We're all familiar with delinquents, aren't we? Those so-called troublemakers who seem to chase chaos wherever they go. Whether in fiction or reality, they're often painted as nuisances—rowdy thugs who can't stay out of trouble
But has anyone ever stopped to wonder why they became that way?
Some choose the label, craving the image of being "cool."
Some are branded as delinquents despite doing nothing wrong.
And for others… life simply cornered them until delinquency was the only path they could walk.
Ren Hayama belonged to the last category. After his parents' divorce, he was handed over to his father—only to be abandoned all over again. His father left him alone in an empty house, never visiting, never checking in. He sent only a meager allowance each month, just enough to keep Ren alive, waiting for him to turn eighteen… when he could finally cut ties for good.
If it had been anyone else, they might not have survived.
But Ren was different—he was a strong child.
All he ever wanted was warmth. The crushing loneliness gnawed at him day after day, yet he endured. To shield himself from the emptiness, he stepped onto the path of delinquency, surrounding himself with noise, chaos, and people who couldn't hurt him the way silence did. Before long, he became one of the most notorious delinquents in the area.
However, everything changed the day he stumbled upon an anime called "The Quintessential Quintuplets."
He first saw its trailer during the anime adaptation announcement while wandering through Akihabara. A soft, emotional rom-com—so unlike anything in his world—yet it pulled at him with an inexplicable attraction. Ren couldn't help but be drawn to it.
Looking back, it was the best decision he ever made.
He became a fan almost instantly, drifting away from violence and sinking instead into the gentle world of romantic comedy. "The Quintessential Quintuplets" became his escape from reality—his comfort, his warmth… and, before long, his obsession.
The line between reality and fiction slowly blurred.
To Ren, the characters from the anime felt more real than the people around him.
He had become a full-fledged, extreme otaku.
His entire life shifted. His world no longer revolved around school or survival—it revolved around that anime, or more precisely, the five sisters. After classes, he threw himself into part-time jobs with newfound diligence, every earned yen funneled straight into limited-edition merchandise.
Posters, figures, wall scrolls—soon his room was overflowing with them. The walls, the shelves, every corner was claimed.
What started as comfort had grown into an unhealthy obsession.
Now imagine someone that obsessed witnessing the ending.
Ren was dumbfounded—caught between disbelief and fury.
But it wasn't because his "favorite heroine" lost.
No, no, no… Ren didn't have a favorite.
He loved all five of them.
What enraged him was the fact that Futaro Uesugi chose only one.
To any normal viewer, that was just the story.
But Ren? Ren was a madman who believed these girls were real. Of course he questioned it.
"What about the other four?"
"They loved Futaro just as deeply."
"Could he not see the pain behind their smiles?"
Watching their tears felt like needles tightening around Ren's heart.
His thoughts spiraled out of control.
"What the hell, man? Why is there a harem tag if only one of them gets a happy ending?"
"Futaro, you dumb fuck, grow a backbone, you nerd."
"Screw you, author."
"Did you think the other four were just entertainment material—props for your so-called development—only to be thrown away at the end?"
His frustration boiled over. In his mind, he must've killed the author a thousand times.
"Don't mess with me…" he growled through clenched teeth. "They deserve love too."
He reached out, touching the screen where the four girls wore that bittersweet, defeated smile. Slowly, he leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper.
"If only I could cross the boundary between us… If only I could meet you all. I would never break your hearts, never gonna give you up, nor make you cry."
His eyes softened with a madness only devotion could create.
"My love for you is at least as deep as the Pacific Ocean… enough to drown you in it."
That overwhelming emotion—obsession, longing, desperation—echoed far beyond Ren's tiny room. It reached a distant corner of the galaxy, catching the attention of a cosmic God who had grown bored of eternity.
"Are you confident?"
The sudden voice made Ren jolt in terror.
"W-who!? Who said that!?"
For a moment he wondered if ghosts had started living in his empty house rent-free.
"That's not important," the God replied, amusement lingering in his tone. "What is important… is whether you truly wish to meet them."
"Yes!" Ren answered without hesitation.
"Hehe… is that so? Tell me, human—do you believe they would love you as much as you think? Would they even spare you a glance if they were real?"
"That doesn't matter," Ren shot back. "I just want them to know there is someone who loves them with his whole life."
"Aren't you afraid of leaving this world behind?"
Ren froze. For a moment, silence stretched.
Was he afraid?
This world held nothing for him.
No family.
No friends.
Not even a single person who would notice if he vanished tomorrow.
A bitter smile curved his lips.
"…I would have no regrets."
"Excellent," the God chuckled. "I have found perfect entertainment for the time being at last. A win-win situation, wouldn't you agree, human?"
Ren snapped.
"Haah?! Entertainment? Do I look like a circus clown to you!? I swear, ghost or God or whatever you are—I'll kill you twice!"
"Sigh… such temper." The God's voice remained unbothered. "Think carefully, human. I can send you to their world. But in return, you must show me a story—beautiful enough, dramatic enough—that I never grow bored."
Ren took a moment to process it. Then he smirked.
"I don't like the word 'entertainment'… but if you're interested in my first love, and how it all turns out—"
He lifted his chin proudly.
"—then be my guest."
---------
The murmur of distant chatter stirred me awake.
My eyes opened slowly, my head throbbing with a dull ache. I pressed a hand against my temple.
"To hallucinate about talking to a gho—"
The words died in my throat.
This… wasn't my room.
A classroom bathed in the warm orange glow of the setting sun stretched before me. Unfamiliar students packed their bags, chatting as they headed for the door—faces I had never seen before.
"Is this… a dream?" I whispered.
My gaze drifted to the window. Outside lay a playground that tugged at my memory, strangely familiar in a way that made my chest tighten.
Then I caught sight of my reflection in the glass.
Golden blond hair.
Red eyes.
A black button earring on my right ear.
There was no mistaking it.
This was me—Ren Hayama.
(AN: for reference Ren looks like Gilgamesh from the fate series.)
Should I go home too?
Treating all of this as an unusually vivid dream, I figured that if I simply played along like usual, I'd wake up eventually. With that thought, I grabbed my bag and stood up.
But I froze.
A girl had just stepped out the door.
That back…
That long brown hair…
Those iconic headphones resting around her neck…
My breath caught.
I hurried after her. I'd thought about them so much that dreaming about them wasn't new. In my dreams, I always chased after them—wanting to confess my love—yet somehow, I never managed to reach them.
But today… this time…
I would say it.
I grabbed the doorframe, my feet sliding across the floor from how abruptly I had stopped. Leaning out of the classroom, her back came into sharp focus—closer, clearer, unmistakable. Other students filled the hallway, chatting and walking, but to me they were nothing but talking weeds, weeds swaying in the wind.
I drew in a breath.
"Miku-san… I love you!"