"Yes! I'm Kojiro Kawaguchi from Hikari Studio."
Intimidated by Owada's fierce aura, Kawaguchi instinctively tensed up, standing ramrod straight.
Glancing at Kawaguchi, Section Chief Owada tossed a stack of documents to the female employee wiping her hands. "Review these now. I want the files in ten minutes. And from now on, anything from Section Chief Fuyukawa gets top priority!"
"Yes, sir! Right away!"
The female employee, her earlier arrogance gone, bowed repeatedly in a fluster, grabbed the documents, and hurried off to process them. Owada said nothing more, simply turning and heading into his office.
What just happened?
Kawaguchi stood there, a bit dazed, when the hushed conversation of two nearby female employees drifted to his ears.
"Is Matsushita out of her mind? Holding up Section Chief Fuyukawa's paperwork?"
"Oh, come on, she just got back from annual leave. She's out of the loop."
"Good thing the chief stepped in, or she'd be in deep trouble. A Tokyo University grad like Fuyukawa, running his own studio after just five years? The higher-ups value him a ton. If this blew up, it'd probably take a department head to sort it out."
"For real. I ran into Fuyukawa by the restroom once. He's got this super intense vibe."
"Intense? Oh, I see that look in your eyes—you're into guys who pin you against the wall, huh?"
"What?! You perv!"
"Haha, don't play innocent. A guy like Fuyukawa—sharp, capable, and with that aura? Half the women in the company are dying to get close to him. Take that Kawachi girl from his studio. Haven't you noticed her makeup's been on point lately? Total vixen vibes!"
"Now that you mention it… Wait, what if I 'accidentally' run into him in the parking lot tonight?"
"Then you'd better go for a softer look. Maybe twin tails? I hear dominant autodidact guys like him love to 'take the wheel.'"
"The wheel? Oh, stop it!"
What are these women even thinking about at work?
No wonder the finance department's efficiency is so low.
With the department mostly women, Kawaguchi's lips twitched at their exaggerated chatter, though his eyes betrayed a mix of envy and admiration.
I need to learn a thing or two from Fuyukawa.
It had to be said—Tetsu Fuyukawa's name carried serious weight.
Though Hikari Studio was one of NTsoft's smallest, and his promotion was tied to Miyami Miyano, no one doubted his skills or his bright future at the company.
In a gaming company like NTsoft, the traditional Japanese emphasis on seniority-based pay wasn't as rigid, but age still mattered. A section chief over 35 and one under 35 faced very different prospects. Unless there was a direct conflict of interest, no one dared cross Tetsu Fuyukawa.
Thanks to this, not only did Kawaguchi's tasks go smoothly, but Aunt Nogi wrapped up her work before 11 a.m.
"The process is moving along. If all goes well, the funds will be in by the day after tomorrow."
In his office, Tetsu Fuyukawa clicked the [Approve] button on his screen.
[Current Approval Stage: Department Head - Miyami Miyano]
As the approval flowchart appeared, he stretched, swiveling his chair to face the floor-to-ceiling window and the Tokyo sky beyond. It was a nice October day—clear blue skies, gentle sunlight. After a morning of work, his eyes felt slightly strained, his pupils adjusting to the light, followed by a wave of relaxation.
"The funds are set. Next up, casting interviews, then we're off."
Feeling unburdened, Fuyukawa sipped his goji berry tea, glancing at the skyscraper across the street. A knock came at the door.
"Come in."
Sayoko, dressed in a sharp OL uniform, walked in with a tablet, her heels clicking. "Tetsu-kun, here's the list of actors available for this afternoon's interviews."
She stood politely by his desk, sliding the tablet toward him, but halfway through, Fuyukawa pulled her into his lap. The weight of them both made the chair's leather creak, and he felt the warmth of her curves against him.
"Tetsu-kun! This… this is the office!" Sayoko squeaked, blushing furiously, her eyes darting to the blinds and the window behind them. Her stockinged feet curled in her heels.
Holding her soft waist, Fuyukawa teased the hem of her skirt, chuckling. "Relax, Kawaguchi and Nogi are setting up the office. They won't be back for a while."
"No way, Tetsu-kun, not here!"
Sayoko didn't resist too hard, but a big red number seemed to flash above her head. She was clearly flustered, and pushing further wasn't an option.
Sensing her unease, Fuyukawa wasn't too disappointed. He knew her shy nature wouldn't easily give in to office antics. Besides, after three rounds last night and another this morning, he wasn't exactly in the mood—just mentally drained from work and craving a moment of closeness.
He patted her hip and whispered with a grin, "What's 'no way'? I just wanted a hug."
"Huh?!"
His warm breath tickled her neck, and realizing she'd misunderstood, Sayoko melted into him, her body softening. "You're such a tease, Tetsu-kun," she mumbled, embarrassed.
+10000!
"Don't like it?" He tugged playfully at her lower lip. She squirmed in his lap, shyly admitting, "…I do."
After a lingering moment, their lips parted.
"My tea's cold. I'll heat it up for you," she said, her flushed face glowing as she slipped out of his grasp, sensing his growing intensity.
"Still so shy. What a woman," Fuyukawa muttered with a smile, shaking his head. He grabbed the tablet and scrolled through it, his brow furrowing.
Only twelve actors for the afternoon interviews.
Twelve sounded decent, but it was far from enough. To cut costs, he'd even opened the casting to amateurs, yet this was all they got.
The reason? "Interactive live-action films don't have a blockbuster precedent, and I've got no name recognition outside the company."
Looking at the notes—[Will reply in three days], [Requests 30% higher pay], [Wants scheduling flexibility]—next to the actresses' photos, Fuyukawa sighed.
His reputation worked wonders within NTsoft, but outside, he was a nobody—a rookie game producer with no track record. In the adult world, without proven clout, being overlooked was par for the course. Everyone's just looking out for their own interests, and that's fair.
Still…
"Thirty years east, thirty years west—am I about to play out that kind of drama?"
He pushed the tablet aside, swiveled his chair to face the sky, and smirked, a playful glint in his eyes.