I just want to quietly draw manga

Next came a gentle swell of music—melodic and soft, a stirring soundtrack beginning to play. The visuals that followed were so beautiful they felt like moving wallpapers every frame worthy of a screenshot. Half a year had passed in the story. Sumida, who had been learning to surf with her sister, stepped back onto the waves and rode one to the top.

That moment gave her courage.

Today, she had decided she was going to confess to Takaki.

As usual, she waited near the school gate, timing her steps so they'd "bump into each other" on the way home.

They walked together. Stopped to buy drinks at a vending machine. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

But as they walked, Sumida, normally cheerful, began to hesitate and slow down. Mizuna watched intently and could sense that the courage Sumida had found on the surfboard was gradually slipping away.

Then, just as they were about to leave the school store, Sumida's bike broke down.

"Just leave it here for today. You can pick it up tomorrow," Takaki suggested casually.

But when Sumida said she'd head home alone, he paused, looked at her, and said:

"It's not far. And... I kind of feel like walking today."

It should've been the perfect chance—quiet streets, a beautiful sunset, the two of them alone. But the camera cut to Sumida's expression, and it was already filled with quiet sorrow.

The sky was a brilliant blue. The clouds were soft and full. The sun cast an amber glow across the road as the two walked side by side. But Sumida's head hung low, lost in thought. Takaki looked up at the sky, his mind far away.

In the background, the sound of cicadas chirped rapidly—a subtle shift in the music that made Mizuna uneasy.

Sumida's expression grew sadder with every step.

They'd known each other since junior high, but at that moment... it felt like Takaki didn't see her at all.

He was still kind to her, still gentle. But that was just who he was. In his heart, she wasn't someone he saw as more than a friend. That gap from friend to someone you love was impossibly wide.

Maybe Sumida had known this for a long time. Maybe that was why she never confessed.

Even though she'd learned to surf, even though she'd found the courage to face the waves again... the moment she stood beside the person she loved, that courage washed away like a tide going out.

And then, in the animation, Sumida walking just behind Takaki suddenly burst into tears.

He turned, finally noticing. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, it's nothing... I'm sorry..." she choked out.

She lowered her head, trembling.

Please... stop being so kind to me, she said in her heart.

In the end, she couldn't say the words. She couldn't tell him how she felt.

Because deep down, she'd always known there was no place for her in Takaki's heart.

But she couldn't let go.

The next scene began with a rocket launch.

The flame trailed behind, connecting sky and earth. The steam rising from the platform caught the last rays of sunlight. For a moment, the world felt split in two by the rocket's plume.

Sumida and Takaki both looked up, eyes wide in awe.

The roar of the launch silenced everything else, the awkwardness, the pain, even the sadness for just a moment.

Afterwards, they continued walking home, side by side.

Sumida's thoughts flowed in voice-over:

"I think... I'm starting to understand what makes Takaki-kun different."

"At the same time, I also understand... in Takaki-kun's eyes, I'm not there."

"So that day... I didn't say anything."

"He's gentle. So gentle. But he's always looking past me... looking at something much farther away."

"My feelings for him won't be returned. I know that. But even so, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, no matter how far into the future... I'll still love him."

The music faded. The episode ended.

Mizuna let out a breath. That was it? The second episode was already over?

She sat frozen for a moment. She'd once had feelings for someone, too just like Sumida. She never confessed. Nothing came of it. Watching this hit her harder than she expected.

A good girl, in love with a boy who might never even see her that way. And even knowing that, she couldn't stop how she felt.

Mizuna rubbed her eyes and opened her browser, curious about the creator behind the series. She looked up Mizushiro's fend account.

Over two million followers.

She blinked. She'd heard Mizushiro was a popular manga artist, but... this many fans?

Scrolling through the comments under the latest post, she saw that the entire feed was filled with reactions to the second episode.

"Damn, Mizushiro, how could you do that to Sumida?! She's such a sweet person!"

"She's been crushing on Takaki for years! And she's adorable! But even the girl who waited for five hours at the station, Akari... neither of them are with him? Why does this feel like emotional sabotage?"

"Guys, calm down. Don't forget the trailer—the third episode's title is 5 Centimeters per Second. And wasn't that whole concept first mentioned by Akari? I think the last episode will be about them meeting again."

"Yeah. If Takaki could ignore someone like Sumida, Akari must really matter to him. I bet the third episode is him finding her again."

"You're all saying it'll be a happy ending... I'm not buying it. Mizushiro's got that twisted sense of humor. If it ends happy, I'll eat my phone."

"Bookmark this comment. I'm coming back after the next episode airs. We'll see if you're still chewing on that phone."

"Respect to anyone with multiple phones who can livestream the moment."

One commenter analyzed the pattern:

"Think about it logically. The second episode ends with Takaki totally at rock bottom in terms of love. There's nowhere lower to go emotionally. The only direction left is up. It has to end in some kind of resolution, right?"

"Right. Both girls from the first two episodes didn't end up with him. There's no room for another heartbreak. If we don't get some closure with Akari, what's even the point?"

Back in the studio, Haruki was reading these comments in silence. He hadn't expected so many viewers to hope for a happy ending.

Some fans, though, remained skeptical.

After all, aside from his manga Initial D, most of Mizushiro's stories were heart-wrenching tragedies. That reputation was well-earned.

Someone finally asked in the comments:

"Mizushiro-sensei, does the third episode have a sad ending?"

To everyone's surprise, he replied immediately:

"Run now. There's still time."

He even added a winking emoji.

And with that, the speculation only deepened.

Shout out to TokenAntiquarian, roni var, Srew for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me.

(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)