Shin smiles as his brothers had finally started to take notice of his company. This time, he would allow them to experience the success of the video games he was building.
If not for the Suzuki Group, especially the first and third brothers, they wouldn't even have had the chance to become successful and wealthy.
Shin recollected the story of how his grandfather had founded the Suzuki Group. His grandfather's childhood was marred by the horrors of World War II, with even children being forced into soldier training. After the war ended, his grandfather began a small company that dealt in buying and selling materials from scrap. He learned the intricacies of motors, engines, and television technology, eventually establishing an electronics company producing televisions and cars.
However, his grandfather's focus shifted when he became captivated by arcade machines, investing heavily in them. He had high hopes for the arcade industry, but it all changed with the global financial crisis, which hit every industry hard. Arcade machines suffered the most. The Suzuki Group faced bankruptcy, and it was Shin's grandfather who managed to salvage it with the remaining funds by acquiring a ramen company. With the reputation of cars and televisions already established in Japan, sales gradually increased, rescuing the struggling Suzuki company. His grandfather then expanded the business into a corporation, with several companies under its umbrella.
Shin idly played with his pen, twirling it as he continued to sketch the games he had planned for the company. KiShin™ had already begun developing games, leveraging his knowledge from his previous life.
In just one day, the SKT Famicom consoles would be released in various stores and malls across Tokyo.
---
Meanwhile, in other stores and malls in Tokyo, enthusiastic arcade players had already formed lines outside KiShin's rented store, eagerly awaiting the release.
It had caught the attention of reporters who were closely following KiShin's developments.
Yumi quickly approached a portly man standing in line and began interviewing him with a microphone. "Hello, I'm from NHK station. How long have you been waiting in this line?"
The portly man got excited by the camera and microphone pointed at him. He composed himself and said, "Hello! Hi, Mom and Dad! I'm on TV now!" He couldn't help but shout in excitement.
The people around him in the line chuckled and laughed at the portly man's enthusiasm.
Yumi felt a bit awkward but continued to point the microphone at him. "I've been here for hours! I really wanted to buy that SKT Famicom! But I didn't expect this line to be so long!" the portly man exclaimed in frustration.
Others near him chimed in with agreement, and a middle-aged man interjected, "Yeah! These people are shameless! That console is for kids, after all. Why are they so eager to get it?"
Others in the line took offense to the middle-aged man's comment and retorted, "What do you mean, old man? You're older than my father!"
"That's right!" others nodded in agreement.
The middle-aged man angrily responded, "I'm buying those SKT FamiCom consoles for my child, okay!?"
Someone from the crowd around the same age as the middle-aged man shouted, "I know you! You don't even have a wife, let alone a child! Admit that you're here to get the KiShin console for yourself!"
The middle-aged man grew embarrassed as he was called out.
Yumi, who witnessed this exchange, was left speechless.
---
On the television, Tokyo news channels predominantly covered the unusually long lines of people waiting at various stores and malls for KiShin SKT FamiCom.
Kenji and Taki watched the television with serious expressions.
"It seems like we underestimated the popularity of video games..." Taki remarked as he continued to watch the news on television.
Kenji nodded and said, "My father should understand this by now..."
Taki snapped out of his seriousness and looked at Kenji in surprise. "Understand what? What about your father?"
Kenji, realizing his slip, quickly covered up. "Oh, it's nothing, forget it," he replied awkwardly.
Taki remained puzzled but nodded in response.
Kenji sighed in relief. He had forgotten that Taki didn't know his true identity. His father had intentionally assigned him to a lower position and kept his identity a secret to prevent employees from treating him differently. It was all part of his father's plan to humble him and ensure he developed the necessary skills and competence.
---
In the main high-rise building of Tora Corporation, located in the Roppongi district of Minato Ward:
Asahi Tanaka sat in his office, engrossed in watching the news on television, all the while tapping his desk thoughtfully.
He was carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages of venturing into the video game market.
Seated beside him, his secretary seemed to have a sense of her boss's thoughts and offered her advice. "It might be wiser to wait and see if the KiShin SKT truly becomes successful before making any decisions."
Asahi nodded in agreement with his loyal and trusted secretary. "I understand. However, seeing the excitement it has generated among people in various places in Tokyo, just one day before its release, provides a glimpse of the potential profitability of this product."
His secretary, Ruka, offered her perspective, saying, "You make a valid point, but keep in mind that this is limited to Tokyo. We can't be certain of its success in other cities. Besides, it's only the first day, and if the KiShin SKT doesn't meet customer expectations, it could result in a loss." She spoke confidently.
Asahi nodded in acknowledgment, but secretly harbored concerns that his secretary might lack the necessary experience to fully grasp the complexities of this business decision.