"I read the book The Legend of Devotion, but I didn't finish it. In the end, I only read half. Although he wrote it really well... I will never finish reading this book."
"Because I know this book has no real ending..."
"Do you know? The background and setting of this book were all told to him by me... At that time, I just said jokingly... Why don't you write one too."
[And his answer was: Then I'll write it.]
Kazeno's smile was a bit bitter. "But do you know? A person who never really reads novels, the first time he tried to write a short story, he wrote such a work!"
"Can you understand?"
Kazeno: Second year of Tokyo Shuchiin Senior High, captain of the Rugby Club! But a year ago, he was a fanatic of the Literature Club...
Since childhood, Kazeno has loved various literary works, dreaming of becoming a famous literary writer. In middle school, Kazeno won many awards with his excellent writing.
And at that time, [Hyacinth] was just his friend and listener.
A year ago—Kazeno met an old man with a strangely shaped head in a park near Shuchiin.
The old man sat on the park swing, complaining that the wine was finished. It was already very late, so Kazeno suddenly had a whim and went to the convenience store to buy a few bottles of wine for the old man.
"Young man, what does this mean?"
"Weren't you muttering to yourself that there was no more wine? It's already late, take this wine and go home, don't let your family worry about you."
The old man seemed very happy and smiled, beckoning Kazeno over. "Don't worry, this old man isn't the kind of old guy who makes juniors worry. But you, what are you doing out so late at night?"
"No ideas... I want to write a book to participate in this year's selection, but I can't find a good subject."
"Oh... Are you a student of Shuchiin? Then have you heard the legend of the Devotion Festival..."
That night a year ago, Kazeno heard many, even somewhat fantastical stories. The next day, when chatting with [Hyacinth], he also told this story.
[This story is pretty good! Unfortunately, it was too late that day, and the old man left before finishing it. But I will definitely write a book based on this story with all my might! Maybe I'll win the grand prize then!]
[Really a good story. Go for it, I support you.]
[Do you want to write a book based on this story too?]
[Sounds interesting, then I'll write it.]
After that, based on this story, the two wrote two works respectively—The Legend of Devotion and Heart and Fox.
And they took the top two places in the Tokyo Short Story Selection respectively!
That's right, the work he put all his effort into to win the prize! Heart and Fox, which he was most satisfied with in history, was ruthlessly crushed underfoot by his friend [Hyacinth]'s casual debut work!
After speaking, Kazeno fell into silence. His tone when telling this story was unprecedentedly calm, as if the characters in the story had nothing to do with him.
A work written by a person who spent a lot of time researching and thinking in the literary field couldn't compare to a friend's whim.
The peak I struggled to reach with all my might was just your starting point... So Kazeno made a decision, that is to give up... He quit the Literature Club and joined the sports-oriented Rugby Club.
When bored, he no longer read books but went to work out. He even became the captain of the Rugby Club now... Shirogane Miyuki actually discovered this strange thing in the Student Council's records.
As the captain of the Rugby Club, a sports-type boy who likes fitness, his grades are fourth in the grade. Is this a genius? No... it seems he is also a hard-working type like himself.
"Actually... I came up with the pen name [Hyacinth]."
Kazeno continued.
"Hahaha, that guy didn't think about publishing it at all after finishing the book. Instead, he threw the manuscript directly to me. Speaking of which, I registered it for him and gave him the pen name Hyacinth."
"Actually, at that time... I had a premonition before the two books were published. If I had been selfish then and hadn't published his book, there might have been a different future."
Uchiha Ryo smiled. "But Kazeno-senpai is not a selfish person. After seeing your friend's work, you still registered a pen name for him and published the work."
"Yeah, unfortunately, that's the fact!"
Shirogane Miyuki frowned. "So... you gave up literature?!"
Kazeno shook his head. "Not because of this. After all, I had long foreseen the gap. Besides, second place in the selection is also very impressive, okay!"
"What really made me give up was a sentence from [Hyacinth] after that."
[Hey, I saw that old grandpa at the Devotion Festival, and I asked for the ending! Do you want to write a sequel?]
[Oh, forget it. I'm not interested anymore. If Kazeno-san is interested, you can write the sequel for me...]
The casual creation of a genius often requires ordinary people to exhaust all their efforts to catch up. But the genius clearly possesses the strength others desire but can't get, yet doesn't care at all about this so-called... ending that everyone is looking forward to.
Kazeno... in the end, still didn't choose to help him continue the ending of the story.
...
"Ah, I've said what I should say. Anyway, your goal is also the ending of the story, right?"
Kazeno took out a notebook from his carry-on bag, then tore off a few pages from it.
"Take it, no need to return it to me. Although there is no original manuscript of the novel, this is the story background provided by that old gentleman, and the ending is inside."
Slapping those few pages of handwritten story ending and the total consumption amount of the four people on the table, Kazeno walked towards the exit without looking back.
"[Hyacinth] that guy doesn't like to attract attention, so I won't say who it is. This meal is on me, bye bye—"
...
Apartment building, Yukino's home—Chitanda Eru sat anxiously in the living room until Uchiha Ryo walked in unhurriedly.
Yukinoshita raised her head. "Found the author?"
Looking at Chitanda's expectant eyes, Uchiha Ryo smiled and placed a few pages of handwritten manuscripts on the table.
"The bad news is... [Hyacinth]'s identity remains a mystery. The good news is, our ultimate goal has been achieved."
Uchiha Ryo relayed the story he heard today to the others in the living room. Hearing the end, whether it was Yukinoshita or Chitanda, or even Tsurumi Rumi who had just finished reading The Legend of Devotion, all fell into silence.
Rumi had finished reading both The Legend of Devotion and Heart and Fox in the past two days because of Chitanda's recommendation.
Both are very good works, but if she had to choose one... she would choose The Legend of Devotion. Although she hadn't met Kazeno-senpai, they seemed to feel the other party's helplessness.
Chitanda silently finished reading the ending of the story, remained silent for a long time, then opened her eyes to look at Uchiha Ryo.
"I'm curious!! Which senior is [Hyacinth] exactly!"
Uchiha Ryo chuckled. "It seems we have received a new mission~"