And apart from that day, there hadn't been many chances for people to connect Kasumi Utako with Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"Since you know that I'm Kasumi Utako, shouldn't you be calling me your 'kouhai' instead?" she teased.
Akifumi shrugged nonchalantly.
"In this industry, I might be the 'senpai', but at school, aren't you still the senpai, Kasumigaoka-senpai?"
"Besides, it's just a titleno need to overthink it."
Kasumigaoka Utaha chuckled.
"Only someone like you would say that, senpai. You really are different from the others."
"Then let's just call each other whatever we prefer."
"Fine by me, as long as you're happy."
While formalities like these were a big deal in Japan, Akifumi wasn't actually Japanese at heart.
"So, where would you like me to sign?" he asked.
"Here."
Kasumigaoka Utaha handed him a collector's edition of Madoka Magica she had just bought.
Even though the work had flopped, royalties were based on copies printed, not sold.
Spending a few thousand yen from her savings wasn't a big deal.
With a smile, Akifumi signed, adding "Love & Hope" before handing the book back.
"Thank you for your support, senpai!"
"Oh, by the way, when can we expect Volume 4 of Love Metronome? I'll be sure to support it!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha hesitated, shaking the book in her hand.
Her expression was unreadableneither happy nor upset.
But Akifumi had a feeling she was not pleased.
The reason was obvious.
"Of course, that's not the only reason I asked," he said with a reassuring smile.
"I've read Love Metronome Volumes 1 to 3 carefully.
"The first volume showed promise, though the setup was still a bit rough, and the story connections weren't very strong. But the literary quality was solid, and your descriptions were fantastic."
"In Volume 2, I noticed a clear improvement. Whether it was thanks to your editor's guidance or your own efforts, you were working hard to refine your storytelling."
"And by Volume 3, I'd say you've already created a near-perfect commercial romance novel."
Kasumigaoka Utaha was silent for a moment before offering a sincere, "Thank you."
She had been skeptical at first.
If he had really attended her signing event, why hadn't he stepped forward?
His earlier excuse wasn't very convincing.
Maybe...
'Did you just tag along with a friend?' she wondered.
But the way he described the volumes so precisely made it clearhe had truly read them seriously.
His question wasn't just out of politeness but genuine appreciation for her work.
'To think I'm seeking validation from a kouhai... How pathetic,' she mused, chuckling to herself.
Then, shaking her head, she said, "Unfortunately, you probably won't get to see Volume 4."
Akifumi froze, immediately understanding what she meant.
With a sigh, he said, "That's really a shame."
The series had been axed.
Without a publisher, a fourth volume would never exist.
But Akifumi had no intention of stepping in to help.
At the end of the day, they were just schoolmates and he was just a fan.
He wasn't someone like Tomoya, who would go to great lengths for a story he loved.
Besides, if he did try to help, she might even take it as condescensiona charity case.
And judging by her expression, she had already come to terms with it.
As a fan, it was disappointing to hear the news.
But this feeling would fade in timebecause that's how people are.
Even someone as popular as he was would eventually be forgotten if he stopped releasing new works.
"Well, at least I gained valuable experience from my first series," she said, offering a small, bittersweet smile.
"But today's about your signing event, senpai. Let's not dwell on my situation."
"Good point."
Akifumi smiled and handed her a small gift.
"Thank you for your support! I hope you'll like this little present."
Kasumigaoka Utaha inspected the charm in her hand.
"A Mami Tomoe keychain? How cute."
She twirled it in her fingers, then remarked,
"You know, I actually have something in common with Mami-senpai."
"Hmm?"
"We're both senpai."
Just as she finished speaking, a loud crack rang out.
The next second, Mami-senpai's adorable little head fell off and rolled onto the floor.
Kasumigaoka Utaha froze.
Akifumi's eye twitched as he instinctively averted his gaze.
"...Seriously, what are the chances?"
The timing was too perfect.
Right after saying "we're both senpai," and suddenlyMami's head comes off.
Even with his usual composure, Akifumi had no idea how to react.
The atmosphere turned awkward.
Kasumigaoka Utaha picked up the severed head, inspected it for a moment, then chuckled.
"Senpai, you have such a dark sense of humor."
"Giving your fans this kind of gift"
"For a second, I thought I had broken it myself, but it turns outit's actually a USB drive."
"Ahem."
"Hey, don't look at methis was the editor's idea," Akifumi quickly deflected.
"They said it took a lot of effort to design, and they wanted to test the fans' reactions."
"But wasn't this specifically your idea, senpai?"
Now wasn't the time to expose the truth!
Still, before he could deny it, Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled and said,
"I thought it was just a regular keychain, but it's actually a USB?"
"This is a really thoughtful gift. I love it."
"I'll always support your works, sensei! Thank you for today!"
[107] "WorldEnd" !
Akifumi was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and nodded,
"I'm glad you like it, senpai."
"Since you've been working all day, I can't just take up your time as the last person today..."
Kasumigaoka Utaha held the signed book in her hands, gently placing it against her stomach, then bowed respectfully to Akifumi.
With a face full of youthful vibrance, she smiled warmly, "Goodbye, Senpai."
"Ah, goodbye," Akifumi replied, watching her disappear from sight.
He sighed deeply, stretching his shoulders which were starting to ache.
"This event was great, but it's a bit exhausting."
"You didn't have to work this hard," Mihari said, walking out from the rest area inside the bookstore with a look of disbelief.
"You started an hour early, and then you gave up your only break of the day."
"Well, I was just a little tired, but I made the fans happy, didn't I?"
Mihari smiled wryly, shaking her head.
"I knew you'd say that. But honestly, it's that kind of attitude that makes the fans respect you so much."
Akifumi shrugged nonchalantly, "Maybe I'm just gifted?"
Mihari raised an eyebrow.
"Gifted, huh? You don't look even a little tired after all this time. What's your secret?"
"I don't know, really. I just stick to my usual workout routine, about an hour a day. Somehow, my physical strength has improved drastically. At least three times better than before, in terms of strength... and it's been improving in other areas too."
He chuckled a bit.
"The benefits are clear experience in a lot of things means I don't need reminders to know what to do. But it's important to take care of your body. Especially in this field long hours of sitting, intense focus... if you don't care for your body, you'll start feeling the toll as you age."
Mihari looked at him with a nod of approval.
"I guess you really are some kind of monster."
"So, are we heading to dinner now?" Mihari asked.
"Why not do both? Surely you wouldn't suggest that I'm busy working this long while you're going off to meet someone at a caf?"
Mihari sighed. "I don't have the connections to get a meeting with a chief editor."
Akifumi smiled.
"But Machida-san, the chief editor of Fujimi, did arrange a dinner."
"Then let's go straight there."
Akifumi grabbed his things, stood up, and headed for the door.
Mihari muttered under his breath, "How is this guy not hungry after all that time?"
After a brief 10-minute walk, they arrived at the restaurant.
"Table 12, please follow me," the waiter said as they were led to a table where a woman dressed in professional attire was already seated.
"Her?" Akifumi said, a little surprised but not too much.
They sat down opposite her, and just as Akifumi was about to speak, she smiled and said, "Let's skip the formalities, shall we? You must be hungry after all this, right?"
"Thank you," Akifumi replied, not wasting time as he was indeed starving.
Mihari asked the editor, "Won't you eat?"
"No, not hungry," Mihari responded.
Akifumi didn't hold back and dug into the meal, eating quickly.
Twenty minutes later, he sighed contentedly, "Thank you for the meal."
The table, once full of food, was now mostly empty, except for some sauce and soup.
Machida Sonoko, the woman across from him, looked at the remnants of the meal in shock, then smiled wryly, "That's not my treat; it's on the company."
"Good to have a big company backing you up," Akifumi said, feeling grateful.
"Ah, right," he added, reaching across the table to introduce himself.
"I'm Akifumi Mugiho, fighting in the manga world with love and hope."
"Machida Sonoko, chief editor of Fujimi Bunko."
They shook hands lightly in mutual recognition.
"By the way, Akifumi-sensei, you asked to meet me today for...?"
"I've written a light novel, and I'd like you to take a look at it."
Machida Sonoko blinked in surprise, but before she could say anything, Mihari looked at Akifumi with a completely stunned expression.
"What did you say?"
"I wrote a light novel, calm down."
"Calm down?!" Mihari's voice rose incredulously.
"Why would you stop drawing manga to write a light novel?"
Machida Sonoko nodded quietly, her face unreadable.
Akifumi was completely innocent.
"Look, if I finish drawing, can I get a serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump? But Madoka Magica is almost done."
"It's not like there isn't some time left for that," Mihari said.
"But it's not like you can't try something else in the meantime."
"Exactly! Everyone does multiple things, like writing light novels, doing illustrations, even being an anime director. Why can't I try writing a light novel?"
Mihari was speechless.
Machida Sonoko, after considering her words carefully, said, "Akifumi-sensei, writing a light novel is not as simple as you think, you know..."
"Well, I know that," Akifumi interrupted.
"But I've written a volume already. Maybe you can give it a look and then decide."
Machida Sonoko was momentarily speechless, then asked, "When did you start writing this?"
"Last month."
"Wait... what?" Both Mihari and Machida stared at him in disbelief.
"A whole volume in one month?" Machida's eyes widened.
"Well, I don't have the time to sit around waiting to release a new volume. I might as well try something different in the meantime."
Mihari looked at him like he was crazy, but Machida's curiosity was piqued.
She was intrigued enough to say, "Alright, I'll take a look at it. But don't expect too much."
..................
[TL Note]
Hey there! If you're enjoying this, be sure to check out
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Please remove the hyphen to access the page normally! Just a heads-up, there will be new advanced chapters every day in there! And thank you so much for reading!
[108] Akifumis New Tactic!
Akifumi smiled and nodded, handing over the completed manuscript in his backpack.
"WorldEnd: What Do You Do at the End of the World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us?"
'End of the world? Saving?!'
Machida Sonoko raised an eyebrow, instinctively forming a thought.
"Are you continuing with your usual style?"
The words 'end of the world' easily bring to mind tragedy, much like how 'Anohana' did, where the ghosts of the past give us a clear sense of where the story's conclusion is heading.
"Now that you mention it, I'm a little curious," she mused.
Both "Madoka Magica" and "Anohana" moved people to tears.
While novels and comics differ, one being driven by words and the other by art, Akifumi's storytelling ability rivals that of bestselling authors.
If he can express that skill through words, this could really be something.
Snapping back to reality, Machida flipped through the pages.
Akifumi turned his attention to the side, where a little editor, Mihari, was clearly grinding her teeth in frustration, as if she wanted to bite him.
He casually took out another copy, grinning.
"Since you're bored anyway, do you want to take a look?"
"I still can't agree with you writing light novels!" Mihari declared firmly.
"If I'd known you were up to something like this, I wouldn't have put you in touch with Machida!"
Akifumi rolled his eyes. "You don't seriously think Editor Minano didn't know?"
"Huh?" Mihari stared at him, disbelief on her face. "What do you mean?!"
"Why else would I reach out to the head of light novels if I wasn't planning to dive into it?"
Mihari blinked in surprise, and then realization set in. Could it be that Akifumi's ambitions weren't just confined to manga?
Machida Sonoko was silent for a moment.
"Instead of speculating, how about you take a look at what I've written?" Akifumi suggested.
"You could consider it research for my next manga."
"Next manga?!"
Mihari's eyes widened, as she realized what he meant.
"You're planning to base your next manga on this?!"
"Light novel adaptation, then animation. Sounds pretty standard, right?"
"... Wait, are you really planning to take on two of those roles yourself?"
Inshara mentally screamed, then sighed deeply.
"Let's just sayif this is bad, I won't let you go ahead with it."
"Well, we'll see after you've read it, right?"
"Hmph!"
Golden-haired characters are always so tsundere, anime never lies!
As they focused on the manuscript, Akifumi rubbed his stomach, still a little hungry.
He thought for a moment, then flagged down the waiter.
"Bring me this, this, and one more of that."
The two of them, momentarily distracted, glanced at him with surprise.
'Next time we're meeting with Akifumi, let's just head to a buffet,' Mihari mused, already plotting for the future.
'I mean, it's company money, but if we order too much, finance will ask too many questions.'
They briefly entertained the thought before turning their attention back to the work in front of them.
Soon, all their focus was completely captured by the text.
An hour and a half later...
"Phew."
Machida Sonoko placed the manuscript down and looked at Akifumi with a complex expression.
