Japanese high school students get three breaks: spring break, summer break, and winter break. Winter break runs from mid-December to early January, and Izumi Himawari was currently enjoying the final winter break of her high school years.
Well, "enjoying" might be a stretch.
As expected, the song "I Once Thought About Ending It All" exploded in popularity after a few weeks of buzz.
It'd be an exaggeration to say it took the world by storm, but in Japan, anyone who listened to music had seen the video. Most entertainment companies in the country had taken notice too.
No surprise, talent scouts came knocking in droves.
The sudden wave of opportunity left Izumi Himawari stunned at first. She'd always dreamed of signing with an entertainment company, earning her own money, and repaying Sayoko. Her hearing issues had held her back before, but now offers were pouring in, overwhelming her to the point of nearly signing a shady contract. A seemingly kind middle-aged woman had dangled a deal that looked generous but was packed with harsh conditions to actually get the benefits.
Luckily, her sharp-witted best friend, Yumi Konko, had her back. While the woman was in the bathroom, Yumi called Tetsu.
In the end, Tetsu showed up, chewed out the woman, and sent her packing. But he didn't stop there—he gave Izumi a scolding too. Still, under her pouty, aggrieved expression and Sayoko's teasing "Tetsu-kun's such a softie" gaze, he made time in his busy schedule to pull some strings. He helped her sign a short-term contract with a reliable entertainment company.
Yes, a short-term contract.
With her upcoming ear surgery and the risk of permanent hearing loss, plus her plans to attend university, and the fact that "I Once Thought About Ending It All" wasn't her own creation, companies would need to invest in songwriters to promote her. That was a risky bet, so the generous offers were mostly about capitalizing on the song's short-term hype rather than committing to her long-term stardom.
Honestly, that suited her just fine.
Izumi's goal was to make some quick money for living expenses and surgery costs, then decide whether to dive fully into the music industry after university.
But signing a contract meant getting to work.
"Stinky old man! Get up already!"
On Christmas Day, in the dim second-floor bedroom of the little red house, Tetsu was still deep in sleep when the door was pounded loud enough to shake the walls.
"This kid's gonna be the death of me," he muttered, rolling over to wrap his arms around the soft, sweet-smelling Sayoko, burying his face in her ample snowy peaks.
Hearing his grumbling, Sayoko, still half-asleep, giggled. She looped her arms around his neck, chuckling. "It's Himawari's first big commercial gig today. Of course she's excited."
"Big commercial gig? It's just a performance at TGS," Tetsu scoffed. "Ugh, come here, let me hold you."
"Eek, the cold air's getting in!"
Pulled on top of him, pressed against his sturdy chest, Sayoko playfully protested, pulling the blanket tight around them like a cozy mountain.
Once the cold air was fully blocked, she wriggled closer, nuzzling his chin affectionately. "If you don't get up soon, Himawari's gonna come banging again."
Feeling her weighty presence, Tetsu took a deep breath, slowly opened his eyes, and shot her a mock glare. Hugging her back, he shook his head with a grin. "Ugh, I shouldn't have agreed to drive her to the venue today. It's a rare day off, and I can't even sleep in."
"But didn't you want to check out TGS yourself? Think of it as a last bit of fun before the game launch," Sayoko said, squirming under the blanket like a caterpillar, her hands wandering downward.
"Hiss—you're making it harder for me to get up."
"I'll… do my best~"
As Little Fuyukawa stirred, he sucked in a breath, gently tapping Sayoko's forehead as she exhaled warmly. Staring at the ceiling, he let his mind wander.
TGS stood for Tokyo Game Show. In his previous life, it was a big deal, held once a year in September. Here, though, TGS happened twice—once in summer, once in late December, with the winter event held in Akihabara.
The winter show focused on reviewing games released that year and previewing next year's titles, but unlike the globally oriented summer event, it was mainly for the Japanese market.
Of course, even the winter TGS was out of reach for Surrounded by Beauties. Only games with NTsoft's B-tier marketing budget or higher could snag that kind of exposure.
But that didn't matter. He wasn't here for work today—just to take a break, stroll around, and relax. Plus, it was Izumi Himawari's first "big" commercial gig.
His thoughts rambled on, but as Sayoko's breaths grew heavier, his focus snapped back. His hands gripped her slim waist.
"Alright, let me take over."
"Eep—!"
---
The weather was great today—sunny, with a rare warm-up in temperature. Being Christmas and a weekend, the streets were packed.
Well, "pedestrians" wasn't quite the word. Young men and women in colorful cosplay outfits had taken over Akihabara. Girls sported fox tails, fairy wands, or black motorcycle helmets posing as headless riders. Guys wielded oversized swords or spears, rocking exaggerated wigs. But honestly, for someone like Tetsu, who knew game and anime conventions inside out, it was hard to tell who was male or female just by looking.
Some sweet-faced, long-legged cosplayers in female character outfits would stroll into the men's restroom, whip out a machine gun, and leave guys like Kawaguchi feeling utterly inadequate.
Tetsu, though, wasn't interested in any of that.
"Hey, you done changing yet?"
In an alley beside the Tokyo Game Show, Tetsu leaned against the car door, arms crossed, ignoring the flirty glances from a few sultry "female" cosplayers. He knocked on the back window, exasperated.
"Alright, alright! What's the rush?"
The car door swung open. Under Tetsu's barely suppressed grin, Izumi Himawari stepped out, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and irritation. Her long, slender right leg, wrapped in black stockings, emerged first, followed by the hem of her red-and-black gothic dress.
Honestly, she looked pretty cool today.
Her long, straight black hair was tied into twin tails with a dark red hairband. Her usually clear black eyes sported heterochromatic contacts—one wine-red, one bright yellow. She wore a fitted red-and-black gothic lolita dress that cinched her waist, paired with sleek black knee-high boots over her stockinged legs.
Yes, Izumi was cosplaying Kurumi Tokisaki from Date A Live.
It wasn't just for cuteness. Her commercial gig was for SATE Games' adaptation of Date A Live. The franchise was huge in this world too, and SATE had secured the game rights last year. Now, they were promoting it at TGS, with the "hot new talent" Izumi Himawari performing.
Her cool demeanor, tall frame, fair skin, and delicate features made her Kurumi cosplay spot-on—no awkwardness, just a stunning vibe. But…
"That flat chest is probably the most accurate part," Tetsu thought, a smirk tugging at his lips as his gaze flicked to her chest.
"No way! Stinky old man! What are you laughing at?!"
Catching his teasing glance, Izumi, hyper-sensitive about her flat chest, went feral like a kitten, claws out to grab his face. But at barely over 1.6 meters, she was no match. Tetsu easily held her at arm's length, chuckling. "Alright, alright, stop messing around. Let's get to the venue before Sayoko starts nagging about you being late."
"Fine! Follow me, and don't get lost, 'cause I'm not coming back for you!"
Chin tilted proudly, Izumi led the way. Tetsu shook his head with a wry smile, following behind, thinking, This kid only gets this bold around people she knows.
Today was Izumi's big "first" commercial performance, so of course Sayoko wouldn't miss it. But halfway there, Ame and Keiko called, saying they'd arrived in Tokyo and were heading to Kabukicho to celebrate Christmas with male hosts—only to get lost in Shinjuku Station's underground maze.
Yes, lost. In a subway station. Sounds absurd, but it's not uncommon.
Shinjuku Station is the world's busiest and most complex, with over 200 exits.
Two hundred exits. Terrifying.
No choice—Sayoko went to pick them up, leaving Tetsu to escort Izumi, the outwardly cool but inwardly timid girl, to the venue.
What a pain. Honestly, Tetsu wasn't that into game conventions. To a seasoned industry guy like him, the "cutting-edge" trailers and game news were old hat. He'd come to unwind with Sayoko, but now…
"Should've just stayed home and slept," he muttered, shaking his head as he followed Izumi across the street into the TGS convention center.
TGS was undeniably a world-class event. The main hall was massive, packed with big-name game companies renting booths, hiring cosplayers for photos, and booking singers for performances. Smaller studios and indie developers filled the corners, promoting their own games, creating a lively atmosphere.
Even in this sea of cosplayers, Izumi, dressed as Kurumi in her dark red gothic dress and black stockings, turned heads.
They'd barely taken a few steps inside when a swarm of photographers rushed over, flashes popping.
Basking in the attention and bolstered by Tetsu's presence, Izumi tilted her chin proudly, her twin tails swaying. But her smug glance at him froze when she saw…
"What the heck?! Why are people asking him for photos?!"
In her stunned gaze, a gaggle of girls surrounded Tetsu—his hair styled by Sayoko, his black coat giving off major vibes—as they clamored for selfies, shouting "Black Butler! Black Butler!"
"Black Butler? What the heck?" Izumi muttered, dumbfounded.
"Black Butler? What the heck?" Tetsu echoed, equally baffled.
But it got worse. Maybe because he looked handsome and sharp, a few "female" cosplayers with something extra sidled up, asking for his contact info.
Fencing material.
Tetsu was beyond done, while Izumi was doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. But then—snap!
"Huh?"
The sound of a zipper breaking hit everyone's ears. Feeling her dress suddenly loosen and start slipping from her chest, Izumi's laughter froze.
"I'm screwed!"
Surrounded by countless cameras, she panicked, about to scream, when a black coat was thrown over her.
"Seriously, if you're renting a costume, get one with better quality."
Stripped down to his brown turtleneck, jeans, and khaki Martin boots, Tetsu crouched to pick up the broken zipper, pinching her soft cheek with a sigh.
Cheeks stinging, wrapped in the warmth of his coat, Izumi froze, staring at him up close. She was about to say something when a long strand of hair on the coat's collar caught her eye.
Her pupils shrank, and her briefly calm face flared up again. Like a chibi character, she teared up, yelling, "You're saying that now?! Fix the zipper, you stinky old man!"
"…I swear, I must've owed you in my last life—no, my last last life."
Sighing, Tetsu looked at the frantic Izumi, clutching the coat, her eyes swirling like mosquito coils, too scared to move. Rubbing his hair, he said, "Fix it? We need a quieter spot for that."
"I-I can't move! The dress inside is falling!"
"…Unbelievable."
With cameras everywhere and her dress slipping, Izumi was in full panic mode. Then she felt someone gently lift her by the knees.
Before she could react, she was in Tetsu's arms—princess style!
Her first time being carried like this by a guy, in front of a crowd no less!
Flashes went wild, and she lost it. Her cool, pure face turned apple-red, steam practically rising from her head. She pounded his chest with her tiny fists, her stockinged legs flailing. "Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing?! I'll scream!"
"…"
Once again witnessing how dumb a panicking woman could get, Tetsu, dodging her fists, was done. Ignoring the stares, he hoisted her over his shoulder.
Smack!
"?"
A quick pat on her heart-shaped peach, muffled by the coat, left Izumi—who'd been hammering his back—stunned. She went limp as he carried her toward the changing room.
Kids are such a hassle. Sometimes you gotta give 'em a swat to calm them down.
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