Birthday?

"How about this, Wolford? I'll give you the appropriate sentence for your continuous vulgar words," the Principal said, maintaining a calm demeanor.

"I will let you off this time. However, you need to do me a favor in return; you need to help with my birthday preparations early in the morning. Make sure you are not late, or that would mean you have to pay at least a hundred dollars."

Wolford raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Ma'am Principal, I didn't know your birthday was approaching. No need to worry, Ma'am, I've never rejected a birthday party, especially when there's going to be lots of food. Rejecting is not an option," Wolford shamelessly stated in front of the person with the highest authority in the school.

'I'll also get the hell out of the house. My father will continue to order me around or even ask for my help with his work. I've decided it would be better to lend a hand in Ma'am Principal's place.'

"Very well," the Principal responded.

"Make sure you come! Or remember the money you will have to pay... It's not all due to your offense this time that you'll have to pay hundreds of dollars. It's because you will continue this until the end of the school year... so why not make it a retired pay? Isn't that better? I've given you such a kind offer," the Principal said with a smile on her face.

Wolford's eyebrow twitched after hearing such shameless words. However, Wolford didn't retort and simply nodded his head.

A moment later, Wolford left the Principal's office, mumbling to himself, "Were Principals always this shameless? Well..."

Wolford suddenly smiled out of nowhere and said to himself, "Hehehe... I hope there's going to be a lot of food! Hehehe..."

*RING* *RING*

The bell rang, signaling the end of classes. Wolford stood up, looking around at his friends, but they all started rushing out of the classroom, leaving him puzzled.

"Sigh... What's wrong with these people? Well, I'd better get going then..."

Sometime later, Wolford arrived home and went straight to his bed, intending to sleep due to tiredness. However, a couple of hours later, as he entered his room, the surroundings suddenly turned pitch black, as if the sun had just disappeared.

'Ah... The hell?! Why can't I sleep?' Wolford thought, his eyes bloodshot.

"Damn...! Can't sleep for some reason... Well... Screw this!" Wolford stood up and looked out of the window.

"It's already night?! Damn...! Didn't even sleep for an hour?" Wolford cursed like a madman. He began walking down from his room, and once he reached the main house, he immediately turned on the TV.

A moment later, he took something out of his pocket and said, "Hmm... smells good...!" He then opened the box of cigarettes he had casually retrieved from his pocket.

Wolford then reminisced about something, and a bitter smile appeared on his face a little later. 'Remembering those times... Sigh! Being stressed by my parents is certainly no joke...'

He inhaled a puff of smoke and let it out with a satisfied smile. "Lucky me! My parents aren't here. I can smoke freely!" Wolford exclaimed afterward. He continued to inhale a puff of smoke while watching TV. After a short while, he suddenly started coughing, making the room fill with smoke.

*cough* *cough*

"What did they just say?!" Wolford blurted out after calming down.

[We are happy to announce something that could improve our technologies!]

[Let us introduce the new game!]

[This game is the first in its history ever to appear]

['Nine Heavens Virtual Reality]

[A game that has an unknown origin. However, the Government confirmed that it's safe to use]

[Now, let's ask the representative of the Government about his opinion of this game]

[Hello there! I won't be introducing myself. Let's get straight to the point]

[This game is approved by everyone within the Government. This game is safe. Of course, it is supported by us too. So that's all! It's a safe and revolutionary game! Enjoy!]

The person in the broadcast then stepped from the stage and disappeared, leaving Wolford speechless and in disbelief. He couldn't help but doubt the announcement. They were ignoring the weird person who had just made the statement.

Afterward, the news continued to provide more information. However, Wolford was already deep in thought.

The sudden news announcement left the entire world shocked and in disbelief. The world fell into an uproar, and those who hadn't heard the news yet were gradually catching on.

"Is this the reason why that guy left school immediately? Not even bothering to hang out with me? Well... I would've done the same if I were him," Wolford mumbled to himself afterward.

"Well... HAHAHA!" Wolford suddenly burst out laughing, covering his face with one of his hands. He then uttered, "I'll expect great things!"

As the sun rose on the horizon, students all over came out of their houses, their eyes gleaming with excitement. It was all because of one reason: the game's release at 6:00 PM. Some were even lined up, eagerly awaiting the sale of the Virtual helmets.

As for someone like Wolford, he realized the time. "Shit! It's already morning! I'm too excited about 'The Last Knight' that I slept late. Screw it! Run!" He hurriedly prepared himself, despite his father's voice yelling at him.

"YOU IDIOT! LATE AGAIN!" his father's voice echoed, souring his mood. However, he paid no attention to his father's words and rushed to get dressed.

'Damn! My father's already here, huh?' Wolford thought as he opened his room door. Before his father could start shouting again, he ran out the door and onto the road, not even bothering to eat breakfast.

A moment later, after arriving at the school gate, he sighed. 'I almost forgot, in my excitement last night, that I couldn't sleep. How am I even going to buy a Virtual helmet? Can I even afford one? I'm sure my father wouldn't consider giving me money... So, what now?' he continued to mumble to himself until he reached the school gate.

"Oh...!" Wolford exclaimed, finally realizing where he was. "I didn't even notice I've already arrived. Well, let's get in!"

However, as he tried to enter the school through the gate, a girl with jade-like skin suddenly stopped him, leaving Wolford dazed and confused. Her following words only added to his frustration.

'Did she just say I.D.? Is that even necessary?' Wolford thought bitterly, realizing he had messed up by forgetting his identification.

Wolford unconsciously responded, "FUCK!"

A moment later, he realized what he had said and was about to apologize. However, the puzzled voice of the girl caught him off guard.

"Fuck?! Did you curse at me?" The beautiful girl guarding the gate asked Wolford.

"Your name is Wolford. That'll be one dollar. And if you've also forgotten your I.D., get.

"Your name is Wolford. That'll be one dollar. And if you've also forgotten your I.D., get out of here. You're not welcome without an I.D.!" She said to Wolford, leaving him speechless and wide-eyed.

"Huh?!" Wolford could only utter a word of disbelief after hearing such unexpected words.

"Um... Isn't that a bit too much?! I'll be late if I go back to pick up my I.D.," Wolford said a moment later.

The girl stared at Wolford with a nonchalant expression as she said calmly, "Is that my problem?" Her response left Wolford dumbfounded.

"Um... If this is about what I accidentally said a moment ago, I hope you'll forgive me. I didn't even bring any money," Wolford scratched the back of his head and said stiffly.

The girl then narrowed her eyes and said with a tilted head, "Hmm... as far as I remember..." She suddenly stopped halfway, looked Wolford straight in the eye, and said calmly with a beautiful smile on her pure white skin, "Is that my problem?"

Wolford's face remained stiff, his forced smile not leaving his face.

'Ah... Calm down! I'll go to jail if I do anything foolish,' Wolford thought, trying to control his emotions.

'Huh... Am I that weak when it comes to cute and beautiful girls?' he pondered silently, his face still wearing the same rigid smile.

Meanwhile, as the morning continued, more students arrived at the school, all eager for the day to end so they could dive into the newly announced game. The excitement in the air was palpable, and even those who weren't initially interested were caught up in the hype.

As the clock ticked closer to 6:00 PM, the school day dragged on for what felt like an eternity to the students. Teachers struggled to maintain order in the classrooms, knowing that their students' minds were far from their lessons.

Wolford, too, found himself daydreaming about the virtual reality game, 'Nine Heavens.' He couldn't help but wonder what adventures awaited him and if it could offer an escape from his mundane life.

Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived. The school bell rang at 5:45 PM, signaling the end of the school day. Students rushed out of their classrooms, barely containing their excitement. Wolford was no exception; he joined the crowd surging toward the exit, his thoughts fixed on acquiring a Virtual helmet.

Outside the school gate, he noticed the same girl from the morning, still standing there and collecting fees and checking I.D.s. He had mixed feelings about her presence; part of him found her annoying, while another part found her intriguing.

With determination, he decided to try his luck. "Hey, I managed to scrounge up a dollar. Can I get in now?"

The girl looked at him, her expression unchanging. "Too late. School's out. Come back tomorrow with your I.D. and one dollar."

Wolford sighed, realizing his chance to buy a Virtual helmet on release day was slipping away. He turned and walked away from the school gate, contemplating his options.

As he wandered through the town, he couldn't help but notice the excitement building among the townsfolk. Stores and stalls were selling Virtual helmets, and people were crowding around electronic shops, eagerly discussing the game's features.

Wolford felt a pang of regret. He wanted to be part of this new adventure, but his circumstances seemed to conspire against him.

As evening approached, he found himself in a park, watching the sunset. It was a beautiful sight, but it couldn't lift his spirits. His mind kept returning to the game he couldn't play, the missed opportunity, and the strange encounter with the girl at the school gate.

But little did Wolford know that destiny had a different plan for him, one that would soon lead him into the world of 'Nine Heavens Virtual Reality,' even if he didn't have a helmet of his own....