Issue 9, published in Volume 1, is the ninth chapter of the manga. The tagline for this chapter reads: 'This title page illustration is the best--☆ Am I right?--♪ (Maeno the editor).'
Page Titles[]
- Miscasting
- The Worst Spoiler
- Anxious Relationship
- Impression
- Meeting
- Problems
- Information Blog
- Miyako-chan's Manuscript
- To Mature
- Background Information
- Not Interested At All From The Start
- Lost Item
Summary[]
Sakura is reading a copy of the latest shoujo manga magazine. She tells Nozaki that another manga artist, Yukari Miyako, is working on a new story. Miyako is described as 'a very ambitious mangaka who draws fantasy and modern life manga.' Her hobby is said to be drawing tanuki (Japanese raccoons) in all of her manga. It should be noted that Miyako's editor is Maeno, whose editing skills are regularly looked down upon by Nozaki. While reading the first chapter of Miyako's new story, Sakura and Nozaki wonder why the tanuki are incorporated so often. They come across a mention of the story's first murder, which turns out to be a tanuki ('Ponsuke-san') who has been stabbed in the back. Sakura exclaims that the plot must be terrible.
Nozaki attempts to continue reading despite the glaring plot errors, curious to know the killer's identity. He points out that the ambiguous nature of the murder makes it hard to predict what will happen next. However, on the last page, the final panel spoils the verdict - 'Next time, Yamamoto-san is found out!' (Maeno is heavily implied to have written it there.) This frustrates Nozaki.
On their way back to Nozaki's apartment, he and Sakura discuss Maeno's erring ways. They bump into Miyako, Nozaki's neighbour, herself on the corridor. She runs over to Nozaki, intending to return something she had borrowed before. Sakura becomes envious, wondering what kind of relationship the two must have if they are exchanging things with each other. (Sakura does not know that the woman is Miyako at first.) The borrowed item turns out to be black ink.
Miyako introduces herself to Sakura as the 'college student who lives upstairs'. Upon hearing Miyako's name, Sakura is shocked and questions whether she could be the actual mangaka. Nozaki tells her that Miyako uses her real name instead of a pen name. Flustered, Sakura blurts out - "Nice to meet you! I'm reading your manga!!" However, her thoughts keep coming back to the tanuki.
Nozaki and Sakura end up visiting Miyako's Apartment. Over a cup of tea, Miyako informs them that Maeno paid a visit only a short while ago. When Nozaki asks what they had talked about, Miyako replies - "He talked about the new idol." Sakura exclaims that this had nothing to do with manga, and asks if they ever discussed actual ideas. To this, Miyako pulls up a picture of an elephant, which she claims is 'second in cuteness to the tanuki' and may be used in the next story. This only proves to Nozaki and Sakura that they are being absurd.
Worried, Sakura asks Miyako whether she is willing to submit to Maeno's crazy ideas. She looks at Miyako's manuscript, which features a story about a girl who is whisked into a fantasy world by a wizard. The girl is accompanied by an elephant and a tanuki. In each panel, the elephant completely obscures any trace of a background due to its size. When Miyako complains about this, Nozaki and Sakura yell - "The problem isn't the elephant!!!"
Miyako brings up the topic of a new blog written by the editing team at Monthly Girls' Romance. Sakura is pleasantly surprised and asks whether it also introduces magazines. However, the only articles the blog features seem to be journal-type entries about Maeno's life. ('Today I'm wearing a black knit and white pants, modern-style. Don't fall in love with me!!!') This exasperates Nozaki and Sakura.
Noticing their frustration, Miyako mentions that her manuscript has also been used on the blog. Sakura asks to see. Contrary to a published excerpt as she had expected, the manuscript is only used for mundane purposes by Maeno. For example, he uses it as a fan in hot weather, as a coaster for his ramen and one blog post shows him having dropped it on the floor. Sakura tells Miyako that she has really ought to get mad at him.
Immediately after, Maeno himself walks into the room. He informs Miyako that he is visiting because he had forgotten something at the apartment. In frustration, Nozaki and Sakura turn around and exclaim - "The real Maeno...!!! (What timing!)" Maeno appears surprised to see Nozaki, and addresses him as 'Yumeno-sensei'. He snarkily assumes that Nozaki is at Miyako's apartment to seek advice from him, and waves away the suggestion before it can be made. This makes Nozaki so angry - "Will you grow up already, please?!" - that he stands up ready to attack, causing Sakura to have to hold him down.
Maeno hands Nozaki an envelope, telling him that it contains photos from the time he went to the amusement park. Nozaki is initially grateful to have received potential background references for his manga. However, in the photos only Maeno's face can be seen and the amusement park itself is not visible at all. Sakura and Nozaki are exasperated.
Noticing the open laptop, Maeno asks Miyako, Nozaki and Sakura's opinion of his blog, proclaiming it to be 'very popular'. He points his phone's camera at Nozaki and asks for permission to take a photo at Miyako's apartment for the blog. Sakura hurriedly jumps in front of Maeno's way, alerting him to the fact that Nozaki's identity will be blown if the photo is to be posted. As it turns out, Maeno was actually asking Nozaki to take a photo of him.
Miyako brings Maeno's attention back to the real matter at hand by asking him what he had forgotten. He dismisses her questions, claiming that it was only an insignificant item. However, he eventually relents and asks for everyone's help in finding the item - ...Miyako's manuscript. As Sakura concludes - "The editor has also lost his soul."
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
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