Love In Another World (Saiouma)

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~🌹 🌺 🌸~

     "Hey Shuichi!" I looked over to find my friend Kaede Akamatsu. We've been friends ever since 4th grade, and I've developed a sort of.. attraction for her over the years. Now, we've just graduated high school.

     "What is it, Kaede?" I asked. She gave me a smile, and brought out her phone.

     "Take a look at this!" she said. I took a look at her phone screen, which had a picture of a game. "This game is really popular nowadays, we should check it out!"

     "Well... What's it about?"
     "Apparently, its a magical world, you can use swords, defeat monsters.."

     I'm not really fond of video games, but if Kaede wants me to play it, then I'll try it out.
     "I guess I'll try it.." I said, putting my hand behind my neck.

     Kaede put her phone in her bag. "I bought the game, so could we play it tonight?" she asked. "We can do it at my place, or your place if it's fine."

     "What about your place?" I asked. "It's pretty nice there..."
     "Alright!" she said. "I'll expect you tonight.. See ya!"

     I waved to her, and she ran off to her house. I was now alone at the school gate,
Playing a game with Kaede, huh? I'm looking forward to this.

     ~🌹 🌺 🌸~

     6:00 PM
     I arrived at Kaede's house.
     "Oh hello Shuichi!" welcomed Kaede's mom. "Welcome! Kaede's been waiting all day for you!"

     I heard a voice coming from Kaede's room. "Be quiet, Mom!" shouted Kaede.

Kaede's mom giggled, and led me inside.

     "What are you doing here for?" she asked me.

     "I'm here to play a game with Kaede.." I said. She drank her water and laughed.

    "Teenagers and their games these days.. Back in my day, me and my friends would play outside, laying down in the grass together." she chuckled.

     She got up, and grabbed something from the kitchen cabinets. "You guys should at least eat before you play, right?" She took out two cups of instant noodles.

     Kaede walked out of her room. "But mom.."

     "It's fine, Kaede." I said. "I haven't eaten dinner yet, anyways."

     Kaede's mom smiled, and got the hot water ready.

     Kaede sat down on the couch next to me. "Any Crush?"

     I looked at her confused. "..Crush..? What are you talking about?"

     She rolled her eyes at me. "Do you have a Crush?"

     I felt my face getting hot. "No! Of course not! I don't have a crush, why would I?"

     "Oh well.." she said. "All I needed was some soda.. I'll buy one at the store later." She leaned back. "Unless you thought I was talking about something else."

     "Your so annoying.." I said.

     "Your my best friend to!" she said. "Hey, there's a piano competition tomorrow. What should I play?"

     I thought for a second. "Clair de Lune?"
     She clapped her hands. "I love that song! Brings so much emotion.. Thanks for the help!"

     "Alright you two.." said Kaede's mom. She put the cup noodles in front of us and poured the hot water in it. "Eat up. Don't eat too fast, though."

     "Thank you Mom." said Kaede. She snapped her chapsticks and started eating. I did the same.

     "I'll be working in my room now," said her mom. "Don't be too loud."

     Me and Kaede nodded, and continued eating. After we finished, Kaede and I went to her room.
     "Here it is!" Kaede brought out the disc for the game. She put the disc in.

     ~🌹 🌺 🌸~

     Kaede smiled. "These graphics are really good, right?" I nodded, and grabbed a controller.

     Please take a photo of yourself. This photo will design your avatars to look like your real self.

     We both took photos of ourselves, and the game began to load.

    Loading complete.

    Me and Kaede looked at the screen to find both of our avatars, and two start buttons. Probably for each player.

     "I'll click it first, Shuichi." said Kaede. She clicked a button on her controller. "Huh..?"

     "Huh?" I asked. "Kaede, what's wrong?"

     "Something.. feels wrong.." she said. "Shuichi!"

     I reached out to grab her shoulder, but before I could, she seemed to glitch, and disappeared.

     Where did she go?

     "K-Kaede....? W-where.." I was in shock. "This is a dream.. right?"

     I looked at the start button. Is that was caused this?
     I grabbed my own controller, about to press the start button.

..Should I do it too? Maybe I should.. but.. ah- whatever.

     And so, I pressed the start button. All of a sudden, my body felt numb. I looked at my hands, and sure enough, they were glitching. Is this what Kaede felt after she pressed it?

     Then all of a sudden, all I could see was black.

~🌹 🌺 🌸~