“Is SC Industries a newcomer in the field?” asked Kuga as soon as we took our seats. The unfamiliar name probably had him worried.
It was time for self-introductions. It must be nice to belong to a big, famous corporation. You could just say the name of your company, and everything would fall into place. But I’d worked in smaller businesses for a long time and so was pretty used to this.
“I wouldn’t say that, exactly.”
“What do you mean?”
“May I first give a simple explanation?”
“Sure. Please go ahead.”
“We are a proprietary company founded by a certain entrepreneur as a funds management operation, so we don’t conduct direct business with anyone. We have no plans to do so in the future, either.”
Ms. Futarishizuka had told me I could do as I wished with the company, and that she could introduce me to a tax accountant and a judicial clerk, if needed. It must have been sitting dormant, gathering dust. We’d simply borrowed the name to create a business card.
“Kurosu here is a member of that entrepreneur’s family. As you can see, she is still a child, so an agent was necessary to handle things for her. I am using this business card temporarily for that purpose.”
Kuga’s expression stiffened, and he quickly moved on to a follow-up question. “Based on what I saw in the videos, I imagine the 3D models and motion-capture equipment used cost quite a bit of money. The editing was very high-quality, too. I’d like to ask a little more about that, if I may.”
His tone had become just a tad more polite. It felt as though he’d been looking down on us before, and now he viewed us as equals. He still seemed suspicious, however, as if he couldn’t quite believe I was serious.
“Her parent purchased the equipment,” I said. “Though she tells me she’s been doing the editing herself.”
“Really? By herself? She has a knack for it, despite her young age.”
Apparently, Type Twelve was handling the editing for her, but we couldn’t let any of that slip. As long as she had the laptop made by the mechanical life-form, she could work from anywhere, so for now we went with the story that my neighbor was doing it all on her own. I figured this would also improve Kuga’s estimation of her.
“I hope this doesn’t sound rude,” he said, “but may I ask how you are related to Miss Kurosu?”
“Please consider me something akin to her manager.”
My neighbor and I had decided all of this the night before. She, as well as Ms. Futarishizuka, had both agreed.
“May I ask you a question as well, Mr. Kuga?”
“Oh, y-yes. Please, ask me anything.”
I had doubts of my own, and now it was time to clear them up. I figured I’d better get this out of the way sooner rather than later.
“It hasn’t been two days since her videos became a topic of conversation. The views she’s gotten are significant, but they must be a drop in the bucket compared to the talent you already have on board. I am surprised you approached her so quickly.”
“As I’m sure you know, the rate people consume content has been accelerating in recent years. As a supplier of such content, we must keep our fingers on the pulse, or we’ll quickly fall behind. As such, we place great importance on being proactive.”
“Does your company believe Kurosu’s videos will sell?”
“My decision to approach her was mine alone. So yes, I have great confidence in her work. That said, if she wants to aim for the very top, there’s still a lot for her to learn.”
I knew exactly what my neighbor wanted from this deal, and that was financial independence. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I wanted to make her wish come true. Because of her past, I felt sure her thirst for independence was much, much greater than that of a typical child of her age. Though it might not be real, I was part of a family now, and as her father figure, I had no issue respecting her wishes.
“Then, if you don’t mind me asking, would your company be willing to look after her?”
“May I assume you have her parents’ permission?”
“Of course. As I explained before, Kurosu’s family approves of her activities. The equipment and 3D models were purchased and prepared not by me but by her family. As for the contract, it can be made under our company’s name.”
I hadn’t told a single lie. We were here mainly thanks to the youngest daughter and the grandmother.
“Would it be possible for me to meet with her parents?”
“They are very busy and have asked me to act as the point of contact in this matter. If you require a letter of consent, I will have them submit one. And if you will need anything else, please tell me now.”
I wasn’t totally sure, but I got the feeling Futarishizuka was very rich, but that she wasn’t the type to handle matters in person. If a meeting was required, we’d probably need a body double. If push came to shove, I figured we could handle matters using our gold bars from the otherworld.
“Have any other agencies contacted you?” asked Kuga.
“No, at least not that I’ve heard.”
“How old is Miss Kurosu?”
“She’ll be thirteen this year. She’s a first-year in middle school.”
“I see. She’s even younger than I imagined…”
“Are people her age rare in the industry?”
“Well, our agency includes a few high school students.”
As one might expect, middle schoolers weren’t very common. It did seem rather perilous for a minor to be doing daily live streams over the internet. A lot of parents simply wouldn’t allow it. And considering the enormous cost of assembling the equipment, the barrier to entry was extremely high for a child’s hobby.
“Does she live in the Tokyo metropolitan area?”
“She usually lives in Karuizawa, as do I. She attends school there as well, though she visits the city frequently. There shouldn’t be any issues, money-wise or time-wise, with her coming into the office.”
“I—I see. I must apologize for asking you here on such short notice, then.”
After that, Kuga had a few more minor questions. This part reminded me of a job interview for a new graduate. I answered most of the questions myself; I couldn’t decide if that was a good or a bad decision. My neighbor was a taciturn girl, so I wound up pushing myself a little more than necessary. I hoped I hadn’t offended her.
Once we’d examined the matter from all angles, Kuga nodded and straightened up. “Now that we’ve gotten everything ironed out, I believe I’d very much like to invite Miss Kurosu to work with us.”
“Thank you. We’re very grateful you were able to let us know your decision right away.”
Kuga’s response was what I’d expected; After all, if he didn’t hire her now, some other company would swoop in before long. Then he’d have to contend with her as a competitor. Whether he was hoping to build her up, or simply to deny his rivals her talent, he had no choice but to hire her. This all went to show just how high-quality her work was.