Satoshi

Shinichi had watched his grandfather tidy their apartment with nervous anticipation. If Jiji was excited to meet someone, he must have surely been a great man.

"What's his name again Jiji?" Shinichi had asked.

"Hal Finney!” his Grandfather breathed back excitedly. "If we're going to be able to do it, we need his help."

Shinichi had frowned at this.

"But why? You already thought of the idea! And with me and Dorian Oji-san helping..."

Shinichi's grandfather had smiled so warmly.

"Of course, your help will be important. What else have you and I been training for?"

Shinichi could still feel his grandfather’s hand ruffling his hair.

"But Mr Finney has experience we don't. His success in creating a reusable proof of work system is an essential part of achieving consensus in blockchains. Without it, the process of minting new currency through mining is imposs—"

The doorbell rang.

Jiji gave Shinichi a quick wink and rushed to welcome Hal Finney in.

Still lost in the memory, Shinichi studied Mr Finney's face. Slightly older but still the same kind face. The makeup did a good job of bringing the old color back.

"Shinichi is that you?!”

Startled, Shinichi turned to see Dorian Nakamoto.

"Hi Dorian Oji-san," he greeted awkwardly.

Dorian came up close enough to hug him.

"I was hoping you would come!”

Shinichi could hear the emotion in his uncle's voice. He felt a pang of guilt.

"It's good to see you, Oji-san" he reassured. "I'm sorry I haven't been in touch much since. It's just that..."

"No, I know," Dorian interrupted," Your grandfather meant a lot to all of us, but just as he cared more for you than anyone else, no one cared more for him than you."

Shinichi appreciated his “uncle’s” understanding. He knew the other hurt nearly as bad as he did. They both grieved in silence as their eyes trailed over Hal Finney's open casket.

"At least Satoshi-kun has company now."

Shinichi almost smiled. If for no other reason than to hear his grandfather's name spoken aloud. Warmth rushed through him as he heard the familiar hurt in Dorian’s voice. They had been so close. Family. Ever since Jiji had met Dorian. Ever since Satoshi had met Satoshi.

"Shinichi," Jiji had beamed, “I've met a kindred spirit for our mission! He is fiercely intelligent, wise beyond his years, and humble enough to realize that no one person can be credited for this to be successful.”

“Where did you meet him Jiji?” Shinichi had asked.

“At the bookstore. He was buying a copy of my favourite book!”

Of course. If Jiji wasn’t at home, he was at the bookstore.

“It’s fate Shinichi!” Jiji had continued. “Not only does he also love mystery books. He even shares my name! Satoshi! Though he is Satoshi Nakamoto...”

JiJi had paused thoughtfully, then shot Shinichi a grin.

“Nakamoto using the kanji for ‘central’ and ‘foundation,’” he mused. “It doesn’t fit that well. The foundational idea of our currency is that it will be decentralized.”

Shinichi could still hear his grandfather laughing at that terrible joke. How many times had he heard it? How much would he give to hear it again.

"Do you think he'll be happy once Hal tells him everything?" Dorian asked suddenly.

Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto. That name, as expected, had already caused the public some confusion. Shinichi wondered if his uncle had been bothered by this.

“You don’t think he’s been watching?” Shinichi asked instead.

Dorian smiled at that. Before Shinichi could hear his answer, several new voices entered the room.

"Is that Shinichi?"

Familiar faces. Shinichi stumbled out greetings to everyone. Gavin Andresen, Craig Wright, Nick Szabo, Adam Back, Ross Ulbricht. All recruits of his grandfather’s.

"Gentleman," Shinichi heard his grandfather’s kind and proud voice boom. “Today we start our mission! The creation of a secure, decentralized currency of the future! I couldn't be happier to have you joining me"

They all rushed over to see him for the first time since they had published Satoshi’s whitepaper and the Bitcoin reference implementation.

"Where have you been Shin?” Gavin asked, "I've been paying attention to transfers from your wallet, but you never seem to be in one place for long. We'd love to have you helping out at the Bitcoin Foundation!”

“You should be part of the public conversation Shin,” Craig added. “You're a founder just like us! A part of Satoshi Nakamoto"

Shinichi flinched inwardly. He was more than “a part.” Shinichi and Dorian had been there before Jiji had gotten sick. Before Mr Finney had suggested bringing in more hands in hopes they could finish. Before Jiji‘s illness took him.

Avoiding Gavin’s offer, Shinichi voiced his question from earlier.

"Speaking of Satoshi Nakamoto. Dorian Oji-san, I saw the media finally realized that it’s the same as your name. Are they still bothering you?"

"No, thanks to you" Dorian smiled, knowingly. "Sending a message from Satoshi-kun's account was quick thinking. It made them keep looking for the ‘real’ Satoshi Nakamoto."

"I think all of us have been suspected, as expected," Gavin laughed. “But each time, your use of Satoshi Nakamoto’s wallet in a different part of the world has proven our “innocence.” Your Grandpa would be proud."

“I’ve been thinking about Satoshi Nakamoto,” Jiji had said suddenly.

He sounded weak. Shinichi looked up at the monitors above his hotel bed to make sure everything was okay.

“Me?” Dorian-Oji-san had asked. Only the three of them had been present.

“No, why?” Jiji smiled. He had known Dorian knew who he meant but the confusion had become a joke between them.

“I wish you would have chosen a different name Satoshi-kun,” Dorian had said for the hundredth time. “Maybe yours?”

The two Satoshi’s played out this “argument” often. This had been the last time.

“Jiji,” Shinichi had said once the play argument had finished, “What were you thinking about Satoshi Nakamoto?”

“Ah, thank you Shinichi! I was thinking that there will be a time when the media learn ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’ happens to match Dorian-kun’s name.”

“We’ve spoken about this.” Dorian noted, “I’ll deny it and they’ll likely look at Hal next. He lives close to me. His wallet will be one of the first transfers. And because of his background many will assume he used my name as a pseudonym to protect his identity. At which point, he’ll deny it and the mystery will grow.”

“Of course,” Jiji had agreed, “But what if he doesn’t deny it?”

“You think he will try and claim that he created Bitcoin, Jiji?” Shinichi had asked. It would have surprised him.

“I don’t know,” Jiji answered. “I’m asking what would happen? And I’m asking because I trust both of you. If anyone who isn’t part of our team tries to claim they are Satoshi Nakamoto it will add to the mystery. But if it’s someone within our team they could reveal everything.”

Dorian Oji-san and Shinichi hadn’t thought about this. Jiji had. He had spent his last days thinking about it.

“If someone involved in the creation of Bitcoin were to try to take credit,” Jiji had continued, “we could use Satoshi Nakamoto’s account to publicly deny the claims. Better yet we could process payments from Satoshi’s wallet in places the person could not possibly be.”

“But Satoshi Nakamoto doesn’t have a wallet.” Shinichi had argued. “And to make this believable we would need a wallet that dates back to early in the creation of Bitcoin.”

Dorian Oji-san had caught up to Jiji faster than Shinichi.

“Satoshi Nakamoto doesn’t have an account. But there is a Satoshi account that’s been around since the beginning.”

Shinichi had understood then. This was Jiji’s will. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to use the account and wallet much longer.

Shinichi could still smell the hospital room. Still see Jiji staring at him for one of the last times.

"I just wish Jiji was here to see it," Shinichi said softly. "I know it’s exactly as he would want, but he always hated being left out. He'd be so disappointed. I didn't even get his whitepaper out in time for him to see the reaction.”

Everyone shuffled uncomfortably. Dorian moved to speak, but Shinichi cut him off.

"I need to go. I only came to say goodbye to Mr Finney. Besides, the service is about to open to the public and it could ruin the mystery if anyone were to see us all here together."

As Shinichi moved to leave Gavin grabbed his arm softly.

"Shin, think about coming to join us at the foundation. It might help. And we'd love to see you more often."

Shinichi could see the worry in not only Gavin’s, but everyone else’s eyes as well. He let a moment pass in silence as if he was really considering the offer.

"Thanks Gavin, but it's too hard without him,” Shinichi said, slipping away and towards the door.

"Shinichi, come for tea before you leave the country!” Dorian called as Shinichi stepped through the door.

Shinichi walked out of the funeral home and into the city beyond. A crowd was already starting to gather outside, waiting for the public visitation. So many fans who assumed Hal Finney was the man behind Bitcoin. So many who would never know.

"Shinichi you've got to make sure it gets finished!" Jiji had ordered from that hospital bed. Overwork and the illness had robbed him of so much strength.

"If our dream is to come true there's no better time, and no one I trust more than you to get it done. It’s been you and me since the beginning!"

Satoshi wiped the all too familiar tears from his eyes.

"It was your dream Jiji. I just wanted to spend time with you.”