Damon's phone vibrated on the nightstand. He picked it up and unlocked it, seeing Svetlana's name at the top of the screen.
[You left without saying hi or goodbye.]
He stared at the text for a moment, his lips tugging into a faint smile.
[Had to. If I want to finish everything here quick.]
He sent the reply, leaning back into the pillows. Her response came almost instantly.
[I see. It's fine. Good luck.]
Damon exhaled, sensing there was more behind her words.
He stared at the screen, debating whether to let the conversation end there.
After a moment, his thumbs moved.
[How about I make it up to you?]
He paused for a second before hitting send.
The dots appeared almost immediately.
He smirked at the response.
[Dinner. Just you and me.]
Without waiting a minute another text was sent.
[Are you asking me out?]
Her message caught him off guard.
Damon stared at the question, his mind racing. He started typing a response:
He stopped, his brow furrowing.
"No," he muttered, shaking his head. He backspaced the message. "That sounds too unsure."
This time, he didn't hesitate. He sent the message and set the phone down, his heart thumping harder than he cared to admit.
The dots appeared again.
And then they disappeared.
Damon blinked. "Okay," he said under his breath.
Minutes dragged by. He glanced at the phone, then at the clock. Ten minutes passed, then fifteen.
He sighed and set the phone aside, leaning back into the pillows, determined to let it go.
Just as he began closing his eyes, the phone buzzed.
He snatched it up, unlocking the screen.
[I'll be waiting then ❤️]
A slow smile crept across Damon's face. He locked his phone and set it back on the nightstand.
Damon stared at the ceiling, his chest rising and falling with a long, deliberate sigh.
"I'm fucked," he muttered to himself, rubbing his hand down his face.
Unable to stop overthinking, he grabbed his phone again and opened a group chat labeled "The Guys" a small circle made up of Ash, Joey, and Ty.
His thumbs hovered over the keyboard.
[Bro, I just asked Lana out.]
The message sat there for a moment, glowing on the screen.
"...Nope," he muttered, deleting it with a swipe.
He tossed the phone onto the bed and leaned back against the pillows.
"Ahh, I'll figure it out myself."
The phone landed with a soft thud on the mattress, and Damon closed his eyes, trying to quiet the growing storm of thoughts.
Having resolved to figure it out later, Damon exhaled deeply and let himself sink into the bed.
No simulation tonight. No strategizing, no refining techniques in his system's endless virtual arena. Just sleep.
After the fight, his muscles were heavy but happy, and his body hurt in a good way.
After winning, the rush of energy had worn off, leaving him in that rare state where being tired felt like being at peace.
He didn't even get hit.... maybe.
For once, his mind wasn't racing with fight plans or system upgrades.
He just let it all go, his thoughts drifting as he stared at the ceiling one last time.
Within minutes, his breathing steadied, his body relaxed, and he slipped into a deep, uninterrupted sleep.
But the moment he began to drift, his eyes snapped open.
"Wasn't this...?" he muttered, a mix of curiosity and anticipation creeping into his voice.
Sitting upright, Damon reached for his phone, but then remembered. "No... not that." He waved the system interface open with a thought, his focus narrowing on his stats.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a small smirk.
It was satisfying seeing his progress laid bare, the countless hours of training in Thailand reflected in every digit.
But that wasn't why he'd woken up.
There it was, the Gacha Wheel Spin.
This was what he came here for.
He stared at it, the glow of the interface illuminating his face in the dark room.
Mega Spins: 1(10 Normal spins)
The red notification light that was next to the Mega Spin pulsed slowly, drawing his attention like a beacon.
He laughed quietly to himself. In the quiet of the night, the sound seemed to comfort him. He said in a whisper, "Finally."
He leaned back against the headboard and put his finger on the wheel that was glowing.
It was his first Mega Spin.
His plan, hard work, and patience all came together to make this happen.
Damon couldn't help but smile.
He was feeling excited and looking forward to what was going to happen. "Let's see what you've got for me."
Damon put his finger on the Mega Spin button and let it float for a moment before hitting it firmly.
The system chimed, and along with its normal calm tone, there was a light vibration that moved around the room.
[Are you sure you want to trade 10 Spins for a Mega Spin?]
Without hesitation, he tapped
[Congratulations! You have unlocked a Mega Spin!]
The bright wheel moved very quickly.
Instead of the normal bright colors and moving logos, there was a smooth, completely black surface.
The wheel only had question marks left, which were sparkling in golden colors.
His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the unfamiliar design. "Question marks?" he muttered to himself.
It felt risky, too risky.
The mystery heightened his nerves, but at the same time, his curiosity burned brighter.
The glow of the wheel cast golden reflections across his face as his breathing deepened. "Alright… let's do this," he whispered, his voice firm.
He pressed the wheel.
It didn't spin immediately. Instead, the question marks glowed brighter, pulsing like a heartbeat, as if the system itself was savoring the tension. Then, with a sudden jolt, the wheel spun.
The black and gold surface blurred into a fascinating swirl.
Damon's eyes stayed on it the whole time, and with each turn, his excitement grew.
The wheel slowed down, and the question marks lit up all over the place.
'What would it land on?'
As the wheel slowed down, it stopped on a bright question mark.
Damon leaned in, and his heart was beating fast.
All of a sudden, the system went crazy with sound, angels singing a happy tune.
The golden question mark pulsed, radiating a brilliant light.
"What the…?" Damon muttered, his eyes wide.
[Congratulations! You have unlocked...]