"Myles! I love you!"
Silence fell.
Not the dramatic kind. Not the kind in novels where hearts pound and time stretches.
It was simply infinitely awkward.
'I succeeded! Wait, where's that screen?'
He couldn't help but look around frantically.
A few students snorted. Someone laughed, and some let out a surprised exhale of amusement.
A girl leaned toward her friend and whispered, "Is that Blake?" Another lifted her phone, angling it to capture a clip, the small lens gleaming in the sunlight.
Myles did not react.
He did not look up. He did not blink excessively. He did not smirk or twitch a corner of his mouth. He simply finished typing whatever he was typing, his thumb sliding lazily across the screen as though Blake's words had been nothing more than a mosquito buzzing nearby.
'Ah, right, him...'
The boy's heart slammed against his ribs like someone had just died.
'Why isn't he reacting?'
If this were a normal confession, there would be rejection, mockery, or confusion. A sharp word, an elbow jab, a laugh echoing for weeks.
But this—
This felt like being completely non-existent.
'I knew he was cold in the books. That he wasn't searching for love or anything, but this is impressive.'
The bus stop returned to life in slow motion. Conversations picked back up. Someone shoved past him, muttering an apology Blake couldn't even process.
Myles briefly looked up.
Their eyes met.
There was no anger. No embarrassment. No curiosity. Nothing behind those eyes.
A perfectly normal teenage expression, like the world had not shifted violently around him.
"Sorry," Myles said mildly, as if Blake had bumped into him by accident. His voice was calm. Polite. Average. "Do I know you?"
The words were simple.
'I mean, he at least decided to acknowledge me... but, all things considered, it doesn't look like he's interested in me.'
The boy's throat went dry.
"N-No, I just—"
Myles' gaze flickered down, briefly scanning Blake's rumpled uniform, then back up. Quick. Assessing. Disinterested. Still ordinary. Still harmless.
"Then maybe you're mistaken."
He stepped aside as the bus arrived, letting others board first.
Blake felt a coldness spread through him, starting in his chest and radiating outward until his hands were clammy and his knees weak.
[ Dear Host, congratulations. First mission completed. ]
The system window blinked to life in front of his face. He jumped, nearly dropping his bag.
'God, why is this thing popping up now? I almost thought my time was already up!'
[ Current Favorability: -10 → -10 ]
"…It didn't move? Like, at all?!" he whispered.
[ Confession registered. Emotional response: None. ]
None.
Blake stared at Myles' back as he boarded the bus, his heart hammering in disbelief.
'None?'
That meant—
He didn't even qualify as a variable.
'This is going to be a short life. Ah, wait, I have to get on that bus!'
The bus doors were about to close when Blake lunged forward.
He slipped through the doors at the last second, shoving past a pair of laughing students and earning a sharp glare from the driver.
"You paying or sightseeing?" the driver barked.
Blake swiped the card he'd found in his pocket.
Insufficient funds.
'No way, why doesn't he have any money!'
Behind him, someone clicked their tongue impatiently. He felt the weight of eyes on him, subtle yet piercing, a reminder that the world was still moving while he hovered in panic.
Myles was two rows ahead. Perfectly straight posture. Hands in pockets. Earphones in. Looking out the window with the same calm detachment as every other student.
Blake felt sweat gather at the small of his back. His hands shook slightly.
"You've got money or not?" the driver snapped.
Blake tried again.
Insufficient funds.
"Charge it to me."
Blake froze.
Myles stepped forward casually, pulling out his own card. His movements were unhurried. Ordinary and human. Nothing like the evil manipulator Blake had read about in the forums.
The machine beeped.
Approved.
The driver waved Blake through. "Sit down next time before holding up the line."
Blake turned stiffly. "…Why?" he blurted.
Myles tilted his head slightly. "Why what?"
"Why did you pay?"
How could someone who acts so polite be a villain?
"You looked like you were going to cry."
Blake's ears burned. His throat tightened. "I'm not—"
"It's fine," Myles interrupted gently. "Just sit."
And then he walked to the back of the bus and sat down.
There was no lingering eye contact. No interest.
'This guy is definitely crazy.'
Blake stood frozen for a long moment before slowly sliding into a seat two rows ahead. His heart refused to calm down.
'He shouldn't have helped me, technically. Myles Cortez does not help people. He manipulates them. Uses them. Disposes of them.'
That's what worried him the most.
What if he decided later that this was inconvenient?
That Blake himself was inconvenient? He did draw attention to him, a guy who wants to look as ordinary as possible.
But just now, he had acted like the most normal boy in the world.
[ Unlocked: Roulette. ]
The screen flickered again.
[ First Mission Reward Available. ]
A glowing wheel materialized beside the floating avatar of Spoon. Blake pressed it with a hesitant finger. The wheel spun, stopping abruptly.
[ Fear Is For The Unloved! (D) ]
'What kind of name is that...'
[ Effect: Moderate resistance to psychological fear. Automatically activates when panic exceeds threshold. ]
Blake let out a shaky sigh. 'Too late, crazy bastard.'
[ Dear Host, fear levels decreasing. Skill partially activated. ]
His breathing began to stabilize. A little.
Across the aisle, Myles shifted slightly in his seat. Blake's eyes drifted toward him involuntarily, drawn like a magnet.
Myles' gaze met his reflection in the bus window. Not directly. Through the glass.
'Fuck!'
He looked away.
'I mean, that means he isn't completely uninterested in me, at least?'
He knew it wasn't exactly a good sign. But at this point, he had to turn negative attention into positive attention.
The bus continued forward, the hum of the engine and soft chatter filling the space, but Blake felt like he was moving underwater.
[ Main Objective Assigned. ]
The screen darkened.
[ No Love, No Life ]
[ Save the world from Myles Cortez by seducing him. ]
[ Current Favorability: -10 ]
[ Time Remaining: 365 Days ]
[ Penalty: ??? ]
Blake's blood ran cold.
"One year…" he whispered.
One year to make the future destroyer of the world fall in love with him.
One year to survive.
One year before death, or whatever the penalty was.
The bus slowed. Students began standing, adjusting backpacks and talking over each other.
Myles removed his earphones. As he passed Blake's seat, he paused. Just for a moment.
"You said you love me, right?"
Blake's entire body went rigid.
Myles' tone was freezing cold.
He couldn't bring himself to raise his head.
"You should be more careful with words like that."
He leaned slightly closer, close enough for Blake to feel the faint warmth of his presence, yet not enough for anyone else to notice.
"People might misunderstand."
Then he stepped off the bus.
Leaving Blake frozen in his seat.
[ Warning. ]
[ Favorability Fluctuation Detected. ]
[ -10 → -11 ]
Blake stared at the screen. "…What?"
'Just why? Why did it decrease?! I mean, I do know why, but this is absurd. If I'm not guaranteed a higher favorability level whenever I complete a mission, then how am I supposed to seduce him?!'
As Blake got off the bus, he couldn't see Myles anywhere.
He had already blended in.
'Why was his favorability level -10 to begin with? Did he know the original Blake or something?'
That was unlikely, considering Myles was a stereotypical villain with zero friends. But still, he really did act like a normal person, so who knows if Blake did something to piss him off?
[ New mission: Stare at Myles Cortez for 1 hour ]
[ Current favorability: -11 ]
[ Time limit: 1 day ]
[ Penalty: ??? ]
[ Reward: Skill from spinning wheel. ]
???
'Just how many missions do I have a day!!!'