Every successful betrayal is, by definition, a surprise.

  To this day, Matsue Jun didn't understand why his best friend had stabbed him in the back, leading to his suspension and leaving him to rot at home in a state of total lethargy.

  It started with "harmless" rumors.

  “Jun-kun is a serial cheater.”

  “Matsue is a gold-digger; he’s just using that rich girl.”

  “Matsue Jun is a secret bully with a nasty streak.”

  It was all complete fiction. Jun admitted that his "perfect" image at school was an act—after all, how could anyone be flawlessly considerate, helpful, gentle, and top-of-the-class while possessing a face like a movie star?

  Jun just wanted his life to be convenient. Being popular made things easy. Was it really a crime to put on a show? Life is a stage, after all; everyone is playing a part.

  But regarding the content of those rumors? Jun could swear to God he’d never done any of it.

  Yet, the rumors grew like wildfire, becoming more absurd by the day. His classmates began looking at him with suspicion. He even found thumbtacks hidden in his desk and his shoe locker.

  Panicking, Jun decided to hire a private investigator to find out who was dragging his name through the mud. The detective, a grizzled middle-aged man, quoted a price Jun couldn't afford. To pay for the investigation, Jun spent several nights working as a host at a bar.

  The detective was a professional. It didn't take long to get a name: Tomatsu Yuka.

  His best friend. The only person at Haneoka High who knew the truth behind his "perfect" mask.

  Case closed.

  But Jun couldn't wrap his head around it. When everyone else doubted him, Yuka had been the one to comfort him. She was the one by his side. Was she really the "villainess" in his story?

  While he was still agonizing over whether to confront her, photos of him working at the bar were leaked onto the school forum.

  That was the final nail in the coffin. That was why he was forced into "voluntary" leave.

  Staring at his bedroom ceiling, Jun reflected on his school life. It should have been a perfect run, but now he was a pariah, abandoned by everyone, living like a hermit.

  Whose fault was this?

  Jun thought that maybe, a year ago, he shouldn't have rejected that System.

  It had been eighteen years since Jun "transmigrated" from China to Japan.

  Unlike many other "reincarnators," he’d had a System in his previous life. A Dating Sim System. Its purpose was to simulate romances with girls, save them from their trauma, and build a harem for a "happy life."

  He had accepted it back then with open arms. But once the System activated, he realized it was a trap.

  Some people are naturally polyamorous; some are just players. But Matsue Jun was just a normal guy who happened to be handsome. His capacity for love was limited.

  The System’s targets, however, were infinite. Once it was active, he was a slave to its scripts. He had no choice but to follow its lead.

  He saved those beautiful girls from their misery, but in return, they became "heavy." He had experienced it all: the stalking, the isolation, the literal kidnapping. The System would give him items and quests to "purify" their hearts and fix their warped personalities, but eventually, the System just... vanished.

  And then, Jun died and woke up as an infant in a Japanese orphanage.

  Facing this second chance at life, Jun decided to earn his happiness through his own merits. Step one: Be perfect.

  With a bright, warm smile, Jun quickly became the most popular kid in the orphanage. Having realized the benefits of "acting," he never took the mask off. It was exhausting, but a "successful socialite" life was incredibly rewarding.

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  Until graduation day. After turning down dozens of requests for photos, Jun stood alone on the school rooftop, looking down at the crowd and sighing.

  "Three years of theater... finally over," he muttered, sliding down to sit against the wall.

  [Ding... Ding... Host detected. Dating Sim System awaiting activation.]

  Hearing that mechanical, soulless voice in his head, Jun’s first thought was that he had somehow traveled back in time again.

  "You've got to be kidding me..."

  [This System is not a hallucination. It is advised that the Host does not attempt to 'wake up' by jumping off the building.]

  The exact same lines as his previous life.

  Where the hell am I?

  It took ten minutes for Jun to accept the reality: The System was back.

  "Let me guess," Jun said. "Your next line is: 'The purpose of this System is to ensure the Host lives a life of ultimate happiness.'"

  [The purpose of this System is to ensure the Host lives a life of ultimate happiness. Please follow the System’s guidance to complete tasks and achieve peak fulfillment.]

  [...]

  [Dating Simulation: The System will match the Host with romantic targets. Both parties will experience a simulated life. If both are satisfied with the result, a real-world relationship will be established to achieve happiness.]

  The System acted as if their previous "failed" life had never happened.

  "Save it. I saw you in my last life, and I have no intention of seeing you in this one."

  [Even as a reincarnator, please reconsider. The System provides tasks and items to help the Host conquer targets, making them hopelessly devoted to you and establishing a harem.]

  "I’m not interested in romance or a harem. My life might not be perfect right now, but it's mine. Just leave."

  [If the Host does not activate the System, the targets' lives will be tragic! Saving pitiful young women is the System's secondary objective!]

  "Are you trying to guilt-trip me?" Jun laughed.

  "Without you, their lives have nothing to do with me, no matter how tragic they are. I have no interest in playing god with other people's lives. My last life taught me one thing: what's the point of a life built on a 'System' or some outside power?"

  "I don't believe in free lunches. Every gift from fate comes with a hidden price tag. Even if you don't want a 'repayment,' are you eternal? If I follow your lead, I’ll end up on a path far beyond what a normal person can handle. When you eventually disappear again, what happens to me then? Can you guarantee you’ll stay until the very end?"

  [...]

  "Can you leave now?"

  [Even if the Host refuses, the System will seek out other Hosts.]

  The System was trying to prove that it didn't need him.

  "Good. If someone else can do it, it proves their 'affection' isn't for me—it’s just a byproduct of the System. I don't care about things that 'anyone' can do, and I don't need relationships that 'anyone' could maintain. If I wanted to, I could put my life on Easy Mode right now. But I don't like it. I only care about things that are unique—things that only happen because I'm me."

  When Jun left the orphanage, the headmistress had told him something he never forgot:

  "Jun, a boy like you will meet many people in his life. Some will be shallow, some will be all glitz and no substance. But every once in a while, you’ll find someone who’s iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare."

  The world is full of clouds; why chase the fog when you're looking for the light?

  [Please repeat 'Abandon System' three times in your mind.]

  Jun did so. After that, the mechanical voice never spoke again.

  However, a year later, his life wasn't going as smoothly as he’d hoped. During his days stuck at home, he occasionally wondered what would have happened if he’d kept the System.

  But then he remembered his past life. At least here, he could lie in his own bed, free and unfettered, instead of being stalked or locked in a basement.

  Isn't this better?

  Just as that thought crossed his mind, there was a knock at the door.

  He walked over and looked through the peephole.

  Standing outside was a girl in a white dress, her hands tucked behind her back. It was his "best friend," Tomatsu Yuka.

  Chapter 2: Am I the Target Now?

  In truth, this wasn't the first time Tomatsu Yuka had come by since Jun’s suspension.

  In the thirteen days he’d been away from school, she had knocked on his door four times. Every single time, he had pretended he wasn't home.

  This time was no different. Jun turned around and crawled back into bed, tip-toeing the whole way to ensure he didn't make a sound.

  He waited for several minutes, but he didn't hear her footsteps leaving.

  "Matsue-kun, I know you're in there. Can we talk? I'm really worried about you," Yuka called out, knocking again.

  Jun rolled over to face the wall, pulling the duvet over his head.

  "Are you here for Matsue?" He heard a neighbor’s voice at the door.

  "Yes. I haven't heard from him in so long, I'm getting concerned," the girl replied, her voice dripping with worry.

  "Oh, he's definitely home. I didn't hear him go out this afternoon."

  Middle-aged neighbors... always so observant and meddling, Jun sighed under his covers.

  He got out of bed, changed his clothes, and opened the door.

  "Tomatsu-san! I’m so sorry! I wasn't feeling well and was fast asleep. I didn't hear the knocking." Jun offered them both a practiced smile.

  The curve of his lips was precisely calibrated—his most effective tool for being "a nice guy."

  The neighbor lady blushed slightly. "Oh, are you alright, Jun-kun? Do you need some medicine? I have a first-aid kit if you need anything."

  Jun’s smile didn't waver. "I'm fine, really. Just didn't sleep well last night. Thank you for the concern."

  "Don't go making pretty girls worry about you now!" The lady waved and walked away.

  Throughout the exchange, Yuka just stood there with a faint smile, silent. Aside from a brief flicker in her eyes when the neighbor called him "Jun-kun," her gaze remained fixed on his face.

  Once the neighbor was gone, Yuka finally spoke. "Matsue-kun, I finally got to see you. You haven't replied to my texts or picked up my calls. I was so worried."

  Yuka looked the part of a delicate lady. Her white dress ended just at her knees, her short sleeves revealing slender, pale arms. Her long, black hair was straight and silky, reaching down to her waist. With her hands still behind her back and her legs pressed tightly together, she looked the picture of innocence.

  "It’s been a while, Tomatsu-san. If I may ask, how did you get my address? I don't believe I ever told you." Jun kept his smile gentle.

  "I asked Ms. Kominato, and she told me," the girl said, blinking innocently.

  That's a lie, Jun thought. He had moved recently, and he hadn't updated his address with the school.

  Yuka leaned in slightly toward him, her gaze drifting over his shoulder to peer into the apartment. The faint scent of lilies wafted into his senses.

  To maintain his personal space, Jun was forced to step back into the room. Taking advantage of the opening, Yuka followed him inside and naturally closed the door behind her.

  "I knew you wouldn't be eating properly, so I made this bento for you." She revealed the box she had been hiding behind her back.

  At least it’s not a weapon, Jun noted.

  Since she was already inside, Jun had no choice but to bring her some slippers. "I'm sorry for making you worry. I’ve just been in a bad headspace lately, so I went off the grid. My apologies."

  "Off the grid with me? Or off the grid with everyone?" Yuka pressed, leaning down to change into the slippers. If Jun had been standing behind her, he would have had a view of her elegant curves, but since he was in front of her, he only saw a glimpse of her collarbone as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

  "With everyone. Bad mood, you know how it is." Jun looked away and grabbed a bottle of barley tea from the fridge, handing it to her as she sat on the sofa. "I only have barley tea. Sorry."

  "That’s perfect. I love barley tea in the summer," Yuka said.

  Jun couldn't tell if she was lying or not.