Chapter 244: Character Design Is Done
Pushing the door open, Eriri looked at Kaede sitting on the living room sofa and shouted, "I'm home!!!"
Kaede smiled at the running Eriri and said, "That was fast. I just got inside myself."
"Hehe, I see. Kaede-kun, you haven't even changed your clothes yet."
Walking over in her slippers, putting her backpack and shopping bags on a chair, Eriri immediately jumped over and hugged Kaede, asking with a smile, "Kaede-kun, how did you manage dinner?"
Wrapping his arm around Eriri's waist, Kaede said, "I mooched a meal at the Takasu Family Home."
After speaking, he leaned his face into Eriri's hair and took a sniff, realizing: "You two certainly had fun, you went out for yakiniku."
If they had eaten something else, Kaede might not have smelled it, but the oily smoke smell of yakiniku was too obvious, especially since Eriri had only just finished eating, and the scent hadn't dissipated much, so he smelled it immediately.
"That's right, we ate yakiniku! And the restaurant we went to also sold roasted lamb leg! We ordered half a portion, plus some other things. We were stuffed!"
Then Eriri started describing the dinner she and Utaha had, and honestly, it made Kaede a little hungry again.
Shaking his head, he gently pinched Eriri's cheek and said, "Alright, since you're back, go rest for a bit. I'm going to take a shower first."
"Mhm, mhm!"
Eriri was eager for Kaede to shower first; she still needed to properly put away the things she bought.
After Kaede took his change of clothes to the bathroom, Eriri quickly grabbed her two shopping bags, first put the everyday clothes she bought into the closet in Kaede's room, and then ran to her original bedroom to put away the clothes she couldn't wear yet.
"Mhm! Everything's fine now."
After finishing her work, she quietly left the room, closed the door, and after confirming that Kaede hadn't noticed anything from the bathroom, she sighed in relief and took her backpack to the studio.
After Kaede finished showering, Eriri also went to take a shower. Then, the two of them finished their homework together and started working.
However, Eriri didn't start drawing manga right away. After looking at the storyboards Kaede drew that afternoon, she opened a file she had started earlier and continued to tinker with it.
What she was drawing now was, naturally, the giant panda yokai that they had talked about adding to the manga when they went to the zoo last week.
While Eriri was drawing, Kaede was holding the script outline, making subtle adjustments, preparing to add some plot to it so that this character, who didn't originally exist, could also participate.
And since it was a national treasure, its strength also needed to be designed to be quite formidable.
Because it wouldn't affect the main storyline, adding this content was very easy for Kaede. It didn't take much time to arrange the plot framework, and he just needed to slowly fill in this part of the story.
"Kaede-kun, come and see! I've finished the first version!"
Hearing Eriri's call, Kaede stopped typing, moved his chair next to Eriri, and looked at her computer screen.
"Uh... Eriri, are you... serious?"
On the screen, it was indeed the image of the panda yokai that Eriri had carefully designed, but it was also somewhat different from what Kaede had initially imagined.
Because, this was a woman!
With a beautiful figure, a Chinese martial arts uniform, a cheerful smile on her face, a pair of panda hands holding a long staff, and a pair of panda ears on her head.
Kaede said with a subtle expression, "Hmm... if it weren't for the panda features on her hands and ears, I really wouldn't be able to tell the character's attribute. Also, why does it have to be a female character?"
"Because in your character settings, Kaede-kun, there are too few female characters! Even supporting characters are really few!" Speaking of this, Eriri immediately changed her expression and said seriously, "Although we're drawing a shonen manga, wouldn't it be good to have a few more female supporting characters with distinct characteristics?"
"Emmm~~~ I guess so."
The character design was still very good, and Kaede hadn't finished filling in the details about the panda yokai's gender. The character's gender was not an issue at all; he just needed to make slight modifications according to the original design.
"So, this one?"
"Exactly, this one!" Eriri nodded vigorously, "I originally thought of designing a character like the Pandaren in Warcraft, but that would be too mediocre. And most of the yokai in our manga still appear in human form, don't they? So I think this design is very good!"
Eriri's words made Kaede very agreeable. If it were really designed like a Pandaren, it would lack uniqueness and seem like a direct copy of an excellent design.
Rubbing his chin, Kaede said, "Hmm, then let's go with your idea, Eriri, and use this image. I'll design the plot, so you don't have to worry about that. But now, you should start drawing properly."
"I know~~"
Looking at the time, it was almost nine o'clock. Eriri estimated that if she finished these few pages, it would be around half past ten. Then she could play games with Kaede-kun for a while, and then end her wonderful day.
While drawing, Eriri asked, "Kaede-kun, the Student Council President election at Shuchiin is over, right?"
"Yes, it's over." Kaede nodded, "It ended last week. Senior Shirogane successfully took over the position of Student Council President. I guess for the next year, he'll have dark circles under his eyes again."
"That's very possible." Eriri said with a smile, "But there's no other way. Senior Shirogane has to study, work part-time, and handle so much Student Council work. I feel that if Kaguya-senpai weren't helping him, he really wouldn't be able to keep it up."
Shuchiin's Student Council is different from Toyosaki's. The school's basic management is handed over to the Student Council, which has immense power and many benefits. For example, Shirogane Miyuki has already obtained a recommendation letter from the school through his year of Student Council work. And with that comes a lot of work, all sorts of troubles, and trivial matters.
Shirogane Miyuki's dark circles are not without reason.
Tapping on the keyboard, Kaede pondered, "I just wonder how Senior Shirogane will advance his relationship with Shinomiya-senpai after the Student Council matters settle down. Eriri, you're still acting as her strategist, right? Why don't you go ask?"
"Hehe, I do have that idea, but I'll wait until Kaguya-senpai comes to me for advice. Otherwise, it'll make me seem too nosy."
Although Eriri was curious, she wasn't someone who lacked manners. It was not good to inquire too aggressively about other people's privacy.
Of course, Shinomiya Kaguya would definitely not forget Eriri, her friend who provided her with advice. She would definitely come to consult again, so it was best to proceed step by step.
Moreover, the matter Eriri was planning in her heart now had a higher priority than this.