David thought peace had finally returned to his life.
He had blocked Airi Minase's first meeting with the protagonist. The main quest timer was ticking, but the flags were quiet for now. No accidental gropes. No beach events. No random "falling on top of her" clichés.
For three glorious days, his life was just cold rice, quiet mornings, and anime reruns.
Then someone knocked.
David opened the door, and Airi Minase stood there with a suitcase and a face that screamed "don't ask."
"...What," he said flatly.
"The girls' dorm flooded," she replied, brushing wet hair from her eyes. "Sprinkler system exploded. Guess which lucky girl got assigned a temporary room?"
"…You've got to be kidding."
She stepped past him into his apartment. "Nope. They said my assigned room was already stocked with food and 'occupied by a trusted student.' That's you, apparently."
David stared at the ceiling.
[H-SYSTEM NOTICE]
Temporary Co-habitation Triggered
Partner: Airi Minase
Duration: 14 Days
Risk Level: 87%
Mission Update: Prevent Romance Flag Progression
He stared at the system window.
Then at Airi, who was now casually unpacking.
Then back at the system.
"...You did this on purpose."
"RNG, baby."
David sighed and shut the door.
Airi flopped onto his futon like she owned the place. "This room's small. Do you have another blanket?"
"I didn't plan for company."
She smirked. "What, you don't have a secret harem hidden under the bed?"
"No," he said, voice dry. "Just trauma and instant noodles."
She snorted.
David rubbed his face. "Okay. Ground rules. No accidental touching. No shared baths. No triggering obvious anime events. And we sleep as far apart as physics allows."
"Fine by me," Airi said, yawning. "Try anything, and I'll castrate you with your toothbrush."
"Noted."
She stretched, and David immediately turned his head. Her shirt lifted just a bit too much. The system pinged.
[MINOR EVENT: Accidental Glimpse]
You looked.
She didn't notice.
But you did.
Horny stat: Stirring
David silently begged the system for death.
Later that night, David was brushing his teeth while Airi was finishing a bath.
"Did you bring a change of clothes?" he asked through the door.
"Kinda forgot."
"Wait, then what are you wear—"
The bathroom door opened. Steam rolled out.
Airi stepped into the hallway, towel wrapped around her and nothing else.
They both froze.
David choked on his toothbrush foam.
She blinked. "...What are you doing there?"
"Living my worst nightmare," he replied, turning around so fast his neck cracked.
"I thought you were done."
"I thought you'd bring pajamas!"
They argued for ten seconds before she slammed the door shut again, and he nearly tripped running back to his room.
The system lit up like it won bingo.
[BORDERLINE-H EVENT: Towel Encounter]
Affection +3
Tension +10
Player Morality: Hanging by a thread
They didn't talk about it.
Instead, they set up sleeping spaces. David on the floor with a borrowed pillow. Airi on the futon.
It was awkward. Quiet.
Too quiet.
David lay there, staring at the ceiling, listening to Airi breathe.
"...You're not gonna watch me sleep, are you?" she mumbled.
He exhaled. "No. I'm busy mentally punching the game devs."
She was quiet for a second, then said softly, "You're weird, you know that?"
"Thanks. That means a lot coming from a girl whose route I'm actively trying to block."
"You say the weirdest things."
[DIALOGUE EVENT COMPLETE]
Airi's Curiosity: +4
Relationship Level: Dangerously Stable
The next morning, David walked out of the bathroom and stopped in his tracks.
Airi was in the kitchen. Wearing his oversized hoodie. No pants. Just his hoodie and knee socks.
He nearly dropped his toothbrush.
"Do you own pants?"
She blinked at him, sleepy-eyed. "Laundry. Yours were closest."
David turned around and walked straight into the wall.
[CRITICAL FLAG ALERT: Hoodie Scene Unlocked]
This is a romantic development death trap.
Abort. Immediately.
"I'm going to the store," he muttered, grabbing his wallet like it was a sword. "Don't burn down my house."
"No promises," she said, sipping instant coffee.
He left before the blood in his body finished screaming.
On the way back, David ran into Yuuto.
"Oh hey, man," Yuuto said, grinning. "I heard Airi got reassigned. Poor girl. Hope she's with someone responsible."
David broke out in cold sweat. "Yeah, definitely."
"Wait…" Yuuto paused. "That's your place, right?"
David made finger guns and mentally screamed. "Just temporary."
Yuuto squinted. "You're not… you know, doing anything weird, right?"
"She took the bed. I sleep on the floor. I haven't seen so much as a bare ankle on purpose."
Yuuto laughed. "Chill, dude. Just looking out for her."
David forced a smile, but something in Yuuto's tone was off.
[System Flag Triggered: Rival Suspicion]
Yuuto is watching.
Do not let him catch Airi in your hoodie again.
Back home, David kicked open the door.
"Airi! Do not answer the door half-dressed!"
Airi poked her head out from the bathroom, hair damp again. "Why?"
"Because this is how love triangles start and I'm allergic to plot!"
She rolled her eyes. "You're paranoid."
"I am traumatized."
[Status Update]
Romance flags: Delayed
Danger level: Rising
Emotional involvement: Increasing
Denial: Strong but cracking
That night, as Airi quietly read a book beside him, her hair brushing his arm as she leaned over to show him a funny paragraph, David felt something twist in his chest.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
He wasn't supposed to feel anything.
But he did.
And the system knew it.
[New Warning]
You are beginning to care.
You idiot.