Chapter 158: Who Succeeded In Sneaking A Taste?!
While Sakamoto Ken was looking at his mobile phone, Mikazuki Haruna also picked up her mobile phone and took a look.
However, what she opened was Natsume Mio’s chat interface.
The latest were two messages Natsume Mio had sent her, which she hadn’t replied to, but she had already clicked in to look at them several times repeatedly.
Natsume Mio: 「Made a bento for A Jian again, just ate it together with A Jian~ / Happy」
Natsume Mio: 「A Jian said it was delicious and wants me to make it with him every day~」
At that time, this girl had sent her these two messages completely out of the blue, for no apparent reason.
The first sentence was still talking about the bento, and the next sentence was something like “make it with him every day,” make what?!
It couldn’t possibly be making love, right?
Actually, Mikazuki Haruna was more inclined to think that Natsume Mio was deliberately saying it this way to show off her relationship with Sakamoto Ken to her.
In reality, it’s impossible… right?
Thinking of this, Mikazuki Haruna herself wasn’t even sure anymore.
Just as she was thinking about this, Sakamoto Ken said, “Mikazuki President, I still have something to discuss with you about the animation.”
Mikazuki Haruna was slightly taken aback, feeling a bit surprised by Sakamoto Ken’s sudden shift in topic, and he even deliberately used the address “Mikazuki President.”
However, since he had pulled the topic back to the animation, that was her home turf.
“Oh? What else? Go ahead,” Mikazuki Haruna put on the airs of a president and said, “When it comes to the animation, I’m the sole investor. If you have any requirements regarding the content, I can bring them directly to Director Mizushima.”
She deliberately emphasized “sole investor,” reminding Sakamoto Ken that she was the one in control.
Sakamoto Ken nodded and said, “Then let Mio be Makima’s voice actor.”
“Eh?” Mikazuki Haruna was stunned for several seconds.
She hadn’t expected Sakamoto Ken to directly make this request to her here, to have Natsume Mio be the voice actor!
The smile on Mikazuki Haruna’s face instantly froze: “You… what did you say?”
Having Natsume Mio be Makima’s voice actor—was this meaning for her to arrange it?
Of course Mikazuki Haruna knew that Natsume Mio had been preparing for this all along.
She had not only specially dyed her hair that eye-catching red-pink color and changed to Makima’s hairstyle, but also taken on the voice acting for that promotional short film, swaying back and forth in front of A Jian all day.
Back at the studio, Natsume Mio’s smug appearance was still vividly remembered by Haruna.
It was undeniable that, in terms of effect, Natsume Mio’s imitated voice line in that short film did have a bit of Makima’s flavor, very close to her imagination of the character Makima.
But!
Could she let her be this voice actor?
Mikazuki Haruna had secured this 《Chainsaw Man》 animation project.
One of the purposes was to at least keep that girl out of it.
Mikazuki Haruna felt she knew exactly what that girl Natsume Mio was thinking.
She wasn’t going for the voice acting job at all; her real goal was to use this job to cling to A Jian, step by step, more deeply infiltrating his life.
She must be thinking that if she did this, Sakamoto Ken would fall for her.
Mikazuki Haruna could even imagine that if she really succeeded, that girl would probably use excuses like “practicing lines,” “researching the character,” “grasping emotions,” and such to openly come to the studio to find A Jian every day, or even ask him out!
But now…
Sakamoto Ken had actually taken the initiative to make this request to her.
What did this mean?
Mikazuki Haruna’s heart suddenly sank.
Those two messages from Natsume Mio resurfaced in her mind.
“Wants me to make it with him every day~”
Could it be…
That girl had already successfully stolen a taste?!
So now A Jian was so enamored with Natsume Mio that he was even directly fighting for such an important role for her right in front of her?
Mikazuki Haruna opened her little mouth, not even thinking of how to respond to Sakamoto Ken’s words.
Sakamoto Ken had been quietly observing her expression all along and had long anticipated Haruna’s reaction.
He continued to press, saying, “You’ve heard Mio’s voice acting, right?”
His tone was very calm, as if discussing a perfectly normal work matter: “The promotional short film had a great effect, and her voice line perfectly matches Makima’s image.”
Then he leaned forward slightly, across the large desk, his gaze locking directly onto Mikazuki Haruna’s eyes, as if he were the boss: “I think any other voice actor would be far inferior to her understanding of this character.”
Sakamoto Ken stood up, walked around the desk, came in front of Mikazuki Haruna, and plopped down on the sofa next to her.
The distance between them instantly closed, especially when Sakamoto Ken sat down heavily, making the entire sofa shake.
And it brought a gust of wind, carrying a very refreshing scent that made her feel somewhat reassured.
The office air conditioner was on full blast, yet she felt her cheeks heating up.
She subconsciously pressed her legs together, her knees wrapped in black stockings rubbing against each other, bringing a slight shiver.
Sakamoto Ken continued, “Haruna President surely also hopes the 《Chainsaw Man》 animation project does even better, after all, it’s your money being burned on this.”
Mikazuki Haruna crossed her arms, looking at Sakamoto Ken somewhat displeased, and said, “Did she say something to you that made you do this?”
Sakamoto Ken gently shook his head and said, “I’m just trying to make my work even more successful.”
Haruna looked at Sakamoto Ken, who had a very serious expression of recommending talent.
This matter-of-fact tone…
“Heh…” Mikazuki Haruna let out a cold laugh. She put on the airs of a president, leaned back in her chair, and said, “I know she wants to be Makima’s voice actor, but Sakamoto Sensei, this is an S-level investment, aiming for seasonal dominance.”
“In a project like this,” Mikazuki Haruna continued, “the lead voice actor isn’t just voicing the character; they also have to handle a lot of promotion work, even sing the theme song.”
“Natsume Mio? Even if she can voice Makima, can she sing? And even if she can sing, she has zero fame. Why wouldn’t I use a famous voice actor who comes with their own fans?”
Sakamoto Ken smiled slightly and said, “Isn’t this your independent investment? As the independent investor, shouldn’t you have the final say on everyone in the production team?”
“That won’t work. The director and screenwriter are industry heavyweights, and there are clear standards for voice actor selection. Even I can’t just shove anyone in.” Mikazuki Haruna pursed her lips and looked away.
She muttered inwardly: But casually excluding someone is fine.
“Oh? Standards?” Sakamoto Ken asked.
“Do you think I was just brushing you off earlier?”
Mikazuki Haruna stood up, originally wanting to put on the high heels by the sofa, but finding it too much trouble, she simply walked barefoot to the desk, opened a drawer, and took out a folder.
“See for yourself; these are the meeting minutes,” Mikazuki Haruna said.
“The last meeting didn’t mention any of this,” Sakamoto Ken said.
Mikazuki Haruna said, “You only attended one meeting. Of course they’ve discussed it many times before that.”
Then Mikazuki Haruna looked at the meeting minutes and said, “First of all, of course, it’s professional ability: they have to attend auditions and compete with all the other auditioning voice actors.”
“Beyond that, we’ll prioritize voice actors with influence and fans; we’re already in contact with several voice actor agencies.”
“But most importantly, the lead voice actor has to sing the theme song afterward, so vocal music ability is a key criterion. If that girl Natsume Mio can only voice Makima, she definitely won’t be selected.”
Sakamoto Ken picked up the folder, opened it, and looked carefully; it really did have records about the selection standards, just as she had said.
Sakamoto Ken set down the meeting minutes and said to Mikazuki Haruna, “How about this: let Mio compete fairly for the voice actor spot, and you don’t let personal grudges affect the character’s selection.”
Mikazuki Haruna muttered softly, “You really want her involved that badly?”
Sakamoto Ken said, “I promised her, and since it’s a promise, I can’t go back on my word, right?”
She said confidently, “But she definitely won’t be selected. You saw the standards; we’re contacting famous voice actor agencies. What does a newbie like her have to compete with them?”
Sakamoto Ken asked calmly, “How long until the voice actor selection?”
“Flip to the back,” Mikazuki Haruna pointed at the folder. “The meeting minutes have a rough schedule.”
Sakamoto Ken did so, finding a project schedule.
“Three months from now…”
Sakamoto Ken figured that three months wasn’t long, but it was actually enough time.
His Chainsaw Man had only been out for two months, and this was the internet era; it didn’t need three months—three weeks could make someone famous quickly.
“Then it’s settled,” Sakamoto Ken said. “Don’t deliberately make it so she can’t pass.”
“You have that much confidence in her?” Mikazuki Haruna felt a bit unsure because of his confidence. “She’s only studied the Makima role so long because of you, so her voice acting feels particularly fitting for Makima.”
“She’s a pure newbie; she hasn’t voiced any animation projects before, has no music works of her own, no fans. Even if I don’t interfere at all, she definitely won’t pass the final interview.”
Sakamoto Ken just quietly stared at the girl in front of him. Feeling his direct gaze, Mikazuki Haruna felt itchy all over, as if he were touching her entire body with his eyes.
She turned her head slightly and said, “Fine, I promise. If she passes the interview, I have no objections.”
Sakamoto Ken nodded in satisfaction: “Good, it’s a deal.”
“Eh?” Mikazuki Haruna hadn’t expected Sakamoto Ken to be so certain. “You really believe she can win?”
“I just believe in fair competition.” Sakamoto Ken stood up and started packing the storyboard drafts on the desk. “Since Mikazuki President promised a fair chance, I have nothing to worry about.”
Mikazuki Haruna immediately caught the loophole in his words: “Wait! So you plan to help her? How do you plan to help?!”
She hurried around the desk and in a few steps was right in front of Sakamoto Ken, tilting her little face up to question him.
Sakamoto Ken looked at the girl so close by; her puffed-up angry look was somewhat cute, and without high heels, she was suddenly a head shorter.
He deliberately leaned down slightly, closing the distance, and whispered in her ear, “Are you worried that if I help her, she’ll succeed in the interview?”
“I…” Mikazuki Haruna felt her ear itch from his breath and instinctively stepped back half a step, but she couldn’t lose momentum. “Tch, only three months; she can’t possibly take on several animation voice acting jobs now, right? Even if she did, it wouldn’t air before the interview.”
She crossed her arms with an “I’ve seen through everything” expression.
Sakamoto Ken just shrugged and put the storyboard drafts into his backpack: “I have my ways.”
At the start of this round, Sakamoto Ken was entirely focused on his manga, drawing future bestselling manga to earn substantial author’s remuneration and gain the initiative in the love triangle.
After all, though he initially had some PTSD upon seeing them, he had never actually considered giving up on strategizing for them.
Now two months had passed, and he had inevitably formed connections with them.
Sakamoto Ken was certain they all had very complex and deep emotions toward him, but in the previous life, the one he’d been with the longest was still Natsume Mio.
Back then, when he was at his lowest, Mio was willing to squeeze into that rundown apartment with him.
Even sometimes, the money for their dates or hotel rooms came from Natsume Mio’s part-time job earnings…
Now his own manga was on track, and Natsume Mio actually had that potential.
For example… becoming a singer.
Haruna’s words earlier had reminded him.
The voice actor selection standards weren’t just voice acting; vocal music ability was also key.
All famous voice actors were also singers.
Mio was a freshman in the Vocal Music Department; this was her major, so her fundamentals wouldn’t be lacking, and her voice line was very pleasant.
What she lacked was a sufficiently excellent song; covers alone wouldn’t gain true recognition.
Sakamoto Ken’s advantage was his detailed memories from the previous life; his mind stored more than just manga.
He remembered quite a few songs that would become hits across the nation, even globally, in the coming years.
Though he didn’t understand music himself and his singing was only karaoke machine 70-point level.
But… he remembered the lyrics.
And he could hum the general melody.
With Natsume Mio’s professional ability, she should be able to refine the song.
If not, hire a professional arranger with money to flesh out the melody into a complete song.
Three months was enough.
Forget three months; in the internet era, with proper operation, three weeks could make someone famous.
Sakamoto Ken wasn’t that eager; he set his goal at three months.
Right now, several phenomenal tracks were already coming to mind.
Sakamoto Ken checked the time, picked up his backpack, and said to Mikazuki Haruna, “By the way, Mikazuki President, we’ve talked about the work, so you should let me go back now, right?”
Hearing he wanted to leave, Mikazuki Haruna immediately panicked and blurted out, “You’re going to see her later?!”
Sakamoto Ken shook his head: “I’m going back to the studio; got work to do.”
“I’ll have Flower Department drive you!”
“No need, I’ll go back myself.” Sakamoto Ken looked at the girl blocking him, shaking his head somewhat helplessly, and said, “President, I didn’t lie to you; I didn’t make plans with Mio today.”
“But earlier…” Sakamoto Ken rubbed his temple, saying in a perfectly casual tone, “While napping here, I had a strange dream.”
“Dream?” Mikazuki Haruna’s attention was successfully diverted.
“Yeah.” Sakamoto Ken’s gaze became somewhat meaningful. “I dreamed… someone did something very excessive to me.”
He emphasized the word “someone” heavily.
“Eh?!”
Mikazuki Haruna was slightly stunned, and the incredibly realistic dream scene from earlier immediately flashed before her eyes!
She instinctively retorted, “What are you saying! While sleeping here, did you… have some weird erotic dream?”
Sakamoto Ken didn’t answer, just slowly shifted his gaze downward to the girl’s feet wrapped in black stockings.
“？!”
Mikazuki Haruna reacted as if Sakamoto Ken’s gaze had bitten her toes, quickly stepping back two steps.
The girl’s cheeks flushed red in an instant, and she stammered, “You… what are you looking at my feet for?!”
Her mind was a mess!
How did he know?!
Did he have the exact same weird dream as her…?
Sakamoto Ken chuckled lightly and shook his head: “Nothing, your little feet couldn’t possibly be that flexible…”
“Eh? Flex… flexible??”
Mikazuki Haruna widened her eyes staring at Sakamoto Ken, but he just had that “I know everything but I’m not saying” look.
No!
If he dreamed of me, and even dreamed of me stepping hard on him, then he’s the strange one.
His dream is his dream; what does it have to do with me?
Mikazuki Haruna convinced herself inwardly.
The girl Mikazuki Haruna flushed red and said, “You… just go back already! I never intended to keep you here!”
She quickly picked up the intercom on the desk and pressed a number: “Flower Department, unlock the door.”
Less than a minute after she spoke, Sakamoto Ken heard a light “click” from the office main entrance in front of him.
Sakamoto Ken picked up his backpack, waved to Mikazuki Haruna: “Then, President, see you next time.”
He opened the door and walked out without pausing.
Mikazuki Haruna stood in place, watching his back disappear through the doorway, then looked down at her own feet, even instinctively curling her toes, still feeling some strange sensation under her feet.
She even specially sat back on the sofa, resting her feet on her knees, pulling at the silk fabric to carefully check, confirming nothing was stuck to it…
So, it was just a dream…
“Damn it! That guy definitely said that on purpose earlier!”
……
Sakamoto Ken walked out of the building.
That back-and-forth just now was way more tiring than drawing storyboards all morning.
But everything was under control.
Mikazuki Haruna still thought he was going to see Natsume Mio again, but actually, what he wanted most now was to lie down and rest, catch his breath, then get back to work.
Staying up late, and even his afternoon nap dream wasn’t peaceful—taking two hard kicks from her was one thing, but he even bumped his head.
Though he wasn’t hurt in reality, the crisp crack from the back of his head still gave him lingering fear just thinking about it.
Still, it should have left a big impression on her again; after all, it had been some time since the last dream with her.
Earlier, Sakamoto Ken had noticed Haruna looking at him with a heart-palpitating expression like she’d just seen a monster.
Sakamoto Ken didn’t take a cab but walked to the nearby train station and boarded a train.
Arriving at the familiar Akihabara Station, he didn’t head straight back to the studio but browsed a bookstore near the platform, noticing that next to the hot-blooded battle manga bookshelf, there was already a promotional advertisement for the 《Chainsaw Man》 volume release, which would go on sale in a few days.
Half an hour later, he walked back to the residential area where the studio was.
Walking through the quiet residential area path, Sakamoto Ken was in a pretty good mood.
This trip today had some surprises, like the “president” he expected turning out to be Mikazuki Haruna.
Like the afternoon dream not featuring Hoshihara Ai, but instead entering a previous life scene where Haruna had locked him in the room to rush drafts, and then she teased him a bit.
The only pity was that she was too impulsive, pouncing without restraint and knocking over the entire chair, so his head hit the floor and he woke up immediately.
Otherwise, that midday dream would have left an even deeper impression on her.
Sakamoto Ken lightly hummed a tune from his previous life, very fitting.
“Yume naraba dore hodo yokatta deshou.” （If only all this were a dream）
“Imada ni anata no koto yume ni miru.” （To this day, I still meet you in my dreams）
“Wasureta mono o tori ni kaeru you ni.” （Like returning to retrieve something forgotten）
“Hm?”
He’d only sung to the third line of 《Lemon》 when Sakamoto Ken’s steps suddenly halted.
He had just reached the convenience store next to the studio, his gaze instinctively sweeping over the small parking lot nearby.
A familiar black Toyota sedan was quietly parked in a spot.
Sakamoto Ken’s heart skipped a beat.
At that moment, the driver’s side window slowly rolled down.
Inside the car, Hoshihara Ai was propping her chin with one hand, looking at him calmly.
Sakamoto Ken: “…”
Hoshihara Ai slightly raised her chin, staring straight at him without extra words, and spoke flatly.
“Get in.”
