The holidays always fly by. On August 22, just two days before school starts, the September issue of All Readings was officially released. This issue marks the beginning of the new series by Mr. Hachiman, which has been eagerly anticipated by mystery fans all over Japan.
To manage expectations, Hikigaya stated on Twitter that this new series will consist of short stories, emphasizing that his real masterpiece is still in progress.
"It doesn't matter whether the stories are long or short; I just want to see Mr. Hachiman's new series!"
His fans were so enthusiastic that they quickly organized a team-building activity in response to his tweet.
"That's true! We can read single volumes for long stories. Mr. Hachiman, could you share some small details about your daily life in the magazine? There must be a lot of people who would want to read that."
Hikigaya was taken aback. Why would anyone want to read about the daily life of a middle school boy? He values his privacy, but honestly, his daily life mostly consists of studying and writing—far too boring to document.
"The new series from Hachiman-san is finally here, and my 'Hachiman addiction' can finally be satisfied!"
Some fans have developed what they refer to as "Hachiman addiction," a restless feeling akin to ants crawling over their bodies when Hachiman-san is not around. Judging by the comments, it seems many people are experiencing this affliction.
"I'm not saying anything, but have you all lost the ability to communicate normally in Mr. Hachiman's comment section? Remember, he's a minor, so take it easy!"
Finally, a sensible fan added their voice to the discussion, but such comments were few and far between. The comment section quickly became overwhelmed with fervent supporters.
However, despite their enthusiasm, these fans are genuinely passionate about literature—especially detective fiction. They began reading the new issue of All Readings with seriousness.
"This story... is really different from Mr. Hachiman's previous style..."
"Mr. Hachiman, are you switching careers to write family sitcoms? Please don't do that."
"That said, aside from the fact that no crime occurred, this story is still a very standard mystery. It has events, secrets, and even a little twist."
"I can only say that Mr. Hachiman is writing a very new kind of mystery novel."
In summary, while fans of elaborate crime techniques, shocking twists, and bizarre narratives may feel slightly disappointed with this series, they will certainly not find it dull. If a writer's work is labeled as boring, they risk being pushed out of the market entirely.
————
"This is a good start. Although the following stories are serious criminal cases, there will still be plenty of funny moments."
Hikigaya Hachiman is currently discussing the next serialization with Imamura Naho.
"Mr. Hachiman, when you say 'weird,' do you mean copying pornographic movies and covering the walls with pornographic magazines?" Naho Imamura read the subsequent manuscripts with a complex expression. She admitted that in these later stories, Mr. Hachiman displayed his talent and... cynicism?
"Editor Imamura, don't just look at the surface of erotica. This is erotica with a core trick! Do you dare to say that this story isn't exciting?" Hikigaya didn't particularly want to take this approach, but he found that writing this way would effectively divert readers' attention, leading to an unexpected ending. This realization helped him gradually understand the author of "The Causes of Disintegration," Yasuhiko Nishizawa.
This brings up a question: Nishizawa Yasuhiko might genuinely enjoy watching pornographic videos and reading pornographic magazines. However, Hikigaya Hachiman does not consider himself that way. He believes he remains distant from women and has no worldly desires.
"I have to admit, Mr. Hachiman, these stories are indeed very exciting, especially the one titled 'Disintegration and Lifting.' The tricks are captivating, and there's great potential to expand it into a longer story. But..."
Naho Imamura seemed hesitant to continue.
"Just say what you want to say, Editor Imamura. We're discussing this now."
Hikigaya could guess what she was thinking.
"The motivations in these stories are ridiculous... killing people just to steal pornographic videos or something like that." Naho Imamura couldn't believe that such motives could come from Mr. Hachiman, who had used 100,000 words in "Malice" to meticulously describe a motive.
"Hey, that's how new orthodox reasoning works. Motives can be a big hindrance. After you've spent so much time describing an ingenious scheme, how can you reasonably justify the motive? In most cases, you can only choose one of the two."
"But, Editor Imamura, rest assured that 'The Clockwork Museum Incident' will definitely be a work that combines both elements. You can raise your expectations and wait for the book to be completed."
Hachiman stated confidently, believing that "The Clockwork Museum Incident" would become a landmark in Japan's new orthodox mystery novels.
"Of course, I am looking forward to it, Mr. Hachiman. I believe this will be a breakthrough."
Naho Imamura is also very confident in Hikigaya Hachiman. After all, the novels "Confessions" and "Malice," completed by him in just half a year, achieved the status of social phenomena. Given that it has taken nearly a year to craft "The Clockwork Museum Incident," its quality should be even better.
"By the way, Mr. Hachiman, several film and television companies have approached the publishing house, hoping to adapt your 'Confessions' into a film or TV series. However, since the relevant adaptation rights are in your hands, the publishing house has not yet responded. Would you like to discuss this with them?"
Naho Imamura mentioned an important matter. Even though the adaptation rights rest with Hikigaya, if "Confessions" is turned into a movie, the publisher can immediately produce a corresponding version of the book, greatly boosting sales. Thus, they place extra importance on this matter.
"Is that so? Please inform the publishing house that 'Confessions' has just won an award and its sales are still high, so there's no rush. Let's at least wait until this time next year to discuss the film and television adaptation. I don't have to worry about sales; the higher the total sales, the more bargaining power I will have in the future."
Hikigaya had no intention of selling the adaptation rights to "Confessions" at this time. He understood that those film and television companies were eager to negotiate quickly, fearing that the sales of the book would continue to grow. Naturally, he opted not to meet with them.
"However, if a company approaches you regarding the adaptation rights for 'Malice,' feel free to let me know. I'm open to discussion."
Hikigaya thought for a moment and added this additional note. After all, the protagonists of "Malice" are middle-aged, which diminishes its commercial appeal. Additionally, the sales potential is significantly lower than that of "Confessions," making a quick adaptation into film or television a reasonable idea.
-----