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𝙶𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐...

Hidden Level II - Real Life Otome Skills

5 years later

Your POV

It was a common thing of your relationship with Nagi that he wasn't home a lot. However, as long as you two knew you were a couple and grateful for each other, it was enough to let you fall asleep at night. Ever since you had met him and ever since you hadn't been under the pressure of doing what your mom expected from you anymore, your insomnia had slowly gone away.

You and Nagi had bought your own house by now and he had insisted on buying a beautiful small apartment for your grandma near to your home as well. Whenever he was home, he wanted to spend all his free time with you, even if the two of you just slept beside each other or did your own thing in the same room.

Nagi wasn't a person who couldn't be alone, it was just that he didn't want to if he had another choice. At least when it came to you. He valued your time more than anything and you were grateful for having such a wonderful partner. Even though he wasn't home a lot, the both of you appreciated each other equally - isn't that something every couple should strive for?

Talking about other couples, Reo and Mika had been dating unofficially since Blue Lock ended. You never actually would have thought that would happen - not because Mika wasn't great, but because you didn't think Reo liked other genders too. It always seemed as if he was merely interested in older women. However, somehow Mika managed it to charm him and they honestly were the cutest couple you knew.

Whenever the four of you met to go out together, it was quite obvious to you that they were head over heels for each other - perfectly matching Nagi's and your energy.

"And then Mika started crying, for the fourth time! Haha", Reo had told you that one evening.

"Oi Reo!!", Mika had whined in response.

"Don't worry, I think it's cute that you're so emotional, especially when it comes to me"

"You're an meanie"

"No, I am your meanie. Where will we have dinner tonight?"

"Don't you just switch the topic!!"

"You sure you wanna continue? You're all red already"

"I..."

"Looks cute"

"(Y/N), help!"

Then Reo and you would simply laugh while Nagi would most probably make a comment like "You're so easy to tease, Mika-kun".

Aside from the four of you, you also still were befriended to Sakura. She had eventually stopped working at the Arcade and become a nurse. The two of you still met for cinema, gaming, or merely talks. Whenever you two met, you felt a little less lonely, even when Nagi wasn't home.

Whenever Hyoma was near the city, he would let you know as well. It wasn't that often, but eventually you would meet up - most often with your grandma, to play some board games. Your Nana was a little bit weaker physically by now, yet she was as shrewd as ever. Maybe even cannier than before, at least sometimes it seemed like that when she crushed Hyo-chan and you in a round of chess.

You visited her frequently, bringing her flowers, cooking for her, reading to her. She was everything to you and you wanted her to feel loved, just like she always made you feel when you needed it the most.

You didn't know and didn't care what happened to your mother and were glad that your grandma never talked about that topic ever again.

On Christmas, all of you would meet, if possible. Except for Hyoma, who would celebrate it with his sister most often. But Reo, Mika, your grandma, Sakura, Nagi, and you spent the holidays together at the apartment of your Nana. She and you would prepare meals together, Reo and Mika would bring some expensive drinks, Nagi would go out of his way to clean the whole apartment, Sakura would bring herself if she didn't have to work on Christmas and that was everything the rest of you could wish for.

But...what about you?

You yourself had become a game engineer. Whenever you designed a new game, you showed Nagi first, if possible. With him as a pro-football-player, he had much less time to play games now, however he still was a good rival for you, since you spent more time creating the games than playing them yourself.

Often when you thought about Nagi while trying to come up with new ideas for a game, you found yourself reminiscing. Somehow, getting to know him had felt like a game too. Like some real life Otome game. Just that, as soon as you made a wrong decision, you weren't able to simply try again and go down another path as if the other choice has never happened.

But sometimes there's no right way in playing. Sometimes it's okay to screw things up, to leave the path and find another. 'Game Over' doesn't mean you can never play again. It simply means that things didn't work out the first time.

But most often than not, things work out differently than one had expected anyway. And sometimes they become even better. Maybe we all need a 'Game Over' from time to time, just to realise that we will survive it and find another way. Maybe an even better one.

The effort and time we put into something or someone - especially ourselves - is never wasted, as long as we had our fun on the way.

You and Nagi both had been absolutely clueless when it came to love. You tried not to fall too hard - and failed. You tried not to let emotions control your actions at any time - and failed.

But how has it turned out?

You looked at the man who was sitting in front of you right now, calmly eating the yakisoba you had made for his return, while you watered Choki - his cactus who had survived all these years thanks to the frequent care of the both of you. Nagi looked at you in a tired yet curious manner. "Wanna play together?"

Whether he meant football or the game you had newly designed recently, you didn't know. But it didn't matter - you would destroy him either way. At least you'd give your best when it came to football, considering that he surely had tons of muscles more than you and was still taller than 1,90m. Yet, you wouldn't give up before you didn't try.

"Of course, loser", you grinned and he slightly pursed his lips.

"Idiot", he retorted and stood up, a determined glint flashing his eyes. You decided to leave your own Yakisoba for later. The two of your stared at each other for a few seconds, when suddenly a rare smile graced your husband's lips. "I'll destroy you and make you kneel, my NemesiS."

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𝙶𝙰𝙼𝙴 𝙲𝙻𝙴𝙰𝚁𝙴𝙳