"It's okay, right? It's normal. This is a phase they all go through, there isn't anything bad or shameful about it, I'm sure of that. Even the really successful ones, they were all unpopular at some point… they all had a time when they had trouble making a profit. I mean, that's what being a mangaka is about, right? You do your best to get by when you're still small, and try to tough it out until your work becomes popular. So, it's normal, for us to find different ways to stay on our feet while we establish a name for ourselves. What did Patty call them? Starving artists… it's what she told me I might become. But it's okay, I always knew it might end up being this way, I don't mind. I'll just keep looking forward to the future. After all, it's all just part of being a mangaka…"

Hiyori's thoughts raced through her head, as she took another hit from her cigarette. A gust of wind blew by and caused her to shiver. She knew she wasn't dress appropriately for how cold it was, but it would all pay off one day. Then it'll just be a distant memory…

"Maybe I should've asked my friends for some help, Patty has been my best friend for years, and Minami… she had lots of room in her big house. She's always so kind to everyone, it almost makes it too hard to ask her for anything..."

Thinking about her friends made Hiyori feel warm, despite the cold temperature outside. She exhaled, and watched the smoke float gently up from her mouth into the night sky.

"Hey…"

"Anyway, it's too late for any of that now. I wouldn't want to trouble them. Besides, they would ask me where I was all this time, and I couldn't

possibly te-"

"Hey!"

Hiyori snapped away from her thoughts, and looked at the man in the car in front of her, gesturing to her through his window.

"How much is it?"

"Oh, that depends..."

"The whole night."

"For one night, it's 9,000 Yen."

The man simply nodded his head, and unlocked his doors. Hiyori took one last puff from her cigarette, before letting it fall to the pavement and stomping it out. She opened his door, climbed into the front seat of his car, and they drove off.

"It's okay, it's normal..."

I randomly got the inspiration for this when I woke up this morning, I have no idea why. I hope you enjoyed it ^^