Amagi Brilliant Park's
V1 - Chapter 2 Part 2
There is a building on the ground on the other side of the amusement park.
The three conference rooms were located on the third floor, and looked ordinary, without any distinctive features. The room was filled by a faded conference table, which was surrounded by folding chairs, and a dirty-looking whiteboard.
‘The enemy’ that Isuzu said has arrived.
There were three of them: Two mediocre old men, with a young man standing between them. The attractive young man who was in the middle seemed to be in his mid-twenties, and was most likely about the same age as Seiya's aunt, Aisu.
All three wore a uniform and tasteful grey suit, which seemed to be very expensive. Their carrying was not like a businessman, but rather more like an army of soldiers who had just outlined a plan for their enemy. Their smiles were arrogant and haughty.
The young man glanced at Seiya, then introduced himself: “I'm Kurisu Takaya from Developer Amagi,” he said while issuing his business card. That's simple.
Unfortunately, Seiya did not have a business card. He introduced himself and politely bowed.
Kurisu's smile remained firmly there as she watched Seiya. “It's nice to meet you. What is this student doing here?”
“He's an intern. It's here to report,” Isuzu explained.
“So,” says Kurisu. “...An intern, huh? Where's your manager, Latifah-san?”
Isuzu was the only representative of the park in the room. There's no one else here. Seiya assumes that si (man inside?) moffle's cocky mascot will be here, but it doesn't seem to be.
Isuzu replied politely. “As I have mentioned in the email, our manager is ill and unable to attend today. As a replacement for the manager, I will humbly represent him.”
“Once,” said Kurisu with coldness. “Alright then.”
Seiya was surprised to see Kurisu Takaya agreeing to this by ready—it was not an impropriety for him to complain about coming all the way here, only to be forced to deal with the likes of Isuzu and Seiya. The other two men seemed to think of something like that, but one glanced from Kurisu and they swallowed their complaints.
Kurisu seems to be in the lead here, and after a brief pause, he speaks: “. I'm sure you're aware of the circumstances that brought us here today? If you can't reach your visitor quota in two weeks, Amagi Brilliant Park ownership will move to Amagi.” Developer
“...Yes,” Isuzu replied without a single shred of emotion.
“According to our interest contract signed in 1982, if in five years you get less than a million visitors, the park management rights move to Amagi Developer. Because it—”
Kurisu Takaya continued his explanation while flipping through the copy of the contract and the amount of expenditure in recent years. He kept talking about trade law and third sector policy, and while it was quite long and boring, Seiya managed to understand the situation: in short, this amusement park was on the verge of closing down.
The Amagi developers are the main shareholders invested by the city and various companies. They want to close this ‘suspicious’ amusement park, and according to the contract, if the number of park visitors falls below a certain number, the park management rights will fall on them.
The final limit is two weeks from now, and the park is short of 100,000 people.
Although they are still worried about replacing the park with a golf course or housing, any of them, the park will definitely be torn down.
100,000 people in just two weeks? It was a task that could not be completed. Amagi Brilliant Park will be closed in two weeks, that's all, and this man, Kurisu Takaya, came to discuss the transfer process going smoothly.
“Well, as far as I know. you guys are not ready for the park closure,” Kurisu said. “You have not announced this closure and you have not disconnected your phone, internet and water contract. We wonder if you guys are really acting in good faith here.. Can you give an explanation for this?”
“Yah..” Isuzu murmuring. “...That's because we don't know for sure that the park won't meet its quota.”
A tense smile appeared on Kurisu's face. “Not yet know for sure? You must be kidding; you have a lot of bills. You've wasted your finances, and you're dragging the others along with you. The time has come, that's all. You must stop supplying aid to this dying anachronism, then focus on preparing your belongings and making your losses as something productive.”
“We... be aware of the situation,” Isuzu said tensely.
“Really?” Kurisu sounded doubtful. “I know a lot about your kind—maaf, about people like you. You think ‘accounting is boring, who cares?’ don't you? You think only ‘artistik’ effort is valuable. You think caring about profits is a crime.”
“We didn't say that,” he protested.
“You effectively did it. Even an amusement park is a business, you know. Do you realize how much of a burden your efforts place on people? Should I explain it to you on a large scale? Yes, let's take for example—” Kurisu took a pen and pressed it onto a calculator.
“Let's take a family of four who visit your amusement park one Sunday. They have an annual income of about four million yen— is really an ordinary family who will only be able to go to the amusement park a few times a year.”
“...So?” Isuzu scoffs.
“It is the basis of our thinking. Well, based on the number of Amagi Brilliant Park visitors last year, how much will this family spend per visit so you can pay the bills? Let's take a look at—” The knock on the calculator resonates throughout the room.
Feeling bored, Seiya began to roughly calculate the numbers in his head. Then, like watching a quiz show, he whispered the results out loud: “85,000 yen.”
Kurisu, who had just finished her count, widened her eyes. The man next to her was the same.
“Sorry?” he asked Seiya.
“85,000 yen,” Devotional Seiya. “It's just a rough guess.”
Kurisu looked at Seiya with a piercing new look. “Almost true. More precisely 83,200 yen.”
“Huh...” He is very close, if only he knew if the park produces its own power, he can produce more accurate figures.
“Not very well on target, but still impressive, student,” Kurisu praised him. “Why not stop interning here and just join us?” He said it in a way that made it hard to know if it was a joke or not. The man on both sides frowned, as Isuzu scowled.
“No,” said Seiya slowly, “I don't think I want to..”
“Sweetest. We can help you make the most of all your talents.” Kurisu shrugged her shoulders. “...Well, however, that is the count. How much does your customer have to pay to support your little entertainment? The answer is 83,200 yen per family. I think you'd agree that it's an impossible amount.”
Seiya had to agree; you could take a walk abroad with that kind of money. No family would spend 80,000 yen in a day at a suspicious amusement park like this.
“You must be crazy if you give such a big dependency to an ordinary family,” accuse Kurisu. “...Now, here's my next question—do you give proper service for that much money?”
The answer to that one was obvious.Seiya was about to mutter, but he could hold it in time. Sento Isuzu stared down, seemingly unable to answer.
“Yah... if only we.. have a little more time, one last chance...” at least he whispered, with faltering.
Seiya examined it and seeing her expression was his usual sour expression. His voice did not tremble, but it also showed no emotion. For some reason, it reminded Seiya of a commander in the field who was severely scolded by his general: “Why can't you destroy the enemy ranks?”
“...Well, if you insist,” Kurisu finally spoke. “After all the people who come here are fools.”
“.....!” Isuzu. He seemed to want to retaliate loudly, but somehow he was able to hold himself back. Instead, he simply lowered his voice and returned the question. “What did you say... a fool?”
“Am I wrong?” Kurisu replied.
Yes, this did not look good at all. When the thought entered Seiya's head, Isuzu's hand pointed towards her skirt; she must have been willing to take out her strange musket. Before he could take it, Seiya clasped his wrist and leaned forward.
“So. We are very understanding with what you said,” Seiya replied with a friendly smile on her face. “...You are correct that we have not prepared for our closure. That's because we're just starting. …Isn't that so, Sento-san?”
Isuzu's expression remained blank for a moment, but he returned, and could barely nod.
Kurisu watched their expressions intently for a moment, then let out a small sigh. “Looks like that wasn't the case, so I just wanted to make sure. …Well, excuse me.”
Three men from the Amagi Developers tidied up their documents, then left the conference room.
...----------------...
As soon as the men left, Isuzu spoke. “Why did you stop me?”
“Stop you from what?” ask Seiya, although he is quite sure that he knows.
“The man insulted our guest,” he said angrily. “I tried to pull out my magic gun, but you stopped me.”
“Ya,” reply is short, “that's a reasonable thing.” What are you talking about?
“Ah. I can't think of anything other than blowing up the heads of those Amagi Developers.”
“We'll really be in trouble if you do.”
“Ya..” Isuzu sighs. “...It will be a problem if you have to clean the conference room from the skull fragments and the brains of three people. I'm grateful I didn't kill them.”
“That's what you took from all this?” tanyanya could not believe it. What the hell is wrong with you? Moreover, it was hard to imagine what exactly made him so angry.
“Keep it all aside,” Isuzu admits, “you make me curious.”
“How can it?”
“The number you get. 85,000 yen—that's pretty accurate. Did you read Kurisu Takaya's mind?”
“Of course not,” Seiya smiled as she blinked. Of course he did not use ‘sihir’ doubted it. He simply put the numbers based on things he had heard before.
He didn't know the park's attendance figures last year, nor their annual walking costs, so he fell for a method put forward by physicist Enrico Fermi; it was a thought experiment called ‘Fermi.’ Estimation
You can use it to get a rough estimate by throwing numbers that you know at the same time. How many piano tuners there are in a particular capital, for example—you can't know the exact number, but you can make an educated guess.
(We will leave a detailed explanation of where he got those numbers, because it will take eight pages, and also be boring.)
“I did a rough estimate, that's all; just lucky if it turns out it's very close to the calculation.”
“...Once.”
“Toh, if I'm going to read someone's mind like that, I'm going to use it for something more important. Because I can only use it once on everyone.”
“So... Of course, you're right.” Isuzu whispered, his eyes down. There was something timid in his voice.
“...So? Why do you want me to meet them?” Seiya asked.
“I want you.. know your enemy.”.
“Then you still assume silly that I will be your manager?”
“Yes. That's why I brought you here.”
“Enough.” Seiya had already reached the limit of his patience. He kicked down the conference table and looked straight into Isuzu's eyes. He did not want to look at her, but his eyes kept looking straight, staring at a random spot on the wall.
“You threatened me with your silly rifle, you stole my precious free time, including one full Sunday.” he accused. “You even know how troublesome you are, but you still dare to ask me to help you? Don't you realize how insulting that is?”
Isuzu had nothing to say.
“Then, let's reveal everything,” he said flat. “What will happen if I say no? You're gonna kill me?”
“Yah...” His voice is low and hard to hear, but there is no sign he will pick up his weapon.
An awkward silence hung in the conference room. In the distance, he could hear the clinking sound of a roller coaster.
Finally, Isuzu spoke. “I never... plan to kill you.”.
“Oh?” Of course he didn't. It would be ridiculous to kill someone just because of something like this.
“I was born in a long lineage of Maple Land soldiers,” he said stiffly. “I spent my entire life undergoing such exhausting training that I could join the royal guard and protect the royal family.”
“Oh?”
“Because it's a rifle?”
“Yes. Coincidentally, her name was..” She reached for her skirt again and pulled out her musket again. “Magic brew, Steinberger. It's been passed down from generation to generation in my family. It can fire magic fire bullets that have a wide range of effects; currently, it is loaded with ammunition known as ‘Pain Bringer.’ Being hit by a single shot will cause twice the pain rather than holding your little finger against the dresser.”
“So, it just hurts?”
“Yes. Would you like to try it?”
“No.” Seiya retreated when his muzzle was pointed at him again.
“It's okay,” she cheers him up. “You won't die.”
“I still don't want to feel pain!” Seiya protested. “Getting your little finger onto the dressing table hurts a lot!”
“Intinya, I never planned to kill you.” Isuzu kept his rifle back. “Taman was so desperate to find someone capable that they were forced to hire me as a negotiator.”
“Why don't you guys hire a lawyer or administrator expert?” He wants to know.
“Already, but we lost them. They all stop.”
“Why?”
Isuzu suddenly turned his gaze down. “Because.. I threatened them with my magic rifle.”.
“Hei!”
“I regret what I did,” admit it. “The only reason why the police were not called is because I used my magic bullet, ‘Forgotten Realm.’ It makes them forget that I threatened them.”
The bullet seemed useful, Seiya thought. I hope you can erase my memories of the past few days.
“Latifah-samalah's forecast chose you, but I think you have more potential than she thought. Please think about.”
Seiya issues ******* length, then stands up.
“You want to go?” tanyakanya.
“Ya,” he said frankly. “There is a problem with that?”
“I want your answer,” Isuzu demands.
“You know my answer. ‘No.’” What can I do as an amusement park manager in two weeks? Arranging books in order is the best limit. He left the conference room and walked down the hallway, with Isuzu chasing after him.
“Although I beg you?” tanyakanya.
“When did you beg me?”
“We give you magic.”
“That I never asked for,” he said wryly. “Oh, don't worry—I won't abuse it. At most I only use it on the train to pass the time.”
He said it sincerely; he neither wanted nor needed that power. Perhaps he could not reach that 85,000 yen mark, but even without magic, he was smart enough to approach it.
“Kanie-kun, you are our last hope,” he begs. “Please save us.”
“No will.” Seiya pressed the call button of the elevator at the end of the hallway, then turned around. “Close the park asap. Fire all staff. Use whatever money you have left to open a croquet shop or something with that girl. That is your most useful option.”
Elevator arrived.
“Wait,” the door. “At least meet Latifah-sama for her last time before you leave.”
That smile. The girl's beautiful and gentle smile.The fragrance of black tea appeared at the back of her mind and there was a sudden taste appearing on her chest.
“...How many times should I say? No.” He pressed the B2 button for the underground passageway, then held down the ‘ keyclose the’ door.
The elevator doors that close like a wall between Seiya and Isuzu.
...----------------...
Rejecting someone's request like that doesn't feel good. With doubts still lingering in his mind, Seiya walked down the underground hallway of the park and reached the entrance of the clerk. He handed over the visitor ID to the security center, signed a sheet out of the park, then left the park.
He found a bus stop heading to Amagi Station when he noticed a man standing in front of the stop sign. He is Kurisu Takaya, one of the people he met in the conference room—one of the Amagi Developers. The other two men who were with him had already left; he would have already sent them back.
He held a cigarette in one hand and a portable ashtray in the other. His tie was pulled loose, and he seemed to be staring at a point in the distance. Right now, he looks like another ordinary businessman you can find anywhere.
Seiya didn't really want to be nearby, but this was just a bus stop around here. They had also come into contact with his eyes, so he simply gave him a small nod and stood beside him. According to the schedule at the stop, the bus should be up in five minutes.
They stood there for a minute before Seiya realized that Kurisu often threw question-filled glances at him. At first, he pretended to be unconscious, but it started to bother him, until he finally snapped, “What?”
“Oh, well..” Kurisu gazed closer to Seiya's face. “This may be just my imagination, but have we met before?”
“...No,” Seiya finally replied. “It must be just your imagination.”
“Hmm, well, maybe we've never met, but I feel like I've seen you somewhere. …Oh, I know! Seiya Kodama! A child dramatist who retired five or six years ago!”
“.....” Seiya feels restless.
She had grown up since childhood, and her face had changed a lot. He is taller, with a different hairstyle and a worse disposition. His voice had changed (naturally) and he had already moved from a high-class residential district to the middle-class commuter city of Tokyo in Amagi. He even changed his family name.
But despite all that, he is still sometimes recognized.
Even after entering SMA, he had already experienced this two or three times. Usually an old woman behind a fast food counter, or an inspector at a supermarket, or a new door-to-door religious spreader. Perhaps raising their own child gives them the instinct to know how a boy's face changes after so many years.
Then, this, was his first time being recognized by a man like Kurisu.
“You are mistaken,” he said indifferently, but Kurisu shook her head.
“No, no, I'm not mistaken. You're Kodama Seiya. I even thought you looked familiar when we met before. So that's you!”
“Not,” Seiya rejected it, but the expression of the man's confidence did not waver. Aware that it was ridiculous if he continued his acting, Seiya decided to stop rejecting him. “....but assume I was him, do you have any business with a failed celebrity?”
“No, nothing special,” Kurisu admitted. “Just satisfy my curiosity.”
“Then, leave me alone.”
“Hmm, I'm sorry. But... He said you were an intern, right? What are you doing here?”
“Good questions. That's what I want to know,” he snapped back, but Kurisu was not affected. “They said they wanted me to see you guys, the Amagi Developers. I appreciate my privacy. So can you leave me alone?”
He doesn't lie about feeling that way.
He did not care about the ins and outs of the failed amusement park. It didn't matter to him what would happen to Latifah or Isuzu. All he wanted now was to go home and immerse himself in his video game.
Buses to Amagi Station stop.
“Well, I'm sure you have your own reasons. But one thing to note, if you get a stupid idea—if you spend too much time with a loser, you'll be a loser. Be careful.”
“Sure, thank you,” Seiya replied indifferently. At the same time, he could not help himself from voicing counter arguments. “...You will know what you are talking about, as the person responsible in liquidating the amusement park failed at the back of Tokyo.”
“Hmm, touch.” Contrary to Seiya's expectations, Kurisu responded with a wide smile. It was nothing like the polite smile he had always worn to this day; an intricate smile, with the impression of self-crimination in it.
The bus stopped in front of them, and the door opened. Kurisu went up, but Seiya stayed in place.
“Kanie-kun, right?” Kurisu asked. “You didn't ride?”
“I'll ride the next one. I'd rather not see your face for longer.”
“Oh, my goodness. Did I hurt your feelings? Ah come on, be careful.” Door closes. The bus walked away, then disappeared around the gentle bends of the public streets.
...----------------...
Seiya sees Kurisu Takaya's bus leaving, then goes back to check the schedule; ten minutes until the next bus arrives.
Even for a botched amusement park, it would be ridiculous for a bus to only drive up to the front gate every ten minutes, he thought. This is a suburb of Tokyo, not the smallest place in the country. In addition—maybe it is a suitable rate, given their regular visitors…
He looked around to see if there was a place to sit. There was nothing nearby, not even a plain old bench. He just had to wait for the bus to stand. There is no seat for parents and children, tired of walking around the park all day…
Actually—
Somewhat away from the stop, in a corner of the open area close to the garden gate, there are some handmade benches. They were more than ten meters away from the stop.
Ahh, so so…
That's because the bus stop is on a public street. Even if the park wants to put a bench close to the bus stop, the city probably won't allow it. That's why the park has to put some benches very far— on their own land.
Seiya walked towards one of the benches. As he sat down, his stool let out a strange squeak. Who made all this? All look very cheap; likely made by hobbyist craftsmen in his spare time.
The edges are rounded, with the corners well sanded. Considerations for children playing around him, most likely—if they hit their heads. Then, perhaps to cheer up bored children waiting, they painted a sloppy art of the mascot on the back wall of the bench.
If you have time to make something like this, why can't you keep the entrance of the plaza clean? he wonders.
Still, their hearts were placed in the right place. That's a simple little consideration for park visitors, just like those croquettes.
What does that shitty guy—Kurisu Takaya—say? Their visitors are fools. And a few minutes ago, he also said another thing: if you spend too much time with losers, you'll be a loser.
I can't completely deny it…
Yes, he can't deny it. The man's comments, regarding matters from the business side, are entirely correct. Normally, Seiya would laugh with him, and that was what would happen.
The people of Amagi Brilliant Park did not put in the necessary effort. They get what they deserve. They have no right to complain about what happened to them. But…
Why am I sitting on this ugly handmade bench, feeling angry at the situation? Am I angry that they call the visitors stupid and everyone else a loser? Am I uncomfortable with the thought that people like them are free to boast in this world?
In two weeks, the park will be closed. That's a natural thing. But is that really okay? Is there really nothing he can do?
About ten minutes passed as his thoughts swirled after each other in his head. The next thing he knew, the bus had arrived. Some people go up. He was close enough that if he started walking now, he could ride it.
But Seiya did not do it. He turned away from the bus, and walked back to the entrance of the officer he had been going out of there.
...----------------...