Living In Your Sky (空に住む)

Look Haru, there's water.

Can you see it?

That's amazing.

Ah, I'm coming!

Welcome--

Not quite right, but "welcome home" isn't quite right either.

I guess "come in" fits.

I'm somehow nervous.

Keep your shoes on, come in.

Wait...

Isn't this too amazing?

How is it? Isn't it pretty great?

This is what you call an investment!

Firstly, let's make you the custodian, Naomi.

Tells us if you find anything troublesome.

Uncle Masahiro, Asuko-san...

Please take care of me.

Stop it, how embarrassing!

It's my first time being called Uncle Masahiro...

Oh well, it's a good thing. It's all thanks to my brother.

Just call him Maa-kun, okay?

By the way, where's Haru?

Ah, right here.

Woah, such things exist?

Hold on...

Ah, Haru!

Ah, by the way...

I accidentally opened it.

It somehow made the air feel heavier, my bad.

That's no problem, thanks.

He's been putting in and putting out things since earlier, so he got flustered.

Once again, you must be tired after the cremation process.

It really was hard, right?

We would've done it together if not for his work.

No problem, I was mostly just sitting there and listening to the sutras.

This altar gave me a bit of trouble.

I wanted to at least have them enjoy the high-rise life in Tokyo.

"Enjoy"?

He moved the altar a lot since he was uncertain on where to put it.

Brother, sister, here's Tokyo.

Alright, let's do this in place of the 40th day ceremony.

What about their portraits?

I left it, they looked like they wanted to stay behind instead.

Really?

You're right. To him, it was the house he's lived in since birth after all.

By the way, do as you wish with this place, Naomi.

But, is it really okay?

You mean living here? Of course.

If it suits you, naturally.

If you need something or need help, feel free to tell us about it.

We live in the 41st floor, by the way.

Okay.

Uncle Masahiro--

"Maa-kun!"

Maa-kun, you definitely must let me pay rent at least.

Naomi, this is an investment, it's part of the business.

In the first place, I'm in a position where I have to give you money monthly.

Because I'm responsible for you.

Yep, you're free to leave if you get sick of this place.

- Maa-kun, wait a moment. - Okay.

Haru?

It's like I'm living in the skies.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Ah, welcome back, it must've been hard.

I'm sorry for causing you all trouble!

Ah, souvenirs!

Sorry...

Woah, your hair!

Welcome back!

Are you doing okay?

I'm completely fine!

I've compiled your homework here.

Thanks.

Chief, I'm back.

Welcome back, Kobayakawa-san. It was hard on you, wasn't it?

No, I'm sorry for causing you worry.

Did the cremation go well?

Yes.

I see, that's good to hear.

Let's talk again sometime soon.

Where's Kashiwagi-san?

Ah, okay.

He's been at it since 2 AM last night...

reading the 1200 sheets Yoshida-san gave him.

He's locked himself in that study for at least 8 hours now.

He could be done now.

No, I think he could be asleep.

Oh, you're here.

Could anyone order takeout? I'll be fine with curry.

Okay.

Kashiwagi-san, I'm back.

I must've worried you.

Ah, welcome back, Kobayakawa-san.

Let's do this after...

I'll be finished soon. I might collapse if I don't eat something soon.

What will you be having, Naomi-san?

Ah, I'll go with chicken kishimen.

Right, chicken kishimen...

Kashiwagi-san looks beat.

He's still disputing on whether to write it anew or to serialize it.

Yoshida-san wants the former.

But the chief wanted to do the latter since the end of spring,

and they're still at it.

What do you want to do as the person-in-charge, Aiko?

It's a matter for the editor-in-chief at this point.

A monthly issue and a tankobon would both be impossible for Kashiwagi-san.

I have to agree.

I have no objections regarding him wanting to make a new novel after the award.

This is more on convincing the chief.

I'll say this as someone who was in charge of him.

Pushing Yoshida Osamu's name further than the literature world...

I think that is something that we must do.

Even as I say so, I'm uncertain as to whether our company can achieve that.

A bet, is it not?

Yes.

What about you, Aiko?

Rather than my viewpoint, I think something else is a bigger matter to me.

Could you please make me the person-in-charge again?

As an editor, I feel confident and am responsible...

to help Yoshida-san write an award winning piece.

Though I may have been exaggerating.

As for the planning of this new piece...

I will definitely be working with Kinoshita for that.

I will definitely think about that.

But to you, Kobayakawa-san...

I think you must first focus on your return to work.

But this is quite interesting...

To think that someone who lost her parents,

and one who will be going through a shotgun wedding is sitting in front of me now.

Kashiwagi-san,

I think you're crossing the line with that statement towards Naomi-senpai.

Ah, my apologies.

But please think about it.

Isn't this world of ours interesting?

Is this what literature is?

Well, you can call it literature or novels.

Yoshida-sensei must have no regrets pursuing such amazing things.

But you see, writing a novel after winning an award...

it's hard, regardless of your skills.

Factors such as anticipation, jealousy, or impatience, for example.

That's why...

I've been wondering if I should tell him to take it easy or not.

That's why I wish to support him.

This won't only be Yoshida-san's problem--

Yoshida-sensei is here.

Yes, come in.

I've read it.

Frankly, we're currently unable to decide...

what to do with such an exquisite piece of work.

The chief has already conveyed his inclination a few days back.

I regret to say this after making you finish the manuscript last night...

and on top of that, having you visit when you're currently feeling this way.

We merely wish to state our viewpoint.

You're the only one who read this manuscript, right?

Yes, as of now.

But the two--

I understand.

I understand, and so I'll brashly say this...

If we cannot go with the plan of writing it anew...

then I must instead go to another publisher.

Understood.

I will attempt to convince the chief.

I will make sure to say that you have confidence in your manuscript at least.

And that is why, let us go with what you planned to do.

However...

Whether or not this sells well...

please write at a similar quality for our company next time and onwards.

That is a condition.

Kobayakawa-san.

Yes?

Do you have any plans to sell it?

Pardon?

It's the chief's condition.

Even if a young publisher like us were to publish his book...

it would still be most regrettable for Yoshida-san.

That's why, somehow...

though it may seem cruel of me to say...

could you take over my burdens and find something that can convince the chief?

Then, what you said just now was...?

That was merely lip service.

When Yoshida-san said he would do either...

I thought of doing a serialization...

since I thought that it would be a better direction for Yoshida-san to take.

We can publish it without much editing at some degree of quality.

But writing anew means that Yoshida-san won't earn money the next time.

It doesn't seem likely that he can write something to surpass one work so soon.

If it doesn't sell well,

then we'd be stuck in a stalemate.

What will you do?

I'll get married.

Is that so?

It's been long.

Yes.

Way too long.

I'VE FED HARU. - ASUKO

Haru.

Haru...

Support me, okay?

Good morning.