Tsushima Kagami sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the editorial department, watching the sun slowly tilt toward the west outside, and let out a long breath.
From nine in the morning until now — nearly an entire day.
He had spent the whole time sitting with the editors, sharing convenience store lunches and cups of tea, just talking the hours away.
"Kagami-kun!"
Kobayashi Tomoaki's voice came from behind him. Tsushima Kagami turned around.
He saw Kobayashi Tomoaki finally emerging from the editor-in-chief's private office.
"Ahaha, sorry — I never expected the editor-in-chief to take this long." "I kept you waiting."
"But our Shinchōsha bento boxes aren't bad, are they?"
Kobayashi Tomoaki walked over to him, half-teasing, half-joking.
"The editor-in-chief specifically asked me to pass along his reassurance."
"No Longer Human can be published in the middle of next month — but it will still need to run in Shinchō at the start of the month first."
Kobayashi Tomoaki relayed what the editor-in-chief had said back in the office.
He did not, however, mention the part about the editor-in-chief personally stepping in to secure the Akutagawa Prize for Tsushima Kagami.
After all, if it ended up getting manipulated away from behind the scenes again — like last time — telling him in advance would only mean raising his hopes for nothing.
As the saying goes: plans kept close succeed; plans spoken aloud fail.
So Kobayashi Tomoaki decided he would wait until everything was confirmed and then give Tsushima Kagami a proper surprise.
Tsushima Kagami, for his part, said he was happy to accept the arrangement.
His reluctance to serialize it first had mainly been the worry that running it in the magazine before publication would eat up time. But now that mid-next-month for the book had been confirmed, a serialization at the start of the month was fine.
If it helped boost Shinchō's circulation a little, so much the better.
"Then I'll leave it in your hands."
"Not at all, not at all."
Kobayashi Tomoaki waved the thanks away.
"By the way — since I kept you waiting all day — do you have any plans tonight?" "If not, let me buy you a drink?"
Tsushima Kagami shook his head.
"Thank you, Editor Kobayashi, but I'm meeting a friend tonight."
Kobayashi Tomoaki nodded in understanding.
"Right, then I won't hold you up from your get-together." "Time's short — I need to start going over the manuscript for you anyway."
They exchanged a few more words. In the end, Tsushima Kagami left the manuscript with Kobayashi Tomoaki to handle the revisions, said his goodbyes to everyone in the editorial department, and made his way out of Shinchōsha.
Stepping out of the Shinchōsha building, Tsushima Kagami stood at the roadside and checked the time.
Already half past four in the afternoon.
Yukinoshita Shizuku and Shimizu Nayotake would be finishing their shifts around now.
Today was a day off from school, but Yukinoshita Shizuku and Shimizu Nayotake happened to be scheduled for their part-time shifts on the same day.
The original plan had been for everyone to get together today and celebrate the cultural festival performance's success, and at the same time welcome Shimizu Nayotake back after her hospital discharge and return to school.
But since both of them had work, and he himself happened to be coming to see Kobayashi Tomoaki about the manuscript revisions and publication arrangements, they had simply pushed the gathering back to dinnertime.
The planning for the get-together had been handed off to Kosaka Akane and Machida Sonoko.
At this point he was just about due to go pick up Yukinoshita Shizuku and Shimizu Nayotake when they clocked off.
Tsushima Kagami took the train one stop, then stepped out of Shinjuku Station's east exit and walked along a familiar street until he reached the convenience store where the two of them worked.
He walked in to find a few customers lined up at the register and a handful of students browsing the snack aisle.
He took a few steps further inside, and there they were — two familiar figures behind the counter.
Yukinoshita Shizuku had on the store's green apron and was ringing up a customer. Her movements were practiced and efficient, her face set in a professional smile.
At the register beside her, Shimizu Nayotake was busy too. She wore the same green apron, her hair pulled back in a simple low ponytail, carefully checking each item before scanning it into a bag. Her hands were even more deft than Yukinoshita Shizuku's.
Tsushima Kagami didn't interrupt them. He found an unobtrusive corner, picked up a magazine from the rack, and settled in to wait.
After a while, the queue at the registers dwindled.
Yukinoshita Shizuku lifted her head, rolled her neck, and let her gaze sweep the store — and there was Tsushima Kagami in the corner.
"How much longer on your shift?"
Tsushima Kagami caught her eye and came over to ask.
Yukinoshita Shizuku glanced at the clock on the wall.
"Ten minutes." "The next shift's almost here."
Tsushima Kagami nodded and made his way to the rest area by the window, settling into one of the plastic chairs.
Ten minutes later, Yukinoshita Shizuku and Shimizu Nayotake came out of the staff changing room in their own clothes.
"Let's go."
Tsushima Kagami said with a smile. "Keeping everyone waiting too long would be rude."
The three of them walked out of the convenience store and merged into the evening crowds.
Ginza.
Tokyo's most glamorous boulevard wore a completely different face at night than it did by day.
The tower buildings blazed with light, neon signs flickering in every color.
From the high-end restaurants lining the street came the murmur of conversation and the bright clink of glasses.
Tsushima Kagami led the two of them into a building and took the elevator up to the sixth floor.
The doors opened onto a quiet corridor. On either side were Japanese-style wooden doors, each with a wooden nameplate hanging from it.
A waitress bowed and led them inside.
Tsushima Kagami stopped in front of one door and pushed it open.
"They're here, they're here!"
Sayuri's voice rang out from inside the private room at once.
It was a traditional Japanese-style room — tatami floors, a low table, floor cushions, and ukiyo-e-style prints hanging on the walls. The window looked directly out onto the night view beyond, Ginza's lights spreading like a field of stars.
Seven people were already seated around the low table, which looked noticeably larger than usual.
Sayuri was sitting at the far end. The moment she saw the three of them come in, she jumped up and waved.
She was wearing a pink knit sweater today — unbearably cute.
Kosaka Akane sat beside her in a black T-shirt and jeans, hair down. She gave Tsushima Kagami a small nod by way of greeting.
Machida Sonoko was on the other side, dressed in a grey hoodie, her hair — growing out into a bob now — gathered into a little ponytail. She was holding a menu, studying it intently.
Ijichi Seika and Hiratsuka Shizuka were leaning against the wall side by side, and somehow both had shown up in leather jackets today. They were huddled together talking about something, and when they noticed the newcomers arrive, they raised their drinks with a grin.
Hiroi Kikuri and PA-san, by contrast, were dressed in perfectly ordinary casual clothes, sitting sensibly with menus in hand, debating with Machida Sonoko about what to order.
"Come in, come in!"
Sayuri waved them over. "We've been waiting for you!"
Everyone shuffled around to make room for the three newcomers.
Yukinoshita Shizuku pulled Shimizu Nayotake down to sit beside her. Tsushima Kagami took the seat next to them.
"Alright, alright — everyone's here!"
Sayuri raised her glass.
"Come on — bottoms up, first round!"
____
👻🔥Walnut-chan🔥👻
🔥 New history: Uchiha Reborn in Jujutsu Kaisen: The System Thinks I'm in Konoha, but I'm Not
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone