Rina Morikawa woke up early this morning, long before her usual midday rise.
Normally, she would sleep until noon unless something unexpected happened. But today was different.
Taking a deep breath, Rina quickly washed up, got dressed, and headed out to the bookstore near her home.
She walked straight to the familiar manga shelf, where stacks of Sakura Weekly magazines towered higher than her own height.
A promotional poster nearby depicted Takaki and Kanae pushing a cart down a rural road at sunset, one behind the other. The scene tugged at Rina's heart.
5 Centimeters Per Second was once again Sakura Weekly's featured series this week.
Though 5 Centimeters Per Second was just one of the series serialized in Sakura Weekly, for Rina, this manga—only three weeks into its run—was undeniably the best she had read all year.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so eager to wake up early, calculating the exact time to buy the latest issue.
"Alright, what happens this week? Will there be any progress in Takaki and Kanae's relationship?"
This question had been hanging over her head for an entire week.
After paying at the counter, Rina Morikawa hurried home, tearing open the plastic wrap the moment she arrived.
She flipped to the first page of the manga magazine.
It was an announcement for the final chapter of the popular series "High Score Romance," scheduled to appear in next week's Sakura Weekly issue.
"Finally ending, huh?" Rina sneered.
The manga should have concluded three months ago. The recent chapters had been dull and repetitive, artificially stretched out to fill two entire volumes.
Of course, this maximized commercial profit for the author.
But it had severely compromised the overall quality of the work. As a fan, Rina could only lament its wasted potential.
The magazine also featured advertisements for author signing events for other manga series.
Ignoring these, Rina flipped through the pages until she found the section featuring "5 Centimeters Per Second."
The first panel made her eyes widen.
The male protagonist, Takaki, was holding an outdated black-and-white screen phone from a bygone era, aimlessly typing a text message.
Then, he exited the editing screen and tapped "No" on the save prompt.
When did writing recipient-less texts like this become a habit?
As the boy's inner monologue surfaced, the case was solved.
Rina Morikawa sighed. So, Takaki and Akari really had lost contact?
Six years ago, they had relied on letters to stay connected. A letter sent between them, separated by thousands of kilometers, took over a week to arrive. Yet even then, they had maintained their correspondence.
But now, as high school students with readily available smartphones, they had drifted apart.
The more beautifully the first two episodes of 5 Centimeters Per Second portrayed their love, the more profound Rina Morikawa's sense of helplessness grew.
Author Shirogane, what are you doing?
The scene quickly shifted.
By the sea, under a clear blue sky, Kanae clutched her surfboard and strode toward the waves.
On this windy day with towering waves, standing atop the crests filled her with immense courage.
Today, I've made up my mind. I'm going to confess to Takaki. If I can't confess today, when I've finally managed to stand on the waves, I'll never have the courage to speak up again.
She would confess today—on her best, most confident day.
Rina Morikawa straightened up abruptly at this point.
This is exactly the kind of development a romance manga should have.
It's a shame about Takaki and Akari, but since they've lost contact, Takaki should move on.
No one can be blamed for this. Separated by thousands of kilometers and still just middle school students, who could expect them to maintain such a long-distance relationship?
Even adults struggle to make long-distance relationships work for six years.
If the manga treats Akari as Takaki's childhood regret and then focuses on developing his relationship with Kanae, it could be really interesting.
Anticipation surged through Rina Morikawa, her heart beginning to race.
This always happened when she read a manga she loved—the immersion was overwhelming.
Right now, she felt like she was Kanae, filled with both hope and anxiety as she made her decision.
As usual, she waited for the boy at the appointed time, pretending it was natural for them to walk home together at this hour.
They stopped at the convenience store on their way home, buying drinks as they always did.
She deliberately chose the same flavor as Takaki.
After paying, she prepared to leave with him.
Takaki walked ahead, Kanae following behind, her expression anxious and hesitant. Finally, she mustered the courage to tug at the corner of his shirt.
Takaki turned back, his gaze calm as he looked at her. He smiled gently.
"What's wrong?"
"No, nothing."
Go for it!
Be brave!
Rina Morikawa was so tense she felt like she was about to confess her own feelings.
The next scene showed Kanae's electric scooter breaking down, forcing her to leave it temporarily at the convenience store. Takaki then chose to leave his own scooter behind and walk home with her.
"Good! This is how a proper guy should act," Rina thought. "Leaving Kanae behind to ride home alone would be unthinkable."
"But why not let Kanae ride on the back of Takaki's scooter and have him take her home? Shirogane Sensei, this plot may be cliché, but it's absolutely sweet!"
On the country road, Takaki walked ahead, Kanae trailing behind.
Takaki gazed into the distance.
Kanae lowered her head, watching his footsteps.
Gradually, Rina felt a pang of sadness.
The more you read manga, the more you can discern the author's intentions from the panel layouts, compositions, and subtle details in the characters' actions.
Rina Morikawa felt she was beginning to understand.
Takaki's gentle treatment of Kanae stemmed solely from his kind nature, not from any particular attraction to her.
Meanwhile, Kanae had also realized this.
No, she had always known. That's why she had never dared to confess.
Even on this day, when she felt her most confident, seeing Takaki still treating her with such tenderness while his eyes remained devoid of affection for her...
Kanae couldn't hold back her tears.
Takaki finally noticed the sobbing behind him.
What's wrong?
I'm sorry, it's nothing. I'm so sorry, Kanae sobbed.
But the manga's narration revealed her true thoughts:
Please, stop being so kind to me.
This brief inner monologue brought tears to Rina Morikawa's eyes.
Is the most painful part of loving someone the rejection of a confession?
No, the most agonizing thing is knowing your feelings will never be reciprocated, yet still being hopelessly in love, clinging to a sliver of hope in your heart.
At that moment, a plume of white smoke shot skyward from the satellite launch base, located dozens of kilometers away from Takaki's town.
A vibrant manga panel depicting a rocket ascending into the sky appeared in Rina Morikawa's eyes.
The static manga rocket possessed a striking beauty, as if it were about to break free from the confines of the page.
The rocket's fiery exhaust split the world into two halves.
The satellite embarked on its solitary journey.
What about Takaki?
What about Akari?
What about Kanae?
Takaki and Kanae stared blankly at the rising satellite.
Neither knew what the other was thinking.
Rina Morikawa flipped the page.
The scene shifted abruptly. Kanae was back home, while Takaki continued walking toward his own house.
The sorrow in the panel seemed to overflow from the page.
Kanae's inner monologue reappeared:
I finally understand. I don't exist in Takaki's eyes.
That's why I couldn't say anything to him!
Though Takaki is kind, he's always been gazing at something far beyond me.
The manga cut to Kanae asleep, a single tear sliding down her cheek.
Her final inner monologue appeared:
My hopes for him will never be realized, but even so, tomorrow, the day after, and for all the days to come, I will inevitably find myself hopelessly in love with him.
Her fingers trembled.
Rina Morikawa flipped the page, but only a single line appeared:
5 Centimeters Per Second: Cosmonaut - End
By this point, Rina's nose and eyes were completely red.
She blew her nose loudly into a tissue, but the sorrow in her heart remained uncontainable.
Why, Shirogane?
Takaki and Akari have already separated and lost contact. Why couldn't you let Takaki be with Kanae?
The plot of the "Cosmonaut" chapter was simple: it depicted Takaki and his current situation with Akari through the perspective of Kanae, who harbored a secret love for him.
Kanae wasn't the main character.
She was merely Takaki's childhood friend.
A fleeting presence in his life.
Even after Takaki and Akari lost contact, he couldn't bring himself to see other girls.
Yet despite this, Kanae's characterization was heartbreaking.
The long-distance separation between Takaki and Akari resonated deeply with many manga readers.
But Kanae's unrequited love struck an even deeper chord.
For many, first love begins with secret admiration.
And for many, that secret admiration remains unspoken throughout their lives.
Most lack the courage to confess.
Kanae had the courage, but she knew in her heart that her confession would be futile.
Rina Morikawa wiped the corner of her eye with a tissue.
This was the first time she'd cried while reading manga this year.
When she first started reading manga, such moments were common due to her low emotional threshold.
But even as a seasoned otaku, she still found herself moved to tears.
Shirogane...
The author's name flashed through Rina's mind, and a surge of anger welled up within her.
It's all your fault!
She quickly opened her laptop and navigated to the official forum of Sakura Weekly.
Rina stared in disbelief. The entire forum page was already flooded with angry posts—she wasn't alone in her outrage.
Of course, the criticism wasn't directed at the plot of 5 Centimeters Per Second.
It was aimed squarely at the author, Shirogane.
"Shirogane, what's wrong with your head? Why did you make Kanae suffer through such a tragic unrequited love?"
"Why won't Takaki accept her? He's clearly lost contact with Akari."
"Shirogane, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you? You absolutely are!"
"This chapter made me cry."
"Kanae breaks my heart!"
"The character development in Chapter 4 is truly masterful."
"In Chapter 4, they're about to graduate high school. How will the story progress in Chapter 5?"
"I can't take it anymore! This chapter was so painful, it left me sobbing. It reminded me of the girl I used to secretly love."
"This story hurts so much."
"It's hard to believe Shirogane Sensei created this plot."
"Why is everyone attacking Shirogane Sensei? Sure, the story is tragic, but if the male and female leads are meant to reunite later, Takaki can't accept Kanae now!"
"Those who think the story will end with them studying hard, getting into the same university, and then dating can forget it. Shirogane Sensei clearly has no intention of taking the story in that direction."
"Is this really a romance manga? Why isn't there any sweetness at all?"
"Shirogane Sensei, please make Chapter 5 a little sweeter!"
"Shirogane, are you on the forum? Send me your address, I want to send you some local specialties."
The forum was flooded with chaotic discussion threads about the story.
Sakura Weekly's main feature should have been the highly acclaimed romance manga High Score Romance, which was officially announced to conclude next week.
After all, it was a manga serialized for over two years and consistently ranked first in the magazine's popularity polls.
At the very least, there should have been more discussion about the plot of Tale of Sorrow.
But when Rei opened the official forum, the vast majority of posts were about 5 Centimeters Per Second.
Even manga readers who usually lurked silently had joined the online backlash.
Despite their anger, fans' voting support for the series remained strong.
Their fury was directed at the author, not the work itself.
The next morning, Rei arrived at class to find the "F4" group of manga-loving girls—Yuki, Touma, Yui Nakamura, and Hana Fujimoto—arguing fiercely over the 5 Centimeters plot.
Having seen countless similar online debates in his previous life, Rei quickly avoided them to avoid getting dragged into the conflict.
He slumped over his desk, pretending to sleep while secretly eavesdropping on their argument.
As expected, they were complaining about Shirogane Sensei's ruthlessness and the characters' tragic fates.
If the fans are this worked up after just four chapters, Rei thought, what will happen when the fifth and final chapter of 5 Centimeters Per Second is published next week?
Rei couldn't help but wonder:
Do these four still have the energy to argue?
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Hoshimori Publishing Group,
Misaki was also anxiously awaiting the data to be compiled early that morning.
Last week, 5 Centimeters Per Second had ranked third.
What about this week?
The Sakura Weekly website forum was buzzing with activity, and 5 Centimeters Per Second had clearly become the most popular manga series in the magazine.
However, Tale of Sorrow and High Score Romance had accumulated such a massive fanbase in their early runs that even as their serialization neared its end, these die-hard fans remained fiercely loyal.
Without hesitation, they voted to support it.
So even though the buzz around 5 Centimeters Per Second might be the highest of any work in the entire magazine right now, Misaki still couldn't be sure of its ranking for the week. She could only wait for the final tally to be released early in the morning.
Soon, at 9:00 AM, the Hoshimori Publishing Group's consolidated data was released.
Misaki glanced at it.
First place: High Score Romance, fan votes: 4,536
Second place: 5 Centimeters Per Second, fan votes: 4,480
Third place: Tale of Sorrow, fan votes: 3,768
Second place?
It had surpassed Miyu's Tale of Sorrow.
She'll definitely be down for a long time.
Misaki first felt sorry for her younger sister for a few seconds.
Then she felt disappointed that 5 Centimeters Per Second hadn't taken the top spot.
Humans are like that, always worrying about what they might lose.
But then she immediately noticed the vote count comparison between 5 Centimeters Per Second and High Score Romance.
4,536 versus 4,480 votes.
The vote counts for these two works were so close.
?
Less than a hundred votes apart?
Hiss.
And both works had surpassed 4,000 votes.
Keep in mind that while Sakura Weekly sells over 800,000 copies each week, only a minority of readers regularly participate in online voting.
Most readers, after finishing the story, would simply immerse themselves in it, too lazy to bother with voting.
If High Score Romance's high score was due to the impending conclusion driving early manga fans to vote in support,
then 5 Centimeters Per Second owed its success purely to its emotionally resonant plot, which deeply moved many magazine readers. Though they criticized author Shirogane for the story's excessive sadness, they still voted for the story that had touched their hearts.
A thought struck Misaki.
Meanwhile, the editors had also noticed the data.
Several sighed regretfully.
"What a shame. Next week is the final chapter of High Score Romance. No matter how much fans have complained about it lately, its popularity is undeniable. The series' conclusion will undoubtedly draw a massive wave of votes from longtime fans."
"While 5 Centimeters Per Second is also ending next week, given the current trend, it's unlikely to surpass High Score Romance and claim the top spot. After all, 5 Centimeters Per Second doesn't have a large base of nostalgic fans to rally behind it. Otherwise, Sakura Weekly's record for the fastest rise to the top of the popularity poll might be broken."
"Besides, this manga only has five chapters so far—it's too short. If it were longer, it would definitely have accumulated far more fans than it has now."
"To climb to fourth place in the magazine rankings after just four weeks of serialization is already insane. Who exactly is this Shirogane?"
"Whoever he is, he might have a chance to become a famous Japanese mangaka in the future, but at least the success of his debut work ends here."
That's not necessarily true.
Misaki frowned at these words.
The manga had already achieved such remarkable results with its first four chapters, but what truly made it unforgettable was the fifth chapter.
Who knew what kind of chemical reaction the fifth chapter's serialization next week would trigger among the fans?
Would the fans erupt in furious criticism after reading it, angrily refuse to vote, and cause 5 Centimeters' ranking to plummet?
Or would it be like this week, with author Shirogane facing even more intense fan backlash?
But at the same time, the work's vote count would likely surge even more dramatically than it did this week.
Perhaps...
5 Centimeters Per Second might actually ride the momentum of its high-scoring romantic conclusion and surpass this manga in next week's voting rankings?