Bonus Chapter at 900 PS
Support at patreon/CulturedOne and read 50 Advanced Chapters
_______________________
"Don't tell you forgot?"
"You sold the film rights for To the Moon to my father's company, Sugar Man Pictures. The movie has already cleared 200 million yen at the box office, and current projections suggest it's on track to pass 400 million by the end of its run. When you add in the ho video sales and the massive rchandise revenue, the net profit for my father is going to be at least 100 million yen, maybe more. He's been in a fantastic mood all week. He keeps telling that I was right to talk him into buying your IP, and now he wants to thank you in person over dinner."
"Please, stop the math. You're making my heart ache with every word," Haruto groaned, clutching his chest.
"Pfft!" Yukino burst into laughter. Back when To the Moon took first place in the Ascent of New Gods, seven different film studios were fighting for the rights. Yukino, acting as Haruto's editor and fueled by her absolute faith in his talent, had pressured her father to jump into the fray. Her original intention was simply to support Haruto; if her father won the bid, it was a win for everyone. If he didn't, Sugar Man Pictures could at least act as a "shill" to drive up the bidding price from other companies.
"Oh, co on, stop being dramatic. If you hadn't sold the rights to my dad, you would have just sold them to so other corporation. I'm an only child, so all of his assets will eventually be mine anyway. Once I inherit everything, I'll take you out for an even bigger feast to pay you back," Yukino teased.
"An even bigger feast? You really are generous with your father's money," Haruto joked. He knew she was right. Back when he was strapped for cash and trying to grow his influence, he would have sold those rights to whoever t the price.
Without that capital, he never would have been able to fund the production of Puella Magi Madoka Magica. So sacrifices were simply necessary for the long ga, and Haruto was pragmatic enough to accept that.
"Alright, since your father wants to et, I can hardly say no." Haruto checked his watch; it was already 6:40 PM.
"Good." Yukino felt a weight lift from her shoulders.
She had been worried that Haruto might harbor so resentnt now that he saw exactly how much money Sugar Man Pictures was making off his work.
But the man she had scouted back at Crimson Maple Literature remained as broad-minded as ever. The two of them took the elevator down to the basent parking lot. Haruto climbed into the passenger seat of Yukino's vibrant red two-seater sports car.
"By the way, Haruto," Yukino asked as she pulled out into the traffic. "I've been reading Initial D. That 'inertial drift' you keep drawing... can you actually do that? You should teach soti."
The question caught Haruto completely off guard. "I have no idea how to do that."
Yukino stayed silent for a mont before glancing at him. "You're drawing things you can't even do in real life?"
"Of course! By that logic, to write Parasyte, I would've needed to be infected by an alien and have a talking, sentient 'Right Hand' that moves on its own," Haruto retorted.
"Hahaha! Fair point." Yukino stepped on the gas, a smirk playing on her pale face.
They spent the next twenty minutes trading witty barbs until the car pulled up to a prestigious, starred restaurant.
The mont they stepped out, a valet arrived to take the keys.
Haruto straightened his collar and smoothed his hair; he was eting Yukino's father, after all, and he didn't want to be disrespectful.
After checking in at the reception, a host led them through a series of winding corridors to a private VIP booth. When the door opened, Haruto saw a refined middle-aged man sitting at the head of the table.
He looked to be in his late forties or early fifties, still quite handso with sharp, distinguished features. He rose with a warm smile to greet them.
"Hello, Haruto. I am Gin, Yukino's father and the Chairman of Sugar Man Pictures."
"It's a pleasure to et you, Mr. Gin," Haruto said, offering a polite handshake.
Yukino, however, showed no such restraint. She tossed her bag onto a side chair and sat down, crossing her long legs. "Dad, tell them to bring the food. I'm starving."
"All you ever think about is your stomach. It's that lack of manners and your obsession with leisure that's kept you single at twenty-seven. Aren't you embarrassed? By the ti I was your age, you were already walking."
"I'm single because I'm exceptional, Dad. My future husband is still out there leveling up so he can be worthy of standing in front of . You wouldn't understand," Yukino fired back, completely unbothered.
Haruto could practically see the physical aura of exasperation radiating from her father. Despite the bickering, it was clear that the two shared a very close, loving bond. It touched a chord in Haruto's heart, making him think of his own father. If he were alive today, Haruto could have cleared his father's debts with a single check.
Sigh.
The faint sound of his sigh didn't escape Gin's notice. Realizing he was being a bit too informal, the older man quickly gestured for Haruto to take a seat and poured him a glass of sake.
Gin didn't waste ti with riddles. He began a casual conversation that andered through topics like family, life experiences, personal ambitions, and philosophy. Within thirty minutes, he had cycled through four or five different subjects.
By the ti Haruto had finally lowered his guard, to the point where the atmosphere was so friendly they were almost talking like brothers, Gin made his move. The surface-level purpose of this dinner was gratitude, but the underlying intent finally ca to light.
"I rember sothing you said back when To the Moon finished its run," Gin said, casually refilling Haruto's glass. "You ntioned that the story... had a second part, didn't you?"
Beside them, Yukino stopped mid-bite and looked up, her eyes darting toward Haruto. Haruto t her gaze.
They both understood imdiately where this was going.
To the Moon had only been in theaters for a week and was already a massive success. In the film industry, you don't ignore a hit like that.
With the brand power of the first film, a sequel was essentially a guaranteed paycheck.
"That's... true," Haruto admitted softly.
The main issue was that the sequel, Finding Paradise, was also a relatively short narrative.
It didn't fit the high-speed serialization model of a major magazine like Kiyozawa Library.
Consequently, Haruto had never seriously considered adapting it into a novel after joining the publisher. It just didn't feel like the right fit for the dium.
"Then have you considered this? While To the Moon is ravaging the box office, we should strike while the iron is hot," Gin said, a predatory but friendly smile on his face. "Let's partner up again for a major project. We can put the production for the sequel on the schedule imdiately."
Haruto found himself at a loss for words. If a sequel were to be made, there was no way he would hand it over to an outside studio now. He had his own animation company. Why would he let soone else take the lion's share of the profit for a property he owned?
However, a flat rejection felt like it might make things awkward for Yukino.
As he hesitated, Yukino herself intervened.
Cough, cough, cough!
She cleared her throat loudly to get their attention. "Dad, don't waste your ti."
"What do you an 'waste my ti'? I'm talking business with Haruto-kun," Gin said, giving his daughter a look that told her to stay out of it.
"I told you before that Haruto and I are partners in a new venture, but I never told you the na of our company, did I?" Yukino asked.
"No, you didn't. Why would the na of a little startup run by two kids matter? It's good that you're exploring entrepreneurship, and as long as you don't lose too much money, the experience is valuable. I didn't think I needed to scrutinize a hobby project," her father replied.
"Our company is called 'Haru-Yuki'," Yukino said.
"Haru-Yuki? Haruto and Yukino... simple and direct. Wait. Haru... Yuki?" Gin repeated the na slowly as the gears in his head began to turn at high speed. "Haru-Yuki Animation Studio?" he blurted out.
Although Gin's company dealt mainly with live-action and theatrical animation, he had certainly heard of the legendary TV ani Madoka Magica. He knew all about the "Warrior of Love" and the cultural storm that series had created. Suddenly, the puzzle pieces clicked into place.
"Haruto-kun... you are the author of Madoka Magica? You are 'The Warrior of Love'?" Gin looked at the young man with an entirely different expression.
"Well... yes, Mr. Gin. That's correct," Haruto said after a brief pause.
A total miscalculation.
A flicker of genuine disappointnt crossed Gin's face.
If Haruto was the Warrior of Love, he already possessed a world-class animation studio. If there was a sequel to To the Moon, there was zero logical reason for Haruto to partner with Sugar Man Pictures again.
But then, Gin looked at his daughter.
How on earth did she manage to find a talent like this and convince him to partner with her? Haruto's identity as Shiori Takahashi was impressive enough, but the Warrior of Love? Is she actually so kind of genius scout?
He let out a quiet sigh, imdiately recognizing the reality of the situation. He buried the carefully prepared pitch for the sequel rights deep in his mind and turned back to Haruto with a genuine smile.
"If that's the case, let's forget about business tonight. Let's just enjoy the food and the drinks."
Haruto felt a massive wave of relief. His opinion of Yukino's father shot up. The man was a true professional; the mont he realized a deal was impossible, he dropped it without a single trace of awkwardness.
Under Gin's enthusiastic hospitality, the sake flowed freely. Haruto, who wasn't much of a drinker, soon found himself drifting into a hazy, half-conscious sleep.
"I have to say, you've certainly accomplished a lot this past year," Gin muttered, casting an annoyed glance at his daughter once Haruto had drifted off.
All three of them had been drinking, but genetics were a powerful thing. Yukino's grandfather had once taken second place in a legendary drinking competition. The family's tolerance for alcohol was beyond the realm of normal human biology. While Haruto, who had a decent tolerance for an average person, was out for the count, the father and daughter were barely even ward up.
"And here I thought you actually invited him here to thank him. Turns out you're just as shallow as I thought. Haven't you made enough money off the first movie? You really wanted the sequel rights too?" Yukino shot back at her father.
"Hah! Money is like oxygen, dear. You can never have enough," Gin smirked, though he didn't press the issue. He wasn't a fool; unless Haruto had a temporary lapse in sanity, he would never give the sequel script to Sugar Man Pictures now.
"I haven't seen you in months, and you've certainly changed. But since business is off the table with your friend, let's talk about family. You need to pull yourself together and find a partner. You're twenty-seven; the clock is ticking." He poured himself another drink.
"I've told you a thousand tis. I haven't t a man who matches my level of excellence," Yukino said, falling back on her standard excuse.
"Besides, all my friends are won. I don't have the opportunity to et guys."
"An excellent man?" Gin's voice rose in frustration.
Now that Haruto was asleep, he didn't feel the need to maintain his dignified persona; he was just an old father worried about his daughter's future.
"What qualifies as 'excellent' in your eyes? Haruto is lying right there, is he not excellent enough? Is he not a man? How can you work with soone like that for years and still just be 'friends'?"
"He's just a kid, Dad! What are you even saying?" Yukino's eyes widened in shock.
"A kid?" Gin laughed. "I've never t a 'kid' that powerful in my life."
"And look at you," he added. "The entire night, you were terrified I was going to trick him. You were constantly on guard for his sake. If you care about him that much, why are you still making excuses?"
"You are such a stubborn old man. You're getting more annoying by the day! When I was in school, you were terrified of dating; the mont I graduate, you're breathing down my neck to get married. Do you think I'm a goddess? I hid in the regional offices for two years just to get away from this, and the mont I move back to Tokyo, you start right up again." Yukino was speechless.
"I'm twenty-seven and he's nineteen. Please, stop talking. The age gap is massive. You're making it sound like I'm desperate."
"Hmph. I don't care about the numbers. I just want you to find soone. Twenty-seven and you've never even been on a date... it's embarrassing," Gin muttered.
Yukino decided she was done with the conversation. She stood up, walked over to the sleeping Haruto, and draped his arm over her shoulder.
She lifted him up, preparing to leave. Although the high heels made it difficult, she was a regular at the gym and a dedicated yoga practitioner; her weight was standard, but her functional strength was more than enough to support him.
Gin sat frozen in his seat, his expression shifting from shock to sothing more complex. He watched his daughter, who usually avoided physical contact with n at all costs, willingly support the young man's weight and guide him toward the door.
He had been joking earlier, but now, the more he looked at them, the more sothing felt "off."
Subconscious actions were often the most honest reflections of the human heart.
'What on earth is going on here?' he wondered.
User Comments
0 comments from readers