No Winning Work, Weekly Short-Short Note, 412 Characters

Naoki Akutagawa was furious. He resolved that he must remove those Naoki Prize judges.

He had not doubted that his own work would be chosen for this year's Naoki Prize. Among the nominees, it had the highest degree of perfection, was rich in contemporary relevance, and possessed both critical depth and entertainment value. In fact, multiple book reviews had declared it a certain winner, and he had even received requests for advance interviews from newspaper reporters.

Nevertheless, the result was 'No winning work'.

That is why he decided to remove them. Not to kill them. Not out of hatred, either. He would make them choose it unanimously. He would make them acknowledge his work.

Removing the judges who did not choose it—in other words, he would let them live by making them choose it unanimously next time. That was the very meaning of 'removing' them.

He wrote a work that far surpassed his previous one. A piece of writing woven with anger, cynicism, and prayer; pure and violent. The name of the completed work was 'No Winning Work'.

It was meant as irony. Or perhaps it was a curse.

It was chosen unanimously.

News agencies broke the first report.
'Naoki Prize, No Winning Work Again This Year'

Naoki Akutagawa was furious.