MIKE POV-

With his outstretched arms, Mike got close, but instead of a friendly hug, Nancy wacked his arm, pretty hard... yup, this was definitely his sister; she would do this when they were younger too.

"Ouch!" Mike yelped, jumping back.

The strong-willed girl stared at him, "Where the Hell have you been? I bet you were picking fights with people again!"

"I'm innocent... and that hurt! Why must you hit me?" The ravenette whined, grabbing his arm.

"When I be civil, you don't listen!" Nancy raised her hand again, making a disappointed sound with her mouth as she let it fall. It seemed as though she finally noticed the brunette who stood awkwardly in the hallway, "Who is this?"

"Oh... Hello Miss." Will raised a hand awkwardly, watching the whole situation occurring before him with little reaction.

Mike facepalmed, exchanging a look with his sister who continued speaking, "Why is he packed for the winter?" She whispered to her brother loud enough for Will to hear.

"This is my friend; he is going to stay the night... is that okay?" Mike questioned.

Nancy scrunched her face, since when did her brother ask for her permission? "I mean, do whatever you want." She said, leaving the boys alone as she walked off to the kitchen.

Mike smiled at the smaller boy, "Looks like you can stay!" he chuckled, instantly, grabbing all of Will's bags, using all his might to carry them, it was heavy, but it didn't bother him- he was determined to help.

"I can carry them myself; you know?!" Will said, his voice edged with frustration as he saw Mike reaching the top of the stairs.

Mike ignored the protests, leading the brunette up the creaky steps; when he looked around the hallways, the memories came rushing back to him; it still had the same wallpaper when he was young. He thought it was ugly, now it was so nostalgic it was almost pretty.

Reaching his bedroom, Mike hesitated, he hadn't been in his bedroom for years; not since he went to private school. What would he find inside? He wondered if his parents would have changed anything, or if they had left the room as it was, or if this even was the same house he had when he was young? With a little exhale, he gently opened the door; memories filling him.

He looked around the room, almost as curious as Will was; his bed, his posters, his desk, it was intact; almost as if he never left. The bedsheets where fresh; it was lucky he kept his bedroom neat; he wouldn't want Will thinking he was a slob.

Mike set Will's bags down by the bed, trying to keep things light, turning to Will with a small grin, "I'm going to take a shower! Don't move!" he joked before leaving the room, he knew Will needed some time to himself.

The brunette didn't respond but Mike knew that Will would stay put; it wasn't like he was in any shape to go back home, it was late, and Will's house was at least three bus-stops away.

---- 10:12 PM ----

When Mike finally returned to the bedroom, his hair sat damp, clinging to his neck with a towel slung over his shoulders, he stopped in his tracks. Will was still sitting on the edge of the bed, exactly where Mike had left him. He hadn't moved an inch, despite his shaking leg.

"Hey," Mike said softly, trying not to startle him. Will didn't respond, his expression flat, as if he would rather be anywhere else.

With no response, Mike smiled soft, if this was last year he would have lashed out on Will for not responding, but Mike had to be the calm one; he had mellowed out in his last few months at his old school.

With an exhale, the ravenette crossed the room, scowering his dresser and rampaging through his drawers to find things for Will. He took out a toothbrush, still in its original packaging, along with a spare yellow towel, and some clothes that looked like they might fit Will.

He got up from his crouching position, walking over to where Will was situated, placing the items in his lap, "Here," Mike said, his voice gentle, "I found you a toothbrush and some clothes. If you want to take a shower, feel free. It might make you feel better."

Will finally looked up, softly grasping at the clothes in his lap, "Is it just you and your sister?"

"Basically." Mike replied simply, "My parents work out the country,"

"Is that why you're poking your nose into my business?" Will argued yet his tone was flat.

The ravenette resisted the urge to chuckle, "Believe it or not, but I've been your fan for a while." Technically that was the truth; even during the planning stages of the game, Mike knew that Will was his favourite character. He didn't want to 'date' Will in the game, but he just cared for him.

"Because of my art?" Will asked; that was usually the only way people knew him.

"Because of what I've heard about you from your brother."

Hearing his brother being mentioned, the brunette stiffened his lip, "What do you know about me?!" he said, emphasising his words to sound cold.

"I know enough to make opinions," Mike paused for a second, "You're rude... but you aren't a bad person."

Will paused for the first time in the conversation, "Do you always do this? Do you have some sort of saviour complex?"

"Will..." Mike reprimanded soft, "if you want to be grateful, you could just thank me, you know?"

At those words, Will got up with the clothes in his hand and made his way out the door and to the bathroom, no expression on his face.

"First door to your right!" Mike called behind him before he too left the room to go to his sister's room.

Walking down the ever-familiar hallway, Mike made his way to his sister's room. The door was slightly ajar, and he could see her sitting at her desk, focussed on something she was typing on her laptop, her hair tied into a messy bun. She bit the inside of her cheek, chewing it while she calibrated her thoughts.

Without knocking, Mike pushed the door open, sitting on the bed, her back facing him, "Hey Nance, whatcha doing?" he said awkwardly, it had been so long since he had seen his sister.

Nancy wasn't fazed by his behaviour, but she didn't look at him, engrossed on her task, "I'm busy writing a report," she clicked heavy on her keyboard, loud enough for the sound to travel around the room, "My asshole of a manager forgot to make it and the meeting is tomorrow."

"Damn, that's crazy," The ravenette said, "You should quit," he said jokingly,

"You're such a pest! Shoo!" she replied, only half joking.

"Where's the fun in that?" The ravenette teased, leaning back,

"You are lucky I deal with you." Nancy quipped, a small smile playing on her lips, she paused for a second, but seeing that he hadn't left yet, she continued talking, "So why are you here? Don't you have your friend over?"

"He's taking a shower... I just wanted to see you cause I miss you." Mike replied, staring at the back of her head.

Nancy furrowed her brows, what was her brother talking about? Thinking this was another one of his jokes, she replied, "Ew."

"I'm being really serious!" Mike replied with a pout, he wasn't good with the whole 'emotions' thing; when he was younger, both he and his sister would butt heads, and the only time they really talked was to annoy each other or argue. Mike hated her in the moment, but after being sent to private school and not seeing her, he came to miss her, even the fights.

For the first time in the conversation, Nancy paused, he fingers hovering above the keyboard. Swirling her chair around, she faced her younger brother, placing a hand on his head, "Are you sick? You're burning up!"

"I'm fin-" Mike tried to argue.

"You must be delirious!" Ignoring his words, Nancy continued, touching his head and cheeks, "Follow my finger!" she ordered, waving her finger in front of her brother's face, forcing him to follow it.

"Nance, I'm really fine!" Softly, the ravenette swatted her hand away, "I was just saying how I missed you, it's been a while since we sat and talked..."

Her tone softened, trying to gauge how serious he was. "Mike, is everything okay? You're not... you know, going through something, are you?"

The ravenette could see the worry in her eyes, and it made him feel slightly guilty for throwing her off like this. He smiled soft to show his own seriousness, shaking his head, "I'm really fine, I was just thinking that, you know, it's always been you and me since Mum and Dad were always busy when we were younger."

In the real world, their parents had always been busy, preferring to leave their children with strangers that babysat than nurturing them themselves'. The only constant in Mike's life was Nancy, but after he got sent to private school at age twelve, he was all alone... he knew Nancy didn't want to leave him either, but he became jaded and bitter to everyone, picking fights with everyone because it was easier to deal with.

"Are you sure you didn't get possessed?" Nancy squinted her eyes, her gaze sympathetic.

"Nope!" Mike rolled his eyes, chuckling, "Still your brother!"

As the pair took in the peace between them, the sound of the water shutting off in the bathroom become apparent, leaving the air sounding deafening. It jolted the ravenette back to the present; Will would be out soon, and Mike wanted to make sure he was okay, or at least as okay as someone in his situation could be.

"I should get back to my friend," Mike muttered, getting up from the bed stretching his arms, heading back to his room.

As he reached the door, Nancy's voice stopped him, "Mike?" she called soft,

He turned around, slightly furrowing a brow, her expression more serious now, "Are you really okay?" she asked, her eyes scanning his face for any sign he might be hiding something.

Mike felt guilty, he just wanted to tell his sister how much she meant to him, and instead he worried her. In response he just smiled, giving a small thumbs-up, "I promise," he whispered.

With a small sigh, though being a tad unconvinced, she nodded, "Alright... just take care of yourself, 'kay?"

"Will do, goodnight," Mike replied, passing one last smile before walking down the hallway, and in his vision, a message appeared;

[Entering the Love Supremacy Zone]

When he reached the door of his room, he took a deep breath, readying himself to face Will again. The message signified he was close. He hoped this time he would make things right... and make Will's fondness go up.

The ravenette gently pushed open the door, trying not to spook his new visitor. he expected to find Will settling in, or maybe even relaxing a bit. Instead, he found the smaller boy standing awkwardly, looking out of place; he was staring at the trinkets on Mike's desk and the posters on the wall, almost as if he was mesmerised by it.

"Hey," Mike raised a hand to break the silence, "The clothes fit! That's good, they look good on you!" Mike couldn't help but notice how Will filled out the shirt and sweatpants he'd given him. It was a small detail, but it made things oddly real once more; to see his favourite in his clothes.

Will looked down at himself, then back at the ravenette, "Umm... thanks?" he said hesitant.

Mike smiled, looking around the room to assess the space; he had a double bed but he knew Will would be uncomfortable with the mere notion of sharing a bed; it would probably make the ravenette's fondness drop to minus-one-hundred. "You can take the bed. I'll grab a sleeping bag or something."

"I'll be fine on the floor-" Will whispered, yet his expression was still cold.

"This is non-negotiable!" Mike chuckled, "You're my guest, you get the bed." The ravenette said, quickly switching the lamp on, grabbing his sleeping bag from his cupboard and rolling it out. He laid on top of it, leaving no room for argument.

Will blinked at the display before him, quietly moving to the bed, climbing under the covers and using the very edge of it to lay down on; he didn't seem at ease at all. He was tense, his posture rigid even when laying down, he clenched the blanket scared as if someone what going to steal it off him.

Mike watched from the floor as the brunette settled in. Switching the lamp off, it left the room shrouded in darkness, he stared at the ceiling...

---- 11:59 PM ----

[Fondness: -35]

After an hour of staring at the ceiling counting the cracks, the message window appeared, chiming a sound into his ears. Mike blinked, rubbing his eyes to make sure it was real; it caught him off-guard. The number actually went up? It wasn't much... but it was an improvement.

The ravenette smiled to himself, was Will thinking of him right now, so that's why it turned up? With a little hint of mischief, he teased, "You're still up, right? Are you thinking about me?" he chuckled, placing his hands under his head.

He waited a moment, thinking the brunette wouldn't even respond, but then Will's voice cut through the room, cold and sharp, "What are you talking about? Stop sprouting nonsense!"

"Tsk!" Mike clicked his tongue, taken aback by the harshness of the smaller boy's voice. Obviously, he wasn't expecting any outpours of gratitude but this hostility was unwarranted. "You have such a temper," he sighed dramatically,

Will didn't react, remaining silent and still. Mike glanced over at him, noting the blanket had slipped down a bit, leaving the brunette partially exposed. Without a word, Mike leaned over, carefully straightening the blanket and pulled it up to cover Will properly,

"Goodnight Will," Mike said softly, his voice carrying warmth. As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling once more, Mike felt a sense of calm wash over him. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep today; how could someone when they were teleported into a new world? With that thought, Mike closed his eyes.

Will didn't say anything that night.

---- Next Day: Tuesday 7:13 AM ----

The night was restless for the ravenette who barely slept a wink. Yet when the first crack of sunlight entered through the curtains he found himself strangely energised. The boys now waited at the bus-stop in the early morning glow. The streets were quiet, and mere footsteps felt like pounding against the concrete.

Mike stood by the bus-stop restless, tapping his feet, moving side to side with his hands in the pockets of his pants. His shirt wasn't tucked in and his tie was loose, his top buttons undone to expose his black t-shirt underneath.

Will had all his bags on slung on his shoulders, his posture tense as he stood facing the road, not even casting a single glance to the taller boy beside him. The silence between them was awkward.

"So..." Mike hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "What are you gonna do when you get to school with all of these?" gesturing to all the bags, "And you don't even have your uniform, wont that be a problem?"

The brunette merely glanced over, his expression cold and guarded, "I'll take care of it," he said flat, his tone leaving no room for further questions; he looked off into the street ahead, planning his next move.

Mike stopped himself from making a rude remark, instead nodding, "Ah... Right."

In an instant, the bus turned the corner, cutting the already miniscule conversation short. The vehicle rumbled to a stop before the boys, prompting them to get on. The doors creaked open, the sound echoing through the streets.

In an instant, Will climbed aboard, paying for his own ticket and quickly making his way to one of the single seats at the front. He dropped his bags to the floor beneath him and sat down, staring out the window with an unbothered expression on his face; the one he always has. Mike, wanting to be closer to him sat directly behind; if he can't sit next to him, he'll do the next best thing.

Staring at the back of Will's head, the ravenette felt a strange sensation, a pink message flashing before his eyes:

[Fondness: -34]

Mike raised an eyebrow at the notification. He almost laughed out loud; it went up by a singular point? He allowed a small hopeful smile on his face but another message appeared, making him instantly drop it,

[Debuff Due to Low Fondness]

The ravenette furrowed his brows, scanning the bus all around for danger; what would happen now? Would the bus hurtle into the school? Would the bus break down? Who knows? With tense shoulders, Mike remained vigilant, ready to strike in-case anything were to happen.

As the bus veered to a stop at the next station, Mike glanced forward at the front of the bus, just in time to see two boys climb on, their voices and rattling chuckles filling the air. Surrounding them was an ominous purple aura, one akin to the one Mike saw yesterday with the flickering light; he was sure, this was the debuff. They didn't seem to notice Will at first, and the brunette didn't seem to care about their presence. But then, one boy tripped on the brunette's bag, catching himself on the opposing seat.

Immediately, the boy turned to see who had caused him to trip. His expression twisted with anger, ready to cruse the person who left their bag in the way, but the moment he saw it was Will, that annoyance quickly shifted to a cruel smile

"Oh look here! Its Will!" the shorter boy jeered, nudging his friend. The taller boy chuckled, his smile gleaming with malicious intent. The brunette however didn't react, he was used to the jeering. He kept his gaze out the window, pretending they didn't exist.

The bus started to move, and the bullies didn't appreciate being ignored, the shorter one leaned closer, flicking Will's shoulder, "What? Are you ignoring me now?"

"Hey!" Mike called out, his voice cutting through the void, the bullies turned to him, "Why are you so loud? Its Seven-AM,"

The shorter bully scowled, clearly not enjoying being told what to do. He opened his mouth, "I didn't even say shit, why don't you mind your own buis-" he abruptly stopped when his taller friend nudged him, signalling to the ravenette's nametag.

Recognition flickered in his expression and his mouth snapped shut. The pair of bullies exchanged uneasy glances, their power deflating instantaneously. Mike wasn't just some ordinary student. They heard rumours about him – the smoking, the underage driving, the gang fights... he didn't back down from anyone.

Mike scanned the boys before him, reading their name tags with his arms crossed, "Troy Walsh, James Dante... just go in silence," he commanded,

The bullies shrunk in their place, quietly holding the railing above them; they didn't even speak amongst themselves; Mike's 'threat' worked on them. A small sense of satisfaction washed over the ravenette as he stared once more at the brunette's head; Will remained silent this whole time, once more just staring out the window. It was as if he completely blocked these types of events out his mind.

The ride to school was deafening, their was no sound on the bus after Mike had scorned the bullies; it was as if everyone on that bus was afraid to anger him.

After a while, the bus pulled up to the school, opening its doors. Mike watched as the bullies left first, then Will who grabbed all his bags. This time, Mike didn't offer to help despite insisting to carry them all yesterday and today morning. Instead, he followed quietly behind, waiting before more people got off the bus before leaving himself.

Will walked slow, his pace deliberate, almost hesitant. His bags covered his frame, weighing him down but it didn't seem to bother him, for every few steps he would glance over his shoulder, barely noticeable, clearly expecting the ravenette to be right there pestering him like before, but Mike kept a distance, walking in varying paces.

As they advanced into the courtyard, Mike counted mentally, trying to figure something out; he was testing his hypothesis. He stopped, waiting for the message to appear.

[1M to Love Supremacy Zone]

He walked again,

[Entering the Love Supremacy Zone]

He stopped again,

[1M to Love Supremacy Zone]

Ahead of him, Will paused, passing back a glance, his brows furrowed in confusion. Mike kept his expression neutral, he knew he was acting weird but he didn't care, he was just testing the limits of this world. The 'Love Supremacy Zone' was about a five-meter radius around Will, stretching in all directions; that wasn't too much.

[Entering the Love Supremacy Zone]

Mike's mind wondered deep in thought, he needed to get close to Will, but every time he does, the debuff causes some sort of catastrophe to occur; it was like just being close to the brunette gave bad luck. So, until Will's fondness was at zero, he decided it was best to keep a distance.

With a little sigh, the ravenette planted his hands into his pockets, walking past Will.

----

3526 Words

I decided to change the 'Love Zone' into 'Love Supremacy Zone', becuz that's what its called in the kdrama/comic/book

Stay Safe <3