[Anime Crossover] Becoming Mangaka in Anime World

Time passes quickly.

Before he knew it, it was the last day of Golden Week.

At 3:00 PM, in Akihabara,

"Nihon-ga-shi, pencils, dip pens, ink, screen tones..."

Akifumi Mugiho checked off the items on his list as he picked up the necessary materials for drawing manga.

By the time he came out of the store, half an hour had passed.

"With all this, I should be set for the next two months."

His backpack was bulging, and he was also carrying two big bags in his hands.

He looked like a geek returning from a "holy war," weighed down by his haul.

"This money really doesn't stretch far!"

Akifumi Mugiho couldn't help but sigh.

It was already May, and his living allowance had just been deposited into his bank account.

Apart from the holiday expenses, the 70,000 yen he'd spent so far had already eaten up most of his funds.

"In the remaining 30,000 yen, I still need to pay 10,000 back to Kato..."

"Damn it! How am I supposed to make it through the next 20 days, spending less than 1,000 yen a day!?"

Even though the future looked bright, the present struggle still weighed him down.

The only silver lining was that he'd predicted these expenses ahead of time, so he didn't blow the money as soon as it came in.

Otherwise, the remaining allowance might have been less than 10,000 yen by now.

Lost in his thoughts, Akifumi Mugiho kept walking toward the subway station, not bothering to glance at any distractions.

Figures in the distance? Games? Maid cafes!?

Hilarious.

He didn't dare look.

He remained silent as he walked.

After getting off the subway, the bright sky earlier had already turned ominous.

"Is it going to rain?"

With that thought, Akifumi Mugiho picked up his pace.

Boom.

The thunder rumbled.

Drip, drip, drip.

The rain began to pour.

"Damn, that was close!"

Standing in front of a convenience store, Akifumi Mugiho smiled.

His newly purchased supplies were almost drenched.

Taking advantage of the sparse crowd waiting to avoid the rain, he borrowed a shared umbrella and headed toward the residential area.

The rain kept getting stronger.

Raindrops fell from the sky like ink splattered on paper by a passionate poet.

Though the sky had darkened, there were still people caught unawares.

Watching the passersby, wet and hurrying to seek shelter, Akifumi Mugiho couldn't help but feel a little amused.

The park, usually filled with the sounds of children playing at this hour, was now peaceful and quiet.

A lonely figure on a swing stood out against the gloomy backdrop.

A girl with long flaxen hair, her angelic face was stunning at first glance. But what was unsettling was the emptiness in her caramel-colored eyes.

Even in a world painted in shadows by the dark clouds, the girl seemed to lack any color at all.

"Is she really that sad?"

A sudden unfamiliar voice snapped the girl out of her thoughts.

She looked up blankly, seeing a stranger under a plain umbrella.

The rain falling on her was a little chilly, but it didn't match the coldness of her expression.

Their gazes briefly met before the girl lowered her head again, her indifference striking.

"Ugh, what a troublesome person."

Akifumi Mugiho muttered to himself, shaking his head, but he couldn't help but continue.

"Why am I such an idiot for getting involved?"

Holding the umbrella between his neck and chin, his free hand took the two bags from his left hand and slipped the openings over his wrist.

Even with over 10 kg of weight that should have hurt, Akifumi Mugiho didn't flinch.

His right hand grabbed the girl's wrist, pulling her along, including the sleeves that were already soaked.

"You really think hurting yourself is going to do any good?"

He spoke almost like he was talking to himself, frustration in his voice.

"Is it going to make those who hurt you regret it? Or change their ways?"

"Sadly, that's not going to happen."

"Those people will just think, 'How did this idiot end up like this?' and then go back to their lives without a care. You, on the other hand, will catch a cold from this rain, suffer for days, and regret everything."

"People who truly care about you will be heartbroken."

"Isn't that the most likely truth?"

The girl's rigid posture softened as Akifumi Mugiho spoke, and he couldn't help but notice a faint smile on his lips.

"Well, ready to run?"

Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed her hand and ran, pulling her along.

Under the small umbrella, they moved against the wind and rain, splashing through puddles.

Passerby couldn't help but smile, seeing in the pair the warmth of youth that had long since faded from their own lives.