As everyone knew, whether it was comics or toys, Gian almost never spent his own money.
Whenever he had the chance, he would simply "buy" things from his good friends, Suneo and Nobita, and end up with everything he needed.
Usually, Suneo and Nobita didn't dare say anything about Gian's behavior — after all, he was the undisputed king among the kids.
But this time, after seeing the comic Nobita was reading, both Gian and Suneo immediately perked up.
Even though it looked like a rough draft, the details, storyline, and art style were surprisingly captivating.
"Nobita, you're really selfish. You found such a good comic and didn't even tell us about it beforehand. That's not cool,"
Gian said, walking over with a grin, slinging an arm around Nobita's shoulders.
"No... This isn't mine," Nobita stammered. "It's a comic drawn by Heino. I just saw it myself..."
Nobita understood all too well: when it came to Gian, resisting was useless.
Especially with Gian's large, heavy fists — Nobita's fragile body simply couldn't take too many punches.
So when Gian wrapped his arm around him and spoke with that usual dominating tone, Nobita could only explain helplessly.
"Oh? This was drawn by that new transfer student, Heino?"
Hearing Nobita's explanation, Gian and Suneo exchanged glances, surprise flashing between them.
"Yes, I can vouch for that," Shizuka added, smiling as she stepped forward.
"I just saw Heino drawing another comic earlier."
Shizuka's words carried weight. Although the group often teased and joked around, Shizuka was known for being honest and straightforward.
That meant this impressive stack of comics really came from Heino's own hands?
Gian and Suneo looked at each other again — but this time, their playful smirks were replaced by genuine shock.
Sure, they loved reading comics in their free time, but even they knew creating one was no easy task.
It wasn't just about being able to draw — you had to think about story structure, panel layout, pacing — it was a massive undertaking.
And Heino was just a fifth-grade elementary school student, same as them.
Yet he could already draw complete comics, and they were actually good.
The thought alone was astonishing.
Still, no matter how shocked they were, their interest in the comics didn't fade. Gian, with his usual rough enthusiasm, leaned his whole body onto Nobita, pinning him to the table like a human cushion.
Then he and Suneo eagerly started reading the first chapter from the beginning.
Nobita tried to resist, but against Gian's weight, he didn't stand a chance.
Only after Gian and Suneo had happily flipped through several chapters did Gian finally let Nobita go.
Of course, Gian wasn't trying to hurt him — he still held back enough strength to make it uncomfortable without causing real harm.
"Heino-san, your comics are seriously amazing!" Gian said, beaming.
"My name's Gouda Takeshi, but you can call me Gian."
"You transferred here all the way from China, right? You probably don't know many people yet."
"Since we're classmates now, let's be good friends."
"This guy's Honegawa Suneo — he's a great guy too," Gian added, pointing at his companion.
"If you ever have any trouble or need help, just come find me, Gian!"
After reading Heino's work, Gian genuinely admired the story and was curious to see more.
Since Gian and Suneo hadn't properly introduced themselves to the new student yet, this felt like the perfect opportunity.
It was, in a way, Gian's clumsy attempt to offer friendship.
Seeing Gian pat his chest proudly, Heino chuckled softly and nodded.
"Gian-san, Suneo-san, nice to meet you. I'll be counting on you from now on," Heino replied politely.
He didn't mind getting closer to them — after all, they would be spending a lot of time together.
Besides, Gian might seem rough and careless on the surface, but when it mattered most, he could be surprisingly dependable.
Especially in the theatrical versions — Gian's moments of bravery were practically legendary.
"Since we're friends now," Gian said, his eyes gleaming, "after you finish the rest of the comic... you'll show it to us, right?"
Gian and Suneo rubbed their hands together eagerly, practically vibrating with excitement.
"No problem," Heino replied with a smile. "Once I finish the next part, I'll let you see it."
Of course, Heino easily saw through their little scheme — but he didn't mind.
After all, their enthusiasm was a kind of support and recognition.
To Heino, these two could become loyal fans who helped boost his popularity and reputation — there was no reason to turn them away.
At that moment, thanks to Gian and Suneo's excitement, Heino's system panel showed his Reputation Points had jumped from 159 yesterday to 328.
It was clear that these two had high hopes for his work.