By now, Winston had reached his limit of exhaustion. His sister had been dragging him around for hours, suggesting one game after another without showing any signs of slowing down.
Eventually, Winston collapsed onto a concrete bench in the center of the theme park. The bench itself had a beautiful design, with a massive oak tree growing through the middle of it. Its lush green leaves swayed like a ballerina in the passing breeze.
Winston leaned back and looked up, closing his eyes as he spread his arms across the bench. He took in the fresh air beneath the shade of the oak tree, enjoying the brief moment of peace.
His sister soon approached, holding two ice creams with a huge smirk on her face. She clearly had no intention of stopping. She wanted to keep exploring the park until her favorite group began their performance.
She glanced at the watch on her delicate wrist. "We need to hit more games. We're running out of time."
She stood up, unwilling to sit down for even a moment longer. Then she lightly kicked her brother's sneaker. Winston, still seated, tilted his head upward and saw his sister standing over him with one hand on her hip and a pout on her face. He let out a heavy sigh. With considerable effort, Winston shuffled himself upright.
Just as they were walking toward another game, a familiar voice called Winston's name. He turned around and froze for a moment when he saw a familiar, beautiful face behind him. The girl seemed uncertain at first, as though she was trying to confirm whether he was the same person who often visited her family's bakery.
Relief washed over her face when she recognized him. "Hey, Winston! Did you find another shop that sells pastries?"
Winston turned fully toward her, a slight smile appearing on his face. "Oh, Busisiwe. No, I've just been busy with training. I was actually planning to stop by the bakery later today."
Busisiwe smiled. "I'm only teasing you. I know you've been busy. I hardly see Oswin either."
Winston's sister cleared her throat. Before Winston could introduce her, Anita had already extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Anita Daley, Winston's wonderful sister." She paused, then grinned mischievously. "And are you my brother's girlfriend?" Winston lightly slapped the back of his sister's head.
"Hey!"
Busisiwe chuckled. Before Winston could say anything else, two adorable boys, who looked around eleven or twelve, ran up to Busisiwe and grabbed both her arms.
"Hey, big sis! We want to try the roller coaster next! Please!"
"Both of you are too young for that one." Busisiwe pointed toward another attraction. "I saw a cartoon ride over there."
The boys immediately bolted in the direction she had pointed.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Busisiwe hurried after them, her speed surprising both Winston and Anita.
Anita looked at Winston before walking ahead of him.
"We haven't tried that cartoon ride."
She pointed toward the attraction where Busisiwe and her brothers had run. Anita swung her backpack onto her shoulders, grabbed Winston's hand, and pulled him toward the ride. Winston suspected his sister was also a fan of the cartoon.
When they reached the attraction, Winston saw Busisiwe leaning against the iron railing, watching her brothers. The cartoon-themed roller coaster was packed with people of all ages.
"I didn't know this cartoon was that famous," Winston said as he joined Busisiwe at the railing.
Busisiwe turned toward him. "Wait, you've never watched Ninja of Northern Stars? It's one of the most popular shows. They even have video games."
"Not to toot my own horn, but I'm a pro." She smirked. "Well, you've never played with me. I'm also a pro."
"Beating your sibling doesn't count."
"Beating your siblings doesn't count either."
Busisiwe laughed and shook her head. "I'm serious. I play online, mostly with strangers, though. Be honest with me. Do you actually play games with your schedule?"
Winston hesitated. "Okay, you got me. I've never played games. But I'll make time if you show me how to play."
His attention remained fixed on Busisiwe. Being this close to her made his heart skip a beat. Her smooth beige skin, large brown eyes, and naturally full lips drew his attention. His heart skipped again when their eyes met.
Busisiwe pulled out her phone. "Tell me when you're free, so I can beat you."
Winston took out his phone as well. Her proximity and the pleasant coconut fragrance surrounding her left Winston feeling strangely lightheaded. Their eyes met again.
For a moment, Winston leaned toward her. But before he could get any closer, Busisiwe gently stopped him with both hands. She rested her head against his shoulder and whispered, "We can't do it here. People are watching us."
Winston glanced around. She was right. Several people were staring at them, though most of the crowd consisted of children and families.
"It's not that I'm against it," Busisiwe added as she pulled away. "It's just the area we're in." She glanced toward the ride. "The ride is almost over. We should go."
"We should come back here again. Just you and me."
Winston gently held Busisiwe's hands, tempted to pull her closer for a quick kiss. But the piercing gaze he'd noticed earlier made him hesitate. He eventually let go and watched as Busisiwe walked back toward the roller coaster.
"Wow, that roller coaster was amazing, big brother! Please take a photo of me." Anita pulled out her phone, then glanced between Winston and Busisiwe with a knowing smirk.
"I want to show my friend what she's missing." She moved closer and tugged Winston toward her. "What happened while I was gone?" Anita asked, glancing back at Busisiwe, who was gently patting her two brothers' heads. "Come on, tell me everything. And don't you dare skip any details."
"You're noisy." Winston grabbed his sister's nose and shook his head.
"I have to take these two home. We've been here since twelve this afternoon." Busisiwe looked toward Winston. "Don't forget to visit the bakery."
"I'll call you later today."
Anita pinched Winston's side and gave it a playful twist.
"What's wrong with you?" Winston said, trying to pry her hand away.
Why is she so persistent about this?
Before he could complain further, Winston noticed a group of youths nearby carrying the same small dolls that were dangling from Anita's backpack.
He pointed toward them. Anita's head snapped in their direction, and her expression instantly changed. She darted toward the group. "Come on!"
Winston followed at a much slower pace. He was so exhausted that he honestly wanted to go home. When he turned the corner, he found a long line stretching around the park and looping near the oak tree. He glanced toward his sister and saw her chatting with some people in the queue.
Relieved, Winston returned to the oak tree and sat down in his previous spot. But this time, his thoughts weren't focused on the theme park. They drifted back to Busisiwe. He couldn't stop thinking about her.
After checking his phone, Winston placed it against his chest and closed his eyes. Within minutes, he drifted off to sleep. A few minutes later, his sister woke him again.
"Winston."
He groaned and tilted his head upward. Anita stood over him with a huge, beaming smile, holding several pieces of merchandise. Winston groaned again as he stood. I was just getting to the good part of my dream. After stretching, he glanced at his sister. She hummed a song while carefully packing the merchandise into her backpack.
"Are you ready to go?" Winston asked, checking the time on his phone.
"Yeah, let's go. I didn't think they would restock these sticks. Last time, they sold out within minutes." She swung her backpack over her shoulders.
***
Winston had never felt this exhausted before. Even though he usually spent his days training from morning until evening, this exhaustion felt different. Perhaps it was because his muscles were finally getting the chance to relax after being pushed so hard for so long.
As he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, the ringing of his phone made him jolt upright. He grabbed it and checked the message. Relief washed over him when he saw that it was from his coach.
He quickly called him back, hoping it was about training. Instead, the coach advised him to get some rest before returning to training. Winston smiled anyway. Just hearing that he would be going back to training soon filled him with excitement. For the first time in days, he couldn't wait to get back on the pitch.
Ding!
[The Core: Vital Restoration Complete]
[New Awakening]
[Nether Essence: 39%]
[Voltage Core: Loading]
It's nice of you to wake up now. I thought I broke you. Restoration? Restoring what? The system updated, yet I don't feel any different.
Hmm... Oh, yeah. I was wondering about this Core Level stuff. Is it related to the Nethen Essence and Voltage Core?
With a disappointed glance at himself, Winston shrugged and continued undressing. He stretched, and a sudden realization struck him. The exhaustion he had felt earlier was completely gone. Instead, he felt as though he had an endless amount of energy.
He recalled learning that extreme excitement mixed with exhaustion could cause him to crash without warning. Not wanting to mistake his sudden burst of energy for genuine recovery, Winston quickly crawled under the covers and closed his eyes.
Better to sleep before I do something stupid.