novelraw Chapter 66: Kanto Faction Veterans Assemble!
Chapter 66: Kanto Faction Veterans Assemble!
When Nohara Hiroshi walked out of Asumi's office, the expression on his face remained that trademark calmness.
He walked through that corridor brightly illuminated by the afternoon sun. The dust peacefully danced around his body, as if presenting a silent eulogy to a general about to march to war.
However, when he pushed open that door of the [Nohara Hiroshi Special Production Team] which had already hung up a brand-new doorplate, a stagnant air heavily depressing akin to an impending torrential rain, completely contrary to that high spirit outside, assaulted him in the face.
The office was in a dead silence.
Minamura Hoshi clasped both hands behind his head. His entire body sunk dejectedly into the brand-new office chair, eyes vacantly staring at the ceiling.
On that young face, for the first time was lost the vitality belonging to youths.
Whereas Haseji Kakeru stared intently at his own computer screen. On the screen was a blank document, the flickering cursor seemingly silently mocking his impotence.
Even Kitagawa Yao, who normally was always akin to an energetic little sun, right now was merely propping her cheeks, taking small sips of milk that had long gone cold. Those big eyes always glittering, right now were also covered in a layer of dull gray mist.
"What's going on?" Nohara Hiroshi placed his briefcase onto his own desk.
His gaze sweeping across these few faces written full of feeling life is unlovable, his brows frowned imperceptibly: "What's wrong with each one of you? Why does it feel like you guys just went through some unspeakable setback? This isn't like your style."His voice wasn't loud, yet exactly broke this dead silence.
"Nohara... Section Chief..."
Minamura Hoshi slowly sat up straight. He looked at Nohara Hiroshi, opened his mouth, yet as if something blocked his throat, he couldn't utter a single word.
It was still Kitagawa Yao, who mustered up her courage. Those eyes always bearing a bit of vitality at this moment were somewhat red, her voice carrying a trace of unhideable grievance and unwillingness: "Section Chief... we... we just now..."
Halfway through her words, she was interrupted by the voice of Haseji Kakeru beside her suppressing his anger.
"Section Chief, Senior Hashishita he... he is a traitor!"
Traitor.
These two words were like two red-hot branding irons, fiercely branded into the air of this office.
Nohara Hiroshi's eyes remained unruffled. He seemingly thought of something, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly, pulling out his own chair to sit down and raising his hand to signal them to continue speaking.
"This morning, when Section Chief you left for the meeting, a notice came from the HR Section."
Minamura Hoshi finally caught his breath. He smashed his fist onto the table, that young face flushing red: "Senior Hashishita he... he was officially transferred to the Iwata Section! Serving as the Deputy Section Chief over there!"
"We didn't believe it!"
Haseji Kakeru also stood up agitatedly. In those eyes always bearing a bit of bashfulness, right now was filled with the rage of being betrayed: "We ran to the Iwata Section wanting to find him to ask clearly, wanting to ask him why he betrayed Section Chief Suzuki, why he betrayed us!"
"And the result?" Nohara Hiroshi calmly asked.
"The result..." Kitagawa Yao's voice carried a crying tone: "The result is we didn't manage to ask anything, but instead in front of their door, heard news even more unacceptable to us..."
She paused, seemingly exhausting her entire body's strength, to squeeze that sentence out from her throat: "Section Chief Iwata he... he announced in front of everyone in their section, that the production rights for the third season of 『Yamishibai』... have already been officially handed over into their hands!"
Boom!
This news, even though Nohara Hiroshi already knew within his heart, hearing it in Minamura Hoshi and Haseji Kakeru's ears, wasn't any different from a bolt from the blue.
"On what basis?! Based on what?!"
Minamura Hoshi's eyes even turned red. That was an anger belonging purely to a creator: "『Yamishibai』 is our lifeblood! It was created single-handedly by Nohara-sensei you! Based on what should they snatch it away?! That guy Hashishita, he definitely sold all of our production trains of thought and all notes to Iwata!"
"Exactly! This is too much!" Haseji Kakeru also trembled with anger: "These guys are simply bandits! Hashishita Ichiro we even thought he was a senior! But he was actually a mole! A traitor!"
The office was enveloped in an emotion of anger and unwillingness.
They were like a group of children who had just built up their beloved castle, yet could only watch helplessly as a group of strong adults brutally charged in, taking their castle as their own, and even planted their own flags upon it.
That impotence, was sufficient to drench the hot blood of any young person ice-cold.
However, amidst this anger bordering on despair, they instead discovered with astonishment, that person who ought to be the most furious and unwilling, at this moment, not only didn't have any anger on his face, but the corners of his mouth, even hung a... faint, smile carrying a bit of playfulness.
"Nohara... Section Chief?"
Minamura Hoshi was stunned. He looked at Nohara Hiroshi's unruffled appearance, feeling his own brain was somewhat insufficient: "You... aren't you angry? We... no, it's your 『Yamishibai』! ...It was snatched away ah!"
"Snatched away?" Hearing this, Nohara Hiroshi chuckled lightly. He leaned back on his chair, his fingers gently tapping out a rhythmic faint sound on the table.
"Do you guys feel, I should be angry about a piece of chicken rib chewed to the bone by me, being snatched away by others as if it was some rare mountain delicacy?"
This speech of his was said calmly and indifferently, yet made the three people present utterly shocked.
Chicken rib (something of little value)?
That 『Yamishibai』 which created a viewership rating myth and was regarded as a classic by the entire industry, in its creator's eyes, actually... is merely a piece of chicken rib?
"Section... Section Chief, what do you mean by this?" Kitagawa Yao blinked her eyes. Within those eyes normally carrying a bit of vitality, right now was written full of pure confusion.
Nohara Hiroshi looked at their adorable appearance being shocked, the smile on his face growing heavier.
He didn't answer directly, but took a document brought back a moment ago from Asumi's office, gently pushing it to the center of the table.
"Compared to caring about someone else's bone, I advise you guys, to care more about our own... fierce tiger about to leave its pen."
The three leaned closer, half-believing and half-doubting.
When they clearly saw that large "S" printed in bold black font on the cover of that document, everyone's breathing stagnated at this moment.
"S... S-class project?!" Minamura Hoshi's voice even trembled.
"Nine o'clock at night... the sub-prime time?!" Haseji Kakeru's eyes were as wide as bronze bells.
"General Director... Chief Planner... Nohara Hiroshi?!" Kitagawa Yao desperately covered her own mouth, just so she wouldn't let out a screech from her throat.
This was no longer a simple pleasant surprise. This was a colossal happiness sufficient to make any television professional feel dizzy!
Sub-prime time!
That is top-tier resources only second to the golden hour eight o'clock slot!
Is a battlefield all Level 2 Directors in the station would squeeze their heads trying to fight for!
Not to mention entry-level Level 4 Directors like them, even those veteran Level 3 Directors, without solid achievements and connections, wouldn't even have the qualification to touch it!
And now, this top-level project capable of determining a producer's fate for the next few years, just lightly landed onto the heads of this newly established 'Nohara Hiroshi Special Production Team' of theirs with an average age of under twenty-five!?
This is simply like an atomic bomb detonating in their heads!
Blowing their heads into an expanse of blankness!
"Now, do you guys still think the production rights of a single 『Yamishibai』 is very important?" Nohara Hiroshi's voice calmly sounded out amidst this nearly congealed air.
The three of them raised their heads abruptly, looking at that young man who from beginning to end merely smiled peacefully.
The gazes they revealed, were like looking at an omnipotent deity.
They finally understood.
So it turns out, while they were still being indignant about losing a small hilltop, this young Section Chief of theirs, had long ago on an even broader battlefield, conquered a grand city capable of looking down upon the entire continent... for them!
"Section Chief!"
Minamura Hoshi and Haseji Kakeru almost simultaneously stood up, facing Nohara Hiroshi with a deep bow. In their voices, carried an excitement and fanaticism of surviving a disaster: "We... we understand now!"
Yet Nohara Hiroshi waved his hand signaling them to sit down.
"Don't celebrate too early." On his face, all the smiles had restrained, replaced by a calmness and seriousness belonging to a decision maker: "An S-class project, means S-class pressure. This isn't something a few of us casually messing around can complete anymore."
He stood up, walking to that brand-new whiteboard in the center of the office, picking up a pen, rapidly writing down a string of positions.
"We need an experienced Executive Director to be responsible for on-site dispatch and shooting schedules. Need at least two Assistant Directors to assist in completing the shooting of each scene. Need a Field Recorder, to record the data of every single shot. Need a Producer, to coordinate budget and logistics. Still need an Art Director, Director of Photography, Sound Director, Editor..."
For every position he wrote down, the atmosphere in the office grew a degree more solemn.
When he wrote the final word and put down the pen, that pristine whiteboard was already occupied densely by words.
Each word was like a heavy stone weighing on the hearts of Minamura Hoshi, Haseji Kakeru, and Kitagawa Yao.
They looked at that whiteboard. That immense pride and lofty ambition just arisen from obtaining an S-class project, was instantly doused by an even more massive icy coldness named 'Reality'.
They were just three newcomers who joined the industry for less than a year.
Anime storyboards, they could still barely handle.
But a live-action drama, and an S-class live-action drama at that, is a vast and complex domain they've never ever stepped foot in.
They were like a group of children who just learned to drive go-karts, yet were told they have to drive a luxurious sports car right away.
And a race on a circuit at that!
That impotence, and that fear towards the unknown, made a bitter taste surface on their few young faces.
"Section Chief..."
Minamura Hoshi's voice carried a trace of unwillingness: "Are we... are we really capable? The three of us... don't know anything ah. Moreover, our only experienced Executive Director, Senior Hashishita he..."
He remembered that figure of betrayal again, and the bitterness grew even heavier.
Nohara Hiroshi looked at their expressions, also letting out a slight sigh in his heart.
He knew, this was indeed the biggest difficult problem currently.
"Ring ring ring——"
Right amidst this nearly congealed air, the telephone on Nohara Hiroshi's desk rang out inopportunely once again.
Nohara Hiroshi frowned, but still walked over picking up the receiver.
On the other end of the phone, transmitted a gentle voice carrying a bit of familiarity yet the name couldn't be recalled.
"Nohara-kun, right? I'm Sato Kenji, Level 3 Director. We chatted in the pantry before."
"Section Chief Sato." That refined face wearing gold-rimmed glasses instantly flashed into Nohara Hiroshi's mind.
"Excuse the intrusion." Sato's voice carried a few hints of smiles: "I heard from Deputy Director Asumi, that on your side, it seems... you lack people?"
Nohara Hiroshi's eyebrows jumped.
Yet before he could speak.
The opposite side spoke once again.
"Under my command, are a few decent old pals. All are people who followed me over from the Kanto Station back in the day. Experienced and capable, just... not very good at picking sides. These past few years, suppressed rather miserably by those guys from the Tokyo Faction, never really having any good opportunities."
Sato's voice paused. In that smile, carried a feeling of tacit understanding.
"I heard, you have an S-class project right here, and what's lacking, are exactly people who can fight tough battles. How about it? Nohara-kun, any interest, in meeting them?"
"Of course I'm interested! Section Chief Sato!" The corners of Nohara Hiroshi's mouth curled up into a comprehending arc.
He knew, this was Deputy Director Asumi, was the entire 'Kanto Faction', sending him the most timely and most needed reinforcements.
"Thank you very much for your trust, and for their trust."
His voice was calm yet carried an unquestionable power: "Section Chief Sato, have them come directly to my office."
"I need a lot of excellent partners!"
Hanging up the phone, Nohara Hiroshi turned around. Looking at those three young faces still written full of confusion and unease, on his face, blossomed anew a confident smile sufficient to reassure people's hearts.
"Everyone, get ready to welcome your new colleagues."
In less than ten minutes, the office door was pushed open.
Headed by Sato Kenji, seven or eight middle-aged men around forty years old entered in single file, their expressions either calm, uninhibited, or bearing the loneliness of unappreciated talents.
They looked at this brand-new office, looked at those few young people with astonished faces, and finally, their gazes converged onto that young man standing in front of the whiteboard, his expression calm.
Within that calmness, carried an aura of a superior seemingly capable of controlling everything.
"Section Chief Nohara."
Sato Kenji stepped forward proactively extending his hand. On that refined face, bore a sincere smile belonging to an ally: "I've brought my people. Executive Director, Assistant Directors, Producer, Art, Camera, Sound, Editing... what you want, here, are all here."
Nohara Hiroshi looked at these 'veterans' in front of him who, although having their sharp edges smoothed out by the years, still had flames of unwillingness flashing in their eyes.
A smile leaked from the corners of his mouth. He similarly extended his hand proactively, grasping heavily together with Sato Kenji's.
"Welcome to join."
"Your arrival is truly too crucial!"
His voice wasn't loud, yet was like a bugle call, announcing that a group of veterans who were once the backbone in Kanto TV but were marginalized from power and idle with nothing to do upon arriving at TV Tokyo, at this very moment, officially assembled!
And also, an army capable of being easily commanded by his Nohara Hiroshi!