ATOS Chapter 28

Chapter 28 – In the Top Position

Novel Title: 跨越千万星辰 (Across Thousands of Stars)

Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 泽田纲吉 (Sawada Tsunayoshi -MC), 六道骸 (Rokudo Mukuro -ML)

*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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Tsuna never thought that he had the ability to convince Reborn. He knew it from the first day they met.

“Okay, compared to my existence, shouldn’t you be more concerned about the meeting at 10:30?” Reborn propped up one hand on the table. He was about to speak when he suddenly found that Tsuna was still standing in place two steps away from the door.

It reminded him of the first time they met.

An imperceptible amusement flashed across Reborn’s eyes. But his voice did not show it out easily. He was still contemptuous as always, “How long are you going to stand at attention there?”

Shrugging his shoulders slightly, Tsuna approached the table like a student who had been called to the podium.

“You have the meeting itinerary in your hand, right?” Reborn left the table and walked to the side of the leather sofa. He sat down, “Have you read it?”

Only then did Tsuna quietly breathe a sigh of relief. He sat back on the office chair, “Although I haven’t read it yet, I can probably guess most of its contents.”

The focus of the meeting is still on the promotion of ‘White Lover Platinum Series’. The summer part will come to an end soon. The autumn related ones will follow up immediately. The responsibility of each team has already been determined. But the advertisement time of the TV station needs to be discussed again. The advertising plan from the planning department should have a good course.

The more formal it is, the greater the pressure. Every department can be said to be instigated by the marketing department. But if the sales performance cannot be improved, then the marketing department will undoubtedly bear the brunt of the blame.

“Looking at the feedback for the summer collection, we may need to increase investment in outdoor advertising.” Tsuna swallowed a sigh that was about to overflow. He opened the folder. The timetable listed inside was very tight. It is in line with the marketing department’s consistent style.

“Outdoor advertising is very efficient. That’s good. But you have to consider the cost as well. The finance department is going to make a fuss with you. It is better to adjust the distribution instead of increasing it indiscriminately.” Reborn’s eyes wandered and lingered on Tsuna. This alone can increase the feeling of oppression in him. Reborn chuckled, “The budget for the online advertising can be increased a little bit.”

“Online advertising?” Tsuna frowned. The department had discussed this before. “Would it be of any use?”

It is the pattern of young people these days to like to use mobile devices to surf the Internet. But the ‘White Lover Platinum Series’ was inlaid with authentic Brazilian diamonds. This means that this is not under the target of purchasing power for the youngsters.

In response to his hesitant rebuttal, Reborn raised his eyebrows noncommittally, “I don’t remember teaching you to be such a short-sighted person.”

“Short-sighted or whatever…” Tsuna supported the table with his hands. He tapped his fingers on the table twice in trouble and immediately stopped feeling uncomfortable.

“Those who haven’t bought yet are likely to buy. So they are our potential consumer groups. If so, isn’t it a normal idea to expand this scope?” Reborn sat half-horizontally and crossed his legs. He sank into the dark leather sofa, making his body looks extraordinarily slender, “If you instil such a product awareness in them now, who dares to say that they won’t become Vongola’s customers in the future? Moreover, apart from mid-to-high-end products like ‘White Lover Platinum Series’, Vongola also has products for ordinary people. Ornamental jewellery for the public. It’s a substitution effect to make them desire jewellery at the level of ‘White Lover Platinum Series’ but then, we can satisfy them with goods they can afford.”

He pointed to the stack of documents on the desk and motioned for Tsuna to open them. The above lists the sales of other products produced by Vongola this year. The results are quite mediocre. After all, their highlight this year is ‘White Lover Platinum Series’ and the advertising budget for the whole year is attributed to it.

These decorative jewels are all about intricate beauty at their best. Just because the raw material is not expensive, the designer does not need to consider the cost of waste lost so  the imagination can be expanded. This is probably one of Vongola’s adaptations to market diversity.

They would utilise what can be utilised. And they would integrate what can be integrated.

Reborn had indeed told him about this before. But he didn’t act so naturally according to what he said. Tsuna closed the folder. He felt like a dark cloud had shrouded his heart.

He was only going to hold the meeting in a proper manner. But apparently, what Reborn said made him unable to shut up and be a good listener, “You…”

Reborn looked  at Tsuna who hesitated to speak playfully.

“Will you go to the meeting with me later?”

“Of course.” Reborn stood up and laughed, “but I can’t say a word.”

“Huh?” Tsuna’s expression seemed to be relaxed before he heard the second sentence, “But didn’t you raise these issues? If someone raises doubts…”

“This is your homework.” Saying so, Reborn held down the brim of his hat. After blocking his sight, only the frivolous arc of his mouth was the most apparent on his entire face, “If you have any objections to my statement, you can raise it now. “

Would I have any objections?

Tsuna lowered his eyes and carefully considered Reborn’s words. Combining those discouraging data sheets and this year’s marketing goals, he also felt that Reborn’s words were worth a try.

“And once you propose this, it becomes your responsibility at the same time. Working hard for what you agree with is also the tolerance that a successful person should have.”

Tsuna could only watch the guy who said these words turn around smartly. He saw him stop in front of the door and turned his head slightly, “You should enjoy the feeling of being the focus of attention.”

Then he left the office neatly.

The meeting did not go as smoothly as Tsuna had imagined. To some extent, however.

Reborn sat at the end of the conference table quite naturally without making any self-introduction. He sat in a position where he could meet the eyes of Tsuna who was sitting in the front seat. It was unknown as to whether it’s because of his demeanour of ignoring others that he only looks at them with half-eyes or if the people around have cast more or less scrutiny at this strange guy, no one has stepped forward to talk to him.

Tsuna looked at the crowd and wanted to smile. But everyone’s cold expressions made it difficult for him to do so. Except for Shoichi who was looking mild. He had no choice but to put on a business-like attitude and follow the procedure according to the documents.

When it comes to modifying the promotion plan, the second section in charge of advertising raised some objections. The head of the second section, Masaka Tanaka, still insisted on the conservative advertising investment method. There were inquiring eyes on him. He looked at Reborn but the whole body of the other party revealed the meaning of ‘I can’t speak’.

“I think it’s not only helpful to cultivate potential customers. It’s also helpful to our other low-end products.” Expressing Reborn’s opinion that caused him to literally think twice, Tsuna tried his best to ignore the disapproval sights of his subordinates.

Perhaps the doubts about the plan itself are not the majority reason for this disapproval. After all, this method is not too uncommon. The main reason is their dissatisfaction with Tsunayoshi Sawada.

“Is this the deputy director’s own opinion?” Tanaka’s thick eyebrows were seriously tangled together, “My subordinates and I will do it accordingly.”

The promised words are full of doubts and provocations. It was displayed in a strong tone that seemed to hint that if the result is not satisfactory, it is all Tsuna’s responsibility.

Tsuna bit the tender flesh on the inner side of his lower lip. The slight pain stimulated his mood to stabilise himself a little, “Then I will trouble you. For the next five productions, I hope the location of the outdoor advertisement can be more accurate.”

If it was Uni who said this compared to when he said it himself, the reaction he would receive will be completely different. Tsuna had a strong feeling about this in the meeting. After the meeting was done, he felt mentally tired.

The meeting lasted an hour and twenty minutes. It was ten minutes longer than expected. In the marketing department where efficiency is the criterion, this has become the reason why Tsuna is scrutinised by everyone.

“It was terrible.”

Sitting back in his personal office, he can finally catch my breath. He didn’t know where Reborn went. Could he really be called an assistant like this?

Tsuna rubbed both sides of the bridge of his nose with his hands and  began to browse the work reports of various section heads that Uni had given him before. There are yearly copies for every working day.

He couldn’t help thinking that it was a good thing his share of the company was already spared.

This process is not clean. The secretary kept delivering documents to him and some people from other companies came to visit. Tsuna couldn’t even eat lunch well. The whole day passed by in a daze.

He didn’t see Reborn again until it was time to get off work. Compared with his haggardness, Reborn looked very refreshed. Casting a resentful glance, Tsuna signed the last stroke of his name on the document and put the stack of documents in front of him aside.

“How does it feel to work in this position on your first day?” Reborn calmly pulled out a few documents from the documents that had already piled up to a certain thickness. He then whistled with indistinguishable ridicule or admiration, “If you are in the top position and you have to do everything by yourself, you will die from overwork in a short time.”

“Didn’t you say you would work hard for me?” Clenching the pen in his hand, Tsuna’s heart, which had been depressed for a day, seemed to be fermenting at the bottom of a can. He couldn’t help gnashing his teeth when he spoke. It’s a pity that the mellow pronunciation in Japanese and his own too soft pronunciation make it sound like nothing threatening, “I’m doing what you say, my old tutor!”

“Did I ever say that you need to do your job so desperately?” Reborn asked mercilessly, throwing the few documents just now in front of Tsuna, “I will hand over the matter about specialty stores and shopping mall counters to you. Four productions would be enough. But I remember that the media advertisement would be executed during the second production as well, right?”

He paused as he leaned forward with his hands on the edge of the table. It was as if he wanted to cover Tsuna under his shadow, “I just read today’s meeting record from Yoshida. You don’t need to greet them one by one. Why should you? Are you too idle and want to chat with someone?”

Reborn’s tone was not raised high. Even the ending sound can be said to be soft. But those thin and stern eyes gave Tsuna a sense of suffocation. He almost wanted to whimper in fear, “Alright. I’m sorry. I will pay attention next time.”

“How can leaders who don’t even know how to use their rights fulfil their responsibilities?”

Looking down at the embarrassed and troubled Tsuna, Reborn narrowed his eyes. After a while, he tapped the table with his fingers. After successfully attracting Tsuna’s attention, he turned sideways, “Let’s go.”

“Where?” Tsuna was bewildered.

The car key that was taken out at some point was twirled around Reborn’s index finger a few times. He replied slowly, “I’ll take you home.”

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*Translator’s Note: Tsuna has a driver now. Hehe. -K

Next update: 2023.09.01

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