After hanging up the call, Akifumi exhaled.
"The pressure's really on now…"
If Mihari hadn't brought up the collected volume, he might've forgotten his initial plan when starting Your Lie In April.
'Since it's Your Lie In April, wouldn't it be fitting to finish in April?'
Though the main storyline never explicitly mentioned the time of year, the cherry blossoms in the background suggested that Arima Kousei and Miyazono Kaori's fateful reunion took place in April.
And at the very end—
———————————————————————
"Spring is coming soon, but you won't be here."
———————————————————————
Kaori passed away on February 28 of the following year.
"Releasing the final volume in April just makes too much sense!"
Of course, this was just a rough idea for now.
With only two volumes completed so far, the remaining nine still felt like a distant goal.
Right now, it was January 8.
"Three volumes per month… is that even possible?"
Just thinking about it was enough to send his stress levels through the roof.
And it wasn't just his stress—this would be a massive strain on the publishing house too.
But if he focused solely on this project for the next few months…
Maybe.
"Besides, it'd make for a perfect New Year's gift for the fans."
With that thought in mind, Akifumi's expression turned serious. He picked up his pen and continued drawing.
Sure, today was supposed to be a rest day.
But after lazing around all morning, pushing a little harder at night wouldn't hurt, right?
———————————————————————
January 9 - Back to School
"Yo, Kato. Happy New Year."
"Kato-san, happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year, Akifumi, Shiina."
Since it was the first day back, even Kato seemed visibly unmotivated.
"I don't wanna be here…" she muttered, her face blank.
Akifumi raised an eyebrow, hesitating for a moment before quipping:
"Kato, are you sick?"
"No, I was just saying what I thought you might say."
Beside them, Mahiru giggled, covering her mouth.
"..."
Would I really say something like that?
Thinking it over… yeah, maybe.
Narrowing his eyes, he shot Mahiru a glare—one that promised revenge later tonight.
She caught his meaning immediately, her delicate face tinged with a soft pink.
"Sorry, but for once, I genuinely don't feel that way." Kato looked surprised.
She could tell he wasn't lying, which only made his words more unexpected.
After all, it just didn't seem like something Akifumi would say.
"I absolutely love school!" Declaring this, Akifumi wiped his desk and chair with a wet tissue before flopping down onto the cool surface.
Though the winter chill made it a bit icy, the sensation was actually just right.
Noticing Kato's confusion, Mahiru chuckled.
"Mugiho-kun spent most of his holiday drawing."
"School is actually a break for him."
Kato's expression shifted to one of realization.
"I see… so that's why."
"Nonsense. I just have an insatiable thirst for knowledge!"
Akifumi yawned, closing his eyes.
Last night, caught up in the momentum, he had stayed up until 3 AM.
Despite getting barely four hours of sleep, he didn't feel tired at all.
At this point, he didn't even understand his own stamina anymore.
Not that he had any complaints—if he could lie down, why bother sitting up?
The school day was as uneventful as ever.
Fully recharged, Akifumi wasted no time diving back into his work once he got home.
Having pressure meant having motivation.
If he wanted to meet his goal, slacking off wasn't an option.
Before long, his phone rang.
It was Mihari.
As expected, the proposal had been approved.
The release date was set for January 20.
Volumes 1 and 2 would be published first, followed by a three-volume-per-month schedule starting in February—wrapping up the series in time for April.
"Which means I need to finish three volumes by mid-month…"
Since publishing required time for printing, marketing, and distribution, the actual deadline was well before the official release date.
Delays weren't an option.
If they pushed back even a little, the April finale plan would fall apart.
"I'll post an update about this over dinner."
For now, though—
Back to drawing.
———————————————————————
Tanaka was about to casually scroll past, but then he noticed something—his favorite mangaka, the Warrior of Love and Hope, had just posted an update!
Instantly, his drowsiness vanished as excitement took over.
He tapped the notification, waited for the page to load, and then, there it was—the familiar writing style of his favorite sensei.
———————————————————————
"How was everyone's winter break? A brand-new year, a fresh start at school."
"First day back—hope you're all having a great time!
"…Okay, that was a dumb question."
"Let's be real—nobody's enjoying it, right? Who would, after such a relaxing break?
"But hey, I'm actually kind of happy. I spent my entire vacation working hard.😭"
"Well, it's my choice, so I can't really complain!"
"Oh, right—did you all like your New Year's gift?"
"If you did, then all my hard work was worth it!"
"Now, onto the real news!"
"I've been reading your comments, and I see so many people asking for a physical release of Your Lie In April!"
"Great news—after discussing with my editor, Volume 1 of Your Lie In April will be released on January 20th!!"
"Excited? You should be! But wait, there's more…"
"We're also releasing Volume 2 on the same day!"
"That's right—TWO volumes at once!"
"I know you guys hate cliffhangers, so just releasing Volume 1 wouldn't feel very satisfying. That's why we're giving you both at the same time!"
"Hope you're all happy with this decision! And now you believe me when I say I wasn't slacking off during the break, right? 😂"
"I'll need everyone's support when the time comes!"
"Also, between us… The editorial team only agreed to this because of the series' past success."
"If the sales don't do well, I might not get away with this kind of thing next time."
"(Let's hope no one from the editorial team is reading this…)"
———————————————————————
At first, Tanaka reread the post several times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.
Then—
"YESSS!! This is amazing!!"
He practically shouted in excitement.
Just yesterday, he had left a comment asking for an update, and now here it was—not just one, but two volumes at once!
Overjoyed, he quickly typed out a reply:
———————————————————————
"PRAISE SENSEI! I'll definitely buy them! Your Lie In April Volumes 1 & 2, I can't wait!!"
———————————————————————
After a moment of euphoria, reality hit him.
"…Wait. I spent way too much money over the holidays. I might not have enough left to buy both volumes…"
Tanaka's face immediately fell.
"…Do I need to get a part-time job?"
Before he could fully commit to that thought, the door suddenly swung open.
His mom walked in, holding a plate of fruit.
"Tanaka, studying hard? I brought you some snacks—"
She paused mid-sentence.
Because what she actually saw was Tanaka lying on his bed, staring at his phone.
"…Tanaka."
Her expression darkened.
Her voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable storm brewing beneath the surface.
Tanaka laughed nervously and raised both hands in surrender.
"Mom! Listen, I can explain—this isn't what it looks like!"
"Mom! MOM!!"
"AHHHHHHHH—!!"
(And thus, the tragedy of Tanaka unfolded.)
———————————————————————
Meanwhile, in the comments under sensei's post, the reactions kept pouring in:
———————————————————————
"Sensei posted! Doesn't matter what it says—I'm here for it! FIRST COMMENT!!"
"Sensei, I feel bad for you! Everyone else was out having fun, and you were stuck indoors drawing… Pfft—sorry, I couldn't keep a straight face. I'm actually laughing. Please forgive me!"
"The New Year's gift was amazing! Thank you, Sensei! (Also, my condolences on your suffering!)"
"School actually feels like a break after what Sensei went through… But wait, I'm a full-time worker. Why do I even have the time to feel bad for someone else!?"
"NO WAY, THE VOLUMES ARE COMING OUT SO SOON?! THIS IS AMAZING!"
"Two volumes at once?! Sensei, you work way too hard! Please take care of yourself!"
"I BOW BEFORE YOUR SPEED! No one can match you!"
"So happy… but my wallet is already crying."
"Same here. Spent way too much money over the holidays…"
"I might have to get a job just so I can buy these volumes!"
"We have to support the sales, or Sensei won't be able to pull this off again!"
———————————————————————
Of course, some commenters had other concerns:
———————————————————————
"Wait… January 20th is a weekend. What if I wake up late and it's already sold out?!"
"I still remember the horror of trying to buy Madoka Magica Vol. 2 on release day… IT WAS SOLD OUT IN AN HOUR."
———————————————————————
A sense of dread spread through the community.
Many had initially hesitated about working a part-time job, but after seeing the other comments… now they were determined.
'You think we won't work just because you told us not to? Now I want to do it even more!'
And so, as the days passed…
While still attending school, Akifumi poured all his energy into drawing.
He even posted another update—this time about WorldEnd Volume 4's release date: February 1st!
By mid-January, Akifumi had submitted the final manuscript for Volume 4, giving the publishers just enough time for final revisions and printing.
As for the character designs for Steins;Gate, they had already been delivered to the editorial team back on January 10th.
Thanks to the intense effort he put in during winter break, the manga adaptation of WorldEnd had enough material to last until late March.
This meant—for the time being—Akifumi could focus entirely on Your Lie In April.
Everything was progressing smoothly.
———————————————————————
And then—January 20th arrived.
The first major book release of the new year.
Bookstores were flooded with eager fans.
"Three copies of Your Lie In April Volumes 1 and 2, please!"
"WHAT?! That's too greedy!!"
"Sir, here's your order—six copies of each. That'll be—"
Everyone turned to glare at the guy buying in bulk.
Their eyes all conveyed one message:
'How dare you call someone ELSE greedy?!'