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Chapter 102: Everything seemed to be spiraling toward disaster
🕑 Added 2025-02-09 06:01:18 +0000 UTC[Your steps never faltered.]
[Not just for yourself, but for them as well.]
[One year after obtaining your Master's degree in Literature, you poured your heart and soul into creating a full-length popular fiction novel, Traversing, which was published in the prestigious Tokyo literary magazine Nichigun.]
[In this work, you depicted the story of a Chinese youth whose soul is transported into the body of a rural Japanese teenager, writing with an almost autobiographical sense of immersion.]
[The protagonist's humorous self-obsession, paired with a casual and accessible storytelling style, made your novel widely popular among young readers.]
[That same year, Traversing was awarded 'Most Popular Novel of the Year' and won first place in the Japan Booksellers' Award, solidifying its status as a national bestseller.]
[Traversing received high praise from Japan's renowned literary magazine Shinchō:]
"With its witty, humorous prose and a narrative that feels strikingly real, Traversing showcases a boundless imagination and an effortlessly versatile writing style. No matter the genre, this author seems to master it with ease. This is the work of a new-generation literary powerhouse—'Chisato Takina,' the so-called 'Demon King' of modern literature."
[Your fanbase exploded across Japan.]
[Within the same year, your collected works were translated and published internationally, earning you a global readership.]
[In just three years, you rose with unparalleled momentum, becoming a dazzling new star in the Japanese literary world.]
[And at the same time, as these three years quietly passed—]
[The two seventeen-year-old girls of the past had now blossomed into young women of twenty.]
[Chisato Nishikigi grew out her golden short hair, tying it at the side with a ribbon. A mischievous smile always played at her lips, making her look even more lively and adorable.]
[She would constantly ask you—]
["So? When are you finally going to marry me?"]
[There was no blame in her voice—only her usual playful teasing.]
[She loved to rest her head against your chest and listen to your heartbeat. Only at times like these—when she, an ever-cheerful girl who could never sit still, would finally become quiet.]
[Takina Inoue, on the other hand, remained largely unchanged in appearance, except that her once shoulder-length black hair had now grown to her waist. Her violet-wisteria-colored eyes had deepened, carrying a calm, quiet beauty.]
[Yet whenever she gazed at you, that serenity would shatter—melting into pure warmth.]
[After three years of living together, they had come to understand your habits inside and out.]
[Likewise, they knew exactly why you worked so tirelessly.]
[In Japan, literary figures hold an exceptionally high social status. The public's acceptance of a 'national writer' is almost absurdly generous.]
[If you could establish yourself as a literary giant, perhaps society would come to accept the relationship between you and them.]
[You wanted them to be happy.]
[That was why you abandoned the smooth, stable life you had once envisioned for yourself—diving headfirst into the waves of literature instead.]
[You fought for their sake.]
[But at the same time, Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue never once cared about how the world perceived them.]
[To them, the opinions of others were irrelevant.]
[They simply followed their hearts, without regret. That alone was enough.]
[However, they never dismissed the significance of your efforts either.]
[During a rare moment of rest, you once asked them—]
["Why do you like me?"]
[Pressed close against you, they whispered in your ear:]
["No special reason, really. Just… thinking about you makes us happy."]
[Yes. Perhaps love never needed a reason.]
[You held them tightly, as if drowning in this ocean of happiness.]
[The following month, you penned a novel titled Distant Lands and Snow—a deeply modern, romantic tale.]
[Told from a first-person perspective, it detailed a protagonist's chance encounter with two enchanting young women during a journey.]
[With prose that was delicate yet pure—gentle to the point of being utterly transparent—you painted the beauty of these two girls.]
[Your writing, clear and elegant, blended effortlessly with the melancholic, wistful hearts of your characters, making this short story a literary masterpiece.]
[Distant Lands and Snow was published under your pen name, 'Chisato Takina,' and immediately sent shockwaves through Japan's literary world.]
[Among the novel's breathtakingly beautiful lines, readers found the sorrow of unattainable love.]
"Snow blankets the distant lands, and there she stands—bathed in its gentle glow as twilight descends. The scene of her figure against the snowy dusk carries a transcendental beauty beyond this world. And when the snowflakes settle onto her hair, an indescribable, breathtaking loveliness sends shivers through my heart."
—Excerpt from Distant Lands and Snow
[Faced with such hauntingly beautiful words, readers could hardly believe that this masterpiece was the work of a mere twenty-year-old author.]
[Some scholars even questioned whether you had truly written it.]
[But in the end, they abandoned their skepticism, instead urging you to submit Distant Lands and Snow for consideration in the prestigious Akutagawa Prize.]
[Of course, you had already anticipated this.]
[Submitting it for the Akutagawa Prize was a foregone conclusion.]
[And as expected—Distant Lands and Snow won the Akutagawa Prize without a hint of controversy.]
[In truth, with your intelligence level at 9, you had already accumulated more than enough literary expertise—your only missing piece had been emotional depth.]
[And their presence had provided you with the most genuine emotional experiences to draw from.]
[At last, your signature writing style was fully established.]
[Within the Japanese literary community, you became known as a leading figure of modern romantic literature—revered as 'Master Minami.']
[And in that moment, the name 'Chisato Takina' truly resounded across all of Japan.]
[You were only twenty-one.]
[With fame came wealth. Royalties and licensing fees poured in endlessly.]
[Even if you stopped writing now, the money would continue to flow, enough to provide for your descendants for generations.]
[But you didn't stop.]
[The Akutagawa Prize, while prestigious, was ultimately meant to encourage emerging writers.]
[Your ambitions lay beyond that.]
[Your true goal—the one sought after by all mainstream fiction writers—was the Naoki Prize.]
[And so, you continued to write. But this time, you didn't submit your work anywhere.]
[You no longer needed the money. Writing had become a way to refine your craft.]
[At the same time, you devoured other authors' works—absorbing their strengths, making them your own.]
[You secluded yourself around your Abode.]
[And in that quiet, an entire year passed.]
[Over the course of this year, the literary world saw the rise of numerous so-called "literary geniuses." However, compared to the once-revered name of "Chisato Takina," they all fell short.]
[Yet, an author who ceases to publish will inevitably fade from the public eye.]
[During this period, while the pen name "Chisato Takina" was still occasionally mentioned, it became increasingly rare.]
[Your prolonged silence in publishing led some to speculate that you had exhausted your creative talent. Consequently, more and more critiques and analyses of your writing began circulating.]
[Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue were both furious at these baseless rumors.]
[Because they knew better than anyone—your creative well had not run dry. On the contrary, compared to your past self, your literary craftsmanship had reached new heights.]
[In fact, your collection of unpublished manuscripts had already piled up to an impressive volume.]
[The real reason you refrained from publishing was that you sought to refine your once overly elaborate prose, stripping away its ostentation.]
[After an entire year of self-imposed seclusion, your writing had been polished to its purest form. While no longer dazzling with extravagant rhetoric, it now exuded an essence of untainted beauty.]
[Another month passed. Gazing out at the falling snow, you clasped Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue's hands, softly kissing them as the three of you nestled together in the winter landscape.]
[You knew—it was time to finally respond to the devotion they had shown you for so long.]
[At the same time, this year of reflection had given you clarity.]
[The ultimate path of a literary figure no longer concerned you. Your sole purpose had become clear—to ensure their happiness, and nothing else.]
[And so, after a year of silence, under the pen name "Chisato Takina," you officially published your latest full-length novel: Waiting for You Beyond the Horizon.]
[For many, your year-long absence had erased you from their memories.]
[Yet, for others, the anticipation for your return had never faded.]
[These devoted readers eagerly purchased your book—only to be utterly astounded.]
[Gone were the flamboyant flourishes of diction, gone was the indulgent melancholy of youth.]
[It was as if all pretenses had been stripped away—"Chisato Takina's" writing now offered nothing but sheer, unadulterated beauty.]
[Once again, your brilliant literary prowess left everyone speechless. Your words, refined to their purest form, drew countless readers into a trance, enraptured by the breathtaking elegance of your prose.]
["If the literary world could hold only a single genius, then surely 'Chisato Takina' would reign supreme." — Review from Shinchō, Japan's esteemed literary magazine.]
["With words so beautiful they defy description, immersing readers in a realm of literary wonder, 'Chisato Takina' has already reached the level of a true literary master." — Review from Gunzō, one of Japan's most prestigious literary journals.]
[A year ago, most people had forgotten about you—a fleeting star that once streaked across the literary sky.]
[And yet, even after a year of silence, you once again captivated the world with the sheer beauty of your words.]
[That year, the prestigious Naoki Prize in Japan announced its nominations—among them, the pen name "Chisato Takina" stood prominently.]
[That year, for the first time, you made a voluntary appearance on Tokyo Television.]
[With eyes that shimmered with an untainted brilliance from years immersed in literature, paired with your refined and elegant appearance, and the fact that you were only twenty-one years old, you quickly amassed a massive following.]
[Among your fans, a staggering 80% were women.]
[At the same time, certain entertainment magazines went so far as to label you as "Japan's Ideal Husband," with surveys indicating that 87% of young Japanese women would be willing to marry you.]
[However, you paid little attention to such trivial matters.]
[Likewise, you rarely attended book signings, as you found them too time-consuming.]
[To you, becoming an idol was a foolish endeavor—rather than being someone's idol, you preferred to be their role model.]
[As time went on, you even ceased to care about the outcome of the Naoki Prize.]
[For you, titles and honors were meaningless—what truly mattered was spending time with Chisato and Takina.]
[While you lost interest in the Naoki Prize, countless others kept a keen eye on its final results.]
[Finally, after much anticipation, the winner of the prestigious Naoki Prize was announced.]
[And there it was—the name that now represented Japan's greatest young literary figure: "Chisato Takina," for the novel Waiting for You Beyond the Horizon.]
[The entire nation fell silent.]
[Since your debut, "Chisato Takina" had won countless literary awards, and now, even Japan's highest literary honor, the Naoki Prize, was yours.]
[And to think—you were only twenty-one years old.]
[That year, the entire country was in a frenzy over you.]
[Publishers bombarded you with requests, offering lucrative contracts and absurdly high royalties. Even your old high school, Shuka High, invited you back to deliver a speech.]
[Chisato and Takina had never seen so many zeros on a contract before. It took them several sips of water just to steady their nerves.]
[As for these invitations, you personally accepted the one from Shuka High, while leaving the rest to your legal representatives to handle.]
[That same year, you declined an honorary doctorate in literature from the University of Tokyo, along with their offer for a professorship.]
[Many people were in awe—amazed that someone could be so talented that they would turn down an invitation from Tokyo University.]
[And then, the following month, you made an announcement that sent shockwaves across the nation.]
[At the end of this month, you would be marrying both Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue.]
[The revelation that both women would be wed to you simultaneously sent the Japanese literary world into complete chaos.]
[Like a nuclear bomb, you had detonated within Japan's literary scene, shaking it to its very core.]
[At the same time, some observant individuals began piecing things together.]
[From your very first novel, Café No. 3, to Snow in the Distance, and now to Waiting for You Beyond the Horizon—your works had consistently featured two female protagonists, and even your pen name reflected them.]
[This sudden revelation left many of your admirers in disbelief.]
[Meanwhile, others remained indifferent, arguing that as long as "Chisato Takina" was happy, nothing else mattered.]
[A fierce debate ignited across Japan's literary circles.]
[Suddenly, as the nation's most renowned literary figure, "Chisato Takina" found himself at the center of a storm of controversy.]
[Everything seemed to be spiraling toward disaster.]
