Chapter 5: First Quest

Pulling aside the blanket, he hopped out of his bed. He raised his arms and began to stretch his body. As he stretched his body, few joints in his body made a popping sound.

After stretching his body, he started to fold his blanket and make his bed. He was mandatorily required to make his bed every morning or else he’d have to endure the wrath of his mother.

“Hiro!! Hurry up”

His mother yelled, calling out for him as soon as he finished making his bed.

“Coming Mom”

He replied back.

He then began to walk towards the kitchen.

“You shouldn’t keep him awake till late night. It’s all your fault that he’s going to be late for school.”

As he walked inside the kitchen, he found his mother yelling at his father.

His father was as docile as a lamb. He couldn’t do anything. He simply sat at the dining table, flipping through his newspaper, listening to her nagging.

“Oh you’re here. Come and have breakfast.”

His father spoke while revealing a gentle smile.

Hiro returned back the smile. Words couldn’t express how grateful he was to experience that moment with his family once again.

After losing his father in his previous life, his relationship with his mother soured overtime. While his mother kept nagging him to focus on his study, he kept rebelling against her decision.

Despite knowing that she only meant well for him, he couldn’t see through her real feelings. He kept on thinking that even she didn’t have any faith in him that he could make it to pro. He took her well wishes negatively and rebelled against her.

Only after witnessing her struggles, he realised the meaning behind her nagging. After he injured his legs, she was the only one who provided for him. She was the only one who stayed beside his bed when he was bedridden in hospital.

And for his whole life he hated her because of his prideful attitude. To prove her wrong, to prove everyone wrong, he struggled miserably. Taking countless part-time jobs, training in the morning and training later in the night when he was all by himself. He barely slept for 3-4 hours.

“Did you brush your teeth Hiro?”

She called out for him while he was spacing out.

“Uh- Huh! No I’ve not bru-”

Thwack!! .𝒐𝙧𝒈

Before he could complete his sentence, his mother smacked him on his head.

“Owwww!! Why did you do tha-?”

Turning his head towards her, he complained. But he couldn’t finish his sentence upon witnessing his mother’s angry face. She was fuming.

After living alone for so many years, he forgot that he needed to brush his teeth before having breakfast. While living alone, he didn’t have any proper eating schedule. Sometimes he’d eat breakfast at 12 and sometimes he’d be very busy that he’d forget to eat.

Forgetting to brush before having breakfast wasn’t the only thing he had forgotten. He even forgot about the short temper of his mother. She would beat him even if he were a child whenever he made mistakes. Rules were absolute if he wanted to live in her home.

Looking at his mother’s angry face, he quickly realised his mistake. He then hopped out of the chair and stormed towards the restroom.

“You better hurry up! If we get late for school, you’re in for another beating.”

She yelled furiously as he ran towards the bathroom.

It didn’t take him long to brush his teeths. He barely avoided her beating. He then hurriedly stuffed the breakfast prepared by his mother.

It was already 7:30 AM by the time he had finished his breakfast and he was required to reach the school by 8 AM.

As he was still in kindergarten, he didn’t require to wear any proper uniform. Due to embarrassment, he quickly got dressed before his mother could help him to dress.

Despite his appearance being that of a 5 year old at the present, he was still a 27 year old grown up from inside.

Just when he was about to leave the house, his father stopped him.

“You didn’t forget about the kids football tournament that’s going to be held in the sakura futsal later in the evening, did you?”

His father inquired.

The local football club had organised a tournament for the kids of the age 5-8 to promote football in their locality. Basically it was designed as a sort of entertainment event for the local spectators.

While upfront it was a charity event to promote football. But behind, the reason for organising the event was to advertise their football club to attract better investors and to increase their fanbase. Simply speaking, it was a marketing stunt.

The tournament was just like any other regular youth tryouts. The kids of the age 5-8 could show up in teams or show up alone. Those who showed up on teams didn’t require to form new teams. While those who showed up alone were paired up with other kids and a team was formed.

“I know it dad, but still thanks for reminding me again.”

He spoke confidently even though he was still lying about remembering the event.

He had completely forgotten about the tournament. It was the first time when he played competitively against other kids. Also it was the beginning of his football journey.

“It’s good that you know, I’ll pick you up at 3 later in the evening and we’ll go together.”

His father exclaimed.

“Okay, but don’t you have work today?”

“I’ve taken a day off to see you play today. How can I miss my son’s debut match.”

His father replied enthusiastically.

He was baffled by his father’s response. As much as he remembered, he didn’t attend this tournament previously. Infact it was his mother, who had accompanied him to the futsal. But something was different in the present moment.

His father worked in a construction company and usually worked overtime. Except the occasional day offs, hiro couldn’t even see his face until morning in any normal day due to his work.

But despite being extremely busy, his father would still make time for him, occasionally. He would occasionally come to see his matches.

“You’re not joking right?”

Hiro bewilderingly replied.

“No I’m not joking. I’ll pick you up later from the school.”

Takashi reassured Hiro.

“Hurry up Hiro or else we’ll be late for the school.”

His mother called out for him.

Soon in her bicycle, they reached the school. In the front gate a young lady greeted them.

“Hello Mrs.Takahashi. How are you?”

The young lady greeted them at the entrance of the kindergarten.

The young lady was dressed in a light pink shirt and azure blue trousers. Her jet black hair was tied by a scrunchie in a ponytail. Lip gloss applied in her lips gave it a pinkish appearance. And moreover due to the smell of perfume, she smelled like fragrant roses.

Hiro couldn’t stop himself from staring at the young lady infront of him. His cheeks turned red as she looked at him with a smile.

“Hello Misaki Sensei. I’m doing fine, how about you?”

His mother greeted back.

The young lady was non other than his homeroom teacher. Due to her young appearance, everybody would mistook her age as a teenager. However she was already in her mid-twenties.

And Hiro himself being a 27 year old from inside couldn’t help himself from getting attracted towards her.

“Shall we head inside Hiro?”

She exclaimed with a smile after finishing her conversation with his mother.

However he was lost in his imagination and was staring blanky at her.

“Hiro?”

As he regained his composure, he found her hand stretched towards him. She extended her hands to grab his.

He then extended his hands and grabbed hers. While holding hands, they headed inside. His mother bid him farewell and left for her work. She worked in an old age care centre as a nurse.

Chatter!! Chatter!! Chatter!!

As he entered the room, he heard loud chatters of kids. Some crying, some laughing, some fighting, it was more like a fish market than a classroom.

‘Wtf? Argh!! Somebody please take me out of here! Save me!!’

Unable to handle the noise, he started to beg for help in his mind.

The only thing he wished as he entered the classroom was to leave the classroom ASAP. The classroom was one heck of a hellish torture place for him.

In that whole room, he was the only one who wasn’t making any noise. Unable to handle the noise, he covered his ears.

Ding!!

[Quest unlocked]

[Please open the status window for details regarding the quest]

He heard the sound of the system as he closed his ears.

“What quest?”

He mumbled.

“Status window”

He whispered.

[Quest Title: Survive the classroom]

[Quest info: Avoid the distracting sounds and focus on the words of the teacher.]

[Rewards for quest completion: New skill Focus]

[Penalty: None]

‘Huh? Focus on teachers words in this noisy environment? Are you kidding me?’

He exasperated upon seeing the quest of the system.

The quest was near to impossible. It was simply impossible to focus on teachers words in that hellish classroom.