Hikigaya wants to be a novelist

"There's a good chance of winning a prize…"

Hikigaya Hachiman was naturally very happy to hear this news. The Mystery Fiction Association Award is not an arbitrary accolade; its standing in the mystery genre is second only to the Edogawa Ranpo Award. For a mystery writer, it's genuinely a prestigious recognition.

"Thank you for telling me this, Mr. Arisugawa. I never thought I would be able to win such a prestigious award so soon," Hikigaya admitted honestly.

"In this era, the winners of various literary awards are getting younger, which is a significant trend. It's because there are always young talents like you that the literary world remains vibrant. Having said that, Hikigaya-kun, you are still quite young. You won the Mystery Writers Association Award at just fifteen years old. Some older writers have been publishing for more than a decade and still can't even catch a glimpse of such success," Arisugawa remarked, smiling as he patted Hikigaya on the shoulder.

"Anyway, Hikigaya-kun, I believe the future of Japanese mystery novels lies in your hands. I can make this judgment based on your two works, 'Confessions' and 'Malice'. Of course, you must not neglect your studies. You mentioned wanting to apply to Chiba University in the future."

"I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Arisugawa," Hikigaya replied.

The two then began to discuss everything from Edgar Allan Poe to neo-nostalgia.

Meanwhile, Yukinoshita Haruno left the lounge in search of Hikigaya Hachiman. When she first met him, her mind had been chaotic, making it hard for her to form a clear judgment. As she regained her composure, she recalled Hikigaya Hachiman. He matched all the characteristics of a young writer, with his junior high school age and unique temperament. While other attendees of similar age arrived with their families, he was alone, indicating he received the invitation on his own merit.

As Haruno grew more certain of her thoughts, she finally spotted Hikigaya Hachiman, talking happily with the well-known mystery writer Arisugawa, who had recently visited the Yukinoshita family. 

With the last trace of doubt dissipated, Yukinoshita Haruno smiled, feeling a clear sense of purpose.

As the banquet approached its conclusion, Hikigaya waited alone for it to end while Arisugawa went off to say goodbye to other writer friends. Just then, a familiar figure approached Hikigaya.

"Hello, Hikigaya-san. I hope you had a wonderful evening," Yukinoshita Haruno greeted him, still dressed the same but with a noticeably brighter expression.

"Of course! This was a very successful banquet. Thank you for your hard work," Hikigaya replied, confused about why she had come over. Had the advice he gave to Yukinoshita Yukino backfired?

"I'm here to thank you, Hikigaya-san. My sister has matured significantly since returning to us, which has surprised both my parents and me. I believe this is primarily due to you. Without your help, our New Year's Eve and New Year's holidays wouldn't have been so enjoyable," Yukinoshita Haruno said sincerely.

She couldn't fully grasp what might have happened had she not been persuaded that day. Her mother's patience was limited, and she might have faced strict consequences otherwise.

"So the effect is so apparent? That's good to hear. I only did a bit of minor work," Hikigaya said modestly.

"Haha, Hikigaya-san, you're quite humorous. By the way, you look about the same age as my sister. Are you a junior high school student in Chiba City?" Yukinoshita Haruno inquired, getting straight to the point.

"Yes, I'm currently a sophomore at Municipal Tsubakimori Junior High School. Are you studying at Sobu High School? I think I've seen you before during the Sobu High School campus festival," Hikigaya replied, unexpectedly referring to her by name. He recalled having seen the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family previously.

"That's right! I'm now a sophomore at Sobu High School, and I'm also the student council president. By the way, Hikigaya-kun, would you like to exchange email addresses with me? I want to formally thank you once this busy period is over."

It was a reasonable request, and Hikigaya had no reason to refuse. After exchanging email addresses, they said goodbye to each other. A little while later, Mr. Yukinoshita took the stage to give the closing speech, and everyone went home.

While hurrying to the parking lot with Arisugawa, Hikigaya leaned in to catch the other person's scent and was relieved to find there was no smell of alcohol.

"What's wrong, Hikigaya-kun? Do you not trust me?" Arisugawa asked.

"Mr. Arisugawa, you are a celebrity with social influence. I'm just looking out for you," Hikigaya replied.

"Hahaha, you're right, Hikigaya-kun. The more famous you become, the more you have to regulate your behavior. You'll soon be a famous person like me, so you must consider yourself more when that time comes."

Hikigaya Hachiman's first banquet experience ended successfully.

"I'm sorry, Sister Haruno, I couldn't find out where Yukino was. When I saw her later, she had already gone straight to the lounge," Hayato Hayama said to Haruno, feeling embarrassed. He regretted not being able to help.

"It's okay, Hayama-kun. Did you see anyone else with Yukino?" Haruno asked, seeking confirmation.

"... No, Sister Haruno, I am sure that I only saw Yukino the whole time," Hayama replied.

"That's good. It's getting late. Your father should be coming to pick you up. See you later, Hayama."

Haruno waved goodbye to Hayama Hayato. The main purpose of her calling Hayama over was to confirm whether he knew that Hikigaya Hachiman and Yukino had been together. If he had seen them, Haruno would ask him not to mention it to Yukino. Since he hadn't seen anything, it would be easier to manage.

To be honest, Yukinoshita Haruno didn't want anyone, especially her sister, to know the true identity of Hikigaya Hachiman. The best way to do this would be to cut off any possible contact between them. As long as Yukino was on vacation at home, there would be no way for them to connect once she returned to study abroad.

Haruno herself couldn't quite explain why she felt this way. Perhaps she thought that Hachiman himself preferred to keep his identity known by only a few people. Or maybe she was a little jealous of her sister. No matter what Mr. Hachiman and Yukino talked about on the balcony, it must have been a deep conversation or one-sided persuasion from him. She had been searching for Mr. Hachiman for a long time, only to find that her sister had an easy time having a long discussion with him, while she herself was left with only boring social pleasantries. The more she thought about this contrast, the more unfair it seemed to her.

"I'm sorry, Yukino-chan. I'll tell you the true identity of Mr. Hachiman after you return to Chiba to attend high school. Before that, I'll make sure to talk to him on your behalf."

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