Change of game

Huobai loved the game console he got. He had so much fun, from setting it up, making his own account, to searching which game he would play.

He immediately abandoned those games that involved sport, like basketball, hockey, or football. Maybe he needed something that would dissipate his anger. Something that would occupy his brain, distracting him from depressing thoughts.

And he soon found it. It was a game about assassins. And he was so invested in it, he didn't even notice his mother entering his room.

"Are you having fun?" she asked, but he only mumbled yes and didn't pay attention anymore.

Huobai was so surprised by the sheer effort he had to make, to fulfill the sequence to a hundred percent. And he kept repeating it until he was satisfied, seeing the full percentage.

But with time, he was getting better and better. He could watch out for the enemies while jumping on the roofs. Stealth and effectiveness suddenly became part of his character, and he liked it a lot. It was thrilling.

Huobai didn't know he already spent his whole afternoon playing, up until his mother basically slammed the door open.

"ZHANG HUOBAI!" she screamed, walking like a general into his room.

One misstep and he was falling down from the high tower, he was climbing on. He angrily turned around to yell at his mother, but the anger soon dissipated, when he saw her angry gaze.

"I didn't buy you this device to starve you out! Eat! Dinner! Downstairs!" she exclaimed, and when he wasn't getting up and following her out of the door, she stopped and turned around once more.

"I SAID NOW!" she yelled, and Huobai jerked himself. He wasn't used to her yelling like that. And even when he hated listening to someone, he got up, unable to rebel against her.

He followed in a moderate distance from her and when she said down; he wanted to be as far away from her as it was possible. But his witch mother already thought about everything.

There was only one place set for food. And that was right next to her. So he involuntarily had to be by her side. When Song Fei nodded to the maid that they could carry in the food.

It looked like his mother thought Huobai hadn't been eating for weeks, not only a few hours. And to his defense, he ate some chips he had hidden in his room.

"You will eat it all. I read you need to be strong when you're sick." His mother put her hands under her chin and smiled sweetly. Huobai looked at the horde of food that the maids brought in and he couldn't take it anymore.

"Are you okay? There is no way I can eat this much!" he exclaimed, and moved his chair away from the table, ready to leave.

"Zhang. Huo. Bai. If you leave this table you will regret it," she said, her voice calm. If someone else said it, Huobai would laugh it off.

He stopped moving and thought over his possibilities. He could go upstairs and play a game but face mother's wrath later. Which was, honestly, worse than the end of the world. Or, he could stay here and, under her death glare, eat how much he could.

Huobai slid his chair back in and picked up his chopstick. His mother showed a praiseful smile, and Huobai knew it was the right choice.

"I see you liked the games, right?" she asked, still smiling. Huobai nodded, his mouth full of sweet chicken and rice.

Song Fei got up from her chair, which gave false hope to Huobai, because she only walked to get the remote control from the TV, that was hanging on the wall, disguised as a painting.

"I saw this program that looked interesting. A lot of your people supposedly like it." She turned on the TV. Huobai did not know what she was talking about, but it was pretty interesting to see.

Suddenly, cheers, commentator's voices, and so much action filled the room. Huobai was stunned at the number of spectators watching a game on the big screen. The cheers were so loud, that he almost couldn't hear the commentators, or the players.

Explosions of magic, swift movements of the characters, nice graphic forest, and loud shouting of teammates, telling each other what to do.

Huobai could feel his blood boiling, feeling alive, and he was soon cheering for the Chinese Lanbo team, with his full mouth, sprawling the rice all over the table. But he didn't care. He was so immersed in the game.

The opposite team members, Japanese, had so quick fingers, they were all synchronized. They knew each other's weaknesses and strengths and covered each other perfectly.

When the Chinese team won, he darted out and yelled loudly. A bit of food flew from his chopsticks and ended on his mother's face. He cheered for Lanbo so hard, the moment they killed the last of the Kurayami team, and high-fived each other, that moment totally stole his sanity and manners.

"I hoped you enjoyed it…" Huobai looked at his mother, who spoke in an icy cold voice, that made him shiver. She was calmly and seriously wiping out the food from her face.

"Sorry," he said and couldn't help the little giggle that escaped his mouth. His mother flashed him a deathly glare and the corners of his mouth fell down again. But then, his smile reappeared.

"I'm going to my room as a punishment," he said, grinning, and before she could even say something, he was already speed walking in the stairs.

When he arrived in his room, he carefully without a sound locked his door, gaining some privacy. He looked at the paused game and contemplated for a bit.

It was fun, but at the same time, it was boring. Especially for him who was used to playing with friends, in a team. So, when he saw the match on the TV… as if something awakened in him.

He took his laptop and wanted to download the game he just watched on TV. To his luck, or more like misfortune… His laptop was too old for it. He wasn't using it much, so he never needed a new one. Until now.