After winning the competition, Aiko's life slowly began to change.
At first, nothing felt very different. She continued her normal routine—spending most of her time painting and practicing new ideas.
But little by little, things started happening.
A few days later, Aiko received another email.
She opened it curiously.
This time, it was from a small art company that had seen her painting from the competition. They were interested in purchasing one of her artworks.
For a moment, Aiko could hardly believe it.
It was the first time someone wanted to officially buy her painting.
She read the email carefully again.
The company explained that they liked her style and believed her work had great potential.
Aiko sat quietly for a few seconds, trying to process everything.
Her dream had always been to share her art with the world.
And now, slowly, people were starting to notice it.
Later that day, she met Mika and told her everything.
Mika's reaction was exactly what Aiko expected.
Mika: "Aiko! This is amazing! This is your first promotion!"
Aiko laughed softly.
Aiko: "I still feel like everything is happening too fast."
Mika smiled confidently.
Mika: "No. This is just the beginning."
Aiko looked at her sketchbook again.
For years, it had only been a place where she practiced and expressed her feelings.
But now, it was slowly becoming the start of her real journey.
To be continued…