Chapter Text
"Chigiri, I'm telling you I'm fine" Reo didn't have enough energy to make a scene in that restaurant, which completely contradicted the statement that he was fine.
However, his friend knew it was all a lie, so Chigiri composed himself, leaving the fork on the salad plate in front of him and looked at the purple eyes that hid within themselves a repression of emotions.
"I had to see you at the moment where you looked like the wettest kitten" He rolled his eyes, a gesture that increased the headache that tormented him due to the workload, but he needed to show to the persistent man by his side that he was tired of being reminded of those times. "As soon as you ruffle your fur, I know something's wrong, and you look like shit"
"Stop comparing me to cats, please" Reo hid the I don't even like them with the piece of meat he brought to his mouth, knowing he would be instantly murdered if heard.
"The point is, since Nagi, you haven't been involved with anyone, and you never want to hang out with me neither. I practically had to drag you out of the apartment"
"Why the hell do you associate Nagi with my love life?" Even though he tried to hide the blush that partially covered his face, it wasn't successful, especially when his feelings were mixed with the alcohol from the expensive wine that Chigiri forced him to buy "We weren't even dating."
"Because you didn't want to" He pointed an accusing finger at him, and Reo couldn't help but feel offended.
That Reo didn't want what? Please, ever since Reo first saw that genius, he wanted to keep Seishiro under his wing to protect him from any harm and keep him for himself. He loved that hidden treasure so much that, for his own good, he decided it was better to let him pursue the path he desired instead of holding him back by his side
"I tried everything to be with Nagi, he just abandoned me, and in consequence, I let him go"
"You haven't even talked to him, what would you know, asshole" As if cleaning the dirt from his foul mouth, he used the napkin to wipe the vinegar residue from his lips "Ren and I have our ups and downs, and yet we still manage to come together when we talk about how we feel. You don't even want to know about Nagi's professional career."
Nagi... Nagi had quit soccer. Just like him and a few others from Blue Lock, but Reo didn't care about them. When he heard the news that it had become boring for the prodigy, he wanted to kick the television and have its broken circuits wake him up from the nightmare he wished was in. How the hell was a genius, a rising star, a football legend, going to give it all up because it was boring? Reo never confronted him, of course. Since they stopped talking in Blue Lock, they only exchanged words when necessary. Sometimes he would glance at certain news about his recent rise as a Game Developer after studying Computer Science, but he didn't take the time to call him or congratulate him. Despite having been in love with him, admiring him, taking care of him for what felt like an eternity, he wouldn't allow himself to be overshadowed by that light that the genius didn't even think he possessed.
Mikage Reo would get over Nagi Seishiro, and he would make sure everyone knew it: "Years have passed, I'm going to get over him, Hyoma. You can't do anything to stop it."
"He released a video game the other day" Chigiri -once again- ignored what he said, knowing -once again- it was another lie. Internally, he was glad about the news; Nagi had always been a big fan of those attention distractors, developing them must be like a dream for him. "You should play it"
"Since when do I play those kinds of things?" He pushed the empty plate aside as he delicately called the waitress over. "Especially if it's from Nagi." It wasn't just out of resentment -well, maybe a little- but mainly because he knew his mind would try to link it as much as possible to his situation and his past, searching for any clue that said if Nagi loved him, and he would run into his ar... No. Reo would get over him; he would never play that game.
"If you're worried about finding references about you, don't worry, there's nothing to link" He sighed with relief but with a thorn in his heart, feeling ridiculous for being disappointed by something so simple. "Play it, Reo. Maybe you'll like it, get to know him a little more through that, call him to congratulate him, things happen... and nine months later you'll be surp--"
Maybe, now we've come beyond our dreams...
No.
"Chigiri" The usual sweet tone was slightly more demanding, thinking that he wouldn't ruin years of progress for a stupid game. "I came here with you not to have a non-couple therapy session, but because you're my friend" His pink eyes rolled, imitating his previous gesture "I understand that you want to do it for my own good--"
"And for Nagi's" Silence "Nagi's happiness also matters, Reo. Do you know the torment he had to go through all this time? He gave up football because of you, because he wanted to play football with only you" The heir was grateful that the girl had already taken their plates and his card, they just needed her to bring back the receipt and they could leave. Reo just didn't want to hear another word about it. "And you pretend that you're happy, but you're more depressed than Kunigami before"
Reo didn't think making jokes about your boyfriend's mental health was healthy or correct, but he let it pass "Let me make my own decisions, Hyoma" As soon as he was handed the black rectangle containing his fortune, he stood up ready to leave that conversation. "I appreciate it, but you're just stirring up a past I don't want to go back to."
He grabbed his coat and immediately left, not wanting to invade his heart with reawakened feelings. Unfortunately, the words remained tattooed in his mind, a mantra that made his head ache in a way that not even four painkillers could relieve. At this point, his life still revolved around his former treasure, except this time he couldn't even have him close and it hurt.
Reo entered his apartment and the unused consoles on the floor brought back memories of Nagi, those lemon teas that he never drank reminded him of his breath, even the baby shampoo he bought one day for fun reminded him of the one he used. This apartment felt like hell, torturing him with those things he couldn't have.
But he resigned himself, still not understanding how it was his fault that Nagi quit football because he wasn't playing with him when it was Nagi himself who decided to play with someone else. But he resigned himself, crying at night, yet accepting his reality.
Like now, lying on the soft mattress staring at the ceiling, hoping that Morpheus would take pity on him and take him away. But even the white paint was killing him... his phone vibrated, a notification that it would rain soon, it seemed ironic how it fit perfectly with the mood of his feelings.
He grabbed the phone and, immediately, Reo knew that it was the biggest mistake he would make in his life when he saw that Chigiri had sent him a link, which automatically downloaded something on his phone.
"It can't be" He said to himself when he saw in the description of the page he had been redirected to what app was.
It was just a dream. No. It was a nightmare. Or worse, the horrendous crudity of reality.
Game: «the slacker's anti-guide to love: hopeless romantic simulator»
Creator: Nagi Seishiro
It had to be a fucking joke.
Now, Reo may choose not to play, he was never a fan of videogames after all, after finding out how to play them they got boring and repetitive. Yet, there's something that pushes him to try to open the app, and it's no other than Reo's deep curiosity.
Yes, his curiosity, not that he's interested in the game, or it's content, and even less in his creator.
"Fuck you, Hyoma" It was almost reflexive to open the app as soon as its installation was completed.
・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・
𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕣'𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕚-𝕘𝕦𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖: 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕣𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕤𝕚𝕞𝕦𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣
❥ New Game ❥ Load Game
"New game, I guess?" Reo muttered under his breath. The whole concept of opening a gaming app was foreign to him.
His phone was strictly reserved for calls, checking emails, browsing through the stock market, and occasionally reading news articles. He could admit that visually, the game seemed pleasant. The cute bunny-like buttons hopping around and the matching letter colours blending with the purple background were visually appealing. He never expected that someone as lazy as Nagi would put such effort into adding small cacti shapes to certain letters, like the t.
In the end, he managed to create a new game profile.
"Enter your name:"
"My name? They're not going to scam me, right?" His sharp businessman intuition never failed him, but he thought that it was Nagi's game, he could trust it.
Since when he could trust Nagi again?
✎ Mikage Reo
"Isn't this too formal for a game with bunnies?" After asking the rhetorical question, Reo changed the name to just "Reo", appreciating the next screen which provided instructions for the game.
He felt relieved, at least now he could navigate the game with some knowledge of where to press and what to do. Even though the heir didn't know much about different video game genres, based on the title, he could assume it was some kind of simulator.
Instructions:
Welcome :x This an interactive story where you have to guide your character through his day to day life, where he'll find love —or not— thanks to your advice. Each small option you choose will influence his feelings so think about how you feel and make the right decision based on your ideas.
In each character introduction, you can press (𝕚) to get a brief description of each one. If you happen to get a "Game over" you can restart the game without any problems. Good luck!
"Heh?" Was this... a dating game? What was the term... an otome game? Reo didn't expect it at all, but as he analyzed it, it seemed to match the vibrant and lively atmosphere of the graphics. From Nagi, he expected a shooter game, or even football since he had some influence in that area. Yet, here he was about to play a cliché game with animated characters who had a more active love life than him.
𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞: 𝕙𝕒𝕜𝕦𝕙𝕠
"Oh, that's cute" He thought, finding it endearing that the game included the name of their school. It could serve as positive publicity and boost its reputation.
N (𝕚): What a bother... I don't know if I should go to school or not.
⤷ Go.
⤷ Don't go.
As he looked at the first set of options, he found them quite interesting and noticed the similarities to his mornings with Nagi. He chuckled when he remembered the times when Nagi woke up and always asked the same question: Should I skip school today or not, boss? It felt like being a mother to a little child, and, of course, he always told him not to skip and that he should go to practice. So, he decided to choose that option. However, the strange symbol caught his attention. "Oh, character information" Without hesitation, and curious to know more about the mysterious "N" he pressed it carefully.
𝕚: Lazy the word, N the definition. He lives alone since his parents travel the world and leave the house empty most of the time. He hates school, but always gets good grades because he's a genius. He has a cactus named Choki. His life is boring, and he considers it a bother (for now)
"Huh?" Reo brought his cellphone screen closer to his face, trying to reread everything to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. "This is... so Nagi-like."
Could it be that Nagi had based the game on himself? No, wait. Could it be that Nagi had created a dating game based on himself? Reo couldn't believe what he was seeing, and he even felt a bit disappointed. What had he expected? He wasn't even sure himself, but it definitely wasn't a 2D character handling his treasure better than he did.
Despite everything, he chose the "No" option.
・┆✦ʚ Game Over ɞ✦ ┆・
"What the hell?" Following the game's instructions, he pressed the restart button after losing. But why did he lost so fast? Was it because N wanted to be responsible? Or was the game about making someone fall in love with N while acting like Nagi?
He could say that behaving like Nagi wouldn't make anyone fall in love with him, but that would be hypocritical.
N: I guess I can't skip anymore... what a bother.
He had lost track of how many times he had been surprised, justifying it to himself by acknowledging that the game was exactly like Nagi: unique and different. The sheer interestingness of it made him crave more, becoming addicted to each option and every different scenario. The vast range of possibilities showcased Nagi's genius, and it pained Reo to feel proud of it. He knew he should be focused on work, getting to bed early, and waking up early as he always did. It was too late for his meticulously perfected personal growth schedule, but he was too engrossed in the game to think about that.
The bell rings and you prefer to...
⤷ Stay sleeping at the table.
⤷ Stay sleeping on the rooftop.
⤷ Go play video games on the stairs.
"What would Nagi do?" He was already starting to think along those lines, convinced that this would be the focal point of the game. He remembered how much Nagi enjoyed resting between classes, especially on the rooftop, but he always complained that he got headaches when...
When he couldn't sleep on Reo's lap.
Upon recalling that memory, he shook his head to clear it and selected the last option randomly.
A sharp pain shoots through your back, you try to ignore it but the impulse made you drop your cellphone and it falls down the stairs, you...
⤷ Let it break, your feet hurt too much to jump.
⤷ Jump after it and catch it with your heel.
Reo had to bring the screen closer as he read what was on it. His fingers moved on their own to choose the option that repeated their previous fate, afraid of ruining everything for the second time in the virtual world. "This has to be a joke" He exclaimed as he got up from bed, turned on the lights in the room, and put on his reading glasses "This is...?" The purple eyes looked around, searching for an answer from the his loneliness or maybe the nocturnal spirit that accompanied him that late at night "Did Nagi just introduce the other character as if it were me?!"
If the spirit were real, it would have facepalmed out of frustration.
And if Reo could talk with paranormal entities, he would justify with the fact Hyoma said there was nothing to link.
"Catch it, catch it!" He yelled at the screen, feeling like a sports fan watching an online match. The difference was that he was playing a damn dating game.
The person who bumped into you hurries down the stairs, you think they feel a fake guilt for you, but you're surprised when they say you're cool and ask if you've played soccer. When you turn to look at them...
⤷ You tell them they're the cutest boy you've ever seen.
⤷ You tell them you don't play sports, but you recognize they have money, and you ask them for something.
"I didn't feel fake guil-- What?!" Could it be, could Nagi's romantic interest in the game be... "Did Nagi just use our story to fall in love with someone else?"
Or was it that Nagi had used him as the romantic interest?
That couldn't be, it was impossible, completely. Nevertheless, it piqued his curiosity. If it really was him and Nagi told him those first words, Reo would've kissed him without hesitation. "Huh?"
(1) The boy backs away from your shoulders a bit scared, muttering a low "Ah, you're just like the rest" before turning around and leaving you alone again.
Well, at that moment they didn't know each other well enough to be so direct. What worried Reo, however, was how similar that phrase was to his personality.
・┆✦ʚ Game Over ɞ✦ ┆・
"I lost again?" Although it made sense, saying that wasn't very Nagi-like, so he tapped on restart and chose the other option this time.
(2) The boy, who you recognize as R(𝕚), looks at you offended for a second, but then regains his dreamy smile before grabbing your shoulders and telling you that you are perfect just the way you are and that you should never change. You...
⤷ Instantly fall in love with him.
⤷ Stare at him because you don't believe you can look away from his bright purple eyes.
"R?" His purple eyes widened, no longer caring about the headache. "P-purple... falling in love, what?" He had reached the balcony in his nervous walk, letting the breeze mess up his hair along with his doubts. He wanted to know the information about that character immediately; everything was just too coincidental.
𝕚: Just as N was the definition of lazy, R was the definition of perfect. He comes from a wealthy family, but despite that, he acts very kind towards others. He excels in everything, from academics to sports to charming those around him. In addition to being extremely intelligent, he is very attractive, beautiful, gorgeous, pretty...
It was when he tried both options and didn't lose in either that he couldn't take it anymore. The phone slipped out of his hand and fell from the balcony, but he was too consumed by his thoughts to worry about that...
"I have to talk to him." Reo hadn't taken a day off in years, not since he needed something to distract himself from thinking about him. But it was worth it. He wanted to regain everything, and he would let N and R help him with that.