Parallel (A Virtual Gamer's Story) [Vol.1 - Vol.4 Complete]

Chapter 235: A Father's Cautious Love

Shouyou James' Office.

11:23 a.m. 24th June, 1092.

Suzuki walked through the office hallway, brows drawn in a tight frown. Despite his protest, Kashi insisted on forcing him to come out after every five in-game days, even if only for an hour or two.

Originally, he intended on hitting the gym, but then changed his mind when he saw the sun. He rarely woke up during the day. This was a good opportunity to do something he had been putting off for too long. The young man stopped in front of a door and gently knocked.

Ku. Ku.

"Come in!"

Suzuki tucked his hands into his hoody's pocket and then made his way into the room. 'As expected.' The young man looked at the games sitting around the office. It would not be a Shouyou office without random arcade games littered haphazardly around.

"So, you're finally here, Su-kun."

Suzuki looked across the room to the smugly smirking blonde man seated behind a desk. James Shouyou. Now that Suzuki thought about it, his life went out of whack from the moment he met this man. The young man's eyes narrowed.

"You look pissed." James' smile widened to a full grin. "Well, to be fair, you always look pissed. You should smile more." When Suzuki did not respond, he shrugged and then pointed at the chair. "Take a seat. Bet you've got tons of questions to ask."

"I'm good." Suzuki silently searched James' eyes. In this world, Suzuki had never met a soul he could not read. No one, that is, except this man. "I remembered, James." Suzuki frowned. Kashi's little episode forced him to relive the buried memories. That was why he remembered something he'd forgotten. Something he initially thought irrelevant. "How long?"

James' brow rose. "How long?"

"Since when have you been watching me?" Suzuki's gaze grew cold. "Back then, at the hospital. You were there when I woke up the first time." Suzuki remembered it. The first time he awoke after the accident. The nurse by his bedside ran away, screaming for the doctor. The door she yanked open in her haste. The blonde man barely visible through the door crack. "That was you, wasn't it?" His memory was hazy, but that was to be expected. It was his first memory after a massive accident. Furthermore, his vision was blurry, and he passed out soon after.

Suzuki glared at James. Was this the reason he always held on to that room? During Razznik, and now Kashi's dives, his 'waiting room' always was that white hospital room. Was this a subconscious way of warning himself that there was something he missed?

"Oh? You remembered?" James leaned back in his chair. His smile relaxed, and he looked at Kashi. "Yes. That was me. You had several third-degree burns. Fixing your skin without leaving any blemishes was expensive, you know?"

Suzuki's frown deepened. This was what he hated the most about this man. James always seemed to be in control. It sometimes felt like everyone else was dancing around in his palms. "Why?"

"Why?"

"Stop playing dumb. Why did you help me? Why did you only show up years later?" Suzuki clenched his fists. "I have a shit ton of questions. So, let's make this quick. I'm not letting Kashi walk into that battle blind." He jabbed his index finger at the smug man. "He needs to know what the hell you're planning. No. What you've been planning for years now."

"Haha!" James burst out laughing. He gave the young man a look of ridicule. "Do you think this is some anime? That you're some chosen one I personally groomed all these years for a nefarious plot?" James shook his head and waved his hands. "You've got it all wrong, Su-kun." He shrugged when he noticed the doubt in Suzuki's eyes. "Alright. I've never kept any secrets. You just never asked the right questions. Why did I help you?" James chuckled and reached into his desk cabinet. He pulled out a picture frame and passed it to the youth.