[Game loading complete]
[Current Scene: Qingshan Hospital]
Amamiya Natsuki opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings.
He was inside a dilapidated hospital ward. The fluorescent ceiling light above him flickered weakly, casting dim illumination that threatened to vanish at any second.
"Huh?" Amamiya Natsuki blinked in confusion. "Where are Fujiwara and Kaguya?"
The air was unnaturally cold.
The room was empty—just him, and no one else.
"Not in the same starting location, huh?" he murmured. He turned to check the game interface.
[You have received the main mission. Tap to view.]
"…It's clearly a virtual screen, but you can't tap it with your hands?"
He squinted and muttered in complaint, but the task menu popped up as soon as he stared at it.
[Main Mission: Survive for 24 hours. Nurses will make random rounds every hour. During that time, do not stay in the corridor.]
[Tip: Side missions are available in this scene. Please explore to discover them.]
[Warm Tip: This scenario includes a hidden lore system. Unlocking it will grant generous rewards.]
[Warm Tip: Maintain a good relationship with your roommate to ensure your safety.]
"…Roommate?" Natsuki frowned. "But I'm the only one here."
Zzzzt.
Suddenly, an old black-and-white television in the corner flickered to life, emitting a loud electrical buzz.
Amamiya Natsuki instinctively turned to look. The screen displayed an ancient, moss-covered well, nestled deep within a gloomy forest. Fallen leaves littered the surroundings.
The image trembled slightly.
Then—a pale, bloodless hand slowly emerged from the lip of the well.
Natsuki's heart skipped a beat.
Next, a long-haired woman—her face completely obscured by black strands—crawled out of the well and began inching toward the screen.
"Oh no."
Natsuki twitched, instinctively taking a step back.
This… this is Sadako's intro sequence, right?
Of course it was.
This was absurd. She's one of the top ten most terrifying evil spirits in the world! If Sadako is my roommate, I'm 100% dead!
What kind of black-hearted hospital would dare admit Miss Sadako as a patient?!
Panicking, Natsuki moved toward the door and yanked it open. Time to run.
But the instant the door creaked open, he froze.
The hallway was pitch black—no lights, no visibility, just a dense, swallowing void.
A bright warning message popped up before him:
[Danger: Do not enter the corridor during this time.]
"…Tch."
Natsuki silently closed the door and turned back toward the TV.
By now, Miss Sadako had slithered all the way to the screen. Her head was poking out into the room.
The temperature plummeted again. The oppressive atmosphere grew thicker.
And then…
Miss Sadako's black hair quivered as her body twitched awkwardly.
"…Is she stuck?"
Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "Is the TV too small for her?"
After a bit of wriggling, Miss Sadako finally broke free from the screen and stood upright. Her white dress was stained with blood. Her long, thick hair draped completely over her face, hiding everything—even her eyes.
Natsuki's gaze shifted downward—and quickly discovered why she'd gotten stuck in the first place.
So big.
From the side, it looked like a ridge; from the front, it was a full-blown peak. Even the bloodstained shirt couldn't conceal the majesty of her chest.
"…Weren't you originally androgynous in the source material?" Natsuki's expression twisted. "That bust size is illegal. I don't trust you to be a serious ghost anymore."
At that moment, a prompt appeared in front of him again.
[Name: Sadako]
[Affiliation: Himura Dairy]
[Age: Unknown]
[Milk Volume: Unspeakable]
[Through careful observation, you've discovered two of Miss Sadako's weaknesses.]
"Hey hey hey… Don't tell me one of the weaknesses is that, right?"
[1. Sadako has developed severe social anxiety after living alone for too long.]
[Hint: Try looking into her eyes with gentle affection.]
Even if you hired an Oscar-winning actor, no one could gaze affectionately at Sadako!
As if to prove that her phobia was a lie, Sadako began walking toward him—her pale feet soundless, her head tilted at a disturbing angle.
She was getting very close.
Amamiya Natsuki inhaled deeply and forced himself to stay calm.
Running into the corridor was suicide.
In that case...
"Miss Sadako," he said solemnly, "I'll show you something amazing."
He slowly reached into his pocket.
"…?"
Sadako paused mid-step. Her bangs trembled faintly.
Something amazing? What's this guy planning?
Could it be… that kind of thing?!
Every other human she'd encountered would scream or hide in a corner, shaking. But this boy—he wasn't playing by the rules.
Could she have encountered a pervert?
The more she thought about it, the more nervous she became. She actually took a step back.
"Don't move," Natsuki said seriously, pulling out a wooden comb. "Let me give you a middle part."
The 100% Center-Part Comb—guaranteed to part any biological hair perfectly down the middle.
Sadako's hair practically begged to be styled.
The moment the comb touched her hair, Natsuki's right hand began to move on its own. It danced like lightning, trailing afterimages through the air.
In less than five seconds, he had finished.
A perfect, classic schoolgirl-style middle part.
"Huh?"
Natsuki blinked.
He had expected something horrifying underneath that curtain of hair—maybe a rotting face, or empty eye sockets.
Instead… Sadako's face was beautiful.
Her skin was pale, yes, but her eyes were human—dark irises, clean sclera. There was even a single teardrop-shaped mole below her left eye. Her entire face radiated the soft fragility of a girl you couldn't help wanting to tease.
Sadako blinked, dumbfounded. She didn't even know how her hair had changed. Her expression was visibly blank.
Natsuki locked eyes with her.
Their gazes met.
Sadako trembled.
The social anxiety kicked in. She panicked, covered her face with both hands, and bolted toward the TV.
"Wait—don't run!" Natsuki called. "We're roommates! What are you scared of?"
Sadako ignored him completely, dove into the television, and disappeared back into the old well.
The room fell quiet again.
Natsuki silently returned the comb to his pocket.
"Well… I'd say our roommate relationship is pretty solid now."
No more worrying about being murdered in his sleep.
He waited in the ward for a while longer. Eventually, the corridor lights flickered back to life and became stable.
Natsuki stepped out of the room.
He looked up—his room number was 404.
Click.
A door nearby creaked open.
A petite girl with long black hair tied in a side ponytail stepped out. She wore an eyepatch and looked just a little too cute to be here. Definitely a fellow player. Her eyes were misty with tears, and it looked like she was about to cry at any second.
Natsuki scanned the area. Still no sign of Fujiwara or Kaguya.
After a moment of hesitation, he approached and spoke up:
"Excuse me. May I have your name?"
The girl sniffled and replied with teary eyes:
"Takanashi... Rikka..."