3 Darling 002

CHAPTER 3

Darling 002

The first bell rings and I pull out my books. Oh, shit! I forgot to do my homework! I fill out the simple math equations. I can feel Mitsuko's piercing blue eyes again, but I don't look to my left to see if these feelings are legitimate. Surely just paranoia…

Ms. Ogawa talks about the history of the Roman Empire. My mind drifts to Digital Sin Online. I devise strategies in my head how I can get the ten million gold… Killing players is the most lucrative, but it gets progressively more dangerous the more gold I carry due to the bounties placed on my character. I feel my soul being crushed with each ticking minute.

I sit alone at lunch again. I know better than to look at Mitsuko. She has made it clear she doesn't like me. I keep my eyes low as I eat my white rice and spam. I don't want to wait outside the classroom, so I sit in a bathroom stall until it's time to go back.

"That concludes our lesson for today. How much time do we have? Ten minutes… I've been told to remind you that it is a half-day tomorrow due to the regional competitions after school."

Ms. Ogawa squints her eyes. "It's being held at our campus for the first time in history, so I expect everyone to be there… I will be taking attendance. There's the archery competition; Mitsuko will be representing our school, so be sure to show her your support. There's the weightlifting contest, the…"

Everyone looks at Mitsuko, including me. "There's no way I'm missing that," a male student whispers. "I wish she joined the volleyball team, I mean, look at her legs," a female says. "Next year she'll be with us," a cheerleader says.

Ms. Ogawa looks like a vein is about to burst in her brain. She deliberately clears her throat and everyone shuts up. "There's the wrestling tournament, art exhibition, drone flying…"

I tune out Ms. Ogawa until I hear something impossible. "Our school is hosting the next… Digital Sin Online? Whatever that is… I guess a video game or something? Oh, yes, I think I've seen that on my Zenith…"

Before I know it, my hand is raised. Ms. Ogawa looks surprised. "Yes, Jin?"

"Um… Is there a prize for… winning any of these?"

"Oh, yes, thank you for reminding me…" Ms. Ogawa reads off the various prizes; scholarship boosts, honors, educational benefits, credits... She unenthusiastically states that the winner of the Digital Sin Online tournament will receive 50 million gold?! My jaw drops. Ms. Ogawa thinks 'fake money' is a ridiculous prize, yet with the standard conversion rate, that equates to 5000 credits! That's five months of rent money!

We have five minutes left until class ends. Ms. Ogawa allows us free time. The classroom is loud with chatter. I sit alone, playing Digital Sin Online in my imagination. I put my headphones in. Before I can press play—

"Why did you ask that?" Mitsuko says quietly. I don't look up, but when nobody responds… I turn to my left, staring at the floor first. I see her crossed thighs bouncing impatiently against each other. I look up. Her arms are crossed. She's just barely eyeing me with a disinterested sidelong glance. I look around, just to be sure…

Mitsuko snaps her fingers. Snap snap. I flinch twice. She tilts her head to the side. "Are you stupid or something? Hello? I'm talking to you, loser."

"Sorry…" I respond, unable to look into those cold blue eyes. I look at her blue fingernails instead tapping impatiently on the desk.

"Sorry? Are you going to answer my question?"

I think of an answer, but before I can speak, she is surrounded by her friends. She goes back to pretending I don't exist. I'm relieved. The bell rings and I hurry out of class. My heart feels like it's about to burst.

I don't know why Mitsuko is being mean to me. But truthfully, I spent the last two years being invisible. Nobody ever talks to me except for Ms. Ogawa. Even if it's just hurtful comments, it feels nice to finally be noticed… I guess.

I go to the student council room. I have never been here before. I creep from afar until I spot the competition flyers. I see the Digital Sin Online logo. I open the flyer and read the stipulations.

Competitors will take control of a level 1 character and be dropped at Darling 002.

Last player standing wins 50,000,000 gold and will be immortalized at the Hall of Champions.

It goes on to explain how students from all the surrounding school districts will be competing. It will be a challenge… but I need to win. If not, I will be homeless. It wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to me, but I don't think I could continue on in this life with another tragedy. Success is my only option, failures not.

I tell the student council president, Kitsuru Mirijo, that I'd like to enter the competition. I shyly give her my username: JinItToWinIt. She squeezes her lips together to suppress her laughter. If I win, I'm definitely spending the 300 credits to rename my account.

I spot a paper with a female archer in a kyudo uniform. I secretly grab a pamphlet and jam it in my pocket. I read it in the bathroom stall. It begins tomorrow at 3pm. My competition is at 5pm. I tell myself I'll have to skip the archery contest to practice, but my walk home is filled with conflicting thoughts…