"Sumi-gaeshi? I didn't expect our esteemed minister to be a judo expert."
Rubbing his sore shoulder and cracking his neck, Tetsu Fuyukawa keeps his signature squinting smile. In the next moment, under Miyano's stunned gaze, he shifts into a low stance and launches a swift right roundhouse kick toward her waist!
"So fast! He's trained!"
Miyano's pupils contract sharply. She raises her hands to grab his leg, but just as her eyes light up, about to catch it, Tetsu flexes his core, retracts his right leg, and hooks it upward in a fluid motion!
"What?!"
His long, toned leg traces a wide arc through the air!
A gust of wind whips past, and Miyano's eyes widen. Before she can react, her hair flutters in the breeze, and Tetsu's right foot stops just shy of her left shoulder—two inches from her neck!
"A change-line kick?!"
Miyano swallows hard. The change-line kick, also known as a Brazilian kick, is a technique from Kyokushin karate. It feints a waist-level sweep before switching to a high kick aimed at the head.
The move isn't overly complex, but mastering it is tough—and Miyano barely saw Tetsu's motion!
What insane physical ability!
Shock gives way to panic.
Real panic this time!
Her black-belt judo skills are her confidence for late-night antics, but she never imagined Tetsu—usually so refined—would be a trained fighter too!
What if he gets serious?!
No, no, no—assault is a serious crime. He wouldn't dare!
Staring at the man inches away, Miyano's alluring eyes tremble with unease, her body instinctively retreating.
From their past interactions, she knows Tetsu is fiercely dominant, even a bit unhinged when provoked. But she quickly steadies herself, her gaze turning icy as she stares at him. "Trying to assault your superior? Are you done with this industry, Team Leader Fuyukawa?"
Panic, then calm—but between those emotions, something else surges: excitement!
This dominant personality… it's exactly my type!
A fiery spark glows deep in her fox-like eyes!
-200+200+500+10000!
[Miyano Meitei's emotional value breakthrough: Neutral → Friendly]
[Miyano Meitei's emotions are undergoing significant fluctuation, currently in a transformative phase. Proceed with caution.]
[Transformation direction: Friendly → Admiration; Friendly → Fear]
[Note: Due to her personality traits, Miyano Meitei's emotional trajectory is highly volatile and may even combine into new descriptors.]
[Available skills for imprinting at current friendship level: Master-level Project Management, Master-level Marketing] (Imprinting grants theoretical knowledge and intuition; practical skills require hands-on practice to fully master.)
System prompts flash before Tetsu's eyes, but he ignores them.
Looking at Miyano, who's trying to act composed, he retracts his leg and chuckles. "Of course not. I just saw your impressive skills and couldn't resist a little sparring."
"An apology? If apologies worked, what would we need police for?! Now get on your knees and—!"
Miyano resumes her haughty demeanor, but before she can finish, Tetsu steps forward, wrapping his arm around her slim waist, pulling her into his chest, and gently pinching her alluring face with his other hand.
"What were you saying? I didn't catch that."
The close, masculine aura makes Miyano freeze. Instinctively, she thrusts her hips, preparing a judo shoulder throw to toss him out, but as her curvaceous thighs tense, Tetsu's grip on her waist tightens.
Like a python, his arms coil around her, their abs and toned cores pressing together. Then, with a lift—
Her feet leave the ground!
One at 168 cm, the other at 186 cm!
In Miyano's startled gasp, Tetsu's strong arms lift her entirely off the floor, holding her by the waist!
"You—mmph!"
Feet dangling, her instincts don't shut off, but she can't muster strength. Panic sets in. Miyano's voluptuous body writhes in his arms, her hands pushing at his chest, but then his right hand presses the back of her head.
A powerful force overtakes her, and their lips meet.
Feeling his warm breath against her nose, Miyano's fox-like eyes widen, round and full of disbelief!
She resists!
Her struggles intensify, but as Tetsu's left arm tightens around her waist and the kiss deepens, her suspended body softens, gradually relaxing. Her toes dangle lightly in the air, brushing near Tetsu's knees.
"Only… kissing, okay?"
"Shut up."
"Mm."
The only sound left is the ticking of the clock.
---
A long while later, Tetsu sits on the sofa, smoking.
At the desk by the floor-to-ceiling window, Miyano, her face still flushed, stares at her computer screen. "If you stick to this approach, the game shouldn't have major issues. It'll come down to the final experience. But… have you considered making it a D-rated title?"
Japan's rating system includes A (all ages), B (12+), C (15+), D (17+), and Z (18+).
Ratings don't just affect the target audience; D-rated products face promotional restrictions, and Z-rated (18+) titles are practically taboo, limited to niche websites for advertising.
That said, the restrictions aren't always strict. Games like Assassin's Creed and The Witcher 3 are Z-rated in Japan but still sell well, with PR teams splashing cash to make it work.
D-rated (17+) titles, given Japan's high tolerance for suggestive content, can include underwear shots and non-explicit scenes. Games like Dead or Alive, Senran Kagura, and Beach Volleyball are D-rated.
"17+?"
Tetsu raises an eyebrow.
Miyano nods, swiveling her chair and crossing her shapely legs. "You've probably heard—Kazuma Studio's launching a galge to compete with you, and their proposal is for a D-rated title. Sex and violence are the most profitable elements. If you stick with C (15+), they might crush you in marketing."
"I see."
Tetsu leans back in the chair, his mind racing. Japan's tolerance for suggestive content means the promotional gap between C and D isn't huge, but…
Surrounded by Beauties aims to fill men's emotional needs, prioritizing romance over raw sensuality, unlike adult films. A 17+ rating would allow more risqué content, but it risks diluting the game's atmosphere or unique selling point.
Japan's adult film industry is robust. If players are just after base thrills, Surrounded by Beauties has no edge.
But a 15+ game struggles to outshine a 17+ game in promotion, and the actors they've signed—especially Asuka Tsukitake—likely won't agree to 17+ content.
After a moment, Tetsu shakes his head. "No, 15+ is fine."
"Alright, as long as you're confident."
Miyano stands, smoothing her hip-hugging skirt to leave. But as she passes the sofa, feeling Tetsu's heated gaze, her sultry eyes spark again, though her face resumes its cold, haughty mask. "And by the way, that was a one-time accident. If you ever try anything like that again, you'll be looking at jail time."
Her words are icy, but Tetsu doesn't respond, just keeps smoking on the sofa.
-200!
+500!
Annoyed, Miyano shoots him a glare and strides out, her slim waist swaying. But at the door, she pauses. "However, if you manage to beat Kazuma Studio, maybe I—"
"There are plenty of women in this world besides you."
"You!"