After the celebration, Yuta gave the Starfall staff their customary vacation.
But as president, he drove to the office the very next morning.
He had not set foot in the building since Clannad season two episode twenty aired. Today was his first time back in a long while.
The office was cleaner than he had expected, though having been away so long, it felt slightly unfamiliar.
He pulled out his chair, sat down, booted up the computer, and started typing the project proposal for Code Geass.
It took less than half a day to finish a rough draft.
After that, he dug some drawing paper out of his desk and started on the character design sheets.
Normally his workflow was proposal first, then script, then storyboards, with character designs saved for last. This time was different because he planned to redesign the characters slightly.
Nothing drastically different from the original. He was just softening the chin so it would not be as sharp, giving the overall look a gentler feel that aligned more with post-2010 audience aesthetics.
As a professional key animator, this was not particularly difficult for him, though it did take more time than simply copying from memory.
Hours ticked by. It was past eight in the evening before Lelouch's design sheet was finally done.
Being the first attempt, the extra time was understandable. Future characters should go faster.
He printed the morning's proposal, packed it into his briefcase along with the character design, and headed back. He planned to show everything to Aoi.
After grabbing dinner outside, he arrived at his temporary residence close to ten.
Aoi was already back. She looked preoccupied, but she had been that way at the celebration too, so Yuta did not think much of it.
He pulled out his work and handed it to her. "Aoi, here's the draft proposal and the main character's design sheet for the new anime. Take a look."
Aoi glanced at it but did not take it.
"Shido, Starfall should have some spare funds by now. I think you should set up a production committee led by Starfall. That is how you will maximize your returns."
"Are you joking, Aoi? Arcane still hasn't paid out all of Starfall's revenue share. Where would the money come from?"
"It's coming. They will transfer everything within the next couple of days."
"But Clannad season two still has several DVD volumes that haven't been released yet."
"Doesn't matter. They will settle early, calculating everything at thirty thousand copies per volume. What Starfall gets is a very small fraction of what the anime actually earned, but it should be enough to establish a Starfall-led production committee."
"..."
Yuta frowned slightly.
Something felt off. He immediately asked, "Did something happen?"
"No. The early settlement is just a precaution," Aoi replied.
Yuta considered saying something comforting but decided it was not the right moment.
Instead, he said, "If they do settle early, then yes, I can approach a few companies about forming a Starfall-led production committee. But even with a committee, I would want your company involved. So please take a look at this first, Aoi."
Aoi hesitated, but eventually took the proposal and design sheet and began reading.
The anime was titled Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. Genre tags: mecha, supernatural powers, revenge.
As for the story...
The protagonist Lelouch was originally a prince of the superpower known as the Holy Britannian Empire. At age nine, his mother Empress Marianne was assassinated. His sister was traumatized, losing her sight and the use of her legs. The siblings were then sent away as political hostages by their own father, the Emperor.
Consumed by hatred, the protagonist abandoned his family name and vowed to destroy the Empire, avenging his mother and building a safe haven for his sister.
During an unexpected incident, he gained a supernatural ability: by making eye contact, he could issue absolute commands that the target would be compelled to obey. Armed with this power, he began putting his plan to crush the Empire into action. Using the codename Zero, hiding behind a mask and cape, he founded the resistance organization "The Order of the Black Knights" and launched a rebellion against the Empire.
"Rebellion, huh?"
She murmured to herself, then looked up at Yuta.
After a moment's thought, she asked, "Does the protagonist succeed in his revenge?"
Yuta did not answer. Instead he asked back, "What do you think, Aoi?"
"Who knows," Aoi whispered.
Then she asked, "What are your projected sales for the new anime?"
"Forty thousand. It absolutely has to beat Clannad's numbers. The target audience is broader, and I'm confident in the story. With proper promotion, it should reach a much wider viewership," Yuta answered with conviction.
"Forty thousand!" Aoi looked genuinely shocked.
Yuta remained perfectly calm. "This time I'm aiming for the top ten on the all-time sales chart. And I want to take home both the Shiraishi Award and the Kyoto Animation Award."
Hearing that, Aoi's eyes lit up for a moment, but the spark quickly faded.
She flipped through a few more pages, then handed the proposal and design sheet back to Yuta.
"If anyone else said this to me, I would assume they were trying to con an investor. But coming from you, there is probably some basis for it. Unfortunately, I can't give you an answer right now." Aoi sounded genuinely frustrated.
"No rush. I'll wait," Yuta said casually.
He put the proposal and design sheet back in his briefcase, then went upstairs to his room.
A night passed.
The next morning, Yuta had barely come downstairs when Seira told him, "Shido, Aoi went home."
Yuta: "???"
Seira: "She asked me to tell you not to go outside for the next few days unless you have to."
"Why?" Yuta asked immediately.
"No particular reason. Just listen to her," Seira said without elaborating.
Yuta replayed his conversation with Aoi and sensed something. "Something must have happened to Aoi. No wonder she suddenly brought up settling the revenue share early last night."
"She mentioned this to me yesterday too. But since she went back, she has clearly made up her mind," Seira said evenly.
"Hm?" Yuta was confused.
"Just wait for her word. Until then, stay indoors," Seira reminded him again.
"Alright." Yuta nodded.
...
For the next several days, Yuta did not step outside.
Clannad season two's early revenue settlement did hit Starfall's account as promised, but there was still no word from Aoi, which left Yuta increasingly worried.
He tried calling her, but her phone was always off.
Just as Starfall's vacation was ending and the staff were about to return to work, a phone call finally came through.
It was not from Aoi. It was from Ryouga.
Yuta answered with some confusion, and immediately heard Ryouga's furious voice. "You bastard, what did you say to my sister?"
"What happened to her?" Yuta asked urgently.
"She cut ties with the entire Fuji family!" Ryouga practically shouted.
Yuta froze for a second, then asked, "Your father agreed to that?"
"Of course he didn't agree! But my sister somehow got her hands on a massive amount of dirt on the Fuji family and threatened my dad directly. She told him it was either mutually assured destruction or they officially sever the father-daughter relationship. My dad is absolutely livid right now."
"Wait, is she in any danger?"
"Danger? Unless someone finds her source and shuts it down, or unless the family is willing to risk crippling itself, the Fujis are going to have to protect both you and my sister from now on."
"Hold on, this is all her doing. What does it have to do with me?"
"Everything! Because my dad tried to use you as leverage against her first. She was actually ready to go home and accept the arranged marriage. Then she suddenly lost it out of nowhere!"
"I..."
Yuta genuinely had not expected this whole thing to circle back to him. No wonder Aoi had told him to stay indoors.
"You jerk! My sister sacrificed everything for you. You better treat her right from now on, or I will never forgive you," Ryouga added.
Yuta was caught off guard. "Hold on... whose side are you actually on?"
"My own side, obviously. You think I'd be on yours?" Ryouga sounded exasperated.
Yuta found this hard to follow, but he decided not to press. He just thought to himself: you are the little brother, whatever you say goes.
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