[Garden of Days], the hottest VRMMORPG in existence. With its full dive system, you can literally live in a different world at the comfort of your own home. You can be anything. A king, a farmer, a hero, a harem protagonist. You name it. For someone like me, this is heaven.

"Look at that," one of the storekeepers whisper as they watch the parade.

"Are those the people who beat the nearby calamity demon? Look at the size of that head," a lady chimes in.

That's right. In this game, I'm a magician known throughout the land. [Rorschach], that's my username. Named after a famous psychiatrist, I aim to blow everyone's mind.

"But I heard he's a loser IRL," one of the nearby players chuckles.

"LOL really? That's soooo sad," another sneers.

Hearing their hushed mocking, I feel my grip tighten on my spell book. This is supposed to be a parade for me and my party after raiding a Level 100 boss. Why do they gotta bring up real life when this is a game?

As I nurse my anger, I feel a gentle pat on my shoulder. It's Michael, A.K.A [Mano], the paladin of the party and my best friend. He's the complete opposite of me. Handsome, kind, and an accomplished entrepreneur, he has it all both in game and in real life.

"Don't mind them," he says gently. "People will be people even if it's a game. Just let them run their mouths. You'll shut them up eventually."

I scoff. "Easy for you to say Mr. Perfect. Other than this game, I have nothing going for me."

"Sigh... I don't know why I believe in you more than yourself," he says and shakes his head disapprovingly.

"Because you're an optimist," I reply.

Eventually, the parade ends and the lord of the city gives us our rewards. Except for Michael, I don't know the other members so we parted ways after the quest was completed.

"A Level 100 boss and all we get is a noble title and a bunch of money?" I grumble as I scroll through the rewards list in the forest just a few hundred meters from the town walls.

"Always the complainer," Michael chuckles as he takes a bite of his sandwich.

"Are you really having a picnic right now?"

He shrugs. "Why not. The sun's shining and the breeze is cool. Compared to our air-polluted city, this game's far more relaxing."

"I can never understand you man," I reply.

"Neither can I," he says and grins. "So let's leave it at that."

That's right. We can't understand each other. I can't understand why someone like him would choose to be friends with someone like me and he can't understand why I don't use him for his connections to get ahead in life. We might not understand each other but we've developed a mutual respect.

"It's time for me to go," Michael announces as he finishes the last bite of his lunch.

"Shit! What time is it?" I panic.

"Work, dumbass," he chuckles. "You should log out too. I'll see you tonight."

"Sigh... man I wish I can stay here forever," I mumble.

"Be careful what you wish for lol. Well, see ya," then he logs out and vanishes.

I log out too and return to reality. A gloomy, small apartment greets me as I take my head gear off. My muscle aches from being stationary for so long but at this point, I'm used to it. Clothes are strewn about and my dishes are piling up. Yup, this is reality: 24, single, average face, working a dead end job. No dreams, no hope, no future. My only saving grace is the game and the angel at work.

"Hello there, Richard," a girl with raven hair and soft voice greets me as I enter the convenience store I work in.

Just a simple greeting is enough to make my head spin and my heart jump from my chest. This is Katherine, the manager of the store. Prim, proper, and polite, she has the air of a princess about her. But she's far from that. She's a student at a nearby university who got in through a scholarship since her family is too poor to get her in. On top of keeping her academic performance high, she's working here to pay her bills. I admire her since she's a person who gritted her teeth and got through sheer effort. Then along the way, that admiration turned into a bit of a crush. Not that I intend to do anything about these feelings anyway. She's way out of my league.

"Hey, Kat. We busy today?" I reply nonchalantly.

"No, not today," she replies. "Oh, since we're not busy, how about you help me stock up at the back?"

My heart thumps. She and I, alone in a closed space? I know I shouldn't expect anything but maybe something might happen? I shake my head free. No, you watch too much rom-com anime.

"Sure, just let me change first," I say.

I hurriedly put on the company polo shirt and apron and head to the back where boxes and products are stacked haphazardly. Damn! Who the hell was in charge of this last week?

"So, we need to organize this and take in inventory," Katherine says as she enters with her clip board in hand.

The task goes smoothly as expected. Her organization skills are amazing. With her direction, it didn't take long until I'm putting the last box on the right shelf.

"Phew and that's that," I say as I wipe the sweat from my brow.

"Good job!" she says as she reaches for a high-five.

*clap*

That's right, I'm content with this. She's unreachable but at least we're friends.

"Well, time to go to the floor again. Let's hope we get more customers this time," she smiles and picks up a piece of trash on the floor. Then, as she stands up, something falls from her apron pocket.

*ting*

The tiny object rolls towards me.

"Hey, Kat, you dr-" as I reach out to the object, my throat clamps up. It's a ring: silver band with a lustrous diamond sitting on a pedestal.

"Oh, my. I'm so clumsy," she says apologetically as she takes the ring from my hand.

"Kat... is that...?" I trail.

She blushes and hides the ring back in her pocket.

"It's so embarrassing!" she squeals. "I'm not the type to announce these things but since you found out, I might as well say it. I got engaged!"

Her words were full of joy and excitement. But to me, they're haunting. Of course, she would get taken. Who in their right mind would pass her up for another girl? I must have been a zombie throughout my shift because all I could think about are her words until I find myself lying on my bed.

"Fuck..." I chuckle sadly, my voice quivering as I hold back tears. "Congratulations. I hope he makes you happy. I'll beat him up if he makes you cry."

That's all I could say and decide to log in. All this pain, all this frustration, this disappointment, I will take it out on every monster I see. Goblins, ogres, lizardfolk, bandit camps, I demolish everything I see with every spell I know.

"What's up with that dude?" I hear one of the players chuckle.

"Just leave him alone man," another replies. "He's probably going through some stuff IRL."

It must have been hours until my mana and health hit rock bottom. I lay down on a grassy plane underneath the starry sky.

"I wish I wasn't this pathetic," I say to an audience made up of stars. "I wish I tried harder. I wish I gritted my teeth like Katherine did and defied the cards I've been dealt with."

The world responds to my cries with a soft breeze.

"That's it!" I shout with newfound determination. "Enough is enough! Tomorrow, I'll start looking for a better job. And if it doesn't work, I'll eat my pride if I have to and ask Michael for help."

With a burst of energy, I swipe the UI to find the log out button. This game is going to be just a hobby. I won't escape here anymore. I'll live my life! I scroll over and over but the familiar log out button is nowhere to be found.

"What the fuck?" I gasp. "No, no, no, is this a bug?! Ugh gotta contact tech support. I can't sleep in this game so worst case, I could die from exhaustion."

I hurriedly swipe to the Contact Support option but when I click on it, I'm met with an error. Fuck! I turn on the messaging function to contact Michael through his phone but again, an error stops me in my tracks. Video platforms, search engines, news articles, everything linking me to the outside world are disabled. What's worse, the UI is telling me that the only user left in the servers is me!!

My heart races and my sweat pours out in buckets. Is this how I'm gonna die? "Man, 24, Found Dead In Apartment While Logged In Garden". I don't want that to be my first and last article! With my mind spinning and in a panic, the system notification appears.

+

[Forced Quest Activated: Defend]

[Defend The Portal From Invaders]

[Time Remaining: ??]

[Portal Integrity: Infinite]

[Waves: ??]

+

What the fuck is happening?! First, a bugged UI and now, a bugged quest? I complain but the game won't even let me do that for long. On the horizon, red thunderclouds roll in ominously towards me. Under it is a sea of bodies, an army of demons and beasts of different levels. I look behind me and in the middle of the nearby town, I see a large, shimmering portal the size of a stadium. Am I supposed to defend that? I guess I have no choice! I drink 2 heroic recovery potions and prepare for the battle at hand.