章 24: The Last Game

[Episode 24]

This is the first time I've spoken about CHWAF to anyone after telling my family I didn't want to play anymore.

"Lynn that guy you were talking about-"

She interrupts, "Rodermir right?"

I cough nervously, "Yes that's right." I fiddle my fingers. "About him. That was actually me."

Her eyes and mouth open wide in disbelief. "Ruvie… HAHAHA! So you made all that noise just to tell me a funny joke huh? Wow! I need to get used to your sense of humour, it's very different from what I'm used to. Maybe it's a cultural thing?"

I facepalm surprised at Lynn's lack of ability to take things seriously. "No Lynn I'm serious!"

"Wait. You aren't joking hun?! B-but he was the number one player! And most importantly he was a guy. Oh right! I forgot you're a transgender woman too right! Makes sense I guess. Wait no it doesn't! The number one player was younger than me and was only 15?!"

I should seriously clear up this misunderstanding. "Uhm Lynn, I'm not a trans woman…"

"What really? But your profile says you're a boy but you look, sound and even feel like a girl." Suddenly she pushes herself up on her knees and places her hands aggressively on my shoulders. "You! Are you a transgender man that hasn't had any surgeries?! It would make sense since my status says I'm a woman and rightfully so but yours says you're male. That means the mind is what the system depends on!"

Once again she's made up her own conclusion. Though she might be on to something. I have been wondering why my status says I'm a boy even though my body is that of a woman's and it's likely because I still think of myself as a man. She probably won't consider any other answer, so I'll just nod and move on.

"Yes! I knew it! If you are Rodermir, why did you quit the Subinians ?"

Here it goes. "Since you're a fan of my game character Rodermir, that must mean you remember the last match I participated in before quitting."

She nods. "It was an extraordinarily close match but unfortunately, you lost."

"That's right. We were battling against the Gerdons who made a bet with my team in secret."

Lynn puts her hands on her cheek surprised by this revelation. "A bet?! What was it?"

"The Gerdons' captain approached me the day before, he said that his entire team would quit fighting for the first spot if they lost, as long as I quit playing if I lost. Initially, I declined because I thought they were a good team and didn't want to stop competing against them, even though I always won, but my teammates eventually convinced me to agree and… I quit as I promised."

I hate remembering that day. "Sugar, It all makes sense now. Everyone found it strange that you suddenly decided to stop playing. I was really upset at the time too. But clearly, something else happened, else why would you react so harshly?"

She's figured me out once again. I cover my face with a hand in shame. "I was betrayed by the other members of the Subinians."

"What?! They don't look like people who'd betray anyone sweets!"

I put my hand back down. "Well, that's what I thought Lynn. But clearly, I thought too nicely of them. Turns out they made a deal with the Gerdons behind my back. If they intentionally lost the match, the person funding the Gerdons would also fund them."

"Wait! Do you know who's giving them the money hun? How did you learn the truth about the bet?"

"It's funny actually. The current captain of the Subinians is the guy paying them and he proudly told me the whole thing himself."

"So you mean to say the Gerdons and the Subinians are basically the same teams now?! Woah. I'm not even a part of the team but I feel betrayed as a fan to know that all the new matches have been fake hun."

I giggle and smile at Lynn. "It sucks really so I try to forget that time but I just…" I just struggle to forgive those guys or myself for trusting them. "It taught me that money talks! Haha. My story isn't as traumatic as your past but I still had the gall to shout at you. I'm sorry."

I open my eyes after awkwardly laughing only to see Lynn looking at me full of pity. "Ruvie dear, we all have our pains. The way we handle it is different. You forget that you're still just a kid and besides, your struggles are valid even if it doesn't seem it to other people. That game was your world and they took it away from you."

I turn my eyes towards the ground. "Yeah." We sit in silence, absorbing all the information we passed around.