Before Kyosuke Hojo could look around, he saw that Miss Amamiya, who had been entertaining him just now, appeared behind the master of ceremonies on the left side of the stage at some point.

She is nearly 1.7 meters tall, wearing a silver lady's slim suit, and she looks taller and taller when she stands behind the high master of ceremonies. With a dignified expression on his face, he seemed to be acting as a host.

"Amamiya-sama is the master of ceremonies?" He asked strangely at the two who had already arrived.

"You don't know? I also want to ask you why Amamiya-san, who is the master of ceremonies, came with you so late. Wancheng Yaji replied.

"Hmph, Wancheng-san, it seems that you don't know the legend of 'Heisei Merry' deep enough," Tsuyoshi Osaka sneered.

Shaking his head, Hojo Kyosuke didn't chat with the three of them funny, but took advantage of the fact that the ceremony had not yet started and took a slight look at the steps of the venue.

In the dim environment, the most conspicuous thing was the square thing on the ceremonial stage covered with golden silk cloth. Even if you are not an author, you will fantasize that the moment you lift the golden silk cloth, you can see your work below.

Kyosuke Hojo was no exception, and the golden silk cloth more than two meters tall had dyed his black pupils, as if he had opened some hidden bloodline.

Tsuyoshi Tsuyoshi, who originally wanted to say some nonsense, couldn't help but shake his shoulders when he looked at those golden eyes.

Thank you, bestseller, and I will let your name be heard in this world as well.

Aside from the glittering ceremonial stage, the only spotlight is a long table on the left.

There are 10 books shortlisted for this year's Honya Grand Prize, and at the back of each book is a piece of cardboard of different styles, on which are the comments written by the bookstore clerks.

As a scanning eye, Hojo Kyosuke can naturally read his own books and reviews clearly.

The cardboard itself is white, and in the middle is a comment written with a black signature pen, and the handwriting is beautiful, and the owner is a beautiful woman just by looking at the words.

It's not that someone suddenly has an artistic element, but he recognizes it as Amamiya Miki's handwriting, which he had seen the last time he held a book signing at Kinokuniya.

"Great, Amamiya-san's comment greeting card."

A ghostly word floated next to him.

"yes, very attentive."

White cardboard with wavy lines drawn with pink pen on the edges, green grass, and even a cute rabbit drawn.

It really doesn't match that cold comment.

"Tut-tut, I vaguely remember that when I came to the reception before, Miss Amamiya said that she would help me write a review, and today it became her to help decorate the cardboard."

Ghost Tsuyoshi said.

As they were talking, they saw a person suddenly walk to the stage in front of them, put a standing microphone in the middle of the edge of the stage, and then silently retreated, squatting in a dark corner.

The microphone was in place like a signal, and the swarm-like voices in the venue suddenly disappeared without a trace.

The ceremony is about to begin.

The already dim lights slowed down at a slow pace, and at the same time the crisp bell rang, and the good thing about this change was that the huge screen was dazzling for a while.

When the entire space becomes dark, you can only see the large white words "2015 Honya Grand Prize" on the screen. Suddenly the stirring percussion sounded, and the pictures on the screen shattered into small squares, and even the screen became pitch black.

Just when Kyosuke Hojo was looking forward to what the screen would become, it returned to its original state as the small squares gathered.

Understood, it's still that damn sense of ceremony, and I remind you again, the presentation of the Honya Awards is about to begin, so keep my eyes open and my ears open to concentrate!

The yellow ambient light on the stage was lit up again, and at the same time, a white spotlight hit the emcee Amamiya Miki.

"Mina-san, welcome to the 2015 Honya Grand Prix Presentation, which was selected by bookstore staff from all over the country to be the most wanted to sell."

Amamiya's voice is more gentle than before, and even if the soft voice is amplified by the audio, it still won't make the audience below feel harsh.

"I'm the host of this presentation, and I'm not the head of the Executive Committee of the Honya Awards, so please give me a lot of advice."

The makeup of the woman on the stage was perfect, even under the test of spotlight, she did not miss the slightest timidity, after finishing the opening remarks and self-introduction, she paused slightly, waiting for the applause from the audience before smiling and nodding in thanks.

"Well, the success of this award is first of all thanks to the hard work of bookstore staff across the country. During the selection process, I felt the significance of this event by discovering interesting books with everyone and being moved and excited by the stories in them.

It is really a very happy thing for a bookstore clerk to be able to share these excellent works with everyone through such a place.

The members of the Executive Committee were very happy to be able to hold such an event that would be beneficial to the development of literature. ”

Kyosuke Hojo, like the people around him, leaned on the back of his chair and looked at the stage, quietly listening to the opening statement.

『Spotlight』

Although he knew that Amamiya Miki was a very beautiful and excellent woman, he didn't expect her to become so shining in the spotlight. This made him want to take the girls around him on the stage even more and enjoy the attention.

As for Amamiya Miki's words, although it was a very official statement, he agreed with it in his heart.

Not to mention the bookstore clerk, even if you are ordinary people, when you see your favorite book and are moved by the moment in the book, no matter who you are, you have a strong desire to share, eager to warm your heart, and you can also shed a ray of sunshine in other people's lives.

Now, as bookstore clerks, they can not only introduce their favorite books to everyone, but also win honor for their favorite books with their own strength.

Kyosuke Hojo, who has never understood some confusing behaviors on the Internet, suddenly has a little bit of agreement with those behaviors that seem to be incomprehensible to sand sculptures.

Of course, the premise is that they like their own work.

Thinking wildly in his head, he turned his head to look at Hidenori Ishida, and the person who happened to turn his head also turned his head. Miraculously, Kyosuke Hojo saw the colorful brilliance on the other party's very artistic face, as if he had eaten an unripe wild mushroom.

Also, at this time, only the winner will have idle thoughts, and others, such as Tsuyoshi Hirosaka, who clenched his fists next to him, are afraid that they are all thinking in their hearts that they must win the award next year.

Nodding at Hidenori Ishida again, Kyosuke Hojo thought that the "victor" should show his demeanor this time, but he didn't expect the other party to raise his chin with a triangular mustache again.

Well, I'll send my men to keep an eye on you at night, lest you get into trouble with Tokyo Metro, and I'll wait for the next manga to get their sponsorship.

Someone does not hesitate to show the winner's margin.

The picture on the screen finally changed at this time, and it simply listed the process of the conference.

"The first is the speech of the chairman of the executive committee, and the second is the commendation of the first place in the translation fiction department...... "Amamiya Miki introduced, and the real focus is naturally on the finale.

"Now, then, I would like to invite Mr. Shigeru Hahamamoto, the chairman of the committee."

Shigeru Hamamoto, who was wearing a black suit, walked out of the small door on the right side of the stage of the ceremony, and the person who had placed the microphone before appeared quietly and silently adjusted the microphone to the appropriate height.

Yes, so you don't need everyone who speaks to shake hands on the microphone. Kyosuke Hojo thought silently.

"Hello everyone, I'm Shigeru Hamamoto, chairman of the committee, thank you for coming to the ......"

Shigeru Hamamoto's speech was a cut worse than that of Amamiya Miki, speaking as if there was no speech, it was as casual as a normal chat, but that's it, but it made the audience feel that this was what the grand prize representing the neon civilians should look like.

"Last year, there were a lot of excellent works, but unfortunately only ten were shortlisted, and if possible, I think every bookstore clerk has a dozen or even dozens of books that they would like to recommend. Of course, just as human energy is limited, we can't absorb all the excellent works into our brains, we can only have selective selections.

This is also the original intention of the Honya Awards, where bookstore staff who come into contact with books every day select the books they want to sell the most and recommend to customers.

I have read all ten works of this year's books carefully, and I am a little embarrassed to say it, and when I read the first prize works, I couldn't help but cry and soak the pages.

It's really a very touching work, so impressive, I can't help but read it again and again.

…… We have always believed that the progress of literature is inseparable from life, and reading is a matter for the public, and no threshold should be set, so we have been implementing this purpose and selecting books suitable for the public with the taste of the public.

…… Finally, I would like to thank the staff of bookstores across the country for their hard work, and please give me a lot of advice in the coming year. ”

After speaking, Shigeru Hamamoto took a step back, bowed fifteen degrees, and left without stopping.

"Thank you, Mr. Shigeru Hamamoto, for your speech, and the next step is the first place in the 2015 Translated Fiction Category......"

The Honya Awards not only select the novels that were newly published last year, but also the most popular translated novels, as well as novels from the past that they think will be interesting to read now.

It is worth mentioning that many of the novels selected by the translation department are from the big country next door.

The excavation department is also very interesting, and the books they select are not called the first prize, nor are they called the grand prize, but the "super!" Dig Ben!' Therefore, there are always people who think that the neon people are second, but they don't know that it is their unique way of seriousness.

Perhaps the most meaningful part of the process is the speech of the clerk who has discovered the award-winning works.

You can imagine how excited the bookstore clerk would be to be able to hand the trophy representing honor to the author you like face-to-face when your favorite book won such an award.

When the clerk of the super discovery Hona gave a speech, Kyosuke Hojo had already seen the tears in her eyes, and after the author, who looked at least very similar to Dr. Asasa, came on stage, she choked up directly, and the audience also burst into warm applause.

Later, when the author himself spoke, the clerk couldn't control his eyes and frequently drifted over there.

Of course, the people who watched the award ceremony were not only those in the venue, but the main awards were not only broadcast live on TV, but it didn't matter if you couldn't receive the TV station, there were also live webcasts, and there were also videos on the official website for viewing.

In a high-end apartment, under the snow, Xue Nai was watching the presentation on the huge LCD TV that was basically not turned on at home. Of course, she didn't watch it voluntarily, and she sat in front of the TV from beginning to end, all because of the woman lying on the couch.

"Didn't you say you had a headache last night? Why not get a good night's rest at home today? ”

Under the snow weighed up, compared to "why don't you watch the awards ceremony in your own home". This sentence is more suitable for the current occasion, because if the latter sentence is said, that sister will definitely show an embarrassed expression and say something like "Oh~ Xiao Xue Nai wants to hide alone and sneak a peek".

"Ah~~ What's the matter, isn't it more lively for everyone to watch Kyosuke win the award together?"

Yang Nai was wearing a white bathrobe, a pair of slender legs stretched unscrupulously on the sofa, and her delicate feet were on the armrests of the sofa. On the coffee table in front of her, there was a bottle of champagne with English characters written on it, and the mist on the bottle could tell that it had just been chilled.

"Don't you have anywhere else in Tokyo that you can go?" He sat meticulously under the snow, as if he were at the award ceremony, illuminated by a camera spotlight.

"Residual thoughts (regrets), I haven't become what Xiao Xue Nai is looking forward to~"

Yono laughed as she picked up a huge amount of champagne.

"Kyosuke is about to come on stage, does Koyuki want to have a drink together?"

"I'll call the police."

"Hey~~Ruthless~"

Ignoring the sister who was still standing at the door of her house in the morning with her head covered, as if she would faint with a headache at any time, but now she was ready to use the "lubricant of life" to blur the reality, her pale blue eyes under the snow stared at the screen without blinking for a moment.

From the picture that flashed just now, she saw Sakura, saw the glass, and even saw ......

and Kyosuke Hojo, although there is no spotlight, but such a person, even in the dark, is just as attention-grabbing. Because the people around him will involuntarily move their eyes to him, which is completely the instinct of the body exercised under the laws of society.

Just like the disadvantaged groups in the class always pay attention to those star figures, not to fit in with them, but to prevent themselves from having any "rudeness".

Xue Xia glanced at the coffee table, which was "The Devotion of Suspect X" that her sister forcibly turned out from her room, she had seen it before she met Kyosuke Hojo, and she had watched it three times after meeting Sakura Yamauchi.

Now, looking at Kyosuke Hojo, who is about to win the award on the screen, inexplicably, she also has a trace of happiness in her heart. It's like seeing the stray cats in your neighborhood get fat.

If he were to hold a book signing session at Asami's mother-in-law's bookstore, the small shop would be lively.

The girl thought of this in her heart, and then she was stunned again.

It was her dream to change the world by changing people. And isn't the idea you had just now what your dream will look like after it comes true?

Also watching this award ceremony is Megumi Kato.

"Hi ~ Hi ~ I know, I'm watching, and if I have a chance, I'll take my sister to meet Kyosuke."

A girl in a red and white striped nightdress was lying on the bed, watching the live broadcast of the awards with a notebook while talking on the phone with her sister.

"Megumi, you are perfunctory to my dear sister with such words, it seems that it is necessary for me to ask my mother to talk to you about staying at the boy's house the other day." Hiromi Yoshinaga on the other end of the phone complained.

"What boy? I stayed overnight at Yingli Li's house. ”

Hearing this, Megumi Kato's black eyes did not have a trace of waves, and his voice was as light as ever, still looking at the screen, trying to find out the location of Kyosuke Hojo.

"Hmph, do you think I don't know! The eldest lady of the diplomat's family is likely to be living with Kyosuke Hojo now. On your school's forum, there are many people who say that they have seen them go to school together and go home. ”

"Hmm~ I think Sister Hongmei...... It's better to surf the Internet less, after all, you see, you don't know that Kyosuke went to school at Sobu High School, so you believe the comments on the Internet. Like this, my brother-in-law will be very embarrassed~~"

Seeing that the award ceremony was still not before Kyosuke Hojo appeared, Megumi Kato turned over, looked at the ceiling, and casually perfunctory her sister.

"Huh? Is it like this? Hiromi Yoshinaga was surprised.

"Hmm~~" Megumi Kato snorted briskly from his nose.

Then I couldn't help but think of the invitation of Kasumigaoka-senpai before.

Spotlight, that's a place like that, and I'd love to see it.

But why the refusal?

Because, wasn't it invited by Kyosuke?

Or is it because that's not the story of the two of you?

……

At the scene of Fuji Hall, the award ceremony is still being held in an orderly manner, and it has reached the most eye-catching link.

"Sa, I've kept you waiting. Then the next item is the book that "Ichiban" (いちばん), which is selected by bookstore clerks all over the country. ”

When he said "Ichiban", Amamiya Miki raised his voice rarely, and his beautiful face showed an excited expression;

"The 2015 Honya Grand Prix will be announced in earnest, and the 10 shortlisted works will be introduced first.

"Memories of the Night", Tsuyoshi Osaka. "Two Sons Yuchuan Little Ghost", Wancheng Yaji Sang......"

Every time Miss Ceremonies reads the name of a book, the corresponding book cover and author's name will appear on the big screen. And the people in the audience will also cast their gaze at the author himself.

"Hey~~ Why haven't you arrived at Kyosuke's book yet?" Sakura muttered quietly, holding her phone in her hand. Although I don't know why Aunt Mijiko hasn't replied to the message for a long time, even if it's for herself, she still has to record it well.

No one responded to her.,Although the final result is already known.,But Sanye and the others couldn't help but be infected by the rapid music that came out of the stereo.,Began to get excited.,Looking forward to the announcement of the final result.。

As one book after another appeared on the screen, when "The End of Memories at the Age of Fourteen" appeared on the screen, Hidenori Ishida laughed as if he had already won the award.

"The Devotion of Suspect X", Kyosuke-san Hojo."

In the location of the last book, the name of Kyosuke Hojo appears.

“…… Among so many excellent books, it was really a nerve-wracking thing for the clerks to choose "Ichiban". All of us, including me, have been thinking about who we want to vote for so that we can live up to everyone's expectations. ”

It's five thousand, and it's done before four o'clock!

(End of chapter)