Chapter 12 - Chapter 12 : Is The system Really wants to help me?

Arthur woke up like someone who fought a whole war in his sleep.

Which was pretty accurate, because the last thing he saw before passing out was:

Reward: 70 points

Penalty: "I'll take something important. Don't test me."

His eyes snapped open.

"…Why. Why is this my life."

Arthur rolled off the bed.

"System… I swear… one day—"

"That's not what I was going to say—"

"SHUT UP."

But then…

A window popped open.

Description: Basic flirting ability. Won't make you smooth, but will stop you from dying mid-sentence.

Note: Don't get too brave. You're still you.>

Arthur grabbed his pillow and smacked his face into it.

"…I'm dead."

"System, please… I'm begging you… stop talking."

---

On the Way to School

Every step he took made him more aware of his new stats.

His posture felt straighter.

His voice felt less shaky.

His whole aura felt… brighter.

But inside?

He was melting like ice cream in the desert.

"Why did I put points into Charm? Why did I put points into Looks? Why did I exist—"

"Are u… running a show or something?"

Arthur groaned and kept walking.

---

At the school

He didn't even take three steps before—

"ARTHUR!!!"

Haruka sprinted toward him, stopped, blinked, then leaned in so close he instinctively leaned back.

"…U look even better than yesterday."

"I literally just woke up."

"No. No, no. Something is UP. Did u start drinking magical water? Did u get possessed by a skincare demon?"

"System—"

"What was that?"

"I sneezed."

"That was not a sneeze."

"That was a… emotional sneeze."

Haruka squinted. "…Arthur, u're acting weird."

He sighed. "I'm normal."

"No u're not. U look like those guys in romance manga who suddenly get character development."

He froze.

Haruka crossed her arms, cheeks heating up just a little. "It… suits u though."

Arthur's heart genuinely glitched.

"Wha— you— I—"

"Shut up. Walk."

He walked.

Trying not to explode.

---

In Class

The moment he stepped inside, the air shifted.

Classmates glanced.

Whispered.

Looked again.

But Miyu—

She looked up.

Their eyes met.

And for half a second…

Her expression softened.

Her gaze lingered.

Just a fraction longer than yesterday.

Something warm.

Something curious.

Something… gentle.

Then she hurriedly looked back at her notebook, almost too quickly.

Arthur inhaled sharply.

"System, STOP."

Arthur slipped into his seat, but his heartbeat refused to.

Later, while writing notes, he caught Miyu glancing again — subtly, quietly, pretending she wasn't doing it.

His fingers trembled.

What was this?

Attention?

Interest?

…or pity?

He didn't know.

But it made him warm.

And terrified.

---

Lunch

Haruka sat with him, eating her sandwich aggressively.

"So."

She stabbed her finger at him.

"Miyu looked at u."

"Haruka—"

"No. She looked. Like… actually looked."

Arthur swallowed. "I don't think—"

"I DO think. I saw her. She looked like she wasn't sure what she was seeing."

He opened his mouth—

Haruka narrowed her eyes.

"…Do u like her?"

Arthur choked.

"N-no! I— I mean— I don't know! She's pretty and smart and—"

"Okay stop. U're making it obvious."

Arthur collapsed on his desk.

Haruka sighed. "…Don't get hurt, idiot."

He peeked up at her.

She looked annoyed.

But softer.

Warmer.

Maybe even worried.

It made his chest tighten.

---

After School

Arthur dragged himself home, emotions all tangled like headphone wires.

Miyu looked at him.

Haruka interrogated him.

His stats went up.

People noticed him.

And the system—

The system was a menace.

He collapsed onto the bed.

Immediately—

SYSTEM WINDOW:

"Please. Please let me rest."

"I don't want to flirt in Japanese."

"Flirt Lv.1 is not going to save me—"

"What does that even mean!?"

"I don't even know HOW."

"…Like what?"