People shouldn’t go performing kabedon on old ladies in their late twenties.
“Watase-san…?” you say, shocked.
“Yoko,” corrects Watase, “I said you can call me Yoko.”
Honestly, you didn’t figure she was serious about that back under the covers.
It seemed like that was just her messing around to make you think something happened.
“…Yoko,” you say, “…wha-”
“Listen,” says Watase, with a sigh, then takes a moment as she scratches her head, “Aahh… I might’ve said too much earlier, I’m sorry. I wasn’t really thinking.”
What she said certainly didn’t help your reputation and made you seem downright irresponsible.
Both Chigusa and Matsuno aren’t like to forget it.
Things got pretty emotional when Watase argued with Matsuno, combine that with the brain fog from the hangover... You can understand it somewhat, but it still would've been better if she hadn't said anything.
“What I’m trying to say,” says Watase, “Is, well, thank you… You didn’t have to break yourself down like that to make me look better, but you did. So, thanks.”
Watase takes away her hand and stops looming over you.
“So, yeah,” she says, “I owe you one. If there’s anything I can help with, let me know, okay?”
You can tell this is hard on Watase for some reason.
Is this the same girl that was ready to get into a fist fight with her manager only a while ago?
You struggle not to laugh. How can such a rough girl have such difficulty with being nice?
Having to look up since she is so close, you smile, “Thank you, Wat.. Yoko-chan,” you say, “You’re very kind.”
[https://assets.legendkeeper.com/4392ea8b-d20c-4723-ae9e-3481b004836c.jpg]
Watase almost looks taken aback, like she was struck in the chest.
“…Yeah, happy to,” she says, “I’m gonna go and… sauna… while I can.”
With a nod, Watase leaves and heads into the direction of the sauna.
What an abrupt departure.
Well, some people are like that: not used to compliments.
>You’ve gained one favour from Watase Yoko.
>Matsuno Kojiro and Chigusa Iki think less of you for excessive drinking.
Once you make it back to your room, you check the email you received from Matsui.
----------------------------------------
Hello Nagata-san,
I’ve seen nothing online yet, but a friend of mine at Saito Media said they received an offer to buy a story revolving Kaiba from an anonymous source.
It’s a gossip magazine, so they’ll publish just about anything.
Perhaps we can sue if they do publish it. I’ll look into it.
They also have a website where the lesser articles end up.
I already sent a message asking them to hold the article if they end up buying the story.
Will keep you posted.
With kind regards,
Matsui Tomo
----------------------------------------
Is EmikoDesu55 trying to make a quick buck with the blackmail material?
That while she was so adamant about throwing it all online if you didn’t do as she said.
Well, she is a college student. Perhaps she just needs money for some reason.
Thinking back to the comments of Twitter, her friends did seem pretty eager for a payout.
Wouldn't surprise you if they refused to simply accept that EmikoDesu55 was gonna drop all the work for free.
The email was sent late at night, it seems like Matsui Tomo has been working hard.
Meanwhile, you were busy being blackout drunk. Feels bad.
It’s probably for the best that you stay to handle all this once you the bus takes you all back to the office.
> Information
>
> Nagata’s current stress is 20. (Low)
> This can always be viewed in the wiki.
>
> You will spend two days at the resort and return home Sunday afternoon.
> Bus leaves at late afternoon.
>
> Time for activities
> Sunday: Early afternoon
>
> Hot spring, sauna, and massages are separated by gender.
>
> Decision (Morning)
> >1 - Simply relax in the lobby (Yokimori Kyoden, Chigusa Iki, -10 stress)
> >2 - Receive a relaxing massage (Ichihara Riko, -30 stress)
> >3 - Diffuse tensions with Matsuno Kojiro who is smoking outside (Matsuno Kojiro)
> >4 - Enjoy a final dip in the hot spring (Enatsu Mari, -30 stress)
> >5 - Visit Kaiba Aoi in her room (Kaiba Aoi, -10 stress)
> >6 - Enjoy the sauna (Watase Yoko, -20 stress)
> >7 - Go relax in your own room. Just wait out the time. (-10 stress)
>
> Winner
> >3 - Diffuse tensions with Matsuno Kojiro who is smoking outside (Matsuno Kojiro)
You can’t afford any bad blood between you and other managers.
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A short search for Matsuno Kojiro places him outside in the gardens, just beside the koi pond.
He’s messing with his phone and, judging by the cigarette butts on the grass, chain smoking.
“Hello, Matsuno-san,” you say as you approach.
Matsuno looks up, taking a drag from his cigarette, “Nagata,” he says.
He taps his smoke with a finger, causing ash to fall.
Fishing into his pocket, he pulls out his pack of cigarettes, “Smoke?”
“No thanks,” you say, noticing the pack is already half-empty.
You silently hope those cigarette butts around him are from other smokers that were here prior, because if not then he’s obviously dealing with something.
“Suit yourself,” he says, taking another drag, then pocketing his pack of smokes again.
He points at you with his smoke, “You’re a crafty one, aren’t you?”
“Eh?” you say, “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
“I understand how you did it,” he says, “But I don’t get… why?”
“Matsuno-san,” you say, waving your hand in confusion, “I came here to talk. So, can we? Talk? I’m not sure what you’re accusing me of. I wanted to talk about the tension between you and Watase-san.”
Matsuno smirks, then shakes his head, “You organize this trip,” he says, gesturing at everything around him, “Under the cover of ‘Welcoming the new idols'. But, you see, I’ve been paying attention. During this entire trip you haven’t interacted with your new idols even once outside of dinner and breakfast. Beyond maybe a mere hello, that is.”
He finishes his cigarette, drops it into the grass, and uses the heel of his shoe to grind it into the dirt.
“Instead,” he says, standing up, “You’ve basically spent all your time with Watase Yoko. Afternoon, evening, night. I asked her. And others. What’s up with that?”
You recall hearing how he became jaded and distrustful after what happened to Maki Sumi.
This goes beyond that, he’s downright paranoid.
“What are you imply--” you say, before you get interrupted.
“Let me finish,” he snaps, “Here’s something I know that you don’t. Idols can’t decide to change managers. Idols are a dime a dozen. Everybody wants to be an idol! Idols DON’T. GET. TO. PICK.”
He wags a disapproving finger at you, “They can only switch managers if the manager allows it and let me tell you: I’m not letting her go.”
Ah. So, he’s afraid of losing Watase.
“I have no interest in recruiting Watase Yoko,” you say, “I just recruited two new idols of my own and haven’t even started working with them.”
He pulls the pack of cigarettes from his pocket again.
Probably better off keeping it out with how often he reaches for it.
Taking a cigarette between his fingers, his hand trembles as he tries to light it using a lighter – unsuccessfully.
After a dozen tries, he overhand throws the lighter into the koi pond where an unfortunate koi takes it to the face.
You watch the school of koi fish disperse in a frenzy, bringing the bottom of the pond in view.
Oh, look. It’s Kaiba’s phone.
“And then when I’m in the middle of reminding Watase that she can’t show up as a drunk, something we can all agree on, you have to step in make light of it,” he shouts, “Just because you got blackout drunk as well doesn’t make it acceptable to do so! You are not the standard for good behaviour.”
He sighs, but his rant isn’t done, “Then I try to remind her that the problem lies in the difference between how you presented yourself and she lashes out at me,” he says, “You know why? Because by backing her up she feels like she has you in her corner. That girl has no respect for her manager. I finally try and force some respect and you get involved.“
“You blame me for not getting respect for your employees?” you say.
“Oh, but I do,” he says, “Have you MET Watase Yoko? Do you know how hard it is to manage an established idol like Watase? We’re the same age, but she has years of experience on me. She second-guesses every decision I make.”
“Didn’t you say she was a pro? Back in the bus?” you ask, mostly to get a word in.
“She’s a pro, yes,” he says, “And she doesn’t hesitate to call me the amateur.”
”The point,” he continues, “The POINT is that I can’t have you butting in and making me look weak.”
That much you can understand.
”You know the strings my dad and uncle had to pull to get me an established idol like Watase?” he shouts, “This is my LAST CHANCE, get it? Either I make this idol trash work and move onto proper songs and media or it’s back to sales and I’m negotiating modelling deals for teenagers for the rest of my god damn life.”
He’s so …insecure.
Whether it’s stress or something else, he’s prone to rambling and isn’t really listening.
“There’s no point in talking to you when you’re like this,” you say, turning to leave.
Matsuno cackles, “There you go! Flaunting this superior morality of yours,” he says, “I’m not the one that took two young girls to a place high up in the mountain filled with strangers and basically ignored them because I was too busy sabotaging somebody else’s career!”
Alright, that stings. You probably should’ve watched over them a bit more.
He doesn’t know you’ve spent a bunch of that time dealing with Kaiba’s situation though.
“Don’t go assuming you know everything going on in my life,” you say, “I’ll make it up to them.”
“The orange haired one will probably be fine,” says Matsuno, relishing in the fact that he seems to have hit a nerve, “She chats and makes friends with anyone that gets near, even the staff. The other one however, the stern one, she’s basically been by herself this entire weekend.”
“Talking to nobody, going nowhere. Just a quick bite to eat and back to her room,” he adds.
Unlit cigarette pinched between his lips, Matsuno offers you a golf clap, “Good job, Nagata-san,” he says, “I’m sure she feels very welcome now. Hell of a start.”
On the way here he seemed quite nice, tall and handsome even.
But now, you see how skinny he is. The bags under his eyes.
He’s standing there, back hunched and ground littered with cigarettes, laughing at you - clapping.
Stress pouring from every inch of his person. A jackal of a man.
Is it true what he said though? Chigusa was at some of the group activities, right?
Doesn’t Chigusa simply prefer being alone? You’re having doubts now.
You did check on Kaiba-san a bunch of times, but mostly forgot about the others.
How does he know all this anyway? Is he just saying things?
“Who knows?” says Matsuno, shrugging, “One of them may have even cried themselves to sleep. Kids get homesick awfully easy, you see. Even I know that much.”
Chigusa is seventeen and Enatsu sixteen.
Surely, they can handle being away from family for a bit.
No, he simply switched to personal attacks.
Trying to make you doubt yourself.
Stress be damned. This behaviour is inexcusable.
“I came here because I was worried about your relationship with Watase-san,” you say, “I came here exactly to avoid a rift between you and her.”
“Oh, please,” replies Matsuno, “You just came to see if your efforts are paying off.”
“Matsuno-san,” you say, trying for the final time, “We’re co-workers. Not enemies or rivals.”
Matsuno scowls and gets close, sun at his back and looming over you, “For once you’re right,” he says, “Rival implies equal. One word from me means your career at Matsuno Inc. is over. Remember that.”
He flicks his unlit cigarette into the pond where a koi promptly swallows it.
Poor koi will probably die from that.
“I’m going home,” says Matsuno, walking past you.
“Bus doesn’t arrive until three,” you say, somewhat quietly.
“I’ll have a cab come up here,” he replies, “I can afford it.”
You take a deep breath.
It feels bad to be a target of somebody’s pent-up frustrations.
On the one hand, you want this man and his spiteful, unjust attitude to leave.
However, you can’t have him bearing a grudge. That isn’t beneficial to anybody.
Perhaps he’ll think differently when Kaiba’s scandal leaks and he figures out that the main reason you went drinking with Watase Yoko is because you were basically breaking down from the stress.
Can you expect any sympathy from this man though?
If nothing else, this past weekend has done wonders for your stress.
All that tightness in your shoulders is gone and you feel fit as a fiddle.