The Quezon City Academy cafeteria was a maelstrom of adolescent energy. Trays rattled against metal surfaces, voices rose and fell in a symphony of whispered gossip and boisterous laughter, and the air hung thick with the comforting, if slightly greasy, aroma of fried siopao and mystery meat. Samantha, her senses overwhelmed by the sensory overload, navigated the throng of students with the practiced ease of a seasoned explorer charting a treacherous jungle. Liza Santos, her best friend since kindergarten, clung to her arm with the tenacity of a particularly determined koala, her grip unwavering.
"You can let go now, Liza," Samantha sighed, attempting to gently pry her friend's fingers from her forearm. "We're not crossing the Pasig River during a typhoon."
Liza, feigning dramatic offense, gasped, her hand flying to her chest in a theatrical gesture. "But this is our sacred morning ritual, Sam-chan! How dare you desecrate such a time-honored tradition!"
"Our what?" Samantha raised a skeptical eyebrow, her expression flat and unimpressed.
"You drag me somewhere, I cling to you, you pretend to hate it but deep down, you secretly cherish my affection." Liza's eyes sparkled with mischievous glee, her smile wide and infectious. "It's like a classic shoujo manga, really. The stoic heroine and her overly affectionate best friend."
"Deep down, I tolerate it," Samantha corrected, her voice deadpan. "There's a significant difference between tolerating and cherishing."
Liza grinned, her smile widening. "Tomato, tomato. Same thing."
Samantha, deciding that engaging in a battle of wits with Liza's boundless energy was a futile endeavor this early in the morning, resigned herself to her fate and steered them towards the snack counter. The system, as if sensing her growing frustration, chose that precise moment to interrupt her already chaotic existence with a triumphant ping.
[Sub-Mission Complete: Treat Your Best Friend to a Snack] Reward Acquired: Basic Combat Skills
A sudden torrent of information flooded Samantha's mind, a chaotic download of knowledge that felt both foreign and strangely familiar. Stances, footwork, how to throw a proper punch, how to break a fall, how to disarm someone twice her size—it was all there, clear and precise, like a forgotten language suddenly recalled. Her body seemed to hum with a newfound awareness, as if it had suddenly remembered skills it had never consciously learned.
She blinked, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Huh. That's… unexpected."
Mochi, hovering beside her like a tiny, enthusiastic cheerleader, its form shimmering in the air, grinned. "Feeling stronger, my young Padawan?"
Samantha flexed her hand, testing the newfound knowledge. No visible changes, but she could feel the difference, a subtle shift in her perception of her own body. It wasn't just about physical strength; it was about instinct, about knowing how to react. If someone tried to grab her, her instincts would now know how to respond, how to turn their aggression against them.
Samantha smirked, a hint of genuine satisfaction creeping into her voice. "Okay, that was actually a good reward. I'll admit it."
Mochi nodded sagely, its tiny form puffing out with pride. "See? Not all missions are a scam. I am a purveyor of the finest rewards."
She narrowed her eyes, a flicker of suspicion in her gaze. "Some are?"
Mochi, sensing the danger of that particular conversational path, quickly changed the subject, its voice taking on a cheerful tone. "So, what's next? Any more fun little side missions for your humble servant to announce?"
The system, as if on cue, shuffled its virtual deck, and new missions blinked into her vision, the glowing blue text a stark contrast to the mundane reality of the cafeteria.
[Main Mission #1: Make Someone Fall in Love with You!] Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Time Limit: 30 Days Reward: Enhanced Stamina Penalty for Failure: Partial Muscle Growth Activation
[Main Mission #2: Save Your Older Brother] Difficulty: ★★★★☆ Time Limit: ??? Reward: ??? Penalty for Failure: ???
Samantha froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Wait, wait, wait—hold on a second."
Mochi blinked innocently, its large blue eyes wide with faux confusion. "Something wrong, Samantha?"
She pointed accusingly at the second mission, her voice rising slightly. "Why is this a main mission?!"
"Ah," Mochi nodded wisely, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Because it's important, of course."
"No sh*t, Sherlock," Samantha retorted, her tone laced with sarcasm. "But why is it listed as a main mission? As in, more important than making someone fall in love with me?"
"Well," Mochi tilted its tiny head, its expression thoughtful. "I assume the system, in its infinite wisdom, has determined that your brother is in… shall we say, actual danger."
"From what?!" Samantha's voice was a panicked whisper, her eyes darting around the crowded cafeteria.
Mochi shrugged, its tiny shoulders moving in a comical "I dunno" gesture. "Dunno. Maybe something wants him… you know… dead."
Samantha felt her stomach drop, a cold knot of fear forming in her gut. "That's… not particularly reassuring, Mochi."
Mochi gave her a sympathetic pat on the head, its touch surprisingly comforting. "Life rarely is, Samantha. Life is a cruel mistress. Now, where were we?"
She ran a hand through her hair, her mind racing, trying to process the implications of this new information. Making someone fall in love with her? Annoying, but doable. Saving Ren? That was a whole different level of terrifying.
Her brother was strong, stronger than her by a long shot. If something was coming for him, and the system thought it was dangerous enough to be a main mission… that meant she wasn't just up against schoolyard bullies or petty thugs.
She exhaled slowly, trying to calm her racing heart. "Okay. Fine. Whatever. I'll deal with that later. I need food."
Mochi clapped its tiny hands together, its enthusiasm returning in full force. "Excellent! On to the next mission—"
Another ping, sharp and insistent, interrupted Mochi's cheerful announcement.
[Sub-Mission Unlocked: Kiss Your Best Friend on the Cheek] Reward: ???
[Sub-Mission Unlocked: Touch Your Best Friend's Chest] Reward: ???
Samantha nearly choked on her own saliva, her eyes widening in horror. "What the actual hell?!"
Liza, who had been blissfully unaware of this entire internal conversation, tilted her head, her expression a mix of curiosity and confusion. "Huh? What's wrong, Sam-chan? You look like you've seen a ghost. Or maybe like you just remembered you forgot to feed your pet tamagotchi."
Samantha stared at the screen, her face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and disbelief. "Mochi. Explain. Now."
Mochi avoided eye contact, its tiny form shifting nervously. "W-Well, you see—"
"Why the hell would the system give me this?!" Samantha hissed, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes darting around the cafeteria to ensure no one was eavesdropping.
Mochi coughed, its eyes darting around the cafeteria as if searching for an escape route. "The divine algorithm… uh… works in mysterious and… frankly, sometimes perverted ways?"
Samantha glared at the floating dumpling, her eyes narrowed to slits.
Mochi raised its tiny dumpling arms in a gesture of surrender. "Hey, don't look at me! I didn't program it! Blame the system!"
Samantha pinched the bridge of her nose, a headache starting to form. "This system is officially messed up. It's like a badly written harem manga, complete with the nonsensical plot twists."
Mochi sighed dramatically, like a jaded anime villain. "Well, if you're not gonna complete it, at least let me know before I get my hopes up. I was looking forward to the chaos. It would have been a great clip for my social media."
Liza, meanwhile, was completely lost, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Are you okay, Sam-chan? You're making a really weird face. Like you're trying to solve a really hard math problem, but it's just a picture of a cat wearing a tiny hat."
"I—" Samantha hesitated, her mind racing, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. "It's nothing. Forget it."
Liza pouted, her lower lip jutting out in a dramatic pout. "Aww, c'mon! Tell me, tell me! You're being super suspicious."
"Absolutely not," Samantha said firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument.
"Pleeeeease?" Liza whined, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Nope," Samantha repeated, her voice unwavering.
Liza crossed her arms, her expression a picture of offended dignity. "Fine. Be mysterious. See if I care. But remember, Sam-chan, we've been best friends since kindergarten. And best friends share secrets. It's like, a rule."
"Yeah, well, best friends also respect boundaries," Samantha countered, her voice laced with a hint of exasperation. "And sometimes, those boundaries involve not knowing everything."
Liza huffed, her cheeks puffing out slightly. "Fine. Be mysterious. See if I care. But I'll get it out of you eventually. You know I'm persistent."
Samantha sighed, a mixture of relief and resignation washing over her. "Thank you, Liza."
Liza, as expected, immediately ignored that and linked their arms again, her energy seemingly boundless. "Since you're being weird, I'll just take it as my responsibility to keep you entertained! It's my duty as your best friend! It's like, in our contract!"
"That's not necessary," Samantha protested weakly, but her words were lost in the rising tide of Liza's enthusiasm.
"Too bad! We're gonna hang out all day! We'll go to the library, the arcade, maybe even sneak out for some halo-halo after school!" Liza declared, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It'll be a grand adventure!"
Samantha groaned inwardly. An adventure filled with awkward silences and my constant anxiety about Ren. Just perfect.
Her gaze drifted back to the system notifications, the glowing blue text a stark reminder of her impossible tasks. Make someone fall in love with me? Save Ren? And… kiss Liza on the cheek? She shuddered. The system was clearly trying to drive her insane.
One problem at a time, she thought, pushing the ridiculous side quests to the back of her mind. First, I need to figure out what's going on with Ren. And second, I need to survive the day with Liza without accidentally kissing her.
A distant bell rang, its sound echoing through the cafeteria, signaling the start of classes. The students began to disperse, a wave of bodies flowing towards their respective classrooms.
"Come on, Sam-chan!" Liza chirped, tugging her towards the exit. "We're gonna be late for Filipino class! And you know how strict Ma'am Reyes is!"
Samantha allowed herself to be pulled along, her mind still reeling from the events of the morning. This is going to be a long day, she thought, her gaze lingering on the disappearing crowd. And I have a feeling it's only going to get weirder.