He Follows¹

Okay! Let’s start our meeting to improve the tour concept!

Okay!

Our main goals are to differentiate ourselves from our competition while meeting our target’s needs…

And to apply those concepts in a way that you have the best personal affinity with. Try to keep all of that in mind.

Differentiate… Competition… Affinity… Hmmm… Hmmmmm…?

(I know that his nose starts bleeding if he thinks too hard. I’ll keep an eye on him.)

Needs… Hmm…?

And there it is. Let me wipe that for you.

Mrgggh…

Let me see… Let’s put aside the business talk for now and just talk about you.

For example, is there anything that you personally wish to improve on or change?

A wish?

Yep. In other words, your wish would be part of your needs. I think that’d be a good place for us to start pulling ideas out of.

My needs…

I know, but… Don’t you have something like that? Where you can’t stop thinking about it no matter if you’re asleep or awake?

So, yeah, that’s what’s been going on. But y’know, I think I can say the same thing about you.

The concept idea you came up with was a giant mess of everything you wanted to do.

I think you should pick one thing that’s at the forefront of your mind and use that as a basis for everything else.

Hmm… Got it… Hmm…

(I have to wipe his nose again. But before I do…)

Let’s take movies for an example.

When you watch a bunch of films from one director, you can start to see a common theme between all of them.

That’s because the director had a need that they wanted to fulfill…

And a unique concept is created to achieve that.

There are a lot of creators, not just in film, but in books and manga as well, who say they made something because it didn’t exist.

They spend days thinking about what new thing they want to do with their art, and they naturally become more and more knowledgeable about it in the process.

After they take that idea and make it the basis of their work, they can finally start drawing. It can be a road to finishing their a⁠—

Hmmmm… HM?! I think I get it!

You can do the same thing with Steve Spielberg’s² movies, right?! They all share a theme!

I think that his goal is to help kids find their dreams! ‘Cuz he didn’t really have a good childhood!

So the “new thing” he wanted to do was to experience the adventures he couldn’t when he was a kid! Like seeing dinosaurs!

And that’s why he makes so many movies about going on exciting adventures! He must’ve wanted to fly in the air with an alien!³

I think you’re right. So if you were in his shoes, what theme would you come up with to fulfill your own needs?

And what team dynamic will be born from that? Once you think about i⁠—

A-Akuta-kun, your nose is bleeding so much…!

*pant, pant…* Teach, I’m…gettin’ di…zzy… *thud*

A-A-A-Akuta-kun?! Did he lose too much blood?! Akuta-kun! Akuta-kuuuun!

I know, but… Don’t you have something like that? Where you can’t stop thinking about it no matter if you’re asleep or awake?

Asleep…

Or awake…

Something like that…

You don’t have anything?!

Nope!

Nothing you’re even worried about lately?

My worry is not having a worry or a goal I can’t stop thinking about no matter if I’m asleep or awake!

(He’s so carefree, it’s like he’s barely even bothered about it… I guess that’s one of his good characteristics.)

By the way, are you feeling alright after passing out yesterday?

Yeah, eating a buttload of Ushio’s chocolate healed me right up.

(But where should we go now…? I really thought we were on track.)

You don’t gotta worry about it too much, Teach. I got an idea.

What is it?

I’m gonna go on a journey to find negative stuff and figure out what my worries are!

Y’know, everyone in our team was at the old school building that night for different reasons.

Oh… Yeah, I heard about that. But you don’t know each other’s reasons for being there, right?

Yep! But they all probably had something bothering them, right? So I’m gonna ask them!

(Nanaki-kun told me his reason when we were at Shodoshima, but…I’m curious about the others too.)

I’d like to know too. Including your reason, Akuta-kun.

Nahhh, I’m not gonna tell you mine yet. You gotta wait until the movie plot develops a bit more before I let you know!

So I’m gonna go! Seeya!

Ah, wait, we’re not in a movi⁠—

(A-A visitor…! Talk about bad timing!)

Gosh, fine! Akuta-kun! Don’t forget to make your weekly report using the tape recorder!

‘Kay!

(I wonder why Akuta-kun was at the old school building… Maybe he went there to shoot a movie? That’s all I can think of.)

(But if he doesn’t wanna tell me, it might be something deeper.)

(A student named Ono-kun went missing, didn’t he? So maybe Akuta-kun was trying to create a video record of his disappearance.)

This is really bugging me…

(What in the world would compel someone to sneak in there alone in the middle of the night?)

(Akuta-kun’s always such a positive kid that I can’t imagine he had a bad reason…)

Coming! I’ll be there in a bit!

Shumai, calm down! You’re gonna scare our guest!

I’m sorry for the wait! What can I help you with?

*opens door* Huh? Nobody’s here. That’s weird…

Grrrr… Rrrrr…

Shumai, be a good boy!

…Huh?

Hm-hm…

(Who’s this? Wait, when did he get inside?)

*sniff…* Hahh…

(Why is he…smelling the house?!)

Hmm… Yes, I do smell it…

……

Human, I require your assistance.

I am searching for a lost object. Do you know where it is located?