Getting into the System

Hinata's conclusion was logical for Haruki. Making perfect sense. Having a mathematical mind, Hinata based his conclusions on the rational side. Unlike someone with a fantasy-inclined mind like himself who only read stories for fun, Haruki reproached himself for that. He never liked to study, especially the dull logical part.

And yet, this finding was too shocking for the singer, who only now had the realization of what was happening.

"So are we in a real isekai?" Haruki asked, he needed the words to be said to make his thinking real.

"It seems to me. A father with many resources, a daughter with a diagnosis of premature death. You heard Honda-san say that he would also do anything for his daughter Mia. She's deaf," Hinata explained.

"What? Did you laugh at a deaf child? But how do you know that she is deaf?" Haruki looked at the youngest in amazement. He didn't understand anything else.

"I laughed at the ironies of life, Haruki-senpai. I am friends with Mia. And I know Mia is deaf because it was her disability that brought us closer. I was her senpai at the International Mathematics Olympiads for Young Students for knowing sign language." Hinata explained. "And I think we were the ultimate test of their ambitious virtual world. Now that they know it's safe, Miyu-chan has entered," Hinata shared this information with furrowed brows and serious countenance.

'What is he hiding his 'nerdy' side? He even had been in a Mathematics Olympiads!' Haruki thought, 'Perhaps with these skills, Hinata is a genius, but he doesn't want to have that stigma. He wants to model!'

An awkward silence fell over them.

"I agree with Hinata-kun," Saito said, "The smartwatch is the key to get in and out of this game. It's a way of controlling us, though."

"If your thinking is right Saito-san, how are we going to be rescued without this device?" Daisuke asked.

"We shall convince them to set our time here in a month. Courting and pampering the girl. Then the game is over and we shall return to our real lives." The mountaineer stared at them, "Who is with me?"

After a long silence in which everyone else, including Haruki, watched the baker's reactions to know what he was going to do, Jun mumbled something unintelligible. And then, when he realized he was being watched, he said out loud,

"Okay, I accept."

The rest nodded after him.

"Daisuke-san, I want you to adjust the contract details with me," Saito asked. The influencer agreed. "Hinata-kun will keep an eye on earnings calculations. And you guys pay attention to any details that are missing."

Haruki saw the leader there who could command wealthy men on dangerous adventures. Saito spoke softly, but he could feel the imminent danger of clashing his will. And the singer knew well how this civilized-looking man quickly turned into a murderer, even without meaning to.

Saito-senpai was definitely dangerous.

****************

"Please understand, Saito-san, you have more benefits inside a virtual world, than outside. Your medical record contains dozens of broken bones that must be very painful memories in our winter," argued Abe-san.

Haruki could no longer take the thousandth arguments of the billionaire who had in his possession the complete dossiers of each of their lives. And the tycoon used them to build a justification for keeping them trapped in this place he called 'Neona'. Hinata was right, they had been dragged into an alternative universe created by men.

Saito kept his voice in the same cadence the entire time of the long meeting. His short phrases, plus the emotionless voice, made it impossible for the singer to know if the mountaineer was also angry.

"Abe-san, I'm proud of my scars. Pain is a small price I pay for being alive. This is my last word. A month of thirty days. And I speak for my companions," Saito ended his arguments putting his arms along his body.

Abe Hiroshi smiled as he said, "I would like my daughter to choose you for my son-in-law, Saito-san."

"But I think otherwise. Your dossier is incomplete, Abe-san." The mountaineer bowed to the older man, after saying it with a monochord tone.

Abe Hiroshi opened his eyes wide in shock but kept silent.

The transmission has ended.

"Saito-san! You are a real CEO!" Daisuke said, bowing in awe.

They all, but Jun, praised Saito's performance, who dismissed their words humbly. Mr. Ito came into the room pushing a tea cart, with six small boxes and left silently after leaving the objects on a table.

The transmission resumed,

"I accept your terms, Saito-san. And I am open to reviewing this contract in the future, in case anyone gives up on ​​leaving Neona," Abe-san spoke. "We have included all the requests you made in this meeting in the contract. Including the addition of a trade union entitled to rounds of negotiations for future adjustments, as needed. The… Otome Boys class," the billionaire hesitated when speaking the term.

"Otome ... Boys?" the term raised discomfort around them.

"Do you have a better name? We are open to suggestions," Abe-san rushed to say.

Jun interrupted, aghast, "What's in a name? Whatever. What matters is the job description. Whether otome boy, Otoko geisha* or hosts… Whatever! We are offended enough already!"

"We will evaluate the required job description, if you may," suggested Saito, ignoring Jun's rants.

"Workers with the role of acting, entertaining and competing as per their pre-established roles in an Otome Game setting, aiming a promotion in rank, commonly decided by a set of factors based on pre-defined calculations, for the entertainment of a third part, the Protagonist."

"'Promotion in rank?'" Takashi asked.

"In this specific case, the 'Protagonist' is Miyu Abe, who is playing the 'otome game' Greed and Temptation, which is the setting," the old man spoke in a tired voice, suggesting that he imagined that they already knew this and it was unnecessary to explain. "The established competition has as promotions the 'ranks' of crush, friend, date, boyfriend, fiance... and husband. "

They gasped in unison.

"'Neonamites', greetings," speaking happily Honda-san appeared on a second screen, "To activate the device just attach it to your wrist, read and accept the contract to remain in Neona for thirty days from the date of acceptance. And with your personalized smartwatch, is your ticket to take part in the 1rst Tanabata Matsuri Destiny's Masquerade Ball."

Haruki felt sympathy for the chief engineer. Now that he understood what motivated him in this dubious ethics project.

The singer felt his stomach tighten as he took the box with his image. His gadget was orange. He remembered what happened when he let the machine read his retinas and he was afraid.

"Uh!," Haruki jumped in shock when touched on the shoulder. Jun pulled him out of the room.

"What ..." the singer was going to ask, but was silenced by Jun's palm on his lips. With a nod, the baker escorted him to the secret room.

"I don't trust Abe Hiroshi," Jun whispered. "Let me see yours," and took the app from Haruki. He fumbled a bit with the smartwatch, looking focused and, at the same time, not knowing exactly what he was doing or what he was looking for.

"Don't act yet, let's see how the others are doing," Jun ordered, returning the item and returning to the room. Haruki agreed, accompanying him.

They found everyone around Saito who was static, looking at his wrist where his gray smartwatch was. He had activated the device.

Suddenly the mountaineer blinked out of the trance. Saito was surrounded by his colleagues.

"BOO!" he said playfully, as he raised his arms above his head with clawed hands.

"Oh Saito-san, you really want to scare me to death!" Hinata complained.

"Saito-san, do you feel normal?" Takashi asked suspiciously.

"It's still me."

"Then take it off your wrist," Jun challenged the mountaineer.

A few seconds after they stared at each other, which for the singer was already boring to see, Saito turned off the app and removed it from his arm.

On the screen that used to be Mr. Abe, now a picture of a young Saito appeared. Younger than Hinata. He was carrying a dirty backpack, his mountaineering clothes were torn in places like his knee and the side of his arm. 'Was it caused by the rubbing of the cloth with the rock during the climb?' Haruki questioned himself. 'And he had long hair!' Yoshida Saito was as pretty and youthful as Hinata or himself, in his early years!

When the Mountaineer raised his head, he saw the photo. The smile died on his face.

...

*otoko geisha - male geisha.