Disclaimer: As usual. Kadokawa-kun doesn't want to share his toys(/boys) with me. T_T

Author's note: As always: Thanks for reading. This is another shorter chapter, but the next one will be about twice as long. I also rearranged the order of the chapters that are to come.

maybe unknown words in this chapter:

hanami = the event of watching the cherry blossoms (usually by having a picnic under the sakura trees)

shachou = president of the company

tankobon = a compilation of chapter's of one manga that has been serialized in a magazine

Newbies

Kirishima Zen liked Aprils.

Of course, there was the sakura and hanami that he used to enjoy with his daughter Hiyori, but there was another thing about this particular month he also liked more than maybe was appropriate.

He called it 'fresh meat'.

Young people at the age of twenty-four, having just left university, their minds all innocent about life and work. They usually thought that working for a big company, like Marukawa Publishing was, would bring them money and prestige. Although that was not far from the thruth, most failed to see what their new job also meant. Long working hours, short breaks, few chances to use their paid holidays, sleep deprivation and new pressure with every upcoming project.

While Kirishima felt sorry for them, there was a particular thing he liked to indulge in: Picking the ones of them with high pride and stiff faces and teasing them until they dropped their mask. Newbies fitting his idea of the perfect target were very scarce, and some years there wouldn't enter even one into the company. That in itself made picking them out of the crowd even more interesting.

Today was a good day.

Takenaka from the sales department had brought a newbie to the meeting for the print decision of one of 'Japun's' authors. The young man had dark hair, wore a black business suit and a serious face that made him look like a businessman at least ten years down the road.

The chief editor of 'Japun' knew that this meeting was going to be fun. His fingertips were tingling in anticipation.

After everybody had entered the conference room and the door was closed, Takenaka stood up.

"Today we are going to decide on the first print run of 'Shinigami no haka'. The editor in charge, Kirishima-san, will be taking part in the discussion, and I also want to thank Isaka-san for attending." He looked at the new company chief, suspicion showing in his face. "You did read the printing proposal this time, I hope?"

Isaka leaned back in his chair, waving his left hand. "My secretary told me the gist of it. Will be enough."

Though he didn't know exactly why, Kirishima shot a glance at the newbie, just in time to notice his right eyebrow twitch in disbelief.

It seemed that he had been wrong - this meeting was going to be A HELL of fun.

"Anyway", Takenaka continued and cleared his throat. "I also invited a freshman of the sales section to this meeting. His name is Yokozawa-san, so please take good care of him."

Yokozawa stood up and bowed deeply, echoing the last words of his mentor. "I hope for a good work together."

Kirishima had to stifle a laughter. That was what everybody was thinking before the first print run meeting they were to attend. Usually those words were never spoken again at any meeting that followed, which was no big surprise. This was a freaking battlefield.

"Kirishima-san, would you like to start?"

"Fine." He took a glance at his papers out of mere reflex, although he knew everything by heart. "Well, since we started releasing the manga in 'Japun' our sales numbers have risen constantly. According to the survey postcards that readers have been sending to us throughout the last ten months, the manga is pretty popular and many seem to be anticipating the tankobon. I'd start with 270,000."

The woman from the printing department snorted at this and crossed her arms. "That's not gonna happen. We can use our paper for better things than wasting more than 50,000 copies to burn them because most people would only use it as a substitute for firewood. I wouldn't even start with 200,000, so I propose 190,000."

"Oh come on, did you even read the manga?", Isaka said and smiled at her pityfuly. "It's really funny, but maybe that is something female readers won't understand."

"Shachou, please be careful with your choice of words! This could be easily mistaken for sexual harrassment."

"I am sorry, I am sorry!"

With a deep sigh Kirishima shook his head and looked into the direction of the sales representative.

"Anyway, 190,000 is inacceptable. If we offer the author such a poor first print run, he will hop off the boat as soon as he can. It would be terribly stupid to sell the manga below it's real worth."

Takenaka seemingly took his words into consideration and pushed his glasses up with three fingers. "I understand what you are saying, but 270,000 is indeed over the top." He looked at his subordinate. "Yokozawa, what would you suggest?"

The young man stood up and flipped through the papers he had brought with him. Presumably, this was his first time speaking at a meeting, but he didn't seem to be nervous in the least. Kirishima was looking for signs, like shaking fingers or a higher pitched tone while speaking, but his voice was bursting with self-confidence and his movements were rather elegant than clumsy.

"I also had a look at the sales numbers of 'Japun' as well as the survey results. I agree to Kirishima-san and Isaka-shachou that 190,000 copies in the first run won't be enough. The printing department should consider having a second look at the proposal - given, that there has been a first look at it to begin with."

The printing department representative shot up from her chair, face burning red due to the offense. Her hand hit the water glass next to her, sending a small waterfall across the table and her notes, but she was much too enraged to notice.

"What is this freshman daring to say? Are you implying that we don't do our work properly?"

"Considering the number you suggested, I got the impression that you didn't pay much attention to the figures", he replied with an unfazed expression.

That was the point Kirishima found that he hoped to attend more meetings with Yokozawa in the future. This guy had the right mixture of seriousness and fighting spirit. The perfect teasing target.

"So you comply with my suggestion?", he asked, although he knew for a fact that that wasn't the case.

As expected, the young salesman glared at him. "Hardly. How do you expect us to sell 270,000 copies of a debut manga? This is not fucking Dragonball."

Nice, sharp tongue!

"Well, aren't you guys of Sales confident in your selling strategies?", Kirishima asked with a sly smile and also stood up. He lifted the chart with 'Japun's' sales numbers and pointed at it. "Since the manga is already very popular, selling 270,000 copies should be a cakewalk."

"There are limits to what we can do about a manga that has potential but also obvious flaws", Yokozawa replied and raised his voice.

'The game is on', Kirishima thought with rising spirits. "And what flaws would that be?"

"The revision of the chapters won't be completely finished until the estimated printing date. We cannot give our Okay to a half-assed comic. Adding to that, your report doesn't mention any new pages to be included, which won't help to increase the interest of 'Japun's' readers to buy the tankobon as well. Anything over 220,000 copies would be ridiculous."

Takenaka was staring up at him with his mouth agape, but Yokozawa was so immersed that he didn't take notice of it. Actually, he was not in charge of any decisions, but the wheel had started spinning and now he couldn't stop.

And Kirishima was up for a fight as well. "So what you are saying is that we'd get a higher print run if we include an extra chapter."

"One extra chapter, one more colour page, the author's comment and a full revision, of course."

"In that case I want 255,000 copies."

The younger man slapped his papers at the table and shot him a dark glare. "This is no auction, you realize that? Try to be realistic, Kirishima-san!"

"Even with that we shouldn't print more than 210,000 copies", the printing woman interfered, but was completely ignored.

"220,000", Yokozawa barked.

"250,000", Kirishima replied.

"Impossible! 225,000."

"245,000."

"Let's settle for 235,000 copies then", Isaka suggested, but earned a "No way!" from all parties involved.

"I won't settle for less than 240,000", the editor said and crossed his arms, fixating Yokozawa's eyes with his own.

"Are you a complete moron?!"

The room grew silent the very moment, only gasps of shock audible. Upon realizing what he had said to one of his superiors, the newbie covered his mouth with his right hand and averted his gaze to the floor.

"I... I am sorry."

For half a minute no word was spoken, until Kirishima decided to let him off the hook - for now.

"Well, 240,000 it is then. Isaka-san, do you agree?"

The company chief nodded happily. "Jup, sounds just fine to me. Then, thanks for coming and have a nice lunch break."

He stood up, took his papers and left the room, followed by a printing representative wording her complaints about the decision towards him.

Kirishima also gathered his belongings and approached Takenaka. "That was a fun-meeting. It was the first time a freshman yelled at me."

The Sales senior patted Yokozawa's shoulder, who looked at him in surprise, since he must have been awaiting a roasting.

"Yokozawa did an extraordinarily great job. I think he fits here just perfectly."

"Indeed. You should consider putting him up for manga sales." Kirishima shot the silent man a smile, but only met a dark face. He would have actually believed it, hadn't he noticed the reddening ears.

"I am really looking forward to working together with you in the future, Yokozawa-san."

Next time: Takano's POV