Late evening.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
Irene's eyes slowly opened.
Her ceiling greeted her.
Her blanket tangled around her legs.
Her brain lagged behind her body.
Then—
Reality hit.
She sat up abruptly.
Her eyes moved to the chair.
The hoodie was gone.
She had washed it.
Dried it.
It was ready to return.
Her heart did something weird.
She ignored it.
"Nope. Not thinking about him."
She stood up, stretched lazily, then reached for the most important survival item known to humanity—
Her chips.
She grabbed the bag dramatically.
You and me against the world."
Crunch.
She walked to her desk.
Sat down.
Opened her laptop.
The screen lit up her face.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Then—
She logged in.
Lavender screen.
Familiar.
Safe.
Alive.
Lavenderquin is now online.
Immediately—
Notifications exploded.
StormFox: BOSS IS HERE.
TinyRogue: MASTER HAS RETURNED.
BlazeKit: WE WERE DYING WITHOUT YOU.
Irene smirked.
Crunch.
"Hmph."
She typed calmly.
Lavenderquin: Dramatic.
StormFox: YOU DISAPPEARED FOR 18 HOURS.
Lavenderquin: I slept.
TinyRogue: Sleep is temporary. Gaming is eternal.
Important.
System Announcement:
THE ECLIPSE CROWN TOURNAMENT — Registration Open
Her eyes sharpened immediately.
The Eclipse Crown Tournament.
The biggest E-sport tournament of the season.
Only the best teams qualified.
Only the strongest survived.
Only legends won.
Her fingers paused above the keyboard.
She snorted.
Then—
Another message appeared.
Pinned.
Then—
StormFox: Boss… we want to enter.
BlazeKit: We can win this with you.
TinyRogue: But qualification rounds start soon.
Irene leaned back in her chair.
Crunch.
Her smirk returned slowly.
Lavenderquin: Of course we're entering.
Her team exploded.
StormFox: YES.
TinyRogue: I KNEW IT.
BlazeKit: WE'RE SAVED.
Then—
Another username appeared.
Silent.
Calm.
Dangerous.
ShadowByte is online.
The chat paused for half a second.
Then—
ShadowByte: Took you long enough.
Irene's eyebrow lifted.
Oh?
She typed slowly.
Lavenderquin: Miss me?
Three dots appeared.
Stopped.
Appeared again.
Stopped.
Then—
ShadowByte: The team was useless without you.
She smirked wider.
Crunch.
Lavenderquin: So you admit you need me.
Pause.
ShadowByte: I didn't say that.
Lavenderquin: You implied it.
ShadowByte: You assumed it.
Lavenderquin: You meant it.
Pause.
ShadowByte: You're confident.
Lavenderquin: I'm correct.
Her team watched silently.
They knew better than to interrupt this.
This was their king and queen.
ShadowByte typed again.
ShadowByte: Eclipse Crown Tournament.
Lavenderquin: We're entering.
ShadowByte: Good.
Pause.
Then—
ShadowByte: Try not to slow me down.
Her jaw dropped.
Excuse him?
She leaned forward.
Eyes sharp.
Lavenderquin: Slow you down?
ShadowByte: Yes.
Lavenderquin: You sound brave tonight.
ShadowByte: I always am.
Lavenderquin: Careful.
Pause.
Lavenderquin: Confidence without skill is embarrassing.
Her team gasped in chat.
StormFox: OH.
TinyRogue: SHE SAID IT.
Three dots appeared.
Then—
ShadowByte: Challenge me.
Her heart skipped.
She smiled slowly.
Dangerous.
Lavenderquin: Right now?
ShadowByte: Right now.
Crunch.
She wiped her fingers.
Placed both hands on the keyboard.
Lavenderquin: Don't cry when you lose.
Pause.
ShadowByte: Don't disappear when you do.
Her heart reacted again.
Annoying.
Interesting.
She entered the duel request.
Accepted.
The game loaded.
Her team watched silently.
The battlefield appeared.
Digital.
Cold.
Alive.
ShadowByte's avatar stood across from hers.
Still.
Waiting.
He didn't move first.
He never did.
He let her move first.
Always.
She attacked.
Fast.
Precise.
Deadly.
He dodged smoothly.
Effortless.
Playful.
He countered.
She blocked.
He advanced.
She disappeared.
Reappeared behind him.
Strike.
He laughed in chat.
ShadowByte: Predictable.
Her eyes narrowed.
She moved faster.
Smarter.
Stronger.
Then—
Three moves.
Three impossible moves.
Silence.
Victory screen appeared.
Lavenderquin Wins.
Her team exploded.
StormFox: MASTER.
TinyRogue: INSANE.
BlazeKit: HOW.
She leaned back slowly.
Smirking.
Crunch.
ShadowByte typed.
Pause.
Pause.
Then—
ShadowByte: …Interesting.
Her smirk grew.
Lavenderquin: Say it.
Pause.
ShadowByte: No.
Lavenderquin: Say it.
Pause.
Then—
ShadowByte: You're good.
She froze.
Her heart reacted again.
Why?
She typed quickly.
Lavenderquin: I know.
Pause.
Then—
ShadowByte: Don't lose in the tournament.
Her fingers paused.
That sounded less like a challenge.
And more like—
Trust.
She replied softly.
Lavenderquin: I won't.
Pause.
Then—
ShadowByte: Goodnight, Lavenderquin.
He logged off.
Just like that.
She stared at the screen.
Her chips forgotten.
Her heart restless.
Unknown to her—
In another room.
Dark.
Quiet.
A boy sat in front of his laptop.
The screen reflected in his calm eyes.
Yuan Mi leaned back slowly.
His lips curved slightly.
A rare smile.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
He whispered softly into the darkness.
"Lavenderquin."