NewComer
patreon
King of Games C16 Attention
🕑 Added 2024-04-29 03:42:47 +0000 UTCIn the grandiose Suzuki Family Manor, Shinro was escorted by a contingent of stern-faced guards through the colossal, intricately carved wooden doors. Resigning himself to his fate, he stepped inside the opulent mansion. His gaze swept across the cavernous entrance hall, adorned with priceless artwork and lavish furnishings, as he was ushered towards the spacious living room.
There, he beheld his father, a portly man with a rigid posture, seated in a high-backed leather chair, sipping on a glass of amber liquid. Beside him, his mother, Tomoko, a statuesque woman with a warm smile, and his older sister, Ayako, a carbon copy of their mother, both stood up from the plush sofas upon his arrival.
"Son!" Tomoko exclaimed, her face alight with relief and joy as she rushed over to envelop Shinro in a tight hug. "We've been so worried about you! It's been too long since you've been home." Her embrace was comforting, yet it did little to alleviate the tension coiling in Shinro's stomach.
"Shinro, it's good to see you again, little brother," Ayako said, her voice tinged with a hint of warmth as she hugged him. Shinro merely nodded in response, acknowledging her presence before taking a seat on the plush sofa. His father, Shiro, set down his glass and adjusted his glasses, clearing his throat.
"It's good that you're here. We have arranged a meeting between you and your fiancée. You will need to make a good impression on her when the two of you explore Tokyo together." Shiro's tone brooked no room for argument.
Shinro sighed, "Father, I never agreed to any of this."
"You don't need to agree. Just know that our decision is for your own good," Tomoko said, her voice firm but caring.
Shinro shook his head, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I haven't even met her. How can I marry someone I don't know anything about? It's not right."
Shiro took a sip of his whiskey before responding, "I just said so, you will have a chance to meet her and get to know each other."
Ayako, sensing her brother's discomfort, interjected, "Father, Mother. I think Shinro has a point. We can't force two people into marriage without any deep feelings involved."
"Oh, Ayako… of course, we thought of that," Tomoko said gently. "Shinro will have a chance to meet her, and then they can develop feelings for each other."
A bead of sweat formed on Ayako's forehead as she hesitated. "But..."
"Your mother is right, Ayako," Shiro interjected. "Although the two families agreed on an arranged marriage, it's not set in stone. If, within the several months that Shinro and Momiji are engaged, they don't develop even a bit of liking for each other, we will cancel this arrangement."
Hearing this, Shinro felt a glimmer of hope. After all, he knew nothing about his fiancée's personality or looks. At least he wouldn't be forced into a loveless marriage if he and this Momiji girl didn't click. He still had reservations, but it was some consolation.
---
In the opulent Ookawa family residence in Kyoto, Momiji's world was turned upside down when her parents informed her of the arranged marriage. "I can't believe this! They know Hattori is my choice for a future husband, and yet they still went ahead and arranged a marriage with some random guy!" she vented to her trusted butler, Muga Iori.
"Young miss, I understand your frustration, but perhaps the masters have your best interest at heart. After all, the man you desire is already in love with another woman," Muga said gently.
"I don't care!" Momiji huffed, her fists clenched in anger. "I will steal him away from Kazuha sooner or later."
Muga sighed inwardly, knowing better than to argue with the headstrong young lady.
---
After an hour of tense discussion in the living room, Shinro retreated to his dusty and cobweb-ridden bedroom. It had been a year since he last set foot in this space, and it showed. With the help of the attentive maids, they set about cleaning the room together. Despite their protests, Shinro insisted on lending a hand. "It's my room, after all," he reasoned.
As they dusted the shelves and vacuumed the floor, Shinro's mind wandered to the upcoming meeting with Momiji. He hoped that they could at least be civil to each other during their time together.
With the room sparkling clean thanks to the combined efforts of Shinro and the maids, he decided to take a well-deserved shower. The hot water cascading down his body was pure bliss, and for a moment, he forgot about his troubles. Luxury aside, he still yearned for the freedom he had outside the manor's walls.
After his refreshing shower, Shinro changed into pajamas and collapsed onto the plush bed. The soft mattress hugged him like an old friend, lulling him to sleep in no time. Tomorrow would be a big day, and he needed all the rest he could get.
As he drifted off to sleep, a soft knocking on his door and a familiar voice jolted him awake. "Shinro? It's me, Sonoko."
Groggily, Shinro opened the door, still half-asleep. His little sister, Sonoko, threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "You're really back!"
"Yeah," he yawned, rubbing his eyes. "But I was just sleeping. We can catch up tomorrow, alright?"
Sonoko blushed, realizing her mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you up, onii-chan. Go back to sleep!"
Shinro smiled and patted her head before closing the door and collapsing back onto the bed. Sleep soon claimed him once more.
---
The warm sunlight streaming through the window roused Shinro from his slumber. He stretched and sat up in bed, yawning loudly. A knock on the door startled him, but it was only a maid informing him that breakfast was ready.
Shinro dressed quickly and made his way to the dining room, where he found his family already seated. He took a seat beside Sonoko, who couldn't stop grinning at her brother's return.
As they enjoyed their meal, Shinro engaged in small talk with his family, catching up on what he'd missed during his absence. Tomoko and Sonoko dominated the conversation, while Shiro and Ayako listened with amusement.
After breakfast, Shinro retreated to his room and powered on his computer. Navigating to his YouTube channel, he was stunned to find that the video he'd uploaded yesterday, showcasing the intricate miniature world of his "Tiny World", had amassed over 78,000
views. The comments section was ablaze with awe and wonder, with some even tagging the "History" channel for a potential collaboration or acquisition.
To his surprise, he received a private message from the very same channel, either asking for permission to use his footage or offering an acquisition deal for the mind-blowing video.
Shinro couldn't believe his eyes. His hard work was finally paying off!
Little did he know, his video had also caught the attention of Western media outlets, who marveled at the incredibly realistic and detailed CGI-like quality of the footage.
Shinro's jaw dropped as he scrolled through his inbox, flooded with emails from major Hollywood studios. Warner Bros. wanted to hire him for his exceptional CGI talent, while Disney, Universal, and others followed suit. They were all impressed by the realistic Homo Habilis video he'd uploaded, completely unaware that it wasn't CGI at all.
With a wry smile, Shinro couldn't help but marvel at the irony. His "Tiny World" had done what years of job applications couldn't: capture the attention of the industry's biggest players.
Elated by the sudden attention, Shinro decided it was time to take the plunge. He spent the rest of the morning finalizing his website, KiShin.com, with the help of his Game Developer Assistant skill. Thanks to the skill's level 25 upgrade, he could automate and program the site in real-time, negating the need for a team of programmers.
However, he knew that eventually, he'd need to hire some web developers for further improvements and a smoother user experience. For now, he focused on hiring customer service agents who could work remotely. The flexible hours and competitive pay attracted many applicants, and soon enough, his team was shaping up.
With the website live, Shinro released a trial version of his first game, "Super Mario Bros," allowing players to test it out before deciding to purchase. He then uploaded the full 30-minute video of the Homo Habilis and other creatures from "Tiny World."
Shinro copied the website's link and pasted it in the comments section of his viral YouTube video, pinning the comment so viewers wouldn't miss it.
