Saturday, September 6, 1992. After the big reveal of the ZGB on Monday, Zaboru and the ZAGE team had been laser-focused all week—finalizing September's ZEPS ga releases, training the dev team on how to build gas for the new handheld, and overseeing the production of ZGB's advertisent campaign. The ads had been shot between Wednesday and Friday, and everything was on track to premiere on national TV by Sunday, September 14.
But today was different. Zaboru was finally taking a break—a rare mont in his non-stop schedule. His mother had insisted he rest, and even his father Zanichi backed her up. Reluctantly, Zaboru agreed, deciding to treat the entire family to a beach holiday in Okinawa. He covered all the expenses and invited Ayumi to co along, much to the delight of his mother Keiko and younger sister Sanika.
Sanika had recently beco Ayumi's apprentice, a developnt that caught Zaboru pleasantly off-guard. It turned out that Sanika had secretly harbored dreams of becoming a ga developer for quite so ti. Her love for video gas ran deep—she wasn't just a player, but soone fascinated by how gas worked behind the scenes. She loved observing the way characters moved, how music synced with action, and how emotions could be conveyed through pixels and dialogue.
Yet, despite her curiosity and passion, Sanika had never brought it up with her brother. She admired him too much, and to her, Zaboru always seed wrapped in responsibilities and high-level decisions. Afraid to bother him or appear inexperienced, she kept her ambitions to herself. Instead, she approached Ayumi with quiet determination. Ayumi, warm and approachable, imdiately welcod the opportunity to guide her.
Ayumi began teaching Sanika the basics—introducing her to programming logic, ga design principles, and how storytelling fits into interactive dia. Sanika absorbed everything with remarkable speed. Even though she was only a sixth-grader, she already had a strong creative foundation. She drew detailed characters in her notebooks, composed little piano lodies inspired by video ga thes, and asked thoughtful questions about user interface and gaplay chanics. Within months, she was confidently working through beginner-level programming challenges and learning to sketch simple ga prototypes, although the programming language is still really hard for Sanika but she's improved overti.
Zaboru was both surprised and proud when he learned of her quiet progress.
When Zaboru found out, he sighed and gently patted her head. "Sani-chan, if you ever need help, just ask, okay? I'll always make ti for you."
That mont lted Sanika's hesitation. Now, both Ayumi and Zaboru were guiding her together.
At the airport, waiting to board their flight to Okinawa, Zaboru looked around at his family with a rare sense of peace. Ayumi and Sanika were laughing and chatting, while his mom sat beside him, beaming.
"So," Keiko teased, "when are you getting married, son? You're almost 19, right?"
Zanichi raised an eyebrow and let out a long sigh. "Sotis I forget you're just 18... unreal."
Zaboru chuckled. "Marriage can wait, Mom. No need to rush, right, Ayumi?"
Ayumi turned bright red, caught off guard by the sudden spotlight. Zaboru grinned, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction.
Sanika clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay! If Yumi-nee marries Nii-san, I'll get to spend even more ti with her!"
Ayumi could only blush harder, smiling shyly.
anwhile, Zaboru resisted the urge to pull out his ZGB. It wasn't released yet, and if Sanika caught even a glimpse of it, she might spill the beans to her friends—and that kind of rumor was the last thing Zaboru needed before the launch. Instead, he nudged Ayumi and Zanichi with a silent look, a subtle reminder to keep the handheld a secret for just a little longer.
As the plane arrived, the family gathered their things and boarded, chatting and laughing all the way. For once, Zaboru let himself enjoy the mont.
As they arrived in Okinawa, the Renkonan family and Ayumi checked into their beachfront hotel before heading straight to the shoreline. The sun was shining, the waves sparkled, and the salty breeze carried a rare sense of calm. Zaboru, dressed in modest swimwear, looked fit and lean—his body toned thanks to his Enlightennt ability, which subtly enhanced his physique over ti. Puberty had hit him hard and fast, making him not look very young anymore, more mature and composed. Even Zanichi couldn't help but notice how much his son had changed.
Ayumi, in her own modest swimwear, turned a few heads as well—not because she sought attention, but because of the quiet grace and confidence she carried. Her figure was balanced, athletic, and natural, and though she didn't speak much about appearances, even she blushed when she caught Zaboru giving her an approving glance.
Over the next two days, the family made the most of their rare ti together. They dined at local Okinawan restaurants, visited scenic spots, strolled barefoot on moonlit beaches, and went swimming together. One afternoon, they hosted a small barbecue near their hotel, with Zanichi manning the grill like a pro. Zaboru even brought out his guitar and sang a few songs for everyone, songs from his previous life and humorous originals that made Sanika laugh until she cried.
Keiko made sure to snap dozens of photos, and Sanika kept pulling Ayumi aside to show her seashells or talk about ga ideas inspired by the ocean. At night, the group sat on the balcony and talked under the stars, with the rhythmic sound of waves in the background. It was one of those rare monts where everything felt perfectly still—no deadlines, no pressure, just warmth.
Zaboru sighed quietly as he gazed out at his family, all of them enjoying the final peaceful monts of their holiday at the hotel. His mother was laughing with Ayumi over sothing small but joyful. Sanika was showing off another shell she had found, her eyes glowing with enthusiasm. Zanichi stood by the railing, arms crossed but smiling warmly.
Watching them, a soft wave of emotion washed over Zaboru. He leaned back in his chair, exhaled, and thought, "Maybe taking a break like this once in a while isn't such a bad thing. Seeing my family like this—smiling, carefree, truly happy—it makes feel sothing I rarely let myself enjoy. It's... a really nice feeling."
Then Zanichi approached him with a warm smile. "See? It's not so bad, right? You really should rest more often, son. You never know how long you'll be able to keep going at this pace."
Zaboru glanced at his father and gave a quiet nod. "Yeah, Dad... you're right."
Zanichi chuckled and shifted the topic. "By the way, I've been aning to tell you—I want to release my own ga under ZAGE starting this month. Is that okay with you?"
Zaboru raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Getting impatient, old man? Sure, I don't mind. Let take a look at what you've been cooking up. If you need feedback or ideas, just let know."
Zanichi's smile widened. "Oh, I've got it all planned out. It's a solid concept, and I've sorted the details. Be ready, CEO, it's coming your way. But for now, let's not talk business. Let's just enjoy this mont."
Zaboru nodded again, this ti with a lighter heart. "Yeah. Let's enjoy it while it lasts."
On Sunday evening, the group packed up and made their way back to Tokyo. Though the vacation was short, it had done its job. Everyone felt lighter, more connected—and even Zaboru, usually buried in projects, looked like he'd finally caught his breath.
To be continued...
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