By 9 p.m., Jing Yu's fan group was buzzing with activity.
Even though many media outlets had criticized '5 Centimeters per Second' throughout the week—saying Jing Yu was being irrational for launching the film on Qingyun Video—fans didn't care. No matter the platform, '5 Centimeters per Second' was still '5 Centimeters per Second'.
Sure, it probably would've been more impactful on the big screen, but being able to stream it online gave viewers the chance to rewatch and analyze the details. Gains and losses, pros and cons—the fans accepted it either way.
"What's with that Easter egg in Jing Yu-sensei's film? Has anyone figured it out yet?"
"There's no way to solve it without seeing all chapters of '5 Centimeters per Second!' The plot's only just started. How can we catch everything?"
"The forums are buzzing about the two timestamps in the trailers. The first one's from when the two parted in 'Cherry Blossom', and the second one's from when the male lead is older—there's like a 13-14 year gap. But that's where everyone gets stuck."
"Jing Yu-sensei did say the Easter egg is about time and distance. You can deduce something from the trailer's timeline, but distance…"
"Still makes no sense!"
"Why bother overthinking it? Even if we don't figure it out, Jing Yu-sensei will release a statement eventually."
"Pfft. Where's the fun in that? It's like gaming—if the developer tells you exactly how to beat the game, wouldn't that kill your sense of achievement?"
"And what's that sense of achievement even worth?"
Lying on the sofa, Yu Youqing was surrounded by four or five digital devices—tablet, laptop, phones—scouring forums for clues about the '5 Centimeters per Second' Easter egg.
"Ugh… What the hell is it? No leads at all."
Wearing a white dress, she rolled over lazily and blocked the ceiling light with her arm. Her graceful curves, slim legs, and porcelain skin were on full display.
But only her roommate Xia Yining could see this scene—unless Jing Yu gave up gaming and decided to drop by. Then, maybe he'd get a peek too. Not that Xia Yining was paying attention—she was equally engrossed in her own Easter egg research on her phone, while her laptop displayed the countdown clock.
One minute until 9 p.m.
She glanced at the lazy Youqing on the sofa, and her expression grew a little bitter.
Seriously sneaking ahead? Cunning to the bone… can't let my guard down at all.
Neither of them really cared about tonight's 'Cosmonaut' chapter—they'd already watched the whole film weeks ago. The emotional damage had already healed. It was next week's third chapter that would really grab their attention.
9 p.m. sharp.
Tong Yin's nerves grew taut.
Every time Jing Yu released a new drama, she felt this way. As a true fan—especially of '5 Centimeters per Second'—the anticipation was real.
After all, it hit close to home.
Back in middle school, she'd had a close guy friend. Her dad's business had taken off, and they'd moved to the big city, buying a house and car in Modo. It'd been over two years now.
They used to call each other when she first moved, but after six months, the conversations dried up. Now it had been another half a year without contact.
The first chapter, 'Cherry Blossom', might just seem bittersweet to others—but for her, the emotional resonance was too strong. She'd tossed and turned all night after watching it last week.
The TV screen came to life. It briefly went dark—then—
A new scene appeared. Tong Yin's pupils shrank.
Dawn?
No—just a sky that looked like dawn.
A blanket of stars glittered across the heavens, meteors streaked overhead, and distant planets shimmered in a translucent atmosphere—like there was no atmosphere at all. The screen's edges glowed with aurora-like hues.
A hillside, wildflowers, and grass. Craters pockmarked the distant land.
From just a glance, it was clear—this wasn't the real world.
The sun, moon, stars, and meteors all shared the same sky. And on the hill stood a boy and girl, their faces obscured, gazing up as a star rose—not the sun, but another celestial body. As it left the horizon, sunlight streamed through the narrow gap it created, casting a warm glow.
"Clouds rise and the sea is formed!"
Just a ten-second clip…
But '5 Centimeters per Second' fans were floored.
Why did Jing Yu believe that 'Your Name'—despite its massive budget and box office numbers—still couldn't compare to the eight- or nine-year-old '5 Centimeters per Second' in terms of visual impact?
This was why.
Sure, you could buy picture quality and fluid animation with enough money.
But the imagination and narrative tension in the visuals—that couldn't be bought. 'Your Name' was known for its wallpaper-perfect frames, and Jing Yu acknowledged that. But those were polished aesthetics.
'5 Centimeters per Second', on the other hand, transcended with artistic vision and emotional depth.
"So beautiful…"
"Stunning."
"My god, Jing Yu-sensei is a genius!"
"It's like my eyes got rinsed—everything looks clearer now."
"Six bucks for this kind of visual?"
"I seriously wanna slap this frame in the faces of all the'5 Centimeters per Second' haters. Who cares about plot holes—this kind of visual isn't worth six bucks?"
"I'm crying. The imagination in this scene…"
The title '5 Centimeters per Second' (Part 2) — 'Cosmonaut' flashed briefly, then faded.
In the original animation, the three chapters were from different points of view—Cherry Blossom Extract from Takaki's, and The Astronaut from the second girl's, Kanae Sumida, here named Chen Tian.
The entire chapter was meant to show how, through Kanae's eyes, she watched her classmate Takaki—now a high school senior—get completely consumed by thoughts of Akari, the girl he hadn't seen in years but still loved deeply.
The more endearing Kanae was portrayed, the more heartbreaking it became.
Such a lovely girl… and yet, no chance of winning his heart. Akari's position in his heart was unshakable. Even after five years apart, his longing for her hadn't faded.
And yet, despite loving her so intensely—
Their ending…
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
An arrow struck dead center on the target.
Jing Yu, playing the high school Takaki, had a solid archer's stance—focused posture, sharp gaze… but emotionally hollow.
Beside him, Kanae peeked from behind a pillar, cheeks slightly flushed.
School moments flashed by in a fast montage. After class, Kanae waited for an hour just to walk home with him.
Of course, to fit the Great Zhou era's historical flavor, they were riding bicycles—not e-scooters. When her bike broke down, it was the chain that snapped. E-bikes in a retro high school? That'd kill the immersion.
"Heading home?" Takaki spotted the "coincidentally" waiting Kanae and smiled gently.
"If I were a puppy, I wouldn't be able to hide my excitement—my tail would be wagging like crazy. Thankfully, I'm not. But even so, I'm stupidly happy. Walking home with Takaki—it's pure bliss."
Kanae's inner monologue. Just one line, but everything was clear.
She liked him.
"Huh? New girl? Where's Akari?"
"Where did Akari go?"
"No idea. And wasn't that a massive time jump? They were in eighth grade in 'Cherry Blossom', and now it's senior year?"
"Why even introduce a new girl? A second lead in this kind of film just feels… unnecessary."
"Just watch and see! Why panic now?"
Next came Kanae's memories.
It began with Takaki's transfer.
This tied into the end of 'Cherry Blossom'—after winter, as spring arrived, Takaki transferred into Kanae's class.
It was love at first sight. She even worked hard to get into the same high school as him.
She had a secret crush for five years.
In just a few minutes, 'Cosmonaut' fleshed out her entire character.
"Takaki always seemed to be texting someone. I kept thinking—if only those messages were for me."
That line told us: in Takaki's middle school days, phones were rare. But by high school, they were more common, fitting Great Zhou's era transition.
"Finally… cell phones."
"Took them long enough! And texting? Definitely messaging Akari, right?"
"Duh. They kept in touch through letters, even without phones—texting would make it easier."
"Calling it now: Takaki and Akari promised to go to the same college and reunite. If not, I'll wash my hair upside down."
"Do we even need to guess? It's obvious! Poor Kanae—crushing on a guy who only has eyes for Akari. She's great, just… late to the party."
Reading through the fan group chat, Tong Yin felt a pang in her heart.
She couldn't help but think of that boy from her middle school days.
This plot… it made her sigh.
She wanted it to end one way—but when it did, it still left her with complicated feelings.
That's what movie love and friendship are like—they never sever cleanly. Even though people know it's wrong to just drift apart…
Still, somehow, it just happens.