NABC Chapter 28 What? I'll write it?
Chapter 28 What? I'll write it?
"Books? What books?"
"The detective novels you always read."
"Of course I want to, how could I not?"
Masako Takahashi's eyes lit up for a moment, then quickly dimmed again.
"I've tried before, but the plot ideas were completely unoriginal and lacked any highlights. Every time, my grandfather would say it was childish, that the plot was too simple and obvious, and that he could tell who the real culprit was at a glance. According to him, I still lack depth and life experience, and that I might not be able to write a satisfactory work until I'm thirty."
After a moment's thought, Shirakawa Yuta slowly said, "Masako, I had a dream these past two days, a very interesting story. Would you like to hear it?"
Although Masako Takahashi was puzzled, she still said in a lighthearted tone, "Great! I happen to have read 'Dream Interpretation,' so maybe I can help you interpret your dream."
Yuta Shirakawa smiled, but didn't reply. Instead, he began to tell the story:
"I dreamt of a story where everyone was a villain, and the story began with a train that was forced to stop due to a blizzard..."
The story told by Yuta Shirakawa is the same one that was tested by the market and received widespread acclaim in his previous life: "Murder on the Orient Express".
He chose this book not only because of its outstanding achievements, with global sales exceeding ten million copies, translation into hundreds of languages, and its consistent ranking among the top-selling Agatha Christie works.
It is also because of its original "all villains" setting, which is very novel. In the end, the detective, taking into account both legal principles and human sentiment, decides to let all the murderers go, which is a very bold decision.
When the idea popped into his head last night, he had already searched the internet but hadn't found anything similar. If Masako Takahashi could replicate it perfectly—not necessarily 100%, just 70-80% accurate would be enough to make her an instant sensation.
Even if she doesn't surpass her grandfather's achievements, she'll definitely be able to break free from her family's control.
This is the method that Shirakawa Yuta came up with to "trick" her into getting the controller. Since the controller symbolizes freedom, he might as well just help her gain freedom.
When freedom is not needed, the controller is not an irreplaceable dependency for the other party.
The more Yuta Shirakawa spoke, the brighter Masako Takahashi's eyes became, and by the end, her breathing had almost imperceptibly lessened.
Masako Takahashi only breathed a sigh of relief after Yuta Shirakawa finished speaking his last words.
Her eyes shone as she looked at Shirakawa Yuta: "Shirakawa... uh, Yuta. This is a truly fantastic idea! Whether it's the premise of everyone being a villain, the various human entanglements behind the murder, or the profound portrayal of the conflict between law and moral justice, once it's written, it will be a wildly popular masterpiece! Yuta, once you finish writing it, you have to let me see it first!"
Yuta Shirakawa smiled and shook his head, looking at her with clear eyes, and said in a gentle yet firm tone:
"I won't write it, you write it."
"W-what? I'll write it?"
Masako Takahashi stared wide-eyed, her face filled with disbelief.
Yuta Shirakawa nodded and said matter-of-factly, "Of course you should write it. Don't forget, I only got 4 points on my last Japanese language test. You know why I lost points, right?"
Masako Takahashi covered her mouth and chuckled as she recalled the other person's essay, which had been criticized as utter nonsense by the Chinese language teacher.
He then fell silent, tilted his head and thought for a moment before saying seriously, "I can write it, but it has to be your name."
Yuta Shirakawa did not refuse, but instead suggested, "Sure, we are co-authors."
Seeing that the other party was about to speak again, Shirakawa Yuta quickly said, "Alright, Masako, this is necessary! If you refuse again, then this book should not be published."
Upon hearing this, Masako Takahashi had no choice but to swallow her refusal.
Seeing her expression, Shirakawa Yuta nodded in satisfaction. He had originally come up with the idea to liberate her, so what would be the point if he only signed his own name in the end?
Is it for the money? That doesn't seem like a bad idea, but that's a matter for the future. Right now, the most important thing is to solve the current problem.
The competition starts this afternoon, and the qualifiers will last for three days. If he doesn't get this controller, he really has no hope.
Finally, the true colors are revealed!
Yuta Shirakawa gave a bright, fake smile: "If Masako still feels bad about it, then give me that controller."
Masako Takahashi: ?
Masako Takahashi: How could I possibly feel bad about it?
She had already started imagining how she would show off to her grandfather when the book became a hit, and since it was credited to Shirakawa Yuta, she only wanted to speak again as a polite gesture.
However, since Shirakawa Yuta had already said so, Takahashi Masako hesitated for a moment before readily agreeing, "Alright, alright, here you go."
Yuta Shirakawa paid no attention to the reluctance in her words; all he knew was that he was about to become the true god of the Capcom Street Boxing Championship!
Even without this competition, he would have really wanted to get this equipment. After all, what guy can resist being good at video games? And who wouldn't want to experience the thrill of crushing noobs?
Yuta Shirakawa didn't get carried away with his excitement. After a moment of exhilaration, he discussed the specific details of the book with Masako Takahashi.
The book also references a significant portion of the 2015 Japanese Fuji Television's localization and reconstruction of the novel, including details of some cases and the final discussion of ethics based on Japanese law.
However, he didn't adopt the double-night narrative structure used in the Japanese drama "The Toyo Express Murder Case." While this might be a good change for a TV series, it feels somewhat drawn out for a novel. Leaving room for interpretation in a novel is crucial; allowing readers space for their own imagination can have unexpected and powerful effects.
The two didn't stop their discussion until just before the school bell rang.
Masako Takahashi said, with a mix of lingering interest and regret:
"Why can't I have dreams like that..."
Yuta Shirakawa smiled but didn't reply. You're not Ramanujan, of course you can't dream about it.
"Oh, by the way," Yuta Shirakawa said in a low voice, even though the old man who taught Mandarin had already walked in, "Did you sign up for the Capcom Head-to-Head Boxing Championship?"
Masako Takahashi didn't dare to speak, but she nodded her little head.
Yuta Shirakawa continued, "The match starts tomorrow afternoon, do you want to come with me?"
Masako Takahashi lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting in one corner: "Just the two of us?"
Just as Shirakawa Yuta was about to answer correctly, a tall figure appeared in his mind again: "Uh, no, there's also Kurosaki Takeshi."
Masako Takahashi breathed a sigh of relief and then said, "Okay, then I'll invite Rena Matsuzaka as well."