Becoming A Father Figure

Chapter 41: A Chance Encounter

Yuta knew that what he was selling wasn't just a plastic basin but more like a novelty item.

It was similar to how Hina chose the kids' meal at the restaurant because of the toy that came with it. When the value of the freebie exceeds the value of the meal itself, what people are actually buying is the freebie.

Yuta was confident that the charm of the dimwitted goddess would attract many people to buy the washbasins just because of the printed design.

Whether it was a washbasin or any other type of basin—even if people ended up using it as a rice bowl—it didn't matter; he wasn't worried about sales.

Although Yuta was a technician, he understood sales well and knew how to make a product more appealing.

These days, as long as there weren't major defects, advertising mattered more than quality.

Once Yuta confirmed the operation mode of the plastic basin factory and identified the main target market, he began planning his next steps.

Having a plan before starting any task was crucial for smooth progress and to minimize the impact of any unexpected issues.

Since the bricks at the construction site were used only when needed, Yuta sat idly by, waiting for the wall builders to use them.

At that moment, a somewhat familiar voice reached his ears.

"Segawa?"

Yuta turned around to see two women standing next to him.

One was Machida Sonoko, dressed in a black uniform, looking like she was out on business. Beside her was a long-haired girl in black stockings, with her arms crossed and a detached attitude.

"Oh, it's you, Miss Editor. I'm working here right now. Are you in the area for some business?" Yuta stood up and glanced around. This was a construction area, but the street was nearby.

Sonoko stared at Yuta in shock. While she knew Yuta was short on cash, she hadn't expected him to be working in such a place.

"Segawa, you're really working here?" Sonoko still couldn't believe it.

Yuta didn't feel embarrassed at all. He smiled and said, "Yes, moving bricks and getting some exercise. Once the manuscript payment comes through, I won't have to do this anymore."

Sonoko didn't know what else to say and awkwardly replied, "Well, we'll be going now. I think your work has potential. Once it's published, you should be able to live a bit more comfortably!"

Sonoko's expectations for Yuta weren't very high. Without a reader base or the popularity that comes from online serialization, a rushed publication usually means very few readers would even notice it.

It wasn't about the quality of the work; it was simply that no one knew about it.

Of course, their library staff would help promote it. Good books could gradually gain acceptance in the market, but the process could take weeks, months, or even years—or it might never happen.

Yuta glanced at the girl beside Sonoko, who seemed to be sizing him up as well. He gave a slight nod in acknowledgment and said, "Well, I need to get back to work. It's quite dirty and dangerous here, so be careful."

Yuta was wearing a hard hat, but Sonoko and the girl were not.

Soon, Sonoko and the girl left the construction site.

After they had walked away, Sonoko turned to the girl and said, "Uta-chan, look at that young man. He's such a good kid! But..."

Sonoko frowned and said with curiosity, "I think he looks more handsome now!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had a general liking for naturally charming guys, only slightly raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't matter. I don't think someone in that state could produce good work."

Sonoko agreed but added, "You can't say that. I remember there was a scene in his novel about working at a construction site, especially when he first arrived in the new world. It seems he had a real experience with that! Uta-chan, doesn't your romance novel have real experiences?"

Utaha huffed. She wouldn't admit that she had never been in a relationship herself, nor would she acknowledge that her stories were purely fictional.

Sonoko found this side of Utaha adorable, so she teased her, saying, "Uta-chan~ have you considered Yuta? You two are only two or three years apart, and both of you are authors under my care. Wouldn't that be perfect?"

"Instead of worrying about me, maybe you should focus on yourself!" Utaha was a beautiful girl, and unlike some people, she wasn't past her prime.

Certain people were certain people, like Sonoko, who realized that talking about such things didn't really suit her as a thirty-year-old single woman.

So, it was better to talk about something more relevant!

"Uta-chan, how's your new book coming along? If you don't release something soon, your popularity might start to fade." As she spoke, Sonoko thought of Yuta again. "I hope you don't end up like Yuta, who's only written one book!"

"I'm working on it!" Utaha replied, though in truth, she had no idea what to write next. It was driving her crazy!

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