**Kael's gaming room door**
A knock at the door breaks the tension, and Yui excitedly gets up to open it:
"Come in!"
Their mother walks in, a warm smile on her face:
"Hey kids, how's the gaming session going?"
Yui bursts out enthusiastically:
"MOM, YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT! Conquer Online is upgrading to VIRTUAL REALITY!!
We're going to play inside the actual game world!"
Their mother's expression turns politely confused:
"Virtual... reality? That sounds... fun?
She looks at Kael, seeking clarification or reassurance that her kids aren't getting too obsessed.
Kael gives a gentle nod and a calm smile:
"Yeah, Mom, it's just a big update for their game. We'll fill you in on the details later."
Their mother trusts Kael's understatement and turns back to Yui:
"Well, sweetie, as long as you're happy and your grades don't suffer, I'm supporting this... whatever-it-is!"
Yui giggles and hugs her mother:
"Thanks, Mom! Kael's not as excited as me, though
Their mother glances at the clock and says:
"Okay kids, night's getting late. Yui, you have school tomorrow, and Kael, you have work.
Time to wrap up this gaming session."
Yui yawns and stretches:
"Alright, Mom... Virtual Reality Conquer Online will have to wait till tomorrow."
She saves her game progress and heads out of the room, bidding:
"Goodnight, Mom! Goodnight, Big Brother!"
Once Yui's door closes, their mother's expression turns serious as she faces Kael:
"Kael, Doctor Lee's office called today. He wants to consult with you about... everything we discussed last time."
Kael nods solemnly at his mother's words:
His mother turns to leave, saying softly:
"Get some rest, Kael. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
The door closes behind her, leaving Kael alone in the dimly lit room.
His gaze drifts back to the screens in front of him, still displaying the announcement:
**VIRTUAL REALITY EVOLUTION COMING SOON!**
Kael's eyes narrow, his mind now preoccupied with two concerns:
* The gaming update that could disrupt his secret multiplayer strategy...
* The mysterious doctor's appointment looming tomorrow.
His fingers drum slowly on the desk, lost in thought.
**Scene cuts to reality: Kael's gaming room -> Next morning**
Kael shuts down the gaming rigs, still deep in thought about the upcoming update and doctor's appointment.
He leans back in his chair, intending to stand up and head to bed...
But exhaustion wins, and he falls asleep right there, surrounded by silent monitors.
**CUT TO:**
Next morning
Yui walks into her classroom, chatting excitedly with her friend, Emily:
"Omigod, Emily, guess what I saw on TV last night?
That new commercial for 'Sunshine Soda' - and I'm freaking out because..."
Emily's eyes widen:
"Wait, isn't that the one with... Sophia from our school?!"
Yui nods dramatically:
"YES! Sophia was chosen as one of the models! I died when I saw her on screen!
Did you know she got paid $1,000 for just one day of filming?"
Emily squeals:
"No way! Sophia never told us about the audition!
I heard the commercial is going to air during the music awards – we have to watch it together!"
Yui giggles:
"Totally planning a sleepover for that night!
And Sophia said they're casting more extras for their next commercial - maybe we could audition too!"
Emily's eyes sparkle:
"Omigod yes, that would be amazing! I've always wanted to be on TV!
Do you think Sophia could put in a good word for us with the casting director?"
Yui nods enthusiastically:
"She said she might be able to introduce us at the next casting call!
We should totally practice our modeling poses and smiles in the mirror tonight"
Their excited chatter fills the room until...
The classroom door swings open and a group of boys walk in, chatting loudly:
"Dude, did you see Dragon King get destroyed yesterday?"
Yui continues chatting with Emily, but her attention shifts to the boys' conversation:
The boys are discussing yesterday's gaming events:
"Dude, did you see Dragon King get destroyed yesterday?" asks Taro.
"I know, right? Some stealthy players pulled off that insane strategy and stole the boss kill!" adds Ryu.
His friend, Kenji, chimes in:
"I was watching the stream replay – those attackers were pros!
But weirdly, none of their characters had guild tags visible..."
Taro nods:
"Exactly! Usually, guilds brag about their kills with their tags on display.
This group was totally anonymous..."
Yui's eyes sparkle with amusement, thinking she might know something about this mysterious group...
Naomi and Erika walk into the classroom, spotting Emily and Yui chatting, and join them:
"Hey girls, what's up?" Naomi asks, sliding into the seat beside Emily.
"Not much, just discussing Sophia's new commercial gig," Emily fills them in.
The girls launch into excited chatter about Sophia's TV appearance:
Erika asks, "Do you think she'll invite us to the music awards?"
Yui smiles and responds, but her attention drifts back to the boys' conversation, unnoticed by her friends:
Taro is saying,
"That Dragon King fight was insane yesterday! The whole map erupted into chaos."
Ryu adds,
"I know, right? Our guild was there, and we got caught in the crossfire.
People were dropping like flies... and loot was everywhere!"
Kenji chimes in,
"Yeah, I saw some high-level players from Eclipse Squad and Blackout Team
drop their equipped gear when they died –
*A 'Mythic Axe'
*A 'Legendary Shield'*
It was like a treasure hunt amidst the battle!"
Yui's eyes widen slightly, her mind racing with connections to her brother's gaming activities...
Her friends continue chatting oblivious to her distraction:
Emily asks Naomi, "Do you think Sophia will share behind-the-scenes stories at lunch?"
Yui nods and smiles at Emily's question, still listening secretly to the boys.
Kenji says,
"You know, that strategy they used to steal the Dragon King kill...
it looked really familiar, like Royal Knight'z guild's playstyle."
Taro nods thoughtfully,
"Yeah, I was thinking the same. But we didn't see their guild tags..."
Ryu adds,
"And I think I've seen one of their member names before - 'Yong'.
Isn't he a high-ranking member of Royal Knight'z?"
Kenji's eyes narrow slightly,
"That's right... but something about the player who used that name yesterday didn't quite add up.
I'm not totally convinced it was actually Royal Knight'z..."
Yui's heart skips a beat as she listens, her mind racing with connections to her brother's one of gaming alias "Yong".
Her friends continue chatting oblivious to her distraction:
Emily asks Naomi, "So, are you coming over Friday to watch Sophia's commercial debut?"
Yui forces a smile and nods at Emily, still secretly listening to the boys' conversation.
Just as Taro is about to say something else,
The classroom door swings open and their teacher, Mrs. Tanaka, walks in:
"Good morning, class. Please take out your textbooks and notebooks."
The room falls silent as students quickly comply, conversations halted abruptly.
Mrs. Tanaka writes on the blackboard:
"Today's Lesson: Chapter 7 - World History"
Yui closes her notebook on Sophia's TV debut discussion and opens her textbook, still processing the intriguing conversation she overheard.
The boys - Taro, Ryu, and Kenji - exchange brief glances before focusing on Mrs. Tanaka's lesson, their discussion about the mysterious Dragon King kill temporarily paused.
Yui's mind, however, remains curious about her brother's potential involvement...