One-way traffic

On a night during his final week, he collapsed on a forest path, utterly despondent, having long since lost the will and strength to live.

There was no regret, because it all happened for no reason. He was randomly chosen and had no way to complain to anyone.

And so, let us become part of nature and rest here forever.

With his last thoughts, the young man closed his eyes.

Consciousness faded away.

"…Excuse me."

Then, the next day.

He woke up in the soft, comfortable bed.

"Um, are you alright?"

When he woke up, a girl about his age was standing by his bedside.

Pink twin tails came into view.

A girl with hair color very close to her own age stood beside her bed.

A gentle tone, ruby-like eyes, and a very soft and pleasant voice.

For a moment, Fuyukawa Ryo seemed to be in a daze.

"Ah...no, it's okay."

"Are you really alright? You should have collapsed in the woods. Are you sure you don't feel any other discomfort?"

“I’m really fine…this, this person—”

Fuyukawa Ryo was momentarily speechless; he didn't know how to continue speaking.

The girl blinked, as if she understood something.

"Hiyori Ruri".

"Eh?"

"Um, my name is Hiyori Ruri, so what's your name...?"

"Well--?"

Fuyukawa Ryo stood there stunned, but inwardly he slapped himself hard.

You idiot! Hurry up and tell me your name!

"Ah! My name is Fuyukawa Ryo! Nice to meet you!"

"Hmm, Fuyukawa-kun, is it okay to address him like that?"

He became dazed.

After that, Fuyukawa Ryo followed the girl named Hiyori Ruri outside and witnessed all of this.

This is a village, which can be described as isolated from the world.

Everyone in the village was very friendly, and they greeted Fuyukawa Ryo happily after he came out of the room.

He explained his situation, and the village chief readily accepted him, as did Hiyori Ruri's parents.

"In that case, Fuyukawa-kun, why don't you come and stay at our house from now on?"

"Eh? Is it really okay?!"

"So what? Anyway, it was Liuli who found you on the way. Isn't that a kind of fate? Maybe you were destined to come to our village."

That evening, the village held a ceremony to welcome Dongchuan Liang, dancing and cheering around the bonfire, and treated him to his first delicious feast in seven days.

And so, Fuyukawa Ryo moved into Hiyori Ruri's house.

Every day, he didn't just sit around doing nothing; he helped Hiyori Ruri's father go up the mountain to chop firewood, gradually learning all sorts of life skills and helping his family and the people in the village with all sorts of things.

And, she lives with Hiyori Ruri every day.

"Hey, kid."

"Mr. Hiyori, is something wrong?"

Sitting to the side to rest, Fuyukawa Ryo drank water while looking at Hiyori Ruri's father in front of him.

"What do you think of... my Liuli?"

"Pfft—!! W-what?!"

"What the hell? I'm asking you, don't you think this is a pretty good idea?"

The middle-aged man couldn't help but smile, stroking his chin as he spoke.

"It was Liuli who brought you home in the first place, and now your relationship is getting better and better. Liuli has already started to consider you a member of the family. So you can't leave this family now, right?"

"Although, even so..."

"Okay, then from today onwards, I will keep these things in mind. After a while, you two can start dating properly, and then prepare for the wedding!"

"That car is going way too fast!!"

Life is beautiful.

Together, Fuyukawa Ryo and Hiyori Ruri created a wonderful atmosphere in the village and perfectly integrated into its life.

They were loved by all the young men and women of the same age in the village, as well as the younger children.

Whenever they see Hiyori Ruri, or Fuyukawa Ryo, the two of them can't help but smile.

It's such a perfect and harmonious relationship.

then.

"…What?"

Unable to contain himself, Fuyukawa Ryo knocked over the water glass in his hand.

System task prompt.

You have successfully completed your initial mission. Survive in this world for thirty days. Mission complete. The system will teleport you in one minute.

The system content is structured as described above. We hope you have a pleasant experience using it.

"what."

It's like an irony.

Especially the last sentence in the system.

One minute, countdown begins.

"...Open, open what—"

Without hesitation, Fuyukawa Ryo started moving.

He no longer cared about the firewood around him, nor about anything else, and ran straight back to his original room.

"Are you kidding me!!"

They barely managed to survive in other worlds.

Then, there are people who can accept you, people with whom you can live in harmony.

A person who can love themselves.

All of this will eventually disappear.

"Liuli...Liuli!"

We must not let this last bit of time slip away, no matter what.

Fuyukawa Ryo didn't know what his expression looked like; it probably looked like he was a madman.

He was scared, very scared.

Ignoring the Hiyori couple, who were both terrified by his actions, he rushed into the room and opened the door.

He opened the girl's door.

anyway.

Everyone has to say that sentence.

"I--!!"

The two looked at each other.

The pink-haired girl with pigtails, who had just changed into her pajamas, stared at him in surprise.

"…cold?"

Then, the sound disappeared.

Darkness descended upon him.

When he came to his senses, Fuyukawa Ryo had already traveled to a completely new world.

There's no way to go back.

"…ah."

A feeling of fear, like his pores tightening, contracted throughout his body.

He wanted to say something, but when he actually tried, he couldn't do anything at all.

It was a feeling of helplessness and despair.

Fuyukawa Ryo let his whole body relax and collapsed to the ground.

But this is not the end.

"system hint."

"The world has detected a message attempting to add you as a friend. Do you agree?"

What?

Fuyukawa Ryoko stirred up his body, which he didn't want to move at all, and looked around.

He saw a girl.

A cute girl with pink pigtails, dressed in white and pink clothes.

Just like that, standing beside me.

"…cold."

He got it completely.

That brief moment was probably the moment he completed his mission.

Hiyori Ruri was also selected by the Soul System and became one of its users.

She was also drawn in, caught up in this battle where she had to constantly survive in various worlds.

"How...how could this be?!"

A feeling of despair instantly overwhelmed him.

He can endure his own suffering, and he can endure his own loneliness.

But, but.

He couldn't accept having his closest friends and loved ones dragged into this unavoidable battlefield.

"Why! Why, why are you in a place like this?!"

Fuyukawa Ryo shakily got up and placed his hands on the girl's shoulders.

It was because of his experience that he understood that if Hiyori Ruri became a user of the system like him, it would mean that she would also have to face the battlefield of life and death in the future.

What a joke.

The person I cherish most has been dragged into this, and the person I least wanted to be involved has been caught up in it. How could this happen—

"It must be very hard being alone all the time, right?"

Gentle words reached my ears.

and so.