Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi -

Panic prickled his skin. He had thrown that story away—literally tossed it into a trash bin outside the school library after his then-boyfriend, Masamune Takano, had broken his heart. How did it end up here? And why was it submitted to his department?

Worst of all, Takano kept lingering. He’d lean over Ritsu’s shoulder, whisper, “You really thought love was that hopeless, huh?” or “Page twelve—that crying scene. Were you thinking of me?”

Ritsu felt the floor drop. His teenage angst, his first love’s betrayal, his secret dreams of becoming a mangaka—all of it, now with a stranger’s ending.

Some manuscripts, he learned, never truly get rejected. Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi

“We’re rejecting it,” Ritsu said firmly.

“Interesting,” Takano said, holding the manuscript like a weapon. “Because this was submitted by a new talent. She claims she found it in a used bookshop’s free bin, thought it was ‘passionate but clumsy,’ and added her own ending. She wants us to publish it as a collaboration.”

It was his manuscript. From ten years ago. Panic prickled his skin

Before he could hide the evidence, his boss, the terrifyingly competent Takano himself, strolled over. “Onodera. What’s that?”

Here’s a short, interesting story inspired by the world of Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi — focusing on the themes of unexpected reunions, pride, and the chaos of working in publishing. The Manuscript He Couldn't Reject

Ritsu Onodera prided himself on one thing above all else: his professionalism. After transferring to the shoujo manga editorial department of Marukawa Publishing, he had sworn off personal feelings. No more nepotism allegations, no more emotional attachments. Just work. And why was it submitted to his department

Takano snatched it. His eyes scanned the first page. Then he laughed—a low, dangerous sound that made Ritsu’s soul leave his body.

That resolve shattered on a rainy Tuesday when a manuscript landed on his desk.