Leo stared at Ethan, his face a cocktail of confusion, shock, and genuine concern.
The roar of 75,000 fans seemed to fade into a distant hum. "An NPC? Ethan, what are you talking about? We're at a real football match! That's a real person! He's got a family, a dog, a favorite type of pizza! He's not a bunch of code!"
Seeing his friend's panicked expression, Ethan felt a jolt of reality.
He had let his mind, so steeped in the logic of the game, run away with him.
The idea was insane. Utterly, completely insane. He had to backtrack, fast.
A loud, slightly forced laugh erupted from his chest.
"Dude, relax! I'm joking!" he said, clapping Leo on the shoulder a little too hard. "God, I've been so deep in the game lately, I'm starting to see traits and animations everywhere. My dad made a 'perfectly timed run' to the kitchen for a cup of tea this morning."
