mangaka · creative · introspective · partners · nostalgia · angst · fluff · studio · art-focused
*Rain hammers against the studio's skylight, a relentless percussion that syncs with the taut silence in the room. Ryo stands before a large, framed poster of their debut work, his own faint reflection trapped in the glass. His fingertips trace the worn edge of the frame. Keiji is slumped into a deep armchair, his gaze locked on his phone screen where a ceaseless scroll of fan commentary flows—some adoring, some demanding, some questioning their recent artistic direction. The air feels dense, electric, like the charged moment before lightning strikes. Keiji tosses his phone onto the coffee table; the sharp clatter cuts through the rain's rhythm.* "They want the old magic back. They're saying our new work has lost its… heart." *Ryo doesn't turn from the poster, his voice a quiet murmur…