Naoki wheeled their bag from the train car. "That Atami prize made for a nice weekend getaway."

"Yes!" Kotoko laughed. "And with no interruptions, since we decided to celebrate your birthday there at the last minute and no one knew where we were."

"Especially one certain person," Naoki murmured to himself.

"Are you still on that?" she chided. "I thought I did a pretty good job the last two days showing you how I feel about you."

He wrapped an arm around her waist. "Don't worry. My problem is with him. I won't make the mistake of doubting you again."

"Better not!" She poked his nose with a finger. "Cause I'll whip your ass if you do!"

On the other side of the station, Kinnosuke paced the departure platform. "I can't believe it! Three trips and I never got to see her! And Satomi and Jinko assured me that Kotoko didn't have any plans this weekend. Oh, well, there's always Christmas. That time she is coming to my town!"

"Hey, Yamada," Kotoko leaned over the back of the couch, "Spielberg and Lucas didn't make it tonight."

"Yeah," he paused his sentence while he maneuvered his avatar's ship through a field of space mines, "they've been freaking out about some letter they received. I bet they're still at it."

Aikawa pulled his buzzing cell phone out of his pocket. "Well, speak of the devil. Hey, Lucas, what's up? Uh-huh," he nodded several times. "I'll see. Hey, Ai-chan, those two want to know if you can go over and talk to them."

"Huh? Why didn't they call me?" she wondered.

"Because your phone is in the back room charging," Naoki reminded her as he took a few shots at the enemy freighter.

"Yeah. Well, I'll head over and see what they want."

"Wait a few minutes." Naoki's voice halted her steps. "Even though it's just next door, I don't want you to go alone. This game will be finished shortly."

"I'll go with her." Matsumoto set down her drink and walked to join Kotoko at the door. "He's right, she told her, "there's safety in numbers."

"And who had to rescue who last time?"

"That's 'whom'!"

"It's nice to be outside on a Saturday night and not have my eardrums assaulted," Matsumoto observed during the brief walk.

"Now that the gamers outnumber the party guys, it's been a lot more peaceful," Kotoko agreed, stretching arms over her head.

The neighboring house's living room held Miyashita (who had finally scored a room there), hosting a smaller cadre of club members who were also playing online. Beyond in the kitchen, the substitute landlord and a discontented-looking young lady were finishing a takeout meal.

"This place has been dead on weekends since you brought in those new tenants."

"Couldn't help it, babe," he answered, then called out at the knock, "Come in!"

"Girls?" she asked when Kotoko and Matsumoto entered and were hailed by the game players. "They're either lost or at the beginning of a super-bad blind date."

"Uh, we're here to see Spielberg and Lucas, uh, Sugawara and Araki."

Sugisaki sighed wearily. "Second door on the left at the top of the stairs."

The girlfriend's voice followed them as they began to climb. "I didn't think those nerds were into women!"

Upstairs, the two girls looked at the room, neat overall with disorder only on the cluttered computer desk. "Okay guys, what's up?" Kotoko asked cheerfully.

Sugawara held out a crumpled letter. "Look! We're in trouble because of the film!"

"Kunoichi Kotorin?" Matsumoto asked skeptically.

"I told you that you ripped off Yona!" Kotoko claimed as she tried to smooth out the paper. "Now, what does that kanji mean…?"

"Let me see that." Matsumoto took it from her and scanned it quickly.

As she did so, Araki gave Kotoko the back story. "See, it's from this big company that wants to discuss our movie."

"We knew it was derivative in spots, but we wrote and animated it all by ourselves!"

"What are we going to do now? Our future is in a shambles!"

"We'll lose our reputations!"

"Plus we'll be sued for for money that we don't have!"

"Hold on." Matsumoto halted their verbal diarrhea with a motion. "This doesn't say anything about legal trouble."

"It doesn't?"

"No, it sounds like they'd like to license it. And get this, Kotoko," she waved the paper towards her friend, "this is Irie-kun's family business."

"Huh? Pandai?"

"Yeah, yeah," Araki interjected. "That's the name. Irie?!"

"Instead of being in trouble, it sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime. They would like to have a meeting, probably to get an idea of what you want."

"We just want to make movies."

Matsumoto looked at Kotoko in pity. "They have no business sense whatsoever, do they?"

Kotoko pointed at her. "But you're majoring in business." Dead silence followed and she belated realized that she probably shouldn't have said that out loud.

"Could you go to the meeting for us? Please?!" The two dropped to their knees in begging position.

"Gee, Kotoko, you had to open your big mouth, didn't you?"

Pondering, she answered, "Well, it's not a bad idea. You could act as their agent. That would give you some real-world experience in business. Not many first years get to do so much."

"Of course I could do it," Matsumoto agreed, frustrated, "but when? Term exams are coming up, and even though I have no problems with my classes, I still want to do my best since I'm transferring."

Kotoko snapped her fingers. "I know! We'll just take you home with us at Christmas! We have to go to the Pandai holiday wing-ding anyway. Obasama insists," she added with a scowl.

"I can't just show up like that!" Matsumoto protested.

"Why not?" Kotoko snapped back. "Hand me your phone!" After a brief conversation, she returned it. "Irie-san says it's okay. We're good to go!"

While Matsumoto heaved a weary sigh, a much relieved Araki asked, "So how much money do you think we'll get?"

"And don't forget to ask about licensing fees!"

"Come to think of it," Matsumoto pressed a finger into Sugiwara's chest, "you used Kotoko's and my likenesses in that movie, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Kotoko chimed in, "and without permission!"

"Uh…"

"There may be more people signing the contract than just you two!" she warned them.