Chapter 101: 101 | Like

Jason stood beneath the streetlight, staring at the place where the system notification had disappeared.

[The objective is to determine what Vivian is willing to sacrifice for the Host.]

The words wouldn't leave his mind.

"What does that even mean?"

There was no response.

Jason waited, then tried opening the system again. The main interface appeared, displaying his current attributes, accumulated FP, and temporary quest. Everything was there, but the warning was gone.

He checked the quest details.

[Temporary Quest.]

[Time Remaining: 5 Days, 17 Hours, 36 Minutes.]

[Current Progress: 21%.]

[Phase Two: Completed.]

[Next Objective: Locked.]

That was all.

Jason stared at the word "Locked."

"You're really going to make me wait."

The system remained silent.

He exhaled slowly. Fine. He couldn't force an answer out of it. Whatever was going to happen would happen tomorrow.

Jason started walking again, but his thoughts were no longer on the quest itself. They were on Vivian.

What would she sacrifice? Her friendship with Sarah? Her reputation? Her comfort? Something more?

Jason didn't know, and the fact that the system itself had chosen those words bothered him. It wasn't asking what Vivian wanted or whether she liked him. It was asking what she was willing to give up because of him.

That distinction mattered. A lot.

Jason reached his apartment, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. The room was dark. He turned on the light.

Nothing had changed: the same furniture, the same television, the same bed. Yet somehow, the apartment felt different.

Jason dropped onto the couch. His phone vibrated.

Sarah: Home?

Jason smiled.

Jason: Yeah.

Sarah: Good.

A few seconds passed.

Sarah: Thank you for tonight.

Jason: You don't have to thank me.

Sarah: I know.

Then:

Sarah: I still want to.

Jason smiled.

Jason: I had fun.

Sarah: Me too.

A pause.

Sarah: Tomorrow might be weird.

Jason: Definitely.

Sarah: Are you nervous?

Jason looked at the system panel still open on his phone.

Jason: A little.

Sarah: Me too.

Then another message arrived.

Sarah: But I think we can handle it.

Jason stared at that sentence.

Jason: We can.

Sarah: Goodnight.

Jason: Goodnight.

He locked the phone and sat there for a moment. Then another notification appeared.

Vivian.

Vivian: Did you get home?

Jason stared at it.

Jason: Yeah.

Vivian: Good.

He waited, but nothing else came.

Jason typed:

Jason: You okay?

The typing indicator appeared.

Vivian: I think so.

Jason: You think so?

Vivian: Today was a lot.

Jason: Yeah.

Vivian: I didn't expect Sarah to react like that.

Jason: Neither did I.

Vivian: She's different from what I thought.

Jason smiled faintly.

Jason: She's always been like that.

Vivian: I know.

Another pause.

Vivian: Jason?

Jason: Yeah?

Vivian: Are you actually okay with tomorrow?

He thought about it.

Jason: I don't know.

Vivian: Me neither.

Jason: But we'll figure it out.

Vivian didn't respond immediately.

Then:

Vivian: You always say that.

Jason smiled.

Jason: Maybe I'm getting good at it.

Vivian: Maybe.

A few seconds later:

Vivian: Goodnight.

Jason: Goodnight.

The conversation ended. Jason placed the phone down and leaned back.

Two conversations. Two people. Two completely different feelings. Somehow, both were becoming equally important.

Jason closed his eyes. He needed sleep. Tomorrow was going to be long.

Before he could fully relax, the system appeared again.

[Reminder.]

Jason opened his eyes.

[Host is prohibited from revealing system-related information to the target.]

Jason frowned.

"I know."

Another line appeared.

[The Host is also prohibited from deliberately manipulating the target into completing the objective.]

Jason sat upright.

"What?"

That was new. He read it again. The system wasn't merely giving him an objective; it was restricting how he could accomplish it.

He couldn't tell Vivian about the system. He couldn't manipulate her into making a sacrifice.

Jason stared at the screen.

"So you actually want her choice to be genuine."

[Correct.]

Jason's expression became serious.

"Then what exactly am I supposed to do?"

No answer.

"Am I supposed to just sit there and wait?"

Silence.

Jason rubbed his forehead. This was becoming ridiculous.

He stood and walked toward his bedroom, then stopped.

"One more thing."

The system remained.

"If she chooses to sacrifice something..."

He hesitated.

"...what happens?"

The system disappeared.

Jason stared at the empty screen.

"Of course."

He laughed quietly.

"Of course you won't tell me."

He went to bed. This time, sleep came quickly.

---

The next morning, Jason woke to sunlight spilling across his room. He reached for his phone before he was fully awake.

8:03.

There were several notifications: one from Sarah, one from Vivian, and one from the system.

He opened Sarah's first.

Sarah: Morning.

Jason smiled.

Jason: Morning.

Sarah: Still alive?

Jason: Barely.

Sarah: Good.

Then:

Sarah: Come over around eleven.

Jason: Okay.

Sarah: Vivian will be here.

Jason stared at the message.

Jason: Got it.

Sarah: Don't be nervous.

Jason: I'm not.

Sarah: Liar.

Jason laughed.

He opened Vivian's message.

Vivian: Morning.

Jason: Morning.

Vivian: Are you going to Sarah's?

Jason: Yeah.

Vivian: Me too.

Jason: Sarah told me.

Vivian: Of course she did.

Jason smiled.

Vivian: I'm nervous.

Jason: Me too.

Vivian: That's not helping.

Jason: Sorry.

Vivian: You're terrible at reassurance.

Jason: I know.

Vivian: I'll see you later.

Jason: See you.

Jason opened the system.

[Temporary Quest.]

[Time Remaining: 5 Days, 06 Hours, 58 Minutes.]

[Current Progress: 21%.]

[Next Objective: Locked.]

He frowned. Still locked.

Then he noticed something beneath it.

[Special Condition: Emotional Decision.]

[Activation threshold: 30%.]

Jason stared.

Thirty percent. He was at twenty-one. That meant something had to happen today.

He got out of bed, showered, changed, and ate a quick breakfast. Then he spent several minutes standing in front of his closet.

He eventually chose something simple. Nothing too formal, nothing too casual. He didn't want to look like he was preparing for an important event.

Because technically, he wasn't.

At least, he hoped he wasn't.

Before leaving, Jason looked at himself in the mirror.

"Just act normal."

He paused.

"That's probably impossible."

He left.

By the time he reached Sarah's apartment, it was almost eleven.

He knocked. The door opened.

Sarah stood there, smiling.

"You came."

Jason looked at her.

"Of course."

She stepped aside.

"Come in."

Jason entered. Vivian was already sitting on the couch. She looked up, and their eyes met.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Sarah closed the door. For a few seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Sarah clapped her hands once.

"Okay."

Jason looked at her.

"Okay what?"

"We're not doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Standing around awkwardly."

Vivian laughed.

"She's right."

Sarah pointed toward the couch.

"Sit."

Jason sat beside Vivian. Sarah sat across from them and looked at both of them.

"So."

Jason waited.

"What are we doing today?"

Vivian raised an eyebrow.

"You invited us."

"I know."

"And you don't have a plan?"

"I have a plan."

"What?"

Sarah smiled.

"We're going out."

Jason blinked.

"Where?"

"Somewhere."

"That's not a location."

"I know."

Vivian laughed.

"She really doesn't have a plan."

Sarah stood and grabbed her bag.

"Fine. We'll figure it out outside."

Jason shook his head.

"You're impossible."

Sarah smiled.

"And yet you came."

They left the apartment together.

Their first destination was a small shopping district nearby. They wandered between stores without any real purpose until Sarah stopped at a clothing shop. Vivian followed her inside while Jason waited outside.

A few minutes later, both girls emerged carrying bags.

Sarah held up a shirt.

"What do you think?"

Jason looked at it.

"It's nice."

Vivian stared at him.

"That's your answer?"

"What else am I supposed to say?"

Sarah laughed.

"He's hopeless."

They continued walking, bought snacks, and stopped at a café. They sat together, and it was surprisingly normal.

Jason began to understand what Sarah had intended. She wasn't trying to create some dramatic confrontation. She was giving all three of them an opportunity to exist together without constantly thinking about the problem.

And it worked. For a while.

They talked and laughed. Vivian gradually became more relaxed, while Sarah teased them both. Jason found himself laughing more than he had expected.

Then his phone vibrated.

He glanced down.

[Quest Progress: 24%.]

Jason's eyes narrowed. He hadn't done anything with Vivian, not directly. But the system was counting the interaction.

He locked the phone.

A few minutes later, they left the café. Sarah suddenly stopped.

"I forgot something."

Vivian looked at her.

"What?"

"I need to pick something up."

"Where?"

"Across the street."

Sarah pointed at a store.

"Wait here."

She walked away before either could respond.

Jason watched her disappear inside. Vivian stood beside him. For a moment, neither spoke.

Then she smiled.

"She planned that."

Jason looked at her.

"You think?"

"Definitely."

"Why?"

Vivian shrugged.

"Because she knows we need to talk."

Jason exhaled.

"Probably."

Vivian looked at the street.

"I was thinking about yesterday."

"Me too."

"I meant what I said."

Jason looked at her.

"I know."

"I really do like you."

Jason remained quiet.

Vivian continued.

"But I don't want to hurt Sarah."

"You won't."

"You can't promise that."

Jason looked at her. She was right. He couldn't.

Vivian folded her arms.

"That's why I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"What I should do."