Game Market 1983
Chapter 205: Social Activities

"Hey, Kang Junhyuk! I'm here too! Act like you know me a bit!"

"Got it. Got it. Are we buddies now or something? Why're you pestering me today?"

I already knew why Junpei was sticking close by my side. Reporting? Interviewing? Those things would be easier to handle with someone from Pentagon around, even if it's not me...

What he truly wanted was to spend a bit more time with Misato after so long. It wasn't more or less than that.

As I silently chuckled at Junpei's antics, trying to figure out what to say during the interview, a desperate cry suddenly echoed from behind.

"Everyone, come quickly! Takayama's eldest son has been found by the rescue team!"

"What!?"

Misato, standing beside me, widened her eyes and asked.

"Where is he?"

"Uh... here? Oh, it's not far from here..."

"Guide us, please!"

With those words, Misato disappeared with her cameraman like the wind.

Interviews at the gaming company could happen anytime, but missing such a breaking news? Unthinkable.

Junpei glanced at me, who was left alone, chuckled, and said, "How does it feel to be ignored?"

"Um... sorry."

"It's okay, pal."

Junpei mimicked a playful regional accent and lightly tapped my shoulder before continuing.

"After nearly 60 hours trapped, being rescued now truly is a miracle..."

The people inside the hall were murmuring with relief at the news of Takayama's son being alive. Some who were close to the boy hurriedly dressed up and followed Misato.

Amidst this, I noticed a familiar kid with crimson eyes swiftly leaving the hall, and involuntarily, I trailed after him.

Just a moment ago, he was a child sitting alone on the swing in the playground, weeping.

"Huh...?"

"Why do you know that kid?"

"Could it be...?"

"Huh? What's going on? Why are you so surprised all of a sudden?"

Even though I heard Junpei's voice from behind, my feet had already started running after the people heading towards the rescue site.

"Hey! Kang Junhyuk! Why's that kid suddenly like that?"

&

A while later, how far had I run, stepping on the collapsed concrete piles in the alley turned to ruins?

I caught a glimpse of Misato, clad in orange, moving alongside the paramedics, followed by her cameraman.

And beside her, the little kid from earlier was holding tightly onto his parents' hands, watching the rescue site.

"Is that...?"

As Junpei and I arrived at the scene, rescue workers were using lifting equipment to move the concrete piles. In the midst of this, a middle-aged man, who seemed like the head of the rescue team, shouted into the radio.

"Is the crane here yet!? How much longer is it going to take!?"

"Crackle! It's on its way to the site, but there are obstacles, so it might take some time. Crackle..."

"Hey, pal! Are you seriously reporting this right now!? The patient is in critical condition!"

"Crackle! We request swift movement again, over."

It seemed like the rescue was still ongoing, judging from the radio conversation.

Around the collapsed concrete, villagers were praying with anxious faces, their hands clasped together.

The head of the rescue team, frowning, shouted at the workers supporting the lifting equipment.

"Don't let go there! If that falls, it'll be a real disaster!"

"Yes, understood!"

Three rescue workers, straining with all their might, supporting the equipment, replied energetically to their leader's command.

"Alright. Hold that position for a while. I'll go in."

"What? But, sir!"

"The crane seems far off. If we want to transfer the patient quickly, this seems like our only option."

The rescue team leader, shedding his equipment, tried to make his body as light as possible to squeeze through the narrow gap where the child was trapped.

However, even for a man of his stature, the gap felt too narrow.

"Darn it... Can't we widen this gap a bit?"

"It's not possible. If we do that, the support might break."

"Damn it..."

Seeing the desperate expression on the rescue team leader's face, the child's mother, stuck below the accident, began to sob uncontrollably.

"What about our child... Please, save our baby."

But in such a tense situation, no one readily stepped forward.

If only the parents could go in themselves to save the child, but due to their heavy builds, it seemed almost impossible to fit through the gap.

That's when it happened.

Misato, who had been reporting the dire situation from a slightly distant position, put down her microphone and walked towards the rescue team leader.

"I'll go in."

"What!?"

"I think I can fit through that gap."

"No, still, we need to consider civilian help in case of a secondary accident..."

"That's not the issue right now. If you can hold for a bit longer, I'll go in and bring the child out first."

Her words astonished the onlookers.

I had sensed it from our first meeting, but she truly had an unwavering character.

Admiring her internally, I glanced at the concrete gap for a moment and then took a step forward.

"Maybe I should go in instead."

Following me, some Pentagon employees urgently exclaimed, "Boss! It's too dangerous!"

Ignoring their protests, I discarded my suit and tie to make it easier to move. Maybe if I could wiggle through slightly, but...

As I was loosening up and about to move towards the site, someone grabbed my shoulder.

"Wait."

"Huh...? What's up, Junpei?"

"You, pal. Don't forget about Yuki and the newly born Seolhyun. What if the support breaks...?"

Junpei glanced at the accident scene for a moment, then swallowed a dry gulp before speaking.

"How about I go instead?"

"Yeah, you're thinner than me, so that's a better idea."

"Uh... Wait, just a moment..."

"Quickly go in, bring the kid out, and then slip out easily."

"No, wait, my parents..."

In an instant, as Junhyuk attempted to step back, I swiftly pulled him close, whispering into his ear.

"If you make it back safely... I'll give you one 'Psych Force' exhibition figure you wanted so badly."

"Two of them."

...This absurd kid. He's bargaining in this situation. Ultimately, I nodded in response to Junhyuk's proposal.

"Deal."

"...Alright. I'm going in."

Finally, the slender Junhyuk decided to dive into the rescue site to lift the child, slipping his legs through a crack in the thick parka he'd shed.

Alongside the paramedics, I supported a massive concrete wall near the site where Junhyuk was heading.

When Junhyuk lowered himself and switched on the flashlight, we spotted the collapsed child in the darkness. He was a bit taller than the kid on the swing, slim enough to possibly squeeze through the gap easily.

"They're breathing! They're alive!"

Junhyuk's voice echoed, causing some concrete debris to fall with a rustling sound.

The rescue team leader calmly spoke to Junhyuk, trying to prevent any risks caused by loud noises.

"If you shout too loudly, the vibrations might pose a danger inside. Are there any injuries on the child? Any bleeding or trapped areas?"

"It... doesn't seem so. They just seem exhausted."

"Alright. Then, slowly start bringing the child this way."

"Yes. Understood."

Following the rescue leader's advice, Junhyuk slowly brought the child closer to where we were.

"Good job. Keep it up. Now, tilt the child's head upwards toward this side."

Carefully, as we raised the child, making sure their head didn't hit the concrete, the rescue leader slipped their hand under the child's armpit and pulled them out.

"It's done! We got them out!"

As the child emerged from the accident scene, the surrounding people began cheering. Misato, capturing the live rescue scene, and the cameraman, both showed excitement in their uncontainable expressions.

"Hey, good job, huh?"

"You, this guy... Remember our deal earlier..."

"I got it. I got it. What if I donate the whole diorama to Fame Communications?"

"No. I don't like that. Then, it won't be mine."

After the tense moments, Junhyuk, now with a relieved expression, reached out to me in the darkness, showing his white teeth. I grabbed his hand, exerting strength to pull him up.

That's when it happened.

Swoosh...

Huh...?

"The scaffold's broken!!!"

With the urgent voice of the rescue team member, a concrete wall twice my height suddenly collapsed towards us.

"Block it!!"

Kwoong!!! In that moment, instead of the startled paramedics, I quickly supported the concrete wall with my shoulders. Despite the immense weight, I managed to hold it with some help from the rescue leader and team.

"Hey, get out quickly!!"

"Ughhh!!"

As Junhyuk, pale-faced due to the sudden accident, crawled out on all fours, we slowly lowered the concrete to the ground. With a sigh of relief, I sat down, taking deep breaths.

"Phew... That was intense."

"Wow!! Thank goodness. Really lucky..."

Although my shoulders ached, I felt proud of saving a friend's life. But why were my shoulders so damp...?

Glancing at my right shoulder, my white shirt was soaked in blood.

"Oh no!! Sir!!"

Panicked Pentagon employees rushed over upon seeing my shoulder.

Seems like I got grazed by a metal rod while emerging from the concrete.

Phew... If the angle were a bit off, it could've pierced through my arm...!

Thankfully, it wasn't a severe injury, just a gash causing a throbbing sensation. I slowly got up.

Then, Misato, who had been observing everything, approached me.

"Seems like this could be a good interview opportunity. Are you okay with that?"

&

After a month of visiting earthquake-stricken areas with Pentagon employees, following the release of the interview with Misato through the news, I sensed a drastic change in how the Japanese perceived Pentagon Soft.

Junhyuk Kang, the director who rushed to the accident site first upon hearing the earthquake news. His active support in providing essential relief supplies to disaster victims and a special A/S policy to replace damaged consoles for affected gamers made Pentagon's corporate image skyrocket.

Previously known mainly among gamers, this incident transformed Pentagon into a beloved company among the Japanese, showered with praises in various media outlets. Their promotional effects exceeded expectations.

Continuing with the campaign, by promoting that a portion of the proceeds from the downloaded DL versions of their game released as Laon would be used for earthquake victims, their download sales doubled.

What's intriguing is that the child we rescued, upon waking up at the hospital, said something quite unexpected.

"I was trapped in darkness for 60 hours. Hiroshi-san, can I ask what I wanted most at that time?"

"······."

"Anything's fine. Just one word?"

"Laon..."

"Hmm?"

"I really wanted Laon."

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