Chapter 2 - Interview

I had so much debt that even the thought of putting it on the back burner gave me a headache. But after my conversation with Carl, I had no choice.

Every month, I had to pay 80,000 yen for my two-room apartment with a bathroom. Adding water, electricity, and internet, my basic living expenses totaled 100,000 yen.

Since I cooked in my small kitchen, I spent an average of 20,000 yen a month on food. Transportation from my apartment to the university cost me another 10,000 yen.

Tuition was 70,000 yen — because it was a good university.

In total, I was spending around 200,000 yen per month.

If I worked a part-time night job to still have time to study and avoid being a disappointment to my family, I'd make somewhere between 120,000 and 150,000 yen. The exact amount depended on how many hours I could handle without burning out. Either way, I'd be in the red.

That's why, as indecent as the idea of the natural insemination group seemed at first, it didn't sound so bad when Carl mentioned that some people earned 100,000 yen per session.

And besides, there was another factor pulling me in.

Minutes earlier...

"Natural insemination? Dude, what are you talking about?" I asked, barely holding back laughter.

"I'm serious, Nishida! Infertility is a real problem for a lot of couples!"

"I know, I know... Okay, I'll stop laughing," I said, still with a smirk. "I mean, I know what natural insemination is, but don't people usually go for artificial methods? Why would they choose this instead?"

"Artificial insemination is expensive, time-consuming, and there's no guarantee it'll work on the first try. Plus, it's tough on women — especially In Vitro Fertilization."

"Oh~ sounds like you've really done your homework on this."

"I did some solid research before bringing this up to you, man. From what I found, couples pay up to 600,000 yen for a single IVF cycle. So for them, paying 100,000 yen for a similar chance of success is a much better deal."

"100,000?!"

"Not bad for getting paid to have sex, huh?" Carl joked.

That was when I started taking the conversation more seriously. Even for rich people, 100,000 yen was a lot.

"You also get to decide whether to accept an offer after meeting the woman. Most of these couples are desperate for help, so they're incredibly grateful. There's just one thing..."

"And what's that?" I asked.

"If you join the group, you'll need to fill out a form and upload it to the chat, so people know you're available as a donor."

"A form?"

"Yeah—height, weight, eye color, hair color, hobbies, medical history, academic background..."

"What? So basically a résumé for myself?"

"Exactly. It's your best shot at getting clients, my friend. No one wants to have a kid with someone who has a drug problem or is predisposed to Alzheimer's. But you worked hard in high school, so I don't think you need to worry about your health."

"I get that, but still..."

"If you're worried about having to send a picture of your face, don't be. That's not required. But just like you can turn down a session after meeting the woman, they can also reject you. It's all informal, but there are rules."

"Alright, Carl. I admit I need to think about it. Before deciding, I have an interview at an office nearby this afternoon. Let's talk after that."

"Whatever you say, man. Good luck!"

Later that afternoon...

As I told Carl I would, I left my apartment, walked three blocks, and arrived at a small accounting firm. What I didn't tell him, though, was that I didn't actually have an appointment. Still, if you want something, you have to go for it, right?

When I stepped inside, the receptionist was on the phone. She glanced at me but kept talking.

"Yes, girl, the service at that salon was terrible. Can you believe they didn't even clean my cuticles?" She stared at her pink nails, talking like a teenager despite clearly being over forty. "Anyway, do you remember Tanaka? Yeah, we talked for hours on the phone yesterday. Can you believe it? I think he likes me."

It was obvious she was pretending not to notice me. I cleared my throat to get her attention, and it worked — kind of.

She pulled her phone away from her ear, gave me a dull look, and asked, "Good afternoon. Who are you here to see?"

"I saw an ad for a junior sales assistant position, and I'd like to apply for an interview."

She frowned, blinking twice in disbelief. "Okay, just a second..." she said to me. Then, returning to her phone call, she added, "Girl, there's some guy here at the front desk. Hold on, I'll tell you the whole story later."

After hanging up, she finally focused on me.

"Did you bring a résumé?"

"Of course. Here it is." I handed her my CV, neatly tucked in a folder.

"Alright... Nishida Tsukuy, 18 years and 7 months... Wait, kid, you don't have any sales experience listed here."

"Actually, I worked as an attendant at a karaoke bar, where we had to sell drinks and special packages. I've also been a cashier and server at McDonuts."

With an almost pitying look, she nodded. "Sorry, but that's not the same as selling accounting services. Our clients make so much money they can't even keep track of it — that's why they hire us."

"It's not the same as selling karaoke packages, kid. And even if the bosses liked you and saw potential, the job listing clearly states that applicants must have a university degree or be studying Accounting, Business Administration, or Digital Business. None of that is on your résumé."

"If that's the only issue, I start college next week. Can I apply then, once I update my CV?"

"Kid, the hiring process ends this week. We've already had several applicants, and there are only two spots left..."

Basically, that meant, there are better-qualified candidates than you.

So, despite wearing my best suit and having plenty of experience that could be useful in business, I left that building without even making it past the reception desk. It wasn't surprising — it wasn't the first time this had happened to me.

On my way home, I checked the job ad again. The salary was 200,000 yen. Even with that, I'd barely cover my monthly expenses. And this was a job that required higher education. Things in Tokyo were worse than I thought.

At this rate, I'd have to spend my nights working full-time in factories or on construction sites, which would destroy my health.

Normally, that would be my only option.

But now, I had another.

[Nishida ><: Hey, Carl!

CarlZ: How'd the interview go, man?

Nishida ><: Can you add me to that group you mentioned?

CarlZ: Yeah! I'll talk to my colleague!]