"Ah, is that really you!?"
"Ahaha... Please don't misunderstand. I just ca because I was hungry."
"Welco! What are you doing, Kanna? If a guest arrives, we should seat them."
Startled by the voice of a big man dressed as a chef, she slightly lowered her head and guided to a seat.
"Don't get distracted during busy tis."
"Sorry, Dad."
Dad?! That giant in the kitchen is her dad?
But as he said he was busy, the small shop was packed with custors.
Steam from the hot broth inside the kitchen filled the place, creating a misty atmosphere.
Later, after receiving a cold towel and water, I opened the nu, driven by hunger.
"What will you have, sir?"
In response to the cheerful chef, I ordered tonkotsu ran, gyoza, and a light drink called a highball.
With a total of four staff, including Kanna and the kitchen crew, the small ran shop was like a steam engine, roaring as they shouted out orders and cooked.
Sizzling oil and people's chatter...
This place was like a sanctuary for office workers to unwind after a day's work.
"Here's your tonkotsu ran and highball. Please wait a bit for the gyoza."
As I slurped the noodles, I couldn't help but smile at the rich broth.
"Wow, this ran is amazing."
"Thank you. Is this your first ti here?"
"Yes. I live near Roppongi. I've lived in Japan for a while, but I don't often co to Harajuku..."
"Welco! Actually, our shop was featured in episode 5 of 'Where to Go Today?' After that, more and more custors started coming. Even people from the nearby area and these hidden alleys co here. It's busy, but each day is so enjoyable."
No wonder the place felt familiar...
Drinking the highball with ice, I noticed pictures of the drama's protagonist and the owner hanging all around the shop.
Looking at one picture in the corner, I burst into laughter. The owner, noticing, asked with a smirk.
"Do you know her?"
"The woman in this picture... is she a drama writer?"
"Oh? You're right. How did you know?"
At that mont, Kanna returned from the counter.
"She's soone from the broadcasting industry."
"Really? You're..."
Wait... Why is this conversation taking an odd turn?
&
Eventually, with additional treats added to my gyoza, I finished my al, ordering another highball.
"Did you enjoy your al?"
"Yes, it was delicious."
"Ha ha, you surprised , thinking you were Yuki's husband. By the way, what brings you to Harajuku? So other scoop?"
"I ca to see musicians performing on Takeshita Street."
"Oh, those young indie bands or sothing. Ugh, not much to say about them. They make noise from early evening, not even singing proper songs. At first, we could tolerate it, but now it's unbearable. They even disturbed Tokyo Tower. Such a disgrace to Harajuku."
"Doesn't this man know that his daughter sings on the streets?"
Glancing at Kanna, her anxious expression confird my assumption.
After finishing the highball, I stood up.
"Could I have the bill, Kanna?"
"Oh, sure."
Hurriedly, she ca to the counter. Fortunately, there was so distance between the counter and the kitchen, so I opened my wallet, taking out my card and a business card I forgot to hand over yesterday.
"I'm Junhyuk Kang from Pentagon Gas."
"A ga company?"
Huh? Doesn't he know our company?
Still, despite being quite recognized in the gaming world, I wondered and asked her again.
"Laon makes handheld gaming devices. Don't you know about it?"
"Ah, I've heard my friends talk about it, but I'm not really into gas..."
Hmm... Well, it's not exactly the era of advanced internet news, and if she's not into gas, it's understandable she might not know.
I handed her a business card along with so money, saying, "Our company is planning a ga, and we absolutely need Kanna-san's voice for it. Please consider and get in touch."
Then, glancing back at the owner, I added, "I can assure your father we'll keep it completely confidential. Don't worry."
"Ah..."
&
"Oh, really!? You had Kishimori Ran for dinner tonight?"
"Yeah, and I was just as surprised when I heard it from the owner."
"I was going to tell you to check out Harajuku too. You got the ssage?"
Yuki, giggling all day, seed to recall the broth of Kishimori Ran, swallowing hard before continuing. I chuckled at her response, flipping through a magazine.
"Ah, I want Kishimori Tonkotsu Ran too~"
"By the way, the dumplings were delicious."
"Argh!! Dumplings!! I want dumplings too~"
"And the Karaage (fried chicken)..."
"Ugh!! Seriously, stop it!! I'm already holding back!!"
"Haha, sorry."
"But, wasn't Junhyuk looking for soone related to Kishimori Ran? What a funny coincidence. She was in high school last year, and so pretty."
"Yeah, Kanna was sothing..."
"What did you just say?"
"What did I just say?"
Whoosh!! Ouch!!
As I flicked away a cushion that flew in, Yuki, the fierce warrior of cushions, dropped her weapon and strolled towards .
This is why they say you shouldn't have random thoughts during a conversation, right?
&
December 23, 1994...
It had been almost a month since I t Kanna, exchanged business cards, but there had been no contact from her.
With the office and mobile numbers written, maybe she's just not considering the singer path?
I wanted to visit Kishimori Ran again, but sohow felt it might bother her, so I decided to hold back.
Announcing an open audition through Famitsu and popular gaming magazines for a new project, many applicants were flooding in. It seed like it would take so ti just for auditions.
"Let's not rush. If it's ant to be, she'll co forward herself."
I strolled through Akihabara, trying to suppress my growing anxiety.
Japan's gaming market recently seed like an abyss of chaos.
With Sony's 'Gear Station' released in early December, users hesitated between Gear Station and NEGA Saturn, causing a market split.
Sony's Gear Station, a newcor in the gaming industry, boasted powerful specs but had so uncertainties.
How much would Sony, a dominant corporation, invest to conquer the gaming market?
Even in the early 90s when Super Family and NEGA Drive were flourishing, new console companies erged but faltered due to a lack of third-party support. Therefore, Sony couldn't ignore the possibility of a brief success followed by business closure.
Doesn't that say if there's no tiger, the rabbit becos king?
With no detailed information on Nintendo's Project 64, the console market was subtly shifting toward the competition between Sony and NEGA.
Though Sony's Gear Station seed formidable, NEGA believed in Suzuki Ryu of Real Fighter and Takahashi Yuji of Sonic, coupled with their ga-making expertise.
However, unexpectedly, a competitor erged for NEGA - NANCO, who had abandoned Nintendo and joined Sony.
Just before Nintendo's Project 64 realization, NEGA's plan was to pull third-party developers from Nintendo.
Yet, NANCO, with considerable user recognition, released 'Rage Racer' and 'Iron Fist,' 3D fighting gas, coinciding with Gear Station's launch.
Especially with 'Iron Fist,' frequently compared to 'Real Fighter' at arcades, released for Gear Station, users flocked to it as it was 10,000 yen cheaper than Saturn and offered better performance.
Due to this, Saturn, with a price tag of 34,800 yen, faced a shaky start due to negative reviews and Sony's market dominance.
In this hellish market environnt, our Pentagon was slowly making its way. And as proof, there was a rush of users outside the Pentagon Premium Shop since early evening.
"Dear custors, please stay in line, we will distribute blankets in order~!"
Even though we prepared 500 specially made blankets...
"Looking at the atmosphere, it feels like this won't be nearly enough..."
Tomorrow is December 24, 1994...
The official release day of 'God's Gift,' categorized as a graphic novel with a classic genre.
>
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