Afterword

To those meeting me for the first time, nice to meet you. To those I haven’t seen in a while, it’s been too long.

I’m Kishimoto Kazuha, the author.

Thank you so much for purchasing this work.

Since I’ve been given a bit more space for this afterword, I thought I’d ramble on about the book.

First, let’s talk about why I decided to write this story.

Up until now, I’ve always had canned coffee during work.

Back then, I wasn’t a fan of black coffee, so I stuck to sweet ones loaded with milk and sugar.

But one day, influenced by a friend, I tried black coffee and was struck by how delicious it was.

It was completely different from the bitter, sour coffee I’d had before, and I was amazed by its flavor.

That friend taught me how to brew drip coffee.

Freshly brewed coffee doesn’t have that unpleasant acidity, letting you enjoy its pure flavor and bitterness.

That’s how I got hooked on drip coffee.

At first, I was absolutely terrible at it—sometimes it was too weak, other times it had a harsh edge.

But by brewing every day, I gradually got the hang of it, and now I can make coffee just the way I like it.

By the way, those of you who’ve read the web version might have noticed that the brewing method differs from the book.

The brewing method in the story is what I actually do.

The difference comes from the fact that my brewing technique changed significantly between writing the web version and revising for the book.

Of course, my skills are nowhere near those of professionals like Utahara in the story—I’m fully aware my attempts are clumsy.

Still, experimenting to find that ideal taste is incredibly fun.

I wanted to share that excitement with others, so I mixed it with the rom-com world I often write.

Some experts might say, “That’s not how you brew delicious coffee!”

But the people around me say it tastes good, so I hope some of you readers will enjoy this flavor too.

If you’re curious, please give it a try.

And if you’re already knowledgeable about coffee—whether as a job or as a hobby—I’d love to hear your brewing tips or favorite coffee beans.

Now, shifting gears, let’s talk about Juntaro and Shizuku.

There are no grand valleys or towering mountains between them.

From here on, they’ll simply walk through their everyday lives at a leisurely pace.

For those who prefer dramatic, rollercoaster stories, this might not hit the spot.

But if you don’t mind, I hope you can enjoy it like savoring coffee at a café.

Lastly, my deepest gratitude goes to everyone involved in making this book, to Sakura Miwabe-sensei for the wonderful illustrations, and to all the readers who picked up this book.

I hope we can meet again.