“That’s strange. Strange. Strange. Strange.”
Kim Harin kept repeating the same words.
I could feel just how terrifying the situation was right now.
I could even count the number of sweat droplets forming on my forehead in real time.
‘What’s wrong with her eyes…?’
Harin’s eyes were unfocused, as though she wasn’t looking at anything in particular.
If this were a game, a set of choices should have already appeared by now.
Calming myself as much as possible, I racked my brain.
In the game, it went something like this…
***
Harin, a grown little sister shouldn’t barge into her older brother’s room without permission.
Harin, move aside.
It’s heavy.
Back then, I had chosen the playful second option, and her affection score plummeted.
After repeating several acts of insensitivity, her affection reached zero, leading straight to the bad ending.
The dismemberment ending was not something I wanted to experience again.
Choosing the first option barely maintained her affection score.
But this isn’t a game.
This is reality.
‘The game memories are just a compass, nothing more.’
Harin was still gripping my collar, staring at me with a suspicious gaze.
I took a deep breath.
“Harin.”
I tried to put on the most amicable smile possible and held her hand.
Surprised by my sudden action, she blinked several times.
“I must have slept poorly yesterday. I’m still half-asleep.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
With a steady voice, I gently stroked the back of her soft hand with my finger.
Flinch—
A flicker of hesitation crossed Harin’s expression.
“That ribbon in your hair looks great, by the way.”
I forced a smile.
‘Is it working…?’
Please.
Perhaps my prayer had been answered.
Harin’s tense expression softened into a smile, and she climbed down from where she had been sitting.
“Anyway, if you don’t hurry up, you’ll be late for the entrance ceremony! Woo-hoo~”
Humming a tune with a cheerful grin, she left the room.
I collapsed onto the bed.
‘I thought I was going to die just now….’
As the tension drained from my body, I realized I was drenched in sweat.
“Sigh, this bro-con thing is really… over the top.”
Harin had grumbled earlier that she had to head to school early because she was the day’s class monitor.
That was a relief for me.
***
On the dining table in the living room, a neat breakfast was prepared.
A sticky note caught my eye on the corner of the table.
[Brother, don’t you dare leave anything behind, or else~! (A cute bunny sticker holding a knife)]
A bowl of rice piled high, fried eggs, sausages, and side dishes—even soup was included.
“This feels like food violence.”
Every dish was carefully prepared with noticeable effort.
In the game, skipping meals always led to a decrease in affection points.
Reluctantly, I finished the entire meal, slung my bag over my shoulder, and stepped out the front door.
The door code was the same as it was in the game.
‘What’s the way out of this?’
Ultimately, the only answer seemed to be clearing the game and reaching the ending.
The problem was the game’s brutal difficulty.
Having experienced countless bad endings, I knew better than anyone else.
Even minor negligence during a heroine’s main events could trigger a death flag in the system.
The real issue was the numerous traps scattered along the way.
‘Is this really a dark fantasy game?’
I tried to recall everything I could.
When I focused on one heroine, Kim Harin’s affection score dropped rapidly.
When it hit zero…
Crunch—
So, I had concentrated solely on Harin, maxing out her affection score at 100.
And what happened then?
‘When I opened my eyes, I was tied up hand and foot.’
Damn it.
The game’s ending was probably tied to graduating from the academy, but honestly, with how absurd this game was, I couldn’t say for sure.
For now, my goal was to keep a safe distance from the heroines and focus on graduation.
If I still couldn’t return to my original world afterward…
I’d just move out and live on my own.
Resolving myself, I started walking toward the school.
***
The alley leading to the academy.
In the game, this was where an event occurred involving a first encounter with one of the heroines.
The moment I turned the corner—
“Kyaaah!”
A familiar scream rang out.
When I looked, a blonde girl with bread in her mouth was running straight at me at full speed.
Seo Yuna.
Golden wavy hair, sparkling piercings, and flashy nail art.
Her tight blouse and skirt accentuated her figure, leaving much to the imagination.
She had a bold, mischievous vibe that was immediately apparent.
Seo Yuna was one of the game’s heroines.
According to the game’s settings, Seo Yuna had a free-spirited and lively personality but also a surprisingly delicate side.
‘The problem is… this first meeting event starts with a lucky pervert scenario.’
A so-called “accident” where the protagonist ends up in an inappropriate situation with the heroine.
That moment was now imminent.
Most people would think this was a stroke of good fortune.
But this wasn’t your typical romantic comedy.
[Thunk! Event.]
Seo Yuna, running full speed with bread in her mouth, crashes into the protagonist and falls.
During the collision, the protagonist’s face ends up directly hitting Yuna’s backside.
A classic “lucky pervert” cliché.
‘The problem?’ Nearby students capture the scene on their smartphones, and the photo ends up on the front page of the school’s community page.
‘Does the heroine’s affection increase?’
Not a chance.
Instead, rumors spread that the protagonist is a pervert, blocking any further progress on the heroine’s route—a disastrous event known as the “Thunk! Event.”
‘Trying to avoid it?’
This game’s true cruelty lies in the fact that even choosing option two—avoiding the collision—results in Seo Yuna’s affection dropping.
A true hellish dilemma.
If the protagonist dodges Yuna, she trips over a rock and falls awkwardly.
With her messy appearance, she glares at the protagonist, ensuring an inevitable decrease in affection.
‘Is this even a real game?’
Seo Yuna screamed and dashed toward me.
A collision seemed inevitable.
I quickly twisted my body and grabbed her wrist.
“Kyaaah?!”
The sudden movement caused Yuna to wobble, and I pulled her toward me to help her regain her balance.
A faint jasmine scent wafted from her, tickling my nose.
‘She smells nice.’
‘Did I just avoid triggering the flag?’
Yuna widened her eyes and stared at me.
“What? What?!”
She quickly adjusted her posture and removed the bread from her mouth.
“Wow, your reflexes are insane. Are you even human?”
“Why are you holding my wrist, though? Are you flirting with me?”
“I was worried you might fall.”
I pointed to the rock on the ground with a nod of my chin.
Realizing her mistake, Yuna’s face turned a deep shade of red.
“Still, why are you talking informally to me on a first meeting….”
“We’re the same age.”
Yuna glanced at the name tag pinned to my chest.
“Kim Dohyun…? Judging by the color of your tag, you’re right. Same age. Anyway, don’t act like we’re close if we run into each other at school. Keep it cool, got it?”
With that, Yuna popped the bread back into her mouth and hurried off toward the school gate.
I sighed and muttered under my breath.
‘What a narcissistic, ungrateful brat.’
***
When I arrived at the school gate, cherry blossoms fluttered in the wind, creating a magical scene.
Two cherry blossom trees stood tall on either side, as if announcing that this was a special stage.
The dazzling sunlight filtered through the petals, casting a pink carpet-like glow on the ground.
‘It’s even more beautiful in person.’
Catching my breath, I looked up at the modern academy building peeking through the cherry blossoms.
The sleek design, combined with the light reflecting off the glass windows, exuded sophistication.
“Freshmen, the entrance ceremony will begin shortly! Please gather in the auditorium!”
The announcement echoed through the speakers, and students started making their way to the auditorium.
Among them was Seo Yuna.
Her striking appearance made her stand out even more, and her friends were just as stylish as she was.
Two male students walking ahead of me couldn’t take their eyes off her group.
They were clearly excited, hyping each other up.
“Man, I bet she’d fall for me in no time. Agree or disagree?”
“Agree. Just ask her to go to karaoke after school.”
“It’s your turn this time. Last time I tried in the city.”
“Let’s just hit the PC room after. I’ve got a promotion match.”
“Sure.”
I naturally blended into the flow and moved toward the auditorium.
***
As expected, the entrance ceremony was tedious.
The bald principal droned on with a speech that lasted a whopping thirty minutes.
I barely managed to stay awake.
As soon as the ceremony ended, students gathered in small groups, chatting excitedly.
Some groups already seemed well-formed.
“Hey, we’re in the same class!”
“Really? No way!”
“That blonde girl is seriously pretty, right?”
“If she’s in our class, I swear I’m gonna make a move.”
Laughter and chatter filled the air.
I couldn’t get used to this lively atmosphere.
***
Back at home, I stood in front of the mirror.
The moment I saw my reflection, a deep sigh escaped me.
Thick red-framed glasses.
Messy, unkempt hair.
A textbook “nerd.”
‘There goes your boyfriend. Hey—’
‘Ugh, shut up.’
I looked exactly like someone you’d tease with those lines.
‘No wonder Seo Yuna didn’t want me to act like we know each other.’
‘Still, if I wanted to maintain affection levels with the heroines, I needed to make some changes.’
In the game, you couldn’t alter your appearance, but this was reality.
Looking closely at my face, I realized it wasn’t bad.
Fair skin.
A sharp nose.
Piercing eyes.
‘Was this protagonist bias?’
‘The biggest issue was my outdated style.’
‘Sure, nerdy guys might be trendy these days, but these red glasses?’ Too much.
‘And poor eyesight? In this era, contacts are a thing.’
***
Beep-beep-beep-beep—
As I was analyzing myself, the sound of the door opening broke my thoughts.
It was Kim Harin.
Before I knew it, she was standing beside me.
“Brother, do you have a crush on someone?”
Startled, I turned to her.
“What?”
“You were staring at the mirror and even lost sleep last night. I was just wondering.”
Harin folded her arms and gazed at me intently, a sly grin on her face.
For some reason, her expression sent chills down my spine.
“No, nothing like that.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Harin leaned in close, sniffing the air around me.
I felt a shiver run down my spine.
“If a snake wrapped around your neck, would it feel like this?”
“But I smell perfume on you…”
“It was the entrance ceremony. There were too many people.”
“Hmm~ I see.”
I forced a smile and changed the subject.
“Did you eat?”
“I ate with friends. Anyway, if you ever start liking someone, tell me first. Okay? Promise!”
Without responding, I smiled and patted her head.
‘Like hell I’d tell you.’