The moment we stepped into class, I knew the game wasn’t playing fair.

Valentine’s decorations covered every inch of the room—red and pink hearts dangled from the ceiling, delicate roses sat in vases on every desk, and warm, candle-like lighting bathed everything in a dreamlike glow.

But that wasn’t the worst part.

The classroom was filled with beautiful girls.

I clenched my jaw. I knew exactly what this game was trying to do.

Then came the whispers.

"Just give in."

"It’s fine if you have another girlfriend, right? You already know they’re beautiful."

"Why fight it?"

I tried to push the thoughts away, but every time I silenced one, another slithered into my mind like a snake, wrapping around my thoughts. It was like fighting a war in my own head—except I was losing ground fast.

I forced a breath and turned to my ‘girlfriend,’ keeping my voice as casual as I could. “Uh… where’s my… seat?”

The words barely made it out. My head throbbed, my thoughts fogged with the game’s influence. If this was how it was going to play, I needed a plan—fast.

She smiled, tilting her head. “Oh, baby, how could you forget? Your seat is right there.”

Her voice. Her tone.

It wasn’t just similar to my ex—it was identical.

I shoved the thought aside, swallowing hard. “Oh… yeah. Sorry about that. Thanks.”

She clasped her hands behind her back, expression soft. “Of course, baby! Anything for you! We did have that conversation about always having each other’s backs, right?”

I froze.

That wasn’t just a random line.

I remembered that conversation. From my past life.

How the hell did she know that?

I forced a laugh, playing it off. “Yeah… I remember.”

I took my seat. Of course, she sat right next to me.

At the front of the class, the teacher stood tall, dressed in an elegant red dress, bright red lipstick, and just the right amount of blush to look picture-perfect. It was too perfect—like a stage costume for some twisted Valentine’s play.

Then I noticed the sheet of paper in front of me.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Review Questions.

Okay. Hopefully, this wasn’t as bad as—

What the fuck.

The questions were ridiculous.

“What’s the best way to handle relationship problems?”

“Where in the world do people get married the most?”

“What’s the most romantic thing someone can do for their partner?”

This wasn’t a quiz. It was psychological warfare.

I tried to scrape together answers, but my brain was still fogged with the game’s influence. Then, my ‘girlfriend’ tapped me on the shoulder.

“Hey, need a little help?” she asked sweetly.

I looked at her.

The way she said it. The way she looked at me.

For a split second, I didn’t see her—I saw Alan.

Alan—my best friend. The one I could always count on. The one I’d never talk about girls with again. The one I’d never play video games with again.

Because he was gone.

I sucked in a sharp breath, shoving the thought down before it could sink its claws into me.

“Yeah,” I muttered, voice tight. “I could use a little help.”

She smiled, leaning in as she whispered the answers. I copied them down, barely registering the words. We turned them in.

And just like that, class was over.

This game was not going to be easy.

We stepped out of the classroom, and I felt like my brain had been fried by the Game of Lust’s influence. My thoughts were sluggish, my body heavy, every second dragging like I was wading through thick mud.

Then I saw her.

My ‘girlfriend’—Anna.

She stared at me with the saddest expression, like I had just ripped away the most precious thing in her life.

“Hey… it’s Serenity’s turn to have you now,” she whispered. Her voice wavered, but then she forced a smile—one that didn’t reach her eyes. “Just… don’t do too much with her, okay? You still love me more, right?”

I turned my head toward her, each movement slow and heavy, like even looking at her took effort. I barely managed to mutter, “Huh… what?”

And then she appeared.

Serenity.

Long white hair. Dark brown eyes.

I felt my stomach drop.

She didn’t just look like the girl I once lost in the talking stage—she was her.

“Hey, handsome~” she purred, her voice smooth and teasing, just like I remembered.

I met her gaze with tired eyes. I didn’t care anymore. I just wanted the pain to stop.

“…Hey.”

Anna—that’s right, her name was Anna—glared at Serenity.

“Don’t get too excited with him, Serenity. He’s my boyfriend too,” she spat, venom dripping from her words.

Serenity side-eyed her with a smirk. “I’ll do whatever I want, Anna. He’s my boyfriend too.”

My temples throbbed. I was barely holding myself together, and now I had to deal with this?

Anna stormed off, and Serenity turned back to me, her expression shifting from smug to soft.

“Hey… you look exhausted,” she said gently. “How about we go rest on the bench? I’ll let you lay on my lap~.”

I nearly laughed at the irony. Of course she said that. Serenity from my past life used to say the exact same thing.

Just like that, I found myself lying on her lap.

She ran her fingers through my hair, humming softly. “You know… I wanted to ask… you love me more, right?”

I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly.

I had loved these girls before—maybe in different ways, maybe at different times—but I had never once compared them to see who I loved most. That was a loser thing to do.

And even then… I was a loser.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I haven’t decided.”

I needed to keep them from fighting. That had to be my main goal. The way they spoke, the way they looked at each other—I got the distinct feeling that if they ever snapped, someone would end up dead, and there’d be no evidence left behind.

It felt like only five minutes had passed before the school bell rang. The sharp sound cut through my skull, and I winced.

Serenity sighed. “Well… time to go back. That stupid bitch Abby is next,” she muttered under her breath.

I sat up, and just as expected, we held hands all the way to my next class. I barely processed the goodbye before she left, and the moment I stepped inside…

I froze.

More beautiful girls.

Oh, come the hell on. How many girls are in this damn game?!