The earnings from Blue Spring Ride and its tankobon royalties had finally been processed and deposited.
After taxes, Haruto's bank balance was at ten of millions. If he were to graduate from an average university and take a standard desk job, he would likely earn around four or five million yen a year. That was the median income for a worker in Japan, providing a stable, middle-class life where a light novel magazine still cost about seven hundred yen.
In a high-income nation like Japan, wages for the average salaryman remained relatively flat, growing only by small increments over time. This meant that his current savings were equivalent to the total take-home pay of years of grueling labor without spending a single yen on food or rent.
Naturally, as Haruto looked at the countdown to the university entrance exams written on the blackboard, he felt nothing. The goal of education is usually to obtain a degree, and for most, the goal of a degree is to make money. Haruto had already made his money, and that was without even factoring in the upcoming payments for Anohana.
He spent the morning listening to teachers give impassioned speeches about the future, but his mind refused to engage. He simply couldn't relate to the collective anxiety of his peers.
At the school cafeteria, Haruto ordered the most expensive "luxury set" on the menu.
His indulgence drew hushed whispers and side-eyes from his classmates.
Wasn't his father's business bankrupt? Hadn't his father passed away? Where was he getting all this cash? Some of the more cynical students even began whispering rumors about him being a "sugar baby" for some wealthy older woman.
Just as Haruto sat down and prepared to eat, a striking figure took the seat directly across from him. He looked up in genuine shock. Half the students in the cafeteria stopped mid-chew, their eyes glazing over as they stared at the table.
Reina's expression was calm and businesslike.
"It has been a week," Reina said.
"Uh... yeah. Right," Haruto blinked, looking at the girl in front of him.
He had turned in his final manuscripts to Yukino the previous week and hadn't seen Reina since.
Today, her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. Beneath her crisp school skirt, her slender legs were pale and elegant. Her white blouse was immaculate, and her cold, piercing gaze seemed to warn everyone within a five-meter radius not to approach.
"Why are you... talking to me in public?" Haruto asked, lowering his voice after a brief pause.
"Is there some reason I shouldn't talk to you at school?" Reina asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Well, aren't you worried about what people will say?" Haruto asked.
"What could they possibly say?" Reina glanced around the room. The other students immediately averted their eyes, though they remained huddled at a respectful distance.
"You know how teenagers are. You're Reina Fujimoto."
"You never sit with anyone in the cafeteria, let alone a boy from another class. We're sitting here talking like we're actually friends. It's going to start a wildfire of rumors about us having some 'secret relationship' or something."
"A secret relationship?" Reina considered the phrase, quickly grasping his meaning.
She was a writer of youth fiction, after all; even if she focused on fantasy, romance was an essential element of the genre.
"Do you really think I care about that?" she asked. She looked Haruto in the eye, and a faint, unintended smile touched her lips. That single smile sent a jolt through the onlookers. The gossip mill went into overdrive.
What is the deal with Haruto from Class 3 and Reina Fujimoto from Class 7? Why is she smiling at him like that?
"Besides, you said something incorrect just now," Reina added, using her chopsticks to pick up food. "I am not talking to you 'like we're friends.' I am talking to you because we are friends."
"We are rivals, that much is true. But we are also friends who are helping each other protect our writing secrets. I saw you in the cafeteria and decided to chat. Why should I care how others interpret that?"
Haruto stared at her for a long moment, stunned. "Friends? You... you don't find me annoying?"
"Why would I?" she countered.
"Well, I've had two series in a row that have performed better than yours. If I weren't around, you would be the undisputed number one genius rookie in the region."
"I am not that narrow-minded," Reina replied after a pause, her voice softening into a light chuckle. "The world isn't black and white. A rival in one's career can also be the person who pushes you to succeed. Without the pressure you've given me, I might not have reached this level of quality with Star Sea."
"I hate losing to you, certainly. But I don't hate you because I lost."
"Besides, the rankings for Anohana haven't actually surpassed Star Sea yet. You sound awfully confident for someone currently sitting in fifth place."
"Well, you know... the future is unpredictable," Haruto laughed, trying to deflect the topic to avoid bruising her ego.
"Haruto." Reina's eyes sharpened, and her tone turned serious. "I am not fragile. Don't patronize me. Tell me the truth, what is your actual projection for the final ranking of Anohana?"
Haruto looked at her pale, beautiful face.
He didn't know the extent of the mental toll she had taken lately. Even though Anohana's rating had already surpassed Star Sea, she was still holding onto the lead in votes. But she had a dark premonition. The nightmares of losing to him had become a nightly occurrence. The two chapters that had made Yukino cry hadn't been released to the public yet.
Those were the series' ultimate weapons. Reina wasn't nearly as calm as she appeared. She wanted to know the honest thoughts of the boy she considered her only true rival.
"If you want the truth... based on my own assessment, if Star Sea stays at its current level of quality, it simply won't be able to stand against Anohana," Haruto said carefully.
Reina's fingers twitched against her chopsticks.
"Before it ends, Anohana will overtake Star Sea. It will overtake everything. It is going to hit number one in Crimson Maple."
"And you think you can do that with so few chapters left?" Reina asked, taking a deep breath.
"It is more than enough."
---
The following day, the next chapter of Anohana was released. The chapter focused on the emotional turmoil of the supporting cast. While the readers found it interesting, the anticipation for the fulfillment of Menma's wish was reaching a fever pitch. Despite the slower pace, the series climbed another spot in both votes and ratings upon release.
Once the momentum of a story like this builds, it grows exponentially. The "slow-burn" label only applied to the beginning. From chapter six onward, the depth of the characterization had already surpassed almost every other series in the magazine. New fans were borrowing back-issues from friends to catch up, reading twelve chapters in a single sitting.
The data proved the hype.
Anohana reached 10,102 votes, securing fourth place, and its rating hit a perfect 9.0, taking third place. While the ending is the most famous part of the story, the original work actually delivers tears and emotional resonance in every single act once the foundation is laid. The finale simply takes an excellent 85-point story and elevates it to a legendary 99.
A few days later, chapter thirteen was released.
A massive crowd gathered at bookstores early that morning. A reader named Natsumi, who usually slept until noon, forced herself out of bed through sheer willpower.
Once she got home with her copy of Crimson Maple, she scrambled to the Anohana pages. The story picked up exactly where the previous cliffhanger left off.
"Is it true? You really love me?"
Menma stood there, silver hair shimmering, looking as innocent as a child. She watched Jintan with wide, curious eyes before giving him a radiant smile.
"I love you too, Jintan."
"No... when I say I love you, it's not just as a friend," Jintan said, his face flushing a deep red as he looked at him with absolute sincerity.
"I know," Menma said, her eyes crinkling as she beamed at him. "It's the kind of love where you want me to be your bride, right? If I had grown up normally... would I have become your bride?"
The opening of the chapter was a direct hit to the heart. Natsumi's eyes blurred instantly. 'If she had grown up normally... all she wanted was to be with him.'
"Even if you didn't grow up normally... you don't have to pass on. You can just... stay here. Forever," Jintan said.
His silence and anxiety as the firework launch approached were finally explained. He didn't want her to disappear. He wanted her to stay in his world, even if she was the only one he could see.
"I have to pass on," Menma said. She paused, then ran over to him with a laugh. "If I don't pass on, I can't be reincarnated. I can't come back and actually talk to everyone again."
Natsumi read on, her heart growing heavier. As the moment for the firework launch drew closer, the narrative spent a great deal of time exploring the internal struggles of the group. The tension was suffocating. Finally, the fireworks were ready.
The Super Peace Busters carried the massive projectile up the mountain. Jintan wanted to stop it; the others wanted to let her go. They all said their goodbyes to the spirit they couldn't see. The desire to keep her clashed with the necessity of letting her find peace.
At the moment of ignition, Jintan finally broke. "Wait! Stop!"
But the fuse was already lit. With a deafening roar, the rocket streaked into the night sky.
"The firework... it went up."
A brilliant flower of light bloomed in the darkness. As beautiful as it was, its beauty signaled the end. Menma's wish was granted. She was going to disappear.
Natsumi felt a crushing ache in her chest.
Was this it? Was this how Menma's story ended?
"Wow... look at the flowers in the sky!"
In Jintan's eyes, there was more than just the firework.
He saw the girl leaping with joy, her silver hair trailing behind her. She was still there. She was celebrating the beauty of the moment they had created together. Even now, she showed no fear of vanishing. She was simply savoring every last second with Jintan, Tsuruko, Yukiatsu, Poppo, and Anaru. They were her entire world.
'Menma... I'm sorry. But in this moment... I'm so glad you didn't disappear.'
Jintan watched her through a veil of tears, praying silently. Menma looked at herself, surprised and a bit embarrassed that she was still there, but she eventually turned to Jintan with the most brilliant smile she had ever given him.
The fact that Menma hadn't passed on caused the group to collapse in relief and confusion. They argued and cried, but finally, they reached a singular, unified resolution.
"Let's find her real wish. Let's talk to her. Together."
In that moment, the Super Peace Busters were finally whole again. They were doing it for Menma.
Natsumi turned the pages, her eyes stinging. The scene appeared peaceful on the surface, but beneath the text was a raging torrent of emotion. Only those who had felt the weight of the previous twelve chapters could truly understand the repressed feelings of these characters.
But just as Natsumi thought the story might be heading toward a happy, lingering conclusion, Jintan returned home.
He found Menma collapsed on the floor. Her body was translucent, fading into the air.
Chapter 13: End.
Natsumi stared at those words on the final page. Her expression went completely blank.
'End? It ends right here?'
_______________________
Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
Support me at patreon.com/CulturedOne and read 50 Advanced Chapters