The World Of Skill

Resolve

Exactly 30 minutes after she logs out, Sayu returns inside the game. Ryu who keeps on waiting there all the time greeted here enthusiastically.

“Have you eaten your dinner?”

“Yes.”

“What did you eat for dinner?”

Maybe it was curiosity or dinner is the only topic Ryu can bring forward, the question was not really important. Sayu on the other hand ignored it and decided to look for a target to hunt. How can Sayu not realize that Ryu is trying to get closer to her by asking questions? Girls are more sensitive to this kind of thing and with Ryu endless pointless question even though she keeps ignoring him, she felt a bit proud despite some annoyance.

All in all, the hunt went fruitful and their coordination becomes even better. What surprised Sayu is how Ryu’s accuracy is better than her. Even top archers might not be able to land their attack all the time but she hasn’t seen him missed. Maybe it was due to Ryu wanting to show his best in front of her or mad rabbit is an abnormal monster to deal with using a ranged attack. It teaches Ryu how to deal with monster movement and predicting their pattern. Or the target they have fought so far is only low-level monsters that doesn’t really able to dodge. Sayu herself lands about 8 out of 10 attacks.

Halfway to level 8, their arrow is running out so decided to go back to restock while keeping some arrow just in case they met with monsters on the way. Once again, the travel is filled with Ryu’s questions, and either because she couldn’t handle it anymore or not, she started to reply with short answers.

They made their way to town, sold their loot, and restocked items. After finishing all of that, due to their long walk back from the forest, they decided to sit for a bit at the square. All this time, Ryu hasn’t stopped talking and looking at him, finally, Sayu reached her limit when he is talking about a sensitive topic.

“You know, recently I won the Olympic as a gold medallist. That is why my aim is amazing. My father keeps saying that our lineage is of a famous archer. I didn’t believe it at first but looking at my natural talent, I guess it is true. How about you? Judging by your character name and appearance, Sayu, you must be a Japanese too right? Where did you live? I think that our age is about the same, maybe we can meet and hang out later. Ah right, we haven’t register each other as a friend too. We should do that, after all, it makes contacting each other easier inside the game or maybe we can trade phone numbers.”

She lifted her hands signaling for Ryu to stop and speak with such a cold tone.

“Are you retarded?”

“Eh, what?”

“I am asking are you retarded or not?”

“Of course not! Why are you suddenly asking me that?”

“Where did you live?”

“706-8007 Asahimachi, Takayama, Gifu.”

After replying to that question, Ryu is still confused and looked at Sayu that is now becoming quiet. 

“I don’t know what you’re thinking about. I can tell that you are trying to get closer to me, maybe you like my appearance. But this is all only inside a game. Appearance can be changed. I can even be an ugly old lady for f*ck sake. I don’t know if you’re naïve or what but right now you are being a total creep. Please don’t act like we’re close. For me, you are just someone I met by an accident. I don’t know if you think that our meeting is some kind of predestined or not but you’re just another boy I met inside a game. Please stop this and leave. I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Shocked by the sudden turn of event, Ryu couldn’t respond. Only his mouth keeps open and closes trying to say something but his voice never comes out. Finally, Sayu’s character enveloped by white lights and gone from the game.

Maybe Ryu was too excited with his first time meeting a girl inside a game. Or maybe he was too naïve. Just talking to a girl is enough to make him happy. Hunting together is something that Ryu never did before and he unconsciously thinking that Sayu is special for him. For accompanying him hunting and playing the game, he suddenly feels that he is closer to Sayu. It’s just his feelings are not reciprocated.

For Sayu he is just someone she met by chance inside the game to hunt together. Not even an acquaintance. 

Feeling something inside his heart and it is throbbing, Ryu felt sad and hurt.

He logs out from the game and realizes there is a drop of water forming at the edge of his eye.

Without wiping it, he comes out of the virtual reality pod and buried his head on his pillow.

“F*ck… you really are pretty and maybe it was just false appearance, but what’s wrong with liking someone?”

*knock knock*

Not long after Ryu acts like a dead person, someone is knocking on his door. A manly voice can be heard and the door opens.

“Ryu, why aren’t you doing your shooting exercise?”

It was his dad who comes looking for him. Usually, at this time of the day, Ryu is in the archery range and practicing.

Coming inside to the room and seeing his son acting strangely, Ryu’s dad realized that something must have happened because his son never acts like this before.

“Ryu, what happened?”

Seeing no response from Ryu, his dad keeps on trying, and finally, Ryu replied.

“You have never missed your practice before. What is happening? Is it all because of the game that you played? Should I just return the pod?”

“No dad, the pod is non-refundable. Not to mention I bought it myself.”

“So, what happened? Why aren’t you practicing?”

“I already did the quota for practicing earlier in the morning.”

“If it isn’t you sulking from the practice routine, then what is wrong? You can tell me about it.”

His father keeps on pushing for an answer but Ryu is too embarrassed to talk about it. How can he tell his father that he just been rejected inside a game by a girl?

“It’s nothing dad. I just want to be alone for now.”

His dad looked at his reddened eye, look at the virtual reality pods, and look at the gold medal hung on the wall.

“You know Ryu, I never imagine that you will really win the gold medal. It was also out of my prediction that the one thing you want after winning the medal is to play a virtual reality game. At first, I didn’t agree because I think it will hinder your training. Seeing at you now so down, I still believe that I shouldn’t allow you to play the game.”

“So, why did you allow me? Is it because of the promise?”

“Maybe that was part of the reason. The main reason is when you talk to me about how you want to play the game; I saw determination coming from your eyes. Where is the spirit that you used to have when you tried to convince me? Where is that happy and smug look you show me when this machine arrived? Why do you want to play the game in the first place?”

Ryu thinks about his father’s question and makes a self-reflection.

Why is he feeling so down right now? Just because he is sad being rejected by a girl? Or being angry at himself for being so naïve? Remembering back to his experience in playing the game, he really enjoys the time inside Green World. 

Was finding a girlfriend inside a game is his goal? It wasn’t.

So why should he be feeling so low when Sayu said all of that to him.

It might be true that he is being so naïve but Ryu also thinks that it wasn’t Sayu’s place to judge him and said some mean words like that. She doesn’t even know him but it can also be said the same that Ryu also doesn’t know about Sayu. Ryu’s fault is being too hasty and tried to get closer to Sayu. Ryu might be fine with it but he doesn’t take Sayu’s opinion into consideration.

He admitted his mistake and remember again why he is playing the game. It was to seek new experience and enjoy it. Being happy, unlike now being down because of Sayu.

“Haaah! It hurts!”

Slapping his own face hurt more than Ryu predicted. However, because of that, he regained his composure. His eye even has some tears because of the pain. It didn’t hurt as much as when Sayu said all of those things but he produced more tears. Realizing what just happened Ryu laughed at his own stupidity.

His father surprised at his sudden action but soon laughed along with him.

“Alright then, let us go to the shooting range and practice.”

“Eh dad, I have already fulfilled my shooting quota in the morning.”

“It wasn’t about the quota; it is about the routine. Keeping your body condition by separating the running and shooting practice has its purpose. Now, don’t go against me and just follow me to practice or I’ll return the machine.”

“I already told you that it is non-refundable dad. Non-refundable!”

“I can sell it as junk then.”

“No! Okay, dad, let’s practice now.”