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I just want to quietly draw manga Chapter 246
🕑 Added 2025-07-20 17:38:04 +0000 UTCA Western-style restaurant in central Tokyo.
Ryuko followed the address Saya had sent her.
She’d been dodging this dinner invitation for over a week. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure how to handle Saya. Ever since the day Saya was attacked, Ryuko had felt an invisible shift between them. She couldn't tell whether Saya’s warmth toward her came from genuine gratitude… or something more complicated.
Still, Saya was a producer on into the abyss—the project Ryuko was involved in. After the third invitation, Ryuko couldn’t find an excuse that wouldn’t seem rude. So here she was.
The soft hum of jazz music greeted her as she stepped inside. A quick glance across the restaurant and she spotted Saya at a table near the window.
To Ryuko’s surprise, Saya wasn’t alone.
Sitting beside her was a man in his twenties—tall, well-dressed, and confident.
“Ryuko,” Saya called out with a bright smile, “come meet someone.”
“This is my boyfriend, Hayato. He works outside of Tokyo most of the year, and we don’t get to see each other much. But when he heard how you helped me that day… he insisted on meeting you.”
“Ah… hello.” Ryuko shook his outstretched hand, still trying to hide her confusion.
Boyfriend? Wasn’t there a rumor floating around about Saya being…?
No, now wasn’t the time to dig into rumors. She took her seat.
The dinner went smoothly—except for the awkwardness bubbling beneath the surface. While Saya and Hayato laughed and exchanged casual touches, Ryuko quietly picked at her meal. The two of them looked close, and Ryuko couldn’t help feeling a little out of place.
Partway through the dinner, Hayato excused himself. He gave Saya a warm hug before leaving, and Ryuko looked away, feeling strangely uncomfortable.
“So?” Saya asked after a moment. “He’s not bad, right?”
“Ah… no, he seems like a great guy,” Ryuko replied, still a little dazed. “Handsome, thoughtful—definitely suits you.”
But before she could continue, Saya cut her off with a teasing smile.
“You’re thinking, ‘Wait, I thought Saya liked girls,’ aren’t you?”
“Uh, no, I wasn’t—”
“You don’t have to deny it. I know what people say. I’ve just never bothered correcting them.”
Ryuko blinked, unsure what to say.
“But I didn’t want you to misunderstand,” Saya added, her voice softer now. “Not after what happened that day.”
Ryuko leaned in slightly, her curiosity piqued.
Saya explained everything.
Her decision to dress in a more androgynous style came from a place of strategy. She’d noticed early in her career that women in producer roles weren’t always taken seriously—so she leaned into a more masculine image. It helped in meetings. It kept the focus on her work. But it also fed into rumors.
An ex-colleague, she explained, had once tried to sabotage her by spreading those very rumors. Even though that person was long gone, the gossip had stuck. Worse, it had strained her friendships like the one with the woman whose husband attacked her that day. Nothing had ever happened between them, but the rumors left a shadow of doubt.
Ryuko listened quietly.
“I just wanted you to hear it from me,” Saya said, her voice low. “I don’t want you avoiding me at work anymore, like I’m something to tiptoe around.”
“I wasn’t…” Ryuko started, then trailed off. She looked at Saya really looked at her and realized she had been distancing herself. Not out of malice. Just uncertainty.
“I’m sorry,” Ryuko said at last. “I misunderstood.”
Saya smiled. “That’s all I needed.”
Then, without warning, she slid around the table and sat beside Ryuko. Her arm slipped around Ryuko’s waist as she leaned gently against her shoulder.
Ryuko tensed instinctively, but didn’t pull away.
After everything Saya had just shared, it felt too cold to reject her outright.
“You know,” Ryuko murmured, trying to lighten the mood, “it’s kind of a waste. You’re beautiful—you don’t need to hide behind that tomboy look.”
“You think so?” Saya looked up at her, amused. “Don’t tell me you prefer more feminine types.”
Ryuko smiled. “Let’s just say I don’t love being surrounded by guys. They always look at me weird. Like I’m something to be stared at.”
Saya nodded in agreement. “Same here. It’s exhausting.”
“But then…” She paused. “What about Haruki?”
Ryuko blinked. “What do you mean?”
“Well,” Saya said, “he’s a guy, right?”
Ryuko flushed, then gave a small laugh.
“There are… a lot of reasons. At first, it was just because he helped me out. I wanted to thank him, maybe learn from him—he’s insanely talented. But the more I got to know him… I don’t know. He’s not like the others.”
“He never once looked at me like that,” she said quietly. “He sees other things. Like my voice acting, or my ideas. He respects me.”
Saya watched her carefully, noting the quiet admiration in her tone.
“And now?” she asked.
“Now…” Ryuko hesitated. “I guess I’ve fallen for him.”
“But he doesn’t seem interested.”
Ryuko nodded. “He doesn’t seem interested in anyone. That’s what makes it feel… fair. I’m not competing against anyone.”
Saya tilted her head. “So you’re just waiting?”
“No. I’m trying. I think I just haven’t found the right approach yet.”
Then she added with a grin, “You know those dating sims where the protagonist has to unlock the true ending? I’m treating it like that. He’s the final boss.”
Saya blinked. “You’re seriously strategizing this?”
“I’ve already committed. I’m going to find a way to reach him.”
Saya stared at Ryuko for a moment, then laughed softly. “You’re incredible.”
Then her smile turned sly.
“Alright then. If you’re really going for it… why not let me help?”
Ryuko looked surprised.
“I’ve been in enough relationships,” Saya added. “Maybe I can offer some useful advice. You never know—two heads might be better than one.”
“I don’t know…” Ryuko hesitated.
“Look,” Saya said, leaning closer. “There are probably dozens of girls eyeing Haruki. You can’t afford to play this slow. Let’s team up. I’ll help you figure him out.”
She added with a wink, “Think of it as a thank you for saving me that day.”
Ryuko looked uncertain—but intrigued.
“Alright,” she said. “Let’s give it a shot.”
Saya beamed. But when Ryuko turned to finish her drink, Saya’s smile briefly changed—sharper, more mischievous.
Let’s give it a shot… and see what happens.
After dinner, they parted ways.
As Saya walked out into the city night, she pulled out her phone.
She tapped open a chat and transferred a small payment to someone with a generic profile photo her so called boyfriend.
She sent a message:
“Nice job tonight. I’ll call you next time I need backup.”
The reply came quickly:
👍
Saya slid her phone back into her bag and kept walking—heels clicking softly on the pavement.
Comments
Sloth
Hajime no Ippo is a good rec. Has great character decelopment arcs.
Moises Nuñez
ttgl (tengen toppa gurren lagann) has to be there no matter what hahaha
Moises Nuñez
I suppose that Angel Beats would be a good anime for future projects. It is delicate, has a good plot and some more than epic soundtracks. For a manga, Hajime no Ippo would be very good. I think about how a young man with nothing more than a simple life who was bullied meets a champion who shows him a path of how to be an example of someone successful like Takamura in boxing, with whom he asks himself: what does it mean to be strong?
