The year is 2020… VR games still doesn’t have full dive technology, so we look like a bunch of idiots in a spacious room with goggles and dongles attached to our limbs.
I was just a lonely and boring guy.
My friends are mostly online, and they recommended me to buy this new VR social game, VR Central.
It was relatively cheap and I have my VR set so I bought it in no time.
I slowly gained a lot more friends, slowly detaching myself from reality. Whenever I’m home, I will play the game. It’s like a drug, addictive.
“Hey, Yumiji, wanna join a mixer?”
Me: “What mixer?”
Friend 1: “Like a gathering, but for the purpose of finding your other half.”
Me: “Huh? Not interested.”
Friend 1: “Oh c’mon, I’m just short of one guy… You don’t have to one-to-one with a girl… You can just walk away if you are REALLY not interested…”
Friend 2: “Just join…”
Me: “How many girls are there?”
Friend 2: “Just 3. So its 3-to-3…”
Me: “Okay then…”
Friend 1: “Yeah…”
Me: “When is it?”
Friend 1: “Hmm, tomorrow after dinner!”
Me: “Okay then…”
Friend 1: “Yeah, looks like its set!”
I logged out a few minutes later, was actually lowkey excited about it.
After coming back home from school, I did my homework, finished my dinner and then immediately logged in.
Friend 1: “Where is he? We are running late…”
Me rushing over: “I’m coming!”
Friend 2: “Ah he’s here.”
Me: “So sorry, I got delayed during dinner.”
Friend 2: “It’s okay, let’s go.”
The three of us then entered a lobby with many rooms.
Friend 1: “I opened this lobby so we can have a bit of privacy. I will send the lobby code to the girls real quick.”
Me: “Have you ever seen the girls before?”
Friend 2: “Avatar or Real life?”
Me: “Either.”
Friend 2: “No… I don’t even know them.”
Me: “Oh okay, I see.”
Friend 1: “Okay, they said they will be in a few minutes.”
I then sat down on the chair: “What’s the plan?”
Friend 1: “All 6 of us will sit at this table. Socialize then we will pick a girl each to bring into a room to talk.”
Me: “Oh… I see.”
Friend 2: “Don’t do anything dirty…”
Me: “I’m not you.”
The girls then arrived in a few minutes. My eyes immediately set to a girl with rabbit ears and ponytail…
Friend 1: “What are you staring at?”
Me: “Nothing!”
The six of us talked for about half an hour, with me speaking the least and being the most quiet, so I get bombarded with questions from the girls.
Friend 1: “Okay… It’s time. I think we let the girls pick the guy they wanna have a private session with.”
I wasn’t expecting any girl to pick me, because I ensured that I was as boring as I possibly could.
“I pick you.” and she pointed her finger at me.
Me: “Eh?”
“You, yes, you.”
Me: “M…Me?” and I pointed at myself.
“Mmhmm.”
The rabbit ear girl picked me. We then walked to a private room.
Me: “Why did you pick me?”
“You were being boring on purpose, aren’t you?”
Me: “Eh?”
“You were pretty easy to read.”
Me: “Since you know that I’m not interested, why did you still pick me?”
“I want you.”
Me: “Huh?”
“I want to know more about you…”
Me: “O…kay?”
“My name is Reimi, real name is Kotomi.”
Me: “Username Yumiji, real name Yuji.”
Reimi: “Let’s call each other’s real names in private.”
Me: “Erm… okay?”
Reimi: “Stop being awkward, it’s just the two of us here.”
Me: “I… need to go.”
Reimi: “Eh?”
Me: “Sorry, but I’m really not interested.”
Reimi: “At least accept my friend request!”
Me: “Okay then…” and I accepted the request. I walked out of the room.
I didn’t plan to go into a relationship at all. With the amount of rejections under my belt, I gave up trying to love someone or even get someone to love me. Eventually, I managed to achieve the ability to be numb towards romance.
I believed that there is no girls out there looking for good guys, but they are all looking for rich guys or good-looking guys…
I got my first confession in school a few weeks ago, a girl from another class.
“I’m sorry… if you were to appear a few months earlier… I might accept you. But I have pledged to live a simple life with just me, myself and I, so I cannot accept you. You are great girl, you will find someone better eventually. There are many other guys out there that are waiting to be loved.”
I finally achieved that ability, the ability to not love anyone, no matter how good looking she is, no matter how sweet she is. I don’t mind isolating myself.
I carried on with my peaceful life after the mixer. A few weeks later, I received a message from Reimi.
Reimi: “Let’s meet up and play games! I’m bored.”
I replied: “Okay then…”
I teleported to the lobby she’s in.
Me: “Eh? Where’s everyone?”
Reimi: “This is my private lobby.”
Me: “Where’s your other friends?”
Reimi: “They are all offline…”
Me: “Okay…”
Reimi: “Let’s go play some bowling!”
We played and played, eventually we played for 6 hours. And we drew after so many matches…
Me: “Don’t you feel exhausted?”
Reimi: “No, its fun! Playing with you is a blast!”
Me: “I’m not fun…”
Reimi: “Ah… Let’s have a heart-to-heart talk!”
Me: “Huh? What do you mean?”
Reimi: “I want to know about you. About your isolated nature… Who changed you into such a person…”
Me: “You don’t wanna know…”
Reimi: “I can tell that you used to have a bubbly personality.”
Me: “How do you read me inside out?”
Reimi: “Psychology lessons does help. This can be your therapy session.”
Me: “I don’t need therapy. I’m fine the way I am right now.”
Reimi: “Just tell me…”
Me: “No, or else I will leave.”
Reimi: “Okay, how about this? I will tell you everything about myself and you tell me everything about yourself as an exchange…”