He had already roughly guessed the reason for her call.
When he had breakfast this morning, his Old Man had already briefed him on the general situation: the contract was finalized, and the copyright remained in his hands.
He also mentioned a surprise for him, which he would learn about later.
"Shouko-sensei, do you have time this afternoon?"
"Is it about the signing?" Tsuna asked, ignoring the gazes of the students passing by in the corridor.
"Shouko-sensei, you already know? But yes, that's right. Then, Shouko-sensei, do you have time at five o'clock this afternoon?"
Tsuna paused upon hearing this. The timing was perfect. At five o'clock, he and Shouko could stay at the Art Club until 4:30 PM before leaving.
"Yes, then shall we meet at the coffee shop from yesterday?"
"Mhm, mhm."
The two exchanged a few pleasantries until Shouko returned with her bento and hung up the phone.
Returning to his seat, under her curious gaze, Tsuna briefly explained a few things. She understood, but the three people next to them were still completely confused.
Shouko also explained briefly but didn't mention the book title.
"What? Really?" Ajitani stopped chewing her food.
Takagi was surprised for a moment, but quickly returned to her usual expression.
Nishikata paused as he tore open a packaging bag. "What's the book called? How come Miyamura, you never mentioned it?"
In the past three years, they hadn't heard him mention this matter even once. Not a single hint had been dropped. This was truly a big surprise for the three of them.
"It's true, but it's not confirmed yet. After all, it hasn't been signed." Tsuna couldn't stand their burning gazes and quickly nodded.
As for the book title Nishikata mentioned, he chose to selectively change the subject. Most of what he had written in the past three years were 'healing-type' light novels, and he was afraid of being 'irl'd' by the three of them.
Mainly, he was also too embarrassed to fight back.
Moreover, over the past ten-plus years, based on his observations of light novels in Japan, most light novels in this world have happy, complete endings.
Another point was that they were terrible...
There was nothing good to read at all. They couldn't compare to those from his previous life. Even the action kamen he watched in Kindergarten hadn't ended yet, and there was nothing that could replace it.
And as early as the third grade, he was certain he hadn't transmigrated into the Japan of his previous life.
The rest of the questions from the three of them were handled by Shouko while Tsuna quietly ate his bento.
By the end of the lunch break and with the class bell ringing, Nishikata and Ajitani still couldn't quite believe it.
The two had also tried writing light novels before, sitting in front of the computer with their minds completely blank. The inspirations that flashed during class would vanish as soon as they got in front of the computer.
The March wind, carrying the lingering chill, broke into warm particles with the bell at half-past three in the afternoon.
The early-blooming Kawazu cherry trees were startled by the students leaving school. The metallic sound of schoolbag zippers flapping scared away the sparrows trying out their voices on the branches.
The fluttering hems of baseball club boys' uniforms brushed past the flower shadows. Girls walked side by side over the melted residual snow under the eaves of the corridor, the cuffs of their socks stained with fine dust from the gym floor. The smell of burnt cookies from home economics class still clung to their apron pockets.
"See you tomorrow, you two."
"Bye bye."
"See you tomorrow."
After saying goodbye to Tsuna and Shouko, the three walked out of the classroom side by side. Tsuna and Shouko, after cleaning up the classroom, also headed straight for the Art Club.
After greeting Teacher Fujiro, who had a bulging belly, they went straight back to their seats and continued painting.
When the two graduate in mid-March, Teacher Fujiro will also start her maternity leave. Shouko said she would visit her then.
Teacher Fujiro also warmly welcomed this; she had grown very fond of Shouko over the past two and a half years.
Until Tsuna's alarm rang, the two briefly explained that they had something to do and left the Art Club early. They headed straight for the coffee shop from yesterday.
---
"Ding dong..."
Tsuna pushed open the door, and the copper bell chimed softly. The familiar scent of deeply roasted coffee beans and the dry smell of cedarwood from yesterday greeted him.
Since today was Monday, there were far fewer customers in the coffee shop than yesterday, only one or two tables. Tsuna immediately spotted Jun in the same spot as last night.
As the two approached, Jun's gaze constantly moved between them, and she noticed their clasped hands. Thinking about being single until now, she suddenly felt that the juice didn't seem so sweet anymore—actually, a little bitter.
"Shouko-sensei, I didn't know you were coming with someone, so I only ordered one drink. I'm sorry."
Jun quickly apologized after the waiter brought the drink and placed it in front of Tsuna.
"It's okay, I didn't say anything in advance." Tsuna waved his hand, pushing the strawberry juice towards Shouko. "Shall we start signing the contract directly?"
"No need, no need. Your guardian from last night, President Miyamura, already signed it for you..."
When she mentioned Daisuke, her tone softened a bit.
She couldn't have imagined it, couldn't have imagined it at all. She had been sad for a long time after returning home last night, because the contract for the novel she was so optimistic about had fallen through.
She even specifically ordered a large amount of desserts to comfort herself, but didn't expect the surprise to come so early.
Early this morning, as soon as she arrived at the publishing house, her Dad called her into his office and praised her profusely, making her think her Dad had developed early-onset Alzheimer's.
After he briefly explained the reason, she couldn't believe whether her Dad was talking in his sleep. Do children from wealthy families play like this now?
He didn't want to take over a perfectly good office, and instead wanted to write light novels...
President Fūno: I want to say that back to you too!
But none of that was important. What mattered was that Shouko-sensei was still signed under her name, and she could see Shouko-sensei's work firsthand!
She instantly pushed the chaotic thoughts aside and continued to explain:
"Today is just to briefly tell you about the process going forward. After this, we should communicate via 'LINE'."
"Okay." Tsuna nodded. His phone was at home, so he could only add the other party as a friend after he got back.
Meanwhile, Shouko quietly sipped her juice beside them, not disturbing their conversation.
"Shouko-sensei, how much of this light novel have you written?"
"To be honest, I've already finished it."
"!!!" Jun was surprised. So he wasn't being truthful from the beginning yesterday...
But she still wasn't sure if the other party was boasting...
"Shouko-sensei, can it be divided into two volumes, upper and lower? We can publish the upper volume as a physical book directly for you, without needing to upload it to Futaba Bunko."
Fūno Jun tried hard to recall what her Dad had told her this morning:
"As for the lower volume, we'll look at the physical sales of the upper volume. If it passes, we will also publish the lower volume as a physical book."
"Hmm..." Tsuna pretended to hesitate for a moment, then nodded, "Okay."
So the surprise his Old Man mentioned was this...
"!" Jun suppressed the excitement in her heart upon hearing this, trying her best to control the calmness of her tone and the corners of her mouth that wanted to curl upwards:
"Then please send me the divided upper volume tonight, and I'll help you check it."
"Mhm mhm, no problem." Tsuna nodded, then quickly asked, "Then how are the royalties divided?"