21 TBS Journalist
"As for your position in the company, how about Chief Technology Officer?" Shin smiled warmly as he looked at Mira.
Mira returned the smile and replied, "It's all right. Even if you didn't assign me a position right away, I understand. I know you're right... I haven't been as focused on the company's development as the others." She lowered her head as she spoke.
Shin shook his head gently and said, "No need to worry. I'll patiently wait for your graduation, and this position is already reserved for you. Just continue to give your best during your part-time hours. If you ever find yourself busy with your studies, we can always find a substitute, but the role will always be yours."
"Are you sure?" Mira asked with a hint of guilt in her voice.
Shin nodded reassuringly, adding, "Absolutely. Besides, knowledge is a valuable asset for our company's future. So, keep up with your education; it will benefit us in the long run." He wasn't just saying it; he genuinely believed in the importance of education in technology development.
Mira felt relieved and nodded cheerfully.
Shin chuckled and said, "You'll be our first scholar sponsored by the company."
Mira nodded and then had another question, "Why didn't you offer the same opportunity to others? Isn't knowledge important for everyone?"
Shin smiled thoughtfully and explained, "I did offer them a chance, but right now, they need to focus on the company to improve their financial situations and support their families. It's their choice."
Mira nodded, understanding the situation.
---
Meanwhile, the employees chatted and speculated about Shin and Mira.
"Do you think Ms. Mira will really be let go?"
"I doubt it. She's the boss's first employee, after all."
"And I heard they're in a relationship, right?" A female employee blushed as she whispered.
Lee Han sighed, recognizing the youthful curiosity in his colleagues. "These young folks…" he thought.
After some time, Mira emerged from the meeting room.
When they spotted her, they quickly gathered around Mira, eager to learn about the situation.
Mira greeted them with a smile and shared the good news that she had been promoted to the position of CTO, Chief Technology Officer.
Her colleagues congratulated her warmly, and the atmosphere became lively with celebration.
Amid the cheerful chatter, Lee Han, the senior manager, interjected, reminding everyone, "While we celebrate Mira's promotion, we must also remember that the company is still in its growing phase. We should return to our respective tasks."
An inexperienced employee who hadn't been assigned a position chimed in, "But there are no orders yet..."
Lee Han fixed a stern gaze upon him and retorted, "Even in the absence of specific orders, we must continue working on our plans. As employees of this company, we all have valuable suggestions and plans to contribute for its improvement. In the near future, the company will have several departments, and we mustn't become complacent."
The reprimanded employee promptly apologized and bowed in acknowledgment.
The rest of the team nodded in agreement and expressed their understanding, saying, "We understand!"
Mira let out a sigh of relief as the crowd dispersed, allowing her to continue her work.
---
Koji Nishida, a journalist from TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System).
Not long ago, Koji had been casually strolling through the mall, in search of new furniture and toys for his child. However, as he wandered into the entertainment hall, his attention was instantly drawn to a poster displaying an intriguing device. On the TV screen of this device, a 2D pixelated character was featured, seemingly as part of an advertisement.
Intrigued, he approached the poster and discovered that the device was located in the mall's game section. Curiosity piqued, he decided to seek it out. Upon arriving at the device mentioned in the poster, he noticed it was surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic onlookers. As he got closer, he spotted an individual seated in front of the device, engrossed in playing a 2D pixelated Super Mario game.
Driven by curiosity, Koji approached the person watching the game and inquired, "What's that?" He pointed at the video game machine.
The person, who had been standing with hands in their pockets, turned to face Koji and responded, "That?" He gestured towards the video game machine and casually said, "You must be new here... That's a video game machine! It's become quite popular around the place."
This revelation took Koji by surprise; he hadn't been aware of such a thing in the Bunkyō Ward.
Observing Koji's bewildered expression, the person chuckled and explained, "It only arrived at this mall recently. I've heard that each of these video game machines cost the mall a significant sum, which is why they've been promoting it in parks and other sections of the mall."
Koji nodded thoughtfully, and his instincts as a journalist immediately kicked in. "This could be an interesting topic," he thought to himself.
Realizing that other journalists might have similar thoughts and could beat him to it, Koji decided to take swift action. He turned back to the person he had questioned and asked, "May I know your name, sir?"
The man scratched the back of his head, clearly perplexed, and inquired, "What's that for?"
Without hesitation, Koji produced his company identification card and displayed it for the man to see.
Introducing himself, Koji said, "I'm Koji Nishida, a journalist from TBS."
The man exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, you're a reporter!?"
Koji nodded and wasted no time, asking, "Would you mind sharing your name now?"
The man nodded and introduced himself, saying, "I'm Genta Hirono."
With a nod of acknowledgment, Koji pressed on, "Do you happen to know a lot about that video game machine?"
Genta nodded and replied, "Well, not a whole lot, but I've played it several times on this video game machine."
Koji understood and thought, "This should work."
He nodded and quickly inquired, "Would you be open to an interview regarding this video game machine?"
Genta nodded eagerly and exclaimed, "Of course! Absolutely! Ask me anything!!"
Koji extended an invitation to Genta to dine at a nearby restaurant within the mall. There, he proceeded to pose a series of questions, and Genta responded with fervent enthusiasm, answering each inquiry with excitement.
Upon concluding the interview, Genta couldn't contain his curiosity and asked Koji, "Will I become famous after this?"
Koji responded with a playful chuckle and a small white lie, "Absolutely... Better have your pen and paper ready, as fans from all around will be clamoring for your autograph."
Genta was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Really!? Thanks a lot!"
As he distanced himself from Genta, Koji couldn't help but chuckle playfully. "What a character! He genuinely thought the interview was all about him! Who does he think he is?" Koji mused, recalling the valuable information he had gathered during their conversation.
With an excited smile, Koji contemplated, 'The one who stands to benefit here is me, not you, Genta! This is my opportunity to secure a raise and gain favor with the bosses!'.
