Game Developer in the World of Anime

In the afternoon classes, Utaha was in a great mood. She had a smile on her face, which even startled the teacher who came in to teach.

After class, Ichin and Utaha packed up their bags and left the classroom together, drawing everyone's attention.

"I'm telling you, there's definitely something going on between those two!"

"Do you really need to point that out? They're always together."

"They do make a great couple, and they're also the top two in our grade."

"Why can't I have a sweet romance too?"

"Maybe you'd get one if you topped the grade."

"Yeah, that's not happening."

Even though Ichin and Utaha weren't officially dating yet, their classmates were already gossiping so intensely. When they do start dating, it's likely the buzz in the class will only get louder.

Returning to the clubroom, they quickly tidied up the teacups and utensils. There was a lot to do in the afternoon—Ichin needed to get a haircut, go grocery shopping, and then head back to the studio.

Before leaving, they stopped by the neighboring clubroom, where Yukinoshita Yukino and Eriri were already there, moving in a few tables and chairs for their club.

Knocking on the door, Ichin said, "Looks like your club is officially starting up. Good luck with it. Utaha and I are heading out now."

"Is it something for the studio?" Eriri asked curiously.

"Partially," Ichin nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I need to get a haircut and then head to the supermarket to buy ingredients. Otherwise, I won't be able to make lunch for myself tomorrow."

"Oh, I see…" Eriri responded, understanding his situation. Originally, she had planned to hang out at Ichin's studio for a bit, but now that she had joined the Service Club, that would have to wait.

After the two left, Yukino turned to Eriri. "Sawamura-san, what exactly is this studio you mentioned?"

"Oh, I haven't told you about it, have I?" Eriri clapped her hands in realization, then smiled. "Let me tell you, Ichin-kun is really amazing. He spent two months developing a game on his own, and it's sold tons of copies. How many has it sold now? I remember it was over 150,000 copies during Golden Week. It must be even more by now! Anyway, it's a lot. And now, Ichin-kun has set up his own studio to develop a new game. I just visited yesterday!"

Hearing Eriri's explanation, Yukino's eyes showed a hint of surprise.

Though she wasn't into games, she knew the significance of the ACG (anime, comic, and game) industry in Japan, with companies like Nintendo holding global renown. Selling 150,000 copies was no small feat, even if she wasn't aware of the game's price. The sheer number of sales indicated substantial earnings.

However, that wasn't Yukino's main concern. She shook her head slightly and turned to Eriri, who was sitting next to her. "Well then, Sawamura-san, since we don't have any requests right now, let's talk about you. Your situation is quite unique."

With no requests coming in, Yukino seemed determined to turn Eriri into a proper Service Club member!

Eriri, oblivious to what lay ahead, had no idea what she was getting herself into.

After leaving the school, Ichin, led by Utaha, arrived at a busy hair salon she often visited.

As soon as they walked in, a female stylist with short hair approached them, smiling. "Oh my, Utaha, you've brought a boy with you today? Is he your boyfriend?"

Utaha's cheeks turned a bit red. "Not yet."

"So, you mean he might be in the future?" the stylist teased, then turned to Ichin. "Hello, I'm Satou, the owner and one of the stylists here. You're the one getting the haircut today, right? Your hair is a bit long."

Ichin nodded. "Hello, I'm Ichin. Sorry for the trouble."

"Come with me." Satou gestured for Ichin to follow and glanced at Utaha. "Utaha, are you going to wait, or…"

"I'll stay with him. It's boring to sit alone," Utaha replied.

After washing Ichin's hair, they moved to a seat where Satou began the haircut.

As she ran a hand through Ichin's slightly damp hair, Satou asked, "What kind of style do you want?"

Ichin thought for a moment and said, "Nothing too flashy. Just trim it a bit to keep it simple."

"Hmm…" Satou contemplated, then glanced at Utaha. "What do you think, Utaha?"

"Me?" Utaha touched her chin thoughtfully but eventually said, "Ichin-kun looks great already, so let's not give him some weird hairstyle. His previous style was fine."

Satou gave Utaha a playful glare. "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all! I never give my clients weird hairstyles!" She turned back to Ichin. "Alright, I'll trim it to your original style."

She quickly picked up her scissors and comb and got to work on Ichin's hair.

As she cut, Satou chatted with both of them. She wasn't much older than thirty, likely around the same age as Hiratsuka Shizuka. For someone her age to own a successful salon in bustling Tokyo meant she was quite accomplished and had solid business acumen. Her conversational skills were equally good, and since she was already familiar with Utaha, Ichin found it easy to chat with her.

When Satou learned that Ichin was an exchange student and had taken the top spot in their grade from Utaha, she remarked, "It figures. If you want to win over a girl like Utaha, you have to be even more outstanding. I didn't go to Toyogasaki High myself, but I know it has high entry standards. Ichin-kun, do you plan to attend university here too?"

"Yes, that's the plan," Ichin replied.

"Let me guess, is it because of Utaha?"

Before Ichin could answer, Utaha chimed in, "Not really. I'm not at the level yet where I can make Ichin-kun decide something like that because of me. He has his own game development studio, and that's his priority right now."

"You've already set up your own studio at such a young age?" Satou was utterly amazed. She hadn't expected Ichin to not only excel academically but also have other impressive achievements.

Still, Satou soon smiled knowingly and said, "Work is important, but if you come across a girl like Utaha, don't let her go so easily. Otherwise, you'll look back years from now and regret it. Trust me, that's advice from someone who's been through it."

…