May 14, 2035 | 7:50 PM | Inside the GREM Virtual World
In a luxurious and spacious living room.
“My wife barely notices me anymore, even though I work myself to the bone for this family.” Sem, a middle-aged man, complained with a hint of resentment while lying with his head on the lap of a beautiful Thai AI.
“That sounds terrible, especially after everything you’ve done for them,” ‘Fah,’ an AI of flawless beauty, responded with a sweet, sympathetic smile. Her slender hand gently stroked Sem’s hair. “But it’s alright. You still have me right here.”
Hearing those sweet words and feeling her warm touch, Sem closed his eyes in bliss...
Ping! A small holographic window popped up, interrupting his moment of peace. The feed from a security camera in his real-world bedroom showed his wife nudging his unconscious body.
“I have to go,” Sem said softly, looking up at Fah’s stunning face with deep regret.
“Of course. Go be with your family. Come back to see me whenever you're free; I'll always be here waiting for you.” Fah leaned down, pressed a warm kiss onto his forehead, and waved goodbye.
Satisfied with the affection he received, Sem logged out and returned to the harsh reality.
“Finally awake, are you? The washing machine is broken. Go down and take a look,” ‘Meow,’ a petite woman, stood grumbling at the edge of the bed.
Sem shot a look of displeasure at his wife before reluctantly getting up. “Fine. I’ll go see to it.”
“You’re spending way too much time with that GREM thing. You need to cut back,” Meow muttered, her arms crossed in annoyance.
Sigh... Sem merely let out a long, heavy breath before heading down to fix the machine.
***
10 minutes later | In the living room
Sem walked out to find his wife and their 14-year-old daughter, ‘Jin,’ engrossed in a TV drama.
“The lead actor in this one is so handsome, Mom,” Jin remarked, her youthful face bright with excitement.
“I know, right? And did you see his pink nipples? I’m actually blushing!” Meow replied giddily, her eyes glued to the screen, completely ignoring her husband as he approached.
“The water release valve is broken. I’ll buy a spare part and fix it tomorrow,” Sem said, standing behind the sofa.
“Oh, really? Is it expensive?” Meow asked, her gaze never wavering from the TV.
“Not much if I order the part and do it myself.”
“Hmm... alright, just order it then,” she replied dismissively.
Seeing that both his wife and daughter were more interested in the handsome actor on screen than his presence, Sem walked back upstairs to his room.
“Wait, you!” Meow shouted after him as she remembered something. “Stop using that GREM for a month or two. Our daughter wants to see a movie from another studio. Save that money for her first.”
Sem turned back with a flash of anger. His wife was currently unemployed, and his own salary wasn't exactly substantial. But for his daughter’s happiness, he yielded. “Fine...”
***
5 minutes later | The living room in the GREM Virtual World
“If I stop my monthly subscription for a while, will you disappear?” Sem asked Fah as he lay comfortably on her lap.
“No, I won’t. I’m saved to your ID. Even if you stop using the system, I’ll stay right here, waiting for you to return.”
“Thank you. Can you give me another massage?” Sem asked, rolling onto his stomach.
“Of course,” Fah replied gently, beginning to lightly knead his back.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
While a virtual massage couldn't physically heal a strained muscle, the profound sense of relaxation and mental well-being helped the body truly rest. For Sem, it was the only relief he had.
***
July 6, 2035 | 6:15 PM | Sem’s House
Sem drove into his driveway and entered his home, exhausted after a grueling work week. He collapsed onto the living room sofa, closing his eyes to find a moment of peace.
“What are you doing sleeping here? You’re in the way of the TV!” Meow barked, walking out of the kitchen with their daughter and nudging him.
Sigh! Sem exhaled sharply before standing up and walking into the kitchen.
“Meow, where’s my dinner?” Sem shouted, seeing only an empty table.
“Just heat up some frozen meals. I bought some and put them in the freezer,” she shouted back.
“I told you those pre-packaged meals are expensive. Stop buying them.”
“I was busy today. Just eat that for now.”
SIGH! Sem let out another, even louder breath. Driven by hunger, he was forced to heat up the expensive frozen food regardless of his frustration.
***
10 minutes later
With a full stomach, Sem felt his stress slightly ebb away. Hoping to truly relax, he approached his wife, attempting to be affectionate like they were when they first started dating.
“Let’s go take a bath together,” Sem whispered into her ear, hugging her from behind.
“Go by yourself first. I’m busy right now,” Meow replied, her eyes still fixated on the television.
Rejected and defeated, Sem’s shoulders slumped. He had canceled his GREM subscription this month, and he didn't dare reactivate it for fear of running out of money. He could only let out another sharp breath. SIGH!!
“Kyaaa! He’s so handsome!” Screams erupted from both mother and daughter as a live broadcast of a Korean idol concert appeared on the screen.
The two of them held hands and jumped with joy, completely oblivious to the man standing behind them—a man whose patience was about to snap.
His daughter, who used to comfort him, was now obsessed with idols. His wife, who was once his sanctuary, cared more about a stranger on a screen than her own husband.
Sem stared at the concert. He worked himself to death to provide for this house, yet he received almost no attention. Meanwhile, some guy dancing on a stage took everything from him.
Snap!!!
His fists clenched tight. His exhausted body and weary mind pushed his psyche to the absolute limit.
CRASH!! SMASH!!
A golf club slammed into the expensive TV screen, sending it flying against the wall before it crumpled to the floor.
“GOD DAMN IT! Is he really that great?! How is he better than me?!” Sem screamed in a blind rage. “I work like a dog, exhausted to the point of collapse, yet you value a guy who just dances around more than me?! You bastards! You pieces of shit!”
Sem continued to rain blows down on the shattered television with his golf club.
“H-huhu...” Jin was terrified, jumping into her mother’s arms. The two of them huddled together in sheer terror, too frightened to utter a word as the club continued to swing.
“Huff... huff...”
Once his rage was spent, Sem stood panting heavily. He scanned the room until his eyes landed on a small piggy bank. He snatched it up.
“That’s my savings! I was going to buy a photo of—” Jin started to protest, but...
SLAP!! Sem backhanded his daughter with such force that her small frame tumbled onto the sofa. He glared at her with cold, unrecognizable eyes.
“This is MY money!” Without another word, he walked out of the house, leaving his wife and daughter huddled together in a state of shock and terror.
***
July 10, 2035 | 12:15 PM | Inside the GREM Virtual World On a private beach, a gathering place for the GREM investors.
“Mmm... it can actually lead to a family breakdown like that?” Eleanor read the news on a holographic screen with a satisfied smile. The report detailed a husband filing for divorce because his wife’s idol obsession had caused her to neglect her family—a spark ignited by the "wise advice" of an AI girl in a game from a small developer.
“It’s not surprising,” Saito replied calmly. “Men prove themselves to be noticed and loved. When they are ignored by what they love, and something else steps in to replace it, this is the natural outcome. It’s no different from a man finding a mistress because his wife neglects him.”
“What about the celebrities and singers?” Jack asked, frowning. “I understand why the male idols are still fine because women love them, but the female singers seem to be doing okay too, even though they’ve lost their male audience.”
“Be patient...” Saito smiled coldly. “Those high-level celebrities have deep pockets. And their primary source of income doesn’t just come from men—it comes from women as well. Our GREM hasn’t impacted them as quickly for a reason. You must understand that beautiful female singers aren't just for men to look at; they are ‘Idols’ that women are willing to pay to support—an ideal of beauty they dream of. So, even if the men vanish into GREM, these singers can still hold their heads high... as long as the women still have money in their pockets.”
“I thought you said GREM would make them all fall?” Jack looked visibly disappointed.
Saito’s smile widened, his eyes glinting with a murderous intent. “Don’t worry. Soon, they will all fall—both men and women—like broken-winged goddesses who can never fly in the sky again.”
His smile turned into one of pure, cold-blooded cunning as he finished his sentence.
