Great Mangaka

On Saturday afternoon, Akebono Plaza was crowded with people.

Takumi stood next to a pillar on the west side of the plaza. He took out his mobile phone and looked at the time. It was 3:00 PM, and it was already the time agreed with the fans.

"Isn't she coming?"

Takumi thought optimistically. He didn't have the other party's phone number and there was no way to contact her if she didn't come.

Good. Takumi didn't want to reveal his identity. 'Anyway, he had come as agreed, and it would be easier for the other party not to come.' Takumi waited ten minutes, but the fans still didn't come. He turned around and prepared to leave.

"Are you Mirai-sensei?"

At that moment, a slightly hoarse voice was heard.

Takumi looked in the direction of the voice, and a woman wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a white mask that almost completely covered her face approached, and even her voice was a little muffled.

"Is that me? Are you Miyuki?"

"Yes."

The woman approached Takumi and remained silent for a moment. It turned out that Takumi was also wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, and was dressed exactly like her.

Under the strange gaze of passersby, both felt a little displeased.

Miyuki thought to herself 'what kind of mangaka he was. Fans asked him to come out and meet them, but he disguised himself!' Takumi also wondered 'what kind of fan she was, inviting people out without even showing her face.'

But, at first glance, neither of them seemed unusual.

"Aren't you hot in this outfit, Mirai-sensei?"

Miyuki broke the silence.

"Hot? It's so cool today! If you're hot, you can take off your mask!" Takumi said with a smile. His attire was to deal with the situation where fans were journalists or other people with ulterior motives, and Miyuki's attire made him more alert.

There was no need for ordinary fans to dress so tightly.

"Someone was following me, and it would be easy for them to find me if I took off my mask," Miyuki explained, but, of course, Takumi didn't believe her at all.

Miyuki was in the same situation. She was curious about Takumi's appearance, but it was obvious that by normal means she wouldn't be able to get him to take it off. If it was an exchange, she wouldn't be happy. 'Who knew what kind of person this mangaka was? Mach annoyed her when he saw her, and she didn't want to repeat the tragedy.'

So Miyuki changed the subject. She took paper and a pen from her bag and asked Takumi to draw to confirm that he was the real Mirai-sensei.

This confirmation surprised Miyuki. It turned out that Mirai-sensei was actually a teenager. Although his exact age could not be seen, he was definitely under 18. After confirming that he was a teenager, she became more interested in Mirai-sensei. After talking for a while, she enthusiastically called him "Brother Mirai-sensei."

Takumi didn't object. This woman seemed familiar to him. Although her voice sounded a little hoarse through the mask, her tone and timbre made him feel more and more familiar. She looked very much like the Miyuki he was looking for.

Takumi didn't know Osaka, and it was Miyuki who guided him.

"What's your last name?"

Takumi asked, thinking to himself, and cautiously probed. He didn't ask for the name directly. If he only asked for the last name, most people wouldn't doubt it.

"My last name is Itō."

However, Miyuki was very alert. She asked him, "What's your last name, Brother Mirai-sensei?"

Takumi smiled slightly: "My last name is Itō too."

He was a little disappointed, but he didn't give up his doubts and continued to probe.

While dealing with him, Miyuki led him away from the crowded plaza and up a mountain path.

"There's a temple here for praying for rain. In summer, there are miko dancing there to ask for rain. There are many tourists." She introduced him along the way: "Summer is over, so there shouldn't be many tourists."

Takumi found it strange: 'How could there be miko in Japan? Aren't they from the distant past?'

"What are you talking about? Of course there are miko in Japan. Didn't you study 'Kojiki'?"

Miyuki looked at Takumi again and was a little surprised: "Although I don't remember it clearly, there were miko in the Nara period. They were some of the officials in charge of rituals and sacrifices. They used to be in charge of exorcisms, purification, prayers for rain, and good weather."

The miko she mentioned were very similar to the functions of miko in Japanese history. Takumi remembered the history books he had read, and they did talk about these topics. But the miko of the Nara period were very different from modern miko. They looked more like mysterious miko and did not wear white and beautiful clothes.

Although he believed it, Takumi was stunned when he arrived at his destination. He saw a group of girls in ancient blue costumes dancing on the blue flagstones...

"What luck! It seems we're very lucky. These miko are practicing dance!"

Miyuki was a little happy. Takumi was surprised for a long time. After observing, he found that the clothes these miko wore were very similar to those of Japanese miko. However, although they resembled each other, the clothes were based on the kimono, which was more elegant and refined...

'Japanese miko?'

Takumi was very curious. He asked someone and found out that it was a custom inherited from the Heian period. The miko of the Heian period prayed for rain in different colors depending on the direction. The miko who prayed for rain to Susanoo, the god of the East, "danced in green clothes"; the miko who prayed for rain to Amaterasu, the god of the South, "danced in red clothes"; the miko who prayed for rain to Inari, the god of the Center, "danced in yellow clothes"; The miko who prayed for rain to the god of the West "dance in white clothes"; and the miko who prayed for rain to Tsukuyomi, the god of the North, "dance in black clothes."

Osaka is in the east, and the miko here wear green clothes.

Takumi was convinced. The integrity of Japanese culture in this world exceeded his expectations. 'Historical events did not destroy cultural heritage. Shintoism continues to prosper, and traditional miko have been preserved.'

'Of course, none of this matters. The important thing is that Takumi already knows what to draw in the next girl's manga. He is able to integrate a manga with Japanese mythology style into the current system.'

This encounter with the fans was worth it!

Takumi was happy. He expressed his gratitude to Miyuki, which left her confused.

"In two weeks, you'll know why I'm thanking you." Takumi smiled. He saw a small shop next to him, his eyes lit up, and he approached: "To show my gratitude, I'll buy you a drink."

He bought a box of milk tea and a bottle of orange juice, and then handed the latter to Miyuki.

"Drink, you're welcome."

Takumi inserted the straw into the milk tea and said with a smile.

Miyuki looked at his box of milk tea with some confusion, because Takumi had a straw and could drink it without lifting his mask. But bottled orange juice is problematic. To drink it, you have to lift your mask, which exposes Miyuki to Takumi's eyes.

She thought about it and then went into the shop.

"Manager, give me a long straw."