Chapter 20: Accepting Toki’s Offer and Satonaka’s Curiosity

Zaboru woke up to the morning sun filtering through his curtains. After a refreshing shower and a quick breakfast, he set off for school. The day passed uneventfully, but Zaboru's thoughts were elsewhere, fixated on the deal he planned to finalize that evening.

Once school ended, Zaboru headed home with Ayumi Hamazou, his enthusiastic assistant. Together, they resumed work on the five ZAS machines Zaboru had promised to deliver soon. Ayumi, despite her background as a Yakuza princess, had shown remarkable dedication and aptitude. She asked sharp questions and handled components with growing confidence. Zaboru couldn't help but admire her progress.

By the time the fifth machine was half complete, night had fallen. Satisfied with their work, Zaboru decided it was time to head to Bakudan Arcade to finalize his deal with Toki. He climbed onto his bicycle, the cool night air refreshing against his skin as he rode through the quiet streets.

Upon arriving at the arcade, Zaboru was greeted by the usual buzz of customers crowding around the ZAS machines. Toki spotted him and waved him over, his face lighting up with anticipation.

"Toki-san," Zaboru began, standing by the counter, "after discussing it with my dad, I've decided to accept your offer. I'll sell you all five machines for 200,000 yen each. I'll also handle their maintenance twice a week to make sure they stay in top condition. Is that okay with you?"

Toki's grin widened, his relief palpable. "Good, good, Zaboru! I'm really glad you've decided to go through with this. The ZAS machines are doing incredibly well. I'll head to the bank first thing tomorrow to get the cash and prepare the paperwork. Does that work for you?"

Zaboru nodded, a small smile on his face. "That's perfect, Toki-san. You can also keep today's earnings as a gesture of goodwill—consider it an early gift."

Toki immediately shook his head. "No way, kid. Until the deal is officially done, these machines are still yours. You earned this." He handed Zaboru his 75% share of the day's earnings—12,000 yen.

Zaboru accepted the money with a grateful nod. "Thanks, Toki-san. I'll see you tomorrow."

Riding home, Zaboru felt a mix of pride and excitement. Back in his room, he relaxed by strumming a few chords on his guitar before finally calling it a night.

---

The next day unfolded as usual for Zaboru—school in the morning and work with Ayumi in the afternoon. However, over at Dream Catcher Arcade, its owner, Satonaka, was grappling with an entirely different situation.

For days, customers had been asking him about a mysterious new arcade machine called ZAS. The buzz surrounding it was undeniable, with many praising its games and innovative design. Frustrated and curious, Satonaka decided to get to the bottom of this.

The day before, he had visited several arcade suppliers, hoping to find out more about ZAS, but none of them even knew the machine existed. Now, determined to uncover the truth, he approached a young customer playing in his arcade.

"Hey, kid. Do you know what this 'ZAS' machine is?" Satonaka asked, feigning casual curiosity.

The boy's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yeah! It's this awesome new arcade game at Bakudan Arcade! Too bad it's always packed. I was hoping you'd have one here, but I guess not."

Satonaka's jaw tightened. Bakudan? Toki's arcade? What is that guy hiding from me? Without wasting any time, he stormed into his office and barked orders at his part-time employee.

"Sawazuki, keep an eye on the arcade. I've got something urgent to take care of."

"Got it, boss," Sawazuki replied, though his confusion was evident.

Satonaka grabbed his keys and drove straight to Bakudan Arcade. It was a short 25-minute ride, but his impatience made it feel longer.

When he arrived, the scene before him left him stunned. Five sleek black-and-yellow machines were surrounded by eager players, both kids and adults, with a line stretching across the room. The energy in the arcade was palpable.

"What the hell is this?" Satonaka muttered, scowling as he pushed his way closer.

At that moment, Toki, who had just returned from the bank, spotted him and smirked. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the owner of Dream Catcher. What brings you to my humble little arcade?"

Satonaka narrowed his eyes. "Don't play dumb with me, Toki. What are those machines, and where did you get them?"

Toki adjusted his glasses, his grin widening. "Oh, these? Let's just say they're a special product from a special someone. Not something you'll find in any ordinary supplier's catalog."

Satonaka clenched his fists. Damn him and his smug face.

"Screw you, four-eyes," Satonaka snapped. "I want to try one of these machines. Let me cut the line—I don't have time to waste."

Toki's smirk turned devious. "What kind of message would that send to my customers? You'll just have to queue like everyone else. And while you're at it, why not grab a snack or drink? Help support my business, you know."

Grinding his teeth, Satonaka reluctantly joined the line. For 20 minutes, he waited, seething with impatience but observing the machines intently. The players were engrossed, and he noticed something unusual: each machine housed four games.

When it was finally his turn, Satonaka stepped up to the machine, inserted a 10-yen coin, and selected Pac-Man. The graphics were crisp, the controls smooth, and the gameplay addictive. He couldn't stop, moving from Pac-Man to the other games, dying frequently but determined to master them. In just 20 minutes, he had spent 300 yen—an alarming amount for someone as thrifty as Satonaka.

"Hey, old man!" a kid behind him complained. "You've been playing for way too long! The rule is 15 minutes per person. Let someone else have a turn!"

Reluctantly, Satonaka stepped away, though his mind raced. These machines are incredible. But where the hell did Toki get them?

Without a word, Satonaka left the arcade and headed back to Dream Catcher. He needed to figure out a plan, and fast. If he couldn't find a way to rival ZAS, his arcade might not survive the competition.

Meanwhile, Zaboru, oblivious to the growing storm, was busy finalizing the last details on the new ZAS machines for Satonaka's arcade, completely unaware of how much chaos his creation was causing.

---

To be continued.