Listening to his classmates gossip about Shiori Takahashi felt increasingly surreal for Haruto. However, as more and more readers began to fantasize about the author being a girl, the pressure on him started to mount.
Initially, he had kept his identity secret just to ensure his school life wouldn't be disrupted. Now, he genuinely didn't dare to go public. He was afraid that fans whose fantasies were shattered might do something drastic.
That evening, Haruto accepted an invitation to Yukino's home for a victory celebration after Anohana reached the top of the Crimson Maple rankings.
During the meal, he shared his concerns with her.
"What are you afraid of? If the fans want to believe Shiori Takahashi is a beautiful girl, you could just fulfill that fantasy," Yukino said with a mischievous glint in her eye. She was currently devouring ingredients from a bubbling hot pot. "I have plenty of cute girl cosplay outfits in my room, nurses, police officers, magical girls, you name it. Why don't I pick out a couple later and have you do a cross-dressing shoot?"
"With your facial features, a bit of makeup would make you look like the real deal. I could send the publisher tomorrow and put your fans' imaginations to rest."
"Stop joking. I'm being serious here," Haruto replied, his face flushing with embarrassment.
"Don't worry about it," Yukino said, her tone softening as she turned more earnest. "We never marketed Shiori Takahashi as a beautiful girl author to sell your work. We aren't deceiving anyone. If there's no deception, why feel guilty? Are you afraid you can't live up to their expectations? You don't seem like the type of person who lives to please others. However, I agree that your true identity shouldn't be revealed just yet. We need a stable fanbase for the upcoming copyright sales and the tankōbon release."
Yukino poured two small glasses of plum wine and slid one over to him.
"Alcohol? I'm only sixteen. I'm still a minor," Haruto noted, momentarily stunned.
"The alcohol content is barely 10%. What's the big deal? Besides, you're also a successful novelist with a seven-figure annual income. A 'child'? You really know how to talk," Yukino teased, taking a light sip from her glass.
Haruto stopped arguing. The two of them were already essentially hiding away at home eating hot pot because they were too lazy to go out; if they didn't even have a drink, the celebration would feel remarkably stiff. He took a sip. The wine was sweet and fragrant, though it left a sudden heat in his stomach.
"Regarding the tankōbon and copyright sales you mentioned... can you give me more details?" Haruto asked, setting his glass down.
"I was going to bring that up anyway. Over the past few days, several animation production companies that have worked with our publisher before have reached out. They want to collaborate with you to adapt Anohana into an anime. The publisher is currently in negotiations. Since you don't know the business side of things, you don't need to worry about the logistics."
Haruto nodded. The contract he signed with the publisher clearly stated that while he retained 80% of the licensing revenue, the right to decide which companies to partner with rested with Crimson Maple.
He only needed to show up and sign the papers once the deal was struck. Of course, the original author usually has some say in the quality and direction of an adaptation; it's only natural for the partner to respect the creator's vision. He didn't want a repeat of the horror stories where a story is butchered beyond recognition during adaptation.
"Could you do me a favor and speak to the publisher for me? I have one specific request for the Anohana anime," Haruto said. "While I trust the company to find a reliable production team, I want the studio to prioritize my recommendation for the ending theme song."
"Huh?" Yukino blinked in surprise. "Your recommendation for an original track?"
Haruto thought of the iconic ending theme from the original anime in his memories and gave a firm nod. He knew that a huge part of the series' legendary status was tied to the song "Secret Base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~."
"I suppose that can be considered, but let's wait until the deal is closer to being finalized. It won't take long. The publisher should have a partner locked in within a month. You can raise your requirements with the production committee then." Yukino drained another glass of plum wine.
"Now, onto the physical release. The publisher wants to know if you can write some side stories for Anohana."
Side stories? Haruto immediately thought of the Anohana theatrical film. That movie explored the daily lives of the characters after Menma's departure and included several scenes from her perspective, which made the narrative feel far more complete. Adapting those elements into a short story collection was a perfectly viable idea.
"That won't be a problem," Haruto agreed.
"Great. If you can get them done quickly, the publisher wants to launch a two-volume tankōbon set while the series' popularity is at its peak. Adding exclusive side stories is a great selling point to convince the magazine readers to buy the physical books as well. It's all about maximizing secondary spending."
"I'll cooperate," Haruto promised. After all, this directly impacted his personal income.
"And finally..." Yukino leaned in, her eyes sharp. "I don't need to tell you this, but given your and Reina's results, two of the three 'Ascent of New Gods' seed spots for our region are practically guaranteed to be yours."
"The publisher takes this very seriously. If an author we've nurtured performs well on the national stage, the boost to our company's prestige and brand value is immense. So, even though Anohana is over... don't slack off. Don't get lazy."
Every world had its stories of brilliant talents who burned out too early.
"You and Reina are both gifted writers. But the finest wine can still be lost in the deepest alleyway. It's a bit frustrating that works as high-quality as Anohana and Blue Spring Ride are only famous in the Minamijo region, isn't it?"
Haruto felt a small prick of irritation at her words. She was right. Compared to the national light novel market, the Crimson Maple platform was relatively small.
The reality was harsh. If he hadn't made a name for himself in Minamijo first and had tried to submit directly to the publishing giants in Tokyo or Osaka, his manuscript would have been tossed into the trash without a second glance.
While some young authors managed to debut in major national magazines, like that "genius" author Konning they saw at the convention, there was usually more to the story. The media would never report that Konning's father was actually a high-ranking editor at that very publisher.
In this industry, raw talent wasn't always enough; a teenage debut at a national level required a combination of skill and back-channel influence.
"If you aren't satisfied with just being a local success and want to go further in the Japanese light novel industry, you have to take the 'Ascent of New Gods' seriously. This is the one chance for readers across the entire country to recognize your name," Yukino said earnestly.
Haruto genuinely appreciated Yukino.
She was level-headed, kind, and shared his perspective on the world. When they got into a deep conversation, she could be just as cynical and outspoken as he was.
As a friend, she might talk a lot, but he never found her annoying.
"Come on, drink up," Yukino said, refilling his glass.
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