Alice, who turns 25 this year, has European ancestors but was born in Japan. She graduated from Tokyo University at 20. She used to work as a celebrity agent, but has now changed professions and become a manga editor.
This is the information she told Takumi, and she also told him that she is married.
"Why do you want to switch from agent to editor?" Takumi asked, surprised.
"I like reading manga, and I've wanted to be an editor for a long time." Alice sat next to Takumi and smiled: "Although I can't teach you to draw like an experienced editor, I can help you in other aspects."
Kurosawa, sitting in front, overheard her.
"Takumi, I've observed your manga style and found it's better if you have freedom of expression." He said: "Ordinary editors will restrict your ideas, and I will review the content. Alice was an agent and is more suitable to help you than other editors."
'That's what he thought in his heart, but in reality, the one who chose Alice was not Kurosawa, but his president. Kurosawa was not very clear why the president had chosen a famous agent, who was also Takumi's exclusive editor, but he suspected that the company's senior management wanted to train Takumi to become an idol mangaka.'
The car stopped in front of a building.
"Your house is in this building. We've paid three months' rent, a total of 180,000 yen, which will be deducted from next month's royalties." Kurosawa handed the key to Takumi and said with a smile: "Sun-san and I are going to work. Alice knows the room number and will help you."
"Okay."
Takumi put the key away and took the gifts out of the trunk with Alice. Aika was dizzy, so she stayed to rest.
There were four large boxes of gifts in total. It was a little difficult for two people to move them, but that was the smallest amount of gifts. Osaka was too far from Saitama, and Aika had left most of her belongings at her parents' house in the countryside before leaving.
Taking the elevator up to the twelfth floor, Takumi opened the door following Alice's instructions.
It was a three-bedroom, two-living-room house. The walls were a little faded, but the floor was clean and the furniture was simple. The monthly rent of 60,000 yen was quite affordable in Osaka. Kurosawa must have put in a lot of effort.
Aika and Takumi were very satisfied with their new home.
The three cleaned the room. Alice didn't mind the dirt or tiredness. She also helped Aika prepare lunch. Aika wasn't used to being treated like a stranger, but by noon she was treating her like a sister.
"Aika-san, won't your husband get angry if you don't go home at noon?"
"No, it's hard to go home to rest at noon with any job now, and the same goes for him."
"Where are the children?"
"No, I'll ask my parents to take care of them when I have children..."
Takumi looked at the two women chatting animatedly in the kitchen. He couldn't say a word. Believing he had finished washing up, he went to the bathroom for a cold shower and put on an old short-sleeved shirt.
During lunch, Alice kept looking at him.
"Aika-san, look at Takumi's clothes. They're torn."
She and Takumi also knew each other, and they wouldn't suspect them if they changed their names.
But after saying this, Aika looked at Takumi and felt that he couldn't be so disheveled. 'It's okay to be embarrassed, but the child can't be embarrassed. Takumi's outfit doesn't fit Osaka. They'll laugh at him when he goes out!'
"Takumi, go buy some clothes this afternoon."
Aika put down her bowl and chopsticks.
Takumi frowned and looked at Alice. The beautiful blonde smiled slightly and looked at Aika. Takumi was stunned, and suddenly understood: "Okay, Mom."
Alice wanted the two of them to buy clothes. This new editor was very smart. She saw that Aika wasn't one to worry about herself, so she used Takumi as an excuse.
However, Takumi and Aika were wearing street clothes worth over 100 yen, and they should have changed a long time ago.
After lunch, the three of them left the building to take the subway. As soon as they got on, Takumi saw a familiar advertisement:
"Full of youth, recommended by thousands of readers, an original manga not to be missed! The single volume of Detective Conan is about to be released!"
The subway car posters were printed with Detective Conan advertisements, and the images were exactly the ones Takumi had provided before.
"Every time I see this image, I find it beautiful. I really want to take it home to collect it."
"Yes, in shopping malls, buses, streets, you see it everywhere now!"
"I heard that this drawing was done by Mirai-sensei himself. I'm very curious to know what he's like. Unfortunately, he disappeared after sending a message...".
Two high school girls were chatting on the subway. The information they revealed in their conversation surprised Takumi. 'Is this poster everywhere? Hinotori Publishing spared no effort in promoting it!'
Aika, who was next to him, also found it. She quickly covered her mouth to keep from shouting and looked at her son, who remained silent beside her, in shock. 'When did Takumi draw this? And when did he become so eye-catching!' Aika was almost scared the last time she watched TV. This time, seeing this poster again, her heart skipped a beat.
She had clearly recognized Takumi's talent, but in the blink of an eye, when Aika wasn't paying attention, Takumi's manga were on TV and posters all over Japan's second-largest city.
'How many surprises would this child give her before she gave up!' Aika was in a daze. Suddenly, she became nervous about Takumi's future. He was so powerful at such a young age. 'What would he be like when he was older? Would he go somewhere?'
Just like his father, he suddenly disappeared...
"Mom, Mom!"
Hands pulled forcefully on Aika's clothes. She awoke from her trance and turned to see Takumi's worried face: "Mom, why are you stunned? We're almost at the station. Are you feeling unwell?"
"...It's nothing, I just feel a little dizzy."
Aika was relieved. Her wild thoughts were ridiculous. Takumi was the son she had raised. He had become so powerful, and as a mother, 'she should be proud!' She wanted to support Takumi and let him do whatever he wanted.
"Aika-san, can you buy me some motion sickness medicine later?"
Alice also showed her concern. Aika quickly refused. She didn't get dizzy on the subway, so she didn't need to take medicine.
Then, Takumi bought new clothes at the shopping mall and then encouraged Aika to buy some too. He spent 200 yen. Aika complained that it was too expensive, but she still accepted thanks to Alice's persuasion.
"Aika-san, Takumi's father... Does he look good?"
After shopping for clothes, when Takumi went to the restroom, Alice suddenly asked:
"How do you know?" Aika was surprised, shook her head, and said: "But this child looks like me, not his father."
"That's not necessarily true!" Alice turned her head and looked towards the restroom, smiling slightly: "Aika-san, Takumi is still young."
She has been observing celebrities for years, and her vision is not in vain.