About Love: Afterword
Thank you for picking up Koi ni
Tsuite (About Love).
This is a story where the characters
endlessly spin in circles—just as I found myself spinning along with them while
writing it. I hope you enjoyed even a little of that journey.
While working on this book, my desk
was completely buried under stacks of wedding-related books. Many of them were
filled with pictures, all so adorable that I couldn’t help but think… Maybe
someday, I’ll actually get to use these in a truly “practical” sense…
The illustrations this time, as with
the magazine, were drawn by Otake Tomo-sensei. And not only that—this time, I
even got to request a manga! I’m absolutely thrilled.
To be able to read Otake-sensei’s
manga featuring my own characters… It made me feel like all these years of
writing were worth it!
The color illustrations and interior
artwork both have a unique sense of timing and atmosphere that I absolutely
love. Thank you so much!
The next release in the Holly Novels
lineup will likely be Rivet. I have a feeling I won’t keep you waiting
too long for that one.
Until then—hoping we can meet again
in the next book.
To my ever-patient editor: I’d
always thought of this story as a lighthearted one (…or so I believed?), but
this time, that “lightheartedness” came at me full force. In more ways than
one…
Stories that come easily are rare,
aren’t they? I’ll keep striving to improve.
And to you, dear reader—if you have
any thoughts, whether it be feedback or requests, I’d love to hear them.
You can reach me via Holly’s email
or through my website, which I have up on the net.
—One day in June,
Konohara Narise
And that wraps up this novel~
ReplyDeleteI’d had my eye on this one for a while, but working with physical copies is always a bit more of a challenge, so I’m glad I finally got around to it. Despite all the misunderstandings, I was totally hooked.
I’d read somewhere that this story was bittersweet, so right up until they confessed again, I honestly wasn’t sure if they’d end up together. I really thought Sasagawa would stay with his girlfriend, and Asaka would let his pride and stubbornness keep him from clearing things up—but I’m so glad that wasn’t the case.
The story felt so grounded and real, like I was reading about two actual people living their lives. That’s what I love about Konohara-sensei’s writing. ✨
This novel is such an enjoyable read! I really liked the way their relationship was portrayed, it was good to see how their feelings gradually developed and deepened. All the details about Asaka's job and his attitude towards it, as well as the plotline of Koenji's career path were also very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe illustrations go so well with the story, they have the same simple yet gentle vibe, it's a perfect fit)
I'm glad I got to read this novel, thank you so much for translating it Jewels!
Thank you, Marten! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🥹 I also really liked how their relationship slowly grew and how genuine it felt. And yes, all the little details about Asaka’s work made him feel so real—like someone you could actually meet. Konohara-sensei has such a talent for writing quiet, everyday stories that still hit so deep. Thanks as always for reading and commenting~ 💕
DeleteI also thought this was one of her more lighthearted stories!
ReplyDeleteRight? Same here! For a Konohara story, this one felt surprisingly gentle and warm. Still had the emotional moments, but overall it was pretty soft compared to her usual angst 😌
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