ー『LOVEY』ー

The date ended up canceled, because neither of you had the mood to pretend to smile around each other. You log out, looking as if you have aged a little by how exhausted you look.

You are reminded of previous-game-Hayun, so handsome and kind and pure, totally different from the current Hayun. You chuckle, what a scam. You really want to beat up your brother. Which part of that scumbag is Hayun? He's just someone with the same face!

Holding in your frustration, you jump down from your bed, feeling hungry as you headed to the dining room. There, sit your 'little sister' on the chair, eating a loaf of bread.

You frown. "Are we that poor that you only eat bread? Or is someone bullying you here?"

"No!" She clearly looks flustered at the fact you're striking up the conversation first. "I like bread."

You shrug. "I like rice."

You instruct the nearest maid to make your food, taking a seat in front of your 'little sister'. The girl squirms uncomfortably on her chair. Ever since her mother left with your father and never come back, the girl acts like a rat, avoiding you and your siblings and only coming out for food.

You don't know about your brothers, but you sure as hell don't know her name despite living under the same roof. You rest your cheek against the back of your palm, feeling bored as you wait for your food.

"Sit," when you see that she's about to leave, you demand sternly.

She sits back down meekly.

"Are you that man's illegitimate child?" You ask the question that has been plaguing your mind.

"Huh?" She looks startled. "By that man, did you mean Mr. (L/n)? O- Of course not!"

You nod. "No wonder you're so pleasing to the eyes."

Perhaps it's due to your intense hatred for your father, because you are starting to hate things that are related to him. That includes your brothers, this house, and even yourself. Ah, but of course, you still love his money. That is the only thing you will never hate.

I really want to move out. You sigh, knowing how impossible that is.

"Have you spoken to my brothers yet?"

The girl looks confused by your question. "Uh, no? I mean, they are really busy, an- and I don't want to bother you. Any of you. As soon as mom is back, I will definitely leave. I promise."

"Why not leave now?" You tilt your head. "The door is always open for you to leave. Even if the servants notice that you aren't here, no one would take action. You are free to go anywhere."

Unlike me, you continue bitterly in your heart.

Unfortunately, the girl takes your pure curiosity as malice because she suddenly looks away in shame. You realize right away that a teenager like her must have no money, no friends, and certainly would feel insecure to go out without adults. After all, anything can happen.

That was insensitive of me, but did you feel guilty? No. No, you don't.

The dining room is silent for a while until the servants bring your food. You watch as the girl leaves. You're quite sure that after what happens today, it would be harder to see her as that rat will probably be more vigilant the next time she goes out of her room.

You take a bite of your food. Despite all the wealth you had, it feels suffocating knowing that none of them truly belongs to you.

In a sense, she and you are truly alike.

Upon hearing the sound of the engine car, you go out of the house, looking to see who it is until you see your third brother. The man's face is indifferent when he sees you and so are you, until something leaps from your back and your heart thumps when you see that it was (C/n). The Siamese cat meows cutely as she welcomes your third brother back.

You look at the two of them in silence. Your brother's stern face melts into a foolish smile and you're starting to feel your blood rises at the betrayal until you see the cat food he is holding.

You breathe out a sigh of relief.

Of course, (C/n) would never go as far as to greet a person without a reason. Even you have never been greeted by your cat like that, what rights does your brother has to be the first one? Hmph!

"Brother," seeing that your brother is in good mood, you decide to get straight to the point. "Can you lend me your car? I want to go out."

In that instant, his smile vanishes.

"Why?" His eyebrows furrow.

"Can't I go out because I want to?"

"You know the answer," he sighs. "If you want to buy something, just buy it online. Nothing good would come even if you go out."

"... I don't understand," you are starting to feel frustrated. "Why won't any of you let me go out?"

"Because once you go out, you won't come back," he says. "I'm right, aren't I?"

You aren't able to answer mainly because he is right.

Ever since you realize that nothing you do would make your father proud, you have been wantingーyearningーto leave this place. You had cried to your brothers and they had coaxed you, saying that things will change when you grow up, but nothing did.

The only thing that change is the increase in your brothers' protectiveness.

It's like they had an agreement with each other to keep you inside the house and never let you out. It's downright creepy but you can somewhat understand them. The last time they had let you out you just had to end up in the hospital from alcohol poisoning.

"Broー"

Before you could finish your sentence, your brother had long walked away with your cat in his arms.

That night, you log back in to release the stress building up inside of you. You lay on the virtual bed, raising your phone to see that someone has sent you a friend request. You click the『accept』button and find out that『Beauty<3』is still online, but the most surprising is her list of love interests.

Illiana『100%』
Do-Hyun『100%』
Jacyn『100%』
Selena『100%』
Adeena『100%』
Perseus『100%』
Emily『100%』
Theophilus『100%』
MuYang『41%』

Was she planning to seduce the whole population in this school?

At that moment, your phone ''dings'', indicating that there is a notification. You aren't surprised to see that it's a private message from『Beauty<3』.

hey
thanks for accepting my request
i thought that you weren't willing to be friends
are you busy now?

no

then
wanna hang out?

arent you busy managing your harem?

oh
you see that
haha
no worry
because once their love meter reaches 100%, most of them are quite docile and willing to share
prioritizing my happiness before theirs
so all is well even if i ignore them

you know
imnot judging but
you sound like a scumvag
*scumbag

haha
but isnt that why people play this type of game?
so that they can play to their heart content?
anyway
if you want to hang out
im with other players
were eating delicious food right now

huh
but that shouldnt be possible?
players cant taste anything in tjis world
*this

ah
its the new feature
players can turn on their senses button now
that way we can smell and taste and feel
the downside is that we also feel pain
thats why i only turn it on when eating :)

...
okay
i will go then

then ill send you the teleportation link
click here

You don't recall your brother telling you about this new feature that comes along with the new update. Nevertheless, you know now so you are eager to find out.

To speed things up, you click on the link.

Just like she said, the girl is there, together with other players and a few of their NPCs. You haven't checked out all the places in the school yet, but to think a school would build a place like a nightclub like this. You are amazed.

You saw『Beauty<3』beckons for you to come closer.

There are four big sofas facing each other with a coffee table in the middle. Each of the sofas sits two players except for the last sofa since no one sits there, while NPCs who are brought along by the players sit obediently on their knees right beside their players' legs. You are silent, feeling as if you have gone back to the rebellious days in which all you do are drinking, play, and sleep around with others.

You frown.

Now that you think about it, although you are born frail, your immune system has gotten a little bit better as you grow up, but you didn't know why, one day, after having a high fever once, your body started to become frail again, causing you to be unable to stand for long lest you would get a headache. It pains you so much knowing that your condition has gotten worse to better to worse again that you ended up drinking and overdosing on alcohol. Since then, you are unable to go out without permission.

ーThough I only have myself to blame.

Which sick people would go around drinking, playing, and sleeping around while expecting that they are getting better even with all the unhealthy activities they do? Only you.

"Come and sit,"『Beauty<3』point at her side.

"It's okay," you shook your head. "I don't plan on staying here long."

You glance at other players who are dancing to the beats of the music, and the player who pretends to be a bartender at the corner. You don't think that developers are the ones that design this room. The players must have used their coins to create this nightclub by buying the furniture and electronics in the Coin Shop.

"This room..." You trail off, looking at『Beauty<3』

"Eight of us create this place. Originally, it's just a big empty classroom," she explains, glancing at the players sitting on the sofas. "But as long as they are a player, anyone can enter this place."

You naturally gaze at the NPCs sitting on the floor.

"Each player can bring one NPC," one of the players sitting on the sofa explains, her username is『Lovey』. "But the NPC has to be a submissive-type of yandere and have their love meter reach 100% first sinceー"

The players on the sofas suddenly chuckle and you wonder what's so funny until you turn around and see a player is forcing his NPC to drink. Judging by the flushed face the NPC is making, you can see how drunk she is.

"I- I can't drink anymore, Q," the girl tries to reject.

The male player with the username『QAQ』makes a pitiful face, causing the NPC girl whose head over heels for him to relent and drink more.

Your heart thumps in premonition.

"Really. It's like NPCs who have their love meter filled lose their brains or something."

You hear someone say.

"They become so stupid that it's boring."

At that moment, the female NPC who could no longer drink drops her glass, falling into her player embrace for support.『 QAQ』smiles in amusement, letting the girl snuggles into his chest. You notice a few players walking toward them.

"... what are theyー" You aren't able to finish your words when you see them touching the drunk NPC inappropriately while『QAQ』doing absolutely nothing to stop them.

"Ah, it happens every time," another player goes by the username『E.Er.San123』says. "Q always shares NPCs he's bored with, with others. Generous, isn't he?"

Your finger twitch at what he said. Your heart thumping louder and you fear that you will be brought back forcefully to the real world due to how fast your heart is beating right now.

"Are you fucking serious...?" You sneer.

『e.er.san123』: q always shares npcs he's bored with, with others. generous, isn't he?

『e.er.san123』: *recalling back to the consequences q often faced after that* so generous that he ended up writing a book "various ways i died in the hands of my own npcs"

(-_-;)