"Hey, big gorilla, are you there?" the childish choice of David echoed.
'Maybe if I don't reply, he will leave quietly," Jayden thought as the last thing he wanted was for David to play with his nerves again.
Several moments later, after his no response, David knocked again. "I know you're there, I see the smoke coming out of the chimney, are you dumb?" David yelled.
"Tsk! This kid's talent of pissing me off is too good," Jayden exclaimed as he went to open the door.
...
"So? What do you want?" Jayden asked him
Jayden laid back on his couch sipping from the last gulps of the coffee. In front of him, suspended by the small hanger from the wall was David, struggling to break free.
"Let me down!" he yelled.
"You know, you really underestimate me, kid," Jayden suddenly got up and approached David with a big grin on his face. "Maybe I should get your pants down and slap your monkey ass into oblivion. Hmm? What do you say, is that a yes? I'm hearing a yes. Okay, if you really insist then who am I to refuse," Jayden smiled at him.
"N-No, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" David yelled, scared for the health of his butt.
"This is a special offer, kid. Are you sure you want to refuse it?" Jayden said with an amused grin on his face.
"I'm sure, I'm sure. Now let me down, please! David tried to relent Jayden.
Jayden took David by his collar and with a swift pull he was on his feet in no time.
"So? What do you want this time," asked Jayden as he sat back down on the couch.
"I-I want to ask what you've decided. Will you play the game?" David asked.
The boy tried to put on a stoic face but he was betrayed by his childish face and more importantly, Jayden saw it in his eyes how much he wanted him to play the game.
"Sigh! Before I answer, let me ask you this. Why do you want me to play this game so much?" Jayden asked him.
"I-I don't know-" David replied with his voice barely audible.
"Hm? What did you say? I can't hear you kid," Jayden asked him again.
"Your grandpa...he told me once that you were very good at the games so...I think I want to see you play, I want you to teach me...I want to be like you...," David said.
The kid mustered all of his courage to sincerely reply to Jayden's question and it wasn't easy. Even as a little boy, he had his small pride inside, and adding the daily bickering between him and Jayden, it was pretty hard for him to admit that he admired Jayden.
"You want to be like me? But why? You barely know me at all and speaking about my gaming experience, how do you know my grandpa said the truth? Have you thought for a second maybe he lied?" Jayden pushed back.
"No! He didn't lie to me, I know it. And I don't admire you because you were a pro gamer. I want to be like you because you are cool," shouted David.
The boy was red as a tomato but he answered sincerely to Jayden's question.
"Me? Cool?" Jayden was taken aback by his sudden words. "Ahem! I suppose you can say that, hahaha."
"So...will you play the game? Will you join Pantheon?" David went back on track with his question.
Jayden saw his excitement again and stood up from the couch, crouching down at David's level. "Yes kid, I will play it, happy?" he answered with a warm smile on his face.
"Y-Y-Yaaaayyyy! I can't wait. Where will you play it? In what room, what about the 'DeepDive' thing, will you buy it? What class will you play? Can you record it so I can see it? Do you want to be a mage or warrior? Or maybe an archer's, archers are cool also. Maybe an assassin, I love them. How much time will you spend playing?" David started to blast him with questions.
"David!"
"Will you make a guild or join one? What lifestyle class do you like the most?" David continued.
"David!"
"I know, how about a blacksmith, they are pretty cool. Or an alchemist, I love them—"
"David!!!" Jayden raised his voice as he stated David's shoulders.
"I like your enthusiasm kid and I would love to answer all of your questions," said Jayden as he tapped David on his head. "But as you can see...I will play the game but not here...not in this place."
"What do you mean—" asked David.
The boy couldn't finish the sentence as the words became stuck in his throat. He saw Jayden's luggage fully packed and that meant only one thing. He is leaving.
"N-No. Are you leaving?" David asked, barely containing his tears.
"Yes kid, I'm leaving," said Jayden.
"When will you come back?" he asked.
"..."
"Why? Is it because of me? I promise I won't bother you anymore. I won't yell at you, I won't say bad things anymore—"
"It's not about you kid. In fact, I should thank you. You were my only friend here but you see, David. Your mother was right. I don't belong here. I don't belong to this place. It doesn't matter how much I've tried, I will never integrate here," Jayden replied.
"No! No!" yelled David.
The boy ran at the door and immediately left the house, sprinting as much as he could towards his home.
Jayden knew that the kid was heartbroken but there was nothing he could do about it. It was the correct thing to do, he didn't want to lie to him only to disappear like a ghost the next day. It was better like that.
'I'm sorry kid, who knows, maybe our roads will cross again in the future,' thought Jayden.
"Now, the only remaining part is to take a good sleep this time, and without incidents, I hope," he murmured and threw his body toward the couch.