The bell rang at the end of the day, releasing Takumi from his final class of the day. He shoved his books into his bag, half-listening as his friends talked about upcoming plans for the weekend. But Takumi couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Something he couldn't quite explain.
That evening, when he sat down to do his homework, he got another message.
Quest: Social Mastery. Objective: Make 3 new friends. Complete one social challenge (talk to someone outside your normal circle).
Takumi frowned at the screen. Was this some sort of joke? He was a pretty quiet guy—nothing like the outgoing types who could just walk up to anyone and start chatting. But the quest was there, clear as day. And if it was a game, well, maybe he could treat it like one.
He spent the rest of the evening overthinking his strategy. What did it mean to "make friends"? Was there some secret trick to it? Was it just about being nice? Should he aim for the obvious—talking to his classmates, maybe someone from another club?
The next morning, during lunch, Takumi saw a familiar face sitting alone near the vending machines. Ryo, the popular athlete, was munching on a sandwich, his eyes glued to his phone. He wasn't exactly Takumi's usual lunch partner—Ryo was always with his group of friends, the ones who didn't have time for anyone else.
But this time, Takumi felt like there was no choice.
"Hey," Takumi said, walking up to Ryo's table. "Mind if I sit here?"
Ryo looked up, his face a mix of surprise and curiosity. He raised an eyebrow. "Uh, sure."
Takumi sat down awkwardly, unsure of what to say next. The silence stretched between them like an uncomfortable gap, but Takumi was determined to stick with it.
"So, uh, do you have a strategy for the track meet next week?" Takumi asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
Ryo grinned, clearly warming up to the conversation. "Actually, yeah. I've been working on my speed. But it's mostly about stamina. You gotta last until the final lap."
And just like that, the conversation started flowing. Takumi didn't know if he could call Ryo a "friend" yet, but he had made a connection—one small step in this weird game he found himself in.