Chapter 2: "Flags on the Horizon"
Ryan Harrison trudged through the halls of his university, still reeling from his brush with romantic disaster in the previous class. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and everywhere he looked, people were mingling with a carefree attitude that only further amplified his anxiety. It felt surreal to be surrounded by laughter while he was battling an unseen force—one that threatened his very existence.
[System Message: Mission Status—Caution: Romance Flags Abound!]
"Yeah, I got that memo," Ryan muttered to himself, avoiding eye contact with the clusters of students chatting energetically. He was on heightened alert, aware that any casual encounter could trigger a disastrous romantic flag. "Just keep your head down and walk straight to class."
He rounded the corner, determined to reach the safety of his next lecture without incident. But as he entered the building, he was met with a sight that made him freeze in place.
[Flag Detector: Warning! Romance Flag Detected!]
An impromptu student organization fair was in full swing right in the middle of the hallway. Tables were lined with colorful posters, and enthusiastic students were vying for attention, seeking new members for everything from the Astronomy Club to the Anime Society. And right in the center of this chaos stood a group of energetic girls, their animated discussions about upcoming events pulling Ryan's gaze like a magnet.
"Oh no, not this," he whispered. He could already feel the tension creeping up his spine.
"Come join us! We're organizing a charity event!" One of the girls, with bright pink hair and an infectious smile, waved at him, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Ryan's instincts kicked in. "Avoid! Avoid!" he thought frantically. He could already imagine the twist in the narrative—one moment he'd be volunteering to help, and the next, he'd be cornered into a romantic subplot.
"Ryan! Over here!" Derek's voice rang out like a siren call. He was at the table for the Drama Club, leaning against it with a wide grin, completely oblivious to the impending doom.
"No! Not you too!" Ryan groaned internally. He had hoped to blend into the background, but Derek was determined to drag him into the fun.
"Come on, man! They're looking for volunteers, and we could totally use some guys for the skit!" Derek was practically bouncing on his feet, his excitement palpable.
"Derek, you have no idea what you're asking for!" Ryan hissed back, trying to keep his voice low. "Volunteering means interacting with cute girls! That's a one-way ticket to a romantic flag!"
"What are you talking about?" Derek laughed, clearly not taking Ryan seriously. "It'll be fun! Lighten up!"
For a split second, Ryan considered his options. He could either hide behind Derek—his loud, boisterous friend—or confront the situation head-on. But the thought of being swept into a romantic misunderstanding sent chills down his spine. On top of that, his phone buzzed again.
[System Message: Mission Debuff Activated: Affection Points Increasing!]
"Nope!" Ryan blurted out, shaking his head as if trying to dislodge the terrible thoughts. "I'm just here to study, remember? No romance allowed!"
"Stop being so dramatic!" Derek shot back, nudging him forward. "Just go talk to them!"
Before Ryan could protest any further, Derek shoved him toward the table where the pink-haired girl stood.
"Uh, hi!" she beamed, her smile lighting up her entire face. "We're looking for people to help with our charity event. It'll be a lot of fun, and you can meet new people!"
Ryan felt the world tilt as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Fun… yeah, that's great!" he managed to utter while internally screaming.
[Flag Detector: Double Warning! Romantic Flag Intensifying!]
"Would you like to sign up?" she asked, leaning closer, her voice dripping with enthusiasm.
"No! I mean… yes! I mean… uh…" Ryan stammered, desperately trying to keep his cool. "I'll think about it!"
The girl's face fell slightly, but she quickly recovered. "Okay! Just let me know! I'm Emma, by the way!"
"Right. Ryan." He forced a smile, but it felt like it was stretching too thin.
[System Message: Cringe Points Accumulating!]
"Just keep it together," he told himself, backing away slowly. "Gotta escape."
As he turned to leave, he bumped into another table, almost knocking over a stack of flyers. The chaos of it all was dizzying. He glanced back at Derek, who was still enthusiastically chatting with Emma and her friends.
"Why did I let you drag me into this?" Ryan muttered under his breath as he continued navigating through the throngs of students.
He finally reached a quieter hallway and leaned against the wall, trying to steady his breathing. The adrenaline rush was still coursing through him as he mentally replayed the interaction.
[System Message: Mission Status—Flag Avoided!]
"Phew," Ryan exhaled deeply. "That was too close."
But before he could fully relax, his phone buzzed again with another system notification.
[New Perk Unlocked: Delusional Aura Dispel — Use this technique to deflect romantic attention.]
"Delusional Aura Dispel?" Ryan mused aloud, scratching his head. "Sounds like a tool straight out of a bad dating sim."
Just as he was contemplating how to use this new perk, he heard footsteps approaching. He turned to see Lily—the same auburn-haired girl from earlier—walking toward him with a cheerful smile.
"Hey, Ryan! There you are!" she called out, her eyes lighting up as they met his.
His heart sank. [Flag Detector: Warning! Romance Flag Detected!]
"Why does she have to be so friendly?" he groaned internally.
"Uh… hey!" Ryan greeted back, trying to sound casual while fighting the urge to run in the opposite direction.
"I never got to really talk to you in class earlier," Lily said, her voice warm and inviting. "I thought you seemed interesting."
"Interesting? Ha! More like a walking disaster," he thought as he struggled to maintain composure. "No romance! No romance!"
"What are you up to?" she continued, her curiosity evident.
"Just… uh… avoiding flags," he replied before he could stop himself. Realizing how ridiculous he sounded, he quickly added, "I mean, studying and stuff!"
Lily raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Avoiding flags? That sounds like a fun game! I could help you if you want."
Ryan's eyes widened in alarm. "No! I mean, no thanks. I'm good! Really!"
The more he spoke, the more it felt like quicksand was pulling him under. Flirting was not just dangerous; it was lethal!
"Oh! I didn't mean to scare you away," Lily laughed lightly, her smile disarming him completely. "I just thought it would be nice to team up for next week's group project."
"Group project? Right! Sure!" Ryan stammered, realizing he was accidentally slipping deeper into a pit of romantic doom.
[Mission Debuff: Affection Points Increasing!]
"Okay, I'll see you later then?" she said, giving him a wave as she turned to walk away.
"Yeah! See you!" Ryan managed to squeak out, his heart racing as he watched her leave.
"Why do I keep getting into these situations?" he lamented, leaning against the wall as the panic subsided slightly. "I should've just stayed hidden in my room."
He pulled out his phone again and noticed another notification.
[System Message: Mission Success! Cringe Points Earned: 100]
"Fabulous," he muttered sarcastically. "Just what I always wanted."
Determined not to get caught in another romantic entanglement, Ryan made a beeline for his next class. As he walked, he mentally reviewed his options for using the newly unlocked perk.
[Delusional Aura Dispel Active: Reduces romantic interest within a ten-foot radius.]
"Okay, this might work," he mused. "If I can activate it whenever I'm near someone who looks remotely interested, I might actually survive this semester."
He entered the classroom and took a seat at the back once more, convincing himself that if he could just focus on his studies, everything would be fine.
As the professor started the lecture, Ryan felt a sense of false security wash over him—at least for now.
But that sense of calm was shattered when he heard a familiar voice call out from the front of the room.
"Hey, Ryan! Can I sit next to you?"
Ryan turned to see Emma—the pink-haired girl from earlier—walking toward him with an expectant smile.
In that moment, time slowed as the warning bells blared in his mind.
[Flag Detector: Warning! Romance Flag Detected!]
"No! No! No!" he thought frantically as she settled into the seat beside him. "This can't be happening!"
Ryan wanted to activate Delusional Aura Dispel immediately, but it felt wrong to use it on someone who seemed genuinely nice.
"Uh… just trying to study!" Ryan blurted out awkwardly as Emma opened her notebook.
"Totally! I'm super excited about this project!" she replied enthusiastically.
Ryan sank deeper into his seat as he realized there was no escaping this—this was going to be one chaotic semester filled with dodging love interests and navigating romantic disasters. All while trying to achieve his ultimate goal: survive university without falling in love… and dying.
As Ryan sat there next to Emma, he promised himself one thing: he would use every ounce of wit and strategy he had to avoid triggering any more romance flags. Because if this semester taught him anything, it was that life could be unpredictable—and he had no intention of letting romance be the end of him.
[System Message: Mission Status—Brace for Impact!]
"Here we go," Ryan whispered to himself, bracing for whatever chaos awaited him next.
"[A\N: hlw Author here! Thanks for reading my story! I hope you're enjoying Ryan's chaotic journey. Stay tuned for more laughs and romantic disasters in the chapters ahead!]" –– «By LonerWolF_23»