Chapter 91: Submission of Manuscript
Tojou Aya tightly clutched the document bag in her arms, containing her very own novel.
Having always been a diligent student with little social interaction, Aya was not particularly skilled at connecting with others. Writing novels became her escape, a cherished activity that allowed her to forget her worries amidst the pressures of school and life.
When interacting with others, Aya never shared her writing endeavors. Firstly, she considered herself an ordinary author, just like her appearance—nothing noteworthy to speak of. Secondly, she felt embarrassed about it.
However, today, after meeting a fellow aspiring novelist, she felt she could open up.
"Segawa-san, could you tell me what kind of novel you're writing? I'd really love to see it!" Aya sensed that Yuta was easy to get along with and didn't exhibit the less favorable tendencies that some other boys her age did.
Yuta glanced ahead as they approached their destination and said, "Sure, but you have to promise not to laugh at me or confuse me with the characters in my books. I'm just an amateur writer."
In his two stories, one featured a protagonist with an obsession for a specific aesthetic, while the other was a romantic lead in a love story.
"Okay! Thank you!" Aya resonated with his request, as her own fear of being mistaken for the protagonists in her stories kept her silent about her writing.
Feeling a sense of kinship, she appreciated Yuta's sensitivity. Just then, Yuta pulled over to the side of the road. "Alright, we've arrived. It seems like I can't park here, so I'll wait for you. Are you sure you can go up by yourself?"
"I'm fine! Thank you so much, Segawa-san!" Aya replied as she dismounted from the motorcycle. She walked in front of Yuta to express her gratitude once more.
Yuta didn't like formalities, so he directly said, "There's no need to be so polite, and you don't have to use honorifics. We're about the same age, after all."
"Okay, then I'll head up first. I can take a bus back when I'm done," Aya said, feeling a bit shy about continuing to trouble Yuta.
Yuta was still concerned about Aya being alone, shaking his head in reply. "I don't mind waiting a bit longer. Since I brought you here, let's go back together. Hurry up and go inside; is your foot okay? If not, I can help you carry your things."
"Thank you! I can manage on my own!" Aya didn't want to trouble Yuta further. After saying that, she walked toward the building.
Upon entering the building and taking the elevator to the editing office, Aya looked around but didn't see Sonoko at her desk.
"Excuse me, is Ms. Machida here?"
"She stepped out to deliver some materials, but she should be back soon. You might want to call her, or you can just leave the manuscript here."
Not seeing Sonoko, Aya stepped outside and used her phone to contact her, wanting to greet her personally before leaving the manuscript.
After all, it was something she had put her heart into writing. Aya felt uneasy about just dropping it off without saying anything.
If she wasn't in such a hurry, she would have preferred to hand it over personally.
"Hello, Ms. Machida, this is Tojou. I'm here now. How much longer until you return?" Aya used her pen name, Tojou, because she didn't believe anyone would connect her as a novelist with her real-life self.
Once Sonoko received the call, she quickly responded, "I'm on my way back! It'll only take me two minutes—I'll be there shortly!"
"Thank you very much." After hanging up, Aya felt relieved; two minutes shouldn't be too long.
Since Sonoko said two minutes, it certainly wouldn't stretch to half an hour like what others often claim.
At that moment, Sonoko was nearing the building. As she approached, she spotted someone waiting on a motorcycle, but since the person was wearing a helmet, she didn't look closely and continued walking.
In less than two minutes, she entered the office and smiled at Aya. "Thanks for waiting! I'll take the manuscript now."
"Okay, I'll take my leave then." After handing over the manuscript she had worked on for a month, Aya felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.
Sonoko initially planned to take a break, but noticing that Aya was walking a little strangely, she followed her outside.
"Tojou, did you twist your ankle?" Sonoko asked with concern as she walked over to Aya.
Aya smiled and shook her head. "No, I just bumped into something earlier, so it's a bit sore. I'll be fine after resting at home."
"Are you sure you can get back by yourself?" Sonoko asked, still a bit worried. "I can take you to the station."
"Thank you, but it's really not necessary. I came with a friend, and he still waiting downstairs. I appreciate your concern, but really, I'll be fine." Aya was very thankful for the editor's help; without it, her novel might have remained something only for her eyes and never published.
"Friend? Is it the one downstairs on the motorcycle?" Sonoko smiled and walked down with Aya. "So, you're a college student, right?"
"Yes, I am."
Tojou Aya felt a bit embarrassed when she thought of Utako Kasumi, a high school student who had already become a famous bestselling author. Utako was also an editor under Sonoko, but the two had hardly ever met.
Even though they shared the same editor, the authors didn't have to clock in at an office, so they mostly just knew of each other by name.
At that moment, Sonoko wasn't thinking about Utaha; she had someone else in mind.
"Aya, have you read August-sensei's 'Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World'?"
"No, I haven't." Aya was very busy writing her own novel and didn't have time for anything else.
"Well, you should give it a try… but…" Sonoko glanced at the boy sitting on the motorcycle ahead and felt that it might not be necessary to continue the conversation.
Yuta, watching Aya and Sonoko, initially thought that once Sonoko went inside, she wouldn't come back out. To his surprise, she came out shortly after he had taken off his helmet.
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