I can't stop picturing Miyano Mitei in a maid outfit, kneeling at my feet, scrubbing the floor. But for that to happen, Surrounded by Beauties needs to sell over 100,000 copies.
Honestly, Fuyukawa Tetsu isn't too worried about that.
In its previous life, Surrounded by Beauties sold over a million copies. Sure, most of those sales came from Chinese players, but this world has global platforms like Steam. As long as we nail the Chinese voice-over in post-production, even if we can't replicate the breakout success of the past, hitting 100,000 sales should be a breeze.
That said...
"We need to speed up production. Otherwise, Miyano might not last until the game's finished."
It's noon, and a black Volkswagen cruises through Shibuya's bustling streets.
Sayoko, dressed in a sharp OL (office lady) outfit, is behind the wheel.
In the backseat, Fuyukawa Tetsu pauses his work on the script displayed on his laptop. He glances out the window at the towering buildings, lost in thought.
Miyano Mitei signed a high-stakes bet with Division Three. On the surface, it looks like the company's giving her a chance, but corporate politics in big Japanese firms are ruthless—bloodless battles. Division Four's new game, Dead or Alive, is bombing in beta testing. It's a massive ¥4.7 billion project that's drained their budget.
Miyano wasn't involved in its planning—she only took over Division Four earlier this year when the game was nearly done. But if Dead or Alive flops hard, she'll be the one taking the fall.
Joining the company and immediately shouldering such a massive failure, plus her ties to President Kozuru, who's been sidelined and only recently returned, has made her a target. She's ruffled plenty of feathers.
If Dead or Alive tanks and no strong follow-up projects emerge, Miyano could genuinely be at risk of getting sacked. Division Three's willingness to sign that bet with her might just be a ploy to keep her in place until her poor performance gives them an excuse to fire her.
"Three months is already a tight schedule, and now we need to push even faster."
"This is gonna be tricky."
Staring out at the cityscape, Fuyukawa Tetsu furrows his brow. From the driver's seat, Sayoko catches his expression in the rearview mirror. Her delicate fingers grip the steering wheel as she asks, "Tetsu-kun, are you thinking about something upsetting?"
"Not exactly upsetting. It just feels like the calm before the storm, you know?"
Fuyukawa shakes his head and changes the subject. "What about you? You mentioned at lunch that you and Koi had a fight. What's going on?"
"It wasn't really a fight," Sayoko says, turning the wheel with a hint of frustration. "She told me she wants to move out of her aunt and uncle's place and live on her own. Rent's not the issue—she's earning her own money now. But she's turning eighteen next week! A young girl living alone? That's dangerous."
"She's growing up, Sayoko. It's normal for her to want some independence. You might not want to hold her back too much."
"Tetsu-kun, that's so irresponsible!" Sayoko pouts through the rearview mirror, her lips forming a little sulk.
Fuyukawa chuckles, shrugging. "The more you push against it, the more she'll want to do it. How many kids actually listen to their elders' advice? Let her try it out. Maybe after a couple of weeks, she'll realize it's tough and come back on her own."
"But... a young girl living alone still feels so risky. Hey, her birthday's next week. Maybe you could talk to her? She always puts on a brave face with me and doesn't open up about her worries." Sayoko's tone shifts, as if she's passing the baton to the "head of the household."
"Alright, fine," Fuyukawa says, resting his elbow on the window and idly touching his lower lip. His gaze drifts, thoughts wandering.
Her birthday's next week...
That sheet music should be arriving soon, right?
His mind drifts as the black Volkswagen pulls into an old residential complex. At the entrance to an apartment building, Fuyukawa spots the filming crew waiting.
"Konnichiwa! Group Leader Fuyukawa, you're here!"
"Sorry for keeping you waiting."
Stepping out of the car, Fuyukawa nods with a smile at the short, wiry man bowing respectfully before him.
This man, Honda Kojiro, is the director and cinematographer for the Surrounded by Beauties production team.
Yes, director and cinematographer. Honda's crew is lean: one lighting tech, one production assistant, himself handling both directing and camera work, and a girl in charge of costumes and makeup.
It's a small team, but it's enough. Surrounded by Beauties relies heavily on filming, but it's not a movie—it's presented in short, episodic scenes. The production demands aren't high, and with Fuyukawa handling the script, this compact crew can manage.
With Honda's eager smile leading the way, Fuyukawa, Sayoko, and Kawaguchi approach the apartment entrance.
The filming crew isn't alone—the six actresses are here too.
Tsukitake Asuka and Shiraishi Mari are still in the van, touching up their makeup. Three high school girls in JK (joshi kosei) uniforms—sharp-eyed and quick to spot Fuyukawa—light up with excitement from a distance.
"Group Leader Fuyukawa's here!"
"He's just as handsome as he was at the audition!"
"Hey, Yumi, does my makeup look okay?"
"Stop fussing! Let's go greet him, or we'll look rude!"
The three JK girls rush over, lining up to bow in unison. "Konnichiwa, Group Leader Fuyukawa! We look forward to working with you!" Their lowered faces show a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Nearby, Kawaguchi, watching Fuyukawa tower over the girls and eyeing their high socks and fair legs, is practically drooling with envy.
These three JK girls are members of small idol groups. In Japan and Korea, unlike in China, idols often have modest social status and income. In Japan last year, athletes averaged ¥30 million annually, musicians ¥20 million, comedians ¥10 million, models ¥7 million, and idols? A mere ¥5 million—and that's in yen!
Japanese and Korean idols often envy the high earnings of Chinese idols. Beyond the money, the cultural differences are stark. In Japan, someone like Mikami Yua transitioning from idol to adult entertainment might shock Chinese audiences, but here, it's not as surprising. Idols' social status isn't much higher than adult actresses, though it's still above the average worker.
"All Group Leader Fuyukawa has to do is crook a finger, and he could probably charm any of these girls!"
Kawaguchi, perpetually single, is green with envy.
But Fuyukawa isn't interested in crossing professional lines.
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Looking at the respectful faces of the young girls, he smiles and nods. "No need to be so formal. Just focus on delivering a great performance. Go touch up your makeup—we're about to start shooting."
"Yes! Thank you for this opportunity!"
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The three JK girls bow again, their polite demeanor hiding the whirlwind of thoughts in their heads, as evidenced by the numbers floating above them.
Fuyukawa doesn't dwell on it. Following their retreating figures, his gaze lands on Tsukitake Asuka in the van, touching up her makeup while stealing glances his way.