Kobayashi Tetsu had proactively invited Anegasaki Nene, but he received an unexpected response.
Anegasaki Nene couldn't go out lately!
She had to go back to her hometown with her parents to visit their relatives.
"Am I really going to be all alone on my hard-won vacation?"
Kobayashi Tetsu stood there blankly for a moment.
Actually, he still had a third option.
Kobayashi Tetsu took a deep breath and finally picked up the phone, dialing a certain number.
On the other end of the line.
Takamine Aika answered the home phone, glanced around to make sure her parents weren't there, and greeted him.
"This is the Takamine residence."
"Aika? What are you doing?"
Takamine Aika fell silent for a moment. This was Kobayashi Tetsu's voice.
Her heart suddenly skipped a beat. Suppressing her emotions, she spoke.
"My parents aren't here. Um, what is it?"
"I have an important assignment for you," Kobayashi Tetsu said seriously. "I'm planning a business trip soon to conduct some research. The locations might be Hawaii, Paris, Australia... it'll be for a week. Just me and an assistant."
Takamine Aika reacted quickly.
All of those were tourist cities.
So-called "research" was clearly not research at all! It was just a vacation.
She knew all too well what this phone call implied. At their age, two people traveling alone to places like Paris and Hawaii... And Hawaii, of course, meant swimsuits. In the end, wouldn't that mean—
Takamine Aika didn't even dare to finish the thought!
It's a little too exciting!
She glanced outside again. Even knowing her parents weren't home, she still felt a thrill of nervous anticipation.
"Yes," Takamine Aika said, "I can still complete my work as usual."
"Good. Let's see, I'll start with a research trip to Australia."
Takamine Aika unconsciously twisted the phone cord around her finger.
"Research in Australia... I've heard of it. The Great Barrier Reef, and Uluru—"
Kobayashi Tetsu interrupted, "Uluru? Just hearing you say 'Uluru' makes me too scared to cross a bridge."
How terrifying! Uluru!
The plan was set. That evening, during dinner, Takamine Aika cautiously brought up the matter to her parents.
"Father, Mother, actually... I'd like to try going on a trip with a friend soon."
Instantly, both parents set down their rice bowls.
"A friend? Male or female?"
"Speaking of which, you didn't go back to work at the hospital, saying you wanted to make it on your own. But it's been so long, and you still haven't told us what kind of work you're actually doing."
Takamine Aika remained in her kneeling position, smoothing her hair.
"It's just a regular office job at an import-export company. I mainly handle data statistics, information gathering, and things like that. It's not too difficult, and I'm learning a lot. Plus, a friend works there, so it's actually a pretty good place. As for going out, of course I'm with female friends—you know, like Shizuko, who used to visit us all the time."
Her parents exchanged a glance, seemingly reassured for the time being.
Still, they couldn't resist a few scoldings, forbidding her from associating with the opposite sex without permission and so on.
As dinner ended, a thrill of excitement trembled through Takamine Aika's heart.
Lying to her parents, going on a trip alone with a man... Will she still be the same person when she returns?
Probably not. She'll be someone else entirely.
But this is so exhilarating!
Takamine Aika raised a hand to touch her burning cheek. She knew she had to make arrangements before leaving—coordinate their stories and lend her friend some money to go away for a few days.
Plan thoroughly, then act. Leave no flaws!
At the Atlas office, Kobayashi Tetsu had left simple work instructions before heading off on vacation.
Naka Yuji stood with his hands on his hips, surveying the office.
Now that Kobayashi Tetsu is gone, I'm the boss here!
The glass door slid open, and Tajiri Satoshi, whose unique appearance set him apart from the rest, walked in.
Naka Yuji's expression instantly turned serious.
Kobayashi Tetsu had specifically emphasized while making work arrangements that this person held the highest priority.
He had even said, "Satoshi Tajiri has a mental illness—the kind where you can get away with murder."
"Tajiri-kun, right?" Naka Yuji invited him. "Please, have a seat. The President isn't in, but he specifically instructed me to receive you."
Tajiri Satoshi nodded and followed Naka Yuji into the meeting room.
"Could you pass this message to President Kobayashi for me?" Tajiri Satoshi gestured with his hands. "Over the past year, I've visited many zoos, aquariums, insectariums, and fossil museums. I've collected a lot of data, and I've already drawn many of the original artwork I've conceived."
He pointed to the heavy box in his hands. "I want to use all of this to make a game."
Naka Yuji was slightly startled.
If he's making a game, isn't this data pile too massive?
The entire large box had been difficult for Tajiri Satoshi to carry in. They rarely used this much material when making games.
Recalling Kobayashi Tetsu's instructions, Naka Yuji still nodded in agreement. After chatting with Tajiri Satoshi for a few more minutes and informing him of when Kobayashi Tetsu might return from his vacation, he finally saw Tajiri Satoshi off.
In the afternoon, a call came from Australia. Kobayashi Tetsu had arrived at his reserved accommodation and told them to use this number if anything came up.
Naka Yuji quickly reported, "President, a Mr. Tajiri Satoshi came by today. He left a box, saying it's full of materials he's collected for game development."
On the other end of the line, Kobayashi Tetsu's voice instantly rose in pitch. "What's in the box? Describe it to me."
"Yes, sir."
Naka Yuji opened it and fell silent for a moment as he looked at the original artwork.
"It's all pencil drawings. They look like monsters, dinosaurs, and bugs," Naka Yuji guessed. "Is he planning to make an action game? There are a lot of monsters, and some items whose purpose I can't quite figure out."
On the other end, Kobayashi Tetsu breathed a sigh of genuine relief. Even through the phone, Naka Yuji could hear the sense of liberation in his voice.
"Nakahiro-kun, book a flight to Australia for tomorrow. Invite Tajiri Satoshi to come here and see me. Don't worry—he's just a bit mentally unstable, but he's not foolish. He can take care of himself and knows how to travel."
Naka Yuji nodded.
He could handle this easily.
Buy a ticket, then pack Satoshi Tajiri off!
Still, Naka Yuji couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
What kind of game could be so important? So important that Kobayashi Tetsu would go out of his way to bring Satoshi Tajiri over to see him during his vacation?
Naka Yuji felt a little sour.
Damn, maybe I'm not the President's most trusted man after all!
After hanging up, Kobayashi Tetsu let out a sigh of relief.
Guys, you have no idea!
The sense of salvation I felt when I heard Satoshi Tajiri had finally completed the preliminary work for Pokémon!
Nearby, Takamine Aika, who had just set down her suitcase, turned to Kobayashi Tetsu.
"President—" She caught herself and changed her words. "Tetsu-kun, is it some very important work?"
"It's not work, but it's more important than work."
Kobayashi Tetsu spread his arms wide. "Because we are about to welcome one of the most profitable works in the history of electronic games!"
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