Chapter 128: Michu's first time with a friend in real life

Friendship with Zerze was a unique one.

It wasn't a friend you just could hang out with, especially after knowing what his gameplay was for!

Michu still wanted to be friends with him, so he sometimes chatted with him around midnight. At such an hour, Michu usually would lay on the bed with the phone in his hand or have some time with his girlfriend.

In other words, it was free time for any work!

Michu believed Zerze was the same and that they could just chat around here!

Therefore, calls from Michu weren't weird around this hour, at least.

But as Zerze got a sudden message during the day, he opened it and widened his eyes in disbelief.

By some stroke of luck or fate, Michu ended up in his mother's shop.

Zerze's heart skipped a beat as he imagined his mother doing her job clumsily. Albeit he told her to just go for some fashion design and clothes, she added more things she was good at and hoped to satisfy all customers.

Without any support or advertisement, it was highly unlikely that someone was a client before Michu!

With the stress of doing something on her own for-profit and future, his mother might've already screwed up her work!

But as Zerze's eyes continued to read the message, shock replaced his worry.

Praises!

His mother just got constant praises from Michu and seeing his photo with her, it seemed like these two had way too much fun!

Since it was just a new shop, maybe Lil Monke's exuberant personality was what she needed to turn into the best shop owner!

Zerze's inbox flashed with another red dot and he opened the message.

His mother mentioned Michu, then as any mother would say, she also urged Masayuki to take a break from the game and relax a little in real life.

Since Zerze had a lot of fun with Lil Monke at the Regional Tournament, he decided to check his mother's shop and spent some time with Michu!

He left the game world at an unusual time!

-

It was summer, so Zerze's clothes were a plain blue t-shirt and jeans.

He entered the shop bluntly and found his mother dancing together with Michu! His eyes nearly snapped when he saw how often they ended up looking at each other in not-so-appropriate positions.

But his friend didn't mind the moves of the old mama!

And Michu was also already nineteen years old, so what Zerze could say was simple, "Old hag. He is more than two times younger than you."

"Ah, Yuki!" Yue instantly shifted her eyes to her son.

Although she still clung to Michu and taught him more moves, her face took a great change and she wore a motherly expression!

Happy that her son had finally visited her shop, she smiled widely at him!

Fear soon flooded her heart as her shop lacked clients, however. She feared that Masayuki would be disappointed and he would once again say those painful words.

She didn't want to hear 'You are a failure' anymore!

Holding his friend, Michu also turned his eyes at Zerze and went "Ohoho." It was because Zerze in real life had a similarly impressive aura and his muscles were just top-notch! He had good genetics!

Michu was slightly jealous!

"Your family is so talented!"

"Talented, you say?"

"You are naturally strong and Yue knows what a lot of women would be highly jealous of! Hehe, don't I look like a celebrity?" Lil Monke made a pistol with his index and thumb, then put it on his chin.

His eyebrows went up and down as he flashed a taunting smile, "Like a celebrity, right?"

"No." Zerze poured cold water on him, then took a seat.

"I think he is jealous!" Michu turned his attention to Yue.

"You think so?" She also leaned closer and both of them whispered to each other!

Their overly close contact was due to their dancing lessons!

And since Zerze didn't want to talk much, Michu and Yue decided to prepare him for a wedding and bachelor night! Both of them went around the shop and brought suits in blue and navy colors.

Masayuki just took a seat near the counter and looked at them.

Inwardly, he didn't know what to think about this relationship.

Any person would hold some respect for older people, but something must've happened between them to be so close.

Zerze believed that Michu helped his mom greatly and condoned all mistakes she made while choosing a suit for him.

Otherwise, what else could've brought them closer?

This man hadn't seen Michu's love for melons, peaches and strawberries yet!

Thus, he could only wonder.

Two suits appeared before him and as he looked at them, Zerze replied, "Both are fine. I don't have to look that good at that wedding..."

Yue glanced at Michu, then nodded, "Yuki!" Her voice was louder and more stern than ever before!

Faced by that tone, Zerze's eyes rose and matched her stern gaze, "What?"

"I want my son to look the best! I also want to show you that I can take care of this shop without your help! That's why, dispel that detached and cold aura and listen to your mother! Stand up and stretch your hands so I can put this suit on you!"

Her son stared blankly at her, but he followed her words nonetheless.

As she began carefully putting the top of that suit on him, Michu was all smiles as he felt that there was a little discomfort between them.

Therefore, he reassured his friend and told her to be honest with her son!

He had her back!

"He smiled!" Michu commented sneakily!

Yue stopped promptly and peeked at her son's face, but that fella already returned to his initial, boorish countenance without much emotion on his face!

"I saw it!" Yue lied and played together with Michu!

Both of them were bullying this man while preparing clothes for him.

-

[An hour later.]

"I've had enough. This is too much," Zerze stopped his mother and left the shop.

"I think he is right," Yue sighed, "I went a little overboard, but we finally spoke like a normal family after so long..." The lady's expression was all bright nonetheless.

And this was rewarding for Michu as he had his hand in it!

He felt like he helped family!

"There's nothing better than a family's support! I am glad I could've helped you two!" Michu rubbed his nose and cheered her on, "I think he will visit you more often now! And if not, then I will invite him to a party and tell him to dress well!

"I'll take you on that," Yue replied, then gave a peck of farewell for Michu! "Have fun and look out for Yuki."

"Okay! Hehe!" Michu scratched his hair embarrassed, then turned around and left the shop while still keeping a blush on his face.

Once he caught up to Zerze, the cold eyes turned to him, "This old hag. Don't let her play around with you because of that Harem Law."

"You don't like Harem Law?"

"I don't." Zerze replied, then added, "But I am curious about his marriage and that big harem family he allegedly has. I also want to... speak with Feng."

"I thought you wanted to hang out with me," Michu said and scratched his cheek with a pout!

Zerze didn't look back at him and looked to the side.

This told Michu that Zerze wouldn't go to that wedding nor he would've been interested in it were he not to be here!

Therefore, the monke smiled and asked, "Do you know how to dance?"

Zerze usually wouldn't care about dancing and he would've plainly answered 'No'. However, his mind shook with memories from the past.

[Yuki! Mommy will teach you some nice moves!]

[No.]

[Dance with big sister! Yuki!]

[No.]

It was only now that Zerze understood he'd forgotten a lot about his family.

Everyone has one or two good things about them. And flaws were what followed those good things. 

Though jarring, Zerze should've accepted those flaws and helped his mother establish her shop much, much earlier.

With their father's insurance, they would've been able to do it!

"Is that silence a yes?" Michu asked.

"It's a no, actually." Zerze faintly smiled and shocked his friend! That smile came straight out from Zerze's heart, "Remember what I asked you before The Final Game?"

"Yes," Michu replied thoughtfully because that question was serious!

"Thanks." Zerze just replied with a much milder and appeasing tone, leaving Michu wondering whether his relationship with his mother used to be that bad!

Lil Monke just nodded, "I like helping, so it's nothing!"

"Sure. How is it going for your girlfriend? It looked like she already had a plan after our battle," Zerze asked.

Winning and losing.

That was normal and everyone expected it at some point, but people often found it troubling how to cope with it.

Michu's girlfriend was different.

"Hehe! Yumi became stronger! As strong as me!" Michu answered with a proud countenance! He raised his chin and shared his happiness with Zerze.

Zerze replied, "Should there be a second round, our clash will be much harder." Although as strong as Michu meant that her class was on his level, Zerze sneered and looked forward to what future and Yumi had prepared for him.

Michu then went all out and told about her snake race, "You see! In the beginning, Yumi couldn't move well and her tail wrapped around me on its own."

"Hmm."

"But I later found out that she wanted to just cuddle! I found it on my own." Michu flashed another proud smile. "After this journey, I expect to see Yumi miss me so much she will cuddle in both a game and real life! I am the one to scheme right now! Haha!"

Zerze stifled his laughter as their relationship was kinda innocent and cute, but it also wasn't hard to imagine the snake turning vulgar and honest for her boyfriend.

With how smart she was, Zerze could only imagine how much fun that Venomous had with her boyfriend.

And that fun was as genuine as her love towards him.

"Do you have someone you love, Zerze? It's hard to tell in the beginning, you know? But it just gets much better and sweeter after you confess!"

"I don't have time for that," Zerze cut Lil Monke!

But Lil Monke believed that there were a lot of partners that could travel in the game world together with his friend, "Maybe you will find one at the wedding! Feng has a big family!"

"If there is something that The Impossible Quest taught me, it's that I know I can sacrifice anyone for my goal. Hence, it's impossible for me to get a partner." Zerze replied.

He chuckled at the 'impossible' conclusion.

"I heard you sacrificed someone on that quest."

"A person from my guild. Not a big deal."

"I see... A lot of things happened today, but I learned how fun it can be in real life to spend time with others. It was exciting! And it should be more exciting, right?"

"...Right."