Chapter 1

I refused a $100,000 offer for my gaming account. My seven-year-old horror game was shutting down, and I spent my last all-nighter saying goodbye to every NPC.

My roommates scoffed, calling me crazy. My family said I was insane. Even my childhood best friend screamed that I was a lunatic, turning down good money.

But they had no idea. Days later, the horror game merged with our reality, and monsters started mercilessly slaughtering humans. To save themselves, they shoved me in front of a terrifying boss, hoping I’d be its first victim.

Instead, I turned and threw myself into its arms: "Honey! They're bullying me!"

When I logged back into the game interface, nearly half a month had passed in the real world. That half-month of finals week had drained all my energy, and I desperately needed to recharge in my game. I never expected that as the interface refreshed, a game shutdown notification would pop up.

I froze. My roommate behind me happened to glance at my screen.

She sneered, "Still playing this game, even though it's shutting down? You should sell your account while someone's still offering to buy it. That's real money, you know!"

I smiled, saying nothing, just maneuvering my computer to enter the game. Seven years. This game had long become a part of me, impossible to cut away. I skipped straight to the final level, having already taken down all the minor bosses.

I sat patiently, waiting for *him* to appear.

But I waited and waited. The system countdown to shutdown hit zero, and I was forcibly logged out. He still didn't show.

I sighed, taking one last look at the world I'd fought for over seven years.

I couldn't help but whisper, "I won't see you guys again. I'll miss you. Take care of yourselves... get better and better."

My roommate rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously messed up in the head? Who talks to a screen like that? They won't reply! They're just lines of code. You think they're your family?"

"Sicko."

I gripped the hem of my shirt, a pang of loss in my chest. "You don't understand. They really matter to me."

"Maybe you don't get it, but please, respect me, and respect them."

She burst out laughing. "Respect *them*? A bunch of NPCs with only a few lines of dialogue? What right do they have to demand respect from me?"

"No wonder you care so much about them. After all, a loser like you, who nobody loves in the real world, can only find a sense of belonging in a game. Tsk, tsk, tsk, how pathetic!"

Chloe, my other roommate, finally spoke up, clearly uncomfortable. "She's our classmate... isn't that a bit too much?"

Blair scoffed. "You don't know what this psycho did! A few days ago, someone offered $100,000 for her account, and she wouldn't sell it! Said there were 'the most important people' in it! What is that if not insane? $100,000! Do you know how long that could last us?"

I couldn't take it anymore. I slammed my hand on the desk. "Blair! Have you said enough?! My game account is my business! You don't get to tell me what to do!"

"Someone as cold-hearted as you would never understand this feeling. They helped me through the darkest days of my life. What's wrong with not wanting to let them go?"

Blair wasn't about to back down. "Who in their right mind gets emotional over digital data?! You're seriously disturbed! I'm telling you, either you move out of this dorm today, or I'm going to the dorm supervisor! I refuse to live with a crazy person who talks to game characters!"

Our argument escalated, eventually alarming the school faculty. The teacher rushed over, scolded us both, and only then did the commotion subside.

Lying in bed that night, I sighed, thinking about how I didn't even get to see Damian one last time. Forget it. Maybe some people and some things are just meant to be regrets. Those beautiful memories are enough to keep in my heart.