365 I Hope You Wont Feel That Its Sarcasm... (1/2)

Tanaka fell silent.

Seiji also sipped on his coffee, allowing for a moment of silence before he spoke up again.

”But you still can't give up, right?” Seiji asked softly. ”Demon Soldier Sensei, if you were able to give up, you wouldn't be so frustrated. Your current confusion stems from the fact that your heart still hasn't truly given up yet… even if you've seen your own limits, even if you feel that you're only ordinary, even if you feel pained about chasing after your dream, you're still resisting against giving up and want to continue down this path.

”In that case, go ahead and continue. Even if you struggle, even if you're confused, as long as your feet are still capable of moving, continue walking down this path.”

Chasing after one's dreams sounded quite romantic, but in actuality, how many people chasing after their dreams would feel like they were doing something romantic?

The so-called chasing after one's dreams was more like having great difficulty trudging through a muddy and thorny road. It was painful and confusing, and easy to get lost.

People would want to cry and shout. People would fall over repeatedly on this path and always think about not standing up again, wanting to leave so many times…

But, after regaining their senses, they would always discover that they were still on this path.

Although it was painful, although it was numbing, although they felt like zombies, they would continue walking down this path of suffering and refuse to leave.

'I don't want to give up.' Some voice deep inside their hearts would tell them this.

'I want to succeed.' Their inner voices would shout this.

They all desired to reach… the bright ending at the end of the road.

”Demon Soldier Sensei, although you may currently feel like you're injured all over and incredibly weak, like you're collapsed on the ground, but you're actually still walking.

”You're still holding on to your drawing pencils, and still have a heart that doesn't want to lose. That's the evidence.

”I respect people like you. I hope that you won't think it's sarcasm…” Seiji paused for a moment. ”Sharp Demon Soldier, as an 'ordinary person,' continue 'struggling' in an unseemly fashion like this, all the way until you 'despair.'”

After he said that, he finished downing the remainder of his coffee in one gulp. Then, he put down the coffee mug, put away the two drawings, and left.

Saki who had silently listened to the entire conversation left together with him.

Tanaka who remained silent with his head lowered gradually revealed a strange expression.

He seemed like he wanted to laugh, yet also cry. His entire face was wrinkled, and he was chuckling, yet also crying.

”If it's not sarcasm… what else could it be… brat… you really don't hold back at all…”

'I'm just an inferior ordinary person who's struggling in an unseemly fashion, but even so, I…”

Some time afterwards, Shouri Tanaka returned to his home, feeling much clear-headed compared to when he went out.

After that competition and that conversation with the genius boy author, he felt like he received, or recognized something again.

Something dark within him that had been accumulating for quite a while seemed to exit his body together with his tears.

He looked over at his drawing tools and felt like immediately creating something.

He sat down in front of his table, picked up a drawing pencil, and began to let his imagination run free.

He felt continuous flashes of inspiration in his mind. The characters, setting, story, and background… It all became clear.

He felt amazing.

Tanaka began drawing with such a feeling.

First were the draft drawings for the characters, then the overall world setting, and the story scenes…

He continuously drew as the passion in his heart continuously swelled and became a huge tide.

The more he got excited, the more his eyes sparkled. He didn't even notice when he got hungry. Apart from when the call of nature forced him to go to the restroom, he spent the entire rest of the time in front of his drawing desk, fervently drawing as if something had possessed him!

He kept drawing and drawing and drawing…

When Tanaka finally stopped, he discovered that his hand and entire body felt numb.

Just how long did he draw for?

He didn't know, nor did he care.

He brought out a cup of instant noodles and calmed himself down while preparing them. He then checked what he had drawn while eating his instant noodles.