MMORPG: Asterra Online

The next evening, Ethan was stocking refrigerated drinks at the convenience store when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out to see an unknown number requesting a video call. He almost ignored it, but the phone continued to ring. Something compelled him to press answer.

The screen lit up. Neither of them spoke. Six years disappeared into silence as time folded strangely. The face on the screen looked older, with sharper features than before, but there was absolutely no mistaking him.

Then Arjun grinned. "You look old."

Ethan blinked. "You started with that?"

"I had six years to prepare."

A laugh escaped before Ethan could stop it, shattering the lingering tension. "That’s seriously your opening line?"

"I had better ones," Arjun insisted, leaning closer to his camera. "I wrote them down. Obviously."

Ethan shook his head, a genuine smile breaking through. "You’re insane."

"Professionally. I have certifications."

The conversation swept into a chaotic rhythm. Questions interrupted answers, stories overlapped, and quick-witted jokes appeared where emotional honesty probably belonged.

"You disappeared," Ethan teased.

"You were unconscious."

"Still rude."

"You got uglier," Arjun countered seamlessly.

"Recovery wasn’t perfect."

By the end of the call, Ethan found himself smiling more than he had in months. Before hanging up, Arjun glanced at something off-screen, his tone shifting slightly. "Anyway..."

Ethan recognized that exact tone instantly. "No."

"No what?"

"Whatever you’re about to say."

"I’m coming this weekend," Arjun announced.

"That wasn’t a question."

"Nope. See you Saturday."

The call clicked shut. For the first time since Dr. Maya had questioned his future, Ethan found himself genuinely looking forward to something.

Saturday arrived, and with it, Arjun. The apartment door had barely opened before chaos entered with him.

"ETHAN!" Arjun’s voice roared through the hallway. Before Ethan could react, Arjun pulled him into an aggressive, tight hug. Ethan groaned, shoving him back.

"Okay," Arjun said, reviewing him. "You definitely got taller."

"I’m the same height."

"Then why do I feel shorter? Perfect. I was worried you’d become mature."

Ethan’s mother appeared from the kitchen. "Arjun!"

"Hello, Auntie. It’s good to see you again." His playful demeanor vanished for a brief, genuine second as she pulled him into a fierce hug.

She pulled back, gripping his shoulders. "You’re too thin."

Arjun looked deeply offended. "I’ve been told many things online, but that’s not one of them."

His father’s laughter rumbled from the living room. Within minutes, Arjun had effortlessly taken control of the apartment, resurrecting old memories.

"Remember when Ethan tried to build a homemade rocket?" Arjun asked, gesturing wildly.

His father nodded instantly. "The one that exploded?"

"It didn’t explode," Ethan countered, crossing his arms. "It experienced structural difficulties."

"The garage roof still disagrees," his father chuckled.

"Your father patched it himself," his mother added, setting down tea.

Ethan considered throwing him out, but his mother seemed delighted and his father was laughing more than usual. The apartment felt fuller, louder, and warmer. For all his internal complaints, Ethan realized he had deeply missed this.

As the afternoon continued, Arjun checked his old room, slowing down as his eyes swept the walls. "You really left it exactly the same."

"Didn’t have a reason to change it," Ethan said.

Arjun offered a small, quiet nod. The differences in him were obvious. The rapid rise of his streaming career over the past six months had left its visible marks, giving him the posture of someone accustomed to attention, success, and responsibility. Yet, underneath it all, he remained unmistakably Arjun—still talking too much and making the room brighter.

After lunch, they escaped outside, navigating the crowded sidewalks. For a while, the conversation stayed light before gradually shifting to the elephant in the room.

"What happened after?" Arjun asked quietly.

Ethan knew exactly what he meant. The coma, the recovery, everything. He shrugged, looking ahead. "Woke up. Took six years. Then rehabilitation, work, and helping my parents."

Arjun didn’t push. He simply nodded, letting the silence breathe before offering a grin. "My turn? I made one stupid video. People watched it. Then millions watched it. I accidentally became famous."

Ethan laughed. "Accidentally?"

"Mostly. Asterra helped." Arjun pointed toward a nearby holographic billboard displaying a massive tournament advertisement.

"You really play professionally?" Ethan asked.

"Among other things," Arjun answered casually. There was no jealousy between them, only quiet admiration. Their lives had fractured into completely different directions, but neither seemed bothered by the gap.

Later that afternoon, Arjun accompanied Ethan through his daily errands. It proved unexpectedly educational for the streamer.

"You always buy that one?" Arjun asked, pointing at a grocery item.

"It’s cheaper," Ethan said, not looking up from the price tags.

In the next aisle, Arjun frowned. "You’re comparing toilet paper?"

"One lasts longer. The sheets are denser."

Arjun reached for his own wallet without much thought. "Just let me grab this stuff. I make more in a week than—"

"No," Ethan cut him off, not unkindly, already sliding the cart forward. "I’ve got it."

"I wasn’t trying to—"

"I know." Ethan glanced back at him, and for a second the joke was gone from his face. "I know you weren’t. I just need to be the one who pays for my own groceries. That’s all."

Arjun held up both hands and let it go, though something in his expression had shifted—the easy amusement replaced by a quieter kind of attention, like he was seeing his friend clearly for the first time since arriving.

Ethan balanced budget numbers in his head while carrying the heavy bags home. He never complained once. That somehow made it worse. Arjun slowly realized that his friend wasn’t just recovering anymore; he was surviving. Surviving meant solving immediate problems, whereas living meant wanting things. And Ethan didn’t seem to want anything at all.

That evening, they climbed onto the apartment rooftop. The city stretched endlessly beneath them, its skyline painted in vibrant neon lights while digital advertisements floated across nearby buildings.

For once, Arjun wasn’t talking.

"You’re being quiet," Ethan said, leaning against the concrete ledge. "That’s terrifying."

"Only on weekends," Arjun laughed, then grew serious again, staring out at the glowing horizon. "When was the last time you wanted something?"

The question caught Ethan completely off guard. "What?"

"Wanted something."

Ethan opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He looked away, his gaze falling toward the city street lights below. "I... don’t know."

"Exactly," Arjun said softly. He gestured toward one of the distant, glowing Asterra advertisements. "I’m not trying to recruit you. If you never touch Asterra, that’s okay. But it gave people careers, communities... lives they actually enjoy. I just don’t want this cycle of work and sleep to become your entire life. You’re surviving, Ethan—but you stopped living."

The words landed hard because they were true, hanging over them as the neon lights flickered against the dark sky. Ethan felt a frustrating blankness settle over him. Work, bills, and responsibilities filled every hour, but what existed beyond them?

Late that night, the apartment finally went quiet. His parents were fast asleep, and Arjun was occupying the living room couch, snoring faintly.

Ethan sat alone beside his bedroom window, looking out at the city. The giant Asterra banners remained exactly the same. Dr. Maya’s question returned to him: What comes next? Then came Arjun’s: What do you want?

Slowly, he unlocked his phone. He stared at the blank search bar for several seconds before taking a quiet breath. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, then finally typed: Asterra Online.

Ethan clicked the top link.

Author’s Note:

Thank you for reading Chapter 9! This reunion was one of the scenes I looked forward to writing the most. No matter how much time passes, some friendships have a way of picking up right where they left off. More importantly, Arjun doesn’t try to solve Ethan’s problems—he simply reminds him that it’s okay to dream again. Sometimes all it takes is one honest conversation to make us ask ourselves questions we’ve been avoiding for a long time. I’d love to hear your thoughts: what was your favorite moment between Ethan and Arjun in this Chapter?

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