I arrived in the city. The streets were packed with people. Even though it was a weekday afternoon, there were so many people. It felt like the world was full of people who only knew how to have fun. Is no one working?
“Let’s go over there, Hana!”
“Okay!”
Haru pointed to a theater with a familiar design. I nodded and followed Haru, feeling a bit dragged along. I guess there was a slight difference in strength between us.
I could feel the gazes of people around me, so I pulled my hat down further. My hair color was unique, and I was the only one with green hair on the street. Everyone else had black hair or dyed yellow hair.
Maru seemed to notice my behavior. She looked at me and said, “Hana, your hair is pretty. Why are you hiding it?”
Well, my hair was kind of a big deal. It was the most expensive hair in the world. I couldn’t even imagine how much money it would take to make a wig out of my hair. It might cost as much as a whole building.
Feeling confident, I straightened my chest and started strutting down the street. I decided to enjoy the people’s stares like a celebrity. But since my face wasn’t actually famous, it was just a fleeting moment.
No matter how unique a person is, after a few minutes, they fade from people’s minds. I wondered if I would become one of those people.
Anyway, when we arrived at the theater, I watched Haru booking the movie tickets. The machine was a bit high, so she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach it. Luckily, Maru was there to help, so we could use the ticket machine. If I had come alone, I might not have been able to watch the movie.
No matter how convenient kiosks are, I don’t know how they expect short people like me to use them. Going to the staff was out of the question because of my natural introverted nature. I couldn’t even express myself properly when getting a haircut at the salon.
It was one of those things that just wasn’t easy.
Haru took me to the popcorn stand after getting the tickets. My eyes sparkled as I looked at the popcorn. Popcorn and cola were the perfect match for a movie theater. Those two were the theater’s specialty, and I could never give them up.
These days, some theaters allow outside food, but no matter how delicious it is, nothing can replace the popcorn sold at the theater.
“Haru! I want popcorn!”
“What kind do you want, Hana?”
Haru lifted me up so I could see the menu clearly. I carefully examined the menu. Choosing popcorn that I would be eating for two hours required some serious thought. If I picked a bad flavor, my mouth would be bored for two hours.
“I want caramel popcorn! And grilled squid!”
“Caramel popcorn and grilled squid? Got it.”
“Haru, aren’t you eating?”
“I’ll just have some water. I’m on a diet these days!”
Haru didn’t look like she had gained weight, so I was surprised she was on a diet. It was impressive how she was managing herself so well as an adult. Meanwhile, I was a foodie who ate anything. Snacks, drinks—whatever came into my hands, I had to eat it. Maybe that’s why I felt like I was gaining weight lately.
“Sigh…”
I felt a bit guilty that Haru wasn’t eating popcorn or cola. It felt like I was the only one enjoying the treats. Haru reassured me, saying it was no big deal.
“Hana, you can eat whatever you want! I’m really fine!”
When Haru said that, I had to accept it. I nodded and made it clear that I understood.
“Wow!”
I soon got my hands on the warm, freshly made popcorn and the refreshing cola. Haru was holding the grilled squid since I didn’t have enough hands. Haru carried me while holding the squid, showing off her strength. Haru seemed pretty strong.
With the popcorn and cola in hand, we sat down in the seats. There was still some time before the movie started, so we had to wait.
—
Tanaka returned to Japan and convinced the executives.
“Companies that don’t use Starlight Rice will soon fall behind.”
“No matter how high-quality the fish is, the rice is just as important in sushi. In fact, for franchise businesses, the quality of the fish is pretty much the same. The rice will be the deciding factor.”
“Don’t look at Korean products with prejudice. It’s really, really important.”
Starlight Rice is a groundbreaking seed that will revolutionize the rice market.
Thanks to Tanaka’s passionate persuasion, the management decided to try using Starlight Rice in their urban Karasushi franchise. Of course, it was a secret that even the management, who initially opposed Starlight Rice, completely changed their stance after tasting it themselves.
The result was a huge success. Sales at stores using Starlight Rice nearly doubled. On the other hand, sales at rural or less popular locations dropped.
Lists of stores using Starlight Rice were shared on the internet and SNS. As a result, people avoided stores that didn’t use Starlight Rice and drove to nearby stores that did, just to eat sushi.
Tanaka couldn’t help but smile at the rising sales. His high-stakes gamble had paid off—big time. Now, the Japanese archipelago was filled with consumers captivated by the taste of Karasushi.
Tanaka decided to sell the surplus rice directly. While it wasn’t enough to feed all of Japan, it was too much to be consumed solely by the stores. With the advance payment from Starlight Food, Tanaka had already expanded the farm several times over.
Meanwhile, the Korean government was vehemently opposing the release of Starlight Rice into the market, fearing it would destroy rice self-sufficiency. Tanaka hoped this situation would last longer, as it meant more rice would flow into Japan.
Of course, in a few years, if production skyrocketed, the Japanese government might intervene. To prepare for that, Tanaka needed to quickly win over consumers. That way, they would become Karasushi’s shield.
—
The response to Karasushi in Japanese sushi-loving communities was overwhelmingly positive.
– “Karasushi is really delicious. I always thought the fish quality was good, but the rice was lacking. Recently, they must’ve changed suppliers because the rice is even better than the fish.”
– “I could just dip the rice in soy sauce without the fish, and it’d still be delicious.”
– “Other conveyor belt sushi franchises are doomed lol.”
– “Actually, I think the artisan sushi shops are more likely to go under. Honestly, at that price, I’d rather eat at Karasushi.”
– “Oh, the Karasushi in my neighborhood isn’t using the new rice.”
– “Check the list before you go. I went without checking and ended up eating bad sushi.”
Tanaka leveraged this consumer enthusiasm to distribute the surplus rice. Karasushi’s decades-old distribution network played a huge role. As an established franchise, Karasushi had a well-developed network, allowing them to distribute new products without any hiccups.
[Starlight Rice]
[The rice used in Karasushi stores!]
They started selling Starlight Rice in bags, designed with a distinctly Japanese aesthetic. If they had used the Korean-style packaging, it would’ve caused quite a stir.
The phrase “Rice used in Karasushi stores” was prominently displayed, while the origin label was tucked away in a small corner where consumers wouldn’t easily notice.
Even though K-pop is popular in Japan and sentiments toward Korea have improved, most Japanese still don’t feel great about Korean rice. That’s why the origin label was hidden in a corner.
Even if consumers later realized it was Korean rice, they’d keep eating it because Starlight Rice was just that good.
Tanaka made sure to fill the packaging with Japanese phrases, leaving no trace of Korean. The only thing emphasized was that it was the rice used in Karasushi.
