Current life and flashbacks II

In the gleaming office of the KiShin Corporation's chairman, an air of innovation buzzed around. KiShin, reflecting on his past life, was on the brink of unveiling a revolutionary handheld device, mirroring the Nintendo Switch's family-oriented charm. The Switch, known for its ability to bring families together, particularly fathers and their children, through its wide array of family-friendly games, inspired KiShin's latest project.

As Shin perused the latest progress report on the video game handheld, memories of his children, Shinichi and Misaka, flooded his mind, especially those of Shinichi, his eldest.

The memory of the day Shinichi, having overheard his classmates discuss his father, confronted Shin in their home office, seeking the truth about Shin's concealed identity, was particularly vivid.

Two Years Ago:

Shinichi had expected evasion, but Shin responded with a gentle laugh, pausing his work to give his son his full attention. "Hahaha! The curiosity of you and your classmates is truly amusing," Shin chuckled, the warmth in his voice softening the seriousness of the moment.

Confused and slightly annoyed, Shinichi furrowed his brows, "What's funny?"

Shin's smile widened, his eyes twinkling with honesty. "My son, I never intended to hide my role as the head of KiShin from you. It's always been an open fact, just one you never inquired about."

"You could've just told me," Shinichi pouted, his interest in KiShin not just stemming from familial ties but also from a genuine admiration for the company's iconic creations. From the beloved video game consoles like the KS2 and the handheld KSP, reminiscent of the Gameboy, to classic video games such as Super Mario, Tekken, Sonic the Hedgehog, and the innovative iPod, KiShin had shaped much of Shinichi's world.

Shin couldn't help but laugh again, his amusement clear. "How oblivious can you be?" he teased, pausing to give Shinichi a meaningful look. "I've been front and center at KiShin's major events, like the iPod launch and the unveiling of our latest video game consoles. How have you missed that?"

Caught off guard and a tad embarrassed, Shinichi admitted, "I don't really watch TV."

With a warm smile, Shin stood, affectionately ruffling Shinichi's hair. "So, now that you know your dad is this super, incredibly amazing, and incredibly wealthy guy, what do you think?"

Shinichi, not quite ready to inflate his father's ego further, playfully swatted Shin's hand away. "Don't get too full of yourself, old man."

Shin's smile only grew. "What's the matter? Isn't it cool? I run the company you adore. All those products you can't get enough of come from my company. Doesn't it feel like you've hit the jackpot?"

"You're so shameless," Shinichi grumbled, his pout deepening as he turned to leave the office.

Watching his son's retreating back, Shin's smile lingered, touched by a hint of nostalgia. His eyes misted over with unshed tears as he murmured to himself, "Sigh... How quickly time flies. The little baby I once held in my arms now stands tall enough to talk back."

Shin drifted back to a time when he had been unabashedly boasting to a tiny, gurgling Shinichi. "Shinichi, you're extremely lucky to have me as your father. I'm wealthy, good-looking, and let's just say, quite the charmer. You might not reach my level of coolness, but—" His rambling praise was abruptly cut short as Mira nudged him aside.

"What on earth are you telling our baby?" Mira interjected, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I'm merely stating the facts, my dear," Shin replied, unrepentant in his self-admiration.

"Facts? It's quite something to praise yourself like that," Mira couldn't help but chuckle, shaking her head.

"What, is it wrong for your husband to be impressive?" Shin teased, raising his eyebrows in a playful challenge.

Unable to contain herself, Mira burst into genuine laughter.

Back in the present, sitting in the solitude of his office, a smile crept across Shin's face as he reminisced about those lighter, carefree moments.

Initially, Shin harbored concerns that once Shinichi realized the extent of their family wealth, he might start behaving like a stereotypical rich kid, indulging in expensive whims. However, Shin's fears turned out to be baseless. Shinichi remained his usual self, grounded and still as passionate about video games as ever.

---

In the meantime, Shinichi made his way into his classroom. He was now in fourth grade, and, serendipitously, his friends from two years prior had ended up in the same class again: Arnold, Ryo, Satoshi, and Takeshi.

"Shinichi!" Arnold called out, his voice filled with enthusiasm. Ryo, Satoshi, and Takeshi quickly gathered around, all of them bubbling with excitement as they dived into discussions about the year's hottest video games, like "Diablo II."

The conversation flowed naturally, just like old times, until Ryo chimed in, "Shinichi, let's hang out at your place again!"

"Yeah, it's been ages since we last visited," Arnold added, nodding in agreement.

"I want to check out your room too!" Takeshi chimed in eagerly.

Satoshi nodded in agreement, sharing the sentiment.

Shinichi could only offer a wry smile in response. It had been some time since this topic came up, but his friends' persistence hadn't waned. Deep down, Shinichi understood their curiosity wasn't just about hanging out; they were itching to verify the rumors about his father being the owner of KiShin, which, in fact, was true.