Playing games (II): [BubblySunbeam]

It was 10 a.m. when I started playing the game. Frey and I began with the easiest tasks: recording ourselves doing stretches, brushing our teeth and flossing, and proving we'd showered. The last task felt invasive at first, but once we realized we didn't have to record ourselves in the shower, it wasn't as bad. I set my phone to record, draped a towel over the camera, and hopped in.

"Do you think the game devs are just bored, or do they secretly hate us?" Frey muttered as she flossed aggressively.

"Probably both," I replied, wrapping my hair in a towel.

While these tasks bumped our completion rates slightly, they barely moved our pets' growth rates. That's when we turned to the food challenges. The rules were clear: each of us had to prepare and eat the full portion of every recipe.

The first recipe claimed to be a cake, but the ingredients included peppers, vegetables, medicinal herbs, and an unsettling amount of protein powder.

"Cake?" Frey asked, holding up a jar of powdered herbs. "This feels like a prank."

"It's like someone looked at a cake and thought, 'What if it fought back?'" I replied, reluctantly mixing the batter.

Despite our doubts, the cake turned out surprisingly decent. It wasn't huge, so we managed to finish one each without feeling like we'd swallowed gym equipment.

Next up was matcha avocado mousse. The smooth, slightly bitter sweetness was a welcome change, and I savored every bite.

"If the game gave us nothing but matcha desserts, I wouldn't complain," Frey said, licking her spoon clean.

The third recipe, ginseng-infused honey-nut pastries, was the highlight of the day. The earthy ginseng paired perfectly with the honey's sweetness and the nuts' crunch. We ate five each, and I saved the recipe immediately.

The final recipe, licorice root and ginger cookies, was...not great.

"They're not terrible," I said cautiously. "But they taste like someone bottled regret and baked it into a cookie."

"They taste like betrayal," Frey muttered, forcing hers down.

By sunset, we'd finished all the food challenges. My completion rate hit 50.05%, with my pet's growth rate trailing at 10%. Frey's stats were identical, and we both flopped onto her bed, groaning in unison.

"No wonder Geomi finished her completion rate first," I muttered, staring at the numbers.

"And no wonder she begged you to take admin missions," Frey added, tossing her phone onto the pillow.

As if summoned, my phone buzzed. A notification appeared: [Message from administrator [BubblySunbeam]].

"Huh?"

"What now?" Frey asked, peeking over at me.

"An admin named BubblySunbeam messaged me. Geomi mentioned her, right?"

"Yeah, I think. What's she want?"

I opened the mail and read the message aloud.

____

[BubblySunbeam]: You're the one that Geomi helped, right?

Me: Yes.

[BubblySunbeam]: Good. I've read your information.

Me: Ok?

[BubblySunbeam]: I wanna be your benefactor or at least one of them. There are a few who have an eye on you.

Me: Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

[BubblySunbeam]: It depends on who it is. But I can help you figure out who has your best interests in mind.

Me: And why would you do that?

[BubblySunbeam]: Because it'd be beneficial for both of us. It'll help you grow, and it'll help me…with something.

Me: With what?

[BubblySunbeam]: The only way I can describe it to you now is that it's like a promotion. I can't explain it fully yet, but you'll understand soon enough.

Me: Why is everyone so cryptic?

[BubblySunbeam]: Part of the job. So, will you accept my offer?

Me: Fine.

____

Frey seemed to lose interest and turned back over, assuming the conversation was done. But another message popped up almost immediately.

[Special task from [BubblySunbeam]: Record yourself hitting on your best friend for 30 minutes.]

I froze, staring at the message.

"What now?" Frey asked, glancing at me.

"Nothing!" I quickly hid the screen and opened my chat with BubblySunbeam.

____

Me: What the hell is this?

[BubblySunbeam]: Your first mission. I told you I'd help you, but I didn't say it'd be boring for me~ Serious Sunbeam has left the chat.

Me: Do I have to?

[BubblySunbeam]: Yep. And make it good. If I'm entertained, I'll give you a bonus. Oh, and your friend can't know, so keep the recording subtle.

Me: You're evil.

[BubblySunbeam]: Thank you~ Now get to it!

____

I discreetly set up my phone to record and turned to Frey, who was scrolling through her own game stats.

"Hey, Frey, do you have any anime recommendations?"

"Hmm? Oh, uh...I dunno. You're the anime nerd," she said, smirking.

"Well, I think you'd like Black★Rock Shooter," I replied. "She's mysterious, alluring, and being around her feels like stepping into a dream. Kind of like you."

Frey blinked, her cheeks flushing faintly. "Uh...thanks? That's...unexpected."

"You're welcome, beautiful," I added, hoping my delivery didn't sound as awkward as it felt.

"Okay, what's with you today?" Frey asked, narrowing her eyes. "Did you hit your head or something?"

"Nope," I said, grinning. "By the way, if I were a cat, I'd spend all nine lives with you."

Frey burst out laughing. "Rika, that's—wow. Nerdy, sweet, and ridiculous all at once."

Before I could respond, Frey's laughter subsided, and she leaned closer. Her fingers brushed my cheek, gently caressing it as her expression shifted to something softer, almost seductive.

I froze, my heart pounding as warmth rushed to my face. "F-Frey?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she leaned in closer, her breath brushing my lips. My mind raced, excitement and panic swirling together as I closed my eyes, bracing myself for...something.

Instead of a kiss, I felt her breath on my ear.

"Rika, why'd you close your eyes? Were you expecting me to do something?"

My eyes snapped open, meeting hers. Her mischievous smile sent a new wave of embarrassment through me.

"I... I wasn't sure what you were going to do," I admitted, my voice small.

Frey chuckled softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"Next time you want to flirt with someone, make sure your heart can handle it, especially if it's jokingly~" she teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

I rolled my eyes as if I didn't care, but inside, I felt like a cornered mouse. "It's my first time flirting…" My voice betrayed me, coming out softer than I intended.

Frey's laughter filled the room, making me feel both relieved and mortified at the same time.

"Well, you did a pretty good job for a first-timer," she said with a wink, causing my cheeks to burn even more.

Suddenly, I felt my lips twitch into a grin—not because I had a plan, but because I was spiraling internally and had no idea how else to respond. My heart was racing, and my brain was running in circles. Why am I smiling? Stop it! She's just messing with you! But...does she know how close she was to actually kissing me?

Then the thought hit me like a brick. Not that I would've minded—I mean! What?! NO! Stop right there!

I could practically hear myself screaming internally. BECAUSE SHE'S MY CHILDHOOD FRIEND! I mentally shouted, clutching the excuse like a life preserver in a storm. That's it! She's my best friend, and I was just caught off guard. Nothing weird. Nothing gay. I like guys!

A traitorous whisper slithered into my mind: Then why have you never had a boyfriend? Or a male crush? Not even on a celebrity?

My brain stuttered. I...I...

The whisper struck again, relentless: Admit it, you've never felt this way about a guy.

Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!

As I fought an intense and very one-sided battle against myself, my stupid grin refused to go away. No matter how much I begged my face to cooperate, it stayed plastered there, and Frey noticed.

Her pale blue eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion flickering across her expression as she tilted her head. She studied me like I was a particularly puzzling riddle, her smirk sharpening.

"Rika," she said slowly, her voice dripping with faux seriousness, snapping me out of my internal meltdown.

"Hm?" I replied, my grin widening involuntarily. Why am I still smiling? Stop it! You're making it worse!

Her eyes locked onto mine, and a knowing smirk curved her lips. "Don't you dare."

I blinked, the wheels in my head screeching to a halt. Wait...does she think I'm up to something?

Well, I wasn't. But...if she was handing me an opportunity on a silver platter, who was I to waste it?

"Hehe," I chuckled softly, my grin shifting into a smirk. If she thought I was plotting something, I might as well play the part.

Frey straightened up, crossing her arms like she was bracing for a fight. "Rika, if you do it, I'll…" She paused, her gaze darting to the ceiling as she searched for the perfect threat. Finally, her lips curled into a mischievous smile. "I'll kiss you, or something."

Her words sent my brain spiraling again. She's bluffing, right? She wouldn't actually...would she? Ugh, focus, Rika! You're in this now. Don't back down.

I took a steadying breath, letting my smirk grow bolder. "I'm not afraid of anything anymore," I said, my voice steady despite the heat creeping up my neck. "Fear left me when I lost everything."

Frey's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Was that—"

"And if you kiss me, I'll just kiss back harder," I cut in, the words tumbling out before I could stop myself.

Her jaw dropped slightly as she stared at me, her blush returning in full force. "Was that a challenge and a quote from Tokyo Ghoul?"

I leaned back, folding my arms as if I'd planned it all along. "Yes."

Frey blinked at me, clearly thrown off by my sudden boldness. After a beat, her confused expression conturted into a devilish smirk.

"Okay."