When Siti got home that Saturday afternoon, the new stack of games seemed to glow from her desk. Her eyes lingered on Fatal Frame for a moment—its dark cover almost daring her to open it—but she shook her head quickly.
"Not yet," she whispered. "That one… at night maybe."
Her hand moved instead toward the fiery case of Mortal Kombat 11. The cover alone made her pulse quicken—fighters mid-battle, every strike painted with intensity. It was the complete opposite of Genshin Impact's bright fantasy landscapes.
By evening, the living room echoed with the game's booming announcer voice. "MORTAL KOMBAT!"
Siti jumped a little at the volume, then giggled nervously.
At first, she fumbled through random button presses. Characters leapt, punched, and performed messy combos she didn't understand. But slowly, one fighter drew her attention: Mileena. Her sharp fangs, dual sai weapons, and wild energy were unlike anyone else.
Siti leaned forward, eyes shining. "You're perfect…"
She tried again and again, practicing Mileena's moves. Punch, kick, sai throw—again and again until her thumbs ached. Time slipped away without her noticing. The clang of blades and cries of battle filled her room for hours, but she didn't care.
That night, she fell asleep with her controller still in her lap, dreaming of victory poses and flashing combos.
---
Weeks passed. Every day after homework, every night after chores, Siti returned to Mileena. She studied move lists, practiced combos until they flowed like water, and even whispered encouragements to herself when she landed something difficult.
"A month," she told her reflection one night. "I've trained for a whole month. I think… I'm ready."
She selected Online Play for the very first time. Her heart pounded like she was about to sit for an exam. The screen loaded—searching for opponent…
But then a message appeared: "PlayStation Plus required."
Siti blinked. "Huh?"
She tried again. Same message. No matter what she pressed, the game refused to let her fight anyone online.
Her chest sank. After all that practice, after all her excitement, she couldn't enter the real arena.
---
The next day at school, she slumped at her desk, chin resting on her hand. Her friend Suhaimie—the tall, easygoing boy who always smelled faintly of cologne—noticed her mood immediately.
"What's wrong with you, Siti? You look like you failed Maths test."
She pouted. "It's not school… it's Mortal Kombat. I tried to play online, but it won't let me. Some weird message popped up."
Suhaimie laughed softly. "Let me guess. It said you need PlayStation Plus?"
Her eyes widened. "Yes! How did you know?"
"Because that's how Sony makes money," he said matter-of-factly. "If you want to play online multiplayer, you need a PS Plus subscription. Monthly, yearly—depends on what you can afford."
Siti groaned, burying her face in her hands. "So all this time… I thought I was ready… but I can't even enter."
Suhaimie leaned closer with a grin. "Don't worry, lah. Just buy PS Plus on your way home today. Then you can finally test your Mileena against real players. Who knows—you might even win."
Her eyes lit up again. "Really? It's that simple?"
"Yup. Just top up from a shop or buy it online. Welcome to the real online world."
The final bell rang, and students poured out of the classroom. Siti walked home with her bag bouncing against her hip, her thoughts racing faster than her steps.
Today, she decided. I'll buy PlayStation Plus today.
The locked door of online battles was finally about to open.