Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me - Volume 5 - Chapter Aft

Afterword

This series is getting turned into an anime! Hooray!

I never thought that news would come so soon... Readers, this is all thanks to you! Thank you so much.

Also, with the upcoming anime adaptation, the title’s official abbreviation is now “Kimizero.” Apologies for the inconvenience until now!

Furthermore, I’ve actively been involved with the anime adaptation to whatever degree I’m able to. That said, the production team is all wonderful. Sometimes, they even understand the world of Kimizero better than I do. On some fronts, I’m actually relying on them instead of the other way around (although I point out anything that bothers me, of course)!

Now then, here we are in volume 5. I left the school trip’s destination ambiguous in volume 4, but the decision had to be made at last in this one. I couldn’t travel myself to gather material because of the Covid pandemic, so I went with areas I was already familiar with.

In my twenties, I often hung out in Kyoto. When I was in college, several of my friends were going to Kyoto University, so I could stay with them for free for a long time. I also made some new friends in Kyoto at that time too. You could say my life is pretty connected to that place.

Thinking back on it now, I hardly did anything good there. In the evening—once my hangover from the previous day had passed—I’d go out into the city with my friends, get drunk once again at a cheap izakaya, walk around Hyakumanben while singing, make fun of those evenly spaced couples lined up at the Kamo River from a distance... But even so, I feel like that was the springtime of my life.

And because I went to Kyoto so many times, I’m proud to say that I’ve been to all the famous tourist destinations you’d find prominently featured in a guidebook. They’re all fantastic places, including the temples and shrines. There’s the Philosopher’s Walk, fascinating in each season; the Sanzen-in Temple, lush with greenery; the Ninnaji Temple in cherry blossom season; the cherry blossoms at night in Murayama Park, twinkling fascinatingly in the spotlights amid the rows of stalls; Suzumushi Temple, where the priest tells interesting stories... There are so many places I could recommend, but for the school trip’s itinerary in this volume, I chose the ones that left the strongest impression on me.

I really love Tenryū-ji Temple—I pretty much always paid it a visit when going to Kyoto. When I sat on its broad veranda and spaced out while looking at the Japanese-style garden there (just like Nicole), time would pass in an instant.

On the other hand, I only went to Fushimi Inari Shrine once. The moment I set foot in it, I sort of felt this overwhelming presence—a terrifying amount of power. I don’t have any sense for the supernatural whatsoever, and I’ve never felt anything like that anywhere else. That’s how, in my mind, it became a place that you needed to mentally prepare yourself to go. Nonetheless, what I felt at the time is still vivid in my memory.

Sagano at nighttime is memorable for me too. The place where Ryuto and Nisshi watch the sun set was modeled after a road near Rakushisha.

So, you might be thinking—if I love Kyoto so much, why not make this trip all Kyoto? However, I love Osaka and Kobe too, so I got greedy and went for all three cities at once. Personally, I find the charms of Osaka to be its food, its people, and the city itself, so while I didn’t really find it fitting for a school trip, I added it anyway because I wanted to.

When I was in my twenties and didn’t have much money, I often stayed at Spa World in Tennōji. From there, I would set out to Shinsekai, eat scalding-hot kushiage, and then go to a small nearby café, enjoying the sweetness of a milkshake while inhaling cigarette fumes (such were the days). That was pretty much my routine.

Kobe is a city that I’ve visited frequently since I’ve been in my thirties. It’s a secret dream of mine to move there when I grow old and visit the Takarazuka Grand Theater once a month.

As you can see, the school trip itinerary is filled with things I love. It would make me happy if I managed to convey the charm of each of those places even a little bit as this story unfolded.

As always, thank you so much magako-sama for the numerous beautiful illustrations! They’re a feast for the eyes and soul!

To my editor, Matsubayashi-sama, I’m always grateful for your meticulous assistance!

And most of all, to all of my readers who’ve come this far, have always supported me, and who have brought this series to the point where it’s getting an anime adaptation—I can never thank you enough. Please accept my gratitude from the bottom of my heart!

Well then, may we see each other again in volume 6!

August 2022, Makiko Nagaoka