Although the place where Tsuda Nao lived was a high-end Japanese-style apartment, there was a comfortable, luxurious European-style sofa in the lobby.
The sofa was composed of two parts joined together, forming an L-shape.
The longer section, which had a backrest, was 2 meters long and faced the television; it was the main seating area. Attached to this was a shorter 1.6-meter sofa, which only had a backrest on one side and was primarily used for lying down.
Aoki Haruhi usually lay on the longer sofa; his feet would hang off the 1.6-meter one.
Tsuda Nao would usually sit on it to read, and occasionally, when she was tired, she would lie down to rest.
More often than not, she liked to lie on Aoki Haruhi's lap.
Or, she would let Aoki Haruhi lie on her lap.
In any case, there were no fixed positions; the main idea was that it was natural and comfortable.
Today, Tsuda Nao and Aoki Haruhi were sitting at opposite ends of the long sofa, each holding a book and reading.
This was mainly because smartphones hadn't been invented yet, so there was no such thing as "scrolling through a phone." Most entertainment consisted of reading books.
Japan's print media is incredibly rich, especially its manga industry, where everyone from young children to the elderly can find something suitable for them to read.
Tsuda Nao was currently reading the script for Blanket Man that Aoki Haruhi had given her.
After an unknown amount of time, Tsuda Nao, who had been leaning against the sofa with her hand supporting her chin, stirred. She closed the script and looked up at Aoki Haruhi.
"Not bad. It's a very good story."
Tsuda Nao blinked and scrutinized Aoki Haruhi with a suspicious look.
"Are you sure this was written by a newcomer? And not as a jab at me? The heroine in it is just so unlikable, don't you think?"
"How could that be?" Aoki Haruhi gave her a deadpan eye roll and went back to his own book.
"That's not right."
Aoki Haruhi put down his book, puzzled. "What makes you think that? I mean, why do you find her unlikable, and what does her being unlikable have to do with you?"
Tsuda Nao chuckled softly and didn't take the bait.
"I've noticed that in your previous works, the girls were always the gentle, cute types, possessing strong willpower and courage, willing to sacrifice themselves for the male lead.
The heroine in this work, however, is completely different."
"So..." Aoki Haruhi said, putting down his book and leaning closer to Tsuda Nao with a smile, "you mean to say you aren't gentle and cute?"
"Isn't that obvious? My club members are terrified of me, and other men don't think I have anything to do with being gentle or cute."
"That's all just prejudice," Aoki Haruhi laughed. He moved a little closer to her and reached out to put his arm around Tsuda Nao's waist. "I think you're super cute."
Tsuda Nao gave him a coquettish look. "You're certainly bold when there's no one else around."
"I'm not afraid even when people are around."
Aoki Haruhi smirked and leaned in.
To his surprise, Tsuda Nao stood up from the sofa, causing him to fall flat on his face.
"Ugh... what are you doing?" Aoki Haruhi said, pushing himself up, feeling annoyed at Tsuda Nao.
"I'm getting a glass of water."
Tsuda Nao trotted away in her slippers.
Seeing her alluring figure from behind, Aoki Haruhi gritted his teeth in frustration.
This girl is a real fox.
I'll put you in a game sooner or later. I've even thought of the name: Ninetales.
Aoki Haruhi thought to himself, resentfully.
After a while, Tsuda Nao returned to her spot, carrying a glass of water, but this time she lay down on the short sofa nearby.
Her black hair fanned out, and paired with her thin, white, sheer nightdress, she looked like a blossoming lotus flower.
Tsuda Nao had a truly incredible figure; even when lying flat, her curves were still prominent.
Aoki Haruhi stole a glance, and for some reason, the image of Reimi Sanka popped into his head.
Only, it was a "large-chested" version of Reimi Sanka.
Reimi Sanka is the heroine of an anime of the same name, who died after accidentally falling off a cliff during an argument with her father.
However, after drinking a resurrection potion, Reimi came back to life as a zombie girl.
Upon becoming a zombie, she was taken in by Ryoji Murasaki, and began a happy and shy cohabitation life with the protagonist, Chihiro.
Or perhaps it was like Kirie Kagami from "Bishoujo Mangekyo."
Truth be told, it wouldn't be out of place at all if Tsuda Nao were a vampire. If she just had a pair of red pupils, Aoki Haruhi wouldn't doubt for a second that this girl would suddenly sit up and take a bite out of him.
Yabai, yabai...
Aoki Haruhi quickly shook his head, banishing such frightening thoughts from his mind.
It must be because he had been discussing "The Witcher" with Mikami Shinji and Gen Urobuchi too much lately; it was easy to let his imagination run a bit wild.
When he came to his senses, he realized that guy Tsuda was staring at him.
"Ah... why are you looking at me like that?" Aoki Haruhi accused him preemptively.
Tsuda let out a huff, signaling he couldn't be bothered with him.
It wasn't even clear who was staring at whom.
Moreover, judging by how distracted Aoki Haruhi had just been, that guy was definitely thinking about something inappropriate.
Tsuda lay down, holding the Blanket Man script high, and as he read the text, a smile couldn't help but bloom on his lips.
"Aoki-san."
"Hmm?"
"If possible, please, by all means, make this work..."
"Huh?" Aoki Haruhi felt a sudden jolt of apprehension; he felt the phrasing was familiar, like he'd heard it somewhere before.
But... this game was supposed to be a galgame anyway.
"Please, by all means, make this work in the Sempé style," Tsuda Nao said.
"Sempé style?" Aoki Haruhi was totally lost; he had no idea what she was talking about.
"Eh?" Tsuda Nao rolled over, sat up from the sofa, and eyed him with a look of surprise.
"You don't even know Sempé?"
Aoki Haruhi pursed his lips.
How the hell would I know?
I know about mulberries, but I've never even heard of Sempé.
After a while, Tsuda Nao came out of the study and handed a book to Aoki Haruhi.
Aoki took it and looked at the cover, which read Little Rascal Nicholas.
It was a comic book.
Inside were exquisite illustrations and elegant text.
If he had to compare it to someone, Aoki thought of a person—
Jimmy Liao from Taiwan.
The watercolor and colored pencil art style, the fairy-tale-leaning characters, and the highly romanticized atmosphere, combined with the beautiful and heartwarming text.
"Jean-Jacques Sempé, a national treasure-level illustrator in France," said Tsuda Nao. "Isn't the art style quite cute? If we could incorporate this into a game, I feel it would be very suitable for Blanket Man."
"That would dilute the realistic and critical elements, though," Aoki frowned.
"Huh? Does this game actually have this layer to it?" Nao Tsuda couldn't help but click her tongue. "I couldn't tell at all. I thought it was just a Frog Prince-style fairytale romance."
How shallow, how shallow.
"That's just the surface," Aoki Haruhi said.
However, after his pointers, when Nao Tsuda looked at Blanket Man again, it truly had a different feel to it.
"But I think you're right," Aoki Haruhi pondered carefully. "We could use Sempé style for part of it, making the colors richer, while using our previous anime-style for the rest. That way, we can create an intertwining of reality and fairytale.
Absurd, yet beautiful.
Digging into human nature within that beauty might just spark something unique."
Brilliant.
Aoki Haruhi thought to himself.
If things go this way, maybe Blanket Man could become a work of art.
But the only thing that worried him was that works of art are always quite niche, and it might not necessarily make money.
However... it was actually quite surprising to Aoki Haruhi that Tsuda Nao liked an illustrator like Sempé.
Sometimes this woman was a classically elegant lady, just like when she wore a yukata to go cherry blossom viewing with him.
The handwritten letter reflected Tsuda Nao's literary attainments in Japan.
Yet, the illustrations she liked now were more towards fairy tales, brightly colored, full of romanticism, warm, beautiful, innocent, and incredibly happy.
If you only saw these aspects, you would never be able to associate such a woman with adult films.
But she was indeed working in this industry, and every year she would discover many newcomers and produce many surprising works.
A woman who combined nobility, innocence, and desire.
It was truly very conflicted.
Perhaps in Tsuda Nao's view, it was harmonious and unified, but with Aoki Haruhi's way of thinking, he felt it was conflicted.
"Why are you looking at me with that kind of gaze?"
Tsuda Nao said, annoyed.
"Because I think you're very cute," Aoki Haruhi laughed, "You have countless treasures hidden inside you, and I can discover a little surprise about you every day."
He was indeed speaking from the heart; at this moment, he found Tsuda Nao to be extremely charming.
"I don't believe you."
Tsuda Nao turned her head away and silently packed up her books.
"I'm telling the truth, you know," Aoki Haruhi hummed.
Tsuda Nao put the books back on the shelf and came back to sit down.
She tucked her hair behind her ear, looked at Aoki Haruhi sideways, and laughed, thinking of something.
"Aoki-san, let's play a game."
"Hm?"
"Just like in 'Blanket Man', how about we write a story together?" Tsuda Nao proposed.
"Hm? Oh, sure."
"Then from now on, you are no longer Aoki Haruhi."
"Huh? Then who am I?"
"Mr. Kawa."
"Mr. Kawa?" Aoki Haruhi blinked. What on earth was this?
"Yes, literally," Tsuda Nao said with a mischievous smile. "Mr. Kawa himself is a river, um... in Kanagawa Prefecture, surrounded by Miss Mountains. Mr. Kawa seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit in the embrace of Miss Mountains."
Hmph.
This girl, she spends her days making things up about me.
How could I, Aoki Haruhi, be such a scumbag, surrounded by Miss Mountains?
"Then you are... Miss Moon," Aoki Haruhi said.
"Hmm?" Tsuda Nao's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she asked in confusion, "Why am I Miss Moon?"
"Nao" in Japanese is nao, which can be written as "直" (nao), as in sunao (honest/straightforward).
No matter how you look at it, the moon has nothing to do with being "straightforward," does it?
"Because you are high and aloof, and cold. I look up to you with all my heart, yet you only see the mountains surrounding me, never my true feelings."
Er...
"Who was it that was talking about prejudice earlier?" Tsuda Nao playfully slapped Aoki Haruhi's wrist, "Cold, arrogant... are these really your impressions of me?"
"No, this is how you treat me," Aoki Haruhi said.
"I do no such thing..."
"Then let me give you a kiss."
"Not a chance."
Not only did she refuse, but Tsuda Nao also pretended to be scared and scooted further away.
"You said I'm Miss Moon, so I'll be like the moon and stay far away from you. You said I'm high and aloof, so I'll be high and aloof."
Both of them were holding back laughter.
Aoki Haruhi snorted. This woman is truly infuriating...
Can't you just act like a little woman once in a while and rely on me more?
Is it really so hard to just give in once?
"Alas, what a pity, Miss Moon never understands my heart."
"You don't understand me either, so why should I understand you?" Tsuda Nao said, amused.
"No," Qing Zhiyuan said, "You and I seem worlds apart, but that's only because you never look down. If you did, you would realize that every night, my river holds only you."
Hmm?
In that instant, Tsuda Nao froze.
The look in her eyes as she gazed at Qing Zhiyuan softened, filled with a hint of hesitation.
At that very moment, an image appeared in her mind—
A pitch-black night, a river flowing, and a silent, motionless moon in the sky.
The moonlight poured down, flowing slowly with the river, shimmering with silver light amidst the mountains.
Perhaps, on such a night, there might even be fireflies dancing.
What a beautiful image...
After about 10 seconds, Tsuda Nao finally came back to her senses.
"Don't try to fool me with Tagore's poetry," she laughed.
"I'm being serious, yet you don't believe me," Qing Zhiyuan muttered, lying on the sofa.
"I believe in actions more than words," Tsuda Nao said, bending down from above and pecking him on the lips.
This time, Aoki Haruhi was quick-witted and didn't let her get away.
"Mm..."
Tsuda Nao let out a soft cry and collapsed against him.
"Ouch," Aoki let out a groan of pain.
Tsuda Nao had slammed straight into his nose.
"Look at you, so reckless. Mr. Kawa, you're not gentle at all."
"Gentleness can't catch moonlight," Aoki replied.
The pleasant scent of Tsuda Nao wafted from the tip of his nose.
"Huh?
Use Sempé style for a part of the visuals?"
Yokoyama, in charge of the art for the new project "Bedman," felt his head spinning.
"Huh? You want me to use Sempé's style for part of the visuals?"
Yokoyama, who was in charge of the art for the new project "Blanket Man," felt his head spinning.
The problem was, this wasn't the first time they'd been put through the wringer like this.
Could you please give us a breather, President?
"That's right. Just for a part of it, though. Overall, I want the scenes where the Blanket Man and the heroine interact to alternate between two different art styles. I want them to be cozy and healing, and within that healing, to have sparks fly...
It's a challenge for the art team, sure, but don't you think this could be the highlight of your career?" Aoki Haruhi said. "Think about it, Yokoyama. What truly embodies artistic value? Is it just following the trend and doing Miyazaki-style?
Is it sticking to the usual Kogahara Tsubakiaki-style beautiful anime visuals?
Or, would you rather combine it with Sempé to create a one-of-a-kind anime-Sempé style?"
"Hmm..."
To be honest, after hearing the President's words, Yokoyama felt inexplicably intrigued.
And in a sense, wasn't "Blanket Man" just an adult fairy tale?
There was so much room for artistic expression.
Just as Aoki had said, as an original artist, this might indeed be the highlight of his career.
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