Rose of the Starry Wilderness

[Updates are irregular; best not to start reading] [I drew the cover character design myself, hehe]

The empire's little prince, Wen Yan, was born with an unusual genetic condition and immense mental power. While piloting a mech to destroy the insectoid king, his consciousness accidentally entered the full-dive Star Net, where he became a paper-doll character in the massive open-world game Starbound.

The boy was beautiful, lively, spirited, and clear-eyed. Players who had opened the game on a whim soon found themselves completely charmed by him.

Interstellar corporation CEO: I'm not interested in games, but I can't just leave him to fend for himself in the wilderness. I'll buy him a five-story mansion to live in first.

Rebellious high schooler: Why did I just want to play a game, but end up being forced by a paper-doll character to study? And the worst part is, the only way to get resources in this stupid game is by doing practice problems?

Struggling, unknown entertainer: Only A Yan is willing to listen to me sing.

Players on the game forum: Guys, look! I logged in today and found an NPC with a face of unsurpassed beauty. He's so sweet and adorable when he smiles... Holy crap, he just crushed an insectoid's head with his bare hands!!!

The game's main story is about rebuilding a star system on the brink of destruction. Players and characters work together on missions and form bonds. Then the game suddenly opens a limited-time card pool. That's when players learn they might draw their own paper-doll character. And so...

Employees at the corporation discover that their cold and reserved CEO's office now has a beautiful boy lounging on a beanbag chair, playing games.

The CEO's secretary says, "Oh my God, Mr. Cheng hasn't smiled like that in ages. He must be the CEO's wife! Good evening, my dear madam!"

A high schooler gets into an off-campus fight and is about to threaten his opponent when a furious boy rushes around the corner. "Didn't you promise me you wouldn't fight anymore?"

The lackeys then watch their previously arrogant leader drop to his knees in an instant.

Fans of a newly risen top-tier star know that their idol has someone dear to him, his one and only moonlight, who stayed by his side through his darkest days. Sadly, that person is probably no longer alive. Then, during a variety show, the star's moonlight curiously peeks out from backstage.

After seeing what the moonlight looks like, the fans cry, "!!! Your moonlight is so handsome, Idol! He's mine now!"

A reclusive boy on a barren planet finds Wen Yan unconscious in a garbage dump and takes him home. He thinks the boy will be a pampered young master who's hard to look after. Instead, the young master crouches in front of the half-assembled mech and says eagerly, "You can build mechs? What a coincidence, so can I."

Players on the game forum: I must be seeing things. I just saw my fave piloting a mech to blast the insectoid king in real life! Wait... isn't he our empire's little prince?

Now that things have come to this, which one of them will the paper-doll character choose to go home with?

Wen Yan: I don't know. I'm busy saving the world ^_^

[Everyone's darling, universally adored; 1v1 romance, which develops fairly late; aloof yet clingy genius boy x lively little ray of sunshine; essentially, two silly lovebirds sticking together]

[Interstellar setting. The insectoids are old-school insectoids, just bugs]

Theme: Give someone a rose