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It has been almost a year now after its launch or ten months to be exact and lots of people play this game, well except for me. My name is Stanley Crux currently in second year of high school and I’m somewhat an orphan.

It’s been three years since my parents died and without any relatives I decided to live by myself. Luckily were quite well off and my parents left me some inheritance, enough until I finished college. So ever since I entered high school, I ask my school to permit me on working part time. Since the principal knew about my circumstances he readily agreed and helped me (while crying) and promised me that if ever I got into a tight spot just ask him. Though relying on him never crossed my mind.

Without any leeway on spending, I had a very tight budget and always taking advantage of market sales. People on my neighborhood always praise me on how I handle myself but I know deep inside they are just using me as an example to scare others. Things like “Look at him do you want to be like him a cursed child?” or “He’s living on his own and become retarded, do you want to be like him?” there are also other things said but it does not matter anyway.

Some may think how can I manage such life? Well I do have a great secret that no one knew. I’m a reincarnated person and I’m not proud of it, in fact I think it’s so stupid. ‘WHY? IF I’M GETTING REBORN WITH MEMORIES IN TACT AT LEAST MAKE IT INTO A FANTASY WORLD’. These are the thoughts I had when I realized that I’m reborn on the same world after thirty years, well at least on a different country.

My previous life is a monotonous one; I’m an ordinary salary man without a family then died after being infected by a virus. Come to think of it, many people died before me and it’s said that when you got infected you only have 24hrs to live. Well in the end they manage to create a vaccine but it’s too late for me so I just accepted it and on my last will. Whoever hosts a proper burial will get all my wealth, though it’s just a measly hundreds of thousands that I earned until I died.

Enough of that depressing past so right now its six thirty in the morning and I’m walking towards my school. You can hear the voices of other people greeting each other and chatting about stuffs I don’t care about while I’m heading towards my class.

I opened the door and there are already quite a few people waiting, chatting, and doing some assignments while others copying it. Nothing had really changed to what people do in class. I go to my seat and placed my bag under my seat.

I don’t have any friends if you wanted to ask. The main reason is I cannot hangout with them after class because of work and people began to distance themselves before I knew it. It does not matter anyway since it’s better to keep a low profile than being on a spotlight. Kids are immature and will tease you if you have flaws. Good thing they leave me alone since they think I’m a creepy kid.

Bell rang at exactly seven and the first subject teacher entered the class. There isn’t anything noteworthy in class so let’s just skip it. After school we have this thing called activity hours from Three o’clock in the afternoon on-wards. It’s dedicated for clubs especially sports oriented ones. You can tell that I belong to go home club, though in this case go to work club.

It will take about an hour from school to my workplace and since my shift starts at six pm I make a little detour and go to an old arcade center. Places like this are quite rare now a day since > came to be. At first this arcade had a lot of people every time I came but it started to decline and now people who visit this place can be counted in one hand.

As I enter an old man who manages this place greet me. “Hey Stan came to play again?”

“Yup as always” you can say that those who are close to me call me Stan and you can tell that they are almost non-existent ha ha ha but I’m not sad, definitely not sad *snif.

“Come here I have some snacks prepared”

“Ooh quite prepared but, did I got here too early it seems you’re not open yet” I noticed as I look around, all machines are left closed and none seem to be functioning

The old man let out a deep breath and you can see the sadness in his eyes.

“Actually I’m waiting for you kid”

“Me? Why?” getting closer to the old man in approach a chair near him and sit.

“Well, you see starting today I’m closing the place and I’m moving out of the city to my old house in the country side. Since you’re the only customer who plays here every day I feel that I should tell you personally”

“I’m, really sorry to hear that” right now I don’t really know what to say, I mean this place is the only place where I go to play. More like the place I can afford to play so it’s sad to hear that it’s closing now.

“Don’t be, that’s part of business. Sometimes you’re hit the top but the next day you might get bankrupt”

“…”

“Hey let’s not talk about those depressing stuff, accompany this old man to his last feast on this place”

“Y- yeah, thanks old man”

“Hahahaha now that’s more like it, come on cheers”

“ha..haha..ha, Cheers” though it’s kind of awkward we shared some glass of orange juice and some homemade snacks. Time passed by as we talk about the things I experienced on this place as well as the old man’s. Things about when this business starts, the things happened on its long run. Like the fights that occurred, tournaments, young people often make this place a dating spot, excessive flirting of couples, Etc.

I looked at my watch and see that it’s almost time for my shift at work. “Old man I’m sorry to end our conversations but I still have a part time job” I stand up and bow to the old man.

“Well it can’t be helped……….ah yeah before you leave I’m giving you something you might want” He then stand up and walk towards a room and before I can say anything he’s gone.

He comes back with quite a big box wrapped in some cloth.

“Here it is, quite bulky but I think you can manage” with a smile he gave me a box wrapped in cloth. It’s not that big, but still not that small.

“I don’t think I deserve this old man” facing the old man who is offering the box, I raise my right hand and made a gesture for refusal.

“Just take it, I don’t have a use for it anyway, since it’s supposed to be a gift to be given to my grandson but unfortunately I recently heard that they migrated to another country a year ago. So it’s too late and I don’t really have anyone to give this to. I hope you won’t refuse my good will, just consider this as thanks for staying with this old man and as a farewell gift.”

I’m still hesitating for a while before I reach out my hand and accept the box. I’m quite curious about what is inside but it’s getting late and I need to rush to my part time job.

“Then, all I can say to you sir is thank you for all these years and thank you very much for this gift I really appreciate it.”

“Ha ha ha ha, don’t be bothered by it”

I give my final thanks to the old man and head towards my part time job. I work as a cook on a family restaurant, at first they were doubtful about my cooking skills and just let me wash the dishes. My work only revolves around that routine until one of the cooks did not show up and when the manager reached his phone, he said he’s running away with his pregnant girlfriend. At that time I thought ‘WOW what a man, tsk… tsk… tsk kids this days’ while shaking my head left and right.

That time the manager is really angry, he look at each and every one of us and when his gaze fell upon me he asked “you live alone right? Can you cook?” I just gave him a nod and he sent me to the kitchen to cook. The dishes came out better that the previous cook and from then on I got promoted from a dishwasher to a cook, but it does not make any sense since the salary is still the same.

I arrived at the family restaurant and I noticed the sign on the door ‘Closed’.

“HUH?”

I close my eyes and look at it again but there it is the sign did not change. Cold sweat runs through my body as I look around.

“Is this some kind of reality show pranking me?”

I walk around towards the back where the employee entrance should be. I let out a deep breath and twist the door knob “it’s open”. Quite happy I entered and head towards the employee lockers.

“Oh you’re here; great I have some things to talk about so come to the office for now”

The one who greet me is the acting manager of the restaurant. I followed him and entered the room.

‘This is making me nervous’ I thought and it seems that I have a feeling on how this situation might end.

There are already people inside and all of them seem to have a sad expression.

“Since Stan is here I guess it’s time to for some explanation. First as you might have guessed the restaurant will be closing starting today, but before you react let me finish first. The owner died from an accident while enjoying their vacation and so the relatives decided to close the establishment despite the fact that were doing fine in terms of sales. Now their reason for closing is they plan to build a commercial building here which they think will generate more income. I’m really sorry guys but all I can do is convince them to give you guys a two month salary. I don’t have any more say in this and it’s the only thing I can do, they were quite nice and approved your salaries but the down side is still we lost our job.”

Everybody is quiet and did not say anything then one by one the manager called our names and gave us an envelope containing our last salary. After that we go on our separate ways, some went and plan to have a somewhat farewell gathering but some just went home thinking on where should they go to find another job. Of course I’m the later.

With everything goes down the drain I did not even bother changing clothes and dive into the bed off to dream land and hoping everything will be alright. “Such luck for a rebirth in the future”.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Now this is the first chapter, The speed of the story is slow and i know it

actually i have been thinking of wring a VR novel for quite some time now but i cant get ny idea on how to start.

I resumed my other novel 'Years after war' along with writing this one.

I do not know if it will become as popular as the first one i wrote (sorry for axing it)

but I do hope that at least a single person would wait every week for an update on this one

BTW i Already have the 2nd chapter finished but not sure if i should post it or not since

That's all and see you on the next chapter