Around that time – modern day 5
About 5 minutes from Nakatsugawa station, in commemoration of a new bookstore, a certain author was doing a book signing session.
This was also a weekend, thus many people were off work and have come to visit. The line for the signing was very long.
The author wrote a light novel, the contents of the novel are very traditional. It is describing the story of a young hero, but the genders in the line are split 50-50. This is quite unusual for this form of novel. Usually, the line is predominately males.
But when you take a look at the author you are easily able to find out why there are so many females here. The author was a very handsome man. The rumors of his identity have been speculated to be an actor, model, prince of some unknown country, etc. He had black hair, a figure, and face that made you think he is European.
His pure white skin and smooth facial lines further represent that he may be doing work in the acting field. His hair was neither long or short, and was naturally black. It suited him very well.
He was a very stunning man. A little while ago, he was caught by a reporter who took his picture and exposed it to the media. Previously, his face was unknown to the public and he never put any pictures of himself in his works. The buzz generated by the media is most likely the reason for the gender ratio of this line.
That man was busy interacting with his fans, there were several people behind him that were busy moving things around. One of them was very young and stood out among the people.
There was a man beside the author who was handing him the books to sign and instructing the little girl in the back as well.
Some people in the front could hear their conversation. Naturally, they adjust themselves a little to pick up on bits and pieces of the conversation they were having.
“Mari-chan, please take a seat. This line is not the end and will definitely increase later on. Sensei* has also informed the shop that he can handle an even bigger line than this, so we will be here for quite a while.”(Editor)
TLnote: The editor is the editor for his father’s novel. Sensei in this case means author, it is what Japanese call people who are authors.
The little girl called Mari nods and asked the other man something. She is not an adult but could not be called a child.
“Dad, will you be taking a break?”(Mari)
“No, I am fine, please take a break sweetheart.”(Hayato)
She speaks to her father and the editor. There were a lot of gasps from the people lined up when they heard the word father.
The mature man answered with a smile as he was resting on the chair. He was thought to be in his 30’s but if his daughter was this old then his age is much higher.
His pen name is Kanato, his real name is Misumi Hayato. His daughter’s name is Mari, this was his youngest daughter.
Having a daughter was a surprise to the people here, but having such an old daughter while looking so young was a bigger surprise. If he had said that his oldest daughter was in university, then his signing event would become an interview about beauty and anti-aging tips.
After his daughter left to take a break, his editor spoke to him.
“What’s the problem, Nakajima-san?”(Hayato)
“Sensei is more popular than I would have expected! May I make a suggestion, I will not say go on a nationwide tour but, 3 or 4 more times in other places will greatly help?”(Nakajima)
“Please, I cannot handle that. I have only said ok because we would do this for one day, if we go so often then it will affect my writing as well.”(Hayato)
“Sensei, the other prefectures are quite nice, I believe sometimes it is fine to take a break in the countryside or some other places?”(Nakajima)
“I am sorry, but the times I spend with my family are the greatest moments of my life, I will do this again when I release my next book.”(Hayato)
“Hmm, please at least discuss it with your wife.”(Nakajima)
“I understand, Nakajima-san.”(Hayato)
Hayato makes a bitter smile at the man Nakajima, who was clearly trying to persuade him to do more signings. He was an editor that has been with Hayato for a long time, he has been to his house and also had a close relation with his family.
His fans came up to him one by one asking him to sign his other books and voicing their support for him.
Mari sat at the side with a bottle of juice.
She thought her father was really popular from the line she saw today.
“I know dad is amazing but I do not understand what he writes about and the difference between what he writes and what brother plays on his computer…..”(Mari)
Mari did not understand the books her dad writes. From her perspective, being a light novel author seemed really plain and it was a minor job with a very niche market. Mari is the type of girl to read only for academic purposes, she reads to gain knowledge.
The one time where she had opened one of her dad’s books and saw that the left page was a picture and the right side only had one word.
“Absolutely”
Mari immediately closed the book because she thought there was no way her brain would be able to understand this unknown format.
One day she snuck into her brother’s room and started one of his games. She could not understand why Makoto would play these games that have so many unrealistic women and really unrealistic hairstyles. She thought that the men at her home were really weird/unique…
“That person over there…”(Mari)
Mari notices someone in the lineup. It was a person in the middle of the lineup. There were two people there, Mari remembered that around that portion of the line is where the last person with a numbered ticket, in other words, they are the last people who will receive an autograph. All the others after that are here for his new book and voice their support for him.
She felt those people were familiar, she kept trying to remember while drinking her juice.
“Yes, now I remember, those people are from brother’s archery club. I believe the name was Azuma Yukari-san?”(Mari)
She was my brother’s classmate and the captain of the archery club. She remembered seeing the other one in the photograph but does not remember his name. The names her brother said back then were: the reliable Azuma and 10-meter Ibuki.
Mari felt that seeing them here was a little unexpected but she felt she should greet them. They are people with a connection to her brother and had come to her father’s autograph session thus, greeting them would not be unnatural.
Fortunately, the line was controlled by poles and ropes so there were no interruptions when trying to approach them.
Mari put down her plastic bottle and headed towards the person named Azuma. As she walked up to her, she saw another person that she has never seen before. However, this did not stop her from continuing to walk, this made her seem quite bold and daunting. People may think this was dangerous but Mari was a master of Karate, she was at a level that was far beyond middle school and can easily compete with pros from high school. She was going to continue this activity even in high school and by that time her name would be famous is what many of her teachers and teammates are saying.
“Hello, are you Azuma-senpai?”(Mari)
“Oh, yes…I am Azuma, sorry, have we met before?”(Azuma)
“No, I have seen you in a picture, you are the captain for the archery club at Nakatsuhara high school right?”(Mari)
“Oh, is it a picture of the members? Maybe you are a relative ?”(Azuma)
“Yes! I am Mari, Misumi Makoto’s little sister. I am happy that you would come to my dad’s event today!”(Mari)
Misumi Makoto, a name that is quite unpleasant to her now. Yukari Azuma was clearly upset at that name. She was also surprised by this girl who came up to her and said she was his sister.
Azuma was surprised by two things, one is the name Makoto. She was very troubled by the sudden overseas transfer of Makoto.
The second surprise was that this was her father’s event. The author’s autograph session her friends were forcing her to come to was the father of Mari, which also meant he was Makoto’s father.
However, the people most surprised by this were the two people beside her.
The people with her were the real fans of this novel. In other words, they were the true fans of the author Kanato. Both of them were Azuma’s friends and club mates.
“You are Kanato-sensei’s daughter!”(Nobuko)
“Nobuko, that is the wrong point to be surprised at! Makoto-kun’s father is Kanato-sensei! To have a son that is the same age as me…”(Kana)
“Thank you for always looking after my brother, next year I will also be attending Nakatsuhara so, please take care of me then as well, senpai.”(Mari)
Mari ignored their inquiry about her father and continued the conversation about her attending Nakatsuhara as well.
“Umm…..Mari-chan, so your father is the writer up there?”(Azuma)
Azuma was the first to recover the damage she suffered from the shock, she asked if Mari’s father was the writer giving the autographs. She was amazed that she did not know anything about Makoto’s family and today she had coincidentally met two of his family member. This situation made her think that the world was a small place.
“Oh yes, did my brother not say anything about us…What a troublesome brother…”(Mari)
Mari was confused at why Makoto did not say anything about their father’s job. She felt that it was fine for her to say it and will tell the story if necessary.
“Umm…..Mari-chan, Makoto-kun is 17 right, then how old is your father now?”(Kana)
“Hey, Kana! That is a rude question!”(Azuma)
Even though Azuma switched focus, her friends were still on the subject of the Makoto’s father’s looks.
“I believe he is 42 this year.”(Mari)
“You are lying, I can only see him as early 30’s!”(Nobuko)
This time it was the person named Nobuko who shouted out.
“Well…..Makoto is not the oldest in our family, I have a sister in university right now.”(Mari)
“…….”(Kana/Nobuko)
Nobuko and Kana both had their eyes open in shock saying she must be kidding over and over again.
“It is the truth, she is very famous in the world of Judo. Her name is Yukiko.”(Mari)
“Misumi Yukiko……oh, the person who said she will be not continuing Judo in university and disappointed the entire Judo world!”(Azuma)
Azuma seemed to know the name, she remembered a small girl throwing men twice her size and that it was slightly comical.
Even though Mari and Yukiko did not look similar, there was a faint resemblance in them. Also, there was no one who heard about Yukiko’s family situation.
“I will be joining the Karate club, although the club is different from you senpai, I hope you can still help me when I am in trouble. My brother always said to depend on reliable Azuma-senpai.”(Mari)
“Makoto…”(Azuma)
“I was also told to not go near Ibuki-senpai.”(Mari)
“Hahaha.”(Nobuko/Kana/Azuma)
Azuma and the others started to laugh and then nod their heads at each other.
“Mari-chan, your brother is right in not to approach Ibuki. Don’t worry, I will protect you if something happens.”(Azuma)
“Yes, do watch out for Ibuki or more victims will appear.”(Kana)
“If he was like Makoto-kun, dependable in the club then he would be popular though.”(Azuma)
Mari continued along this topic.
“I have noticed that my brother has never brought a girlfriend home with him……Is he not popular in school?”(Mari)
“I think the girls like him more than the other guys but I do not think it is in a romantic sense.”(Nobuko)
“Hmm……I heard a story about him confessing to Azuma, I think?”(Kana)
“Kana, what are you saying here?!”(Azuma)
Azuma tried to block Kana from speaking further.
“Oh, My brother confessed to you senpai?”(Mari)
This was the first time she heard anything about her brother’s romantic life thus, she was very much interested in this subject.
“No…that…”(Azuma)
Seeing Yukari like this was rare. She did not possess the dignity that she usually had with her and was like a regular high school girl.
Kana and Nobuko were both grinning.
“Actually I confessed to Makoto and was turned down…”(Azuma)
“No way! You confessed to my brother?”(Mari)
She was not a woman who someone like her brother could romantically associate with, therefore hearing this made her think that it would have been quite the big jackpot. He made such a beautiful girl confess and then rejected her…She started to think her brother was crazy.
“Nobuko, Kana, I will remember this.”(Azuma)
“What, I can’t hear you over all the noise.”(Kana)
*Whistling*(Nobuko)
Both of them just passed Azuma’s words into the wind.
“My brother is a fool, rejecting someone who is able to become the captain of a club and such a beautiful person too…..Why?”(Mari)
“Being called beautiful by Mari-chan kinda gives me a complicated feeling”(Azuma)
Azuma made a bitter smile. When Mari first called out Azuma, she felt like she saw a beautiful doll walk up to her. Her eyes were the only thing that convinced her that it was not a doll talking to her.
“I am told I resemble my mother and father, but I think they are much cooler than I am.”(Mari)
Mari praised her parents looks. Azuma felt as this was simply a truth and there was no malice behind it. She was also surprised to hear that her parents were more beautiful than Mari.
“…I feel like I should butter up to Makoto-kun more.”(Nobuko)
When Nobuko thought of that one fact, she started to make a bitter smile. His sister Yukiko was someone she saw on television and was beautiful, Mari-chan in front of her is also beautiful, a famous writer who is also beautiful and a mother who does not lose in comparison too.
Just thinking about Makoto who was in the middle of all of that is truly pitiful.
“I feel like I understand why Makoto-kun is fine in the archery club.”(Kana)
Kana nods at what Nobuko said.
“Well then, Mari-chan, if you ever come to our school, it is fine to come and look for me. I will help you with whatever you need. Also if you need help studying for entrance exams, I can also help with that too.”(Azuma)
“Oh, thank you very much, may I have your number to call you as well?”(Mari)
“Of course.”(Azuma)
“Yes, thank you, I will be going now.”(Mari)
As the 3 watched Mari go down the line cheerfully, Azuma felt a little disappointed that she could not ask anything about Makoto. Though. since she had obtained her contact information, there will be many more chances to get the information later.
Azuma saw Mari stop her feet in the middle of the line.
“What is wrong with Mari-chan?”(Azuma)
Azuma saw that she stopped to talk to another person. She then leaned forward a bit to she who Mari was talking to…
“Oh! That is the first year in my Club…..Nukumi….Hasegawa? I am surprised to see her here.
“Oh, it’s true!”(Kana)
“Hasegawa huh?”(Azuma)
Azuma muttered her name under her breath. She was pretty sure that Hasegawa also did not read light novels and was like her. Forced by her friends to get multiple books signed by the author.
Look at that conversation, Mari-chan was like a reporter interviewing Hasegawa. Hasegawa gradually withdrew herself from the stories Mari was telling her, I felt that it was quite interesting watching from the side.
‘Well I am going to have to talk to Nukumi later or some rumors will spread. I wonder what type of person is Makoto-kun’s father, I am looking forward to meeting him.’ (Azuma)
It turned out to be an interesting event. Although she had come forced by association, Azuma could find some information regarding Makoto and felt appreciation to the two friends beside her. This was a very strange day for her is what she thought at the end.
