Inside a room lined with massive glass windows overlooking the cityscape, two people sat facing each other.
Gray smoke drifted lazily around the room, refusing to settle.
"So… basically," Myriel—the head of the discipline committee—leaned back slightly in his seat, eyes fixed on me, "what you're saying is… you crashed out?"
"Could you phrase that better?" I replied flatly, clicking my tongue. "It's not like I crashed out. It's more like that guy seriously pissed me off."
"That's the same thing."
"It's really not."
Myriel rested his chin on his hand, clearly thinking. "Is that guy really that annoying in class?" he asked, studying my face.
"Two weeks." I raised two fingers. "Two weeks, and that guy managed to charm three girls. Doesn't that sound ridiculous to you?"
"Well… yeah," Myriel admitted. "Even someone as handsome as me struggles to get girls."
"That's because your personality is trash, Myriel," someone interjected lazily.
I glanced behind me.
A girl with long, messy hair and heavy dark circles under her eyes leaned against the wall, smoking casually. Her whole presence screamed exhaustion.
Myriel turned toward her. "Sure, sure. But let's be honest, the face matters more than personality, Sheryl."
Sheryl snorted. "Say that to the girls you approach by asking, 'What kind of porn do you like?'"
Myriel lightly slapped the table. "That's reasonable! I don't want to get close to a girl whose favorite genre is NTR!"
Sheryl squinted at him. "Then maybe don't ask that before you even get to know the girl, stupid."
She took another drag from her cigarette.
"So," I cut in, "what do you think, Sheryl?"
"About what?"
"About this incident."
Sheryl stubbed out her cigarette, then immediately pulled out another one from the pack.
"Well, it's already decided," she said calmly. "You're getting one point for this."
My heart sank like it had been stabbed.
"They're getting one too, don't worry," she added.
"Public flirting in a crowded classroom is excessive. I can't even imagine how painful that was for the single people there."
"That's exactly what I'm saying!" I blurted out.
Sheryl lit her new cigarette, inhaled deeply, then exhaled toward the ceiling.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, clearly thinking.
"Do those girls genuinely have feelings for that bland-looking guy? I don't feel anything just looking at him."
"Exactly!" I exclaimed, making Myriel flinch slightly at my volume. "Last week—the big-chested girl, you remember?"
Both of them nodded.
"She forgot to bring a pen. That guy, what was his name again…" I paused, trying to recall.
"Gabriel," Myriel supplied.
"Yes! Gabriel." I snapped my fingers. "He lent her a pen with that awkward smile of his. Totally normal, basic etiquette, right?"
They nodded again.
"But here's the part that messed me up," I continued. "I kid you not, she froze for a full thirty seconds. Just stood there, staring, while Gabriel's hand stayed suspended in the air. That's really weird, right?"
Myriel stared blankly for a moment before turning to Sheryl.
"Do girls really fall in love that easily?" he asked.
"No. Absolutely not. You know it too, Myriel." Sheryl shook her head.
"Honestly, it makes even less sense when you consider the backgrounds of the girls he attracted. They're all… absurdly talented. How does a guy like him—"
I raised a finger, a confident smile forming on my face.
"Here's my theory."
Both of them turned their attention to me.
"Maybe the world we're living in right now…"
They leaned in slightly.
"…is a Romance World."
The atmosphere instantly froze.
Both of them stiffened, eyebrows lifting in perfect synchronization.
"Have you lost your mind?" Sheryl asked flatly.
"Are you coping right now, Nico?" Myriel asked, struggling not to laugh.
Embarrassment washed over me.
"Alright, hear me out. Hear me out!" I waved my hands. "Think about it. How else does a bland guy charm three beautiful girls?"
"Maybe they just have terrible taste," Sheryl replied.
"Then what about the pen incident?" I shot back.
"Maybe she was just bad at saying thank you."
"For thirty seconds?" I chuckled. "Yeah. Sure."
"Pfft—shihihihi—" Myriel covered his mouth, shoulders shaking.
I frowned at him.
Then he burst out laughing.
"Phahahaha! Holy shit, that's the funniest thing I've ever heard from you! Nico, I didn't know you could be this funny."
I glared at him. "I am not joking."
Myriel laughed for a long time, making me feel more and more like a clown. Sheryl, meanwhile, just continued smoking.
"Whatever, man," she said eventually. "You're just coping. A Romance World? So those four are the Protagonist and Heroines?"
I nodded.
"You nodded?!" Myriel laughed again. "So what, we're NPCs? Our lives are just illusions written by some author?"
Sheryl shook her head behind him.
…I started doubting my own theory.
Myriel finally calmed down, took a deep breath, and looked straight at me.
"But here's the thing, Nico. I still have free will. I could kill that so-called Protagonist right now, and boom! No Romance World. Right?"
"Do it," I said immediately.
Myriel froze, eyebrows shooting up.
"…What?"
"I said do it. Kill him."
"What are you—no!" He waved his hands. "I was joking! Just making a point! Do you seriously think I'd actually kill him?! Geez, I'm not that cruel."
I grinned. "As I thought."
Just as I suspected.
That Protagonist had the world's protection.
Myriel grinned back, teeth showing.
"Are you challenging me?" he pointed at me in disbelief. "You? The guy who didn't advance a class because he couldn't awaken his Hamartia?"
"Yes," I replied calmly. "I am. Can't do it?"
A laugh of disbelief escaped him. "Haha, alright then, just you—"
"That's enough." Sheryl cut in sharply. "Is your rivalry flaring up again? Even after being placed in different classes?"
Myriel looked at her. "Well, he cha—"
"Shut up. Or I'll kill you for real," Sheryl muttered, glaring at him.
Myriel instantly shut his mouth.
I sighed heavily.
"Alright. Looks like there's nothing else to gain here." I stood up.
As I walked toward the door beside Sheryl, she opened it wide for me.
I nodded in thanks.
Before leaving, I turned back once more. "Oh, right. Can you transfer me to another class? I don't want to deal with that guy again."
Myriel tapped his fingers on the table. "We don't have that authority. You'll have to ask the student council president."
"Oh? Is that so?" I said. "Alright then."
I took a step forward, then stopped when Myriel spoke again.
"The problem is," he added, "the current student council president is the older sibling of one of the girls close to Gabriel."
I gave a bitter grin, letting out a small laugh. "Haha… looks like this is more complicated than I thought."
Myriel waved at me with a smile. "Good luck persuading our cold-hearted student council president, Nico."
My thoughts spiraled as I stepped out, returning his wave.
Bang.
The door closed behind me.
Fresh air—completely different from the smoke-filled room—welcomed me.
But it didn't match the state of my mind at all.
There were too many strange things… and too many problems I needed to deal with.
Dong-dong.
The bell signaling the end of the school day rang.
I scratched my head, deciding to think about all of this later.
***
Inside the smoke-filled room once again,
Myriel leaned back against the sofa, staring up at the ceiling.
"Romance World…" he muttered. "Can you believe that kind of nonsense, Sheryl?"
Sheryl exhaled a stream of smoke. "Considering Nico's story and what happened… honestly, I kind of believe it."
Myriel lifted his head, startled.
"You actually believe him?"
She shrugged. "Well… Yeah. Kinda."
"My God." He covered his face with his palms and sighed deeply.
"How can he even think of something that horrifying? If it's true… I can't stand the idea that I'm just an NPC in someone's romance story."
"Same," Sheryl replied. "I even felt the urge to kill that Gabriel guy."
"If you do that," Myriel said quietly, "I won't get to see you again, Sheryl."
"Wow," she raised an eyebrow. "Are you flirting with me right now?"
Myriel frowned.
"Why are the people around me getting weirder by the day?"
Sheryl tilted her head, wondering if she'd heard him correctly.
"Also," he added, "could you stop smoking in the discipline committee room?"
"You know I need cigarettes to recharge my Hamartia."
"There's a designated smoking area."
"Too far."
Myriel ground his teeth.
"At this rate, I'm going to die of lung cancer," he said weakly.
"Good."
Myriel froze, he suddenly felt the urge to punch Sheryl in the face.