I won the Creative Award Shincho Bunko nex Award

My novel "Kigan Joju," which I submitted to the Romance Novel category of the 2023 Creative Awards, has won the Shincho Bunko nex Award. Thank you so much!

I registered for a note account specifically to enter the Creative Awards.
I have accounts on several novel posting sites, but they were either abandoned or just used for reading, so I had been thinking about organizing and reducing them, yet here I am, adding another one.

Personally, I don't think I'm suited for contests that involve reader voting.
Besides, I had just registered for note and had almost no followers.
Of course, since I was entering, I wanted to win.
However, since I heard that the Creative Awards also take "likes," view counts, and completion rates into account, I honestly didn't have any expectations.
I posted a few works just hoping that someone, anyone, might notice them.

To my surprise, I passed the preliminary screening. Only one work, but it remained.
And the number of likes per episode was in the double digits. Not even 20.
If that's the case, maybe the completion rate was good? Or perhaps "taking into account" was literally just one of many reference items? I still don't know.
In any case, I am very grateful.

Then, while I was having cake for my husband's birthday, I received the notification of the award.
Like in those nostalgic eye drop commercials, I thrust my right fist into the air and shouted, "It's hereeeee!!" My husband was terrified.

Immediately after, I thought, no, that can't be right, is this a phishing scam?
The preliminary screening results were public, so maybe they somehow got my contact info and were planning to fish for more detailed personal information?
When I looked up the sender's name, it seemed to be someone from note.
Wait, if I can find it, surely a bad actor could easily find a note employee's name and impersonate them?
I asked my husband, "The domain is note, so it's fine, right?" and he said there must be a way to spoof domains too. Oh no. I was trying to get some peace of mind, but now we were both paranoid.

Troubled, I sent a DM to a fellow writer I've been close with for years.
I asked, "If this is real, I'm supposed to keep it quiet, but I got this email—is it a scam?" They replied:

"There's no way that's a scam, lol."

And so, I was able to win the award safely.

Wait, wait, what am I even talking about?

As for the awards ceremony itself, I'll leave that for the article note will publish later.
But the reception party afterward, that's the thing.
Since people from the publishing industry and editors would be there, I was fired up, thinking, "Alright, I'm going to greet as many people as I can!" I even made extra business cards.

However, here's the thing.

The toast with drinks in hand was fine. But then came the "please feel free to mingle" part, and suddenly...

All alone.

Looking around the venue, everyone was mingling freely.

Uh... I can't get in...

A note staff member noticed me and came over to talk about their impressions of my winning work. Oh, I'm so happy...!
But once that ended, I was back to...

All alone.

Conversations were getting more and more lively everywhere.
I started thinking that no matter where I tried to join in now, I'd just be an intruder...

I really can't get in...

W-well, watching the scene at the venue is fun too, so I guess this is fine.
It's a feeling I haven't had since elementary school. Nostalgic.

Just then,
"Are you alone? I'm alone too, so if you'd like, let's be together."
Another award winner spoke to me, and we ended up exchanging business cards, grabbing food, and chatting by the wall. I am grateful.

Honestly, I had a fun conversation with this person, and just being able to watch the atmosphere of the venue was enough.
I wanted to give my business card to people in the publishing industry, but it couldn't be helped.
That's what I was thinking.

Even so, toward the end, I was able to spend time talking with other winners about our writing situations and taking commemorative photos.

At the closing, hearing the MC's words, I felt their passionate thoughts toward the note platform and the matching space that is the Creative Awards, and I teared up.

I felt that everyone here is doing different things, working hard in different ways, but they are all facing the same direction.

I don't know if the sun rises in that direction, or if fireworks go off, or what kind of scenery can be seen, but I felt it must be a beautiful view.

Feeling the wind carrying the scent of flowers that will surely bloom in their respective places, I also want to create a flower garden that is uniquely mine.

Starting with blooming a single flower.
I have received the seeds.

Thank you so much.
I will do my best.