The sound of a car engine shutting off echoed through the quiet house.
Rio froze.
Her eyes snapped toward the window.
"…My mom's home."
Ryota blinked from the couch.
"Oh."
Rio turned to him slowly.
"…Oh?"
Her eye twitched.
"Why are you saying oh like this is normal?!"
Ryota scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"…Should I hide?"
Rio grabbed her head.
"No—!"
"…Yes—!"
"I don't—just—stay still!"
Her thoughts spiraled out of control.
Why did we come home now?!
Why didn't I think this through?!
Footsteps crunched outside on the gravel.
Closer.
Closer.
The door handle turned.
Click.
The front door opened.
"Rio? I'm home."
A calm, gentle voice filled the house.
Rio stood stiff as a statue.
Ryota stood beside the couch, still holding one of the VR headset boxes like a confused delivery man.
Her mother stepped inside, brushing dust from her sleeves. She looked tired—but she still smiled.
Then she saw him.
She blinked.
"…Rio."
Rio felt her soul leave her body.
Her mother tilted her head slightly.
"…Who is this boy?"
Silence.
Complete silence.
Rio's brain accelerated into overdrive.
Think.
Think.
THINK.
Ryota bowed politely.
"Hello, ma'am."
Her mother looked between the two of them.
Not angry.
Just… confused.
"Rio," she said gently, placing her bag down. "…can we talk for a moment?"
Rio nodded stiffly.
They sat at the dining table.
Ryota remained standing nearby like a lost NPC waiting for a quest prompt.
Her mother folded her hands.
"Rio…"
"…Yes?"
"Why is there a boy in our house?"
Rio opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Her brain was blank.
Her mother continued softly,
"Does he need help?"
Rio hesitated.
"…Kind of."
Her mother looked at Ryota again.
"…Does he have a place to stay?"
Rio slowly shook her head.
A quiet sigh escaped her mother.
"I understand wanting to help someone…"
"But Rio…"
Her expression turned troubled.
"You know our situation."
Rio lowered her gaze.
"…I know."
"It's already difficult supporting you and your sister."
"…Adding another person…"
She paused.
"…I'm not sure we can afford it."
Rio's heart began to race.
No.
No no no—
If he couldn't stay—
He'd be back on the streets.
And for some reason…
She couldn't accept that.
Panic took over.
"HE'S MY BOYFRIEND!"
Silence.
The world stopped.
Rio froze.
Her brain shut down.
Her mother blinked.
"…What?"
Ryota choked.
"W-WHAT—?!"
Rio's face burned bright red.
But it was too late.
The words were out.
No going back now.
Her brain scrambled desperately.
"H-He's transferring to my school next week!"
She pointed at Ryota like she was accusing him in court.
"He said he'd find a job! He'll help cover food!"
Ryota stared at her, completely disconnected from reality.
Her mother looked surprised.
"…Your boyfriend?"
Rio nodded rapidly.
"Yes!"
"I just… didn't tell you…"
"I was keeping it a secret…"
Her mother studied her.
"…I didn't realize you had a boyfriend."
Rio lowered her head.
"…Sorry."
Silence filled the room.
Then—
Her mother sighed.
"…Well."
She looked at Ryota.
"You seem like a polite boy."
Ryota snapped upright.
"Yes, ma'am!"
She looked back at Rio.
"If he's willing to help with expenses…"
She paused.
"…then he can stay."
Rio froze.
"…Really?"
Her mother nodded.
"But only if he actually looks for a job."
Ryota nodded rapidly.
"I will!"
Her mother smiled softly.
"Alright then."
She picked up her bag.
"I'll start dinner."
And just like that, she walked into the kitchen.
Silence returned.
Three seconds.
Five.
Rio stood up slowly.
"…Upstairs."
Ryota followed.
The door closed behind them.
Rio stood in the center of the room.
Then—
She collapsed.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!"
Ryota jumped.
Rio rolled across the floor, clutching her head.
"WHAT DID I JUST DO?!"
She slammed her forehead into the carpet.
"WHY DID I SAY THAT?!"
Ryota scratched his cheek.
"…Boyfriend?"
Rio pointed at him like a weapon.
"DON'T SAY IT!"
She curled into a ball.
"I just lied to my mother!"
"My hardworking, trusting mother!"
Ryota crouched beside her awkwardly.
"…It worked though?"
Rio slowly turned her head.
Her eyes were completely dead.
"…That was the worst decision of my life."
Ryota shrugged.
"Well…"
"At least I'm not homeless."
Rio buried her face into the carpet.
"…I can't believe this."
A long groan escaped her.
"I have to keep pretending now…"
Ryota thought about it.
"…So I'm your fake boyfriend?"
Rio's eye twitched.
"If you say that again…"
"…I'm throwing you out the window."
Ryota immediately shut up.
Rio flopped onto her back dramatically.
Her biggest lie ever.
Day one of her second life—
And she'd already gone completely off the rails.
After a full minute of silent suffering, she slowly sat up.
"This is bad…"
Ryota tilted his head.
"…You're the one who said it."
"I KNOW!"
She pointed at him.
"Which means we need rules!"
"…Rules?"
Rio grabbed her notebook and flipped it open.
"Yes."
She wrote in bold letters:
FAKE COUPLE RULES
Ryota leaned in.
"…You're serious?"
Rio pointed her pen at him.
"Rule one."
"No physical contact."
Ryota nodded.
"Got it."
"Rule two."
"In front of my mom, we act like a couple."
Ryota raised a hand.
"…Define 'act'?"
Rio froze.
"…We'll figure it out later."
"Just stand close."
"…Okay."
She wrote the last one.
"Rule three."
She looked him dead in the eyes.
"You do NOT tell my sister."
Ryota blinked.
"…You have a sister?"
Rio nodded slowly.
"If she finds out…"
She dragged her finger across her throat.
Ryota gulped.
"…Understood."
Rio closed the notebook.
"Good."
She tossed it aside and sat down.
"Now—Evermount."
Ryota leaned back.
"You're still serious about speedrunning?"
"Of course."
She flipped to a new page and began writing rapidly.
"Early leveling routes."
"Hidden dungeons."
"Class paths."
Her pen moved like she was planning a war.
Then—
She stopped.
"…Wait."
Ryota noticed.
"What?"
Rio frowned.
"…This won't work."
"Why?"
She leaned back.
"In Evermount…"
"Your main skill determines everything."
Ryota blinked.
"…Everything?"
"Yes."
"It's random."
"And it defines your build."
Ryota scratched his head.
"So all this planning…"
"…might be useless."
Rio sighed.
"…Yeah."
She closed the notebook.
"…We finalize after login."
Ryota smiled slightly.
"So we wait."
Rio nodded.
Her gaze shifted to the two VR headsets.
One week.
Just one week left.
A slow smile formed on her lips.
"Evermount…"
"This time…"
"I'm taking the top spot before anyone even realizes it's gone."