Afterword

Hello again, readers. Yuki Yaku here.

With this book, the Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki series reaches its fifth installment. Life has been hectic since the first volume came out last May, and I’m constantly surprised by how quickly light novels are published. But as I look around, I see heaps of authors writing books at an even faster pace than me. This world is indeed a scary place.

Now for an announcement. I mentioned before that this series was going to be turned into a manga. Well, the manga artist has been selected. Eito Chida-sensei, author of the original Girls Go Around series and the manga adaptation of the TV anime Hanasaku Iroha, will be in charge of the series. I’ve already had a chance to look at the character design and names for the first volume, and while it’s true to the important elements of the original, it’s also full of uniquely manga-style expressions and compositions that I’d never have thought of myself. I’m very excited as it promises to develop into a fresh and interesting manga. But while it’s original, it’s also unmistakably in the spirit of Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki, so I feel quite reassured as I wait for its release. The manga will be serialized in Gangan Joker, published by Square Enix, starting with the January issue (release date 12/22/2017), so I hope you’ll pick up a copy.

This series started from zero a year and a half ago, and now it’s been adapted as a manga. That’s definitely thanks to the support I’ve received from my readers as well as from everyone who’s worked on the project. In addition to my gratitude, however, there’s something else I feel I need to share with you: the differences in the school uniform as worn by the three guys depicted in the color illustrations of this volume. Some of you may scold me for using my gratitude as a mere lead-in to my real topic, but what can I say? I wanted to ensure you received my message, so I didn’t have a choice.

If you look at the picture, you’ll see that while Tomozaki, Mizusawa, and Takei are all wearing the same uniform, each of them sports it in a completely different way. That difference speaks to more than their clothing preferences—in my opinion, it’s clearly a reflection of their personalities.

Takei’s got the top and bottom buttons on his shirt undone, showing he’s here for a good time. Plus, the T-shirt he has on underneath is pink, and his chest is puffed out more than it needs to be. All these elements suggest he’s full of himself.

On the other hand, Mizusawa looks very fashionable and put-together in his blazer. But if you zero in on his chest, you’ll see his necktie is loose and his top button is undone. Wouldn’t you agree that reflects Mizusawa’s cool but casual attitude?

As for Tomozaki, he’s made the somewhat bizarre fashion choice of wearing his necktie over his vest. Interpreting this depiction is challenging, but what I’m picking up is a touching, trial-and-error attempt on his part to look casual like a normie, even though he’s not one.

In other words, these little nonverbal cues communicate the background of each character. The viewer senses that although the illustrator randomly chose to depict this one moment in time, the characters were alive before that moment and will go on with their lives afterward. That’s what I admire so much about these illustrations.

Now on to the acknowledgments.

Fly-san, thank you for once again providing fresh, cute illustrations. I’m a fan of you and your quietly crazy appearances on the Gagaga Channel.

To my editor, Iwaasa-san, this one really was a close call, huh? Thanks for all the all-nighters.

To my readers, I’m motivated by each and every reply, fan letter, and review. Thank you for everything.

I’d like to mention this afterword is followed by a special section titled “A Secret Between Two Friends” that was included as a bonus for readers who bought the previous volume at a brick-and-mortar store. Since it was tough to find a copy outside the Kanto region, we’re providing it here for your reading pleasure.

I hope you’ll join me again for the next volume!

Yuki Yaku

Yes, it’s true; I, Minami Nanami, am sitting in a café in Omiya right now on a date. A coffee date, of course, with someone I can always count on—Tama. I don’t have a boyfriend, so I always go out with a supercute girl like Tama or Aoi. And that’s enough for me. Aoi is so pretty, I could watch her all day, and tiny Tama puts her all into everything, which is so adorable. Just talking to her cheers me up. Hee-hee-hee, bet you’re jealous!

“Hey, Minmi, are you listening?”

Sitting across from me at the table, Tama starts talking to me. She just bought that bracelet, and she’s already put it on. So cute. But uh…what was I supposed to be listening to? I was off in my own world and missed everything. When I look up, I notice she’s a little mad and pouty. Uh-oh. They look so soft, I want to squish them.

“Huh?”

I give in to temptation and try an experimental poke. Still springy, even when she’s mad. I’m a bit surprised by something else, though. They look so soft, but when they’re all puffed out, the skin is stretched tight, so they’re actually less soft than usual. Interesting! Some facts about cheeks you’ll never know until you touch them. Minami Nanami just got a little smarter!

“Oh, come on! …Sheesh, never mind. I’m going to the bathroom.”

“What? You’re leaving me alone? Don’t go!”

“Stop being so selfish!”

My pleas are in vain, and she abandons me for the bathroom. Ah, ’tis the fate of young maidens to suffer when our plans are foiled. Also, Tama looks so tiny from behind, it’s adorable.

I sit alone waiting for Tama and the food we ordered. As I do, someone approaches.

“Hey, it’s Mimimi!”

“What? …Oh, hey, Kana!”

She’s a friend from class. Behind her, I see a few more of our friends at the register. They wave in my direction as they pay. I wave back. Hi, hi!

“Are you guys just hanging out?” I ask.

“Yeah, we’re on our way to the karaoke place. How about you?”

“Tama and I came here to eat. She’s in the bathroom right now!”

“Really? Why don’t you guys come with us when you’re done eating?”

“Sounds good—,” I start to say, then hesitate. I love to cut loose at karaoke, but not Tama. She’s not a fan of that kind of thing. Technically speaking, she hates it.

“—but actually, we already have plans to go somewhere else. Sorry, next time!”

“Okay!” Kana says and heads back to the register. That’s when Tama comes back.

“Hey, you took forever! Did you go number two or something?!”

“Don’t talk about that; it’s rude! …Oh, everyone’s here?”

“Yup! I just talked to Kana! They’re done eating, and now they’re going to the karaoke place.”

“Really? I’ve only tried it once, but I didn’t like it.”

See? Tama and I have a spiritual connection. Secretly, I’m pretty proud of myself, but out loud, I say, “Thought so!” I don’t tell her I turned down their invitation. After all, I didn’t even ask her. This is Minami Nanami’s philosophy of kindness!

As we’re chatting, our food arrives. Tama’s having the mushroom risotto, and I got the pasta with crab cream sauce. I’m licking my lips. It’s super creamy, and it looks amazing. This is gonna be sooo many calories. I take a bite and lose my mind.

“Wow! This is so good!”

“Really?”

Tama smiles like she’s looking at a little kid. Must be because I’m so worked up.

“Yeah, it’s incredible! I think I’ll get this again the next time I come here!”

Now Tama’s smiling and shaking her head at me. Can’t imagine why. I stare at her, and she says, “Mine is good, too.” Is that an invitation?

“Gimme a bite!” I say, invading her plate with my fork and helping myself.

“Hey! I’m eating that!”

“Oh yeah, yours is delicious, too! Lemme have some more!”

“Normal people only take one bite!”

Enjoying Tama’s scolding, I help myself to some more of her risotto. Yum! Yeah, hanging out in a big group is fun, but this is nice, too.

When our highly entertaining lunch comes to an end, I leave the café with Tama, rubbing my belly.

“Where to next, Minmi?”

“Hmm…”

I’m not sure, but I have some thoughts. Today, I turned down the invitation for karaoke, but one day, I hope Tama will be able to come with us and go crazy. Meaning she’ll need some practice for that day…

“How about the two of us go to the karaoke place?! Just to try it out!”

“What?!”

She looks at me, a little surprised. But for some reason, when I smile back at her, she seems convinced.

“Okay…just for a little while.”

“I knew you’d be up for it! Let’s go!”

We walk toward the karaoke place. Hope this gets her a little more used to it.

So goes another day in the life of Minami Nanami, the bridge between Tama and the world!

“And that’s why even my mom calls me Tama now—Hey, Minmi, are you listening?”

I’m at a café in Omiya. Minmi is sitting across from me, but when I say her name, she just looks up at me in a daze and freezes for a minute. She definitely wasn’t listening. Not that it really matters, because I wasn’t saying anything important, but she’s so spacey. Wonder how she’ll try to cover up this time. I can imagine her being her usual silly self: Sorry, Tama! Tell me again! Sheesh. Of course, I’m used to it by now. Plus, I can never stay mad.

As I’m thinking about all this, out of nowhere, something touches my cheek. At the same time, I hear her say “Huh?” When I glance up, Minmi is rubbing her fingers on me with an extremely solemn expression. She really is hopeless.

“Oh, come on! …Sheesh, never mind. I’m going to the bathroom,” I say, standing up. I’m not mad, I just have to go to the bathroom. Plus, the timing is perfect because we ordered a minute ago, and the food should be here by the time I get back.

“What? You’re leaving me alone? Don’t go!”

“Stop being so selfish!”

I dodge Minmi’s hand as she tries to grab onto the bottom of my shirt, and I walk toward the bathroom. I hear her calling my name and look over my shoulder with a little smile. As I head down the hallway toward the bathroom, I glance at the pictures on the menu tacked to the wall. There’s a big picture with the words New Menu Items! written over it. The pasta with crab cream sauce that Minmi just ordered is featured front and center.

“Uh-oh…”

That’s when I realize: The sauce doesn’t just have crab in it—it’s got shrimp, too. Minmi hates shrimp. She must have gotten excited and ordered it without really looking at the picture.

“…So hopeless.”

Minmi really is impossible. I walk over to a waiter standing nearby.

“The girl sitting at that table ordered the pasta with crab cream sauce, and I’m wondering if it’s too late to get it without the shrimp.”

“Wait a second; I’ll go check for you.”

The waiter disappears into the kitchen and returns after a minute or two.

“They said they could!”

He’s so cheerful about it that it puts me in a better mood, too. I bow slightly.

“Great, then could you ask them to take it out? Thanks so much!”

I continue on to the bathroom and then go back to our table. Minmi greets me with her usual laugh.

“Hey, you took forever! Did you go number two or something?!”

“Don’t talk about that; it’s rude!”

I was expecting her to say something ridiculous when I got back, but not that ridiculous. She caught me off guard, but I’m not about to tell her that I took some extra time because I was talking to the waiter about her shrimp. After all, I didn’t ask her permission.

Just then, I notice some vaguely familiar faces by the register.

“…Oh, everyone’s here?”

“Yup! I just talked to Kana! They’re done eating, and now they’re going to the karaoke place.”

“Really? I’ve only tried it once, but I didn’t like it,” I say, thinking back to that experience. I remember I couldn’t get comfortable. It was too crazy, too much energy. Plus, I wasn’t really friends with everyone in that group. After that, I’ve always turned down karaoke invitations.

A few minutes later, the waiter brings our food over. I’m having the mushroom risotto and Minmi got the pasta with crab cream sauce—no shrimp. As soon as the waiter sets it down, Minmi takes a bite.

“Wow! This is so good!”

“Really?”

She’s greedily devouring her pasta. The sight is funny to me for some reason, and I can’t help giggling. Glad it didn’t have shrimp!

“Yeah, it’s incredible! I think I’ll get this again the next time I come here!”

Hmm, guess I’ll have to secretly ask the waiter to leave out the shrimp next time, too. I smile and shake my head. Then to cover it up, I look down at my risotto.

“Mine is good, too,” I say.

As soon as I do, Minmi says, “Gimme a bite!” The next instant, she’s got a forkful of my risotto in her mouth. So hopeless! She ends up eating about a quarter of it, but I get the same back in pasta before the meal is over. We leave the restaurant and breathe in some fresh air.

“Where to next, Minmi?”

She crosses her arms like she’s not sure. Then after a minute, she looks at me. Apparently, she thought of something.

“How about the two of us go to the karaoke place?! Just to try it out!”

I’m surprised, but I guess maybe she wanted to go to the karaoke place with the others. Plus, last time, I didn’t have fun, but maybe it will be different with Minmi…

“Okay…just for a little while,” I say.

“I knew you’d be up for it! Let’s go!”

She looks genuinely happy, which makes me happy, too. And since we’re going anyway, I might as well try to enjoy myself!