New Line: A Fresh Step   von Xanderionas
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                            Kapitel 11: Chapter 11
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Aoba’s voice woke Hifumi from her sleep-bedraggled state:
“Hey, Hifumi?”
“Hmm?” Hifumi murmured while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She had nodded
off on her pillow during lunch, the stress of last night having caught up with
her.
“Are you alright? You look exhausted.”
“I’m... fine. Just tired from the speed. Haven’t gotten used... to it
yet.”
“I see. Well please take care and eat this. We still have to go to that
meeting later today.”
“Meeting?” Hifumi commented while snacking on the calorie bar that Aoba
handed to her.
“Yeah, did you forget? We’re getting a new producer because the old one’s
quitting. True, it was abrupt, so maybe you overheard it.”
“That producer never did anything calmly.” Hajime commented, busy eating
through the latest flavor of her giant rice crackers, Jun still eying her with
disappointment. 
“You’re going to drive me mad with that crunching, eat something proper for
once.”
“Why? So you can excuse yourself from eating too much of your own food and
gaining weight?”
Jun squeaked as she went into a rant, Hajime merely laughing and waving her
half-finished cracker. Hifumi couldn’t help but smile as she watched their
lunch table erupt in the usual mischief, until another voice joined in:
“Well now, let’s not get too excited. Hazuki did say that the applicant was
found at short notice.”
Hifumi turned to face Rin, who had given Yagami her ‘special’ lunchbox and
instead sat down and ate with them. Yagami was busy drawing while eating, a pair
of headphones over her ears that prevented any disturbance. She had opted to
wear them throughout the day, finding that the music helped her concentrate.
Whether it was for that or to give herself some space from Rin, nobody could or
probably ever would find out. Hifumi satiated her curiosity therefore by teasing
Yagami about it during their regular phone calls. 
Returning her attention to the table, she grabbed her cup of tea and sipped at
the brew, feeling her body warm up and fuel her with energy.
“That’s better. When is this new producer coming, by the way?”
Rin glanced at her schedule before commenting:
“Roughly four. Apparently, there’s been some trouble arranging the transfer
in such short time, so Hazuki’s been working hard to get them acquainted with
the board. We’ll only get to see them during the meeting, but it should be
interesting nonetheless.”
Nobody argued against it, quietly sipping their tea while they enjoyed the break
in their otherwise hectic schedule. The reduction in work hours had caused a
huge backlog for people, Hifumi included. Getting organized had taken a few
weeks, but she had persevered. She rubbed her lips absentmindedly of the reward
she got for her hard work. As she got lost in her thoughts, she barely caught
Rin’s concerned words:
“Are you alright, Hifumi? You’re still getting used to the job and we’re
taking on more than ever. Don’t push yourself.”
“It’s alright... I just need to hold out until tonight when I
celebrate…”
All eyes lit up at her words, Hifumi all too aware why. Aoba took up speaking
for everyone:
“You’re celebrating the end of your hospital watch, aren’t you?”
“It’s not official... I still need to take my medication like before…”
“But you get to do it by yourself now, don’t you? That must be a relief,
both for you and the caretaker. They must have been waiting for this day as
well.”
Hifumi smiled, all too eager to spoil everything.
“Yes...they’re very happy to see me having recovered so well. I’m still
not allowed to run by myself, but I hope that can soon change.”
The opposite was true in fact, but Hifumi had no choice but to make appearances.
At least, until later. Just as Hajime wanted to comment, Rin clapped her hands.
“Lunch’s over. Let’s get as much done as we can and then head over to the
restaurant. I’m still surprised Hazuki rented out the entire place for us.
Where did she get the budget for it?”
Hifumi couldn’t hold back on this topic and let slip:
“I heard that Hazuki got in contact with somebody who’s well acquainted with
the owner. She’s... well connected.”
“I see.” Rin said while pushing her chair back to her table, “Well,
let’s get going as well. Kou, how’s the food?”
Yagami raised a thumbs up while continuing to draw with her other hand, Rin
giving a pleased sound and hugging her before returning to work. Hifumi could
sympathize with Yagami’s flustered expression, though it was impossible to
ignore the happy smile on her face. Slapping herself awake, she helped pack up
the lunch table and returned to her own work, intent on not sleeping through
until after the big meeting.
Following a long, but productive work session, Hifumi sighed in relief as she
dropped her pen and massaged her chest. The pain of working long hours had faded
away somewhat in recent days, but it still took a lot out of her to remain
concentrated for so long. She quickly ran through her routine and waited for her
discomfort to vanish, before joining the group as they, along with the rest of
their staff, headed out of the office. She kept up chatting quietly with Aoba
and the others, listening to stories about their wild escapades and ideas while
giggling almost constantly. Their walk to the restaurant did not go unnoticed,
many eyes tracking the long line of women that flocked to the establishment at
the end of the bar street, almost right beside a small alley that led to a dark,
disheveled store with no indication of being open. Hifumi eyed it for a moment
while moving past. She had not returned to the place since, Yagami having
mentioned it no longer being open for business a few days after their last group
meeting there. She hadn’t explained what had happened, but her eyes had told
that it had ended on good terms. So she joined the others as they entered the
restaurant, finding their seats close to where Hazuki and Fudo sat together,
already busy drinking sake. Getting settled took longer than expected, the
layout of the restaurant having been changed drastically to accommodate all the
people here today. Once silence reigned though, Hazuki lifted a spoon and tapped
her glass, grabbing everyone’s attention.
“Everyone, thank you for having come here today. We are here officially to
welcome our soon-to-be producer, after our current one, Fudo Tatsumaki, has said
a few words. The guest of honor hasn’t arrived yet so please be patient.”
All eyes landed on the empty seat next to Fudo, before the man himself cleared
his throat and stood up, holding his sake glass steady despite his red cheeks:
“Welcome everyone. I am Fudo Tatsumaki, Producer of Eagle Jump and your
‘overlord’. It pleases me that so many of my subordinates have gathered to
send me off.”
His cheerful tone had the right effect, most coworkers smiling or even giggling
out of politeness. 
“You all know why we are here, but none of you know who we are awaiting. I’m
sure you have your personal suspicions over whom it may be. Perhaps this is all
a ruse and I’m actually instating Hazuki here.”
“Oh come now, Fudo.” Hazuki waved him off with a deceivingly innocent smile,
“I’m far too young to be taking up such an important position. You’re
going to make me look old.”
Fudo cleared his throat in a manner that conveyed more than the gesture, causing
nearly everyone to smirk as Hazuki sent death glares at him. He ignored them
though and pressed on, unperturbed:
“But before we get into the main event, I would like to say a few words to you
all, both as your soon to be ex-producer and as a human being.”
His phrasing caught the interest of many, who leaned in over their respective
tables.
“I am aware that my actions, especially those over the last few months, have
caused you a great deal of grief, particularly with the development of our new
product. My actions were led by none other than my own opinions, without
regarding any of yours for feedback and possible improvements. Therefore, I wish
to apologize to you all first and foremostly. I am truly sorry.”
He gave a deep bow, the gesture enough to shock nearly everyone apart from
Yagami, Hazuki and Hifumi. Aoba stared open-mouthed at Fudo, evidently trying to
comprehend someone as important as him acting so humble. As he raised himself
again, a grin adorned his features.
“With that being said, I can now give you all room to breathe regarding your
new producer. I‘ve made my decision very carefully so that whoever succeeds me
will make sure to have your views and feelings in consideration. At the same
time, I cannot think of a more suitable person to lead you all into new heights
through the years. It has been an amazing time for me and I thank you all for
your hard work and effort. Now then, our guest should be here any…”
He was interrupted by the sound of the restaurant door opening, all eyes turning
to the door before widening in shock. Aoba barely managed to stammer out a
single word:
“S-Sojiro?”
Indeed, before their very eyes stood none other than Sojiro, only immensely
larger than usual. He towered over the seated members like a guard dog, his
beady eyes level with the collarbone of most people. He turned his head left and
right as he began to sniff for something. Hifumi watched with a pleased
expression as Sojiro crawled along the open space between the tables, now
revealed to have been done so on purpose. Sojiro continued navigating his way
around the floor, the other coworkers in both distress and confusion as to what
was going on. Hifumi couldn’t blame them. 
As Sojiro clambered past however, he paused and eyed her, Hifumi giving a small
wave. The overly large mammal continued staring, before suddenly moving in and
opening its jaw, the inside of its mouth pitch-black due to the lighting. Aoba
gave a warning shout but was too late, the head of the giant hedgehog swallowing
Hifumi’s head almost whole. Screams began to resound in the restaurant, before
Hifumi raised her hands into the air. The gesture brought them all to stop
momentarily, watching in shock as Sojiro retreated and left a maroon faced
Hifumi behind.
“I’m fine!” she exclaimed through her blush, “He didn’t hurt me. He...
recognized me.”
Questions aplenty rose from the others while Yagami burst into hysterical
laughter, tears forming in her eyes as she tried to get it under control. Rin
didn’t know whether to stare at her in disapproval or to eye the massive
hedgehog in fear. The animal in question continued heading to the table where
Fudo and Hazuki were seated, the latter shaking as she tried to contain her own
laughter. Fudo satisfied himself with a smirk that told Hifumi he was enjoying
himself immensely.
“Ah, perfect. You’re just in time.”
Sojiro glanced at Fudo and nodded with its oversized head, before seating
himself beside him. The confusion now evolved to being dumbfounded as Hajime
pressed out:
“Producer? What did you mean by that?”
“Oh, did I not explain? This here is the one who will be taking over from me.
Everyone, please give him a warm welcome.”
Him and Hazuki began to clap, the action only reciprocated by Hifumi and a
shaking Yagami, while the rest remained silent. Nobody had any clue what was
going on, it being just the way Hifumi wanted. She set her role into motion by
raising a hand and asking:
“Producer? Could you explain how a giant hedgehog could possibly be our new
producer? I find that rather impossible, not to mention absurd.”
Nods of agreement passed around the restaurant, barely anyone able to watch the
situation with a straight face. Sojiro sat up on his behind and gazed over the
crowd, before raising a paw and waving cheerfully over to them. Fudo then
cleared his throat again before speaking:
“Well then, would you be so kind as to introduce yourself? I think your
impression has already been made, for better or worse.”
Sojiro stared at Fudo with a cocked head, before beginning to fumble with his
oversized head using his paws. Eventually, he grabbed hold of some fold and used
it to pop the head off, revealing someone whose name was echoed by Aoba and the
rest of Hifumi’s table:
“Anders!”
The man grinned as he slowly extracted himself from the outfit, wearing formal
attire underneath that must have made it nigh unbearable to be inside the suit,
spare the lack of a tie. Everybody stared as he finally extracted himself,
landing on the ground with a satisfied huff. He quickly arranged the hedgehog
suit so it wouldn’t get crumpled, as Hifumi had taught him to do, before
facing the restaurant with a smile. He glanced over at Hifumi and, after a nod
from her, he took a deep breath.
“Thank you for having me. My name is Anders Tansuke and I’m the one to be
receiving the position of Producer at Eagle Jump.”
The entire table where Hifumi sat erupted in a mixture of shock and disbelief.
Hajime looked ready to faint from the processing while Rin just stared at him
with an open mouth. It amused Hifumi that, for a moment, they were the odd group
in the mix, most coworkers raising eyebrows at them while Ahagon gave a laugh,
Nene beside her as confused as the rest.
“Well I’ll be.” Ahagon’s voice proved she was incredibly amused, “What
happened to that great ‘silent treatment’ you were giving us before?”
Anders looked over towards her before chuckling briefly himself. 
“Call it a phase of mine. I want to repeat my words though and thank everybody
who came to greet me. Pardon the unusual entrance, I couldn’t deny my partner
the chance to see it in action.”
The news passed around like wildfire, everyone marking him as taken while some
gave disappointed sighs. The even greater question, however, based on their
whispers, was who exactly his ‘partner’ was. Hifumi couldn’t help but feel
a brief burst of pride in her chest, ignoring Aoba’s questioning look.
“Now then, to business. I’m sure some of you have questions regarding me,
but I’ll ask that you keep them until the end. I wish for this to be an
enjoyable experience for all of us. Shizuku, what’s first on the agenda?”
Again, everyone turned speechless as he addressed Hazuki by her first name, who
only returned a smile and lifted a slip of paper. Hifumi would have been shocked
as well, had she not been there outside the Masked Glass when Hazuki had told
the two of them to call her that from now on.
“You should probably give them an explanation of what you are up to. That
might help mellow them out.”
“Agreed. So then, I’m not wrong in guessing that you all have interest in
just what I’m doing here. Some of you will recognize me for my involvement
with Kerzo Marketing and the cyber-attack that was carried out.”
A brief glance over the group showed over half were guilty, looking away briefly
to wipe away the awkwardness. 
“It’s no surprise that a lot of you are shocked that I’ve come out of
nowhere to take this position. After all, I vanished for a few months after my
first week here, as some of you may remember. I did make quite a show of it.”
He gave a nervous laugh while scratching his head, some co-workers giving sour
looks as they recalled the chase that they had also been involved in. He had
built a small following during his first week, no surprise given him being the
first male employee in their circles in a long while.
“I truly apologize for that shameful exit. But I’ve returned, and with more
determination than ever before. Before we get into the boring parts of what I
promise to bring to the table with my new job, let’s all get to know each
other better. I would like to make a gamble with you all, if that’s fine.”
Curious eyes swarmed Anders, who remained steadfast.
“I will try to remember the name of every employee here. For every name that I
get wrong over the next month, I promise to add one thousand yen from my own
pockets to your paychecks. Of course, only for the aforementioned month. Since
we have nearly... fifty people here, that adds up to about fifty thousand yen
each time I slip up. How does that sound?”
The curious look in their eyes shifted to that of genuine surprise, hushed
conversations erupting amongst the tables about the possible losses he could
incur. Aoba and the others satisfied themselves with the most dumbfounded looks
Hifumi had ever seen. She would have been part of them, had she not tried to
rebuke the idea with Anders a few days ago. As such however, she remained
content with watching as Fudo raised his arms and brought them all to quieten
down.
“I see you like to play with fire, Anders.” he said while chuckling, “That
could be a very steep price if you do keep your end of the bargain.”
Anders shrugged as if the prospect of losing tens of thousands was
inconsequential.
“I always mean what I say. Well,” he added after Yagami gave a loud cough,
“I at least try to these days. But I will try to learn all the names here.
After all, how on earth am I going to decide who to make my coffee girl if I
can’t even say her name?”
He had said it teasingly, but it didn’t come across well with the others.
Hifumi watched as eyes narrowed all around them, Ahagon’s one of them. The
distrust in the room grew exponentially, the glares Anders received positively
stormy, when he tried to put up a defense by raising his own hand.
“I apologize for the tasteless joke. Putting that aside for now though, I do
wish to begin learning your names. So then, shall we start over here?”
He pointed over to one of the tables on the far end, the girls on it discussing
between themselves before beginning to list their names, their voices just a bit
too quiet to hear properly. Yet Anders didn’t pick on it, asking the next
table instead to give their introductions. This went on for nearly fifteen
minutes, each person giving a curt greeting before handing the job over to the
next. Ahagon’s voice was icy as she gave hers, daring anyone to comment on it.
Nobody was stupid enough though to do so, with the unfortunate exception of none
other than Anders himself. Hifumi sighed mentally as he raised an eyebrow and
commented:
“You and I never spoke much, but I look forward to hearing more of you in
future. Your work in the Programming Team is highly acclaimed by other
members.”
“I do not require praise from someone else. I know what I can do and that
suffices.”
“I see. Allow me the courtesy then of becoming acquainted with your efforts
from now on, ‘Ahegao’.”
Any trace of heat in the room vanished as darkness began to surround Ahagon, her
eyes losing all life in them as she stood up. People instinctively retreated a
foot around her, making space before her slow steps caught them in the
crossfire. She made her way towards Anders with ever-increasing anger, the
culprit meanwhile bursting into laughter. The sight was enough to even make
Ahagon stop momentarily, during which he blurted out:
“I’m so sorry, I just couldn’t help it! I heard how sensitive you were to
your name and wondered what would happen if I tried it myself.”
“You’d sign your own death warrant for that?” Ahagon said while pulling
out an airsoft pistol from her hair, nobody asking what it was doing there.
“I’m not signing anything else today other than the contract. I just wanted
to see how the ever-collected Head of Programming would react to a deliberate
tease. You’ve shown me just what a mistake it is and for that, I thank you. I
promise to do better next time.”
The sheer sincerity in his voice put everyone off-guard, his subsequent bow
making Ahagon stumble back a step.
“Please forgive my transgression. If I may comment though, you looked
extremely cute while angry. One should use that next time you go on a date.”
With that his fate was sealed, Ahagon loosening a hail of bullets onto his head.
Hifumi watched in wonder as he took every bullet head-on, only moving once the
gun had been emptied and smiling at her, though she swore she saw a tear in his
eye.
“Will that be enough? I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to shoot something
else next time, I’m afraid my skull can’t take much more.”
Ahagon merely huffed and turned around to return to her seat, only to let slip:
“It’s no fun when people are serious. You’ve convinced me that you’re
intent on performing your duties at least.”
The smile he widened showed his appreciation at her words, bowing once more:
“Thank you. I hope to get along with you, along with the rest of course.”
He raised his head and shuffled back to his seat, rubbing the back of his head.
“Now then, who’s next?”
Everyone was still reeling from the sudden show of acceptance from Ahagon,
before slowly picking up the thread and continuing. Soon enough, they reached
Hifumi and the others, Aoba being first.
“S-Suzukaze Aoba. Character team.”
“Well met, Aoba. I’m glad to see you in Eagle Jump still. Never forget what
your goals were when joining here.”
“Y-yes.” came her stunned reply, not having expected the encouragement.
“Shinoda Hajime. What’s up, Houdini?”
Anders couldn’t withhold a smirk.
“Just the occasional smoke cloud, nothing much. Glad to see your humor
hasn’t changed, Hajime.”
Hajime merely grinned, having overcome her surprise a while ago and handing the
stage to Yun:
“Iijima Yun. At your service, Mr. ‘Work and Dash’.”
She performed a polite bow with mockery clearly drawn on her face. Yet Anders
took it in stride, bowing himself as he commented:
“It’s good to see you again. I see the dietary plan you’ve been trying
since I left has seen better days.”
Yun gave a squeak and turned maroon, trying to hide under the table as giggles
erupted around her. She glared at Anders with eyes sharp enough to cut diamonds,
yet he was already occupied with the next person:
“Toyama Rin. It’s been a while, Anders.”
“Indeed it has, Rin. I can tell you have many questions and more to ask me,
but I ask that you wait until the end. For now, I am glad to be here and to be
able to speak to you face to face. As I plan to do with everyone here.”
He let his intense gaze reach across the room, some of the girls looking away
with faint blushes on their cheeks. Hifumi had to fight the urge to speak out,
aware that he was leaving her for last. So she sufficed herself with listening
to Yagami’s lazy tone:
“Yagami Kou. Any further introduction is prohibited. You want more info, take
it up with my partner.”
She pointed to Rin, who turned red herself before trying to come up with an
excuse. She didn’t get the chance to though, as Yagami’s wink towards her
made her nearly faint with pleasure. Thus, Hifumi became acutely aware of
Anders’ gaze having landed on her.
“It would seem you’re the last one. Takimoto Hifumi, I believe. I heard you
were hospitalized a few months ago and only recently began working again. I hope
you won’t be overdoing it while I’m in charge. I’d hate to have to take
you to hospital and pay for it all.”
She couldn’t hold it in, breaking into laughter that he reciprocated, leaving
the majority speechless. Once they had calmed down, Hifumi cleared her throat
and spoke in as professional a manner as she could manage:
“I will do my best, Mr. Tansuke.”
“Please, call me Anders.”
“Then refer to me as Hifumi as well.”
“Can do, Hifumi. Would you be able to answer a question of mine?”
She arched an eyebrow.
“And what would that be?”
His response began with an exasperated smile.
“Would you perhaps tell me where my tie is? I was searching for it in the
apartment this morning and had no luck.”
The playful smirk on her face must have been shocking for most, partially
enjoying the stares as she stood up and pulled out a long piece of fabric from
her pocket, neatly rolled up. She walked up so she kneeled next to Anders,
before helping him with putting it on.
“You should really take better care of your things, Anders.” she complained
while doing the first loop, “I told you to put it on your chair and where did
I find it? Thrown into the corner.”
Anders tried to look ashamed but failed spectacularly. Similar to how everyone
else in the room failed to hide their disbelief at the scene unfolding before
them.
“I’m sorry, Hifumi. You didn’t have to go and take it from me though. I
had to look like this before the entire board. That wasn’t a comfortable
session.”
“You’re here now aren’t you?” she said while finishing up the tie,
“Besides, you don’t need a tie to make a good impression. You do that
without the suit.”
She performed a final sweep of her work, before patting the tie affectionately.
“There. I knew it was a good choice when I saw it online.”
“Did I ever question your fashion sense? Your latest...”
“Keep your mouth shut if you want dinner tonight.”
He took the warning seriously, already longing for the feast that awaited him
and the rest. They had spent the evening preparing the cold dishes, that
selection already enough to make him water upon mention. As he glumly nodded and
began to look downcast, Hifumi felt a small wave of sympathy for him. So she
leaned over and grabbed his head in her hands, guiding him to look in her eyes.
“Oh come now, you can’t be looking like that. You’re the producer, you
need to be more confident. Here, something to motivate you.”
She swallowed the panic in her chest as she did the unthinkable, leaning further
in and landing her lips against his. The restaurant erupted in screams,
Hajime’s and Yun’s jaws even with the floor while Aoba opened and closed her
mouth over and over again. Ahagon just kept watching with a small smirk, while
Rin was being brought back from unconsciousness by Yagami. Hifumi didn’t care
though, letting the sensation run its course through her before she split from
him, the blush on his face reflected in her own. She quickly made her way back
to her seat, the attention on her nigh unbearable, before Anders clapped his
hands loud enough to make everyone cringe.
“That’s quite enough of that. I’ve heard all your names and I’m going to
keep my promise. With that in mind, Shizuku, when is the planned release for our
game?”
Hazuki’s answer was as quick as a pistol shot, the shift in attitude just
adding to the confusion.
“We plan to release the game by the end of September, so roughly fifteen
months from now.”
“Fifteen months? Is that due to development or because of marketing reasons?
And has the public been made aware of this date?”
“It’s due to our marketing team being unable to secure an earlier date for
our game. We would theoretically be done with production in another year, based
on our current progress. So far, we haven’t revealed the exact date to any
magazines or the sort.”
Anders gave a nod while crossing his arms, his eyes closed as he delved into
that routine of his where he would contemplate an issue at great depth before
surfacing out with some ridiculous plan. Hifumi had seen it only a few times so
far, but the results had always been surprising. She ignored the remaining
glares in her direction while he suddenly gave a confident sound from himself.
“Everyone, do you think you can complete your tasks within the next year as
Shizuku predicted?”
The question was passed around with an undertone, as if he already knew they
could do it. Hifumi immediately agreed, Aoba and the others slowly joining her.
After a minute or two, the rest of the room gave their agreement.
“Wonderful. Then I will make it my priority these next few weeks to find us an
earlier time slot for the game to be released. If you all work extra hard, I
might even give us an international release.”
Eyebrows raised, everyone gave a doubtful look at Anders. He didn’t take any
damage from it however, giving another grin that tugged at Hifumi’s
heartstrings.
“I can assure you, I do not make empty promises here. I happen to be
well-connected despite my blunders, so arrangements can be made. So to
summarize, I run the risk of losing my first few paychecks and any remaining
respect from you all. A small price to pay, I find. Well then, shall we move
on?”
Their remaining time in the restaurant was a mixture of fun and awkwardness. The
main reason was undeniably due to Hifumi’s earlier display, making her the
ultimate target for nearly every person in the restaurant. Aoba wouldn’t stop
interrogating her on everything she missed, being accompanied by a sizeable
portion of the company. Fending them off had been a struggle, Hifumi saved by
the timely appearance of a familiar waitress. The woman herself was striking,
wearing an expensive kimono with a cherry petal design while her braided silver
hair hung down elegantly. She, alongside an androgynous man who Hifumi presumed
to be the chef, passed around numerous platters of both snacks and tea, the
aroma of rosemary bewitching almost. After the first cup, people had calmed down
significantly, granting Hifumi the chance to meet with Anders again, who had
been conversing with the waitress in private before returning with a bright
smile. It had almost not surprised Hifumi to find out who the waitress was, who
retreated silently with the chef. Once afternoon turned to evening though,
Hazuki and Fudo broke up the meeting. Anders moved to send everyone off at the
door, being received much more warmly than before as the women giggled and poked
to fluster him. Once Hifumi had settled next to him though, she saw to her
relief how they stopped. 
Near the end, it was only a small group left, consisting of the Character Team,
Hazuki, Fudo, Ahagon and Nene. They all sat around the same table now, chatting
happily while Hifumi leaned back with a sigh.
“Tired?” she heard Anders ask, nodding while leaning against his arm.
“That kiss nearly floored me. I thought my heart was going to jump out.”
“Good thing you had me to catch it in case that happened.”
They giggled to each other, only to be interrupted by Hajime’s booming voice:
“Alright, can we get an explanation now how in the hell you two got together?
I’ve been burning brain cells this whole time and I haven’t gotten any
further than ‘impossible’.”
Glancing briefly at each other, Hifumi smiled and turned to the now silent
table, everyone apart from Hazuki and Yagami burning with eagerness. 
“Well, it’s of course a long story. I kind of want to tell you all more at
our place though.”
“Don’t forget someone else.” Anders reminded her, the confusion of the
others lifted when the door to the restaurant slammed open, revealing a panting
Futaba.
“Where is that idiot? I’m going to wring that hairy neck of his!”
Anders gave a huff as he stood up to greet her.
“First off, how the hell is that some way to talk about someone? Second, good
to see you too, you little rascal.”
Futaba’s eyes widened to the point where one thought they would fall out,
before taking heavy stomps towards him. Once he was in range, she punched him
hard in the stomach, causing him to buckle slightly.
“Damn.” he winced while covering the area, “You’ve been keeping up those
martial arts, have you?”
“Only to teach you a lesson when you finally grew up! What the hell are you
doing, leaving me out in the dark all this time? Do you have any idea how
worried your dad and Takamura were?”
A flash of pain crossed Anders’ expression, though Hifumi knew it wasn’t due
to the punch. Nobody expected it when he moved in and embraced Futaba, who
jumped in his grip.
“I know I’ve been an idiot. It’s pretty much established that I tend to
make bad decisions around people that care for me. That’s why I’m so damn
grateful to have had you there all those years. Thank you for caring about me. I
know you’ve been doing your best handling both my family and the company.”
Any fight Futaba had left in her melted as she returned the hug, quiet sobs
being audible. Nobody said anything as they let the two reconcile, Hifumi more
than aware at this point how closely involved Futaba had been with Anders. Once
she split from him, wiping her nose with a handkerchief, Anders grinned again
and turned to Hifumi.
“Futaba, may I present you Hifumi Takimoto. Character Team Leader of Eagle
Jump and my girlfriend.”
Just as Futaba’s mouth folded open, a thunderous voice came from the door:
“I knew it!”
Everyone turned to the door in a startled fashion, catching sight of an enormous
blond-haired man in a tourist outfit, accompanied by a far shorter toad-like man
that sweated profusely.
“See Takashi?” the blond man roared, taking massive steps that culminated in
him hugging Anders with strength that would have crushed an average person. The
latter showed considerable discomfort, nonetheless, even being lifted slightly.
“D-Dad, good to see you.”
“Is that what I get after having you disappear on me for a quarter year? I
thought the loan sharks had gotten you or something. Instead you’re here
taking on a job as producer and waving your girlfriend around that we never got
to meet. Come here you!”
“Wait, Dad!” Anders yelled, but it was too late. The man had already
approached Hifumi, who had stood up herself to greet them. She had only ever
heard of Anders’ father before, her impression blown away by the real thing.
She feared for her life as his arms surrounded her, only to find them ending
surprisingly gentle. As she felt him pause midway, she caught him grinning in an
all too familiar way. 
“Thought I’d crush you, huh? Well, good thing I have an informant on the
medical side. My kid actually thought he could hide from his family.”
“Wait you knew?” Hifumi and Anders blurted out simultaneously, causing the
man to chuckle.
“Takeshi, these kids think we’re born in the Stone Age or something!”
“Give them a break, you viking.” Takamura commented while walking up to
Anders, who stared at him with mixed emotions, “They are after all young and
still ready to experience more hardship. It’s good to see you Anders.”
“Mr. Takamura…” Anders began, only to be cut off:
“Call me Takeshi. You know we don’t have to keep up appearances anymore, nor
do we both want to. I’m just glad you’re alright. Even if we knew you
weren’t in danger, it was concerning for us to have you just break off like
that. Of course, your reasons are as admirable as they are noble.”
A light blush decorated Anders’ features, giving a nervous laugh. Takamura’s
smile widened.
“I’m sure that Sayuri would be happy as well to see you here.”
Anders’ cheer vanished in a split second, replaced with somberness that stung
to watch. His gaze became downcast as he looked away. For a moment, Hifumi could
discern a distant look in Takamura’s eyes as well, until he sighed and pulled
Anders in by his tie.
“Look at me, Anders.”
The group watched as Anders slowly turned back to face him, his eyes appearing
hollow. It was something Hifumi had still not been able to lift fully from him.
“You have nothing to feel guilty about. I never treated you like I should have
because I thought I needed to wake you from your pain and suffering. After six
years of this ‘routine’, I can safely say it was a mistake on my part. But
do not let what happened weigh you down. Sayuri and Yumina both lived the lives
they wanted and spent the time they had with the people they cherished. You must
not feel burdened by their lives. Here.”
Takamura took out an envelope from his inner pocket and handed it to Anders, who
took it and gave a shocked gasp as he read the writing. 
“This is…”
Takamura halted him again, turning to the group and clapping his hands.
“Everyone, I think we should begin to head to the car. I have space to fit you
all, so there’s nothing to concern yourself with. Ms. Takimoto.”
“Y-yes?”
Takamura gave another smile as he turned to the door and began heading out.
“I thank you for all the help you’ve given my step-son. You are both
admirable people. Come on Erik, let’s give them some peace.”
Erik took his words to heart, quickly shooing the rest of the group out along
with Hazuki and Fudo, each of them giving a glance at both Hifumi and the
trembling Anders. Yagami’s voice echoed outside the restaurant, evidently
busied with Takamura, before she closed the door and left them alone.
As silence enveloped Hifumi’s mind, she cast a concerned eye at Anders, whose
gaze was frozen onto the words on the front of the envelope.
“Anders?” she whispered while taking his other hand, succeeding in waking
him from his stupor. He gave a surprised sound as he recognized her presence,
wiping his eye with his sleeve.
“Oh, sorry. I was just…”
“Is it Sayuri?”
He gave a shocked look, before sighing and slumping his shoulders.
“Yeah. Turns out she had something written for me.”
“Do you... want to read it by yourself?”
He eyed the paper briefly, only to shake his head.
“No, stay here please. This is for me to read, but it’s something I want to
share with you. If... if you want to.”
His eyes began to well up, trying to hide it by looking away. Hifumi could do
little else but sigh and cup his cheek in her hand, turning his head around so
she could seal their lips. The kiss was long and deep, removing all worry and
doubt from Hifumi just as much as from Anders. When they split, a warm smile was
all they could exchange until they sat down and he opened the letter. His eyes
locked onto the top of the open page, laden with memory but also faint
happiness. He cleared his throat and slowly began to speak. Yet as he spoke,
Hifumi felt like it wasn’t his voice carrying the words, but rather that of a
young woman with a great burden on her shoulders:
My beloved Anders,
If you are reading this, then I am no longer here to tell you these words. I do
not know why I felt I had to do this the night before we take the car. Maybe
it’s an omen of terrible things to happen. Maybe I’m just paranoid. Would
just suit me perfectly, don’t you think?
He paused, his eyes looking more distant than ever. Hifumi leaned herself
against him, using her warmth to spur him on.
Yumina is sleeping next to me, so I have to be careful not to wake her. But I
wanted to tell you this before I might lose the chance to ever tell you. Anders,
my first love and the man I married. You and I weren’t exactly a comfortable
pair, even in the beginning. People thought we stuck out from each other too
much, that one side outweighed the other constantly. Even if they kept it quiet
for our sakes, I could tell nobody found us particularly fitting. And now, I
feel like I can agree with them.
A wave of concern washed over Hifumi, keeping an eye on Anders. Yet he seemed
untouched by the words, pressing on without hesitation.
We were probably a bad choice from the beginning. Even if it wasn’t a matter
of hiding our relationship from the others. Dad and Erik never thought of it,
nor did your mother. But the moment Yumina came into my life, it only made it
clear that what you and I were had little chance of holding up. We both could
never bring ourselves to say it, but the feelings we had for each other faded
much quicker than anyone knew. But you know, I don’t regret it. Every day we
spent together, whether it were in the office or in the park eating lunch, was
one of the happiest days of my life. I don’t regret ever having met you. I
don’t regret having married you. And I don’t regret ever having fallen in
love with you.
I failed our marriage by losing the love we had between us. And despite that,
you only supported me, giving me advice and consideration that I never deserved.
You are far too kind to everyone you meet, kind to the point where it hurts. It
was what made me first fall for you and what ultimately brought us apart. Even
so, you're not alone in this world. Whatever might happen, remember to think
about the people around you. Your coworkers, your friends, your family.
They’re all there for you, if you believe it or not. Just be open and you can
find whatever answer you look for. 
I’m waking Yumina up, I need to finish. Anders, please don’t lose sight of
what you have gained in your life. I don’t hold anything against you and
neither does Yumina. None of us wanted to hurt each other, but the choices we
made can’t be taken back. So please, take care of yourself. Don’t hurt
yourself anymore over us. Both me and Yumina want you to focus on one thing. Not
to worry about us. But to step into the future and find your own happiness, with
whomever you wish. You have your own life to live, your own people to meet. And
you have the freedom to love someone who can return the feelings I failed to
keep for you. 
Love, Sayuri
The spell had broken. As Anders finished the last word, he released a heavy
sigh, dropping the letter and hanging his head. His breathing was ragged, him
almost hyperventilating, causing Hifumi no end of concern. Grasping his head in
her hands, she guided him to look at her and gaze deep into her eyes.
“Breathe.”
She repeated the word a few times, Anders slowly coming around and performing
the routine she had gotten so acquainted with over the last few months. With
each repetition, she could see his eyes begin to clear up, his trembling reduced
to mere twitches. Finally, he returned to something more resembling his usual
self, covering her hands with his own.
“Hifumi...thank you. For being here.”
She simply smiled and turned her grip into an embrace, burying him in her hair.

“You were very brave.”
“Sayuri…” she heard him mumble through the fabric, “...even in the end,
she didn’t lose hope or faith in me. Even after I failed to try and regain her
love, after I failed to keep her and Yumina alive, they didn’t think ill of
me.”
“Yes.” Hifumi echoed after him while stroking his head.
“It hurts, Hifumi.”
“Sorry, did I go too rough?”
“No, not that. Part of me... wants to accept the forgiveness Sayuri showed me.
The other... wants to deny it and continue to hurt me like before. It’s
tearing me apart. Why... why can’t I simply get myself to accept the things I
want?”
Hifumi gave a warm smile as she gently pulled him up, bringing him to an
unsteady stand.
“You just need time Anders. Like I needed time with my heart. You’ve been
keeping these feelings back for six years now, it’s to be expected. But it
doesn’t mean you can’t change.”
She paused to peck him on the lips.
“Just like I changed my life to move on, you need to go through it as well.
But you’re not alone. You have your family. You have your friends.”
Taking his hand in hers, she embraced him tightly.
“And you have me. We’re all here to support you.”
Her embrace was quickly returned by Anders, whose warmth never failed to
invigorate her. 
“I love you Hifumi.”
Her heart soaring with happiness, she answered:
“I love you too, Anders. Now come on, we have a party to celebrate and people
to entertain. Oh right, almost forgot…”
He gave a confused sound as she rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a small
blue box, wrapped with a wisteria bow. She held the box out before her and
indicated for Anders to take it. He accepted it with trembling fingers and
slowly unwrapped it. Once the box was open he gave a gasp at the necklace
inside. It was a masterpiece of simplicity, a fine gold chain holding an oval
locket. As he took it out, he noticed the flat button on the back, flipping it
and staring in wonder as it began to vibrate for brief intervals, always in a
duet that spanned a moment between each. He listened to the sound for a while,
before turning back to Hifumi.
“This…”
She smiled as she took the locket from him and placed it around his neck,
beating gently against his chest.
“My heartbeat. I went to the doctor and had them record it so I could transfer
the rhythm to a timer. Its solar powered so it will never stop. Just like mine
won’t stop beating for you Anders.”
“Hifumi, you can’t…”
“I know we shouldn’t think or talk about things like ‘forever’ or
‘eternally’. I know I don’t have a full life to live anymore with my new
heart. If I’m lucky, I’ll make it to fifty. But that’s why I want you to
never forget Anders. Even if I were to die, I will never forget the love and
happiness you’ve given me. I don’t regret anything that’s happened so far.
The happiness you’ve given me is something I can never pay back. So please,
whenever you’re in trouble or need support, hold onto this and think of me.
And finally…”
She leaned in and kissed him once more on the lips.
“... Happy Birthday.”
Fresh tears sprung from him as he embraced her tightly, rocking forwards and
backwards for a while until he calmed down. As they separated and stood up
together, Anders placed his hand over the locket and listened to it for a few
seconds.
“When did I ever deserve you, Hifumi?”
She just smiled and took his hand, leading him out of the restaurant and towards
the group of people awaiting them eagerly in the large limousine.
“You don’t have to live up to happiness Anders. You just need to learn to
accept it. Life’s too short otherwise.”
He gave no response, yet the synchronized pulse which echoed in their hands was
enough to prove that they were in agreement. As the door to the limousine opened
and Yagami ushered them in, Hifumi could only think of how happy she was to be
alive.

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