Somewhat embarrassed, Nanako returned the manuscript to Lin Yu, a faint gleam of excitement in her eyes.
"Lin-kun, this is such an amazing story. I really think if it gets published, a lot of people will love it!"
"You flatter me, Miss Ōhara. I was actually planning to submit it soon and try my luck."
"If you're planning to submit it, which publisher are you aiming for? Maybe I can help a little," Nanako offered, a hopeful smile playing on her lips.
Lin Yu's eyes lit up slightly.
Compared to simply mailing in a manuscript, if he could personally pitch it to an editor, it would certainly increase his chances. He had absolute faith in Inuyasha—its premise alone should be enough to catch any publisher's interest.
"My top choice, of course, is Yūei-sha. Does Miss Ōhara have any connections in the industry?"
Yūei-sha.
One of the biggest publishing houses in Japan, known for producing a wide range of manga magazines targeting younger audiences.
Its most famous publication? The industry-defining Weekly Shōnen JUMP, which boasted the highest circulation among serialized manga magazines.
Generally, any manga that managed to get picked up by Yūei-sha—even if it wasn't featured in Shōnen JUMP—was already guaranteed solid exposure and earnings. But if it did make it into JUMP… well, then the sky was the limit.
To say Yūei-sha was the gold standard of manga publishing in Japan would be no exaggeration—it was a veritable giant.
Upon hearing the name, Nanako's bright eyes curved like crescent moons, her gentle smile tinged with a playful air.
"Oops, I forgot to mention—I don't just work part-time at the sushi shop. I'm also a part-time intern editor at Yūei-sha."
"If you'd like, Lin-kun, I can introduce you to someone."
Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the smiling girl before him.
He'd only been looking for a part-time job to scrape by—and somehow, he'd lucked into meeting someone from Yūei-sha. Even if she was just an intern, that was more than enough for him.
With a proper introduction, he was confident—Inuyasha would definitely get signed!
"Miss Ōhara, thank you so much. I really appreciate it."
"No need to be so formal. Just call me Nanako! Who knows, in a few weeks I might be calling you 'Aomatsu-sensei.'"
"Your work is honestly stunning. Even though it's only one chapter, it's full of promise. As an editor, I can't stand the thought of something this good going unnoticed."
Nanako smiled warmly. From an editor's perspective, she was right.
Editors were like talent scouts. Mangaka were the rare steeds—they just needed someone to recognize their worth.
"If you're free tomorrow, why don't I take you to our editorial department? What do you say?"
"I'd love to. Thank you, Nanako."
"Don't mention it. It's really no big deal."
Just then, the doorbell jingled as a new customer entered the shop.
Unbeknownst to them, it was already noon—and time to get back to work.
"Alright, then it's settled. Tomorrow at 2 PM, I'll take you to Yūei-sha. Time to get busy!"
Watching Nanako walk off to greet the customer, Lin Yu couldn't help but smile. He quickly packed up his drawing tools and original pages, switching back into work mode.
Until things were set in stone, he couldn't afford to slack off. He still needed this job to survive.
But after everything that had happened, Lin Yu's mood was sky-high.
Maybe it was all psychological, but even yesterday's endless grind felt a lot lighter today.
The next day.
In the morning, both Lin Yu and Nanako reported to their part-time jobs at the sushi shop as usual.
They'd agreed to visit Yūei-sha in the lull between lunch and dinner, when the shop was less crowded.
With that excitement building in his chest, the day passed faster than he expected.
In what felt like the blink of an eye, it was already afternoon.
As promised, after clearing things with the manager, the two of them prepared to leave.
Though… the manager's reaction made things a bit awkward.
When they asked for leave, the shop owner gave Lin Yu a long, evaluating look. And just before they left, he even patted Lin Yu on the shoulder and whispered a well-meaning warning:
"Nanako's a good girl. Don't you dare break her heart."
…A beautiful misunderstanding had just been born.
Lin Yu tried to explain that it wasn't what the boss thought, but the man just shoved him out the door with a grin and a "Don't keep the lady waiting!"
All Lin Yu could do was sigh helplessly.
But soon, his focus shifted entirely to their trip to Yūei-sha.
Romance? Feelings?
He had no time for that nonsense!
Women would only slow down his drawing speed!
Well… truth be told, Lin Yu was just too broke for that kind of thing.
One step at a time. One dream at a time.
Yūei-sha's headquarters were in Tokyo—not too far from Haruorebu, where Lin Yu lived. Just over an hour's train ride.
As they walked, Lin Yu used the opportunity to ask Nanako more about the company.
While he had a decent understanding thanks to the memories of his original body, having someone on the inside was always better.
After all, he was about to face real editors. Knowing the lay of the land was essential.
Especially since, in his previous life, he had zero experience with this industry.
"Nanako, is there anything I should watch out for when we get there?"
"Nothing major," Nanako replied thoughtfully. "The editors are all really nice. Just focus on presenting your story—highlight the core themes and plot direction."
"With the quality of your manuscript, Lin-kun, I really don't think you'll have any trouble. You've got this!"
She spoke with genuine reassurance, her eyes fixed on his with encouraging seriousness.
"I've been an intern editor for a while now, and your work stands out. It's really something special."
Lin Yu gratefully accepted her kind words.
And during their conversation, he also learned why Nanako had taken up a second part-time job at Yūei-sha's editorial department.
She looked a little sheepish when she explained—her father was actually a famous best-selling author.
In theory, with her family background, Nanako didn't need to worry about money at all.
But despite still being a university student, she had no intention of coasting on her privilege. Instead, she'd taken a part-time job at the sushi shop and another at Yūei-sha as an intern editor.
It might just be a lowly internship, but in an age where layoffs were happening left and right, even that was a position many would envy.