Chapter 1 - Love System
It was past 10pm already, but the only thing that would give it away was the dark skies.
The city was still bustling like it would have been during the day. People going to and fro about their businesses.
Transactions were made.
Cars blared their horns, several drivers arguing and dragging for some space on the road.
Couples chatted and laughed at silly jokes they made to each other.
While the night seemed to be full of life, a certain young man was getting his life drained out of him as he read a text through his phone screen.
[Hey, baby❤️]
[I'll be staying over at Marcella's]
[See ya when I get back. Love you💕]
There were texts from his girlfriend… or rather, his supposed girlfriend.
Ordinarily, such texts from one's partner should bring some sort of joy to their hearts or at least a little smile to their faces.
However, for Nathan, it was nothing but a painful reminder of how stupid he has been for over a year that he's been dating Caroline.
"This fucking cheat…" he grunted under his breath, deeply tempted to crush his phone in his hand but his girlfriend was not worth incurring such an expense.
"The nerve of you to even lie to my face. Sleeping at Marcella's, my ass."
Nathan was devastated inside, drowning himself in alcohol.
What else could he do?
His life was already in shambles since the past few months.
He had lost his job after being accused of sexual harassment by his former boss' secretary, nearly escaping imprisonment.
Since then, he has been unfortunate with getting another one.
Then there was Caroline… his girlfriend.
Someone he heavily supported when things were going well for him.
How dare she do such a thing?
How dare she cheat on him?
Perhaps it was the heaven trying to free him from one last shackle that scripted his life in a manner that he would run into his girlfriend being all lovey dovey with another man.
Staring from the distance as he observed the two, Caroline seemed to be enjoying her time with this person.
She didn't look like someone who was forced to be here or anything of sorts.
They laughed, held hands and even kissed at one point with Caroline smearing her breasts all over him.
As expected, Nathan was livid but what could he do about it?
Nothing.
He just needed to forget what he saw.
Maybe the alcohol could help but even that was temporal.
"Fucking bitch…" he gritted his teeth, cursing Caroline from his heart. "After all I did for her."
He turned his head slightly to the side, catching a glance of the messages once more.
Nathan was tempted to call Marcella. At the same time, something inside of him refrained him from such an act.
He wanted to be certain that Caroline was truly sleeping over at her place but how much more did he want his pride to be hurt?
"They are pretty much the same," Nathan concluded and took another gulp from his cup. "I'm sure she would defend her."
He sat at the bar, gulping one glass after another as other customers came and left until he was the only one left with the bartender.
"We are closing," the bartender alerted him with a gentle tap on the table.
Nathan looked at him, everywhere feeling foggy as he could barely even hold himself.
Seeing the state the young man was in, the bartender shook his head and sighed.
'This guy must be having a really fucked up day,' he thought to himself, realizing how much drink Nathan had consumed.
Nathan raised his arm in the air.
"Just give me a second…" he said, belching between words. "Someone's coming to get me."
The bartender heaved yet another sigh of disappointment.
He couldn't bring himself to send Nathan away, not after seeing how messed up he was.
At the same time, he wanted to shut the place and go home to get some rest after a day's work.
"Fine," he grumbled in a low tone, returning to his business of cleaning just to buy Nathan some time.
Not long after that, someone walked into the bar, flinging the door like she was about to fuck people up right now.
"Nathaniel Stark!" she called out loudly without a care in the world for where she was.
The woman was beautiful and well shaped physically.
Noticing where Nathan was seated in front, she stormed there and immediately pulled him by the hair.
"Ouch! What the fu—" Nathan almost snapped until he caught sight of who grabbed his hair. "D-Dahlia?"
"Yes, asshole!" Dahlia blasted him. "You called me."
Nathan blinked a few times, confused at what Dahlia was saying.
Dahlia facepalmed, realizing in that instant that Nathan was dead drunk and disoriented.
"This guy…" she groaned. "Was the interview so bad that you had to mess yourself up like this?"
Dahlia moved to help him, placing his arm over her shoulder but Nathan was struggling, trying to resist her as much as he could.
"What the hell, Nate? Let's go."
Nathan looked at her and smiled creepily.
"After one more drink," he said, raising one finger. "Don't be a killjoy, Dee. Drink with me."
Dahlia gritted her teeth.
She knew how stubborn Nathan could get and it was obvious that despite being drunk, he wouldn't budge unless they had a drink.
She looked at the bartender with eyes that begged him for a little more time and the latter couldn't help but sigh again.
The way he looked at Dahlia and Nathan, it was crystal clear that he wouldn't let either of them back into this place ever again.
With a feeling of resignation, he raised five fingers, signaling to Dahlia that all they had left was five minutes, no more no less.
Should they start even a minute extra, he would kick them out.
Dahlia nodded, understanding the man as she ordered a glass of whiskey for herself just to appease Nathan who was already laughing.
"You are paying though! You get that?!"
Nathan smiled at her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Of course…"
Bzzt-!
A sudden glitch appeared in the air between Nathan and Dahlia, flashing for less than a second but that was enough to catch Nathan's attention.
Bzzt-!
It happened again.
Nathan blinked.
[Conditions have been met]
[Binding to host]
[Loading…]
Nathan looked at the system panels that appeared one after another. However, to Dahlia, it looked like he was staring weirdly at her.
"W-What?!" Dahlia snapped, her cheeks flushing a little red.
Nathan lifted his finger to point at the panels for her to see but ended up falling over.
[Congratulations, host]
[You have awakened the Love System]