The serialization of "The Lonely Gourmet" is currently just an idea of ​​Higashinoji's.

Therefore, even if he really wanted to submit the article, Higashinoji would have to re-plan the time and discuss it carefully with Koharu Hosokawa.

He put the serialization of "The Lonely Gourmet" behind him and returned to the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art.

It took more than ten minutes for Higashino to re-enter the exhibition hall.

Looking at the female students from Hokuei Junior High School who were discussing in low voices in the exhibition, Higashino glanced around, and then he saw the figure of Konoe Ryoka in front of a painting.

At this time, Konoe Ryoka was holding a sketchbook, her head half raised, and her eyes were looking at the oil painting in front of her with confusion.

"Konoe-san, what are you doing?"

Higashino simply walked over and said hello.

"Huh? Ah...I don't quite understand the meaning of this painting."

Konoe Ryoka turned her head, saw Higashinoji, and explained in a low voice.

After saying this, Konoe Ryoka lowered her head, feeling a little confused in her heart.

What's going on? I was obviously scared when I faced Higashinoji before, but why am I not afraid of him at all now?

She felt unfamiliar with her own changes, so she instinctively took two steps back, and then she heard Higashinoji's voice: "Don't you understand the meaning of the painting...? Let me take a look."

Hearing these words, Konoe Ryoka raised her head curiously.

She really couldn't understand the meaning of the oil painting in front of her.

If it were Higashinoji... he should be able to understand the meaning of this oil painting, right?

Konoe Ryoka has inexplicable confidence in Higashinoji.

The painting in front of her is called "Flowers".

It is an abstract oil painting from Musashino Art University.

The other party chose an abstract painting method for a rough composition. The entire painting was a toned blue, with large blue-black blocks and light yellow blocks left on the canvas. Although the color contrast was strong, it was only based on what others thought.

Looking at it, I can't see the shape of the flowers at all.

And this is what Konoe Ryoka doesn't understand.

She glanced at the painting in confusion, then looked at Higashinoki curiously, her big watery eyes looking forward to it.

With Higashikata's level being so high, he must be able to give her a reasonable explanation, right?

In her expectant eyes, Higashinoji stared at the abstract painting titled "Flowers", nodded loudly, and murmured to himself: "Not bad, it's pretty good."

"Have you noticed it, Higashino-san?" Konoe Ryoka couldn't help but ask.

She was particularly interested in the topic of painting. If it weren't for painting, she, a boring gourd, could stand next to Higashinoji for a whole day without saying a word.

And now that Higashinoji is speaking, it means that he must have drawn some conclusion from this abstract painting, right?

Of course Konoe Ryoka wants to ask!

But this sentence only took two seconds to come out of her mouth, and she was dumbfounded by Higashinoji's answer.

"Ah? Did you see it? What did you see?"

Higashino glanced at her and asked in confusion.

"Hey...? It's...that's what the oil painting means...Don't you see that, Higashino-kun...?"

Konoe Ryoka couldn't raise her weak voice, so she could only ask him softly.

After hearing this, Higashinoji laughed loudly, and then waved his hand:

"No, is it so easy to see the taste and meaning of abstract paintings? And maybe the person who painted this painting also painted it when his brain was empty?"

"...Yeah?"

Konoe Ryoka blinked in confusion: "Then Higashino-san, you said that the author of this painting is pretty good...?"

"I came to this conclusion based on the expressiveness of the other person's brushstrokes and colors."

Tonoji smiled and shook his head.

Is abstract painting so easy to understand?

This thing is just like reading comprehension, "What kind of thoughts and feelings does the author express through this passage?" There is no standard answer.

Just like there are a thousand Hamlets in the eyes of a thousand people, Higashinoji's understanding of this painting does not necessarily represent other people's understanding of this painting.

Higashinoji may think it is like this, but in the eyes of others, it is that way. This is probably the principle of so-called abstract painting.

"But the author of this painting is pretty good," Higashinoji said to Konoe Ryoka with a smile.

Is the quality of this painting acceptable?

Konoe Ryoka blankly turned her head to look at the work called "Flowers" in front of her.

She could see nothing but a bunch of meaningless, distorted blocks of color with no meaning at all.

Konoe Ryoka scratched her head, then turned her head to look at Higashinoji, and asked curiously:

"Then how does the author of this painting compare with Higashino-kun?"

Hearing Konoe Ryoka's question, Higashinoji was stunned for a moment, put down the hand holding his chin, and then showed a smile:

"Compare with me?"

He stretched out his hand, crossed his thumb and index finger, and made a "little bit" gesture:

"Then I'm probably a little better than her."

"Yes, really?"

Hearing Higashinoji's words, Konoe Ryoka carefully glanced at the author's name under the title "Flowers".

Author's name: Akisa Kuromiya, it looks like a girl's name.

And she is a sophomore at the school she attends - Musashino Art University in Tokyo.

Musashino Art University...

Konoe Ryoka shrank her neck.

One of the five major art academies in Tokyo, it represents the highest art school in Japan.

Because Kita Gijuku has a cooperative relationship with Musashino Art University, outstanding college students who graduated from Musashino often come to Kita Gijuku to explain university life and painting techniques.

That was a level that Konoe Ryoka could not even imagine, and it was also the university she dreamed of entering.

But Higashinoji said that he was a little higher than this Musashino art college student...

Konoe Ryoka was a little confused.

So when she next looked at the artworks in this exhibition, Konoe Ryoka couldn't help but keep distracted.

Until the school closed at five o'clock in the afternoon, Okano Ryoko gathered all the students together, announced that today's gathering activities were over, and dispersed on the spot.

"Konoe-san, why don't you go back?"

Looking at Konoe Ryoka who was still in a daze, Higashinoji came closer and said hello: "It's already past five o'clock, won't your parents be worried?"

"Huh? Oh...it's okay." Konoe Ryoka regained consciousness and subconsciously replied: "I live alone."

"Really?" Higashinoji glanced at Konoe Ryoka one more time.

He didn't expect that this little girl would be living alone in Tokyo.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, that..."

Konoe Ryoka obviously realized that she had said the wrong thing. After all, living alone is a very private matter. She was stunned and told Higashinoji just now, which made her a little flustered.

"Don't worry, Konoe-san, I won't tell anyone else."

Higashinoji smiled and said haha, thinking that Konoe Ryoka's family situation must be quite complicated.

Otherwise, how could Konoe Ryoka's parents let her, a little girl, live alone outside?

"Well...thank you." Konoe Ryoka nodded slightly, hesitated for a while, and finally said hello: "Then...see you when I go to school, Higashino-san."

"Yeah. See you when I go to school."
Chapter completed!