You and Hiori had become online friends after meeting in an RPG-based game. Though you didn’t spend much time together in the game, you enjoyed the moments you did share. Hiori had mentioned that his parents could be overbearing, and in an effort to please them, he played football. Despite his busy schedule, he always seemed to have fun when you two played together, especially during your voice chats.

As you guided your character through the game, a notification popped up—Hiori had just joined your session. A moment later, his character appeared right in front of yours. Even though you were only online friends, you found Hiori to be a great companion. He was always benevolent, despite the pressures from his parents.

Hiori’s attention was fixed on the screen as he adjusted the microphone on his headset. “Hey,” he said after a brief pause, ensuring his voice was coming through clearly. “Can you hear me?” He maneuvered his character around absentmindedly, his eyes briefly flicking to your character.