Director, cinematographer, animation supervisor, key animator…
The interviews were progressing smoothly.
After all, these applicants were either people Kyousuke had personally recruited or were highly recommended by trusted connections, each one of them genuinely skilled.
Sure, the salary had to be bumped up a notch, but it was worth skipping the time-consuming process of training newbies.
No onboarding sessions, no need to get them up to speed, they were all veterans ready to hit the ground running.
Once the interviews wrapped up, Kyousuke handed off the tedious post-hiring tasks—paperwork, office tours, health check-ups—to Kisaki Tetta.
He had more pressing matters to deal with.
Buying the entire building outright could still be considered an investment—even if it just sat there, it was no big deal.
But once people were on payroll, salaries, pensions, and other expenses began piling up.
Even Kyousuke felt a headache coming on when he saw the list Kisaki had compiled.
He needed to get a project off the ground—fast.
He couldn't let talents like Kazama-san and the others just sit around collecting dust.
"Come on, Eriri, let's go meet Uncle Robin," he said, standing and adjusting his clothes.
"Robin?"
As soon as she heard the foreign name, Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes widened in disbelief.
She looked at Eriri as if she'd seen a ghost.
"You actually called your dad over here?"
Back at the house, she had indeed agreed with Eriri's plan to use her family's influence to help Kyousuke, and she'd even considered persuading him to relocate the company to Kasumigaoka's hometown in Hikari City.
But still…. she never imagined that this dumb blonde would really go and bring her father into it.
Was this the "call your parents after losing a fight" stage of the conflict?
Seeing Utaha's shocked expression, Eriri looked a little embarrassed for once.
But she quickly puffed out her chest and declared proudly, "So what? My dad's got tons of free time anyway!"
She said it so naturally and with such conviction that it was hard to argue.
When she noticed Megumi giving her a calm, albeit slightly puzzled look, she added, "Even if I hadn't said anything, if Kyousuke had just called him, my dad would've jumped at the chance to help!"
"Classic Sawamura," Utaha said with sincere admiration. "Only a Brit would be that honest. No way a Japanese girl would just ask her dad for help so openly. Usually, they'd just hang themselves from a tree branch and leave a suicide note as revenge."
"Hmph! Like I'd just sit around and watch Kosaka Akane bully my guy without doing anything!"
Eriri snorted and crossed her arms.
She wasn't stupid, chores were hers to handle, but if anyone was going to give Kyousuke a hard time, it had to be her, and no one else.
"Wow~~" Megumi let out an awed little breath.
Compared to her, who had to sneak around and lie to her mom just to go out with Kyousuke, Eriri was out here bringing her dad to the office to back him up.
"This really feels like one of those drama scenes," Megumi added, "where the girl's dad visits the guy's company to see if he's worthy of his daughter~"
"And then," Utaha continued, "he sees the guy struggling, swoops in to solve all the problems, and then arrogantly warns him to stay away from his precious daughter."
"Right?! That's totally it. Utaha-senpai, you've seen that drama too?" Megumi asked as she tidied up the papers on the desk, sounding like they were just gossiping about TV shows.
"I don't watch that kind of trash. I just inferred it from the stereotypical rich-girl trope," Utaha said with a smirk.
"It's that so? But I don't think Eriri really fits the rich-girl mold~"
"Megumi, you're the one who started this conversation in the first place."
"But I was talking about a drama~ Sons' Happy Engagements, that new morning series~"
"All right, all right. Uncle Robin's actually a fun guy," Kyousuke cut in, ending their banter. He hadn't expected Eriri to act this quickly.
And knowing Mr. Spencer, who probably spent his rare weekend gaming through the night, she must've called a dozen times to get him up.
Eriri, who had just clenched her fists and was about to throw down with Utaha, relaxed slightly.
'Guess this idiot's not entirely hopeless,' she thought. 'At least he appreciates me.'
"So, Megumi, Utaha-senpai—are you two coming with me to the lounge to meet him, or do you want to look around the office instead? By the way, my dad's there too."
"Your dad?" Megumi froze in place.
'Wait—we're meeting his dad now? I thought this was just a casual visit!'
'When did this turn into a meet-the-parents situation?!'
"Yup. Somehow, everyone caught wind that I was in trouble, and they all showed up to help. They even brought some opening gifts."
"Gifts?" Eriri's eyes lit up.
"Yeah. You can see them from the window."
Kyousuke smiled and pointed toward the massive floor-to-ceiling window on the southern side.
Eriri darted over, pressing her palms and face eagerly against the glass.
"Idiot, look down," Kyousuke laughed.
"Oh~"
For once, being called an idiot didn't bother her. She lowered her gaze.
Rows upon rows of congratulatory flower stands stretched from the company's front entrance all the way to the roadside.
There were so many that they overflowed into a second and even third row.
Unlike Kyousuke, who had a Chinese soul buried deep inside, Eriri—Kasumigaoka's so-called "fake foreigner"—was used to seeing flower wreaths as celebration gifts in Japanese culture.
The dazzling blooms instantly brought a beaming smile to her face.
Standing beside her, Megumi and Utaha also looked silently at the road below, now bursting with color.
"But according to Kisaki, nearly half of those flower arrangements came from companies with no ties to Tansan—but with very close ties to the British Embassy. No idea what's going on there," Kyousuke added with a chuckle.
Eriri didn't even turn around.
With her forehead still pressed against the glass, she replied, "What's weird about that? Of course smart people want to cozy up early to a company as brilliant and promising as mine!"
"So… today's the grand opening?" Megumi asked, a little surprised.
"Nope," Utaha shook her head. "It's more like… one of those Sakura-style birthdays."
"Sakura's birthday?"
"Yeah. Completely random and chaotic—sometimes she even celebrates it twice in a single day."
"That actually sounds kinda fun," Megumi said wistfully.
She had always loved birthdays—not just because of the gifts from her parents and sister, but because it was the one day she got to be the absolute center of attention.
The world might be small, but for that one day, she ruled it.
"Fun or not, just look at her," Utaha murmured.
Her voice was a little soft.
Even someone like her couldn't help but feel something when she saw a girl like Yamauchi Sakura, growing up wrapped in so much love.
"Sakura really does have so much joy in her that it feels like she could share it with everyone," Megumi agreed with a nod.
Looking at Eriri, who was so happy her eyebrows were practically flying off her face, the two girls silently understood something:
Anyone can pretend every day is their birthday—but what truly matters is whether there's someone willing to celebrate it with you, every single time, from the bottom of their heart.
And maybe… only someone like Kyousuke would be dumb and sincere enough to take something that childish so seriously.
Utaha turned her head, gazing quietly at Kyousuke.
Bathed in the soft white light streaming in from the window, his side profile looked even more handsome.
But more dazzling than his God-given looks was the gentle joy on his face.
As he looked at the girl pressed against the glass, even the people standing nearby could feel the affection radiating from him.
'I've got to give it my all, Utaha told herself. No matter what, I have to win!'
Right now, she slightly regretted not having her flower baskets delivered earlier—letting that blonde idiot beat her to it.
Yes, Utaha hadn't sent wreaths like these.
What she had ordered were proper flower baskets—and she already knew, through some subtle probing, that the person she liked hated flower baskets.
That was exactly why she deliberately ordered a lot of them through her publisher and family's connections.
Even if she hadn't shown up to the office today, those baskets would've arrived on schedule.
'Sawamura Eriri and Hojou Kyousuke's company…' Just imagining it was infuriating.
Still…
'If Sawamura didn't like Kyousuke, I'd really consider teaming up with her someday…'
"Alright then, let's go. Time to meet our guests," Kyousuke clapped his hands lightly.
"Ah—!"
"What's wrong, Megumi?"
Eriri turned to the seemingly nervous Megumi and offered some reassurance.
"Don't worry. My dad's basically an otaku. I wouldn't say he's easy to get along with, but… well, actually, yeah, he kinda is."
"I already figured that out when I saw him helping you sell doujinshi at Comiket," Utaha muttered, shooting a skeptical look at Megumi. "But are you sure it's okay to be announcing that to the world like this?"
"Haha, it's just a normal hobby. Nothing to be ashamed of," Eriri replied, waving it off casually with a big grin before heading toward the door.
"Wait a sec!"
The blonde princess suddenly spun around—her golden braid tracing a perfect arc that, of course, smacked Megumi right in the face.
"Kasumigaoka Utaha! How do you know my dad helped me sell doujinshi?!"
Eriri narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Utaha.
"Eh? T-That's because…"
The usually composed and mature girl flinched, her wine-red eyes darting in panic.
She definitely couldn't say it was because she'd secretly followed Kyousuke there after learning he'd be at the event!
"As a light novel author, attending Comiket isn't strange at all! I had to be there to realize that you'd twisted my work into something so perverted!"
Utaha forced herself to stay calm and turned the tables, her tone full of righteous indignation.
"That's not perversion—it's called fan expression! It's how readers show their love for the original work!"
Even Eriri's cheeks turned red after getting caught red-handed drawing R18 content based on Utaha's story.
But that wasn't unusual—she was always shy and a little thin-skinned.
"Oh? So should I be thanking you, then?" Utaha crossed her arms, looking furious.
"W-Well, I wouldn't go that far…"
Flustered, Eriri averted her eyes to avoid the smug expression on the literary seductress's face.
But suddenly, something clicked.
"Wait a minute… Kasumigaoka Utaha, don't tell me—you actually bought one of my doujinshi?"
Even Eriri herself found that hard to believe, but Utaha had just admitted she knew what was in the book.
How else could she know, unless she'd read it?
"…"
Utaha froze.
'What the hell?'
'Why is this idiot so sharp today? Aren't girls supposed to get dumber when they're happy? Is she some kind of mutant?'
Seeing Utaha stuck in stunned silence, Eriri grinned triumphantly. Her smirk screamed, Caught you, sucker.
"Or don't tell me… you got your hands on it through some shady means?"
"As if! I paid for it fair and square!"
"Oooh~~" Eriri's teasing dragged on.
"What are you so smug about, you filthy smut artist? You've read my novels too! For all I know, you've been crying into your pillow over them for months!"
"That's only because your books were selling well! I was analyzing them from a business perspective! It had nothing to do with you, narcissist!"
"Exactly. You're just a commercially driven illustrator with no artistic soul!"
"Hah?! What's wrong with that?! If we all chased after abstract 'artistry,' the whole market would collapse!
Let's be real—ACG is thriving today because of commercial creators like me!"
She turned and locked eyes with Kyousuke, her trusty assistant-slash-partner-in-crime in founding Tansan.
Her eyes blazed with determination.
"You agree, right, Kyousuke?!"
There was a definite "you'd better back me up or I'll bite you" glint in her gaze.
"If that were really the case," Utaha shot back, "then you should've just joined Kosaka Akane's company right from the start.
Wouldn't that have been better for your so-called 'commercial creativity'?
Let's not forget—the whole reason Kyousuke started Tansan in the first place was to help you chase your dreams, Sawamura-san. Isn't that right, Kyousuke-kun?"
She turned to Kyousuke now, eyes gleaming with challenge.
'This girl is too much,' Utaha thought, 'always acting like she's the victim while hogging all the advantages.'
She made a mental note—'No way I'm letting Kyousuke spend too much time at this company. I need to keep him tied to me, under lock and key!'
"..."
Kyousuke sighed inwardly.
'How the hell did things end up like this again?'
But he knew that wasn't the point right now.
What was the point was that he should've dragged everyone to the lounge a long time ago instead of stopping to admire flower wreaths like an idiot.
'What were you thinking, Hojou Kyousuke?! You really thought those were for you?!'
Time to activate that so-called genius brain of yours!
"Eriri, Utaha-senpai, you two really get along so well~~" Megumi's gentle voice floated in, as calm and sweet as always, completely ignoring the rising tension in the room.
"Like hell that was true! / Like hell that was true!"
Both girls shouted in perfect unison, glaring at each other with fire in their eyes.
One pair of eyes were as clear and blue as the sky; the other, deep and rich like red wine.
The contrast was so intense, it was almost artistic—a perfect portrait of beautiful hostility.
"See?" Megumi chimed again with that peaceful little smile.
Kyousuke glanced sideways at her.
Honestly, the expression on her face looked like a kindergarten teacher trying to soothe two squabbling kids.
Knowing all too well that once Eriri and Utaha got started they'd never stop, Kyousuke took matters into his own hands—literally.
He grabbed one girl in each hand and marched toward the door.
"Alright, let's go already. We've kept the guests waiting long enough."
"Megumi, come on!"
"Ah, coming." Megumi hurried after them in her signature tiny, quick steps, gently closing the meeting room door behind her.
The moment Kyousuke opened the door to the lounge, he was hit by a wave of eyes—dozens of them staring directly at him.
And among them… his father and Eriri's father, both of whom were now glaring at his hand.
He followed their line of sight.
'Crap.'
Because Utaha's slender hand was just so soft, he hadn't even realized he was still holding it.
He'd already let go of Eriri's hand to open the door, but had totally forgotten Utaha's was still in his grasp.
Thankfully, his shame gland had been deactivated long ago.
He casually released her hand like it was no big deal, then put on his most radiant smile and greeted everyone in the room, going down the line like a politician before introducing the three girls beside him.
"Oh! Oh! I get it now!"
One of the guys suddenly stood up and gave a deep, ninety-degree bow.
"These are the future sister-in-laws from Toyogasaki Academy, right? So honored to meet you! I'm Hata Gorou, the boss's most loyal follower!"
"Idiot!! What nonsense are you spouting?!" Kuroda Kaito immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Without hesitation, he smacked the idiot on the back of the head and sent him collapsing back into his seat.
"Haha… yeah, he jokes around a lot," Kyousuke said, ignoring his own father's look of despair and turning instead toward Spencer—Eriri's father—who was glaring at him so hard his cheeks were visibly twitching.
With all the sincerity he could muster—like, 1.8 million percent of it—Kyousuke bowed and said:
"Uncle Robin, thank you so much for coming to celebrate the opening of the company Eriri and I started together."
'Whew—close one. That was way too close.'
He almost said wedding instead of opening. That kind of slip-up was basically begging for death.
Kyousuke felt a bead of cold sweat trickle down his forehead.
'I was just trying to make up for Hatagoro stabbing me in the back, but I nearly backstabbed myself. Damn subconscious is terrifying.'
"Heh… heh…"
Mr. Spencer forced out two cold, dry laughs through clenched teeth.
But as he looked at his daughter standing behind Kyousuke—her face glowing with joy—then glanced around at the others present, he finally relented.
At least for now.
"This morning, Lily called me fifteen times in a row. How could I not come? How dare I not come?" He let out a sigh. "And besides, Kyousuke-kun, you were once my favorite junior."
'Wait—"were"?'
'Uncle Robin, you used to be a full-on moe-loving otaku. Since when did you get this scary?!'
Kyousuke's smile stiffened just a little.
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