Are you enjoying the story? If so, please add it to your library and leave a comment to support me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex didn't reply to the message immediately. Not because he didn't want to. But because the System intervened once again.
[Affection Management Advisory]
Target: Maya Rosen Recommended Action: Delay (Strategic) Reason: Emotional intensity must be guided, not rushed.
"Great," Alex muttered. "Now you're giving me romantic advice, too." The System didn't respond. That meant it was being serious. Alex counted to ten… and then he typed.
ALEX: Me too. Not over chat. Old library? Archives room. In 20 minutes.
The reply came almost instantly.
MAYA ROSEN: I'll be there.
[Affection Spike +7%] Current Progress: 65%
Alex closed his phone. "The rose is already leaning in," he whispered. "Now I have to avoid the thorns."
📚 Shared Risk Event — Initiated
The old library was a place almost no one used anymore. High ceilings, wooden bookshelves, obsolete cameras. It was perfect. And dangerous.
When Alex arrived, Maya was already there, standing by a table with her arms crossed. She didn't look angry. That was worse.
"You have five minutes," she said. "For real this time."
Alex didn't sit down. He remained standing, making sure not to invade her personal space. "Last night I broke a rule that shouldn't exist," he began. "And today I discovered it wasn't the first time I've done it."
Maya frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Alex pulled out Thorne's cloned card… but he didn't show it to her. He just held it between his fingers. "There's a system on this campus. I don't mean the IT department. I mean one that watches. That pushes. That rewards."
She let out an incredulous laugh. "Alex, if this is some kind of excuse—"
"Do you know why Ben reacted the way he did last night?" he interrupted. "Because someone wanted him to react that way."
Silence.
Alex continued. "And do you know why you were exactly where you needed to be for the distraction to work?"
Maya didn't answer. But the laughter was gone from her eyes. "Because the System doesn't choose at random," he said quietly. "It chooses people who matter."
The System vibrated.
[High-Risk Disclosure Detected] Success Chance: 51% Failure Result: Target Lock Loss
Alex pressed on. "And you… Maya Rosen… matter more than you think."
She tensed at the sound of her full name. "Don't use that tone," she said. "Explain yourself."
Alex took a step back. "I'm not asking you to believe in me. I'm asking you to look."
He pulled out his laptop and opened it. He didn't show secret data or illegal codes. He showed patterns. Log-ins. Coincidences. Improbable events where Maya was always nearby… but never in danger.
"This," he said, "is not luck."
Maya stepped closer, almost without realizing it. "This is… impossible." "I know."
She slowly looked up. "And what role do I play in your madness?"
Alex hesitated. And for the first time, he answered without calculating. "The most dangerous one."
🌹 The Thorn Moment
"If what you're saying is true," Maya said, "then none of this is a game. It's not some power fantasy." "It isn't."
"Then tell me one thing," she demanded. "Are you choosing me… or are they choosing me for you?"
That question cut straight to the heart. The System issued a silent alert.
[Critical Integrity Check]
Alex closed the laptop. "I choose you," he said. "The System only provided the name. The decision… is mine."
Maya watched him for a long time. A bit too long. Then she spoke, her voice softer. "Roses don't grow wherever people want them to, Alex."
She turned around, took two steps… and stopped. "But they don't bloom alone, either."
She turned her head back. "If I'm going to be in this, I don't want half-truths. No condescending protection."
Alex nodded. "Then we walk together. Even if it hurts."
A tiny smile touched her lips. "That sounded dangerously honest."
[Shared Risk Event — SUCCESS] Trust Level: 92% Emotional Attachment: FORMING
🌸 Petal Unlocked
As Maya left the library, the System appeared one last time.
[First Petal Unlocked — ROSE]
Reward Granted:
Skill Unlocked: System Parsing (Basic)
+1 Cognitive Slot
New Directive Available
Alex closed his eyes for a second. There were no fireworks. There was no fanfare. Just a single certainty.
The rose had accepted the risk. And now… the other flowers would start to move.
From the hallway, Sophie watched from a distance. Jess frowned without knowing why. And Luna… Luna smiled.
"One flower down," she whispered. "And the garden can never go back."
The game had truly begun.