>>StarsightGalaxy logged on.

Hello guys!

I put the author's note first because there are things you need to understand in this chapter.

This scenario is before the meetup of the gamers, but this is not (Y/N)'s side. It's TSURUGI'S!! Another surprise!!

And, I put an OC of the reader of this book for an important role. Hey Mimirk63!! Here's your OC's first appearance!

Aaannnddd credits to mysticalchips for making the new cover! Its so awesomesauce, thanks a lot!!

And of course, to all of you guys, enjoy reading!!

>>StarsightGalaxy logged off.

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Tsurugi

<Time Check: 7:50am; Tsurugi's Mansion>

As always, I woke up early from gaming overnight. My head hurts a little, but I'm lucky I don't have horrible eye bags, like some others I met. I wouldn't want to look twice as dead inside as I am now. I think I'll sleep more on weekends for the sake of my dying cells.

I'm still sleepy, but I have to hold my phone and play. #NoGameNoLife

My phone reminded me that our group will meet at the nearby gaming café at 9:00 am. Everyone's gonna meet the newbie named (Y/N), who's remarkably not bad in gaming. Far from being a pushover. I wanted to be early so I can meet her first.

Wait, what am I saying? Its not like I wanted to be early because of her, pfft. Its my habit to be early.

But...deep inside. I'd like to meet her. I don't know. Half of myself wants to meet her and half of myself doesn't want to. I don't have good memories with some of my female schoolmates.

'Wow, you're so good senpai~! Can you teach me how to be a pro like you~?'

'Senpaiii~! *chases you everywhere* Let's game together~!'

'Tsurugi-kun! Are you free today? Let's go to the gaming cafe and have a date!!'

Plus the other fangirls that creep the shit out of me or keep on following or stalking you.

They are very annoying. They could learn everything by themselves. They don't need my help. I started gaming out of boredom and by reading tutorials and manuals without anyone else assisting me, but these kinds of girls really like to bother me. They're free to like me, I'm only wishing them to not step on my boundaries and never bug me. I had to yell at them to leave me alone because I'm done. Was I too friendly? Too good-looking and too proficient that everyone wanted to approach me?

Forgive me if I sounded too arrogant, but that was the truth. I didn't like unnecessary attention.

That was in middle school.

And thus I changed in high school. I had to create a hard exterior to keep people away from me. I am more comfortable with this way, but Tenma and others pushed their way in my lives, and they are - no matter how much I hate to admit it - great companions to be with. I felt like a normal person. Having friends isn't that bad. I still received love letters and other gifts though, which I either burnt or lost.

There are some who acted normally around me, which are very few, like Aoi. She's nice and talks to me casually, although I am assuming that she likes Tenma. Both of them actually like each other, it's just their feelings aren't my business.

I refused to involve myself in any emotional aspect. I do not care anyway.

After Tenma added (Y/N) to the group, I just didn't pay attention, but since Kariya had to steal my TV, we started to talk. She's... a little interesting, to me at least. She radiates crackhead vibes, but she can be serious when the situation calls it, but she can be a bitch sometimes.

(L/N) (Y/N), huh. See you in the café.

<Time Check: 8:27am>

I finished taking a bath, dressing, and fixing the things out of my messy room. I was going down the stairs when I heard someone knock on the door. To check, I looked at the CCTV. It revealed Yuuichi-nii and his girlfriend, Emiko-san. I opened the door quickly.

"Good morning, Kyousuke!!" They both said.

"Good morning too nii-san, Emiko-san. Come in."

When they got inside, I asked them.

"So...what are you two doing in here? You didn't text me that you'll come here so I could call someone to clean the house."

"The house seems to be clean, so there's no need. We didn't text you because we wanted to surprise you." Nii-san replied.

"What? Surprise?"

"Yep. We're getting married."

W-What? Did I hear the right thing? My brother is getting married?

"Wow, I didn't see that coming. Congratulations to both of you, then." I stated.

"Thank you Kyousuke. But you don't look so surprised." Emiko-san replied.

"No seriously. That shocked me. No jokes."

"She meant that you should smile more often," My brother added.

"Oh, like this?" My lips curled into a crooked smile with my eyes dead as they can be.

They shuddered in fear, "Nevermind. Maybe mom should've taught you how to smile when you were younger, Kyousuke."

I just nodded.

"Seems like you're leaving the house this time." Yuuichi settled on the couch.

"Yes. I'm going to the café to meet my friends and go back here to go in my gaming base to solve something."

"Solve? Is it connected with the hacking incident with Minecraft and bombing of Lancelot's HQ?"

I looked at him, "Oh, I thought you didn't know."

"How could we be ignorant to that? The news is everywhere." Emiko-san plopped beside him.

"That's the reason I came back here too. Some equipment and software need some fixing in Tower 3. I'm only glad that our family is safe." I hummed in response.

"Kyousuke, aren't you focusing too much on your research and gaming? You won't get a girlfriend like that. Loosen up!" Nii-san commented.

"Nii-san, I already have a girlfriend."

"What? Really? Who?!" The couple was in utter shock. Is that really a surprise for me to have a girlfriend?

"You see this phone? This is my girlfriend." I said and wore a silly grin.

They both sweatdropped, "WTF. We mean the REAL girlfriend please."

"Hahah, in your dreams. Anyway, are you staying here?"

"Yes, if you'll let us."

"Of course I will. You're always welcome to our home." I said in my usual monotone voice.

"Did you have breakfast? I'll call a fast-food delivery if you didn't."

"No, no. Were good. We'll just watch on Netflix."

"Okay... I gotta go. Bye."

"Byeee!" Emiko replied.

Because I close the door, I remembered something nasty on Netflix. That show...hahah.

"Enjoy the Fifty Shades of Grey." I smirked.

Nii-san narrowed his eyes and fired back, "Fuck you Kyousuke 10 times!!"

Emiko stayed quiet but I saw her blushing. Booyah. I wouldn't be astonished if they did the nasty.

"FYI, we're gonna watch the 'Spiderman-The Homecoming', so get off with that perverted mind of yours, Kyousuke."

"I was only making a natural conclusion. I'll get going."

I shut the door and walked away. While walking, I checked the time and it read 8:52 am. I didn't' realize that time flies so fast. I was running late. That café is 3 blocks away from the subdivision, so it'll take a little while to get there.

After 10 minutes, I reached the café and at the exact time, I saw Tenma and the others. And also the girl I'm unfamiliar with. Maybe she's (Y/N). I entered the café to make sure when I heard her blabbering shit about me.

"Hah, maybe he used cheats or MODs or whatnots in gaming. Or maybe he paid a real pro gamer to pretend to be him and play with you in order to make you believe that he's proooooo hah!"

"(Y/N), he des-"

"I fucking despise cheats and other tools to hack games. And, I may be rich but that doesn't mean that I paid someone to pretend to be me. Everyone saw my skills and experiences, so better shut your mouth."

Looks like she lost her mouth after hearing my statement.

"So? Are you going to stand there or get out of my way?"

"I-I'm, sorry..." She apologized. Well, she really should.

I took the seat beside Shindou while she goes back to her place.

"You know Tsurugi, that's pretty mean! You just met her and you reacted on her like that? How rude! You could've gone easy on her, you just met!" Shindou whispered to me.

"I don't care," I answered.

Shindou has a point. I just met her. But what? I'm always rude and mean to others so I don't give a shit.

Now that I thought of it, I probably went too far for someone I just personally met. I think I'll take Shindou's advice. I'm not that heartless to not know how to apologize.

"Well, since we're complete, can we go now to our gaming base?" Tenma asked and looks at me.

I merely shrugged.

"I think that's yes? Okay. Let's go!"

Every one of us got up, exited the café, and started walking. I see, (Y/N)'s kinda on the back, out of place. She just met new people after all.

Ah well, this is my chance then.

"Hey..." I called her.

She narrowed her eyes when she looked at me. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize for what I did a minute ago. I know it's classless, so... I... apologize. I'm sorry, it's my mistake."

I couldn't look at her because the first thing I did was to hiss at her, but it was her fault. I couldn't even properly introduce myself to her.

"It's okay. It's also my fault, I jokingly assumed that you were fake, I'm sorry too."

Double apologies, I guess.

"That's alright. Forget it."

We continued to walk and I noticed her glancing secretly at me. What is it? Is there something wrong with me?

I see, she's glancing at me from my head to toe. She isn't that short, 5'2-5'3 is a normal height range for a woman. Could it be that she's height conscious? Is she feeling down?

"Don't be conscious of your height," I said.

She looked shocked when I spoke. Didn't she expect it?

"I'm not." She shortly replied. SHORTLY.

I'm sorry I had to make a lame joke for me to laugh at.

"In denial. You think I didn't notice you've been glancing at me from my head to feet?"

"So what?" She raised her eyebrow.

"You know, short girls are meant to be with tall boys." I said with a smirk. The statement was from Yuuichi who was suggesting pick-up lines for me to use, and I thought this might be the right place for me to say that to lighten up her mood.

Her ears were red. Why?

"W...what d-do you mean?"

And she stuttered. Cu—

Don't say it.

"Didn't you understand me?" I stared at her with my signature blank expression. Oh, it's because it was a pick-up line! It wasn't the right thing to say.

"I was trying to make you feel better. I guess I worded it wrong. Let me try again."

"Alright..." She repeated her action before I said the line I wanted to rephrase and raised her eyebrow, "So what?"

I looked at her because I didn't guss that she'll go along with me in this way, "I do not care about your height."

"What?"

"You might feel insecure about your height, but not many people actually pay attention. It doesn't matter. Whether you're short or taller than me, I don't mind."

I saw her slowly smile. I hope I made the right impression this time.

"Thanks. It did make me feel less conscious." She finally replied.

"That's good."

I was wondering why she stuttered at her reply at my first statement. "Did you think in my first try, that I was that tall guy I was talking about?"

"HUH?!?" Her voice went up.

It took her a lot of incoherent words and sounds before speaking "O-Of course not! The nerve! What makes you think you're my type?! You're not even within my standards! I-I'm pretty sure there are taller and more handsome guys around..."

I chuckled, "Right."

"What are you laughing at?" She questioned.

"Aren't you too flustered?"

"Shut up!!"

We made our way to the place when she suddenly blurted out something.

"Wait, I wasn't able to properly introduce myself!" I raised my brows. I almost forgot too.

We stopped our tracks as I listened to her words.

"I'm (L/N) (Y/N). I'm currently a college senior with a hobby of reading and gaming. My favorites include role playing games such as genshin impact and final fantasy, but I enjoy wide variety. It's nice to meet you!"

"I'm Tsurugi Kyousuke, a college senior with a hobby of learning how to hack and gaming. I like military and moba games like call of duty, rules of survival, and league of legends, although I am not picky in genres. It's nice to meet you too."

Our conversation ended there. I was glad that it didn't end badly, I was actually pleased, but I didn't dare to show anything with my face.

She was... different.