Chapter 37 – Normal to un-normal

I am a normal person.

I always thought I was normal. I have a normal job, a normal family – all in all, an ordinary life—just your ordinary husband in Japan.

Still, for all these 30 years of my life on this beautiful planet, I wanted a change, something that will make my ordinary life, a little bit less ordinary…

That is why I decided I am going to change my job, something that is a big step for me but a step I had to take if I am going to make a change. Of course, I talked with my family about this and my wife after beating me up, understood my aspirations for something new.

Though, I slept on the couch for the next couple of days…

When I was younger, I had a grand dream…I mean to me it was grand but it is actually a normal dream, that a lot of people in love with this media have. I wanted to become an animator.

So, I went to the university that teaches subjects like animating, I was so into that and in my personal opinion, I was good.

Still, as you can see, my dream, before it even started ended. It was my fault, all mine. After getting a job at an animation studio, I was so excited – an excitement that soon turned into horror.

Every single day I spent there I was getting yelled at, my abilities being insulted and my confidence was plummeting - with every second spent there.

Mentally I was at the worst place. I was so angry and sad that I wanted to destroy something. It was not easy for me to admit that maybe I was not up to this task but the moment these thoughts started appearing in my mind, there was one single thought that started flashing in my head every single day. A thought to escape and escape I did.

That was the last time I, Youta Katsurou touched anything that has to do with animating.

So yes, I am a normal guy, having a normal family life, currently sitting in the office of the one and only animation studio in this town – Nexus Animation.

After seeing an ad they posted, and seeing that they want to hire animators, I couldn't help myself to dream again, Maybe, I have grown, as a person and as a working man, grown enough to be able to succeed, as an animator.

I was sitting in a chair on the second floor of the black building, the HQ of this studio. This looks like a place where they do their magic, I say looks like because they actually cleaned this floor and put all the desks and equipment to the side and in the middle put chairs, used for people like me, that are having an interview.

Only two people were currently waiting for the interview, me and a younger man sitting beside me.

Now that I mentioned him. He looks interesting, to say the least. As I said, he looked to be in his early twenties, with dark, short hair, and a grumpy look, he also had dark circles that looked like they could reach the floor. Also, this man has a tracksuit on, with a hood all over his head, that I could barely see his face. An interesting-looking guy, with an interesting choice of attire, I mean this is a work interview…

Probably sensing my stare, that man turned his head and looked at me and in a grumpy tone spoke to me – "What?"

What do you mean what, at least say more than one word, hmph, two can play that game.

"Nothing."

I returned a single word to him and then looked at him with a provocative smile all over my face. Heh, what will you say now boy, I will show you how to respect your elders.

"Old man, you are annoying."

"What?"

In this place the only person who can call myself old is me…and maybe my future boss.

"Listen up kid, you should learn how to talk with respect, it is still not too late for you to learn some manners."

"You talk a lot for an old man."

"Listen up, you!!!"

I can for sure say that the time spent waiting for my turn passed really fast, as I spent all my time trying to teach this brat some manners. Stupid kid. Hopefully, this is the last time I will have to deal with him.

…

Two days after that un-normal day in my normal life, I was again on the second floor of the HQ of Nexus Animation.

There is one good and one bad news when it comes to me trying to begin another stage of my life.

The good news is that I got a job! When I heard that, I started crying and then my wife also started crying, that was such a big moment for my family and myself.

The bad news is that the moment I appeared here, I saw that stupid brat, again dressed like he was going to a convention, instead of going to work. He should dress like me, in a suit, and maybe then he wouldn't look like a prick.

Haah, to think I would need to work with him, well I can at least ask my young boss to place me somewhere that isn't close to him, yup that should work.

Putting aside the stupid kid, four people were currently standing on the second floor, in front of the employees of this studio, giving their greetings and introducing themselves. As I said, four people were standing, myself, that stupid kid and two women. Yes, we four were the new employees of the rising star in the animation sphere, Nexus Animation.