Bokutachi no Remake Ver. β V2 Chapter 3 By: thai130898

The conference rooms in large offices are somehow unsettling. They are usually pure white rooms covered in large glass panels, with an unnecessarily large long table, and the heating and cooling either don't work or work too well; there is nothing that can be described as "just right."

I think these kinds of places are best left for the "yes, we've done it" type of meetings that value only formality and invite a large number of people.

However, my meetings with Kawagoe Kyouichi were always held in such a place. Inside the needlessly spacious conference room, the composition of me, Sakurai-san, and Kawagoe Kyouichi facing each other with a subtle distance between us continued.

(I'd be grateful for a place with a bit more proximity.)

But as long as the man himself doesn't say he dislikes it, it's difficult for us to propose changing the location. And so, the meetings have always been held in this conference room.

"Now, let's move on to the next page."

The screen projected from the tablet PC to the monitor via a cable displayed a string of text arranged in a table.

Surprisingly, a scenario had already been submitted by Kawagoe. In terms of volume, it wasn't that much, but the mere fact that the stalled progress had started moving was a very good thing for the Misukuro project as a whole.

And today, we were in the process of checking it with the author himself. While displaying the scenario on the screen, we checked off the items that needed correction. The checking process proceeded dispassionately, yet steadily.

"This is Character A's past episode 5. Here, the explanation at the beginning is a bit lacking, so I'd like you to add a word indicating the objective at the start. I think it would be fine to add it rather than changing the line itself. Next is episode 6, this one is──"

While explaining, my gaze constantly followed Kawagoe Kyouichi's movements.

His expression was as sullen as ever, but his eyes as he looked at the documents were completely serious, and there was no sign of him propping his elbows on the table or yawning.

(As expected, his presence is on another level.)

He didn't speak much, but he still occasionally asked appropriate questions regarding the progress. In a quiet, non-confrontational tone, it was frankly a very easy reaction to work with.

However, he never made any idle chat or jokes. He only said what was necessary, to the point where I wished he would crack a joke once in a while.

"Kawagoe-sensei, is he still angry after all?"

After the meeting, Sakurai-san, who had taken the minutes, immediately asked that question, which just shows how much the conversation had been strictly business.

After the meeting, we asked Kuroda. We told him this was how it was during the meeting and asked what he thought.

"Ah, you don't need to worry about it too much. Or rather, you don't need to worry about it at all."

He laughed heartily and repeated that we shouldn't worry.

"His grumpiness is a regular thing, and if anything, if you were able to talk properly about work, I think that means he's acknowledged you."

"You think so... I feel like I was on edge the whole time."

"It's because he acknowledges you. He's always like that when he works. Whether you're a friend or whatever, he pushes forward without compromise."

Hearing that, I felt a little relieved. If that attitude shows that he's serious about his work, then the actions I took weren't wrong.

"When you and him... interact, is it like that?"

When I asked, Kuroda tilted his head slightly.

"Hmm, I wonder. With me, he probably mixes in a few more jokes. He may not look it, but he loves teasing his peers."

"So he's the kind of person who does that."

From his demeanor, I could hardly imagine it.

"Kawagoe... ah, we call him by his real name, but Tsurayuki's friendship, or rather, his bond with his peers is incredibly strong."

"From the Osaka University of Arts, right?"

"Yeah," Kuroda nodded.

"That place was special, after all. Deep in the mountains, only in name in Osaka, but the facilities were complete, the teachers were interesting, and what's more, you could devote yourself to creation; it was a good place. Spending several years together, including those who dropped out halfway, there's just something... there."

I wondered if that's how it was. Honestly, I couldn't really feel it myself.

The university in Kansai that Hayakawa and I attended was, for better or worse, an ordinary university. The level was neither high nor low, and its fame and student numbers were well-known in Kansai but only so-so nationwide; there was nothing particularly noteworthy about it.

So, just because we spent time together didn't mean we had a special bond afterwards. My relationship with Hayakawa is particularly deep, but that's more from our extracurricular activities than our interactions at school; the school stuff wasn't that significant.

(Osaka University of Arts... huh.)

If, when I received that acceptance letter, I had gone to that university.

I would have been in the same class as Kuroda, Kawasegawa, and the members of the Platinum Generation.

I don't know if that would have been good or bad, but I'm sure there would have been something more than our current relationship.

"Well, he's not the type to discriminate strangely at work, so for someone like you, Hashiba, who desperately latches on, he'll probably stick with you to the end. Don't worry."

I nodded again at Kuroda's words.

It's no use bringing up stories of college past now. Time doesn't go back, and all you can say is that it was fate.

◇

"In the morning, right, when you're about to leave, you think, 'I want to eat foil-yaki today, so I'll buy some enoki mushrooms~,' right? And then, you go to work, and after you finish, you go to the supermarket, right? You look at the produce section, right? And then the shimeji mushrooms are cheap, and they look delicious, so you buy them without hesitation, right? You go home, right? And then you look at the shimeji you bought and you remember, 'Ah, enoki...' Don't you think human relationships are like that too, Kyouya-san?"

"It's Hashiba. I don't quite understand that story."

"Aww, that's mean, understand me."

"By the way, Ichikawa-san, are you okay? It's really showing on your face, the alcohol."

A small izakaya a few minutes' walk from Yurigaoka Station. There, for some reason, I was sitting next to Ichikawa-san, sharing sake.

"I'm fiiine, totally okay."

Ichikawa-san smiled, her face completely red, turning towards me. It had been a long time since I heard such an unconvincing "I'm okay."

The reason for tonight's drinking session was a chance encounter at the station on my way home from work. As we were chatting and I was thanking her for the vegetables she gave me, the conversation flowed into "well then, it's my treat."

But I never would have thought she was the type to get this spectacularly drunk.

"To be so obsessed with enoki in the morning, and then to have your heart stolen by shimeji by night, humans are so fickle, aren't they~"

I think that's a pretty common thing, but I wonder if it's considered fickle.

"Well, I guess it just wasn't the right time to eat enoki."

When I gave a noncommittal reply,

"Ah, that's a nice way of sidestepping it~. Hehe, Kyouya-san knows how to dodge like an adult~"

I feel like she's becoming a nasty drunk. I had already given up on correcting her use of my first name.

"So that means~, it wasn't fate to meet the enoki, right~"

"You've taken that to a very exaggerated place."

Calling an encounter with an ingredient "fate" is something you don't see often, even in gourmet manga.

"Hey, Kyouya-san, do you believe in fate~?"

What kind of question is this, in this context?

"Well, I wonder..."

I gave a careless answer, but now that she mentions it, it feels like my recent life has been tossed about by fate.

If fate is a series of strange coincidences leading to reality, then the reality I am experiencing now could indeed be called that. A chance encounter with a girl in Shinjuku led me to join the company I had admired until just a little while ago, and now I'm working there. It could be called the guidance of fate.

But that kind of guidance isn't always good. Being constantly obstructed by the Managing Director, having what we all built together be on the verge of being ruined—perhaps that is also fate. The conclusion isn't out yet, but I can't see if this story will have a happy or bad ending.

Generally speaking, that is,

"Well, I believe... I think, in fate."

It was my honest feeling.

"Hmm, I see."

Ichikawa-san listened to my answer with a smile. She neither denied nor affirmed my answer that I believe.

"Why did you ask that?"

"Hmm?"

The topic was rather abrupt. After all, until just a moment ago, we were talking about local topics within a few-meter radius, like the battle between choosing enoki or shimeji, the drama she's been following recently, or the ramen shop in front of the station. So when she suddenly stepped into something like the mysteries of the universe, I thought it was only natural to be curious about the reason.

"Well, you just had a strangely heavy atmosphere about you, Hashiba-san~. I just wondered if you were being tossed about by fate."

Was my expression that heavy?

"I'm sorry about that... well, a lot has happened."

"It's fine~. Your big sis doesn't mind things like that."

Somehow, I felt grateful.

With people from the company, the topics of conversation while drinking inevitably become specific. Right now, if I went drinking with the people from Department 2, it would be about Misukuro, and in Department 13, it would be consulting about Grape or complaining about the Managing Director.

But the only thing Ichikawa-san and I have in common is the apartment. The less we share, the less pressure there is on each other.

"Do you believe in fate, Ichikawa-san?"

I asked a question in return.

I thought that since she went out of her way to ask, Ichikawa-san must be a fatalist, but that was wrong.

"I don't believe in it, fate."

For some reason, only that part was said in a clear tone that didn't betray her drunkenness.

"Oh, is that so?"

It was an unexpected answer.

"Because it's boring, isn't it? Good things and bad things, all decided from the beginning, there's no value in living like that. Life is interesting because you can change it in any way you want with your own will."

She took the sake cup she had been fiddling with in her hand and gulped it down in one go.

"When things don't go well, you want to blame it on something big and unavoidable, but that doesn't solve anything, does it? Because if you conclude that your efforts don't lead to results, you won't feel like trying hard next time, you know?"

"That's... right."

I was remembering.

That time when I was accepted into both an art university and a regular university, and I had to decide which one to choose. That might have been the scene where I seized my destiny. Could someone like me make it? What about getting a job? If I had kicked away those anxieties and gone for it. What lay beyond might have been only what I had grasped.

Using the word "fate" as an excuse for not having the courage or not being able to make a decision was indeed a cowardly thing to do.

"Ah, sorry Kyouya-san, don't mind me, your big sis is just spouting nonsense. Shall we continue our talk about enoki and shimeji?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Ugh."

She threw a tantrum with a dissatisfied look, ruining the slightly cool image she had.

But it was certain that, in total, I learned a lot, so just this once, I decided not to deny her calling me by my first name.

◇

The same Ichikawa-san I had just been admiring, I was now lending her my shoulder and carrying her home.

"...I'm sorry~ there's a possibility I drank a little too much~"

"It's not a possibility, it's a certainty, Ichikawa-san."

She seemed to have no core when it came to moderating her drinking. Kawasegawa has a bit of that tendency too, but I feel like women who are usually so put-together have too high a rate of becoming useless when they drink.

"It's been a while since I drank, and it was so fun~. I just kept going!"

"Don't you usually go drinking with people from work?"

Ichikawa-san works both as a manager and at a company. So, normally, she should be able to go drinking with her colleagues from work.

"Not at all! When it comes to going for drinks, it gets complicated and there are troublesome things, so I don't really like going drinking with people from work~"

"Is that so."

I don't know the circumstances at all, but maybe she has a nasty boss. And maybe he's always asking her out for drinks. It's just speculation, though.

"Anyway, we're almost at your house, so just to the entrance is fine, right?"

I thought it would be fine to leave her at the doorstep, but...

"No! You escorted me home properly, so I'll at least make you some tea! If you leave without a word, I'm raising your rent!"

That would be a problem.

"Alright, I'll leave as soon as I've had some tea, okay?"

From the side I was supporting, I heard a "yeah, yeah." It's probably because she's drunk, but her body temperature is directly transferring to me, and it's very warm. Or rather, this is...

(If I start thinking about it, this isn't good...)

Her breath has been tickling the side of my neck for a while now, she smells really good, and all the elements needed to steal my reason are firmly in place.

Don't think about it, don't think about it, this is for the rent, I kept telling myself as I finally managed to bring Ichikawa-san home.

"Please sit there~. I'm just going to go change~"

I was shown into the living room and instructed to sit on a cushion next to the bed. Then Ichikawa-san grabbed what looked like a bundle of clothes and left for the next room.

(I can't relax...)

The door to the room was wide open. I could have stood up and closed it, but I was told to sit, so I couldn't do it as it would go against her instructions.

But from beyond the open door, I could hear the continuous sounds of her changing. That was bothering me and was one of the reasons I couldn't relax.

I had completely sobered up. In fact, I was a bit dazed, overwhelmed by the vivid warmth and scent I had felt just a moment ago.

To repeat, Ichikawa-san is a cute person.

She's apparently only one year older than me, but her appearance and gestures are so youthful you wouldn't feel it, and on top of that, she even has a great capacity for acceptance; um, it's that thing, she's overflowing with "babumi."

"At times like this, you don't know where to look... right?"

I mutter such things, making excuses to no one in particular.

It's bad taste to stare around someone else's room, but I can't just keep my eyes closed, so there are things that naturally catch my eye.

It was a cute room, or rather, it was unadorned but had a gentle color scheme that matched her personality.

But what caught my eye even more was,

"She's reading some difficult-looking books."

It was a bookshelf with quite a number of volumes. Various books were lined up, from business books to novels, without any particular genre restriction.

As I turned my eyes to the side, I saw DVDs of conversation books, probably part of her German studies. Next to the bookshelf was a small TV, and next to that, I could see soft, brownish hair and pink skin,

"I can see...?"

It was Ichikawa-san, squatting down with the front of her blouse open.

"Whoa, w-wait, um, Ichikawa-san!?"

I didn't notice because there was no sound, but beyond the open door was Ichikawa-san. She seemed to be trying to take something out of her pouch, but maybe she was in the middle of changing, because her skin was completely exposed from the open part of her blouse.

I really, truly didn't mean to look, but I couldn't help but confirm her ample bust and alluring skin.

"Feh? Hm?"

The person in question didn't seem to have grasped the situation yet, so,

"Ah, um... so, your clothes."

When I pointed it out clearly again,

"Ahaha, I didn't notice the door was open~"

she laughed, and as if nothing had happened, went back into the depths of the next room. Maybe she's still drunk and her senses are dulled.

(...I hope she forgets about this.)

It would be convenient if it turned out that way, but usually, things like this are remembered clearly and brought up suddenly later. I know that all too well.

I wonder if stumbling upon this kind of lucky perversion is also fate. At least, I shouldn't be trying to grab it myself... right?

◇

I've gotten completely used to working in Development Department 2. The interpersonal relationships, which I initially thought would be a dead end early on, have become completely fine as I've gotten used to the work.

"Sakurai~ can you help me out a bit with the event design for E8?"

"Ah, yes! It's no problem, Kuro-san!"

"Then come here and take the documents. I've thrown the data in the shared folder."

Among them, it was good that Kuroda and Sakurai-san hit it off more than I expected. I was worried if the eccentric and craftsman-like Kuroda and the cheerful and straightforward Sakurai-san would be compatible, but when we opened the lid, it was a great success, and I was relieved.

Honestly, if it were just me, I could probably manage being sent pretty much anywhere. Having been thoroughly beaten down at a sweatshop company, as long as I get paid, I can endure it, and I can also speak up to try and change things.

But Sakurai-san is different. She has the strength of having endured her work in Department 13, but it was unknown how she would fare with a sudden change in environment.

I think it's amazing how she's properly adapted and is doing her job well.

"On the other hand, we still haven't found a clue over here, huh..."

In contrast, no breakthrough solution had been found for Project Grape and the future of Department 13. The more I tried to come up with an idea, the more it got entangled in constraints and disappeared. The fact that my daily duties were so busy was also gradually becoming a reason why Department 13 was being pushed out of my mind.

(This is no good.)

I shake my head and pull myself together. That was precisely one of the Managing Director's intentions.

I'll properly tackle my work in the 2nd Development Department, and on top of that, I'll also think properly about Department 13. Above all, Sakurai-san's hard work is also an encouragement.

"Well, Kuroda is probably leading her properly."

I was a little surprised when we first met, but once we started interacting normally, I understood well why Kawasegawa values him.

"That's wrong. I'm the one who's indebted to her. The ideas she comes up with are good, and she has the ability to properly summarize things."

"Whoa!"

I was surprised when he suddenly spoke to me from behind. I can't believe he was listening.

"That's why I want to do something about it, Project Grape, was it?"

"Yeah... really."

"I think that's interesting. Our higher-ups are really idiots, seriously."

I had told Kuroda everything about what happened in Department 13. I thought we would be working together a lot in the future, including on Misukuro, so I told him everything without hiding anything.

"That's right, you have a visitor, Hashiba. I came to tell you that."

"A visitor?"

"It's a media interview, by name for you. Well, just handle it appropriately."

"Ah, I see. So that's what it is."

After telling me the guest was waiting in the conference room, Kuroda returned to his seat.

(An interview for Misukuro, huh...)

But it's a strange story. Usually, when it comes to interviews, someone from the public relations department always sets it up, and then I get contacted from there. I've never had a media outlet from outside contact me directly before.

Tilting my head in confusion, I headed to the conference room.

◇

"Nice to meet you. My name is Funabashi from Entame-Plat, where we operate an information site in the entertainment field."

With the sudden interview, I was honestly wondering what kind of person would come. But the person who actually came was a very put-together woman.

"Ah, yes... I'm Hashiba from Development Department 3, nice to meet you."

I exchanged business cards and once again checked the other person's appearance.

Her full name was Funabashi Takako, a reporter for Entame-Plat, which boasts the top page views as an information site for games and anime.

A woman in a bright wine-red pantsuit with short-cropped hair, the kind you wouldn't expect to see in an otaku-type company.

"Well then, once again, today we'd like to ask about the latest information on Mystic Clockwork..."

Her way of speaking was neither unpleasant nor overly familiar. Misukuro is a big title, so apparently they sometimes turn away interviews from strange media outlets, but they would probably accept someone like this without any problem.

(The company itself isn't causing any particular problems, so what's this about?)

If I had to say what didn't sit right with me, it was just that one point about the appointment, but since it was a normal interview, it gradually stopped bothering me.

"Thank you very much, that will be all."

And so, the interview ended without incident. There was no confusion or unexpected questions, so I gave a light bow and was putting away the documents in my hand.

"Hmm..."

Suddenly, I noticed Funabashi-san staring intently at me... no, observing me. It was so blatant that it seemed she was doing it in a way that suggested she didn't mind being noticed.

"Um, is there something?"

When I spoke to her,

"Just as I heard. The newcomer who joined the star Development Department 2 is friendly, but in reality, he's the type who thinks things through carefully before acting. To put it badly, maybe he's a bit too serious~"

Suddenly, she started talking to me in a casual manner.

"Wh-What?"

"Ah, but don't worry about it. I really love breaking down people like that with questions. It makes for a worthwhile interview, you know?"

I can't react well to this sudden change. What on earth is with this person?

"You're listening to the story, aren't you?"

"Um, so what is..."

As I was completely unable to read the situation, Funabashi-san pressed on with her words.

"This is the main topic. I don't really care about Misukuro, which won't come out no matter how much you poke at it. Well, it would be great if I could hear about that too, though."

She stood up, walked around the desk towards me. And when she got up close,

"What I really want to hear about is that other project you have."

"Another one...? What are you talking about?"

Right now, what Development Department 2 is making, besides Misukuro, are small-scale downloadable titles and assistance with ports. Of course, I'm not involved in any of that.

"I'm in charge of Misukuro. There's nothing else."

"Oh? You're not going to talk? I'm talking about Project Grape, the one that handles multiple indie titles for a simultaneous overseas release."

"!"

H-How?

How does this person, whom I just met right here, know about Grape?

"It's an interesting endeavor, isn't it? Before Storm's game sales have fully taken root, to make a preemptive investment and launch multiple original games on a small scale, and what's more, by the major company Succeed. If you can show your strength not just with big titles but also with small-scale ones, you can link up with talented indie creators, and if you hit it off, you can even incorporate them into your own titles~"

That was the exact sales pitch I had written in the project proposal.

"So, how much did you contribute to this project? I heard a different girl planned it, but were you the one who gave her the adult wisdom?"

Since matters related to Project Grape are handled with great care, it's very difficult to react in this situation.

Or rather, who is this person? It's true that many people within the company know about that project, but of course, it's treated as confidential.

If that were to leak outside, it would become a big problem...

"Excuse me, that story, where on earth did it come from..."

I decided to ask that first.

"...Huh? Something's strange."

Then Funabashi-san tilted her head as if to say something was different from what she'd heard.

"I was told I could decide how far to push, but I wasn't told that it hadn't even gone this far."

"I see..."

I don't know what she's talking about, so I can only give a vague response.

"Wait a minute, I'll ask."

She took out her smartphone, opened a calling app with a practiced hand, and made a call.

"Hello. Yeah, that's right, I'm at your company now... huh!? Wait a minute, you haven't talked to him yet? That was the premise, wasn't it?"

I don't know what's going on, but it seems something different from the plan has happened.

"That's a problem, I'm telling you. That kid is right in front of me with a 'what's going on' look on his face. Huh? You want me to explain? You're the one who should do that! Wait a minute, I'll put him on!"

With that, she suddenly thrust the smartphone towards me.

"Talk."

"Huh??"

"Your friend. Apparently, he'll explain the circumstances that led to this, so here."

Without understanding at all what was going on, I brought the smartphone closer for now and tried speaking.

"Hello... this is Hashiba."

Immediately, a deafeningly loud voice blared from the smartphone in front of me.

"Sorry, Hashiba!! It was my mistake in communication!!"

It was a familiar, flashy voice.

"Miyamoto-san!?"

◇

"You're going to leak Project Grape!?"

Sakurai-san and I jumped up the moment we heard the story.

An emergency meeting of Department 13 was called. What Miyamoto-san informed us of there was a surprising plan.

"Yeah, I thought there was a limit to what we could do from the inside. So, my strategy is to light a fire from the outside and smoke them out."

We are confident in the fun of Project Grape. In particular, the RPG planned by Sakurai-san could be expected to spread by word of mouth if it could successfully ride the wave of publicity.

So, I thought we would need to consider various strategies when developing it in the media. But that, of course, is a story for after the project has started moving, and for now, it's nothing more than a pipe dream with no budget approved.

To leak it to the media on the premise that it's already in progress and announce it. Normally, the outcome would be to be ignored with a "we haven't heard of such a thing." Manufacturers aren't so free as to respond to every rumor.

But what if this project were to generate a great reputation in the preliminary stage? If the voices of hope grow louder, that would be a powerful weapon when selling it. Even if the Managing Director were to reject it, the opposing side might use that high reputation as leverage to draw it into their own camp.

"...That's the gist of it. It's not a sure thing, but it's not bad, right?"

Miyamoto-san is grinning as he says this, but getting the media on our side to stir things up and then adjusting things internally is certainly not an impossible story. At the very least, it could be a way to break the current deadlock.

"Even so, you should have told me properly."

Honestly, when the topic of Grape was suddenly brought up in that situation, my heart skipped a beat.

"No, I didn't intend to keep quiet about it. It's just that I was busy with another contact, and I didn't think she, Takako, would make an appointment so ridiculously early. Oh, and I'm calling her by her first name because we've been inseparable since we were students."

He started talking about things I didn't even ask about. In this respect, I feel that the old "Charaji" vibe still remains.

"But well, this is a high-risk story."

Kojima-san seemed to be still undecided.

"It will become a question of who leaked it, and that will affect you, Miyamoto-san, and you, Hashiba-kun. Are you prepared for that?"

Miyamoto-san nodded deeply.

"Of course. But as long as it gets out into the world, there's a chance we can win."

That's right, this project hasn't been released to the public yet. I certainly do have the desire to appeal how interesting it is.

But that is, after all, a 'project' created during company work hours and put through meetings. If an employee were to take the lead in leaking it and instigating things, it could turn into a matter of responsibility.

"Hmm..."

I was still undecided.

This matter, aside from being Miyamoto-san's idea, relies heavily on entrusting the development to the media, a part of relying on others. It's different from the presentation, where we prepared, presented, and won it ourselves.

(This falls into the category of cowardly acts.)

I don't intend to just say pretty things. In this kind of bargaining, sometimes you use dirty tricks, and I have no intention of forcing everyone to be pure and clean.

But in this case, we're trying to use a strategy that goes beyond the company and isn't fair. Even if we get the project approved by force, it's the company that will move the project. Thinking about the aftermath of a project that was pushed through, we can't act rashly.

I understand that this idea came from Miyamoto-san's own concern about the stagnant situation. It's painful to convey this judgment, especially since I'm one of the reasons things aren't moving, but...

I made up my mind and opened my mouth.

"I'm sorry, let's stop this operation. The risk is too great."

"Huh...?"

Miyamoto-san didn't hide his dissatisfaction with the decision I conveyed.

"No, I don't think this is the right way either. But since it doesn't seem like we'll get anywhere by fighting head-on, isn't it unavoidable to use a projectile weapon?"

"I understand that too. But this time, the weapon we're using is too dangerous. It's not okay to bring a weapon from a different place, not with our own power. It's not okay to have a weapon we can't control ourselves."

At my words, Miyamoto-san silently sat down in his chair.

"...I understand. If you've decided, then it can't be helped."

"I'm sorry, even though you went to the trouble of proposing a plan."

It's not like Miyamoto-san proposed this plan to ruin things. It was the result of thinking about what could be done to be even a little effective, and without using money.

"But what do we do? We don't have any good ideas right now, and if we don't find even a small clue, we're headed straight for destruction."

That's right, I let go of something that could have been a breakthrough. That's why I have to think of something else with potential next, or everyone's morale will drop.

And then, Kojima-san quietly raised her hand.

"Maybe I'll try to make a move too."

"Kojima-san, do you have an idea...?"

Kojima-san shook her head and said,

"It's not that I have a brilliant idea. I was just thinking of looking for a manufacturer who might be willing to cooperate on production when Grape gets on track, that's all."

"Cooperation, you say."

"Well, it's strange to talk about it before it's decided, but if we wait until we know we can do it, it'll be too late. We have to do what we can. Oh, and Hayakawa-kun, who you introduced me to the other day, I'll try to coordinate with him too."

It was a welcome story. With Hayakawa and Kojima-san, we can expect realistic effects.

"Thank you, please do."

"Um, I... can't do anything, but I'll do my best to gather information!"

Sakurai-san also said, as if to encourage herself.

"Me too... yeah, I'll think about various things."

Miyamoto-san also seemed to be thinking about something.

Everyone's will is strong. It hasn't wavered yet. But it's also true that the limit is near. If we don't come up with a concrete and effective plan by then, everything will be over.

◇

I contacted Funabashi-san directly to decline. I thought she might press me on various things, but surprisingly, she accepted it readily, so I decided to switch gears as well.

(An idea... isn't there something, a good plan?)

While working, I was constantly honing the survival strategy for Project Grape.

A frontal assault won't work, but going too far with trick shots is also no good. That leaves a plan where the idea itself is groundbreaking, while we do solid groundwork. I was thinking about what would happen if we took events from other industries as a reference and applied them to ourselves.

(It won't come out right away, not that conveniently.)

It was urgent, of course, but it's not something that just pops up. I had to carry out a difficult mission: to be calm, and yet hurry.

For now, I returned my focus to the task at hand.

"Alright, this is done... and."

I compiled the finished images and uploaded them to the shared folder. When I contacted the person in charge of the website via the chat tool, a reaction indicating understanding came back immediately.

In my daily life at Development Department 2, while advancing the development of Misukuro, creating materials for public relations work, which is another of my duties, has also become a main job.

That day, I was engrossed in one of my tasks: creating image materials. Succeed Soft has an official Niconico Live channel and regularly distributes news. The thumbnails and captions are made by an assistant in the public relations department, but when it comes to things related to the main work, it's faster for me to make them, so I did.

And when I'm concentrating on work or thinking while listening to music, I inevitably can't hear other sounds, so I sometimes don't notice when my name is called.

So, it often happens that I only notice when someone taps me on the shoulder, but...

"Ah, yes, yes... whoa, Kawasegawa...!"

The manager was there when I turned around, so as expected, I was surprised.

"I'm sorry, bothering you during work. There's something I want to ask, but is now a good time?"

"Uh, yeah, it's fine."

Kawasegawa's eyes were completely serious.

(What could this be about? Surely not about Funabashi-san's visit?)

Although it's over and there's no problem, she might feel that our movements are precarious.

I ponder how to explain. However, what Kawasegawa said was,

"This weekend, w-won't you take a holiday?"

"..................Huh?"

It was an unexpected topic I hadn't even imagined.

"A holiday, you mean a vacation?"

"Y-Yes."

I couldn't help but ask the obvious question back.

"I think you're working a little too much. Yes, that's right."

Kawasegawa explained in a tone as if she were telling herself. Somehow, her usual sharpness doesn't seem to be there.

"So, as the department head, I thought I should have you take a proper rest."

A break, huh...

But I haven't taken a proper break in a while. I refrained from cutting back on sleep because it would interfere with my work, but I haven't taken a so-called "day off" in a while.

The reason for that is simple,

"Huh? But I don't have that kind of leeway. In fact, I still have a mountain of things to do, and I'm adjusting my scheduler in ten minute increments."

It was simply because I was incredibly busy.

"Ah, I adjusted that for you."

I looked, and Kuroda had come to my desk at some point.

"Huh, why?"

"That's because you, Hashiba, are working too much, to the level that the Labor Standards Bureau is taking notice. Kawasegawa consulted me, so I just did it a little while ago."

"When did that happen?"

At Succeed Soft, we use a type of scheduler that can also manage attendance and clocking in/out, and whose contents can be changed in real time, but...

"...It's really changed."

When I opened it just now, the things I was supposed to do until just five minutes ago had been significantly rewritten.

Having done this much means I can't escape anymore.

"So, this is an order. Take a proper rest this weekend. Got it?"

As expected, I couldn't refuse, so I answered, "Yes."

I can't deny that I was a little tired, so I'll try to be grateful and take a rest.

"So, Hashiba."

Kuroda looked at me with a strange grin on his face.

"The manager is apparently curious about whether you'll actually rest on your day off."

"Huh?"

"W-Wait a minute, Kuroda!! That way of putting it is misleading!"

Suddenly, Kawasegawa's face turned beet red, and she lost her composure.

"Misleading or not, you said earlier that you were curious whether a workaholic staff member was properly enjoying their vacation, so you were going to take a vacation at the same time to check. Well, that was your excuse after I pointed out that you took a vacation on the same day!!"

"Ah... ugh... ahh."

Kawasegawa collapsed on the spot, steam coming out of her head.

"Kuroda, you..."

"Well, that's how it is. Ah, but it's true that the manager was concerned about your health and thought she had to do something about a workaholic-ish staff member. On top of that, it's up to you to decide whether to accept Eiko-chan's date invitation, see ya."

Laughing heartily, Kuroda returned to his seat.

All that was left was a bewildered deputy manager and a manager who had completely burned out, leaving not even a wreck behind.

I was wondering what to say, but for now,

"Um, Kawasegawa..."

"..................................................What?"

A displeased, or rather, sullen reply came back in a very, very small voice.

"The haunted house at Ninja Park that starts this weekend, it's been a hot topic online and I was curious, so let's go. It's a different industry, but it'll be good for studying production." "'Ikebukuro Terror House,' right! I know it! Unlike other haunted houses, they say the elaborate production is amazing! I was thinking of going, and you're right, this kind of thing is good for studying production! I get it!"

I conveyed it in a somewhat considerate, work-extension-like manner, and as expected, she jumped on it enthusiastically, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny!!"

Maybe I just hadn't noticed it, but could it be that this girl is actually really cute...?

◇

By order of Development Department 2's manager, I was to take a vacation on the weekend. That being said, it was Saturday and Sunday, so it was just a regular weekend, but considering how working on holidays had become the norm recently, a full holiday was extremely precious.

And by chance, I ended up spending one of those days with the manager. In a way, you could say my holiday turned into work. Of course, if I were to say such a thing to Kawasegawa, she would probably be genuinely dejected.

And on Sunday, I was at Shinjuku Station. I came out of the ticket gates from the platform and headed for the shadow of a nearby pillar. There was Manager Kawasegawa, who seemed to have just arrived.

"...You're early."

"I matched Kawasegawa time."

We had met at the same place before, but at that time, she had arrived 30 minutes before the meeting time.

So today, I matched her.

"Um, so today, Kawasegawa is..."

"That's right, today I came to check whether you, a workaholic, can properly rest from your work, so it's not like there's any other purpose or anything like that. If I don't say that first, it could lead to mixing public and private affairs, or abuse of authority, which isn't good, and it's not my intention either, so I have to say that clearly first."

I really didn't notice, but Kawasegawa is quite a fast talker...

"Well, shall we go? Since it's Ikebukuro, we'll take the Yamanote Line."

As I was about to walk away, I suddenly heard a voice from behind me.

"If you take the Saikyo Line now, you'll get there faster~. It's only one stop to Ikebukuro, so why don't we take that one~?"

For Kawasegawa's voice, it was far too leisurely.

In front of me when I turned around was,

"Kyouya-sa... Hashiba-san, what a coincidence~"

Ichikawa Mika-san, on her day off, stood there waving her hand.

"M-M-M-Manager, why are you here?"

"Oh? Why are you calling me 'Manager' today? Not my first name yet, but I thought we had settled on using my last name~"

"That doesn't matter right now! So, why are you, um, here?"

"On a day off, if you're going out, people who live in that area usually go to Shin-Yurigaoka or Shinjuku, don't they~"

That's true, but putting Shin-Yurigaoka aside, how many people does she think are in Shinjuku, this woman!

"Kawasegawa, this person is the manager of the house I live in, Ichikawa..."

When I turned to introduce her for the time being,

"..................Hashiba... who is this person...?"

"Eek!"

For some reason, there was a girl there with a deadpan stare and the flames of war blazing all over her body.

(I mean, why the attitude!)

Sure, she might be confused because someone intruded on our planned two-person outing, but there's no need to be so openly hostile.

"I have to say hello............it would be rude not to... Hashiba..."

This is bad, her tone is clearly off. We're talking about going to a haunted house, but it seems a vengeful spirit has appeared ahead of time....

"Like I just said, she's the manager of the apartment I live in."

"But earlier... didn't she call you by your first name...?"

"That's just Ichikawa-san's, ah, the manager's habit, or rather, she's the type to play pranks like that, and so."

"Is that so............a manager who calls you by your first name as a prank... hmm..."

This is bad. She's completely flipped some weird switch.

I mean, was Kawasegawa always the type to get this obviously jealous?

Or rather, if I were an insignificant person to her, she wouldn't act like this... right?

(Huh, no way.)

Kuroda's words and actions, and this reaction from Kawasegawa... could it be that Kawasegawa... about me...

"Are you perhaps Kawasegawa-san?"

My delusion was cut off by the words Ichikawa-san suddenly uttered.

Whether she didn't notice the flames of war, or noticed and ignored them, Ichikawa-san's usual leisurely demeanor didn't change at all.

"Yes, I am... but how do you know me so well?"

"Yes~! Because whenever I talk with Hashiba-san, you always come up in conversation, that's why!"

Ah, stop it, Ichikawa-san. "Always" means talking maybe once or twice a week at most, but the way you say it makes it sound like we meet every day.

(But then again, is meeting with the manager once or twice a week strange in the first place?)

I'm sure Kawasegawa will point that out too... I thought, as I slid my gaze over,

"You see each other... a lot, then..."

"See, I knew it!!"

In the end, we took the Yamanote Line instead of the Saikyo Line, and for the entire ride to Ikebukuro, I was stuck explaining the circumstances up to now.

◇

"I see, so you've only started meeting as a manager quite recently..."

"That's right~. He helps me with things I can't reach, and carries heavy luggage for me, and helps me with various other things~"

Kawasegawa glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and said,

"Oh, is that so. Hashiba-'san' is kind, isn't he?"

She attacks me with a way of calling my name that blatantly implies something.

(This is difficult. Very difficult.)

With a level of stuffiness like wearing three masks, I was completely exhausted even before we went out to play.

Inside Sunshine Town is a multi-purpose amusement facility, Ninja Park. Within it, proudly designated as a special installation, sat the talked-about new-style haunted house.

"Welcome to the new-style haunted house, Ikebukuro Terror House!"

At the entrance, a girl with a long black wig and makeup of flowing blood was calling out to customers in a cheerful voice that was the complete opposite of her appearance.

"Ah, this is the place~! Well then, I'll go buy the tickets~! I'll get them for all three of us~"

Ichikawa-san ran happily to the counter.

She apparently hadn't made any particular plans for the day, so when we told her we were going to the haunted house, it turned into "May I join you~?".

I don't know to what extent Kawasegawa had special feelings about meeting me today, but it's certain that there was a sudden change from what had been decided. And I have a feeling that she probably dislikes such happenings.

"Kawasegawa, um."

And so, when I looked towards Kawasegawa,

"Um, Hashiba."

she called out to me, her face inexplicably pale.

"Um, sorry. This... turned into a strange situation."

"No, that's fine. It's fine, but, um, I have something difficult to say."

Something difficult to say? You don't mean she's going to confront me with a direct message like "are you two dating"...?

"Um, I'll say this first, with the manager, it's not like that."

"I'm really bad with scary things."

"Whaaaaaat??"

Why didn't you tell me that sooner!

"B-But when we talked about the haunted house, you said the production looked interesting, like it would be a good study."

"I did say that. But that aside, I'm very bad with scary things."

Kawasegawa, still with a pale face, stated the fact dispassionately.

"...Huh, so should we not go?"

"No, I'm going. It's interesting because it's interesting. But, um."

After answering bravely, Kawasegawa said,

"Out of fear, I might do something very troublesome to you, Hashiba... so I'll apologize in advance..."

"U-Uh, okay."

I also wanted to ask what kind of thing she would do, but I decided against it because that would be too pitiful.

(Well, maybe she'll cling to me or something like that...)

No, wait a minute. Is there a possibility that this cute girl will cling to me? That in itself, um, makes my heart pound!

In the first place, when I think about it, was a haunted house that kind of thing...?

(W-What's going to happen?)

I felt a little sorry for Kawasegawa trembling next to me, but I also had a little expectation.

◇

"We will now hand out tablets with maps to everyone, so please follow the navigation to the goal."

When I turned on the tablet I was handed, the navigation started up just as they said. I doubt it would say something like "To the right, a ghost," but it's an interesting idea.

"I'm already scared."

Kawasegawa was trembling even before the first letter of "ghost" had appeared.

"It's okay~, if you get really scared, you can just rely on Hashiba-san~"

At Ichikawa-san's words, Kawasegawa nodded silently. Normally, she would have said something like, "I-I wouldn't do that!"

(I wonder if she can last until the end like this.)

While worrying, we timidly entered inside.

As we opened the entrance door, a cool air enveloped us. The set, designed to look like an old Japanese-style abandoned house, heightened the sense of fear.

"Wow, this is nice~ it has a great atmosphere~"

Ichikawa-san is smiling happily.

"Um, Ichikawa-san, about this kind of thing..."

"Yes, I love it~!"

As I thought. Or rather, I have an image of women with this kind of gentle atmosphere having a mysterious tolerance for this kind of thing.

"Hyaah!!"

Suddenly, Kawasegawa, next to me, let out a scream.

"What's wrong, Kawasegawa?"

When I asked, Kawasegawa silently grabbed something and turned to me with a face on the verge of tears.

"Just now, this... something squishy hit my face."

I looked, and something like chilled slime was hanging from the ceiling. It seems she bumped her face into one of them.

"It's a simple trick. You're okay."

Even though I moved the slime aside to calm her, Kawasegawa couldn't stop trembling.

"It's cold, so cold. Hey, Hashiba, why is it so chilly? And that lantern over there has been flickering on and off, why?"

For no other reason than that's the production.

"Kawasegawa, calm down. This is a haunted house, so it's natural to be scared."

"I-I-I know that. B-B-But I think they don't have to create such an atmosphere."

It was an answer that made me worry about what was to come.

"Um~ shall we go on ahead for now~?"

"Ah, yes, right..."

Since Kawasegawa wouldn't move, Ichikawa-san gently urged her on.

"Come on, let's go, Kawasegawa."

"Uuuuugh."

When I pushed Kawasegawa's back, she finally started walking unsteadily. She looked nothing like a leader with dozens of subordinates.

"And this is the next place... whoa."

What spread out before me was a long, narrow corridor. And not just any corridor. The walls on both sides were paper sliding doors, and there was a palpable sense that something was about to happen.

"W-We have to walk here?"

Kawasegawa's legs were frozen. Ichikawa-san, as if to encourage her, said,

"It's okay, if you know something's going to come out, it's surprisingly not scary, you know?"

"E-E-Even if I know, it's sc-scary!"

We walked in a single file, with the trembling Kawasegawa between us. It's true that if you're warned that something will happen, it doesn't seem that scary.

(Huh? But nothing's happening.)

However, contrary to our expectations, the paper sliding doors showed no reaction. Rather, a pale white light was constantly blinking at the end of the corridor, and that had been bothering me.

"Hey, what's that, Hashiba, what's that? It's scary."

Kawasegawa's tone became slightly childish.

"I wonder what it is. For now, we have to get closer."

If you don't know what something is, the fear won't go away. This is especially true for someone like Kawasegawa who acts with reason. So, when I walked ahead to try to uncover its true identity,

With a "Bari-bari!" sound,

"Eek...!!"

Several hands burst through the paper sliding door in front of me. And what's more, right across the path that Kawasegawa was about to take.

"Ah."

Kawasegawa's movements stopped. Her expression became clearly vacant, and she was trembling violently. This is bad!

"Kawasegawa, it was just hands coming out, nothing..."

I said it, and in the next moment.

"Wah!"

With a loud "basabasa" sound, the paper sliding door in front of us fell, and a ghost came rushing towards us.

It was a timing and force that made even me cry out, which means,

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!"

Of course, Kawasegawa couldn't withstand this shock.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, forgive me, forgive me, don't come here, don't come here, don't come heeeeere!!!"

She grabs my clothes and shakes me violently over and over again.

"K-Kawasegawa, calm down, calm down, m-my bod, my body is..."

Being shaken so hard I could barely speak, I somehow managed to pull Kawasegawa off. It wasn't on the level of "maybe she'll hug me." Kawasegawa, whose fear had reached its peak, had become something that would attack anything nearby.

"C-Calm down, okay, for now, let's just get some distance."

"Waaaaa-aaaa-aaaaa-aaaaa!!"

This time, she suddenly let go of the hand she was holding,

"Noooooooooo!!!!"

she raised that hand,

"Bwuh!!"

and brought it down with all her might onto my cheek.

"I've had enough!!!!!"

Kawasegawa put down the tablet, started crying, and ran for the exit. Left behind were me, collapsing after being slapped, and Ichikawa-san, who was watching it all while bursting with laughter.

"Hashiba-sa~n, are you okay...?"

"Well, somehow..."

I got up and rubbed my still-tingling cheek.

I didn't get to see the heart-pounding development of being hugged, but to see the reliable Kawasegawa transform so drastically was truly a rare sight.

"I hope this becomes a change of pace... but will it?"

Well, I hear some people relieve stress by screaming, so I'll try to look on the bright side.

◇

"It's really just child's play. Hands bursting through a paper screen? Isn't that a technique left behind in the Showa era? And with the time lag and all, I was expecting something more special since they said the new production was amazing, but in that respect, it was disappointing... Hey, Hashiba, why are you still laughing!"

At a cafe right outside the haunted house, we were having a lunch-slash-review session. That said, since Kawasegawa had reached her limit near the entrance and fled at full speed, she didn't see the second half of the production.

"Because the new production you're talking about, Kawasegawa, is concentrated in the second half."

To ignore that and give this evaluation is really pitiful for the venue.

"Ugh... b-but I was at my limit."

Kawasegawa, shrinking in her seat, sips her iced tea with a slurping sound. I feel bad for her, but she's unbelievably cute.

"Hehe, but you were cute, Kawasegawa-san~"

Ichikawa-san is laughing cheerfully as she reminisces.

"S-Sorry, Hashiba, your cheek, it must have hurt... right?"

Kawasegawa is shrinking with embarrassment more than ever.

"Well, I was surprised, but the pain is fine, really."

"R-Really..."

Including what we talked about earlier, Kawasegawa has completely shrunk.

"It's nice, you two. I think it shows a relationship of trust~"

Ichikawa-san is smiling at us.

A relationship of trust, huh. Well, it's true that you probably wouldn't slap someone you don't have a close relationship with, so you could say it was an act born of feeling secure.

Though, I'd prefer a less painful form of physical contact.

"Um, I'd like to ask you something, Kawasegawa-san."

Suddenly, Ichikawa-san raised her hand like a student asking a teacher a question.

"Yes, what is it...?"

When Kawasegawa tilted her head at the sudden question,

"What do you like about Hashiba-san~?"

she suddenly threw a bombshell without any preamble.

"Guh! Cough, cough!!"

Kawasegawa choked spectacularly.

I'm sitting across from her, giving Ichikawa-san a look that says, "What kind of crazy thing is this person suddenly saying?" There's no way that intention will get across, but just for this moment, I desperately want telepathy.

"Um, Ichikawa-san, um."

"Yes~!"

A smile like an angel's.

"The manager... Kawasegawa-san and I are a superior and a subordinate in the same department. So, I'm sure you understand that we don't have that kind of relationship."

While glancing at the still-choking Kawasegawa, I tried to somehow deny it.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I just assumed you had that kind of relationship..."

"We don't. So, it's not like that, liking someone or anything?"

"Hehe, but you two looked like you have such a good relationship that I thought it would be nice if that were the case~. I think that in itself is a good thing... right?"

No, no, not at all. Even if you say "right?"

"It's not good. Um, this is."

Just as I was about to offer some kind of follow-up,

"Then as a boss, how do you see him as your subordinate?"

Perhaps thinking it was getting awkward, Ichikawa-san offered a follow-up.

"C-Cough, ah, I see, as my subordinate, you mean... aha, ahaha."

It seems Kawasegawa has finally recovered.

"Yes, right, as your subordinate."

I interjected a word, intending it as a follow-up, but...

"............!!"

I was glared at sharply.

(I-I'm not at all to blame for this!)

But well, it can't be helped. It's my loss for denying the romance at the beginning and failing to create a flow.

"What part, you ask..."

Kawasegawa seemed to be thinking for a moment.

Was it hard to say in front of me, or was there nothing noteworthy? For me, who hadn't been properly told the reason for my hiring, it was a slightly nerve-wracking time.

"Um, there's no particular reason."

The heart-pounding time was over.

The 'reason' I had been hoping for was quite a sad one.

"W-Wait, um, don't misunderstand, I could list so many, really."

Perhaps my dejected face was easy to read, as Kawasegawa immediately denied it.

"But no matter which one I list, it's not like that was the deciding factor. Hashiba is someone who can do anything, he's reliable, he's careful with his words, he's refreshing but passionate... um, well."

Perhaps thinking she had said too much, she cut herself off and cleared her throat with a cough.

"Um, the part where he seems like he'll do something for you, I guess..."

For Kawasegawa, it was a surprisingly vague answer.

(Seems like he'll do something for me, huh.)

In fact, since coming to Succeed Soft, many things have happened. Among them, there are many things that happened because of me. No, for better or for worse, I was at the center of it all.

I might be more of a troublemaker than I think. Thankfully, Kawasegawa seems to see that as a good point.

"I think that's good."

Ichikawa-san smiled brightly and said,

"I think Hashiba-san's charm lies in that sense of expectation, that he'll somehow make things work."

"I don't know about that myself."

"It's fine not to know that either. If you move around too consciously, it might come across as unpleasant~"

Ichikawa-san smiled and looked at Kawasegawa.

"You two are great. You're an ideal pair."

The fact that she didn't specifically add "at work" seemed a little mean.

Kawasegawa kept her head down, her face red the whole time.

◇

After the meal, the three of us returned to Shinjuku.

When you go to the electronics stores and bookstores in front of the station and spend a leisurely holiday-like time, all the problems you're currently facing and things to come seem like things from another world.

The truth is, I'm in a position where I need to think about countermeasures for Grape as soon as possible. Naturally, that thought was running through my head.

(Well, but at least for today...)

In the first place, since there is the major objective of taking a vacation, I should just think of spending time like this as one part of that.

"Did you get some rest in?"

As we walked, Kawasegawa asked me exactly what I had been thinking about.

"Yeah. It was a good change of pace."

"I see, that's good."

Kawasegawa, who answered, had a relieved expression on her face.

What has this girl been thinking and enduring all this time? Is she betting everything on creating things with her peers, the Platinum Generation?

How much passion is there in that? I don't know, but I was honestly envious of a friendship that could be such a driving force.

(It must be really important to her.)

The feelings bet on Misukuro are different for everyone, and each has its own value, but what Kawasegawa has seems heavier than anything else.

"Ah, look at that! That's the game you're making, Hashiba-san and Kawasegawa-san, right?"

Ichikawa-san, who was walking ahead, pointed to a sign underground.

The sign for the Platinum Generation project that I saw when I came here the other day. It had been replaced with a new one, and had become even more luxurious.

"Hey, this illustration..."

It was something I hadn't seen yet.

"That's right, it's the new visual that Shino submitted the other day."

"I knew it..."

"Piercing through" seemed to be the most accurate expression.

A single ray of light piercing through the clouds from a white background to the sky. The composition, which featured one person in the previous illustration, had expanded to include the four main characters.

Even though there were no lines, just their expressions and gestures told a story that hinted at something about to happen.

(It's... perfect.)

If I were to receive this illustration as a director, what words would I use? It was an illustration so full of charm that I could get lost in such fantasies.

"I'll take a picture of this and upload it~"

Ichikawa-san launched her social media and started doing something.

"Maybe I should tweet about it too. It's a good topic."

"That's right. The PR department probably hasn't come to take pictures yet either."

For transportation ads, taking a picture and tweeting it is a standard form of publicity. However, officially attaching the company name could affect public transportation. Therefore, it was recommended to announce it as an individual.

The two of us with Kawasegawa started taking pictures of the ad and doing some simple cropping.

I happened to look, and...

"Huh...?"

Ichikawa-san had stopped and was tilting her head.

"Is something wrong?"

When I asked, she held out her smartphone to me.

"Um, isn't this news about your company?"

On the screen, the topics of a famous portal site were displayed. News that made it into the items here tended to go viral, so to speak.

"A special report from Succeed Soft? I wonder what it is."

Kawasegawa tilted her head.

Hearing "special report," that strategy flashed through my mind for a moment. I see, if we had gone through with it back then, it would have been released to the world in this form.

Thinking back on it now, the risk was too great. Considering the reactions of people who would be suddenly informed, like Kawasegawa, I realize it was good that we didn't do it.

(So, what's the news?)

I also peeked at my own smartphone.

To get a rough idea of what it was about, I tapped the link to see the headline.

The news was displayed large on the screen.

"Huh?"

In that moment, the first thing that came out was that single word.

"Wh-What?"

The next thing that came out was a word that added even more doubt.

For a moment, I didn't understand what the information in front of me indicated. The moment I saw something so unbelievable, I wondered if this is what it's like for the brain to refuse.

There,

"Mystic Clockwork development... frozen...?"

it was written.

"U-Um, this is... this is an ad for that game, right?"

Ichikawa-san asked, sounding bewildered.

"Yes, that's right."

The large advertisement spread out before my eyes is for Misukuro, which is written as "development frozen."

"But why...?"

"I don't know what it's about either..."

I myself, who saw the article, am confused. What on earth is happening?

"Hey, this, Kawasega──"

In this mysterious situation, I tried to call her name, the person in charge of development, but my voice stopped.

The reason was that Kawasegawa's face had turned deathly pale in an instant.

"Um... what's wrong?"

At Ichikawa-san's concerned words, Kawasegawa finally opened her mouth and said,

"An emergency message came in. I'm going to the company now."

"What...!"

"It says, 'Regarding an important communication about a Development Department 2's title.' In the name of a director. I've never seen anything like this──"

◇

I explained the situation to Ichikawa-san, and we hurried to the office in Gotanda. It takes about 25 minutes by train from Ikebukuro, and then a 5 minute walk, so it takes over 30 minutes. But on the way, we didn't exchange a single word.

I checked the site where the news was published many times. Because there could have been a case of misinformation. It was conceivable that it had been confused with news from another company, or that it had handled something from an inaccurate source.

But this time, the news had considerable credibility. Because a notice of an emergency summons had reached Kawasegawa, who was a party to the development.

(Kawasegawa...)

I glanced at her sideways, but she kept staring at her feet, not moving an inch. I couldn't confirm the text of the email, but I'm sure an extraordinary situation was written there.

I ran from the station to the company building and opened the door to Development Department 2.

"Manager, hurry!"

Immediately, Kuroda's voice rang out. Kawasegawa also nodded silently and was called into the conference room as she was.

As soon as Kawasegawa left, Kuroda shouted.

"Hey, what's with that article! Hashiba, you know something, don't you..."

But he stopped his question midway and said,

"With that look on your face, I guess you don't know either..."

"Yeah, I was surprised to see it when I was out."

Kuroda had taken a half-day off today to see a movie, noticed it right after leaving the company, and turned back as he was.

"I've spoken to the main guys, but everyone's confused. Well, considering how we are, it's only natural..."

He clicked his tongue. And then, he scratched his head furiously in frustration.

"Damn it, what the hell is this 'frozen' crap! It's a project that's already being messed with from above, and now it's a gossip piece? What's going on!"

The project, which had been treated as the Managing Director pleased for so long, was now in an uproar due to incomprehensible information. For Kuroda, it was probably an event that brought nothing but anger.

However, with a project as big as Misukuro, is it possible for a notice of its freezing to come in without the developers, who are the parties involved, knowing anything?

It's not impossible that a rival company would do it, aiming to lower our name value... But for now, I can't think of any company or organization that would pull something like that against Misukuro. Let alone an individual, they wouldn't even be worth considering.

No──there is one person, an individual, who could possibly do such an outrageous thing.

"Did the Managing Director do it?"

A person in a position within the company where that is possible, and who is capable of carrying it out.

Even with Misukuro, if it's the Managing Director who has repeatedly interfered with specification changes and other things, it would make sense if he were the mastermind behind this news.

"But still, no way."

However, Misukuro is a major project that affects the company's performance. No matter how much it doesn't align with his own policies, it's not something that can be easily discarded. That's why he was probably aiming for a collapse from the development side by constantly harassing them.

If he went through with it... it means he had a reason to do so.

(What on earth...)

I don't know. Was there some kind of power balance shift in the upper management, or was it for a more unexpected reason?

Chaotic things keep spinning in my head. All of them are unsettling, all of them are dark. I wonder if the contents of the board meeting that is probably being held now will reveal it. In the first place, is this story of the freezing itself true?

Until about an hour ago, I was enjoying a long-overdue vacation. I was away from company matters, spending time with Kawasegawa and Ichikawa-san, just like in my student days.

But reality was now, as if to punish me for playing, about to fall into darkness.

The door to the development room opened quietly.

"Manager!"

Kuroda and I shouted and rushed over. Kawasegawa turned her pale face to me and Kuroda, and with her expression still stiff, she spoke.

"It was true."

"Huh, you mean, that article?"

To my question, she nodded and said,

"Misukuro's development is frozen, with no prospect of resumption, effectively ending its development."

She answered so in a weak voice.

"Why...! I don't get it, why!"

Kuroda kicked up a trash can and slammed his fist against the wall.

It was an unexpected event. The decision was so sudden and so big that I had even lost my sense of balance. I was trapped in a sensation similar to mild anemia, as if my blood circulation had worsened.

Was it him after all? Did the Managing Director orchestrate something?

Even so, why.

Why did he come to crush such a huge project all at once?

"What is... happening?"

Kawasegawa's shoulders slumped, and Kuroda's shoulders trembled with anger.

It felt as if something indescribable was pressing down on the entire room.