Chapter 49: Bizarre Marketing
In front of the famous Hachiko statue, a place renowned for meetings, there were already numerous people, each checking their watches while waiting for someone.
And within this crowd, I easily spotted Yuki.
"Ah~!! Junhyuk-ssi~"
Yuki noticed me among the bustling crowd and greeted me with enthusiasm, waving her hand.
We only had a brief encounter during the Dragon Emblem event, yet she recognized me instantly. It somehow made me feel good.
"It's been a while~"
"Oh... Yes. Have you been well?"
"You contacted me for the first time in a while, and then there was no contact for some time, so I thought you forgot about me. I couldn't even ask for your phone number to call you..."
"I'm sorry. I've been really busy..."
"But still, I appreciate that you didn't forget and reached out."
Yuki nodded kindly and even bowed her head a bit in greeting, causing me to reflexively bow my waist in response.
"Oh, no problem."
"We've been standing here for a while. How about we find a cozy place to eat and chat?"
"Sounds good. But I'm not very familiar with Shibuya, so I'm not sure where to go."
"Hmm~ How about we start by checking out the shopping district?"
Yuki and I stood at the bustling intersection, considered a symbol of Shibuya, looking at each other and sharing a friendly smile. Yuki had a very sophisticated sense of fashion, especially for a woman from the 1980s.
Instead of the excessive perm that's popular among women nowadays, she had long, neatly combed hair tied with a white hairband, giving it a tidy, refined look. Also, her dimples showing when she smiled added to her charm.
"Wow, Shibuya is as crowded as ever."
"It's a bit different from Kyoto where you're usually located, right?"
"Oh? How did you know I'm in Kyoto?"
"You're a MinTendo employee, right? Isn't MinTendo headquarters in Kyoto?"
"Oh... You really know your stuff."
Ding dong~ As the traffic light rang and turned green a little while later, many people waiting at the massive pedestrian crossing started crossing the road.
The sight of people rushing towards Shibuya Station behind us reminded me of a game I used to enjoy in the 2000s when I was bored: Dynasty Warriors. It was a game where you single-handedly defeated hundreds of enemies, and it would take a lot more time for technology to make such a game a reality.
That game probably made its debut on Sony's PlayStation 2, so it might take another 15 years before the first game in the series comes out...
Wait, no, there's no need to wait that long, right?
"Junhyuk-ssi?"
"Oh, yes?"
"I need to go this way. Which direction should I head?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I got lost in thought for a moment..."
"Hmm..."
Yuki made a puzzled face for a moment before resuming her steps.
Oh no, if I keep thinking about games all the time, I might become unpopular. Suppressing my emerging desire for game development, I followed her from behind.
...
A little while later, Yuki led me to a Korean restaurant in Shibuya. The place was called "Mother's Table." A somewhat peculiar name, isn't it?
"Where is this...?"
"Since you're Korean, Junhyuk-ssi, I asked my friends where the best Korean restaurant in Tokyo is, and they recommended this place."
"Ah~"
I felt a lump in my throat due to Yuki's thoughtfulness. Honestly, I came running here with no other thoughts, looking like a fool, and even after meeting her, I kept thinking about my next game project...
"You don't mind having Korean food, right?"
"No~ I'm actually quite excited! There aren't many Korean restaurants in Kyoto, so I usually end up eating udon or ramen. Thank you for considering me."
Upon hearing this, Yuki whispered with a smile.
"I'm relieved..."
As we entered the restaurant with Yuki, the scent of long-forgotten doenjang jjigae and the sizzle of bulgogi grilling over charcoal started to stimulate our senses.
I was quite hungry since I had only had a simple bowl of noodles for lunch due to my appointment with the magazine editors.
"Do you think you'll have enough to eat? You only had noodles earlier today, right?"
"It's my first time at a Korean restaurant, Yuki."
"Let's see~ I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised!"
A little while later, Yuki, with a puzzled expression, spoke to the server as a table full of side dishes started to be laid out.
"Um... we didn't order these."
"These are just the banchan. They come as a standard when you order food, so don't worry."
"All of this is banchan?"
Hmm... Is the owner from Jeolla Province, I wonder? Jeolla Province food is certainly delicious, and it's great that you get so many side dishes even with a simple meal~
On the table, plates of kimchi, acorn jelly, kimchi pancakes, and tteok galbi, among others, began to arrive.
"Wow... do Koreans always eat like this?"
"Well... not always, but we generally have more variety of side dishes than in Japan."
"It's fascinating~ The food is incredibly delicious!"
Thankfully, the food seemed to suit Yuki's palate, and she eagerly began eating.
When we started to eat the slightly spicy doenjang jjigae, which was quite different from Japan's miso soup, the server quickly handed us some water.
"It's... spicy."
Certainly different from Japanese miso soup~ Yuki managed to keep her composure despite the spiciness. When the sizzling bulgogi was brought to the table, it filled every available space.
"With so much food, it's just 380 yen per person..."
"Koreans are generally generous and love to share their food!"
Impressed by the taste of Korean food I hadn't experienced in a long time, I devoured my meal in a hurry.
"Ma'am, can we have another bowl of rice, please?"
"Ohma? You've finished already? I'll bring it right away."
The waitress, speaking with a dialect, nodded and took our order.
...
"Ah, so full!"
"You didn't overdo it with all that food, did you? Three bowls of rice..."
"I guess I got a bit carried away, trying Korean cuisine after such a long time..."
"But seeing you eat so well makes me happy too."
"Thank you. For caring so much and even going out of your way to find a place like this. I'll treat you to dinner tonight."
"Huh? Why, Junhyuk-ssi?"
"Um...? Well, it's just..."
"I have money too, you know? Ma'am, please split the bill here."
Before I could even say anything, Yuki was already at the counter with the bill in hand.
Hmm... I thought it was customary for the man to pay for the first meal during the initial meeting, but I guess it's a different mindset.
In the end, we split the dinner bill in half and when we stepped outside, it was already quite dark. My stomach was full, and I didn't feel like leaving right after a meal.
"How about a cup of coffee? To aid digestion? I'll buy the coffee."
"Why do you keep wanting to pay for everything?"
"I had three bowls of rice~ We split the bill, so Yuki-ssi ended up at a loss. So, please, let me buy the coffee."
Yuki chuckled and nodded in agreement. It seems even buying a cup of coffee is challenging.
And so, we moved to a nearby coffee shop.
&
"Well, have a good time!"
The waiter who brought our coffee took the tray and left. Hmm... it's quite an upscale experience to have coffee served in these elegant cups, unlike the regular paper cups from the 2000s.
It's a far cry from the times when we'd just go pick up our order when the vibrating bell rang. It adds a sense of sophistication...
"Are you still busy these days? After that initial call, there was no contact for a while..."
"Oh... I'm in the middle of developing a game."
"A game? Wow, what kind of game is it?"
"Oh, well..."
No way! I can't tell her! I can't say that it's a game where sexy female characters fly in the sky, and when they get hit by a special attack, half their clothes come off and they fall to the ground...
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