Drawn to You

1. Caught off-guard by a smile

That night, Junkudo Ikebukuro was holding a book signing with an up-and-coming mangaka: he was young, but already being considered a big name in the BL genre, with edgy art style, complex characters and grown-up storylines, attracting a more adult and diverse public.

That was the reason this event was at this famous mainstream bookstore, and not on a manga store in Akihabara (which would seem the obvious choice).

"Are you going to stand by my side like that? You look like a Yakuza bodyguard", the mangaka, Hua Cheng, was saying to He Xuan, his editor. He Xuan was good-looking (in a pale and interesting way), wearing a suit, and had that dead inside look, so the comparison wasn't far off.

He gave Hua Cheng a cold smile. "While passing you the books to be signed to the readers, I have to make sure you're friendly to everyone, even a little bit flirty, but not too flirty".

Hua Cheng smiled, more than at ease: he's done many of these events, this one was his third book being published after all. So different from the first time, when he kept thinking no one would turn up! But then, he was only 21, still at uni. Nowadays he had a decent following, the print run originally approved by the publisher was sold out on pre-orders only, he was told.

Before he could say something to put He Xuan in his place, he heard, "Sensei, I think we can start now". It was the bookstore's assistant manager, Yin Yu: the crowd queuing up outside to see him, chatting and hardly containing their excitement was getting noisier and noisier. It was time.

"Yes, we can start. I'm ready", he said, tucking some last strands of hair behind his ears and smoothing down his shirt – of course he knew his good looks were part of the hype of such events, and well, it's not that he minded.

Hua Cheng was tall with a striking handsome face, pale and with very black, sleek hair. It was neck length with a long side-fringe covering his right eye most of the time, but now he wanted to look arty: he tied it in a short ponytail, showing off his ear piercings.

His dark red shirt had an undone button dangerously hinting on a muscled and well-toned chest (and body), then black trousers showing off nice ass and legs, and boots. Good looks with bad boy vibes, yes that sells: that's why He Xuan was so keen of these events and was there overseeing everything.

Yin Yu, at the door, waved in the first attendees, and Hua Cheng, greeting them with a bright smile, reached for his pens.

"Hua Cheng, I'm a big fan, I was counting down the seconds for Last Train Crush to be out, I even pre-ordered it!", gushed this tall, blonde girl, smiling and looking at him with adoring eyes.

"Why thank you, that means a lot", Hua Cheng replied, all humble, "I hope you like it – "

He would hear it many times: I'm a big fan, I've been following your work since Shibuya Sunrise was being serialised, your books are amazing. They wouldn't be disappointed tonight: the new title wasn't your average tankobon, but a hardcover with spot varnish and quality paper throughout.

Hua Cheng always insisted on it, telling his publisher that otherwise people would read his stories on those websites with ads of boobs and asses popping up, and they (author and publisher) wouldn't get anything out of it. Not ideal, was it?

More often than not, he would hear Wow you're hot! He was used to it, and in the end of the day these people buying his books was what paid the bills, so Hua Cheng wasn't complaining.

They came in like a wave: girls in groups of twos or threes, giggling excitedly (some even too young for the contents of this book, he thought), grown-up women (giving him grown-up looks), also boys (eyeing him up: wanting to be like him, or maybe wanting him), arty types, brainy types, the odd office workers.

After signing books and taking pictures with fans (most of them came for the selfies anyway) for a while, he paused for some water, even though he'd prefer a cold beer – but that would have to wait till he was finished, he was working after all, had to look professional.

Yin Yu then waved in the next person: a good-looking, young man, tall and well-built (not too skinny, not too muscled, Hua Cheng noted), wearing a cable-knit beige jumper with a moss green bag strapped across his chest. He had slightly tanned skin and brown hair, parted in the middle and framing a cute face with bright, light brown eyes and long lashes.

He smiled, catching Hua Cheng off-guard: a shy, awkward smile, but even so...

"I don't really read manga, sorry", he said, "I just saw this event, asked Yin Yu, and he wholeheartedly recommended I checked out your book! And, since I'm here – "

Why not taking a look at the mangaka, seeing what kind of person made a living drawing comics: he got a lot of that. But most people still pretended they knew all about his work (or about manga) even when they obviously didn't, so saying he didn't at all, that was something new.

Hua Cheng replied, "I need to thank Yin Yu for the recommendation then. No need to apologise, thank you for giving my book a chance. I hope you like it". He then gave him that smile.

He Xuan, standing by his side, cleared his throat discretely, and pushed a book towards him, meaning: this guy's just being polite, no need to be wagging your tail like that.

Hua Cheng replied mentally, I know, shooting He Xuan a dirty look, and then opened the book with care, not to make bending marks on it, and, reaching for his pens, paused. He wasn't given a bookstore card, the one you write your name (or the name of who you're buying the manga to) so the mangaka gets the right characters.

The guy seemed to realise it himself, blinking in confusion, "Oh I'm sorry, I don't go to many book signings for mangaka, you see", quickly reaching for a business card in his wallet and offering it to Hua Cheng with both hands and a slight bow, "Here, use this". That cute shy smile again!

Hua Cheng was dazed, "Thanks, er", he replied, looking at the card, "Xie Lian".

It said Professor, Art History Department – huh? Professor, him? He didn't look any older than an undergraduate student. Then Hua Cheng noticed the logo on the card, and flashed a knowing smile, "Ah, Tokyo University of Arts. Takes me back".

Xie Lian's face lit up, but before he could say anything they both heard Yin Yu, further at the back, saying, "Please wait a minute, you're next – "

With that, and with He Xuan hard looks on him, Hua Cheng then just wrote a quick message, something like To Xie Lian, thank you for reading my book, I hope you like it, sketching a tiny flower, and a butterfly. With his bad handwriting, he had to do some silly scribbles to add to his mangaka street cred. Admittedly, this one was a bit too elaborate.

Xie Lian received his book, smiled and bowed politely, then thanked him again before walking away. Was it Hua Cheng's imagination, or he seemed to hesitate for a second before leaving? Hua Cheng then realised he had never met someone he actually wanted to chat to and get to know before.

He glanced at He Xuan, just knowing he would say something annoying.

"Cute, wasn't he?", he said by Hua Cheng's ear in his usual bored, tired-of-living tone.

Hua Cheng ignored it, thinking no, that's not it, he wasn't that shallow. Xie Lian was good-looking, but he was... er, different than his usual public. No, he was different than anyone he knew even, but, at the same time, Hua Cheng felt like he's seen him before.

He looked down at that business card Xie Lian probably didn't mean him to have. Maybe the answer was –

Tokyo University of Arts, huh?

He put the card in his breast pocket, and hissed back at He Xuan, "Shut the fuck up".

Picking up a pen, he then greeted and smiled brightly at the next person coming for a book.

Thank you for reading, I hope you liked this Hualian first meeting! 😍

Are you curious to see how they meet next? Because of course they will...

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