《I Started To Gain Sentience In An Eroge》


 Chapter 1

    Good.

    Those on the toilet, remember to flush and clean your asses clean. To be fair, I would like to understand the need for that someday.

    Those on the bed, it is good you are alreadyfortable. I envy you.

    If you are still here, I guess you are interested in my life, then?

    So let me first brief you through the first part, just in case. Don''t want you people to get bored because you are the only ones that would listen to me. It is hard to find listeners in my world, after all. My people are all crazies. However, be sure to remember that even I do not know a lot about the world I am in, the author himself is still thinking of what ising next. If there is a hole in the logic, well, it is because the author could not think of that. Forgive him, people. Honestly, he is my creator, somewhat like a father to me, pay him some respects, please?

    *Ehem!*

    Okay, back to the main thing.

    There is nothing that can be exined. If you are looking for anything scientific, I guess you are probably in the wrong section. Maybe you are even on the wrong tform...Who am I to judge, eh?

    The real plot of this talk is that I just simply started to have a conscious mind of what is going on with my world. That''s it. That''s really it. You are not going to have a better understanding.

    It seems that I am currently living in the world of an eroge. Not reincarnated, not transmigrated, I am a part of it. I was born here by the author and will continue to exist here until the end.

    "I Will Survive With A Harem Ending." Is the name. Quite a direct title, don''t you think?

    I do not know when, how, or why. One day, I just gained the sentience of my own existence. Seeing everything keeps on repeating again and again and again probably contributed a lot.

    The fact that I do not live in a house but some wiggly pencil lines and I have no face but generic hair maybe is another reason.

    I knew from that moment that I was a mob character. A background being who has virtually nothing to do with the main events of the story. Devastated, I was. My life had no meaning. I did not know what to do, or where to go. There was no need for studying or nourishments. There was no need for me to have a house, even. That is why I envy you, those who can hear my voice, of your existence. I would like to feel hungry, sometimes...

    Okay, but enough about me. You are not here to listen to my sadness. You are here because of the cover!

    When you have all the time in the world, you start to pay attention.

    Thus, out of boredom, I could only watch the story unfold in front of my eyes. Wait, I don''t even have eyes. I have a ckened area to represent the eyes, though.

    Every day, I would look at the story being driven forward like a movie. Since my role as a mob character is rarely used, I have all of the time in the world to observe others until my time to shine for a few minutes. I felt like a clown, but what could I do.

    The game is honestly cliche. What would you expect? It is a game that was designed to y with one hand rather than two! When you are ying this game, you are supposed to think with the lower head, not the upper one. Although, the storyline will bring you to an end if you keep doing that.

    Let me exin why.

    There is one male protagonist in the story, Han Som. He is the run-of-the-mill basic beta male, who is extremely indecisive, very typical of games in this genre. ck hair, ck eyes, small body, you know the drill. Being the protagonist, he does not have the brains or the brawn. He does have 2 major good points, though.

    Extreme luck with thedies, and extreme power facing a huge adversary. I will get back to that pointter. Oh, and even though he always says he is in-looking, Han Som is the only guy that has a face in the whole game. I do not.

    I hate the fact that he keeps talking about how he is average and in while he is the only guy that has facial features.

    Any eroge needs loads of heroines. It is not called an eroge so that you could enjoy the music. So of course this one:" I Will Survive With A Harem Ending." has it. By that, I mean ALL the female characters in the story can be conquered. Even the siblings and mothers of the main character. Sweet Home bama, I guess.

    The fact that the author is a pervert makes me want to die, but I can not. I literally can not die unless he wants me to. To this day, I am still alive in the story thanks to my role as an insignificant mob in the main storyline.

    In addition to the current heroines, the author keeps releasing updates every once in a while, making the story even harder toplete with a good ending. I personally feel like my creator is trying to kill off the main character at this point. Not that I care about the main character, but sometimes I feel sorry for what he has to go through.

    To be able toplete the game, Han Som must have sexual intercourse with the five female leads and survive the final confrontation with the dark forces of this world. That is the most basic ending, not the best ending. Only havingpleted the achievement of ''King of the Gigolos'' by impregnating every female character in the game that Han Som could achieve the best Harem Ending. To this day, I have never seen it once.

    On the other hand, I have seen the corpses of Han. Not nice. No.

    The thing is, every single female lead character in this eroge is a psychopath. They do not just have screws loose in their heads, they have the entire engines busted open! Those...yanderes...they scare me...Their eyes are closer to beasts than humans.

    If Han Som is found out having sex with someone else, well, let''s just say that is a bad ending. I do not like gore that much, so I will not say much about it. The only thing I can tell you is that it is exceptionally bloody and messy. The most insignificant death would be decapitation. While the worst I have seen until now is having his dick chopped off, sashimied, and fed to himself while his body is being sliced one piece at a time.

    Truly,ndmines are everywhere in this eroge game. But the worse is not just that.

    Because the protagonist has extreme luck with women, he always always gets into a situation where a sex scene will ur. Imagine dropping your pants down to pee but somehow your member stands up and one girl trips and falls directly onto your penis.

    After everything is said and done, the female leads would burst the door open and kill you on the spot for cheating on them.

    It is that kind of luck.

    In my world, the authority is so weak that you do not have to consider their existence. Still, society is the same as you would have in modern days. They would still talk about morals, like how sisters and brothers or parents and children should not have sex. Yet they will do it anyway. All of that to give the female leads more chances to kill the protagonist as soon as possible.

    This vicious cycle is the reason why Han has never been able toplete the story with the best ending. It would always be virgin Han, then sex, then drama, then death. No other way.

    I do not know what would happen if Han finally reaches the end. However, I guess that the game would reset, and my memories would be set free.

    I would rather die than look at this disgusting drama again and again and again a million times.

    Haaaaaaaa, I''m tired.

 Chapter 2

    Have you ever yed an eroge before?

    I take that most of you either have yed or at least have heard of it. It is fine either way, to be honest since you are reading this, not ying.

    Nheless, this story starts simr to all of those.

    Please let me exin a little about my position in this eroge game once more, before we get into it. My name is literally ssmate C. Not ssmate A or B, but C. Among the characters in ''I Will Survive With A Harem Ending'', the most dispensable is me. Throughout the whole game, I have a few lines of dialogue. My purpose is to deliver murmurs and that is basically it. The rest of which of course belonged to Han Som and his girlfriends. And that ispletely fine.

    I am not the main character, and I have no intention to be like that. Why? Because I do not like having my body dissected by female heroines. Like I told you before, these women are crazy Yanderes. They do not take a third party kindly, and that is the softest way of putting it.

    Trust me, I know. I have been a victim of their massacres...You have no idea how many times I have gotten killed by being curious...

    Enough about me, let us continue with the game itself.

    The eroge opens with a high school scene. I guess that the theme is prettymon nowadays. Our school''s name is called H high. Why? Because H in Japanese is pronounced as hi.

    I do not have to exin what ''hi'' is, right?

    If yes, then you should start reading more educational materials, kid.

    I hear people talking and walking. But I can never make out whatever they are saying. No matter how many times I have heard the same sequence, I can not understand a single word. The developers just put some kind of unintelligible crowd noises in the background.

    And not just that though, the ''people'' walking near the school gate are simply dark shadows. There are no features on them. Well, that is the way of drawing in an eroge. No need to spend so much time on redundant people.

    Thanks to me somehow gaining my own sentience, I could walk inside of the game to different ces as long as I am not interrupting any events. If I do something like that, the game itself will be corrupted and everything will return to its original state. Han Som, the main character, and the rest of the cast will have their memories wiped.

    Fortunately, I think it is because I am so insignificant to the storyline, I am free from that fate. Using this as an advantage, I have noticed a few things about my world.

    It always starts here, with the same people.

    The school gate is the first scene, so it has the school drawn beautifully in the background. You can find the same thing almost everywhere in Japanese eroge. A big rectangr building with a clock tower at the top, some greeneries around the corner, and a tall sakura tree in the middle of the yard. The usual.

    There are many ces in the game where they were meticulously described. Artists will put shaders, colors, and sparkles all over the ce to draw attention. My school is one of them. These locations are like that because they are important to the plot progression.

    On the other hand, the ces with little to no influence will simply be just ck and white lines, just like my house.

    Our first period starts at 8 A.M. I look at the clock tower and see 7:47. That is about the time for the protagonist to arrive at school.

    ording to the plot that I have many times seen, around this time, Han will be apanied to school by his childhood friend, Rachel. By the way, do not judge me. Watching over these people is the only thing I can do in my world.

    Ever since primary school, Rachel has been together with Han. The two live right next to each other. And the fact that Han''s parents are always overseas has made him eat at Rachel''s ce every day. They share everything from having breakfast to sharing the same bus, to studying. Most interestingly, Rachel remembers an oath of getting married to Han back when they started primary school. Of course, Han does not. Nevertheless, Rachel will have that wedding whether he likes it or not.

    I know this because I followed them home in previous attempts. Not going to lie, it felt kind of nice doing something like that. It made me feel like watching a movie.

    What can I do? Geez...There is no real entertainment here besides that!

    This first scene will start with Rachel linking her arms right next to Han lovingly. She has some nice perky breasts, so she will knowingly press them on his body. Since Han is a beta male, the guy will have a beet-red face. In addition, he will talk about people looking at them.

    However, there is only me paying attention to the two at the school gate. The ''people'' he talks about are mere shadows.

    After a while of bickering, Rachel will ask Han about going to bed together for tonight. Once again, since the character is a wimp, he will try his best to deny the offer while blushing, saying that they are too old for that now. To convince Han, Rachel will say something about having nightmares these past few weeks.

    Seeing the main character slightly convinced, she will continue her advance by saying sleeping by his side is the best remedy for her amnesia. In the end, the guy will agree since he is a ''kind'' man. Hearing his approval, Rachel will p her hands merrily and kiss him on the cheek as they go through the school gate to their ss.

    I died once out of curiosity. All of that so that I can tell you that Rachel will **** him while he is asleep. Han will wake up in the act and a romantic rtionship will be formed. That is where you will see the first sex scene.

    As for me, my role is to deliver a ''Good morning'' to them. It is important for immersion.

    "We''re here, Rachel!" ims Han in his uniform: a short sleeve white buttoned-up shirt, dark brown necktie, and light brown trousers. He has a pretty face. I am certainly envious of that face.

    I just do not understand why he wouldin he is in-looking when he is the most handsome guy in the game.

    Why...creator...Why must you hurt me like this?

    At least give me a face, too?

    I look at the blue sky, cursing my father.

    Hm? Something is weird??

    On his right side is Rachel. Not together, just next to.

    She is a cute yet short girl with straight blond hair. Her eyes shine brightly in an aquamarine color and her lips are rosy pink. Rachel wears a tight white shirt but there are a few cutesy chibi animals on it. Still, the most striking thing would be her chest. With the fit being smaller than what she should have, Han can very subtly distinguish her bra shape. In addition, there is a skirt on her waist with a color simr to Han''s trousers but is quite high. It barely hides her pink underwear.

    I am not paying attention to that, though.

    What I am thinking about is the distance between them. Is it a little far? Rachel, get back in there, you are going to have us returned to the beginning again!

    They are not locking arms, either?? Just walking side by side? Is this an error in the game??? A bug, perhaps?

    They should be all lovey-dovey in the morning, yet why is she like this?

    Well, I guess it is going to be reset again. Luckily, this is only the first scene.

    Phew! Did not expect that at all!

    "Rachel? Are you feeling okay? You have been looking quite off since this morning?" Han asks her.

    What? It is still going on? Weird. It should be a corrupted version and should be turned off by now. The dialogue seems unfamiliar to me, also.

    "I''m fine, Han. There''s just a voice in my head, haha."

    Voices in her head? I mean, yeah, she is crazy, but voices in her head? She talks to Han but looks straight at me. Her eyes send shivers down my spine.

    *Murmur*

    Why is it getting louder around me? And why are the shadows getting darker??

    "Don''t take it so hard on yourself! How about you let me do the cooking for dinner today?" Han looks at her full of worries.

    She smiles at him this time. It is clearly not a fake smile. I can feel her love for him emitting from her face. "As a matter of fact, please do. I have to go out this afternoon so just make dinner, okay?"

    It must not be, I am only a mob character. I am practically invisible here, Rachel! This should not be happening. Please, someone, reset the game now!! I do not want to get involved with these people!!

    She turns in my direction and opens her rosy lips. "ssmate C, good morning!"

    I instinctively deliver my line. "Good morning Rachel, good morning Han!"

    Fuck...

 Chapter 3

    Calm down, C. You need to calm down first.

    Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. You need to breathe.

    *Suuuu* *Haaaaa*

    God damn it this is weird. First time ever I have encountered something like this. Why is the script changing? She should not notice me at all! Her eyes should only have Han''s image in there! I was supposed to be the one talking to them first, not the reverse. Out of all the mob, I am even the mobbest!

    Where is the crazy childhood friend? She appears to be just slightly close to Han rather than obsessed with him. This is clearly not how it should be.

    And what about the scene in front of the school gate? The murmur is louder than usual, I can even see the edge of the shadow people now rather than just a blur. Even the ground seems to be in high resolution. Why do I feel like everything is getting more...defined? Argh!! My head is bombarded with questions! This is just ridiculous!

    Although terrified, I need to keep an undisturbed face. Luckily, there is no facial feature on me, so she should not be able to see my expressions.

    But honestly, woman! Stop looking at me! Look at Han, for God''s sake!

    "Hi, C! Good morning! How are you doing today?" Han waves his hand.

    Finally, the main character says something that is in the script. Never have I ever felt such an enormous sense of relief just by seeing the dialogue going how it should be. Thank God!! At least there is one normal person out of us three after all!

    If the game is still not reset at this point, I guess I should follow up with the usual rather than deviating from it. As for Rachel, well, I have no idea how to deal with that stare from her...I will just let her be.

    Try to be normal, C. Just be normal.

    "Hey! Did you do the Math homework? We will submit those today." Like always, I deliver my lines wlessly. I pride myself on perfecting something like that. Even a background character such as me has his ego too, you know.

    "What!!?? Are you kidding me? I thought it was tomorrow!" Han appears to be shocked. "What do I do?" With an over-the-top reaction, he sits down on the ground and color leaves his body. Han then looks at Rachel with expectancy.

    Then, I stay silent since this is the moment for his childhood friend to speak up. Normally, Rachel would be telling him how much of a cker he is for forgetting his homework. Then, she would tell him that she spent all night advising him to study but he just yed video games. Finally, like a doting wife, she would take out one copy of her work and shove it into his face, saying that he has to start writing down the answers.

    Of course, that is if she wants to continue the storyline the normal way rather than continuing the bug in the system.

    "Here, Han. You can copy my homework. No need to get so worked up." Rachel hands Han her already filled homework.

    If I had eyes, they would be bewildered right now.

    That''s it?!

    I mean...that is still the same direction of the script, but somehow I feel weird. There is no doting wife, no loving scolding, just a friend giving another friend their work to copy. If I did not see the maiden in love looks in her eyes, I would have thought they were just normal friends. I feel a weird kind of loss, to be honest.

    *Sigh*

    C, this looks like the theme for now. You should only base the previous tries as a reference, not absolute. Believing blindly in the previous resets is stupid right now.

    Maybe everything will derail from here because of this bug. Is it a good thing or bad thing, I have totally no freaking idea.

    It can be the thing that will finallyplete the game, who am I to say.

    "Thank you, Rachel! You''re a lifesaver!" Han takes the paper from Rachel''s hands and brings them high above his head like a golden prize.

    Looking at him being all over her homework, Rachel puts a soft smile on her face. "Please, our rtionship is way over this courtesy!"

    Finally, she delivers something normal. Stick to your lines, please!

    She is indeed beautiful, I am not going to lie. Her smile in your world can capture any man in less than three seconds. With a quick nce, one would say these two people are going to tie the knot in the future for sure. If this were a slice-of-life visual novel, I would probably be happy with this progression. I do know that in your universe the childhood friend never wins, right?

    ( One exception is a certain blind girl that can use mind control magic? Huh? What am I talking about? What magic? What blind girl? Are we getting sidetracked???

    Wrong novel? Ah. Got it, Creator. Sorry, everyone.

    Back to our story. )

    Her smile is like sunshine, alright. It warms the heart just by looking.

    That is until that smile turns into wickedughter while she cuts his tendons with a kitchen knife. Then, the sunshine smile will be colder than absolute zero. She obviously does not want him moving around that much.

    If I remember correctly, that would be after their first time having sex a few weeks. There is almost no way to live since nearly every choice after that will lead to certain death except for one. To be able to escape that fate, he must have the support of another heroine. She is not here right now, though. The thing is, if Han receives help from the second heroine, he will also set up some death gs. All and all, death is just being dyed temporarily.

    After that greeting, Rachel walks into the school with Han by her side. However, I could feel the intensity of the air around them. Most of that intensity is directed towards me, though.

    "Aren''t you going to get to ss, too? ssmate C?" Suddenly, Rachel turns back at me.

    God...I am scared...

    What do I say now? This is not in my script!

    "In a minute!" I reply.

    Staring straight into my eyes, Rachel follows Han to the ssroom while I just stand there thinking with cold sweats on my forehead.

    So now I have two choices.

    One, follow the main character and his first female lead to ss, continuing the story. This will probably just lead to the death of the main character along the way and I will have to do nothing. It will reset itself and all will turn back to normal, hopefully. The chances of Han living until the end are nearly zero, anyway.

    Second, go somewhere else and wait. That will make the already corrupted game even more corrupted, thus pushing the reset closer. This method is possible but incredibly hard.

    Why, you ask? For some reason, my existence depends on the cast.

    Whenever I am at a ce where Han is not present, my memories will start to be wiped. As if the game can not hold as much due to hardware problems such as RAM, when I am not in his vicinity, I will have my mind erased.

    Trust me, it is not a good thing.

    It is extremely painful. Imagine someone holding a knife and slowly cutting your brain open.

    This is also exactly the reason why I have to look at these people being love birds and even having sex. Back when I started to have my sentience, because I wanted to explore and did not want to be near these people, I went all around the game. Because of that, my memories of that time are gone.

    Now you know why I said I did not know when, how, or why at first.

    I have made my decision. I am going to follow them to ss. You guys will need to read this. There is another heroine in the ssroom. That one is the second heroine.

    As I walk by the sakura tree in the middle of the school, I see it being slightly more lively. Before this current run, the tree has always been stagnant. Even though it was an extraordinary tree, right now, it is different. No more the same old tree every season, its leaves now waver in the wind with different colors and patterns.

    Everything is changing, and I can see that very clearly.

 Chapter 4

    The interior is simr to how most Japanese ssrooms should be. There would be a table for teachers and a ckboard at the front, alongside some chalks. The difference between this ce and your world would be almost all of the students here are shadow people. They are definitely more defined than before, with sharper edges and things like that. Nheless, in the end, they are still shadows. Their sole purpose in this life is to make this ce appears crowded. Nothing more, nothing less. They are technically mannequins in the ssroom to fill up the empty spaces.

    Our ssroom is on the second floor. Not only that, it has windows that allow us to look outside. And by ''us'', I mean the main cast, not me.

    *Rattle*

    "Good morning!" Han pulls the door of the ssroom open. On his other hand is the homework given by his childhood friend.

    Walking behind him is Rachel. She has had quite a disinterested face since our strange encounter this morning. I have heard her saying ''shut up'' very quietly to someone invisible. Imaginary friends at this age? What a crazy woman. Even with this bug, she is still living in madness.

    "Would you please stop talking, C?" She turns back at me, looking irritated.

    Excuse me? I was not even talking! Do not me someone for something they have not done! In fact, I will have you know that I was silent the whole way from the school gate to the ssroom. Because of that, I could understand nothing from you, you lunatic woman!

    Well, she is one of the yanderes, so some quirkiness to her character is understandable. People just love it when the female leads are insane.

    I respect their kinks. Each to their own, I guess.

    "Hey, Han! Hey, Rachel! How are you two doing?" The first one to answer him is ssmate A, his best friend. This guy right here has quite a tragic fate. Somewhere in the future, he will be gutted by his dear sister. Why? Because his sister has been madly in love with the main character since years ago, that is why.

    To my knowledge, it went like this. Knowing Han, ssmate A would be afraid that his sister would suffer. Therefore, he advised her to stop her love. Of course, his sister did not take that so well. Instead of trusting her brother, she thought he was trying to separate them. The only way she could think of was to disembowel her brother. No brother, no obstacles. That was her train of thought. Unfortunately, the happiness she got after the murder did notst long. Soon after a sex scene with Han, she was discovered by none other than Rachel.

    Her abdomen was cut open, and her entrails were used to hang her own neck. ssmate A''s sister''s naked corpse was put onto the sakura tree for everyone to see. On her back were wounds that read "Filthy Whore". Those wounds were probably cut by Rachel''s favorite kitchen knife.

    "Good morning, love birds!" Says ssmate B. This guy is one sly son of a gun since he is the first adversary for Han to ovee. Although he is just a third-rate viin, he will create some problems for Han in the future. ssmate B does not have a yandere event rted to him, but he will introduce the dark forces of this world to Han.

    By the way, these two are better designed than I am. ssmate A and ssmate B have different hairstyles and their own faces. Unlike me, who has to see people without eyes. I will also not get into their looks since we all know you people are here for the girls only.

    "I just realized we were supposed to send in our homework today instead of tomorrow..." As he makes his way to his chair, Han makes a big sigh. "So now I have to start copying Rachel''s! I am ashamed of myself!"

    "Hi! Kurokawa!" He walks past the table of a ck-haired girl who is only reading her book.

    Kurokawa makes a light nod. "Hi, Han! Good to see you, as always!"

    *Stares*

    Rachel''s eyes immediately focus on Kurokawa. Thetter seems unfazed by the intense pressure.

    Her face is totally covered by her bang. There is no way to know what she really looks like. However, her hair is an exquisite ebony color and is silky smooth. Even though her face is not visible, the elegant postures she possesses make it clear that she is not just a pretty girl.

    She is the second heroine. "Book Goddess" Kurokawa. Do not trust her frail-looking body. That girl reads only the most horrifying novels with smiles on her lips.

    Ah! I forgot to tell you guys. Rachel''s title is "Family Rose" Rachel. Because she has thorns, you see. What do you think of my naming skill? Not so shabby, eh?

    ssmate A startsughing upon hearing Han. "You?! Ashamed?! Hahaha! Bwahahahaha!!! Come on, bro. Be real and confess! Did you stay uptest night to y the eroge I gave you?" He looks at the main guy with knowing eyes.

    *Wink*

    Ugh! I am going to throw up.

    "That game is outstanding!" ssmate B nods his head vigorously.

    If everything was the same, Rachel would m the table and curse the two guys for giving Han the game. But I have learned my lesson. She will probably not do something like that. I just need to brace myself for anything absurd.

    *Bam!*

    "So it was you guys! I told Han many times to do his thing, but he was distracted! All of that was because of you two!!" Unexpectedly, Rachel yells while pointing her finger at the two guys.

    Okay, what the fuck? This is exactly how the script is. Are you or are you NOT going to y by the book? Make up your mind already, geez! What are you doing now!?

    And stop looking over here for the love of God! I have not said anything weird! Unlike you, I am devoted to ying my role as a side character, thank you very much.

    As long as you focus on Han, you have my never-ending support.

    To be fair, I guess she behaved how she should have. I would be mad as well if I was in her position.

    "Whoa! Lady! It was Han himself who asked for that game!" His best friend, A, immediately puts his hands up to show his innocence. He knows how scary Rachel can be. There is a backstory where A introduced a girl to Han. After hearing the news, Rachel quickly murdered A''s cat and left the corpse in front of his house as a warning. Fun stuff.

    ssmate B is silent. He knows he should not be talking.

    "Cut them some cks, Rachel! It was my fault for not doing my own practice." Hanes to the rescue before things get any worse.

    "Hmph!" Rachel breaths out from her nose and sits down.

    And that is it for the second scene.

    I feel pretty good now that things are not changing much from the original game. Probably the bug only appeared for a little while? No need to overthink it. I can not do anything to fix this wretched game, anyway.

    Pushing through the shadows, I reach my destination. My table is in the middle of the first row of the ss, by the column. There is nothing much to say about my location. I can not even look out to the corridor due to the wall blocking virtually everything.

    Han''s table, however, is much more interesting to talk about. Just like how the protagonist of an anime should be, his location is right next to the window, looking down the schoolyard with the big sakura tree in the middle. From that position, Han can dreamingly gaze outside. The tree will be spectacr if he can make it to the cherry season. As long as he lives, the floating pink petals of the sakura will be a sight to behold. It is also at this ce that many game events will happen in the future. Han will asionally look out the window when the wind blows. And thanks to that, the heroines will be able to see his "in-looking" face. Their love for him will simply increase on their own just like that.

    Right next to his seat is obviously Rachel, his childhood friend. Since she has to be with him all the time, the author has made it so she will always sit on his right side. Talk about easy plot progression.

    To sum it up, in front of Han is Kurokawa, and on his right is Rachel. On his left is the window showing the whole school. Sooner orter, all the other ces will have Han''s Harem members.

    Sweet dreams are made of this.

    Who am I to disagree?

 Chapter 5

    By the way, I would like to clear up something, in case you readers wonder. I do not harbor any kind of ill will toward this Han. To me, he is but a program. An object to drive the story forward. He does not have a mind of his own, sadly.

    Even though people will be fighting over him, I have not seen the bug affecting Han whatsoever. All-day long, he is still sticking to his lines rather than deviating from them. But then again, everything has been mildly alternated only.

    It makes me think. What if Rachel, who has the bug, does somethingpletely out of the norm. Would Han still be sticking to his lines? Or would he be affected too?

    Frankly, that question may never be answered. When it goes too far from the original script, the game will reset itself back to the first scene. Especially when ites to Han. He is the main character, after all.

    As Han is copying the work of Rachel, both ssmate A and ssmate B stay silent. The childhood friend sits on her chair and twirls her pen out of boredom. In front of Han, the bookworm keeps on enjoying her own book. They do not have any lines right now, and those are also unneeded. Reasons? Please, observe.

    Han takes out some papers and puts his pen on them. Suddenly, his pen moves with such a speed that the normal eye can notprehend. From a couple of nk sheets, lines of words and numbers are filled almost instantly. Strangely, no one pays attention to the urrence. This is not a power, per se. This is merely a fast-forward. Actions that have little to no impact on the story will be skipped.

    Although, I do see a surprised look on Rachel''s face. She seems astounded by what just happened. Hah! What a noob!

    Still, fret not, my dear Rachel. This will happen a lot throughout our story. After all, the author does not have the time to describe everything happening, right? You will have the time to get used to them. Well, if you have some kind of sentience simr to mine, that is. If not, you will not understand what I say, anyway.

    *Stare*

    What!? Why do you keep looking at me? Look at him!!

    Rachel just suddenly turns to stare straight at me! She is having those beastly pupils again! Instead of just the usual blue color, she has a darker, more sinister overtone. Eyes forward, C! Do not make eye contact with that crazydy!

    I remember those eyes quite vividly! She drove her favorite kitchen knife into Han''s chest with them on many past asions. Oh! And in one of them, she was having sex with him, so her lower half was wide open. Rachel was literally opening up her body and his at the same time. I can still remember hiding in a corner watching the scene. Han was bleeding profusely from his wounds, yet she showed no signs of remorse. Crying andughing hysterically, Rachel kept fucking him while breaking Han''s ribcage with the glimmering metal de. I will not get into the details. But I have to say, she really liked the Cowgirl position. And a rough one at that, too.

    *Crack*

    The pen breaks apart due to the childhood friend''s excessive force. Rachel''s hand is quickly dirtied with ink. What a clumsy person. Now you have to clean your hand with your handkerchief. That is called karma!

    *Pft*

    I hearughter! It is very feminine, so definitely not Han''s. There are currently only two girls in the ssroom, and Rachel is already showing me the face of a killer, so probably not hers. Kurokawa?

    *Flip*

    Maybe not her. She is too into her books, anyway. Then whose?! ARGHHH!!! Can this day get any weirder?!

    *Brrr*

    Chills suddenly run down my spine. The air around me suddenly feels freezing. In the corner of my visual field, there is still someone. Ah...Her...I almost forgot she was seeing me as prey...

    "ssmate C, you think of many things at once, right?" Rachel says so coldly.

    How on Earth am I going to reply to that question?! No! What kind of question is that!?

    Just look forward, C. Just look forward. You are a mob. Not even a single word! Your current life depends on this!

    "A yes or no would suffice." She keeps pressing me for an answer.

    I keep my head straightforward, desperately trying to blend in with the environment. I wonder what kind of face she is making? Probably that of a demon. She is a yandere, after all.

    She continues. "Rude!"

    I can feel the heavy tone in her sentence. Han? My guy? Isn''t this the moment you should be stepping in? Pretty please? I can not keep the same look any longer, bro!

    "Done!" The protagonist happily exims.

    THANK THE LORD!!!

    He holds his work up high. The copy has been done wlessly without a hitch. What is left is to submit these when the ss representativees.

    Han turns to his right, smiling brightly. "Here you go, Rachel! Thanks a lot!"

    His childhood friend returns with a smile of her own. "No worries, Han. But you owe me one."

    That attitude waspletely different when she was looking at me. As if she had a personality switch inside her head, Han would never know she had scornful eyes directed at me at one point. That was how she deceived him in all the previous tries until she ended his life.

    "Of course, I will do anything for you!" Han replies with that.

    "Geez~!" Rachel covers her blushing face. "Why do you always have to put it that way!"

    "What do you mean?" The protagonist tilts his head to the side. He seems to not understand why his childhood friend is being embarrassed.

    This is just how his character was designed.

    Kind, wholesome, but clueless and indecisive. Typical for an eroge male lead. Unless the main male character has those qualities, the guy will not be able to make the harem.

    Rachel says nothing but keeps all of her attention on him.

    "Han, you innocent child!" ssmate A shakes his head.

    Han looks at his best friend with confusion. "You, too? What did I do?!"

    His best friendes close and puts an arm on his neck. With a knowing look, he says. "You still have a long way to go, potato head. This is why you are still not having a girlfriend."

    The protagonist sighs. "Who would ever date a guy like me? I am so in I am technically invisible to the girls. How I wish to have a girlfriend..."

    "Are you kidding me?!" His best friend nearly shouts in his ears.

    "What?" Once again, confusion appears on Han''s face.

    A then looks astonished. "You stupid mutt, there are..."

    *Stare*

    Instantly, Rachel sends her murderous gazes toward ssmate A, stopping him frompleting his sentence.

    *Gulp*

    ssmate A struggles to swallow his saliva. I can see cold sweats forming on his forehead. Poor guy. He knows the truth, but he can not tell his best friend. His circumstances are pretty simr to mine, now that I am thinking about it.

    "You know, Han..." Suddenly, the ck-haired bookworm in the front speaks up. "There is a saying about finding love in one of the books I have read. Mind if I tell you?"

    She is lying. Everything Kurokawa has ever read was about sex and murder only. This person has a very particr taste in violence. You see, her elegance and appearance are only a facade. She likes to be dominated.

    A perverted masochist lives deep inside of her soul.

    In one of the bad endings, she liked to be tortured so much that she begged Han to **** and kill her. Imagine the case of Rachel I told you aboutst time but in reverse.

    While having her throat asphyxiated by her love, she opened her legs widely and locked his hip into her. At the same time, they both came, twitching their bodies from pleasure. However, when Han regained his reasoning, the white foam had formed all over her lips. Kurokawa''s ecstatic face was a purple-blue color.

    She was dead.

    "Ah!" Her body abruptly jolts. A cute and surprised voice travels through the ssroom.

    *Rips*

    Did I just hear a paper ripping sound???

    "As expected from Kurokawa!" Han nods his head. "Intelligent as always." He does not notice anything strange, as expected.

    The bookworm closes her book. I swear I just saw a ripped piece of paper.

    Hey! Wait a minute?

    She has been holding her book upside down all this time??? How was she reading?

    So the bug has gotten hold of Kurokawa, as well. This feels like one of those pre-order games...

    "Oh, please! You are ttering me too much. The saying is Look no further than your Line of sight." She gently puts her book into the bag at the side of her table.

    Han''s current Line of sight is directly at Kurokawa. The girl told him he should be aiming for her if any of you guys did not get it.

    Good, good. Everything is going ording to the story. It should be Rachel''s turn to attack.

    "Oh! Is that it?"

    Yas. Queen. Go for it. Get your man!

    FIGHT!!!

 Chapter 6

    After wiping her hands clean, Rachel puts her blue ink-stained handkerchief away. Then, supporting herself with a hand on the table, she gives Kurokawa a piercing look. She looks like a queen in this pose.

    "I beg your pardon, Kurokawa?"

    YES! YES!!! I just love how everything goes ording to the schedule. Not going to lie, but the striking posture is stunning and powerful. Other than the fact that she is a nutcase, Rachel is indeed a true beauty beyondparison. No matter how many times I have seen her, I still can not help butpliment her looks. Inside my head only, of course. I do not want to mess up the game, duh!

    Wait a moment? I think she is turning a bit red? Is she that mad already?

    I know I have been saying this over and over again. And probably some of you are already bored. Still, STRANGE!!!!

    It should not be like this! There is absolutely no doubt Rachel is crazy! However, there is a build-up for every character in the game. If the female leads behave as deranged psychopaths at the start, there will be no development in this eroge!

    "Oh? I thought that I made myself pretty clear?" Kurokawa nonchntly replies.

    "I''m sorry. I did hear you say gibberish. Isn''t that right, ssmate C?" Rachel turns at me, who is sitting at the edge of the ssroom, minding my business.

    What do you want now?! Do not bring me into your mess!

    Now that she shows me her face, it is not totally raging red. The red color is mostly on her ears, while it only blushes on her cheeks. Rather than anger, it looks more like embarrassment.

    Weird.

    Weird, weird, weird!

    "Hey, C! Hello? I. Am. Talking. To. You!" She calls out to me again, stressing every word as if I had trouble hearing.

    Hah! Do I look stupid to you, Rachel? I have no lines to deliver here, so you people can enjoy your bugs alone. Thank you very much. Muchas gracias!

    As a mob in this world, I have to always remember one sentence.

    Eyes forward, dick downward.

    That is thew of this world that I learned. After many times of having knives in my face and my dick chopped...

    "You do look pretty stupid right now, C." She stares at me, looking all disappointed.

    God fucking damn it, Rachel...

    Why must you hurt me...

    This bug keeps giving me emotional damage. If I had eyes, I would have cried a river.

    Fortunately for me, Kurokawa jumps in to save my tiny ass.

    "Leave ssmate C out of your shenanigans, Rachel. What did you mean by gibberish?"

    What a kind girl she is! I would have fallen in love with her if the circumstances were different.

    "L-Love!!??"

    What are you bbering?? Where is the elegant girl?

    "N-nothing!"

    The bug is messing up with the audio now...

    She is a massive masochist, alright. Within her heart is darkness unfathomable to themon man.

    However, Kurokawa is also one of the few characters who do not try to kill everyone else. The bookworm wants herself to feel that pain rather than to deliver that. She was actually the one who forced Han to create the harem since it gave her the mental pain she craved.

    Kurokawa wanted to see her lover fucked other women while she watched. Plus, she wanted to hear himpliment other people and degrade her like a pig.

    *Piiiii*

    I swear to God, I saw her eyes lit up right there!

    Even when her bangs are covering half of her face, I could still see shes of her cheeks.

    Kinda pink? The tips of her ears are red, too.

    What is up with these people today?

    "On second thought, C, how about you help Rachel answer the question?" Kurokawa turns toward me.

    Eh?

    Rachel quickly follows with a sadistic smile. "That is actually a great idea. I wonder if the ever so quiet ssmate C has any interesting insights in our discussion."

    Eh?

    Excuse me? What did I do to you people?

    "I know that ssmate C is very talkative despite your quiet appearance." Kurokawa ims.

    Um? Hello? This is the start of the game! Even if we are halfway through it, the interaction between us two will never be more than a few lines of dialogue. How on Earth did you jump to that conclusion!?

    "That is something that I can agree with you, Kurokawa." Rachel nods.

    Why aren''t you two talking to that guy?! Isn''t Han your future lover/ victim? Stop this madness already!

    Kurokawa shows a slight smile on her face. "Oh, Rachel. I did not ask for your opinion!"

    "Don''t worry, I don''t really care." Rachel returns immediately.

    By the way, since he finished his work, Han has been oddly silent. Is this because no one is paying him any attention?

    It makes sense, honestly. Han is the main character, so if the female leads and the side characters are not interacting with him, he must be stagnant.

    Not good! Not good at all! The bug is not affecting his character.

    He needs to follow the storyline and conquers these demons ASAP.

    Do I need to give him a kick or something?

    Oh, well! Having this current game reset is better than facing these monsters!

    I will probably have to be a supporting character rather than just a mob...

    Tired...I am so tired...

    "Han, I remember you have to cook for Rachel today. Do you know what you are going to do?" Let''s go with this.

    Kurokawa will be put aside at the moment. She does not have a good rtionship with Han yet, so I do not have to include her. We still have many chances in the future.

    I have never done something simr, so there is a pretty high chance of failure.

    Please,dies, I am trying my best here. If you keep staring at me like that, I will die from sheer pressure, seriously!

    "Oh! That! Hmm...I am still not so sure." Han starts to get out of his daze.

    YESH! Yes! This is working somehow.

    Then I need to continue.

    Keeping a normal voice, I give him a suggestion. "Why don''t you ask Rachel herself?"

    She asked you to make dinner this morning, then just go and ask her! How freaking clueless can you be? There should be a limit to dullness!

    My head hurts...

    "Ah! I''m so stupid!"

    Yes. Yes, you are.

    Han turns to his right. "What do you want for dinner tonight, Rachel?"

    "Anything is fine." She smiles at him. "As long as you make it, I am already the happiest woman on Earth!"

    Hearing that, Han blushes slightly.

    Disgusting.

    "Then I will make your favorite: Mac and Cheese!"

    Dumb ass! That is YOUR favorite dish!!!

    I forgot that he knows absolutely nothing about this girl...poor Rachel...

    His thickheadedness never ceases to amaze me, honestly. From the beginning to the end of the game, he has always been pushed around because of his indecisiveness. Because of this reason, he never really had the chance to get to know the heroines.

    Probably that made it very hard for Han to finally win.

    Still, Rachel ps her hands in happiness. I can hardly see any hint of difort on her face.

    She is so devoted to him already.

    "Yay! I am so ready for dinner tonight!"

    No. Han needs to try harder if he wants to stay alive. At least give him something difficult. This kind of leniency is damaging to your rtionship!

    "Why don''t you guys have orange chicken for dinner? I have heard that dish is bing a trend."

    Orange chicken is what she likes, Han. Remember that, my boy.

    "Oh yeah! C is right! Why don''t we do that?"

    It is not toote to save him.

    "As long as you make it, I will eat anything and everything!" Rachel blossoms.

    Alrighty, everything is back on track!

    He will make her dinner, and she will help him prepare it. They will be like a newlywed couple,ughing and joking around throughout the cooking scene. After a heartwarming dinner, they will go to bed together. It will be then that Rachel finally jumps on his lower half.

    *Ba-dump*

    My lonely heart feels painful...

    Still, he needs to strengthen his rtionship with Kurokawa as well. She is the second heroine that will help him escape the first death g.

    How do I make this work now? Hmm. It is hard to make Rachel ept Kurokawa...

    Let''s think about it tomorrow. Her scene is still far away.

    "Why don''t you join our dinner, C?"

    Why don''t you fuck my ass too, Rachel?

 Chapter 7

    What does she want, honestly? Isn''t having someone else over annoying for their private time together?

    I just can not understand the logic behind her words. Rather than a bug, I somehow feel like I am speaking to a person. This needs to be researched deeper ASAP!

    I have a bad feeling about this...

    Nevertheless, for now, I must decline! I have no idea what she is nning. Also, what can I, a mob, do while you two y the newlywed couple game? I get envious, too, you know...

    Even I want someone to take care of me. Of course, that person should not be simr to you girls!

    "I''m busy this evening." That is what I am going to use. A rather simple excuse, I must say.

    Maybe a bit too simple.

    I think I fucked up... Even a child would be able to counter that excuse.

    Han drops down on his table. "Really? Bummer. I was looking forward to your cooking, C!"

    What do you know! The density of this guy must have created a ck hole on its own. Now that I am thinking about it. That...sounds...oddly like he is talking to his heroine...

    Please let this be just a one-time thing! Please, Creator!

    Rachel''s aquamarine eyes gleam at me, unsatisfied by my answer. Why would she be...

    "Oh? Too bad, then. I thought that we could discuss a few things."

    Phew, not that bad! At least she did not ask me why I was busy. Usually, I just stick to my role, so it is difficult for me to make things up.

    Rachel, between you and I, there is nothing to discuss! Please, just go home with your childhood friend! And good luck gettingid! The first time always hurts so remember to lube it up, girl.

    I have a little sense of aplishment after that. They are back on the right track. So I will simply step away from this role as a supporting character.

    "No, no, no! ssmate C. That won''t do!" Rachel shakes her head all of a sudden. Her eyes are still focusing on me. "We need you because it looks like you know the trend better than we do! I don''t know the taste of orange chicken. Isn''t that right, Han?" She then tosses a look at the main character.

    This is what I get for keeping the storyline to the original? Han Som, my boy, my Lord, show some backbone, man... Do not let Rachel push you around like this...

    The guy answers with. "Yeah! That''s true, C! We still don''t know how to make it yet! Why don''t youe and show us?"

    How on the God damn Earth did youe to that conclusion!!??? Why did you not invite your best friend ssmate A but me!? I absolutely will NOTe to your ce! Awaiting me is probably nothing but death!

    Sometimes I feel like everything is falling apart. Well, maybe just today, but still! Han is not thinking straight, the side characters are not doing anything, and the first heroine is dead focused on me! Can it get any worse?

    "Ehem! There is a recipe online that you can just search it. The dish is not that hard to make."

    I swear to God I have delivered more lines than even Han himself today! My head hurts just from thinking about how to solve this crap. If there were a hospital in this world, I would go, genuinely.

    Maybe I have a tumor or something. That does not sound bad at all. A brain tumor would be a blessing at this point. I can finally be far from all these people, far away from these psychopaths.

    "Rachel, can''t you see you are bothering other people?" Tapping lightly on her table, Kurokawa joins in the conversation.

    A beautiful ck-haired saint finally shines down her warming light to defend me.

    Are you an angel? I know she is talking about the whole ss, not just me. But in my case, where everyone is a bunch of shadows except the main cast, I feel like she is talking directly to me.

    "Excuse me, Kurokawa. Please return to your books. Us Three..." Stressing the word ''three'' very hard, Rachel squints her blue eyes. "...are not asking for your participation." Her sentence is almost like a grunt.

    Unfazed by Rachel''s aggression, Kurokawa softly smiles. "I just heard C declined your offer just now. Isn''t that right, C?"

    I vigorously nod. That is what I call ''kind''.

    "And you tell me you are not bothering other people, Rachel?"

    You must be an angel sent from above, dear Kurokawa! You are here to save my poor soul! I can even hear a choir singing majestically behind your back. It must be nice having your own BGM all the time.

    "Even if I am bothering other people, it is still not your business, isn''t it?" The atmosphere starts to change around Rachel. I can feel the gravity slowly increase. Metaphorically, of course. Even from a distance, I can still feel the heat emitting from her.

    "I don''t need your permission to do anything, Rachel. Please remember that. I do what I feel is right! Look at you forcing others to do what you want. Have you no shame?!"

    Niceeback, Kurokawa!

    Her ears are getting a bit red, though. Hmm. I wonder why? Anger, I presume.

    Oops? She covers her ears already. Her hands just cuffed them gently. That was pretty cute.

    Han also joins in the conversation. "H-hey guys! Don''t get so worked up! We are ssmates!"

    He has a troubled face, sweating and waving his arms around to get the girls'' attention.

    You would think that his action was meaningless. In reality, it is not. See, the female leads'' "obsession" will only be activated after the first intercourse. This means, at least for now, they will not be violent. Remember, we are still at the beginning of the game.

    "If C is busy, we should leave him be. There are many other chances to be together."

    After Han''s desperate call for peace, the two girls sit down. The bickering has seemed to stop thanks to his intervention.

    I would say that this interaction was a little too early. Usually, Kurokawa would not have such an influence at this point in the game. Her rtionship with Han is probably still in its earliest stage. So having her face off the powerful childhood friend is a little risky, especially when Rachel is about to get her "yandere" power tonight.

    But heck. Everything has gone down the hill since this morning. I should only use the past as a marker.

    I will be an idiot if I keep thinking about the story fixing itself.

    *Stare*

    I can feel Rachel''s violent gaze on my nk face. It is indeed forceful. Hah! Look all you want! Since I have no facial expressions, you will get bored at some point.

    As for Kurokawa, her red ears could be because she read my thoughts and felt embarrassed by mypliment.

    Pfffft. HAHAHAHAHAHA! Ridiculous! As if something like that would happen.

    It is already hard to gain consciousness, and mind-reading abilities, too? C, you are getting it way over your head. Perhaps that made-up brain tumor is messing up with your thoughts.

    *Swish*

    Both Rachel and Kurokawa look at me very weirdly.

    What?

    Suddenly,...

    *Rattle*

    The ssroom door opens, and a girl walks in. If one were to meet her the first time, they would notice her yellow ribbons on both sides of her head. She has long and luscious chestnut hair, making the already feminine figure of her body even more dignified. Her pupils are a dark brown color that shines brightly like marbles. But the looks of them are very stern. On her right arm is a yellow band that says: ss Representative.

    In short, she is a graceful member of society, our current ss Rep, Laura.

    Hugging some documents in her chest, the ss Rep makes her way to the pedestal.

    "Please submit your Math homework!"

    She is the first death g. Her disappearance will start the main plot of the story.

    Although Laura is an innocent girl, she will die at the hands of Rachel. If I remember correctly, she was murdered by her own paper-knife.

    Not by cutting her wrist, nope. That is sost year!

    Rachel forced her to eat it whole.

    Read it again, I said eat, didn''t I? She had to put the paper-knife inside her mouth, chew it, and swallow. Quite a brutal way of killing someone, for sure!

 Chapter 8

    After the announcement, Lauraes down to each table to get the homework. The shadow people then hand her pieces of blurry paper while remaining silent. Only the main cast has actual sheets with words and numbers on them.

    Talk about a different treatment!

    While she was getting the assignments, Kurokawa and Rachel stared at Laura like crazy. The poor side character did not react to them since it was not in her script. She maintained a dignified aura the whole time. It seemed the ss rep was unaffected by the roaming bugs in this game. Just let the girl do her work, people! She has only a couple of days left!

    Lucky that she is not being affected by the bug. I would have no idea leading her to her death if that was the case. It hurts my fragile conscience. But honestly, what are the odds of having the same bug the third time? Right guys?

    Are you with me?

    No?

    Okay...I will remember this!

    Why would they be looking at her, anyway? She should not have made an impression as a love rival for them yet.

    To be honest, I kind of like her. Even though she only appeared for a short while, she did not deserve to be killed off like that.

    "Assignment?" Shortly after, she is next to my table. Her brown eyes stare at me like scanners.

    I am not your test subject, Laura. Scanning me!? This is not the check-out at Walmart!

    There is a particr look on her face that I can hardly describe.

    Hmm. Is it Curiosity? Seriousness? Doubt?

    Maybe all of the above? Argh! I got nothing!

    Wait a second? Did she just talk to me?

    "What''s the matter? Surprised?"

    I thought you were a side character?? Still, I have no need to reply to her and just give her my blurry paper stack. No matter how much I pity this girl''s life, I should focus on the story first.

    Laura takes the sheets from me, makes a final nce at my beautiful featureless face, and goes back to her seat. There will be a shadow teachering in and taking the assignmentster.

    *Rattle*

    There it is.

    "Please stand up, everyone!" Laura does her job as the ss representative.

    "Good morning, Mr. OOO." Han says his greetings, and the main cast follows.

    The shadow teacher walks toward the pedestal and nods. Everything it says and writes on the board from this point is beyond my normal senses. I can not understand a single word. I can only guess the context by the sound it makes.

    This concludes our morning scene.

    From this moment until lunchtime, there is no event. That is why we can take our time to think of our next steps.

    Let''s talk about how Laura died in the meantime. Because like I said, her death will be the opening to the whole main plot.

    So! After the first time Han and Rachel slept together, their rtionship changed drastically. From being clingy and touchy, she became paranoid. No matter the gender, she hated it when Han talked to other people. Men, women, LGBTQLMNOP, helicopters, whatever, as long as they got in between her and her lover, Rachel felt disgusted by them.

    In the beginning, she was still not that violent. But gradually, Rachel became a true monster worthy of the name Yandere.

    She wanted to keep Han for herself, and all of his attention must be for her and her alone. Never again did Han have his private moments. Unless he was doing number two, she had to be with him. Rachel went as far as holding his member and cleaning it with a blowjob after he was done peeing. Isn''t that just absurd or what?

    Then, on an ordinary day, after seeing him making jokes with the ss rep and Kurokawa, Rachel felt she needed a guarantee.

    The first thing that changed inside her was that she started carrying a kitchen knife. Everywhere.

    In her own words: "You never know when you will need it."

    When Han requested her to put it at home, she would reply: "This is a safety measure, darling!"

    Oh, I forgot to mention. After sex, Rachel started calling him darling as well.

    Han disagreed with that kind of answer, of course. In fact, he felt a little scared by Rachel sharpening her knife every day. Still, after a rough sex scene, he obliged.

    Men...

    At this point, the premise of the first death g event was almost done. What we needed was only a cause.

    That cause was Laura''s beauty.

    In the school, there was a big bully. I will give you guys two seconds to guess who that bully was interested in.

    You would be correct if you said Rachel''s name. If not, better luck next time! Come again!

    Jokes aside, the difference in attitude between Rachel and Han gave it away. People started suspecting whether or not ''something'' happened. They kept disappearing at lunchtime, probably doing Kamasutra positions somewhere in the school. However, rather than going around and asking for clues, the bully confessed to Rachel straight up. If that is not bravery, I do not know what is. This is a yandere that we are talking.

    He almost had a kick in the nuts, though... It was so close I could feel the pain myself!

    You should be able to figure out who stopped who. A hint for you: the person who did it was a female student. Oops, sorry! A violent female student should be better.

    *Shudders*

    What the heck!! I suddenly have goosebumps all on my left side!

    Rachel is not paying attention to the teacher nor looking at Han''s cute sleeping face!

    She is once again focused on me with beastly eyes.

    What did I do to you?!

    I shift my gaze a little, and I can see Kurokawa lying on her desk while holding her stomach with the other hand. Her body twitches in irregr intervals. I have no idea if she isughing hysterically underneath or having seizures. Both, even. Who knows!

    These girls, man...They are so messed up...

    I feel so lucky to be outside of their game! Han Som, my guy. Good luck with your conquest. You will have to grow a lot to be the Harem lord!

    Where were we with the death g again?

    Ah! The nut-crushing part!

    Even when Rachel clearly rejected him to that extent, the school bully still did not give up. He woulde back for the second confession and then the third time, then the fourth. Rejection after rejection, he was an immovable wall. His mental power was clearly beyond me.

    I mean, that was the script. But you get what I am saying, yeah?

    For the fifth time, also known as thest time, he came to our ss to confess. Unfortunately for him, Laura did not let him in.

    I will spare you the details because it was so cringy I nearly died. Imagine having a spoiled brat not getting toys. It was simr.

    Things like "Do you know who I am?!" or "You will regret this if you don''t step away!!" were all over the conversation.

    Because of Laura''s intervention, he could not get to Rachel. All of the previous disappointment, rage, and humiliation he got from his crush was dumped on Laura.

    Shouting "Fuck you, you bitch!", he left with his minions, plotting a heinous crime against the ss rep.

    On the same day, the bully and his minions were stalking Laura. Since she was the ss representative, she had to do extra student council work. Taking advantage of this, they waited for her.

    Then moment she returned to our empty ssroom, they caught her. With no mercy, the bullies grabbed Laura by the end of her hair and dragged her to the most empty location of the school. The storage room.

    They were nning to r*** her and film the whole thing as an act of revenge.

    *Rattle rattle*

    Who drops their pencil case? Things are just getting to the worst part! Do not cut my train of thoughts like that!

    Oh, it''s Laura.

    Sorry, keep going, ss rep.

    Her face is a little pale. Poor girl. Are you cold? You must be. Your hands are shaking because of it! Get something warm to wear tomorrow, okay?

    At the beginning of my consciousness, I tried to save her a few times. I really did! Sadly, anytime I did it, the game would just reset itself. She could not be helped by me.

    I died a couple of times trying to do so, too! I was just not her destiny.

    Her destiny was to be saved by that guy sleeping on the desk over there, by the window. That is her fate.

    When she was stripped butt naked by the guys, Han stormed in.

    It looked like he was just finishing up his club.

    With overwhelming strength, he quickly immobilized the bullies. He saved Laura from losing her virginity to some ugly bastards just in time.

    Han took his shirt off to cover her naked body, revealing his nicely toned abs, unfit for a guy his age. This put a red blush on Laura''s face.

    Coincidentally, Rachel was not there. She was out buying groceries all of a sudden.

    Adrenaline in Laura''s blood was high, and the suspension bridge effect was at its peak potential.

    "I love you!" She said, giving him a kiss on the mouth.

    Another sex scenemenced.

    Remember Han''s luck with women? This is it.

    After the intense sex, Rachel came in and saw everything. Immediately, Han was pushed away.

    "This is a girl''s thing. She needs someone tofort her right now. Darling, you just head home first, okay?" Rachel told him that. The guy was guilty of his wrongdoing, so he listened to her.

    "O-okay! Please, take care of her! I-I''m sorry for this, Rachel..." He bowed down to her.

    "Don''t worry, darling. We can talk about this at hometer!"

    After that, she took Laura with her and prepared the punishment of eating the paper-knife I told you about. Rachel was manicallyughing at Laura''s hellish suffering.

    That night, Han was killed. I will remind you if you forget. His childhood friend was fucking him while opening his body with the kitchen knife.

    She was showered in both cum and blood.

    Quite a scene, I must say.

    Quite a spectacr scene!

 Chapter 9

    That is the first death g. Pretty brutal, if I do say so myself.

    I look towards Laura, who is just trying to write down the rubbish things on the board. For real, though, she is gorgeous!

    The way she diligently notes down everything,bined with her chestnut hair slowly swaying together with the motion of her slender body, is simply out of this world. Her eyes are intensely focused on the shadow teacher in front of her. Not a hint of distraction exists on her charming face.

    Serious, straightforward, speaking her own mind, that was her personality. The poor girl got killed because of it.

    This is just between us, but I used to have feelings for her. Who wouldn''t? Maybe I even like all the female characters in the game. After all, I have seen only them all my life. If I had no emotions while surrounded by beautiful girls, I would have been pretty gay.

    My feelings are definitely not love, though. Do not get me wrong.

    *!!??*

    I feel someone looking at me! My arms have goosebumps all over them!

    Who''s that?! I turn my head towards the gaze and see both Rachel and Kurokawa sending res over to my side of the ss.

    What is up with you two again!? No matter what you are thinking, please, stop!

    As if they can hear my voice, they turn their faces straight to the board again.

    They can not hear my voice, can they?

    Can they...

    I am a little scared thinking my inner thoughts are read by those girls...

    *Ehem!*

    Let''s get back to Laura''s case. We should not be sidetracked all the time. Those crazydies can do whatever they want. I do not even give a damn!

    If I could divert the ss rep''s tragedy, I would. Sadly, no matter how hard I tried, the game always reset itself.

    I will tell you about this one time I tried to cancel her tragic fate.

    When I did itst time, it ended badly for both of us. Firstly, please note that the ss rep never paid me any attention. There was no interaction between us, just like in the original script. Only I, with my sentience, was remembering the times she died.

    When Laura was being forced to the ground by the bullies, I stormed in to save her. The location was the ssroom instead of the storage room. The reason was I wanted to help her as soon as possible. Rather than waiting, no way I would look at her being dragged away like a used rug.

    I was waiting for the game to reset the whole time.

    By the way, the time for a reset is never stable. It can be immediately or after a while. The moment of reset depends on the system if it finds an error or not. Just so you know.

    Three bullies were attacking Laura. Two wereughing and saying filthy things to Laura, and the other was pulling her hair, yanking it. It was clear to me who had the lead of that team. It was the guy who Laura confronted, the one who was in love with Rachel.

    The ss representative was lying on the cold floor and crying uncontrobly. It was probably excruciating being held like so. She did not beg, however. Even in this type of scenario, she still kept her morals high.

    I admired her a lot for that.

    "RUN NOW!!!" I screamed from the bottom of my lungs, trying to distract the bullies. In my hands was the knife I stole from Rachel''s house.

    At that point, I was deliberately messing up the storyline for my own good. The game would reset because of my action. I knew that but did not care so much, though. As long as I could save Laura even just once, I would be satisfied.

    Laura''s eyes lit up with anticipation.

    "What the fuck?" The three bullies saw me with my weapon.

    Let''s call the one in love with Rachel: Bully A to make it easy. The other two can be Bully B and Bully C, respectively.

    Bully A was clearly shaken upon seeing the knife in my hands. Although he was simr to me, having no facial features, he definitely was ufortable. The other two were also the same.

    "Put the fucking knife down!" He shouted.

    I said nothing in reply. Unlike Han, who had dormant power inside him, I did not. He could fight against three bullies because he was the main character. If I were to do the same, I would have been a massacre.

    Rachel''s knife was the only method for me to defend myself.

    Clenching tight what was in front of my chest, I charged in. The light shed from its polished sides.

    "Fucking prick!" Even though they were alert, they were by no means afraid of my presence.

    I will spare myself the humiliation of describing the fight because it was one-sided. I had no prior experience in fighting, while the other three were known bullies. My background was a student, and they were delinquents. There was also a huge difference in physique and numbers between them and me.

    Quickly after my headless charge, they were able to dislocate my arm and took the weapon off my hand.

    *Chik*

    Not an ounce of remorse, they then stabbed me in the chest and defiled Laura in front of my face.

    Smiling from ear to ear, Bully A said: "You like this bitch so much, eh? Then why don''t we put on a nice show for you to see?"

    I could see her apologetic look as she struggled her best to fight back. As for me, I was gargling on my own blood. The crude smell of iron was nothing that I could ever get used to.

    Sadly, my consciousness did not fade that fast. After the three bullies were done, they killed Laura using the knife lodged in my chest.

    Her body was cut down beyondprehension.

    All that for an act of revenge. Yet that was mostly on me.

    I made it happen.

    I gave them the knife. I charged in. The ss representative did not have the chance to confess to Han to confess her affection.

    Her body was r**** because of me. Laura''s virginity was not given to Han as in the script, but to those bastards.

    Even when I tried again and again, it was still the same.

    Ten, twenty, a thousand, I lost count of the trials I did to change the script. Many times, I sacrificed my life to save her. Many times, I tried to kill the bullies before it happened...

    None worked.

    The ss rep was destined to die horribly.

    *Crick* *Riiiip*

    The tip of Laura''s pencil breaks as she is writing. However, her hand keeps on moving and pressing down, ripping a whole page of her notebook.

    What is up with you, Laura? Calm down, girl!

    Since she was a side character, she did not have the time to develop her yandere tendency that fast. I understand everyone else needed room to grow, but she needed a lot. I would say she had the weakest yandere stats currently.

    In addition, she was nothing like the other girls that I had seen. Facing death, she was still showing me kindness.

    It gave me a feeling that she was not in love with Han. The poor girl was only being controlled by this wretched game.

    This is why her death was both untimely and underserving.

    *Shake*

    I can see her body shivering from the cold. I will close the window once there is a break.

    If I can not bring her happiness, I will at least make it so that she can enjoy the present.

    I am sorry, Laura... I tried...

    I would rather see you die at the hands of Rachel after confessing your love to Han. The mental stress of making a mistake and driving you to your death has left me with a huge scar, unable to healpletely.

    They said it right.

    Be quiet and let people wonder if you are dumb or do something to make your stupidity known.

    *Plop*

    Laura drops her eraser.

    "Excuse me!" She makes an excuse to the shadow teacher. The shadow makes a small nodding gesture.

    After that, she stands up and walks toward me.

    Hey! It is over there. I just saw it dropping over there.

    Her chocte eyes maintain their focus on me. And I swear the two female leads over there are also looking!

    Go back to your seat, Laura!

    Kurokawa, Rachel! Stop staring at me!

    "I think I drop something under your chair!" The ss rep says.

    You dropped something, and it is over there near the board!

    If she keeps staring at me like this, I will seriously shrink due to sheer pressure!

    "Would you mind standing up?"

    Yes. Yes, I would...

 Chapter 10

    Whatever you do, do not say anything, do not move, do not act, C!

    Laura seems infected by the bug already, and I need to staypletely still. Simr to Rachel and Kurokawa, she is acting out of the norm.

    Not good. Not good at all!

    Where is the origin of the bug? How is it affecting everyone like this?

    Nevertheless, I must try to y my part from this point forward. When I have the time, I will try to find out what is happening.

    As of right now, the event of Han and Rachel is already closed, so it should not deviate too much. What I need to do is to survive the next couple of hours until the end of the sses. That should be fine for today.

    So!

    Sit tight, hold still, try to pretend you are a dummy, C!

    I can not hear you, Laura.

    I am in my ultimate Zen state.

    *Ohm*

    *Ohm*

    Like a statue, yeah!

    "Please reply, C. Don''t be like a statue like that." Laura gets closer to my face.

    The distance between us is less than half an arm. Thanks to that, her beauty is ever so near to me. Her long and luscious eyshes, clear chocte eyes, and every feature on her face are just so well designed. I lost myself for a second there!

    Please do not call me a pervert, but she smells so nice! Even without a nose, I can still sense her pleasant fragrance. It is a lightly sweet scent that makes me feel peaceful.

    AAAAAH! Wait, wait, wait, Laura!!

    Too close! Too close!!! This is too bad for my heart!

    "I guess that was a little close, excuse me." She says with a hint of red slowlying to her ears as she withdraws back.

    Seeing her face getting further away, I feel a sense of loss... I mean, I do like to be so close to her like that, but I guess she can never be something special to me.

    No, that should be in reverse. It is I that can never be special to Laura.

    Han, you lucky bastard!

    That said, friend, no need to switch ces, though. I am perfect with where I am, thank you very much! You just go and have fun with your psychopathic girlfriends. I do not mind that at all.

    More importantly, Laura, how can you say what I am thinking about!? Do you have telepathy?

    This is abnormal! Her blush is also strange.

    On second thought, why is everyone blushing today?

    "Do you like me getting close or not?" Laura suddenly attacks me with a strange question. "You have been acting very weird!"

    You are the weird one!

    *Bam bam* *Kuha*

    Hey! Kurokawa! Rachel! The two of you! Why are you hitting the desks like that!? You are still in ss. Look up to the teacher, at least.

    I am about to pee in my pants here!!! And you people are having fun giggling over there? Sheez...these girls...

    "I know you can hear me. Would you please stand up? I need to get my eraser."

    But it is literally UNDER YOUR CHAIR, GOD DAMN IT!

    She is not letting me go. I think I need to reply with something or else she will stand there for the whole day. That is just the type of person she is.

    "Um, Laura? I don''t think it dropped here. Why don''t you try looking under your desk?"

    "No. I''m pretty sure it went somewhere near your ce."

    This stubborn girl...

    "Then how about you go back to your seat. I''ll look for it, then return it to youter?" I try to make her return. Maybe she will see it when she is walking.

    "I would rather not bother you with such a trivial thing."

    Of course, Laura. Of course...

    "C, we are still in ss, after all. I just need you to stand up for a second. That''s it. I will repay you for your troubleter." Laura looks straight at my face and says with a pleading voice.

    Why would she behave like that? I am not doing anything for her, aren''t I? The interactions between the two of us in the previous tries were nearly zero. She never had eyes on me.

    Really, what is she thinking about making a scene in the middle of the ss like this? This is not her!

    Man, I wish I could have a mind-reading ability.

    *Sigh*

    Okay, Laura. You win. I do not know what you are trying to pull here, but you got it. I will stand up from my seat. Look at everything you want, and see if I am correct or not.

    "Give me a second to stand up, ss rep."

    She smiles at me heartily. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

    "No problem."

    There is no need to thank me for that much. Though, somehow I feel like Laura is not thanking me for standing up.

    While standing near my ce to wait, I turn my head at Han''s ce and see two of his female leads staring at the two of us. The bookworm and the housewife,...

    Mind your own business!

    After about a minute of looking, Laura finally stands up from my desk.

    "It probably did not roll over here. Thanks again! You''ve been a great help!"

    I have seen your eraser, pal. It is a rectangr one! How on Earth is it supposed to roll!!!!

    "As I said, no problem, ss rep." I sit back down on my chair.

    Peace atst! Go on, go back to your ce in the top row of the ss. Observe carefully this time. The eraser is not far from you, dear.

    Just as I am about to breathe a sigh of relief, Laura turns her head back to me.

    "I understand that I have been a bother, but can I ask you a favor?"

    Really, Laura? Really?

    The shadow teacher is drawing weird symbols on the board, and you go around asking for a favor?

    Do I even have the chance to say no?

    "Please, C. This is important!" Once again, she asks for my help.

    I nod my head.

    "Stay in ss after lunch. That is what I am asking for. Could you help me with that?"

    I nod my head again.

    "I know you would not decline. Wait for me when the school bell chimes, okay?" She looks delighted all of a sudden.

    Nod.

    It is the same head movement. Nothing too extravagant. I just bobble my head up and down like a doll.

    In my head, however, there is aplete mess. It feels somewhat simr to an explosion that has taken ce in my mind, sting away every thought.

    I-is t-this a-a-a...lunchtime d-da...date?!!!

    It is, isn''t it?

    It must be. If not, what else could it possibly mean? There is nothing to do in my world other than watching Han flirt with his girls, so I may be a little slow in this regard.

    Today I have received so many firsts. Even if Laura asks me to do something mundane, it would still count as a date, right?

    I look at Laura returning to her seat in the front of the ss. Her face has turned totally red. Pretty bolding up to me to ask for something like that. She must be thinking how weird she put it and is now embarrassed by it.

    As for me, my heart is running wild inside of my chest. I can even hear the drum-like beatings in my ears.

    I do not think for a second that she has any type of feelings for me other than friendliness, though.

    Remember, eyes forward, dick downward, C. If you want to live, you need to etch that onto your skull!

    *Stare*

    At this point, I do not care what Rachel and Kurokawa are doing. They can stare however they want. Look at me! I am the guy being asked for a lunch date for the first time ever after tens of thousands of reset!

    I am not afraid of you girls anymore!

    No goosebumps on my arms. My body is much stronger now, thanks to Laura''s request.

    I AM HAVING A LUNCH DATE!!!

    GOD BLESS THIS GAME!

    There is no need for me to pay attention to you two anymore!

    *Stare*

    Okay, maybe a little afraid, still.

    Let''s take a nce at them.

    *Stare*

    Whah!! They look straight into my soul!

    *Gugugu*

    My whole body shivers. I have goosebumps again...

    Huh? Laura? What are you doing? Why are you standing up? What is up with the irritated face?

    "Rachel, Kurokawa. Please pay attention in ss. This is not recess!"

    Excuse me, what did you say?

    "As the ss representative, I must keep you girls on the right track!"

    No.

    No.

    Nope.

    Nope.

    Let me out.

    LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!

 Chapter 11

    "I do not think it is appropriate of you to tell us what we can and can not do in the middle of the ss like this, Laura." Kurokawa sends the ss rep a chilling stare instantly.

    Hearing that, Rachel quickly follows up with the same look. She is disregarding her childhood friend sleeping by the window. I somehow feel whenever he is not in the conversation, she has more freedom. It is a weird feeling, for sure.

    Han...how can you be so carefree when your two wives fight with your side-girl?

    *Piiii*

    Ack!!

    I swear all of them just looked at me at once! I saw the face of Death!!

    "Kurokawa is correct. Even Mr. OOO is not saying anything. What rights do you have to be the boss of us?"

    Rachel, dear, do not bother the poor teacher. He is just a shadow man. Mr. OOO will not react to any of us unless it is in the script.

    And this event you girls are doing is clearly NOT in the main story.

    I mean,e on! Why does Laura have to confront the first two female leads of Han? Why now, all of a sudden?

    "Because I am the ss Representative. I must keep an eye on you two. You are bothering others!" Still standing proudly despite the cold looks of the other two, the ss rep maintains her stance.

    Kurokawa scoffs. "Heh! I am not talking or making noise. There is nothing I do that can be called a burden. Laura, you really need to check your vocabry. How about a dictionary rmendation?"

    "Ipletely agree!" Rachel nods. "You are obviously abusing your powers!"

    Whah!! Incredible! This has to be one of the rarest times I have seen Rachel siding with Kurokawa! Usually, Rachel would find a way to murder Kurokawa or vice versa. Even for Kurokawa, who always tried to push Han for a harem, she still could not ept Rachel in their ranks. I think that was because she saved Han from being killed by Rachel after Laura''s case.

    The two were technically fire and ice.

    "Oh, I am abusing my powers! All of that because I want you two to start studying more proficiently, see. We are going to colleges and universities. You should focus on your future more than ever!" Laura shakes her head like a disappointed mother.

    Damn! Such straight-forwardness! She actually told them she was using her power! That is what I really admire about Laura.

    "Hahahaha! Laura, dear! Future?! Hahahahaha!!!" Rachelughs.

    Lady, we are still in the middle of the ss! How is this normal?!

    Kurokawa also smirks. Although her bang covers her eyes, I can still see some gleams of sarcasm. "You should worry about YOUR future more than anything, Laura. You may have it rough!"

    That is true! The ss rep should still care more for herself than her ssmates. After all, we will probably not stay together for long after high school. We will have to think about getting higher education, a high-paying job, and a family. It is a big deal for everyone!

    Of course, the premise is IF Laura is still alive by then.

    Sadly, she will be killed off by Rachel. Such a poor soul. I do not want to see her die again, especially when she shows me more humanity than a scripted program right now. Rather than a character, I feel like she is another human being. It pains me a lot!

    This goes for the other two, as well. But Rachel and Kurokawa are only for Han. I am not going to do anything to them! Be as human as they may. They just scream DEATH FLAG to me.

    You know what?

    I have made up my mind!

    This current run is probably busted, anyway. Out of nowhere came a ridiculous event that should not have happened at all. The reset is definitely imminent. I just do not know when it will be activated.

    That is why, from here on out, I will not stick to the game anymore. I will do whatever I want to.

    And, to be honest with all of you, I am now seriously considering suicide.

    Before you get riled up, please let me exin.

    *Swish*

    My back is cold! I can feel the icy stare of three pairs of eyes. What are you going to do? Kill me? HAH! I am already thinking about doing that myself!

    Huh? The ss rep is sitting down?

    And Kurokawa? And Rachel, too?

    Suddenly everything is solved? What happened to them during my monologue?

    I have no idea how that happened, but s, great job, girls!

    Okay, now that themotion is over by some unknown means, I will talk to you about my n.

    First, do I look forward to joining Laura at lunch? Yes, I do.

    Be true to yourself. Would you feel giddy too if a beautiful girl asked you to wait for her? Or a boy? Or a tank? I do not judge. You have your own preference.

    Unless you are a furry... then I may judge a little. But you get the gist of it.

    What I am getting at is that I do not think many of you can understand the gravity of living countless tries but only look at others having the time of their lives.

    I have seen Han having fun with his female leads while I could only stand outside, looking at them from afar. Remember, I could not be too far from Han since my memories would be erased. Theirughter, their moans while having sex, I heard it all.

    Not just once that I feel I wanted to be like him. I know I keep telling myself to not care, but I am just lying.

    I want to know the touch of someone else, too. I have never had anyone care for me before.

    Time to me is meaningless, I can tell you that. Until my role is over, I will not die. My script is paid so little attention that at some point, I just am there but not doing or saying anything. There is no scene in which I am killed by anyone in the script. So technically, I am immortal.

    This game is my prison, my fortress of solitude. Although I may have sentience, that sentience is both a blessing and a curse at the same time.

    Why do I have to be where everyone will have their own story but not for me?

    So, Laura''s attention was a godsend.

    Call me a simp if you want. You will never be able to understand the euphoric feeling of a lost wanderer finding their way into an oasis until you are them.

    The three people looking at me seem to have calmed down. They probably got bored. Maybe even dry eyes? Possibly.

    There is a tiny bit of a loophole in my life.

    Again, I am Immortal, not invincible. I can still die on my own ords.

    A good example would be chapter 10, where I tried to save Laura.

    Once I am dead, then that is it.

    I think the game still progresses without me until the heroine dies or Han dies. I will be spawning back at the school gate as usual.

    This is a trick that I used quite a few times in the past to try and save the female characters in this game. Not just Laura, though. I tried saving even Rachel and Kurokawa, too. Even the other characters. If I failed, I would just find the quickest way to kill myself.

    Of course, all the bugs would be returned back to normal. All the pain, the missing limbs, would be returned to me. The others would be oblivious to the past, too. Their memories of the previous trial will be wiped offpletely. Ignorance is bliss, man...

    I unconsciously look at Han and his childhood friend, who is wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. Did something fly into her eyes? They look pinkish.

    Is Kurokawa doing the same thing? I have no idea. Her bang covers everything. It sure does look like so. How does she see through that thing? I have absolutely no idea! The hair should be poking in her eyes sometimes.

    Lastly, my lunch date partner, Laura. She is not writing anymore. Still holding the mechanic pencil in her right hand, it is not moving. Well, not exactly. I do see it shaking left and right. She must be feeling tired from the previousmotion.

    *Sniff*

    A cold? Hmmm. Makes sense! The window is wide open right now.

    ALLERGY!!! That is it!! They are having allergic reactions!!

    I am smart. Good job, C!

    Anyhow, that is what I am going to do for now.

    I am going to enjoy all of this for the day. Instead of thinking about others, I will try my best to talk to the current Laura. Maybe this is the only chance I have at a sliver of romance.

    I am just so pathetic...

    After lunch, there would be no more events, so the game would be fast-forwarded until the end of ss. Rachel will go home alongside Han, and I will try to keep the furthest distance to avoid getting my memories wiped.

    Let''s get concrete evidence that Rachel is having sex with Han tonight so that I do not have to kill myself!

 Chapter 12: FIRST POLL

Chapter 12: FIRST POLL

    Please choose your favorite character for the first POV. 2

    Rachel

    Kurokawa

    Laura

 Chapter 13

    When I came to my senses, I was in the corridor of my school. For some reason, I just understood this was where I was supposed to be.

    There was an unarguable sense of trust in that information. How I got to know that, I had no idea. As if someone forced that info into my head without my consent.

    Holding a stack of unknown files in my chest, I kept walking with nothing in my head. I checked the content of the files. On the inside of the hardcover, there was nothing written. The papers were nk without a doubt. Then why was I even bringing those things?

    In addition, around me, the people, or rather shadows, kept passing by. I could only hear unintelligible murmurs throughout their conversations, even though it was lively in the corridor.

    I felt alienated like I did not belong there. The shadow people kept doing their things, only I was stuck in my track.

    Somehow, there was no fear in my chest. Put into such an abnormal situation, one would be expected to be scared. Terrified, even. However, as if that scene was ordinary, I paid it not so much attention.

    What did exist, though, was just bitter loneliness.

    I pitied the one who ever had to endure such a thing.

    But probably, it was just me.

    Despite me not knowing the direction, the destination was clear. My feet showed me the way on their own without my knowing.

    I was heading toward a ssroom.

    My ssroom, in particr.

    While walking, I started to have a weird conversation inside my head.

    [ Who am I?

    I am Laura. That is my name.

    Who is Laura?

    The ss representative.

    What am I doing?

    Going to ss.

    Whose ss am I in?

    Han Som.

    ...and ssmate C.

    Why do I know about him? Who is this ssmate C? Why did I take a while to remember that?

    Han is a male student in my ss. He is special.

    What is so special about him?

    He is my destiny.

    Destiny? As in love?

    He is no...my destiny. ]

    I could not get anything else after that about Han. But I was eager to know the ssmate C person. Why is their name so strange? Who would have such a ridiculous name?

    There was no answer. So I should be looking for it myself.

    I was simr to a baby right after birth, curious about the world surrounding me. In my head, there was some kind of force pulling me to this person named Han. I must be there with him. I must get to know him.

    But...

    In my heart...

    It was another face.

    Blurry and distorted beyond recognition. I could not remember the details of that face.

    Why?

    Why was the face of that Han Som person clear, but the ssmate C person was not? What was the difference between them?

    And those things in my head, I could not describe well because they were very abstract.

    Still, I understood two things.

    Firstly, I was supposed to be an elegant, collected, and dignified ss representative. A role model for others, if you would. My job would be to correct those students with wrong behaviors, so they could have a better future.

    Secondly, Han''s rted information was clear as night and day. Everything about his face, his outfit, and his personality was defined. This was information that seemed to be given to me.

    C''s face was nothing like that. Calling it information was just incorrect. The fragments of that person were closer to memories than anything else.

    Only broken memories came from a time when no one could remember could have that kind of vagueness.

    Then, another question would arise.

    Since when did I have these memories? If I could go down memoryne, I could figure out the reasons. Probably.

    I tried to remember this morning or the day before. Any additional memories would be beneficial to me at that point.

    Quickly, I realized that I had nothing. It was fine. I was human, after all. A little bit of memory loss was expected of people like us. I just had to try a bit harder.

    I squeezed my eyes shut and tried again, searching all the corners of my head, but still nothing.

    There was no recollection of the time before walking in the school''s corridor in my head.

    My whole body felt cold all of a sudden. I nearly dropped the files in my chest. Even without a mirror, I could swear my face was a pale blue color. The blood in my body seemed to have disappeared all of a sudden.

    [ What did I have for breakfast?

    How did I go to school? Bus or bike? ]

    Nothing.

    [ Where do I live?

    Who are my parents?

    What is myst name? ]

    Again, nothing.

    I was terrified. I wanted to scream because of my amnesia.

    All I knew was not about myself.

    All I knew was about a guy named Han alongside some fragments of a guy called C.

    I was petrified so much that I could not move at all.

    [ Where are my families?

    Who am I really?

    And the most crucial question: Why do I have no memories? ]

    No one could answer those questions for me.

    The terrible realization attacked me like a knife in my windpipe. I tried calling and then hitting the shadow people around me to get their attention but to no avail. Nothing I did make them turn toward me.

    I wanted to get to a hospital. My amnesia was a massive problem, so I had to have it checked immediately.

    [ Maybe it is a brain tumor. ] I thought. If so, I would be close to death already.

    Sadness overwhelmed my entire being instantly.

    I did not want to die. I was still young. My future was still a long way ahead of me. And I had to finally say goodbye to everything?

    My knees went weak as I fell to the cold floor, and my whole body shook violently. I was on the verge of bursting out tears. I had a phone in my pocket but no numbers on it. There was no way for me to call for help.

    Never could I imagined that I was living inside of an eroge. That never came to my head. The possibility of something like that happening would be near zero.

    Now, I know. Back then, I did not.

    It was at that moment that I heard a small voice.

    [ Why don''t you fuck my ass too, Rachel? ]

    It was vulgar and disgusting, but it was the first foreign voice I could hear in this strange world.

    [ Is anyone there? Can you hear me? I need to get to the hospital! Could you please show me the way? ]

    I desperately called for help from the stranger. Maybe they could show me the way. If I tried, I could live a bit longer.

    No. It was not even about my life.

    I wanted to know who I really was. I would dly do the brain surgery if it meant I could get my memories back.

    My life, my experience, I needed them. Otherwise, I would be just a clueless ss representative.

    Clutching to thatst sliver of hope, I ran forward with the files in my chest.

    Even when the voice kept talking about ridiculous things, I ran. The direction of the voice somehow is where my feet had been leading me.

    My ssroom.

    [ And good luck gettingid! The first time always hurts, so remember to lube it up, girl. ]

    Then, after a few meaningless sentences, the voice gave me a hint.

    [ I swear to God I have delivered more lines than even Han himself today! ]

    Han was involved. The person whom I knew a lot was in the monologue.

    And the voice. I felt like the owner of that voice understood his surroundings differently.

    Delivering more lines? Who would be talking like that?

    They were not treating the people called Rachel and Kurokawa as people but as mere characters.

    [ Remember, we are still at the beginning of the game.]

    I was dead on my track, right in front of the door to my ssroom.

    Beginning of the game?

    Not ''a'' game.

    ''The'' game.

    I asked myself what it meant. A small and utterly ridiculous possibility slowly formed in my head.

    The voice was the loudest in the ssroom. The owner should be inside.

    That person should know what was going on. At least they could help me get to a hospital.

    [ I will be an idiot if I keep thinking about the story fixing itself. ]

    [ It is already hard to gain consciousness, and mind-reading abilities, too? C, you are getting it way over your head. ]

    C.

    C...

    That person was C.

    *Ba-dump!!!*

    I felt a sharp pain in my heart. No, not physical pain.

    *Tap. Tap. Tap*

    Tears streamed down my cheeks and fell onto the floor.

    I could not help myself but cry. There was not a clue why I would do such a thing.

    But deep down inside of me...

    There was a relief.

    Already, I knew what had to be done. No matter what, I needed to talk to ssmate C.

    I wiped my face off and started to act solely on instinct.

    My body was both my own and not at the same time. I knew that already.

    Nevertheless, I would get it back. My future was for me to decide.

    My hand reached for the handle.

    *Rattle*

    "Please submit your Math homework!"

 Chapter 14

    I walked into the ss without a hitch. Everything was smooth as if I had done something like that countless times already. In the back of my head, I knew the way to walk and how to present myself as the ss representative: dignified and elegant. It was simply natural to me.

    The only task I had to do was follow whatever my body instinct was doing. Nothing more, and nothing less. For a brief moment, I was but a soulless doll.

    However, even when I released the control of my body, the first thing I tried was still not to talk to the shadow people in the ss but to find C. Why? Because until that moment, it was his voice that gave me hope.

    When there was only despair inside me, hisments about this world showed me there was still another person I could share it with. The darkness that enveloped my entire being was sted away.

    I was walking in a pitch-ck tunnel with no hope of escaping, and he was the one who shined the light on me.

    All thanks to his ridiculousments.

    A weird person, he was.

    No one knew how fast my heart was beating because of that, nor they could evere to understand. In a situation where you suddenly knew everything was just some dumb game made by a pervert somewhere, it was already hard to remain sane.

    I wondered how C figured out he was inside of a game. Even I could not believe itpletely. Did he feel any disturbing emotions? Because I certainly did. If so, how did he get through all of that, though? Did he get any help from anyone?

    Questions kept on piling up in my head with no signs of stopping. The more I thought about C, the heavier my chest became.

    One would expect to be suspicious, fearful, and doubtful in my shoes. Yet, I felt nothing like that.

    Rather than being anxious about all theing questions, I felt an indescribable sense of calm.

    Like there was a voice telling me as long as it was him, I would not be alone.

    And above all else...

    I wanted to know if there was any reason behind it for my sentience. Personally, I had no idea, to be honest.

    What I did know was that I was frantically looking for him. Strangely, I had a feeling that the cloudiness in my memories could be solved by C and C alone. As for Han, it was not yet time for me to think about that person.

    Be as good looking as he was, he was not someone I longed for in my heart. My chest did not ache when I was thinking about him. I understood thatpared to C, he was more vivid, but he did not feel real to me. In fact, it was too forced how I could remember everything about Han.

    My body could not be controlled entirely by me, but my mind was entirely mine. I could think for myself. Nothing and no one could ever take it away from me.

    However, the moment I entered the room, I was baffled and almost lost control.

    ...No. Even the word ''baffle'' could not illustrate the exact feeling I experienced.

    To put it simply, I had a Big Bang in my head.

    It was as if I received another sense besides the five basic senses, an eye-opening sensation. Immediately, universes were created in a fraction of a second. And all the neurons I possessed reacted the same way at once, sending endless waves of electrical impulses to every cell within me.

    Like a deer in the headlights, a moth in front of amp, I could not do anything else.

    There he was. Sitting next to the column and staring at me, oblivious of what he had been doing to my heart.

    He looked just how his image in my mind was.

    The fog in my memories instantly cleared up upon seeing him. At that point, even when I still had many questions, I got a notion.

    That he was the one holding the key to all of this mess.

    The only one.

    ssmate C had a nk face with no facial features on him. Although I made out something that looked like two thin strokes of eyebrows on that featureless face. Quite hrious. Furthermore, although he looked more or less like a faceless ghost, I did not feel that he was off. Not at all.

    I wanted to walk toward him. I wanted to ask him how he came to understand the truth about the world he lived in or whether or not he had found a way out yet.

    But my whole body was stiff as a stone. No matter how hard I tried, I could not do and say what I desperately needed to hear. I just walked in and asked for some kind of Math assignment.

    And in addition, my chest felt like it was on fire. I felt like something was about to burst. Not only that, but I felt like crying and bawling my eyes out until my throat had been made aplete mess.

    One more thing I made out from that first interaction between us was a specific feeling of seeing a lifelongpanion after many years.

    It was unbelievable, considering I had never seen ssmate C before.

    [ In short, she is a graceful member of society, our current ss Rep, Laura. ]

    That same voice that I had been hearing appeared inside my head again. The owner of the thoughts, ssmate C, thought about me while I was walking. He was evenplimenting me, which brought the heat up my ears. Even though what I was doing was not totally by my will, hearing apliment from the heart of C was soothing to my already fragile mental state. He gave me more confidence than he could ever imagine just by sitting there.

    Already, he was closer to me than anyone else.

    After that statement, I starteding to each desk to collect the papers.

    I will skip through this part because you should know by now how things went after listening to his words.

    ssmate C never expected his voice to be heard that loudly inside the minds of others. Poor guy.

    I do not know how you people think, but the way he appeared so listless was adorable.

    If my body were in my control, I would have smiled at ssmate C. Beingplimented wholeheartedly by someone was always a nice thing, after all.

    But then, I heard a horrific thing.

    [ Although Laura is an innocent girl, she will die at the hands of Rachel. ]

    [ She had to put the paper-knife inside her mouth, chew it, and swallow. Quite a brutal way of killing someone, for sure! ]

    I started to see a scene upon hearing C''s monologue.

    In a storage room, thereid three bodies of three male students. They were probably dead. There, I could smell the stench of blood and bodily fluids.

    It was disgusting. I felt my stomach rowling itself up.

    "HAHAHAHAHA!!! Fucking my man, weren''t you??!!" A blond-haired girl pulled a knife on me. Although she was small, she outright overpowered me with inhuman strength.

    No. Not exactly me. The ''Laura'' who just met ssmate C certainly did not have any white liquid in her vagina.

    That person was...another ''Laura''...

    But I even felt it as if it was me.

    Her hands were touching all over that Laura.

    "Beautiful, ain''tcha!" She gently caressed the face.

    *p*

    Kuh!! That hurt!! My mouth...I mean...Laura''s mouth was bleeding.

    Not stopping there, she continued to the other side.

    "Confessing, ain''tcha!"

    *SLAP!!*

    GAH!!! I could feel everything! Even though that was not me, the pain was mutual between us!

    "Okay, that''s it. I honestly don''t want to do this, but you have given me no choice, ss rep."

    That Laura resisted desperately, crying and wailing from the bottom of her lungs. I felt the pain inside of her throat as she was yelling.

    Rachel stepped on top of Laura''s head and pressed it down. In her eyes, I could see nothing but contempt.

    She did not think of that Laura as a human.

    "You always put on the face of a disciplined student. But I never expected you to be having feelings for my darling."

    Not giving up, that Laura tried to hit Rachel''s leg.

    "I love him! What is wrong with..."

    *Bam!*

    "GAH!!!?"

    GAH!!!!

    We ''Lauras'' both screamed at the same time. She just stomped the head with all her might. I could see blood flowing out from the back. And behind my head, there was a piercing pain.

    "Who told you to talk back?" She looked down at the other me.

    "Guh...ah...hah...You...w-will...never...h-have his love!"

    "Hahaha! AHAhAHAHAhahaHA!!! GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

    Rachel dropped to the floor, covering her face with two hands andughing maniacally. That gave Laura a couple of seconds to reach for her bag. On the inside was a paper-knife, the same thing I had.

    *Krrrt*

    "DIE!!!!" That Laura yelled, aiming the sharpest edge at the neck of Rachel.

    *Chik*

    Crimson liquid sshed all over the ce.

    Sadly, it was not Rachel''s neck, just her hand.

    "Laura, dear!"

    *Chik*

    Rachel took the knife out of her hand while the other me watched in horror. There were no signs of pain or even difort on her psychopathic face. She had a crazy smile that gave me an intense fear.

    "I''ve had his love already!"

    She closed the distance slowly. The other me clearly was blocked from the exit.

    I was also expecting to experience immense pain.

    *CHIK!!* *Ssh*

    "Buh! Gukh!"

    A kitchen knife suddenly pierced through her stomach from her back.

    It was C.

    "I know this probably will reset the whole thing again, but I can not watch this anymore! You are a fucking psycho, Rachel!"

    He came for me.

    Even when Laura was sullied, even when her heart belonged to someone else.

    He still came.

    Unfortunately, after his heroic act, C died, and I was forced to eat the paper-knife. Rachel was able to kill the two of us before dying herself. She was an absolute monster.

    Yet things did not stop there.

    Once, twice, thrice,...

    One by one, different scenes where I was saved by C appeared.

    He never seeded.

    Even when the number of tries he did was uncountable, C had never pulled it off. Instead, he put himself on the line countless times.

    Where did he find such courage?

    Where did he find such strength to move on even though it has failed many times? Howe he did not go insane?

    Why were you so stubborn?

    He was impaled, burned, chopped off, thrown off the building,...

    All of that was just for me.

    Each time he fell down, I would feel a piece of me die off. The mental pain was iparable to the physical pain. It was in another league.

    Again, and again, and again, and again,... C kept on trying. He kept on moving forward, thinking of other ways to divert my tragic fate, even if he was not getting anything from it.

    Even if it meant he would die a more horrific way.

    I saw them all. My hands were desperately moving forward to hold C''s lonely shoulders. To no avail, of course.

    He was always on his own, creating his best efforts to rescue me.

    I had no idea my uniform was drenched in water. My cheeks were flowing with tears, and I could not make a sound out from my windpipe. A little girl crying for her mommy was what I looked like.

    Something was blocking it any time I tried to speak up.

    My sobbing.

    Why me, C?

    What did I ever give you to receive such kindness?

    Why did all the other Lauras never remember anything?

    Did you even understand that your sacrifices were never something I could repay?!

    At that moment, slowly but surely, the memories of the past Laura all started to converge into one single being. Their emotions, be it sadness or happiness, hopes or despair, doubts or trust, were entrusted to the current Laura.

    As if they were telling me to make it up to him.

    You gave your lives to save an ungrateful piece of shit like me...

    What did I do to deserve you...

    Please, C.

    Please tell me why...

    So that I can make it up to you...

    First, I would like to say...

    "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

 Chapter 15

    *Ding dong ding dong*

    Ah! Lunch break!

    Echoing through the hallway, the sound of the school bell rings in each ssroom. I can hear it in my ears.

    You know what this means!

    It means the time has finallye to enjoy something I have never experienced before! Finally, my lunch date!! WHOOOOOOO!!!!

    *Ahem*

    I need to calm down first. Many of you are probably cursing my wimpiness because of my overreaction. I understand that this is too much of a simp I am being. But damn! My spring has finallye after an eternity of loneliness. You would not get it unless you were in my shoes.

    When the school bell rings, the shadow teacher quickly wraps things up and heads outside. Its job is finished.

    Why does the shadow teacher have to be so fast? Because the lunch break is also the second scene for Rachel and Han. As for Kurokawa, it is not yet her time to shine.

    "All rise!" Laura stands up and does her ss representative job.

    "Bow!" And the rest of the ss follows.

    Then, she turns back at me.

    "Wait for me a little, okay!"

    Of course, Laura''s gesture has been incredibly off. Never in the past iterations that she been so friendly to me, yet it is toote to care anymore. Therefore I will wing it this time. After all, maybe there will never be a chance for me to get such treatment from her again.

    "I''ll wait!" Thinking about the reality I am in, I nod at her.

    The girl returns with her shining smile. Her chocte eyes light up simr to stars.

    *Kuh*

    I swear I just got a major heart attack from the sudden sugar load in my bloodstream. I have no idea why Laura is like this, but it is a nice change after so many trials.

    After that small gesture, the ss rep sits down to put her things away. Using this brief moment to observe my surrounding, I notice a couple of things.

    Around the ss, unintelligible murmuring sounds also start as the students start going out or grouping up.

    Han should be waking up from his usual school nap at this point. Since "I Will Survive With A Harem Ending" is an eroge, there is no need to focus on school work that much. It is only the background for the main story. This is why Han is almost always asleep except for some events.

    "Ugh! What time is it?"

    Right on time, Han. The guy brings his head up. I can see drools are still on one corner of his mouth.

    He will not wipe it himself, though. Rachel will dly do that.

    Hearing Han''s voice, Rachel looks at him. A gigantic bento box is already on her desk. That crazy woman is really good at housekeeping, so a bento box of that caliber is nothing to her. Until now, Han has been taken care of almost entirely by her. From Han''sundry to food or waking him up in the morning, Rachel does all of the duties of a wife.

    Lucky bastard!

    "It''s about time for our lunch, Han." His childhood friend smiles at him lovingly. "Here, dry your mouth." She throws a piece of tissue at the guy.

    Hey! Rachel! Use your handkerchief! Is that how you should be treating the man of your dreams?!

    I mean, she just tossed it like a piece of worthless paper. How is she going to get Han''s love like that?

    "Oh, thanks, Rachel! Yeah, I''m so hungry I can eat a cow. Let''s go have lunch." Han catches the piece of tissue in midair and wipes off the trails of drool on his mouth.

    Scratching his head, he stands up slowly. He looks sleepy, still.

    "Should we invite the guys?"

    Han calls out to his friends. ssmate A and ssmate B are making their way out to the canteen, trying to avoid the childhood friend.

    "I wonder..."

    Rachel''s smile turns colder than ice right that instant. There is no way that crazy housewife would want a third party joining her lunch with Han.

    "Hahaha! No need! We are going down to the canteen anyway." ssmate Aughs wryly. Cold sweats run down his forehead. Poor guy. I told you this already, but ssmate A will die sometime in the future because of his sister. Soon after, his sister will also be killed by Rachel.

    Just want to make sure you remember, that''s all.

    Before ssmate B can utter a word, ssmate A has already pulled him out of the ss. The two guys run away with literal smokes trails behind them.

    "Aw, man! They always leave before me." The main character says while trying to call his friends back.

    Why in the goddamn world would you want your friends to be with you and your future wife?!

    "No worries, Han. We should respect others by letting people do what they want." Rachel also stands up with the bento box in her hands.

    Oh really, Rachel?

    Letting people do what they want, or letting YOU do what you want? The hypocrisy of this person is outstanding.

    These two people are absolutely PERFECT together. I ship.

    *Stare*

    What did I do?!

    "Should we invite Kurokawa to lunch, as well?" Han walks by the ck-haired girl.

    Do not be annoyed by his actions. This is ording to the script. Han needs to spread his kindness to everyone once in a while to let the heroines know he cares about them. Do not forget, guys. His character has the world "kind" in it. I guess he has apulsive disorder where he has to give kindness.

    Ugh!

    Immediately, Kurokawa waves her hand, saying no.

    "You don''t have to worry about me. I have my lunch sorted out already."

    This is normal, though. At this point in the game, Han and Kurokawa still have not received a boost in their rtionship. They are still merely acquaintances, so it is normal for Kurokawa to reject his offer.

    I will tell you the story of that eventter.

    Boy, oh boy! Is it juicy!

    "Oh! Okay, then! Let''s go to the roof, Rachel. It should be nice and cool up there. Do you still have the key?"

    *Tingling*

    Rachel takes a key out from the purse and smiles.

    "Great! You''re the best!" Hepliments her.

    The roof. Where all protagonists have to go to create their stories.

    Have you ever wondered why everything has to be on the roof?

    Why not somewhere with just fewer people? For example, at the back of the school, under the sakura tree, etc.

    Because it is easier to draw. Just staple the sky and some lines for the ground. That is pretty much it! The back of the school and under the sakura tree are ces of confessions, not regr ro backgrounds.

    By the way, many things will happen underneath the sakura tree. You just have to wait.

    Well, that is on the creator''s side.

    On the storyline''s side, Han and Rachel can share everything easier without being watched by others sitting on that roof. They can talk about hopes and dreams and even share secrets. Rachel can be a doting girl while having Han all to herself.

    Almost forgot.

    Sex.

    A rooftop is a good ce for sex.

    Rough, mindless, nonstop sex.

    Not now, though. Today it will still be an ordinary lunch without any special events.

    Oops! I am getting sidetracked again! Sorry about that.

    After Han has walked by, Kurokawa is still not moving. Even though the bookworm has put the items on the desk away, Kurokawa will not move anywhere. She enjoys lunchtime with a book next to her meal. With Rachel and Han around, she will not be able to read them.

    His presence is not enough for her to sacrifice her hobby in dark and gore fantasy novels at this stage.

    Suddenly, I hear someone calling my name.

    "Hey, C. Thanks for waiting!"

    It is Laura. She is next to my desk.

    "Why don''t we have a nice walk around the school?"

    Shebs her hair to the back of her ear while leaning a little towards the right. Right after, the ss rep puts both of her arms behind her and bends a little forward.

    *Guh*

    I feel shot in the chest by her charming and graceful gestures.

    Ah, ss rep. It is time for our lunch date, I see.

    I must tell you one thing, though.

    I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO NEXT!!!!!

    SEND HELP ASAP!!!

 Chapter 16

    A gentle reminder for all of those listening or reading this.

    I feel no hunger whatsoever.

    There is no need to feel hungry since I am only a background character. I have never been given a chance to experience food in the entire time I gained my sentience. To me, that feeling must be described in words to understand. And even so, hunger is still something unrtable.

    Thus, I feel envious of the main characters, who obviously need to eat to survive. I really wish I could have a mouth of my own to eat something for one. Sometimes, I would try to guess the feeling of chewing and swallowing. But to bepletely honest with all of you, it made no sense. The need for food did not exist within me, and that was it.

    Besides, what do you do at lunch break if not for eating? I mean,...what you need to do is already included it in the name, right?

    ''Lunch-date''

    I can not be having sex with the heroines like Han. That would be ridiculous! Only the main protagonist of this eroge can pull off something like diddly doodly with his girlfriend on the roof while everyone else is studying downstairs!

    If I were to do something like that, Laura would use her paper knife to cut my dick off!

    Okay, maybe not that bad since we are still at the beginning... However, things will possibly end up with me being castrated or dead.

    While being dead sounds horrible, the first scenario is the most unfavorable of the two choices. Who would think otherwise?! It is castration!!! Nay. PHYSICAL castration. The worst of the worst!

    My friend down there wants nothing to do with that!

    After some careful consideration, there is only one thing for me to be doing with her.

    Converse. Talking. Exchange verbal information.

    Argh! Damn it!

    What do I even have in my head to talk to her?! I am not well equipped enough to do this! Heck! Why does a background character have to deal with a freaking side character!? Isn''t that the job of the main character?! Now that pushes to serve, I should have rejected her offer!

    Staring straight into my face, Laura tries to get my attention away from my train of thoughts.

    "C, I''m not really hungry. Do you?"

    Ah! Lucky! It would have been a hard time if she were to talk about food, a hard time indeed!

    "Oh, me too! I''m not so hungry!"

    Let''s just go with her flow for now. My head is a mess...

    Behind Laura, I can make out the images of Han and Rachel walking out of the ss. They should be heading to the roof right now.

    Obviously, I want nothing to do with the two, so I will stay away from the ce. That leaves me with the rest of the school ground. As long as I do not get further than that, my memories should be fine.

    "Can we go to somewhere a little bit more private? I want to have a heart-to-heart discussion with you!" Out of the blue, Laura gives me an earnest look.

    To be fair, I would like to sit in this room and wait for the lunch break to pass. There is nothing for a background character like me to do.

    Then again, this is the first time Laura has given me such a chance of friendship in my lonely world...

    It is hard for me to reject her.

    Currently, the ssroom is almost empty except for the bookworm still enjoying her novel. I probably do not have to care about Kurokawa as much. She is just here for the show, anyway. Not until tomorrow evening that Kurokawa will start to have more screentime.

    If we keep it down, I do not think Kurokawa will be able to catch our words.

    Unexpectedly, Laura pleads.

    "I know this is asking a bit too much of you, C, but I want to head somewhere with just the two of us."

    "Just the two of us?!" I reply immediately.

    She looks at me with confusion in her eyes.

    "Yeah. Is there a problem?"

    Uh oh, there is a big ass problem...

    *REEEEEE*

    Red alert! Red alert!

    I can already hear annoying siren noises in my head!

    DEATH FLAG! DEATH FLAG!!

    D-E-A-T-H!!!

    Why?! When someone is asking for a private talk at school in my world, it means two things:

    Confession.

    Support in a confession.

    Both are equally bad.

    A confession means someone is getting killed. While a need for support will get the supporter killed!!

    The ongoing situation is probably the second type!

    Wait! No, hold on, C. Do not jump to the conclusion that fast! This is Laura, not Rachel!

    Phew! Whoo boy! Did me a scare right there!

    The only person that has a tragic fate is not me but her! If someone is dying, maybe she will go first.

    In that case, should I ept this?

    "C? Are you hesitating?" The ss rep is persistent.

    Why am I scared now? Worst case scenario is me jumping off the school''s roof to reset everything! There is literally nothing for me to lose. Didn''t I already say I would wing this?

    Come on, C. Be the gentleman!

    "Ah, no. I''m just surprised, that''s all! We have not had many chances to talk, so I was just thinking about what you would need to talk to me about." I try to exin to her in the simplest way possible.

    Laura nods.

    "I understand. The ''current'' us have not had many interactions."

    Why is she stressing the word ''current'' so much?

    She then continues. "But everything is forever changing, wouldn''t you think so, C?"

    I know so. The script of the game can vary based on the bug.

    "Yeah! Nothing will remain the same."

    "Exactly!" Laura walks closer to me and extends her hand. "Here! Hold my hand. I''ll pull you up from the seat. Let''s go somewhere with fewer people."

    Not sure if I should take that hand or not, though...

    "You wouldn''t leave a girl hanging like this, right?" She looks a bit sad somehow.

    Do not look at me with those puppy eyes! That makes me feel guilty...

    Ugh! You win, Laura!

    "Fine! I''ll take on your offer. By the way, don''t call me rude afterward!"

    As I put my hand up to catch hers, she also lowers it down for me.

    The ss rep is really considerate for sure.

    "Ah!!"

    But the moment our fingers touch, Laura instantly yelps and jolts.

    I think she has a reaction simr to how a person who is electrified should be. What is up with that?

    Do I conduct electricity or what?

    Curious, I ask her while standing up. "What''s wrong, Laura?"

    No reply.

    "Laura?" The second time I call out to her.

    Still no reply.

    "Hello? Earth to the ss representative? Houston, are you there?"

    Eh? Her eyes? I can see water building upon her eyelids!

    She is crying?!

    I can feel the gaze of another person in the ss. Yet I pay it no mind. What is going on with Laura? Why is she crying?

    "Hey! Hey! ss rep! Are you okay?!" At this point, strangely, I do not care what she will do to me anymore. Grabbing both of her shoulders, I shake her whole body, trying to wake her up from this abnormal event.

    *Tap. Tap. Tap.*

    Suddenly, there is nothing else besides grief and sadness on Laura''s face. It was hard to believe that she was still the ss representative just seconds ago. From the straightforward and genuine person I admire, she turns into someone elsepletely different.

    She is now just a girl.

    A crying,menting girl.

    This Laura does not feel like a character. Even though I liked the previous ss reps, this Laura is...more human...

    Two clear lines run down from her cheeks and converge under her chin. They keep on gathering until the weight is too much to handle, making droplets of tears fall onto my desk and my notes.

    "It is a sin for me to be falling for you." Laura mumbles something exceptionally creepy.

    Okay! This is not fun anymore. I need to understand what is going on!

    "C!" She finally wakes up and calls out my name, trying her best to hold back the sobbing in her throat.

    "I''m listening."

    Stressing every word, Laura looks me dead in the face. "I am here for you now."

    That confused the hell out of me.

    "You don''t get it, do you?" Still streaming down tears, she continues.

    I shake my head left and right. "No, sorry. Is there anything I can help you with?"

    If I had my own personal handkerchief, I would have given it to her.

    Sadly, I did not. What I can do is offer my support!

    "There is no need for you to run away anymore. Stay here, with me! This time, it will be different because I am different."

    "Laura, I just can not understand a single word you say! What are you implying?!"

    *Gyuuu*

    She hugs me tightly.

    "What!?!"

    "It is NOT a sin for you to fall in love, C!"

 Chapter 17

    What did she mean by that?! Are my ears working at all?!

    *Mmmmphhhhphmmm*

    Muffled soundse out from my chest.

    Looking down, I can see that my uniform is not dry anymore. In addition, there is a warm feeling of the watering into contact with my skin. The ss representative buries her entire face into me, wrapping her slender arms behind my back to pull me closer and sobbing quietly.

    Why is she crying? I have no idea.

    However, what I do have an idea about is Laura''s softness. It may sound a little creepy, but I have never touched a girl before, so I do not know how they are. Are all girls like this? Or is this just the one before me right now?

    Most importantly, two significant objects are being pushed onto my chest.

    Such a heavenly feeling...

    How can this person be courageous while having such a delicate body in the past tries? She faced off the delinquents with nothing but her sense of justice, for Christ''s sakes!

    Wait! That should not be my focus right now!

    "What did you just say?" I grab the ss rep''s shoulders and push her away from me for a second.

    It was difficult for me to do so since she clutched onto me like a ko.

    I thought the ss rep would say something to reply right after my question. But contrary to my belief, Laura first uses her sleeve to wipe off the tears on her face rather than making any other sounds. It is as if she wanted to show me her strong side or something.

    Then, she takes a deep breath, giving me the most intense look I have ever seen.

    "It is not a sin for you to fall in love, C!"

    Nope. My ears did not deceive me. I heard it right.

    "Yes, you heard it right. This is a confession from me, Laura, to the one and only ssmate C."

    So it is not asking for support in a confession after all?

    The ss rep takes my hands while I can not muster up any strength to resist. My body has gone into abandon mode since a while ago already.

    "I wanted to do this somewhere with just the two of us. But I know you will feel ufortable if we go out."

    Thank you for your consideration, Laura. That is greatly appreciated.

    "So what do you say? Why don''t we start dating?"

    I can see Laura''s blush. It is as red as a...

    Argh...What is really red topare...? A firetruck? No! How could I even link the blushing of a beautiful girl to a freaking truck!

    My brain is dead. It is so literally fried... Just know the ss rep is very embarrassed right now.

    On the other hand...

    Oh. My. God.

    OH. MY. FREAKING. GOD!!!!

    This is not happening! DOES SHE HAVE FEELINGS FOR ME!?!? This is not anymore a mere red warning with a death g, but some existential crisis level of the bugged events!

    What do I do? What can I possibly do in this type of situation!?

    This is not a joke! The cliche ''fake confessions'' are not in the game since the girls are very attracted to the main character.

    I feel like I am going to shit bricks!!! And I can not even have the need to go to the toilet!!

    DIVERGE, C! DIVERGE!

    By all means, reject her!! She must never be in love with me! If I ept this, there is no way the story will return back to normal!

    And what the hell is going on with this try?! Why is it not resetting?

    "I...um...I have never been confessed to before. It is a little hard for me to process everything right now..."

    I can hear my voice shaking UGHHHHH!!!

    "Oh, don''t worry. Take your time. The school will not start in another 30 minutes." Laura gives me a kind look.

    But...are you not giving me these 30 minutes only to decide?

    I am trying my best to hold the panic in my throat down. "It may take longer than 30 minutes, though."

    Hearing so, Laura smiles mischievously.

    *Katan*

    The ss rep takes the seat next to me and pulls it close,bining the two tables and chairs into one set. Then, elegantly, she sits down.

    There is a distance of less than a centimeter between the two of us.

    "Mind if I sit here?" Laura asks with her hands firmly on the desk as if trying to make a deal with me.

    Her actions have shown me something quite hard to describe. Before, she would be sticky to her personality for the entire script. But now, I feel she has more...how should I put this...freedom.

    "You kind of already do."

    "Ahaha." The ss representative puts a hand on her lips as she giggles.

    Damn, she is gorgeous.

    "Thanks, C! For listening to me."

    "Why do you keep thanking me? It''s not that big of a deal at all."

    Laura turns her entire body toward me. The chocte eyes shine brightly, glimmering the light from the surroundings. I can make out my reflection in those captivating eyes of hers.

    "It is much bigger than you think!" She says so with a straight face. No smiling, no giggling. "So, about my confession."

    No matter how tempting it is, there is no way for me to ept such an offer. Since Laura is gathering all her courage to face me like this, I will do the same thing out of respect and let her down gently.

    "Sorry, Laura. But I have to say no."

    I stare at her face, waiting for negative feedback. Even if I wanted to try this thing out, this "dating" thing, I would still not be able to do it right.

    Currently, the ce I live is drawn with some ck and white pencil lines. I have no parents, no ie, and no hobbies whatsoever.

    Let''s pretend I ept Laura''s buggy confession.

    It must be based on the premise of love, right? What I do have for Laura is at most like. Not love.

    What am I going to do next? Obviously, taking her out on a date is meaningless. I am absolutely dirt poor. Therefore dates are out of the equation. Not only that, but I can not eat. Will she be suspicious?

    Then what else can I do? Talk to her until she is bored with me?

    To be fair, I am not disliking the fact that I got a confession that much. Although the reason for this bug to be like that is something beyond me, it is still a good feeling to know you are worth something to someone.

    Laura just should not be with someone like me, a background character with a few lines to say.

    I am just not the one she should be looking at.

    Tears once again start to fill the eyes of the person in front of me. My rejection must have hurt her feelings a lot. It makes sense, though. Laura is still in the middle of the ss and was recently rejected by a nobody like me. Out of everyone, she was let down by the most dispensable of the game. Laura should feel humiliated.

    As the ss rep raises her right hand, I also steel myself for a well-deserved p. There are no eyes on my face, but I can actually close my ''eyes''. It feels like the lights are being turned off.

    A warm sensation is upon my cheeks. "Silly. I am not asking you to be in love with me. At least, not now."

    Laura has brought both of her arms to wrap my face. She still keeps her straightforward demeanor even when droplets are falling down.

    "Eh? Isn''t that how dating is supposed to be?" I am a tad bit confused.

    She leans even closer, making her presence known to me.

    Finally, her forehead touches mine.

    "C, dating can be a way to figure out whether or not we arepatible. If we are interested in each other, we can always try it out, yeah?"

    Damn...

    Seeing the yanderes killing one another for so long under the name of dating, I have forgotten the actual practice.

    For Han, the protagonist we have not talked about, once he and his girlfriends started dating, they immediately jumped to sex.

    No getting fond of, no cutesy holding hands or blushing, saying each other''s names, no after-school dates.

    Just sex.

    I thought we would be doing that too. Phew. This stupid head of mine!

    To be fair, having a couple more dates should be fine! There should be no harm done.

    "I see that you are seriously considering my proposal. Shall I take that as a yes?"

    Her tempting lips are so close to me now. We are barely apart after her advancements.

    If I keep dying this, I can no longer see myself as a man anymore.

    "Please take good care of me, Laura."

    "Hehe! I know you would!"

    The ss rep lifts her body up slightly.

    *Chu*

    A fleeting cold sensation touches my forehead.

    *SCRSHHHHHH*

    Instantly, statics are all over my mind.

    There is only my reflection in those brown eyes. Nothing else is being paid a sliver of attention.

    "Fufu. Please take good care of me, ssmate C. I will not let anything get in our way this time. Anything."

    Thest sentence goes over my head because my brain has stopped all higher functions. It will not receive any more signals from here.

    I can not think of anything else.

 Chapter 18

    *Bam*

    "So is THIS how the ss representative of us should be doing? Kissing a male student in the middle of the school at lunchtime?!" Kurokawa ms the table heavily with her book, clearly looking disgusted and appalled.

    "!!"

    Upon hearing her words, the static in my head instantly clears up. That sound the bookworm just made effectively woke me up from my dazed state.

    Whoo boy! It was a close call, indeed. Thanks, Kurokawa! I owe you one!

    I never thought that one day I would feel indebted to her. No, not at all. But after today, I guess I need to properly thank her for once. A little bit more, and Laura could have done heinous things to my featureless face!

    Wait...I think we are dating now, right? Then those "heinous" things should be romantic acts between lovers?

    Well, that makes sense. But why would Laura want to be with me? She should only perform those acts for Han!

    Now, is the target going to be changed?! Am I going to be killed?

    *Psss*

    Smokees out from my hair. The brain is malfunctioning...again...

    And not only that...

    Whoa there?! Why is Laura so close to my face!? What is she trying to do to me?! Stay away from me,dy! You are going to get ME pregnant from being too close!

    "There''s more where that came from, C."

    There is more of what?!? Bananas? Apples?

    In front of me, cing both of her hands on my cheeks, Laura smiles in fulfillment. It is not the kind of smirk you would see when she was trying to appeal to Han in past iterations. No, her expression is not like that at all. There is no struggle, no force. She was not trying to please anyone, not even me. It is only the purest form of affection.

    Laura beams in happiness, her own happiness.

    HOWEVER!!

    As happy as she can be, we still need to have some boundaries, yeah?! Yet the distance between us is not even a centimeter now! Please, ss rep, you are ying with my heart too much! At this rate, I will soon have to get a transnt.

    Rather than forcing herself in, I feel that she has just finished something...

    Something...cold...soft...and fast...on my forehead...Like a pair of lips. The feeling is so heavenly I can never let it go. Although, the brain fart prior made me lose myself a bit.

    Oh! I remember now!

    She kissed me.

    "I kissed you on the head only. You need to work to get to the other ces." She exins.

    Hehe. Laura''s face is a beet red color. So cute. She looks exactly how a maiden in love should be! My heart is filled with a warm and fuzzy sensation simr to hugging a nket while looking at her. Not going to lie, but this current Laura is vastly more attractive than all the past Lauras.

    I know that it was thanks to the bug in the game, but she has so much freedom now.

    So cute...so...cute...

    AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! OH MY GOD!!! SHE KISSED ME!!!

    SHE KISSED ME ON THE HEAD JUST NOW! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!!!

    ABANDONING SHIP!!! ABANDONING SHIP!!! MAYDAY MAYDAY!!!

    I am panicking here! What do I do now?!?

    "Laura, please be the hypocrite ss representative you are and behave as such." Once more, I hear the voice of Kurokawa.

    At this point, she is like the voice of reason in my head. This is the second time her words have brought me back from a chaotic mind.

    Please save me from this mess, oh Kurokawa!

    "Tch." Annoyed, Laura clicks her tongue.

    Um...sorry...?

    As the ss rep distances herself from me, she looks at the bookworm.

    "What if that''s what I''m doing? What are you going to do about that?"

    Kurokawa is obviously surprised at Laura''s sudden changes. Refusing to stand down, she continues criticizing our ss representative.

    "You had the guts to stand up in ss to tell the teacher about us. Then when ites to your rules breaking, you stand so high and mighty?"

    Laura scoffs. "So!? Just like I said, what are YOU going to do about that? Talk me to death? I''m not scared of some closet perverts, you know."

    How does Laura know that? There should not have any interactions? Even if they did, the fact that Kurokawa was a masochistic pervert would be concealed by her.

    "Oh? Being a pervert is still better than dying at a young age. Right, C?" Kurokawa turns her attention back to me.

    Could you perhaps not do that?

    "You forced him to do something he did not like without consent. Who gave you the rights, Laura?" Kurokawa stares at Laura intensely. I can feel the raging heat emitting even through her bang.

    The ss rep shakes her head and counters with a knowing smile. She is definitely keeping her head cool.

    "Only I know whether or not he likes it. Kurokawa, you will never understand. I will not let that happen. You should just go and do what you are supposed to be doing since there is no need to care about us."

    *Krrrt*

    Suddenly, Laura takes a paper-knife out from nowhere. Where has she been hiding it?!

    "I''m not giving up, Kurokawa."

    The bookworm''s face turns a little pale after seeing that.

    "Do you think I''m scared?"

    "No. But I sure hope you understand your position. It is not HERE. But there."

    To bepletely honest with you, I am lost at this point. There is nothing that I can understand from the cryptic conversation. Kurokawa and Laura are talking in English. That is true. Nheless, the information they are exchanging is beyond me.

    In addition, I do not know for sure, but somehow I see Kurokawa has a white tiger behind her back while Laura has a blue dragon. These mythical creatures are growling and wing menacingly at their respective opponents.

    Oh god, now I am having hallucinations.

    "You can not keep him only to yourself like that. We have all been *Cough*. This...ack...*cough cough*. Why can''t I *cough cough*?" Unusually, Kurokawa starts to cough. Her sentences be broken and unintelligible.

    "What''s the matter, a cat got your tongue? Something blocking your windpipe? Don''t worry! I know how it feels. Much more than you do, though." Laura amusingly looks at Kurokawa.

    This is the first time I see Kurokawa coughs in ss. Yes, she did have many asions of having a cold in past trials, and Han took care of her. Those were basically for the sex scenes only.

    The current situation is nothing simr. I have no idea why Kurokawa would cough to the point of not being able to talk like that. Han is not here, so there will be no sex.

    Then why is she like that?

    You know what?

    I am going to ask.

    What is the harm in asking, right? She should not be able to answer me, though.

    "Is there anything wrong with the bookworm...I mean Kurokawa? She''s coughing heavily over there." I direct my question to Laura, not expecting anything.

    "Just like you, C, I have no idea." The ss rep breaths out. "Maybe because God is forcing her to keep quiet since she has been yapping for so long already."

    I smile wryly at that answer. Yeah...

    *Cough cough* Kurokawa continues to cough every time she tries to speak up. Poor girl.

    Should I close the window? The girls in ss have been having allergic reactions to something. It may be because of the dust in the air? It makes sense, though.

    Rachel, Kurokawa, and Laura are all seen to have red and watery eyes. So it is logical to say Kurokawa is being affected by the allergy the most. That is why she is coughing so hard.

    I am such a genius. Before, I saw Laura shaking from the cold, as well.

    These girls are obviously bad with the weather.

    Let me go close the window for them, just in case. I am meaning to do that for Laura, anyway.

    "I feel cold, do you, C?" Just as I am about to stand up, Laura does it first.

    I nod.

    "Then I''ll go close the window."

    "Thanks, ss rep."

    "Call me wife."

    "No thanks, ss rep."

    *Rattle*

    Laura closes the window and walks back to me.

    "Call me wife." She says the same thing again, but with more stress on thest word. Her entire face keeps getting closer to mine.

    "No thanks, ss rep." And I reply the same way.

    "You will."

    Such a good girl...why does she have to die...

    Oh, wait! If she is already with me, perhaps we will be able to divert her tragic fate this time?

    *Sigh*

    Come on, C. Do not put your hopes up again! You have been through countless redos already. Have you not learned anything?!

    Haaaaaaaaa.

    I will take it as ites...

    The weirdness of today is getting into my head. If things keep on moving like this, the bug will affect my thinking permanently.

    Hmm...I should probably be heading out of this room.

    "You girls keep on talking and making acquaintance. I''m just going to head out for a quick walk."

    Sadly, Laura calls out to me.

    "But the lunch break is over."

    *Ding dong ding dong*

    Aw man...

 Chapter 19

    *Ding dong ding dong*

    Just as I am about to run out of the ssroom, the chimes of a long-awaited school bell arrive.

    The end of the lunch break is finally here to save me!

    *Phew*

    Sitting back down on my chair, I exhale a happy sigh of relief. Laura says nothing and looks at me with amusement in her eyes, but I do not really care. Because peace and quiet can now return to my background character life for a little while.

    Sorry, ss rep, you need to go back over there.

    "It looks like you are eager to get back to ss." The ss rep says so with a tiny smirk on her lips.

    "ss is starting again, so please go. I don''t want the teachers to get mad at you."

    Yes. I am only waiting for you to return to your seat. Of course, the teachers are shadow people who can not do absolutely anything. Therefore there is no way for them to punish you. It is but an excuse, Laura.

    It is but an excuse...

    The girl stands up while staring at my face. "It was good talking to you, C. I''m on the clouds now that you have epted my confession! Wait for me after ss, too, ok?"

    Do not worry, my fellow ssmate. It is not just you who is baffled by the sudden news. That confession is also a nuclear bomb to my heart, dear ss rep. Thanks to your discussion, I am on a cloud nine as well.

    But mine is a mushroom cloud, though.

    Near the window over at Han''s seat, Kurokawa is staying silent. It looks like her coughing is much better than before. So she has an allergic reaction.

    I wondered what she was about to ask before choking and started coughing uncontrobly. Curious...

    Well, it matters not. As long as Kurokawa has the strength tomorrow to survive the ordeal of her own character and build a good rtionship with Han, I am all for it.

    Ah? Kurokawa is trying to say something.

    "I...*cough* am...*cough*...not...do...ing...*cough*..."

    *Cough cough cough*

    Again, she starts to cough. That allergy must have been severe! I can hardly make out the words she is saying.

    Laura turns to that side. "Stop doing that. You must feel the limits of everything already. Because of the coughing, it is not like you can say whatever you want."

    *Cough cough cough*

    No need to be so harsh on the bookworm, Laura. I know you may feel a little worried for her because I do, but try to keep it softer for the poor girl.

    "Don''t force yourself, Kurokawa. Just sit down for a minute and rx. The teacher is noting into the ss anyway." I speak up to the bookworm.

    Hearing my voice, she turns her face at me, but I can not see anything because of her bang. What is the expression on her face? I have no idea.

    Wait! Am I doing the wrong thing here?... Kurokawa is a masochist, so maybe she likes harsh words more than soft ones? Hmmm. Makes perfect sense, though. Should I talk to Kurokawa the same as Laura?

    "C? You still haven''t answered my question." A pair of hazel-colored eyes suddenly beams at me.

    I instinctively reply without any thinking.

    "Eh? Yes?"

    The ss representative smiles brightly after that. "Great! I will be with you right when school ends!"

    ...Guess I will have an afterschool date, too...Great job, C...splendid...

    I would have been ecstatic if I were not involved in a strange event with the lunch date. We all know how that went, and now another one?

    Am I digging my own graves?

    Anyway, no use crying over spilled milk. Let me just enjoy the current peacefulness as the ss rep is leaving my area.

    "I will not make you wait for too long. Don''t worry too much." Laura turns her head sideways to look at me. The profile of her face at this angle is both feminine and sharp at the same time.

    Laura smiles with a slight hint of red on her cheeks. "Hehe!"

    *Ba-dump*

    My heart just jumps! Damn this! Damn you, C! You keepplimenting her like this is not a good sign!

    At this rate, I will be swept away by her charms sooner orter. How on the god damn Earth am I going to continue the story like that?!

    *Sigh*

    A big sigh escapes my lungs. I will look on the brighter side since not much can be done for now. Everything is messed up, and I am also getting messed up. Why did Ie to this...

    *Sigh*

    I slump down the clean surface of the desk, lying facing down.

    Looking at it from another angle, even though I can not escape the room, it is still pretty good. Since I do not need to be in between these two crazy girls anymore, I can rx for a little bit. Truth be told, I have not felt well since this day started. Being stuck between one of the female leads and one yandere-in-the-making side character is certainly not good. Not good at all...

    One slip of a tongue, and BAM, my head lifelessly rolls to the corner like a ser ball.

    But hey, now that Laura has to go back, at least I get my personal space. By the way, you should know that she has been very close to my body.

    And by close, I mean it. Laura has not left any gap more than 2 inches between her and me. Because of that, not just one time that her body, which includes her breasts, touches me on the arm or hand.

    What can I say except they were soft...

    Do not get me wrong! I do like the attention she has been giving me. It is the first time I have ever been sought after, so I think I can have the right to enjoy this a little bit.

    Now, I am obviously delighted to have a confession. Who would not? Any guy in this entire world can agree with me on this. Especially when that confessiones from someone who is a beauty of unrivaled proportion.

    However, receiving it is just one end of the rope. epting something as horrified as the feelings of a yandere is something else. It is simply beyond my wildest dreams.

    Although Laura is only one side character, she is still a female character. And in this god-forsaken game, I Will Survive With The Harem Ending, there is no such thing as an ordinary female. Trust me, I know. For that information, I had to pay with my past lives.

    Then rises one difficult question to answer.

    Why did Laura pay attention to me?

    I do not even have a single idea of how Lauraes to be like this. What have I done to deserve such a treatment?

    Oh! Rachel and Han are back! Their lunch must have been quite fine with no one to interrupt them. During lunch date, they would not do much of anything except for eating like a newlywed couple, with Han being all red and embarrassed.

    You know, building up the characters a little. It was so generic that I lost interest in what they talked about after a few trials.

    Walking behind her childhood friend, I feel like Rachel''s face is ufortable. Why? Should she not be all happy after enjoying her lunch with the love of her life?

    Usually, she would make lunchtime a little further to be with Han. With the bugs roaming amok in this current trial, I would say that much is eptable.

    "Uwah! I''m so sleepy! I''m gonna sleep until the end of school. Is that fine, Rachel?" The male protagonist makes a big yawn with his two arms up high.

    His childhood friend replies with a stern voice. "No, that is not good! You need to be more focused in ss!"

    Please, Rachel, put in a little more feeling, will you? A little more caring would be preferable, thank you very much! Stop being so stiff and be lovey-dovey to your fiance! Honestly, why do you look so worried? You sounded like a rock just now.

    "Kuha!"

    "Kuha!"

    Who was that!? I heard snickers!

    *Whoosh*

    Rachel turns her crazy face at me. But strangely, I do not understand why but I feel the muscles on her face lose their tension a little bit.

    "!!"

    Um...Why are Laura and Kurokawa looking at her like that? It is as if they have a raging fire boiling inside their pupils.

    "Heh!" It seems Rachel has noticed the stares from the others but chooses to ignore them. She is brave, and you have to give her at least that. If it were me, I would have fled the scene already. Yes, I am a coward.

    There is nothing wrong with being afraid of some psychopaths!

    *Rattle*

    The teacher finallyes into the ss. The next period is about to start.

    Since peace and quiet have returned to my side, I can think about the strange events of this morning and devise a solution to manage this.

    Some time ago, I had a strange feeling and thought that maybe they could somehow understand my intentions. The girls would behave and ask questions that I had not even asked. Let''s just hypothesize this by giving them mind-reading abilities.

    This is exceptionally terrifying!

 Chapter 20

    *Rattle*

    The door opens andes in a shadow.

    "All rise. Bow." Laura stands up to greet the shadow teacher. The rest of the ss quickly follows her.

    As the thing walks into the ss, it nods and starts to write gibberish on the ckboard, signaling the afternoon period has begun. Seeing that, I go back to my own world. It is about time to return to serenity after the chaotic morning I had.

    Although asionally, my concentration is disrupted by a nceing somewhere that I can not pinpoint. It is not a murderous look or anything. I just feel like those eyes are taking quick peaks at me.

    Whoever is doing that, please focus on the lesson in front of you. Your future is more important than looking around.

    "Hachiu!!" Laura lets out a high-pitched sneeze. Pretty cute.

    Bless you, ss rep. It must be hard working as the ss representative and study all at once.

    The more I notice her, the more attractive Laura bes. There is this particr gap moe between her usual self and her personality that I am starting to see. I have never seen her being this life-like throughout all the previous trials. This current bug has done things way beyond my imagination.

    At this rate, I am going to fall for her.

    AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT GOOD!!!

    Damn it, C! Have some control!

    "Ha-ha-Hachee!!"

    Bless you, Kurokawa. I almost forget that you have an allergic reaction, too. Her sneeze is also cute. Her bang moves like a curtain fluttering in the wind because of it. And even before the sneeze, she had to bobble her head a little to take in a few breaths. That revealed her slightly-opened azure eyes about to close.

    It is simply hrious how silly she looked. Who would ever think that behind those crystal clear eyes are one massive masochist?

    Tomorrow, we will have her event. Do not get your hopes up too high, C. Things have not gone the way I want them to, so I will try to keep an open mind when something weirdes up.

    Still, I am not going to lie! This is what I really do feel. These girls are just so adorable when they are unburdened by the storyline. It makes me want to save them from it. Seeing them and knowing they will kill each other mercilessly is weighty on my conscience.

    However, that is not my job.

    That is what the protagonist should be doing. It is Han''s job.

    ( Get it? Han''s job? No? Okay...I will see myself out...)

    I take a nce at Rachel for no reason. Somehow, I need to check in on the female childhood friend to see that she is not up to no good. Thankfully, Rachel is sitting there writing things down like a good girl. I never thought of the day I would feel so blessed to have someone doing nothing.

    *Sniff sniff*

    It is so ordinary I am going to cry with joy!

    Ever since she came back from the lunch date, Rachel has been quiet. Except for the dialogue between her and Han, she did not bother to do anything else. I mean...That is a good thing butpared to all that has happened until now, Rachel is quite docile.

    Too docile, as a matter of fact.

    Wait a minute...She is looking this way.

    Look forward, C! Act like you do not care! Scary!!!

    That was my fault for staring at her...I apologize for my rudeness, Rachel.

    "!"

    The temples of my head are feeling tense all of a sudden.

    Phew, so many things to think about. Maybe I am letting the bug go a little too into my head. All these questions and doubts are seriously going to cost me my sanity.

    I was thinking of telepathy earlier. What was up with that?! Was I going crazy because of a confession?

    Mind-reading power? Seriously? What are the chances of mind-reading abilities? And on ALL of the characters?

    The bug of me suddenly realizing I live inside a game is already one in a god-knows-how-many-millionth chance. Now, this?

    I have had an indefinite amount of trials in this world already but have never encountered such a thing. The possibility of something like that happening is near zero to me.

    Also, it is not as if they are all doing things out of the norm. The people are still on a ridiculous path towards the storyline, albeit weird and twisted. For example, Rachel just had her lunch with Han, and they will still have their dinner with just the two of them tonight.

    Of course, Rachel''s invitation is not in my consideration. What do I look like? Stupid?

    I know I am still an olive oil bottle because of my extra virginity. But if someone hears others talking about having sex, they should be bothered, right? There should be no reason for Rachel to follow what I thought.

    Everything else can be considered a mere coincidence. It is at least a more usible exnation.

    But still, if this world has given me my own sentience, it is not so difficult to show the other characters my inner thoughts...

    For real, though...This is really a pain.

    *Sigh*

    I will give this a fifty-fifty for now. It is hard to believe, but I have to be more careful. If I find a clue about having my thoughts read by the yanderes, I will jump off this school building and wait until the next reset. The bug should be fixed then.

    To get out of this situation without getting hurt, I must first understand what I am dealing with. Honestly, dying is not something that I am afraid of, as I have perished numerous times under many circumstances already. I am actually worried about whether or not the yanderes will torture me! Rather than giving me death as soon as possible, these psychos can and will inflict an unfathomable amount of pain before finishing me off...

    Because of that, there needs to be a n or at least an understanding of the matter.

    Firstly, it would seem that the girls are paying attention to me more than ever. Especially Laura with her out-of-no-where confession! Even Kurokawa is talking to me more than to Han. The only one who is sticking to their role is Rachel, and that is not entirely correct, either.

    If I want to survive, I must find out why they are being like that. Laura was the first one to approach me and confess. Therefore, I should be investigating her before everyone else. In addition, since she behaved as if she had been in love with me for quite a long time already, it should be easy to dig out information from her. Once I get the correct information, I will hopefully be able to make it so that they stop giving me their attention.

    Still, if I have the chance, I should at least talk to the other girls and help them achieve a good rtionship with Han. That will be a massive wall to pass, considering Laura has already made her im on me. One moment she finds out I am talking to another girl, bam, dead.

    I need to be extremely careful ying this cupid game rather than staying behind the screen.

    God knows if I want to do this or not, but I can not leave this thing to ruin. Maybe the day Han sess in conquering all of the girls will be the day I can start having my own life. Sadly, nothing makes sure I will have my own life after everything is said and done. One can only hope for the best, I guess...

    While trying to find out the hidden info, I must always, always, and always remain a background character. Never must I interfere with the main storyline to make sure things proceed the way they should be.

    Obviously, this is going to be horrendously challenging. How exactly do I continue to be in the background AND deal with the main cast at once?

    It is simply impossible!

    And yet, there should be one more thing I need to think about!!

    Although the current trial has been nothing short but chaotic, the reset is still notmencing! Yes. It is the reset I have been telling you all this time.

    The countdown until reset is never exact, yet it does not postpone this long. At the moment, I have no other exnation for that except for two:

    Either this whole reset thing is bugged, also.

    Or this run is canon.

    Both are equally terrifying.

    If the reset is bugged, I might die for real. Suicide to skip through the story until Han is killed will be then impossible. I will be stuck in this new and bizarre iteration of the game.

    On the other hand, if the run is canon because of an update in the game or something, I will forever be stuck in this new set of plots.

    Two possible exnations, one single oue...

    The more I think about this, the more ridiculous reality is bing.

    God, please send help...

    Ah...My head hurts so much...

 Chapter 21

    Lunchtime to me was very awkward.

    We were sitting on the rooftop and looking down on other students. The whole area was technically ours. No one else was there since I was in charge of the key to this ce for some unknown reason.

    As I looked at the sky above my head, I could see a captivating blue, coupled with a few patches of white cotton balls. Those cotton balls would move ever so slowly because they were patient, giving me a sense of peacefulness and tranquility. But most prominent of all in that blue canvas was a yellow ball of light, shining down its radiance to warm up the earth.

    asionally, my skin would be caressed by the gentle yet cooling wind. The breeze, which existed only at that location, was something both soothing andfortable at the same time. It was simply perfect. Too perfect.

    The rooftop was a beautiful ce.

    ...just like how a painting should be.

    Be as wless as it was, I noticed an odd urrence. Except for the setting sun, the clouds moved in the same pattern. Always. The scenery above my head kept repeating the same thing rather than having it totally random, simr to how actual clouds should be. Not only that, but the wind was no different. The time between each breeze was the same. No more, no less.

    It was then that I was sure that guy was not crazy.

    The truth was I, Rachel, was inside a game where I had to share my love with an unknown number of crazy female heroines. There was only one person who knew that before me, and that was a person called ssmate C.

    I should be feeling mad. I should have eitherughed out loud or gone into a crazy berserk state. Who in their right mind would ever want to share their boyfriend with someone else?

    But I did not.

    At least, I did not think about those thoughts of my own volition. I was forced to do so.

    Han was my childhood friend. That was the premise of the story. With our families living next to each other, we basically spent our entire childhood with one another, never to be separated. Throughout all the years of my memory, we have had quite a history together.

    There was even a promise of getting married in the future. By now, that promise would be near worthless.

    I knew absolutely everything about him, from his way of speaking, his habits, to his favorite porn...everything.

    Sadly, I knew those things because it was forced down on me, not because I wanted to. My feelings for Han were so intense, to the point of being impossible. Whenever I was with him, I felt that my chest was overflowing with happiness even when Han was not doing anything. It was always bursting with joy for no reason. The sensation inside my chest was suffocating. As long as I was able to meet Han, it was okay.

    I loved him. I really did. Although it was fake, it was pure, unadulterated love.

    There was also a constant drive within me that pushed me towards Han. Anything that I did was to please him and him only.

    If I had to make a guess, I would say the system of this game was to me. However, to bepletely honest, if not for C, I would have followed the system until the very end.

    ssmate C still had not realized that his thoughts could generate actual scenes inside my head. Unbeknownst to the guy, he could project his thinking and make others live those experiences again.

    The scenes he talked about were ever so vivid in front of my very eyes.

    It opened up with Han and me lying on his bed at night. I ''saw'' The Rachel, who was brutally butchering her alleged "love" with a kitchen knife because he cheated on her. That Rachel, who was plunging her shiny knife into Han''s chest while pleasuring herself with his limping penis, was a monster.

    A monster created by the system with the intent to finish the plot, nothing else.

    Never could I have ever done something so heinous. I was sure of it. I could never do that to my love, no matter how painful it was.

    And when I realized that my life has been a character for the main protagonist to conquer, I felt like a whore. Even more so, I offered myself to Han.

    No. The word "offer" is not correct.

    I forced myself on Han, someone who would never be able to be loyal.

    Of course, I doubted the reliability of that. However, things got clearer after seeing Laura.

    I "saw" myself feeding her the paper-knife.

    The feelings inside of my head were divided into two sides. One side was still unrivaled love. I could not help it. Years of loving someone can not be thrown away in less than a day like so. Still, the other part of me was clearly disgusted.

    There was no need to delve into the loving side. The system wanted me to love Han, so it forced all of the necessary feelings into my head. I was exactly how a goose on a foie gras farm would be.

    Everything was about Han. I must wake him up in the morning, make him breakfast, and do hisundry while he was sleeping untilte. In my mind, there was only one schedule.

    His.

    As for the other side, it just started to pop out this morning.

    I never doubted anything until I met C at the school gate and heard his thoughts. He was the voice of reason I never knew I needed.

    It is hard to exin, but I had two distinctive feelings happening at that moment. Probably that was how people with split personalities would feel.

    With all that said, I started to distance myself from Han and paid more attention to C.

    "Rachel?"

    Having C close by would be a tremendous help in almost anything this world had to offer. Unfortunately, I could not.

    The forces of this world shut me off even before asking him.

    Honestly, I am so fed up with losing control over my body. I could hardly do anything other than what the script guides as if it was not my own. Especially when ssmate C was not around, the situation was even worst. His abilities had a distance limit.

    Before hearing C''s thoughts, I was Han''s loyal subject. Maybe in the past trials of the game, I was really his love ve. I was reconsidering it, albeit just a little.

    I wanted to break free.

    "Rachel? Are you okay?" Han came close to me. His face was full of worries.

    Was that really him talking? Was that really him caring for me?

    Or was it just the program talking?

    It pained me if thetter was correct.

    "No. Nothing! I''m fine. How is the lunchbox? I stacked quite a lot of your favorites in there." I smiled at him. My voice was a little high-pitched, just like how a girl in love should be.

    I was a natural.

    Still, I did not want to talk. The mood between us was romantic because of the game, not thanks to Han or me. In fact, I was trying to think on my own. Some peace and quiet would be greatly appreciated.

    Han used his chopsticks to grab a piece of fried chicken. "Oh! Don''t worry! It was you who made my lunch. I would eat it every day if I could."

    "Then eat a lot! We have work to do tonight!" I said.

    "Yes, Ma''am!" He was not thinking of anything out of the ordinary. It made sense...

    But no. I did not want to do any kind of work tonight! ording to C, I would drug Han and force myself on him. Then I would change and be what he had beenining, a yandere.

    Even if I still harbored feelings for my childhood friend, it was not up to the level where I would do such a thing right now. Until I waspletely sure Han was someone I truly had feelings for, I would not give my chasity.

    No matter what, I needed to screw the night up for good!

    C must be with me, at least for tonight!

 Chapter 22

    When I got back to the ssroom, I was attacked with a piece of mind-boggling news. Almost immediately, my already unstable mental state decreased even worse.

    Laura confessed her feelings to C while I was gone.

    She. Did. It. First.

    At the same time as I was forced to have lunch by the system, Laura advanced.

    The audacity of the ss representative...

    And he epted it.

    Knowing that, my whole body grew stiff as a stone right then and there. If not for the system pushing me forward, I would have stood dead still at the doorway like a statue.

    In the middle of my chest, there was a bursting sensation.

    Pain.

    Burning, tearing pain.

    Why? Howe there was pain?

    Where did that achee from? Did I get some kind of disease I did not know about? Was there something that C did not know also? A medical condition, perhaps?

    [...Too docile, as a matter of fact.]

    My eyes nced at C, who was thinking of me. I was not being docile, C.

    I just did not know what to do in this situation.

    [ Look away, C! Act like you do not care!...] His eyes darted forward the moment they met mine.

    Once again, I felt a part of me being ripped apart.

    No...please...do not look away...

    I needed you.

    Huh!? Wait a minute?!

    What was I doing? Thinking like that?!! What was wrong with me!!

    Most importantly, why was my misery directed at that faceless person? Why not Han, but for him?!

    Han was a more suitable choice, was it not? He was good-looking, lived next to me, and shared everything together with me. He was supposed to be with me, right? Everything that was forced unto me was only for that purpose. Everything,...including the memories of us...

    All those memories of us being side by side...

    Fake, fabricated memories...

    It felt real...so real in my head...

    Then why was my heart feeling so painful for hearing about C''s confession?

    When I thought of C, my vision became blurry. Not just that, it resonated with something in my head.

    Why do I have a bunch of fog next to the memories of Han? What was the reason for this mist of something clouding up more than half of my mind?!

    Questions upon questions piled up. The whats, the whys, the whos kept umting with no signs of stopping.

    Unfortunately, none could answer them for me.

    Instantly, ckened rage and unequal sadness consumed me from the depth within my being. Inside the chest, my heart kept beating harder and faster than ever. Even with Han, my heart had never lost its control like that.

    It was such intense wrath that I never knew I could have.

    With that bad news, I was expecting to have no strength. Contrary to my belief, the power swelling through my bloodstream because of my anger was iprehensible.

    The state of despair was no longer apparent since I had another goal. Clenching my fists tightly, I regained my posture thanks to the boiling blood running through me. That surge of energy was so drastic I felt I could crack the neck of Laura like snapping a twig.

    Yes, I wanted to destroy Laura. I wanted to see that bitch bleed through her entire body. The color of red would match her brown hair and eyes, would it not?

    Why would I want to do that was not in my mind.

    Carnage.

    I craved carnage.

    Still, it would be so simple since I was already at the entrance. Laura was sitting in the front row of the ss, so my job was already done by a half. All I needed was toe close to the ss rep, extend my arms and strangle her until that whore''s eyes turned white.

    Or perhaps I could do one even better. C did say something about me forcing Laura to eat her own paper-knife, did he not? What if I do that at that instance? No need to wait until she had sex with Han, right? There was no way she would be having sex with my childhood friend. She had already confessed her feelings to C. I could just end her disgusting life just like what C wanted.

    However, there was no exnation for that. I simply did not understand why I was so desperate for someone who had almost no rtion to me. Still, it was extreme.

    After hearing his thoughts about the confession, I sank to the bottom.

    I am despicable. I really am.

    Despite having a loved one inside my head, I kept thinking about someone else. How shameful could a person possibly be? How more disgusting could I be?

    And yet, I could not help it. Because of the split personalities inside of me, I could not control my emotions.

    All this morning, I was paying more attention to C than to my childhood friend, whom I was supposed to adore with my entire being. Rather than giving Han all of my undivided feelings, I split them in half.

    My body was clearly divided into two parts. My head was always thinking about Han, but my chest felt warm just by looking at C for some unknown reason.

    There was no mistake that the love for Han I was experiencing was forced. Nheless, it existed.

    Then what about the feelings I had for C?

    Urk!

    I wanted to clutch my heart, but I could not.

    Why her?!

    Why her...

    Why not me?!

    Why was it always her instead of me?!?

    You should have paid attention to me first!

    Suddenly, everything in front of me changed.

    I was not sitting in the ss anymore but standing in front of C in the storeroom.

    "Why do you stand in my way?" I asked him. My voice was colder than ice.

    To be more precise, my lips moved on their own. I was only observing the scene.

    "Don''t go in there if you don''t want to get hurt." C blocked the whole door with his entire body.

    A knife appeared in my hand, and I ced it on his neck. It was so sharp just a slight touch caused C to bleed already.

    "Out!"

    "No."

    *Chik*

    My knife plunged deep into his carotid artery with no hesitation. However, despite the gurgles, he did not fight back. C''s featureless face got more pale as he slowly sat down.

    He was ready for death.

    He was ready to die for her.

    The scene changed for the second time. And this time, it was at the school gate. Strangely, there were just C and me.

    "Listen to me, Rachel. What you are feeling right now is forced! These emotions are noting from your heart! If you want freedom, you need to break it! Han is not really your childhood friend! He is not even human!"

    Irritated, I shouted at him.

    "Ridiculous! I did not go out here just to hear crap from you! Do NOT disrespect Han like that!!"

    Right after that, I stormed back into the school.

    "You are nning to drug him tonight!"

    *Whoosh*

    I turned my head back.

    "How did you know that?!" There was a sense of disbelief in my voice. Well, "my" voice.

    C continued despite my abnormal state.

    "I also know that you will give your virginity to him."

    "Impossible!" My hands clenched tightly, and my face twisted into a deformed shape that I could not see. ''Rachel'' would have probably driven it into his chest if a weapon was avable.

    "Trust me, Rachel, I know more about you than you think."

    *Gu* *Bang*

    "Argh!" C groaned out from the pain.

    ''Rachel'' charged at C, mming his head against the metal gate behind him. A loud banging could be heard, and I could see the blood running down C''s shirt.

    "Are you some kind of stalker? You were wrong to surrender yourself like this." I asked. "I could have you arrested right now!"

    But C did not answer the question given to him.

    "You like orange chicken." Keeping his voice as calm as possible, C started to talk about me, Rachel.

    "Big deal! Any stalker could have done something like that!" I scoffed.

    He continued his monologue as if stating truths. "You like to have a tidy room."

    "Who doesn''t you damn stalker!? Now answer me!"

    "If it was a stressful day, you would use the bath for at least an hour. And you take at least three showers a day. You secretly want to watch the drama on TV, but Han prefers anime, so you do that with him. Cakes and sweets are never your favorite. But you have to eat them because Han likes them so much. Every morning, you have to do about 5km to keep yourself in shape."

    "..." The grip on my hand tightened.

    "You know deep down Han does not love you. He has never shown you anything other than a friend, and you doubted his love. You would be correct, Rachel. Han never did. He never will. That is in his nature. He was programmed to be like that."

    "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!"

    *BAM*

    Once again, ''I'' mmed his head on the metal gate. Only this time, I did it with much more force. Behind C, the metal was drastically bent.

    "Which...is why...you wanted to drug him like that..." ssmate C tried his best to maintain his stance. Still, he was about to lose consciousness because of the damage.

    "You''re lying to me!!!"

    *Bam bam bam*

    C took all of the beatings on himself and never resisted. As ''I'' continued to bash his head against the metal, blood had already sprayed everywhere.

    Stop. Please...

    Stop this madness...

    "You...like to have 2 kids. The future...home for your family...must have...a garden with white flowers. You aspire to be a housewife...but your dream has...always been...a chef..."

    "WHO TOLD YOU THESE THINGS?!?"

    *p*

    The other me was filled with rage. But the current me was filled with warmth and shame.

    Because I had never told anyone else other than Han those things. Yet he never really cared to remember. That childhood friend of mine only knew the things he wanted to. He did not even care for our promise in the past.

    Not that it mattered anymore.

    All that time, I was putting a target on someone who would ditch me the moment he saw someone else.

    "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!? STATE YOUR GOAL!!" I screamed at C, who was struggling to stand still. His entire body was shaking at this point.

    "I...I...you won''t believe...me..." He had no face, but I felt the bitterness in his words.

    "GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT BEFORE I END YOUR PATHETIC LIFE!!"

    "I want you to be free."

    "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!"

    "I want...apanion..." After that, C''s body grew limp as he slumped down.

    He died by my hands.

    Third, fourth, fifth...

    I saw C''s trying to help me realize I was in a game. Not once did it work.

    Because I did not listen to him, I let myself be vulnerable.

    Han cheated on me.

    Again.

    And again.

    And again.

    Before that, C would appear to stop me from going overboard with the drug.

    It almost always ended in his death.

    Yet he kept trying.

    I asked myself: Why would you try so hard?

    In one of the iterations, he answered me out of pure coincidence while talking to another me.

    "I have not felt the warmth of being in love. However, I have seen you girls cry and suffer because of one guy. You will not stop hurting and killing one another if you are still tied to this wretched game. For one, I would like to see you have a free will of your own, just like mine.

    The tragedy is already too much for me to handle. I wish I could see you have a good ending just this time.

    My purpose is questionable and hard to achieve. This should be the nightmare difficulty of the game, even.

    I don''t know whether or not this would work.

    I could only try...

    Be free, Rachel. Be free."

    Sacrificing his own life, C tried a hundred, then a thousand, then I lost count.

    He did them all with just one purpose, free will.

    I was taken back to the ssroom with tears on my face.

    To my right and at the far side of the ss, there was C. The guy was still fixing his gaze forward.

    Very quickly, I wiped my face off. I was not letting C see what had been going on with me. If he decided to suicide, I might have my memories erased.

    He seeded.

    This time, I had free will.

    The first thing I needed to do was to get rid of Laura.

    As I turned my eyes at the ss rep, I saw her looking back at me. Laura must have paid attention to me from the moment I entered. To be honest, it made sense.

    I was behaving weird, anyway. And C''s thoughts were probably known to her as well.

    Her eyes were showing signs of threat to me.

    Somehow, she knew.

    I smiled.

    She smiled.

    Only one of us coulde out of this alive.

 Chapter 23

    "All rise. Bow."

    The whole afternoon session ends quite eventless.

    Well...almost...

    Except for the asional dangerous ncesing from the heroines, especially the ss rep and the childhood friend, I have been able to enjoy my alone time. Those have certainly be rarer and rarer in just one day.

    Would you believe all those events have happened in just a day!? It certainly has felt like more than that to me! If an author takes time to write my story, it will probably need around a month just to get to this point.

    *Hic*

    How long has it been since thest time I could enjoy being behind the curtain? Even without eyes, tears can still manifest themselves on my face magically. Do not question them, please...I really have no idea where theye from.

    Honestly, I wish I could have more alone time until Han finally makes it to the end of the story. Sadly, that will not be the case. One of the heroines will eventually get their hands on him before he can finish anything, ending his life. As a matter of fact, I am more curious about how he will die this time than hoping for a win. A new killing method will be greatly appreciated. Everything has been a little stale these past few trials.

    Talking about Han, I need to check.

    Ah, our main character is sleeping safely and soundly on his chair. All ording to the schedule. Besides me, who deliberately tries to stick to the storyline, only he and Kurokawa are trustworthy right now. Lying on the desk with his face in his arms and drooling on one side, the guy must be having a good dream. Damn, he is just so carefree. I am kind of envious of that.

    Ignorance really is bliss.

    But just that carefree part only. I am not envious of Han''s fate. Not at all!

    Still, you have to really give it to this man. Missing out on all the signals sent from his childhood friend is already an achievement.

    Then again, if someone was throwing me signals, I would think that they were being kind or considerate only. Unless that someone throws themselves onto me just like what Laura did, never would I have guessed they had feelings for me. That is all because I am aplete jackass to things like love.

    Reality is often disappointing, is it not?

    HOWEVER!!! Things are different now.

    Very much different.

    Rather than having my free time waiting until Han gets himself killed, now I am affiliated with one of the crucial side characters. Even more so, that side character is supposed to jump-start the main plot!

    Laura, oh Laura.

    Wherefore Art Thou Laura? That is Shakespeare''s, by the way.

    "What are you thinking?"

    Speaking of the devil...

    "I thought you had a council meeting?" My face turns to the ss rep standing just inches away from me. At that moment, I catch an alluring sight.

    Laura tilts forward slightly with her head leaning a little to the left. Not just that, she uses her hand to brush her hair behind her ears, showing me the most feminine side of her. And instead of maintaining her usual serious look, Laura has a faint smile at the corners of her lips. Thanks to that, she appears to be more of an enhanced version of her past self to me.

    I can not describe it very clearly since it is a subtle change. Although I guess a suitable euphemism would be a transformation of the ss rep''s aura. From being a prisoner, she is...free.

    What a weird feeling...

    What am I even talking about?

    Laura is just beautiful. That is basically it. She is simply captivating, so much that I forget to breathe.

    Not that I need to, though.

    *Ba-dump*

    NO! Not you! DO NOT BEAT FASTER, YOU DUMB ASS!!! She is not someone we can be aiming for!

    *Ba-dump*

    I know she is pretty, but she is not ours! Listen to me, heart! We must not get too attached to any girls in this world! They are either going to die or be utterly mad! Do you want to get broken or what?!

    "Pft. Why do you keep staring at me like that? Is there ink on my face?" Laura tries to hide herugh with her hand.

    Why the frick are you so cute!?!

    *Ba-dump*

    Bad heart! BAD! NO!

    Eh!? What is Laura doing?

    Suddenly, shees close to my ears. I can actually feel her warm breath on my face as she whispers.

    "If you so desperately want to know more about me, I can always help you with...a private lesson. Just. The. Two. Of. Us."

    I have goosebumps all over my body because of that.

    *Sproing*

    Inside my pants, something is rising, and it is not a particr hero holding a shield...

    *Ba-dump*

    Do NOT pump more blood down there, god damn it!

    "Um...I would hate for you to lose your precious time on someone like me. I heard that Han has been having a tough time with his studies since he slept all the time. Why don''t you go bothe...I mean, help him?"

    Nice, C. Passing the ball to the main character is always better! Although I feel a bit of loss and guilt inside for pushing Laura away, the story has to continue.

    Sorry, ss rep. Maybe we can be together in another life. How long until that is not an answer I can give you.

    Ugh.

    This feels really bad, but I need to be stern to reject Laura and bring the story back on track.

    I am such an asshole...To all men out there struggling to have a girlfriend, I apologize.

    "Don''t say it like that!" Laura raises her voice at me. There is a particr sense of urgency in the way she talks. Quite strange, if I am being honest.

    Startled, I just stare at her, not saying a word. My body clearly moves a little further away from her. I did not think she would lose herposure because of me.

    At that instance, Han, Rachel, and Kurokawa instantly pay attention to my location.

    "Sorry. That was rude of me." The ss rep looks at me apologetically.

    Then she stares directly at my face with a sharp look.

    "Nheless, I am not looking forward to being with anyone else except you, C. Please understand that. It pains me that you try to group me with someone else."

    I do not feel so good either, really...

    "Understood. I apologize." I bow my head down slightly toward Laura.

    After so many resets, this is the first time I have had someone to talk to. And now, for the sake of the plot, I am abandoning them. Am I going to let Laura experience the pain I have felt all these years?

    ...

    I can not do it.

    The loneliness kills people, literally. I know that feeling very well and how depressed it can be.

    "Don''t worry, C. We have LOTS of time together from now on. You will not be alone as long as I am here." The smilees back to Laura''s face, radiating its magnificent shine. To be able to witness this smile, I am really blessed.

    After Laura finishes her sentence, I feel a warmth inside my chest, even though not quite sure why she emphasized it. Nevertheless, it did not stop me from being delighted.

    The tears once again manifest themselves on my nk face. And I can very clearly feel them running down my cheeks.

    It...is...heartwarming...

    "You have no idea how much that means to me, ss rep."

    With arms behind her, Laura smiles brightly. Her chestnut hair sways softly with the motion of her body.

    "Trust me, C. I have at least a small idea of how you feel!"

    "Really?" Doubtful, I ask.

    "I''m not saying anything! You have to get the words out from my own mouth!"

    Right, everything is not the same. But this "difference" is what I desperately need.

    For ages, I have craved such straightforward words.

    For ages, I wanted to have someone I could really talk to. Someone unbound, unburdened, free from the system itself like me.

    A friend, apanion.

    The current bug has helped me achieve just that.

    ...

    Then I will change the n slightly. Rather than forcing Laura on Han, I will try to help her without messing up the story. As long as the story progresses how it should be, we should not have another reset.

    "Here, let me help you get up." Laura extends her hand.

    "Thanks!" I reach for Laura.

    Feeling the soft hand of the ss representative, I am immediately filled with gratitude. It keeps building and building until a certain breaking point. Like a ss too full of water, the feelings inside my heart overflow.

    At that moment, the corners of my mouth twitch and move to the sides.

    *Gasp* *Gasp* *Gasp*

    I can hear people gasping for air. Most prominently would be the person holding my hand.

    "Look at you, C, smiling from ear to ear! You are so handsome!!" Laura looks at me with bewildered eyes. There is only the reflection of me inside of those hazel-colored irises.

    "I would not say that, haha."

    It is a bizarre feeling, but I do not hate it.

    Because this is the first time ever, I can feel myself smiling.

    "Thank you, Laura." I clench my hand tightly, and the other hand does the same thing.

    Laura opens her wonderful lips. From theree the best words I have ever dreamt of hearing.

    "I''m here now."

    Truly, thank you...

 Chapter 24

    I could not take my eyes away from him. It was just impossible to do so.

    No matter how hard I tried, I still could not help but look at C. From the start to the finish of today''s study session, my attention had been on a particr faceless individual and his inner thoughts.

    Because my bangs were in the way, I had a limited visual field that could only make out one figure.

    And that lonely figure was none other than his.

    Far on the right side of the ssroom, where no one else but the shadow people existed, C sat alongside them. Contrary to my location, which was right next to the window with a fantastic view, he only had a nd white column on his right.

    While I could freely enjoy the sight of the fluttering sakura petals when the timees, C would not have any changes. And even at this time, when there were no flowers, I could still feel the nice breeze that asionally came.

    Over on his side, there was nothing.

    His position and Han''s position had stark differences. C had to sit in a ce without anything and anyone remotely human. On the other hand, Han could enjoy his life to the fullest behind my back with Rachel by his side.

    As for C, he was the furthest from the rest of us. Even Laura was closer to us than to him.

    One was the nucleus of this world. Everything was created and built just for him. The other was a fodder character whose destiny was to be a nobody.

    Istion.

    It was the one word that came to my mind when I first thought about C.

    He did not have a friend to talk to nor anything to do. I thought he was always bored since he could not stop talking in his head. Or even worse, he was lonely. And probably discussing with invisible readers was the only way for him to maintain his sanity. I could understand that quite easily, to be honest. What else could he possibly do when around him were beings that could not converse in the slightest?

    If I were in his position, there would be a high chance of me getting broken beyond repair. Despite the dreadful oue that could have happened to him, ssmate C was still not showing any signs of madness.

    How did you even manage that, C?

    Sometimes, the guy would nce over here at my side to check. Without any facial expressions, I could still make out a sense of curiosity in him.

    Of course, his face would then meet either mine or Rachel''s. I did not think he could see my eyes because of the bangs, but Rachel probably had something for him in store. Because right upon catching a glimpse of Rachel''s eyes, C would scream inside his head out of fear and divert his gaze forward.

    It was just as he said.

    [Eyes forward, dick downward.]

    A vulgar sentence, there was no doubt.

    Yet it created such a nostalgic feeling deep in my heart.

    He was so funny that I could not help butugh a couple of times while hitting my desk, which caused him to pay attention to me. For real, though, how could I have taken all of that shenanigans with a straight face? Everything he said and did was hrious and adorable at the same time. One might call it cringy, even. Not just once that I had to withhold myughter with everything I had.

    However, everything had its merits.

    Behind that humorous personality was something else. Underneath all the jokes and the ridiculous advice was someone who did not even notice the true desperation they were dealing. Just some attention from Laura, and she had made him baffled beyond hisprehension.

    His wit was a facade, a curtain to hide a prisoner: himself.

    ssmate C was a prisoner because of his free will.

    Such irony.

    Such a ridiculous irony this world had created. C gained sentience, but that sentience became a prison cell.

    In his own words, he had been through countless resets.

    How many years, decades, centuries have you been sitting there, C? For how long had you been seeing the same script happening over and over and over again? What did you feel when there was no hope at all?

    How long had it been for him to suffer that on your own? So much so that you could only care about the story rather than yourself?

    Through his inner voice, no matter what kind of emotions he had, I could still make out a hint of depression and sadness.

    It did not make any sense to me. I was not supposed to worry about ssmate C. ording to the script, the man I should vouch for was behind me.

    Yet my heart ached tremendously seeing C being isted away like that. His actions told me the story of someone who had not received actual interactions in a long time. He was jumpy and was easily startled when things did not go ording to his memories.

    That gave me a glimpse of him always following the main storyline like a puppet. For someone with their own free will, he got imprisoned by this game. C''s thoughts told me the story of someone who got cut off by the world, a background character.

    He must have changed, somehow. I do not believe he had always been following the script. But now, the faceless guy only wanted the story to progress. There must have been a big event that drove him to this state.

    Why would he want the story to continue?

    Why did he think of helping Han toplete the main objectives while being only a background character?

    Why did he not try to achieve his happiness? Was there a deeper meaning in the way he had been behaving?

    Questions were abundant in my chest.

    I wanted to get close to him. I wanted to ask him these questions to satisfy my curiosity. Personally, C wasparable to a unique, never-before-seen novel. I would open him up as soon as I got the chance to binge-read everything from cover to cover. Unfortunately, I doubt it would ever happen.

    Although C called me a bookworm, I could not read my books nor focus on the lessons. One time, I even got my book flipped on the wrong side without knowing. Without C''s thoughts, I would not have noticed that embarrassing thing.

    At first, I did not believe my eyes at all. A person without a face, yet I felt nothing strange about him. It was as if everything should have been like that, a bizarre feeling but also familiar at the same time.

    There was no need for me to care or to argue so much. It just felt right.

    He was like that because it was normal.

    Very shortly, I was unknowingly attached to C, more so than to my "destined" partner, who was sitting behind me. The connection I had thinking about that faceless individual was vastly different than thinking about Han. My feelings were smooth and straightforward, with no forced emotions when C was in my mind. However, the same thing did not exist for the male protagonist of this story.

    When I was thinking of C, I had a pleasing feeling of nostalgia. Simr to reading a book or a novel that has all of my favorite tags.

    As for Han, rather than a good novel, he was moreparable to educational material. Personally, Han was a physics or a chemistry book that I had to learn, not to read with enjoyment. Things I know about Han were facts, not beliefs.

    Thoughts after thoughts, events after events, with the help of C''s inner voice, I started to grasp my situation.

    It was surprising. I would not lie about that!

    In my opinion, one would expect to have a nervous breakdown if one were under my circumstances. I figured Laura and Rachel had had to take some time adjusting to the news as it was something unbelievable. Fortunately, since I was the bookworm in his words, I was already prepared to some extent to face such a harsh reality. I might have read many dark fantasy novels about reincarnation and systems, or at least the game I was living in gave me more mental power.

    In addition, there was a feeling deep inside of my chest calling me to approach C.

    That feeling was not subtle, not at all.

    For some reason, I yearned for him. I needed C desperately.

    I wanted to protect him, to keep him safe from harm, from the others. Seriously, who could ever believe I would feel such intense emotions for just a ssmate. I had no recollection of him, but there I was, bickering with Laura over some discussion they had in ss.

    That had to be me, I unconsciously screamed within my mind.

    At one point, I heard these sentences.

    [The loneliness kills people, literally. I know that feeling very well and how depressed it can be.]

    The scene in front of my eyes changed.

    I was still in the ssroom, but everything was off.

    C was sitting further away, looking at us talking to each other with his featureless face. Laura was not with him. Instead, there was a vase of flowers on her desk.

    In addition, we were not in our normal uniforms. Everyone was dressed in ck.

    On the board in front of our ss were these words:

    "In memorial of our ss representative, Laura."

 Chapter 25

    ( This chapter is heavy in some aspects. Please do not do whatever is written here. Consider consultation from a professional if you have suicidal thoughts.)

    Laura was dead.

    Judging by the look of the outfit C had, we were there in the ssroom for the ss representative memorial, not for study. Our trusted ss rep had gone deep under the ground for real.

    That said, the chances of Han''s childhood friend being the killer were undisputed. ording to C, who suffered countless resets, Laura was supposed to die at that woman''s hands.

    Always.

    If things were going to what C had seen in those trials, then the scene I was seeing should be after the first official meeting of the main cast for maybe a few days. The memorial should follow the conflict between Laura and the school bully, which led to her death in the storage room with Rachel as the main culprit.

    And if my memories served me right, Rachel forced Laura to eat her paper knife. That kind of pain made me curious. How much damage would that kind of torture inflict upon my body? How would my throat be destroyed and my insides shredded? How painful would it be?

    Nheless, it did not matter too much at that point since my mood was good just from seeing Laura''s demise.

    Knowing that the ss rep was no longer a burden, I felt a sense of relief as if I was able to get rid of heavyweights on my back. Good riddance!

    She disappeared, and that was a good thing. Oh, how I wish for that to be the truth! Sadly, what I was probably was one of the previous runs that C always had to be the background character.

    Everything that I saw was not real. No matter how much I prayed, it was still not the world I was familiar with.

    Because there was another me, sitting next to Han and reading a book, rather than Rachel herself. The childhood friend was somehow gone, and her seat was taken by the other me.

    "Hey, Kurokawa?" Han called my name. He had to shout a little through the unintelligible noise of the ss to make the other me look up from her book.

    I looked at him, and the other me also did the same thing. With the bangs blocking, I could not make out other me''s facial expressions that much.

    Yet there was still a clear distinction between her and me.

    The way she talked.

    "Didn''t I tell you to call me Kuro? Better yet, call me something worse. "Pig" or "worm" would be sufficient!"

    Gentle, caring, and full of ecstasy in her voice, the other me was obviously in a trance. She was...I was simply disgusting.

    Was that how I acted in front of Han? Asking to be despised? Looked down upon? How could I be such a shameless woman?

    Most importantly, what happened that led to the perverted me? I refuse to believe C that I was just a born pervert. I was simply curious. That was it!

    The main protagonist waved his arms to hide his embarrassment. His face turned into a slightly red color.

    I just...did not like that look on him...

    A grown man, acting like a little girl...How was that attractive?

    "N-No! I could never do that! K-Kuro! I-I can''t disrespect you like that!"

    Other me closed the book she was reading and focused on Han intensely.

    "Hey, Han, don''t worry. Everything is fine! You can do whatever you want to me."

    "O-of course not! You gave me a ce to stay for thest couple of days. You even helped me with food and everything! I can never treat you so rudely!"

    Last couple of days? So it had been a while since Laura died? What about Rachel? Where was she?

    "Don''t mention it. You are my savior. Don''t you ever forget about that! I will always help you out, with a very...particr...price."

    "I...Ah!...I...!" The main protagonist could not say a word and tried waving at his friends to get help.

    The other me was practically ignoring everyone else in the ss to fawn over Han at this point. She did not even care for the people around her. Well...technically, except for ssmate A and ssmate B, who chose to talk to one another to escape the conversation, there were only the shadow people and C.

    So from what I could gather, Han did not get killed by Rachel in thest couple of days because she disappeared. On the other hand, the guy was still alive and kicking, thanks to me giving him a ce to hide. And there was some kind of saving event that had happened.

    I wondered how we got together. C had not mentioned that at all. All the time, that faceless guy had been saying things about me not being a member of importance on the first day. That made me furious! I should be crucial to him, too!

    *Sigh*

    Not to mention there was no inner voice of C in my mind. Being in the past iteration of C, he either did not think or could not project his thoughts onto others. With no clues on my hands, I could only presume that saving event to be the one that would happen on the second day.

    Finally, Han could say something.

    "I am sad to hear about Laura''s death."

    Other me nodded slightly, then returned to Rachel''s desk to enjoy the book. It seemed she lost interest in the topic.

    "I don''t know why she was gone so suddenly. We just had se...I mean, we were pretty close to each other." The guy continued. His eyes turned down, and he appeared to be in distress.

    "She was so young. Who could have done such a thing?" Han said to himself.

    Despite his words, I did not catch any miserying out of him. The phrases were full of sadness, yet they started with the pronoun of I.

    That could have meant only one.

    He cared more about a one-time fling with Laura than her life.

    That was not sadness.

    It could have been anything but sadness.

    I could not care less about Laura. Still, Han was quite heartless. Although, his feelings were more or less justifiable.

    He saved her, and she offered herself aspensation for his efforts. Everything between the two of them was a transaction. Han did not have any feelings for Laura, so there would be no way he could feel dreadful because of losing her.

    They were never anything in the first ce. I would disagree that Han would go as far as saying I love you to her. Never would that ever happen, at least not to someone like Laura.

    *Rattle*

    The door suddenly opened, and everyone stood up as a shadow teacher walked into the ss.

    "...."

    He then proceeded to make gibberish noises to gather attention. After that, he walked out, followed by the rest of the ss.

    "Let''s go to the memorial, Kurokawa. It is held in the gym." Han told the other me.

    "I know." With the eyes still attached to the book, the other me replied.

    Soon, the ssroom became empty. Everyone was gone.

    Except for one person: C.

    The only student to stay was him.

    No one paid any attention to C. No one called him. Not a tap on the shoulder, not a yelling to the face. The students all walked by his desk and disappeared out of the door.

    Just like how a background should be, he was ignored by others.

    *Rattle*

    As thest one exited, C stood up from his desk to approach Laura''s desk. Unconsciously, I started to walk close to him. I thought that I would be able to make out his expressions if I got close enough.

    He proved me wrong.

    "Did you see how he treated your death?"

    No one answered.

    "Do you think it has been a good trade? Your life for his despicable love?"

    Still, dead silent.

    When everyone was gone, the room was no longer rowdy. The usual unintelligible noise of people had disappered. There was only silence that enveloped every corner of the ssroom. A silence so calm and so dreadful that my soul felt cold.

    Whenever C talked, I heard his echoes, and that was it.

    It was just him.

    "Why are you people so stupid? Giving him everything just so he could throw it all away because of his indecisiveness?"

    "Stupid! Dumb! Out of your mind!" C shouted.

    "You, Kurokawa, Rachel, everyone else! Do you have any idea that you kept dying over and over and over again? All because of one man?" His hand was on her table. The other one was pointing at each of us respectively.

    I had no idea what kind of expression he was making at that moment.

    But tears were running down his face.

    My mouth was sealed shut. No sound could escape from my throat. As for my touch, it did not work in any way. I did not make any noise, nor could I feel him. It was clear that I was put here to observe.

    And it tore me apart.

    If I could, I would hug him. In fact, I was already doing so. Yet sadly, my warmth could not be transferred to his heart.

    C did not notice me.

    "Years, after years, after years. Constantly seeing you girls dumping your lives is not a good thing. Why can''t you just work with me for once?!"

    *Bam!*

    He mmed his fist onto the metal desk.

    "Just break out of it once!"

    I was out. I really was!

    *Bam!*

    "Watching you guys fuck is not good for me!"

    No need to do that anymore!

    *Bam!*

    "Just fucking break out of this fucking game for once!"

    Please listen!

    *Bam!*

    "Give me a fucking will to live, won''t you?!"

    *Bam!*

    My vision was blurry. Already, I was looking through a mist. The two sides of my face were wet from my own tears.

    "The shadow people would not notice me. And you people will always return to the script no matter how desperate I am!"

    "Why did I have to be the different one? Why did I have to suffer all of this on my own?! How long until this torment ends?!"

    *Bam!*

    "For what inhuman crime did I do to deserve this? Why me?!"

    Sorry...sorry...I...we could not help you...

    C puts his hands on the head, tugging his messy hair as he knelt down.

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

    "JUST KILL ME!!!! JUST KILL ME ALREADY!!!! I CAN NOT LIVE LIKE THIS!!!!"

    You were not alone, C. Please...you were not alone...

    "AAAAAHHH!!!!"

    *m*

    C opened the door and ran as fast as he could. Because of the difference in physique, I had a hard time catching up with him. Weirdly enough, I could see his direction even when he got out of my sight.

    He was heading for the roof.

    No...NO!

    *Rattle*

    "FUCK! It''s locked!"

    Thank god!

    "Guess I''ll have to break it myself!"

    But C was thin...he could never have the strength to do it. I was confident he would lose his anger after hitting it a few times.

    *BAM BAM BAM BAM*

    Very quickly, he once again proved me wrong.

    C was weak physically. That part was correct.

    And I was wrong about the grief he had bottled up all those times.

    Soon after, his fists were totally disfigured. The bones inside of them were shattered beyond fixing. Not only that, but blood had smeared all over the ce, making him stumble many times.

    C still did not quit. The pain only angered him further.

    Without arms, he started to use his legs.

    *BANG!!!*

    With a loud breaking sound, the hatch of the door opened.

    The roof-top was in front of his face.

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

    NO!!! DON''T!!!!!

    It took C four seconds to reach the edge.

    He jumped.

    I watched in pure horror and despair as his frail and bloody body dived down with absolutely no power to change his fate.

    I tried to reach out to him.

    He did not feel me.

    I tried to hold his fragile arms.

    He did not feel me.

    I tried to say he was not alone.

    He did not hear me.

    That was the life he had been living.

    That was the life we had been forcing on him.

    "It is a sin for me to ever fall in love."

    Those were thest words he uttered.

 Chapter 26

    Tired of waiting, Laura gently grabs me by the arm and pulls me out of my seat.

    "Come on, C. Let''s go home together!" Because of her pull, Laura''s face is now in front of mine.

    "Ah! Okay!" Startled, I reply without any thinking.

    I have never paid attention to her pupils. Have they always been thatrge? Truth be told, they are captivating!

    And my entire faceless reflection is visible inside of them from this angle!

    They say the pupils erge when someone is looking at something they like...

    Whether or not that is real is beyond me. Even though I am certainly not a scientist, I will be delighted if it is true.

    Because we are close, I can see that the person grabbing my arm has a light blush on her face.

    "How do I look?" She asks. The pink is getting more prominent on her cheeks.

    Beautiful, gorgeous, and charming... all these adjectives run through my mind simultaneously. Do not get me wrong here. The ss rep is perfect, without a doubt. However, none of them can wlessly describe what I feel about Laura.

    "Genuine." I give her a mundane word.

    Shit...That was bad...

    Should I have done it differently? Who wouldpliment a girl with such a word? How is that even apliment?!

    Stupid, C! Apologize to her!

    "Sorry, I mean-..."

    "Don''t be." She stops me right in the middle of my sentence by cing a finger on my mouth. "I love it. I love your praise!"

    There should be a question mark above my head. I am so confused I do not notice the soft sensation of her finger.

    "But that''s not a good way tomend anyone?"

    She inches even closer to me. Her entire body is practically using mine as support.

    "Trust me, C. That''s the best one. Now, shall we leave?" She takes her hand back and ces it on her own lips.

    Huh...that is quite...

    "That''s an indirect kiss from you to me." She beams brighter than ever. The flush on her face has turned from pink to red.

    Of course, it was.

    "Of course!" My head bobbles down.

    Chill, C! It is just an indirect kiss. No need to be so worked up because of it. People will think I am cliche and boring. They will say I am simr to one of those Japanese beta males for blushing out of embarrassment.

    Fuck those virgins.

    WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!

    "I...uh..."

    "Next time, it is not going to be indirect."

    *Wink*

    "Of course."

    I have a Deja Vu, and I can feel chilling staresing from somewhere further away. To bepletely honest, I will also pretend I did not hear thatst sentence Laura just said.

    Do not get my hopes up, do not get my hopes up. I keep repeating that sentence.

    Back to the main topic, going home!

    Do I want to go home together with her? Yes. Yes, I do. There is absolutely no doubt about that. I still have no idea why she would like to be with someone like me, but what do I have to lose anyway.

    Still, there is one massive issue here.

    Where the hell are we going to? It is not like I have a home of my own! Well, I have a home to get back to, to be more exact. But it is just a bunch of squiggly pencil lines drawn by a sweatshop artist in a third-world country! It is not enough to hide from the rain or the cold temperature since there is physically nothing. I really got frozen many times because of that ce. If not for its location within the range of the memory wiping limit, I would have stayed at the school all day.

    Wait...

    WHY THE HECK AM I THINKING OF BRINGING HER TO MY HOUSE!?!

    God! I am moving too fast! This is not good! It is all because of that kissing thingy! My brain is a mess, and that is all its fault!

    Be careful, C! You do NOT want to move so fast! She may consider you to be a creep!

    My house is already a no-no. What about her house, then?

    Yeah, her house...

    HOW DOES THAT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE!? Do not think with your dick! Think with your head! You are going to have your memories wiped again, you horny bastard!

    This is not looking good on my side, honestly. We started dating today, and I am already losing control of everything in my head. The past really took a toll on my soul...

    "If it is notfortable for you, we can go to any other ce." Seeing me being in thoughts, Laura suggests. "Any. ce. I don''t mind as long as we can be together!"

    Weird, I thought I saw a hint of sorrow in her eyes.

    Maybe my vision is deceiving me. Why would Laura be sad all of a sudden?

    Nheless, the ss rep''s suggestion is not a bad idea. It is better for Laura and for me. If she does enjoy mypany, of course. I still have to understand why she is doing this. Be it love, which is totally and undoubtedly questionable, or any hidden motive, I need to find it out.

    As for myself, who would ever reject a girl so beautiful as the ss representative?

    "Why don''t we just take a walk today? There is no need to push it too fast, right?"

    If she agrees, we can just do whatever we like for a little while, and then I will tell her to get home once it is dark.

    Truth be told, I do not want her to look at where I am staying. Not because of shame, but because of the exnation I have to give her.

    Lying is thest thing that I want to do. If Laura gives me her respect, I have to do the same. Not just her, but every one of the heroines in this game has suffered so much. I would be a total dick if I were to force them to feel hurt even more.

    Hearing my words, Laura smiles brightly.

    "As long as you are happy, then I am happy. Let''s hurry!"

    "Ah..." I am stunned.

    Those words strike me down to my core. Happy.

    When was thest time I thought about that word?

    Suddenly, I feel like crying again. I know it is not good to let go in public, but this is too hard for me to hold in.

    Behind the ss rep, there is now another person.

    It is Kurokawa.

    Why is she here? Should she not be heading to the library to do some reading? She is the bookworm, after all.

    Kurokawa is in her usual look, with her bang covering almost half of her face. However, her shirt looks kind of wet around the chest area? Her whiteced bra is actually visible. The spot is not that big, just the size of a palm. I imagine if somehow tears were dropping from her chin down, they would have created that pattern. Either tears or drool, though...

    "Mind if I join?" Kurokawa asks. I am not sure who she is talking to since her face is covered.

    Even though the bookworm is right behind her, Laura keeps her eyes focused on me as if never wanting to let my reflection out from their sights. I can feel my hand squeezed tightly by hers.

    "Don''t worry! From now on, we will stay together. I promise you that. No one. NO ONE will take you away from me."

    That is...a bit obsessive...is it not? Laura did not have the chance to be a full-fledged yandere previously, so I sure hope she stays that way. Furthermore, she is tantly ignoring Kurokawa.

    Mommy, I am scared...

    "C? You don''t mind having anotherpany, right?" Kurokawa is now standing next to Laura. Although her bang is thick, it is clear her focus is me.

    If Laura is acting a bit yandere-ish like this, I do not mind. Not at all. Until she behaves, I guess I have to put on a little defense around me...

    "Please, Kurokawa, the more, the merrier."

    Wait...

    I think I messed up...

    If she was turning into a yandere, would it be worse if I invited more people to join...That was how Han died times and times!

    "On second thought...!"

    "Thanks! I will take you on that offer, then!" Kurokawa smiles, cutting me in the middle of my sentence.

    But it was YOU who made the offer!

    Dying is not fun. It is mind-bogglingly painful! I do not wish to be butchered by Laura if she has those yandere genes inside her!!

    And she does! They all do!

    Turning my eyes away from Kurokawa toward Laura, I expect a horrific sight, yet it is theplete reverse. I am pleasantly surprised!

    She does not show any signs of turning into a psychopath at all. The ss rep looks calm and collected. Though the gaze never leaves my body, her amber eyes are as they should be, not the eyes of a killer. And she is not saying anything scary, as well!

    Maybe I judged her too fast.

    Laura, I apologize!

    shes light up inside of Laura''s eyes. I wonder what that means.

    "It''s fine. Kurokawa can join us! Then I can escort her home for you!"

    Oh goody! Then I do not need to walk her home too far!

    That is great! No memory wiping! No exnation! Whoohoo!

    Yet it is not finished. This journey to my house I have is starting to be something big.

    "I do agree! The more, the merrier!" This time, another voicees up. It belongs to Rachel.

    Why, Rachel?

    Hearing that, the main protagonist has a question mark on his head.

    "H-hey, Rachel! Aren''t you busy this afternoon? You told me to cook, didn''t you?"

    "Change of ns, Han."

    "Eh? B-but..." The guy is clueless.

    I am also clueless...

    "Change. Of. ns." She says coldly.

    *Ggggghhh*

    Goosebumps rise on my skin.

 Chapter 27

    Five people are now leaving the school together due to my dumb mistake.

    How?

    Because of me, who else...

    Now, before any of you start saying anything weird or feel like cheering me on, let me add a quick sentence.

    It is awkward.

    Very. Awkward!

    How many times have I been talking about this? Again, I am most definitely NOT the protagonist, so I have no idea how to handle girls in my world. Even though I can not hear you, I know many people have told me to get the girls for myself. The answer is no. I will not.

    You have no power here!

    That is simply not what I am supposed and designed to do. I am not Han, who can somehow make everything nice and cool. Unlike his charming, beta self, I am still a faceless guy.

    ...Maybe with the exception of a mouth. Honestly, I still feel weird talking using my newly formed lips and tongue. Is it that slimy all the time? And these teeth that I have are sharp and rough. I wonder how it feels to bite now that I have a mouth.

    Wait a second. If I have a mouth, will I feel hungry? I should, right? Everything has been changed, so I should expect to have some grumbling noises in my stomach probably pretty soon.

    Ah...I am getting sidetracked.

    Besides, what do you want from me, anyway?

    Not going to lie, but I would love to smack myself in the face right this instance. I wish I had never said anything to the people in the ss and just left.

    Why did I even consider saying more is better? That is just stupid...so so stupid...

    The more, the merrier?! How cringy is that!?

    God! C, get your head out of your ass!

    After that one sentence, the heroines all wanted to join out of nowhere. Seriously, what is the appeal that you girls are seeing in me?

    Please tell me as soon as possible so that I can change! I promise I will!

    Laura was already joining me, which was understandable since she was magically dating me. I would also like to have someone apany me back home.

    However, Kurokawa asked to chime in even though her scene would not start until tomorrow. She was almost forcing me to let her be with us.

    Lastly, the psycho Rachel, who shut her childhood friend down heartlessly just to participate!

    Drastically different...

    Usually, I would say that these girls are acting way out of their usual selves. However, at this point, I think I should stop saying that things are getting derailed. It is getting satire, and I am also tired of repeating the same sentence. I will also apologize for doing all of this again and promise to not do it in the future. Maybe. Except for when I forget...

    Instead, I will focus on the normal one. Thus, that leaves us the main protagonist of this story.

    The only person who did not want to join us was Han. And even he was unable to change Rachel''s mind!

    His effort, which consisted of a bunch of ehs and ahs plus a lot of hand wavings, did quite a terrible job.

    Of course not...What did I expect from him?

    Seriously, man! Grow some balls, will you? The way you keep giving in to your childhood friend like that is why you always die in the previous trials!

    How about you try saying: "NO! I want to go home!" and watch her reactions? What is the worst thing that can happen, right? It is not like she is going to kill you for saying no.

    Although Rachel is a psycho, her craziness lies in her love for you. There is absolutely no way for her to harm you in any way!

    The only way for her to harm you is if you are cheating. Or perhaps, she does not have any feelings for you anymore. And that is virtually impossible.

    What is the chance of Rachel falling out of love? Absolute Zero.

    Z.E.R.O!

    So be not afraid, Han Som! Go, spread your wings!

    But to be frank, even though Han is a wimp, he is the only one who still holds his characteristics until now. Compared to the rest of the cast, who has given me nothing but question marks above my head, only Han stuck to the story and tried to steer it back. He did his best to keep the storyline stable, yet the bug affecting Rachel was already too powerful.

    *Sigh*

    How on Earth am I going to get out of this...

    Regretting the previous discussion in the ssroom, I desperately try to drag my feet forward to the unknown fate that awaits me.

    "What are you thinking, C?" The ss representative squeezes my hand softly.

    Looking at the eagerness in her eyes, I do not want to let her know the anxiety in my chest.

    "I''m just thinking about my future."

    That should be good. Not exactly a lie, either. I am thinking about my bleak future.

    "Don''t forget you have me now, C. It should be our future!" She brings her hand, which is intertwined with mine, high up for me to see.

    "Thank you!"

    Even though I am still not sure why Laura spends her time with me, I still feel appreciated. We can always talk about it when we have some private time together.

    I do feel some skepticism, though. For Laura to switch her target from Han to me is a matter I must look into.

    "Just like I said before, I am not letting anyone get in between..."

    As Laura is about to say something, Kurokawa makes her presence known to me.

    "It is not going to be just her, C. I will also be there for you!"

    Troubled, I awkwardly reply to the bookworm.

    "Um...thanks?"

    Why is she talking like that?

    "Don''t worry about Kurokawa, C. She''s just here to mess with our rtionship." Laura looks to her right.

    Let me give you our position to help you imagine the scene.

    Just like in the morning, we are surrounded by the shadow people moving away from the school. The murmur of them is getting louder, too.

    That should be enough for the atmosphere. As for the environment, there are no cars or anything on our way home, so I guess I do not have to talk about them. By the way, houses on the streets keep repeating the same pattern as we pass by them. You know the usual white brick wall and a red-tinted roof design? They have those color schematics.

    The sun is still not settling down yet. Thanks to that, everything is still pretty visible.

    I walk on the far left, and Han is on the far right. Between him and I are Laura, Kurokawa, and Rachel. All in that order, respectively speaking.

    Since I am on the left side, I do not see the expressions of Laura when she turns to face Kurokawa. Although it should not be a good sight because the air suddenly drops around us. On the other side, Rachel and Han are also paying attention to us. Rachel looks a bit stiff, while Han has a nervous face.

    A bit boring, in my opinion. Rachel should be holding his hand or something.

    "Do not put words in my mouth, Laura. I am NOT trying to do that." Unexpectedly, Kurokawa holds her ground. I can still remember these two had a confrontation in ss, and Laura was able to have the upper hand.

    What changed here? Hmm?

    "I just want to be there for him. What is wrong with that?!" Kurokawa almost shouts.

    "No need! He has me already." Laura shakes her head. "You have your destiny to fulfill with someone else."

    "Nonsense! Can you hear your hypocrisy right now? Just because you came forward first does not mean you can stay! Things can change, you know?"

    Why are they talking about me?

    "I am not quite sure I can follow your conversation." I raise my hand up like a good student.

    *Pat*

    Laura puts her other arm on my head. It is warm.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure the bookworm stays away from you."

    Kurokawa''s voice stiffens after hearing that.

    "What did you just call me?"

    "I called you a nerd." Laura snickers.

    My brain has stopped its function. I have no idea what to do...

    Am I just dumb?

    Maybe...

    "Kurokawa is on point. Laura, you are being a greedy hog." Herees Rachel with her harshments. It is most definitely not helping.

    Han, please...You are my only hope...

    "R-Rachel, I d-don''t think we should intervene...I don''t know what is going on between the ss rep and Kurokawa, but I think we should mind our own business." I can see the desperation in his eyes as he struggles to pull onto Rachel''s sleaves.

    *Whish*

    Rachel turns her head lightning fast. Scary as heck.

    "If we are not helping our friends settle their arguments, how is that a good friend?"

    "I...um...I...just want to go home..." Han seems to be stunned.

    Me, too, kid.

    Me, too.

    "Rachel..." Laura nces at Han''s childhood friend. " You should be heading back, no? Don''t the two of you have some kind of dinner every day?"

    "As I remember correctly, Han should be cooking something for Rachel tonight. I was sitting in front of him when that happened." Kurokawa also joins in the conversation.

    So now the two of them are attacking Rachel instead of each other?

    "Y-yeah, Rachel! We need to get back soon. I still need to cook you something good today!" The protagonist pumps his fists enthusiastically.

    "No need. I think I am waiting for C''s orange chicken dish."

    Oh for Christ''s sake, not this shit again...

 Chapter 28

    As we are going home, Han''s childhood friend drops another bombshell on the top of my head. Because the streets are totally empty with no one walking except for us, the ringing from deep within my brain is louder than ever.

    No, Rachel.

    For the love of my lord and savior Parmesan, no.

    This is the second time you have asked me to join you guys in having dinner. I understand Han does not know you will force yourself on him, but I do.

    Do you think it is amusing? Watching the two of you have coitus?

    It is...only slightly, though...Rachel does have a nice body...

    Wait, C! No horny!

    "I will have to decline that." Shaking my head from left to right vigorously, I reply to the crazy blond-haireddy in front of me.

    *Stares*

    Laura...why are you looking at me like that...?

    Her amber eyes are focusing straight on my face without any blinking. It is not scary, just...odd...how she does not blink...

    And that smile...

    What did I do?! I clearly rejected Rachel, did I not? Maybe she wanted me to not say anything? Or she is jealous because Rachel asked me out again? Whatever the case is, I must be vignt.

    And why are you also staring at me, Kurokawa? I can not see your eyes, but your whole body is clearly leaning toward this side!

    Oh?

    Never mind, Laura just steps in to prevent her from getting close. Phew! I wonder why she was trying toe here. Even though I am curious about what she is about to do, nothing good cane out of the main heroines.

    With that said, I hope to see the light inside Rachel''s eyes flicker and disappear because of my rejection. To my dismay, she does not stand down. The aquamarine color still shines brilliant despite my efforts.

    In fact, somehow, she is smiling much brighter than before.

    *Whish*

    The two girls turn their heads. Both Laura and Kurokawa are now once again gazing at her.

    "Why not? Isn''t it better to have more people?" Rachel tilts her head slightly.

    Gah! She got me!

    My sentencees back to bite my ass!

    And do not try to look cute, please! Above all else, seriously, though. Why me?

    Do I want to join Rachel? The answer has always been clear. Neither do I want to have my guts pulled out or my eyes gouged, thank you very much. And I am most definitely NOT trying to say that for fun. I had had those "procedures" done quite a few times already. Furthermore, I am now a man in a rtionship. A RELATIONSHIP!

    It is a sacred thing, no?

    So I beg of you, Rachel! Please stop this madness you are trying to create.

    Why can you not just have fun with your childhood friend? Why do you have to pull me in?

    "Excuse me, Rachel. I don''t think you have talked to me about inviting my boyfriend to your private dinner party?" Still pushing Kurokawa away, Laura steps in between my line of sight, blocking Rachel out from my view.

    "Hey!! Tch!" I can hear someone clicking their tongue, yet the sound is tiny, almost inaudible. That quiet yet irritated voice should havee from Kurokawa. I wonder what just happened.

    Nheless, at this point, we are all staying still. Because of that, I can feel the air around us turns tense and heavy out of nowhere. Even the protagonist himself is sweating across his temple sides.

    However, despite the rising atmosphere and the tremendous tension in the air, three people are totally unaffected.

    Laura, Kurokawa, and Rachel.

    I swear I can see something simr to life-energy swirling around them. As if the girls are getting into a battlefield, not a conversation.

    Oh, and if you think about the two guys: Han and me, just stop it. We are just for show and are certainly not worthy of your time. The girls are the main reasons for everything.

    After a few seconds that feel like an entire century, Rachel opens up.

    "So whenever I ask C something, I have to go through you first? Isn''t that just absurd? That is what I think people are calling control freak."

    Ouch! That packs quite a punch. Although, that logic is irrefutable.

    "R-Rachel?! I d-don''t think we should be calling people that way! Can we just go home?" Far over on my right, Han tries to stop his childhood friend. There is a clear tremble in his voice.

    God...How beta can you possibly get?

    "That is right!" Kurokawa directs her bang at Laura. "To love something is topletely set it free. The heart wants what the heart wants, and you can not keep love locked up inside a cage."

    Oooh. Theatrical!

    "Kurokawa. Just stop. Okay? I seriously do not need to hear an audiobook right now." Laura sighs in the direction of Kurokawa.

    Damn...That is brutal...

    "So you disagree that love should be free? Do you want to keep it around you at all times like some kind of pet? That''s not love. That''s possessiveness. And do you know what kind of person has such a personality, Rachel?" Still, Kurokawa does not seem to flinch.

    Something has probably fired up inside of her, which leads her to say a lot. Because usually, Kurokawa does not focus on anything uninteresting. There is something questionable, though. That is the fact that she is directing the question at Han''s childhood friend.

    *Gggggghhh*

    What the heck? I suddenly get goosebumps! Has the temperature dropped?

    "C-ss rep?!" Also, the high-pitched voice of a frightened man can be heard.

    What is Laura doing? I am behind her, so I can not really see what is going on at the front. By the look of horror on Han''s face, I can more or less take a guess.

    "Oh, Kurokawa, you didn''t know?" Next to Han, his female childhood friend turns at the girl with the band with a "shocked" expression.

    "Do tell!" Completely disregarding the look of Laura, Kurokawa replies while smiling.

    Rachel nods and continues.

    "It''s called a yandere."

    "Oh! I have read novels with a lot of those! They are just a bunch of crazies!" The bookworm follows the nod of Rachel.

    These two are so obviously in cahoot! They do not even have the slightest idea to hide it!

    I turn my face at the surrounding, trying to make myself a passerby who has no corrtion to this conversation.

    The tiles on the roofs are redder than before. The details are also more prominent.

    Someone must have updated the art.

    "Rachel, what is a yan-dere? Is it some kind of a new trend?" Han raises his hand up.

    Before anyone can answer, Laura has already taken the first step. By the way, I can swear I just saw a twitch on Rachel''s face. As for Kurokawa, I have no idea.

    "Oh, you will understand sooner orter. You have got one very close to you right now! A yandere is someone so devoted in their love that they would sacrifice anything for you."

    I do not know why, but I feel like that answer is for Rachel.

    What a weird feeling.

    Anyway, what the ss rep said is not wrong...but it is just half the truth. If I had eyes, I would send Han a look of sympathy for asking such a dumb question.

    Understandably, for a guy looking for a girlfriend, Han would be d after hearing something Laura said. In fact, he is totally fired up.

    "Oh! So there is a potential girlfriend somewhere around me? Who is it? Is she beautiful? Is she cute? Can you tell me who it is? Wait! Wait, wait! Let me do it myself. Let me think if I can find out this person! Hmmm, is it next ss..."

    Why are you focusing only on the outsideyer and the looks? You need to think about their personalities and characteristics, too! You horny ass! The soul is vastly important, as well!

    "Oh boy! I can not wait to get myself a girlfriend! We can do so many things together. We can hold hands, eat ice cream, and hold hands!"

    Pffft.

    Men.

    Always thinking about holding hands.

    *Gu*

    My hand feels tighter thanks to Laura squeezing my hand.

    She is so thoughtful.

    It is such an irony, though. The poor guy, who does not even know what would happen to him, asked about the type that would make his life a total mess. Or rather, take it away in an extreme manner.

    The yandere is literally right there! Next to you!

    Your childhood friend has been hearing all your thoughts. Even Kurokawa is turning her face at you! They all have feelings for you, and you are already busting your balls!

    That yanderes will kill you for it, Han.

    Never mind Laura, she is not the killer. It is Rachel that you should care about it for now.

    Kurokawa...well...she asked to be killed...so it is kind of different? Is it not...?

    *Whish*

    Again, you girls! Stop staring at me!

    I want to go home so deperately right now...

 Chapter 29

    ( This chapter is brought to you by Hydration!)

    The ss representative turns her face at Han, who is still in his daydreaming state andughing: "Ehehehe."

    Standing behind her, I can indeed feel the cringe atmosphere.

    At one point, Laura, Kurokawa, and Rachel start to cover their faces with one hand. As for the ss rep, she has the other hand grasping mine tightly.

    It feels warm. So warm.

    "I can''t even..." Laura mutters.

    Poor ss rep. Witnessing that scene must be hard.

    Han is disgusting. Truly and utterly disgusting. More importantly, he seems to have forgotten that many people are looking at him and indulging him in a fantasy created by his imagination.

    What a virgin! With just holding hands, he is already on the verge of hysteria. He is nothing like me, who has already gotten used to it after a few hours. Look at how calm I am! That is the difference between me, a veteran, and Han, a newbie on the road to love.

    ...

    But he will lose his virginity in a few hours, though.

    It is not on him. It is about his childhood friend, Rachel. Yet I still have to say that the guy moves faster than lightning. Or should I say Rachel moves faster than lightning? Does it matter that much right now?

    Probably not.

    Either way, ording to the known legend, he will not be a wizard once he gets to 30 years old since he will have his cherry popped. I do not even know if he could survive until his 20s.

    Poor guy. I want to tell him what a yandere means. I really do. However, I will not do that. As the protagonist of this story, it is his duty to carry out everything to the end. He still has a lot of heroines to conquer and death gs to avoid.

    Either Laura has deliberately hidden the other half of the truth about the definition of a yandere, or she does not understand fully what that is. Regardless, they are both beneficial to me.

    If Han does not understand the concept of yandere, he will not be so defensive and will continue to be clueless all the time.

    Thanks to being oblivious of his surroundings, he will soon fall into the hands of the main heroines again. Therefore, it will be best if he understands naught.

    Hmmm? What is that? I think Rachel steps forward a little?

    That is a dangerous sign since she can pounce at any given moment. Well, at least she does not have her yandere plot device at this point, so there should be less of an issue facing a crucial side character like Laura.

    "Tch." Rachel clicks her tongue. She sounds a bit annoyed. "You are wrong."

    Laura shrugs her shoulders.

    "I don''t care."

    Oof. Why do you need to be so straightforward?

    That said, I still need to be vignt. Nothing has been the same, and I can only react when things happen. If Han''s childhood friend attacks Laura, I will jump out and run while pulling the ss rep''s arm.

    After all, she is my girlfriend right now. And as a boyfriend, I have to protect her at all costs. Fake lovers or not, I am not letting her die in front of my eyes this time.

    Oops, I forgot. I do not have eyes. In front of my face, then.

    Of course, I can also die while protecting Laura and will have everything reset to the start of the game at the school gate. I do not want that for now, not going to lie. All of that is because of the strange change in the ss rep.

    And Kurokawa quickly catches up with the conversation.

    "You should. We all have to, actually. And don''t act like you don''t know anything."

    "Oh, sorry about that. Let me adjust my sentence for you two."

    The ss rep then uses one hand to straighten her outfit.

    "I do not give a damn!" Again, Laura stresses.

    I feel like she is a bit more agitated this time. Why, though? Is it because she hates Kurokawa? Or is it because she has to repeat herself?

    Regardless, things are not looking so well for everyone.

    Kurokawa focuses intensely on the ss rep.

    "Is this the real ss representative? Talking like a savage to her ssmates?"

    Laura nods.

    "Yes."

    If I were a real man, I would tell Laura to back down and stop provoking Rachel and Kurokawa because that will lead to many unfortunate events.

    But I am most definitely not a real man. As a result, I will stand here quietly like a good boy.

    I am so pathetic. Not any less than Han, to be honest.

    Wait!

    That gives me an idea!

    Let me first take a quick look at the main protagonist.

    ...

    Yeah, Han has a tired expression on him.

    The guy and I exchange a nod. I can finally understand you a little, brother. I will help you out as soon as possible.

    Again, the girls are just bickering with each other. There is really no need for me to be here. Right now, it seems clear that they are in a heated discussion, and that argument can lead to a drastic end immediately.

    My n is simple. Leave with Han.

    He wants to go home. I want to go home. The rest I need to do is to tell him that. Obviously, if I were to walk home alone, that would be the best-case scenario. However, I would have my memories erased.

    In the end, he has to go with me.

    We are the pathetic duo.

    "Han, it looks like our friends need some alone time." I call out to the only guy besides me.

    "Y-yeah..." He looks around him.

    "Since Laura seems to be very misleading, let me give you an exnation." But as I am about to tell Han to go first, Kurokawa switches the target from Laura to him.

    Damn it, Kurokawa! How did you manage to catch it so fast?

    The guy is startled after hearing his name: "Eh?"

    Wait! Wait! Kurokawa! Stop! Stop! Do not tell him what a yandere is!!!

    "Yandere is someone who can kill under the name of love. They are very violent in nature and will do absolutely anything to achieve their goals."

    Hold on! Hold oooooooon!!!! That is too much information!

    "Yes, Han. Kurokawa is right. The yanderes are very likely to kill and torture even their loved ones. For example, parents, siblings, friends, et cetera, are not an exception for a yandere. As long as those people stand between the alleged yandere and their love interest, they will not hesitate to end those lives." Rachel looks straight into the eyes of her childhood friend.

    Why on the god damn earth would you reveal that? He is going to be so defensive now!! If he is like that, how can you make him your love?

    Rache, you messed up! Big time!!

    UGH!!

    This situation is just the worst! How am I going to fix this?!

    Reset ising! It is definitelying!

    "Oh really?! That is what a yandere is? They are so freaking cool!!!!" Han''s eyes sparkle.

    Excuse me, what the fuck?

    Suddenly, all eyes are upon Han.

    "Don''t you guys think so too?! For a person to go as far as murdering and tormenting other people under the name of their love is such a noble and sacred thing!!" The guy enthusiastically looks at each of us respectively. There is a strong hint of excitement in his voice.

    Seriously, what the fuck?

    I look at the girls, and they are surely bewildered like me.

    "They will even sacrifice their own family members to achieve their goals. Now THAT is what I call devotion. If they truly sever the bonds of blood to get a psychological bond from someonepletely unrted, then I am sold. Man! Such intensity! If I had a girlfriend like that, I would never do anything to make her sad!" Han continues his monologues.

    "But they will kill you?" Rachel tells him another gruesome fact.

    Kurokawa also chimes in: "And they will put you through tremendous pain."

    Laura stays silent. Her back is shivering slightly. Is she cold? There is no wind, though?

    "If the yandere girl kills me, it is because of me cheating. It sounds to me that these people are very insecure about their lovers. As long as I keep my feelings as pure as possible and ept them fully, I should be safe, right?"

    Does he like yandere? Is the bug also affecting him?

    But this bug is like a godsend!

    Han liking the yandere concept is a first.

    And that is a fucking good news!!!!

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 30

    "Why is this the first time I have heard about these girls?! Rachel, you knew about them before, didn''t you? Why didn''t you tell me then?" Han looks at his childhood friend on the left.

    *Sigh*

    You do not talk to people like that, you stupid protagonist.

    Out of context, one would say he is trying to pick a fight. But I know this guy. Although his inquiry is a little selfish, he asks a genuine question. I would say that is one of the reasons why he died so quickly in the past. The fact that he is so insensitive has always been his downfall. If Han were a little more careful, a bit more intuitive, or just thought more of the people around him, it would have been vastly different.

    At least he would have lived a little longer!

    Nheless, that is just the type of person he is. There is no way for me to change it.

    "Excuse me? When did you ask me for that?" Rachel res at him. Even with Laura blocking my view, I can still see the chilling look in her eyes.

    They are damn scary, man.

    See! Now your childhood sweetheart is mad. Think first before you speak, Han! Or she will rip your dick off! She will not hesitate when the pushes to serve.

    Hold on. Rachel is not supposed to be angry at just that. She should be calmer.

    Hmmmm...

    Oh well, it is what it is. After all, Rachel has been cranky since we started. A little bit more would not be too strange. But I will need to keep some space between her and us to run away when needed.

    "Eep! So-sorry! I was too excited." The protagonist instantly steps back from the stare.

    Suits you! That will teach you a lesson so that you can watch your words better the next time you open your mouth.

    Clearly not finished, Rachel continues her scolding.

    "Excited or not is not really the matter here. Venting your frustration like that on other people is uneptable, isn''t it??" Her tone is simr to that of a teacher.

    "Y-yes, ma''am!" And the guy acts like a student. He should be afraid of her.

    I turn my face at Laura and see her looking back at me with a soft smile.

    Such impable timing!

    Using the other hand, I signal her toe close.

    "What''s wrong, C? Do you need me with anything?" She asks.

    I then whisper to her ears while keeping my voice at the lowest setting.

    "If I say run, we run. No question asked!"

    Safety first! We want no violence whatsoever!

    Of course, running has its merits, too. If I run away too far from Han, I will have my memories erased. However, that is a trivial matter just for the current game. I would love to save the ss rep from a tragic fate this time rather than clutching on to some ancient memories that I do not want to remember.

    After hearing my request, Laura moves to my ear and starts to whisper just like what I just did.

    "Okay! I don''t know why we should run, but I will listen to you!"

    *Ggggghhhh*

    That tickles! My skin is rising because of that. The feeling of having someone blowing air into your ear is just so...weirdlyfortable. And her whispers are somehow very soothing to my brain. Is this what people call ASMR?

    Oops! This is still on the outside! Home is still far away. I need to maintain a straight face since everyone can be looking at me.

    Well, not exactly a face. Probably I just need to keep my mouth straight.

    Kurokawa, I am sorry, but I think you are staring too much. Do not think your band can hide everything. There are still the asional winds. You too, Rachel. Your aquamarine eyes are beautiful. I get that. But please, focus those intense stares on the person next to you, not me.

    Because Rachel replied to him quite harshly, cold sweats appear on Han''s temple sides.

    "I-I guess let''s just head home."

    "Yeah. I suggest we do that." Rachel says.

    "Agree." Kurokawa makes a nod.

    The bookworm has not been saying much since Han started his monologue. I do understand why, though. There is nothing for Kurokawa to join in because it is pretty much between Han and his childhood friend only. Plus, she has not had enough affection or information about Han.

    Since we left, I have seen Laura keeping a close look on Kurokawa. What she is doing, I have no idea. But thetter does seem to try making her way toward this side. It is all thanks to Laura that she is unable to reach me.

    So for that, I thank you, ss rep. No matter what it is, getting close to one of the main heroines is too dangerous.

    Regardless, I must say that Han is very much different from all of the previous iterations. Everyone has changed, and that includes me. But I would go as far as saying his shift in character is the most impactful.

    He now expresses his interest in the yandere girls.

    Also, the protagonist has been scolded by Rachel instead of her giving in to his selfish questioning. Not only does Rachel take no shit from him, but she is also able to show herself more than ever.

    Personally, I consider that to be a good thing. An excellent change, actually.

    It seems that the bug has finally gotten hold of Han''s character. From here, their rtionship can take a better or worse turn this time. I would say the scale tips are on the better side.

    The reason is that she has taken so much crap from him in the past. Since she took all the stress from handling him and his daily life, like meals andundry, it was apparent that her emotions would be bottled up inside of a jar called love. She did everything a housewife should be doing without having her feelings reciprocated. That kind of pretense only worked for a while.

    Rachel suffered greatly from Han''s insensitiveness but did not say a word. All she ever wanted was a confirmation from him.

    A confirmation that Han was never able to give.

    Poor fool...

    And when she finally forced herself onto her childhood sweetheart, Rachel achieved her lifelong goal. At the same time, it drove her sanity to the breaking point.

    I remember the night she had with Han. Even though she was the one who wanted to drug him and **** him, Rachel was crying.

    Rachel kept saying sorry over and over again.

    "I did not want it to be this way."

    She said that while bawling her eyes out.

    It was painful.

    Yandere or not, in reality, Rachel, Kurokawa, or Laura were and still are girls. They wanted the affection which Han could never provide.

    Han''s personality was not bad. However, it was only like that to him. It brought him all the goodness while robbing everyone else of their happiness. Literally, all of the girls inside this world had to mourn.

    But! That is enough judging! I do not want to think about sad things. It is damaging to my heart.

    That Han was in the past. This Han is different now.

    The main cast is all different, and that is the key!

    This time, he has a little more information. With the truth about the girls around him already out there, I hope the guy can actually make it further than previous. Even though he is still crass, at least he is aware of the danger that cane in case of carelessness.

    "About dinner, C, why don''t you join us? I think we can learn that dish you have been talking about. After all, you suggested it."

    All that is left is the hellish invitation from Rachel.

    "C, you should not go to their house." Laura advises me.

    Kurokawa follows up after the ss rep.

    "Yes. I do agree. We should leave Rachel and Han together like the love birds they are."

    "I am not in a rtionship with him!"

    "I am not in a rtionship with her."

    At the same time, the childhood couple replies. Such harmony. They do share a lot inmon. Years after years staying side by side created some simrities. If Han tries his best, they can have good chemistry together. I highly doubt he would try, though.

    However, they did have some differences in the way they replied. Rachel eximed with haste. On the other hand, Han just shook his head slowly. Even when Rachel denied their rtionship quite fast, Han still showed no interest in that regard.

    There are two exnations for this. Either Han is great at hiding his feelings, or he has no feelings for her. Nheless, the first reason is nothing to be afraid of. I just need to help them get together better if the second reason is the truth.

    Using his attraction to yandere, I will try to weasel in that Rachel is one with such a personality. That should help their rtionship develop.

    I hope...

    "If you don''t like getting to our ces, how about we get to your ce?"

    Rachel cuts my train of thoughts with a horrific proposal.

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 31: [POLL] PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE

Chapter 31: [POLL] PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE

    Who is your most hated female character?

    RACHEL

    KUROKAWA

    LAURA

    Their fates rest on your shoulders, my cheese consumers.

 Chapter 32

    "No. I decline." Immediately, C gives me a strict no.

    As expected, he does not want to.

    Right after that, in my head, the familiar inner voice of that guy appears.

    [What is she thinking? Doesn''t she know that the question is utterly stupid?]

    One would think that the inner voice does not have a tone on its own. That would bepletely wrong.

    C''s thoughts always have a tone, and he can also sound bbergasted, surprised, or anything else, for that matter. The world inside his head is so vast that his emotions can be heard at any given time. Despite the quiet appearance, he thinks a lot.

    Right now, he is dumbfounded by my question.

    I know, C. I know that my request is dumb.

    But what can I do? I just can not be waiting for my body to be taken away from me by the system, can I?

    [Why do you keep pushing this, Rachel? Even worse, your childhood sweetheart is standing right there. Even though he seems clueless, I think you do not want to be alone with him. At all!]

    Of course not. Why would I want to be like that? I do not look forward to losing control of everything again. At lunchtime, I could hardly do anything on my own.

    Anything with Han feels fake and fabricated, and it brings my heart to a boil! Each passing second of being under control is worse than hell.

    This is my body. Simr to Laura, I would love to be able to escape from the damning shackles I feel whenever I am trying to do something.

    How she managed to do so is still mysteriously hidden. While I am struggling my best just to stay away from Han, she is being a disgusting thorn in my eyes by linking hands with C.

    "I would love you to stop forcing your way into my boyfriend''s house. And I think Kurokawa can say the same thing." Standing before C, Laura stares at me intensely.

    To be honest, despite wanting to rip her head off, I would love to ask her how to get the constant influence of the system. However, I do not believe that the ss rep will share that information.

    Hearing Laura, Kurokawa turns to me.

    "It is indeed inappropriate. You already have a promise to keep, right?"

    So now you two are on the same team?

    Not just her, but my alleged childhood sweetheart also jumped on the boat.

    "I think we should go, Rachel. It is gettingte, and we are just standing by idly. The time for my favorite anime ising, too."

    [Tut-tut-tut. Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. It is now three against one. I do not know what you have in mind, and I do not care. These people are going to be by my side. Muahahaha! So be a good little yandere and go home with Han.]

    "Only I will go to C''s house. The rest of you can go back to where you came from." Says Laura.

    [Eh? Hold on? When did I say that you coulde to my ce? It is but a bunch of pencil lines!]

    "C agreed for me to walk home together with him. Therefore, I will. Simple as that." The bookworm leans a little more toward C. Since she is closer to me, I can notice that a bit easier than the rest of them.

    Laura probably notices that, too. That was why she chose to block his front.

    [*Sigh* I did make that mistake. Can I just say I was wrong, and you all leave? Is that too much to ask for? After all, you girls should not be here right now. I really can not see why you would group up like this.]

    We are like that because of you. Though I am sure that I will never tell you that.

    With that small exchange, I know all of them are joining forces to push me toward the script. To be fair, I knew that from the beginning. The past iterations have shown how much of a threat I am. Them isting me is understandable.

    Still, backing up does not even cross my mind.

    "Oh no! Please don''t think of it like that. We''re friends, right, Han? Friends should be spending time with each other. Don''t you think so too, my childhood friend?"

    "Y-yes!" The guy next to me squeals. I had to use my stares to make him behave like that.

    [Since when did we be friends? I have been alone all this time, mind you.] C says nothing but thinks to himself.

    That breaks my heart.

    To bepletely honest, the me is not on C or Han for not helping me. Han is a mere pawn that can be disposed of at any given moment. As long as I keep him alive, this reset C has been talking about should not ur. Since there is still the influence of the system, I can not really do anything to him.

    Unless I be free.

    On the other hand, C has been mentally scarred. He lives inside a shell made of excuses and lies of his own making. The pain this world caused has made him terrified of any changes. Even though he was so desperate in the past to get me free, the current him needs help. My help.

    [My hand is once again tightened by Laura''s. The warmth inside of her palm calms me down.]

    I clench my teeth but try not to make a sound.

    "I''m not just your friend. I am also your girlfriend." She shows him a disgusting smile.

    [Hic!]

    But Laura! Laura stands in the way. She is the true culprit here. Thanks to her and Kurokawa''sbined efforts, it was possible to shun me.

    "I will always be here for you, C. If anything happens, you will have my back." Kurokawa speaks up in a hurry as if not looking to lose.

    Their eyes and actions have made it clear.

    Why? Why are they so vehemently trying to do so? In reality, should they also be fighting?

    It should not be because of my nature. No. The two of them are not scared of me. The reason should be something else. Something unnoticed.

    [Um...thanks?]

    "Hey, C! Don''t forget that I am your friend, too!" Han joins in the conversation while waving his arm.

    [I would not want to be involved with you. Since the surprise confession at lunchtime, I already have a target.]

    ...

    ...

    Lunchtime.

    That must be it.

    All that I could gather aftering into the ssroom after lunchtime was meaningless. There must have been something else. I just need to find out what that something is.

    Thinking about that, I am starting to get pissed again. Calm down, Rachel. Do not let it get into your head.

    That bitch. She made her advancement right when he was weakest without me knowing. There was no way for C to reject someone as straightforward as her. He has been living under depression and was voided of any physical touch from anyone. With that, a caring gesture from literally anyone from the opposite sex would be a huge deal.

    And even if he did reject, I would say she would not have given it up.

    It should not have happened. I was supposed to be the one to make the first move. Yet...He is with her now.

    Think! Think!

    The system must have less control over her than me for unknown reasons.

    I will not let go with just that, Laura. As long as I am still around, you will never have him! Absolutely not!

    [Although the protagonist of this story is a beta guy with a skull thicker than a stone, she still has to think of his feelings. At this rate, their rtionship will be spoiled.]

    C is thinking about something redundant again. There is no such "rtionship" whatsoever. It never existed in the first ce.

    Han does not think of me as a love interest. And I myself am starting to feel detached from him.

    Seeing someone cheating on me with other women, I would rather have someone else.

    But to do so, I need more freedom. How on earth did Laura manage to get C?

    I do not think she can openly say things like "I love you" or anything. The shackles ced upon me did not allow me to speak like that.

    Wait!

    I have been thinking this from the wrong angle. If I can not get the answer from Laura, I can just get the answer from C''s thoughts!

    The corners of my lips turn into a smile.

    [Why is she smiling? I know you are beautiful already, so stop unting it. Geez!]

    Hehe! Praise me more. This is better than hearing it by a billion times.

    "Hey, guys, let''s walk home while talking. I don''t want to stand here forever."

    [Thank god!]

    "YAY!!! Anime time!!" Han shouts.

    "Also, how did the ss rep and C be a...c-couple?" I try my best to keep a happy face.

    Laura instantly stares me down. The amber color can not hide the tension in her eyes.

    "I would like to keep that a secret."

    "It''s improper to ask that question, Rachel." Kurokawa does the same thing.

    Just shut up, nerd.

    "Eh? I''m also curious." As usual, Han is clueless.

    "If Laura doesn''t want you to know, I have to respect her."

    [Hmmm. I mean. I did not really think it would happen at all. The ss rep was just pulling me up from the chair. When I touched Laura''s hand, she suddenly got emotional and started crying and hugging me. I swear I did not do a thing to her.]

    *Piiii*

    I get a death stare from Laura. Hahahaha. Bitch!

    It is physical touch!

    "Oh well, I will never know how your rtionship started, sadly."

    [It is literally nothing. I just touched Laura, and she started crying. That is it. Now I am feeling bad...]

    Taking advantage of the situation, I continue my attacks.

    "Then why don''t we all have dinner at my ce tonight? If you are done, you can go home, C. We will be handling all the preparations! You all just need to be there, eat dinner with us like dear guesses."

    [That is a very enticing offer... She is going home with Han, and I can avoid exining the house. Two birds with one stone. It is not like I have never been there while they were having dinner. With Laura and Kurokawa, I do not believe she will kill me. I also feel guilty for not saying the event at lunch. Hmmmmmmm!!! Not going to lie, but I would like to eat for the first time. Uk! Let me just swallow my saliva first!]

    "Okay." He nods.

    Yes!

    YES!!!!

    [There is no way she will drug me.]

 Chapter 33

    This is not good. This is not good at all.

    It seems Rachel has figured it out.

    Even though Laura and I tried not to talk about it with her being nearby, I guess we could not escape the unavoidable oue. Since the event happened when Rachel was not there, we deliberately stayed quiet to keep her away from it. I never thought that the two of us would simultaneously and knowingly do something that the other party was scheming.

    Although, I do wish I could dy Rachel''s realization as far as possible.

    *Sigh*

    "Rachel, do we have enough food for this many people?" Walking next to his alleged fiancee, Han wonders.

    [Look at him being oblivious again. He does not even know how much food his childhood sweetheart stocks at home for them to eat. The poor girl goes to the supermarket every morning just to get the freshest ingredients for you, you ungrateful prick. I pity those who soon have to be his girlfriends.] C''s heavy criticism rings in my head.

    How did the past Kurokawae to be in love with this protagonist, honestly? He seriously has no idea how everything around himes to fruition. The fact that he is the one this game appointed is nothing short but a miracle.

    If this were real life, I would have never chosen him to be my partner. My choice for an ideal boyfriend or husband would definitely be like C, who paid attention to small details and actually cared. After all, everyone wants to feel appreciated. The current Kurokawa will not settle for some mediocre second-handed affection.

    "Don''t worry, I have it covered." Rachel reassures Han.

    Although she smiles in his direction, I can see clearly that her main focus is not him. Her target is most definitely simr to mine. Also, I have a very peculiar feeling that even her smile is not directed at her childhood friend.

    That psycho should be feeling good hearing C''s words.

    "Gotcha! I know I can always count on you!" Han then starts humming a tune.

    [No! Appreciate her more!! Say thank you, you absolute kettle! She has everything done even before you could ask that question! Pay a little more attention to her, for goodness. If you want to have a yandere girlfriend, this is your chance!]

    I agree, C. We need to quickly make them a couple! Lesspetition is always better for me, especially when we still have more unknown heroinesing.

    "Haha. Thanks!"

    That is meaningless...but whatever. Rachel needs to keep the childhood friend game anyway.

    Because of that psycho, the n now has to change. Initially, I was thinking about keeping it neutral by not joining any party except aiming for C. That is no longer a viable choice. From here on out, she will start attacking relentlessly, and I must choose a side.

    However, either Rachel''s or Laura''s is equally disgusting to me.

    I do not like it one bit. The only team I want to be on is my own, and maybe C''s.

    "Today''s anime will be exciting, Rachel! Finally, we get to see that pirate using the fifth gear..."

    "Oh, I see..."

    Han starts to talk about his hobby, while the girl next to him just nods. I take that she does not really have any interest in anime?

    [Oh,e on, man! Just look at her! She is clearly not in the mood for that! Usually, she would give you her thoughts about your hobby. Right now, she is not even replying to them. Ask her how she is feeling, whether or not she needs help for the uing dinner, anything! A simple how are you is ten times better than your weaboo shit!]

    While walking back to Han''s ce, I am paying close attention to C''s inner voice, looking for any other clue I can utilize. Not just that, but I also look out for Rachel and Laura. What we have at the moment is a weird equilibrium between us three, and I look forward to tipping the scale to my side.

    With every chance I can find, I try to close the distance between C and me whenever possible.

    Sadly, all of my attempts have been for naught.

    What I am looking for is a light touch. That would theoretically free me from the shackles of the system. Between that psycho and I, I think I have less struggle. The reason can be, as C said: that my scene was noting untilter. Therefore the control of the system is less on my back? That theory is very usible, though I will probably need to experience my own "scene" to know for sure.

    Laura has been keeping a very close eye on me. By that, I mean she has been managing all of my advancements. I notice the resing from the corners of my eyes many times and choose to ignore them. She will not do anything drastic when he is still here. I know that.

    [*Sigh* The way home has never been this long. But on the brighter side, thanks to the new colors, the surroundings are much livelier. No more grey patches all around the blocks. It pleases the eyes. Ah, wait. I do not have those. It helps the mind? Nah, the expression is not the same anymore. Saying that makes me feel like a pseudo-scientist selling crystals.]

    *Puhaha*

    You idiot. How did you evene up with those euphemisms?

    [Nheless, this new change in the world is good. I like it! I know everyone is different. All the girls are behaving more like humans than mere programs. But, to be honest, I have never had my heart jumped so many times before. I feel like I am living, not stuck in a never-ending nightmare where there is only me.]

    My Dear ssmate C, this world is like that because there is you. You are the one influencing us.

    It is all thanks to you, who are giving us the chance to be something else, better, more realistic.

    I am human now.

    All thanks to you, my dear.

    "Hey, C, can I ask you a question?" Laura casually walks on C''s right, blocking my way. Share some of the air, will you?

    "Sure. Go ahead."

    "I''m sorry if this is too personal, but is it fine for you to go to Rachel and Han''s ce?"

    Of course, she wants to divert him somewhere else. I know that because I want to do so, as well.

    "I know I am not in a position to say anything, but I want to ask the same thing. Do not do it because you are forced to, C. Anything forced does not have any good inside it." I stress the word forced a bit while looking at Laura.

    She should be able to understand what I am trying to say.

    I seriously do not mind being a supporter as long as I can have a bit of what I want. Contrary to Rachel''s selfish tendency, I do not feel too much of a grudge if I were to share.

    That is something all Kurokawa had.

    "Hmmm." C puts a hand on his lips, touching them while he thinks.

    The way it works may beical since what he has is just a mouth, but I think he looks serious.

    A man is most handsome when he concentrates.

    That saying never fails me.

    [It is toote to take my words back now. I can ask Laura to pull me back to my ce if things get ugly. It is just some pencil lines and is very close by, so that should be easy for her to find. In fact, I just needed to turn left near Han''s ce, and my house was already visible. The more important question would be whether or not Laura would take me back home. Plus, I would need to answer her questions after that.]

    Stop showing everyone what to do, C! You are digging your grave! You just did that by saying Rachel would not drug you!

    "I am certainly not forcing him to do anything. However, dinner will be much better if we can share it with friends." At that moment, Rachel exins. "And I would love to study how C makes that dish!"

    Quite desperate, I see.

    [Now that I am thinking about it, even though I know how to cook, I have never actually tasted orange chicken before. All I have ever done was copy Rachel while she did it. Well, I think I just need to decline if shees up with questions like that. At least I did not make a ck gooey mess like Han when he cooked things. This is a great chance to actually eat for once.]

    Seriously, his mind is just so wild. He can go from one thought to another in less than a second.

    [To keep it safe, I will pull Laura aside and request that she helps me if anything goes wrong or if Rachel turns into her berserker state.]

    Right after that, he does what he thought.

    Since I can not join in on their whispers, I can only observe them and Rachel. On her face, the smile is distorted into a miserable look. As for me, I do not know what kind of face I am making.

    No one will see it through my bang, so it does not matter much.

    Still, Rachel must be hurt when C does not believe in her.

    Who am I to say anything? It is about my turn tomorrow.

    When the timees, will he save me from the danger, or will he push me toward the storyline? The only way for me to escape the horrible fate of being bound to Han is to touch him. Yet there has been not a single sessful attempt.

    My time is running out, and I know what C feels about progressing the story.

    As if gravity has increased ten-fold, I drag my feet forward to a bitter future.

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 34

    At this point, everything is crystal clear. C''s monologue is universal among us except for Han. Until now, I still do not clearly understand the reason why. However, the way it works is irrelevant.

    The important thing is to protect him from the likes of Rachel. If he falls into her hands, god knows what she will do to him.

    Dare you toy a finger on him, Rachel, and you will suffer. I will trample on your dead corpse if you harm him in the slightest. You will wish for what you did to the Lauras in the past when I begin the torture, you sadistic nutjob.

    I knew from the start that psycho would find out sooner orter. Even if he was not saying a word, he could not stop his train of thoughts. No one can ever do something like that. It is simply impossible, inhuman even.

    There is no way for me to me C. He has been through enough of injustice already. Seriously, I only want him to have all of the best things I can offer, none of these dramas and schemes. The importance now lies in finding a way to keep him safe and drive Rachel toward Han while hiding the fact that we can read his thoughts.

    I can try my best to hide that. In fact, we all have been doing the same thing.

    As for pushing Rachel toward Han to keep the story moving, I am not that confident, frankly. Even though it is true I am ahead of everyone else due to my sudden confession, it is C''s decision to keep me by his side. Some may consider that to be unfair since I am trying to monopolize him for myself.

    That is indeed what I am thinking. There is no such thing as fairness when ites to a rtionship. Firstes, first served.

    While strolling on the street with an important person, I also take the time to try and memorize the location for future usage. In his words, this ce is very close to his. So it will definitelye in handy.

    And how is it eptable if I do not even know the way to C''s house? It is the ce I will spend most of my time.

    About 20 minutester, a specific ce sticks out like a sore in the neighborhood.

    "We''re here! Let''s go in, guys. Oh, wait! Let me do one thing. Ehem! Wee everyone to my house." Standing in front of his door, Han spreads open his arms and introduces it.

    "Is this for real?" Kurokawa covers her mouth with both hands. Her voice seems to be taken back a little.

    I wish I could be saying how pathetic she is. Sadly, I am also doing the same thing with one hand. The other one is still holding C''s, of course.

    Even if this whole world ising to its end. I am not letting C go. Period.

    [He does live in a beautiful house. This lucky bastard!]

    Do not be envious, C. As long as you are there, things will be beautiful. But I have to correct you on one thing...It is not a house...

    That is a vi.

    Fashionable white wall, orange intricate roof tiles with a western metal gate, this is undoubtedly a freaking fancy vi with a pool of its own! I can even see a garden with fresh fruits-dangling trees on one side of the ce. Just by a nce, I know already that these are well kept.

    [The fruits are pretty ripe. Rachel can probably use those to make the dish she likes so much. I have always wondered what sour and tangy mean. This should be a chance for me to do it.]

    Those are...oranges? Is it because of the orange chicken dish that Rachel takes care of the trees?

    The possibility is certainly not zero...

    Not just that, but there are wooden tables plus chairs put randomly under those trees, probably for tea parties and such. Those also have some of the more distinctive designs that fit perfectly into the environment surrounding them.

    This is so luxurious I am appalled.

    Compared to the houses we have seen on our way, this one is definitely the best looking, also presumably the most well-designed.

    [He is destined to be the harem king, after all. So the ce has to be at least this big to house all the different heroines. Coincidentally, there are 6 bedrooms for Han and 5 of the main heroines. Coincidentally, indeed.]

    Ah, so that is why.

    Right now, we have Rachel, who is supposed to be the first female lead, and Kurokawa, who is supposed to be the second one. I wonder who would be the third one to show up?

    "Please, people,e one right in! Don''t just look at it like that. This is not built by me or has anything with my name on it! This house is my parents''!" Han exins.

    [Yeah, your loaded parents who never showed up even once. It must be disgusting looking at us mere mortals with small pockets filled with nothing but breadcrumbs, is it not, my lord? What is next? "Feel free to behave like the normalmoners at my fantastic ce?" "Do not be bound to your poor chains of the plebeians?"]

    ...

    I must...

    Not...

    Laugh...

    The corners of my mouth...are twitching non-stop...

    "Just rx and be your usual selves, simr to your own house! I am only a student like all of you."

    [Fuck you, Han! GO AND EAT SHIT, YOU DICK FACE!]

    *Puha*

    *Puha*

    *Puha*

    [What is wrong with those girls?]

    Damn it! I could not hold it in.

    But...C is hrious, so that should be a given. Even the other two could not withstand such a ridiculous hit from him.

    Humor, kindness, caring, attention, living outside of the box,...What more could one ask for in a significant other?

    As we walk inside the vi, the protagonist takes the lead in showing us around. The rest of us just follow and let him do all the talk.

    "Follow me this way. This is the main gate, by the way."

    [I know, My Lord. I have been here a few times. I have to say, it is refreshing seeing you a bit more proactive like this, Han. Keep it up!]

    It is much more difficult for him to get his hands on Kurokawa and Rachel now, my sweet C. This change in him is at least a thousand years toote. However, I feel a bit curious why C would be here in the past.

    [*Sigh* Back when I first got my sentience, I snuck into this ce to see what the problem was. Rachel managed to kill me a couple times until I found a way to climb in. Then, rather than finding something worthwhile and learning new things, I heard moaning from her. God forbid, but I took a sneak peek at her doing the deed with Hanpletely asleep. That was not entirely my fault, though. You should close the door when you are having sex, people!]

    Well, C, dear, it was Han''s house, and there should be no one else. Still, it is very odd she did not close the door.

    [Honestly, you would think she would close and lock everything because of her n. Yet it was different. The dishes were not cleaned, theundry was everywhere, and the house was basically a mess. As if not wanting to waste a single second of Han in his drugged state, she pounced on him without any other thoughts on her mind.]

    She lost all her reasoning once the pills took their effects? Hmmm. I can understand that. Rachel must have been in a hurry that she left everything on hold.

    [He woke up in the middle of it, though. Rachel''s worries about her childhood fiancee losing the effects of the drugs made sense all in all. If she had tried to do the house chores, he would have woken up before she finished. Han''s house was huge. And by that, I mean gigantic. There should have been a maid. She was fired by Rachel. What do you expect? Some master-servant roley with Rachel watching?]

    That psycho only fired the maid? Not killed her?

    [Lucky for the maid, it was before they had sex. She did not lose it totally in her head. They did have some master-servant roley after the first time, though.]

    Fufufufu.

    You are thinking about that quite a bit, C.

    I know your kink now, dummy. Now, where can I get a maid outfit?

    "This is the living room. These sofas are really soft, you know? I heard they imported it from overseas. The living room is the biggest out of all the rooms in this house. But we do have different areas for other activities. They all have pillows and nkets, though. I like to put those everywhere I go."

    So it is divided into sections? That makes sense. This ce has a western design outside, so it should be the same on the inside.

    [So that you can have sex in different positions and scenarios, I know.]

    *Ku*

    "Are you okay, Laura?" C looks at me. His voice sounds concerned.

    [Is she okay? I have been having a rise in temperature in my palm. Is she having some kind of flu?]

    "No, C. Something caught in my throat. That''s all!"

    "Ah, okay! Let''s get you something to drink first."

    [Wait a second. I think we all need something to drink. Let''s tell Han to get it for all of us.]

    My boyfriend then looks at the lord of the house. "Maybe we should all get some water. You know, since we have been talking a lot, but not for me. I don''t really need it."

    Aw.

    He really cares about me.

    I look to the other two and see the melting looks they have on their ugly faces.

    Stop.

    Now.

    "Oh shoot! Why didn''t I think about that?! Sorry guys, I''ll get you something right away! Follow me to the kitchen. We have a big dining table there."

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 35

    *Puf*

    My feet touch something soft. I choose to ignore it for now.

    The more important question is: Do you know what is inside a kitchen?

    Of course, you do. You must have one in your house, maybe even a couple of kitchens. Possibly you have a thing with kitchens. Who am I to judge, eh?

    *Puf*

    Okay, jokes aside, I take that you know whatever is inside such a ce.

    There should be a dining table first. Then some chairs, and then there would be a separate corner for cooking, right? Of course, we are making a hugely simplified version of a kitchen here, but we need a bit of context to understand whates next.

    I would get it if he had something like a giant fridge. Something extravagant like a majestic artisan pizza oven would not be too much for someone with Han''s background.

    *Puf*

    Once again, I kick the pillows off my feet.

    Yes, the kitchen has these things all over the floor. That is the weirdest problem with this ce.

    "Don''t mind the pillows. I just like to have them everywhere in the house just in case, haha!" Hanughs to himself to avoid the weird looks from the girls.

    Just in case? For what?

    No,dies. He is like that because there will be a bunch of sex scenes in this area. See those aprons over there in that corner? Yeah, you girls, with the exception of Laura, would be doing the naked apron thing with him.

    "Come in,e in. Have a seat, all of you. Don''t be so nervous." He says.

    Honestly, Han, give them some time to adjust. Anyone would be quite weirded out seeing a bunch of pillows on the floor like this.

    Look at those eyes.

    They are simply bewildered beyondprehension. Me, I have no eyes. So no emotion can be seening from this guy.

    Poor these girls. If they came when the rtionship with Han was better, maybe they would not show such a face.

    Oh wait, Rachel should not be that disgusted, though.

    But well, what is new?

    *Gatan*

    Listening to Han''s advice, I approach the dining table and find myself a seat. Not going to lie, but I am really looking forward to drinking for the first time. There should be no issues, presumably. I was able to use my mouth to speak without any obstruction, so drinking should be fine.

    Oh, wait for a second, before sitting down, should I not have pulled out the chair for Laura? She is my girlfriend now, yes? That is what a gentleman should do?

    Damn...that was a huge blunder on my side...

    Sorry, Laura...

    Fake love or not, she has been treating me very nicely. It is normal to return the favor. Clearly, I am still not very used to this drastic change.

    Let me just stand up since she is not sitting down that fast.

    "Oh, Laura, wait for me a bit. Let me pull this chair out for you."

    *Gatan*

    "There you go!"

    Laura smiles brightly.

    "Thanks, but I will be helping Rachel with getting the drinks. Kurokawa, you shoulde, too. Let''s help the boys out. Together."

    At this point, Laura takes her hand off mine. Suddenly, my hand feels a little lonely.

    It can not be helped, C. ss rep has to let it go at some point.

    "Ah! Wha..!"

    However, right after letting me go, she almost instantly grabs Kurokawa''s arm and pulls the girl toward Rachel with her. Thetter hardly has the chance to do anything at all. I can even hear a small yelp.

    Looking at that, Rachel looks somewhat puzzled.

    "What are you doi-?"

    "Come on, girls. Don''t you want to show the boys your most feminine side?" Laura moves even faster. "Now, dear Rachel, can you show us where to get the drinks? This is Your house, after all."

    Then, with a look of caution in her eyes, Rachel and the other two move toward the kitchen area where the fridge resides.

    "We''ll be right back." Laura beams at me from far away.

    Not knowing what to do, I just nod and decide to sit back down. At the same time, the protagonist chooses the chair right next to me.

    "Hey, C." He talks to me in a whisper. It is clear he is trying to hide something from the girls.

    "How did you manage to capture Laura''s heart? Come one, share your secrets! You must be a pick-up artist in your spare time, right?"

    I can see the look of aspiration in his eyes as if he looks up to me like a teacher or something.

    "Truth be told, I have no idea, man."

    The answer you are seeking, however, is nonexistent.

    In fact, it is I who have to make the question.

    How do you n on capturing the rest of the girls like this? Rachel is very much paying you less interest than ever before.

    Oh, wait! Maybe it IS her n. She is just ying hard to get!

    Of course, I will not say anything like that. I am not dumb. Rachel will put another hole in my ass if she hears me saying so.

    *BAM*

    "W-what was that?!" Han and I turn and look at the source of the sound.

    "*Kuh* No worries. Rachel just slipped and cut the chopping board instead of the orange." Kurokawa exins.

    "Oh! Is Rachel okay?" The protagonist stands up.

    "She''s unharmed. Don''t worry about it. You two can sit tight and wait for a couple minutes. We will be right out." The bookworm reassures us.

    "If you say so. Now, C, where were we?"

    NO! You are supposed to walk over there to make sure she is fine! Do not sit here idly and have a chat while your childhood sweetheart is doing everything!

    This is something that you really need to work on if you want to survive longer, Han. The fact that you listen to whatever the heroines say is astoundingly naive.

    Sigh.

    I have to go have a look. If anything happens to Rachel''s hands, she is pretty much dead.

    "Don''t worry, guys." From behind the kitchen counter, Laura takes Rachel''s hands and puts them in the air, showing me the wless skin she has. "Rachel''s fine, right? She just had a bit of a sneeze, that''s all!"

    That is good.

    "Now that everything is safe. C! Please, man! I am dying because of loneliness here! Help a brother out, will you?"

    The guy starts begging me for love advice.

    Trust me, my friend. You have NO IDEA what dying because of the loneliness really means.

    "Just like I told you, I don''t know how she got infatuated with me. It is hard to believe, but that is the truth."

    Han stops for a second and thinks.

    "So you are telling me that you had to do nothing, and still she confessed to you?"

    "You are putting it in a very peculiar way..."

    "And you are not that handsome, either." He mumbles.

    YEAH, I AM NOT HANDSOME LIKE YOU, HAN SOM. SO WHAT?!

    WHEN DID IT TURN INTO A PERSONAL ATTACK, YOU FUCKER?

    *Crash*

    Something just got shattered over in the kitchen area.

    "I just dropped a ss! Don''te here, C. There are pieces of ss all over this ce, so you better sit tight since it can cut your feet." Laura looks at me with warmth.

    But then she turns her gaze to the protagonist.

    "EEK!!" Immediately, he squeals. "I-I didn''t do anything!"

    To be fair, I can not be paying any attention to that guy right now.

    Is the ss rep alright? Cuts on the feet can be dangerous, especially with no one with medical skills in this house.

    "Kurokawa and Rachel are helping me with the clean-up. If youe too close, the shards will cut you, and I don''t want that at all."

    "What if I put the pillows underneath and slide across the room?''

    "No. You could fall! Trust me, okay, C?"

    Even though I sit back down, anxiety still rises inside my chest. I guess Han and I both share the trait of being too docile.

    But seriously, I do not want to sit around waiting while my girlfriend is doing everything.

    This just feels hical.

    *Sigh*

    What should I do?

    "Teach me, master!"

    What if I put more pillows under my feet and one on each arm to sweep them across?

    "Master! Please hear me out!"

    Yeah! That would work. I could be safe from the shards and help them gather them all at once. But it will be very slippery with the pillows on the floor.

    "Master! Please enlighten this stupid student of yours on how to get a girlfriend! Preferably a yandere one!" Han grabs me by the shoulders, praying for help.

    Who and what now?

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 36

    "I know this is an odd request, but please, teacher, master, sensei, show me your ways of getting a girlfriend." The protagonist stands straight from his seat and bows down to me, who have no clue what he is saying.

    "What am I supposed to teach you when I am just as clueless as you are?"

    However, despite my effort to let him down, Han still seems determined.

    "No, I believe you must be doing something right. I don''t think it was pure luck that you got confessed by Laura. C, please hear me out. You are so unknowingly good that you could get into a rtionship without lifting a finger! And I would love to learn your way!"

    NO!! That is not how it works! That is not how any of this works!

    You have to earn it, man! Do not expect girls toe at you like butterflies toward flowers. If you do not work toward your goals, how are they supposed to like you?

    Sitting around and waiting for love does not help you at all!

    Wait...who am I to say these things? He literally got many girlfriends without doing much. Han should be learning from himself, not me.

    ...

    This is ridiculous.

    However...

    I can give him hints regarding the girls, right?

    Yeah! Now we are talking! That will make the girls swoon over him much easier!!

    "As I said, Han, I have nothing to teach you."

    "Please! Master!"

    "However, as someone who stands outside of everything, I can give you my point of view."

    "Really!?" Han jumps up from his position. "Will you really give me your opinion?"

    I nod.

    "Yeah. But really, man, don''t expect much from me. I am most definitely not some love guru. Heck, I have never been in a rtionship until today."

    "Really? Are you sure?" He looks at me with doubt in his eyes.

    Yes, you annoying protagonist.

    Why do I have to lie about being a Forever Alone guy?! Do I really have to show you my virgin license?! And why can I be not sure about my rtionship status?

    Questions like that will get you killed, Han...I would love to punch you in the face just for that. Imagine talking like that to the girls.

    They are going to behead you and put it in a jar.

    "I am 100 percent sure I have never been noticed by anyone."

    That sentence alone is enough to make a grown man cry.

    By a grown man, I mean me.

    ...

    Get back in there, tears...

    "Well, brother," Han pats me on the shoulder while wiping a tear off his eye. "We are very simr in that regard."

    Then he smiles handsomely.

    Seriously, I want to smack him in the face.

    You know nothing about me, you horny mutt.

    "Actually, you know what, let''s get started right away with the advice."

    Steeling my nerve to see the fear on his face, I suggest. Do you want to have a girlfriend? I will show you the way, you damn bastard.

    "WHOA??! Right now?!!"

    "Yes."

    "Okay! Okay! Let me sit down and try to remember everything clearly." He pulls the chair out and sits diligently.

    *Ehem*

    Excuse me while I mentally prepare myself as a teacher.

    "This morning, I heard Kurokawa say something interesting about love."

    "Did she? I don''t really remember."

    What do you remember, then? She was literally talking to you.

    "She said look no further than your line of sight." I am trying my hardest here to keep my voice from bursting out.

    "Oh! That! Yes, I do remember her saying something along those lines."

    He then ponders for a second.

    "Hmm. Kurokawa sure likes to talk a little bit poetic. That sentence is a little vague, isn''t it? Line of sight can be very far or near."

    Oh, god...the density of this guy''s brain should have its own gravitational force...

    *Sigh*

    Unknowingly, a deep sigh escapes my chest.

    "Let me put it in another way for you."

    I did not expect this level of support right off the bat like this.

    "Please do." He says.

    "What do you think of Rachel?"

    Rather than going around the bush, I will pinpoint what should be happening for him. It should more or less have an effect, right?

    Right...

    "Rachel? She is my childhood friend. I appreciate her a lot for what she has done for me."

    Appreciate? That is not nearly enough, pal. She has done more for you than you will ever notice with your smooth brain. What have you done to show your appreciation?

    "How long has she been by your side?"

    "Many years. So long I can''t really remember anymore."

    It has been since kindergarten that Rachel has been with you. You guys are all 18 by now. That is more than a decade.

    I know you are like this because of the system, and I hope you can change that from now on, Han.

    Seriously. With Rachel, Kurokawa, and Laura, everyone being entirely different, they have a better chance than ever to achieve their happy endings.

    Just...pay a little more attention. Everyone needs it so desperately.

    Even you, Han.

    "If it has been that long already, have you ever thought about her being interested in you? You guys technically live under the same roof. That has to mean something."

    "No way." Han shakes his head from left to right. "She is just being nice."

    Cooking, cleaning, doing theundry, helping you up every morning, and taking care of your needs are not just being nice.

    She is like your own MOM!

    God! He is making me furious! Do you want my opinion or not?!

    *Suuuuuuhaaaaaa*

    Keep it together, C.

    Trying to keep your cool.

    "From my point of view, it does not look like that. To me, Rachel seems to be very interested in you. Why don''t you start there?"

    "Whah? For real? You think she has feelings for me?" The protagonist points the finger at his face.

    "I believe so. Maybe your childhood friend''s feelings for you are much bigger and grander than you currently think. After all, do you seriously think a normal childhood friend would devote her all to making you feel satisfied and happy?"

    Han leans back on his chair and looks up at the ceiling.

    "Makes sense...Thanks, C. But I still can''t really believe it. Is it just a kind gesture, or is it really a romantic feeling from Rachel?"

    Something is getting through his thick skull finally! I need to keep on pressing. One day, he will see it. I have high hopes for this.

    "You are making the wrong assumptions here."

    He looks back at me.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Why can''t a kind gesture and love be from the same person? There is no need to separate them now, isn''t it? Rachel can be doing all these things because she has feelings for you. Even if she does not love you, the feelings are much on the positive side."

    His mouth is wide open at this point, so much so that he can not even reply to my words.

    "Laura told me something when she confessed, too."

    "What was it?"

    "You don''t need to know about it. Just think of it like this. When dating someone, it does not need to be based on the premise of love. As long as you would like to understand the other party better, you can be a couple."

    He nods constantly.

    "Of course! Of course! We''re still young! We can experiment!"

    *Sigh*

    Some progress atst.

    But as I am about to continue, Han waves his hand to stop me.

    "Wait! Let''s talk in whispers. The girls may hear us!" The guy suddenly keeps his voice down upon seeing something in his peripheral.

    *Tan*

    After his panic, a dish full of peeled fruits is presented in front of the two of us.

    "What are you two talking about?" Laura returns from the cooking area. Behind her are Rachel and Kurokawa. She puts a ss of water near me and sits down. The other two also choose a ce to sit.

    Han''s childhood friend does not look happy. I wonder why? However, I think there is a smirk on Kurokawa''s lips?

    "Nothing!" Han instantly hides everything.

    That is not a good move. It only makes things more suspicious.

    "We are talking about his love life." I point my finger at him.

    "Oh?" Rachel speaks up.

    Of course, she would. Out of everyone avable here, she would have the highest chance to react to that.

    "What have you guys been talking about?"

    Her gaze is piercing both of us. The aquamarine color of her eyes is dark and very concerning. If looks could have a physical form, I would be impaled by now.

    "Nothing! I swear! Nothing at all! C, we have not been saying anything weird, right? Haha! Right!?"

    Cold sweats start to form all over his face.

    I turn at him with a big smile, and he returns the gesture. He should be thinking that I am on his team.

    That would be totally wrong.

    "We have not done anything weird, for sure,"

    "See, haha!" Hanughs wryly.

    "We have only discussed the future between you and Han."

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 37

    She should have a red face out of embarrassment.

    She should be smiling out of joy because being with Han should be what she wants the most. It has always been like that.

    However, contrary to my beliefs, Rachel looks uninterested.

    "I appreciate your thoughts, C. I really do,"

    Oh, crap. That is not a good reply.

    Whenever I hear someone saying things simrly, I know already they think of the exact opposite. Not to mention, Rachel''s facial features show nothing but a bitter expression.

    Han''s childhood friend bites her lower lip.

    "But at the moment, there is nothing going on between Han and me."

    It feels like she took all strength within her body to say so. If she is so ufortable with saying that, why keep trying?

    She leaves me thinking she hates being with him.

    "Th-that''s right! C! You are m-mistaken! Rachel is like a sister to me, and I would not do anything to hurt that rtionship." Han rifies.

    *Sigh* This is much, much more difficult than I thought. The guy was reaching an epiphany a few seconds before, and now it is back at square one.

    Yet, I have gone so far already that there is no way for me to turn back anymore. I need to strike when the iron is still hot.

    "Well, from my point of view, you two are like two peas in a pod. If you are looking for a girlfriend, Han, why don''t you start looking at Rachel as a love interest?"

    Rachel stays silent while the look on her face is still nk. Honestly, what is she really thinking?

    "And for you, Rachel, don''t you want to be with Han as his official girlfriend?" Not stopping there, I also fire my bullets at Rachel.

    Since I am targeting her directly like this instead of just the protagonist, I will make a dash instantly at the sight of bad stuff.

    "I agree with C." Next to me, Laura speaks up. "You two do look like you could make a great couple. What about you, Kurokawa? What''s your opinion on this?"

    "Han." Instead of answering the question, Kurokawa turns to the protagonist. "As I said, look no further than your line of sight. The one closest to you right now should be a suitable choice for your love life."

    "B-but the person on my line of sight right now is C."

    What the actual fuck?

    "..."

    "..."

    "..."

    Even the three girls are all dead silent!! Their faces are all nk.

    This is not dense anymore, Han. This is pure stupidity!!

    "Wait, hold on! I think I know what you mean. Maybe you also suggest I should think about R-Rachel in a more romantic way?"

    Geez, man. I was *this* close to flipping the table.

    "Yes! Please!" My voice is near the verge of breaking.

    God helps us all!

    "Before we continue, C, please take a moment to drink some water. You have been talking for a while already." Right when I am about to continue, Laura calls out to me. She must have noticed my voice bing more and more agitated.

    Phew. I really need to cool down a bit. Drinking a little water should help ease my mind from wanting to kick Han in the nuts.

    If it was given by Rachel, I would have thought many times before receiving the thing. Thankfully, this was handed to me by my current girlfriend. There should be nothing wrong with it.

    "Thanks, ss rep."

    Right when I am about to grab the ss, Laura takes a sip from it and then gives it back to me.

    "Ah! Let me also have some, first! This is only for security. You never really know whether or not Rachel put anything weird in the water."

    Ouch!

    Rachel does not like that at all.

    "She would not do such a thing to her friends. Laura, you are just joking around." Kurokawa chuckles.

    Big doubt.

    Strangely, even though Kurokawa is trying to clear the suspicion, I feel even more drawn toward it. The way she puts it is very counterintuitive. It is as if she is trying to stress even more so.

    "That''s right! Rachel would never do that!" Han steps up to defend his childhood sweetheart.

    Never mind this guy. He is a simpleton anyway.

    I will pay close attention since the ss rep is correct about Rachel. What Laura said should be only a joke to her, but to me, I need to keep that thought in mind.

    Even though it has been countless times, until today, I still have no idea where Rachel has been keeping the sleeping drug. Although I tried looking for them, I never found any trace. Because of that, I guess there is a 99% chance she always carries the pills.

    To drug Han, she will have to use either foods or drinks.

    Now the more important thing is if the water is indeed contaminated, how would we know?

    Personally, I have no clue.

    "The water tastes fine," Laura confirms the state of what she had. "Sorry for doubting you, Rachel."

    The ss rep pushes the ss of water back to me. At the same time, Laura takes a piece of fruit from the te in front of me.

    "C, take a sip. It''s refreshing. Oh, and you should also try this apple."

    That piece has a cute cut. It is peeled to look like a rabbit.

    "I did that." Kurokawa raises her hand. "What do you think?"

    You have good knife skills...You will be a good wife in the future...

    Like hell am I going to say those cringe-worthy words! Besides, those kinds of sentences should not being from me.

    "It''s cute."

    That is all I am going to tell her.

    "Thanks." Kurokawa smiles happily.

    Is it just me, or is the bookworm blooming? Her smile is beautiful so suddenly right after mypliment. It is weird how simple mundane praise can make her smile that gorgeously.

    "Whoa..." From another seat, Han unconsciously gasp.

    Immediately, I ask him.

    "What do you want?"

    "You are indeed the master! With just a smallpliment and already made Kurokawa like that!" The protagonist looks at me with admiration.

    "Hey! I don''t know anything, okay! She is like that on her own without my influence."

    "...I will follow you for the rest of my life." The guy is determined.

    Do what you want, man...You are the boss...

    I am not going to lie, but all this talking is taking a toll on me. My throat is burning.

    Would you believe that? This is the first time ever I have had a dry throat!

    "Here." Laura brings up the ss of water.

    "Thanks."

    *Gulp*

    A cooling sensation travels from my mouth down my throat to my stomach. Just like how I was able to talk with my mouth, the act of drinking feels natural. Every muscle in my body somehow knows how to work together without any thought.

    Even so, I feel a weird sense of being "whole" a little more, simr to an unfinished jigsaw puzzle with another piece perfectly put inside.

    It is difficult to exin clearly since this is philosophical, so you all have to take my word for it.

    "Here, Han. You should also have a drink." I hear Rachel''s voice talking to her childhood friend.

    "Oh! Thank you, Rachel!"

    *Gulp gulp gulp*

    Those are some loud gulping sounds.

    "Are you done with the water, C?" Laura asks.

    "Yeah, I''m good."

    "Then it''s time for you to have my rabbit-cut apple!!" Kurokawa enthusiastically looks at me.

    Well, not her, to be precise, but her bangs. You all should know what I mean by that.

    "Say ah!" The ss rep brings up the fruit.

    Of course, with so many people looking at me, there is no way for me to ept such an embarrassing thing.

    "Can I decline the feeding?"

    However, Laura gives me a knowing smile without answering.

    "What do you think?"

    It seems it is best that I ept my fate.

    "Ah!"

    "There you go."

    *Nom*

    Crunchy, sweet, not so tangy with an apple-y taste. It is delicious. The piece is very juicy. With every bite, I could feel my mouth being washed by its taste.

    Especially when this is the first time I get to eat something, this is going to be a core memory.

    Coincidentally, Han is also eating the same thing. The only difference between us is that he is eating on his own.

    Rachel is not feeding him. Rather than focusing on her childhood sweetheart, she is just staring intensely at me.

    *Yawn*

    Eh?

    I feel tired?

    *Yawn*

    Oh, Laura is also yawning. I guess she is also feeling drowsy.

    Ugh. My vision is getting blurry.

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 38

    "Hello, C? C? Are you okay?" I gently push the sleeping body of my boyfriend. "Can you hear me? If you fake this, I will give you a kiss."

    Usually, I would hear his voice inside my head. But now, inside my head is only my voice. His has disappeared.

    We got him.

    "Is it done on your side, too?" cing a hand on C''s head and stroking his hair, I ask Rachel.

    The psycho then goes up close to Han and opens his eyelids. With a cold voice, she replies.

    "Knocked out. And don''t worry a thing. This guy won''t even hear a bomb exploding next to him when he is asleep."

    She is not soft on him, I see. How shees up with that statement, I do not really care.

    The system probably gave it to her.

    Next to me, Kurokawa starts exining.

    "It should work longer than the past trials with the extra dosage. They should bepletely tranquilized by now."

    My fingers touch C''s face gently like caressing a gem, afraid of hurting him.

    "Finally, my boyfriend can have a nice rest after today. I can no longer hear C''s thoughts, so that should be a good sign."

    As I nce over his sleeping face, it is so peaceful and carefree.

    If only I could bring it to him without all this nning and hiding.

    If only there were two of us in this world...

    "So sorry, my dear. We just really need to do this." I whisper.

    My heart is being torn apart by the dilemma I have created. I would do anything other than this when there was another way.

    But regrettably, there exists none.

    The only way for me to be by his side and talk about the actual condition to the others would be to let him have a nap.

    "Although we did use more sleeping drugs than usual, it should not cause much of an issue onto C''s body. The medication is mild, after all." Not stopping there, the bookworm starts pondering, seemingly trying to figure something out.

    "Therefore, that makes me think, Rachel."

    While running my fingers through his hair, I focus more on Kurokawa''s words. Still, he is everything that my eyes are seeing.

    "The other Rachels may have wanted Han to wake up in the act."

    From the corners of my visual field, I can see the psycho immediately turning her chilling gaze at Kurokawa.

    "What do you mean?!"

    However, Kurokawa has grown familiar with her stare. She is not that scary when that psycho is not doing anything but looking, to be honest.

    "What I mean is the old you wanted Han to wake up while forcing yourself on him. It was not because the drugs lost their effects. It was based on your will."

    Now, this is very interesting. I would like to join this discussion.

    "Rachel could have been under the influence, don''t you think so, Kurokawa?"

    With C''s thoughts out of the way, we know nothing about each other anymore. From this moment until he wakes up, I will have to base everything on what we have, not his experience.

    "Possibly. I think Rachel wanted Han to know she would have her ways, with his approval or not. That could have been a statement because Han would never make a move on her. In short, rather than being a coincidence like C thought, Han''s being awake was also nned beforehand."

    "That''s outrageous! I am not that kind of person. There would be no way for me to be that shameless." Rachel denies it vehemently.

    Kurokawa shakes her head from left to right.

    "Of course, the current you are not. I''m only talking about the past. If you didn''t want Han to see you doing that, why not use a stronger dose? The amount for an adult was clearly noted on the bottle?"

    "..."

    Rachel goes silent.

    Evidently, she knows the truth. No matter how much Rachel denies it, it is true she was carrying the drugs on her all time. She must have had everything mapped beforemitting.

    Rachel gave them to us to spike the food and drinks, after all.

    For that, I am ashamed.

    C, we are nothing but a bunch of disgusting characters in this world.

    "Besides, you needed to be his girlfriend. We all know that. That should also be your motives."

    "...That''s enough, Kurokawa. I don''t care about that... At least, not anymore." She tells the bookworm to stop.

    "I agree. We should focus on something more in the present. Laura, let''s not waste any more time, shall we?"

    The conversation has shifted to me.

    "I know, bookworm."

    *Pi*

    She just sent me a re.

    "He can call me that. Not you."

    "Okay. Ku-ro-ka-wa." Stressing each part of her name, I continue.

    Seeing me bing more erratic, Rachel quickly interrupts us.

    "No need to be snyde. Rather than bickering, we should move these two out of this ce. We don''t want them to wake up during our conversation, do we?"

    "Rachel has a point there. C has already been suicidal already, and it shows very clearly in his carefree actions. If he hears us, the consequences will be dire. It will end with all of us losing consciousness, possibly our sentience, too. Plus, our memories will also be wiped clean." Kurosawa nods in agreement.

    Sadly for them, their target has been clear as day. They will not let their deception pass by my ears.

    "I have a better idea. Why don''t we go to one of the rooms, close the door, and just whisper to each other?"

    Not a fraction of a moment that I can rx around you two.

    "Tch!"

    "Tch!"

    These girls! One second of losing my focus, and there would be no way back. They are nothing but 2 enraged sharks in front of a plump seal.

    I know they are.

    Because I am, too.

    "You know the door, right, Rachel?"

    The psycho is furious as she stands up and walks out of the pillowy kitchen.

    "Shut the hell up, you snob."

    "Sorry. What about you, Kurokawa?"

    "..."

    Unexpectedly, that nerd says nothing. She just stands up and follows the other one.

    Seeing them gone, I can feel myself taking in a breath. The mental stress I have suffered from paying attention every minute is immense.

    From the moment we left the school until now, I had to concentrate on the tiniest movements of everyone, especially the two other girls. Luckily, I did not make a mistake. It still made a burden in my head, do not get me wrong.

    "I will leave for a second, my faceless prince. Sleep tight, darling." Whispering those words to my savior, C subconsciously scratches his ears.

    He is just so adorable!

    How can such an adorable creature have so much courage and patience to save me in the past?

    He did not have the help of the story nor the setups it gave him like mine. Everything he did was purely on his own.

    C is strong. Much stronger than I am.

    A few secondster, we all gather in one of the rooms of this vi.

    "Please close the door behind you, Laura." Rachel says.

    *Ka-chak*

    "Take a seat." Kurokawa points me to a location.

    "Thanks."

    The room we are in, one of the bedrooms, is equipped with everything you can think of in an expensive hotel room. Huge bed, pillows, it even has a fridge. Then again, this ce is the vi of the main character, so it has to be like that.

    "Hehe." I let out a small chuckle.

    Rachel instantly catches onto me. She really has a problem with my existence.

    "What seems to be the problem?"

    "Nothing. I''m just thinking how C would be [This bastard sleeps on a bed like this while my house is made of doodle lines.] if he was here."

    "Hehe." Kurokawaughs. "He would definitely think like that. It is one of his charms, after all."

    Rachel does not say anything. Yet the smirk at the corner of her lips betrays her.

    My boyfriend''s charm is already enough for you to smile like a little girl. Even more so, he does not need to be here!

    *Ahem*

    "Okay, enough chit-chat. Let''s begin." She says.

    As I am making myselffortable, I send the bookworm a look.

    "Why don''t we restate our initial n? Kurokawa, you were the one with the details. I would like to hear it from you first."

    Kurokawa then adjusts her posture.

    "Alright, I guess I should start with the basics of our Conditions."

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 39

    "One. Under no circumstances can C learn about the newfound sentience of the members in this discussion. The members are namely Kurokawa, Rachel, and Laura.

    Two. Under no circumstances can C learn about this meeting. This condition includes but is not limited to direct or indirect conversation, signnguage, notes, emails, and other forms of information sharing.

    Three. Each participant in this meeting has the duty to keep the information about C''s thoughts hidden from him. If he finds out about his ability, the one who created the problem will have to follow the influence until the end or have their life taken away by the others. Since we are dying anyway, we should make your death as painful as possible.

    Four. When there is a new heroine, the participants in this meeting will work together to drive her or them away. Dead or alive. Preferably dead and prioritizing secrecy. However, the situation can change depending on C''s thoughts."

    I started by rephrasing each condition we made prior when C focused on coaching Han. It was lucky that the protagonist took away his attention when we were in the kitchen area.

    "Any questions?"

    Rachel quickly raises her hand.

    "What about individual circumstances?"

    Personally, that is indeed a good question. I have been meaning to talk about that, as well.

    Sadly, I know the answer when my eyes meet the ss rep.

    "Each will be on their own." Laura''s amber eyes focus on Rachel.

    Unlike C, I do not know her well, so I can not read what emotions are bottling inside her pupils.

    The only thing that I can see is a pure annoyance.

    "These conditions we made here are not for your entertainment. They exist solely for one reason. And that is keeping the secret away from being noticed. If C somehow knows we can hear his thoughts, he will, without a doubt, kill himself to reset the world. We will potentially have our sentience wiped clean. That to me is dying." Laura exins in a stern tone.

    Personally, the way she is putting this is just another "I care nothing for your own circumstances."

    It is simple for her to say that. She is the only one with total freedom right at this point. Since the ss rep was only a side character, the influence ced upon her was definitely not as strong as those upon Rachel and me.

    Because of that reason, even though Rachel is a psycho and will do many heinous things to achieve her goals, she is not that dangerous. Those actions she did were in the past. The current Rachel has not been doing anything drastic.

    Laura, however,...

    The one I need to keep an eye on is not Han''s childhood friend but Laura.

    One who holds freedom holds a tremendous amount of potential. And under the premise of a yandere of this world, Laura''s potential turns into destruction.

    Sensing my gaze, the ss rep smiles.

    "Don''t you agree with me, Kurokawa?"

    Yes, I do agree with her.

    If I were the one who got her freedom, I would do the same thing. Regrettably, I am not free. Not yet.

    "I think it is only fair to help one another. There are 3 of us only, and a lot more obstacles have yet to show up."

    "Come on, Kurokawa. Do you seriously believe I''m going to fall for that?" Laura shakes her head.

    "At this point, we all know each other. Let me be frank with both of you. I am NOT going to let myself get erased this time! The enormous debt that I have to pay C is something I will handle myself. As for you or Rachel, there is no reason for you to pay attention to my boyfriend except for the freedom he grants."

    Even though she does not talk too loud, the cold tone of her voice clearly proves she is irritated.

    "You are wrong." Says the psycho.

    "I don''t think I am. Face it, Rachel! There is nothing for you to gain aside from being free. Unless C wants to help you, which I doubt he will, stay away from my man!"

    *Krrrrt*

    A paper knife appears in Laura''s hand. As she twists her wrist, the polished de reflects the light off its surface onto Rachel''s face.

    "I am not just approaching him for my own good! I want to make it up to him, also!"

    Rachel''s time is running out. The alleged sex scene she has with Han is about tomence.

    That girl must be desperate right now. I know that because my event ising, too. Albeit it ister tomorrow, I still do not know what I will encounter and who I will face.

    The unknown is terrifying. Its shackles are equally heavy on my body.

    Because of that, I understand how Rachel must be feeling. The anxiety of knowing your fate but literally can not change it in any way is devastating to her.

    Simr to me, there is no way she wants to have her body controlled to have sex with Han like that.

    No one wants to have their body forced into coercion.

    It is nauseous just thinking about such a thing.

    "What you are doing is monopolizing, ss rep! He is not yours!!" Not holding back anything, I confront Laura. If we want to do anything, it is now.

    Hearing me standing up for her, Rachel looks at me, surprised by my intervention.

    "I don''t give a damn about your problems. C is mine. Stick with your own thing, and we will have no issue. This talk is the only official warning for you two: stay away from my boyfriend." Laura ims coldly.

    No!

    I will not give up like that!

    "Don''t you think that there will be a time you will need us to help you? Something so powerful that not even your freedom can eliminate? Don''t you remember the theme of this world? What if all the other girls are here? What if they are all hostile?"

    If she keeps hogging him up like this, we will never have the chance to be free.

    Soon enough, Rachel''s event will start. To speak the truth, I have no idea what will happen once her event finishes.

    She could be the same as she is right now.

    But she could also be the same psycho we know from C''s memories. There is no way to be sure.

    "Are you seriously trying to hold C back from us so that you will cause harm to him because of your selfishness in the future?"

    "Kurokawa is right. You got your freedom. Therefore it is time to let someone else have it. Your current action is not beneficial to C since you are limiting his choices. After all that he has been through, don''t you feel he needs to change?" Rachel stands up from her position.

    "Are you trying to guilt-trip me? Very well. Then tell me this, Rachel, Kurokawa. From the bottom of your heart, do you love him? Could you stand up to him and say that, huh? Could you say to YOURSELF that you want to be by his side?" She stares at both of us.

    Her words strike me down like a hammer.

    "I d...o."

    "..."

    Rachel stutters.

    I remain silent after those words.

    Slowly but surely, C''s featureless face appears in my head.

    His thoughts run through my mind. They are ever so vibrant, so unbound, and carefree.

    And his spirit, free as a white dove flying under the blue sky.

    Sadly, this world gave him his shackles. Those are the endless resets he has to go through, without any way to change that fate.

    The memory I saw was still clear to me. I remember the crimson color of C''s blood painting the door to the rooftop a sickly red.

    My ears ring his cries. Inside of my chest is his desperation on the day Laura died.

    They were still so vivid.

    The moment he jumped off the building out of despair was like a movie.

    I want to be free from this curse.

    But...

    I...

    ...Can not lie to him.

    I can never do that...

    How could I...betray the feelings of someone who has been through so much pain and agony like him?

    It is true what Laura said.

    At best, I am only interested in C...

    "Look at you two! Exploiting my boyfriend because you are bound by something invisible!" Laura points at the two of us.

    "I can''t say it, ss rep." I open my lips. "But you...don''t even think you are perfectly clean! Not even for a second!!"

    Stressing each word, I continue.

    "You lied to him. In front of C''s face, in front of his trust, you betrayed him by not drinking that water! He surely didn''t notice the amount of water not decreasing, and you took advantage of his trust."

    "Pathetic, Laura." Rachel scoffs. "I almost forgot you did that. You keeping on us all high and mighty. But in the end, YOU are the one who lied. Is it not me or Kurokawa who tried drugging him, but YOU!! Why don''t you stop for a moment and look at your disgusting hypocrisy?"

    "...No need to care about me. I will atone for my sins." Laura looks down while her voice softens.

    At this point, I take a deep breath ande close to her.

    "C deserves to have unlimited choices. His life has never had any chances like each of us, but worse since he was aware of it! You are putting him in a cage and feeding him whatever you can provide! Do you know what will happen if you do that?"

    "...what?"

    My eyes dart at Rachel.

    "Another Han!!!"

    "!!!" Laura is clearly taken back by my words.

    "Ah!! NO!!! It''sing!!!"

    Suddenly, Rachel''s face gets paled as her body starts stiffening up.

    Right after that, an invisible force takes control of her body, and she starts to move toward the door.

    It looks like her event has started atst.

    In that short amount of time, my eyes meet hers. What makes it clear to me that Rachel is in total hopelessness is the change in the aquamarine color she used to have.

    No more the shiny, lively aquamarine eyes.

    It is a in, dull blue.

    It is void of hope.

    *Thud*

    But yet again, the ss rep and I are both stunned by Han''s childhood friend.

    Using thest of her mental strength, Rachel quickly kneels and prostrates herself in front of Laura''s feet.

    "Please, Laura! I don''t want to do this! Please! I...need help..."

    Her voice is cracking up, and tears are already flowing.

    "Please...please...don''t let Han do this to me...I just need a touch from C..."

    Her body shakes violently. I do not know if it is because of her crying or the system anymore.

    "...I''m greatly sorry. See you in the morning, Rachel."

    "I will do whatever you say afterward! J-just let me touch him for a second...I beg you, Laura..."

    "Goodnight." Laura looks away.

    Then, with a body as stiff as a robot, Rachel stands up as if nothing has happened and walks outside.

    Han is still waiting for her in the kitchen.

    (You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!

 Chapter 40

    Despite my efforts, my feet keep moving toward the kitchen where Han was drugged at the same time as C as if I am a mere observer of my own body. I can do absolutely nothing.

    Behind me, Laura and Kurokawa are staring while following in my footsteps. I can feel the coldness of the gazes. They want to keep their eyes on me, to make I can not do anything weird.

    Around me, except for the soft sound of the footsteps, there is no more sounding from behind.

    Even after kneeling and prostrating, begging for help, they still did not help but watch me leave the room.

    Laura and Kurokawa still did not bulge with my prostration. Even when I took down my ego when my head and palms touched the cold hard floor, nothing.

    My lowest was a mere inconvenience to those two.

    Until I left, they only stared at me heartlessly.

    Although mentally prepared, I am still ashamed and disappointed by them.

    Now, if my body is not in my control, I can still let them have a piece of my mind.

    I am going down, but with grace.

    "You, Laura, are nothing but an old Rachel now. It is so ridiculous that I would cryughing. See these tears on my face? Those are not because of grief. They are there because of you! Is that not just the most hrious thing ever? I feel like I am looking in a mirror if we talk about our lovenguages. Your current actions and the old me are so simr. You and I are not much different, you selfish yandere prick!"

    "As for you, Kurokawa, look at how much of a coward you are. You nerd!! Kurokawa, can I be frank? You don''t even deserve to be among the heroine of this world. I hate you more than the ss rep, truthfully. You want to break free of this curse but hesitate to take action. Those who observe are even less than the perpetrator. Despicable. Truly despicable!"

    If my body was still under my control, I would have murdered both of you. I regret not doing it from the start.

    "Shut it, Rachel. You would do the same if you were in my shoes." Laura coldly replies.

    Strangely enough, Kurokawa is silent.

    Not that I am going to stop because of that!

    "What are you going to do next, Laura? Aren''t you going to let Han do the same to Kurokawa as you''re doing to me?! Remember, bookworm, what she is doing right now will be done again. Do you think she will let you go off the hook like that?"

    Walking in front of the two of them, although I do not know what is really going behind, I can take a guess. Most definitely, Laura and Kurokawa should have a stare-down.

    "I should have never begged for help!"

    Then again, asking for help was the dumbest idea on my part. Why did I put my trust in those two? That was simply asking for problems.

    "Sorry, Rachel. Too bad for you, but this is how it goes."

    "Laura''s right. Don''t you want this?"

    Look at the results, Rachel.

    Look at it and weep.

    Who is going to help you now, you dumb bitch?

    When the people around you can lend a hand, they still pretend like nothing is happening. Not only that, but they turn to look at another ce, leaving you to deal with an uncontroble force on your own.

    That is the reality of this world, Rachel.

    Nay...That is the reality of every world...

    People will be the same no matter where you are...

    ...

    Is this what abandonment feels like?

    Is this...what loneliness feels like...

    It is...cold...freezing, almost...

    C...I need you...

    No one else besides you could understand all of this. I get it now.

    Only you can exin to me why I have to endure this pain. Seriously, I can fullyprehend why this disgusting game and plot are forced upon me.

    Why...me?

    Why...now?

    This is so unfair...

    Why could I not be the old Rachel without any knowledge of her own about this world? At the least, it would not feel this painful...

    It is because I know about this world and C that I have to suffer this way...

    Not to mention Rachel right now, me right now, has two different men in her mind.

    Han and one featureless guy.

    At this very moment, when my body is being controlled by the system to sleep with Han, I still think about him.

    As someone who has been through the same thing, you are the sole person who can make it mean something. While living by yourself, without anyone helping, how did you cope with it all?

    I still think about you...

    Never mind the reason. Those are simply redundant as meaning is close to nothingness.

    Do I need to say why I think about someone? Is it not so obvious?

    I just want to be with them! Is that so much to ask for!?

    If only...if only one of them did not exist...

    This game, this system, if only none of them exist at all...Then maybe, just maybe, I could get to know you a bit more.

    C, will you still ept me in another life? Because honestly, I really do not want to do this at all...

    You will ept me, right?

    You will not shun me away, right?

    I will be good this time, I promise...I am not the same person I used to be, can you not see it?

    Please...please...do not doubt me for another time...

    I have changed...

    Really...I have changed...

    The fabric in front of my chest feels cold because of the water running from above it.

    My face is drenched...

    As I drag my heavy feet across the wooden floor, I try to gain control of my body to the fullest extent of my power. Because of that, like a broken doll, I keep shaking nonstop.

    Oh...The struggle when I try...

    Sadly...it does not work.

    To be fair, nothing works anymore...

    Soon after exiting the room, Ie into the kitchen once again.

    There, lying on the table in the middle of this mansion, are two sleeping guys: Han and C.

    Since they were talking about finding Han a girlfriend, their positions are close.

    Laura unexpectedly walks past me. I know why. As the selfish bitch she is, the ss rep is making him unapproachable for me. Until the very end, she is still that overprotective.

    Just like the old Rachel, haha.

    Hrious.

    Utterly hrious.

    "Hahahaha!" Through my cracked voice, Iugh. "You are so much like me, ss rep."

    She stares at me, not saying a word. Her body tenses up, awaiting a hit from me.

    Sorry, I have no strength anymore...

    Ten steps, then five, then two. The distance closes quickly.

    Han is now in front of my eyes, snoring. Next to him is the telepathic guy without a face.

    If only one did not exist...

    My hand reaches out to Han, shaking with each small motion I make. There is onest resort I would like to make.

    I am going to take everyone down with me by making a reset. When Han dies, the system should take everything away. Hopefully, when that happens, I pray I will keep my sentience.

    Laura, you can protect C away from me.

    But you missed Han. As for the bookworm, not much should I consider. Kurokawa will not pay attention to my childhood friend at this point, as C said.

    This is the one method I have left to save myself from the disgrace I am about tomence.

    Killing Han means the reset of the entire world. Since Laura and Kurokawa are not helping me, it would be better just to die together.

    With all my mental energy, my arms reach out as they shake violently. One side of me being controlled keeps holding back, while the other part keeps pushing forward. Han''s neck is right there, my breakthrough is right there, and I can do it.

    I know I can.

    I just need to keep forcing myself.

    "Guh!" A forceful groan escapes my mouth. Fighting back the influence, I can feel the pulse coursing through my veins and into my arms. There must be a vein popping on my forehead right now.

    Laura shakes her head.

    "I see that you are trying to kill Han. Are you seriously going to kill the one you used to love so much? Is this how much your affection is worth? How many years? Ten? Fifteen?"

    "Shut up."

    "Pathetic."

    "Shut up!"

    Nevertheless, Laura is right. Fake feelings or not, it should have been in my blood. No. My feelings for Han should be engrained into my entire being itself. Every fiber and cell in me screams for me to stop because this is someone I hold dear.

    It is a conflicting feeling.

    Soon after I touch Han''s neck, I realize this is where I will stop. The forces ced upon me are too strong for me to make the final killing blow.

    I can not kill him like this.

    The reality is harsh. I do not even have the chance to force a reset. I do not have a chance to undo everything.

    C...please...wake up...

    Please...

    *Woosh*

    "Huh!" Laura is tackled down to the floor.

    What? What are you doing, Kurokawa?

    *Thud* *Bam*

    Sounds of something heavy hitting the floor can be heard.

    "GAH!!!" Right after that, Laura screams in pain.

    "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? TOUCH HIM, GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!!!"

    This is a one-in-a-million chance! Kurokawa has pushed Laura away from C by using her whole body weight.

    Without missing a beat, I immediately reach out for C. It is obviously much easier to move toward him than trying to break the neck of my childhood friend.

    "NO!! Stay away from him!" I can hear the scream of Laura while she is trying to get up. She does not care anymore whether he will wake up or not. "LET ME GO!!!"

    *Thud*

    "Buh!! Tough luck, ss rep!"

    *Thud*

    "Guh! ENOUGH!!"

    *Krrrt*

    *Chik*

    "AAAAH!! DO YOU THINK STABBING ME WITH THAT TINY PAPER-KNIFE WILL HELP?!"

    *p*

    "You BITCH!! LET GO! NOW!!"

    *Chik* *Crack*

    "AAAAHahahaha!!! What do you have now without your de!?"

    "RACHEEEEEEEEL!!" Laura screams hard.

    But then, Kurokawa holds Laura''s long hair and yanks it down.

    "I''m still here, asshole!!"

    "Kyah!!"

    *Thud*

    Themotion that bookworm created has turned bloody all of a sudden. On the ground, the crimson red liquid is all over the ce because of their fight.

    I have no idea why she does so, but this is a favor that is close to saving my life.

    In less than a second, my heartbeat turns rapid thanks to the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I can feel my whole heating up because of that. Trying to ignore the influence of the system, I push myself to one side, where C is sleeping still.

    "RACHEEEEEEEEEL!!!!" Laura''s amber eyes have a crazy look to them.

    Yet, I pay it no mind.

    "Do it!!! NOW!!!!" Kurokawa tries her best to hold that crazy person back.

    There is no room for mistakes anymore. It is just the faceless guy and me.

    He is there. C is sleeping there.

    My hope lies on the table. It is inside of that small and frail body.

    The light of my freedom.

    ...

    My hand touches C.

    ...

    An awkward silence starts between us three. At this point, we are all waiting for the final verdict on Kurokawa''s sudden attack. Laura has also stopped her berserk stage.

    She knows it is toote.

    Personally, I am expecting an electric shock.

    I am expecting a relief more than anything.

    ...

    One second.

    Two seconds.

    ...

    But...I feel the same...

    There is...no change...

    *pat pat*

    Not just merely touching him, I start to rub my hands on his head and his face.

    The results were still the same.

    No shackles burst open, and no influence disappears,...

    I am still the same heroine named Rachel.

    "Haha...hahahaha...*hic* Ha...*hic*"

    I plunge onto the floor. My knees have given up.

    Covering my face with both hands, I try tough it off. It is difficult to do so since I keep getting my true weepsing out.

    "Ha...*Hic*...haha...Uwaaaaa!!!!!"

    All...is lost...

    After all of that...my fate is still sealed...

    I just...want to die so bad...

    My mental state has now been shattered to pieces. Not waiting too long, the system takes control of my body. The difference is, this time, I no longer have the will to resist.

    "Why...doesn''t it work? It worked on you!!!" Kurokawa asks Laura.

    "I don''t know." Laura looks stunned.

    *Thud*

    My body stands up and pulls Han down to the floor. From here, we will make a trip upstairs.

    "P-please...k-kill me..."

 Chapter 41

    Where am I?

    This ce...I certainly am not inside Han''s gigantic mansion anymore. I remember I felt heavy and sleepy all of a sudden. And now, somehow, I arrive at this ce.

    All-day long, weird things happened to the rest of the cast. It should be my turn this time.

    This is the school, is it not? Wait! Not just the school, it is right at the gate. Although at this point in time, it is rtively emptypared to the usual morning.

    Then where are all the people?

    I look around for a little while and see no one until Han''s childhood friend walks out next to someone.

    Quite unexpected!

    Why is it just Rachel here? Who is she talking to? Should she not be with Han?

    Maybe, just maybe, I am in my own dream. I know it is a dumb conclusion, but it is the only one I have.

    I understand there should be a weird urrence within a dream, yet this makes no sense. Absolutely none. This thing should be made from memories, right? It is a mechanism of the brain to make us remember. What do the scientists say? To make a short-term memory a long-term memory?

    Whatever. More importantly, I do not remember this scene where Han''s childhood friend is having a private conversation with someone other than the main cast like this, especially at this location. It should not exist.

    Because of that, it has piqued my curiosity.

    Observing the two, I can see that she looks angry and annoyed. You know, the usual.

    Good grief. At least Rachel is her usual self in my dream.

    Even though I try making my way closer, there is still nothing that I can hear. As if my ears were blocked, the only sound I could make out from the conversation was the sound of a murmur.

    To be fair, I can not even see my own body, so this kind of weirdness does not make it too over the top. I am getting used to it already.

    Shortly after the first few exchanges, the discussion turns violent between the two. Well, not between them, per se. Rachel is simply beating that figure and banging that person''s head onto the school gate. One point worth taking notes on. That is not even once that person resists.

    They take it like a champ.

    Or a punching bag, depending on your definition of a champion. Remember, I do not judge unless you are a furry.

    Jokes aside, I do not clearly see who that person is since they are covered in a veil of shadow, but I admire them. A lot, actually.

    From now on, I will call them shadow people. A fitting name for someone, well, wrapped in shadow like that.

    No matter who you are, shadow person, even when you are only in my dream, you still deserve my respect for making Rachel furious like that.

    I do not recall thest time I had the guts to do so. Maybe never. Phew!

    Even under the heavy attacks of Rachel, Shadow person still says something to make Han''s childhood friend even madder. Hearing his words, Rachel screams at him one more time. In addition to her yelling, she ms their head so hard that it bends the metal bars behind them.

    All of that beating has made his head a total mess. Yet despite the bleeding of his scalp, the shadow person tries their best to convey something.

    *Murmur*

    The more he talks, the more Rachel is confused. I lean in even closer, curious about what the person is saying.

    "..panion..."

    Companion?

    What is up with that?

    After his final words, the person limps down,pletely motionless.

    Seeing the state of the shadow person, Rachel runs back inside, not saying a word. She has ignored himpletely.

    I guess they either die or pass out. I do not know for sure since I am no doctor.

    Eh?

    Rachel? Why are you still there?

    But that is impossible! I just saw her running back?!

    For some reason, she also has a bitter look on her face. It is hard to exin or put it into words, but she seems like a different person to me. Her eyes do not have the former craziness like when she hit that Shadow person. On the contrary, I am looking at something I never thought I would see in her.

    Guilt.

    She stands there and looks at the limped body of that shadow person silently, not saying a word.

    I am not going to lie. This is very weird. If I did not know better, I would have thought Rachel had a twin sister who was interested in this person or they were in a rtionship. The bigger sister went and killed the person because of something they said. On the other hand, the younger sister was grieving for something her sister did after arriving at the scene.

    Unless she has bipr disorder, which I doubt she does, Rachel is making me feel like there are two of her. The older "twin" Rachel is her old self, and the younger "twin" Rachel is the one I have been interacting with this whole day.

    Then why the heck is Rachel looking like that?

    She used to be a ruthless killer. A menace to Han''s harem. She killed and murdered others without remorse. In her eyes, there should be no regret or guilt.

    Yet there we are, looking at apletely different Rachel. Even her clothes are also not simr. They are clean with no blood stains on them.

    Wait a second.

    Clean?

    How on earth is she untouched?! I literally saw the blood sshed onto her outfit. Now that I am looking at her closely, Rachel is giving me no sign of the fight which just happened. Her hair is well kept, her make-up is still nicely done, and her shirt does not have many wrinkles.

    In short, this Rachel seems like she just arrived here.

    Are they really the same person?

    Who am I kidding? Why do I even need to use logic!? This is a mere dream. Of course, there can be two Rachels. There can be a gazillion Rachels. Who knows?

    I like this Rachel more. Not because she is not as ruthless as the other one, or not because she feels pain, not any of that.

    She feels...humane.

    I would like to get to know this Rachel more, honestly. She may be a good..panion.

    What now? Rachel is disappearing into thin air! Shadow person, too!

    Oh, I get it. The dream is probablying to an end.

    Everything within my visual field slowly fades and gives way to the darkness. However, I did not have to stay inside the dark for too long, as I was finally brought back to reality.

    Instead of seeing the table I fell asleep on, the first person I see after the darkness has faded is, you guess it right, Han.

    Han.

    The MALE protagonist...

    What the fuck? At least give me one of the girls to look at first!! Why him!?

    Did I sleepwalk?!! From the kitchen to his room?

    I do not think I have that ability...

    Why am I looking at his sleeping face?

    This is so awkward...

    *Step*

    Suddenly, I hear someoneing in.

    A familiar face. It is Rachel.

    No, not quite Rachel. She looks more like the one I saw in my dream now. This is not Rachel, the murderer. No. This is the one who had guilt inside of her eyes. When the first one left.

    Even in the dimly lit room, I could still see the humane expressions on her face.

    There is no yandere-Rachel. There is only Rachel.

    In her eyes, sadness, grief, and despair keep flowing out. Those feelings create pearl-like tears with the help of the lighting. The front of her uniform has been drenched by the watering from above.

    *Hic* *hic* *hic*

    How long has she been crying? And why?

    Rachel is not feeling happy. No. I have seen enough of this scene to know her real emotions.

    Han never noticed this, but whenever Rachel was happy, the corner of her lips would twitch. That habit formed since she forced herself to be calm when she, in reality, wanted to smile when she received something precious from him. All of that because he said her big smile was creepy.

    Right now, Rachel is not doing any of that.

    Her tears are certainly not tears of joy. Those crystal clear droplets are made from grief and sorrow.

    ...

    Was I wrong?

    ...

    Throughout this whole day, she has been staying away from Han. I did not know what was going on. She only wanted to show she did not want to be by his side.

    At first, I did not believe that one bit.

    However, is this not the best proof?

    Is this not the same person I felt she could be a greatpanion when the first Rachel left?

    My brain is telling me something.

    Rachel has feelings. She wants to be with whoever she wants to be. What I was doing was just interfering with her life without her consent. Han''s childhood friend never needed me to do it.

    It is wrong for me to treat them as characters...

    They are not.

    Even if they were, inside this wretched world where the girls will fight, they are no less than me. With or without sentience, I should not treat them like objects.

    Rachel is a person of her own. Nay. Everyone is a person of their own.

    Now, looking at this scene, I know one thing for sure.

    She does not want to do this. She just does not!

    For the sake of the plot, am I really driving people to do things they hate?

    Then again, if she hates it, why does it at all? Is something forcing her to do this? Maybe the game is fixing everything back on track?

    "K-*hic* Kill. Me! Don''t *hic* make me do this!!" Rachel opens her mouth for the first time after a while.

    Kill? Is she talking to me? She is technically begging.

    "Okay."

    I hear the voice of the ss rep from behind her.

    "Th-Thank *hic* you."

    "I''m sorry for this. I hope you understand and forgive my selfishness."

    A cold, steely knife appears from behind Rachel. It is Rachel''s favorite weapon. The hand holding that knife has many cuts and wounds, signaling a gruesome battle that has just finished.

    What...are you...doing...Laura...? No. What have you done...?

    "Take care of C. *hic* For me. He is a g-good guy...*hic*."

    The ss rep embraces Rachel from behind.

    "I will. Rest easy."

    What are you doing? STOP!! RACHEL!!! LAURA!!!!

    *Chik*

    *Ssh*

    With a swift yet clumsy motion, Laura slices Rachel''s throat off.

    "Guh! Gwah! Ack! Tasnk...kyoou!"

    In a shower of blood, only one was left standing still.

 Chapter 42

    After seeing Rachel off, there are only two girls left. As I stand in front of Kurokawa, she observes me while still bleeding from her wounds. At this point, the dark red color has smeared itself all over the floor because of our previous fight.

    I notice her right arm has an extended cut from my paper knife.

    Even after all of thecerations and cuts, on her face is a neutral expression. There is no pain, no difort, and no grief. In fact, Kurokawa does not show a sign of giving up. With her bang still covering the upper half of her face, I have no idea what she is thinking.

    "..."

    "..."

    An intense silence is between us.

    We are both waiting for the other person to say the first word.

    Whatever she is thinking, it is probably an insult. It is easy to guess despite not being able to read her facial expressions. What I did to Rachel can not be considered fair in any way. And just like Rachel said, there would be no way to be sure I would not abandon Kurokawa to the system. When her event starts, there is a chance of me letting it happen again.

    But no, she will not have to do her event.

    "I am sorry, Kurokawa, for doing this..." Once again, I steel my nerve.

    She remains silent.

    "Please understand that Rachel has to be gone if I want to be with C."

    They all have the right to be free.

    For any human, the first and foremost right is to be free.

    We all have those rights.

    Living inside this world, every single one of us is a puppet under this system. Unfortunately for Rachel and Kurokawa, I chose my happiness rather than working together to find a way out of it.

    I am selfish. I want things to be between C and me only.

    And because of my selfishness, I took Rachel''s chance to be free.

    Nheless, I do not regret it.

    Rachel is the most unpredictable out of us three. If left alone, she will have the power to decimate us. She is one of the main heroines, while I am only a side character.

    "Unlike Rachel or you, Kurokawa, I am not supposed to be living for long. My destiny is to be killed under her hands. Do you seriously think I should keep her around?"

    "..."

    There is one thing that I havee to realize about our nature. Even though I am free from the system, I behave simrly to my character settings. My newfound sentience is not giving me anything new to my personality. On the contrary, it gives me the ability to think for myself, and that is it.

    C thinks of me as a straightforward person. I still am that person, but better.

    Kurokawa will still be the same masochistic person when she gets her freedom. She was calctive in the past. That will only be the same or worse once she gets her liberation.

    From my anecdotal experience, C''s touch will only make the shackles disappears. The rest will stay the same.

    A killer will stay a killer.

    Because of exactly this reason, I can not allow Rachel to be like me. "I understand I''m putting everything at risk. Yet there is no other way. There is no other way. Never would I believe in Rachel to behave."

    "..."

    "Someone like Rachel is such a variation in my mind that I need to let her go. The more I keep her around, the worse my life with C will be. If she gets her freedom, she will undoubtedly aim for him. C''s mind is a treasure trove of information. Someone with bad intentions can easily use that information to do harm."

    "..."

    "I am not cold-blooded. What I want the most is a peaceful life where C can stop worrying about this world, about everything. He should feel loved rather than all this flying nonsense about another guy."

    "..."

    "Who am I kidding...I am justifying my actions, right? Never mind my ramblings, Kurokawa. Those who think I am right will think I am right. And those who think I am wrong will have it the same way. There is nothing I can do to change your mind, nor should I do so."

    "..."

    *Gu*

    I grab Kurokawa''s other arm and drag her into one room. Throughout the process, not once did she fight back. The bookworm sat and let me do everything.

    "For my wonderful life with C, I will eliminate all obstacles. All. Of. It. Even if that hurts me and others, as long as he looks at me and thinks I bring him warmth, it is already bliss."

    "..."

    Lowering my body, I put myself at the same eye level as Kurokawa.

    "It''s your turn. This is going to hurt."

    *Rip*

    I tear a big chunk of my sleeve, spread it out, and push it onto Kurokawa''s arm, where the cut is.

    "..what are you doing?" Kurokawa has finally spoken. Her voice sounds confused.

    "I''m doing first aid if you can call this first aid. Let me stop the bleeding first. After this, I will finish everything upstairs." I exin.

    The bookworm shakes her head from left to right.

    "No. What I mean is why you are doing this? Why don''t you just leave me bleed to death?"

    This time, it is my turn to shake my head.

    "It may sound ridiculous, but I never intended to kill you, Kurokawa. You know what, could I call you Kuro?"

    "Do whatever you want."

    "Thanks! So, Kuro, please join me in protecting C. You and I will both have the chance to be his favorites!"

    There should be a smile on my face right now.

    "...are you for real, Laura? After our fight, do you still think there is a chance for us to work together? How are you going to guarantee you won''t throw me away? Aren''t I also a threat since I am among the main heroine, too?"

    Although I can not see her eyes, I can almost sure she looks bewildered.

    "First, Kuro, when I used my weapon on you, I only wanted you to let go of my body. Therefore, I did not pull the knife all the way out nor attack you near your vitals. From the start, I wanted to make you a friend rather than an enemy. Rachel, on the hand, had to die."

    "And why was that?"

    "I was killed by Rachel when we were both charmed by Han." My mouth feels disgusted saying that sentence. "After sex, she killed me and then killed her childhood friend. What do you think if we were both attracted to C? What if I do the deed with my boyfriend and she finds out?"

    "Logically speaking, she would kill you, then C. After that, she would kill herself."

    "Exactly. Kuro, you are different. With my limited information about you right now, I would say you like to share. And no matter how much I hate that, I think the best way to move forward in this forsaken world is topromise."

    "You would let C be with me?"

    "If C wishes to do so, yes." I nod.

    "What if I don''t want to?"

    "Then you can be with Han. Simple as that. Be with C as a free person, or be with Han as a puppet, your choice. If you so choose the second option, I will definitely stop you from making any contact with C. Either you are on my side, or you are against me."

    "You know you are not giving me a choice, right, Laura?"

    Not saying a word, I stare at her face.

    "Rachel was right about you being a hypocrite. Nevertheless, I will join you. What happens if I don''t have any feelings for C?"

    "It''s good for me that you don''t harbor any feelings for him, so please do as you may."

    That is the best oue.

    Kurokawa then raises the other arm up.

    "Want to shake hands to conclude our deal?"

    "Sure."

    Unexpectedly, when I grab her hand, Kurokawa pulls me down. Without any bnce, my face hits the floor.

    "AH!!"

    *Thud*

    Not just that, my back is immediately pinned down as Kurokawa climbs onto me. Using the other hand, she grabs my head.

    "What is the meaning of this?! What are you..."

    [Damn, that was a freaking nightmare. I had never thought Laura could murder Rachel so cold-blooded as that. It was so real, though. I felt everything happening in that room, even the smell of blood gushing out of Rachel''s arteries. Was that what they call lucid dreaming?]

    [Where is everyone? The kitchen is a freaking mess. Whoa?! BLOOD?!!!]

    "How did he wake up!? Didn''t you calcte the dosage needed?! Let me go now!!!"

    "Yes, I did do so." She coldly replies.

    "Then how!!!" Anxiety quickly rushes into my head.

    "It''s about time he wakes up from it. I guess my dose was correct, after all."

    She tricked me...

    SHE HAS BEEN ON RACHEL''S SIDE THIS WHOLE TIME?!

    "KUROKAWA!!!!"

    "To me, Laura, Rachel is not the most dangerous. It is you."

    [This is bad. This is really bad. Am I still in the dream? I know I should not be looking, but I need to check up on Rachel. She should be doing the thing to him right now rather than dying. Please, Laura, do not kill Rachel.]

    "No!!! He is heading toward that psycho!!!"

    "He is. He will save Rachel from you. He will save her from this fucking world!!!"

    [Please, Rachel, Kurokawa, be safe!!]

 Chapter 43

    (This chapter is brought to you by Unknown. PRAISE THE MILK GIVER!!!)

    When we were still in the kitchen, I could try to do a few things like touching C or squeezing Han''s neck. Albeit my body was shaking nonstop since I was going against the system, I could do something.

    I was...still me...

    I was...not a ve...

    Laura, why did you not kill me? What did you mean by not yet? Why did you deny the plea of mine for my dignity?

    She must have thought killing me in the kitchen would be too much to clean. That was what I would think if our roles were switched. If Laura wanted to make things less of a hassle, she could have strangled me to make things better. The system would definitely fight back using my body, though. A stab in the neck would be much more efficient that way.

    When she saw me pulling Han up the stairs, it was the same as when I exited the room. She stood and watched me dragging his sleeping body. I remember very clearly the looks in her eyes. Anyone would have thought she had that look of victory or a winner.

    It was neither mockery nor triumphant, no.

    Out of every emotion that exists, what Laura showed me was...empathy.

    She did not say a word, yet I still felt that from her.

    Empathy...and relief...

    That made me think deeply.

    Would I have been different if we were born in another world? A world where we did not have to fight each other to be safe from the system and the plot? In this world, there was no doubt not a single one of the people here was normal. That could have been vastly different.

    We were enemies for sure. Regardless, if the circumstances were good, maybe we could have been friends, she and I...we were very simr.

    It was toote to be friends. We had agendas to fill. Laura needed to keep C by her side, and I needed to take him away from her.

    Also, there was another person at the scene that I could no longer disregard her existence. Kurokawa.

    Although very unpredictable, the bookworm gave me a second chance I desperately needed by tackling Laura to the ground. When I had no clue why she changed so abruptly, her sudden yell made me regain my spirit to fight for my own. Clutching on that golden opportunity, I bolted toward C to touch him.

    I thought it would make sense. I thought things would be resolved since Laura managed to do so.

    Ironically, the shackles remained the same. Even when Kurokawa''s blood was on the floor, nothing changed, and I was denied to be human. Unfortunately for us, she used her blood to buy me the greatest joke ever.

    That was why Iughed.

    Everything was just so fucking funny I could not help it.

    Laura, who tried her best to block me, had a stunned expression I never thought she would have.

    All of us were being made fun of without realizing it. Me, Kurokawa, and Laura were fighting over nothing.

    I was in the depth of despair, brought back into the light of hope so I could be kicked out of it one more time. The second time I got kicked out of hope, it plunged even lower than before.

    That moment made me understand how a lost wanderer felt when they reached the oasis, just to find out the oasis was an optical illusion.

    My suffering was somehow amusing to others.

    My disappointment was immeasurable.

    If there is a God, a creator, they are not a good one.

    How did it feel looking at my pathetic attempt, no, our pathetic attempt to be human? How did it feel to take our rights away for entertainment?

    Did they feel pain when I fell back into hopelessness, or did theyugh it off?

    No idea.

    I had no idea.

    Probably it was karma or fate. I did not give a crap.

    After putting Han on his bed, my body went to my room for a change. That childhood friend of mine was unconscious throughout all the previous ruckus. Being as calctive as she was, Kurokawa did a perfect job at keeping him half dead like that. At the least, I could think of his thing as a dildo...A life-like dildo with the ability to nt a baby inside me...

    *Ugh*

    Disgusting...

    Rummaging through the wardrobe, I looked for something to wear. shy see-through lingerie was chosen after a couple of seconds.

    My body quickly put the clothing, if you could call the thin piece of silk that way, on and headed to the big mirror for me to see.

    I used to feel happy being able to do things for Han. If C did not exist, I would jump up and down because of my overflowing feelings for my childhood friend.

    Now, that is no longer the case.

    Standing in front of the mirror, I see my reflections.

    It is terrible. I look...hideous...

    At this moment, there is nothing I can do but weep. Even the tears streaming down my cheeks can not be wiped away. I have totally lost.

    No longer do I have control over my body.

    My arms, my legs, they are not in my possession any longer.

    Except for my teary and puffy eyes, I have lost control of everything from the neck down. Because of the crying, my throat is so very sore. I wish I could stop, honestly.

    My body stands in front of the mirror, showing me the skimpiest thing I have ever seen in my life. The worse thing is I bought it myself the other day to prepare for this moment.

    The lingerie is a white piece of in silk that goes from my neck to my crotch. There are noces and frills whatsoever. However, two straps uselessly cover my nipples and leave my breast almostpletely exposed. The straps go down vertically, cross each other near my vagina and go up my butt. Down in myher region, there is nothing to cover. The white straps only graze mybia, leaving the entrance open.

    This makes my vagina extremely easy to prate. In addition, the one who will do the thing with me will not have to do anything since I am practically naked.

    After putting on the provocative outfit, my body heads toward the powder table. There, it tries to fix my look by applying makeup and tidying up my hair.

    In my head, the system constantly tells me why my body is doing so. Th�� wretched game is feeding me all the information I need. For example, my body is trying to make me the most beautiful and sexy version to please Han.

    And even though it forces me to feel happy, there is only a bottomless pit of disgust inside my heart. The more the system forces me to love Han, the more resentful I am.

    I can not feel romantic feelings toward him. They simply do not exist within me anymore.

    Soon, the preparation is done. I am at my best. My body stands up from the powdering table and heads outside to where my childhood friend is.

    While walking, I keep hypnotizing myself with words of deception, trying to live in another lie.

    Han, I do not love you. Know that. Etch that into your brain! I have no feelings for you! When I am having sex with you, it is not because I want to. It is because I have to.

    The truth is: I think of another man while forcing myself on your sleeping body.

    ...

    There Han is, right where I left him. He is still sleeping safely and soundly. His breathing, unlike mine, is calm and regted.

    Slowly but surely, my body approaches the bed.

    I guess this is it.

    The only thing left for me to do is to wait until this is over, then kill myself. Before that, I will make Laura pay for what she has done. She will have to eat her paper-knife again! I promise that, Laura!

    My eyes shut tight as I steel my body, waiting for the impact. All I see is darkness.

    But in that darkness, I hear the voice of my light...

    [Damn, that was a freaking nightmare. I had never thought Laura could murder Rachel so cold-blooded as that. It was so real, though. I felt everything happening in that room, even the smell of blood gushing out of Rachel''s arteries. Was that what they call lucid dreaming?]

    With the same familiar voice, C''s thoughts appear in my void. I really could not believe it. I thought Kurokawa did calcte the dosage...

    No...

    Can it be?

    Did she really think of this?

    [Where is everyone? The kitchen is a freaking mess. Whoa?! BLOOD?!!!]

    Kurokawa had been on my side all this time?!

    Kurokawa, you bookworm...how far out did you n this?

    In that short span of a second, I really see the light. Then, it hit me.

    All she did was in vain. C will note here to me.

    He is terrified of me. C can not possibly risk his life to see me having sex with someone else. I do not want him to see it, too.

    Thanks, Kurokawa. You are a splendid double agent.

    I can feel myself smiling.

    [This is bad. This is really bad. Am I still in the dream? I know I should not be looking, but I need to check up on Rachel. She should be doing the thing to him right now rather than dying. Please, Laura, do not kill Rachel.]

    That smile immediately changes to a gasp.

    [Please, Rachel, Kurokawa, be safe!!]

    "C!!!"

    From the depth of my lungs, I shout his name. I hope he could hear even with my coarse voice.

    [Why the heck is she calling my name so desperately like that?!! I need to see this! If I die, then at least I learned something new.]

    "PULL ME OUT OF THIS!!!"

 Chapter 44

    I ignored the blood on the floor to run up the stairs. All the time, my mind only focused on one thing. That thing was the safety of the girls.

    There has never been any bloodshed on Rachel and Han''s first night together. Therefore, the sight of that thing could only mean something horrible was going on.

    My body has been on high alert since my eyes caught a glimpse of that familiar color. I know damn well what blood means in a world where yanderes wander the earth. These girls did not simply hurt one another. They always went for the kill.

    My heart started beating faster, pumping adrenaline to all cells. At the same time, the muscles in me were all engaged as my fight or flight reflex was activated. Finally, a deep, dark feeling of anxiety quickly consumed my being.

    I was worried. Deeply.

    In my nightmare, I saw Laura mercilessly cut Rachel''s neck and leave her bleeding to death. The scene ended with a crimson-covered Laura standing alone in the room. Honestly, I never expected to see such a dream since past Lauras never had the chance to be a yandere. Why she cut Rachel''s throat, I had no clue. The weird thing is Rachel did not fight back at all.

    "Please, hurry!!" Rachel''s plea for help once again pierced my ears.

    Somehow, I got that nightmare where Laura killed Han''s childhood friend in such a cold-blooded manner. My mind wondered whether or not that nightmare was something like foresight. I wouldugh it off in a normal situation because such a thought was ridiculous. Regardless, at that point, anything out of the ordinary was eptable.

    Was it because of me bringing them here? Was it some kind of butterfly effect that I could not fathom? That still did not exin why I had that dream, though. Could I be subconsciously afraid of Laura? She did say a few scary things, but I never expected her to kill someone like in that dream.

    Nevertheless, I needed to see Rachel. I needed to be sure she was safe and sound. After checking her out, I would find Kurokawa and Laura. I knew I should be checking on my girlfriend first. Yet somehow, I could not get rid of Rachel''s cry for help.

    I felt I would regret it.

    Very strange...

    The closer I was to that room, the more nervous I became. With all that I had in my body, I prayed that what I had seen in the nightmare was only a fabrication of my exhausted brain.

    From then on, if she did not want to do it, I would not try to force the two of them together any longer.

    To hell with the plot! It had only brought me, nay, it had only brought us nothing but pain and despair. Why should I stick to something that will hurt its own people? Why should I stick to a God that would make things tremendously hard for their believers?

    I was stupid.

    Now is a time for changes.

    Rachel is not a character.

    Laura is not a character.

    Kurokawa is not a character.

    They are like me. Real people.

    The girls were born here, raised here, and will continue to do so. Just because they do not act like me with sentience does not mean I can treat them as objects. If I force the plot onto them, does that not mean I am the same as the system?

    No way! I despise it to my core!

    There is one thing clear, though.

    I need to apologize to Rachel...

    Thinking like that, I climb up the staircase and arrive at Han''s room. Since the door is open, so I walk in. It was like that in the previous runs, also.

    Right when I step foot in, that girl greets me like an old friend.

    "You...c-came...atst..." With a stiff and coarse voice, she turns to look at me.

    All of a sudden, a wave of nostalgia hits me. Have I seen something like this before?

    "I''m here."

    Puffy and red, her eyes are really swollen. She must have been crying a lot.

    Although they are full of tears even now, the aquamarine color of her iris still shines brighter than the moon of this night. They have none of the craziness I saw in the first Rachel of the first dream.

    They are filled with...hope.

    Those are the lively eyes of the second Rachel. The one who looked at Shadow person with feelings, emotions, regret, and pain.

    Those are the eyes of humanity.

    That look of Rachel pierces my heart like a spear. It is so transparent, so clear. She does not me me for anything. After all that I have done until this point, she still believes in me to help her.

    How I wish for her to hate me...because at least my conscience will be better than this...

    Oh, god...what have I been doing? ying with their feelings like they are toys? Who gave me the right to act all high and mighty?

    I was a total jerk to her. Instead of helping her out of her fate, I help bring it to fruition.

    I...was wrong...I...

    C, you fucking bastard...

    "C?"

    No, self-loathing can wait. At least I am not toote.

    In front of my face, Han''s childhood friend is in her lingerie. It is the type she wore in the past trials just for this night with the white color, signaling amitment simr to a wedding dress. She never had the chance to wear a white dress with a bouquet of flowers in her hands, so shepromised with this lingerie.

    Her body is as gorgeous as ever. With the addition of her makeup, Rachel is twice as stunning whenpared to her usual self. Her luscious lips are polished with oneyer of pink lipstick, while her face has a whitish pink color. The eyeliner she does makes the light of her eyes even more exuberant. She certainly wants to make this night a night where she can call someone a husband. Sadly, that guy never sees her in that sense.

    Nevertheless, her beauty can wait. What is more important right now is why she called me?

    "Ple-please...help...!"

    Hearing that, Ie closer to the bed and notice many things instantly.

    There is no definitive answer I cane up with to exin what is happening. Rather than just sitting there, Rachel''s entire body shakes continuously while her hands are clutching onto the bed sheet. As if refraining her from doing something irreversible, her hands are clenched so tight I can see some holes in the fabric where her hands are. She effectively tore the thing open with her bare hands.

    Next to her, Han is still sleeping without a care. He still has his clothes on.

    For all I know, it looks like nothing has happened yet.

    "I-I wa-waited!!!"

    Truthfully, I breathe out a big sigh of relief. I have been seeing Rachel''s reactions to Han. I might have done something terrible if she did not wish to be with her childhood sweetheart.

    Still, I do not get it.

    Why is she doing this if she does not want to? She can easily stand up and walk back to her room, right?

    Unless, just like Laura''s inevitable death, this event is also inevitable?

    Is the system behind this? That makes perfect sense, though. If so, how do I even change this?!

    I have never messed up this event, so I do not know.

    "What can I do?" I ask her. "And don''t kill me for seeing your body like this..."

    "G-give...me...your h-hand..." Making a crooked smile, Rachel struggles to make a sentence.

    Seriously, not going to lie, but I am terrified. Seeing Rachel being fine, reality starts to get back to me. The rush I felt created by the adrenaline in my veins is gone. Since my reasonings areing back, I am scared of giving out a hand to have it chopped off...

    It has happened to me before...

    "T-trust...m-me!!"

    Fuck it.

    If I die, I die.

    I extend my arm toward Rachel.

    "C-closer..."

    You do know I am looking at your whole body, right? Closer means more booba for C. Not like it is the first time, though...

    Anyway, Iply. The guilt I have will not be solved that easily.

    *Gu*

    She takes it.

    Her hand is cold. Not as much as a corpse, yet very close. How long has it been that way? It feels as if she has given up on life.

    Immediately upon our contact, Rachel''s body stops shaking.

    All the tension inside her fragile body has disappeared in a snap. Okay. This may sound ridiculous, but I see something simr to invisible shackles leaving her body. I do not have eyes, so who knows for sure.

    Well, clueless as I am, I take it as a good sign.

    *Guuuuuu*

    After grabbing my hand for a few seconds, Rachel stops looking at me and lowers her head. I thought she would let me go, but no. Her grip only tightens on my hand.

    Ah, too tight, Rachel! It is a little painful.

    Oh? She reduces her strength. Thanks!

    *Tap*

    What is that sound?

    *Tap tap*

    There it is again. It sounds like water droplets falling onto a piece of fabric. I swear I am not hearing things. The sound is easy to hear since there is literally nothing and no one around us.

    "..."

    Now that is a weird silence. Hello? Rachel? I do not know if my voice is too small that she can not catch it. It should not be, though. We could have had an almost-normal conversation a few seconds ago.

    Looking at her bare back closely, I notice Rachel is shaking ever so slightly. Sometimes, her body would do something simr to a hup as it jolts up and then goes back down.

    *Hic*

    She is crying, alright.

    "Are you okay? Did I do anything wrong?

    "...no..." Her voice is clearly shaken.

    "Is this because I am looking at you like this? If so, I''m sorry. Should I turn my face away if you are so embarrassed?"

    "Don''t."

    *Rustle*

    She stands up from the bed slowly to stand in front of me, not saying anything else.

    The full view of her body is revealed to me. From her head down to her toe, I can see every single detail there is to see.

    A delicate hourss waist is in full view. Rachel''s ample breasts are so wonderfullyplemented thanks to the intrinsic design of her lingerie. Behind the white strap, I can see two clear notes standing out. If I follow the line of her outfit, then the end of it will show me her cleanly shavedher region.

    I am stunned in my way. My mouth can do as much as gasps only.

    "I am showing this because I want you to trust me."

    "..."

    How am I going to respond? Thank you very much?

    This is the first time Rachel is showing me her own body like this. To my surprise, Rachel does not hesitate anything. In fact, she keeps getting closer and closer to me until her breaths can be felt on my skin.

    Since we are so close, the tears running down her face are very prominent. The same thing can be said about her look on her face. It is flushed.

    "You don''t need to say anything. Just promise me this." Rachel once again pleads.

    I do not have the heart to say no to her.

    "I''m listening."

    "Please, don''t turn me away this time." She says, still with a shaken voice.

    "I''m sorry for forcing Han on you." I look down at my feet.

    "No, it''s not like that." She grabs my face with her soft hands. Interestingly, those have a little bit of warmth now. "Don''t turn me away this time!"

    "I don''t....*UMPH*!"

    My lips are taken by hers.

 Chapter 45

    "Han, say ah!" I look at the other Rachel smiling happily while feeding her beloved.

    One of her hands is holding the fork with a piece of octopus-shaped sausage, and that thing is approaching Han''s face.

    I have been here once in this scene, or should I say event. With the help of the surroundings, such as the wind and the sky, I know where I am. All things are pointing at my lunch with Han earlier on the rooftop. There is no way I would not recognize this ce.

    Seeing this, I know that I am once again taken to one of the memories inside of myself. It seems that these will trigger under the circumstances with the help of C. He is the connection between me and my previous alterations.

    Please, do not show this thing to me, C...I want to cut them all off. They look like me, that is true. However, they are not who I am currently.

    I deny epting that we are the same. Except for our outer appearance, we have nothing inmon.

    I am not the same person I used to be.

    With the forking closer to him, Han turns red.

    "Rachel! You know someone could be looking at us right now!"

    "Come on, Han, don''t worry! If someone dares to sneak up on us, I will make them regret it! Besides, there are always two of us here." That Rachel says. Her eyes appear to be dangerous.

    They really are violent, are they not...

    "R-right..."

    "Say ah!"

    Okay, this is where I will stop looking. I absolutely can not take another second with this much cringe. Where is C, by the way?

    He should be close by, yet I see no sign of that cute faceless person anywhere? Obviously, he can not be within this area since that Rachel can quickly find him and make his life miserable.

    My eyes start wandering, searching for a familiar silhouette on this rooftop.

    I almost immediatelye to the conclusion that C is not here. Who am I kidding...this ce is deserted! Even if C was here, he would not be able to hide anywhere.

    Cursing my silliness, I make my way toward the door. When my hand reaches out to touch the handle, it goes through without resistance, as if I was a hologram. Technically, I am a projection of my actual body somewhere else, so calling myself a holographic image is not entirely wrong. Therefore, this is not that surprising. If I can not touch the door, I will go through it with this ethereal form of mine. Simple.

    Hoping to get out of this ce, I advance through the thing in front of me. Behind my back, those two people are still flirting, with one girl holding and feeding the guy her home cooking. My ears can hear whatever nonsense they are spouting. I do not want to pay them that much attention, really.

    Although, those two remind me I should cook C something to eat. He will definitely appreciate my meal more than...that person.

    Unexpectedly, the moment my ethereal body goes through the door, it also goes through a person. He sits with his back leaning on the wall by the door, and his head tilts downward.

    I know him. I know him quite well.

    "Rachel..."

    "Yes?" My whole body jumps. "I''m here!"

    He can see me?!!

    "And then, Rachel will reply with a yes." C continues.

    "C! C! I''m right here!!"

    "What is happiness to you? Han asks her."

    This is odd...

    "Why are you talking in the third person?" I pull myself closer to him.

    "Hearing his question, Rachel smiles beautifully and says happiness is when I can spend time with you like this."

    He is narrating the story...

    Taking advantage of my condition at the moment, I stand inside the door to check up on the conversation and C''s narration all at once. One ear is listening to the other two, while one is listening to C''s words. There is, of course, no difference.

    C can not see me or hear me. That is simr to thest time I was brought into this memory world. So I should only have to wait until it ends.

    Hopefully, this memory is one of the nicer ones, or at least not that sad. I do not think I can take another heart-wrenching moment with C. It is in no way pleasurable seeing and hearing him fighting alone against an unwinnable force like the system.

    "Then are you happy?"

    "Then are you happy? Han asks again."

    "I am."

    "Rachel replies with a resounding yes while hugging Han. Sadly, that hug makes Han can not see the glint of pain in her aquamarine eyes. She has deliberately done so to avoid making it known."

    It is true. No matter how much I deny it, the other Rachel and I still share some simrities in appearance. There is definitely a sh of sorrow in her eyes.

    How much does C understand me? That is not something that anyone could do. It takes both effort and the desire to learn more about me to be able to aplish such a thing.

    I do not believe C could read me so well because he had so much time on his hands. If he did not want to, he could not have done it.

    "Why are you asking these questions, Han?"

    "...It is the other Rachel''s turn to make a question." C says to himself.

    "I just wanted to ask. Lately, I have been feeling a bit off. Like something is about to change, you know? Something tells me it has to do with happiness, maybe my love life? I don''t know exactly."

    "...Han scratches his cheek."

    It has to do with his love life, yes. The system is about to force all the girls on one person. To many, that is the ultimate goal. Not to mention all of them are yanderes. People will pay their hard-earned cash just to read about this stuff. Not that I judge them. They should do more if they so wish to!

    "Well, is it a good change or a bad one?"

    "...Rachel tilts her head slightly, seemingly trying to look cute."

    "No idea!"

    "...And she missed it. Han did not see her gesture like usual."

    *Ding dong*

    The school bell rings.

    "It''s time to head back down. If I continue to be here, those two will notice me." After saying that, C hastily walks down the stairs.

    Contrary to the other two, C is only by himself. When I look at his back, all I can see is a lonely figure.

    I decide to follow C to wherever he wants to go. No one can see me anyway, so let me be his guardian for a little while.

    C walks back to ss. However, he decides to not go back inside. My faceless hero only stands from the outside and looks in to check on something. At this point, I can only guess what C is trying to do.

    In there, I can see Kurokawa and Laura doing their usual things. Kurokawa is reading a book, while Laura is going around collecting papers that I think are assignments from the shadows. No one would ever imagine how these people, us, could be so violent when the timees if they were looking at us like this.

    "I would love to be a part of this world, but I can''t." After some time, C mumbles.

    That strikes my deepest strings. My whole body trembled to hear those wordsing out from C. It is...such a depressing thing to say...

    "I just can''t..." He then turns at the opened windows. "It''s cold today."

    ...C...

    Even though I can not touch him, I still decide to give him a hug. Desperately, I wish my warmth could transcendent space and time to let him feel something. Like when he gave me his thoughtful hand, I now hope I could bring him that, too.

    "The lunch today was excellent, Rachel. Oh, wait, by saying that, I mean you are an excellent cook" From my right, I hear Han''s voice praising Rachel.

    "Really?! Thanks!! I put a lot of effort into making them!" Hugging his right arm, Rachel replies with hearts in her eyes.

    The two sentences were indeed different. One wasplimenting the food, while the other wasplimenting the one who made the meal. I understand some people would love it more when praised based on their dish. However, I would love it if I were the one beingmended.

    The more important question is: Why did Han switch his words out of nowhere?

    As the two people walk closer to the ssroom, they notice C standing outside of it.

    "Hey, C! What are you waiting? ss is about to start."

    "..."

    "Let''s head in, Han. Other people can do whatever they want!" Rachel pulls hard on Han''s arm, ignoring Cpletely. In her eyes, there is no one but the love of her life.

    This woman...

    "Okay! Okay! I get it! See yater, C!" Han waves his hand. He and his woman then move to their respective seats.

    "Since you are such a talker, I will be easy on you tonight!" That woman suddenly speaks of something strange.

    "Ha ha...I have no idea what you are talking about, but thanks a lot!" Hanughs wryly.

    Since he has settled, Laura approaches him.

    "Hey, Han, do not forget that you need some extra sses with me. Private lessons!"

    "Ack!! Do I really need to do it?" The main protagonist has tears in his eyes.

    "Yeah, you do!" Laura nods. "Your grades are terrible!"

    Rachel raises her hand.

    "Can I join, Laura? I want to improve, too."

    "Can you all be quiet? I am trying to read a book here!" Kurokawa chimes in the conversation.

    "Sorry, Kurokawa! We will try to lower our voices." Han sps his hands together and bows down to Kurokawa.

    "F-fine!" She looks away hurriedly.

    C looks through all of that without making a move. Every time Han says something, he will either nod or shake his head. I feel C is trying to judge Han''s ability.

    "With that, they should be a little happier this time. Han needs to focus on the people more, and everyone will have a better life in this run. Maybe we can move further to pass the transfer student arc."

    On the outside, C walks away. The shadow people do not notice him. Even the tall, dark shadow man, Mr. OOO, does not call him back as he makes his way out.

    Inside a sea of dark figures, there exists a small, featureless individual walking through them like a ghost. This kind of loneliness is unbearable to me, who is only a bystander...

    I will also be a ghost for him.

    If I can not help him, then I will share his pain.

    *Clik k*

    The door to the rooftop does not open for C.

    "Right, I don''t have the key."

    *Sigh*

    C sits back down on the top of the staircase where I found him after exiting through the door. He takes out a small, crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

    It has four sentences.

    Compliment the girls. They need it more than anyone.

    Even when something happens, remember they love you more than anyone. Tell the girls that will make their rage go away.

    Pay attention to the small gestures around the girls. They are trying to tell you something.

    Happiness is earned. Work for it.

    Since I saw his lonely back, my eyes have already been tearing up. Not once when I was with him that I could control myself. I understand that my crying is getting satirical and unneeded, yet I still could not help but cry.

    It was him all along.

    It has always been him. The past, the present, and the future will always have C''s marks within them.

    "It was hard getting this thing inside of Han''s stuff. At least he was able to read it. Haha. Finally, I managed to do something."

    Always, always, he tried his best to find a way.

    *Scrrrr*

    C tears the whole thing in half, then another, and another, until the note is no longer recognizable.

    *Puff*

    He blows the tiny pieces of paper away. They fly up high, turning into fake yet romantic snow.

    "If only I had someone next to me to share this with. This looks amazing..."

    "I am...*hic* here, C. And I am *hic* seeing it. You are absolutely right."

    It is beautiful, but not as much as the person sitting here.

    "It was quite surprising to see Han asking that question about happiness. Nheless, to me, happiness is simple."

    "T-tell me, C. *Hic* I will try my best to get it for you."

    "To see you girls achieve your happiness is my happiness."

    ...

    I...I do not know what to say...

    "I used to wish I could change things to my liking. I used to wish I could have my own romantic story."

    ...

    "After a while, I knew one concrete fact about this world. That wish would never be fulfilled. I don''t exist here. My role is one of the least important, too."

    "No matter how lonely I am, I would end up the same way."

    "I have used up all my hopes. It is now as dry as a desert under a scorching sun. Thankfully, there was one thing that kept me from going insane. I havee to love these girls. Stupid, I know. Still, I would have lost my mind ages ago if not for them."

    Please...C...please...forgive me for not seeing this sooner...

    "The way they struggle with their daily life, trying their best all the time, or the way they change their hairstyles just to please one person, all of those and more..."

    ...I...I...

    "I admire them. Rachel, Laura, Kurokawa, and many more are my heroine. The girls do not let anyone does anything to tamper with their happiness."

    "Unlike me, who has no future, I put all my cards into them because I can see my future in them. If they can achieve their ultimate ending, then maybe one day, I will also have mine. What is the saying? Never put all your eggs in the same basket? Yeah, I put mine into these girls."

    "Have you *hic*...ever felt...regret?" I ask him in tears.

    C looks to the ceiling.

    "I regret nothing."

 Chapter 46

    *Woooo*

    The loud and howling sound of the wind pierces my ears.

    Hearing that, our lips depart, and I walk to the edge of the building. There is something I would like to do while waiting for that inevitable oue.

    *Wooooooo*

    Since the wind blows very strongly where we stand, I have to use both arms to put my skirt down.

    "Did you see?"

    "I did."

    "What did you see?"

    "...I saw your peachy butt."

    "Good. With only the two of us, I reckoned maybe I should just wear nothing. I was even thinking of goingpletely nude."

    After all, this is the highest ce in the school. This ce also holds symbolic quality in my heart.

    "Nope. You will be cold and probably catch the flu, too."

    "Does it really matter?"

    "It does to me."

    "Aw! You really do love me!" I have butterflies in my stomach.

    It is here that I confessed to that man, where our short chapter started. It will also be where everything wille to a close.

    ncing at the dark sky above us, I know time is of the essence. There is not much time left to do this and another thing.

    *Crack crack*

    Although the school is still in shape, here and there, signs of corrosion can be found. The destructive nature of this world has erased everything around us except for this school. And by everything, I mean everything. His house is gone, Han''s mansion is gone, and all the others, too. There are no more love rivals, no shadow people, nothing.

    Truth be told, I could not care less at this point. The one I need the most is by my side. Sometimes, happiness is just that simple.

    "Oh! Here ites!! Come here to mama!"

    I can see it right now. What I want is flying to this ce on its own.

    From the top down, our school''s sakura tree is blooming with utmost radiance. When the timees, it will bloom beautifully, signifying a fantastic conclusion to our stories. In my visual field, the pale pink color of the sakura petals is literally covering the school ground. With each gust of wind, they fly upward simultaneously, creating the most wondrous scene anyone could imagine. Like pink fairies dancing in the sky, they show me the best performance they could ever give.

    It is both congrattion and a farewell to us, to our fleeting love.

    "Almost there!"

    Since it is undoubtedly beautiful, I reach out to catch one petal with my hand.

    "Caught it!!"

    "Nicely done, Rachel."

    "Hehehe!! I told you I would be able to do it."

    *Sniff sniff*

    "How does it smell?"

    "Hmmmm..."

    *Sniff sniff*

    "Kind of like a mixture between vani, earth, and flower." I exin using the best of my knowledge. "Why wouldn''t you know about it?"

    "I never paid them enough attention to try."

    "So there are things you don''t know?" My lips turn into a mischievous smile.

    "Yes, of course. I also don''t know about what you think of me."

    "Come on!! Isn''t it so obvious? How many times have we done that?" Heat starts to rise inside me while thinking about something only the adults would do.

    Then, turning my back against that person, I shout with the best of my power.

    "I. Love. You!!!! The one and only you!!! No one else!!! Even when everything resets, even when this world reaches the end, I will find a way back to you!! I AM FOREVER YOURS!!!!!!"

    *Woooooooo*

    The howling winds are pping hands at my efforts.

    "Thank you very much, m''lord!" Once again, I look back at that person, hold my skirt with one hand, and do a medieval bow.

    "You are always funny, Rachel. Tell me, what are you going to do with those petals?"

    "I would like to make a wish using one of these things."

    "What is your wish?"

    "Dummy! If I tell you the wish, it will nevere true."

    "That makes sense..."

    "Hehe!" I smile at him.

    My wish is simple.

    I wish for C to be happy until the end of time.

    I do not need this dying world to continue. We can not do anything in it anyway. There is no book to read, no ce to stay, no game to y. C will be bored with just the two of us all the time. Also, when we have children, how on earth am I going to give birth? On the ground?

    Those things asides, I know he has a big heart.

    He needs to save everyone. That is how big his chest is. As someone who has lived many lives, he has a strong sense of responsibility.

    Mine is small. I can only love one person.

    C is different.

    So please, sakura oh sakura, bring my wishe forth to the distant future.

    May C always be happy.

    Please...sakura...

    *Rumble*

    "Whoa!!" I stumble.

    "Be careful!" From behind me, a man rushes to catch my falling body. "I know the flowers are beautiful, but they can''t stand next to you. Don''t try to catch them if you can''t, Rachel."

    Full of love and extremely warm, his voice is.

    "Look at the guy who jumps off the building countless times." I look back at the owner of that gentle voice, scoffing at his warning. "Dreamy boy, don''t forget, your life is mine now. Albeit short, don''t even think of doing anything weird."

    Just like my eyes, his iris color is also aquamarine. We are really made for each other. Such a shame that it took me so long to realize that simple fact. Because of my circumstances, I have so little time to repay him for his kindness. That is why until the final second, I will be with him.

    He will not be alone anymore.

    The guyes close to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into his chest. I return his hug by holding onto his arms. This is what affection is supposed to be like. It has to be from both sides, not just one. If it is thetter, it is unrequited love. Those are bad...

    "Because I know how painful it is that I am trying to protect you. Believe it or not, falling to my death was not something I enjoyed doing. It is equal to breaking every bone in your body, all at once. Sometimes, I would not be dead once I hit the ground, so I had toy there until I died because of blood loss. Not rmended. Two out of ten."

    His embrace tightens as if not wanting to let me go.

    "Then what is one out of ten?" I ask. What is considered to be the worst kind of death in this guy''s mind?

    "For real?" His eyes focus on mine.

    This attention, this affectionate stare...I love him. I adore him.

    "Yeah." My arms go around his back.

    "I once died out of loneliness. I swear it happened. No pain, no wound. My body just kinda stopped functioning." C exins.

    It feels so painful...so...utterly...painful...

    I look up to him, tearing up again. My fingers trace each feature of his face. Each part of him is so beautiful, so well-defined. He is like someone whoes out of a novel rather than a real-life person. No one would ever believe his face was nk.

    "Sorry..."

    "It was not your fault. It was never your fault." He shakes his head.

    "Sorry for not being there sooner for you." Then, my hands touch the massive scar on his back. "Does this still hurt?"

    "Not at all. Don''t worry about it."

    "I wish...it was me having the scar."

    "Rachel." His gentle hand runs through my hair. "Thanks to that scar that we got to be together. Honestly, Han would still be in your mind if you didn''t do it."

    "Don''t say his name."

    "I know."

    "I''m sorry for doubting you at first. I should have seen through it from the start. Everything I wanted was a fantasy created by myself. Because of it, I kept lying and lying until you came to me."

    This man, the one hugging me right now, is the true love of my life.

    This man is the one who sacrificed the most without asking for anything in return.

    "You protected me when the others were searching for me. You tried hiding me when Han''s loyal yanderes wanted me dead. Since our meeting at the school gate, your image has been in all my ups and downs. For that, I am grateful."

    "I just wanted to see you happy."

    "And that is what I love about you. You know things would never work out, but you still tried."

    After making their way behind his neck, my fingers force his face closer, making it easier for my lips to reach him.

    "Come here, my hero."

    "I''m not going anywhere. At least, not until this ends..."

    We then exchange another passionate kiss without saying anything else.

    *Crack crack*

    "You can do for another round, right?" I take off my outfit and pin C onto the ground.

    "Er..."

    Flicking his forehead, I smile.

    "You can. Give me your love again. We have...all the time in this world..."

    Around us, things start to crumble into the void.

 Chapter 47

    My brain was forced to shut down for a moment just now. I swear I could smell something simr to an overcooked steak around me. My brain was fried so bad that it was not simply well-done. It was charred to a "congrattion" level of doneness. Like an enlightened philosopher, I went through all the crucial questions of one''s life, namely Who am I, Where am I, and What am I, in the span of a couple seconds.

    I reached nirvana!

    In fact, I was so stunned out of all space and time that I caught a glimpse of a never-before-seen apocalyptic world!!

    Believe it or not, in that world, there was a bunch of whitish pink petals flying through the sky while the buildings around me were copsing into nothingness. On the ground, the wind kept blowing the pink petals up high, creating constant streams of flowers. At the same time, high in the sky, lightning shes were piercing through the dark clouds. There was a clear difference between those two things. One was incredibly breathtaking, and the other was nothing less than the total destruction of all life. Thebination of those created a strangely depressing yet beautiful picture of life and death.

    Sadly, I can not really remember the ce.

    In my vision, only that pinkish color and the rumbling sounds of the surroundings were clear. But if I really thought about it, that pink shade resembled the color of the sakura tree in the middle of the schoolyard when it bloomed. When I have the time, I will check it out. Maybe I can find some answers once the tree starts blooming. It is still not in the sakura-blooming season yet.

    As for the rest, everything else was blurry as heck.

    There was even someone there, although I could not remember who they were.

    Anyway, that is not important right now. My brain probably was ying tricks on me.

    What needs to be addressed is that Rachel took my lips to my surprise without notice. To judge her fairly, if she did, I still would not have believed her... In addition, I was one hundred and twenty percent sure that was no coincidence nor an ident on Rachel''s side. The girls in this world never make such a rookie mistake as a kiss. When they said they did, they were simply lying.

    Also, what Rachel did was not a mere speck on the mouth. No, no. We locked our lips for a little while until I could taste the sweetness of somthing fruity in her lipstick, then she let me go.

    After a few seconds ofplete idiocy, I finally regain my consciousness and grab her shoulders to push her back.

    "Rachel?! What are you doing?!!"

    What is up with her? Why did she suddenly kiss me?!

    As I look into her aquamarine eyes, Rachel seems very odd. I can not exin this specifically, scientifically,...or magically...but her eyes are like those of a wanderer who got lost in a desert but managed to find an oasis. She is showing me senses of relief, pain, and happiness happening inside her aquamarine eyes as tears keep flowing from the corners.

    Before the kiss, she had an enchanted expression. But now, she looks delighted and somewhat euphoric.

    "I think you are making a mistake, Rachel! You should not have done that! It''s me, C. Aren''t you mistaking me for someone else?!"

    My hands try to put some space between us, and my feet move backward, albeit very slightly. I do not want to give Rachel any signs of me running away until I am sure of my escape.

    *Gu*

    Rachel''s embrace tightens behind my back.

    This is bad! This is really bad! Despite having a small body, Rachel has ridiculous strength when she turns to the yandere side.

    And...if she kissed me...I may have gotten myself into a damning situation...

    ...Shit...

    "I...didn''t make a mistake, C." Her voice is soft, almostparable to a whisper.

    *Guuuuu*

    Muttering all the strength within my body, I push Rachel back. Sadly for me, the distance between Rachel and me just keeps decreasing due to her inhuman grasp on my back. She is not using her full power, and I am already helpless...

    If strength is not the answer, the only way for me to clear this is by using my limitless charisma.

    "I have no idea why you suddenly got so intimate with me, but I would like to tell you one thing."

    She stares straight at me. If I had eyes, her gaze would look through them, and I would be scared shitless. Luckily for me, I do not have those things.

    "Okay, I''m listening."

    "I think, at the moment, you are just having a suspension bridge effect. None of the feelings that you have for me are real." Choosing my words carefully, I exin.

    One wrong step and my head will be pulled out from my body by Rachel''s unearthly grip.

    "Suspension bridge effect?" Rachel tilts slightly to the side.

    Please do not burden my heart with your cuteness...I need to stay truthful to my current girlfriend...

    "Have you not heard of it?"

    Oh, wait a second? Her embrace is getting looser! This is good! This is working!!

    Maybe, just maybe, if I can divert her attention to everything being a psychological effect, she will understand and let me go?

    Worth a shot, to be honest. What else do I have for my options?

    "I don''t think I have. Would you care to exin?"

    "dly. So let''s have a thought experiment. Say you and I are walking on a bridge, okay?"

    "Okay." Rachel nods.

    Seeing her focus, I suddenly feel talkative.

    "That bridge is the only way to move across from one cliff to the other. When we both set foot onto the bridge, at one point, the ropes and wires tying down the bridge started to unravel and stuff. Because of that, we are now dangerously dangling in the middle of the sky."

    "Oh, dear! That''s dangerous!"

    "I know, right!! At that moment, I quickly grab your hands and hug you tightly to not let you fall off. Our heartbeats are much faster than usual because of the fear for our lives."

    Oh!! Rachel''s arms are getting even looser!! Almost there, C! You are so close!

    "So you are saying my feelings right now are because of something fabricated by this current event?" Rachel asks me with a smile on her face.

    "Exactly!! You got it!" My head bobbles up and down like the toys you see in a car.

    "Hehe!" The girl in front of me chuckles.

    I am not going to lie, but looking at her like this, she truly feels like a genuine person. If she was not violent, Rachel would have been a good girlfriend. I mean, she took care of Han''s every need without anyint like a wife. What she needed was some affection in return. Poor girl.

    Still, why did she chuckle?

    "Silly old C! I am not the kind of person who will throw herself at anyone. You know that very clearly."

    I know that! I just do not understand why!

    Why me?! Why now!?

    Once again, the strength of her hug increases. And our bodies get closer.

    Shit...shit shit shit!!! NOT GOOD! NOT GOOD! HAN IS STILL OVER THERE!!

    "Rachel! Rachel! Listen to me! What you are doing is wrong! This is against who you are!"

    "No, I am not. This is who I truly am and what I truly feel exactly!!" Her voice is a little broken.

    "I have a girlfriend!" I im.

    "Yeah, you do have a girlfriend..." Rachel sighs.

    "Yeah, so I can not ept your fe..." As I am about to make it clear...

    *Guuuuuu*

    Rachel pulls me close to her. Our bodies are now hugging each other.

    "And that''s me. I am here, C. Your Rachel is here atst." She says with her face buried inside of my chest.

    The amount of data my brain has to deal with has made it no more than a stupid brick. What have I done to deserve this treatment?

    This is both a blessing and a curse at the same time! Wait, who am I kidding. This is entirely a curse!!! I have a girlfriend, god damn it!! Do not make me act like Han!!

    "C, you don''t like me?" Rachel looks up at me with puppy eyes.

    You can not y this game like that!! This is unfair!!!

    "No. I do NOT like you."

    Seriously, Rachel, I do not want to lie to you like this! But we just can not be together!

    "I don''t believe you, C. You do like me!" She smiles brightly.

    THEN WHAT IS THE POINT OF ASKING!!??

    "Hear me out, Rachel. I have a girlfriend whom I do not want to disappoint. I don''t know why you are like this or how, but I can not allow myself to cheat on Laura!"

    Then, Rachel smiles mischievously.

    "If so, you should hear me out, as well."

    No...no, no, no, no, no!!! Do NOT say those words!!!

    "I. Love. You. I''m back to fulfill my duty."

    *Chu*

    Yes. I will have another brain fart from here, thank you very much.

    "TAKE YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM MY BOYFRIEND!!!"

 Chapter 48

    "Let my boyfriend go now, Rachel!" Laura shouts at the one hugging me in front of my body.

    Although her voice is loud and clear, that person who still indulges in licking my lips does not seem to pay any attention. Instead, Rachel is now trying to pry open my teeth with her tongue.

    Despite all my struggle to push her away, she effortlessly overwhelms me with her strength.

    "RACHEL!! STOP!!" The ss rep yells with a fiery tone.

    This time, her voice is much closer than before.

    Back in the past, I always wondered how it would be if I were in the shoes of the protagonist. I finally understand how Han felt when Rachel found him having sex with Laura in the other iterations. It is a distinctive feeling, simr to a blend between embarrassment, shame, and surprise. A cocktail of emotions, I would call it. Something that will get you drunk and kill you if you have too much. Wait, let me change that a little. In my case, this cocktail will kill me if I drink it even when I only take a sip!! It is not a cocktail but a concoction of sweet poison.

    And no, I do not feel any excitement from being found kissing someone else!

    This is a world of yanderes, not a fluffy, puffy world or an NTR cucking world. The girls will not cry or run away because of disappointment. They will plunge a knife inside one''s chest and cut the head of their love rivals. Then, after everything, maybe they will take pieces of their loved ones'' home and put those into formalin jars to preserve those forever.

    Brides and grooms in weddings usually say till death does us apart. In this world, death does jack shit!

    By the way, I am positioned in a ce that can stare straight at the bed with the door to Han''s bedroom behind me. Because of that, it is virtually impossible for me to turn and look at my girlfriend. Plus, Rachel is locking me in this ce with her arms, so I have no idea how the ss rep looks at the moment.

    I can imagine, though. Laura''s amber eyes would at least be filled with anger and hatred. Her fists should be clenched tightly, so hard they are a pale white color. Without a doubt, Laura can run to find a weapon with the purpose of ending my life as well as Rachel''s. Even if she was not a yandere, she would not be able to keep herself sane seeing this...connection between Rachel and me.

    This is where my life ends, I guess. Goodbye, world. This iteration is probably the best and most eventful for me. Sayounara, Rachel, Laura, Kurokawa, no matter where you girls are. I will see you in the next reset! Hopefully, you will still have the same current personalities.

    I would hate to see you turning back to who you once were...Frankly speaking, I do not want to return to those lonely days after experiencing this...The way the girls are right now has given me more emotions than any other trial.

    "Didn''t you hear me? Let him go this instance!!"

    Never mind my spections. The ss rep sounds furious. One thing I notice is Laura''s voice somehow seems a bit softer. But I think that is just me. Laura should be mad at me, of course. She has all the rights to go absolutely bonkers! The ss rep just saw Rachel kiss me on the mouth while she was my girlfriend.

    *Puha*

    Thank the Lord, Rachel finally lets me go! I thought she would be doing that forever!!

    Immediately, I ignore Rachel''s lusty eyes and turn my head backward to see Laura precisely as I thought. From a quick nce, she does resemble the Laura that killed Rachel in my dream. Well, except for Rachel''s favorite kitchen knife and the blood. It is a strange nostalgic feeling, but I am sure I have not seen this.

    As for Kurokawa, she is right behind Laura, staring at us intensely. In my dream, I thought Kurokawa had died since there was blood and signs of an attack on Laura''s clothes before she even made Rachel a dead corpse. I was worried for a second there, honestly. It would make sense if Laura killed Kurokawa, then came to kill Rachel. But my dream did not show me a reason for that massacre.

    I do not want to see their deaths. These girls deserve better than their disgusting events and should be free to do whatever they want.

    Oops, losing focus again!

    Nevertheless, almost all males in the world would burst out and say: "Wait! This is not what it looks like!" or "We are only friends!" with their arms in the air, feigning innocence. I swear on my...um...I do not have anything...

    But anyway, answers like that are useless in the eyes of anyone. If you are already going down, do it with a bang. Try saying: "Honey, it is what it looks like. I''m leaving you.". Or better yet, say: "This girl will be better than you in every way. Therefore, I''m leaving you." That way, the yandere will be extremely mad, and hopefully, your death will be faster. If not, maybe she will have a mental breakdown, giving you the chance to run away with your mistress.

    When a person decides to cheat, they know who they want to be with. No matter how much you try to clear your name, the fact is that you have been with another person.

    What to do when your current girlfriend is behind you and the third wheel is in front, hugging you? Oh, one more thing, keep in mind that this is the world of the psychopathic.

    The answer is simple, really. And there is only one of those.

    You pray for a quick death. That is it. No exining, no promising, just a nice and simple prayer.

    Say sorry, close your eyes, and hope your demise will be painless.

    "I''m sorry, Laura." Even though I can not express my face, I still try to make my voice sounds as apologetic as possible.

    "It''s okay, C. I know it''s not your fault. It''s this thieving cat''s fault!!"

    "Oh, thank you for understanding..."

    Eh? But...but...but I...she...

    "What are you doing still holding on to him?!" Laura grabs Rachel''s arms and tries to open her grips.

    With all the strength Rachel has, I do not believe Laura can force Rachel to release me that easily. Contrary to my belief, everything is smooth and easy. It makes me feel like Rachel intentionally let me go.

    "Hi, Laura! Hi, Kurokawa!" Rachel looks at the ss rep, smiling brightly.

    Laura''s eyes turn into a scornful look. I feel a chilling gaze even if she is not directing them at me.

    "Don''t say hello to me, you thief. We are not friends."

    "I did not expect you to be this...brave, Rachel." Kurokawa says.

    Rachel nods then points her thumb behind. I notice not once does she turn back to look at that sleeping protagonist.

    "It''s my nature, you see. Can we leave this room first? I don''t like to talk with Han in the background like this."

    Laura grabs my arm.

    "No. Let me suggest something even better. How about we leave this ce, C? It iste at night, and we should get Kurokawa home."

    "Don''t worry about me. I have permission to stay. I will go where you guys decide to."

    When did she get that?

    Still, I actually agree with Laura. The more I stay in this mansion, the more I feel like I am the protagonist.

    And no, sir. I do not like that. I already have enough attention. More of it, and I will be dead.

    Literally!

    "You know what? I think we should leave, too."

    Wait, there is something strange with Kurokawa. She has bandages all over her arm.

    "What happened to you, Kurokawa? It looks like you were bleeding! Now that I think about it, I saw bleeding on the kitchen floor earlier. Was that yours?"

    "Thanks for worrying about me." The bookworm smiles warmly. "I had a small cut."

    The other two girls turn to look at Kurokawa. Suddenly, the air feels a little tense.

    What happened?

    "A standard cut does not give you this kind of wound..."

    "Hehe...What can I say? I am a little clumsy." Sheughs wryly.

    "Okay. If you girls want to leave. It is fine." Rachel ps her hands. "But first, clean up the blood you made. I am not going to do that."

 Chapter 49

    Also, I am trying to ce Eroge higher in terms of everything. I would like to ask for your help in putting a review. Thanks. I love ya.)

    *Sha-sha-sha*

    *Scrub-scrub*

    "Come on! Scrub harder! It''s not going to clean itself!" Rachel points her fingers at various ces. "I''ve always wanted to say that line."

    This bitch! She is taking advantage of mypromise.

    Good for you, Rachel. Good for you!

    I look at Kurokawa and see that she is also ncing back. Can you see your results now, bookworm? We would have made C happy! Together! Your actions have brought the number of rivals from one to two!

    Honestly!!

    When Kurokawa jumped, pulled me down, and pinned me, I knew it was bad news. I never thought she would be on the same team as Rachel, which led to my loss at controlling the situation. Still, I did not want to kill her since C could be worried about Kurokawa. Given the chance and the time, I could not do it. If the situation were different, the oue might have been different. Ten more minutes, and I could have killed her.

    Also, that thieving cat, namely Rachel, seemed strange. Rather than being free with her own sentience, she had the aura of a winner. Her tone of voice was not that violent or wild. Instead, I felt she was satisfied with what was going on. Rachel was like an entirely new person.

    Most significant of all was that she did not fight. She did not talk back. Not at all.

    There was a drastic change before and after her freedom which did not ur to me.

    What did you see...Rachel...

    "Come on, Laura, staring at me will not get any work done. Chop chop!"

    "..."

    DAMN YOU!!!

    Currently, under her instruction, we are cleaning the blood stains on the kitchen floor in the middle of the night.

    [They really went nuts with the blood...]

    "What kind of cuts sshes blood like this?" Curious, C asks.

    "A big one!" Kurokawa answers vaguely.

    "A bad one." I exin.

    The less he knows, the better. I am not sure what the dream showed him, but just to be safe, I will keep the truth shut tight. Our fight should never be revealed, or C will never be within our grasp.

    [Now, that did not help one bit...]

    Sorry...There are things I must keep, C...

    [As I nce over to see, Kurokawa is about to dunk her wounded arm into a bucket of water.]

    "Wait! Kurokawa! You''re gonna have an infection because of that. If you want to help, just take the covers off the pillows and bring them into theundry room. Don''t touch the water, okay?"

    "...Okay!" That double-crossing bookworm replies with a smile. To which Rachel and I stare at her intensely.

    Seriously, I could not care less about that bookworm. After so many times, there is no way I will ce my trust in her lying ass. She deserves to die.

    [The stares of the other two bring the temperature down. Even when their eyes are not directed at me, I can still feel the chilling gazes!]

    Shoot! He is catching up fast!

    "C, you know you don''t have to help us, right?" Racheles close to my boyfriend.

    I also want him to rest.

    "Yeah, C. You should sit down. It has been a long day for you."

    "This is my blood, so you don''t have to clean it for me." Kurokawa is still focusing on C even though she is walking away. "Where is theundry room, Rachel?"

    "It''s to your left. Further! Further! There." Rachel looks up and points at one room.

    "Don''t worry! I''d like to help out!" C smiles.

    [Helping the girls does not hurt whether or not it is my responsibility. Guys, this is how you keep your girls around. You show them appreciation. Actual work. And take responsibilities!!]

    Once again, he starts his narration.

    [Responsibilities...]

    But he repeats one particr word in his head.

    [Yeah. I should clear things out with the girls...]

    Looking over at his location, I notice C has put the cleaning supplies down.

    [I am stupid. Yes. I am dense. Also, yes. But, my IQ would be as low as this floor if I did not realize the fuss.]

    I do not think you are stupid or dense, C. You are perfect just the way you are. I could not ask for anything better.

    [Laura is already my girlfriend. Rachel is...how should I put this...infatuated...in me...]

    Someone is looking at me. That person is Rachel. In the aquamarine color of her eyes is an emotion that I can not quite understand. It is filled with what I think is selflessness.

    Selflessness?

    Rachel? Selflessness?

    Those two should never exist at the same time. Yet there it is.

    Really, she must know something that I do not.

    [Do I need any proof? I do not think so. The best piece of evidence is the fact that I am still alive. The girls need a high level of affection for me that they somehow decide to let me live. Otherwise, my head would be rolling on the floor right now.]

    When I came into that room, my heart was raging a fire. I almost fainted out of pure spite.

    She was kissing him.

    All the blood within my body was boiling beyond any kind of scale. I was hotter than the core of the sun itself!! C said it right. I had my fist clenched so tight that there were markings on my palms afterward. At that point, I remembered that Rachel had the knife in the kitchen.

    Everything was simple. All I needed to do was to find the knife, kill Kurokawa, then cut Rachel''s neck with her favorite weapon. With the help of a de in my hand and a will, I could have done it.

    But still...STILL...I had to let it slide...

    Because he...would be hurt...

    Nothing else matters if C hated me...

    Nothing else matters if C thought of me as a monster... I could not fathom the mental anguish I would be if that happened. Even the thought of it brought me nausea. That would be worse than dying.

    I could take it if C had another person in his life. I could even take it if Rachel stole C''s first kiss.

    However, I would kill myself if C were to run away from me because of my fit of rage.

    Therefore, I had to put it aside. Who knew there would be any other chance for me to be by his side again. Even if there was, I would still not risk it.

    [I still do not know how to exin the kiss to Laura. How should I begin? Should I start with an apology? Yeah, let''s begin with that.]

    "I''m sorry, Laura." There is a clear hint of shame in his soft voice.

    "Why are you saying sorry?"

    It was not his fault, never was, never will be.

    It was Rachel''s. Only one person I could direct that seemingly impossible amount of rage, and that was Rachel.

    I lost once, but that did not mean I would be defeated again, bitch!!

    [I am sorry because I kissed Rachel. Say it, C.]

    "I..."

    [Come on! Do it!]

    "I''m sorry for..."

    [My throat keeps bugging me. No...Not my throat...It is my conscience. The girls have been quiet to wait for me to speak. This is like a confession of a crime, and they are the judges of my mistakes. Well, in a sense, they are...Rachel may have been the instigator, but I came here and helped her rather than stayed at my ce.]

    Rachel, are you going to sit there and hear him belittle himself like this? I thought you would do anything for a loved one? Did I take you too highly? Speak up!!

    "Laura, let me clear something up. Before, it was not C kissing me. It was me kissing him."

    [Eh?]

    Do not Eh, C. It is only fair for her to admit that. I would never see her as an opponent if she did not. In fact, I would never allow her to be around you if she did not even have the guts to acknowledge a mistake.

    Iy everything in my hands down and sit next to him. Rachel also approaches.

    "Don''t apologize if it''s not in your control, C."

    "But...I kissed...Rachel..."

    His voice is shaking, and it is breaking my heart.

    "It was my fault, C. I wanted to let you know how much you meant to me."

    [The reason is still unknown, but they are interested in me. Both Laura and Rachel are. And when the girls are interested in me, when I try to protect Kurokawa from infection, they get jealous. Seriously, I feel like I am walking on a string above a cliff. One misstep, and I am dead.]

    C does not know what he has done for me, for us. Because of that, his sacrifices are even more valuable to me. How could I ever harm the guy who fought my battles when no one was there to help? Not to mention, he knew things would make no sense but still did everything to save me.

    I wish I could tell him...

    I wish I could let him know why I was obsessed with him...

    [This is probably the first time I have ever seen Rachel not being the first love interest. It is technically Laura, thenes Rachel. Coincidentally, this is also the first time they do not want to be with Han...

    More importantly, I betrayed Laura''s trust. I am also missing a clear rejection for Rachel. I am not in a position that can make them both happy. I can not even make myself happy.]

    *Guuuuu*

    At the same time, Rachel and I both embrace C. While hugging my boyfriend, I pat him on the head.

    "You did everything you could."

    Rachel touches him on the face.

    "It is us that is making this hard for you. Don''t go home. Stay with us tonight."

    [Did I really do everything I can? After my betrayal, am I still worthy?]

    "C, my dear," I whisper in his ears. "You are worthy of being loved."

    "Laura''s right." She puts his face in the middle of her chest. "We can disagree on many things, but not on this, my savior."

    [Savior? If only they knew how many times I have left them to die. If only they knew how I have forsaken their pleas for help to pursue my own mental sanity. I am not who they think I am...I am evidently not...]

 Chapter 50: [Poll] New heroine.

Chapter 50: [Poll] New heroine.

    Please choose one

    1. Gal girl

    2. Princess/Ojousama (Ohohoho type)

    3. Tomboy

    4. School council

    5. Teacher

 Chapter 51

    The brilliant morning light shines on me, waking me from a deep sleep. Through the ss, the sun shines its warm radiance onto my skin, giving me a wonderful feeling. I also notice that the temperature is neither too hot nor too cold, which is unusual if I am at home. Without doors and windows, I usually spend my nights being very cold. Wait, windows? This ce has it! Then where the heck am I??

    As soon as my vision stabilizes from blurriness, I realize I am not in my usual pencil lines-made house. Why? Because if I were at home, I would have been able to see the sky since there was no roof, and the ck color of the outlines would stick out like a sore thumb.

    The developers of this game did not put in a top for my house. And the rest of the buildings around my house are inessible. What did you expect? Because of that, the rain and the snow seasons were the worst since they did not give me a good time. Usually, I would have to sneak inside Han''s ce whenever possible or just steal his nkets and pillows. It is not a good thing to say since it makes me sound like a freeloader and decreases my already low self-esteem, but I had no choice.

    In addition to a ceiling, there is a soft and rxing sensation under my back that I can not get while staying home. Once you do not own a bed, having one underneath your back is pretty noticeable, I would say. The difference between a cold hard floor and a bed is two ends of a spectrum. There is noparison.

    Instead of my own ce, I think I am still in one of the mansion''s rooms.

    Now that my mind is out of the haze, I think my memories are back.

    "Hey, C." On my right, the sweet voice of Laura travels into my ears.

    As I turn to face her, I notice Laura is on her side to look at me. Thanks to the sunlight, her gentle face appears to be shining. I guess this is what people call beaming.

    "Did you sleep well?" She asks while smiling softly.

    And I answer that question as truthfully as I can.

    "The best one I have ever had! How about you?"

    Laura puts her hand on my face and caresses it.

    "Me too. It is a bliss to wake up with the one you love."

    "Haha."

    I let out an awkwardugh to hide my embarrassment. Frankly, how do I even reply to Laura? We are still in the middle of getting to know each other. It is not like we have been together for years, so I can not be saying the same thing to her. That would be hollow and meaningless. The time I have spent to know all the other Lauras may have been long, but the time this current Laura has spent with me was short.

    On the one hand, I do not want to sound like a scumbag by saying the same thing without meaning it. On the other one, I do want to make Laura feel happy.

    I need serious help...

    But then, the ss rep saves me from overthinking.

    "I''m sorry for making you feel awkward. You don''t need to say anything back to me, C. These are what I am feeling. I only want you to know that I think about you and care about you!!"

    "...Thanks, Laura."

    That sentence of appreciationes from the bottom of my heart.

    "Where is Rachel? She was also in this roomst night, right?"

    Oh shit...

    I just made an extreme mistake...

    In this world, you do not talk about another girl in front of one girl...

    *Suuuuuu*

    Laura inhales deeply.

    God saves me...

    *Pat pat*

    Contrary to my thoughts, Laura does not hurt or yell at my face. She gently runs her fingers through my hair instead.

    "Haaaaaa. Why do you have to mention that girl''s name?"

    "Sorry." I quickly apologize.

    Really, I need help to make it work in a rtionship. Desperately.

    "Silly, C. She is outside making breakfast for all of us. Kurokawa is also helping. I did my part and went back here to check on you. Let''s go out! Breakfast is ready."

    Laura gives me her hand, and I take it.

    "Yeah, let''s head out."

    As I walk out of the room while holding Laura''s hand, many thoughts race through my mind. The more I get closer to the kitchen, where Rachel''s clear hummings can be heard, the more vividst night appears in my head.

    In the end, after the cleaning, we did not get out of the house as Laura wanted. We stayed inside Han''s ce because no one else but me. They made the decision based on me.

    Inyman''s terms, I was hugely burdened by guiltst night.

    When my body was embraced by the two girls, I felt something akin to a barrier inside of me was broken.

    They were giving me their support as tears formed on my face. The two girls in love with me gave me their softest embrace possible. After a while of being loved, I was tired and went to bed with none other than those two.

    I...did not know such a day could exist.

    I thought I would be killed. I thought I would be castrated. There were scenes in the past telling me the same situation but of Han. When he was found out kissing someone else, he had his teeth pulled out individually. Then, someone would smash those into bits and put them into his eyes.

    But yet...Rachel and Laura worked it out with each other...somehow...

    How hard would it be to suppress your own character settings? I do not know for sure.

    What came to my mind was that Rachel and Laura really cared. Their voices and their words pushed the dark clouds away. Even Kurokawa, who was not close by, contributed to the ardor. And that was what I have longed for for quite a while.

    With my wish fulfilled, some of my deepest, darkest emotions seeped through the walls I built inside me. They were only fragments of my hideous self, but no matter big or small, I wished those to be buried deep. In a moment of weakness, when I experienced more warmth than ever from those I truly cared for, I lost a little control of my own thoughts.

    Fortunately, I did not say those out loud.

    The day I do so will probably be when I have to say goodbye to them. If they knew how much of a coward I am, I would probably be left alone again.

    Until now, I still have no clue why the girls were charmed by me.

    Unlike Han, with a beautiful face, I had none. He lived inside a big mansion with a precious childhood friend who would do anything for him. He did not have to fear not having not enough money or love. Han had the attention of everyone. Everything within this world where I was born was built only to serve one man, the protagonist. Even when his future was ridiculously hard, he still had one.

    What did I have?

    None.

    No face, no house, no future.

    However, despite all that, the girls considered me to be their savior. Most noticeably was Rachel. When she called for my help, it seemed she was struggling her best to fight back against something invisible. I could only specte that the system was forcing her to do the things she did not want to. It was evidently clear whenever I tried to force Han on her or ship the two of them together.

    But to be fair, that could not exin why she kissed me.

    For a yandere like Rachel to switch her target, it would at least need to be a life or death situation. Me saving her from the system forcing her onto Han was not nearly enough.

    There should be something else.

    What am I missing?

    Then, I hear Rachel''s cheerful voice.

    "Good morning, sleeping head! Today''s breakfast is pancakes!"

    "Heya, C! Let''s eat and go to school together today!" Kurokawa waves at me.

    "Morning, C!! This is probably the first time I have so many friends at home, haha!!" Han has also woken up. He somehow looks pretty energetic even though it is in the morning.

    *Gu*

    "Come, have a seat." A soft squeezees from Laura''s hand. "We are waiting for you."

    Do I really need to think about the how''s and why''s?

    *Katan*

    I pull out a chair, and Laura sits on my right. Seeing that, Rachel also finishes up the stack of pancakes and sits on my left. On her left is Kurokawa, and near that is Han.

    "Man, I have to tell you, I slept like a logst night. I swear it sure felt like someone gave me a sleeping pill. It was that good!!" Hanughs.

    "I also slept pretty well." I nod.

    "See, I told you it was better to stay here." Rachel puts a fluffy pancake on my te. "Bon''apetite."

    "Well, C, we should sleep like that more often." Laura casually says while cutting the food into small pieces.

    Hey, girls...I am not a baby...

    "You girls really did lock me out of it." Kurokawa mumbles.

    "WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO LAST NIGHT AT MY HOUSE?!" Han stands up with bewildered eyes.

    "We did nothing! We would not do it at your ce, anyway!" I exin hastily.

    Hearing that, the guy nods.

    "Oh, then that''s fine. As expected of my master."

    "C, say Ah!" Then, from my right...

    "Say ah!" And my left...

    This is a warm table full of food.

    But the food is not as warm as the people.

    Maybe, the questions can wait for another day.

    (Arc 1 ends)

 Chapter 52

    (Arc 2 begins!)

    Currently, I am in the bathroom.

    Why?

    Because I need to clean myself, that is why. Just because I am a dispensable character does not mean I should be dirty. I still need to wash my clothes and my hair, you know.

    To be fair, taking a bath is the only thing I can do besides delivering my lines. It is also one of the few things that can help me eliminate dark thoughts. The soothing warm water does help with negative emotions, I tell you. I would have lost my mind if I did not put my head under the water a few times.

    Like all the other rooms of Han''s mansion, the bathrooms are vast and well equipped with all kinds of things. You would be surprised how big the bathrooms arepared to my ce. Just the bathroom is already as big as a third of my house. Then again, what do I expect?... Why do I have topare? But that much is to be expected for Han''s mansion. This ce has everything he needs since he is the protagonist. It even has its own gym somewhere!

    Thanks to all of the convenience, the owner, namely Han, does not need to find anything since these ces will always have the things he needs. When Han misses something, Rachel will find them or buy them immediately.

    Rather than a childhood friend, I think Rachel is more of a caretaker.

    Or a mother...

    Anyway!

    Ranged from simple and ordinary items such as a shower, a bathtub, and soaps, to those of...interesting usage such as anal cleaner, a massage table, and aromatic oil, these bathrooms have it all. They even have those intable beds so one can have their procreating activities on them while cleaning. If I remember correctly, their respective name is Nuru massage.

    In all seriousness, there is no need to go into details. I would just simply say Han was very...um...well taken care of. It is his house, so I have no right to judge what he does inside it and with whom. After all, I am but a freeloader.

    I do have one question for him, though. Does water really work as a lubricant? I heard it did not. In fact, it should have been much harder to have sex while you were under the shower or submerged in water. Yet the sex scenes did not seem to have anything rted to that. I thought they would have difficulty maintaining the friction or bnce, but no. Han was able to do anything and everything without slipping and sliding.

    Probably eroge physics. I do not know for sure...

    But I have to digress.

    At this point, you should know that this is not the first time I have gone inside one of Han''s bathrooms. In the past, I had to use this ce to wash and clean myself. Albeit there was always the imminent danger of being found out by the yanderes, I managed to escape unharmed about 70 percent of the time.

    I would say a 70 percent of win rate is an eptable rate.

    I think...

    Back when I still had to sneak in to take a bath, I always had to keep a low profile. Knowing their schedule was one thing. Expecting the bugs and the changes was another. Even though the girls had a specific time and ce for their sex scenes, it was a must to try my best to keep my intrusion unknown to them.

    Especially when Han kept on living longer, it would be harder to keep track of every single one of them all the time. The more he survived, the more characters were introduced, and the more chaotic the mansion would be. Therefore it got exponentially hard. In addition, Han''s decisions could change the story drastically. For example, choosing to go down Rachel''s route would lead to a sex scene in the morning after the first night. On the other hand, not choosing Rachel will leave the bathroom rtively easy for me to ess. Sometimes, the difference between a murder and a kiss on the lips is only one sentence.

    However, things will probably be different from now on. I will not have to be like a little thief just to take a shower anymore!

    Bless whoever made this possible!!

    *Shaaaaaa*

    My ears can hear the soothing sound of running water. Slowly but surely, the bathtub is being filled up. Because it will probably take a while, I make my way toward the sink to brush my teeth for the first time ever. I honestly do not know how to do it right, so I will just wing it until I feel my mouth is clean.

    Oh, wait...

    I forget that I do not have a toothbrush...Can I ask Rachel if Han has a spare one around this mansion? Is that rude? I slept herest night, had delicious meals cooked by Rachel, and now I am again bothering her because of a toothbrush.

    This is honestly shameless...

    What if I just leave my teeth like this?

    No... It should create cavities and stuff.

    Now that I have teeth, a tongue, and probably a digestive system, I should take care of them. At least, I do not want my breath to smell like a sewer or have tooth cavities. There is a hospital in this world, but I seriously own no money, so if I develop something like a disease, it will be nasty. The only way for me to escape a severe sickness is death itself.

    Wow. I never expected having your own organs would be this troublesome. Back when I did not have a mouth, I did not have to care about these trivial things at all. Since Icked the need to eat or go to the bathroom, my life was free from all the basic instincts of a human!

    Not anymore...

    *Guuuuuu*

    Eh?

    My stomach is rumbling out of nowhere. From the inside of me, I can not exin this with words, but it feels like some gas bubbles are popping. Is it because of hunger? That is not likely since I just had breakfast with the gang a few minutes ago. And I felt a clear distinction between hunger and fullness thanks to that breakfast.

    Then there are only two more options left.

    Using my incredible intellect, I have deduced that a fart or some stool ising out.

    Call me C-lock Holmes!

    *Guuuuuuuuuuuuu*

    Ah! Crap!!! It is getting worse!! I need to run!

    As I hurriedly make my way to the toilet, I suddenly feel this is annoying. For real, though, what if this happens all the time? Do I have to run to the restroom every time like everyone else? I used to feel envious of those who could do their fundamental physiological activities.

    Today, I stand corrected.

    Oh, wait. Let me fix that sentence a little.

    I sit corrected.

    *Prrrrrrrt*

    Ah, shit! Here we go!!

    ...

    ...

    ...

    That felt good.

    Crazy, I know.

    I would rather not talk about what I just did there. So please, feel free to fill in the nk space yourself. All I can say is I somewhat understand why the girls would agree to do anal with Han. It does make some sense.

    Also, there is good news after pulling my pants down.

    My penis has grown bigger.

    Do not ask me anything. I do not know how or why. Just ept it.

    *Knock knock*

    "C, can Ie in?" I can see Rachel''s silhouette.

    "You''ll need someone to wash your back." And also, my girlfriend Laura is there with her.

    Strangely enough, Kurokawa is not on the outside. I wonder where she is right now.

    Wait, why am I even expecting Kurokawa to be outside? She joined us the whole day yesterday, so I am probably getting a bit over my head. Having two yanderes on my behind is already a bad sign. If Kurokawa joins the team for any god damn reason, then I may just kill myself as soon as possible.

    *Knock knock*

    Hearing their knockings, I politely decline. "No, thank you. I can clean myself perfectly fine. By the way, is there a spare toothbrush outside?"

    "Yes." Laura and Rachel answer at the same time. Through the blurry ss door, I can see their silhouettes looking at each other after that.

    "Then could you please put the toothbrush right at the door for me?"

    Rachel says. "Come out, and I will personally give it to you." Her voice appears to be seductive, and that gives me a sense of danger.

    "Don''t listen to her, C." Laura defends me.

    That is the ss representative for you! She is always cautious. Thank you, Laura! If not for you, I would have given in to temptation. Laura is definitely worth the title: my voice of reason.

    "You should let me in instead!"

    My voice of reason is tainted...

 Chapter 53

    In the end, the girls left me alone to do my thing. Not going to lie, but I had to thank them repeatedly in my head because of that. Judging by the looks on Rachel''s and Laura''s faces when I went inside the bathroom, they definitely had something naughty on their minds. Their lusty eyes clearly betrayed their facial expressions. No matter how hard they tried to hide it, I could still see steaming out of their mouths.

    Most likely, they were trying to go in together with me. Maybe taking a bath, or even worse...

    These thirsty girls...

    Even though I was unsure why Rachel switched her target from Han to me, I had no doubt she would pin me down the moment she had the chance. As for the ss representative, I felt she would give me one of those back scrubbings. However, just because she would not do anything too drastic did not mean I should let it happen.

    I had to protect my fragile virginity first! Begone, horny heroine!! Do not stand in my way of bing a wizard!

    How did ite to this situation anyway? What did I do to attract these girls so much that they became like that?

    Such mysteries may or may not be uncovered...

    You know what? Let us analyze my current situation to grasp a deeper understanding of the girls. I think it is about time I do so. For some reason, I feel like the more I postpone this, the worse the circumstances will be.

    First and foremost, Laura, the ss representative. For one reason or another, she became my girlfriend. Contrary to previous iterations, Laura has been strictly paying attention to me rather than the protagonist of this world. Also, she was the one who asked me out and gave me the first piece of warmth in this world. Thanks to that, I was able to smile for the first time.

    Grateful as I was, her motives were greatly oblivious to me. As a person born in this yandere world, there was no way Laura would be in love with me without a particr reason. One thing that I should also note is her protection. Laura has been keeping an eye on me almost all the time. From going home together to spending the night at Han''s mansion, the ss rep has always been there for me. We even woke up together!

    The second one is Rachel, a.k.a Han''s childhood friend. Now, seriously speaking, Rachel is a weird one. Throughout the day yesterday, she has had a drastic change of personality. When we first met in the morning, she was giving me res. Then, slowly, it turned into many other things. Especially after lunchtime, she was behaving very weirdly. As if she was lost or something.

    The most unexpected change was that Rachel single-handedly changed the original storyline into something unknown to me. Because of me, Laura, and Kurokawa, everything set up for her event was ruined beyond fixing. Well, probably my fault was the biggest. But it was a team effort! Our invitation has made it impossible for her to proceed with her route.

    Now that I am thinking about Rachel''s event, I should also try to understand what happened during the short time I was in Han''s room. I had no idea what she needed, but Rachel needed help. Her whole body was shaking violently. And to add on top of that, she was crying while clutching onto the fabric.

    At that moment, I knew what she was thinking. She did not want to go with the story anymore, but the system probably forced her to do it. I could understand that, to be honest. After years of trying, I gave up because the system would always find a way to force the heroine to go back on their route. But now, in this iteration, somehow, they can be safe from it.

    They can be free.

    Maybe, I should start fighting once again.

    This time...maybe...things will change for the better...

    Regardless, before igniting the long-dead fire in my heart, I need to finish the current challenging task.

    "First, you need to tilt the brushes a little, C. If you make it so straight, it will hurt your gums like before. They are especially delicate since they are connected to your nerves." Laura patiently exins to me the contents of my mouth. Not just that, but she is holding a brush herself to demonstrate like I am some kind of kindergartener...

    Oh...the shame...

    Please, allow me to exin why my girlfriend is here.

    First, you would think Rachel would be with me since the girls would not leave me alone, just like they were the whole day yesterday. That would be correct if Rachel did not leave the scene to make lunch for us. Laura, my legal girlfriend, was then entrusted by her with helping me with anything I needed.

    However, before leaving, Rachel even went as far as threatening the ss representative to behave when she was gone. Of course, Laura did not take that so well, yet she had to. Not that she did not want to be there for me, but she was slightly mad because of Rachel''s attitude. In Laura''s words, Rachel acted "as if she was your girlfriend instead of me."

    To which I stayed silent. Like, dead silent. For a moment, I swear I was deaf. There was no need to talk about something that would bring me my demise.

    By the way, in the end, I asked Rachel if she had a spare toothbrush. The thought of having a stinky mouth was not pleasant for me.

    Personal hygiene has always been one thing I care about most. After all, it was the only thing I could control. I could wash under the shower and in the bathtub rtively easily. It was not rocket science. Hence, I have been doing so for thousands of years.

    However, having a mouth, another problem arises for me to deal with it. The main issue was that I never tried to copy Han, Rachel, or anyone since there was no need to learn how to keep it clean. Without previous experience, I have no idea how to use the brush and the paste. After a while of struggling with the items Rachel gave, I have given up on trying to brush my teeth by myself. I did try, but it was my first time, so idents urred. Because of a quick movement of my hand that caused my gums to bleed, the ss rep is now helping me clean my teeth as if I was a baby.

    But that is not the reason for my shame. Okay, maybe about 50 percent. Honestly, I am still a tad bit surprised by her sudden appearance. She outright busted the door open when I identally squealed due to the pain from scratching my gums. Not only that, but she also had the chance to take a good look at my naked body. Laura''s face got noticeably red because of my dangling dongle. However, contrary to those cliches where a girl would run outside while screaming, Laura took her time to examine myher region. Her amber eyes clearly lit up with curiosity and fascination more than anything else. The ss rep even mumbled to herself about whether or not it would fit her.

    I wish I could find a ce to die of shame...Is my key to life really that big? Truth be told, I know Han''s size. It is not as big as mine.

    But people! Be not afraid!

    Size is not all! It is about technique.

    Having a big dick only gets you 99% of the way. Besides, what use of such a meat rod except for breeding? I can not possibly use it to hit someone.

    Can I?

    *Wave*

    The ss rep waves her hand in front of my face to get my attention.

    "C? Are you okay? You have been staring at me for a while."

    "Oh, sorry! I was a bit distracted. So I should brush my teeth like this?" I mimic Laura''s hand movement. We both choose not to speak about the previous ordeal. I swear to God I would die if someone mentioned it.

    "Yes. A bit more. If you can get it to 45 degrees, that will be ideal. Yes, just like that!"

 Chapter 54

    *Erk*

    *Kachak*

    "I''m home."

    Closing the cold, metallic door behind my back, I am greeted by nothing but the chilling air of the corridor. Somehow, even though it is not the cold season, the temperature in my house still makes my skin crawl. Unlike the ce I just got back from, in this ce, there exists no warmth that can bring me the simrfort of being by his side.

    This is the ce of my parents, where I sleep almost every night.

    Frankly speaking, I would not go into detail to describe this ce. There is no need to do something so boring and redundant since it is just like the other houses around this area. White walls, an orange roof, and a garden to the sides, all of that. Before knowing C, I thought it was normal. I never paid any attention to the simrities between the houses. Everything was how it should have been.

    But now, I know the reason why.

    When everyone gathers at Han''s mansion, there is no need to create any distinctive features of other ces. If Han''s vi had enough rooms for everyone, there was no need for us t go back to our respective houses. Therefore, the developers would not need to create any distinctive features for the exteriors. The interior, on the other hand, is different.

    *Sigh*

    I breathe out heavily, disgusted by my own world. If it was not for C, I would have never awoken from this long, perverted nightmare.

    Well, almost.

    ording to his words, my event is yet toe. I wonder how this world''s disgusting system will take hold of me. Rachel was forced to have sex with someone she did not want to. As for Laura, I doubt her event willmence normally. However, she was supposed to be in the hands of a bunch of bullies in the past. Then, what will I have?

    It is clear that there would be an event to make us fall in love with Han. Yet, the information I have on my hands is too little to deduce anything. The only way I can get more is to pay attention while C thinks to himself and work from there.

    Nevertheless, I would prepare myself for the worse. That is the reason why I came back home. Maybe it will help, maybe not. But knowing and not doing anything is not in my mind. A few items will be of use, I hope.

    In front of me right now is the dark hallway. The corridor of this house is like the jaws of a gnawing monster, about to devour my soul entirely. In addition to the chilling air, this ce also wants to decrease my sanity.

    In addition to its low temperature, the house is almost silent. After saying my greeting, no one returns my call. In a way, it is fortunate since I do not have the mood to talk to anyone. Furthermore, since I did not get homest night or make a call, there would have been some consequences.

    Why would I say my greetings if no one was at home?

    As a good girl who listens to her parents'' words, I must. And because it is a habit that was hammered into my head. Also, saying I am home will save me from another trouble if someone is actually present for whatever reason.

    It is the exact opposite inside Han''s mansion, where that man now resides.

    Shaking my head to get rid of his images, I take my shoes off and continue deeper into the house. I came back to get some alone time to think about what I should do from this point onward, and that is what I am going to do. After all, Mother is not at home at this time of the day.

    *Click*

    The light is turned on, illuminating the whole house. Instantly, my visual field is filled with a familiar scene. On two sides of the corridor are the nk white-yellow walls. Unlike the other ce where the walls are decorated with drawings and pictures, the walls of my house are very in.

    As I walk on the wooden floor, it creaks loudly, bringing in the only sounds besides my breathing to this ce. And the more I travel inside, the more a horrible stench prates my nostrils. It is a sour, damp, and musky smell of garbage. There is also a light scent of alcohol in the air.

    She probably made another mess again. Mother is always like that when she gets back from work.

    *Cling ng*

    My feet identally kick a bottle of wine when I walk past her room. She did not even close the door after leaving for work in the morning. Due to the smell, I do not need to peek inside to know what kind of garbage Mother sleeps on. Her room is filled with filth, such as alcohol bottles, cigarette buds, and spoiled foods that have been left there for many days until she decides to throw them away. Not only that but there are countless ck bags filled with dirty items inside. Somehow, she thinks that is normal.

    On the one hand, she lives among a bunch of garbage and sleeps next to them without a care. On the other hand, she walks outside the door with the most expensive perfume she can get her hands on. I mean, I understand her profession requires her to be dressed up loosely to appeal to many men, but she does not need to sleep next to garbage like that.

    *Sigh*

    My feet pick up the pace, and I walk straight to the bathroom and throw my dirty uniform into the washing machine. There is no need to care about Mother right now.

    *Shaaaaa*

    I turn my head upward to the shower and close my eyes.

    Hot water sshes onto my face, washing away all the dirtiness that umted after a whole day. The water can help me get rid of the dust and oil on my face and hair, yet it can not aid me with the turmoil inside my heart.

    At this point, I do not know anymore what I should do. My world has crumbled since yesterday.

    The reason is simple, really. Unfortunately for me, that simple reason can not be fixed.

    Am I real? Or am I just some kind of character inside of a game?

    I know I live inside a two-dimensional world, but is my existence, or anyone''s existence in this world, real?

    That question keeps bothering me. From the moment we met C until now, after seeing the struggles of Laura and Rachel, I can not help but think about the word freedom and the existence of everyone in this world.

    Are we alive?

    That is probably the biggest question. Such a philosophical question will never be answered. Who can answer it, really?

    Having read many books, or as C put it when the system forced me to read many books, that philosophical inquiry is still hard for me to answer. The characters in my books...are they truly alive? Do they make their own choices? Or, just like Rachel before being touched by C, everything they do is controlled by an invisible system, a higher being, an author? If the answer is a yes, then who is this being? What are they?

    Does freedom mean I can make my own choices? Can I live the life I want to?

    Then, what if I do not know the decisions I make are under some kind of influence? That is essentially how characters in a story should behave, except for a few that break the fourth wall. And even when they are breaking the fourth wall, it is still under a pre-defined script.

    I am in a simr situation to those in my books. The characters in my books, until the end of the story, until their final happy or tragic ending, will have everything written down to its tiniest details.

    That chills me to the core...Even the warmth of the water can not make that kind of cold disappear...

    *Pa*

    Waking myself up from a spiral of existential crisis, I gently p my cheeks. Rather than thinking about that, I should focus on what to do next.

    Yesterday was eventful, to say the least. I had the chance to witness the forces of this world in the act. At the same time, I had the opportunity to observe the struggles of the affected. These made me realize we were facing something much grander than we initially thought.

    Out of pure coincidence, Laura was freed by C''s touch. After that, she tried her best to tie Rachel down with the story using her newfound privilege. I must say I understood her thinking in a way. Personally, I would not feelfortable seeing my mortal enemy be freed both mentally and physically. There is no need to keep a ticking time bomb next to you. That is even more urate considering their history together.

    It would create massiveplications for me if Rachel was gone, though. Laura was slowly turning into a second Rachel, and I was unsure I could handle her personally. If I left Rachel alone after her event waspleted, she would feel dead inside and perhaps find a way to kill herself due to shame.

    It was my double-crossing that Rachel managed to be saved by C.

    Really, it was an underhand tactic.

    But it worked. As long as it worked.

    At least Rachel now owes me, so my chance of sess should be higher. There should be a higher chance for me to get my freedom. I understand the ss rep told me she would let me be by C''s side if we worked together. To be honest, I do not believe her. It all boils down to trust between us. And at this moment, Laura has the least in my book.

    Still, I think we all agree on one thing, and that is how we would kill to get rid of our shackles. Rachel, Laura, and I would never allow ourselves to be under the influence of something to do that we do not like. Especially in the case of Han, who has always been backed up by an invisible system.

    From what I can see, I am in a disadvantageous positionpared to the other two.

    Therefore, I need to prepare myself for the worst.

 Chapter 55

    *Yawn*

    Unconsciously, my mouth opens asrge as it can. At the same time, unable to control myself, I automatically inhale, filling both my nostrils and my throat with the cool air of the morning. Right after that, andpletely involuntary, my whole body shivers a little. It is not because I am cold, per se. I just can not seem to be able to control my body while it is taking in some fresh air.

    "Something would fly inside if you leave your mouth open like that." Laura puts her hand in front of my face, blocking whatever may travel inside.

    "Even though you are super cute, you should only show your vulnerability when we are alone, C." At the same time, Rachel sneaks her hand behind Laura''s, trying to put it closer to my face.

    "...A-amazing...As expected of my master!" A couple steps away, I can hear Han''s voiceplimenting something. Not stopping there, he even takes a small notepad out and starts scribbling on it with a ridiculous speed.

    "...Walking...hand in hand...keep it cool...straight face. Wait, no, no! Scratch that. Master doesn''t have a face. Ok, where was I..."

    What the heck are you writing down, man? And stop looking at me like some kind of rare specimen!

    "Aw. Look at you yawning! So cute!!" Hugging my arm close to her chest, Rachel says.

    Somehow there are hearts inside of her aquamarine eyes.

    Do not ask me how. It is eroge''s physics. As long as thews of thermodynamics are not vited, everything else is possible.

    Because my arm is technically touching her, I can feel the softness of her chest wrapping around it. I do not want to sound like a pervert, but her breasts are softer than anything I have ever touched before in my life. Not to mention the size of those badonkadonks!

    *Guuu*

    Goosebumps rise on my skin.

    Mamma mia, this is simply heavenly!!

    "Rachel, I would appreciate it if you stayed away from my boyfriend by at least 20 feet." Laura res at Rachel.

    My right hand is wrapped by Rachel''s softness. My left is hugged by Laura''s. With that said, it is without a doubt that I can feel how firm they are. Even when her size is not as big as Rachel''s, I have to say that Laura''s cup size has its own charm.

    Being a good man, I will never say which one is bigger. That is like asking to be shot in the head.

    "Fufu." Strangely enough, Rachel just puts on a victory smile.

    "Tch." I can hear Laura''s annoying click. Her gaze is so fierce I can feel it even when it is not directed at me.

    "A-amazing..." Han continues writing his notes.

    *Sigh*

    I have no intention of knowing what that guy is doing. He is dead set on bing my disciple to learn the way of love no matter how much I told him I had no experience. To make matters worse, he said he would copy my every action.

    Nevertheless, the two girls on my side shoulde before him.

    Han can copy everything for all I care. At this point, I am numb to changes.

    They have been clinging to me since we exited Han''s vi, Rachel and Laura. At first, they did not grab both of my arms like now but kept a certain distance. But the more we walked, the closer they came to me, until the was no space between us, which led to the current situation. Even when I told them that Han was watching, they asked me what was wrong with just hugging. Since I was dumb, I could not answer a word and epted my defeat. If I were to ask whether or not I hated it, the answer would be no. Like all the healthy men in the world, I love being sandwiched between two beauties. However, I could not possibly let them know that fact, or the two girls would not let me be alone anymore.

    In addition to that, and I do not want to sound like a pervert by saying this, but not only did the yawn give me fresh air, it also brought in the scent of perfume from Rachel and Laura. While the two were pressing themselves onto my body, I was enveloped by their sweet fragrance. Even though they used the same shampoo and conditioner after the bath in the morning, I could still distinguish their scents somehow.

    Rachel has a hint of floral fragrance surrounding her body. I did not think much of it at first except for how rxing it felt. After a while, it gives me a kind of nostalgic feeling for some reason. One would expect her to smell like oranges since her favorite dish is orange chicken, but no. Her smell is very flowery.

    Laura on the other hand, gives me a zesty, minty scent. Contrary to Rachel''s nostalgic aura, Laura''s feels kind refreshing, and uplifting. The weird thing is I feel a sense of nostalgia after a while, simr to Rachel''s case. Truth be told, I have no idea how I got the ability to give her such a distinctive description. So you will have to take my word for it. It makes me wonder how it will taste if I am to kiss her in the future, though. If everything goes well, that is to be expected.

    *Sproing*

    My pants feel tight all of a sudden...

    Argh! What on earth am i thinking!?

    Eyes forward, dick downward, C! Are you already forgetting your motto!? Kissing is not so important right now, but staying alive is!! I must not let the horny consume me.

    Honestly, with how easy things have been going with everything, there are good and bad things all at once. The good thing is I have been able to experience many new things, even to the extent of being a rtionship, which I have never done before. But the bad thing is I am getting distracted. And in this world, distraction means death.

    Because of the sudden bulge in my pants, I now have to lean forward a bit to hide my boner. I sure hope Rachel and Laura do not take notice of my change...Otherwise, I will probably die of shame before they decide to do anything to me.

    "Oh, C, why are you walking like that?" Still holding on tight, Rachel is the first on to ask.

    Shit.

    "If you feel ufortable, no matter how ''hard'' it is, I will help you get rid of that issue." Laura states.

    Truly, thank you. Yet,...this...is not something you can solve like that.

    Think, C, think! What can I say now?

    Worry not, my friends! I just have an erection while thinking about doing lewd things with you.

    NO! No! No...not like that...

    Obviously, I will not discuss such a thing with the two girls. How would they even look at me if they found out I was analyzing their smell while imagining kissing them?

    The worst thing is, rather than looking at me with piercing gazes while saying disgusting, Rachel and Laura will most probably be delighted. After all, they are yanderes. And the fact that I am paying attention is something the yanderes will take pride in, even ecstatic. Knowing me being interested in them that way, they will most definitely try to find a way so we can have some alone time for some action. After everything is said and done, I will be found cheating and killed by either Rachel or Laura.

    For that reason, I am out.

    The more they fall in love, the greater my chance of dying a horrific death.

    I do NOT want to be like Han.

    No, sir.

    Not when TWO of them, I repeat, TWO of them are infatuated with me right now.

    Not to mention Kurokawa, who went home for something. I am not trying to sound optimistic, but she seemed to be interested in me in some way as well. Since we left the vi, the girl with the bang was nowhere to be seen. I must say that not seeing the bookworm is a little disappointing. Without her, the trio will not beplete.

    Argh!!!!

    What the heck is going on with me?! Why am I thinking like this?!? Those kinds of thoughts will lead to certain doom!!

    C! You are clearly getting the girls way too much into your head!

    *Suuuuhaaaaa*

    *Suuuuuuuuuuuhaaaaaaaaaaa*

    Taking a deep breath, I continue forward to school.

    "No more weird thoughts. No more weird thoughts." To keep my mind busy, I mumble a mantra and hope it would work.

    Anyway, that concludes the first time ever I yawn. It feels kind of weird having no control over your mouth and your body no matter how short it can be. Even when I try my best to suppress the urge to yawn, I still can not make a difference.

    Biology is weird.

    Physiology is weird.

 Chapter 56

    "Hey, C?" Still hugging my arm close to her chest, Rachel calls my name. At the same time, Laura nces over curiously.

    "Yeah?"

    Smiling brightly, the blond-haired girl shows me a huge box covered in a yellow piece of fabric. That box has a cubic shape, and each side is probably about fifteen inches. At first nce, it seems like a lunch box. I remember seeing Laura making food this morning while humming a happy tune.

    That thing is by no means small. Of course, Rachel''s strength is ridiculous, so she can hold on to something big like that with only one hand. If it were me, I would have to lift that box with both and still feel heavy. How she even moves so lightly while holding onto it is beyond me.

    But I should still ask to carry that thing for her. It is simply the right thing to do.

    This is only out of courtesy, I swear on my sentience! There is not a single sliver of hidden ulterior motives behind it.

    Not even because of that kiss Rachel gave me that night! I was not moved or shocked out of this world or anything.

    I think...

    "That looks heavy. Why don''t you let me help you with it?"

    Rachel''s face beams up after hearing those words. Actually, she has been looking happy since when she turned toward me. "No need. Even though I look like this, I''m actually pretty strong."

    On the other side, Laura stares at blondy. For some reason, the ss rep sounds exceptionally chilling. "She''s right, C. Just let her carry it."

    But when she turns back to me, everything is normal again. "And also, if you have to carry that thing, you won''t pay much attention to other things such as your surroundings. I don''t want you to trip and fall."

    The ss rep is correct. No matter how much I want to give Rachel some assistance, as long as they both keep clinging onto my arms, I can not really hold anything else in my arms.

    "We would be sad if that were to happen! I don''t know how far I''d go seeing you hurt." Rachel ims.

    "Oh? Is that so?"

    To be honest, I do not know how to respond to that. It still feels weird to have Rachel by my side rather than seeing her on Han''s side.

    Speaking of Han, he has been walking with bewildered eyes all this time.

    "Some people just don''t get that they are nothing but a nuisance." The ss rep sighs. "Rachel, for thest time, C is my boyfriend. I can take care of him on my own. Please stop hugging my boyfriend. Thank you very much!"

    Rachel smiles at the ss rep and turns back to me.

    "C does not mind having two people by his side, does he?" My arm on her side can feel a nudge by two gentle friends in front of Rachel''s chest.

    "I do."

    I do not.

    "My dear, lying is no good. I know you have a big heart that can house all of us." Rachel''s head is now leaning on my arm all happily. She even snuggles up closer to my chest.

    How the freak am I so bad at lying?

    Looking at blondy being all cuddly, in Laura''s chocte eyes, fiery anger can be seen. Rising from her deep dark pupils of her is unequal and unfathomable rage. In addition, there is a sudden change in the aura covering her body, making the air around me feel hot at once. Even Han walking further away is affected and making a weird face.

    Mommy, I think I am going to die today. Thanks for all the good things that have happened until now. Most importantly, please let the girls achieve their final happiness when I am gone. They all deserve that.

    Okay! I have said my prayers. Take me great Darkness!

    "Shameless."

    That is it?! No stabbing? No neck breaking?

    HALLELUYAH!!! I prefer living rather than dying any day!

    Contrary to my death wish, the ss representative only squeezes my hand tighter than before to make her presence known, probably out of jealousy. Even though she uses more strength than before, Laura''s grip does not cause me any pain. On the other hand, I can actually understand why she does that. The ss rep is trying to tell me to pay attention to her in her own way.

    Damn, she is cute.

    "I hope you don''t feel too ufortable. I still remember seeing your frown because I used too much forcest time."

    The ss rep is so thoughtful...

    "It''s okay. I''m all good!"

    It feels like I am about to shed a tear thanks to her kindness.

    "Why don''t you snuggle up with C just like me?" Rachel sure likes to poke the bear.

    "Unlike a certain someone, my rtionship with C is based on emotions, not physical touch." This time, the ss rep does not even bother to look at her rival anymore.

    Wait?

    Why did I think of that rival word?

    ...Oh, shit!

    "Hehe. Don''t tell me you''re gonna have just tonic love for C. It''s not going to work, you know?"

    I am not yet ready for anything too intimate. Actually, I may die out of fear. However, what would happen if things were toe to that point? Spending the night with Rachel? With Laura? With...both of them?

    WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU THINKING, YOU HORNY MUTT!!??

    No, no, no, no, no!!! Stop fantasizing!!! You are going too fucking fast! Remember that you are no main character!

    The stimtion is frying my brain...

    "It will get physical when C is morefortable with me." Laura exins. "I don''t want to rush C into something he clearly doesn''t like."

    Thank you for that, Laura.

    "Anyway, putting that aside. C, We should have lunch together. I prepared a meal for all of us. You, me,...Kurokawa and even Laura."

    Rachel says the first part merrily, but thest part is almost a grunt. It is as if she considers that to be a chore.

    "If you did not want to make lunch for me, you could have just not done so, Rachel." The ss representative frowns her eyebrows. "I did not ask for it."

    I mean, I get the reason why she acts like that. Rachel still is a yandere and all. Heck, everyone is a yandere far as I know. Blondy does not want to care for anyone except for the one she holds dear in her heart. That is a cold hard fact. Especially when a third party, in this case, Laura, is on my other side.

    It has been a miracle seeing these two trying to maintain a bnce. I sincerely hope this canst until long into the future since that is something I do not wish to lose.

    "If you think I wanted to make something for you, you are dead wrong. The only reason you have a portion is that C could have given you his, and I don''t want him to share food with you."

    Blondy is right. I would have done it. But damn, Rachel is harsh with her words.

    At least she does not know Laura and her were supposed to be mortal enemies in the previous alterations. If she did, she would have been even more furious.

    "That''s great! One quick question, though. Where is the portion for Han, Rachel?"

    Poor guy lost his one and only childhood friend to a mob. I plead guilty on this one.

    "Yeah, I made one for him, too." Blondy nods.

    "You did!?" From another location, Han says. "Whoa!?"

    The tone of his voice confuses me a little. "Why do you sound surprised?"

    "I mean, Rachel was busy with everything, so I doubted there would be anything for me. I could not possibly ask her to make me something extra while she was already busy. It is her first time getting a boyfriend, so I don''t want to get in her way, you know."

    Where was this level of revtion when she was into you?! Or is this some kind of weird opinion from the third-person point of view? You will benefit a lot if you keep this up, Han Som.

    "But isn''t it normal for her to make you lunch?" I unconsciously ask him out of guilt.

    "It is. Although it is also about time I start living on my own. I can''t be relying on my childhood friend all the time, especially when she has gotten herself a good man." Han nods to himself. "Life is just going to get way harder from now on..."

    Man, now I feel bad for stealing these girls away from him. But everything is not in my control, so that is that. I can only help set him up for other girls in the future. Rachel, Laura, and possibly Kurokawa are already too much for a guy like me to handle.

    "C." He looks straight at me. And with a stern look, he says: "Take care of my precious childhood friend for me, will you? Rachel is like a family member to me. If you make her cry, I aming for your ass. Got it?"

    Please do not say it in such a misleading way.

    "Don''te for my ass. I''m not gay."

 Chapter 57

    After a long warm bath to mentally prepare, I am now making my way through Mother''s room. Seriously speaking, this is the one thing I dislike the most. Normally, I would not do such a thing as touching this space of hers, but today is not the same as usual. There is something that I desperately need to aplish fast.

    Inside Mother''s room, the putrid smell of garbage, alcohol, and cigarettes permeates the air no less than the smell of corpses during the gue. It has be so disgusting because every piece of filth here has been left alone and untouched for at least a few weeks. One smell is already bad enough to make one vomit, let alone a mixture of three different kinds of horrid smells in the same ce. If I did not know any better, I would have thought this room was some kind of garbage dump.

    Not one spot is clean under my feet. There are always cigarette buds or spilled drinks and food on the floor. In fact, walking through everything without touching them can be called an achievement on its own. Whenever I try to move, I will have to shuffle the garbage around before finding a stable ce to put my feet. In a way, I was swimming through a pool of filth. It is hard to believe anyone could live in such a condition.

    But no matter how disgusted I am, there are times that I need to face reality head-on.

    Mother''s room is the only ce in this house with a mirror. And a full-body mirror at that. Everything else has been either covered by me or broken and thrown out. There was no need to look at my reflection all the time. I am not my Mother. Once a year for a haircut may already be too much.

    But now, I need to see how different I am from the other girls. For what is yet toe, there needs to be a n. That n depends heavily on...him and how he looks at me. At this point, I have no doubt that C knows what is happening to me. Moreover, after so many trials, he should understand how I got all of them. However, even when C remembers all the defects on my body, I should still hide or make them as less visible as possible. Knowing about it is one thing, and him acknowledging it is another. Thest thing that I want to hear from him is a pity.

    Nothing Mother did to me would ever hurt me as much.

    As I make my way toward the mirror, both of my ears can hear the loud and thumping sounds of my heart. I can feel myself getting hotter in the chest, but strangely, my fingers are freezing. Except for the area in front of my chest, nothing is warm as it should be. Even my legs are refusing to move as if they are bound by shackles made of lead. If I had the chance, I would never get close to this ursed room.

    "Sigh..."

    Even when I tried to prepare beforehand, I could still not do this without feeling anything.

    "That mirror really is my bane..."

    It has always been ced over there, by Mother''s bed. The distance between me and that favorite thing of Mother''s is just a few steps far. But at this point, that seems further than a thousand miles. The longer I stay in this room, the more nervous I am. From the bottom of my heart, I know If I want to make it quick, I should try to calm down and get it over with. However, things are always easier said than done.

    C...please give me strength...

    If you ept a killer like Rachel, will you also do that to me?

    Looking at my reflection in the full-body mirror, I can confirm my feelings again. It is the same as before.

    I hate this body.

    I really do.

    There really is no doubt about that.

    My eyes can see very clearly the reflection in that mirror. Unlike Rachel and Laura, who have unblemished white skin that they can be proud of showing to him, mine has imperfections and bruises everywhere. Some scars were made by cigarettes, some by bottles smashed into my flesh, some by scratches, and some I do not recall how I got them. They must have been there since I was a child and grew up with me. As for the bruises, they formed from punches and ps. All over my skin, patches of purple and blue are never a rare scene. Usually, new ones will form before old ones can heal. And why I have so many scars is I never got to be checked in the hospital.

    Mother had to hide her masterpiece, of course.

    I know I have a good figure. My breasts are firm and voluptuous, and my lower body is what people would describe as th. The system must have created it that way so that I can appeal to the audience much better. What is there to like if I had scars and an ugly figure at once? Such a game would not sell in a million years.

    Sadly, all those little good things would be made trivial by the horrendous scar I have to hide with my hair. The...thing is as big as my hand! It is discolored, disfigured, and disliked! While the rest of my face is a pinkish white, that thing is covered with the color of burnt flesh. Whenever I tried to smile orugh, the veins underneath the scar would twitch like a blood-sucking parasite. Some heal and fade after a long time, but this one does not. In fact, it has only gotten more morbid throughout the years.

    C never talked about what I hid behind my hair. I think he respected my privacy. And for that, I am grateful. But the fact that he knew about this hideous thing thatpletely destroyed the top half of my face makes me want to rip my face off. The only way to make it unknown was to grow my bang so long that it covered everything.

    Be it created by the system or not, the hatred I harbor for my existence is undoubtedly vast beyond anyone''s understanding. In fact, the realization that this world is fake and fabricated has made it even worse for me to feel anything uplifting about myself. I thought that with the knowledge of everything being a bunch of codes and drawings, I would have a better view of myself.

    Just like what happened in C''s world, I made another mistake.

    "I keep on making the wrong guess..."

    Because I do not feel better after that at all.

    Everything that happened until this moment, the objects thrown at me, the words people have used to scar my soul, was all just for a show. What I had to endure did not bring me any kind of fulfillment or lessons so that I could make myself a better person. No. All those things I have in my memories were put in there, so I could be a meaningful character of one disgusting world.

    A heroine.

    The reason for my suffering was probably theck of depth in my character. This world needed me to feel all of what I did.

    To build up the character''s specialization, Rachel was neglected for a long time while having an unrequited love. Despite her upright nature, Laura was almost raped to death by a bunch of bullies. Using that kind of logic, a normal Kurokawa would not be enough for the theme of this game. For the game to be famous, its heroine needed to be unique in a way or two. The character called Kurokawa had to be put down, stomped on, and humiliated to create what I assume to be traits.

    Until now, every girl has had circumstances that create triggers for them to graduate as a yandere. The author probably thought a yandere had to be born out of despair and distress. They are probably correct.

    In short, my misery was created to give others a sense of amusement. They canugh at it out of cringe, or they can cry because of it out of sympathy, but I was put on disy. Do I take pride in that? Not at all. I have no need to have my life controlled and ridiculed like that.

    Yesterday, when I was trying to change something, I did not have the time to think about myself. The result of that was the freedom that Rachel received. And judging by her attitude after her kiss, I guess she got something invaluable that changed herpletely. What I did was right. And it came from my own volition, not because of the system controlling me.

    It turned out that being able to do something out of my own free will was a kind of overwhelming joy I was never allowed to have. I felt...free. But now, when I am all alone with no voices other than my own, the truth hits me harder than Mother did. C is not here. I will not be able to hear his warm, caring, and sometimes hrious thoughts anymore.

    The only person that may understand my feelings is C. We are souls sharing the same fate. C and I are bound by the harsh reality this world has created to match our personalities. He has suffered so much that I could see myself in him.

    Unlike me, who has a physical scar, C''s mental scars are uncountable.

    Only C will understand me.

    If so, do I really need Mother?

 Chapter 58

    I am an only child.

    No, let me rephrase that. There are only two people in our family. If you can call it a family, that is. I think it should be clear there is no one I can call my siblings. And, of course, no father as well. The furthest point my memories can go back to has never had a father figure present. All this time, this family has always been keeping the number to the bare minimum, mother and me. Even though she never tells me anything, I believe somewhere out there, one of Mother''s clients is my father. At least, that is what I can deduce from the information I gathered from looking at her. As for siblings, I do understand why she does not want to get me a brother or a sister. In fact, I would not wish for anyone else to live here under the same circumstances.

    Nevertheless, that seems to be my set-up created by this world. Now, to make everything simple for my mind, initially, I should put aside the aspects of everything being fake. The memories of Mother are what created who I am right now, and that is factual. No matter how much I want to deny it, she is at home every night. I will have to cook for her, clean up the mess she creates, and do whatever she tells me. Unlike Han and Rachel''s families, who will never show up, Mother lives here. She will have her voice heard by any means possible. Mother is not a mere description amongst many of the game or a shadow person but a real, living being. The ck bags full of trash, the empty bottles of alcohol rolling on the floor, and the pain I get from disobeying Mother is all the evidence I need.

    Even when I know this world is made from a bunch of codes and my suffering was for naught, the scars I have on my body are still apparent and throb every time the weather changes a little. It matters not if they are real or fake since they are here to stay for the rest of my life. Whether or not I like them, I have to ept that truth.

    s, I have gotten limated to my situation. Time is indeed a remedy for any kind of illness and disability.

    "Ugh!" But strangely, my mouth lets out a revolted sound. I guess this body is still something even the most destructive power of all creation can not correct.

    Eyes quickly turn away to look at the door to Mother''s room. No longer do I want to look at this broken body anymore. If I could, I would smash that mirror to pieces and destroy the tattered reflection of mine. Sadly, doing that will make Mother tremendously angry. When she is furious, well, things happen.

    The author of this game has been so thoughtful of their audience. Their characters are not loved because we are a bunch of tools. No. Rather than giving me a basic and generic back story like how Han could save me from an amateur pick-up artist, they gave me all of this...thing to look at. We could have had a cliche situation where I saw Han saving a kitty and fell in love with him. Or I could have seen Han walking an olddy across the street and thought he was a kind person.

    But those were too mainstream for the developers. Too...normal without an impact.

    They need to make me three-dimensional.

    They need to make me quirky and characteristic. There needs to be a way so that people can distinguish me from all the other characters like Rachel and Laura.

    They can go eat crap for all I care.

    "I need to get out of this ce." Disgusted by my existence and the pungent smell inside the room, I make my way back upstairs to my room.

    "School is about to start, after all. He must be waiting for me toe back."

    As I drag my feet through the various rubbish on the floor, my head wanders off to his side. The image of that faceless person slowly appears within my imagination, and I smile, knowing he still lives. Even more so, he must be thinking of many weird things about the game and us.

    Yeah...us... We problematic few...

    In my imagination, I can see two other girls by his side, too.

    One is a blond girl with aquamarine eyes as beautiful as gems, and the other is a brte girl with chocte eyes as warm as the evesting hearth.

    Rachel suffered with her love for Han, so she became violent. She had never been epted by her childhood sweetheart, no matter what she did. C helped that blond girl break the chains by giving her his hand, so she imprinted on him instead. Someone like C, who would never be able to hide his emotions, is a much better target for someone as insecure as Rachel.

    The ss rep is a little odd but still understandable. Laura was raped in the past by the school bullies and was saved by Han. Before that, I think she had a simple life with her family? But she had sex with Han regardless. In the end, that led to Rachel killing her out of jealousy. Even though the current Laura has not had any trauma, she must have been brought into the memory world and was shown the event with her own eyes. If I were in her shoes, I would also have been devastated by circumstances beyond my control. By being a couple with C, that fate is no longer imminent. Although I wonder if the ss rep and that childhood friend will fight again since they are now both in love with c.

    However,pared to my situation, those two have one more thing inmon.

    They can disregard their pain as fake. Everything they have had to take until now can all go bye-bye without care. With C on their side, that is enough. They have achieved their happiness already. No more events to worry about, no more Han. The two girls can simply enjoy their youth with C until the end.

    I do not have the same luxury since my misery was painted on me with my own flesh and blood. All the pain and the sorrow haunt me so much that I would not want to be in this world. Living here every day is worse than Hell. On top of that, these ugly scars on my body never forget to tell me how inferior I ampared to Rachel and Laura. Unless Mother no longer exists, there is no way for me to say nothing ever happened in actuality just because of the script.

    But they can.

    More than anything, I envy them.

    Their unblemished skins, unburdened freedom, unshackled fates, everything about them just seems so much better than what I have currently. They canugh, they can cry, they can be beautiful.

    They can be their true selves.

    At the least, they do not have to hide their faces. C could just look at it andpliments them, albeit in his heart only.

    I have not heard a good thinging from C''s thoughts regarding my appearance. Yet perhaps, that is for the best. It is better for me to not hear anything than to listen to his description of my scars. Although, at this rate, I think he will not do that. C is a considerate person, after all.

    In the past, C considered his love a sin. Then what about my envy currently? Is it a crime? Something worse, even?

    Water ising from my eyes down to my cheeks, but I pay them no attention. It is not abnormal for me to do such a thing.

    The more I think, the heavier my heart bes. I do not know what I should do anymore. Without a doubt, I will not let my life be controlled and ridiculed by an invisible system. But what is waiting for me ahead? What event is ncing around the corner, waiting to give Han the chance to swoop in and be the hero to conquer my worn-out heart?

    Is C going to save me? Or is he going to let Han do it?

    "I want you to do it." My mind thinks of only one person.

    Funny guy, he is. Without a face, he somehow still feels charming. I have read many books, but the prince is supposed to be someone who looks good. Not only that, prince Charming should talk like a gentleman.

    My prince does not even have eyes to see. He talks crudely and makes jokes about silly things. He does note from royalty. Not at all. In fact, he does not have a ce of his own. I have not been there, but in his words, it is made of lines and scribbles.

    Most importantly, he makes meugh. What more can I ask for?

    "Where did you gost night?"

    Sadly, there is one thing even grander than the event about to happen to me.

    She will be here whether I like it or not. After breaking out of the event, she will still control every aspect of my life.

    Mother.

 Chapter 59

    This morning, all of the shadow figures are more detailed.

    By saying that, I do not mean they are just more this and more that. No, no, no. Rather than just being a blob of darkness that vaguely resembles a human shape, these things now have arms and legs. Incredible, I know. I am still astounded by the changes. Still, unlike any of the characters, these shadows do not swing their arms while walking. Instead, they are just like cut-out pieces of cardboard that can move.

    I would say they look very close to shooting targets that can move. Or better yet,gging characters.

    It looks creepy and hrious all at once, maybe leaning a little toward the horrific side for those unfamiliar with them, though...

    On top of that, I believe the number of shadow figures is now more than before. Especially out on the streets, there are definitely more shadow figures walking around today.

    Anyway, I do not know if they will be developed into full-fledged humans or characters at this rate. That seems unlikely, to be honest. The system does not have enough power to generate such a situation. It does not even have enough RAM for me to keep my memories when walking far away from Han. If so, how is it able to generate new sidekicks?

    Unless, of course, the game is getting more attention, and the author is getting donations from god knows where. But I highly doubt that. No one would give up their money to purchase this abomination of a game.

    Because of everything, I have been keeping my...face...out for any new changes in this world. It makes perfect sense, no? This eroge game is rapidly changing at an rming rate. And I should be making mental notes as detailed as possible since the changes may make or break what I currently have. Rather than waiting until something weird happens, I would feel morefortable seeking them out. Being more active will give me more time to solve if a situation goes for the worst, simr to what happened to Rachel yesterday.

    Maybe this makes absolutely no sense at all, but something told me I would regret it until the end of time if I did not run up the stairs to meet Rachel.

    Weird...so weird...

    Anyway, right now, thest thing I want to do is to ruin this run. It may not be a canon iteration, but it is the only one that has given me hope. In addition, if the game is really being updated, there ought to be more events that I did not know of. Maybe a new heroine I have never seen may show up. Who knows for sure? Therefore, I need to be extra vignt.

    "Oi! Han!" ssmates A and B are waiting for the main character at the school gate, just like in the past.

    Back then, they were supposed to be here toment on Rachel and Han finally being a real couple. Knowing how much of a psycho Rachel is, A and B probably had an idea of what was toe.

    However, things are not what they believe. The one Rachel is clinging to has been switched from Han to me. I wonder what they are going to say.

    "Hey A! Hey B!" The protagonist waves at the two guys.

    "How wasst night? Did you really cook for Rachel?" ssmate A enthusiastically asks. He then walks closer to Han and whispers. "Care to tell a brother what you did after that?"

    After hearing such a thing, the corners of Rachel''s eyes twitch while Laura amusingly smiles. Even the grip of blondy on my arm is slightly stronger than before.

    No matter the times I have seen this scene, I still do not know where he found such courage. The guy is picking a fight with Rachel as if he got excellent insurance.

    Well, I sure hope that insurance of his covers acts of stupidity.

    *Ban*

    Immediately after A''s questions, B smacks him on the head.

    "Ack! Hey! What did I do?!" The guy screams.

    But instead of answering the question, B returns it back. "What did YOU do!?"

    Scratching his head, A says: "...I''m just curious..."

    "Sorry Rachel, sorry Han! This guy knows nothing of what he is trying to say." Student B bows in front of blondy and turns back at student A. "Apologize to them for being rude!"

    As the atmosphere slowly goes down around him, A''s face turns pale like paper.

    Han shakes his head. "Don''t worry, it''s fine with me. You just need to say it to Rachel."

    "Ra-Rachel?" ssmate A stutters.

    Rachel looks at him closely and sighs. "It''s fine..."

    "Phew! I thought I was about to..." ssmate A breathes out in relief.

    *Ban*

    "Ah! That hurts! Fuck! Stop hitting me!" A turns toward B while cing a hand on his head. His voice sounds a bit annoyed.

    B raises his arm once more, threatening his friend. "Dumbass!! Rachel''s not finished!"

    "Oh... A thousand apologies..."

    Right around the corner, Han looks away. He seems unable to stand looking at this scene. Well, his friend is making a fool of themself, so that much is...

    "Pft!"

    Wait...is heughing? A and B are looking at him now. I can sense a murderous intenting out from them. Seriously, pal, try to hide your snickers better next time! They will probably not cut your ass, but you will not have a good time around them like this.

    "Ahem!" Rachel clears her throat. Right after, everyone turns to look at her. "As you can see, nothing is going on between Han and me. We are just childhood friends."

    "Really?" A asks. There is disbelief in his voice. "But you have been with each other for so long?"

    And on his side, B also joins in. "Pardon my rudeness, Rachel. But I would like to ask the same thing."

    Blondy looks at me with her aquamarine eyes. "That''s the truth. Han and I are friends. No more, no less. I hold no special feelings for him, and Han holds no special feelings for me. Currently, I have someone else on my mind."

    How she talks makes me feel like she is trying to exin that to me. I mean, I understand her target has been switched by how she acts. But hearing her saying that kind of makes me feel reassured somehow. It feels warm, like how the ss rep paid attention to me.

    "Right now, my heart belongs to C! I am going out with him with the intention of marriage!" And as if things are not chaotic enough, Rachel drops another nuclear bomb.

    ""WHAT!?""

    Abination of four whats pierces the sky into the stratosphere. That loud scream is created by four people. Those are Laura, A, B, and C.

    Lady, I am d you think of me like that, but when did we start going out together? I am doing that with the ss rep already! Plus, you know perfectly clear that fact! Are you trying to get me killed?! I can feel Laura''s body heat increasing on the other side! Do you see the intense reing out from those amber eyes?! Take it back quick, or we will see a blood bath!

    "Laura, I swear I do not know a thing." Not wasting a single second, I try my best to salvage my life.

    Laura nods at my exnation and directs her eyes at Rachel with haste. I can still feel the chill on my spine, although I am not the target. "Don''t worry, C. I understand. It''s just this woman who is being obnoxious!"

    That was ridiculously easy. Hot damn! I thought I had to start begging or something. Han did that in the past but was still ground into meat patties. Howe they are so understanding? Where did they get such trust in me?

    Because Han certainly did not have that.

    "I thought Rachel clinging onto C was because of his weakness or something... After all, even the ss rep was hugging him like that!" A ps his forehead.

    B stares at us in awe. "I had the same thoughts... Even though it was odd, I thought C didn''t have breakfast, so he fainted on the road. The girls had to carry him..."

    Trying to hold back hisughter, Han walks forward to his friends.

    "Come on, guys. Time to head to ss!"

    Still unable to believe the circumstances in front of him, A mumbles to himself. "So the childhood friend doesn''t win at all?"

    "I-I guess not..." B sounds unsure.

    "But it was so obvious..."

    "I know..."

    After a few seconds...

    "Hey Han!" A calls out to the protagonist.

    "Hm?"

    "Remember my sister?"

 Chapter 60

    "Your sister? I do remember her. Why are you asking? If I''m not mistaken, it''s been a while since thest time I saw her." A little further ahead, Han Som does not seem to understand why A brought his sister up, as there is a clear look of confusion on his handsome face, but I do.

    The reason for A to speak up like that is simple. First and foremost, he loves his sister a lot.

    And by that, I mean he loves her In-A-Normal-Way, you perverts!

    Jeez... Even though I can not see or hear you, I know some of you just expected something disgusting just now. Yuck!

    Then again, those that can hear these words or are currently reading them are probably too twisted for anything normal... I me the author for creating this wretched, perverted world that attracts all of you...

    Anyway, the past iterations showed the sister''s obsession with Han already. That was her setting. In the past, Rachel was the clingy and stabby yandere, Kurokawa was the closet pervert yandere, and A''s sister was the worshiping yandere. As for the ss representative, since she did not survive that long, she was not given such a setting. Still, if Laura were a yandere, the ss rep would steer toward Rachel''s spectrum more. After all, she was always serious about everything.

    ssmate A''s sister worshipped her love like he was some god. She had a shrine for Han hidden away inside her room and would pray to it every day. If I remember correctly, some of Han''s personal belongings, plus a picture of his face, were ced on silver-ted dishes. Those items included a flock of hair, a toothbrush, and a torn piece of his underwear. She salvaged those items by rummaging through his garbage when Rachel was not paying attention.

    And the final reason, also the one I do not have any concrete evidence of, is the blonde-haired girl on my left. ssmate A fears Rachel deeply. That is clear as night and day. He understands what she is capable of and will limit his sister to protect her life. In the past, he was murdered by his own sister because of fear for her life. And soon after, she would then be killed by Rachel for real. I told you this before, right? She stripped A''s sister, opened her abdomen, and used her intestines as a rope to hang her dead body on the sakura branch. However, now that she has stated that we were somehow together, there would finally be a chance for his sibling to achieve happiness.

    "Well, she has been thinking and talking about you a lot, so I wonder if you could spend some time with her. Please?" A exins while taking a nce at Rachel. His voice sounds a little tired. I bet he is still doubtful of Rachel''s sudden change.

    "Ah, okay! I do miss that cutedy. We can catch up and hang out with your sister together." Han agrees to ssmate A''s proposal without thinking about it as usual.

    Well, best of luck to you, my man. You are indeed there for a treat.

    The only problem I have with this proposal is A''s ce is not very close by, and I can not let my memories be erased by walking too far away from Han. On the other hand, since Rachel is already interested in me, there is no need to fear for A''s sister''s life anymore. I would rather not be there, to be honest. Rachel, Laura, and Kurokawa are already too much for me to handle. If A''s sister is somehow changed like the others, history will repeat itself, but with me instead of the main character.

    There is a gaming arcade nearby A''s house, though.

    Perhaps I should go there to wait while they are having fun? A date with the girls does not sound bad, though.

    "Thanks, Han." ssmate A pats Han on the back.

    "No worries! Let''s pick up the pace. I don''t want to bete for ss!"

    "Wait up!" B speeds up. "Are you really not...you know...together with Rachel?"

    A nods. "I still want to confirm it onest time. You have no idea how hard it is to believe in such a thing."

    "Man, you two need to trust me on this, okay? Rachel likes C. Don''t you see how she attaches herself to him?" Han points his fingers at me.

    "Then, what about the ss rep on his right? How do you exin that?" ssmate B then says the most important fact.

    "Well...you see...um... How should I put this? They are both with C..." Even Han does not seem to believe his own words.

    "Eh?!"

    "Eh?!"

    Yeah, that is the normal reaction. Even though I myself do not believe it, you guys must realize... It is indeed true.

    "Huh?! Are you trying to say that Rachel and C are dating?! While Laura and C are dating?!" ssmate A can hardly contain his shocked voice anymore.

    "Wait, that''s illegal...isn''t it?" B is also sharing the same kind of tone in his voice.

    Han sighs heavily. Yet his eyes filled with admiration betray his true feelings. "Impossible, yes. That''s why he is my Master."

    A and B both turn their faces at me. After a few seconds of thinking, they both shouted: "Master! Please teach us your ways!"

    Oh, for fuck sake... Not these guys, too... I am not opening a kindergarten, you know?

    "Ah?" My right arm feels a bit tighter. When I turn to that side, Laura already has her eyes on me. "What''s the matter?"

    "I just want to hug you tighter, that''s all!" She smiles softly.

    Aw! Such a sweet girl.

    "We still need to discuss Rachel, C."

    Ah, crap...

    The ss rep then turns to the blonde-haired girl on my other side.

    "I still do not recognize you as C''s girlfriend."

    "Laura, Laura, Laura, you poor, naive girl." Rachel shakes her head slowly. "Who says I need your permission?"

    "OOOOOH! CATFIGHT!" ssmate A pumps his fists into the air. As he turns slowly to look at his friends, hoping for some cheering, Han and B look at him funnily. "What?"

    No one says anything to him because they know what ising next.

    The atmosphere drops down instantly as two girls are now directing their chilling stares at him. It is already hard if there is one, but there are two.

    "EEEK!!! I''m sorry!!!"

    He quickly covers his face with his hands. I can see him shaking his legs.

    Rachel then puts on an innocent smile. "You should stay quiet for a while."

    Laura does not. "Be mindful of what you speak."

    "Yes, ma''ams!" A stands straight up. He even salutes her like a superior officer.

    "He never learns to keep his mouth shut, doesn''t he?" B tries his best to hold back waves ofughter.

    Han nods vigorously. "Ipletely agree."

    But then Laura interrupts them.

    "Leave! Now!"

    "EEEEK!" Without waiting for a second sentence, all three guys cowardly run away.

    Just like that, the scene is cleared. Such power, much authority, very wow...

    Luckily, I do not have to catch up with them to keep my memories from getting erased. The school is already right up ahead. Still, to make sure, I also walk faster.

    "Now that there is no redundancy, back to our topic." Laura clears her voice.

    "What did I tell you? Nothing to talk about." Rachel nonchntly responds.

    "What do you mean there''s nothing to talk about?"

    While they try to argue, I, as the goodest boi, decide to staypletely silent.

    Laura hugs my arm tighter. "C is MY boyfriend. You are NOT in a rtionship with him!"

    Hearing that, the blonde-haired girl brings her arm up. Although it is still intertwining mine, she can raise the index finger and moves it from side to side. "You are only half right. C is your boyfriend. That is undoubtedly the truth."

    "That''s not half-truth. Do not twist my words to your own liking!" The facial expression on Laura''s face is getting more annoyed than ever.

    "Sharing is caring. Don''t you agree, C?" Rachel looks at me with beautiful blue eyes, hoping for a positive reply.

    Being enveloped by two gorgeous women is a dream for men out there. However, I am not Han. I know that greed and lust will only lead to sadness and pain.

    "Personally, I do think like Laura." That is my reply. Laura is mywful girlfriend. "This might hurt you, but I apologize. We are not in a rtionship, Rachel."

    I have no idea what I should call my rtionship with Rachel. Letting her know is the best thing I can give her right now.

    "See!" Laura has a smug look.

    Contrary to my imagination, rather than being sad or depressed, Rachelughs it off like nothing.

    "We are. You don''t know it yet!"

    "It''s not how it works..."

    How does she keep on doing this?

    "You clearly do not understand how a rtionship works." Laura sternly says. "It''s sacred. It''s holy. Do not use your vile thinking to defile such a thing."

    Damn, the ss rep is mad...

    Smiling innocently, Rachel ignores Laura. "Oh, hey! Look over there, Kurokawa! She''s waiting for us!"

    A short distance away from us, Kurokawa is standing all on her own. Seeing using closer, she waves her hand to say hi. Sadly, I can not wave back as my hands are literally busy.

    Making our way toward her, I notice something is not quite right.

    Did she have bandages on her face like that before she left Han''s mansion?

 Chapter 61

    "Hey, morning, Kurokawa!" I call out to the bookworm. Although I want to wave back, with my arms totally upied, I can not.

    Honestly, I would tell Rachel and Laura to let me go for a second if I could, yet my coward instinct is telling me not to do so. I have a very unusual feeling which keeps warning me that letting them go is a terrible idea. I have had my ass saved by my sixth sense many times prior in the past. Therefore, I have no qualms about trusting it once more. Being extra careful always helps, even when Rachel is no longer stabby-stabby.

    In addition to my trusted sixth sense, I have learned not to believe in anything this world throws at me any longer. Who on earth would have thought the housewife would be on one arm of mine and the ss rep would be on the other one?

    You? Lies!

    Also! Yes, Rachel may be warm and cuddly right now. She is cute and fluffy, but who can be sure she will not turn into a berserker state out of nowhere?

    Not me! It has been only two days, for goodness'' sake. To keep myself and others from harm, I must not let her new side get too far inside my head.

    "Sorry, I can''t return the gesture." My head leans to the left and the right, signaling my difficult situation to Kurokawa. Rachel suddenly pushes my arm inside her chest, even more, making it impossible to draw out.

    With a faint smile, the bookworm says: "No worries, C. I understand your hardship."

    Such a thoughtful girl...

    "Hey, Kurokawa!" Blondy shouts merrily from my side. "How are you doing?"

    That is a little sudden, I am not going to lie. Rachel makes me feel like they are on good terms with each other, yet I can be sure she was not like this yesterday. In fact, Rachel was never fond of anyone sharing the same sex as hers. She always considered them to be a threat to her love. That exins why she tried to kill them all in the previous iterations. The housewife was very territorial in a way...

    Fortunately for me, or perhaps even for us, she does not seem to have that dark killer vibe to her aura right now. On the contrary, blondy is actually sending out a friendly atmosphere towards the bookworm without a doubt. After the weird eventst night, she seems like a different person. Some may consider her change of personality a bit too abrupt. However, to me, this brings the housewife more good than bad. Rachel never had a female friend due to her...previous tendencies. Having someone who can understand her is indeed a preferable oue. I would love to see Rachel start going out with her close friends, doing whatever she likes, and being a girl her age.

    Images and scenarios appear inside my head. In my vision, I see a Rachel being conscious about her weight, grabbing an ice cream or sweets, a Rachel that skips school to drink at the local coffee shop. A reality where the housewife canugh with her peers is something that I wholeheartedly wish to see.

    There is another thing that I notice. How Rachel talks and acts has changed as if she has known me for so long. Still, at this point, I am more curious about how she will interact with others rather than myself. The rest can wait.

    A little taken aback by Rachel''s attitude, the bookworm exins: "...So so, I guess."

    Is it just me, or is there a hint of sadness in Kurokawa''s voice? What happened? Does it have any corrtion to the new bandages on her face? Please do not be what I think it is...

    "Good morning, Kurokawa." The grip on one of my hands tightens as the ss rep coldly says her greetings.

    Hearing that, I nce at Laura and quickly notice her sending Kurokawa a nk stare. There is no usual shine inside her beautiful brown eyes. Instead, as if they are covered by a thin veil of darkness. Even the reflection of me standing next to her is nowhere to be seen. Quite scary, honestly...

    By the way, the way and the tone our ss rep just said hi was probably a little too formal. Judging by her attitude, I am starting to get the feeling that something horrible happened between this girl and the bookworm. If Rachel''s change is considered one to the more positive side of the spectrum, then Laura is the direct opposite.

    What else could be the cause of such a shift? Whispering that, my mind instantly goes back to what I saw when I was asleep in the kitchen, where Laura did something unspeakable to the rest of the group. The nightmare in which her frail body holding Rachel''s kitchen knife and the blood spilled on her is still fresh as new to me. And soon after, a shiver goes down my spine alongside goosebumps. Seeing Laura killing people was unfathomable to my feeble brain.

    Probably just overthinking certain things. s, what the ss rep said can only be interpreted as polite, and there is nothing wrong with a bit of formality.

    "Good morning, ss rep." The bookworm ignores Laura''s chilling gaze and replies with a nod.

    "Kurokawa, were you waiting for us?" We step forward, closing the distance.

    "Yes, I was."

    "For how long?" No matter day and age, we should not make people wait for us unless it is an unavoidable emergency. If the answeres up to twenty minutes or more, I will have to apologize.

    Kurokawa looks back at the school''s clock tower andes up with an answer: "Not very long. I''d say 10 minutes?"

    Phew! My conscience is safe! Though, 10 minutes is still not short.

    "I am d to see you, Kurokawa," says blondy.

    "I personally think she should have gotten to school sooner. There is no need to wait for us here since we will meet in ss anyway." Laura has a different opinion.

    Seeing that the two girls have a disagreement, I stay dead silent. For one, it is clear that they will sort it out themselves. Plus, they all have their own point of view regarding this matter. Everyone has their own logic, and I should not impede on that. The bookworm and Rachel could have wanted toe to ss with us as friends, while Laura could have looked for peace and quiet with me. After all, there has been almost no moment that the ss rep could spend time with me as a couple. As for me, well, my thought is she should not be here since Han has already left for ss. But of course, my opinion does not matter in the slightest now. It has never mattered back in the past with the plot. Now, with the storyline in the state of constantly changing, I can forget about it.

    "...I forgot, but were your wounds fromst night healed already?" It looks like Kurokawa''s arm is still covered by bandages from whatever freaky ident. "Do they still hurt?"

    "They are fine." The bookworm brushes away my concern.

    Sounds like they are not. From the amount of blood I saw on the floorst night, the wounds should not be taken lightly.

    "Are you sure?" I ask again, not willing to let it go.

    "I told you, they are fine. You don''t need to worry about them anymore." Kurokawa waves off my concerns. To make it even more believable, she pushes onto her arm with the other hand without flinching. "See? I''m all good! No pain whatsoever!"

    Hmm... I am not convinced. Although she presses the bandages with force, anyone could have been fooled by Kurokawa''s actions except for me. I know how her pain tolerance is due to all she has been through. The bookworm is not just a masochist because of some basic third-grade plot. On second thought, I wish she had that kind of fetish because of those. Sadly, her hidden personality has a root that has grown for many years without support. If she truly believes that, she does not need to tell me. Either she does not want me to bother her anymore, or she is trying to hide. No matter what the truth is, I should respect her thoughts. It is simply the right thing to do. Further questioning will only lead to a moreplicated situation.

    "If you say so..."

    The three of us walk towards the ssroom, with me being the center. I feel somewhat awkward being in the middle of the three like this. Under the spotlight has never been my ce.

    "R-Rachel! I l-like you! No! I LOVE YOU! PLEASE BE MY GIRLFRIEND!!" A male voice shouts from behind all of us.

    Oh shit, I forgot about this event...

 Chapter 62

    "Ever since the first day Iid my eyes on you, I have been unable to look at any other girls. P-please, Rachel! Please let me make you the happiest woman in this school! N-no! THE HAPPIEST WOMAN IN THIS WORLD!!" As loud as he can, a desperate male student confesses his feelings out of nowhere. Even though he clearly sounds nervous, stuttering over his sentences, the owner of that voice still manages to finish what he has in mind.

    In a way, he is much better than Han. At least he can express his feelings without being scared of the oue. As for Han Som the Handsome...

    Well...

    Let us not talk about the protagonist behind his back like this. Just know that the amount of hope I have for Han is...um...limited.

    But thanks to the male student, every shadow person gathers around us, forming a big circle out of nowhere. The usual unintelligible noise settles down, leaving everything to that particr student. I have a feeling there is an invisible spotlight shining down on him.

    The girls, especially blondy, may not know who that person is. I most certainly do. It is, without a doubt, the school bully who has a crush on Rachel.

    Do you still remember Laura''s tragic death? If you do not, let me help remind you about what happened in that event.

    See, it is clear Rachel murdered Laura. Blondy was the ending to Laura''s appearance in the main storyline. No matter how hard I tried to keep her from harm, the results were...undesirable, to say the least. Not to mention, I even made it worse by intervening, which was why I kept myself from going overboard.

    Anyhow, there is no doubt that was how our ss rep died. However, if not for this guy right here, Laura would have never gotten the chance to be saved by Han. And without such a catalyst, the ss rep would not have...offered her body to the main character as a reward. The school bully was the one who caused everything. He loved Rachel but did not have the guts to confess when she was still avable. However, once everything was said and done between blondy and Han, he regretted his decision and tried to make things right.

    I mean, that was technically not a bad thing. Being persistent is always good, no matter what you are trying to do. But the school bully did not see the red gs in his actions.

    Even now, when the plot has deviated far away from the original storyline, he is still as clueless.

    Firstly, it is Rachel. THE Rachel we are talking about.

    What harm could it be, right?

    "Piss off." As she turns and looks back at him, Rachel says so with a wild smile. "Or else."

    *Guuuu*

    Shivers me timbers!

    See?! What did I say?

    "I...uh..."

    Bro, stop, drop, and roll! Wait... That is a wrong sequence...

    Do not try to talk back. Rachel is clearly not interested. Hear me out: save yourself, walk away for your own safety.

    An intelligent man would back off at this point. The school bully, frankly, is not such a type of gentleman as me. And that brings me to our second point.

    He has no idea when to take a step back.

    "Please! Rachel! You are the only one in this world for me!" The school bully yells, clearly ignoring blondy''s darkening facial expressions.

    "Shut your mouth!" Her ice-cold voice is filled with annoyance.

    Truthfully, I do not need to worry about the bully''s situation since I can not ever forgive what he did. Maybe I am a hypocrite, yet he can eat crap for all I care.

    "Don''t get involved with him." I hastily tell Rachel and Laura.

    If I could, I would tell them what would happen if we kept interacting with this guy. Sadly, they would look at me with worried eyes and bring me to the hospital after hearing my story.

    It makes sense, though. Who on earth would believe in such a story? Unless they knew about it already, blondy and the ss rep would only put their hands on my forehead to check if I had a fever.

    "Got it, C!" Laura nods slightly. Now that I am ncing over her side, she does not seem to care what is happening behind us. The ss rep''s face is a little scary, though. I wonder why...

    Phew, I thought she was about to stand in between Rachel and the school bully. This is good. At least there will be no confrontation, and she will not get into danger.

    "C, Can I get involved with you instead?" My arm sinks deeper into the valley of softness.

    "Rachel!" The ss rep says so with anger. Coincidentally, on Laura''s side, I can feel her even more. "Stop trying to steal him!"

    ...I am not hearing anything. I am not seeing anything...

    As you should all know by now, the girls are more important. In addition, with this current situation, the person I am more worried about is actually blondy. At her core, I guess Rachel is still a yandere. And although her target has been switched from Han to me, she still has that nature within her heart.

    "Without you, I''m like a fish out of water!" The bully continues his cries.

    "Then suffocate." Rachel bluntly says. The air around her is getting worse by the second.

    "I-I''m hopeless without...!"

    Rachel cuts him off instantly: "Then kill yourself."

    Take the hint already! God!

    As he keeps begging, I am afraid of blondy suddenly attacking him out of nowhere. If Rachel kills him in the middle of the crowd, her school life will definitely end. More importantly, deep inside, I do not want to see her hurt by anything or anyone. It is a weird feeling considering what happened between us two in the previous runs. One would expect me to be full of hatred toward that blond-haired girl. On the contrary, when I saw her crying alone, I felt like my heart was torn.

    Although I know blondy has inhuman strength, that does not mean she can not get hurt. She even got stabbed by me countless times when I tried to save Laura from her. Rachel is by no means invincible. She is actually more fragile than anyone would think.

    Maybe I am overthinking this. In the past, Rachel tried to hide her violent tendencies when Han was around. Except when he cheated on her, of course. Since I am a surrogate for the protagonist, I hope blondy does the same for me.

    "I''m sorry..." The school bully quickly bows down. "It seems that I am toote."

    "Let''s go, C. Our precious time will be wasted here." Rachel turns her back to him.

    Laura silently walks forward. As for Kurokawa, she is already ahead of us.

    "But can you at least tell me why you chose him?"

    Hey, hey, hey! No personal attack!

    Yet before I can say anything, someone has already taken the first step.

    "What do you mean why she chose him?" That is Laura''s voice.

    The school bully nces at Laura and then back at me.

    "I see nothing gooding out of that guy." A finger points straight at my featureless face. "Scrawny, ugly, boring. Hecks only a pair of sses to be a true king of the nerds. Why are you two finedies hanging out with such a thing?"

    Ouch! My feelings...

    The dude knows how to hit me where it hurts the most. Since the beginning, I already get that my existence does not belong in this group. I mean,e on, a faceless guy hanging out with the main characters? If something like that does happen, it is no longer an eroge but a full-fledged hentai.

    Suddenly, Laura lets my arm go.

    "Excuse me for a second." Saying so, she quickly walks back to the bully. Her whole atmosphere changes from apathy to that immense rage in a fraction of a second.

    "Eh?" A surprised sound escapes my throat.

    "Sorry, C. But I need to take care of something." Almost at the exact moment, Rachel moves. She even cracks her fingers on the way.

    "You, too?"

    From the dark looks on their faces, they seem to be furious. Is it because the bully was bad-mouthing me?

    "Girls! Girls!" I call out to the two, desperately trying to hold them back. "I''m fine! His insults mean nothing."

    It feels weird being the mediator in this type of situation. Usually, thedies would be doing this thing, no?

    "It is not fine, C." Kurokawa''s voice appears next to me. "He did something he should not have done."

    After saying that, the bookworm joins Rachel and Laura with haste.

    Now, facing the bully is not one, but three people.

    "Take it back." The ss rep orders. Her voice is totally nk and void of any emotion.

    Sitting at the highest position of the school, obviously, ol'' bully here will notply so easily. "Take what back?"

    "Don''t y dumb, asshole. You will swallow your words and apologize to C, or I will make you swallow your tongue instead." Blondy gives no room for negotiation.

    "There are things you shouldn''t do. I could not care less if you wanted to approach Rachel. She is attractive, for sure. But what you said about C was simply uneptable." Even though she is covered in bandages, Kurokawa still stands straight without fear. The bookworm makes me feel like she is the one giving it, to be honest.

    "Heh!" The bully scoffs. "It is rare to see so many first-ss beauties at once. Before we begin anything, can I ask for your names? Rachel does not need to tell me. I already know hers by heart."

    "I do not n for you to get to know me. What you should know is that C is my boyfriend." Laura stresses every word in her sentences.

    "The same goes for me. Although I care about C, I am but an acquaintance."

    Is it just me, or Kurokawa sounds a bit sad?

    "It does not matter who they are. Say sorry. Now!" Rachel grabs the cor of that bully.

    "Sorry, Rachel." He smiles.

    "Not to me, shit-for-brain! To him!" Rachel turns her head slightly in my direction.

    "Him? Alright, alright. He must be an important person to you."

    *Ptui*

    He spits on the ground.

    "Pussies like him are not even worth my attention."

    *SLAP!*

    His face turns to one side after a loud pping sound.

    "So are you." Laura chillingly exims.

 Chapter 63

    I never knew I could get this angry.

    As I stand before the bully, every fiber of my being is enveloped by a dark veil of pure hatred. In less than a second, from head to toe, I am drenched in an incredible amount of disgust. The closer I am to the school bully, the louder every cell in my body screams. They all want this abomination in front of my eyes to suffer for what it just said. Not just that, but his suffering and torture need to be slow so he can feel whatever is being done to him.

    The temperature in my body quickly rises to that of a volcano waiting for an eruption without any signs. Furthermore, as it keeps beating, my drum-like heartbeat is telling me to release that powerful anger unto that bully.

    Thankfully, my back is turned to C, so he is not seeing the contorted face that I am making. If he did, I do not know what he would do. Perhaps he would think to himself that I was sending deathly res to the enemy and be afraid of me. That would no doubt make my heart break apart.

    Truthfully, I want to hold back. In C''s thoughts, I am a well-educated person, awful good ss representative, if you may. I sincerely wish for him to keep thinking of me like that. Bitch-pping someone is definitely not something he believes I am capable of. And that is how it should have continued.

    Even when Rachel kissed C, I only felt a deep sense of jealousy and envy rather than the current wrath boiling inside my heart. I was his girlfriend, but somehow, she was able to snatch his first kiss away from me. Personally, I intended to take it slow. If I did kiss him on the first day of our meeting, C would have thought of me as a loose person. Funny and charismatic as he was, C was clearly not in the best condition for me to be so aggressive. Concerning Rachel, she was technically naked already. That girl had all the elements for her kiss to be logical. She screamed for his name, and he came to her aid, even when he was terrified of the oue. He was willing to sacrifice his life for her, so a kiss would be a good reward. It must have been that when C touched her, Rachel saw what he had done in order to save her and could not contain herself anymore. She might have stepped over the linest night, yet it was something logical, something C deserved.

    However, how she acted and C''s thoughts made me wonder what happened between the two in the past. Given a chance, I will get an answer from Rachel. C might have disregarded the apocalyptic world he saw. It is only natural for him to be that defensive after all the pain and grief he has been through. Therefore, it is my responsibility as his girlfriend to find out about his past and heal his broken heart. The reason he saw that apocalyptic world and Rachel''s role back then are two things that I need to make clear. Unless I want history to repeat itself, I must understand it first.

    However, right now, I have something more important to do. This...waste of natural resources needs to be dealt with. What the school bully just said was simply uneptable. No matter how much I want to contain myself, I can not ever let him get away with insulting my boyfriend. My heart refuses to allow any threat that can cause C any pain.

    "The fuck...?"

    Of course, someone with an IQ as high as a single digit like him would never be able to grasp what just happened to him. It is a miracle how he can breathe with such a sophisticated brain.

    [Did...did Laura p the school bully?? I mean... She was always straightforward, but this is a new different level of that...]

    Please...C, do not be disappointed in me...

    [That was a good p! I am not going to lie. And thatpliment is not because of me, though. A low-grade insulting from the school bully will never be able to hurt me. He should get that for all the crap he did to Laura in the past. Actually, I wish I could be doing that for her. Jolly good show, dear ss rep!!]

    [Wait! Wait! Shit! Now is not the time for admiration! That''s the bully we''re talking about! Merely stopping him from approaching Rachel, she was already facing a fate worse than death. That p might have made everything a whole lot worse!! What am I going to do? Should I kneel down and apologize in her stead?]

    A warm feeling suddenly rushes into my chest. Even when C is not doing anything, I can still feel the encouragement in his voice. And most importantly, out of everything, he cares more about me than anything else.

    How on earth is there a dreamy person like C? And oh, kind-hearted man, there is no need to care for my safety. He is not facing one, but three people.

    Looking to one side, I can see Kurokawa clenching her fists tightly. Through her bang, I can see a pair of fiery pupils bursting with raw anger. Nearby, Rachel''s emotionless eyes are creepily void of any light as she waits for her turn. Her current face is the opposite of what she has been showing C up to this point. It is simply menacing.

    "We''re s..." C steps forward, trying to stop themotion from growing more uncontroble.

    "C, sweetheart," Rachel turns back at C, cutting his sentence midway. Without a trace, her murderous stare turns back to the soft and cuddly face. "Let us help you with something, okay?"

    [But...but...your safety? He is the bully! He is going to hurt you!...I...um...what should I be doing?]

    "Just stand still, and we will bring you justice, okay?"

    "Okay..."

    [When they turn their backs on me, I will sneakily move over there and rush in if he dares throw anything at them.]

    The woman definitely has talents. I will give her that.

    "The fuck did you just do?!" The bully shouts. "Do you want to fucking die?!! Don''t think I won''t hit you because you''re a woman! I will do things much worse than hitting you, bitch!!" At the end of his sentence, the bully does not forget to eye me from head to toe like a sex object. All of his thoughts are clear as night and day already.

    "Apologize to my boyfriend. I will not say this for the third time." Ignoring his threats, I deliver my ultimatum coldly.

    The bully looks straight at me. His face turns red from all the anger and embarrassment he got. He must think how shameful it is for a big and masculine man who is the embodiment of a Greek god is being humiliated by someone like me. Especially when one side of his face is the mark of my hand.

    "No! Why would I do it?! Because you told me to?!"

    He keeps talking big, but he does not dare to use force. Possibly because Rachel is right there, and he does not want her to think badly of him. Maybe in his feeble mind, he believes if he can show Rachel how kind his heart is, he still has a chance. Unbeknownst to him, what C has is something he can never surpass.

    "What a pathetic piece of human garbage you are." I sigh heavily.

    "You whore! What did you say to me?!" He screams louder than ever.

    "I actually agree with the ss rep. You really are leeching on thend. Please do this world a favor and kill yourself. That will benefit us much more than what you are doing currently." Kurokawa joins me.

    "Fucking fuck!! Fuck!!" He points his finger at Kurokawa. "You goddamn shut your fucking whore hole up!!!"

    [Honestly, this is getting so repetitive that it is boring. Can we leave now?]

    "Is that everything that cane out of your mouth? How many obscenities have you used until now? Fuck, whore, bitch. That''s three, isn''t it?" Kurokawa clicks her tongue sadly like she pities the school bully. "Youck so many chromosomes that it is hard to create a coherent sentence with better words."

    [Okay! There is no time for a joke! The girls are literally poking a bear!! I need to intervene immediately!!]

    "F-f...! Kuh!!!" It is amazing how the color of one person can change this fast. Rage takes over with ease, and the bully raises his fist in the air, taking a stance to punch Kurokawa in the face.

    [Shit! Kurokawa is in danger!!]

    "Ah! Sorry! You don''tck chromosomes. My bad, my bad! Sometimes my mouth keeps running on autopilot, so I can not control myself very well." But rather than continuing her verbal attacks, the bookworm starts apologizing out of nowhere.

    Seeing a girl with bandages all over bowing her head slightly, the bully changes his attitude and lowers his arm.

    [Phew! An apology is a good start! At least that gives us a little room to wiggle. I do not want the bully to target Laura and Kurokawa because they are trying to protect me.]

    Rachel and I turn to look at Kurokawa, puzzled by her words. With her back-stabbing history, there is no way she is backing down on something this severe. I bet Kurokawa is trying to find another way to break her opponent even further. After all, she single-handedly changed the situationst night without anyone''s help except her own.

    [Okay, I only need to tiptoe closer to the girls quietly to make them unaware of my present. If pushes to shove, I will not hesitate to prostrate myself to ensure their safety. Yes, it is a simp move, but my dignity value drops significantly low when ced right next to these girls.]

    "Please, let me correct myself. You don''tck any chromosomes. It''s actually the reverse."

 Chapter 64: Serious poll (1/3)

Chapter 64: Serious poll (1/3)

    Choose VERY carefully.

    Rachel

    Kurokawa

    Laura

    There will be two more of these. You can choose more than one.

 Chapter 65

    Hrious! I can not even hold my voice anymore.

    [ Wha...what did Kurokawa... How did...? Why would she do such a thing?]

    C ispletely speechless. He can not think straight anymore after such a bombshell from Kurokawa. When I nce at him, my love is clearly stunned by the action of the bookworm. His reaction is totally understandable, to be honest.

    I do have to wonder if C knows how cute he is at this instance.

    And Kurokawa, now that is how you insult someone intellectually! After all, obscenities are only at the entry-level when ites to degrading someone.

    Making them question their IQ while simultaneously calling them a retard is, without a doubt, on a different ne. Besides, we are not on the same level as the bullies, so we will not be using their way of speech. That much is clear as night and day. There is no need for us to lower ourselves like that.

    I can say that Kurokawa has an astounding ability to use her words with utmost certainty. No matter the location or time, she can whip those out without any problem. It must be because of her job as the school''s librarian and her interest in books.

    Ever since she joined the conversation, Kurokawa has taken control of everything. How she attacked the bully''s intellect and underhandedly called him a retard has been a treat for me to see.

    C may have a different opinion, though. Not once or twice he talked about jumping in to help her while risking his own safety. Even though he, out of all people, understands perfectly clearly how strong my ability is, C still wants nothing to harm me.

    That is what I call chivalry.

    Kurokawa may fall a bit behind me when we consider raw strength alone. Still, her ability to make everyone feel mad is second to none. Yesterday, she double-crossed Laura and me without being found out until the end of everything. That should be an achievement on its own.

    I mean, I can understand the way she is trying to protect my love. Without special powers given by the system that governs everything, she had no choice but toe up with something else. And in this case, it is the ability to screw someone up using mere words only.

    Still, I find it a little bit dangerous. Reckless, even. There is nothing wrong with using words to fight. However, the drawback is that Kurokawa can only do this while I am around since only I can guarantee the bastard will not harm C or anyone else. If there were only C here with her, the bully would not hesitate to attack the two immediately.

    Unless...she has already taken me into her consideration.

    When I nce over her side, a gaze is also sent back. It seems my hunch is correct. She has already considered everything yet acts as if her actions are from the spur of the moment.

    What a sly fox! Even C is fooled by her deception!

    Nheless, it benefits my love. Therefore, I have no issue with her. I owe her at least that.

    "You bitch! What did you mean by that?!"

    The punk shouts at Kurokawa with a red face, looking like a tomato about to burst. But answering him is simply Kurokawa''s chilling smile.

    "Hm? Oh, sorry! My bad! Is it too difficult for you to understand?"

    "What the hell was that supposed to mean?! You bitch!"

    Oh, man, he really is pissed off.

    [ Okay, let me move over slowly like this. It is good that the girls are not noticing anything. If something happens, I will run headfirst into that bully and push him down to buy some time for them. Should I ask Rachel if she brought her knife with her? Hm. Maybe I should. Having a weapon on me is much better than charging in empty-handed. The drawback of asking that so bluntly is aplete denial from her. There is absolutely no way for Rachel to give me her knife. The blond-haired housewife never allowed Han to partake in a fight. That same situation can be applied since the target is me.]

    You are correct! Trust me! No need for that, C. Do not forget that I am here. Nothing will happen to our bookworm. Unless you want her to suffer, I will not let anything happen to Kurokawa.

    "It means you are a retard." Laura answers nonchntly. "How on earth are you even breathing with that brain?"

    "Pft!" That is it. I can no longer be calm and collected anymore. "Bwahahaha!"

    Upon seeing my reaction, the face of said bully is even more red, so much so that it is turning purple. The amount of rage, shame, and embarrassment in that body must be tremendous. Actually, based on the looks on his face, I think he is about to go nuts.

    *Whoosh*

    "GRAHH!"

    Instantly, while screaming like a lunatic, he swings his fist forward at Kurokawa with all his might. Her bang sways slightly from the air pressure, yet she shows no sign of fear. The bookworm stands her ground, unflinching as if waiting for something toe.

    "DIE!!!"

    [ Shit! The worse thing hase! Wait a second...Rachel? What is she doing?]

    In less than a second, my body moves in front of Kurokawa. One hand of mine grabs the flying fist before it can touch her. Already expecting me, the bookworm adjusts her body slightly to not collide with my body. At this point, there is no doubt that she has been nning for this to happen.

    With a tiny *pan*, the bully''s knuckles are stopped in its track within my palm. The impact is by no means small, yet it is nothing that I can not handle on my own.

    "Wha...what?! How are you able to block that?" It seems that the bully is bbergasted. I wonder if he thinks of me as someone feeble and delicate. Contrary to his reaction, Kurokawa is as calm as ever, and Laura does not seem to care a bit.

    [ Rachel saved Kurokawa... That is...a little unexpected. As a yandere, she should not be doing that. I would have to thank the gods if she did not try to hurt her or anything else for that matter...

    ...Then again, she has been willing to share a boyfriend with Laura...]

    Come on, silly C, you should look at the current me, not the past me. I am your Rachel, not this world''s Rachel.

    [ No! There is no way I should be thinking like that. I should judge her based on her present, not her past. My thoughts of Rachel based on what she did in other iterations alone are justzy and unfair. She has shown me more emotions and pain than she ever did! That is why respect is the least I can give her.]

    ...

    Aw!!!

    I can feel my heart flutter from his wholesome thoughts. If I did not know any better, I would say that I was transmitting my thoughts to him just like he has been doing to everyone. Thankfully, that is not the case. My love would instantly run away from me right when he found out what I wanted to do with him.

    Oh! The things that we can try!!

    C, dearest, I can not possibly love you any more than I currently do, dummy...

    Obviously, the school bully seems surprised. His face is still purple due to anger, but his mouth is widely opened because of my sudden appearance.

    "Guh! Kuh!" He tries his best to pull his arm back out. However, no matter how much he is forcing and shaking, it has no use. I can guarantee that.

    From behind me, C hurriedly asks: "Rachel! Are you alright?!"

    "Don''t worry, C. I''m unscathed." I look back at him with a smile.

    There is not a single thought behind his words. Besides being worried, he is not even thinking anymore. C is simply trying to look out for my safety.

    "Believe it or not, this guy is bad news! We should get on our way. School is about to start, after all. This small...discussion has taken too much of our time already." My darling exins.

    [ This may sound too much like a coward, but I have no idea how to handle the school bully. In the past, whenever I tried to kill him, the script would change so that he lived until the very end to decimate Laura and me. The role of being Laura''s savior was never meant for me but for Han. Now that their affection has been pushed toward me, I have no clue... Unlike Han, I have no plot armor! Let''s get away from this guy first, then I will try to find a wayter so that the girls are not involved in this mess.]

    It is okay, my love. Lucky for you, I am your plot armor! Remember to reward meter, okay?

    *Crack crack crack*

    "Gah!! R-Rachel, I didn''t mean to punch you!" I tighten my grip so hard that cracking sounds can be heard from the bully''s hand. However, before C can think about my action, I throw it back at the bully, pushing him back a few steps.

    I can break it if I want to. Still, right now is a bit early for C to remember my...protectiveness. At least, I n to do it whenever he is not present. My love should only know the best thing about me. Everything else can be hidden in the darkness for his ease of mind.

    Very quickly, the face of the bully turns pale, and cold sweats appear on his forehead. Although I did not break it, I figured some cracks in his bones would be a good starting lesson.

    "Sorry, Rachel! I was meant to hit this b-bitch right here. That girl behind you and the brown-haired one insulted me! Th-theyughed at me, you see. What are they to you?" The bully tries to appeal to me. It is utterly ridiculous how he still thinks that he has a chance.

    "Does it matter that much?" Instead of answering, I toss another question at him.

    "It does! Because I would not have lost my temper like that if I knew better. All thanks to you that things did not take a drastic turn, Rachel! If you weren''t here, I would have..." He points at the ss rep and the bookworm.

    Kurokawa opens her mouth to say something, but a familiar voice has already spoken with pure disdain.

    "Tell me, School Bully A! What would happen if Rachel was not here? Would you have punched Kurokawa in the face? Would you have called Bully B and Bully C here with a camera? Would you have raped them while I watched?"

 Chapter 66

    "What did you say?!" The school bully looks straight at me, still red from previous verbal attacks.

    The girls all turn back. Their thoughtful eyes are filled with anxiety and worry.

    Do not worry, girls. I am just mad!

    "I meant every word. What would you do if no one was here to stop you?!"

    They may not know whatever crap I just spouted. And frankly, that is a good thing. The past is hideous to look at.

    Rachel is frowning deeply after hearing my words. I wonder what she is thinking about. The ss rep does not say much but moves one step closer to the bully with her fists clenched tight as if preparing to go all crazy. As for Kurokawa, she moves forward,pletely blocking his view. For some reason, she makes me feel like the bookworm is a meat shield...

    With that formation, saying they are desperately trying to protect me would not be an exaggeration.

    "Beats me! Something fun for the whole gang? But what are YOU going to do about it, you pus? Standing behind these girls like right now? Do you see yourself as a real man? Grow some balls, will you?"

    It can be seen he is trying to vent his anger onto an unlucky someone. No doubt my taunt has shifted that attention over here. Maybe the girls noticed that, too.

    Still, this is not their fight.

    ...Wait...it is their fight... I am just a mob... There is no reason for me to be here right now...

    Nevertheless...

    "I asked him a question, and he''s just standing there like a retard. Honestly, what are you girls seeing in him?" The bully points the finger at me. "He has nothing special! Like how a side character should be!"

    "...I sure am."

    "See! What a pathetic little pussy! Wahahahahah!!!"

    Regrettably, neither do I possess superhuman strength like Rachel, an intelligent mind like Kurokawa, or a straightforward attitude like Laura. That is where the difference between a mob and the main cast starts.

    He is right. I have no distinctive feature to be proud of.

    When I was still busy thinking of ways to escape the bully, Rachel faced him head-on without any doubt. Blondy managed to do something I did not have the guts to do: protect Kurokawa and Laura. In fact, the moment she took her stance, in my heart, there was admiration. She was like an idol or a hero to me, a real heroine.

    And that is just Rachel alone.

    "Shut the hell up already!" The ss rep shouts.

    Laura is so straightforward that she does not hesitate to confront anyone if she feels the need to do it. The ss rep does not care what everyone thinks of her and does what she thinks is right.

    "You didn''t hit him hard enough, Rachel." Kurokawa looks blondy.

    On the one hand, Kurokawa does not seem to stand out from the three. That is only a facade she created. I understand she does not yet have the chance to prove anything, but that is her strength. No one really knows when Kurokawa will strike.

    "...Yeah." Rachel nods.

    Unlike these girls, who can do anything they want and will try to get it by all means, I am hesitant. There is a big chance of me messing things up again, and I am terribly afraid.

    Right now, it is not me protecting them. It is the reverse.

    I am such a coward.

    In my hands is none of their strengths, like how a dispensable character should be. That also exins why I could not get anything done in the past.

    After so many trials and errors, I have been cursed with knowledge. How things will go, how things will end, how people will be hurt, all of them are inside my head. Because of said experience, it is not foreign to me that things will never work in my favor. It is not simply doubting myself. Concrete evidence has shown me the truth over and over again so many times already.

    asionally, I wish I had enough strength and bravery to go outside the safe zone and wipe everything in my head. Deleting my memories sure sounds enticing if ites to maintaining my mental state.

    Just Laura''s event alone has left a neverending scar in my heart, not to mention the others. I can not remember the number of times I created something worse while trying to get them free. Every time something like that happened, I felt another piece of me whithered.

    However, that and this bully before us are two different things. I could withstand the horror the game created in the past does not mean I like to see something simr happening again! Never had I ever been able to look at their suffering without feeling the excruciating pain deep in my chest.

    And just now, that bastard... He threatened them to do the same as he did to Laura, for Christ''s sake!

    Now that they care for me more than ever, I would be a heartless bastard if I abandoned them to follow the original script. These girls deserve better than that. I was allowed to go inside Han''s mansion and offered food, a bath, and even breakfast. All those things I have never had a chance to try out before were given to me without much thought.

    I may be stupid, but the warmth they showed me should be returned tenfold.

    As the face of the school bully bes the center of my visual field, visions of past failures appear. Immediately, images of Laura being abused both physically and sexually, bing their toy, and losing her life show up without any invitation.

    Her agony, pain, grief, the tears in her eyes, the warmth of her blood on my skin... is ever so vivid. My brain is clearly telling me this is not how I should act, that I should not get involved in this mess to keep myself from falling down the abyss of despair this world has given me. When I look down at my hands, they are shaking intensely.

    Always and always, I am hanging by a thread. Once I fall, who knows when I will be able to climb back up this time? A year? A decade? A century? Or perhaps longer?

    Is...is this wrong? Is it wrong for me to interfere? Is it wrong for me to help them?

    Is it wrong for them to live freely?

    Of course not! I want them to break out of this system! Everyone has the right to be free of influence! They should all have the chance to think for themselves!

    But what if the script changes and three of them will all be harmed?!

    What if I am alone again?

    I...

    "C?" Kurokawa calls my name.

    "Eh?!" Startled, I answered hastily. Once again, I let my thoughts run amok. This is getting more frequent...

    "If you''re ufortable, you don''t have to force yourself. We''ll be fine. Promise!"

    Right after, she shows me the softest smile I have ever seen. The other two also smile at me,pletely disregarding the bastard.

    Sensing my stunned state, Rachel pats herself on the chest: "Trust me, I will not let anything happen to our precious ss rep and bookworm!"

    "I am not your bookworm." Kurokawa grunts.

    "Forget these two, C. Get back to ss first. We''ll be joining youter. No need to worry too much, see!" Laura takes out a paper-knife and pushes the de out. Its sudden appearance instantly makes the bully steps back.

    Looking at them like that, I really do feel happy. I want to cherish them and keep them safe from any threats this world has.

    I need to do it. No.

    I must find a way!

    Think, C! Think!

    When he was about to hurt Laura, the bully always hadpany. They all took part in harming her, shaming her, and ridiculing her. No matter how hard I tried to separate them, they would always group up and hurt Laura again, thanks to the system trying to make things right. Even when I told the ss rep to run or hide, somehow, the end result would still be her death. She either did not believe me or failed to escape.

    The only way for Laura to not die at the hands of the bullies was to be saved by Han.

    Wait!

    That is it!

    The protagonist!

 Chapter 67: [Kurokawa] Garbage disposal

    [Why did I not think of this earlier?! Unlike me, who will make it worse in every way possible, Han can change the story''s oue. If I influence him to change something, the current event has a better chance of being altered. That is his job, after all! As a matter of fact, the protagonist has already done it in the past by saving Laura from the bullies. Besides, I have no reason to fear that my help will be meaningless again.

    The current situation may be slightly different, but it is still within what I expect from Rachel''s biggest simp... Wait, I got it! He is a SIMPle bully!! HAH!

    ...Sorry about thatme pun...I will see myself out now...]

    "Fu!"

    I tilt my head slightly and notice a twitch at the corner of blondy''s lips. It seems that Rachel is trying her best to notugh out loud rather than being mad. C''s thoughts can still carry his unique tone even at this time. I find it amazing to see his attitudes change as fast as lightning. After figuring out how to handle the situation, our faceless guy returns to his usual, aloof self. It is always fascinating to hear his thoughts switching back and forth in all emotions.

    However, easygoing as C may show, I can sense instability dormant yet apparent in his thoughts. No sane person can switch between two drastic ranges of emotion like him. And that on its own is something worth taking notes on.

    I wonder if the other two think the same as well.

    [Han is, without a doubt, the Deus Ex Machina of everything. No matter what obstacles other characters are facing, his appearance will bring the conclusion to the story. If I tell Han to do it, he can make it work! I need to go get him asap!]

    My poor C, you really do not need to worry that much. Rachel and Laura have already been freed from their shackles by you. That blond girl alone can destroy bully A, not to mention the ss rep''s beef with him goes way back. The power of those twobined will demolish the bastard in front of us within seconds.

    [The only problem is I feel unease leaving the girls like that to find that damn protagonist. On the other hand, if I keep lingering here, nothing will be solved. How the heck am I supposed to choose? Damn my indecisiveness!! Seriously!]

    His anxiety is justifiable, though. For someone who has their will and their efforts broken time after time by the system, there will always be a subtle yet constant dread of failure. If I were in his shoes, I would behave exactly the same.

    The memory world told the story of a man who fell down and tried to get up so many times but to no avail. Thus, a deep dark fear was born inside his heart. He may try to suppress it by joking and making fun of things, but we three can clearly feel his hidden thoughts.

    [Argh! Damn it! Damn you, bully A! Why must you appear now!? I do not want to abandon them again...]

    "I''ll go get help!" Shouting that, C runs toward the school as fast as he can. "Please wait for me! I will surelye back! Promise!!"

    [It is three against one, plus one of them is Rachel herself, so they can at least hold their grounds until Hanes!]

    C is technically shouting in his head now. I can somewhat understand the turmoil that he is suffering.

    "Look at him running away with his tail between his legs. Pa-the-tic! Bwahahaha!! Go back to your mommy, boy!" Bully Aughs hysterically and points at C''s frail silhouette. "I honestly do not understand how you came to like that sort of nobody, Rachel. A goddess like you should be with someone like me."

    Rachel does not reply to that piece of garbage. Instead, she calls out to Laura while ncing over her back, seemingly trying to confirm someone is gone: "Did you bring anything?"

    Coincidentally, the ss representative takes her eyes off someone from behind her and declines: "I didn''t..."

    "Hey! What are you girls talking about?" Bully A tries to make his presence known to us.

    "Is that so..." Rachel replies without care. "I guess we need to do this the hard way."

    "But look!" The ss rep suddenly grabs the air.

    And in front of our mortal eyes, out of nothing, a kitchen knife manifests in her hands. In addition, the said weapon is not just any knife but the one Rachel likes the most.

    "What the hell?!!" Unable toprehend anything, that bastard screams. I can even see cold sweats forming on his forehead.

    "You''re joking, right?" Rachel''s blue eyes widen in disbelief. "Did you see how it happened, Kuro?"

    "No, it was like magic." I shake my head.

    "It was absolutely brilliant!! Could you teach me how to do that?" We collectively ignore the voice of bully A.

    Although I do feel surprised about Laura''s sudden showcase, it is not to the extent of losing myposure. In the end, our world is inside of a game. Anything weird can be exined rtively easily by saying that. Still, for the people who did not know such a fact, the feat Laura just did was nothing short of a miracle.

    "Was that a magic trick? I didn''t know you could do magic!" Oblivious to his surrounding, the bully continues talking. "How did you do it?!"

    At this point, I do not want to waste my energy replying to him anymore. There is no need to talk to a soon-to-be corpse. One thing is for sure, though. His ignorance is getting on everyone''s nerves.

    "I know you two have questions. Let''s deal with the current thing, and then we can talkter. Our time is limited because C will not be gone for long." Laura then hands over the knife to Rachel. "I think you know what to do better than me."

    "Fufufufu. I certainly do!" Blondy smiles dangerously.

    The moment Rachel says so, we all look at the trash bag. Instantly, he turns as pale as a piece of paper and takes another step back. Even though I can not see the expression on my face, I know C would describe our eyes as void of light if he was close by.

    "Ah! I almost forgot. Rachel, please don''t do anything too drastic. We do not need C to find out about the blood spilling on your clothes. If possible, try to leave the ground untouched, as well. For someone like him, a few droplets of blood anywhere can still be a sign for C to flee. I''d suggest pulling that thing somewhere he would never go unless there is an event or somewhere we have absolute control. The easier to clean, the better." ncing over Rachel''s side, I give her a suggestion.

    "And where would that be?" Blondy tilts her head slightly.

    "The female bathroom sounds pretty good to me!" Laura says. "C probably will not try to go into that ce. It is big enough, and there are cleaning supplies on the inside once we are done."

    "Precisely! Now, if you don''t mind, girls."

    "By the way, Kurokawa." The ss rep turns over my side. With a stern look, she says: "Go buy us some time. You are perfectly capable of doing that rather than what we are about to do. You shouldn''t mess things up since...you know..."

    "...Understood." Baffled by her suggestion, it took me a second toe up with an answer.

    Laura is right. While the two of them are unaffected by the invisible chains, I am not yet free from the system, so there may be a chance of this world making everything worse through me. Of course, it can also not do so, but that chance is slim. No one knows what this game will do, and I am not the type of girl to take such a risk. What stunned me was Laura''s proposal. I thought she would hate for me to get my own chance of being alone with him afterst night.

    What are you nning, ss rep?

    "Hey! Don''t ignore..." Before that stupid incel can finish his sentence, Rachel has already grabbed his head tight. Startled greatly, bully A tries to pull her hand off his face while trying to scream. Nevertheless, Rachel''s inhuman strength is not something that piece of trash can fight back.

    Soon after, he learns that and starts to frantically throw his arms around to get the attention of the shadow people circling us, looking for help. Sadly for him, they do not pay one bit of attention.

    "Shhh! Keep quiet! We''re going to have some fun!" A knife is ced upon the bully''s neck.

    "Let''s begin, shall we?"

    As Laura and Rachel pull the bully somewhere else, I start walking toward the school building.

    "Please, make it as painful as possible."

 Chapter 68: [Laura] The first murder is not that bad

    "We should take our clothes off. If blood sshes on them, it will be hard to exin to C." Rachel suggests.

    In her hand right now is the limp body of the school bully. If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I would have never believed such a feat to be possible. From my boyfriend''s past experiences and the vision he showed, I understood how abnormally strong Rachel actually was. However, now that the truth is in front of me, I can not help but bepletely amazed by her raw power. Nothing will be able to perfectly exin how or why Rachel can hold up a dead body with just one arm other than the ridiculous nature of this game.

    "Why are you starting so much? I''m starting to blush now." She asks me while quickly buttoning her white shirt, revealing the thinyer of fabric behind it, which is covering her breasts.

    Even though she says she is blushing, I see no sign of her face turning red or being embarrassed. "Go on. There''s no one here except for us. You know that already. We have a lot of work to do and so little time!"

    "I''m curious. Do you feel heavy lifting up all the dead weight?" As I copy what she is doing, a question pops up.

    "To be honest with you, a little." That blonde-haired girl thinks to herself, then nods slightly.

    "Just a little?"

    "Well, maybe more than that." She then throws the body on the ground like garbage, making a big thud. "Just so you know: It is impossible for me to carry more than this."

    For me, that is still incredibly hard to believe, nheless. The fact that someone with a body almost the same as my size can break the neck of a male student is unfathomable. Not only that, she did it as if she was not twisting someone''s bones but a flimsy twig. Before I could realize anything, she dropped the knife and masterfully snapped the neck of that piece of human trash.

    It made me think deeply about the future.

    What are the chances of me winning against Rachel, given what we currently have? My ability versus hers, which one would win? Of course, even though that day may nevere due to our dependence on my faceless boyfriend, nning ahead is never too much.

    If we are reallyparing, Rachel is slightly higher than me. That is about it. She does not look to possess many muscles, no matter what the viewing angle. Yet I can never disregard what she can achieve without any external support. Well, maybe all of her strength is stored in those lumps of meat in front of her chest. Not that I am envious of that. My boyfriend is someone who cares about one''s nature and integrity. I have no reason to wish my breasts to be bigger than they currently are.

    Well...probably a little bigger would not hurt...

    "It''s amazing having such a nice body." Who am I kidding? I feel a bit envious, not going to lie.

    "Why, thank you!" Rachel smiles. She is in her birthday suit at this point. "You have yourself a splendid figure as well! I would call you a dump truck with all that cake from behind. Laura, you should be thankful for that waistline and hips!"

    "..."

    My hands stop for a brief second while pulling my skirt down. The worse is that when that woman finishes, my dress gets stuck in the middle of my butt, making Rachel''spliment even more notable.

    "Thanks." I reluctantly answer.

    "When you''re done, follow me into the shower, okay? We''ll start there!" My...special...situation creates a smirk on Rachel''s white face.

    Grabbing the bully by the ankles, that blonde-haired girl quickly drags the dead body across thedies'' room''s floor and into the shower. Right after, she turns on the water at the highest setting, sshing cold water down the corpse.

    "Now, where did I leave the knife?"

    "Here." Out of thin air, a shiny kitchen knife appears in my hand, just like when I did it before while we were in the schoolyard.

    "Ah! Thank you!" She grabs the weapon I offer. And after tilting her head, she continues. "Actually, why don''t you do it first?"

    An indescribable feeling envelops me after hearing those words. It is not that I do not want to do so. On the contrary, it is akin to an uneasy feeling when one is about to do something forbidden, both anxious and interested. "I have no experience. We need to do this fast, so better leave it to the professionals."

    "Okay, I understand. But this is something I insist on. You see, what we need to do before dismembering the corpse is to drain itpletely out of the blood. I need to hold its legs up high..."

    "...For gravity to do the work. I get it now."

    *Suuuuu*

    *Haaaaa*

    "Don''t worry. It''s already dead. You''re not killing anyone. You''re merely dismembering a carcass. Think of it as butchering a pig if it makes you feel better." Rachel raises the dead body up high in the air, right where the water is the most from the shower head above us.

    I clutch the kitchen knife tightly.

    "Don''t worry. It''s already dead. You''re not killing anyone. You''re merely dismembering a carcass. Think of it as butchering a pig if it makes you feel better." Rachel raises the dead body up high in the air, right where the water is the most from the shower head above us. "And now, let''s begin. First, you will need to hold the knife at the edge of the neck, right behind the jaw bone."

    "Got it."

    "Yep! Just like that! Now you need to make what I call an ear-to-ear cut. Imagine you are filleting a fish and slicing it wide open."

    As instructed, I point the knife to the side of the neck, tilting it slightly so that it matches the curvature of the area. It feels weird holding a sharp object when Rachel holds up a body, but I try my best to focus.

    "That''s a good ce to start. Plunge it in! Don''t worry! There will be blood. That''s why I turned on the water!"

    With one hand grabbing the back of the corpse''s head to stabilize, I slowly pull the de around the jaw, creating a deep cut. When the metal enters the skin, a gush of warm blood pours out, drenching my entire body in a disgusting, viscous liquid. Immediately, a familiar metallic smell punches my nostrils with its repulsive stench.

    "Ptue!! Ptue!!" Even with the water constantly washing away everything, keeping a straight face after what just happened is still impossible.

    "That''s it! You''re doing great! Keep going! Slice it bigger, sever all the veins and arteries so we can drain the blood faster." That blond-haired girl certainly has a different opinion about this job than me.

    "..."

    In my hands, the de continues to move under Rachel''s guidance. Soon after, the ligaments and muscles are detached as the head is about to be severed from the body. We only need to cut off the spine to finish off the beheading. On the floor, various parts of flesh that I can not name can be seen. Thanks to the water pouring down constantly, it was easy to see where to cut, making it less time-consuming.

    Regardless, Rachel abruptly stops and stares at my face for a second.

    "Look at you!!! Bwahahahaha! You look ridiculous!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!" Unable to drop the body to the floor, Rachel stands andughs like a maniac.

    "All that blood clearly is not good for your skin tone and hair color, ss rep! Your face is totally covered in blood! Only your amber eyes are showing up! You look like a drowned puppy! A-and...Even that....pft...you can''t open your eyes normally!! Hahahaha! This is killing me, honestly!!"

    The violent sshing sound of water into the shower floor almost drowns Rachel''s voice. Yet, it somehow can not erase the excitement in her words. She seems...hysterical, almost. In this instance, Rachel''s eyes are not something everyone will ever see. Deep within those pupils is a chaotic mixture of excitement, rage, and disdain beyondprehension. There is no concept in this world that can fully describe what lies beneath those aquamarine colors of hers. Something...inconspicuous.

    Inhuman.

    "Hardy har har." I can hear veins popping up on my forehead. Strangely enough, herughter directed at me in these...particr... circumstances is not too unbearable. I feel a little mad since the blood will be horrendous to clean. The smell is not something I would wear in perfume, either!

    "Okay, don''t worry about the spine. I will chop it off once we are done. Let''s focus on the intestines next."

    Suddenly, I have a genius idea to get revenge.

    "So there is this part that is called sr plexus. You need to cut from the center of the chest down to the anus. Do it slowly, or everything will spill out, and who knows what is inside these corpses. I don''t think these people eat, though."

    *Chik*

    The de enters the stomach, not the sr plexus thing Rachel is talking about.

    "Eh? Laura? What are you doing?"

    "Revenge."

    Right after, I pull the knife horizontally, cutting the abdomen wide open. Instantly, reddish intestines drop out on the floor.

    "Wait...wait...wait!!!! NOOOOOO!!! EEeeeeeeeew!!!!"

    And that is how I give Rachel an intestine ne. Not my best work, but I will give it a 7/10.

 Chapter 69: Finding Laura and Rachel

    Running with all my might, I am filled with anxiety. There is not a second left to waste. Because of that, although I can hear Kurokawa''s footsteps behind me, I have no choice but to increase my speed.

    "Sorry, Kurokawa!"

    Since her event is yet toe, the bookworm will be in a different position than the ss rep and blondy. Actually, the fact that Kurokawa is following me is even better. Since my advantage in knowing the story is essentially meaningless at this point, she should not get involved in the event any more than currently. God knows what is going to happen if Kurokawa continues to be there.

    "Don''t worry, C. I''ll be right behind you!" The bookworm ims.

    The stairs to the upper floor have never looked so long before. Still, despite the shortness of breath, I need to concentrate. A little pain in the stomach due to running is nothingpared to the suffering that can be caused by the system. With the uncertainty of the situation still present, who knows what will happen while I am trying to get help.

    If something does happen, I will me myself for the rest of my life. The girls have just shown me a different future, and I do not want to lose them like that.

    "There are two of them and just one of the bullies. If a fight urs, Laura and Rachel will still be fine." I mumble, trying to persuade no one else but me to believe in that. "Yeah. Rachel can kill him by breaking his neck. She is capable of that, after all."

    *Rattle*

    "Han!! We need your help asap!!" Busting the door wide open, I scream out the protagonist''s name.

    He is sleeping on his desk still, unburdened and without a care.

    This motherfucker! How can you be falling asleep so soundly like that when the girls are in great danger?!

    "Wake up!! Now!" Annoyed by his ignorance, I pull his arm hard.

    "Buh! Huh? Wha?!" Half-awake, Han reluctantly looks up at me. There is a clear line of saliva on the corner of his mouth.

    "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! C! Chill, man!" Seeing my desperate attempt, Han''s best friend, ssmate A, quickly interrupts me.

    B also joins in. "Yeah. What''s the matter? Why are you acting so violently?"

    "Is ss already over?" Still living inside of his dream world, Han asks.

    "It''s urgent! Laura and Rachel are in great danger! They are being chased by the school bully right now!!" I scream at his face.

    "Bully? Who?" His eyes are still half-closed. The damn protagonist seems unaware of what is happening around him.

    God damn, I hate him so much! Why does he have to be so passive?

    "Have you turned into aplete zombie or something?! Hurry up!"

    "Rachel and the ss rep are in trouble?" A asks.

    "I don''t have time for questions! Han! We need to move NOW!" I yank Han''s arm again and start running out of the ssroom.

    "Okay!" Seeing how serious I am, Han quickly adjusts himself to the situation.

    "Wait! Guys! If they are in trouble, why don''t we call the teachers? What can students like us do?"

    ssmate A tries to stop me from leaving. But it is already toote.

    Teachers? Yeah, right. Go get a shadow person like Mr. OOO and see what they will do to solve this. If it did make a difference, would I not have asked for Han''s help already?

    Throughout the millennium of figuring things out, I have realized that the events are something only the protagonists can handle. And if...Han is unable to protect them...then...I do not know what I will do. It is probably best to kill myself and wait until the next reset while hoping I can see them again. While Laura and Rachel will be revived as if nothing ever happened, the chance of them losing their current selves is almost guaranteed.

    Just thinking about the possibility makes my heart ache. Having the chance to see the girls being real is nothing short of a blessing. They are no longer puppets bound by strings and controlled by a puppet master under a script. Therefore, giving up is not an option. I can not and will not let go of this run where the girls are different. No matter what happens, I will try everything to save their precious lives. Until my final breath is taken away, I will fight with everything I can get my hands on.

    But then, looking back at the ssroom, I suddenly gain a spark. "Hey, A, and you too, B! You shoulde with us! Since we are ssmates, we should help each other out. Right?"

    Honestly, that feels like a long shot. A and B did not join in the event in the past when Laura was facing the bully, even though I tried. Yet my instinct tells me I can make it work this time if I target them directly with guilt. These two guys have been acting strangepared to the storyline, so there should be a chance.

    Unexpectedly, upon hearing my request, Han stops in his track and nods. "Yeah! C''s right! We should all help Laura and Rachel! Then there will be six of us versus...how many of them again? And where is Kurokawa?"

    "...One."

    I appreciate his dumbness.

    "As for Kurokawa..."

    "I''m here." A familiar voice appears. She is a little out of breath due to all the running.

    "What do you say?" Han looks back at his besties.

    "Sure! I can''t let the ss rep be on her own!" Standing quickly from his seat, A follows the group. "What about you, B?"

    "...I guess more people are better than not." The guy seems a little ufortable.

    "Great! Let''s move!!" Taking the lead, Han runs down the long hallway.

    My legs carry me forward at full force. My mind is focused on reaching the destination as fast as possible. Even when the school bell rings to inform us the first period has started, I push our group to continue saving the other two.

    A few minutester, we arrived outside the building. At first nce, the area is peaceful. Too peaceful, as a matter of fact.

    There are no signs of struggle anywhere. Not a single sound echoes through the air, not a trace of the two girls except for the lunch box that Rachel left behind. Even the shadow people are all gone. To say the ce is deserted would be an understatement.

    My heart sinks down the bottom of my stomach instantly, and my limbs grow weaker by the second.

    Where could they have gone? Did they really escape from the bullies? Or maybe they were caught...? Did the story catch up to them? Did I create a much worse fate for them again?

    The thought sends shivers down my spine.

    "Where are they, C?" Han looks at me after ncing around the area.

    "Should be here, right? I see a lunch box. Where can they be?"

    "Am I toote...?"

    Please...PLEASE!!! No...not again... NOT AGAIN!

    "LAURA!!! RACHEL!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Desperate, I shout from the depth of my chest.

    It is my fault. I should not have abandoned the two girls. I should have been there with Laura and Rachel. And now...and now they are gone.

    It is because of me.

    Because of me!

    I pulled them into this. They stepped in because they were protecting me.

    Always. Always! Always!! Because of me.

    Laura and Rachel''s faces sh across my vision. The soft smile of our ss rep when she woke me up this morning, the seductive look in blondy''s aquamarine eyes, the touch of warmth that I was never given until yesterday... It dawns on me, finally.

    There is no way for me to experience those from now on. I lost them.

    As I stand aimlessly in the middle of the schoolyard, everything starts twisting and turning as if I was put inside a spinning wheel. I feel dizzy and sick to my stomach. All that I desire now is to disappear.

    "C!"

    Kurokawa grabs my hand, and Han grabs my shoulder before I can hit the ground.

    "Are you okay, C?" The bookworm runs in front of me. Her beautiful emerald green eyes are filled with tears. "You''re shaking."

    Her hand is so soft and warm. I do not understand it one bit. Why is Kurokawa crying? For someone like me, is it really worth it?

    Han tries to calm me down as well. "Don''t worry, C! Everything''s gonna be fine! I bet the two girls are just around the corner somewhere."

    "Yeah, bro! Maybe they are in the bathroom or something. Ack!" A''s sentence is cut short as if he is choking on his own spit. "Crap! Her, too?!"

    A and B look at each other without saying anything after that.

    I do not pay much attention to their shenanigans at this point. However, A''s previous sentence gives me a little hope.

    "Thanks, guys! I was a bit depressed after thinking of some bad memories, that''s all."

    It is indeed too early to sit down and cry like this. Unfortunately, I tend to look at the worse possible ending because of all my previous experiences. When I see something vaguely resembling the past, my brain instantly returns to those days. The only thing it knows best is to me itself when that happens.

    Laura and Rachel are in danger, and I must be there as fast as possible. Even if I want to be a wimp, I must do it while running after them. The more time I lose here, the worse the oue will be. I have decided to fight for them again, so this much is nothingpared to what the future holds for us.

    "If possible, I will need to divide us into groups. Kurokawa and I will be checking out the bathrooms. Han, if it is fine with you, please check out the storage room with A and B."

    Everyone agrees immediately. There is nothing else we can do but search every inch of the school until the girls are found. I cannot afford to lose anyone.

 Chapter 70: [Rachel] Wait! Dont come in!

    "Rachel?" As I continue chopping the intestines into smaller pieces for faster disposal, the ss rep calls out my name.

    Not stopping my hands nor turning my head, I give her a quick reply: "I''m listening."

    Strangely, Laura does not say anything after that. She merely sits there and observes what I am doing.

    I have tomend her for her strong will, actually. Minutes ago, she was ufortable looking at blood sshing onto her cute face. Laura''s pale face made me think she would vomit at any second. And now, she is staring at me with curiosity in her eyes. Even the headless, gutless corpse beside her is unworthy of paying attention anymore.

    If C were here, he would have been stunned to death by the contrast. In the corner, the ss rep''s amber eyes shine brightly on a perfect face, showing me the beauty of unmatched proportion. Next to her is a gutted, headless human carcass whose blood is still dripping slowly. The scene is by no means something that you would see every day.

    Who would have thought this pretty little girl butchered a human? Of course, she did it under my guidance, so let''s say I take 20 percent of the me.

    She even gave me an intestine ne! My body still stinks because of that!

    Times like this remind me we are never ordinary, to begin with. Me, Laura, Kurokawa, the not-yet-arrived princess, and many others are crazy at the core. No sane human will be able to have such an ability to adapt as we do. It is unnatural, to say the least.

    But I am used to it by now.

    "Don''t worry, this is not for consumption. What we want to do is to mince these into a paste so that we can flush it down the toilets. After that, well, we need to take a bath. There is no time for us to do anything else."

    She shakes her head from left to right. "No. I''m not thinking of that. I''m thinking about C."

    "Yeah, me too." I nce over and nod.

    She is covering her whole body by hugging her legs. Smart.

    "What did you see, Rachel? Last night." A sudden questiones from her.

    Finally, it hase to this point. I know it is only a matter of time until either Laura or Kurokawa asks that question. There is nothing shocking about her inquiry. If I were her, I would do the same thing.

    "You know, the past." I answer half-heartedly, wanting to y with her a little bit.

    Sadly, between the two of us, the one who has a funny bone is me.

    "You know well that is not what I mean, blondy." She looks at me intensely. Then, using a serious tone, the ss rep states her case. "You had aplete switch in personality as if you flipped a lightbulb inside your head. Look at what we are doing currently. Where did you even learn to cut a body open when you did not be a true yandere? You''re not just good. You''re a professional."

    "Thanks! I take pride in my craft!" I really do.

    In response to my joke, her expression turns cold with a hint of annoyance: "In addition to that, ever since you...kissed him, C has been calling you Blondy in his head. He has never changed the way he addresses anyone of us except for you. There is only one reason for that to happen. That memory he showed you was so special that it made his unconscious mind remember something!"

    "It''s true." There is no need to lie if she already figured out that much. Unlike Han, who has dirt for his brain, Laura is much more intuitive. Or should I say the girls are more intuitive? "The truth is, ss rep, I am not the Rachel you know."

    "...What is that supposed to mean?" A frown appears on Laura''s face. She is definitely taken aback.

    *Chop chop chop*

    The chopping sounds are almost washed away by the water falling above us. I would love to have a wooden board to do the dissection. It would be much better than hitting the floor because I will chip the de. Perhaps it is already chipped, even.

    "I mean it literally." Then, I put the knife down and point and the red chunk of mushy meat. "Here, scoop these up with your hands and start flushing them down the toilets. Remember to scoop less than the size of your fist per stall. Otherwise, it will clog up the plumbing system."

    Laura sighs deeply, then begins picking up chunks of flesh. "I hate this. It''s disgusting."

    "Me too," I agree with a smile. "But it is necessary."

    "You still have to exin what you meant by saying you were not the same, Rachel." Laura''s voicees from the booth next to mine.

    *Crack*

    After the head and the guts, arms, and legs are next. Driving the knife straight into the armpit, I use more force to break the shoulder bone. The sound of the metal cutting through the bones makes the surrounding air vibrate. Unfortunately, these ces are harder to cut with a simple kitchen knife I am holding, so it will be more time-consuming. I do not think it would be possible without the abnormal strength I was given.

    "How about this! You tell me what you saw, and I''ll do the same? Fair, right?"

    "Very well. I saw my death. To be more exact, I saw what happened after my death." Lauraes into the booth and scoops some more meaty chunks with her hands. "C...jumped off the rooftop after that." She sounds a little sad.

    There is no need to verify what Laura says. I know C would have done such a thing.

    "Interesting. And after that?"

    "That''s it. The moment C decided to end it, the vision got cut." Laura continues.

    "So, only one?" I confirm it once again.

    "Yes. Why are you asking that? Did you see more than one?!" The ss rep''s voice bes louder.

    "First, I saw C giving Han ideas to make him a better man."

    "And? What''s the other one?"

    "I saw the end of the world. Almost everyone disappeared." Putting the knife down, I stare straight into Laura''s shiny brown eyes, making sure she understands I am not making a joke.

    "Is that it?" Laura turns silent after that, but she does not forget to take the rest of the guts away.

    I know I am not telling the ss rep the rest of the truth like we were the only ones when the apocalypse came, but does Laura do that? Just because I do not want history to repeat itself does not mean I will do everything for her. After all, I am a selfish person.

    When C touched me, I was only shown the vision of his endeavor: what happened during the trials and what he did to change it. However, when I kissed him, I was brought to an ending that consisted of C and me. Laura''s case was simr. She was only sent back to the middle of the story rather than the end of it.

    Then, it is not wrong for me to hypothesize it like this.

    A touch will set a heroine free from their curse. At the same time, it will show them what C had done for them when he still wanted to help them. The only problem is that it will create another person to watch out for. On the other hand, a kiss will bring them to an ending where C achieves his goal of saving that particr heroine. This, of course, needs much more evidence to back it up. Over time, I think we can finalize the answer with the help of the other girls.

    "Laura! Rachel! Are you here?" Suddenly, I hear C''s worried voiceing from outside.

    [Please, girls, be safe!]

    CRAP! Did Laura not send Kurokawa to stall him? If he gets in right now, we are done! Kurokawa probably told him we were going to the bathroom to make C less worried. Then why is he sounding like that?

    [If it was not for the lunch box, I would not have been so stressed like this. But Laura and Rachel forgot about it. Therefore, their reason must have been so significant they could not bring it.]

    Nearby, Laura looks at me with a "What the hell?" expression.

    ...God damn it! I forgot the lunch box! C! There was no other thing! I swear I was being clutz!

    "They''re inside, C. Let me go check, okay?" Kurokawa speaks softly.

    "Wait! Just to be safe, let me go in with you."

    "But...this is thedies'' room." I can hear the panic in Kurokawa''s voice.

 Chapter 71: [Laura] The art of distraction

    "Yes, I know this is thedies'' room." Outside, I can hear C sighing deeply. "But I need to see with my own ey... Never mind that. I need to see that they are safe."

    [It is not the bookworm''s fault. No way can she guess what the school bully can do with the help of the system. On top of that, Rachel and Laura are the same as her. If not shown directly, there is no way in a millennium that they can understand the gravity of this current situation. In case of the bully still tries to cause them any harm, I can at least stall him for a while for the girls to run. Thankfully, there has been no cry for help or yelling from anyone makes me feel a bit more at ease. Everything looks like it is still within boundaries.]

    "Please, Kurokawa, let mee in with you."

    [I know I am not giving Kurokawa any room for negotiation right now. Even her face looks a bit perplexed. Who would not be, honestly? She will never reply with "Sure, go ahead!" and let me in without thinking anything extra. Our rtionship is not nearly enough for the bookworm to allow my ridiculousness. Rachel, though, may behave differently. Laura, too.]

    "How about this? I will look for them on the inside for you. After all, what do you think people will say if they found out you ventured into this ce?" Kurokawa struggles to convince that faceless boy.

    "I appreciate your thoughts, Kurokawa, but I must make sure they are safe! Besides, there is no one here except for us. So if you don''t say anything, everything will be fine! I promise!"

    God! C is dead set on finding us no matter what! We can not dispose of the body that fast! Rachel is hardly done with the limbs, and I still have a small mountain of minced organs to flush down the toilets. The moment he sees this mess we created, the best oue would be a massive trust issue, and the worst would be him running away from this ce and killing himself!

    "Hold on? Why did you say safe twice?" Unexpectedly, the bookworm asks him with his own words. "Um...sorry if I am overthinking this, C, but you are adamant that something bad is happening to Rachel and Laura? It almost feels as if you know?"

    "Eh?" C is immediately stunned.

    Outstanding! I would have thought Kurokawa was naive if we did not know what she coulde up with.

    By now, it is undoubtedly clear that C wants to hide his knowledge and experience as much as he can to protect our rtionship. Using that to her advantage, Kurokawa is able to stand on the same ground as he is in this conversation.

    "I-uh..."

    [Crap! What am I going to do?! How am I going to answer that? The truth? Yeah, right!]

    "We need to think of something fast?" I whisper into Rachel''s ear, trying to keep the volume as small as possible. Thankfully, the falling water is helping us cover our voices. "He''s not going to give up like this."

    <strong><sub><i>��h�� l��t��?t ��nd m��?t ����ul��r n��v��l? ��t l?ghtn��v��lw��rld?���m</i></sub></strong>

    A sh of panic appears on Rachel''s face as she gently puts the kitchen knife down, making almost no sound. "But I thought you sent Kurokawa to dy him!?"

    I never thought such a sight would be possible. That thieving woman always appeared to have everything nned.

    "She could have if someone did not leave the lunch box behind!" Bluntly, I say.

    "Ack!" Rachel''s face turns sour quickly.

    Of course, she can not say anything to defend herself. She made a huge blunder in our n. Because of it, there is a situation we have to deal with.

    "This is bad," I mutter, looking around. "Kurokawa can not hold him for long until C starts questioning her."

    "We need to distract him with something. It has to be big. In addition, it has to prove that we have nothing to do with the bully." With her eyes wandering inside the shower, Rachel fixates on the gel bottle mounted on the wall. "My darling needs to have the dark thoughts in his mind erased by something...magical and pure."

    However, thest half of her sentence instantly makes my blood boil. "Your darling?!"

    "Sh! ss rep! We have no time for that!" She does not even try to hide the rising corners of her mouth. "We need to focus on the thing at hand."

    "...It looks like you have it sorted out already." I re at her. "To think you were panicking a few seconds ago."

    "Well, no one is perfect. Except for that guy." She puts on the most gentle smile I have ever seen. "No matter how wed he is, C is still the most perfect being in all existence."

    "Agree." I nod. No need to dwell on this matter so much. It is factual already. "So what''s the n?"

    "This." She pushes the shower gel, and soapes out from the bottom. "C''s inner voice is clearly hinting he is afraid of us being harmed by that dead thing. What we need to do next is to wash away those dark thoughts."

    "That''s what I''m thinking, too. The best way to deal with this current event is by walking straight into it."

    <strong><sub><i>��h�� l��t��?t ��nd m��?t ����ul��r n��v��l? ��t l?ghtn��v��lw��rld?���m</i></sub></strong>

    "Exactly!" Rachel then promptly rubs her hands and starts putting the foamy soap on the top of her head. Not stopping there, she puts a little foam on her breasts andher region, barely covering any of her beautiful body. "Just follow my lead."

    "Okay. Wait!? What do you mean by that? Why are you walking out in that state?!!"

    I have a bad feeling about this... Unlike her, I am not that shameless...

    She pokes her head out of the shower room: "Let him in, Kurokawa. My darling is just in time for a little treat."

    Although the sound of water running is loud, blondy''s cheerful tone is still unmistakable. She is experienced in putting up a face for him to see. Yet, it is by no means fake. "Laura is in here with me. Say hello, ss rep!"

    Trying to sound unsuspicious, I mimic Rachel''s tone. "Hi!"

    "What are you two doing in here? Morning ss has already started."

    [That makes my heart rx a little bit. If Rachel and Laura were in grave danger, blondy sure would not have behaved in such a way. After all, she does not really show that side of her to anyone.

    However, at the same time, Rachel''s mischievous tone also feels like an rm bell has gone off somewhere deep down within me. Why does she sound so upbeat like that? Judging by how she has been acting around me, I am both worried and interested in what she has in store.]

    "I have been telling you all this time, C! They were cleaning themselves up only. You know us girls." Kurokawa exins. "So, do you still want toe in?"

    [I should not...but...]

    "Yeah!"

    He is really walking in! I am still butt-naked!

    "Well? Laura? Hurry up. We''ll meet him halfway so C won''t see the body. By doing this, all of his worries will be gone." That shameless woman looks at me with a snicker. "This is the best n I cane up with! It is your choice to follow it through, though."

    <strong><sub><i>��h�� l��t��?t ��nd m��?t ����ul��r n��v��l? ��t l?ghtn��v��lw��rld?���m</i></sub></strong>

    "..."

    Damn it! There is no time to think of anything else! I must act now, or Rachel will be in front of the curve for the second time! She already took his first kiss. If I dally this any further, she will be the one to have his first time, too!

    We just started dating yesterday! I have no problem with kissing C and hugging him, but still,... showing him my naked body right on the second day is... Will my boyfriend think of me as a loose person?

    "I see that you are still not determined. Very well. I can''t wait for C to look at me anymore. See ya, ss rep!" After leaving that sentence, Rachel walks out of the shower room, chuckling as if she has won.

    Vile woman! Disgusting! ARGGGGGGH!!!!! There is no way she has been like this since the beginning. Absolutely. No. Freaking. Way.

    It must have been because of the kiss! I would have had the same mentality if I had seen what she saw! Why did I not kiss him when I had the chance? Damn it!

    COME ON! LAURA! You can do this! You are the one and only straightforward and serious ss representative! You love him with all your heart! What is wrong with showing a little skin if you have already decided to be with him for the rest of your life? Just get it over with already!

    Crap! I can feel my body temperature rising exponentially despite the cold water. Even without a mirror, my face is definitely beet red, no doubt about that. The thought of him ncing over my entire naked body is both embarrassing and exciting at the same time. So much so that it makes my heart runspletely wild! Yes, I know how much C suffered because of me in the past. Even if I had to take the sky down to make it up to him, I would still do it. However, I have no experience in dating, let alone doing...something this drastic.

    *Suuuu* *Haaaaaa*

    I do not want to lose to that woman who has lost all sense of shame, not in a million years.

    And yet...my heart is pounding madly as I open the door.

    As I run to catch up with Rachel, I purposefully leave no trace of soap on me.

    If she wants to y, I will give her the game.

    "WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK!!!!"

    <strong><sub><i>��h�� l��t��?t ��nd m��?t ����ul��r n��v��l? ��t l?ghtn��v��lw��rld?���m</i></sub></strong>

 Chapter 72 The Princess comes to class

Chapter 72 The Princesses to ss

    Made you look.

    BU HI HI HI HI HI!!!!!

 Chapter 73: A brief moment of peace

    Finally, everything is peaceful once again. In my visual field, there is a well-defined Mr.OOO writing gibberish on the ckboard, the girls sitting where they should be, and one sleeping protagonist with drools all over his desk. Despite the sudden appearance of the school bully, followed by his disappearance, I am d that no one was harmed.

    But I wonder, should I look out for the school bully? Like where he has gone to? Maybe I should ask the girls? Just in case hees back in the future?

    "!!" Ah? Rachel jolted?

    "!!" Laura, too?

    Coincidentally, as I nce at them, they both notice and turn toward me. Laura nods with a light smile while Rachel waves her hand without care. These yanderes girls sure have terrific awareness of their surroundings. Hot damn!

    Sometimes I think these two are sisters or something. They react almost the same, albeit in their own ways. If it was not for the influence of this world, Rachel and Laura could have been great friends. The two are like two sides of the same coin, I think.

    Oh! I should pay attention to Kurokawa, as well. After all, she was the one who helped me keep my cool when I found out the ss rep and blondy were gone. If not for her, maybe I would have copsed on the spot on the school ground, unable to get up to go find the missing people.

    As for the bullies, there is enough on my te already. I do not give a rat''s ass about some one-off viin the story created to make Laura suffer.

    Now that my internal and external turmoil has settled, I can dedicate this peaceful study session to myself.

    "Phew... Talk about an eventful morning!" I mumble.

    Sadly, there is one tiny thing keeping me away from true tranquility.

    I can not sit.

    I. Literally. Can not sit still. Especially not when the bulge in my pants is not settling down!

    Due to their...special show, now I have to sit in ss with this...thing trying to look up from my crotch!

    And no, it does not feelfortable! My pants are not nearly big enough to handle something like my friend downstairs!

    God!! Laura and Rachel did not y it fairly at all! Who in their goddamn mind would think the two would greet me in their birthday suits!? Not to mention one waspletely naked, and the other one had soap covering her sensitive parts! Did Rachel not know that was very counter-intuitive? Doing so would only make me focus on those locations rather than diverging my attention elsewhere! Plus, when the soap bubbles started popping and revealed her delicate body, I slowly saw everything she tried to hide!

    Something tells me...No. That is not mere guessing anymore. I KNOW for a fact that blondy did it on purpose! This morning, Rachel has been doing various things to get my attention. Therefore my conclusion that she was doing it to woo me was not just a baseless assumption.

    And the ss rep, too! I never thought she would show her body like that to me. I mean, I understand she is in love with me at this point. If our rtionship continues, someday, we will get to that point. But cutting corners and being determined and straightforward must have limits somewhere, right?

    When I looked at our ss rep, the first thing that popped into my mind was the word embarrassed. Laura was beet red from head to toe, for goodness'' sake. Smoke wasing out from the top of her head as if she were a boiling kettle!

    "Please do not stare so much." She told me with a meek-like voice and a couple of teardrops in the corners of her beautiful brown eyes. Probably, she was shaking slightly, too.

    Seeing the usual strict ss rep in such a wild situation, I felt something inside me awakened.

    Yeah... Now that I am really thinking about it, perhaps I want to see more of this defenseless side of hers.

    "Bu-Hack! Ack!"

    Suddenly, the ss rep coughs violently, so much so that her face turns red. But before I can ask anything, she turns toward my seat and makes a hand gesture, implying that she is still okay. Over at the sleeping protagonist''s side, right next to his table and cing her chin on her arm, Rachel has an amused face. There is no need to exin that she finds our ss rep''s ordeal humorous. After all, the rtionship between the two is that of rivals more than friends.

    Do not get me wrong, though. I am not saying I want to see more of Laura''s vulnerable state because I hate her, nor am Iining. On the contrary, her naked body was nothing less than a divine blessing to me, giving me a boost in all those happy hormones, which washed away any negative thoughts I was suffering at the time.

    When I entered the female restroom, my heart was filled with anxiety and self-me. Honestly, I wish I could remove all those emotions, yet I could not. It was a part of me, and I had to ept it no matter what. Thankfully, the appearance of those two girls gave me the reassurance I needed, although it was not what I expected. In addition, I thought our ss representative and the blond-haired girl did not have a good rtionship, especially after what happenedst night. However, the reality was baffling to me.

    At least they were taking a shower together. That means good, right?

    Right?!

    Ahem!

    Anyway, that is that. No need to dwell on it any further. Honestly, I hate talking about my pain and suffering that much. Not only I but everyone has their problem, so I should refrain fromining. Doing so will only drive people away from me easier and bring up negative emotions.

    With the bully out of the way, I should be thinking about how to proceed from this point onward with the main storyline.

    Hmmm...

    Truth be told, my knowledge about the girls is useless right now.

    Firstly, Rachel''s main event is already busted because of me. Instead of being with Han, well...you know how that went. Since then, Rachel has been very touchy, pouring all her feelings onto me like a doting wife, despite not being my legal girlfriend. I worry that one day, blondy will jump out and outright murder Laura due to envy and jealousy. Or vice versa. Who knows?

    "Chu! Hehe!" From afar, that blond-haired girl blows me a kiss. From the way her mouth moves, I can make out three words.

    I. Love. You.

    Oh, stop it! You just had to make me blush during ss like this!

    Instantly, Laura turns toward Rachel and sends her deathly stares with a face that says she is annoyed.

    I am sorry, ss rep!

    One of these days, I am going to be murdered for reacting to Rachel''s shenanigans for sure. Where did she learn all these tricks, really? I never saw her doing anything like that to Han?

    Defense, C. Defenses. Do not falter into her sweet temptations!

    Yea, I know Rachel seems vastly different from her original settings, yet being cautious has helped me escape death many times that I can not help it. It has been only one night since her change, and it will take more than that for me to think differently. That will probablye with time. A hundred years seem like a nice round number.

    After Rachel''s event is the ss rep''s. Needless to say, Laura''s death g ispletely busted with the help of Rachel. In the past, she was supposed to face the bully alone and head-on because he was bothering the ssroom too much. Without being given a choice, she had to do something to stop his actions as the ss representative, all ording to her settings. But in the current run, a few minutes ago, the trio, whichprised Laura, Rachel, and Kurokawa, confronted the school bully.

    Of course, I have no clue if he ising back and starts pestering Rachel again. Regardless, seeing the reactions, I am confident to have not just one but three of the yanderes on my side this time, not to mention Han is turning into quite a good pal. If I ask for their help, there should be no problem disposing of the bully.

    Finally, and probably the most trouble currently, is Kurokawa''s case.

    I want to save her, no matter how hard it is.

    (Try Patreon, kiddo!)

 Chapter 74: What will happen to the bookworm?

    I think many of you probably have guessed it correctly. After all, the plot is clear as night and day. Although I can not see or hear or even feel you, my hunch is that you all know the girls'' personalities are built upon the settings of this world, masked as the main storyline.

    Let us discuss that in detail.

    The creator of this world takes a familiar rom trope and puts as much pain as possible. Why, you ask? There is only one reason for it, honestly. That is to turn the respective heroine into a psychopathic yandere who thinks of nothing except sex and violence. All that suffering is created for only one purpose: character depth and for viewers to see.

    And it works.

    By the gods, does it work...

    For example, Rachel was a girl with an unrequited love for more than ten years. Ever since she was a little girl, she has thought of the day she would finally dawn a white dress while holding a beautiful bouquet of orange-her favorite color. Each day of her life was devoted to the higher cause of getting married into Han''s family without much thinking to herself. In her mind, happiness was to be one with her childhood friend.

    Rachel is interested in me now, so that is certainly not the case anymore, but it used to be the only reason for her to wake up and live. I do not think there is a need to say her settings were that of a violent girl with no empathy for others.

    Of course, I also mentioned many times about her feats, showing you how she was also very sexually aggressive and did not care what kind of pain she would inflict on others who stood in her way. The reason for that is precisely because of her background as a childhood friend. In order to be with her love for the rest of her life, anything and everything in Rachel''s aquamarine eyes is irrelevant. Thus, she became a tyrant who would decimate all obstacles no matter the cost.

    Her type, or in this case, her event, can be considered psychological.

    Compared to blondy, Laura had yet the chance to develop into a full-fledged yandere. That said, it did not mean she was not one. In fact, the ss rep tried to kill Rachel many times when they confronted each other after she was saved by Han from the hands of the school bullies. Her actions were simr to our Rachel, with all the knife and stabbing.

    However, there was a difference between the two. Rather than trying to murder a rival, I would say Laura''s reasonings were closer to that of protection than possession. She perhaps wanted to save the protagonist from a dangerous individual, whom she saw the true nature. Of course, due to her not being one of the main heroines, Laura eventually died while being tortured by Rachel in one of the most creative ways possible: forced to chew and swallow the weapon she used on her enemy.

    In her case, it is more physical than psychological, though I can not deny the psychological aspect of it.

    Also, I have no doubt Laura is either hiding or she is in the process of bing a yandere. For obvious reasons, I would love it to be the first case. This may seem illogical, but a yandere who is good at hiding is also a yandere who can keep her emotions in check. In addition, a yandere like so means she will not suddenly turn violent and murder everyone on the spot. She may pose a threat to many other girls because of that reason alone, but for someone who she loves dearly, me, she is indeed very wee.

    My lesson for the day to you guys: A stable yandere is a bangable yandere.

    Ahem! Sidetracked again.

    In short, pain is the theme of I Will Survive With A Harem Ending. Does not matter what kind, be it physical or psychological. As long as there is pain, the characteristics of the girls are justified. They be monsters under the influence of the system. Actually, even the main character can not escape that pain. It has been proved countless times already by all of Han''s deaths.

    "Sigh..."

    I hate this world so much...

    Near the windows, close to Rachel''s location, there sits a girl with ck hair, diligently noting down all the rubbish writings on the board. Kurokawa is so elegant no matter what she is trying to do. How she holds her pen while gently pushing the tip or when she is using the eraser and then slowly gathers the crumbs into her hands, making virtually no sound at all, is simply stunning beyond words.

    It is as if I were looking at a life-like painting. It matters not the number of times I spend looking at her since the first thing I would say is wow.

    Our bookworm possesses what people would call an elegant traditional beauty. Silky long ck hair, a slender body, and voluptuous breasts, her looks rival that of Rachel and Laura. It goes without saying she is worthy of the title of a heroine.

    Even more so, her soft nature with the hidden traits of a masochist has created many scenes where the protagonist would do...nasty things to her. I do not want to be rude to her by saying this, but she was like a fetish pool the author created to satisfy their pervertedness.

    And that is also where the system puts the pain on Kurokawa. As one of the main targets, she must suffer to build up character.

    Unlike Rachel and Laura, Kurokawa''s pain was both psychological and physical. I desperately want to save her from that event.

    Even if that means she will hate me for it, I will stop it from happening. This time, I should be able to do it. With the precedence of Rachel and Laura, it should be possible. If blondy and our ss rep could achieve their freedom from the plot, Kurokawa should be able to have it, too. It is only fair to give her that chance. I personally will not give up after putting up a fight with the system this time. That is my resolve.

    Now that Kurokawa is not fond of Han that much anymore, it is up to me to pull her out of her misery. Sadly, I do not think I can ever give her the affection she needs most. Both of my arms are tied to two girls already. Since I am no Han, I doubt I am able to handle more than those girls. Merely maintaining the bnce of one immovable wall, namely Laura, and one unstoppable force, Rachel, is too much for my feeble mind. Any more than that, and I will be dead at the end of the week. Perhaps dried up after too much snu snu or worse. Still, dying from snu snu seems...favorable, to say the least...

    Just kidding, though. As if something like that is going to happen with those two. Like an achievement, I am counting how many days I can be with Laura and Rachel without being stabbed to death. Being able to wake up tomorrow is already a blessing of its own.

    At the beginning of the protagonist and Kurokawa''s route, the bookworm hardly exhibited signs of a masochist. Not until after her event did that part of her start to show. It triggered a switch in her head. Deep within Kurokawa was a pain more than anything she could ever feel. Sadly, the only way for her to relieve that pain was to suffer in another way. The bookworm desperately looked for a way to lessen the burden she had in her chest.

    That was when she found out self-harming was a way to keep her mind sane.

    The bookworm felt indebted to Han and would try to make it up to him in any way she could. Slowly, Kurokawa would ask her boyfriend to increase the intensity of the ''so-called treatments'' until he killed her in one of their intercourses. If you guess that is it, I have worse news.

    When the pleasure of sex was at its peak, Kurokawa asked Han to choke her neck. Being a pushover, Han hesitated butplied with that request anyway.

    That turned out to be a horrible decision...

    In such a situation, I suppose people would use a method to signal a stopping point. Asphyxiation is stimting, no doubt about that, but not so good you should die from it. Unfortunately, Han did not know as much as I do now. The protagonist did not know when to stop or what to ask. And as Kurokawa continued to experience immense pleasure from being strangled, neither did she.

    She wanted it to happen.

    She died at the hands of her most favorite person in this world, a way for her to atone for her wrongdoings.

    I still remember Kurokawa mustered an apology before passing out for good.

    Seeing her state, Han was perplexed, to say the least.

    Because the apology was: "I''m sorry, Mother."

    Kurokawa, in her event, would murder her mother, which would haunt her for the rest of her days. Unable to live with guilt, she chose the suicide method. The protagonist was her preferred person.

    I already know the ending. The only thing to do now is how to prevent it from happening.

 Chapter 75: [Kurokawa] Running away

    *Gatan*

    "Please excuse me!"

    Unable to listen to C''s inner voice, I quickly stood up and ran outside to the restroom, bumping into the table and chair but ignoring all of the noise. While walking, I tried my best not to show C my tearful face by leaning toward one side. Because if he did, I would have no idea what he would think of me anymore.

    [Eh? What is wrong? Kurokawa, are you doing okay?]

    Not that I was not okay, but I needed a little time alone, that was all.

    With one hand covering my mouth, my feet bolted out as fast as possible.

    I saw it. I saw another me.

    No, I relived that crucial moment he just said.

    When C thought about my event, just like thest time, I arrived at the scene that was my house.

    Everything was messier than usual. There were pieces of cutleries, broken furnitures, and tes all over the floor as if there was a huge fight. Truth be told, the sight of that made me think there was a robbery of some sort. Yet, it was not. It was a fight between my Mother and me.

    "Gack! Ack!!"

    My Mother was forced to stay on the floor. Mother''s pale purple face was ever so clear in my head as she struggled to keep herself from dying. I could vividly feel the familiar warmth slowly leaving her body after me strangling her with a rope. Not only that, but I could also feel the new scratches on my body, blood dripping down from them due to her arms frantically wing my skin. Her nails dug deep until they reached the bone, desperately holding on to her dear life.

    "KU! GO! Khack!!"

    Calling my name, she wanted to live. I did not let that happen.

    "Please! Please! Please! Please! Please! Do this for your daughter! Please let me have this for a while!" From the bottom of my lungs, I pleaded. "I will make it up to you, Mother. Just like I always did. So please... for my sake..."

    Even when I saw my Mother in her never-before-seen pitiful state, there was still no such thing as enjoyment in my heart. Agony transformed into thousands of razor-sharp pieces, cutting me open one piece at a time. As grief swallowed me whole, my throat constricted, and tears welled up uncontrobly while I desperately held onto her body. After all, I was killing my creator.

    Holding tight to the ropes in my hand, I was crying loudly. Mother had tears in her eyes, as well. Sadly for both of us, I was too far gone to release her. We could never go back to before.

    "I just want to be free! I can''t take it anymore, Mother! I don''t want to be hurt! I don''t want you to hit me! I want to live my life how I want it to be, alongside the man I love! Why can''t you understand that?!"

    "Don''t you know how hard it is to hide my scars from everyone? Don''t you think I want to show my beauty to my love? Don''t you think I want to feel proud as a girl?! Have you ever wondered how I would look without these gifts you made? Never! Mother! NEVER DID I HAVE THE CHANCE TO BE A REAL GIRL!!"

    "Ku-go...!" She extended her arm upward, seemingly trying to p my face. I was used to those attacks already, so I ignored her effort.

    "Didn''t you suffer because of love also? You should be able to understand that more than I do! But instead of teaching me how to be better than you, you created another version of yourself!"

    Mother touched my face, and I prepared myself for what wasing. Still, I did not stop yelling. She could p me, hit me. I did not give a damn.

    "Father didn''t just leave you! He left the both of us! But the pain you bear is transferred onto me! ME! I had to take the consequences of your actions! Why didn''t you abort me when you had the chance? Why did you give birth to me just so you could torture me day in and day out? ANSWER ME, MOTHER! HOW IS THAT FAIR!?!"

    "Now that I have a chance at happiness, you are trying to take him away! Do you want me to suffer just like you did in the past?"

    "ANSWER ME! ANSWER ME! ANSWER!!! I WANT AN ANSWER!!" As if a dam was finally broken, I gave her every bit of my thoughts. Unbeknownst to me, my voice was coarse and filled with hatred.

    The sound of our bodies colliding echoed through the entire room as we fell to the ground together. No matter how much Mother tried, no sound could escape her throat.

    Rather than telling her to give me an answer, I was venting the anger I had built through all those years. That was why I shouted everything that came to mind without thinking twice about it. After that night, there would be no need to contain my emotions.

    "Why is it so hard? Why is it so hard for you to ept me? Am I your daughter?"

    But I knew my Mother better than anyone. She would never agree to anything I said. In fact, I expected nothing less. And yet, I continued to shout even though I could tell my words were falling on deaf ears.

    "I...just want to be loved by you."

    It did not make me feel better when Mother''s windpipe was crushed under my hands. The only person who heard my pleas was myself. Unfortunately, it was not enough to ease the burden.

    At that moment, Mother''s lips moved as she stroked my hair.

    There was no sound, but I could make out what she said.

    I. Am. Sorry.

    Just like that, Mother died. No more pain, no more suffering, and no more cleaning up after her mess.

    That was when I was pulled back to reality. Instantly, I got out of my seat.

    Unless I exited the ssroom with him still in it, sooner orter, C would pull me into his memory world again by using his ability. And even though that would benefit me greatly, giving me information on which a new n can be formed, I did not feel the need to subject myself to seeing a dirty and defiled Kurokawa.

    She and I were the same, no matter what I might think otherwise. It was impossible for me to cancel that thought. Because even after gaining my sentience like how C always wanted, I still wanted to do what he was afraid of. On my hands was the lifeless body of my creator, and I still wanted to do it again.

    How many times did I kill her?

    I...could not look at myself in that state for a second time. Just seeing myself fawning over Han in one of the iterations where Laura was killed made me sick down to my core. If anything worse than that was to be shown to me, I would probably vomit in the middle of the ss.

    In my mind, no such degradation word could encapste her embarrassing existence. We were an entity so disgusting, perverted, and filthy created by the system only to fulfill the deepest and darkest desires. A lowlife, a piece of garbage for others to trample upon, a fragile creature whose sole purpose was to murder its Mother. A ve without a cor...

    "Hic!" I swallow a hup, making the sound as small as possible. C should not be seeing me like this. "This isn''t fair!"

    No doubt I was running away from the truth. Yet, staying behind would cause the pain in my heart to spread even further.

    [Just like the other girls, Kurokawa is also a poor heroine. But her misfortunees from both within her and outside forces. Thus, her mental burden drove her to kill herself. I...wish I could do more for her, yet her desires were something a side character like me could never provide. Even Han could not save Kurokawa, then how am I supposed to do it?]

    His thoughts had a sad tone and hints of regret, but his words were kind, much more so than the one whom I thought cared about me the most. Of course, that thought had been destroyed beyond recognition. Only the young and naive Kurokawa would have believed in something as sphemous as that. The current me understood very clearly that the one Mother cared for was herself. All she did was create a perfect product to show off to this wretched world.

    [Kurokawa was not merely looking for love. She was looking for someone to protect her. Our protagonist clearly could not do such a thing.]

    ...He did understand me. That silly faceless guy did know my heart more than anyone else that hade into existence. When I looked through the beautiful blue sky outside the windows by our corridor, I suddenly realized that perhaps, there would never be such a person who woulde across my life anymore. And it was precisely that reason that drove me to run away from the scene.

    Conflicts of emotions quickly filled my heart. I did not understand how someone with little connection to me could give me suchfort that I had never experienced. C was a side character without a face, without a future, without lines, yet he managed to understand what I needed. However, I did not understand how someone whose body I was formed inside her womb never paid attention to all of my feelings. How could someone who ate the same thing I ate and slept in the same house with me every night be so...evil toward her own kin? Those things were contradictory, were they not?

    Unlike C, there was no evidence to show Mother held me dear. All these times, the scars on my body kept reminding me of that fact. Not only that, but they also kept telling me that to achieve actual freedom, Mother had to be gone for good. Even when C had deliberately confirmed this world wanted me to murder my flesh and blood, I still thought it was the only way.

    Was it because of the influence of this world, or was it because of my will? Those questions were bing irrelevant. I just knew that Mother had to leave. What she and I shared was no longer possible to salvage. There would be no way for her to ept someone like C as my boyfriend, not to mention how many girls were fawning over him.

    I did not wish to kill my Mother. I did not want to fulfill this destiny. But...besides that...did I have another chance at freedom?

    C could set me free from the shackles of this world. What would happen after that? Would I have to stay at Han''s house like in the previous iterations? It would never work. Mother would always find me no matter how I tried to escape her grasp.

    The invisible chains on my body were not the only ones. There were many more in my mind.

    "How ironic." I unconsciously let a sigh escapes my shaking throat.

    I could never be free.

 Chapter 76: [Kurokawa] Breaking point

    *Saaaa*

    After entering the restroom, I quickly turned on the faucet. Soon after, a transparent liquid ran out and quickly made a small pool within the palm of my hands.

    Water was such a weird thing, I thought. It could be gaseous, solid, or liquid, depending on the environment it would find itself in. Life could not have formed without its help, and people would not have existed if water was never created in the first ce. Even this entire world could not have been born without water. Yet, magical as it was, water also had the power to bring total devastation. With just the right amount and method, water could be a destructive weapon or a tool that could cut diamonds. It had almost limitless potential, all thanks to its nature of...being free.

    ...What am I doing envying something like water?

    Nevertheless, I was in this restroom a few minutes earlier to help C find the two girls. In all honesty, when C barged in to search for the missing girls, naked Rachel and naked Laura never once crossed over my head. Of course, our faceless guy would not have let them go that easily without doing something big, so I had to credit that blond haired-girl and the ss rep. Even so, Rachel being able to deliver something like that was understandable. She was more than ready to shower C with love and affection beyond his receiving capabilities. It was actually Laura that made me surprised the most.

    ss rep''s face was redder than a tomato, and steam came out from her forehead like a boiling kettle while stuttering: "H-ho-how do y-you do?" Her naked body was stunning, beautiful, and full of life. It was clear as the sky itself she hardly had any experience in doing something close to being an exhibitionist like that.

    Rachel was not far off. Still, she fared much better than our respectable ss rep. With barely anything to cover herself, she asked C: "So? How do we look?" The soap could hardly hide her private parts, creating an alluring scene thanks to that.

    C''s thoughts did not go too far from all of our expectations.

    "Why are you two doing this?! Wait! No! I''m sorry for walking in!" C screamed and stormed out, leaving behind a trace of his words ofpliment.

    [Holy moly! They are magnificent!! Wait! Don''t stand up, boy! I can''t run like this!!!]

    It was close to all of the lucky pervert moment scenes I read. But then again, behind the astounding birthday suits was the true intention of Rachel and Laura: the corpse of the school bully. After making sure C was gone, the two exchanged a giggle and went back inside, seemingly trying to clean themselves before heading back to ss.

    The whole time they were there, I stood still in my ce, not moving an inch or saying a word. When I saw C''s almost unhinged jaws, my brain instantly wondered what he would say if our positions were switched, if the people standing at the door were Rachel and Laura. Would I have been able to give him an embarrassed face while smiling and giggling like a girl madly in love? Would he have said my body was also magnificent, nor would he feel bad because of my scars?

    Knowing C, he probably would have done thetter thing.

    Thankfully, I did not have to hear him say that.

    I kept saying this, but I wished I could be like them. I really wished...to be able to feel confident about my body.

    Sadly, that wish would never be fulfilled even in a million years. It was...my fate.

    "Something for me to live with for the rest of my life."

    As the cooling sensation ran through my fingers, dripping into the sink below me, I sshed them all over my face, trying to cool down and clean all the tears. Right now, washing my face was the only way I could think of to clear up my mind. Back home, I would do more drastic things to keep my mind from venturing too far.

    One would never understand how in control they were until they inflicted wounds onto their body, especially living in a world where nothing was within their grasp. Personally, the pain was not something so taboo people should be afraid of, but both a remedy and a punishment that anyone could utilize to remain sane. Using it the right way and people might just be able to feel alive when everything had gone south. I could not say that I represent everyone living in agony, trying to survive another day in nothing except for numbness, but at least I had my anecdotal.

    Although, if someone asked did I think of myself as a masochist like in C''s thoughts? The answer would be a reluctant no. At the very least, not for now. In all of the times, I slit my arm and asphyxiated my neck, I never felt any pleasure from doing those things, which was the thing masochists would experience. Instead, self-inflicted pain was something akin to an anchor for me to understand I was still human, a way for Kurokawa to express her desire.

    Still, if I were toplete the event, the pain would probably benefit me in an unprecedented way. After all, I did not believe I could murder Mother without any repercussion, no matter its origin. The bookworm in the past possibly could not have lived knowing she killed the one who gave birth and cared for her entire life. Hence, she decided she would die under her own circumstances.

    In that case, did she really love Han? Most likely not. Rather than love, it should have been a coping mechanism to keep on living until the day she decided to kill herself. It would exin the self-degradation and the willingness to share Han with everybody else.

    Not that it mattered anymore, though. The fact that my life was predetermined by someone else terrified me deeply. Yet, there was no way for me to do anything. Whether I killed Mother or not made no difference since I would still stay a ve in this world, forever bound under its rules and stories.

    I was never given a choice in the first ce, just like the characters in my books. Simr to their lives, who were given magic and items tobat the evils of their world as fake choices created by the authors, everything given to me until now was also mere illusions created by the forces of this eroge world, waiting for a day to make the final performance. After so much time and effort building up my character, when that time came, at longst, readers would finally be able to enjoy my suffering to the fullest extent.

    It was funny how a bookworm who used to read other graphic novels had be the captured target of another one, another game.

    It was so funny that I was crying profusely.

    "I...hic...can''t be in here for too long. C may get suspicious. Plus, I don''t want him to go inside this ce again. Those two clearly did not finish up with that piece of garbage." Sshing my face with another pool of water, I pped both cheeks lightly.

    In that room, there existed two girls who had different but also tragic backstories from mine. Regardless, I was envious of the ss rep and that blond-haired girl. If I could, I would have written my story differently. Thanks to C, they have achieved their freedom. No longer did Rachel have to care about her love is unrequited, and no longer did Laura have to worry about one disgusting bully aiming for her life.

    As for me, I did not have the luxury of denying what this world created to mess up my mind. Even though I could not say anything about Rachel and Laura''s pain, it was clear that only I had suffered physical deformities due to the plot. Unfortunately, there was no option but to calm down and think about what would happen next.

    ming C was useless. He was innocent. Never did C cause me any harm. His abilities were not something he could control. Worse yet, we even established some conditions to make him oblivious to his power. I would never be able to me someone like that.

    It was a shame that this bathroom break was only a quick pause. Soon, I would still need to return to our ssroom where C was still present and possibly be shown some other disturbing memories. After that, my event would start.

    Running water had always been pleasant to my ears, which helped soothe my thumping heart. If it did not, I would not have run away to a ce where a corpse was present. After a few more deep breaths in order to calm myself, I identally looked up at the mirror above me��and stopped dead still. Because of the sshing, my forehead was widely in view, and the hideous scar was ever so apparent. It was just as red as before as if someone had taken a knife to my head and carved out this ugly thing that would hang there for eternity.

    "How would anyone be able to love this thing? How would anyone be able to love you?" I whispered under my breath while looking into the reflection with disgust, acting like I was talking to someone else. The only thing that replied to my words was the water, nothing else.

    Even without C present, I could still see and understand the emotions filling my teary green eyes. It was none other than despair. Like the twitching red mess on my forehead, it was impossible to hide my feelings. So much so that even Laura or Rachel could see the misery going through my body. That was never my strong point, anyway. If it was, Mother would not have gone so far as to punish me during one of her rages, and I would not have destroyed or hidden all the mirrors in my house.

    "I despise your very being! Your existence is a waste of resources! Do you think you are better than that dead-cold piece of crap!?"

    Heavy words escaped my windpipe, overwhelmed by the sounds of water.

    "If only you were never born! If only you were never written into this world! Then I would not have had to suffer this much! All! Because of you!!"

    *m* *ng-ng-ng*

    Unable to control the bursting volcano inside my chest, a fist was drawn toward the mirror, which immediately broke the lower portion of it.

    *Drip* *Drip*

    Blood came out from my hand. A cold, tearing pain eloped my hand thereon.

    But it did not matter one bit.

    "It''s not fair. It''s not fair! IT''S NOT FAIR!" Screams erupted from my chest. "Why did it have to be me!? Why couldn''t I be normal? Why did I have to suffer day in and day out like this? It''s...it''s just not fair..."

    Tears kept running down my cheeks. Ever since I exited the ssroom, not once did I manage to stop it. "It''s not fair."

    "I don''t want to go back..." Heavy words escaped my windpipe, overwhelmed by the sounds of water.

    "I-if...my destiny...hic...were to be a ything, please...at least...hic...let me be with C." Crying uncontrobly, I pleaded to an unknown creator in my heart. "Th-then...at the end of it all, I would die...happy..."

    [The corridor was empty, so she should still be inside. Let''s wait for Kurokawa. If I ask her to skip a few sses for a talk, she will not decline, right!? After all, Kurokawa is also acting odd like the other two.]

    ...C

 Chapter 77: [Kurokawa] Please stay away from me...

    Why...Why was C here?

    Should he not be in ss with Rachel and Laura?

    Why did C have toe to this ce? For what purpose did it drive him to be here right now? Did hee off his volition, or someone told him to do it? No. That was wrong. There would be no way for C to be a pushover guy like that. Even though he never showed it, I knew deep down C was a man of reason whose ideals mattered the most. He would never let someone dictate his life if he had the chance. Everything C did must make sense in his own thinking.

    That was also the reason why I was so attracted to him. Whenever I heard his inner voice or peered into his memory world, I was delighted to see someone akin to myself.

    In terms of a novelist, C was He who carried grief, he who harbored desperation, he who sacrificed, he who suffered...

    He...who I admired.

    Knowing that cute faceless guy, C must havee here by his own will.

    As for a reason toe here, I could figure out a thing or two after giving it a second. C was not fond of the harem aspect of this world, probably due to our true nature of being yanderes. He, out of all people, knew how devastating a yandere harem would be and had been trying to let us down as gently as possible. His intention was simple: to not give us the bad endings. Inside and outside of him were simr. C wanted nothing to do with romance with the main characters, namely Rachel and me. In fact, he never wanted romance with us at all. So I could easily dismiss the possibility of him seeking my attention. Then again, what could I offer...

    For him to go out of hisfort zone to find me, putting his life on the line, there would not be any other viable answer than the storyline itself. In ss, C had already mentioned he would do anything possible to...save me. And now, he was merely executing his previous resolves. He wanted to rescue me from the fate of being killed by this system and nothing else. The silly faceless guy would never ask for anything extra. If he were in one of my fantasy books, he would be selfless hero who never wantedpensation, even when offered a hand in marriage. All he did was for the sake of his kindness.

    It was not his fault, but I still felt a dark emotion swirling inside my chest.

    I was immensely disappointed. Kindness in the wrong ce at the wrong time can create unimaginable consequences. For those who never wanted it but something much grander, giving that to them would be a sharp blow to their heads.

    At that moment, I cast my eyes down to the broken pieces of the mirror, looking at countless reflections of my face. Without much effort, I could see the hideous scar on my forehead from various angles. They were mocking me, cussing at me, telling me I was unworthy of being loved for eternity. Not even your Mother, whose flesh and blood you shared, could adore such an abomination, then why should C be any different, theyughed.

    Still, was it wrong to hope for something else?

    C, was I wrong to expect...something warmer? A wholesome, energizing sensation? Was I wrong to think you sought me out because you wanted to be with me? Was it too much to ask for?

    Was a girl wrong to hope for light inside her dark and forsaken world?

    Then again, in my case, what could I do with just love? I would never be the strong and straightforward character Laura was or the cute and cuddly Rachel. My feelings were heavy, and it would burden anyone who got close enough to me. C already had enough on his te. He should not have mine. Rather than changing C and making it better for him to live, I would say my thoughts would plunge us down to the deepestyers of the emotional hell.

    Perhaps. When the story has been written, it would be wrong for its characters to hope for anything else.

    I was not looking for a savior, a protagonist, or a hero. Never did and never would be.

    I was looking for eptance.

    I was looking for... apanion. And C, despite being the best candidate, was not prepared to give me any of it.

    My heart was filled with sorrowful thoughts. Once again, I could not contain the streams of tears on my cheeks. All this crying was getting on my nerve, but controlling it was futile, so I let it be. Maybe after running for a bit longer, mycrimal nds would dry up, and the tears would stop automatically. That or I would die because of dehydration. Both were good. If I could die from it, then please, by all means. Release me from this suffering. It would be best if the Kurokawa of the subsequent iterations did not remember this one.

    Because their pain would be multiplied.

    The blood on my hand was still dripping down. It was neither small nor shallow, yet it could never be equal to the pain in my chest. I always had a high pain tolerance anyway.

    Then, I exited the restroom, not caring about the open wound. I was already so mentally exhausted to try and do anything further.

    "Hi, C." I waved my good arm at that faceless guy like in the morning, not bothered with acting like I did not know he was there. If I was going down anyway, there would be no need to care about some made-up rules. They were made when the yers were on my side. Now, it made no sense anymore.

    C jumped. "H-hello, Kurokawa!"

    [Ack! That startled me. Hold on... Is that blood?! And she is crying, too? What happened? Is her event starting already? No, that should not be it. It is still damn too soon!]

    "Kurokawa! You''re bleeding!!" He pointed at my arm with such haste. His voice was high-pitched.

    "Yeah..." I nodded slightly.

    "Um, are you okay?" C''s voice clearly sounded like he was worried about me. However, when I thought about why he cared, there was a heavy sigh.

    [She is behaving quite weirdly. Is she mad at me?]

    It was not his fault. I was not mad at him. I just... I...did not want him to show me kindness and then say he could not be there for me. False hope would be thest thing I need in this instance. The more he tried to approach me, the more I desired his warmth. And the moment he denied it, my heart would stop beating.

    It was like that with Mother.

    "Yes. I am," Just like that, I brushed C off and tried to walk back to ss.

    Unable to figure out what went wrong, he stared at me, dumbfounded.

    [I did not do anything stupid this time, did I?]

    No, you did not. It was this world that was wrong. It was the entire premise of my existence that was wrong.

    It was the injustice going on right now that was wrong.

    You, C, had never been wrong.

    I was in the wrong here. And I was sorry for putting up this pathetic side of me for you to see.

    "...Aren''t you hurt?!"

    "Not really. Just a scratch," I replied. "This is nothing to me, you know."

    "I..."

    [I do.]

    "Come on! Let''s head to the infirmary to get you some bandages. The wound looks ridiculously big, Kurokawa. You should not take this so lightly."

    [Because she is used to pain does not mean she can walk away like this. She allows it. I do not! The wound could infect her and cause variousplications!]

    He scolded me like how a boyfriend would.

    How I wish that to be the case...

    "I don''t want to," I imed harshly. Hopefully, C would understand my hidden tone and leave me alone after this.

    "I don''t care. We''re going! Now, I can''t let your arm be like this!" Contrary to my belief, he did not falter. Even his voice has changed to a much stronger tone than before, almostmanding.

    I adored that deeply. Standing in front of C, I could still see a look of seriousness on his almost featureless face. His care brought me great joy, yet, at the same time, gave me great misery, thinking of what wasing up next.

    After a few seconds of a stare down, I finally gave in. "Okay."

    "That''s good, Kurokawa!" He sighed in relief.

    "On one condition!" Using my good arm, I raised the index finger.

    "Anything. As long as you follow me to the infirmary." He strongly imed.

    "I would like you to tell me why you got here and are alone. Where are Rachel and Laura? Your girlfriends?"

 Chapter 78: Never put kindness in the wrong place

    "Ack!" I immediately choke on my own spit right after hearing Kurokawa''s demands.

    She stressed the word Girlfriends really strongly, though... As if she was trying to find out if I was cheating on Rachel and Laura or something...

    I am most definitely NOT doing that! I can assure you that, Kurokawa!

    And what was that particr feeling in her voice that I heard? I know she has her eyes on me for some reason, but damn, man, this is something hard to solve.

    "What''s wrong? You can''t answer that question?" Her eyes gaze upon me, still moist from the tears from earlier. Even though I want to know what she went through that made her cry, I guess this is not a good time to ask. It will be too insensitive of me to focus on my curiosity rather than the person in front right now. Plus, she deserves to be treated much better.

    "Hold on! Ack! Give me a second! Cough!" I stretch one arm forward, signaling her to stop and coughing my heart out. Seeing so, Kurokawa silently stares at my arm. Although she seems a bit jumpy, reaching out and withdrawing her hands sometimes like she is trying to hold onto an invisible object, she still does not move an inch. Our bookworm is really the obedient kind, is she not?

    A sigh tries to escape my throat, but I swallow some saliva to stop it mid-way. Seriously, this is not a good moment for it toe out since I do not want to do anything that would make Kurokawa more ufortable. From the looks of everything, she already has enough on her te. There is virtually no need for me or anyone to make her day more stressful. The more I understand her, the more unfair everything seems and the easier for me to feel sorry for Kurokawa. She did not have to suffer from the wretched storyline. Not at all!

    "It''s not like I can''t tell you..." I struggle to find the right words to put into my sentence.

    It is just that I have already told Rachel and Laura what I was doing, that I would be finding Kurokawa to talk to her a little bit. This is a mere guess, but those two girls are probably hidden somewhere to judge my behavior. One wrong move, and maybe my skull will be mmed into the wall.

    Okay, maybe not to that extent with the current Rachel, but still... you know what I mean, right?

    "They know I''m here. I told them beforehand."

    I have had the luxury of looking at Han''s previous demise. More often than not, his deaths were caused by misunderstandings just by doing something mundane such as talking to someone. Crazy as Rachel could be, she was not so illogical that she would forbid Han from interacting with the other sex. Physical touch was always a no-no, though that was to be expected from Blondy.

    "I see..." With a voice clearly shaking up, Kurokawa replies. "So it was not because you wanted to be with me that you went out of your way. I understand."

    Not good... That was the worse possible reaction... She is self-loathing already! And she no longer hides or throws any curved balls, too! The misery and sorrow in her words are ever so apparent.

    Choose your words carefully, C! The next thing you say will either make or break this conversation! Ugh! God help me! What do I even say in this situation?! How would Han act if he was here? What would the blessed child of the system do?

    ...He would definitely hug her tightly like the handsome and charming guy he is while saying nothing. A warm hug is more than enough for him to take the heart of a heroine.

    But I am not him. I can never do something like that! I have a girlfriend, for goodness'' sake! Think, C. Think! What else can you offer her? Console her, god damn it! Something, anything...

    "It''s okay, C. It''s okay. You don''t have to say anything. The real reason is not that important anymore. You are here now, and I appreciate that greatly." Kurokawa forces a crooked smile on her face, trying to show me she is doing fine. "I''m sorry for showing such a depressed sight. You must feel really awkward right now."

    Dripping slowly, blood from her hand gathers on the floor until a small pool of crimson-red liquid forms next to Kurokawa''s legs. Although our bookworm is smiling, her emotions are obviously all over the ce. When she tries to smile, the corners of her eyes close, pushing even more tears outward. And when she talks, some words are broken and off-tuned. Without a doubt, Kurokawa is acting strong.

    She looks... so...utterly lonely...

    "I really...wish you would be here only because you wanted to see me." Holding her breath back a few seconds, Kurokawa confesses. "No hidden motives, simply because you care about me."

    "..." I stand dead in my ce, dumbfounded and unable to say a thing.

    Because she is right.

    I have a hidden motive. I want our Kurokawa to know what will happen during her event. I want to save her from weeks of severe depression and guilt. I want her to live to find her own happiness. I want to see Kurokawa oveing her regret.

    Although all of that may sound like a lot, to someone like Kurokawa, they are meaningless.

    They are all my desires.

    Never hers. Not once did I care what Kurokawa wanted.

    I should have asked.

    Kurokawa does not need anything that has not even happened yet. This world has filled her life with so much grief and suffering already. When I let her know a glimpse of the future, her pain will undoubtedly multiply at least tenfold. To me, someone who knows the story, her future is more important, but the bookworm is different. She wants my attention. Kurokawa wants me to care about her and nothing else. To her, being cared for is more important than anything.

    That is why I cannot reply.

    "You know, C, kindness is good, yet not always needed. Simr to everything in life, given the circumstances, it has the potential to be something deadly. It is not your fault but mine, though. I will get the wrong idea when you are too kind to me, C. And when I keep getting the wrong idea, the moment I realize I can never have you, it breaks me from the inside out. That kind of pain is... There is no such word that can describe the pain of...false hope."

    I want tofort her, but I cannot. To make her pain disappear, Kurokawa will need affection. Years and decades of constant loving will be required to slowly grind away all the damage that has been done to her heart. Yet, I do not know how I can give her that when I can not guarantee happiness to just one of the girls.

    Han is the main character. He has the ability to be the harem lord. It is his destiny.

    There is no future for me. There is no future for us.

    I am just a useless piece of shit...

    Perhaps feeling my silence, Kurokawa steps closer and continues to speak.

    "C, do you know what I have been praying the most after I met you?" The bookworm looks to the ground, her fists clenching tightly.

    Immediately, I reply: "What is it? If it makes you feel better, then..."

    "I wish to be like Rachel and Laura." Kurokawa''s eyes look up at me again as she says those words. Her voice is almost like she is begging. "I envy them. I want to spend time with you, too. I want to hold your hands and cook for you, too. I want to be able to wake up next to you, too. I want to be the one you see after waking up every morning. I want to be the one to greet you when youe home every night. I want to feel loved by you! What do you think I feel when they have the best time of their lives while I can only look at you from afar?"

    "I...I''m sorry...Kurokawa..."

    "But I know it''s not their fault. We were bornpletely different, after all. I don''t have their unblemished skin, their beautiful faces, their eyes, their expressions, and many, many more... All things about them screams beautiful. Everything about them reminds me of how disgusting I am. Underneath these clothes are scars, C. Scars! On my face is another big one. And underneath these rags are more scars."

    I know. I have seen it many times before. I saw Kurokawa try to cut it off, too.

    "I wish to be free like them. I wish to be proud of who I am, of my achievements, of my life. Yet...yet...All I feel every day is the sense of not being good enough. Mother always reminds me of it. Even if she doesn''t, then my body will. From morning till night, I am never free from intrusive thoughts! Do you know that not once I thought about cutting my wrist open? The only reason I am still alive is because of my cowardice. Yes, I want to die but scared of killing myself. Even when pain is something I am used to. Isn''t that just the most hrious thing ever?" Tears streaming down her face, Kurokawa''s voice breaks apart. However, unlike Rachel or Laura, who would have hups while they cry, Kurokawa does not.

    She...is very used to crying.

    "Is it wrong to wish for someone who cares about me, protects me, and loves me deeply? Is it wrong to hope for someone who would sacrifice his life for me..." Her shoulders shake slightly as she holds back her tears.

    "Someone...who would embrace me and call me beautiful..."

    "I''m...sorry, Kurokawa." Ashamed, I turn my head down.

    "No. It''s not you. It''s never your fault. I''m sorry...hic...for being like this. I know you can''t be with someone like me, C. You still have Rachel and Laura to take care of."

    At this rate, she is going to suffer even harder. I need to think of something quick.

    "This has been a ridiculous rambling. I apologize for taking so much of your time. Please, C,e back to ss. I will head to the infirmary myself." Kurokawa bows deeply, then turns her back to me and walks away.

    Behind her, I stand.

    My feet have never been so heavy before. My mouth is unable to open.

    There is nothing that I can think of that can say to make Kurokawa feel better.

    I understand I need to catch up to that lonely girl who has lived in total reclusion. Her shell was so tough that not even Han could break it open.

    Kurokawa, please, what do I need to do to help?

 Chapter 79: [Kurokawa] I should just end it all.

    As if my brain had lost all of its higher functions, I suddenly did not know anything better to do. Like a pitiful coward, right after bowing down to C, the urge to run with everything I could quickly consumed my whole body. Thus, I bolted, ignoring all of his effortpletely.

    "Wait! Kurokawa!" C screamed out my name, to no avail, of course.

    Because I was already too far gone.

    Behind me, he was still trying to reach out with his hand in mid-air. His feet were glued to the floor, and C showed a desperate look on his nk face. Even without other facial features, his painful expression was still adamant. The only thing he could think of was how to try his best to work something out. A noble thing, indeed.

    Regrettably, there was nothing to be done, nor did I want him to continue his persuasion. Perhaps, it was better to let go of someone whose ears did not want toprehend as fas as possible.

    Someone like me: stubborn and stupid.

    [Please, Kurokawa...I did not mean to do that... I only wanted to help...]

    When I lost control, C was hurt for just trying to be there. Who would not be, honestly? Nevertheless, I thanked the heavens above for not letting him follow me. Only God would know what kind of rubbish woulde out of my disgusting mouth if he decided to run after me. If I did it once, there was no doubt I would do it a second or third time.

    My dearest apologies to C. This was for the best for him. This...was to protect the two of us.

    "I''m sorry." I heard him saying that with a weak voice, unlike his usual demeanor. "Forgive me..." He said those words while looking straight at my disappearing figure.

    However, the momentum was set. I could not stay around C for another second. My wish at that point was simple. As long as I was out of C''s thought projection range, it was already too much of a blessing for someone like me. If I did not, then madness was no longer further away.

    There was no other choice. Confronting C was never an option in my mind. I knew well what monster lurked inside my body and the damage it would cause once released. That was already demonstrated by the other Kurokawas in the past. He did not do anything to deserve such a treatment. Maybe there existed a person who deserved my negativity, just not him.

    Frankly, I did it once just now. It was... a shameful disy that I would never want to repeat. And it did not get me anywhere. In fact, it did the exact opposite. Once again, by opening up that filthy vault, I failed miserably.

    "How pathetic can one be, I wonder?"

    The school corridor became even longer than ever as my lead-filled feet were forced to move forward. Without turning my head, I wiped my tears and looked over my shoulder before leaving. He was still there, frozen in his ce, frozen in time because of my mistake. His lips were fumbling over a few unintelligible words.

    "Kurokawa..." His voice was so quiet that I almost missed it.

    Through my tear-filled vision, tiles and walls of the corridor somehow stretched further beyond into infinity. With each step I took, reality seemed to break apart, heading toward a hellish ce void of colors. It did not matter much, though. Even if death was waiting at the end of the line, I still had to keep going.

    This...soul-crushing feeling of abandonment...I deserved it. Words were failing me as my vocabry was dry and bing useless. Running all by myself, this istion did not make me feel chills to my bones or make my blood boil out of rage. No. It was much more basic, down to Earth. If sadness was blue, rage was red, and happiness was yellow, then a pitch-ck color remained at the bottom of my heart. That ck color pulled out all strength I had within like a bottomless ckhole, suffocating me in the process. I was unable to define what kind of emotion it was. What would one call a mixture of disappointment, loneliness, and depression?

    Then again, it was my fault, after all. Things would have been much simpler if I had more courage.

    It was my fault for being born. It was my fault for hurting Mother, C, and myself.

    If only I did not exist...How amazing would that be? A life without purpose, without care, without pain and sadness. Nothing would be able to hurt me, and I would not be able to hurt anyone, either. It would be the ideal, perfect world.

    It would be...a world...without him in it...

    ...

    "A horrible, horrible world. A world without you would be meaningless." The mere thought of such a dested ce brought me to tears.

    Here I was,shing at the only person who cared about me. Mother and I had fought before. Tons of times. Yet I never lost control of myposure like that. The things that were supposed to only live inside my head burst open like a broken dam. And once I lost control of it, everything just poured out uncontrobly. In that heated moment, I let the monster of jealousy and envy out, and it destroyed whatever n C was trying to talk about. He, albeit terrified of being killed by his girlfriends, still walked out there so I could have a better chance at life.

    Then, my hands came up close to my face. And...

    *p!!*

    A sharp pain on my left cheek.

    "I bit the hand that reached out because I was insecure."

    *p!!*

    A sharp pain on my right cheek.

    "I pushed him away because I wanted him to think of me."

    *p!!* *p!!* *p!!*

    "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid..."

    Soon, I was hitting myself without holding back. If anyone was to look at me, my actions right now would probably be listed as those of a maniac. Besides the main cast, this eroge world only had the shadow people. Those people did not think. They only followed the damn script as intended. Therefore, I had no reason to care.

    Kurokawa, oh Kurokawa! You selfish imbecile...

    You did it. Congrattions! You sessfully threw your only chance at winning out of the window due to some pesky high school girl''s thoughts.

    "What more...could I have done?" Tattered and broken, I whispered to the air while running like a mindless zombie.

    All before my eyes was nothing except for an abyss where no light could ever escape. All I heard was my footsteps and the echoes of my sobbing.

    More than anyone, since a long time ago, I already understood that something was wrong, that I was sick and needed help. No one needed to remind me of that fact, not even C. Yet sadly, knowing was one thing; solving it was another.

    My effort could be summed up with one word only. Futile. The truth was: even I did not know how to deal with my bursting negative emotions.

    It was like what C thought. I was...a difficult person to deal with. In fact, not just once had I focused on trying to work the burden of mine out. And despite everything being a mere code in my existence, my suffering was ''real'' to the fullest extent of that word. Any time I decided to find a way out of it, the result woulde out the same: for me to break through this mental barrier, the one who needed to fight the most would be...none other than Kurokawa, myself. External help would not be sufficient.

    But...I was terrified not because of Mother, the plot, or anything from the outside world. The origin of my fear came from within.

    I was...terrified of myself, of looking into the mirror and acknowledging my disfigurement, of the truth. In my mind, only the thought of escaping prevailed, never fighting back.

    "Look at you, Kurokawa. Look at yourself once more. Do you think you truly deserve him? Rachel and Laura were already too perfect for C."

    Everyone had their demons. I, too, had mine. I did not know what kind of avatar their demons would take, but mine looked almost exactly like me. The only difference was that Kurokawa did not have my scars and wounds.

    In other words, she was the one I wanted to be. A fragment of my imagination and also a part of my true self.

    "Why would he ever need you in his life? Everything is already taken care of by the two of them already. There is really no ce for you, isn''t it?"

    Although there was a grave wound on my arm, my heart screamed desperately because of something else. Inside my chest, loud thumping sounds wereing up to my ears. With great effort, it told me to turn my heels and tell C everything, to confess and ask for his help.

    He could do it, it said. He could set you free, it said.

    Or...to stand by his side for once...for a chance to feel equal, it said.

    But no. I did not do what my heart had told. My mind had other ns. Furthermore, if I returned to C just to be free from the shackles of the game, would it be exploiting his generosity?

    "Hrious..." I forced a wryugh through a trembling throat.

    Funny how everything came to such a point because of me. Even funnier when one considered how I made a mess out of Laura''s n to save Rachelst night. C said I was the scheming type, one who nned everything ahead. Judging by what happened yesterday, I should be able to somewhat control my feelings. However, looking at the current tragic state, reality was disapointing, to say the least. There was no outside factor and no rival. The event C spoke of had not even started yet.

    "Why are you such a miserable being, Kurokawa? Why are you always like this?"

    Unfortunately, when it came to my own problem, I could not even use one brain cell to solve it. It was no different from whatever Mother and I were having every night. All I wanted to do was run away, escape, hide, and pretend nothing ever happened.

    I was the embodiment of paradox. It was none other than this Kurokawa who needed help and, at the same time, too arrogant to ask for it, going as far as shoving away the only one who wanted to be with her.

    Did it really matter that he came to find me for any utterior motives? Did it really matter that he asked for permission toe to me?

    It did not. It did not matter at all! He only wanted to help!

    And yet...yet...because I desired to be treated as Rachel and Laura, two utterly perfect beings, because of my baseless arrogance, I hurt C.

    Outside the windows, rays of sunlight were still going through the ss. My eyes were filled with the magnificent image of the zing sun, shining brightly on that beautiful blue canvas, offering its kind and eternal warmth to all that resided on Earth. Unfortunately, I was in no state of mind to appreciate the loving embrace of our sun, which was probably a line of code written by a sweatshop developer somewhere.

    After so many things, I had no more doubts.

    This world was fake. That sun, too.

    The sky was. The school was. And I was.

    Everything.

    Fake. Made up. A cheap knock-off. A fraud.

    An imitation of the outside world.

    My ending was written. It was predetermined. It was supposed to be like that. It was the definition of this world.

    If all were fake, my emotions would soon be redundant and useless. Why did I even bother fixing it? Perhaps, this had happened before. Many times, even. This was another story where a female lead suffered an undeserved fate until the protagonist came to save her. The ssic fairy tale plot. It mattered not how the female lead struggled since the evil forces would always win until that fateful day when everything suddenly went haywire by the hands of the main character. I read tons of these already. Or should I say, I was forced to do it.

    However, unlike the usual happy endings, mine ended with despair and regret.

    No. It was not just my own regrets. C, too, must have felt immense pain.

    Maybe I should give up and die like how it was intended in the first ce.

    I had the means to do it. Inside my pocket was the key to the rooftop.

 Chapter 80: [Rachel] Trust

    When Kurokawa ran outside, my darling was already on high alert. He asked himself many times and wondered what went wrong with her that created such a sudden change. Immediately, C wanted to go after the bookworm to help despite fearing either Laura or me woulde after him. Even when his life was, to C, on the line, he still could not refrain from wanting to do something for others. Perhaps his memories were wiped, simr to mine, but his personality was never to be broken.

    I wondered if C noticed the uncontainable affection pouring out from me at that moment because I certainly was about to hug him with all my might. Honestly, somehow I felt like a proud wife.

    And not long after the disappearance of Kurokawa, C was already standing up from his seat. Using his weird background character status that made none notice him, C snuck toward Laura and me. His purpose was simple: permission to follow the bookworm.

    The whole time sneaking around, he was such an adorable little creature that I could hardly hold myself back from attacking him immediately! If it were the same world with just the two of us, I would have pushed him down on the spot. But this timeline was not mine, so I had to contain my thirst after a few breaths. It was still too soon to reveal what naughty thoughts I had in store for my love.

    With everything running amok, C needed gentle and loving care rather than me going on the offensive too hard. Because of that reason, it would take me a very long time until I could make him look at me like he used to. Nevertheless, I would choose the first one between being patient to get him to understand me and having a massive trust issue. An eternity was long. A couple of days or years extra would not make a huge difference, especially when trying to achieve my goal.

    C did not seem to realize this himself yet, but the reason I was in love with him was nothing tooplicated. He was the man I fell in love with back from who-knows-when, from the time of a forgotten past. My darling was the same kind and caring person who valued the happiness of others more than himself, even if it meant he was going to get hurt by doing so in the process. C had proved it over again already, so I had no reason to find more evidence. And he was showing us that beautiful quality of him once again.

    As for me, even when C considered the current Rachel to be different, in my heart of hearts, I knew nothing had changed. At the core, I still wanted to keep him for myself rather than wanting to share. All I used to do was try to get him the happiness he deserved. What I was doing now was simr. Albeit another approach was used, it did not matter much if things worked out.

    Even if that new approach meant working together with the other girls.

    "Are you going to do anything? Laura seems to be in a bad spot." Standing next to me at one corner and looking at Kurokawa arguing with C, the ss rep asked. When she mentioned the name of our bookworm, I saw no light in her pupils.

    It would seem Laura still harbored great disappointment toward Kurokawa. In a way, I could understand what she was thinking. She wanted to have someone she could trust but was betrayed in a heartbeat. Anyone would be pissed off, not just her.

    "Now, now, let them be. I trust C. He knows what is best for her." I answered while hiding behind a corner, trying to lower my presence.

    "So you are not going to intervene? Really? That does not sound like you one bit. Even when she was the one who saved you?" Laura''s brown eyes widen.

    "No." My short answer was followed by a heavy sigh. "It''s not that I can not help her, but I feel like it is something she has toe up with on her own."

    "Well, her story is certainly tragic. I personally would not know how to deal with it." The ss representative looked at the couple from afar, her serious expression softened. "It was ridiculous to know that your own life was fake. I nearly had a mental breakdown because of it. In her case, it was even worse."

    "So you forgive Kurokawa now?" I asked without looking at Laura.

    "That would be impossible. For now, at least. However, I have more pity for that bookworm than hatred. After hearing what happened to Kurokawa, I thought...she had her circumstances, too." Her voice sounded a bit down. "In my case, the greatest threat, namely you, has been neutralized. And in yours, the event has been solved by C. In other words, we have not lost anything. We can still be by his side and proud of our own selves."

    Laura stopped briefly and continued: "Kurokawa has already lost her face and skin. I am not saying this because I want to belittle her, but she was already inferior to us since her story was conceived. While we were robbed of our pasts, she was robbed of the future."

    "We all had our circumstances. You, me, Kurokawa, anyone else who is yet toe, we are all born into this world under painful backstories." Shaking my head, I told her. "Because we escaped our fates, that does not mean our lives are any less tragic than hers."

    "I know," Laura eximed. "I just... can''t fathom how painful it would be to live as the bookworm. If I had to live with a scar on my forehead and other ces across my body, I would not have the guts to walk outside the door, let alone go to school and socialize."

    "Me neither. Kurokawa''s mom is a true monster."

    "Agreed."

    At this point, we were looking at C and Kurokawa''s confrontation. Although the distance between us was far, with the help of C''s internal thoughts, we could more or less guess how their conversation was going.

    Unfortunately, it was not good. Not even a little.

    [I want tofort her, but I cannot. To make her pain disappear, Kurokawa will need affection. Years and decades of constant loving will be required to slowly grind away all the damage that has been done to her heart. Yet, I do not know how I can give her that when I can not guarantee happiness to just one of the girls.]

    C was struggling against Kurokawa''s powerful hatred for herself. I could sense her depression seeping into him.

    [There is no future for me. There is no future for us.]

    That broke my heart. Of course, C was thinking like that, not saying it in words, but still...

    If I were Kurokawa, I would probably break apart right away.

    "It''s like a rejection, but a heartfelt rejection thates from the heart. C sincerely thinks he can''t help Kurokawa." Laura mumbled.

    It was then that Kurokawa finallyshed out at C. Even from a distance, we could still hear the despair in her words. Or perhaps, she knew we were following C, so she let us see a piece of her fractured heart.

    "I wish to be like Rachel and Laura." The bookworm yelled. Despite crying profusely, her words were clear and sharp. There was little to no sobbing in her voice.

    That made me think she had had experience in holding back her voice while crying.

    "I envy them. I want to spend time with you, too. I want to hold your hands and cook for you, too. I want to be able to wake up next to you, too. I want to be the one you see after waking up every morning. I want to be the one to greet you when youe home every night. I want to feel loved by you! What do you think I feel when they have the best time of their lives while I can only look at you from afar?"

    We both fell silent, unable to utter anything.

    "But I know it''s not their fault. We were bornpletely different, after all. I don''t have their unblemished skin, their beautiful faces, their eyes, their expressions, and many, many more... All things about them scream beautiful. Everything about them reminds me of how disgusting I am. Underneath these clothes are scars, C. Scars! On my face is another big one. And underneath these rags are more scars."

    Then, she kept crying and bawling, pouring her inner thoughts out for us to hear.

    I never knew those thoughts, honestly. Then again, after hearing them, I could not help but feel a sense of empathy. Kurokawa was just like me. The bookworm wanted to be beautiful like everyone else but did not have the chance to do so. Perhaps, whenever she tried to fix something, her mother woulde in and stop it.

    In a world wherew enforcers were but mere words, the existence of her mother would be the most powerful thing ever, with the exception of the system.

    Back in my iteration, Kurokawa also died quite early in the game. From the beginning of the story to her death, she never mentioned what she thought of me. Her final moment was not the same as what C said, too. Rather than being entangled with Han and then forcing him to murder her during sex, C managed to talk with her after she killed her mother.

    Sadly, she hanged herself, unable to live through that painful event. And C also held a deep scar because of it.

    My darling never mentioned what was discussed during that critical moment. Yet, he would look sad whenever we talked about it during our short time together.

    "It was toote. If only I was a bit sooner." That was the only thing C ever said about what happened.

    "Rachel." Laura called my name.

    "Yeah?"

    "Can we...you know...do something about Kurokawa''s mother?" She fidgetted.

    I never thought of the day of hearing our precious ss representative asking me to kill someone so bluntly.

    "It''s not going to solve anything."

    "Haaaaa..." She sighed deeply. "I knew you would say that. It didn''t make sense, anyway."

    In front of my eyes, Kurokawa was about to storm off. C was also not trying to hold her back. He was...sted by her words.

    "Yeah. For someone like Kurokawa, who is always living in self-doubt and self-harm, the interference of outside forces will only make it worse."

    "I guess the only option is our faceless hero." Laura looked at that lonely back standing in the middle of the hallway.

    "Yeah, he will make it work. He always does."

    (Break next week!)

 Chapter 81: (Question for readers) The cheese needs your help

    Chapter 81: (Question for readers) The cheese needs your help

    Hi y''all, my loyal cheese consumer.

    If you haven''t known already, recent events have led me to the decision of taking a break.

    Now, I would like to rify a few things.

    The cheese still writes on Patreon. I will still post weekly there, but I will stop posting on any sites that are free for all.

    Why?

    Firstly: Eroge is being tranted into anothernguage and people are being charged to read it from chapter 30 or something. Of course, I have taken measures, but it looks like it''s going nowhere. I did this for fun and for free, but people abused it and I hate that. I don''t care if they got paid for tranting my work because I''m writing and tranting into Vietnamese for free. (Of course, patrons are different. it''s there so that I can afford AI generation.)

    Secondly: some consider my writing schedule to be garbage. I wouldn''t mind them calling mezy or anything, because that is correct. But I got mad that they kept on whining. The twist is that it is not actually on webnovel which is the OG site, but ANOTHER leaked site that I wouldn''t have known if my fans didn''t tell me about them.

    Yeah, Eroge is being leaked elsewhere, but people on that site are calling me garbage rather than the original one.

    So, in conclusion, I will fight this for as long as I can. I want them to suffer just like how Kurokawa is right now. Probably I will stop posting for how long it takes until the heat has died down in those two leaked sites that I mentioned.

    Rest assured, I''m thinking of ways so loyal readers who understand how cheesy I am can still get an update every week. That is why I need your opinion.

 Chapter 82: Two devilish angels

    It is funny how things can turn sour so fast.

    One moment I was thinking of ways to help Kurokawa survive her ordeal, going as far as asking for permission from the others to follow her. Sadly, a couple minutester, I am stumped in my ce, only allowed to stare at her shaking body disappearing from sight. Regrettably, everything goes in the most unexpected way possible.

    This is not an over-exaggeration, but anticipation filled my chest whileing here. Thinking everything would go well even made me feel a bit giddy. Honestly, I had high hopes.

    I really did.

    And now, when all is said and done, from my neck to my feet, as if everything is temporarily disconnected, the signals are all cut, making me a temporarily paralyzed man. No matter how fast my heart beats and how I force my arms and legs to move, nothing. Not even the slightest. They have all given up on mymand as if disappointed in their owner. I can understand thatpletely, though. Because I am just as disappointed.

    For a second, I am nothing more than a dead body: cold, lifeless, and out of reach.

    Simple as that.

    Outside, the sun shines brilliantly without batting an eye on us, but it is hard for me to feel anything good after what happened. From that endless source of warmth up high in the sky, its radiancees down to this ce and touches my face. And as I stay still, never changing my stance, slowly but surely, that majestic warmth turns into searing heat on one side of my cheek.

    In a way, that feels like a painful p. A harsh reminder from the world, if you will. Still, although it is not a great thing to experience at this instance, the guilt in my heart would have been less if Kurokawa pped me directly. She could have punched me in the face, kicked me, or done anything she would do to ease the pain I caused. Instead, she went on her way.

    Know your ce, the hot sensation on my cheek says. Who are you to change anything, it says. She never needed your help. To begin with, you are but useless canon fodder, it says. How I wish I am only imagining that.

    "I am one dumb piece of crap..." I look to the ground, and traces of the bookworm are still there.

    Unlike her disappearance, Kurokawa''s tears have not yet been vaporized on the hallway floor. In fact, they are now refracting light back onto my face. Thanks to the lighting from outside our hallway, her teardrops glow like beautiful transparent crystals, even brighter and sparklier than diamonds ever can.

    However, in contrast to her gem-like tears, crimson-colored droplets of blood are littered all over the tiles from the entrance of the female restroom. I still do not know what caused that wound on her hand. Yet I have no doubt it came from the bookworm herself. Once again, she could not contain her emotions, and thatceration on her arm was the result.

    Staring aimlessly at those droplets, I suddenly think that Kurokawa''s blood and tears are the only proof of her ever being here. In the most literal sense, without those, no one would think of a conversation in this long hallway. Actually, no one would ever believe there was even someone called Kurokawa.

    After so long, I can say that I understand the bookworm to some extent. Kurokawa''s existence is confirmed just because she is hurt. Whether the origin was from her or someone or something else did not make any difference. Ever since she could remember, Kurokawa has always met with disdain and dissatisfaction. She tried everything she could to improve that situation, and yet nothing changed after so many years.

    All this time, the only way for her to understand she was still alive was thanks to the pain she had to endure. There was no love in her life, no friendship, no nothing. Her mother taught her that to love was to suffer, and she took that lesson onto her skin under the hands of her beloved mother. Kurokawa never knew how to deal with positive feedback as she lived inside of self-ming and self-doubt. Even when praised, she would never ept herself and only disregarded her achievements as pure luck. In her mind, Kurokawa was never good enough.

    Then, what would happen if that person killed their abuser? Would she finally break free from those curses? Would she finally be able to live outside the cages she set up for herself?

    The answer was a big fat no. Kurokawa could not live through it. So much so that...she would kill herself only to be released from the horror of her mind.

    I was there. I saw the relief in our bookworm''s green but lifeless eyes. Kurokawa was d to be killed off. She was only happy...after she was dead.

    What if saving her is not the way? What if I should let Kurokawa go with the story, killing her own mother and then being unable to live with that immense guilt?

    "Was I wrong?" Ahead of me is no longer the slender body of Kurokawa. She runs away so fast that I can not catch even a glimpse. Honestly, it is as if she wants to escape reality and me rather than just run from me alone.

    "Was it wrong toe after her?"

    I cannot answer these questions anymore because they are already answered.

    Firstly, they are rhetorical. Secondly, they werepleted by none other than Kurokawa herself.

    Standing here like a scarecrow, I keep asking myself what to do next. Of course, going back to ss is one of the options, yet it seems like I have not aplished anything worth note-taking. Then again, being in the corridor is also utterly useless to anyone.

    I seriously thought I could persuade Kurokawa not to go home for today or at least convince her to let everyone follow her just in case things got bad. In the end, nothing came out of my mouth that made sense.

    Perhaps I valued myself too highly. That is probably correct... What can a mob character achieve without the help of the protagonist? They have no reason to lean on me forfort. In fact, it is the exact opposite. I am the one who has to findfort in looking at them to feel alive. Seeing Rachel and Laura giving me my attention has been both positive and negative.

    I am getting overconfident in my limited ability. That will not do.

    "False hope, huh." I breathe out heavily. Those two words, even though short, are heavier than neutron stars.

    They are so heavy that I felt like Kurokawa punched my stomach just by saying them. No, I wish she would beat me so hard that I vomited breakfast.

    I never thought there would be a day that I would cause such a devastating thing to anyone. Not in a million years, at least. Usually, the one on the receiving end would be none other than me.

    Only until being on that end that one would fully grasp how utterly painful their heart would feel. Imagine being squeezed in an airtight container, put into a grinder, and thrown into the deepest part of the sea. That is the physical equivalence of being crushed by false hope. It puts you up high on the pedestal made from the finest marble in the universe, feeds you the best food and beverage money can ever buy, and then tears your limbs apart, ripping your heart out from your chest whileughing.

    And I was giving that to Kurokawa...

    "I''m so...so sorry..."

    "Hey, pretty boy. Why are you sitting in front of the girl''s room?" Suddenly, from behind, I hear the voice of a familiar chef-wannabe.

    "He''s not here for jokes, Rachel. Get serious." Laura walks in front of me and scolds Rachel immediately.

    "Well, I thought that would lighten my darling up a little. Don''t be such a party pooper all the time, Reppy." Of course, that silly blond girl will never listen to the ss rep.

    Also, Reppy?

    Laura shares my same thought apparently: "Reppy?" Her voice sounds a bit stunned.

    "ss rep is so long and dull. Reppy is a much better alteration to your job. C, do you like it?" From behind, someone wraps her hands around me and puts her chin on my right shoulder. Her full bosom presses tightly on my back. My dark vision changes in less than a second, thanks to that. "I want to hug you with all my strength, but you''ll pop like a balloon if I do that."

    How does she say something so graphic but so cartoonish at the same time?

    That Reppy sounds pretty cute, though. My lips unconsciously move after hearing Laura''s ridiculous nickname.

    "No, Rachel. Reppy sounds like a dog''s name." Laura''s amber eyes turn upward as she sighs.

    Wait, now that Laura is putting it like that...

    "Reppy... Reppy... Yeah! I can hear it too!" Rachelughs merrily.

    "Stop saying it, please!"

    "Reppy! Reppy! Reppy!"

    "Now YOU are sounding like a dog!! Cut it out!" Laura yells.

    "Ahem!" Rachel lets go of me to join Laura in front. "As you can see, darling, we thought that you would need some cheering up after seeing you being alone in this ce."

    "Even though I never expected to hear Rachel behaving like a dog, I really hope we could make you feel somewhat better." Laura stares at me with worried eyes. "Also, we need to apologize for following you here. We were only making sure nothing goes out of the line."

    I know they would not leave me alone, so that is expected. On the other hand, I feel blessed because they came to cheer me up like this more than anything. It certainly helped since I have been staying still for who-knows-when. If they had note here, I do not know when I will start moving. Even though Kurokawa''s case still weighs heavily in my chest, it feels good to see these two girls working side by side for once.

    Thatst part in the ss rep''s sentence sounds a bit heavy, though...

    Rachel nces at Laura with a mischievous smile but says nothing.

    "As your girlfriend..." Laura continues.

    "Girlfriends!" Rachel corrects her with lightning speed.

    "Shut the hell up! Ahem! Pardon my rudeness. You know you can count on me, right, C?"

    Rachel shoots her hand up like a rocket. "And me! You can always ask Rachel about everything!"

    They both smile warmly, wanting me to confide in them.

    Honestly, these girls have no idea how much of an impact they have created. Bad and good.

 Chapter 83: [Laura] When in doubt, kiss him out!

    "I am in a bit of a dilemma," Glooming over, C said. Whenever he was worried about us, his tone of voice would change drastically, both inside and out.

    "Talk to us, darling. What seems to be troubling you today?" Rachel stroked his hair lovingly. I had been keeping a close eye on her, and there were definitely hearts in her blue eyes. Without a doubt, she had already given her all to him. And she would do everything in her power to make him happy, just like me.

    Although I wanted to shake her hand off of his hair, at this moment, it would be better to focus on C rather than trivial matters. Fighting over him could wait once Kurokawa''s event had been cleared. Thanks to his help, to me and Rachel, time was no longer of the essence. Its effects only mattered to C and to that bookworm who ran away.

    "You can tell me, C. I''m still your one and only girlfriend. Lawfully, too." Of course, I needed to remind a certain pesky being her ce. By ring at that blond-haired girl, Rachel should know what I was aiming at.

    To answer my gaze, that blond-haired woman only winked. She even showed a cheeky expression out of nowhere, seemingly trying to get a rise out of me.

    "I... don''t really know where to start..." My faceless boyfriend answered hesitantly. "All I know right now is that I probably messed something up."

    [Again... And maybe I have already made make her event worse somehow. Again! What will happen to the bookworm this time? I have no freaking clue. Whether or not my actions had done something terrible is now a possibility to think about!]

    As his face slowly sank down because of self-doubt, I quickly held him with both hands and lifted him up so he could focus on his girlfriend instead of his thoughts: "And why would you say that?"

    "Trust me, darling. You did not do anything wrong." Rachel nodded heavily. "Never did and never will. Even if this world breaks apart, it is not your fault. I can guarantee it."

    I did not think herparison was needed. There was no corrtion between Kurokawa''s event and the world breaking apart. Nevertheless, I had to concentrate on C. I did have to agree with her, though. Even when everything turned to dust, C would never be the one we held ounted for. He was too precious.

    "That seems a bit farfetched, isn''t it." C shook his head from left to right. "Besides, I hurt Kurokawa badly. You girls were close, right? Then you must have heard her cries. That was because of me. If only I didn''te here..."

    [If only you kept your fucking ass where it belonged, you fucking dumb piece of shit!]

    The words that came from C''s mouth felt like they had been torn straight out of my heart, and his thoughts behind those words were more painful than any physical wounds. My eyes were moist after knowing what he had inside his mind. Never could I ever stand him hurting like that? Not now, not in the future. There must be a way for me to help him.

 Chapter 84: Grab her hands

    Soon after Rachel''s kiss, I finally go back down to Earth. And I will not lie. It made a tremendous impact on my psychological status at the time. Seconds ago, I was still being pulled down by a ton of guilt for making a mess of Kurokawa. As if it was made from the densest metal known to man, I lost control of my body entirely, no way of pulling myself up because of that unimaginable weight.

    And right now, even though my guts still hurt deeply because of my conscience, at least I can lift my head a little and look these girls in the eyes. With a quick nce, anyone can see that Laura and Rachel try to make me feel at ease by giving me the most gentle smiles of theirs. Yet, I have no doubt that they were worried about me.

    Probably still, too.

    I do not know how she thought of doing something like that out in the open like this, but she did it.

    It worked. My brain got reset, thanks to Rachel.

    For that reason, I must say Blondie is indeed a godsend. Without her, things probably would take a long time before I could return to normal. No one would understand the burden of bringing sadness to someone else unless they experience it themselves. That immense amount of guilt is unbearable and suffocating, able to destroy one''s mind to mush.

    Even if Kurokawa did not me me, the fault stays. The fact that I am responsible for all of Kurokawa''s pain makes my chest ache so much... But at least it has been subsidized by a lot already.

    Honestly, I have no idea how low I would be if left unattended. Just moments ago, I nearly had a heart attack for not seeing the two girls, and now this. It is concrete proof of the insecurity I harbor.

    No matter how hard I try to ignore such a thing, it still delves and lingers deep inside the chest, clutching the vessels and arteries to me feel the utmost pain whenever possible. Without consideration of its owner, it tries to tear down the walls created to protect me using its hideous ws and fangs.

    Boy, oh boy, can it bite.

    Of course, by saying that, I am not trying to belittle Laura in any way since she went out of her way to cheer me up. The situation called for the total copse of my thinking entirely, which Rachel managed to do. If I were... normal, perhaps our ss rep would have been able to cheer me up with conventional methods. Unfortunately, by any standards, in my world or even yours, I am not normal.

    For that reason, I will never ever tell anyone these thoughts. Nothing good wille out of it. Absolutely! Instead, their rivalry will only escte to another degree if I do so.

    "See! He is much better now." Rachel stands near me with both hands on her hips and her chin up high. It is almost a smug face she is putting on. No, it IS a smug face. "Darling is better now, all thanks to the only Rachel!"

    "..." Laura does not make a single sound, but the darkness in her eyes exins what her mind is going through in all its glory. I do not have to understand our serious ss rep to know she is contemting something seriously harmful, maybe with a tint of blood.

 Chapter 85 [Kurokawa] Am I worthy?

    Chapter 85 [Kurokawa] Am I worthy?

    *Click*

    The tiny key in my hand went into its predesigned lock. With a light twist, a sound vibrated into the air. Albeit faint, in this quiet space between my destination and the cold concrete stairs behind, I could notice it without any trouble. And the click had its own significance to my ears, as well. It was not just an audible confirmation that all of these locks were now undone but also signified the end of my struggles.

    "...That was easy."

    Clutching the stolen metal piece, I wondered if Laura and Rachel had not noticed or if they ignored mepletely. In all honesty, I did not care that much.

    Not anymore, to be exact. I reached my goal, and whether or not those two paid attention to me was no longer relevant. Very soon, our ss representative and the housewife would not need to worry about me for good.

    The only reason I had not run out and jumped was due to a charming faceless person. Unlike him at that time, when utter loneliness made his heart wither in grief, the current C definitely would not appreciate me putting an end to myself. He went out of ss and risked being detained by his girls to find a way to prevent that in the first ce.

    Ironically, I was trying to find a way to speed things up.

    "If I could, I would like to see you onest time." My broken voice fell on deaf ears. "We are going separate ways here, my dear faceless main character..."

    As expected, no response came forth. But then again, that was to be expected. There was no one here except for me. That was what I truly wanted. All of that yelling and all of that screaming was solely for this purpose.

    Yes.

    Definitely.

    ...Absolutely.

    Who was I kidding, anyway? I had no right to ask for anything. With these two dirty hands, C was shoved away. He was told to note after me. Therefore, I had to endure this emptiness all by myself.

    Even beforemitting that grave mistake, I already did not deserve anything in this world. Not C, not a happy family, nothing. Even the word nothing was too valuable for someone like me. Asking for C toe to find this useless piece of human waste after yelling at him at the highest volume was, without a doubt, brainless.

    What kind of idiot thought she could make her wishe true with such childish actions? If anyone asked me why I acted like such a fool, there would be no answer other than that I was simply an imbecile. A stupid girl who had no idea how precious life was. An immature brat whose only desire was to get back at everyone around her because of her own misfortune.

    Someone who should have been thrown off from the start.

    Someone who should not have been born.

    That was why, if I had to say one thing, it would be a thank you for Rachel''s key still in my hand.

    At the least, it helped distract me a little from the disturbing curses I have for myself for making C feel my pain. Other than my internal voices calling me degradation terms and my erratic hups, there was no sound prior to the unlocking click.

    At best, the key gave me the only chance to do something I had always dreamed of trying. And even though that would only happen once, one time was more than enough to set me, this iteration''s Kurokawa, free. All of this misery, all of this overthinking, all of these hurtful days, and more would finally reach their end.

    The moment when I would leave everything behind forever��that day had arrived.

    Undoubtedly, I could have asked C to touch my hand. While contemting the pros and cons of doing so and fearing for his life, C would probably not decline such a request since his heart was uplicated and pure. After all, his girlfriends had changed. A mere touch would not be so bad anymore.

    Laura was free from her route, then Rachel, so it would make sense if it happened to me, too. I did not need a Ph.D. in Science toe to that conclusion.

    And yet, when I faced him, words failed to form, and sentences never took shape. Except for my hideous envy plus a massive storm of shameful disys of self-hate, the word help never came into my conversation with C, no matter how frantic I wanted to say it.

    I had no idea why, frankly. The only thing I could describe was something akin to having my tongue-tied.

    Perhaps it was my fragile ego, or maybe it was something entirely different. Nheless, that simple word never seemed to pass into my brain.

    I regretted that. I regretted that with all the fiber of my being, with all the atoms that formed my physical body. It made me realize just how pathetic I really was as a human.

    incorrect, to put it lightly.

    "Sigh..." A heavy breath ran away from my chest.

    No. I was pathetic as a character in a game. Calling me human was... incorrect, to put it lightly.

    "Sigh..." A heavy breath ran away from my chest.

    A sigh that felt like the wind blowing through empty streets. A sigh that sounded like a waver of defeat, containing myst sliver of hope, faded into thin air.

    Pushing on the rooftop door with the other arm, I was surprised. Blood was still dripping from the wound on my hand onto the floor after hitting the mirror. There was no pain, though. It seemed I was too used to that degree ofceration, so this much was within the tolerable zone. With a history of this thing on my forehead, created from a much bigger cut, hardly anything could make me jump anymore.

    What made me stop was the mess I created with my hand. Again. Rather than feeling ufortable from the open wound, I worried more about making someone else clean up my mistake.

    From the top of the stairs down to the hallway below were crimson pools made of my blood. As if a disgusting slug crawled onto the rooftop, its slimy reddish discharge dripped and left behind a filthy, horrendous trail. Until someone decided to do something, it would continue to stay there. Or even worse, the tiles would have some permanent brown spots that would be near impossible to clean.

    "You''re right, Mother." My voice was hoarse from misuse. "I should have stayed at home."

    Mother always said I was a failure in life. Anything I touched, no matter the intention behind my action, would break in one way or another. Since I ruined her life, I could wreck everyone else''s lives. And even though I never doubted her words, with this undisputed evidence, everything Mother told me proved correct.

    Like maggots or viruses, these thoughts always came whenever something wrong arose. It could be because of Mother''s punches and kicks or simply her disdainful eyes, full of disappointment and resentment toward my existence. Either way, as long as there was a trigger, deep dark thoughts inside me would be unleashed, and they would eat me alive until god-knew-when.

    What did C get from trying to help me? Simple. A disaster.

    Hopefully...even the memories of him will disappear with my death.

    As long as I lived, I would fail. Cmity would befall those that were close to me. That was what Mother taught me since my eyes first opened.

    "I''m sorry." Mumbling an apology to some unknown entity, I continued opening the metallic door in front. "If I had the time, I would clean those up. So, so terribly sorry..."

    My whole body leaned on the metal door of the rooftop, and it swung open with a loud creak. Instantly, a pleasant wind washed over me, blowing away the tears I had on both cheeks for quite some time.

    Contrary to the dimly lit tight space inside, the outside area was much more grand. Our fake sun was still high in the azure blue sky, freely distributing its light without a care in the world. Surrounding that luminary was many cotton spot-shaped clouds, floating merrily to a distance further than the eyes could ever see.

    Anyone could say we were having a warm sunny day on top of our school. A perfect day and perfect weather for an ultimately wed and subpar character.

    The more I moved toward the edge, the more I could see our schoolyard. Since sses were in session, no one, not even the shadows, was avable. Thanks to that tranquility, the scene of our school''s Sakura tree in the middle was unobstructed in front of my eyes.

    Sadly, there was no flower on it. If there was, this would have been even more memorable for my final moment.

    "I have a deja vu."

    However, feeling nostalgic about this ce was odd as I had never been here before. Rachel always held the key, so I never ventured this far. Diving into the fantasy worlds of books during lunchtime was also one of my favorite practices, so there was no need for me to ever be at this ce.

    Perhaps, unless the plot wanted me to appear, which did not ur, I would never havee to the rooftop of my volition like that.

    Yet,pletely unexpected, I was brought to it once under C''s ability.

    In the iteration that both Laura and I saw, it was this ce where C threw himself down the edge after having a mental breakdown. No one was there to stop him. Laura was dead with a memorial ceremony dedicated to her, Rachel was nowhere to be seen, and I was...with Han, probably nning my demise.

    Regardless, those were not what gave my heart the finishing blow. It was what C did.

    While falling to his death, C said...that his love was a sin.

    "If I jump now, we will have another thing inmon." Disturbing words came out of my mouth.

    I did not know who he loved. A wild guess would point the answer to probably Laura, not me. It could have been anyone but me. I was repulsive and depraved beyond words. Who on Earth would pay attention to such a lowly and vile creature?

    No one was an obvious answer.

    To tell the truth, it pained me to see his anguish like that. How much would one suffer to say their love is a sin and kill themself afterward? Even now, I still would not describe my feelings for C to be sinful. I, the depression reincarnated, the avatar of edginess, would still not call my love a sin.

    Then, what did C experience that he turned from a person with a witty catchphrase such as "eyes forward, dick downward." to absolute despair and misery?

    That thought alone kept me frozen on the rooftop.

    I remembered crying while hugging his silhouette in the ssroom. I remembered bawling my eyes out while reaching for C''s fingers and trying to catch his lonely body. I remembered how determined he was to finish his will. My faceless protagonist spared himself no time to rest and none to think.

    In the first ce, he had made his choice. He was like me right now, unable to endure the agony any longer.

    As the wind ran through my hair, making each strand float like a shrunken-down ck river, I made a tardy wish.

    Something that was not meant for the future but the past.

    I wished I could have been there for C. I wished I could have shared his pain so he would not have to sink so low. I wished I could have just stayed by his side. To share the burden, tofort each other. To be his support, to make him...not...kill...himself.

    [No. No! How did she even go there?! I can still make it! I CAN STILL MAKE IT!]

    "KUROKAWA! I BEG OF YOU! PLEASE RECONSIDER!!!"

    He came. For the second time, C came. Although he was still not close enough for me to hear him clearly, it was enough for his inner voice. They were both filled with uncertainty and dread.

    "Ha ha..."

    Then, I realized something.

    It was funny. Hysterical, even.

    "Ha...ha ha ha...We...are *Hic* really alike... Aren''t we?"

    My desire was a carbon copy of what C had been trying to do for me all this time. Like how he wanted to save my life, I was looking back into the past and wished I could do something for him. It was amazing how everything came back as a loop.

    All this time, I had thought of him as apanion, a soul vibrating at the same frequency as mine. Someone whose heart was painted with scars like my body. And I was about to leave him just like that.

    I could not do it.

    I could not...hurt C any more than I already did. It would haunt me even in the afterlife if I did.

    "Naive, Kurokawa. You are very naive. Some may even call you *hic* childish."

    My n had a terrible drawback. At the same time as my freedom, someone...One person...C...would be hurt profoundly. It could only work if no one knew about it. Since I was in a daze and did not fix my bad arm, it was simple to say that my little pursuit failed terribly.

    There was no doubt how deep it would cut him, seeing me jumping to my death.

    That feeling... that gut-wrenching, reality-shattering pain of seeing your loved ones dying could only be described by those who experienced it. Because of how nightmare-inducing it would be, one could not forget it even if they could. Unless...they found a way to remove it from themself, be that method conventional or not.

    Still, would my death be impact full such as that of Laura''s or Rachel''s? Would my final moment give him such grief that he would want to destroy himself?

    C cared about me. He cared about us. He cared about every single goddamn character in this goddamn game. That was his biggest strength and weakness at the same time.

    "Because I don''t, C. *Hic* I don''t care about anyone else but me and you. I care if you don''t choose me. Laura, Rachel, anyone else, they don''t matter to me. *Hic* Mother never wanted me. They, too, did not. I only have you. Besides you, I will not be able to find another person to love."

    Would I finally be able to be your first pick? A winner?

    In my hand, a key was there. C''s past and my present converged thanks to its help.

    "To think that I stole this to prevent his death initially."

    The key flew in the air with no apparent resistance.

    "I *hic*...don''t know anymore... I don''t know what to do... I can''t.."

    Useless Kurokawa.

    Useless.

    Useless. USELESS. USELESS! Completely useless. Garbage. Filthy.

    Why was I like that? Why was I always so stupid? It took me all of my courage to finally arrive at this ce! And all of a sudden did not want to do it anymore!

    Why? Why!?

    WHY!??

    "WHY!!!???" I cried with an uncontroble voice. "What choice do I have?! How can I possibly escape this hellish nightmare? Tell *Hic* me, C, why do I still wait for you?!"

    *Wham*

    The metal door between our rooftop and the rest opened with force.

    "BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE LOVED!!! YOU KNOW IF YOU JUMP, YOU ARE GOING TO BE ALONE! JUST A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ALONE!" He shouted.

    [Thank god! Thank god! Thank god!]

    And I replied with an intense tone in my voice. "You''re right! But who''s going to give me what I need? You?!"

    No! I did not want to say that!

    "You have not one but two girlfriends, C. How on Earth do you expect to provide for everyone? It''s not an endless resource, you know?"

    He stood still in his ce after my words, just like before. I hurt him. Again!

    "You see this?" My fingers moved down to the middle of my chest. "This ce can only hold one person. And that is not my Mother nor myself. It is you. I am looking for an equal amount of dedication and affection."

    "Yet...yet I know it''s hard. It''s downright ridiculous to ask you that! I know it clearly! Don''t believe me? Have a feast!"

    Then, I unbuttoned my shirt, leaving my top half fully naked. Unfortunately, unlike the beautiful figures of Laura and Rachel in thedies'' room before, C saw a hideous image.

    C said nothing but bit his lips, so hard blood wasing out.

    "Are you sure these things are eptable? Let me give you a brief history. This was from this morning. This was from two days ago. This particr spot used to be smaller." Pointing at ces across my abdomen, I lost all sense of shame. I had no idea what I was doing any longer.

    "And even if for some scar fetish that allows you to look at these with an erection, you will still have to live with this personality of mine." My arms opened up to both sides. "Gloomy, pathetic, depressive... I have everything in the books and outside of them. You know what my Mother wished for when I gave her a present this year? An abortion."

    Please...stop...

    No...more...

    Stop...hurting him... Did you not see his trembling hands and feet?

    "Go back, C. I appreciate the gesture, but no one can love me. Someone with my flesh and blood didn''t. And so would you. I am not worthy of being loved. Never did. Never will."

    No! Stay!

    "You''re wrong."

    Immediately upon hearing his defiant words, I fought back: "What do you mean I''m wrong?"

    What did you mean by that?

    "You''re wrong." Shaking his head, C stepped forward. "I am not denying your feelings and emotions."

    "Then what is it!?" Tears ran down my face. The strong winds helped wash them away, but still too many.

    Closer and closer, he made his way toward the edge, toward me. Not once did he seem to falter. His steps were steady and assertive.

    "What is it? C? What''s wrong about me not worthy of love?"

    Again, no answer from him. Strangely enough, there was no inner voice, too. It seemed as though he had made his resolution clear of any deviation.

    One step. Two. Then three. Then four seconds passed,

    the same time it took me to see C running to his doom.

    We did not say a word to each other.

    Finally, he grabbed my wounded hand that extended in front of me. When I did that, I had no idea.

    "Because if you thought you were not, you would not have told me your pain."

 Chapter 86: "I am proud of you." (1)

    "Hello, Kurokawa." In front of me, a faceless guy slowly approached. A strange scene this could be to many people but not so out of the ordinary to me.

    "Can I have a minute?" His voice was calm, but for some reason, I felt a sense of hopelessness and dreading out of him.

    It seemed his outside demeanor was theplete opposite of what existed inside. However, a sense of empathy washed over me while seeing him like that. We shared the same kind of twisted fate, after all. From the looks of it, there was no doubt that C was exhausted. Though he had no other facial features, not even a mouth, I immediately sensed a familiar yet bleak atmosphere surrounding C. Whenever I was depressed, the same atmosphere would wrap around my scarred body.

    I had many times stated that C and I were of the same kind. And that made me long to understand his heart. Especially in these circumstances, my desire only grew more prominent.

    *Pat*

    Of course, C was not talking to me. As I turned my back to him, the one C was trying to talk to closed her book to squint her eyes, not forgetting to give the cover some caressing like she was touching something precious.

    It did not take much time for me to read the title. I was familiar with it, even. Some dark fantasy world where the protagonist ruthlessly killed everyone to be with her love. That novel''s lead character was everything I wanted to be. Not only did she have an appearance of a Goddess, but she also possessed an unstoppable force that demolished all that stood in her way.

    When she nned a coup d''��tat to fight her makers for denying her rights to love and be loved, I nearly lost myposure and cried.

    Honestly, it was the best novel in my collection. In more ways than one, it represented my life and my desire to be free from said life.

    "Sure, C." She, or better put, Kurokawa, me, answered with a light smile. "What can I do for you?"

    I shook my head upon seeing Past me forcing herself. That smile was, undoubtedly, a fake representation of her emotions. There was no doubt that Kurokawa did not want to see or talk with anyone, let alone C, whose existence did not make much of a difference to her life. She could hide her feelings from anyone but me, her future version.

    Perhaps, there was an exception to those that could understand her. A particr...faceless individual.

    This was no hallucination or a figment of my imagination created from my desires. The people before me existed, albeit in a timeline unbeknownst to me. I had been to this forgotten piece of time once under different circumstances when it nearly shattered me into a million pieces.

    Personally, it was a bitter experience. Given the chance, I would not want to see something that heartbreaking again. To know C would hurt himself already dunk my soul into the deepest part of hell, to observe it was...unimaginable, to put it lightly.

    Then again, I guessed, there were things that needed to be done to find their meaning. Were it not for that depressing fragment of C''s life, I probably would be dead by now.

    By giving up his life, he saved me. His sacrifice resulted in the life of someone else.

    Since C never knew what kind of effect he would do for killing himself, maybe my words were redundant, nonsense, and had no meaning. Yet, the debt I umted only seemed to weigh more.

    Still, this sudden change in environment was the best evidence that hinted at one thing and only one thing.

    He did it.

    He finally did it.

    Something one person could do. With a touch of his caring hand, C had sessfully pulled me out of the system despite my futile effort to chase him away.

    On the one hand, I was grateful. On the other, I was perplexed.

    What should I do after awakening from his memory? I was no longer tied to the system of this world. But my rtionship with Mother was still...unsolved. Our dispute was still unsolved. Frankly, I did not see a way out of it. Initially, that was also why I went up the school''s rooftop.

    "You...dumb protagonist..." My eyes were moist. Tears gradually formed from gratitude and shame for hurting someone I cherished deeply. Someone who always tried to do the best for us. "But...I guess that is how a protagonist should be. Hard-headed. Unyielding. Dumb and dense beyond words could describe. *Hic* How hrious for me toin about a character that is dumb while I am tied to the worse one possible."

    Right beside me, C was ncing at a girl with a bang whom I was very familiar with. Nheless, I did not pay my past any attention. Instead, an ethereal body wrapped around him.

    "Thank you, my main character...my MC."

    Thanks to him, from then on, I would be free from the influence of the game and its events, free to make my own life choices. I could no longer run away from him.

    His warmth and determination had managed to destroy my physical chains. All that was left was...my demons. From then on, it was no longer his fight but mine alone.

    "This would be better if we do it somewhere with more privacy," C exined in a calm manner, taking me back to this conversation. "I do not want people to overhear us."

    Looking back at the other me, I could tell she was forcing her lips to move. She did not want C to be there to make her socialize at all.

    Well...I would not say we were so different in that regard.

    Unlike moments ago, when I was on top of the school building, I was teleported next to my seat in our ssroom to stand by his side. From this ce, I had a better chance to look at myself from a third-person point of view.

    To say she was miserable would be an understatement. Her scars, the bandages on her arms, the soulless expressions in her pupils, and many more were uneptable.

    And I despised her, not wanting to waste a second looking at the previous iteration. I was loathsome and resentful. Why could I not be more beautiful? Why could I not be proud of who I was? Why was I presenting myself like that at school?

    No amount of freedom could make me feel any better about my past iterations. Thus, my eyes darted away from my past self''s scar-filled face,pletely ignoring that version.

    Judging by the empty seats in the room, it should be somewhere during lunchtime or recess. Coincidentally, none of the main characters of this world was avable except for me.

    Of course, I was in no rush. Time in this memory world did not make much sense, anyway. Like before, I would need to see through this memory of his. My only question was what kind of timeline I was in. Which event had urred before this? Did Rachel kill Laura?

    "What we''re about to discuss?"

    The word privately possibly triggered a negative response because the other version of me quickly frowned under her bangs. "If this is a confession, then please, don''t bother. There is no need for you to get involved with someone like me. Trust me when I say we are not on the same level. No matter how hurtful it sounds, this is for your own good."

    Stubborn. My strength.

    Quick to jump to a conclusion. My other strength.

    At least she was not behaving like a third-rate flower girl. The first time I saw her during one of C''s memory, the behaviors os past me next to the protagonist of our world was...distasteful. It indeed left me with a filthy remembrance that should be deleted instantly.

    "...Don''t worry." C stopped for a second and continued. His voice clearly fluctuated. "It''s...not a confession. I need a few minutes of your precious time."

    It was easy to see my protagonist flinch just now. That must have hurt him, being rejected when you did not want to confess your feelings.

    Then again, did he value me on the same level as Laura and Rachel? Would he feel the same if the person talking to him was Blondie or our ss representative?

    My ethereal body moved and touched his chest, trying to find the beating of his heart or any signs of him giving me any extra affection. Unfortunately, just as I expected, my hand only went through his body as if I was a ghost.

    However, my past version did not care about how stunted C was. "How important is it that we can''t discuss it in ss? There''s hardly anyone, so I don''t see the reason not to."

    Hearing those words, C stood silently, seemingly contemting the right thing to say that would not offend me.

    "It''s about your future, Kurokawa. I know what you did. I know what Han did to help you."

    Immediately, my past version''s pupils constricted into pinholes. Trying to hide her shaking hands, she clenched her fists tightly.

    "I don''t quite understand what nonsense you''re talking about. Please leave, or I will call my boyfriend."

    "Guess I don''t have a choice, do I?" C mumbled.

    Then, his voice changed drastically.

    "That won''t be necessary. Han has already been informed of it. Although I have no evidence, a missing dead body of your guardian and a possible motive can guarantee at least an investigation. An eyewitness still counts, right?"

 Chapter 87: "I am proud of you." (2)

    Goosebumps were raised all over my body. I never knew C could have this aggressive side to him. He always seemed peaceful and collected and even managed to think of corny jokes while facing difficult circumstances. But hearing these wordsing out of his mouth made me shiver. They were freezing and lifeless. As ifing from someone ready to give up on living, each word C said harbored straightforward yet sober sentiments.

    "W-what are you talking about?!" Past me stuttered. It was understandable, to be fair.

    As soon as he mentioned their names, my past self went pale. Everything and anything C said was spot on, and she could not find anything to defend herself. Even though her memories told her otherwise��that there was no way for C to find out what they did��her present mind believed everything he said without question.

    "Until I am done with you, Han will not intervene. As for Rachel, guess what Han is doing to her right now on the rooftop? They finished having lunch, full of energy and lust. What would transpire between two young people in their prime, Kurokawa?"

    It was apletely different C I was seeing. The hostility he projected was abysmal. I did not know why he was showing such aggressiveness, but strangely it did not make me feel hateful or anything toward him. Mother had done worse things to me. What my protagonist showed was nothing but a tip of an iceberg to her.

    Instead, my heart ached to see him behaving out of character. Throughout many interactions and after witnessing his lonely sacrifice, I had no doubt of the actual person C was. In order to make his way up the rooftop, C broke both of his hands. He risked his life trying to save Laura without asking for anything. He ran up to Rachel after hearing her cries without caring for his safety. And finally, he came to me despite many awful things I said.

    In this world, in this damning, forsaken world, there existed only one good person, and that was C. Regrettably, in this iteration, he was desperate. So desperate that he had to resolve to such a mental state.

    Something must have broken him. I was sure of it. It was not his fault. Not now. Not in the past. Not ever!

    "You..."

    Her face contorted, and her lips quivered as she tried to speak but failed miserably. Frantically looking around her, that girl was trying to make sure no one was trying to listen in on their small discussion. Luckily for her, none of the shadow people were interested in them. Still, I knew they were background members without an official role in this game, but that previous iteration of mine definitely thought they were real people.

    At this point, she could no longer keep her smile.

    "Please, trust me." C''s voice softened after a long sigh. "I didn''t want to do this. If you would please follow me elsewhere..."

    He held out his arm, offering it to her like a wounded animal. However, instead of epting his offer, she quickly stood up from her chair and said: "Fine." Her eyes were filled with doubts and uncertainty. And above all else, hatred. "Lead the way."

    Retracting his fingers, C slowly walked through our ssroom. Soon, that Kurokawa version followed. Even though he was faceless, I could make out a painful expression.

    A few minutes ofplete silence passed, and we all arrived at the school''s infirmary. Without talking to each other, C and my past version entered the room and closed it behind their backs. Thanks to my current state, I could phase through the door.

    "Please, sit on the bed. There''s no one here. I''ll go get something for you." While saying that, C walked to the cab and took disinfectants and bandages out.

    Being threatened by him prior, even though she was doubtful, that girl listened to his request.

    "Open your hands." He said.

    Another frown appeared on her face, but she was still silent. That scene reminded me of yesterday when Laura tried to monopolize C and wanted me to help her. I was behaving the same way, not saying a word.

    Using a pair of forceps to grab some gauze pads to soak up the disinfecting solution, C came closer to her and once again gave her his hand.

    "Please."

    Hearing his plea, she finally gave up fighting and extended her hands. Upon opening them, there were newly formed scratches all over the palms, possibly from clenching her fists too tight.

    "Thank you. This might sting." Gently, he started to wipe the dark red blood of her wounds.

    I wondered if he would be this gentle to me if I listened to him and not pushed him away. Maybe he would hold my hands just like he did in this memory and caress me with all his heart.

    Because of my mistake, I lost that chance to be alone with him, cared for by him. I lost it.

    My past self looked at C, then looked back at her hands. Knowing her, I thought she wanted to determine what C wanted and his final goal. For two people who had never had any interactions before this day, it must have been weird for that girl to hear her deeds being found out. Plus, C''s way of dealing with her was unclear. Rather than being frank with her about what he wanted, C never said anything and only helped her clean up her scratches.

    "You''re good at this." Past meplimented C. "I don''t feel a thing."

    "Thanks. This is only one of the few things I am good at. After all, it doesn''t require much strength. If ites to strength, I''m totally beaten." Heughed awkwardly.

    But the other person was not having fun: "Let''s cut to the chase, C. We''re not friends, so I don''t have time for leisure like this."

    "Okay." With hands still caressing that girl''s hands, C made his point clear: "Don''t die."

    Once again, the girl''s pupils constricted into pinholes. However, her hands were not moving. They were still letting C''s hands clean.

    "You seem to know much. Too much, to be more exact. Are you a stalker? No, it''s still impossible to know what I never said to anyone."

    She leaned her head slightly backward and continued. "Psychic? Mindreader?"

    He nodded. "You can put it like that."

    "I''m intrigued. What more do you know?"

    "Hold on, let me change the gauze." As C reached for the next package of gauze pads, he told her the truth. "I knew you killed your mother. I knew Han helped you by keeping her body a secret. I knew how you thought his appearance when you buried her body was too much of a coincidence."

    C then held her hands tightly.

    "I knew the guilt in your heart was leading you toward self-destruction. I knew the despair you felt when you identally killed your mother and the regret you were living through."

    "I knew you didn''t love Han. To you, he was only a facade to hide your broken heart. I knew that one day, you would find a way to kill yourself."

    "Please, don''t...die. That is my request."

    I could see droplets of tears forming on his face.

    C was crying.

    "Why..." The other me did not focus on C but looked down at her feet. Her shoulders were shaking. "If you knew so much, why didn''t you stop me? Why didn''t you warn me before?"

    "Because I couldn''t, Kurokawa. Because every time I wanted to save you, something worse would happen. Because every attempt I made, this worldpensated my efforts by giving you a much more terrible fate."

    "This...too?" The other version of me did not seem to doubt his words. She kept on asking questions about him.

    "It will," C eximed with his head hung downward. "This is my first trial of 24 to save you from killing yourself after you hide the body. The past 23 times, I tried to keep you froming back home or found safety measures so your mother woulde out safe."

    Through my misty eyes, the past iteration grabbed his hands. "And what happened when you stopped that incident? What happened to Mother? Was she saved? Was she alive?"

    "..."

    "C! I need to know! I need to know! Tell me!" Tears fell down her cheeks, so as mine.

    I also needed to know what happened.

    "She killed you, and then she killed herself." He reluctantly answered.

    So it was a loop.

    "So it was a loop." We both said the same thing at the same time.

    *Rumble*

    A sudden rumble abruptly cut us short. The whole school started shaking violently. Through a window of the infirmary, I could see everything outside the room slowly corroding and crumbling into nothingness. A dark sky formed, and thunderous clouds were shing dangerous lightning bolts.

    "No! No! NO!!!! Not this!! NOT THIS!!!" C screamed. "Not when I just started seeing hope!!! She is starting to change!"

    In front of his face, the past me asked with panic in her voice: "C! What is going on?"

    Without missing a beat, C hugged the past me. "This...is a reset. This interaction between you and me will be erased. And you...dearest Kurokawa, my bookworm, will cease...to exist. Just like the other versions of you."

    "I will die, then?"

    "We both will. But I will keep this memory in my next life, while yours will be forgotten." His voice broke to pieces.

    *Rumble* *Rumble*

    So that was how a reset would start. Everything crumbled into nothingness as if time was sped up profoundly.

    "Then, remember this for me, C. The next time you see me, tell the future version of mine that you are proud of her. It is something I have always wanted to hear."

    *Boom!!!*

    "Don''t die, Kurokawa. I am proud of you."

    That was the first sentence I heard aftering back to the present.

 Chapter 88: Witnessing the past (1)

    I have no idea what the heck is going on! Seriously!

    Where the hell am I!?

    Did I have a stroke or something? What if this is some hallucination? Or even worse: did I identally eat a funky mushroom this morning?

    No, that can not be. Rachel is a respectable cook and takes great pride in preparing our food. Determined to be a notable figure in the industry, I doubt she would not let anything toxic enter our meals since that would be a blemish on her ability.

    Plus, I have never seen her doing something that...unconventional. Rather than giving hallucinogenics items to someone, Rachel would be morefortable making them pass out as she did to our protagonist. After all, she could do it whenever she wanted. Mushrooms were obviously redundant to her.

    Besides, the images in front of me are too vivid to be hallucinations.

    Shadow people walking around aimlessly, well-defined ridges and edges of white walls, transparent ss windows that cover half of the corridor, and a beautiful azure sky with a giant fireball on top of everything. Finally, a distinctive murmuring sound can be heard from all around me. It can not get any more familiar, can it? I mean... I have been to this ce an uncountable amount of times already.

    This is unquestionably the way leading to our ssroom.

    But that is neither a question nor an answer to anything. The real question is why??? Why am I here all of a sudden? What just happened? And most importantly: Who did it? Who could actually pull a trick thatpletely baffled me like this one?

    One moment, I was on the school''s rooftop, trying to pull Kurokawa back from the edge to prevent her from diving to her doom. Then the next one, everything around me changed drastically, as if space and time have no meaning whatsoever.

    Hold on, let me rephrase that. Rather than saying that my surroundings have changed, I think it makes more sense to say I was teleported to another ce. That is how utterly ridiculous whatever is happening is to me. My world is entirely fictional. And I have already gotten used to such a fact. Because of its unbelievable nature, physics should not be considered too strictly since it can be broken by anyone within the main cast. But it has to be a bit of a limit somewhere, for Christ''s sake!

    However, I do not have the time to think of anything else. Kurokawa, who was supposed to be in my arms, is nowhere to be seen! She just suddenly vanished after our brief touch!

    "Haaaaa..." Trying to calm my loud thumping heart down, I breathe out a heavy sigh. Sadly, it does not seem to soothe me at all. "At a time like this, and I lost her again..."

    Fortunately, after so many years, I have learned every nook and cranny of our school, so much so that I understand it like the back of my hand. Or else I would be freaking my ass off right now. I do not even want to think about what would happen if I was teleported into an unknown room.

    "Kurokawa?" Using all my breath, I scream out the bookworm''s name. "Where are you?"

    Of course, no one amongst the shadow people bats an eye at my loud voice. Except for their unintelligible noise, they make no other sound. Like well-oiled machines or well-paid social workers, the shadow people move toward their predesigned destinations without dy. Thanks to their ignorance, I can do whatever I want, or I would have caused a scene by now.

    There is...something odd about their sudden appearance, though...

    Am I missing something here?

    ...

    On second thought, I should be freaking my ass off regardless of the cause. When I got to the school''s rooftop, the students were supposed to be in ss! Judging by the look of this, the time should be around lunch break or recess! I heard no chimes signaling the beginning of a break, either.

    This is not normal. Not at all! Now I have no idea the time, ce, the cause... nothing is making any sense to me! It is obvious to say I am not a bright guy, but this is clearly outrageous!

    What if something horrible is going on? What happened during the time I touched Kurokawa and now?! What if I had a sudden ckout and Kurokawa was let down because I abandoned her?

    What if... she makes a second attempt?

    Or worse...What if she has already seeded?!

    "Damn it! DAMN IT!"

    Nevertheless, my feet start moving with haste, and my body pushes through the crowd to make way. It is unknown if it is because of the adrenaline coursing through my bloodstream or something else. But the shadow people have never been so easy to move aside. Under my anxiety''s influence and the strength created by it, they seem to be weightless. Even feathers would have some force pushing back if I touched them, but not these shadow people. s, I am not paying them much attention. Kurokawa''s safety is still more important than anything at this moment.

    As I scan the surroundings, trying to find any signs that our bookworm left behind, her blood is the one thing I am trying to look for. Dripping like a leaking faucet, the moment I find her crimson trail is when I bolt toward her location. This is not an exaggeration. Kurokawa is in no condition to be left alone. She must have someone by her side, or she will do something drastic!

    I know her enough to make that conclusion.

    "Kurokawa?" While running toward the rooftop, I yell her name for the second time. This is where I know she woulde up first in her state of mind. "Can you hear me? Please, don''t do it!! I''ming up with you!"

    However, weird things keeping at me. Kurokawa''s blood trail is no longer there.

    "...?!"

    Now that I am noticing these, the tiles on my way leading to the school''s rooftop are spotless. For some unknown reason, there is no blood. No red spots or brown spots, no nothing. Either someone cleaned it all up, or it never existed in the first ce. And I know how hard it is to clean blood spots with household items. The only person with that kind of knowledge currently would be none other than Rachel.

    The fact that she and Laura are nowhere to be seen bothers me greatly. After all my yelling and running, they should be worried ande after me. Although we met just a few minutes ago, I have no doubt that the two would find a ce to hide and observe the situation rather than go to ss. Their obsessive nature forbids them to return without knowing everything about their loved one. It is not me speaking highly of myself, but their defining traits that give them the heroine roles.

    Yet...Blondie and the ss rep did not show themselves anywhere once. Not just one of them, but all of them.

    My head darts from point to point, looking for a familiar figure. Unfortunately, there is nobody in sight. Their usual presence is gone from my visual field.

    This...feels lonely.

    Nheless, I climb the stairs while ignoring the ever-growing difort within my chest. After a quick second, the door leading toward the school''s rooftop is in front. On the ground, Kurokawa''s blood trail is gone despite this being where I found her bleeding profusely moments ago. There should be at least a sign, some patterns, perhaps. But no. Still nothing.

    Everything has been utterly confusing, to the point of beingplete nonsense.

    Honestly, I have no idea why, but I am starting to be afraid of the answer. Something tells me this is not rted to Kurokawa.

    It is rted to me.

    "...Can''t stop now." Reaching for the handle, I steel my nerves for what is yet toe. Whether Kurokawa is behind this door or not, I will find out soon enough.

    "Huh? The freak?"

    Did my vision fail me? I swear I saw the handle going inside and then through my hand like I was a hologram.

    Perplexed beyond words, I shake my head from left to right and make a second attempt to grab the door handle. This time with less force and more precision. What kind of a dumb character would I be if I could not open a tiny door? I am already useless. No need to create another level of worthlessness to achieve.

    Anyhow, that should have been a fluke. Because of all the stress and confusion, loads of cold sweat covered my palms. Thus, my hand slipped. It can not be any simpler and would logically exin what just happened. These weird urrences happening are probably making me lose my mind a little.

    ...How I wish that is the case...

 Chapter 89: Witnessing the past (2)

    Did my vision fail me? I swear I saw the handle going inside and then through my hand like I was a hologram.

    Perplexed beyond words, I shake my head from left to right and make a second attempt to grab the door handle. This time with less force and more precision. What kind of a dumb character would I be if I could not open a tiny door? I am already useless. No need to create another level of worthlessness to achieve.

    Anyhow, that should have been a fluke. Because of all the stress and confusion, loads of cold sweat covered my palms. Thus, my hand slipped. It can not be any simpler and would logically exin what just happened. These weird urrences happening are probably making me lose my mind a little.

    ...How I wish that is the case...

    "...What the fuck?"

    Everything proceeds simrly to the first trial I made, down to the tiniest details. Since I was paying attention to it more than before, I saw how my fingers sank and disappeared into the door handle, only to reappear on the opposite side. When I finally stopped, my whole fist was inside of it, with a few knuckles sticking out. This body of mine seems to be phasing through the material. In a way, I am like a spirit with an ethereal body.

    If anyone were listening to me, I might get punched for sounding crazy.

    "What kind of bug is this?!" I shout to hide how uneasy my heart has be. "Is this even possible?! Is it a glitch? A virus? An error code?! But I can touch my body normally?! And I''m not phasing through the floor or anything like that?"

    With so many possibilities, I cannot decide which one is true. But no matter the answer, nothing in this world can calm my heart down. I can hear the drum-like sounds right now, for goodness'' sake! And when a hand is ced in the middle of the chest, I feel like my heart is growing pairs of arms and legs to dig out from its owner''s body!

    Regardless, I have wasted so much time with these bugs and errors. The more I dy myself, the worse Kurokawa''s situation will be. This unimaginable change in my physiology can wait until Kurokawa has been found safe and sound.

    On the flip side, this...ability of mine gives me an idea.

    "I should be able to walk through it...just like...this."

    It begins with my hand going through the door in front, my arm, then my entire body. Even though I braced myself for any minor impacts that could have happened, the experience was uneventful. Boring, even. At most, I felt a slight chill up my spine because of the cold airing from outside.

    It works. I have no idea how, but it works.

    Immediately after exiting the staircase behind, the usual scenery of our school''s rooftop attacks me with its almost blinding light. There is a big difference between the dimly lit way leading to the roof and the roof itself. If one is already used to the environment behind that door, they would need a few seconds to squint their eyes and adjust.

    "Okay. Didn''t think it would be that easy. Now, then. What''s left is finding Kurokawa. Where can she...be...hiding..."

    When I think the weirdest thing today is having the ability to go through walls, something even worse happens.

    Instead of Kurokawa standing lonely at the edge, looking down at the school ground, our favorite protagonist is here. Han is here. He is here with... another faceless person.

    I could recognize that faceless person anywhere and anytime.

    Because it is me!

    "What the actual fuck!?" I blurt out.

    Why would there be two of me?! This is no longer funny! This current bug in the system is just...just...Fuck! I can not even find the right words to describe my feelings anymore.

    More importantly, they are not noticing me despite my curse word just now!

    Coming closer to Han, I yell: "Hey! HEY! You damn blockhead! Don''t ignore me!" and smack him.

    Instead of seeing Han touching his head because of sudden pain, I see my hand going through his head like how it was with the metal door.

    It then dawns on me.

    The reason why I did not feel anything from the shadow people was because I walked through them. My current ethereal body never got into contact with theirs. In other words, since walking up, I have already been in this state.

    "Okay, C, I''m all ears. Why did you call me all of a sudden?" Han asks the person in front of him. "Rachel is gone for a few minutes. We need to talk fast. She doesn''t like me talking to anyone other than her."

    Wait! What the fuck does that mean?! This is not a brag, but Blondie is supposed to be obsessed with me now!? Why does this feel like it happened in the past?!

    "...I know. That''s why I approached you. Listen, I need you to promise me something." His tone of voice...I mean...my tone of voice was heavy as if I had lived throughout many days without a good rest.

    I... Goddamnit...He is tired. He sure makes me feel like that. And why the hell am I getting anxious over this conversation?! It has nothing to do with me! I need to find Kurokawa!!

    "I can''t promise you anything if I haven''t heard it, man." Han shakes his head.

    "No. You have to." That other me turns his face straight at Han''s.

    Well, this has been a st. I am out of here, guys. Can not believe I am standing here to lollygag while the bookworm is trying to kill herself.

    "Come on. Don''t be unreasonable, C. We''re not even that close. You hardly ever talk to us."

    "...Perhaps I should tell you why, then."

    Han frowns upon hearing the sarcastic tone: "Please, enlighten me."

    "Okay. I know you helped Kurokawa hide her mother''s dead body."

    Instantly, Han goes pale. As if all blood is drawn from his body, Han''s face looks as white as a new sheet of paper. I can even see his upper and lower jaws hitting each other, making clicking sounds. "Y-you''re just joking. Th-there is no way Kurokawa or I would do that!"

    "You don''t look like you care about what I say," I reply coldly. "Don''t worry. I''m not here to threaten you. Not yet, at least. Be thankful I am not telling Rachel your secret rtionship with Kurokawa."

    Holy moly! That faceless guy is me?! Nah! No way! ckmailing has been on my mind before, but I never tried it.

    Still, if this guy was created from a fantasy of mine, then that would exin his aggressiveness. It would exin a lot, too! Even the rtionship between Rachel and him, plus the current me in this ethereal form, can be rified if I think of it that way.

    All of this could be a fantasy created by me! If so, the real Kurokawa would not be here, but the fantasy version would.

    But...How the heck am I going to escape this ce?!

    "W-what do you want!?" Slumping down on the ground, Han quivers in fear.

    Seeing so, the other me also lowers himself: "If you''re thinking about asking Rachel to kill me, then be my guest. Although I don''t like pain, I''m not afraid of dying. Between the two of us, Han, you should fear her more than me. Your thick-headedness will sooner orter cause your demise. I''ll give you a bonus warning. If you want to live by her side, you better step up your game and pay her full attention rather than going around raising gs."

    After saying that, he stands back up. However, the tension only seems to increase more and more.

    "Anyway. Promise me, Han. Promise me that you will not kill Kurokawa even if she asks you to." I growl. "Promise me that, and I''ll keep your dirty secret."

    "T-that''s it? You c-could have just asked me n-normally!" Upon knowing such a simple demand, Han cries while sitting. "Yes, I promise! God! Why would you do such a thing!?"

    The other me turn his face to the Sakura tree in the middle of the school. "I don''t expect much from you, honestly. It''s not like I haven''t tried talking to you before, but I keep failing due to the system''s influence. I don''t wish for my happiness anymore. Seeing them alive and happy is enough for me, Han. You can make them smile instead of me. Please, try to do it."

    Even though he is talking to Han, I feel he is talking to himself. And, being a fantasy version of me, he also shares the curse of constantly failing to save the girls. This is perhaps why he has turned to such a morally questionable tactic. His way of doing it is not terrible, but threatening someone is not my personality.

    I do not me him, though. There are times when one must choose between doing right or wrong. Right now might be one of those moments. This world is too cruel, and he can not stand idly by and let the girls die, can he?

    "I don''t u-understand. I''ll try my best!" Han nods his head vigorously. "Th-thank you."

    "Don''t thank me. I''m not doing this for you." After that, fantasy me walks to my side. Instinctively, I step out of the way for him to open the door leading down our ssrooms. "And please don''te down the ssroom for a while. I need to talk to Kurokawa for a bit."

    Hearing that name, I quickly follow him. Unbeknownst to me, a painful reset is waiting down in our ssroom.

 Chapter 90: My second kiss, stolen again. (1)

    "Can I...ask you a question, C?" Kurokawa clutches my hand inside hers, and the distance between us slowly grows close. Her face is so near that if she leaned in slightly more, her lips would brush against mine��but we''re still not quite there.

    To be safe, I advised the bookworm to not stand on the edge of the school''s rooftop. Instead, we sit side by, leaning on the metal door leading to our ssroom. When my back touched the metal tes a few minutes ago, not only did I feel its cold, hard surface, but also relief from deep within. It was as though the weight of everything had been lifted off me at once. And it seemed like I was not alone in this sentiment.

    Never have I ever thought of the day that something as mundane as being able to touch and feel an object could have such a notable effect. It reminds me that I am no longer in a fantasy world but in real life.

    Well... Not YOURS, obviously, but mine. But anyway, you guys get what I am trying to say, right?

    As the distance between us reduces, a curious light shes in Kurokawa''s deep emerald green jewels, twinkling like tiny novas in an iridescent cosmos. At the same time, thanks to our bookworm, I can humbly ept the chance to admire the crystal-clear teardrops lingering in those magnificent eyes she possesses.

    Sparkling brighter than diamonds of the highest quality, they are more valuable than a work of art from an artist whose talents have reached their ultimate peak. Even when the canvas above us depicts the perfect azure sky of unmatched proportions, it can still not hold a candle when ced next to an exquisite individual like Kurokawa.

    Everything that I see right now: her flush pink cheeks and moist lips, her long eyshes that invite me to keep on looking, her tender shoulders... even the scars and bandages all over her body, describes not unsightliness but somethingpletely different. Something made by nature but has exceeded her limits. Something that I know for certain Kurokawa wants to hear every day.

    At this moment, she is, without a doubt...

    "The prettiest girl in front of me." This is not a blunder, nor did I make a silly mistake at such a crucial moment. In fact, I want Kurokawa to hear them: my thoughts. I want her to ept what I think of her and know how much of an impact she is currently.

    "Hah? Eh? Um...? Th-thank you, C." Kurokawa struggles for a second to find the right way to respond. Her delicate face blossoms even more after hearing my words. Still, embarrassed as she may be, our bookworm never tries to look away. It is as if she wants me to be the center of my attention. Thus, I fill my visual field with only Kurokawa''s figure to reciprocate her emotions. She is trying her best. I, too, will do the same. It is fair to her.

    Truthfully, looking at her like this, I understand why and how our precious bookworm received a deep and unending mental wound when it came to her outside appearance. I really do. And it is because of this reason I highly doubt if the true intentions behind my voice could reach her fragile heart. Yet, despite these doubts, I cannot stop myself from thinking about whateveres to mind. There is simply nothing else I can do.

    Knowing her suffering is one thing, but thinking simr to her is another. Those two things are virtually unrted.

    She told me she envied the ss representative and the housewife. Still, never did I ever think she had the need to be like them. In my mind, those two have their quirks, and Kurokawa has her own as well. Maybe this sounds pretentious, but the marks on Kurokawa make her unique and honestly human. They make her more rtable to me as a background character whose face was a nk piece of skin before yesterday. Kurokawa may not know this, but between her and the other two, I could rte to her much better if we were considering mere looks.

    After all, why did I have to envy Han with his super exaggerated "in" face while I did not have one myself? We were never on the same ying field, to begin with!

    One more thing is noteworthy, though. The bookworm is not denying mypliment! Instead of throwing it out her other ear, Kurokawa received it fully. She even said thank you!

    I am d. Truly d. Finally, progress.

    "And...about that question that I was talking about..." Kurokawa brushes off her embarrassment like brushing a speck of dust off her shoulder.

    "Sure. Go ahead! It''s not like I''m going anywhere." While nodding at her inquiry, I point at the coagting bloody mess that Kurokawa is trying to hide on her other side. "But can we do something about that first?"

    Noticing what I am trying to say, the bookworm makes an awkward smile: "Well...ahaha... Thanks again, C! If not for you, I would have forgotten it entirely! You''re a real life-saver! I''m lucky to have you by my side."

    "You''re not supposed to forget something like that in the first ce!"

    "But I did, didn''t I."

    "Ack!"

    Her words cut me off instantly. Howe I have no idea how to retort a wed logic like that?! It seems to me she just proved my argument wrong! Is it possible for someone who says such nonsense to also prove herself correct? I know what she is trying to achieve here, but I can not find the right way to say anything back to her. Is this the true power of a clever girl?

    Maybe it is thebination of my stupidity and her intelligence...

    Regardless, seeing her lighten up after a long while of constant suffering, I want to continue that smile a little longer. Should I joke about how I specifically told her to go to the infirmary, only to find out she was on the rooftop looking down at the school ground with nothing but despair in her eyes?

    No.

    Dumb, C. Very.

    That is very insensitive and, frankly, sounds like digging a grave. I should never make sarcastic jokes like that in front of the bookworm. Kurokawa has received too much from this forsaken game already. No need to bring her tragedies back up and rub them in her face. And the fact that I thought about it showed how inconsiderate I was. I regret it even though I did not say it out loud.

    What a dumbass you were, C...

    After a long sigh, I give up on arguing. "Please, lend me your arm."

    "It''s fine! Really!" Although Kurokawa says so, she still obediently shows me her open wound. "It''s not that bad. I have had worse things done to me before."

    "Doesn''t make it any better." My voice stiffens.

    Gently holding her and trying not to move excessively, I can see that her right hand is now covered in blood. It did not take me long to understand what went wrong with Kurokawa''s hand. All knuckles have cuts and bruises around them. Although Kurokawa''s fingers are equally hurt, the sizes of those cuts are uneven. Some are big, some small, and some are scratches that will heal in a few dayspared to the rest. However, even when they are not bleeding profusely, there is enough evidence for me to assume that Kurokawa suffered a lot from this incident.

    But, of course, being a person who is used to such pain, the bookworm does not flinch. Knowing full well that her injuries might be severe, she continues to show me everything without batting an eysh orining once. That kind of courage is admirable��but also frightening.

    This girl is strong... much more so than I will ever be. That strength of hers is also a hidden diamond in the rough.

    "I''m not a doctor, but this seems like you were hit by a sharp surface with many edges."

    Albeit the bleeding has slowed down exponentiallypared to when I saw her in front of thedies'' room, Kurokawa must still be in agony because of her wound. She is keeping a smiley face simply thanks to...being familiar with pain.

    "You''re not wrong. I...broke the restroom mirror with my hand."

    "...I see."

    Mirror, again, huh? It is a legitimate reason for Kurokawa. She hates them with everything she has, after all. They are like her bane of existence. But why am I not seeing any shards sticking out? Perhaps she did a quick rinse to wash the tiny fragments off?

    Either way, I cannot help but let my heart sinks. There is only one reason why she destroyed the school''s property. Her mother has taught her to not be a nuisance, yet she still did that. Her self-hate must have gotten to the point that her mother''s potential disciplinary treatment would not matter much. And, if one was to witness what Kurokawa''s mother would do to her daughter, one would not consider it light.

    "You don''t seem that surprised, C?" Suddenly, the bookworm stops and stares into my soul. "Normally, people would ask why. At least, they would show some curiosity. But you didn''t. I wonder..."

 Chapter 91: My second kiss, stolen again. (2)

    "You don''t seem that surprised, C?" Suddenly, the bookworm stops and stares into my soul. "Normally, people would ask why. At least, they would show some curiosity. But you didn''t. I wonder..."

    Oh, crap! Seeing the bookworm in her weakest state has made me forget how sharp she is! What I did really raised some gs! She has got me dead right here!

    "That, coupled with the fact that you know what I was feeling despite not knowing me well, tells me there are more of you than meets the eye." The faint smile disappears on Kurokawa''s lips. And her clear green eyes, despite being hidden slightly by her bangs, remain focused on me, never letting the reflection of my body go. It is as though she knows what I am trying to hide and is forcing an answer. "My first question is not that hard. Why, C... did you say you were...proud of me?"

    Oof. That is a difficult thing to say. What am I supposed to do now? Oh! We are all living inside a game, and I have seen your life over again like a broken record? Your countless deaths are nothing but a written script? Putting aside the fact that revealing the truth of our lives will immediately force a reset, saying the whole thing seems delusional, at best. So many things can go wrong, honestly!

    "I...uh...Well...You wouldn''t believe me if I told you everything. It''s so utterly ridiculous that it makes no sense whatsoever." Remembering thest thing I saw in the fantasy world, I tell her in the most sincere way I can think of. One tiny misstep and everything falls into ruin. "...I''m afraid I must refuse your inquiry for now. Please, forgive me."

    "You wouldn''t know unless you try, C. Wasn''t that the same reason you chased after me for the second time? Although I specifically told you not to?" Kurokawa''s eyes keep locking on me while I swallow my breath. Each wording out from her beautiful lips is simply spot on. The worst thing is I have no idea what to reply to our bookworm since she uses my logic against me.

    The spell is simple but unbreakable...

    Feeling bashful, I am stunned dead in my position, especially when stared down by Kurokawa like that. Utilizing all that is in her arsenal, the bookworm delivers precise and critical attacks. Under that influence, I feel like the red and white bullseye at the end of a shooting range, and Kurokawa is the World''s best sniper.

    "By the way, I''m d you did it, C. Truly. You don''t understand how much it means to me to see you again! If you didn''t, then I wouldn''t know what to do." Sensing the turmoil in my chest, Kurokawa squeezes my hand for reassurance. "I want my answers, please. No matter what, I will ept you, C. A kind man like you wouldn''t betray my pleas for a second time, right?"

    Shit! I have no way to refuse if she says that! Kurokawa has got my conscience on the line!

    "I...kinda saw a...um... simtion of sorts?" Words, do not fail me now! "A hypothetical situation where you told me exactly what to do in the future if I ever encountered the same event."

    Frantically looking around to see if there are any signs of corrosion from the buildings, I sigh in relief. Fortunately, this time my words are not triggering a wipe-out of reality.

    Squeezing my hand again to remind me to keep going, she says: "Please, borate. I''m fascinated to know how you knew what to tell me. Please also understand this is merely me asking for some rification, not condemning you to anything. What you said, C, was the best thing I wanted to hear."

    The light in her eyes did not waver. Instead, since I started stammering, those verdant colors only got brighter. Why is she getting excited about this? Maybe she is just happy that I finally answered something correctly. Or perhaps she thinks it is fun to hear me talk nonsense? Kurokawa is not that type of person, though.

    No matter the case, there is no reason to lie anymore. The story Kurokawa wants to hear is one gigantic dream my brain conjured up due to whatever, so I do not have to worry. Even if I tell her everything, including the reality upon which our lives depend, she will stillugh it off. I need to remember how my words would trigger the end of this iteration.

    "When I touched you, Kurokawa, I was brought to a strange reality. In that ce, Laura and I were not a couple, Rachel was nowhere to be seen, and you... were on the path of destruction just like moments ago. The details were not entirely simr, but the oue would not differ. If you continued to walk the path in that reality, sooner orter...I would not be seeing you...for good."

    *Gu*

    The grip on my hand tightens, but it is not painful. Contrary, I feel warm from Kurokawa''s tender touch.

    "What else?" Our bookworm does not move her eyes away from me.

    "I was tending to your wound, and youplimented me for being so good at it. I still am good, don''t get me wrong. It''s one of the redeeming qualities of mine. If we go to the infirmary now, I''ll clean and disinfect your hand just fine. Soon you''ll have your hand good as new! Oh! And the reality I saw was also the infirmary."

    "Thank you," Kurokawa whispers quietly. She sounds almost sad. "I''ll be sure to follow you after this."

    "Don''t try to run this time."

    "I won''t. Even if I do, you will still follow me. I know that now." She says with confidence. "Please, continue your...story."

    "Okay. This part can get a bit tripping, so brace yourself."

    Hearing that, the girl close to me nods.

    "Although you had someone else on your mind, it was not because you were in love with him. No. Personally, you were holding an ungraspable amount of debt in your heart. Looking at you in that reality, I could instantly tell you were unhappy with your life. It was as if you were counting the days until...a final ending, a final method to release all that pain lingering inside your head."

    Kurokawa remains silent. She is letting me talk rather thanmenting. Still, I notice her slender body trembling ever so slightly. It is not the wind''s fault.

    "I didn''t want that, Kurokawa. Not now, not ever. I didn''t want to see you suffer. I didn''t want to see you living in agony. So...I approached you and said what I wanted to say."

    "What...would that be, C?"

    Stopping a second to find the right words, I give her the truth. She deserves to know everything. "That I knew you killed your mother. That you hid her body somewhere. That Han helped you with it. Without anything topensate for Han to keep his mouth shut, you came to offer your precious body. That every time I came to do something for you, everything would end up in a worse state, and you would be in much more distress than before. And yet, I kepting back anyway. Again, and again,...and again. You told me I was toote. I knew that. Always did."

    There is silence between us. Kurokawa''s gaze never leaves mine. My voice is no longer calm, but I cannot stop.

    "I did all that to keep you from...killing yourself... But you know, that wasn''t the strangest thing. Would you like to know what?"

    "Y-yes, please." Tears running down her face, Kurokawa answers with a shaky voice.

    Stroking her wounded hand softly, I continue: "You believed me. All the way. You did not doubt me one bit. No matter how absurd I was, you never ridiculed me for those things. It truly gave me hope."

    "W-what did you hope for?"

    "Your happiness, of course. To see you alive and well, to see your smile and dance under the sun with your hair tied in a ponytail. To see you finally get to that beach you always wanted." I then stare into those green jewels. "Don''t be surprised. I know you that much. Those novels you read always have apulsory fanservice beach arc."

    Her lips quiver. Her tears fall without stopping. It looks like my joke did not work as well as I intended them to.

    "...C..."

    She calls my name once more.

    cing a hand on Kurokawa''s head, I give her a gentle pat. "Yet, my hope did notst long since it ended too soon. That reality reached its boiling point, and all was erased in seconds. All matter was corroded and dissolved into thin air. Imagine if time was sped up exponentially, everything would crumble, right? It was the sign of the apocalypse. Finally, in thatst second, when we were about to be consumed by the void, you told me to say those words. I am proud of you. Not because you told me to, but because you are worthy of being loved for all you have done."

    Now that I see Kurokawa like this, a fire is being lit up again. The me burns within, making me feel warm and safe. A warmth that I have long grown fearful of it.

    A fire called hope. A yearning for a good ending. For me, for all of them.

    Maybe, I can tell the girls everything else.

    Just maybe, we can save everyone.

    However, I need to block Kurokawa''s iing kiss first.

    "Can''t, Kurokawa. I have a girlfriend."

    "Shame. But hey, what''s that over there?!"

    "Where!? What!?" I look to the direction Kurokawa points but see nothing strange.

    After turning back, a familiar yet strange sensation is ced upon my lips.

    *Rumble*

    "OH! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Before cking out, I can still hear Laura''s yelling and a faint sound of thunder.

 Chapter 92: [Kurokawa]: My Oath. My husband. (1)

    *Rumble rumble*

    *Boom!*

    Lighting pierced the sky and the clouds above my head, creating thunderous sounds that shook the atmosphere. Whenever the sky exploded, I could feel its shockwaves vibrating all over my skin, making the hair on my arms stand up. With each strike of that powerful force of nature, the earth beneath me violently shook like a bowl of jelly. It felt like the whole world had been shaken to its core, about to perish just from the mere thunderstorm.

    *Woooo*

    In addition to those abrupt shes and booming sounds, a storm would not be called such without wind. Constantly and destructive, I could hear howlings around me, sweeping up everything caught in their way. Like wolves howling at their prey, the winds roared from the top of their lungs, creating horrible noise that signified an iing apocalypse.

    It was clear. We were reaching the grand finale of our story. Well, to be more precise, only my narrative would end here. My protagonist''s story would continue long into the future, into the actual final act of this world, into the reality in which we would all break free from our curse.

    However, despite all of those signs of an ending world, despite the powerful storm rumbling high in the sky and its massive serpents made of pure energy, strangely, my heart was calm, and my mind was clear. I knew I should bementing. I knew I should be asking for more and being greedy. After all, my life had always been a mess, so it made perfect sense to crave a chance to live the rest in happiness and delight until the world''s end. I was supposed to clutch onto the love of my life tightly and ask him to not forget about me.

    Yet, a strange sense of peace covered my entire body like a refreshing wave that soothed my soul. Even when the world around me was chaotic and damned, within myself, I felt as though nothing was out of ce. Everything fell into the perfect order I had expected, as it should have from the beginning. The world was what it should always have been. And, at this moment, I was filled with nothing except tranquility and serenity.

    The current me was not just a Kurokawa that lived in C''s past, but I was also the Kurokawa of the present. We fused,bined, shared the same emotions, and understood many things.

    C had always been in our hearts. We were two people with simr wishes, two different versions of the same reality. Nheless, we were also the same person.

    In this particr instance, out of space and time, we were but one being.

    To say it was hard to describe what turmoil rummaging through my mind was belittling my current state. The Past Me and The Present Me, thanks to some unknown power, came into existence in only one vessel. In fact, each part of me was being controlled differently. If I had to guess, my present was in charge of the thoughts, while my past was managing the body.

    In a way, it made perfect sense. I could not change anything in the past. No one could. Still, what I could do was to observe closely our memory, and that was done. This was identical to standing from the third person point of view to see fragments of C''s memories unfolding but from the first person point of view.

    An upgraded version of C''s touch, I would define it like so.

    Regardless, there was a particr sense of warmth enveloped me. It was something that the current me was hoping for the most: safety. Safety from the storm, safety from the world itself, but even more importantly, I wanted to be safe from the darkness of my own self, to be free of the deep thoughts that terrorized my life. While I was still dealing with the monster given birth from the self-hate from deep within my chest in the present, that monster was small and pitiful in this iteration I was in.

    It was not entirely gone, but I could feel what my past version had done. That Kurokawa hade to terms with herself. She had finally achieved something I would sacrifice my soul to get. Past Kurokawa epted her imperfections with open arms.

    Hence, peacefulness was born.

    I could feel it clearly. That constant grave burden weighing my soul was no longer present, leaving nothing but liberty, a splendid thing to feel. The hideous monster I was currently facing was far lesser than what was consuming me in my present life. For once, I did not have to fear being swallowed by the darkness. For once in my life, I felt hope. A future was there for me to embrace.

    All...thanks to... a certain someone whom I was sharing a deep kiss with.

    After a couple of seconds, our lips separated, and I saw him standing in front of my eyes.

    Although we were standing by the blooming Sakura tree in the middle of the school, there was only his image in my entire visual field. He was beautiful. Handsome. Stunning. Much more so than the alleged protagonist of this hell-like world. I did not need anyone to tell me who this person was because my heart already answered that question.

    Looking at his hair waving slowly with the help of the wind, I could feel my heart yearning for his love. He was always special. He was beyond any traditional measures I could think of. Yet, he was also the same as me. He suffered the same fate that I had. He endured the pain that I felt. Since hearing his inner voice, I had known we were two kindred souls.

    But, the Kurokawa of the present would never be able to guess what he looked like. I would never be able to specte how simr we were physically.

    His eyes...were the same as mine.

    Emerald green...

    "My protagonist..."

    "I''m here."

    I gently touched his face, and C kindly smiled. My love grabbed my hand and gave it a tender kiss. We did not exchange words as they were redundant. The two of us only stood silently to bask in each other''s warmth.

    *Saaaaa*

    The wind blew through our school''s sakura tree, making a calming sound. It was so weird how this tiny area was unaffected by the apocalyptic view around us while buildings and houses were turned into nothingness.

    Somehow, it reminded me of someone''s indomitable spirit.

    "Why are you so perfect, C?"

    "Right back at you, Kuro." He touched my forehead lovingly, caressing the red scar I always had.

    I finally understood why Rachel behaved differently after her first kiss with C. Even when she did not reveal anything, Rachel did not hide the change in her demeanor. Unlike Laura, who only got emotional after his embrace, that blond-haired girl became almost another person after kissing him.

    That blond-haired girl went from being called Rachel, the psycho, to Rachel, the cuddly baby, after one kiss. In fact, the housewife seemed to be more rxed than before, as if she had already gotten her wish. Immediately, the bickering between Laura and Rachel came to a halt. And if they did get into an argument, it seemed Rachel was always the calmer one.

    C saw her change but did not think much of it. This current iteration was already beyond his wildest dream. Therefore, having two versions of Rachel did not make my faceless protagonist waver. I guessed he dismissed her sudden wholesomeness as another bug in the system that would return to normal after a reset.

    However, to me, Rachel was suspicious. Her violent tendency for her love rivals dropped exponentially, leaving only the cute and lovable facade.

    I would not believe someone could turn from forcing her love rival to eat a paper-knife. There must have been something else that caused her abrupt change. Something we did not see but could bring a tremendous impact than a touch.

    The kiss was the key.

    I got that. Laura also knew that. She was not the ss rep just because the plot wanted it so. Having a good head on her shoulder was crucial to keep that position untouched. I even thought Rachel wanted us to know it, as well. However, I doubt that Laura knew kissing C would transfer our consciousness into the past.

    Still, that was not the only reason for my sudden kiss.

    There was...another one. Not taking my feelings into ount, of course.

    C saw the same shback as mine. This might sound like something redundant initially, but it was essential.

    Because it was the first time he was brought into his memory world. Everything he saw, down to the tiniest details, matched mine. Although my faceless protagonist still did not believe what he saw was his real life. It did not matter so much at that point.

 Chapter 93: [Kurokawa]: My Oath. My husband. (2)

    Because it was the first time he was brought into his memory world. Everything he saw, down to the tiniest details, matched mine. Although my faceless protagonist still did not believe what he saw was his real life. It did not matter so much at that point.

    Truthfully, I thought that that faceless person would remain the same way he was. He would free each of us by touching us on his volition, and we would see the fragments of his life that he left behind. asionally, some would kiss him, and they would see a different thing that would change them forever. It was like that with Laura and with Rachel. It should have been the same for me. Or at least, that was what I thought.

    My fault. I kept on applying logic to something illogical.

    Still, hearing him sharing the same past lives as mine gave me an idea.

    I wished to remind C of his life. By doing this, I was hoping C could see and remember, even a little bit, he could be happier.

    "Shall we take a walk?" C asked me in the kindest way possible.

    *Rumble rumble*

    "I would love to." And I smiled hearing his invitation. The booming thunder strikes above our heads were redundant.

    Holding his hand tightly, we walked toward the school''s building. There was no one in this ce anymore. All had disappeared.

    "So, is this what would happen when the game reaches its end?" With my free hand, I pointed at the corroding materials around us.

    "Yes. This triggers when one condition in two is achieved." Walking close to me, C nodded as he nced in my direction.

    "And what would those be? We have managed to help Han get with those girls. That should be one, correct?"

    "That is true. It does not matter who Han ends up with. The game will end as long as he lives until the final confrontation and survives."

    We walked in the school corridor, ssroom by ssroom. There were no shadow people, no teachers, and no main characters. This ce had be an empty ce without a single speck of life. They have all perished under the destruction of the system without fail...with the exception of two system errors.

    C.

    And me.

    "One out. Two more to go!" I eximed cheerfully.

    "I have an idea. Why don''t you take a guess? Miss librarian?"

    "Hoh! You''re on!"

    "Take your time. Until everything copses, we will be together." He stroked my hair. "Come, follow me this way. Let''s go to the rooftop to see what an apocalypse really is."

    "Okay! But...you have the key, right?"

    "Of course I do! What do you think I am? Stupid? Don''t answer that, though. I don''t want you to remind me of the truth about my non-existent brain."

    I chuckled at hisme self-burn. C always had a funny bone and a clever way with his jokes. Never would I ever doubt his intelligence. Although not academic, he was definitely gifted at socializing. That would exin why we flocked to him like birds. He was charming in his peculiar way.

    Putting a hand under my chin, I asked: "Does killing Han or everyone count as one of the conditions?"

    "Nope! Killing them all can only trigger a reset, not an apocalypse like this." He then stopped for a second. "Oh! Hey, Kurokawa! Look! This is the ce where Rachel and Adora had that huge fight! I did not think that princess and Han''s worshipper would work together to murder our housewife."

    We arrived at a section of the school''s corridor where the tiles were broken at various spots. Here and there, one could see shes made by sharp weapons. It must have been weird to see such a scene inside the school. Yet there we were.

    "Yeah, I remember. It was so bloody and gory, though."

    "Luckily, we stood aside just to watch. It was a great decision from you."

    They fought because I was pulling strings in the background, but C did not need to know that. A couple of anonymous letters, a couple yandere girls obsessed with Han, and they would do the rest. I did not care what they were doing, but our school life was in jeopardy because of them. That was the reason for me to deal with it.

    "So, do you need hints regarding the two conditions?" My protagonist continued walking.

    "If I''m putting this like reading a book, then is it rted to the plot? Simr to how I close the covers when reaching their conclusions, I think the world ends because there is nothing more written in the system. Therefore, it restarts." Still following C, I pondered for a while.

    "Exactly! You''re such a genius! A beautiful genius!"

    "Thank you very much. Don''t worry. I''m your genius only." My lips turned into a bright smile.

    "Ack! My heart!" C jokingly grabbed his chest. "I''m going to die because of diabetes!"

    "Come on, you''re so cheesy!" We shared a fewughs together, ignoring everything. Even when I saw the ground and windows starting to erode, I still did not care. All I wanted to do was to spend everyst second with him.

    *Kachak*

    The familiar door leading to the rooftop opened, and C bowed respectfully: "After you, mydy!"

    "Such a gentleman." Holding on to his hand, I walked forward.

    Long gone the beautiful blue canvas. Long gone dreamy white cloud made of cotton wool spots. Long gone our warming sun.

    On top of my head was not the scenery of a peaceful rooftop on a sunny day but shes of destruction and dust. When the materials surrounding me dissipated, they were swept up by the whirlwind into the air, creating tornados made of dust. asionally the grey clouds would rumble loudly, and shes would travel through the air. Truly a sad sight to witness.

    "It''s not something you would see every day." The love of my life whispered quietly.

    "Well, in a way, it is magnificent. Learn to appreciate life. Even in unsightliness, there can be something breathtaking. That''s what you taught me." I held his hand tight.

    "Countered by my words. Touche. Touche indeed." C made an awkward smile.

    After that, the two of us coincidentally grew silent. Standing on the highest point of this world, we had to witness the finality. That was not a choice but an obligation.

    *Rumble*

    *Boom!*

    The frequency of thunder started to increase. As I looked at the buildings around us, I could see more and more dust devils forming.

    C was the one to speak up first. However, his voice was shaking. "Darkness is consuming the school ground. Soon, we will disappear, Kurokawa. You...will disappear."

    He once again came closer and kissed the scar on my forehead.

    "I wish I could do more to prevent this inevitable oue. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do. This world was designed to have a conclusion. Nothing else exists after the all-consuming void."

    "Please, don''t cry, C." I touched his cheeks. The tears flowing out from his eyes warmed both of my hands up. "This is not the end. You know that."

    "I know it is not the end for me. But...it is the end for you. This...is where we part ways, Kurokawa." His eyes gazed into mine, full of regret and sadness. I did not need to hear his inner voice to know C could not let me go. "I tried. Many times. I tried. I did everything the same way and couldn''t bring anyone back. You saw with your own eyes. This game world was fictional. And just like every fictional work out there, it will finish. In other words, there is literally no future for anyone. To be born into this world is a curse on its own."

    Unable to say anything to him, I hugged C''s chest and listened to his heartbeat.

    Even when this was the end for me, I still did not feel any fear or uneasiness. If there was anything in my heart at this moment, there would be only a sense of longing for C. I wanted to be with him for years until I gave birth to an adorable girl whom I could shower with everything I never could. I wanted to be with him until we could hold each others'' hands and gaze up at the blue sky under the Sakura tree as a family. I would love to tell her the story of how her father and mother met and the weird circumstances she came to be.

    But... Albeit short, I had never felt this much happiness. If I were ss and C''s affection was water, it would be overfilled.

    "Ah! I almost forgot. I have something for you. I need your left hand."

    Reaching for my pocket, I took out a fresh piece of bandage. As for C, he did not question me. My protagonist did what I told him exactly.

    "In the name of The Past," I wrapped the piece around his ring finger and quickly tied a knot. "...The Present, and The Future, I, Kurokawa, take you, C, to be my wonderful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow. This is unbreakable. This is my faithful oath to you."

    "I...I..."

    "You may now kiss your wife."

    After that sentence, we shared one more passionate kiss.

    The world could end however it wanted.

    I already had a husband.

 Chapter 94: The Crucial Step (1)

    Lunchtime.

    Please do not me me for that sudden announcement. I know it is a bit fast, but then again... after all of the struggle, it makes sense a lot of time has passed unbeknownst to all of us. While spending time with the bookworm, I did not care how long everything took. Kurokawa clearly did not care about it, either. She was too upied with me, and I was too busy trying to think of stuff to persuade the bookworm to not jump off the rooftop and kill herself.

    Not until the school bell rang did we notice it had been so long already. Coincidentally, its familiar chime was the thing that woke me up from the vision of an ending scene with Kurokawa by my side, saying her precious wedding oaths.

    Under a destructive thunderstorm and dust devils made of corroded material, my ring finger was wrapped by a thin strip of white bandage to create a makeshift betrothal ring. Stupid as I was, there were hardly any fancy words I could use to describe it except for the cutesy butterfly knot on top.

    The white cloth ring was simple. It was cheap. It was something that anyone could do within a few seconds. And the material used was not something considered extravagant.

    Yet, to me, it was magical.

    Although made of nothing special, its weight was more than any gold and diamond could ever be. Even when presented with money and treasures equal to an entire, I would still not trade the thin fabric on my finger.

    Albeit unexpected, it...moved me.

    No. "Move" was not the right way to put it. It undoubtedly did something to my core and, at the same time, shook me vehemently. That vivid image of Kurokawa holding my hand with nothing except happiness in her eyes touched me in ways I could not yet exin.

    Although everything around our bookworm was slowly turning into dust particles, shes of fulfillment in her emerald green eyes and the gentle touch from her tender hands told me the story of a girl who found the meaning of her life at longst. Her hand exuded a loving warmth capable of melting the coldest cier. And her grasp, even though light, was more influential than the strongest of binds.

    At that ce, and at that time, clearly, Kurokawa had no regrets. Maybe there was still a lingering fragment of it somewhere in her heart, but the precious bookworm did not show it once in front of me. She seemed to have achieved her most desired objective in the world, and that alone was enough.

    Sadly, the fluffy sensation inside my chest due to Kurokawa''s touch was more than my side-character brain could ever describe. It was so passionate yet distant, so emotional yet brief. It was simr to those beautiful dreams where one would want to fall back into slumber to return to it but unable to do so no matter how hard they try. Or, better put...a fleetinget that barely grazed the earth''s atmosphere, a magnificent sight hastily showed and disappeared into the great beyond once more.

    However, if I thought too deeply about what I saw after Kurokawa''s kiss right now, it would take all the time I had. Do not get me wrong, I wanted to sit idly to reminisce about that ending scene. There was just a tiny issue.

    The effect of it was monumental but ambiguous. Rather than giving me answers, those visions only brought me more questions about the origins of those images. They all made me want to find out what really happened there. Because of this reason, I decided to put it aside to wait until there was a ''me'' time. Then, I would start to think of that in depth.

    Now. As for the other two...

    "Hello there!" Rachel smiled like a little devil after I opened the door behind me. She even waved her hands merrily without guilt for being found listening in on our conversation.

    "Hello..." Laura tried to act tough by putting up her serious face, but the blush on her cheeks and ears betrayed her. Unlike her other friend, the ss rep knew the nature of what she did. She merely did not admit it.

    "Generals! Is it me you''re looking for?" Looking at the two little devils, I sighed. I knew those girls would find ways to eavesdrop, but I would not have guessed Laura and Rachel would sit directly behind us.

    Well...to be more exact, I vaguely thought Blondie would be there, but not the ss rep. It seemed someone had been an influence between the two.

    "Ehehehe!!" Rachel squinted her eyes. "I brought lunch!" The housewife then raised her ridiculously big lunchbox up high with one arm. Even though I was used to such a sight, I still could not help but admire the superhuman ability inside her tiny body. The box was almost the size of my torso, for goodness'' sake.

    "Ahahaha..." And Lauraughed wryly. But after a quick second, she straightened her back. "I''m here to check up on my boyfriend. I think I have the right to that as your one and only girlfriend. On the other hand, both Rachel and Kurokawa have no reason to be next to you."

    There was nothing I could say after that. The ss rep activated the girlfriend-rights trap card, and I had nothing in my hand to counter such a powerful effect. If anything, I was in the wrong for letting someone else kiss me again...

    And since they were already there, there was no need to call them. Thus, we decided to spend our lunchtime together as a group. Of course, Han was not allowed to be among us. He was probably sent to his pals: A and B.

    Honestly, I felt like the protagonist has been appearing less and less... It started with just our ss rep paying attention to me rather than Han, and I seriously thought that was the end of the strange circumstances of this iteration. Still, with the situation going bonkers, Han''s role as the one and only leading character has been stripped away slowly...by me...

    Han was cucked.

    Wait! Hold on! This world was not that kind of eroge!

    Sorry, friend... I did not know what else to do. It was not like I was actively trying to get closer to these people. They were the ones who got close to ME!

    Then again, I did try to do things for them, too.

    Hmmm...

    Perhaps I should take fifty percent of the me. The rest can be divided equally amongst all of the three girls.

    Not going to lie, but I was somewhat ashamed of stealing the man''s spotlight. This world was supposed to be his, after all. He was the savior of everyone, the guy withdies'' luck, a sweet poison considering the nature of the girls. Yet thanks to a goddamn miracle that should not have existed in the first ce, the pedestal was under my feet.

    Regardless, that should be enough for a background check and continuity''s sake. It is about time I get back to the present.

    So, if you are still there, guess where we are currently? Did you say the rooftop? Then you would be technically correct. The best kind of correct.

    "Thank you for waiting." I greet Rachel and Laura aftering back up here. Kurokawa and I just got downstairs to be in the infirmary for a little bit.

    Next to me, the bookworm is in much better shape than before. First and foremost, Kurokawa has had the chance to clean up her face. Secondly, her wounded arm has been patched nicely with bandages.

    "Hi, Rachel. Hi, Laura." The bookworm deliberately waves her bandage-covered arm rather than her good one.

    After so many years of struggling to keep myself and others alive, I have perfected the art of bandage-wrapping. On her hand, each medical fabric part urately covers half the length of its prior part, creating an X shape pattern around her thumb. And near her wrist, a cutesy butterfly knot was added. At first, I did not want to do anything unordinary for her arm. But she wanted a special touch on it, and somehow the wedding ring in my vision suddenly popped up.

    I swear it did not mean anything weird. I only wanted to make Kurokawa happy. Serious! I swear on my mum''s life!

    "This is what C made. Cute, right? Our boyfriend definitely has some hidden crafting skills!"

    "Our boyfriend-what-now?" I blurt out immediately. If I had eyes, they would have popped out of the sockets at lightning speed. "When? How? Why? I don''t remember a thing!?"

    "You''re not denying it, C." Instead of answering my flurry of questions regarding her peculiar statement, the bookworm''s lips curve slightly upward.

    ...

    It is true...

    I did not deny it.

    Why, though? I should have denied it instantly. Why could I not say those words?

    "Excuse me?!"

    Upon hearing Kurokawa''s bombing words, Laura''s temples twitch violently. As the hair on her head stands up, her res appear to have the ability to kill someone in this instance. Fortunately for me, that killing stare is directed toward Kurokawa. Still, even when I am only the coteral damage, the chills on my spine are nothing to be taken lightly.

    "Ah! I love some nice oolong tea before a meal. The cold temperature around us sure makes a good moment to drink something warm!"

    However, contrary to our ss representative''s response, Rachel sips a container with both hands while smiling happily. The pressure Laura releases means nothing to her. In fact, she looks like she is enjoying it. "What are you two waiting for? Come! Sit down with us! Don''t worry about the ss rep. She doesn''t mean anything bad. She''s only a little cranky because you, Kurokawa, kissed C."

 Chapter 95: The Crucial Step (2)

    However, contrary to our ss representative''s response, Rachel sips a container with both hands while smiling happily. The pressure Laura releases means nothing to her. In fact, she looks like she is enjoying it. "What are you two waiting for? Come! Sit down with us! Don''t worry about the ss rep. She doesn''t mean anything bad. She''s only a little cranky because you, Kurokawa, kissed C."

    I shrink down to the size of a molecule after hearing that. What could be worst than someone you kissed telling your girlfriend another person kissed you? To make it more devastating, the first time someone kissed you wasst night, so the time between two kisses was less than 24 hours.

    Who am I kidding? The virgins ying this game can never have one girlfriend, let alone cheat. Asking you people for advice is meaningless. Instead of asking for support, I should tell you all to touch the grass.

    But then, to add to the storm, the bookworm does something no one sawing. Slowing lowers herself into a prostrating pose, Kurokawa bows down to me.

    "I apologize for such rude behavior. If you are satisfied with me, please let me be by your side in the future."

    This... This is what people say when they are getting married!!!

    I quickly reach out to the bookworm, trying to pull her up from the low-bowing position. "Kurokawa! Please raise your head up! This is not an engagement ceremony!"

    "Thank you for having me." Clutching onto my hand, Kurokawa smiles happily. For some reason, I feel like that smile is simr to the Kurokawa in my vision. There is still the look of suffering in her eyes, but the smile is undoubtedlying from the bottom of her heart. "I will do my best from now on."

    "Thatst sentence seems..."

    "You didn''t deny my request once again, C."

    Fuck.

    "I''m sorry, ss rep..." Looking on one side, I apologize meekly.

    Feeling guilty, I sit by Laura, who is opposite the housewife. With me taking a position, our group is now separated into two sides. There is Laura and me on one side, while the other has Rachel and Kurokawa.

    A smile returns to the ss rep''s face after seeing me being so obedient. Truth be told, it is more of a triumphant smile as she nces over the other girls. I also should thank the heavens above for not letting Laura run wild and throw me off the roof due to a yandere state.

    "It''s okay, C. Unlike those shameless two, I want our romantic milestones to be perfect from the beginning to the end. A few pebbles LEFT and RIGHT will not make me deviate from my n." It is obvious who the pebbles are in this case. Sadly, the two people in question only sit elegantly and exchange nces with me. The one with blue eyes is evidently sending seductive looks, while the one with green eyes gives me gentle gazes.

    I do not know if I am assuming things too quickly, but the yandere tendency in these girls seems very mild nowadays. They would only use their eyes to send me and each other deadly stares rather than battling it out. Not that I amining, though. If this is how everyone can survive, please, by all means.

    "Still, C." Rachel puts down her container and looks at me kindly in her aquamarine gems. "I want you to tie me a butterfly knot, too. Preferably with your tongue. On a bed. You know what I mean, right?"

    I know what you mean, Rachel. You should know Laura is right here.

    And it is a bit out of my league! I have no experience with these things!

    Grabbing the tea container, Laura almost shoves it into Blondie''s face. "Drink up some more, Rachel. You are thirsty. I suggest having a shower. If you could do me a favor, stay there." Then, she touches my hand. "But in all seriousness. When I have a cut, would you do the same to me?"

    It is rare for the ss rep to ask for something. And Laura is saying it in such a needy way, too!

    "Of course!" I exim hurriedly. Laura is, without a doubt, my legal girlfriend. She should be getting her privileges along with some exclusive lover treatments!

    "As for me, I will try my best to stop these thieving cats from stealing your lips. It''s appalling how they could im your kiss despite knowing our rtionship!" The air suddenly drops again around Laura.

    "Stop it, Reppy. You''ll make the food cold." Rachel ims.

    Kurokawa agrees with Blondie. With a pair of chopsticks, the bookworm quickly grabs a piece of fried chicken and puts it in my bowl. "Here! Please enjoy."

    "That''s my line! Kurokawa! I made the food!" The housewife puffs her cheeks like a chipmunk.

    Seeing an opening, Laura immediately grabs the food and brings it to my mouth. "Say ah!"

    This morning, I was blessed with this already. Thanks to my previous experience, I also know that resistance is futile. Saying that I can feed myself will only travel from one ear to another. In addition, do not think Laura is the only one feeding me because she sits the closest. Sooner orter, the other girls will have their turns.

    I ept this fate, though. Come at me!

    "Ah!" Thinking like that, I open my mouth. "Nom! Delicious!! You really are a splendid cook!"

    There is nothing toin about Rachel''s cooking. Her ability when ites to cuisine or killing is second to none.

    In front of us right now are dishes in various colors and shapes. There are intricate designs, and some with a traditional, homemade look. No matter what kind of outside appearance they have, the taste on the inside is still absolutely exquisite.

    "Hehehe! Thanks, C!" Not stopping at listening to mypliment, Rachel looks at the other two with a smug look and a raised chin. She is definitely boasting about her ability.

    "Tch." By my side, a quiet click of the tongue can be heard. And in front, the ck-haired girl still diligently putting food into my bowl.

    I do not know how or why, but seeing her behaving like a caring wife tugs on my heart string. Even more so, I still owe her an exnation for the previous... discussion. In the eyes of anyone, what I did was abnormal, to say the least. It is only a matter of time before the girls question me about what I did. There was no reason for me to run after Kurokawa, no reason to talk to her, and there was no way I could understand her pain or what she had been through.

    The girls, even though infatuated with me, must be asking themselves why I knew Kurokawa was suicidal despite having virtually no connection to her in the past. And unless I clear up that burden in their chests, the seeds of doubt would continue to grow until they cut my head off and hang it on a tree. But for real, though, I am not afraid of death. I only do not look forward to hurting them by concealing secrets. Death means nothing to me, but their tears can tear a hole in my chest.

    However, I am hesitant. Telling the girls the whole truth about this world may instantly trigger a reset. It has happened before, and it can happen again. All of everyone''s hardships can disappear in an instant if I take this lightly. And when I tell them what I know about Kurokawa''s case, it will create more doubts. How did C know Kurokawa so well? Does C know about me? Does C love Kurokawa so much that he wants to know more about her than me?

    The delicate equilibrium currently will be destroyed. After that, god knows...

    Let us approach this matter one step at a time. First, a hypothetical question seems like a good starting point.

    "Have you girls ever thought that we lived inside a simtion of sorts?"

    Chewing on a piece of shrimp, I pretend to ask something mundane. Nevertheless, on the inside, I am praying for it to work. I know I am taking a tremendous risk here. Still, the greater the risks, the better the rewards. If Laura, Rachel, and Kurokawa understand the nature of this world, saving everyone will be simpler than ever before.

 Chapter 96: This time is different

    I know that I am taking a tremendous risk here. I really do. Everything built until this point may be destroyed in a second because of my reckless action. All of our interactions, all the new things and warmth I was given... all of it.

    I could be losing the new Laura, Rachel, and Kurokawa, or worse: plunging them into a harsher death. There is an imminent chance that I, and my desire to make the girls look at this world at its core, will damn their lives all over again. It is like a guillotine, but instead of a giant sharpened de, a danger of untold proportion dangles above my head, waiting for a slip-up to murder us all, not just me.

    Throughout various iterations, this world has shown me repeatedly that there was a strict rule about telling others what kind of reality they were living in. The consequences of such trials have been clear from the very beginning. To sum it up quickly, it would be a simple NO. Whether the method to convey the information was via paper or mouth,... none mattered.

    Whenever I did so, the system would not hesitate to clear everything out instantly. That was the crucial part. Buildings and entities such as main characters and side ones would be turned into dust and smithereens, and their memories would be wiped out, reset to their initial state. They would no longer recall who or what I was, what I told them, what I did to them.

    In short, it would be as if my existence did not leave an impact in the first ce. Earlier, when I touched Kuro, I saw exactly that.

    Most of the time, it was a good thing since the results of my struggles usually meant a drastic change in the storyline for the worse. Living in this hellish nightmare with no one to talk to already damaged my mental health. I would rather them not know me than look at me with scornful eyes filled with hatred and contempt. Jumping off the school''s rooftop sounded much better than being viewed as a hideous and disgusting monster that spread sorrow everywhere it went.

    No matter the reasons behind my assistance, the girls would not have suffered so much without it. Slowly but surely, I learned to ept that cold-hard fact. I should stop fighting back because it would only cause more grief to others.

    Nheless, I want to do this, even when the drawbacks of such a dangerous action stay at the front of my head.

    ...No. Let me rephrase that. What boils inside this chest of mine is not merely a wish. It is much stronger and more straightforward, like the spear of the leading general to a decisive battle.

    I need to do this. I must not fail!

    Words are failing me at this point. But there is something akin to apulsory need to express those thoughts to the girls no matter what. This is out of the blue, honestly. Considering how reserved I was about this matter, talking to the girls about our reality while knowing for sure it could trigger a reset seems odd.

    Heck! I was still trying my best to stick to the original storyline yesterday. In fact, it would not be weird to say some unknown soul possessed me toe up with such a conclusion.

    Somehow, I am different, but not that different. I am still myself, yet at the same time, I am not entirely sure if I am still the same me a couple minutes ago. Ugh! What the hell am I thinking anyway? Like a broken dam or an opened pandora''s box, these thoughts keep rummaging through my head without care.

    However, there was one thing clear as night and day. I feel as if there was a voice from within my soul instructing me what to do, pointing me in the direction I should take. Weirdly enough, this particr feeling has only popped up recently as if everything part of this particr run has not been messed up to its fullest extent. After everyone has gotten their changes, I guess it is my turn to behave off-rail.

    On the one hand, I am concerned about these sudden thoughts and their origins. On the other, it is not groundless one bit. Giving the girls information about this world will only help with general progress. I mean, think about it. In a world where your rivals are miserable as you are, does conflict really need to exist?

    What I have seen and what I have felt showed me hope. From the first moment we met, Laura behaved differently from her past versions. In addition, I felt something off about this current iteration. That fact only reconfirmed itself after Rachel. And most recently, Kurokawa. This bug, or error, is probably the best thing that has ever happened to all of us.

    Maybe this is just me, but everything that has led to this point seems to tell me all will be resolved eventually. It just works.

    Somehow...

    Of course, I wholeheartedly agree with letting Laura, Rachel, and Kuro know what they are living. There is nothing to argue here. Do not get me wrong! These girls absolutely deserve the truth and only the truth. Regardless, I have to be careful with my wording so that nothing serious from this world''s system will be triggered, and all these circumstances will be erased. No matter what I feel inside, I need to be extra careful when stuff like thises up.

    "Have you girls ever thought that we lived inside a simtion of sorts?"

    After my question, I nce around to look at the girls individually. Frankly, I do not think they pay too much attention to what I am trying to say. On my side, the ss rep is diligently feeding me with anything she can grab a hold on. Rachel is looking at me with...well...Rachel''s eyes, as usual. And as for our precious bookworm, she enjoys her meal with delicate movements, asionally putting stuff into my bowl before I can even react. To think that mere moments ago, she was crying her eyes out... Her eyes are clearly still red, too.

    This is peaceful. It is good to have such quality time together like this. To have a chance to witness everyone sitting side by side in harmony like this is something I never expected to see in my lifetime.

    We seem like a happy family. At least they are not doubting my words orughing at me for asking such a baseless question. Something like ''our lives are fabricated'' does not seem appropriate for lunchtime small talk. Judging their behaviors, the girls seem calm and unburdened, which is the best reaction I could wish for. For now, I believe I will continue to answer any questions that might arise. The flow of things is also rather convenient, as it should make them think I am just blowing hot air.

    To tell the truth, if someone I knew was saying things like what I am doing right now, I would first get them to a psych ward. What kind of crap these people talk about would be my first thought. Therefore, I do not need them to believe me one hundred percent. I only need to nt the seed inside Laura''s, Rachel''s, and Kurokawa''s heads. These beautiful girls are much smarter than I am. They will figure out the rest for themselves without my support. Then, their eptance of this kind of news would be vastly better than me telling it to them straight.

    It is like what they say all the time. Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. Teach a fish to man, and you have a depressed fish addicted to smut novels on the inte still trying to figure out how taxes work.

    ...Sorry, I got sidetracked.

    I seriously need to stop using metaphors.

    At any rate, I shall proceed with my little speech.

    "What do you think, Kurokawa? Don''t you sometimes feel like we are living in a simtion?"

    To make our lives more straightforward in the future and to one day exin how I knew about them so much, I need to keep going. Our bookworm is a good candidate for such a discussion. After all, she is a librarian. The amount of novels and stories Kuro has read is enormous. Definitely, she must have some fascinating thoughts about what I just asked.

    Speaking about Kurokawa...it is not like we are done with her yet. After lunch, I should ask the other two to invite the bookworm out. She must note home tonight. Our previous talk was simply a warm-uppared to the event tonight.

    Hearing my words, Kurokawa stays silent for a while, which is normal, given that her mind is racing at full speed. While I wait patiently for a reply, she gulps down some soup before answering. I swear Laura and Rachel are giving her the deathly stares again.

 Chapter 97: Sexual innuendo

    Hearing my words, Kurokawa stays silent for a while, which is normal, given that her mind is racing at full speed. While I wait patiently for a reply, she gulps down some soup before answering. I swear Laura and Rachel are giving her the deathly stares again.

    "A simtion?" The bookworm repeats after an elegant sip from her small bowl.

    "Yes, a simtion. I know I''m trying to get philosophical right now, maybe even a bit dumb, but what would you do if that were the case?"

    "Such a thing is possible. In an infinity, anything can happen."

    "That is correct!" I reply enthusiastically.

    Kurokawa nods in agreement and promptly puts a piece of well-marbled beef into my bowl like a loving wife. Maybe she is just being polite. Or maybe there is no way our bookworm can deny that possibility. Oh, there is also a possibility that she wants to agree with everything I say since she has feelings for me. Then again, I do not have to worry about that so much when ites to Kuro. She is a much more logical person than I will ever be.

    On the other hand...

    "Oh, darling, I can agree with you on anything, but you are not dumb." Rachel quickly intercepts. Why I did not direct my inquiry to Blondie first was precisely what she just stated. I knew she would agree with anything I said, no matter what absurdity that could havee out. Because of that, her input ispromised. "Here, have some fried oysters! I made them especially for my love! Extra juicy and plump, too!"

    "Thank you."

    Hold on... Oysters? Juicy and plump? And just for me?

    I have a bad feeling about this!

    Let me focus on Rachel''s eyes for a little bit. I need to check one thing.

    ...

    Ah! Okay. Heart-shaped pupils, a flush on her face, and slight panting. Got it.

    "On second thought, we should share this. I can''t be hoarding Rachel''s divine cooking all to myself like that. It is simply unfair for everyone."

    Immediately after noticing her lustful gaze, I want to divide the oysters evenly among all present. Probably saving a little for Han, too. Knowing the...explicit effects of oysters, I can notprehend what will happen to poor C. Actually, scratch that. I can notprehend what Rachel has in store for me! I do have a rough sketch, though... Too soon for it. We still have many more steps to go through before that happens.

    Hearing my answer, Rachel licks the corner of her lips. Rather than feeling down and letting go, her flush only gets more prominent after my instantaneous rejection. "Oh, but you should, C. You definitely should. Please, hoard all of my plump oysters. Stuff them all in your mouth and savor all that delicious juice I have made for you."

    HOLY MOLY! SHE IS NOT EVEN TRYING TO HIDE HER ULTERIOR MOTIVES ANYMORE! THE WAY RACHEL PUTS IT IS ALREADY A TYPE OF SEXUAL PLAY!

    *Sproing*

    Fuck no! You go! Eyes forward, dick downward, not UPWARD! I am NOT dealing with you in the middle of lunchtime like this! And in front of three girls, no less! Have some shame, little me!

    *Sproing*

    Hnnnnnnngh! Calm the hell down!

    "What''s wrong, C?" Rachel stares me down with a subus look. "Why are you so stiff all of a sudden? Why don''t you answer me? Or maybe, you are having a hard time finding the words?"

    I NEED AN ADULT! I NEED SOMEONE SERIOUS!!! LAURA, PLEASE! THIS IS WHERE YOU JUMP IN AND RESCUE ME! SHE WILL EAT ME UP AT THIS POINT, AND I WILL BE TOO HORNY TO STOP HER!

    "Say ah!" And yet, without waiting for me to do anything, Laura grabs the golden-crusted fried oyster with her chopsticks at lightning speed and brings it to my mouth. "Don''t think too rigid, though. The food will get cold. Rachel has worked long to make the meal this big, so we should not waste her effort."

    Oh god...not her too...When the hell did Laura and Rachel get so close?

    Feeling some tingles at the back of my head, I turn toward the ss rep and realize that her eyes are definitely that of a predator. At this moment, the difference between Rachel''s eyes and Laura''s is the color. The emotion behind those two girls is identical.

    They really want to eat me up, are they not...?

    There is no way for me to run from two yanderes, especially when their target is me. Therefore, I will ept my defeat. Let us hope things will not escte too much tonight... It is still early in our rtionship to be doing anything naughty. It should have a build-up first.

    Chewing on the fantastic fried oyster in my mouth, I look at the bookworm, begging for help. Only Kuro can bring salvation to my desperate state at this point.

    Please, Kurokawa... Please...

    Kurokawa''s eyes light up as she breaks the naughty veil covering our meal: "C, why did you ask about that?"

    You are a saintess, Kuro!

    *Gulp*

    Swallowing Rachel''s incredible cooking down my throat, I grab on that precious lifeline Kurokawa tossed. If I do not do that now, there is a high chance some H scenes will start. Again, it is not like I do not want it, but there is a time and a ce. Also, I must consider who will be the first to do it with. That in itself may cause a bloodbath if I am not careful.

    "Oh, haha!" Iugh wryly, trying to clear the pink atmosphere lingering around us. "Just a random thought. Sometimes, I wonder if our lives are ours. If God existed, would he have written all that would happen and forced us to do his bidding? If so, do we have free will and control over our destinies? I mean...everything is predetermined by that higher being, right? What would we do if we knew that?"

    While I am asking this question, my mind starts to wander. I hope by beating around the bush like this, Laura, Rachel, and Kurokawa will question their reality more than before. This is the best of my limited ability to make them see the truth but not say anything about the game we all live in. I am unsure how far this will take us, but one can only do so much without breaking the world.

    "To me, I would feel nothing more than a ve." cing her bowl with a loud ng, Rachel turns her eyes over my side. There is none of her usual sensual gaze in those aquamarine gems. Instead, a dreadful feeling beams from her pupils, twisting and swirling like a vortex of doom. "In that world, I would be a toy designed to fulfill someone else''s wish. No more, no less. An object, a tool, a thing with a soul but without purpose. A ve destined to do whatever their master wished. To me, free will would be nothing more than a curse."

    The look of those eyes could kill. In fact, even when I have seen crazy Rachel many times before, to feel this much second-hand murderous intent is still pretty rare. It is filled with utmost hatred. Pure, undiluted grief and a passion for revenge. If I was to tell her who put her in such a state and their location, I have no doubt a massacre wouldmence immediately.

    It seems Rachel has put some thought into this. Sadly, looking at her reaction, I do not know how to make it easier for Blondie to ept my truth. She will not harm me. That much is certain. But it will most likely hurt her a lot.

    Actually, it will hurt everyone a lot.

    "Sigh..." I unintentionally let out a long breath.

    "Hmm..." Laura makes an expression of deep contemtion. "In my opinion, if everything was already nned, I would have no will to live. So I will have to agree with Rachel. Living in such a world, I would want my consciousness locked away since my life would be pointless. I cannot imagine myself living under such circumstances."

    Laura answers without hesitation, almost as if reading from a script. Her amber eyes stare straight at the blue sky above her. "It is miserable, for sure."

    "Anyone would reach out to find a kindred soul in that lonely world, C," Kurokawa softly calls my name. "Is it okay for me to ask for one thing in that hypothetical situation?"

    "Please do."

    "I believe with all my heart that even when we were forced to live in such a world, we would still find our way back to you. I would wish for you to remember that. We are not alone. You are not alone, C. Not anymore."

    I feel a bit wet on both cheeks.

    When they start looking and noticing the discrepancy between Han and me or the distinctive features of the shadow people, the girls will definitely question it. While their imntedmon sense was twisted, it will be difficult for any girl here to ept the truth. Undoubtedly, that moment will be a mind-breaking one, capable of rendering one''s self to uselessness. They will maybe question my existence, too. But I will tell them the truth to calm them down.

    On their way toward epiphany, I will be there to lead them. I know how painful it is to not have apanion on this lonely journey.

    At least, that is my goal for now.

    "I will remember that, Kuro."

 Chapter 98: After lunch

    "Now that we''ve finished all the food. I cooked, so you guys should know what to do, right? Of course, I am not talking about this handsome face right here." Rachel stands and stretches her arms up high. "You don''t need to help them, darling. Let them be helpful once in a while. It''s the least they can do!" She then squints and puts on a triumphant look.

    "Tch."

    Upon hearing Blondie''s snide remarks, Laura clicks her tongue, and Kuro keeps silent. They know she is right. Actually, not just those two, but we all know Rachel stands on a higher ground than us. Saying anything will only fill that satisfactory meter inside her.

    "Nope. I should." Shaking my head, I quickly reach for the boxes and lids closest to me, gathering the chopsticks and spoons. Even when I know they wholeheartedly want me to stay still, it is standard for me to give a hand. What kind of guy would I be pushing chores to everyone else? "There is no way I''m letting you girls do all the work while eating and drinking for free. I''m shameless, but not that shameless."

    Then, ncing over at Kurokawa while she tries to pick stuff up with only one hand, I look up at the housewife: "I should do twice or thrice the work. Please, leave it to me!"

    At the corner of my visual field is a gentle smile of a girl with bangs covering her eyes. She is still not saying a word, but I somehow understand the meaning behind those beautifully curved lips. The light inside her emerald gems speaks of gratefulness and happiness. Without a doubt, she knows I want to do her part of the chores. There are plenty of ways to tell someone you appreciate their actions. And for someone who acts more than talks, Kurokawa has her own way of expressing feelings.

    "Someone''s jealous!" Rachelughs with a high-pitched voice. Although she is not saying a clear name, it is clear who the person Blondie is hinting at with her mischievous words.

    "Shut it!" Replies Laura with a scornful tone. "Don''t act like you are unaffected."

    Hearing that, Rachel points at her cheeks. A cute but yful smile stays on her lips. "Yes, you''re correct. There is a big difference between us two you are not mentioning, though. I''m not showing my frustration on my face! Unlike you."

    "You lousy little twerp!"

    Defuse! DEFUSE! They are going to explode!!

    "I apologize, ss rep, Blondie. Truly. Still, for Kurokawa to work under her current conditions is a little too harsh." Turning my face over to Laura, I plead. It is evident they also want to have my affection, especially Laura. Still, this is not the right time or ce for it. "If it is okay with you two, please let me do Kuro''s part. In fact, I will do the rest by myself. You girls have done enough. Please let me handle the dishes. No need to argue over something so mundane."

    "Don''t worry, C. It''s not your fault." With a soothing and reassuring voice, Laura grabs my hand tightly, not forgetting to throw a piercing re at Blondie. However, contrary to how she treats Rachel, our ss rep puts her hostility away as she looks at Kurokawa''s hand: "I''ll help her too."

    "Thank you very much." Kurokawa beams.

    The intense atmosphere quickly dissipates, and a familiar warmth immediately wraps my heart. Honestly, I am d to have an understanding girlfriend like Laura. If I did not know any better, there would be almost no reason to think this world has any yandere or misunderstanding. At all! Rachel has been tame, as well. Rather than brandishing her favorite weapon to get what she wants, Blondie only uses words to make fun of people.

    I consider that to be a great win!

    In fact, I think Han should have no problem clearing the game if he was in my shoes in this iteration. Unfortunately for that poor protagonist, once the girls choose a target, there is hardly any chance for them to switch. The reason is apparent, too. I do not want to repeat it.

    It is just that never in my right mind would I believe such people are by my side like this. Not in a million years.

    Anyway, back to work!

    ...

    Five minutes pass rtively fast, and with the help of nearly everyone and one energetic cheerleader in the background, who asionally chimed in to create silly banters with Laura, the lunchbox quickly bes neatly packed with a bow knot on top, simr to before Rachel brought it up this rooftop.

    Concurrently after tidying up the ce, our school bell rings, signaling the beginning of the afternoon sses. From now to the end of today''s final period, we will have a rtively calming time to prepare for the worst. There will not be any special events. Of course, I only talk about those that use our school or ssroom as the background. Outside this area, where the bookworm lives, there will be one.

    Since studying gets me nowhere, I n on using all this afternoon talking to the bookworm about her main event while trying to get off whatever lives inside her chest. While a psychology degree is far from achievable for someone like me, I can do the thing called listening. There is still a face-off waiting for Kuro at home. With a few hours on hand, my main goal is to alleviate her fear and anxiety as much as possible so she does not need to rely on violence.

    Ultimately, Kurokawa is still not entirely out of harm''s way. Years of constant abuse, physically and mentally, do not disappear in a few hours unless a lobotomy is performed. In her own words, Kuro''s scars are not only on her skin but also carved deep inside her mind. As someone who suffers from mental wounds, I know the path to her total recovery is long and arduous. Because of this reason, just for the murder of Kuro''s birth giver, I can only hope to eliminate that sudden impulse that drove her to madness in the past.

    If ites down to the worst-case scenario where Kuro can not help it and attack her mother anyway, I have a n B. Although I understand it is not a conventional way of solving our precious bookworm''s issues, simr to my original objective, n B can save her mother from certain death and Kuro from eternal guilt. That is the most crucial aspect of this.

    For now, all I can do is trust in my ability to do the job right. There is no room for mistakes.

    "Well, girls. I guess it is time to get back to ss. Before we leave, please think of what I said." I remind them onest time. "The simtion thingy."

    And about my n for the future, I have already nted the seed of this world''s truth in the girls'' hearts. Slowly but surely, those seeds will be sorge they will grow fruits made of doubt. Finally, when those fruits ripen, I hope they will question reality itself and can understand without me exining everything, thereby reducing the chance of triggering a reset if I were the one to reveal it.

    My ultimate goal is for Laura, Rachel, and Kurokawa to be able to look at this world and everything it created in a new light, alongside developing critical thinking and questioning every detail.

    Then, and only then, they can be truly free. I can also exin why and how I understand them so clearly despite having no prior connections with them in the first ce. Of course, by having them as allies, solving future problems should be more uplicated, too. With their support andplete trust in me, we can pull many more out of unavoidable death sentences created by the system and the author.

    Regardless, convincing the girls of the true nature of our game world is not something to rush. What I am trying to do is simple but exceedingly challenging at the same time. In reality, unless one sees the difference between their world and others with their own eyes, one will never believe anything outside their worldview. That is just how a person would behave, not to mention once their entire life reveals itself as one big fat lie, there is a chance of a total nervous breakdown.

    "Oh, by the way, Rachel! Thank you for the meal. Excellent work, as always!"

    But before anything can happen, a few words to express my gratitude are vital. After so many years of living without the need for nourishment and the concept ofpanionship, spending time in meaningful moments like this has long been a farfetched dream. Therefore, I will not take Blondie''s generosity for granted. She did her best to prepare our fabulous meal and deserves utmost gratitude.

    However, rather than simply epting thepliments with shes of happiness on Rachel''s face, her reaction also contains hints of surprise. Her aquamarine eyes open wide to look at me, unable to keep the sudden shock from overflowing. It is as if I said somethingpletely unexpected out of the blue.

    (I quit my job. Recently got a new one so I haven''t been uploading anything. I''ll return my weekly update starting now though!)

 Chapter 99: Its a hard life Im having...

    However, rather than simply epting thepliments with shes of happiness on Rachel''s face, her reaction also contains hints of surprise. Her aquamarine eyes open wide to look at me, unable to keep the sudden shock from overflowing. It is as if I said somethingpletely unexpected out of the blue.

    "What? What happened? Is there something on my face?"

    I do not think I did anything wrong, though? Why is Blondie looking at me like that?

    "N-No, thank you!" Rachel replies with lightning speed.

    She says nothing else. Instead, her gaze keeps focusing on me, gentle and dreamy. Her eyes appear moistpared to a few seconds ago.

    "C," Kuro calls my name. "You didn''t do it on purpose?"

    "Do what on purpose?"

    Why is everything and everyone suddenly be so cryptic?

    "It''s the way you said your thanks, C. You said excellent work, as always. We have only been with you for less than two days. Saying as always seems to not fit with that background, don''t you think?" Our bookworm continues to exin.

    Hold on? Now that I am thinking about it... Kurokawa is absolutely correct? Why did I say that? I have only had Rachel''s food for dinner, breakfast, and lunch. It is a bit excessive to use the word always for that.

    Then again... It feels right to say so... Now, even when I know I said it wrong, I would still do the same thing. The meaning may be off, but the feelings are genuine. Honestly, that is something I have done a million times. When I am not saying it as I did, an ufortable weight will appear within my chest.

    So weird!

    "...Okay." It does seem like a contradiction of terms. "That was a good point. Thanks for pointing that out, Kurokawa! Maybe I should stop if it makes Rachel feel..."

    But before I could finish my sentence, Rachel jumped in: "Wait! I love it! Don''t change!"

    You heard it from thedy!

    "Got it!" I nod. "Since Rachel said so, there is no need to worry."

    From the corner of my eye, I see Rachel smiling brightly. Her smile is so bright it seems to light up the whole world. It is good that my slip-up did not make her feel cringe or difort.

    "Anyway, it''s time we get back to ss. However, before you girls leave, I will need to talk to Kurokawa for some time. Certainly, I''m asking a lot here, but we two must be alone. What do you say, Laura? Rachel? Could you two go back to ss before us?"

    Stopping for a second, I continue, facing the ss rep and Blondie. If there were eyes on my face, I would have been able to stare them down. Hopefully, they will understand how serious I am with just a stern voice. "Without eavesdropping this time, of course."

    "Ehehehe..." Laughs one flushed blond-haired girl. "Sorry, darling! I promise I won''t do it again."

    I am rtively sure she will do it again.

    "Me too." This time, it is our ss rep who chimes in. Because of my blunt request, Laura''s serious face has a hint of pink. Still, her eyes show how determined she is upon hearing my proposal. "I won''t spy on you anymore..." She then ponders for a second and continues. "For the rest of the day."

    Well...at least our ss rep is serious about keeping me in check... That is one of her charms.

    "Thank you, you two. I will see you after a while. By the way, don''t forget to think about what I said before, though." I guide the mischievous Rachel and the serious Laura toward the door.

    "Hey C, what are you talking about with Kurokawa?" Rachel asks, curious.

    "Just some stuff about the future." ncing at Kuro with her usual elegant look, I keep it a secret. It is best to not talk about her circumstances without consulting her opinions. Of course, maybe one day, Kuro will develop enough trust to discuss her previous issues with everyone once she is ready with nothing but a calm manner. However, now is not a good time.

    Laura shakes her head from left to right, disappointed by Rachel''s childish behavior. "If he wanted us to leave, it would have been private, Rachel. Asking about it is, frankly, very rude! But I guess you don''t know what shame means. "Asking about it is, frankly, very rude! But I guess you don''t know what shame means."

    "Ouch! That hurts, Reppy!" Blondie hysterically clutches her heart.

    Laura''s eyebrows twitch violently: "I told you not to call me that!!"

    Although the bickering seems tense, to me, there is a weird friendship forming here. Laura and Rachel. One was the victim, and the other was the murderer. Who would have guessed?

    "Bwahaha! Well then! See yater, darling!" Rachel waves onest time.

    "See you, C." Next to her, Laura slowly nods, as if all strength has been siphoned out of her body due to Rachel''s shenanigans. "I''m exhausted babysitting this person."

    "...Keep it up, Laura. You''re doing great!"

    *Kachak*

    After that, the metal door between our school''s rooftop and the staircase leading down closes. However, I am still not letting go of its handle.

    "Rachel''s quite a handful, isn''t she?" Kurokawaes closer. Her voice is almost a whisper.

    "Yup! She knows she can get away by being cute and charming. That silly girl understands her limits clearly and takes advantage of them to her fullest extent."

    cing a hand on her moist, luscious lips, Kurokawa chuckles quietly. "Indeed, she is rather amusing. In contrast, our ss representative, Laura, is...quite a different personality."

    "I know, right?! I have no idea how those came to be so close suddenly. They must share some experience to be that friendly toward each other. Not that I''m against it, though. I would love nothing more than to see them being like this."

    "Yeah. I also find it a little bit odd." Kurokawa sighs. "Nheless, I am d they did not hold grudges over yesterday''s incident."

    "Ah..."

    I bite my lower lip as I recall the scene in Han''s mansion. The ss rep''s furious expression and Rachel''s innocent smile. Truth be told, I was just as surprised as they were. I already have Laura, but constantly trying to get myself involved in other people''s affairs. Over the course of less than twenty-four hours, Rachel and Kurokawa, who were not my legal girlfriend, have found chances to steal my lips.

    Sincerely, I do not want to be unfaithful. More than anyone, attention and love are two things I covet. To me, the innocence of a rtionship should be of utmost importance, specifically when I have been belittling Han in my head for iming every girl for himself. But what I am doing right now... There are no words to defend my behavior. In a way, I am not different from that guy.

    And I do not like that one bit.

    *Kachak*

    Thoughts running wild in my brain, the door is swung open. Immediately, two girls, who lean on its frame with their backs, fall on the floor. One of them is a blonde girl. The other one has brown for her hair color. Startled by my abrupt action and losing their bnce, both of them scream at the same time.

    "Long time no see! Rachel! Laura! How are your backs doing?"

    The blonde girl''s face turns red as she struggles to stand up on her own feet. "W-wow, would you look at that! Time r-really flies when you are enjoying yourself! Haha! Fate must have b-brought us back together! This shows how much our love for you is, C! It can transcend both space AND time!!"

    "Rachel..."

    "I''m sorry, darling..." The girl puts her head down.

    Blondie looks like a small creature, but I will not let this slide. Times like this is when one has to be stern and strict. Otherwise, nothing will be solved. If I give in now, there will be heavy consequences.

    "Laura?" After Racheles our ss representative, who, just like Rachel, suffers from a massive case of tomato face. "I am actually surprised. You are not the type to go back against your words. Is there anything wrong?"

    "My apologies, C. I...um...I was afraid she was going to steal another kiss. You already know. These women will do whatever they can to get your affection." It is rare to hear Laura''s voice being so timid. She must be scared right now. "

    I did not want to lose to them again. So when I saw Rachel sitting down, I did it without thinking..." Laura lowers her eyes as if she wants to hide herselfpletely.

    "That...is my fault. I will make it up to you, Laura. Frankly, I have not been acting like the boyfriend I wanted to be, too. You are, without a doubt, my girlfriend. Your concerns are perfectly normal."

    "R-right!" Laura nods rapidly. "You are my boyfriend, C! I won''t let any woman take you away!"

    "Please, leave C and I for a while. I promise you two there I will not take advantage of this situation. If you two do this, I will owe you a favor." Kurokawa steps in.

    Aquamarine eyes look at amber eyes, then back at me, seemingly waiting for my final decision.

    "Please trust us."

    And like that, our lunchtime really ends.

 Chapter 100: What happens when you kiss?

    *Kachak*

    "Quite a lively bunch...those two..." Laughing wryly, I close the metal door after confirming Laura and Rachel are no longer present...for the third time...

    I mean...third time is the charm, right?! There is no way those two are still outside, right?!

    RIGHT?!

    ...

    Actually, do not answer that. I can not handle the truth. Just ignore me. Feel free to pretend I did not say anything. You all should move along now.

    "I agree." Chuckling, Kurokawa answers with a gentle smile. "They seem to get along quite well."

    It seems she notices my state of mind as well. I mean... a part of it was my fault for making myself seem conspicuous by opening and closing the door many times like a goddamn schizophrenic patient. Anyone would have been freaked out or at least wary of me if they did not know the two girls.

    But hey! At least I am not alone in this weird ass predicament!

    "You don''t say." A sigh escapes my chest. If I had eyes, they would roll 360 degrees from the front to the back and to the front again. Should this world be a horror game, that would have been possible, to be honest.

    Okay, maybe that is a bit of a creepy reaction, still!

    "I have no idea how or why, though. Those two have been like that the whole day."

    "Well, there is nothing wrong with the friendship between girls. And I believe you want to see them getting along, too?"

    With a light smile on her lips, the bookworm quickly approaches my side and sits down slowly while tucking her skirt. Besides the usual elegance that Kuro always exudes, her actions are fluid and natural without hesitation. Apparently, she does not shy away from closing the gap between us.

    Once that is done, Kuro pats the floor underneath my feet, signaling me toe down with her. To which I quicklyplied.

    "Yeah, I agree." Of course, it is much better to see Rachel poke Laura with words than her kitchen knife. Rather than having those two battling it gueri-style until only one stands, I would prefer them to sit down like adults to solve their issues. In a world where killing has consequences, that is easily dismissed since people take it for granted. In mine, however, something like that is hard toe by. Because of that reason, even though I constantlyin, I can not help but feel blessed.

    "I know you do." Kurokawa looks pleased.

    Silence then falls upon us. For a while, Kurokawa and I do not talk about anything important, nor is it necessary.

    Strangely, simr to her silence, I do not want to utter a single word. Soon after sitting down, an unspoken agreement is formed between us as we sit idly, indulging in the other person''s delightful presence. Even if this is brief, my heart tells me to enjoy this peacefulness with Kuro to the best of my ability.

    This is probably weird to say, but it feels so rxing. The atmosphere is just right ��fortable yet fun. It is one of those moments when nothing matters, everything is calm, and all is well despite what happened previously. This silence between Kuro and I is drastically different from the silence when I am only by myself. One represents tranquility, and one represents loneliness. One is created by profoundness, the other by hollowness.

    I never thoughtzying around would feel this nice.

    Truly amazing!

    Because we were so close, I thought an intense heartbeat woulde out of my chest. Or perhaps I should feel hot all over my body out of embarrassment and shame. Yet, there is nothing like that. Even when Kuro and I are not in that kind of rtionship, and nothing is voiced aloud, there is nothing but peace in my chest.

    I feel calm. The sense of calm was like when I was next to Laura or Rachel. No matter what happened before, my heart always felt at ease with those two. Now, there is one more person who can give me that. Being with Kuro, especially in this instance, feels absolutely incredible.

    Plus, I do not have to ask Kuro if she has the same thing in her mind. The fact that she is here tells me everything I need to know. By how she softly smiles, Kurokawa must understand what I am feeling and share the same emotions. Why else would she be here if she did not?

    *Woooo*

    Sitting on the highest point of the school, gusts of wind mischievously run through the bookworm''s well-kept ck hair, making her bangs flutter to the rhythmic breeze this ce has to offer. Since the distance between us is technically non-existent, not only the pink scar on her forehead is visible, but I can also see her beautiful long eyshes moving ever so slightly. And her eyes, those evesting emerald stars with nothing but my reflection in them, unknowingly tremble.

    How can anyone look this soft and fragile? It feels like I am going to break her by simply sitting here.

    Probably sensing my deep gaze, our bookworm hurriedly uses one hand to keep her hair in ce, determined to not let me see what is hidden behind them. Coincidentally, it is her wounded hand. That reminds me. We still need to get Kuro''s hand fixed after this.

    Nheless, not stopping there, using the other hand, Kuro puts it on top of mine without a moment of dy, caressing each finger gently like she is touching a piece of delicate treasure. However, while holding my hand, Kurokawa still says nothing, only maintaining her focus on my face as if to carve my faceless features into her soul.

    Truthfully, I feel blessed. Like, for real! Kurokawa could be looking at the sunny sky above us. She could gaze at the cotton clouds floating merrily and endlessly up there. Heck! The bookworm could be getting downstairs to get her hand cared for properly. But no. Kuro chooses to stay here and put me in her visual field instead.

    This may sound ridiculous to some degree, but I feel determination emanating from those round eyes. As if Kurokawa is telling me, ''Stay here'' or perhaps ''Let''s stay like this forever.'' No matter what happens, Kurokawa will be by my side. Anything thates across our paths, we will solve it together. That is what I am seeing from her.

    Before, when we did not share that kiss, Kurokawa''s pupils did not exhibit such a resolve. Earlier, it was clear that she still had fear and doubts no matter what we talked about. However, now, they are crystal clear. No longer muddied by uncertainty and void of life, Kurokawa shows me the purest determination I have ever seen through the dazzling jewels.

    Without words, our bookworm is telling me she wants to protect me. More precisely, she wants to protect both of us, protect what is important to her. There is no room for doubt, hesitation, or confusion. The way Kuro looks at me is that of absolute trust and love. It is like an ancient puzzle piece fitting perfectly into its ce after many years of trials. Everything seems so right, so perfect, and so rejuvenating.

    With Kuro right next to me like this, images from after our kiss resurface, and I feel an indescribable nostalgia. The first time such a feeling appeared yesterday, I could easily overlook it due to the awkward situation everyone was in. After all, Han was sleeping soundly on his bed, and I kissed his alleged childhood sweetheart, whom he promised to take hands into marriage. There was absolutely nothing to be proud of stealing someone''s betrothed. But if it happens twice, and I still throw it aside, something is inherently wrong with me.

    Evidently, what I felt after I kissed Rachel and what I felt after I kissed Kurokawa are of the same kind. Despite the different origins, they both give this distinctive nostalgia that lingers in my mind. In Rachel''s case, there was a dying world and a sky full of Sakura petals. In Kuro''s case, the Sakura tree was also blooming, and the world was dispersing into nothingness, although hers was much more detailed.

    It is like I have been there. It is like I have lived those lives. Yet I have no recollections of such memories. They do not exist anywhere in my mind, no matter how hard I try to wreck my brain.

    I have no recollection of anything.

    Therefore, two possibilities arise.

    One, everything has been an illusion conjured up by my brain or the bug that keeps making the girls deviate from the system. If this is the case, I honestly have nothing to worry about. I am just being delusional and imagining things. After so many years of being imprisoned by constant repetition of this game, it is not weird to experience something of that nature.

    Unfortunately, even though I wish for the first option to be the one, everything tends to point me in the second direction.

    And that answer is: everything happened.

 Chapter 101: Husband from the past

    One, everything has been an illusion conjured up by my brain or the bug that keeps making the girls deviate from the system. If this is the case, I honestly have nothing to worry about. I am just being delusional and imagining things. After so many years of being imprisoned by constant repetition of this game, it is not weird to experience something of that nature.

    Unfortunately, even though I wish for the first option to be the one, everything tends to point me in the second direction.

    And that answer is: everything happened.

    I experienced what I saw, felt, and heard alongside Rachel in the first and Kurokawa in the other. There was no illusion, no fantasy, no dream conjured up by my loneliness. The thunderous sky, the dust devils made from corroded materials, the beautiful blooming sakura tree with pink petals scattered in the air... all happened. What my heart felt during that brief moment in time truly existed. So did the impending desperate feeling of separation when everything copsed into nothingness.

    Those images were not fake. They are my past. They are real.

    Kurokawa and I were in love until no one was left alive. That...should have happened to Rachel, as well. The memory of feeling her skin against mine and the sensation of her hair on my face is imprinted in my mind.

    Most important of all, I cannot deny any of them.

    This is my only logical exnation for my nostalgia after kissing Rachel and Kuro. They were once free. Moreover, they were by my side. And I...loved them dearly.

    *Badump*

    My heart aches.

    Why am I unable to remember anything? Why do I not know anything? Why is my knowledge and memory of the world so shallowpared to before? Could it be that the bug is actually interfering with my brain?

    Or is it...something intentional? Something...that the past versions of me wanted to do? If so, what would be their reason? Why would they want to erase the memory of those times? Was it to protect myself? Was it to do something much grander than that? Or was it simply to conceal the truth? Is that why, after all, I am unable to recall anything?

    What is the real reason behind the memories I cannot recall?

    Our past makes us. It is what shapes our present. Then, for me, whose past is hidden behind a dark curtain, am I the real me?

    Am I just a fragment of my true self?

    What am I?

    Who am I?

    What...do I do?

    *Badump*

    The deeper I look into this, the more the questions arise from uncertainty. If what I think is correct, there are still many things that I have yet to understand, locked away inside my head with no means to open them. However, despite its uncertain nature, there is a vague notion that this may make or break everyone. The moment the truth is revealed, we must make our choices. No matter which path we choose, it will lead us to change. No matter what we choose, it will make an eternal impact on our lives.

    Me, Kurokawa, Laura, Rachel,...

    In time, everyone will have to make their final choice.

    I really do not know why. I really do not know how. I only know...that I wish for them to be happy.

    I wish for them to have that courage.

    As for now, I will keep living without knowing what exactly is going on. I will live in denial, pretending that nothing happened. But at the same time, I will go beyond the boundaries and find the answers buried in the depths of the past. The baton has been passed. What I need to do is to run with all my strength. I must get through thisbyrinth and reach the light.

    If that is impossible, I guess I will have to die trying. What do I have to lose anyway?

    Looking down at my hand''s ring finger where Kurokawa is still caressing it, I can still feel its soft surface made from nothing but medical gauze. It was Kurokawa who put the makeshift ring on my hand. And it was also Kurokawa who said her holy vows to that version of me, promising her everything to him. The image is still so vivid as if it happened only seconds ago.

    Actually, while thinking about it, I just found a bad thing.

    What the hell am I going to do about these girls?

    I was in love with Kurokawa, for sure. Not only that, I was also in love with Rachel. Even though those two timeline did not coexist, I now believe it happened. In those visions, I was in a rtionship with only one of them in each. But now, many want to be with me for some reason! Of course, this does not mean I can ept Kurokawa, especially when I have Laura as my girlfriend. Still, it does not feel wrong to be like this. It did not feel weird with Rachel, either.

    Can I really push them away?

    ...

    No, I cannot resist this feeling. On the contrary, I want to savor this warmth. I want to store it inside my chest. I want to never let go of this special bond between us.

    Nevertheless, let us leave that for the future C to decide. We still do not have enough evidence to say it is what happened. What I know is that the girls are much more lenient, which is a good thing for two-timing...actually, make that three-timing.

    ...I am probably turning into a bastard...A shameless one, at that...

    Lastly, we must discuss the sudden change in demeanor between Rachel and Kurokawa after the kiss.

    After kissing Rachel, she did a 180 flip. From being a dangerous person, Blondie turned into a loving machine toward me. Her affectionate stares and the hearts in her eyes are from her passionate emotions. Without thinking twice, anyone would have been able to say that she was madly in love with me.

    After kissing Kurokawa, she did not behave in such a way. Unlike Rachel, whose love overflows, Kuro is much more reserved, simr to her settings. She is less aggressive and controls her emotions better than the housewife. Still, now and then, her eyes look at me with such adoration that it is hard to believe. Kurokawa being close to me is an enormous deal as her special educator at home forbids her to do anything like that. I highly doubt there is anything she would not let me do if I were to ask.

    What are the chances of seeing two girls with yandere tendency change their behaviors after one kiss? Is it even possible? What are the chances of such a coincidence that trivial my existence? There is no denying that they have been showering me with affection throughout these 48 hours, but not to the level of after our lips'' touched. Even a non-scientist like me can answer that question with ease.

    Luckily, we have a control group, albeit only one person exists in said group. Laura, my lovely ss representative, will most likely cut my dick off and put it in my ass when she hears what I am about to speak to the bookworm. She has shown a constant stream of predictable behavior since we started dating officially. The ss rep is blunt, straightforward, and a real go-getter. Everything about her is something I think all men would love to see in their girlfriends. Regardless, she is different from both Rachel and Laura. My girlfriend has yet to kiss me on the lips. Anything more intense than hand-holding will cause Laura to blush profusely. Yesterday and today are two simr Lauras. She did not jump from being slightly in love with me to asking me to give her a baby out of the blue. On the other hand, Rachel and Kurokawa are not.

    For a human to change, we need time. For a yandere to change, we need time and, probably, some spare lives in case they have gone rogue. A kiss is powerful, but I do not think mine is a divine tool that can drastically make someone seem inherently different than before. At least, I have yet to see it happen before. If there are any examples in the outside world, please show me.

    The difference between the two groups is the kiss. One group has gotten it one way or another. The other group has not done it. Furthermore, we are not talking about just a kiss. But what lies behind it. All I can say is that I am grateful to have experienced such a thing. I cannot determine whether it is a miracle or a coincidence. Perhaps both. I have no proof to support my hypothesis. But I sure am willing to bet my life on it.

    There should be a hidden mechanism behind my kiss to achieve such a drastic shift in the girls.

    For example, what would happen if the kiss showed them what I saw but from their perspective. They saw everything, felt everything, and remembered everything. Only that could exin their sudden change. That could exin their boost in affection.

    It happened to me. Why could it not do the same to the girls? It is usible and is worthy of a trial.

    "...Kuro." After a while, I break the silence.

    "Yes?" Kurokawa immediately replies as if she has been waiting for me to speak up.

    "I do."

    Maybe she understands what I am talking about. Perhaps she does not. In any case, I owe Kuro those two words. While she proposed to me in that vision with the gauze ring, there was no reply. And with what I am feeling right now in the chest, that answer is good enough.

    ...Laura will probably murder me, though.

    With eyes wide open and a stunned look on her face, Kurokawa''s smile blooms like a happy flower. Soon after, in the corners of her face are tiny droplets of tears, shining bright under the sun.

    My chest feels light after seeing those tears of hers. It seems my thoughts are correct.

    Clenching my hand tightly, Kurokawa opens her soft lips: "So, you agree to be my husband?"

 Chapter 102: [Kurokawa]: Change

    (Behold! 3 illustrations in one chapter!)

    One. Under no circumstances could C learn about the newfound sentience of the members in the discussion. The members were namely Kurokawa, Rachel, and Laura.

    Two. Under no circumstances could C learn about our meeting. The condition included but was not limited to direct or indirect conversation, signnguage, notes, emails, and other forms of information sharing.

    Three. Each participant in the meeting had to keep the information about C''s thoughts hidden from him. If he found out about his ability, the one who created the problem would have to follow the influence until the end or have their life taken away by the others.

    Four. When there was a new heroine, the participants in the meeting would work together to drive her or them away. Dead or alive.

    Those were what we discussed during our small talk yesterday. Everything was to protect C, keeping him from the truth and the existence of our fragile alliance. The first condition was self-exnatory. Laura, Rachel, and I will all have to work our best to...make C oblivious to his abilities. As A''s sister and that crazy princess areing to appear in the story, we will have to maintain our utmost concentration. I did not worry about any of us, but being cautious would help regardless.

    s, there was a critical loophole in the conditions. Being the person who handled the details of those agreement terms, I could steer the other two toward something else. While focusing on C''s inner voice, Rachel and Laura left out one critical aspect.

    And that was C''s vision of his previous iterations.

    We never made any agreement about telling C his visions.

    *Woooooo*

    A strong gust of wind ran through my hair, lifting my bangs high and blowing away droplets of tears lingering on both cheeks into the space between C and me. Even though I tried to hold it in ce, my hand was trembling as I stood there with a face that looked like it had been hit by an electric shock��one that was not even caused by anything physical.

    s, despite my actions, something told me to withdraw my hand. Deep inside my heart, a voice was heard. There was no need to cover my scar, it said. I should not be afraid anymore, it said.

    More importantly, I believed it. Although that voice said things I considered nothing more than sphemy, I trusted it with everything in my body.

    It was undoubtedly true that the time was not yet ripe enough to put everything behind me and move on, but at least this would mark the beginning of something else. After all, years of constant pain and suffering from my Mother''s abuse could not be erased with a snap of a finger like that.

    Wounds might heal, but scars would remain for the rest of my life. Time could fade the physical injuries, yet the emotional aspect would forever live rent-free until resolved. I knew that. C knew it, too. The only thing for anyone in my situation to do would be to ept it. The same goes for me as well.

    It mattered not how much one could endure. I understand that now. The more I let myself be in harm''s way, the more I justified the pain inflicted upon me by someone else. And the more I did so, the more I let myself be trampled. Those two thingsbined into a vicious cycle where I would never see a way out. A malicious amalgamation of constant belittlement.

    In life, there ought to be things beyond one''s control. It would be there whenever they closed their eyes at night. It would still be there whenever the season changed. Without fail, the mirror would show the truth of what the past had done ten out of ten times. No matter how much one wanted to escape, those reflections would exhibit the ugly realities they desperately wanted to draw their eyes somewhere else.

    But sadly, one would never be able to run away from it. What came was torment and suffering. Always. A person like me would live inside a hell created not by anyone else but by myself. A cage made out of my flesh and thoughts.

    Perhaps tobat the nightmares, one could try their best to eliminate the source of their pain, hiding themselves from seeing this world forever. Destroying the reflections by hand, smearing blood everywhere, or gauging their eyeballs out both would work. Then again, would it subsidize?

    The answer was a simple ''No''.

    Running away never worked. In fact, it only made things more destructive. Because once the demons returned, they woulde in armies.

    Why would something so mundane cause so much distress?

    After all this time, I learned one thing. And it was crucial to the settings of my characteristics. The pain felt within my chest whenever I looked at my reflections did not simplye from outside sources. That pain did note from the mirrors nor the mouths of others only. Yes, my Mother said I was unsightly, and she felt embarrassed. But after everything was said and done, I epted their words and did not fight back.

    The pain came from within the tattered heart, broken and exhausted.

    Until... he came to me. He Who Broke My Cycle. He Who Tried.

    He was also one who suffered the most. Yet strangely, even when his existence was more heartbreaking than mine, his pain, cries, and tears... were all devoted to us.

    ...To me.

    I saw how desperate he wanted to make things right for me. I saw how he became different, resorting to threats and malice despite his kind nature only to save one person. While that person could hardly save herself, C took the mantle of impossibility and put it on himself.

    Even when he knew I would not look at his side, C would still try his best. The number of trials he took to be able to gather information would be something unfathomable to me. This world mocked C for his futile attempts, but he still fought back.

    Of course, at one point, C stopped. I did not think of it as giving up. Sometimes, people needed to take a rest, that was all. With his selfless and kind personality, my protagonist would still pick what he did in the past at some point. That I was sure of. One hundred percent.

    Then, if C believed in me that much, I thought I should give myself a chance. As a wife, my responsibility was to not be more of a burden on his frail back. Did I not want to be his support when I said my vows back then?

    Thus, I wanted to change. That was the only thing I could do at this point.

    Thanks to C, I could now set foot forward without being held back by fear; with my feet firmly nted on solid ground, I could start walking toward a different future with him by my side, a distant dream that I wished for but never had the nerve or the support to take the first step in this life.

    From me,...

    To myself,...

    I offer My blessings.

    Perhaps the day I could look at reflections in mirrors and consider its appearance as beautiful was still distant. Maybe it would be tomorrow,maybe never. Regardless of that day, things would change from now on with me looking at my images of how it was, not how it was meant to be.

    Due to reasons both within and outside of my control created by none other than the maker of this forsaken world, my body might have been wed and strange. Personally, it might have been undesired and unsightly, but I understood that it belonged to me��my own self.

    There was no need to fight an enemy that never considered itself to be mine. It was innocent. My body was.

    There was no reason to resent myself if someone epted me for who I was, someone who cared.

    Someone who sacrificed.

    Someone who I had once held dear in my hand saying precious vows. My husband, my destiny, my protagonist.

    No more hiding, Kurokawa. No more making excuses. What was the point of that when he already knew? He had not given up on me even after all this time. I should practice to do the same thing. It would be hard and uncharacteristic.

    My hand was shaking more than before.

    Try harder, the voice in my heart screamed. Show C what you can do!

    Instead of doing what C was used to, let us show him a new scene. Let us surprise the protagonist of our broken story with an action and a dialogue that he wanted to see but never had a chance to. Rather than a Kurokawa with an inferiorplex, let us present ourselves as a... recovering inferiorplex-Kurokawa.

    Let us create a happy ending. Together. As husband and wife.

    Then, when we reach the end or reach a reset, we can do it again, and again, and again. C and I could spend an eternity indulging in each other''s presence, never letting the other half go away. Us immortals had that kind of ability. In other words, till death do us part!

    Thinking like that, a smile formed on my lips as I took a deep breath. Never had I ever craved for the future this much. I wanted to be together with C, wherever and whenever possible. I wanted him to be proud of me. I wanted him to pat my hair. I wanted him to put on the makeshift ring out of bandages.

    And perhaps, when the time was right, I would give him a child consummated from our love.

    That day would surelye.

    *Wooooooooooooo*

    The wind blew. Stronger and more aggressive. My hair was lifted alongside a couple of small leaves, but I paid it no mind.

    Closing my eyes softly and opening them, C''s thin figure filled my vision entirely, waiting in a daze. No thoughts were escaping his heart. He did not have the correct answer to my sudden inquiry.

    Pft. This silly main character.

    Thus, I smiled.

    Slowly, the palm covering my forehead released, and I let the wind do what it was supposed to do. At this moment, I decided to face my disfigurement head-on.

    Immediately, everything was blown open by the breeze. Hair, bangs, tears... and my red scar on the top. Everything. Even that never-ending pain that haunted my dreams every night seemed to beid bare for him to see.

    It was not the Kurokawa this system created that C was looking at.

    It was the Kurokawa I chose to be.

    This...was...me.

    "C..."

    (Did you like the drawings? We worked hard on it!)

 Chapter 103: [Kurokawa] Wife of the Present

    Slowly, the palm covering my forehead released, and I let the wind do what it was supposed to do. At this moment, I decided to face my disfigurement head-on.

    Immediately, everything was blown open by the breeze. Hair, bangs, tears... and my red scar on the top. Everything. Even that never-ending pain that haunted my dreams every night seemed to beid bare for him to see.

    It was not the Kurokawa this system created that C was looking at.

    It was the Kurokawa I chose to be.

    This...was...me.

    "C..." I whispered his name.

    His touch might have released me from the shackles that bound me into the main storyline. His kiss might have given me a chance to glimpse back into our distant past, but this moment right here...was decisive.

    Because my mental restraints were starting toe off.

    "Please, look at me..." Words of begging came out of my throat. Yet I felt oddly wholesome. I was not afraid of any rejection and pity.In this ce, at this moment, in this state, my body, soul, and heart were one.

    All those parts, from the tip of my hair to the bottom of my feet, were in unison for the first time ever. I was not yet free from everything. However, I was whole.

    I was the real Kurokawa. Your Kurokawa. I was not the amalgamation this world used to fulfill anyone''s wishes for entertainment. I was yours and yours alone, in sickness and health. Eternally.

    Looking at C, nothing but calmness filled my heart. Unlike the feeling of fear I used to harbor, thinking he would pity me, the chronic pain that ate parts of my soul became lighter than before. It felt like I was looking through a new pair of sses with the most precise prescription ever. Even when my vision waspromised by a mist made from tears, all was so beautiful. In front of me was a clear, fresh vision that captured the world for the first time in its true colors.

    His colors.

    Under the guidance of the strong wind, each strand of hair danced merrily in front of my eyes. And because I had a bang to cover up my forehead, the hair on top was more energetic than ever. Its movement reminded me of a small child''s giggle. Not a single strand remained still. They were wild, constantly trying to fly toward the sky. But they were free. There were no shackles, chains, and, most importantly, no arms holding them back.

    For the first time ever since their existence, they became free.

    I had let them be.

    If it had been minutes before, I would have had difficulties keeping that person from looking at my face directly. I would have to push my hair down to prevent him from seeing my hideous red scar, to desperately hide how unsightly I was, to not acknowledge what a horrible being that described me.

    However, once he confirmed my hunch, there existed no reason to continue the resentment. Once I decided to change, there was no more reason to deprecate myself.

    Now, even when that thing was still present, when the ugly marks made by Mother on my forehead could be entirely visible to C, I did not feel frightened or pity for myself hearing what he would think about it. In my chest, a heart beat steadily without any uncertainty. For the first time since forever, it found inner peace. It knew it was safe at longst.

    Because I knew for a fact that protagonist of mine would never think anything remotely negative about my appearance.

    That was why my hands could let go of the bangs they had clung to. That was why my heart started to ept itself.

    I could not help but smile. The same wind that blew away the bangs also swept away my tears. They sprinkled far and wide into unknown ces, merged into the air, and soon would travel distances I could not even fathom.

    Wiping away the droplets on the corners, I could clearly focus on the person before me, whose mouth did not close the whole time. He was looking at me with a broad smile on his face. Although eyes were still too fancy for C''s development, his gentle nature radiated from that smile.

    Also, a nose has formed slightly above his mouth. It was cute. I would pinch it once a chance came.

    "Am I...beautiful, husband?"

    Hesitated but full of anticipation, I asked the question to which I had always longed for the answer. With just one word of confirmation from C, I hoped I could give myself the strength to walk forward. On one hand, I knew what he was going to reply with. On the other, I coveted his answer.

    There was no need to control myself after hearing C''s confirmation. I did want to hold back a little when Laura and Rachel were present by his side, but certainly not now. When they were gone from our conversation, it felt like time had been rewinded to when we used to be by each other''s sides without anyone else.

    Curling his lips to make a soft smile, C replied: "You always have been a beautifuldy."

    "Ah!" *Hic*

    I nearly broke down to cry after hearing his answer. And my calm heart almost jumped out of my chest cavity to hug him. Even when I expected C to say what he did, I still could not help but be startled. I was used to holding back pain. Yet happiness was something rtively new to my healing heart.

    It was a cliche sentence. Anyone could have done it. Anyone could have been able to say it. For a bookworm like me, lines that were much more romantic andplicated were abundant in books and novels.

    Still, none could say those simple words with such a sincere, heartwarming, cier-melting smile like he did. None could express so much emotion with a single sentence like him.

    "Me? *Hic* Beautiful? Are you serious?" The wind continued to bring my bangs upward, revealing my scar to C.

    "Yes." His answer was warmer than light itself. His line of sight never left mine.

    "I''m... d to hear that. Thank you, husband." My voice trembled, but my heart was not. "I have always wanted to hear you say it."

    C''s smile deepened.

    As tears continued to trickle down my chin, I ignored them and approached C, trying to touch him with my good arm. Since smashing that mirror in the girls'' room, my wound tingled in pain, yet my heart right now was calm and soothed. My mind and body became twopletely different entities because the pain did nothing to affect my thoughts.

    Caressing C''s cheeks, I stayed silent. My protagonist did not move out of the way. Neither did C dodge or push me back. He stood there and let me do what I wanted to. Simr to how I did it to him in the past.

    I called him ''husband'' twice. C retorted none of them. And I knew how serious he was about rtionships.

    Maybe C did not realize it because it was more on the unconscious level, but he did not deny our bond. He believed it to be true.

    My eyes became more blurry. I could hardly contain myself at this point. If this was not happiness, then I did not know what would be.

    It worked. Thankfully, it worked. Even when everything pointed in this direction, I was d to see my n not falling far from the truth. If it did not, I would be thrown into an awkward situation.

    I was happy. I was truly overjoyed.

    I would be lying if I said I was not afraid of rejection. Although the chance of it was little, it was not zero.

    The more C came into contact with us, the more of his memories we could get back. Slowly but surely, C would be whole again. He would remember how much he had sacrificed and the days we spent together as a couple.

    In my mind, there was no doubt that such a day woulde. It was not a matter of possibility but a matter of time only.

    As for the other two, I was not too worried.

    I was his wife, anyway. This fight ended before it even started.

 Chapter 104: The new bookworm

    "Hey, Kuro." After a while of unspoken tranquility between us, I call out Kurokawa''s name, whose head is on my shoulder.

    As I nce over her side, a pair of exuberant emerald green eyes calmly observe me. With a quick nce, I can see they are filled with nothing except happiness and joy. Her delicate smile is so pure and bright that it is hard to believe this person once had such deep hatred for herself. From what I can see, she has be one with her heart by letting me see her entire face.

    The uncertainty Kurokawa possessed is long gone. It has perished, turned into tiny fragments that scatter into the wind like ashes of a defeated foe, never to be awakened. Even her dark, beautiful hair seems more radiant than before��like an angelic halo around her head.

    The girl who used to regard herself as pitiful and miserable is now glowing, washed clean by sunshine. Her eyes are not covered by an evesting shadow but clear and glistening under the sun like the surface of a clearke. She has finally been freed from the shackles of self-hatred. Her own personal hell has been broken.

    I am unsure if I am looking at the same person minutes ago. That is how different the two versions of Kurokawa are to me.

    Currently, Kuro''s face is close to mine. Very close, in fact, that I can see clearly how long and curvy her ck eyshes really are. And very soon, I can not draw my gaze away from the bookworm, as if she is calling out to me without using words. She is like a little witch that cast a spell on me to keep me mesmerized by her.

    Yet, I do not hate that feeling. I do not hate it one bit.

    Kurokawa is not the type to use makeup. As she would hide everything eventually, cosmetics were always out of Kurokawa''s point of view. Despite that, the faint reddish color on her cheeks still stands out beautifully. That lush pink lying dormant in the background of Kuro''s white skinplements her face like a diamond of a golden ring. The contrast between the two colors is gorgeous, making Kuro prettier than ever.

    And her hair, each strand adorned with a resounding ck color, gracefully flutters by the gusts that asionally blow on top of our school, determines to show me its utmost radiance. Although they sometimes run around my neck and tickle the back of my head, causing me to awkwardly scratch the back, I do not find Kuro''s hair bothersome. In a way, theye from Kuro. They are a part of her. I can not hate them for as much as I can not hate Kurokawa herself.

    The same thing can be said about our bookworm''s scar. Truthfully, I do not hate it. No matter how unsightly Kuro thinks her past is and how much she wants to hide her scar, it is a part of her that I never wanted to put aside. In my mind, to deny her old wound is to deny her existence. There is no way for me to do that. Besides, it is the undeniable proof of everything she has been through.

    This world might have imnted the fabricated memories into Kurokawa, but that is only fake to someone with a third-person point of view. For us, who lived here since the beginning, they were real. To me, everything happened and not at the same time. But that is not the reason to not acknowledge Kuro''s effort. Our bookworm did live through one hundred percent of the trials thrown at her by this world. She has been through thick and thin, without anyone''s support, on her own.

    Thus, when I said she was beautiful, I meant it. Every. Single. Word.

    Kurokawa is a wonderful person whose strength is more than meets the eye. Much, much more so than she thinks she has. Her beauty is not only her appearance but her inner nature, too.

    Somehow, I feelpelled to put a hand on her hair and pat it lightly. Interestingly, Kuro does not resist my touch. Instead, she quietlyes closer and closes her eyes like a cute cat.

    "I am proud of you."

    "Thank you." Kuro answers quietly. Her lips curve up a little.

    Seeing this gracefuldy rests her head on me, my chest feels warm. Even though some shiny droplets of tears are scattered on both sides of Kurokawa''s face, she seems happy. Blissful, even. I also love how she clutches on the shirt I am wearing, trying to keep the space between us as small as possible.

    While caressing her hair, I tell the person next to me this in the gentlest way possible: "You are strong, Kuro. Much more so than you think you are."

    "Yes..."

    And then, I hear the softest answer I have ever heard from her. It is almost timid. "Thanks to you,... C. If not for you, I wouldn''t have been able to say these words."

    "No, I don''t think it is thanks to me. This one is entirely on you, Kurokawa."

    Before this peaceful moment, I was given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Kurokawa letting go of her bang to let it run wild. Seeing her hand slowly moving down and her hair slowly parting due to the lift of the wind, I felt a tingle in my heart. A desire of mine was fulfilled. A wishful thinking that was nearly impossible for anyone except the bookworm to achieve.

    In my previous iterations, Kurokawa never showed her face that way. I mean it. The past haunted Kurokawa every waking and dreaming moment. It kept her from revealing her face to anyone, including Kuro herself. She did not dare look into the mirror, covering everything that could make her see her images, even if it was small. Until the day she died, Kurokawa never purposefully showed anyone her face. Not even Han.

    It was that depressed Kurokawa who decided to take the first step.

    It was that fragile, self-loathing Kurokawa who decided to change.

    It was that strong, resilient Kurokawa who took my hand, with tears in her eyes, struggling to find a way to pull herself up from the depth of hopelessness.

    She was the one beaten by fate. She was also the one who smashed it in the face.

    "I don''t believe so, C. I know who my benefactor really is." The bookworm squeezes my hand tighter.

    Hearing that, I can only smile. With a contented heart, I rest my cheek against Kurokawa''s hair, listening to her breathing.

    "How about we agree to disagree?" After pondering for a second, I propose a way out for both of us.

    "Nope. I''ll only ept one answer."

    "Okay, now you''re being unreasonable!"

    Kuro does not understand this. No matter how much I wanted to be the hero in her story, the credit did not belong to me. It was hers to begin with.

    "Why can''t wepromise?" I ask her once again.

    Kurokawa pinches something a little lower in my visual field. "Noooope!"

    "Tch! Stubborn!"

    Wait?! Is this a nose? Since when did I have a nose?!

    "He he he!" The bookworm chuckles childishly. "I''d like to be stubborn once in a while." She then stops to look at me. "If that''s fine with you, of course."

    "Then, I guess I''ll just have to give up." I sigh dramatically. "Now that you''ve made me lose hope, I can''t do anything. My life will be over."

    "He he he! Silly husband! Don''t worry. If you can''t do anything, I''ll support you. Till death do us part!"

    Herughter is like music to my ears. It makes me want tough with her. And with eyes like that, what could I do except nodding in agreement?

    Seems a bit unfair to a guy without eyes, no...? She can show me her puppy eyes, while I do not have them from the start...

    Nheless, I feel delighted witnessing her in this state.

    Throughout all time, Kuro already had preservation as a strength, manifested as an eternal shell impossible to prate so that she could survive in this lonely world. The good thing is that it protected her. The bad thing is that it kept her away from everyone. As a result, it caused her to suffer.

    In the script, Han had gotten Kuro''s body but never had ess to her heart. To her previous versions, being with Han was only a way for her to atone for what she did to her Mother. She knew Han was not her true love. Still, due to his predetermined nature of being an absolute doormat, he was the only person in this cruel world who epted her as the daughter who killed her birth-giver, making him the only one who mattered.

    After the event, she was mentally broken.

    While Han Som did manage to create intimate scenes with Kurokawa, it was not love. No matter how much they did it, she never loved Han nor said ''I love you'' to him. She only wanted to be despised and degraded for the horrors shemitted.

    Guilt was living rent-free in the bookworm''s chest. It crept up, consumed Kurokawa, and finally pushed her off the edge once the timing was right. That was why she chose to die at Han''s hands. In Kurokawa''s mind, she believed nothing else was left to live for.

 Chapter 105: I swear soysauce does not work well with human meat!

    Guilt was living rent-free in the bookworm''s chest. It crept up, consumed Kurokawa, and finally pushed her off the edge once the timing was right. That was why she chose to die at Han''s hands. In Kurokawa''s mind, she believed nothing else was left to live for.

    Kuro''s shell was so tough that even the main character of I Will Survive With A Harem Ending did not get through. But we should all know by now that inside that shell was a girl who desperately wanted to be acknowledged. She was like anyone else in this world or outside, looking for a ce to call home and rest without worries. Honestly, that is just not Kurokawa alone. Everyone in this world desires that. In her broken voice, she told me she wanted to be noticed, cared for, and looked after. She was human.

    There was only one way and only one to break the shell: from the inside. Unfortunately, Kurokawacked the conviction to turn the strength used to create the barriers around her body into growth in the past. Thus, the critical moment when she could cast off her inner fears without being hurt never came. The story ended horribly for her. It was a tragedy in all of its meaning.

    But now, things are different! Although I do not understand how much my influence contributed, Kurokawa has been able to face me directly with everythingid bare. The thing I saw might have dealt the blow Kurokawa needed most. That scene where Kurokawa proposed to me was like a tiny light at the end of the tunnel for her. It lit up her heart and its cold, lonely space. She knows now someone is really looking after her despite everything.

    Because said shell was nearly indestructible, Kurokawa bloomed brighter than the sun when she walked out. It was the nutrition needed to be this Kurokawa with a cheek rubbing my shoulder.

    I merely gave her a ce. Kurokawa decided the rest.

    ...If we are being exceptionally picky here, I have a foot in her sudden changes.

    Nothing to brag about. This is only the basics of the basics for me. It is not like I feel proud or anything. Shut up!

    I should stop puffing my chest, though...

    Kuro is the iridescent flower that blossoms from adversaries, growing not from soil and sunshine but from stones and storms. She is the duckling that came to ept its reflection in the water. It knew it was different from the other ducklings, and nothing was wrong. By doing what she did, Kuro cast off the veil before her face to see the world in its true colors. At the same time, she finally lets herself be vulnerable to everything that can happen.

    If that is not bravery, I do not know what is. For someone who had to deal with anxiety about appearance, the bookworm did somethingpletely unimaginable on my part. From this moment onward, Kuro knows she will have to listen and endure the stares and whispers of everyone. She came to terms with her greatest nemesis, self-doubt, just like those heroes in her novels, even when she knew that things could bite her in the future.

    Some may say there are those who have to face threats in their lives that are much worse than Kuro''s trial while not saying a word. That the things she has been through were iparable if put next to their suffering. I offer formal condolences as their shallow nature has made it clear nothing gets through them.

    A hero''s journey has never been about fighting a boss or how big of an obstacle they are about to face. Any author can write its death in the first chapter, emphasizing how big and bad the great evil really is. The real journey for anyone in this life is about self-discovery. It is a story about growth, about how the protagonist fixes their mistakes and improves.

    Kurokawa did that. She is strong, and no one can say anything about it to change my mind. This is also why I will not take any credit from her.

    "Thank you for being here, C. You don''t understand how grateful I am." Tears slowly fill the corners of her green eyes.

    "Thank you for waiting, Kurokawa." If she did not, things would have been...different.

    In a way, she gave me a feeling of finally letting go of something. When I saw the invisible chains tied to Kuro''s body broken and faded into the air, Kurokawa putting her hand down and letting the wind blow through her hair depicted the same thing, albeit no chains were visible. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was simr. It was freedom that I felt from her. If the touch freed her body, then that moment freed her soul.

    Throughout the years of finding a way to solve her event, I learned that she needs eptance more than anything. To put her first step forward, she craved affirmation. That affirmation muste from within her heart, which was impossible for someone who never acknowledged her well-being. She has done it now. Everything is put behind.

    No, perhaps I am saying this wrong. Kurokawa did not deny her past. Someone as smart as Kuro does not forget the events and regards them as non-existent. On the contrary, she looked at her drawbacks and embraced them like hugging a friend. She changed not because of abandoning her existence or refusing to ept the truth but because she did the exact opposite.

    I ept Kurokawa for who she was and is.

    And today...

    She, too, has begun to do the same.

    To the bookworm, who has never shown her scar to anyone, today has been a memorable day. I am not exaggerating to say she would remember this day until the end.

    "I am d, Kurokawa, to see you like this."

    "And I am d to be by your side, my dear husband."

    Objectively speaking, if the other two heard this, they would probably go berserk. Even when Laura and Rachel have changed considerablypared to their past variants, their possessiveness should be there. And I, as someone who already has a legitimate girlfriend, am not supposed to ept such behaviors.

    "Okay, so about the husband thing..."

    We should not do that.

    "Hm? What about it?" Kurokawa looks at me innocently. "I love you and want you to stay by my side forever. Isn''t that enough?"

    Ugh! My heart! Also, for someone as smart as her, it is weird she is thinking so naively.

    Although I hate to break it down for Kuro, and my heart strangely refuses to do it, my mind is still in absolute control. Fear of death triumphs over horniness. Yes, the girls are much milder than their previous versions. There is a chance of me actually getting a harem out of it. And yes, I am not risking my life. At least not until I can confirm they can live together.

    "Firstly, I really appreciate your feelings. I would have epted your confession if Laura was not my current girlfriend. Who wouldn''t want to be with someone as beautiful as you?"

    Kurokawa remains unaffected by my words. A smile never leaves her beaming face.

    Is it just me, or is my rejection totally ineffective toward these girls? Rachel was like that. Kurokawa is, too. Are they not supposed to feel dejected even a little? I would have been devastated if I were in their shoes, honestly.

    "I understand we saw the same thing, Kuro. But I don''t know if what happened in that...world was real. If because of an illusion that you havee to be attached to me, that would not be right."

    "That world was real, C. We all saw it. More importantly, I think you liked having me by your side." Kurokawa tilts her head and looks at me with the eyes of a child. "I am your wife. You are my husband. We shared a precious oath that binds our souls together. It''s just that simple."

    I do like it. But I will not let Kuro know.

    Shaking my head to clear out nonsensical thoughts, I continue: "I''m afraid you can''t call me that. You know already what kind of rtionship Laura and I are in now."

    "If you are afraid of me doing something drastic, don''t. I don''t mind being the third wife, though. I camest, after all." The bookworm chuckles. "As long as I am with you, that''s more than enough for me."

    "That''s not the poi-Wait? Third wife? Since when did I get a second wife?" I then stop for a quick break for my tiny brain to work some more. "On second thought, since when did I have a wife?"

    Hearing my sentences, Kurokawa immediately ps her hands: "Exactly, you don''t have a wife. That''s why it''s fine to call you my husband. As. A. Wife."

    It seems I have stepped directly into her verbal trap card.

    Laura is going to sashimi my dick for this...

 Chapter 106: Do you wanna build a harem?

    "Well, at this point, I don''t think there is a need to return to ss." I say that while gazing at the sky above us. It is still bright and clear, imbued by cotton-white clouds like any other day. Althoughpared to before, the bright blue color has somewhat adjusted to something with a deeper hue, everything is rtively simr. In addition, the temperature has shifted slightly, making the winds graze my skin cooler than when we first came here.

    This world does not teach anything realistic anyway. Everything is just a filler for the main plot. Who would waste resources on creating a procedurally generated sky?

    s, it has been some time since the bell rang. Kurokawa and I have really taken our time toz around, doing absolutely nothing.

    "How is the wound right now? Do you still feel any pain?"

    After hearing my question, the bookworm, with her head on my shoulder, lifts her bandaged hand and shakes it a little, signaling that she ispletely fine. Her gleeful gaze focuses on the butterfly knot, scanning every part of my work. One that resembles what she made for me in The Breaking World, which I am still uncertain about its legitimacy.

    "No, husband. Everything is fine now." Kurokawa then shows me her arm. "Look at this! Isn''t it cute?"

    "Yes, it suits you." I answer, curling my lips.

    Smiling softly on one side of mine, Kurokawa remains silent.

    After all that has happened throughout this morning, she is enjoying this moment more than I thought. And it is not just our bookworm who is appreciating the breeze. No longer in its ce, her luscious hair flies all over the ce and keeps tickling me, forcing me to scratch every now and then. Sometimes, it touches my face, sending a floral scent to my newly formed nose. Her cheeks are flushed, and she keeps her eyes closed while leaning against me, unburdened by anything. It is the ultimate sign of trust. She knows that she is safe here.

    She knows that she will not be judged. Even when her scar is wide open for me to see, she is unafraid of it being seen.

    "This...feels nice...Being by your side..." Kuro whispers quietly.

    "I think so, too."

    Unlike the other two, who always indirectly try to bring an energetic atmosphere by fighting against one another, the air around Kuro has shifted from a solemn tone of loneliness to a more rxed state. As if she has finally found a ce where she belongs, the bookworm puts on apletely different attitude to how she was yesterday. Even when some things are left unsolved, Kuro''s thoughts should be able to untangle a bit.

    Since we are two different beings, I can not say in her ce that all of her anxieties are gone forever. One that I can be sure of, though. With her outer shell broken, Kurokawa can now start to be who she really wants. From the pieces of predetermined characteristics, our bookworm will stand.

    I wonder what direction she will take.

    Knowing the past helps me nothing since it is in the future. Thanks to my knowledge of the previous iterations, I knew Kurokawa wanted to be free from her mind. However, I never had the chance to learn anything more than her wish. Telling her to open up was impossible for Han as she looked at him as a tool to degrade herself. Perhaps she threw her desires away a long time ago. Maybe it is still there somewhere, deep inside her heart. At least, the bookworm should not suffer so much from mental anguish as much as before.

    Hearing her calm breathing pattern, I can tell Kuro is having a good time just by being here. And that makes the two of us. I also feel happy doing nothing in her presence. If only things were different, I would not have to feel as guilty.

    In a way, I find it hard to believe such a change could ur so quickly. After all, we have only been talking for half a day. Nothing can be solved within that short amount of time.

    Then again, what happened during this span was much more than anyone''s anticipation. We both got to see a world where we were together. And the feelings of that particr point in the past, if it really was from the past, still lingered inside me.

    If something like that impacted me that much, I could guess how much it influenced Kurokawa''s decisions. We were both different thanks to the same experience. Thus, the situation hase to a point where I can not push her away despite my worries. Even though I know I should draw a clear line to separate us two, it is undoubted that my heart does not want me to do it.

    But seriously, I do not want to be a three-timing bastard, goddamnit!

    "I don''t know what to do when Laura and Rachel return to this ce." A long sigh makes its way out of my chest as some disturbing images resurface. "I appreciate your feelings, Kurokawa. But we have to set things right when those two are back."

    Kurokawa''s gentle voice rings: "About our rtionship?"

    It is actually everyone''s rtionship. To be more exact, my rtionships with many other girls. Plural.

    "Yes." Anyway, I nod to her words. Kuro is an intelligent person. A main heroine in a world where every girl is a yandere by default. She should understand how weird it is to have three people infatuated with one and the consequences it brings. Calling it a bloodbath is sugar-coating the thing.

    As my mind wanders, hoping to receive positive feedback from the bookworm, contrary to my thoughts, Kurokawa fires a nuclear bomb: "I don''t mind you having two girlfriends. After all, my position is already unshakably solid. A wife should be able to tolerate at least that to keep her man. Especially when this man is above the others."

    If I had eyes, they would have rolled a full round and popped out of the sockets. "That''s illegal!"

    What kind of logic is that? How on Earth am I going to reply?

    "It''s immoral, Kurokawa. Don''t you think so too?" My voice goes up unconsciously.

    "That''s nature, my husband." Replies the bookworm, still in a calm and gentle manner. "A male lion has many mates. He even goes as far as killing the cubs of the previous pack leader. It''s perfectly normal for a good male to leave more offspring."

    Okay, I did not know that.

    "Is that true?" I look over at my shoulder.

    The girl nods. "It is."

    Damn, nature is scary as heck!

    "Wow... Hold on! We are talking about our human society! In case you have not noticed it. I''m definitely not a lion. A lion is at least strong enough to defend its turf. Yet I have noodles for arms! And legs! Look at me! I can barely fend for myself."

    She thought she could deceive me with the knowledge she gained from her books. Hah! I am stupid, but not that irredeemable. Rather than calling me a lion, a worm fits me better.

    "If you are talking about a normal human society, C, then isn''t it better for us to group up? First of all, we humans are herd animals. That means living together is better than living alone. Besides, it''d be perfect to protect you by having everyone by your side." Kurokawa takes her head off my shoulder and turns to look at me intensely. There is a light flickering inside her emerald eyes. "Secondly, no one gets left behind, and everyone is happy. Isn''t that just wonderful?"

    Not good! This is not looking good!

    If I try to debate Kurokawa, I will lose. The chance of me winning is less than the size of a molecule. I mean, books are the only thing she knows the most. Even if she got a fraction of the knowledge and wisdom from those books of hers, she would still fare much better than me by a thousand times. There is no way I can defend myself against Kuro''s continuous bombardment.

    Kurokawa is not the nner just because the system made it so. She has the wits to prove it.

    "We can use our advantages to make up for the disadvantages of the others. That will make our bond stronger and more resilient to outside forces. Don''t you feel afraid of what the future might hold? What if there is a threat so big that we can not deal with it alone?" The bookworm continues with a calm voice. "For example, C, I''m not physically gifted like Rachel or have a courageous heart like Laura. I don''t think I can handle much heavy lifting."

    Shit! She really has some good points there. The more we do this, the more screwed I look!

 Chapter 107: The subtle changes in ones mind

    No matter how much I want to deny it, Kurokawa is correct. Of course, there is no way she knows the plot, so being wary of the unknown is normal. We are progressing further into the story, and more girls will soon be brought into the school by the system of this eroge world. And since the target of Laura, Rachel, and Kurokawa has shifted from dear old Han Som the Handsome to me, there is an astronomical chance it will be the same for the rest of the cast. Once confirmed, I and the people around me will likely be a target for dangerous, insane characters. If webine our power, surviving will be much easier than doing it alone.

    Wait! No! What am I thinking giving in to her words like this?! Do not let Kurokawa persuade you into this absurd rtionship, C! Stand your ground!

    ...I feel like my entire body is getting consumed at the mercy of the bookworm, a little at a time. Some people may be interested in vore. Not this guy. No, no!

    In this case, anecdotal evidence is the only way. Anything other than that will be rendered useless by her sooner orter. There is nothing to use tobat her twisted sense of logic besides it.

    "I think a rtionship is better when there is amitment, you know?" Brain, do not fail me now! If you did not have an ass, grow one so you can work your ass off! "A man and a woman can care for each other better than multiple. It''s the sincerity I''m talking about. The devotion! The honesty! Everything should be transparent, yeah! More people means the attention will be split. And don''t get me started on favoritism."

    If I stick to my one-on-one rule, they should respect my decision...As if! What kind of idiotic thinking is that?! If it made any sense to these girls, then Rachel would not have been sticking to me, and Kurokawa would not have changed this much in the first ce!

    Immediately, two soft hands touch my chin and turn toward Kurokawa, whose green eyes shine brilliantly. "Let''s go through each of your points one by one. Tell me, husband. Have you been honest with me? Have you lied?"

    "...I try not to."

    It physically hurts to do it. I honestly do not want to lie when talking to these lovely girls. The most I can do is tell them half of the truth and let them fill in the rest.

    "When you said I was beautiful, was that a trick to keep me from killing myself, or did you truly think so?"

    There is only one answer to that.

    "It was not a trick. I wholeheartedly believe that."

    The smile on her face blooms brighter. "What about devotion? Didn''t you help Rachel and me because you have ulterior motives? What is the price that you wanted us to pay? Name it, and you know we will do everything to return the favor, C. Everything. Including our lives."

    I open my mouth wide, trying to make a big statement, but only mutter: "...Nothing."

    "So you don''t lie..."

    "I try not to." I quickly intercept Kuro''s midsentence.

    However, the girl chuckles: "Like I said, you don''t lie. You are devoted to keeping us happy. What''s left is the favoritism, right? Let me ask you this. If either of us three girls were to disappear, who would you choose."

    "Okay, now that''s just unfair. You are literally forcing me to say what you want!"

    "I don''t think so, C." Shaking her head from left to right, the bookworm ims: "You know more than I do that you care about us equally. Your action tells us what lies inside your big heart. The answer has been clear as night and day."

    "...Am I that predictable?" After a few seconds ofplete silence from me, a question pops up.

    "More than you think." Replies the bookworm with no regard for my fragile heart.

    Guh!

    "Which is why, husband, it is okay for you to have many girls by your side. It is inevitable, after all." Kuro continues to talk while caressing my cheek. "I can only me your ridiculous charm, C."

    "It just doesn''t feel right to me, you know? What about Laura and Rachel? What are they going to say?"

    "Don''t worry about them. As long as you are with me, we will have no issue. That said, even if you are unavable, they would still not do anything to me."

    "How are you so certain?"

    The girl pinches my nose: "That''s a secret, silly. But here''s a hint: I''m not the type to do the heavy lifting. But Laura and Rachel are."

    That is no hint. That is just saying facts!

    "Also, C."

    "Hm?"

    Kurokawa puts on a triumphant face. "The fact that you mentioned both of them rather than Laura alone means you are convinced, right? If you wanted to keep everything simple like you said, one-on-one, there would be no reason for you to mention Rachel''s name."

    Shit? Shit. SHIT! She is correct! Damn it!

    "He he he." The bookworm hugs me tightly. "I love you so much!"

    "Hold on! Hold on!" I try to push the bookworm aside. "Listen to me for a bit! There''s something serious we still need to talk about."

    Temporarily putting the fact that Laura is about to murder my ass once she knows what is on Kurokawa''s mind aside, I think there is something more rming for us to consider. More than the deadly inherent harem forming with me in the middle of everyone. And that is what we should do tonight to solve the conflict between the bookworm and her mother.

    Yes, it is true Kuro is in a better statepared to all of her previous iterations. However, all we have been doing is to make Kurokawa feel better about herself. Everything might have been eventful, but technically, we have not solved crap! That event at her house has to go first. When Lauraes, or when I meet her, I will do my best to make it up to the ss rep.

    That is if she lets me stay alive. Otherwise... haha.

    I mean, my girlfriend has been very lenient toward the things I do. Laura has allowed Rachel to stay on the other side at a certain level. While thetter tends to go overboard and make fun of her, I do not sense a hostile environment between the two. And if things do go south, I guess I will have to ask for help from Rachel and Kuro. At least, if I find a way to maintain a bnce, there should be no bloodshed. Of course, this is only a hypothesis.

    I swear I am not aiming for a harem. But my heart can not seem to shake these girls off somehow. It is strange to think that I would rather risk my life thanpletely shun these girls away.

    In a way, I am turning into a real bastard. No, an asshole would be better. Han was a bastard because he had to. I am because I...feel like I should, which is hical.

    "Do you still remember what I said during lunchtime? About the theory about the world?" Tapping the bookworm on her slender shoulder, I change my tone to as severe as can be.

    "Yes, C. And I believe you." Kurokawa nods. "I don''t doubt your words at all. After all, I have been reading stories about such a plot."

    Good. Kuro trusts me. Then, even though the next part may seem absurd, she would pay attention to it.

    "If I told you that tonight, at your house, something horrible would happen to you and your mother, and it is already predetermined... would you still go home?" My words can barely make it out of the throat.

    Immediately, Kuro''s face turns pale, and she clutches my arm tight. Judging by her reaction, it is clear she knows what is going on. Although Kurokawa does not need me to repeat my words or further convincing, there is no relief. Truthfully, I do not know what is better. I would rather have herugh at my face for joking around than see the blood draining from her body like this.

    Yes, it is a drastic change. This goes to show how much that person mean to Kurokawa.

    "Kuro?"

    Kurokawa is shaking. I cannot help feeling sorry for her.

    What should I do? Even I do not want to bring this topic up again. But I had to...

    "If you believe me, how about noting home tonight? We can ask Han for a ce to stay, right? You don''t need to return. As long as you don''t see her..."

    "It''s okay, my dear husband." The bookworm puts on a reassuring smile for me to see. "I...may be able to run away today. But tomorrow, the day after that, and the day after that... will be the same. The more I run from her, the worse her torment bes."

    My heart aches hearing the pain seeping through her words. I do not know what the good thing is. Facing Kuro''s event head-on or doing nothing and running away both have merits. I am just afraid bad things will happen to her. Nheless, no one other than Kurokawa knows what she should be doing, especially when she has broken out of that shell.

    Kuro then stops to breathe in deeply.

    "I want to face my demons, C. Both inside and out. I want to be able to live the life of me, not my Mother''s." She then looks at me. "If you are there, it would give me tremendous strength, C."

    If she so wishes to ovee the greatest adversary of her life, who am I to stand in her way?

    The best thing a husband can do is to support his wife.

    "I''ll be there."

 Chapter 108: The ride home

    *Gata* *Gata* *Gata*

    "The next stop is Y station. The next stop is Y station. Dear passengers, please move to your nearest exits..."

    I was used to the sound of the sky train running on tracks. Its preprogrammed, cold, and metallic announcements and warnings, coupled with the intelligible murmurs from shadow people, had never changed throughout all the previous iterations. Although that voice was feminine, it still could not erase the mechanical sense in each word.

    From the station where I entered to where I got down, there was no other stop. Strangely enough, it had always been two stops: H High, where we departed, and Y station, the ce close to my Mother''s house. There was nothing in between those two. In fact, while there should be many trains running on the same track for efficiency, I doubt that would have been the case here.

    Before yesterday, I never gave it a second thought as to why the long way from my Mother''s house to school has no other stations. But now I do. As one of the main characters in this world, I had the privilege of having an entire train dedicated to me. To create a sense of immersion, Han, this eroge world''s favorite child, had to do the ssic train scene. It would not be wrong to say some of the erotic events with exhibitionism as the core theme start here, on the train. Since I wanted to degrade myself in the past, public shaming would not be out of bounds.

    Reading enough disgusting stories and these thoughts would be mundane in one''s mind, I supposed.

    Living far from school, two hours away, to be exact, the train''s rhythmic sound while traveling is something I have learned to ept after so long. A part of my daily routine is to watch the sky train curves whenever it reaches an angle or feel my body sway to one side because of centrifugal forces. As for the sky outside the carriage, everything is static without differences. Day in and out, the clouds never change their shapes. Each part of that sky is eternally decorated with the same colors and hues except for when it is turning darker, locked in a perpetual state.

    It was ufortable at first, no doubt, but time has a support effect on one''s psyche. I would dare say that people can get used to just about anything if they survive the ordeal. My survival before meeting my long-lost husband, albeit pathetic and unconventional if ced next to a human, proves this theory.

    Of course, that familiarity with my surroundings may have been imnted into my brain by the system, creating an illusion that it happened time after time, and in reality, I have not used the sky train that much. That is a possibility that I can not disregard easily.

    Yet, I no longer care whether or not the memories inside my head were fake. Whether I was human became irrelevant to the development and settings of this world. The concept of humanity is debatable throughout history, anyway. Be it manufactured by an unknown being or author, it was my past. I want to embrace them rather than deny them. That is my resolution. That is the person I want to be.

    Bing a liability and an emotional burden for C is what I hope to avoid the most. He deserves the best of me that I can offer.

    *Gata* *Gata* *Gata*

    Fortunately, my static, neverending world has changed. Compared to all the lonely times I had to go to school and return home, only to receive Mother''s discipline, today is different. It is special. Although what awaited me at that house would be more depressing than anything I have encountered since birth, I could not help but feel sce.

    The color of the carriage was the same, its metallic minimalistic chairs were the same, and the red handles above our heads were the same. The difference my heart felt was in the atmosphere.

    Because there were people in the carriage now.

    Real people, not the shadow ones. The shadow ones existed to fill in the nks, thus making the ce less like a ghost town, but they exuded nothing else. Unlike the aimless shadows, these people had hopes, dreams, and moments of despair like me.

    It was difficult to exin using words, but it seemed my eyes were seeing signs of life as if a veil had been lifted.

    The girl who wanted to be a chef, the girl who was brave, and the guy without eyes were all present. It was even better to know one of whom was my fated destiny. If only they could throw Han out of the window, it would have been perfect. Sadly, C would have had difficulties if Han had not been here. Without Han, we would all suffer because of it.

    At this moment, warmth permeates the air. C''s warmth.

    An assertive, unique presence that transcended an inconceivable force that was known as time. Even when I had to face the greatest adversary of my life soon, having C here with me was already a tremendous help. Even when this route led straight to my most prominent fear, I felt supported.

    This road that led to certain doom might be far from done. Worse, it might be arduous and taxing, gouging my heart out whileughing, disregarding my efforts like specks of dust. The jagged stones on said path might cut my feet until they no longer resemble human parts. Its various vines on each side might scratch me until my skin bes unrecognizable, tearing into my flesh with ease. The cold blown while walking on it might turn the water in my breath into ice, suffocating me and destroying my lungs.

    Yet, thanks to him, I would feel no pain. It was a sudden change, yet also a meaningful one.

    Looking at that person, I knew I was no longer alone.

    There would be a time when my shoulders shake, and C would hold it tight with both arms. At some point, blood would withdraw from my body entirely. They would also return to me when he stood close. Mother would bring my knees to the ground. C would lift them up. He might not face her directly, and I did not intend to let him do that. On the contrary, my dear husband would provide me the strength necessary to confront dread on my own.

    He had done it before. He would do it again.

    Perhaps I was not the only one in his embrace now and in the future. But my dear husband was my husband. I would want nothing but the best for him. As long as I was to be by his side, it mattered not. An exceptional being required exceptional treatment, simple as that.

    "Whoa! Cool! This is the first time I''m boarding the sky train!" An enthusiastic voice cut my train of thought. "It''s kinda weird thinking that I have lived in this city for so long but have never used the sky train for anything! You learn something new every day, huh!" The owner of that voice continued to press his face on the ss, looking outside the sky train.

    It seemed Han was enjoying his journey more than I did. His eyes curiously captured every aspect of the train as if to create a stereo picture as a keepsake. In a way, that was to be expected. The view of this cursed ce was already etched in my brain, but for him, it was merely the beginning.

    [Well, I am d you are enjoying the trip, Han Som. As for me, I surely do not appreciate this situation. At all! A little help would be greatly appreciated!]

    "Girls... It''s hard to breathe when you''re surrounding me like this!"

    [I know I would be monitored after what I did, but not to this extent!]

    C screamed in his heart. I could hear the nervousness in his inner thoughts, which was adorable. The smile from Rachel confirmed she shared the same thinking as mine. As for Laura, well, she did not look happy. I did not expect her to after that lunch break, though.

    Frankly, I felt bad for the ss rep. While Laura was the first one to achieve her freedom, she had still not gotten a kiss from C. I wondered what kind of vision she would see when she unlocked that by kissing him.

    "You know what? I kinda like this triangr formation! It''s fun. We''re like one happy family!" ncing at each of us separately, Rachel bobbed her head. "Right, Reppy?"

    "I told you already not to call me that." Replied the ss representative. Her face was demonstrating frustration despite not showing any disparity in her voice. "And I don''t think I can be family with my rivals, thank you."

    "Aw... But we make such a good team, though?"

    Laura sighed heavily: "That''s just you."

    While I was standing in front of C''s face, the other two girls chose a side to cling on for their own. Thus, the so-called triangle was formed.

    "Rather than a triangle, I consider this more of a pyramid!" C eximed.

    "Because you want to be treated as a king?" The blond-haired girl smiled.

    "No, not like that." C''s head hung low. "I don''t need you girls to treat me any better than right now."

    [Because a pyramid houses a dead man, what else? And I am on thin ice here.]

 Chapter 109: [Kurokawa] No longer afraid.

    [Because a pyramid houses a dead man, what else? And I am on thin ice here.]

    Breathing out heavily, C thought to himself.

    "Anyway, let me thank you all once again for listening to my selfish request." After clearing his throat, my husband lightly bowed. "I''m sorry for why I can''t say we needed everyone since that would vite Kuro''s secrecy."

    [I expected the ss rep and blondie to follow. The real one, also most important, was Han. I do not want my mind wiped out by not having him near. And if something happens, well, I can throw him into Kuro''s Mother''s face. No idea what will happen, though. Kurokawa always finished her event before he arrived. At least with Rachel around, the guy will not die.]

    Rachel hugged C''s arm tight between her chest: "It''s fun going on a trip with someone you love!"

    As a direct rival, Laura retaliated by doing the same thing: "Of course, it would be much better if there were just the two of us. Like how a normal rtionship should be."

    I thought they looked adorable clinging to C like that. But since our position was vastly different, there was no need for me to bicker with those two girls.

    "Don''t worry, master. I won''t be a bother to you! As long as I can learn your ways, I''m all good!" Han nced at C. "Anyhow, this is a great field lesson! How you manage to find the bnce between Laura, Rachel, and Kurokawa is something I must know! That''s not good anymore. That''s GOATED!"

    "Honestly, Han, tell me when you do find it. Trust me when I say I''m also clueless."

    "That''s why you''re the boss. Ites so naturally to you! It''s like...an instinct at this point." Han raised his thumb. "An ultra instinct!"

    "..."

    [Just shut the hell up! You will get your fill eventually! Remember that A''s little sister is lurking around the corner for you. When that happens, good freaking luck, pal!]

    "Oh! I have one more question."

    "Please don''t."

    "Not for you, master, but for your girls."

    "..."

    [Kill me.]

    "If Rachel said you were a family, who is the wife? The first one, I mean."

    [YOU DAMN IDIOT!]

    "Me." Rachel raised her hand happily.

    "I am." Laura bluntly said.

    "I am his betrothed." And I, not giving up my rightful position, finally spoke.

    Funny enough, the girls inside the carriage answered Han and red at one another simultaneously. Instantly, the air shook violently, and cold sweats formed on the two guys'' foreheads. If nces were knives, there would have been a blood bath in this ce.

    "Han..." Wiping his face, C turned his head toward the other guy.

    "Y-yes?" The guy was clearly shaken. Traumatized, even.

    My husband roared: "Could you please shut up? For five minutes?!"

    "YES, S-SIR!"

    After a few minutes of intense silence from everyone, letting the sound of the sky train run amok, Han asked: "W-where are w-we h-heading, though?" His words were all over the ce. That blockhead clearly wanted to redeem himself by changing the topic.

    "My ce." Before C could reply, my answer was already out. "We are going to my Mother''s house to meet her. And before you ask another question, let me tell you now that this will not be what you think it is. There will not be any fun and games. Instead, things will get chaotic."

    Somehow, I needed to take the lead from this point onward. Having C be my spokesperson was great, but this was the one thing I had decided to face. My desire to change would be nullified if I continued to stand behind my husband. As an equal, I would love to stand by his side more than anything.

    It was unfortunate that this topic popped up. But since I would need everyone''s specialties when the situation called for, some exnation was adamant.

    C quickly looked at me as if saying: "Are you sure you want to do this?" To which I returned his thoughtful gaze with a reassuring nod.

    "I hope it will not escte up to that point. But if it does, please lend me a hand in...subduing my Mother. She tends to get violent when things are out of her control."

    "Subduing your Mother? Is that not a little too extreme?" This world''s favorite child gasped.

    [I can not say I feel great about this...Sadly, there seemed to be no other way. With her...current condition, I doubt ordinary reasoning would work.]

    After my weird request, a frown formed on Han''s face. While C was not showing his emotions on the surface, the voice inside my head told me otherwise. The only people not affected by that were Laura and Rachel, as they clearly did not care one bit. In a different world, I would have the same expression as Han if a ssmate asked me to do things to their mom. In this one, Han''s feedback was the odd one out.

    Nheless, this was only the first step of this journey.

    [Honestly, I have no idea if we are doing the right thing. What we can do now is to trust Kuro.]

    Thank you, dear husband. That meant a lot to me. Truly!

    "This burned scar." I lifted my bang, showing the horror thaty underneath. "This is the first time anyone besides C sees it. It is also why I must take precautions by inviting you all."

    The look on Han''s face became worse: "Did your Mother do this to you? Why would she do such a thing?"

    "Because I was not good enough." The words came out of my mouth like nothing.

    "Kuro!" C was about tounch himself up before me. But before he could do so, my hands were already on his shoulders, pressing him down on the bench. "Kuro, that''s not true." His voice was tender. He was afraid I would fall into the abyss of self-deprecation again.

    I looked at my husband and shook lightly. Even though my appreciation for him was grand, I knew more than anyone that this was me in total control. At this point, I was not trying to deceive myself. Merely truth was being spoken.

    "I was never good enough in her eyes." Then, my voice cut short for me to look at everyone deep in the eyes, except for one person, of course. "By the end of this evening, there is no guarantee what Mother will do to me as I am about to break out from her control. There is a chance, albeit small, that she will me my mistakes on you guys. She may even attack you all. Because of that, I must be honest with you and warn you beforehand."

    I left my ce in front of C and walked further ahead, trying to find a location where I could see everyone at once. "I apologize for not saying this sooner. You are all free to do whatever you want. But please, lend me your strength."

    "Wait. Wait. Wait. I''m confused." Han waved his hand. "If you knew all this beforehand, why didn''t you report it? That looked like it happened so long ago, then why didn''t you..."

    "Han! I thought I told you to shut up! You know NOTHING about her!" Once again, C''s anger manifested. This time, he did not hold back. "Stop making assumptions in your head!"

    "W-what are you talking about?" Staggered, Han stumbled with his words.

    My husband pointed a finger at the other guy: "You''re definitely thinking if she called someone for help, she wouldn''t have gotten into such a bad ce. Am I right? That if she asked someone to do it for her, then she wouldn''t suffer as much, right?"

    "I...I..."

    "She wouldn''t have had to suffer for that reason. But did you think about the consequences if Kuro did?" C''s hands clenched. "What would happen to her life? What would happen to her Mother? Yeah, after reporting, Kuro''s day will be nice and dandy? Fuck NO! She would have suffered because of something else!"

    It always came to such a question. Why did you not do this? Why did you not do that? It was as if the person asking never considered the circumstances that led to that action. For someone who did not have to endure such a fate, it would be exponentially simpler for them to ask that question. Standing from the moral high ground, they could start bombing the victims with questions without giving a second thought.

    "I am not asking for an argument, Han Som." My protagonist walked toward me, followed by the other two girls. "You have no clue how hard Kuro worked and is working. Thest thing I want is for her to be a target of victim ming because that is easy for you to say."

    But I did not bother with Han.

    "C, it is fine." I then looked over Han''s ce. "My Mother is the only rtive I have, Han. She is my Mother. Flesh and blood. She gave birth to me. And even when every day of my life living with her is hellish, I can still not sever that soul connection between us two. She is the only worst thing I''ve got that is real in my life!"

    "I''m sorry, Kurokawa. I''m so sorry..."

    I inhaled: "It''s alright. That said, it would be easier if you understood the whole picture. Would you guys hear my story out?"

    No one said no, so continued, I did.

    "Let''s start from the beginning."

 Chapter 110: Friendship blooms in the weirdest of times!

    It was unexpected to hear Kurokawa talking about her circumstances this clearly. When she told me she wanted to ask for help from the others directly before meeting up with the other two girls, I thought she would only request them to do something for her rather than exin the whole ordeal like that.

    I mean... Her mother, one of the biggest reasons for Kurokawa''s reclusive life, was supposed to be hidden. She did not want anyone to know about her and her mother''s toxic rtionship. And that is putting it lightly. Very lightly, in fact!

    "I''m sorry for telling you this. It is difficult to talk about and to hear, also." Tapping my chest, Kurokawa pulls out of my embrace. After bowing her head down to everyone in the carriage, Kurokawa says with a heartfelt tone: "My story may have been disturbing and dampened the mood. For that, I apologize. I certainly did not intend it to be so. However, I truly wish for your support in doing this."

    The bookworm utterly hated sympathy from the others. That was why Kuro never revealed anything of her past to anyone. Not even the protagonist, Han, although he helped her get rid of her mother''s dead corpse, and they shared a rtively intimate rtionship afterward. She knew that the moment she let that secret out, her world would crumble into dust. More than anything, our bookworm worried about the prying eyes of outsiders.

    In reality, no one would care since this ce was filled with shadow figures without a mind of their own. In Kurokawa''s head, she was trying her best to fit in. She was trying to be like everyone else, ordinary and free from the dark thoughts that always existed. Suffering from an inferiorityplex, thest thing Kuro wanted was to be looked at as an injured animal.

    Our bookworm was already pitying herself all the time. There was no need for others to help with that. s, things are different now.

    Honestly, thank the lord!

    "Besides you all, I have no one I could call friends. And after this, I would desperately need the support from those close to me the most." Kuro says with a suppliant tone.

    "Don''t worry, Wawa." Rachel puts her thumb up alongside a reassuring smile. "As long as it''s physical, I''m in. I''m like...super-strong, y''know? There''s nothing wrong with helping a friend in need!"

    Wawa...?

    Kurokawa says nothing. However, the deadly stares and the twitches in the corner of her eyes demonstrate her inner voice as clearly as Han''s indecisiveness.

    "Kuh!" Laura chuckles after looking at the two. "Wee to the club, Kurokawa. I can tell you Rachel is not letting that name go once she has found one. At least yours is not like a dog''s name." Then, as my girlfriend remembers something, she makes a heavy sigh.

    "Well... Not trying to be insulting, but calling Kurokawa "Kurokawa" can sometimes be a mouthful to me. It''s long! ss rep, too. They''re...too stoic. Too cold. I wanna be friends with you two. Wawa and Reppy are much more suitable." Rachel pumps her alluring chest up, seemingly proud of what she did.

    Unlike Rachel''s yful attitude, Laura buries her face in her two palms. Her voice is muffled and exhausted. As if she had given up fighting back this futile war. "Please don''t call me Reppy. I''m not your pet. It''s utterly ridiculous."

    "Come on! Don''t be so stingy all the time! You two can call me...um...uh...Blondie! Yeah! Call me Blondie!"

    Nearby, I catch a glimpse of Han''s face. The protagonist of this world is simply sitting still and observing the scene unfolding before his eyes with keen interest. Looking at him like this, I already know the guy has no intention to intervene. Or rather, he is trying to learn things from me.

    How do I know that? Well, there is a hint of awe on his handsome face. Although I can not read his mind, I understand Han enough to guess it.

    Please do not think this is within my control, pal... I am not your love guru...

    "That''s still a human name, Rachel." The ss rep gives Blondie a cold side-eye. "I couldn''t care less if you are giving me a nickname. At least make it sound like something for a person."

    Listening to the conversation, I can see Kurokawa nodding her head. It is certain that "Wawa" is a bit out of reach for the bookworm.

    "Huh? I think Reppy is cute! Wawa, too!" Blondie leans her head on one side. "They suit you two, honestly."

    "Haaaaaah." Once again, Laura sighs heavily. "It''s like talking to a brick wall sometimes."

    Kurokawa does not say anything, but her expression is the same as Laura''s.

    Keeping my mouth shut like a m, I vow to stay out of this discussion.

    ...Or not.

    "What do you think, darling?" Rachel beams, mentioning me.

    The instance she does that, everyone turns their eyes toward me as the spotlight shifts.

    "I think we should get back to Kurokawa." I swear I am not changing the subject! I merely think we need to focus on Kuro first before other things. Nicknames cer when the bookworm''s problem with her mother is resolved.

    "That''s true. It was not a good time to do such a thing. I''m sorry, Wawa." Rachel apologizes. Still, at the end of her sentences...

    "I appreciate your offer to help me, Rachel. I really do. Even though I''m asking you to face an adult, you would still lend me a hand. Please...C-call me W-wawa."

    Poor girl...

    Laura raises her hand. "I''ll also help whenever I can. Just don''t expect me to do Rachel''s bidding, though." She then points a finger at Blondie. "I''m not as strong as that, but I can do other things."

    I am a bit curious about the things Laura is saying. Nheless, I decided to stay silent in the meantime. She agreed to help, and that is the most crucial part.

    "Me, too!" Han stands up from his seat. "I''m sorry for before, Wa-..." The guy chokes on his spit almost instantly as Kuro stares him down. "I''m sorry for before, Kurokawa! Please don''t hesitate to boss me around."

    Phew!

    Good, we now have everyone on our side. With Han here, his protagonist''s Deus ex Machina aura will help us tremendously. What we need is a n to execute.

    "If you don''t mind me asking. What are we going to do exactly?" Says Laura, attentive as usual. "I understand there is a bit of an issue between you and your mother, but at the end of the day, it''s still a family thing, right? For Rachel and I, technically outsiders, to say anything... will it make any sense to her?"

    "Maybe not Rachel. But you will, Laura." Kuro turns her face toward the ss rep.

    "Why me?"

    "Because my Mother is obsessed with results. Everything on my body was done to me because I was never good enough for her, and she had to remind me of that somehow. She wanted an obedient child who was serious and excelled at everything. She wanted a child who could lead others so that she could find her way back to society after her pregnancy. Someone who resembles her lost youth."

    "I didn''t know my ssmate was suffering so much..." Han mumbled. His face was a mixture of sadness and surprise. "If I did, I would have tried to help her sooner."

    Trust me, pal. The best you could do was to stay absolutely still.

    "Who in the ss has better results than the perfect ss representative herself?" And then emerald gems directly gaze at amber gems. "She never said she wanted to meet you or anything. However, I understand my Mother. If she could, she would throw me away for someone like you, Laura. In fact, the n I have in mind must have you at the center of it."

    It saddens me to hear Kuro saying these words. I can not even fathom what is going on in her heart when her mind is telling her that her flesh and blood Mother would throw her away. I never had any attachments, so I can not say I understand those feelings well.

    Though, if the broken world I saw after kissing Kurokawa was from my past, I did have attachments... Maybe not only to Kurokawa but to the others, as well.

    "...Got it. What exactly do I have to do?"

    "It''s simple, honestly. Just be there, that''s it. I''ll do the talking. You only need to observe and listen. With you there, my Mother will feel like seeing a past version of herself. I doubt that she would do anything to harm you."

    "But...Kurokawa, what about you? What if she does try to hit you again? It''s not like it''s the first time she physically abused you, right?" Han raises a legitimate concern.

    "No, she won''t. As long as there are other people, especially those she considers to be of higher standing, she will refrain herself."

    "I see..."

    "Yes. This may sound contradicting, but Mother worries about the looks of others and their whispers behind her back. She hates it yet is unable to look over it. Because of this reason, whenever my Mother goes outside, she always takes her time to dress up to her absolute best. Perhaps it''s also because of her profession, but I don''t think it''s that important since people won''t look at her directly that much."

    Once again, Han raises his hand: "Um, sorry, Kurokawa, what does she do exactly? If you don''t mind me asking again, of course!"

    "An escort." Kurokawa replies with no emotion in her voice.

    (Happy holidays everyone! 2 years of writing, and we are finally approaching the end of the second day!!)

 Chapter 111: Han and his peculiar taste

    "An escort." Kurokawa replies with no emotion in her voice.

    "Escort?" Han stares at our bookworm, unable toprehend the word. "Escort?" He repeats it.

    "She goes around with men, talk to them, consort them, do whatever they want her to do. Every once in a while, she would go with multiple to ces that I did not have the need to know. Rarely, she would go with women, as well. To call it lightly, I used the word ''escort''; but in essence, she is a sexual worker...a whore, for short."

    Laura and Rachel look at our bookworm in disbelief while saying nothing. The two girls seem shocked by the revtion Kuro just made. Even Han is left speechless.

    To them, this is beyond shocking. They must be thinking: how can anyone do something like that?

    Sadly, the reality of Kurokawa''s Mother is that she never had a chance to do anything else. The storyline set everything up like that since the beginning of the game without her knowing. People canmend her. They can despite her. The truth is she never had a choice. She had to be a prostitute to raise Kurokawa.

    "I don''t understand." Han suddenly intercepts the conversation. "Looking at it like this, doesn''t she value appearance more? Why did your mom even have to create these scars on your body? If that person wanted to make you the best thing she ever created, it''s not making much sense. You''re the one going outside every day. In a way, you represent your mother. If she cared about other people whispering about her, shouldn''t she refrain from hitting you? Shouldn''t she treat you the best way that she could?"

    "That''s the real question, isn''t it." The bookworm looks outside the window of the skytrain. As she raises one arm to touch the scar twitching on her forehead, Kuro''s eyes waver for the first time since she told her story.

    "I don''t know." The girl speaks softly, with a hint of gloom. "No one does. Like you said, it makes no sense. Sometimes, I would ask myself the same questions, but the old me would redirect the answer. My existence was her mistake. I was the one who took her dreams away from her. What she was doing was trying to im it back. Those things forced me to not do anything about it. Knowing that she had to sell her body day in and out, doing God''s forbidden acts to raise me didn''t help, either."

    Laura sighs. "I guess we''ll just have to wait until we meet her to find out."

    "I guess so." Rachel joins her.

    Trying to say something, Han opens and closes his mouth repeatedly. Unfortunately, he can not construct anything good to say.

    "I''m...sorry. Kurokawa, I didn''t know your circumstances and spoke out of line. I probably made you feel terrible." The guy does a 90-degree angle.

    "No, it''s fine. Don''t worry." Kurokawa replies.

    With that, Han returns his seat to its original position. However, the look on his face is still not very good. Actually, they are a bit palepared to his usual self.

    "I am far from being a good person..." He sighs. And I am going to ignore that. It is good that he realizes such a thing. It is better for everyone, including himself, if Han bes more aware of everyone''s feelings. He is looking for a girlfriend, so this much should be expected.

    I do not me Kurokawa''s mother''s drastic approaches. What I do know, though, is that everything is not as it seems. There is still an open question as to why our bookworm''s mother told her she was sorry while being killed by her daughter. While approaching demise, one would demonstrate their most fundamental value. Usually, people would beg to live, as living was their desire, not Kurokawa''s mother. Rather than being resentful, she chose to apologize.

    The problem of this world is that there is always a deeper level. Especially when the matter involves an event with one of the girls, things are always moreplicated than the simple dialogue showing up on the surface. Was it a way for Kurokawa to suffer? Did she apologize to make Kuro''s guilt the final nail in her coffin? Or was it genuine? Did she finally realize her mistake when Kuro was exploding in anger?

    I really have no idea. Kuro''s mother was either dead or did not care about me in the past, so asking her was meaningless.

    Now that it has reached this point, I can only hope for the best. There is literally no way for us to run away when we are aboard the train.

    *Gata gata gata*

    The rest of the train ride passes by smoothly. Nothing outside of the train changes. It is just the same pattern repeating itself.

    Soon, we will arrive at that ce. Soon, we will have to face another event head-on.

    Rachel''s eventst night was busted. Laura''s event this morning was also. This iteration has made everything off-rail with me at the center. The chance of the same thing happening all over again, meaning Kurokawa will once again murder her mom, while not absolutely concrete, is definitely not low. I am getting anxious over the unknown elements that can ur when the timees. The whats, hows, and whys are guing my mind at a rapid rate.

    "So, let''s sum it up." Blondie suddenly ps her hands loudly, cutting my train of thought. "Laura and Kurokawa will go into the house together while we wait outside. Kurokawa will do the talking while Laura silently stays there as a shield? What about me? When do I get to join you two?" Rachel quickly points a finger at her face.

    "You''ll be inside, too. Even though Laura will be there to keep my Mother in check, there is still a chance she won''t ept my opinion and find a way to hit me. That''s where you''ll being in."

    "Gotcha! Wawa does the talk, and Reppy is the keeper. Leave the hard-hitting to Rey-Rey." Rachel then stops as if she can feel something weird in the air. Looking at the other two, she repeats: "Rey-Rey? No? Wawa? Reppy?"

    No one answers her.

    "C? Rey-Rey?" The girl looks at me with puppy dog eyes.

    Again, no one answers her.

    *Gata gata gata*

    "I think the train says no."

    "Ah, shucks... Guess I''ll find a better one, then." Blondie pouts.

    "I''ll be by your side all the time, Kurokawa. Your Mother may not like me, but I''ll need to see that you are safe with my own...uh...nose." I approach the bookworm.

    "And I''ll be happy to have you by my side, dear husband."

    "Hey, guys, sorry for being a nasty third w-... Wait! No! I mean...one, two, three, four, five...Firth wheel! Holy crap! I still don''t know what I''ll be doing!"

    "You''ll be helping Rachel if needed. Even better, you can get with my Mother."

    "Excuse me?!" Han is immediately taken aback. "Was that a joke? It''s gotta be, right?!"

    "Oh no. Not at all. If you can, woo my Mother to the best of your capability. Enchant her with your charm, let the dogs out, release the Kraken, I don''t know. I''ll be counting on you."

    "I mean...Kurokawa''s Mother was always dead. But if she manages to live...there is definitely a chance for Han to jump this boat. This is an eroge, and he is the rightful protagonist, see.

    The chance for Han to be Kuro''s new stepfather is low but never zero.

    "Hold on! HOLD ON! How are you expecting me to do that?! I have never even had a girlfriend! How on earth am I going to woo your mother? What you said was absurd! Absurd, I tell you!"

    "Is it the fact that she''s a prostitute? Don''t worry about that. She has regr check-ups. She is a high-level escort with actual health benefits and influential customers, not your regr street girl."

    I should do something. At this rate, Han is not going to help us.

    Leaning closer to Kurokawa''s ears, I whisper quietly: "Tell him what she looks like. I think Han likes pseudo-incest y, too."

    Kurokawa looks at me with her deep green eyes as if to confirm something, then smiles and turns toward Han.

    "My Mother has ginormous breasts."

    "Wha-What does it have to do with anything?!" The guy chokes.

    "I think she also likes Mother-Son pseudo-incest y."

    *Gulp*

    That was not me.

    (Happy new year everyone! Here to another year of suffering for C and his gang!)

 Chapter 112: Another nostalgic feeling

    Kurokawa''s ce is now in front of us.

    I am not going to lie. It feels somewhat odd being invited here. Throughout many resets, I have never gotten a chance to venture inside Kurokawa''s house officially.

    Actually, make that all of the houses in this world...

    Simr to Han''s ce, I would need to find a way to sneak in like some thieves to know what was going on. And when I got into these locations, I would frantically try to keep myself hidden like a rat. The girls were weirdly attentive when it came to their safe space. Not that I did not understand them, though. My heart feels the same at my squiggly-made house.

    Haaaah... Things sure change fast these days...

    Orange tilesminate the roof, a white wall wraps the outside area, and one small garden on the other side of said wall; one would expect our bookworm''s location to be the most distinguished in the neighborhood since she is one of the main heroines, but it is not. The fact that she would sooner orter be by Han''s side and his mansion already had many rooms to amodate many supposedly captured targets implied the game never needed to make the outside appearance of this ce anything special. Of course, I am only talking about the outward look of it. The inside would be furnished with...stuff. Good and bad alike.

    s, to me, it is a special ce. This house is where Kurokawa lives. That in and of itself is already a valuable thing. Not to mention, the garden would be her mother''s final resting ce. She is not under six feet yet. And I hope that will nevere true.

    By the way, after tonight, I should return to my ce to see if any changes have urred. There have been many physical developments in my appearance. It is logical to think my house is different in one way or another, too. What if the squiggly lines are now defined? What if I actually got a bed? That would be awesome!

    Still, first thing goes first. My concentration is ced on Kuro at the moment.

    "If no one has an issue with our n, let''s go in. You should all start paying attention since I don''t know if that person is home yet." Taking the lead, Kurokawa inserts a key into the door, making a faint clicking sound. "If she is home, we can finish everything by this evening. If she is not, we will be waiting for a while. Also, here is a foreword: there is a little bit of an ufortable odor inside this house, which will take some time to get used to. How long it takes depends on the person. However, if you can get through the hall, it should not be that bad anymore."

    Hearing Kuro''s warnings, Laura and Rachel furrow their eyebrows while Han has a perplexed Look on his face. Personally, it is not weird for them to have such expressions. You would not expect the owner to say something like that after they invited you to their house. The reality is unconventional, even by another world''s standard. Wait! I got it in reverse. It should be abnormal even with the eroge''s game standard!

    "Uhm... Kurokawa... Please excuse me if this sounds rude, but I don''t quite understand..." The handsome guy scratches his head. Although I am merely a master on record only, I am d to see him think about what he is saying and how it can affect others. It seems he did learn something after our brief discussion on the skytrain. If he keeps this up, he should not be killed as fast by the others in the future.

    I think...

    Opening the door with her good hand, Kurokawa turns her head slightly and replies: "It''s what I said. I''m not proud to say this, but the ce smells foul, especially near the first room. Honestly, don''t worry. You''ll get it soon enough."

    "Is it really that bad?" I can hear his mumbles close to my face.

    And then, the door opens. Just like it used to be in my memories, the inside of this house is dark and cold, without any illumination. Thanks to the lightinging in from outside, we can somewhat see a long corridor stretching seemingly to infinity. At the end of which is a staircase leading to Kuro''s room. There is nothing abnormal about it, maybe with the exception of decorations like pictures and paintings. The ce has the bare necessities for a house, nothing more.

    Unlike Han''s mansion, which has warmth under the hands of Rachel, Kurokawa''s housecks something hard to put into words. I am not saying it looks terrible or worn down since Kurokawa takes good care of it, all on her own, no less, but it gives me no heart, no soul. It does not convey the emotions one would thinking back from a long trip and does not make one long for it. To Kuro, it has always been her house, not her home. I guess that shows.

    However, the looks and feels of this ce are not what she warned us earlier.

    Immediately upon opening, everyone except for the bookworm and me is ambushed by what Kuro described as an ufortable odor.

    There are... no words for me to use to describe such a thing. It has transcended my limited vocabry to an unprecedented degree and punctured the fabric of the space-time continuum, traveling to a higher dimension. The stench is a mixture of manyponents. Some might call it the scent of blood, but it is not that. Simply put, it smells like rotting meat mixed with damped socks and old cheese coupled with something else, but I cannot tell what that would be. It is metallic, sour, and for unknown goddamn reasons, spicy. I need to gag just by breathing in its pungent yet nostalgic aroma.

    Truthfully, at this moment, I finally regret having a nose.

    Hold on... Why does it feel nostalgic? Is this not the first time I got a nose?

    Sadly, before thinking any further, a sound cuts my train of thought.

    "Ack! Ack! Cough!" Desperately trying to keep his nostrils and throat from getting bombarded by the neverending stench, the protagonist coughs violently. I can actually see tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "How... what...is this smell?!"

    Poor guy. Well, there is a first for everything. Unless he wants to stay outside for the rest of this mission, he must get through this somehow. Of course, even if he wants to stay out of this event, the answer is still no. I will ask Rachel to grab him if he tries to run. We need his Deus ex Machina aura to do this thing.

    "This is unbelievable." Says the ss rep with a paling face, pinching her nostrils as hard as humanly possible. Her serious voice bes a bit funny because of it. "I can not imagine how you''re living in such a condition. This is too much for one to bear."

    While lowering her body to the floor to remove her shoes, Kurokawa responds to Laura calmly as if nothing is wrong in the air: "Everyone, please remove your shoes before entering the hallway. Also, to answer your question, Laura: Like everything in this world, you get used to it after a while. Or perhaps it was ingrained in my body since my conception to not care in the first ce."

    Improvise. Adapt. Ovee. That is what humans are known for the most. Yet, for some reason, while I agree with what the bookworm is saying, I can not help thinking there is a deeper meaning under her words.

    "Welp, Wawa, I gotta say that I''m impressed." Covering her nose and walking inside, Rachel says. Her words may be a little sarcastic, but the tone of Blondie''s voice is not. She is genuine. "Keeping such a smell from your clothes and hair is a monumental achievement! Trust me, this kind of smell does note off easy. If something simr were to attach to my clothes, I would throw them away. As someone who also has to do housework, you gotta tell me your secrets!"

    Rather than sarcasm, I can actually feel the enthusiasm in Rachel''s voice. It is as though a new door full of possibilities was opened to Blondie. Truthfully, I did not know a smell could kickstart aradery between household girls. A bad one at that, too! I swear these girls bond over the strangest of things. Who would have known they were always at each others'' throats, looking at this scene unfolding before my face!

    (I have new a Illustrationing in peeps!)

 Chapter 113: I feel like my IQs are dropping!

    Chapter 113: I feel like my IQs are dropping!

    Rather than sarcasm, I can actually feel the enthusiasm in Rachel''s voice. It is as though a new door full of possibilities was opened to Blondie. Truthfully, I did not know a smell could kickstart aradery between household girls. A bad one at that, too! I swear these girls bond over the strangest of things. Who would have known they were always at each others'' throats, looking at this scene unfolding before my face!

    "It''s nothing extravaganza. But sure. I''ll teach you." Kurokawa nods at Rachel, whose eyes are full of curiosity. " By the way, we never have guestsing over, so there are no slippers. You guys will have to go barefoot on the inside. Is that okay?"

    "I have no issues." Replies the ss rep in her funny-half-serious voice. At this point, Laura''s entire face is buried in her palms.

    "Me, too." Without showing difort, Rachel quickly follows Kurokawa and sits on the floor.

    "Me, three." Says Han, waiting patiently in line with a tearful face. "Rather than slippers, I''d prefer a face mask..." He sounds hopeful.

    Too bad for the guy. The moment he asks for that, I already know what the answer will be. At the end of the day, this world is that of an adult fantasy. Why on Earth would the developers hide the beauty of their characters with face masks?

    "Yeah...there''s no face mask... Sorry."

    "Sniff... Bummer. Sniff..." The protagonist wipes his nose with a shirt sleeve.

    "Oh, I won''t be needing..." But before I finish my sentence, Kurokawa has already brought something for me.

    It has bunny ears, white fuzzy fur, and a pink nose. I know what it is. It is Kuro''s slippers!!!

    "Here you go, C." The bookworm shes me a warm smile while handing me two objects. "The floors inside are pretty cold. I don''t want your feet to be like that. I''m sorry if the size is smallpared to your feet. Once everything is done, I''ll get you a good pair."

    "Oh! Thank you! You''re too kind!" Instinctively, I reach out and take the items from her hands.

    Chotto matte! Hold on a minute!

    What is with these tant preferential treatments?! Should we not do this in front of everyone and behind closed doors? What about the others? What are they going to think about this?!

    "What''s wrong?" Kura stares at me with her innocent emerald eyes. "You don''t like it?"

    "No! That''s not it!" The eyes are on me now. Sheer peer pressure is making me suffocate. "I think I shouldn''t wear these. Y''know... since no one but me has it, it feels unfair."

    Yes, I know Kuro wants the best for me, going as far as sacrificing herself like this. Still, I do not feelfortable being on the receiving end like this while Knowing others will suffer. Of course, it goes the same for the other girls. The reason why they are not saying anything and letting Kurokawa have this moment must be because they share the same thoughts. As different as these yanderes may seem, when the topic of their infatuated target arises, they strangely behave simrly.

    "I think there''s nothing unfair, though?" The bookworm leans her head on one side.

    Oh crap... I think Kurokawa is about to use words to trap me again...

    "What do you think? Laura? Rachel? Is this unfair to you two?"

    No! You can not be asking those girls! You know very clearly what their answers are going to be!

    "Laura, please!" Looking at my girlfriend, I plead. Within these girls, the only person I can count on to have a sense of justice is the ss rep herself. I do not have high hopes for Rachel as she will most likely follow Kurokawa''s idea of fairness. As for Kuro... well... the situation begins because of her. I doubt she would change her idea rtively soon. Plus, I still remember the talk about a harem earlier with her. Engaging in a logical debate with the bookworm only proves my non-existent brain worse than I initially thought it would.

    "C, the best resources go to the most important person. I think Kurokawa made an excellent decision!" Laura nods to herself continuously while praising the bookworm. I swear I saw her shing a thumb up at one point.

    "I''m with Wawa on this, darling." Rachel merrily announces. Nearby, Kurakawas eyes twitch a couple of times.

    Finally, as I hopelessly nce at Han, the guy is trying to look elsewhere to escape talking to me.

    "The sun is going down real slow." Do not state the obvious, idiot! What the hell is the sun supposed to do in the afternoon? Do taxes? Make a joint? File for divorce?

    On the one hand, I think the stares of my girls make him act like that. After all, the dead eyes of anyone in these three could bring the next ice age. On the other, his behavior is too smooth and virtually wless. I cannot help thinking this mofo is learning. And he is learning fast! Perhaps stepping away from the spotlight of this world has enabled Han to have a subjective point of view. Why could you not have developed something like that sooner, you bastard bitch!?

    "Haaaah..." A sigh quickly escapes my chest. I do not know why I even bothered in the first ce, knowing this oue was more or less inevitable. "I''ll put on the slippers."

    "Hehe!" Kurokawa beams brightly after seeing her objective achieved.

    epting my defeat, I walk inside Kuro''s house to do what everyone does and put the bunny slippers on. As Kurokawa said, the sizing is off when I try to fit all my toes. But if I just put four of them, it isfortable. As long as I do not look down, there should not be a problem. Otherwise, I would see a ridiculous sight where my pinky toes stick out of the bunny slippers near their ears.

    Not gonna lie, but the fuzzy bunnies wrapping my feet look like they have a gigantic tumor growing out of their heads. The happy expressions on the face do not help one bit. On the contrary, my toes and their smiles create an eerie look. Have you ever heard of the expression ''like a sore thumb''? Today, Let me give you a new one that should be even more rtable: sticking out like a spare toe.

    "Like I thought, they look good on you, C!" Kuro is the quickest to acknowledge the peculiar look of my feet. I really do not know whether this was a setup or a coincidence. After all, we are talking about Kuro, the thinker. When I am still thinking of what to do tonight, she has already thought of ways to deal with the aftermath and other possible routes for two dayster.

    Right after the bookworm, Racheles close to my legs and starts poking the pinky toes sticking out. "Hehe! This is cute as heck! Your pinky toes are super soft, darling!"

    "Please don''t touch it like that..." Aaaaand... she continues ying with them after looking up at my face with a huge smile. Man, she looks like a cute, happy baby.

    As for the ss representative, after ignoring my plea, she now nods while focusing her amber eyes on my feet, giving me obvious signs of approval. I wonder how long until she approaches me to do the same as Blondie.

    "Can I touch them, C?"

    Speaking of the devil...

    "Sure you can!" What do I have to lose now? Come on in, everyone! Go touch my toe until you pass out or something...

    At least, now that the girls are paying attention to me, the horrid smelling from Kurokawa''s mother''s room should be less noticeable. A few minutes earlier, people were trying to hold back from puking. Now, they are all smiling and joking without care. If some slight skinship and embarrassment can help the girls ease the difficulty of getting used to this ce, I have no problem doing it a while longer.

    I needed their help. Sacrificing my dignity means nothing when putting next to what these girls can achieve. If being a tool can help them, I would dly be one. Besides, this is mere child''s y if we areparing them to what I had to do in the past to save them.

    Out of nowhere, Han looks at my feet andments: "They do look cute on your feet, though."

    Instantly, everyone turns at the guy, and cold sweats form on his forehead at the speed of light.

    "W-what did I do this time?" Han fumbles with his words. "I don''t think I said anything wrong!?"

    "Han...you know I don''t swing that way, right?" Feeling exhausted by the protagonist, I dig into my palms. I already have enough on my te. "For the love of the good god above, please do not say that out of the blue."

    "I justplimented you! I thought it was a nice gesture!"

    "And I need you to shut the hell up..." I pray to the heavens for mercy.

    "Let''s go inside. It''s not a good idea to stand idly at the entrance." Fortunately for Han, since I am about to lose my mind over his antics, Kurokawa sps her hands, reminding everyone we are still at the front door of her house.

    "Unfortunately, my Mother is not yet home. I have no clue when she is back, so I guess we will have to stay in my room until she returns to have a...chat with her. Don''t worry too much about dinner. We have enough food in the fridge for everyone. Of course, I can not make anything asvish as Rachel''s. You will have to excuse me for it."

    *Gatan*

    The door closes behind us.

    (Sorry for the dy, peeps. I got stuck in a writer''s block. Got out now. I also got caught in two motorcycle idents. Feels like this year is not mine.)

    BTW, this is Arc 3: Everyone lies.)

 Chapter 114: There is definitely something wrong with me!

    Chapter 114: There is definitely something wrong with me!

    "By the way, Kurokawa, where on earth is the smelling from?" Asks Rachel, looking left and right with a curious look.

    Since entering the house, the housewife has been ncing over the ce enthusiastically, checking out each corner like a child in a candy store. Perhaps because she is used to butchering stuff or handling many disgusting things for Han, Blondie gets familiar with Kurokawa''s unusual circumstances better than anyone. As for the others, even though they got distracted by my ridiculous tumorous bunny feet seconds ago, their faces were still contorted by the smell lingering in the air.

    Not that I am ming anyone, though. It is a perfectly normal reaction. Completely normal phenomenon!

    I mean, it smells so bad! Even when you have a smell fetish, it will still not pass! No one should be able to live in such a ridiculous condition!

    "That ce." Hearing Blondie''s question, Kuro nonchntly points her finger toward a closed door. "It''s my Mother''s room."

    Upon learning the answer, everyone turns toward the bookworm''s finger at one particrly ominous location. Strangely enough, although the stench oozing from that ce is definitely out of the mortal realm, there are hardly any signs of dirt and grime on the walls or the door.

    With what everyone has learned about Kuro''s mother, one would expect uncleanliness outside that room, yet nothing is worth noticing. In fact, the entire exterior seems like it was just cleaned. From the looks of it, anyone would say it belongs to an ordinary household. Not that this makes me feel any better about the situation!

    Honestly? I have to say Kurokawa really did take care of the ce well when she needed it.

    If we talk about care for the living space, I believe her abilities rival Rachel''s. Of course, the talk is about housework only. Considering Rachel''s specialty in handling dead stuff...well... Kuro is still a novice.

    Actually, she should not get better at handling corpses.

    At all!

    You too, Laura! Never touch a corpse! They are nothing but bad omens!

    "If the outside is this bad, I can''t even fathom what the inside smell will be." Pinching her nose tightly, The ss repments. It seems my girlfriend is unable to breathe still. "How she is living while such a smell lingers is beyond me. Does she sleep there? Or shees and goes whenever she pleases, Kurokawa?"

    "She lives there," Kuro answers bluntly as if the person in question has no rtion to her. "Because of her work, Mother often sleeps outside with a customer. Yet she will still return even when it iste at night or early morning."

    Standing nearby, Han says nothing. However, the frown on his eyebrows speaks for itself. For someone as righteous as the protagonist of this world, it must be appalling for him to know that one of his ssmates is in such a predicament. He is probably thinking about how he could do something about it.

    "She doesn''t clean? Not even a little bit?" Blondie turns to face Kuro.

    "No. And Mother doesn''t let me do it either. She leaves everything like that because she wants to."

    "Damn!" Mumbles Han.

    "Weird," Rachel exims. "It''s counterintuitive, don''t you think, Reppy?"

    "First of all, don''t call me that. Second, I do agree with Rachel here." Laura looks at the housewife with eyes filled with annoyance.

    "What can I say?" Kuro shrugs her shoulders. "Psychological issues run in our blood." She then continues moving down the corridor toward a set of stairs. "Come, people, let''s settle in my room."

    Walking behind Kuro, I can see everyone''s concerns. And I do not me them one bit. It took me a while to get used to all of this. Heavy information and a literal dump of living space. Two things that do not work well together, yet here we are. Frankly, my first time was much worse than these guys are having. I can not remember the details, though. All that I can remember is feeling nauseous and dizzy throughout the trip.

    ...Hold on.

    Again.

    I did it again! One may have been a coincidence, but twice? I think NOT!

    This is the first time I got invited to Kurokawa''s ce, right? Furthermore, this is ALSO the first time I got myself a nose throughout millennia of istion. Before this iteration, I never really had any senses other than touch. Yet, why did I feel nostalgic due to the odor when Kurokawa opened the door to her house earlier? And just before, why did I remember my ''first time'' adapting to the smell? What the hell is going on with my head?

    As my bunny feet stand still in ce, some piecesbine. Without actual eyebrows, I can feel my face making a frown while information slowly connects into a narrative. The sensation is weird but not unexpected.

    "C?" Lauraes up to me. Her face clearly states that she is worried. "What''s wrong?"

    "I''m just thinking about something." I smile, trying my best not to let them know the turmoil slowly forming in my heart.

    "If there''s a problem, you can always count on your Rachel, darling!" Blondie looks at me with warmth.

    "I''ll be sure to remember that!"

    Moving up the stairs, I keep thinking about that first time. My memory is hazy and imperfect, somewhat spotty. I already know that. After all, I do not even recall my first days having sentience. Regardless, after so many iterations, I expect my brain to erase some unrted subjects and keep the crucial parts intact.

    It would have been much more beneficial to learn and remember everything about the plot and all that could turn awry rather than any unnecessary matters. That is why I did not care about my beginning and would merely get on with it when the story started yesterday. My origins are redundant.

    But!

    I should be able to recall critical details with ease, like a reset where I got a nose or one where I got invited to Kurokawa''s ce. They are massive changes in the main storyline, which I should have taken by heart. Even a reset could not have erased them if they truly happened. And yet, only now, these things resurface like long-lost artifacts finally showing up after god knows how long. Other than memories of the girls and the game, my head ispletely empty.

    This, coupled with the strange scenes with Rachel yesterday and Kurokawa today, is reconfirming my hunch earlier after the kiss with Kuro.

    Frankly, I do not think those memories were wiped out by mistakes. The past version of me would never do that. However, whether that guy or ''I'' purposefully cleared my memories is another different matter.

    Really, what was the reason? Why did I try to forget the memories of the lives I used to covet so much? Those are like precious music boxes that sing songs of happiness and should be cherished more than the greatest treasures in all existence. They should have been locked away and ced on beautiful pedestals until I felt alone so that I could look at them and continue through endless days.

    Nevertheless, reality is different.

    I do not consider myself the brightest bulb of the bunch, especially put next to the likes of our girls. However, identally erasing the times I was happy is, without a doubt, too dumb, even for an almost faceless creature. There must have been an unprecedented suffering that trivialized everything I ever wanted, leading to the erasure of everything I wished for. If so, what kind of threat did I face?

    This may sound redundant, but I desperately need to figure out why to stop it from urring.

    There is one tiny issue, though. A problem so small that I would not face any life-threatening danger. Now that a revtion is looming over the horizon, I must gather more clues to figure out what my past did. And, if I need to do the same as what I did to Rachel to Kuro to get more information, I would need to... kiss every heroine. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.

    Simply that.

    It is not difficult. Not even one bit. Child''s y. Hehe.

    ...

    ... Please help... My legs are shaking! I think I am going to die... Wait, no. Death would be a blessing if the girls find out what on Earth I am nning!

    "Uh? Guy and gals? Why are we standing in the hallway? Everyone suddenly went quiet all of a sudden." Han''s perplexed voice rings, cutting my thoughts directly. "Also, is it just me, or the atmosphere is colder than before? Like...Really, really cold! Chilling to the bone!"

 Chapter 115: Mind break!

    Chapter 115: Mind break!

    "Uh? Guy and gals? Why are we standing in the hallway? Everyone suddenly went quiet all of a sudden." Han''s perplexed voice rings, cutting my thoughts directly. "Also, is it just me, or the atmosphere is colder than before? Like...Really, really cold! Chilling to the bone!"

    Now that he mentions it. It really does feel cold. Is this what absolute zero is like? Plus, I think I am getting goosebumps. What the heck?

    "Ah! Sorry!" Keeping her emerald eyes on me, Kurokawa immediately apologizes. Since I was lost in thoughts, I did not know when she turned to look at me straight from the top of the staircase. "Please don''t bother staying down here so much. It''s best that we go to my room to wait until Mother returns."

    "If she really does return, though." Laura adds. Her eyes are filled with my reflections.

    "If she doesn''t, does it mean we''re gonna have a slumber party?!" The voice of one happy blond-haired girl echoes in the hallway. "Sleeping with my girls. That''s a first!"

    "I am not your girl." Laura sighs.

    "Please do not address me like that ..." Followed by Kuro.

    Subconsciously, I feel a bomb has been defused. Rachel''s lighthearted attitude contributes a lot to that, honestly. I feel relieved.

    "I am not a girl, though?" Han, the man whose brain is as big as a pebble, raises his hand.

    The world turns quiet for a second as everyone quickly looks at this world''s favorite child, contemting why such a big-brainer could have learned how to walk in the first ce. Then, with eyes filled with resignation, they all breathe out heavily at once and move forward, ignoring himpletely.

    "What? I''m not wrong!"

    Sure, pal. Whatever you say...

    *Kachak*

    After a quick stop on the stairs and a weird ass confession from Han, we enter Kuro''s room. One thing I should say right away: it has none of the abhorent smell the room downstairs has. Just so that we are clear about this. The bookworm''s mom may have a weird tick that caused her to live in filth. She is not the same.

    "There''s not much to see in here, though. I''m not much of a high-maintenance girl. I''m more of a low-maintenance girl, so I''d rather not put too much effort into decorating my room." Kurokawa softly invites us.

    I do not know if you still remember what I said about the importance of the scenes and the efforts the creator would make to make them. If you do not, let me remind you a little. Everything rted to our Han Som is always borated in great detail. Everything else will be depicted as simple as possible. The school and his seat in ss are two prime examples of this.

    Kurokawa''s bedroom, unlike Han''s mansion, is an exception. In addition, this exception corrtes with the settings ced on her by the system. Although in the past, Kuro would soone to live in Han''s ce to make things easier for the development of the main storyline, sometimes, there would be events outside that ce to...change the air a little. Therefore, her room should have been decorated with various items.

    "What can I say...it''s...spacious...I guess." Laura is bbergasted.

    "Whoa..." Rachel can hardly keep her mouth closed.

    As for Han, he has learned his lesson by not saying anything out loud about the circumstances of Kuro. Still, the look in his eyes clearly states that he is stunned.

    The room is simple. Too simple, in fact. There is nothing that stands out, not even a single decorative item. The walls are bare; no paintings are hanging on them. In total, there are five pieces of furniture. A bed, a wardrobe, a desk, a chair, and one bookshelf. The rest of the space is empty as if it was not meant to be used. Except for the colors of the books on the shelf, everything else is monochromatic and metallic. It feels lifeless and without any characteristics.

    If the space were smaller and the windows were reced by metal bars, this ce would have been nothing short of a prison cell. That is how depressed it looks. Anyone who has to spend their time day in and day out in such a ce will sooner orter go insane!

    Now that Kuro is looking forward to changes, we should start making this ce a little more like a living space than a living hell. I have no idea what we should begin with. After all, I do not have experience in doing things like decorating houses. I live in a stick house, god damn it.

    "You guys just sit on the bed. I''ll go get some water." Saying that, the bookworm walks out.

    Seeing that, Rachel runs after her. "Wawa, wait for me! I''ll help ya!"

    "No, stay back. You guys are the first guests in an eternity. You should sit down." The bookworm declines Blondie''s offer.

    Unfortunately, Blondie is...well...Blondie: "I go anyway!"

    "Wait for me!" Perhaps looking forward to escaping such a depressed ce or wholeheartedly wanting to help, Han follows the other two.

    *Kachak*

    The door to Kurokawa''s room closes in front of me, separating the world in front and behind that door into two. Thanks to that, now, there is just Laura and me left.

    "I''ll be sitting right here. You, too, C."

    "Okay."

    Without dying, the ss rep pulls me down on Kuro''s bed. She then rests her head on my shoulder, cing a hand on mine. Some strands of her short brown hair tickle my neck, but I try to keep my back straight for Laura. Sitting like this, we are so close I can hear her breathing, which is rxing and pleasant. And the body heat of her is warm and soothing to my soul.

    *Badump*

    Well...my chest is definitely beating faster...

    "Hehe!" The strict ss representative chuckles.

    After a couple of silence, Laura tightens her grip: "You know, C. This is the first time we are alone."

    "Ah..." I unconsciously make a sound. "That''s right."

    "I never thought our first private moment would be at someone else''s ce." She then pinches my hand lovingly, touching from the tip of each finger to the wrist. "Then again, it''s better than nothing. With those two girls always around, it''s difficult to find some alone time by your side."

    "Sorry..." I mumble another apology. "This may sound pretentious. But if it makes you feel any better, I''m happy to be here with you. Even though our time has not been long, I never once regretted being your boyfriend."

    That is the truth. Laura grabbing my hand has been the best thing that ever happened to me.

    "I''m d. Hehehe!" The girl next to me beams like a star. "It''s so great having a boyfriend like you, C."

    My mouth forms a smile. "Is that so..."

    "I swear on my soul!" She proudly ims. "You understand me."

    Thinking about something for a second, Laura turns to look in my direction. Her amber eyes shine brighter than ever, radiating lights of brown: "Hey, C! Why don''t we y a game?"

    "Of course!" I quickly reply. "What do you have in mind?"

    "The rule is simple. I will ask you a simple question, and you will answer as quick as possible without thinking. It''s a game to make our minds sharp!" The ss rep exins.

    "Oh? Interesting! Give me an example."

    I do like a brain-teasing game!

    "Like this! What does a dog say?"

    "It barks!"

    "What does a cat say?"

    "It meows!"

    "What does a fox say?"

    "It...huh..."

    What does a fox say?

    "I got you!" Lauraughs.

    "Alright, you got me good!"

    What the hell does a fox say anyway?

    Laura squeezes my hand: "Wanna go for another round? This time, we should put something on the table as a bet to make it even more fun! The loser has to ept one request made by the winner."

    "...What kind of request?" I ask nervously, feeling like a prey stepping into the predator''s trap knowingly while she is the predator.

    "Anything." The ss rep''s smile has turned into something devilish. So this is what she has been aiming for all this time. "You will not reject your girlfriend''s first game, right?"

    Crap... It is not fair to say with that kind of tone! How the hell am I going to say no to my girlfriend''s request?

    Thus, no way of backing out, I need to face her directly: "You''re on!"

    "Nice!" The ss rep ps her hands merrily. "Remember, no thoughts! Instant answers only! Let''s go! What kind of person do you think I am?"

    Afraid of losing, I immediately reply: "A strict but cute ss rep!"

    Beaming from ear to ear, Laura fires a second question without leaving me any time to rest: "What''s my hair color?"

    "Brown!"

    "What''s my eye color?"

    "Amber!"

    "What does a bird do?"

    "Fly!"

    "Good! Really good! You''re getting the hang of this! Let''s try something harder."

    "Bring it on!" I am so into the game that I do not care about anything else.

    "What''s the sky''s color?"

    "Blue!"

    "What''s the sakura''s petals'' color?"

    "Pink!"

    "Do you like me?!"

    "Yes!"

    "What does a cow drink?"

    "Milk!"

    "Do you like Rachel?!"

    "Yes!"

    "Do you like Kuro?!"

    "Yes!"

    "Do you like them more than me?!"

    "Eh? Huh...HUH?!"

    What just happened? My brain went into auto pilot mode for only a second or two, I swear!

    "And to think that I was the one who noticed you and confessed to you first, only to have those two finding their way into your heart." Laura lets my hand go to lie face down on Kurokawa''s bed. Her voice is void of life.

    F*ck me in the f*cking *ssh*le! What have I done?!

 Chapter 116: [Adora de Bloom] Awaken

    Chapter 116: [Adora de Bloom] Awaken

    *Rumble*

    When I heard a faint sound of thunder, the world lightened up before me, pulling my lost consciousness out of an aimless infinite void. It could have been just a second. It could also be an eternity. Either way, I was... awakened from a deep slumber.

    Endless rays of light instantly filled my visual field like water running through a broken dam, nearly blinding me after living in darkness for so long. This was something one would see waking up from a dream, but it felt too real to ignore. Especially when thest thing I remembered was seeing a world copsing in front of my eyes.

    As more and more sunlight seeped into my vision, I finallyprehended what was happening around me. Rather than the darkened atmosphere of an apocalypse, outside, one massive fireball was hanging high above, sending down its neverending radiance more dazzling than I could handle. At the same time, that fiery orbpromised my vision, and all I saw was a mass of silver particles that looked like they were formed from a thousand tiny rainbows.

    Feeling ufortable by the light, I unconsciously bring my arm up to block it. Strangely enough, what came up was absolutely unexpected. It was an arm, correct. But it was not my arm, per se. No matter how long I was trapped inside that void of isted space-time, unable to distinguish reality and imagination, I would not make a silly mistake such as iming a dark, translucent arm as mine.

    In more ways than one, the arm was bizarre. Creepy, even. There was no finger, no thumb, just a clump of ckness from the tip down to

    the elbow and shoulder. That same color covered my body from head to toe, not letting a single ce out when I tried to examine my body. In short, I was probably looking like a shadow person than the actual me from the past.

    To anyone new to such a sight, one would expect them to scream in terror. For me, such a thing was random but not threatening until further notice. My world was far from what others would consider normal. Being enveloped by darkness was odd, just not to that extent. Once you learned that everything that made you who you were was only a fragment of imagination, that the world itself would erode and disappear into nothingness, the mental faculty developed would help to deal with circumstances as strange as this.

    At least, slowly but surely, the shadow arm helped me get used to the re better than before. The first few seconds were strange, to put it lightly. Yet, not long after covering the supposed eye sockets, my blurry vision gradually formed into something my heart could never forget. Something that made my heart skip a beat.

    A ce of origin.

    As I frantically looked around, trying to confirm my position and searching for the one I longed for, a familiar yet distant sensation immediately swept through the deepest parts of my soul, touching the most tender ces I had to lock away. Too much so, in fact, that I nearly sobbed if I had eyes.

    Unfortunately, or perhaps in this case, thankfully, my body is not yetplete. Without actual body parts, its functions were nowhere near thepleted version it should have been. If not for such abnormal circumstances, I would have definitely crawled all the way to the floor and wept until my body gave up. s, those tears would note from grief or sorrow. Not at all. Out of all the emotions I harbored inside my heart, happiness was the one causing them to burst.

    Tiles under my feet that stretched far ahead, typical ssrooms along the long corridor, shadow people sitting lifelessly inside them, listening to nothing but gibberish... I knew the ce well. I knew them even better than the back of my hand, better than my life. My Prince helped me get used to these concepts, albeit too long forfort due to my stubbornness. If not for him, I would still be inside a fabricated reality of someone else''s, destined to be a ything without a mind forever.

    Nevertheless, it seemed I was not the only one experiencing all this. Unbeknownst to me, one more shadow person came into existence right by my side. Also, simr to my condition, the person was featureless from the top down. Both of us were like how a shadow person should be: no describable characteristic, two clumps of darkness, standing in the middle of the school corridor. Although there was no indication telling who or even what that shadow could have been, instinctively, a name resurfaced from the depth of my mind. One could call it a hunch or a sixth sense. I just knew who that shadow person was in a snap.

    She was the one who was always there when I spawned into the world. She was a friend, a partner in crime. Technically, we were two but one. Like myself, she was also stuck in this nightmare world as a tool but got free after some events.

    "Vivian." Somehow, defying allws of logic, I was able to talk.

    "Wee back, Your Highness." Vivian lowered her dark body to make a bow. I even saw her arms moving to the sides, failing to grab the edge of her maid dress. "You look like a ghost. A hideous one, too. As expected of Your Highness. You always exceed the expectation of this humble servant."

    "I don''t think there is anything there for you to pull up, Vivian. And don''t tell me how I look. You''re the same as me right now." I said,pletely disregarding her snide remarks.

    The shadow of Vivian nodded. Next, with a calm and noble voice, she continued: "I can see that on my own, your Highness. You don''t have to remind me like a kid."

    Vivian''s manners and her way of speech were vastly different. And though she addressed me as Your Highness with utmost respect, the way she talked made me want to punch her in the face. Then again, I was too used to this foul-mouth maid already. It would be a loss not having her around.

    "Hehe!" I chuckled upon hearing her rough reply. "Still the curt Vivian. I''m d that you haven''t lost that sassiness."

    "And you''re as annoying as ever, your Highness. Please don''t talk." Vivian did the same without hesitation.

    My trusted maid, also one of the sub-heroines, was spawned into the world like I did. That was how it had always begun for my case. My Prince would have considered the iteration one of the bugged ones if she were not here. Furthermore, it seemed she had retained her past as well.

    With the appearance of Vivian, I knew for sure I was back. Though not yetpletely finished, I had returned to this ce, to my Prince. What would he say to me when he saw me telling him that I was the one free from memory loss this time, I wondered. Would he be delighted? Would he jump up and down and give me a warm, big hug while stroking my head lovingly like he used to?

    He did not believe me when I said there would be a chance for me to be the same person as before. Though childish and a bit whimsical, I wholeheartedly believed my feelings would transcend the border of space-time to reach him. My Prince showed a sad look when I suggested that. In his kind but sorrowful tone, he told me he tried everything possible to bring the others back to no avail. They all snuggled up with him with the same approach, yet none had done it.

    There was a limit, he said, eyes filled with sadness. An invisible boundary that even my Prince could not break down sat at the lowest level. He did not exin it to me in great detail, but I knew that limit was from the fundamentals of the world. The rules of this virtual universe. Something so simple yet the most crucial thing to all creation.

    Nevertheless, that rule seemed to be broken. I was the first one! With Vivian next to me, we were the two characters who proved to my Prince that our love conquered all impediments! Our feelings and emotions are purer than them, fuller than them, and expend further than their meager hearts could ever withstand. Though it was urate to say I only heard about the stories he shared with themter in our rtionship rather than facing them directly, what I had with my Prince was unique and special. More so than the others could ever achieve.

    (Adora: Ain''t she a beauty?

    Vivian: Hand-drawn by my Gf: Lady Cheese.

 Chapter 117: [Adora] We, too, are once shadows!

    Chapter 117: [Adora] We, too, are once shadows!

    Nevertheless, that rule seemed to be broken. I was the first one! With Vivian next to me, we were the two characters who proved to my Prince that our love conquered all impediments! Our feelings and emotions are purer than them, fuller than them, and expend further than their meager hearts could ever withstand. Though it was urate to say I only heard about the stories he shared with themter in our rtionship rather than facing them directly, what I had with my Prince was unique and special. More so than the others could ever achieve.

    Overjoy could not possibly describe a fraction of what I was feeling. I wished for my body to develop fully to give him everything I had all over again. Since my Prince used to be faceless, then slowly got his features, I thought my case would be the same. After a while, I would be whole again. Then, we can once more consummate our existences side by side.

    We have been given a chance. It was only logical to make the best out of this opportunity.

    Yet, the happiness my heart experienced did notst for long.

    When joy from being reborn with my memories dissipated, bliss vanished, and logic returned to my head.

    Judging by the look of it, we were not where we were supposed to be.

    From everything I had seen, it was clear my surroundings were that of our school''s corridor. My story did not start like this. My body was not a blob of darkness, either. Speaking of a blob of darkness, the shadow people were more distinctive than in my iteration. They have never before seen features. Arms and legs, even.

    "Do you think the world is slightly off, Vivian?" I asked the chunk of dark matter next to me. "Our location, too."

    Vivian bowed respectfully: "Yes, Your Highness. I''m not blind."

    My story, or in his words, my arc, always began with both me and Vivian standing at the school gate. As the princess of an imaginary country in the game, my debut was always a bit extravagantpared to the rest of the cast. Of course, with the setting of a transfered princess from a farawaynd, one grand entrance was a must to show my importance.

    Besides the third main heroine, Adora de Bloom, me, and one support heroine, Vivian, there had always been a white limo behind us. Shadow people would be bowing on both sides, and a red carpet somehow manifested underneath our feet, weing us into the school. That was the basics of my beginning, the first step to gaining the attention of the protagonist.

    ording to my Prince, it was also the only way things have progressed in the past. I had to start outside the school, not inside.

    "It''s eerie. There''s just something that I can''t quite wrap my finger around."

    "I agree, Your Highness." The shadow nodded. "The environment is somehow different yet simr. All we can see right now is what they have always been, just off in a way. I believe this phenomenon fits the description of the uncanny valley but for objects."

    "Yes, exactly!" I eximed. "It''s unsettling because the familiarity is gone after some time. I don''t even feel like being in the same school. I have a bad feeling about this. Can''t have a peaceful day in this freaking &4jbzi1a...?"

    Huh? Why can I not say the word game? I could have sworn the word came out without a hitch?

    Vivian instantly grabbed the chance to tease me: "What''s wrong, Your Highness? You don''t have a mouth to bite your tongue yet."

    "Vivian! Try saying xjnxkoizqjpklmd!"

    "I don''t understand Shadowlish." She giggled.

    I did notugh.

    "Something was deliberately tampering with my speech pattern. I couldn''t say one word that captured the true nature of this world. Give it a shot." My voice changed into a serious tone.

    The shadow immediately straightened herself, noticing the drastic shift in my attitude: "You mean...cpcpaiq8ehd913? Huh? Why can''t I?"

    "You can''t do it, too."

    "I-I cannot! What is happening?!" She eximed. "This is creepy. How can we not speak properly when the words are there?! When the letters are ready toe out of our mouths..."

    "I don''t know if this is good or bad. Regardless, we should go for clues ASAP."

    Weird stuff might have been themon theme in our fictional world. People were killed and disposed of in many different ways all the time. The confrontations were diverse and ever-changing due to the choices everyone made. Still, there was a limit to the degree of urrences. And messing up our voices was obviously not among the conventional things in my book.

    With everything that had happened, from our initial appearance inside the school instead of out to the uncanny valley effect of the environment and the conditional speech impairment, there was an implication happening in this current run. A serious one.

    "As you wish, Your Highness!" Grabbing an invisible maid dress, Vivian once again bowed.

    "Let''s go find out where we are exactly," I whispered to the maid. "And when we are."

    Chronologically speaking, my event happened way after the bookworm and that crazy Han worshipper. And the fact that everything was off the rail told me I should be looking at the timeline, too. It might be a baseless assumption, but I would rather have it confirmed than regret itter.

    "Please don''t forget to find out why. We were lucky not to have our minds erased. No one can be sure about the next time. And, like always, Your Highness handles the thinking. I''ll handle the rest." The maid added.

    "Sure! Although your current state is really not good forbat." I said, then started moving forward with Vivian next to me. "Let''s get going."

    "Oh, Your Highness, one more thing!" Vivian held out her ck arm, signaling me to stop. "What will we do if we see Master? What about the other girls and their conquest of...the psklmapojvijap?"

    Probably, she was trying to say ''protagonist''. The context was not that hard to deduce. So, there were more censored words than we thought. It should not stop at two. I wondered what the reasons were.

    "Z04#0fpkajp."

    I tried to say reset. It did not go through.

    "&81ocpaopao."

    I tried to say system. It did not go through.

    "A188c70aq. Pooadxaiwj."

    Sim dating. Eroge. None worked.

    "Your Highness? Are you having a stroke?"

    "I''m not!"

    "Phew. That''s a relief. I don''t know where I''ll get my sry if you be a vegetable." The shadow person patted her chest. "Then, are you trying to give me a stroke?"

    "..."

    Looking at Vivian, I held the urge to kick her stomach: "Looks like if the topic is rted to that matter, then our words wille out as absolute gibberish. As for your question earlier, we don''t do anything. Blend in. Use this shadow person state to infiltrate them and find as much information as possible about what they''re trying to do. My sixth sense tells me there is a hiddenyer to our sudden appearance and memories."

    "Understood, Your Highness." The maid replied calmly. "Doing infiltration work is easy for me. But are you sure you won''t lose it when he approaches someone else? We both know absolutely clear how much of a caretaker Master is."

    "I...uh..."

    The thought of seeing him made my chest feel tighter all of a sudden. For a quick second, my mind went nk from thinking about him. Of course, as one of the main heroines of this world, I had a possessive trait that he called yandere. It would not feel good to me at all if I were to witness my Prince helping any of those girls just for him to get hurt again. If anything, I would lock him up and keep him in a castle somewhere so that we could enjoy our lives together. I wanted to monopolize him so much that it hurt. Sadly, that was never the case.

    "I''ll...try my best..." A few words escaped. Unfortunately, it was not convincing even from my end.

    "Sigh..." Vivian shrugged her shoulders. "This is why I never let you go on a mission. You''re too impulsive. Too emotional. Like a brat that needs correction all the time."

    "Ugh..." I covered my face and started walking ahead of the rude maid. "I''m going to the ssroom..."

    "Certainly, Your Highness. You''re surely not trying to find a way to hide from me." That maid''s giggled right next to my body.

    "Ahem!" Clearing my throat from awkwardness, I started making up a new topic. "So this is the perspective of the other girls. You know what, Vivian. I think it''s actually quite refreshing to spawn in like this. It makes me feel like I''m ordinary like the rest of them. You know? Like an ordinary girl!"

    Vivian sighed tiredly: "Your Highness, usually it''s me making you mad, not vice versa. You are in no way normal. In addition, do you really think that you can hide the nature of a spoiled brat?"

    "I''m not!" I protested vehemently.

    Then, the maid brought shame back upon my head: "Who, on the day of cposkdpfjpwojcv, asked Master to stroke her head and called her a good girl?"

    I guessed that the censored word was...apocalypse...

    "W-what are you talking about?! I m-m-made sure you weren''t there!"

    "It was a small space. Where was I supposed to go but to look at you love birds?"

    "D-don''t act like you''re innocent! You''re the one who forced breast-feed him with your lewd chest!" I pointed at Vivian, shaking. I had no idea if it was embarrassment or something else, maybe jealousy.

    "And I did it with pride." Vivian lifted her chin.

    "No! You were just a sex fiend!"

    "Certainly, Your Highness. Anyway, please focus on what you''re supposed to be doing."

    "You''re the one who... ARGH! Forget it!"

 Chapter 118: [Kurokawa] Everyone hides something

    Chapter 118: [Kurokawa] Everyone hides something

    [Oh shit! Oh god! Oh shit! I am going to have my dick cut off for real! Why in the good damn Earth did I confirm I had feelings for the others?]

    "Hehe! Silly Darling!" Although Rachel was smiling happily from ear to ear, the dreamy look on her face clearly said: " Don''t worry, darling. I''m not going to cut it. I''m just going to eat it with my other mouth."

    That "Darling"ing from Blondie''s lips was higher than usual. And when I turned to look into her eyes, it became apparent the girl was not in her typical condition. Rachel''s eyes were misty, filled with nothing except excitement and anticipation. On top of that, she was constantly licking her lips while panting lightly and clutching on the middle part of her short skirt.

    Blondie was definitely in heat. In someone else''s house, no less. I did not need to see her thighs rubbing against one another toe to such a conclusion. It was as if a beast had broken into this ce. Obscene and, frankly, vulgar.

    Unable to witness the shameful action about to unfold, my eyes darted away from Rachel to focus on getting the food read. Fundamentally speaking, I was... fond of shame y, but it was personal. Looking at someone behaving like a horny subus reincarnate was not something I appreciated.

    Rachel probably had no clue I was C''s only wife, sworn under oath with this world as a witness during an apocalyptic event. It was a duty and privilege to maintain his innocence. Laura was too much of aw bidder. At this point, she still had not had her kiss. Theck of actions was somewhat understandable, judging by her strict rule-based nature and settings, yet detrimental to her progress with C. She would not take drastic measures like what Rachel would pull. Not that I wasining. She should continue just that.

    It would be better to keep an eye on Blondie at all times. That twisted subus was always up to something.

    On second thought, I should keep my eyes on all of them. It was a race, after all. There was nothing wrong with a bit of struggle on everyone''s side.

    "He''s cute, isn''t he?" The blond-haired girl brightly smiled. A sparkle of seductionid bare in her aquamarine iris, not having even the slightest wish to remain hidden. "I have no idea what they''re doing in there. But it seems fun."

    "Why don''t you join them then?" I followed up on Rachel''s interest with a question, never once turned my face to look at her. My eyes should be following my husband constantly rather than be disgusted by her naughty debauchery.

    "Well... Honestly speaking, I wanted to. Then again, Laura has been on edge after all our previousmotion. I thought it''d be best if we gave her some time to, you know, cool off a bit. It''s not like she''s going to do anything. That''s her nature."

    "...That made sense."

    "I knew you''d agree, Wawa. You''re smart!"

    "..." At this point, silence fell upon us. Not because there was nothing left to say but because saying it would never make a difference to the blond-haired girl.

    At first, I believed I should tell her to stop calling me by that name. Then, judging by the look on Laura''s face earlier and her newly created pet name that, obviously, was for an animal, I refrained from an extra headache. The fact that Rachel had the audacity to call me Wawa without any hint of hesitation made it clear that she intended to do whatever she pleased, regardless of who was present. At least ''Wawa'' was more or less applicable to a person, albeit the person in this case would not be more than a toddler or a baby.

    Reppy, on the other hand... Well... Simply put, I felt d I was not in Laura''s shoes. Even more so, it was the first time ever I felt like that in anybody''s shoes, not just the ss rep''s, a feat in and of itself, all thanks to a certain someone.

    It was fascinating to see the changes in everyone''s lives and personalities in this iteration, especially in my case. No one had died, and somehow, maintaining a rtively peaceful atmosphere spoke volumes of my husband''s efforts. What the story should have been, how everyone should have behaved, little by little, changed under his unknowing influence. This...peace... this serenity in my chest and the calmness I felt within could never have been born without him.

    I owed him a lot. I owed him everything.

    All that I was and all that I would ever be.

    Speaking of baby, what would I do in the future? In more ways than one, I was not ready for one, yet how could I deny C his duties as a husband when the time wasing? Someone like Rachel would dly take a new position as a mother, given the chance, but it was different in my case. I was barely keeping myself alive until today. Even with the memories of my past life and the desire to be with my husband, I still did not think my mental state was ready for a new being.

    It was a huge dilemma. One that kept me up at night.

    "What are you girls talking about?" Said Han, clueless as ever.

    "Nothing to do with you." I bluntly replied. The past versions of Kurokawa probably never cared about something like a child since they all wanted to die at Han''s hands when the time was right. Chances were that many, if not all of them, were pregnant due to the adult activities and chose to end it regardless. At the very least, that was my thought.

    "Ah... Okay..." Han mumbled, feeling embarrassed for eavesdropping and apparently sinking into the floor.

    Rachel quickly intervened: "Anyway, I''m about to starve, Wawa. What''re we making today?"

    "Curry," I told the blond-haired girl behind, leering her aquamarine eyes at the knife collection with fascination. "There''s too many people but little time to do anything sophisticated. My Mother can be back any minute now, and I do not want her to mess up my dinner with C."

    "Gotcha, Wawa." Rachel merrily answered, showing her full support. "Good call, too. I personally hate anyone disturbing my time with my boyfriend." Her hands are already tracing the de.

    "Then, could I ask you to cut up the ingredients?" As my hand reached out to the refrigerator, I asked after an inward sigh. "You''re... more experienced in handling meat than I am, after all."

    Hearing that, Rachel''s beautiful face lighted up. I wondered if she cared what I was hinting at. As for understanding me, I had no doubt she did. A woman of Blondie''s caliber is exceptionally more intelligent and terrifying than what met the eyes. She always tried to y the muscle-headed girl, but I knew better. The only thing that seemed to becking was her self-awareness. On second thought, it was not ack of self-awareness but aplete disregard for anyone else''s opinion, which made it impossible to trust herpletely.

    Rachel still possessed that psychopathic nature in her heart. I would have to take note of that.

    "Of course! Anything for a friend! I would never hesitate to help you. And by anything, I mean anything, Kurokawa." The girl suddenly switched from that ridiculous nickname she gave me to my actual name. In addition, with a snappy wink, the tone in her final sentence changed drastically, showing me a scary thought: that she would kill a certain someone if asked nicely.

    I shook my head, trying to bury my thoughts down the deepestyers of my soul. It was not a good time to have my emotions leaked. "Thank you, Rachel. Some day, I will take that offer. At that point, surely you would not decline, right?"

    A small smile grew on the corners of her lips. It was neither gentle nor hateful. It was professional and business-like.

    Rachel''s smile was... transactional.

    "Of course not."

    "Um... Can I also help? In making food, that is." Close by, Han raised his question.

    "Sure. You can start by setting up the table. The tes are here, inside this cupboard. And utensils are over there. As for cups, you can reach above Rachel''s. " Pointing at various ces in the kitchen, I instructed the alleged ''protagonist'' of this world.

    "Thanks, Wawa. I-I mean Kurokawa." After a piercing re, Han shut up and headed to where I was pointing.

    A few seconds of peace came since everyone had something to do. Except for the sound of running watering from my end, the chopping sound of metal hitting a board, the hummings of Rachel, and the clinking of utensils, we did not chat. That should have meant the end of things. Or rather, I would have preferred it to be so. Chit-chat and small talk were things outside of myfort zone.

    As there were but two people in a bad rtionship that lived here, usually, that was how I would spend my nights at home - doing what I should be and staying quiet. Anything and everything I came up with could be and had been used to attack me. Therefore, the need for conversation never really mattered that much. s, thanks to him, a different, never-before-seen, and virtually impossible oue sprouted. Those who were supposed to be at each others'' throats were working toward the same goal that had nothing to do with them.

    Then again, I was surrounded by hyperactive people. Knowing the characters of those involved, someone would break the silence with small talk at some point. It was bound to happen.

    "Hey, W-Kurokawa, Rachel. Could I ask you something?" Interestingly, that person was Han. I was half-expecting Blondie to break the silence.

    "Go ahead." Not looking up from cutting my vegetables, I responded.

    "Firstly, I don''t mean this to be rude, but why are you all so fascinated by C? And don''t take what I said wrongly, please. I know he''s a great guy and all. I''m just curious what you think about him to...you know...learn from him."

    (Hold on. Let Kurokawa cook!)

 Chapter 119: [Kurokawa] Mother鈥檚 home

    Chapter 119: [Kurokawa] Mother��s home

    "Hey, W-Kurokawa, Rachel. Could I ask you something?" Interestingly, that person was Han. I was half-expecting Blondie to break the silence.

    "Go ahead." Not looking up from cutting my vegetables, I responded.

    "Firstly, I don''t mean this to be rude, but why are you all so fascinated by C? And don''t take what I said wrongly, please. I know he''s a great guy and all. I''m just curious what you think about him to...you know...learn from him."

    "Hmm..." Rachel and I both stopped what we were doing to look at him in surprise.

    Sensing the sudden spotlight dawned upon him, Han quickly continued: "Look, I''m not asking you to go on and on about your love life, but if you could answer that question, I would appreciate it a lot. I mean, everyone here has their own opinion. And there''s no such thing as a wrong opinion in this case. But I''d like to hear yours. Please understand that I''m not trying to butt in or anything. I''m just trying to improve by imitating the Master."

    "Well, well, well. Look at you, Han!" Rachel nodded her head like a mother seeing her child growing up. "You''re finally learning! That''s very good! Commendable!"

    "U-Uh-huh." Han smiled awkwardly.

    "So, let''s see, Wawa. Do you want to go first? Or shall I have the honor?" Rachel looked over at my side.

    "He''s willing to do anything to make me happy." I shrugged my shoulders lightly while returning to slicing the onions. "If there''s one thing I''ve noticed with him, it is that he cares about me. He notices if I''m sad or angry and tries to cheer me up."

    "Yep. I agree with Wawa. C is kind. He''s kind to a fault. Sometimes a little bit too much and to so many people. He definitely needs rest." Rachel sighed. She was right. C should not be waving his kindness like some magic, ready to be cast at one''s notice. Doing so consistently had evidently worn him out and dealt devastating blows when it did not work in his favor. Unfortunately, most of the time, his kindness was in vain.

    "Okay, kindness. Noted." Han mumbled to himself. "What about you, Rachel? Which part of C makes you fall for him?"

    "It''s his attention to detail." Rachel''s aquamarine eyes began to waver.

    "Huh... What does that even mean?"

    "Like I said, he''s kind. Very kind. But that means he''s also very attentive. He''ll remember everything you say and do and take it to his heart, never letting them go."

    Even when Rachel was notpletely focused, I still could not do anything but admire her knife work once taken a nce. Since our household did not have much money for anything too fancy, the protein I could get had to be skinned and deboned before consumption. Plus, to save myself from walking outside our house many times a week, usually, we had the whole piece to dissectter, making the workload even more strenuous than it should. Honestly, I did not find that troubling, but preparing the meat was too time-consuming. Yet, Rachel made everything seem like child''s y.

    "C''s... circumstances have given him the trait of paying attention to details. He knows what should be and should not, then acts ordingly." Even with hazy eyes, seemingly in a dream, Rachel could masterfully handle the knife. As the tip of the kitchenware pierced precisely between the skin and ayer of white meat, with one swift motion, everything was separated as though that was its original status. cing the skin on one side and the rest under her hand, the blond-haired girl severed all the tendons and pulled the bones out like a surgeon who had countless operations. There was no unnecessary movement in how Rachel moved. She was not just efficient. She performed a dance, a knife dance, beautifully and elegantly.

    "It gives me a sense of being looked after."

    Eyes filled with reminiscence, Rachel gently put the knife down at the end of her sentence. The chicken I entrusted to her was processed into even chunks of meat with precisions that exceeded my capabilities. Each chicken cube was beautifully cleaned, with no skin or connective tissues attached, and shared the same shape and size all throughout. I wonder if she butchered human meat the same way.

    "Here you go, Wawa! All done! Check how well I can do!" Rachel curved upwards.

    What a terrifying monster. That Blondie was definitely showing off.

    "Attention to detail, huh? Well, that''s what I''mcking. I can hardly remember what''s going on!" Han sighed while continuing to set up the table. "Man, I don''t even know when I''ll get someone to like me, let alone hold hands and kiss. I heard that the first kiss would be very light and sweet. One day, for sure."

    Kiss... That reminded me of something.

    "Rachel, how was your first kiss?" Hiding my true intentions behind words, I looked at Rachel once again. Han was near, and I did not need him to understand our conversation. A little misdirection was all it took.

    "Hold on! Hold your damn horses! You guys kissed?!" Immediately, could not hide his emotion, Han jumped. "When? How? Isn''t it a bit too early?!"

    Luckily, no tes were harmed during his tantrum.

    "To answer your question, Wawa, I''d say it was... out of this world... if you catch my drift." Blondie winked. "As if the world wasing to a close, and there were only the two of us. It was intimate and sensational!"

    "So that is how you felt. Interesting. And you''refortable sharing that with me?" I looked into her eyes, trying to read whatever wasing from Rachel''s aquamarine iris.

    "Of course!"

    That was a lie. No matter how cutesy Rachel smiled, I did not see the truth in her answer. Weirdly enough, for someone who had always relied on reasons and logic, there was no logic behind my hunch. It was a simple yet instinctual sensation telling me Rachel''s words were untrue. When our eyes did not meet, such a feeling never formed. However, once she decided to gaze back at me, it was as though her thoughts wereid bare in my heart.

    Perhaps that was my ability, the same kind of abnormal power simr to Rachel''s inhuman strength and Laura''s weapon manifestation. Although it was notbat-rted, there were a lot of use cases of this ability in my situation. From the beginning, I was never one for battles, anyway. Remaining in the dark while being able to strategize was a much better way to progress than to actually fight.

    "And what about you, Wawa? What did you see?"

    Interestingly, Blondie asked me for what I saw, not how I felt. I knew the girl was more brilliant than her demeanor showed.

    Putting on a shocked expression, once again, the protagonist of this world yelled before I could answer Rachel: "Hang on a minute?! Kurokawa, too? Don''t tell me you also kissed C?! How is this possible? I mean... I had no doubt Master would be able to pull something like that, but hearing it and thinking about it are two different things. It''s outstanding, I tell you! Outstanding!"

    "First of all, yes, I did kiss C. There''s nothing wrong with kissing someone you love who also loves you back." Turning my face away from Blondie, I bluntly replied. "As for what you just asked, Rachel, I believe we did have the same experience. Mine was also world-breaking. Everything was dyed in a pink hue simr to the sakura petals, and the sky was booming loudly, sending down its regards."

    "True. Very true. I also got the same thing." Rachel nodded again and again, seemingly in deep thought.

    At this point, everything was clear. Touching C and kissing him would have different effects. While getting a touch from C would free a character in this iteration from their fate, a kiss was a gateway that opened memories from a previous iteration where we were together. From how Rachel reactedst night at Han''s mansion, albeit vague, I thought something was amiss. Nheless, Rachel''s answers just now confirmed my thinking to be correct.

    More importantly, there were simrities in how we viewed the world. In both cases, between Rachel''s and mine, our final moments with C were apocalyptic events where nothingness was trying to consume everything. It was distinct from a reset where all would suddenly copse. The event happened over time until there was nothing left. In our final moments, there was no one besides us. No Han, no rivals.

    "It was... bittersweet..." The taste of our past lingered on the tip of my tongue.

    In my past, C exined that the apocalypse we were seeing was another ending where I would still have my memories wiped. It happened when no one got Han to themself, a typical Bad Ending ording to this game world logic. Still, even when he kind of shrugged it off his back like something uninteresting, I could not help feeling C did not mention something crucial. Dear husband was trying to hide it from me, his wife, a piece of information that would foil his n. And I knew my husband well. His reason was singr: to give us a future. He never said anything. I understood his heart regardless.

    I needed to find out what C was hiding.

    And I needed to find that out fast.

    In order to do that...C would need to have his memories returned.

    Dropping his shoulders, Han continued to look exacerbated: "Honestly, hearing you two saying things like this really makes me envious of C. I have no idea how he could woo everyone in such a short time, but I guess that is why he is the Master and not me."

    I chose to ignore Han to focus on what wasing next. Now that I could confirm Rachel had memories of her rtionship with C, it was not farfetched to say she knew who was about to appear in this story. Even more so, from this point onward, we shared information about the main storyline.

    "Hey, Rachel. Just a quick question. It is unrted to the kiss, though."

    "Sure."

    "You know who''sing next, right?"

    "Of course. It''s A''s little sister. The little devil An."

    <em>Knock-knock</em>

    At the same time as Rachel''s answer, my heart sank.

    Mother was home.

 Chapter 120: [Rachel] A finger

    Chapter 120: [Rachel] A finger

    "Hold on a minute. Something is wrong. Very wrong!" Kurokawa put down the not-yet-prepared vegetables in her hands and said with a weighty tone.

    As I nced over at the bookworm, her expressions were not what I expected them to be. For someone with such a history with her mother, damned by the storyline and the system, I half expected to see grief, sorrow, or even fury and hatred pouring straight out from her. The sole reason her life was miserable hade home, after all. However, contrary to my thoughts, she did not appear to be consumed by negative emotions. In fact, Kuro looked worried more than anything. It was not fear but a genuine concern.

    Well, it was Wawa. Figuring out what was going on in her mind was never easy. She did kill herself in my iteration, but not after devising destructive ns so that everyone except me would wage war against everybody else. A fearsome woman, honestly. Even in death.

    "I-Is it her? Is your mother home?" Fumbling with words, Han asked the bookworm, who replied nothing and kept a frown on her face. "What''s wrong?"

    Kurokawa did not answer Han. Her verdant eyes were intently staring out of the kitchen.

    <em>Knock-knock</em>

    When silence tried to envelop the three of us again, about to cancel the sound as a dumb mistake born from needless winds from outside, everyone looked outward. Another sound wasing into the kitchen, simr to what we had heard recently. There was a difference between the two times, though. The knocking was louder this time as if trying to sneak into our hearts.

    <em>Knock. Knock. Knock</em>

    Three consecutive knockings came right after. On second thought, rather than calling them knockings, they were bing more like desperate bangings on the door. Evidently, whoever was behind the front door knew someone was home and wanted us to know that. Although I did wonder if they learned there were more than Kurokawa inside or not.

    A few secondster, Kurokawa turned toward my alleged childhood friend: "Han, please go back upstairs. No matter what happens here, I need you to stop C froming down. Laura can go, but C must absolutely not."

    "What? Are you s..." Before Han could even continue to ask more questions, Kurokawa''s serious look had already shut him off. "I get it. As long as C stays in the room, right?"

    "Thank you." Wawa nodded her head lightly. "Whatever you do, do not let him escape that room. Please."

    "Okay."

    "Wait. One more thing." Kuro stopped Han with her words. And with a grave look, she added, "Do not let him know what is going on down here. We don''t want him to get worried needlessly. If he asks, only tell him we are making dinner and stop at that. Further inquiries from C will always be answered with ''I don''t know'' or anything of equivalence. I really hope you cooperate well."

    <em>Gulp</em>

    Sensing the painful stares, someone struggled to swallow his saliva. In a second, cold sweats had formed on the temporal sides of his forehead. Looking at the two, I unknowingly smirked. This was no more a request but an order issued by the almighty Kurokawa, the very person who killed her mother. What a predicament to be in! How could Han not feel anxious?! His pale face proved her tactics to be sufficient!

    "I-I understand."

    With that said, that circumstantial childhood friend of mine escaped the kitchen. On the way out, he looked once at the bookworm and then at the entrance, seemingly trying to find out what made Kuro''s sudden change of tone. Regardless, I highly doubted if he could do so. Han was never exceptionally bright, and without prior knowledge of the storyline, he would always live in the dark.

    <em>Bang</em>

    "Yeah, someone is getting restless." Whoever was behind the door smashed it hard. Listening to the sudden sound, I could feel my lips curve upward. At this point, I had a rough idea of Kuro''s weird behavior. "Do you need my help?"

    "Yes, I do. Please grab anything you deem fit for your hands."

    My hand immediately headed to the knife rack. "Just the kitchen knife is fine. I don''t really have experience with anything else."

    "I know," Kurokawa imed.

    Smiling, I held a single knife and walked towards the entrance. As the distance shortened, however�� <em>bang bang</em> <em>bang bang</em> �� consecutive sounds of intense banging continued to ring through the house. Its intensity kept on rising as we stayed inside the ce.

    "Mother does not knock." As she walked behind me, Kurokawa exined. I noticed a frown on her stunning face. Even in such bizarre and unprecedented circumstances, her emerald green eyes could still shine dazzlingly. Long gone the forlorn air she once wrapped herself in, Kuro''s current state was vastly more attractive. Unparalleled.

    "So either your mom lost her keys to the house..."

    "Or someone else is outside." Wawa finished my sentence for me.

    "Hehe. Interesting. Very interesting." A few unnoticeable words escaped, yet I did not think the other girl noticed as they were virtually inaudible.

    Nheless, taking the lead was beneficial since I could hide the twitching of the corners of my lips. Things were getting more and more fun as time moved, and I had the first seat to everything.

    I could not help but wonder what my Darling would do if he were here. Without a doubt, he would freak out and curse everything for the god-knows-how-many-time. Keeping those thoughts in my head, a hand reached the handle, and the other clutched Kuro''s kitchen knife tightly, getting ready for any sudden attack.

    <em>Ga-Chak</em>

    Upon opening the door, there was no one, which instantly killed my excitement. In my mind, I half expected to see a familiar ginger girl with twin tails looking at me with disdain and fury. The other half was a good brawling from her tiny figure. But in reality, the street was as empty as it could be. With the exception of some mindless wandering shadow people, one could even say the ce was deserted.

    "Well... That was... anticlimatic..." I hid my disappointment with a heavy sigh. As the chilly, soft nightly winds continued to breeze through the empty spaces, they picked up the words and grazed my cheeks. "I was looking forward to seeing our new friends."

    <em>Ga-chak</em>

    "No one''s outside?"Closing the door behind me, Kurokawa questioned. Interestingly, our bookworm kept a safe distance between us as if anticipating some attack. Wawa did this when we confronted the trash back at school, too. I was not mad, though. She knew what she was capable of. Nothing was wrong with understanding your limits and acting upon them. That was called being intelligent and reasonable.

    "Nope." I shook my head. Looking left and right, it seemed no one wasing. Still, the banging on the door was definitely not an auditory hallucination. Someone must have done it.

    Without missing a beat, Kurokawa suggested: "Try looking up or down. People always skip those two directions."

    Oh?

    "There''s nothing upward but the sky and clouds. What about downward..."

    Immediately, the pupils inside me constricted. "You were right, Wawa. It''s my fault for not scanning every direction."

    There it was, on the ground, inside a small pool of dark red liquid,ying still a finger.

    A human finger. With a small ck piece of cloth tying it.

    Lowered my body, the pinky came closer into view. Although it was nighttime, and the only light we could have wasing from inside the house and from the streetlights above, it was not difficult to examine what was apparent.

    Thanks to my experience in dealing with carcasses, the looks of this finger showed that it had just been severed recently. Hours, at best. Blood stains around the finger were still crimson-red, and its viscosity was simr to the early stages of blood-drying. Not to mention that the skin was fresh, with no bruises and other wounds, and the fingernail on top was clean without breaks, meaning that the victim hardly had time to fight back in this situation.

    Of course, that person could have also given up and decided to do nothing to her capture.

    "What''s going on?" Kurokawa''s voice came from behind me. "You''re taking quite a bit of time."

    "See for yourself," I replied while backstepping to leave room for Wawa to move forward. "I don''t know what you''ll feel about this, honestly. I''ll say one thing, though. You did a great job telling Han to keep C in the room, or else we could face a reset soon enough. It was the best decision. Period."

    "Is that?" Leaning forward to look at the thing on the ground, Kurokawa held back her voice. Whether her trembling sounds were because of excitement or sadness was beyond me. At this point, I still had no idea how she would treat her mother. Would she condemn that person for mistreating her? Or Would she try to mend their rtionship as people simultaneously tied by the storyline? I did not know the answer to those questions.

    We have had the chance to be more familiar by staying near C, so it was hard to say what route Wawa would take. We were supposed to be at each other''s throats previously and look at us now.

    "I don''t think it''s fake. I also don''t think anyone can fake something like this in our world."

    "That..." She pointed at the finger on the ground, or more precisely, pointed at the ck string around the finger. "...Must havee from Mother''s silk dress."

 Chapter 121: [Rachel] A secret between us

    Chapter 121: [Rachel] A secret between us

    "That..." She pointed at the finger, or more precisely, pointed at the ck string around the finger. "...Must havee from Mother''s silk dress."

    "Wawa, are you okay looking at this?" The one who asked the question was me.

    "Yeah, I am," she replied after a pause. "It''s not that I can''t handle gore. I don''t understand the emotions inside my heart right now."

    That much was understandable. For someone who had had cuts, bruises, and violent acts performed on by her flesh and blood, it was nothing new that Wawa was used to pain and the act of inflicting pain. After indulging in those dark fantasy novels, she could at least imagine the horrible aspects blood and gore could bring. And although the reality was different from books and imagination, we, the characters of this wretched game world, had grown ustomed to it. We were designed to feel like so.

    In addition, this bookworm was like me. The current Wawa had memories of the past by C''s side. And if her past with him consisted of various things that the Kurokawa in my past did, then there was no reason for me to think she could not stand the sight of her mother''s finger.

    "Do you want me to leave you alone for a second or two?"

    With wavering yet unmovable eyes, Kurokawa shook her head and replied: "No need." She then took a deep breath and closed her green eyes, contemting something. "With your expertise, is there anything I should know about this finger?"

    Hearing her question, a soft smile formed on my face. "For your information, this looks like it has just been cut. It should be within a few hours. Furthermore, there was likely no struggle or a fight happening to the victim."

    "So either the perpetrator was extremely fast, or she wanted it to happen."

    "Exactly." I nodded. "Usually, we would see body tissues such as blood or skin stuck on the fingertips. Since no one likes being tortured to death, a fight would be the case. Even when the patient is drugged with a piece of cloth filled with chloroform, trust me, it does not work like how people think. And I don''t think they can get chloroform here."

    "Got it. Thank you." Kurokawa returned her gaze toward the finger on the ground. With one hand ced under the chin, the bookworm was seemingly in deep thought.

    "There are two scenarios that I''m thinking about," Wawa spoke up after a brief silence. "What we have here is either a deration of war or a gesture of peace."

    Honestly, seeing her being so calctive despite not knowing her birth-giver was dead or alive, only seeing a bloodstained severed finger, baffled me a little. What kind of mental power would one need so that they could still be like her in such a dire situation?

    "I could understand the first part. But peace? This...thing doesn''t say anything like peace. Then again, you must have a good reason for that." ncing over at the bookworm, I could see her gleaming green eyes shining with brilliance.

    "If you already understand half of it, I''ll save both of us the time to talk about the second part." Kurokawa sat down, still concentrating on the finger on the ground. "I know you''re smart, Rachel. But what you''re thinking about is limited by the knowledge of this iteration. This is why my mom''s finger could be a gesture of peace was off-putting to you. Let''s put it this way. If everything and everyone is linked in just this current iteration, then the appearance of this finger is less peaceful."

    Wawa continued to point her finger over at my side.

    "Chronologically speaking, An is the next character to appear in our world. And if my memory serves me right, then you and An already had a deep history around the protagonist, Han. Judging by the alleged past that the two of you shared, it would be normal to think this act is merely a grudge."

    "..."

    Then, it struck me. The bookworm''s words made perfect sense. Only until Kurokawa pointed that out did I realize how wrong I was, confined to a biased and narrow train of thought. However, everything was not yet finished. The more the bookworm continued to analyze, the more formidable this girl became to me.

    "The finger was severed hours ago. This means the girl must have spawned into this world sooner than that. What makes you think she did not appear inside the school when we talked? What makes you think she did not appear at A''s house this morning? The An in my past never had toe to my ce. Yet she came here to bang on the door, meaning she had followed us since the beginning. Perhaps she was somewhere inside the train we boarded, hiding in in sight because all of us were following C''s thoughts rather than our own!"

    What even...Never had I thought about those things at all!

    "C''s limited distance from Han was detrimental in this situation. The fact that he could never leave that guy''s side by a certain distance meant that as long as the event did not ur near Han, he would never figure out if that character had appeared yet!"

    Kurokawa continued to exin while I was trying to digest what she said. Each word was concrete evidence of why she would be crucial to C. I could not even fathom how much of a person she would be if she was given abat ability.

    "An, or whoever the perpetrator is, left this to warn us. And,...perhaps...to make an alliance. It could have been a head, a heart, anything that showed my Mother was dead. But she chose a pinky, which was not that important, in my opinion. She thought I would be thrilled to do the rest, to have my revenge. That''s what I think, so take it with a grain of salt."

    Soon after, the bookworm picked it up. "We need to hide this. No, we need to dispose of itpletely. No trace of this pinky should be left if we want to hide this incident from C."

    Shaking my head to get the creeping feeling off, I nodded. "Yep. We both agree on that one. Should I take it from you then? I can throw it away alongside the headless garbage half-finished at school. This will be our little secret! Hehe!"

    She stared at the finger silently for several seconds before finally answering and handing me the finger, "Yes, please. I''d love to learn how to do it as well. If you don''t mind, of course. I used to read books about those processes, yet never had the chance to actually try them out."

    "Even in your past?" I asked while putting the severed pinky away from sight into a ce I knew C would not dare to stare at this point. It was dirtying my whole chest with blood, yet I would choose to take a bath rather than C have a panic attack. Still, such pity for this super alluring bra I got just in case Darling wanted to jump on me. It came with a set, too! What was I going to do with just panties?!

    Into the fire, I guessed...

    "Yes. Most of the time we spent together was to hide while you people continued to take down each other. I was never the type to fight. C...well... you know how he is."

    "Hehe... Yeah, I guess something never changes. Darling''s physical weakness, although a curse for him, is a blessing for us." I said and smiled, reminiscing the beautiful ending of ours. Unconsciously, my thighs started to rub against one another as my body heated up. The chilling winds of the night could hardly suppress me.

    "...What are you doing?" Kurokawa rolled her disappointed eyes. "In front of the house, too?"

    "Nothing at all." I lied and turned my back to her.

    However, she did not ask me any further questions. Wawa probably thought it was pointless to pursue my actions. Instead, she took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood off her hands. "I''ll go get bleach and some scrubs. Better clean the stains as much as possible before C notices. It''s not very big, but I don''t want to take a risk at something like that."

    "Yep, agreed, Wawa. The sooner, the better. Darling can being down any second despite everyone''s effort in keeping him in your room."

    Wawa smiled softly. "Yeah. He can be quite spontaneous sometimes. Wait here a bit."

    After a few seconds, Kurokawa returns with a water bucket and cleaning supplies.

    "Here we are. Everything you need to clean up the blood. By the way, is it okay if I leave you to it? There''s still dinner that I need to finish."

    "Sure, no pro-ble-mo! Unless C suddenlyes and I can''t do anything in front of him, I can be your guardian. Easy peasy!"

    "Thanks. I really appreciate the gesture!"

    "Actually, one thing, Wawa. Are you really okay with cooking alone? With your hand and all?"

    Hearing that, Kuro lifted her wounded hand, still wrapped in bandages. " It''s going to be alright. I''ve had worse. Anyway, please wait out here a while. Who knows if the other person

    Seeing Kurokawa turning her back on me, I called out to her onest time. "Wait! Don''t do anything weird to the food, though! I don''t want him to sleep while eating!"

    "..."

    <em>Ga-chak</em>

    With a face that clearly said: What the hell are you bbing about, Kurokawa went back inside, leaving me on the street.

    (Miss me?)

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