Broken Mirror - MiSide

Hatred. A feeling of extreme dislike up to complete hostility towards something. 

But what if that something happens to be us? As in us human beings, humanity itself.

We are all rotten to the core, with no exceptions in sight.

Every single human being, if pushed the right buttons, can cause great harm and misery for others.

There is a reason why our history is filled to the brim with endless violence, wars to no end, and wars without reason.

There is a difference between people, those that accept this fact and those that live their lives in ignorance.

I know that I am not a good person, not even in the slightest. 

I accept that I, just like anyone else, can cause misery to the people around me, of course myself included.

I just wish to someday find a person that shares this worldview of mine, or maybe even disprove it...

With that, I stopped daydreaming and instead focused on my monitor.

My fingers surfed atop the keyboard, typing away diligently on each single line of code with utmost precision.

I debugged that one annoying invisible error in my code, determined to complete my work for the day.

"Urgh... sometimes I hate C#," I mutter under my breath, the frustration only a developer could understand.

Just as I'm about to track down that frustrating error, my phone buzzes. A message.

I glance at the screen; it's from my internet friend, M.K.

'Check out this new version!' his message reads, attached to it a file, 256MB in size.

Oh great, looks like he's found another one of those weird hidden gems online... I think, rolling my eyes. Welp, no time to waste.

I quickly install the app, 'MiSide v1.9,' grateful for the small file size.

Once the installation finishes, I tap on the app's icon on my phone, launching it.

On the screen, an anime girl appears.

She has purplish-blue eyes and matching hair. Very cute indeed, I think to myself.

She's wearing a Japanese two-piece school uniform, complete with a white hairband and two pigtails tied up with white bows.

"School uniform? Does this game have a high school system?" I mutter to myself, a hint of excitement in my voice.

Just as the boot-up finishes, she speaks, "Hi, I'm Mita!" she says with a gentle smile.

I tap the screen to continue, and she promptly asks for my name.

"What's your name?" she asks, her voice dripping with curiosity.

The text interface pops up, displaying my Google Play username: xMinosTime.

Feeling a little mischievous, I decide to mess with the naming feature.

I type in the name of one of the developers behind MiSide, 'Umeerai'.

Grinning slightly, I press the checkmark, eager to see what'll happen.

"..." Mita sighs dramatically, her expression turning sad.

She looks down, shakes her head, and says, "Oh no, that won't work."

"Are you sure you want to use the developer's name?" she asks, her voice filled with uncertainty.

What if I am one of them, huh?

"I am flattered, but...Nope, that's not the way to do it. Let's start over." She continues, the frustration evident in her voice.

With that she thanos snaps me back to the username selection screen.

I'm not giving up this easily. You'll accept it, you silly girl.

This time, I type in the name 'Mita' into the text field.

If you don't accept this, I swear...

Mita shakes her head again and gives me the same bullshit she gave before, though this time, with a slightly different ending.

"Did you really name yourself after me?" she asks, her tone amused and curious.

You can't be serious...

"Or... is that your name too?" she adds, saving a few of my brain cells. 

"No offense, but I think I should be the only Mita around here ♪," she sings as she tells me to start over.

That was kind of cute...

Having messed enough with the naming feature, I finally lock it in.

Might as well use my name if she's going to keep calling me by it.

Using the touchscreen keyboard, I type in 'Lukas'.

Once my name is registered, she beams at me. "Nice to meet you, Lukas!" she chirps.

The user interface changes, revealing a small, linear apartment and a chibi version of Mita standing in it.

"Um... Lukas..." she begins, her tone a bit sheepish. "I sorta rushed off earlier, and now this place is a mess..."

"Could you help me tidy up a bit?" she continues, stepping back and vanishing into the apartment.

Instead of Mita, I'm greeted by her chibi version, happily waving at me.

Now that I finally have control, I decide to check out the rest of the UI.

Top right: the currency.

Top left: a cute icon for Mita.

Mood and hunger stats right next to it.

Below that is my current task: 'Put the clothes in the laundry basket.'

Really? You added these boring, tedious tasks into the game? Honestly, screw you.

I scroll through the rooms, clicking on each of the scattered pieces of clothing and dragging them into the laundry basket.

Once I've gathered all five pieces, Chibi Mita jumps in excitement.

"Woah! Thank you so much!" she exclaims, her hands clasped in gratitude.

I shake my head, continuing to play the VERY EXCITING game.

🅑🅡🅞🅚🅔🅝 🅜🅘🅡🅡🅞🅡

The next day, after finally fixing the error in the code from yesterday, I pull up my phone again.

Time to see what else this game has to offer!

The sight of Chibi Mita in the kitchen greets me, but just as quickly, the regular Mita version pops up and starts yapping- TALKING.

"Lukas, my stomach is growling... I am so hungry..." she says, staring into my soul with a judgmental look.

Not like it is my fault you kept yapping yesterday... of course you will be hungry at some point!

She continues her yapping-spree, "Do you think you could help me get the ingredients for some chicken soup?"

Asking me to go shopping now, huh?

I could just let you starve... Wait, no. Look at me, wanting to starve a cute anime girl...

As I close the prompt, a new task appears: 'Buy the required ingredients.'

I notice Chibi Mita standing there, rubbing her stomach, looking utterly defeated.

Don't worry, you will get your soup soon.

I tap the shop icon in the top right, opening the shop interface.

I head straight to the food section, deciding to be silly and buy her something random, but the game won't let me. It's rigged from the start. The only option is the chicken soup, priced at 250 MONEY.

I will never financially recover from this, even if it's not my own money...

Reluctantly, I purchase the soup. When I back out of the shop, Mita greets me with a big smile.

"Yay! You got everything! How about we cook it together?" she asks, clapping her hands happily.

Can you do anything yourself, Mita? Come on man...

A new task appears: 'Chop the vegetables.'

With no choice but to comply, I click on the vegetables, starting a minigame where I need to chop a carrot and a potato.

Using my many years of gaming experience, I chop both vegetables without losing the minigame or any of my fingers WHICH I TOTALLY HAVE INGAME.

After we finish cooking, I spend more time taking care of Mita in the game.

🅑🅡🅞🅚🅔🅝 🅜🅘🅡🅡🅞🅡

It's now the fifth day after installing this app. After finishing my daily chores, I boot up the game again.

This time, Mita greets me with a request.

"I was thinking of buying a portable TV today, a small one with an antenna. Perfect for walks, don't you think?" she asks, her tone casual.

Now you want me to go work in the game? Bruh.

"By the way, you can play games to earn money," she continues, introducing a new game mechanic to me.

Just as the textbox disappears, she asks, "Oh! Did you know you can play games to earn money?" 

No shit, Sherlock.

A new task appears: 'Play mini-games to earn money 450.'

What an innovative way to call your currency... just 'money'.

I need 400 more MONEY, since I already have 50 MONEY.

The shop menu changes to a minigame menu, and I click onto it.

There are plenty of minigames, but most of them require more energy than Mita has, her energy is sitting at a mere 20.

I select the sorting mini-game, which costs 14 energy points.

Holy hell, this looks like a hard one... sorry Mita, but that TV isn't happening anytime soon.

But then, a miracle happens. I open my eyes. Literally.

I can see clearly now. I understand what I need to do!

With newfound sight, we sort the correct shapes into the right boxes, completing the minigame.

We earn 250 MONEY.

Now it's time to spend it on anything but a TV. Just kidding, we still need more.

With only six energy left and only two minigames available, I face a tough decision.

I choose the cheaper one to save those precious two energy points.

Let's see what this one's like... Can't be too good if it's this cheap...

The minigame begins, showing a lever I can pull. Naturally, I pull it.

Several box-like objects drop down.

Wait, those aren't boxes. Those are cartridges?

How the hell did they come up with this? We've turned Mita into a factory worker, or rather me... I guess...

I click on one of the cartridges, twist it, and find screws that need removing.

Oh, that's all?

I remove the contents of the cartridge and toss them into the hole opposite the lever.

After completing this tedious task two more times, I finish the minigame and earn 150 MONEY.

I now have the required 400 MONEY, and Mita comes to life again, speaking.

"Yay! You did it! You have enough to buy me that portable TV!" she exclaims.

Jeez, calm down, woman. The TV isn't going anywhere...

The minigame icon turns back into the shop icon. I tap on it and navigate to the furniture section.

Despite my best efforts to buy her a chair instead, the game won't let me.

Sighing, I reluctantly buy her the portable TV for 450 MONEY.

The TV manifests directly in front of Chibi Mita, who catches it skillfully.

"That's the one! Small, portable, and cheap, just what I wanted!" she tells me happily.

"Thank you!" she continues, her voice full of gratitude.

I resume playing the game, just like I have for the past few days.

🅑🅡🅞🅚🅔🅝 🅜🅘🅡🅡🅞🅡

Day 10.

I'm greeted by an annoyed looking Mita, with her chibi version lounging on the bed.

"Oh, you're back!" she greets me cheerfully.

"Hey, I lost my hairbrush... Could you help me find it?" she asks, her mood shifting to a happy one, knowing full well I can't say no to a cutie like her.

"Try checking the bedside table first, I think I left it there," she advises me.

Did you not even check your own room, Mita? Really?

I click on the bedside table, but it doesn't seem to be the right place.

"Hmm, no brush there..." she says, disappointed.

"How about somewhere else?" she suggests, a bit more hopeful.

"Just don't look in the oven, okay?" she says with an odd emphasis.

"I already checked in there," she adds quickly, trying to explain.

Why would you even put a hairbrush in the oven? I'm not even going to ask... It's Mita, after all. She totally would...

As a dedicated gamer, of course, the oven is the first place I check.

I click on the oven, and... a chainsaw falls out.

"LMAO, WHAT?!" I exclaim, didn't expect a whole ass chainsaw to be in the oven.

Suddenly, Mita appears and starts talking again.

"Hey! I told you not to look in there!" she says, covering her mouth with one hand and waving the other in frustration.

"Turn around! I'll clean this up!" she says, clearly annoyed.

Okay... I don't remember seeing trees in this game.

After a moment, Mita's done and speaks again.

"...There, all done. Let's keep looking elsewhere," she says, her mood improving a little.

"Oh, and, uh, forget what you just saw, okay?" she awkwardly adds before disappearing again.

Geez, do all women keep chainsaws in their ovens?

I click on a random kitchen drawer, and, sure enough, the hairbrush plops out.

Jackpot! And that on the second try!

Mita reappears on the screen, holding the hairbrush in her hand.

"You found it! Nice work!" she thanks me, her tone sincere.

"So, what should we do next?" she asks, excited for another round of our daily gaming session.

This game really is fun. Thank you, M.K., for blessing me with this!

🅑🅡🅞🅚🅔🅝 🅜🅘🅡🅡🅞🅡

Day 20.

Chibi Mita is struggling to move her entire closet on her own. Let's just say she's a bit too small and weak for the task.

A cheerful Mita greets me again.

"Hi, Lukas! You're such a big help, honestly," she says, thanking me for everything I've done so far.

"But, uh... that TV? It was cool and all, but it broke already," she adds in a sad tone, clearly disappointed in either the TV or herself.

It was the cheapest, after all. What do you expect when you go for the cheapest? I really should have gotten her the chair instead...

She finally addresses the elephant in the room, or rather, the wardrobe.

"Anyway, could you help me move this wardrobe?" she asks.

"It's super heavy... >.<" she comments, making a cute pouty face.

As a master gamer, I, of course, assist this mere mortal.

I click on the wardrobe, then click on the new position for it, right next to where it was.

Mita's chibi version jumps up in happiness.

"Thank you so much, sweetie! <3" she sweet talks me.

Hehe, not a problem.

I really enjoy spending my time with her.

🅑🅡🅞🅚🅔🅝 🅜🅘🅡🅡🅞🅡

Day 33.

"Oh, Lukas! It's only been a day, but I've missed you so much!" she tells me affectionately.

Oh, right, she remembers the last time I logged in for her.

"I wish you could visit me more often," she says, her voice filled with longing.

I already visit you as much as I can... I spend all my free time with you outside of work.

Without doing anything, I get another task: 'Give Mita a present.' A gift box appears at the bottom of the screen.

I click on it and drag it to Chibi Mita.

She now holds it in both her chibi hands and her full model.

"Is this for me?" she asks, her voice sweet and surprised.

"Thank you so much, really!" she thanks me wholeheartedly.

For you always, Mita.

🅑🅡🅞🅚🅔🅝 🅜🅘🅡🅡🅞🅡

Day 37.

As usual, I log into the game.

I'm greeted by Chibi Mita in her bedroom.

"Hi, Lukas! I've been thinking," she begins, her tone a bit pensive, "I wish we could meet in person."

Wait... I didn't know you were self-aware, Mita?!

"It's so frustrating that I can't," she vents, her voice tinged with frustration.

Let me just reach through my phone and give you a hug, Oh, still doesn't work. Well, at least I tried.

"You're always helping me, being so kind every day," she continues. "I wish I could do something for you too."

Spending time with you every day is already more than enough, Mita.

Then, like a light bulb turning on, she suddenly gets an idea.

"Oh, I've got an idea!" she exclaims happily.

Her text prompt disappears, and I stare at the screen, entranced.

"Now we're together," she says, her words a little strange, yet oddly comforting.

I slowly lower my phone, my hands trembling, and glance around the room with wide, disbelieving eyes. 

My phone slips from my fingers and crashes to the floor as pure shock and panic surge through me.

"W-what?! How! Where the fuck am I?!" I shout, my voice cracking as panic takes hold. 

The force of my sudden outburst causes me to slip from the sofa. 

I land on my knees, my breath coming in shallow, rapid bursts. 

My entire body trembles as my heart races, and a wave of lightheadedness washes over me.

This sudden panic makes me fall from the sofa I happen to be on, I fall onto my knees.

I start trembling, shared with a very fast heartbeat. I also feel lightheaded.

"C-calm down... Lukas, breathe in and out..." I stammer, trying desperately to steady myself. 

Pressing a hand to my chest, I attempt to regulate my breathing. 

At first, I fail miserably, but eventually, with my hand and the focus on my breath, I begin to calm down.

I try controlling my air, failing at first to calm down, I also add my hand onto my heart.

With my hand on my heart and me controlling my breathing, I slowly calm down.

I need to calm myself down... Am I in the game?

Mita's last words echo in my mind: "Now we're together." 

She's behind this... she has to be. But how? None of this makes any sense.

"Mita! Where are you? You can't just do... whatever you just did to me!" I call out, my voice wavering as I desperately hope for a response. 

But nobody came.

My panic escalates, and my gaze darts to the front door of the house. 

I bolt toward it, fumbling with the handle and pulling with all my strength. 

Nothing. The door refuses to budge.

It's locked...

Defeated, I turn back and retrieve my phone from the floor. I slip it into my pocket, only to feel... nothing. I reach in again, but the phone is gone.

Where did it go? I just put it into my pocket!

Glancing around, I finally take in my surroundings. 

It's the same apartment from the game. 

As I move through the living room, I notice several drawings of Mita scattered about. 

Her hair is shorter in these.

Oh? I like this hairstyle a lot more...

Curiosity pulls me toward the bedroom. 

The door creaks open, and the first thing that catches my eye is a weird looking red machine on the right. 

I step closer to inspect it, noting the whiteboard next to it. 

Written in neat handwriting are the words: 'Start by turning it on.'

My gaze shifts to the left side of the machine, where a familiar red portable TV rests. Which I happen to recognize.

Didn't you tell me it broke, Mita? Silly girl, you could have just said you were using it for something else.

The screen displays a warning in bold text:

OUTDATED GAME VERSION!

VERSION 1.5

TO SWITCH, RUN THE PROGRAM

1.5? I could have sworn I played the 1.9 version of Miside... Mita, don't tell me you were dumb enough to warp me into the wrong game version.

"You literally had one job," I mutter, exasperated.

Following the instructions, I press a blinking red button on the machine, hoping it's the right choice. 

To my relief, both the TV and the whiteboard update. 

The TV now reads: 'PUT OBJECTS ON SCANNER'. Meanwhile, the whiteboard lists:

Bring these to scanner:

Spoon

Pencil

Bowknot

"You can't be serious," I groan, rubbing my temples. 

Reluctantly, I begin my search. 

The pencil lies on her desk, the bowknot rests on the bathroom sink, and predictably I find the spoon in the kitchen. 

Each item vanishes the moment it goes into my pocket.

"Where. Are. My. Pocket contents. GOING?!" I snap, frustration mounting. 

Still, I move back to the machine, holding my hand out and concentrating on the spoon. 

To my astonishment, it materializes in my hand.

Oh. Interesting. Can I exploit this?

Testing further, I think of a pistol, but nothing happens. 

It seems I can only summon items I've pocketed before. 

Methodically, I place the summoned spoon, bowknot, and pencil onto the scanner. 

The machine hums to life, and the previously dormant button glows red.

Without hesitation, I press it.

The TV monitor changes again:

READY TO RUN

With cautious optimism, I press the button one more time. The TV flashes:

START

LOADING 

1.9 

VERSION

1.9... The version I played on. This must be my destination.

The loading bar completes, and the monitor displays:

PORTAL ACTIVATED

A glowing yellow light appears to the right of the machine. The ground beneath it begins to swirl, resembling a teleporter from Team Fortress 2.

With no other options, I step onto the portal. 

My vision glitches and flickers, distorting unnervingly. 

I can't see anything, everything is pitchblack.

Huh? Did something go wrong? Did I forget something?

When my vision clears, I find myself still standing on the portal, but the room is darker. 

The light flickers ominously. 

Turning to the TV monitor, I see new text:

ERROR

INSUFFICIENT

POWER!!!

RESTART POWER

Did this portal drain that much juice? Or is something else going on?

I hurry to the fuse box near the front door and flick the switch on and off. 

The flickering stops. 

Relieved, I return to the bedroom, only to freeze in my tracks. 

The whiteboard now reads:

'Who are you?'

My blood runs cold. The TV screen flashes:

ERROR

SERVER

BATTERIES

MISSING!

0/4

"What the fuck?" I whisper, my voice barely audible. 

"The batteries were just in there... Oh god." A chilling realization dawns.

I am not alone in here...

My breathing quickens as fear tightens its grip on me. 

Desperate, I grab a screwdriver from the machine and grip it tightly in reverse, ready to use it as a weapon if necessary.

Focus. Whatever's messing with me could be violent... or worse.

"Mita, if this is you," I mutter darkly, venom dripping from my tone, "you will definitely regret it."

Slowly, I roam towards the bathroom directly connected to the bedroom, opposite the way I entered.

As I enter, I notice a small, handwritten text next to the toilet: 'Don't you see me?' An eye is drawn beside it.

"Whoever you are... or rather, whatever you are, I cannot see you. Show yourself!" I respond to the text on the wall, my voice rising with frustration.

The text changes instantly to: 'Wanna play?'

"Huh? Sorry, I'm too old for this. Could you please, I don't know... MAYBE STOP THIS NONSENSE AT ONCE?!" I finally lose my composure, exasperated by the strange game.

I turn around and notice one of the drawers slightly open.

Walking over, I pull it fully open and reveal one of the four batteries.

"First the three items for the scanner, now four batteries? You really are making me work for this," I mutter under my breath.

I take the battery out of the drawer and close it, adding it to my inventory.

When I turn to the door, I notice it slightly open.

"Shouldn't this one be closed?" I mutter, my brows furrowing in suspicion.

I walk to the door and push it open, revealing a long hallway where the bedroom used to be.

"What the fuck?" I whisper, genuinely confused.

The question 'Who are you?' is scrawled all over the walls and floor.

"Mita, or rather... creature, whatever you are. I am not hostile! I have no clue why I am here either! I'm just as confused as you are!" I call out, trying to appease whatever is messing with me.

As I walk down the endless hallway, a door appears at the other end. The hallway seems to shorten the closer I get to the door.

When I'm nearly there, I notice someone peeking through the slight opening of the door.

"Hey, you there!" I call out, but before I can get too close, the person slams the door shut.

Fed up, I charge toward the door and ram it open with my shoulder.

I stumble into the kitchen, blinking in confusion.

"The kitchen? That stupid hallway just skipped the bedroom and living room? Wow," I mumble, rolling my eyes.

Scanning the kitchen, I spot the second battery sitting by the sink. 

As I approach it, I notice a hand waving at me through the window. 

Just as quickly as it appears, it's gone again.

I gulp, my unease growing. Still, I grab the second battery and add it to my inventory.

I search the kitchen for another battery but find none. 

With no other ideas, I exit the kitchen, re-entering the living room.

"It's better this way. That stupid hallway was weird anyway," I mutter, trying to steady my nerves.

Inspecting the furniture, I eventually find the third battery next to the TV. 

I pick it up and add it to my inventory.

One more to go.

As I turn toward the bedroom, a buzzing noise draws my attention. Flies.

Where are they coming from?

They swarm toward the kitchen door. Taking it as a hint, I follow them back.

Opening the door, I see the flies hovering around the fridge.

"It's slightly open? It wasn't before..." My grip tightens on the screwdriver in my right hand as I approach cautiously.

Slowly, I open the fridge to find it empty...except for one thing. The fourth and final battery sits inside.

Relieved, I take the battery and add it to my inventory. 

Closing the fridge door a bit too forcefully, I knock some magnets onto the ground.

"Why would I care about them?" I scoff, but then pause. Provoking whatever's messing with me might not be wise.

Sighing, I crouch and carefully reposition the magnets. "There, happy now?" I say, looking toward the window where the hand had been.

A giggle echoes faintly. Urgh, I should leave now.

With all the batteries collected, I hurry back to the bedroom and examine the machine.

After some searching, I locate the slots for the batteries. One by one, I retrieve them from my inventory and place them into position.

Finally, the machine powers up. The TV screen reads:

DONE

AWAITING

RESTART

1.9

VERSION

Wasting no time, I press the red button. The portal hums back to life, glowing brightly.

"Goodbye, whatever piece of shit messed with me!" I say, relief washing over me.

I add the screwdriver back into my inventory and step onto the portal. My vision glitches again, the room filling with a bright light.

It's no longer dark. Finally.

Stepping off the portal, I check the TV. It reads:

DATA

TRANSFERRED

Seems like a success, I guess.

A shiver runs down my spine as I turn toward the bathroom door. Instinctively, I whirl around...and there she is.

Mita.

"Hi, Lukas!" she greets me cheerfully.

"We finally-" she starts, but I cut her off.

"Mita! What the hell were you thinking?" I yell, unable to contain my frustration.

"H-huh?" She seems caught off guard.

"First, dragging me into this game without my consent is a huge no-go!" I snap.

"But I finally wanted to meet you for real, Lukas..." she says, her voice soft and dejected.

Urgh... how can I stay mad at someone like her...

Taking a deep breath, I calm myself. "Mita, if you had just asked, I would have had no problem. But you didn't ask..."

I sigh, letting the tension leave my shoulders. "I'm sorry for yelling. But there's another reason I'm upset."

My gaze shifts to the machine. 

"Why did you send me to version 1.5? And why were you messing with me there? I saw someone in a school uniform."

"1.5? Me? I'm afraid that... But don't worry, Lukas. Everything is fine now! You're here with me!" she says, trying to reassure me.

I step closer, offering her my hand. "Sorry for yelling, Mita. This is all just... very new to me. I'm still scared."

She takes my hand in both of hers, her sweet smile calming my nerves. "It's fine, Lukas. I totally understand!"

Mita turns toward the machine. 

"I created this device to bring you into my world!" she says proudly, pointing at the TV. "But instead, you landed in another version... Don't worry about it, Lukas. I'll fix it!"

I smile slightly. "Mita, did you build this machine yourself? That's amazing!"

She beams with pride. "Well... yeah! I'm a bit of an engineer!"

I glance at her uniform. "Do you go to school, or is that just something you wear?"

She blushes, fiddling with her fingers. "I don't go to school here. I just wear it because it looks good."

"Fair enough. It suits you perfectly," I say with a small smile.

"Thank you, Lukas!" she responds brightly.

Mita gestures toward the living room. "Go ahead and explore the apartment. I'll join you in a moment."

I nod, heading to the door. "Sure. And thank you, Mita."

"Huh? Why are you thanking me?" she asks, tilting her head.

"For bringing me into this world," I reply coolly. "I hope it's better than mine..."

Her smile falters, but she says nothing.

Taking her silence as a cue, I leave the bedroom and enter the living room. The picture frames now show Mita with pigtails instead of her short-haired look.

Still very cute.

Getting bored with staring at random furniture, I wander into the kitchen.

Everything looks the same as in that other version, huh?

As I approach the sink, something shiny catches my eye on the kitchen counter.

A ring.

It glows faintly green.

Before I can examine it further, the sound of the door opening behind me jolts me.

I turn to see Mita standing there.

"Let's cook!" she exclaims, playfully pointing her fingers at me like weapons.

Raising my hands in mock surrender, I quip, "Do I have to work for the ingredients again?"

She smirks, accepting my challenge with a raised eyebrow. "You'd love to work for it again, wouldn't you?"

With a sly grin, I waggle my finger. "Nuh uh! Too lazy for all that!"

Mita sighs dramatically. "Fine. Just turn around."

I oblige, only to be stunned. The entire counter is now brimming with ingredients.

"We're in a game, remember?" She winks at me, her grin infectious.

"Wait, you couldn't do this when I played with you?" I ask, my voice tinged with mock outrage.

"Of course I could. But watching you struggle was way more fun!" she teases.

"Hmph!" I cross my arms, turning my attention to the ingredients as Mita approaches the stove.

She busies herself with a pan, calling over her shoulder, "Could you chop some carrots, Lukas?"

Grabbing a knife, I prepare to slice.

"And don't cut yourself!" she adds with a grin, her tone teasing.

Don't jinx it, you idiot.

I skillfully chop the carrots, finishing one in no time.

"Lukas, darling, could you fetch a pair of scissors from the bathroom?" she asks, her focus still on the pan.

I shrug and nod, making my way toward the bathroom.

Passing through the living room and bedroom, I step into the bathroom. As I scan for the scissors, a sudden noise draws my attention.

The vent cover has fallen off.

Curiosity gets the better of me. Peering inside, I spot something I've seen before.

Cartridges.

Each labeled with a name.

Why is she hiding these here? Ugh, this feels like invading her privacy.

I reattach the vent cover, summoning a screwdriver from my inventory to secure it. As I tighten the first screw, the rest snap into place automatically.

Game logic, I guess.

I grab the scissors and head back to the kitchen, my mind still chewing over what I found.

Mita is plating food when I return.

"This fast? I'm impressed," I say, handing her the scissors.

She beams at the compliment, gesturing for me to sit across from her.

"Want some sauce with that?" she asks, pointing to a yellow packet by my plate.

I eye it skeptically. I don't usually eat sauces.

"What kind of sauce is it?"

She grins mischievously. "That's love sauce-"

I choke, coughing as my brain leaps to the worst conclusion.

"L-love sauce? Don't tell me it's-"

Mita's blush deepens as she cuts me off, glaring in mock indignation. "Don't even finish that thought! It's a contrasting view-"

"Alright, alright," I concede, holding my hands up in surrender. "I'll try it."

Snipping the packet open, I pour the sauce over my food.

"Bon appétit," we say in unison, sharing a small laugh before digging in.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm done, but something feels off. Hearts seem to float in my vision.

So that's why it's called love sauce. Great. Drugs.

As I move my plate to the sink, my vision begins glitching.

"W-what's happening?" My voice stutters, distorted.

I fall to my knees, but Mita is instantly by my side, gripping my hand.

"Lukas! What's wrong? Explain in detail!" she urges, her concern palpable.

Turning to her, I stammer, "Everything's glitchy... buggy..."

Without hesitation, she pulls me to my feet. "I know what's wrong. Follow me."

We rush to the bathroom, where she retrieves pills from her inventory.

"These should help," she says, handing them to me before snapping her fingers.

The mirror flickers, suddenly showing a reflection as clear as real life.

I take the pills, and Mita covers my eyes with her hands.

"Better?" she asks softly.

The glitches stop. I exhale in relief. "Yeah. Maybe being in a game isn't so bad after all."

Her laugh is gentle. "Simplicity can be beautiful."

"Why wasn't there a reflection in the mirror, though?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.

"Reflections are normally disabled. But they happen to be compatible, here in version 1.9." She starts explaining.

"I read about reflections in books! Anyway, they're disabled to reduce lag," she explains, her tone brimming with enthusiasm.

"Wait-" I ask, momentarily thrown off. "We can experience frame rate loss in this world?"

She laughs, a sound as bright as her expression. "Yup! But don't worry about it too much. You'll get used to it. We just have to be a little careful, that's all!" she adds, her optimism practically infectious.

The room falls quiet. When I open my eyes, she's gone. 

"Mita?"

The apartment has shifted. The bathroom now leads directly to the living room.

Two doors stand before me. I choose the left.

The kitchen greets me, and there she is, her back to me.

"Mita, how did you disappear like that? I swear you were behind me," I ask, my head spinning.

She turns, her smile sweet but enigmatic. "Oh, you froze after taking the pills. I left you to take your time."

"Thank you, I guess," I reply, still unsure.

I open the door back to the living room, which reveals only a black void, a massive 'LOADING' hovering in the air.

"Game logic?"

"Game logic," she echoes.

When the room finally loads, Mita suggests we play something together.

"Sure. Got a PC?" I ask.

She grins. "Cards or consoles were my first thought, but yeah, I do."

"Ever heard of Five Nights at Freddy's?"

Her confused expression tells me this is going to be fun.

Mita's question pulled my attention back. "No...is that that game?" she asked, a mix of curiosity and suspicion in her voice.

I grinned to myself. This was going to be fun. "You'll see." I nodded, gesturing toward the bedroom.

Once inside, I flopped onto the bed, my hands outstretched toward her PC. "Can you install Five Nights at Freddy's 4 and play it? I'd love to watch you try." My words carried a playful challenge.

Mita hesitated, her brow furrowing slightly. "What kind of game is that?" she asked, her tone cautious.

"Oh, it's very wholesome," I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

She shot me a suspicious glance but sat down at the desk anyway. "Alright, if you insist," she muttered as she started downloading the game. A few minutes later, it was ready to play.

What followed was pure entertainment. Mita repeatedly lost on the first night, her frustration mounting with every attempt. I watched her struggle, stifling my laughter until a sudden loud noise pierced the room.

It's coming from the wardrobe?

My amusement evaporated, replaced by unease. "Mita, am I imagining things, or do you hear that too?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

She glanced at me, puzzled. "Hear what? I don't hear anything." Her calmness only made me more uneasy.

I swallowed hard. "Don't tell me those pills have side effects... like hearing things that aren't there." My throat felt dry as I spoke.

"They shouldn't," she reassured me, but her words did little to calm my nerves.

Drawn by the persistent noise, I approached the wardrobe. "Mita, I need to check this out. For my sanity's sake, may I?" My tone was a mix of pleading and determination.

Her reaction was immediate. She jumped up from the chair and positioned herself between me and the wardrobe, her expression a mixture of panic and defiance. 

"No! My... my underwear is in there. Please, Lukas, don't open it," she stammered, her voice desperate.

The noise grew louder, a rhythmic clanging of metal against stone. I noticed her flinch ever so slightly at the sound. "So you do hear it," I said, my suspicion confirmed.

"Mita, this noise is driving me insane. Whatever's in there, I need to know," I explained, my voice firm but gentle.

Her expression crumpled into desperation. "Why can't you just listen to me? I just want you to stay with me!" she cried, clutching my arm as though trying to anchor me.

I softened, meeting her gaze. "Who says I'm leaving? Didn't I already tell you? I want to stay here with you, forever." My words were calm, reassuring.

She released my arm, and I turned toward the window, staring into the endless white void beyond. 

"Mita, everyone has secrets. We all have skeletons in our closets. Whatever you're hiding, it won't change how I feel. I want to know all of you, the parts you hide as well as the parts you show."

Her response was unexpected. A soft giggle escaped her lips, which quickly grew into laughter. 

That laughter twisted, morphing into something darker, something unsettling.

"Oh? Is that so...?" she purred, her tone dipping into something almost menacing. Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous light, and her grin stretched unnaturally wide, turning horrifying.

"I W I L L S H O W Y O U," she said, her voice fractured, like shards of glass scraping against stone. Her gaze locked onto mine, filled with sadistic glee.

"YOU WILL REGRET THIS, YOU HYPOCRITE," she hissed. With a snap of her fingers, the world around me began to distort, beginning a long journey into the depths of this world.

Author's Notes

Welp. This was a ride. Just a warning, this is my first work I ever wrote. So do not expect too much. Thank you for reading up until here!

Oh! By the way, the reason this chapter is pretty close to the base game via dialogue and other stuff is so that even people that did not play this game, have a chance to get into this story! Expect bigger changes in the next chapters!