Legacy of the Betelgeuse

I grab the paper from his hand. I'm reading it thoroughly. I look at him with my surprised expression.

"Wait! You're giving me the royalty of the game? And it's 10% of it?! No, I don't want to."

Becker is playing with the edge of the paper with his finger.

"Please accept it. You're the only one who showed me how good the game I created, you showed your joyful expression and happiness for the last 8 months. That alone is enough for me because my last wish is to be able to see someone's expression and their satisfaction from it. I knew that I won't be able to see everyone's expression, feelings, and opinions about the game when it got released. But when I met you and you told me that I have good taste for games made me realize that maybe you're the right person for my last wish. I'm sorry that you had to go all through that just for my selfish wish. But I'm not regretting it, not even once."

I look at him.

"No, it was a pleasure and I'm very grateful to be able to play your game. If I didn't accept your invitation for that cup of coffee, maybe I won't be able to experience these blissful times. Thank you for choosing me."

Becker gulps weakly and nods while smiling. I look at the document once again.

"I'll accept your last will."

Becker is pointing at the pen on the cabinet beside his bed. I grab it and sign my signature on the documents. Then I hand the documents back to him. He smiles and puts it back to where it should be. He looks at the door.

"Can you call my parents back in here?"

I nod and go to the door. I open it and his parents are looking at me. Andrea approaches me.

"You guys are done talking?"

I nod.

"Yes, ma'am. He wants you both to go back inside."

They both nod and go inside the room.

Becker gives the documents to his parents. Sylvester grabs it and checks the documents. He looks at my signature and he smiles. He looks at me.

"So you agreed to his will. You don't have to worry about it. We both also agreed to it since you're the only person who has been with our son until now. We never thought that he would be satisfied with the time he has left."

Andrea looks at me and smiles while nodding with agreement. Becker is looking at me.

"I want you to enjoy the game to the fullest. I will leave my legacy to you. Please take care of the players for me. That's my last request for you. Will you do that for me?"

I look at him and exhales deeply.

"Yes, I'll do that. Don't worry about it."

Becker smiles and closes his eyes. Andrea approaches him and puts her hand on his forehead. Sylvester sits beside him.

"He fell asleep again. You can leave, Mister Trevor. He won't wake up for a while."

I approach Becker and look at him for one last time before I leave the room.

11 days have passed. I've been visiting the hospital every day as often as I could. Day by day I visited him, the paler and weaker he looks. Until I had a phone call from Andrea this early in the morning. Her voice was trembling and sobbing. I knew when I heard her voice that Becker is no longer with us anymore. I told to my manager that I won't be working today since I have to attend my friend's funeral. He understood and let me took a day off. I went to becker's house wearing a black suit.

I park my car outside since there's no more parking spot inside his mansion. I walk inside and the servant knows me since I've been coming here pretty often. He looks at me with a very devastating expression and then he nods. I walk inside the mansion and the maids and servants are looking at me with the same expression. I'm holding my tears as hard as I can right now. Then Andrea approaches me and immediately hugs me tightly. Her sobbing makes me can't hold my tears anymore. Andrea removes her arms from me and looks at me.

"Thank you for coming."

I'm wiping my eyes and sniffing.

"No, ma'am. This will be the last time I would be able to see him. Even if it's hard for me, but I know it's harder for you, ma'am, and Mister Sylvester. I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am."

Andrea wipes her eyes with a handkerchief. She sniffs.

"Please follow me."

I follow her to the hall where Becker's body is inside a coffin. I approach his body and look at him. I'm crying once again and this time I'm sobbing really hard. Sylvester approaches me and puts his arm around me. He pats my shoulder and I can hear his heavy breathing from holding his tears.

After listening to Sylvester's speech, we all on our way to the cemetery to bury him. I'm still crying in my car while driving and follow the hearse to the cemetery. Then we arrive at the cemetery and I walk behind Becker's parents. We all standing around the square hole where they're going to bury his body. I wasn't paying attention to the other people who were attending the funeral, but now when I'm looking around, I see the CEO of the game publisher that will be releasing the game the day after tomorrow.

After Becker's burial, I'm planning to immediately leave his grave but then Andrea and Sylvester stop me. Andrea gives another hug and then Sylvester as well. He gives his contact to me.

"Please if you need anything, don't be afraid to contact us. We said that we are grateful to you and that wasn't a lie. Again, thank you for being there for him until his last breath. He was smiling when talking about you before he fell asleep and breathed his last breath."

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Trevor? Becker's friend?"

I turn around and he's the CEO of the game publisher that I saw earlier.

"Yes, sir. I am."

He approaches me and grabs his business card from his suit pockets. He gives me his business card and I take it from his hand. He's looking at me while fixing his suit.

"You're the only beta tester from Legacy of the Betelgeuse. I heard a lot from him. Yesterday I came to visit him and he told me to make you a special player. At first, I was reluctant to do so since you might abuse the game and use the loophole for your own benefit as a beta tester, but after he explained everything that you helped him finishing the game and adding features that will help the player, I accepted his proposal. Thank you for your services and improve the game with him. Please contact us and give us your IGN so we will put your ID as a V.I.P. account. At least that's what we can do for you. We will prioritize your opinions and whatsoever about the game."

I look at his business card and look at him.

"Thank you, I will remember this."

He nods and puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Sorry for your loss. My condolences."

I nod and then he leaves.

I get inside my car and leave the cemetery. I'm planning on drinking until I'm wasted for today. I still can't accept his death especially when I saw the people who were attending his funeral. Nobody that seemed to be the same age as him, nobody but his parent's friends. It's as if he has no friends, to begin with. If I knew about that I would spend more time with him. If I knew that he has cancer I would spend more time taking care of him in my free time. But it's too late, I have nothing but feel regret.

I'm at the bar I always spend my time here to forget the rough days I had. The bartender is looking at me.

"Having another rough day today?"

I chuckle and smile.

"This is the roughest day I've ever had in my life. I lost a friend that I should've treasure more. Now I'm regretting it because I didn't."

He wipes the glasses and looks at me. He pours a whiskey in a big glass and puts it in front of me.

"That's one is on me. I know how that feels, sir."

He is standing in front of me.

"Can I give you a few words of mine?"

I grab the whiskey glass and take a sip. I nod.

"Sure, maybe that will help."

He still wiping the glass.

"Rather than regretting something that you didn't do, what about remembering the good times you had with that person? Everyone has their own regrets, sir. If the last time you saw that person is smiling before you leave, then that means you made his day. If not, then at least you were there for them, sir."

I smile and look at him with my teary eyes.

"Thank you."

He nods.

"You're welcome, sir."

He then leaves to serves another customer.

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