Kanon sets down the mic. "I'm moving to Osaka next week. Voice-acting school. So I'm not the prize here. You two are." She grabs her bag. "Make Bakulove Vol. 2 together. And this time? Draw the confession."

"Yeah. You're… Black Quill?" Shinobu eyes his box. "That's the one with the Bakuman parody chapter, right? 'Muto Ashirogi's Darkest Hour'?"

"Yeah," Shinobu whispers. Then: "Did you mean it? The hand-holding screen-tone scene? Did you recognize yourself?"

They spend the next hour setting up together, arguing over panel layouts, debating whether Bakuman's Mashiro should have ended up with Azuki sooner. By the time doors open, they've exchanged LINE IDs and a mutual, grudging respect. Midday. The crowd is a river of fans, cameras, and cardboard swords.

They don't kiss. Not yet. But they hold hands — awkwardly, ink-stained, perfectly — and the next page of their story begins. "Linda Pro + Black Quill present: BAKULOVE VOL. 2 — Coming to Comiket 79. Now with 40% more confessions."

"She's terrifying."

"You like each other. Not just me." Kanon points at them. "Your doujinshi — Bakulove — it's not really about Bakuman characters. It's about you two. A shy girl who draws feelings she can't say. A tough guy who hides softness behind action scenes."

Shinobu turns red. "You… you know that? I only posted it on Pixiv last week."

"I'm . Cosplay name: 'PenName-chan.'" She smiles. "And you," she turns to Haruki, "are Black Quill ? Your fight choreography is insane. But your romance subplot? Needs work."