Veyra’s carefree mood paused, totally caught off guard. Snow and Dark, both of Heywin’s cats, ran downstairs, while the tower continued crumbling under the misty sky.

  Oh my god, I actually said it. No preparation, no flirting beforehand, I just went straight to the question.

  “A date?” Veyra asked. “Like… an actual date?”

  “Yeah,” I said, while my heart tried its best to kill me. “A date. Online in Wonderwind, though.”

  She looked genuinely surprised. Her usual teasing smile wasn’t there.

  “I…” Veyra eventually said. Her eyes wandered off. “I’m flattered by the invitation. I… I’m not sure how to answer. I might need a moment to think.”

  My face felt red hot as I nervously tried to make sense of Veyra’s troubled look. She bit her lip, face slightly red. Whether that was out of embarrassment or discomfort, I couldn’t tell.

  Just tell her how you feel, nothing stupid, I thought. I wasn’t some movie star or some genius at flirting. All I could do was honestly tell her how I felt.

  “Dungeon hunting with you has been amazing,” I said. “And… I really like hanging around you. You’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met, but I still feel like I barely know you. I’d love to get to know you better. On a date.”

  Veyra’s face was slightly red. She spoke hesitantly. “You know, I usually reject anyone who asks me out by reflex…”

  “But you haven't rejected me yet?”

  “I just don’t really date people,” she said. “Like, I don’t date anyone. It’s not really my thing.”

  She doesn’t date? I thought. What did that mean? So I had no chance at all? Was that what she meant?

  No, I definitely had a chance. “Can I be honest for a bit?” I asked.

  “Sure?”

  “I just get the butterflies, okay,” I said. “If I look at you, I know I’m looking at someone amazing, who I’d like to hug.”

  I couldn’t hide my face getting red. Now both of us were facing the floorboards, too awkward to look at each other.

  “So I was wondering,” I continued, “if you also felt the same way? If you’d also like a hug?”

  “You know…” she said through a nervous breath. “You don’t have to date a girl just to give them a hug. It’s not like you haven’t already hugged me without asking.”

  I blinked. “I have?”

  “You avoided Time Eruption by hugging me,” Veyra reminded.

  “That was different, though,” I said without hesitating. “It was a life and death situation. I had to survive. I didn’t do it just to hug you. And also… You also asked me what I was doing right away.”

  Veyra’s eyes wandered from place to place. “It was kind of cute, though.”

  I paused. Wait. She liked that?

  Was she giving me permission to hug her? She was hinting at wanting a hug, was she not?

  “Sorry…” Veyra let out a nervous chuckle. “I’m a bit awkward with this, aren’t I? I decided a long time ago to not date people anymore. The idea is just a bit weird to me. But at the same time… I don’t feel like I should reject you either.”

  I tried to think of how to respond. Neither of us said anything.

  Until suddenly, Veyra’s head perked up. A system notification appeared in front of her. She blinked at it, surprised. “Oh, come on…” she muttered. “Not now!”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  She bit her lip, looking genuinely troubled. “It’s a forced log-out…”

  “Oh,” was all I managed to say.

  “I’m really sorry!” Veyra blurted out. “Oh my god, I didn’t do this on purpose, I promise, I really didn’t! This is such bad timing!” She bit her lip, breathing heavy. “Oh my god… I won’t ghost you, I promise. I’ll try to get on as fast as I can. Just wait for me, please. It might take a few hours. I’ll give you my answer to the date when I get back online. I promise I will.”

  With that, she initiated the safe log-out, and disappeared.

  I stood there, unblinking, the cold misty air gripping my cheeks.

  Oh my god.

  Oh my god.

  Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.

  I actually just asked her out.

  Had it gone well? My heart couldn’t decide. She hadn’t immediately given me an excited yes. That would have been the best outcome.

  But she also hadn’t rejected me. And she had hinted at wanting a hug, had she not?

  I really didn’t know.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  The next two hours was the most nerve wracking wait of my life as I waited for Veyra to log back on.

  ***

  [You have been logged out due to a severe Health Risk. Please seek a medical professional immediately.]

  Veyra woke up in her apartment with her heart thumping in her throat. She vaguely tasted the awful feeling in her stomach, but for once, the urge to puke was overpowered by insane nervousness.

  I didn’t reject him! I couldn’t. Why not!?

  The next wave of emotions flowed straight to her head, and she suddenly had the urge to cry. He asked her for a hug. He thought she was amazing.

  She, referring to her online persona.

  He wanted to hug Veyra, the time mage, she thought. Not Veyra the cripple.

  She sniffled, until she saw through the tempered glass of her game pod that someone was in her kitchen. She glanced at the clock, and saw that it was already six fifteen PM. Her evening assistant had arrived fifteen minutes ago.

  It was her new evening assistant, Aree, who replaced the previous one after he got fired. Seeing the lively woman, Veyra forced herself to calm down. She opened the door of the game pod.

  Aree’s bright and eager smile found Veyra right away. “Evening!” she said.

  The woman was a tan-skinned Thai woman, twenty-four years old, wearing a casual midriff and shorts, like most people in this weather. Her long black hair had pretty bangs, and she faced Veyra with lively eyes, as if she was actually happy to be dealing with Veyra’s problems every evening.

  “Sorry, I’m late again,” Veyra said. “I didn’t notice the time.”

  “No, don’t mind,” Aree said. “A good raid takes priority over talking to me. I made your dinner meanwhile.”

  She was just finishing yet another smoothie of baby food and delivered it to Veyra’s living room table with a smile, before facing Veyra in the pod. “Where to?” she asked.

  “Just the couch, please,” Veyra said.

  Aree began lifting her from the game pod. She struggled to lift her a lot more than Mitch, having to exert all of her strength.

  “And… there!” Aree said, letting out a long breath as she placed Veyra on the couch. Despite the hurdle, Aree never appeared upset. “Happy to be here again. It has been refreshing to come to your place after my morning customers.”

  “Pleasure being a quiet one…” Veyra said.

  “Oh, and that tome finally dropped from the boss!” Aree said. “Chapter Of Midnight. You were right. It’s really good. Thanks for the suggestion.”

  Veyra gave a vague smile. Aree played Wonderwind as well. She was a level 70 support mage player in the early mid game. Maybe that was why she was happy to be here, because Veyra’s nerdy side just couldn’t stop giving Aree unsolicited advice on how to improve her build and advance the game.

  “Did you see that clip on the forums?” Aree asked. “You two fought Nova Imperium! That was incredible. You and the assassin are so cute together.”

  “Mm,” Veyra said, her eyes wandering down.

  Aree paused, seeing if something was off. “Sorry, should I be quiet? Did something happen?”

  How can I even begin answering… Veyra thought. “I don’t know if I can tell you.”

  “If it’s guild secrets, I won’t pry,” Aree said. “Sorry. I’ll focus on working. What would you like to have me do today?”

  Veyra lay lifelessly still. “Could you bring me my mirror?”

  “The mirror? Yes, of course.” Aree found her mirror at the entrance hall of her house, bringing it to the living room. She held it in front of Veyra’s.

  Veyra winced internally at the sight. The red, lush and beautiful hair she had in Wonderwind was now just messy and a boring brown. Her eyes had no light in them, and her cheek line was infested with freckles. Compared to her Wonderwind character, she looked like a once famous actress having fallen to drugs.

  “I’m like a disheveled rat,” Veyra said.

  “A very beautiful one,” Aree said with a chuckle. “Messy hair is a price we all pay for spending too much in VR, isn’t it? If you’re meeting someone, I can wash your hair and help you with makeup. You’ve got such a pretty face, it’ll be easy.”

  Veyra sighed. “I know I hired you, but please don’t lie to me.”

  Aree blinked, surprised. “No, that was fully honest? You’re really pretty.”

  “Yeah, and none of the men I’ve tried to date have agreed,” Veyra said, looking away from the mirror. “Thanks, I don’t need the mirror anymore.”

  Aree’s lips formed a saddened line, but she carried the mirror back to its place. “You’re not a rat, Veyra.”

  Veyra snorted. “No, but I’m crippled, and I’m useless. I need help just to exist.”

  “And that’s why I’m here,” Aree said. “Nobody will abandon you.”

  “Except, when I run out of money,” Veyra said. “You’re nice to me, but will you show up if I stop paying you? You won’t.”

  Aree gave her a look. “Well, I’m really hoping you don’t run out of money. You’re the most pleasant customer I’ve had. I’m not lying about that. I love coming here.”

  “Sure, and I’m still a burden,” Veyra said. “I’m so sick that even the game pod doesn’t want me half of the time.”

  Aree pouted at her. “I’m not going to argue with you about this. I think you’re really pretty, and you’re a good person, and I like taking care of you. Feel free to agree to disagree.” Aree then picked up a duster and began cleaning the nearest shelf.

  Veyra’s face suddenly went red. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “If something is troubling you, I’m here to give hugs and support any time,” Aree said.

  Veyra winced. A hug.

  Aiden gave her that same offer as well. If something was troubling her, he would support her.

  “I…” Veyra said. “It’s nothing serious. I was just asked out again. To a date. In Wonderwind.”

  “Oh,” Aree said, and a smile crept on her cheeks. “That sounds fun. What did you say?”

  The nervousness came back. It felt embarrassing to speak. “Nothing yet. I couldn’t decide.”

  “Well, do you like him?”

  “Kind of?” Veyra said.

  “Then why not?” Aree asked. “If you both like each other, why not see if it works out?”

  “I just don’t date people,” Veyra said. “He only knows my online persona. When he finds out who I really am, he’ll leave. That’s how it always goes. My first boyfriend ghosted me within a week after he learned I was crippled. Didn’t even tell me he was breaking up…” She bit her lip. “I’m just completely different online. Nobody wants to actually date someone who can barely climb to their fucking wheelchair on their own.”

  “That can’t be true,” Aree said. “I find it really satisfying to help you. Honestly, I do. When I go home every day, I’m glad to have made your day a little bit easier. There must exist partners who’d feel the same way.”

  “But what if you had to deal with me all the time?” Veyra asked. “Every moment you’d spend with your partner, you’d have to watch that they don’t miss their goddamned toilet break.”

  “Your partner wouldn’t have to watch you all the time,” Aree said. “You’re both Wonderwind players. You’ll just hang out online most of the time anyway.”

  That was true enough… But even still, that fact hadn’t stopped her last boyfriend from ghosting her after he learned the truth.

  She had told him, of course, that she was paralyzed. He said he didn’t mind, and that he just wanted to meet her. Being Thai as well, it was easy for him to come visit.

  And the moment he left, he blocked her account on Wonderwind.

  “Besides,” Aree continued, “you could just date online. My boyfriend lives in Germany. We meet every day online. I don’t even need to put makeup on, since virtual reality makes sure I’m always at my best.”

  “But you don’t have to lie about who you really are in reality,” Veyra said. “Dating an online persona just feels fake, doesn’t it?”

  “Why not ask the guy?” Aree said. “Is he fine dating only online? Or does he want a family, or whatever? These are the types of questions you need to figure out early on. What do you two actually want from a relationship? If your goals don’t match, you can mutually agree whether dating is a good idea or not.”

  “That’s… good advice. Thanks.”

  Veyra only grew more nervous, thinking about what she actually wanted, until it was time to log back in.

  20 chapters ahead on !