The night after the library incident didn't feel real.
Alex lay on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling while the System's faint glow hovered at the edge of his vision—present, but unusually quiet. No alerts. No prompts. No smug notifications.
That silence was more unsettling than any warning.
Maya Rosen had trusted him.
Not completely. Not blindly.
But enough.
Enough for the first petal to open.
[System Status]Primary Target: Maya Rosen (Rose)Conquest State: Partial CompletionEmotional Bond: Unstable, Growing
Note: True affection cannot be optimized.
—That's new —Alex muttered.
The System didn't disagree.
🌙 The Day After
Campus life continued as if nothing had changed.
Students rushed to classes. Professors complained about deadlines. Ben avoided eye contact with everyone and anyone. On the surface, Alex was still just Alex—the smart guy, the confident one, the campus ghost who always seemed to be one step ahead.
But underneath?
Everything had shifted.
Alex spotted Maya near the engineering building that afternoon. She was leaning against a railing, sunlight catching her hair, talking animatedly with another student. She looked… normal.
And that terrified him.
Because now he knew she wasn't just a coincidence.
She was a condition.
When she noticed him, she paused mid-sentence. Their eyes met.
Just for a second.
No smile. No wave.
But something passed between them—an invisible thread pulled taut.
[Affection Sync Detected]Passive Link Established
Alex swallowed.
—So this is what the System meant by roots.
☕ An Unexpected Invitation
Later that evening, his phone buzzed.
MAYA ROSEN:I've been thinking.
Alex waited.
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
Meet me. Rooftop café. 9 PM.
No emojis. No explanations.
Just a place and a time.
[Warning]Emotional Escalation LikelyReward Multiplier Active
Alex stood up.
—You really don't do subtle, do you?
The System remained silent.
🌆 Rooftop Conversations
The rooftop café overlooked the city. Neon lights bled into the dark sky, and the hum of traffic below sounded distant—like the world had agreed to give them space.
Maya was already there, sitting at a corner table, two coffees waiting.
—I didn't know what you liked —she said as Alex approached— so I guessed.
—Risky move.
—I'm getting used to those.
Alex sat.
For a while, they didn't speak.
They watched the city instead.
Finally, Maya broke the silence.
—I checked your data.
Alex stiffened slightly.
—Which part?
—All of it. Not the System nonsense—your patterns. Your grades. Your project history. The way people orbit you without realizing why.
She turned to him.
—You've been bending probability for years, Alex. Long before you realized it.
The System flickered faintly.
[Observation: Accurate]
—So you believe me now? —Alex asked.
Maya shook her head.
—No. I believe something is happening. And I believe you're at the center of it.
She took a sip of coffee.
—That's not the same as trusting the System.
Alex leaned back.
—Good. I don't trust it either.
That earned him a real smile.
—That's… reassuring.
🌹 The Rose's Dilemma
—There's something else —Maya said after a moment.
Her voice was steadier than her hands.
—If what you told me is true, then getting close to you isn't just dangerous. It's… consequential.
Alex didn't interrupt.
—I don't want to be someone's "objective," Alex. Not for power. Not for answers. Not for survival.
She looked straight at him.
—So tell me this, honestly. If the System disappeared tomorrow… would you still choose me?
The System froze.
No prompts. No probabilities.
This wasn't a decision it could calculate.
Alex answered without hesitation.
—Yes.
Maya searched his face, as if looking for cracks.
—You didn't even think.
—I already did —he replied quietly—. Last night.
Something in her expression softened.
Not fully.
But enough.
[Emotional Anchor Strengthened]Rose Affection: 78%
🌸 Disturbances in the Garden
They weren't alone.
Alex felt it before he saw it—a subtle shift, like pressure in the air.
From the stairwell emerged Sophie Bloom, phone in hand, grin already forming.
—Wow. Rooftop café? Coffee? Serious faces? —she clapped once— This is definitely a main-route event.
Maya sighed.
—Do you ever knock?
—Do you ever stop looking like you're about to change the world? —Sophie shot back cheerfully.
She turned to Alex.
—So. Is this the part where you pretend you're not collecting emotionally complex women like rare Pokémon?
Alex opened his mouth.
Maya spoke first.
—He's not collecting anything.
Sophie blinked.
—Oh? Protective already?
That was when Jess appeared, arms crossed, standing just behind Sophie.
—This feels like something I should be annoyed about —Jess said— but I don't know why yet.
And finally, from the shadows near the elevator, Luna Nightshade stepped into the light, eyes glowing faintly.
—The rose blooms —she murmured— and the garden responds.
The System flickered violently.
[Multiple Targets in Proximity]Structure Stability: STRAINEDRecommendation: Focus Lost
Alex stood.
—This was supposed to be a conversation.
Maya rose beside him.
—It still is.
She glanced at the others.
—Just… a louder one.
🌹 Choice Without Resolution
The tension was thick.
Sophie was amused.Jess was suspicious.Luna was… pleased.
And Maya?
Maya was watching Alex.
Waiting.
The System whispered at the edge of his thoughts.
Power grows with connection.But connection multiplies risk.
Alex realized something then.
This wasn't a linear path.
There was no "first girl wins, others wait" rule.
The garden was alive.
And flowers didn't bloom one at a time.
He looked at Maya.
—Whatever happens next —he said— I won't lie to you. Not about the System. Not about them. Not about what this turns into.
Maya studied him.
Then nodded once.
—That's all I ask.
[Rose Route: TEMPORARILY STABLE]Further progression requires choice under pressure.
Luna smiled wider.
—The next night will be decisive.
Sophie laughed.
—Guess I'll bring popcorn.
Jess shook her head.
—This is going to be a mess.
Alex exhaled slowly, gazing out over the city.
Somewhere in Denton's servers, answers waited.
Somewhere in the System, new rules were forming.
And somewhere between trust, desire, and destiny…
The next flower was already starting to open.
[To Be Continued…]