CHAPTER 15: SECOND SIGN-IN

After Roy learned of the deed Cash God performed from Donny, the two brothers sang songs in the car till they got back home.

When they told Nana the news of having secured ten million dollars, she was overcome with worry at first, but then shared in their joy after they explained to her that she shouldn’t worry.

Later that night, Roy was overcome with so much happiness that he remained restless until he noticed Pierre hadn’t signed in tonight.

The countdown had ended, yet the school prince still hadn’t signed in.

Donald had managed to purchase a few energy crystals on their way home, so he could sign in.

"Oh well..." Roy sighed and fell back on his bed. "Pierre doesn’t have ten million dollars lying around, I guess."

Roy smiled widely with a funny expression as he mocked Pierre.

Just then, he felt his chest warm up, and the iridescent cube appeared in front of him, floating as usual and spinning slowly on its axis.

~Tap to sign in~

"Yes!"

Roy didn’t waste a second and tapped the cube.

[Sign-In Successful!]

Once again, Roy experienced a sense of vertigo, and a second later, he found himself standing in his blue grid world.

[Welcome, Host.]

Roy’s arrival message was bland and monotonous.

Similarly, a pink-themed virtual panel with rounded corners appeared before Pierre.

[Welcome back, Host, to Highschool Re: Date to Live, Live to LOVE.exe! It’s another day to fall in love again!]

A message popped up before Pierre and was read in an enthusiastic feminine voice.

[Host, choose one of the following options to continue:

(A) Restart simulation;

(B) Continue from last checkpoint.]

Pierre didn’t even bother to think and immediately chose the second option.

"I have to look out for anything I’m missing this time," he told himself.

[You have selected option (B), continuing from last checkpoint in 10...]

The countdown finished and the simulation began.

Pierre opened his eyes in his room, and before him, a familiar message panel appeared, read out by an enthusiastic female voice.

+

[Main Story #10 — Love Is War]

Current Stage: Class C – 1st Semester, 2nd Year.

Target: [Yoshida Aiko].

Story Description: "The Class Rep, Yoshida Aiko, doesn’t know it, but you do—she is going to die soon, reasons left unknown. Unless she lets her heart open, unless she dates and loves, she won’t live. But as a straight-A student, she has no time for romance. Can you win the heart of this damsel and save her from her incoming distress before it’s too late?"

Difficulty: HARD.

Objectives:

1. Make her fall in love with you.

2. Prevent her untimely death by any means possible.

Rewards: +1.5 Stat Points, +125 Love Points, +1 Skill (Active).

Final Remark: If you’re a lover, you gotta be a fighter. Good luck, Host!

+

Roy read the rewards, and his mouth watered looking at the active skill reward. By now, he had already figured that the love points weren’t counted as sign-in rewards because their use was only in-system, to aid the host in the next level.

Before Pierre, a familiar set of choices appeared.

[A: Preppy Style Uniform]

[B: Goth Style Uniform]

[C: School Prince Style Uniform]

"I should go with something else this time," Pierre said, and chose option A.

Instantly, his clothing changed to a black and blue suit with glasses, and his hair was quiffed in an overly tidy manner, looking very timid.

Roy voiced a command, and the time dilation was set to the real world.

[Day 1: You watch the class rep, Yoshida Aiko, from afar.

At lunch break, you walk up to her to request that she mentor you after school on maths, which she is very good at. She initially declines, but you plead further until she relents and agrees to help, but under the condition that she will be very strict. You tell her you don’t mind and ask when you two start. She sets the schedule as Wednesday, Friday, and next Monday and says she needs to go home and prepare.

You are happy with this start.]

[Day 2: As a nerd, Nishi Sakamoto avoids you during lunch break as you’re now too weird for him to be affiliated with.

At lunch break, you sit alone and realize you don’t have a lot of friends. The class bully clandestinely pushes you from behind as he passes, making you nudge forward and spill your boxed milk. He laughs and says, "Watch it, nerd," while other students watch and some laugh.]

[-5 Reputation.]

Roy clicked his tongue. "But at Level 7, Nishi Sakamoto had no problem with him being a nerd. Why is his personality different in this run? Is it because of the increased difficulty?"

[Day 3: You fear that if your reputation reduces further, then Yoshida Aiko wouldn’t want to be seen with you.

At lunch break, you sit with the other loner in the class and befriend him, his name is Haruto Takahashi.

After school, your first lecture with Yoshida Aiko kicks off, and she finds out you understand things quite fast.]

[+2 Affection.]

[Day 4: At lunch break, you find Haruka Yosuke staring at Utahime Sasaki and figure out that he has a crush on her.]

[Day 5: After school, your second lecture with Yoshida Aiko goes nicely, and you converse with her more freely as you both discover that you share similar likes.]

[+5 Affection.]

[Day 6-7: Suzuki Kyouno comes around for study time. She tries to seduce you both days, but you kick her out of your house each time.]

[+15 Affection.]

"What the?" Roy frowned. "Suzuki’s affection for him increases no matter what, and most especially when he treats her badly! Is she sick in the head or something?"

Roy clicked his tongue. Deep in his heart, he wished for someone to like him that much. "I won’t do her wrong, I swear," he prayed half-heartedly.

[Day 8: Arriving at school, you overhear a rumor going about, about Yoshida Aiko and the class teacher having an affair.

Throughout classes, you notice Yoshida Aiko has withdrawn into herself, and your classmates openly gossiped about her. This angers you greatly, and you suspect Suzuki Kyouno for spreading the lies.

At lunch break, you confront her in the hallway and tell her to never talk to you again. She cries and leaves. Bystanders saw and tagged you a creep. -10 Reputation. +5 Affection.

After school, your third and final with Yoshida Aiko is underway. She missed her Math Club meeting to help you, and you expressed how thankful you were. During the teaching, you notice her mind was absent at times, and instead of asking what was wrong, you chose to tell her you would always be on her side no matter what. Yoshida Aiko smiles and thanks you. You even walk home together.]

[+15 Affection.]

[Day 9: Arriving at school, you learn that Yoshida Aiko slit her wrist in her bathtub after she returned home yesterday.]

"What?! That’s too sudden!" Roy screamed and grabbed his hair.

His reaction wasn’t all that different from Pierre’s, whose vision blurred with a cold message appearing before him.

Your love wasn’t strong enough.

[Main Story #10 — Failed.]

Roy returned to his room and just muttered, "Dammit."