Into Space Instead of Overtime Pay: Corporate Drone's 'Desktop DIY Rocket' Sells for Record High in Modern Art Auction

On the 19th, a mysterious object submitted by a general trading company in Tokyo to Sotheby’s in New York was auctioned for a record modern art price of 340 million yen. The title of the piece, "Breaking the Atmosphere at 3 AM," was not created by a famous artist. It was a "Desktop DIY Rocket" unconsciously crafted by a young employee in his third year at the company after five consecutive all-nighters.

The incident traces back to when the employee, nearly losing his sense of self due to repeated specification changes and rejected approval forms, realized that "it’s more realistic to escape gravity and return to space than to return home on the last train." Using empty energy drink cans as combustion chambers, he filled them with trace amounts of flammable materials extracted from shredder waste and his accumulated frustration. Wrapped in rejected decision documents fashioned into a streamlined fairing designed with air resistance in mind, the rocket was launched in the quiet office with a loud pop, successfully embedding itself deep into the office’s soundproof ceiling.

This "launch of despair" spread rapidly to office districts nationwide via social media. Currently, a phenomenon of small flashes flickering behind window glass in late-night building clusters is occurring one after another. With innovations like "two-stage separation rockets utilizing pull-tabs" and "heat shields made from unpaid overtime invoices," the technical perfection of the rockets increases in proportion to the number of Labor Standards Act violations, causing an innovation boom that would make even the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology turn pale.

The situation took a sudden turn when an overseas art dealer visiting for an inspection discovered the pitiful can rocket still stuck in the ceiling. "Magnificent. This crushed aluminum texture and the scorch marks on paper stamped ‘Resubmit’ in vermilion ink. The modern soul’s SOS—the desire to escape from the exploitative structure of capitalism—is perfectly visualized," they praised. The ceiling panel was cut out and immediately shipped across the sea.

However, a very realistic and cold ending awaited this modern-day Cinderella story. Regarding the massive auction price of 340 million yen, the tax office and legal department concluded that "since it was produced during working hours using company equipment (scrap paper) and trash (cans scheduled to be thrown in the company trash can), the copyright and ownership belong to the corporation." As a result, the entire auction amount was recorded as "miscellaneous income" for the company and vanished into the purchase cost of a black luxury car for the next president.

Again tonight, in the valleys between buildings where stars are invisible, young people illuminated by the pale light of PC monitors continue their diligent crafting. They will never be paid for their overtime. However, empty energy drink cans are firmly grasped in their hands. Dreaming that at least their souls will one day reach the stratosphere, they continue to turn company supplies into rockets. It seems the infinite propellant named despair will not run out anytime soon.

Stakeholder Comments

• The Employee Developer: "I heard there’s no overtime or unread chats on the moon. I’m aiming for Mars next."
• Company Executive: "This is a wonderful example where employee creativity directly linked to company profit (miscellaneous income). We will supply cardboard and rubber bands starting next term."
• Art Critic: "That bent can holds the primal scream lost to modern society and the trembling hands of a caffeine addict."
• Labor Standards Inspection Office Official: "We are currently discussing with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) whether the time spent launching the rocket is subject to late-night premium wages."
• Energy Drink: "I never wrote on my package that caffeine and taurine could become rocket fuel."
• Office Ceiling: "Lately, sharp approval forms have been stabbing into me every night, and it hurts. I am not a launchpad."
• Overseas Bidder (Millionaire): "Looking at this object gives me deep peace, knowing that someone is suffering in my stead on a far-eastern island nation."
• Accounting Personnel: "I’ve been arguing with the tax accountant for an hour about whether we should establish a new account item called ‘Modern Art Sale Profit’."
• Building Cleaner: "I thought it was just trash and almost threw it away. I’m relieved I wasn’t sued for hundreds of millions of yen in damages."
• HR Director: "I want them to soar towards next week’s management meeting, not into outer space, but it doesn’t seem to be getting through at all."

International Expressions

Haiku

• Midnight flight / In the city of no return / Empty cans soar
• In the ceiling / A stuck approval form / The spring moon
• In energy drink sky / Painting with empty cans / An escape journey
• Overtime pay / Turned into a rocket / To the stars
• Spring night / Dreams vanishing / Into miscellaneous income
• Caffeine fire / Rising up high / The all-nighter
• Approval papers / Scorched and flying / The first spring gale
• At a desk with no stars / Creating a system / Of galaxies
• Capitalism / Carrying sighs aloft / The flying can
• Launched / The soul goes high / The price is zero

Kanji / Chinese Characters

深夜残業会社員帰宅断念 (Midnight overtime, employee gives up going home) 空缶裏紙卓上小型推進機作成 (Empty cans and scrap paper, creating desktop small propulsion device) 天井突刺無残芸術作品昇華 (Stuck in ceiling, pitiful art piece sublimated) 海外専門家資本主義評価数億円落札 (Overseas expert evaluates capitalism, auctioned for hundreds of millions) 全額会社雑収入計上社畜悲哀 (Entire amount recorded as company misc income, sorrow of corporate drone)

Emoji

🏢🕛😫☕️➡️🚀💥💥➡️💸🏛️🎩➡️🏢💰😭

Onomatopoeia

Clack-clack-clack… pshhh. Gulp-gulp, crunch. Rip-rip, stick-stick. Fwoosh! Whirrrrrr… thud! Buzz-buzz, flash-flash. Clink-clink, ding!

SNS

• #DesktopRocket Success! We finally launched one in our department too! By the way, I’m paying for the ceiling repairs out of my own pocket.
• If energy drink cans can become 300 million yen, the wasteland under my desk should already exceed Dubai.
• It’s so absurd that it’s recorded as miscellaneous income lol. Actually, no laughter here, it’s outer space. #ModernArt
• I wonder if I can get a "Rocket Launch Allowance" for my next bonus?
• They say it belongs to the company because it was made with company supplies? Then buy my all-nighter stress from me too! #LimitsOfCapitalism
• Looking closely, that rocket is made from "Request for Cost Reduction" prints—the irony is too strong.
• Only while it’s stuck in the ceiling, I feel a tiny bit of freedom…
• I don’t want to go to the moon, I just want to go to my futon.
• JAXA should scout Japanese corporate drones right now. An infinite energy source is right here. #CorporateDroneRocket
• That overseas millionaire who bought it must have a really bad personality lol.