Life In The Limelight : I Married A Gamer Girl-Chapter 35: Issues

The room was quiet except for the rhythmic tapping of Kazuma's keyboard and the occasional sound of him muttering under his breath. The hours had crept into the late night, and yet Kazuma remained glued to his desk, his light blue eyes locked onto the code on his screen. His brow was furrowed in concentration, a faint sigh escaping his lips every few minutes.

He was stuck on one of the most complex problems he had faced while working on Spirit Walker—modeling realistic depth perception for a pivotal gameplay mechanic. It was the kind of problem that refused to cooperate no matter how many angles he approached it from.

Masako, who had finished her own work hours ago, stood in the doorway of their shared office, watching him silently. She could see the tension in his shoulders, the weariness in his movements, and the frustration in his light blue eyes. He hadn't even noticed her there, so deep was his focus.

Her golden eyes softened as she stepped into the room, holding a tray of his favorite snacks. "Dear," she called softly, walking toward him.

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Kazuma startled slightly, glancing up from his screen. His expression softened when he saw her. "Masako, what are you doing up? You should be asleep."

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied with a small smile, setting the tray down on the edge of his desk. "You've been at this for hours. I figured you could use some company."

"I'm fine," Kazuma said, though the tiredness in his voice betrayed him. "I'm just trying to get this depth perception mechanic right. It's not working the way I want it to, and I can't figure out why."

Masako pulled up a chair next to him, her golden eyes scanning his face. "You're not fine, dear. You look exhausted." She reached out to gently squeeze his hand. "Why don't you take a break? Eat something? Maybe step away from it for a bit."

Kazuma shook his head, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. "I can't step away, Masako. This mechanic is one of the core parts of the game. If I don't get it right, the whole design falls apart."

Masako studied him for a moment, then reached for one of the snacks on the tray—a small piece of chocolate—and held it up to his lips. "Here," she said softly. "At least eat something. You won't solve anything if you're starving."

Kazuma hesitated but eventually opened his mouth, letting her feed him. The sweetness of the chocolate melted on his tongue, and he let out a small hum of appreciation. "Thanks, sweetie," he murmured.

Masako smiled, her golden eyes sparkling. "You're welcome. Now, tell me about the problem. Maybe I can help."

Kazuma glanced at her, his expression skeptical but grateful. "It's complicated," he began. "The depth perception mechanic is supposed to give players the ability to judge distances accurately in certain puzzles, but the way it's rendering right now is... off. The angles don't match up with the player's perspective, and it's creating a disorienting effect."

Masako nodded thoughtfully, leaning closer to his screen. "Have you checked the scaling parameters? Maybe something's misaligned there."

"I've checked them twice," Kazuma said, rubbing his temples. "Everything looks fine on paper, but the execution isn't matching up."

Masako tapped her chin, her mind already brainstorming. "What if the issue isn't with the scaling itself but with the way the environment is interacting with it? Maybe there's something in the background layers that's throwing it off."

Kazuma blinked, his light blue eyes narrowing slightly. "That... could be it," he admitted. He quickly pulled up the background rendering code, his fingers flying across the keyboard. Masako watched him intently, her golden eyes filled with encouragement.

As he worked, Masako reached for another snack and handed it to him. "You're doing great, dear," she said softly. "Even if it's frustrating right now, I know you'll figure it out. You always do."

Her words, simple but heartfelt, eased some of the tension in Kazuma's chest. He smiled faintly, glancing at her. "You make it sound like I'm some kind of genius."

"That's because you are," Masako said with a grin, leaning her chin on her hand as she watched him work. "You're my genius."

Kazuma laughed quietly, the sound soft but genuine. "You always know how to make me feel better, sweetie."

"That's my job," Masako replied, her voice teasing but warm. "Now, keep going. I'll be right here if you need me."

They worked together for the next few hours, with Masako offering ideas and encouragement while feeding him snacks and making sure he stayed hydrated. Her presence was a steadying force, her words keeping him calm and focused even as he delved deeper into the problem.

Finally, just as the first rays of dawn began to peek through the windows, Kazuma's eyes lit up. "I think I've got it!" he exclaimed, his fingers flying over the keyboard one last time. He ran the program, and the screen displayed a perfect rendering of the depth perception mechanic. The angles matched, the scaling was flawless, and the disorienting effect was gone.

Masako leaned forward, her golden eyes widening in awe. "You did it, dear!" she said, her voice filled with pride. "It looks amazing."

Kazuma let out a tired but triumphant laugh, leaning back in his chair. "I couldn't have done it without you, sweetie. Your ideas and support made all the difference."

Masako smiled, reaching out to take his hand. "You're the one who did the hard work, dear. I just gave you a little push."

He turned to her, his light blue eyes soft with gratitude. "You're more than a little push, Masako. You're my partner, in everything."

Her cheeks flushed slightly, but her smile only grew. "And don't you forget it," she said playfully. "Now, come on. You've earned some rest."

Kazuma stood, stretching as Masako draped an arm around his waist and led him toward their bedroom. As they climbed into bed, Masako snuggled close, resting her head on his chest.

"Thank you for staying up with me," Kazuma murmured, his voice drowsy but filled with affection.

"Always," Masako whispered, her golden eyes closing as she wrapped her arms around him. "You're worth it, dear."

With the storm of coding frustrations behind him, Kazuma drifted off to sleep, comforted by the warmth of Masako's embrace. For both of them, moments like these were a reminder of why they made such a perfect team—through every challenge, they faced it together.