I occasionally feel a sense of reliable strength from various people at Kikou Academy. I’ve felt it from Hinako, Tennoji-san, and Narika as well. It’s the presence of a natural-born leader, the innate quality required to guide others—something that simply radiates from them.
Suminoe-san was one of those people.
"—I refuse."
When I gave my answer, Suminoe-san’s eyes widened in surprise.
"……You may not be aware of this, Tomonari-san, but it is a standard success pattern for a venture company to be acquired by a major corporation. The fact that I am proposing an M&A means your company’s value has been recognized to that degree.……You don’t need to view the word 'acquisition' in a negative light, you know?"
"I understand that."
I’d been studying; I knew at least that much.
I hadn't refused simply because I couldn't stand the thought of the company no longer being mine.
"The reason I’m declining is that our directions are different."
I laid out my reasoning step by step.
"Tomonari Gift is an e-commerce site specializing in gifts. One of its core philosophies is the elimination of complexity. If someone wants to send a gift, they can rely on this site…… I want to maintain that simple, intuitive usability."
Suminoe-san nodded slowly as she listened.
"So you are concerned about a degradation of service. However, once I have acquired Tomonari Gift, I intend to operate it with its current form virtually unchanged. To achieve sales synergy, I would merely make my own service the entry point……"
"That’s exactly the problem."
I shook my head.
"A specialized gift service embedded within a platform that handles office supplies—the moment you create that structure, it becomes complex."
The Tomonari Gift e-commerce site targeted adults and older demographics. By drawing in customers from the catalog gift market, the number of older registered users was steadily increasing. This was a fact confirmed by the marketing firm’s analysis.
In an internet society already overflowing with information, being uncomplicated was a charm in and of itself. I didn't want to lose that identity.
"Besides, the images of our services are completely different. Tomonari Gift’s e-commerce is built on a sophisticated image, but…… your e-commerce is different, isn’t it, Suminoe-san?"
I recalled what Takuma-san had first taught me about the importance of a worldview.
Socializing as an adult, small gestures of consideration, attentiveness…… the worldview of my service, which sold itself on that sense of class, was far too different from Suminoe-san’s service, which prioritized practical convenience.
Suminoe-san didn't actually want to create a dedicated gift site. She simply wanted my service to bolster the gift sector of her own company's website. But without a unified worldview, each individual brand would only be diluted.
I understood it now. A worldview was a brand.
It was the very image people held of a company.……It had to be simple, pure, and powerful.
"I don't want to compromise the current brand. That’s why I can’t accept your buyout proposal."
"……I see."
Suminoe-san let out a soft breath. It sounded like a sigh, but it also looked like a deep breath taken to steady herself.
"I understand. If that is your stance, I will back down for now."
With that, Suminoe-san stood up.
"Then…… I hope you do not live to regret this."
Leaving those ominous words behind, Suminoe-san walked away.
◆
After returning to the manor, I sat in my room staring at my computer monitor.
(Now that I’ve refused the buyout…… there’s no doubt I’ve set foot on a thorny path.)
By rejecting the proposal to join forces, the competitive relationship between Suminoe-san and me would only intensify.
I hadn't overcome the obstacle yet. If anything, the real battle was just beginning.
SIS Co., Ltd. was a company on a scale incomparable to Tomonari Gift. If they truly put their weight behind their E-commerce Division, I wouldn't stand a chance as I was now.
I had to come up with some kind of countermeasure……
While I was racking my brain, my smartphone began to ring.
"Wait, Tennoji-san?"
I wondered what she wanted at this hour.
Perhaps she was worried that I was being pushed into a corner again, just like last time. With that thought, I answered the call.
"Tennoji-san, what’s the mat—"
『—Tomonari-san! Have you seen the Management Game news!?』
Tennoji-san’s voice sounded frantic.
"No, not yet……"
『Check it immediately!』
I’d been so preoccupied with Suminoe-san that I hadn't checked the news updates.
Doing as I was told, I opened the in-game news.
In the Management Game, updates regarding recent M&A activity and market capitalization rankings were released periodically.
One headline in particular jumped out at me.
—SIS Co., Ltd. has acquired Tech Capital Co., Ltd.
"………………What?"
Tech Capital Co., Ltd. was the venture capital firm Suminoe-san had introduced to me, and Tomonari Gift Co., Ltd. had accepted investment from them. Naturally, in exchange for that funding, Tomonari Gift had issued shares to Tech Capital.
Which meant that if Tech Capital had been bought out————.
"…………She took my shares."