After about 15 minutes of driving through London's busy midday traffic, Risa Miller and Zaboru finally arrived at their destination—a cozy, well-known café named Puffy Cafee. The café was located on a quiet side street lined with boutique shops and charming street lamps, giving it a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Puffy Cafee had earned a reputation for being a relaxing spot with quality food and drinks, perfect for casual meetups and private business discussions alike. Inside, it was decorated with a modern rustic style: warm wooden floors, exposed brick walls, hanging pendant lights, and soft jazz music playing in the background. Despite its popularity, the café maintained a calm, soothing vibe that made it feel like a hidden gem in the heart of the city.
One of Puffy Cafee's most appealing features was its selection of VIP rooms—small, enclosed spaces with plush seating, low lighting, and soundproof walls designed for important meetings, private dining, or simply unwinding in solitude. It was in one of these rooms that Risa's friend—who also happened to be the current owner of the office building Zaboru was interested in—had arranged to meet. Knowing how important this meeting was, the café staff had prepared one of the best VIP rooms in advance.
Zaboru and Risa stepped inside the designated VIP room, pushing open a frosted glass door with a small golden sign that read "Reserved." The room smelled of freshly brewed coffee and vanilla pastries. There, seated comfortably at the far end of the table, was a young man, likely in his late twenties or early thirties. He had neatly styled blond hair and wore a sleek dark blazer over a casual shirt. He was sipping from a ceramic coffee cup and nibbling on a slice of layered chocolate cake. When he noticed Zaboru and Risa entering, his expression lit up with visible excitement, eyes widening like a fan meeting his idol for the first time.
"Ohh Risa! It's been a while, and wow—Zaboru himself, in the flesh!" Frank exclaimed, practically leaping from his seat with enthusiasm. His energy was palpable as he rushed over like an excited fanboy. He extended his hand eagerly toward Zaboru, his voice slightly trembling with excitement. "Wow, Zaboru, it's such an honor. I'm a huge fan!"
He offered a firm handshake. "My name is Frank Neville, by the way."
Zaboru smiled warmly and accepted the handshake. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Neville."
Frank waved his hand playfully. "Oh, please, just call me Frank! And I'd love to call you Zaboru too—if that's alright?"
Zaboru chuckled, his demeanor relaxed and friendly. "Sure thing then, Frank. That works for me."
With the introductions out of the way, the three of them settled into their seats around the cozy round table. The server came over with menus, and Risa flashed a grin toward Zaboru. "Just order whatever you like, Boss. I know you're a huge eater—no need to hold back!"
Zaboru laughed, nodding. "You know me too well." He flipped through the menu with interest, then began placing a generous order—various sandwiches, a full breakfast platter, two desserts, and a tall coffee. The server took it all with a smile, clearly used to big spenders.
Once the order was placed, Risa turned to Frank with a more businesslike tone, though still casual. "So, Frank—as promised, I brought the guy himself. That means you're going to give us a favorable position in the negotiation, right?"
Frank leaned back, tapping his fingers against his coffee cup. "Fine, fine," he said with a grin, "I'll make things easy on that front. But! In return, I've got tons of questions for Zaboru-san here. Mostly about video games, of course. I'm a diehard ZAGE fan, after all!"
Zaboru raised a curious eyebrow, amused. "Oh? And what would you like to ask, Frank?"
Frank grinned wider, his excitement bubbling over. "Say, Zaboru—what exactly are you planning to do with those offices if I sell or lease the building to ZAGE? Are you thinking of turning it into another Flocks-style co-working hub, or is this something completely new—like a specialized dev studio, or maybe even a mixed-use creative space?"
Zaboru let out a small, reflective sigh, his expression shifting into one of calm consideration. "Well, I can't give away every detail just yet, but I understand what you're getting at. You want to know whether this will be a genuine ZAGE headquarters or just another satellite support office for Flocks or something temporary that won't stick around long."
Frank nodded eagerly, leaning forward in anticipation.
Zaboru continued, "If that's the case, let me assure you—yes, we'll be establishing a proper ZAGE office here in London. It's not going to be some temporary setup or a shared co-working space. This branch will be a full-fledged extension of our global operations, equipped with its own development teams, creative leads, and strategic autonomy. We want it to carry the same identity and quality that ZAGE is known for worldwide."
Frank's excitement boiled over. "Haha! Then that means more games, right?! Oh man—can you tell me what kind of titles you're planning to develop here in London? And please, please tell me there's a great football game in the pipeline!"
Zaboru laughed, clearly entertained by Frank's enthusiasm. "That might be a little off-topic for today's meeting, but I'll give you a small teaser. Yes, we're actively working on a football game. And not just any football game—we're aiming for something that sets a new standard in gameplay realism and competition. You won't have to wait long, either. We're putting serious resources into it. As for specifics or release dates—well, that's still classified. You'll just have to be patient and keep your eyes open."
Frank groaned playfully, holding his chest like he'd just been struck by a dramatic revelation. "You're killing me here with that teaser," he said, laughing through the faux pain. He slouched back in his seat, shaking his head as if trying to process the moment.
Then Frank leaned in curiously and asked, "By the way, Zaboru, are you a football fan?"
Zaboru chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm a football fan. My favorite team is Inter Milan."
Frank's eyes widened in surprise. "From Italy? Huh, not surprised there—but I figured you'd be more of an AC Milan or Juventus guy. They've been killing it lately."
Zaboru let out a small sigh, shaking his head with mock disapproval. "Not in a million years. When it comes to football, my blood is black and blue. Inter is in my veins."
Frank grinned from ear to ear, clearly thrilled by the answer. He looked like an overexcited kid meeting his favorite superhero.
Risa rolled her eyes and let out a laugh. "Damn it, Frank—why are you acting like a total fanboy? You're not even trying to hide it anymore."
"It can't be helped, Risa!" Frank shot back with a wide grin. "It's him! Zaboru Renkonan! I really love ZAGE games. Just wait till my kid sees this—I'll finally earn some respect at home!"
Still buzzing with excitement, he reached into his bag and pulled out a , portable camera—one of those sleek digital models hobbyists loved. He practically thrust it into Risa's hands. "Please take a picture of me with Zaboru! This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment!"
Zaboru smiled, clearly used to this kind of attention but still appreciative. He nodded without hesitation. "Of course. Let's make it a good one."
Frank rushed to Zaboru's side and stood tall, grinning ear to ear like a kid meeting his hero. Risa lined up the shot and snapped a few photos, shaking her head the whole time, half in disbelief, half in amusement.
Risa snapped the picture, shaking her head in amusement. Sliding the camera back across the table, she eased into her chair and let her smile fade into a more focused expression. Shifting back into business mode, she looked at Frank with a subtle nod. "Alright, now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk numbers. How much are you offering the building for?"
Frank exhaled slowly and leaned forward, his demeanor shifting as well. "Don't worry—I'll give you a fair price. Not just yet, though. I'll need to consult with a few partners before locking anything in. But I can tell you this—the deal will definitely go through. You've got my word."
Risa gave a short, confident nod. "Good. You heard him, Boss. Let me handle the negotiation from here. It's not going to be a quick deal, but since you're already satisfied with the location, I'll take it from here. And don't worry—I'll keep Sayuri-san and Finance in the loop. Everything will be properly documented and transparent."
Zaboru nodded, fully trusting her. "I get it, Risa. It's fine. Handle it your way." He knew Risa had excellent negotiation skills—something he personally lacked—and she had proven time and again that she could be relied on. Zaboru understood when to step back and let capable people take the lead. Besides, he had already informed Sayuri, ZAGE's head of finance, ensuring the deal would be properly reviewed and priced. With Sayuri involved, he was confident that the financial side of the agreement would be solid and wouldn't put any strain on ZAGE's budget—unlike if he were the one making the initial offer directly..
The meeting wrapped up with some final small talk. Frank continued chatting excitedly with Zaboru, asking about game ideas, creative processes, and future plans. After about an hour, Zaboru and Risa returned to the Flocks office.
Zaboru remained in London for another two days, attending additional meetings, touring more sites, and doing a bit of sightseeing in between. His next destination? A business trip to China, where he'd be meeting Park Woojin of Red Falcon to discuss the next potential ZAGE expansion in China.
To be continued...
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