The next day.
In the living room of Miyu's villa:
"It was rejected?" Rei's eyes narrowed at the news.
He had always known that anything could happen during the rookie manga artist phase.
But hearing that Tonight had been rejected at Fantasy Realm Weekly's Serialization Meeting still made him inwardly scoff.
In his previous life, Tonight had emerged from the fiercely competitive light novel industry and been adapted into a live-action film.
Its value had already been proven in his past life.
Yet now it couldn't even pass the Serialization Meeting.
"Don't be discouraged," Misaki said. "There's still a chance at Sky Shadow Weekly's Serialization Meeting next week."
"I know," Rei replied with a smile. "I'm not discouraged, just a little disappointed."
"There's nothing to be disappointed about," Misaki countered. "This might not be our loss."
A few days later, Sky Shadow Weekly's Serialization Meeting convened.
The process was the same as before.
Eleven works were submitted for consideration.
But this time...
Ichinose Kei, the editor-in-chief of Sky Shadow Weekly and director of the Hoshimori Publishing Group's Editorial Department, a middle-aged woman in her forties, her eyes lit up when she saw that the author of the manga Tonight was Shirogane.
During the serialization meeting, she immediately asked, "Is this the same Shirogane who drew 5 Centimeters Per Second?"
"Yes," Misaki replied.
"Director Ichinose, you know Shirogane?"
"Of course. My daughter loves her manga," Ichinose Kei said softly. "And I've read the collected edition of 5 Centimeters Per Second. It's truly a moving and excellent work! I haven't felt this way about a manga in years."
As soon as Ichinose Kei spoke these words, the expressions of all the editors in the room changed, and a hint of envy flashed in their eyes as they looked at Misaki.
To put it bluntly, the editors' opinions at the serialization meeting were just that—opinions. Most magazine editors-in-chief would consider their input, but ultimately, they could still act unilaterally if they chose to. After all, they bore direct responsibility for the magazine's performance and sales. The greater their responsibility, the greater their authority.
Ichinose Kei's words clearly expressed her strong interest in Shirogane's new work.
Misaki was taken aback.
How did this week's Serialization Meeting take such a completely different turn from last week's?
But manga preferences were subjective.
Moreover, one's personality determined their approach.
Ryouichiro Shido feared that serializing a rookie mangaka's work might lead to plot instability or a rushed ending, negatively impacting Fantasy Realm's sales.
Ichinose Kei, however, wasn't afraid. As a pursuer, failing to catch up would simply maintain the status quo. Sky Shadow would remain the group's third best-selling periodical, posing no loss to her. Therefore, she not only didn't object to serializing Rei's work in Sky Shadow but actively anticipated it.
By early August,
Rei, whose summer vacation was nearing its end, finally received the news he'd been waiting for.
"You've been selected," Misaki's calm voice announced over the phone.
"If everything goes smoothly, Tonight will officially begin serialization in Sky Shadow Weekly in three weeks."
"So come by tomorrow to sign the contract."
"Understood," Rei said, taking a deep breath.
Having gone through the contract signing process before, Rei was now quite familiar with it.
The payment per page of the manga manuscript had increased from over 300 yuan to 540 yuan.
Of course, if the manga's popularity ranking was high, the base rate would fluctuate accordingly.
With no hesitation, Rei signed the contract immediately.
"This is completely different from when we serialized 5 Centimeters Per Second, Rei," Misaki said, putting away the contract and looking at him.
"For 5 Centimeters Per Second, you submitted all five chapters at once, so there was no need for serialization or deadlines. But Tonight..." Misaki stared intently at Rei.
"Since you've decided to do this, you need to do it properly. Don't be like some manga artists who drag their feet. If the editors don't constantly push them, they'll succumb to procrastination and even miss deadlines."
Beside them, Miyu's expression turned peculiar.
"Sister, are you talking about Rei?"
"Are you calling me out by name?"
"Of course," Rei replied with a smile.
"The kind of mangaka you're talking about, Editor Misaki, are the ones I despise most in this world."
Rei still remembered the agony of following Hunter x Hunter chapter by chapter in his past life.
Though he couldn't recall the exact plot details, the torment of waiting for updates remained etched in his memory.
"Ahem, ahem," Miyu coughed twice.
But Rei, oblivious to her thoughts, continued, "The most basic requirement for a mangaka is to manage their time effectively and meet deadlines. Those who can't even do that don't deserve to call themselves mangaka. They'd be better off going back to the countryside to raise pigs."
Misaki glanced at Miyu.
Miyu's ears flushed slightly. She wanted to retort but held back, silently vowing, Rei, I refuse to believe you'll never get stuck on the plot or fall behind on updates. When that day comes, I'll be sure to remind you of these very words.
With the serialization of his new manga confirmed, Rei began preparing for its debut tonight.
As always, the first chapter of Rei's new manga would receive the promotional opportunity of a color spread.
Not the entire chapter, of course, but around six pages.
The magazine cover would also feature a large close-up illustration of the new series.
All of these elements required Rei's personal design.
So, he found himself quite busy even at the end of summer vacation.
Furthermore, with the 5 Centimeters Per Second collected edition having been on sale for so long, his social media accounts across various platforms had accumulated a considerable following.
He naturally needed to inform his fans about his new manga series.
Though he wasn't sure how many Sakura Weekly manga magazine readers would switch over to Sky Shadow.
September 5th, Sky Shadow Weekly! My new series will debut!
This brief announcement of his new work spread like wildfire among 5 Centimeters Per Second fans in less than half a day.
Many of Rei's fans were still immersed in the lingering emotions of 5 Centimeters Per Second.
A large number of new readers were still discovering the series through the manga volumes sold in stores.
Everyone had assumed Shirogane would take at least several months, if not half a year, to release a new work.
It wasn't uncommon for manga artists to only produce a single work every few years.
But just a month after the release of the 5 Centimeters Per Second manga volume, Shirogane was already preparing to serialize a new manga?
What kind of speed was this?
Shirogane's fans were initially stunned, then excited, followed by a lingering sense of melancholy stirring within them.
So you're already planning a new serialized manga!
I thought Shirogane Sensei was truly that remarkable, completely indifferent to his fans' feelings, retiring after drawing just one manga.
The ending of your last manga was so heartbreaking, and now you expect us to support your new one?
No way! Even a dog wouldn't read this new manga!
But the title...
Tonight, Even If This Love Disappears from the World!
The title actually sounds pretty good. Another youth romance manga?