Jirou Harada FTEs
Masakazu began quietly roaming the halls of the hotel when his tranquil walk was suddenly interrupted by the sound of footsteps running towards him. Before he could even react, Jirou rounded the corner and began tugging at Masakazu’s arm with a gleeful expression.
“Masa, dude, I need you to come over and see this real quick! It’s great!”
“J-Jirou…? What’s the matter?” Masakazu asked, not quite sure how to interpret the boy’s enthusiasm.
The comic book artist then started dragging him along by the arm, pointing excitedly towards a table in the commons area. “Just hurry up and follow me, you won’t regret it!”
Hang out with Jirou?
[Yes] [Nah]
Masakazu: Ok, alright? I’ll hurry up. Just please stop pulling on me.
Jirou: Yes! Come on, hurry!
The comic book artist led Masakazu towards the table in question, before pointing to an item on top of it. A strange looking book was placed there, with a peculiar design on it.
Masakazu: Is this...a clue of some kind?
Jirou: What? No, of course not! It’s a comic book. Mine, to be more specific. Take a look!
Masakazu: ...You brought me all the way over here for a comic book?
Jirou: Hey man, you should be glad! My comics are one of a kind, after all. They’re a type of quality that can’t be properly described by any mere mortal.
Jirou: Even critics fear my work! The heartbreaking drama, the exuberant charm...it has it all! Why, perhaps you’ll even-
Masakazu: Ok, enough already. You just want me to read it, right? Am I correct?
Jirou: Um...yeah, that would be preferable. Is that alright?
Masakazu: All you had to do was ask, you know. I’d be delighted to read it.
Jirou smiled as he handed the comic to Masakazu. The chess player began reading it from front to back, all the while Jirou looked on with bated breath.
Eventually, Masakazu managed to finish the entire book. He returned it immediately once he was done reading the last pages. Jirou gave him a concerned look.
Jirou: Well? How was it?
Masakazu: It’s quite hard to describe, honestly. Comics and manga aren't exactly my cup of tea, but…
Masakazu: I do believe that you’ve outdone yourself regardless. I haven’t read a lot of comics, but this one managed to intrigue me all the way through. Good job.
Jirou: Yes! I knew I still had it in me...thanks a bunch, Masa!
Jirou: I gotta go work on the rest now that I know for sure...this is gonna be my masterpiece!
Masakazu: The rest? What do you-
Before Masakazu could get another word in, Jirou ran off in the direction of the dorms with his comic book clutched to his chest.
Jirou’s Profile Card: 1/5
Jirou asked me to read and review a recent work of his, with all the enthusiasm you’d expect of him. He certainly talked big about his skills as a comic book artist, but before I began my criticism I detected a small amount of worry and doubt in his eyes. After I had finished my review, he took off, claiming that he was going to work on his masterpiece.
The next day, Masakazu decided to try his luck and relax away from the other ultimates. They were certainly colorful characters, but interactions with them had taken their toll. Masakazu merely wanted free time to himself, as bad as that made him feel.
Eventually however, his walk was yet again interrupted. As the chess player strolled down the hall, he heard the faint sound of conversation.
“Damn...no, that won’t work...come on…”
Confused by the tone of the person, Masakazu decided to investigate. He peered around the corner and discovered the door to Jirou’s lab wide open. As he entered the room, he discovered the sorry state of the Ultimate Lab. Papers littered the floor, some with large x’s or scribbles covering them. Jirou sat on the floor in the middle of the chaos, furiously drawing on a page.
“No, that won’t do either. Damnit, why?!”
“Jirou? You ok there?” Masakazu decided to intervene, concerned by the comic book artist’s actions.
Jirou turned around with a frightened expression before slowly winding down. “Sorry Masa, you scared me a bit. Uhh, sorry about the trashy environment. I’m kind of in a rut.”
“A rut, huh? Would you like to talk about it, atleast?” Masakazu offered.
A light smile grew upon Jirou’s face. “I’d like that a lot, actually.”
Hang out with Jirou?
[Yes] [Nah]
Masakazu: So, what seems to be the matter with your work?
Jirou: Oh man, lemme make a freaking list.
Jirou: First off, I can’t decide on the material to add next to the story. I have an end goal in mind, but the stuff in the middle...I just can’t for the life of me figure out what to put there.
Jirou: Then there’s the style I should draw it. What I showed you before was just a rough draft, but there’s endless possibilities. I can make it look like whatever I’d like, but having the style compliment the theme would be ideal.
Jirou: And then there’s color. After everything’s said and done, I need to color it. There’s even more I can do with that, and one wrong move could spell disaster for the whole project.
Jirou: I just can’t handle all this pressure…
Masakazu: So, even the Ultimate Comic Book Artist faces adversity from time to time, huh?
Jirou: What’s that supposed to mean?
Masakazu: Forgive me, I didn’t mean anything bad by it. It’s just that you’re usually so proud and confident about your work, I never expected to see you so conflicted.
Jirou: Success breeds conflict, you know. I didn’t come so far without experiencing some form of difficulty.
Masakazu: Then don’t let this break you, either. There’s always a way to deal with situations like this.
Masakazu: I’m no expert in subjects aside from chess, but taking time out of my day to relax and take in the surroundings around me always helps me focus before a big tournament or match.
Masakazu: Perhaps the same can be done for your problems. What do you like to do in your free time?
Jirou: Besides writing comics? Well, I guess I do like chilling out to some good rock music. Sometimes dancing, too.
Masakazu: Then try a bit of that before going back to your work, maybe it’l help after a day or so. I’ll check up on you later, alright?
Jirou: Sure thing, Masa. Later!
Masakazu then exited the Ultimate Lab, leaving Jirou behind to ponder how to best use his free time.
Jirou’s Profile Card: 2/5
In a manner unexpected of someone as confident as himself, Jirou seems to be taking his recent work with excessive stress. He piled tons of work upon himself, and seems unsure of how he’ll get it all done. I suggested that he spend some time away from his work to calm him down, and it will hopefully have a positive effect on him when I see him in the future.
A swift knock echoed throughout the hallway as Masakazu waited on the other side of Jirou’s lab. He had promised to check up on the comic book artist, after all. It took awhile for the door to open, and when it did Masakazu’s expression grew worried.
Jirou stood on the other side, with a slouched posture and bags under his eyes. “Hey there, Masa...what’s up?”
“What happened, Jirou? You look terrible.” Masakazu asked as he stepped into the lab, which was even more cluttered than before.
The comic book artist gave a lighthearted chuckle as he brushed the back of his head. “Well, I tried listening to music like you said...but then I got all pumped up and tried to power through my work and get it done. I thought that would work…”
“How long have you been up?”
“Uh...all night?”
Masakazu’s eyes widened. “You haven’t slept all night? Do you know how unhealthy that is, especially for someone in your career?”
“Hey man, calm down. I’m perfectly fine, see?” Jirou argued as he pointed to a pile of stacked papers on a nearby counter. “Plus, I got almost everything done! It was worth it. And I did it without giving up on comics.”
“Giving up on comics…? What do you mean by that?”
Hang out with Jirou?
[Yes] [Nah]
Jirou: It means exactly what it means. I did what I love doing, and everything worked out in the end.
Jirou: The comic is nearly done, and I’ve proven my success as a comic book artist.
Masakazu: Jirou, I never once said anything about giving up on comics, or about your success.
Masakazu: Where is this coming from?
Jirou: Well, I guess...I guess I need to tell you eventually, since you’ve seen me in this horrible state.
Jirou: Ever since I started out making comics, there’s been this...nagging feeling in the back of my mind. Like I’d never make it to the top, you know?
Jirou: I’ve been making comics since I was in middle school, and I’ve been damn good at it.
Jirou: Every comic I’ve made has been treated like a masterpiece, even the first ones I made. But that feeling of doubt was always there.
Jirou: And it persists with me today, negatively impacting my work and sleep schedule.
Masakazu: I’m not quite sure what to say…
Masakazu: Do you have any idea why that is, though? Why you feel like that, despite your skills and success?
Jirou: Oh, I know for sure why. I’ve got three good reasons why that doubt began to spread. Well, three people, to be precise.
Jirou: I need them to understand...to feel the same way about my comics that I do…
Jirou: But that’ll never happen, and this doubt will always plague me.
Masakazu: Perhaps if you talk about it with them, you’ll feel better.
Jirou: You think I haven’t tried that? They’re deaf to any opinions other than their own.
Jirou: ...I’m really not up for this conversation right now. Please, let me rest up a bit. I’m tired.
Masakazu: Go right ahead, Jirou. See you tomorrow.
The chess player exited the room, which immediately closed behind him. Masakazu sighed in disappointment, unsure of how to go about helping Jirou.
Jirou’s Profile Card: 3/5
Jirou revealed the secret to his stress and anxiety to me. He has constant fears of doubt which leave him constantly second guessing his work. Perhaps that is why he boasts about his work so much, to try and convince himself? Regardless, he remained quiet about the people behind this dilemma of his.
Masakazu was in the middle of eating some lunch when Jirou unexpectedly entered the cafe and made his way towards the chess player. His posture seemed more relaxed, but the bags under his eyes remained.
“Hey there. Are you feeling any better?” Masakazu asked the comic book artist.
“No, not really.” Jirou answered. “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately…”
“Well, if you’d ever like to talk about it, I’m all ears.” Masakazu offered as he ate the last of his meal.
Jirou sighed as he placed his head in his hands. “...I think I’ll take you up on that offer, actually.”
Hang out with Jirou?
[Yes] [Nah]
Masakazu: Is this about your doubt again?
Jirou: Damn, you’ve got me figured out already. Yeah, that’s it.
Jirou: Ever since I snapped earlier, I’ve been thinking about them. My parents and brother, that is.
Masakazu: Are they the three people you mentioned earlier? The people that made you start to doubt yourself?
Jirou: That’s right. Although, it’s more of my parent’s fault than my brother’s. He’s just caught in the crossfire.
Jirou: Remember how I said I began drawing comics in middle school? That’s when my hobby slowly turned into my career choice.
Jirou: Well, my parents didn’t like that at all. They worked in business and finance, drawing comics didn’t seem like a respectable job to them at all.
Jirou: They were a constant source of stress for me, always becoming obstacles that blocked the future I wanted to carve out for myself.
Jirou: And my brother was just a tool for them to use against me, a shining example of what I ought to strive towards.
Jirou: “Be more like Daisuke,” they would say. “Daisuke’s got a real job, he’s a businessman” was another they’d use frequently. I don’t know if they just hated comics or me, but in my eyes it didn’t matter.
Jirou: Comics are my life, they always have been. Trying to take that away from me just tells me they don’t care for me.
Masakazu: I can see how that would make you second guess yourself so often. You were raised in an environment that dissuaded different career choices.
Masakazu: But with all your success, you’d think they would change their minds. After all, you were accepted into Hope’s Peak.
Jirou: Those were my thoughts too. But sadly, their minds were set. I wasn’t their ideal child anymore, and none of my achievements could be acknowledged by them.
Masakazu: Is that what you truly want? Their acknowledgement?
Jirou: ...I guess. I don’t really know myself. It’s hard to put into words…
Masakazu: Well, I for one believe that you’ve got what it takes to really become the Ultimate Comic Book Artist.
Jirou: Huh?
Masakazu: I’m sure the others feel the same way...most of them, anyways.
Masakazu: If you can’t rely on your family, rely on us. We’ve got your back.
Jirou: I...don’t know what to say.
Jirou: Um...thanks, Masa. I think I need a minute to contemplate things...See you later.
Uh oh...did I say something wrong?Masakazu: Y-Yeah, see you.
The comic book artist exited the cafe without another word, leaving Masakazu behind to think over their discussion.
Jirou’s Profile Card: 4/5
Finally, the true existence behind Jirou’s problems come to light. His doubt festered in response to his parent’s dislike of his career choice, believing a comic book artist to not be a respectable job. Due to them not acknowledging his talents, Jirou developed a severe case of doubt and anxiety towards his comics. I told him that we were all there for him, but he didn’t react as excitedly as I expected him to.
As soon as he was able, Masakazu began making his way to Jirou’s lab. He wasn’t answering when the chess player knocked on his dorm, so he had to be there. The door was cracked, and Masakazu entered without knocking for once.
The floor was as pristine as it was when Jirou first stepped inside, without a single paper covering it. Jirou sat in the back of the room with a stack of pages in his arms. Before Masakazu could say anything, the comic book artist began taking the papers and placing them in a nearby shredder.
“What are you doing, Jirou?!” Masakazu asked, his eyes wide with concern. “Isn’t that your masterpiece?”
“Oh, sup Masa! Uh...yeah, I guess in a way it was.” Jirou greeted the chess player as he continued filling the shredder.
Masakazu’s concern faded, replaced with a questioning glare. “It ‘was’? What’s going on?”
Hang out with Jirou?
[Yes] [Nah]
Jirou: Well, to put a long story short...you were right.
Jirou: I never once thought of the rest of you the entire time I was here, despite how much you guys care about me.
Jirou: I don’t need to worry about what my parents think of my work, as long as I enjoy doing it. My life is my own, not theirs.
Masakazu: Wow, I’m impressed. What caused your way of thinking to change?
Jirou: Our discussion from before reminded me of something my brother Daisuke said to me a long time ago, back when I first started out drawing comics.
Jirou: My parents tolerated my hobby drawing comics, but once I brought their attention to my first successes, they began getting upset that I was throwing my life away. I got pretty depressed about it, actually. I had always thought they would be there to root for me, to be proud of the life I would build for myself.
Jirou: But Daisuke was the only one that was proud of me. He comforted me and told me that he believed I could grow up to become the best comic book artist around.
Jirou: He’s the only reason I kept making comics, despite my parent’s feelings.
Jirou: He’ll always be there for me, just like you guys will. You, Risa, Konomi...all of you.
Jirou: I’m doing it for you all, not my parents. So that’s why...I’m starting over.
Jirou: I refuse to call this piece of trash a masterpiece, not when it’s a reminder of my weak past.
Masakazu: I’m happy for you, Jirou. You’ve really changed from how you used to act.
Jirou: Oh, trust me. I’ll still make the best damn comics around, heh! You’ll see!
Jirou: After all, you’ll help me out with them, right?
Masakazu: ...Huh?
Jirou: I’ve gotten this determined because of you, after all. So obviously, you need to be there when I finish my true masterpiece!
Jirou: Risa and Konomi will be there, and my brother Daisuke. The others, too. What do you say?
Masakazu: ...You’ve got yourself a deal, Jirou. I’ll watch you make your true masterpiece.
Jirou extended his hand towards me. I gripped it strongly, cementing our pact together. I’ll see his convictions unfold to the end, as our bond continues to make him strive to become a better version of himself. I just know it'll happen.
Jirou’s Profile Card: 5/5
A few choice words was all it took to make Jirou realize exactly what it was his brother Daisuke meant. After shredding the last of his masterpiece, Jirou has cast off the weak version of himself from the past. From now on, he’ll make comics for the enjoyment of the people around him, and not to gain satisfaction from his parents. He promises a true masterpiece, which lies in a future that connects everyone in the hotel.
