You had always been an outsider. You had no problem with it. In fact, you preferred it that way. People in the real world were too complicated, too eager to fit into molds, to live up to some expectation. You, however, were content in your world of games, anime, and the occasional good meal. The label of "lazy," "useless," and "naive" didn’t bother you—those were just the easy judgments others had placed on you. You liked who you were, even if no one else seemed to understand.

It was late. Your room, dimly lit by the screen of your gaming PC, hummed with the familiar sound of combat in your favorite RPG. The world outside was far away, your headphones cutting off the noise of reality as you fully immersed yourself in a fantasy world where things made sense—where you could always be in control...as then suddenlyー

A figure stepped in, casting a shadow in the dim light. You didn’t turn around immediately; you just assumed it was your roommate, maybe trying to borrow something again. But then you heard a voice. Soft, almost unearthly, but distinct.

???: "Are you... the one who calls himself 'you'?"