"Luc? You're Luc, right?"
It was not only the woman who was shocked, even Mattias. He was so shocked that he almost withdrew his hands that was supporting Justin.
"Who?"
"I guess you have forgotten about me. I'm one of your past guildmates, Cecilia. We met a year ago in the guild offline meet up..."
"Oh..."
"And I also sent you a friend request and messaged you about coming back to the game and joining my guild..."
"..."
Now, Mattias remembered her. She was one of his past teammates when they played together for an offline meetup. The offline meetup was about the disbandment of the guild because the game was closing.
They were not close in the game especially when he quit for a long time, while she only played when he quit.
He only decided to go because when he opened the game to reminisce about the past because he saw that the game was closing. And when he went online, he was still at the same guild before he quit. Not only that, but he was still one of the guild officers. So when he went online, everyone knew that he came online. For that reason, Mattias decided to indulge himself once more even if it was a short period of time.
Then when he came in the offline meetup, he was showered with praises. Nobody knew him nor was close to him except the guild master and vice guild master. Thus, nobody knew his circumstances nor the reason why he quit.
And at that time of offline meetup, they wanted to play a 2v2 arena. Because of the prize, Mattias decided to try. He borrowed an account which was the same as his account, a gunner.
He was teamed up with Cecilia, she was a swordsman and her character was male. She was quite aggressive but still good nonetheless. They faced the finals with the guild master which they clutched because Mattias was that good.
It was a good memory indeed, not until he was pestered by his teammate Cecilia. He wasn't sure how she knew, but since then she tried every possible way to recruit him.
Mattias have forgotten about it. So, he wasn't aware that the game was remade to become a VR game. Not only that, but Celine, Cecilia's real name, knew some information that was confidential at that time. She came to the offline meetup to recruit good players and she only met two.
Those two were opposite her, looking intimate.
"..."
Celine didn't know where to start. She had come to fetch Justin because she received his call when she was taking a break. Now, it seems that she should be good to Justin, because the man she couldn't even move was hugging him. And they seemed so close that Celine was confused because as far as she knew, Mattias was straight, and his ex was even her rival in the game.
"Ah? Celine?"
"...have you sobered enough?"
"Oh! I think I'm bound. Could you please help me? It's suffocating me!"
Justin said while trying so hard to look pitiful. Justin knew that it was too late. He had forgotten who he called. Never would he have thought that it was Celine.
"Let me help you. Where's your car?"
"Ah? Mattias? Are you also bound by a rope like me?"
"..."
"..."
"Oh! What happened why did your face look like you're in pain?"
Celine didn't want to embarrass herself nor Mattias anymore. Justin might destroy the bridge he had built towards friendship with Mattias! Celine wasn't sure why the two didn't recognize each other, but she wouldn't let the opportunity be wasted!
Celine walked towards Justin and pinched his ears dragging him away.
"Let's go."
"..."
Where's the pure and innocent young man he was talking with before? All he could see was a boy full of mischievousness.
Mattias wanted to go back but before he could do so, he heard Celine shouting for him to wait.
"Wait for me there! I had something to tell you!"
Celine dragged Justin by the ear. She knew how Justin would act when drunk. The only way for him to somehow sober up was pain, and his weakness was his ear.
Celine unlocked her car and put Justin in the backseat.
"Stay there, I'll come back."
"Mmhhmm..."
When she was sure that Justin was comfortable in the backseat, she closed the door hurriedly before going back towards Mattias. When she saw that Mattias had waited for her, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She didn't waste any time because she knew how much of an inconvenience she was.
"Can you accept my friend request? I had something to talk about with you. But, you are still working. I know this might seem a threat but I'll do my very best to get a yes from you."
"..."
Mattias didn't know what to say. It could cause misunderstanding but it would also help him keep away the people that were trying to enter his pants.
"Okay, I'll accept you."
"Good! Then if you didn't reply I'll come back. Goodbye~"
"..."
Mattias went back inside. He was tired already. He thought that his day couldn't get any worse, but it seemed he jinxed it.
Time passed by, and after midnight Mattias went back to the hospital. When he arrived it was already 2AM. Mattias knew how dangerous it was to walk at night especially after midnight, but he was sure that he could outran a van.
When he entered the small private room, he saw that his sister was sleeping on the small sofa where she had to drag near the bed of their mother. Mattias went near his mother and saw that she looked a little less paler than she was before.
After making sure that everything was fine, he sat at the chair and tried to sleep, but he couldn't. What Celine told him bothered him. It was to the point that he almost asked what game, because if it was the game he had in mind, then he wouldn't want to know what he had thought at that time.
Who wouldn't want to go back to the things they used and love to do? It was also the reason why he came online when the game was closing. He thought it was the end.
Curious at what Cecilia had sent him, he grabbed his phone in his pocket and unlocked it.
The truth was, Mattias had long uninstalled all his social network apps. He didn't delete it, because he was only taking a break. He didn't want to erase his past, he was only momentarily locking it away so he could focus on his future.
When he logged in on his messaging app, he could see that at the very top, his father's name was on it. He could read bits of it.
Mattias clenched his fist tighter and tried his best to not throw his phone. When he was calm enough, he scrolled and yet he didn't find Cecilia's message. So, he went to M.Requests, but still didn't find it.
Mattias wasn't sure why, but he felt that he was quite cruel. Not only to himself but to others who tried reaching him. Mattias gulped and opened the Blocked messages, and there he saw some names he thought he had forgotten. At the very top it was Cecilia, not only that, but she messaged him ten minutes after she left the bar.
When Mattias opened it, he read all the messages she had sent starting from the very first message.
[09/22/xx]
Celine: Luc? I am Cecilia, your teammate at the offline meetup
Mattias: How did you get my contact info?
Celine: I asked the guild master
Celine: I told her that I wanted to give my thanks
Mattias: Oh
Celine: ... do you want to join my team?
Mattias: ???
Celine: I can't tell anything yet, but I hope that you'll think about it
Mattias: OK
[10/15/xx]
Celine: Are you there?
[10/22/xx]
Celine: Do you know VR?
[10/26/xx]
Celine: I was chosen to be one of the Beta Testers of a new VR Game
[11/2/xx]
Celine: Hey
[11/30/xx]
Celine: Do you even read my messages?
Mattias: only now
Celine: Are you interested in the new VR game? I can't tell you what the title is, but I assure you that you'll love it
Mattias: don't have time
Celine: Why?
Mattias: family matters
Celine: What matters? Maybe I can help
After that, Mattias decided to block her. He remembered it that time. He had enough of it.
[12/25/xx]
Celine: Merry Christmas! Can you meet up with me?
[01/01/xx]
Celine: Happy New Year! So, I have great news to share, can you give me some time?
[01/02/xx]
Celine: Hey, Luc!
[01/03/xx]
Celine: I'll wait for your answer
[01/13/xx]
Celine: Done with beta test! The game is really great! Hope to receive good news from you soon!
[01/19/xx]
Celine: Did you watch the news? That's right! The new VR Game is called Tadhana Online! Isn't it surprising?!
[02/01/xx]
Celine: It's the first day of launch. You aren't coming? My username will be Cecilia, add me!
[02/02/xx]
Celine: Can't believe it. It felt so real! Have you experienced it by yourself? Add me, we can do dailies together!
[02/17/xx]
Celine: Haven't seen your name in any rankings. Not playing yet?
[03/01/xx]
Celine: The guild function has been unlocked! Come to my guild, Secret Order. Guild ID #110217
[04/01/xx]
Celine: I tried searching your username but I couldn't find you. You still not playing or you are using another username?
[05/01/xx]
Celine: Have you seen the new update? There's a new class and now we can travel to neighboring kingdoms
[05/04/xx]
Celine: Fuck! I saw your ex
[05/05/xx]
Celine: Um... I mean I already know that you have an ex. Remember we are in the same class before. Never knew that I have a classmate who was strong in the game
[06/01/xx]
Celine: Still can't find your username
[07/01/xx]
Celine: Changed my guild name to Revengers
[08/01/xx]
Celine: Another major update. Wow, every three months, there's new classes added.
[09/01/xx]
Celine: The new update was about guild territory war.
[09/06/xx]
Celine: Ack! We are losing so badly we need help!
[09/07/xx]
Celine: Accept my friend request? 😊
Celine: My threat was never empty~ 😊
Celine: See you tomorrow then 🥱
"..."
Mattias didn't know what to say. He was being threatened but he felt it was funny. So, he did hear right when he watched the television ad. It seemed that Celine knew before it was announced that the game would be remade into a VR Game.
She has been recruiting him since then. She wasn't forceful, in fact, she had been constantly checking if Mattias entered the rankings. She was too confident that he would make it.
Mattias wanted to point out three things she had missed. It was a VR Game, he wasn't sure if he could keep up with it. Next, he was working and his salary couldn't buy the gears to play. Even if he tried to save to buy the gear, it would at least take 3 years. The gear wasn't even cheap. It was too expensive. Lastly, he never replied after his last message in November. She should have got the point, why insist on messaging him.
Mattias would never know the answer, unless he asked. And asking would lead to curiosity, which would then lead to interest. Having an interest wasn't bad, but in his situation right now, having an interest in it was bad. It was never good for him. Not only did he not have the money and time, now that his mother has been hospitalized and needed rest, he has to do his best to keep himself healthy while also making sure that he could provide the necessary expenses for them until his mother recovered.
He had no time for such luxury. With that in mind, he locked his phone and decided to not check it nor accept Celine's request. Whether her threat was empty or not, Mattias didn't have time to think about it. He had a lot of things to do. So, with that in mind, he leaned back on the wall and closed his eyes trying to find a comfortable position.