Shinozaki-san ch43: What I Can Do Right Now

p2 (table of contents)
>ch43: What I Can Do Right Now
>Side Story 8: My name.
>ch44: Walking of the Diet
>ch45: Senpai
>ch46: Secret
>Final chapter: The Things That Stay The Same, The Things That

Will Happen From Now On

p3
>There's...

>There's no escaping noooow!!

>The selling side!
>The selling side!

>The most otakuish of otaku activities that even that creepy

brother of mine hasn't done yet!
>*He has some experience with selling (He was abducted by Usuba-

senpai)

>Under those inverted triangles, I'm going to cross that line for

the first time...

p4
>Huh?

>Isn't this place kinda normal!?
>What happened to the inverted triangles?
>Today's Only event is being held at the Metro Trade Center~

>The sole Only event that gets held at the Big Site seems to be

the "Hong Kong Project". It's a pretty wide genre, mind.
>Something like this.
>Big Site
>Indoor Exhibition Hall, East and West, 12 Halls
>Approximately 95,000m2
>Sunshine City (Exhibition Hall ABCD)
>Approx 12,5000m2
>Tokyo Metropolitan Industry Trade Center (Taito Building)
>4-7 stories available for use
>Approx 5,8000m2
>Daien Industry Plaza PiO
>Taishin Shimesu Hall - Approx 1,600m2
>Big Site is pretty crazy.

p6
>Have a symbol of our circle's participation!
>Ow!

>Hey, don't just stick it on me.
>Is that a sticker?
>Did they have those for the participating circles at ComiChes?

>ComiChes just has regular tickets.
>Since that event has so many circles, they probably can't go all

out with the details.
>These things

>Smaller Only events have some interesting tickets!
>I've seen stuff like Lamicas and fans before.
>Also keys with magical gems.
>They're pretty much merchandise at this point.
>They can do that since it's a smaller event.

p7
>Alright, I'll put your sticker on, Akina-chan.
>Okay, please do.

>There you...

>Akina-chan.
>ahem
>?

>Would it be alright if I partake in a lucky pervert chance?
>Lucky pervert!?
>It's not lucky if you're doing it on purpose.
>Obviously.

p8
>She let her put it on her stomach.

>Put mine on too~
>Hah hah hah
>Good morning.
>Good morning.

>It's pretty cramped!
>And the ceiling's so low!!
>It's because there's only 200 spaces to apply for. It's about

average for a normal Only event.
>Sunshine is a bigger event, so it has more than 1,000 spaces~

p9
>Incidentally, Comiches has over 30,000.
>Over 10,000 spaces a day.
>It's literally on another scale...

>On the other hand, there are some events where there's only three

circles participating.
>Woah...

>Hmm... So if there's not that many people coming today...
>Then maybe I'm barely in the clear?
>>Safe
>>Out
>>Shinozaki-san's Crazy Theory

>Hm? Hold on... If this is a small event, then...

>If that guy shows up, there'll be no way to avoid him!?

>Akina
>If you go outside even once today...

p10
>I'll rip the arms off of all your precious figures and make a

Bodhisvatta out of them!
>Thousand Hand Pirochi!!
>Stop iiiiit!!

>Phew. That takes care of that...
>Ah, here's our space~

>That's a lot of leaflets...
>Are these all events?
>Any leaflets you don't need, throw into this trash bag.
>Also we need to keep it seperate so don't throw other trash in

with it.
>Roger that!

p11
>You're pretty well prepared to bring trash bags with you.
>That's our Mii-chan!
>I've had a lot of experience participating in circles.
>I won't charge you this time.

>In the meantime, these are some useful items to have.
>>Poster stand
>>Trash bags
>>Duct tape
>>Nourishment
>>Cutter
>>Easel (for displaying books)
>>Labels
>>Tablecloth (to put over the desk)
>Cellotape
>>Money box
>>Change containers
>>Carrying bags (Handy for quickly carrying any books you've

bought)
>>Purse for storing receipts
>Heh~

p12
>Yo!
>Good morning, you two!
>We've brought you some refreshments~
>Feel free to eat them.

>Yay! Thank you~
>Here, this is our latest work!
>Wow, amazing! Thank you!
>Well, technically speaking, it's our only work...

>Are you guys doing cosplay today?
>We're gonna be Blue-san and Lily-chan~
>Sounds like you'll certainly pull off Lily-chan's confidence...
>And the size is just right...

>You're on the selling side this time?
>We could totally help you sell out!
>There's not enough room for five people here. I don't wanna turn

this into a wild cosplay space.

>Hrm
>Ah, by the way, if you'd like~

p13
>Do you wanna join us too, Akina-chan~? I've even brought Green's

costume with me~ The button definitely won't come unloose this

time!
>Oh crap! Did you get a taste of it at Comiches!?
>N-Next time, maybe!

>Well then, we'll come by later~
>Good morning.
>I've come to inspect your wares.
>Ah, a staff member. Good morning.
>Come on, Miss Representative.
>That's me!

>Here! The latest work from our circle, "Maple Me Autumn"!
>Here, please check over it.
>So that was our circle name...
>Did she already decide on that when she applied for the event...?

>Well then, good luck today.
>That was kinda intense.

p14
>>Together With You
>>Circle: Maple Me Autumn
>>Production: Sasamura Kaede (Art) - Akizaka Nashino (Story) -

____ (Editor)
>By the way, I'm kinda curious.

>How did you come up with the penname "Akizaki Nashino", Akina-

chan?
>Oh, that?
>I couldn't exactly use the name "Umino Saki" so I had to

improvise.

>It's just a simple anagram.
>Like this.
>>Shinozaki Akina
>>Akizaki Nashino
>Ooh~ That's kinda impressive.

>Well then, since I'm "Sasamura Kaede"...

>Y-You don't have to worry about using hiragana.

>For example, you can rework the kanji for Sasamura and turn it

into "Kigitsuki Hidari"
>>Sasamura
>>Kigitsuki Hidari
>Ooh!

p15
>That's amazing, Akina-chan!
>Do you mind if I use that name?
>G-Go ahead.

>You should make one too, Mii-chan!
>I'll just stick with my regular name.

>Besides, the books are already made so there's no point coming up

with pennames now.
>...Ehehe~
>What's with you?

>Oh, the hall's about to open, you two.
>Alright, I'll head outside since it's a bit cramped for three

people.
>I'll be back in about 30 minutes and we'll switch places.
>Don't forget to pick up A32a's new work!

p16
>Uuh~ I'm so nervous~
>You okay? Want some tea?
>Thanks~

>I'm getting pretty excited too.

>I'm not an otaku
>I probably just made the book cos Kaede wanted to make it, but...

>How many people will look at it?

>How many people will buy it?

p17
>The PrePure Only event, "Rainbow Punch" 16, is now open!
>My heart won't stop pounding!

>We're...

p18
>We're not selling anything!
>Please take a look!
>There's noone stopping by our booth to begin with... Why?

>Go ahead.
>Hah! Someone picked it up!

>Th-Thanks.
>Ah.

>Geez, what're you donig?
>Ow.

>Welcome back, Mii-chan.
>I'll switch with you.
>Okay~ I'll go check out Orange Island~

p19
>Honestly. It's hard for people to stand here if you stare at them

like that, y'know?
>Uuh~ That's true...

>Just narrowly avoid their line of sight, like you're not even

looking at them.
>You suck at this!

>But noone's buying anything~
>This is why I said
>that thirty copies would be plenty, remember?

>But why is that?
>I don't think it's that bad compared to the other books nearby.
>Well, I can't compare it to the circles behind the partitions,

though.

>Mind if I be frank with you?
>I-It's always pretty scary when you start things off so suddenly

like that... but sure...

p20
>It's because it's a novel.

>Because it's a novel!?

>Guess I'll die.
>>Pocky
>Hold on, wait til I'm finished!

>I mean, it's my fault that we're not selling anything, right?
>Here, have some pocky!
>If I had to pick, it's probably Kaede's fault I guess?
>Thanks.

>What do you go about buying a book from a circle you haven't

heard of before, Akina?
>How, you ask? Well I'ld get curious from seeing the posters and

covers and give it a quick flick through to see if it clicks...

>Ah...
>Unlike manga and illustrations, it's pretty rude to casually

flick through a novel.

p21
>You need a fair amount of familiarity before settling on a novel.
>Manga requires a bit of familiarity too, but it's a lot easier to

pick up a new work that was just released.
>They can tell if they like the artwork just from looking at it.
>The situation would be different if we had uploaded a sample to

the web, but...

>We only heard about this event three days ago.
>It was a miracle that we could even get a book out.

>Well, more people should be showing up in the afternoon.
>Why don't you have a wander around until then?
>I can handle the circle by myself.

p22
>Take a fresh look and come up with all kinds of ideas to attract

more people, huh?

>There's huge posters and various displays, as well as

merchandise.

>The game circles have demos people can play.

p23
>Ah! Is that you, miss!?
>I'm so glad to see you again~
>The circle master of the first book that Akina ever bought.
>*See Volume 3, chapter 15.

>Wah! You're participating today, huh? A copy of your latest work,

please!
>Woah, you've got a partition now!
>Ehehe~ It's my first ever partition. I'm so delighted~
>That'll be 500 yen, please.

>It's all thanks to you, miss!
>Me?

p24
>Well... The truth is, back then at the ComiChes, I wasn't selling

anything and was on the verge of giving up.
>Eeeh!? You're saying that so lightly!?

>No, it's not a depressing story of anything.
>It's pretty plain.

>I mean, these days you read stuff on the internet without needing

a physical book.
>I went out of my way to make a book, but it wasn't selling. It

made me wonder if there was any point to making books.

>You can draw so well and yet you couldn't sell anything...
>Sounds complicated...
>But...

>But I was so happy that my reasoning was blown away.

>When you bought that book, it made me really happy.
>It made me so happy that, among that massive hall featuring all

kinds of books, you chose to buy mine.

p25
>That was a moment I'll never forget for the rest of my life!

>Sorry, the queue's getting pretty long, so...
>Ah sorry. I'll be there shortly~
>Sorry for interrupting you.

>It's fine. I'm glad I got to see you again.
>Hope you'll come again!

p26
>It's not like I'm an otaku or anything. I don't really care if

the book sells well or not...
>I don't really care...
>But...

>It'd be so frustrating if nobody saw the book Kaede and Mii-chan

worked so hard to make.
>And also...

>I wanted them to be as delighted as she was.

p27
>What I'm able to do right now is...

>And back then, Akina was like...!
>Yeah, I know.
>I'm back, you two.

>Ah, welcome back, Kaede-cha-
>You were gone a while. Where did you-...

p28
>It's not unusual to wear cosplay in a hall like this.

>I'm not sure I can pull it off like Hibari can, but...

>Even so, this is something I can do...
>Maple Me Autumn's new work is on sale for 200 yen! Please check

it out!

p29
>I'm sorry, but it'll bother the other circles if you raise your

voice like that. Please keep it down.
>S-Sorry.

>Please check it out~
>...

>How are we gonna stand out~?
>A sketchbook display would probably be good.
>Alright, leave it to me!
>And then just call out in an honest fashion.
>Please come and check us out~

>Um, mind if I read this?
>G-Go ahead.

p30
>One copy, please.

>Thank you.
>We...

>We did it!!
>Gweh

p31
>You guys again~? That's a yellow card. Geez~
>Ah! Sorry!

>Well then...

p32
>To a great event!
>Thanks for all the hard work~
>Cheers!

>In the end, we managed to sell 18 copies.
>That was a good show. I thought we'd sell five at the most.
>It's all thanks to you, Akina-chan~ You were really cute~
>C-Cut it out! Calm down, Kaede!

>For some reason, it was so crazy I've forgotten what happened miday.
>I know how you feel~ I feel kinda fuzzy~
>You're always like that, Kaede.

>Hmph. What weaklings to be exhaused after only this much.
>It can't be helped. I, the great Hibari, shall fetch you some drinks.
>I'll go too~
>Well aren't you modest.

p33
>Hah~ Still, that was exhausting.
>We didn't get that much sleep last night either~
>I want to take a bath and assume the horizontal position as quickly as possible.

>Yeah.. But for some reason... I'm not sure how to say this, but...

>It was amazing, huh?
>It was amazing~
>Amazing it was.

p36
>What should I write for the next book...?
>No, there's no next book or anything! I'm just saying if! If we make one!