Thursday 4 June 2000 in the night.
Zaboru had just finished working for the day. He had only arrived in Japan yesterday, yet today had already returned to his usual routine. Even so, tonight was a little different. He was on his way to the Zankoku studio, which was located near ZAGE's old offices. Because of that, Zaboru decided to take his trusty steed, "The Silver Wrecker," his silver bicycle that had never betrayed him. It was simple, reliable, and oddly comforting compared to the luxury cars he could easily use.
The night air was calm as he rode through the streets, the quiet rhythm of the wheels giving him a rare moment to think.
On the way, he sighed softly. 'I wonder what Jun wants this time…'
Zankoku and Zaboru went way back, all the way to the early days of ZAGE. Back then, Zaboru had been searching for a band to work with. He needed people who could help him bring songs to life, songs that didn't exist in this world yet, but were clear in his memory from his previous life. That was when he found Zankoku.
At the time, his plan was simple. He would become the lead vocalist, while the band would support him. It was an unusual setup, but it worked. Zaboru's knowledge of songs gave them a huge advantage, and Zankoku's talent turned those ideas into something real.
As he kept riding, Zaboru couldn't help but feel a slight sense of unease. Jun wouldn't call him all the way here without a reason. And from experience, important conversations rarely came with good news.
Back then, Zaboru met the Zankoku band in a modest studio. At that time, they were just college freshmen, still rough around the edges but full of passion. Jun was the bassist, Masashi handled the keyboard, Kingo was on drums, and Miki was the female vocalist who also played guitar. Zaboru found them during one of his searches for talent and asked them to work with him, offering payment of course. At first, it was just a simple collaboration, but over time, that relationship grew into something much bigger.
Since then, Zaboru and the Zankoku band had always been together whenever it came to music. They built their identity as a unit, eventually becoming known as Z&Z. It was more than just a name, it became a symbol of their combined presence, Zaboru as the lead voice and Zankoku as the backbone of the sound.
Z&Z eventually became world famous. Their songs didn't just top charts, they won multiple Grammys and gained recognition across the globe. Their music reached people far beyond what any of them had imagined back in that small studio. However, despite all that success, Zaboru never truly cared about fame or awards. For him, Z&Z was always just a side activity.
Because of his responsibilities with ZAGE, he limited their performances to ZAGE events, usually only once or twice a year. His main focus had always been his growing entertainment empire. Even so, Zaboru never neglected the members of Z&Z. In fact, most of the revenue generated from their songs was given to them.
For Zaboru, that money was nothing more than pocket change. But for the members of Zankoku, it was life changing. Their yearly earnings could easily reach millions of dollars, giving them stability, freedom, and recognition in the industry. It was Zaboru's way of supporting them, even if he himself never placed much value on the music side of his life.
Then, a couple of years ago, Jun approached Zaboru and told him they needed to perform more. Zankoku had a dream of becoming true superstars, not just releasing songs, but standing on stage regularly, performing in front of crowds again and again. Unfortunately, Zaboru couldn't agree to that. He was simply too busy. His responsibilities with ZAGE had grown far beyond what anyone could have imagined back then.
Still, Zaboru didn't want to hold them back. He told them it was fine if Zankoku wanted to perform without him. They were free to play his songs in their concerts, and he wouldn't mind at all. He genuinely meant it. But even with that freedom, the results were not what they had hoped for.
Zankoku without Zaboru was not Z&Z. Something was missing. While they were still technically popular, the audience could feel the difference. The energy, the identity, the presence that defined Z&Z just wasn't the same. Because of that, fewer people were interested in watching them perform compared to when Zaboru was with them.
That gap slowly became more obvious over time. Performances felt incomplete, and the momentum they once had began to fade. It wasn't a matter of talent, because they were still incredibly skilled. It was simply that Z&Z had always been more than just a band, it was a combination that couldn't easily be separated.
Even so, Jun and Miki remained ambitious. They weren't the type to give up on their dreams, even if the path forward became uncertain. Deep down, they still wanted more, more stage time, more recognition, and a chance to stand on their own.
Meanwhile at Zankoku Studio there are 4 people inside , the Blonde dyed hair man Jun hasegawa , the Afro with leather Jacket "Kingo Hashi" the calm long haired man "Masashi Nishikayama and the female wearing leather jacket and jeans "Miki Tachibana.
Kingo looked at Jun, his voice low. "Jun… and Miki… are you really sure about this?"
Jun nodded slowly. "Yeah, Kingo… we are."
Miki gave a small nod, eyes down. "I'm sorry it turned out like this…"
The room went quiet. Heavy. Like something important was about to break.
Kingo exhaled hard, then snapped. "You two are ungrateful, you know that? Do you even remember what Zaboru did for us? He changed our lives. Everything we have came from him. And now you're talking about chasing your own dreams like this means nothing?"
Jun's expression hardened. "You don't get it. I have a goal. I know my worth. And I'm worth more than performing at ZAGE events once or twice a year."
Miki stayed silent, taking a slow drag from her cigar. The glow lit her face for a second, then faded.
Kingo clenched his jaw. "So that's it? All of this… not enough for you?"
Masashi finally stepped in, calm as ever. "Jun… you know Zaboru is busy. He can't always perform with us. We're still releasing songs. We're not dead."
Jun shook his head. "It's not enough."
He took a step forward.
"I don't want 'sometimes.' I don't want 'once in a while.' I want a real career. I want stages, tours, crowds… not just waiting for ZAGE events."
The words settled in the room, heavier than before.
Masashi let out a slow breath, rubbing his temple. "Jun… do you even realize what you're saying? Without Zaboru, we wouldn't even have had a chance to perform like this in the first place. Hell, we wouldn't have even won Grammys. Do you understand that?"
Jun didn't answer immediately. His eyes stayed fixed forward.
Miki finally spoke, her voice calm but firm. "I understand that. I really do. But… I still think I can do more. I don't want to stay like this forever. I don't want to feel stagnant."
She took another slow drag from her cigar, then exhaled.
"I want more recognition. More presence. I want people to know me, not just as part of Z&Z… but as myself."
Jun nodded, clearly agreeing with her.
"Exactly. This isn't about being ungrateful. I respect everything Zaboru did for us… but I don't want to stop here. I don't want to peak like this and then just stay the same forever."
Masashi looked at them both, his expression tightening slightly. He understood their feelings… but it didn't make the situation any easier.
The room fell silent again, this time even heavier than before.
Not long after, Zaboru arrived carrying a large box of gyoza. "Hello everyone… huh?" His eyes slowly scanned the room, taking in each face one by one. "What's with this atmosphere?"
He placed the gyoza down on the table, but no one reacted. No one reached for it. No one even glanced at it. That alone told him everything he needed to know.
The silence wasn't just quiet. It was heavy. Suffocating.
Jun let out a long breath, like he had been holding it in for a long time. "Zaboru… before anything, we need to say this properly."
Zaboru didn't sit. He didn't move. He simply looked at Jun, calm and unreadable. "Alright. Go ahead."
Jun's hand tightened into a fist. "We're grateful. Everything we are right now… it's because of you."
Zaboru said nothing. He just listened.
The pause that followed stretched longer than it should have, making the air feel even heavier.
Then Jun forced the words out. "…I want to quit Z&Z."
Miki closed her eyes for a brief moment, steadying herself, then nodded. "Me too."
The words didn't echo. They sank , Zaboru remained still. For a moment, it felt like even time had stopped moving. Then his gaze slowly shifted toward Masashi and Kingo.
They both shook their heads without hesitation. They weren't leaving.
Zaboru looked back at Jun and Miki. His expression didn't change, but something in his eyes dimmed, just slightly. "…I see."
Only then did he move. He pulled a chair and sat down slowly, the faint scrape of wood against the floor cutting through the silence.
"So tell me… why?"
There was no anger in his voice. No disappointment.
That calmness made everything feel worse.
"Is it because we don't perform enough?"
Jun nodded. "That's part of it." He stepped forward, forcing himself not to look away. "But it's more than that. I have my own goal. I don't want to stay like this forever. I want to build my own name in the industry… not just as part of Z&Z."
His voice tightened, but he didn't stop. "I want to go solo."
Miki followed, her tone steady, but heavy. "Same for me. I've already been contacted by several producers. They see something in me… something I can't fully show while staying like this."
She met Zaboru's eyes directly. "I don't want to waste that chance."
The room fell silent again.
This time, no one even tried to break it.
Zaboru let out a quiet sigh. It was unfortunate. Jun and Miki were talented, no doubt about that. Spending so much time around him had also sharpened them further, his Aura of Influence naturally pushing their growth, refining their instincts, their timing, even their presence on stage. That was one of the reasons Zankoku had become as strong as it was. But even knowing that, there was still a bitter edge to the situation. Without him, Zankoku would never reach the same height they had as Z&Z. That wasn't arrogance. It was simply reality.
Still, Zaboru didn't show any of that.
He only smiled, calm as ever, then casually picked up a piece of gyoza and took a bite. "Well… that's unfortunate," he said lightly. "But there's nothing I can do about it. This is your dream, right?"
He looked at both of them, his expression steady.
"I hope the two of you can reach it."
There was no sarcasm. No hidden anger.
That made it heavier.
Jun and Miki exchanged a brief glance before nodding in quiet agreement. "Thank you, Zaboru," Jun said, his voice softer than before, lacking the confidence he had shown earlier. Miki followed with a small, respectful bow. "We'll take our leave now." Neither of them lingered. There was nothing more to say, and they both understood it.
They turned and walked toward the door, their footsteps unusually loud in the silent room. When the door finally closed behind them, the sound echoed softly, yet it felt heavier than it should have.
And just like that… they were gone.
Now, only Masashi, Kingo, and Zaboru remained.
Zaboru gave a small smile. "You two aren't leaving as well?"
Kingo let out a loud groan, almost offended. "Boss, how could I leave? I'm not some ungrateful bastard. I know exactly where I'd be if it wasn't for you… nowhere. So yeah, I'm staying. As your drummer, whenever you want to sing, I'll be there. That's not changing."
He crossed his arms, but there was no hesitation in his voice, only certainty.
Masashi gave a softer smile and nodded. "Yeah… I don't really have a big dream like them. Honestly, being here like this already feels like a dream to me. And… I've got kids now. They're actually huge fans of yours." He let out a quiet laugh. "So I'll stay too, boss. Same as always."
Kingo chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "Besides… what am I supposed to do if I don't ride your charm, boss? Let's be real, life's better this way."
Zaboru chuckled lightly, trying to ease the tension. "Well, look at that… I bet you two are already thinking about bonuses, right?" Masashi gave a small shrug with a faint smile. "Is it that obvious?" Kingo burst into a short laugh, but it didn't fully hide the lingering weight in the room. "Hahaha… maybe, boss. But seriously… now that Zankoku is down two members—Jun as the secondary male singer and Miki as the main female singer—what are we supposed to do next?"
Zaboru leaned back in his chair, calm as ever, taking a moment before answering. "Relax… we don't need to rush this. We'll look for replacements slowly and do it properly. No point forcing it." He picked up another gyoza, as if the situation wasn't urgent at all. "For now, we eat. Then later, once the new band is properly formed, we'll start working on an album." He let out a small chuckle, but his eyes stayed thoughtful. "By the way… we can't really call ourselves Z&Z anymore, can we? If Zankoku is officially disbanded, then that name doesn't fit anymore." Kingo nodded slowly, understanding that this wasn't just a small change—it was the end of something and the beginning of something else.
Masashi took a bite of gyoza, chewing for a moment before speaking. "Well, boss… we probably need a new name now." Zaboru leaned back slightly, thinking, then suddenly grinned as if something clicked. "Alright, I've got a great idea. What if we go with 'ZMS'? Zaboru Music Supreme. Sounds insane, right?" He looked at them with clear confidence.
Masashi and Kingo stared at him in complete silence, their expressions flat and unimpressed. The contrast was immediate. Zaboru's grin slowly faded, and he let out a groan. "Okay… yeah, that might not be it." He rubbed his chin, thinking again, this time more seriously. "Hmm… what about 'Zaraki'? That actually sounds kind of cool, right?" He leaned forward slightly, his tone more grounded now. "This time, it's not Z&Z anymore. It's not Zaboru and Zankoku like before. This is something new, something that includes me as the vocalist directly within the identity, not as a separate piece."
He paused briefly, then continued, more thoughtful. "And 'Zaraki' can mean a 'new tree.' A fresh start, new roots, something growing again from the ground up. That fits what we're doing right now." A small smile returned to his face. "And… well, it's also the name of a really cool captain from Bleach. Zaraki Kenpachi. Hehehe."
Masashi and Kingo exchanged a look, then both broke into small grins. "Not bad, boss. That actually sounds good," Masashi said, nodding with a bit more confidence. Kingo followed with a short laugh. "Yeah… Zaraki, huh. Alright, I can get behind that. So for now… we're Zaraki." The mood in the room shifted, not lighter, but steadier, like something had finally settled.
Kingo stood up and moved toward the corner, coming back with a bottle of sake and a can of cola. "Alright, this calls for something," he muttered, pouring sake into small cups while sliding the cola toward Zaboru. "Boss doesn't drink, so this is the best we've got."
They gathered around the table. No speeches, no grand words. Just a quiet understanding of what had just ended and what was beginning.
Zaboru picked up his drink, his expression calm but firm. Masashi and Kingo raised theirs as well.
A brief pause.
Then they clinked.
"To Zaraki."
The sound was soft, but it carried weight.
It marked the birth of something new… and at the same time, the quiet end of Zankoku and Z&Z.
To be continue
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