"Hey Clara, heading out already?"
Clara turned to the brown-haired girl.
"Yeah, I promised someone I'd have dinner with them tonight."
"The boss said he's treating everyone to dinner to celebrate the huge rise in the company's shares. It's a shame you'll miss it."
Clara smiled warmly.
"I'll definitely join next time. Anyway, I need to leave now or I'll be late. See you later, Alice!"
Clara grabbed her bag from her desk, shut down her computer, and walked toward the elevator. Sliding in her earphones, she hummed softly to herself:
"Everything's going to be fine today."
When the elevator doors opened, she passed through the crowded hallway, exchanging brief smiles with a few coworkers before hurrying outside. The sun was setting, its orange glow spilling through the windows, painting the steel walls of the building in warm light. Reaching the front doors, Clara took a deep breath; the city's noise and blaring horns washed over her, making her feel strangely free for a moment.
Stepping onto the main street, the evening wind tugged at her hair. Clara quickened her pace, almost breaking into a jog to make it on time for her dinner plans. Streetlights flickered on, their golden glow mixing with the chaos of traffic, as if hinting that something was about to change.
When she arrived home, Clara dropped her bag on the couch and exhaled deeply. In her tidy, modest room, she stood before the mirror, brushing her hair and touching up her makeup before slipping into a sleek black dress and a pair of heels. Comfortable yet elegant. Smiling faintly to herself, she whispered:
"Everything's going to be fine tonight."
Once ready, she quietly locked her door and headed out toward the meeting place. The city was alive with lights, the streets buzzing with activity. Clara rehearsed the evening's plans in her mind as she walked faster. But when she reached the spot, no one was there. The clock hands had already passed their promised time.
"Maybe he fell asleep," Clara thought, her heart tightening with unease as she changed direction toward her boyfriend's apartment.
When she knocked, there was only silence. Taking a cautious step forward, she noticed a pair of women's shoes at the entrance. At first, she assumed they belonged to a family member. But the moment she stepped inside, her world shattered. Her boyfriend lay in bed with another woman.
Clara's breath caught in her throat, tears burning her eyes as her chest ached. Without thinking, she stumbled backward and bolted out the door, running through the streets with tears streaming down her face.
When she finally reached her apartment, she collapsed onto her bed. For a while she lay there, blank and broken, until she forced herself up, walked to the kitchen, and grabbed a beer from the fridge. Tilting her head back, she drained it in one go. "Whatever."
Clara returned to her room and sat at her desk, staring at her computer.
"At times like this, the best thing to do is play some games."
Her parents had died when she was young, and no relatives had ever supported her. She had finished middle and high school while working part-time jobs, and had entered university as a fully funded scholarship student. Having survived everything on her own, Clara had become the kind of person who could swallow her grief after a few tears. On top of that, she was a natural at video games.
"I've played them all… I need something new."
Clara searched the internet, scrolling through pages until she stumbled across an Otome RPG filled with glowing reviews.
"I never really got why people like these kinds of games… but maybe I'll give it a shot tonight."
The game's title was "The Hero Rises!"
Without hesitation, she downloaded it. A few minutes later, the installation was complete and Clara launched the game.
•••
Hours slipped by. Clara finished the entire game in one sitting. The average playtime was about fourteen hours, and now it was already the next morning. She yawned and checked her phone—dozens of messages from her ex. Clara tossed the device onto her bed without even opening them, then turned back to her computer.
But the moment she looked at the screen, her eyes widened.
A congratulatory message was displayed. At first glance, it seemed like a standard message for clearing the game, but the content was… different.
[CONGRATULATIONS! You are the first player to discover the secret route and achieve the Perfect Ending! We'd like to offer you another chance! Restart the game, make your own choices, and lead the story to a brand-new ending!]
[Yes / No]
"Wait… a secret route? And I get to decide the story myself?" Clara's mouth fell open. She had never seen anything like this in any game she'd played before. Excitement welled up inside her, and without hesitation, she clicked [Yes].
"I've got nothing to lose anyway… hehe."
[You've made the right choice, dear player! Please enjoy your new life!]
"W-Wait, new life? What does that mean—"
Before she could finish, a brilliant blue light flared from the screen, engulfing Clara and pulling her in.