A week had passed since the text from "M."
Kai hadn't pushed further. No calls, no long replies. Just that initial exchange, and then silence.
But not the kind that hurt.
It was the kind that waited.
Morning – Passive Gains
Kai leaned back in his chair, arms stretched overhead, cracking his neck and shoulders as the new portfolio tracker finished loading.
"Not bad."
His long-term investments were solidifying. Bitcoin had gone through another bump, just as expected. The altcoins he backed earlier in the week were slow-blooming, but the trends held.
He didn't have to trade daily anymore. Not with the foresight he had — or the saves.
Slot 2: "Market Confidence" — still stable.
Slot 3? Still untouched.
And Slot 1 — his origin — was a sacred backup he'd never touch casually. It anchored him. Made everything real.
The money would keep growing. Now the real project could start.
Midday – Property Browsing
Kai opened five tabs. Then ten. Then twenty.
"I need a mansion… but not too flashy."
He scrolled through listings across different cities in Germany. Some were sleek and modern. Others were too old, too cold, too narrow.
He clicked one labeled Off-Market: Private Hillside Estate – NRW Region.
Wide courtyard. Detached garage. Seven rooms, each with balcony access. A basement that could be converted into a studio or game room. Fiber line installed. Half an hour from Cologne.
He bit his lip.
"This one…"
He bookmarked it. Not making a move yet. Just planting the seed.
The kind of place where streams could happen around every corner. Morning cooking chaos in the kitchen. IRL collabs in the living room. Weekly Mario Kart punishments in the yard. Secret late-night conversations on balconies.
He smiled.
"Yeah. This could be it."
Evening – The Call
Zoey was pacing in her room again when the call connected. Kai could hear the soft pad of her socks hitting the wooden floor.
"Okay. I pitched it to everyone," she said, jumping straight in. "You won't believe who's in."
"Hit me."
"Linh's in if the place isn't dusty."
"Noted."
"Enzo said yes, but only if the kitchen's big."
"Okay, now that's just him wanting to make pasta at 3 a.m. again."
"Vi wants a pink room. Doesn't care about anything else. Said she's packing."
"Classic."
"Amir's curious. He says he'll drop by to see it first."
"Very Amir."
"Oh, and Lucia—get this—she said, and I quote: 'If I can bully Kai on camera, I'm in.'"
Kai burst out laughing.
"Lucia hasn't changed."
"Nope. She's still violently sarcastic and somehow still hot."
"Still gay?"
"As ever."
"Perfect. No danger."
"Oh and Kai?"
"Yeah?"
"...We're really doing this."
There was a pause. It wasn't dramatic. Just… solid.
"Yeah," Kai said, softly. "We are."
Night – Stream Vibes
"Chat, I got something fun planned next month," Kai told his viewers, sitting in a dimly lit room with lo-fi playing in the background. "Gonna be scouting some new locations. IRL content maybe?"
"IRL Kaijo arc let's gooo""What u scouting bro 👀""Collab with the old crew???"
He didn't confirm anything. But his smirk was enough.
"Let's just say… the next stage starts soon."
One of the OG mods, PinkSkies, dropped a message:
"Remember where it started tho 👁️"
Kai read it. Smiled. Nodded at the camera.
"I remember everything."
Somewhere Else – 'M' Watches Silently
The Chinese girl from Belgium sat cross-legged, hoodie half-zipped, glasses on. Her browser still open to Kai's stream, but muted now.
She wasn't stalking.
Not exactly.
She was… waiting. Measuring.
Watching the way he moved. The way he spoke.
"He's different."
Her phone buzzed.
Linh: "Hey, remember Kai? He's going content house with the gang lol."
Her fingers paused over the reply field.
Then typed:
"...Where?"
No answer yet.
But her heart beat a little faster.
Late Night – System Maintenance
Kai opened his Save & Load system before bed. Slot 2 was still stable. Bitcoin, Ethereum, even stocks like NVIDIA and Tesla — all green.
He saved again — not in a new slot, but overwriting Slot 2.
Slot 2 – "Momentum Lock"
A quiet assurance.
Slot 3 still remained his wild card.
"I'll use that one... only when it really matters."
Then he laid back in bed, phone face-down, eyes half-shut as he whispered:
"We're really doing it."
In the Distance – The Mansion Waits
The hillside estate stood silent. Empty. Trees swaying in the wind. No lights. No noise.
Just potential.
Waiting to be filled.
With chaos. With laughter. With cameras and cables and gamer rage.
With friendship.
And new beginnings.
SUPPORT (Early Chapters): patreon.com/KyJo_
YT GAMING: https://www.youtube.com/@KyJoGaming
DISCORD: https://discord.gg/v2uSTygMgb