Tokyo Rebirth: Start From Picking Up Sayu

Shiyu was very angry now, not only because he was kept in the dark, but also because he felt like he was being teased.

Looking at Machida Enko's playful face, she frowned dissatisfied and said:

"This is too much, so have you been lying to me all this time? You lying editor-san...!"

"I lied to you? Ouch~ Why are you so surprised? Besides, it seems that I have never agreed to your termination of the contract, right?"

"But you have obviously talked to me so many times!

Not only did the phone call last until midnight, but I also had so many meetings in this conference room.

I even called the leaders of the headquarters to testify. Are all these lies to me? "

"The leader of the headquarters?".

Machida Enko put her index finger on her chin, looked up at the ceiling as if reminiscing, and then said in a loud voice:

"Ah~ you are talking about Minister Yamashina, that is indeed the case.

That's a troublesome person. I really don't want to take care of him if I can. I owe trouble to him now~"

"Please don't change the subject! I saw you showing the application to that person. What happened?"

Saying this, Shiyu put his arms on the table and pierced the opposite side with his cold eyes. The long black hair behind him seemed to move automatically without wind, showing the tendency before entering a fighting posture.

Machida Enzi didn't panic or rush about this, she just kept talking.

"Ah~ Although that uncle is very troublesome, but this time he is the only one I can ask for help from.

Ah~~~ If we can control the storm to an acceptable level this time, he is indeed crucial...

But that's right, after all, that uncle is now the director of the animation department, otherwise it would be really difficult for me to deal with it alone.

Speaking of which, Xiaoshi, you don’t know that he was the one who made the decision to cut your work in half, so that person is still an enemy, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t treat him as a partner~”

"...sometimes enemies and sometimes partners, so! Is that person the accomplice Miss Machida hired to act together?"

“Well, judging from the results, that’s it.

Although the original purpose of asking that uncle for help was actually to delay the decision-making by the higher-ups,

But I didn’t expect that his acting skills were surprisingly good, and he didn’t even notice such a clever little poem~~~?”

"You actually use this method on high school students! It's so despicable. Are you still considered adults like this?"

Looking at Shiyu who looked sulky, Machida Enko laughed as if from the bottom of her heart.

"If you really want to say that, I am so compassionate that I won't argue with you about this matter. Are you qualified to come and question me? Xiaoshi."

"I……!"

“Obviously there is not much time until the final volume of the novel is released, and the work is about to be animated.

We have put so much effort and effort into this, and our feet hurt when we walk every day, and it even hurts so much that we no longer want to wear high heels.

Even so, they still have to visit partners constantly, just to gain more support and popularity.

As a result, at this moment, you proposed and terminated the contract. Who was the one who went too far? "

"...!"

In an instant, silence spread.

Machida Enko's tone was very calm. Except for the last sentence, her words did not contain too much harshness, but they clearly stated the truth.

——"Your willfulness is equivalent to erasing all our previous efforts."

Shiyu understood this deeply and couldn't help biting his lips and lowering his head, speechless.

After a while, she regained her composure and raised her head again, facing the opposite gaze.

"... I won't deny anything like that, but even if I have to leave, I will finish "Metronome of Love" well before that and try not to affect the editorial department."

As she spoke, her cold voice was filled with the flavor of careful consideration, and she must have made relevant plans a long time ago.

Both Kato Yusuke and Machida Enko heard this.

The former shook her hand quietly, while the latter sighed helplessly.

"That's why I said, your decision affects more than just you."

"I know……"

"No, actually you don't quite understand yet."

"……What does it mean?"

Machida Enko rubbed her brows slightly tiredly, then showed a kind smile as if looking after a child, and said:

"I'm not saying this to you to criticize you, I just hope that through this incident, you can become more mature in the future, that's all, Xiaoshi."

When Shiyu's eyes shook because of these words, she turned her attention to the side and said with a sigh of relief:

"Also, Kato-chan, thanks to you for helping to stop Xiaoshi this time, I want to thank you for this.

Please continue to work hard as a catalyst for small poems in the future... Of course, I mean it in a good way. "

Kato Yusuke nodded, "I understand, thank you for working so hard, Miss Machida."

"Oh~ Ahem, then, my daughter will be left to you from now on?" Machida Enko cleared her throat and deliberately looked serious.

"Please don't pretend to be someone else's mother, you loser editor-san."

Shiyu's cheeks were slightly red, and she glared at her with a moderate look, expressing condemnation and dissatisfaction with her eyes, and her expression seemed a little unhappy.

It's not like he's really angry, but like he's showing his true feelings in front of people close to him.

Machida Enzi couldn't help but smile and said to her: "Oh~ the lethality of your eyes now is far worse than before? Xiaoshi."

"I don't want to be angry if I can, but you always come here to provoke you without knowing the meaning of the matter, so I have no choice but to accompany you."

"Huh? But fundamentally speaking, Xiaoshi can't stand provocation, right?

In this way, ordinary poems always look awe-inspiring and alienating.

As a result, when encountering something about Kato's younger brother, he will instantly become a love brain. Not only will his IQ be zero, but his actions will also become willful and impulsive... By the way, don't you think you are too easy to handle? "

Hearing what she said, Shiyu first instinctively wanted to reply, then he lowered his eyes slightly as if he thought of something, and whispered:

"...Yu-chan, he is different."

Kato Yusuke instantly felt that the strength in his hand became much stronger. The girl held on to him tightly, as if she was afraid that he would run away if she let go.

Machida Enzi couldn't see their little moves under the table, but it didn't prevent her from seeing the difference in the atmosphere between them, and she couldn't help but sigh with mixed feelings.

"...Really? That's good." She said, "Then, since the problem has been solved and Xiaoshi is so happy, I won't say anything else."

After saying that, he asked again: "Do you have anything else to do next? If nothing happens, you can go back."

"Ms. Machida." Kato Yusuke put some things at his feet on the table and pushed them towards her.

"If you don't mind, please accept these."

"Huh? What are these?"

"Some specialties from Chiba Prefecture. Thank you for your continued care. I hope you can accept them."

"Hey~~Then I'll accept it without any courtesy. This shouldn't be considered a bribe, right?"

Shiyu on the side interrupted her joke.

"In that case, I would have given it to you before the conversation, not now, right? Can you please stop making such a nasty joke?"

"Yes~ I'm sorry for making such an outrageous joke."

Machida Enko said with a smile, then sent them out of the conference room, onto the elevator, and then returned to the editorial office.

"Editor-in-Chief Machida."

A female editor came up and asked, hesitantly, "I'm very sorry, can I ask a question?"

"Question? Okay, what's wrong?"

"Yes, the person who was in the conference room with you just now, is it Teacher Kasumi Shiko?"

"Well, it's her."

"This, that, please tell me about the rumors about Teacher Kasumi Shiko..."

Machida Enzi understood, but did not answer immediately. Instead, she raised her eyes and looked around.

At some point, the editors in the office gathered around. Everyone looked worried and focused on her, obviously sharing the same concern.

——"Will Kasumi Shiko terminate her contract with Immortal River Publishing House?"

To a greater or lesser extent, these people have all participated or are participating in the animation project of "Metronome of Love".

And now, they all want to know an answer.

After all, once something does happen, it's not necessarily that the job you are doing will be aborted, so no one can care.

There was a sense of depression in the air, as if there was a thick cloud hanging over everyone's heads.

Faced with this situation, Machida Enko was silent for a while, then took a deep breath and said clearly in a cheerful tone:

"Although I know what everyone is worried about, what I want to say is - the incident of teacher Kasumi Shiko's contract termination is just a rumor, so your worries are unnecessary. Do you all hear me clearly?"

The office was silent for a while, then the female editor asked: "Is this true? Editor-in-Chief Machida!"

"Of course." Machida Enko replied decisively, gave her a positive smile, and then picked up the things in her hands.

"Not only that, Teacher Xia Shizi also brought some condolence gifts this time. Let's all come over and share them~"

When the editors heard this, their anxious hearts finally relaxed, and their faces showed smiles from the bottom of their hearts.

Machida Enzi placed the specialty product on an empty workstation that was not in use and let everyone help themselves. She also took a pear and went to the tea room to wash it.

When she came back, the office was filled with the sound of eating.

People lost their previous seriousness and chatted one after another, and the atmosphere became very relaxed.

Seeing this, she didn't stop him and joined in with a smile.

After all, due to Shiyu's influence, the mental state of everyone in the editorial department has been very tight recently. Relaxing appropriately will also be beneficial to future work.

Even Machida Enko herself was under tremendous mental pressure.

On the one hand, she not only has to deal with her superiors, but on the other hand, she has to appease the emotions of her subordinates, and she must not show weakness in front of everyone.

On this basis, we cannot let go of the progress of the work at hand.

Only she herself understands the complicated feeling, and it is really not enough for outsiders to understand.

Fortunately, the matter was resolved satisfactorily in the end.

It shouldn’t be said, although Kato Yusuke is the culprit of Shiyu’s impulsive behavior.

But at least she was very grateful to Kato Yusuke for making Shiyu change her mind.

While thinking about this, he took a bite of the pear on his hand.

After the crispy taste, the rich and full juice overflows in the mouth, and the right amount of sweetness awakens the taste buds.

Not only does it make people feel physically and mentally happy, but even the stress in their hearts is swept away.

"So sweet!", "Delicious!", "This pear is so delicious!".

The office echoed with everyone's admiration and laughter.

Just as everyone was chatting happily, an exclamation suddenly rang out.

"——No! Is this real or fake!?!?"

The voice was full of surprise and disbelief.

Looking up, he saw an editor sitting at his desk staring blankly at the computer screen, as if he had been hit by something huge.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Someone couldn't help asking, but that person showed no response, as if he was in a state of confusion.

"Let me take a look, let me take a look." The female editor from before walked over, cast curious eyes on the computer screen, and read out the content on it.

"That... the highest copyright transaction in the Heisei era, the doujin queen Benisaka Akanehao spent 100 million yen to acquire the copyright of the popular work "Chainsaw Man"..."

After a pause...

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee——!?"

She couldn't help but scream.

The high-pitched and sharp voice spread out, and the sound was a bit harsh, but no one cared about it.

After a short silence.

With a "boom", everyone rushed forward and gathered around the computer, squeezing together.

Immediately afterwards——

“It’s actually true!!!”

"One, one hundred million yen——!?"

"No way? Why haven't you heard from the people in the comics department about such a big thing?"

"Wait a minute, there seems to be more... "According to reliable sources, the author behind the popular comic "Chainsaw Man" is actually a student at a private university in Tokyo!" "

"S-Speaking of which, the author of "Chainsaw Man" is Mr. Fujimoto, right? I remember that wasn't Mr. Kasumi Shiko's friend...?"

Someone quickly grasped the key point and diverted everyone's attention from the amount.

After this reminder, the editors all focused their attention on a certain person.

In the light novel editorial department, not many people know the true identity of "Mr. Fujimotoshu", but there is only one person who knows it absolutely!

That is the current deputy editor-in-chief Enko Machida who discovered the super newcomer "Kasumi Shiko".

""Is what this says true!? Miss Machida——??""

Facing everyone's gaze, Machida Enzi, who was still shaken, managed to squeeze out a smile.

The invisible pressure came over me like a mountain, making my body sink.

She tried to say something but somehow kept her mouth shut.

"I am willing to bear all liquidated damages."

"I will create a freer platform for her so that she can let go and show off her talents."

The conversation from ten minutes ago echoed in my ears.

Obviously I felt extremely arrogant before...but now! But it’s completely different!

The picture in his mind quickly regressed, and the content of the call with Shiyu last night suddenly came to mind.

"Is it really worth it to do this for Kato-chan?"

"I don't know either, but..."

"but?"

"I want to be the support of that figure who seems to have nothing, just like he once gave me a helping hand when I was most desperate. Even if it was just unintentional, the traces left in my heart are real, nothing more. "

Machida Enzi couldn't remember exactly what the two said afterward, but this sentence was extremely clear.

more importantly--

"Akane..."

Machida Enko murmured to herself, the expression on her face changing constantly.

"Sorry everyone, I have something else to do, so I'll excuse you for now!"

Ignoring everyone in the office, she walked quickly to her office.

There is only one thing now, she needs to confirm it immediately!

…