Iwasaki Yuto is an ordinary college student who views himself as nothing more than an unremarkable "NPC" in the grand scheme of life. He goes through his days quietly, blending into the background at school and keeping to himself. His world revolves around gaming, anime, and escaping the harsh reality of his social invisibility. Yet, despite his attempts to stay unnoticed, he can’t shake the feeling that something is missing—especially when it comes to love.

In his daily routine, Yuto faces the same struggles of rejection, loneliness, and self-doubt. He watches others live out their high school romance fantasies while he remains on the sidelines, quietly wishing for a chance to experience something meaningful. But when fate throws him into unexpected situations and confrontations, Yuto begins to question if he’ll always be a background character in his own life—or if, somehow, he’s destined for more than the ordinary existence he’s resigned himself to.

I'm still trying to process what just happened.


The crowd's noise surrounds me—clapping, cheering, laughing—but it all sounds distant, muffled, like I'm hearing it from the bottom of a deep, dark pool. My heart is still racing, and my skin tingles, burning from where my fingertips brushed against Kaori's cheek.


I step off the stage, the lingering warmth of the spotlight fading from my skin like the last breath of summer twilight. The announcer's voice drifts through the humid night air, chattering about the next event, but the words slide past my ears like smoke. My gaze cuts through the sea of students, scanning for a flash of dark blue fabric or the familiar shimmer of her raven-black hair.


Chapter 34 - Chapter 14.3