Thank you very much for reading this far.
And I am sorry for making you wait for such a very long time.
It seems that with this final update, the work has exceeded 1 million characters. 1 million characters is equivalent to 10 volumes of paperbacks. My goodness.
The first publication date was February 2, 2019, and the final chapter of the third song was posted on July 26, 2020.
Since then, nearly five years have passed, and for it to finally be completed... I really feel like, 'What on earth have I been doing?'
During that time, two volumes of the book version were released, and the subsequent volumes were not released. I was watching the dream I thought I'd achieved break apart in mid-air and crash down like it was someone else's problem.
I didn't really feel like I had lost my creative drive (in fact, I released another work quite soon after), but looking back now, I think something had quietly withered away.
What did I want to write?
Why did I want to write?
Where did I want to write?
For whom did I want to write?
For what purpose did I want to write?
The more I thought about it, the less I understood.
But, at one point.
I read a letter from someone who decided to aim to become a writer after reading this story.
I read a letter from an 80-year-old who remembered their youth and felt like they were experiencing their first love again after reading this story.
There was someone who wrote song lyrics after reading this story.
There was someone who composed a song after reading this story.
There was someone who drew an illustration after reading this story.
I saw a post from someone who joined the light music club and started playing the drums after reading this story.
Someone left a comment saying they picked up their pen again after having broken it after reading this story.
Above all, there was you, who said you liked this story.
It was a big lie that my dream didn't come true.
Even though I've received so many medals and so much pride, I was acting like the protagonist of a tragedy; I am a huge fool.
After re-digesting various things, I finally reached a conclusion around this time last year. It happened to overlap with a period when things got incredibly busy, and I caused worry and trouble for many people, but somehow I was able to make it this far.
'Why hasn't such a good story been turned into an anime!' is a feeling I still have, so this time I tried to use expressions that would be difficult in an anime and that are unique to this work. Fuhaha, cool, isn't it? Well, whether it's cool or not, regardless of the medium or popularity, I hope this serves as a way to repay you for reading 1 million characters (!).
I will post the lyrics for 'Last!' and 'Last!' in the 'Bedroom Musician Loner's Songbook' on Narou, so please try reading them on two screens or something similar. That is also something that can only be done because it's on the web. Still, looking back, I feel like Yuri Azuma really worked hard.
Also, I am sorry for not being able to reply to your impressions and comments. Far from replying, there are many I haven't even been able to read. Originally, I wrote because I looked forward to reading your impressions, but in this particular instance, I decided it wouldn't be good if the ending wavered because of the words I received. I will look forward to reading them now! (I hope I'm not being scolded!)
Well then.
The end of the volume was closed with the words 'To be continued'. It's not good to keep dragging things out halfway, so next time, let's make sure to write a whole section before publishing. At that time, I hope I can serialize 'Bedroom Musician Loner' again, something brighter and occasionally bittersweet, just like back then. There are still many precious songs I want to borrow for titles.
Finally, let me say thank you once more.
Thanks to you, I was able to come this far. There is no one else besides you who has read this far with such deep affection. It's true. I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. Thank you very much.
Well, let's meet again somewhere! At least on the web, I plan to see you again soon. From here, from here. Ishida Touha will continue on.
2025.05.23 Ishida Touha