— — — — — —
Clannad was officially set to release on January 2nd. The second day of the new year. Also the first day of winter break for students.
As for promotion plans, the tentative schedule was to begin around mid-November. They would start subtly at first, gradually letting people learn roughly when Clannad was coming out. Then by mid-December, they'd shift into full gear with large-scale advertising campaigns.
Oikawa had no intention of sticking his nose into fields he didn't understand. He trusted Full-Drive Bunko to handle all that properly.
Right now, his job was simply to work with the illustrator and polish Clannad's artwork.
This time, the memories in his head weren't all that useful. After all, the original Clannad anime could practically be considered ancient by modern standards. Its art style was completely different from current light novel illustrations.
Illustrators these days were getting bolder and bolder.
Not outright hentai, but close enough.
A lot of mediocre light novels relied on suggestive covers just to boost sales. And no matter the world, there was never a shortage of thirsty people.
The cover for Clannad still hadn't been finalized. Not because Oikawa disliked it, but because Chris and the illustrator both felt the finer details needed more polishing.
Which made sense. After all, they'd already invested thirty million yen into promotion, so naturally everything had to be perfected.
Oikawa could clearly feel just how seriously Full-Drive Bunko was taking Clannad. It almost felt like they were betting everything on it.
Like when Marvel Studios released Iron Man back in the day.
The difference was that Marvel had been on the verge of collapse, while Full-Drive Bunko simply wanted to make a name for itself.
...
..
November arrived right on schedule.
Outside the window, the leaves on the tall trees had turned even yellower, clinging weakly to the branches like they might fall at any moment.
The temperature kept dropping. That was the downside of living by the sea. Every seasonal change brought a sudden chill.
It never became unbearably cold, but compared to nearby regions, it was definitely much colder.
For once, Oikawa wasn't sleeping during math class.
Of course, he wasn't actually paying attention either. He simply stared out the window, spacing out in the most literal sense possible.
His mind was completely blank, almost like his brain had frozen. But honestly, that kind of emptiness felt pretty nice.
Soon enough, the final math class ended.
Oikawa slung his shoulder bag over himself and headed toward the Literature Club room in the activity building.
Kawasaki was still working on a math problem. Judging by the look of it, he'd probably be able to happily chat with Zaimokuza for at least another twenty minutes today.
"Oikawa-kun, wait up!" Yui's voice came from behind him, and Oikawa slowed his pace. "Why do you walk so fast every day? Wait for me!"
Her tone sounded almost spoiled, and paired with that slightly aggrieved expression, it was enough to silently capture the hearts of innocent high school boys.
Unfortunately, Oikawa wasn't included in that category.
"Oikawa-kun, midterms are only a few days away. Do you think you can beat Yukino this time?"
As it turned out, all women in the world loved gossip.
"Maybe... probably... possibly?"
Even Oikawa himself wasn't sure. He could only say he'd try his best.
Japanese literature and geography-history dragged his scores down way too much. Trying to make up the difference through math and science alone wasn't as easy as it sounded.
"What's with that answer? Oikawa-kun, you have zero confidence! I've always believed in you, you know."
Oikawa turned his head. Yui's eyes were as clear as rippling water, and the smile on her face carried a strangely healing warmth.
"Then I guess I'll have to work hard so I don't disappoint you, Yui."
"Mhm. Oikawa-kun's definitely going to win."
The two walked side by side all the way to the activity building, laughter trailing behind them wherever they passed.
"Oikawa, you're here."
Zaimokuza was reading a light novel. The moment he saw Oikawa enter, he immediately waved in greeting.
Ever since the sports festival, Oikawa could clearly tell Zaimokuza had become much more cheerful.
He would occasionally talk about funny things happening in class now, and it seemed like he'd finally made two or three friends he could actually chat with.
"Oikawa, where's your class going for the school trip after midterms? Our class is going to Hokkaido! I heard you can see snow there. I've never seen snow in real life before!"
Zaimokuza looked as excited as a five-year-old child.
Still, Oikawa could understand. In a coastal place like Chiba Prefecture, seeing snow really was rare.
Though even in Hokkaido... did it actually snow in November?
Oikawa had his doubts.
"As for our class, I heard we're probably going to Tokyo, but nothing's confirmed yet. There's still more than a week left anyway. Shouldn't what we actually be worrying about right now be midterms? If your grades suck, are you really going to be in the mood for a trip?" Oikawa said, pulling a book from his bag.
Zaimokuza nodded, and the two quietly read their books.
Days like this really were comfortable.
Too bad there wasn't any black tea nearby.
Oikawa's eyes shifted slightly, and soon he set his sights on the club room next door.
Friends were supposed to share, after all.
Closing his book, Oikawa headed toward the Service Club room next door.
...
When Oikawa arrived, he happened to catch Yukino setting down the magazine in her hand before standing and walking toward the electric kettle.
Unlike the outsiders from the Literature Club, who had to drink tea from disposable cups every time they visited, the Service Club members all had elegant personal tea sets.
Looking at the teacups, saucers, and that porcelain kettle that practically screamed "expensive," Oikawa couldn't help muttering internally, 'Damn rich kids.'
"Yuki, what snacks are we having today?" Yui looked genuinely excited. To her, delicious desserts seemed capable of defeating all worldly troubles.
"Ahem. Sorry to interrupt. I think I left something in the Service Club the other day."
Oikawa walked in shamelessly.
Yukino glanced at him briefly before turning her attention back to the kettle.
Inside, the tea leaves swirled gracefully in the boiling water like dancers spinning across a stage.
"Oikawa-kun, what did you lose?" Yui walked over with concern.
"My share of the black tea." Oikawa grabbed a disposable paper cup from the side and strode toward Yukino like a warrior. After all, he wanted three cups of tea.
"Heh. Does a certain event committee chairman think his position gives him authority now?" Yukino's voice was icy.
"And has a certain vice-chair forgotten she lost our bet?" Oikawa fired back immediately.
The two locked horns without yielding an inch.
In the end, though, Yukino lost by half a step. She shot him a fierce glare before deciding silence was the better option.
Beside them, Hachiman Hikigaya looked like he desperately wanted to laugh but didn't dare.
The expression on his face was honestly pretty hilarious.
After pouring tea into her own cup, Yukino carried her saucer back to her seat gracefully.
Yui came over with her mug and poured herself a cup as well.
The little dog printed on the mug looked strangely familiar.
Oikawa stared at it for a moment before hesitantly asking, "Is that Sable?"
Yui immediately nodded happily. "Cute, right? I paid 800 yen to have someone custom-make the design!"
Oikawa smiled and nodded politely.
...
Once the tea cooled enough to drink, Oikawa filled his cup and sat by the window.
Below him, the athletic clubs were still practicing on the field.
With black tea in hand and the afternoon breeze drifting through the room, "comfortable" barely even began to describe it.
"The school trip's coming up soon, huh? Yukino, has your class decided where you're going yet?" Yui held her mug with both hands, gently blowing across the tea as she spoke.
"We're still deciding. But personally, I don't really care where we go."
Yukino didn't seem especially excited, though she didn't dislike the idea either.
"I seriously don't get why it has to be Tokyo. I wanted Okinawa way more. I heard the black pork there is amazing!" Yui's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Going to Okinawa at this time of year wouldn't be very wise."
The howling wind outside reminded everyone just how cold it had become.
Even in Okinawa, swimming in the ocean probably wasn't happening this season.
"But doesn't Tokyo sound kind of boring? Chiba's already super close to Tokyo. Most of the stuff there exists here too. Even the famous shrines can be visited in Chiba." Yui said with a weak sigh.
Yukino looked genuinely troubled hearing that argument.
"Yui... Tokyo's culture and history are far beyond what Chiba can compare to. Besides, we're not going there just to play around. We're supposed to witness the traces left behind by history firsthand." Yukino spoke with complete seriousness.
"..."
Oikawa simply looked out the window instead of joining their conversation.
Knock knock knock.
Just as he was about to head back to the Literature Club, someone knocked on the Service Club door.
Not Zaimokuza or Kawasaki.
At this point, the relationship between the Literature Club and Service Club was close enough that those two would never bother knocking first.
"Come in."
After Yukino spoke, the sliding door slowly opened.
Several familiar faces stepped inside. The center of the class social circle, along with his three idiot sidekicks. Hayato Hayama walked in front, with Tobe, Ōka, and Yamato trailing behind him.
"Oikawa? You're here too?" Hayama scanned the room before his gaze landed on Oikawa, his eyes carrying a faint competitive spark.
Which made sense.
During the sports festival's "same boat" event, Hayama's Red Team had been the overwhelming favorite to win.
Yet in the end, they'd still been eliminated by Oikawa's Blue Team.
"Just wandering around."
Oikawa had no idea whether Hayama understood the phrase "wandering around," and honestly, he had no intention of explaining it either.
What puzzled him more was this: Why had these guys come to the Service Club together?
None of them looked like people burdened with problems.
"May I ask what you need?" Yukino's voice was calm and cold.
Oikawa froze for a second.
Come to think of it, it had actually been quite a while since Yukino had spoken to him in such an icy tone.
Strangely enough, it almost felt nostalgic.
Hearing her question, Hayama turned toward Tobe. Ōka and Yamato did the same.
As for Tobe himself... He had suddenly become awkward and fidgety, like a shy bride about to be married off. It was completely different from his usual carefree personality.
"Uh... Tobe's got something he wants to ask you guys about, so I brought him here..."
Everyone's eyes landed on Tobe.
"Go ahead," Yukino spoke coolly.
"Nah, actually, it's not really a big deal... I... I seriously can't say it."
Tobe's face was full of hesitation. He glanced at Hachiman, then at Oikawa, almost as if their presence made it impossible for him to speak.
Oikawa was speechless.
He had already guessed most of it anyway. It was about love.
More specifically, about Ebina Hina.
Honestly, Oikawa really wanted to tell Tobe to cut his losses and give up on this hopeless idea. Ebina was clearly not the same kind of person as him.
But after thinking about it for a moment, he decided against saying anything.
People in love never listened when others pointed out flaws in the person they liked. Push too hard and the idiot might actually explode on the spot.
You could try to persuade him. But there was just no point.
"Oikawa-kun, I remember your Literature Club has a copy of Your Lie in April, right? Let's go take a look." Hachiman suddenly stood up, making up an incredibly clumsy excuse while clearly trying to drag the equally unwelcome Oikawa out of the Service Club with him.
Tobe quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Even Hayama's tense expression finally eased.
Right then, Yukino's cold voice rang out. "Whether it's Oikawa or Hachiman, both are members and friends. If your request is too inconvenient to say in front of them, then please leave. The Service Club does not welcome guests like that."
Her tone was sharp and absolute.
Oikawa could tell that Yukino was genuinely angry.
Even back at the Chiba Village camping trip, when she confronted him directly, her eyes had never been this cold.
The atmosphere in the room instantly became awkward.
After a brief silence, Hayama quickly spoke up. "Sorry. We didn't think it through carefully enough. Tobe, let's just figure this out ourselves."
"I still want to ask the Service Club for help. And anyway, everyone's gonna find out about this sooner or later, so there's no point hiding it now."
It was like Tobe had finally made up his mind.
"Um..."
Oikawa looked at him helplessly while internally screaming, 'Just spit it out already! At this rate I'm about to say it for you!'
"Um, actually, I..." By the time everyone was starting to lose patience, Tobe finally got to the point. "I think Ebina's really great... so during the school trip, I want to become closer to her."
Good lord.
After all that buildup, it was this.
"Tobe, you seriously like Ebina...?"
Yui looked like she'd just stumbled upon the gossip of the century. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she waited for more details.
Hachiman, on the other hand, didn't seem surprised at all.
It was almost like he'd already known.
Yukino, though, looked completely blank for a moment.
Only after Yui leaned over and quietly explained things to her did realization finally dawn on her face.
She thought about it briefly before saying, "So, you're planning to confess to Ebina and start dating her. Is that correct?"
Yukino wasn't exactly unfamiliar with Ebina.
The two had met during the Chiba Village trip and had even chatted together for quite a while.
Tobe nodded furiously, "Yeah, yeah, exactly! I want to know how Ebina feels about me, but I'm scared that if she rejects me, it'll ruin our friendship."
What a simp.
An absolute simp.
Oikawa felt a little disdainful inside.
The guy was already worried about preserving their friendship before he'd even confessed.
"You don't want to damage the relationship...?"
Yukino lightly frowned, touching the corner of her lips as she thought.
Even for her, this was clearly a troublesome request. It wasn't an easy problem to solve.
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