Waver
Love letter?
Yes!
I have decided to share my feelings with Kaguya!
Please, give me your guidance!
Guidance?
You know, it feels more like a letter of challenge than a love letter.
The Great Passage
On a quiet dreamlike morning
The crimson sky shines through the window and reflects off my pen
In the vivid clatter of the night, I wander between cities like a cat
Deep thoughts
A flexible conception
Foreseeable aspirations
Distant memories
Unruly hair
A narrow mind
A large circle of friends
A long silence
A short greeting
Tone of voice
The light in our eyes that slightly differs
Traces of friendship that's not in the treaty
In the ocean that sweeps the sand of eternity
Swept and sunk in the waves with sparse opposites and similarities
Clashing and exact opposites become resolved and connected
Reference
Conclusion
I'll gather words
that have
scattered
over
many
months and years
With the fragrant sea breeze, the connection that rests on the seashore becomes one
"Dear madam, the bitter throes of winter are almost at hand.
I pray that life has found you well."
What the hell is this?
It's way too stiff.
Even corporate public apologies aren't this ceremonial.
Is it bad?
It would be very helpful if you could give me some concrete advice.
Advice, huh? First of all...
I'll read through it later.
Thank you.
Good morning.
Wait, Mr. Matsumoto, the monthly meeting isn't scheduled today, is it?
We're expecting it to arrive today.
"It"?
It.
Has it not arrived yet?
It hasn't.
I see.
Not yet, huh?
I cannot wait for it.
Yes, I can't wait to see it.
What's this "it"?
You know, it.
Huh?
This is the Dictionary Editorial Department.
Yes?
Yes.
Yes. Understood.
Nishioka, Director Yamashita wants you in the conference room right away.
Huh?
The director does?
So it's the time of reckoning.
Huh?
I figured he'd come say something soon.
We've taken a lot of actions to save The Great Passage after all.
Anyway, I'm just going to go get this over with.
Conference Room
Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.
It's okay.
I ran into the managing director.
He's a real talker, you know?
You wanted to see m—
The Great Passage.
I heard you're working hard.
Huh?
And you got Hokuto University's Professor Shinohara to be a contributor.
Oh, yes.
Now how did you manage to convince a man like him?
I bet that was pretty hard.
I suppose so.
Well, dictionaries are the face of a publisher.
I agree with you on that!
So, we've been talking.
We want you to use your talents elsewhere.
So we're transferring you to the PR Department.
Huh?
Good for you!
You first applied to be in the PR Department, right?
Yes, but...
I've already talked to the PR Department's director.
We'll move you in the spring.
But we've just started editing The Great Passage.
I appreciate the offer, but I'll...
Oh, I don't think so.
Weren't you prepared to pay the price for everything you've been doing?
Oh, and one more thing.
You'll also be revising the Genbu Japanese Learning Dictionary while you edit The Great Passage.
Huh?
You know how that dictionary is showing strong sales in the grade school market.
It will sell even more with a revised edition.
But...
Sorry, the executive director is expecting me.
You know how he is.
Well, thanks again!
Um, sir!
Then we'll go with this.
Understood.
Nishioka?
What did Director Yamashita want to see you about?
Genbu Japanese Learning Dictionary
Revising the Genbu Japanese Learning Dictionary?
But we just did a big revision on it last year.
He's telling us to earn the money to make The Great Passage ourselves.
What are we going to do?
We can't.
We can't possibly revise some other dictionary
while creating one with over 200,000 words from the ground up.
We should just be concentrating on The Great Passage.
But we have to do it nonetheless.
The experience from this revision will surely help us with The Great Passage in some way.
This is your first time creating a dictionary, Majime.
Instead of learning with The Great Passage,
it would be better if you built experience with the Learning Dictionary first.
Okay.
Was that his only condition?
Huh?
Well, yes.
I figured that shark would've demanded one or two more things.
We'll need to redo the schedule incorporating the revision work as well.
Nishioka—
Oh no! I had an appointment with Professor Matsuda from Hama University!
U-Um...
All right, I'm off to my meeting.
Okay.
Take care.
PR Department
First Division
Second Division
Yes. We'll touch base tomorrow.
Yes. Have a nice day.
Miyoshi.
Yes?
I heard you went to the same university as Nishioka from the Dictionary Editorial Department.
Yes, although Nishioka was ahead of me.
What's he like?
I'm sorry, but we didn't know each other very well.
Oh, I see.
Did something happen with Nishioka?
He's going to be transferring to our department.
Huh?!
I can't look at him right now.
Not when he makes that face.
Just when I thought I could start enjoying dictionary making...
I thought I finally found my place.
Just like Majime, Araki, and Mr. Matsumoto.
I thought I...
Oh well. I guess this means I wasn't cut out for it after all.
Now then...
Where should I go?
Teach me!
The Dictionaries!
Um, what is it like to be revised?
Revision?
Wait, you haven't been revised yet, Kai?
I've been revised once.
I've been twice!
Five times for me!
So grown up!
Being revised is like visiting an unknown planet!
There's the pain of losing something, but waiting for you is a new you.
It is something that will constantly help us grow.
Yes, it is like love!
Hiroshi, you're blushing.
I bet he wasn't even revised five times.
I wasn't lying!
Maybe one day I'll be revised too.
Revision a change or a set of changes that corrects or improves something, such as a book
I'm like a middle-aged man who's just been downsized.
I wonder what's going to happen to the Dictionary Editorial Department.
Will Majime really be able to go on?
This is stupid.
Thinking about this isn't going to help.
Miyoshi Remi
Incoming Call
Yeah?
Masashi?
You never call during work.
Is something up?
Um, yeah. Uh...
I thought maybe we could go out to lunch sometime.
Together?
What if someone from work sees us?
Well, we can deal with that if it comes up.
I'd like to talk...
Talk? What's that supposed to mean?
We can talk at home—
Hello?
Masashi? Can you hear me?
Anyone home?
Sorry. I'm busy with outside meetings right now.
I've got a few more to go to.
Oh, okay.
Oh, before I forget.
It seems I'm being transferred to the PR Department.
R-Really?
Although, it won't be for a while.
I'll be counting on you to show me the ropes.
Well, talk to you later.
Okay. See you later.
I can't believe she checked in on me.
To Hayashi Kaguya
One, two, three, four.
To Hayashi Kaguya
Fifteen pages?!
What was he thinking?
"Dear madam, the bitter throes of winter are almost at hand.
I pray that life has found you well."
"Snow, embrace, mountain, temple"...
Who could read this thing?!
Why would he write a Chinese poem here?
I guess I did promise to give him advice.
I'm back!
Sir, what do you think about this?
I believe this typeface is better.
I think this line spacing is easier to read.
I see.
Welcome back.
What do you think, Araki?
So I gather the sample pages arrived.
It's certainly easier to read.
They've been like that for two hours with just the few pages we have.
I don't know what they'll do when the rest arrives.
Don't you think these white numbers on the black dots are hard to read?
I thought it'd come through more clearly.
This probably won't work.
Why does our mushroom picture look so terrible? It looks like it's poisonous.
Oh, I drew that.
I wanted to check the positioning.
Oh, that's a mushroom? I thought it was a strawberry.
That really hurts, Mr. Matsumoto.
Nishioka!
Welcome back.
Don't give me that.
What is wrong with you people?
Oh, look at the time.
Mr. Matsumoto, why don't we continue this over noodles?
Good idea!
What about the rest of you?
Sure.
Yes, please.
Oh, sorry.
I have to leave again.
I see.
I'll go after tidying up a bit.
All right, see you there.
Majime, let's discuss the number symbols at the restaurant.
Okay.
Have you already started the revision work?
Yes.
Of course you have.
We want to publish The Great Passage after all.
Yes.
But...
I'd also like to do a good job with the revision.
We'll need to schedule meetings for the revision work too.
Yes, we will.
Also...
There were a lot of parts I didn't understand.
But I got that you were serious.
I think it's fine.
Why don't you just hand it to her, like bam?
Like bam?
Or maybe with a wam!
What I'm trying to say is that it's all about what feels right at the time.
I see...
You know,
you could stand to be more confident.
Huh?
For an earnest guy like you,
everything is bound to work out.
And I'll help you however I can.
Oda
Hello. I'm Nishioka from Genbu.
I haven't finished the manuscript yet.
Oh, that's all right. I was just in the neighborhood.
I'm sorry if I'm interrupting.
It's all right. I was just finishing.
Did your wife pack you that?
I'm jealous.
Oh, uh...
Anyway, I've heard a strange rumor.
Rumor?
Genbu Publishing is not enthusiastic about compiling a new dictionary.
It could even be canceled.
How ridiculous.
That's not the case at all.
Where did you hear that?
If that were the case, then I wouldn't be asking you for a manuscript.
That's fine, then.
It's a little awkward to bring up, but dictionary writing isn't exactly lucrative.
Of course I'll give you my best work, but I'm a busy person.
I don't want to waste my time on uncer—
I can assure you.
The Dictionary Editorial Department has some excellent new recruits.
There's no need to worry!
And just look!
How wonderful!
See how well it cuts?
Yes!
That is amazing!
But I'm sure it's expensive.
But it isn't! We will also throw in a—
'Sup?
M-Masashi?
Ow.
Come on. Get off—
All right, I'll do it.
Until I get transferred, I'm going to do absolutely everything I can
before I go.
Okay.
Ah, that was a nice bath.
Huh?
What are you doing, Micchan?
Um, I'm just...
Be sure to turn off the lights and lock the door.
Okay.
Oh, and I haven't seen Tiger today.
Could you feed him if you see him?
Well, goodnight.
Goodnight.
I'm home!
Micchan.
What are you doing?
I'm sorry I startled you.
Please read this.
These are my feelings!
Well, goodnight.
To Hayashi Kaguya
Waver
to weave or sway unsteadily to and fro "My heart wavered like a boat lost at sea"
Waver
to weave or sway unsteadily to and fro "My heart wavered like a boat lost at sea"
"Hey, it's a full moon tonight"
I tell you softly as you sleep
Your gestures, attitude, and way of life
Mean so much more to me than any word
So please stay the way you are
I & I = You & I feel it
Here with you, forever by your side
I've loved you
Since the day we met
Honestly...
Majime would write a love letter like this.
I'd better make a copy just in case.
You never know how this might help with The Great Passage one day.