The Enemy Approaches

What does the school director mean about his email, a new transfer student, now he added an s, at the student, it means there's more than one?

That night, there is nothing I could think about than what the school director sent in his email, I'll ask the others if they received the same email.

'Hey, did anyone of you received an email from the school director, about the new transferees?'

"I hope, I can find an answer." I mused.

*phone rings*

"A reply, from... Yasu?"

"There has been a talk about that in the school lately, seems like someone from a big family," Yasu replied,

"A big family? But what its connection for the mangaka club?"

"That's right, I'm getting bugged by it too."

*phone rings*

"Oh, Fumi...she's the niece, she might know."

"I've heard it's the twins from Mabeyoshi Family. They're pretty rich and the family is well known for their architecture business." Fumi replied,

"Twins?! And they will be joining our club?"

"Uncle said so, they're interested in manga."

"I see, well let's welcome them with a warm welcome."

The next day,

The clubroom was packed again with people looking forward to getting a copy of our manga. And we got review letters from it, some looking forward to seeing the progress of our story, some wanting us to spoil it already. There are various reactions to it, and we love it so far.

And we were sold out,

"Finally, we are done! I guess we already reached a million yen." Yasu implored as he stretched his back.

"Yep, we already did," I replied.

"So about the twins, they'll be coming later," Fumi implored.

"Don't worry we already have a welcome party, ready for them!" I clenched my fist and stood straight. "Aoyama Diner! Let's go!" I grabbed my bag and went off.

"Wait, why is my family business involved?" Kozue chased me off.

"Yeah!" Fumi and Yasu followed.

"What are you talking about, we'll prepare food for them!" I implored.

"Oh, I see," Kozue replied confused.

So then we ordered a lot from Kozue's family diner, mostly the best dishes they cook and present it to the twins.

"Welcome, Mabeyoshi Twins!"

"Whoa, thank you so much for the warm welcome!"

Nami Mabeyoshi the sweet, timid, and caring one.

Nagi Mabeyoshi the eccentric, energetic, and outgoing, totally different from her twin.

"I'm Kenji Yoshikawa, vice-president of the mangaka club and I do the main art. Nice to meet you!"

"Yosh, I'm Yasuyuki Okamura, I do write the story! Hope we get along well."

"F-Fumi Sugawara, the president, I do the background, I'm the niece of the school director. Pleased to meet you!"

"And, I am Kozue Aoyama, the special effects and side characters. Glad to be working with you."

"Yes, nice to meet all of you!" Nagi and Nami synchronically replied to our introduction.

"Oh synchronized answer!" Yasu is having his excitement rise up.

"Hello, is this the Police? We have a pervert here!" I broke his tendencies.

"Wait a minute! I'm not a pervert, stop ruining my reputation." Yasu shrinks in depression.

"Hahaha! This is the mangaka club is sure fun." Nami laughed out loud and we were surprised.

"Yeah, the school director wasn't wrong about it," Nagi replied calmly.

"So then, let's start the celebration!" I excitedly implored.

"YEAH!" Everyone jumped in joy.

"So you earned a lot after publishing your copy here at school," Nami asks,

"Yeah, but I feel lacking about our achievement, we need to conquer the outside world," I replied.

"I see, but may I be honest with you?" Nami's tone is serious,

"Yeah, what is it?" I looked at her.

"Your manga is not that good enough. For the outside market."

Nami smirks and looked at me menacingly,

"W-what do you mean? We got a good outcome for the sales."

"Indeed, you did a huge success in selling it inside the school but that's basically pity support. Because you are part of the school and they're curious, they don't have any experience with the true value of manga."

She grabbed a copy and a weekly magazine.

"Let's compare a serialized manga and your doujinshi, see that difference, it's pretty obvious isn't it, first, I know you're new in using dip pens. Second, you are copying someone's style isn't it, who, perhaps your father?"

She is definitely right about that,

"The true value of manga comes in both story and drawing, the story is good but the drawing seems to hold back, why is that? You need to find your own style. Work on it and make it yours. And also trust your friends and members give them big parts as well. Don't take it all on yourself."

Nami sounded like a professional mangaka, from her words.

"How can you say that, have ever made a manga?" I ask,

"Yes, Ma-Ka-Ino."

Nami's reply surprised me and the time turned slowly, what does she mean? Makaino Joji, she is Makaino Joji?

"A-are you Makaino?" I ask,

"No, I'm her assistant and I learned a lot from her."

"Her, wait Makaino Joji is a girl?!" I shockingly replied.

Fumi, Kozue, Yasu, and Nagi turned their heads towards us after they heard my reaction.

"W-What do you mean, Makaino is a girl?" Yasu broke his silence and questioned Nami.

"I'm her assistant, after all, also she's coming to this school too." Nami looked at us straight in the eyes.

Our rival is coming straight towards us without hesitation and full offensive, yet our defense is not that strong and we were just getting started. How could this possibly be happening to us now?

We are so determined to face our rival head-on but Makaino Joji is always one step further ahead of us. All we could do is to keep getting better and better, make stories, and continue to hone our skills, our confidence is shattered on that day, that Nami told us that our rival Makaino Joji is transferring to our school.