Chapter 20 - 19: Toki’s Offer
After wrapping up his day with Ayumi, Zaboru decided to visit Bakudan Arcade to check on his machines and collect the day's earnings. Cycling through the streets, he felt a mix of pride and anticipation. His bike, which had been left at school, was now back home, thanks to Ayumi's team, who had kindly delivered it earlier.
When he arrived at the arcade, the atmosphere was lively, with groups of players gathered around the machines. Spotting Toki behind the counter, Zaboru greeted him with a smile.
"Hello, Toki-san," he said, walking over to the ZAS machines.
"Hey, Zaboru! Perfect timing!" Toki called out, waving enthusiastically.
Zaboru started inspecting the machines, checking their condition and the earnings for the day. His eyes widened as he saw the numbers. Each machine had earned 2,000 yen, and with five machines, the total was an impressive 10,000 yen for the day.
'This much?! It's almost double what they made yesterday!' Zaboru thought, stunned by the rapid increase in revenue.
Toki approached him, a wide grin on his face. "Your ZAS machines are a hit, Zaboru! So many people came in just to play them today. Honestly, I don't think five machines are enough anymore. What do you think? Can you make me more?"
Zaboru hesitated, frowning slightly. "Mmm, I don't think I can, Toki-san. I've got too much on my plate right now."
Toki sighed, nodding in understanding. While he had expected this response, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. The ZAS machines had transformed his arcade, drawing in crowds and boosting food and drink sales. However, the success of ZAS also highlighted a problem—his other arcade machines were being neglected. Most players either played casually or waited their turn for ZAS, leaving the other games idle.