Chapter 14
Chapter 14:
The next morning, Yagami woke up, got dressed and cooked breakfast all before Rin even made it through the door. Glossing over her astonishment, Yagami packed her bag and waited for Rin to finish her portion before the two of them headed off to work. Hazuki had come by to visit Yagami on Saturday in the hospital, explaining that she was going to let people back to work after the weekend to try and make up for the disruption from last week.
While Yagami had been asked to stay in bed for a while longer, nobody could know that she was fully recovered. So Rin’s shock was even more justified when she jumped into the office and immediately began to organize her workstation. Yagami didn’t mind it, only explaining that she wanted to get into the workflow as soon as possible. The rest had given up temporarily, especially Rin being doubtful about her recovery. For Yagami however, the peak came when Ahagon came into the cubicle to announce:
“I don’t know what you think you’re doing here, but the trial results are being televised right now. Come to the break room.”
Yagami moved faster than anyone could react, rushing through the mass of intrigued coworkers who crowded around the large flat screen where live footage of the trial was broadcasted from outside the court building. The steps before the court were flooded with reporters and onlookers, headlines blaring over the undecided outcome of the trial while a picture of Anders hung in the corner.
Seeing his face made a shade of fear creep into her heart, though she soon discarded it. Rin put a hand on her shoulder and gave a reassuring smile. Futaba had kept the secret between them, unwilling to spread it further without her approval. Instead she had delivered the info in a hollow manner, insinuating Anders was being framed by an unknown party.
“Kou, let’s hope for the best, ok?”
If it was concern she expected, she received none of it, taken aback slightly as Yagami grinned.
“Don’t worry Rin. I have faith in Anders.”
Her eyes momentarily wide with shock, Aoba approached Yagami and asked:
“How can you be so sure Yagami?”
“It’s simple. Anders has, since I met him, always pulled through with sheer willpower. I will believe in that until the end.”
Aoba briefly looked concerned, before sighing and giving a wide smile:
“You really trust in him.”
“Why shouldn’t I?”
Before anyone could pick up the conversation, a sudden uproar resounded on the screen, refocusing all their attention. A spokesperson came out of the building, reporters flooding her with questions until she could silence them:
“Enough please! The judge has come to a decision.”
Silence overtook the break room, tension running high as the spokesperson cleared her throat.
“The case of Anders Tansuke against Kerzo Marketing has resulted in a verdict of ‘not guilty’. All charges towards Mr. Tansuke were found to have been falsely planted against him. The judge has decided to grant Mr. Tansuke full compensation from Kerzo. That will be all.”
The spokesperson, whose lustrous silver hair hung loosely down her shoulders, turned around and left while ignoring the clamor of questions, their words drowned out by the cheer that was present in the break room. Yagami squealed for joy as she hugged Rin, the rest of the group up in arms and even Ahagon giving a happy smile.
“Well now,” she said as they calmed down, “that certainly was unexpected. How did they figure out his innocence?”
Aoba and the others began to form theories as to what may have happened, until a call from Futaba shook Yagami’s phone:
“Fuba! You heard it?”
“I was in there, for crying out loud!”
Yagami laughed at Futaba’s emotional outburst, her first genuine laugh in a while.
“So then? What happened?”
“For whatever reason, they had the thumb drives examined a second time and found source code that correlated with the servers at a remote branch location from Takamura’s own people. He’s being put under suspicion now instead. Boss even confessed to having planted the stupid things himself, but the judge regarded it as negligent and instead absolved him of everything. Just what the hell is going on?”
Having put her off speakerphone until the last sentence by an 'accidental mis-click', Yagami merely stretched and gave a relieved sigh. Rin instead picked up the conversation:
“Fuba, you need to tell us. Where is Anders right now?”
Giving Rin an astonished look, Yagami leaned in as Futaba answered:
“In the middle of getting his handcuffs taken off. He did already tell me though that he wanted to come visit you all. I’m taking him there with the car once the rest of the paperwork has been sorted. We need to play it low key though. I already leaked a false trail, so the reporters won’t swamp us. We should be there in a couple hours. Oh, I need to go. See you soon!”
She hung up, traces of celebration still present in Yagami and the others. Said person smiled as she moved to the cubicles, turning to the others:
“Come on then. We’ve got work to catch up on, let’s get it out of the way so we can celebrate with them later.”
Nobody argued against it, slowly following her to continue their work routine. As Yagami seated herself though and began to draw, Rin tapped her on the shoulder.
“Kou, how come you were so confident in the beginning? Did you know he would be fine?”
Reflecting on Maria and her words of encouragement, Yagami merely shook her head and grinned:
“Nope. You could say though that my prayers were answered.”
“You, praying? There’s a new one.”
“Hey now Rin, nothing wrong with hoping for the best. I’m just glad this whole mess could be sorted out. Come on, we shouldn’t leave Fuba hanging when she arrives.”
Rin’s eyes lit up slightly, agreeing and returning to her own workstation. The midday came and went, Futaba and Anders taking more time than expected. Yagami didn’t mind though, her thoughts more troubled by another pressing matter.
Nearly four hours after the phone call, she still didn’t have a good solution to the problem. Yet as the bell for their office rang, she knew she had no choice but to go through with it. She pushed herself away from her workplace as a familiar head stuck up near the ceiling, followed by a wide grin that lifted her spirits significantly. Futaba and Anders occupied the cubicle entrance, everyone giving their congratulations while Yagami and Rin walked up to the duo, the latter enveloping Futaba in a hug.
“Welcome back you two. I’m happy that you’re free, Anders.”
His eyes glinting with gratefulness, Anders pulled out his all-too familiar notebook and scribbled:
- I should be thanking you all for your support. I heard how you were all rooting for me despite my circumstances. You are all too kind.
Yagami couldn’t suppress a smile as she walked up to him and extended her hand, Anders gazing at it in surprise before shaking it professionally. She didn’t let go though, making him look at her in bewilderment, before she reached out and slapped him across the cheek. Shock reigned supreme across the room as Anders traced the red skin in confusion, letting Yagami utter with steel in her voice:
“You are an idiot, you know that? The biggest idiot I’ve ever had the fortune to come across. Never do that again, you hear me?”
Anders nearly shrunk back a bit from her tone, nobody willing to say a word until he smiled and wrote down:
- I’m not apologizing but thank you for the warning. Not like I will be able to do anything of similar sort now that I’m unemployed.
His words rang a bell for everyone, Hifumi surprising everyone with her voice message that echoed her shyness:
“Wh-what will y-you be doing now, Mr. Tansuke?”
He gave her a wide smile, causing her to blush vividly and turn back to her screen momentarily. Yagami didn’t know why, but the moment had caused a shade of unrest to flutter in her chest.
- Thank you for the concern, Ms. Takimoto. As you probably heard over the broadcast, I will temporarily be compensated by the company, despite my protests. So I will be alright for the time being. My bigger concern is whether I will even be able to find a job. ‘Nearly convicted’ doesn’t have a good ring to a resume, I find.
He wasn’t winning anyone over with his humor, the atmosphere somewhat depressing as he noticed his failure. A sudden clap woke them from their mood though, revealed to be Hazuki with Mozuku in her arms.
“Well now, Mr. Tansuke, this is certainly a welcome surprise. Congratulations for having been freed.”
Anders bowed deeply to her, the sudden humility as surprising to Hazuki as it was to Yagami, as he handed her the notebook:
- Good day Director. I thank you for your help with making our work at the Sakura Festival such a success. Without your assistance we would have suffered.
Futaba gave a light-hearted chuckle, before echoing the bow.
“Yes indeed. Thank you very much for all the help, Hazuki.”
It was as if Hazuki had just been confessed to, dropping Mozuku and rushing in to embrace Futaba in a hug that was just a bit too close for comfort.
“Oh Futaba, you’re just too cute!”
“Help, Boss!”
- Sorry, no longer your boss. Save yourself.
“Traitor!” she exclaimed as she vanished amongst Hazuki’s hair, Yagami and the rest having burst into laughter, even Anders shaking with amusement. Their cheer was short-lived, as the sound of a gun being cocked brought everyone to attention. All eyes fell on Ahagon, who looked ‘very’ displeased at the least.
“Director.” she began, Hazuki giving a frightened squeak.
“Y-yes?”
“I would appreciate it if you didn’t disturb us of the Programming Department further. We have a lot to catch up on and you are not helping.”
“Come on Umiko, I was just trying to…”
Ahagon’s eyes narrowed as she aimed at the ground, making Hazuki step dance in fear as she loosened a hail of bullets on her feet.
“I will not hear it. You seem to have a more pressing matter to resolve anyway.”
Hazuki gave a perplexed look as Ahagon ceased the onslaught.
“What? Did I forget another meeting or…?”
“No. Not with us, but with her.”
Ahagon’s eyes traveled over to Yagami, a small smile dancing on her face.
“You look about ready to keel over, and not because of blood loss, why ever that is.”
Embarrassed that she was found out and by Ahagon at that, Yagami gave a nervous laugh. Hazuki turned to her with a curious expression.
“Yagami, you wanted something with me?”
“Y-yeah, that’s right. Could I speak to you about something in the conference room?”
Eyebrows raised, Hazuki crossed her arms and gave an inquisitive look.
“Of course. I’m burning to find out what you might need. Futaba, Anders, I’ll see you later. I was going to have you two invited to eat with us tonight, but we’ll talk about that later. For now, please stay and enjoy our company.”
The two nodded, Aoba and the rest pushing them into the break room, unceremoniously bumping Anders’ head against the door frame in the process. As the apologies layered on themselves, the door closed and Yagami and Hazuki were alone.
“Well, then, Yagami, shall we?”
“Just a minute, let me get something.”
Hazuki watched as she ran back to her workplace and gathered up a few papers, before returning to her side. Yagami nodded as they moved to the conference room, it being abandoned right now thanks to the disruption of last week. As they settled in two adjacent chairs, Mozuku jumped up on Hazuki’s lap and fell promptly asleep, making her chuckle.
“Always taking advantage of the situation, Mozuku. So, what can I help you with, Yagami?”
Yagami began to fidget, the request she was about to make momentous in its implications when it came to Hazuki. Said person awaited her with an almost amused expression, stroking Mozuku while the fluorescent lights above hummed gently.
“What I’m about to ask of you is enormous…” Yagami began, Hazuki chuckling in
response.
“Oh come now, I’ve never been able to fulfill any request of you since you first entered. I’m happy that you finally decide to ask something of me. What is it?”
“It’s concerning Anders.”
Hazuki’s eyebrows rose to new heights, before an amused smile danced on her expression.
“I see. Are you asking me for my blessing with those marriage papers?”
“W-What? No!” Yagami nearly shot up into the roof as she blushed and waved wildly with her arms, Hazuki unable to hold it and laughing out loud.
“Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Don’t mind me teasing, go on.”
“Damn it, Hazuki.” Yagami took a deep breath as she tried to relax her body, both irritated at her antics but thankful for having removed most of the tension, “You know that Anders will have pretty much no chance to ever get a decent job again after this.”
“I am aware. What of it? Do you want me to put in a good word as reference?”
“S-something like that.”
Yagami swallowed hard.
“I want you to hire Anders here at Eagle Jump. And to put him under my supervision.”
To describe Hazuki’s expression as ‘shock’ was the understatement of the century. Her mouth flopped open as her spectacles hung sideways, Mozuku falling off her lap in a confused pile of fur as her hands tightened. She took several moments to recollect herself, before asking in an unusually serious voice:
“You want me to hire him? You are aware that I never hire men for the teams here, you know?”
“I know, and that it’s not for their lack of skills. But putting your preferences aside…”
“Careful, Yagami.” Hazuki warned, her tone a few notes deeper.
“...you have to take him in. Not a single news stations ignored the case from last Monday, especially after Anders was arrested. Just because he went free, it doesn’t mean he will be able to get a normal life back.”
“And you want me to act as the savior in this case? As your ‘lifeline’ to protect him? He’s a grown man, he can…”
“I know what he can do!” Yagami snapped, surprising Hazuki, “I’ve been exposed to it first-hand! But he takes it too far every time. He did it with the partnership and now with this whole scandal. He never did any of it without thinking about it beforehand, but he also ignored any consequence through his actions that affected him. He had protection while in the company but now? He’s alone!”
“And still in charge of his own future. Why should we act as guardians to him?”
“You owe him Shizuku!”
Hazuki blinked in surprise at her first name being used, before Yagami grabbed her shoulders and stared into her eyes with as much determination as she could.
“Nobody else knows this, but Anders is the only reason this company isn’t on the proverbial cliff edge. He had Futaba come by last Tuesday not to inform you of the case, but to clean out the computers of planted evidence. She found three thumb drives with the same malware used to cripple the branch, all to have us become the scapegoats for this whole thing!”
The eyes of Eagle Jump’s director were wide in shock.
“That can’t be…how?”
“The technicians. However they did it, they switched positions with ours and placed the sticks by different desks, including mine. And when that didn’t work, they went and placed one in my own home. Had Anders not guessed them capable of it, me and you would be the ones arrested, not him.”
“Yagami, you’re joking, I hope?”
“I’m not, Hazuki. Anders took the bullet for us all, simply because he couldn’t bear to have us get dragged into his own personal mess. He has some bad blood with some members of the company and knew they would use our involvement as a way to mask their steps. So he stepped in and took it all upon himself. Everything.”
Her hands began to shake as she felt herself become emotional again.
“I can’t leave him alone in all this. I dragged us into this with the partnership, I know that. But even then, Anders just smiled and took on responsibility for it all, never asking for anything in the process. And look!”
She let go of Hazuki to show her the drawings Anders had made in the Masked Glass, having taken them with her. She let Hazuki gloss over the designs in silence, her expression deeply steeped in concentration, as she regained control over her feelings. This was where her cards had all been thrown in that she could offer. Though that wasn’t all true either.
The silence in the room was deafening, making it feel almost tangible as Yagami’s throat constricted itself in worry. After what could have been ten minutes or an hour, Hazuki finally spoke up:
“You’re saying he drew these himself?”
“All without my help. He said he never earnestly tried drawing two weeks ago when he did this. He has talent, incredible talent at that. He’s almost…”
“Almost like you, you mean.”
Stunned that she finished her thought, Yagami listened as Hazuki sighed deeply.
“I understand now why you’re pushing this so hard, Yagami. I agree, helping him should be the least we can do for him, given the circumstances. But at the same time, putting him under you could hurt your team at the same time.”
“Huh?” Yagami felt dumb simply for saying it, but it was genuine.
“Think about it. We by no means only employ women here. You know that well enough. I however do not like to disturb the atmosphere here. Having a man suddenly thrust into the mix isn’t fair on both sides, as he would be strongly isolated from his male peers. There are other departments where Anders’ talent as a manager could flourish. I do not mind the idea of hiring him for another section of the company. He would fit in well with the Planning Team for obvious reasons. Why make him part of your team? You already have Aoba to watch over, don’t you?”
This was the worst-case scenario for Yagami. She knew that she had one more card to play, but her confidence was faltering. Her hand over her final trump card began to shake, Hazuki noticing it as she awaited an answer. Aware that her time was up, Yagami took a deep breath.
“Because I want to help ‘him’. Up until the night before the character contest, I completely failed to produce anything. I took off and tried to drown myself in drinks, instead coming across him at a quiet bar. That evening, Anders taught me anew that in order to overcome obstacles in life, we need to approach them from different angles. Thanks to him, I was able to come up with the idea of Pinocco and get back on track for my own work. So when he and Futaba had trouble preparing the festival, I only thought to offer my help. And for a week, that went without trouble. I was happy to simply return the favor.”
She grabbed hold of the paper containing Anders’ conversation with Maria, her hand trembling.
“But then, I suddenly realized that the person I knew, that I wanted to help, held a great burden on his shoulders. A pain that nobody could pinpoint and that he hid with every fiber of his being. This whole last week has been nothing but proof of the lengths he would go to protect those around him. But that’s not the real Anders. The one we know as a manager, as a branch leader, as a friend. Those are mere parts of him, pieces that have been established through circumstance. Yesterday, I was shown one small glimpse into Anders’ real self.”
She handed the slip to Hazuki, who read the text intently before glancing back up at her, allowing Yagami to continue:
“I don’t want Anders to get dragged into something where he doesn’t shine with his own goals, his own dreams. He has been helping so many people and working so hard all to satisfy the wishes of others. It’s time he did something for himself. So I will take him in and help him. Not because he’s the best at the job or to make a statement. But because I want him to find his own path in life. To move on. Aoba’s already established herself in this company, she no longer needs me constantly over her shoulder.”
There was no exaggerated emotion in Hazuki’s expression, being a firm mask of professional conduct. She scrutinized every aspect of Yagami through her eyes, likely playing through endless memories the two women had made and shared over their respective lifetimes. Yagami took heart from her efforts, staring Hazuki down with a steady gaze exempt from her earlier insecurity. Not a word was said for a felt eternity, until a sudden knock echoed on the door. Hazuki called the third party in, revealed to be a nervous Aoba.
“Aoba.” Hazuki said with a warm smile, though Yagami knew it was faked, “What is the issue?”
“I-I’m sorry to disturb, but we’re wondering when we’re departing for the dinner you mentioned earlier.”
“Ah, of course, I promised that, didn’t I?” Hazuki’s tone was playful, even if it didn’t distract Yagami, “Well, I think it’s best if we head over now then. It could get terribly cramped later so we best make the most of it. Yagami, we’ll continue this another time.”
“S-sure.” Yagami hated herself for her voice suddenly faltering, packing the papers together and departing the room, avoiding Aoba’s gaze deliberately. She rushed to pack her things, the others already ready for the most part and conversing with Futaba outside the glass doors. As she put on her coat, she felt a finger tap her on the shoulder, turning around to find Anders right beside her.
“Hey there. What’s up?”
He raised an eyebrow, producing his notebook again:
- I should be asking that. What did you two discuss?
“Just some stuff regarding our next game. We’re behind schedule after all with the disruption.”
He twitched at that but remained silent otherwise, instead taking an interested look at her workstation.
- These your drawings?
“Yep. You can have a look if you want.”
He took a sheet from Yagami’s recently finished pile, examining the characters with a mixture of emotions on his face. What is was, Yagami couldn’t discern, so she resorted to asking:
“What is it?”
- Sorry. I just felt a bit nostalgic, is all.
“How so?”
- The passion. The way you express their features. It’s almost otherworldly.
“Ok, now you’re close to what they call ‘brown-nosing’.”
- No, I mean it. It was the same back when I first played Fairies Story 1. Your characters don’t just evoke the idea that they’re parts of a game, but living creatures who occupy a world they have been part of since they were small. I remember playing through the campaign wondering to myself just how they never actually popped out of the screen to talk to me directly.
“That’s more the writing department to thank for. I just draw the characters and backgrounds they want.”
- And you do it with such skill that I forget they’re drawn sometimes. How come you have an empty desk next to you though?
Surprised by the compliment and change of topic, Yagami eyed the near sterile empty desk that formed half her side of the cubicle. Her mind clouded as she stared at the imaginary back of the last occupant.
“It used to belong to a rookie who worked here a number of years ago.”
- It wouldn’t happen to have been Makimura Tatsumi, would it?
“Wh...How did you know that?” she exclaimed, shocked that he would have known the name that haunted her past.
- It was a long-running rumor in the online community that she had quit because of pressure in the workplace. Word was, the renowned Yagami Kou had chased her out with unreasonable demands.
Gloom settled over Yagami’s already burdened heart as she thought back to those dark days during production, when Makimura had come and handed in her resignation letter with hollow eyes, as if not even seeing Yagami before her. It had haunted her to this day, never vanishing fully but only just present enough to hurt. It was one of the major reasons she had withdrawn so much outside of her bullying days. Having it brought up so bluntly made her mood fall significantly, until Anders grabbed her shoulder and shook gently. She blinked as she saw the writing on his notebook, his other hand instead performing something on his phone:
- Thing is, I felt something was wrong about the whole thing back then. So I investigated a little bit and managed to make contact with somebody special.
“Special?” she wondered aloud, before hearing a ringtone echo in the cubicle. It rang briefly, until a voice she never expected answered:
“Hello, Mr.Tansuke? How come you are calling me? Is everything alright?”
Yagami couldn’t stifle a gasp as she heard the voice of Makimura herself, said person picking up the sound:
“Is there somebody else with you, Mr.Tansuke?”
Anders tapped his phone thrice with his finger so it made an audible sound each time before handing it to her. Frozen at first with disbelief, she gingerly grabbed the phone and spoke in as clear a voice as she could muster:
“Hi, Maki.”
“Yagami? Is that you?”
Makimura’s tone was not negative in the least, instead being pleasantly surprised. Yagami almost didn’t believe it when she continued in a cheerful voice:
“Oh, it’s been so long since we last talked! Are you doing alright? I heard you nearly got caught up in that scandal with the Kerzo company. Why are you with Mr.Tansuke anyway?”
“Maki, calm down. I’m with Anders right now because he came by the company to visit after the trial. You remember the Sakura Festival last Friday?”
“Do I! Me and my coworkers spent all day at it, it was so beautiful! Your new characters for your game look amazing!”
“T-thank you. Did I hear ‘coworkers’ from you?”
Yagami had heard nothing from Makimura since she left, a rumor having spread that she left town.
“Yes! I’m a character artist at Hearts Masquerade right now across town. Do you know it?”
Yagami’s eyes nearly popped out.
“That’s one of the largest game companies in the whole region! They even have international sales! You’re over there now?”
“Yep! I had a rough spot after I left Eagle Jump, but a friend of mine knew about a recruitment opportunity at the company and I somehow managed to get the job. I’ve been there ever since.”
“I see.” Yagami said, relieved, “So, are you having fun over there?”
“Of course! The others were really strict at first, it made me feel like I was surrounded by a bunch of copies of you.”
Yagami cringed at that, Makimura somehow sensing it as she added:
“Oh no, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to phrase it like that!”
“N-no, it’s fine, don’t worry. Say, why do you have Anders’ number anyway? I never expected that when he pulled you out of his phone.”
“Oh that. Mr. Tansuke contacted me shortly after I had left the company and was still in search of a job. At first, I thought he was some sort of creep because he never said a word.”
Yagami chuckled.
“True, I kind of thought that at first as well.”
“Yes well, after I got around to trusting him, he began to ask me about why I left the company. It was a shock you know, after all the wrong press about me leaving.”
“Wrong press?”
“Yeah. A reporter who caught wind of me leaving tried to use it as ‘get-fame-quick’ scheme and blew the whole thing way out of proportion on the net. It was so bad that I started getting hate mail from strangers, demanding I kill myself for having burdened the ‘great’ Yagami from Eagle Jump.”
Yagami was lost for words, trying to come up with something to say when Makimura added:
“But then, it all changed suddenly. The forums, the posts, they all nearly disappeared overnight. Soon after, Mr. Tansuke came by to visit me and asked if I needed help finding a job.”
Her brain halfway towards functioning again, she pressed out:
“Wait, so he was the one who got you the job?”
“Yep! I couldn’t believe it myself, but Mr. Tansuke was so earnest about it that I couldn’t refuse. And all he ever asked of me was to hear the true story.”
“True story?”
Makimura paused for a moment, before continuing in a tone seeped with sympathy and regret.
“I’m sorry for never having taken up contact with you again Yagami. I know that the way I left was harsh on you and everyone else. I understand that you of all people must have felt awful about it. But, I was always too scared to ever tell you the truth why I left. Do you remember my mother when she came to visit that one time?”
“Of course I do. She made that delicious cake for us all despite our protests.”
Makimura’s voice grew a few shades darker, a depressed tone audible through it.
“Shortly after that, my mother got diagnosed with brain cancer and put into hospital for the rest of her life. I visited her every day, but the stress of having to see the woman who raised me by herself fall apart more and more was horrifying. It made it impossible for me to focus on my work properly and I ended up taking it out on you and the rest without my intention. When my mother died, I lost all will to live. I wanted to shut myself from the world and never interact with anyone again. So I wrote my resignation and left the company. Not because of you, Yagami, but because I was unable to stand up to my own problems. The comments and mail I received afterwards… it made me seriously consider suicide.”
Yagami gasped as she held the phone tightly, her last memory of Makimura’ empty eyes making more sense now. She had been so narcissistic as to assume the resignation was because of her only, not because of any other possible reason. The fact that she had never inquired more into her life made bile rise in her throat.
“Maki, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be, Yagami. It was my fault that I never came and talked to anybody about it. Fact was however, that if Mr. Tansuke hadn’t approached me and let me open up, I probably wouldn’t have made it. I’m extremely thankful to him still for having been there for me to confide in him. He did so much to get me through the worst period of my life and only asked to know the truth. I’m so happy that I’m able to talk to you now like this. Could I say something?”
“Haven’t you already been doing that from the start, Maki?” Yagami lightly teased, Makimura giggling before taking a deep breath.
“Yagami, thank you for all your guidance and help. The way you work and strive to improve yourself was and still is fascinating for me to behold with everything you create. Without your help in the beginning, I would never have adapted as quickly to Hearts Masquerade as I did. I’m sorry for never having had the courage before to approach you about my problems, but I want you to know I don’t have any ill feelings towards you or your methods. You were and still are my idol for what I can achieve in my future. So please, forgive yourself as well.”
The world collapsed before Yagami, who fell to her knees as tears ran down her face. She sobbed as Makimura waited patiently, Anders kneeling beside and putting an arm around her for support. She accepted it without question, pouring her heart out over the phone and repeating her gratitude over and over. They remained like this for a while, until Yagami slowly began to get a hold of herself. Anders noticed the improvement and stepped back, holding out a handkerchief that she gratefully accepted and wiped herself with. After a few deep breaths, she was finally able to talk normally:
“Maki, thank you again.”
“Come now Yagami, you’re going to make me cry at this point. I just hope you see that I never felt bad towards you at all. I’m going to have to go back to work, I’ve got a night shift ahead of me.”
“You do night shifts at your place?”
“No, just my own little version of what you always did. Who better to learn from than the best after all?”
“You brown-nosing little…!” Yagami said accusingly, though they both laughed at her words.
“Anyway, take care of yourself. Say hello to Mr.Tansuke for me as well, I hope he will be able to recover from this terrible misunderstanding. Take care.”
“I will. You too, Maki.”
As Makimura hung up, Yagami stared down at the phone with a refreshed mind. Closing it and handing it back to Anders, she saw him finish writing something:
- Are we feeling better?
Yagami couldn’t hold back, giving a belly laugh that hurt her stomach. Anders merely watched as years of doubt and worry rolled off Yagami’s back and gave her a lightness she hadn’t felt in a long time. She followed it up by giving Anders a hug, shocking the latter. She tightened her grip and whispered in his ear:
“Thank you, Anders. Truly, thank you.”
Anders didn’t reciprocate the gesture, Yagami not concerned though as she separated from him again and saw the blush on his face. He tried to hide it in vain, making her laugh again. The sound of Hazuki’s voice though made her nearly shriek with surprise:
“I’m sorry, am I intruding?”
Yagami leaped back from Anders as Hazuki watched them with an amused expression, both bright red in the face. Quickly turning away to finish up her packing, Yagami wiped her face clean of tears and rushed to meet up with the others, leaving Anders behind with Hazuki.
Not a word was said between her and Anders as they gathered up and left for the restaurant, the addition of him in the group a fun contrast to their overall height. He stood out like a lamppost, Futaba receiving a slap on the head from said person as she said it. Once they entered the restaurant, everyone found out to their amusement how he had to sit almost sideways to fit under the table.
Their time together was gratefully cheerful, Futaba showcasing her failure to hold her alcohol after a mere glass while Anders became the new competitor between Yagami and Ahagon. Their drinking was ended prematurely because of Rin’s concern over alcohol poisoning, yet everyone remained impressed with Anders being sober after all the rounds. As the celebrations came to a slow close, Hazuki tapped a glass with her spoon, making everyone fall as silent as Anders. Ahagon was the only one not listening, knocked out and leaning on Nene, who was blushing brightly.
“I would like to make a final toast to our guests here tonight. Again, congratulations to
Futaba for her excellent handling of the attack on her branch. You are an example to us all how to maturely approach and handle such serious situations.”
Everyone clapped, Futaba trying to sink in her chair from embarrassment, though Rin propped her up with a bright smile. Hazuki then turned her attention to Anders:
“And to you, Anders, I wish to extend my own heartfelt congratulations to being set free this morning. You must have had it hard on you for the last while and so, I hope you were able to relax this evening.”
Anders nodded towards her, nudging Yagami to read what he wrote on the notebook:
- Thank you, Director, everyone. I have not enjoyed myself like this for a very long time.
“Call me Hazuki, Anders. I do think we will be making sure of that in due time. For now, I wish to hand you two a gift.”
Both Futaba and Anders leaned in, curiosity evident on both of them. Hazuki rummaged in her purse before pulling out two lanyards with cards.
“We intruded upon your plans for the Sakura Festival in a most unbecoming manner. Yet you showed no ill will and instead produced what we can all agree was a great success despite the setback you suffered. I have also been made aware that you, Anders, have been most kind in assisting our own employees with their troubles, be it past or current.”
She winked at Yagami, who realized that she must have overheard the entire conversation with Makimura. Blushing slightly, she let Hazuki continue:
“For all this, I wish to thank you with these. Your very own ID cards for our offices.”
Aoba and the others gasped in surprise, Hajime coughing through her drink in a shameful display that made Jun glare at her in disapproval. Futaba looked genuinely touched, while Anders remained calm about it. Hazuki moved around the table and handed Futaba hers, enclosing her hands in her own:
“Futaba, I know you were a long-time friend of Yagami and Rin since high school. So that you three may continue to catch up with each other whenever you please, accept this as part of my thanks. You are welcome to come by anytime.”
The young manager gave a quiet nod as tears threatened to form in her eyes but forced them down and gave a proud smile. Happy with her, Hazuki then moved over to Anders, who awaited her with an oddly amused expression that she shared with him.
“Anders, I understand that you have a lot of hardships ahead of you. Even more so, I am aware that your life will be more difficult through the enemy of every applicant, namely rumors. As such, I would like to ask you something before I hand you this.”
Now all eyes were on the two, Anders’ gaze merely inquisitive while Hazuki’s was unusually serious for having had at least five rounds of sake.
“Presume you could do whatever you wanted from now on. What do you wish to do in future?”
The absurdly simple question had a significant impact on the rest, murmured questions running through the group while Futaba’s eyes grew wide. She showed the most interest of all, Yagami understanding that this was a rare opportunity. Anders’ expression became complicated, scratching his unfitting beard as he looked down at the table, his hands still on the page but without movement. It was clear he had difficulty answering it, Hazuki adding:
“I’ve been made aware that you, for a very long time now, have pursued to help others as much as possible. While that is a very noble trait, too much humility can lead to irreversible damage, as I’m sure you’re aware.”
While his cringe was expected, Yagami wondered for a moment if there wasn’t more to it.
“Thus, I wish to see what happens when you’re given the chance to pursue any dream of your liking. Tell me, does one exist deep inside you?”
Silence reigned again in the restaurant, the remaining customers busied with their own matters while all eyes rested on Anders, who appeared truly troubled. He glanced up at Yagami, who returned a confident nod with an accompanying smile. Eventually, his hands began to move, the pen scratching lightly on the paper as he wrote out a lengthy answer, before ripping out the page and handing it to Yagami. Surprised, she took the page without question as he nodded towards her, slowly lowering her eyes on the first line and speaking out loud:
- For a very long time, it has been my dream to create a world. A world with characters and a story that I’ve been developing and thinking about for years. But I do not wish to merely have it presented through words, but drawings as well. I believed for far too long that to draw such a complex world would be beyond my ability, a dream to merely dream about for my own enjoyment. But a few years ago, I received a glimpse into the world of character design. It fascinated me to no end, to find people capable of such detail and care that their designs could be passed for artwork.
Yagami paused for a moment to clear her throat, her ears a slight shade of red. Hazuki was the only one to notice it, giggling as Yagami continued reading:
- Again however, I believed that such work was impossible for me with my occupation and schedule. So I sunk my aspirations in hope of finding another goal to pursue. But no matter where I looked, I only saw myself heading towards corporate damnation, even if with the best damn coworkers I could ever ask for.
Glancing to the side, Yagami caught Futaba sniveling while wiping tears from her eyes, evidently riled up from the whole ordeal. Rin offered her a shoulder to cry on, it being gratefully accepted.
- And yet, I now find myself free. In a world like this, I’m frightened to ask for what I want. Yet, I do know that if given the chance, I would want to learn from you all. Be it characters or landscapes, drops or clouds, I want to learn how to paint the world in my mind. So that one day, it will be reflected in my story and entertain anyone who reads it. Therefore, I now declare my wish to join your company, Hazuki Shizuku. To receive the honor to train myself and to find my own path to pursue in future.
Yagami had to fight to not tear up again at the last few sentences. Anders’ expression conveyed his own nervousness at his honesty, sitting awkwardly as the rest gazed at him in surprise. Hazuki then snapped her fingers, waking everyone from the quiet atmosphere:
“Well now, that certainly was refreshing, wasn’t it Anders?”
He merely nodded, a light blush on his face to signify his embarrassment. He therefore never expected it when Hazuki placed the lanyard over his head, declaring with a pleased voice:
“In that case, I would be honored to formally invite you to join Eagle Jump, Anders, starting tomorrow.”
Shouts of surprise rose from everyone on the table, Hazuki raising a hand to silence them as she started another stare-off with Anders, whose mouth was wide open:
“It is a big jump, I know. You likely will have a lot to learn in a short period of time. But I think we can arrange everything. You have shown great skill in such matters to us before, so I think it’s time to show you that you’re not the only one with means. I hope you can stomach to be under somebody again after a position like yours.”
Anders hastily scribbled an answer on the notebook, Yagami again reading it out for him:
- Anything you ask me to do, I will do it. Thank you Hazuki.
“Don’t thank me yet. I haven’t told you the full description of your job yet. You will, after great consideration, be placed in the Character Team.”
Ignoring the first few comments from the rest, Hazuki finished up:
“In addition, you will be put under the supervision of our very own Yagami herself as a rookie. Aoba, you finally have a junior.”
Aoba didn’t respond, too shocked to respond like the rest apart from Yagami, who gave a loud laugh and slapped Anders on the back.
“Well now, how’s that for ‘returning the favor’?”
Anders turned to her with open-mouthed shock and awe, his question clear as day for her to read as she gave a nervous laugh.
“Yeah, I might have done something to help with it, but it was mostly Hazuki’s choice. You should thank her if anything. In any case, welcome to the team, Anders. I look forward to working with you.”
She extended a hand to shake, her heart freed of burdens and merely in elation. Anders’ gaze wandered between her hand and smile, before she noticed a single tear roll down his face, visible to all as they watched with intrigue. Just as it dripped off his chin, he flung himself forward and embraced her, muting everyone into stunned silence. Yagami was unable to move, the pressure and heat of his body overwhelming her mind before it kicked back into action:
“H-hey, Anders, you’re crushing me! You’re crushing me!”
Anders didn’t listen, pressing hard enough to push all remaining air out of her lungs. She struggled to free herself, before he removed himself from her and gripped her shoulders tightly, shaking while collecting himself. After taking a deep breath, he returned his attention to his notebook, suddenly beginning to draw some sort of figure instead of text. Fanning herself to regain her own self-control, she was the first to recognise it, giving a proud smile at it. He quickly finished it, turning the page around to reveal a full-size image of Boldur, bowing deeply and saying:
- Everyone, I look forward to working with you. Please take good care of me.
As their eyes scanned the figure, Aoba suddenly rang out:
“Wait, isn’t that Boldur from Yagami’s sketchbook in Fairies Story 1?”
Anders lit up at the recognition, Yagami answering for him:
“Not quite. It’s similar, but it’s Anders’ first original character. Look at the arms.”
“You’re right, they’re way too long!”
- Oi, they suit him.
Laughter resounded around the table while Anders and Aoba began to squabble between themselves, Yagami part of it until she noticed Rin’s troubled expression. Wondering as it vanished for a sudden smile, she started as Hazuki returned to the head of the table:
“Everyone, this has become a long night and as such, I wish to make this end on as high a note as possible. Thus, if you would all raise your glasses.”
Nobody went against the order, even Ahagon managing to do it with some assistance from Nene. Hazuki waited for everyone to be ready before thrusting her glass up:
“To our new team member Anders! Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
The rest of the evening was loud and boisterous, everyone doubling the amount of fun they had before. As they eventually split for the night, Anders gave several more thanks to everyone before departing with Futaba in her car, the latter having sobered up after her only drink early on. As Yagami found herself alone with Rin and Hazuki, she turned to the spectacled woman and bowed to her:
“Thank you Hazuki.”
“For what, Yagami? I merely secured us a promising new rookie to work with us. If you seek thanks, extend it to Anders for having been such a help to us last week. Now then, I must head home so if you’ll excuse me.”
The two of them waved Hazuki off as she departed, turning the corner after giving a final smile and wave. As they ended up alone, Yagami sensed Rin burdened by something.
“What is it Rin? Not happy that we get another person to share the workload with?”
“T-that’s not it, Kou. I just…” Rin struggled with something before sighing and relaxing her shoulders.
“Kou, could you just...let me do as I wish for a moment?”
“Sure. Knock yourself out.”
Whatever Yagami could have expected, she didn’t expect Rin to stride towards her. She embraced her with a grip that didn’t feel platonic but something deeper. Before she could figure it out, Rin whispered in her ear:
“Please don’t forget that I’m here as well, Kou.”
A peck on her cheek and Rin was gone, rushing down the street without showing her face, vanishing around the next corner. Yagami stood there in shock, rubbing the place where she had been kissed when an enigmatic voice spoke out from behind:
“The troubles of life are truly endless aren’t they, Ms. Yagami?”
She nearly fell out of her skin as Maria popped out of nowhere. The mysterious woman was dressed in her usual attire, the lily replaced with what appeared to be a daisy. Yagami collected herself and bowed.
“Maria. Thank you so much for helping me with Anders today.”
“Now, now. Who said I ever did anything? I merely listened to somebody’s wish and had somebody perform their job properly for once. In any case, Ms.Yagami, I see that you’ve succeeded in securing Anders another job.”
“Yep!” she announced cheerfully, too drunk to concentrate fully on the kiss earlier, “I did my best and managed to get him the job that will let him fulfill his dreams! Looks like he won’t be coming by to visit anymore, Maria. Sorry in advance.”
“I see.” the woman said in a neutral tone, before a shade of unhappiness tainted her expression, “As pleasing as that sounds, I’m afraid that I will be hosting Anders for quite some time still.”
“What?” she muttered, the alcohol hitting her system again, “But why? He was just unhappy because of his job preventing him from wanting to become an artist, right? Why else would…”
“...he be so happy otherwise with his new job?” Maria finished for her, Yagami shutting up in surprise, “I think that after all these recent experiences, you should be aware that Anders is more complex than that. Or have you forgotten about when you spoke about your pasts?”
“Wait, what does that have to do with anything? He might be out of his previous job, sure, but he gets to do something he always wanted.”
Maria simply shook her head gently, making Yagami even more confused.
“I see you still fail to see the extent to which you were asked to take ‘responsibility’ for. If you’ll excuse me, Ms. Yagami, I sense another customer approaching who needs attending. I have asked for a taxi to get you home safely.”
She turned to leave, before Yagami held her back by yelling:
“Hold on! What do you mean with all of this? He’s able to do what he wanted, what else does he need?”
Maria turned her head halfway towards her, one prismarine eye glinting with a mixture of resignation and contemplation.
“Consider your brief brush with Ms. Toyama an example. Some people have the luck to be blessed with partners that remain beside them through ups and downs. Others, however, have the misfortune of their light being ripped from their hands through both circumstance and their own mistakes. I pray you don’t end up doing the same mistakes as Anders. And ask yourself this. What have you learned to see and become blind to in the process?”
A passing car’s headlights blinded Yagami for a moment, blinking and afterwards finding the space previously occupied by Maria empty, herself all alone in a street barely beset by other people. She gazed at the empty space with a perplexed expression, unable to process what just happened. A car horn behind her though woke her up and revealed a taxi driver awaiting her with an open car door.
“Ms.Yagami, I presume? I have been paid to take you to your apartment. Not to worry, I have already received your address in confidence. If you would please.”
Momentarily stunned beyond movement, Yagami slowly gathered her remaining wits and seated herself, the car driving off at a speedy pace that saw almost no traffic. She gazed out of the seat window as her thoughts turned turbulent. The faces of Rin and Anders spun in her mind, losing clarity as Maria’s voice echoed in her ears:
What have you learned to see and become blind to in the process?
