After dinner Ryu returned to his room, but without his headset there wasn’t a whole lot to do. He could study, look for a job incase Kana’s offer didn’t go well and… well, actually, there were quite a few things to do, so, correction: there wasn’t anything Ryu wanted to do.

  Except fuck, but that was still a work in progress.

  So Ryu naturally returned to his computer. It wasn’t the best, not by a long shot, but it got the job done, and he’d bought it himself. Just how long had he saved?

  

  Ryu didn’t even blink. He was mostly used to Dot’s notifications now, but having near-perfect memory recall was still quite jarring.

  “Harder Nii-chan~!”

  Ruri’s voice played in his head as clear as the first time he’d heard it, and he shook his head. He didn’t want to remember that, is what he told himself, but he couldn’t lie to Dot. It was only giving him what he wanted.

  So what else did Ryu want? His headset, but what could Dot do to get that back? Ryu wasn’t going to go out and buy another headset, that was probably the worst thing he could do when their family was short on money. So what did Caragh want?

  An apology? For Ryu to show some responsibility for his actions? Oh no, the first thought that entered Ryu’s mind may not have even been his own. It was money.

  [$77.00]

  Ryu checked his balance and it went without saying that he wouldn’t be bribing his own mother with such a sum. In fact, the more he considered it he would only be making matters worse. To bribe his own mum would probably cost more than a new headset, and it wasn’t what Caragh wanted in the first place.

  But he’d paid for them with his own money? So that meant they were his, right?

  “That’s not how it works…”

  Ryu sighed. He’d been sighing a lot lately. The total count was probably-

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  <77>

  A meaningless coincidence.

  He did need money though, to help Caragh. There was Kana’s offer, but at the moment that wasn’t even a job offer. He hadn’t heard back from her since, and without his headset he had no way of keeping in contact.

  “Huh.”

  An idea popped into Ryu’s head, and he hopped to his feet to find Caragh. Less than a minute later he found her sitting in the dining room going over documents, bills, to be specific. Her phone was also there, calculator ready.

  “Uh, mum,” said Ryu.

  Caragh’s head turned towards Ryu, stopping when she spotted him.

  “Yes darling?” said Caragh, putting down the paper she was holding.

  “I need my headset.”

  Caragh’s head turned back to the papers before her. “You can have it back in the weekend.”

  “I might’ve found a new job by the way.”

  Caragh’s body whipped around.

  “Really? Where?”

  “I don’t know, a friend of mine said h- their mum might need someone.”

  There it was, a legitimate counter which wasn’t a lie. Considering the response last time, Ryu omitted the fact this friend was in fact a girl, well, probably was a girl. Nowadays you could never be completely sure.

  “Mmm, that’s good.”

  “But I need my headset to keep in contact.”

  “You have no other way of contacting them?”

  “No.”

  Caragh rubbed her temple.

  “I can help you, you know.”

  Caragh’s opened her mouth, but Ryu spoke first.

  “Your savings won’t last long at this rate.” Ryu stepped forward and looked over the papers, quickly gathering data.

  “Ryu-”

  <2202:28:48.000>

  “Three months-”

  “Ryu!” said Caragh, raising her voice.

  Ryu stepped back, and Caragh covered her mouth.

  “I’m sorry,” said Caragh, moving her hand. “But you shouldn’t be worrying about this. I’ll-”

  “Find another job? If you give me back my headset I can try and get this job, then I can help you out again.”

  Caragh looked away, and Ryu waited as she gave it some thought. Twenty-one seconds passed before he heard her let out a breath.

  “... Alright. But it’s only for that okay?”

  Ryu’s lips wanted to form a smile, but he held it back. The mood didn’t seem right,

  “Okay.”

  “They’re in my room,” said Caragh, finallying facing her son. “In the wardrobe.”

  Ryu nodded before leaving, smiling once his back was to Caragh. He’d done it, and he hadn’t even cheated.