Chapter 195: The Illustrators Past

Yuri Mikhailov, that was my name, I was just another person who was trying to reach for the stars. I was born in Russia and when I came of age I decided to leave my motherland and go to another country. But that was met with a ton of difficulties and lots of cultural shocks compared with my home. But there was a person that I met on that journey on my road to becoming a well-known illustrator. His name was Jin Kurenai

years ago

March 27, 2020

“I can keep this? It’s so cute and wonderful, im not even lying it’s such a waste. Why is someone of your talent here on this side of the city?” After their first encounter with each other, she was invited to a meal at a fast-food restaurant

Jin couldn’t ignore her condition once he heard of her an uncontrollable grumble which dwells in her stomach. He came back as soon as their order had arrived and he treated her to a meal which she drools in response. She quickly took a bite and her face glows so brightly lit compared to her demeanor

“It looks like you’re in a rough patch as well. I’m Jin Kurenai, what’s the name of our little foreigner, you are a foreigner, right? I was raised here till the time that I could remember and talk, I know a foreigner when I see one. The giveaway was your accent, you speak perfectly fine but not in the manner of someone who lived here,” He gave his fries when he notices her large appetite for consuming her dish

“Puwaaaaah… That really hit the spot, Im so sorry if I ate most of your food y-you’re also the one that treated me. I-I’ll make sure that I’ll repay you once I became a famous illustrator I just haven’t found a stable job. It’s not really how I envisioned it’ll be but my chosen path isn’t that successful. Like, who would even want to use my drawings as a cover for their books,” After they exited the happy hornet, he notices something strange about her appearance

Jin wasn’t a person who judges but he couldn’t quite help but be curious about her body. He wasn’t helping so he could get something in return but he couldn’t avert his eyes. There was something weird about her that made him feel uneasy all of a sudden

“Hey are you by any chanc~”

“Whoops, I forgot I have a tight schedule, I need to go. Thanks for the food, I’ll make sure to pay you back, bye!!!” When he found the courage to ask she quickly up and ran from his reach to a place where his quite familiar with in the past

“P-please, just give me some time I’ll earn money and I’ll pay what I owe~ arrrghh let go… Please you’re choking me,” She was being held up by her neck by a bunch of thugs working as a loan shark

“Times up… You had your chance little missy but as I said before, we’re not angels. We don’t give second chances to our clients that disobey our monthly payments. But since you have such a well-developed body, whadya say if you pay with your body huh?” One of the men held her arms whilst the other tried to undress her clothes

When things were about to look like they would have her way with her body a rock hit the head of the thug. This allows her hand to be freed and soon after someone rams their body onto the one that tries to undress her body. When she opened her eyes she thought it was the Jin who came to her rescue rather it was a pale and black-haired man

“You okay or something? Why the hell are a bunch of people still falling for this scheme of theirs~ Gaaahh that hurts,” Even though he aggro the thugs and their attention was solely focused on him, this person was weak

A single punch to his abdomen already made him fall to the ground where he got relentlessly beaten by their kicks. His act may have been heroic, but he couldn’t even protect himself when it came down to a fight. But the fight was already over as soon as he shouted out a name that strikes fear in the heart of the thugs

“Jin!!! I’m getting beaten up,” His voice was heard, shortly after that, a bike came flying onto the thugs. It was thrown by a single person and it was the man who treated her with a meal. His attack proved to have stopped those thugs but he didn’t stop and tried to beat them till they couldn’t breath

“Stop, stop!!! You idiot, do you wanna get arrested? This is your 3rd time, there isn’t a warning once you’re caught you’ll get to sleep in a cellar. Well, you wouldn’t have some problems, but think about the rent!! I can’t afford our monthly rent and if I bail you out we’re gonna eat bread for a whole month,” His voice was enough to stop him from going deeper into his rage. After that fiasco, the three of them were standing near a lakeside where they catch a breath of fresh

Yuri found herself to be saved by a stranger and the person she met not long ago. But she immediately broke down in tears after the two of them are now related to her mess

“I’m so sorry, because of me you might get visited by those thugs. I knew I shouldn’t have slacked off, even if I needed some rest I knew I shouldn’t have tested their patience. Now because of me, you’re going to be troubled,” She bowed and apologizes to the two of them, she thought she’ll be scolded or even hit but what came next surprised her

“Hahahahahahaha!! No worries about that, I know someone higher than those clowns, his working as a loan shark as well. But you should never deal with a loan shark, find a proper job, and don’t ask for their money. If you keep doing that shit then you’ll probably drown in debt and you’ll never reach your dreams,” Jin laughs whilst he patched up the wounds on Morris’s body

“Thank you… I’ll do as you say, living in the streets might not be the ideal place but it’s better than asking for money. I don’t want to live in an apartment if it means that I’ll need to loan some money,” Once the two heard what she has to say they didnt spoke a single word and nodded in agreement

“Tell you what, the two of us are having some trouble with our rent, and were looking for a roommate. I’m Jin Kurenai, a content editor for Lucid novel and the hero that saved you from getting raped is Christoper Morris. He’s pretty weak and frail so don’t be surprised if he needs your help,”

“A pleasure meeting you, I’ve heard about you from Jin, it seems that you wanted to be an illustrator. You can just call me Morris, im a part-time lucid novel writer that’s still trying to get my book contracted. But seriously who knew that you’re an illustrator, it’s like the three of us are fated to meet. An aspiring author, a strict editor, and lastly an illustrator,” This was the first time that the three of them met and came to be the trio that formed a team and enter the Glc

years later

July 14, 2023

Global Lucid novel competition was a competition for any upcoming writers, editors, or even illustrators to show their worth. The three of them formed a team and entered the competition however Morris’s book lost in the elimination round. This competition meant a lot to him, he didn’t care about the prize money but for his book to be adapted. But there was something that even he doesn’t know, it was the fact that his team was scouted

“Surely you already guessed why I only invited you two even though the book you’re signed on was eliminated. Let’s get to the point, the two of you are talented, Ms. Mikhailov your cover was beyond something that I ever saw in this competition. And we can’t forget about you!! Mr. Kurenai, you have good talent for being a content editor you’ll earn a lot more if you work for a well-known writer. Unfortunately, you got paired with that shit-tier author, god the plot of his book was beyond boring,” Before that editor would’ve felt the force of Jin’s fists, Yuri stopped him from doing such a thing

“It’s such a nice offer but isn’t it a little too early for that? Can you give us your card since we have a tight schedule,”

“Of course, how it is unbecoming of me, I didn’t think of your schedule. This is my card please call me whenever and I’ll quickly come and pick you up. Don’t worry about the contract I’ll make sure to place you in a position that matches your talent,” They left as soon as she got the card that she asked for whilst Jin stayed silent when they left

It wasn’t that long and the two of them were startled by their friend who drowned himself in a ton of alcohol. He leaned towards Jin before he could open his mouth that’s plagued by the smell of beer

“Hey guys, hic, I’ve been looking all over for you… What was I talking about again….? Never mind, dude can you give me a piggyback ride?” The sight of his friend washed away his anger and he did as he asked and carried him on his back

Later that night was the last time the both of them would ever chat when they had a fight that broke apart their lives

“Your kidding… You’re going to stay with him?? Jin, it’s been three whole years!!! He hasn’t changed a single bit, his writing sucks his not going to change. But that doesn’t mean that we’ll have to stick by his side, we can fulfill our dreams. We can make it big and become famous like we always dreamed to become,” She tried to convince him to reconsider his choice and this started their fight

“No, like you always wanted to be… I said that I’ll be by his side, whether he’s trash or not. It’s my fault, I wasn’t able to convey his words to what he wanted to say. I altered everything that he gave me, I thought it would be for the best, but it didn’t highlight his writing. It’s my fault that he’s book got eliminated, if you want to leave then go. You’re in for the fame and money that came along with joining this competition. I came there as his support and his frien~” He suddenly received a slap and soon after a face filled with tears of the girl that came to love him for who he is

She finally realizes that she couldn’t change his mind, even though the two of them share the same interest, it was all for naught

“You chose him over me?”

“Bros before hoes… I love you but I already knew you’d be like this if you were to choose if it’s your dream or your friend’s. I’m sorry but I can’t join you, im not a person who’ll ditch my only friend,” He tells a joke to relieve himself but deep inside he was hurting and couldn’t force himself to look her in the eye

Back to the present

“I wish I could go back in time, I wish I held your hand~ Jin!!?” She wakes up from her dream and soon after she gazes at the face of the man she chose to abandon

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep