Thursday 15 April 1996.
Today is Ayumi's birthday, but for Zaboru, it ans sothing much more. This isn't just a celebration—it's a turning point. Today, Zaboru plans to propose to Ayumi by giving her a ring, marking the next chapter in both their lives.
Zaboru sighed. In both of his lives, this would be the first ti he ever proposed to soone. "I hope I'm not screwing this up," he muttered, chuckling nervously to himself. He had already steeled his nerves—Ayumi would be celebrating her birthday tonight in front of the entire Hamazou family. That was by his request. He had asked Akechi, Ayumi's brother, to organize it that way so the proposal could be witnessed by everyone important to her.
This was also Zaboru's way of showing Ayumi that he didn't care about her family's background. Even if they were Yakuza, it didn't matter to him. He loved her for who she was, not where she ca from.
Since the birthday celebration was set for the evening, Zaboru had the entire day to ntally prepare. He cleared his schedule, took the day off from ZAGE, and spent the morning walking, ditating, and pacing around his apartnt. His mind was a storm of excitent, fear, and determination. He went over his words again and again, rehearsing the mont in his head, hoping everything would go exactly as planned.
anwhile, on Ayumi's side, she was surprised when her brother Akechi asked her to hold her birthday celebration at the Hamazou clan headquarters. It wasn't unheard of, but still unusual—especially since her brother usually didn't bother with planning these things. It made her suspicious.
"Well, Zabo might be planning sothing," she thought with a chuckle. She had a feeling he was up to sothing.
Every year, without fail, Zaboru gave her sothing aningful for her birthday—whether it was a song he wrote and perford himself or a handcrafted doll made with delicate care. He never forgot. He never disappointed. And deep down, she had already prepared her heart to be surprised again.
She couldn't help but love him for that.
"Hehehe, I wonder what Zabo got for this year?" Ayumi giggled to herself, a small smile playing on her lips. She couldn't help but feel curious and excited. With that thought, she chuckled and decided to start getting ready for the birthday party. It wasn't just any celebration—it felt special, and her instincts told her Zaboru had sothing up his sleeve.
She also made up her mind to take the day off from work. Today wasn't just about cake and gifts; it was about being fully present, surrounded by the people she loved. As the sun dipped lower and anticipation built, she began preparing at ho, carefully choosing what to wear, her heart fluttering with every passing hour.
Later that night, at the Hamazou family household, everything would change.
The Hamazou family had all gathered together for the occasion. Seated near the front was Azai Hamazou, Ayumi's grandfather, beside Minami Hamazou, her graceful and sharp-eyed grandmother. Ayumi's father, Akira Hamazou, stood tall and composed, while her mother, Kyouko, tended to the final details with quiet care. Her uncle, also nad Azai Hamazou, kept close by, occasionally cracking jokes to ease the tension.
Asumi, Ayumi's older sister, was there too—radiant and a little competitive as always—and Akechi, her calm and mysterious brother, remained watchful yet relaxed. Around them were the higher-ranking mbers of the Hamazou clan, dressed formally, each aware of how important tonight would be. It was more than just a birthday celebration—it was a family gathering filled with quiet anticipation.
All of them were attending Ayumi's birthday, and while she was pleasantly surprised by the full turnout of her family, she didn't read too much into it—at first. That changed when one of the staff suddenly shouted, "Zaboru-sama has arrived!"
Ayumi's eyes lit up instantly. Without thinking, she rushed toward the gate, heart racing with anticipation. But nothing could have prepared her for what she saw.
Standing there was Zaboru—dressed in a crisp white shirt and a matching white suit, layered under a striking blue coat adorned with intricate golden floral engravings. The ensemble shimred under the evening lights, regal and sharp. He looked like a prince stepped out of a fairytale. His entire presence was magnetic, elegant yet powerful. The style was eerily similar to Lee Chaolan's iconic look from Tekken 7 in Zaboru's previous world, and seeing it brought to life so flawlessly took her breath away.
He wasn't just handso—he was stunning. And for a mont, Ayumi could barely breathe.
Ayumi's face turned beet red as she stamred, "Z..Zabo?" She had always known Zaboru was handso—his charm was undeniable, even when he barely put effort into his appearance. But now? Seeing him dressed so sharply, so deliberately elegant—it was almost too much. Her heart pounded in her chest. He looked like sothing out of a dream, and for a mont, she felt like she might actually lt from the sight alone.
Zaboru smiled and gently took Ayumi's hands. "Happy birthday, Ayumi. Hehehe."
He leaned in and whispered, "The birthday present will follow later, okay?"
Ayumi's face turned bright red. "Y...You're so handso, Zabo..."
Zaboru grinned playfully. "Am I?"
They both burst into laughter, sharing a mont so warm and genuine that it made everyone watching them smile. The connection between them was undeniable—pure and joyful.
anwhile, the Hamazou family looked on at Ayumi, all of them smiling. Azai, her grandfather, burst into hearty laughter. "HAHAHA! They really do suit each other!"
Kyouko, Ayumi's mother, nodded gently. "I just want Ayumi to be happy, right dear?"
Akira, her father, grinned and nodded. "Zaboru is worthy of my precious daughter. I approve."
Asumi, however, clenched her fists in frustration. "Damn it, Ayumi! How did she find a guy like Zaboru!? None of my boyfriends can even compare! Damn!"
Akechi glanced at her and calmly replied, "Zaboru is a remarkable man. He's dependable, incredibly talented, and—if I'm being honest—he's also my favorite ga developer obviously he can't be compared to those trash you called boyfriends Asumi"
As he said that, a small smile ford on his usually stoic face. The entire room froze. Akechi Hamazou—the cold, unreadable Rashomon of the clan—actually smiled. And not only that, he admitted to being a fan.
Abarai, one of the senior mbers, blinked in surprise and shook his head. "This Zaboru guy must be sothing else, huh, Akechi?"
Akechi chuckled softly and nodded. "He's saved our family more than once, Uncle."
Akira and Abarai both nodded in agreent, their respect for Zaboru now deeply rooted and undeniable.
Zaboru truly had saved the Hamazou family on multiple occasions. First and foremost, he made Ayumi genuinely happy. Then, he helped Akira Hamazou, Ayumi's father, beco more open-minded and less prone to violence—especially after forgiving him when Akira had nearly killed him in a mont of rage, which left Ayumi furious. That act of grace shifted sothing in Akira.
Later, Zaboru provided jobs and opportunities for Aoshidan, a security company under the Hamazou banner that was trying to leave behind its Yakuza roots and enter the world of legitimate business. And that's not all—Akaishidan, the video ga company run by Akechi, also relied heavily on ZAGE's support and partnership.
Not to ntion, Zaboru generously allowed Akechi to hold 30% of shares in AKAI, even though Akechi hadn't contributed much to its developnt. Thanks to Zaboru's guidance and support—especially in launching their first phone, the AKAI-Z1—the brand had skyrocketed in popularity. At this point, more and more people were beginning to prefer AKAI phones over even Nokia.
For all this and more, Akechi felt deeply grateful to Zaboru—both as a businessman and as a person.
The birthday party kicked off with laughter and warmth as everyone enjoyed themselves. True to form, Zaboru ate like a madman, enthusiastically piling his plate with food. Ayumi, laughing the whole ti, kept feeding him bites in between, teasing him about his endless appetite. The playful energy between them lit up the room, making the celebration feel even more lively and heartfelt.
As the party began to wind down, the room suddenly fell silent. Ayumi blinked in confusion. "Hmm? Why is everyone so quiet?"
Zaboru stepped forward, smiling warmly as he approached her. "It's ti for your birthday present, Ayumi."
Her eyes widened, curiosity sparkling in them. Everyone watched with bated breath.
Zaboru reached into his coat pocket, then slowly dropped to one knee. In his hand was a small velvet box. He opened it to reveal a brilliant diamond ring that caught the light in a dazzling shimr.
"Ayumi," he said, his voice steady but full of emotion, "would you marry ?"
Ayumi's heart nearly stopped. She stood frozen, eyes wide in disbelief, as if ti itself had paused. Her breath hitched, and before she could speak, tears of joy welled up and spilled down her cheeks. She brought her trembling hands to her mouth and gasped, overwheld by the mont.
"Took you looong enough, Zabo..." she finally whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. Then, louder and clearer, "Yes. Yes, I will. I want to marry you."
The room erupted into applause and cheers. Everyone clapped, so wiping their own tears as they watched the heartfelt scene unfold.
Ayumi reached forward with shaking fingers and picked up the ring, slipping it onto her finger with care. It fit perfectly, almost like it had been waiting for her all along.
Without hesitation, she threw her arms around Zaboru, hugging him as tightly as she could, burying her face in his chest. He held her just as firmly, and for a long mont, the two of them simply stayed there—locked in each other's embrace, surrounded by warmth, love, and a sea of smiling faces.
"Heheh, this is the best birthday ever!" Ayumi bead, her voice full of joy. Zaboru chuckled warmly. "Well, Ayumi, I've got one more surprise for you—a song."
He picked up the guitar resting nearby and sat down with practiced ease. With a gentle breath, he began to play. The notes flowed from his fingers effortlessly as he began performing "Arigatou" by Ikimono Gakari—a song from his past life, now a gift in this one. The lody was soft, heartfelt, and full of aning. Every chord carried the weight of love, gratitude, and a shared journey, and Ayumi listened, her heart swelling with every note.
"I want to say "Thank you" while I'm looking at you
Your right hand in mine feels softer than anything,
yes, hear my voice
With a wry smile you open the window to a bright morning
As the future floats down it begins, we'll head out into the city as usual
Our fleeting days together co at unexpected tis
And all the leftover light we've carefully collected is shining now
Before I knew it, "Your dream" had turned into "Our dream"
Even today will be a cherished mory soday
The blue sky, the teary sky, they're both clear
I want to say "Thank you" while I'm looking at you
My right hand in yours awkwardly displays my honest emotions
Forever, I just want to smile with you forever
Now I'll walk this path I believed in and see if I was right"
Zaboru continued playing the song all the way to the final note, each chord ringing with emotion and sincerity. As the last tone faded into silence, he looked up at Ayumi with a soft, heartfelt expression.
"Thank you, Ayumi... for being in my life," he said quietly.
Ayumi's eyes shimred with tears of joy. She couldn't hold them back anymore. Overwheld with happiness, she smiled through her tears and rushed toward him. Without a word, she wrapped her arms tightly around Zaboru, hugging him like she never wanted to let go.
The room, once filled with music, now brimd with emotion as the audience looked on in silence, moved by the intimacy of the mont.
The Hamazou family watched the scene with warm, proud eyes—everyone except Asumi, who stood off to the side, arms crossed, clearly annoyed. "Sigh... if only I could et soone like Zaboru," she muttered under her breath.
Her mother, Kyouko, let out a soft sigh of her own. "Maybe if you stopped playing around and actually looked for soone seriously, you might, Asumi."
Asumi pouted, but said nothing.
And with that, the birthday party ca to a close. The evening ended with laughter, love, and one unforgettable proposal. Zaboru and Ayumi were now officially engaged—and everyone there knew it was only the beginning of sothing beautiful.
To be continue
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