After finishing Mahiru's breakfast, his phone rangalmost as if it had been waiting for the exact moment.
Seeing the caller ID, a faint smile crept across Akifumi's lips.
He answered the call and spoke before the other side could.
"Now this is rare, Machida-san calling me this early in the morning?"
"You must be in a good mood today, Akifumi-sensei," came Machida's light-hearted voice through the receiver.
"Personally, I'd rather not bother you this early, but the company's breathing down my neck. I had no choice."
"The company?" Akifumi raised an eyebrow.
As someone who never missed deadlines and often handed in fully drawn chapters before the editor even had to remind him, he couldn't quite wrap his head around what she meant.
Machida sighed, the exhaustion clear in her voice. "Unnatural."
"...Huh?"
Akifumi blinked in confusion. "Machida-san, doesn't the company have nothing to do with TV productions?"
"Oh, but it does," she replied firmly. "Don't you know Toho's largest shareholder is the parent company?"
Toho?
"You mean that Toho!?"
"Yes, that Toho," Machida confirmed casually, though her tone left Akifumi a bit stunned.
Toho Co., Ltd.
If you're not in the industry, you might not pay much attention to studio names.
Most people focus on the actors, voice actors, or writers.
But Toho?
Put it this wayDoraemon, Crayon Shin-chan, Pokmon, Naruto. Ring any bells now?
While this world's version of Toho wasn't exactly the same as the one from Akifumi's past life and some titles didn't even exist here, it was still an industry titan with just as much influence.
Films, TV shows, anime, tokusatsu
One of the top five entertainment giants in the business.
"If it's Toho, I guess it makes sense they'd be interested in Unnatural."
"Still" Akifumi couldn't help but quip, "What's SHAFT doing in a conglomerate like that?"
Unfazed, Machida replied calmly, "SHAFT is fully owned by the parent group. Toho only holds a 36% stake."
Impressive.
That little "only" was doing a lot of heavy lifting.
Full marks for phrasing!
Akifumi decided to drop the sarcasm and asked thoughtfully, "So, Machida-san, what's your stance on all this?"
"My job was just to deliver the message. Mission accomplished."
He nodded in understanding, then grinned brightly.
"In that case, I won't hold back."
"Toho has deep pockets. There's no need to be shy, Akifumi-sensei."
"The quality of Unnatural Death speaks for itself, so I'll just lay out my conditions"
He then went on to list out his demands in full.
"I'll pass your conditions along. As for the rest"
Before she could finish, Akifumi cut in, "Thanks, Machida-san. If they find any of this too difficult to accept, I'd appreciate it if you could apologize on my behalf."
"After all, I've released quite a few successful works."
"I've got some spare cash lying around. Even though I don't have any resources myself, I could probably fund a small production of the series on my own."
To this, Machida replied simply but firmly:
"I understand."
Once the call ended, Akifumi tossed the matter to the back of his mind.
There was no way he was actually going to make a drama.
Not because he couldn't but because it was just too much trouble.
He'd only said that to gain a bit of leverage in negotiations.
Besides, he didn't think his demands were unreasonable.
Given the buzz around the series, the other side probably wouldn't reject them.
"Toho's got money to burn. Surely they won't make a fuss over a little creator like me."
With that final thought, Akifumi set the whole affair aside.
Whether it happened or not didn't really matter to him.
"Oh, right"
"Let's check if there are any standout entries in the contest!"
Just thinking about it made his eyes sparkle with anticipation.
He was excited at the possibility that a new work might actually surpass Unnatural.
The idea of discovering something better than his own work thrilled him to the core.
Opening the contest website, he found the relevant link and clicked in.
Right away, he saw Unnatural comfortably sitting at number one with a huge lead.
Even though he'd expected it, the stark reality of that "1.1" ranking still made him sigh.
"No surprises at all, huh"
"Well, let's just see the others. Maybe I'll stumble on a hidden gem?"
With that in mind, Akifumi opened the entry ranked second.
A short while later, he closed the browser tab.
"Well, it does have something going for it."
Just not much.
Then he moved on to the third, fourth
Before long, he had gone through the entire top ten.
And finally, he let out a heavy sigh.
"Not a single one worth my time."
Then, he fell into deep thought.
"So if this is the best everyone's got, why am I even bothering to compete?"
Is this what they mean by dimensional dominance?
[247] A Heartwarming Story
Time flies, and the summer break that belonged to the blazing sun passed in the blink of an eye.
As the academic year entered its final stretch, even the carefree students who usually spent every afternoon discussing where to hang out seemed to have lost their spark.
A cloud of gloom loomed over them.
Of course, this only applied to the third-year students.
But even among this special group, there were still some who were extra special.
Ordinary honor students would simply study harder as the college entrance exams approached not exactly out of the ordinary.
What was out of the ordinary were those who could breeze through even the most elite university exams with ease, and those born with a silver spoon who didn't have to worry about this major life hurdle at all.
Akifumi Mugiho was one of them.
As a top-ranking student with a deviation score of over 80, even Tokyo University's most competitive science programs were within his reach.
If he lowered the bar slightly and picked a field he was passionate about, every top-tier university would open its doors for him.
Even setting academics aside, with his current wealth and the sales from his published works, he could live the rest of his life comfortablydoing absolutely nothing.
"Hah"
Slumped over his desk, Akifumi let out a long, bored sigh.
There was no way he could get excited on the first day back to school.
"You're really amazing, Akifumi."
Kato had quietly sat down beside him at some point, her voice filled with admiration.
"Oh?"
His tone sounded curious, but the smirk on his face clearly said, "Yes, praise me more."
And Kato, ever the loyal friend, obliged earnestly:
"You took first place in that insanely tough writing competition like it was nothing."
"Your grades are top of the class too."
"Sometimes I forget we're the same age. It's kind of intimidating, honestly."
Akifumi beamed. "Kato."
"Yeah?"
"If you're going to praise me, go ahead and keep it coming."
"Even though we haven't seen each other all summer, your personality hasn't changed a bit, huh?"
"Personality doesn't change overnight!"
"Speaking of which, didn't you start a bunch of new stories for that contest? You're not feeling overwhelmed, are you?"
His smile froze. Then, with a flat expression, he said, "Kato, if we avoid that topic, we can still be friends."
No pressure?
If you'd asked him during the early days of summer, he'd have laughed and said it was no problem at all.
But now?
He couldn't go a day without seeing fans begging for updates.
His private fan communities were even worse.
The pressure had piled up, and it was finally catching up to him.
One person just isn't enough.
The more stories he started, the clearer it became: humans have limits!
Even with his talent and a little "medical" help, he couldn't keep up with the ever-multiplying projects.
By noon, Akifumi did something rarehe left school early and headed home alone.
Back at his apartment building, he looked nervous? Maybe even guilty?
"Why did they suddenly come home"
"I hope I'm not too late."
During summer break, Eriri had stayed over multiple times.
Downstairs, Mashiro and Mahiru also occasionally crashed in the guest room after late-night work.
'Ahem.'
There were certain things around the house not exactly parent-appropriate.
He then go up the stairs and unlock the door.
The moment he saw two pairs of neatly placed shoes in the entryway, his heart skipped a beat.
"They got here that fast?!"
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a figure tackled him in a hug.
"My, my~ Mugiho-chan, you've grown taller again since the last time we saw you."
Akifumi Nakui gently ruffled his hair with a warm smile.
Composing himself quickly, Akifumi Mugiho replied with a straight face, "It has been a while, after all."
"Eh? It's only been a year."
"So now 'only' is the word we use for an entire year, huh?"
"Well, no need to fuss over the details."
His mother laughed and led him into the living room.
There, Akifumi Ye sat cross-legged on the couch.
When they walked in, he lazily waved a hand.
"You finally here!"
Akifumi Mugiho rolled his eyes. "It's one thing to disappear for months, but can you not pull surprise ambushes like this when you finally show up?!"
"Sorry, sorry."
His father chuckled sheepishly, then added casually, "If you're worried about us finding out you've been living with girls over summer breakdon't be. Your mom and I already knew."
"I'm not worried." He reflexively denied it, then paused. "Waityou knew?"
Both parents smiled and nodded.
"I'm sorry, young master."
'Yor?'
A woman stepped out of one of the rooms. She wore a calm expression tinged with guilt.
"??"
'Young master!?'
What in the actual?
His brain raced through a million thoughts, but finally, he calmed himself.
"So this is it are you finally going to tell me the reason why you two are always overseas?"
"That's my kidsharp as ever."
[248] Alan Institute
Thanks for your patience! I'm still updating the rewritten versions of the Oshi no Ko and Lycoris arcs on Patreon. and some chapters might overlap or appear missing because, I've added new content in the middle of previous arcs.
I'm working on fixing and reorganize this, so please bear with me a little longer!
Your support means everythingif you're enjoying the story, please consider dropping a Power Stone to help keep it going!
Enjoy!
Akifumi Nakui's mouth twitched as she watched her husband playing around like some wannabe chuunibyou.
With an exaggerated sigh and a roll of her eyes, she strode up behind him and delivered a sharp smack to his back.
"Ouch!" Akifumi Ye yelped, clutching his head in mock agony as he spun around to face her. "W-What was that for, honey?!"
Nakui crossed her arms and arched a brow.
"What are you even saying? 'That's my kid, sharp as ever!'" she mimicked, pitching her voice in a ridiculous impression of him.
"Mugiho, don't just stand therecome inside," she said gently, wrapping an arm around their son's shoulders. Her tone softened, laced with concern as she frowned. "You've gotten thinner are you eating properly?"
"Y-Yes, Mom. Don't worry," Mugiho stammered, scratching his cheek nervously.
Nakui pouted, puffing her cheeks like a petulant child. "This is because you've been staying up late again, isn't it? Your work is important, but you need proper sleep!"
Hearing his mother's concern warmed Mugiho's heart.
"Don't worry, Mom. I do sleep eight hours most of the time," he reassured her.
Nakui's expression brightened instantly.
"Well, that's wonderful!" she chirped, clasping her hands together. Then, with a sweet, almost too innocent smile, she added, "Oh, and Yor also told me a very interesting story about those girls."
Mugiho's smile froze when he heard this.
The way his mother emphasized the word girls sent a chill down his spine.
Yor told her everything about Eriri and Mahiru. And now, staring at his mother's saccharine smile, he felt goosebumps prickle his skin.
This conversation was not going to be pleasant.
He had always planned to break the news to his parents with Mahiru and Eriri presentthat way, it would go smoother.
'Damn it! Why did they come back now, when neither of them is here?!'
'Did they plan this?!'
Before he could stammer out an excuse to delay the inevitable, His mother seized his arm and tugged him toward the house.
"Oh my, you're looking pale! You must be thirsty. Come, let's get you something to drink," she cooed, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
Then, leaning in close, she whispered in a tone so eerily calm it sent shivers down his spine:
"Mom is a fan of romance story, so I can't wait to heard about what you've been doing with those lovely young ladies, okay?"
"A-Ahahaha" Mugiho's laugh came out strained, his voice cracking.
'Scary! Mom, you're terrifying right now! Eriri! Mahiru! Someoneanyonesave me!'
Nakui turned to Yor with a serene smile. "Yor-san, would you mind helping me in the kitchen?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Yor darted off, her movements swift and obedient.
As the group disappeared inside, Akifumi Ye stood forgotten outside, staring at their retreating backs.
Did my wife just abandon me?
Mugiho and his father sat in the living room, waiting for his mother and Yor to return.
His dad slumped on the couch, pouting like a petulant child after being ignored by his wife. Meanwhile, Mugiho fidgeted nervously, as if awaiting judgment day.
He grabbed his phone from his pocket and sent an S.O.S. to Eriri:
"My parents are here HELP."
The reply from Eriri came instantly, sharp and merciless:
Sawamura Spencer Eriri:
"Hmph! Weren't you the one who puffed out his chest and said, 'Don't worryI'll take responsibility' like some big shot?"
"And now you've got the nerve to beg for help when you haven't even explained a single thing to MY parents yet?!"
"Serves you right, idiot! Handle it yourself!"
"This cheeky girl I'll remember this"
Mugiho let out a quiet sigh, his gentle gaze lingering on the screen as his fingers hesitated above the keyboard.
Frustration simmered beneath his calm exterior, but he simply leaned back in his chair, running a hand slowly through his hair as if trying to ease the tension away.
"...Looks like I have no choice," he murmured softly to himself.
With a quiet click, he switched tabs, opening what felt like his last lifelineMahiru.
But he got slapped by another message from Eriri
