— — — — — —
Early the next morning, Oikawa was still half asleep when he felt movement beside him.
He blinked blearily awake to find Kawasaki quietly getting dressed.
Her eyes were slightly swollen, her hair was a mess, and exhaustion was written all over her face.
The sight tugged at his heart.
"You're awake." Her voice was a little hoarse, probably from the lack of sleep.
"Mmm..." Oikawa reached out and caught her hand, sounding almost spoiled as he mumbled, "Why aren't you sleeping a little longer?"
Her voice was still a little hoarse, though it sounded better than before. "I want to cook your rice cakes before I leave. Then I have to get home, or my mom will notice I snuck out."
Oikawa picked up his phone and checked the time. It wasn't even four in the morning.
He rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "I'll go with you later. I'll walk you home."
"N-No, that's okay!" Kawasaki waved both hands frantically. "You should stay here and rest. I can get home by myself."
"No way."
Oikawa climbed out of bed, gently but firmly pulled her back under the covers, and tucked the blanket around her. "You lie down and get some sleep. I'll make breakfast."
There was no way he was letting Kawasaki, after everything she'd gone through last night, cook for him and then walk home alone in the freezing morning air.
Just imagining it made him feel like the world's biggest jerk if he let that happen.
"...Can you even cook?" Still lying in bed, she looked at him with obvious suspicion.
"Of course. Instant noodles are well within my skill set." Oikawa leaned down until he was right beside her. "Give me a kiss."
"No." Blushing, Kawasaki hid her face under the blanket.
"One kiss. Please." His tone grew a little more insistent.
After a moment, she shyly peeked out from beneath the blanket and leaned forward.
He smiled after the quick kiss, "Good girl. Get some rest. I'll bring the noodles in once they're ready."
He gave her cheek a gentle pinch, threw on a jacket, and left the bedroom.
"Dummy..."
Watching him disappear through the doorway, Kawasaki quietly scooted over until she was lying in the spot where he'd slept.
A blissful smile spread across her face.
Pulling the blanket up to her chin, she could still catch the faint scent of lavender lingering on it, making her smile in quiet contentment. But only for a moment.
Soon, her face turned bright red. She'd noticed the used condoms in the trash can.
Flustered, Kawasaki immediately turned her head away.
But a few seconds later, curiosity got the better of her.
She glanced nervously toward the bedroom door. Once she was sure Oikawa wasn't coming back, she quickly reached over and dragged the trash can closer.
She hurriedly fished an item out, brought it to her nose, and gave it a cautious sniff.
The next instant, her face twisted in disgust.
She immediately threw it back into the trash, shoved the bin back where it had been, and pretended nothing had happened.
After finishing her little investigation, she puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. "Oikawa is such a liar. It smells awful, but he kept telling me it was something good and wanted me to swallow it."
"Liar. Big liar. Good thing I didn't agree, or he'd have teased me forever."
...
..
About five minutes later, Oikawa returned carrying a steaming bowl of instant noodles.
The moment Kawasaki saw him, she reacted as though she'd been caught doing something wrong and instantly sat bolt upright.
"What's wrong?" Oikawa asked casually.
"N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" She waved her hands nervously.
Oikawa chuckled and didn't press the issue.
"Eat while it's hot. I added some sausage and two fried eggs." He pulled the bedside table closer and set the bowl on top.
"Mhm." Kawasaki accepted the chopsticks.
After taking a bite, she gave him a big thumbs-up.
"Trying to flatter me?" Oikawa teased.
"No. I really mean it... It's... it's actually really good!" Kawasaki insisted.
Oikawa didn't respond. Instead, he picked up a pair of black stockings and set them beside her. "Put these on before you leave."
"Oikawa..." Her face immediately turned pitiful. "I really have to go home. Please."
She slowly pushed the bowl of noodles toward him, sounding as though she was on the verge of tears. "I... I won't eat anymore, okay? I just want to go home. I'm really tired."
"What are you thinking?" He sighed helplessly. "I just don't want you getting cold on the way home."
He considered himself a perfectly decent man. How had he become some shameless pervert in Kawasaki's mind?
"...Yesterday, when you asked me to wear the white stockings... you also said it was because you were worried I'd be cold." Kawasaki cautiously pulled the bowl back toward herself, stole another suspicious look at him, and only after deciding it was probably safe did she continue eating.
Watching her like this, Oikawa suddenly couldn't help laughing.
She really was hopelessly innocent.
How could someone be this adorably gullible? And why had a girl like her fallen for a jerk like him?
Oikawa reached out, gently smoothing a few stray strands of Kawasaki's messy hair before affectionately patting her head.
"Oikawa, you can have the fried egg," Kawasaki said softly, holding out her bowl.
Oikawa smiled and gently shook his head. "You eat it. I made it for you."
"Okay."
Kawasaki took small bites of the egg, her face glowing with such a radiant smile that Oikawa knew he'd remember it for the rest of his life.
Waking up together on a quiet morning. Making a steaming bowl of noodles for the person you loved. Then simply resting your chin in your hand and watching her enjoy every bite.
Maybe... Maybe this was what happiness looked like.
No... This was happiness. Oikawa was certain of it.
_ _ _
Just after four in the morning, Chiba was bitterly cold.
Kawasaki's house wasn't actually that far from Oikawa's. It was only about two bus stops away.
But thinking about it still made his chest ache. A girl carrying two heavy shopping bags, walking the streets alone after nine at night, dressed in nothing but a thin dress.
"Idiot..." Oikawa kicked a loose stone on the road as hard as he could, sending it flying down the street.
Hearing him call her that again, Kawasaki slipped her hand from his and hurried after it. Step by step, she gently kicked the stone all the way back until it rolled to a stop at Oikawa's feet.
Oikawa smiled helplessly.
He reached for her hand again, lacing his fingers through hers. This time, he silently vowed not to let go.
"Hmph. You're the dummy. The biggest dummy in the whole world." Kawasaki said that but didn't seem interested in pulling away again.
She wasn't cold at all. She was wrapped in his down jacket, with his scarf snug around her neck.
She was warm. Warmer than she'd ever been.
Right now, she honestly felt warmer than she did in the middle of summer.
"Saki, what are your plans today?" Oikawa asked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as they walked.
"I'm going to visit the shrine with my parents, Taishi, and Keika," Kawasaki replied. "We do it every year."
She smiled softly and left it at that.
Oikawa waited a beat. "Aren't you going to ask what I'm doing?"
"What are you doing today?" She looked at him with a gentle smile.
"I'm skipping the shrine," Oikawa said. "I'll probably sleep through most of the day, then head to Tokyo tonight."
"Mm." Kawasaki nodded.
And that was it.
She didn't ask why he was going to Tokyo.
Oikawa blinked, 'Seriously?'
He had been waiting for the question so he could casually show off, but now he just felt frustrated.
Oikawa sighed dramatically, "Saki, aren't you even curious why your boyfriend's going to Tokyo?"
Kawasaki blinked, then looked up at him. "So... what are you going to Tokyo for?"
"Ahem... I'm holding a book signing." He grinned proudly. "I'll let you in on a secret. That novel everyone's talking about online, Your Lie in April? I wrote it."
He walked ahead of her, then turned around and continued backward, staring at her face, eagerly waiting for a shocked reaction.
"Don't fool around. What if you trip?" Kawasaki reached out, grabbed his hand again, and pulled him back beside her.
"I'm serious. Your Lie in April is my book. And that famous author, 'Copycat Transmigrator'" He pointed a thumb at himself. "That's me. I'm Copycat. Saki, I'm really him."
"Oh."
Her response was so calm that Oikawa nearly choked.
How could she react like that? Even if she wasn't a huge fan, she should at least be surprised.
Instead, she looked completely unfazed, as though the revelation that he was "Copycat" wasn't surprising in the slightest.
Oikawa suddenly stopped in his tracks. A thought struck him.
He turned, gently pulled Kawasaki in front of him, and stared into her eyes, "...Don't tell me you already knew Your Lie in April was my novel?"
"Mhm." Kawasaki lowered her head, unable to hide the tiny smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Oikawa froze.
Over the past few weeks, he'd spent countless conversations singing the praises of Your Lie in April, hyping up Clannad, and shamelessly bragging about how incredible "Copycat-sensei" was.
So, the clown had been himself all along?
No. No way.
Still refusing to accept reality, he made one last attempt. "You only found out last night, right? You saw the manuscript on my computer?"
Kawasaki gently shook her head.
With that single motion, his last shred of hope crumbled.
"...Then when did you find out?" Oikawa asked weakly.
Kawasaki hesitated before answering softly. "From the beginning... One time, I was cleaning your apartment while you were asleep, and I saw the contract you signed with Dengeki Bunko."
"AAAAAHHH!!"
Oikawa let out a dramatic wail before planting one hand against the wall beside Kawasaki's head, trapping her between himself and the wall.
"Then why didn't you tell me sooner?" he demanded. "All those times we talked about it... were you secretly laughing at me? Did you think I was an idiot?"
Kawasaki lowered her head, looking a little guilty.
"...You never asked," she murmured in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
Oikawa gritted his teeth. "Saki, I'm very, very angry right now. And the consequences are going to be severe."
Kawasaki puffed her cheeks out and muttered under her breath, "...But you really didn't ask..."
Oikawa narrowed his eyes. "Still talking back?"
Before she could say another word, he gently lifted her chin and captured her lips in a kiss.
Her lips were cool from the winter air. Kissing her felt strangely like taking a bite of ice cream, sending a refreshing chill through him.
At first, Kawasaki grabbed his arm and made a token effort to resist. But before long, she relaxed completely and let him kiss her.
After all, they'd already done far more intimate things than this.
Only after a long while did Oikawa finally let her go.
Kawasaki pouted, looking wronged, "But it really was because you never asked or said it..."
"Doesn't matter. No more keeping things from me, got it?" Oikawa said it with complete conviction, as though he hadn't been the one keeping secrets from her all this time.
"..."
Kawasaki puffed out her cheeks, lowered her head, and refused to answer.
"...Are you mad?" he asked gently.
"No."
"Then what's wrong?"
Kawasaki looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with tears, "I read online that once a man gets a woman's body... he'll throw her away. Oikawa... are you going to leave me?"
Oikawa didn't hesitate for even a second. "No."
His answer came without the slightest trace of doubt.
"I'll love you forever." He cupped her face gently, meeting her tearful gaze without looking away. "I know I tease you a lot, but I'd never do anything to hurt you. And leaving you..." He shook his head. "I will never. I can't even imagine my world without you in it."
His thumb brushed away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "I love you, Saki Kawasaki."
Oikawa had never once doubted how deeply he loved Kawasaki. The only thing he'd never tried to figure out was whether she was the only one.
"Mhm. I believe you."
A smile returned to Kawasaki's face.
She felt a little silly. Why had she asked something so foolish?
And so, at four in the morning, the boy and the girl walked through the quiet streets of Chiba. The streetlights cast their intertwined shadows long across the road, and for that brief moment, the cold night belonged to the two of them alone.
If anyone had seen them, they probably would have laughed. Who in their right mind wandered around outside in weather this cold?
But love... Love was warmer than the winter air ever could be.
...
..
January 1st. The first day of the new year.
Some people celebrated. Others suffered.
Those lucky enough to be on holiday were happily enjoying themselves.
The unlucky ones were people like Chris Yamada, who was still working on the front lines with no New Year's break in sight.
Inside Full-Drive Bunko, only a handful of employees had come in.
Every one of them looked utterly exhausted, like wilted vegetables that might keel over at any moment.
It couldn't be helped. Besides Oikawa's book, several other authors also had new releases scheduled for January 2.
The publisher wanted to ride Clannad's momentum, as Bookstores normally grouped titles from the same publisher together.
Anyone coming in to buy Clannad would inevitably notice the books sitting beside it.
And New Year's was exactly when readers' wallets were at their fullest.
Most light novel readers were students. These students received New Year's money from relatives. And once their wallets got thicker, so did their urge to buy things.
"Yamada-san, come downstairs for lunch in a bit. The editor-in-chief ordered us a feast."
Working overtime was one thing. But the company certainly wasn't going to skimp on benefits.
When it came to motivating people with money, Full-Drive Bunko knew exactly what it was doing.
"Be right there. I just need to confirm tomorrow's arrangements with Tsutaya one more time."
Chris Yamada was probably the busiest person in the entire company.
Painful as it was, it was also exciting.
If Clannad became a huge hit, he'd receive a 0.3% royalty share along with a hefty performance bonus.
The money was nice. But that wasn't what mattered most.
This was another step toward his dream. Turning Full-Drive Bunko into a first-rate publishing house.
And that dream would begin with Clannad.
After carefully reviewing every last detail with Tsutaya Bookstore one final time, Chris stretched and headed downstairs.
The moment he entered the cafeteria, one of the editors called out with a grin, "Look who finally remembered to eat. Editor Yamada isn't just anybody now. If Clannad sells over a million copies, that's three million yen in royalties, and that's before bonuses. You'd better treat us to dinner when that happens!"
"Hahaha, quit teasing him," another editor said with a chuckle. "I bet he's more worried about keeping Copycat-sensei alive. I've seen plenty of people online saying they're coming to stab Copycat-sensei at the signing."
"Seriously, Chris, don't let your guard down," a third editor added, his smile fading. "It's impossible to tell who's joking and who's serious. Some of those comments are genuinely disturbing."
"Yeah," someone else agreed. "All it takes is one obsessed nutcase... and history could repeat itself."
The conversation quickly turned to the online threats against "Copycat."
Most of the editors looked genuinely concerned. Copycat-sensei was Full-Drive Bunko's greatest hope for the next decade. If anything happened to him, everyone at the company would suffer.
"Relax." Chris scooped himself a bowl of rice, looking completely confident. "I've turned Tsutaya into a fortress these past few days."
"Honestly, I hope someone tries to attack Copycat-sensei. I'd love to see what those idiots are actually capable of."
His confidence wasn't empty bravado.
He had spent days preparing.
The bookstore had been secured inside and out. He'd even arranged for metal detectors at the entrance and hired professional security personnel to screen everyone who came in.
Chris Yamada was so confident in his preparations that he almost wished someone would actually try to attack Oikawa, just so he could show everyone how airtight his security really was.
.
.
.