21-25

Chapter 21: Lover 

Curious, Izumi Himawari picked up the guitar and inspected it closely. “The strings are pretty worn. This guy’s no amateur. Sayoko, didn’t you say he’s in game development?” 

In the open-style restaurant, Sayoko was frying bacon, not even looking up as she chuckled. “It’s normal to have a hobby, right? Besides, with Tetsu-kun’s brain, picking up the guitar isn’t exactly a challenge.” 

“...Don’t underestimate the guitar!” Izumi huffed, setting it down and dropping the topic. 

The guitar wasn’t easy to master, but it was accessible enough. A smart person could grab a beginner’s book and strum a few simple tunes. So, Izumi wasn’t that shocked Fuyukawa could play. 

“Learning the guitar’s one thing, but writing music? That’s tough,” she muttered, pulling out her own guitar and placing a sheet of staff paper on the coffee table. Propping her chin in her hand, she frowned, stuck. 

Just then, her phone lit up. 

“Risami? Messaging me this early?” Izumi raised an eyebrow, grabbing her phone. 

[Risami-chan: Koi! Did you check the forum this morning?!] 

[Mini: What’s up?] 

[Risami-chan: Beyond dropped a new song last night! OMG, it’s SO good! It’s called Lover. Go download it NOW!] 

Beyond released another song?! 

Izumi’s eyes sparkled with excitement. 

Beyond, a mysterious music creator, had popped up on the XSX forum last week. XSX was the biggest Japanese music forum, packed with users, but Beyond’s songs were in Chinese. Normally, that’d be a tough sell without heavy promotion, but their track Glory Days had taken the forum by storm. Since it was copyright-free, it spread to China, too, blowing up the music scene there instantly. 

The song was incredible, but what made Izumi fangirl even harder was that Beyond shared their music for free. Anyone could download or cover it. It felt like a gift to the world, not some cash-grab transaction. 

Artists often have a streak of idealism, and Izumi was hooked on Beyond. Nobody knew who they were—not even a profile picture, just the default avatar. After Glory Days, their account went silent. And now, out of nowhere, they’d dropped a new song last night! 

Too excited to reply, Izumi opened the forum app. Sure enough, the top post screamed: [Who are you? Super mysterious Beyond drops new song Lover!] 

The post already had over a million views. 

[SanbanchoOguriShun: OMG! Seriously?! Is this really written by a Chinese artist?! I thought they only covered our songs!] 

[HokkaidoFishKing: Is it fate, is it love, is it innocence, or just chance? Chinese is a 5,000-year-old language, and the vibes are unreal. You guys who didn’t study Chinese can’t even get it.] 

[YamazakiHikozo: Come back to China, legend! The music scene needs you!] 

[NakamoriNanako: Teacher, I wanna learn Chinese!] 

[IchibanSuper: This song’s insane! I’ve looped it for five hours straight! Is this the charm of Cantonese music?] 

[‘Famous Critic’ SerizawaTetsuo: Decent composition, but the singer’s technique is weak. It’s all emotion, no skill.] 

[KuroiRyuki: “Decent”? How dare you! You couldn’t write a song this good if your ancestors’ graves started smoking! Didn’t your dad teach you to be honest, you disgusting Tokyoite?!] 

“Serizawa Tetsuo? That idiot. His own songs are trash, and he’s got the nerve to critique?” Izumi grumbled, downloading the song and dissing the critic as she rubbed her thigh in excitement. 

Soon, a ding signaled the download was complete. 

“Here we go!” Izumi pulled up the translated lyrics and hit play. 

[Hoping you haven’t shed tears for me in secret again… 

Is it fate, is it love, is it innocence, or just chance?] 

The melancholic male voice hit her ears, and the first line sent a shiver down her spine, her cheeks flushing unnaturally. 

“So good! I need to meet this guy!” Izumi was lost in the music. 

Meanwhile, Fuyukawa Tetsu, fresh from a shower, stepped out in a clean white T-shirt and gray joggers. “Food ready yet?” 

“Almost, just a sec!” Sayoko called from the kitchen. 

Fuyukawa sat at the table, toweling off his hair. He didn’t like hairdryers, but some water droplets flicked onto Izumi, interrupting her song. 

“Hey, hey, hey! Dry your hair somewhere else!” she snapped, mid-song. 

Fuyukawa rolled his eyes. “Please, this is my house. If you’re annoyed, there’s the door.” 

“You—! Ugh, what a lousy guy! I’m gonna tell Sayoko to steer clear of you!” Izumi huffed. 

“Kids always think they’re so powerful,” Fuyukawa teased. 

“…” Outmatched and eager to keep listening, Izumi flipped him off expressionlessly, grabbed her phone, and flopped onto the couch. 

“What’s up?” Sayoko asked, setting an omelette rice plate on the table, glancing curiously between them. 

Fuyukawa shrugged. “No idea. She thinks I’m disturbing her.” 

“Sorry, Tetsu-kun. She’s still a kid, so please bear with her,” Sayoko said apologetically. 

Fuyukawa grinned, giving her a playful pat on the hip of her floral skirt. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna argue with a high schooler.” 

“Tetsu-kun! Geez, Koi’s right there,” Sayoko said, blushing. Her eyes sparkled with sweetness and shyness, no trace of panic. 

Yesterday in the car, they hadn’t crossed any major lines, but emotionally, they’d let their guards down. Fuyukawa was about to tease the gorgeous woman further when a sizzle came from the stove. 

“The eggs are gonna burn! Koi, time to eat!” Sayoko called, dodging Fuyukawa’s hand and scurrying back to the kitchen. 

On the couch, Izumi stayed cross-legged, lost in her music. Though she wore black shorts today, her casual pose was bold, drawing Fuyukawa’s gaze for a moment. 

How does such a shy woman raise such a forward daughter? 

The contrast between the two intrigued him. He stood to hang his towel by the bathroom door, but as he passed Izumi, he caught her softly singing along: [Saienzai, sai chin, sai hang, dong…] 

“Lover?” Fuyukawa’s brow twitched. “She’s listening to my song?” 

Chapter 22: Running Two Laps Upside Down in a Skirt 

The system didn’t just let you redeem games—it also offered music and other data. 

When Fuyukawa Tetsu opened his newbie gift pack, he didn’t just get Fate. He also snagged Beyond’s Glory Days.  

But, honestly, it wasn’t all that useful. 

In his past life, Fuyukawa was a huge music fan, and with the [Intermediate Music Theory] he’d absorbed from this body’s soul fragments, he could recreate those songs from memory. At most, he’d need to chat with a professional about instruments. The sheet music in the system didn’t mean much to him, and he had zero interest in becoming a singer. 

Hanging his towel on the rack, Fuyukawa glanced at Izumi Himawari, who was bobbing her head to music through her earphones. Fresh from a shower, he felt refreshed but said nothing, quietly sitting back at the table to sip plain water. 

Releasing songs anonymously wasn’t just about sharing the classic hits from his past life—it was also a backup plan.  

Signing with a management agency to debut as a singer could rake in cash, but the cost? His private life would be gone. In Japan, where idol culture and public scrutiny are intense, that’s a steep price. 

No need for that now. 

He owned a place in Akihabara and had a steady job paying 700,000 yen a month. His biggest expense was the production cost of Fate. Money wasn’t an issue for now, but the future was unpredictable. 

If Surrounded by Beauties or even Fate flopped, and he lost his job with no funds to make another game, things could get dicey. That’s why he anonymously released songs—a safety net to avoid some melodramatic scenario where he’s desperately pitching Beyond’s Greatest Hits to an agency while broke. 

This approach gave him a fallback. If push came to shove, he could debut as a singer. But it was flexible. If his games took off and his career stabilized, he’d dial back on releasing songs to keep the spotlight off. 

For now, he had no desire to be a singer, standing in the public eye. The pressure-free, low-profile life he had now? That suited him just fine. 

Fuyukawa liked it this way. 

His thoughts wandered as he sat there. Soon, Sayoko brought out the last of the fried eggs and miso soup, smoothed her floral dress, and sat to his left. 

October in Tokyo wasn’t too warm, hovering around 20°C, and the AC was on. Still, after bustling by the stove, Sayoko’s fair shoulders glistened with sweat, and a faint scent of body wash lingered around her. 

She’d showered before coming over? 

Women with long hair rarely wash it in the morning since it takes so long to dry—let alone take a full shower. In Japan, where morning routines are often rushed, her effort stood out. 

Fuyukawa raised an eyebrow and reached toward Sayoko’s cheek. 

“Tetsu-kun…”  

What’s he up to? 

With Himawari right there. 

Caught off guard, Sayoko froze as she sat, but she didn’t pull away. Her hands, resting on her soft, pale thighs, clenched slightly, and she even leaned her face toward him. But then she paused, her blush deepening. 

Fuyukawa’s left hand didn’t caress her cheek. Instead, he gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. 

“Blushing? What’re you thinking about, you total perv?” he teased, giving her soft earlobe a playful pinch before resting his arm on the table and picking up a fried egg with his chopsticks. 

“Tetsu-kun, you’re getting meaner by the day!”  

Embarrassed by the interaction and her own misunderstanding, Sayoko turned her head with a mock huff. Her floral dress shifted, her curves making the chair creak, but her eyes sparkled with sweetness and shyness. 

When she turned back, though, her gaze met Izumi Himawari’s deadpan stare. 

“Flirting with a guy in front of a high school girl? Really?” Himawari said, munching on a fried egg, her tone bold. 

Before she could finish, Sayoko grabbed her mochi-like cheeks.  

“You little brat, don’t talk nonsense in front of Tetsu-kun!” 

“Your temper’s showing,” Himawari shot back. 

“…” 

That hit hard. Sayoko, who’d been leaning forward with her hips up to pinch Himawari’s face, flushed and sat back down. Sneaking a glance at Fuyukawa, who was slurping ramen with a grin, she relaxed. Clearing her throat, she adopted a motherly tone. “Alright, you’ve eaten. Now go home, okay?” 

“It’s almost 9:30 p.m.! Let me stay for lunch,” Himawari whined. 

“No way!” 

“Such a heartless woman, abandoning poor little Himawari for some guy.” 

“Himawari! You’re really asking for it!”  

Sayoko’s fists clenched on her thighs, ready to explode. Seeing she’d pushed too far, Himawari quickly pulled out her earphones, flashing a sheepish grin. “Kidding, kidding! Oh, I just found this amazing song. Wanna hear?” 

“No way—huh, the melody’s kinda nice,” Sayoko said, softening. 

[Woo~ Do you know, who’s willing to let go~~] 

The catchy tune hit her ears, and Sayoko’s eyes lit up. Curious, she asked, “Didn’t you used to look down on Chinese songs? Why the change?” 

“It’s different,” Himawari said, chewing her egg and waving her chopsticks. “Most Chinese songs back then were just covers of J-pop. Who cares about covers? It’s like Japanese people wouldn’t buy a Chinese translation of Byakuyakou.  

But Beyond? Totally original. And it’s not just catchy. Look at the lyrics—‘Is it fate, love, innocence, or chance?’ The structure and vibe are completely different from anything here. No cover, no J-pop could match this feeling.  

Plus, his vocals are insane. Sure, some pronunciations aren’t super clear, and the breathing’s a bit heavy, but the emotion? It pulls you right in. Those rough edges are probably intentional—makes it feel real. Yup, definitely. That’s the mark of a master, returning to raw authenticity.” 

“It is pretty good,” Sayoko agreed. 

Himawari rambled on, and while Sayoko didn’t catch all of it, as the song hit its climax, she frowned slightly.  

This voice sounds so familiar. Where have I heard it? 

Her brows furrowed. Then, glancing at Fuyukawa’s profile as he ate, her eyes widened. “Tetsu-kun, this singer sounds a lot like you!” 

“…That’s quite a coincidence,” he replied, unfazed. 

She could tell? Lovers was in Cantonese, for crying out loud. Fuyukawa was inwardly shocked at Sayoko’s sensitivity, but before he could dwell on it, Himawari snorted. 

“Please, don’t inflate your crush’s ego just because you’re into him. They sound nothing alike!” 

“But they really do!” Sayoko insisted. 

“Not! Even! Close!”  

Feeling her idol was being insulted, Himawari puffed up her mochi-like cheeks. “If he could sing with that kind of soul, I’d run two laps around the school field upside down in a skirt!” 

Chapter 23: Sake and Women 

“If he can sing that song, I’ll do two laps around the school field in a skirt, upside down.” 

The moment Himawari said it, Tetsu Fuyukawa nearly choked on a mouthful of rice, pounding his chest. “Cough, cough! You shouldn’t say stuff like that!” 

“Tch, just stick to making your games, old man,” Himawari huffed, popping in her earphones and focusing on her food, done talking. 

“Sorry, she’s a bit rebellious. Please don’t take it personally,” Sayoko said, her face tinged with embarrassment. 

Tetsu smiled and shook his head. “It’s fine, kids being lively is a good thing. But I remember you mentioning her ears…” 

“Yeah, her hearing’s damaged. She’s got a few more treatments to go, but she’s obsessed with music, and I can’t exactly stop her,” Sayoko said, nibbling on her rice ball with a helpless sigh. But soon, a proud smile spread across her face. “She’s got real talent for it, though. She even started a light music club at school and gigs at anime conventions and bars.” 

“She’s gigging at her age?” 

Tetsu’s expression flickered with surprise. 

Gigging wasn’t just a hobby—it paid. A single performance could easily net ten or twenty thousand yen. But no industry hands out easy money. Gigs were inconsistent—sometimes you’re swamped, other times you’re waiting weeks for a booking. And breaking in? Tough. Most people who made it either had connections through prestigious art schools or clawed their way up with raw skill. 

Himawari was only a second-year in high school, clearly relying on pure talent without any fancy university backing. 

Impressive. Tetsu stole another glance at the girl eating with her earphones in. 

Sayoko nodded. “Yeah, she’s got a gig this afternoon. After lunch, she’s heading to Akihabara with her club for a performance at a maid café opening.” 

“Akihabara? Maid café?” Tetsu’s eyes lit up with curiosity. 

It had been two weeks since he’d arrived in this world, and while his company was based in Akihabara, he hadn’t yet visited a maid café. It wasn’t about playing the gentleman—he’d just been swamped with work. Honestly, he wasn’t that into women putting on an act for money. If someone invited him, he’d go for fun, but he wasn’t about to make a special trip alone. 

Still, he was curious. 

His drifting gaze, lost in thoughts of maid cafés, landed on Sayoko, who misread the look entirely. 

So, Tetsu-kun’s into maid outfits, huh? 

Sayoko glanced down at her own “snowy peaks,” a shy but thoughtful glint in her eyes. 

Oblivious to her musings, Tetsu was just impressed with her cooking. For a simple breakfast, it was delicious—her culinary skills were top-notch. 

Checking the time, he saw it was still a bit before nine. After eating, he grabbed his tablet and settled on the couch to organize his work for the day. 

Himawari, with her afternoon gig, didn’t bother saying goodbye and wandered into the courtyard with her guitar to bask in the sun. Sayoko, ever the dutiful host, started cleaning up the dishes. 

October in Tokyo was mild, hovering around the low twenties Celsius. The faint hum of cicadas, the soft strumming of guitar strings, and the neighbor’s dog barking drifted in from outside. The sounds were a bit chaotic but oddly soothing, bringing a sense of calm. 

Feeling the moment’s tranquility, Sayoko finished washing the dishes and glanced at Tetsu on the couch, her eyes brimming with contentment. She didn’t pause her work, though—she grabbed a mop and started cleaning the floor. 

When she reached the bathroom, she sighed. “No matter how mature he is at work, a guy’s still a guy. Who washes underwear with T-shirts?” 

Eyeing the laundry basket, she spotted a pair of black boxers among the clothes. Her brows furrowed slightly. After a moment’s hesitation, she tossed the T-shirts and sweatpants into the washing machine, then, blushing, clutched the damp boxers and headed into the bathroom. 

The three of them went about their tasks in quiet harmony. Time passed gently, and as the clock ticked past nine, Sayoko, now in a floral dress, hung the laundry in the courtyard. Tetsu rubbed his nose and turned off his tablet. 

“Strictly speaking, Fate’s production process isn’t that complex,” he mused aloud. “The hardest part—the story—is already sorted. Coding and UI are straightforward. The real bottleneck is the artwork. I wonder how long it’ll take her to find her groove.” 

Sayoko was a deeply emotional person, and emotional people often thrived when they were relaxed and fully invested. Like singing—some people sound off-key when they’re nervous or in a crowd, not because they lack talent, but because they can’t get into the moment. But with close friends or a bit of alcohol? They’d belt out a song like a pro. 

Wait… alcohol? 

The thought made Tetsu raise an eyebrow. Just then, Sayoko, done hanging the clothes, walked back inside. 

Their eyes met. In her floral dress, her curvy figure softly accentuated, Sayoko propped one hand on her hip, fanning her slightly sweaty “snowy peaks” with the other. “Tetsu-kun, ready to get to work?” 

“Yup.” He nodded, then added, “By the way, how’s your tolerance for alcohol?” 

“Huh? Booze?” Sayoko tilted her head, thinking for a moment. “I don’t know, really. I only have a little at class reunions or stuff like that. Hmm… I’ve never actually gotten drunk.” 

Never gotten drunk? 

This woman was bold to make such a claim! 

“Got it. Hold on a sec.” 

Under Sayoko’s puzzled gaze, Tetsu dashed to the storage room and rummaged out two bottles of wine. 

“Tetsu-kun, are we… not working today?” 

“You’ll see. Follow me upstairs.” 

You’ll see. 

2000. 

+1000. 

That simple phrase sent a jolt through Sayoko. Her hands clutched together over her soft waist, her eyes swirling with intense emotions. 

A guy asking a woman to drink in a private room—what else could that mean? 

She liked Tetsu, but she didn’t like the idea of a Tetsu who’d get a woman drunk to sleep with her. 

He’s not that kind of guy… 

Conflicted, anxious, and a bit disappointed, she still followed him upstairs to the room at the end of the hall. But when Tetsu opened the door, she froze. 

No bed awaited inside. Instead, a stylish rosewood bookshelf lined the wall, and a soft gray carpet covered the floor. An L-shaped desk sat by the window, holding a desktop and a laptop. A summer breeze rustled the curtains gently. 

“This is our new studio. What do you think?” 

+3000! 

Chapter 24: Worries 

“So, this is our studio from now on. What do you think?” 

Two bottles of red wine sat on the table as Tetsu Fuyukawa plopped down onto a cozy recliner by the balcony. 

The layout of the “Fuyukawa House” was a bit like something out of Crayon Shin-chan. This second-floor room, about 30 square meters, wasn’t huge, but with just an L-shaped desk, a computer chair, a bookshelf, and a small coffee table, it felt surprisingly spacious. 

The room’s balcony was a nice touch. At just past 9 a.m., warm sunlight streamed through the glass door, bathing the recliner in a golden glow that made Tetsu’s hair feel toasty. 

It was a comfy workspace. Sayoko Kawai’s eyes practically sparkled like jelly as she stepped inside, excitedly peeking around. 

“Such a great room! Oh, Tetsu-kun, do you play the guitar too?” Her fingers brushed the glass door as she spotted a book of Showa-era classic guitar scores on the bookshelf, turning back with curiosity. 

Tetsu nudged the floor with his toes, swiveling the big, cushy recliner that could easily fit two. “I dabble sometimes.” 

“Wow, Tetsu-kun, you’re so artistic! I’m jealous. Oh, is this laptop for me?”  

“Yeah, use it for now. If it feels slow later, we’ll switch to a desktop.” 

Seeing Sayoko settle at the desk, Tetsu got up and moved to his own computer. “Any questions? If not, it’s work time.” 

“No problem here!”  

Sayoko sounded confident, but Tetsu caught a flicker of nervousness in her expression. He didn’t mention the wine and instead opened his computer, sending over two background images, the corresponding plot text, and character designs. 

“What’s this…?”  

Sayoko froze when she saw the background art. 

There are all sorts of illustrators—scene artists, character artists, UI designers—but for most low-budget galge, one artist handles everything to cut costs. Sayoko had braced herself for a high-pressure workload, but she hadn’t expected Tetsu to have already finished the background art! 

Is Tetsu-kun’s drawing skill this good too? 

Staring at the two highly detailed background images on her screen, Sayoko’s eyes widened in disbelief. She might only be a mid-level illustrator, not yet capable of top-tier work, but after a decade in the industry, she could gauge an artist’s skill just by looking at their work. Tetsu’s backgrounds—whether in composition, design language, or overall atmosphere—were professional-grade! 

Surprise! Admiration! +3000! 

Tetsu-kun could totally be a lead artist at a big company! 

Her eyes twinkled with little stars, but soon her brows furrowed slightly. 

The contract said I’d handle all the art, but he still took the time to draw these backgrounds. Does he… not trust me to do it? 

Her gaze lingered on the screen, her excitement fading into disappointment. Her slender fingers tightened around the mouse, her nails clicking against it. But as she studied the intricate backgrounds and detailed character designs— 

-3000. 

Her mood dropped? 

Why? 

Tetsu blinked at the red emotion numbers floating above her head, confused. But then— 

+5000! 

Another burst of green numbers appeared, and Tetsu was thoroughly baffled. Sayoko stood and bowed deeply. “Don’t worry, Tetsu-kun! I absolutely, absolutely won’t let you down!” 

A full 90-degree bow, her floral sundress accentuating her curvy figure. But Tetsu’s eyes weren’t on the “scenery.” They were on her serious, determined face. 

Interesting. 

Sensing the fire in her eyes, Tetsu understood her emotional rollercoaster. He smiled. “Take your time, no rush. I believe in you—you’ve got serious potential.” 

+5000! 

[Sayoko Kawai’s emotions are fluctuating intensely. A sweet-talk offensive could break through her defenses!] 

A system prompt flashed before him, but Tetsu ignored it, focusing on Sayoko’s earnest, shimmering eyes. He gave her a warm, squinting smile. “So, any questions now?” 

“Thank you, Tetsu-kun! I’ll work super hard!” 

Another deep bow. This time, she didn’t lift her head right away. Tetsu reached out, gently ruffling her hair. She leaned into it slightly, her cheeks flushing as she finally straightened up and returned to her desk to start drawing. 

“Relationship status: still admiration, no breakthrough. But… that’s not important.” 

Watching Sayoko’s focused profile as she worked on her tablet, Tetsu shook his head with a smile and turned to his coding. 

Ignoring the system wasn’t some grand rejection of being a “system puppet.” It was just his personality. He’d rather let things happen naturally than scheme with flowery words to win someone over. 

Soon, the room filled with the soft clicks of a stylus on a tablet and the tapping of a keyboard. 

Tetsu’s side was fine. In his past life, he’d coded for years, and this life’s memory fragments included programming skills too. All he needed to do was adapt Fate’s code to this world’s game engine. It was a big task—different engines, and tweaking code can be trickier than writing it from scratch—but Fate was just a galge. Compared to AAAComprende. A triple-A title or mobile game, its code was way simpler. It just took time. 

Sayoko, on the other hand, was struggling. 

[Ding-a-ling!] 

[Ugh, what? I was up late last night. A little more sleep won’t hurt…] 

[Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling!] 

[Argh, so annoying—this thing doesn’t get it!] 

[Alarms don’t understand human speech.] 

“Starting with daily life scenes, and the backgrounds are already done, but… straight to drawing Rin Tohsaka?”  

Sayoko’s eyes showed a hint of frustration as she read the plot text. 

No question, Fate/stay night’s main character is Shirou Emiya, but the game opens from Rin Tohsaka’s perspective. 

“This is tricky.” 

Having gone through all of FSN’s storylines, Sayoko knew the toughest characters to draw were Sakura Matou and Rin Tohsaka. As heroines in a galge, their designs were critical to the game’s success. Plus, their storylines were steeped in stark contrasts. 

Fate is about heroic spirit battles, but the Masters’ own abilities matter too. Think of it like an old-school beast-taming story: the “beast” has to be strong, but so does the tamer. In Fate’s world, the Masters are mages, and magical circuits are passed down through a single line. But the Tohsaka family’s current generation has two heirs—Rin and Sakura. 

Both are Tohsaka daughters, but their father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, made a choice that sent them on wildly different paths. Rin stayed with the Tohsakas, becoming a celebrated heiress, while Sakura was sent to the Matou family, becoming Sakura Matou. There, she endured horrific abuse in a worm pit and worse. 

It’s a stark contrast. When drawing them, everything—temperament, eyes, hair color, figure—had to subtly highlight this contrast without spoiling the plot, dropping hints that hit players with a powerful sense of fate’s cruelty by the end. 

That’s a tall order for an artist. 

“Maybe I should start with another character to get a feel for it?” 

“No, no, no! Tetsu-kun’s already done the backgrounds and character designs. If I can’t even do this, I’m just dead weight!” 

The pressure was on. 

Sayoko’s nerves kicked in, and with her growing anxiety, her strokes became hesitant. Anyone who’s taken a high-stakes exam knows the feeling: under stress, even writing your own name can come out shaky. 

The worse she drew, the more nervous she got. Her brows knitted tightly together. Just then, a pair of large hands landed on her smooth, fair shoulders, gently kneading the tense muscles above her collarbone. 

“Relax.” 

Chapter 25: Madam, Care for a Drink? 

“Hiss—ahh~” 

Sayoko let out a soft moan as Fuyukawa’s hands kneaded her smooth, pale trapezius muscles. A tingling, sour sensation surged through her, and her body curled inward like a kitten’s. 

Office workers have two pain points: the lower back and the trapezius muscles from neck to shoulders. Hours of sitting make those areas stiff and sore, and when someone digs in with a massage, the relief is intense—anyone who’s been there gets it. 

“No need to rush. Start slow, get a feel for the character, and the rest will come easier once you really understand her,” Fuyukawa said, his hands working her shoulders. 

He wasn’t just comforting her. Beginnings are always the hardest. In game development, nailing down character designs early on is one of the toughest hurdles for an artist. Once the design’s locked in, tweaking poses or expressions is comparatively simple. 

Sayoko knew this too. She didn’t resist his touch, just tucked her long skirt’s hem under her pale thighs on the computer chair, arms crossed, her face flushing shyly. “I get it, Tetsu-kun. Hiss—gently, you can… ah~.” 

Her eyes grew hazy. Then, Fuyukawa’s hands slid upward, cupping her cheeks and chin, tilting her head back to meet his gaze. “Enjoying my massage that much?” 

The question hung in the air. 

Her chin lifted, cheeks flushed red, Sayoko’s eyes shimmered like they might spill over. She didn’t answer, just nuzzled her face gently against his not-too-rough hands, soft and compliant. 

A warm summer breeze stirred the curtains, and the room’s atmosphere turned thick with tension. 

Gazing up at Fuyukawa’s smoldering eyes, Sayoko reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her body rose instinctively, her face inching closer. 

Smack. 

Sweet, like candy. 

Fuyukawa closed his eyes, savoring the moment. As passion deepened, his hands tightened, lifting her chin higher. 

“I… can’t breathe…” Sayoko murmured. 

Her pale neck stretched upward, chin caught in his strong grip. The breathless sensation made her eyes even dreamier, almost drifting upward. Her cheeks and neck flushed red from the lack of air. Then, Fuyukawa’s hands left her chin. 

Her floral sundress began to slide northward. 

“Mmm~” 

+10,000! 

–15,000! 

The straps of her dress, her hands bound by a red ribbon—Sayoko trembled, her eyes brimming with desire but also panic. Just then, the door rattled with a loud knock. 

“Yoko-chan, I’m starving for lunch!” Izumi’s voice called out. 

“…” 

The mood shattered. Fuyukawa’s face twisted into a “this kid’s gonna get it” scowl. Sayoko, catching his expression, gave a warm smile, leaned up, and pecked his lips lightly. “Tetsu-kun, you’re so naughty. It’s work hours, you know,” she teased, giggling. 

“Tch, says the one who started it,” he shot back. 

“...Hmph, I’m ignoring you. Time to cook!” Sayoko huffed, scurrying off. 

Lunch was… quiet. Or rather, quiet for Fuyukawa. 

Sayoko was in high spirits, humming as she cooked, served, and ate. Izumi, meanwhile, shoveled food while texting classmates nonstop. 

Fuyukawa, though, was stewing with resentment toward the black-haired high schooler. 

Maybe sensing his frustration, halfway through the meal, Sayoko boldly slid her bare foot—free of stockings—onto Fuyukawa’s waist under the table. 

The sudden move nearly made him choke on his miso soup. 

You’re playing with fire! his eyes said. 

Don’t like it? hers replied. 

Their gazes locked, reading each other perfectly. Fuyukawa sighed, then shook his head with a smile. Sayoko was shy by nature, but her boldness now showed how much she trusted and relied on him. 

Still… 

“When I tried to push further earlier, her panic outweighed her desire. Gotta take it slow,” he thought. 

Lunch went faster than breakfast. Izumi, rushing to a gig, wolfed down her food and left with her guitar. Sayoko, eager to get back to work, picked up her pace with the chopsticks. 

By 12:30, they were back in the second-floor studio. 

No lingering on the earlier moment. 

Both Fuyukawa and Sayoko were laser-focused during work mode. But while Fuyukawa was finding his groove, Sayoko’s progress stalled. 

Every time she sketched a character’s framework, something felt off. She’d scrap it and start over. Sketch, revise, sketch, revise—until the sun dipped low outside, she finally set down her tablet, slumping back in her chair, defeated. 

“No matter how I draw, it’s wrong. Am I… just not good enough?” she murmured, staring at sparrows on a telephone pole outside, her heart heavy with frustration. 

Fuyukawa swiveled his chair, grabbed a glass of water, and took a sip. “Still off, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Sayoko said, ruffling her hair in frustration. “I can draw these two characters fine on their own, but they’re sisters. I want to capture that connection between them, but it feels… beyond me.” 

“Let me see.” Fuyukawa set down his glass, took her tablet, and swiped through her sketches. 

At first, his expression was neutral, but after a few, he frowned. 

“You think it’s off too, don’t you?” Sayoko sat up, nervous, hands gripping her thighs. 

Fuyukawa nodded, then shook his head. “Your first sketch was actually decent. But the later ones… they got worse with each revision.” 

“Worse…” The critique stung, and Sayoko flinched. 

Fuyukawa continued, “I can tell your later drawings have more detail and thought, but you’re overthinking it. You’re trying to cram every element in, wanting players to see Rin Tohsaka’s complexity at first glance. It ends up feeling chaotic—at least to me.” 

“I get it… I was thinking about a lot while drawing,” Sayoko admitted, deflated. 

Seeing her expression, Fuyukawa sighed softly. This was why, despite a decade in the industry, Sayoko was stuck at mid-level artist, Lv9: she overthought everything. 

In Fate, Rin Tohsaka’s initial role is the Tohsaka family’s refined heiress. That “heiress” tag needs to shine first. But Sayoko, knowing the full story, layered in traits like “resilient personality” and “self-sacrificing sister” too early, even letting them dominate. Since the story hadn’t reached those points yet, players would feel a disconnect. 

It’s like Jiraiya in Naruto. Early on, he’s just “one of the Sannin” and “pervy.” Simple, engaging tags. As the story progresses, you add “great teacher,” “tragic hero,” and “selfless martyr,” deepening the character until his death in the Rain Village hits peak emotional impact. If you introduced Jiraiya with all those traits during his first scene trapping Itachi with a toad’s stomach, it’d feel forced and confusing. 

That was Sayoko’s problem. Her sensitivity let her pick up subtle emotions from the script that others missed, but she couldn’t prioritize which tags to highlight first. She wanted everything, and it threw off the balance, burying the focus. 

It all came down to overthinking. Her mind wasn’t relaxed. 

Fuyukawa’s gaze drifted to a bottle of red wine glinting in the sunset. He turned to the disheartened Sayoko. “How about a drink?”