Episode 2

**Synergy** (シナジー, *Shinajī*) is the second episode in the Salaryman's Club anime series.

## Overview

Mikoto Shiratori is reluctant to learn his job in Sales at Sunlight Beverage and Tatsuru Miyazumi's loud personality certainly doesn't help with that. In badminton, Mikoto is disappointed by the lack of good facilities and the lack of teamwork he has with Miyazumi. After accidentally destroying a client's car and then saving that client from a shoplifter with a knife, Miyazumi and Mikoto start to work together a little easier. Sunlight Beverage has a practice match against Unisics. During the practice match against Hayato Kirishima and Daiki Oginome (the second best doubles players in the world), Mikoto and Miyazumi find their footing with teamwork and even manage to take a set from their opponents. Although they lose overall, they certainly learned a lot from the experience.

## Synopsis

Mikoto Shiratori leaves his house after getting ready for work only to immediately bump into Tatsuru Miyazumi (who seems to have been waiting for him). On the way to work, Miyazumi tells Mikoto, "Badaryman secret number one. The true answer can be found in pointlessness." He then attempts to get Mikoto to climb a set of stairs and Mikoto manages to take the elevator instead. They stop by a pub where Miyazumi clearly knows the owner, who orders more cases of Besshonuma Soda. Miyazumi promises to bring them by that evening. Mikoto asks why they didn't use an order form like the manual says to and Miyazumi assures him that they'll write it up later and tells him that the manual is useless in practice.

At practice, Mikoto accidentally hits the shuttle into the ceiling and complains about the ceiling being too low. Then he asks where the cameras for checking form are and is shocked when Miyazumi informs him that they don't have any. He is also confused when he realizes they don't have workout machines for strength training. Takeda tells him to stop assuming that they're like the elite program at Mitsuhoshi.

Coach Ono forces on Miyazumi and Mikoto to work on teamwork in preparation for the upcoming practice match against Unisics. He then uses an unconventional fan-like racket to hit the shuttle toward them at a high speed which Mikoto dodges. Coach Ono sends another one their way and they both dive for it, crashing into each other. Coach reminds them they're not playing by themselves. Mikoto looks up and sees Miyazumi laying on the floor and flashes back to his injured high school teammate. Before he can freak out, Miyazumi sits up. He asks if Mikoto is fine, to which he replies he is, but Mikoto's hands are shaking.

Later, at Restaurant Isuzu (where Mikoto orders a ginger ale), Takeda looks horrified as Mikoto puts an excessive amount of chili powder on his food and Toya talks about how uncoordinated Mikoto and Miyazumi were at practice. Mikoto tells Miyazumi that he's making no effort to match him, but Miyazumi counters that Mikoto keeps trying to do everything himself. It devolves into an argument and Takeda comments that it's inevitable that Unisics beat them this weekend. the waiter brings out green onions. While they dig in, the TV in the restaurant plays a segment on Hayato Kirishima, who is ranked second in the world for badminton doubles. It is mentioned that Sota knew him in high school. The TV goes on to say that Hayato has ventured into modeling as well and his phonebook is being released next month. The reporter then asks Hayato how he feels about his younger brother, Takuma Kirishima, being ranked number one in the world for doubles. Mikoto looks angry at the mention of Takuma. Sota observes that he probably couldn't handle it if his younger brother were ranked number one in the world. Mikoto tells Miyazumi it will be his fault if they lose in the upcoming match, which devolves into an argument once again. Sota calls them an "arguing odd couple."

The next day, Mikoto and Miyazumi go by Waoko Supermarket, which Miyazumi explains in the prefecture's biggest supermarket and Miyazumi's number one client. They pass a fancy blue car in the parking lot, which Miyazumi explains is the president's car and that the president is into cars. After a brief meeting with the president, they restock some of the store shelves. Mikoto wonders if Sales is really responsible for doing this and Miyazumi tells him it may seem pointless, but it builds toward results. He tells Mikoto to go get a foldy and a set of POP. As he is getting it, Mikoto mentally defines "foldy" asa foldable container and complains about not needing to know that kind of "fun fact". He is walking back across the parking lot when he sees a man coming around the corner of the store. He is distracted by looking at the man and trips on a manhole cover, which sends the foldy of soda flying out of his arms and crashing into the president's fancy car. Miyazumi and Mikoto apologize to the president, who is visibly upset and mentions reevaluating his relationship with Sunlight Beverage. Miyazumi attempts to fix the situation by taking all the blame. Mikoto notices the same man who distracted him earlier leaving the supermarket. He runs past Miyazumi and the president to grab onto the man's arm. The man goes to punch Mikoto, but he dodges which sends a bunch of cans onto the floor from inside the man's jacket. Frustrated that Mikoto stopped him from shoplifting, the man pulls out a knife and runs at Mikoto, but before he can get there, Miyazumi tackles the guy and together they kick the knife away from him. Miyazumi tells Mikoto to not go running off on his own like that and reminds him there's a reason there's two of them.

Back at the company's dorms, Miyazumi and Mikoto sit together in one of their rooms. Miyazumi recounts that the president said he'd think things over, which essentially means that everything is fine. He asks Mikoto how he knew the guy was a shoplifter. Mikoto stays silent, but takes away a bag of snacks right before Miyazumi goes to grab it. he repeats the action and explains that that's how he knew. He says that his foresight helps him predict what people are going to do next based on their subconscious behavior, kind of like predicting the future. When Miyazumi expresses his disbelief at the accuracy of it, Mikoto tells him that he's been observing people since he was little and takes away another snack without breaking eye contact. Miyazumi calls it nonverbal communication. He tells Mikoto that he's amazing and that he found an amazing partner in him, to which Mikoto tells him that their partnership is temporary. Miyazumi says, "I want to play doubles with you" and then tells Mikoto to enter a product planning contest.

That weekend, the team ventures over to Unisics HQ for the practice match. Hayato is surrounded by cameras and being interviewed prior to the match. Takeda appears fearful and nervous, while Toya and Sota discuss how the other team probably views them. Hayato comes over to the Sunlight Beverage team, he shakes hands with Miyazumi and greets Sota. Ayato Misora comes over as well and introduces himself to Miyazumi. He says he started at Unisics this year and that he's seventeen. He asks to take a picture with Miyazumi and then immediately posts it on instagram for his 500,000 followers to see. Takeda and Toya laugh at the caption ("With badminton old-timer Tatsu-san! #misoraayato #miyazumitatsuru #badminton #unisics #sunlightbeverage #gottabademall") because he called Miyazumi an old-timer. Daiki Oginome comes over and scolds Hayato and Misora for bothering the other team. Unisics coach, Masahiko Utsugi, greets Coach Ono as well.

The first practice match is Toya and Takeda vs. Ryo Natsuki and Jun Yagami. Takeda gets freaked out by all the cameras around, muttering to himself to pretend that they're just pumpkins. Yagami asks Oginome if he can stream the match but Oginome says no. The match begins and Toya serves first. As the rally goes on, Misora observes that they're better than he thought they'd be. The first game in won by Unisics, 21-13. In the second game, Takeda misses a serve which clearly does not help his nerves. The second game is also won by Unisics, 21-13, which means that Yagami and Netsuki win the match, 2-0.

The second match is Sota vs. Kakei Yokosu. The first game is won by Sota, 21-8. During the second game, Misora complains that Sota is good, but no fun to watch. Sota wins the second game, 21-14, and therefore he wins the match 2-0. Misora says that he wishes he could have played too. Oginome tells him that he's their "ace in the hole" and to wait until the corporate tournament.

The third match is Mikoto and Miyazumi vs. Hayato and Oginome. Hayato observes that this match will be the deciding one since overall the teams are one to one. He says that it's been a surprisingly good set of matches. Oginome serves first, and the game starts off with Unisics pulling ahead easily. The score is shone to be 5-1 in favor of Unisics. Miyazumi reminds Mikoto that it's still the beginning of the game. On the side, Takeda wonders if their slow start is because Mikoto is in the observation stage of his foresight. Toya says that this feels different. Mikoto observes that Hayato's moves are hard to read since he has almost none of the habits in body language that most people do. He observes that on top of that, Oginome is hard to deal with as well. Oginome hits the shuttle right over Mikoto's head and Mikoto has the flashback to his injured high school teammate and is once again unable to jump back. This time though, Miyazumi comes in behind and saves it. They lose the point anyway when Hayato send the shuttle to the other side of the court than they both are on. The game continues and Toya observes that Mikoto's foresight isn't working. Sota explains that Hayato's smashes are a threat but Oginome's accurate plays impact every key moment. The first game is won by Unisics, 21-4. During the break between games, Miyazumi provokes Mikoto into turning to yell at him and then tells Mikoto that it's the first time he's looked at him since they started playing. He reminds Mikoto that there's a reason there's two of them and then tells him that he'll get all the shots Mikoto can't get.

The second game begins and Oginome serves first again. The shuttle goes over Mikoto's head again but before he even has the chance to overthink it, Miyazumi calls from behind that he's got it. They get the point. The score is shown to be 12-6 in favor of Unisics and Miyazumi tells Mikoto him that he's not into losing. Mikoto tells him he has an idea. The game continues and during the next rally, Mikoto uses his foresight to guess that Hayato is going to hit a cross shot. He returns the shuttle, much to Hayato's (and Misora's) surprise. Hayato and Oginome are shocked when Mikoto reads them for the next few points and the momentum begins to turn in favor of Sunlight. Mikoto guess that Hayato is going to hit a straight, but guesses wrong. Miyazumi saves it from behind, sending the shuttle back. The scene then briefly rewinds to show the conversation when Mikoto said he has an idea. Mikoto says that while Hayato has no tells, he can still use his foresight to narrow down the trajectory of his shots but it will be a gamble after that. He tells Miyazumi that if he's wrong, Miyazumi should cover him like his life depends on it. In the game again, the score is shown to be 17-12 in favor of Unisics. A moment later, it is shown to be 19-19. Mikoto gets the next point, bringing the score to 19-20 in favor of Sunlight. Only one more point needed to win. Hayato observes that it won't be easy to get that point, but Mikoto reads his smash. Oginome hits the shuttle back over the net and Mikoto sends it back using a cross-court shot. Hayato gets it, and then Miyazumi smashes it back and wins the point. Sunlight wins the second game, 19-21. The Sunlight team celebrates on the side while Misora is in disbelief that Hayato's team lost a set. Oginome and Hayato wonder how many plays ahead Mikoto is reading them and how many years it's been since they lost a set in a practice match. The final game begins.

On the way home that night, Miyazumi tells Mikoto that even though they lost, they still gained something from the experience. Mikoto is clearly disappointed by the loss and Miyazumi tells him that they can repay them at the tournament in June. Mikoto says that they won't lose next time. Miyazumi asks him if he's extending their temporary partnership, to which Mikoto responds that they're presenting as a united front until the corporate tournament. Miyazumi tells him, "I'm counting on you, Mikoto" and then tells him he can call him "Tatsuru". Mikoto refuses. Miyazumi then asks Mikoto why he can't jump anymore.

The post credit scene takes place at Tomari Transport. During their lunch break, an unnamed Azuma Tachibana is reading an article about the Unisics vs. Sunlight Beverage practice match and he sees a picture from it with Mikoto in the background. He then gets a message from Toya saying, "Mikoto's returned to doubles." He looks surprised.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Mikoto Shiratori
* Tatsuru Miyazumi
* Pub Owner
* Yasuomi Ono
* Toya Saeki
* Koki Takeda
* Sota Saeki
* Hayato Kirishima
* Daiki Oginome
* Waoko Supermarket President
* Shoplifter
* Ayato Misora
* Masahiko Utsugi
* Jun Yagami
* Ryo Natsuki
* Kakei Yokosu
* Azuma Tachibana