Choosing my Loyal Guard: The Dead Ends

My Mundane Life Takes a Turn

My life has been nothing great. My family is nothing special either. If anything, they're the worst for letting my creepy uncle abuse me when I was young. Plus I'm an outcast for being a hermaphrodite but I do identify as a guy. Growing up and being forced to wear dresses was the worst, but it all stopped when my baby sister was born.

Emi is perfect and the apple of my parents' eye. She was born normal and was spoiled rotten which made her into a brat. However, I did protect her from our uncle as he started to look at her too. Not that I was ever thanked and if anything, it made things worse.

In contrast to my beautiful angelic-looking sister, I'm nothing but plain and boring. While her hair is light brown, flowy, and silky, mine is black, straight, and stringy. While her eyes are bright blue like clear ocean water, mine are black like dull coal. She's happy and loved while I'm depressed and tossed aside.

No, I'm nothing like Emi. I'm just Akana Yuki, the boy who no one knows or cares to know. I gave up on getting my family's love and acceptance years ago. I planned on scrapping by in school and counting the days.

All I wanted to do was get out of that suffocating house and live my life which I did. Now I'm a poor teenager who can barely make it by working several part-time jobs just to make ends meet. My debt only kept climbing as I had the dumb idea to go to college for dance. I only did a semester but the loans killed me.

I can't ask for help on it either. When I felt at home, my parents practically disowned me and told me never to come crawling back. Even if I was desperate enough, I would never return to that hellhole. All I can do now is work and try to survive.

The only joy I have in life now is a dating sim that I found a few weeks ago called Passionate Souls: Ways of the Heart. The main character is Princess Anna who is a herm like me which makes her relatable. She is surrounded by handsome men and even chooses one of the four male leads to become her husband and king. The art is wonderful and realistic and the story is addictive too.

But the best part? It's R18. I can't play it out in public once I'm deep into a route because of how steamy it gets. I always find myself blushing when I see one of the male leads naked as they're just so sexy. I get a nosebleed sometimes by just watching it.

I already figured out I'm gay a long time ago but I've never dated. Who will someone want to be with someone like me? I'm afraid of getting with someone who is so creepy that they see me as their secret fetish. I do admire nice and muscular men but I don't want to seem like a creep myself.

Princess Anna is a beautiful fairy with nice long black hair and yellow eyes. Best of all she has the same insecurities as me... I swear this game is made just for me! Because the male leads accept her, she can find love and life happily ever after.

I've gotten all the good ends in easy mode but what I want to find is this secret ending that the author posted about. Now that I've unlocked hard mode, I can work towards that goal.

As I make my way home from my evening job at a local diner with the excitement of getting into my game, I spot two familiar figures and my excitement is replaced with dread and annoyance. Why are they here? They better not be looking for money from me again...

Emi spots me and waves. "There you are!" Next to her is the man who ruined my life, Uncle Benito. Even now as his eyes follow on me, I know what he's thinking and it makes my skin crawl. "What took you so long?"

I scowl at them. "I was working. You know something normal people have to do to survive." I mutter. "I have nothing to give you so go home." I barely have enough to get myself cheap ramen and pay my rent.

Emi pouts. "Oh come on! I only need like... 1500 yen. That's not much." I glare at her making her flinch and act scared. That is her go-to when she doesn't get her way. Make me the bad guy.