Ano natsu, bokura no koi ga kienai yo ni - Afterword

 Afterword

Thank you for picking up That Summer, So Our Love Won’t Fade and for staying with it to the end. 

While I’ve popped up here and there in single-volume releases, it’s been two years and nine months since my last publication with Starts Publishing Bunko. I’m still happy to be involved with the Starts Bunko I’ve long admired. 

This time, it’s a story about a fictional rare illness where “you take the lifespan of someone you love.” Runa, afflicted by the illness, shows no symptoms herself, while Towa bears its effects. Actually, in terms of rare illness stories, I also dealt with one in The Snow That Never Stops Falling Resembles Your Heart. There, the illness gave the hero an ice-cold body temperature, preventing the heroine from touching him. It seems I like stories where not just the one with the illness, but their partner, is affected too. 

I wrestled with how to save Runa, burdened by such a heavy fate, through trial and error, but I think Towa really stepped up. When writing novels, I’m the type where dialogue, monologues, and inner thoughts come first. I jot down everything that comes to mind, then build the story from there. 

This time, my favorite line is Towa’s: “Never run this much before. Can’t run like this unless it’s for someone.” 

Thinking of someone, striving hard for them—that’s an incredible driving force, right? I can keep going because of the warm support from you readers. That’s my driving force. 

Lastly, to everyone involved with this work, to the wonderful illustrator Yuribo-sama who brought Towa and Runa to life, and to all of you who read this far—my heartfelt thanks. 

May we meet again through stories. 

June 2021 

Nagara Sachi