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Although Hikigaya was delayed for a long time due to unexpected circumstances, he still managed to return home before dark.
"Brother! You're back!"
When Hikigaya Komachi saw Hachiman coming home, she rushed over and hugged him. No matter the circumstances, Hikigaya Hachiman simply wanted to enjoy the moment. After relishing the hug, he began to think. Although Komachi usually had a good relationship with him, he had never seen her this enthusiastic before. Wearing leather pants and leather shoes, there had to be a reason for her excitement.
"Komachi! The results of the previous stage exam are out. How many points did you get?"
To maintain his composure, Hikigaya firmly pulled Komachi away and asked seriously. As students of the Municipal Tsubakimori Junior High School, Hachiman was familiar with what had been happening there. Given Komachi's unusual behavior today, he feared her performance in the second-semester midterm exam might not be very good.
He had promised her that if her exam scores met his expectations, he would write some short stories for her to read from time to time. Hikigaya's short stories were all masterpieces he picked out from his memories of a past life, and Komachi loved them after reading just one or two.
"Mmmm—Brother, you're really going to write stories for me again, right?"
Worry crept into Komachi's voice, filled with anxiety.
"Hachiman, if you have time, please help Komachi with her studies. Her current grades are really concerning. If she continues to perform like this in the March exam, she might end up in a class with a poor academic atmosphere when she enters the second year of junior high,"
Mrs. Hikigaya said as she finished cooking and stepped out of the kitchen. Her brows were furrowed with concern for Komachi's academic performance.
"Of course, no problem. Komachi! Don't think about going out to play during the New Year holiday. I will give you comprehensive tutoring. If your grades meet my standards, you can come back to me for stories!"
Hikigaya said sternly. He felt uneasy about delivering such tough words to his sister, but he knew that being protective didn't mean he should spoil her. Sometimes, he had to be strict.
"Oh...I see, brother."
Komachi understood that her brother was serious this time and recognized that even their mother, who had always doted on her, was no longer favoring her. Not the type to create trouble for no reason, Komachi quickly accepted her brother's plan.
"Well, that's a good approach. With your brother's academic success, if you just follow his lead and study hard, you will definitely improve quickly."
Hikigaya smiled and ruffled Komachi's hair. He had hoped that his tutoring would hamper his academic rivals, but he never expected it would also help Komachi. This realization was quite surprising for him.
By the way, Hikigaya's test results had been released, and he was now the top student in his grade, leading by a considerable margin. He had become the "model student" everyone else compared themselves to. Confident in his ability to help Komachi improve her academic performance, he quickly called Machida to share the good news. The editor, who had significantly contributed to Hikigaya's improved grades, was thrilled and expressed a desire to give Hachiman a gift. She promptly sent him the third volume of "Love Metronome," which Kasumi Shiko had preliminarily completed, and asked him for some feedback.
" ..."
Hikigaya stared at the documents that Editor Machida had packed and sent to him, feeling somewhat speechless. However, he quickly returned to his room, opened the new volume on his computer, and began to read it carefully.
"Love Metronome," in Hikigaya's view, corresponds to the second part of the original work "5 Centimeters per Second." This section of the animation can be said to lack a traditional plot, instead depicting a girl's unrequited love and heartbreak. Kasumi Shiko's novel essentially inherits this characteristic.
In the expanded version of "5 Centimeters per Second," written by Arata Kana, the first sentence of the second part is the protagonist's confession: "It has been several years since I stopped writing letters to Akari." It also delves into the psychological struggles of the male protagonist, as he seriously considers inviting Sumida Kanae (the brown-skinned surfer girl) to sleep with him, wanting to test her feelings in this way. Of course, "sleeping together" is a euphemism used in the book. When Hikigaya first encountered this psychological description, he was quite surprised, but after reflecting on it, he found it reasonable. This notion is echoed in the initial sentence and highlights the profound emptiness that the protagonist feels at that moment.
Hikigaya promptly called Kasumigaoka Utaha, and she answered almost immediately.
"Hello, Mr. Hachiman! Have you finished reading the third volume? How do you feel about it?"
Her pleasant yet anxious voice came through the line, suggesting she had been waiting for his call.
"Yes, Kasumigaoka-senpai, I have finished reading it. I think this volume is quite complete," Hikigaya replied objectively.
"Thank you for your recognition, Mr. Hachiman. If there are any shortcomings, please let me know," Utaha said respectfully, making Hikigaya feel a bit uncomfortable.
"Uh, Kasumigaoka-senpai, you don't have to call me 'Hachiman-san' all the time. Just like I call you 'senpai,' you can call me 'junior' or 'classmate.' It would make our conversation more natural."
"Okay, Hachiman-san... Hikigaya... classmate?" Utaha's tone turned into a question.
"...Alright, Kasumigaoka-senpai. Back to the third volume of Love Metronome. If there's one issue I see with this volume, it's that it feels too bland."
Hikigaya hit the nail on the head. Although the blandness of unrequited love is common, it is still a bit too dull to express in words. The animation at the very least offers beautiful visuals to fill the gaps in the narrative.
"Is that so...? Then, Hachi... Hikigaya-san, how can I improve?" Utaha shared this concern, believing that boredom is the most significant offense in light novels, one that makes readers lose the desire to keep reading.
"That's quite simple. I think there's still plenty of time before the third volume is officially released. I suggest rewriting the third volume to focus on the protagonist's confession. The beginning should be in his voice, indicating that his connection with the previous girl has been completely severed."
"Can you really say that?" Utaha sounded surprised. Although, according to the framework provided by Mr. Hachiman, the first girl would no longer exist in the male protagonist's world, wouldn't it make readers uncomfortable if the third volume began this way?
"Don't worry, Kasumigaoka-senpai. Anyone who read your first two volumes and became a fan won't approach the third volume expecting a sweet love story. What they want to see are the regrets of youth, the emptiness the male protagonist feels after a failed relationship, and the sadness of another girl with unreciprocated love. In essence, they want to see imperfection. As long as this imperfection is depicted vividly, it can be beautiful in its own way."
Hikigaya spoke all at once. He didn't fully agree with these assertions, but he had been influenced by the numerous fans of "5 Centimeters per Second," who had analyzed the work thoroughly.
"Is it a pity...? I think I understand a bit more, Mr. Hachiman. Please look forward to the results of my revisions!" Utaha seemed to have sparked a new idea and couldn't wait to start creating.
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