Love System: Introduction

"Welcome, host."

Jae blinks his eyes, unable to get accustom to the bright light in front of him. When his sight become clear, he finally realized he is not in his room anymore. In fact, he is not even lying down. He was standing upright; in the middle of a large white room of... nothing.

"What the...?"

"Welcome, host."

The same voices that arouse him from his sleep greet him again.

"What... Who are you? Where..."

He turns around in confusion, trying to find the source of the voice. But, everywhere he turns; only endless seas of white blank greet him.

"I'm inside your mind, host. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm LS03, the system manager that have been assigned to you. I'm looking forward to work with you, host."

"Wait a minute. What do you mean by system?"

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Where the hell am I? Is this a dream?

"No, host. This is not a dream."

"You can read my thoughts?"

"I am residing in your mind, host. So, I do know what you are thinking. But, for privacy purpose you can turn off the mind reading capabilities at will."

"Okay... I'm turning it off."

"As you wish, host."

Hello.. Hello...

Great, no response.

So, let just rewind and think. A system? What does that mean? If this isn't a dream then... where the heck am I?

"Erm... What's your name again?" I need to get some answer and I think it's best to just directly ask him... her... It.

"My name is LS03, host. You can call me Zero Three."

"Okay... Zero Three... You are saying that I'm not dreaming, correct?"

"Yes, host."

"Then, can you explain to me where am I and what are you?"

"Right now you are residing in the system space, host. It looks empty because you haven't been assign to anything and you aren't able to purchase anything yet. As for me, I'm the system manager and I will be guiding you to get through the system."

"What is this... system that you're talking about?"

To be honest, I do have some clues to what is this... thing talking about. I've read a fair share of time traveling and system attachment- mission storyline during my free time. But, those are fictions, right?

"I'm sorry, host, for not explaining further. The system is name Love System, where we give help to loveless individuals from all around the different parallel world to escape their unsightly destinies. And you, host, have been chosen for this."

"Why me?"

"Well, the system observed individuals that have potential, unearthed potential. And we found out that you are suitable enough for this task."

This is such an elaborate dream. Fine, I'll just play along with this dream. It has been a while since I have an interesting dream. Cool, this maybe my chance to write something new. But, does the market still have any spot for this kind of story? After all, there are quite a lot of this type of story already exist in the market.

Well, I'll think about it later.

"Okay, so what should I do now?"

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Now, it was the system manager's turn to be left dumbfounded. LS03 was silent for quite some time, thinking that the new host is taking this a bit too... easy. Does he really think he is still dreaming?

The host, on the other hand, start to sit and lay on his back on the white floor, getting comfortable, with his eyes shut.

The manager was actually contemplating with what happen, upon seeing how this easy going young man act, when the host ask again.

"Hello? Are you there? What's wrong?" Jae was puzzled with the sudden silent. He was, after all, getting hype up to explore his 'dream'.

"Ehem, nothing. Before we start, let me explain to you a bit more."

The young man nods his head blankly, preparing to listen.

"By agreeing to be the host of the Love System, you will be bind to a contract. You will have to help 10 individuals to change their pre-written destinies, in any way you could, as your mission. You will be given a thousand points for every mission completed and there will be some side task as well to help you gain more points. Are with me till here, host?"

The system asked as the host went silent.

"Hmm... I get the gist of it. But, what are the points for?"

"You can purchase skill or talent, some special item to help you clear your mission and of course, some furniture to fill this space."

Jae opens up his eyes and turns his head around to his side and upon seeing the empty white space that surrounds him, he starts to feel overwhelmed. Facing upward, he closed his eyes again, before asking another question.

"If I choose to reject the system?"

"If you reject it... we will have to send you back to...

hell."

"WHAT?"

Startled with the answer, Jae's open up his eyes and sit upright.

"What do you mean by hell?!"

"Ehem.... host, don't you know that you have to die first before you can be accepted as the host? We have to send you to hell because... you die by suicide."

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DIE? Suicide?

I'm dead? And I kill myself? But, how?

No, no, no. This is just a dream. Just a dream.

"No, host. This is not a dream. You... died, a while ago."

"Hey, I thought you can't hear my thoughts. And what do you mean by me being dead? I'm still alive. This is just a dream."

"You are saying it out loud, host. Erm... let me show you."

All of a sudden a collection of images starts to flash in my mind. I'm seeing myself in it, like I'm watching a movie. I watch myself sleeping on my bed. That's right; I'm sleeping on my bed.

Then, another image occurs. The kitchen. My kitchen. The knob on the gas top is turn on, but no fire on the stove. It struck me hard; did I forget to switch off the gas?

"No, host. You didn't forget. You... tried to killed yourself, again."

I didn't realize I'm speaking out loud again.

I'm starting to remember everything. I was feeling down that day. The project that has picked my name suddenly cancels on me. I was feeling so devastated that for the nth of time, suicidal thoughts cross my mind, again. In my hazy mind, I remember playing at the stove, turning on the gas.

But, that was for boiling the water for my ramen. Which I didn't cook because I was out of it!

"You... This is wrong. I don't kill myself. It must be an accident. I'm not..."

I stop myself when I realized one thing.

"I'm really dead, am I?"

"Yes, host."

We both when silent as I lay back on the floor. I still need some time or this information sink through when the... system, speak again.

"Host, we don't have much time now. I need your answer; do you agree to accept the system?"

"What's the rush, Zero Three?"

"The alignment of timelines to the other world will open in the next few second. If I fail to send you there, the individual that you suppose to help will suffer his demise."

"Fine, I accept it."

Well, I'm no longer alive right? Perhaps, I can help others and redeem myself.

A blinding light consume me with a sharp pain burst through my gut.