Free Time Events: Yusuke Tezuka

EVENT 1: Tezuka-kun isn't sure where his ideas come from, but he's glad that he has the talent necessary to be an artist.

Tezuka-kun talked with me about his works, albeit noting that "words don't do them justice." Since I'd seen a few of them before, I had to agree.

"I'm curious about something, Tezuka-kun," I said. "Where exactly do you get your ideas?"

Tezuka-kun laughed out loud.

"Well, isn't that the million dollar question?" Tezuka-kun said. "Would you believe me if I said that in here was the best answer? That's what I've been telling everyone who asks, anyway."

As Tezuka-kun spoke, he gestured toward his right temple. I wasn't sure if he was intentionally referring to his right brain or just giving a basic answer.

"I suppose that's true," I said, "but wouldn't it be nice if they actually found out, and used that to inspire a renaissance in art?"

"Yeah, that sounds nice," Tezuka-kun said. "I dunno if I'm really the guy to spearhead that, but hey, whatever floats their boat."

I personally didn't know how Talent High School chose its talented students. Their goal of finding the most talented in any discipline was clear enough, but there were few details available on the selection process. Obviously, they'd choose the best possible candidate, but I could easily see them going years or decades without finding an Ultimate in a given field, so I had to wonder when they decided that the search was over.

"Of course, it's not like I'm not grateful," Tezuka-kun said. "Not a lot of artists can earn a living, so if they think I'm good enough for this opportunity, who am I to disagree?"

"That's the spirit," I said. "I don't know what criteria they had for choosing you, but it's best if you think of your title as something you earned, so that you don't take it for granted."

"You said it," Tezuka-kun said. "Pretty much anyone can put pencil to paper and make a drawing of some kind, but not a lot of people get to draw for a living. If nothing else, I get to do what I like most."

"I'm glad you appreciate that," I said. "Some people get cynical about doing the things they love, and let the pressure drain away their passion."

Tezuka-kun smiled. If nothing else, he had an understanding of the things that mattered, and by speaking with him, I could learn a lot about what it was like to make a career out of doing what you loved.

EVENT 2: Tezuka-kun has a surprisingly mundane life.

Tezuka-kun gave me a few basic lessons in art theory, albeit noting that they were guidelines more than anything. He was fairly patient with my lack of education in the area, noting that he hadn't gone to art school, either.

"What's your family like, Miura?" Tezuka-kun said.

"It's fairly ordinary," I said. "Mom and Dad both work office jobs for a large corporation- Mom works with clients, and Dad's in human resources. My older sister and I will probably go for something similar when we finish our education."

Certain people, like my grandmother, didn't think much of married women working outside the home, but others saw it differently. Mom joked that she probably had the most boring career out of all her friends from high school- one became a freelance photographer, another joined the Self-Defense Force as a pilot, and a third worked for a television studio.

"Sounds pretty normal," Tezuka-kun said.

"You could say that," I said. "Are you saying that your family isn't?"

Tezuka-kun laughed and shook his head.

"The opposite, really," Tezuka-kun said. "Dad's an average businessman- good enough that he can keep his job, but not that good- while Mom's a housewife. I've got a brother who's three years older than me, and he's planning on going into business, just like Dad."

"That's... surprisingly ordinary," I said.

"You said it," Tezuka-kun said. "I don't get the whole stereotype of artists getting their creativity from some kind of fucked up childhood or home life- it seems like it'd make it harder for them to be good artists."

I nodded in agreement. From what I understood, Sensei had a relatively comfortable life with a loving family, even if it wasn't one that was completely free of hardship. During one interview, she'd thanked her family for providing for her, saying that because she didn't have to worry about food, shelter, schooling or other needs, she was free to spend her free time writing, and thus owed them a debt of gratitude.

"I get what you're saying," I said, "but something did cause you to turn out differently than your brother, didn't it?"

"Yeah," Tezuka-kun said, "even if I don't know what. I wasn't really as good at or interested in school as my brother, probably because I got bored shitless in class and ended up drawing a lot."

"So in other words, you had a lot of practice, didn't you?" I said, asking what came to my mind quickly enough that the fear of making a fool of myself didn't register.

"Maybe," Tezuka-kun said, "but let's face it. In class, you have maybe 20 minutes of drawing time, and can only use pens and pencils. Any halfway decent painting would take, at minimum, a couple hours and a set of paints- the teacher would have to be fast asleep or have a killer hangover to not notice an easel in the middle of the room."

"What about art class?" I said. "You had the time and tools for more detailed works, didn't you?"

"Yeah, and so did everyone else," Tezuka-kun said. "Of course, I suppose the star students and the guys who flunk out go to the same classes, don't they?"

I shrugged. There were plenty of explanations as to why some students excelled, while others struggled and still others failed. Intelligence, work ethic, family background and personal circumstances were a few of the myriad factors at play, and not even the experts were sure of how much weight to give each one.

"Maybe," I said. "Of course, the people who do well in school are generally those who do their homework, study for tests, and maybe have a bit of a knack for studying. Besides, a lot of the worse performers are the ones who don't show up."

"Good point," Tezuka-kun said. "Of course, it isn't just hard work, either- I think we'd see a lot more professional artists if just anyone could become one by trying hard enough."

While the effort needed to become a successful artist was monumental, Tezuka-kun was right in that it wasn't the only thing you needed. Talent always played a role in determining the success of one's endeavors, which was why various schools existed in order to study that talent.

EVENT 3: Tezuka-kun is much more at ease using pictures than words.

Tezuka-kun told me a little about how he actually made his works, from making a rough sketch to committing the result to the canvas. It was a fairly long and involved process, but he insisted that it was easier in practice- at least it was for him.

"Why don't you tell me a bit more about your pictures, Tezuka-kun?" I said. "Particularly, what you're trying to express through them?"

"I don't know where to start," I said. "They speak for themselves, don't they?"

"Not really," I said. "Besides, a lot of people like hearing from the people who created their favorite works. DVDs have commentary tracks, and I always pick up issues of magazines that feature interviews with Sensei."

"Gotcha," Tezuka-kun said, "but in my case, there's two reasons. One of them is that I want people to come to their own interpretations, and I kind of feel like telling them my thoughts would be like telling them what to think."

I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, some interpretations were better founded than others, and perhaps the artist's commentary would help discourage some interpretations that were off-base. On the other hand, if I were an artist, I'd probably be happy if people analyzed my work and discussed their conclusions with others, so perhaps Tezuka-kun was right to encourage that sort of engagement with his work.

"Fair enough," I said. "What's the other?"

"It's tough for me to express myself with words," Tezuka-kun said. "Art is already my way of expressing myself, so now I have to talk about that process?"

"You're doing a pretty good job," I said. "In a short time, you concisely outlined your two main reasons for wanting people to come to their conclusions about your work. I don't completely agree with the first one, but I think you make some fairly good points."

"If you say so," Tezuka-kun said. "I always think that what I have to say sounds better in my head than when I actually say it. The same goes with my paintings- I always imagine something that's a hell of a lot better than what actually goes on the canvas."

"That's understandable," I said, "but if you turn out a quality piece of art, you're proud of yourself, aren't you?"

Tezuka-kun nodded.

"Well, yeah," Tezuka-kun said. "I'm just saying that it's kind of hard to put 100% of what you're saying into words or even pictures, but I prefer pictures. After all, a map's more useful than a description of a region, isn't it?"

"True," I said. "I suppose each of us chooses the form of expression that we're best at."

"That's kind of what the scout who came to my art show said," Tezuka-kun said. "She'd scouted out the Ultimate Poet, the Ultimate Fashion Designer and the Ultimate Mystery Novelist- by which I mean Edogawa. She'd seen enough people's work to tell the real talents from those who were all talk, even if the panel made the final decision."

I'd once asked how Talent High School judged its Ultimates, and I heard that a hand-picked group of experts in any given field evaluated each candidate. In my case, my opponents in the mahjong game were also the ones evaluating me as a candidate for Ultimate Mahjong Player, while the judges for Kurogane-kun's evaluation as Ultimate Shogi Player helped name me the Ultimate Beginner's Luck.

"Still," Tezuka-kun said, "this entire school seems like yet another clique that you only get into by getting in good with one of the members. At least with other high schools, you have to pass the entrance exam."

"I suppose the selection process does seem arbitrary," I said, "but there aren't that many candidates for Ultimate status, so you have to be quite good to even get on the school's radar. Once you narrow down the candidates that much, it isn't too hard to select an Ultimate."

"Maybe," Tezuka-kun said, "but whether it's a million candidates or ten, how do you choose the best one in a field like art?"

Tezuka-kun left me with this question on my mind. When Talent High School had scouted me, they believed that I had an exceptional talent for mahjong, with an unbroken winning streak in a game in which professionals were lucky to have a 30% win rate. As for Tezuka-kun, I had to wonder. How many otherwise promising artists had been passed over for the position, or never were considered to begin with?

EVENT 4: Tezuka-kun sometimes worries other artists don't get the recognition they deserve.

Tezuka-kun told me about a few of his favorite modern artists, none of whom I'd heard about. I confessed that I wasn't the most knowledgeable about the art world, but Tezuka-kun pointed out that they were fairly obscure, even among art buffs. Eventually, I decided to ask him about what he'd said last time.

"Last time, you mentioned you didn't know why they considered you the best abstract artist in your age group," I said.

"Yeah, that's been bothering me ever since I got scouted," Tezuka-kun said. "What kind of standards can you even use that can conclusively prove that I'm- or anyone's- the best?"

"I don't know," I said, "but your work's pretty impressive, at least among Japanese high school-age artists. They simply looked at all the artists in your age group- a pretty small group- and decided you were the best."

"Maybe," Tezuka-kun said, "but there's a lot of other people who deserve it. Sometimes, when I go to an art competition and see the works they put on display, my favorite piece might be one of those that didn't win any prizes. I'm not one of those people who believes that 'everyone's a winner,' but that doesn't mean I have to agree with their choices of who wins and who loses."

Tezuka-kun's opinion was understandable. From my understanding, any work that ended up being accepted at one of those events probably had to be at least somewhat tasteful and well-made, so people would probably end up liking it.

"I might not know all that much about these competitions," I said, "but surely, the judges have criteria for judging works, and aren't just deciding randomly?"

"I dunno," Tezuka-kun said, "but it isn't easy to put a number on this, like how fast you run or how far you jump."

"You mean quantitative comparison, as opposed to qualitative comparison?" I said.

"Probably," Tezuka-kun said. "I don't get why people make up fancy words for those, but that's what I'm saying. For example, Edogawa's books sell really well, so we know a lot of people like them. But how do I prove I deserve it more than the other guys who do art?"

I paused to think for a moment.

"Maybe it isn't about what you did to earn it," I said, "but what you'll do once you have it. The reason they give us our talents isn't so much because of our talent as our potential, which is why they choose young people who are at a crossroads in their lives. At the very least, that's how it's supposed to work."

Tezuka-kun paused.

"I'm sorry," I said. "Maybe I'm not the best person to say this, given how my talent wanes over time, but..."

"Nah, it's fine," Tezuka-kun said. "I know that's how you really feel, since you told me that I should think of it as something I earned."

"That's right," I said. "My dad works in human resources, and he says getting hired is only half the battle- after convincing your employer that you're worth hiring, you have to work hard every day to convince them that you're worth keeping around."

"So I just keep on producing good works of art?" Tezuka-kun said. "Sounds easy enough, at least for me."

I smiled after hearing Tezuka-kun's usual confidence. Some people dreamed of being admitted to Hope's Peak or Talent High School so they could be proud of themselves, but they had it backwards. A healthy sense of self-confidence was necessary in order to achieve that goal, or, failing that, have a life you could be satisfied with, so I was glad that Tezuka-kun had that.

EVENT 5: Tezuka-kun's grateful for the opportunity's he's been given, and to me for listening for him.

Tezuka-kun invited me to his room, which was a bit messy, with crumpled up paper strewn over the floor and art supplies laying around. There was an unfinished painting on an easel that was much better than anything I could do, as well as a stone sculpture in the corner of his room.

"I've been thinking," Tezuka-kun said. "They say that Hope's Peak occasionally hands out invitations to just anyone?"

"Apparently," I said, "with the reasoning that the one student who gets them is the luckiest in their generation."

"Gotcha," Tezuka-kun said. "Of course, the odds of being chosen for an actual talent are probably even steeper. I don't even know how many kids there are in Japan who want to be artists."

I tried to calculate the odds myself. Art came in many different forms, from classical art and paintings to manga and other sequential art. There were perhaps millions of aspiring artists out there to choose from, and potentially dozens of different art-related Ultimate titles to give them.

"Then again, I've been thinking about a story my art teacher told me once," Tezuka-kun said. "One time, while he was traveling in college, he missed his connecting flight, and sat next to a woman who'd had a similar situation. The two ended up talking, then decided to keep in touch... and eventually got married."

"Wow, that's a touching story," I said. "It sounds like the kind of thing that'd make a good romance novel or movie."

"I only remembered this recently," Tezuka-kun said, "because my teacher told me that while he met her by chance, he only won her over by being a good person and putting in the effort to keep the relationship going. Because of that, I'll do what you said- prove that I deserve to be the Ultimate Absrtact Artist."

"I'm glad to hear that," I said. "Simply do your best, and I'm sure you'll do just fine."

Tezuka-kun smiled.

"I also realized it applies to you too, Miura," Tezuka-kun said. "Maybe it was some twist of fate that they chose you after you lost that mahjong game, but maybe they saw potential in you. Maybe you'll be the one who'll get us all out of here."

"That might be going a little far," I said, "but as long as there are those who believe in me, I'll do my best to live up to their hopes."

Tezuka-kun and I shook hands. I'd always wondered what Talent High School saw in me, but perhaps my coming here had given me the chance to help my fellow participants. If nothing else, my arrival at this school had enabled me to meet Tezuka-kun, allowing us to forge a potentially lasting friendship.

Author's Notes

Skill:Artist's Eye: Allows you to get a peek at a partly uncovered image in Mind Mine.

Yusuke's Undergarments: A comfortably fitting pair of briefs with some flecks of paint on them. Yusuke says they help inspire him.

Yusuke's given name comes from Yusuke Kitagawa, the aspiring artist and disciple of Madarame in Persona 5, while Tezuka's family name comes from Rin Tezuka, the armless artist and possible love interest in Katawa Shoujo- Yusuke's comments about expressing himself are inspired by Rin's.

Just a quick note. While I appreciate reviews, they have to be on topic for this fic. Feedback is always welcome, and even a "Good chapter" is nice, but any irrelevant guest reviews will be deleted.

Yusuke Tezuka

Talent: Ultimate Abstract Artist

Birthday: June 28(Cancer)

Height: 175 cm (5'8")

Likes: Making and viewing works of visual art

Dislikes: Pretentious and overly complex verbiage

Hobby: Sightseeing.