The Wrong Time to Fall in Love - An Extra Pair of Shoes

Laughter echoed throughout Ren's apartment.

Despite being the only person physically inside, the living room felt alive.

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"Zak, behind you!"

"I'm trying!"

"No, you're literally running toward him!"

A loud explosion erupted through the television.

"...Never mind."

Ren couldn't help laughing as Zak's character disappeared from the screen.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

"You've got two kills," Aoyama teased.

"I've got objective score."

"Copium."

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The apartment filled with overlapping voices, arguments, and laughter as the match continued.

Ren leaned back in his chair, controller firmly in his hands.

It had only been a few days since he last saw Mio.

Life had settled into something... normal.

He spent most afternoons meeting friends at diners, sharing burgers and milkshakes while talking about anything and everything.

Evenings usually ended with everyone online, convincing each other to buy whatever new game had become popular that week.

It wasn't exciting.

But for the first time in a while...

Life felt peaceful.

Then...

Knock.

Ren frowned.

His eyes drifted toward the clock.

11:42 PM.

"...Who the hell?"

"I'll be right back," he said into his headset.

He slipped it halfway off before walking to the front door.

Opening it revealed someone he hadn't expected.

"...Mio?" Ren asked.

She stood there carrying a medium-sized suitcase with a shoulder bag hanging from her arm.

"...Hi," Mio said.

"...Hi?"

Neither of them said anything for several seconds.

Ren stepped aside.

"You gonna stand there all night?"

A small smile appeared on her face as she quietly walked inside.

Without saying much, she set her suitcase beside the wall near the entrance before hanging her coat over a nearby chair. Her shoulder bag landed beside the suitcase.

Ren glanced between her and the luggage.

"...Are you... staying?"

"I'll explain later."

Before he could ask another question, she disappeared down the hallway.

A few moments later...

The sound of running water filled the apartment.

Ren stared toward the bathroom.

"...Okay then."

Shaking his head, he returned to his chair.

"What took you so long?" Zak asked.

"You die?" Aoyama asked.

"Nah."

"...Unexpected visitor."

"Ooooh." Iori and Aoyama collectively said.

"Shut up."

The game continued for another hour.

The match had reached its most chaotic point.

"Left side!" Aoyama yelled.

"I KNOW!" Kyyuki shouted.

"Throw your grenade!" Iori yelled.

"I ALREADY DID!" Zak snapped.

“REN!” Iori called.

“I KNOW!” Ren yelled as his fingers flew across the controller with explosions covering the screen.

Then...

Two warm hands rested gently on his shoulders.

He flinched as his body stiffened.

Soft fingertips slowly traced down his back before sliding forward across his shoulders, finally stopping against his chest.

A shiver ran down his spine.

"...M-Mio?"

She leaned down behind him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I wanted to surprise you."

"...Bro."

Zak's voice suddenly echoed through Ren's headset.

"Oh no," Zak muttered.

"...Ren?" Kyyuki asked.

"...Who's touching you?" Aoyama added.

Ren's eyes widened.

"..."

"...I forgot to mute." Ren muttered.

Before he could react, Mio leaned closer to the microphone.

In a playful voice, she asked,

"Is Ren doing good, or is he being complete trash?"

"Hey!" Ren yelled.

Ren immediately tried standing up.

Two hands pressed firmly onto his shoulders.

"Nope.” Mio added.

He dropped right back into the chair.

"Stay there," she said with a satisfied smile.

"I'll make you dinner."

Ren blinked.

"...Dinner? At this hour?"

She was already walking toward the kitchen.

"...What just happened?" Iori asked through the headset.

"I don't know."

"You live with a ghost or something?" Kyyuki asked.

"I think she's real... I think."

Laughter erupted through everyone's microphones.

Ren rubbed his forehead.

"...I'm never living this down, huh?"

A short while later...

A gentle pinch landed on his shoulder.

He turned.

Mio stood beside him holding a plate.

"Here's your dinner, my dear."

Ren looked down.

A small pile of rice... and one boiled egg.

"..."

He slowly accepted the plate.

"Thanks...?"

She smiled proudly.

Without another word...

She walked away.

Ren looked back at the plate.

"...She really made that sound like a five-course meal." Ren sighed.

Even Zak couldn't stop laughing.

The rest of the evening passed quietly.

Mio stayed in the apartment.

But she barely acknowledged Ren.

The next day...

More silence.

The day after...

More silence.

Ren assumed she'd eventually explain everything.

Instead...

She simply existed.

The apartment slowly felt less like his.

Her shoes rested beside the front door.

Her coat hung over the chair.

A toothbrush appeared beside his in the bathroom.

Little signs that someone else now lived there.

No conversation.

No explanation.

Just...

Presence.

A few nights later...

Another gaming session.

This time, nearly everyone was online.

Zak.

Aoyama.

Kyyuki.

Iori.

Naomi.

Taro.

The team found themselves trapped in the middle of an all-out fight.

"They're pushing!" Taro yelled, hiding behind a tree.

"Behind us!" Iori mentioned, shooting at people behind the group.

"I KNOW!" Zak replied, ducking behind a large rock for cover.

"REN, HEAL ME!" Aoyama yelled, missing most of his health.

"I'm trying!" Ren yelled, patching up Aoyama.

Tap.

Something nudged his shoulder.

Ren barely looked.

"...Hold on." Ren said, still staring at the screen.

Tap.

He turned.

One leg stepped over his chair.

"..."

Then another.

"Uh...Mio?"

Without asking...

She settled directly into his lap.

"What?!" Ren blurted.

She didn't answer.

Instead...

She wrapped both arms around his shoulders before burying her face against his chest.

The sounds of gunfire continued blasting from the television.

Ren had completely stopped playing.

His teammates hadn't.

"...Ren?" Iori asked.

"...Buddy?" Aoyama asked.

"You alive?" Taro asked.

Ren sighed.

Putting his controller down, he gently removed one ear of his headset.

"Uh...Can I help you?"

Silence.

"...Mio?"

Still nothing.

"..."

Finally...

A quiet voice answered.

"You haven't been paying attention to me."

Ren stared at her.

"...You haven't talked to me for two-ish days."

She puffed out her cheeks.

"Shut up, Ren."

"..."

"Pay attention to me!" She yelled with puffed cheeks.

Somewhere through the headset...

People started laughing.

Ren blinked.

"...I forgot to mute again."

Mio immediately reached over and grabbed the headset from him.

Placing it on her own head, she cheerfully announced,

"I'm stealing Ren for the next week."

"A WEEK?!" Ren shouted.

"Two weeks."

"...Maybe tomorrow."

"A month."

"Absolutely not."

"A year."

"NOT THAT LONG!"

Laughter exploded through voice chat.

"Someone, say something!" Ren pleaded.

"Good luck." Iori mentioned, softly giggling.

"You traitor."

Mio giggled.

"Thanks! I'll do my best."

She handed the headset back.

Then wrapped herself around him again.

Ren attempted reaching for his controller.

She tightened her grip.

"Mio..."

"No."

"I need to close the game..."

"No."

"They'll hear everything..."

She looked up at him with a mischievous smile.

"...Let them."

"...What?"

"Let them hear you're mine now."

The voice chat immediately erupted.

"Ooooooooh!"

Both Ren and Mio froze.

Mio's face instantly turned bright red.

"NOT LIKE THAT!"

"Awwww!"

Ren buried his face in one hand.

"...I'm surrounded by children."

Using every bit of strength he had, Ren stood up slowly.

Mio let out a surprised squeak as he lifted both of them off the chair.

"H-Hey!"

He turned toward the bed.

"...Sorry."

Then gently tossed her onto the mattress.

She bounced once before staring at him with wide, watery eyes.

"...You're mean!"

Ren sighed.

"We'll go out tomorrow."

"...Really?"

"Be ready by ten."

Her entire expression lit up.

"...Yay!"

She hurried toward the bathroom before disappearing behind the door.

A second later...

A muffled, "YAAAY!" echoed through the apartment.

Ren couldn't help smiling.

His eyes drifted around the room.

The game remained paused on the television while quiet voices continued drifting from his headset.

A second pair of shoes rested by the entrance.

Her suitcase lay open by the wall, clothes spilling onto the floor.

Her coat hung beside his.

For the first time in a while...

The apartment didn't feel like it belonged to just him anymore.

He looked toward the closed bathroom door and quietly shook his head.

"...What am I supposed to do with you?"

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