If— If I just stay still it will stop moving and go away right? RIGHT?
— Who am I kidding?
"Ge— Get off! How bad is the maintenance in this church?! I've been attacked by cockroaches twice!" I teared up as I tried shaking my shirt for it to fall off but it crawled a little higher instead.
I paled and grabbed the hems of my shirt, yeeting it across the room as I panted in relief. Almost as if to spite me, it crawled out from the folds of the shirt and wriggled it's antenna before flying towards me.
A strangled scream escaped my lips as I dashed for the door. However, the door couldn't open as time was only paused within the confines of the walls of this space for my options and I couldn't leave before I selected one.
I peered over my shoulder, holding my breath as I noticed how it was right behind me. I shrieked and bent down before crawling away and hiding beneath the covers as it probably landed on the door.
Why the heck isn't it frozen in place?! Everything else in this room is! Also, why is it tormenting me?!?! I swear these critters always come for those who can't stand them!
"Stop running about!" a deep voice exclaimed as I froze, blinking blankly as I glanced about me.
Who said that...
I slowly pried a small slit in the covers as I searched the visible vicinity of the owner of said voice. It sounded manly and annoyed, kind of sounds like it would belong to a hot du—
The cockroach was standing right on top of the covers, it's antenna dangling downwards as I felt the blood draining from my system. I tossed the covers away and scrambled off the bed as I grabbed blindly at the ground until I managed to grab hold of a weapon, a notebook which I rolled firmly to make a makeshift bat.
"I SAID STOP RUNNING ABOUT! HOW MUCH EXERCISE MUST YOU MAKE THESE EIGHT LEGS DO?" the cockroach exclaimed as it raised its front two legs at me after landing.
I didn't even bother thinking about how it was talking as I threw some items at it despite holding the book. In the end, squashing it to kill it is more disgusting. I can't even bear poking at it with this book.
"Ewww! Go away! Just roll up somewhere and die! Why do you keep chasing me?!" I tossed all the items within my reach at the critter as it easily dodged them and advanced towards me.
"Is that all you got?" it asked in a goading tone as I gritted my teeth in spite.
So annoying~!
"I will use this to smash you to smitherins!" I held the rolled up notebook above my head, my eyes glinting in rage as I tried to focus on the rage rather than disgust when it suddenly begun fluttering its wings.
"Hiieeek—!" I shrieked, shielding myself from it as it flew behind me.
This act continued for a period of time until I thought it gave in, however, that was a mistake as it landed dead on to my face like it was a landing pad of some sort. And of course, I fainted.
***
"Wake up. How long are you going to be passed out for? There's still much to do." a handsome voice... can voices even sound handsome? Who knows. But this sure did sound like it belonged to a hot guy.
I blinked my eyes slowly, an image of snow white opening her eyes to meet Prince charming who saved her popping to mind before I was met with the cockroach patting my cheek. I think I passed out again after that.
Later...
"S-stay at least 5 meters from me when talking!" I yelled from across the room as the cockroach merely wriggled it's antenna in reply.
"Are you kidding me? Why did I have to be paired with you?"
"I should be asking you that?! Why a c-cockroach of all things?! Can't it be a cat or something?!" I yelled back in retort.
"Think of the practicality! How is a cat able to be with you at all times?"
"As if I want a cockroach on me instead! Are you nuts?! What kind of system are you if you don't know my likes and dislikes?!" I yelled back as I tossed some items at it while it disregarded the 5m rule I had just implemented.
"You should be thankful you even get a system." the cockroach grunted out as I held back an insult and knitted my brows.
He's right but I still hate it. Why the one thing I really detest?
"Fine, fine. I'll at least change to human form when explaining things so calm down and put that book down." the cockroach waved it's hands to reassure me before a brown puff of smoke filled the room.
Where the cockroach once stood, a super hot guy with brown hair and heterochromia eyes stood. He pushed back his brown locks, his blue and light amber eyes locking on mine as he walked towards me briskly.
He looked almost too surreal... except for the antenna jutting out from his head.
"Okay, I'll make this brief since I can only hold this form temporarily since it's tiring to take this shape." he grabbed my shoulders, making my heart skip a beat before narrowing his gaze at me.
"O-okay..." I stared at him through rose tinted glasses as my mind easily obscured the thought of the antenna as I stared at his slightly tanned face and handsome visage staring back at me.
"Right now, we're in the prologue. This is where your relationships with some of the male leads will aid you further in the story."
"Alright... so then... when exactly is this prologue over?" I folded my arms, furtively meeting his gaze as I tried to focus on our conversation.
"You simply need to have at least one of the two male leads to be on your side. Though you can't check their current affection gauge, it's pretty close to max so this arc would come to an end soon..."
"Isn't that great then? So I just need to pick one?" I scratched my chin as he shakes my shoulders and gives me an intense look.
"I recommend securing both their affections since they're both practically about to max. Though I suggest making the right choices. Certain choices may cause their affection to reduce or well... change colour."
"... So... that's your advice?" I raised an eyebrow as I gave him a disappointed gaze.
"What? It's solid advice!" he exclaimed with an irritated expression as I sighed.
"Even I know if I don't select the right option, things would be bad. Isn't that how it always is in games like this?" I folded my arms and shifted to a more domineering pose as he backed down.
"Well... you're right but... ah! I can show you their affection gauge—!"
"Are you going to tell me you can't always present it to me and that you'll be charging me for it?" I raised an eyebrow as he froze.
"H-how..."
"Aside from that, what else can you do?" I tapped my foot impatiently as I pondered on how he could be of help to me when he simply remained silent.
"W-wait... are you kidding me... that's all you can do?" I gasped in shock as he flinched.
"I... uh..."
"Then what use are you?!" I gasped in utter disappointment as he stammered.
"W-wait! I also offer solid advices and uh... I can provide the options for stats boosting and uh..." he wracked his brain for other words to throw out as I stared at him with dead fish eyes.
"So a generic system helper... but worse than the usual ones." I blurted out as he nodded gleefully before realising I meant it in a sarcastic and demeaning manner.
"Hey! I'm better than those kind of—" he stomps his foot before droning on about some backstory I never asked for that I cut him short mid story.
"Just get to the point. Why did you choose to appear now?" I raised my hand as a gesture for him to stop talking as I voiced out my question.
"Now... I first tried to talk to you when you were about to encounter the second lead but well... it surprisingly went well. He even had a huge boost in affection for you from that encounter, unlike the normal route."
"... He liked the disgusting first meeting I had where you interrupted—"
"Ignore that whole part, but he did find you intriguing. And from the way you treat him, he has grown even more invested in you. It seems to be going well for now so keep it up."
"... Okay, fine. So let's push that past us and get to the main point. Why me? For what reason?" I pressed my palm against my chest, trying to hear what choice they had to force me into this game which I played on a whim to understand what my sister was trying to get me to "learn".
"... It was supposed to be your sister here..."
"What...?"