"Heh... well, you could put it that way."
Aoyama scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward. Calling Cyberpunk 2077 a "spin-off" of Edgerunners felt like calling a father his own son's child. since Aoyama had introduced the world through the manga first, then yes, the game was technically the derivative work.
'Well, whatever works,' he thought.
"What kind of game is it? You never mentioned anything like this before," Akane asked, her curiosity piqued.
"It's a 3D action game... essentially the same kind of high-octane shooter I'm always playing in here," Aoyama explained, gesturing to his console. "But it's built on a much, much larger scale."
A "AAA" masterpiece was a world away from the simple FPS titles of this era.
"I see. That makes sense. The combat in 'Edgerunners' is all about guns and futuristic technology," Akane noted, nodding to herself as she imagined a game with that level of speed and violence.
"Let's not talk about work for now," Aoyama moved on. "So, Akane... why did you come by today? It's not a school day, is it?"
"It's Saturday, Aoyama-kun. Do I really need a 'reason' to come see you?"
Akane blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering as she gave him a playful, slightly mischievous smile.
"Ah! I suppose you're right," Aoyama laughed, embarrassed. "After all, we are friends."
"Don't worry about the hair; you're going to go bald if you scratch it that much," Akane teased, reaching out to gently pull his hand away from his head.
"Wait, is that a thing? Does scratching make you go bald?"
Aoyama looked at his hand with sudden alarm. "I guess it's just a habit. But if you say so... I'll try to keep it in check from now on. Heh."
"Good. Now, on to the 'reason.' Do you want to go to the movies?"
Akane pulled two tickets from her bag and held them out like a challenge.
"The movies? What are we seeing?"
Aoyama took the tickets, his brows rising in surprise.
"Director Chris's Daredevil: The Dark Knight Rises. It's the hottest film in the country right now. People are calling it a masterpiece," Akane said with a practiced air of calm.
Inside, however, her heart was racing. This was her first time inviting Aoyama to a movie,just the two of them. It felt like a monumental step, a "date" in all but name.
"A movie..."
Aoyama suddenly realized that despite being a cinephile in his previous life, he'd barely stepped foot in a cinema since arriving in this world. Between drawing manga and building games, his life had been consumed by "creation."
"Is something wrong?" Akane asked, her voice tight with anxiety.
"No, not at all. I love movies," Aoyama assured her. "I just... well, I haven't been to a theater with another person in a long, long time."
Back in his old life, he'd always been a solo viewer. He'd gone to the gym alone, eaten alone, traveled alone, and even gone into surgery alone. It wasn't because he lacked friends; it was because his mother had always taught him: "Don't be a burden to others."
He'd taken that lesson to heart. Even when he'd first arrived and wanted to find a way back, his main concern wasn't death,it was finding a way to die that wouldn't cause a "hassle" for anyone else.
"So... will you go with me?" Akane asked, looking him directly in the eyes.
"Of course! That sounds like a blast!"
Aoyama laughed, his usual boisterous self returning. "But when does it start? Are we going now?"
Daredevil: The Dark Knight Rises was indeed trending everywhere. Building on the massive success of its predecessor, The Dark Knight, it was expected to be a cinematic titan.
Aoyama knew the name. trilogy starred Daredevil, the blind lawyer-turned-vigilate, instead of Batman.
It was a strange, parallel-world shift. He'd seen the original Batman version of the film in his previous life, but he was fascinated to see how the blind Matt Murdock would handle the "The Dark Knight" persona.
His research into this world's media had revealed a strange pattern. Some classics like The Terminator, Star Wars, and Inception existed almost exactly as he remembered them. But others, like Blade Runner, The Matrix, and Pulp Fiction, had simply vanished from existence.
It seemed that while the "Geek" culture of the Federation had been fundamentally changed by the absorption of Japan, the Western film industry,centered in Hollywood,had remained relatively stable. Aside from a few parallel-world deviations like the "Daredevil" substitution, the titans of cinema were still standing.
"It's at seven tonight," Akane said with a triumphant smile. "Why don't we go out for an early dinner first, and then head to the theater?"
"Seven? That gives me plenty of time," Aoyama said. "Give me an hour to wrap things up here, and then we'll head out."
He thought of something. "Oh! Should I call Ayumi too? She's probably free."
Suddenly...
"NO!"
Aoyama jumped slightly at the intensity of Akane's voice. "Wait... we're not inviting Ayumi-san?"
"Don't... I mean..."
Akane's eyes darted around, her lip trembling as she scrambled for a justification.
"I... I only bought two tickets. If we invite Ayumi, she'd just be sitting there while we watch the movie. It would be so awkward for her..."
She felt a pang of guilt. Ayumi was her friend. But for tonight... she was willing to be "selfish." She wanted Aoyama to herself.
"Ah... you're right," Aoyama said, nodding thoughtfully. "That would be pretty awkward. I'll leave her out of this one then."
"Stay here and play with Pochita for a bit while I finish this," he added with a grin.
"Okay!"
Akane relaxed, dropping onto the sofa and starting to play with the little orange demon-dog. Aoyama returned to his desk, focuses on the final lettering for the "BE" sequence.
He then allowed his mind to drift toward the final "Extra" panels,the V cameo. He spent more time on these two panels than on almost anything else. Because they were his own addition, his own "private stock" of creativity, he wanted them to be perfect.
After an hour of intense concentration, he finally dropped his pen.
"Alright! All done! Let's hit the town!"
Aoyama stood up, his energy fully restored. He was ready to see a movie, and perhaps begin his own "research" into the cinematic world, research that would eventually lead him to the creation of his next masterpiece: Fire Punch.
After all, a great creator should always draw from their own passions.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]