Prologue

I live in the penthouse on the topmost floor of the Kawakami Enterprises building in Tokyo. My name is Kawakami Kai. I am 24 years old. I do not believe in a rigorous morning routine, yet I do one anyway. I always start my day by rising from my double king bed, framed with polished brass, headed with gray leather and accented even further with white marble. It is never warm enough. I leave my bedroom and proceed to my in-home gym. I indulge in various free weight routines followed by exactly twenty minutes of cardio, and 100 pushups. It is important to be in shape. I wash my body and dress myself. Today I will be wearing black loafers accompanied with matching slacks and a dress shirt of the same color. After this ordeal I am looking to leave the house for breakfast. This routine is the foundation of my life, and the driver behind my pursuit of excellence. Yesterday I attained excellence, like the day before, and all others before it, but it awaits me today, and so, I continue.

Something catches my eye far below me through the window. An unfamiliar car parked outside the main entrance. Ticketed and a boot. Truly an unimaginable sight to behold in front of Kawakami Enterprises.

I turn and head to the door, passing the woman asleep on my couch.

That's wrong.

Who is this woman and what is she doing on my couch? Nobody enters my house without me knowing. A thief? Sleeping on the job?

How lazy.

No. Upon closer inspection of the scene I see her credentials hanging from her neck. Tokyo News Central. She must be the next one assigned to tackle my "case". There is no need for me to interrupt her, someone else will take care of that. I bid adieu to the unconscious reporter and smile knowing I won't be seeing her again.

///

The Day Before

Six months. One hundred and sixty days. Three thousand hours. One hundred fifty thousand minutes. Several seconds. One step closer to my goal!

For the last six months I bounced around anything from local news outlets to documentary crews on fishing boats to editor in chief of my old high school's yearbook club. I did anything and everything to build my resume. Everything and anything to accomplish my dream of becoming a household name on television. My own late-night all-night any time of day except mornings’ show. My dream was just one step away.

"Hey hey you ready?? We're live in..."

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

"Good morning Fudai! My name is Shinohara Shoko and today's missing pet report is at an all time low of 3! If a loved one of yours is missing, please do not hesitate to contact the local animal shelter, or that strange neighbor across the street! That's all for today and remember to keep those furry friends close!"

Cha-ching, nailed it.

My current gig is a 30 second report on missing pets in the city, and I must admit it's an original segment proposed, created, and edited by yours truly. Although I'm grateful for my radio airtime, I yearn for the big stuff. I'm talking about real investigative work. I'm looking for the big cookie. A cookie so big, there's crumbs all over the place. I'd take those crumbs and piece that cookie all back together and unleash a creative culinary masterpiece that would rock the tabloids. A story so massive yet so complex that the media would remember my name, not just the cookie. Naturally they'd be at their wits end trying to wrap their heads around it, forcing them to give me my own show. My dream is so close, it's just one step away.

Upon further reflection, it may be three to four steps away. There are zero cookies here in old Fudai.

After a hard day of work, I return to my apartment and immediately pop in a cough drop followed by some warm tea with honey. My voice needs to stay in immaculate condition for the radio show.

I pull up a chair in front of my window. The downtown glistens in front of me. Reds... yellows... greens. The lights draw my attention. It's all green now.

Well, I guess nobody is coming and going at this time of hour.

Booooop

A notification from my laptop tears me away from the riveting monotony of the singular stoplight in town.

1 new email

Must be a missing pet report.

I nearly broke my finger clicking open the notification.

Ms. Shinohara Shoko,

Due to immediate vacancy, your candidacy for Lead Reporter I has been approved. Congratulations! You are to report to Tokyo News Central HQ before the end of the work day.

We will see you tonight.

Yamauichi Yuta

Talent Acquisition Specialist I

Tokyo!?!?!?! How!? I didn't even apply for this job! I tried to, but my minimum experience was so minimal their application system didn't even let me upload my resume. But who cares! I'm one step closer to my dream!

Realization set in like the beginning of a poorly written isekai.

"Maps says Tokyo is nearly 8 hours away... that's like a quarter of an entire day. I GOTTA GO!"

I packed up my belongings as well as I could and tossed them into my small car. Thankfully I saved up and purchased this bad boy so I could travel easier for remote reporting opportunities. Today, however, this vehicle serves as a 100 horsepower speed machine with zero regard for other driver's safety. My excitement was bursting out of every movement that I didn’t even put on my seatbelt. I pulled out and my journey toward my dream began.

Allow me to reintroduce myself at this time. My name is Shinohara Shoko, 23 years old. Aspiring and accomplished publicist, writer, reporter, editor, co-editor, lead editor, I've done it all. I will be the face of the media and the host of the most dazzling talk show on television. I got pulled over for not wearing my seatbelt before I could even leave town, and I am a respecter of all laws and people. Tokyo, no, the country… no, the world will know my name!