Haruki didn't need Kazuya to remind him this time. With some experience under his belt, he changed into a clean, formal outfit before heading downstairs.
He wasn't about to risk another ambush like the time Haruka dragged him off for a full makeover.
But it turned out he'd been overthinking it.
He had assumed Kazuya always sharp in formal settings—would dress up too. Instead, Kazuya showed up in a puffy down jacket, wool hat, and scarf, bundled up completely against the freezing January weather.
Haruki, by contrast, was shivering in his slim suit.
"You're tough, Haruki. Respect," Kazuya said, giving him a thumbs-up.
"…"
Feeling like an idiot, Haruki turned right around, went back upstairs, swapped the suit for his usual warm winter clothes, then climbed into Kazuya's car in silence.
Kazuya, being Kazuya, didn't say a word about it. He just smiled and started the engine.
—
By 7:30 p.m., they arrived at the headquarters of Animeon.com.
A staff member met them at the entrance and led them into the interview set.
It wasn't a massive studio just a mid-sized space, maybe a hundred square meters. In the center, a few sofas faced the cameras and lights, surrounded by technical staff preparing for the broadcast.
Kazuya chatted with a middle aged man who turned out to be the producer of Talk of the Nation, and introduced him to Haruki. The host of the show, on the other hand, was a lively woman in her twenties with a bright, friendly smile.
Once everything was set, Haruki and Kazuya sat beside her on the sofa, waiting for the show to begin.
At exactly 8 p.m., viewers gathered in front of their phones and monitors, eagerly awaiting the live stream whether they were Mizushiro fans, curious onlookers, or just bored viewers.
Among them were Haruki's classmates from back in school, friends from Tokyo, and colleagues like Airi, Misaki, and even Ryuko, watching from her dorm room. Her roommates had already gone home for the break, but Ryuko had stayed behind.
Aside from being a student, she was now a rising voice actress in the industry—and the release of 5 Centimeters per Second and Voices of a Distant Star had rocketed her popularity to new heights. With recording work still ongoing and a promise to watch the show with Haruki later, she hadn't even considered going home yet.
Tonight, she just wanted to see what kind of presence Haruki would have on a live show.
The stream began, and Animeon.com's chat exploded with comments.
"Welcome, everyone, to the 212th episode of Talk of the Nation! I'm your host, Asamiya!" said the cheerful host, appearing first on screen. Then the camera panned to the two men seated next to her.
One was in his thirties, calm and composed—clearly used to being in front of cameras. The other was younger, quiet, and a little stiff, but composed.
"Tonight's guests are Mr. Kazuya Mori, a renowned anime producer, and Mr. Haruki Yuuki—also known as Mizushiro, the writer and screenwriter behind several hit titles," Asamiya introduced.
"Thanks for having us," Kazuya said smoothly, waving with ease.
Haruki, still a little out of place, followed Kazuya's lead and gave a small nod.
The comment feed exploded.
"Wait that's Mizushiro?? He looks younger than me!"
"I was picturing a depressed-looking 40-year-old with bloodshot eyes. This guy looks normal!"
"So this is the guy responsible for breaking my heart twice in a row…"
Even Ryuko laughed when she saw the flood of sarcastic comments scroll past on the screen.
Asamiya continued, "You may not recognize their real names, but you definitely know their work. Mr. Mori has produced Wind Whisper, Silent Shelter, Twilight Ballad, and more. And more recently, 5 Centimeters per Second and Voices of a Distant Star both of which he also helped bring to life."
"And as for Mizushiro,Mr. Haruki Yuuki you may not know his face, but under that pen name, he's the mind behind Voices of a Distant Star, 5 Centimeters per Second, and the screenwriter for Anohana. He also created the manga Initial D and Natsume's Book of friends."
In the chat:
"Okay, we get it, move on!"
"Yes yes, intro over. Ask him why he hates love!"
"She's cute, but she's stalling!"
But then came a segment that had fans rolling their eyes questions about their daily lives, personal routines, and other fluff.
Haruki gave polite, short answers, but visibly avoided certain questions by simply turning away. It was a live show, but he didn't seem to care.
Ryuko burst out laughing.
Still, things eventually got interesting. One viewer submitted question stood out: how had the two started working together, and why had they collaborated on three titles back to back?
Kazuya lit up, jumping at the chance to tell the full story. Seeing that Haruki wasn't going to stop him, he dove into the tale with flair.
He talked about how both projects were a gamble. How Haruki poured everything he had—money, time, even his health—into the next two anime. How they had worked nonstop for seven days straight to hit deadlines, risking everything on those projects.
Haruki just stared ahead with a neutral face while Kazuya "embellished" the narrative.
Still, the story clearly hit a nerve with viewers. The chat lit up with apologies from fans who had complained about the sad endings.
Thankfully, Asamiya knew how to pace things. After about thirty minutes, she turned the focus to the works themselves what fans had really come to see.
"Mizushiro sensei," she said, turning to Haruki, "I'd like to ask about 5 Centimeters per Second. The title refers to the speed at which cherry blossoms fall a beautiful and poetic image that connects Takaki and Akari throughout the film."
"But why five centimeters? Why not six, or seven? Was there a specific reason for that number?"
It was a pointed question one of those curveballs meant to catch creators off guard. Asamiya assumed the name was just aesthetic chosen for sound rather than meaning.
What she didn't expect was Haruki's calm response.
"No one's asked me that before," he said. "Not during production. Not even after it aired. So I'm a little surprised."
He looked thoughtful for a moment.
"But yes… it does have meaning."
Asamiya blinked.
Wait seriously?
Ryuko leaned closer to her screen. She'd never heard this explanation either. None of the staff had.
Even the chat slowed down for a moment, puzzled and curious.
What could possibly be hidden behind that title?
Shout out to rishi bansal for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me.
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