I was on my way home.
Thinking...
Thinking deeply about what had just happened.
I had said stupid things.
I got carried away by the heat of the moment and spoke without thinking.
"If he truly loved you… then he would forgive you. I'm sure of it."
Remembering it makes me want to roll on the floor until the earth swallows me whole.
WHO THE HELL DO I THINK I AM, A PROTAGONIST OR SOMETHING?!
Those damn words were too embarrassing.
Too much, even for me.
Haaah...
The positive side of all this is that, apparently, it turned out okay.
This will help me meet the condition...
I guess.
If I don't screw it up, of course.
Who knew making friends was difficult.
You have to think things through so you don't displease the other person.
You must have similar tastes.
Be empathetic.
Kind...
Friendly...
Seriously, can't human beings live without anyone around them?
Why is having any kind of relationship a fucking mental game?
And here I am...
Forced to make women fall in love with me.
A type of shit even harder than making friends.
Here you have to be even more careful with what you say.
Lest a single tiny word bothers her...
And she stops liking you.
It's like walking through a minefield blindfolded.
Simply shit.
I curse you, system...
...
Better not think about it anymore, I feel like it's making me sick.
——
"I'm home," I said out loud.
...
Absolute silence.
I didn't expect an answer, anyway.
I looked around the house.
Empty.
Silent.
How strange...
Usually, my dad gets home around this time.
Not that I care.
He must be in some work meeting.
Yeah... that must be it.
Better not waste any more time and go back to my room.
The moment I entered my room, complete exhaustion washed over my body.
As if, suddenly, weights had been placed on every part of me.
With slow, heavy steps, I reached my sweet, comfortable bed.
My eyelids felt heavier than usual.
Of course, why wouldn't they.
I had never used my brain so much... at least not outside of strategy games.
I closed my eyes and slept like a baby.
——
The annoying alarm rang.
"Mhm..." I let out a small complaint.
I opened my eyes and realized it was already daytime.
"Damn it... I have to go to school."
I got up reluctantly and started changing my clothes.
I realized I had slept in my school uniform, due to how tired I was.
So I changed into a spare one I had.
After doing everything I needed to, I left my room to get some food.
There was my dad, incredibly serious as always.
I was going to ask him why he came home late yesterday, but honestly, I didn't feel like it.
So I simply said:
"Good morning."
To which he replied without looking at me:
"Good morning," with his typical hoarse voice, as if he were tired of everything.
I can understand him because...
No, actually, I don't understand him.
You should at least look your son in the eye when you greet him, right?
Better not give it too much importance.
I checked the fridge to see if there was anything good to eat.
There were only eggs and little else.
——
After a somewhat decent breakfast in terms of protein, I left the house, but not before saying goodbye:
"See you later."
"…"
No response.
"Haah…"
The only response I got was my own sigh.
Quite sad, really.
I closed the door and walked towards my destination.
——
On the way to school, I ran into a curious encounter.
It was Elin... but she was accompanied.
I didn't recognize the guy.
He wore the same uniform as our high school, but from what I remembered, he wasn't in our class.
He seemed like a "friend" or something, as they looked quite close.
They probably knew each other from before...
Could be a possibility...
...
Wait.
Isn't this a problem?
Don't tell me I have more rivals to defeat?
Don't screw with me.
GIVE ME A BREAK!
I looked closer and realized something...
The guy was handsome.
Light brown hair, amber and slanted eyes, sharp and defined facial features... and he was tall too.
EVEN MORE PROBLEMS!
Now I not only have to compete with someone else, but against someone who is clearly superior to me!
Not even the types who say "it's the personality that matters" would believe it's possible for me to win this.
I'm screwed every which way.
I'm going to have to pray the guy likes men or something.
Has this guy always been at the school?
He looks like the typical cliché love triangle rival.
Did God run out of ideas for making people or what?
Or was it the system...?
I felt a prickle in my back and an interface appeared in front of me:
[WARNING!!]
>A POTENTIAL LOVE RIVAL HAS JUST APPEARED ON YOUR PATH.
YOU WILL HAVE TO COMPETE AGAINST HIM, INEPT.
...
Yes.
It was definitely the system.
——
I arrived at school.
Angry.
Furious.
Upset.
My blood was boiling.
If I had someone in front of me right now, I'd punch them in the face.
Now I not only have to make a girl fall for me—which is already difficult enough—but I also have a "love rival."
What the hell is this?
My odds of survival just dropped to negative one.
I reached the classroom and entered through the door.
I just wanted to sit down.
I was tired of thinking so much about how the hell I'm going to conquer Elin if I have that guy as a fucking rival.
When I looked at my seat...
There he was.
The damn handsome-faced idiot.
Sitting in MY SEAT.
I repeat: IN MY SEAT!
Rage took hold of me and I started walking quickly in his direction.
The "perfect" idiot looked towards me.
I didn't care in the slightest if he was Elin's friend or if he was bigger than me.
My business with this guy had become personal.
Now he was staining my seat with his dirty germs and bacteria.
I planted myself in front of him and, with bulging veins, said:
"Hey..."
He replied, confused, with his fucking "pretty face":
"Is something wrong?"
"You're in my seat," I said, clenching my fist with the anger this bastard provoked in me.
He looked me in the eyes.
Those shitty eyes, proving he was the typical perfect guy.
It annoyed me even more.
I didn't pay it much mind, due to all the accumulated anger I had.
He shifted his gaze towards Elin, as if I didn't matter, and said:
"See you later, Elin."
She just replied:
"Yeah... sure," confused by the situation.
He stood up from MY SEAT and left.
Smug moron.
Those words were about to leave my mouth, but I managed to hold them back.
After he left the classroom, the class was silent for at least ten seconds.
——
After that uncomfortable start to the day at high school, the boring and overwhelming classes began.
While I was copying the shit that was on the blackboard, a small piece of paper landed near me.
I looked at the person I suspected was the owner, and indeed, it was from Elin.
I picked up the paper and read what it contained:
Do you two know each other?
"You two"? Ah, she means that idiot.
I turned the piece of paper over and wrote on the other side a resounding:
No
And threw it back.
She opened the paper and read it.
She quickly took out another piece to write again whatever she was thinking.
After a moment, she threw me a piece of paper slightly larger than the previous one.
I opened it. It said:
Then what was that reaction about?
My reaction? My reaction was the most normal thing in the world.
WHO WOULDN'T GET ANGRY WHEN SOMETHING THAT'S YOURS IS TAKEN?!
I followed the same procedure as with the previous paper and wrote:
He took my seat.
Then I handed it back—or rather, threw it back.
She looked at the piece of paper and shot me a confused look, as if she found this whole situation absurd.
She took out another paper, wrote something quickly, and threw it back to me again.
I opened it. It said:
Seriously?
To which I replied, writing with complete seriousness:
Yes.
And threw it back again.
We communicated like that for the entire class.