Zaboru arrived early at the YaDo Studio, walking past the soundproofed walls and production rooms that would soon be home to one of his most unpredictable creative projects: the anime adaptation of SpongeBob SquarePants. Today was the voice actor audition day. Inside the studio, dozens of hopeful rookie VAs had gathered, each one aiming to land a spot in what was shaping up to be a surprisingly high-profile project.
Zaboru sat quietly in the back of the sound booth, headphones on, clipboard ready. He wasn't just looking for technical delivery—he was hunting for soul. The SpongeBob he remembered had energy, charm, and a chaotic innocence that was tricky to replicate. His supporting cast needed just as much personality.
After hours of screening, feedback, and callbacks, Zaboru finally locked down the core cast. They weren't well-known, but their voices felt right. SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, and Sandy—all of them now had life. They understood the rhythm and madness of Bikini Bottom.
With the casting finalized, Zaboru made his way into a smaller meeting room where Yasu Domachi, head of YaDo Studio, was waiting with two cups of hot tea.
"So, Yasu-san," Zaboru said, stretching his arms, "it looks like SpongeBob's coming together nicely. The VA cast is set. Do you think we should consider moving the premiere forward maybe even before August?"
Yasu nearly choked on his tea. "Zaboru-san, please—don't scare me like that. August is already cutting it close. We need every week to polish the animation and sound. No earlier releases!"
Zaboru laughed. "I figured you'd say that. Just testing your nerves."
Yasu wiped his brow and relaxed. "Well, we passed the test, but only barely."
"Once the first 20 episodes are ready, even if they're not aired yet, I'll have a new project for you. You remember what we talked about, right? October starts, the latest."
Yasu nodded seriously. "We'll be ready. Just promise the next one is proper Anime Zaboru-san"
Zaboru smirked and Said "Don`t worry about that Yasu-san" while thinking to himself 'Sailor Moon can never go wrong'.
With the meeting wrapped, Zaboru returned to ZAGE HQ, his mind already shifting gears. He had something important to share with the leadership team. Something big that marked a turning point in ZAGE's internal structure.
As he returned to his office, he instructed his secretary Yumi to gather the department heads. They all assembled in the main meeting room within the hour:
Yuna – Head of Game DevelopmentYugo – Head of Quality Control, and Yuna's twin brotherShinsuke Yamaguchi – Head of MarketingSayuri Yamaguchi – Head of FinanceKudou – Head of the Legal TeamIchidai Kenzaki – Head of HRRika Kishimori – Head of Administration
When everyone had settled, Zaboru stepped to the front of the room.
"Good afternoon, everyone. Sorry for the short notice—but this is important. Today, ZAGE officially gained its first CTO."
The door opened. A man in a sharp suit with sleek hair, a neatly trimmed mustache, and glasses stepped into the room.
"Please welcome—Zanichi Renkonan. My father. And now, ZAGE's new Chief Technology Officer."
The room froze.
Shinsuke and Sayuri's jaws dropped.
"No way!" Shinsuke exclaimed. "Senpai!? You're here?! This is insane!"
Sayuri nodded, stunned. "You taught us everything back at Sonaya. ZAGE just became ten times stronger."
For those unfamiliar with Zanichi, the enthusiasm of ZAGE's top marketing and finance leads spoke volumes. It quickly put everyone at ease.
Zanichi smiled and bowed. "Shin. Sayu. It's been a while. And to the rest of you—nice to meet you. I'm Zanichi Renkonan. Yes, I'm Zaboru's father, but I'm here as a professional. My recent role was leading the Sonaya PC department. Later, I helped deliver the MGB console and its initial four-game lineup. Now, I hope I can contribute to ZAGE's next evolution."
Murmurs of awe rippled around the room. Heads nodded in silent approval.
Shinsuke clapped his hands together. "Everyone, don't underestimate Zanichi-senpai. He's a machine. He reads business trends like a psychic and can guide tech teams like no one else."
Zanichi chuckled. "You flatter me, Shin."
Zaboru added with a grin, "Just to be clear—yes, he's my father. But here, he's another ZAGE employee like anyone else."
Zanichi gave a mock salute. "Understood, boss."
With the mood now light and energized, the announcement rolled into celebration. That afternoon, ZAGE threw an impromptu welcome party in the company lounge. Employees from every department gathered to meet the new CTO, enjoy catered food, and share drinks.
It wasn't just about welcoming Zanichi—it was about marking the next step in ZAGE's growth.
And Zaboru? He was already thinking about what came next.
Zaboru leaned against the wall, sipping a soda, quietly observing his team—his family enjoying the moment.
'Father's abilities are no joke, really. I can assure you—even though he didn't have cheats like mine, he was still able to pull off something incredible, like creating those four games. His insight will definitely be more valuable. As for his position, I might even appoint him as the head of ZAGE's other branch in the future.'. There might be a time that ZAGE needs to open a branch in Japan , so when that happens Zaboru wants his father or his most trusted aide to lead it.
The party continued after that. After office hours Both Zanichi and Zaboru returned home, which is Rare for Zaboru to come back early, and Zaboru's mother and Zanichi wife Kyoko Renkonan were already waiting for them.
They sat down on the couch, and Zanichi smirked. "So, you're my boss now? CEO?"
Zaboru grinned. "Apparently so, CTO."
They both laughed, and KyokoZaboru's mom joined in, smiling warmly bringing snacks to the table. Sanika, Zaboru's little sister, joined the conversation excitedly.
"Woah! So Dad's working at Nii-san's office now!? That's so cool! Sani wants to work there too in the future!"
Zaboru chuckled and gently ruffled her hair. "Well then, Sani will have to work hard so I'll accept you as one of my employees!"
Sanika nodded eagerly. "Unn! Sani will study hard!"
Kyoko caressed her daughter's hair with a smile. "Fight on, Sanika!"
Zanichi also smiled. And just like that, the Renkonan family spent a joyful night together.
To be continued
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