A Harsh Reminder

Fin sat at his desk, staring blankly at the spreadsheet open on his monitor. The steady clacking of keyboards filled the air, punctuated by the occasional murmur of coworkers discussing deadlines. The faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted from the break room, but even that couldn't shake the haze in his mind. Numbers blurred together, unreadable, as his thoughts drifted elsewhere—back to Ram Online, back to the leaderboards, back to the mystery of Crowd. Numbers blurred together, and the soft hum of the office felt distant, almost unreal. His mind wasn't here. It was back in Ram Online, back on the leaderboards, back in the world he had left behind.

The thrill of finding Kuma's name among the top players still lingered in his veins. The discovery of Crowd's uncanny resemblance to his own playstyle gnawed at him. Who was he? Did he watch his old guides? Could Fin… make a comeback?

A notification pinged on his phone. He sighed, expecting another email from his boss, but when he glanced down, his stomach dropped.

[Cousin Mia]: Fin. It's about your mom. She's in the hospital. You need to come home.

For a moment, the words didn't register. Then, the weight of them hit him like a punch to the gut. He shot up from his seat, nearly knocking his chair over. His coworkers turned to look, startled by the sudden movement, but he barely noticed. He grabbed his phone, his bag—he needed to go.

He rushed toward the HR office, breath short, hands clammy. Leave. I need leave.

As he stepped out of the office, a voice called after him.

"Boss?"

Ren.

Fin turned slightly. Ren was standing near the entrance, brows furrowed. "Where are you going? Are you alright?"

Fin didn't answer. He couldn't. He just walked past, his heart pounding as he pushed through the doors and into the street.

The Train Ride

The train car was packed, but Fin barely registered the press of bodies around him. He stood near the door, gripping the metal handrail, staring at his own reflection in the glass. The rhythmic clatter of the train against the tracks felt strangely distant.

His phone buzzed again. Another message.

[Mia]: She's stable for now. But the doctor says she needs surgery.

His grip on the phone tightened. Surgery. That meant money. A lot of it.

Memories surfaced unbidden—his mother's tired smile when she gave him his first PC, the way she worked overtime just so he could afford new games. And the guilt that followed when he realized what it had cost her.

At the Hospital

The scent of antiseptic hit him the moment he walked in, sharp and sterile, mingling with the faint traces of alcohol and disinfectant. The quiet hum of fluorescent lights buzzed above, casting a cold, artificial glow over the pale linoleum floors. Nearby, the hushed murmurs of worried visitors mixed with the distant beeping of monitors and the occasional shuffle of nurses moving swiftly through the halls. The cool, sterile air mixed with the faint, lingering smell of alcohol and disinfectant. The sound of beeping monitors and hushed conversations filled the halls. The distant echo of hurried footsteps and muffled voices added to the weight pressing on his chest.

Fin moved through the corridors, his footsteps quick and uneven against the linoleum. He reached the room number Mia had sent him and hesitated at the door.

Inside, his mother lay in bed, pale but smiling the same way she always did when she saw him.

"Fin… you're here," she said, her voice soft but warm.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "What happened to you, Mom?"

She chuckled weakly. "Nothing I haven't been through before."

"Don't say that." His hands clenched into fists. "I should've been here sooner."

Before she could answer, the doctor entered, flipping through a clipboard. "You're her son?"

Fin nodded.

The doctor sighed. "She has pneumonia, and there are complications with her lungs. We're keeping her stable, but… she needs surgery. Sooner rather than later."

Fin exhaled shakily. "How much?"

The doctor hesitated before answering. "It's not cheap."

Mia stood by the doorway, looking at Fin with concern. She hesitated before speaking, "Fin… she needs you now more than ever."

Fin looked at her, his throat tightening. Mia gave him a reassuring nod before glancing at the time. "I have to go back. I already missed my morning classes." She turned and left quickly, leaving Fin alone with the weight of reality settling in.

The Past Resurfaces

Fin sat outside the hospital room, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the floor. The past and present twisted together in his mind.

He remembered the last time she had been hospitalized—years ago, when he was still deep in Ram Online. Back then, he had been oblivious, too caught up in his own world to notice how hard she was working.

She had given him everything. Worked extra shifts. Skipped meals. All while he was just a kid, too young to understand the weight of it all. He had only seen the rewards—the games, the upgrades, the hours spent in Ram Online—not the sacrifices behind them. All so he could have that PC, that game, that dream. And how did he repay her? By asking for more. More game points. More battle passes. More time in a world that didn't pay back what she had sacrificed.

Then one night, she collapsed. The doctors said it was exhaustion from overwork.

That was the moment it all hit him.

The money he had spent wasn't just money—it was her sweat and blood.

That night, he uninstalled Ram Online. He focused on school. He got a job. Because he would never let himself be that selfish again.

But now, sitting here, listening to the faint sound of the heart monitor through the door, he felt helpless all over again.

He needed money. Fast.

But how?

A big loan? Unlikely. His savings? Not even close.

His mind spun with options, but only one kept surfacing—one that felt impossible, but refused to go away.

What if I played again?

His breath hitched. No. That was stupid. Even if he could get good again, there was no guarantee he'd make money.

But wasn't it worth a try?

His mother's survival was at stake.

Fin closed his eyes.

He didn't know the answer. But he knew one thing for sure.

He wouldn't let his mother suffer. Not again.

No matter what it took.