A few days later
Art class
1
Character icon
Yukihira

You'll be drawing flowers today.

Do not forget about depth and texture as you work...

2
Character icon
Yukihira

This won't do. The colors you've chosen for this motif aren't doing their job. It's as if your small brush strokes are making everything blend together into a single substance.

3
Character icon
Student

I see...

4
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

So it's better to lay down colors in a way that makes each of them stand out...

5
Character icon
Yukihira

Start over. See, feel and draw.

Sense it with your entire body.

6
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

See and feel...?

After class
7
Character icon
???

Wow...! Ena, yours is so amazing...!

I can learn a lot from the way you used values.

8
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Hehe. Isn't it?

How does yours look, Futaba?

9
Character icon
Futaba

Nowhere near as good as yours.

We started attending this class at the same time, but you've made so much more progress than me...

10
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

I wouldn't worry about that too much.

Yeah, you need to have talent to draw, but you still have to work hard to actually see improvement.

11
Character icon
Futaba

Hehe. You're right!

12
Character icon
Futaba

Speaking of which, entrance exams are coming up. Do you know where you want to go, Ena...?

13
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Yup! I'm gonna go to a high school that'll really let me focus on my art.

14
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

I still haven't picked where, but I'm planning on asking my dad more about that.

15
Character icon
Futaba

That's right, you can ask him directly...

I should start thinking about those things too if I'm going to take art seriously.

16
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Yeah, I'd also recommend that.

You only live once, so you should go through life doing what you love.

A few days later
Shinonome Household - Living Room
17
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Hey, Dad.

18
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

I want to go to a school with a fine arts program but can't decide between these two. They both sound really great but...

19
Character icon
Father

Fine arts?

20
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Yeah. I want to be an artist so...

21
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

I thought I should learn as much as I can right now...

22
Character icon
Father

I wouldn't bother.

23
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Huh?

24
Character icon
Father

You don't have the talent to become an artist.

25
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Wh-What are you saying?!

You're joking, right?

That's not funny, you know?

26
Character icon
Father

I'm not joking.

You don't have any talent.

27
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

But there's no way that's true. I've been drawing since I was little and even got special prizes in middle school for my art...

28
Character icon
Father

Yes, I know. But there are countless others hoping to do the same thing.

29
Character icon
Father

Unless you can win the grand prize at a big contest, then no one will recognize you.

30
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Why...?

31
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Why are you saying this now?

You never did until this point.

32
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

I'm serious about this, but you just...!

33
Character icon
Father

Ena...

34
Character icon
Father

You won't be able to become the kind of artist you're envisioning.

35
Character icon
Father

If you had talent with the resolve to match, then things may be different...

36
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Wh-What do you mean...?

37
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Was everything I did until now just a complete waste of time?!

38
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

I don't have any talent, so it doesn't matter how hard I work?!

39
Character icon
Father

Yes...

The world I live in works just as you say.

40
Character icon
Father

No doors will open for you as you are now.

41
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

...!

42
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

You have no right to decide that...!

43
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

It's my future, so stay out of it!!

The next day
44
Character icon
Futaba

That's strange...

Where's Ena? It's almost time for class. Did something happen to her...?

45
Character icon
Futaba

Ena, there you are! Huh...?

46
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(I don't have any talent...?)

47
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(No, that's not possible.

I've been drawing for as long as I can remember... Mr. Yukihira even praised my drawing...)

48
Character icon
Yukihira

Thank you for your patience.

Starting today, we'll have some students visiting our class, so please join me in welcoming them.

49
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(I have talent... I know I do...!)

50
Character icon
Yukihira

I'll start looking at what you've drawn.

Starting with this one.

51
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Yes, please!

52
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(I feel like this one turned out well...

I'm sure Mr. Yukihira will...)

53
Character icon
Yukihira

Ah, a trail through a forest.

Hmm...

54
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

...

55
Character icon
Yukihira

My eyes are confused...

The viewer's eyes aren't being drawn towards the trees in the back as they should.

56
Character icon
Yukihira

A zero for composition.

57
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

What...?

58
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

B-But you praised my composition last time... I made sure to include the same nuances from that drawing in this one!

59
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

On top of that, I feel like this is drawn better overall...!

60
Character icon
Yukihira

That was then, this is now. You're comparing apples to oranges. Unless you learn to understand that, your layout process will continue to suffer.

61
Character icon
Yukihira

You're patting yourself on the back after receiving one positive comment. You should instead be finding other ways to improve your drawing techniques, no?

62
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

I... I know that...! But...!

63
Character icon
Yukihira

Yes, I see. I have no other choice but to be more direct with you.

64
Character icon
Yukihira

Shinonome, you're blowing your own skills out of proportion.

65
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

...!!

66
Character icon
Yukihira

If praise is all that you seek, then there is no point in you coming to this class.

67
Character icon
Yukihira

Shinonome, as it stands, your current mindset will only hinder you from growing further as an artist.

68
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Wh-What...?

69
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(No... What is this...? Why's everyone so quiet...?)

70
Character icon
Futaba

E-Ena...

71
Character icon
Yukihira

Anyway, who's next?

72
Character icon
Yukihira

The point of focus for this is too ambiguous. You may benefit from drawing in a way that allows the viewer to see the entire picture even when they're squinting. However...

73
Character icon
Yukihira

Overall, this is drawn rather well.

74
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

...!

75
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(He praised them...?

Why? He never praises anyone...)

76
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(Is it because other students are visiting...?)

77
Character icon
Yukihira

Next... Ah, Natsuno.

78
Character icon
Futaba

Y-Yes!

79
Character icon
Yukihira

Hmm...

80
Character icon
Futaba

...

81
Character icon
Yukihira

Well done...

You've done a marvelous job illustrating how the apple warps when seen through glass.

82
Character icon
Yukihira

You even improved upon your use of depth as I mentioned last time. This piece has much more breadth to it.

83
Character icon
Futaba

...!

84
Character icon
Futaba

Thank you very much!!

85
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Oh...

86
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(He isn't just praising everyone willy-nilly...)

87
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(That last piece, and Futaba's... They're so good... The way they're designed, their use of color... They're so much better than me...)

88
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(While my drawing... It's so...)

89
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(This means I really...)

A few days later
90
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

...

91
Character icon
Yukihira

For our final free theme, you'll be drawing... “Yourselves.” Please draw using whatever you like.

92
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(“Ourselves”...?)

93
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(Ourselves... Me? Like, “Who am I?”)

94
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(I'm the daughter of an artist... I've been drawing for as long as I can remember and others have always praised my work...)

95
Character icon
Yukihira

Shinonome, as it stands, your current mindset will only hinder you from growing further as an artist.

96
Character icon
Father

You don't have the talent to become an artist.

97
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(I...)

98
Character icon
Yukihira

Let's start looking at what you've drawn.

99
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(I couldn't do anything...)

100
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(Was Futaba always this good...?

Her drawing feels so powerful and alive...)

101
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(When did she learn to draw like this...?)

102
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(No, it's me... I just wasn't looking...

It's not just Futaba either. It's as if everybody here is...)

103
Character icon
Yukihira

First... Ah, Shinonome, this must be yours.

104
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(No, please...)

105
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(Don't look at it.)

106
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

(Even if you say that I don't have any talent... That I shouldn't bother... I...)

107
Character icon
Yukihira

I...

108
Character icon
Yukihira

I have nothing to say to you, Shinonome...

109
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Oh...

110
Character icon
Futaba

Ena? Ena...?

111
Character icon
Futaba

Ena, are you okay...?

112
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Huh? Yes...?

113
Character icon
Futaba

We're all done...

114
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

Oh, okay...

Sorry, I think I spaced out.

115
Character icon
Junior High School Ena

I'll be going home now...

116
Character icon
Futaba

W-Wait! Ena!

117
Character icon
Yukihira

...

Next Chapter: What I Felt That Time