How to raise a random guy's wife

"So," Kasumigaoka Utaha realized, "we're left with only still shots?"

"Some minor zooms and pans that don't involve a large background are still usable," said Meishu Shengu, shrugging. "Let's just give up on the rest."

As we set sail from Po Island, my eyelids drooped slightly.

Give up...?

Chapter 724 Short-term Plans

"That's roughly the situation, which is why we're now in a new predicament." Kasumigaoka Utaha sipped her long-missed Kobayashi-brand handmade coffee, her gaze falling on Eriri, who was looking at a picture book with Kobayashi Ran.

It's amazing how a twenty-something adult and a six-year-old child sitting on the carpet reading picture books together can actually give off a sisterly vibe.

They are not that far apart in age.

Eriri paused in her book-flipping motion, then abruptly turned and stared at Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Her radar detected a very impolite idea.

Kasumigaoka Utaha casually looked away. "Many of the effects we want to achieve when going to sea require the use of cinematic language. Now that we've discovered this problem, it's like we've directly stifled most of her ideas."

Kobayashi Megumi placed the fruit platter on the coffee table. "What if we increase the investment?"

“It’s not an investment issue,” Kasumigaoka Utaha explained. “Because of the art style, there are very few suitable artists, and the overall workload is too large to be completed according to plan. There’s probably only one person who can finish on time.”

Only Eri Kashiwagi.

Even experienced abyssers won't do it.

Kasumigaoka Utaha shook her head, "But one person alone can't do it, we still need someone to draw the middle part."

The original drawings only depict the key actions, while the in-between artists fill in the transitions between actions to make the animation flow smoothly.

Kobayashi Sora frowned slightly. "So we have no choice but to change the plot."

We modified some plot points that required special expression, minimizing the production difficulty while preserving the original ideas.

“That’s the biggest problem,” Kasumigaoka Utaha said, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. “The current script is the one we’re most satisfied with, but now we have to make her torture this script herself and sew it back together…”

As a fellow creator, Kasumigaoka Utaha, though she hasn't created anything in a long time, deeply empathizes with this kind of pain.

For example, during her creative process, when the male and female protagonists' relationship is in place, some exciting events will naturally occur.

Kasumigaoka Utaha also wrote a detailed and passionate description of it, only to have it rejected by Machida Sonoko.

It's a light novel, after all, not a doujinshi by Eri Kashiwagi.

Some things cannot be written.

Kasumigaoka Utaha could only cut the original action scenes to make the content as bland as possible without affecting the flow of the plot.

That was all her hard work, yet she had to delete and rewrite it bit by bit herself.

That feeling was almost like cutting off her own flesh.

My heart aches, and I'm exhausted...

Exhausted, both physically and mentally.

“However, even if the plot is modified, the background is still a big problem,” Kobayashi Sora pointed out. “If it can’t be resolved well… the subsequent production probably won’t go too smoothly.”

"Let me think of something else..." Kasumigaoka Utaha rubbed her hair. "By the way, the cherry blossoms are beautiful right now, how about we go out for a stroll sometime?"

With her work at a standstill, Kasumigaoka Utaha needs a change of pace.

“Okay,” Kobayashi Megumi, as the president, wasn’t really worried about the difficulties the company was facing. She believed that almost every project would encounter problems, and there would always be a solution. “I’ll make some bento boxes sometime later.”

"That's exactly what I'm after." Kasumigaoka Utaha made no attempt to hide her intentions. "I really envy Sora, who gets to eat Megumi's cooking every day."

“It’s not every day,” Kobayashi Megumi waved her hand. “The Sky Academy does much more than I do.”

"Let me see where would be suitable," Kobayashi Sora immediately began to plan. "It's cherry blossom season, so we need to find a place that isn't too crowded."

“Ah, that’s true. It’s so sad to turn cherry blossom viewing into people viewing.” Kasumigaoka Utaha doesn’t really like places with too many people. “Golden Week is the same, there are people everywhere.”

"Kongqing and I are planning to take Lanlan to Hokkaido during Golden Week," Kobayashi Megumi asked. "Want to come along?"

"Hokkaido?" Kasumigaoka Utaha raised an eyebrow. "Why did you suddenly decide to go there?"

"Golden Week, you know," Kobayashi Sora replied. "So it's like... a return visit?"

"So, something really did happen in Hokkaido when you were in high school, right?" Kasumigaoka Utaha narrowed her red eyes slightly. "After you came back, you brought with you an atmosphere of being unable to participate."

Megumi Kobayashi fiddled with the ends of her hair. "It was a chance encounter."

"Just say it's fate." Kasumigaoka Utaha considered for a moment, "You guys go by yourselves, I won't get involved."

Kobayashi Sora and Kobayashi Megumi clearly wanted to take Kobayashi Ran to relive their fond memories, but Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't have any special memories of Hokkaido, so it was best to skip it.

Golden Week...maybe I can try it out during those few days.

"Godmother, Godmother~" Ran Kobayashi showed the picture book in her hand to Utaha Kasumigaoka, "Look!"

"Hmm?" Kasumigaoka Utaha looked up.

Ran Kobayashi bent the picture book in her hand, and the pages turned quickly.

Compared to the complex visuals, the little figure jumping in the blank space in the lower right corner is more eye-catching.

The simple little figures with limbs hop and jump, as if they are leaping on the paper.

This is what is known as a page-turning animation. Multiple images of continuous motion create the illusion of movement when they are rapidly switched due to the persistence of human vision.

Although they are simple little figures, Kasumigaoka Utaha's work experience over this period of time allowed her to spot the problems at a glance. Several of the figures' movements were somewhat distorted and slightly chaotic.

"How about it~" Eriri said proudly, "This is something that Ranran and I did together! I drew part of it, and Ranran drew part of it."

"That feels great, Ranran is amazing." Kasumigaoka Utaha ruffled Kobayashi Ran's hair. "You could be an animator someday."

Kasumigaoka Utaha quickly understood why some of the little people were behaving strangely.

It's estimated that Eriri drew the key scenes, and then Ran Kobayashi filled in the scenes in between, which is why the book-flipping animation looks so smooth.

However, because Ran Kobayashi is still young, she is bound to make some mistakes, which is why this is the result.

"Yes!" Xiaolin Lan's eyes shone with longing for the future.

Eriri pointed to herself, "What about me? I contributed too."

"Hmm..." Kasumigaoka Utaha raised her hand, "Then let me touch you?"

"Who wants you to touch me?!" Eriri glared at Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Ran Kobayashi shows her parents the results of her hard work, and gradually loses herself amidst the praise. "Ranran is going to be an animator!"

"Okay~" Kobayashi Sora was already used to her daughter's various ideas on a whim.

Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed inwardly. Kobayashi Ran's current situation is similar to that of the previous voyage to Hashima. They both only had a good idea, but only after they actually started did they realize how many difficulties there were... Eh?

Chapter 725 Sowing Discord

Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes sparkled as she focused her attention, firmly grasping the fleeting thought that crossed her mind.

As a creator, she is very skilled at this.

The vague thoughts gradually transformed into clear ideas. Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly stood up, picked up Kobayashi Ran, and gave her a big kiss on her chubby little face. "Good baby! You've done Mommy a huge favor!"

"Huh?" Ran Kobayashi was puzzled, but she understood the happiness on Utaha Kasumigaoka's face. She smiled and tilted her head, "And this side too~"

"Mua~" Kasumigaoka Utaha gave her another kiss, then reluctantly put Kobayashi Ran down. "I have to go now. Your godmother will come to see you another day."

"Eh?" Ran Kobayashi pouted. "Well... okay then... you have to come!"

"Okay!" Kasumigaoka Utaha nodded vigorously, said goodbye to the others, and said, "I'm leaving now."

Eriri stood up as well, "Then I'll take you..."

"It's okay, I'll just take a taxi." Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't wait for Eriri's reply before picking up her bag and quickly walking out.

"It's probably about animation. Shiha has an idea and is rushing to a meeting," Kobayashi Megumi speculated. "However..."

“However, it’s better to have someone help with an emergency meeting.” Kobayashi Sora stood up and put on her clothes. “I’ll go see her off.”

Eriri opened her mouth, but she really couldn't be of much help with meetings or anything like that.

It would be more appropriate for Kobayashi Sora to deliver it than for her.

After getting into her car, Kobayashi Sora quickly found Kasumigaoka Utaha waiting for her ride by the roadside.

Upon seeing Kobayashi Sora, Kasumigaoka Utaha paused for a moment, then opened the door, got into the car, and took out her phone to notify Hashima Izumi and other relevant production members.

Kobayashi Sora gripped the steering wheel with both hands, staring straight ahead. "Have you got an idea?"

"Well, whether it's feasible or not depends on the outcome of the meeting."

“It’s good to have ideas.” Kobayashi Sora skillfully maneuvered the car around the corner. “So… what about creative work?”

"Ok?"

“It’s been quite a while now.” Kobayashi Sora tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel. “You’re probably about to start creating something soon, aren’t you?”

Kasumigaoka Utaha almost subconsciously recalled her previous thoughts. To be honest, she did have some creative ideas, but they hadn't reached the point where inspiration would strike.

This is the most painful time.

I have ideas and images in my head, but I lack a clear framework to connect them all.

I have ideas, but not entirely.

If you force yourself to create something in this situation, you can still write it.

But what is written down... is really just written down.

The best-case scenario is that more inspiration will emerge, and then fill in the missing parts.

The dumbest way is to force yourself to write it out, try and fail repeatedly, and find the right state through revision after revision.

“I do have some ideas, but I’m still missing something.” Kasumigaoka Utaha looked out the window. “I’m just missing that one flash of inspiration.”

"This is a good thing; at least it's better than before."

“That’s true.” Kasumigaoka Utaha recalled when she was writing the “Bunny Girl Senpai” series. Her writing flowed like a spring, and she was in an exceptionally good state. It was as if those stories were knocking on her head, eager to come out.

However, she has long lost the passion she once had. Even if she were to ask Kobayashi Sora for help again, like before... um?