Game Market 1983
Chapter 227: Tsubaki's Request

"How is Sawano doing?" I inquired.

The elderly doctor adjusted his glasses, appearing concerned as he responded to my question. "She's managed to pass the critical phase, but honestly, making it this far has been somewhat miraculous. It might be better for her to be hospitalized now..."

Is this where it ends? No, contrary to the doctor's opinion, I'm just grateful for Tsubaki's resilience up until today. However, Terada-san, who rushed with me from the live hall to the hospital, seemed reluctant to acknowledge the doctor's advice.

"No, Doctor. Her voice has just begun to resonate! There's so much she still needs to do with us."

"Terada-san, please calm down for a moment..."

"Doctor!! Doctor!!!"

I guided the excited Terada-san to a small park arranged in front of the hospital.

Seated on a bench with a dejected expression, Terada-san put a cigarette in his mouth from the shirt pocket.

Watching him closely, I intercepted the cigarette from his lips, saying, "I understand your feelings, but smoking at the hospital isn't a good idea."

"Ah, right. There are other patients around..."

He stowed the pack back into his pocket and asked, "So, what's the plan now?"

"Well, what can we do? We've been prepared for this since accepting her. I'm just thankful she's overcome this dangerous phase."

"You seem calmer than I expected. But I can't help it. All I've thought about since coming to the hospital was what if something went wrong with her."

Terada-san, who started his producer role due to the Virtual Idol project, had spent a lot of time with the trainees who passed auditions. As for me, my knowledge of music was similar to that of an average person, so I relied on Terada-san and Ueno-san for everything related to the trainees.

The debut of these four was decided after much deliberation by Terada-san and Ueno-san, and among them, I've heard that Tsubaki was particularly cherished by these two.

It wasn't as if her illness affected the panel's decision in any way. Tsubaki already knew how to infuse emotion into her voice, and she fearlessly chose 'Please Hold Me,' the most challenging song among many.

When she first sang her song in the recording studio, Terada-san was so captivated that he dropped the cigarette, not even realizing it landed on his thigh.

"She was so excited about her debut stage until yesterday..."

"The timing was unfortunate. It was the first time all of them were going to perform together, and of all days..."

Come to think of it, what happened to her performance after she was brought to the hospital?

As my conference began, she collapsed and lost consciousness, and the ambulance waiting outside immediately transferred her.

Thankfully, they had arranged for an ambulance in case her condition worsened or an incident occurred during the event...

Amidst my melancholic thoughts, my phone buzzed at my waist.

"Yes, this is Kang Junhyuk."

"Oh, Director. How's Sawano?"

"Miyazaki? I was about to call. Tsubaki is okay. According to the doctor, she's passed the critical phase."

"Ah... That's a relief. I thought something serious had happened when she suddenly collapsed. Until this morning, she seemed fine. Maybe the pressure of going on stage was too much?"

Miyazaki wasn't aware of Tsubaki's illness and why she had come to the hospital.

I comforted her surprise and inquired about the event's progress.

"With Tsubaki's performance canceled, was there any backlash from the users?"

"They were very disappointed, but something miraculous happened."

"Something miraculous?"

"Yes. Kanna suddenly volunteered to sing her part and even covered Sawano's song right after."

"If it's Kanna's skill, she's more than capable of substituting for Tsubaki."

It could have ended in disappointment for the live event itself, but thankfully, Kanna showed courage.

"Thanks to that, the event concluded smoothly. Oh, and because of your conference, the additional Laon portable units that came in yesterday have all been sold out. I've placed additional orders in anticipation of increased sales of the portable Laon for a while."

"Alright. You've worked hard today."

"Should I tidy up the store and then head to the hospital?"

"No, it's fine. Sawano's parents are here, and we're also around. You've been tired from the launch event; you should go in early and rest today."

"Okay, understood. Oh, right. Something interesting happened at the final raffle during today's launch event."

"Something interesting?"

"Do you know who won the top prize, the Complete Laon, and all the launch software?"

"Oh, there was a raffle indeed. But who won? Someone I know?"

"Remember the Nakamura couple I mentioned as Kanna's friends before?"

"If it's that couple, I do. Come to think of it, I saw them in line today. Could it be them?"

"Yes, that's right. The lady of Nakamura won in the draw. Both of them were over the moon. Nakamura was feeling down after missing out on the Complete Laon he bought today, so it's lucky."

"Could it be? The user who got caught stealing a Laon in front of the Pentagon Shop was Nakamura?"

"Seems like it. Even so, attempting to steal a gaming console to that extent... it could become quite the news story, couldn't it?"

"Life truly has its ups and downs... remarkable..."

To have their highly anticipated console stolen like that, Nakamura's emotions must have oscillated between heaven and hell today...

It's not like I didn't know; if Kanna had mentioned it, I would've found a way to make it up somehow, but I'm relieved things turned out well.

"Alright then. Let's wrap up today's report here."

"Yeah. Thanks for your hard work."

&

August 19, 1995. The release of Complete Laon.

Following the launch of NEGA Saturn and Sony's Gear Station, the next-gen console, Complete Laon, made a grand entrance into the gaming world, sparking discussions as soon as it hit the market.

Initially dismissed as a spree of thefts targeting Complete Laon, the incidents perplexed Nakamura not only in Akihabara but in game shops across Tokyo.

At first, it seemed like mere thefts by gamers eyeing Complete Laon. However, the frequent robberies specifically in Tokyo made me ponder if this was more than just sporadic incidents but rather organized crime.

Days later, due to the overwhelming demand surpassing the initial production volume, sealed units began surfacing online at double the retail price on second-hand trading communities.

Spotting a user consistently reposting with different IDs while maintaining a relatively stable price, I used Pentagon staff to purchase his Complete Laon at a higher cost.

Of course, each transaction involved different employees, always trailed by the police around their meeting spots.

Repeated several times, the young man, despite changing IDs, was consistently the same person picking up the Complete Laon. While I demanded receipts and inquired about his purchase, the suspicious man caught the attention of the police when he was witnessed pickpocketing with his friend during their investigation.

Upon searching his place, dozens of Laons poured out, alongside ledgers marking the arrival times of Tokyo game shop goods on his desk.

In a regrettable turn, the mid-twenties youth involved in this planned crime, targeting consoles rather than valuables, ended up swiftly imprisoned.

This incident, though not involving valuables, made headlines and ironically garnered considerable marketing attention.

Originally scheduled for an early release a week before the official launch, Complete Laon's launch in earthquake-affected areas got canceled due to the relatively smaller size of the shop owners in those regions.

News of gamers possibly causing major incidents due to the chance of playing the new console a week early spread online, compelling shop owners to delay their inventory to prevent potential mishaps.

I could somewhat understand their perspective.

In exchange, I designated Kobe as the venue for Virtuoid's first official concert.

The characters headlining the inaugural live performances were Katagiri Erika and Konno Azusa.

Their stages were set to commence simultaneously in different venues on the same day at the same time.

How far could the characters they chose reach? Could Virtuoid actually debut with their unit?

All these, within the game I played, had gamers equally excited.

Moreover, the revealed stage costumes on the first day garnered tremendous popularity as soon as they were featured in magazines.

The cute pastel checkered costumes, coupled with adorable bun hats, resonated deeply with the users' hearts.

Though quietly smirking from behind them was our company's second development team leader, Morita.

"Hehe... this should really strike a chord with gamers. Most will probably not resist coming to Kobe, right?"

...Initially complaining about how tough it would be, eventually diving in themselves...

Lately, it seems like Morita's closely collaborating with Uchimura, someone they get along well with, solely on Virtuoid's costumes. Sometimes, seeing Morita immersed in their work, a hint of madness seemed chillingly apparent in their eyes.

"How much is this flower?"

"Visiting a patient?"

Responding to my query, the flower shop lady approached with a warm smile.

"How did you know?"

"Our store's near the hospital, so our customers often come to buy flowers. They usually ask for the same flowers."

Scratching the back of my head, I replied.

"Oh... it just looked neutral..."

"Patients need some kind of stimulus too. Since their rooms are probably filled with these kinds of flowers, why not go for something a bit more vibrant?"

I barely knew the difference between rose and azalea, so I didn't know what flower the lady suggested, but the pastel-toned, colorful vibe appealed to me.

"Alright, I'll go with your recommendation."

"Thank you."

After a while, holding the nicely wrapped flower basket, I arrived at the hospital, parked my car, and gazed up at the building.

Inside Tsukaki's hospital room, under the bright sunlight, the white flowers I'd picked earlier were beautifully arranged by the window.

"Haha... the lady was right..."

As I looked at her room, a faint sigh escaped me as I took my steps forward.

"If she undergoes surgery today, she might never sing again. Please... just let her stand on stage and sing even once. Yes...?"

The doctor's insistence on immediate surgery echoed in my mind, reminding me of her plea.

She wanted to sing on stage more than anyone else. Yet, I couldn't give her an answer back then.

"Perhaps today, I have to give her that answer..."

Even if she might end up disappointed in me...

>

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