Chapter 20: The Shadow in the Arcade
The PC cafe at night was a different world a neon cathedral where the only religion was skill and the only god was victory. April had never been to this particular establishment before, though she'd heard Jaden mention it in passing during their late-night conversations at the convenience store.
Now, standing in the entrance at 1 AM, after her restaurant shift had finally ended, she understood why he loved it.
The booths were separated by soundproof glass, creating private islands of competition. The hum of mechanical keyboards, the soft click of mice, the barely audible whisper of headsets it created a symphony of focus. The lighting was mostly darkness punctuated by RGB lighting from gaming rigs. It smelled like expensive electronics and energy drinks and the faint residue of late-night ambition.
