[Game] Chapter 447-448

Chapter 447: Before Departure

After Nene left the office, Utaha checked her phone calendar and said with a start,

“Ah, that’s right. Everyone originally planned for Umiko to come back this month so we could celebrate her birthday properly. But in the end, she decided not to come, choosing to wait until the end of the year instead.”

“In part, that’s my fault too.”

Leaning back in his chair with a wry smile, Ichin said,

“Remember the Titanfall gameplay demo video? To make sure it looked perfect, the Shanghai studio worked several extra days, finishing projects that weren’t even due yet. That’s why the final demo turned out so good. But because of that, Umiko canceled her plan to come back and just kept working. Sigh… I really need to give her a big bonus, and the rest of the team too.”

As for the Shanghai office’s retreat—summer there was even hotter. After his meeting, Ichin told them to plan it later. They kept discussing and eventually decided to push it to October, when the weather would be cooler.

With the scorching sun now, everyone preferred staying in the air-conditioned office anyway. Plus, most of them didn’t like beach trips, so a summer outing was unlikely from the start.

Since the decision was made, Ichin didn’t push further. Postpone it, then.

That afternoon, Nene quickly booked her own ticket for the same flight as Ichin and the others—first class as well.

By now, she was practically a little rich woman; booking first class didn’t even make her blink.

When Aoba found out Nene wouldn’t be joining the company retreat, she looked surprised.

“Nene, why not?”

“I already told you—I’m going to Shanghai with Ichin-kun.”

Nene held up her phone, showing a chat with Umiko.

“I already told Umiko-nee I’d visit her next week! So you guys just go enjoy the retreat, don’t worry about me.”

“Oh, I see…”

Aoba finally understood. So that was Nene’s plan—nothing to be done about it.

Kou, listening to them, folded her arms.

“Tsk, tsk. Such careful scheming. Makes me want to tag along too.”

Nene laughed.

“You could, Kou-senpai. Want to come?”

“Forget it, I can’t. As art director, I can’t bail when the boss is skipping the retreat already. I have to stay with the team.”

Without her supervision, the art team kids would go completely wild.

Hajime rolled her chair over, envy all over her face.

“Shanghai, huh? Doesn’t that mean endless cheap watermelons? Even though I make good money now, I still feel guilty buying a whole watermelon!”

Nene gave her a sharp look.

“Hajime-senpai, I wouldn’t even have thought about that if you didn’t say it. You really only ever think about food! And come on, it’s just a watermelon. Even Tokyo prices are nothing with your salary.”

“No way! Instead of spending that money on a watermelon, I’d rather buy a new figurine!”

Watermelon? Can it compare to the fragrance of a brand-new figure?

Her words left everyone around shaking their heads with a sigh. Truly, she’d never lost her original spirit.

Just then, the office door opened. Ichin spotted Hajime hanging around the art team.

“Hajime, there you are. No wonder you didn’t answer my messages. Come on, I’ve got some work to discuss with you.”

“Oh! Coming!”

Hajime leapt up, her long legs flashing beneath her hotpants as she ran into the office.

Watching her leave, Aoba glanced at her own slender legs under her short skirt and sighed deeply.

“My proportions are fine, but compared to her height… I’m just too short.”

Time passed quickly, and soon the day of Ichin’s trip home arrived.

The company also finalized their retreat destination—not far, they chose Izu.

Beaches, hot springs, fun activities—everything they needed to relax for a few days.

8 p.m., at Ichin’s house.

Like when they went home for New Year, everything they’d need was already there. So Ichin and Utaha barely packed—just a few clothes, laptops, and the Switch.

The Shanghai home PC had already been upgraded to the highest specs, powerful enough for any work.

With so little to bring, they didn’t even need suitcases—just one backpack was enough.

Zipping it up, Ichin hefted it.

“Not bad. Not heavy at all. Utaha, do you need to pack anything else?”

“Nope!”

Sitting on the bed, Utaha gently swung her legs, then rested her left foot on Ichin’s lap.

“Your mom already bought me skincare stuff, so I don’t need to bring any. I can just use what’s waiting at home.”

“Perfect. Traveling light.”

Ichin scratched her foot with a grin, making her pull it back quickly.

“So stingy, can’t even let me rest it for a minute.”

Rolling her eyes, Utaha lay back on the bed, grabbed her phone, and texted Haruno and Yukino, who were also preparing at home.

“Hey Ichin, let’s have Haruno-nee, Yukino, and Nene come over for lunch tomorrow. Then we can all head to the airport together.”

“Sure,” Ichin nodded. “Ask if they’re okay with it. We need to finish the leftover veggies anyway. By the way, what’s Yukino doing with her cats?”

Typing, Utaha said,

“She’s boarding them at Eriri’s place. I already checked—Peppa and George are fine with my mom, no problem.”

Ichin had no issue with his pets, but he never thought Eriri would dare take on Yukino’s four cats.

Still, Eriri lived in a villa, and the cats were well-trained—they wouldn’t make a mess outside the litter boxes.

A few minutes later, Haruno and the others replied. They’d come by before noon, have lunch together, then head off.

Lying on the futon, staring at the ceiling, Ichin murmured to himself,

“This trip home… I wonder what fun things will happen. Kind of looking forward to it.”

***

Chapter 448: Gathering, Departure

“Good morning!!!”

At eight-thirty the next morning, Nene stood at Ichin’s front door, dragging her suitcase behind her.

Ichin, hair still messy from sleep, blinked at her in disbelief and let out a deep sigh.

“Didn’t we agree on ten o’clock? Why are you here so early?”

“Because I couldn’t sleep!”

She even said it with a look of absolute righteousness.

Shaking his head helplessly, Ichin still let her inside.

“Sit down. If you want a drink, there’s some in the fridge. Help yourself. I haven’t even washed up yet, so don’t expect me to play host.”

“No worries, no worries!”

Nene had been over countless times already and knew the place well. She immediately turned to play with Peppa and George.

A little later, Utaha came out, freshly washed and dressed. Seeing Nene cuddling both cats in her arms, she laughed.

“Nene, you’re really early. That excited, huh?”

Nene beamed at her.

“Of course!”

The anticipation practically overflowed from her eyes—it was impossible to miss.

Utaha smiled and shook her head, then went into the kitchen to brew some coffee.

By the time she finished, Ichin had also washed up and changed.

The two of them solved breakfast with just some biscuits and coffee—no need for more since lunch was coming soon.

The three chatted in the living room while teasing the cats. At exactly ten, the Yukinoshita sisters finally arrived.

When she heard that Nene had shown up at eight-thirty, Haruno looked surprised.

“So eager, huh? That’s wonderful. Is this what youth feels like?”

Ichin, on his way to the kitchen to prep lunch, shot her a glance.

“Haruno-nee, that doesn’t sound right coming from you. You’re not Hiratsuka-sensei.”

“…Fair point.”

Haruno nodded with mock seriousness, then picked up a cat teaser toy and started playing with the cats.

Turning to Yukino, Ichin asked,

“You dropped the cats off at Eriri’s?”

Yukino nodded.

“Yes. After that, I came with my sister.”

“Good.”

Since lunch was meant to be simple—no elaborate feast—Ichin didn’t ask Utaha or Yukino to help in the kitchen. He handled it himself.

Four people, three dishes and a soup—just enough to use up all the leftover ingredients at home.

After happily finishing lunch, sipping her soup from a small bowl, Nene asked,

“So, everyone from the company is heading out for the trip tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, they’re going to Izu.”

Draining his bowl, Ichin exhaled.

“I’m not worried. With Hazuki keeping an eye on things, she’ll manage just fine.”

“The seaside, huh…”

Haruno pictured it and shook her head.

“Still not my kind of thing. Yukino, how about you?”

“Pretty much the same,” Yukino replied.

The main reason, of course, was the crowds—too many people watching, approaching, or trying to strike up conversations.

Even if they rented a private beach, swimsuits, sunscreen, spending all day under the blazing sun—none of that suited Yukino’s style.

If she really went to the beach, Yukino would probably just stay under a parasol with a book in hand, reading quietly by herself.

After pausing, she said,

“Compared to the seaside, I’d rather go to a hot spring.”

“Hot springs are indeed nice,” Utaha agreed wholeheartedly. Last time they all went together, it had been a lot of fun.

“But it’s summer now, so there’s no need to soak in hot springs.”

After a short rest, they went next door to inform Utaha’s mother, then Ichin and the others set out by car.

Security check, boarding—the whole process went smoothly, and soon they were seated in first class.

Stretching out comfortably in the luxurious seats, Nene sighed with satisfaction.

“No wonder it’s first class. So comfy… definitely worth the money.”

Stowing his bag and sitting down, Ichin glanced across the aisle at her and asked with a smile,

“By the way, when we get to Shanghai, are you staying at Umiko’s place?”

“Of course! We already agreed on it!” Nene replied happily. “And tomorrow’s Saturday, so we can go out together!”

Rubbing his chin, Ichin mused,

“Actually, Umiko should still have quite a few unused vacation days… probably hasn’t taken them, right?”

“Vacation days? How many?”

“Fifteen.”

“So many?!” Nene’s eyes widened. “I only get seven—that’s a whole eight days less!”

“Well, Umiko is one of the company’s main pillars. If this were a normal large company, her role would be at least a director-level position. Of course she gets the best benefits.”

Handing a pair of earphones to Utaha, Ichin added,

“As for you, Nene—keep working hard. In another couple of years, when the company expands further, your position, along with Aoba’s and the others’, will all be promoted upward.”

Since he had said it, it wasn’t an empty promise—it was something that would definitely happen.

Nene instantly broke into a radiant smile, clenching her small fists with determination.

“Hehe! Then I’ve really got to work hard, so one day I can lead a team of my own!”

With her talent, that was almost certain to happen in the future.

But with her petite frame and slightly baby-faced cheeks, she hardly looked like someone who could be a leader.

Still, so what? In a way, wasn’t that the company’s charm?

Other game developers’ livestreams featured middle-aged men and women, while theirs was full of unique, beautiful women.

Sure, it might not fit the “correct image” abroad, but… who cared? As long as they looked good, it worked.

Soon, the plane took off. Some slept, some listened to music, and the cabin grew quiet.

Two hours of flight passed in a flash. When Ichin opened his eyes again, the plane was already preparing to land.

He raised his wrist to check his watch—right on time.

Utaha was still asleep, leaning against his shoulder.

“Dear passengers—” the in-flight announcement began as Ichin gently nudged her awake.

“Utaha, we’re about to land.”

“Mmm, we’re here already?”

Yawning, Utaha rubbed her eyes, then peered out the window. Sure enough, they’d arrived.

Looking across Ichin toward the opposite seat, Nene was still sound asleep with her eye mask on, completely unaware.

Utaha pointed at her and said,

“Better wake her too.”

Ichin nodded, leaned over, and carefully tugged the mask upward—then suddenly let go.

Snap!

“Ahhh! My eyes!!!” Nene shrieked.

***