kscans

Chapter 24 -

A Man's Battle

As evening fell the next day, the boss and I arrived in Hakata.

Given the hour, the proper salaryman's approach would be to eat and recharge for tomorrow's business meeting. But we're different. There's something we must do before eating—find lodging.

You might say, "Shouldn't you have booked in advance?" You're right. It's common sense for any working adult. However, if there's no pressing need, we prefer to search for accommodation after arriving. It's one of the many pleasures of our business trips together.

"Well then, Satou-kun."
"Yes, shall we engage in our Budget Hotel Battle?"

We got off the taxi in an area we'd scouted beforehand and parted ways with the president, setting off on foot.

As a department head and company president, we could easily book high-end accommodations. Even for regular employees, let alone executives, a bit of luxury is permissible. But that's not our style. Well, sometimes it is, depending on the situation. This time, however, we're opting for budget hotels as there's no need for anything fancier.

Why budget hotels? And cheap ones at that?
It's not about cost-cutting or frugality. It's purely a matter of taste.
The boss and I simply can't get enough of the budget hotel atmosphere.
We're not talking about trendy budget hotels. We prefer the unremarkable, mediocre ones.
Small rooms with bare minimum amenities. Poor sunlight is a bonus.
We get inexplicably excited by rooms with an unmistakably shabby ambiance.
There's nothing quite like watching pay-per-view in a dingy room, devouring cup noodles, onigiri, and hot snacks from the convenience store, all while nursing a beer.

(Just imagining it gets my heart racing...)

I'm sure the president is equally engrossed in his budget hotel hunt.
Our Budget Hotel Battle is a noble contest where we present our findings and decide where to stay.
So far, we're neck and neck. Being kindred spirits, we tend to like each other's choices.
That's why winning is so satisfying, and losing is still enjoyable.

(The key to choosing a budget hotel is inconvenience.)

Prime locations near stations are out. They're too high quality by our standards.
Sure, some take advantage of good locations to cut corners, but that's rare.
It's human nature to want to capitalize on a prime spot.
Plus, good locations attract competition, forcing hotels to up their game to stand out.
This might not apply to small towns, but in a big city like Fukuoka, competition is fierce.

(Hotels in less-than-ideal locations often hit the sweet spot.)

Some try to compensate for poor location by improving quality.
It happens, but raising quality means higher initial investment and maintenance costs.
Only the most motivated managers would go that route.
Most settle for mediocrity. They play it safe to minimize potential losses.
For short stays, most guests would choose an average hotel near the station over a high-quality, expensive one further away.

"Oh."

After walking for a while, I spot a promising candidate.
The exterior looks good. The wear and tear that even paint and repairs can't hide suggests it's been around for decades.
Appearances aren't everything, but a good salesman can glean a lot from just the exterior.
Don't underestimate me, the head of the sales department.
My salesman's instinct is screaming that this is a winner.

(Reception is... on the second floor.)

These slightly narrow stairs... the signs are looking good.
With rising anticipation, I climb to the second floor, and...

(The receptionist is a worn-out old man!!)

And his customer service is terrible! He barely glanced at me before returning to his newspaper!
And that... and this... Oh ho ho... This is perfect!

"Do you have two single rooms available?"
"Yeah, yeah. No problem."

I ask for the bare minimum information and promptly leave the hotel.
It might seem a bit off, but given their poor service, it shouldn't be an issue.
I buy a coffee from a nearby vending machine and start preparing my presentation on my personal smartphone.

(To find such a gem on the first try... I must be lucky.)

This is a good omen. This business trip is bound to be a "great success."
The boss and I already expect the negotiations to go smoothly barring any major mistakes, but now I'm anticipating even better results.
Right now, my luck is definitely on the rise. I can feel it—the wind at my back, ready to carry me anywhere...

"Hm."

Just then, I receive an email notification on my personal phone.
It's from the president. Seems he's found a place too.
I skim through it. It's a good find, no doubt. But I'm confident. This time, victory is mine.
He probably has some selling points he's keeping as a trump card.
But so do I. And I'm sure my hidden ace trumps his.

(Still... for the president to find a good one so quickly too...)

This isn't just a great success; we've hit the jackpot. We're on a roll.
I finish compiling my materials and immediately send them to the president's personal phone.
About five minutes later, my work phone rings. It's the president.

"I've looked over your materials. ...Not bad at all."
"Thank you, sir. Yours look quite promising as well."
"Given the timing, these must be our first finds? To get such quality on the first try... Satou-kun, this business negotiation is going to be something else!"
"I couldn't agree more."
"Business aside, let's get to the main event. Shall we begin our battle? I'll start. Listen, this hotel—"

I cut him off mid-sentence.

"There's no need to waste time."
"Oh?"
"There was a shop near the reception. The type without dedicated staff."
"What... did you say?"
"A so-called shop that's barely worthy of the name—just haphazardly arranged steel racks with products. The receptionist probably doubles as the shopkeeper."

I could hear the president gasp over the phone.

"The lineup includes three types of standard cup noodles, one each of cup yakisoba, udon, and soba."
"T-that's..."
"And a few types of snacks. Again, just the most basic flavors like lightly salted and consommé."
"What a lack of effort... But we have the good old pay-per-view here...!!"
"We have that too."

These days, some places don't offer pay-per-view (adult content) anymore.

"Let's end this. In a corner of the reception floor, there was something discreetly placed."
"W-what was it?"
"Free papers... with local adult entertainment information."
"——"

Come on, this isn't a love hotel.
Maybe in more relaxed times, but nowadays... it's just there as a token gesture, utterly pointless.

"...It seems I've lost. I'll head over there right away. Dinner's on me."
"Much obliged."

And so, this round of the Budget Hotel Battle ended in my victory.