Thursday 22 September 1997 Japan Tokyo.

Zaboru had just returned from the United States, where he had spent the past two weeks handling a wide range of important business matters related to ZAGE's operations there.

Previously, shortly after Zaboru had assigned Team Enigma their new task, he received a visit from Walt Disney himself. Walt was eager to share exciting news—production on the animated movie Hercules was officially 100% complete, and the film was set to premiere at the end of the month. He was beaming with pride, clearly satisfied with how the project had turned out, but even more curious about what Zaboru had planned next for the Disney team.

At that moment, the Disney animation department was already deep into development on two more projects: The Iron Giant and Beauty and the Beast. Both were moving steadily along, but Zaboru wasn't about to let things slow down. He had already handed them another project to begin work on for the following year—Aladdin. This wasn't the Aladdin game they had previously developed for the ZEPS 1 console. No, this was something different entirely. It was a full animated feature film, modeled more closely after the version that existed in Zaboru's original world. Still, he couldn't resist the idea of inserting a few fun references to the ZAGE game version, creating a kind of intertextual experience between movie and game.

This announcement delighted Walt Disney. The moment he heard about Aladdin, he wasted no time. He rushed back to his team and immediately greenlit pre-production, especially since Zaboru had already provided the overall story concept and early artwork. With Zaboru's vision and direction already mapped out, the team could move quickly into development without delay.

In addition to the new project, Zaboru advised Walt to begin transitioning Disney into the realm of proper 3D animation. Despite ZAGE owning a majority stake in Pixar, Zaboru believed strongly in the future of 3D movies. He foresaw an era where high-quality 3D animation would dominate the industry, especially with certain future intellectual properties he had in mind. Walt nodded, clearly intrigued by the suggestion. He recognized the need to evolve and was already considering how his team might begin learning the new skills required to master 3D filmmaking.

Zaboru had finally returned to Japan and was now sitting in the back seat of the car, gazing out the window as the familiar streets of Tokyo passed by. He felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and anticipation. After two long weeks of intense business meetings and project planning in the U.S., the thought of being home again filled him with joy. He missed his family dearly and had brought souvenirs for everyone, as he always did—mostly clothes, snacks, and local treats he knew they'd enjoy.

Not long after, the car pulled up in front of the Renkonan household. Zaboru stepped out, stretched briefly, and opened the front door with a familiar smile. "I'm home!" he called out.

Inside, his mother Keiko, who was sitting on the couch watching TV, turned to see him and beamed. "Ah! Zaboru! You're back!" she said, hurrying over to greet him with open arms. "Do you want something to eat?"

Zaboru grinned, his expression brightening. "Of course, Mom. But where's Zenshin?"

Keiko chuckled as she returned to the kitchen. "He's in the bedroom with Ayumi. He's getting cuter every day!"

Zaboru wasted no time. He kicked off his shoes and hurried toward the bedroom. As he gently opened the door, he found his wife Ayumi cradling their son Zenshin, who was sleeping peacefully in her arms. Ayumi looked up, surprised for a moment, then smiled warmly. "Welcome back, Zabo," she whispered.

She leaned her head toward Zenshin and gently said, "Zenshin, your father's home."

Zaboru's heart melted. He stepped closer, kissed Ayumi's forehead, then smiled down at his son. "Hello, Zenshin," he said softly, brushing his tiny hand with his fingers.

After playing quietly with his son for a few minutes, Ayumi nudged him gently. "Your mom's cooking something delicious. She made mushroom sauce beef steak—you should go eat while it's hot."

Zaboru's eyes lit up. "Oh, yeah! And Ayumi—I brought your favorite chocolate. Also, I found you a beautiful new coat. Please try it on later, okay?"

Ayumi giggled and nodded. "Thanks, Zabo. I'll try it on after dinner."

With that, Zaboru made his way to the dining table, where the delicious aroma of his mother's cooking filled the air. Along with the food, he unpacked a few gifts for his family, including something special for his little sister Sanika, who hadn't returned from school yet. As for his father, it seemed he was still at work, likely busy handling operations at the ZAGE Tower.

The evening had only just begun, but already Zaboru felt grounded again—surrounded by love, laughter, and the comfort of home.

Sanika returned to the Renkonan household not long after, now officially a first-year high school student. She had grown into a beautiful, confident teenager, with a bright smile and a sharp sense of fashion. Zaboru had been thinking about what to bring her from his overseas trip, and among the souvenirs he chose, one stood out—a classy, sweet-scented perfume he thought would suit her perfectly.

As soon as she stepped inside and spotted her brother, her eyes lit up. "Ah! Nii-san, you're back!"

Zaboru, still chewing a big bite of his mom's steak, gave her a playful nod and said with a mouthful, "Wlomm bhhak, Shani-cghan."

Sanika rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "At least chew first! Geez. But more importantly, where's my souvenir?"

She loved it when Zaboru traveled abroad. No matter how often he went, he always brought something back for her—and it never got old. With a grin, Zaboru pointed to a large brown bag sitting beside him.

Excited, Sanika practically dove at the bag. She unzipped it with enthusiasm and her eyes widened at the contents—clothes, a stylish new pair of glasses, a cozy jacket, and finally, nestled inside protective wrapping, a beautiful bottle of perfume. Just holding it, she could tell it wasn't something cheap. It looked elegant, luxurious, and expensive.

"Nii-san, seriously—how much did this perfume cost?" she asked, holding it up in disbelief.

Zaboru shrugged nonchalantly and swallowed the rest of his food. "It wasn't expensive at all. Hehehe. I just thought it'd fit your vibe. Oh, and hey—do you have a boyfriend yet? Because if you do, that perfume will be dangerously effective."

Sanika's cheeks turned red in an instant. She covered her face with one hand and shot him a glare. "Shut up! I don't have a boyfriend yet!"

She sighed, but deep down, she appreciated the teasing—and the thoughtful gift from her always-attentive older brother and she know that this perfume are insanely expesnvie!.

Then Ayumi came over, gently cradling Zenshin in her arms, and joined the conversation. Keiko giggled at the sight of the family together, and Ayumi looked at Sanika with a curious smile. "Sanika-chan, do you feel like the boys around you aren't really sincere?" she asked.

Sanika let out a long sigh. "Yeah, Ayu-nee, it's exactly like that. I think most of them just want to get close to me because I'm Zaboru Renkonan's little sister. It's so frustrating… they're all just annoying."

Keiko nodded sympathetically and sighed. "Well, it can't be helped, Sani-chan. Your brother is incredibly famous now."

Zaboru, who was sipping water, nearly choked when he heard that. He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "Umm… sorry about that."

Sanika said, "It's not your fault, Nii-san. It's just... boys are like that, and apparently there isn't anyone I'm really interested in yet."

Ayumi chuckled softly. Sanika then blushed and turned to look at her brother, her expression a mix of excitement and nervous energy. "Nii-san, I know this is sudden but…" She paused and took a deep breath. "After I graduate from high school, I want to work with you, Nii-san."

Zaboru raised an eyebrow in surprise, setting down his glass. "Umm… why?"

Sanika's hands fidgeted with the hem of her skirt as she gathered her thoughts. "I've really been thinking about it. I want to create games, Nii-san. I've started learning how to code since couple years ago, and while I'm not that good yet, I think I'm getting the hang of it. But my real strength is in drawing. I love sketching characters, environments, everything. And you know I play music too, right? Someday, I want to make my own game—a game with my own story, art, and even music. Can I… can I do that, Nii-san? Can I really try?"

Zaboru smiled warmly, his heart full of pride. "Of course, Sani-chan. I've been teaching you all this time, haven't I? And don't forget, Ayumi is also your teacher. She's a talented developer, too. So yes, it's more than fine."

Sanika's eyes lit up like stars, her lips curling into a big grin. "Yay! Thank you, Nii-san! But to be honest, I'm more drawn to creating the game's art style than programming the gameplay. Is that okay?"

Ayumi nodded and smiled reassuringly. "That's completely fine, Sanika-chan. Game development is a team effort. Most studios have lots of specialists—artists, coders, writers, composers. You don't have to do everything. There are jobs specifically for people who shape the art style and visual direction of a game. Not everyone is like your brother, who somehow does it all himself."

Sanika laughed and nodded. "That makes me feel better."

Zaboru chuckled too, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, that's not exactly true—I still rely on my team a lot to help me develop the game. No matter how much I know, it's always a group effort."

The room filled with laughter, and a sense of shared ambition hung in the air. For Sanika, this wasn't just a dream anymore—it was a path she was ready to walk, right beside the people she admired most.

The Renkonan family spent the rest of the day enjoying each other's company, sharing stories, laughter, and a comforting sense of togetherness. That evening, Zanichi—Zaboru's father—finally returned home from the ZAGE Tower, exhausted but glad to be reunited with his family. The house felt complete again.

Later that night, after a warm dinner and a quiet moment with Ayumi and Zenshin, Zaboru finally allowed himself to relax. He knew tomorrow would bring another important meeting as ZAGE prepared for the next year's ambitious plans, but for now, he simply rested—grateful to be home.

To be continue

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