387 A peek to Shin's life I

By April 2000, Shin's family life had become his main source of joy. His son, Shinichi, was already eight, displaying a surprising aptitude for video games, even surpassing Shin's own skills. This surprised Shin but not his wife, Mira, who attributed it to Shinichi's natural talent, perhaps inherited from his father, as a revolutionary game developer.

However, Shin knew the truth. While he had brought his past knowledge of gaming to this world, his success stemmed from adapting existing concepts, not pure innovation. He recognized that Shinichi's talent was genuine and independent of any genetic link to his father's accomplishments.

---

Eight-year-old Shinichi, fresh from a small birthday gathering with friends, walked confidently into his classroom.

Spotted by his friends already gathered inside, Shinichi was greeted with enthusiastic waves and smiles. He returned the gesture warmly and pulled out his KSP console, and opened the video game "Flappy Bird".

"Wow, Shinichi! How'd you get such a high score on 'Flappy Bird'?" Satoshi asked, his admiration evident.

Ryo, another friend, mumbled, "Ugh, I can't even pass the score of 30."

"Any secret tips, Shinichi?" Takeshi chimed in curiously.

Shinichi simply shrugged with a playful grin. "Just practice, I guess."

The three boys exchanged glances, a mixture of disbelief and amusement in their eyes.

Shinichi was surrounded by classmates who exuded an air of privilege. Their backgrounds were a mix of influential families and substantial wealth, creating an atmosphere where chins seemed permanently held high.

While Shinichi knew his family was well-off, living in a spacious house, he and his friends had no idea about the vast wealth hidden beneath their comfortable lives.

His father, a billionaire and owner of KiShin, kept his business dealings private. Shinichi's friends assumed his father was successful, but not on the same level as theirs. The truth, however, remained a secret, adding an unspoken layer to Shinichi's interactions with his peers.

"Yo guys," Arnold, Shinichi's foreign classmate and fellow gamer, sidled up to their group, "Did you hear KiShin just released a brand new PC games?"

Satoshi, already familiar with PC gaming, nodded. "Yup, downloaded it earlier! Pretty cool so far."

Ryo added, "Yeah, loving their new FPS. The online multiplayer is awesome!"

Takeshi chimed in excitedly, "Right?! They totally delivered! As expected of KiShin!" His admiration for the developer was clear.

Shinichi, who primarily stuck to console games, furrowed his brow. "What game are you guys talking about?"

His friends, including Arnold, stared at him in surprise. "Seriously, Shinichi?" Arnold exclaimed, "You're one of the best gamers I know, and you haven't heard of the hype?"

Shinichi shrugged. "I mostly play on consoles and handhelds, haven't really heard of any big releases lately..."

Satoshi and the others exchanged knowing glances. "That explains it," Satoshi chuckled, "It's a PC game, not console."

Shinichi's eyebrows shot up. "PC games, huh..."

"Come on, Shinichi," Ryo prodded, "Don't you have a computer at home?"

Shinichi confirmed with a nod. "Yeah, but I don't really use it."

Understanding dawned on Arnold and the others. "Ah, that explains it," Arnold said. "You're missing out on the whole PC gaming world! Especially the hot new releases like CounterStrike and Diablo!"

Ryo added, "Yeah, Diablo's a cool RPG, but man, finding loot can be tough..."

Satoshi chimed in with a nod, "Tell me about it."

Takeshi's eyes sparkled. "Hey, how about we head over to Shinichi's place after school and teach him some PC gaming?"

"That sounds awesome!" the others agreed enthusiastically.

Shinichi simply smiled, his curiosity piqued. The teacher entered the classroom, signaling the start of class, and the conversation shifted to other topics. However, the seed of PC gaming had been planted, and Shinichi couldn't help but wonder if his friends might be right.

---

After school, Shinichi's classmates followed him home. Shinichi's family house, while comfortable, couldn't compete with the opulent mansions they were accustomed to. However, they maintained their polite demeanor and entered.

A playful bark drew their attention. Arnold, surprised, stopped to look a golden retriever named Luigi. Shinichi patted the dog, muttering, "Luigi, be good." The dog relaxed, resting its head on the floor.

Leading his friends upstairs, Shinichi and his classmates were met by a woman in a formal black suit. She bowed respectfully to Shinichi, asking, "Young master, may I inquire who your guests are?"

Shinichi simply introduced them as classmates. Meanwhile, whispers flew among his classmates.

Her clothes are so formal," one mused. "Must be something to do with his family," another replied.

Shinichi's classmates followed his gaze as the woman's eyes landed on them. "Please leave your bags with me before entering the young master's room," she instructed politely.

They exchanged silent glances, a hint of annoyance flicketing across their faces, before complying and placing their bags on the designated surface. As they ascended the stairs, Arnold couldn't help but ask, "Who's that, Shinichi?"

"Naomi-san," Shinichi replied casually, "She's, well, our house security."

Satoshi, Arnold, and the others exchanged surprised looks. "Woah, a guard? I thought she was a maid," Satoshi blurted out.

Shinichi chuckled. "She does double duty sometimes."

"Interesting combination of roles," Ryo remarked. "Why a woman instead of a man, though?"

Shinichi shrugged. "Not sure. Mom mentioned Dad wasn't comfortable with any male staff living in the house except us."

Satoshi and the others gasped. "Whoa, your dad's pretty strict, huh? Stricter than mine, at least!" Arnold exclaimed.

Shinichi chuckled. "Nah, not really. I think Mom just finds him a bit immature sometimes."

Reaching Shinichi's room, his friends couldn't help but pause in surprise. It was spacious and well-decorated, the walls adorned with artwork and figurines based on popular games and anime from KiShin. A life-sized Pikachu statue stood proudly in a corner, further adding to the unique atmosphere.

"Whoa, this room is awesome, Shinichi!" Takeshi exclaimed, his tone reflecting genuine admiration.

The others shared his sentiment, impressed by the unique and creative design. While they hadn't envied Shinichi's house itself, his personalized room with its cool features certainly sparked a sense of appreciation and envy...

AN:

(I believe the novel is progressing too quickly, so I thought about slowing down a bit. Let me know if you have any objections.)