While NSOL’s game servers opened early to let players finish character creation ahead of time, the official opening wasn't until the next day.
“Ahh, I can't believe you still have work today~” Amiya whined, nudging the toast on her plate.
“Nothing's changed, I usually have work today...” Ferris sighed, finishing off his own breakfast. He looked at the clock. There were still about three hours until the servers opened.
“Well, since you’ve got time… Did you finish your homework yet?”
“Ahh— Well— Umm, about that…” Amiya averted her eyes.
“I don't mind if you put it off until tomorrow,” Ferris said, the pressure from his deadpan stare visibly squashing Amiya. “But I won't let you play after that until it's done.”
“Noooo…!” Amiya groaned, melting into her seat. Homework was bad, but the idea of being forced to do it when she could be playing sounded torturous. “Okay! I’ll do it, alright? Don't ban me from playing, anything but that—!”
“Nn. Good. Make sure you eat lunch.” After one last reminder, Ferris left for work.
———
“You don't need to work here anymore. Go home.”
“Eh.” Ferris dropped the box he was carrying in shock.
"Oi! Yer lucky there wasn't anythin’ fragile in there!” His boss grunted.
Ferris’s boss (usually just called “Boss” by Ferris and his coworkers) was a stout man with a dark brown afro and a thick, curly beard to match. Underneath all that hair was Boss’s stern, heavily-tanned face, his brow furrowed even deeper than usual due to Ferris’s gaffe.
“Am I… being fired?” Ferris asked hesitantly, shrinking where he stood.
“Bah— stop lookin’ at me with those puppy-dog eyes! No, you ain't gettin’ fired.”
Boss scratched his beard.
“A few of our usual buyers started panickin’ when that SOL Tech company released their new gear. Apparently, they're havin’ some real serious discussions ‘bout the future, so they've halted their purchases on parts.”
Ferris was working in a warehouse that served various tech companies, distributing the components for building their hardware. It was monotonous, physically-taxing work—but that perfectly suited Ferris; Boss also was a kind person, so Ferris enjoyed working for him.
“We ain’t in dire enough straits to jus’ start firin’ people willy-nilly, but there's not enough work fer you to stick around the whole day.” Boss slapped Ferris on the shoulder. “Jus’ consider it an opportunity to take a break, lad; you’ve more than earned it.”
An opportunity to take a break… Ferris repeated in his head, something starting to click. Right… Breaks are important.
“... Nn, got it. I’ll... rest a bit...”
It's been a while since I've been home this early... Should I try taking a nap...? —No. That's wrong...
Ferris scratched his head.
... Ah, I could also try to catch up with Amiya in game... Nn, let's do that.
Though he didn't notice it himself, Ferris left with slightly more spring in his step than usual.
While NSOL’s game servers opened early to let players finish character creation ahead of time, the official opening wasn't until the next day.
“Ahh, I can't believe you still have work today~” Amiya whined, nudging the toast on her plate.
“Nothing's changed, I usually have work today...” Ferris sighed, finishing off his own breakfast. He looked at the clock. There were still about three hours until the servers opened.
“Well, since you’ve got time… Did you finish your homework yet?”
“Ahh— Well— Umm, about that…” Amiya averted her eyes.
“I don't mind if you put it off until tomorrow,” Ferris said, the pressure from his deadpan stare visibly squashing Amiya. “But I won't let you play after that until it's done.”
“Noooo…!” Amiya groaned, melting into her seat. Homework was bad, but the idea of being forced to do it when she could be playing sounded torturous. “Okay! I’ll do it, alright? Don't ban me from playing, anything but that—!”
“Nn. Good. Make sure you eat lunch.” After one last reminder, Ferris left for work.
———
“You don't need to work here anymore. Go home.”
“Eh.” Ferris dropped the box he was carrying in shock.
"Oi! Yer lucky there wasn't anythin’ fragile in there!” His boss grunted.
Ferris’s boss (usually just called “Boss” by Ferris and his coworkers) was a stout man with a dark brown afro and a thick, curly beard to match. Underneath all that hair was Boss’s stern, heavily-tanned face, his brow furrowed even deeper than usual due to Ferris’s gaffe.
“Am I… being fired?” Ferris asked hesitantly, shrinking where he stood.
“Bah— stop lookin’ at me with those puppy-dog eyes! No, you ain't gettin’ fired.”
Boss scratched his beard.
“A few of our usual buyers started panickin’ when that SOL Tech company released their new gear. Apparently, they're havin’ some real serious discussions ‘bout the future, so they've halted their purchases on parts.”
Ferris was working in a warehouse that served various tech companies, distributing the components for building their hardware. It was monotonous, physically-taxing work—but that perfectly suited Ferris; Boss also was a kind person, so Ferris enjoyed working for him.
“We ain’t in dire enough straits to jus’ start firin’ people willy-nilly, but there's not enough work fer you to stick around the whole day.” Boss slapped Ferris on the shoulder. “Jus’ consider it an opportunity to take a break, lad; you’ve more than earned it.”
An opportunity to take a break… Ferris repeated in his head, something starting to click. Right… Breaks are important.
“... Nn, got it. I’ll... rest a bit...”
It's been a while since I've been home this early... Should I try taking a nap...? —No. That's wrong...
Ferris scratched his head.
... Ah, I could also try to catch up with Amiya in game... Nn, let's do that.
Though he didn't notice it himself, Ferris left with slightly more spring in his step than usual.
