Edited by: Kuro
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After the talk, Jaden took down the System Barrier and walked Arisa home. She seemed a lot more cheerful as she waved Jaden goodbye. He felt like they would be good friends from now on.
Jaden didn't know what she was going to do, but he was glad that she was a kind person. They also exchanged numbers so they could always keep in touch. He hoped that whatever Arisa decided, she would be able to follow her dreams.
As for him, he could finally focus on becoming the top idol.
Well, that was what he hoped and wished for.
*****
Two weeks later, Jaden met up with Charlotte and signed his contract. She was very accepting of him being a Trans man and even promised that they would help him legally change his name and sex on legal documents. They were also willing to pay for his HRT and surgeries before and after his debut. Jaden couldn't possibly say no to their generous offer.
The contract was a 10-year-long contract and could be renewed at the end of it. The 10 years included the time he would be an "idol trainee", and after his debut. In the end, he could choose to renew it or leave the company.
"Idol Trainees" were individuals who had two paths. They could go into idol groups, or become solo artists, but each of them had to start off as a trainee. They would have to live in dorms and get to know the other idol trainees. Managers would oversee their training and had to pick out those who worked better alone or with others. Once every six months, selected individuals would be able to debut.
JQ didn't have a lot of idols or solo artists and they only had 4 other idol trainees in their dorms. They were going to debut as a group, but they still needed another member. JQ hoped that Jaden would be able to work well with them even though he was also good as a solo artist.
Models from JQ didn't have to live in dorms, and they got their managers right away and would be able to start work right away.
Jaden would be able to meet the manager when he moved into the dorms. He was able to live in the dorms in a week, so he had to prepare. He was slowly going to pack some of his things before he would come out to his parents. He decided to come out a day or two before moving out.
Even though his lessons at Kelly's dance studio ended, Jaden still practiced dancing in his room, played instruments, did school work, and did one last small gig at a bar. It was a small gay bar with a rich clientele. Very hidden and also underground. No one knew who the owner was, but they liked to look for small talents to entertain their guests. The owner and his employees were gay/lesbian or bisexual/pansexual men, women, and nonbinary folks, which was why the bar was considered a "gay bar." The rich clients didn't have to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community to enter, they just had to have enough money.
Jaden saw that they were paying a lot for the gig, so he decided to do it. If he got kicked out a night or two before moving into the dorms, he would be able to stay at a cheap hotel until the day of moving in. This would also prevent that incident where he was found sleeping on the bench and then kidnapped...
He arrived before opening so that he could get his things ready. They said he could play as many songs as he wanted to in 3 hours. They would provide food, drinks, and breaks as well as good pay. He couldn't say no at all.
The bar was very lowkey. It didn't have any indications that it was a "gay" bar. The bar was lined with polished seats, expensive alcohol, and four bartenders. Each had their specialties and their outfits were tailored to their personality. Across from the bar was the small stage that Jaden would be performing on. There were seats and booths lined with soft red cushions to match the brown, red, and black theme. The lights were dimmed out to set a relaxing atmosphere akin to taking a bath alone with a bottle of wine and candles lined up around the bathtub.
Jaden went into the back to change into different clothes. He wore a nude-colored chest binder, a white dress shirt, black slim-fit dress pants, polished cap-toe black oxford dress shoes, black suspenders, and a black and white polka-dotted bow tie. To top it all off, he wore a black and white mask that covered most of his face. The only thing that could be seen was his soft and plump pink lips.
His body was slim, but firm, powerful even, so when he wore the fitted outfit, it outlined his toned body. His hair was slicked back and dropped a bit to the right side towards the end.
Jaden got out of the backroom and went back to the stage to set up his equipment. He brought his acoustic guitar. The amp was already on the stage, so he hooked up his guitar, adjusted the mic so that he could sit and play, and set down his reusable water bottle. He also had his guitar case open in the front for people who wanted to give him tips. Any bit of cash was appreciated.
As he got done, a few people filed in. They greeted the bartenders, ordered their drinks, and sat down to chat.
Jaden was supposed to be considered background music, so he didn't really make himself known. The only thing he did was softly play music. He played songs that were popular in the current world and gave them a bit of his twist. His soft and soothing voice slowly lured customers to the point they couldn't take their eyes off of him.
A man, Adriel Grey, walked in at one point, ordered an Old Fashioned (Whiskey), and sat down in front of a business partner. Adriel wore a tailored navy blue business suit, no tie. His black hair was swept to the side with a freshly cut undercut. The man was the CEO of a company that ruled over the Virtual Reality industry.
His company was the first to step into an immersive Virtual Reality World with their leading game, Isurelia: Heavens Destruction. The game was about players who go through the main story that had them trying to take down the Gods to create a new order. The ultimate goal was to become a God themselves. The VR game was free-roaming, multiplayer VRMMO with PVP, PVE, etc, with massive character customizations. Even the allocations of stats and skills were very versatile and easy to maneuver around. There were a lot of freedoms, but sometimes, changes could cause consequences that the users had to keep in mind. Which was why it was a sort of sandbox-type game.
His business partner, an older man named Cole, was the CEO of another IT company. He was a friend of Adriel's father and wanted to sponsor a new project that Adriel was working on.
Cole picked this bar because it was one of the best in the city, even with its reputation of being a "gay bar." He was gay himself so he didn't mind.
As they talked, Adriel couldn't help but turn to Jaden who was singing a sad love song. It was like the man had been longing for his lover and he was singing his heart out, hoping that his lover would hear his song and come back home. It was very touching and moving to the point Adrial felt his heartache.
This was the moment Adriel found his new obsession and his stalkin- cough cough fanboying had reached new heights.
*****
A couple of days before going to live in the dorms, Jaden decided to come out to his parents. He didn't go anywhere that day and waited for his father to come home for dinner.
When his mom called him down for dinner, Jaden took a breath, patted his face, and walked down. Whatever happened, happened. He was ready to leave at any moment.
He arrived at the dinner table to find food on plates, three bowls of rice, and utensils. His father and mother were already sitting, eating.
'They meant well' was what the original Jaden wanted to believe, but their actions spoke louder than the words they barely uttered to him. Even the original couldn't keep up with that thought since he knew that would be deluding himself.
He sat down and quietly ate his food.
"L******, how is your schooling going?"
"I got a 98 on my last exam." Jaden nonchalantly spoke. It was the highest grade the original had ever gotten. For the Host, this was him holding back. Those worlds and the original world really helped him. He could rule the world if he wanted to, but he preferred a low-key lifestyle even if the originals wanted something more.
Jaden's father was surprised. "You seem to have studied hard."
"Hm. Now that my time with the dance studio is over, I have free time." He looked over the content but he didn't "study hard." It was normal for a Veteran Host to be much smarter than most people. This was the usual.
"It seems that you would do well in school if you just focused on studying." He implied, 'If you stopped fooling around, maybe you would be like your siblings who already have good careers on their shoulders'.
Jaden's mouth twitched as he thought, Sorry to disappoint you, but even with my degree, I will still be an idol.
He quickly finished his food and tried to find the right moment to say something. His parents liked to focus more on the food than casual talk, so there was more chewing than there was talking.
When he saw that his mother and father had swallowed at the same time, he spoke up.
"Mom, Dad, there's something I've been needing to tell you..."
They looked up and put down their utensils.
"So you are finally ready to talk about things." His mother smiled, but her eyes weren't smiling at all.
Jaden felt his danger signals go off as he clenched his fists under the table.
"Yes, that's right."
His father wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Couldn't you have waited till after we finished eating?"
"The moment you are done, you immediately leave the table regardless if anyone else is done or not. I wanted to talk to you both so that's why I decided to bring it up now."
"Well, spit it out." His father grumbled as he leaned back. He was tired after working all day.
Jaden took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner nerves. Coming out, no matter how many times he has done it, was still so nerve-wracking.
"Mom, Dad, I'm a man... More specifically, I am a trans man..." Jaden looked at his parents gauging their expressions. His own was one of fearlessness and seriousness. "Even so, I am a man."
[*Chirp Chirp* Side Mission: Come out to your parents, has been completed. Thank you for your hard work.]
'You're welcome...' But he knew it wasn't over yet.
His parents knew Jaden wasn't joking. They already saw the changes in the past couple of weeks. They didn't mention anything because it didn't harm them if their child was a bit of a "tomboy," but to hear Jaden say they were a "man," was their last straw.
His mom was the first to say something after a long silence.
"L******, you are mistaken. You are a girl and were born a girl. Isn't it time to stop your childish behavior? You are 19. It's time for you to think about your future seriously.
"I know you, L******, and I have watched you grow up. If anyone is to know you were a boy, it would be me. I did give birth to you after all."
His father chimed in, "Your mother is right. You are just confused and don't understand anything. Once you grow up, get married, and have kids, you will see that you are just in a phase."
To think that the original Jaden had to hear these same words from his parents before he died so miserably.
After hearing what Jaden had to say, they were left speechless.
"You don't know me even if you gave birth to me." Jaden's voice was steady, but his eyes were cold. "The only time you ever talked to me was about schooling and my future career, but you were never there for me. You didn't show up to any of my graduations, to school events, to even my birthday. Do you even remember my birthday? Or are your precious older children who already have kids and careers on their shoulders the only ones you actually care about?
"I am confused and don't understand anything? Is that your only reasoning as to why I am supposedly a 'girl'? I've thought long and hard for more than a decade feeling like I don't belong, feeling like there was something wrong with me, that what I am feeling is disgusting. You may see these as childish feelings, but you don't understand how much I struggled with depression with my only outlet being music and dance.
"You tell me you know me, but don't care to listen to the music I play or see the dance I am so passionate about. You tell me it's a waste of time, but don't even try to understand my passion. It comes to the point where I have to compromise just so that you would be okay, but even then that's not enough. Am I really that much of a disappointment to you? Well, sorry to reaffirm your opinions of me, but I will be the biggest stain on your lives. I am a man. No matter what you say to me, I know who I am."
Jaden spat out his words like he was spitting out acid. He made sure that they didn't even get the chance to interrupt him. There were a lot of the Host's frustrations, but most of it was the original's grievances.
His father quickly stood up and slapped Jaden across the face. This was the first time he had ever slapped his children. "You have no right to talk to your mother and me that way. Who raised you, fed you, and put a roof over your head? If you were to step outside, into the real world, who would take care of you then when you can't even take care of yourself? You think playing a couple of songs will put food on the table, put a roof over your head? You will only raise a couple of bucks from the tips people put in your little guitar case. Do you think that will save you when your stomach is crying out in hunger? Fucking ridiculous."
His mother got up and walked towards the kitchen, dishes in her hands. "It seems you know how to say quite a lot of words. Did that dance studio teach you to talk so eloquently? Who taught you to speak in such a tone? Did they encourage you to follow your dreams, acting like you are some big tough man? We will let you follow your dreams if that's what you really want. Leave this house and don't ever come back then. If you are following your dreams, your feelings, and your beliefs, then we will do the same. From what we know, we only have three daughters, we never had a son and never will."
"Fine, then I will leave this house." Jaden also stood up as he walked towards the stairs.
"Pack up all your shit and get out right now. I don't want you coming back until you realize that you are a girl." Jaden's father spat out.
Jaden didn't even acknowledge his former father as he walked to his room. He already packed most of his things from what he needed and what he didn't need. His instruments and his electronics were in the system space and could be taken out anytime he wanted.
The system space bag was literally the only golden finger he had when going into worlds. Unlike those stories where there are pills and heavenly cultivation manuals, he got a space which he could put stuff into. It was about the size of a small one-story house that had two rooms, two bathrooms, and no backyard. He was given nothing else. He barely used it anyway, so it was only useful in times like these, which rarely happened.
Jaden left behind the furniture, his pillows, bedsheets, and the stuffed animals his relatives gave him. Everything else he took with him and left.
He knew these parents of the original wouldn't care, but it left a bitter taste in his mouth that he wished he could rinse out. He vowed that with him here, he would make sure that Jaden stood at the top of the world.
And he hoped that he could change the way this world thought about Transgender people.