AFTERWORDS
Thank you for reading Volume 4!
This time the story is about
the end of fall and winter. I feel that the memories of winter are a bit
bitter, what about the readers?
While I was writing this story,
I was thinking about Christmas Eve in my junior year of high school, right
before the entrance exam. I remember going to a city full of lovers with a
friend from the same tutoring school during the break, buying Christmas cookies
from a convenience store on the spur of the moment, and eating them in the
classroom. It must have felt so bittersweet as an emotion at the time, but now
it's just an emo memory.
Unusual things tend to be
remembered, yes. I'm sure that for Ryuuto, this is a winter event that he will
remember deeply, even after he grows up.
Speaking of memories, Purikura
is also a nostalgic memory. I occasionally write stories with girls in them (and there's a feminine girl in Otaku-so no
sleazy Gyaru Ojou-sama), so I'm a bit up to date with the current Purikura
situation, but the current Purikura machine has changed so much since my
working days that if I had a girl friend now and took her there, I'd probably
experience culture shock and be more disgusted than Ryuuto.
In high school, I loved getting
purikura photos from my friends and their boyfriends. I even asked for them
myself: ‘You're not going to give them to
anyone else, are you? Give them to me.’ It was similar to the feeling of
wanting to see a fictitious couple and getting excited, so I enjoyed watching
my friends' relationships. Even though I didn't have a boyfriend, I used to put
them in my photo album and sometimes look at them with a smile. But when I
think about it now, it feels a little scary....
Since I take good care of my
things, one of my few points of pride is having them around for a long time.
That is why I still have my old photo albums. I can show them anytime. So,
friends who once gave me purikura photos with their boyfriends, shudder and
lose sleep...
So, in other words (forced change of subject), this is
already the fourth volume. The reason this has gone on for so long is solely
thanks to you, the readers..
The fragments of the story
about Luna and Maria that unfold in volumes three and four were at least part
of my plan when volume one was published. At the time of the second volume,
however, there was no prospect of further volumes being published. Therefore,
for the time being, I prioritized developing the relationship between Luna and
Ryuuto, and as a result, I felt uncomfortable portraying Maria as convenient
fodder.
I am very happy that I was able
to portray Maria's character well, and in this way, she became a necessary
character in Ryuuto and Luna's story, ending the story of the two sisters.
Hasn't the romantic situation
of these supporting characters changed drastically from before, making it even
harder to turn away from them? (A style
that continues to provoke and apply pressure)
---
This time, I can't thank
illustrator Magako-sama enough for drawing such wonderful illustrations!
Especially Before-After Icchi's
illustrations, thank you so much for fulfilling my unreasonable request!
I'm always grateful to my editor,
Matsubayashi-san, for his support and for taking care of me like a crying
parent. Thanks to him, I was able to concentrate on writing the novel.
And as we announced in Dragon
Magazine, ‘Keiken zumi na Kimi to~’
will be adapted into a manga! The manga will be released on February 23rd, four
days after the book's release date. So be sure to check it out on ‘Gangan
ONLINE’!
Then, for those who have read
the main chapter and the epilogue so far, I guess you've guessed it, but with
gratitude, we've decided to release the fifth volume as well.
Ryuuto and Luna's story has
gone through spring, summer, fall, and winter, and will finally reach spring in
the next volume. Please witness the development of their love as they face
their final year of high school, as well as the teenage lives of the friends
around them!
See you in the next volume!
Nagaoka
Makiko, January 2022.
