Beecraft Creative. This is the company I've just started working for. The name is long, so everyone, including employees and clients, uses the abbreviation "BCC".
At BCC, there's an all-hands morning
assembly right after the start of work on Monday morning. That said, it's not
the kind where everyone gathers in a large conference room to listen reverently
to the president's speech... but rather a one-way Web conference-style affair,
broadcast via a webcam set up on the president's desk, using groupware.
So now, I was in position to listen to her
talk while seated at my own desk. The staff around me were also waiting in
front of their screens, either at their own desks or in front of a friend's.
A short while later, right at 9 o'clock,
the "Please wait for the start" screen disappeared and was replaced
by an elegantly smiling woman. The president of BCC.
"Good morning, everyone."
The president first bowed her head
politely.
"Full-scale software development has
finally begun. While I won't be involved in the content, I have the utmost
faith in all of you and your high development quality. Please, create wonderful
software that can build our company's brand image."
There was no hesitation in the president's
words, nor was there any intimidating air or awkward phrasing. Yet, it wasn't
so perfectly by-the-book as to be boring; it was a truly "skillful"
greeting, with a softness that could be felt in her remarks.
"Man, she really has her act together.
To think she's the daughter of the big president, a second-generation heir,
she's really something."
Right beside me, Kuroda Takayoshi murmured
in admiration.
"Usually they'd get arrogant, show
some weakness, or try too hard to do things right and become all stiff. But so
far, she's a perfect ten."
"Yeah, she's succeeding at building
her image, too. She's really thorough."
The president displayed prepared panels on
the screen as she spoke about major future goals and the business plans that
would accompany them. Since BCC is an unlisted company, there's no particular
need to appeal to shareholders. Therefore, the plans were sound, and from what
I could see, there didn't seem to be any particular problems.
"And on top of that, she's this
beautiful. I don't really get it, but she's probably popular with the old guys
in the upper class."
I nodded at Kuroda's words. Though, I
imagine being blessed with both beauty and intelligence brings its own
hardships.
Seeing my reaction, Kuroda suddenly flashed
a wicked "hee hee hee" grin.
"But still, I never thought someone
this capable would be a personal acquaintance of yours, Hashiba."
"...Well, yeah."
Seeing my slightly bitter expression,
Kuroda laughed with an even more amused look on his face.
"Don't make that face. In the end,
that tremendous luck of yours is what saved us."
Well, what Kuroda said was certainly true.
On the screen before me, our company
president continued to speak like a resident of a distant world.
Ichikawa Mika. As well as being the
president, she was also a person connected to a very private part of my life.
◇
"Hey, how was I? Was I able to speak
properly today, too?"
A small conference room at BCC. In this
room, booked specifically for a chat, the president was speaking to me in a
super-friendly manner.
"Yes, absolutely. You came across as a
flawless, capable president."
When I replied, the president went,
"Ehehe~ Right? Right?" while cheerfully slurping her iced coffee. It
was impossible to believe she was the same person who had been speaking so
crisply just a moment ago.
Ichikawa Mika-san is the president of BCC
and a director at the parent company, Beecraft, but at the same time, as a
personal hobby, she also served as the manager of a real estate property owned
by her father.
That property was the apartment complex in
Yurigaoka where I live, which is how we happened to be acquaintances by chance.
It's a setup so contrived you wouldn't even
see it in a web novel... or so I'm tempted to say myself. The beautiful,
slightly seductive property manager is actually the president of my company!
It's the kind of story that, if I showed it to someone like Miyamoto-san, would
be instantly rejected with an order to go and study up.
But that's reality, so nothing can be done
about it. At the meet-and-greet held right after BCC was established, when
Ichikawa-san popped out suddenly with a "Ta-da~!", I was so shocked,
and I'm not kidding, that I thought my heart would stop.
A month has passed since then, and it's
only now that I've finally gotten used to this situation.
"But, shouldn't we stop talking like
this in the office soon?"
"Eh? Why~?"
The president replied limply, in a way that
sounded like there was a tiny "eh" after the "why."
"Well, you yourself said it, didn't
you, President? That we should always separate our daily life and work, that
distinguishing between public and private is important."
"Of course! That's why I made a place
like this where other people won't come in, so I can talk with you,
Kyouya-san~"
"Um, President, inside the office it's
Hashiba..."
"Oh, that's right! My bad, my
bad."
The president stuck out her tongue with a
"Tehee." I let out a huge sigh.
"Well, as long as you're booking the
conference room under the pretext of a 'meeting,' I doubt anyone will say
anything strange, but if we continue to meet privately, a rumor or two might
start."
"What does it matter? Let them start
their silly rumors if they want."
I sighed again.
The president—Ichikawa-san—may seem to have
a soft aura at first glance, but she's actually very strong-willed, a person
who won't budge an inch once she's made up her mind.
She probably doesn't care how she's seen
from the outside, unless it directly impacts the company's performance or
image. That must be why she can call a mere employee like me over and talk so
familiarly.
In the end, I'm probably just overthinking
it.
"My reason for talking with you like
this, Hashiba-san, is of course partly because I like it... but more than that,
it's because I'm interested."
I decided to not think about the "I
like it" part for now.
"Interested? I'm just a mid-career
hire who got laid off."
When I said that, Ichikawa-san shook her
head emphatically.
"There you go, being self-deprecating
again~. If you were really just some ordinary person, Hashiba-san, you wouldn't
have been able to cause such a commotion or pitch a project to a competitor in
the first place."
"That was... just because I was truly
desperate."
There was no other answer.
Something we were all desperately creating
was being erased for an unreasonable cause. The respected colleagues around me
were shedding tears of frustration. I just wanted to find some way to break
through that.
I had already been laid off once. I didn't
care if I got fired again. An act born from that desperation ended up rolling
in a good direction. That's all it was.
Above all, if I hadn't had the good fortune
of the representative of the company I was pitching to being Ichikawa-san, the
whole thing would have ended right there.
"And after all, I think I was just
lucky."
I said with a wry smile.
After seeing my expression, Ichikawa-san's
face suddenly turned serious.
"If you truly think that, then I have
no choice but to conclude that you're not able to see things calmly,
Hashiba-san."
"Huh...?"
Startled by her sudden, cold declaration,
"The project you and your team brought
in had solid merits in multiple areas, such as its newsworthiness and staffing.
If it had been something so transparently a case of 'we're in trouble so we're
turning to another company,' our company wouldn't have accepted it in the first
place."
The person in front of me had, at some
point, changed from Ichikawa-san to the "President."
"M-my apologies. You are
correct."
Ichikawa-san is a proper business manager.
She wouldn't take on something that was clearly nothing but a risk, just
because she knew me.
To dismiss it as just luck was truly too
disrespectful. I need to reflect on that.
"Well, of course, the fact that it was
you did add some bonus points~"
"On that point alone, I am truly
fortunate."
"Indeed. It almost feels like some
greater power skillfully manipulated things, thinking, 'It might turn out well
if I place them here'."
Maybe so. Ichikawa-san denied it, but I
wonder if that's what people call fate.
"Well, now that we have this
relationship, I need you to work hard and make some good content. The kind that
will make Kou-kun incredibly frustrated, you know?"
"Kou-kun...?"
An unfamiliar name came up, so I asked
again.
"Oh, right, you wouldn't be familiar
with the name. It's Managing Director Matsuhira from Succeed. His full name is
Matsuhira Kou."
"Ah, the Managing Director's... or
rather, you two know each other."
Ichikawa-san nodded.
"Our fathers know each other, and
we're the same age, so we've known each other since we were students. It's been
about 10 years now, I think."
I guess it's a so-called upper-class
acquaintance. Though, given Ichikawa-san's frankness, that doesn't seem to be
much of a reason.
"Was the Managing Director always like
that?"
I asked, a little curious.
I was genuinely curious if he'd had that
cold-blooded, dangerous personality since he was young.
"No, not at all. In fact, he used to
be a kind person. When we were doing something as a team, he would volunteer
for the tough jobs, and he was like a good leader who was attentive and
considerate to others."
That was unexpected. I had assumed he'd
always been like that.
"But, around the time he graduated
from university and officially became an employee at Succeed, even his
expression changed. I used to be able to talk to him casually, but he suddenly
became hard to approach."
"Huh... I wonder if something
happened."
"Maybe. Though, I felt like I
shouldn't pry, so I don't know anything."
True, unless you're extremely close to
someone, it seems like a place you can't touch. Even more so when it comes to a
personality-level change.
"You've been through a lot, so I think
you understand, but Kou-kun is sharp, and if he thinks he can take advantage,
he will attack without mercy. The company will protect you, Hashiba-kun, but
you all need to be careful and defend yourselves, too."
I nodded at Ichikawa-san's words and said,
"I understand."
The Managing Director did all that without
batting an eye, so there's no way he'll just sit back and watch what we do. He
must be plotting something again.
(That said, he hasn't made a move yet.)
Up to the point of the staff transfers and
project announcement, I think our meticulous preparation outmatched theirs. In
fact, I heard from an employee in the legal department that there were
exchanges where they hinted at a lawsuit, but we repelled everything with our
flawless countermeasures.
Of course I won't let my guard down, but
with this, we can finally restart development under the new system. Right now,
I was feeling more happiness than anything else.
(Just watch, I'll show you I can create
something amazing.)
To meet Ichikawa-san's expectations, too, I
was determined to do my best.
◇
The building BCC was in was located a
little ways away from Tamachi, where Beecraft is. It was a bit farther than
Succeed in Gotanda, but because of that, I ended up talking with Kawasegawa
more often on the way to and from work.
Today, too, we hadn't particularly planned
to match our times, but there we were, Kawasegawa and I, side by side, swaying
on the night train.
"I still can't quite settle in. I was
used to the old commute, but if I'm not careful, I sometimes get off the train
at Gotanda."
"Even you do things like that,
Kawasegawa?"
She's so precise, I thought she'd never
make a mistake like getting off at the wrong station.
"Come on, the mask has already come
off, so don't look at me like that. I make careless mistakes just like anyone
else, and I get more down than the average person, too."
Kawasegawa said with a wry smile.
Compared to when I first met her, I think
Kawasegawa has become surprisingly expressive. She laughs at my and Kuroda's
jokes, and she's started to admit her own little mistakes like this.
The Kawasegawa from the time when she was
trying to create perfection was no longer there.
And now, having become extremely close to
her natural self, she is tackling game development anew.
"I thought it was impossible, but you
never know."
Kawasegawa let out a soft sigh and looked
up at the ceiling.
"A terrible company got even worse,
and I had lost my place to go. But to think that a chance encounter with you
would lead me all the way here."
"...Well, it wasn't exactly a great
first meeting."
"You're right. I don't think I'll ever
be suddenly pounced on again in my life."
We both smiled wryly. That encounter in
Shinjuku, which could only be described as fated. From there, so, so many
things happened to bring us here.
But that was ultimately because we were
searching for a place. It was something we could only do because we clung on,
just to be able to stand on the bare minimum starting line.
"This isn't the end yet. It's just the
beginning."
"That's right. We've only just secured
a place where we can finally fight back. The important thing is how we're going
to create from now on."
I nodded deeply at her words.
BCC is a company with what you could call
an ideal environment. But in game development, just having the place isn't
enough to solve everything.
In fact, the new title has many problems.
Unlike the old game, "Misukuro," what approach should we take to
create it? How can we best utilize the strengths of the Platinum Generation
creators?
What only they can do, and what only we can
do. How do we strike that balance and move forward with production? It's not
something where you have a textbook to follow. We have to think and act based
on our past experience, driven by our own passion.
It's difficult, but it's a challenging job.
"I'll do it."
I muttered, as if to psych up myself and
Kawasegawa.
Kawasegawa gave a light nod to my murmur.
"I wonder how I should thank
you."
"Thank me? For what?"
"Isn't it obvious? You've set
everything up for me so perfectly, you resurrected me from a situation where I
thought 'it's all over.' If this world were an MMORPG, this would be some
next-level 'princess play'."
I bet Kawasegawa would be capable of some
seriously intense princess play.
"Originally, I'm the one who needs to
thank you for picking me up. But so far, I haven't been able to give anything
back."
"That's not, but..."
"If we both feel that way, then isn't
it fine to just say, 'Let's make something together'? What we create can be our
thanks to each other, you know?"
When I gave her a smile, Kawasegawa looked
stunned for a moment before suddenly blushing and looking down.
"Uh, sorry, did I say something
wrong?"
"You did. You... sometimes you're so
dense, you say things like that."
As Kawasegawa muttered under her breath, I
felt apologetic and ended up endlessly pondering what on earth I had said
wrong.
"By the way, about... the
president."
"The president? Oh, you mean
Ichikawa-san?"
Kawasegawa had met Ichikawa-san before. It
was when the three of us, including me, went out. Because of that, the moment
she appeared before us and said "I'm the president," she seemed even
more surprised than I was.
"Is she really the property
manager?"
"Yeah, that's what I heard."
Well, I can understand why you'd be
suspicious.
Beecraft, where Ichikawa-san serves as a
director, is a long-established toy maker and also a comprehensive
entertainment company that, despite being unlisted, holds significant influence
within the industry.
Why would she, who was likely taught the
art of management as part of the founding family, be managing a property owned
by her family as a "hobby"? Unless there's some reason, it's normal
to feel that it doesn't add up.
(But she told me it's really nothing more
than a hobby~)
Since she says so herself, all I can do is
speculate. But in the end, that never gets beyond the vague realm of finding it
either amusing or creepy.
"It's too much of a coincidence. The
super-important person at the company you negotiated with just happens to be
the manager of the house you live in."
I think so too. If a scenario writer wrote
a setup like this, the director would surely reject it for being too contrived.
But, terrifyingly, this is an undeniable
fact. Maybe there's a chance I carelessly fell into some grand scheme
Ichikawa-san had concocted and was used, but that seems far less plausible.
The correct explanation is probably that
Ichikawa-san skillfully used a pile of coincidences. Probably.
"Well, it's really just a coincidence.
Other than her being the manager, there's really nothing else."
When I replied, Kawasegawa gave me a
strangely sharp look.
"Really? Nothing else?"
"Y-yeah. Oh, now that I think about
it, I helped her change a fluorescent light once, and I went to her home as a
thank-you, but that's—"
"What! To her home? And what
happened?"
Kawasegawa was strangely insistent. What
was she suspecting? I guess she was wondering if there was a so-called
relationship between me and her, but of course there isn't.
(Maybe she wanted to confirm if there were
any secret deals like that going on behind the scenes.)
I know she's at least friendly towards
me... if not affectionate, so maybe she was worried I'd gotten caught up in
some kind of conspiracy.
"It's fine, don't worry. I really just
got some vegetables and went home."
"I-I see. If that's the case, then
fine."
After I explained that much, Kawasegawa
finally seemed to be convinced.
(I'll keep quiet about the 'lucky pervert'
encounter I had while drunk.)
It's not like I did anything wrong, but
given her mood, I feel like I'd be interrogated intensely.
◇
As development on the new title began, a
few things that we had been using up to now had to be changed. One of them was
the title.
The title "Mystic Clockwork" is,
of course, copyrighted by Succeed Soft. I asked BCC's legal department if it
would be possible to buy the title outright, but their judgment was that it
would probably be impossible. Even if they agreed, they would likely demand an
exorbitant amount, so we gave up and decided to come up with a different title.
"Clockwork Destiny, huh. I wonder if
this will really be okay."
Looking at the title, which was chosen from
suggestions solicited from both inside and outside the company, I expressed a
slight concern.
"It'll work. Just in case, we ran it
by a lawyer who's strong with trademark issues, and their judgment was that
it's a combination of general terms, so it should be fine."
True, if it were a made-up word or
something, using it as-is would have been absolutely impossible.
"Is it next month that Succeed's legal
team is coming?"
"Yeah. This check was done in
anticipation of that."
We heard from Succeed Soft just a week ago.
On the understanding that they are, of
course, aware we are making a new game, it was decided that we would confirm
whether it infringes on their copyrights.
"Well, it's a pain, but it's better
than them making a fuss after we've already made it."
I nodded. If they stayed quiet until it was
finished and released, then sued us by pointing out similarities when it was
too late to turn back, it would definitely affect our image.
In that respect, it was much easier for
them to come and tell us this beforehand.
"We need to confirm various
things."
They will probably nitpick, saying this or
that part is too similar and needs to be fixed. To avoid being called out on it
later, we need to be thorough and get it in writing.
"Yeah, I'll leave that part to you,
Hashiba. Well, shall we get going?"
Kuroda said and stood up from his desk. I
followed him.
At the BCC Development Department, it was
decided that a regular meeting would be held on the last Friday of every month.
About 20 staff members, including us, were
gathered in the conference room. Eighty percent of them had transferred
directly from Succeed, so we had a near-complete grasp of their characteristics
and ways of thinking, like who had what skills.
It wasn't entirely because of that, but for
the month-end meeting, we decided to use the same format that had been used at
Succeed.
"Let's not change every single old
method; let's keep the good parts."
Everyone seemed to agree with the producer
Kawasegawa's words.
"Alright, let's have each section give
their progress reports in order."
When the group leader, Kuroda, spoke, the
lead in charge of the UI (User Interface) stood up and began their progress
report.
"For now, we are conducting tests by
applying a temporary UI based on the illustrations we currently have. The font
we used previously is unusable to avoid similarity, so we are picking out ones
that won't detract from the image as much as possible. This document
here—"
I opened the document data that had been
distributed beforehand and checked the relevant page.
Just as the lead in charge said, the ideas
used were different from the UI of "Misukuro," yet care had been
taken not to spoil the atmosphere.
(Everyone is properly getting their work
done...)
After that, reports came in from the
graphics and system sections, all of which were progressing smoothly, and
moreover, showed a clear improvement in quality compared to before.
"So far, so good."
As the reports continued, I quietly spoke
to Kuroda.
"Yeah, well, we don't have any of that
nonsensical meddling anymore. It's a different world from when we were creating
with the resignation that it would all be overturned anyway."
Kuroda grinned.
The staff, who at Succeed had always feared
a pointless "table-flipping" from above, had finally found a place
where they could work to their heart's content. It was a moment that made me
realize anew that the great reform of the entire company had meaning, not just
for us.
"Now, as long as what those guys make
turns out solid, we'll be okay."
"Yeah, you're right."
Needless to say, "those guys"
referred to the three members of the Platinum generation.
We had already explained the current matter
to them carefully. Kawagoe... no, Tsurayuki, is already working on the concept
for a new scenario, and Akishima Shino, as well as N@NA, are both proceeding
with preparations for the new project.
"...It would be nice if there were a
little more progress, though."
When I said that, sounding a bit like I was
complaining, Kuroda chuckled.
"We've already factored in the speed
at which they deliver. It's not something to get neurotic about. Besides,
they're not the type we look to for quantity or speed in the first place."
"Quality and brand, right?"
"That's right," Kuroda nodded.
"Of course, there are limits, but
that's what we're counting on. Well, as for how to find a middle ground, I'm
trusting you with that."
Kuroda let out a soft smile and patted my
shoulder.
For this production, Kuroda is in charge of
directing the specific components, while I am responsible for handling the
communication with the three Platinum members and setting the direction,
including branding. My title is also no longer the nominal one of
"Assistant Department Manager," but has been officially changed to
"Chief Director."
This came about due to the turn of events
near the end of the last project's development, but to think that I, who was on
the verge of collapse at a back-alley bishoujo game maker just a year ago,
would now be shouldering such a heavy responsibility.
(This is a huge responsibility.)
Before, I might have buckled under the
pressure, but now, I can steel my resolve.
"...I have to do this."
Right here, right now, I have colleagues
with solid skills and creators I can trust.
I want to avoid a situation where adding me
as a piece to the puzzle makes everything pointless.
I'm going to create something that will
make me able to say, "This happened because I was here."
"Alright, that's it for today's
meeting. Starting next month, production will get into full swing, so if you
have any questions, be sure to report them immediately."
At Kuroda's words, the staff replied in
unison, "Yes," and the meeting was adjourned.
It was a formulaic closing remark, but it
actually held a greater meaning. Report anything that concerns you. This wasn't
just about our own development, but also included the movements of other
companies.
"It's a bad way of putting it, but
it's like being spies. In any case, it's better to have more eyes and
ears."
Those were the words Miyamoto-san said at
the meeting to decide future policy after this whole transfer fiasco.
In this series of events, the Managing
Director certainly lost. But, as I've said repeatedly, I couldn't believe it
was over.
That's why I wanted to crush any doubts
preemptively. Kuroda's words just now were to confirm those reports.
And so, the new title, "Clodis,"
officially started moving. This time, we want to make it properly. The thoughts
of the members were united as one.
◇
"So for now, there are no reports or
anything, right?"
Sakurai-san said, sounding anxious.
"Of course. It's just a matter of
being cautious."
I replied with a smile, partly to reassure
her.
After the general meeting, Sakurai-san and
I transitioned directly into a meeting for a different project. Needless to
say, it was about the future of Project Grape.
Fortunately, Grape wasn't a particularly
large-scale project, so continuing it as a business at BCC was approved without
a hitch.
However, since the original budget itself
had been estimated on the low side, we were in a situation where we couldn't
allocate many resources from the development department.
Therefore,
"For a while, it'll be a two-person
project with just me and you, Hashiba-san."
is how it turned out.
"For now, we'll have to work on it in
parallel with 'Clodis'. Once that one is on track, let's have them send some
personnel over here."
By now, Sakurai-san was a capable asset.
She had earned Kuroda's trust and was assigned to coordinate the mini-events
for the new title, "Clodis."
But, of course, Grape is an important
project too. I want to somehow bring the system that Sakurai-san and I built to
fruition.
"Is there a list of the teams we've
finished picking out somewhere?"
"Ah, yes, there is. It's separated by
tabs, so I'll send you the link."
Sakurai-san sent me a link to the document
in a chat. When I opened it, it seemed that about 20 production teams had
already responded positively about participating.
"That's amazing. We haven't even made
the project public yet, and we've already gotten this many replies."
When I exclaimed in surprise, Sakurai-san
said happily,
"They agree with the project itself,
but I think the names of Miyamoto-san and Kojima-san were a big factor. The two
of them really reached out to people for us."
In connection with this transfer,
Miyamoto-san, as he mentioned earlier, did not join BCC but instead joined a
company that handles e-books in online media. Kojima-san apparently planned to
return to being a freelancer from the start and is reportedly involved in
building websites for large corporations using her connections.
However, those two didn't hesitate to
cooperate with Project Grape. Thanks to them explaining things individually to
the production teams we had initially approached and continuing to push for it
personally, many teams showed a positive response.
"Seriously, and we can't even pay them
properly..."
I thanked them personally, but that's not
something that can really be covered by that. I want to properly repay their
kindness somewhere down the line.
Sakurai-san also nodded and said in a
somber tone,
"It really is a little lonely, isn't
it?"
"Yeah..."
The room we use for meetings is much
cleaner now, and natural light streams in through the window. It's like the
days when we worked in that dim basement were a lie.
But the passion from when we were first
thinking of the project, the tension of the do-or-die meetings—it was by no
means a blessed environment, but the atmosphere of those days when we were
trying so hard was very pleasant.
The five-member team has dwindled down to
two. But even now, we are still connected deep down. That's exactly why I
absolutely wanted to make this project a success.
"By the way,"
Sakurai-san looked up, her expression
filled with concern.
"I wonder if Horii-san is doing
well..."
Hearing that name, I slowly lowered my
eyes.
"You're right. I wonder how he's
doing."
Horii-san, the manager of Development
Department 13. After the department was dismantled, he began to distance
himself from us, and we naturally stopped contacting each other.
According to what Kojima-san heard later,
Horii-san had apparently launched a separate project within the company and was
leading it in order to improve our position even a little.
Although it ultimately didn't pay off, it
was a story that made me realize anew that he had been our leader.
But now, with the members of Department 13
scattered, I wonder how he is doing, remaining alone at the company.
(It's probably not a very good
environment.)
Just being a direct subordinate of that
Managing Director is enough to tell.
"Once we get Grape properly launched,
I want to report to Horii-san, too."
Sakurai-san said, blinking her eyes.
"He's the one who always supported me
after I joined Succeed, when I was completely useless."
"You're right. I have a lot I want to
report to Horii-san, too."
It was about the work I'm doing now, but I
also had other things I wanted to ask Horii-san. Things about Managing Director
Matsuhira that he probably knows, and also about what kind of company Succeed
Soft was in the first place.
There aren't many companies that are
distorted from the very beginning. Every company must have had a respectable
period at the start, with high ideals.
But those ideals gradually waver for
various reasons. What was that reason for Succeed?
If it were possible to know, I wanted to
find out.
◆
A regular report has come in regarding
Succeed Soft's most important project, the education business.
"Since last month, we have entered
into full-scale discussions with the person in charge at the Ministry of
Education, and the talks regarding the areas we will be responsible for have
reached their final stage. Specifically, this will involve the construction of
the core software, the production of content for elementary school and
preschool children, and the creation of accompanying instructional books,
pamphlets, and so on. Next, regarding who will be in charge of that..."
It's just me and Department Manager Horii
in the room. As a result of abolishing the practice of having a horde of old
guys show up for reports and what not, one-on-one report meetings like this
have become more common.
The types who would clamor about this and
that in a group seem to find it difficult in a one-on-one format, so this in
itself was a great success.
Well, as far as Department Manager Horii is
concerned, we've had many one-on-one talks like this before.
"Development Department 3 will be in
charge of the core software, and Dept 4 through 8 will handle the
grade-specific content. For content production, we will bring on a renowned
educator as a supervisor and strive for efficient progress. And as for
publishing..."
I held up a hand to stop Department Manager
Horii, who was continuing his report.
"By the way,"
I threw out a sudden question with a grin.
"Did the guys from the former
Department 13 say anything about that matter?"
Department Manager Horii turned to me with
a clearly bewildered expression.
"Managing Director, regarding that
matter, it is as I explained before. I had absolutely no involvement in that
mass departure, and in fact--"
"I know, I know. If you had been
involved in something like that, you wouldn't have launched the education
business at full throttle to plead for your life, would you?"
At my words, Horii-san made a bitter face.
"If you understand, then why would you
say such a thing..."
"Well, think of this as retribution.
It's easy to understand, isn't it? You, their former boss, taking on the
responsibility that Kawasegawa and the rest of Department 13 should have borne.
Right?"
I know that one way or another, this
Horii-san in front of me has become their spiritual support. It's possible
they'll come to him for advice at some point, so applying pressure like this
beforehand probably isn't a waste.
"It seems you had a long talk with
Department Manager Hachiya from Legal."
"Yeah. About the rights to 'Mystic
Clockwork' and what those guys are making. I told him to find as many faults as
possible and make things difficult for them."
Laughing, I picked up the plan that had
arrived from the legal department.
Hashiba and the others were probably
thinking of cleverly repurposing what they gained from the development of
"Mystic Clockwork" for their new project. But I have no intention of
letting them do that so easily. I planned to compare it with the materials we
already have and interfere as much as possible.
"They embarrassed me in front of all
those people. If I don't take my time and get my revenge, I won't be satisfied.
Don't you agree?"
It's not just a personal grudge. As a
company, if you let people walk all over you, it's over.
Especially this time, with that Beecraft
behind them. When I listened closely, I heard it wasn't that demon chairman,
but his daughter who took the lead, which means I need to get even more serious
about this.
(Ichikawa Mika, I will make sure to pay her
back in full.)
Being in the same industry, the same age,
and from the same national university, she and I have always been compared.
Unlike her, who had a brilliant career in overseas business from the start, I
was forced to crawl my way up from the rank and file, and there was a huge gap
between us from the beginning.
Just when I had finally crawled my way up
and thought we were on equal footing in terms of performance, that transfer
drama happened. In terms of performance alone, it wasn't a huge loss, but the
damage to my image was the worst. It was written about in various media, I was
labeled as 'the one who got played,' and once again, her reputation soared.
That's why, no matter what, I can't let
them succeed.
Horii-san listened to me in silence, but
eventually, he clenched his fists on his knees.
"Won't you stop this sort of thing
already?"
"Hm?"
His expression was unusually stern.
"Managing Director, you have already
achieved enough success. With the success of the current education project, I
believe your position as the next president will be certain. When that happens,
Succeed Soft will formally withdraw from the game business and be recognized
both internally and externally as the business software company you've always
dreamed of. Isn't that enough?"
Horii-san said, as if spitting the words
out, and looked at me with pleading eyes.
"Please, I beg you, don't interfere
with them any more. We are already trying to move to a different industry. They
only went to a different place because staying at this company would go against
your policies, Managing Director. So please, no more...!"
I listened to him intently. I didn't say a
word back, letting him say what he wanted. There was also a sense of gratitude
towards him for having listened to everything I've said up until now.
But.
"You too, once upon a time--"
I couldn't help but react to those words.
"You've been quite the chatterbox,
haven't you, Horii-kun!"
Horii-san's words stopped. I stood up and
threw words down at his head as if looking down on him.
"'Only went to a different place'?
Then they should have just silently submitted resignation and left. To make
such a flashy scene and do it so grandly, that's a declaration that they've
completely made an enemy of us, isn't it! Am I wrong?"
"Th-that's because they also needed to
make an appeal..."
"An appeal? By making us out to be the
absolute villains? Do you have any idea how much money and time we poured into
those erratic and unplanned people you call 'creators'? And yet, they forgot
all that gratitude and made an appeal like 'they're the bad guys, we're the
good guys.' It's only natural they'd be counterattacked for something like
that!"
Horii-san fell silent. I brought my face
close to his and whispered in his ear.
"Listen here, don't you ever give me
your opinion about them again. This is no longer about the companies; this is
about my own ideology. I won't listen to anyone, and especially from you,
Horii-san... I don't want to hear a thing."
Startled, Horii-san looked at me. However,
without meeting his eyes, I sat back down in my chair and turned my back to
him.
"That's enough. Get out of here
now."
Horii-san remained standing there. I didn't
think there was any need for me to say anything, so I just left him be.
Eventually, in a strained voice, he said,
"...You've forgotten everything,
haven't you?"
Leaving those words behind, he left the
room.
Even after the heavy sound of the door
opening and closing, I remained with my back turned for a while.
"Who was it that made me want to
forget?"
The words were no longer directed at
anyone.
◆
For a person who works at a company,
lunchtime is one of life's small pleasures.
Especially when it comes to lunch, which
takes up most of that time, people often make some kind of effort to find
solace. Looking at it from a different perspective, when you no longer have
time for a leisurely lunch, it might be fair to say that your work situation is
quite dire.
And I, Hashiba Kyouya, am also one of those
people who seek solace in lunch.
When I have time, I go out to eat and
discover new restaurants, and when that's not possible, I at least buy
something delicious on my way to work.
So, when the company changed from Succeed
to BCC and I had to start exploring all over again, I didn't particularly
lament it; in fact, I thought of it as having more to look forward to.
However.
During such a lunchtime, I was currently
having a very difficult time.
"Um, I'd like to ask a question."
"What is it?"
"What is it~?"
Normally, around this time, I would be
eating a store-bought bento in the common area or going out to find a
restaurant.
But today, I was still at my desk in the
development room. It was because I was at a loss, holding a bento in both my
right and left hands.
In front of me are two faces. One is a
slightly sullen face, and the other is a bright, smiling face.
And to my horror, the bentos in my hands
were made by each of these two people.
"U-um, about this, could I, like, take
one home or something... ah, sorry, it's nothing, I'll eat it now, right
now."
My question was cut off mid-sentence.
That's because I felt a united pressure from the two in front of me that said,
"That's not how this works."
(It looks like this won't be resolved
unless I eat both.)
I let out a big sigh.
I recall how this happened. The beginning
of it all was a casual conversation with Kawasegawa.
"By the way, Hashiba, have you been
eating properly lately?"
I was suddenly asked that while I was
eating a savory bun at my desk.
"I haven't really been able to cook
for myself lately, or make my own lunch."
I used to be someone who paid a fair amount
of attention to my meals, but with how busy I've been lately, there have been
more and more days where I just get by on store-bought side dishes or
convenience store bentos at home.
That said, this was only a recent thing and
not a particularly serious issue, but...
"That's not good. If you don't change
your lifestyle, it will start to affect your work."
Just as I thought Kawasegawa had replied
with a serious face,
"Then I'll make you a bento next
time."
"What? N-no, that's okay, you don't
have to go to the trouble."
"Don't be shy. I was already making my
own, and I was thinking it's a bit much to make just for one person."
"No, but..."
"It's fine. You've been busy lately,
so let me do at least this much."
It had become a strangely difficult
atmosphere to refuse in.
I had heard that Kawasegawa had started
spending more time on her personal affairs now that things had calmed down a
bit, but I never thought it would lead to this.
"W-well, maybe I'll take you up on
that. Sometime..."
"Yes, I'll make something
well-balanced, maybe tomorrow."
"What, tomorrow?"
And so, the bento event that I thought
would happen whenever she felt like it was suddenly scheduled for the very next
day.
"Hmm, what should I do? Paying for it
feels wrong somehow."
On the way home, on the train, I was
thinking about how I should repay Kawasegawa's kindness.
In the first place, she's my boss, and
knowing she has a heavy workload, I don't want to impose on her too much.
Even if she says it's no different making
for one person or two, I can't just take her at her word and be spoiled.
Besides, if it got out that a female boss
was making lunch for her male subordinate every day, Kuroda might have an
inkling of the situation, but it would definitely become a topic of gossip
among the other staff.
(Kawasegawa... what is she thinking, doing
this?)
I've recently started to realize that she
seems to have some sort of goodwill towards me.
But I thought it was just an extension of
her relying on me for work-related things, not that it was due to romantic
feelings. I myself have never been popular with girls, and I thought it was
impossible for a beautiful girl like her to like me.
So, I tried to think of it as simply a boss
worrying about her unworthy subordinate, and not something special. That said,
even if I wanted to return the favor, paying for lunch doesn't seem right, and
a gift feels off too.
As I was walking home, lost in thought, I
noticed someone near my door.
"Ah, welcome home, Hashiba-san."
It was the president... no, the property
manager, sweeping the entrance.
"Good evening. You're home early
today."
"Yes, I had a board meeting at the
head office early this morning, and then I took a half-day off."
Ichikawa-san is not only the president of
BCC but also a director at its parent company, Beecraft. So, she commuted to
the head office two days a week.
To be doing property management work in
between all that is a level of work ethic I can't even imagine.
"You were late today, too. Is
development really that tough?"
"Well, yeah, it takes time at the
beginning."
Introducing tools to link everyone's tasks,
greeting and developing new outsourcing partners—there's inevitably a lot of
work at the beginning. The initial management tasks are crucial.
As I was briefly explaining that,
"Then you probably can't eat proper
meals, can you~"
"That's right, today at the office I
just had a savory bun..."
As I answered lightly, I realized the
conversation was heading in the same direction as before.
"Then, I'll make you a bento next
time~!"
"What?"
I swear, I had clearly told Ichikawa-san,
"I'm fine for tomorrow, so I don't need a bento."
And yet, Ichikawa-san had made sure to make
a bento just for me and brought it to my desk with a beaming smile.
As I, in a fluster, was saying things like
"But I told you I was fine for today," Kawasegawa arrived, bento in
hand, and thus this battlefield was born.
(If I get blamed for this, I think I'd have
to protest a little...)
The two bentos lined up next to each other
both looked very delicious.
Kawasegawa's was more of a health-conscious
bento with a lot of vegetables. It had a rolled omelet, boiled spinach, boiled
broccoli and cherry tomatoes, and a small fried item. The rice was topped with
small dried sardines seasoned with soy sauce.
In contrast, Ichikawa-san's seemed to be
focused on stamina. It was a combination of ginger pork with shredded cabbage,
salt-grilled mackerel, meatballs, lightly pickled vegetables, and white rice.
"I put in a well-balanced meal, so
don't hesitate to eat it all, Hashiba."
"I put in things you like,
Hashiba-san, so please eat as you please~"
No matter what I did, it seemed I had to
eat both of them together.
"Th-thank you for the food..."
◇
An hour later, in front of a clearly
exhausted me from overeating, Kuroda was rolling on the floor laughing,
wheezing.
"Don't laugh so much, I was
desperate..."
"Of course I'm gonna laugh! Getting
handmade bentos from your boss and the president at the same time, of all
things. You should post about that on a forum somewhere, hee hee hee."
Kuroda is aware that Kawasegawa has
feelings for me, and also that the president seems to have taken a liking to
me.
He had said that the situation alone was
hilarious enough to make him die laughing, so this bento incident must have
been on a whole other level of hitting his funny bone.
"Sorry to interrupt while your stomach
is full of happiness, but I'm counting on you for today's meeting."
"I know, I'll definitely do that
properly."
Just as I was about to speak, the sound of
the conference room door opening was heard. Kuroda and I turned around at the
same time to see a man with an embarrassed look on his face, scratching his
head.
"Sorry I'm late, I was just finishing
up a manuscript before I came."
Kawagoe Kyouichi... no, Rokuonji Tsurayuki,
sat down while making a praying gesture with one hand.
"Right, you said the first draft of
your new book was almost done. Good work."
"Yeah, but that's settled now, so I
should be able to focus on this."
His tone was relaxed, and his expression
was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
"So, Kyouya. Where should we
start?"
"Okay, I'll pull up the slides, just a
moment."
The three of us spoke as if we were old
friends.
But, of course, my relationship with
Tsurayuki had only become like this recently. I used to call him
Kawagoe-sensei, but after the whole transfer commotion, he requested that I
speak to him informally and call him by his first name.
At first, I was naturally confused. He was
an author whose books I had read for a long time and whom I respected. Even
though we were the same age and he had shown me respect in our work, I couldn't
just start speaking to him informally so easily. We had an awkward
back-and-forth for about two weeks.
However, after that period, for some
reason, we both suddenly and naturally settled into calling each other by our
first names. Maybe we just got used to it, but it was a strange feeling for
both of us.
"I feel like we've been calling each
other this way for a long time."
I agreed with his words.
In any case, we started acting like we were
classmates.
"...And so, we now have two main
options. Either we build upon the setting from 'Mystic Clockwork', or we start
completely fresh and remake it."
I said, pointing to the text displayed on
the slide.
Originally, when we were making
"Mystic Clockwork," for better or worse, the progress on the scenario
itself wasn't that great. So, just in terms of the scenario itself, rewriting
it from scratch could be said to be a shallow wound.
But, of course, a scenario can't just be
written out of thin air. It's difficult to proceed with writing the main text
until the setting, created based on a vast amount of reference material, and
the plot planned from it, are both finalized.
The setting and plot created during the
production of "Mystic Clockwork" are, of course, copyrighted by
Succeed Soft. This is because they were bought out in the initial contract, so
Tsurayuki does not have the right to use them freely.
However, there is a loophole here. As long
as it's not a direct copy, it's not considered use, so if you carefully
rearrange the wording and details, it's not impossible to repurpose it.
The problem was whether Tsurayuki would be
okay with that.
"It's true, the initial setting for
'Mystic Clockwork' is already complete. If we could use a rearranged version of
that, we could save time, but..."
Tsurayuki crossed his arms, closed his
eyes, and began to think.
To be honest, if we were only thinking
about progress, the repurposing route seemed reasonable. However, the setting
for "Mystic Clockwork" was something Tsurayuki had created after
numerous unreasonable retakes and adjustments, and aside from any third-party
evaluation, he himself was not completely satisfied with it.
"Hey, Hashiba."
Kuroda, next to me, spoke to me using the
chat tool on his laptop. The fact that he sent it as a text message probably
means it's something he doesn't want Tsurayuki to hear.
"Honestly, isn't starting over from
scratch here going to be tough?"
I nodded in response to that question.
The things Tsurayuki creates are, without a
doubt, wonderful. I remember being amazed by them many times during the
production of "Mystic Clockwork."
But on the other hand, it also took a lot
of time for them to come out, and if it became a matter of planning again, it
was easy to predict that he would surely take his time.
"Kyouya, there's something I'd like to
ask of you."
Tsurayuki opened his eyes and uncrossed his
arms.
However, he didn't say the words that
followed. Whether he was still hesitant, or if he was considerate of us and
found it hard to say, it was clear that he was hesitating.
After making a quick choice in my mind, I
opened my mouth.
"This time, you want to remake it from
the setting up... that's what you mean, right?"
For a moment, a tense look crossed Kuroda's
face beside me.
"Hashiba, you...!"
His face seemed to say, "You're going
to say that from your side?", but I just kept looking straight at
Tsurayuki's face.
"I figured it would probably turn out
that way, so I've been preparing. It's going to be a tough production, but
let's do our best together."
When I said that, Tsurayuki shot up from
his chair.
"I see! Thank you, Kyouya! I'm so
happy to hear you say that!"
Compared to the beaming Tsurayuki, Kuroda
looked half-exasperated.
"Oh man, seriously? The
deadline-ditching writer finally gets a stopper, and now that stopper has
joined the ditching support squad."
"Hah, don't say that, Kuroda. I got
such a feel-good 'OK,' so I'll show you I can write something really
good!"
Tsurayuki said, then went around to
Kuroda's side and cheerfully patted his back.
I watched them with a smile, but at the
same time, I was also worried.
(I was able to send him off on a good note
for now... but it's going to be difficult.)
I know that Tsurayuki's scenarios are slow
to come in. That's why, normally, the proposal to "go with a new
setting" would have required discussion.
But either way, even if we had rejected it,
knowing Tsurayuki's personality, he would have undoubtedly pushed the new
proposal quite persistently. My thinking was that it would be easier to work
with him in the future if we just accepted his proposal cheerfully, rather than
wasting two or three weeks deliberating on it.
However, now that we've decided to go with
something new, we have to create something more interesting than the old
"Mystic Clockwork" setting. Although he's happy now, there will
surely come a time when Tsurayuki gets stuck, and we'll have to think of
countermeasures for that.
(Whether I can do it well, that's the
challenge.)
I myself have taken on a new, big
challenge.
"Alright, now that that's decided,
it's time to brainstorm! Kuroda, Kyouya, you guys join in too."
"Sure, but do you have any good
ideas?"
"I've had this time-related idea I've
wanted to do for a while, and with that..."
Just like students talking amongst
themselves, a brainstorming session for the new work began immediately.
Basically, since Kuroda would be the listener, I became the one in charge of
writing down the content.
(The energy is amazing... it's interesting
just listening.)
It's a conversation between the author I
admired and the director from the company I admired. In the first place, it's a
precious thing I normally wouldn't even be able to hear.
I'm sure they talked much more passionately
when they were students. I was very envious of that.
But now, I can listen and participate as
one of them. I was feeling that happiness anew.
As the three of us were still brainstorming
various ideas,
"Good mornin'... Wow, everyone's so
lively. What's goin' on?"
The door opened, and the second main staff
member appeared.
"Hey Shinoaki, we were just talking
about the new project. You wanna join?"
"You're in a good mood, Tsurayuki-kun.
I've got some work left to do, so I'm headin' back soon~"
She put down her bag a little ways away and
smiled at me.
"Hashiba-san, mornin'~. You look
well."
"Ah, Akishima-san, good morning!"
When I bowed my head with a
"peko," Tsurayuki saw it and started laughing.
"You know, looking at it now, that
response feels super weird."
"Huh? But don't ya do the same for
Tsurayuki-kun?"
Tsurayuki grinned at me and said,
"That's where you're wrong~. Me and
Kyouya, see, we're already on a first-name basis. Right?"
"Y-yeah. Tsurayuki told me to,
so..."
At my words, Akishima-san's eyes widened.
"Really~? That's great!"
"Wh-what?"
An unexpected reaction came back from her.
"Cuz that sounds like it'd make things
way easier to talk about. Hey, hey, Hashiba-san, why don't we do that
too?"
"Uh, you mean... speaking
informally?"
Akishima-san smiled brightly and nodded
emphatically.
"N-no way, that's impossible!"
It took me a while to get used to it even
with Tsurayuki; I mean, speaking informally to a creator I respect felt good
but also incredibly rude.
With Akishima-san, it's even harder.
Because she's also the person who saved my life--.
The moment I prepared my words to refuse,
"Okay, then I'll call you Kyouya-kun,
and you call me Shinoaki! That's my real name, ya know~"
She had already decided on our nicknames
before I could say anything.
"Haha, nice. I feel like I've been
calling you that for a while now, yeah."
"Right~? For some reason, it doesn't
feel weird at all to me either~"
Leaving me stunned, the two of them seemed
to have completely decided on what to call me.
"...Hashiba, I understand your
confusion, but once they decide on something, they don't budge."
Kuroda patted my shoulder as if to say,
"I know, I know."
"Among the members from the art
university, the three from the share house group are, like, amazing. Their
unity is something else."
"The share house group?"
"Yeah. There's a boarding house called
Share House Kitayama. Both Tsurayuki and Shinoaki are part of that group."
"Huh..."
Akishima Shino, a.k.a. Shinoaki, and
Tsurayuki were still happily chatting away. From the content, it seemed to be
about their university days, but of course, I didn't understand a single thing
about the topic.
(The share house group, huh?)
I was already envious that they were
classmates at the same university, but on top of that, it seemed there was an
even stronger group.
"Huh? Hey Kuroda, you said three
people earlier."
It was just as I was about to ask about the
other member of that share house group.
"Oh, right, is Nanako coming today
too? Isn't it about time?"
Tsurayuki said, looking at the clock on his
phone.
"Yeah, she said she might be a little
late, but it should be soon."
Shinoaki also said in agreement.
"What, she's coming today too? She
said she was super busy with concert prep and would just send the files and
leave the rest to us."
Kuroda replied in surprise.
"Yeah, but apparently she said she
wanted to greet the new person, so she's making time to come today,
Kyouya."
Tsurayuki's gaze turned towards me.
"Nanako...?"
Even when the name was said, I didn't know
who they were talking about.
"Well, knowing her, she might say
she's coming and then bail! Even as a big star, she's still so slapdash...
GAH!"
Suddenly, a small stuffed animal hit
Tsurayuki in the face. Ignoring my surprise, a loud voice chased after it from
right behind me.
"Hey, Tsurayuki! Don't say such
careless things in front of someone new! It's not like I enjoy bailing..."
The person who entered the room was a
rather tall woman. She had brown hair in a ponytail, and her sunglasses with
large lenses had a heart mark on the temple. Her clothes were... revealing and
flashy.
(Wh-who is that?)
I was bewildered by the sudden intruder.
She looked at me and,
"Ah, found you!!"
she suddenly said, running over to me.
"You're Hashiba Kyouya-san,
right!"
"Y-yes, but who are... ah."
As I started to speak, I realized that her
voice was incredibly familiar.
"From that look on your face, it seems
you've figured it out~"
Saying that, the woman quickly took off her
sunglasses and grinned.
"Nice to meet you, I'm N@NA!
Continuing on from the previous work, I look forward to working with you on
this one as well!!"
"Wh-whaaat!?"
For more than just a moment, for quite a
long time, I doubted my ears.
The woman in front of me had certainly
introduced herself as N@NA. Or rather, her voice was exactly as I had heard it
in various media.
(N@NA is... right in front of me. Looking
at me.)
I was so stunned by the event that I
couldn't speak. I mean, of course, right? The person I had always seen and
heard through the media was right there. If this wasn't at the office, I would
have been even more confused.
But this is the office, and I'm at work. I
desperately held onto my consciousness, which felt like it was about to drift
away, and gave the bare minimum self-introduction.
"N-nice to meet you... I'm Hashiba,
Kyouya."
N@NA-san flashed a bright, pleasant smile
and then,
"Now then! So, Tsurayuki, you got a
problem with me or something!?"
Then she spun around and started laying
into Tsurayuki, who had made the first strike. The air was like that of a
university reunion.
(These three were living in a share house?)
It was an unimaginable story that three
creators with absolute name recognition had lived and created under one roof.
If I had mistakenly entered that group, I
probably would have been unable to do anything and just secretly moved out.
Just thinking about what that situation was like was enough to make me dizzy.
The author of the light novels I had
devoured was holding his face and complaining, and next to him, the illustrator
whose art I had always followed was smiling cheerfully.
And right in front of me, the artist whose
concerts I had attended many times and whose songs I had listened to on repeat
countless times was pointing at them and laughing.
It was like a dream, a scene that felt
unreal was unfolding.
◇
"Let me reintroduce myself, I'm N@NA.
This time, I'll be in charge of the opening and ending themes, as well as the
BGM. It's a pleasure to work with you."
N@NA-san greeted me with a surprisingly
polite gesture.
"Y-yes, likewise..."
Of course I was surprised when I first saw
Tsurayuki and Shinoaki, but with N@NA-san, the surprise was even greater.
After all, she's a celebrity. Besides
handling theme songs for anime and games, she also does voice acting and has
appeared on numerous television shows. There are even rumors that she'll be
making her first appearance on the national year-end song program soon.
Such a person is laughing cheerfully right
in front of me. It's an unbelievable event.
"Kyouya, no need to be nervous. This
one's just a delinquent big sis on the inside--GWAH!"
As Tsurayuki made that jab, a punch
immediately flew at him from the side.
"Shut up! You say unnecessary things,
that's why my image gets ruined so quickly!"
As I stood there stunned by the sudden
attack, N@NA-san quickly turned to me.
"Ah, ahaha... well, when you meet old
friends, you know?"
She laughed, and as if to cover it up,
looked towards Shinoaki.
"Shinoaki, it's been a super long
time, hasn't it? Was the last time we met at that event?"
"That's right~. Nanako-chan came to
the dressing room, and that was the last time~"
Leaving Tsurayuki holding his cheek, the
two of them started chatting happily.
(I'd heard the rumors, but they really are
good friends.)
The three representative figures of the
Platinum Generation are actually very close in their private lives, bound by a
strong friendship. However, they don't show it publicly. Such rumors had been
circulating on the internet for a long time.
"Well, it's like this. No matter what
happens, you can never pull these three apart. You can see that clearly,
right?"
Kuroda shrugged. I nodded and looked at the
three of them again.
They're teasing each other like students,
but they are undoubtedly positioned at the top class of creators in Japan
today.
As if it were an event in a dream, I could
only watch them in silence.
◇
We confirmed the future schedule, decided
on the dates for our next respective meetings, and they each left for their
next jobs or appointments.
The three of us—Kuroda, Kawasegawa, and
I—ended up discussing the future of the development department.
"I see, so you're remaking it from the
setting up."
"Sorry, I know it's going to be
tough."
"No, I think I would have done the
same. We put Tsurayuki through a lot."
Kawasegawa also seemed to agree with my
decision.
"However, as a practical matter, there
is the issue of the schedule. BCC is a new company, so we don't have the luxury
of taking our time."
Kuroda's words weighed heavily on me.
President Ichikawa had told us to strictly
adhere to the schedule. A major title would normally take two years, but we
were instructed to finish it in one.
"In exchange, they won't complain
about the content, and we can decide everything in development, huh?"
Kawasegawa let out a soft sigh.
"I think it's the right decision.
We're getting attention because of that incident, and if we consider the point
just before the heat dies down, it's effective to cram it into one year, make
it, and sell it. And in exchange, the proposal to entrust everything to us is
also reasonable."
I nodded. As a president, Ichikawa-san is
really on top of things, I thought.
"If we have one year until release,
and we factor in time for debugging and checks, that's effectively nine months.
In that case, the first three months where we have the Platinum generation
working hard will be key."
"That's right. I think the rest will
be put together in-house."
It's easy to say, but actually doing it
will probably be incredibly difficult.
The new setting and plot, the characters
and art design that will be created along with them, and the music that will
add color. The difficulty should be completely different from when we took over
something that already had a foundation, like with "Mystic
Clockwork."
"Well, if we're going to suffer
anyway, it's certainly better to have these kinds of constraints. Let's do this
properly."
Kuroda said with a grin.
The constraints from above that must have
caused him so much trouble at Succeed. The fact that those are gone is probably
a much bigger deal than I can imagine.
"Yeah, let's do it."
I nodded deeply in agreement.
"I'm counting on you both. Let's go
all out and do the things we couldn't do at our previous company."
Kawasegawa also declared strongly.
The staff's preparations were complete, and
the creators also showed their motivation.
(The best... stage I've finally obtained.)
I recall the figures of Tsurayuki and the
others, no, Kawagoe Kyouichi and the others.
The existences I had admired have now,
right at this moment, all appeared before me as reality.
To make a game with those three. I felt a
renewed sense of awe at what that meant, at how incredible it was.
(Somehow, I want to make this work. Even if
I have to bet my everything.)
While recalling that cheerful yet trembling
atmosphere, I tightly clenched my fist.
