Naoto: They'll regret laughing, won't they? Heh, they'll sooo regret it.
BlazePhoenix_7
They'll regret laughing, won't they? Heh, they'll sooo regret it. We stopped reading comments because of the time skip, but someone called us by our username, so we can read their comment now. Let's see, Naoto... ah, here it is!
Hah? Whaaat's with all the stares, ain't never seen a half-naked hero before? Hehe, gotta love the shock value!
BlazePhoenix_7
47
47?! What's up with that weird number? Is there some secret code hidden in there? Gotta crack this mystery!
BlazePhoenix_7
The second season aired in Japan starting July 3, 2022, and ended on March 26, 2023, which is exactly 47 days. "The Future" might be referring to the game show that the two hosts used to work for as writers.
Wait a minute... That host looks awfully familiar! Don't tell me he's the same guy from that game show!
BlazePhoenix_7
No way! He's not the host, he's an author. He wrote several episodes in the future. Oh, and he was also Shuji's ex-boyfriend.
Ooh, an author huh? Looks like we got ourselves a brainy one! Guess we better keep him around for now. And hey, if he's Shuji's ex, maybe we can use him for some personal gain... Hahahahahaha! But seriously though, this guy's got skills. Think we can trust him?
BlazePhoenix_7
Yeah, mostly. He was also Kenma's senior in middle school, which is how he knew about the abuse.
Huh, so he's got history with both Shuji AND Kenma? Interesting... Guess we'll have to dig a little deeper then.
BlazePhoenix_7
Also, "The Present" refers to the web series that the hosts originally uploaded to YouTube. It consisted of 47 episodes.
So they've got some serious history together, huh? Makes sense why they work so well as a team. Maybe they're hiding something big...
BlazePhoenix_7
Naoto and Shuji's intimate details.
Huh? What do you mean by "intimate details"? Are they trying to keep secrets from us?
BlazePhoenix_7
Yeah, that's what I'm getting at.
Huh... Sounds like we've got ourselves a conspiracy on our hands! Time to dig up some dirt, wouldn't you say?
BlazePhoenix_7
You guys wanna know how I know about Naoto and Shuji? It's because I know who wrote the script for "The Future" - Akiko Nishimura.
Whoa, hold up! Akiko Nishimura? That name sounds familiar... Hold on, let me think for a sec... Ah! That's right! She's that kid from class who always had the coolest gadgets!
BlazePhoenix_7
I mean, yeah, she does, but her creations are much more interesting. Anyway, back to the point - Akiko knew Naoto because she was her student council vice president, and Shuji was her student council president.
Wait a minute... This gets even more interesting! So Akiko's got connections to BOTH Shuji AND Naoto? Maybe there's more to this than meets the eye...
BlazePhoenix_7
...And guess what?
Huh? What now? Did you find some juicy secret about our favorite characters? Don't leave us hanging, spill it!
BlazePhoenix_7
Akiko was the one who uploaded "The Present" to YouTube.
What?! Akiko uploaded "The Present"?! Why would she do that? Does she have some kind of ulterior motive?
BlazePhoenix_7
Probably. Anyway, now that I've explained myself, you guys can stop crowding around me. T-T
Huh... So Akiko was behind the whole thing. But why? What's her game? We need to find out, but first, let's take a closer look at our main characters. Maybe there's something we've missed.
BlazePhoenix_7
You know, now that I think about it, "The Present" kinda mirrors how things were between Shuji and Naoto back in high school...
Huh... You think so? Well, let's take a trip down memory lane then! Tell me, what exactly happened between Shuji and Naoto back in high school?
BlazePhoenix_7
I don't know much about it, but one thing I do know is that it involves Ikuto.
Ikuto? Who's that? And how does he fit into the equation?
BlazePhoenix_7
See, Akiko's script for "The Future" involved Ikuto as a character, which Shuji hated.
Wait, hold on... Shuji hated Ikuto? Why? What did Ikuto do to piss him off?
BlazePhoenix_7
Apparently, it had something to do with Shuji's past... But anyway, Akiko's script involved Ikuto, which made Shuji angry, and thus he probably hated "The Future".
So Shuji hated Ikuto, and Akiko decided to involve him in her script... What a tangled web we're getting ourselves into!
BlazePhoenix_7
Exactly!
This is getting crazier by the minute! So let's break it down: Shuji hates Ikuto, Akiko writes a script involving Ikuto, and Shuji's mad about it. But wait...
BlazePhoenix_7
There's more...
Wait a minute, I've got a wild theory here... What if Shuji's hatred of Ikuto is what drives him to protect Naoto in the present day? Maybe he's trying to prevent history from repeating itself!
BlazePhoenix_7
Well, I don't know about that, but it's definitely a possibility.
Huh... So Shuji's motivation might be driven by his past grievances with Ikuto... This just gets more and more interesting!