novelraw Chapter 55: Copyright
Chapter 55: Copyright
'Vroom——'
The car started steadily, silently merging into the late-night traffic of Tokyo like a drop of ink blending into the boundless dark night.
Only, the atmosphere inside the car was as oppressive as the deep sea.
Takada Toshihide didn't speak, merely holding a glass of whiskey that appeared at some unknown time. The ice cubes in the glass occasionally let out crisp light sounds like sighs corresponding to the running of the vehicle.
Iwata Masao also restrained that arrogance, driving attentively, his gaze occasionally shooting towards the rear seat through the rearview mirror carrying a trace of fox-exploiting-tiger's-might complacency.
Finally, it was still Takada Toshihide who broke this suffocating silence.
"Exactly what did Asumi say?"
His voice was very flat, as if asking an unimportant trivial matter.
Hashishita Ichiro's body uncontrollably tensed up. He knew the true trial only meant its beginning now.
He didn't dare to conceal the slightest bit, recounting fully every detail about how Deputy Bureau Chief Asumi didn't stint on words of praise at the celebration banquet, how he praised Nohara Hiroshi as the "Rising Star of Tomorrow of the Kanto Faction", and even how he promised "in a little while, I will give Nohara-kun a huge surprise".He spoke very slowly. Every word seemed to roll over the tip of his tongue, carrying a trace of almost retaliatory gratification that even he himself hadn't detected.
"Rising star of tomorrow? Kanto Faction?"
Iwata Masao in the driver's seat let out a disdainful sneer again: "A group of failures chased out from the headquarters huddling together to pant out their last breaths, actually daring to call themselves a 'faction'? Truly laughable to death. As for that whatever rising star of tomorrow... hmph, wait until next month when the production rights for 'Yamishibai' Season 3 arrive in our hands, let's see how his 'rising star' continues to rise!"
His words were full of certainty towards the future and contempt for the opponent.
However, on the rear seat, Takada Toshihide's face grew increasingly gloomy.
He knew matters were far from as simple as Iwata thought.
That old fox Asumi would absolutely not shoot arrows without a target. That so-called "surprise" absolutely couldn't be an empty check.
"Yamishibai Season 3..."
Hashishita Ichiro's voice sounded faintly at this time, carrying a trace of just the right, probing uneasiness: "Deputy Bureau Chief Takada, regarding the Production Bureau side... is it truly already decided to hand the project over to us?"
"Of course!" Iwata Masao's tone caught a bit of anger for being questioned: "This was a matter the Deputy Bureau Chief personally went to find the Bureau Chief, that grand leader who also concurrently serves as the Vice President of the station, to personally decide with a strike of the gavel! That guy Asumi, probably snatched that S-rank live-action horror project to give to Nohara Hiroshi as a meeting gift, right? Hmph, the station must also pay attention to a balance of benefits, an S-rank project traded for the production rights of 'Yamishibai', what words are left for him, Asumi, to say?"
These words of his were answering Hashishita, also comforting himself, and even more so analyzing for Takada Toshihide.
However, after Hashishita Ichiro finished listening to these words, he didn't reveal a relieved expression as he had envisioned.
Instead, a far more peculiar expression emerged on his face, mixed with hesitation and a bit like watching a good show.
He seemed to remember something, yet wasn't quite sure. He licked his somewhat dry lips before using an almost whispery voice to speak a sentence sufficient to make this steadily running luxury car blow out its tires instantly.
"But... Section Chief Iwata, Deputy Bureau Chief Takada..."
"I remember, the copyright for 'Yamishibai'... seems to, still be in Nohara Hiroshi's own hands."
"..."
Inside the carriage, it instantly fell into a dead-like silence.
That was a vacuum-like dead silence where even the air seemed to be sucked dry.
The complacency on Iwata Masao's face solidified instantly, like a comical statue splashed with quick-freezer.
On the rear seat, the hand of Takada Toshihide holding the whiskey glass also suddenly froze in midair.
Copyright.
This was a considerably important thing.
Previously they had only focused on studying the creative style and corresponding line of thought of "Yamishibai", they just hadn't thought that the creator of this "Yamishibai", the author possessing the copyright for "Yamishibai", was actually still Nohara Hiroshi!
Takada Toshihide looked at Iwata Masao at this time, and similarly, Iwata Masao also looked at Takada Toshihide.
The two looked at each other in blank dismay.
Only Hashishita Ichiro, seeing this scene here, suddenly had a trace of sorrow emerge within his heart.
'Selling my allegiance to these two guys... is it right, or wrong?' Hashishita Ichiro was somewhat unsure now.
But it couldn't be helped even if he was unsure.
He had already betrayed Suzuki Kiyoto, already betrayed Nohara Hiroshi. He already became a traitor, throwing in his lot with Takada Toshihide and Iwata Masao.
Facing the two people who simply hadn't thought of the copyright matter at all, Hashishita Ichiro also didn't know what to do.
"It doesn't matter, I will handle it." Takada Toshihide looked at Iwata Masao at this time, looking at this cousin of his wife, thinking about all the costs he had already invested into this guy.
Takada Toshihide's face grew increasingly gloomy.
The sunk costs were too much.
Moreover, he also forgot that sunk costs shouldn't participate in future plannings.
Thus Takada Toshihide was like a gambler who had invested massive costs and was now unable to turn back, speaking to the two with a low voice: "'Yamishibai' has already broadcast for two seasons on TV Tokyo and has a good audience foundation, this way we can purchase the subsequent adaptation rights for 'Yamishibai'. This way even without Nohara Hiroshi participating in the production, we can still conduct the subsequent animation production!"
"But, will that be easy?" Hashishita Ichiro subconsciously opened his mouth.
But when Hashishita Ichiro finished speaking this sentence, he regretted it.
"Hmph!?" And right then Iwata Masao who was driving directly stomped the brakes, turned his head to look at Hashishita Ichiro sitting in the back, and reprimanded furiously: "Hashishita Ichiro, do you know what you're saying? You dare to question Deputy Bureau Chief Takada's ability in the TV Tokyo Production Bureau!?"
Takada Toshihide sitting beside Hashishita Ichiro similarly shot a glance at him, the expression within that gaze extremely icy.
Making Hashishita Ichiro instantly tremble all over.
"Hai! Please forgive my rudeness!" Hashishita Ichiro directly bowed and bent his waist inside the car: "Deputy Bureau Chief Takada! I was only worrying whether that guy Nohara Hiroshi would be overly stingy! After all, although that guy is young... he is very cunning!"
This speech could be considered giving Takada Toshihide a lot of face.
Takada Toshihide also didn't want to give up on this newly defected Hashishita Ichiro who was willing to follow him.
He merely cast a cold glance at him, speaking flatly: "You guys don't need to worry about the remaining matters, I will handle it properly. You guys just need to diligently research for me; if I place the creation of 'Yamishibai Season 3' onto you, whether you can produce it properly for me, that will be enough!"
He was an Executive Deputy Director of the TV Tokyo Production Bureau.
It could be said he held a high position and heavy authority.
The Bureau Chief of the Production Bureau was inherently a Vice President of the station, and also managed other posts, so this Executive Deputy Director of the Production Bureau of his was inherently the de facto top boss of the Production Bureau.
Compared to Asumi who was merely a Deputy Director without the two words "Executive", his status was distinctively higher!
Including Takada Toshihide himself being a Deputy Director cultivated by TV Tokyo itself.
His connections couldn't be underestimated either!
So to speak, towards that "Yamishibai" which created a double Ichiban for both the early morning and late-night slots, and could even be said its animation viewership rating for this month would definitely also be Ichiban.
Takada Toshihide was truly restless to take action, yearning to grasp it in his own hands!
Through the operation of authority.
Takada Toshihide was very certain, he could definitely turn "Yamishibai" into a magnificent wedding dress, then wear it on his own body!