Game Developers!!!

Chapter 4

As he walked home from school, he still couldn't remove the image of the girl. His mind was barely focusing on the street, just enough to walk, but if he crossed a road and a driver of a car couldn't see him, he wouldn't be able to dodge that accident. Thankfully, there was no road crossing in the route he chose, a longer one compared to his usual route, although he chose that route to stop by at a store.

As he opened the door, he quickly bought some water. "Good afternoon, sir. Just water?" The cashier asked. Felipe nodded and the cashier was quite worried and looked around the store, there was no one there except for Felipe. "Come on, Don Felipe! Is this how you greet your cousin?" The cashier asked as he slapped Felipe's shoulder. "Listen, Carlo, do you remember the Toledo family?" Felipe asked as he paid for his water. Carlo was confused at this sudden answer. "The Toledos from Neptis? The family whose head is Mart Toledo, the most influential businessman in Neptis outside of the Aneburs? And our neighbor for 5 whole years?" Carlo said, "How could I forget about them?" He answered. Felipe continued to drink from his bottle. "I even remember you had a thing for Adeline-" "I think I saw Cathie at school." Felipe interrupted Carlo. "What? That's impossible." Carlo said in a confused manner, "They left Neptis before us to go back to Spain right?" He added. "Yes, but that was 3 years ago, they could've been back since last year." Felipe said. "IF they were here since last year, why were they under the radar?" Carlo asked. "I don't know, all I know was that I saw Cathie a while ago in school." Felipe answered, "She even said good day to me." He added. "I mean, we have been neighbors for 5 years and 3 years isn't that big of a gap for her to forget who was breaking her out at night-" "I never broke her out at night, okay?" Felipe interrupted Carlo who was smirking, "We were kids that time, 13 years old." He added. Carlo chuckled lightly, "Yeah yeah yeah." He said. Felipe was about to leave when Carlo stopped him. "If they did come back, why are they at Latchdare? In Phosal even? And not back in Neptis?" Carlo asked. Felipe didn't know the answer to that and just left Carlo hanging.

As Felipe walked home, he noticed that a car was at the front of his home, and he recognized that it was his parents' car. So he entered his home with his father and mother waiting for him at the dining table.

"Oh my, Felipe!" The mother exclaimed and hugged her son like they haven't seen him for months, which is true as he was living in an apartment for 2 whole months without seeing his parents. "Hello mama... papa." Felipe replied as he saw his father as well. "Have you eaten dinner?" His mother asked. "No mama-" "Well then let me cook for you." His mother didn't let him finish his sentence and quickly went to the kitchen. "No, mama, I- I'm fine with a slice of bread." Felipe said. "What? No. You have been eating only a slice of bread this whole 2 months?" His mother asked, "So that's why you're so thin." She added. "No, mama, d- don't cook anymore." Felipe tried to stop his mother, but she wouldn't listen. "Haha, you know your mother would not stop for anyone if she is already in the kitchen." The father chuckled and signaled Felipe to sit beside him. Felipe sat down as he removed his bag and placed it on the floor. "So, Felipe. What is this "game" I'm hearing from your friends?" The father asked. "Who told you that?" Felipe asked. "Did you think I wouldn't know?" His father asked, "Who in the world uses "Don Lipe" as their pen name?" He asked. Felipe was speechless. "And when I heard from one of your editors that Don Lipe was living in Latchdare, then that was the final piece I needed to know it was you." His father said. "Oh, the novels." Felipe said. "Not one of those books, the ones where you use your screen, your keyboard, and your mouse things." His father added. "Mama, papa, what is this actually about? Why are you here?" Felipe asked. "Why? Can't a mother and a father visit their son in his apartment?" His mother asked as she was cooking the chicken. "Well, no. But-" "It's just a visit, son." His mother stopped him from talking as she reassured him that it was just a normal visit.

As he walked towards his couch, his phone rang. It was Rosaline. "Oh hey, Rosaline! I'm sorry, I know I promised to meet you in school but I couldn't find you and there was no time left-" "I was at the cafeteria." Rosaline interrupted. Felipe was shocked, surprised, and confused. "But you barely go to the cafeteria whenever 1st years are able to eat with the 2nd years." Felipe said. "But I made an exception for you and your game. I was hoping I would get more insight from you." Rosaline replied, "As well as my professional fee." She added. The word "fee" was always a trauma word for Felipe. Not because he had some traumatic past with the word or the definition of it, but because that word was always the one who will destroy his projects. "Listen, Rosaline, I don't beg in professional things, but I would beg of you to talk about it AFTER the game has finished." Felipe begged. "Sorry, Felipe. Best I can do is a 50% discount for my talent." Rosaline said, "I can't commit to any project without a salary, even if you're just asking me to do it every freetime." She added. Felipe then thought of something, "Could we talk later? I'm kind of busy right now." He asked. "Sure." Rosaline answered and the call ended. Felipe knew he needed to find a backer, an investor... a producer, but first it was dinner with family.

As they were eating their chicken, his father brought up something important. "Oh, Felipe. The Toledo family is here in Latchdare." His father said which piqued Felipe's interest. "So it is true." He said softly to himself. "Oh right, that was also on our "things-to-do" list in this Latchdare vacation of ours." His mother said. After quite some silence, his mother then decided to tease him. "I heard some rumors that Cathie is studying in Phosal now-" "How about Adeline?" Felipe interrupted. The way he answered was mixed with excitement and with interest. "Oh? You're more interested in Adeline now over Cathie?" His mother asked. "100%." Felipe answered with full confidence. This made his mother and father look each other in the eye, they stopped chewing as well. His parents thought that his interest in Adeline over Cathie was in terms of personal relationship, but to Felipe, it was more business. You see, Adeline Toledo is quite a hyped up heiress to the Toledo business empire, so she has big money on her personal treasury. Adeline could very well become the game's producer, helping him get Rosaline on his game development team.

"Mama... is Adeline studying in Phosal as well?" Felipe asked. "Uhh- well- it's all just rumors." His mother answered. "But I saw Cathie in the hallway at Phosal as well." Felipe said, "So it should be more than a rumor." He added. His mother and father were scratching their heads and just focused on eating. "Mama, what did the rumor say about Adeline?" Felipe asked again. His mother swallowed her food first before answering. "The rumor has it that Adeline, together with her sister Cathie, have been in Phosal University since last year." His mother said. Felipe stood up and quickly got his phone and dialed someone. "This has been the largest enrollment in Phosal ever since the four great families of Lubay, Lufasa, Baxa, and Sadia were at the school, but nobody knows they enrolled? Not even the school publication?" He said while waiting for someone to pick up their phone. "Felipe, what is this even for?" His father asked, but the person he called picked up. "I could get someone to be the new game producer." Felipe said, "With the money." He added. He nodded because of their reply and then he said "WOO-HOO!" again before ending the call. His parents were as confused as ever. "Felipe, what are you going to do?" His father asked again. "Business, papa... we're in business." He said as he sat down and quickly finished his chicken.