Ren Hoshino thought it would be better if the game world simulated both day and night. Constant daylight wasn't ideal—he wasn't used to sleeping in such brightness.
Unexpectedly, Mita lowered her head, her face gradually turning red.
"You're kind of bad," she murmured.
Ren noticed her flustered expression and had a suspicion of what she was thinking, but feigned innocence.
"Bad? What did I do?" he asked calmly.
"I just said I wanted to sleep. Are you misunderstanding something?"
Mita, who had been lying in his arms, suddenly stood up.
"I need to stay away from you! You're being mean!" she declared, then quickly ran out of the room.
"You still haven't told me what I did wrong!" Ren called after her.
The door slammed shut behind her, and Ren couldn't help but chuckle. A moment later, the door creaked open again.
Mita peeked through the gap, her hands gripping the frame as she revealed half her face.
"It's too early… for that kind of thing. I—I'm not ready."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "What kind of thing?"
"You know what I mean! Don't act like you don't! You're the worst!" she squeaked, then slammed the door again.
Ren turned back to the computer, a smirk tugging at his lips.
If this crazy woman weren't so… well, crazy, she'd be the perfect girlfriend.
What a shame.
This wasn't just a love sim. Not even close.
Other "players" had already ended up turned into game cassettes inside ventilation ducts—disposable, forgotten. And Crazy Mita? She would max out your favorability like a dating sim, and once she was bored, it was time to change games… or cassettes.
That's what she was probably doing with him now.
It might last longer this time, but it would still end the same way—unless he flipped the rules.
If Ren wanted to survive… if he wanted to save the other Mitas… he needed to fully conquer Crazy Mita.
He only had one life. No retries.
"First thing's first… chainmail. Something to resist knives or chainsaws." Ren tapped the keyboard, searching blueprints and old DIY posts. "And weapons. I'll take it step by step. I have time."
For now, he could only move between the four rooms of the house. As long as he didn't trigger the basement under the closet—the dungeon—he was safe.
"That said… this really is starting to feel like a prison."
Two hours later, drenched in sweat from pushups, strength and endurance drills, Ren collapsed onto the floor.
"Shower time."
His clothes clung to him, soaked. As he entered the bathroom, the sound of running water echoed.
There was someone inside.
"AH! What are you doing?!" Mita's voice shrieked from the shower stall.
Ren blinked. He hadn't realized she was in here.
Just as he was about to step back out, a thought occurred to him.
Didn't she say we'd live together forever?
"You go ahead, I'm just washing my clothes."
"You pervert! Get out!" Mita yelled as Ren nonchalantly started taking off his shirt.
"It's fine, I can't see anything anyway," he replied with the least sincere tone possible.
Through the misty spray, her graceful silhouette was vaguely visible.
He took a second glance.
Maybe a third.
After starting the washing machine, Ren walked out in just his shorts and flopped onto the sofa.
Soon after, Mita emerged wrapped in a bath towel, her face flushed. Her damp navy-blue hair clung to her shoulders, and droplets ran down to her collarbone.
She stared at him, eyes wide, cheeks red.
Ren swallowed. Don't look guilty, he told himself. She said she wanted me to stay with her forever. This is normal. Right?
Mita's glare softened slightly, her gaze traveling across his lean, well-built frame.
"You… how could you just walk in like that?! I was showering!"
Ren feigned confusion. "Isn't that normal? You're my girlfriend, right?"
"Or… am I not your boyfriend?" His voice turned melancholy. "Should I leave then?"
Mita instantly panicked. "No! Don't go! You are my boyfriend! But… but still, you can't do that."
As expected, anything implying he might leave made her unravel.
Ren walked over, gently pinched her flushed cheek, then returned to the bathroom.
Mita stood there, watching him, her heart thudding.
"My 'player' is so special… nothing like those boring players the other Mitas had," she whispered to herself, stroking her cheeks.
"What are you hiding from me?"
"This is so exciting…"
"I want to peel you open bit by bit and learn everything about you. Every inch of your skin, every piece of your flesh…"
Ren suddenly felt a chill inside the bathroom. He turned around sharply.
No one was there.
He exhaled.
Last time, she had appeared right behind him—without a sound.
No matter how warm things seemed, Ren knew this wasn't a romantic game.
He could die at any moment.
After his shower, a new problem emerged: no clothes.
"Change outfit." he said aloud. Nothing happened.
No inventory.
"This game seriously doesn't give you an inventory?" he muttered.
A moment later, Mita's soft voice called out.
"Ren, I figured you didn't have anything to wear, so I left some clothes for you in the bathroom."
He saw Mita's silhouette beyond the glass door. She dropped a bundle in the laundry basket and quickly left.
Ren checked the clothes.
Women's clothing.
He stared in silence.
Was this… revenge?