Chapter 5: Ch 5 - They Took It From Me
Keita sat in his cramped apartment, the brown envelope resting unopened on the desk before him. The manuscript he had poured his broken soul into—the NTR story he had once sworn he would never create—was now a symbol of his defeat. For days he'd been waiting for any sign from the publisher, any glimmer of hope that his desperate gamble might pay off. Yet the silence was suffocating.
Then the call came.
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"Keita Sumeragi?" The voice was unfamiliar, but the tone carried the cold efficiency of the publishing world.
"Yes," he answered, voice trembling.
"This is Mr. Mori from Haruka Publishing."
Keita's heart jumped. At last.
"We've reviewed your manuscript."
Keita held his breath.
"It's well written. The story's pacing, the artwork... it's impressive."
A faint flicker of relief warmed his chest.