I managed to avoid writing an afterword in the first volume, thanks to page number constraints, but it seems I’m not so lucky this time. Here we are, volume two, my first afterword, here we go.
That being said, while I do have you all as my captive audience, it’s not as if I have some secret manifesto to shove down your throats, or some earth-shattering wisdom that’ll guide you towards a healthier, more fulfilling life.
If you ever find yourself at Cafe Renoir, the Ikebukuro station location near the east exit, and spot an unassuming great ape nursing a cup of black coffee and a serving of strawberry shortcake, all while murmuring and churning their mind trying to come up with something worthwhile to write here—that’s me! Come say hi—or well, maybe just do it in your mind.
Now, my first game plan was to stuff this afterword with nonsensical rambling, but that wasn’t getting me anywhere. My manuscript still remains as pristine as the fluffy white sheet of clouds viewed from the window of an airplane cruising far above—and this afterword’s deadline is nipping at my heels. Yikes, I’m freaking out!
Then it hit me—I could just fill up this space with keyboard smash gibberish like ‘asfiawejfiawef,’ you know, the way you do when you’re playing an online social game and can’t be bothered to name your characters? But then I thought about you all forking over 1,000 yen to read this, and I felt a bit guilty. I mean, I’m already eating up your precious money and time, so I figured I’d better not push my luck.
So here goes nothing. I’ll write an afterword worthy of Safe and Sound Vol. 2, an opus that will move you to tears, shatter your heart into a million pieces, and send tremors of joy coursing through your body—hey, hey, I’m kidding! I’ll take this seriously, promise. Please, put away your pitchforks. I’m sorry!
Ahem. Hi, I’m Fuyu Aoki, the author.
If we’re just meeting for the first time, hey there! If you’ve been with me for a while, hey again! I’m excited to have you here.
As I mentioned previously, this is the first afterword I’m doing for this series! And that’s not the only first: this is the first volume two I’ve done—ever!
As a writer, there are several milestones that we all dream of: our first reprint, first manga adaptation, first anime adaptation, and so on. But landing that first ‘second volume’ is definitely the very first stepping stone towards all those other dreams.
When my editor gave me the thumbs-up for a second volume, I swear I heard bugles in my head at finally being able to take that first step. Riding that emotional high, I got to work, pounding out Lloyd and Chloe’s story as fast as my brain could dish it out. So, how’d it go? Did you all enjoy volume two?
A lot happened—from Lloyd’s confrontation with Luke, to Ian’s puppy love for Chloe, to Lily’s dramatic arrival in the capital. The volume was definitely a rollercoaster. If you enjoyed it, even just a bit, it’ll have made all those late nights in Cafe Renoir, typing until I had tendonitis, worth it.
Personally, the scene where Chloe reveals her past to Lloyd and cries her heart out is my favorite. In almost every story I write, someone has to cry. There’s just something so uniquely vulnerable and human about the moment tears start flowing that I just can’t get enough of. It’s beautiful. You can count on me to make even more characters cry in the future. What’s that you say? That sounds misleading? I stand by what I said.
I can’t wait to see that scene in manga form—yep, you heard that right, Safe and Sound is getting a manga adaptation! Please, please check it out when it starts streaming and when it hits the shelves. Manga Chloe will be the absolute cutest, I guarantee it!
Look at that, I even snuck in a little self-promotion. Okay, just a few more lines to go, perfect for some acknowledgments.
First of all, a huge thanks to my editor, F-san. Without their brutally candid feedback since volume one, this book wouldn’t be as half as good.
Minori Aritani, the illustrator for the series, thank you for breathing life into my characters with your gorgeous and adorable art. Chloe’s expression on the vol. 2 cover? It’s everything.
I also want to thank K-san and all my friends for your great advice while I was writing. Thanks to my parents for their support from all the way in the countryside, and all the readers who have supported me unwaveringly since the web novel days. And last but not least, a massive thanks to everyone who helped bring this book to life.
Thank you!
I hope to see you all in volume three.
Fuyu Aoki