As soon as Ryuko walked in, she noticed the unusually dressed woman sitting at the center table.
Wearing a men's outfit, complete with fake beards, the woman definitely stood out. Even in that strange get-up, her good looks were hard to miss.
Ryuko had done her homework before coming and recognized her immediately—Saya Tachibana, the producer of into the Abyss.
More importantly, she was also behind Devil's Journey, one of last year's biggest anime hits.
If not for Devil's Journey Anohana might have swept all the major awards.
Ryuko knew Saya was a capable and respected figure in the industry, but she hadn't expected this—the odd costume or the way Saya looked at her.
That look... reminded her of the way high school boys used to stare.
Am I overthinking this? Ryuko shook the thought away, stepped up to the mic, and introduced herself calmly.
Saya, seated in the center, watched her with a faint, unreadable expression.
What a waste, she thought. So much potential, wasted on a guy like Mizushiro. A girl like this, and she goes for someone like him? Must be all surface she probably doesn't have much depth inside.
But even as Saya thought that, her attitude began to shift.
As Ryuko's audition continued, her delivery sharpened. Emotion, control, tone—everything was hitting right.
Saya found herself leaning in.
The assumption that Ryuko got her roles just because she was Mizushiro's girlfriend began to fall apart.
Ryuko had genuine talent. Her vocal performance didn't lose out to any of the other well-known actresses who had auditioned before her. In fact, her voice fit the role of Kori better than most.
Still, Saya didn't rush to a decision. Several other candidates had also impressed her.
After more than ten minutes, the audition wrapped.
"Thank you," one of the assistants said. "We'll contact you within three days with the results."
By the time Ryuko left T-Bone Studios, it was nearly 7:30 p.m.
Hungry and not in the mood to overthink, she wandered into a ramen shop nearby.
But just as she sat down, someone else walked in.
It was Saya.
The coincidence wasn't lost on either of them. Two women with noticeable looks entering the same tiny ramen shop? They spotted each other instantly.
Ryuko offered a polite nod. "Producer Tachibana. Hello."
"Oh, hey," Saya replied casually, then sat down right next to her without hesitation.
"Do you like this place too?"
"First time, actually," Ryuko replied. "Maybe I'll end up liking it after today."
"You will," Saya said with a grin. "The soup base here is amazing, and their chili oil? Life-changing."
"Chili oil?" Ryuko didn't know how to respond.
Saya already seemed too friendly for someone she'd only met during an audition.
As Ryuko glanced sideways, she watched Saya dump a terrifying amount of chili sauce into her creamy broth, turning it bright red. The sharp aroma of spice hit Ryuko immediately, making her nose tingle.
Saya, however, dug in with enthusiasm.
Ryuko averted her eyes and focused on her own bowl.
She had just begun eating, hoping the meal would pass quietly, when Saya suddenly spoke again.
"Miss … Actually, never mind, I'll just call you Ryuko."
Ryuko looked up. "Sure."
"You're dating Mizushiro, aren't you?"
That caught her off guard. She choked mid-bite, coughed, and wiped her eyes.
"Why are you asking that?" she finally managed.
"No reason," Saya said, smiling. "I'm just curious about the guy. After all, into the Abyss is aiming to be this year's top anime. Right now, the biggest threat to that is 5 Centimeters per Second. Naturally, I want to know my competition."
Ryuko frowned slightly. "You want to know him?"
She didn't particularly care that Saya saw Haruki as a rival. At this level, results spoke louder than rivalry.
She calmly replied, "I think he's a genius in animation."
Saya gave a slow nod. "I've heard that. People called me a genius too, once. I know where I stand, though. I'm asking purely out of curiosity. After years in this industry, it's rare to meet someone who actually makes me feel challenged. That's why I'm curious about him. No need to get defensive I'm not here to steal your boyfriend."
"You don't understand," Ryuko said, her tone shifting. "It's not about defensiveness."
She looked at Saya with quiet conviction.
"In my eyes... next to him, every other so-called genius feels less impressive."
Ryuko wasn't saying it to brag or exaggerate. She had worked with Haruki closely for years. She had seen his process, his mindset, his instinct—and she knew.
Saya's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're saying I'm beneath him?"
"I am," Ryuko answered without flinching.
Saya laughed. "Why? Just because you're in love with him?"
"No," Ryuko said. "It's because I understand him."
She leaned slightly forward.
"You asked about him because 5 Centimeters per Second made you feel pressure, right? That says something."
Saya didn't respond, but her silence was enough.
"But you know what's funny?" Ryuko continued. "You feel that pressure. But he doesn't even know who you are."
Even when Devil's Journey beat Anohana last year and won anime of the year, he hadn't cared.
"To him, Anohana wasn't a masterpiece. It was just a decent showing. He was pleased—but only in the way someone's happy when their younger kid finally ranks in the top ten. The kind of quiet, restrained pride."
"But his goal isn't top ten. It's number one."
Ryuko's gaze held firm. "That confidence doesn't come from ego. It comes from capability."
She didn't say all this to provoke Saya. She was simply stating the truth as she saw it.
Whether Saya took it personally was up to her.
Saya didn't reply right away. She just smiled.
"You're overestimating him. Anohana might already be the peak of his career."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Ryuko replied, smiling softly. "You've heard of Madoka Magica, right?"
Saya raised an eyebrow.
"You don't actually believe the rumors that it's just a commercial project designed to make money?"
"If you knew him like I do," Ryuko said, "you'd understand. Money barely registers for him. What drives him is ranking first. First in manga, first in quarterly anime, first in annual awards."
"I haven't read Madoka's script, but based on what I know of him… he's aiming for it to be number one this winter, if not higher."
"If I were you," she added, "I'd be paying closer attention to Madoka Magica than trying to surpass 5 Centimeters per Second."
With that, Ryuko stood up and paid the bill.
Saya didn't stop her. She just watched as Ryuko disappeared through the shop's front door.
She sat there for a long while, letting the spicy broth cool.
...Madoka Magica, huh?
Shout out to Ryan biggins, Stefan, Ethan Epifanie for joining my p-atreon! your support means everything to me.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)