Connection.

“Issac, how long do we have to sit here? I’m getting bored,” Isabel groaned.

“Just sit with me, Bella. Please,” I said, practically begging.

We crouched beside a tree in-game, watching a mass outbreak of Pawmots roam aimlessly in the grass.

“Is this what you do in your free time?” she asked flatly. The disinterest in her voice was impossible to miss. We were on Discord, playing Scarlet and Violet together.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said proudly, sipping from my water bottle like it was something to be proud of.

“You could be taking me out on a date instead.”

I choked—literally. The water hit wrong, and I burst into coughing.

“Issac, are you okay?”

“I’m good,” I wheezed between coughs.

She laughed. “We can continue this later. Let’s just watch grass grow.”

She meant waiting for the shiny to appear.

“Hey, I use my time wisely,” I said, trying to sound self-assured.

She scoffed. “You’re just like that one content creator—”

“Which one?” I asked a little too quickly.

She paused. “That shiny hunter… Sowisi, was it?”

“He’s pretty cool,” she went on. “He never gives up on a hunt. And he balances school on top of streaming? That’s kind of insane.”

I chuckled. “That one time he pulled out his report card live to shut down a hater—that was iconic.”

“Yes! That’s what really blew him up. But what keeps him going is his energy. Hours of streaming, and he never sounds bored. It’s like… he actually loves it.”

I exhaled slowly. “You must really like him, huh.”

“Hmph. What’s that supposed to mean?”

I shrugged. “If you like him that much, why don’t you ask him out?”

“You know what? Maybe I will. He’s been hunting a shiny Darkrai all week—dedication like that is basically my love language.”

I went quiet.

“…What’s wrong?” she asked, catching the shift in tone. “Was that a lame attempt to make me jealous? We’re not even dating. Go die.”

We both burst out laughing.

“His streams are always way too late for me, though. Like, 2 to 4 a.m.? That’s insane.” I said, leaning back in my chair.

“Well…”

 “if you really want something, you’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.”

“Oh my god, are you seriously defending him right now?”

“Maybe. Possibly. Most likely,” I said.

“Whatever, it’s already midnight and I’m tired.”

“Wait—you’re already sleepy? That’s not like you,” she said, half-joking.

“Yeah, I’m just tired of you.” I grinned into the mic.

She sighed. “Just say you hate me.”

“You know damn well I don’t. It’s quite the opposite, actually.”

“…So you love me?” Her tone shifted instantly.

“Because the opposite of hate is love, right? Right?”

“You’re not denying it,” she sang. “You’re not denying it! Aww, poor Issac’s got a crush on lil’ ol’ me!”

Click.

I hung up. I tried to make the smile fade from my face but I couldn’t.

A moment passed.

Then I opened a new window, dragging over the familiar overlays and layouts. The stream setup came alive. My mic turned on. My voice shifted automatically—slightly deeper, smoother, filtered.

The screen went black. Then faded in.

LIVE – 2:04 AM

Sowisi: “Alright guys. Night five. Still no shiny Darkrai, but we don’t give up around here, right?”

I cracked my knuckles, stared into the screen.

“Morning guys!” I stare at my view count, 8 thousand and counting.