[OreGaIru : New Me!]

….

[-Continuation-]

.

[-Third Person View-]

It has been a week since Yukino's birthday…

…and Hachiman had been swamped ever since.

His focus had been consumed by preparations for his upcoming game launch event, leaving him with little time for anything else.

At this moment, he was in the service club room with Yukino.

Just her.

Yui wasn't around today.

She had mentioned attending a family event, so there was no cause for concern.

For now, it was just the two of them.

Hachiman sat beside Yukino, who was quietly focused on her laptop screen.

She seemed to be engrossed in something completely unrelated to her domain of work, her gaze steady and unbroken.

Meanwhile, Hachiman was scribbling something in a notebook, his pen moving absently as his thoughts wandered.

The invitations should have been delivered by now, right?

His strategy for the game launch event leaned heavily on those free invitations.

If there was one thing he was certain of, it was the pivotal role gamers and live streamers had played in spreading [Minecraft] like wildfire.

They weren't just an audience.

They were the lifeblood of the game's success.

Let's be frank.

To play a game like [Minecraft], a person needed skills and the patience to endure the grueling grind.

And not everyone had that.

What set [Minecraft] apart from most games, including his previous game [Candy Crush], was that it wasn't just fun to play - it was also entertaining to watch, especially if the player was skilled.

That was the main draw.

And Hachiman was determined to make the most of that opportunity.

This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision.

It was a carefully calculated move.

Though many might not grasp the full significance behind it now…

And by the time they did, it wouldn't matter, it wouldn't change anything.

Hachiman finished scribbling down his notes, set the script aside, and rubbed the back of his neck.

"A world made of blocks, where the only limit is your imagination." He repeated, as if tasting the words one more time. "It sounds… grand, doesn't it?"

Beside him, Yukino adjusted her computer glasses with her free hand, her other busy jotting something in her notebook.

The faint glow of her laptop reflected off the lenses, but her focus was divided between the screen and Hachiman's voice.

"…Was that last line written by you?" She asked, her tone even, though her curiosity was unmistakable.

Hachiman shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah. Is there a problem?"

"No." Yukino replied, pausing her note-taking briefly. "I just wanted to confirm."

She hesitated, glancing at the script again.

The line felt... indulgent, almost lofty - words meant to inspire.

And yet, after all she had seen of the project, she couldn't say it was untrue.

Yukino wasn't a gamer.

Not by any stretch of the imagination.

But after spending time with Hachiman and being exposed to his world, she had gained a new appreciation for the craft.

Seeing the behind-the-scenes effort that went into [Minecraft] had been an eye-opener.

The meticulous details, the deliberate design choices, the endless trial and error.

Her initial reaction had been skepticism.

How could a game so intentionally simple - one made of blocks - be anything more than a fleeting amusement?

But now, having pored over concept notes for the upcoming updates and witnessing the passion of the development team, her perspective had shifted.

The game was… remarkable.

And yes, it truly was - a world made of blocks, where the only limit is your imagination.

Yukino had made an effort to learn - reading about game development books, and even enduring Hachiman's occasional rants about online lobbies or poorly balanced mechanics.

And despite herself thinking, she still felt woefully underqualified to contribute meaningfully to the finer aspects of the game.

However, she had equipped herself with decent gaming knowledge where she could understand what the game is meant for.

[Minecraft] present version only has limited gameplay.

The game was in creative mode only.

There were no survival mechanics, health, hunger, or mobs, which she had seen from Hachiman's designs and many other things that weren't added.

For now, the players could place and break blocks freely without restrictions - also there were only a few types of blocks, such as grass, dirt, cobblestone, planks, and stone.

However, the best option is even in its early stages, the game supported multiplayer, allowing players to interact and build together in the same world.

There were no tools, crafting systems, or inventory.

Players could only work with the blocks directly available to them.

…and for what she and Hachiman had played, it was fun.

Her notebook contained notes on pacing and structure, her feedback limited to the organization of Hachiman's speech rather than its content.

After all, gaming was his domain.

Still, her efforts hadn't been in vain.

She glanced up from her notebook, catching Hachiman as he fiddled with his pen, a rare mix of focus and nerves etched on his face.

"Even if it's a bit dramatic, it suits the tone of your launch." She said, her voice softening just a little.

Hachiman smirked, leaning forward slightly. "Well… thanks."

"...But anyway, what should we do about Miura's request?" Hachiman asked, suddenly shifting the topic.

"Didn't I say I would handle that? You focus on your own thing." Yukino replied, not looking up from her laptop.

"I was just curious about the progress." Hachiman said, leaning back slightly.

It had been two days since Miura came to the Service Club with her request about finding Hayama's career plans.

Hachiman vaguely recalled the details, but the memory felt blurry - less distinct than the rest of the events surrounding it.

Still, he wasn't particularly concerned about it.

"I am thinking of just asking him directly." Yukino said, looking up now, her expression thoughtful.

"That's a good idea, I guess." Hachiman agreed, nodding.

Yukino found herself surprised at how easily she could say that.

Not long ago, she had done everything in her power to avoid crossing paths with Hayama.

She would ignore his every attempt to make amends for past mistakes, shutting him out as much as possible.

Eventually, Hayama stopped trying to approach her.

But now, Yukino understood, or at least had a better grasp on, the real Hayama: who he was, and what he had become.

He was everyone's Hayato Hayama, that much was clear.

And that very role was what had drawn him back into the circle.

Yukino also understood now why Hayama felt inferior to Hachiman.

It was something Hachiman himself still didn't quite understand the reason behind.

Yukino found it a bit amusing - Hachiman complaining about how Hayama looked at him with such inferiority.

She couldn't help but think, How could he complain about something like that?

Wasn't it a good thing if someone as popular as Hayama actually looked up to you?

Anyway, the reason was quite simple.

In less than a year, Hachiman had helped her grow as a person far more than Hayato had been able to in all the years of being in the same class and calling himself her friend.

In a way, Yukino finally understood how similar she and Hayama really were.

Ever since they were children, both Yukino and Hayato had looked up to Haruno.

In a sense, they had both been chasing her shadow.

They had both been born into wealthy families, where expectations were placed on them - on who they should be, how they should act.

And they both looked at Haruno as the model they should aspire to become.

The difference between them, or rather the conclusion she had reached, was simple.

While Yukino had failed in her attempt to follow her sister's footsteps, Hayama had fully embraced that life and succeeded at becoming like Haruno.

And the reason she failed was just as simple.

It wasn't in her nature.

It wasn't the type of person she was.

…and that was all there was to it.

.

….

[To be continued…]

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