The two of them returned to the tourist area and found a patch of grass. Lyla spread out a weatherproof mat while Ethan sat beside her, his gaze distant. Under Lyla's persistent questions, Ethan finally began recounting his experiences from his previous life, the betrayals, the regrets, and even his connection to Lyla in the ga.
However, he carefully avoided the part about their... complicated in-ga relationship.
As Ethan spoke, he noticed tears welling in Lyla's eyes. Her usual bright deanor dimd as she listened intently. Worried that he'd gone too far, he shifted to sharing only the funny and lighthearted monts from his past life.
When he finished, he asked cautiously, "Do you still believe ?"
Lyla smiled through her tears, her response as firm as always. "Of course I believe you."
As their conversation wound down, Ethan ntioned his plan to move into a bigger apartnt soon. Lyla grew uncharacteristically quiet, then stood abruptly, pulling Ethan up with her.
"Let's go," she said, starting to pack up their things in a hurry.
Confused, Ethan allowed himself to be dragged along. Lyla led him out of the park and into the city streets. Her behavior was secretive, almost mischievous, as if she were planning a surprise.
Eventually, they arrived at Eastwood Manor, an upscale gated community. The area was lined with pristine townhouses and luxurious two-story villas, with only three high-rise towers breaking the symtry.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell ... you own a place here?"
Lyla grinned slyly. "You're smarter than you look."
"...."
Stopping in front of a villa, Lyla scanned her eye on the biotric lock. The door clicked open with a satisfying sound, and she pushed Ethan inside.
"Well? Is it big enough for you?" she asked, her tone playfully smug as she spread her arms wide.
Ethan gawked. The interior was spacious, modern, and downright extravagant. "You own a house like this, yet you live in a cramped Studio apartnt?"
Lyla rolled her eyes. "Mind your own business."
"Heh, say no more, I get it," Ethan said, smirking knowingly.
"Hmph!" Lyla's face flushed, and she turned on her heel, stomping up the stairs.
Ethan followed her to the second floor, where she flung open a door. A wave of pink hit him like a truck. The entire room was bathed in shades of blush, from the walls to the furniture. Even the VR gaming capsule in the corner glowed in a custom rose gold finish.
Ethan's jaw dropped. "No way... That's an SUP-R-006! Are you kidding ?!"
The SUP-R series was the pinnacle of VR technology, boasting a responsiveness rate of 99.8%. The base model alone cost nearly $5.1 million, but the "R" variant was a custom version, aning the price tag was likely astronomical.
Ethan glanced around the villa, estimating its size and luxury. With about 7,500 square feet of living space at $1,500 per square foot, plus this gaming capsule, the total cost easily surpassed $7.5 million. His mind reeled at the thought.
Lyla fidgeted under his stare, her cheeks a shade of red. "My dad prepared all of this for . I wasn't planning to move in, but since you're looking for a new place, why don't we both stay here instead?"
Ethan hesitated. A part of him, a small, prideful part, felt uncomfortable. Was he really about to live off soone else's generosity?
Sensing his internal conflict, Lyla tugged him toward another room across the hall. She opened the door with a flourish. The room was just as elegant, though it lacked a gaming capsule.
"This one's for you!" she said brightly. "Dad had it prepared in case you ever ca around. He wasn't sure when, or if—you'd show up, so he didn't install a gaming capsule yet."
"For... ?" Ethan blinked, montarily stunned. He didn't even register the rest of her explanation.
"Yes, for you," Lyla said, pushing him gently into the room. "Go on, take a look."
Following Lyla's instructions, Ethan stepped into the room. The sight before him froze him in place. The walls were covered with photographs, pictures of him in a hospital bed, monts from his recovery, childhood snapshots of him and Lyla playing together, and even one of him eating at a corner diner.
Tears pricked the corners of Ethan's eyes before sliding down his cheeks.
"Ethan..."
A voice broke the silence. Ethan spun around to see a holographic projection flicker to life. A familiar figure appeared, though the years had left visible lines etched into his face. He looked older and wearier than the man Ethan rembered.
"I always knew Lyla would bring you to this room soday," the man said, his voice warm but slightly choked with emotion. "She's sacrificed a lot for you. Take care of her. And when you have ti, co visit us in the capital. Your aunt and I would love to see you."
The ssage was brief, but it struck Ethan straight to his core, pulling at the most fragile part of his heart.
"Crying already? How embarrassing!" Lyla teased, clutching his arm and making a silly face. Before he could respond, she let go and walked toward the door, calling over her shoulder, "It's up to you whether we move in!"
Ethan wiped his eyes and smiled faintly. "Alright, fine. Let's move in together. But isn't this place a bit far from school?"
Before Lyla could respond, she turned and tossed a set of keys at him. Ethan caught them, confused. "From now on, you're my personal driver. And no other girls are allowed in the car!"
Ethan stared at the car keys in his hand, shaking his head with a wry smile. Clearly, Lyla had prepared everything in advance. What could he possibly say to that?
By the afternoon, Ethan had arranged for his VR gaming capsule to be delivered and installed in his new room. As the workers finished setting it up, Lyla looked it over and snickered.
"Wow, look at you, a big spender. $168,000 for a gaming capsule? And it's a reinforced, explosion-proof model too? Are you that worried soone's out to get you?"
Ethan rolled his eyes and shot back, "$168,000 wouldn't even cover the scrap materials for your custom model!"
"That wasn't even my money!" she countered, pinching his waist playfully with her fingers.
Ethan chuckled. He was beginning to notice how different Lyla's personality was in this tiline. In his previous life, she had always maintained a certain distance from him, like a delicate barrier that he couldn't quite cross. After his escape from Ember City, they'd lost touch entirely.
It wasn't until the recent conversation, that she'd confessed the turning point in this life. The mont he knocked on her door that day and called her na, she'd assud he rembered their childhood. It had stirred sothing within her, sparking her curiosity and breaking down her walls.
That was the reason why she had given him the VR headset.
And then, when he had called her and said those word; "Do you believe ?" That had been the final push. It shattered whatever defenses she had left, and she decided to reveal her true identity to him.
---
By the ti they finished moving in and unpacking, it was already 5 PM. After dinner, only a few minutes remained until Ethereal's servers went live. Ethan spent the afternoon briefing Lyla on hidden quests and bug exploits he rembered from the Starter Zone.
"Just focus on getting to level 15 as fast as you can," he advised. "That's the minimum level needed to leave the Starter Zone. Once you're there, we'll et up in the main City."
As Ethan climbed into his gaming capsule, a wave of contentnt washed over him. The plush padding and ergonomic design were pure luxury. "Damn, this feels amazing. Worth every penny," he murmured, a grin spreading across his face.
The system voice chid.
"Ding...
[The ga will begin in 30 seconds. Please wait."]
The familiar sound and the whirlwind of events earlier that day filled Ethan with renewed anticipation. This life was already shaping up to be sothing incredible.
When the countdown hit zero, Ethan entered the ga, his vision adjusting to the vibrant virtual world around him. As he flexed his fingers and moved, he marveled at the smooth responsiveness. At 92% sensitivity, the controls were leagues beyond the 68% responsiveness of his old headset.
"Big bro, you're right on ti."
A soft voice broke his concentration. Ethan turned to see Haven's Dawn had logged in as well.
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