"Well, after reviewing everything, I know the final page count will wrap up in the 11th volume."
"The 11th volume?" Mihari was taken aback. "So, why...?"
Akifumi explained, "Right now we're at the 5th volume, and with the next month having three volumes, that'll work out perfectly."
"The editor was wondering if that's what you meant, right?"
"Hmm."
"However, two volumes a month, or even four, would work too, right?"
Mihari was left speechless.
"Well, I suppose that does make sense," she admitted.
"It was just mentioned that the next volumes would likely be released in batches of three, but it seems two or four works too."
"Was this a sudden decision?" she asked.
"Not exactly." Akifumi shook his head seriously. "I just don't want the fans to suffer too much."
"Suffer too much?"
"If we release three volumes next month, the fans will be heartbroken waiting for the conclusion."
In the penultimate chapter of Volume 7, Arima Kousei and the others visit the hospitalized Miyazono Kaori.
That was when Your Lie in April began to truly unfold.
Arima Kousei: "The Sadness of Love this piece reminds me of my mom."
"The scent of laundry detergent, the piano sounds I could hear in my dream, the gentle lullaby hum..."
"The smell of disinfectant, footsteps echoing down the hall, the linen floor tainted white, and your figure overlapping with it."
"You're not going to be okay, right? You said it was just a check-up, didn't you?"
"You won't tell me you're never coming back to school, will you?"
"Can we see each other again?"
"You're not... You're not going to disappear like Mom did, right?"
Fans may have held onto some hope when they saw this scene, but by the time they read Volume 8, all illusions would be shattered.
"Rather than cruelly forcing them to wait for April's final conclusion, it's better to leave them with a little hope before then," Akifumi said, sighing inwardly.
"I'm too soft-hearted, really."
If the fans had to witness Kaori lying in a hospital room, blood spilling on the floor, and the final line reading, "Will you die with me?" they would probably burst into tears.
"A little hope, huh..." Mihari muttered, sighing. "Speaking of which, why does your work always have so many 'knives'?"
As an editor, Mihari had already heard enough to know that the ending wouldn't be a happy one.
From that line "It's as fragile as if it's about to disappear, but still struggling to shine." one could already imagine the kind of emotional blow that would land on the characters.
"Well..." Akifumi didn't explain but responded seriously, "Just because there are knives doesn't mean it's all tragic."
At least in the fans' comments from his previous life, the debate between whether his works were more healing or heart-wrenching had ultimately tilted in favor of the former!
"So, does this mean four volumes will be released next?" Mihari sighed.
"Even before it starts, I can already imagine how brutal the next four will be."
[161] Bad Premonition
After all, the manga artists Mihari's handling aren't just limited to Akifumi Mugiho.
Including him, there are three other mangakas whose works are being serialized in magazines under her watch!
The workload has increased significantly compared to when she first started.
Speaking of which, the Tezuka Award will be starting in April...
"Sigh" Mihari couldn't help but sigh again.
"I feel like I need to ask Minano-san for a raise!"
The lightheartedness and joy she had when she first joined the company seemed like a distant memory.
"Do you want me to talk to her for you?" In response, Akifumi received an eye-roll from the young editor.
She was just joking, but was he planning on taking her seriously?
"By the way, Minano-san asked me to tell you that the first three episodes of 'Steins;Gate' are ready."
"Oh?!" Akifumi's eyes lit up, a little excited. "Are there copies from the completed episodes?"
He had put in quite a bit of effort for this project, after all.
As the screenwriter, coordinating with the director was an essential part of the process.
Thankfully, the two directors working on this were among the most capable in the company.
They quickly understood his ideas with just a few words, so he didn't have to worry too much about the final result.
But still, he wanted to see it for himself.
Mihari smiled and handed him a neatly wrapped CD.
"The screenwriter also asked if you could take a look and see if there's anything that needs adjusting."
"After all, no one knows the script better than you, and only you can tell if the presentation matches the story you envisioned."
Akifumi waved his hand. "Well, my ideas aren't necessarily the best. Both directors are professionals. What can I possibly suggest?"
"I'll just watch for fun," he said, taking the CD and carefully putting it away.
"By the way, the company's speed is really impressive."
"The last time we spoke was at the beginning of the month, and now, just a little over two weeks later, they've completed three episodes!"
Mihari didn't know much about the specifics of the project, but Minano had mentioned a few things.
"They said they're really focused on this script, so they've put a lot of manpower and resources into it."
"Actually, they already finish up to episode five is almost finished too."
"Does that mean we'll be seeing it on screen soon?"
Akifumi felt a rush of excitement.
"I'm not sure," Mihari said, shaking her head. "For the specifics, you'll have to ask Minano-san."
"I understand."
After that, the two of them moved on from work and began chatting casually.
Later that evening, Akifumi returned home.
On the way back, he learned from Minano that, if there is no unexpected issues, Steins;Gate would likely air in early to mid-March.
The production had been targeted for awards, which is why they didn't plan to follow the usual seasonal release schedule.
In fact, even in his past life, there had been times when things didn't follow the typical release schedule, and in this world, that was even more common.
"What's Mugiho-kun planning to do?" Mahiru asked curiously.
You should know that in their house, the TV was more of a decoration, collecting dust most of the time.
Turning it on today was a first.
"Well, I'm going to watch an anime. Want to join?"
"Sure!" Mahiru smiled and sat next to Akifumi.
"By the way, where's Mashiro?"
"Mashiro went out with Eriri."
"Eh? Those two?"
Mahiru tried to imagine the scene but couldn't quite picture it.
"They ran out to buy more art supplies."
Akifumi chuckled. "How much can those two carry? It's something I could easily do myself."
It seemed like a small amount, but when you added it up, it turned out to be a lot, especially since three people were consuming the supplies.
They always bought in large quantities.
Mahiru shrugged. "Well, I said the same thing, but they know you've been busy finishing Your Lie In April, so they took care of the small stuff."
"They also knew they couldn't buy as much as you in one go, so they're just getting the essentials and ordering the rest online."
Though online shopping had become quite convenient, some specialized supplies were still easier to find offline.
Hearing this, Akifumi nodded, feeling a warmth in his chest.
"Well, let's not worry about them. Let's just watch the show."
"Okay."
The two settled in, comfortably sitting together. They had grown accustomed to this position by now.
"Is this the anime you're working on, Mugiho-kun?" Mahiru asked, looking at the screen.
"Yep."
Akifumi nodded, focusing his gaze on the TV.
Since it wasn't a completed version yet, the opening and background music weren't in place, and they jumped straight into the story.
Mahiru also watched carefully.
The three episodes only lasted an hour, and before long, it was over.
With the screen going black, Akifumi nodded in satisfaction.
The performance was excellent in all aspects, even better than the original.
This wasn't surprising, considering how advanced the animation industry and technology were in this world.
Moreover, the two directors working on the project were more skilled than the original ones, so the result was expected.
In contrast to Akifumi's satisfaction, Mahiru seemed a little confused.
Noticing her expression, he asked, "Is something wrong?"
"It just feels... kind of strange?"
Though Mahiru was no longer a complete beginner, Steins;Gate still felt a bit difficult for her.
Akifumi smiled. "Well, the beginning of the story can feel a bit chaotic. Some parts are vague, but it's all setting things up for the future."
"I see!" Mahiru nodded, relieved.
"To be honest, I thought Mugiho-kun's anime might not be that great."
After all, compared to his previous works, the first three episodes of this one did seem to have some noticeable differences.
Akifumi wasn't offended. He laughed and explained, "The first 12 episodes are all about setting things up."
"It's only after episode 12 that the true charm of the show will shine through!"
"I believe in you, Mugiho-kun!" Mahiru said enthusiastically.
"By the way, will Eriri and Mashiro be back for lunch?"
"Um... probably not."
As she said this, Mahiru's cheeks turned visibly red.
It seemed like she had an idea of what was going on.
Akifumi gave her a knowing smile.
With that, the first two volumes of Your Lie In April were released on March 5, and as expected, the bookshops were packed with fans lining up to buy copies.
Like last time, the books sold out in just a few hours.
"Dammit! They're already sold out?!"
"Hey, shopkeeper, didn't you know how well Your Lie In April was doing? Why didn't you order more copies?"
"Now we have to wait days again!"
The store owner could only grin awkwardly, trying to explain and calm the frustrated fans.
As the series progressed, sales were becoming more and more unpredictable.
They had seen many people claim they were fans, but when the release day came, only a few actually showed up to buy the books.
As a long-established bookstore, they had learned their lesson and preferred to be cautious.
Better to sell fewer copies and make less money than risk getting stuck with unsold stock.
Those who managed to get copies of the books, however, didn't care about the shortage.
They happily carried their purchases books back home.
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[162] Fans' Hearts Are Broken! A Million Fans Plead for No "Knife" Moments!!
A few hours later, Akifumi social media was flooded with posts from fans.
"???"
"What's going on with these last two volumes?! Sensei, please don't scare me like this!!"
"I'm too scared to handle this!! Please don't bring out the knife!!"
"Wasn't this supposed to be healing? Why does it feel like it's heading towards an emotional wreck instead?!"
"Calm down, calm down! Let's think this through I can't think straight at all!! What on earth is going on?! I feel like I'm going to crack!!"
"I can only say, Arima's monologue was way too terrifying! Please, for the love of everything, don't let this end like that!!"
"Those pages where Kaori and Arima's mother overlap almost made me cry! Sensei, please come out and tell uswill we be getting more knives or sugar after this?! Ugh!"
"Who said there were only two volumes this month?! Come out here, I'm going to punch you!!"
"Ugh, it's so frustrating! Why does it have to stop right here, at such a crucial point!!"
"Weren't we promised it would end in April? Only two volumes this month, how is this going to wrap up next time?!"
Seeing Kaori in the hospital, and the exchange during her visit, fans were overwhelmed with a sense of dread.
But the next chapter didn't focus on Kaori at all, which only made their unease grow.
It reached the point where even the performances, once something fans would have eagerly anticipated, now took a backseat.
They loved a character so much that they laughed, cried, and celebrated her experiences.
Without a doubt, Miyazono Kaori was an incredibly successful character in Your Lie in April.
That's why everyone was so unsettled by her hospitalization and Arima's ominous monologue.
For those fans who initially thought this was a healing story, the situation felt more like an emotional downfall instead, and they began to analyze it with increasing detachment.
"It's obvious, everyone was fooled by how the story started. This is undoubtedly sensei's usual style!"
"The plot might change, but the knife will come, there's no doubt about it!"
"That's right, the heart-wrenching pain is what I love about this Sensei's work!!"
"After reading the latest two volumes, I flipped through the previous ones and realized sensei had already set up so many foreshadowing moments."
"Remember when Kaori asked Arima to play for her? Her words, 'support methe me who's about to be crushed,' could this be hinting that she's about to be defeated by her illness, and her life is coming to an end?"
"Even when she collapsed at the competition and had to be hospitalized, the signs were clear."
"Her life is fragile, almost fading away, yet she's still fighting to shine. It's like a firefly's weak, fleeting lifesuch a foreshadowing!"
"And, 'Your Lie in April'is this really just a girl hiding her feelings for a boy? Could every word in Arima's monologue be another reason for the lies?"
Looking back, these analyses seemed so obvious, and they were incredibly persuasive. But
"Stop analyzing it! I won't believe anything unless sensei says so!!"
"These explanations could explain Kaori's strange symptoms, but there's more than one possibility! I'm sure this is just a process before healing begins!!"
"No way, it's already so obvious, and some people still refuse to believe it?"
"Think about sensei's past works. Every move is justified, like the rule that if you stop playing, you get eliminated. That rule doesn't change!"
"What do I do? I'm scared to see the ending of Volume 4."
"Is there really going to be a knife? No, not my Kaori!!"
"You evil bastard, don't hurt Kaori! Doesn't your conscience hurt?!"
With such clear logic, many fans were beginning to lean towards the emotional wreck theory.
Of course, some still firmly believed that this was just the painful process before the light at the end of the tunnel.
