As July arrived, the weather grew increasingly sweltering. Rei's high school was approaching its final exams, but the tense atmosphere was confined to the high-achieving classes. In ordinary classes like Rei's, everyone went about their business as usual, with few feeling any pressure. The students in the back rows continued their routine of studying during class and playing after school, with no thought of after-school study sessions or academic competition.
Meanwhile, discussions about 5 Centimeters Per Second grew louder across the campus. Simultaneously, the frequency with which students mentioned the manga artist Shirogane began to increase.
To be frank, although Sakura Weekly sold hundreds of thousands of copies per week, its distribution was limited to Tokyo and a few neighboring prefectures. While its popularity in these regions couldn't quite match that of Japan's Six Major Magazines, the gap wasn't as wide as one might expect.
The buzz surrounding 5 Centimeters Per Second was particularly fervent among female students. They had never been drawn to the hyper-popular, action-packed battle manga in the Six Major Magazines. Instead, they formed the core readership for the romance, mystery, detective, family, and ethical dramas that dominated Japan's second- and third-tier magazines.
Moreover, the plot of 5 Centimeters Per Second was truly unique in the market.
It was undeniably heart-wrenching, yet readers couldn't help but keep watching.
After each weekly installment, they would flood online forums to vent their frustrations at the author. But after their tirades, they would still buy the next issue and continue reading the following week.
Only four weeks into its serialization, a massive online fanbase for 5 Centimeters Per Second had already formed.
Fan groups dedicated to the author, Shirogane, had also spontaneously organized.
These fans gathered on the official website's forum to express their support for the work.
"Looking forward to next week's update!"
"High school is over now, so the next arc will focus on Takaki's university life, right? Given the story's progression, Takaki and Akari will probably reunite in college."
"Since he missed out on a girl as wonderful as Kanae, his reunion with Akari is inevitable."
"Please, Shirogane-sensei, no more angst!"
"Ah, it's a shame about Kanae, but there's no helping it. If Takaki wants to be with Akari, he has to let her go."
"This is true love! I don't understand why so many 5 Centimeters readers were complaining the other day. Do they really prefer a plot where the male lead easily falls for another woman who happens to cross his path?"
"Exactly! Even Takaki's unwavering devotion to Akari gets criticized. I'm truly indignant on Shirogane Sensei's behalf."
"But Takaki hasn't contacted Akari at all, yet he still won't accept Kanae. This is clearly the manga author messing around."
"It's just a temporary separation. As long as Takaki isn't married and Akari hasn't wed, it doesn't mean anything."
"This work seems to be the kind that spans a long period, depicting the characters' growth from middle school through high school and university, and then their journeys into adulthood. I'm really looking forward to the third arc, where Akari and Takaki reunite, fall in love again, and eventually get married and have children."
"Married and having children? You're getting ahead of yourself!"
"I'm already so excited! How will their reunion unfold after six years apart in university?"
"This is what a proper portrayal of childhood friends should be! In so many romance manga, a childhood friend suddenly returns midway through the story and gets entangled with the protagonist. The plot keeps emphasizing how close they used to be and how deep their emotional connection was, but I never feel any real connection to it. But if Takaki wavers when he suddenly meets Akari again after starting university in 5 Centimeters, I'll completely understand!"
"Why is it that I can't understand what you guys are discussing? Are you all just assuming that the next part of 5 Centimeters Per Second will be about Akari and Takaki reuniting in college?"
"What else could it be? How else could the story progress? Akari has to reappear!"
Miyu scrolled through the forum, her expression complex as she read the heated discussions among fans about 5 Centimeters Per Second.
It had been three days, and the forum was still buzzing with speculation about the story's direction. She had barely recovered from the shock of Rei's 5 Centimeters Per Second surpassing her Tale of Sorrow in the rankings.
It wasn't that she was petty; it was just that she, who had always considered herself a manga prodigy, had spent two to three years climbing to her current position.
And Rei?
Four weeks!
Was he even human?!
"No," Miyu slapped her cheeks. "I can't lose heart. Life is long, this is just a temporary setback. Besides, Rei's manga only surpassed Tale of Sorrow last week, and its highest ranking was second. My Tale of Sorrow reached number one!"
When it came to self-consolation, Miyu was practically a professional.
Refusal to give up was a given, her fighting spirit burned fiercely, and the determination to reclaim her top spot surged to its peak.
Still, she couldn't help but feel happy for Rei.
"Congratulations, Rei," she murmured to herself.
She would never say such a thing to his face—it was too embarrassing. But whispering her thoughts aloud when no one was around felt perfectly acceptable.
Soon, Saturday arrived.
Rei's first royalty payment had been deposited into his account. He immediately used the money to buy the latest smartphone. He felt awkward constantly relying on Miyu to relay messages to Misaki Yukishiro.
However, he would have to wait until Monday to ask Miyu for Misaki's phone number at school.
Aside from drawing manga at home over the weekend, Rei spent most of his time reading online fan reactions to 5 Centimeters Per Second and Shirogane, researching the trends in Japan's manga market. As he did, his anxiety gradually intensified.
After all, the final chapter of 5 Centimeters Per Second would be serialized in just a few days.
He could only imagine the overwhelming wave of resentment that would flood the internet when it was released.
Yet, a flicker of anticipation also stirred within him.
In his previous life, he had experienced the crushing despair of reading this manga. Now, he would be the one to inflict that same despair on tens of thousands of readers in this world.
Suffering alone would undoubtedly be painful, but sharing that suffering with others... that, he realized, might actually bring a twisted kind of satisfaction.
The days flew by, and soon it was Wednesday again, the release day for Sakura Weekly.
This issue featured the final chapter of High Score Romance, the magazine's most popular manga.
The cover was dedicated entirely to a full-color illustration promoting High Score Romance.
Bookstores had already replaced their displays with High Score Romance posters.
Fans of the manga flocked to bookstores early to purchase Sakura Weekly.
Chinatsu Kirishima, however, was not among them.
She arrived at the bookstore early that morning with a single purpose:
5 Centimeters Per Second!
Most series in Sakura Weekly announce their upcoming finales in advance, giving fans time to prepare.
But 5 Centimeters was a short story, and its ending was abrupt. If readers knew this was the final installment, it might diminish their enjoyment.
Therefore, Hoshimori Publishing Group deliberately withheld any announcement about the manga's conclusion in the previous week's issue.
When Chinatsu returned home with the latest issue of 5 Centimeters, she eagerly flipped through the pages until she found the manga's installment.
Her eyes immediately fell on the bold title:
Chinatsu's expression faltered slightly.
Episode 5: 5 Centimeters Per Second!