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Chapter 3 – Sobue’s Passionate Negotiations
It’s not uncommon for Sobue to visit the headquarters of his business partners.
As an investor, it’s necessary to see their development environment to confirm whether they truly have development capabilities worthy of investment.
Numbers and graphs can easily be manipulated, but development equipment is much harder to fake.
Many startups try every trick in the book to squeeze money out of investors, and Sobue has been burned many times himself.
That’s precisely why he found the shop’s clean yet unremarkable interior refreshingly surprising.
He concluded that it must be Wataru Sakai’s personal hobby business.
Occasionally, someone with a unique sensibility runs a business without regard for profitability.
Perhaps Sakai wanted to keep his main location hidden.
“Welcome, you’ve come a long way. I’m Sakai.”
“I’m Sobue. Pleased to meet you today.”
Huh, he thought, slightly revising his initial judgment upward.
Ever since Sobue became famous, he usually sensed some kind of determination—whether friendly or hostile—unless the other person possessed extraordinary nerve.
But Wataru was perfectly calm, showing not a hint of tension.
The three women inside the shop were exceptionally beautiful and charming, even to Sobue, who had seen many beautiful women.
Moreover, like Wataru, they showed no signs of nervousness, appearing completely natural.
It was also unusual that they didn’t seem particularly interested in him.
According to Sobue’s research on Wataru, he had previously worked as a freelance writer and switched to his current business model less than a year ago.
Yet he had moved into a new place and started running a coffee shop.
What kind of experiences had he had?
Even after meeting him, Wataru Sakai remained an enigma.
It was strange, and he found it amusing.
“Before we get into it, how about some of our coffee first?”
“Yes, I’d love some.”
“Mariel, please.”
“Right away.”
The rich, aromatic coffee he received was exceptional. It was clear that he used high-quality beans and took great care in brewing them.
The busy Sobue slowly sipped his coffee, moistening his mouth before getting down to business.
“First, if I may be so bold, could you sign this confidentiality agreement? It’s difficult to discuss specifics without it.”
“Understood. I’ll review the terms of the agreement.”
“Of course. If your secretary will be joining us, please have them sign it as well.”
The NDA contained only standard clauses.
Do not disclose confidential information. Obtain permission before discussing with third parties.
Report any leaks immediately. Be liable for damages.
The only concern was the strict exceptions clause.
Although there are exceptions for court-ordered disclosures, consulting anyone, especially lawyers, was practically impossible.
With these terms, consulting a lawyer as an investor to confirm legal issues would be difficult without obtaining permission each time.
Asking for a signature on this agreement essentially meant that they were providing information but not considering investment.
It also suggested that they might already have a contract with another company.
“I signed it.”
“I signed it, too. Please verify.”
“Thank you. Now, where shall we begin?”
“How about we start by telling you how I found out about you?”
“Ah, right. Sobue-san, how did you find out about me? I’ve actually been wondering if someone let it slip.”
“Hmm, that’s not it. It started when I noticed players from the team I own were returning one after another from long-term injuries.”
Sobue began explaining step by step.
Players like Ryota Endo and Ryotaro Kasamatsu had made unexpected recoveries and started achieving remarkable results, despite being originally expected to require long-term absences or having seemed to have no chance of returning.
This was, of course, something to celebrate. However, as the team’s chairman, it was also crucial to understand the players’ health conditions.
Looking at the various diagnostic test results from the hospital, he was astonished.
“Changes were occurring that defied my understanding. I wanted to meet with the players to hear their stories, but they all had confidentiality agreements and couldn’t discuss specifics. That’s why I decided to meet with you first.”
“I see. I understand perfectly.”
Wataru nodded in agreement as Sobue continued.
At that moment, Wataru’s gaze flicked toward Aire and Cloche. They gave a slight nod, but only they knew its meaning.
“I suspect it’s some kind of medication. Do you have it with you now?”
“Yes, we do. Aire.”
“Here you go.”
“Just to be clear, I want to state upfront that this isn’t medicine.”
“Hmm… What do you mean?”
“It’s just a health juice. I don’t promise any specific medicinal effects. I sell it in the hope that it will make people feel more energetic, nothing more.”
“For five million yen a bottle?”
“That’s right.”
His expression was deadpan, but he immediately understood what the seller was saying.
Since it hasn’t been approved as a pharmaceutical, he can’t claim that it has medicinal effects.
A bottle was placed before Sobue.
He could see liquid sloshing around inside the small bottle.
He shook it demonstratively to show its slightly viscous texture.
“Endo-kun’s knee meniscus and ligament damage seem to have improved, right?”
“Well, that happens sometimes.”
“Kasamatsu-kun’s elbow cartilage and ligaments have recovered.”
“That’s wonderful.”
“Thinking about it this way, it seems to show some potential effect on soft tissue. But what about spinal cord injuries? Nerve tissue might be a different matter.”
“I wouldn’t know—”
“It might just be that some people happened to recover.”
“Hmm, I see. That could be the case.”
Besides Wataru, who evaded the question, Mariel answered.
But five million yen per bottle?
Considering the potential effects, it’s almost too cheap.
The more severe the disease, the higher the costs accumulate beyond direct treatment fees.
Furthermore, potential earnings and opportunities are significantly reduced.
For example, if a baseball player can’t renew their contract due to injury, they could lose hundreds of millions of yen.
No matter how you look at it, this seems like an effect that would be better suited to a major corporation selling it globally than to an individual.
“I’ve been suffering from back and neck pain for a long time. If it’s okay, I’d like to try one.”
“No problem. Once you’ve paid, please drink it here instead of taking the bottle home.”
“You’re thorough. I understand.”
He realized they were wary of ingredient analysis, which amused him.
It meant they had that much confidence in its effects and efficacy—proof that it was reproducible.
After paying, Sobue immediately downed the bottle.
What effect would it have?
After swallowing the potion, a faint glow spread throughout his body.
The light concentrated particularly on his joints—his lower back, neck, and knees.
But the most significant change was in his head itself.
Sobue felt heat in his forehead and the top of his head, along with an indescribable tingling discomfort. He placed his hand on his head.
He was utterly astonished.
“Wh-what is this?! It’s… It’s there! My hair is back!”
Startled by the unfamiliar sensation, he instinctively touched his head and was utterly astonished by what he felt.
“I-it’s growing! Not only has my injury healed, but my bald spot is gone too!”
Sobue’s excited cry echoed through the shop.
The feel of thick, almost coarse hair!
That familiar texture, so natural in his youth, made Sobue jump for joy. He was eager to dance right then and there.
Secretary Watabe stood with his mouth agape.
Sobue leaned forward from the sofa, foam flying from the corners of his mouth as he spoke passionately.
“About this health juice—you don’t plan to sell it on a large scale? If you’re going to market it as medicine, I’d love to help! You might know this, but I have tremendous sales power, and I’m familiar with the procedures for new drug approvals!”
“For now, we’re not considering it for reasons I can’t disclose.”
“…Reasons? My connections might solve that.”
“That’s an incredibly tempting offer. I’d definitely like to take you up on it.”
“Well then—”
“But I can’t disclose the reason. It’s just not feasible right now.”
“You really can’t tell me?”
“Well… It may be hard to believe, given that the product exists, but consider that we haven’t yet established a proper manufacturing process for it. It’s a problem that precedes even getting approval.”
“Hmm, I see. Then, how about funding? If going through a fund is troublesome, I could arrange a loan from a bank I own.”
He wanted to leave some connection behind in the hope that it would lead to the next concrete contract.
Sobue’s words carried both passion and a sense of urgency.
Any business owner of his caliber would readily promise support, knowing this effect.
His passion for transforming society for the better, as a wealthy individual, was matched only by his determination not to let this great opportunity slip away.
Contrary to Sobue’s fervor, however, Wataru’s demeanor was calm.
You could even call it cold.
Why was he so composed? Did he grasp the magnitude of this opportunity?
Having experienced the potion’s effects firsthand, Sobue couldn’t fathom Wataru’s stance.
With a project of this magnitude, shouldn’t he be desperate to sell?
Why was he so unhurried?
“I appreciate the offer, but I have no intention of taking out a loan at this time. If production becomes feasible within a few years, I’ll contact you.”
“Is that so…”
His body, which had started to rise, lost its strength and slumped back down onto the sofa with a thud.
The product was extremely attractive, but he couldn’t justify the price.
“Ah, but Sobue-san. If it’s all right with you, could I consult with you about real estate at a later date? I might need your help advancing this business.”
“Of course!”
A thin thread of connection had been formed.
He would pull strings and do whatever it took to turn that thread into a rope.
To do so, he needed to keep unnecessary interference at bay.
Making his good relationship with Wataru his top priority, Sobue left the shop.
〇〇〇
A few days later, comments Sobue made about his hair during a TV news broadcast sparked conversation, especially on social media.
“A wig? No, no. That’s rude. It’s my real hair.”
“My hair has finally caught up with my progress. That’s all.”
Although Sobue cheerfully denied any connection to hair growth treatments, several hair growth-related stocks reportedly surged sharply in the days that followed.
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Yeah, my hair was just lagging behind, but it’s caught up to me now! Lol
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