Summer break was almost over.
The countdown sat like a curse on David's screen.
Main Quest: Prevent Protagonist from Meeting Airi Minase
Time Remaining: 5 Days
He was doing his best.
Keeping Airi distracted. Busy. Hidden.
But the world—the game—was working against him. Every system script, every narrative pull was dragging them toward the "canon" meeting.
And worst of all?
Yuuto had entered the radar.
It started at the convenience store.
David had stepped out to grab snacks. Airi was home, curled up with manga and suspiciously cute socks.
He bumped into Yuuto by accident—literally.
Tall. Cool. That perfect protagonist vibe.
"Ah, sorry," Yuuto said, smiling like a drama lead. "Didn't see you there."
David blinked. "It's fine."
Yuuto tilted his head. "You go to my school, right? Class B?"
"Uh. Yeah."
They stood in silence.
Yuuto looked oddly interested. "Have we met before?"
David forced a chuckle. "Nope. You probably just have a very punchable face."
Yuuto laughed. "Man, I like you. What's your name?"
CHOICE:
A: Lie.
B: Tell him.
C: Punch him and run.
David picked B.
"David."
Yuuto grinned. "Cool name. We should hang sometime."
No. No you shouldn't.
David smiled. "Maybe."
Back at the apartment, Airi met him at the door like a suspicious cat.
"You took a long time."
"I got cornered by fate," he muttered, handing her the ice cream.
She blinked. "Yuuto?"
"Yep."
Airi's expression shifted. A little too neutral.
David frowned. "You've… heard of him?"
She hesitated. "No. But I had a dream about him last night."
Everything in him froze.
[NPC Data Leak: Ongoing]
Connection between Airi and Protagonist: Starting to form
Timeline: Accelerated
Damage Control: Required Immediately
"What kind of dream?" he asked.
She poked her ice cream. "We were in a classroom. He smiled at me. Said something like 'I've been looking for you.' I don't know. It felt… scripted."
David's heart dropped.
It was scripted. That was their original first meeting.
And it was trying to happen—even through dreams.
[WARNING: Narrative Anchor Activated]
If Airi meets Yuuto in reality, route will lock.
David paced the room. His brain was burning.
He had five days.
No. Less, if dreams were syncing data early.
He had to do something.
Later that evening, David sat on the balcony, watching the city lights flicker like a digital graveyard.
Airi joined him quietly, sitting on the floor beside his chair.
"Do you ever feel like… this isn't real?" she asked.
He nearly choked on his soda. "Why do you keep asking questions like that?"
She hugged her knees. "Because nothing feels real until I'm with you. Everything before you is a blur. Like a bad save file."
His heart thumped.
Airi Affection: 74%
Emotional Sync: 69%
Reality Barrier: Fading
She looked at him. Eyes sharp, haunted.
"Tell me the truth. Am I real?"
David's mouth opened. No words came out.
[SYSTEM PROMPT: Critical Moment]
Lying now may reset her.
Telling the truth may break her.
He chose silence.
Airi sighed. "Thought so."
She stood up, walking inside. Her voice floated back.
"I don't care if I'm fake. I just don't want to lose you."
The next day, Yuuto messaged him.
[Hey, wanna hang out today? I'm near the station.]
David stared at the message like it was a ticking bomb.
Airi peeked over his shoulder.
"Who's that?"
He slammed the phone shut. "Nobody."
She crossed her arms. "You're hiding something."
"You're hiding half my wardrobe."
"…Fair."
He distracted her with a movie, snacks, and subtle panic.
But deep down he knew…
The story was moving.
And soon, he wouldn't be able to stop it.
That night, he checked the system logs.
Yuuto's route was activating. Airi's dream-state scripts were becoming lucid. Dialogue was merging from cutscenes that hadn't happened yet.
Prediction: 80% chance Airi meets Yuuto within 72 hours
Suggested Action: Isolate. Confess. Corrupt.
Wait. Corrupt?
He opened the suggestion.
If you make her yours before Yuuto meets her, the route breaks. Permanently.
David stared at it.
New Side Quest: "Claim Her First"
Optional H Event Unlocked
Rewards: Airi Route Ownership. System Override Key.
Risk: Emotional Collapse. Permanent World Shift.
Time: 3 Days
He shut the window.
His hands were shaking.
This wasn't just a choice between success or failure anymore.
This was about who she would become.
NPC?
Protagonist's prize?
Or his?
And worst of all… the scariest part?
He didn't know what she would choose.