Rainy Day

In a messy room, a young man was playing a video game, his eyes were glued to the computer screen before him. Cast wrapped one of his hands, yet he could use the controller very well.

He focused on the game despite the heavy rain outside, sometimes thunder rumbling from a distance. As his character sprinted across the battlefield, he leaned closer to the screen. Suddenly, a white message on a red background showed up.

[You Lost!]

The young man hissed as he read the message. He then took off his headphones and tossed the controller onto his bed. Looking up at the ceiling, his face appeared tired and his ears were ringing.

"Why is it so hard using a controller?"

He gritted his teeth, frustration etched all over his face. The young man then got up from his chair and threw himself onto the bed, his face buried in the soft pillow. His energy was completely drained after 12 hours of playing Rex Regum Online, and his whole body ached, especially his hand wrapped in a cast. It felt sore and burning.

Closing his eyes, the young man tried to sleep, hoping to forget the pain. Thanks to the heavy rain outside, he could drift off quickly. However, just a few seconds after he fell asleep, a noise disrupted his slumber and woke him up.

BRRRR! BRRRR! BRRRR!

On the table, his smartphone vibrated. He lazily reached for it, his face still buried in the pillow. It was an incoming call. He didn't know who was calling but answered it anyway.

"Akira! Where are you?"

Hearing the very familiar voice on the other end of the line, Akira quickly knew who was calling him.

"Oh, Haruto. I'm at home. What's up?"

"Geez. 'What's up?' Did you forget we have a meeting? We're all gathered at the office. You're the only one missing."

Naturally, Akira changed his position, sitting.

"Can we reschedule it? I practiced using the controller all night, I had no energy left. Besides, it's pouring rain right now. You can take my place."

"This is important, Akira!"

Akira clicked his tongue. "Alright, fine."

The sound of the heavy rain outside seemed to keep Akira inside the house. But he had to go. Getting out of bed, he grabbed a jacket hanging behind the door and took an umbrella near the shoe rack before heading out.

The streets were slippery, and puddles formed under the overcast sky. Every raindrop that fell on the umbrella's hood trickled down, wetting his shoulders. Despite rarely exercising, Akira had a fairly athletic build. He stood 180 cm tall with a straight back. He had typical Japanese features, black hair, and pale skin, but his brown eyes were wide and alert.

His steps stopped when Akira arrived at a two-story building. Above the door, a sign read Quantum Esports. Akira shook off the wet umbrella before getting inside.

The lobby was quiet and the lights were off. Akira walked to the meeting room where his team usually gathered. However, that afternoon the atmosphere was different.

As Akira got inside the meeting room, he saw Haruto and the other four team members, including the manager, standing. No laughter, no jokes as usual. Only a heavy silence filled the room.

"Hey, why are you all standing? Take a seat," he said.

Once Akira sat down, Haruto and the others followed. Seeing the expressions on their faces made Akira feel uncomfortable.

"Thanks for waiting for me," he said. "Before we start the meeting, does anyone have anything to say?"

None of them answered. They all lowered their heads, their faces as if saying they had something heavy to reveal. Even his best friend, Haruto, wore the same expression.

"Actually, Akira," Haruto began, "the manager has something he wants to say."

"Just spit it out. You guys are really weird today, " Akira said. He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

However, no one dared to contact his eyes but for Haruto and the manager. Their silence only made Akira more uncomfortable.

Suddenly, the manager placed four resignation letters on the table. 

"Akira," the manager said. "I and three other members have made a decision. We want to resign from Quantum Esports."

Naturally, Akira was shocked. Those words hit him like lightning in the rain outside.

"I don't know what to say... but... shit. Why?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Is it because of my hand injury?"

Besides being the founder and leader of Quantum Esports, Akira was also a core player. However, recently, Akira has been absent from every tournament and match due to an injury.

Akira suffered from CTS, causing excruciating pain in his wrist. This injury forced Akira to step back from the esports scene as he needed time to recover.

His absence from the games caused Quantum Esports to go on hiatus. The team had no bench players. It made them inactive until they got his replacement.

"Don't worry about my hand. Once we find the right person, the team can function normally again. We'll get my replacement soon. I'm also undergoing rehab so I can recover quickly. This is just a temporary rough patch. We can get through it together."

"I hope so. But unfortunately, we don't have enough funds," the manager said.

Quantum Esports hadn't participated in tournaments for seven months. This situation made sponsors doubt the team's future. No one wanted to invest in something uncertain. As a result, the sponsors withdrew their funds two months ago. This was, of course, terrible news for Akira and the team.

Without sponsorship, Quantum Esports' financial condition deteriorated. This group wasn't just a small team but a legally incorporated organization. The entire team and staff received salaries, including Akira himself.

"We've already cut down on staff," the manager continued. "But our funds won't last to pay me and the remaining players for another month. We are broke."

Akira was at a loss to respond. 

"That's why I and some members decided to resign."

Hearing their reasons, Akira didn't have the strength to hold them back. Everyone needed to move on with their lives. They needed money to meet their needs, especially the manager.

This man had a family. He was not just a husband but also a father. He had two daughters, aged 8 and 10. His family needed him as the breadwinner. Akira couldn't ask him to stay and drag him into a difficult situation.

The manager bowed deeply. "Thank you for the last four years. Being part of Quantum was an incredible experience. I hope Quantum Esports continues without us."

Akira nodded. "If that's your decision," he said softly. "I have nothing to say."

Then, three other team members followed suit. But Akira was surprised when he saw Haruto was one of them.

"You too, Haruto? Why?" 

Akira could understand if the manager and the others decided to resign. But Haruto? This man was different. Haruto was a friend whom Akira considered family. They were brothers without blood ties. But more importantly, he was also the co-founder.

Meeting from an online game eight years ago, Akira and Haruto turned out to be a great team. They built a friendship from then on. Their friendship grew stronger as the Rex Regum Online community became bigger and gradually turned into an esports scene.

Since Rex Regum Online announced its first tournament four years ago, Akira and Haruto decided to form their own team, Quantum Esports. That's where their careers as esport athletes began.

"Sorry, Akira. This was a tough decision. I've thought it over many times and the result is the same. It's the best choice," Haruto said.

"That makes no sense. We built this team together from nothing. You remember?"

"Sorry."

Akira looked at him. But he couldn't see a hint of regret in his eyes. Only a cold, emotionless gaze.

"Just tell me why. Are you retiring?"

"No. I'll still be playing."

"Then why are you leaving?" Akira asked, frustrated. "You can't just leave without saying anything. Just tell me why?"

"Actually... I can't wait for you to recover. We're 24 now, nearing our retirement. We don't have much time."

Jaw-dropping, Akira couldn't believe what he just heard.

Haruto continued, "There are many championships I could win while you're still injured. Even if you recover, can you still play as well as before? I doubt it. I don't think you have a future in the competitive scene anymore."

Akira felt a tightness in his chest. He didn't expect to hear such hurtful words from his best friend. Of all people, why did it have to be Haruto to say that? After everything they'd been through together.

Did their friendship mean nothing? Akira felt utterly betrayed. But he tried to stay strong.

"So, you're a free agent now?" Akira asked.

"No. I have a few offers from other teams."

Nodding, Akira understood the real reason his best friend was resigning. He could only clench his fists, trying to hide the pain in his heart.

"Okay, I got it," he said. "I'd be very selfish to ask you to stay and wait for me to recover."

"Thank you for understanding, Akira."

The room fell silent, the atmosphere awkward. The manager and one other player bowed their heads, hiding their guilty expressions. Only Haruto kept his head up.

"Alright, Akira. We'll be leaving now," the manager said. "I left the company card and important papers on your desk. Take care."

"It's still raining outside."

"No problem. I brought my car. The others will come with me."

Akira smiled bitterly as the manager and three other team members, including Haruto, left the room. The manager patted Akira's shoulder before leaving, but Haruto just walked past like dust in the wind.

Only two people were left in the room—Akira and one member who stayed.

"I thought you were resigning too, Daiki," Akira said, smiling. He tried to look okay in front of his last teammate despite his broken feelings.

"I don't know. I feel like Quantum Esports still has hope," Daiki replied.

"Thank you, Daiki," Akira said. His eyes grew soft. "Thank you for choosing to stay."

He said it with such sincerity, and Daiki could feel it. The skinny man patted his thigh before standing up from his seat.

"Yosh! Rain makes me hungry. I think there are two cups left in the kitchen. Want me to make you one, Akira?" Daiki offered.

But Akira had no appetite. "No, thanks. I'm going home. My sister made dinner for me. She'd be mad if I didn't eat with her."

"Heeh, you want to go home already? It's still pouring outside." Daiki looked disappointed.

"I have an umbrella. If the rain is still heavy, you can sleep here. Don't forget to lock the front door."

Before Daiki could respond, Akira had already left the meeting room.

The heavy rain accompanied Akira on his way home. He wasn't sure what his future would hold or what would become of Quantum Esports. However, this wasn't the end of his career; it was just the beginning of a new chapter.