"Ah...!"

  With a groan that felt heavier than it should, I woke up and rolled onto my side, pushing myself up into a sitting position. When I did, it felt like the room inning, so I paused briefly before returning to a perfectly seated position. Huff. I hugged my ko rest my head there as I tried to gather myself after waking up.

  After a few moments, I became increasingly aware of what was arouhen, my gaze noticed the digital clo the wall.

  "[8:12 AM]?!"

  'Damn. I missed the breakfast together.'

  And this was how it was when I had a "tough talk" with Father. It seemed like my cortisol levels, or what could be called the stress hormone, had increased throughout the chess game. When I slept, this stress finally subsided, so my body became "overwhelmed" ao a much longer sleep to recover.

  But what was I stressed about? That might be the question. Clearly, it had to do with what he said: the past, the family retionships. Who wouldn't experienension with that kind of talk repeated, repeated over and ain? Well, maybe it was just me. Me and my thoughts.

  This was how hard it was tet... or rather, couldn't fet those versations; my brai processing the emotions and memories even while I slept.

  'Everything that should have been put in order ends up scattered into disarray...'

  Ah, but what could be done? Whatever happens happens; life is indeed packed with ued things, no matter how hard you try to trol them. That was why I got so used to adjusting my approad adapting to situations even if I disliked them; otherwise, I would have been dead.

  Just like this, instead of dwelling on another upside-down daily schedule, think of a way to re-energize.

  Eating, for example.

  I took a deep breath, preparing myself... alright, I stood up after having enough strength—Ack! A pain struck, but my hand quickly went up and grabbed my hair. Then, I paused to gently massage my head.

  After I mao steady myself, a soft, familiar voice echoed through my room. " Luo, wele back. Food trays have beeed outside your room's door since [07:45 AM]. Would you like assistance dispying the tray's tents?"

  Oh? It must be from Mother, who, despite everything, always ensured I was taken care of. She had pretty much memorized my pattern; if I didogether, it meant I was either busy in my room or away.

  For the room system? The AI was already desigo assist and cater to my needs; there was o as question.

  Since I didn't respond, the system proceeded by default to execute what had been suggested—describing the food. "The tray tains Grav tubers and steamed grown greens. For your hydration, Eclipse's meat brew is included. e within the hour for optimal nutritional bes."

  'Not bad.'

  My feet dragged towards the door, ope, and found a tray nicely pced outside my room with each dish covered to keep it warm. This brought a slight improvement to my mood. I carefully bent doicked up the food tray.

  Ba my room, I set the tray on the puter desk and plopped myself into my chair. The glow of the holographic ss on the wall dully lit the room, casting bluish patterns across the metallic desk surface. I lifted the first cover, and the sweet Grav tubers wafted throughout the room, mixed with the subtler earthy st of the greens. The steam from the dishes curled upwards to dissipate swiftly in the cool, trolled air.

  But there was ohing that didn't feel right to be there; a gss bottle with a bel reading "Alprazom" sitting beside a pte of Eclipse's meat brew. Brand new and sealed. It was used to rex muscles, reduervous tension, and decrease the body's respoo stress without sedating the user. Huh. Even if it was a heavy sedative, it was useless. And just... why?

  'This one must be from Dad.'

  He always did this, reminding me of things I didn't want to remember anymore. Though I knew his iions were good. But, sometimes, I couldn't trol my body and mind's rea to it. With a sigh, I rested my on my left hand while my right hand idly pyed with the bottle by spinning it around on the desk.

  This kinda dulled my appetite. Like, hey, medication wasn't always the ao a problem! Even if it was needed. Because... well... I was the one who ended up being numb ts.

  I stopped pying with the bottle and picked it up. With a decisive gesture, I turowards one of the ste bins lining the wall and poi it.

  "Open."

  The room's system plied—a small panel slid open to reveal the inside of the bin. I tossed the bottle into it, and a cacophony of gss cshed with anss echoed back toward me. Maybe I should throw away all that trash; some must be expired.

  But ter, and now, eat.

  At first, I was not onto it. But then, as I bit on my first bite, it exploded with a burst of taste in my mouth, and gradually, it really brought back my appetite again. Grav tubers were warm and sweet, trasting nicely with the savory and slightly bitter-grown greens. While Eclipse's meat brew, a dark, thick liquid was surprisingly refreshing, helping to wash down the meal.

  After finishing the meal, I ed up the empty pte, bowl, and gss at the er of the table. I would bring them down ter when I wao. For now... hmm, I really wanted an update. I know things seem to be "stuck" tely, but I really wao hear something from Guo Dai.

  He had always been someone I could t ohings went wrong (and there were other personal reasons why I chose him, actually). His quick wit and resourcefulness frequently made him appear immuo the chaos of our world. Yet, a part of me wondered—was even Guo Dai struggling? No. That was impossible. I shook the thought off and pced my hand on the biometric pad.

  Several holography ss then appeared; navigating the options, I selected the unication application and searched for one person.

  Initiating tact with Guo Dai...

  The e was lohan I expected.

  Usually, Guo Dai liked to answer my calls right away, even when he was ioilet—Uhh. That one retty shog for me; I prefer not to use a full-body projector to unicate with him after that. So, his not pig up my emediately was surprising. Was he not awake yet? At this hour? It made sense; he was a "noal creature" who preferred staying up te rather than sleeping, then said, "Sleep is for the weak."

  Because there was no response from him for too long, the e was cut off. I tried to tact him again. And, yeah, no answer again. I called again. Oh, he picked up this time!

  I could see his background showed dim lighting, only illuminated by the faint glow of multiple ss, likely from his base setup. The proje extended just enough to reveal part of his desk, cluttered with small tools and a mug. But his response...

  "What the fuck, dude?!"

  Wow!

  Guo Dai's "angry" voice broke through the holographic dispy, looking disheveled and slightly annoyed with u hair, a faint sweat on his forehead, plete it all: dark circles under his eye.

  He hadn't left this spot for hours; that much was clear from the crumpled snack ers scattered he edges of the dispy. And his oearance? Clearly sleep-deprived.

  Still. How unusual fuo Dai to snap at me like this... but not bad. Looks like he was being overwhelmed because his quiess to respond was heavily influenced by his curreal state. Moreover, he was a doer; if there roblem, he would solve it directly. To hell with himself being tired. So, it was natural for his emotions to fluctuate.

  He might not be able to think clearly right now, too.

  So what brought him to this? Let's look into it: a ret problem, he was still at his puter, finding something to be—Oh, I know.

  'Maybe I py with him for a bit.'

  I gave a mog grin. "The all and mighty Guo Dai finally ran into a blind alley. My task was that hard, huh? You always said, 'I will give an update' and things like 'still no update,' and then? None."

  "Hard?" He scoffs, shaking his head. "Please, your task is a cakewalk. But why bother with it when I enjoy the drama of your impatience? You know, watg you squirm is a ge."

  'Damn, ter attack!'

  But I would it. "Squirm? Hardly. It is more about ensuring you are not sg off. Or are you?"

  "Sg? You wish!"

  "Then what is with the dey? Your efficy is a part of why I chose you for this, after all."

  "Chill, will ya?" The holographic feed zipped slightly as though struggling to keep up with his head's rapid, jerky movements. "I have got everything under trol. Just multitasking here with more exg stuff. No sweat."

  "Multitasking etting distracted by more exg stuff? There is a thin lihere... at least for you, Guo Dai."

  "This exg stuff is part of your task!"

  "So, finished breaking into the game servers of World: The in?"

  This time, his answer was not as instant as before. He paused until I thought our e was lost, and the s froze. Finally, he muttered, "'t."

  Leaning ba the chair, I folded my arms. "You are useless."

  Bam!

  "IT IS NOT THAT!!" The proje shook as Guo Dai smmed his desk until the mug bounced and spilled, but gd, there was almost no coffee left except for the thick residue.

  'Oh, wow. Expected response?'

  Guo Dai had a weird tendency; besides liking challenges as long as they eained him, he also yearned for my reition. That was why he got so cocky when I leased with his job and would act like this when I judged him worthless. Now, he should be more focused and motivated, as his pride would pel him to prove himself.

  I khis approach was rather harsh, and I might have hurt his feelings, but... it ractical means to an end.

  For a moment, Guo Dai seemed to gather his thoughts; his posture was slightly slouched, and the movement of his tapping fingers on the desk was visible in the proje. His gaze darted off-s as if seeking an escape or an answer hidden out of sight. Then, log eyes with me through this digital unication.

  "Look," with a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly, "it is not that I 't do it. Every backdoor I exploit closes before I eve a foothold! And that is not even the worst part. There is—Arrghh!"

  And he groaned while ruffling his hair. Oh, well, he looked very frustrated. I knew pressing him further would only add to his stress, potentially muddying the waters of his expnation.

  Thus, I kept silent.

  "I think... I think it is learning from me? Every trick, every teique, it is like battling myself! Oh, but! Since fag myself, I know what to do. I could secure my way even only for a few seds. But from there? It was a dead end! Nothing! This is the first time I have run into something like this!"

  It was unusual. Guo Dai wasn't the type to admit defeat—he thrived on challenges, no matter how impossible. I began to think about what he said, toug my . "So you 't eheir server because the guard is yourself. And when you got through, it turned out the path to the house was missing?"

  He snapped his fingers. "That! That!"

  How could that be possible? Maybe—Oh!

  "Private server?"

  "Seriously?!" Guo Dai was frozen there, but his expression showed shock as he gaped his mouth, his body leaning forward with his hands still holding the armrest. "Private server?"

  Yes, it was not only him who was surprised with what I said.

  I myself as well.

  D.N.A.