The rain was steady as they stepped out of the library, the parking lot glistening under the overhead lights. Ethan zipped up his hoodie, trying to ignore how wet his shoes already felt. Luna didn't seem bothered by the weather. She walked ahead without a word, her black coat shielding her from the rain as if it were just a mild inconvenience instead of a full-on downpour.
He jogged slightly to catch up. "You don't mind walking in this?"
She glanced sideways at him. "If I waited for good weather, I'd never leave the house."
"I guess you're not the type who lets a little rain stop her."
"I'm not the type who lets anything stop her."
Ethan smiled at that. "Noted."
They walked in silence for a few steps. The sound of the rain hitting the pavement filled the space between them. He was trying to think of something smart to say, something that would make her laugh or at least look at him again, but nothing came.
"So," Luna said suddenly, "why were you staring at me back there?"
Ethan blinked. "I wasn't staring."
"You were," she said, not even giving him the courtesy of pretending otherwise. "You looked like you saw a ghost."
He hesitated. "Maybe I just didn't expect you to be here."
She frowned. "I study in the library three nights a week."
"I've never seen you before."
"You've never looked up," she said. "Until now."
Ethan let out a soft laugh. "Guilty. I've had a lot on my mind lately."
"Such as?"
He thought for a moment. He couldn't exactly say, 'A strange system just hijacked my life and gave me a mission to make you fall in love with me or I'll lose my memory and possibly my entire existence.'
So instead, he said, "The usual. School. Money. Life."
Luna hummed. "Fair enough."
They reached her car. It was a sleek black Audi that looked completely out of place in a student parking lot filled with rusted Toyotas and dented hatchbacks. She unlocked it with a soft click and opened the door.
Ethan hesitated. "You always walk to your car alone this late?"
"Usually."
"You ever think that might not be safe?"
She gave him a sharp look. "You think I can't take care of myself?"
"No," Ethan said quickly. "That's not what I meant. I just… I don't know. People get weird late at night."
"People are weird all the time," she said. "That's not new."
"True," he admitted. "Still, I'd feel better if you weren't alone."
She tilted her head. "Why do you care?"
That stopped him. The words sat on his tongue. Why did he care? He barely knew her. She had a reputation for being untouchable, cold, intimidating. But when she looked at him, it didn't feel like she was trying to scare him away. It felt like she was testing him, seeing if he'd back off or speak honestly.
"I guess I care because I know what it's like to feel alone," he said. "And I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
She looked at him, and for the first time, he saw a flicker of something in her eyes. Not softness, not exactly, but something like curiosity. Then she nodded once and got in the car.
As she closed the door, he turned to walk away.
The window rolled down.
"Ethan."
He turned back.
"I'll see you around," she said.
He grinned. "I'll be around."
The window rolled back up, and she drove off into the night.
The moment she was gone, the screen in his mind returned.
"Affinity increased. Current progress: 12%."
He shook his head and muttered, "This is ridiculous."
He walked back to his apartment, his hoodie soaked, shoes squishing with every step, but for once, he didn't feel tired. He felt wired, like something had changed. Maybe it was the strange mission, or maybe it was Luna's eyes when she looked at him, like she was used to seeing through people and didn't quite know what to make of him yet.
He opened the door to his apartment and was greeted by the smell of instant noodles and the loud snoring of his roommate, Trevor, who had passed out on the couch with a half-eaten slice of pizza on his chest.
Ethan tiptoed around him and collapsed onto his bed. His clothes were wet, his limbs were sore, and he still had an essay due. But none of it mattered. Not really. His mind was stuck on Luna and the mission, and the fact that some unknown system was now inside his head giving him goals with real consequences.
He whispered, "Are you still there?"
"Always."
The voice was instant.
"Do you listen to everything I say?"
"Only when you address the system."
"And if I ignore you?"
"The mission continues. Whether you choose to engage or not."
Ethan stared at the ceiling. "And if I fail?"
"Memory wipe. Restart. Possibly worse."
"Worse?"
The screen didn't respond.
He sat up and rubbed his face. "I don't want to use her. I don't even know her. This doesn't feel right."
"She is not being used. She has free will. Your job is to create opportunities for emotional connection. She chooses whether to accept or reject them."
"You make it sound like a dating game."
"It is not a game. This is your life now."
Ethan threw his pillow at the wall and groaned.
Trevor stirred on the couch and grumbled, "Keep it down, man. Some of us have dreams to ignore."
Ethan let out a breath and flopped back onto the bed. "Yeah," he whispered, "some of us are already living one."
The next day, Ethan sat through his classes like a robot. His mind was elsewhere the entire time. Every time someone walked past him, he looked to see if it was Luna. When he checked the library later that evening, she wasn't there.
He was about to give up and head home when he spotted her outside, leaning against the building, tapping something on her phone. Her expression was unreadable, but her shoulders were tense.
He took a breath and walked over.
"Luna."
She looked up. "You again."
"Didn't expect to see me?"
"I expected it. Just not this soon."
He laughed. "Can't stay away."
"Should I be flattered?"
"You could be."
She pocketed her phone and crossed her arms. "What do you want, Ethan?"
"I was hoping to talk. Maybe get coffee."
She raised a brow. "Are you asking me out?"
"I'm asking to talk," he said. "Coffee doesn't have to mean anything."
She studied him for a long moment. "Fine. But if you waste my time, I'll make sure you never ask again."
"Fair enough."
They ended up at a small cafe near campus, one with too many lights and a broken air conditioner. Luna sat across from him, stirring her drink without sipping it. Ethan had no idea how to start the conversation.
She beat him to it.
"You're not like most guys I meet."
"Because I talk too much?"
"Because you don't pretend to be stronger than you are."
Ethan blinked. "That's a compliment, right?"
"It's an observation."
He smiled. "You always this blunt?"
"Always."
"I like that."
Luna sipped her drink finally, then set it down.
"I don't date," she said.
"Okay."
"I don't trust people easily."
"Me neither."
She looked at him. "So why are you really here?"
He swallowed. "Because I think you deserve someone who actually listens."
"And you think that's you?"
"I don't know. But I'd like the chance to find out."
Luna didn't answer right away.
Then she leaned back, folding her arms.
"You get one chance, Ethan. That's all. Don't lie to me. Don't waste my time. And if this is some kind of joke or bet, walk away now."
"No joke," he said. "And definitely no bet."
She nodded. "Then we'll see."
The screen flickered softly behind his eyes.
"Affinity increased. Current progress: 18%."
He ignored it.
For once, he didn't need the numbers.
Luna was watching him with something new in her eyes.
Maybe, just maybe, this wasn't just a mission anymore.
Maybe this was real.