Crossover Anime: I'm Kasumigaoka Utaha's Brother

Page 49

That's true. If I just cry quietly, no one will notice, right?

The group was very active, and the only topic they discussed was "5 Centimeters Per Second"—the novel that, in just two months, swept through the tears of all readers, making them unwilling to read it a second time, a novel they both loved and hated!

Of course, after tonight, the name "5 Centimeters Per Second" will no longer refer solely to the light novel, but also to the animated film.

"Does everyone in the group know about the premiere of '5 Centimeters Per Second'?" The girl took a sip of her milk tea and asked the boy thoughtfully. He shrugged, seemingly helpless at her question: "Don't even mention the people in the group, in this city, I'm afraid more than 99% of people know about '5 Centimeters Per Second', right?"

The boy's words were full of affirmation—99% might be an exaggeration, but it also showed the popularity of "5 Centimeters Per Second" in this city.

"Hmm, that's true." The girl nodded slightly, letting out a soft sigh, her right foot unconsciously kicking back and forth on the road: "Are you really going to see '5 Centimeters Per Second' tonight?"

This is a good question!

Not only did she have this question in her mind, but even the boys, and even most people in this city, hesitated about it.

Should I go see the premiere of "5 Centimeters Per Second"?

Anyone who has read the light novel "5 Centimeters Per Second" has been moved by the story and shed tears to varying degrees. It is precisely because of this that "5 Centimeters Per Second" has been able to rise to the level of being known by everyone in a short period of time.

The idea that "the light novel is so successful, the movie adaptation will definitely be a huge hit!" applies to other novels, but not to [5 Centimeters Per Second]!

Why? Because... many people are unsure whether they can control their emotions and not burst into tears in a movie theater—even if they know the plot!

Light novels are far less expressive than movies. The former tells a story with words, while the latter presents the story through many aspects—such as visuals, dialogue, music, etc.—increasing the chances of people resonating with the story many times over, or even ten times!

In other words... someone who can cry while reading the light novel "5 Centimeters Per Second" might cry several times more or even ten times more if they go to see the movie!

This is why many people "want to watch it but dare not watch it"!

"Actually, I cried when I watched '5 Centimeters Per Second,' although it only made my eyes wet, but I was definitely moved." The boy gave a bitter smile and continued, "I think if I were to watch it, I would most likely burst into tears. Then... you wouldn't think I'm pathetic, would you?"

"Pfft!" As if she had heard the "funniest joke," the girl smiled brightly and playfully hit the boy: "How could you think that way! You know, novels make me cry my eyes out, so when we watch the movie, I'll definitely cry even more than you!"

"So... is it confirmed?"

"It's settled! Let's go see '5 Centimeters Per Second' tonight! You book the tickets first..."

The girl nudged the boy, who grinned and opened his phone: "I booked them a long time ago! All the tickets for the premiere were sold out a few days ago. If I only think about booking them today, I'll probably have to wait four or five days."

The girl looked surprised: "Didn't you say that many people were hesitant about whether to watch it? Why are tickets selling so well?"

The boy smiled mysteriously and said in a deliberately nonchalant tone, "'Whether or not to go see it' and 'whether or not to buy tickets' are two different things. There are even a lot of people online saying things like, 'Even if I don't dare to go see it, I still want to contribute to the box office of '5 Centimeters Per Second.' I have to say, we anime fans are really loving... Well, these are all things that the experts in the group told me..."

Hearing the boy's explanation, the girl smiled and asked meaningfully, "Looks like you've learned a lot in the group! What's the group number? Let me join too, I want to keep an eye on you!"

"Join the group?! No, maybe not?" The guy's forehead was sweating—if he let his girlfriend join the group, how would he chat happily with the other members and ask for resources? Ahem! Please ignore the last one!

"Hurry up!" The girl's eyebrows shot up, staring intently at the boy. Left with no other choice, the latter opened the group chat, handing her his phone with a look of utter despair.

"738, 200, 132? Okay! Got it." The girl quickly joined the group, flashing her brightest smile: "Don't let me know about the 'good deeds' you've done before!"

...

August 5th was an extraordinary day for the city where Baili Xiao lived—no, to be precise, for "all cities capable of showing [5 Centimeters Per Second]." 4.9

On this day, countless people who needed to work the night shift asked for leave, and the reasons for their leave requests were varied and bizarre.

On this day, many restaurants closed early, and even the barbecue stalls that were doing brisk business at night posted notices saying "Closed for the night!"

On that day, countless people said things like, "I don't dare to go, I won't go, as long as I contribute to the box office, that's enough," but that evening they went out with huge packs of tissues...

Everyone shares a common goal, which is...

5 Centimeters Per Second, Premiere!

P.S.: There's a hidden surprise in this article. Those who know, come in!

It's a bit late, but I've finished at dawn! Time to celebrate!

The reason some chapters are pending review is not because I wrote anything I shouldn't have, but simply because my update time is usually after the reviewers have left work (in the evening), which is why this is the case.

You can read the chapters that are not available the next day!

Chapter 0135 Premiere, Begins! (1/5 Please Subscribe)

"Ah Hui, you absolutely have to be there tonight." Bai Lixiao's voice came from the other end of the phone. Kato Hui smiled slightly: "Don't worry, Bai Li-kun, I'll pack my things and move in in a couple of days."

After hanging up the phone, Kato Megumi let out a soft breath, curled up on the bed, and involuntarily recalled scenes from her usual time at the Kasumigaoka family home.

She was initially drawn to the light novel "5 Centimeters Per Second" and, wanting to be among the first to read the rest of the story, agreed to Bai Lixiao's request to work at the Kasumigaoka family's house under the guise of "working" to prepare lunch and dinner for everyone and tidy up the house.

Gradually, she was drawn to the atmosphere of the studio—every day, besides work, Kasumigaoka-senpai and Sawamura-kun would bicker, while Hashima Izumi would try to mediate. Yamada Elf would often help her make some "British" style dishes, and Minami Kotori and Tojo Nozomi would often come to the kitchen to help out during their training breaks.

Although the number of members in the studio is increasing day by day, Kato Megumi's workload is gradually decreasing - everyone is a kind, optimistic and cheerful girl, and whenever they see her busy figure, someone will always take the initiative to help.

After more than two months, Kato Megumi found herself gradually enjoying being in Studio 04... listening to everyone's daily banter, seeing everyone busy and focused at work, and preparing a delicious dinner together...

Although she didn't say it, Kato Megumi was somewhat captivated by this relaxed and loving atmosphere.

"Knock knock!" A soft knock sounded at the door. Megumi's mother opened the door and looked at Kato Megumi with a complicated expression: "Megumi, are you really going?"

"Mm." Kato Megumi responded with a shake of her head and a smile. "Mom, you don't need to worry about me. Didn't I tell you? I work at Hyakusei-sensei's studio."

The studio relocated, and the new residence was very far from Kato's home, making the daily commute extremely inconvenient. Because of this, Kato Megumi finally mustered up the courage to tell her parents about her experiences during this period.

Upon learning that her daughter worked at the renowned Huaxia Studio in the city, Hui's mother was overjoyed. However, her joy quickly faded, replaced by deep worry.

"Ah Hui, I heard that Teacher Baili, although incredibly talented, has all his studio members as girls. Is his personal life... a bit chaotic?"

"Ah Hui, tell me honestly, have you ever been... with him?"

"No! Let's not go. A man like him can easily forget his old love once he finds a new one. Ah Hui, listen to me. I've seen more of the world than you have, I'm sure I can tell!"

Throughout the afternoon, Megumi's mother kept nagging about things like this. While Megumi was both amused and exasperated, she patiently spent an hour introducing Baili Xiao and everyone in the studio to her mother in great detail.

She didn't mean to complain about her mother—it's perfectly normal for a parent to worry about their daughter so much.

“Alright, since you’ve made your decision, I won’t say anything more. But… Ah-Hui, if you’ve been wronged, come back. After all, those teachers in the studio…” Ah-Hui’s mother hesitated, but even without saying it, Kato Hui knew what she wanted to say.

The studio's members are all light novel authors, illustrators, or even idol singers—compared to them, Kato Megumi is just an ordinary high school student with nothing particularly noteworthy about her, nor any outstanding talent...

(In that studio full of talented people, can Ahui really work happily?) This is a question that has always lingered in Hui's mother's mind.

"Yes, I know, Mom."

...

"Good evening, Mr. Baili." At the back door of the city's largest cinema, Akane Akasaka and Sonoko Machida stood facing each other—both were dressed in gorgeous and elegant attire, like "ladies about to attend a party," wearing black off-the-shoulder evening gowns.

Machida Sonoko's hair was slightly tied up, and she wore a platinum necklace that shone with a silvery-white light around her neck. With a faint smile on her lips, she exuded an aura that was completely different from her usual self, which made Baili Xiao's eyes light up.

"Miss Sonoko looks absolutely beautiful tonight." Bai Lixiao made no attempt to hide his admiration. Machida Sonoko turned her face away somewhat shyly—she actually didn't want to dress like this, but she couldn't resist Akane Akasaka's repeated insistence that "on such an important day as tonight, how can you dress so shabbily?" So, she reluctantly took Akane Akasaka's spare clothes and put them on...

Yes! The black evening gown she's wearing truly belongs to "Akane Akasaka"! Not "Sonoko Machida"!

"So, what do you think of me, Baili-kun?" Hearing Baili Xiao's praise of Machida Sonoko, Akane Akasaka's lips curled up, and she asked with great interest.

Akane Akasaka already had a great figure, and the tight-fitting evening gown made her even more eye-catching—her breasts were larger than most people's, her waist was so slender it could be encircled with one hand, and her slightly upturned buttocks were like magnets, attracting Baili Xiao's gaze.

Delicate collarbones, fair shoulders, mature yet beautiful makeup, smooth and flowing waist-length hair, and eyes that seem to "speak" as they stare intently at Baili Xiao.

Unable to suppress a swallow, Baili Xiao gave a wry smile and shrugged: "Ms. Hongsaka, you're making it easy for people to commit crimes..."

"Is it a crime? If you have the guts, it's not impossible." Akane Akasaka chuckled, whispering in the latter's ear in a voice only audible to Hyakuri Akira. Then, she returned to normal, continuing with a slightly apologetic tone, "The teachers are all too famous. If they all appeared together in the main hall, it would probably cause quite a stir. So... today we'll enter through the back staff entrance. We apologize for the inconvenience."

"It's not that I felt wronged. I just came today to watch the premiere of '5 Centimeters Per Second'." Bai Lixiao shook his head, completely ignoring Akane Kousaka's "teasing"—older women seem to enjoy this—and instead looked around, asking with some confusion, "Where's Ahui? Hasn't she arrived yet?"

"We arrived a while ago. I was originally going to wait for you outside, but Yoko dragged her inside." Machida Sonoko muttered and complained—she had been standing outside for a full half hour waiting for Hyakuri Xiao!

"Ten minutes until the premiere, hurry up and get in!"

Chapter 0136 The [5-Second Speed] of This World! (2/5, Please Subscribe)

Walking into the screening room through the staff entrance, the lighting inside was dim, but the bright screen was still enough to make out the approximate size of 042—it was a sea of ​​people, with all but the best seats in the center being occupied.

Upon noticing the arrival of the group, many people turned their attention to this place, whispering among themselves, "Look, that's Teacher Baili." "Have all the teachers from the studio come?"

"Teacher Baili, you've arrived." Iori Hashima stood up and walked to Baili Xiao and the others. She greeted Baili Xiao first, and then her gaze fell on her younger sister, Izumi Hashima.

Having not seen each other for over a month, he seemed to want to say something, but the atmosphere wasn't suitable for catching up: "Come sit here, everyone's waiting for the teachers."

After some seating arrangements, Baili Xiao sat down in the center with a wry smile on his face—he really wanted to find a seat anywhere, but everyone in the studio, as well as Akane Kousaka and the others, insisted that he sit in the middle.

Being surrounded by a bunch of people of the opposite sex does feel nice, but Baili Xiao can feel that dozens of eyes are focused on his back every moment.

To ease the awkwardness, Baili Xiao tilted his head slightly to the right: "Miss Kurosaka, why are there so many people?"

"With my club, plus the people from Shinazugawa Bunko and Chishima Publishing, filling the entire screening room would be a piece of cake. Hyakuri-kun, you probably can't imagine, but the people at Chishima Publishing almost got into a fight over the spot to watch the movie with you." Akane Akasaka chuckled and lowered her voice to explain to him, "As you know, Chishima Publishing is a long-established, top-tier publishing house, with many more employees than Shinazugawa Bunko, so... that's how it ended up like this."

"Is that so?" Baili Xiao nodded thoughtfully, her gaze shifting to the giant screen—where the words "5 centimeters per second" slowly appeared.

The premiere has officially begun!

...

Did you know? It's said that the speed is five centimeters per second.

"Huh? What..."

"Cherry blossom petals fall at a speed of five centimeters per second."

That day, a girl named Akari told a boy named Takaki the following words.

"How wonderful it would be if we could see the cherry blossoms together next year..."

On the screen, one scene after another flashed by, and Akari and Takaki's story gradually unfolded before the audience.

Bai Lixiao's eyes glazed over slightly as he involuntarily recalled the scene from his previous life when he was sitting alone in a movie theater watching "5 Centimeters Per Second".

In the original world, the entire movie "5 Centimeters Per Second" was only one hour long. However, in this world, Bai Lixiao had Eriri and others draw original and in-between frames that were "enough to play for two hours."

Why add that extra hour? — Baili Xiao has always had a deep-seated obsession with "5 Seconds".

(The original "5 Centimeters Per Second" storyline was too fast. Since I created this world's "5 Centimeters Per Second," I will present the story to everyone in its entirety!)

What can you do in an hour?

Playing a strategy game, going for a walk with the dog, scrolling through Weibo... an hour is far too short, for anyone.

Moreover, "5 Centimeters Per Second" tells three stories—the first episode, "Cherry Blossom," describes Takaki and Akari's childhood romance and the day they reunite; the second episode, "Cosmonaut," is told from the perspective of Sumida Kanae, who harbors feelings for Takaki as he enters high school, showing Takaki and Akari's lives after their separation; and the third episode, "5 Centimeters Per Second," depicts the various anxieties and uncertainties Takaki and Akari experience as adults...

The outcome of each story's setup is presented to the audience in the form of visuals during the final theme song—but... these visuals only last for a few seconds before flashing by!

Even if some people understand it! Even if everyone knows it's a bad ending!

How can a mere hour possibly draw the audience into the story? Many will likely see it as just "Akari and Takaki's story," not "my story"...

So, from the moment she decided to make "5 Centimeters Per Second" into an animated film, Baili Xiao made up her mind—I just want to present the complete and in-depth story of "5 Centimeters Per Second" to everyone, regardless of the length of the film!