"Yukino, turnip..."
"Yukino, tissue..."
"Yukino, you idiot!"
On his day off the next day, Tsushima Kagami was playing a game with the kitten, Little Yukino.
Yukinoshita Shizuku, who was standing on the balcony hanging freshly washed laundry, spoke to Tsushima Kagami nearby. "Stop playing around. Editor Kobayashi called just now and said he'd be coming over in a bit to discuss the novel's publication."
"Then what should I do now?"
"Go change your clothes."
"I think I look fine as is."
"Editor Kobayashi is a major Editor-in-Chief at Shinchosha. It would be too rude not to be formal when he's visiting personally."
"Fine, fine."
After speaking, Tsushima Kagami walked into his room and took out a suit that was formal enough but not overly stiff—it was likely prepared for the entrance ceremony.
After changing, Tsushima Kagami walked out of the room and saw that Yukinoshita Shizuku was already preparing the arrangement to welcome the guest.
A short while later, the doorbell rang.
Tsushima Kagami walked to the entryway and opened the door.
Standing outside was a refined middle-aged man with a scholarly air, wearing a trench coat. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, his hair was combed meticulously, and he had large dark circles under his eyes and a weary gaze that didn't quite match his elegant temperament.
It seems being an editor isn't easy these days. Even a senior Editor-in-Chief has to stay up late reviewing manuscripts? That's really tough.
"Hello, is this the Yukinoshita residence? I am Shinchosha's Kobayashi Tomoaki."
"Yes, please come in."
"Excuse me for the intrusion."
After Kobayashi Tomoaki changed into the slippers Yukinoshita Shizuku had laid out beforehand, he bowed once more and followed Tsushima Kagami into the living room.
Yukinoshita Shizuku had already set out small snacks on the coffee table. Seeing Tsushima Kagami and Kobayashi Tomoaki enter, she also bowed.
"Kobayashi-san, please sit here. I'll go brew some tea for you."
Kobayashi Tomoaki thanked her again, looked around the room, and finally let his gaze land on the handsome youth beside him.
"May I ask if the submitter, Yukinoshita-san, is home?"
"Please sit first. I am him."
Kobayashi Tomoaki, who was just about to sit down, shifted from a gentle smile to an expression of astonishment. His bottom, which hadn't yet touched the sofa, immediately lifted as he stood back up.
"You are Yukinoshita-san? How old are you?"
"It is me. Seventeen. A second-year high school student this year."
Kobayashi Tomoaki looked in disbelief at Yukinoshita Shizuku, who was brewing tea nearby, seemingly seeking confirmation.
Yukinoshita Shizuku smiled gently and nodded, then handed the tea to Kobayashi Tomoaki's hand.
"That was truly rude of me. I didn't expect such an article to be submitted by a high school student."
"Don't blame yourself. Please, drink some tea first."
After this was said, Kobayashi Tomoaki finally sat down. He picked up the hot tea and took a gentle sip.
It was green tea.
His eyes lit up immediately. Although he was accustomed to drinking jasmine tea—which sat at the bottom of the tea hierarchy—over the years, whether through dealings with subordinates, colleagues, or big shots, he had learned to distinguish between good and bad, cheap and expensive tea.
This must be the best batch of green tea imported from the University of Tokyo. The price certainly wouldn't be cheap.
Kobayashi Tomoaki observed the room again.
That makes sense. An apartment in a location like this isn't something an ordinary person could afford to live in.
He then smiled, put down the teacup, and looked at Tsushima Kagami. "May I ask what the 'Triangle Zone' refers to?"
Tsushima Kagami immediately understood the meaning and replied with a smile, "It refers to the house back in Chiba Prefecture."
Kobayashi Tomoaki nodded and asked again, "Then what about the strike?"
After all, the strike mentioned in the article was likely the National Railway strike of the 1970s, which didn't match the boy's age, so he had to ask clearly to verify if it truly came from his pen.
"That was a past event told to me by the elders in my family."
Tsushima Kagami used an excuse he had prepared long ago.
"I see."
"Then I won't disturb you too much longer; let's get directly to the main topic."
Saying this, Kobayashi Tomoaki took the briefcase from his side and placed it on his lap, then retrieved a sheet of paper and an envelope from inside.
"Yukinoshita-san, we have decided to publish your piece, 'Cheesecake', in the monthly Shincho. This is the explanatory clause, and this is the manuscript fee."
Tsushima Kagami took the envelope and the paper, then began to look them over.
In Japan, if one submits a serialization to a magazine or newspaper, the manuscript fee is not calculated by 'how much money per thousand words,' but rather by 'how much money per sheet of manuscript paper.'
A sheet of manuscript paper holds about 20 words per line, so one sheet, discounting punctuation and line breaks, is roughly 300 to 350 words.
Generally speaking, the manuscript fee for one sheet is about 4,000 to 6,000 yen.
"Cheesecake" was a short story of over 2,100 words. Even calculating at 300 words per sheet, that would be 7 sheets. The fee would likely be between 28,000 and 42,000 yen.
It didn't seem like much money, but currently in Tokyo, the minimum hourly wage for jobs like convenience stores was generally around 900 yen. Tsushima Kagami had earned the equivalent of 30 to 50 hours of most people's wages in Tokyo just by moving his pen for two hours.
He still had many short, medium, and long novels in his mind to write. Once his reputation as an author was established, he wouldn't have to worry about other magazines and periodicals failing to request commissions. By then, the manuscript fees would only get higher.
In Japan, publishers generally wouldn't stop a new author who debuted with them from submitting to other monthly magazines at the same time. In fact, submitting to multiple places was the norm.
"Please count the manuscript fee amount."
"Then, excuse me."
Tsushima Kagami opened the envelope and counted from the exposed edge. There were a total of six Fukuzawa Yukichi bills.
"Kobayashi-san, is there a mistake?"
Tsushima Kagami looked at Kobayashi Tomoaki with confusion.
"Apologies, that is my fault. I forgot to tell you, Yukinoshita-san, that your manuscript fee was approved to be raised to 8,000 yen per sheet. If it reaches the taxable amount, we will also handle the tax payment for you, so there is no mistake."
"As for the extra 4,000 yen, consider it a small token of my appreciation. Since I came in a rush, I didn't prepare a gift, and your 'Cheesecake' also solved some of my personal troubles."
Kobayashi Tomoaki said with a smile while drinking his tea.
"So, if you have any new novels, please strictly submit them to our company, Yukinoshita-san."
Tsushima Kagami didn't curiously ask what troubles had been solved. He simply nodded with a smile and handed the envelope to Yukinoshita Shizuku.
"Naturally."
"Then please sign here to confirm receipt of the manuscript fee."
After Tsushima Kagami finished signing, Kobayashi Tomoaki smiled and stood up. "From now on, I'll have to address you as Yukinoshita-sensei."
"By the way, if Yukinoshita-sensei has any other works you wish to publish, I suggest you do so as soon as possible."
"We are about to select the recipients for this upcoming Newcomer Award. If you can write another work that is above the standard of 'Cheesecake', adding that to 'Cheesecake' itself... with my professional eye, I guarantee no one will be able to compete with you."
"At that time, you will be a truly recognized Pure Literature author."
"Then I will do it as soon as possible."
Looking at the boy's calm and confident appearance, Kobayashi Tomoaki asked curiously, "Could it be that Yukinoshita-sensei actually already has a completed draft?"
"Not for the time being, but I will write a new work as soon as possible."
Kobayashi Tomoaki nodded. "Then I won't disturb you any longer. Thank you for today's hospitality."
After saying this, he bowed, turned around, and walked to the entryway. Tsushima Kagami happened to spot a faint lipstick mark on Kobayashi Tomoaki's collar. Just as he wanted to remind him, Kobayashi Tomoaki patted his head and turned around to speak.
"Ah, right. Yukinoshita-sensei, you had best think of a pen name as soon as possible. Once you've decided, please notify me by phone tomorrow."
"I understand."
After speaking, Kobayashi Tomoaki waved goodbye with a smile.
Only after the door closed did he remember there was something he wanted to tell Kobayashi-san.
____
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