Chapter 299: Starlight-chan, Here We Go! (Patreon)

Ever since that day, Kosaka Akane and Machida Sonoko seemed to have evaporated into thin air.

They never came looking for Tsushima Kagami again.

No messages. No calls.

At first, Tsushima Kagami still checked his phone now and then, just to make sure he hadn't missed a notification.

But as the days passed, the screen stayed quiet in a way that felt increasingly strange.

It was the same with Sayuri.

When had they last talked, anyway?

Tsushima Kagami scrolled back through his messages and call log, only to find that the last record was from that day she'd said she was staying up all night to draw.

He'd replied with, "Take care of yourself," and that had been the end of it.

The new house was huge, every room spacious and bright, sunlight spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the empty floor.

Sometimes Tsushima Kagami would stand in the middle of the living room, looking around, remembering how not long ago this place had been as lively as a small editorial office.

Hiratsuka Shizuka's running commentary, the soft rustle of Nayotake quietly turning pages, Kosaka Akane and Machida Sonoko and Sayuri all arguing over each other...

Seika sitting off to the side plucking at her guitar, and Yukinoshita Shizuku, who had always stayed by his side.

Those sounds seemed to linger in the walls; if he stayed still enough, he could almost hear the echoes.

But an echo was still just an echo.

He'd once joked that this house might end up becoming what his past life had called a harem stage...

Now, though, he didn't even have cannon fodder left. He'd gone straight to being a lone bachelor.

How had it suddenly turned into this?

It didn't seem right.

Truly, a woman's heart is unfathomable.

Tsushima Kagami leaned back on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling, twirling a pencil worn down to a stub between his fingers.

"Ugh... so boring."

He picked up his phone and idly scrolled through his contacts. A familiar name jumped out at him.

Yamada Kenta.

Come to think of it, this guy had barely been in touch since he got into university.

Seemed like he'd gotten into the same school as Hazuki Hotaru.

Some friend he turned out to be, ditching his buddy for a girl, huh, Kenta!

Actually, the two of them had tried to make plans a few times before, but it was always either Kenta had class or he himself had something going on — the timing never lined up.

Tsushima Kagami opened the chat window, typed a few words, deleted them, and finally just called instead.

"Hello?"

Kenta's signature lazy voice came through the line, mixed with some background noise, like he was outside somewhere.

"Kenta, it's me."

"Oh~ Kagami! Long time no see!"

Yamada Kenta's voice immediately jumped half an octave.

"What, did the great novelist finally remember his best friend?"

"Clearly you're the one who's been too busy drowning in Hazuki's tender loving care to spare a thought for me!"

Tsushima Kagami laughed softly at the voice on the phone.

Kenta shot right back.

"Tender loving care, my foot — aren't things a lot more tender on your end than mine?"

Tsushima Kagami thought about it. That was... probably true.

But he definitely couldn't admit it.

"Enough chatter. You free tomorrow? Let's grab a meal."

"Are you asking me for a favor right now?"

"How dare you talk to the great novelist like that! Take it or leave it!"

"I'll take it, I'll take it, of course."

Kenta chuckled a few times, then his voice turned a bit more serious.

"Actually, I've got some good news to tell you. Let's talk in person."

"Tomorrow afternoon? The usual spot? That café next to the private prep school?"

"Works for me."

Tsushima Kagami hung up, the corner of his mouth lifting without him meaning it to.

Finally, something to do.

The next afternoon, still with no one to bother him, the still-solitary Tsushima Kagami headed out early.

But instead of going straight to the café in Shinjuku, he walked toward Fujiwara Bookstore.

Ever since he'd moved out of the apartment in Bunkyo Ward, he'd rarely come by anymore, except when a new release came out and he'd ask owner Fujiwara and Mr. Tanaka to pack copies of the monthly issue in advance.

And once the school term started, he'd been too busy with one thing or another, so despite being in the same ward, he still hadn't come to visit.

So this time, with some free time before his appointment, he decided to drop by and catch up with owner Fujiwara and Mr. Tanaka.

He got off the train and walked down the familiar street.

From a distance, he could already see a short line forming outside Fujiwara Bookstore.

He paused, startled — there had never been a line here before.

As he got closer, he made out a few young girls standing by the entrance, taking photos on their phones.

A couple of guys were also there, holding up DSLR cameras, snapping shot after shot of the store's sign.

"This is the legendary Fujiwara Bookstore?"

"Yeah, yeah, the one Sensei Tsushima came to! Look, his autograph's on the wall!"

"Whoa, really! Take my picture, quick!"

Tsushima Kagami quietly pulled a mask out of his pants pocket, put it on, and slipped past them.

He pushed open the door; a crisp bell chimed.

He froze.

The bookstore was nearly twice as big as he remembered.

The shop next door had been bought out and merged in, connected through a newly built arched doorway.

The whole decor had changed too.

Natural-wood shelves paired with warm yellow lighting, light gray carpet on the floor, and in one corner, there was even a little drink bar.

A few comfortable armchairs were arranged around a low coffee table, with sample books and potted plants on top.

A customer sat there sipping coffee while flipping through a book, looking thoroughly at ease.

The staff wasn't just owner Fujiwara and Mr. Tanaka anymore, either.

Behind the register stood a young woman with her hair in a ponytail, and over by the drink bar, a bespectacled young man was wiping down glasses.

"Welcome..."

The ponytailed girl looked up and gave him a smile.

Tsushima Kagami nodded and swept his gaze around the shop.

No sign of owner Fujiwara.

Mr. Tanaka, though — no, he should call him Supervisor Tanaka now.

He was weaving between the bookshelves, a stack of labels in hand, looking like he was in the middle of some organizing work.

He wore a light blue shirt, looking a lot more energetic than back when he'd worked part-time at the shop.

But that restless, can't-sit-still energy hadn't changed a bit.

"Mr. Tanaka."

Tsushima Kagami walked over and called out softly.

Mr. Tanaka turned, blinked in surprise for a moment, then broke into a delighted grin.

"Sensei Tsushima! It's been so long!"

He hurried over, lowering his voice.

"What brings you here? You should've told us ahead of time — I'd have had the boss get ready."

"No need for all that. I was just passing by, thought I'd drop in."

Mr. Tanaka smiled and led him further inside, through the arched doorway, to a relatively quiet corner by the drink bar.

"Sit, please. I'll go get the boss."

Tsushima Kagami had just settled onto the sofa when he heard footsteps coming down from the second floor.

Owner Fujiwara was as unhurried as ever, wearing a dark gray kimono jacket, a cup of tea in hand, ambling slowly down the stairs.

Seeing Tsushima Kagami, he broke into a delighted grin and gave a small nod.

"Owner Fujiwara, it's been a while."

"I figured once Sensei Tsushima made a name for himself, he'd never show his face at this little shop again."

"So, how's life at the University of Tokyo treating you?"

Owner Fujiwara sat down across from him, set his teacup on the table, looked him up and down, and teased with a smile.

"Ha, I really have been a bit busy lately."

"Isn't that why I came by today, since I finally had some free time?"

Mr. Tanaka came over carrying a tray with a freshly brewed pot of tea and a few small plates of snacks.

"Sensei Tsushima, this is our new drink-bar menu. Give it a try."

"Thanks."

Tsushima Kagami took the teacup, sipped, looked around, and couldn't help but sigh.

"It's only been a few months since I was here last."

"The place has changed so much, I almost didn't recognize it."

"A few months? It's been nearly half a year now."

Owner Fujiwara said, sighing.

Tsushima Kagami thought about it — right, it had indeed been over half a year since he'd come back after New Year's, delivered souvenirs to the few acquaintances he had in Tokyo, then spent the whole stretch tutoring everyone, straight through university entrance and up to today.

Mr. Tanaka sat down beside them, smiling.

"We really have you to thank for this."

"Ever since you signed autographs for fans here last time, the shop just blew up."

"So many young people come all the way out here just to check in, take photos, buy a book or two — business is many times better than before."

This all traced back to the time Tsushima Kagami had visited and been recognized by a random passerby fan, then got pulled into signing autographs for a crowd of people.

Little by little, Fujiwara Bookstore had become an internet-famous spot, and plenty of students from Bunkyo Ward would drop by just to take photos whenever they had nothing else to do.

The shop's buzz and foot traffic had steadily climbed since.

"I see you rented out the shop next door too?"

"That's right."

Mr. Tanaka nodded.

"The boss hesitated for a good while, but in the end decided to expand."

"Now, besides selling books, we've also opened a drink bar. A lot of customers end up sitting here for a whole afternoon."

Tsushima Kagami looked over at owner Fujiwara.

"Boss, business is this good, so why the long face?"

Owner Fujiwara picked up his teacup and blew gently on the foam.

"Business really has gotten better, but there's also a lot more to deal with now, and it's busier."

Owner Fujiwara complained, sounding troubled.

Tsushima Kagami couldn't help but smile knowingly — after all, owner Fujiwara had never been all that invested in the shop to begin with.

Before Mr. Tanaka had volunteered himself, the man's business philosophy had basically been: as long as it doesn't go under, that's good enough.

It seemed the renovation and the new drink-bar lounge area had probably been Mr. Tanaka's idea.

Still, despite all his complaining, the current state of the shop made it clear that owner Fujiwara trusted Mr. Tanaka a great deal and hadn't shot down his proposals.

Tsushima Kagami couldn't help but laugh.

The three of them sat and chatted for a while.

Mr. Tanaka did most of the talking, going through every little change at the shop in exhaustive detail.

Which shelf sold best, which drink was most popular at the bar, roughly how much foot traffic there was on weekends.

It sounded like he was delivering a market research report.

Owner Fujiwara, meanwhile, kept complaining about how his wife and kids never wanted to spend more time with him.

But even as he grumbled, the happy, contented look on his face made it obvious his family life was a good one.

"Come to think of it."

Tsushima Kagami suddenly remembered something.

"Mr. Tanaka, you're still running the 2CH site, right?"

A somewhat sheepish smile crossed Mr. Tanaka's face.

"That's right. I work at the shop during the day and maintain the site at night."

"That sounds exhausting."

"Not at all, not at all."

Mr. Tanaka waved his hands quickly.

"I'm not the only one maintaining the site. I just happened to get the title of administrator because of you."

"If it weren't for reading your writing back then, I'd probably have ended up homeless — there's no way I'd have had the nerve to offer myself up to owner Fujiwara."

"Getting to work for you now, and drawing two paychecks — I'm a lucky man."

Tsushima Kagami listened to Mr. Tanaka's thanks without offering much of a reaction.

Back when he'd had his mother buy out the 2CH forum outright, he'd thought of Mr. Tanaka, who used to work in the computer industry at a multinational company before losing his job.

He'd figured he'd just be handing an old acquaintance a part-time gig. Instead, once Mr. Tanaka took over, working at the bookstore by day and running the forum by night, the place had somehow kept getting better and better run.

Still, he worried — wouldn't that leave him with no time for his family, and cause friction at home?

Feeling a little guilty, Tsushima Kagami asked Tanaka Toneri directly.

"Mr. Tanaka, doesn't this mean you don't have time for your wife and kids?"

Tanaka Toneri glanced over at owner Fujiwara and smiled.

"Don't worry, Sensei Tsushima."

"Thanks to the boss's understanding, I get to head home by four-thirty every day now."

"I even get to make dinner with my wife after she picks up the kids."

"And besides, the actual site operations and maintenance are mostly handled by your company's staff."

"I just provide some technical support remotely from home."

"So in the evenings I have plenty of time to keep an eye on things while spending time with my wife and kids."

"Don't worry — this Tanaka fellow lives a better life than I do these days."

"Look at that healthy glow on his face — he doesn't look like a corporate slave at all."

"If anything, I'm the one who looks more like a corporate slave, and he's the one who looks like the boss!"

Owner Fujiwara said, patting Tanaka Toneri's shoulder.

"Boss, you're too kind."

Tanaka Toneri said with a laugh.

Hearing all this, Tsushima Kagami laughed too.

"Well then, I can rest easy."

Tanaka Toneri went on.

"And besides."

He lowered his voice and leaned in a little closer.

"I can't speak up for you in traditional media the way seniors, journalists, or critics can."

"But online, I can help make your voice heard."

"Being able to do that — I think it's meaningful."

Tsushima Kagami smiled after hearing that.

All three of them shared a knowing smile.

Tanaka Toneri had always been his number one fan and his number one online army of one.

Back when his 'Cheesecake' had first blown up, it was thanks to a post Tanaka Toneri had made online, which had later gotten massively liked and reposted.

From then on, Mr. Tanaka had become his own personal grassroots army.

He'd also pulled in fans from all over, forming an online fan club with serious influence.

Every time a new book came out, he'd take the initiative to stir up buzz online.

And whenever public opinion turned against Tsushima Kagami, he'd organize large-scale efforts to smooth things over.

Especially after buying out 2CH — with their own home turf secured now, any thread about Tsushima Kagami got jumped on and managed immediately.

If someone praised Tsushima Kagami, Tanaka Toneri would like it; if someone trashed him, he'd rally a crew of fans to push back together.

"Well, I'll keep relying on you going forward, Mr. Tanaka."

Tsushima Kagami said with a smile, entrusting him with it.

Mr. Tanaka puffed out his chest.

"You've entrusted me with such an important site — of course I'll run it well."

"And honestly, your work really does deserve that praise. I'm not flattering you against my conscience."

Owner Fujiwara chimed in unhurriedly from the side.

"Every time a shipment of your new books comes in, he stops unloading anything else."

"He just stands there flipping through them, can't wait — I can't get him to do anything else."

"I really can't help myself..."

Mr. Tanaka flushed, scratching his head, embarrassed.

Tsushima Kagami smiled and raised his teacup.

"Either way, thank you both for the support."

The three of them talked for quite a while longer.

From the shop's business to the forum's operations, and from the forum's operations to what Tsushima Kagami was writing lately.

Time slipped by unnoticed, until Tsushima Kagami suddenly came back to himself.

He glanced at his phone and realized with a start that it was almost time for his meeting with Kenta.

"I should get going."

Tsushima Kagami stood up.

"I'm meeting a friend today."

Mr. Tanaka and owner Fujiwara both hurried to their feet.

"Let me walk you out."

"No need, no need — you're both busy."

Owner Fujiwara sat back down on the sofa, just giving him a nod.

"Looking forward to Sensei Tsushima's new book."

"Sure thing, definitely."

"See you!"

"See you!"

The café across from the front gate of the private elite prep school was a mid-sized chain.

There were quite a few people there on a weekend afternoon, but thankfully the space was large enough that it wasn't too crowded.

Tsushima Kagami pushed the door open, glanced around, and quickly spotted the familiar figure by the window.

Yamada Kenta had bulked up a fair bit since high school.

His face hadn't changed much, still that grin that told you at a glance he wasn't exactly a model citizen.

He wore a dark gray hoodie, his hair a bit longer than before, bangs falling carelessly over his forehead.

But what made Tsushima Kagami's steps falter was the person sitting next to Kenta.

Hazuki Hotaru.

She sat beside him, wearing a loose off-white knit sweater.

Her old bob cut had grown out into long hair, tied into a side ponytail resting against her shoulder.

She looked a good deal softer overall than in high school, her features carrying a touch more maturity.

But what drew the eye most wasn't her face — it was the slight swell of her belly.

Tsushima Kagami froze for a second, then hurried over and sat down across from the two of them.

"Kenta, Hotaru... it's been a while."

"Kagami!"

Kenta grinned wide, reaching over to slap his shoulder.

"You haven't changed a bit, you jerk."

"It's only been one semester since we last saw each other."

"What would've changed?"

"You, on the other hand, sure have changed a lot."

Tsushima Kagami's gaze went back and forth between Kenta and Hotaru.

Finally landing on Hotaru's belly.

"This... what's going on here?"

Hazuki Hotaru lowered her head slightly, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.

She gently stroked her belly, saying nothing.

Yamada Kenta looked a little embarrassed too, gently draping an arm around Hazuki Hotaru's shoulders, his eyes crinkling into a smile.

"I'd been planning to propose once Hotaru turned twenty."

"But as you can see, there was a little... unexpected surprise."

"Anyway, I'm going to be a dad."

"When you called, I was actually writing up your invitation."

"You jerk, something this huge, and you didn't even tell me sooner!"

"All right, congratulations, you two."

"Now that's more like it."

Kenta nodded, satisfied.

Hazuki Hotaru also smiled at Tsushima Kagami and said softly,

"Thank you, Kagami."

Her voice still carried that same mischievous, quirky energy as before, but with more steadiness to it now.

Probably because of having Kenta by her side, she seemed a lot more relaxed than she used to be.

Tsushima Kagami knew Hazuki Hotaru was referring to that time she'd asked him to deliver Valentine's chocolate to Yamada Kenta for her.

Ever since then, it seemed the two of them had gotten together without a hitch.

As for how exactly they'd worked things out and talked it through in between, that he had no idea.

In any case, the two of them clearly looked very happy now, and that was enough.

Watching them, Tsushima Kagami felt an odd feeling stir inside him.

Envy? That didn't seem quite right, though there was a bit of that too.

A kind of wistfulness, maybe. Probably that.

"It should be me thanking Kenta."

"No way, Kenta should be thanking me!"

Tsushima Kagami said, watching Yamada Kenta with interest.

"Isn't that right, Kenta?"

"Ahaha, let's not bring that up again!"

Hazuki Hotaru also smiled and looked over at Yamada Kenta beside her.

Then she gave him a light pinch and asked softly in his ear.

"Is there something you haven't told me, Kenta?"

"Nope, nothing!"

Yamada Kenta laughed it off, clearly not having told Hazuki Hotaru about what had happened that day with Tsushima Kagami — or at least not the whole story.

Yamada Kenta's smile turned more and more strained, then he changed the subject.

"Ahaha, that one's a secret between me and Kagami — man to man!"

"Right, Kagami!"

Yamada Kenta shot him a look.

Tsushima Kagami smiled and nodded along.

"That's right, a secret between the two of us guys!"

"Is that so? Well, guess there's nothing I can do about it, then."

Hazuki Hotaru put on her best wifely, resigned look, smiling at the two of them as if to say she had no choice but to give up.

"Oh, right, actually this is a good moment for it."

Tsushima Kagami snapped out of his thoughts, pulled a thick manila envelope out of his bag, and set it on the table, sliding it toward Kenta.

"This, it's for you two."

"What is it?"

Kenta picked up the envelope, opened it, and found a stack of printed manuscript pages inside.

Hazuki Hotaru leaned in to look too.

Printed on the cover were three words — "The Little Prince."

This was the gift Tsushima Kagami had brought specially for the occasion.

He still remembered that Hazuki Hotaru was a fan of his work too.

So he'd figured this would make a fitting gift for their long-overdue reunion.

"Your new work?"

Kenta flipped through it, eyebrows rising higher and higher.

"Why is it a printout?"

"Hasn't it been published yet?"

Hazuki Hotaru asked, curious as well.

"Yeah, haven't found the right publisher yet."

Tsushima Kagami picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip.

"But it should be soon."

"This is a manuscript printout, not something you can buy anywhere — I'd originally meant to give it to Hotaru to read."

"But now, I guess it can double as a gift for your baby."

"It's a kind of children's literature — a fairy tale, really."

"Thank you, Sensei Tsushima!"

The moment Hazuki Hotaru saw the printout, she immediately switched from calling him by his real name to his pen name, delighted.

She hadn't expected to get to read Tsushima Kagami's new work before it was even published — and in a brand-new genre, children's literature, no less.

Whether as a reader and fan, or as a friend soon to bring a new life into the world.

This was a wonderful surprise of a gift, either way.

A hand-delivered printout of a first draft was worth far more than any official retail edition could ever be.

"Don't tell me the wedding gift is just this one printout too, you cheapskate."

Kenta laughed, chiding him, but carefully tucked the manuscript back into the envelope and slid it into his bag.

Tsushima Kagami slapped his forehead.

"Ah, don't worry."

"I'll have wedding cash and a signed official edition ready for you when the time comes!"

Then he added, grumbling,

"Who told you two to move this fast, and not even give me a heads-up on the phone!"

"That was so we could surprise you~"

Yamada Kenta said with a laugh.

Hazuki Hotaru watched the two of them go back and forth, the corners of her mouth curling up, and said softly,

"Kagami really is so gentle."

"Don't praise him, he'll get full of himself."

Kenta waved a hand.

"I'll take that as jealousy."

Tsushima Kagami said, his expression not changing at all.

The three of them talked for a long time.

Kenta said that after getting into Sophia University, he'd had trouble adjusting at first — the coursework was a lot harder than high school, especially English, which had nearly done him in on the spot.

But after surviving the first semester, he'd gradually found his rhythm.

Hotaru had gotten into the same university, though a different major.

The two of them went to school and came home together every day, occasionally going out on dates over the weekend — an ordinary life, but a full one.

"And then, this happened."

Kenta said, pointing at Hotaru's belly, grinning like an idiot.

Then his expression turned serious again.

"At the time I was fully prepared to go beg forgiveness at Hotaru's house."

"I mean, even though Hotaru's parents had basically already accepted us dating, we still weren't out of college yet when this surprise happened."

"I really was scared her parents might kill me..."

Hazuki Hotaru sat beside him, covering her mouth, laughing.

"But thankfully Hotaru's parents were pretty open-minded about it, and my parents, well, there's no question there — when they found out I'd actually managed to get a girlfriend, they nearly set off firecrackers to celebrate."

"My dad's exact words were, he never thought our Kenta would live to see this day."

Hotaru added quietly.

"So what are you two planning to do, after the baby's born, I mean?"

"My parents said they can help take care of the baby, and Hotaru's mom said she can help out in rotation too."

Kenta's smile settled a bit, his tone turning more serious.

"Once we graduate, I'll find a stable job."

As he spoke, he kept holding Hotaru's hand, his thumb lightly tracing circles over the back of it.

Hotaru didn't say anything, just leaned against his shoulder, quiet.

Tsushima Kagami suddenly recalled a line — what is happiness? My definition is... a life that makes other people envious.

He'd once thought that line made a lot of sense. Now, though, it felt like it was missing something.

"Don't make it sound like your future's all doom and gloom."

"A Sophia University grad shouldn't have trouble supporting one kid."

"Worry about it once you've had four or five."

"And if worst comes to worst, come work for me."

Tsushima Kagami said with a laugh.

"...?"

"Seriously?"

"Then I won't hold back."

"Once I'm a junior, Hotaru and I will send in our applications to your mother's company!"

"You'd better not turn us down when the time comes!"

Yamada Kenta finished, and all three of them burst out laughing.

After that, the three of them fell to reminiscing about their high school days.

Time slipped by, little by little.

"All right, we should probably get going."

Kenta checked the time and stood up.

"Hotaru's got a prenatal checkup coming up."

"Right, take care on the way."

Tsushima Kagami stood as well and said his goodbyes to the two of them.

The three of them left the café, and outside the sky had grown dark, low clouds pressing down as if rain were coming.

Kenta and Hotaru went ahead.

Kenta held up an umbrella, Hotaru's arm looped through his, their backs slowly shrinking into the crowd until they vanished around a corner.

Tsushima Kagami stood at the café's entrance, staring after them for a while, lost in thought.

Then he pulled out his phone, scrolled to Kobayashi Tomoaki's name in his contacts, and called.

"Hello, Mr. Kobayashi? It's Kagami."

"Kagami! Finally got some free time now that summer break's started?"

"I hear you've been stirring up quite a bit of trouble lately."

"How have you been?"

"Not bad. Actually, there's something I wanted to run by you."

"What's that?"

"It's about a new piece I wrote, called 'The Little Prince' — it's a children's book..."

Tsushima Kagami paused.

"I wanted to ask, has Shinchosha ever published anything in this genre before?"

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"Children's literature, huh..."

Kobayashi Tomoaki's voice sounded a bit hesitant.

"Shinchosha really hasn't done anything in that genre before — we mainly do literary fiction and manga."

"But if you're willing, you could send me the manuscript to look at first, and I'll ask around other departments."

"If that doesn't pan out, I can help connect you with other publishers."

"I'd appreciate that, thank you."

"No trouble at all — honestly I'm curious what kind of children's book Kagami's been cooking up all this time."

"By the way, where are you? Want to swing by the office, talk in person?"

"Perfect timing, I'm nearby. I'll head over now."

Shinchosha's office building was as quiet and orderly as ever.

Tsushima Kagami arrived at the editorial department, greeted on all sides with cries of "long time no see," exchanging pleasantries with the editors as he made his way to Kobayashi Tomoaki's office.

He wore a dark suit, his hair neatly combed — since becoming editor-in-chief, his once rigid manner had only grown sharper and more capable.

"Kagami, it's been a while."

Kobayashi Tomoaki stood up with a smile, gesturing for him to sit, brewing tea himself as he asked.

"Did you bring the manuscript?"

"I did."

Tsushima Kagami pulled another printed copy out of his bag and handed it over with both hands.

Kobayashi Tomoaki took it, but instead of opening it right away, he studied the title on the cover first.

"'The Little Prince'... interesting."

He flipped through a few pages, his brow furrowing slightly, then slowly easing.

"I always figured Kagami might write light novels, draw manga, maybe write a screenplay for a drama."

"The one thing I never expected was for Kagami to write children's literature."

"Ha, I didn't expect it either."

Tsushima Kagami said with a smile, picking up his teacup for a sip.

"Yeah, I wanted to try something new."

"I can tell."

"After all, your work has always broken people's expectations, giving off that feeling of something entirely new."

"You flatter me."

Kobayashi Tomoaki closed the manuscript, leaned back in his chair, and tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.

"Honestly speaking, Shinchosha could publish it, if it came to that."

"But we definitely wouldn't be as good a fit as a publisher that specializes in children's books."

"The readership is just fundamentally different, after all."

"Shinchosha's channels and reader base just aren't suited to this space."

"Children's books need dedicated distribution channels and sales networks — we don't have that kind of foundation here."

"If we forced it through, the results in the end would likely fall far short of what a dedicated distributor could achieve."

Tsushima Kagami nodded.

"So which publisher should I look for?"

"Hmm..."

Kobayashi Tomoaki thought it over.

"Kodansha and Shogakukan both have dedicated children's book divisions."

"Fukuinkan Shoten also specializes in children's books, and there's..."

He paused, his eyes lighting up.

"Iwasaki Shoten. They've handled a fair number of translated children's literature titles — they'd likely be interested too."

"Tell you what, let me ask around a bit more."

"I'll put together a report on the pros and cons of each and get it to you."

"I'd appreciate that, thanks."

"No need to thank me."

Kobayashi Tomoaki laughed heartily. "Oh right, let me make a copy of the manuscript — keep the original for yourself."

The two of them talked a while longer, Kobayashi Tomoaki asking about the creative process behind 'The Little Prince,' Tsushima Kagami answering each question.

Then they chatted about everyday things for a bit, until the sky outside started to darken.

Only then did Tsushima Kagami take his leave.

By the time he stepped out of Shinchosha, the sky had gone completely dark.

Heavy clouds hung low, the air thick and stifling, making it hard to breathe.

Pedestrians on the street had picked up their pace, as if sensing something coming.

Tsushima Kagami stood at the entrance of the building, glancing up at the sky.

"Looks like it's going to rain..."

He looked at the cars on the road, thinking about hailing a taxi.

But there were none free nearby.

The nearest bus stop was a ten-minute walk, the subway station fifteen.

Never mind, he'd just walk fast and make it in time.

He tucked his bag closer against his chest and hurried toward the subway station.

But halfway there, the sky suddenly tore open.

Big, fat raindrops began smacking down onto the asphalt with sharp little slaps.

Then, within seconds, it turned into a downpour.

Tsushima Kagami didn't even have time to take cover.

He was soaked through in an instant.

His shirt clung to his body, his hair hung down dripping wet, water running down his face.

He hunched over, hugging his bag, trying to find somewhere to take shelter.

But this street was lined with small shops, their eaves too narrow to block much of anything.

What kind of weather was this...

He was standing awkwardly in front of a closed shop, weighing whether to just make a run for it, when...

"Kagami?"

A voice came from behind him.

Tsushima Kagami turned and, through the sheet of rain, saw a girl not far down the sidewalk, holding an umbrella, her hair pulled into a golden-tailed ponytail.

Seika Ijichi.

She was wearing a black T-shirt today.

Her long hair was casually gathered to one side.

Her eyes still held that same look — a bit impatient, a bit cool.

But seeing Tsushima Kagami looking like a drowned rat, her eyes instantly warmed, turning soft.

She walked closer, looking at the drenched Tsushima Kagami, the corner of her mouth curling up despite herself.

"What are you doing here?"

"I..."

Tsushima Kagami wiped a hand across his face, clearing away the rainwater.

"Came to Shinchosha to talk about something, and halfway back..."

"Let's go."

Seika Ijichi shifted the umbrella to make room for him beside her.

No unnecessary pleasantries, not even a question about where he was headed.

Tsushima Kagami paused for a moment, then stepped in under the umbrella.

"Go take a hot shower at my place first."

"We've got a dryer at home too."

"You can head back once your clothes are dry and the rain's stopped."

"You'll catch a cold going home like that."

Tsushima Kagami didn't hesitate either.

"Then I'll take you up on that."

The Ijichi house was in Shinjuku, not far from where they were now.

The two of them didn't walk long before arriving at Seika Ijichi's front door.

"Here we are."

Tsushima Kagami had no choice but to follow along as Seika Ijichi pulled out her key and unlocked the door.

Stepping into the entryway, both of them were soaked through more than half.

Tsushima Kagami was in worse shape, looking like he'd just been fished out of a river, his shoes squelching on the floor.

"Where's the bathroom?"

Tsushima Kagami looked around.

"Over there, second door."

"Go take a hot shower, and don't dawdle."

She pushed him toward the bathroom.

"I'll go see if there's any ginger in the house, make you some ginger tea."

"Seika, are you trying to be my mom?"

"Oh, just go already."

Tsushima Kagami was pushed into the bathroom, the door closing behind him.

He peeled off his soaked clothes, turned on the showerhead, and let the hot water pour down over him.

His chilled body gradually warmed up.

Steam filled the bathroom, fogging up the mirror and the glass.

Seika... really was such a tsundere.

She looked so cold and aloof, yet everything she did was so warm.

When he came out of the shower, he'd changed into a clean, cute set of loungewear.

Because it was Seika Ijichi's own clothing.

After all, there weren't any other men's clothes in the house.

Tsushima Kagami washed his own clothes and put them in the dryer, then headed back to the living room.

Seika Ijichi wasn't in the living room; the sound of pots and dishes clinking came from the kitchen.

He walked over and saw Seika Ijichi standing at the stove.

She held a ladle, and something was simmering in a small pot in front of her, giving off a faint scent of ginger.

"Seika, you can actually make ginger tea?"

"What did you think?"

Seika Ijichi said without turning around.

"I did take care of Nijika by myself once, you know."

Tsushima Kagami leaned against the kitchen doorframe, watching her back as she worked.

She was still wearing the T-shirt from earlier; the rain on one shoulder had already dried, leaving a darker water stain.

Her movements weren't particularly practiced, but she was clearly focused.

"There."

She turned off the heat and poured the ginger tea into a bowl.

She turned and handed it to Tsushima Kagami.

"Drink up."

Tsushima Kagami took it, blew on it, and sipped it in small mouthfuls.

The ginger flavor was strong, sharp enough to sting the bridge of his nose, but his stomach did warm up.

"Seika, why aren't you having any?"

"I didn't get rained on."

Seika Ijichi said, then walked into her own bedroom.

Tsushima Kagami followed her in without hesitation, unbothered.

It wasn't the first time he'd been in Seika Ijichi's room.

But he'd never really taken the time to look closely at how it was arranged.

Outside the window, the rain kept falling.

The sound came through the glass, making the room feel even quieter by contrast.

Tsushima Kagami noticed then that the room's layout had changed a bit.

In the corner, there was now a small bookshelf, holding a few music magazines and some CDs.

On the coffee table lay a sheet of music open halfway through, next to a 2B pencil worn down to a rounded tip.

But what caught his attention most was the desk beside the coffee table.

More precisely, a desk being used as a workstation.

Several notebooks were spread across it, the top one open, densely packed with musical notes.

A few composition textbooks were stacked beside it.

Tsushima Kagami set down his cup, walked over, and looked down at it.

"Seika, you've been composing?"

Seika Ijichi walked over and stood beside him, her tone somewhat offhand.

"Kikuri always chokes when it's crunch time and can't write a song."

"So I figured I might as well learn a bit myself."

"It can help take some of the pressure off Kikuri too."

Seika Ijichi looked at the notebook of casual compositions and smiled a little.

"It's just messing around, nothing serious."

Tsushima Kagami didn't say anything right away, instead flipping through a few pages carefully.

The notes on the page weren't written neatly, but you could tell a lot of thought had gone into them.

Some passages had been revised repeatedly, pencil marks crossed out and rewritten, eraser smudges scattered all over the staff paper.

The melody's direction wasn't especially complex, but it had a distinctive texture to it.

Like someone walking alone down a street at night — lonely, but free.

"So, how is it?"

Even though she'd said it was just casual scribbling.

She was still curious what Tsushima Kagami thought.

Seika Ijichi asked, uncharacteristically unsure of herself.

"Not good enough."

Tsushima Kagami answered honestly.

"Then why'd you read through it so carefully?"

Seika Ijichi didn't get angry.

"Still, I think I can understand the kind of mood you were going for."

Seika Ijichi blinked, then turned her face away, her ears going a little red.

"You're insane."

"I don't even remember what mood I was in when I wrote it, and you think you can understand it?"

Tsushima Kagami laughed a little, set the notebook back on the desk, and turned to lean against the edge, looking at Seika Ijichi.

"Seika, do you actually love music?"

Seika Ijichi leaned back against the sofa, arms crossed, as if mulling over the question.

"Hard to say."

She spoke after a moment.

"It's just... being in an environment like this feels good."

"What kind of environment?"

"Instruments, an amp, sheet music, playing whenever I feel like it, letting it all out whenever I need to."

She paused, her gaze drifting to the window.

Rain streaked down the glass, leaving trails of water.

"It doesn't have to be about getting famous, or forming some big-name band."

"It's just... playing music together with everyone, it feels really fun."

"And that's enough?"

"That's enough."

A faint smile touched Seika Ijichi's lips.

Her tone was flat, but certain.

"So are you planning to keep the band going with everyone from now on?"

Tsushima Kagami asked, curious, pressing further.

"The future, huh..."

"Unless we go pro, being in a band's only ever going to be something we do on the side, occasionally."

"There's no way everyone's going to stick with it forever, after all."

"But..."

Seika Ijichi thought for a moment, then said slowly.

"If I get the chance someday, I'd like to open a Livehouse."

"Even if I'm not up on stage myself anymore, I could still watch the people who love bands, who love music, standing up there one after another, giving it everything they've got in performance..."

The corner of her mouth curved up slightly, showing a rare touch of tenderness.

"That feeling... would probably be pretty great."

Watching Seika Ijichi, Tsushima Kagami suddenly felt that, compared to when he'd first met her, she'd grown a lot more clear-headed.

Back then, when he'd asked her about her future plans, she'd had no idea, completely lost.

All she'd had was one day after another of just trying to escape school, drifting through.

But now she clearly knew what kind of future she wanted.

Not chasing fame, not blindly following trends — just staying where she liked, doing what she liked.

A life like that sounded simple, but it wasn't easy to actually live.

"But."

Tsushima Kagami thought about it, then added,

"If you had the chance to become famous, wouldn't you want that too?"

Seika Ijichi turned to look at him, her eyes a bit surprised, as if to say, "why would you even ask that."

She was silent for a few seconds, then laughed softly.

That laugh was a little self-deprecating, and a little at peace with itself.

"Who wouldn't want that?"

"Even just once — to blow up, put out an album or a single, get a lot of people to hear my music... that would obviously be better."

She paused, her voice growing quieter.

"Not many people can turn down the chance to be the brightest one on stage."

Outside, the rain grew heavier; inside, the room was quiet enough to hear each other breathing.

Tsushima Kagami looked into Seika Ijichi's eyes — those eyes that always carried a look of indifference and coolness.

Right now, they seemed lit up by something, flickering with a faint glow.

He suddenly remembered something.

"Seika, wait a second."

He picked up the composition notebook and pencil from Seika Ijichi's desk.

Then he flipped to a new page.

Slowly, he began writing on the staff paper.

Seika Ijichi, curious, sat down beside Tsushima Kagami.

Watching curiously to see what exactly he was writing.

It took a good while.

Then Tsushima Kagami finally set down the pen.

Seika Ijichi could also make out the lyrics written beneath the notes on the staff.

It was a song.

A song he'd written for Seika Ijichi.

"This is for you."

Tsushima Kagami handed the notebook to her.

Seika Ijichi took it, opened it, her brow slowly furrowing.

She didn't say anything right away, just read through it carefully.

Her expression shifted from confusion to surprise, then from surprise into something complicated, hard to put into words.

"Seika, do you have a guitar at home?"

Tsushima Kagami asked.

"Yeah... it's in the living room."

"I'll go get it."

When Seika Ijichi came back with the guitar.

Tsushima Kagami walked over, picked up the dark brown wooden guitar, and tuned the strings.

Then he carried the guitar back and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You just wrote this, and you can already play it?"

Seika Ijichi asked, sounding a little uncertain.

Tsushima Kagami smiled.

"I just suddenly thought of a song that would really suit you."

"Or rather, suit you, Kikuri, and PA-ko, back when you all first met."

When Seika Ijichi heard him bring up the past again, her expression immediately turned tense and serious.

"I told you not to bring that up again."

"I already apologized and reflected on it."

Clearly, that period had become an unmentionable chapter of black history for Seika Ijichi.

"I'm not making fun of you."

"I just suddenly had an idea for a song that felt like it really suited you all."

"Is that so?"

Seika Ijichi asked, still uncertain.

Tsushima Kagami just smiled without answering further, took a deep breath, and set his fingers on the strings.

He strummed, and the first note rang out in the quiet room.

The melody was simple, almost plain.

No complex technique, no flashy chord changes.

Just one clean note after another, like water droplets falling on a still surface, spreading in rippling circles.

Tsushima Kagami began to sing.

now i'm seventeen / my school is in the country...

His voice suddenly went low and rough.

But he sang earnestly, enunciating every English word clearly.

This song was Shiina Ringo's "17."

The lyrics weren't about some sweeping romance, or some heart-pounding dream.

They were about the isolation and loneliness of not fitting in, at seventeen, in school.

Thanks to the intensive training that hadn't ended long ago, Seika Ijichi could roughly follow these simple words.

She understood the feeling in the lyrics right away.

When the song ended.

Tsushima Kagami looked over at Seika Ijichi, smiling.

"Becoming a huge star might not be in the cards."

"But like you said."

"This single might just let you shine like your name suggests — starlight in song."

"After all, nothing could suit you more."

"As for the arrangement from here, though, that's on you, and Kikuri, and PA-ko to finish."

"You'll probably feel things about it that I never could."

Accompanied by Tsushima Kagami's singing and the simple guitar line.

Seika Ijichi, whether moved by some memory the song stirred, or touched by what Tsushima Kagami had just said — or maybe both — her eyes gradually reddened.

"Seika?"

Seika Ijichi didn't answer.

She walked over, stepping right in front of him.

She bent down, pressing him back.

Then, planting both hands on the bed, she boxed him in between her arms.

The distance between them was close, close enough that he could see the faint gleam of moisture on her eyelashes.

"Seika?"

Then she kissed him.

Tsushima Kagami froze, the guitar slowly sliding out of his arms.

This felt like the plot had gone off the rails somewhere.

How had the mood suddenly turned this charged?

"By the way... I've been meaning to ask, where's your mom and Nijika?"

Tsushima Kagami, once he'd finally caught his breath, asked as if searching for something to say.

"Mom took Nijika back to the countryside, to her family's place."

Her face was flushed red, but not from embarrassment.

It was something more intense, more direct.

"Kagami was right."

She said, her voice a little hoarse.

"Not many people can turn down the chance to be the brightest one on stage."

She looked into his eyes, speaking slowly, word by word.

"But Kagami was wrong too..."

"Even if it's just for one instant, that flash of brightness — it has to be right now. Not some stage."

Outside, the rain was gradually letting up, and the dryer in the laundry room chimed and fell silent.

"So are you planning to head back now?"

"Then stay a little longer."

"It's just me at home, anyway..."

The room's light cast the shadows of the two of them onto the wall, slowly merging into one.