There was no way I could just leisurely enjoy daily life right after being kissed by a classmate...!!
I’m Yuusaku Sakaishi. In the afterword of Volume 7, I mentioned wanting Volume 8 to be a relaxed, slice-of-life volume, but... it proved impossible. My apologies.
You see, Itsuki—or rather, Itsuki-kun—is just so earnest. For a man who is practically honesty personified to ignore being kissed by a classmate and then simply carry on enjoying his daily life... no matter how I looked at it, that just didn't sit right with me.
It isn't just Narika, either. The heroines of Taking Care of the Gifted Girl are essentially all Young Ladies, which I think makes them rather clumsy when it comes to romance. Perhaps that’s why, in Volume 8, once Itsuki became aware of a heroine's feelings, he was the one to take that step toward Narika’s true heart.
Watching the way Itsuki lives, I can’t help but feel that... agonizing over things with all your might is one of the true privileges of youth.
That being said, I think I still managed to weave in various slice-of-life moments here and there. There were actually more ideas I wanted to include, but I had to cut a few for structural reasons.
While writing Volume 8, I realized how much I enjoy these slower-paced stories, so I’ll save the ideas I couldn't use and hopefully find a place for them later.
...By the way, I usually write stories with this sort of daily life atmosphere for things like bonus short stories. If you’d like to see more of the everyday side of Taking Care of the Gifted Girl, I’d be delighted if you checked those out as well.
In a recent one I wrote, on a day when the midwinter snow had piled high, Itsuki and Ms. Shizune built a snow hut and battled over which one Hinako would prefer... Those three are quite lively when they’re off the clock. The Konohana family home is massive, after all... plenty of room to play around.
At any rate, Taking Care of the Gifted Girl has finally reached its eighth volume. Thank you once again for reading this far.
It’s not exactly a milestone number, but with the Management Game Arc over and having finished Volume 8—which was meant to be a brief interlude—I occasionally find myself feeling quite sentimental.
I just checked, and the first volume was released on May 1, 2021. That’s exactly three years before the release date of Volume 8.
In other words, middle schoolers have become high schoolers, and high schoolers have moved on to university.
If any elementary schoolers are reading Taking Care of the Gifted Girl, they must be quite sophisticated (I mean that as a compliment), but judging by social media reactions and the like, I suspect most readers are at least in middle school or older.
That means most of you have likely experienced starting a new school or entering the workforce.
For those who were freshmen when Volume 1 came out, or those who decided to spend a year retaking exams, things might be a bit different. I have someone close to me whose life turned out perfectly because they spent that extra year studying, so if there are any students out there currently preparing to retake their exams, please hang in there. I’m rooting for you.
Wait, though... is it really a good idea to be reading light novels while you're supposed to be studying for retakes?
...Well, everyone needs a breather! Besides, Taking Care of the Gifted Girl is practically an educational light novel (theories may vary), so it’s perfectly fine to read this one! Please recommend it to everyone at your prep school, too! You can even learn things like the proper way to set down a knife and fork!
By the way, I’m writing this on April 1st. It’s the start of the new fiscal year, the day new members of society are "born," and social media is bustling. "I hate this," "I don't want to work," "I want to quit already"... While listening to all those grievances, I’m elegantly sipping coffee in a cafe on a weekday afternoon. Being a full-time author is the best.
I truly want all of you students to give it your all so that you don't end up lamenting your choices once you enter society.
I used to think entrance exams only dictated where you got a job, but as an adult, I’ve realized their influence is surprisingly broad. It affects things like your social circles and your values...
My impression is that there are fewer opportunities to truly change the course of your life than you might think. Exams, employment, career changes, marriage. To ensure these chances don't go to waste, let’s keep working steadily, day by day.
...Though I suppose I should have said all this before exam season, shouldn't I?
For the new students and employees out there, maybe it’s okay to just spend this year taking it easy without worrying too much about the future. For those of you facing a "next turning point," like upcoming exams or job hunting, please do your best and make the most of those rare opportunities. Of course, I’ll be working hard right alongside you.
【Acknowledgements】
Many people have helped me throughout the writing of this volume. To my editor: I’m sorry for surprising you by turning what was meant to be a slice-of-life volume into a serious romance one. To Sakura Miwabe-sensei: Yuri was... Yuri was unbelievably cute. Thank you for providing such a gorgeous outfit for such a hardworking girl.
Finally, to all the readers who picked up this book: you have my deepest gratitude.