Chapter 6
by Need_More_SleepChapter 6: You Are…?
One’s worldview shapes their perception of the world and their place within it.
The education Shimizu Sakuya received and her life experiences had taught her one thing—in the real world, every person possesses an independent personality and a distinct appearance.
Identical outfits and blurred, indistinguishable features? That only happened in human-created fiction.
This was a key reason she could accept the system’s invitation to navigate this galgame world without guilt.
Because this world doesn’t exist, there’s no need to feel remorse.
She often used this excuse to numb her highly moral conscience, easing the guilt of romancing multiple heroines at once.
When the game reset, she could at least comfort herself with the thought that, at the starting point, none of the characters had yet experienced those heart-wrenching events—hadn’t been forced onto the guillotine of growth by reality.
Standing on the slope before Shūchi High’s gates, Sakuya was surrounded by the lively clamor of youth. Cherry blossom trees lined the path, their petals fluttering in full bloom, while the heavy, gilded plaque at the entrance silently boasted the prestige of this century-old institution.
Amid the swirling sakura, students chatted and laughed in groups, carrying their bags just like any ordinary high schoolers stepping into the cradle of their futures—full of hope and vitality.
A scene etched into her DNA.
Clearly, she had returned to where the game began. The surroundings were identical to her memories.
Yet Sakuya’s pupils trembled violently, her expression one of utter shock, as if she’d witnessed a once-in-a-century catastrophe. Her jaw nearly dropped, and she barely managed to stifle a gasp with her hand.
—Because the world was broken! The characters had undergone a complete, earth-shattering transformation!
To her left and slightly behind, a spiky-haired boy walked while hunched over his PSP, his uniform jacket loosely tied around his waist. Oversized headphones covered his ears, his brown eyes dull and bloodshot, with a few prominent acne spots on his nose—clear signs of an all-night gaming session he couldn’t resist continuing on his way to school.
Ahead, a girl with pink hair in twin buns waved energetically in Sakuya’s direction, likely calling out to a friend.
She wore light foundation, her nose slightly flat, her eyeliner subtle but paired with striking emerald-green cat-eye contacts. Her lips were painted in the trendy gradient style, giving her an alluring yet innocent charm.
Though she’d carefully blended foundation onto her neck, she’d forgotten her arms, leaving a noticeable color mismatch between her face and hands.
A popular, romance-obsessed, beauty-conscious girl—the epitome of a high school social butterfly.
One after another, they passed by—laughing, yawning, rushing, worrying. Sakuya stood frozen.
Every NPC now had clearly defined features. Their lives were vivid, their habits and personalities etched into their appearances. They had become real people—living, breathing, capable of laughter and tears.
The galgame world had turned into a real world!
“System! SYSTEM! What the hell is going on?!” she screamed internally, her left hand anxiously twisting the hem of her uniform shirt.
Instead of answering immediately as usual, the system’s cold mechanical voice echoed in her mind like a broken record:
“Program loading. Please wait. Program loading. Please wait.”
It sounded like a frozen, bugged, or virus-infected computer.
The shrill noise overwhelmed her thoughts. Sakuya’s pretty face scrunched up in distress as she instinctively clapped her hands over her ears, as if that could block it out.
But then—
A soft yet firm hand suddenly grabbed hers.
In her dazed state, the abrupt pull sent her spinning off-balance, like a clumsy tango dip, straight into the stranger’s arms.
For a moment, the world seemed to freeze—silent, motionless.
Amber is nature’s gift—resin preserved over millennia, a treasure bestowed upon humanity by time itself.
When their eyes met, Sakuya saw a clarity in the girl’s amber gaze so pure it was almost painful. Even the faint bloodshot streaks from exhaustion couldn’t diminish its beauty—like an insect perfectly preserved in amber.
Sakuya clearly heard the girl’s relieved whisper:
“Caught you… Thank god it’s fake.”
Then—
“Beeeeep—”
A sound like a device powering down.
Falling into a beautiful girl’s embrace might sound romantic, but reality was far less kind.
Her chin slammed straight into the girl’s collarbone. The impact sent stars exploding across her vision, nearly knocking her out.
Dazed, tears welling in her eyes, Sakuya clutched her throbbing chin, her cheeks puffing up like an angry little pufferfish.
So cute…
The girl froze, all words forgotten as her eyes lit up with awe. Before Sakuya could react, she reached out and—
Poke.
Soft. Delicate.
Sakuya, long accustomed to being prey, instantly morphed into a furious little tiger, swatting the offending hand away with a sharp smack!
The sound was like a bucket of ice water, snapping them both back to reality.
They stumbled apart, awkward silence thick between them.
The girl’s cheeks burned red. She fumbled for words, her voice flustered:
“Uh… S-sorry! I didn’t mean to— I just wanted to say… if you ever feel sad or… or unhappy, you can talk to me…?”
She waved her hands frantically, backtracking. “N-not that I’m implying anything! Just—venting helps! Yeah!”
Sakuya frowned. “And you are…?”
The girl’s face turned even redder, steam practically rising from her ears.
Panicking, she yanked her bag up to hide her face, shoved a small keychain—a silver tabby cat plush—into Sakuya’s hands, and blurted:
“S-sorry! Just—tell your problems to Cheese Cat instead! She’ll listen!”
Then, chin buried in her bag, she bolted like her life depended on it.
Sakuya stared at the retreating figure, then down at the adorable keychain in her palm, utterly baffled.
What a weirdo…
And yet—
There was something inexplicably familiar about her. A gut feeling insisted they were connected in some way.
Hmm… Amber eyes. Long black hair. Clear, piercing voice. Shūchi High student.
But no matter how hard she racked her brain—from past lives to present—she couldn’t place her.
Maybe she should ask the system?
She reflexively went to summon it—
Then she remembered the “beep.”
Oh no.
Oh NO.
It’s over!!!
THE SYSTEM SHUT DOWN!