《NO LOGOUT: STUCK IN A ROMANCE EVENT》


 CHAPTER ONE: THE MISCLICK

    In the grand halls of Silvervale, the air buzzed with the sounds of merchants peddling wares, blacksmiths hammering steel, and adventurers boasting about their latest dungeon runs. It was the usual bustling chaos of Eterna Online, the world¡¯s hottest full-dive VRMMO.


    And I was here for one reason only¡ªXP.


    Ignoring the overpriced gear shops and flashy NPCs, I made my way toward the bounty board. My plan was simple: grab a high-XP quest, grind mobs until my fingers hurt, and finally hit Level 50. Then, I could join an elite raid party and stop being the random scrub everyone ignored.


    But the game had other plans.


    [New Event Unlocked! Love¡¯s Everlasting Festival Has Begun!]


    A massive pink notification popped up in my vision, complete with floating hearts and sparkles. My gut reaction? Ignore it. Valentine¡¯s-themed events were for roleplayers and hopeless romantics, not min-maxers like me.


    Unfortunately, fate¡ªor some cruel game designer¡ªhad other ideas.


    I reached for the bounty board, aiming to accept a simple ¡°Slay 20 Dire Wolves¡± quest, but at that exact moment, another prompt appeared directly over the Accept button.


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    [Do you wish to enter the Love¡¯s Everlasting Festival? Yes / No]


    And like an idiot, my cursor clicked YES.


    The world shimmered. A romantic melody filled my ears. My surroundings melted away, replaced by something far, far worse.


    Welcome to Love¡¯s Everlasting Festival!


    Pink cherry blossoms floated through the air. Candle-lit pathways wound through a picturesque town square filled with heart-shaped balloons, couples holding hands, and NPCs wearing far too much pink.


    And in the middle of it all, I stood, now decked out in an ill-fitting white tuxedo.


    A message box appeared in front of me:


    [You have entered an Exclusive Limited-Time Event: Love¡¯s Everlasting Festival! Complete all romance challenges to earn amazing rewards! No fast travel or logout permitted until event completion!]


    My stomach dropped.


    No. No, no, no.


    I frantically swiped through my menu.


    Log Out ¨C Disabled.


    Teleport ¨C Disabled.


    Abandon Quest ¨C Disabled.


    Oh, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one having a crisis.


    From somewhere behind me, a very irritated voice groaned, ¡°Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me.¡±


    I turned to see a female player, looking equally horrified. Unlike me, she had been forced into an elegant red ballgown, her expression somewhere between rage and despair.


    She looked vaguely familiar. A high-level player? Someone from a raid guild? Either way, she wasn¡¯t happy.


    [New Objective: Complete Your First Romantic Encounter!]


    A tall, dazzling NPC with flowing golden hair and a love-struck gaze appeared between us.


    ¡°Ah, fate has brought two lost souls together!¡± he announced dramatically. ¡°You must embark on your first romantic date! To escape this festival, you must complete all five stages of True Love¡¯s Journey!¡±


    I turned to the girl. She turned to me.


    There was a long silence.


    ¡°¡­I hate this game,¡± she muttered.


    Same.

 CHAPTER TWO: A DATE WITH DISASTER

    The pink banner announcing our First Challenge: The Caf¨¦ of Affection barely had time to finish unfurling before the world shimmered again. Suddenly, Luna and I were seated at a tiny round table in the middle of an obnoxiously romantic caf¨¦. Heart-shaped candles flickered between us. The violinist in the corner was playing some slow, sappy melody. And worst of all? The menu in front of us was all pink.


    I glanced down. Chocolate-covered strawberries, a heart-shaped steak, and a pink fizzy drink labeled ¡®Love Potion No. 9.¡¯


    Luna groaned, rubbing her temples. ¡°Oh, come on!¡±


    I picked up the Love Potion No. 9, inspecting the glittering liquid inside. ¡°You think this actually does something?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Probably something stupid.¡±


    Before I could set it down, a notification popped up.


    [New Objective: Engage in Meaningful Conversation! Score: 0/10]


    A smiling NPC waiter appeared at our table, practically vibrating with excitement. ¡°Ah, young love! Tell us, how did the two of you meet?¡±


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    Luna shot me a glare that could melt steel. ¡°In the worst way possible.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Agreed.¡±


    The NPC laughed like that was the most romantic thing he¡¯d ever heard. ¡°Oh, how delightful! A love story full of twists! Now, go on, tell each other something meaningful!¡±


    Another notification appeared.


    [Bonus Challenge: Feed Your Partner for Extra Points!]


    I stared at the text, then at Luna.


    ¡°No,¡± she said flatly.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t gonna!¡± I said, holding up my hands.


    Before we could argue further, a waiter arrived, handing me a dainty spoon and a small slice of cake. ¡°For the lady,¡± he said, all too pleased with himself.


    Luna scowled. ¡°This game is testing me.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Look, we need points, right?¡±


    She huffed. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Reluctantly, she leaned forward. I awkwardly lifted the spoon, expecting her to bite it quickly and get it over with.


    Instead, she bit down way too hard.


    I yelped as the spoon was nearly yanked from my fingers. She sat back, chewing smugly.


    [Affection Score: +5]


    I wiped my hand on my tuxedo, narrowing my eyes. ¡°Alright. Your turn.¡±


    She grabbed a strawberry and shoved it straight at my face before I could react. Juice smeared down my chin as the NPCs cheered.


    [Affection Score: +5]


    Luna smirked. ¡°Oops.¡±


    I groaned, grabbing a napkin. ¡°You did that on purpose.¡±


    She grinned unrepentantly.


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    I had a feeling this was going to be the most frustrating¡ªand oddly entertaining¡ªevent I had ever been stuck in.

 CHAPTER THREE: THE TUNNEL OF HEARTFELT HORRORS

    The Caf¨¦ of Affection ordeal finally ended with an explosion of pink confetti and a dramatic announcement that we had passed the first trial of True Love. I felt a surge of relief so potent I almost cheered. Surviving a raid boss with 1 HP felt less taxing than that forced dose of romantic saccharine. But my relief was short-lived.


    [New Challenge: Journey Through the Tunnel of Love!]


    My stomach dropped.


    "Tunnel of Love"? Seriously? This event was determined to assault every last shred of my dignity. Before I could even formulate a suitably sarcastic response, the world dissolved into a nauseating swirl of pink mist.


    When the scene finally resolved, I found myself standing before it. A monstrous, heart-shaped tunnel, pulsating with an unsettling inner light, adorned with enough twinkling fairy lights and pink fluff to give a flamingo a seizure. It looked like a unicorn had exploded in a candy floss factory.


    A disembodied, syrupy-sweet voice echoed through the tunnel, making my teeth ache. ¡°Welcome, lovers, to the Tunnel of Love! Answer the questions of the heart truthfully, and your love shall blossom! Fail, and face the consequences!¡±


    Luna snorted beside me.


    "Consequences? Like what? Being force-fed glitter and rainbows until we explode?"


    I shuddered. The image was disturbingly vivid.


    The tunnel entrance glowed, and we were propelled forward on a heart-shaped gondola. The lurching motion made me grab the side ¨C not that there was much to hold onto. As we glided into the pink depths of the tunnel, giant, floating hearts bearing questions materialized before us. Each one pulsed with a disconcertingly organic throb.


    The first question appeared, shimmering in the air like a bad omen:


    ¡°What is your partner¡¯s most endearing quality?¡±


    I glanced at Luna. Endearing? We¡¯d known each other for approximately ten minutes, thanks to this infernal event. The most I could say was that she seemed efficient at clicking buttons, which was more than I could say for some of the players I¡¯d raided with. Also, her evident disdain for this whole charade was almost¡­ endearing.


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    Almost.


    Meanwhile, Luna was staring fixedly at the tunnel ceiling, as if praying for a meteor strike. After a long, awkward silence, I stammered,


    "Uh¡­ You¡¯re¡­ very¡­ assertive?"


    [Affection Score: +1]


    Luna rolled her eyes.


    "Assertive? That¡¯s a polite way of saying I¡¯ll verbally flay anyone who breathes in my direction."


    I shrugged. At least I got a point.


    ¡°Your turn,¡± I responded, my tone dry as dust. ¡°Try not to die of exertion thinking of something nice to say about me.¡±


    She made a face as though finding something nice to say was the hardest thing she had ever had to do in her life.


    After an agonizing pause, she let out an impatient sigh.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had to report you for any kind of harassment¡­ yet.¡±


    [Affection Score: +3]


    Okay, so self-deprecating humour seemed to be the winning strategy.


    The next question appeared:


    ¡°What is your ideal date?¡±


    My ideal date involved grinding for XP and rare loot, not being trapped in this pastel-coloured nightmare. I almost answered honestly, but a sense of self-preservation stopped me. This game probably wouldn¡¯t appreciate the nuances of my gaming preferences.


    ¡°A date where this event is over,¡± I mumbled, echoing Luna¡¯s earlier sentiment.


    [Affection Score: +5]


    Luna gave me a small, almost approving nod. We were developing a system, a silent pact forged in the fires of shared suffering.


    The interrogation continued. Each question was more ridiculous than the last.


    ¡°If your partner were a mythical creature, what would they be?¡±


    Luna gave me a once over before responding. ¡°A¡­ uh¡­ griffin? Because they fly and¡­ stuff?¡±


    I held back a chuckle. That made no sense at all.


    ¡°A basilisk¡± I answered, not pulling any punches. ¡°One look and you¡¯re dust.¡± Luna raised an eyebrow. I quickly added, ¡°A very, very caffeine-deprived basilisk.¡±


    ¡°What is your partner¡¯s favourite flower?¡±


    ¡°Nightshade. Poisonous. Pretty. Gets the point across.¡± Luna replied.


    Me: ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. Do digital flowers even exist?¡±


    By the time we lurched to a stop at the end of the tunnel, the gondola swaying precariously as if threatening to tip us into a pit of despair (or worse, an even pinker pit)


    I was convinced the game was malfunctioning. The Affection Score counter was flickering erratically, displaying numbers that seemed mathematically impossible.


    The disembodied voice now sounded distinctly strained, like it was gargling rainbows.


    ¡°Congratulations¡­?¡± it wheezed, the forced cheer completely gone. ¡°You have¡­ somehow¡­ passed? The Tunnel of Love!¡±


    We were unceremoniously dumped back into the town square, the relentless pinkness assaulting our retinas. I rubbed my temples, already feeling a headache coming on.


    I turned to Luna, ready to share a grimace of shared misery, and paused as shockwaves spiralled through me.


    She was¡­ smiling.


    An actual smile!!


    ¡°You know,¡± she said, a hint of amusement in her voice, ¡°This is actually kind of entertaining.¡±


    I stared at her, bewildered.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±

 CHAPTER FOUR THE DANCE OF DOOM

    The moment my feet touched solid ground again, I knew¡ªjust knew¡ªwe were not free yet. The town square, still glowing with an aggressively pink hue, had a suspiciously large crowd gathered in the centre. And standing on a makeshift stage was the same overly dramatic NPC from earlier, looking way too excited for whatever fresh horror he was about to unleash upon us.


    [New Challenge: The Dance of Destiny!]


    A fanfare of trumpets blared, followed by an explosion of heart-shaped confetti that rained down on us like we had just won the world¡¯s worst lottery. I braced myself for impact.


    ¡°Welcome, lovebirds!¡± the NPC bellowed, gesturing grandly at the assembled crowd. ¡°Tonight, you shall prove your compatibility through the most sacred of romantic traditions¡­ a dance-off!¡±


    Luna visibly recoiled. ¡°Oh, hell no.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even muster a response. My brain had short-circuited at the sheer absurdity of what was happening.


    Before either of us could protest, the cobblestones beneath our feet shimmered. I looked down just in time to see a circular glowing pattern form beneath me¡ªoh no. No, no, no¡ª


    A flash of light engulfed us, and suddenly, we weren¡¯t in the town square anymore.


    We were on a massive, glittering dance floor floating in the sky.


    Why does this game hate me?


    The backdrop was straight out of a fever dream¡ªa cosmic pink void with floating rose petals, glowing chandeliers, and an inexplicable giant disco ball spinning overhead. A massive audience of NPCs and actual players (some clearly trapped in this nightmare like us, others watching for entertainment) cheered wildly from the stands.


    In the middle of it all, standing on the stage like a smug overlord of rhythm, was him¡ªThe Dance Instructor NPC.


    Dressed in a deep purple tuxedo with a sequined cape, he struck a dramatic pose, tossing his slicked-back hair. ¡°Prepare yourselves, young lovers! Only those with true rhythmic harmony can conquer the Dance of Destiny!¡±


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    Luna turned to me, her expression unreadable. ¡°We have to dance. In front of everyone.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I hate this event so much.¡±


    [New Objective: Score 50 Affection Points Through Synchronized Dancing!]


    The moment the notification popped up, a glowing tutorial window appeared in front of us, displaying an animated chibi version of myself awkwardly stepping to the side, then forward, then spinning.


    Luna watched it with narrowed eyes. ¡°Oh no. It¡¯s a rhythm minigame.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is.¡±


    Before we could strategize (by which I mean panic), the dance floor lit up beneath us. A countdown timer appeared.


    [3¡­]


    [2¡­]


    [1¡­]


    The music hit.


    And it was the most offensively upbeat, aggressively romantic waltz I had ever heard in my life.


    The first set of glowing dance prompts appeared beneath our feet. Left step. Right step. Spin. Simple enough, right?


    Wrong.


    Luna took one look at the steps and went rogue. Instead of a graceful twirl, she executed what could only be described as a combat roll.


    [Affection Score: -2]


    The audience gasped. The Dance Instructor NPC clutched his heart in horror.


    I burst out laughing. I couldn¡¯t help it. The sight of her tumbling across the floor while dramatic violin music played was too much.


    She glared at me. ¡°You think this is funny?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then catch up.¡±


    What happened next was nothing short of anarchy.


    Instead of following the precise choreography, we¡ªhow do I put this?¡ªimprovised. Luna, having lost all respect for the event, started throwing in dodge-rolls, fake combat stances, and, at one point, a very aggressive fist pump. Not to be outdone, I attempted a backflip (bad idea) and ended up flailing mid-air before landing like a sack of potatoes.


    [Affection Score: ???]


    The audience didn¡¯t know how to react. The NPCs gawked. The Dance instructor fainted.


    Somewhere in the distance, an actual player watching yelled, ¡°WHAT AM I EVEN LOOKING AT?!¡±


    The music ended with a final dramatic flourish. We struck our final pose¡ªLuna casually leaning on my shoulder like this had been our plan all along, me gasping for air like I¡¯d just survived a boss battle.


    Silence.


    Then the entire stadium erupted into wild applause.


    [New Record Set: Most Chaotic Dance in Festival History!]


    [Affection Score: +25]


    I blinked. ¡°Wait. We¡­ won?¡±


    Luna smirked, brushing off her dress. ¡°Apparently, disaster is our love language.¡±


    The voice of the now emotionally scarred Dance Instructor quivered as he announced, ¡°C-Congratulations, lovers! You¡­ have passed the Dance of Destiny?¡±


    More pink confetti rained down on us. The game teleported us back to the town square before we could process what had just happened.


    Luna looked at me, tilting her head. ¡°I have to admit¡­ that was almost fun.¡±


    I groaned, rubbing my face. ¡°Please never say that again.¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Oh no. I absolutely will.¡±