Meet-up?
Kiana almost blurted out, "No way!"
Mei gently took Kiana's hand, signaling her to stay calm.
Bronya put away her phone and looked at Shinji calmly, waiting for his response.
Dan Heng adjusted his glasses, while Stelle and March 7th wore expressions of eager spectators.
They looked at Shinji, then at the suddenly somewhat "tense" trio of Kiana and the others.
Shinji was silent for a moment.
In his memories, the fragments concerning "Cyrene" and "Castorice" were somewhat blurry. They seemed connected to some warm yet slightly regretful times from his university days.
That was a relatively independent social circle he (the Captain) had after his childhood friends gradually drifted apart due to their respective paths.
Cyrene was quiet and intelligent, Castorice was introverted and gentle—both were friends who shared similar interests.
But all that was in the past.
Now, he was the "Captain," shouldering the survival of the entire studio.
"We'll see,"
Shinji finally shook his head, his tone calm. "The studio has just started to pick up recently. There's too much going on, no time to spare. After this busy period… we'll see."
He didn't outright refuse, but he didn't agree immediately either.
This allowed Kiana and the other two to relax slightly, but the thorn named "Cyrene" had been planted in their hearts.
Phainon didn't press the matter, smiling as he said, "Understood, understood. Starting a business is definitely busy. When your project succeeds, we'll celebrate together and get everyone together! We'll cook up a feast of our specialties then! Cyrene might even write your story into a book!"
After a few more casual words, Phainon noticed something that seemed to require his attention in the kitchen and excused himself, heading back briskly.
The table regained its quiet, but the atmosphere was completely different from before. A subtle air of inquiry, mixed with faint tension, flowed silently between Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and Shinji.
Stelle looked left and right, whispering to March 7th, "Why do I feel… a hint of a showdown?"
March 7th nodded in deep agreement. "And it's a showdown involving more than one person…"
Dan Heng calmly finished his last sip of tea and set down his cup. "It's getting late. We need to keep pushing progress tomorrow."
This statement acted like a signal, breaking the slightly stagnant air.
"Right, right, we should head back!"
Kiana immediately chimed in, standing up, though her gaze couldn't help but flicker toward Shinji.
Mei also rose gracefully, a proper smile returning to her face, though a trace of contemplation was hidden deep in her eyes.
Bronya quietly gathered her belongings.
When the bill came, as expected, Kiana insisted on paying, and Mei couldn't win against her.
Stepping out of the Golden Grand Hotel, the cool night breeze brushed against their faces, dispersing the warmth and aroma of food from inside. It also helped clear some of the tangled thoughts in their hearts.
On the way, hardly anyone spoke.
Kiana seemed to still be pondering two matters: "Phainon resembles Kevin" and "Who is Cyrene?"
Mei and Bronya were each lost in their own silence.
Stelle and March 7th whispered quietly to each other.
Dan Heng walked on the outermost side, quiet as always.
Shinji walked in the middle, feeling the chill of the night wind, yet several names involuntarily flashed through his mind: Phainon, Mydei, Anaxa, Castorice, Cyrene…
But right now, the survival of the studio was the most pressing matter. Some things didn't need deep investigation for now. But some stories needed to be told to the world first.
On the city streets at night, the figures of the group bidding farewell stretched long.
"See you tomorrow then, Captain! Don't be late!"
Kiana waved, opening the door of a sleek, understated yet undeniably luxurious black sedan parked by the roadside.
Mei gave a slight nod to everyone and also got in. The window rolled up, shutting out the outside noise.
"Bronya, how are you getting back? Want a ride with us?"
Kiana rolled down the window and leaned out to ask again.
Bronya had already walked over to a rugged-looking motorcycle by the curb. She was fastening her helmet, her silver-gray short hair pressed flat.
Bronya shook her head, her voice somewhat muffled from under the helmet. "No need. Motorcycle."
The engine let out a low, powerful roar as the motorcycle shot into the traffic like an arrow from a bow. It quickly disappeared into the night, leaving only the fading sound of its engine.
"Wow, Bronya is so cool!" March 7th exclaimed in admiration.
Dan Heng adjusted his glasses. "I'll take the subway. See you tomorrow."
He turned and walked toward the subway entrance not far away, his back soon merging into the flowing crowd.
"Stelle, how are we getting back?" March 7th looked at Stelle.
Stelle scratched her messy, unruly gray hair. "Me… I'll go with you today. It's on the way anyway."
The two walked off, chatting and laughing.
In the blink of an eye, the lively dinner gathering dispersed, leaving Shinji alone standing at the edge of the warm yellow light of the Golden Grand Hotel.
He stood there for a moment, got his bearings, and relying on the residual memories of "himself," started walking in the direction of "home."
The "home" in his memory was a rented apartment in an old residential building, not too far from the studio, but not exactly close either.
The former self, after throwing himself wholeheartedly into the studio—especially after hitting difficulties—rarely returned. Finding the commute bothersome and not wanting to face that empty space filled with traces of failure and past memories, he more often than not slept directly on the old sofa in the office, numbing himself with overtime work and exhaustion.
Passing through a few streets that felt both familiar and unfamiliar, he turned into a quiet alley.
A dusty-looking building came into view. The motion-sensor light in the stairwell was faulty, flickering on and off.
Climbing to the fifth floor, he took out the long-unused key. Inserting it into the lock, he could feel obvious resistance.
With a forceful turn, there was a click, and the door opened. A smell of dust, stale air, and faint mothballs washed over him.
He switched on the light by the door. Orange-yellow light illuminated the modest space.
The layout was strikingly similar to the apartment Shinji had rented in his previous life—simple, even somewhat old furniture. A thin layer of dust covered the floor and tabletops, indicating the owner's prolonged absence.
His gaze swept across the living room. An old sofa, a glass coffee table, a somewhat dated television. A few outdated gaming magazines and empty drink cans were scattered on the coffee table.
Several photos were pinned to the wall with colored thumbtacks, looking somewhat dull beneath the dust. He moved closer.
The most prominent were three photos placed side by side.
On the left was a primary school group photo. Kiana was grinning carefreely, while Mei stood quietly beside her. Bronya, with her silver-gray hair, looked at the camera expressionlessly. And the young "Shinji" (the Captain) had Kiana's arm hooked around his neck, looking resigned.
The middle one was from their middle school years, all four of them having grown a bit. The one on the right was taken after their high school graduation ceremony. The four of them were by the sports field at sunset, smiling brightly, filled with hope for the future.
The days of their childhood friendship were frozen in these slightly yellowed photos. Even through the thin layer of dust, one could still sense the sunlight and warmth of that time.
Next to them was another, slightly larger group photo—a university graduation photo.
"Shinji" in a graduation gown stood in the middle. To his left was Dan Heng, also in a graduation gown, his expression calm. To his right was Stelle, grinning broadly and making a "V" sign. Behind and beside them were several other young, smiling faces—Phainon with his bright, sunny smile; Mydei with a serious expression but gentle eyes; a girl with her head bowed, only half of her delicate profile and long hair visible (Castorice?); and a girl standing a bit further away (Cyrene?). She was looking toward a direction outside the frame, a faint smile on her lips.
Something seemed to be written on the back of the photo in ballpoint pen, the handwriting somewhat blurred.
Shinji reached out and gently brushed the dust off the surface of the photo. Back then, he had like-minded university friends by his side and childhood friends who had grown up together (though contact had dwindled by then) in the distance. They were filled with unrealistic dreams about the gaming industry, full of ambition and vigor.
Then came starting the business, setbacks, repeated failures, a gradually shrinking circle of friends, mounting debt, and the childhood friends "returning" in their own ways. Though it felt more like a form of consolation or… a watchful wait.
"If you want to read the chapter in advance.
Please visit: https://www.patreon.com/c/Dinos2_0"