coming here because obviously i have not stopped thinking about chapter 16 since reading it last night and realized i didn't even mention the pompompurin mug in my comment (bc this is when i was locked in and stopped writing all my thoughts down). back then i thought it was working on a psychological level but then that this chapter? god, it's both. it's both and i'm screaming into my pillow about it.
oh and by the way, i always think of ott when i see pompompurin and cinnamonroll next to each other in the store. which is frequent where i live lol. i think i once sent you a pic of their plushies from my main (something i never do) because i couldn't resist 😋
okay, that's all, ily bye!
- @massivelyanerd
Before I yap and yap and yap, you did indeed share your CinnaPom photo! I remember it vividly! Actually, I've received quite a lot of photos from readers who've bought CinnaPom merch because of Over the Threshold over the last two years, and it never ceases to amaze me. The thought of real people thinking of my story out there in the big wide world blows my mind. It makes me feel really connected to everyone and reminds me why sharing art matters, so thank you again. It means more than you know.
Talking of poor Pompompurin, let's discuss this little detail in chapter 16. To my knowledge, you are the first person to catch this, dear lennie, and it makes me very, very happy indeed ♥
Sometimes I question why I'm wasting my time bothering with such tiny details. I could write this story much faster if I wasn't so fastidious about these things, but I always end up persevering because I ultimately believe that even if readers don't consciously pick up on them, it'll feed into their subconscious enjoyment and absorption of the story. The shattered bottle and poor Suguru's forehead paint a picture of the kind of night he's had, even if people don't make the direct connection to Pompompurin in chapter 13.
(Speaking of, "Would he toss Suguru in favour of a new model too?" I think Satoru answered that question a thousand times over this chapter.)
I think the re-read value of Over the Threshold gets higher with every chapter, and I hope those few people who go back to read the whole thing in one sitting when they're done will see things they never noticed before. However, I'll still never know whether anyone notices most of these little callbacks to foreshadowing in earlier chapters and the references to canon that I agonise over. They're minor ornaments to the rich tapestry of the text; they're not supposed to stand out, but I trust that they're doing their job.
All that in mind, I cannot even begin to describe the joy I feel when someone not only notices them, but points them out to me! It's a throw my arms up in a cheer and run around the house moment! God, it means so much that you pay such close attention to something that I am well aware no one will ever care about as much as me. It means all my wanky artist moments were worth it!
Your comments are always rewarding in this way, and this one was no different. The airplane reference?! I cannot believe you 😭 I think my fics are probably extra enjoyable to people like you who recall moments from canon so readily. I'm really happy you felt the car scene evoked Yaga on the stairs with Satoru, and that you loved his dynamic with Ijichi. Those two relationships were so important to this chapter and they're very special to me in canon, too. This chapter in particular shares a real dialogue with the source material, and I'm so glad it was felt. Delighted to have a fellow nerd reading, hehe!
As a prize for your keen eye and memory, here's another little detail from chapter 5 that I just happened to be thinking about earlier today:
‘Careful what you wish for, Suguru.’ Satoru was grinning at him now, excitement dancing across every inch of his lovely face. ‘I’ve got a mean right hook.’ Despite the manicured hands and the unbroken nose and the delicate jewellery affixed to his ear, Suguru guessed that anyone who underestimated Satoru in a fight would probably pay for it dearly.
I published that all the way back in December 2023 after writing it with that moment from chapter 16 in mind. Even I'm impressed by my patience and restraint at this point.
Thank you so much for loving my story and handling it with such care, @massivelyanerd. So grateful to count you as a reader ♥