Koji's project

Koji immediately contacted the TBS media team, having already prepared the necessary information and conducted thorough research on the topic.

The project centered around this subject was titled, 'The Glory of the Past: Is it Making a Comeback?'

Koji proceeded to get in touch with the mall manager. After a considerable wait, the portly mall manager finally appeared.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Koji Nishida from TBS," Koji greeted politely, bowing to the manager, who reciprocated the gesture.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Nishida. I'm Taiga Aoki, the manager of this mall," responded the portly Taiga with a polite bow.

Koji nodded and continued, "As you can see, I'm interested in covering intriguing topics, such as the unusually popular video game machine located in the game section of the entertainment hall of the mall."

Taiga nodded in understanding.

Koji pressed further, adding, "Our information suggests that acquiring that machine cost the mall a substantial amount. Is that accurate?" he inquired.

Taiga, the mall manager, nodded energetically, "That's correct. It was indeed purchased at a price of 500,000 yen each!" He stated this with a slightly pained expression, though deep down, he was content with the decision, considering the high number of young visitors flocking to his mall to enjoy the video game machine. Acquiring the machine had proven to be a wise move, as recommended by a fellow mall manager in Toshima Ward.

Koji acknowledged this information with a nod and proceeded with curiosity, "I've been eager to ask, do you happen to know the company responsible for creating that video game machine?"

Taiga nodded affirmatively, saying, "Yes, we recently struck another deal following the initial success of the video game machines. The company behind it is called Ki-Shin Company." He displayed the company's logo for Koji, who eagerly noted it down. The logo was simple, devoid of extravagant details.

Koji continued his conversation with Taiga, the mall manager, for some time before concluding with gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Aoki."

Taiga nodded in response, expressing his appreciation, "You're welcome. Thank you as well."

Following that, Koji received a text indicating that his assigned team had arrived from the station, responding to his request for covering a project story, even though the station wasn't initially aware that it would become a topic of widespread interest in Tokyo.

---

Koji's team, which consisted of the cameraman and the researcher responsible for gathering additional information alongside Koji, arrived in a branded vehicle adorned with the TBS logo and the station's name along its sides.

"This is certainly shaping up to be an intriguing story to cover!" remarked the researcher, Yuta Itabashi. As he recollected his involvement in gathering information for Koji's project, he couldn't help but draw parallels with the resurgence of Tetris in the 1960s.

Ren Yamaguchi, the cameraman, nodded in agreement as he stood alongside the researcher.

Koji simply shrugged and asserted, "Don't let your guard down! We need to cover this story quickly before other journalists beat us to it!"

"Understood!" the two individuals exclaimed in unison.

---

*Ring* *Ring*

Shin's phone began ringing incessantly, rousing him from his slumber.

Exhausted after discussing the company's direction with the employees, Shin proceeded to establish several new departments, and the culmination of his efforts was the creation of a new company subsidiary.

The key employees weren't taken aback, as they were already familiar with the company's trajectory.

KiShin Games™ was officially born, heralding the company's foray into game production.

Having observed the substantial revenue generated by his company, Shin deemed it the right moment to venture into game production. CHRO Kato had already overseen the recruitment of programmers, and they had secured a workspace and purchased dozens of computers for game development.

Shin had already charted an outline the future of game production and development for the company, drawing inspiration from or even outright replicating the 8-bit games from his previous life.

Shin also recognized the importance of game cartridge production. He understood that, apart from video game consoles, the real money-maker was the games themselves. Without a variety of games to choose from, there would be fewer incentives for customers to buy the video game consoles, rendering them little more than decorative pieces.

Shin was committed to creating an impressive game library.

Especially the mass production of his company's video game consoles will commence in a week from now. As you might have guessed, the first company founded by Shin was KiShin Electronics. This means that the primary responsibility for game console production falls on this main company. As the company continued to generate profits, they increased their supply orders from their supplier, Tora Electronics. Thanks to the workforce recruited by CHRO Kato, they are fully prepared for the production of video game consoles.

*Ring* *Ring*

Shin grew annoyed but answered the phone, concealing his irritation.

"Hello?" he responded, a hint of annoyance seeping into his tone.

The caller on the other end appeared to sense his irritation as he introduced himself, saying, "I apologize for interrupting your busy schedule. My name is Koji Nishida, from TBS."

Shin was taken aback and hastily inquired, "How did you get my number?" He asked cautiously, wondering if there was corporate espionage afoot. However, he quickly dismissed the notion, thinking, 'It can't be... There must be someone outside the company, like the Ikeburo Center, who managed to contact and record my number, with a high likelihood of leaking it.' His thoughts raced as he contemplated the possibilities.

In a matter of seconds, Koji would provide the answer to Shin's question.

"Umm... A manager from the Ikeburo Center gave me your number," Koji stated directly, not beating around the bush. It seemed prudent to be upfront rather than risk Shin's misunderstanding and having his number blocked.

'As expected...'

Shin nodded in understanding and replied thoughtfully, "I see... How can I assist you?" he inquired.

Koji smiled on the other end of the phone and asked, "Are you the CEO of KiShin Company?" Although he already knew the answer, he wanted to confirm it.

Without hesitation, Shin nodded and confirmed, "Yes."

Koji grinned and continued, "Mr. CEO, as I mentioned earlier, I'm a journalist from TBS station. I'm here to cover a story about your company's video game machines. Would it be possible for us to have a conversation over the phone, or if it's acceptable to you, could we arrange a meeting in person?"

Shin had initially overlooked Koji's introduction due to the surprise of an unknown contact. However, upon realizing that Koji was a journalist from a prominent station, Shin recognized this as an opportunity for his company – essentially free advertising. Who wouldn't agree to that?

However, he wasn't inclined to meet in person, so Shin replied, "I am unavailable for an in-person meeting, but I can speak with you over the phone," he offered.

Koji was excited. Despite the rejection of an in-person interview, he could still engage in a phone conversation with the CEO of KiShin Company-wide.