Meanwhile with the conclusion of Steins;Gate, it was no surprise that Akifumi's SNS account was once again flooded with reactions.
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"It's over! But why do I feel so reluctant to let it go when it was such a great ending?!"
"Starting next week, there will be no more Okabe and his chuuni antics, no more 'Daru', no more 'Assistant'... isn't that just another kind of heartbreak?"
"You guys are really stretching it by calling this 'heartbreak'!"
"After watching Steins;Gate, everything else just feels a little lacking."
"Damn that bastard! He's raised our standards so high—how are we supposed to move on now?!"
"After finishing Steins;Gate, I can't decide if I want him to keep writing anime scripts or go back to drawing manga. I'm torn."
"Relax, relax. With his work efficiency, he won't be held back no matter what he does!"
"Speaking of which, at first, Okabe's over-the-top chuuni behavior made me cringe so hard I could dig a hole in the floor."
"But then, during the middle episodes, when those antics faded, I actually started to miss them. And by the final episode, I felt completely fired up—so weird!"
"You're not alone, brother! Those last two episodes, with Okabe's peak chuuni lines and dramatic movements, had me hyped beyond belief!!"
"Isn't that perfectly normal?"
"It mirrors Okabe's character development: from a simple chuuni at the start, to realizing the weight of his actions and being unable to maintain that mindset anymore, and finally, reaching a point where he fully accepts his burden."
"Different phases bring different emotions!"
"Wow, I never realized there was such a deep metaphor behind it!"
"But I feel like the last two episodes were a bit rushed. They could've expanded the story a lot more—even continuing into the future wouldn't have been surprising."
"You fool, did you even notice how much buildup they did beforehand? The ending wasn't rushed at all!"
"No matter what, this series is undoubtedly a masterpiece in my heart. Absolutely phenomenal!!"
"Steins;Gate truly deserves to be called a masterpiece!"
"..."
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Whenever a great series reaches its conclusion, discussions naturally surge.
Fans eagerly engage in conversations, further influencing others in the community. Steins;Gate had been a hot topic since its premiere, and its finale only fueled the fire.
This kind of buzz inevitably attracts new viewers, some of whom eventually become fans of the creator known as Warrior of Love and Hope.
As fans, it's natural to want to explore other works by a creator they admire. This cycle of exposure continuously boosts the sales of previous works.
Of course, the increase in sales is nowhere near the surge seen when a new work is released, but even slow growth outpaces natural stagnation.
More importantly, it ensures a steady, long-term stream of revenue.
That's why in this industry, constant creation is key to financial success. Banking on one big hit to sustain a lifetime is simply unrealistic.
Just like the author of Death Note once said—if he stopped drawing manga, he'd burn through his royalties in just a few years.
Now, Akifumi had truly embraced the joy of being a creator. He had no intention of stopping!
If anything, it was his passion for creation, fueled by the presence of love and hope, that drove him to spend so much time drawing every day.
Maybe the story wasn't originally his, but through infusing his own ideas and painstakingly illustrating each panel, his skills had undeniably improved.
And that was something no one could take away from him.
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For all anime fans, this Sunday undoubtedly belonged to Steins;Gate.
However, Akifumi didn't spend much time reading through online discussions.
Steins;Gate's excellence was universally acknowledged—there was nothing to worry about.
When Monday arrived, Akifumi went to school as usual with Mahiru and Mashiro.
Upon entering the classroom—
"Good morning, Akifumi."
"Good morning, Kato." Akifumi smiled as he responded.
"I finished Steins;Gate too. It's good anime."
"Really?" Being praised face-to-face by a friend, was this supposed to be such a delightful feeling? His mood instantly lifted!
"It really makes me wonder how your brain comes up with these stories, Akifumi."
Akifumi's smile stiffened. "Whoa, whoa, that makes it sound like a horror story!"
Kato chuckled before casually changing the subject. "Can't believe it's already June."
"Is June some special month?"
"You said the same thing last year." Kato sighed in exasperation. "It's your birthday, Akifumi. At least try to remember it?"
Oh, so that's what it was.
Akifumi chuckled. "Of course, I remember my own birthday. But it's not that big of a deal—I don't think there's any need to make a fuss over it."
"Not a big deal?" Kato sighed again, feeling conflicted. "Then why did you get me such an expensive gift last year?"
"I'm still agonizing over what to get you in return."
"It was just a bag. Nothing that extravagant."
Akifumi waved his hand dismissively. "If you're really struggling, just do what you did for Christmas—make me a handmade gift."
"Well… I guess that works." Kato nodded but couldn't help sighing again. "I'm not as rich as you, Akifumi. I can't afford anything fancy."
"Friendship is priceless, isn't it?"
Kato shook her head and dropped the subject.
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After school, Mahiru, who had overheard Akifumi and Kato's conversation that morning, was visibly troubled.
After hesitating for a while, she finally spoke up.
"Mugiho-kun… is there anything you want for your birthday?"
"Nope."
Mahiru sighed, looking as though she expected that answer.
Despite working hard every day and earning so much money, he hardly ever spent it. His hobbies were mostly limited to games and novels.
'What should I get him…?'
'Could it be… do I really have to go with Eriri's suggestion…?'
The memory of Eriri whispering her bold idea into Mahiru's ear yesterday morning suddenly resurfaced.
Mahiru's cheeks instantly flushed pink.
She always seemed so composed, but who would've thought she could be so daring?!