Yuki stared at the blinking notification hovering in her field of vision like a ruthless game quest marker:
[Mission 2: Speak to a real human for 5 minutes — +10 Charm XP]
Five minutes. Talk to a human. She'd barely managed to speak to her cat this morning, and even that was half-hearted grumbling.
LUNA's voice buzzed in her ear like a relentless gaming sidekick.
"Come on, DeadlyNeko92. This mission is crucial. Real humans = real XP. Do you want to be a 'High-Value Woman 2.0' or not?"
Yuki groaned, tugging her oversized hoodie down over her eyes. "I don't even know how to do this."
Kaizen, now perched awkwardly on her desk, tilted his head and smiled innocently
"Humans are like NPCs, right? If you know the dialogue options, you can win their hearts."
Yuki blinked at him. "You're not helping."
LUNA's sassy retort cut in:
"You're both helping and failing spectacularly. Hurry up."
Dragging a deep breath, Yuki shoved her gaming chair back and stood, feeling the cool air of the outside world bite at her skin. She looked down at the pastel pink jacket LUNA forced on her — it clashed wildly with her usual dark attire, but hey, this was about leveling up, right?
She stepped outside, her heart racing like it had just triggered a boss fight. The world felt… loud. People moved around her with conversations, laughter, and the intoxicating scent of coffee drifting from a nearby café.
Five minutes. That was all she had to survive.
Walking in felt like entering an arena. The bell above the door jingled, and Yuki immediately felt every pair of eyes glance her way. She lowered her gaze, clutching her purse like a shield.
"Order at the counter," Kaizen whispered, voice trembling with unintentional humor. "Simple quest step one."
Yuki shuffled to the counter, barely managing to squeak out her order for a "Green tea, no sugar." The barista smiled politely, but Yuki's social anxiety built a wall between her and any possible friendliness.
Grabbing her drink, she found a small table and sat, staring at the cup like it held a magic elixir that could protect her from social death.
Then, a voice—clear, cheerful, and entirely unexpected—spoke beside her.
"Hey, that's my favorite too!"
Yuki jumped, nearly spilling her tea. She looked up into the eyes of a smiling girl with bright pink hair and a manga shirt. Her heart slammed so hard it threatened to explode.
"Oh. Uh… hi," Yuki managed, voice shaking.
"I'm Miko," the girl said, sliding into the seat across from her. "You look new around here."
Yuki blinked. Five minutes of conversation? Challenge accepted.
She gave a small nod. "I'm Yuki."
LUNA's notification popped:
[Mission: 1 minute spoken — 20% complete.]
Miko grinned. "So, what brings you to this caffeine temple of doom?"
Yuki nearly laughed at the description but forced a serious tone. "Just… needed to get out of the house."
"Same. I come here when life feels like a grind boss." Miko's eyes sparkled with genuine warmth. "What do you do, Yuki?"
Yuki hesitated. "I write… stories."
"Oh! Like fanfiction?"
Yuki's mouth twitched in surprise. "Yeah… how'd you guess?"
"Your vibe screams 'secret otaku'," Miko winked. "I'm into manga and cosplay myself."
Suddenly, the conversation felt easier. Less like a quest, more like… real connection.
LUNA's next notification was immediate:
[Mission complete! +10 Charm XP, +5 Confidence XP]
Yuki's heart soared. Maybe this "real world" wasn't so scary after all.
As Miko chatted about the latest anime season, Yuki realized something important: every awkward step forward was leveling her up — in life, and maybe, just maybe, in love.
Yuki felt the warmth of the tea cup seep into her fingers, grounding her as Miko animatedly talked about the newest anime conventions and cosplay mishaps. For a moment, Yuki forgot about the flashing system notifications and the looming pressure of LUNA's missions.
"...And then my wig fell off during the costume contest!" Miko laughed, eyes sparkling. "It was so embarrassing, but everyone was super supportive."
Yuki smiled genuinely for the first time in days. "That sounds… kind of amazing."
"Trust me," Miko said, "we all have those moments where we just want to vanish. But hey, it's the weird, awkward stuff that makes it fun."
Yuki glanced at the tiny timer counting down in her vision—still a little under two minutes left to hit the five-minute mark. Somehow, it felt less like a chore and more like a conversation she actually wanted to have.
"So… what kind of stories do you write?" Miko asked, leaning forward, genuinely curious.
Yuki's cheeks warmed. "Mostly fanfic. I'm kind of obsessed with anime and games. I write under the name 'DeadlyNeko92.'"
Miko's eyes lit up. "No way! I've read your stuff on Wattpad. Your story 'Otaku Girl' is hilarious!"
Yuki's mouth fell open. "You have?!" Her heart practically did a victory dance.
"Totally. You have a real talent. You should keep writing."
Before Yuki could respond, a small notification blinked in her vision:
[Bonus Quest Unlocked: Form a new 'real world' ally — Optional]
LUNA's voice chimed:
"Congratulations! Making a friend is a huge win. Keep this up and your Charm XP will skyrocket."
Yuki cleared her throat, suddenly feeling more confident. "Thanks, Miko. I think… I could use a friend like you."
Miko grinned. "You got it. And hey, if you ever want to level up your social skills, just hit me up. I'm usually here or online."
Yuki nodded, feeling a spark of hope she hadn't felt in ages.
As she sipped her tea, Kaizen nudged her from the side, whispering, "Looks like you're finally starting to play the game right."
Yuki laughed quietly. "Maybe this whole 'real life' thing isn't so terrifying after all."
Yuki's footsteps echoed softly as she stepped back into her room — except it didn't look like her room anymore. Somewhere between her last attempt to clean and LUNA's magic "auto-clean" system, her cluttered chaos had morphed into something… manageable. Boxes were stacked neatly, clothes folded, and even her gaming setup sparkled like it had been buffed by a pro.
A glowing bar hovered at the corner of her vision, displaying stats:
Charm: 12/50, Social XP: 3/20, Anxiety Level: 87%.
Yuki blinked, rubbing her eyes. "Okay… I'm officially trapped in a game now."
From the corner, LUNA's voice chimed, playful yet commanding. "Welcome back, Player Yuki. Your environment has been optimized for maximum social interaction."
Yuki groaned. "Ugh, can we not make this sound like a game tutorial?"
"Nope." LUNA replied. "Now, access your Social Hub. You'll need to practice conversations and unlock new dialogue options to complete your next mission."
Yuki swiped her phone and—whoa—a vibrant interface popped up, full of avatars, conversation starters, and outfit suggestions.
"Practice conversations?" Yuki muttered, her heart tightening. "Yeah, because talking to real humans is so easy…"
Kaizen appeared beside her, eyes bright. "Think of it like unlocking secret side quests! Each chat is XP for your social skill tree."
Yuki stared at him like he was nuts. "Side quests don't give you anxiety attacks."
LUNA cut in with a warning. "Mission failure will result in system penalties, including suspension of privileges. No snacks, no gaming, no cozy sweatpants. Are you willing to risk that?"
Yuki's stomach sank. That was… actually terrifying.
"Fine." She muttered. "What's the mission?"
LUNA's screen lit up: Attend a local anime meetup within 24 hours and introduce yourself.
Yuki's mind screamed NOPE.
The next hour was a fashion disaster montage. Yuki pulled out every hoodie and T-shirt, debating with LUNA's relentless color-coded fashion tips.
"Pastel pink is too 'basic'."
"Neon green screams 'help me'."
"Try something soft but approachable."
Kaizen attempted his version of help: "Maybe a cloak? Mysterious wanderers always get attention!"
Yuki gave him the side eye. "No cloaks. Ever."
Finally, with a reluctant nod, she settled on a lavender sweater and jeans combo — "safe and neutral," according to LUNA.
The meetup was held at a cozy local café, walls plastered with anime posters and shelves lined with manga. Yuki's heart pounded like a taiko drum.
Groups of people chatted, laughed, and exchanged badges. Some glanced at Yuki curiously as she shuffled in, clutching her tote bag like a lifeline.
Her phone buzzed: Mission Update: You have 10 minutes to introduce yourself.
Yuki's mouth went dry.
Kaizen whispered, "Remember, treat it like a side quest. Just say your lines."
Yuki tried to breathe. "Okay… just words. Words don't hurt."
She stepped forward, voice trembling but determined: "H-hi, I'm Yuki."
Heads turned.
A kind-eyed girl smiled and said, "Hey! I'm Miki. New here?"
Yuki nodded, cheeks burning.
LUNA's notification popped up: Mission Success: Social XP +5. Charm +2.
And just like that, Yuki realized maybe this chaotic "game" wasn't the worst thing to happen after all.