Chapter 206: D-125
"I wanted it so badly."
Those words spoken by a child who had survived a life-threatening incident caused quite a social stir for Laon.
"Unexpected turn of events, huh?"
While leisurely skimming through the morning newspaper at the hospital, Yuki, slicing an apple beside me, teased me with a sly remark.
"What's so great about it? I'm here all worried sick after getting hurt..."
Wrapped in bandages around my right shoulder, I rested my arm against my neck and gently folded the newspaper upon Yuki's comment. It was best not to poke her nerves needlessly at times like these.
"You don't even need to stay at the hospital..."
"Nope. Being hospitalized helps to take a breather in times like this."
"Ugh... And here I thought Seolhyun took a whole month off thanks to childbirth..."
"Hmph. Just because I didn't go to the office doesn't mean I didn't have video calls with Robbie and Chandler, did you think I wouldn't know?"
"... You're spooky."
"I've felt that way since forever, but, Junhyuk, if it's to this extent, are you addicted to work? Anyone would think you're the CEO of Pentagon, not Mr. Kawaguchi."
Yuki's complaints pricked at me internally. I coughed awkwardly, gazing out the window. Meanwhile, she neatly placed the sliced apple on the plate and wiped the excess.
Quietly observing Yuki, I grinned slightly and spoke up.
"After releasing Complete Laon, maybe you and I could take a trip together? Leave Seolhyun with her mom for a while..."
Yuki widened her eyes, staring at me incredulously.
"What's gotten into you? Talking about a trip before anything else?"
"."
Have I been working too much all this while?
Well, since our honeymoon, the only trip I'd taken was a hot spring near Fukuoka...
Her reaction wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
"Come to think of it, maybe I've been working too much. I thought it might be nice to take a breather now..."
"Hmm~ It's a good thought, but won't you get swamped again once that console, Complete Laon, is released?"
"Well, Pentagon isn't a small company anymore, even without me, it'll run smoothly, no need to worry, right?"
"Psh~ When did Junhyuk ever not create work for himself? He's the type to make work out of thin air."
"That's true..."
Yuki seemed to take pleasure in making me feel awkward, as she coyly handed me a piece of the apple she had neatly cut. But just as we started to feel this cozy atmosphere, a significant disruptor appeared...
"Junhyuk~ How's your body feeling?"
Shaking a fruit basket, the person who appeared was none other than Junpei.
"Welcome, Junpei."
"Yuki, you're here too. How's this guy's body doing?"
"The doctor said apart from the torn skin, he also has muscle soreness, so it's better for him to rest for a few days. Hence, I forced him into hospitalization."
"Well done. A very appropriate judgment."
Wow... Did I just see a fox disguised as a bear...?
Glaring slightly at the cheeky Junpei, who was wagging his tail around Yuki, I threw a comment at him.
"Do you know whose life you saved, huh?"
"Ah~ I was so cool back then... holding onto that falling concrete wall and shouting, 'Junpei, it's dangerous! Get out quickly!'..."
"Wow~ Did Junhyuk really say that?"
... Wait, isn't that a bit too much of an embellishment?
Junpei nodded in response to Yuki's question and winked slyly at me.
"But what's up here?"
"Oh, nothing much. I brought our magazine released this month in case you're bored."
"Huh? Wasn't the release date tomorrow?"
"Well, yeah, but I didn't have anything else to do~ so I brought it a day early."
"Oh dear, aren't you proud."
Handing me a quite thick magazine, Junpei, Yuki suggested a pre-cut apple to him.
"Oh, I'll enjoy this."
Seemingly hungry, Junpei popped the apple piece Yuki offered into his mouth, smiling cheerfully. Meanwhile, as I flipped through the magazine, I asked him,
"How's the industry doing after the earthquake?"
"It's not too chaotic. The earthquake's impact extended to Kyoto, causing some production line issues at Mintendo. Amidst this, Pentagon took the lead in relief efforts. It'll definitely stir up some attention. You..."
"Timing is everything in life, isn't it?"
"Indeed. Thanks to that timing, you and I became the highlight of recent news, quite the variety show we've had lately."
"But thanks to that, you even got Misato's contact, isn't that good for you?"
"Whoa... How did you manage that?"
"Oh, that just happened accidentally..."
On the day we volunteered in the disaster-struck area, rescuing a child alongside rescue workers, Junpei and I became the talk of the 9 PM news.
Thanks to Yuki, who, upon seeing the news on TV, immediately rushed over, causing quite a stir...
However, at that moment, I clearly saw it.
During our conversation with Misato that followed the incident, the sneaky exchange of contacts between him and her...
"Wow... You saw that?"
"Rather than tricking ghosts, daringly grabbing only her contact info, and leaving me in the dark?"
"But you have Yuki with you..."
At his somewhat ambiguous remark, Yuki's suspicious gaze subtly turned towards me.
"Hey. Why was Yuki there? Just because she's a broadcasting personnel, it's good to be on friendly terms, right?"
"Hmm~ Is that really it?"
In times like this, it's better to be upfront to avoid misunderstandings, so I met Yuki's gaze and said firmly,
"Of course."
After the Kobe earthquake, Japan's economic situation took a severe hit. Already facing a downturn since the '90s, the disaster compounded the hardships, steering things toward a more unfavorable direction.
Particularly, some companies with factories in Kobe suffered immense losses as production halted due to the quake.
Nintendo, located closest to the disaster area, donated 300 million yen for the refugees. Sony and NEGA also offered substantial donations, following in Pentagon Soft's footsteps.
Pentagon, however, continued regular volunteer work in the affected areas. Additionally, they supported some self-employed game shop owners by refunding a portion of their inventory or providing subsidies for opening new shops, based on their aspirations.
- Pentagon Soft: A Beacon of Hope for Affected Self-Employed -
Sitting in the office, reading the front-page article in the Morning Shinbun, CEO Kawaguchi displayed a satisfied smile. Taking a sip of coffee prepared by Sayuri, I leaned back, enjoying his reaction.
"The articles all seem remarkably favorable."
"Well, of course. Our policies, especially for small business owners, have been immensely helpful."
Reading the news might paint a picture of Pentagon pouring enormous support to self-employed game shop owners. The reality wasn't quite that grand.
Why? Well, consider the quake-affected areas; they were vast, but how many among them operated game shops?
Most gamers frequented Osaka's Den Den Town, not the disaster zone of residential neighborhoods. Within the range we identified for aid, there were only about eight formal requests from game shops, including small-scale secondhand stores.
Out of those, two requested refunds for Pentagon products. This left only six places where we could assist in opening new shops.
Having signed contracts, they were soon to leave the affected areas, relocating to new cities to run their game shops. However, there was a key difference: all the games they'd handle were from Pentagon...
Having promised extensive support for these six stores, they were compliant with our opinions. This 'comprehensive support' meant the right to sell Complete Laon a week earlier than other areas upon its launch.
Of course, internally at Pentagon, there were murmurs about favoring our devices too much. But anyone within the company or among the owners who couldn't bear waiting just one week longer for the sake of the quake victims' recovery would need their contracts reevaluated, a point no one dared refute.
In the recent meeting, there was a suggestion to leverage this quake to propel the Pentagon brand to greater heights by releasing 'Complete Laon' immediately. I quietly shook my head.
"You seem to have a misconception here. Let's be precise: Complete Laon is a gaming console. It's entirely separate from our social service for disaster-stricken areas. Sony roping in Namco for the Gear Station's 'Iron Fist' release and the high praise for 'Raging Racer' stem from the console's exceptional quality and the ready supporting software. In contrast, our Complete Laon lacks sufficient content to attract both core and casual gamers. Releasing a new console solely banking on the company's image at this point would result in a massive failure."
"So... When exactly do you foresee the release of Pentagon's new console?"
In response to the shareholder's question resonating in the meeting room, I gazed at him for a moment before speaking.
"The marketing for Complete Laon this time will focus on software rather than the console itself."
"Hmm? Software, you say? Are you referring to the next-gen game slated for release with Complete Laon?"
"It's a bit premature to delve into the specifics of that... "
Lowering the switch on the presentation laser pointer, I smirked slightly, exuding a confident air.
&
In April, amidst the cherry blossoms of 1995...
A promotional content piece was distributed, focusing on disaster-stricken areas and Osaka's game shops.
Contained within a CD with the Pentagon Soft logo was a video of a girl playing guitar in silhouette, accompanied by her singing.
Titled 'Cheer Song,' the song began to capture people's attention with its unique vocals and emotive lyrics as they strolled through the streets.
Oh, you, it was such a tough day,
A day where not a single thing seemed to go your way.
I know your sad heart...
Oh, you, it was such a busy day,
Not a moment to catch a breath, a day like that.
I understand your feelings...
Your reality differs so much from the dreams you held,
Slowly wearing down, much disappointment.
But still, your world that will come true someday,
I'll always cheer you on.
"What's this...? Whose song is this?"
With just a guitar and voice, that captivating video concluded without any further explanations, except for a single line.
[Debut in 125 days.]
For those keen enough, they might've instantly realized...
The day she debuts is precisely the release date of 'Complete Laon.'
>
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