zzz

fem sagaodas first time hehe

"How is it going, Yoshino?" Hatori called from outside the fitting room.

"It’s on, but I can't fix the tie..." a struggling voice replied from inside.

As planned, once the storyboard had been submitted on time, Hatori went with Yoshino to buy a suit, having chosen this store because Hatori thought its' sophisticated style would suit Yoshino. It would have been ideal to have the suit be fully custom-made, but there wasn't enough time; in the end, the dinner with Isaka was scheduled to come after the final proofreading—in two weeks.

"Come out, I'll tie it for you."

"W-wait a second..."

After a while, a somewhat embarrassed Yoshino emerged from the fitting room. Everything from head to toe —suit, shirt, tie, and shoes— had been all carefully picked by Hatori, taking the salesclerk’s advice into consideration. The hem was a little too long, but other than that, the suit looked fine on him.

"I haven’t worn leather shoes in ages..."

"They suit you."

"You’d think even a horse looks good in fine clothes!" Yoshino retorted sarcastically to hide his embarrassment.

"That's not true. Here, let me fix your tie." Hatori took the slim tie and put it around Yoshino's neck, adjusting the length and carefully tying the knot.

(How nostalgic.)

Back in their student days, Hatori used to fix Yoshino's tie just like this. Perhaps the reason Yoshino still couldn’t do it on his own was precisely because Hatori always stepped in to help.

"It's done." he patted Yoshino’s chest and gestured for him to look in the mirror. "It looks good, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it suits you very well." the salesclerk standing nearby agreed.

"R-really?"

It almost annoyed Hatori that Yoshino seemed to trust the salesclerk’s words more than his, but thinking about it, perhaps the clerk’s opinion would be more reliable, considering Hatori’s own biases.

"How does it feel?"

"It's much more comfortable than I thought! The jacket feels light too."

"Because it's so light, we recommend this option to people who don't wear suits often."

"But still, it feels weird... It's like, it's not made for me..." Yoshino looked very uncomfortable standing in front of the mirror. His back, usually hunched, was now unusually straight.

"That's probably because you don’t wear suits often. You’ll get used to it after a while."

"The length seems fine as is. Shall we adjust the hem a little?"

"Ah, yes."

The salesclerk knelt down and adjusted the hem length.

"How does this look?" Yoshino asked once again, glancing at Hatori.

"It suits you well." Hatori told him again while looking at him in the mirror with a serious expression.

"......Um, then, I'll take the whole set, please." Yoshino blushed.

"Certainly. Thank you."

"Oh, shouldn't I take this off?"

"We'll prepare a new one for you right away, so take your time." The salesclerk bowed and went to the back room. Yoshino also returned to the fitting room to change back into his own clothes.

"It feels like I've finished a big job." Yoshino, back in jeans and sneakers, now sported a bright expression on his face, in stark contrast to how uncomfortable he looked in that unfamiliar ensemble.

"The real thing is in two weeks, you know."

"Ah, why did I accept...?"

"Hey, don't back down now."

It was too late for regrets now. When Hatori had told Isaka that Yoshino agreed to the dinner, it didn't take the man too long before starting to look for a restaurant in very high spirits.

"But I don't even know what to talk about!"

"Don't worry. Isaka-san is good at starting conversations. He might even know more about manga than I do."

"Wait, Isaka-san reads manga?"

"He's probably read almost all of our company's books. He's the type to read anything he finds interesting."

"Oh, really?"

Despite being born into the founding family of Marukawa Shoten, Isaka’s current position as President and CEO was something he had earned through his own merit. He was a self-made man, who rose through the ranks and climbed the corporate ladder all the way from the bottom at a young age, undeterred by the constant accusations of riding on his parents' coattails. And while his demanding nature could sometimes be annoying, his talent and hard work were certainly worthy of respect.

"He can be quite pushy though, so be careful not to get carried away and take on extra work." 

"Don't try to scare me..."

Knowing him, Isaka had the persuasive skills to push onto Yoshino certain things he had turned down before, such as autograph sessions. And if Yoshino were to regret anything he had agreed to during the dinner, it could only bring him trouble.

"I'll handle that part, so just be careful." 

"Well, whatever. No matter how much I think about it, whatever will be, will be." Yoshino’s statement was hard to tell apart as positive or dismissive, but it was much better than him being stubborn. "...Oh, that's right. Are you not gonna try a suit too?”

"I'm fine. I have enough suits." Hatori had bought a new one in the spring, not to mention the ones from this store were usually too flashy for him to wear to work, and not really suitable for a salaryman's monthly wage anyways.

"That's not fair, you dragged me here and now you're being dismissive! At least try something on… Look, this one's nice!" Yoshino pointed to a mannequin, donning a suit of a color and silhouette Hatori would have never picked for himself. 

"You have a good figure, so I'm sure it would suit you." A nearby salesclerk chimed in.

"Right?"

"You can just try it on, if you like."

"...Just try it on."

"Okay! So that suit with this shirt. And which tie?"

"Well, if you're going for something safe, this one would be good, but maybe you want to try something a little more adventurous."

"A bright color like this would be nice, wouldn't it?" In stark contrast to when he was picking out his own suit, Yoshino was now enthusiastically chatting with the salesclerk.

“Here, this one.”

And so, Hatori took the suit and reluctantly headed into the fitting room, hoping Yoshino would be satisfied with 'just trying it on’.

Just as he had thought, the suit picked for him had a very slim silhouette and an overly pretentious vibe to it. True, it was comfortable because it was well-tailored, and the design did make him feel somewhat more stylish, but it was way too much to wear on a dialy basis.

He wouldn’t go so far as to say he looked like a host, but other than a party, he couldn't think of any other special occasions where he would wear something like this.

(Oh well.)

Yoshino must have been trying to get back at him by dressing him up like a doll. He deftly tied the tie and after checking his full reflection in the mirror, he stepped out of the fitting room.

“Whoa! My taste isn’t so bad after all.” Yoshino let out an innocent cheer.

“It suits you very well.”

“Right? No matter how you look at it, he doesn't look like an editor at all. It actually really bugs me how perfectly the hem fits.”  Even as he grumbled, Yoshino seemed thoroughly pleased with his choice.

Sometimes, Hatori got the vague feeling that Yoshino became a bit more sincere when he was in a suit than when he was in casual clothes. Maybe he just had a thing for suits.

"Hmm, but maybe a blue tie would look better. Something a little more sophisticated."

"I'll bring some other options now."

"You should wear stuff like this more often." Yoshino muttered once the salesclerk left them alone.

"I can't go to work in something this flashy."

"You could wear it to a company party."

"What would be the point of the hosts dressing up?" The parties the company hosted were meant for entertaining authors and related personnel. Marukawa Shoten had many editors with strong personalities that easily stood out, but in moments like these, they had to remain in the background.

"Well, then, why don't we go somewhere you can wear it? Like a concert, a play, a meal…”

"What, are you inviting me?"

Even though Hatori was only half-joking, Yoshino blushed and fell silent. Normally, he would have tried to deny it, but it seemed he did have something on his mind this time.

"I'll buy it for you, so please wear it on our date."

"Huh?"

"It's okay every once in a while, right? You cook for me, do my laundry, clean my house... and you're my boyfriend... I want you to wear it! Got it?!"

"...Okay." Yoshino’s unusual intensity made Hatori nod impulsively, and Yoshino's face gradually turned redder in response.

"Sorry to keep you waiting… Is something the matter?"

"N-nothing, I think it just got a little hot in here."

"Should I turn up the air conditioning?"

"It's fine, I just get hot easily. Oh, that color is nice!" Yoshino forced a change of topic despite his suspiciously red face, and the salesclerk didn't press the matter further.

"This color is lovely too, isn't it? Is subtle, but it has a sheen to it. I think it would look elegant."

"Now, Tori. Put this on next."

“…” for a while, Hatori had no choice but to obediently follow Yoshino's overly enthusiastic instructions.

***

Having also bought a complete ensemble for Hatori, the total came out much higher than expected. Once they picked up the wrapped items and the receipt, Hatori and Yoshino finally left the store and decided to take a breather at a café they passed by on their way home.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Here’s your blended coffee and cream soda.”

“Oh, the cream soda’s mine.” Yoshino raised his hand excitedly, and it didn't take him too long before he started digging in on the ice cream.

“Are you sure it’s okay for you to buy this for me?” Hatori pointed out to the wrapped items. He was happy to receive such a gift from Yoshino, but considering it wasn’t his birthday or Christmas, he still felt a little weird about it.

“It’s fine! You’re always taking care of me, so I’d be happy if you accepted it. And I kinda just want you to wear it, so I guess it doesn’t even count as a gift perse…”

“...I’ll gladly accept it then.” It wasn’t exactly the kind of thing one would buy on a whim, but if it was important to Yoshino, Hatori decided to humbly accept the gesture. “So, what about that date? Is there anywhere you want to go?”

“Oh, right. I guess I have to think of a place to go.” Apparently, Yoshino had really just said that without thinking.

“I would suggest a concert, but you’d probably fall asleep the moment we sit. You slept the whole way through that art appreciation class in high school, remember?”

Back then, they had attended a classical concert as part of an extracurricular activity, but the moment Yoshino's butt toucked the seat, he drifted off to sleep. Naturally, the content of the reflection essay he had to submit afterwards consisted mainly of Hatori’s thoughts.

“I pulled an all-nighter that day, so I was sleepy!”

“Let’s go to one then. Let me know what you feel like.” There were many different types of concerts after all: orchestras, vocal music, opera, piano, chamber music, and so on. Although, come to think of it, Yoshino might actually enjoy a theater production more.

“…By the way, what do you think the clerk thought our relationship was?”

“I told them we were author and editor, didn’t I?”

“You did say that, but still… Oh well, never mind.” Even though Yoshino looked like he wanted to say something, he ended up swallowing his words and changing the subject. Which meant it probably wasn’t that important to begin with; if it was a serious matter, he would have looked a lot more anxious to speak up.

(……Right, there was something I needed to tell him.)

Hatori now remembered he did have to talk to Yoshino about that little trouble he was having with the illustration collection. He was supposed to let Yoshino know once he had finished the storyboards, but with the whole suit matter, he had missed his chance. 

Still, he didn’t want to bring it up right now and dampen the good atmosphere they’d created. So he found himself making excuses, telling himself it wouldn’t be too late to let him know after looking into possible solutions a little more. 

In the end, as Takano had said, they might have no choice but to give up on including that work in the collection. Regardless, Hatori had his own reasons for not wanting to give up on those illustrations so easily.

After all, they had been a parallel process to the creation of Yoshino’s first work for Emerald. And even though Hatori had just been a liaison between Yoshino and this other writer, it was still the first work of Yoshino's that had made it to the public with Hatori fully involved in it. So he’s never told anyone this, but it was a work he personally considered very special.

"By the way, what was it you wanted to to talk about? Is it about work?"

Hatori flinched at Yoshino’s question, which seemed to see right through his concerns. And since he had indeed been the one who wanted to talk, Hatori couldn't really just say it was nothing.

"…It’s about the illustration collection." 

"Right, we should start discussing the contents soon."

"Before that, there's something I need to apologize to you for."

"Apologize?"

"Remember those illustrations you did for another company back when you made it into Emerald? For a fantasy novel?"

"Oh, the ones with the hard character designs? Come to think of it, I think I left those with the editor too."

"That's right. I’ve been trying to get them for the illustration collection, but I haven't gotten the manuscripts back."

“So they are missing? I should’ve asked the editor to give them back when he left, but I guess I forgot.”

Yoshino’s tone was lighthearted, but if a manuscript held by an editorial department were to go missing, it would be a huge problem. For an author, a manuscript is their most valuable asset, and its loss most certainly wasn’t something that could be solved with an apology.

“No, the manuscripts are still there, but I was told the author can’t return them because he plans to use them next year for a re-release, an e-book, and an international release.”

“Huh? Did we get any notice about that?” 

Even Yoshino, who usually didn’t pay much mind to this kind of stuff, seemed to sense something off about Hatori’s report.

In case of new developments like this, and especially when it came to e-books or international releases, the standard procedure was always to get permission in advance or renegotiate the existing contract. 

“No, I heard about it for the first time this week.”

“Right? You definitely wouldn’t forget something like that… But why now? That author hasn’t released anything recently, has he?”

“I looked it up, and it seems he hasn’t in about three years. This is just a theory, but I guess he wants to re-release it to make it coincide with the up-coming movie and the book fair.”

“But the movie’s release date hasn’t even been announced yet, has it?”

“There was no mention of it, so I think this is just a last-minute attempt to cash in on the hype.” 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

"I was told to hold off on including them in the art book until those publications were finished."

"Huh? So we either postpone the art book or not include them at all?"

"I suppose."

"But why would it be a problem if the timing overlapped?”

“I guess if the collection comes out at the same time as this whole re-release, some readers might not see the appeal on buying the book.”

“I don’t really get it, but I guess they just don’t want us getting in the way.” Yoshino, having grasped the situation, let out a sigh.

“I’m going to try talking to them again to see if they can adjust the release dates, so they don’t affect each other.”

“...I see. Sorry for the trouble. If I had just gotten them back right away, things wouldn’t have gotten so complicated...”

“It’s not your fault. They shouldn’t be treating those manuscripts like a hostage in the first place.”

Hatori was startled by his own words. It was natural, the reason his uneasiness just wouldn´t go away was that he felt the work he cherished so much wasn’t being treated with the respect it deserved.

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to leave it to you—there’s nothing I can do about it...”

“Just do your best with what’s right in front of you, and that’ll be enough.”

After all, it was a waste of time for a manga artist to get involved in behind-the-scenes issues, not to mention it was precisely the editor’s job to create an environment where the artist could focus on their work.

“Well, I finished the storyboards early, so I’m ahead of schedule. The rough sketches are already done, and there aren’t any color pages this month.”

"I see. Keep up the good work then."

And while complacency could sometimes lead to trouble, dampening Yoshino’ spirits right now would not be wise, more so considering how difficult his mood could be to manage.

"Leave it to me. I'll get serious tomorrow."

"Not today, then...?"

"I just finished a job! And I'm hungry, so I think I'll order some cake too… Excuse me, I'd like to add a mille-feuille, please." Yoshino didn't hesitate much before telling the passing waiter his order.

"A mille-feuille, understood."

"Why don't you eat something too, Tori? The opera cake and the chiffon cake look delicious."

"You're the only one who wants to eat it... I'll have a chiffon cake too, please.” Given Yoshino’s expectant gaze, Hatori placed an additional order anyway, going with the chiffon cake because at least it seemed to be lighter.

A few minutes later, Yoshino's eyes lit up when the mille-feuille and chiffon cake were brought to the table.

"Now take responsibility and eat it all."

"But this one is yours. Here, open wide."

"Stop, where do you think we are?" Yoshino's sudden action startled Hatori. Very deep inside it made him happy, but considering their current location, he had to keep his wits about him. 

"It's a blind spot, so it's fine."

“Still, there’s a time and place…”

“I’m just kidding. So even you make that kind of face, Tori.” Yoshino let out a quiet chuckle.

“It’s not funny.” Hatori quickly regained his composure.

“It’s payback for what you did before. I got you, didn’t I?”

₊ ° ✦ ‧ ‧ ₊ ˚✧ part 1

"Now that the film adaptation has been greenlit, I'd like to have a proper chat with Yoshikawa-sensei about it. So, please make sure to arrange it!" Those were the words with which Marukawa Shoten's president, Ryuichiro Isaka, had set the business dinner.

Then, an hour later, Isaka's secretary contacted him to set a date, so it seemed Isaka had made his choice. For an employee, the president's orders were absolute, so as long as nobody’s rights were being violated, refusing was nearly impossible.

Regardless, Yoshiyuki Hatori’s first instinct was to find a way to decline. There was simply no way shy, reclusive Yoshino would agree to a dinner with a company executive, and anticipating his reluctance, Hatori racked his brain in search for a proper excuse.

Therefore, it was a shock when it came the time for Hatori to break the news and Yoshino opposed no resistance.

"What did you just say?" Hatori stared intently, convinced he had misheard at first.

"I said it's okay if it's just for one meal."

"......What's gotten into you?"

"I mean, I really hate this kind of stuff, but if I refuse, it won’t be good for you, right? Even I understand that much!" Yoshino awkwardly averted his gaze.

So despite his reluctance, Hatori realized that Yoshino, the type of person who usually couldn't care less about interpersonal relationships, was now considering his position. This thoughtfulness touched Hatori's heart.

"But only this once, okay?"

"I know." Hatori was grateful that Yoshino, who used to only think about manga, had the courage to leave, even just this once, his comfort zone.

(Well, he is a grown man, after all.)

Even so, the old Yoshino would have simply said, "It's too much trouble, just come up with something and decline" and then forget about it. And not because he didn't care for what may happen to Hatori afterwards, but simply because Yoshino unconditionally relied on him, almost like a child relies on their own parents.

Someone had once pointed it out to Hatori: "You're intentionally making Yoshino dependent on you", and he couldn’t really deny it.

It was never in his plans to confess his feelings, as it would’ve never crossed his mind that they would have a chance to become lovers. So in its place, Hatori did everything to remain close to Yoshino, acting more mature than he actually was just to make him feel the need to have him around. And that behavior had been there way before Hatori even realized he was in love. 

But little by little, he was going from running around aimlessly dragged by Yoshino, to simply backing him up. Even so, at times he still felt like he was chasing after Yoshino, but that may just be because Hatori's world revolved around him.

"Hey... you're also coming to the dinner, right?" Yoshino asked, visibly worried. It seemed that, as much as he was decided to go, he still had his worries.

Yoshino could be surprisingly decisive in strange ways, but this was just so typical of him that it made Hatori laugh.

"Well, I’m your editor, so of course I’m coming. I'll be right there supporting you, so don't worry. Besides, Isaka-san isn't the stiff type, so you don't need to be so nervous."

"That's good to hear, but..."

"So what would you want to eat? Isaka asked me to find out what would sensei like."

French or Italian would probably be the safest bet, and Hatori figured it would be best to avoid any place where they'd have to sit seiza-style, since being alone in a private room would certainly just make things worse.

(*T/N: In itself, seiza (正座) is when you sit by kneeling on the floor, resting your buttocks on your heels. It is meant as a form of respect, and it is associated with events like the japanese tea ceremony, which in this case may be too formal for Yoshino.)

"Tori’s rice!"

"...Are you asking me to cook the meal?" Hatori sighed at the unhelpful answer. He was happy Yoshino liked his home cooking so much, but making dinner for an executive like this was some kind of home party was out of the question.

"It’d be great! Everyone will definitely love it!" Yoshino talked as if he had really come up with a brilliant idea. It was hard to tell if he was serious or not, but for now, Hatori decided to just ignore it.

"...I'll just tell him you don't have any particular preferences. And we also need to get you a suit for the dinner."

"Huh? But the one I bought for the party is fine."

The suit Yoshino was talking about was the one he had gone shopping for with Yanase, for a New Year party the company was hosting. Even now, that memory still made Hatori’s chest churn.

(I'm so bitter.)

There was no way Yoshino would ever guess Hatori had secretly wanted to choose a suit for him. And it was probably for the best; the last thing Hatori wanted was for Yoshino to know how narrow-minded he truly was, still getting jealous over something as trivial as clothes.

"It’s a different season, and dressing according to the season is good manners. It's best to have at least one suit for spring and one for summer."

"Ugh, clothes are such a hassle..." Yoshino frowned in displeasure, seemingly accepting this as unavoidable.

Yoshino usually wore whatever casual clothes he could find in his closet, so a suit was certainly gonna feel stifling for him. Nevertheless, Hatori liked the idea of dressing him up every once in a while.

"We'll go buy it this weekend. So fnish the storyboard by then."

"What?! No way!" Yoshino suddenly changed his expression and protested.

"Why are you against that? The deadline is Friday, isn't it?"

"Huh? Oh, well, yes, but..." Yoshino’s eyes visibly darted around, and thus his plan became clear as day.

"So you were calculating that you could drag it out until I came over on the weekend, weren't you?" 

And while it was true Hatori liked to be relied upon, this kind of complacency was problematic. More so, since the line between work and private life was so blurred at this point, there was no way around it other than just pointing it out whenever it happened. 

Hatori knew that, If he showed any more leniency now, Yoshino would let his guard down. So he had to harden his heart.

"N-no, that's not true... I just wasn't very confident..." Yoshino mumbled. 

"You have until Friday night. I'm looking forward to it, so please let me read it soon."

"I-I know..." Yoshino seemed embarrassed by Hatori’s words, which had been intended to motivate him.

‘I can do it if I try!’ was often Yoshino's catchphrase, and Hatori was convinced it was true. If only he didn't have a habit of running away, Hatori wouldn't have the need to run around begging for a new deadline, and then they would have more time to spare together.

(Well, being too much of a model author wouldn't be like Yoshino, would it?)

Hatori could never imagine Yoshino not missing a deadline or complaining every once in while. If that were to even happen, it would be plausible to assume he had been replaced by aliens.

Besides, Hatori himself knew he would probably lose his sense of purpose.

"W-what'? Is there something on my face?" It seemed that having Hatori stare at him made Yoshino think he was unconsciously leading him on again.

"No, it's nothing. Let's discuss the format after you finish the storyboard. I'm going home now, I don’t want to get in the way of your work."

"What, already?"

"You won't be able to concentrate with me around, and I don't want you to use me as an excuse. There’s some curry in the freezer. The potato salad is in the refrigerator. And the rice—"

"You don't need to give me all those instructions. I can manage my work and meals on my own. I'm getting on in years, you know."

"That's true."

Hatori did know that it would be best to stop being so overprotective. After all, hand-holding Yoshino through every little thing would not be good in the long run. So as much as Hatori wanted Yoshino to rely on him, maybe it was time to let him take a step forward.

“So, what time will you have the storyboard ready on Friday?”

“...I guess I’ll just go with my guts.”

And then again, Yoshino’s words made Hatori stop feeling so remorseful. Maybe he did need to be more strict after all.

₊ ° ✦ ‧ ‧ ₊ ˚✧ part 2

"...Understood."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help..."

"No, I should apologize for the trouble. If anything else comes up, I'll be in touch." Hatori hung up the phone and let out a deep sigh.

The person on the phone was someone from the legal affairs department. He had been dealing with this one problem for a few days now, yet a solution seemed impossible to find.

(If only I had known I'd stumble over something like this...)

Hatori was in the works for the publication of Yoshino's upcoming illustration collection, in which they intended to include everything from his early works to the latest ones. With the number of color pages published nearing the target and the timing aligning with their media mix strategy, the plan was to publish it the following year.

This was something he had been planning from the very moment he recruited Yoshino. Ever since he moved from his debut publisher to Marukawa, Emerald had been the only magazine Yoshino had drawn for. However, whenever he had time, he would also accept requests on illustrating novels from other companies. And while Yoshino kept the original manuscripts from where he debuted, some of the novel artwork had been kept by these other companies.

Most of them were cooperative, and Hatori was making good progress compiling the manuscripts, but there was this one case where they just wouldn't give in.

It was a bunch of illustrations Yoshino had drawn years ago for some fantasy novel. The author was now requesting that they refrained from including them in the collection because he wanted to use them for new material, even though there had been no activity surrounding that work for a long time.

So these sudden projects must have been an attempt to ride the wave of popularity surrounding Yoshino’s work. As proof of this, when Hatori had first contacted the editorial department, it seemed like the matter would be settled with the standard administrative procedures. His relief was short-lived, however, because as soon as the week began,  word came that they couldn’t return the artwork because several other projects— a new edition, an international release, an e-book, and a fanbook—had already been greenlit.

Hatori had lodged a complaint on his end, but the author himself lodged a stronger complaint, asking, ‘Isn’t your company infringing on writers’ rights?’.

Thus, Hatori consulted with the legal affairs department and tried to find a solution, but so far, they hadn’t found any grounds to persuade the other side.

And of course, a good work should be read by as many people as possible. However, having nurtured this project for so long, Hatori couldn't help but resent how awful the timing was.

“Are you okay, Hatori? You look like you could murder someone right now.” Editor-in-Chief Takano’s voice snapped Hatori back to reality. 

“I can’t exactly say I’m okay…”

“Yeah, you don't look so good.”

“I’m willing to compromise with whatever they want, but these people just won’t give in.”

Normally, no matter what the problem was, Hatori always managed to handle it calmly and methodically. But perhaps because he was particularly invested in this project, he could get a tad too emotional about it.

Back when he had taken over as Yoshino’s editor, they had talked about how great it would be to publish an illustration collection someday. But to compile such a thing into a single volume, they needed a substantial number of pieces. In other words, they would have had to work together for a long time, and the illustration collection would serve as living proof of that.

Hatori was aware that his personal attachment was a bit too strong for his own good, but he wanted this project to come out as good as possible. 

“You’ve been working on this for a long time, after all. Those illustrations came out around the time Yoshikawa-sensei joined us, didn't they? They are great pieces—I’m sure fans would be thrilled if we could include them.”

“I agree.”

“Did you tell the company they would be included in the art book?”

“I did mention it. However, the editor from back then doesn't work there anymore, and the author says he heard nothing about it during the handover.”

Yoshino didn't use blogs or social media at all, so since he had no direct contact with the outside world, any requests came through the editorial department. And even though Yoshino could sometimes handle further communication by himself, Hatori ended up acting as an intermediary on Yoshino’s behalf most of the time, since Yoshino felt it would “be fishy” if he did it himself. 

The arrangements for Yoshino to accept work from other companies always implied prohibited secondary use. Every time they agreed to publish a piece, however, it was a condition that it would also be included in an illustration collection to be published someday in the future.

Unfortunately, at the time it didn’t occur to Hatori to draw up an actual contract, and that verbal agreement was now coming to bite him in the ass. With the former editor gone, they could now just brush Hatori off, claiming to have never heard of such a condition.

“And can’t they adjust their publication dates?”

“I did try suggesting that, but they said that if it became known the illustrations would be included in the collection, it would affect their print run. So if I wanted them included, I’d have to postpone our publication by a year.”

“That isn’t even up for discussion.” Takano shrugged and let out a sigh.

“And then, when they accused me of infringing on the author’s rights, I didn’t even know how to respond…”

Their claim was that, since the characters depicted appeared in the novel, the artwork belonged to the writer. But even if the characters did belong to this person, Yoshino had been the one to work on those illustrations. 

They could have hired a different artist for the re-release, but their insistence on using Yoshino’s art definitely had to do with banking on his popularity. Yoshino was still kind of an amateur back when he had worked on that project, but this writer's editor had approached back in the day precisely because he was a fan of his.

“Even by that logic, Yoshikawa-sensei has as much right to those illustrations as the author. Don’t they realize how ridiculous their argument is?”

“That may be true. But since they have the original manuscripts, they might just push through with it.”

"That would require permission from  Yoshikawa-sensei, wouldn't it? Have you told him about this?"

Indeed, the fact that there was no previous agreement about any re-releases meant that Yoshino hadn't permitted this secondary use yet.

"I'm going to tell him soon. He’s working on the storyboards right now, so I wanna wait until he is done with that." After all, it wouldn't be wise to bother Yoshino with something like this when he should be focused.

"I guess that's for the best."

Taking legal action was certainly an option. However, that would cause friction and take time they didn't have, not to mention it could leak internal information to the readers. And no matter what, what Hatori wanted the most was to avoid anything that would tarnish the image of Chiharu Yoshikawa.

"And in the worst case scenario, we'll just have to give up on those illustrations. You've received all the other manuscripts, right? I guess a few pages can be adjusted to make up for that one.”

"---Yes, I'll take another look." Hatori simply gave a mature answer.

After yet another day's work, Hatori headed to his favorite spot to quench his thirst.

A bit clumsier than he would like to admit, he accidentally dropped the coin he was about to put into the vending machine. He sighed and followed as it rolled away, until his eyes fell on a pair of well-polished leather shoes. 

"I'm sorry," he said as the owner of the shoes picked up the coin.

"So even you can be clumsy too, Hatori."

"Kirishima-san, thank you."

The person to hand him back the coin was none other than Zen Kirishima, editor-in-chief of Monthly Japun. Even though he was a prominent presence at Marukawa Shoten, he and Hatori rarely had the chance to interact, since they both worked for completely different demographics.

 "Good work today. Have you finished proofreading yet?"

"No, it looks like it'll take a while. How about you?"

"Same here. Oh, can I go first?"

"Go ahead.”

Moving to the vending machine, Kirishima took out his IC card from his pocket.

(*T/N: An IC card is a stored-value card in which you deposit a relatively small amount of money (usually no more than 20,000 yen) to pay for stuff like public transportation and small purchases.)

"Would you like some coffee, Hatori?"

"Huh? Oh, it's ok, I'll buy it myself..."

"Well, I already pressed the button, and I was told I shouldn't be drinking black coffee. So maybe you should have it."

"Thank you, then." Not wanting to be rude by stubbornly refusing, Hatori accepted Kirishima’s treat. Then, drink in hand, they both sat down on the couch.

"Sorry you got dragged into that idiot’s mess. Those rumors he spread must have been a pain in the ass.”

"You know about Mitani?" Hatori’s eyes widened at Kirishima’s sudden words.

 "Well, he was my subordinate, I’ve heard bits about his current situation. He actually had quite a grudge against me too, calling me a crazy editor-in-chief." Kirishima said, laughing self-deprecatingly. Considering Mitani’s tendency to bad-mouth people he envied, it wasn’t surprising Kirishima would suffer a similar fate.

(So that's what this whole thing is about...)

And while Kirishima had no fault for what Mitani did, buying Hatori a coffee seemed to be some sort of apology as his former boss.

"What even happened when he worked in Japun? He said something about losing a manuscript…”

"Did you hear it from him?"

"We happened to bump into each other the other day, and he said something like that."

And he didn’t even describe it as a mistake, but rather as something he was even proud of. That thought alone was still very unpleasant. And judging from Mitani's behavior, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had caused any additional trouble as well.

"Yeah, I think I should tell you about it. But what I'm about to tell you is something that very few people in this company knows about, so please keep it between us.”

"I understand."

"At first, I thought he'd be suited to editing a boys' magazine because he seemed like a hard-working, ambitious person, and since he originally worked in sales, I figured he would understand the general principles of the job. I started him out as a sub-editor, and fom the get go he did things like contacting authors without permission, but at the time I thought it was just misguided enthusiasm, so I let it pass. And after a while I finally assigned him some writers, but it didn’t take long before they stopped scheduling meetings altogether.”

"So his authors turned him down?"

“I hadn’t thought so at first, but it definitely had to do with Mitani's overbearing attitude. He used to tell us that an author was ill or had family reasons, in which case it couldn’t be helped.”

"That's terrible…”

Looking back, Mitani was the type of person who would change his attitude based on the person he was talking to: even back then, he could be polite in front of his superiors, and then turn into a total asshole to restaurant staff.

"Of course, it was my own fault for not being able to see through him."

"And how did you find out?"

"An author contacted me directly; he said that Mitani had lost his manuscript, and he didn’t know if the company could actually do something about it."

"Kirishima-san...”

One could say that the relationship between writer and editor is behind closed doors, until the editor in chief is contacted and then everyone else finds out. However, most of the time authors hesitated to stablish any sort of contact with anyone else without first going through their own editor.  

"Of course, this was the first time I'd ever heard about it. Mitani had told me the author wasn't feeling well and the manuscript wasn't coming in, so they wanted to be dropped from the next issue. But since his manuscripts at the time weren't digital, we eventually had no choice but to have him redraw it, and Mitani did that without even apologizing."

"I can't believe he really thought he could get away with something like that…”

"Yeah. I couldn't believe my eyes when I first read that email. On top of that, he neglected to pay for the lost material, so the author ended up losing money as well. And yet, Mitani  simply brushed off the author's complaints by saying he couldn't do anything about it.”

"Unbelievable.”

"It's embarrassing, but I was fooled by his eloquent manners. From the looks of it, I guess he made it seem like he was never at fault for anything; as long as he could make someone else the bad guy, it would be easier to have people on his side." 

"...And he was cleared of all charges in the end?"

"I apologized to the author in person and explained the situation, but he had severed ties with Mitani before that, so I guess the misunderstanding still remains."

"But Mitani resigned voluntarily, right? Why didn't he receive any disciplinary action after all that?"

“A suspension would have been appropriate, but he submitted his resignation before anything could be decided. Looking back, I regret that I handled the situation too lightly. Back then I thought he submitted his resignation because he felt remorseful.”

“And since the company wouldn’t want to make a big deal out of it either, they must have decided to end the matter by having Mitani resign voluntarily.”

"I guess the reason he's still thinking about you is because he knows he can't win. If he was in a better place now, he wouldn’t still be thinking about some dude from his previous job.”

"I guess." When Hatori had confronted him directly, he had felt a strong desire from Mitani to push responsibility onto someone else. He was like a toddler, throwing a tantrum when things didn’t go his way.

"I’m willing to take action if needed, so please let me know if you run into any more problems."

"Thank you. But it'll be fine. I’m sure he'll end up admitting to it sooner or later." 

 "I hope so."

A big mouth without any reliability was doomed to fail sooner or later, and if Mitani had been so desperate to spread those rumors, it must have been because things were already falling apart for him. Some people may have believed the rumors, but if Hatori continued to work with sincerity as he had always done, the truth would eventually come out.

At least his writers seemed to be on his side, and Yoshino himself was even angrier than Hatori was. So as long as the people he cared for believed him, it would all be alright.

(It was kind of a blessing in disguise…)

He would have never expected to find out Yoshino's feelings that way, but Hatori was glad to see how much he genuinely cared. 

And if it ever started to actually affect his work or personal life, Hatori then would reconsider his way to handle things. But for now, he didn’t have the power or influence to take things too far.

"Thanks for the coffee, Kirishima-san." Hatori finished his coffee and stood up.

"You're welcome. Good luck with the proofreading."

"Thank you." Hatori thanked him again and left the break room.

At this point, he hardly felt a desire to get back at Mitani. He simply wanted to do a good job for his authors and his readers.