Sunday 19 April 1992 night
After Zaboru's small concert at Hamazou HQ with Zankoku Band, he returned to ZAGE to continue working late into the night. Ayumi, however, refused to leave his side, watching him intently with a smile that never faded. Zaboru, trying his best to focus on his work, finally sighed and glanced at her. "Stop staring like that, Ayumi... sigh."
Ayumi giggled, her eyes filled with warmth. "Well, whose fault is that? You put on a show like that just for . You're too charming for your own good, Zabo..." Her gaze turned playful, almost teasing, but there was sothing deeper in her expression—sothing genuine and soft. Zaboru could see it. She wasn't overthinking anymore. The weight of doubt that had been hanging over her since the incident with her father had finally lifted.
He leaned back in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose with a small smile. "Fine, you win. Let's go on a date."
Ayumi's eyes widened in delight, and in an instant, she jumped onto him with a tight hug. "Yay!" Without wasting a second, she pulled him out of his chair, and before he knew it, they were heading out of the ZAGE offices. They walked to a nearby park, taking in the cool night air, hand in hand. Ayumi clung onto him, swinging their hands gently as they strolled under the streetlights. They stopped at a dart prize challenge and there are stuffed bunny as a winning prize, where Ayumi insisted on winning the bunny, she's failing repeatedly until Zaboru casually stepped in and won a stuffed rabbit for her on the first try. She pouted, but her heart lted when he placed it in her hands with a smirk. They finished their night with a quiet al at a small restaurant before Ayumi's driver Junjou arrived to pick her up. As she waved goodbye, Zaboru hopped onto his trusty bicycle, the Silver Wrecker, and rode off into the night, feeling lighter than he had in a long ti.
One week passed after that, and soon, it was ti for ZAGE's highly anticipated April release.
Saturday 26 April 1992
Takayuki Kageyama, a young man in his twenties with a lean build, short black hair, and tired eyes, stood patiently in line outside Kenji Electronics, a small but well-loved store in his neighborhood. His job as a supermarket cashier was exhausting, but gaming had always been his escape. It was his only light in an otherwise dull and monotonous life. If it weren't for video gas, he might have lost himself completely. ZAGE's monthly releases had beco sothing he looked forward to, and today was no exception.
'I still can't believe ZAGE is offering a 20% discount for buying all six releases... I have to get them all!' He had barely managed to save enough money, but there was no way he was passing up this opportunity.
For Takayuki, gaming wasn't just a hobby—it was a necessity. And among all the gas, Zabo-man was his favorite. The weird, recurring character always had sothing encouraging to say, and no matter how small it seed, those words ant everything to Takayuki. "You are very cool!" Zabo-man's signature word, and for soone like Takayuki, who has almost never been on the receiving end of complints in real life, that simple phrase could make his entire day better.
After what felt like an eternity in line, the store doors finally opened, and one by one, custors were let inside. When it was his turn, he wasted no ti grabbing the six newest releases—gaman 2, Tetris, Koro-Cool, Base Wars, Aladdin, and Phantasy Star. His hands trembled slightly as he handed the cash over to the cashier. The mont he received his bag, he didn't even stop to chat with the store owner—he simply bolted outside, clutching his purchase like a priceless treasure. His heart pounded with excitent as he hopped onto his bicycle.
He pedaled faster than ever, weaving through the streets, eager to get ho. Every minute felt like an eternity. As soon as he arrived, he practically threw his bicycle aside, rushing up the stairs to his tiny apartnt. The mont he stepped inside, he shut the door, locked it, and dropped onto the floor, tearing open the plastic wrap of his first ga. He had already made his choice—Tetris.
He carefully inserted the cartridge into his ZEPS console, powered it on, and watched as the title screen flickered to life. The Tetris chiptune soundtrack filled his room, and a grin stretched across his face.
For the first ti in a long ti, Takayuki felt truly alive.
To be continued.
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