Chapter 10 | Comiket Date, Gift

It’s the end of the year and I’m at Comiket at the International Exhibition Hall.

After selling out of my doujinshi in the morning, I showed my classmate Rika, with who I’m in a fake relationship, around the exhibition hall.

“Oh, there’s no room to walk…”

People are crammed together in my field of vision.

Both the sellers and the buyers look pretty cramped.

“Ouch!”

“Rika! Are you okay…?”

Rika bumps her shoulder and falls on her bottom.

“Un. I’m fine.”

“Here, can you stand?”

I extend my hand to Rika.

She blushes, takes my hand, and stands up.

“Oh, thanks…”

I tried to let go of her hand…

Rika squeezed my hand.

“What’s wrong?”

“Let’s hold hands…”

Rika, red to the tips of her ears, says in a tone as if she is about to faint.

What?

I, it’s… holding hands on a date!

“Oh, don’t get me wrong! This is so! It’s so I don’t get lost! It’s to save you the trouble of looking for me!”

“Oh, I see… surely you don’t want to get lost, do you? …Ouch, ouch, ouch! Why are you pinching the back of my hand?”

“Hmph! Nothing! Shin-chan’s insensitive! Let’s go!”

Hmmm, I was wondering if her mood had recovered earlier, but now she’s in a bad mood again.

I wonder if love is still difficult for a gloomy person.

Well, we’re in a fake relationship anyway.

“…Hehehe ♡ I held your hand.”

“Rika? What’s the matter, I can’t hear you because there are so many people…”

“Nothing! Come on, show me around!”

We weaved our way between the islands (booths), browsing through the doujinshis.

“Wow! I didn’t know they sold acrylic key chains.”

Rika looked at one of the booths and said, impressed.

“Yes. They’re handmade.”

“Handmade? Really? Wow, it’s on par with… professionals!”

“There are professionals who work as doujinshi, you know.”

“Hmmm, Shin-chan, you know a lot. As expected of the king of doujinshi.”

“Oh, stop it, that’s… embarrassing…”

I’m not really the king of doujinshi or anything.

Rika nods in admiration.

“No, in fact, it’s a big deal. Among so many people who have stalls, you’re popular enough to be the top among the wall booths… That’s the king of doujin.”

“That’s why~! Rika, you’re teasing me!”

“Yes, I’m teasing you, handsome.”

“Moooo!”

Rika stuck out her tongue and laughed.

…Oh, how nice…

It would be great if such a beautiful person was really my lover~…….

“Haa~…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh? It’s nothing.”

I can’t tell her that I wish I was her boyfriend.

It would be considered creepy.

We’re just fake lovers…

Haaa…

“Hey, Shin-chan, isn’t there anything you want to see? I’m constantly asking you to show me things.”

Rika suddenly said something like that.

“Ah, yeah. Well, I guess I’ll go around and say hello.”

“Go around?”

“Yeah, I’m always grateful to the painters I know, and also to [my master].”

I show him the paper bag in my other hand.

“Oh, you brought those to hand out.”

“Yes, sample magazines.”

“Okay, let’s go and say hello.”

I’m going to my friend’s painter’s place with Rika.

“Hello!”

“Oh! It’s you, Shinshin!”

The painter who was selling the paintings smiled at me.

“Shinshin?”

“It’s my pen name.”

“Like a panda. Shinshin… so cute♡”

Ugh… I’ve been told I’m cute…

I’m not so sure about that from a boy’s point of view.

The painter who was overselling looked at me and Rika and ponders.

“Hey! Shinshin! Who is that gal over there!”

“She’s my friend. She helped me sell.”

“Oh, you are a beautiful lady, aren’t you?”

“No, no, no. I’m just an ordinary person.”

“Heee! But if you’re this beautiful as a normal person, I’m sure you’ll look great in a cosplay.”

It is true that Rika is tall and has a good style, so cosplay would look good on her.

But I wonder if she wants to.

“Oh, excuse me. This is a new issue. A sample magazine.”

“Ya-ya! Thank you very much. This is our new issue. Please continue to patronize us!”

I finished my greetings and left the place with Rika.

“Cosplay, huh? ……”

“Are you interested?”

“Eh?. Ummm…umm… a little bit…”

Rika’s cosplay, huh?…

It would look super good and also erotic.

“Are you thinking about something bad?”

“No. No way.”

After that, I continued to visit other artists I knew.

On the way, I visited the “master”.

“Shishou?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s his nickname. He taught me the basics of drawing.”

We came to the wall side.

It seemed that all the new books had already been sold.

“Kou-chan-sensei~? Eh? I wonder if he went to the bathroom.”

“Looks like it. Look at the desk.”

There was a note on the desk.

“I’m going to the bathroom. If you need Kou-chan, please come back later.”

“You’re right. I really wanted to say hello.”

“Just leave the new book. I’m sure he’s a busy guy.”

“That’s true.”

I left my new book and some sweets for him.

“I’m done with my business. What’s next?”

“I have a booth I want to go to!”

“Okay, let’s go there.”

We walked around the venue.

Rika grabbed my hand quite naturally.

Normally I would be too embarrassed to do this, but at Comiket, people don’t look around.

“Where do you want to go?”

“I have a doujinshi I want to buy. Here!”

Rika pulls out a copy of the Comiket catalog from her bag.

The Comiket catalog is as thick as a telephone book, so she basically doesn’t carry it with her.

We basically print out or tear out only the parts we need and bring them with us.

Rika showed me a copy of the catalog.

“Ah… is it here?”

“What’s wrong?”

I wondered whether I should say something or not, but I decided to go ahead and say it.

“Probably…  pretty much, I think they’re sold out.”

“What? It’s only a little past noon, and it’s only been two hours since it started.”

“Yes. But this is a popular circle. Remember how we sold out in the morning?”

“I know, it’s true… but what should I do…?”

Rika’s expression turns dark.

Seeing her like that, I had a nagging feeling in my heart.

“Well, anyway, let’s go check it out. Maybe, by some miracle, they still have some.”

“Yes, let’s go check it out.”

As I walked along, I twisted my head inwardly.

Why did I feel pain in my heart when I saw her looking sad ……?

Soon after, we arrive at our destination.

But…

[New issue. Sold out.]

“Ah… I knew it~”

Rika looked disappointed.

Rika looked disappointed.

My heart ached.

“It’s no use. Let’s go home.”

Seeing Rika smiling weakly, I made a rare, spontaneous move.

“Excuse me!”

I called out to the person who was selling at the circle.

“Yes?”

“Oh, um, my name is Shinshin. Nice to meet you!”

The seller exclaims, eyes wide open.

“Eh!? Shinshin is… Uhm! Circle [Rika]!?”

“Oh, yes! You know about me?”

“Of course, I do! I’m a big fan! Wow, wow, it’s you! I’m so happy!”

I shook hands with the seller.

“Um, erm… I know it’s a really insane request, but… would you mind giving me the new doujinshi?”

“Eh?”

Rika is looking at me with her eyes open wide.

Yes, I know it’s bad manners.

But… I don’t want to see her sad face. I don’t know why.

“Of course! Absolutely! I have a sample magazine if that’s all right!”

The sales girl took a new book from the back and handed it to me.

Thank you very much! I’ll give you mine in return…

“Oh, wow! Rika’s new book! It’s a brand-new book that sells out in 30 minutes and is at a huge premium! I’m so happy!”

The seller was in tears and bowed to me repeatedly.

“Thank you! I’ll never forget this!”

“No, no, no! Thank you very much! You’ve been a big help!”

We followed each other on Twitter and left the place.

I handed Rika the doujinshi as she stood there alone.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here you go.”

“Shin-chan… is it okay?”

“Yes! It’s a present! Thank you for all your help.”

Rika shakingly receives the doujinshi.

“I’m happy…”

Rika hugged her doujinshi tightly.

She smiled softly and softly and had tears in her eyes.

“I’m so incredibly happy… a present from Shin-chan…”

“Oh, you’re overreacting.”

Rika shakes her head and smiles brightly.

“Thanks, Shin-chan ♡ I’ll take good care of this!”

Seeing Rika’s big smile…

I felt my heart skip a beat.

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