Kazuki was on edge. The tension that had been simmering within him since the first task had now reached a boiling point. The paranoia was becoming unbearable, each day more suffocating than the last. Every creak in the floorboards, every whisper in the halls, seemed to be aimed directly at him. The fear of getting caught, the shame of what he had done, and the constant pressure from the system were eating him alive.
Despite the anxiety, Kazuki forced himself to attend his classes, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy. He walked the campus like a ghost, keeping to the shadows, avoiding eye contact with everyone. The whispers about the "panty thief" continued to swirl around the university, growing more frenzied with each passing day. He heard snippets of conversations in the cafeteria, in the library, in the halls—each one felt like a noose tightening around his neck.
As Kazuki sat in the back of the lecture hall, his mind wandered far from the professor's droning voice. He couldn't focus. His thoughts were a chaotic jumble of fear and guilt, with the ever-present dread of what the system might demand of him next.
Just as Kazuki was sinking further into his anxiety, the classroom door creaked open, and a new figure entered. The professor paused mid-sentence and gestured for the new student to find a seat. Kazuki's attention was immediately drawn to her.
The girl who had just walked in was striking. She had long, chestnut-brown hair that cascaded down her back in soft waves, catching the light in a way that made it almost shimmer. Her skin was fair, with a hint of a blush on her cheeks, giving her an innocent, doll-like appearance. She had large, almond-shaped eyes, a deep shade of brown that held a certain warmth and intelligence. Her lips were full and naturally pink, and she had a petite frame, her figure accentuated by the fitted uniform she wore.
The girl seemed to float across the room, her movements graceful and poised. She glanced around the room, her eyes scanning for an empty seat. Kazuki felt his breath catch in his throat as her gaze briefly landed on him before moving on. There was something about her that was both captivating and intimidating—a quiet confidence that made her stand out from the other students.
She finally settled into a seat near the front of the room, and the professor resumed his lecture. But Kazuki found it impossible to concentrate. His mind kept drifting back to the new girl, wondering who she was and why he had never seen her before.
As the class came to an end, Kazuki packed up his things, still lost in thought. He was just about to leave when he heard the system's voice, as clear and insistent as ever, cutting through the noise of the students around him.
"Kazuki," the system's loli-like voice chimed, with an unsettling sweetness. "I have a new task for you."
Kazuki's heart sank. He had been dreading this moment, knowing that the system would eventually give him another task. He froze in place, his hand gripping the strap of his bag tightly.
The system continued, unbothered by his reluctance. "Your task is simple. You need to steal the bra of the girl who just entered your classroom."
Kazuki's stomach churned with a mix of horror and disgust. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Stealing panties had been bad enough, but this? This was crossing another line entirely.
"No," Kazuki whispered under his breath, panic rising in his chest. "I can't do that."
"You don't have a choice," the system replied, its tone soft but firm. "If you want to survive, you have to complete the task. And you have only three days to do it."
Kazuki felt like he was going to be sick. How was he supposed to do this? The new girl—whoever she was—had done nothing to deserve this. She was just another student, probably just trying to find her way like everyone else. The thought of violating her privacy, of invading her personal space in such an intimate way, made his skin crawl.
But the system's threat hung over him like a guillotine. If he didn't complete the task, he knew what would happen. The system had made it abundantly clear that failure was not an option.
Kazuki left the classroom in a daze, his mind racing as he tried to figure out what to do. The new girl's image was seared into his mind, and he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that was settling deep in his gut. How was he supposed to go through with this? How could he even begin to plan something so despicable?
The next few days were a blur of anxiety and desperation. Kazuki did his best to avoid the new girl, not even knowing her name. But she seemed to be everywhere—attending the same classes, studying in the library, walking across campus. Each time he saw her, his stomach twisted with guilt. He noticed the way other students looked at her too—some with admiration, others with curiosity. She was quickly becoming popular, her beauty and poise drawing attention wherever she went.
Kazuki kept to himself, trying to come up with a plan. He knew he couldn't afford to be sloppy this time. The campus was already on high alert after the rumors about the panty thief, and security had been tightened, especially around the female dormitories. He had noticed the new security cameras installed near the entrances, the increased patrols by the campus security guards. The thought of getting caught terrified him, but the thought of failing the system terrified him even more.
It was during one of these moments of panic that he ran into Yuto again. Kazuki was on his way back to the dormitory when he spotted Yuto lounging near the entrance, chatting with a group of students.
"Yo, Kazuki!" Yuto called out, waving him over. "You look like you've seen a ghost, man."
Kazuki forced a weak smile and walked over, hoping that Yuto wouldn't notice how jittery he was. "Hey, Yuto."
Yuto grinned, his usual easygoing demeanor in full swing. "What's up with you? You've been acting all weird lately. You gotta loosen up, man."
Kazuki shrugged, trying to play it off. "Just… stressed, I guess. Schoolwork and all."
Yuto gave him a knowing look. "Yeah, I hear ya. But hey, have you heard about the latest?"
Kazuki's heart skipped a beat. "Latest?"
"The pervert, dude!" Yuto's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "The one who's been sneaking around the girls' dorms. They're saying he might be planning something big. The security's been ramped up, and everyone's on edge. They're even talking about getting the cops involved if this keeps up."
Kazuki's blood ran cold. The thought of the police getting involved was enough to make him break out in a cold sweat. He couldn't afford that kind of attention—not now, not ever.
"That's… crazy," Kazuki said, his voice barely audible.
"Yeah, tell me about it," Yuto said, shaking his head. "But you better watch your back, man. You never know who might be watching."
Kazuki nodded, though his mind was a whirlwind of fear and anxiety. Yuto's words only added to his paranoia. If security was really being tightened that much, how was he supposed to complete the task? The odds were stacked against him, and the consequences of failure were too dire to ignore.
That night, Kazuki lay awake in his bed, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plan. The system had given him three days, and he was already running out of time. He needed to act fast, but he had no idea how to pull this off without getting caught.
On the second day, Kazuki finally made his move. He had spent the entire day scoping out the new girl's routine, watching her from a distance as she went about her day. He hated himself for it, but he knew he had no other choice. He had to find a way to get close to her, to figure out when she would be alone, when he could strike without anyone noticing.
It was during the late afternoon that Kazuki saw his chance. The new girl—he still didn't know her name—was heading back to her dormitory after a long day of classes. She was alone, her usual group of friends nowhere in sight. Kazuki's heart pounded in his chest as he followed her from a distance, careful to stay out of sight.
She entered the dormitory, and Kazuki waited, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He had to time this perfectly. If he made one wrong move, it was all over.
When he was sure the coast was clear, Kazuki slipped into the building, his pulse racing. The dormitory was eerily quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Kazuki's footsteps echoed in the empty hallway as he made his way to the new girl's room.
He found the door easily enough. It was slightly ajar, just enough for him to peek inside. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst out of his chest. This was it. He had to do this.
Kazuki took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to do. He pushed the door open just a crack, peering inside.
The room was small, neatly organized, with a bed in the corner and a desk by the window. The new girl was sitting on the edge of her bed, her back to him, completely unaware of his presence. She was
in the middle of changing, her uniform discarded on the floor, leaving her in just her underwear.
Kazuki's breath caught in his throat. This was the moment. He had to act fast.
He pushed the door open a little more, careful not to make a sound. He reached out, his hand trembling as he grabbed the bra that was lying on the bed beside her. The moment his fingers closed around the fabric, the girl suddenly turned around.
Kazuki froze, his heart stopping in his chest. Their eyes met, and for a split second, time seemed to stand still.
And then, all hell broke loose.
The girl screamed, loud and piercing, her eyes wide with shock and terror. Kazuki panicked, dropping the bra as he bolted from the room. He could hear the sound of doors slamming open, voices shouting in confusion, as he sprinted down the hallway, his heart racing like a drum.
Kazuki didn't stop running until he was out of the dormitory, out of the building, out of sight. He collapsed against a wall, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He had been so close—so close to getting caught.
The weight of what he had just done crashed down on him like a tidal wave. He had failed. He hadn't completed the task, and now the entire campus was on high alert. The system's punishment loomed over him, and he had no idea how he was going to survive it.
But one thing was certain: Kazuki's life had just taken another dark, twisted turn, and there was no going back.