The world of Love Hearts Academy was designed to be airtight.
Every scene had a purpose. Every line of dialogue was tied to an invisible web of branching paths and affection points. Every heroine was on a pre-set route that bent reality itself to make sure the "protagonist" always got the girl.
But I had just torn a hole in that web.
And it was still unraveling.
The next morning, I returned to the library as if nothing had happened. The wooden desk, the tall dusty shelves, the same old scent of paper and disuse—it felt oddly comforting now. My domain.
I brought a mirror from the supply closet and stared at myself for a few seconds.
Blue hair. Soft features. NPC pretty-boy design. That much hadn't changed.
But my eyes were different now. Not just because they were mine—but because I had done something impossible. Something the game would never allow.
I kissed Airi Fujikawa.
Held her. Touched her.
Not as part of a scene. Not with a choice box.
But because she wanted to.
Because I wanted to.
And even though the system tried to wipe it… the emotional imprint remained.
It was proof the characters in this world weren't just scripts anymore.
They could feel.
[System Diagnostic Running...]
[Protagonist Route Recalibrating... Searching for Nearest Available Heroine...]
I smirked. Oh no, Reiji. You're not getting off that easy.
I stepped outside just in time to spot him walking the path toward the gym.
Tall, black-haired, sparkly-eyed bastard. Reiji Kamizawa—Player Stand-in 101.
He was supposed to be the dreamboat. The guy every girl fell for because the code told them to. But now? He looked... off.
His eyes were glassy. Expression slightly confused. Almost lagging.
The system was trying to reassign him a heroine now that Airi was off the grid.
I knew who was next in the queue.
Hina Yukimura.
The soft-spoken artist girl. Pink hair. Big eyes. Loved painting flowers and writing bad poetry. She was the classic "emotionally fragile" route. Easy to seduce, hard to protect.
And I was going to break her route too.
I made my way to the art room.
Inside, the light spilled through white curtains. The scent of paint thinner hung in the air. Hina stood at her easel, painting a field of wildflowers in soft pastel tones. She wore the standard uniform, but with the sleeves rolled up and a paint-stained apron around her waist.
She turned when I entered, and for a moment, her eyes flickered.
"...Senpai?"
Her voice was just as gentle as I remembered. Quiet. Almost like a question.
"You remember me?" I asked, stepping closer.
She smiled faintly. "You returned the red chalk box to me last week. I never thanked you properly."
That wasn't in the original game.
NPC Sera never interacted with her.
I took a step closer, and she didn't shy away.
"Beautiful painting," I said, nodding to her canvas.
She blushed slightly. "They say painting flowers is a way to stop time. I think... I'm scared of things fading."
I stared at her. That wasn't a line from her game script either. Something else was waking up inside her. Something raw. Real.
"You're not fading," I told her. "Not while I'm here."
Her fingers twitched at that, and she quickly looked away.
[New Flag Initiated: Unscripted Emotional Event]
[Heroine "Hina Yukimura" – Attraction Status: Undefined]
[System Alert: Heroine Prioritization Conflict Detected]
Yeah. The system hated me right now.
"Would you like to stay?" she asked softly. "I... wouldn't mind if you watched."
"Only if you don't mind me getting in your personal space," I said smoothly.
She blushed again—but smiled.
"Maybe I want you in my space."
I sat beside her, watching the brush strokes dance across the canvas. For a long moment, we didn't speak. Just the soft sound of bristles on fabric.
Then she reached for a color, paused, and looked at me.
"I was trying to paint someone... but I think I forgot their face."
Her voice was trembling. Her fingers hesitated at the edge of the paint tray.
"But now that you're here... I think it was you."
I didn't say anything. Just leaned in closer.
Her face turned toward me—timid, uncertain. Our lips barely inches apart.
"Is this okay?" she whispered.
[Event Path: Irregular. Initiate Y/N?]
Y
I kissed her gently.
Softer than with Airi. Slower. Like tracing a line of emotion across a trembling page.
She made the tiniest sound—more breath than voice—and kissed me back.
Her fingers brushed mine, smearing paint between our skin. Her lips tasted faintly of strawberry lip balm and nervous courage. Our breath mingled. Hearts pounding.
Then—just like with Airi—a subtle flicker. The world blinked.
[Scene Incompatibility. Emotional Depth Exceeded Route Threshold.]
I pulled back slowly. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes dazed but bright.
"I don't know what's happening," she said. "But I... I feel like I've waited a long time for that."
I touched her cheek. "Maybe you have."
She leaned into my touch, then suddenly her expression faltered. "Wait… who was I supposed to meet today?"
Her head tilted—confused. "There was someone… black hair, warm smile..."
Her voice faded. She looked lost.
I knew that look.
The system trying to reassign her to Reiji.
And failing.
Because I'd gotten there first.
Later, as I walked away from the art room, the alert system went wild:
[Second Route Disruption Confirmed]
[Heroine Memory Anchoring Detected]
[Protagonist Bond Status: NULL]
I smiled.
Two down.
Reiji didn't stand a chance.