【Ad: Waiting.】

  He’d barely hit Enter before the reply popped up.

  【TT: Oh damn, same time today】

  【TT: We good to keep going from yesterday?】

  The new area was already mapped out.

  But the limited drops and high-rank mats still weren’t complete.

  There was no argument to be had.

  【Ad: Obviously】

  They warped to Island Ten—the Mist Temple.

  The warp point was jammed with players.

  The screen was a mess of names and effects.

  Maybe because it was right before break—it felt even worse than launch day.

  TT loaded in a beat later.

  Even with his blank-faced avatar—The Rock—

  he somehow looked like he was giving a wry smile.

  【Ad: Wanna move spots?】

  【TT: Mmm, it’s kinda laggy】

  【TT: But I’d rather push ahead before I get spoiled】

  【TT: If you’re cool with it tho】

  He always asked like that.

  That part of him—

  yeah. I liked it.

  Crys smiled with just his mouth,

  and typed, lightly.

  【Ad: Let’s gooo】

  【Ad: Vaparis is gonna be packed anyway so we can save that for next week】

  【Ad: Today… Gravydaris hunt?】

  【TT: I’m in】

  The second they agreed, they cut through the crowd and headed for the tallest mountain in the area.

  They passed low-level hunt squads without slowing,

  left the trampled trail behind,

  and moved into the darker mountain path under the conifers.

  Just like he’d guessed—everyone was clustering around the center,

  so up here was weirdly empty.

  Swatting down monsters that dove at them from above,

  Crys suddenly thought of it and tossed it into chat.

  【Ad: btw a classmate invited me to a party today】

  【Ad: halloween】

  【TT: fr??】

  【TT: like… just talkin’?】

  【Ad: how do you always guess that lol】

  【TT: wasn’t even tryna】

  【Ad: well you’re half right】

  【Ad: got invited by a girl too】

  【TT: YOOOO】

  【TT: LET’S GO】

  【TT: she cute??】

  Crys touched the side of his neck.

  Thought for maybe one second.

  Then typed.

  【Ad: kinda like Seraphina】

  【TT: bro that’s INSANE】

  【TT: if y’all start dating send me pics of her】

  【TT: yours not needed tho】

  He knew.

  This was just TT being TT.

  And still—he laughed. Too soon.

  【Ad: ok but i have unfortunate news】

  【TT: noooo】

  【TT: she got a bf??】

  【Ad: first thing, she invited everyone in class】

  【TT: that’s not unfortunate at all】

  【TT: that’s prob just an excuse to invite YOU】

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  【Ad: no way】

  【Ad: me?? i’m literally a nerd】

  【TT: and??】

  【TT: what’s the other thing?】

  【Ad: i’m not going】

  【TT: BRUH】

  【TT: why not??】

  【TT: she wants you there】

  Come to think of it, Neria’s face when he turned her down

  had looked a little lonely—

  maybe.

  But Crys shook his head right away.

  That kind of convenient imagining

  was only happening because Nash had told him he didn’t understand “how girls feel,”

  and because TT kept egging him on like it was funny.

  Neria invited everyone because she was kind.

  That was all.

  There was no way she actually meant, I really want you to come—

  not to someone like him,

  someone she’d barely ever spoken to.

  To change the subject, Crys typed into chat.

  【Ad: what about you, TT?】

  【Ad: you going to that party?】

  【TT: yeah, probably】

  【TT: talk later. focus up.】

  Before he knew it, they were close to the summit.

  A massive dragon wrapped in sky-blue scales

  rose beyond the mist.

  One of the Highland bosses—

  Gravydaris.

  Its yellow eyes snapped open.

  A roar.

  The pressure of its wings hit like a wall.

  Their movement dulled,

  a heavy slow debuff dragging them down.

  Thistle—ranged—fired first,

  driving rounds into it with his beloved Hesperos.

  The second the dragon’s posture broke,

  TT’s The Rock threw out chains—

  and yanked it down.

  The huge body slammed the ground.

  A blade flashed.

  Its HP dropped in chunks.

  But the boss didn’t go down easy.

  Its tail swept—too fast for something that big.

  A wing slash tore through air.

  A fake bite—then point-blank breath.

  Crys held his breath and read the motions.

  Dodge.

  Punish.

  Dodge.

  Seven minutes.

  Clear.

  The instant the tension snapped,

  Crys sank deep into his chair.

  【Ad: god… i still can’t hang with the TA tryhards】

  【TT: says the legend】

  【TT: 7-min Gravydaris is already messed up】

  Crys hammered Enter, grabbing the drops TT had—generous as always—split with him,

  then tore open a bag of snacks.

  【Ad: btw, about earlier】

  【Ad: you get invited too, right?】

  【Ad: like, by girls】

  【TT: mm…】

  A short silence.

  【TT: i go to an all-boys school】

  【TT: we do parties, but we’re usually the ones hosting】

  【TT: would be sick to do a Havoc costume for Halloween, but… yeah, not happening here】

  He said it like a joke,

  but something in it didn’t land.

  Crys got it.

  That was something TT didn’t want to say.

  He tried to type something back—

  typed. deleted.

  Typed again—then deleted.

  In moments like this,

  he wished—just a little—

  that they had voice chat.

  【TT: so what next】

  【TT: wanna check the canyon side?】

  TT changed the subject first.

  Honestly,

  Crys was relieved.

  He only sent back a 【??】,

  and the two of them started back the way they’d come.

  On the way, they helped out other players struggling in the new area,

  and Crys and TT ended up running not just the canyon, but the lake and the marsh routes too.

  The only thing left was Vaparis—the plains.

  He’d expected it to be crowded, but—

  it was worse than he imagined.

  They had to run Vaparis four times before the materials they wanted finally dropped.

  Back in the lobby, Crys started refining items with the drops they’d collected

  when TT’s message popped up.

  【TT: gotta dip soon】

  【Ad: gg】

  Crys hesitated for a second,

  then typed the rest.

  【Ad: weekend sounds rough too. hang in there】

  【TT: thx】

  【TT: you too】

  —Me too?

  Crys tilted his head.

  He’d said he wasn’t going to the party.

  He didn’t have plans for the weekend.

  Not worth correcting, he figured—

  and left it.

  Then—

  【TT: you’re gonna see that girl tho, right?】

  【Ad: no??】

  【Ad: i’m not going to the party】

  【TT: not Seraphina】

  【TT: Tsitsi】

  【TT: you haven’t mentioned her lately so i’m guessing you’re not dreaming rn】

  【TT: but halloween’s close. wouldn’t be weird if she shows up again】

  The second he saw her name,

  something clenched tight in his chest.

  TT had never laughed at his dream story.

  Never called it impossible.

  He actually listened.

  But—

  what did he really think?

  If TT thought he was some weirdo—

  that was the one thing Crys couldn’t stand.

  Before TT could log off,

  Crys typed fast.

  【Ad: you think Tsitsi is a ghost?】

  The pause before the reply

  felt endless.

  【TT: honestly? yeah lol】

  A chill ran through him.

  Of course.

  No one would believe something like that.

  It stung. Hard.

  But more than that,

  he wanted TT to think he was normal.

  He almost typed,

  lol yeah it’s just a dream

  and tried to erase everything.

  He was about to hit the keys—

  when—

  【TT: nah i’m kidding】

  【TT: first time you saw Tsitsi was the night you went to that Happy Halloween place, right?】

  【TT: it’s not impossible that talking about it kinda triggered it】

  Crys deleted what he’d started typing.

  His fingers trembled a little.

  【Ad: would you believe me】

  【Ad: even if i can’t tell if it’s a dream or not?】

  【TT: dude you hate magic and ghosts and all that】

  【TT: so if YOU say it, i kinda think it’s real】

  【TT: also i just realized something】

  【TT: if i hype it up like this and you don’t dream next week】

  【TT: i’m gonna look like i ate shit so hard i’ll die】

  【TT: so i’m expecting more good content next week】

  Without waiting for Crys to reply—

  【TT: aight】

  That was all.

  And then TT logged out.

  Crys reread the chat log a few times.

  “…Yeah. This is why you shouldn’t have weird dreams,” he muttered with a small laugh,

  then went back to the item refining he’d left half-done.

  Pick materials.

  Up the count.

  Pick again—

  Mindless work, supposedly.

  But before he knew it, he was replaying TT’s words in his head.

  —You tend to dream on nights after you go see Nash.

  He’d never even considered a cause-and-effect relationship like that.

  But now that TT had said it…

  yeah. Maybe it really was.

  TT had seen straight through something

  Crys himself hadn’t even noticed.

  …So he’d really been listening.

  Warmth spread slowly in Crys’s chest.

  And when he’d asked,

  You think Tsitsi is a ghost?

  Even while he’d asked it,

  he hadn’t truly believed that.

  Not a dream.

  Not a ghost.

  And yet—

  not something he could call reality, either.

  Until now, he’d only brought it up in passing while gaming.

  But next time, he’d ask properly.

  Just chat—no distractions.

  Everything he remembered.

  Everything he’d felt.

  Maybe TT would give an answer different from Nash’s.

  When the refining finished,

  he sold off the excess at the weapon shop.

  He geared up for the next quest,

  joined another party,

  and was about to head out for another Gravydaris hunt—

  when his phone lit up.

  The moment he saw the pop-up, Crys frowned.

  “Creator: Your dream can come true with this limited offer!”

  …Again.

  Same spam as always.

  Without even opening it, he deleted it—

  and checked the time while he was at it.

  The date had already flipped.

  Past one-thirty.

  Yeah. Time to sleep.

  He clicked logout, shut down his PC,

  turned off the lights,

  and collapsed onto his bed.

  He’d been ready to push into the next quest just seconds ago,

  but the moment he lay down,

  his eyelids turned heavy—too heavy to fight.

  Crys let them close.

  Right before his awareness sank,

  a thought slipped through.

  —Tonight, I might see that dream again.