5 Step Sisters Vol. 2 Afterword

Afterword

It’s been three months. I'm Harunadon.

Thank you very much for purchasing "My 5 Stepsisters Vol.2".

Following the first volume's "Chinatsu Rising," this volume's subtitle is "Fuka Starlight," making it an installment with the fourth daughter, Fuka, as the main character. This order was decided back during the planning phase, so I am relieved to have successfully finished writing it.

Did Fuka's wholehearted cuteness reach your hearts? If everyone enjoyed reading it, that would be my greatest honor.

By the way, regarding the subtitles, before the first volume was released, I requested, "I'd like them to be designed on the cover," but my editor told me, "If there's a subtitle, it will be really embarrassing if the series gets axed," which hit me right where it hurts, so I gave up. Sob!

However, right when I gave up, my editor contacted me to say it had already been casually added to the title page after the table of contents. Because it was so subtle, many people might not have noticed it in the first volume. (TL Notes: in the vol.1 illustration, written with katakana, Chinatsu Rising)

Additionally, there was one volume where the afterword wasn't published, simply because it was cut due to page count constraints. That afterword is posted on the author's Kakuyomu Activity Update, so please be sure to check it out when you have some free time to kill. (TL Notes: i already put it in the afterword vol.1 page)

Now then, although this is true for every series, one point I place special emphasis on in the "Gimairu" series is keeping the characters' underlying motivations consistent.

What does that person value the most? What do they want to do? I clearly establish these parameters to avoid making the characters act or speak simply to suit the author's or the story's convenience. This is something I pay particular attention to as an author.

These motivations also reveal a person's foundation, so they aren't something others can understand overnight. Whether it's the hearts of others or our own, the very fact that they aren't easily understood is what makes them intriguing and interesting.

Of course, since they are human, they will also act on whims, but humoring a stepsister's whims is also an older brother's duty. In this regard, Rikuto's adaptability and ability to take action are outstanding, but that's also because the experiences he has accumulated thus far are showing their power.

This work is a romantic comedy, but it's also a family drama... Satisfying both of these elements at once is one of its features. However, if asked what the main selling point is, I think my first answer would be, "Muninshiki-sensei's illustrations, which are full of cute girls!"

This time, the cover illustration is invincible in its cuteness. Every time I look at the cover, Fuka gives me fan service, and all five sisters make eye contact with me... It makes you want to rub your cheeks against it. Let's give it a rub~

The childhood friend, Asahina, also makes her first appearance in the illustrations. From now on, whenever I think of her, I'll definitely picture her in a sailor uniform. My mind is already almost full of a non-existent youth spent with Asahina in a sailor uniform. Thinking about how Aru-kun also has pink hair just makes my heart flutter.

While writing this story, I went on continuous research trips and struggled quite a bit to secure writing time. Specifically, I went to an underground idol concert for the first time and intruded on a little sister maid cafe in Akihabara, experiencing all sorts of things. Along with the work, my own world has naturally expanded as well, something I feel deeply every day.

I originally thought that if there was a cultural festival open to the general public, I'd go check it out. However, the writing period completely overlapped with summer vacation, so I had no choice but to tearfully participate in a fictional cultural festival inside my head. The high school I attended didn't have cultural festivals, so to this day, I still don't know what human-powered roller coasters or teacup rides actually look like. Can students really build such amazing things...? (Gulp)

Finally, the acknowledgments.

To my managing editor, the illustrator Muninshiki-sensei, and Mikawa Ghost-sensei who wrote the recommendation comment—thank you all so very much.

I also want to extend a massive thank you to Ota-san, the osteopath who taught me about Kusanagi and gyarus, and to my junior, a former idol, who taught me about the idol industry.

Even though she looked exasperated and said, "Idols don't go out jogging, you're too naive..." I wanted to see a hardworking, athletic Fuka no matter what, so I bit the bullet and wrote it anyway. Because it's jogging, after all.

And then, to you, who chose this book, I offer a super-sized portion of gratitude and love.

I want to release volume three! I really want to!

Please continue to support "Gimairu".

September 2025

Harunadon

TL Notes: Well the next volume is going to release on 9th may 2026 i think, idk if i'm going to translate the next volume or not, depends on my free time i guess, and it seems there's another group that wants to translate this series, so i think it's fine to leave it to them. i like this novel and i want lots of people to read it, and when they like it, i hope they're going to support the author by buying the book, so if other people wants to continue translating it, then i'm fine with it. 

Well if i'm in the mood i guess i'll translating it too.  

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