"I can't say I'm not jealous of Xue and Moon's avatars, ah what I would give to have had luck during the character selection process… It looks like FFS has started to choose their weapons - their three ranged carries are using assassin, bow, and mage!"
Xiao Qiu ignored his chat and nodded his head toward the stream while asking, "The playoff's just starting, are you staying to watch?"
Despite asking, he had hoped Xiao Yi wouldn't stay. Only he knows how hard he's tried to keep their content away from Xiao Yi - he has to look out for three teams! Three! This is the third year that at least one of them is in the finals.
Xiao Yi felt complex emotions towards his previous childhood friends, but Xiao Qiu felt most of the anger on his behalf. Besides, he too was abandoned.
Xiao Yi pondered for a moment, his right index finger subconsciously tapping against his thigh. He observed his brother's facial expressions and expressionlessly shook his head to the question.
He hadn't planned on waking up so early, but here he was. Wide awake. All because yesterday had the perfect sleeping conditions. Xiao Qiu streamed throughout the day, and then immediately hopped into team practice after the live stream.
Xiao Qiu let out a sigh of relief and nagged, "if you plan on going out, wear a sweater and mask. Remember to take your phone and let me know if you need to be picked up and I'll steal - I mean borrow - Lee's car."
Xiao Yi nodded and turned to wave at the viewers before pushing himself off the couch like an old man and walking away from the computer to his own room. He changed into a slightly oversized black sweater, black pants, and black combat boots. By the time he walked out of his room, the viewers got to watch him throw on a foam black mask.
He turned his eyes to glance at Xiao Qiu once more, but he was already back to watching the stream.
[No, he's leaving us!]
[It was a rare moment that we see him awake]
[Can he come commentate?]
"Ah, stop trying to kidnap my younger brother! I know he's cute, but he's my brother!" Xiao Qiu held in a laugh and exaggerated his actions, but his resolve was broken with the next line of barrage.
[Worried about him abandoning you?]
[Aww, bro-con Q Shen is out]
Why was his audience so nice to his younger brother and so savage towards himself?
Meanwhile, Xiao Yi found himself in a dilemma. The elevator was blocked off by a cute, small line of miniature cones and had a sign taped on the closing doors reading, 'closed from 9 am to 9 pm to perform maintenance'.
He sighed and glanced back at the apartment longingly.
'To deal with the stairs or to go back home?'
Xiao Yi walked towards the staircase. If it were up to him, he'd never hear or see anything involving those four men. Besides, he had gone through all the effort to get dressed.
He pushed the door open to the staircase and glanced down the winding hell that was seven flights of stairs.
'Am I being punished now?'
The door slammed shut behind him and he started his journey to the ground floor.
He'd have to get Xiao Qiu to go bug Lee to at least let them know when the building has maintenance.
Xiao Yi chuckled at the thought and hummed as he ran his fingers over the railing as he trailed down the staircase.
Three years ago… Xiao Yi's bank accounts were frozen only a few days after he signed a contract that would, unknowingly, destroy his career. Some unplanned events happened, Team X shut down and the remnants dispersed after rightfully cursing Xiao Yi out.
He was the last one to leave the dorms in the midst of winter, but he wasn't able to find a place to rent and had already become the scumbag of the esports world so no one would help him.
What no one knew though, was that Xiao Yi's parents had long disliked him and they finally had an excuse to disown him when he ran off to chase his esports dream.
With no one to turn to for help, Xiao Yi left the compound with just a single suitcase and found himself sleeping outside on various benches in the deadly winter. He continued like this for two weeks, until a large storm hit and a passerby found him passed out on the side of the road burning up with a fever, and transferred him and his things to the hospital.
That was how Xiao Qiu found his cute younger brother.
Lee, Xiao Qiu's captain, had only just purchased this apartment building when he set up the esports team. The first six floors were rented out to normal civilians, mainly older generations, and the seventh floor was always planned to be used for extra rooms for traveling esport teams or their families.
When he found out about Xiao Yi's situation, he gave the go-ahead for both siblings to move into the smaller apartment, 2 bedrooms instead of 4.
The apartment building was close enough to walk to the team's building. Therefore, there wasn't much of an issue with Xiao Qiu not living with his teammates. This was as long as he could attend practice and games with them and continue his contract.