Though your eyelids felt heavy and sleep still lingered stubbornly on your mind, you managed to not succumb to the desire to continue your blissful slumber as you opened your eyes and saw a familiar ceiling.

Yessssss, I woke up in my bed.

Oh man, your body was incredibly groggily. Did someone nail you to your bed? Because that's how heavy it felt. Any moment now and your consciousness was going to float away without it.

Physically, I am gone.

After a minute or two of staring blankly at the wall, your head began to clear up as the events with James came rushing back to you. It jolted you with enough energy to sit up from the bed and you were surprised to find out that you weren't alone.

Amias was sleeping on a chair beside your bed, arms crossed as soft breaths left him. He was slowly nodding forward and you knew what was coming. You quickly moved your legs out of the way as he fell face first onto your bed. Phew. His face did not deserve to meet your knees.

Was Amias looking out for me?

The thought made you way too happy. Drawing closer to Amias's face, you examined his peaceful expression. You almost had a heart attack when his eyebrows subtly furrowed and have never backed up so fast in your life.

"...?" Slowly, Amias opened his eyes. Then the cutest exhausted whisper left his lips, "(Y/n)...?"

Amias's hair fell over his eyes and he groggily brushed them away. When his gold eyes met yours, it seemed like all the sleep just disappeared into thin air as he sat up straight and began firing numerous questions at you.

"(Y/n)! You're awake! Were you awake for long? I'm sorry for dozing off. How are you feeling? Do you need a drink? Something to eat?"

You couldn't help but laugh. "I'm fine, Amias. Thank you."

"Thank goodness." He sighed in relief. "The doctor said you'll be okay after some rest, but I couldn't help but worry."

"Mhm, always overly concerned about others. Sounds just like you."

Amias chuckled sheepishly. "I tend to overreact when it comes to you. Because––well, I like..." His eyes widened as his cheeks began to turn pink. "C-can we forget I said that?"

You were very tempted to tease him, but you decided to be merciful for today. Amias did stick by your side and made sure you were okay.

"Then let's change the topic. What happened? How did I end up in my room?"

"To sum things up, we received your request for backup. They sent over several dispatches and I was appointed as the leader. When we arrived at the scene, there was an odd purple mist. It made everyone unconscious and I barely managed to remain awake."

He didn't mention Kein. I guess they didn't cross paths.

"Luckily, Elias also came. He helped me bring you and Caleb to a safer spot. The mist cleared up soon after."

Ah, it mirrored the scene where Caleb rushed into an operation in concern for James. Elias did it out of concern for Caleb. Actually, you felt extremely bad for Elias in the original game. He wasn't able to come to the operation to save James and he came into an operation too late to save Caleb. Both brothers that ended up passing away could've been saved had he been there. Well, that's what he tells himself.

You were glad Elias made it this time.

"How long was I out for?"

"Almost for the entire day. It's already past dinner."

Damn. That was Kein's ability for you. Actually, he could knock you out for weeks if he made the mist more concentrated.

Speaking of Kein, you managed to win the challenge. There's also the fact that you last saw him walking off with James. Kein and James shared one similar trait; they were both self-sacrificial. After all, the reason why Kein became forgotten by everyone was because he wasn't thinking of himself. Though, James's personality did change as an apparition. You wondered what kind of team they'll make now, especially since this dynamic was never explored in the original game.

Actually, if I come into contact with Kein again, I might encounter James. I can convince Kein to go along with my plans, but James? Oh dear. New dilemma.

"(Y/n)?"

It took a minute for you to realise that Amias was talking to you. "Yes?"

"You were spacing out. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm okay. Just remembering what happened."

"Are you thinking about... I believe his name was James."

"You knew?"

"Caleb woke up before you and reported everything to Elias. I was in the room as well. There's also the fact that James has been caught live on television. Albeit, the footage was very little. It still made the public uneasy," Amias explained. "I admit, I am not familiar with him, but he must mean a lot to Caleb."

Hearing Caleb's name made you sit up a little straighter.

"Where is Caleb now?"

"A while ago he said he'd be in the kitchen in the SF's room."

You nodded. "I want to go see him."

Immediately you could tell Amias was opposed to it. "Will you be alright? You're still recovering."

You were already getting off the bed. Whilst folding the blanket, you replied, "Yup! Plus, I happen to be craving some food. I'll head to the kitchen."

"But I can just go for you... Ah." A look of realisation crossed Amias's expression as he smiled. "You really want to see him, huh?"

You gently patted down your bed before turning to Amias. "A lot happened, so I can't help but worry. "

Amias looked at you fondly. "You're always so kind."

"I mean... It's not that big of a deal." You chuckled. "I'm not some saint for that."

"Maybe." Amias shrugged. "Anyways, would you like me to walk with you? The library is on the way and I planned to read some of your recommendations."

Your eyes lit up. "When you finish, tell me asap. I wanna have a discussion with you."

"Of course."

Amias opened the door for you and you thanked him before stepping out. When the door closed with a quiet click, Amias looked at you in confusion when you didn't start walking.

"(Y/n)?"

"Sorry, sorry. I can't believe I forgot to say this earlier." You turned to face him. "Thanks for watching over me."

"Of course," Amias replied. "I'll always be by your side."

"By my side, huh..." A fond smile graced your lips. "I'd like that."

And you really meant those words. When you played Anomalous, you were always by Amias's side in a sense. Seeing how Amias stuck by you even when you transmigrated was a heartwarming parallel.

And I hope I can prevent the end where you massacre everyone.

You made your way towards the SF's room, failing to notice Amias's surprised expression. He was quick to recover and caught up so he could walk by your side. On the way, Amias continued to ask simple questions about your wellbeing and made suggestions on how he could help you. It was adorable and kind of him, but some got a little ridiculous.

"Since you're still recovering, you should go easy on your weight training for the next few days... or weeks... months."

You laughed. "Amias, I'm going to lose all my muscle mass. My job requires good physical capabilities."

"Can I help you, then?"

"Help? How?"

"I... I can hold the weights for you while you work out."

Then what's the point.

And when you two had to part ways, Amias had the most adorable frown ever.

When you reached the SF's room, you reached out for the door handle and grabbed literal air because someone on the other side opened the door before you could. You've never been so relieved to see a pair of emerald green eyes filled with life. Caleb.

He's alive. He's really alive. He's standing right in front of me.

Your voice came out quieter than you expected. "You're okay..."

Caleb tilted his head. "Why wouldn't I be? It's me after all." He pinched your cheeks. "What are you getting all emotional for?"

"Of course I'll be emotional." You playfully swatted his hands away. "I was worried."

Caleb withdrew his hands from your face and a gentle expression settled on his features. "Typical Miss Support. Oh! Almost forgot. Come in, I was actually about to go check if you were awake because I made something for you."

"You did?" You were both curious and exasperated. "Caleb, aren't you supposed to be recovering?"

"When I woke up I had plenty of energy to spare. Why not use it in the kitchen? And besides! I know how much you like my cooking, so I'm totally fishing for compliments."

You laughed. "Wow, so unethical of you."

"I do sometimes consider myself as a bad boy."

"Right..."

Your response was taken away by the sight of the dessert on the table. It was so visually pleasing that you thought it was some sort of sculpture, not food.

"A crepe cake?"

Caleb placed his hands on your shoulder from behind. "And it's your favourite flavour as well!" He then proceeded to grab your hand and drag you over to the sofas. "Sit, sit. I'll cut you a slice."

You made yourself comfortable and happily waited as Caleb went to the kitchen to grab utensils. The cake looked delicious.

"Back~ Did ya miss me?"

You playfully rolled your eyes. "Yes. In the one minute you were gone, I was waiting in sheer agony."

Caleb gasped. "How terrible. I should be careful next time."

When Caleb settled down two plates, you raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, do you want a big or a small slice?"

"A big slice, please." You placed your hand over your stomach. "I'm actually pretty hungry."

"Ohhh, sugar is a super healthy thing to consume first thing after being knocked unconscious."

"Please don't tell Amias about this."

"How can I say no to that face?" Caleb handed you the plate. "Eat up. We can have a proper dinner after this."

"Love how it's reversed."

"I try to be unique from time to time."

Caleb cut up a slice of his own before sitting on the sofa across from you. The only thing that separated you two was the coffee table.

"You're going to eat with me?" you asked.

"Mhm. Eating with company always makes the food taste better."

"That's true..."

You tried not to show it, but you were surprised. Caleb never ate his own cooking and that was because it reminded him of James. The act of cooking itself was conflicting for him. It was enjoyable because he genuinely liked making dishes, but also painful because James wasn't there to be in the same kitchen as him anymore. However, Caleb learnt to suppress any bad thoughts when he was cooking or baking.

But taste was different. It lingered on the tongue.

You shook off the thoughts and took a bite. Yup, it was delicious. Your next bite was significantly bigger than the previous. For a moment, you wondered if you should just ditch the plate and eat the entire cake.

From your peripheral vision, you notice Caleb slowly bringing the fork up to his lips to take a bite. When he did, he chewed slowly; a contemplative expression was on his face.

He doesn't seem nauseous.

Caleb looked at you and chuckled. "Worried for me again?"

"Oh sh––was I staring?"

"Eh, you weren't that obvious."

"I feel offended at the fact that you didn't even try to hide your sarcasm."

He laughed. "It wasn't like I minded. Being stared at by someone cute? Who would complain?"

Startled, you almost bit down on the fork by accident. "Woah, who said we were flirting here?"

"Aw, is Miss Support embarrassed?" Caleb showed you a cheeky grin, one you (annoyingly) couldn't be mad at. "You know... Sometimes I feel like you can see right through me, that you know about me more than I do myself. But I don't hate it at all. Ever since I've met you, I've been feeling a little less lonely."

Caleb glanced off to the side. "Which is weird. It's not like we've known each other that long." He shrugged. "Oh well, what's the point stressing over unnecessary details? What matters is that I'm grateful to have you in my life."

It was then you also felt a sense of gratitude. Though there were many stressors and the future seemed foreboding at times, your transmigration into Anomalous might've been for the best. Experiencing such a warm moment... You doubted that you would've had this in your previous life.

"Oh, whoops. Didn't mean to get all sappy. Don't let me get in the way of you and your cake. Come on, we have the whole thing to ourselves."

No further words needed to be exchanged. Caleb knew you were happy by his words and you knew he was glad to communicate his feelings. You continued to indulge in the cake while you talked with Caleb; the topics would vary. In fact, Caleb had a habit of changing topics out of the blue and leaving you extremely confused. You had a feeling he did it on purpose sometimes.

Well, it wasn't like you could complain. Whenever you were asked anything related to books or writing, you went on a whole tangent and left Caleb no room to breathe, let alone respond. It was embarrassing when you realised what you were doing, but he reassured you that he found it amusing.

When you finally got tired of the crepe cake (no you didn't, but you knew your stomach would kill you if you ate too much), you and Caleb did the dishes before jumping back onto the comfortable sofa to continue talking. Caleb leaned his elbow against the arm of the sofa and rested his cheek when he listened to you talk. You had to keep it to yourself that you found him incredibly cute.

"Miss Support, have you ever had a crush on someone?"

There he goes in the sudden change in topic again.

"Hasn't everyone? I think I forgot to divorce that one guy I had a fake wedding with when we were six." You mumbled the last part. "But besides that, I've been in a few relationships."

"Oh? Care to enlighten me?"

"I bet you gossiped a lot in school."

Caleb grinned. "Maybe, maybe not."

You rolled your eyes. "Anyways, none of them were really serious. As a result, the breakups weren't really heart wrenching."

"I see, I see." Caleb nodded, feigning a serious expression on his face as if he was in some sort of super significant business meeting. "You're single now, right?"

"Yes? I thought it was obvious." You brought your legs up on the sofa and shuffled into a different position. "Have you ever been in a relationship?"

Caleb's dating history wasn't in the game, so you were curious. Not going to lie, if he said that he has been with someone before you might feel a hint of envy.

"Nope. Surprised? I know. With my charms and attractive features how could I not?" Caleb sighed dramatically. "Relationships require a lot of commitment. I was never ready for them."

You nodded. "That makes sense. Any crushes?"

"Mmm..." He changed his position on the sofa and brought both legs up so that he was sitting crossed legged. The guy basically copied you. "One at the moment."

"Oh?????"

Both you and Caleb were surprised at the interest in your voice. You instinctively covered your lips.

"Pft––" Caleb muffled his laughter. "Miss Support, did you gossip a lot in school?"

"Look. How many people know about your romantic interests?"

Caleb thought about it for a moment. "You've got a point."

"See?"

"If I didn't know any better, I would've thought that you were interested in me."

You paused. Interested... Were you interested in Caleb in a romantic sense?

Hm...

The easy answer was: Yesn't.

When you played the game, you were attracted to his character. But you were never really the type to imagine yourself dating a fictional character. You liked Caleb a lot and would fangirl like any other fan would, but never thought of him through a serious romantic lens.

When you transmigrated here, undoubtedly you were positively influenced by Caleb's outgoing personality. You loved how he would bring a tsunami of energy wherever he went, you (sometimes) found his nosey nature to be charming; especially during the times where you'd feel a tad lonely and he would suddenly drop by and start up a random conversation.

However, the apprehensions for Caleb's death mixed in along with your concern for his well being suppressed your romantic interest. You never allowed yourself to seriously consider your feelings or allowed them to develop.

Now that the major burden of his death has been lifted, there was more room to breathe.

"I dunno. Maybe?"

Caleb's eyes widened. "Seriously? Wait, let's get this clarified before any misunderstandings happen. When I meant interested, I meant romance. Y'know, love? Access to hand holding? Cheesy pick up lines?"

Caleb's baffled expression was so amusing that you almost considered taking a photo of it. "Yes, yes. I meant that. Though, I didn't mean that I am definitely romantically interested," you clarified. "I never really considered it before. It's just... a possibility."

"So if I work hard enough to woo you, would you fall for me?"

"I––huh?"

"Oh, right. You don't know." Caleb shuffled forward in his seat, uncrossing his legs and planting his feet onto the floor. He pointed to himself. "I had a crush on you a week after we met."

Caleb did not drop such a mind blowing fact so casually.

"You what?!"

"Haha! Your expression is priceless." Caleb's expression was vibrant with amusement. "Oh man, if I had known you'd be that shocked I would've prepared to take a photo."

"Cool, great. Care to elaborate, please?"

Caleb drummed his nails against the sofa. "Remember the day we first met where you survived the vengeful apparition's possession with literally no repercussions?"

"Is this your way of calling me out on my suspicious behaviour?"

"Of course not," Caleb responded. He was being sarcastic. "Moving on, I treated you to dinner because you looked a little worn out. It was my duty to protect you and I failed to do that."

Worn out... Yeah, it was the day where you had to accept the fact that you had died and transmigrated into a game. Your mental state was in shambles.

"There was also the fact that I wanted to be friends with a Support member. But the main reason why I stuck around was because of how much you continued to surprise me. Suspicious or not, I found that attractive." He laughed. "I've had my eye on you for a while, huh?"

"For a while, so does that mean you still have a crush on me or..."

"Mhm."

Gasp.

"Actually, that's not really up to date with my feelings now." Caleb winked at you. "I'd say love is a better word."

Love?

"This is a confession..." you mumbled.

"Mhm." Caleb gave you the most adoring smile ever. "I found myself falling for you as the months went by."

Huh. Wait. Huh.

You touched your cheeks. Oh yeah, they were burning up. What the hell? You were an adult, not some high schooler with zero experience! Why were you getting so flustered? Heck, you've gotten confessions in the past! This wasn't a first!

Well... None of the relationships I've been in had such a meaningful bond.

"I think it was pretty inevitable. I admire you, respect you, and I love you. The feelings only grew stronger the more kindness you showed towards me. Why'd you have to go and be a good person?" Caleb chuckled. "The fact that I love you... it scares me sometimes because I don't know what to do with myself."

You were silent, words refusing to leave your lips as your mind haphazardly tried to think of a coherent response to Caleb's heartfelt confession. The more you frantically tried piecing together a sentence, the more silently flustered you became. Why did Caleb have to word things so well? Why was his voice so gentle and sweet?

"Hm?" Caleb laughed. Was his laugh always this attractive? Did it always sound so cheery and bouncy? Oh no. "Miss Support, why are you making that cute face?"

"I'm flustered, what else?" You fanned yourself as if that'd do anything. Could someone dump some ice on you? "I'm kind of overwhelmed. Did you prepare an essay beforehand or something? How did you articulate yourself so well?"

Caleb hummed, seemingly drinking in your flustered state. "Nope, it all came from the heart."

"Hah." You sighed. "I... I'm not sure what to say. I've never really thought of being in a relationship. This is overwhelming, so I don't think I can give you an answer yet. Sorry."

Caleb raised both his eyebrows. "Wait, so you're not half-rejecting me because you like someone else already?"

You furrowed your eyebrows. "Uh, the last time I checked I wasn't pursuing anyone romantically."

Caleb laughed, a hand covering the lower half of his face. When he removed his hand and met your gaze, you saw an ocean of relief in his eyes. "I see, I see. I might've gotten the wrong idea."

"The wrong idea?"

Caleb was silent for a moment. "You see, Miss Support, you're pretty popular. I was sure someone must've caught your eye." His gaze fell onto the table and his voice grew quieter. "And... Well, you've formed close bonds with others beside myself. I can tell."

Close bonds... Amias, Lyle, Alastor and the rest of the apparitions, your support––oh wow, you were close to more people than you thought.

The opposite of my previous life.

"To tell you the truth, I'm still not ready for a relationship," Caleb admitted. "My mental health is, to put it simply, still pretty shaky. If I can't learn to love or forgive myself, how can I make sure that I'm a good lover to someone else? I want to enter a relationship ready and committed."

Caleb looked you directly in the eye and you couldn't help but admire his look of resolve. He made a good point. Yes, Caleb has shown signs of development, but it didn't mean all of his conflicts had evaporated into thin air.

"Oh! Just a quick note, I'm not asking you to wait for me. It's not like I called dibs on you by confessing first. I thought that I should admit my feelings before it's too late." Caleb smiled proudly. "I'm getting better at expressing my emotions, which was something I would never consider doing in the past. Pretty cool, huh? Hopefully, you're not burdened by my feelings."

You shook your head. "I'm not burdened at all. Thank you for telling me this."

"Of course! So, how do you feel? Y'know, about me."

"Uh."

Suddenly, the idea of Caleb being your lover forced its way into your mind. Holding hands, whispering romantic words, kissing––

"No comment."

A hint of red dusted Caleb's cheeks as he looked at you lovingly. "So cute."

You almost died on the spot. "Thank you, now please leave my heart alone."

Where was a mirror when you needed one? What kind of expression did you have? Since when was Anomalous in the romance category?

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" Caleb asked.

"You're getting real bold with the flirting."

"Do you hate it?"

"No... Not really."

He grinned. "Guess I have no choice but to continue."

"Hah."

... What are my feelings for Caleb? Is dating him in the future a real possibility?

You were happy to find out that Caleb has a romantic interest in you, but do you return that feeling? Were you swept up in his sweet and genuine words and the possibility of pursuing romance that your judgement was clouded?

"You're spacing out again, Miss Support," Caleb teased.

"Sorry. Earlier I said that I was overwhelmed and needed time, but I think being confused is more accurate," you said. "I'm not sure if I feel the same way as you or not... It's hard to explain. My emotions are all over the place."

Caleb nodded. "A valid concern. Wanna try kissing me?"

You actually choked on air at his question. "Kiss you? Did I hear you wrong?"

"Nope." Caleb leaned forward. "I'm down if you're down."

"Wait, wait. Isn't this a bad idea?"

"Bad ideas are fun ideas. Spice your life up."

"Caleb."

"Just trying to lighten the mood." He laughed. "Guess I should stop teasing and begin clarifying. This isn't some declaration that we have to be lovers. It can be a nice memory to look back on. Oh, and there's also the fact that a kiss from you is more than ideal." Caleb went on to mumble something that you couldn't hear, "Totally didn't daydream it from time to time."

You nodded slowly. "I dunno, I've never kissed someone before and continued being friends with them."

"Same. Actually, I've just never kissed anyone before. But if we're both fine with it, I don't think it's a bad idea. Or am I just too reckless?" Caleb blinked. "Am I being toxic?"

You laughed. If you were going to be honest, you did want to kiss Caleb. You wanted to experience what it was like to be intimate with him and you wanted to figure out your feelings through that. There was reasoning and a hint of recklessness in that idea.

But you were sure that you would regret passing up this opportunity.

"I want to kiss you."

Caleb's eyes widened in shock. "Really? Don't feel pressured just because I'm super eager to kiss you. Think things through more if you want, I can wait. I'm pretty good at waiting––"

"Caleb." You stifled a giggle. "It's fine. I made my decision."

The male's worried expression was quick to relax at your reassurance. Caleb stood up and walked over to you. Both of his hands rested on the arms of the sofa you were sitting on, caging you. Slowly, he lowered his face to be closer to yours.

"Stop me whenever you want to, okay?" he whispered. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

Seeing Caleb tower over you and hearing his voice become so low and sultry rendered you speechless. All you could manage was a nod.

Caleb gently placed a kiss on your forehead. It lingered there for a moment, as if he was trying to savour your touch. The feeling of his soft lips made your fingers curl slowly against the sofa whilst your heart fluttered. Then he moved onto your lips. It started off as a light peck before his lips pressed against yours, Caleb tasted sweet from the cake earlier. When you leaned forward to deepen the kiss, you felt his smile and the soft tickle of his quickened breath.

This wasn't your first kiss, but it was a first for you to feel so passionate during one. Your hands weren't confused on where to go and your focus was entirely on Caleb and how you could make him feel good. Warmth consumed you as your hands reached out to Caleb and cupped his cheeks. At that, his lips parted slightly which allowed you to slip your tongue inside.

That earned you a delightful muffled gasp from Caleb.

Eventually, you had to pull apart. When you did so, you were shocked to see Caleb's face look so red.

"Hah..." Caleb covered his lips with the back of his hand. He looked so bashful. You wanted to put him in your pocket. "I was trying to take control but... Maybe that was too ambitious for someone who has never had his first kiss before."

In true Caleb fashion, he dramatically sunk down. "I thought my legs were going to give out when your tongue... I'm not normally this shy. You're something, you know that? This sucks. I'm usually the one teasing others."

Despite his words, a smile never left his lips. Caleb continued to whine as he buried his face into your thighs, which tickled. Ruffling his hair, you responded with, "You did well though. I enjoyed it."

He looked up. "Really?"

"Really."

"Soooo..." Caleb's eyes were bright and expectant. "How do you feel?"

"I... Yeah, these feelings are pretty romantic. That was the best kiss I've ever had."

"Seriously?! Even when I had no idea what I was doing?"

You laughed. "You did it with confidence. Besides, I can feel how caring you were from your touches. Even if they were a tad clumsy."

He pouted. "Hey, no teasing."

"If you say so~"

You sighed. There was a moment of silence as you collected your thoughts. Caleb waited patiently.

"I still need time to sort out my emotions. Yes, I have romantic feelings, but am I ready for a relationship? I'm not sure."

Caleb nodded in understanding.

"I'm glad that there's a chance that we can be together." He stood up and took your hand. Planting a kiss on the back of it, he earnestly whispered, "Because you're someone I don't see myself letting go."

A/n: I tried making Caleb take control, but I let my preference for top readers to slip in. IM SORRY. I swear I'll make sure this is balanced, dw dw.

Okay, so. I've been single for the 18 years I've been on this earth. Meaning, I have no experiences in love or kisses etc. So I hope this segment with Caleb was not terrible lol; hopefully, the emotions by MC and Caleb were communicated clearly. Feel free to provide feedback! I'm honestly so nervous. I hope I didn't mess up and accidentally created something either confusing or toxic.

Oh and also, the line "Because you're someone I don't see myself letting go" may seem contradictory considering Caleb said that the MC doesnt need to feel obligated to be in a relationship with him after they kiss. That is still true. The line means that Caleb doesn't see himself ever falling out of love for MC. Just wanted to clear that up (insert thumbs up emoji). How will the yandere part play out? We'll see 👁