"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!