Sunday, February 9, 1992
It was an unusual sight—ZAGE's office, normally a place of focus and productivity, was buzzing with energy and laughter on a Sunday. Zaboru, Ayumi, and a good portion of the core employees, including Shinsuke, Sayuri, Yugo, Yuna, and Kudou, had all gathered in the office, not to work, but to simply hang out. The casual, almost familial atmosphere that had developed within ZAGE made such impromptu gatherings feel completely natural.
Zaboru, who was sitting at his desk sketching ideas for new game concepts, looked up to see Shinsuke grinning at him. "Boss, since we're all technically here at work, does that mean we get paid for spending our weekend in the office?" he asked with a smirk.
Zaboru snorted and shot back, "Hah! You wish."
The room erupted into laughter. It was a rare chance for them all to unwind together, away from deadlines and project crunches. Just as the laughter was dying down, Yugo suddenly blurted out, "Boss-sama! Your drawings are amazing! Why don't we open a ZAGE animation department and start making cartoons for our game characters?"
Silence followed. Everyone turned to stare at Yugo, blinking as if they couldn't believe the words had come out of his mouth.
"...W-what?" Yugo stammered, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
Yuna, his twin sister, narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Yugo... did you eat something bad? Why are you actually making sense for once?"
Yugo pouted, looking offended. "HEY! I'm actually smart, you know!"
Another round of laughter filled the room.
Shinsuke rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You know... that's actually not a bad idea. A entertainment company expanding into animation isn't unheard of. What do you think, Boss? With that insanely creative brain of yours, I'm sure you could produce some incredible animation projects. Not to mention, it could boost our game sales by introducing our characters to an even wider audience."
Zaboru leaned back in his chair, considering it. "It's definitely an interesting idea, and it could be a great way to strengthen ZAGE's brand. But... we don't have the manpower for an animation studio right now."
Kudou, ever the Lawyer, is the one who spoke up. "That's not really a problem. Instead of building one from scratch, why don't we just acquire an existing animation studio? There are plenty of mid-sized studios that might be open to being bought out, especially if they're struggling financially. It would take a significant investment, but it could pay off in the long run."
Zaboru nodded slowly, his mind already working through the logistics. "That's... actually a great idea. I'll start looking into potential studios. If we can find one that aligns with our vision, we could absorb their talent and start producing animated content for ZAGE."
Shinsuke grinned. "Leave that to me, Boss. I'll start scouting studios tomorrow. I'll find us the best one out there."
Zaboru smirked. "Sounds like a plan. If this works out, ZAGE won't just be a game company anymore—we'll be expanding into animation as well."
Shinsuke chuckled. "At this rate, we might as well start calling it 'Zaboru Animation and Gaming Enterprise' instead of just ZAGE Zaboru Actual Game Enterprise!."
Zaboru's face turned red. "Damn you, old man! I told you the 'Actual' in ZAGE is cool!"
Yugo burst out laughing. "Wait, what?! ZAGE stands for that?! And why is 'Actual' in the name?! Boss, are you dumb?!"
Zaboru's forehead twitches. "Calling your boss dumb is not a smart move, Yugo!"
The room filled with laughter again, and the atmosphere remained lively as they all continued chatting, joking, and discussing ideas. It was moments that reminded everyone why they loved working at ZAGE. It didn't just feel like a job—it felt like a family.
As the afternoon wore on, Zaboru suddenly stood up, stretching. "Alright, enough talking. Who's up for some yakiniku?" The source of this content ɪs 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝓷𝓮𝓽
A chorus of enthusiastic agreements followed.
"Alright, my treat!" Zaboru announced.
The group cheered and quickly made their way out of the office, heading to one of the best yakiniku restaurants in town. The evening was filled with sizzling meats, laughter, and endless conversations about games, animation, and life in general. They stuffed themselves with delicious food, shared ridiculous stories, and even debated the best strategies for beating certain ZEPS games.
After the feast, the group wasn't ready to call it a night just yet. Yugo suddenly suggested, "Let's go to karaoke!"
Everyone agreed, and they made their way to a nearby karaoke bar. The room was soon filled with enthusiastic (and sometimes off-key) singing.
While most of them chose to sing Japanese songs, Zaboru decided to show off a bit. He grabbed the microphone and selected a Western classic—Queen's Don't Stop Me Now. As the instrumental kicked in, he grinned and began to sing , hitting all the notes!:
'Cause I'm having a good time, having a good timeI'm a shooting star leaping through the sky like a tiger. Defying the laws of gravityI'm a racing car, passing by like Lady GodivaI'm gonna go, go, go, there's no stopping me!
The room erupted in cheers.
"WOAH! Boss, you rock!" Yugo shouted.
"Damn, Boss! Your English and singing skills are insane!" Kudou said, raising his drink.
Meanwhile, Ayumi was completely starstruck. She already knew Zaboru was talented, but watching him confidently belt out a Queen song with perfect pronunciation and energy made her heart race. So cool... she thought, her cheeks turning red.
As the night went on, everyone took turns singing their favorite songs, sometimes alone, sometimes in duets. Even the normally serious Kudou ended up singing (albeit drunkenly), much to everyone's amusement. The party stretched late into the night, and by the end of it, they were all exhausted but incredibly happy.
As they finally left the karaoke bar, walking under the glowing city lights, Zaboru looked around at his friends and colleagues. Moments like these reminded him of why he worked so hard—not just for success, but for the people who had come to believe in his vision.
"Thanks for tonight, everyone," he said with a smile. "Let's make ZAGE even bigger and better."
"Hear, hear!" Shinsuke cheered, raising his hand in a mock toast.
With that, they all headed home, feeling a little closer than before. It had been a night to remember.
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