A Curious Connection

The sound of a whistle broke the fragile quiet of the morning, followed by the sharp voice of their math teacher, Mr. Grant.

"Rise and shine, everyone! Breakfast isn't going to eat itself!"

Lucas groaned, dragging himself out of his tent with all the grace of a zombie.

The first rays of sunlight spilled across the campsite, casting a golden glow over the makeshift settlement.

Around him, other students were rubbing sleep from their eyes and stumbling out of their tents, muttering complaints about Mr. Grant's enthusiasm.

"Does he have to yell every morning?" Lucas grumbled, running a hand through his messy hair.

Leo, already half-dressed and adjusting his shirt, shot him a wry smile. "He's the only one here who actually likes being awake at sunrise. I think it's his secret revenge for all those late homework submissions."

Lucas chuckled despite himself. They joined the sluggish crowd heading toward the center of the camp, where a few mats had been laid out for their meals.

Mr. Grant stood by a stack of rations, doling them out with a practiced efficiency that made Lucas wonder if the man had some secret survivalist past.

"Come on, take your portions and sit down," Mr. Grant called, waving a ration pack at them. "The sooner you eat, the sooner we can start the day's tasks."

Lucas and Leo each grabbed their food and found a spot on one of the mats, sitting cross-legged with their meals.

The rations were bland and uninspired — mostly crackers, dried fruit, and the occasional small packet of peanut butter — but no one complained.

Hunger had a way of making even the driest cracker taste like a gourmet meal.

As Lucas chewed on a piece of dried mango, his mind wandered back to the events of the previous night.

The screen, the strange messages, the Harem Survival System. It all felt surreal, like a dream. But when he glanced around the camp, he couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.

"So," Leo said, breaking the silence. "You seem distracted."

Lucas snapped out of his thoughts and turned to his friend. "Just thinking."

"About what? The crash? The fact that no one's come looking for us?"

"Yeah," Lucas said vaguely, though that wasn't entirely true. His thoughts were less about rescue and more about the bizarre new addition to his life.

Leo raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it, but he didn't press. Instead, he turned his attention to his food, leaving Lucas to his thoughts.

'It's about forming bonds with girls, right?' Lucas thought, replaying the system's message in his head. 'It doesn't have to be Sophia or Nina. There are plenty of other options...'

He scanned the campsite discreetly, his gaze drifting from group to group. Most of the students were eating in small clusters, chatting quietly or staring off into the distance.

The teachers sat together, discussing something in hushed tones.

And then he saw her.

She was sitting across from him, her legs folded neatly on the mat. Her dark hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she had a quiet, almost serene presence about her.

Her name was Mia, if he remembered correctly — a soft-spoken girl who rarely drew attention to herself.

Lucas hadn't paid her much mind before, but now her gaze was fixed on him, her dark eyes studying him intently. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

Before Lucas could process the moment, a soft chime echoed in his ears, and a translucent tab appeared above Mia's head:

[Mia Harper]

[Affection: 25]

[Lust: 5]

[Trust: 20]

Lucas blinked, momentarily stunned. The tab hovered above her head like a game interface, completely invisible to everyone else.

He tried not to stare, but his curiosity got the better of him. The numbers weren't particularly high, but they were a start.

He couldn't help but wonder what he'd done to earn even that much affection or trust from her.

Leo nudged him with his elbow, snapping him out of his trance. "Dude, you're zoning out again. What's up?"

Lucas shook his head, forcing a smile. "Nothing. Just... thinking about how weird all of this is."

Leo gave him a skeptical look but let it slide, turning back to his food.

Lucas risked another glance at Mia. She was eating quietly, her attention focused on her meal, but every now and then, her eyes darted back to him.

Each time their gazes met, she quickly looked away, her blush deepening.

'Okay, so she's definitely noticed me,' Lucas thought, feeling a strange mix of pride and confusion. 'But why? I've barely spoken to her.'

He decided to test the waters. Clearing his throat, he leaned slightly forward and gave her a small smile. "Hey, Mia, right?"

She looked up, her eyes wide with surprise. "Y-yeah."

"Just wanted to say, you've been handling all this pretty well. A lot of people are freaking out, but you seem really calm."

Mia's blush deepened, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh, um, thanks. I guess I'm just... trying to stay focused."

"That's a good attitude to have," Lucas said, keeping his tone casual.

She gave him a shy smile, and Lucas felt a small surge of satisfaction. The tab above her head flickered, and the numbers shifted.

[Affection: 30]

[Trust: 25]

Lucas nearly laughed out loud.

'Shit, This is insane,' he thought, struggling to keep a straight face.

Leo, oblivious to the invisible stats, leaned closer and whispered, "Are you flirting with Mia right now?"

Lucas shrugged, his smirk widening. "Just making conversation."

Leo snorted. "Sure. And I'm the king of the island."

As the breakfast routine continued, Lucas found himself stealing glances at Mia. The system had given him a glimpse into her feelings, and it was hard not to feel a little emboldened by the knowledge.

For now, though, he decided to play it cool. The last thing he wanted was to come on too strong and scare her off.

As the morning wore on, the students began to disperse, some heading to the shore while others took on small tasks around the camp.

But the teachers finally called them – the boys of course for a special job only the boys could do…