Having a formal club activity room made a world of difference. Hikigaya Hachiman felt much more at ease during the two hours after school, no longer having to type in a public place like the library with the constant fear of being disturbed.
"Thank you so much, Yukinoshita. Otherwise, I really don't know how I would spend my afternoons on school days. Thank you," Hachiman said one day in the second week of school, looking up from his laptop at Yukino, who was pouring him tea.
"What's wrong with you? Do you have a fever?" After pouring the tea, Yukino placed her soft, white hand on Hachiman's forehead to check if he was okay.
"...I'm just saying, this is a genuine feeling that suddenly burst out," Hachiman explained, feeling frustrated that his sincerity wasn't being understood. He didn't push her hand away. "You can imagine a child suddenly telling his hard-working mother 'I love you' one day. It's probably that same feeling."
"Hmph. You're being humorous, Hikigaya-kun, by making me imagine saying 'I love you' to my mother," Yukino said, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly as she held her teacup.
"Oh, forget it. Anyway, it would be great if you could just feel my gratitude. Do you want to read the third chapter of The Newcomer? I just finished it," Hachiman asked, pointing to his laptop.
The first volume of The Newcomer was set to officially begin its serialization tomorrow, and the second volume had already been handed over to the magazine. Naturally, the two Yukinoshita sisters had already read the first two volumes in advance and given them high praise.
"Is my gratitude not felt already?" Yukino came directly to the computer and sat down. "From now on, you'll have to find more practical things like this to express your gratitude to me, Hikigaya-kun." She then began to read the fresh manuscript.
Ever since Yukino had returned to Japan, she had never read Hachiman's novels through formal channels like magazines or single volumes. Instead, she only read his newly saved text documents or the hot-off-the-printer manuscripts. Only reading such fresh, unpublished work could bring her a true sense of satisfaction.
After evaluating the first two chapters of The Newcomer, Sakuraba Publishing House quickly concluded that the book would become a hit social mystery novel. It might not be as explosive as Confessions due to its more family-oriented narrative, but this kind of heartwarming story was guaranteed to attract readers.
"Mr. Hachiman, this novel will definitely be very popular," Naho Imamura said, unable to contain her excitement during a discussion. "I believe that after the first chapter is serialized, people from NHK will be coming to you to discuss an adaptation." She had a feeling All Readings was about to serialize another massive hit.
"In fact, I wrote it in a way that would be convenient for a TV series adaptation," Hachiman explained. It was necessary to let his editor in on this. "The story of Detective Kaga must be made into a series. After the serialization of The Newcomer is finished, I'll write some scripts for the Kaga series and send them directly to NHK for filming, instead of serializing them in magazines."
"Oh, that's a shame. The popularity of this series will definitely reach its peak after The Newcomer." She paused, a thought suddenly striking her. "Wait, how much did NHK pay you to write a script?"
"Well, we haven't signed a formal contract yet, so that's a business secret," Hachiman said in a mysterious tone, motioning for her to come closer. "But since you asked, Editor Imamura, I can tell you in secret."
Imamura felt a little embarrassed, as if she were taking advantage of him, but her curiosity won out and she leaned her ear closer.
"Six... million!"
Imamura almost screamed.
"Hush, keep your voice down!" Hachiman whispered anxiously. "If anyone hears this, I won't get the money!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Hachiman," she said, composing herself. "Well, I didn't expect NHK to be so generous. They're really trying their best for the ratings. But it's understandable when you think about it. Your Malice got such high ratings even when it wasn't broadcast in prime time. The name 'Hachiman' alone is worth five million yen per episode."
She continued with some admiration, "The current top-tier TV actors in the industry only make a little over one million yen per episode, which is far ahead of the rest. Many ordinary actors only get a few hundred thousand. You're starting at six million, and there's still plenty of room for growth."
Screenwriters hold a very high status in Japanese drama crews, especially someone like Hikigaya Hachiman, who could not only provide excellent scripts but also guarantee the ratings. NHK's TV drama production department had once said: "In the future, no one will be indispensable in the crew except Mr. Hachiman, and no cost can be increased except Mr. Hachiman's salary. The name 'Hachiman' alone can guarantee at least ten points in the ratings."
It could be said that six million yen per episode was just the beginning. The Furuhata Ninzaburo series he was about to write for NHK had been a ratings miracle in the past, with average ratings for its later seasons and special episodes all above 25 percent (in prime time, 10 percent is acceptable, and above 15 percent is considered a high rating). With the added boost of Hachiman's fame in this life, the first season was sure to gain extremely high popularity. When it came time to renew for a second season, NHK would take the initiative to increase his salary without him even having to ask.
"NHK is investing in the future," Hachiman said with a smile. "They're willing to believe in my ability, so they offered me this price directly. It's the same reason Sakuraba offered me the highest royalty rate when I published my first book. The difference is, the royalty rate in the industry has an upper limit, while the salary for screenwriters has no limit."
Moreover, after the TV series aired, he only needed to make slight changes to the script and could then publish it as a book to coincide with the broadcast, which would be another considerable source of income.
"Alas, it's a pity our publishing house can only offer you five hundred thousand yen a month," Naho Imamura said, discussing a dilemma facing literary magazines today. "In fact, it's not just you, Mr. Hachiman. Many writers now prefer to write scripts directly for film and television. There are fewer and fewer writers willing to serialize in magazines." There was nothing she could do about it.
"Don't worry, Editor Imamura," he said, his voice firm. "I'll say it again: as long as you stay at All Readings, I will continue to contribute to this magazine without interruption."
"Hikigaya-kun..."
Naho Imamura was speechless. Then, she did something she had never dared to do before—she hugged him.
"Ahem... that's not necessary, Editor Imamura," Hikigaya Hachiman gasped, feeling as if he were being strangled to the point of being unable to breathe.
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