Afterword

Good evening, this is Wataru Watari.

It’s fully autumn now, huh?! Autumn of reading, autumn of sports, autumn of appetite, autumn of arts, autumn of labor, autumn of work, autumn of corporate slavery—there are many sorts of autumns, but what sort of autumn are you all having? Regardless of the season, I’m always working, so actually, I want it to hurry up and be New Year’s break already!

But the long nights of fall will make it easier to read and to write. It’s quiet and cool, and the nights go on… It seems to me like a season where your time alone can be used most effectively. In that sense, winter isn’t much different, but times like these enable you to see all sorts of things.

Things like Why am I working so hard that I’m making things difficult for myself? or The nights are long, but functionally, my number of work hours hasn’t changed, so it’s not like I get more sleep time… Of course, it’s not just negative things. My eyes will turn to fun things and cheery things, but it seems more often that when I look at the bleak darkness sprawling outside my window, I discover a dark and gloomy future there. But that negativity is why I can see light.

Perhaps times like that will make someone, or no one, leave a bit of a monologue.

Maybe the answer is finally to be found in the middle of a winter night with no dawn, on a path with a strong, cold headwind. Leaving aside if his answer and her question are right or wrong… When he encounters someone similar, is what he feels a sense of affinity, or is it a sense of separation, that they’re hopelessly different? If he takes that step toward them and gains answers and questions, then what sort of choice will he make?

Anyway, this has been My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected, Vol. 10.

And below, the acknowledgments.

Holy Ponkan. Uhyou! The wicked big sister Haruno-chan is on the cover! I look forward to seeing Shirobako every week, too! Amazing! Thank you very much.

To my editor, great Hoshino. Lots of time has passed as I’ve continued to say C’mon, I can get the next one on time easy, ga-ha-ha! I’m very sorry for doing that every single time. Thank you very much. C’mon, I can get the next one on time easy, ga-ha-ha!

To all the staff and related parties of the media franchise: I’ve made so many selfish requests recently and caused trouble for everyone. I have high hopes for the series as it gains new appeal. Thank you very much.

Also, in the writing of this book, I have referenced No Longer Human and “Run, Melos!” (by Osamu Dazai / published by Shinchou Bunko).

And to all my readers: Finally, this story is in its final act, and as usual, I continue to wander off course, but I am steadily nearing the goal. I would be glad if you would please support me to the end. Thank you very much.

Well then, I’ve run out of page space about here, so I’ll lay down my pen now.

On a certain day in October, while drinking what you gotta have when it’s cold out, hooot MAX Coffee,

Wataru Watari