"So...I basically have to reach the ending for Saeko's route?'

  Xuān crossed his arms.

  "That's right," the system nodded.

  Xuān sighed. Well, he might as well. After all, how difficult could it be?

  Xuān left the dark storage room and entered into the hallways. He didn't know if it's because this was a game world, but the colours are awfully bright, almost as if mocking his not so bright predicament.

  He sighed.

  The system had once again disappeared, to who knows where. But Xuān could feel it's presence still in the air around him.

  His face was so so tired from all the confused and irritated expressions he had been making, he could feel his face muscles hurt! Enough expressions for the month.

  He was lost in his thought until he saw a girl stumbling towards him. She had a large cardboard box with various musical equipments.

  It looked to heavy for the girl to carry alone as she was clearly struggling.

  She ended up colliding with Xuān. He was now on the ground. His gaze turned from the equipments scattered across the floor to the girl who was now scrambling to gather all the equipments.

  She had soft pink hair that tumbled past her shoulders in loose waves, slightly messy from the fall. Her warm brown eyes, bright yet carrying an unspoken depth, darted between the fallen instruments and Xuān before she huffed in embarrassment.

  Wait. Xuān knew who this was.

  "I am so sorry! I swear I didn't see you there!"

  She explained as she picked up the microphone that had rolled towards Xuān, almost touching his hand.

  Saeko.

  "What's your name?"

  The pink haired girl smiled brightly as she put the last instrument inside the cardboard box.

  "Xuān."

  "Oh! Xuān....? Oh! You are from class 2-1!" She smiled and picked up the cardboard again.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Xuān was just about to offer help before his ears were bombarded with blaring alarms and his eyes were blinded by a too-bright holographic screen infront of his eyes.

  [OOC warning!]

  At the same time, the System returned with an annoyed groan.

  Xuān was confused. Did he do something wrong?

  "Host! You aren't supposed to help people! That's not how your character is! That's OOC! Moreover, you might take the protagonist's chance to shine!"

  What bullshit! Xuān couldn't even help a girl anymore? This was ridiculous. Even his sister wasn't that ridiculous.

  Xuān glanced at the girl still standing there with an infectious smile on her face.

  "Alright! I'll see you around, Xuān!"

  With that, Saeko walked past him, heading in the opposite direction.

  "Host, you need to be careful not to break any rules. You are at least smart enough to understand that, right?"

  Was that an insult?

  Xuān glanced at Syntar with his usual expressionless face, did this system not know?

  "I am the smartest person I know," Xuān thought.

  "You talk too much," He said.

  From his peripheral vision, he saw a boy take the box from Saeko. He turned his attention back to them. Fair enough, it was the protagonist—Kaito, Kaito Sakuragi.

  He was helping her like the good protagonist he was. It pissed him off for some reason. Wasn't this all so predictable? But he didn't let it show.

  "That's great! They are progressing. The protagonist is very nice and charming as always!"

  "Aren't you too excited?"

  The system just giggled in response. Or at least as close to a giggle an electronic voice could manage.

  ~~~~~~

  Xuān was in the library. He didn't have anything better to do so might as well study a bit.

  He slammed the numerous books he had taken out from various sections atop the wooden table. Two books about math. One about Physics and one about Chemistry.

  Ah. The scent of new books. He was practically floating with glee. Of course, his face remained stoic and nonchalant.

  He opened the math textbook and looked at the numerous equations and theorems written in the pages.

  This was his Roman empire.

  He sighed, content.

  But, his happiness was short-lasted as the realised that there was someone else in front of him, sitting on the seat opposite to him was....none other than another female lead. Lumi Vasiliev, her name tag read. She must be a transfer student.

  The girl fixed him with a cold, icy glare. Her dark brown hair reached her waist. She also had a textbook in her hands, a biology one.

  Somehow, Xuān felt intimidated from her presence alone. It felt like she was judging him.

  Xuān turned his attention back to his math textbook.

  Moments passed by in silence and Lumi returned her attention to her own book.

  The library had a few other students too. It was a big library, But oh god, then why did he end up sitting with her?

  He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

  Lumi broke the silence.

  "You are from my class."

  Xuān nodded. He honestly didn't know. He hadn't attended any class yet. It was already club time when he woke up after the "P.E" accident, and he wasn't in a club. So, he just trusted the girl's memory.

  Lumi made a 'hmm' sound and drowned back into her books.

  Xuān was glad the conversation ended. Well, it wasn't a conversation. Either way, it ended.

  Xuān was...lost in thoughts again. Was he really dead? Or was this a sick dream? Maybe a stupid prank by his sister—He'd much prefer that. Hell, maybe he could be in a coma? And this was some long vivid dream he was experiencing?

  That's all wistful thinking. It didn't make sense. Clocks don't work in dreams, but here they did. So he has to live with that.

  He was stuck. Probably forever. Does that mean he would never get to see his sister again? What about his birthday? He missed it too.

  He hoped his sister wasn't being too hard on herself. Knowing her, she was probably blaming herself.

  He was pulled out of his reverie by the system's voice.

  It's ugly and technical voice rang through his ears.

  "Host, shouldn't you go back now? You don't have anything to do today."

  Xuān got up, picked the books up and put them back in their respective places.

  He exited the library and soon the school. A luxury car and a personal butler picked him up.

  He opened the door of the luxurious mansion and stepped inside. It was so unfamiliar. But so, so big and beautiful. Well, his family wasn't poor. But they weren't rich either. They were average. So, to see such a big and luxurious house, he is excited, to say the least.

  But then, a lively voice called out to him, he looked up to see the owner of the voice descending the stairs.

  He froze and his throat suddenly felt dry, it felt like his throat was on fire. Because....

  What the actual fuck?