The capsule!..

  Every morning, I wake to the sweet sound of birds outside my window. No noise. Just nature doing its thing.

  The first rule in my book? Mornings are for movement—work out, eat clean, lock in.

  You’re probably wondering if I go to school. Of course I do—online school.

  No teachers staring you down. No loud cssmates. Just me, my screen, and peace.

  Sounds boring? Not for me.

  While I was in my room, a knock echoed from the front door—

  Knock, knock, knock.

  I stared at my polished bck slippers, slid them on, and made my way downstairs.

  “Who’s there?” I called out.

  “It’s me—Luis.”

  Well, I’ll be damned. My gamer brother from another mother. I opened the door and greeted him with a grin.

  “Ho, Luis,” I said.

  “Ho, Ryōma,” he replied, wearing that same unserious smirk he always does.

  We exchanged looks, then gnced at the stairs leading to our private gaming room. Both of us made our way up,

  and right at the door...

  a shadow stood guard.

  there he was.

  Chairman Meow.

  My Cat. My roommate. My personal arm system and part-time philosopher.

  He was perched on the top step like he

  owned the pce-- Tail flicking, eyes

  locked, mustache fur perfectly centered beneath it’s nose.

  Some say he looks like a dictator from

  history.

  I say he looks like royalty.

  That's why I call him Chairman Meow.

  He let out a single purr-- as if to say,

  "You're te."

  and Just like that....

  Pfffft.

  A fart echoed through the hallway.

  Luis stood there, proud.

  Chairman Meow leapt down the stairs

  with immediate disgust, as if the air itself

  betrayed him.

  We ughed so hard I nearly fell

  over.

  Inside the room, the first thing Luis grabbed—was food.

  Of course. His intentions were always pure. And by pure, I mean purely about eating.

  He dove into my stash of nutritious snacks like it was a survival mission.

  I didn’t mind. I just gave him a worried side gnce.

  “So… what’s the word?” I asked, casually but curious.

  “What’s got you showing up like it’s a side quest?”

  Luis wiped his mouth and leaned in with sudden seriousness.

  “There’s a new VR game. Full-dive style. They’re releasing their gaming capsules today.”

  My eyes widened.

  “Capsules?”

  He nodded.

  “And today… is your birthday. So happy birthday, brother. I got you one.”

  I froze.

  In shock. In awe. In hard—

  Wait, no, not like that. My fist was rock solid, okay? Let’s stay focused.

  My heart pounded with excitement. A world of virtual reality. Women, swords, freedom.

  I grinned—sinister anime-style.

  Luis spped me across the face.

  “Stay focused.”

  Then, with a fake sad voice, he began singing:

  “Is it too te now to say sorry…”

  “…’Cause I’m gonna be missing more than just your body.”

  I blinked.

  “Bro… what?”

  He sighed.

  “I’m being shipped out for military service. Five years. I leave tomorrow.”

  Silence.

  The room fell still. Even dictator—I mean chairman meow—paused.

  Tears welled up in our eyes. He wasn’t just a friend. He was family.

  I stood up, fists clenched.

  “Then let’s make today count, brother.”

  Crackling from the closet. I opened it, grabbed my gear, and started getting dressed.

  My cat looked up at me with glowing eyes, practically begging for pat.

  I scratched his chin.

  “You’re still my number one, furball.”

  Clean, fresh, and fully dressed in my signature look, I stepped outside with Luis.

  And there it was.

  A bck car in all its majestic, un-Lamborghini glory.

  “Ladies first,” I joked, holding the door for him.

  “Why thank you,” he said.

  We drove through a quiet neighborhood lined with radiant trees and flowers.

  And then, it appeared—

  A giant sign lit up in front of us: “RICE.”

  It was real. All-you-can-eat rice.

  Every kind. Every fvor. History was about to be made.

  We sat down. A beautiful server approached—straight brows, big eyes, angelic smile.

  “What can I get you two?”

  I thought: Is your number on the menu?

  But I said:

  “We’ll take the fried rice. Chicken in it.”

  We ate like kings. Stuffed to the brim with rice.

  When Luis dropped me back home, he pulled me into a hug.

  “See you in five years, brother,” he said.

  “I’ll be here,” I replied.

  As I walked in, chairman meow pounced at my feet like I’d been gone for a year.

  Night fell. Silence returned.

  I stepped into the garage—my training zone. Lifted. Ran. Pushed myself to the edge.

  After a cold shower, I entered my room. Dark. Cold.

  My monitor flickered on.

  Lines of code danced across the screen as I sat down.

  My fingers cracked. My focus returned.

  It was time to hack.