David didn't remember falling asleep.
He just remembered the dream.
It was Airi—on the same futon they now shared—but dressed like she'd stepped out of the game's H-scene gallery. Lingerie that definitely hadn't come from his closet. Blushing. Breathing softly. Reaching out.
"Do you want me to stop?" she whispered in the dream.
He woke up sweating, heart pounding.
[DREAM EVENT: Forbidden Temptation]
Cause: Emotional suppression overload
Consequence: Mental clarity -10, Hormones +99
He rolled over and groaned into his pillow. "I hate this stupid game."
From the futon beside him, Airi stirred.
"Another weird dream?" she mumbled, half-awake.
David froze. "How did you—?"
"You moaned my name," she muttered, then pulled the blanket over her head. "Creep."
He wanted to die. Preferably immediately.
Later that morning, David stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He splashed cold water on his face, hoping it would wash off the blush that hadn't left since he opened his eyes.
What was wrong with him?
He was supposed to be avoiding her. Deny the flags. Block the scenes. Finish the damn quest.
And yet…
He remembered the way she looked at him while reading together. The quiet moments. The tiny smiles.
They weren't scripted. They were real.
The system must've sensed it, because as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, a glitchy, red-tinted window flashed in front of him.
[SYSTEM WARNING: Emotional Interference Detected]
Status: Heart Sync (40%)
Memory Sync: Initiated
Reality Overlay Unstable
Risk: Crossing boundaries between NPC and Player
David stared at it. "What the hell is this?"
You weren't supposed to fall for her, dumbass.
She's an NPC. This is just a game.
So why are you hesitating?
He dismissed the window, but it lingered in his mind.
And things only got worse when he walked out and found Airi, again, wearing his hoodie—but this time sitting on his bed with her knees drawn up, reading his manga like she'd lived there her whole life.
"Morning," she said without looking up.
David squinted. "Is this a power move?"
"I'm comfortable."
"You're dangerously close to triggering a high-level flag."
She blinked up at him, mock-innocent. "What kind of flag?"
"The one where the protagonist walks in, sees this, and then the romance route explodes in his face."
She shrugged. "Maybe he should stop running away."
He opened his mouth. Closed it.
Was she… flirting?
Was this the game reacting to his feelings? Or was it her?
Or both?
[CHOICE TIME]
A: Tell her to wear her own clothes.
B: Tell her nothing and run.
C: Sit beside her.
He hesitated.
And chose C.
It started normal. They read in silence. Her knee bumped his. Once. Then again.
He didn't move.
She leaned against his shoulder slightly, eyes focused on the page. "You're weird, you know."
"You keep saying that."
"I mean it in a good way."
"…Thanks?"
"You're the first guy I've met who doesn't just drool over me."
"Believe me," David muttered, "it's a daily war."
That made her laugh. Soft and warm. Real.
And that's when the glitch hit.
Just for a second, the room shimmered. The manga in her hand flickered. Her hair changed color—blue, for a flash—then snapped back.
David stood up like he'd been shocked.
"What the hell—"
Airi blinked. "What?"
"You… glitched."
She tilted her head. "Are you okay?"
"I'm seeing system bugs. You're flickering."
She looked around. "What do you mean?Everything's fine to me."
The system popped up again—this time in red text, jagged like broken glass.
[Reality Sync Overload]
David's emotional engagement: 51%
NPC status of Airi Minase: Breaking
If this continues… she may become real.
He backed up, heart thudding. "No. No. That's not possible."
But it was.
This game—this world—was changing because he was changing.
And Airi… wasn't just an NPC anymore.
That night, he sat on the floor again, staring at the ceiling. Airi had fallen asleep on the futon, blanket pulled up, breathing softly.
The system pinged one more time.
New Quest: "Choose Her, Lose Control"
Description: You can no longer prevent the romance route.
Time remaining on Main Quest: 7 days
Ending Route Split Approaching
David sat in silence.
If he let this go on, he might lose the chance to stop the protagonist from stealing Airi. Or worse, he might lose himself.
But…
If he didn't…
He looked over at her—peaceful, unaware, and yet somehow more real than anything else in this fake world.
"Dammit," he whispered.
He didn't know what choice he'd make.
But he knew this: it wouldn't be easy.
And the system?
It was watching.