Friday, 12 October — Night
Lately, Zaboru was rarely at home, and now he was preparing to leave for Europe — part holiday, part business scouting for potential partners. He planned to invite his mother, sister, and girlfriend to join him for a full week in Europe, hoping the trip would offer both relaxation and inspiration. He felt a mix of excitement and responsibility, eager to make the most of both family time and business opportunities abroad.
At home, Sanika and Ayumi were giggling together — Sanika proudly telling Ayumi how good she was at games in her class, while Ayumi gasped in surprise, clapping her hands and laughing, always saying, "Amazing, Sani-chan!" The room was filled with lighthearted chatter, their laughter echoing softly through the house.
Meanwhile, Zaboru's mother, Keiko, was speaking with her husband, Zanichi, as Zaboru sat with them. Keiko sighed softly. "Are you sure you don't want to join us, honey?" Zanichi chuckled, gently patting her head with a fond smile. "Go ahead, it's fine. Have fun with Zaboru and Sanika, honey. I need to take care of the ZAGE offices."
Zaboru sighed. "Dad, you know it's perfectly fine to take four or five days off, right? Come on — there are plenty of people at ZAGE who can handle things while you're gone. You always cover for them when they take leave, don't you? Besides, ZAGE Tokyo isn't even that busy right now."
Keiko's eyes lit up as she nodded. "Well, you hear him — he's your boss, right?" she said, giggling mischievously. Zanichi sighed with a small smile. "Fine, I'll join you in Europe, but I'll be back on Wednesday, okay? So, Thursday we all come back to Japan. Deal?" Keiko smiled brightly and nodded. "Deal!"
Zaboru smiled, happy to be taking his whole family on tour through Europe. Of course, all the costs were covered by him.
The Renkonan family, along with Ayumi, headed to the airport and boarded a flight to London, England — a long journey of around 15–17 hours. Naturally, Zaboru booked VIP business-class seats to ensure his family's comfort, complete with reclining seats, gourmet meals, and cozy lounge. At the airport, they browsed luxury shops, with Sanika excitedly eyeing plush toys and Keiko picking out souvenirs. On the plane, they chatted, played card games, and watched Television together. Zaboru enjoyed these small family moments — or pretended to nap while quietly activating his Emulator Mind abilities, using the quiet hours to plan future projects, brainstorm game mechanics, and even review internal ZAGE reports he had memorized beforehand. He occasionally peeked over at Ayumi, who was reading a detective novel smiling softly as she absentmindedly leaned her head on his shoulder. Despite the long flight, it became a warm, memorable part of their journey, filled with laughter, drowsy conversations, and the quiet hum of the plane carrying them across continents.
Saturday evening, they arrived at London airport, where Risa Miller was already waiting for them, waving enthusiastically from the arrivals gate. She came with a big van, chatting warmly as she helped with their luggage, and drove the Renkonan family through the glowing evening streets to the house that Zaboru had purchased in London. The house was a charming two-story building with five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and elegant toilets — overall, a cozy and very expensive property nestled in a quiet, upscale neighborhood. The garden was well-maintained, and inside, the warm lighting, classic furniture, and soft rugs immediately made it feel like a home away from home.
For now, Risa Miller left the family to settle in, saying she'd join up with Zaboru tomorrow. The family rested, but that night, Sanika couldn't wait to stroll around the city. With a sigh, her mom and dad, Keiko and Zanichi, joined her for a walk, the three laughing as they admired shop windows, took photos, and enjoyed the cool night breeze. Meanwhile, Zaboru and Ayumi followed but walked more slowly, savoring the quiet moments. Holding Ayumi's hand, Zaboru smiled as she giggled. "Finally, we made it to Europe, huh?" Zaboru nodded. "Yeah — I kept my promise, didn't I?" Ayumi chuckled and nodded, resting her head briefly on his shoulder. They strolled together through the streets, pausing at a small bakery to admire the pastries on display, wandering past glowing street lamps, and even stopping on a bridge to watch the Thames shimmer under the moonlight. After nearly an hour, they returned to the house, their hearts light and their minds full of memories already being made.
Over the next four days, the Renkonan family had a great time in England, visiting many tourist attractions and dining at various restaurants — although Zaboru quietly thought the food wasn't all that great. They toured famous sites like Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey, snapping photos and marveling at the history. Sanika adored the double-decker bus rides, while Keiko enjoyed strolling through Hyde Park and browsing antique shops. Zanichi, surprisingly, found himself fascinated by the British Museum, while Ayumi dragged Zaboru into small local bookstores, laughing when he pretended to grumble but secretly loved it. They also took a boat ride on the Thames, watched street performers at Covent Garden, and tried afternoon tea, where Sanika mischievously overindulged in sweets. Still, his family and girlfriend were having fun, which made it all worth it, and Zaboru found himself smiling more often than he expected, realizing these moments were just as valuable as any business deal.
On Wednesday evening, they prepared to return to Japan, while Zaboru stayed behind for several more days to handle business matters. He accompanied his family to the airport to say goodbye, helping with their luggage and sharing heartfelt hugs at the departure gate. Sanika clung to his arm for a moment, pouting, "Promise you'll bring me something cool from Italy!" Keiko gently reminded him to rest when he could, and Zanichi gave him a firm handshake, murmuring, "Take care, son." Ayumi lingered the longest, squeezing his hand softly and whispering, "I'll miss you." Zaboru watched as they disappeared into the boarding area, feeling a quiet ache in his chest.
Thursday, 18 October 1994 — Morning, Flocks Offices in London
Now meeting with Risa Miller, Zaboru smiled as she chuckled. "Having fun, boss?"
Zaboru nodded. "Yeah, it was a satisfying experience… though it's a shame we had limited time." He sighed, and Risa chuckled.
"Well, it is what it is. Did you already try reaching the FIFA president about the video game license?" Zaboru had instructed her to start building a new team dedicated to acquiring sports game licenses, though the team was still in early stages — similar to how he had instructed Ryan and James to create a dedicated team for NBA licensing in Emerald Wings. He leaned back slightly, his fingers tapping the armrest as he thought about the long-term strategy, reflecting on how securing these licenses wasn't just about immediate success but about carving out ZAGE's place in the global sports gaming scene in future.
Risa answered, "Well, FIFA's still stubborn, but we've started negotiating with major football leagues like the Italian, English, Spanish, and German leagues. Our agents are already in talks." Zaboru's eyes widened in surprise. "That fast?" Risa grinned confidently. "Don't underestimate my connections, boss. We're moving quickly, and I've already lined up a few promising conversations next week. Anyway, don't stress over it — once we get the green light, we'll call you immediately. And if any of the big parties want to meet with you directly, I'll set the meetings without hesitation. Is that fine?" Zaboru nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Yeah, that's fine. Good work, Risa."
He was planning this for the long run — not to create 16 big licensed football games now, but to have the foundation ready for ZAGE's next-gen consoles. That's why he wanted to take it slowly but steadily. "Well, I'll let you handle this, Risa — truly, I'm impressed." Risa just shrugged with a grin, "I'm that awesome."
Zaboru chuckled and added, "By the way, could you also look into specific football clubs that ZAGE might want to sponsor?" Risa raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? Which club?" Zaboru grinned. "Well… Inter Milan." Risa leaned back, tapping her pen thoughtfully. "Inter Milan? In Italy? Well, that's not too hard. We'll allocate some manpower to research it, check the sponsorship landscape, and evaluate potential partnerships or brand synergy." Zaboru nodded, pleased. "Thanks, Risa. Anyway, I want to watch an Inter Milan game — it's tomorrow, so I'm heading to Italy." Risa chuckled, shaking her head with a smile. "So, you're an Inter fan, huh? Well, good luck — I'm really busy here holding down the fort." Zaboru laughed lightly, gathering his things. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll bring back some souvenirs." With a wave and a grin, he set out for Italy, excited to watch Inter Milan live and already thinking about the energy of the stadium and the possibilities that lay ahead.
Watching Inter Milan play, Zaboru was truly delighted — finally achieving one of his dreams from his previous life: to watch an Inter Milan match live. As he sat among the roaring fans, waving scarves and chanting in unison, he felt a surge of excitement and adrenaline. The atmosphere was electric, the players' movements sharp and precise, and every goal sent a rush of adrenaline through the stands. He found himself cheering, clapping, and even tearing up slightly, savoring every second of the experience.
Afterward, he spent two days exploring Milan and the local arcades. To his delight, there were plenty of arcades, and ZAGE arcades were thriving there as well. He wandered through the bustling streets, sampling local dishes, visiting small museums, and even chatting with local gamers who recognized the ZAGE brand and excitedly shared their feedback. Then he headed back to London, where he happily handed over souvenirs from Italy to Risa — a sleek Inter Milan scarf and a box of artisan chocolates. They laughed as Risa playfully teased him about his football obsession. After wrapping up his European adventure, making sure all business points were noted and future opportunities bookmarked, he bid farewell and went straight to America to oversee the development of Fallout, and assign the USA branch their next tasks.
To be continued.
AN : I'm never visit europe lol so all of this chapter is just based on my imagination and help of AI hahaha
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