Chapter 5 - 4: The First Console
Chapter 4: The First Console
Zaboru awoke after a solid five hours of sleep, feeling a renewed surge of energy. He stretched, yawned, and headed to the kitchen to make his morning coffee. It was Sunday, his one day of freedom from school.
As he entered, the aroma of breakfast filled the air. His mom, Keiko, stood at the stove cooking pancakes. She greeted him with a warm smile but followed it with a stern look.
"Zaboru, you didn't leave your room at all yesterday. You shouldn't be like that. At least join us for dinner sometimes," she reprimanded.
Zaboru chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Okay, Mom. I'm sorry, okay? I was just so caught up because my project was going smoothly!"
Hearing this, his dad, Zanichi, lowered his newspaper and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So the project is going well? When do I get to test it like you promised?"
"Probably next Saturday," Zaboru replied confidently. "There's still a lot to fine-tune before it's ready to play."
His dad nodded, impressed. "That's quick. Good luck, CEO."
Zaboru smiled and went to make his coffee, only to hear his younger sister, Sanika, shuffle into the kitchen, still half-asleep. "Mooom, is breakfast ready yet?"