Busted

As Shin sat in his office, comfortably nestled in his plush chair, diligently jotting down his plans on a sheet of paper resting on his desk, an unexpected group of individuals entered his workspace.

The resonance of their approaching footsteps snapped Shin's attention away from his work. He was met with the sight of these people in the process of removing items from his office. Startled, he inquired, "What's going on here?"

One of the individuals, laboring alongside another to carry away a sofa, responded, "Chairman Shiro has issued orders to shut down the game company subsidiary, and this office falls under that subsidiary of the Suzuki Group."

In that moment, Shin's realization struck like a bolt of lightning. He had momentarily overlooked this crucial detail, preoccupied as he was with the tumultuous mix of emotions stemming from his transmigration into this new life. He recalled how the previous Shin, with the help of his mother, had dropped out of high school to establish a subsidiary company under the Suzuki Group. Yet, before his endeavors could even begin, his father had decided to shutter the subsidiary.

Fortunately, Shin hadn't hired any employees yet. Otherwise, the embarrassment of having his company disbanded before it had a chance to operate would have been unbearable. It was precisely this situation that had led Shin's father to visit the office, intent on dissuading the previous Shin from pursuing what he deemed a futile dream.

However, Shin's unusual despair and his past experiences of being disliked and bullied at school had rendered his father's counsel ineffective. His mother was equally powerless, as Shin's father had intervened to allow Shin to gain strength from facing such challenges. Instead, this had plunged Shin into depression. Therefore, when he received news of his company's demise at the hands of his father, Shin had resorted to consuming sleeping pills, causing him to slip into a hazy unconsciousness.

Yet, it was during this fragile moment that Math had taken possession of Shin's body, guiding him back to consciousness just as Shin's father, Shiro, entered the office.

...

Now, with his company gone, Shin contemplated the fate of his dreams while gazing at a drawing of his blueprint that resembled a circuit board. Annotations lined the sketches, with labels like 'CPU,' 'PPU' (picture processing unit), 'Memory,' 'Audio processing unit (APU),' and even 'Cartridges' in prominent positions. It was a design for an 8-bit game console, reminiscent of Nintendo's first console.

"With this blueprint in hand, I only need to code a game, and I could begin my journey to establishing an industry," Shin murmured, his eyes fixed on the heavens. His dream was vast and ambitious, attracting curious glances from passersby on the sidewalk.

"But without financial support..." Shin sighed, his helplessness palpable. He walked over to the parking lot, where his modest car, a birthday gift from his mother, stood. His father, Shiro, had never shown such generosity. The car was relatively new, purchased just a year ago.

Shin had turned 18 since then and, by all rights, should have been the one driving. However, he lacked a driver's license, and his father had shown no interest in assisting him in obtaining one.

Then, as Shin prepared to start the car's engine, an idea struck him like a thunderbolt.

"I could sell this car to raise capital for my company," Shin mused aloud, his gaze shifting between the blueprint and the car. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, lost in thought. "This car... it was bought for 400,000 yen. Even if I can get 200,000 or 300,000 yen for it, it won't be enough. But it could at least cover the cost of hiring someone to help with game and console development. I can't do this all on my own, especially with the console requiring low-level assembly language programming; it's quite time-consuming without assistance."

Shin resolved to seek out individuals interested in cars, particularly affordable ones. The previous Shin had meticulously cared for this car, leaving it in pristine condition, which would undoubtedly command a higher price.

...

Shin arrived at a Toyota dealership branch, patiently waiting for potential buyers. He sat in his car, tapping the steering wheel as time passed.

In the distance, a couple approached the dealership, catching Shin's attention. He quickly stepped out of his car to intercept them.

The couple greeted Shin with a bow, and the man spoke, "Nice to meet you. We're here to look for cars. Can you recommend one?" They assumed he was an employee of the dealership.

Smiling, Shin, who had initially come to sell his car at a lower price, played along, "Hello, sir. Welcome to the Toyota car dealership." He led the couple to his car parked nearby.

The couple seemed slightly surprised, considering the car was in the parking lot adjacent to the dealership. Shin noticed their expressions and explained, "Sir, this is a new car that was just delivered. It hasn't been brought inside yet."

The couple, who had found the situation peculiar moments earlier, now nodded in understanding. The man asked, "Is that so? Can you provide information about this car?"

Shin smiled and nodded, "Certainly. This is the Toyota Starlet. It's known for its fuel efficiency."

Seeing the couple's interest, Shin continued, "It's also practical and suitable for a family or someone planning to start one."

The couple nodded in agreement. The woman added, "Yes, I was just proposed to, and we thought we needed a car for our small family."

Shin laughed, "That's great, sir. Not only is this car fuel-efficient and practical, but it's also budget-friendly."

Noticing the couple's waning interest at the mention of budget-friendly, Shin sensed their concern that such a car might not be durable. To reassure them, he added, "The Toyota Starlet is also reliable. Its history shows that it's dependable and durable."

Seeing the couple's interest rekindle, the woman inquired, "Is the performance of this car good?"

Shin nodded and launched into a detailed explanation, "The engine of the Toyota Starlet is an inline-4 with a displacement of 1.5 liters. It uses a carburetor for fuel, and its power output ranges from 60 to 100 horsepower..."

The technical details left the couple somewhat bewildered. The woman quickly interjected, "Okay, okay. What's the price?"

Shin smiled, "It's priced at 420,000 yen, ma'am."

The man considered the price thoughtfully, realizing it was within their budget. However, the woman appeared hesitant, thinking there was no room for negotiation.

Sensing her hesitation, Shin swiftly added, "Since you're planning to start a family, our company is offering a discount. It's now only 410,000 yen."

The couple was taken aback by the unexpected discount and decided to inspect the car more closely. After a thorough examination, they nodded in approval, and Shin felt a rush of exhilaration.

"Alright, you've got a deal. We'll buy it," the man said as he retrieved a certified check from his suit.

"Thank you, sir," Shin replied and began gathering the necessary paperwork in his car. However, as he glanced at the documents, a wave of nervousness washed over him. 'Oh no, the car's documents still bear my name!'.The car's registration papers were still in his name. He felt his heart racing.

"What's the matter, Mr. Salesman?" Takuza, the man, chuckled.

"Umm... Sir," Shin struggled to find the right words. He realized his impatience had clouded his judgment, and he'd made a grave mistake.

"Perhaps you can't figure out why this car isn't truly 'new'?" the woman, Erica, remarked.

Shin trembled, realizing his deception had been uncovered.

"Sir, ma'am, let me explain..." Shin stammered, but before he could continue, Takuza interrupted.

"It's alright. We'll forgive you. Frankly, we knew you were lying as soon as we saw the license plate," Takuza laughed. "Hehe, we're not as ignorant as you might have thought. You even raised the price of this affordable car, the Toyota Starlet."

Erica joined in with a chuckle.

Shin sighed in helplessness, having forgotten that critical detail. In his previous life, he might not have been involved in car procedures, as he had simply been a driver. However, a driver should have some basic knowledge about a car. Unfortunately, Shin had been complacent, working as a subordinate who didn't handle such matters and, instead, continued to serve his boss faithfully.

"Why did you do that?" Erica inquired.

Sighing, Shin replied, "I was desperate, needed money to fund my company plan."

"Company plan? Starting a company at your age?" Takuza shook his head disapprovingly.

Curious, Erica asked, "What kind of company are you starting?"

"A game company," Shin admitted, slumping against the car door with a tinge of sadness.

"A game company?" Takuza mused, exchanging glances with Erica.

"Yes, but I needed funds," Shin added, his voice tinged with despair.

Takuza, appearing somewhat mocking, remarked, "You seem pretty helpless. Maybe I'll buy your car for the original price of 420,000 yen, then."

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