short period of time, and not being satisfied with any painting, which leads to the loss of inspiration.

Otherwise, why hasn't Tsukasa Higashino ever submitted his work? You can't forget it, right?

"Hehe, Mr. Yamauchi said with a smile, I can't forget the art creation awards, but recently I've been thinking about how to come up with something new from the very old theme of 'growth'."

It's a good excuse, it's really hard to come up with something new on the theme of 'growth', and it's normal for most art creators to struggle with it because they don't like to follow the rules.

The first floor of Yamauchi over there also expressed his understanding of this: "It is true that the theme of growth has been used in many major prize competitions, and it is difficult to come up with new ideas, but this is also my negligence, in fact, in addition to 'growth' in this competition, there is a new theme later." ”

"New theme?"

Tsukasa Higashino became interested.

It is estimated that the five major art academies in Tokyo were a little dissatisfied with the cliché theme of 'growth', and felt that it was a little out of line with the level of this competition, so they thought of a new one.

"The new theme is 'Regret for the Passing of Something Good.'" Yamauchi told Tsukasa Higashino about the other theme of the competition, and said, "Whether you use the theme of 'growth' or the later theme of 'regret the passing of something beautiful', it is in line with the rules of the big prize, but as I said before, you can't submit two copies at the same time." ”

"Okay, I'm sorry for Mr. Yamauchi to tell me this."

"Hehe, the world is now for you young people, these days Higashino-san, your Kumamon has set off a boom again, keep up the good work." Yamauchi replied on the phone with a smile, and then told Higashino to submit his work as early as possible, and then hung up the phone.

Tsukasa Higashino hung up the phone, and then he let out a breath, thinking about the new theme that Yamauchi had just said on the first floor of the building, in addition to growing up—expressing regret for the passing of something beautiful.

At first glance, this topic may sound abstract and difficult, but in fact, it is considered to be average difficulty in Higashino's eyes.

Regret for the passing of good things... There are actually many definitions of this thing.

For example, it is a flash in the pan overnight and the next day it is full of flowers, or a meteor that falls in the sky before you have time to make a wish, or a Koshien baseball game and a kendo jade dragon flag game that burns youth and sweat but is full of regret and regrets.

For example, in the Celestial Empire in the scorching summer, students worked hard towards the university, but in the end they died without a problem.

When people walk in this society, they have many unfulfilled goals, and these regrets are buried in their hearts, which can be regarded as 'regrets for beautiful things'.

It's not a disease-free moan, it's the way most people do.

No matter how much you toss, you will always lose something in life, and what you lose is really lost, and the flowing water is gone.

But it's not that hard to say... But I have to say... It's still a little hard to draw!

It's harder to draw something new about this theme than it is to 'grow'!

There can be many images of growth, and even if you can't express it, you can create one yourself.

But the 'good stuff'... This thing is different from the one that grows up, where the rules have to be rigid, and some benevolent people see what they do, and some wise people see what they do.

Tsukasa Higashino estimates that the contestants who will paint this theme in this contest will either be landscapes such as epiphany, lotus, and meteors, or representative scenes such as Koshien Baseball Stadium.

After all, these things are the things that can best evoke the little literary and artistic freshness in the hearts of the Japanese.

But this falls into clichés.

Tsukasa Higashino furrowed his eyebrows, thinking repeatedly.

It's a bit difficult to finalize the theme, but at this time, you can't call the first floor of Yamauchi and say that you won't participate—isn't that unhappy to find someone else?

"You've got to think about it." Tsukasa Higashino sighed and decided to look for materials recently.

That's what he's always done.

Instead of sitting down, why don't you walk around, observe your surroundings, maybe you see something, and suddenly a flash of inspiration will give you a feeling in your brain?

Just do it.

Tsukasa Higashino did not hesitate, and resigned from his job in Kumamoto Prefecture in the same style as he had always been vigorous and neat, and rushed back to Tokyo overnight

This led to the celebration banquet, and the Higashino Group, which had just been announced, immediately fell apart, leaving only the 'remnants of the Higashino Group' in the office of the marketing group, you look at me, I look at you, they are all a little dumbfounded - why is this leaving? It's only been a week.

They really enjoyed the feeling that Tsukasa Higashino was taking off with their marketing team alone... But this time, Higashino Tsukasa left... It's really a little reluctant, a little regrettable.

Tsukasa Higashino, who had already left, naturally couldn't hear what was going on in their minds, and he returned to his daily life while thinking about the theme of the competition.

Of course, when Kita-Yoshijuku High School has already opened, Tsukasa Higashino did not continue to stay in the production team of "Midnight Bell", but would pass the original picture drawn today to the "Midnight Bell" production team by fax machine every afternoon.

Fax machines are a rarity for Higashino Chihaya.

When Higashino Tsukasa bought it back, Higashino Chihaya still looked left and right, circled several times, and touched and touched, and when there was a movement, he screamed in surprise, and called Higashino Tsukasa's name repeatedly.

This made Higashino Tsukasa couldn't help but smile and touch her head.

In addition, Kita-Gijuku High School has already opened, and the first problem faced by the opening of the school is naturally the division of classes.

Higashino's luck is obviously not so good.,The opening class was not separated from Konoe Ryoka.,Instead, a little unlucky.,And his 'ex-girlfriend' Mama Mi was in a class.,Konoe Ryoka has been continuing her good luck with her two best friends Fujiwara Aoi and Takahashi Yumi in the same class.。

However, Higashino Tsukasa thinks it's nothing, he has already cleared up with Asami Machu, and if he acts timid, he looks like he has a ghost in his heart. He smiled and greeted Asami Machu a few times.

It's been a week.

"I still can't think of any good topics." Tsukasa Higashino pinched his chin, shook his head, erased what he had just scribbled in his sketchbook, and turned to the next page.

It's not that he doesn't have anything to draw, it's just that he doesn't feel satisfied with the things he draws, and he doesn't have that feeling in his head, 'Okay, this is absolutely fine.'"

This made Higashino Tsukasa a little entangled inexplicably.

He's a bit of a perfectionist, and he wants him to draw things that aren't very good... That's better than not painting.

Konoe Ryoka, who was sitting next to him, saw him frowning, so she pursed her lips and reached out to gently rub his shoulders to make him comfortable.

Her relationship with Higashino Tsukasa is well known.,Last time when the moonlight was really beautiful, someone came over to ask Higashino Tsukasa curiously.,Higashino Tsukasa also generously admitted his relationship with Konoe Ryoka.。

Higashino Tsukasa can be regarded as a celebrity in the school, so when he mentions the unknown and unspeakable Konoe Ryoka, everyone only has an inexplicable feeling - who is this person? Does our school have this person?

But when the good student found Ryoka Konoe, many students were shocked again... Konoe Ryoka is too pretty, isn't it? It's okay to say that the angel face, and that figure... Something is wrong!

The girls in Higashinoji's class are full of complicated faces, and Higashino Tsukasa has found a girlfriend in another class, which makes them feel like their own pigs are arched by other vegetables.

At that time, the topic continued to heat up for a while, and it was not until the recent resurgence of Kumamon that it subsided.

"Is it so tangled? Higashino-sensei? Yumi Takahashi asked incomprehensibly as she looked at Higashino's empty sketchbook while eating lunch.

She didn't understand what kind of art creation award it was, but she was very confident in Tsukasa Higashino, and felt that nothing could be rare for a genius in the industry like him, so she continued: "It stands to reason that Mr. Higashino, can't you just 'click' it all and finish it?" Like a printer. ”

Higashino Tsukasa was speechless when he heard her words.

Higashino is still happy to have confidence in him, but are you a little overconfident?

And 'click' like a printer?

This wonderful metaphor made Tsukasa Higashino want to laugh a little.

He also understood that Yumi Takahashi's words couldn't be taken seriously, and her status in the trio was like a pistachio, the kind designed to make everyone happy.

So Higashino basically listens half to her words and stays half.

Higashino Tsukasa ignored her, but it didn't mean that Fujiwara Aoi was silent, only to see Fujiwara Aoi raise his head very disdainfully and mock her: "A stupid person is a stupid person, and he really doesn't understand anything." ”

"Stinky dwarf! What did you say? Yumi Takahashi slowly stopped holding the dish's hand and screamed angrily.

What she hates the most is that others say she's stupid, and Aoi Fujiwara is simply poking her sore feet.

"I said you're stupid, you don't even know what the Art Awards stand for!" Fujiwara Aoi didn't back down at all: "That's an event held jointly by the five major art academies in Tokyo!" The target audience is all Japanese youth – you know what I mean? ”

"Really? That's pretty impressive. Yumi Takahashi doesn't understand the concept of the five major art academies in Tokyo, but she still understands the concept of all Japanese youth.

So she stretched out her finger and pointed at herself, and said with a look of surprise: "So I can also participate in the gold reward, right?" ”

Ahem, cough, cough –

Fujiwara Aoi couldn't say the lines that she had thought of by this sharp turn, and a mouthful of old blood almost didn't spurt out.

Are you going to participate in a competition of this magnitude? Don't embarrass me!

Fujiwara Aoi didn't dare to continue to stay on the topic of competition, so he quickly turned his head and explained: "The excellent works participating in the grand prize can also be specially exhibited at the National Museum of Art, Tokyo, which is also called the joint exhibition of the five major art schools in Tokyo." ”

As I mentioned a long time ago, the National Museum of Art in Tokyo is a non-profit art museum that also exhibits the excellent works of many university students. Every year, the Five Great Academies of Fine Arts in Tokyo is held at the National Museum of Art, Tokyo. For example, the abstract painting that Kuronomiya Akisa painted before was exhibited at the National Museum of Art in Tokyo.

"But... Seeing Mr. Higashino's hard thinking, I think I still have to study seriously to prepare for the exam. Yumi Takahashi sat down again, muttering as she ate her lunch, "Isn't this year's central exam about to start?" Alas, I really don't know what the end result will be. ”

"General entrance exam?" Tsukasa Higashino had a flash of inspiration when he heard this term, and he raised his head.

He still knows the meaning of this sentence.

The so-called general entrance examination is the method used by the vast majority of Japanese students to enter universities, and it is not an exaggeration to consider its importance as the college entrance examination on the Japanese side.

Generally, the entrance examination is divided into two parts.

The first part is the 'central examination', which is similar to China's college entrance examination, where the questions are uniformly issued across the country, and the results are the same across the country, and the results will be used as an important criterion for admission.

The second part is the 'second internal examination', which is similar to the independent enrollment in China, and candidates have the right to choose a certain school independently.

The vast majority of Japanese students go to university through these two exams.

And among them, I don't know how many people will regret falling off the list.

This made Higashino Tsukasa interested all of a sudden-

I was just about to draw the theme of 'Regretting the Passing of Good Things' when I got a central exam?

Isn't this God helping me?!

The pain of Japanese friends will be the nourishment of Tsukasa Higashino!