Chapter 7: New Login Detected

The next few days were quiet between Miyu and Ren—but comfortable. They messaged regularly, sometimes in-game, sometimes not. A shared song link. A silly meme. A short check-in.

Then came the guild raid. A large event. A full party. Voices in Discord overlapping like threads in a tapestry.

Among them was a familiar voice.

“Hey everyone! Sorry I’m late! Who’s our bard tonight?”

Miyu glanced at the screen. The name popped up in the party list: RikaTheRogue.

Ren typed, “HanaLune is our bard. Best we’ve got.”

Rika’s voice chimed again. “Ohhh, that HanaLune? Cute voice. She’s even sweeter in person, right, Ren?”

The guild chat went quiet for a moment.

Ren didn’t respond.

Miyu’s fingers paused on her keyboard.

RikaTheRogue: We met IRL, you know. Coffee at that little jazz café near his place. He didn’t mention that, huh, Hana?

HanaLune: He didn’t. But then again, I didn’t ask.

RikaTheRogue: Touché.

The raid progressed, but the atmosphere was tense. Miyu missed a few notes in her rotation. Ren’s dodges were just a little late. And Rika? She never stopped talking.

After the raid, Ren whispered to her privately.

OblivionHeart: I didn’t invite her. She showed up unannounced.

HanaLune: You don’t owe me explanations. We’re just friends... right?

There was a long pause.

OblivionHeart: We can be more. But only if we’re both honest.

Miyu didn’t answer right away. She needed space to think. Because as much as she wanted to believe in them, the echoes of her past still whispered doubts.

She closed her laptop, but the sound of Rika’s voice lingered in her ears. Not just teasing—but possessive. Like Ren was already someone’s prize.

And Miyu hated how that made her feel.