Chapter 154 - 152(2 in 1)

Today, Haruka looked the same as always professional blouse, tailored pencil skirt, and black stockings. Elegant. Poised. Distant. She had a presence that turned heads in the office, but her demeanor made her feel untouchable. No one approached her casually. "Editor Sato, the editor-in-chief is asking for you." "Understood." She gave a polite nod and walked past her own office without pause. Three firm knocks. A voice called from inside. "Come in." Editor-in-Chief Katsumi was already pouring tea by the time she stepped in. He gestured for her to sit, then went straight to the point. "You've seen the numbers for Initial D, right?" "I have," Haruka replied, voice calm but with the faintest trace of warmth. "To be honest... I didn't expect it to debut at fifth." A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at her lips. "It surprised me too," Katsumi chuckled. His tone was easy, but his eyes betrayed how seriously he'd been thinking about it. "I thought it might pull even with Xtreme Boys down the line... but the gap was there from the start." He exhaled softly, more to himself than her. "racing isn't the easiest theme to break through. But Mizushiro's work captured something fresh something readers hadn't seen before." Then, with a dry smile: "If I were twenty years younger, I might've been tempted to hit the mountains myself." Haruka gave a rare, deadpan reply. "Please don't. We really can't afford a PR scandal." Katsumi blinked, then laughed again. That was as close to teasing as she usually got. Despite her reputation for being difficult to read, Katsumi had known Haruka since her earliest years at Echo Shroud. He was the one who'd approved her proposal to serialize Airi Tanaka's debut work back when Airi was still in junior high. Bold wasn't the word most editors used to describe a move like that. Reckless, maybe. But it worked. Even now, their dynamic remained a mix of mutual respect and mild tension. "Anyway," he said, shifting back to business, "after Ashes of Tomorrow ended, we all felt the gap in Shroud Line's lineup. We needed something to anchor the magazine again." He took a sip of tea, then continued. "Usually we look for one big hit to carry the load. But hits like that don't just appear on demand. Dream World is doing well, but it's not enough on its own. Airi's next series might get there but that's still a ways off." "So the new strategy is to build from the ground up. Support multiple strong titles and hope one of them breaks through." He glanced at her. "Initial D and Xtreme Boys were our best shots. Personally, I bet on Initial D. But others thought Rindou's name recognition would give him the lead." Katsumi gave a brief laugh. "Well, the results speak for themselves. From here on out, we're pushing Initial D hard. Full promo rollout. If it keeps growing, we want it to stand next to Dream World maybe even Ashes." He didn't need to explain what that meant: billboard campaigns, magazine covers, convention slots. Backing like that had launched Airi's career into the spotlight two years ago. And now, that same momentum was gathering around Mizushiro. Haruka nodded, understanding instantly. "And if nothing overtakes it in the next cycle, Initial D becomes the flagship." "Exactly." Katsumi's tone sharpened slightly. "And as Mizushiro's editor, it's your job to make sure he doesn't disappear on us." "No delays. No sudden hiatus. Unless it's unavoidable." "Understood." With that, the conversation wrapped. Haruka stood, bowed lightly, and exited. Left alone, Katsumi sat back, fingers drumming against the desk. He remembered what she'd said back in the serialization meeting for Natsume's Book of Friends: "Mizushiro just needs one chance. Give him that, and he'll prove he's on Airi's level." Now... that didn't seem like a stretch. If anything, he was starting to wonder if Mizushiro might surpass her. The next day, Haruka finished her reports, grabbed her bag, and made her way to the upscale apartment complex where Airi lived. She entered without knocking she had a spare key, after all. Inside, a few assistants were diligently working at their desks. Pencils scribbled, tablets tapped, coffee cups steamed quietly. It looked like a typical production day except for the sound of a racing game blaring through noise-canceling headphones. Airi Tanaka, creator of Dream World, was at her PC, eyes glued to the screen as her digital car drifted through mountain roads. Haruka's brows twitched. She crossed the room, heels sharp on the floor, and knocked once on the desk beside Airi. Still deep in the game, Airi glanced up. All she saw were black stockings and assumed it was one of her assistants. "Hey, Nana, can you grab me some chips and a Coke?" she called out. A moment later, the snacks appeared. So did a voice she definitely wasn't expecting. "Enjoying yourself?" Airi froze. "Do chips and soda help with immersion?" The color drained from her face. "But more importantly," Haruka added, her tone flat, "where's your manuscript?" Panic. Airi slammed her laptop shut like it might erase her guilt. "H-Haruka! I—I didn't know you were coming today!" She looked around like she was about to bolt out the window. Haruka said nothing. Just stood there, arms crossed. Airi gulped. The room was silent. Even her assistants had stopped drawing. "...I was taking a short break," she offered weakly. Haruka raised an eyebrow. "With racing games?" "...Research?" There was a long pause. And then, finally, the tiniest sigh escaped Haruka. "Finish the chapter," she said quietly. "Then you can research all the mountain passes you want." Airi slumped in her chair, defeated. "Yes ma'am..." Haruka didn't move. She just stood there for a moment, watching her with the kind of look that said she wasn't done. Her tone shifted just a notch sharper now, touched with exasperation. "I swear, you're the only artist who turns every deadline into a crisis." Airi looked up, wide-eyed, sensing the change. Of course, it was mostly for show. If Haruka truly had that kind of temper, she would've lost it on Airi years ago. Airi—Haruka's most notorious serial procrastinator. She'd long since given up trying to discipline her the usual way and could only resort to occasional scare tactics. Airi stammered, springing away from her desk and scrambling to her drawing station like a student caught slacking. She pulled on a headband that read No sleep until the manuscript is done! and gripped her pen with exaggerated determination. "Alright, drop the act," Haruka said flatly. "You never even sat like that when you were gaming before." Airi's four assistants burst out laughing around the room. This routine was nothing new. "I-I wasn't playing games..." Airi muttered, trying to wiggle free. "Then what were you doing?" Haruka pressed, eyes narrowing. "I... I was looking for... inspiration," Airi said, voice trailing off as she realized how lame that sounded. Haruka rubbed her temples. "I could deal with you reading manga for 'inspiration.' But racing games? Really?" "Wait, just listen!" Airi jumped in, eager to explain. "I was reading Initial D by Mizushiro!" Haruka nodded calmly. "Of course. Keep going" Airi launched into a flurry of hand gestures and half-formed thoughts, as if trying to convince herself more than anyone else. A slow, sarcastic smile tugged at Haruka's lips. "So let me get this straight you think Initial D is so thrilling it sparked your creativity, and now you want to add racing elements to your own manga. To do that, you decided to play racing games?" "Exactly!" Airi nodded eagerly. "You really expect me to buy this?" Haruka asked, unimpressed. "But it's true! And actually, after playing, I thought the game physics were totally unrealistic." Suddenly, her face lit up with an idea. "So..." she said, eyes gleaming, "I've decided I need to buy a real car. To experience it properly." Silence fell. The assistants exchanged wide-eyed glances. Was she serious? She was. The idea had taken root. Why waste time on games when real street racing could be so much more thrilling? "I'm torn between an 86 or an FD," Airi muttered. "Or maybe something cooler... I'll hit the mountain roads at night, dominate the circuits, and become a legend the fastest female racer in Tokyo." Haruka stared, aghast. "Airi, stop." "You need to finish this week's manuscript, not chase some fantasy about becoming a street-racing icon." "No, Haruka, I've made up my mind," Airi said, eyes shining with passion. "I'm an adult now. It's normal to buy a car and go places! Let's go car shopping this afternoon. I want something sleek, powerful the fastest ride out there." Haruka frowned, worry creeping in. "Do you know how expensive that is?" They had an unspoken deal Airi could live how she wanted as long as she delivered her chapters on time. But this? Haruka couldn't forbid it, only try to talk her down. "How expensive?" Airi asked, confidence faltering a bit. "If you mean the sports cars Mizushiro draws, they cost tens of millions of yen," Haruka said seriously. "Most are discontinued models. You probably can't even find one." "And do you really want to blow your hard-earned money chasing a fantasy? Think about all the late nights and effort you've put into those chapters. Is this really the best use of your earnings?" Haruka hoped a practical argument might reach her. "Tens of millions...?" Airi blinked, starting to calculate. "That's like a whole month's income. Four full chapters... a month of sleepless nights." The assistants exchanged looks. You can buy a luxury car on one month's income and you hesitate? Please. Airi was different from Haruki. She'd already released multiple volumes, sold over 30 million copies in recent years, and had steady income from merchandising and licenses. Though simple in style, she was a legitimate millionaire. Meanwhile, Haruki was still funding his anime adaptation out of pocket, risking everything. "But still," Airi said, undeterred. "If I'm going to create the legend of a Tokyo street racer... let's hit the dealership this afternoon." Her eyes burned with conviction. Haruka felt a chill. Here we go again. She took a deep breath. After all these years, she knew Airi all too well. Every few months, a new obsession. There was the time she wanted to become an actress. Then a model. She once nearly blew her savings to buy rental properties so she could become a full-time landlord and quit manga altogether. Each time, Haruka had to drag her back down to reality. She wasn't just her editor. She was part-parent, part-crisis manager. Airi's family hadn't raised her, and now that she was wealthy, they only called to ask for money. Haruka had become the consistent adult in her life. And now, after reading Initial D, she wanted to be a racer? Haruka sighed. This wasn't about cars. It was about escaping the grind of deadlines. Everything else just looked more exciting. "No, Airi," she said calmly but firmly. "First, you don't even have a driver's license. This 'legendary racer' thing is a fantasy. You're meant to draw manga. That's your real calling." Shout out to Saw You moo, RedCap, mud104, TheFuzzySamurai for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me. (TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 50+ advanced chapters)