Otaku Translation: Absolute Number One C88

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Chapter 88: Are Young People This Fierce Nowadays?

Lost in thought, Chihara Rinto succumbed to the lingering effects of alcohol and drifted off to sleep. He awoke as twilight descended, vaguely recalling a peculiar dream. In it, he desperately tried to grasp something but couldn’t, leaving him with an overwhelming sense of frustration. Struggling to recall what he had been chasing, he eventually gave up.

The sensation eerily mirrored his initial arrival in this world—unprepared, stripped of familiar surroundings, mentors, classmates, and friends, left adrift and disoriented.

Sitting on the tatami mat, he felt a heavy weight in his chest. After a moment, he chuckled wryly at himself, dismissing his brooding as a bout of romantic melancholy. Sentimentality wasn’t productive; adversity demanded resilience, rationality, and tenacity. Only by embracing these qualities could one seize opportunities to improve their circumstances and forge a brighter future.

Rising to splash water on his face, he decided to head straight to the small, unassuming restaurant where worked. Regardless of the past, they were both single now, and his interest in her justified making an effort to connect and deepen their understanding. Surely, that wasn’t wrong?

Arriving at the cozy eatery, he pushed open the narrow door and was greeted by a wave of warmth. Dinner hour was bustling with patrons enjoying their meals. Scanning the room, he chose a seat far from the kitchen counter, his eyes immediately drawn to Hakuba Neiko, who noticed him shortly after. Balancing a tray, she approached with a smile, clearly pleased to see him. “Chihara-san, what would you like to eat?”

Maintaining his composed demeanor, Chihara asked with a grin, “What do you recommend?”

“Today we have ,” Neiko replied, her slightly squinted eyes exuding warmth. “Would you like to try it, Chihara-san?”

Unconcerned about the menu, Chihara readily agreed. “Sure, I’ll give it a try.”

“Please wait a moment.” Neiko relayed his order to the chef, then returned with barley tea and a towel before excusing herself. The restaurant’s busy atmosphere left little room for extended conversation.

Chihara patiently awaited an opportunity to chat, but soon a middle-aged woman delivered his beef donburi. Assuming she was Neiko’s aunt, he treated her with extra courtesy, though she didn’t recognize him. His efforts went unrewarded.

With no immediate chance to engage Neiko and hunger gnawing at him—his earlier pufferfish meal having been less than satisfying—he began eating. Beef donburi, essentially a beef-topped rice dish, derived its name from the character ‘丼’ (pronounced dǎn), originally a Chinese surname adopted into Japanese. Misinterpreted as resembling a bento box, the character came to symbolize various toppings over rice, such as pork or shrimp.

The dish was delicious: tender beef seasoned with savory flavors, paired with sweet caramelized onions, saucy rice, miso soup, and . Surprisingly, it suited Chihara’s palate perfectly.

Was this serendipity?

As he ate, he observed Neiko attentively. Though increasingly captivated by her, his gaze remained cool and calculating, akin to a predator sizing up its prey. However, he soon realized he wasn’t the only admirer. A young regular patron also seemed smitten.

Anxiety surged within him—a primal instinct to protect what he desired. It became clear he needed to act swiftly to secure Neiko’s affection before someone else did. Sharpening his focus, he scrutinized his potential rival and gauged Neiko’s response. After careful observation, he relaxed slightly.

Neiko maintained polite but distant interactions with the other man, exchanging perfunctory pleasantries before retreating to the back hallway. In the end, not only did the other guy fail to see Neiko reappear, but even Chihara himself, lingered after finishing his meal, also didn’t manage to catch her coming out…

Though seemingly fruitless, it didn’t discourage him. Beautiful things rarely came easily; perseverance and competition were inevitable. Determined to outmaneuver any rivals, he relished the challenge.

Returning home, he sat at his desk and began drafting a plan. If he intended to pursue Hakuba Neiko and embark on a new romance in this world, how should he approach her?

His first love had been fleeting—an adolescent crush interrupted by his abrupt arrival in this world. Effectively a lifelong singleton, his romantic experience was virtually nonexistent. Now faced with practical considerations, the first question stumped him.

Simply eating at the restaurant regularly wouldn’t suffice beyond becoming a familiar face. How could he bridge the gap further?

Moreover, he knew little about her background and struggled to find common topics of conversation. Waiting at home every other day for her cleaning visits risked alarming her. Assistance was needed.

On paper, he circled Yamagami Aiko’s name, considering leveraging his future sister-in-law. He added and Nishino Sagiri, reasoning that their close ties to Aiko likely extended to Neiko, potentially aiding his cause.

The challenge then became incentivizing these three helpers, especially given Aiko’s penchant for mischief. Vigilance was key.

Spending most of the evening pacing and brainstorming, he approached his romantic endeavor with the same dedication as his work. Commitment was paramount, whether in career or love.

Drafting the plan invigorated him. Anchored by a newfound purpose, he felt more grounded in this foreign world. Beyond professional aspirations, he now had a clear personal goal. Satisfied, he retired for the night.

Awakening early, he arrived at in high spirits. After a morning meeting with , he requested ’s assistance, assigning him to adapt the script into a .

Mid-May marked the halfway point. To film Hanzawa Naoki successfully, pre-production needed to begin by early June. At least two episodes of storyboards must be ready alongside preliminary casting and scheduling.

As the project’s head, Chihara also wanted to direct certain scenes—a rare opportunity for growth. The original adaptation was often filmed by at least three directors, possibly four. Large-scale productions like this often shot multiple episodes simultaneously or tackled several scenes of a single episode concurrently, with one director leading and others supporting. With this in mind, he wanted to seize the opportunity to hone his skills. While overseeing the entire production, he planned to take on the role of an assistant director for specific scenes—after all, such chances didn’t come around every day.

Tasks abounded, leaving no room for complacency. Post-holiday, productivity needed to soar. Evening plans included another visit to the restaurant. Balancing work and life required diligence.

Summoning Yoshizaki, he instructed him to review the script while he began sketching the first episode’s storyboard. Scripts were foundational, but storyboards represented a crucial second layer of creative refinement.

For narrative consistency, directors adhered to unified storyboards, preventing disjointed storytelling. While spontaneous inspiration occasionally led to revisions, unilateral changes were prohibited to maintain collaborative integrity.

After reading the literary and scene scripts, Yoshizaki marveled at Chihara’s desk. “You’re quite impressive, Chihara. This story is excellent.”

Though partly flattery, sincere admiration shone through. The intense workplace drama resonated deeply—its protagonist embodying grassroots heroism with commendable moral values, rivaling Hollywood blockbusters.

Still, Yoshizaki tempered his praise. “Casting will be tricky. Finding an actor capable of capturing that essence won’t be easy.”

Chihara smiled confidently. “Murakami-san is already screening candidates. Once the list is ready, I’ll review each one thoroughly. Don’t worry, Yoshizaki-kun. Dive into the work.”

Yoshizaki’s expertise ensured quality control. Given Chihara’s modifications to the original source material, meticulous adaptation was essential. Potential inconsistencies required vigilant scrutiny and supplementation.

"Alright. I never imagined that I, Yoshizaki, would get to be part of a big production like this—it’s truly unexpected!" Yoshizaki Shingo was highly impressed with the script, especially since it was a high-budget project. His interest piqued, he immediately leaned over his desk and began studying the first draft of the storyboard that Chihara had sketched out, referencing the original Hanzawa Naoki. He started adding his own notes and suggestions based on his expertise.

However, after flipping through a few pages and highlighting some key sections, he began to feel uneasy—something didn’t quite add up. "Are young people really this good these days? These storyboards are incredibly sharp and mature!"

He couldn’t help but marvel at the level of skill displayed, realizing he might be in the presence of true genius.

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