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[Game] Chapter 95: How Far Have Things Progressed?
🕑 Added 2025-01-04 04:47:40 +0000 UTCThe talk about appearing on camera was, of course, just a joke. At least until Hollow Knight's development was complete, Ichin had no plans to push his studio members—or himself—to the forefront.
After ordering takeout, everyone ate together at the studio before Ichin resumed work.
Later in the evening, Utaha arrived after dinner.
After confirming that Ichin had eaten properly, she refrained from disturbing him, knowing he would now focus seriously on his work. Instead, she poured him a cup of coffee and then sat at a computer near Hazuki to work on her writing.
Although she could write at home, Utaha enjoyed the atmosphere at the studio, which made her more motivated and productive.
After working for a while, Hazuki sipped her tea, glanced at everyone who seemed in no hurry to leave, and slowly moved next to Utaha. Speaking in a low voice, she asked, “Utaha-chan, are you planning to work late here tonight?”
Utaha paused her typing, glanced around, and replied with a smile, “I don’t mind where I work, but the vibe here is better, don’t you think? Besides, Ichin-kun just finished his midterms and would probably work 24/7 if he could. Someone has to keep an eye on him so he doesn’t overwork himself.”
“Oh~~ that’s admirable.”
Hazuki adjusted her shawl, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Leaning in, she whispered, “Tell me, Utaha-chan, how far have you and Ichin-kun progressed?”
“How far?”
Utaha’s cheeks flushed slightly. She glanced at Ichin, who was engrossed in his work, then leaned closer and said softly, “Just the usual steps. We’ve only been dating for less than a month, after all.”
“So just kisses then?”
When Utaha nodded, Hazuki exclaimed in surprise, “I thought today’s youth moved much faster in relationships!”
“Actually, I think this pace is fine.”
Utaha narrowed her eyes slightly, gazing fondly at Ichin. “Ichin-kun is rational and prefers to take things slow when it comes to relationships. Honestly, I’m already thrilled that we got together so quickly. Besides, I’m confident he won’t escape my grasp. I’ll take my time and mold him into the perfect boyfriend.”
“That’s a solid plan.” Hazuki nodded in agreement. “Though I haven’t known him for long, I can tell Ichin is very responsible—both in work and relationships. It’s a trait he shares with Kō. That’s why, even with an eight-year age gap, the two of them hit it off so well when discussing work. For someone like him, the best approach is not to interfere too much but to support him quietly. You could learn from Rin in this regard.”
Utaha listened carefully, then glanced at Yagami Kō and Rin Toyama, who were seated nearby.
“Hmm...”
Lowering her voice even more, she asked Hazuki, “Hazuki-san, the way you’re saying this… it feels like Kō-san and Rin-san aren’t just friends, right?”
“Well~~”
Hazuki chuckled softly and leaned in to whisper, “Just between us, okay? Don’t spread it around. Kō is a bit straightforward—she’s the definition of a pure soul. But Rin… with the way she looks at Kō, anyone can tell something’s up, right? I was there when these two first joined Eagle Jump, and they’ve supported each other ever since. Who knows what might happen next?”
Utaha’s eyes widened in surprise.
So her earlier suspicions weren’t too far off. Then again, when she thought about it, it wasn’t all that shocking. Yagami Kō and Rin Toyama’s personalities complemented each other so well. If Kō’s gender were different, these two would probably have a kid by now.
Now that Hazuki had clarified things, Utaha felt entirely reassured about Ko and Rin.
Utaha glanced at the other members of the studio and couldn’t help but wonder: could there be something going on with them as well?
Among the others, Hifumi didn’t seem to have joined Eagle Jump with anyone from the same batch, nor did Suzukaze Aoba. However, Iijima Yun and Shinoda Hajime had joined together and were the same age. Even though one was in charge of art and the other handled animation design, their relationship was always close. Back at Eagle Jump, they had even sat at neighboring desks.
As for Ahagon Umiko—Umiko-neesan—she didn’t seem to have any peers from her time either.
Curious, Utaha quietly asked, “Hazuki-san, didn’t Umiko-neesan have any batchmates when she joined?”
“Umiko? Oh, her.” Hazuki chuckled. “Nope. She transferred to Eagle Jump from another company. Honestly, I was a bit wary of her at first, thinking she might be a corporate spy sent by a competitor.”
Recalling Umiko’s early days at Eagle Jump, Hazuki couldn’t help but laugh.
“Really? That happened?”
Utaha couldn’t hold back her laughter and shook her head before returning to her writing.
As the hours passed—seven o’clock, eight o’clock—one by one, the studio members began heading home. Eventually, only Ichin, Utaha, Kō, and Umiko remained.
At that moment, Ichin and Umiko were huddled together, deep in discussion about programming issues in Hollow Knight. Meanwhile, Kō was engrossed in sketching out a boss design.
Utaha, having organized the content for the third volume of her work, stretched tiredly. Seeing the three still immersed in their tasks, she got up and walked over to Ichin.
She couldn’t understand the lines of code displayed on his screen, but she remembered Hazuki’s advice from earlier. Gently tapping Ichin on the shoulder, she asked after he turned around, “Ichin-kun, are you hungry? Should I prepare something for you all?”
Ichin checked the time and only then realized how late it was. “It’s already past nine, huh? Umiko, Kō, do you want to take a break and eat something?”
Kō took off her headphones and said, “Sure, but nothing too sweet for me.”
Umiko added, “Yeah, it’s pretty late. Let’s avoid sugary stuff.”
Utaha pulled out her phone and searched for options. “How about ramen or oden?”
“That works!”
“Sounds good.”
After taking their orders, Utaha handed her phone to Ichin. “Ichin-kun, your turn. This place takes a while to deliver, so it probably won’t arrive until after ten.”
“After ten works—perfect timing for a late-night snack.”
Ichin selected a bowl of ramen, then glanced at Utaha. “It’s getting late. Aren’t you heading home soon?”
“No rush. I already told my mom.” Utaha smiled. “Besides, since we live in the same building, there’s nothing to worry about. But you, Ichin-kun—you just finished your exams. There’s plenty of time ahead, so don’t stay up too late.”
“Got it. I’ll pace myself.”
With a nod, Ichin returned to his work.
Utaha didn’t disturb him further and instead made her way over to Yagami Kō.
...
