After nearly an hour of chatting, the atmosphere had grown surprisingly pleasant.
With Kasumigaoka Touji casually feeding her fries and occasionally stroking her long, stocking-clad legs beneath the table in what could only be described as top-tier cat-pampering technique, the proud feline Kasumigaoka Utaha had completely lost interest in barking at the wounded puppy across from her.
Eriri Spencer Sawamura, still licking her emotional wounds, had likewise decided to ignore her elegant tormentor and instead threw herself into an enthusiastic discussion with Touji about the future development of their manga project—Tokyo Ghoul.
Though she still hadn't fully recovered from being thoroughly embarrassed earlier, her love for storytelling and strong artistic drive had already reignited.
The two had confirmed their intention to work together. The profit-sharing arrangement? Well, that was the kind of thing that always got complicated.
Touji wasn't some cold-blooded profiteer like Kanye West. He wasn't about to reduce things to mere page-count royalties or exploit Eriri just because she was an artist. That wouldn't be a true collaboration.
Besides, if their project sold well and Eriri felt shortchanged, it would harm his reputation and ruin the goodwill he was trying to build. And Touji, ever the long-term strategist, had plans to request more favors from her in the future.
So for now, they agreed to base their profit split on the project's reception.
If the response was hot and the manga sold well, Touji would take 60% and Eriri 40%.
If the reaction was lukewarm or average, Eriri would take 60% and Touji 40%, which was more in line with the traditional industry norm since the artist typically put in more grunt work.
A win-win situation. Flexible. Logical.
As they stood at the entrance of the family restaurant, the afterglow of the sun warming the street, the two partners prepared to part ways.
"Then... Eriri Spencer Sawamura, see you next Monday," Touji said with a casual wave.
"Mhm." Eriri nodded, but then her expression turned a little more serious. "Make sure you go home and organize the character setting sheets right away. I want to start sketching them as soon as possible and bring the first draft for you next Monday. We should finalize the designs quickly."
The fire in her eyes practically blazed.
Right now, she felt like she could take on the world—or at least a serialization.
A manga artist who could walk proudly in the daylight... that was the goal!
"Roger that." Touji responded with a smile, giving her a quick OK sign with his fingers.
He didn't want to dampen her momentum. Besides, it wasn't that hard a request. He just needed to draft the character profiles for the early stages—which wouldn't take long. He'd get it done that evening.
And with that—
The trio finally parted ways at the restaurant entrance.
Eriri, as usual, would take the bus back home.
Touji and Utaha, meanwhile, needed to catch the train from Ikebukuro Station.
As the two of them walked side-by-side, the setting sun bathed the world in gold. The warm glow stretched their shadows across the pavement, and a soft spring breeze danced past, tousling their hair and tickling their cheeks.
The subtle scent of cherry blossoms lingered in the air, turning the entire moment into something out of a slice-of-life anime ending.
"Fuu~..." Utaha exhaled softly, her hair swaying gently in the wind.
Then, breaking the peaceful silence, she tilted her head slightly and asked, "Touji-kun, what made you suddenly want to adapt 'unravel' into a manga?"
Her voice was casual, but her eyes glimmered with genuine curiosity.
At the restaurant, she hadn't spoken much—mostly observing. But she had quietly listened to every detail, and she had to admit, the concept of Tokyo Ghoul intrigued her.
Touji placed his hands in his pockets, eyes following the passing traffic as he thought for a moment.
"Hm… how should I put it…?" Touji's voice trailed off as he gazed at the stream of cars flowing past on the road. After pondering for a moment, he finally spoke. "If there's enough depth and content to support it… then the quality and artistic impact of the music itself will rise to an entirely new level. It'll carry emotions that plain notes can't reach."
He chuckled lightly, as if amused by his own lofty thoughts.
"If I get the chance, I'd like to create original manga adaptations for all the other eight songs too."
"The other eight songs..."
Utaha's heart skipped a beat. Her steps faltered, and she instinctively raised a hand to cover her lips. Her wine-red eyes flickered with an indescribable brilliance as she looked at Touji, momentarily dumbfounded.
Although she hadn't seen the completed manga herself, just from hearing what Touji had shared earlier that afternoon, she could already sense that Tokyo Ghoul wasn't just some casual project. It was the kind of work that could sustain long-term serialization, with a vast worldview and novel, daring settings. If he had eight more stories like this…! Just imagining it made her scalp tingle and her legs go weak.
Could his talent really be this limitless…?
Her gaze softened, and she couldn't help but stare absentmindedly at Touji's back, her lips curling without realizing.
"Heh heh~. Was I really that handsome just now?"
Noticing that she had stopped walking, Touji turned around. Catching the dazed expression on her face, he immediately puffed up with fake bravado, straightening his uniform jacket as if he were on a runway.
"Please don't ruin my beautiful fantasy of you, baka~."
Utaha snapped out of her trance, rolling her eyes dramatically before quickening her pace, brushing past him with a gentle fragrance that lingered in the air.
Touji jogged a couple of steps to catch up, his curiosity piqued. "Oi, I'm really curious—what am I like in your fantasy, Onee-san?"
"…Hmm." Utaha tapped a finger against her chin with a mischievous look. "Gentle and considerate. Always at my beck and call. Handles every bit of housework perfectly. Prepares extravagant meals every day. Occasionally surprises me with romance. Sees only me in his eyes… and of course, has well-defined eight-pack abs."
"Sorry, I'll stop you right there!" Touji interrupted instantly, bowing theatrically in surrender.
A few passing pedestrians gave them odd looks, but Touji ignored them. Utaha, on the other hand, only let her lips twitch into a sly smile. Looking at him with playful warmth, she teased:
"Which of those things can't my adorable Otouto-kun manage, hm?"
"All of them! Not a single one!" Touji retorted in exasperation. What kind of impossible wishlist is that? Are you making a wish to Santa or something?
Still, deep down, he couldn't deny that some of those things weren't completely out of reach…
"Oh? So Otouto-kun can't even keep his eyes only on me?" Utaha narrowed her eyes with a dangerously sweet look. Tilting her head, she mused thoughtfully, "Perhaps I should hire a construction team to dig a secret basement beneath our house… Then I'll just slip something into your drink, chain you up down there, and voilà—you'll only ever have me in your eyes."
Her voice softened into a sugar-sweet murmur, and she reached out to gently trace a finger against Touji's cheek. A seductive smile played on her lips as she asked in a voice dripping with honey:
"What do you think, Touji-kun~?"
At first, her words could almost pass as teasing banter. But the more he listened, the less it sounded like a joke. Not at all.
Touji felt a shiver crawl up his spine. He quickly leaned his head back, stepping away with a nervous laugh. "F-Forgive my bluntness, Onee-san, but your love is way too heavy! You were joking, right? …Right?"
Utaha tilted her head slightly, her crimson eyes narrowing with an unreadable glint. "Hmm? Was I joking?"
"E-Ehh!?" Touji's eyes widened in horror.
Why is that even a question?!