Dying was not an option, but living was. Always remember, dying was only for the weakest, the worthless, and the hopeless. We, who craved for living, didn't make 'dying' as one of our life option. Succeed was a must, not obsession, but it was a rule to rule other who may step on us.
"Have you finished the novel?" said the girl with pony-tailed hair.
"You mean the brand new visual novel where the handsome hero and hot demon lord appear?" asked the blonde haired girl.
"Yup! You would not regret it, I guarantee." The pony-tailed girl seemed thrilled with excitement.
"Well, I have finished the original novel before, but I've just started the visual novel." The blonde haired girl said calmly while opening her lunch box.
"Why do girls like these things? Why don't you guys play action or zombie games? It is better than having fantasy of the so-called hero and demon lord." A boy with messy bed hair approached them. The boy seemed like a badboy, although everyone thought that it just the face and not his actual behavior. Well, the behavior itself was rather nerve-wracking for someone who was quite short-tempered.
"Hump! What do you know, lazy head?" said the pony-tailed girl with an upset face.
"Have you tried the visual novel? It said even the male audience was overwhelming." The blonde haired girl said as she tried to calm the pony-tailed girl down.
"Na-ah, not a chance." The boy shook his head as he didn't want to even try that visual novel.
"Then, may I install it to your phone? You could try it later if you change your mind." The blonde haired girl smile gently. The boy scratched his head either felt awkward or embarrassed as he handed over his phone slowly to the blonde girl's hand after unlocked the phone password first.
"Your phone is quite empty, have you just uninstalled those apps?" asked the blonde girl as she searched and installed the visual novel through internet.
"Nah, I never really attached to phone. My Mah just gave it so she could e-mail or phone me due to her schedule." (Mah = Mom, just another form of it)
"I see," said the blonde girl with a sad (?) grin on her face. "Here. I've just installed it." She handed back the phone to the boy.
"If the app ask about your reason to follow the story, just write down, because you want to be saved." The blonde girl whispered as she smiled gently.
"Maya, come on, no flirting." The pony-tailed girl pouted her cheeks like a child when they were upset.
The blonde girl called Maya chuckled, "Oh, geez, Mio, we are not in that kind of relationship, right…"
"… o… Rico-sama!"
(Note : -sama was a honorific used to address someone from higher-ups (position, such as our boss), the elder, or someone we worship or respect (e.g. Kami-sama), it is also used in formal way round)
"Ah…" Rico flinched as he regained his full consciousness.
"Geez, how come Rico-sama's day dreaming again while I explaining the subjugation plan?" A blonde girl with a pair of clear emerald eyes glared at Rico.
Rico waved his hand, "Nothing. I just remembered about my… late… friend."
(Note : 'late' means that person already passed away. Rico said it was a friend because there are stories why, in fact, the 'friend' was his girlfriend)
"Rico-sama, Diane apologized for Diane's immature behavior just now…" The emerald eyes girl addressed herself as Diane, bowed down as she really felt like she has to apologize for her words and act to sadden the hero.
Yes, Rico was the hero. More or so, suddenly Rico found himself laying on a big summoning circle. He just laid on his bed for awhile and opened the visual novel app that installed much further in the past, he has neglected his phone ever since the dreadful scene. There really was the same question mentioned, so he answer it as Maya said.
'I want to be saved, please.' As he finished typing it down and clicked the button 'submit', suddenly his room shaken.
"Wa-ah… earthquake?"
Nope. As the time the shaking stopped, Rico was nowhere to be found. Not below his bed, not under the table, or anywhere. The shoes still organized at the shoe shelf, meant that he didn't go out. He vanished.
And he was summoned here, to whatever world was it where demon swarming around and there were magic and adventures.
"It is still feel like a dream. Cut the crap with saving me, I am the one who was told to save others." Rico sighed as he touched his majestic red robe.
Originally, red symbolized royalty and only the royal may use it. But, it was an exceptional for the hero, of course. Rico wore the red robe around him, snapped his fingers and the color turned to black in a blink.
"Now I feel like going out." Rico smiled excitedly as he jumped with a ninja-like shadow speed.
"Woah… the market is as lively as eve— owh, I'm sorry, are you okay?" said Rico as he bumped into someone just now.
The one he bumped into, a young girl, around the age of sixteen. The girl wore a simple white dress with a hood attached to it, and there was a veil covering half of her face.
The girl bowed a little, "I apologize, it was my fault for not paying attention on my way." Then she went through her way, went away from Rico.
"Wait, the lady just now." Rico held the hand of the veiled girl just now.
"Sir?" Rico immediately let her hand go.
"I'm sorry. My name is Rico, may I know your name?" Rico scratched his right cheek in awkward.
The lady paused than nodded a bit, "Many called me Vida, but my ancestor gave me a name, Lili." She introduced herself.
"So, em… Lili, then." The girl's eyes seemed smiling as Rico called her name.
"May I call you Coco, Sir?" The girl's being real fast too familiar, but Rico didn't mind it. He wanted to be friend with this girl.
"As you wish, Lili." Rico said as he offered his arm and Lili held it. They didn't seem like a brand new friend, they even seemed like a real old friend or couple from the way they talked and acted around each other.
"So, Lili, what are you doing here, in this country?" asked Rico as he spooned a big piece of fruit tart into his mouth.
Lili's eyes smiled as it looked narrowed, "I was waiting for my ancestor, I will replace her." A gentle breeze blown upon them, Lili's loose hood was uncovered by the wind, displayed her white hair.
"Woah, your hair is white?" Rico cheered as he has just found something new.
Lili immediately covered her haid with the hood. Her eyes narrowed a little, "I don't mind Coco see it, but I don't really like others to. My ancestor said that I am albino or so she said. She said I would know real soon after replacing her." Again, the gentle breeze blown, but now Lili held her hood, so, it didn't become uncovered.
"It's sad, isn't it? My ancestor was really smart, but she was lonely all this time. I could not meet her much because of the circumstances…" Lili explained as her face getting darkened by pity (?).
"Well," Rico grinned, "if Lili was the one then there ain't be problem. After all, Lili was my hero."
Lili furrowed her right eyebrow. "Why was that?"
Rico chuckled, then whispered, "I am the hero, who saved others, but I want to be saved and today I found my savior. It is you… Lili!"