Game Over

STAGE FIFTEEN >> The Wanderer

This is a work of fiction. All of the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this story are all products of the author's imagination used in fictitious manner. Any resemblance to an actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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It has been a week after that mission...

After a few days of going through the same routine with his friends.

Yuki thought that he must either be going crazy or he was having an existential crisis. He was certain at this point in his life that he probably has a crush on that Wanderer. Moreover, he couldn't shake the feeling that Akihiro and Wanderer might somehow be connected.

Today, in the office, he was tasked to finalize all the technical assistance to specific clients before the meeting with Gryphon, who happens to be Takehiko, Akihiro's brother. To be honest, Yuki thinks this wasn't a good idea and he voiced this out a couple of times. But Takehiko was adamant to make things right between himself and his younger brother, and he thinks letting Akihiko know that he was the man behind the now-famous game would mend their broken relationship.

Everyone in the office was thrilled to finally see the man behind the game. Even Kenta wouldn't shut up about it so Yuki decided to spend most of his time in the sleeping quarters during break time just to avoid everyone including Akihiro himself.

Yuki made it blatantly clear that he doesn't want anything to do with whatever it was that Takehiko was planning. As much as possible, he would like the two of them to treat each other as strangers the moment he arrived at the Dark Cloud Alliance building. He doesn't want Akihiro to know that he knows his brother.

As the hours passed by the anxiety was palpable, Yuki came back to his workstation but only to be called by Kenta to the boardroom. It appears their guest "Gryphon" together with his team was on his way to meet them.

"Are you where you want to be?" Kenta was half-kidding when he said this, noticing the frown on Yuki's face and his unfocused gaze.

"I'm not taking shit from you today, thank you."

But Kenta only sniggered as a response and without waiting to be invited, sat down beside Yuki inside the boardroom.

"Everyone's here," he murmured excitedly.

"Not everyone," Yuki replied wryly. "But everyone looking forward to this partnership, yes."

"You're against it?"

"Not against it. I just don't like it."

"Isn't that the same?"

Never mind, Yuki thought. Kenji wouldn't understand.

Yuki was no stranger to the Mori brothers and their rivalry, albeit it was only one-sided. According to Takehiko, Akihiro always regarded him as his enemy, his number one competition. There was no doubt even in Yuki's heart that Akihiro was better academically. But because Takehiko was sociable, friendlier, and obliging, people appreciates him more. Though Akihiro was popular too back in college, he just couldn't escape his brother's shadow.

There was always a comparison, especially from their parents.

After a few minutes, the three bosses finally arrived with their secretaries in tow. Yuki noticed that Moriko Kajiwara with Goro Watanabe were also present making him wince. He couldn't believe that Moriko confronted him in the game world as "Princess" asking him to stay away from Goro. Yuki always thought that Moriko was after Akihiro and that there might be something between them but he was mistaken.