Because Sakuraba had taken the lead with the previous book signing event and had not lagged in subsequent promotions, on April 22nd, when the May issue of All Readings went on sale—the same day The Newcomer began its serialization—many newsstands saw a rare crowd of readers lining up to buy the magazine.
The premise of The Newcomer is that a murder case occurs in the first chapter. The detectives, led by the protagonist Kaga, witness all kinds of human conditions as they investigate the various people connected to the case, with the truth being revealed in the final chapter.
The plan for the serialization was to publish the chapters leading up to the case's resolution over eight months. However, since the essence of the book lay in the family affairs that Detective Kaga witnessed and helped to resolve during his investigation, the final truth became a relatively secondary element. Some might say this writing style is putting the cart before the horse for a mystery novel, but there was no doubt that readers would have an excellent experience reading the serial.
"I think you've all finished reading it. How do you feel about it?"
Hikigaya Hachiman sat at the center of a long table and asked the others seated around him.
On the afternoon of April 22nd, after saying goodbye to Yukino, Hachiman had gone to the newly established "Mystery Literature Club," led by Kamiki, instead of the Service Club's activity room. The club now had seven members who met every day to read various mystery novels and exchange ideas.
These members were naturally familiar with Hachiman's appearance, so when they saw him walk in, they were so excited they didn't know what to do.
"Hello! Mr. Hachiman! We were just preparing to read your The Newcomer!" The speaker was the current president of the mystery club, a sophomore in high school. Perhaps out of excitement or admiration, she used a very formal tone with Hachiman.
When Hachiman explained that he had come to listen to their opinions on his new work, the members gradually calmed down. After all, if they could express an opinion that made him take notice, it would be the best way to be remembered. Since the club president took the initiative to give up her usual seat to him, Hachiman also took on the duties of leading the discussion.
"Mr. Hachiman, your story is truly heartwarming," the female senior began. "I'm a little embarrassed to say it, but my eyes started to sting by the end." Her evaluation was representative of the feelings of many emotional readers after finishing the first chapter.
"Hikigaya-san," Kamiki exclaimed with admiration, "I think the first chapter only seems to be a story about the reconciliation between a grandparent and a grandchild, but the reasoning part is actually very interesting. Your stories always find entry points for reasoning in such daily, trivial matters. It's really amazing."
"Thank you for the compliment, Kamiki," Hachiman said, though he felt a little embarrassed when he noticed several members had taken out small notebooks and were recording what he said. "In fact, social reasoning is like that. Since the word 'social' is in the name, the creation should focus on daily life and social events. A social mystery that can make people feel a sense of life is a good social mystery. Uh... I was just speaking my mind, there's no need to write it down."
"Any of your opinions can be a valuable experience for us, Mr. Hachiman," Kamiki explained. "The original intention of this club isn't just for reading. In the future, we must also try to create. Otherwise, if the club doesn't achieve any results, it might be shut down by the student union."
"Well... it seems we're all in the same boat," Hachiman said with a wry smile. "In fact, my own club has a similar problem."
"What club are you in, Mr. Hachiman?" another member asked. "We might be able to help."
"Help? Actually, our goal is to help others," Hachiman replied. "If you know any classmates who have troubles, you can ask them to consult the Service Club to see if their problems can be solved."
In reality, the Service Club only had a name and a location. If they truly wanted Ms. Hiratsuka to recognize their club, he and Yukino still had to actually help their classmates. Only then would she be willing to officially become their advisor, giving the Service Club legitimacy within the school. Before that, Hachiman couldn't write with complete peace of mind, knowing the club's status was so precarious.
After that, Hachiman and the club members discussed mystery literature for a long time. Hachiman had a strong knowledge of the classics, and by the end of the discussion, many members had taken several pages of notes. When he walked out of the activity room, the members stood at the door and watched him leave.
With a rosy face, Hachiman returned to the Service Club to go home with Yukino after school.
"Looking at you, you must have been worshipped like a god in that club for over two hours," Yukinoshita Yukino, who was sitting in her seat, commented sharply upon seeing his appearance.
"Is it that obvious?" Hachiman touched his face. He only knew that he had been speaking eloquently for more than an hour but didn't feel tired at all.
"It's so obvious," she said. "Come and have some black tea. You must be thirsty by now." Yukino picked up the electric kettle that had been set to keep warm and poured him a cup of black tea at the perfect temperature.
"Thanks. I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't reminded me. My mouth is really dry," Hachiman said. He took the teacup, felt the temperature, and then drank the black tea in gulps as if it were iced cola.
Seeing his unrefined tea-drinking posture, Yukino laughed softly. She picked up a tissue and wiped the tea that had trickled down his neck, gently stroking his Adam's apple.
"This is really explosive, Mr. Hachiman!" Naho Imamura said incoherently over the phone that evening.
"What? What happened? Editor Imamura, please give me the details," Hachiman asked, confused.
"Of course, it's your The Newcomer! Today, the first-day shipments of All Readings hit a new high! Not only that, according to the initial feedback we've received, the first chapter of The Newcomer has a slightly higher rating than the first chapter of Confessions!"
Naho Imamura said excitedly that the entire All Readings office was so energized by the news that no one had left work.
In truth, the first chapter of The Newcomer wasn't as explosive as that of Confessions. However, because the promotion had made it clear that the main theme of the novel was "warmth," the audience's expectations had been adjusted accordingly. After a tiring day of work or study, reading a warm story was a welcome change of pace.
"I feel relieved now," Hachiman said. "That's more or less what I expected. The Newcomer is responsible for healing, and The Clockwork Museum Incident is responsible for shocking. My readers are blessed this year."
He twirled the Montblanc pen in his hand, imagining the impact he would bring to the mystery world.
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