`While Sistar couldn't hold a candle to NTsoft, it was still a respectable mid-sized entertainment company in Tokyo, with a solid roster of idols. Thanks to the explosive success of Tetsu Fuyukawa's Surrounded by Beauties, it took Deputy Director Tanaka less than half an hour to round up over a dozen stunning, youthful girls.
"Good afternoon, Section Chief Fuyukawa!"
As Fuyukawa stepped into the meeting room with Sayako trailing like a secretary, a row of radiant girls seated along the wall stood in unison, bowing politely.
No wonder everyone dreams of being a chaebol in South Korea.
Faced with a lineup of girls who'd easily be class or campus beauties—each politely bowing, some even boldly showing off deep V-necks—Fuyukawa couldn't help but think damn, what a vibe. He kept it cool, though, returning a slight bow before taking the head seat at the conference table under the nervous or eager gazes of the girls.
Hina Izumi, entering alongside them, gave a timid nod to her peers as usual, searching for her seat. But her shy expression barely lasted two seconds.
"Ahem—"
Fuyukawa's cough snapped her to attention.
"Don't be afraid. I've got your back."
"If you can't shake off that timidity, you'll never truly grow up."
Recalling his words, Hina Izumi took a deep breath. Her expression steadied, and her posture relaxed.
"Not bad, she's listening," Fuyukawa noted, catching the change from the corner of his eye, a faint smile tugging at his lips. The other girls noticed too, casting envious or slightly jealous glances at Hina.
Fuyukawa didn't care about their reactions. As Deputy Director Tanaka and Section Chief Hase sat down, his expression turned serious.
When it came to business, Fuyukawa was all focus, no nonsense.
"These girls all specialize in music, huh? Your main goal, Deputy Director Tanaka, is to use the game to promote Sistar's artists, right?"
Sipping his oolong tea, Fuyukawa glanced up from the resumes, scanning the row of girl group members. As his gaze passed, they flashed hopeful or flattering smiles.
Though Tanaka kept his tone deferential, Sistar was investing in this collaboration, and Fuyukawa knew he had to consider their interests.
"Exactly, Section Chief Fuyukawa! After Surrounded by Beauties launched, its main cast got massive attention. We want to make a similar game, but since our company focuses on singers, we'd like the theme to lean more toward music. Of course, we'll defer to you and Section Chief Hase's vision."
Tanaka stood, bowing respectfully.
Fuyukawa wasn't surprised.
Surrounded by Beauties had taken Japan by storm. How big was the frenzy?
The day after the game launched, Asuka Tsukitake, who played "Mama Hao Hao," packed her bags and fled Japan.
Not for any dramatic reason—Asuka was a free-spirited soul who only joined the project out of boredom, with zero interest in showbiz. But the game's explosive success made "Mama Hao Hao" a sensation, and her along with it. Overwhelmed by relentless media hounding, she escaped to Europe for "refuge." Even now, she hadn't dared return, leaving only a fiery "I'll remember this grudge!" over the phone.
Recalling Asuka's exasperated rant, a flicker of amusement passed through Fuyukawa's eyes, but he quickly refocused. "I understand. I've got some ideas for the script. How about a story centered on five girls starting a music club in high school?"
Though Tanaka and Hase might've expected a Surrounded by Beauties 2, Fuyukawa's pitch was K-On!.
K-On! might not ring a bell for non-anime fans, but its studio, Kyoto Animation, is legendary. Known for classics like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Full Metal Panic, Clannad, Nichijou, Hyouka, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, Violet Evergarden, and Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, Kyoto Animation is a titan. Even among these heavyweights, K-On! stands out as top-tier.
Most importantly, Fuyukawa saw K-On! as ripe for a live-action adaptation. No superpowers, just the lighthearted daily lives of high school girls in a band—perfect for real-world replication.
Of course, capturing the anime's "everyday vibe," "healing charm," "school spirit," and "moe Hawkins" in live-action wasn't easy. Slice-of-life stories tend to be low-key, but Japan loves them—shows like Ama, The Solitary Gourmet, and Midnight Diner have all found success despite their understated plots.
For the main perspective, Fuyukawa suggested tweaking Yui Hirasawa's genius little sister into a male character for a first-person POV, with some plot adjustments. The script might not hit the anime's heights in live-action, but with a solid story and a few catchy songs, it'd still pull decent sales.
Tanaka and Hase, not being script experts, didn't know K-On!, but seeing Fuyukawa's confidence—and glancing at Hina Izumi, already penciled in for Azusa Nakano's role—Tanaka felt reassured. Fuyukawa might not care much about Sistar, but he'd look out for Hina, right?
With a warm smile, Tanaka said, "If Section Chief Fuyukawa's this confident, it's bound to work. When can we expect the script?"
"I've been thinking about this theme for a while and have an outline ready. I'll give you the opening in a week, then write as we shoot."
Fuyukawa sipped his tea. "For the director, I recommend Kojiro Honda from my last project. He's not a big name, but he's skilled and experienced in this area—could save you a lot of trouble."
"No problem at all! We already contacted Mr. Honda, and he's thrilled to work with you again."
"Cool." Fuyukawa nodded, glancing at the girls, then back to Tanaka. "I've got the character designs done and a rough plot. Want to start auditions now?"
Checking his watch, he added, "I've got to check on the game launch soon, so you can do the first round of auditions, and I'll review them later."
"Absolutely, Section Chief Fuyukawa, whatever works for you!"
Tanaka was over the moon that Fuyukawa would join the auditions.
Fuyukawa nodded. "Sayako, grab the materials." He shifted his seat slightly and pulled over a stool.
A subtle move, but Tanaka, the old fox, caught it, eyeing Sayako as she sashayed from the far end of the table. This woman's his right hand.
Without hesitation, as Sayako passed, Tanaka stood, gave a slight bow, and made room for her.
A deputy director of a notable entertainment company yielding to her? Sayako was flustered, but Fuyukawa's "don't sweat it" look calmed her. She handed out the freshly printed materials.
Nothing critical—just character profiles.
Simple text descriptions, whipped up quickly before the meeting but detailed thanks to system data. Tanaka and Hase, seeing the meticulous setups, felt even more confident. Noticing Hina Izumi's name already tied to Azusa Nakano, they exchanged knowing smiles.
She was a lock, but no surprise there. Hina was Sistar's top rookie in fame and image, and her pull was key to getting Fuyukawa on board. They both knew it.
As auditions kicked off, the room buzzed with energy. After a quick word with Tanaka and Hase, Fuyukawa left with Sayako.
"Phew, Hina, you're so lucky to have such a powerhouse backing you," a round-faced girl group member whispered enviously, watching Fuyukawa adjust his collar and stride off with Sayako. She glanced at Tanaka and Hase, their faces now stern, no longer fawning.
Tuning her guitar strings, Hina flashed a proud smile but quickly pouted. "That's 'cause you've only seen his shiny side. He's dead tired every day, sometimes needs help just putting on face cream in the morning."
"That's how it is with successful people," another girl said. "But why'd he bounce so fast?"
"His new game's launching today. He's checking the data."
"What?! A new game already? No wonder Tanaka doesn't dare look him in the eye. Guy's a beast."
"I heard in the break room downstairs—their president's super hyped about this project. Fuyukawa's about to shake up the gaming world again!"
The girls chattered enviously. Hina paused her tuning, glancing out the window at Fuyukawa's back as he stepped into the elevator, a proud, unstoppable grin spreading across her face.
---
Hina's thoughts were a mystery to Fuyukawa. From the moment he left the meeting room, his vibe shifted back to all-business.
Riding the elevator up with Sayako, he reached the main conference room, where Miyano and Aotake Studio's team were already gathered.
"Morning, Chief!"
"Hey."
Striding in, nodding to the bowing staff, Fuyukawa took a seat beside Miyano. "Everything set?"
"What, think I'd let it fall apart waiting for you, you playboy?" Miyano teased, shooting him a sultry side-eye before crossing her legs on the sofa, her gaze flicking to the big screen. "One minute, and we'll see how The Binding of Isaac does."
Following her eyes, Fuyukawa saw the game's icon on the screen, next to a "0" sales figure.
"My first real game, hitting the shelves."
Sipping his oolong tea, he took Sayako's hand, settled onto the sofa beside Miyano, and crossed his legs.
"Let's give the world a taste of Isaac's shock!"
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