I, who tortured the readers, was knocked to the ground by them!

Chapter 199 Is being a beast really the only way out?
"Did we succeed this time?"

As the last frame of the bonus animation featuring the cast and crew finished playing, someone in the studio tentatively asked a question.

"From the current perspective, it should be better than expected."

Yuuki Tsukimori, nominally the president of the company, nodded and took the lead in clapping.

"Yeah, very good."

Yuuki Tsukimori initially thought that the audience for this kind of bonus animation would only be manga fans, but it seems that many casual viewers who are not fans have also been attracted to this episode.

Although they didn't know the previous plot, fortunately, the plot of "Your Lie in April" is not as difficult to understand as "Fire Fist".

With the background music and the excellent performance of the voice actors, Hikaru's farewell was enough to move many passersby.

Many people commented under the anime that they would go and read the manga.

That's the power of animation; it's no exaggeration to say it's the best way to promote comics.

Of course, when many of them became interested in the manga artist and started paying attention to Sakura Fujie's leaves, they would suddenly be stunned when they saw Kaoru's black and white photo.

However, those things have nothing to do with the current members of the animation team.

After Yuuki Tsukimori's summary, cheers erupted from the studio, filling the air with a joyful atmosphere.

Sakurai Itsuki remained calm; he had anticipated the anime's success.

In another world, let alone the final episode alone, even just a compilation of clips and put online would garner hundreds of thousands or millions of views.

Now he's run into some trouble again.

Because of the two girls beside him, one had tears in her eyes, and the other was pouting in dissatisfaction.

So, who should we appease first?

Lately, Sakurai Itsuki has felt that his situation is becoming increasingly difficult.

Fortunately, Yuuki Tsukimori miraculously came to the rescue: "You three, can't you be a little happier?! Just blend into the atmosphere and celebrate together!"

She grinned and spoke enthusiastically to the three of them, encompassing them all in one breath.

"Okay, yes, everyone has worked hard these past few days. Eat as much as you want at the celebration banquet later. I'll pay for everything."

Sakurai Itsuki quickly stood up to speak, as he felt it necessary to say a few words as the true core member.

Yuuki Tsukimori, carrying two cakes, squeezed between the two, smilingly comforting them who were unhappy about the manga's plot.

This made the group of onlookers, led by Hase Hatsuna, click their tongues in disapproval.

Clearly, even though the group chat has been exposed, their gossip and "stock trading" activities are still continuing.

They couldn't help but scold Yuuki Tsukimi in their hearts, thinking she had ruined everything.

Sakurai Itsuki didn't let Hase Shion and the others know the contents of the group chat, otherwise it would definitely cause trouble again.

After finishing speaking, Sakurai Itsuki turned around and said, "Let's have a happy celebration banquet."

Both of them nodded understandingly.

He quickly readjusted his mood and immersed himself in the celebratory atmosphere.

Although the atmosphere in the club has always been harmonious, it is ultimately a workplace as well.

Now is not the time to act cute or throw a tantrum.

A woman who throws tantrums regardless of the situation is bound to be disliked.

Seeing the two of them trying to cheer up, Sakurai Itsuki felt a sense of relief. He realized that he had underestimated them and had been worried about them.

Perhaps, Sakurai Itsuki was always around them, so they didn't notice.

They are actually becoming more and more mature, and they are much more considerate of him than he thought.

Sakurai Itsuki turned his head and looked at the screen in the distance where the movie had ended.

I'm following my plan, growing bigger and bigger step by step. At this rate, it won't be long before I achieve financial freedom and start enjoying my life goals.

However, compared to before, there are now many more variables.

A strange thought flashed through my mind.

Perhaps one of them can make a scene today regardless of the occasion, and it would be good if they could lose some points in their own minds.

If everything is this perfect, it's really hard to know what to do.

Is becoming an animal the only path one can take?

For the celebration banquet, Sakurai Itsuki, being very wealthy, booked out an entire pub.

It wasn't late at night yet, but that didn't stop the group from enjoying their beer.

Tokyoites, who are stereotypically aloof, became quite boisterous under the influence of alcohol, chatting about all sorts of topics and calling each other brothers.

"Oh no, this tastes like it might contain alcohol, doesn't it?"

Hasegawa Shion took a big gulp of the shop's new Russian specialty drink and frowned slightly.

"It's alright, that's kvass. Its alcohol content is even lower than that of alcoholic chocolate, maybe one percent?" someone explained.

Sakurai Itsuki panicked: "Are you alright? Why don't you stop drinking? Why do you always order drinks you don't know anything about?"

He couldn't help but recall a certain night when the young lady, drunk, clung to him and acted out.

Hanase Shion looked at the flustered Sakurai Itsuki and, clearly remembering that extremely embarrassing night, blushed slightly.

However, his eagerness to avoid causing her trouble made her a little unhappy: "I study the tea ceremony, which is a process of repeatedly appreciating flavors. Isn't it normal for me to try unfamiliar flavors? Besides, drawing manga also requires experience, look at Araki-sensei."

"That makes sense, but if you try to imitate him by taking a couple of sips of tequila, it won't work, will it?"

Sakurai Itsuki has little faith in Hase Shion's alcohol tolerance.

The drink that made her so drunk that she lost her mind had an alcohol content similar to the lowest grade of beer.

"I'm not so pathetic that I'd get drunk from eating a chocolate with liqueur filling! Don't look down on me."

Shion Hasegawa dislikes being looked down upon in any way, especially by him.

As she spoke, she picked up her glass and gulped down a large mouthful of kvass, even pointing a finger at the clerk to ask for another glass.

How could someone with only one percent alcohol content possibly get drunk?
Besides
A somewhat pitiful thought suddenly flashed through Hase Shion's mind.

If only things could be like that night, even if I got drunk and embarrassed myself a little, it wouldn't really matter, right?

Just like when she sat next to him in school, she didn't move at all, her face was still turned in another direction, but she slightly turned her head and secretly glanced at him.

This time, however, their eyes did not meet as they had many times before.

Sakurai Itsuki didn't notice her as usual.

After his attempts to dissuade her failed, he shook his head helplessly and turned to talk to Sato Wakaba, who was still making a fuss.

Recalling their intimate moments this morning, Hasegawa Shion gently bit her lip.

Her and his comics have ended.

It ended smoothly, and a lot of people sent their blessings and a lot of people celebrated.

However, she couldn't say she was particularly happy.

At first, I thought that my feelings were simply because the story ultimately ended tragically.

Perhaps it's due to certain ingredients.
He graduated as well.

Although they both attended the same university, they were not in the same class.

The two could no longer pretend to make eye contact with each other casually in class and then run away in a panic, just like they used to.

He gave up Kyoto University, which can be considered as running away from home.

It sounds as romantic as Romeo and Juliet's elopement, but I seem to be nothing at all.

We live so close to each other, yet the distance between our hearts hasn't grown at all.

After the story ends and I graduate, will I still be able to see him often?
I wish I could repeat the day I went on my date with him in Kyoto forever, like in Groundhog Day.

She was determined to plan that flawed date until it was absolutely perfect.

I no longer have to stand awkwardly in front of him reciting texts, I no longer have to plan a bunch of activities he has no interest in, I no longer have to embarrass myself when playing with the cat with him, and I no longer have to create situations that would cause my father to misunderstand.
Sigh. Hasegawa Shion sighed and turned to look at Sato Wakaba, who had been talking about something and was pretending to be annoyed as she pinched his waist, but then immediately put on a bright smile.

He raised the cup in his hand and gulped down a large mouthful.

Bitter wine enters the throat and causes pain in the heart.

At that moment, she wished the drink in her hand was actually alcohol.

If you get drunk, you won't have any worries, right?

The celebration banquet was held at noon, but it was already evening when the group finished drinking.

After saying their goodbyes, Sakurai Itsuki led the two girls toward home.

Sato Wakaba walked at the front, pacing with her long legs, humming the tune of "If I Can Shine with Light" with great cheerfulness.

After the celebratory banquet and a hearty meal, she had already recovered her spirits.

That's just how she is; most of her life is sunny, and even when she's unhappy, she'll quickly turn from cloudy to sunny again.

Sato Wakaba looked up at the sunset, which was gradually turning wine-red, and took out her phone: "Ah, it's already this late! It's time to go back and cook!"

Sakurai Itsuki chimed in, "Why are we eating again? What happened to your diet?"

I ate cake shortly after breakfast this morning, followed by a big lunch, and now it's time for dinner.

Even Sakurai Itsuki felt that his calorie intake was a bit excessive.

Sato Wakaba said, "But it's mealtime! It's time to eat! Isn't eating on time a wonderful thing?"

Previously, Sakurai Itsuki felt that Sato Wakaba was like a crazy rabbit.

In retrospect, he was wrong. Rabbits don't eat that much. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to call her a "gluttonous sea otter," like the heroine of a recently popular light novel.

Sato Wakaba tapped her chin with her finger, indicating that she was also considering losing weight: "Well~ losing weight, there's no rush. I'm already exercising regularly. Today is a special case, so let's make an exception! Besides, even if I don't eat, I still have Shion!"

Clearly, after some consideration, appetite ultimately prevailed over the desire to look good.

"Let's go grocery shopping, then the three of us will have a meal! What would Shion like to eat?"

Sato Wakaba turned her head and asked Hase Shion.

Speaking of which, the Sakurai family's food expenses have been seriously excessive for the past six months.

The main reason is that a certain rich girl and a certain female celebrity always come to Sakurai's house for meals.

Of course, Sakurai Itsuki wasn't stingy with the small amount of money; more than that, he felt a bit tired of being sandwiched between the three of them.

Hasegawa Shion shook her head: "No, I'm a little tired today and want to go home and rest early."

She hung her head, looking very dejected.

She couldn't clear up the clouds as quickly as Sato Wakaba.

Or rather, her troubles cannot be resolved as easily as those of Sato Wakaba.

Sakurai Itsuki turned around and looked at Hase Shion, whose face looked rather unpleasant.

It's unclear how much kvass she drank this afternoon.

Sakurai Itsuki thought the idea that drinking kvass could make him drunk sounded a bit too abstract, but he was still a little worried.

Then he turned to Sato Wakaba and said, "Then you go buy groceries and go home first. I'll take Miss home first and come back for dinner later."

Hasegawa Shion spoke first: "No need, I can go back by myself, I'm not drunk."

"You say you're not drunk? I don't believe you. I happen to have something to talk to you about."

This person can get himself into the hospital even when he's sober. Even if he's not drunk now, he's so confused, who knows what might happen to him.

Hasegawa Shion pouted, but the words of refusal stuck in her throat.

How could she possibly refuse his concern from the bottom of her heart?

Sato Wakaba glanced at Hase Shion and noticed that she seemed a little strange, so she nodded gently: "Alright, you can take her home. It shouldn't take too long, right? Since Shion isn't going, let's just make something simple for tonight."

Sakurai Itsuki said, "Are you being so blatantly biased?"

"So that's how biased I am! Who told you to post those kinds of tweets? *sigh*"

Sato Wakaba gently pulled at her eyelids with her fingers and made a face at Sakurai Itsuki, just like before.

"That's settled then, I'll be going now."

Sato Wakaba waved to the two of them, then wisely turned and left, giving them space to chat.

She hummed a little tune as she crossed the street and walked toward the convenience store in the distance, her silhouette still radiant.

Sakurai Itsuki turned to look at Hase Shion and said, "Let's go to your house."

Hasegawa Shion complained, "How annoying."

Then she walked heavily to Sakurai Itsuki, who was already used to her saying one thing and meaning another, and silently followed.

In the distance, Sato Wakaba, who had crossed the street to the entrance of the convenience store, turned around and looked at the two people walking one after the other in the distance.

She gradually withdrew her bright smile.

I looked up at the wine-red sky.

Another late spring sunset.

Quite right, the weather was probably like this when I accidentally tackled her in the alley that day.

It's been two years. Did I ever imagine I would feel this way now?

He clutched his chest and sighed deeply: "What will the future hold? This is so frustrating."

However, she still took out her phone and opened the contact she had saved as a "special contact" today, labeled as "Bastard, Grandpa, Heartless".

The message read, "Waiting for you to come home for dinner."

As Hasegawa Shion walked down the familiar streets, listening to the footsteps behind her, her mind grew increasingly confused.

The alcohol wasn't enough to make her drunk, but it brought out all the emotions deep inside her.

The previous worries were magnified, and gradually tears welled up in my eyes.

The elevator doors opened, and Hasegawa Shion suddenly said, "Okay, that's enough for now."

If she doesn't leave soon, she's going to burst into tears again.

Sakurai Itsuki completely ignored her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her directly into the elevator.

Hasegawa Shion sniffed, looked down at him holding her wrist, and scolded, "You, do you really want to see me cry?"

"Of course, you already knew that. I just love seeing you cry."

"You're really terrible."

"It's a shame you didn't cry today because you were afraid of losing face at the studio. When you get home, cry your heart out for me."

"That's embarrassing!"

"But didn't you almost cry at the studio today?"

Hasegawa Shion paused slightly, "Yes, why?"

I would never have almost cried like that in the past at work.

Even when I wanted to cry before, I would quietly hide away and cry alone.

Just like that day when someone was squatting in the alley, or that day when someone was on a swing in the park.

Why.
After thinking about it, there's only one possibility.

Perhaps it was because he was sitting right next to me that I subconsciously felt that as long as he was there to comfort me,
Even if it's embarrassing, even if I cry in front of everyone, it doesn't matter.

"That was close, you're so annoying, ugh."

Hasegawa Shion didn't shake off his hand, but instead started sobbing while cursing him.

(End of this chapter)