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[Game] Chapter 221: Out for a Stroll
🕑 Added 2025-05-11 18:44:08 +0000 UTCAfter breakfast in the morning, the whole family gathered in the living room to watch TV.
Thanks to the improvement in her Chinese, Utaha could now generally understand most of what was being said—even if some words still slipped past her—so watching TV wasn't a problem anymore.
The family sat together casually, watching a variety show and chatting idly.
Ichin, however, wasn’t particularly interested in the show. After a while, he took out his phone and started scrolling.
Opening Bilibili, he suddenly remembered he hadn’t posted anything in a few days, so he decided to make a post.
It’s almost New Year’s. I took some time off and brought the boss lady home to meet the parents. How’s everyone spending their holiday? Got your year-end bonus yet? How much did you get? How’d your finals go? What’s your class rank? Got that scholarship? Found yourself a girlfriend/boyfriend? Made a down payment on a house? Bought a car?
Yep. It was a bit ruthless, but Ichin decided to post it anyway.
As expected, within just ten minutes, the number of comments beneath the post started increasing exponentially—nearly all of them spitting fire and sarcasm in return.
Of course, there were also a few who took the opportunity to flex a little themselves, and those posts, just like Ichin’s, were enthusiastically welcomed by everyone else.
Seeing all the hilarious banter in the comment section, Ichin couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Hearing his laugh, Utaha curiously turned to him and asked, “Ichin, what are you looking at that’s so funny?”
“I just posted a status update,” he said, turning the screen toward her.
After reading the post, Utaha rolled her eyes at him. “You’re so mean with your words—it’s no wonder so many people are responding.”
On the side, Ichin’s mom glanced over and couldn’t help but laugh at her son’s antics as well.
“You rascal. Can’t you post something more positive during the New Year?”
“Hehe, you don’t get it, Mom. Silly posts like this are what the internet lives for. Some of the comments are even funnier than what I wrote.”
Taking back his phone, Ichin began typing another update. “But yeah, I guess I shouldn’t just be trolling all the time. I’ll post something game-related.”
He quickly edited and posted a second update:
--- Even though I’m taking a short break back in my home country, the studio is still operating normally, and development on our new project is going smoothly. While it’s not quite time to reveal the full details, I can give you a small hint about the style of the game—it’s going to be super trendy, stylish, and yes… very chuuni. ---
--- As for platform releases, in addition to our usual PC version, we’re also experimenting with development for the Nintendo Switch. Once the New Year is over, I’ll be connecting with Nintendo to discuss compatibility. As you all know, the Switch’s performance has its limitations, so we’re taking extra care with the game’s graphics and frame rate. That’s all I’ll tease for now—time to get back to watching TV with the fam. ---
Finally, a post that wasn’t just teasing the audience—it was about the new game. Immediately, the comments shifted focus.
“Super trendy and stylish? That’s as vague as it gets!”
“Is this what you call a sneak peek? You didn’t tell us anything useful!”
And just like that, the fanbase was fired up all over again.
"Shouldn’t you at least post a few pictures?"
"Sorry, but I really don’t have any."
So far, the only game-related image Ichin had shared was a single picture of a Persona mask—nothing more.
But thinking about it again, with the New Year coming up, maybe he should throw the fans a small bone.
Ichin opened his phone gallery, picked out an older photo he still had stored—one showing Morgana in his cat form in the real world—and posted it.
After that, he didn’t bother checking how the netizens reacted.
Utaha had been watching Ichin the whole time, and when she saw that all he posted was a picture of a cat, she curiously asked,
"Actually, wouldn’t it be okay to post some scenery shots or maybe parts of the map?"
Ichin nodded. "Yeah, that kind of stuff wouldn’t be a problem. But… why should I?
The game’s still got at least another six months of quiet development before we can announce anything officially. Until then, I can only tease out a few minor details. Anything remotely core to the game—I’m not leaking a thing.
Once we hit that six-month mark and the game is at the right stage, I plan to work with a professional animation studio to create a promo PV. It’ll serve as the game’s opening animation and also as our official reveal trailer."
"Wait, you’re making an animation too?"
"Yup. Some parts of the story will be better expressed through 2D animation.
3D animation has definitely come a long way, but for subtle facial expressions, 2D still wins out. Of course, we won’t use it excessively—just in the key scenes."
As for whether to hire a Japanese studio or a top Chinese one for the animation, Ichin hadn’t made a final decision yet.
Personally, he was leaning toward hiring a leading domestic studio. That way, he could also scout talented voice actors to provide Chinese dubbing for the game.
Unlike Persona 5, the version he played before he transmigrated, this time Ichin planned for the game to have full voice acting, with both Chinese and Japanese voice tracks.
Although many players still found Chinese dubs awkward or cringey, Ichin’s stance was clear:
Cringe or not, you're free to choose not to use it—but that doesn’t mean I won’t make it.
That said, there was no rush on voice work. They still had plenty of time. For now, finishing the overall framework of the game took priority.
---
After lunch at home, Ichin, his mom, and Utaha got ready to go shopping for clothes.
His dad didn’t come along—instead, he went to a friend’s place to relax, drink tea, and play cards. After working hard all year, these few days were his chance to unwind. His wife didn’t bother interfering and just let him enjoy himself.
Their family had two cars—one for each parent.
They hopped into Ichin’s mom’s car, and she drove the two of them to a large shopping mall in the city.
Glancing in the rearview mirror at Ichin and Utaha sitting together, Ichin’s mom said,
"Ichin, once the New Year’s over and you head back to Japan, if you have time, get your driver’s license. Then buy a car. It'll make things way more convenient when you two want to go out."
Ichin nodded. "Yeah, I already planned to take the test after the New Year.
And not just me—there are a few people from the studio who’ll probably be going too. If we all have cars, we won’t have to call cabs all the time."
Taxis in Japan were expensive. Taking one or two rides was fine, but if it became a habit—even for someone like Ichin—it would feel like a waste.
---
Soon, they arrived at the mall, parked the car, and headed inside.
Utaha walked arm-in-arm with Ichin’s mom, while Ichin had no choice but to trail behind them alone.
Even though she was over forty, Ichin’s mom still dressed fashionably and got along extremely well with Utaha.
The moment they stepped into a clothing store, Ichin realized he was officially relegated to the background.
All he could do was follow along with his phone in hand… until it was time to pay—that’s when he’d be called into action.
...
