Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna

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Thank you for your support Saylesma, La Fayette, Jeffery, That's Pretty Mint and Joshua Berry

Chapter 5 | Premi | Remake our Life!


Note: “Premi” has different meanings depending on context, primarily either an abbreviation for “Playing Miss” referring to a mistake in a game, or a shortened form of “Premier/Premium” meaning “top-tier” or “first.” Particularly in card games or online games, ‘Premi’ usually refers to a “Playing Miss,” often meaning a judgment error or operational mistake. From there, otaku sometimes use it humorously to describe minor failures in life.

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Part 1

Time flies by in the blink of an eye.

The hot summer spread across Osaka, and before we knew it, July was coming to an end.

The only real change in the share house was that the meals became completely summer-oriented. Cold dishes like somen and udon noodles became the obvious favorites, so we started making more of those to avoid summer fatigue.

But on this particular day, the table was set with slightly more elaborate dishes, fried foods and grilled meat.

"Well then, to celebrate the final proofreading of Tsurayuki's light novel debut... Cheers!!"

Everyone shouted “Cheers!” in unison, celebrating loudly.

Final proofreading signifies that all checks for typos and omissions in the manuscript have been completed, and there are absolutely no remaining corrections needed. While design work and other tasks apparently follow before moving to the printing stage, from the author's perspective, this marks the completion of the process.

In other words, it means reaching a major milestone on the path to debuting as a writer.

"Man, seriously, thanks, everyone! This means I'm finally a light novel writer too...!"

Tsurayuki stared blankly into space, a look of utter bewilderment on his face. And no wonder. He'd wanted to be a writer since forever, kept writing, experienced setbacks, and finally, he'd reached the point where he could grasp its tail.

"Mm, well... you're really amazing. I praise you."

Nanako praised Tsurayuki with a slight pout.

"Haha, hearing that from you actually makes me super happy! Thanks, Nanako!"

"T-This is kinda creepy! Just come at me like you always do, mou!"

Today, Tsurayuki seemed to be taking it honestly.

"It's so amazing, Tsurayuki-kun is finally becoming a writer."

"Thanks, Shinoaki! Well, I hope things work out for you too!"

Shinoaki nodded in agreement at Tsurayuki's words.

Yes, regarding Shinoaki's light novel work, she had managed to get the cover rough draft finalized, but beyond that point, many aspects of the subsequent process remained unclear.

(I hope that Tsurayuki's goal will provide some encouragement)

I'm still supporting Shinoaki as always. Her editor told me that if I could at least upload the cover illustration, I could delay submitting the other materials a bit. They also said they'd help me rearrange the schedule, so uploading the cover illustration was my top priority above all else.



"Hey, Kyoya."

"Hmm?"

Nanako tugged lightly on the hem of my shirt.

"I'm really sorry to bother you when you're busy. I'd like to start working on that song video soon... Would you mind if I took up some of your time?"

"Mm, of course. It's the song you mentioned before, the one you're going to upload solo, right."

Nanako nodded,

"Yes, Gajiberry-P-san, things haven't been going very well since then. I didn't want to keep asking, so I figured I'd just upload some solo stuff and wait."

The large-scale collaboration project she'd been working on for a while had only seen progress on Nanako's part, while the crucial Gajiberia's part had barely moved forward at all.

Rather than just waiting around doing nothing, Nanako decided to use this opportunity to release original solo songs instead.

"Well, it seems they're juggling other work too, so it can't be helped. Got it."

Eventually, the plan was to pursue music full-time, but at this stage, the income was still too meager to make a living solely from it. I'd heard they were balancing activities with a part-time job at a karaoke bar.

"Thanks. I'll send you the illustration files and the demo vocals. Once you've looked them over, let's discuss what direction we want to go with it."

"Got it. I'll take a look right away."

Nanako had recently started using fan art illustrations in her solo song videos. This was something I hadn't been involved in; Nanako had negotiated with the artists herself to secure permission for their use in the videos.

"Ha~, mou, I wish they'd just hurry up and finish the song already. We keep having meetings, but we're not really making progress."

Gajiberia-san apparently lives in the northern part of the city, so they often meet halfway in Namba or Shinsaibashi. But basically, they mostly just chat, and it's hard to get into the details of the song.

"Well, I guess there's nothing I can do about it. There are all kinds of styles."

"I wonder if that's just how it is... I'll see him again tomorrow, so I'll try to poke around a bit."

Even without me, she's able to handle those kinds of interactions now? It might seem like a small thing, but Nanako, who used to be shy and awkward around strangers, was now moving things forward entirely on her own. I was genuinely moved by how far she'd come.

(If this big collaboration goes well, Nanako will grow even bigger.)

Looking ahead to what was to come, the excitement only grew.

"Once my book's done, I'll give copies to everyone first thing! Then write reviews and support me, okay!"

Tsurayuki said happily,

"If it's boring, I'll give it one star, so be prepared."

"Ha! I can see the future where you'll cry in frustration while giving it five stars!"

Nanako countered in her usual style, while Shinoaki and I watched on.

This dynamic we've kept up for so long, is it finally starting to lose its balance?

(Tsurayuki will graduate first. Then, if all goes well, Nanako. And then......)

Specifically, the future of the share house is starting to come into view.

The sad, lonely visions I've imagined until now are finally becoming a reality.

We're almost there.

——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

Part 2

Early August, a Friday afternoon.

Takunaka-san and I were facing the most nerve-wracking moment since starting our part-time jobs at Succeed. The conference room is next to the development department. Normally, only a handful of seats were used in that spacious room, but now it was nearly filled to capacity.

"Pa-Pa-Pa-Paisen, I-I-I don't even know what I will say anymore!"

I try to calm her down for the time being, as she's turned into a photoshopped image of a famous basketball manga.

"It's not like they're trying to kill you, so it's okay. Relax."

"R-R-Really? None of the people here are enemies, right?"

"If they were enemies, they wouldn't even listen to you in the first place."

I glanced at the "enemies".

The development team members lined up here are all people I've gotten to know well since starting my part-time job. We all interact in our own ways, some are kind, some easy to talk to, and there wasn't a single person who was downright unpleasant.

......But.

(I guess it won't be that easy today.)

What I told Takenaka-san earlier was, in a way, just a lie to put her at ease.

Planning is the lifeblood of development. At least, that's how I see it. No matter how much it's something students came up with, if you're handling that lifeblood, the plan, and it's half-assed or lacks soul, then it'll come for you without mercy.

(They're coming to kill us, I suppose)

After all, it's just a student project. I suppose it's inevitable that people think that way, but I've still prepared weapons strong enough to fight back. I've come a long way because I love games, and I didn't come to this battlefield just to be defeated without a fight.

"It's about time. Shall we begin?"

Horii-san glanced at his watch and addressed the entire group. The venue lights dimmed, and the projection screen descended silently without a sound.

The spotlight fell on me, the first presenter. I tested the pointer in my hand, shining it on each corner of the screen to ensure it projected properly.

(Alright, no problem)

I made eye contact with Matsuhira-san, who was managing the equipment, took a deep breath, and, facing my throng of enemies, opened my mouth.

"I'm Kyoya Hashiba from the Debugging Team, Development Division 1. I'd like to begin explaining the project."

The first slide was projected large onto the screen.

I began speaking, as if challenging them.

——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

Part 3

On the same day, 3 hours later.

As evening fell and the heat subsided, Takenaka-san and I were in a daze, slumped on cushions in the company break area.

"Man, I was prepared for it, but... those developers were totally serious..."

"You bet. Takenaka doesn't even remember what myself said at the end......"

The planning meeting was held "smoothly".

The basic flow was that we gave our presentation first, followed by a Q&A session. While it was quiet during the presentation, the Q&A part suddenly got really lively, and we were totally caught off guard by how intense that part got.

(Well, at least we managed to present ideas that felt true to ourselves... I guess)

A project I wanted to do, regardless of what the future might hold.

The genre is an adventure game. While the main gameplay is on the console, progressing through the game requires playing the linked mobile app as well. Players advance both games simultaneously, ultimately aiming for the ending.

Recently, most of Succeed's works have been entirely consolidated onto a single hardware platform, with no elements requiring user action. Therefore, by linking with a mobile phone, I wanted to propose a different kind of play experience.

And above all, what was important to me was that this was a "bishoujo game".

Originally, Succeed was a developer known for making bishoujo games. Even after shifting their focus to consoles, traces of that legacy remained, enough that this title was still occasionally mocked for lacking sufficient bishoujo elements.

As a company, there was a sense of wanting to dispel that atmosphere, but personally, I thought it might be worth deliberately turning that around and focusing on bringing out the characters' charm.

I didn't place much emphasis on the story itself. The basic idea was to set it up for a happy ending, while prioritizing communication with the characters and enjoying one-on-one interactions in the mobile phone mode.

The concept is to enjoy beautiful graphics on a Full HD consumer device, while on the mobile app, you can play by sending and receiving short messages, enabling a multi-dimensional play experience.

While a deep story and an epic setting certainly have their appeal... given how prevalent such elements have become, I found myself thinking about what would purely make players want to play and capture their interest. That's how I arrived at this form.

Yes, this was both a project I wanted to see implemented in the then-current Succeed, and something I wanted to propose for future games.

But,

"How to control linking with mobile apps within the system, how to rebuild the engine given there's no precedent, the manpower costs, the pure development costs... Man, I got absolutely torn apart over it."

Planning should be free at first. Then comes the work of verifying feasibility, so when it came to realistic perspectives, I had no complaints,  I'd say, “I didn't know that, it's educational”.

But there were also some things that were just unacceptable, or that they shouldn't have been said.

"Like, ‘Wouldn't users find it a hassle to play on two different hardware platforms?’ And, ‘Are we really going back to bishoujo games now? Isn't that outdated?’, That's a bit much."

Regarding the former, it's true that if you just incorporate it without any ingenuity, you might get that kind of opinion, but I think it's important to create a mechanism that makes people think it's 'interesting.' Also, if it's a handheld game console rather than a cell phone, there's a precedent for the system I've proposed, and if you start saying things like that before you even try it, a lot of genres will be rejected from the start.

And the latter point. This probably stems from my past work with bishoujo games, but this is truly absurd. Works may age, but genres shouldn't. That's precisely why I conceived this unconventional system. If it gets rejected outright before anyone even engages with it, we'll never get anything done.

I'll accept solid counterarguments. But if new projects are met only with cynicism born of preconceptions, nothing innovative will ever see the light of day.

"It's true!!"

Takenaka-san jumped up and began rambling on about my project.

"I was also wondering why Succeed had made some really interesting bishoujo games and didn't try to make the most of them! And I thought it was ridiculous that they complained about how annoying it was, even though things like switching to a cell phone in every scene were definitely fun!!"

"Thanks. But, yeah, it was a complete disaster."

"That's! Well... I hate to say it, but the developers just don't have an eye for it!"

"H-Hey, are you okay?"

When Takenaka-san started criticizing so boldly and openly, I couldn't help but look around.

"It's fine! I mean, I was thinking... that kind of allergy to new things, it's like it's spread through the air, and I thought it was seriously dangerous! That's probably why Horii-san said that!"

I felt the same way.

Breaking away from the conservative, closed-minded mindset and embracing the new. What Horii-san was aiming for, I think, wasn't so much about adopting our proposal as it was about using us young folks to come up with something completely out of the blue, to create a breakthrough for change.

Actually, I think it worked out pretty well. While my proposal did have some elements that were a bit tentative, combined with Takenaka-san's proposal that came right after, I believe we really stirred things up.

"Actually, both Horii-san and Matsuhira-san were praising Paisen’s plan like crazy, weren’t they?! That’s the answer!"

Yes, that was precisely the goal of this planning meeting. So when those two masterminds gave their praise, I was certain it had achieved at least a preliminary “success”.

But.

"No, but this time was a great experience for me."

"Eh? You mean the developers' reactions?"

"More than that, it's the proposal you came up with."

Yes, the plan she came up with this time was actually the one I wanted to come up with, a proposal created on new ground.

"N-No... No way, Takenaka's proposal? Compared to Paisen's, it's just... incomprehensible? Like, what the heck am I even doing?"

Takenaka-san scratched her head in embarrassment.

But I thought it was precisely what she had proposed that would make a huge breakthrough in development.

Back when feature phones were still dominant, she had proposed a one-on-one novel game for smartphones, utilizing a full vertical screen. The vertical format allowed for larger character displays, and the plan fully leveraged this feature. Even the hard-headed members of the team had praised it.

Of course, I could have done it since I know the future, but the fact that she thought to make effective use of a smartphone at this stage shows she has remarkable foresight.

"But what really caught my interest the most was the drawing, after all."

"That one was a total mess though...Ahaha."

Takenaka-san proposed using bold, RGB-based primary color illustrations, arguing that since this project was entirely digital-focused, there was no need to consider print at all. And those illustrations were her own work.

It wasn't until a decade later that illustrators specializing in that tonal style began to gain recognition. Back then, however, an approach so focused on RGB color usage was far from mainstream.

At that moment, when she boldly declared, “This is what's coming next,” it hit me like a slap in the face. If even I, who knew the future, felt that way, for the conservative people present, it must have been like seeing an alien.

"Well, results are everything, after all... Both Horii-san and Matsuhira-san said we needed a bit more persuasiveness, and I felt they were absolutely right."

"N-No, that’s not true at all!"

Without thinking, I had stood up.

"Eh, Pa-Paisen..."

Takenaka-san was surprised by my stern expression and flinched.

"What you presented... well, many might not understand it yet, but it was absolutely something that will lead to the next step."

Truly new things are rarely accepted at first. History shows us how new things were treated when they first appeared.

That's precisely why pioneers are valued, and I wanted to show that what she did in this era holds real value.

"You really took me by surprise. You suddenly said, 'Printing has its limitations when it comes to colors, so this is definitely the way of the future.' It really... made me feel like I was looking at the future."

I hesitated a moment before speaking. Because saying that implies knowing the future, something I couldn't claim.

But I couldn't help saying it. Her reaction was only because she was an inexperienced student. If Jobs had said it, all printed materials might have become obsolete, and indeed, the future is already heading that way.

"That's why... I want you to have confidence. I want you to have the strength to push through, even if you face some opposition."

Carried away by the moment, I looked straight into her eyes and blurted it out.

"Sorry, I got a little carried away, but, well."

I was embarrassed and looked away.

I'd gotten carried away talking to a junior. But what was here was definitely the future, and thinking about her future, absolutely...

"A-Ahaha...Ahahaha."

Takenaka blinked her eyes repeatedly and had a shy smile on her face, but eventually,

"U-Uhm, Paisen..."

"Eh, what?"

After opening her mouth, she fidgeted again, her head bowed, and in a low voice, as if her usual energetic voice had disappeared,

"I...Well... No matter what I do, I've always been told that "I just don't understand it"."

"Like the things you've made?"

Takenaka-san nodded, "Yes",

"The things I've made are like that, and the things I've said are like that too. I love new things, I love things I've never seen before, so I thought I wanted to make things like that myself. But when I actually tried it, all I got was people saying, “I don't really get it,” and no one ever said, “That's interesting”."

She blurted it all out in one breath, then lifted her face.

Takenaka-san's face was bright red, clearly visible. Her eyes were slightly moist, and somehow, it was distinctly different from her usual expression.

"Uhm... so, this is the first time anyone's ever acknowledged me so directly like this, and it was Hashiba-san, whom I respect... I (watashi)..."

And then, she looked down shyly again.

"A-Ah... T-That's good, mm."

I gave an answer that practically begged to be met with a full-force “What was good about it?”.

I conveyed my honest thoughts very straightforwardly, and I don't regret it at all, I think it was the right reaction, but,

Well...,

(I feel like some weird switch flipped inside me)

She wasn't calling me “paisen” , and she was referring to herself as “I (watashi)” instead. I can't quite explain it, but it was definitely a different vibe from the Takenaka-san I knew before. (Note: Takenaka always calls herself using the word "myself (jibun)" or her name.)

If Kawasegawa were here, she would surely have said something like this with that disdainful look in her eyes and a deep sigh.

『You are so careless, Hashiba.』

(Yes, I'm sorry...)

I apologised in my mind to her, who was probably sneezing loudly on set right now.

——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

Part 4

After returning to the Development Department, I was immediately called by Matsuhira-san and headed to the conference room.

I was sure it was about the proposal from earlier, and sure enough, that's what it was about.

"First of all, thank you so much for your hard work. It must have been really tough."

Receiving his words of appreciation, I honestly thanked him in return.

"No, not at all. Um, would it be okay if I asked you something?"

"Mm, go ahead. I figured you’d ask."

Matsuhira-san wore his usual refreshing smile.

"This planning meeting was just to push through Matsuhira-san's proposal, right?"

I asked bluntly.

At this meeting, I presented first, followed by Takenaka-san, and finally Matsuhira-san.

My proposal had plenty of points that could be criticized, but as a plan, it was at least passable. Takenaka-san's proposal was disappointing as a plan, but her concept and originality were outstanding.

And then... Matsuhira-san's final proposal was a brilliant plan that took the best parts of my idea and Takenaka-san's idea, then perfectly armed it with theory.

As a result, Matsuhira-san's proposal made it all the way to the stage where upper management's approval was sought before actual development consideration began. Considering it was a student-proposed project, calling it a huge victory wouldn't be an exaggeration.

However, the very structure of this planning meeting was a little odd.

I'm not angry because I'm being used, but I just wanted to hear what happened.

"First, let me make this clear."

Matsuhira-san rose slowly and spoke.

"I didn't peek at your proposal from the sidelines, nor did I use it as a stepping stone to push my own idea through. There's absolutely no truth to me exploiting you like that. That would be terribly rude."

"Yes, I think so."

In fact, while I did briefly consult with Matsuhira-san about my and Takenaka-san's proposal, we hadn't discussed the full scope of the plan until that very meeting.

"Given that premise, I must say I had a pretty good idea what kind of proposal you two would come up with."

"Yes, I figured you probably did."

Working with Matsuhira-san these past few months, I've come to realize he's an incredibly studious person with remarkably flexible thinking.

So he would have been able to immediately understand the kinds of things we could come up with, and that's why he came up with a plan that cleverly combined my and Takenaka-san's ideas, such as linking consumer devices with smartphones, and he even went so far as to clearly mention practical solutions to the problems that might have filled in the gaps in our plan.

"But that wasn't because I underestimated you. Quite the opposite, because I had high expectations of you."

"Expectations...Is it?"

"Yes. To be honest, I've been harboring dissatisfaction with the current development department."

I couldn't help but glance around. Even though we were inside the conference room, the Development Department, the very source of that dissatisfaction, was right next door.

"It's fine, don't worry. Everyone already knows I have some dissatisfaction with the development department."

Haha! He laughed cheerfully,

"That's why I want you guys to be on our side. I really want you to join us in tackling this new thing that Horii-san and I are about to start."

"You mean that project?"

"That's part of it. But maybe it would be better if you thought of it as something bigger."

Matsuhira-san gazed fixedly at me, brimming with confidence.

Though his expression was his usual gentle self, there was an undeniable strength there, an air that brooked no argument.

"Are you planning on going to university all the way through?"

"You mean Osaka University of the Arts (Daigeidai)? Yes, that's what I'm planning on doing."

Matsuhira-san's eyes seemed to light up.

"If you're only going there out of a sense of obligation, it's a waste of time. You should quit immediately. Once you've gotten what you need from college, there's no value in staying any longer."

He bluntly advised me to drop out of college.

"I'm actually considering quitting college."

"Eh, Kyoto National University (Kyoukokudai)...Is it?"

By any reasonable standard, dropping out of a university of that caliber is unthinkable.

"By my fourth year, I felt like I was wasting too much time. Fortunately, I'd finished everything I wanted to learn, so depending on future job opportunities, I figured it might be an option."

In front of me, who couldn't hide my surprise, Matsuhira-san continued.

"Part-time jobs for people from Osaka University of the Arts (Daigeidai) are more of an internship, thanks to the strong support from Horii-san. Of course, it doesn't mean you'll be hired immediately, but it will be a great asset when it comes to exams."

I couldn't say anything. I was so shocked that I remained silent.

And then Matsuhira-san said the final words to me.

"I wonder if you should give it a try? I think it's worth it."

I felt a tightening deep in my chest.

I finally felt like I'd made it this far. Getting hired by the company I'd always admired, being properly recognized there, and then getting an offer from someone who worked there.

Honestly, it should have made me tremble with joy. After all, joining this company had been one of my goals right from the very beginning.

But——.

"I'm truly grateful for the offer... but I'd like to decline."

"Can you tell me why?"

I nodded and began to explain.

"While I was honored to participate in this planning meeting and received positive feedback, I still feel I lack the necessary skills. That's the main reason."

"This might sound harsh, but do you think our evaluations, mine and Horii-san’s, aren’t sufficient?"

"No, actually, I was happy about that. But..."

I thought back to the meeting. Then I said.

"I want to be persuasive enough to silence those who doubt me."

Matsuhira-san's expression changed. He looked serious.

"I believe both Horii-san and Matsuhira-san viewed my proposal fairly at that meeting. But given the positions, the group was more inclined to offer positive feedback."

Considering the broader goal of breaking old customs, Takenaka-san and I were in a position to receive supporting fire at that meeting.

However, I didn't receive such positive feedback from staff members who clung to outdated ways of thinking. Unless you have the power to make people say “This is interesting” regardless of their position, it will be difficult to succeed as a planning and development professional going forward.

"That's why I want to be stronger, and I still have a lot of unfinished business at that college, as well as studying."

A lot has happened since then.



After entering university, I got to know my peers and seniors, learned so much beyond just academic studies, and realized there's still so much I haven't learned yet. And even among the juniors, I had interesting encounters like meeting Takenaka-san.

And above all, my friends from the Platinum Generation. Tsurayuki, Nanako, and Shinoaki. I still know nothing about Shinoaki, and I find myself wanting to know more and more.

I want to become the kind of person who can support them and her, and everyone else, from the bottom of my heart.

"I still want to stay in college."

So I flatly refused the idea of dropping out to join a company.

Matsuhira-san listened silently to what I had to say, but eventually,

"——You know, I really envy you."

He flashed me a smile.

"Eh?"

"University life, and friends. I can’t say I’ve had anything that fulfilling to talk about with such fondness."

Matsuhira-san said that, and after all, he looked a little sad.

From what we discussed earlier, it seems he might be something of an outsider even within the development department.

Even with a strong ally like Horii-san, he probably has many enemies too.

He's likely overcome that disadvantageous position through his own abilities and character, in a way. While he's a strong person, there might be a fragile side to him internally.

(Ah...I see)

Finally, I think I understand a little of what Kanou-sensei was saying. I kept wondering where someone as strong as him could have such a weakness, but being isolated within a group really is a situation that takes a heavy toll mentally.

So maybe having someone become an ally was what helped him.

"I'm sorry for going against your request, Matsuhira-san."

"It's fine. It was sudden for me too. But..."

He looked me straight in the eye and said,

"If you ever change your mind down the road——come talk to me again."

"Y-Yes."

After all, this person is a strong person.

I felt it in that single moment.

"Well, that's all I have to say. Let's get back to work."

“Yes,” I replied, heading toward the exit. Then, suddenly remembering, I added,

"Come to think of it..."

Out of slight curiosity, I asked Matsuhira-san.

"Matsuhira-san, do you like games?"

It was a question that Horii-san had asked me during an interview.

Though the true meaning behind it, the timing, everything about it was a mystery, I was curious how Matsuhira-san would answer it.

I had thought it was something he could answer immediately, but,

".................."

Matsuhira-san stiffened at my question.

There are some topics that I ask casually, but later wish I hadn't asked. For example, topics like personal matters, favorite professional sports teams, or religion.

But through maintaining relationships, you naturally come to understand what topics are off-limits. So unless you're exceptionally absent-minded, you'll naturally learn to avoid those taboo subjects.

Still, every now and then, there are completely unexpected off-limits topics. Topics that leave you scratching your head afterward, wondering, “Is this really something they're so sensitive about? Something they'd get angry over?”.

And at that moment, I was precisely,

"Like games, huh..."

That very instant, Matsuhira-san's expression changed.

"Hey, Hashiba-kun."

"Y-Yes."

"Is it possible to like something so much that you're willing to give up everything for it?"

What does that mean?

I love games, and that's precisely why I believe I can work without any complaints, even if the work at Succeed is busier than a typical job.

It depends on what you're comparing it to, but I also think that for most things, the fact that I enjoy it pushes through.

"Yes, I think so. Because liking something gives you strength."

I answered with a fair amount of confidence, but,

"Well, I don't think so."

Matsuhira-san denied what I said in a surprisingly strong tone.

"Because liking something is a fleeting thing. Sure, it might give you a momentary burst of strength, but once the heat of passion passes, I think it just ends there."

His tone was so unusual that it made me worry something was wrong, and he seemed a bit less composed than usual.

After a while, as if he noticed it himself.

"Sorry, I guess things got a bit too serious."

He laughed, then followed up on his own words.

"Ah, no... I'm the one who should apologize."

It was a tone that made me feel that I shouldn't touch it.

Of course, I had no intention of asking him about his true feelings right then, and even if I got the chance later, I wouldn't pry out of mere curiosity.

But what does it mean to make that kind of expression when asked if you like games at a company you joined because you supposedly love games?

Matsuhira-san was the ideal senior colleague. If I had joined Succeed, I would definitely have wanted to work alongside him.

But the answer to that question earlier left me feeling a little uneasy.

Just as I was about to think of something else, an electronic beep suddenly sounded from my pocket. It was an email notification.

"Areh? It's a message. Sorry, let me check it..."

"Mm, I'll head back first then."

Matsuhira-san quietly left the conference room.

Glancing at my phone screen, I saw an email from Nanako.

『Could you come out to Shinsaibashi now, if possible, right away?』

The contents were astonishing. The title even had [Urgent] written on it.

"Eh, no way, the time is..."

It was right at the very end of the workday. If I punched out now and headed straight there, Shinsaibashi was close enough that I could make it without any trouble.

"What's this about, Nanako..."

If it were truly urgent, she wouldn't have sent an email; she'd have called. So the fact that it came via email suggests it wasn't that urgent.

But that assumes she was in a position to call. Maybe she didn't call because she couldn't, even if she wanted to.

Today didn't seem like it would involve any overtime. I could just head home now without causing any trouble for the development department.

"Uhm, I'm sorry! I'll be leaving out for today!"

I decided to go. Returning to my desk, I quickly finished packing up to leave.

"Ah, Takenaka also will be leavi...!"

"Sorry, I've got somewhere to go today, so I'll be off!"

Shaking off the attempt of Takenaka-san to follow, I hurriedly boarded the elevator and rushed toward the station.

Today is something of a special day, or rather, a day with a lot happening.

There was a tense planning meeting, then suddenly Takenaka-san made my heart skip a beat, and then Matsuhira-san asked me if there was any chance I might quit university.

Following this, Nanako contacted me. While I wouldn't call it an emergency, her message clearly conveyed urgency, something she'd never once done via email before.

My heart was definitely uneasy. So I could only hope, with all my heart, that it was just my imagination.