Sekiro's offline demo had sparked a wildfire of excitement outside the company, but inside NTsoft, Tetsu Fuyukawa's reputation was soaring to stratospheric heights, like a dragon ascending at a New Year's festival!
As he stepped out of the department head's office, greetings rained down from all sides. Unlike before, when people acknowledged him solely for his lofty title as NTsoft's youngest deputy director, now it was his undeniable talent earning their respect. Sure, he'd already churned out several hit games, but those were low-budget projects that didn't fully showcase his game-making prowess. Sekiro, however, was a full-fledged AAA title under his direction—a true test of a producer's mettle, like crafting a perfect kaiseki meal.
Now, NTsoft employees didn't just revere his rank; they admired his ability to create a masterpiece, as if he were a master calligrapher painting a legacy with every stroke. In Japan's corporate world, status without skill makes you a flashy idol; skill without status leaves you an overlooked worker bee. True respect demands both, and Tetsu had them in spades.
Case in point: as he passed the break room on his way to the elevator, a gaggle of female staffers erupted into excited whispers, showering him with praise as if he were the star of a J-drama. Even more amusingly, in the elevator, he ran into a few new hires from the third division—fresh-faced grads who clearly hadn't gotten the memo about his rocky history with their department. To them, Tetsu was a rockstar, a name that cast a long shadow in the gaming world, like a revered samurai in a Kurosawa film.
Their eyes sparkled with idol-worshipping awe, and they greeted him with polite enthusiasm. One bold girl even asked for his LINE contact, her cheeks flushed like cherry blossoms. Tetsu, though, wasn't swayed by their college-campus charm. With a friendly smile, he offered some encouraging words, gently deflected the LINE request with a smooth excuse, and stepped out of the elevator to their slightly disappointed gazes.
With Sekiro's mid-year milestone delivered and Dave the Diver wrapped up, Tetsu finally had some breathing room. As Mitei Miyano had pointed out, he'd been running himself ragged, like a salaryman pulling all-nighters before a big presentation. Back in his office, instead of diving into more work, he did something rare: he pulled a game controller from his drawer, sank into his plush boss's chair, and fired up The Binding of Isaac. Roguelikes were the perfect time-killer, a mental palate cleanser as soothing as a quiet moment at a Kyoto temple.
Halfway through a run, Sayoko popped into the office. No big deal—just a heads-up that Himawari was performing at a music bar tonight, and since the gig would end after the subway shut down, she asked if Tetsu could pick her up.
Picking up Himawari after her gigs was routine, and with Sayoko able to drive, Tetsu wouldn't even need to take the wheel. He nodded easily, but as Sayoko turned to leave, he caught her by the waist and pulled her into his lap.
"Play some games with me," he said with a grin.
The oversized boss's chair was soft and reclined perfectly. With Sayoko's curves nestled against him, Tetsu kept his hands on the controller, focused on the screen.
"Hmph, Tetsu-kun, you're such a straight-laced gamer," Sayoko teased, puffing out her cheeks in mock annoyance as she settled into his lap.
They were long past the early days when a playful squeeze would leave her blushing like a schoolgirl. Knowing Tetsu's… enthusiastic tastes, Sayoko had started dressing for convenience—think stretchy pencil skirts and, ahem, strategically "distressed" stockings. To keep his gaming view clear, she draped herself over him, arms around his neck, her body pressed close.
As sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the reclined chair in a warm glow, Tetsu let out a soft gasp, still gripping the controller. Sayoko, in full "autopilot" mode, matched his rhythm. In this blissful, carefree moment, quitting time rolled around fast.
Normally, Tetsu and Sayoko would head straight home for dinner, especially with Fate's crunch time looming. But Sekiro's trailer had blown expectations out of the water, easing the pressure on Fate's production. So, when they reached the underground parking garage at 5 p.m., Mitei Miyano was already there, leaning against her sleek black BMW like a model at a car show.
"Wanna hit the dojo tonight?" she asked.
"Sure, we can grab dinner too," Tetsu replied, sliding into the car. Glancing at the backseat, where Sayoko and Mitei were chatting like old friends, a mischievous smirk tugged at his lips.
Lately, not only had Sekiro's development been blazing fast, but Sayoko and Mitei's bond had grown tighter than a festival drum. They weren't quite at the point of, say, posing together by the office windows, but Sayoko now packed an extra bento for Mitei at lunch, and on weekends, Mitei would occasionally drag her shopping. The trio often hit the nearby dojo for boxing, yoga, or a swim to unwind—a lifestyle as comfortable as slipping into a yukata after a long day.
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Driving the BMW, they soon arrived at the high-end, members-only dojo where Tetsu had first sparred with Mitei.
"How about we renovate the house once things settle down?" Tetsu suggested, lounging by the pool after swimming two kilometers. He sipped water, catching his breath, watching Mitei kick a punching bag with the focus of a kendo master and Sayoko gracefully stretch into a yoga pose.
"Renovate? Like how?" Sayoko asked, lowering her leg from a high stretch and tilting her head curiously, her yoga mat crinkling softly.
"Add a third floor for storage and a small gym," Tetsu said, climbing out of the pool to help lift her leg higher. "The parking's too small too." Their old house was fine for three, but things were changing. Himawari, now in college, was gigging more and would need her own car soon.
Sayoko, past thirty but still radiant, had started feeling the pinch of age. Though her skin rivaled a twenty-something's, she'd begun splurging on skincare and leaned harder into fitness. Tetsu, too, wanted more than just running for exercise—punching bags were way more satisfying, and a home gym would be more convenient than trekking to a dojo. Plus, watching Sayoko's yoga pants hug her curves sparked some… motivation.
Sayoko nodded. "Whatever you decide, Tetsu-kun, I'm good with it."
"What are you two chatting about?" Mitei called, strolling over after her bag-kicking session. Without hesitation, she plopped onto a yoga mat, sipping water and casually resting her flushed, post-workout foot on Tetsu's knee as he knelt to help Sayoko. Her expression practically screamed, "Rub it, big guy."
Tetsu, however, wasn't falling for it—not while he was busy with Sayoko's leg. With a sly grin, he grabbed Mitei's calf and kneaded it firmly.
"Ow! You jerk!" Mitei yelped, springing up as the intense post-workout massage hit like a sake-fueled karaoke session. She retaliated by chomping down on his hand, and the two dissolved into playful chaos.
Sayoko shook her head with a fond smile. Mitei always acts like a kid around Tetsu-kun, she thought.
After a bit of roughhousing, Tetsu "captured" Mitei's "snowy peaks," leaving her flushed and defeated. As he switched to a gentler massage, her indignation melted into a shy pout. Sipping water, she asked, "So, what's this about renovating?"
Sayoko recapped their chat, and Mitei's eyes lit up. "Oh! Didn't you say your neighbor's selling their place? You could buy it, knock down the wall, and expand."
Tetsu's neighborhood, laid out like the grid-like homes in Crayon Shin-chan, had adjoining garden walls. Buying next door and merging the properties would create plenty of space, but Tetsu shook his head. "Thought about it, but it'd be too big for just three people—feels empty."
"Fair enough," Mitei mused, her eyes thoughtful, like a strategist pondering a shogi move.
They didn't linger on the topic. Soon, Mitei dragged Tetsu to the tatami mats for a sparring session, while Sayoko, chuckling, finished her yoga and slipped into a swimsuit for a dip in the pool.
Amid the playful banter and workouts, time flew by like a summer breeze. As night fell over Tokyo, the freshly showered trio stepped out of the dojo onto the lively streets.
Freshly bathed, both women were stunning, their allure as magnetic as a geisha's grace. Naturally, when Tetsu walked into a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant with two gorgeous women, heads turned—some with envy, others with gossip. But the trio, lost in their own world, laughed, ate, and chatted, the atmosphere as warm as a family gathering at a ryokan.
After dinner, though, Tetsu's night took a turn. With no urgent work and Himawari's pickup later, neither Sayoko nor Mitei was in a rush to head home. Instead, they dragged him to Ginza for a shopping spree.
Sayoko, newly obsessed with skincare, had unlocked a new level of shopping fervor, like an otaku discovering a rare figurine. Mitei, a shopaholic by nature, never wore the same outfit twice—always switching up her skirts, necklaces, or bags, her style as dynamic as a Tokyo fashion runway.
To outsiders, Tetsu looked like a lucky guy escorting two beauties, but laden with shopping bags, he could only sigh. Still, being the bag-carrying sidekick had its perks.
After indulging in ice cream on the mall's top floor, they returned to the parking garage. Mitei slid into the driver's seat, while Sayoko, her face a mix of excitement and shyness, pulled Tetsu into the backseat.
This bold?! Tetsu thought, stunned but delighted by their audacity, like stumbling into a hidden onsen.
Mitei, though, wasn't that open-minded yet. As things heated up in the backseat, she kept her eyes glued to the road, avoiding the rearview mirror like it was a forbidden scroll.
"Four headlights, a long road ahead," Tetsu muttered with a grin, savoring the moment.
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