[88] You should appreciate what you have

Yuigahama...

She had to be one of the two girls who had given Hachiman a lunchbox.

Utaha held onto that name in her mind as she continued to converse.

"Hachiman-kun was a tremendous help to me in my writing."

"Well, yeah, I suppose..."

As a fan of Sword Art Online, Shizuka knew how immensely popular this novel was. The ubiquitous advertisements were a testament to the book's sizzling success.

Shizuka propped her face up with one hand and rhythmically tapped the desk with the other. Her porcelain skin radiated beautifully under the lighting.

"As a light novel, this kid has certainly hit it big, I'd say."

Selling 200,000 copies per volume was no small feat. Hachiman had already raked in around 20 million yen, rivaling the annual profits of some small companies.

"In that case, I'll allow you to treat me today," Shizuka said with a chuckle, then ordered two more dishes from the owner.

"Hey, wait a minute, you're my teacher, right? Shouldn't you be treating me?"

Witnessing her attitude, Hachiman couldn't help but retort.

"Hahaha, when someone's as wealthy as you, it's everyone's duty to give them a friendly tap on the wallet," Shizuka laughed and patted his shoulder.

Upon hearing her words, Hachiman furrowed his brow.

"Speaking of money, I can't compete with you. That Aston Martin parked outside is quite the evidence," Hachiman mused.

Although he didn't particularly mind the pocket change, it did feel a bit odd for a teacher to have their students foot the bill.

Soon, the dishes ordered by the three were placed on their table by the owner. Shizuka poured a glass of sake, nibbled on an appetizer, then downed the sake in one gulp, releasing a satisfied sigh.

"Hah, Hachiman, your second and third volumes are hitting the shelves tomorrow. How are you feeling? Any confidence?"

Watching her drink so freely, Hachiman couldn't help but be entertained.

Indeed, she and Sonoko were best friends, and their drinking habits were eerily identical.

Upon hearing Shizuka's inquiry, Hachiman paused his meal and answered nonchalantly.

"I do have some confidence. It wouldn't be fair to Kadokawa's marketing efforts otherwise. For this combined edition of volumes two and three, I estimate the conservative sales to exceed 200,000 copies."

Hachiman stated this as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Seeing his unwavering confidence, Utaha couldn't help but envy him. She wondered when she'd achieve such sales herself. Despite her confidence in her own work, reality had dealt a harsh blow to the young writer.

As if he could read her thoughts, Hachiman smiled at her and reassured, "Don't worry, Utaha-senpai, your writing is excellent. Just put some effort into the plot, and the sales will definitely rise."

Hearing his comforting words, Utaha brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled.

"Then, if I ever have any plot-related questions in the future, I'll have to rely on you, Hachiman."

"Haha, of course, that's no problem at all. If I can assist Senpai, I won't hesitate," Hachiman chuckled.

Helping once is still helping, helping twice is still helping, and it might even earn him some favorability points. So, why not do it?

However, Shizuka looked at Utaha with curiosity.

Despite being known as a matchmaking saint, she was a woman herself, and as they say, women understand women best.

She couldn't help but sense that Utaha seemed to have other thoughts.

But then she remembered the rumors about the girl at school, and Shizuka shook her head.

After all, Utaha had the reputation of being the "Attainable Flower" at school and tended to look down on all the boys. How could she possibly be interested in someone like Hachiman?

While Hachiman was certainly above average in looks, he wasn't the type to be drop-dead handsome. Among the boys pursuing Utaha, there were undoubtedly more attractive options.

Perhaps she had overthought the situation.

Ignoring those uncertain thoughts, Shizuka turned her attention back to Hachiman. "Earning 20 million yen in royalties from selling 200,000 copies must feel pretty nice. How does it feel to be on your way to becoming wealthy?" She finished with a hearty laugh and gave his back a friendly pat.

"Cough, cough."

Startled by her sudden pat, Hachiman nearly choked on his drink. He took a sip of water and shook his head, displaying a hint of helplessness.

"What kind of rich person am I? I can't even afford to buy a decent house with the money I've earned."

Although Chiba's property prices weren't exorbitant, purchasing a nice home still required around 60 to 70 million yen, more than he currently had. Despite making around 10 million yen through his stock trading module, Hachiman knew he needed to amass more capital.

Observing his dissatisfaction, Shizuka and Utaha exchanged a resigned glance.

"Remember, an average company employee makes just over 200,000 yen a month. Even as a teacher, I earn less than 500,000 yen a month," Shizuka explained.

"Making this much in less than a month should be quite satisfactory for you," Utaha chimed in.

"You should appreciate what you have," they both said in unison.

While it was true that he earned more compared to an average company employee, Hachiman still felt far from his ultimate financial goal. His aspiration was to invest in several major companies, and to do that, he needed to amass at least hundreds of millions of US dollars, or over ten billion yen, to be taken seriously by those companies. He was still a long way from that figure.

Time passed, and soon, the three of them completed their dinner. As they exited the izakaya, Shizuka made her way toward her beloved car.

"Haha, now that we've had our fill, I'll be heading off," she said with a contented smile, having enjoyed a complimentary dinner.

However, just as Shizuka was about to step into her car, a hand intercepted her path.

"Shizuka-sensei, you've just had a drink; it's not safe to drive," Hachiman calmly remarked, gently taking the car keys from her hand.

"That's right, Hiratsuka-sensei, you've just had a drink; you should take a taxi," Utaha chimed in.

They were well aware of the severe consequences of drunk driving in Japan. It wasn't merely a traffic violation but also considered a criminal offense. Japan imposed stringent penalties for drunk driving, often resulting in five or more years of imprisonment along with substantial fines.

Furthermore, even passengers in the vehicle could face repercussions, and in extreme cases, the establishment that served the alcohol could also be held accountable.