AFTERWORD

A Sight for Sore Eyes

Hello. JIN here.

Thanks, as always, for all of your support.

What did you think of Volume 4, then?

This volume mainly focuses around the character of Azami.

I felt this way about Hibiya a lot when writing Volume 3, but I guess I have a habit of falling in love with the main characters I focus on.

By now, with Volume 4 in the “done” pile, I’ve become a huge Azami fan.

I could just hear her say “You fool! ” in response.

Huh? Shintaro? Oh, yeah, I guess he was around, too, wasn’t he?

So! Once again we find ourselves (what a smooth change of subject) right in the dead of summer with this book.

It was spring in the 3-D world when I wrote Volume 3, but smack-dab in the middle of summer with this one, which made things seem to drag on even longer than usual.

Forget about me getting a summer vacation this year.

No beachside antics. No ghost stories by the campfire.

All I had was the giant game of chicken I like to call a “deadline.”

Though I have to say, it’s doing wonders for my pace.

We’ve only just released Volume 3, but boom, here’s the next one. What’s with that? Are they trying to torment me on purpose?

Not that whining about it will change anything, I suppose.

Even if I burst out of my home, screaming for help, I’m soon on the run from my editor, a giant, sharp pair of scissors in his hands.

I could try boarding a taxi, but it’s happened at least once that the taxi driver turned out to be another editor. All these editors, lurking where you least expect them. It’s like some psychological horror film.

My room, as usual, is a total mess. It’s about 40 percent furniture and 60 percent garbage, and it’s not going to improve anytime soon.

Now would be a pretty good time for a big-breasted French maid of some sort to show up. Like, really. Right now. Before I get angry.

As I write this, though, I’m increasingly faced with the depressing realization that, um, I wrote this kind of stuff in the last afterword, too, didn’t I?

I’m out of things to write about. Please send help.

If you don’t leave your home, you’ll never encounter anything new. That’s my situation. What could be fun about talking to a twenty-two-year-old like that?

But, still, write I must.

There are people at my autograph signings who actually claim they look forward to my afterwords! Well, here you go! I’m writing one! (Please try to enjoy the other 99 percent of the book, too, though.)

Oh, speaking of which, one of my (female) cousins started reading my novels.

She likes Kano, apparently.

Kano, huh? Man, he’s good with the ladies, isn’t he?

Well, well, well. Guess I know who I’m gonna make throw up in the next volume (he said, grinning).

Personally speaking, my favorite male character is Haruka.

He’s just a nice guy, you know? Probably smells good, too.

Still, here we are. Volume 4.

I know I complain all the time, but I’m having a constant blast writing these.

I sincerely think to myself “Man, I wish these guys could be my friends” as I write.

I’d just love to dive into the world of the novels and hang out for a while.

Maybe I’ll insert myself into the next volume, proclaiming “I am Kagerou Daze!” or some such nonsense.

Oop. I see my editor’s snipping his scissors at me and saying “You fool! .” Probably not happening, then. Pity.

And so I’ll wrap things up here, I think, as I pray for Volume 5’s release date to come as soon as possible.

See you all again in the next afterword!

JIN (Shizen no Teki-P)