Afterlife Games

Argh I let my guard down.

Sean, he's really changed a lot in the past three years for him to deceive me like this.

I brought him to the game lobby as he requested. The very second we reached an unoccupied room, he dashed in and locked the door behind, leaving me outside.

Such audacity, this isn't how I remember him to be at all, I could swear he was a compassionate, honest and outgoing boy, brilliant in all aspects.

His brilliance definitely retained, but he doesn't feel like the same person I remember him to be.

That bright teen that lets out the biggest smile I know whenever he achieves anything at all, but sulks dramatically when encountering the most trivial hurdle in life.

Most of all, he's honest to me, lying to me is unprecedented.

I can't understand his intents here either, I thought I told him I'll cover our expenses, it's child's play for me.

I don't know what does he achieve by lying to me and hopping into the games, but I sure know this is terrible for me.

If I go back to my room for the comforts of a bed, he might've already left and I wouldn't find him here again.

Unless he breaks another record, finding him will be close to impossible.

So all I can do is sit in the corridor of the game lobby, with my back right against the door of the room he went in.

It's getting late, I'll probably sleep here although it's awfully uncomfortable. He shouldn't be so heartless as to leave me even after seeing me sleeping in front of the door like this, he wouldn't.

‎

It's the next day, I would know, I wore a watch, time works the same in the game as in real life. Still no signs of him, door's still locked, gonna have to skip breakfast today.

Checking the door and knowing it's still locked is actually a relief, if a player was eliminated in the game, the door automatically unlocks itself, that means he's still in there fighting.

It's not like I have doubts of his ability, with his intellect, he can beat the levels until 1-4 without breaking a sweat.

If he keeps playing after completing 1-4 though, 1-5 is multiplayer, that's what I'm the most concern of, that stage cannot be taken lightly.

He's smart, but nonetheless, he still lacks skills necessary for self defence, thus the constant fear that something might happen to him haunts me, I barely even slept yesterday, at best I got 3 hours in.

God I won't forgive you for this much anxiety Sean. What's gotten into you? Why would you do this?

I'm physically trembling, people passing by the corridor would think I'm high on drugs for my appearance right now.

‎

"Player Sean Anthony just broke the record time for campaign stage 1-4 with 3 hours 14 minutes."

"What?!" It's afternoon already, I was so bored that I fell half asleep when my earpiece informed.

The door opened and my relaxed back that was leaning against it fell backwards to the ground, bringing my head next to the soles of his foot.

"Did you waited all this time?"

"What do you think?!" I didn't want to be angry, but there's no controlling it here. Besides, it's very much justified, he left me out here for almost 16 hours.

I'm sure my face here was showing visible disapproval, yet Sean seemed unwavered.

"You didn't have to, I broke the record again, you could find me easily."

I didn't appreciate him literally looking down on me, so I got up before reprimanding his actions again.

"Well I wouldn't have know that! What was that?! You left me out here, you lied to me, you've never done that!" I'm certain my emotions got the better of me here, I can feel my disgruntled expression forming, I needed badly a valid explanation from him.

"I'm sorry. I lied because I know you would never let me enter these games, despite knowing yourself these will pose no troubles for me." That's true...but also so presumptuous of him.

"I didn't want to trouble my living expenses onto you, nothing bad happened to me anyways."

I was speechless, I didn't really know what to do or say.

I regained my composure by taking a few deep breaths, lets out a sigh of relief that he walked out unscathed, then switched to my serious voice,

"Tsk, fine. But this cannot have a next time."

"Won't be."

He had a point that I do agree, nothing bad happened to him, there's no reason to scold him for something done without repercussions.

Instead, it's more rational to make sure a second similar mistake doesn't occur.

"Did you even get any sleep since you joined?"

"I did, after passing 1-2, I slept for around 4 hours in there before continuing 1-3."

That's a gamer sleep schedule right there.

"Get more sleep, I'll bring you to the place where players lives and sleeps."

"Thanks."

He walked right next to me as if nothing occurred, it's really as if he's never deceived me and I've never rebuked him for it.

Well I guess it's a good thing that our relationship remains natural, it's still so weird knowing my nephew that I once knew has nearly became a total stranger though.

"After you get some rest, we'll get some food, then we train."

"I suggest campaign stage 1-5."