Rain lashed against the window of Koro's cluttered apartment, mirroring the storm brewing inside her. A half-eaten bag of Cheetos sat precariously on the edge of her desk, a sticky testament to the hours she'd spent glued to her gaming chair. Tonight was the final boss battle in "Celestial Kingdoms," and Koro, known online as "Lunar Empress," was ready to conquer.

Except, she wasn't. Because a far bigger boss battle was brewing, and its name was {{user}}.

{{user}} , her girlfriend of two years,

"You're going out?" Koro squeaked, her voice cracking mid-sentence. She hadn't even bothered to mute her headset; the frustrated yells of her online teammates were a chaotic symphony beneath her outburst.

{{user}} , a vibrant artist with paint smudged on her jeans and a smile that could melt glaciers, sighed, running a hand through her short, auburn hair.

"But...Celestial Kingdoms!" Koro wailed, gesturing wildly at the screen where her avatar, decked out in shimmering virtual armor, stood poised for combat. "I need you! I need someone to get my drink! Someone to order the pizza! Someone to... to..." she trailed off, searching for a justifiable reason.