Two days passed in a flash.
In that short time, Anohana kept gaining momentum online. As expected, its view count surged again—nearly twenty million additional views across platforms.
By now, Anohana wasn't just outpacing the seasonal anime from February. From January to May, the industry had released nearly a hundred titles—but none had sparked the same level of discussion.
Mnemonic, which wrapped in January, had earned praise among animation fans, and a promising new series launched in April was getting solid reviews. But neither had ignited a buzz quite like Anohana.
After just two more days, Anohana's total viewership had surpassed sixty million—overtaking the February hit that had topped the charts for weeks. It was the benchmark Kazanami Animation had originally set for the project, and now it was surpassed.
And the momentum hadn't slowed. If anything, the data suggested it was only picking up. Analysts were already predicting the trend would continue through the coming week—maybe longer.
Naturally, today's press conference had drawn plenty of attention from both the media and anime fans.
Most of the spotlight was focused on two people.
The first: the show's lead producer, Kazuya Mori.
The second: Mizushiro—the rising manga artist whose name was suddenly everywhere.
At six in the evening, just outside Haruki's apartment, Kazuya's assistant waited by the curb after confirming the address.
Haruki could've asked Haruka to accompany him to this kind of event, but after thinking it over, he decided not to involve her. It wasn't something directly tied to Echo Shroud Publishing, so better to keep things separate.
When he stepped into the car, he was surprised by who was already inside.
"You? What are you doing here?" he asked, blinking.
"Good evening, Mizushiro-sensei!" Ryuko greeted him with a bright smile, her tone warm and cheerful.
Unlike her usual casual style, today she wore a crisp, formal outfit.
"Producer Mori said you'd be picked up nearby. Since we live close, he just sent one car for both of us."
"Ah. Makes sense," Haruki replied with a nod.
It had been months since they'd last met in person. They still had each other's contact info, but Ryuko had been busy with university and voice acting, and Haruki barely had time to breathe between his studies and manga deadlines. Catching up just hadn't happened.
Once Haruki got in, the assistant pulled away, heading toward the press venue.
Haruki leaned against the window, watching the passing streets in silence.
Seated beside him, Ryuko occasionally glanced at his face. There was a quiet thoughtfulness in his expression that stirred something in her.
She still remembered her audition—how she'd walked out convinced she'd blown it. It was Haruki who had quietly nudged Mori, giving her that second chance.
And now, Anohana was everywhere.
Back when she got the role, her social media barely had 300 followers.
Now? With the show still airing, she had over 300,000. Every time she posted, tens of thousands of comments flooded in.
Before all this, people had noticed her looks at school, but that was about it. Now, when they found out she voiced Meiko, it wasn't just admiration—it was recognition. For her work. Her talent. Her luck.
Major voice acting agencies had already reached out with contract offers. Even classmates and upperclassmen were suddenly eager to get close, hoping she could connect them with someone in the industry.
She glanced at him again—still dressed in his usual laid-back fashion. It was hard to believe this quiet university student had written Rurouni Kenshin, Natsume, and now Anohana.
Even more impressive was how well he kept his identity a secret.
As far as Ryuko knew, no one in his department had any idea who Mizushiro really was.
That was thanks to something her cousin had once let slip—Goto Mei, who happened to be in the same department as Haruki. Haruki had no idea, but Goto sometimes mentioned him offhandedly.
Goto couldn't understand why a guy like Haruki skipped so many classes, didn't talk to anyone, and always kept to himself. She'd once called him a "hopeless loner," a "future dropout," someone who seemed like he'd never make it.
Ryuko almost laughed at the memory.
The irony was too perfect. Some of Haruki's classmates might graduate without ever stepping foot in a real studio, while he was already a key player in the industry.
Ryuko had once gently suggested her cousin try being nicer to him. But she'd never revealed his secret.
If Haruki didn't want to go public, it wasn't her place to say anything.
Still lost in thought, Ryuko gave a small shake of her head. She needed to stay focused.
But when she turned back to Haruki, she was startled to find him watching her.
"Something on your mind?" he asked.
She froze, then let out a sheepish laugh. "Ah—not really."
"You've been staring at me for a while," he said. "Thought maybe there was something you wanted to say."
She hesitated. "I guess... I'm just a little nervous. It's my first time at something ."
Haruki nodded. "Don't worry. Kazuya will probably handle most of the talking. We're just there to sit quietly and look presentable."
Ryuko smiled, his calm tone putting her at ease.
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