— — — — — —
The nurse quickly prepared the fever-reducing injection.
"Oikawa, I'm scared!"
The moment Kawasaki saw the needle, fear filled her face.
"It's okay," he said softly. "Didn't I tell you? It doesn't hurt. Once you get the shot, you'll be better."
"…Okay. I believe you."
The nurse decided to finish quickly and then find a corner to cry in peace. She couldn't take this anymore.
"Don't move, okay?" she said gently. "If you move, one shot won't be enough."
She'd already realized the girl had regressed to a childlike personality from the fever, so she spoke as if soothing a child.
"Okay. Kawasaki won't move."
Oikawa could feel Kawasaki gripping his arm even tighter.
Then came a scream.
Apparently, the shot hurt far more than expected.
"Liar… waaah… Oikawa, you're a big liar… it hurts… it really hurts…"
"Waaah, I'll bully you... big liar, you are a big liar."
Tears streamed down her face.
Just as Oikawa was about to comfort her, Kawasaki suddenly opened her mouth and bit down hard on the back of his hand.
Now it was Oikawa's turn to yell.
It hurt. It really hurt. Kawasaki hadn't held back at all.
Two deep bite marks appeared, already seeping blood.
At that moment, Oikawa felt that cute-mode Kawasaki might actually be worse than her usual cold-mode self.
Ah. What a painfully earned realization.
...
..
Shizuka Hiratsuka had been in a meeting.
The moment she received the call, she rushed straight to the infirmary.
"What's the situation? Zaimokuza said Kawasaki fainted from a fever and might not make it. Where is she?"
Shizuka was breathing hard, clearly having sprinted all the way.
"It's not as serious as he made it sound," Oikawa explained. "Just a high fever. She took medicine and got a shot. She's sleeping peacefully now."
Hearing that, Shizuka let out a sigh of relief.
She subconsciously pulled out a pack of cigarettes to calm down, then remembered she was in the infirmary and put it back.
"What happened to your hand?"
She suddenly noticed the bandage wrapped around Oikawa's hand.
"Nothing. Got bitten by a dog."
Shizuka looked concerned. "Did you get a rabies shot?"
"I don't need one."
Oikawa didn't continue the small talk and got straight to the point. "Shizuka-sensei, you have a car, right? Could you take Kawasaki home?"
"Got it. I'll take her home now."
"And don't worry about getting back," Shizuka added. "The meeting we just had was about that. Buses should be here soon to pick everyone up."
Oikawa nodded.
Natural disasters were unpredictable. The school had already reacted pretty quickly.
After helping Shizuka get Kawasaki into the car, Oikawa continued, "I sent you her home location on LINE. Her parents aren't home. Her younger brother and sister will be waiting at the door."
"Understood. I'll message you when I get there. Don't worry."
Oikawa nodded again.
Shizuka drove off, disappearing from his sight. Lightning rolled across the sky one after another. For some reason, Oikawa couldn't calm down.
Ten minutes later, a broadcast sounded across campus, instructing all students still at school to gather at the field.
Several buses were already waiting.
Students boarded in an orderly line. Just then, rain began pouring from the sky.
...
..
9:00 PM—
An interview with "Seven-sensei" appeared on Dengeki Bunko's official blog.
The headline read: Behind "Oikawa-sensei's" Overnight Fame: Things You Didn't Know
Interview transcript:
[Editor Kagurazaka: Hello, Oikawa-sensei. I'm your editor, Ayame Kagurazaka.]
[Copycat Transmigrator: People are here for me. Don't try to steal the spotlight. Q_Q]
[Editor Kagurazaka: Oikawa-sensei, that's so mean. No matter what, I'm still your favourite editor.]
[Copycat Transmigrator: Sorry, I'm not interested in older women.]
[Editor Kagurazaka: Heh. Oikawa-sensei, you didn't forget you're coming to Dengeki Bunko to sign a contract in a few days, did you?]
[Copycat Transmigrator: Actually, I like older women. The older, the better. There's a saying I firmly believe in: Women are like wine; they get better with age!]
[Editor Kagurazaka: …Alright, back on track. Oikawa-sensei, say hello to everyone first.]
[Copycat Transmigrator: Hello everyone, I'm "Oikawa," Pen name: Copycat Transmigrator. Author of Your Lie in April. I'm glad to meet you all this way.]
[Editor Kagurazaka: First question: why did you choose to write light novels?]
[Copycat Transmigrator: So I wouldn't have to go to school, could sleep in, and spend the money however I want.]
[Editor Kagurazaka: …That's… a pretty good reason, but kind of average. Well, I expected better.... Next question. I've heard part of the second volume of Your Lie in April was inspired by your homeroom teacher?]
[Copycat Transmigrator: That's right. I have to flatter my homeroom teacher here. Without her, the second volume probably would've fallen into clichés. I won't spoil anything, but she's the one who made me change Kaori Miyazono's ending. She also elevated the character. Praise be to you, my dear and respected homeroom teacher!!!]
[Editor Kagurazaka: So she is the cul.. uh such a good teacher. Ahem... Then Oikawa-sensei, how do you view the second volume? What kind of reading experience do you think it will give readers?]
[Copycat Transmigrator: A different kind of scenery. There's a line I really like: a writer is someone who writes letters to a group of strangers.... I've already stamped my letter and dropped it into the mailbox. Now I'm just waiting for everyone to read it and write back.]
[Editor Kagurazaka: As we all know, Your Lie in April is considered a healing-type novel. What mindset did you have while writing it?]
[Copycat Transmigrator: Writing healing stories is actually very painful. Because the author has to constantly imagine the protagonist's unhappy childhood and hardships. If I had to describe my mindset… It'd be this: leave the happiness to the readers, and keep the sorrow for myself.]
[Editor Kagurazaka: ....]
[Editor Kagurazaka: We're really lucky to have you as our author.]
[Editor Kagurazaka: Alright, last question. You finished the second volume so quickly. Did you already have the entire story planned out? Or had you completed it back when the first volume released?]
[Copycat Transmigrator: I have to deny that. Inspiration is extremely important when writing.]
[Compared to readers, I just know the direction of the story a few days earlier.]
[Like the homeroom teacher I mentioned earlier. Without her, the second volume would've changed drastically.]
[So I have to thank my homeroom teacher again.]
[Thank you, sensei.]
[Rather than saying Your Lie in April came from me, it's more accurate to say that because of you, Your Lie in April became what it is today.]
[When the second volume releases, all readers will understand.]
[Because of you… I was able to write this masterpiece.]
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