Ryan actually had pretty solid self-control.
Even though his game had been interrupted and his mood was trash, he quickly shook it off and started tackling his homework.
No matter what, grades were essential. If his grades slipped, his dad would be even more pissed off—and then he might never be allowed to touch a game again.
After finishing the rest of his assignments for the day, Ryan stood up to head to the bathroom.
But the moment he stepped out of his room, he froze.
His dad was sitting on the living room sofa. He was wearing Ryan's VR headset.
And he was completely engrossed—waving his arms wildly, a look of intense focus and excitement on his face.
"Dad? What are you...?" Ryan was genuinely shook. His dad had never cared about games before. What was happening?
Clearly, David didn't hear him. He was totally locked in.
Looking at his father—who currently looked like an internet-addicted teenager—Ryan suddenly found it hilarious.
He hadn't expected his dad to have this side to him. Ryan guessed his father was probably picking up exactly where he'd left off in Transformers.
The pull of that game must be insane if it could conquer even him.
"Huh? What's going on?" David's face fell as he spoke, looking confused.
Ryan glanced at the time and couldn't help but grin. "Dad, your game time is up. You got booted."
"What? What do you mean?" David asked, puzzled. Then, the realization hit him.
He immediately yanked off the headset, looking at Ryan nervously—like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
He quickly rearranged his face into a stern expression. "Why are you out here? Is your homework done?"
It was the first time Ryan had seen his dad look so guilty. Ryan was surprised, but mostly, he was struggling not to laugh.
"All done, Dad. So... how was it? Transformers is pretty sick, right?" Ryan asked with a smirk.
"I was just doing research. Seeing what you kids are wasting your time on," David said with forced seriousness, tossing the headset onto the cushion casually.
"Just admit it. Was it fun or not?"
"It's... alright. But why did it kick me off after playing for just a little while?" David asked. He sounded genuinely annoyed. He'd just reached a major story climax and was really getting into the zone.
"Because I'm a minor, Dad. The account has a curfew. If you haven't had enough, you can register your own account. Adults don't have time restrictions. But you'd have to grind through the tutorial missions first, and then—"
"Hold on. Don't try to trick me. I see what you're doing. You just want to play, don't you?"
"Dad, be real. Where did you get to just now? Did Megatron turn the army's planes and tanks into Decepticons yet?"
"Yeah, he did. I was right at that part when the screen went black. What is the deal with that Megatron character, anyway? How is he powerful enough to just turn human vehicles into Transformers?"
David was genuinely curious. The concepts in the game had actually hooked him.
"He's extremely powerful, but it's not actually him doing it—it's the Allspark. The Allspark is a sacred artifact from the planet Cybertron..."
Ryan launched into an eloquent explanation, breaking down the Cybertronian lore and the entire backstory for his father.
David listened intently, actually interested in the Transformers universe.
The father and son couldn't remember the last time they'd chatted like this.
It felt like... back when Ryan was little. Only back then, the storyteller had been David, and the listener was Ryan.
But without realizing it, that little kid had grown into a young man—already able to articulate a complex story with logic and passion.
In a daze, David felt a wave of emotion.
His son was growing up. But his connection with Ryan had been fading.
He realized he didn't even know what his son liked to eat anymore, or what shows he watched.
Their conversations were strictly limited to grades and studying.
It was as if his son's life should revolve solely around academics. As if the only words he ever spoke to Ryan were commands and critiques—never simply chatting with his son about things he actually cared about.
He gave so much enthusiasm and warmth to his clients. But he hadn't saved a single scrap of it for his own son.
The Next Day
The next morning, David saw Ryan off to school as usual, then headed to work.
He started his day by calling his target clients to see who he could nail down for appointments.
Although he'd considered giving up on Mr. Harrison, he decided to give him one last shot.
To his surprise, Mr. Harrison agreed to meet today. David immediately gathered his contract materials and drove to Harrison's company.
He arrived at Mr. Harrison's office half an hour early.
When he got there, the receptionist told him Mr. Harrison was currently busy... playing a game in his VR pod. David could only sit and wait.
He waited for over an hour.
Eventually, Mr. Harrison—probably needing a bathroom break—emerged from the sleek pod. He seemed to suddenly remember he had a meeting.
"Hey, David! You're here. Oh man, I'm sorry—I totally forgot about our meeting once I logged in. Give me just a second!"
Mr. Harrison hurried into his private bathroom and came out a minute later, adjusting his tie.
"Mr. Harrison, what game are you playing? I heard Infinite Realms' Transformers update is pretty popular right now," David said.
It was a sudden flash of inspiration. If he could talk about something Harrison actually cared about, it might save the negotiation.
"Wait, you play Transformers too? I've been absolutely hooked on it lately. It is so damn good. I've been kind of slacking on work because of it, honestly. Where are you in the game? Did you beat it yet?" Harrison asked, his eyes lighting up.
"I'm still a total noob. I'm not very good at it. And my setup at home is trash compared to yours—just a basic headset, casual play. Nothing professional like this pod. But I have to say, the world-building is fascinating. You must have finished it by now, right? I heard The Fallen is insanely powerful in the later chapters," David said.
He was smooth with it, naturally following the lead and using the info he'd picked up from his son the night before.
People are simple creatures. If you talk about what they love, the walls come down.
Once you get them in a good mood, the business part becomes easy. If you just walk in pitching a contract, people put their guard up.
"You're playing Transformers with just a headset? Man, you are missing out! You can't experience the real essence like that. Come here, hop in. Try it in the pod. It's a completely different game. Absolutely mind-blowing!"
Mr. Harrison enthusiastically ushered David toward his high-end gaming rig.
"Haha, alright then!" David didn't refuse.
As he climbed into the expensive VR pod, David couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Sometimes the most unexpected things turn out to be the most useful.
Who would've thought a video game would be the key to finally getting through Mr. Harrison's door?