It’s A Date

Akio strolled home after school, sensing the moisture in the air signaling an impending rain. He couldn't help but ponder if these subtle details were replicated in the game. In Three Realms, he experienced the breeze's cold touch but never felt actual coldness. Perhaps it was a warm season in the game, but what if it were winter? Would it snow, allowing him to build a snowman, or would he face hyperthermia? The absence of hunger in the game raised questions about the tongue's functionality or eating. Did players need food for stamina or survival? Akio despised how Three Realms dominated his thoughts.

Although he preferred being alone, the desire for more conversations occasionally crossed his mind.

Surrounded by the world and its people, he remained unnoticed, and he liked it that way. However, there were times when he wished he had engaged with others more often. The encounter with Karina and the shop was the closest he'd come to an outside conversation. Walking ahead were some familiar classmates from his past, recognizable since childhood.

"…I can't wait to log on!" one of the girls exclaimed, likely referring to Three Realms. Akio mentally joined their conversation, speculating on their responses.

"Hey, I played it too. What town or city did you guys summon in? Oh, that's cool.... Yeah, mine wasn't so fortunate. I got summoned into a forest, maybe a bug," Akio conversed in his mind, trying to stifle his imagination.

Interrupting his thoughts, a girl approached, asking, "Um, excuse me… are you Nakamura? Nakamura Akio?"

Turning his gaze away from the ground, Akio faced the speaker. "Oh, um… yes."

Upon making eye contact, his heart skipped a beat. It was a beautiful girl from his class—blue eyes, long black hair, and the school uniform. Otake Miyuki carried an innocent smile. While not one to freeze up around girls, the rarity of meaningful conversations made Akio slightly uneasy.

"You might not know me well, but I transferred to your school a couple of days ago."

"Oh, yeah, I remember… um, but I can't recall your…"

"Otake Miyuki!"

"…ah yes, Otake."

Akio, not one to freeze up talking to a girl, felt a nervousness he hadn't experienced before. Conversations never extended beyond a certain point for him. Walking together, Miyuki continued the conversation.

"So your house is down this way too?"

"Oh yeah."

"Mine is a few blocks from here. Is yours also nearby, or do you walk a bigger distance?"

"Um, no, a few blocks also."

"Akio, you are failing to keep the conversation afloat! Why am I so awkward?" Akio yelled within his head.

"Really? We might live super close then. So why are you always so quiet?"

Akio felt as if he was being stabbed through the chest. Should he admit to being a loner, a loser, as the red-haired girl in the game had said? His mind was a mess, and he couldn't think of the correct response.

"I…uhh…I'm not sure."

This time, Miyuki stepped in front of Akio and leaned in close.

"Well, that's not a good reason to not talk…"

Akio began to redden, a stir of emotions trickling inside him. No one had ever gotten this close to his face. Miyuki stared at him with a serious look, as if peering into his soul.

"Yeah, I, uh, I'm not one to socialize."

"Why not? Do you not like talking to people?"

"Ye..yeah."

"So you don't like it when I talk to you?"

"Wait, no… that's not what I, uh… no, I don't mind," Akio corrected himself, feeling as if he'd fallen for a trap. He wasn't in his best mental state.

"Hehe," she laughed slightly, covering her lips and closing her eyes. "I'm just messing with you," she smiled.

Akio and Miyuki continued to walk forward through the path.

"So, what do you do in your free time?"

"I watch a lot of dramas… however, I haven't found any that could replace the one I just finished, so lately I've been playing games."

"I like dramas and games too! What's your favorite drama? Mine is…"

In that instant, Akio felt as if a weight had been lifted. Someone who liked the same things he did was actually conversing with him, and he felt a sense of happiness.

"Yeah, I like that one too, but she didn't deserve him at the end!" Akio replied with a smile.

"I totally agree! How about …"

Akio had unlocked the very thing he never thought to experience—a genuine conversation outside of a chat room.

"How about video games? Wait, have you played that new game that everyone is talking about?" Miyuki asked.

"Oh yeah, Three Realms Online, right?"

"Really!! Yeah, I played it last night too! You wouldn't want to maybe help me level up in-game?"

"Um… yeah, but I can't tonight."

"Yeah, I can't either. I got hit with a death penalty… but tomorrow night then!"

"Yeah, I died in-game too… but yes, I'd love to help you!"

"It's a date then!"

"—a date?!" Akio repeated in his head the whole way home, even upon entering his home and walking past his father, who attempted to get his attention. He was in a sort of trance, similar to how he was during class; no sound wave reached inside his ear canal. Ignoring everyone at home, Akio walked up the stairs to his room.

"Was that Akio? Why didn't he say anything?… you think he didn't like the game!" his mother said as she walked to where Akio's father sat.

"Yeah, it's the strangest thing… you'd think if he didn't like it, he'd at least say something bad about it… but he just came in here without saying a word."

"What if he's disappointed? Or what if he's really, really mad!"

"He can't be. You should've seen the smile he had when he walked in."

"Smile! So he does like the game and he's too shy to admit it."

"Mmm, maybe, but I recognize those types of smiles—love."

Akio buried himself in the pillow and couldn't stop thinking about the word "date." He pushed up from the pillow, carrying a more serious face. He had to compose himself and forced himself to clear his mind.

The day had passed faster than Akio had expected. Dinner with his family wasn't something he usually attended, so he didn't talk with anyone in his family throughout the day. He spent the day searching through forums and news articles to find anything new surrounding the game. Here and there, he found one that was interesting, but once he absorbed the whole information, he would feel the same sense of emptiness he felt after finishing a drama that had him hooked.

Before bed, he closed his eyes and dreamed of that world once more. This time, he imagined himself seeing Miyuki and spending more than a day with her. Had he become obsessed? He hoped he wasn't because, of all the dramas he watched, the first love was always the one that caused the most pain. Something was going to happen, but maybe this was different. Surely, this is not a drama with a script written with the sole purpose of making money or entertainment. "Nothing is going to happen," he shouted within his head, trying to ignore such an outlandish thought.