Game 5: Great Minds Dream Alike
518 Words
"Yeahboiiiii!!!!!" Kairon shouted as he watched his idol "GGEZ STRYKER", arguably the best Nexus player in the world, deliver the final blow to the enemy base, ending the game altogether in his victory.
Little does he know, a young girl suckling on a lollipop behind him was also watching intently.
"Nii-san!" A young, 6-year-old girl said, climbing on his lap, looking him in the eye. "When I grow up, I want to be a professional gamer too!"
"Woah! Where's this coming from?", he asked.
"Videogames are amazing! They hype me up and I can't explain, it's like I feel like a hero or something!", she said.
Kairon raised an eyebrow, "You speak like you've been playing a lot of videogames lately. Too much, even".
"I'm serious! hmmmmppp" she said, her cute little eyes trying hard to assert a serious atmosphere.
"I'm only going to beat you even after we turn pro though, nee-san!" said a little boy, sticking out his tongue, who's also the same age as the child before.
"Yatte miro, baka! Bleh!" the little girl replied in the same friendly-fire fashion.
[Yatte miro- do it; In this case meant as 'I'd like to see you try']
***
"Sis", She hears a call, but the sound was too fuzzy in the background of her flashback that she can't hear it.
"Sis?" She hears it again, but clearer.
"Nee-san!" Neiko finally shouted. "You okay?", He asked.
She squinted, "Ah, yes. What time is it?"
"Closing time" he replied, handing her the broom.
"Sorry, I was sort of daydreaming", she said, giving him the screwdriver.
"Too bad it wasn't a nightmare", he bantered.
"I guess it was a nightmare since it had you in it", she said, then they both laughed.
For a few minutes, Naika swept the floor and Neiko checked up on the computers in complete silence.
"Ano sa..." Neiko said suddenly.
[Ano sa - Japanese expression used to like English 'hey umm']
"Hmmm?" She replied.
"What was that letter about?", he asked.
"Oh, that one earlier? Apparently, I'm invited to an invite-only gamer school that's only for the high-spec!", she says.
"Ehh? Well isn't that cool!", he said. "Didn't we want to become pro gamers back then?"
"Yeah, except this time I think it's coming true", Naika said.
"Did you get another one for me?", he asked happily.
"Neiko, it's an invitation. It's not like free food", she explained.
"Oh. Is that so?", he asked rhetorically.
Naika smiled and teased, "Wait, are you jealous?"
"No way!", Neiko exclaimed.
"Suck it, noob!", Naika laughed.
To her surprise, though. Neiko didn't banter back immediately. Instead, he looked down and said, "Yup. I guess should just... suck it"
Naika felt the change in atmosphere. "I'm sorry, I was just--"
"No, I'm happy for you!", he said sternly, but Naika knows something off from his tone no matter how hard he would have tried to hide it.
She was so preoccupied with the letter that she had forgotten about her twin brother, who shared every laugh, cry, and dream she had. Putting herself in his shoes, she couldn't help but feel sad.
They slowly started minding their own business afterwards. No more questions asked. Not even a word was spoken. Not even when Mr. Jose came back and paid them, and not even as they walked home.
- Writer
