Chapter 46 — The Night Before Tomorrow
The dungeon was over.
The final system message faded from the screen, the echo of victory still lingering in the quiet air of Haruya's room. His avatar stood motionless for a moment before the logout timer appeared, the virtual world slowly dimming.
One by one, the party icons disappeared.
Moonlight Echo logged out first.
Then Luna.
Then Neko.
Then Aria.
Only three names remained for a few seconds longer.
Haru.
Saeko.
Reina.
The silence that followed felt… strange.
Not awkward.
Just heavy, like something unspoken was floating between them.
Inside the Game — The Last Moments
Saeko shifted her avatar slightly, hands clasped together in front of her character as if that posture could somehow cross the screen and express what she felt.
"Um…" she typed, then deleted it.
Typed again.
Deleted again.
Reina noticed.
[Party Chat]
Reina: "So… tomorrow's school starts again."
Haru blinked and typed back.
Haru: "Yeah. Holidays ended faster than I expected."
That simple sentence made both girls' hearts jump.
Tomorrow.
Not in-game.
Tomorrow… in real life.
Saeko swallowed.
Saeko: "W-We'll see each other at school then…"
Haru smiled at the screen without realizing it.
Haru: "Of course."
Reina stared at that message longer than necessary.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she typed:
Reina: "Don't stay up too late gaming saeko. You'll regret it in the morning."
Haru chuckled softly.
Saeko: "I know (￣_￣)."
That was it.
One by one, the logout icons appeared.
Saeko logged out first.
Reina followed a second later.
Haru remained alone for a brief moment…
then logged out too.
The screen went dark.
---
The dungeon victory still lingered in Haruya's mind even after the game screen faded to black. His room returned to him slowly, the familiar ceiling, the quiet hum of the air conditioner, the soft glow of the city lights slipping through the curtains.
For a moment, he remained seated on his chair, hands resting loosely on his knees, as if his body hadn't fully accepted that the ancient ruins, glowing runes.
The last thing he remembered before logging out was Saeko's hesitant goodbye… and Reina's firm reminder not to stay up too late.
Tomorrow.
---
Saeko — A Heart That Won't Calm Down
Saeko closed the game and gently placed her phone on the desk, as if even a careless movement might shatter the fragile calm she was trying to maintain. The room felt too quiet. Her heart, however, refused to match that stillness.
She sat on her bed, hands folded on her lap, staring at nothing.
Tomorrow… I'll see Haru-kun again (≧▽≦).
The thought alone made her shoulders tense. Slowly, almost nervously, she stood up and walked toward her desk drawer. She hesitated before opening it, fingers hovering for a second longer than necessary, as if she were afraid of what she would find inside.
But she already knew.
The small charm lay there, exactly where she had left it.
Saeko picked it up with both hands, holding it carefully, reverently. The braided thread was slightly uneven in places, proof that it had been made by hand, not bought. The bead at its center caught the light faintly, reflecting a soft glow.
"I worked so hard on this…" she whispered, her voice barely audible even to herself.
She had started making it days ago, telling herself it was just something simple, something harmless. A protective charm. Something kind people gave to people they cared about. Nothing more.
And yet, now that tomorrow was so close, her chest felt tight.
What should I say when I give it to him?
What if he thinks it's strange?
What if he feels pressured?
Her cheeks grew warm as her thoughts spiraled.
She imagined standing in front of Haru at school, holding out the charm with shaking hands. She imagined his surprised expression, the way his eyes widened slightly when caught off guard. She imagined him smiling gently and saying thank you.
Her grip tightened unconsciously.
"Why am I thinking so much…" she muttered, flopping backward onto the bed.
She pressed the charm against her chest, feeling her heartbeat through it.
"I'm just… being nice," she told herself again, though her voice lacked conviction.
Her face burned as she rolled onto her side, burying half of it into her pillow.
Tomorrow hadn't even arrived yet, and already her heart felt like it was running ahead of her.
---
Reina — Strategy Failing Against Emotion
Unlike Saeko, Reina did not lie down immediately.
She sat upright at her desk, back straight, arms crossed, staring at her dark phone screen as if it might suddenly start talking back to her. The room was neat, organized, controlled. Everything was in its place.
Except her thoughts.
She exhaled slowly.
"So tomorrow is school again…" she said under her breath.
She reached into her bag and took out the small wrist band she had bought earlier. It was plain, durable, clearly practical. Something that made sense. Something easy to justify.
Protection gear. That's all.
She turned it over in her hand, eyes narrowing slightly.
He plays games. He moves around a lot. It's reasonable.
And yet, despite how logical her reasoning sounded, her chest felt oddly tight.
Reina leaned back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling.
Her mind replayed Haru's voice from earlier. Calm. Polite. Warm in a way that made people unconsciously relax around him.
If you wanted to meet, you could've just messaged me.
That sentence echoed again.
Her jaw tightened.
Did I cross a line…?
The thought irritated her more than it should have.
"No," she said quietly. "I was just looking out for him."
She clenched her fist, then relaxed it.
Still… tomorrow, she would be careful. More normal. Less intense.
The decision felt oddly difficult.
---
Haru — When Popularity Becomes Uncomfortable
Haru lay back on his bed, phone held above his face, scrolling through the game community forums. He hadn't expected much when he opened it. Maybe a few comments. A few reactions.
What he found instead made his eyebrows slowly rise.
Threads after threads.
Clips. Screenshots. Discussions.
"…This is a bit much," he murmured.
He tapped into one of the most active threads.
---
Community Thread: "Who Is Haru, Really?"
ValkyrieScout:
I watched the clip five times. That movement isn't beginner-level. Period.
RuneDoctor:
Exactly. He reads patterns before they happen. That's experience, not luck.
PixelFangirl:
I don't care if Haru is a girl or boy. That playstyle is clean and beautiful.
IronRose:
Except boys don't play games in this world. Be realistic (￣ヘ￣).
NorthWind:
Then explain the mic clip. That voice wasn't female.
IronRose:
Voice changers exist dumb women.
SilentEcho:
You're missing the point. Skill like that draws attention. Gender doesn't matter.
SilverVLeader:
Actually, it does. If Haru is a boy, every major guild will move and fight for him and you also.
MoonlitArrow:
Already happening. People are tracking his login times.
GachaAddict:
That's creepy.
MoonlitArrow:
Welcome to reality.
FrostByte:
I just want him in my party once. Is that too much to ask?
EastSkyWatcher:
He's on East Sky–02. Logged out earlier.
FrostByte:
Pain it's hurt (´д`).
DreamWeaver:
Imagine having a calm, supportive boy teammate… (｡・//ε//・｡).
IronRose:
Stop romanticizing. It's weird.
DreamWeaver:
No, it's werid, it's mean you lesbian (?・・)σ
Octpic:
( ՞ਊ ՞）→ hahaha lesbian found in chat
---
Haru quietly locked his phone.
His chest felt… heavy.
"I just wanted to play," he said softly to the empty room.
For the first time, he truly understood that attention wasn't always a good thing, who cares.
He stared at the ceiling.
Tomorrow would be school again let's go.
A place where he thought things were simpler.
---
The Same Night, Different Hearts
Saeko lay awake, replaying imaginary conversations that would probably never happen.
Reina stared into the dark, telling herself she was in control.
Haru closed his eyes, unaware that so many people were already thinking about him.
And somewhere out there, the world was quietly shifting around a boy who never asked for any of it.
---
Interlude — Akari Hoshizuki Cannot Sleep
Akari sat at the edge of her bed, hands folded neatly on her knees, posture perfect as always. The room around her was dim, curtains drawn tight, only the pale light of a desk lamp illuminating her face. On the surface, she looked calm. Composed. Like the respectable literature teacher her students believed her to be.
But inside, her thoughts were anything but quiet.
Tomorrow.
The word echoed in her mind again and again, growing heavier each time it repeated.
Tomorrow, she would see him.
Her fingers curled slightly against the fabric of her skirt as the image formed clearly in her mind. The school hallway. Morning light spilling through the windows. The soft sound of footsteps. And then—him. Takahara Haruya. Walking with that same gentle pace, that same polite expression, completely unaware of how deeply he had carved himself into her existence.
Akari pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile that threatened to grow too wide.
"Tomorrow…" she whispered, the sound barely leaving her throat.
She stood slowly and walked toward her desk. The surface was unnaturally clean, almost sterile, except for one thing: her laptop. She opened it with practiced familiarity. The screen lit up, revealing folders neatly arranged, each one labeled with dates, locations, times.
She clicked one.
Photos filled the screen.
Haruya entering the school gate. Haruya sitting quietly during break. Haruya smiling faintly while thanking a classmate. Haruya stepping into a luxury car, bodyguards flanking him.
Akari's breathing grew shallow.
"So careful… even when you don't realize it," she murmured.
Her eyes traced his figure in the photos with an intensity that bordered on reverence. She remembered the first day she noticed him. Not as "the rare boy," not as "that student everyone whispers about," but simply as him. A boy who bowed politely. Who apologized even when he wasn't at fault. Who treated others with a kindness that felt almost out of place in this world.
That kindness had pierced her.
She closed the laptop gently, as if afraid of disturbing him through the screen.
Tomorrow, she would see him in person again.
Not in passing. Not from a distance.
Tomorrow, she could speak to him.
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
Her heart pounded faster now, excitement bubbling dangerously close to the surface. She stood and began pacing the room, steps small and controlled, as if she were afraid of losing herself completely.
"What should I say…?" she muttered.
Good morning?
That felt too casual.
Did you sleep well?
No, He will think wrong.
She stopped abruptly, pressing a hand to her chest as a soft, breathless laugh escaped her lips.
"It doesn't matter," she whispered. "You'll look at me anyway."
Akari turned toward the mirror mounted on her wall. Her reflection stared back at her: calm eyes, neat hair, a gentle expression carefully practiced over years. A teacher. A woman others trusted.
She raised a hand and touched her own cheek.
"I've waited so long," she said softly to her reflection. "I was patient. I behaved. I watched quietly."
Her smile deepened, just a little.
"And now you're finally growing closer to me."
Her thoughts drifted, unrestrained now.
She imagined standing near him in the hallway. Imagined his voice when he greeted her politely. Imagined the warmth of his presence, so close she could feel it.
Other girls would be there too. Always there. Watching him. Thinking they had a right to him.
Akari's fingers tightened.
"They don't understand you," she whispered, her voice gentle but cold. "They don't see how fragile you are. How easily you could be hurt."
Her eyes softened, almost lovingly.
"But I do."
She returned to her bed and sat down slowly, hands clasped together this time, trembling slightly despite her efforts to stay composed. Her excitement was no longer something she could fully contain.
Tomorrow.
She lay back, staring at the ceiling, eyes wide open.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Haruya," she murmured, a smile playing on her lips. "And this time… you won't just pass by."
Her breathing finally slowed, though sleep did not come easily. Her mind was far too awake, far too alive with anticipation.
Tomorrow wasn't just another school day.
For Akari Hoshizuki, it was the beginning of something she had been waiting for far too long.
And she had no intention of letting it slip away.
— To Be Continued…
------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Author note 🧾
Hello my dear readers,
it's your king_fuzu back from the dead 👋
Yes.
I'm alive.
Barely.
First of all, sorry for the late update. Again.
Before you start sharpening knives or planning to sacrifice me to the algorithm gods, let me confess my crime honestly.
My exams ended… and my motivation also ended.
Together.
At the same time.
Like best friends jumping off a cliff.
I told myself:
"Okay, one day break after exams."
Then my brain said:
"Bro… you survived. Take another day."
Then the next day:
"Recovery is important."
Then the next:
"Mental health check."
Then somehow it became:
"I'll write tomorrow, trust me."
And tomorrow never came. 💀
At this point, even pandas were judging me. 🐼
And yes, I officially confirm it:
I am lazier than pandas on my vacation.
I wasn't ignoring the story (…maybe a little).
I was just lying there, staring at the ceiling, thinking:
"Wow… writing is hard."
But don't worry, this author has respawned.
Energy restored.
Brain cells slowly reconnecting.
Motivation downloading at 37%.
Thank you for not giving up on me,
Thank you for waiting,
And thank you for not commenting "author died?" (yet).
This kind of delay won't happen again—
If it does, feel free to release your angry on me in the comments, I deserve it.
your very flawed, very Panda, very sleepy author
And
Happy new year guys 🎊
— king_fuzu.