Ch. 7 – Another Day

As Yves finished his work at the convenience store, he hopped on his bike and rode home. Even though it was nighttime, the city was still busy. Streetlights lit up the sidewalks, and lots of people were still out and about.

Despite the late hour, the streets were lively. Pedaling through the night, Yves smoothly controlled his bike, weaving through the people walking on the well-lit paths. The city's nocturnal charm enveloped him as he made his way home, the moon casting a perfect circle of light in the night sky.

Arriving at the apartment building, Yves parked his bike. The building stood tall against the night, and he made his way up the staircase. Each step echoed in the quiet hallway as he ascended to the second floor. The dim glow of the hallway lights guided him to room 34.

Standing before the door, Yves knocked softly twice. "Yuto, are you awake?" he called out.

Yves waited patiently. The night was quiet, with only distant traffic sounds and gentle breezes. Yves, a dark shape in the hallway, hoped for a response from inside the room.

After a moment, the door remained closed. Yves wondered if Yuto, his younger brother, was already asleep. Not ready to give up, he knocked again, this time a bit more firmly.

"Yuto, it's me, Yves. Open up."

As Yves stood in front of Yuto's door, he realized it was quiet inside. After a couple of soft knocks with no answer, he didn't want to disturb his brother's sleep anymore. So, he took out his phone, which could open the door, and did a quick scan. The door clicked open, and Yves quietly went in.

Inside, he saw Yuto sleeping peacefully in his room, holding onto a pillow. Not wanting to wake him, Yves tiptoed around. Glancing at the fridge, Yves noticed containers of chicken and burgers, realizing that Yuto must have ordered them for his dinner.

Yves headed to his own room to change into more comfortable clothes. The day had been filled with various tasks, and Yves was ready to unwind.

Once changed, Yves lay on his bed, feeling the fatigue from a day of work and responsibilities. The convenience store duties, the virtual world negotiation, and the bustling city life had taken their toll. Fortunately, Yves had already grabbed a meal at the convenience store, so he didn't need to worry about cooking.

As he settled into his bed, a gentle call escaped his lips. "Taro, you can come out now." In an instant, the Softstep Tanuki companion materialized on the bed, its small figure forming alongside the familiar pattern on the back of Yves' hand. Responding to the comforting tone, Taro quickly snuggled up next to Yves, offering a source of comfort and warmth.

Looking at his pet monster, Yves whispered. "Tomorrow morning, we'll begin your evolution journey, buddy." Taro responded with a cheerful squeak, expressing excitement. With a contented smile, Yves closed his eyes. Taro's comforting presence made the room feel nice. As Yves fell asleep, Taro's soft sounds kept him company.

The first light of morning gently seeped through the curtains, casting a warm glow in Yves' room. As he stirred from his slumber, Yves opened his eyes, greeted by the soft chirping of birds outside. Taro, his loyal Softstep Tanuki, was already awake and playfully hopping around.

"Good morning, Taro." Yves greeted with a yawn. Today was the day they had planned for Taro's evolution. The excitement lingered in the air as Yves got ready for the day.

Heading to the kitchen with Taro trailing behind, he started multitasking. Yves opened the fridge, taking out the cold chicken and burger. With a swift move, he placed the chicken in the air fryer for that crispy texture, while the burger went into the microwave for a quick heat. Simultaneously, he turned on another burner, heating a pan with oil.

As the oil temperature rose, Yves skillfully cracked an egg into the pan. The sizzle echoed as the egg white cooked, and he expertly monitored, ensuring the yolk remained just perfect—slightly gooey for that delicious touch, just the way he liked it. It was like a cooking show, and Yves was the master chef.

After skillfully cooking the first egg, Yves expertly transferred it onto a waiting plate. The sizzle of the pan lingered in the air as he cracked open three more eggs. With precision, he carefully dropped each egg into the hot pan.

Within just a few moments, the breakfast was prepared and set on the table—a delightful spread of crispy chicken, warm burgers, and perfectly cooked sunny-side-up eggs.

Yves made his way to Yuto's room. "Yuto, wake up! Breakfast is ready."

Turning back, Yves went to the table and sat down when he heard Yuto's reply. Meanwhile, Yuto emerged out from his room with a yawn, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He walked to the table, and his face lit up at the sight of the tasty breakfast waiting for him.

Yves gestured toward the chair beside him. "Sit down, Yuto. Breakfast is served."

Yuto excitedly took his seat, eyes fixed on the delicious array of food. "This looks good, big brother!"

Yves grinned modestly. "Ah, it's nothing extraordinary. Just some fried eggs and reheated leftovers from your order yesterday." He bit into the crispy chicken, savoring it's rich flavors.

Mid-chew, Yves asked. "By the way, you've got school, haven't you?"

Yuto, mouth half-full with a delicious bite of burger, nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, big brother. I've got to run to school after this fantastic breakfast."

Yves chuckled. "Well, don't be late. Finish up, and I'll help you get everything sorted for your day."

Yuto nodded again, already engrossed in enjoying the meal.

After Yuto's enthusiastic nod, time passed swiftly. The delightful breakfast vanished from the table as Yuto savored every bite. Soon, he gathered his belongings, gave Yves a quick hug, and headed out the door to attend his school.

With Yuto gone, Yves found himself alone in the apartment. Deciding to make the most of the quiet time, he began to clean their living space.

Time slipped away as Yves immersed himself in the task. The apartment started to sparkle with newfound freshness, a testament to Yves' efforts.

Just as he stepped back, wiping his brow with satisfaction, a sudden knock echoed through the apartment. Yves, slightly surprised, made his way to the door. As he stood in front of it, he heard a voice from the other side.

"Is this Mr. Morningstar's unit? We've got a delivery from the Virtual Market."

Yves felt a spark of excitement. The long-awaited items he had ordered had finally arrived. With a quick turn of the doorknob, he opened the door to reveal a delivery person, wearing a backpack.

"Yes, that's me! I've been waiting for these." Yves replied.

The delivery guy said. "Sure, wait a second, sir. I'll get your stuff."

The delivery man unzipped his backpack, he pulled out one glass enclosure and one big box. It was like magic – how did these items fit into such a small bag? As it turned out, the bag wasn't ordinary, it was imbued with space magic, creating an internal storage e much larger than its external appearance suggested.

"Here are your items, sir." the delivery guy muttered, placing the glass enclosure and big box on the floor.

"Thank you so much." Yves expressed his gratitude, a genuine smile lighting up his face as he eagerly accepted the delivered items.

The delivery man, with a friendly nod, reached into his magical backpack once more. This time, he pulled out a sleek and modern-looking mobile phone. Tapping a few times on the screen, he generated a QR code.

"Here you go, sir," the delivery guy said, presenting the glowing QR code on the phone screen. "This code is for confirmation of item delivery. Scan it when you've confirmed you've received the items."

Yves, understanding the process, took out his own phone and scanned the QR code. A confirmation message popped up, signaling that he had successfully acknowledged the delivery.

Yves, pleased with the transaction, gave the delivery man a thumbs up. "It's done, thanks!"

The delivery man returned the gesture with a friendly smile and a nod. "Glad to hear that, sir. If you have any issues or questions, feel free to contact our customer service."

"Sure thing." Yves responded with a relaxed tone. "If anything comes up, I'll send a message." As the delivery man continued on his route down the hallway, Yves took the enclosure and box into the unit, closing the door behind him.