Miyamasuzaka
1
Ena
(Oh, here it is...
Next to that big building... Huh?)
2
Ena
(The entrance... Did one of the students draw this piece...? They're hanging up their art here now?)
3
Ena
(They're all so good...
It's like each one is trying to suck me into its world...)
4
Ena
(Wait... This one's... Futaba's...?)
5
Ena
(She's gotten this good...?
This one too...)
6
Ena
(It's them... Everyone I attended class with back then drew these...)
7
Ena
(They improved this much in just two years...?)
8
Futaba
Is everything alright, Ena?
9
Ena
I-It's nothing... I just...
10
Futaba
Class is this way. Let's go.
11
Ena
Okay...
Art class
12
Ena
Oh...
13
Ena
(It still smells like paint...
All those memories are flooding back.)
14
Futaba
Ena, the chairs and easels are here.
We can sit... There's a lot of people, so how about here?
15
Ena
Okay...
16
Ena
(I'm really here...
I've come this far, so there's no turning back.)
17
Ena
(I only recognize about half of the people here. The rest must be visiting from elsewhere...)
18
Ena
It's him...
19
Yukihira
Hello, everyone.
And welcome to our visiting students. My name is Saneatsu Yukihira. I will be your teacher.
20
Yukihira
It's nice to see some familiar faces here again...
21
Yukihira
This workshop will last for three days. You will not only be working on your foundational principles, we will also be having deep discussions regarding your work. I hope you're all ready.
22
Ena
(Day one involves drawing sketches, day two is oil painting and we'll be given a theme to draw as we wish on day three...)
23
Ena
(Sketches used to be my forte... But now...)
24
Ena
(No, I have to do this...
So I can keep drawing for N25...!)
25
Yukihira
You're too conscious of your light source here, so it's too detailed. It should be more like this...
26
Ena
...
27
Ena
(We're drawing flowers and sculptures today. Their textures are completely different, so I have to find a way to make them look distinct from one another...)
28
Ena
...
29
Ena
(This looks all wrong...
Is it because I haven't drawn any sculptures in so long?)
30
Ena
(Is my light source in the wrong place?
Is that why my drawing looks like it has no depth...?)
31
Ena
(What am I supposed to do...?
I know I need to look more carefully when I'm doing this...)
32
Ena
No, my pencil...
33
Ena
Sorry, Futaba...
My pencil rolled your way...
34
Futaba
...
35
Ena
(She's so focused...
She probably didn't even hear me.)
36
Ena
(No, it just means she's that serious about this. I should pick my pencil back up and...)
37
Ena
What...?
No way...!
38
Ena
(Her sketch looks so real. No one ever goes this far. Her shadowing's so detailed too...)
39
Ena
(The way she used intermediate tones almost looks professional...!)
40
Yukihira
Everything okay, Shinonome...?
41
Ena
Y-Yes...
42
Ena
(I have to keep drawing...
My sketch isn't anywhere near done.)
43
Ena
(But...)
44
Ena
(No, don't let your eyes wander...)
45
Ena
(Just keep drawing... Just keep drawing... That's all I can do right now. I knew that I'd be the worst one before I came here...!)
46
Yukihira
Alright, time's up.
Let's begin reviewing your work.
47
Yukihira
Please bring your drawings forward.
48
Yukihira
We'll start with this one.
Whose is this?
49
Ena
Oh, um... That's mine.
50
Yukihira
Overall, it looks slanted, and the jawline appears bent. Is this really the sculpture you saw, Shinonome...?
51
Yukihira
Your use of shadow needs work as well. It's as if you've forgotten all your basic principles.
52
Ena
...
53
Yukihira
Next.
Ah, Natsuno, this must be yours.
54
Futaba
Yes.
55
Yukihira
Hmm...
56
Ena
...
57
Yukihira
I have nothing to say...
If anything, it's rather ordinary. I suggest you put more effort into composition next time.
58
Futaba
I will. Thank you very much.
59
Ena
Oh...
60
Ena
(Yeah, Futaba's sketches have always been amazing...)
61
Ena
(She's improved so much since then too. She probably had to draw so much to get this far...)
62
Ena
(I knew this would happen too.
I had it all coming.)
63
Ena
(I ran away while she and everyone else kept at it these past two years...)
64
Ena
(I guess that's it for me...)
65
Futaba
Is something the matter, Ena?
You don't look so good.
66
Ena
No, I'm fine...
Sorry, I'm gonna head home now.
67
Futaba
Oh...
68
Futaba
Um, can we head out together?
I just need a second to pack everything up.
69
Ena
Alright, sure...
70
Futaba
Thanks!
I'll be right there.
71
Futaba
How was your first class after all this time, Ena?
72
Ena
Yeah... Nothing's really changed...
73
Futaba
Nothing's changed...? Do you mean the class itself...?
74
Ena
Yeah, like how tense it is in there.
75
Ena
(Not only that, I still can't draw to save my life. Mr. Yukihira gave me his two cents as usual too.)
76
Ena
(Why did I run away that time...?
Would I have gotten better like the others if I stayed...?)
77
Futaba
Tense...? I think I understand.
Mr. Yukihira's as harsh a critic as ever.
78
Ena
I still sort of can't believe you've been going all this time, Futaba...
79
Ena
What have you been up to since I left?
80
Futaba
Oh, um... I joined the art club at my high school and started coming here every day.
81
Ena
Every day?
What happened to once or twice a week?
82
Futaba
The thing is... I want to go to Tokyo Art University.
83
Ena
What...?!
You mean THE Tokyo Art University?
84
Futaba
Yes, but I wasn't sure if once or twice a week would be enough to get in since it's the most competitive art school in Japan. That's why I asked my mom if I could start coming here every day.
85
Ena
Now it makes sense...
86
Ena
(Futaba's serious about art.
Unlike a certain someone who ran away from it...)
87
Ena
(No wonder her sketch was so good...)
88
Futaba
Um, Ena...
I've been meaning to tell you this for a while now...
89
Ena
Yeah...?
90
Futaba
I really like the way you draw.
So, I'm really glad that you came back.
91
Ena
Huh...?
What's there to possibly like...?
92
Futaba
I've always been drawn to the way your art has this strange uniqueness to it.
93
Futaba
It's almost as if you're seeing a different world, and able to express yourself in ways that the rest of us can't...
94
Futaba
I've actually tried copying you a few times in the past, but I was never able to capture your style.
95
Ena
...
96
Ena
Alright, Futaba, let me ask you this...
What did you think of what I drew today?
97
Futaba
Huh? I...
98
Futaba
I agreed with Mr. Yukihira...
99
Ena
Okay...
100
Futaba
But that's not the whole story...
101
Ena
Oh, sorry...
I was told to get home early today...
102
Ena
I need to go now.
103
Futaba
O-Okay...
Um, Ena!
104
Ena
Yeah...?
105
Futaba
See you tomorrow!
106
Ena
Okay...
Next Chapter: The Stopped Brush