In the middle of the night, after their intimate moment in the guest room, Zaboru smiled quietly as he looked at Ayumi. She had already fallen asleep, her breathing soft and steady, clearly exhausted yet peaceful.
Zaboru carefully helped her get dressed without waking her, his movements gentle and practiced, making sure she stayed comfortable even in her sleep. He took his time, adjusting her clothes properly before slowly lifting her into his arms.
Carrying her, he walked back to the main bedroom where their children were already asleep. The room was calm, filled with the quiet rhythm of their breathing, a small warmth that made the entire scene feel complete.
Zaboru gently placed Ayumi beside them, making sure she was comfortable, then lightly pulled the blanket over her. He leaned down and kissed her forehead softly, his expression calm and affectionate as he lingered for a moment, just watching her sleep.
For a brief second, he allowed himself to stay there, appreciating the peaceful scene in front of him. Then, without making any noise, Zaboru slowly stood up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him quietly.
Then he relaxed on the sofa, letting his body sink into it as the quiet of the night surrounded him. After a brief moment, he closed his eyes and entered his "Emulator Mind." Inside, the familiar space formed around him, and there he saw his ghost partner, Zaborn, already waiting.
But something felt off.
Zaborn, who was usually playful or sarcastic, now looked… down. His presence itself felt heavier than usual, as if something was weighing on him.
Zaboru noticed it immediately.
He smiled slightly and walked toward him. "Yo, Zaborn… what happened? You said you wanted to talk earlier?"
Zaborn looked at him, forcing a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yo, Zabo… yeah… it's about my existence…"
He paused for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully.
"…I mean… should I really exist?"
Zaboru was surprised and quickly sat beside him. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Zaborn let out a quiet breath before speaking, slower than usual. "You see… I'm a fragment of the original Zaboru's soul, right? I know that original soul already merged with yours, creating the current you… but because of that original ability… he could create sentient fragments from his own soul."
He paused, glancing down for a moment before continuing. "That fragment… is me."
Zaboru stayed silent, listening.
Zaborn looked back at him again. "And honestly… recently I feel like that ability has… evolved. It's not just me existing anymore. I can feel something… like an attraction… or maybe guidance. Something is pulling me."
His voice lowered slightly. "It keeps telling me… that I should merge with you."
The words hung in the air.
Zaborn's gaze met Zaboru's directly this time, more serious than ever. "It's not just a thought either. It feels… natural. Like it's supposed to happen."
He clenched his hand slightly, as if trying to understand the feeling himself. "And I don't know what will happen after that. I don't know if I'll disappear… or if I'll become something else… or if I'll just return to being part of you completely."
Zaborn held his gaze, steady but uncertain.
"I mean… something will definitely happen if I merge with you."
Zaboru's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? You want us to merge?"
There was a brief pause after he said it, as if even the words themselves felt strange to him.
Zaborn nodded slowly. "Yes… I've realized something. I don't really belong to this world, do I? I'm part of you… so maybe I'm supposed to return to you."
Zaboru fell silent for a moment, his expression tightening slightly as he processed that. His eyes didn't leave Zaborn, but his thoughts were clearly moving quickly.
"…I can't say I fully understand what you're feeling," he finally said, his voice calmer than before, more careful now, "but to me… you're not just some fragment."
He looked at Zaborn directly, more serious than usual.
"You're my best friend. You're the only one I can talk to about my previous life… the only one who truly understands that part of me."
Zaboru let out a small breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he spoke.
"You're more than just something that needs to 'return.' You've already become your own existence… your own person."
He paused for a second, as if choosing his words more carefully, then added more softly, "And Zaborn… you've already become someone important to Arumi too."
Zaboru's gaze shifted slightly, as if imagining it more clearly now.
"She talks to you like you're family… not something temporary. If you disappear…" he paused again, "…she'll notice. She'll feel it."
He leaned back slightly, still watching him, his tone steady but sincere.
"She'll be sad if you're gone. Even if technically we merge… we don't know what happens after. We don't know if you'll still be able to talk to her… or even exist the same way."
His eyes narrowed slightly, not in anger, but in concern.
"And more than that… we don't know what happens to you. Not really."
He rested his arm casually, but his gaze stayed firm.
"So before you decide anything… really think about it. Not just because something is 'pulling' you… but because it's your choice."
Zaboru gave a faint smile, softer this time.
"You don't have to follow that feeling. You can reject it… if that's what you want."
He paused, then added quietly,
"…And if you stay… I won't see you as something incomplete. You're already whole to me."
Zaborn smiled, though there was a hint of heaviness behind it. "I see… so that's how you see me… heh. Honestly, that doesn't sound so bad." His smile lingered a little longer than usual, softer, almost grateful, as if those words meant more to him than he wanted to admit.
He looked down for a moment, his expression turning thoughtful, then continued more quietly, "And about Arumi… she has you. She's a smart girl too, so I'm not too worried about her future."
He exhaled slowly, as if easing something inside his chest. "She'll grow up fine… probably even better than we expect. She's strong in her own way… and you'll be there to guide her."
Zaborn's gaze drifted slightly, like he was picturing her.
"…Still, I guess it's not really about worrying, is it," he added, almost to himself. "It's more like… I just don't want to disappear from her world that easily."
He gave a faint chuckle, but it didn't fully hide the feeling behind it. "Kinda selfish, huh."
He paused, his expression softening. "But still… it's true… I'm really going to miss her."
Zaborn took a small breath, as if making up his mind. "Alright… then I'll talk to her first. If she's okay with it… if she accepts it… then I'll come back and talk to you again, okay?"
Zaboru chuckled softly, but his eyes stayed warm and steady. "Yeah… relax, man. Take your time."
He leaned back slightly, giving Zaborn space but still staying close. "And remember… no matter what you decide… you and me, we're best friends. That doesn't change… even if you choose to merge."
Zaborn nodded quietly, his expression calmer than before, as if he had accepted at least part of the weight in his chest. There were still questions, still uncertainty, but now it felt more like something he could face rather than something overwhelming him.
Zaboru gave him one last look, then slowly stood up. "Alright… we'll talk again later," he said, his tone steady but reassuring.
Zaborn nodded again, not saying anything more this time.
With that, Zaboru gently excused himself and deactivated his Emulator Mind.
The familiar space faded away, and in the next moment, he was back in the real world, sitting quietly on the sofa in the dim light of the night.
He exhaled slowly.
Zaborn's condition… it's more complicated than I thought.
Zaboru leaned his head back slightly, staring at the ceiling.
That pull… that instinct to merge… it's not something simple. It's probably tied to the original ability itself evolving.
His expression softened a little.
…I just hope he can find the answer that's truly best for him.
Zaboru closed his eyes for a brief moment, then smiled faintly.
But still…
His thoughts shifted, curiosity slowly mixing into them.
His condition… this whole "ghost" existence… it's actually really interesting.
A small spark lit up in his mind.
…This could work as a story.
Zaboru's eyes opened slightly, a familiar creative energy beginning to form.
Not just any story… but something personal… something that feels real.
He let out a quiet chuckle.
Yeah… I can definitely turn this into a game concept.
Zaboru smiled faintly and walked toward his work desk at home, the quiet night making every small movement feel clearer. He pulled the chair and sat down, resting his arms for a moment before letting his fingers hover above the keyboard. The feeling was familiar… that spark when an idea refused to fade.
He began drafting immediately, not wanting to lose the momentum as his thoughts flowed naturally.
This… this kind of story works perfectly.
His eyes narrowed slightly in focus.
Something personal… something real… something that carries emotion.
Zaboru leaned forward a bit more, his mind already shaping the structure.
This game… yeah… it fits perfectly for my alternate Steam developer account… "Zaborn."
A small grin appeared on his face.
Genre… visual novel… but not just that. It needs action elements too. Something to break the pacing… something to make the player feel involved, not just reading.
His fingers finally started moving, typing quickly as the concept expanded.
Zaborn as the main character… a ghost… but not a weak one. I can expand his abilities… make his existence more defined… more impactful.
His thoughts became faster, almost overflowing now as each idea connected to another without pause.
Ghost against ghost… yeah… that works. Good ghosts, evil spirits… different types, different motives… not everything is black and white.
His mind immediately expanded on it.
Not just fights… there needs to be emotion behind each encounter. Each ghost should have a reason… regrets, attachments, unfinished business… something that makes them linger.
He leaned slightly forward, eyes focused.
And not all of them should be enemies. Some help, some guide, some just… exist. The world itself needs to feel alive—even if it's filled with the dead.
He paused for a brief second, then chuckled softly, the idea growing more vivid.
And he'll meet others too… not just enemies… allies… lost souls… stories within stories.
His fingers twitched slightly, already imagining different scenarios.
Each encounter can be a chapter… each ghost a story… something small, but meaningful. That's what makes it stick.
Zaboru's eyes sharpened again as the idea solidified further, the structure now becoming clearer.
Main story… side stories… branching interactions… yeah, this can go deep if done right.
A faint grin appeared on his face.
Yeah… this is going to be good… really good… and since it's based on something real… something personal… it'll feel different.
He let out a quiet chuckle.
Hehehe… this one might actually become something special.
Zaboru began typing the title, his fingers moving without hesitation, and there it was—"Kind Ghost : Soul Fragment." He stared at it for a brief second, then let out a quiet chuckle, clearly satisfied with how it sounded.
Yeah… this fits perfectly.
The name carried both warmth and something deeper beneath it, exactly the tone he wanted to capture.
Without wasting any more time, he continued typing, his focus sharpening as everything else around him faded away. Ideas flowed one after another,
Please give me your power stone and if you want to support me and get minimum 50+ advance chapter and additional 1 chapter a week for 4$ considering subscribe to my patreon patreon.com/Zaborn_1997
Or buymecoffee https://buymeacoffee.com/Zaborn_1997 which same with patreon
current Patreon/buymecoffe chap 1145
Also Join my discord if you want https://discord.gg/jB8x6TUByc