Chapter 32

Afterword The Thing You Write at the End If I had a time machine, I would go see myself from twelve years ago. Back then, I used to spend late nights almost every day at the bar of a diner in pursuit of my masterpiece cocktail. Once I’d concocted something that satisfied my tastes, I’d go back to my seat, gently open my laptop, and play Minesweeper with a serious expression. When I got bored of that, I’d play hearts or solitaire. And by the time I’d realize it, it was almost morning. That was my typical life as an author back then. I’d go there to young Akira Kareno and tell him this: Hey, I’m you from twelve years in the future, and I’ve come to give you a little advice. Do not throw away the plans for that fantasy world you just buried deep in your HDD. You’ll go through so many high highs and low lows, and there’ll be times you’ll find yourself almost breaking under the pressure—actually, there will be times where you’ll fall to pieces, but there is a future where you’ll actually reach the very end of the marathon. And that “very hungry heroine who could even eat people” you wrote in your proposal will appear in the final product, albeit with a few adjustments. And then, past me would say this: You say you’re from the future, but I’m not gonna believe you right off the bat. If you want to convince me, tell me what movie’s popular in your time. Then I would think for a bit. I’ve been pretty busy, so I haven’t been able to see too many movies, but I can name a few distinctive titles. Then, with confidence, I would say: Star Wars. …Oh, no. That’s not going to work. Then he would yell, “What time period do you think that movie’s from?!” and the conversation would just veer off topic. Let’s put past me aside. Hello, it’s me, present Kareno. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I present to you the final volume of WorldEnd: What Do You Do at the End of the World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us? Yes, that’s right—this is the final volume. The story of the character named Willem Kmetsch has reached an ending, and I have managed to tell it to completion. Truly quite a lot has happened, but I managed to get this far with the support of so many people. I offer my gratitude to all of you who have followed the story this far. Thank you so much. And I know this is sudden, but I have an announcement to make. To put it bluntly, I am starting a new series. One story has ended, but the curtain lifts on another tale. Those who live in the dying world still have days ahead of them. They all wish for their own selfish ends, and those fleeting days unfurl in an ungainly way… The story takes place on the same island cluster as WorldEnd. But some time has passed, so the little children have now grown up. If the many factors involved end up going well, it should be available in bookstores at the same time as this book. I haven’t decided on a title yet, but I’m feeling that it might end up something like What Do You Do at the End of the World? May We Meet Again Just One More Time? …This one might be a little shorter, but it still sure is long! In any case, I would be thrilled to have you accompany me in the story of this twilight world for a little while longer. Winter 2016 AKIRA KARENO