For the next period, Rei continued attending school and classes as usual, but his focus clearly shifted to 5 Centimeters Per Second, which was about to begin serialization in Sakura Weekly.
With the weekly release date set and the printing process requiring time, Rei needed to finish coloring the five-page manga by the end of June, leaving him less than a week in reality.
Adding to the workload were the meticulous details he needed to refine in the original manuscript. Though the volume of work wasn't overwhelming, the tediousness kept him working late into the night almost every day.
Strictly speaking, maintaining a weekly serialization schedule like this would be nearly impossible for a typical manga artist. Most would need to hire assistants to handle mechanical, procedural tasks.
However, Rei didn't need to spend excessive time brainstorming plot ideas or storyboarding panels like other artists. All his creative energy could be channeled directly into drawing the manga.
Moreover, after his soul fusion, Rei's drawing speed had become astonishingly fast. With only one manga series to focus on, having assistants around might actually distract him and compromise the quality of his work, potentially hindering his efficiency rather than improving it.
Therefore, he rejected Misaki's offer and chose to complete the work independently.
However, on June 1st, Rei once again found himself at Misaki's villa complex.
While Misaki was working, Rei was in class. When Rei had time on weekends, she happened to have weekends off as well.
Frequently taking time off to handle manga-related matters would undoubtedly draw disapproval from the school. Fortunately, Misaki didn't mind. She tacitly accepted that managing Rei's work would require her to use her off-work hours.
Inside the villa's living room:
"This exceeds my expectations," Misaki said, organizing the complete manga manuscript Rei had submitted. "It doesn't feel like the work of a rookie mangaka at all."
Hearing Misaki praise Rei again, Miyu's eyes nearly overflowed with jealousy. Her older sister had never praised her like that before.
In response to Misaki's praise, Rei offered a few modest remarks. After all, he wasn't exactly a newcomer; he had spent years struggling in his previous life.
"In that case, the full manuscript for 5 Centimeters Per Second is finalized. I'll submit it to the company right away," Misaki said. "Thank you for your hard work these past few weeks, Rei-sensei."
"Um, I have a question."
Seeing that Misaki had approved the final draft of 5 Centimeters Per Second, Rei shifted the conversation to another topic.
"My 5 Centimeters Per Second will only run for five weeks, right?"
"That's correct," Misaki nodded.
"After 5 Centimeters Per Second finishes its run, could I submit a new manga to compete for the vacant slot?"
Rei's words hung in the air, silencing the entire room.
"Vacant slot?" Misaki asked, turning to Rei.
Even Miyu spoke up.
"Do you have an idea for a new manga?"
"Yes, a story I conceived around the same time as 5 Centimeters Per Second," Rei replied, slightly embellishing his explanation. "In my own opinion, this story is no less compelling than 5 Centimeters Per Second. Since 5 Centimeters Per Second secured serialization, I don't want this other work to be buried."
Misaki's eyes lit up at this. She had witnessed the full quality of 5 Centimeters Per Second. If this new manga was truly no less compelling, it deserved serious consideration.
"However, Rei-sensei, your idea is a bit too naive," Misaki said after a pause.
"There isn't enough time."
"Not enough time?" Rei asked, surprised.
"Logically speaking, 5 Centimeters Per Second should begin serialization in two weeks and conclude in seven weeks, leaving ample time. However, several outstanding new works were presented at the Serialization Meeting, and since 5 Centimeters Per Second was confirmed to be only five chapters long, another manga was simultaneously chosen as its successor. No further meetings will be held to fill this serialization slot," Misaki explained softly.
"If you had submitted this work along with the others at the Serialization Meeting, both manga might have been serialized concurrently in Sakura Weekly. It's a bit of a shame we missed that opportunity."
"I see," Rei replied, his tone tinged with disappointment.
But there was nothing to be done about it. Manga serialization isn't simply a matter of submitting a good work. You have to wait for a vacant slot in the magazine. Misaki's explanation made it clear that there was no alternative.
"Still, things are hard to predict. I remember that several of the lower-ranked series in Sakura Weekly have been struggling with low popularity. The sixth volume of Sound of the Clouds sold only 20,000 copies in its first week—a complete flop. At this rate, the magazine will probably force its cancellation within a few weeks," Miyu interjected.
Miyu's eyes darted around as she spoke.
"Rei, you should focus on finishing your new manga first."
"Ideally, let me review it after you're done. I can help you spot any flaws and suggest improvements. That way, you'll be ready to seize any opportunities that arise immediately."
As she said this, Miyu's face lit up with a smile, the aftereffects of watching 5 Centimeters Per Second kicking in.
Just as Rei had discovered director Makoto Shinkai after watching 5 Centimeters Per Second in his previous life, he had eagerly followed Shinkai's subsequent works like The Garden of Words and Your Name from day one.
The confidence inspired by a creator's work endures until they produce an absolute disaster.
Though Miyu claimed 5 Centimeters Per Second was heartbreaking and emotionally draining, the truth was that over time, she had unconsciously become a fan of the manga. She was now eagerly anticipating Rei's new work.
Misaki glanced at her sister but remained silent.
"Understood," Rei nodded.
"Then I'll trouble Editor Misaki to keep an eye out for any serialization opportunities within the group."
"Oh, one more thing—what genre is your new manga? You know Sakura Weekly only publishes romance stories. If your new work isn't in that style..."
"Editor Misaki, rest assured, my new manga is pure romance. No love triangles, no long-distance relationships," Rei said with a smile.
"So, is it a story like 5 Centimeters Per Second, filled with regret?" Miyu asked.
"Regret?" Rei paused, then shook his head with a gentle smile. "For the male and female leads, there's no regret between them."
Of course, that was true for the characters themselves. The readers might feel differently.
But Rei had never liked spoilers. If Misaki and Miyu were interested in his new work, they'd have to experience it for themselves when it was released.
Miyu let out a soft breath, but unconsciously, a hint of disappointment flickered in her heart.
She claimed she disliked tragedies, but deep down, a part of her had been hoping for one.
By nine o'clock that evening, Rei finally returned home by bus.
He pushed open the slightly worn wooden door, turned on the light, and saw a large table in the living room covered with drafts of manga character designs.
In his previous life, the original work Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight! existed only as a novel and a live-action film; there was no manga adaptation.
Adapting it into a manga would be far more demanding than 5 Centimeters Per Second. He would have to create every character design, setting, and background from scratch.
Of course, he could borrow key panel layouts from the film, ensuring a minimum level of quality for the work.
"Let's begin," Rei murmured, settling into his chair. He picked up his pen, his gaze fixed on the character design sketches spread across the table.