The deadline boards were bleeding red.

Inside the headquarters of Mugen Manga Works, Hoshigaoka’s largest manga publisher, the atmosphere was mixed with the air of creativity and desperation. Editors shuffled between cluttered desks, red pencils tucked behind their ears, stress stitched into their expressions. 

The walls were lined with framed covers from legendary manga series; Violet Strings, Blade Serenade and Two Piece Adventures, but to the staff who walked past them every day, they now felt less like achievements and more like reminders of a golden age that was slipping away.

Every department felt the pressure, but nowhere more than the Mugen Monthly Starline Magazine Division, where production chief Renji Sato slammed a stack of reports onto the conference table.

Renji Sato: Three flagship series ending within six months and our submission pipeline is empty. If we don’t find new blood fast, we lose market share. And if we lose market share, we lose advertisers, revenue, print distribution, digital subscriptions, everything.

No one argued with him because he was right.

Dominic Hayashi sat in the back row of the conference room, silent as the senior editors argued across the long glass table. The atmosphere was too tense for a company that once dominated the manga industry. A thick report sat in front of him, but he didn’t need to read it to know what it said.

Mugen Manga Works was in trouble.

Three flagship series had ended in less than six months and due to this, competing publishers were gaining ground and the fact that there had been no new hit series in over a year didn't help matters either. 

Renji Sato: And unless someone here brings in a promising new mangaka, we’re going to fall behind, permanently. The other magazines are depending on us to find something new to put out. 

Dominic kept his expression controlled. He had heard this speech before. Every month, the pressure increased. Every month, eyes turned toward results. And every month, Dominic had none.

He had been an editor at Mugen Manga Works for two years now. And in that time, he hadn’t discovered a single breakout talent. Not even a one-shot worth publishing.

He was simply known around the company as “reliable, hardworking, and replaceable.”

Replaceable...

He hated that word.

Renji Sato: Meeting adjourned.

Chairs scraped and papers shuffled as everyone began to leave, except Dominic, who lingered a moment longer, staring at his reflection in the blank TV screen at the far end of the wall.

Thirty-two years old. No achievements, no series and no future if something didn’t change.

He literally up his cigarette and after smoking for a bit, hr exhaled once, and stood up. 

Dominic: If there’s a talent out there worth betting everything on, I’ll find them.

*****

Later That Evening,

In the cool evening atmosphere, Dominic walked down a quiet residential road, a thin binder tucked under his arm. He was still wearing his office ID tag from Mugen Works, but now, he was stepping into his other job.

Home teaching.

It wasn’t just for the money, it was for his sanity. A way to stay human outside of deadlines and sales graphs. His current student was a quiet third-year high schooler named Gojo Masaki. 

He had been teaching him Maths for about three weeks and he had come to know that Gojo was withdrawn, intelligent, but emotionally shut down. Dominic didn’t pry as he assumed that everyone had reasons for being the way they were. 

He stopped outside the Masaki residence and exhaled.

Dominic: Another quiet three hours. Maybe today he’ll at least look me in the eye. 

Dominic rang the doorbell and soon after, a girl with black hair opened the door. She was Vera, Gojo's fourteen year old sister. 

Vera: Oh, Mr Dominic. You're here again. 

Dominic: I mean I have to be. Someone has to teach your big brother since he doesn't want to go back to school. 

Vera: (sniffs) You smell like cigarettes. 

Dominic: (smirks) Yeah I know.

Vera: You're so lucky my parents aren't home right now or I'll tell on you. 

Dominic sighed and twisted his neck a bit before he spoke again.

Dominic: Let me off the hook will you? (puts his hands together) Please? I get you something next time. 

Vera put on a cartoonish face before she spoke again. It was a bribe she couldn't refuse. 

Vera: Okay fine. 

Vera then stepped aside and allowed Dominic to step into the house. Once he got in, he immediately took off his shoes and walked into the quiet house which was pretty much empty. Dominic's eyes immediately went to the stairs.

Dominic: He's upstairs right?

Vera: Same place you always meet him.

Dominic then began to climb the stairs and was met by three doors and another living room upstairs separate from the one downstairs and then he met Gojo seated near the small glass table in front of the couches drawing in a piece of paper.

The scene surprised Dominic. He had been teaching Gojo for three weeks and he never knew that Gojo had the art for drawing because he never saw his drawings neither did he enter Gojo's room to see the other drawings which were there. 

So the scene in front of his eyes caught him off guard and then his mind suddenly flashed back to the meeting he had a few hours ago and then he smirked.

Dominic: (to himself) This can't be a coincidence, right? He draws? And look at him, he's so focused that he ignores everything around him. He hasn't even noticed me yet.

But it was as if Gojo heard the thoughts in Dominic's head because at that moment, Gojo noticed Dominic standing a few feet away and then his the drawing under the pile of books which lay beside him. 

Gojo: Oh, you're here Mr Dominic. 

Dominic: Yeah... (clears his throat) And I've told you to just call me Dominic haven't I? Adding the formality makes me feel old. 

Gojo: (puzzled) But you're in your 30s aren't you? 

Dominic froze for a second. 

Dominic: That's not... Anyways let's get today's lesson underway, shall we?

Gojo nodded and sat properly as Dominic approached the table and sat down opposite him and began their lesson for the evening. 

****

After three long hours, the lesson came to an end and by then, the sun had already gone down and the stars had already begun to decorate the night sky. 

Dominic has begun to pack his things while Gojo excused himself to go to the bathroom and the moment he left, Dominic's eyes went straight to the place he had been keeping his eyes on for the last three hours. 

Underneath Gojo's book pile.

He immediately reached for it and yanked it from under the pile but then in the process of doing that, he accidentally ripped the paper in two, with the other half still sticking out from under the book pile. 

Dominic: (to himself) Oh crap! Why did I have to yank it out like that?! 

But just then, Gojo came out of his room and saw Dominic with his torn drawing and was puzzled. Dominic began to stress sweat and immediately bowed his head knowing that there was no other way to avoid the situation. 

Dominic: I'm so sorry kid!! I didn't mean to rip your drawing apart. I just saw you drawing earlier and I was curious to see what it was. 

However, Gojo sighed and scratched the back of his head which surprised Dominic as he didn't seem to be bothered about his drawing being torn.

Gojo: It’s fine. Really. It wasn’t that important.

Dominic straightened and studied him for a moment before he spoke again. 

Dominic: You draw a lot, don’t you?

Gojo hesitated before answering.

Gojo: Yeah. I just... needed something to do while I'm not doing homeschool. 

Dominic nodded and decided not to push further. Instead, he gathered his things and put them in his bag as he rose to his feet. 

Dominic: Alright. I’ll get out of your hair. Same time tomorrow? 

Gojo however has something else in mind. 

Gojo: Dominic...

Dominic blinked. It was the first time Gojo had ever said his name without “Mister.”

Gojo seemed unsure of what he was about to do. His hand lingered for a moment before he slowly reached for something under the table; his sketchbook.

He slid it across the table toward Dominic, but didn’t look at him.

Gojo: I want your opinion on something.

Dominic paused, as curiousity was now written all over his face. 

Dominic: Okay. What is it?

Gojo rested his elbow on the table and rubbed his temple like he was forcing the words out.

Gojo: It’s a story. I started drawing it about a month ago. It wasn’t… really meant for anyone to see and I... I didn’t plan to show anyone.

He adjusted his glasses and finally met Dominic’s eyes.

Gojo: But earlier… when you ripped that drawing… you looked like you were interested in what I drew when you came in earlier. So I want to know what you really think about this.

Dominic looked down at the sketchbook, then back up at Gojo, reading the seriousness in his expression.

Dominic: You sure about this?

Gojo didn’t waver.

Gojo: If you’re going to look… don’t hold back. I don’t need polite opinions. Tell me if it’s trash.

Dominic smirked slightly and sat back down on the ground with him. 

Dominic: Alright then. No sugarcoating. You asked for it.

Gojo watched silently as Dominic opened the sketchbook, to see the story he had drawn and when he did so, his eyes fell on the name of the story on the title page: 

"Heartbreak Loverboy Crybaby"