FOURTH INSTANCE: BRIAN MISSED THE BUS EVERYDAY, at the exact 8:45 am in the morning, Brian Walsh watched as the bus going to school went past him with a brief horn to acknowledge his presence. Jana saw him smile a little before putting on his earphones. He started walking down the road. Taking his sweet time without stopping to look at anything else. Jana followed his movements with her eyes. When he finally vanished off the busy road, she raised a brow. "This is a tough one," she lamented. The setting of this world is a modern one. Situated at a famous middle school in the city. Brian Walsh is the leading man of this instance. He's madly deep in love with the protagonist; his bestfriend, Josephine Fowler. Their past can even write a beautiful story about a man secretly pinning for his bestfriend. A lovely beggining. The catch is that, the woman is a bad egg. Or, for the sake of being precise, a gangster-wannabe. Josephine raises hell wherever she go. And Brian was the only o
“There's nothing I can't do, Brian. I am limitless! Powerful!” Brian can't believe how much time can change a person. Josephine is his childhood best friend. They parted for several years and now they're back together. Just not the way he imagined it to be. Josephine's parents broke up. They left her to live alone in a small apartment next to Brian's dorm building. It was fate, in his opinion. Although Josephine doesn't acknowledge him as a friend anymore. When she said, ‘If you are indeed a friend of mine, where were you when I needed someone to help me?’ Brian was crushed with disappointment and guilt. They were both kids back then and Brian needs to go with his dad and register as his legitimate son. When he went back to his hometown, Josephine had already moved out. Brian was six years old that time. He wasn't even sure if Josephine was his real best friend before. But her image suited the blurry perception at the back of his head. Another thing is that Josephine can't
"Do you know that guy?" Johann rolled his eyes. Jana found the action cute in him. "He looked like he swallowed some shit, you know. When you mentioned the gang." "That's to be expected from him. Josephine is her girlfriend. His aversion to me and my group is nothing surprising." Jana tapped his shoulder. "Thank you for playing the part with me. You memorised your part well. I should really go and treat you to some lunch. Let's go." "That too. Why do you want to pretend like you're some... superhuman being when he's around? I do find it strange when you act like it doesn't hurt. That must have been painful!" Jana shrug carelessly but she sincerely thanked Vivien in her mind. Her body composition can be easily altered. Fanning her pain tolerance to its maximum endurance is nothing. Now she can pretend to be Brian's lost childhood best friend. Although the impression is hard to prove, it's still a doable plan. It's better than nothing. All she had to do is act accordingly to he
Brian ran late next morning in class. He stared at the long line of students getting listed from the guard house. He slept late thinking about Josephine and her 'friends'. This day, he wanted to talk with Jana. Brian decided to try and befriend them. As the old saying said, if he can't beat it then at least he can join it. "Sir! I'm with Jana!" A tall guy with a very large bag in front of him raise his hand. The guard eye him critically before asking, "On what ground, boy?" 'What ground?' Brian pushed his spectacles up on his nose bridge. It had slided down because of his perspiration. "Working student. Here's my working ID." Brian furrowed his brow. This guy repeated his studies and it looked like he's of legal age. Why did he mention Jana's name? The guard let him pass. After signing up his name for the punishment of cleaning the covered court later, Brian ran towards the tall guy. "Hey!" he greeted with a smile. The guy was surprised to see him. His eyes flashed with m
Brian attended the morning class with his mind flying to space without any plans of returning any time soon. To solve his inner demons, he asked for Jana's usual place and bought a juice in advance to offer it for peace. The conversation was smooth and even mature, considering they both had wrong footed the other on the first glance. They had different opinions of the other, none of which are flagrant. Jana prove herself to be nice. Even if she burnt herself unknowingly, her lips flaming red and uncomfortable to look at. Brian couldn't sit still knowing she must have injured her own mouth. 'How can she survive growing up if she's too careless?' He recalled someone protecting Jana. It was 'Anthony.' Before Brian can ask Jana about it, a man appeared behind her with a small box of fruits and a mineral bottle. "Have you eaten anything for breakfast?" Brian silently told himself, 'They're lovers.' He can't be wrong this time. But it looks like god won't give him
Vivien comforted Jana with religious scriptures and motivational passages. After an hour, the system said, "The host's main mission is to change the villain's ending. Dying doesn't have to be a bad thing. In fact, death has always been a powerful catalyst for a huge character shift in the protagonists' mentality. Is the host comforted well enough?" "No." Jana closed her eyes. "I recall George. He was left to deal with my death as well. I just... I can't think properly, okay?" "Host manage to make a huge impact in the last mission. The reward points is above satisfactory level. This should motivate the host enough." "Are you saying I should be caring only for the profits and not the methods that I'm taking?" Vivien ruthlessly said, "The host can barely save herself and buy her own freedom from the game. Why should she cry for other's misfortune?" Jana opened her mouth, only to close it dejectedly. Vivien, as an AI, didn't feel remorse and even blabbered, "The system will enter
Brian knock over a trash bin. His smiled sheepishly when the students inside turned their eyes on him. He greeted, "Hi... sorry I'm late. I just ran straight from my class." "Oh..." Miles' eyes squinted. "Is this 'Brian', Jana? Johann will be so happy to see him." The curious stare became an unwelcoming glance afterwards. Brian had expected it. The guy who he had seen together with Jana in the library was Johann. Even if he do not belong in the group, he is still regarded as a member and the students here see him as friends. Brian is an active member of the debate club. On more than one occasion, he had arguments with Johann regarding the 'gangs' existing in school. Johann was always the one who step off the stage with a furious face. Not because he had lost but because the 'good' students present in the room doesn't want to hear his pro side. "Is he here because he wants to convert?" Jana cleared her throat. The burger in her hand uneaten and still in the perfect condition.
At the third day of doing work in the church, Brian finally blended seamlessly in the group. The straightforward and no-nonsense people brought him a breathe of fresh air. They are not like the students in his class who only remembered him as the class president and as the responsible one. He was allowed to joke here. They doesn't mind that he wants to date Jana. The woman herself turned out to be full of talents. On one occasion, she sung for the church's grand chorale as a dare from Johann. In the end, the grand chorale's manager personally asked Jana to join the group. She refused vehemently in excuse of school and health-related issues. "Bri, pass me that one!" Brian lifted his head from the takeout dinner that Miles bought. He reach for the certain unopened brush and toss it towards Anthony. "Why won't you eat first? The food is getting cold." "It's fine. I don't have the appetite." Jana gave Brian a soda can. He muttered a thanks before chugging it down. "The place