In front of a high-resolution monitor, a young girl sat with focused dark-brown eyes, illuminated by a professional ring light.
The girl named Lina had long, flowing dark-brown hair that reached her lower back. Long eyelashes accentuated her big deer-like eyes, and she had carefully applied black eyeliner and mascara to enhance her features. She wore a charming pink dress representing her vibrant personality and a matching headset.
Despite being only eighteen, Lina was already recognized as the player who surprised other players with her insights and as an influential figure in online gaming. Her intense gaming sessions as a Jungler often displayed her focused and confident demeanor, with vibrant energy radiating from her at this moment.
As the camera lens focused on Lina, she put on a facade of cheerfulness, adorning her face with a radiant smile. With this demeanor, she connected with her audience, immersing herself in the virtual realm. Her fingers moved gracefully over the keyboard, skillfully controlling her in-game character to defeat opponents. The excitement surged through her as she expertly navigated through the challenges, dodging obstacles and taking down opponents with precision. Her followers watched intently, captivated by her every move.
Eventually, Lina faced off against the top player from the opposing team, preparing for an epic showdown. "It's Thunderstruck! I should be careful with him, guys," she exclaimed, feeling intimidated.
With fierce determination, Lina pressed on, countering Thunderstruck's moves and leaving him flustered. Her excitement grew with each successful move, and she reveled in the thrill of the game.
"YES! Now, have a taste of my balls!" Lina exclaimed cheekily as she launched several round objects at the player.
Her viewers chuckled at Lina's remark, appreciating her witty sense of humor that had made her famous in the gaming community.
Knowing how wrong it sounded, her team burst into laughter.
Lina realized the unintended silliness of her words as a girl and quickly added, "Geez... You guys know what I meant! Oh, shoot! Wait, hold on!"
She struggled to match Thunderstruck's impressive moves. No matter how hard Lina tried, the opponent skillfully evaded her attacks and countered, leaving her increasingly frustrated.
"I'M DYING!" Lina shouted in exasperation as her character succumbed to the opposing team's top player, who celebrated their triumph.
In disbelief, she stared at the screen before her.
"Our team lost because of me," Lina admitted to her viewers, acknowledging her defeat and hearing her teammates sigh. She felt disappointed in herself for not being able to overcome the top player as she had hoped. 'This sucks... I used to be excellent at this game, but now I can't even bear to look at my results,' she thought, frustrated.
The negative comments from Lina's audience began to take a toll on her mood. She knew the gaming community could be harsh, but the intensity of their criticisms surprised her. The constant accusations of being sloppy weighed heavily on her, and she decided it was best to end her livestream for the day. Most of the team members had left their seats, taking a break from practice. Only one remained, wearing a worried expression as he observed her.
Sitting beside Lina, the support player Changpu extended his friendly support by placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and giving it a comforting stroke. "I know you miss Yichen. We all do," he said in a soft, reassuring tone.
"He didn't even say goodbye, Changpu! We had to find out about him quitting from our manager. What does that say about our friendship? The championship is close, and our best player has left. I should be focused, but I can't handle the stress anymore," Lina expressed her frustration.
"I understand. I don't blame you for being upset," Changpu responded. He sensed Lina's sigh as a sign that she needed some space. "Would you like something to make you feel better? Maybe a snack?" he offered.
"A snack? Yeah... Some chocolate ice cream would be great. Thank you, Changpu, for being so supportive," Lina said, a small smile gracing her lips.
"Supporting is what I do best," Changpu replied, returning the smile as Lina laughed, leaving her bedroom with his smile intact.
Left alone in her gaming chair, Lina became lost in her thoughts. Her phone buzzed, momentarily raising her hope for a message from Yichen. To her disappointment, it was just a notification from another app. She sighed and set her phone down.
'Did he leave the team because of me? Why hasn't he replied to my message yet?' Lina's thoughts swirled, irritation creeping in. "If it weren't for Yichen leaving the team so suddenly and acting so mean to me these days, I would've stayed focused in the game!" she exclaimed angrily with a deep frown.
Ding!
Lina's phone chimed, decorated with a cute pink case and a rhinestone-studded ribbon shape at the center. She swiped her phone and saw a reply from Yichen, but to her dismay, his response was short and lackluster.
Yichen: No.
Lina scoffed. 'I asked him if he left the team because of me, and this is all I get? No other explanation?' she thought, frustrated and concerned. Determined to understand what was going on, she reached out again.
Lina: Yichen... do you have a moment?
As Lina waited for Yichen's reply, she mentally prepared herself for possible responses. She knew she needed to express her worries and feelings honestly.
Yichen: What?
Lina sighed, sensing that Yichen was not as eager to chat with her as before. The uncertainty left her feeling unsettled and concerned about their friendship.
Lina: I think that you're upset with me.
Yichen: Why would you think that?
Lina: I don't know, it's just a gut feeling.
Yichen: Nooo. Don't worry.
Lina: Prove it. I want to see you in person.
Yichen: Oh.
Lina: I want to hang out and catch up.
Yichen: I'm sorry, I can't.
Lina: Why not?
Lina waited anxiously for Yichen's reply for ten minutes, but he still had not responded. Her disappointment and sadness grew. Lost in her thoughts, she eventually decided to rest and went to her bedroom, unintentionally forgetting that Changpu had gone to fetch her ice cream. Each step she took felt like a heavy burden on her shoulders as she opened the door to her room and slowly approached her bed.
'I knew it. Yichen has become distant. Why do I even bother?' Lina thought, feeling devastated. "Maybe I should end our friendship. It's so toxic, but I can't bring myself to do it. I don't want to lose him. I feel trapped," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "I'll just go to his profile to see him. I miss him..."
Lina searched for Yichen's nickname on the picture-sharing app and opened his profile. There, she noticed a picture of an unfamiliar woman standing beside him. Yichen had his arm wrapped around her waist, and the caption beneath the photo said, "Finally found my love."
As Lina scrolled through the comments, she saw a heartfelt message from the woman in the picture expressing her love for Yichen. The sight shattered her heart, and tears started flowing down her cheeks. Emotions overwhelmed her, and her hands trembled, causing her phone to slip from her grasp and fall onto the soft, pink carpet.
Picking up her phone, Lina could not believe what she had just seen. Thoughts swirled in her mind as she tried to process the painful reality. 'They're more than friends,' she thought, feeling hurt by the open display of affection between them. Sitting there, she felt a mix of shock, anger, and sorrow. "He... flirted with me... he played me... I'm such a fool," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion as she walked over to her bed and lay down. "I'm going to ask him who she is," she muttered, feeling overwhelmed, her world now colored by sadness and disappointment.
Ding!
Lina's worry intensified as she saw Yichen's name on her phone. Tears streamed down her cheeks, making it difficult to read the words. The fear of how he would react consumed her. 'What if he... says she's his girlfriend?' she thought. Bracing herself for the worst, she finally looked at his message, which felt cold and final.
Yichen: She's the woman I'm marrying. It's not right for us to talk. I'm blocking you, Lina.
Her heart sank as she absorbed his words. Numb and speechless, Lina sat there, unable to believe that the man she cherished so deeply was about to marry someone else.
"God... my life really is a joke... a joke..." Lina whispered, her voice trembling with emotion as she struggled to breathe amidst her sobs. Anger, pain, and shock overwhelmed her, all competing for space within her chest.
As time passed slowly, Lina failed to notice that Yichen's display picture on the messaging app had disappeared, indicating that he had blocked her. She had hoped he would apologize for treating her unfairly, but now all those hopes were shattered. She had lost him, along with a part of herself she had invested in him. It felt as if he had abandoned her to face her pain alone.
"Lina, I've been searching all over for you. I brought you some chocolate ice crea—" Changpu's words faltered as he noticed her tears. Concern etched across his face, he hurried to her side. "Hey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" he inquired, his voice filled with worry.
Lina slowly raised her tearful gaze to meet Changpu's, her wet cheeks a startling sight. "N-Yichen, h-he..." she stuttered, her voice trembling as she struggled to compose herself.
"What? Something happened to him?" Changpu's concern deepened as he pressed for more information.
Lina, unable to find her voice, handed her phone to Changpu, allowing him to read the messages. "He treated you poorly and blocked you because he's getting married?" he asked, showing his anger as he absorbed the situation. A slight nod from her confirmed his understanding. "I'm going to talk some sense into him. This isn't how you treat a friend!" he declared, his anger driving him out of her bedroom.
Lina knew she could not prevent Changpu from confronting Yichen. She understood his caring nature and how fiercely he protected his friends, even if it meant facing someone close, like Yichen, about his hurtful behavior.
"No..." Lina's voice was a whispered protest before her sorrow transformed into a heart-rending scream. Clutching her pillow tightly, she stifled her sobs, battling the overwhelming emotions. The pain of losing someone she held so dear engulfed her until exhaustion finally overtook her, luring her into a deep, restless sleep.
.
.
.
It had been a week since Lina last spoke to Yichen, and her emotional wounds were still raw. Struggling to heal, she clung to the hope that maybe he had not married yet and that there was a chance for him to return to his previous life.
Seeking solace, Lina headed towards the beach, hoping the soothing ocean breeze would calm her troubled mind. However, her attempt to distract herself on social media only intensified her pain when she saw a photo of a woman's hand on Yichen's, both wearing rings. Shocked and heartbroken, she stammered, "H-he... got married? Today... got... married..."
The image of their rings in the photo felt like a painful stab to her heart. Lina did not even realize that she had already arrived at the beach until she felt the sand crunching under her feet.
"I can't handle this," Lina whispered to herself, her voice barely audible above the sound of the waves as she gazed at the horizon. "I can't move on. Not when he's done this to me," she admitted, collapsing onto the sand, consumed by tears. Her pain was immense, and she regretted trusting Yichen, feeling foolish for believing he truly cared for her.
Strangely, a cute seagull approached Lina as she sat on the beach. The bird stood nearby, almost as if it understood her pain. Initially, she thought it wanted food, but somehow, its presence brought her comfort. She began talking to the seagull as if it were a confidant.
"You know... how much... he hurt me? How much... I liked him?" Lina whimpered between sobs, finding some solace in expressing her heartbreak to the seagull.
For the next half-hour, the seagull remained motionless, listening attentively to Lina's heartache. Pouring her emotions out to the bird, she felt as if it was the only one who truly understood her pain. The seagull's unwavering presence and empathetic gaze provided a sense of companionship in her darkest moment.
.
.
.
That night, Lina returned home from the beach feeling heartbroken. She lay on her bed and made a solemn vow to herself, and her voice broke as she whispered, "I'll never... like another guy again. Ever. I'm done with this nonsense..." She sighed in annoyance, trying to find excuses to make herself feel better. "That jerk isn't even that attractive anyways." Overwhelming emotions overcame her, and she fell into an uneasy sleep, wanting the day to pass.
Shortly after, Lina woke up to the sound of thunder outside her darkened bedroom. The sporadic flashes of lightning cast eerie shadows that seemed to move around her, creating an unsettling and threatening atmosphere. She felt a strong sense of being accompanied, but the figures were indistinct and disturbing.
Panicking, Lina wondered, 'What's happening?' She tried to move, but her body felt weak and unresponsive. The shadows drew closer with each flash of lightning, whispering and foretelling her demise. 'No... NO!' she screamed internally, feeling trapped in their ominous laughter.
Then, a new presence appeared—a hooded figure with a menacing aura, a magician.
Trembling in fear and as their eyes met, Lina sensed a sadistic gleam in the sorcerer's gaze, realizing he was responsible for the menacing attack. Summoning the last of her strength, she managed to whisper, "Why? Why are you doing this to me?"
The sorcerer coldly stared down at her, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "Because you stood in the way of someone else's happiness," he replied, before vanishing, leaving a chilling reminder of the havoc he had caused.
Lina's heart pounded as his words echoed in her ears. Struggling to stay awake, she felt her consciousness slipping away.
However, powerful energy surrounded Lina, creating a tingling sensation. Looking up, she witnessed a mesmerizing sight—a radiant light emanating from the ceiling, growing stronger by the moment. She watched in awe as the luminous glow gradually formed a crackling portal above her. The powerful energy put her senses on high alert. Without warning, the portal pulled her inside, transporting her to an entirely different world.
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