Eiji’s Novel
I immediately checked the notification.
There were many comments. The number of views was 40,000 in one day.
I was surprised and a little scared. I didn’t think what I had written was so bad that it would go viral. I immediately looked at the comments.
[I was a little confused with my feelings, even though it was a short story. But it was refreshing and really interesting. I’m looking forward to the next one.]
[I have read it three times now. A masterpiece that is interesting no matter how many times I read it.]
[Amazing. Perfection. Maybe the author is a professional writer under another name.]
[A novel that made me feel good and inspired me to do my best tomorrow.]
[I was depressed because I failed at work, but it all blew over. Looking forward to the book version.]
Most of the comments were filled with warm feedback. There were also a lot of really happy comments, pointing out some typos in my novel. I was so moved that my vision was moistened. I wrote this novel for the literature club, but I never thought it would reach so many people. …
A novel that was thrown away by the manager of the literary club. Thanks to Ichijo-san, I was able to get the manuscript back, and on her recommendation, I posted it on a website. …
I can’t think straight anymore. I think it was all thanks to Ichijo-san.
I ran to her when she came out of the back with my mother.
“Ichijo-san, look at this!”
I knew I had to tell her first. She’s the one who helped me a lot.
“Eh, what’s wrong? Oh, this is the novel from the other day, isn’t it? Eh, eh! 40,000 views? Amazing. The ranking is also in single digits!”
Even her usual calm was excited. It’s good that she noticed the ranking, which I had overlooked.
“It’s amazing! Eiji’s novels are so popular. Hey, Onii-chan, Minami-san, look!”
Mother tells everyone without really understanding it.
“Senpai, what is this message?”
I click on the red letter from the management.
It reads.
Dear Eiji Aono-san
This is Maruyomu, a website for novel submissions.
We have been contacted by XX Publishing about your work, and they would like to include it in an anthology of short stories that they will be publishing in the near future. They would also like to read other novels you have written if you have any.
Please reply to this message whether this is possible or not. If possible, we will contact the publisher.
For a moment, I didn’t quite understand what was written.
Ichijo-san was the first to open her mouth.
“Wow. I knew Senpai’s novel was interesting. So much so that publishers approached you!!!”
Inspired by her words, we all screamed with joy at the same time. A happy time that I will never forget has begun.
Manager’s PoV
Kondo-kun seems to have been caught by the police. I’m glad the SNS deletion went well in time. I know Eiji’s family probably filed a report because of the recent violent incident and the false rumors he posted on the Internet to humiliate him.
Thank God I cut my losses so quickly. I don’t want to be ruined by getting involved with that idiot. That’s the way it is, Eri and Amada can just go to hell.
All I have to do is enjoy watching from the safe zone. I could watch the best situation from the best place.
Then my phone rang. It was a junior member of the Literature Club.
“Senpai, we’re in trouble. Please check Maruyomu’s website. His novel, his novel…for some reason, it’s at the top of the ranking!!!”
“What are you talking about? Maruyomu, right? Wait a minute…eh!”
At the top of the ranking, I found the title of a novel that shouldn’t be there.
Because that manuscript was once in the club room, I threw it away. Was there a backup of the manuscript data? But first of all, there is no way he could have put a novel on the website… in that state of mind.
It must have been someone else’s. It must have been another story that happened to have a similar title. There’s no way that a junior would be recognized by the public before me. I don’t want that to happen.
A feeling of jealousy begins to swirl in my heart. Not believing that I was so close to realizing my hopeless inferiority, I opened the page of the novel. And I did not realize then that I had opened Pandora’s box of despair.