Before leaving the high school, Arthur remembered that his novel was still in Mika's hands, so he needed to go back to retrieve it. Walking through the hallways, Arthur felt time slow down. He realized that to escape fear, he had to face it. With that thought, he arrived at the kendo club.
Takashi, Emiko, and Mika were talking. Before approaching, Arthur overheard their conversation—it was about his novel. Mika pointed at Emiko. "It's your fault, Emiko. Arthur is so melancholic because you didn't want him."
Emiko shook her head. "I don't want to think about love right now."
Mika replied, "At least I want to be like you, and Takashi can wait until I'm 17 or 18."
Takashi and Mika noticed Arthur, but Emiko, with her back turned, didn't. Then Emiko said, "At that age, will you be with Arthur?"
"Of course," Mika said. "With his novels, he has a charm… and it's rare to see him with dark hair. I like his natural blond, but I suppose he doesn't want to stand out."
"What do you think, Arthur?" Takashi asked.
Arthur replied, "I've always liked my blond hair, but as Emiko said, I don't want to stand out too much."
With that, Arthur took his novel from Mika's hands. "Ouch!" she complained to Takashi. "Aren't you going to do something? Defend my honor!"
Takashi smiled. "I suppose you're leaving now?"
Arthur nodded. "I just came for my novel. I need to make some corrections."
He said goodbye to everyone, but Emiko neither looked at him nor responded; she remained silent until Arthur left. Mika, with a teasing voice, took the chance to provoke Emiko. Before she could continue, Takashi stopped her. "You two shouldn't treat each other like that."
Mika gave him a blank look. "What do you know? I'm hungry. Take me to eat."
With that, both of them left the kendo club, leaving Emiko watching them go. She sighed and turned, only to find a girl blocking her path. Startled, she asked, "Do you know this Arthur?" It was the new kendo club member, Kyouka.
---
Before arriving home, Arthur noticed his uncle's car parked outside. Entering, he heard a heated discussion.
"Don't you understand, Yumi? That girl's father holds a high rank—a Shateigashira, an intermediate boss in the Yakuza. His main role is to direct and supervise lower-ranking members."
Yumi was silent for a moment. "Still, you should speak with him. It's very strange that his daughter roams the streets and can hit a foreigner whenever she wants."
"Arthur is my son, and what happened shouldn't go unpunished," Yumi said.
Arthur opened the dining room door and saw his uncle and mother having dinner.
"Just the person I was looking for," Masato said, wiping his hands and mouth, leaving the table to approach Arthur. Yumi watched silently.
"Your movie is already in theaters, and it's a big success. Critics weren't kind, but it's better not to focus on reviews, just the profits."
Yumi looked confused. "But brother, aren't reviews important for a movie or series to succeed?"
Masato paused for a moment. "True, reviews matter, but your son's movie is a hit. Now, how about we go to your room, Arthur? I'm sure you have new works to help the company."
With that, Masato led Arthur to his room, and Yumi only watched them leave.
"What's happening, uncle? Is everything okay with the company?"
Masato shook his head. "Honestly, Arthur, we don't have many works to publish. The authors we invited demand a lot, and funds are tight. And don't worry, I'm not gambling anymore."
Arthur laughed. "You're not betting?"
Masato chuckled. "No. I bought a building for the company and drained most of the funds… well, I have enough for a month. That's why I hope you have some works or ideas."
Arthur pulled the Love Letter novel from his backpack. Masato's eyes lit up, and he quickly started reading it. After a few minutes, he had read enough.
"This is a very good novel, Arthur. It will help us a lot."
Arthur then took the script for Hachikō Monogatari from his desk. Masato was surprised but quickly started reading.
"This movie will be more complicated, but nothing we can't handle. Once we find the right dogs, we can start filming."
Masato left Arthur's room, but not without saying goodbye to both Arthur and his mother. Arthur followed him to the car.
"You're leaving so soon, uncle?"
"I need to send the novel to the publisher to secure funds. Running multiple divisions isn't easy; I thought it would be simple, but I'm alone managing more than I can handle. I need to hire people for the other divisions. The video game division earns the most, but the film and series division isn't bad either. Your movie is keeping the company afloat, so I hope you can create more works. I know it's a lot to ask, but many people's jobs depend on the company surviving."
Arthur nodded. "Don't worry, uncle. I'll create more works, but you should hire capable people for the other divisions. I'll look for a talent scout."
"I don't have time to look for people," Masato said.
Arthur frowned. "Then you should serialize the novel. I'm thinking of making a Love Letter movie."
Masato nodded. "Don't worry, I'll have everything ready when I return."
He started the car and drove away. Arthur watched the lights fade into the distance.
---
Back in the dining room, Yumi looked at her son worriedly. "Is something wrong, Arthur?"
Arthur shook his head. "I'm not sure it was a good idea to put Uncle Masato in charge of the company."
Yumi gave him a loving look. "Don't worry, Arthur. Even if your uncle doesn't know how to manage everything, your father has already hired capable people. You can say Masato is just the face; your father's followers do all the work."
Arthur was amazed. "You never told me what my father does…"
Yumi put a finger to her lips. "It's a secret."
Arthur's curiosity grew about the power his father wielded and how he had so many capable followers.
"Well, son, it's time for bed. Don't forget to brush your teeth."
Yumi went to her room, leaving Arthur alone. He brushed his teeth, then went to his room, thinking about easy arcade games he could develop—but he had no ideas. Frustrated, he decided to sleep.
---
That night, Arthur dreamed of an arcade full of machines, all asking for coins. He approached one machine.
Arthur stopped in front of a console that glowed green and blue, like it came from another galaxy. On the screen, a small ship fought alone against a swarm of insect-like mechanical creatures. The game was called Galaga—a duel between a pilot and an alien army.
Next, he approached another machine, drawn by the sound of digital beeps and splashes. On the screen, a frog jumped from lane to lane, avoiding cars, trucks, and then hopping across logs floating in a river. The game was called Frogger. No shooting or explosions—just a desperate race to cross the street without being crushed.
Before he could play, Arthur woke up. He grabbed a notebook and started sketching the gameplay mechanics for the two arcade games he had seen in his dreams: Galaga and Frogger.
With the sound of the boiler hissing, Arthur realized it was already late. After adding a few final notes, he stored everything on his desk, quickly packed his backpack, and prepared for another day at school.