Liam stared at the screen, dumbfounded. "What the hell...?" he blurted out.
Then a sharp, bitter laugh burst out of him. "Great. Now I'm in some kind of hentai game. Whoever's behind this, you win. Joke's over." he scoffed.
The system. The screen. The quest. The preposterousness of it all.
A delusional person might have probably indulged in the madness of the system and begun to look for ways to get laid before the clock ran out.
But Liam wasn't delusional. And he certainly wasn't some horny pervert. So he simply took it as a joke. Some kind of elaborate game or prank, a glitch in his tired brain.
But yet again, the screen looked so real. It felt genuine. And for a split second, Liam wanted to believe it was.
But he quickly snapped out of it, shaking his head vigorously. "Nope! I'm not gonna fall for some ridiculous prank. Not today. Not ever."
Then he tried to blink it away, to shake the screen out of his sight, but the translucent panel remained stubbornly in his line of sight.
Liam frowned in dissatisfaction. "Ugh! Why won't you..."
"Liam?" a soft, melodious voice suddenly drifted into his ears from behind.
His body stiffened. He turned. And standing in the doorway was his sister, Lila.
She was a vision, even in her rumpled sleep shirt and shorts. With long black hair spilling over her shoulders and azure eyes that seemed to glow faintly even in the dim kitchen light. She was beautiful in that delicate, budding way.
And just at seventeen, she was already ripe in all the right places, a blossoming beauty with a nice curve and skin so smooth it seemed to glow.
Liam couldn't help but smile when he saw her standing there, looking all cute and innocent.
She looked at him with concern. "Are you okay? You sounded like you were in trouble."
Liam forced a smile, trying to pretend everything was fine. "I'm fine, Lila. Just... uh... thinking out loud. Don't worry about me." he waved his left hand in a dismissive gesture.
Lila's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, as if searching for a deeper truth. "Okay," she finally said, her tone still laced with a hint of doubt. "I'm gonna get back to studying. Almost done with the third book on evolution."
Liam nodded with a smile. "That's great! Can't wait till you tell me all about it."
Lila gave a small hum, her eyes still fixed on Liam. She was studying him the way only siblings could.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, clearly not satisfied with his odd behavior.
"Positive." Liam forced a grin. "Now get back to your studying. You've got more important things to do than babysit your big brother."
Lila stared at him for a while before finally turning to leave. But before she could step out of the doorway, Liam suddenly stopped her.
"Lila, wait!" he called out.
She paused, looking back at him, her beautiful eyes questioning.
Liam hesitated, then took a breath. Then he motioned vaguely to the air in front of him where the screen floated. "Can you... uh, can you see this? This... blue, glowing screen right here? It's got words on it, like a game notification." he explained, trying to describe it, waving his hands like a lunatic.
Lila stared at him in awe, her lovely features slowly morphing into an expression that could only be described as 'Had he finally lost it?'
Her lips parted slightly, then closed. "Liam," she said, her voice gentle but firm, "Stop acting weird. Go get ready for school, or you're going to be late."
Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving him alone with the impossible screen.
Liam watched her go, carrying the grace of those imperial scholars who knew it all. He glanced at her retreating figure for a while, then back at the floating blue panel.
"She couldn't see it." Liam thought, coming to a rapid conclusion that no one else could see the screen.
"Well... that's actually kind of impressive," he admitted reluctantly. "For a game, anyway."
He glared at the obnoxious screen, a sudden wave of irritation washing over him. "But how do I get rid of it?" he thought.
And almost immediately, as if his thought had been a command, the screen flickered, distorted, and then disappeared. Just like that.
Liam blinked at first. "...Okay, that's creepy," he whispered. But he was relieved either way. He exhaled, then glanced at the cheap, plastic clock on the kitchen wall.
His eyes widened. "Shit! Lila's right. I'm gonna be late."
He quickly left the kitchen and headed to the bathroom.
By the time he stepped out, towel-drying his messy hair, he forced himself into his worn school uniform... a shirt that was a shade too tight and trousers that had seen better days.
He headed back to the kitchen, his stomach rumbling in hunger. But as he opened the high-up shelf where they kept their meager provisions, his heart sank.
Inside sat a sad, lonely can of pasta. Just one.
He stared at the can, his stomach growled louder, a painful reminder of his hunger.
He could eat it and stave off the hunger pangs for a few hours... the thought was tempting. But then he imagined Lila, coming out of her room, her face tired from studying, her own stomach empty. She wouldn't complain, she never did, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her with nothing.
He gently closed the cupboard door, the faint metallic clink feeling like a small sacrifice. Even though his own hunger was a sharp, persistent ache, the thought of his sister going without food was unbearable.
Liam could manage. He always did. It was a conscious choice, a quiet act of love and responsibility that felt heavier than the can itself.
He grabbed his worn school bag from beside the door, adjusted his dress shirt, trying to make it look a little less rumpled, and pushed open the front door.
"Lila! I'm leaving! Stay safe!" he shouted.
From her room, he heard her faint, muffled reply, "You too, Liam! Have a good day!"
He stepped out into the dimly lit hallway of their three-story building, the stale air thick with the smell of old concrete and forgotten dreams.
And just as he was about to start down the creaking stairs, the door directly opposite his own apartment opened.
And someone stepped out. A young woman.
She was breathtaking. The kind that turned heads no matter where she went. A cascade of rich, blonde hair fell like golden curtains down her back. Her figure, tall and graceful was clad in a fitting, simple dark dress that highlighted her sexy curves and huge breasts.
Liam's gaze landed on her, and he almost forgot to breathe.
This was Rita, his twenty-year-old neighbor, and a woman Liam truly admired.
As soon as her eyes met his, a bright, genuine smile bloomed on her face.
"Good morning, Liam," she greeted him warmly.
"Morning, Rita." Liam replied.
"How are you doing today? Is everything alright?" She asked about his wellbeing, just like a big sister would, her tone infused with genuine care.
Rita had always been like that, acting as a surrogate elder sister to him and Lila. She was nice to everyone, a rare beacon of kindness in a world where you often couldn't afford such a luxury.
Her father had died years ago, and her mother lived in a Tier Four city... a place so ravaged by poverty and lack of infrastructure that it was barely habitable.
Rita had come to Clovis to work and painstakingly carve out a better life for herself and her mother. That was why he admired her so deeply, her unwavering resolve and selflessness.
But Liam never saw her just as a sister. No, not entirely. There was a little, persistent crush he harbored for her, a secret admiration that went beyond respect. But she was older, more mature, more accomplished. He always discarded the thought of being with her, pushing it deep down, knowing it was an impossible, childish fantasy.
"You okay?" she asked, tilting her head.
Liam forced a grin. "Yeah. Fine."
But Rita's gaze sharpened slightly, her eyes tracing his face. "You haven't eaten. Have you?"
Liam faltered. "What? No, I'm fine, Rita. Had a big breakfast." he lied.
She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her lips curving into a knowing smile. "Oh, really? Somehow, I doubt that. Wait here."
Before he could protest further, she turned and disappeared back into her apartment. A minute later, she re-emerged, holding a slightly big, pack of oat cookies.
"Here," she said, extending it towards him.
Liam's stomach rumbled, but he shook his head. "No, Rita, I can't. Really, I'm good." he argued.
He knew she was used to this sort of thing... giving him and Lila her last food. And truly, as he suspected, this was her last pack of cookies. He could tell by the way she held it, the slight hesitation before she offered it. But she didn't mind. She never did.
"Don't be silly, Liam," Rita insisted, her hand pushing the pack firmly into his. "Take it. I'll just grab something to eat later."
"You know the diner I work at downtown.. they always have leftovers." She lied persuasively
Reluctantly, his pride warring with his hunger, Liam accepted the cookies. "Thank you, Rita," he mumbled, his voice thick with gratitude.
She shrugged, as though it was nothing. "Come on, let's get going. You don't wanna be late."
They descended the rickety stairwell together, stepping out onto the main street.