V4C4

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Part 1

One month later. I was in

Nishi-Ikebukuro.

I walked through the street by

the park and stood in front of a high-class apartment building that stood out

from the rest.

One, after taking a deep

breath, I pressed the intercom.

"Yee ~ s"

A cheerful voice came over the

speakers.

"This is Hashiba"

"Ah, I've been waiting for

you ~"

I said my name, and the door

opened easily like last time.

In front of the large glass

door, I take a deep breath.

"Yoshi..."

I reconfirmed the contents of

the conversation in my head and went inside with determination.

The room is clean and tidy as

usual.

Despite her flashy appearance,

she was always meticulous and polite.

"This time, it looked like

Hashiba-san came alone."

Minori Ayaka sipped tea from

the cup in her hand and smiled.

Today, she was not dressed in

gothic lolita, but in a normal outfit.

"Yes, I thought it would

be easier to talk to you alone."

"Right, if with

Morishita-san, we will always talk about work from the start ~"

She giggled aloud and placed

the cup on the saucer.

Then she carefully brought her

hands together on her lap,

"Thank you for your help

with the recent disturbance."

"Ah no no..."

The series of ruckus over

Mystic Clockwork had, of course, reached her ears.

She was close to perfect when

it came to handling social networking. Since she was in charge of the main

character design, and since she couldn't create the characters in time for the

release, there was a tendency to criticize her based on speculation, but she

didn't refute them at all, and kept a quiet attitude of watching the process.

"I apologize to sensei for

any inconvenience this may have caused."

"I wasn't harmed in any

way. More than that..."

Ayaka's eyes shone with

curiosity.

"I heard that it was

thanks to Hashiba-san that the fire was extinguished. Can you tell me how you

did it?"

At one point, what had happened

in the company had been kept confidential. It wasn't something that I would

tell anyone else, and I wanted to keep it to myself.

She is one of the parties

involved and has been indirectly affected. In terms of accountability, it is

morally possible for her to hear out if she asked me to do so.

I think she probably

understands that and is listening. As a compliment, she was a really smart

person.

"...I understand. Assuming

that sensei will not divulge any of this, please."

"Yes, I promise."

Ayaka gave a friendly smile.

Part 2

On the day of the commotion,

there was a strange atmosphere in front of the development office.

In the room, the president was

shouting this and that, and the development staff was responding to him in a

half-hearted manner.

Then I suddenly shouted loudly.

The area was instantly quiet,

and all eyes turned to me, the sound of the voice.

"H-Hashiba-kun, why are

you suddenly shouting so loud!"

The president turned his anger

toward me and approached me.

"I'm sorry, I just thought

to get out a little motivation."

"Motivation? What do you

mean motivation?"

Then the president made a

surprised look,

"Ah, I see, by any chance

you are that, you're going to solve this mess like you always do, that's helpful!"

He suddenly changed his attitude

and tapped me on the shoulder with a smile.

"What are you talking

about?"

"You already know! MysClo

is on fire! And according to Kawasegawa-kun, the program is in bad shape, isn't

it? If we don't take action right now, the company is in danger!"

MysClo is an abbreviation for

Mystic Clockwork. The president told us to call it by its official name or

the development number APG08, but it is not time for that.

Nevertheless, I wonder if there

is something I can do about this way of talking about the Kawasegawa, which is

the head of development.

I made eye contact with

Kawasegawa, "Leave it to me".

"Then, you're okay with me

deciding what to do?"

"F-Fine, but you will have

to protect the parts that are in the specifications!"

It came. He was probably

talking about in-house engines.

"Please listen,

President"

I stand right in front of the

president and tell him straight out.

"It's an engine we

developed ourselves, but it's useless. Let's throw it away."

This kind of person can't be

understood even if I say it in a roundabout way. It's better to talk about it

from the conclusion first.

"……Ha?"

The president's eyes darted.

"You didn't hear what I

said? I said we're abandoning our own engines."

"What did you say!!"

I could see the president's

face turn bright red.

"No way I'll let you do

that! Do you have any idea how important our engine is going to be as a pillar

of our company!"

"I understand what you're

saying, but it's too reckless to do in this project."

"What's so reckless about

it, an announcement of such a large work will surely attract more attention and

be a good material for the public listing!"

Aa~, As I thought he was doing

it for the attention, huh...

I didn't know why he would take

the risk, but it made sense now.

"But the errors are so

frequent now that if we don't do something about it, the credibility of this

game will fall to the ground. Are you okay with that?"

"Just fix it and it will

be okay! Then, it will be managed somehow, Kawasegawa-kun said it too!"

Kawasegawa was standing aside

with a bitter look on her face. Perhaps she was forced to say so.

"It's a waste of time and

effort to spend for that. Considering the amount of work that needs to be done

at the script and material level, it is better to recreate it here for later

use."

"So what do we do! How are

we going to build an engine when we don't even have a programmer!"

Alright, I've brought the talk this

far.

It's not a good idea to leave

the engine as it is, with that flow, I knew he was going to say these things. He

knew from the start that there was no way that a replacement could be prepared

quickly enough.

"We have, if it's an

engine"

" ......Eh?"

The door to the development

office opened energetically behind the disheartened president.

"I'm sorry, I'm

late!"

Kishida, the B team sub-leader,

came in.

"That engine thing we were

talking about, do you think we can implement it yet?"

Kishida grinned and said,

"Of course, as long as you

have the script and materials, we can get it running immediately."

From his PC, Kishida sent a

link to the A-team members to let them know where the engine was located.

"Can you load the script

file from the file I just sent you?"

"Yeah, but don't we need

to make any adjustments?"

"Okay, just as it is"

The director of Team A copied

the file from his PC with a half-confused look on his face. As he was told, he

immediately put the script data into the engine and ran it.

"Eeeh?"

After a while, a surprised

voice came up.

"You're kidding... it just

works without any adjustments!"

"Really? And it's so

light! It doesn't even crash with errors!"

The staff began to gather

around the director's desk.

"What did you do...?"

Kawasegawa is looking at me

like she has no idea what is happening.

Part 3

"...So what did you

do?"

Ayaka, who was listening to the

story, didn't seem to understand.

"For some time, MysClo's

development had come to a standstill. That's why I told Kishida, our

sub-leader, to investigate and take action."

If I didn't use it, I thought

it would be a blessing in disguise. Unfortunately, this engine became the key

to this story.

Part 4

"The engine is made by Anyde,

which has a reputation for stability, so it's stable."

"A-Anyde, you said! It's

expensive, right!"

"Well, it's pricey for the

quality."

"Order such a thing

without permission... This is a big problem!"

Of course, it would be a

problem if we ordered just the engine without any reason.

"Yeah, that's why I used

the B-team budget."

"It's totally misused! Oi,

what are you doing as a team leader?"

I used my index finger to

control the president's mouth,

"Please calm down. Indeed,

I used the B team's budget. As the cost of the engine that runs Team B's game,

though."

Kawasegawa nodded.

"I see, the engine used by

the B team has been made into a general-purpose model that can be used by the A

team."

"That's what I mean"

Oh, everyone shouted, but the

president rolled his eyes and yelled.

"B-But the cost of usage

and customization would be excessive! So if it doesn't work there, what's the

point... What is this document!"

In the middle of talking, I

thrust a piece of paper at him.

"We have a budget that the

team has cut down on and saved for unforeseen circumstances. We're trying to

make it work for us with a zero margin."

I knew from the start that he

would complain.

That's why I turned the part of

the budget that was floating around to us. This way, we can avoid the B team's

expenses sticking out in the books and causing a deficit.

"No complaints, okay?"

"........."

The president turned his head

away in frustration.

In fact, I don't even have a

better idea. If we don't use this exit, I can see us all burning to death.

"All right, then we'll

decide on the official response. This was decided in consultation with Producer

Kawasegawa."

Team members roar.

"W-Wait, Hashiba..."

Kawasegawa tried to intervene,

but it didn't matter,

"Just do it. First, you're

in charge of SNS and other official stuff..."

I turned around and saw

Morishita-san's face, who was just there.

"Morishita-san, do it"

"Eh, Eeeh, me?"

The person who was told seemed

more surprised than anyone else.

"Out of all of us, you're

the one who sees things from a bird's eye view, and above all, you're the one

who's closest to the users."

She is serious but also funny

and has a good sense of application. This type of person is better to deal with

than someone who is too rigid.

"Kawasegawa will only check

what kind of text you upload only at the beginning. But when you start to get

the hang of it, I'll leave it to you."

"I-I got it!"

Morishita-san replied with a

military-like salute.

"Apologize to

Suenomori-san's agency both by phone and email, and promise that you'll make it

known that he's not at all to blame. Also, tell them that the casting of any

new characters to be introduced in the future will be given to you for the time

being."

"Oi! What are you talking

about, giving away casting rights! It's so important..."

"We give it to them because

it's important. If we were to get libel and indemnity instead, that would be a

bigger loss, wouldn't it?"

The other side is also in

business. If we can build a relationship with them in the future, they won't

make unreasonable demands.

"Okay, next... the person

in charge of the script, raise your hand."

The man sitting at the desk in

the back of the room raised his hand fearfully.

"How long does it take to

fine tune, check, etc., the system?"

"Etto... I can't say for

sure, but I'm guessing it'll take about six days, including detailed

verification."

Upon hearing that, the

president jumped in.

"Six days? It's too long,

it's three days, do something about it in three days!"

"Okay, then I'll give you

two weeks, so please do something about it."

"Don't say stupid things! Are

you insane to stop the service for two weeks ?!"

Ignoring the president's voice,

I continued.

"Let's say 10 business

days, 5 days for adjustments, 3 days for validation, and 2 days for reflection.

How's that?"

"T-That's more than

enough!"

"Then, we’re counting on

you. Then next..."

I ask the director, looking at

the progress chart.

"How many apology stones

do we usually give out?"

"Etto... depending on the

game of course, but for this project, I'd say around 2 or 3 times 10-round

gachas is about right."

"Hmm. Then prepare ten

times that amount."

"T-Ten times?!"

"I-I've never heard of a

game that gives out that many stones! Something like that, just add one more

time!"

The director and the president

jumped in at the same time.

"That's not even enough to

make the news, only the negative aspects will stand out and that's it. The

impact of the response should be enough to make people talk about it."

As the president continued to

rant and rave, I stood in front of all the members,

"And this is the most

important task, so please listen carefully. Listen?"

I could hear them all gulping

for air.

When it was as quiet as water,

I,

"I want all the members to

take two days off from today for complete rest. Don't work. You can start

working on Wednesday."

I could see everyone's faces

stunned at once.

Then, as a matter of course,

the president spoke up.

"T-Take a rest?! What do

you mean by taking a day off without doing anything in this emergency!"

"Of course, we'll just do

the first response on SNS. If we suspend the service after that, there will be

no problem."

"Gu, Gugugu..."

With the president at a loss

for words, I,

"That's what you were

thinking, isn't it?"

I told Kawasegawa, and she

nodded silently.

If you put more weight on a

person who is working to the limit, they will either collapse or run away.

So let them rest first. It is

much more efficient and successful to let them think about the next thing after

they have refreshed their minds and bodies.

"If I'd just shut up, you,

from a while ago...!"

Finally, the president grabbed

my chest.

"You can't just decide to do

this and that. This is a major project that involves the entire company! Do you

understand that!"

"Because I know it, I

think about it and deal with it properly."

"You don't understand!

Everything you're saying is to the detriment of the company! Look, a company is

supposed to make a profit and gain trust through that..."

As if to interrupt the

president, I shook off his hand that was grabbing my chest.

And,

"President!!!"

I yelled, so loudly that

everyone in the room was surprised.

The entire floor fell silent,

and the eyes of everyone there turned to look at me.

Even the shipping staff was

waiting patiently to see what we would do.

"Hie... What is it?"

The president was clearly

flustered but still tried to argue.

I continued in the calmest tone

I could muster.

"You said before that you

trusted me, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I said that. But so

what?"

"And, you said this too. It's

also a time when trust as a company is important."

"I said it... I think."

"You said it. The

president is very aware of the importance of trust. That's a very good thing.

And here's the important part."

I took a single breath. And

then,

"Indeed, meeting deadlines

is a form of trust. In that regard, all of us here in development deeply regret

that we were not able to adhere to it."

"R-Right! So at least

provide service as soon as possible."

"But once a major failure

has occurred, regaining trust is not a matter of resuming service quickly. It's

about demonstrating our remorse in a tangible way and taking measures to

prevent a recurrence in the most reliable way possible. "

With patches, the operation is running

every minute between maintenance. There is no way one can play the game

properly under such conditions.

"Right now, the impression

of this game is the worst. That's why we need to do something far better than

what we should, or users won't come back."

The president's face had turned

completely pale.

"...has such a bad

reputation, this game?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so."

The reputation of this game has

unfortunately fallen to the ground.

It is too difficult to regain

the trust that once fell.

But we are going to have to

take on that impossible challenge. To do so, we need to do something different

from the norm.

"Let's be honest and let me

explain. What's happening in this game right now, and how we're going to deal

with it. It's only when you speak without lies that you gain trust. If you lose

trust in the game, you have to gain it back in the game."

That's why the service was

suspended for an unusual period of time, and the items were distributed as

apologies. It's still not enough, though.

"...I once told a big lie."

It was a story I didn't want to

remember.

But I thought it was the only

way to talk about it now.

"In order to finish what I

was working on and to gain their trust, I said a few off-the-cuff things. They

believed me. But after it was completed, everyone scattered. Words without

truth do not lead to trust."

Kawasegawa shut her mouth as she

tried to say something.

"The president also

apologized for the inevitable bug that occurred in a mobile application you

developed a long time ago, didn't you? You could have kept it quiet, but you

overcame the objections of the sales staff and said you didn't want to lie to

the users."

The president looked surprised,

"Hashiba-kun, that

story..."

"I thought it was amazing.

And by being honest and public about it, the app's credibility went up as a

result. It's a bit similar... don't you think?"

Immediately after the

development crisis became apparent, I visited a former colleague of the

president and asked him about the development of the hit app.

The president was also one of

the many venture entrepreneurs. In the beginning, he just did it because it was

fun. He enjoyed the service together with the users. However, as the company

grew in size, it had to change.

I know the pain of it all. No

matter how far you go, money will always follow you, and the more people you

have, the more money you will have.

"I understand what the

president is saying from your standpoint. But still, in this emergency

situation... Can you please think again about what is important?"

I looked straight at the

president.

"It doesn't have to be all

of it. Can't you just look at this side a little?"

To the president, everyone here

must be the person he used to be.

The eyes of every member of the

development team were on him.

The president stared into space

as if remembering something.

And after exhaling one big and

deep breath,

"...Okay. Do what you want."

Then he left the development

room. The members cheered.

"Thank goodness... I think

we can handle this somehow!"

"Let's just prepare for

verification, and when it's done, we'll go, to our home!"

The development team, which had

been in a state of weariness and resignation, quickly came back to life.

"The text for SNS is

ready! Please check it!"

Morishita-san ran into

Kawasegawa's seat.

She has a serious look on her

face as she checks it.

"You'd better get home,

too. Otherwise, what's the point."

"I'll go home without

being told. I really want to take a bath and sink in it."

Sighing heavily,

"...Hashiba"

Kawasegawa turned to me and

smiled.

"Thank you"

"You're welcome"

After confirming that the development

was beginning to function, I left the room and visited the president's office.

The door was left open. I gave

a token knock and entered the room.

"……Thank you very

much"

As soon as I entered, I bowed

my head deeply.

"Yeah, you put me in a situation

where I had to answer."

The president replied, with a

bit of a wry smile.

"Do you want to sit

down?"

"No, I'm fine as is"

The president said, "I

see" and blinked slowly.

"Did you make that

suggestion because you knew I'd lose?"

"No, I honestly didn't

know."

"You're quite a gambler,

aren't you? One wrong move and you could lose your job."

"It wasn't a gamble.

That... I was serious, and I just didn't have any other answer."

Fufu, he replied with a bitter smile.

"Are you serious? It must

be strong."

I was able to appeal to him

there because of what I had heard about the development in the past. If I

hadn't heard about that episode, I wouldn't have been able to push through.

The president was also a person

who was standing here after a serious struggle. That's why I was able to fight

too.

I'm going to show my respect to

him for facing me head on.

"In return, I'll make you

a promise."

"Promise... what is

that?"

I slowly opened my mouth to the

president who looked at me curiously.

Part 5

"... That's about getting

you to draw a new character."

Ayaka laughed, ahaha,

and looked up.

"It's been brilliantly

incorporated into the scenario."

"Yes, it installed."

Mystic Clockwork managed to

calm the fire down after that. Of course, there was some criticism of the long

term maintenance, but some users defended the project by talking about the

reasons and plans.

And when the service resumed,

the uncommon number of apology stones and the previously unthinkable lightness

of the system were able to turn the impression around. The quality of the

original materials was good, and the number of new users increased, as if they

would give it a try if it was such a big deal.

But there was one last thing

that was missing in my mind.

That was the new character

creation by Minori Ayaka.

"Please... can you do it?"

A moment of silence followed.

Eventually, she opened her

mouth,

"...I would like to do

that if possible."

The words that came out with a

sigh were negative.

"I tried to think of

various reasons why I couldn't draw."

She was the type of creator who

turned outside stimuli into art.

That's why she has been trying

new things one after another. There were activities overseas, live drawings,

and even a single analog illustration that took several months to complete.

That is why the lack of

stimulation was the biggest pinch for her now that she had risen to the top.

I slowly opened my mouth.

"The reason why Ayaka-san

started to draw. I think there is a hint."

A surprise spread on her face.

"Hashiba-san, is it okay

to talk... that story?"

With those words, I became

convinced of the hypothesis I had formulated.

"The other day when I was

here, you were drawing a picture, right?"

"Yes, it reminded me of

the touch of someone I used to admire..."

"That person's drawing...

I know it well... very well..."

A touch of watercolor. A figure

with a solid presence against a large expanse of background. A moment of

dynamism, as if about to start moving.

The reason why Minori Ayaka

started to draw seriously.

It seemed that I, in this

world, had been keeping this fact from her for a long time. She also seemed to

understand the reason.

I didn't know how it happened

because I didn't remember anything about it. So when I met Ayaka and talked to

her, I didn't understand what she meant, including why she liked me so much.

However, by collecting the

scattered pieces and tracing the past of an illustrator named Minori Ayaka, I

finally arrived at the right answer.

"This is for you,

Ayaka-san."

She unwrapped the package I had

brought and spread it out in front of her.

"Ah, this is...!"

Ayaka held her mouth in her

hands and stared in amazement at what was spread out in front of her.

"Yes. It's an image visual

for a game I made once called "Haru Sora"."

For me, creating doujin games

was a big, too big turning point.

In the process, I forced

Shinoaki, the illustrator, to compromise on many things.

However, there was only one

illustration that she had drawn just the way she wanted it.

As the top picture of the site,

this is the image visual that we have been showing since the announcement.

The picture was constructed

with all of the features of hers, both the background and the characters. With

cherry blossom petals flying all around, she depicted the characters from the

game walking around, laughing, angry, and confused, all in accordance with

their personalities and settings.

When I received the finished

version of the illustration from Ayaka, which she said she had drawn after

returning to her original inspiration, I had a very nostalgic feeling. From

there, it wasn't long before I came across Shinoaki's work.

I checked every inch in my PC.

I knew that I must have kept it somewhere, because I couldn't throw it away.

And my hunch was right.

I stretched the file I found

into a large format and framed it. I wanted to give it to the illustrator, who

had a special attachment to this illustration.

"When I was in high

school, I once thought about quitting drawing."

Ayaka began to talk about her

memories while looking nostalgic at the picture.

"I was praised for my

sketching and my color composition was given the seal of approval to go to art

school. However, my teacher told me that my pictures were just technical skills.

It's not attractive at all. And then I got depressed, and I hated drawing... It

was during that time that I was introduced to Haru Sora by senpai who liked

games."

She raised her eyes and looked

at me. She had innocent eyes.

"I was impressed. An illustration

that has appeal is such an amazing thing. It can move people's hearts in a big

way. And then..."

With a faraway look in her eyes,

"I really felt that I

wanted to draw this kind of picture. And one day... I wanted to work together

with the person who drew this picture."

Ayaka knew about me and

Shinoaki. She also knew how she was doing now. That's why she told me this in

the past tense.

I think it must have been hard

for me, who was originally in this world, to look at Shinoaki's pictures. I

guess that's why the conversation with Ayaka never went beyond a certain point.

However, due to the coincidence

of my existence being switched, Shinoaki's drawing and she were able to meet

again.

"Thank you very much. This

picture has saved me twice. I will treasure it...... forever."

Ayaka stood up and bowed her

head to my side,

"Please give me a week for

the rough. I can go from line drawing to coloring in a few days. If there are

any differences or such... please email me again."

It was a statement of intent to

raise a new character design.

I also stood up and bowed to

Ayaka.

"Thank you very much,

sensei"

"It tickles me when the

person who encouraged me to draw calls me "sensei"."

Ayaka smiled, looking

embarrassed.

Part 6

Minori Ayaka began to move

actively, as if the time that had stopped so far was a lie.

"Ha-Ha-Ha-Hashiba-san, Ayaka-sensei

was called me!"

At the office, I received such

a report from Morishita-san, who was trembling.

"What's she saying?"

"W-Well, she said that she

had made a rough draft of the character and that she would send it to me right

away, and I told her that that's such a waste so I'll come directly to her!"

"Oh, I think it makes her

happy."

After the "meeting"

that day, I had heard many words of trust in Morishita-san from Ayaka.

Some people are happy to

finally be rewarded for it.

"Yes... Thank you very

much, Hashiba-san!"

Morishita-san bowed deeply as

usual, then hefted her bag onto her back.

"A-Anyway, I'll be going!"

She waddled out of the office, muttered

wawawa, and banging her body all over the place again.

"This is okay... I

wonder."

When I saw that figure, I

breathed a sigh of relief.

And she uploaded the design

drawing of the new character on the promised date.

The quality was unquestionable,

and it was a significant piece of work for her, as she tried a new style of

drawing while following her past style.

"Ayaka-sensei contacted me and said she'd love to do the next character!"

Overjoyed, Morishita-san

reported to me.

"I see, that's good to

hear."

She hadn't raised a new

illustration for a long time, and this new character was truly a savior for MysClo. As

if the bad reputation of the game at the time of its release was a lie, the

game was flooded with users looking forward to the next development.

"With this, it's a

relief... I wonder?"

"In the meantime, yes. But

now that the expectations have been raised, it's going to be tough."

In fact, it is easier to take

measures from a negative point of view. This is because the original

expectation value is low, so even a small amount of good news will be biased

and turned into a positive.

But from now on, it will be

different. As long as people see that the management there is doing a good job,

even a small negative will be seen as a big deal.

"Don't worry,

Kawasegawa-san has created a very thick manual for this purpose."

Kawasegawa's follow-up response

was as good as expected.

A detailed policy and

countermeasures were presented, including detailed changes due to the change in

the game engine, points of support for SNS, and future development plans.

"I never thought she'd

bring the president to negotiations."

In addition, we shared the

development plan with Succeedsoft, and they agreed to take the initiative in

creating the development from now on.

According to the president,

Kawasegawa had been in control of the meeting.

"I've made it so you can

run for three years without me, Kawasegawa-san said that."

"As I thought she is

awesome, that girl."

A series of bad circumstances

prevented her from setting the pace, but she had a lot of ability to begin

with, so she wasn't worried about what would happen once she got back on track.

Just then, the 12 o'clock chime

rang. It was lunchtime and the area was noisy.

"Then, let's go for lunch

with that person."

I said, and looked towards her

seat.

"Huh, Hashiba-san didn’t

hear it? It looks like she's leaving from Haneda at 14:00."

"Eh?"

I looked at Kawasegawa's seat.

Her desk was always neat and tidy, but today it stood out. Oddly enough,

nothing had been left on the desk.

She is a person whose sense of

responsibility is like walking around with clothes on. She was the type of

person who needed to do everything herself, which is why she was confused by

the management position.

Even if the manual was made

well, there was a point where she would end up doing it herself. That's

why the process of making it was already planned. But after that, it was

strange.

It will continue without her.

Suddenly go out by plane.

A clean and tidy desk.

"Morishita-san!"

I hurried back to my seat,

grabbed my bag and took off.

"Tell them, I'm taking the

afternoon off!"

"Eh, eeh?"

Before I could hear her reply,

I rolled down the stairs and out.

I stopped a taxi that was just

coming,

"Hurry to the domestic

terminal in Haneda!"

I wonder why I didn't notice.

If I were to intervene at the

site where she was working as a supervisor, she would certainly find herself in

a difficult position. Even if the president guaranteed her the position, the

trust of her subordinates would decline.

Even though it was a decision

made by me and Kawasegawa, it was obvious to those who were there that I took

the lead.

Indeed, things went well. But I

thought the rest of it would be okay.

She's excellent, she has a good

understanding, so she'll be fine.

But I didn't understand.

It's the opposite. It's

the other way around.

The better she is, the more she

is driven.

I had not learned a single

thing after Tsurayuki. I didn't think about what will happen after we have

moved, and the only solution I could find was just to burn the problem.

In the end, it's all about me.

As long as I look good, I guess that's all that matters.

"What a fool, I

am...!"

I hit the seat with my fist,

over and over again.

I wanted to go to her as soon

as possible.

When I arrived at Terminal 1, I

didn't have time to pick up my change and just rolled into the lobby.

The clock had already struck

13:00. The plane would close the gate half an hour before. It was just barely

in time.

I looked at the baggage check

line. But there was no sign of her.

"Kawasegawa, please still

here..."

I walk, I run, I look around

with my eyes.

However, I looked at the seats

and scoured the lobby, but there was no sign of her.

"Kawasegawa...!"

Out of breath, I sit down on

the spot.

I didn't make it in time. She

would probably submit her resignation immediately. Once she did, there would be

no way to make her change her mind.

And then she's going to leave

in front of me. Just like Tsurayuki did.

"Sorry, Sorry……"

I clench my fists on my knees

on the floor.

What is the reason I came to

this world? What is seriousness? How was I supposed to make everyone happy with

such a poor strategy?

I was a person who couldn't

protect anyone at all. I over-interpreted Nanako's words and took them as I saw

fit, and this is the result.

"Uuu... Uu..."

I don't know if it was a cry or

a moan, but I felt like I was going to burst out of my throat. This pitiful

state of affairs seemed very fitting for the end of the world.

The white-polished floor

reflects my pathetic appearance.

There was a shadow approaching. A

bright red travel cart and a woman in the same color skirt approached me.

A voice came from above me.

"W-Why... is Hashiba

here?"

I turned around, and there was.

"Kawase, gawa..."

The very person I had been

looking for was standing there.

Part 7

I sat down on a bench not far

from the departure lobby and waited for her.

Soon after, she returned with

two cups of coffee.

"Here"

"A-Ah. Thank you..."

I thanked her, took it, and

sipped it.

The bittersweet scent quickly

escaped my mouth and into my nose, and I felt relaxed.

"Good grief, don't you

have any idea how to send a RINE or make a phone call ".

"......Sorry"

"Well, I feel bad that I

came out here without telling you, but."

Kawasegawa was really nothing

out of a big deal, just a refreshing vacation.

If it was a coincidence that

she showed unusual behavior, it was also a coincidence that she cleaned up her

desk more than usual.

"There's no way I'm

quitting. It's so pathetic that you turned things around so spectacularly and I

ran away without being able to return the favor. If I don't pay you back and

make you say, "I lose" I won't be able to relax".

I had underestimated her.

Kawasegawa Eiko hadn't changed at all, even as an adult. She hadn't given up on

fighting, and she hadn't given up on the sparks that flew. I guess that one

incident just happened to coincide with a time when she was weak.

In the end, it seems that was

me jumping to conclusions.

"Um, what about Okinawa?"

"I changed my mind. I've

canceled it, so it's all good."

"... Sorr"

"You don't have to

apologize, mou."

Kawasegawa was strangely angry.

Well, it's not surprising that the mood for refreshment is blown away when a

big, misunderstood man comes running at her.

On weekdays, the airport was

full of people on business. Unlike on weekends, it was somewhat hectic and time

seemed to be moving faster.

Both Kawasegawa and I were

different in this context. I wore a polo shirt and jeans, and she wore a

cutaway, cardigan, and skirt. It had a holiday atmosphere, as if it had

been cut out.

As I was thinking about how to

apologize, Kawasegawa said to me.

"Why were you so worried

about it?"

"……That is"

The words stopped.

I was alone in the crowd,

rewinding time.

Ten years ago. I met a great

group of people. I thought, if I can make something with them, I'll do

anything. I moved with all my might. And... I thought I would use my

10-year experience to my advantage.

As a result, I lost one of my

friends. And what awaited me in the future was the sight of me losing my other

friends as well.

"I was scared. Everyone

was gone, and Kawasegawa, too, would be gone."

Kawasegawa's expression

hardened.

"Hashiba..."

A look of concern and pity for

me.

"Both Shinoaki and

Tsurayuki... they were so amazing, but when I realized they both stopped being

creators. Nanako also..."

She didn't quit singing, but it

didn't change the fact that her talent was destroyed.

It was all my fault.

In the end, no matter what

happened to the world, I was still the same person who got carried away with

the feeling of being all-powerful and thought I could solve anything. I had

just thought that vandals should at least live quietly and not conflict with

the world, but I still acted in a shallow manner.

"It's all my fault. I

think I'm thinking about others, but in the end, all I think about is myself."

I believed that if I did what

was expected in this world, it would be a recompensation. I thought that

what Nanako had said had affirmed me in no small way.

But that was wrong. The more I

moved, the more someone else lost their place.

What the heck

produce. What the heck be the person who creates the place?

That the result was only the

creation of my own comfort zone was really well done, a great future to show

off. This epilogue with a happy ending was meant to show me despair to the

fullest.

"Yes, you've been saying

that all along. I'm sorry for them, I can't help. When I asked the reason, you always

said it's useless."

"Yeah... That's correct."

After all, it seems that I, who

was here, was thinking the same thing.

And I guess he was just

mumbling his regrets in words only.

"They're all unhappy

because of you. You really think so, don't you."

"...Yeah. It was a mistake

for me to be there."

The silence continued. The guide

to Okinawa was finished and the gate was closed.

Kawasegawa stared at the scene.

Then, she gently laid her right hand on my left hand beside her.

"Kawasegawa..."

Our eyes met each other's.

"That's right"

She replied shortly and quickly

picked up the pouch on her left side and held it in her right hand.

And,

"Kawasegawa... Eh?

Gyaa!"

BASHIN!!

With all her might, she smashed

the pouch she was carrying against my back.

"What! What are you

doing!"

"Shut up! You're really

pissing me off!"

Kawasegawa continued to smack

me hard on the back. To be honest, it hurts a lot.

All eyes around us were

completely focused on us. The airport staff was pointing at us and asking if

they should get involved. Some of the customers were even trying to take

pictures of us with their phones.

"S-Stop it, Kawasegawa, d-did

I say something strange?"

"You never said it!"

"Eh......?"

I saw something unbelievable.

Kawasegawa's eyes were moistening.

No, two or three tears had already fallen.

"Everything you do is like

honor student that it makes me feel inferior, and you have nothing to complain

about, you know!!"

"Ka, Kawasegawa..."

"Why, why don't you ask

for help? Do you try to do everything by yourself? Does everyone around you

seem so unreliable? When you're not sure what to do, don't you think of leaning

on someone......?"

Kawasegawa is Ha~a Ha~a,

breathing heavily.

"You can't support

yourself anymore. It was the same at that time. You were chasing the shadow of Tsurayuki

who is gone, all the time, and even wrote your own scenarios even though you weren't

really suited for it. You never thought about finding someone to write. You

didn't think about it at all. You didn't resist Shinoaki's decision to quit

drawing, and you couldn't help Nanako's frustration. But... but!"

She stood up. She glared at me

from above.

"You don't have to take on

that much responsibility for everyone's future! You didn't ask them to do that,

right! Why are you blaming yourself so much and becoming depressed and falling

apart on your own! You said I was useless, why... What makes you think that!"

And then, she showed me her

tear-stained face, with a mixture of anger, sadness, and many other emotions.

"Y-You've always been

really, re-really doing your best. You were always putting yourself aside,

always striving to move someone else, to make someone else create something. When

laughed, we laughed together, and when cried, you cried alone. There's nothing

wrong with that. I'll never, ever forgive anyone who says that. I won't forgive

it!"

Gushi, she sniffed,

"That's why!!"

Kawasegawa grabbed my chest.

"So be confident! Was it a

mistake for you to be here? Of course not. So you're saying it was a mistake

for you to be here now, helping me?"

I shake my head as hard as I

can.

"Isn't that right? You're

amazing! I guarantee it. You're the biggest, most inspiring, most unpredictable

person I've ever met, and I love and admire that about you, so don't be such a

downer!"

I was stunned and just let her

do her thing. Kawasegawa dismissed the onlookers with a quick glare, then

suddenly turned red and let go of my clothes.

"……E-Etto……"

It was unusual for her to be

upset.

As expected, I knew the reason.

At the end of what she said, it

was obvious... That's exactly what it meant.

"U-Um"

I wondered if I should say

something.

Right, as if to distract me

from trying to pay attention,

"...The last two were

unnecessary. I take them back."

In a low voice that seemed to

come from the depths of the earth, a request was made to remove it from her

mouth.

"O-Oh..."

As expected, I didn't have the

courage to pursue those two here.

Instead, what came out of my

mouth was,

"Um, so-sorr"

It was a pathetic apology.

Immediately, Kawasegawa's

menacing eyes flew at me. "Apologize? Are you an idiot?" Her gaze was

telling me.

"No, etto..."

That's right, it’s not sorry,

isn't it?

"...Thank you,

Kawasegawa"

I canceled it. The beam

disappeared from her eyes.

I felt really embarrassed, so I

looked away from Kawasegawa. She seemed to be the same, staring at the floor

with a red face.

The coffee was completely cold.

She and I both picked up our cups at the same time and took a sip.

At the same time, we said

"it's lukewarm".

We looked at each other and

were both embarrassed again. I wondered what I was doing at my age. In fact, I

felt ashamed that I couldn't say anything to her at this point.

"If, If..."

Kawasegawa murmured in a low

voice.

"If I could go back to

that time when you were in suffering, I would have helped you in any way I

could."

It was a small voice. But it

was firmly directed at me.

"But back then, you were...

never asked for my help "

She said with a bitter smile.

"That's not true... Thank

you."

I'm sure I would have been very

happy if I had heard it back then.

There was something about

Kawasegawa that made her seem unreliable. It was because she herself was trying

so hard to be something that she was afraid to step in.

"All right, I'm going to

Okinawa after all "

"Eh?"

"I lied about the

cancellation. I'll ask if I can change my flight, and if I can, I'll take the

next one."

She stood up and stretched, hmm,

"Don't worry, I'll be back."

She said, reaching for the

handle of the cart and grabbing the pouch.

Then, as she was about to walk

away, she suddenly looked back.

"And you said everyone

disappeared because of you, but."

As if I remembered,

"You've made one flower

bloom properly."

"Eh?"

"Minori Ayaka. That girl

started drawing pictures because of the game you made, right."

…… I see.

If I hadn't created the game in

the first place, she wouldn't have taken the path to becoming an illustrator.

It makes sense that she wouldn't have existed as an illustrator in the world I

was originally in because I didn't create the trigger.

She was very grateful to me.

She even told me that I had given her the trigger to start drawing. The truth

is, it was only because of Shinoaki's pictures, but without that game, I would

not have been able to release her pictures to the world at that time.

Just one. It is true that just

one... Was I able to create a great opportunity?

"In the world"

Kawasegawa cut off her words

there, and for a moment, her eyes seemed to look into the distance.

"There is nothing in vain,

I'm sure."

She smiled and walked to the

gate with a slightly mischievous smile on her face.

She is so gallant. I kept

watching her dashing back in silence.

Part 8

I didn't feel like going back

to office.

I walked up to the observation

deck of Haneda Airport and watched the flow of planes coming and going.

Perhaps because it was a

weekday, there was no one on the deck.

In the blue sky, colorful

planes landed one after another and flew away. Some of them were probably

carrying Kawasegawa to Okinawa.

A strong wind was blowing from

the sea. With the smell of sand and salt on my face, I decided to find a place

to sit.

Shortly after, I found a bench.

I lightly brushed off the sand and sat down.

"Yoisho..."

The shouting that I would have

never said 10 years ago has become a natural part of this world.

I sat down on a blue bench, the

same color as the sky, and watched the plane go by again.

The wind had stopped. Except

for the sound of airplanes flying, it was quiet and still.

Strangely enough, I felt calm.

With a strangely clear head, I reflected on everything that had happened so far.

I was thrown into the world of

2018 with no idea why. While despairing over the future that is the result of

misunderstanding and hubris, I am cheered up by Nanako, helped by Shinoaki's

pictures, and even saved by Kawasegawa.

Kawasegawa affirmed to me that

I could live. She accepted with all her might the life that I had been denying

for a long time since I came back ten years ago.

I wanted to burst into tears right

there. I don't mean to sound too harsh, but I truly felt that "it was okay

for me to be there".

I thought this world was a

punishment game. I thought it was a bad ending disguised as a happy ending.

However, Kawasegawa's words have blown away that meanness. I knew that I had to

come here, and that this world existed because it was absolutely necessary for

me in the future.

The future me. It will not be

the me of 2018, but the me of 2007.

So, somehow, I had a hunch.

Perhaps this world is about to end. And the next world is probably beckoning me

to open the door.

I don't have any evidence or

predictions for the future.

I wondered if this world full

of happiness would soon come to an end ――.

"Hmm?"

Fu, suddenly, I saw someone at the edge of my

vision.

It was a girl. She was a cute

girl with pink hair.

"Who is that......"

I wondered if she had gotten

separated from her parents. When she saw me, she walked straight up to me.

She stood in front of me, and...

The girl approached me, looked

at me and smiled,

She said, in Kansai dialect.

"Yo, Hashiba-kun. How have

you been?"

At that moment, the pieces of

my memory that had not been filled in began to flood into my brain.

"... Keiko-san, it's been

a long time."

I greeted her as if I had known

that would happen.

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