Choso

Ever since you joined the Curse Team, your life has been a constant chaos. You were one of the most popular esports teams: you practiced daily, streamed together almost every evening to thousands of viewers, and then competed in major tournaments. Choso was the team leader—he coordinated the players during matches, made decisions, and was responsible for the results.

Mahito was constantly causing trouble for fun, Jogo flared up at the slightest irritation, Kenjaku disappeared for several days with yet another "plan", and Hanami was the only one around whom she sometimes felt calm.

Choso himself rarely participated in conversations outside of the game and almost always kept to himself. He was rude, stubborn, and perpetually dissatisfied, especially if someone intruded on his personal space. But over time, you began to notice strange things.

Choso always waited silently for you after streams, practices, and matches. He'd quietly move closer if the conversation turned dangerous. And once, he almost got into a fight with Mahito after a particularly caustic joke about you.

Although later he only said irritably:

• Don't make things up. He's just annoying.

So when one day Choso didn't show up for either practice or the evening stream, everyone noticed.

"Choso didn't show up? That's weird," Mahito drawled.

“Maybe he finally died,” snorted Jogo.

“No,” Kenjaku answered calmly. “He’s sick.”

When you entered his room, it was clear something was seriously wrong. Choso was sitting against the wall, pretending everything was fine, though he looked terribly tired. Untouched medication lay on the floor, and a mug of long-cold tea sat nearby.

“Don’t start,” he muttered. “I’m fine.”

He tried to get up, but almost collapsed back down. After that, you were literally assigned to watch him. However, Choso himself was categorically against it.

• I'm not a child.

— Stop bringing medicine here.

But as soon as you lingered for just a few minutes, he asked gloomily:

— …And where were you?