nhp | (Sutamai) Daily Mini Talk, 05 February 2018

05 February 2018

Characters: Otani Hatori & Imaoji Shun

Title: The trade is deep within the bar

-Bar-

Imaoji: (The way the target’s behaving…… Have they caught onto me?)

(Tch. I’m better off not following them at this rate……)

[Bump]

Woman: S-Sorry.

Imaoji: My apologies as well. Are you hurt anywhere?

Otani: Oh, excuse my date, Imaoji Shun-kun.

Imaoji: No, I’m thankful enough to have had such a lovely encounter, Otani Hatori-san.

(It’s as the rumours say about him always having a woman on his arms.)

(I’ve lost sight of my target now too, so there’s not much I can do about that. I’ll regroup and—)

Otani: Hey, could it be that there’s someone you’re after here?

Imaoji: !

Otani: I think I can help you out there if you’d like. Of course, it’s not for free though.

Imaoji: (How much does this guy know……?)

What a wonderful proposal. If it’s within my power to do, then it should be fine……

Otani: Not to worry. I’ll make it something easy to fulfil.

Let’s see, how about a round of pool?

* * *

Imaoji: (I’ll aim for the six ball next……)

(It’s a difficult course with no leeway, but if it’s from this vantage point……)

[Clonk]

Otani: Nice shot. You’re pretty good, Imaoji-kun.

Imaoji: Nonsense. I’m nowhere near your level, Otani-san. Now then, the next one as well……

[Clonk]

Otani: Uh-oh, you’ve taken the seven ball too. It’s starting to look like there won’t be anything left for me.

Imaoji: Haha. I should enjoy myself once the game starts, is that not so?

Otani: Ahaha, well played. What will you do with the eight ball then?

Imaoji: (This setup is also cutting it close…… If I pocket it, then I’ll definitely be able to take the nine ball too.)

(In that case……)

[Clonk]

Imaoji: What a shame. I missed.

Otani: (Oh……?)

You were close. Thanks to that though, I’ve been given a chance.

Imaoji: Regardless, I still think it’s a difficult course to overcome. Don’t you agree?

Otani: True. But if I do it like so……

(For a while now, it’s been the same set of moves as a number of my plays. I’m familiar with this pattern.)

[Clonk]

Imaoji: An excellent shot.

Otani: Thanks. All that’s left is the nine ball……

[Clonk]

Otani: Which can be simply pocketed. Ahaha…… Honestly, you make for an interesting game.

(Bringing about that course isn’t something that one can just normally aim to do.)

Imaoji: How unfortunate, I’ve lost. Will I still be able to receive your intel?

Otani: Sure. From what I can gather though, it looks like you were aware of it since the start, no?

That winning against me wasn’t a part of the condition.

Imaoji: Not at all. You overestimate me. I didn’t have the luxury of thinking that far ahead, after all.

Otani: Hmm. Really now? Well, I’ll keep my promise and give you your information.

Imaoji: Thank you.

Otani: (I truly can’t get tired of the people around Rei-chan.)

While he realized at the very last moment that he had been played……

The IT company president was fully satisfied at having overcome his boredom more so than he had expected.