(Just wanted to say something: anyone still reading now must really be a devoted fan, or maybe you all really like my novel. But I always feel like my writing isn't good enough, and I'm torn about it. When better books come along in the future, I just hope you'll still remember me.)
It wasn't as though he hadn't seen the model before, but actually building it would take forever and a day, as people back in Chen Yu's hometown would say.
"It's just for reminiscing anyway, and aren't there two candidates for the competition? Go ask them." Chen Yu spoke expressionlessly, but his hands never stopped working.
In a small room, Chen Yu sat at a table wearing glasses and gloves, with a pile of odds and ends beside him.
Holding some kind of tool, he carved away at a tiny object.
After a long while, Chen Yu took off his glasses to catch his breath. "Finally done. This miniature carving really is a pain."
With that, Chen Yu picked up the phone beside him and opened his saved short videos. A video of someone carving a grain of rice was playing on the screen.
Since he had tried carving before, seeing that video had made him want to challenge himself.
Several days later, however, he had only managed to carve a rough shape and still couldn't do it properly.
So he began practicing whenever he had time. Two months later-today-he had finally finished a piece.
After some thought, he got up, left his little workshop, and went out to the courtyard to relax.
On the way, he ran into Tsukasa, who was taking a break. Seeing Chen Yu come out, Tsukasa asked, "Finished?"
"Finished." Chen Yu stretched and answered lazily.
"Going back in?"
"No. Too tired." Chen