Chapter 8

The next day at noon, my fever had completely gone down.

Rika stayed over using an empty room.

On the afternoon of the 26th, in my living room.

"Thank you so much for everything."

I sat at the table and bowed my head slightly.

You made curry udon for lunch, and it was really delicious.

"Oh, no, it's nothing at all."

Rika smiled and collected the plates, heading towards the kitchen.

"Hey, I'll help too!"

"Really? Then... how about we do it together?"

"Sure!"

We stood side by side in the kitchen.

Rika washed the dishes, and I dried them with a towel.

"Standing like this, it feels like we're a married couple."

"Meow...!"

Rika almost dropped the plate she was holding.

Slip...!

"Whoa!"

Clack...!

...Safe. I managed to catch the plate before it broke.

"Sorry..."

"No, it's okay. But what's wrong?"

"Well, you said something weird, didn't you!"

Indeed, I did say something strange even though we're not even dating.

Hmm, I should reflect on that...

Meanwhile, Rika's ears turned red, and she murmured something softly, "Like a couple...♡"

She was washing the dishes while humming a tune.

...Suddenly, I felt a bit guilty and said this:

"Hey, Rika. I want to thank you."

"Thank me?"

I took the plate from Rika.

"Right. Thank you. From Christmas Eve to today, you've taken care of me a lot. So I want to do something for you."

Not only did she encourage me when I was feeling down, but she also took care of me when I had a cold.

I couldn't let this go without doing something in return.

"Then..."

Rika turned off the tap and stopped the water.

"I want to go on a date."

"A date...!?"

A date... that kind of date!?

The kind that boys and girls do... but we're not even dating.

"Don't misunderstand! I just mean going out alone, that's all!"

"Oh, I see. Just going out alone, huh."

"Right. Just the two of us."

So it's not a date, huh.

Well, that makes sense.

There's no one who would go on a serious date with someone like me... hahaha.

"Sure, I'll go."

"...Yay, a date! Shin and I, yay yay~♡"

"Huh, what?"

"It's nothing! Just talking to myself!"

After a while.

Rika and I were eating the apples she peeled in the living room.

"When are we going out?"

"Let's see... how about the day after tomorrow?"

The 28th, huh...

"Ah, sorry. I have a packed schedule at the end of the year."

"Oh, a family trip?"

"No, I'm going to Comiket."

"Comiket!?"

Comiket is a large doujinshi event held at the end of the year.

"You're going to Comiket?"

Rika leaned forward, placing her hands on the table.

"Yeah, I go every year."

"Wow...! That's so cool!"

Rika's eyes sparkled.

...Hmm, what's with that reaction?

"Maybe... you want to go?"

"Yeah! I've always wanted to go to Comiket!"

"Really...? I thought someone like Rika wouldn't be interested in this kind of event..."

I thought she was a gal and not into otaku stuff.

"If you're interested in Comiket... why don't you go?"

"I'll go! Yay!"

Rika clenched her fist and smiled.

"Then we'll have to line up early in the morning!"

Hmm, she seems to know quite a bit about Comiket...

Maybe she's into otaku stuff...?

Haha, no way, a gal?

"Ah, sorry. Is it okay if we go in the afternoon?"

"Huh? Sure, but... don't you have to go early in the morning to buy doujinshi?"

Oh, right.

Rika seems to have a misunderstanding.

She thinks I'm a general attendee.

"Well... that's true, but I'm participating in Comiket to sell doujinshi."

"What!?! You're selling doujinshi!?"

Why is she so surprised...?

"Meaning... you're a circle participant?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Wow...!"

Rika firmly grabbed my hand.

Oh my! A beautiful girl is holding my hand!

So soft...!

"Shin, you make and sell doujinshi!"

"Yeah... kind of."

"Wow...! I'm so impressed!"

Eh, really...? Is it that impressive?

There are many people who do this, not just me...

I'm not that special...

"Like in anime, where everyone works together to make and sell doujinshi... I've always admired that. So I think it's amazing that you're actually doing it, Shin!"

"Thanks... and you watch anime?"

"Of course! I watch a lot!"

"Really...? What kind?"

"Recently, the Digimas anime was really good!"

Digimas is the most famous light novel in Japan right now.

It was recently adapted into an anime, and a theatrical version is set to be released next year.

"Digimas is great! Who's your favorite character?"

"Of course, the heroine Chobine! What about you, Shin?"

"I love Chobine too! A devoted girl is so cute!"

"I know, right!"

We spent some time discussing Digimas, talking about our favorite characters and scenes.

Ah, this is fun...

I never thought I'd be able to talk about anime with a classmate like this!

After a while.

"Anyway, to get back to the topic, I'll be busy from morning to noon on the 28th because I'm participating in the circle. So if we go out, it would be in the afternoon..."

Then Rika said this:

"Hey, if it's okay, can I help you sell your doujinshi?"

"Eh, really!? That would be... too much trouble."

"No, no! I really want to! I've always wanted to sell doujinshi at Comiket!"

Rika's eyes sparkled.

She seems to be quite an otaku.

But she doesn't seem to be lying, and I was happy to have made an otaku friend.

"Really, you'll help me?"

"Of course! Please, let me help!"

"Okay... thank you."

And so, I ended up going to Comiket with Rika.

★

On the morning of the 28th, in front of my apartment.

"Hey... Shin? Are you kidding...?"

Rika, dressed warmly, muttered in disbelief.

"What's wrong?"

"Look at this mountain of cardboard boxes!"

Rika pointed at the stack of about ten cardboard boxes and raised her voice.

"What is this!?"

"Ah, they're boxes of doujinshi."

"Wait!? How many copies are there!?"

"1000 copies."

"Se...!?"

Rika looked at me with a shocked expression.

"Shin... this is crazy."

"What's crazy?"

"The number of doujinshi, that's what!"

Crazy... oh, I see.

"Too few? Don't worry, I've already shipped another 2000 to the venue. These are for set sales."

"Haaaaaaa!?"

Rika raised her voice again.

"3000 copies!? You printed too many!"

Wait, she was upset about the smaller number...?

"Listen, at doujinshi events, most circles that aren't famous don't sell much."

Rika put her hands on her hips and spoke with a knowing tone.

"Small circles usually sell only about 10 copies a day, and if they're lucky, maybe 50. Selling in the hundreds is rare."

"You seem to know a lot."

"Well, I haven't participated, but I have the knowledge."

Like a virgin otaku...?

"Still, 3000 copies? Which super famous circle are you? Printing this many will leave you with too much inventory and you'll go bankrupt!"

"Thanks for worrying. I appreciate it."

"Ugh... stop smiling. It's bad for my heart."

Am I that creepy...?

Guess so...

"Anyway, don't worry. I printed 5000 last year and sold out."

"Huh...?"

And at that moment.

"Hey, Shinji-kun!"

A car drove up and stopped in front of me.

"A limousine!?"

Rika was surprised as a black limousine pulled up next to her.

Out stepped a large man wearing sunglasses.

"A Terminator!?"

A tough guy like the Terminator from Hollywood movies got out, waving and smiling.

"Hey, good morning. Thanks for today."

I bowed slightly, and the Terminator smiled.

"Sure thing! Oh, who's this?"

"A friend, Rika. She's going to help me sell."

"That's great! I'm Saburo! Nice to meet you, Rika!"

Saburo, the Terminator, shook Rika's hand vigorously.

"Huh?"

"Ah, we're short on time. Let's hurry!"

"Sure thing!"

Saburo easily picked up the cardboard boxes with both hands and loaded them into the limousine.

"Come on, Rika. Get in!"

"Huh?"

The limousine took off, and in a few minutes, we arrived near the international exhibition hall.

Saburo helped us unload the ten boxes, and we used a folding cart to transport them to the venue.

"Wait!? This is the wall space!?"

Our space was on the wall side of the circle venue.

"Hey, everyone! Good morning!"

I greeted the staff gathered there.

"Rika, can you wait a bit? We need to set up."

"Huh? Huh? Huh?"

I worked with everyone to lay out the table and set up the mountain of doujinshi.

People started gathering around.

And then...

"What is this long line!?"

Before we knew it, a line of customers had formed in front of our circle, extending outside the venue.

"Shin...? What are you...?"

"I just write doujinshi as a hobby..."

"Your hobby is way beyond that! You're practically a wall circle... a super popular circle!"

At that moment, Saburo, who was passing by, said to Rika with a puzzled look:

"Rika, Shinji-kun's circle [Rika] is one of the most famous circles in Japan, and he is known as a legendary artist."