Hikigaya Hachiman naturally understood his little sister's intentions.
She probably thought he was too aloof and wanted to find him someone he could talk to, so he wouldn't completely isolate himself and forget how to get along with others.
Of course, to him, such concern was unnecessary.
He wasn't exactly the same as the "Great Teacher." Back then, that version of Hachiman had many reasons for not being able to make friends. But in his case, those reasons didn't really exist.
He simply found social interactions troublesome—so he chose to simplify them.
Friendship couldn't be forced. If it happened naturally, that was enough.
Still, he didn't bother explaining any of this to his sister. He simply accepted her kindness in silence.
It had been a month since Summer Reincarnation was released.
On another weekend, Hikigaya Hachiman took the train to Tokyo.
This time, his trip to the Immortal River Publishing headquarters wasn't for anything major—it was because of the fan letters he had received.
Though still a newcomer, as an author with a bit of success, he now had fans of his own.
Most of them quietly supported him. A few would post comments online. But the ones who went so far as to send letters were rare—usually either the most passionate fans, or the ones who wanted to send you razor blades.
For safety reasons, all correspondence was sent to the publisher's headquarters.
After all, in the industry, there had been cases not only of razor blades being mailed, but even direct threats.
"These are all the letters we received for you this past month—about twenty or thirty of them."
Machida Sonoko entered the office holding a small box and set it down on the desk.
"Would you like to open them here, or take them home?" she asked.
"I'll read them at home."
Hachiman thought for a moment before deciding.
After all, it was the first time in his life he'd ever received fan letters. He wanted to take it seriously.
If the day ever came when there were too many to read, then… well, that would be another problem altogether.
"Alright, I'll pack them for you."
Machida nodded and began placing the letters neatly into a bag.
"The first volume started off well. Do you feel confident about the second one? Don't rush it—you still have schoolwork to balance, right?"
Before he left, she offered her usual mix of concern and professional advice.
"Don't worry, Miss Machida. I'm confident. I've already finished part of it recently. I'll send you the manuscript once I'm back home."
Hachiman spoke with certainty, reassuring his editor.
He had already decided on a steady pace of one volume every three months—and he wasn't going to change it.
"As long as you don't push yourself too hard…"
Machida studied his expression and nodded in approval.
Back in Chiba, Hachiman opened his front door and entered the living room.
He took out the fan letters one by one and began to read.
Thankfully, despite the first volume's heavy tone and emotional depth, it hadn't been dark enough to provoke any hate mail.
After all, at his current level, even if he wrote something depressing, it wouldn't be popular enough to draw that kind of attention.
He unfolded the first letter.
Most of them were similar—praise, admiration, words of encouragement.
Still, compared to online comments, these handwritten letters felt far more real, far more touching.
"Dear Teacher Tsukizora,
After reading Summer Reincarnation, I found myself completely captivated. It's one of the most fascinating stories I've ever encountered.
I feel so lucky to have come across your work—it's truly one of life's greatest joys.
I hope you'll continue to showcase your talent in the next volume. If you do, I'll be sure to follow your writing forever.
Thank you again for giving me such unforgettable memories.
Sincerely, your fan."
Reading such heartfelt words made the rookie author's head swell with pride.
For a moment, he almost believed he really was the greatest light novel author in the world.
The handwriting was neat and elegant—definitely from a girl.
That realization only made him even prouder.
A devoted fan—and a cute one at that. Two happy things overlapping into one.
Pure bliss.
"Snap out of it."
He slapped his own cheeks, forcing the silly grin off his face.
"That was dangerous… I almost lost myself there."
He patted his chest and exhaled in relief.
Don't get cocky. You're just a newbie author. Everything you have came from copying what already existed. Don't start thinking you're some kind of genius.
Just as he finished reading the last of the letters, Komachi returned home from the neighbor's house.
"Onii-chan! Are those… fan letters?!"
The moment she stepped into the living room, she spotted the pile on the table.
"Yeah."
He replied casually.
"Can I read one?"
Komachi asked, eyes sparkling.
"Go ahead."
He didn't even look up.
It wasn't exactly top-secret material anyway.
"Wow, this is so over the top! I can't believe my Onii-chan—the guy I see every day—looks like this in someone else's eyes! This is totally dream material! Oh my gosh, the 'World's Number One Big Brother' really exists…"
Komachi whistled in awe.
"Onii-chan, didn't you blush reading these?" she teased.
"…A little," Hachiman admitted sheepishly.
"Oh nooo, what should I do? My Onii-chan's becoming such an amazing person… Does that make me the useless little sister?
Soon people will say, 'Oh, that's the great Tsukizora-sensei's hopeless sister!'"
She cupped her cheeks, pretending to despair.
"Don't worry. You'll always be the world's greatest sister in my eyes, Komachi."
He patted her shoulder with a sincere smile.
"Onii-chan…"
"Komachi…"
"Pfft."
Their eyes met—and they both burst out laughing, shattering the touching mood in an instant.
"Onii-chan, you're getting way ahead of yourself! You haven't even gotten halfway yet. But… that line just now? Totally perfect!"
"I was just playing along, alright? I have a very firm grasp of self-awareness. I'd never overestimate myself."
"Ehh…!"