December 31, 11 p.m.

The Jinguji family and the Sakurakoji family went to Shoin Shrine for a New Year's visit.

It is dedicated to the late Edo thinker Yoshida Shoin, who is revered as the god of learning, and is famous for his incense, and is also the prototype of the role of Matsuyo-sensei in the famous manga "Gintama".

And the reason why I came here is purely because the shrine here is the closest to Jiyugaoka.

The shrine was crowded with people who came to pay their respects for the New Year, and Jingu Teratsuki was not interested in this kind of thing, yawning and bored, and he had never liked this kind of crowded occasion.

"You can visit the shrine anytime you want on New Year's Day, so why do you have to squeeze into this night."

In the midst of the crowd, Jingu Siyue was already a little dizzy at this time.

"Really, you have to work hard."

For Sakurakoji Sakura, who likes to join in the fun, the more people she has, the more jubilant she becomes, and Jingu Terakitsuki, who likes to be alone, are two extremes.

After the visit, the bell that symbolizes the New Year rang, and Sakurakoji Sakura looked at the yawning boy on the side and asked, "Hey, what New Year's wish did Yue make?" ”

"I'm not going to pin my hopes on that."

"What, that's right, your personality is too twisted."

"Call it realism."

"If it was Hoshino, I would definitely say that about you."

"It's okay with the senior sister, and also, how did they become a relationship that calls them by their names, and they shout too smoothly."

"Humph!"

On the way home, Jingu Teratsuki received New Year's messages from many people, Hoshino Mori, Yomiya Yao, Kudo, and several juniors and sisters he knew when he was in the Cultural Festival Committee, as well as the head of the Wind Department who received his help during the Cultural Festival, and Chibongi-san, who was far away in Hokkaido.

Before this, Jingu Teraetsuki had never felt that he was so popular, and after replying one by one, he suddenly met the ambiguous eyes that Sakura Koji Sakura kept glancing at him.

"What?"

"It's nothing, it's just a feeling that my ignorant son has finally grown up, and I'm so touched by my mother."

Jingu Terakitsuki decisively flicked her in the head.

……

……

In the first three days of the first lunar month, Jinguji Moon is basically huddled in the kotatsu in the living room to draw pictures and read books.

From time to time, he put his hand into his clothes and scratched his belly, and he didn't even bother to take care of his hair, and his jet-black hair was growing indiscriminately with an astonishing momentum, like a cactus in the desert, strange shape, and with thorns.

It's like this from morning to night, and it's inevitable that you will be nagged by your mother.

Because I don't have to go out, I'm really too lazy to take care of it, Sakura Koji Sakura comes over to play for a while at noon every day, but basically stays for less than two hours, and it seems that he has to go out with Hoshino Mori Hoshino every afternoon.

To this day, Jingu Terakitsuki still can't figure out what their good opportunity is.

On the afternoon of January 5th.

Jingu Siyue rarely stood in front of the mirror to tidy up her appearance, and after being seen by her mother, she teased whether she was dating Sakura Koji Sakura, and Jingu Siyue replied "no" as a matter of course.

Then he was inevitably lectured by his mother, so that he didn't do anything that made Sakura Koji Sakura sad.

Although his relationship with Sakurakoji Sakura has not been revealed, since childhood, the parents of both parties seem to have decided early that they will get married in the future.

From Jiyugaoka Station, transfer to the Fukutoshin Line after arriving at Shibuya, and after both stops to Shinjuku-sanchome, then transfer to the Marunouchi Line to Nishi-Shinjuku.

According to the address given by the other party, Jingu Terakitsuki came to a building a little distance from the station, found the designated café, and walked in while checking the time.

In the corner, I saw a young man wearing glasses, which matched the description of the other party on the line, and wiped his palm on his pants, and Jinguji Tsuki walked towards the other party expressionlessly.

"Hello, is it Mr. Yuta Natsuki? Electrical library. ”

"Ah yes, first time we met, I'm Natsuki from the second editorial department of the Electric Library, and I'm Jinguji-kun?"

"I'm Jinguji, first time we're meeting."

"Please sit down first."

"Thank you."

The man in front of me is called Yuta Natsuki, who was introduced to the publishing house by Miss Nagumo to Jingu Teratsuki, and is the editor in charge of the industry's well-known light library "Electric Library".

"I've already seen Jingu Temple-kun's works, and to be honest, among the talented painters of the younger generation, your painting skills are also outstanding."

"Thank you very much."

"But it seems to me that any of your works is an imitation of a famous professional painter, and you are very good at imitating the style of others?

"Ah, please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's bad, it's quite a powerful thing, and considering Jinguji-kun's age, you can be completely proud.

"It's just that if you don't have your own characteristics, it will become your disadvantage."

"Featured...... Is it? ”

Seeing Jingu Terakitsuki's dull expression, Yuta Natsuki turned to a relaxed smile.

"Well...... Features sound a bit mysterious, you don't have to think too much about it, you're still young, and you'll have a lot of time to study your own characteristics in the future.

If you can get an award and make your debut, it will help Jinguji students in the future. ”

"If I win an award, will I get a job right away?" Jingu Terakitsuki asked.

"Although the number of illustration contests held by the Electric Library every year is small, at least a dozen new artists are unearthed every year, and among these more than ten new artists, only two or three can receive jobs stably.

"No matter what industry you are in, it's not easy to be able to commit to a job for a long time."

“…… I see. Jinguji Tsukiyo said.

"I'm sorry to say this to a high school student as an adult."

"No, I've been taught, no one has ever said anything like that to me, thank you very much."

"But from a personal point of view, I think you will become a great artist in the future, you have such skills at a young age, and your appearance is also very outstanding, and you must be very popular with girls in school."

“…… No, I'm just an ordinary student. ”

Yuta Natsuki smiled, and the young man in front of him was humble.

"Do you have any work experience at Jingu Temple?"

"It's just to the extent that I work in a bookstore."

"So, it's a sophomore in high school?"

"Yes, next year, no...... After the spring, it's time to prepare for the exam. Jingu Temple Moon replied truthfully.

After hearing this, Yuta Natsuki frowned slightly: "In this case, I still recommend waiting for the college entrance examination to end before participating in the competition, so as not to affect your studies." ”

"I'm fairly confident in my grades, and it won't affect my studies."

Although he got such an answer, Yuta Natsuki actually didn't believe it in his heart.

A person's energy is limited, and to excel in one area, it is bound to make sacrifices in other fields, and in the eyes of Natsuki Yuta at this moment, Jingu Teratsuki is the kind of person who sacrifices his studies and devotes himself to painting.

"Mr. Natsuki, let's talk about the competition, I'm here for today."

Seeing that Jingu Siyue was persistent, Yuta Natsuki stopped persuading him and began to explain the competition to Jingu Siyue.

Times have changed, just like writing lightly, and now is no longer the era of submitting articles to publishing houses, participating in competitions large and small, and winning rankings before publishing a book.

If you post on a light site, you can get it popular, and you can make it public, make it a comic, make it a radio drama, and anime it one after another.

Even if it's a mess of writing, if you're lucky enough to match the astringent character design of a god-level painter, the 13-word TV animation, even if it's two seasons in a row, it's not impossible.

In today's society, as a painter, the way to quickly appear in the public eye is naturally through the Internet.

The easiest and fastest way is to draw a holster for yourself, and draw while live broadcasting, the most important thing is to be able to live and have a program effect.

But it's a pity that Jingu Terakitsuki is obviously not that hexagram, so he can only make his debut in the most old-fashioned way.

The advantage of participating in a contest held by a well-known publishing house is that if you succeed in winning the prize, you are likely to be noticed by a well-known light artist, and it is also very possible to get the name of the other party and become the queen painter of a popular author.

"Jinguji-kun, are you desperate for a job?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It looks like this."

Jingu Siyue slowly shook his head: "I just want to do this." ”

He's lying.

He just didn't want to be a child all the time, and wanted to use work as a medium to prove that he was an adult on the road, thinking that in this way he could catch up with that person.

So, I heard a lot about the competition from Yuta Natsuki, and I just had to draw a work that I was satisfied with by April.

"It's a rare opportunity, do you want to visit the editorial office?"

"Huh? Is that possible? ”

"What do you like about Jingu Temple-kun? Of course, it has to be from our library, and I can give you a set. ”

"Thank you very much, but I have already purchased all the works I like, if I can......"

"If you can?"

"Is it okay for the author to autograph it?"

Yuta Natsuki was stunned for a moment, and then laughed out loud: "You're really welcome." ”

"Well, I'm sorry, but there is a junior from a school who likes that teacher very much and wants to give it as a gift."

"I personally have a collection of autographed books by writers, which teacher is it?"

In the afternoon, after visiting the publishing house of the Electric Library, Jingu Teratsuki took a whole set of light by the way, and solemnly thanked Yuta Natsuki before saying goodbye.

After arriving home, Jingu Siyue nested in the room to paint, during which he returned to his hometown Yanggong Yao sent many photos of snow scenes, Jingu Siyue subconsciously looked out of the window, the sun was good.

In the days that followed, Jingu Terakitsuki was thinking about the illustration contest, and from time to time he went out with Sakura Koji Sakura and Hoshino Mori Hoshino.

Every time, the two of them held their arms affectionately, leaving him behind him to carry the bag.

Gradually, Jingu Siyue was no longer dissatisfied, and gradually took this state as a daily routine in his heart, and he got used to it helplessly.

But this habit didn't last long, and the winter vacation came to an end.

The third semester of the second year of high school began.

From the beginning of this semester, Hoshino Mori Hoshino officially withdrew from the student union and entered the intense study and preparation stage, and the final common assignment was to open the cabinet in the depths and stuff all the materials of the whole semester into it.

As a result, Jingu Terakitsuki officially inherited the position of student president from Hoshino Mori Seino, the key to the cabinet, and the tea set that filled the cupboard.

After the absence of Hoshino Mori Hoshino, the student council once again ushered in a shortage of personnel, and considering the future work, Jingu Terakitsuki instructed Yonomiya Yao and Yamada Kanata to find suitable candidates to join the student union.

After the third semester, Jingu Teratsuki's first job as a student council president was a second-year school trip.

Having said that, unlike cultural festivals, the student council doesn't have much to do, and the students don't have much autonomy, mainly to cooperate with the teachers and not let the students have accidents during the vacation trip.

To be honest, this can be said to be the most difficult job for Jingu Terakitsuki since joining the student council.

It is very outrageous to let him cooperate with the teacher to guide the students during the suspension trip of all second-year students, and he can only take one step at a time.

The destination of the second-year vacation trip was Kyoto, and it was the middle of January, so the trip to Kyoto was a perfect one, so the whole second grade was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Compared to before, when Jingu Terakitsuki got the itinerary, he showed a shocked expression, and then fell into a memory, standing alone in the student council room, the golden sunlight shining through the window and on his face with closed eyes.

In my mind, there are memories of a certain woman, which involuntarily emerge and are clear.

Her expression, her voice, her gesture, came back helplessly clearly.

It stands to reason that the school does not know her specific origin, so this arrangement is a complete coincidence.

But Jingu Teraetsuki couldn't be clearer, he knew everything about that woman.

The boy knew from the bottom of his heart what a sad and cruel woman he was.

She is sometimes delicate, sometimes gentle, she has no ego, but she is extremely tenacious, and can even show indifference that cuts everything.

She was a victim of herself, and Jingu Terakitsuki was also her victim.

But Jingu Terakitsuki accepted it without complaint, because he thought from the bottom of his heart that this was the punishment he deserved.

It's just that...... If it were him now, would the current Jingu Terakitsuki make a completely different decision than he did then?

Maybe deep down, he still has remorse for the past, and during the time he spent with Hoshino Mori Hoshino, he began to feel that his past self would only run away and never fight anyone head-on.

And the reason why Jingu Temple Moon had such a longing at this time was because of their destination this time, the hotel in Kyoto where the students lived.

It's the female teacher's hometown.

(End of chapter)