𝑶𝐕𝓁xt.𝒸𝒐𝑚

Many bad things have happened to the Park’s in the seven years leading up to the time being, but without a doubt, the worst was the letter from the bank that they received on that Tuesday morning just a few weeks before Christmas. In the letter, the bank clarified that the family had a deadline to either leave their home in suburban Long Island or immediately pay off their debt.

Klaus was in shock. He never imagined that the bank would actually trigger the mortgage appeal to seize the house.

‘The house was mortgaged three years ago, so what the fuck? Why it took the bank so long?’

The answer to that question came next to his mind. Klaus had remembered at this moment his conversation with Doctor Rodriguez in Rhyzer’s room on Saturday. At the time, Rodriguez had made it clear that the late hospital owner’s children were not as calm about the Park’s million-dollar debt as their father used to be.

“Shit… That’s what yesterday’s call was about…” Kaizen muttered as he stared at the crumpled paper. He was sitting at the table next to his parents.

“Call?” Chun asked.

Klaus swallowed the saliva in his mouth and looked at his mother. “I didn’t tell you yesterday because I didn’t want to make you feel bad, but my boss, Megan, got a call directly from the hospital’s finance department. They wanted to negotiate the discharge of the debt or something… Since I didn’t return the call, they probably decided to contact the bank.”

“So, they found out where you work and the cell phone number of your boss? Damn, those banks are really cowards. I never thought they would use such ways like that. I used to get these calls, but I just ignored them. Maybe it’s my fault?” replied Michael, scratching the bald spot on his head.

“Take it easy, honey. If you get angry, your allergies will come back. Chun began massaging her husband’s back. “Son, go to work quietly, and don’t worry about it. Your father and I will think about what we are going to do. I know a friend who owns a couple of apartments in Baywood, I’ll talk to her to see if there are any still empty…”

“Okay… If anything happens, give me a call.” Klaus stated, getting up from his chair.

Chun knew that it was still early for Klaus to catch the train. “Wait. Aren’t you going to eat anything before you go? I can fry up some eggs for you, if you want.”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll buy something downtown. Thanks anyway.”

Although he smiled at Chun, Klaus had mixed feelings.

In some ways, he felt responsible for his family’s debts. If he had been more professional and ignored the news of his brother’s accident, at least until the end of the day, he would not have run away from the second world championship final, and maybe he would have been crowned two-time champion alongside his family. Then maybe they would also have more money for Rhyzer’s medical expenses, and maybe they wouldn’t have drowned in debt when the money from the sponsorships and the championship awards ran out.

If Klaus had established himself as a world star of a game as famous as Myth2 used to be, he would have made a fortune. He knew this.

As Klaus stared at himself in the reflection of a crowded train window, he could only see what he was wearing, a dull gray suit and a white shirt inside, completely stuffed. This was not the man he dreamed of being as a child, surely not. When Klaus realized this, the game-loving child inside him smiled in the reflection, and at that very moment that the train left the duct, through the same window where his reflection used to be, Klaus saw the sign of the Arc Insurance building.

The S in the word ‘Insurance’ in the logo on the sign had been slightly tilted to the left for more than six months. The neon letters were failing daily, and some didn’t even turn on anymore. For Klaus, being in the Medullar Forge would be more comfortable than staring for more than a second at the outdoors of the building where he worked.

As soon as he arrived at the premises, he slapped his badge and immediately went to the elevator. He worked on the third floor, in the sales department. However, this time he walked harder than ever for some reason. When he arrived at the third floor, among the dozens of office desks, he saw Jayaa, the only co-worker with whom he exchanged a few words.

As soon as he spotted Klaus, he cracked a huge, welcoming smile. Jayaa was radiant as always in the middle of a Tuesday morning.

“Good morning, Klaus!” The blond-haired man exclaimed. “Easy there, did something happen?” He asked when Klaus came close.

Through the headset that Jayaa removed while asking this, Klaus could hear the customer who was on the call with Jayaa say:

“Hello? Hello? Son of a bitch… Did they transfer me to another department again?”

Before answering his colleague, Klaus leaned down and pressed the call muting button. He then pulled the chair from his desk and sat down across from Jayaa.

“What’s up, man? Did you get fired?” Jayaa was clearly worried.

Then Klaus took a breath and, for the first time in his life, told someone everything about his family’s situation, including his past as a professional player and his debts to the hospital. In the past, he wouldn’t have such the spirit to do this, mostly from his experience in high school with all his classmates belittling him, but now he finally revealed this to someone else, and a huge weight came off his back.

“Oh, Klaus, that sucks, bro…”

“No need to feel sorry for me.” In no second, while telling about his life, Klaus looked emotional. He was just wearing his usual neutral face, trying to make this talk as less awkward as possible.

Jayaa understood that he had arrived at the border of Klaus’ personal space and stepped back a little for the first time. “Right… Well, do you already have a place to stay? If not, you can stay at my place as long as you need. I have a spare room, and you don’t have to pay rent, but the room isn’t big enough for four people.”

Klaus was very surprised by his colleague’s offer. They had only known each other for a few months, so Klaus had only expected that Jayaa, at most, was going to offer to borrow money, but he was much more supportive, so supportive that Klaus couldn’t believe he was serious.

“Are you sure? You don’t live with your girlfriend?”

Jayaa slapped Klaus weakly on the back. “I would never make the mistake of living with a girlfriend, man. That would almost be like getting married, and I don’t even want to think about it for now! Actually, I’m currently living in an apartment with my sister on the sixth avenue, but don’t worry, she travels a lot and when she’s home she just stays in her room, so you’ll hardly ever see her…. Aaaa! Now I’m excited! I’ve always wanted a roommate!”

“I haven’t agreed to go yet.”

“What? Do you need mom’s permission?”

“… OK. I accept. But I’ll let you know I won’t wash your clothes as a way of paying you for the help.”

Jayaa’s cheerful expression vanished at the same time. “Fuck… I thought I’d finally get a private maid…”

…

Edited by: DrHitsuji

If you want to see original illustrations of Rise Online characters, consider helping me on pa treon: Pa treon.com/NandoFalske

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