Afterword

Hello, this is Wataru Watari.

Recently, I’ve been thinking back on my youth, but my memories are so faint, I’ve been having trouble with it. That’s probably because there were nothing but unpleasant memories, and I don’t want to remember any of it, but also perhaps because those memories are still too close to be reflecting on just yet. It’s been years since I graduated from high school, so it’s not chronologically close, but rather, emotionally too close, I think.

Let me compare how I was back then and how I am now. It’s like this:

In high school: Late 1,100 times in three years. Late so often that they called my parents to school to talk about it. Thinking in the future I’d like to marry a rich, beautiful woman and lead a life of indulgence and depravity. Had a high probability of skipping on rainy days.

Midtwenties: Late so often that they called me out at work to talk about it. Thinking in the future I’d like to marry a rich, beautiful woman and lead a life of indulgence and depravity. Forget rainy days; I don’t get much writing done even if it’s sunny.

I really haven’t lost my boyish spirit, man. Wow.

When I think about it, I figure maybe being a boy is about always acting like you’re in the middle of your youth. So I think I can keep dragging around the feelings of awkwardness, jealousy, and inferiority from my high school years, keep occasionally getting drunk on baseless confidence, keep maintaining the incomprehensible contradiction that is I’m the best at feeling inferior. I’ve got, like, a superiority complex about it, and keep writing the things I’ve dreamed of writing forever.

But there are still things that are most definitely lost to me forever… I wanted to go on a date with a high school girl in uniform…

Now then, for the acknowledgments.

Holy Ponkan. Thank you so much for your wonderful illustrations in Vol. 2 as well. Yui is so cute on the cover that I started doing a Yui-nique dance in celebration. I will offer prayers to you a full five times a day.

My editor, Hoshino. I’ve been causing all sorts of trouble for you for Vol. 2, too, but somehow you managed everything for me. I plan to continue causing trouble for you, so please keep working hard. Thank you very much.

Manta Aisora. You wrote some comments on the obi of this book even though you didn’t know me, and for that, I am grateful. Also, thank you for sending me chocolates. Those delicious morsels are what enabled me to write this.

My family, especially my father. Thank you for all your hard work over the years. You working yourself to the bone has enabled me to be a writer. Please take it easy, enjoy your life, and live a long one. Also, I don’t think our cat likes me at all. Maybe it’s just my imagination, though.

All my readers. Your support for My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected (also known by the abbreviation Oregairu) is the reason I was able to publish Vol. 2. I’m really happy about this. Thank you very much. I will try my very best to write a third volume that you will all enjoy.

And now I shall say something conclusive and set down my pen here. Once you start running, you can’t stop; it’s because you’ve got momentum! And the same happens with teen rom-coms. I hope you will stay with me for the next volume, too.

A certain day in June,

A certain place in Chiba,

While eating a plain Italian gelato with relish,

Wataru Watari