After Rei's verified manga artist account announced the upcoming serialization of his new work, the comments section, already buzzing from the runaway success of 5 Centimeters Per Second, became even more crowded. Fans poured in from manga forums, the Sakura Weekly website, and other platforms.
Though they grumbled and complained, deep down, the prospect of a new work by Shirogane still filled them with anticipation.
"A new manga already? That's so fast!"
"It's normal for a rookie mangaka. They've probably been brewing this story in their mind for years. Unlike veteran artists, they don't have any creative baggage or fear of failure."
"Judging by the title, it's probably another romance manga. I'm a little worried though! Could it be the same kind of story as 5 Centimeters Per Second?"
"Surely not? Isn't Shirogane Sensei rumored to be a beautiful high school girl? She must have exhausted all her negative views on love in 5 Centimeters Per Second, right?"
"People can't always be negative. I have a feeling this manga won't be a tragedy. Or rather, I refuse to believe Shirogane can create a manga even more tragic and heart-wrenching than 5 Centimeters Per Second. As long as it's not as tragic as 5 Centimeters Per Second, it's a comedy!"
"So you can just deceive yourself like that?"
"Speaking of which, weren't we all bashing Shirogane's manga just a few weeks ago? How come everyone's suddenly flocking to her new release announcement?"
"We were just venting our anger back then. But now that Takaki in the manga has found closure, I realize my anger stemmed from my own lack of closure. Looking back, 5 Centimeters Per Second truly is a masterpiece. It's a shame Shirogane Sensei isn't more famous yet, being a newcomer. Otherwise, the single-volume sales would have surpassed 600,000 copies by now."
"Sigh, same here. A month ago, when I finished 5 Centimeters, I was furious because it reminded me of the girl I had a crush on in middle school. But now that my anger has subsided, I realize the manga was trying to tell people like me to let go of our obsessions and stop trying to carve a mark on a passing river."
"Looking forward to Shirogane Sensei's new work. Just please, no more heartbreak!"
"I really hope Shirogane Sensei writes a side story. At least Takaki and Akari didn't have a chance, so maybe Takaki could end up with Kanae!"
Overnight, fans who had fallen in love with Shirogane Sensei after reading 5 Centimeters Per Second spread the news that his new work, Tonight, would be serialized in Sky Shadow Weekly.
In the following days, Rei began preparing for the serialization of Tonight.
Time passed quickly, and a week soon went by.
In late August, the new school term began.
Having recently celebrated his sixteenth birthday, Rei was now a second-year high school student.
The first day of the new term was for class assignments.
Just like in his previous life, second-year students were divided into humanities and science tracks.
Rei, without hesitation, chose the science track again, and his name appeared on the class assignment list posted by the school.
The moment Rei entered the classroom, his expression turned strange.
He recognized someone there.
"Oh, Rei!"
Having already checked the class roster, Miyu had been waiting for Rei's arrival. She waved enthusiastically and greeted him with a bright smile.
"What a coincidence! We're in the same class."
"Yeah, quite a coincidence," Rei replied after a pause.
There were ten science classes in total, so the fact that Rei and Miyu ended up in the same class was indeed a stroke of luck.
"What a coincidence, Rei! We're in the same class again."
A cheerful female voice called out from behind Rei.
He turned to see Hana Fujimoto and Yui Nakamura, the two best friends, their curious eyes fixed on Rei and Miyu.
Of course, they weren't the only ones in class paying attention to Rei and Miyu.
By their second year of high school, secret romances were common, but Miyu's reputation at school made her and Rei the subject of particular scrutiny.
"Speaking of which, Shirogane Sensei has released a new manga, did you know?" Yui asked with a teasing smile.
"Oh, you definitely know. You said yourself that you are Shirogane Sensei, right?"
Eh?
Miyu's pupils dilated in shock.
Rei, you're so bold! You actually revealed something like that?
"Yes, yes, of course I know. It's my own manga, after all. How could I not?" Rei replied, playing along with Yui's joke.
He could tell Yui was teasing him, so he decided to play along.
Although his earlier remarks last semester might have aroused Hana's suspicions, they remained just that—suspicions. As for Yui, she was clearly using this topic to tease him before smoothly steering the conversation toward her favorite manga artist, Shirogane Sensei, and his new work.
Miyu was quick-witted. After a few seconds of hesitation, she had a good idea of what Yui Nakamura was thinking.
Hana, however, eyed Rei with suspicion.
Early in the serialization of 5 Centimeters Per Second last semester, Rei had hinted that the manga would be a tragedy. Upon closer examination, his comments also suggested it would be short.
Before the manga's conclusion, no one had guessed these things. But now...
Perhaps it was just a coincidence.
After all, rumors online claimed Shirogane Sensei was a genius high school girl manga artist.
If anything, Miyu seemed like a more likely candidate to be Shirogane.
"Oh, you mentioned Shirogane? Does that mean you two are fans of 5 Centimeters Per Second too?" Miyu asked with a smile.
The first few days after class assignments in the second year of high school were crucial for making new friends, essentially determining one's social circle for the next two years.
"You've read it too?" Hana's eyes lit up.
When manga enthusiasts meet kindred spirits, their desire to talk immediately ignites.
"Of course! Actually, Rei was the one who showed me 5 Centimeters Per Second. I almost cried while reading it," Miyu said, hurrying over to Hana with a smile.
"I see," Hana replied, giving Rei a curious look.
"By the way, have you guys read Tale of Sorrow, the manga serialized in the same magazine as 5 Centimeters Per Second?" Miyu asked.
"Of course! That manga was really good too," Yui Nakamura immediately chimed in.
"Yeah, but the ending felt so rushed."
"Exactly! Honestly, Tale of Sorrow is better than 5 Centimeters Per Second, right?"
"No way! 5 Centimeters is definitely better! Miyu, are you kidding me? Anyone with taste can see the difference," Yui retorted.
"..." Miyu fell silent.
"Miyu, why aren't you saying anything?" Hana asked, curious.
Rei watched the three girls quickly gather around the manga topic and sighed softly.
Miyu, you're such a playful one.
She must be enjoying the behind-the-scenes thrill of hiding her identity as a manga artist while discussing her own and Shirogane's works with others.
Over the next few days, the classmates gradually got to know each other.
The top students clustered together, as did the bottom students. Those skilled in sports naturally gravitated toward each other, and cliques began to form within the class.
The only exception was Rei and Miyu, two of the class's top students, who ended up hanging out with Yui Nakamura and Hana, two of the lower-ranked students, all because of their shared love for manga.
Well, under Miyu's guidance, all four publicly admitted to being fans of the legendary manga artists Shirogane and Saki.
For Rei, a man who had lived a full adult life in his previous world, his days were meticulously planned: attending classes during the day, sneaking off to secluded spots during lunch breaks to sketch manga, and then pouring all his energy into drawing Tonight at night.
With such a structured and fulfilling routine, time flew by.
The second week after school started:
September 4th, Friday
Today was the release date for the new issue of Sky Shadow Weekly.
It was also the day the first chapter of Tonight, Even If This Love Disappears from the World! began serialization.