The Game Character Wants to Date the Player

[Updating as I get back into writing] One day, Kenma received a mysterious package. Inside was a game disc for a title still in beta. The game had no name, no rules, and no victory conditions. The only thing the player knew was that this was a virtual life that couldn't be restarted. Kenma became a player. The only challenge the game posed for him was keeping his character alive. After all, the person he'd created was already fixated on finding a way to die the moment he was born. He made the character scavenge in a garbage dump. The character's inner monologue: This looks like poison. If I eat it, I can die, right? He made the character join a shootout between low-level Mafia members. The character's inner monologue: If I'd stood just a little farther to the side, that bullet would've hit my heart. He made the character clear his name and become a witness for the prosecution. The character's inner monologue: If I turn on them now, they'll kill me on the spot. Say yes! Kenma: “...” Great. This is a challenge. Kenma put work and streaming on hold, holed up in his villa, and played the game for a month. At last, he got the happy ending: his character became a household-name author. After clearing the game, he went back to work and his normal life, tossing the disc aside. Then one day, while meeting with his assistant to discuss acquiring a hugely popular IP, the bestselling author, wearing a face identical to his game model, held out a hand in greeting. “Hello, I'm Kozume Nanatsuki. What should I call you?” Kenma: space-cat.jpg What do I do when my game character seems to have broken through the fourth wall and come looking for me? Asking online. It's kind of urgent. * He knew he was a game character. His memories began the moment he awoke in a garbage dump. He had no past and no idea what lay ahead. For most of the time he was awake, he couldn't control himself. He died again and again, restarting again and again. The player only cursed the game for being too hard, but no one cared about the pain he actually felt. Until one day, he became Kozume Nanatsuki. At first, Kozume Nanatsuki watched coldly from the sidelines, wanting to see if he could set the record for the fastest death. But not only did he manage to hang on day after day, he grew healthier with every passing day. The player chose the easiest, most carefree life for him, and sincerely wished him a long life in a New Year's omamori. Kozume Nanatsuki had a thought that felt utterly blasphemous. [I want him.] My creator. My savior. * When they first met, Kenma really thought his game character had come to life. But the bestselling author's gaze was completely unfamiliar, and he claimed they'd never met before. Kozume Nanatsuki never showed anything unusual in front of him, as if the two of them really were complete strangers. Until one day, a colleague confessed to Kenma. Kozume Nanatsuki walked away with gloom in his eyes, then whipped the colleague away with a flick of his tail. Kenma reached out and gently hooked a finger under the choker around his neck. “Quiet.” Data blocks flew everywhere. The fox's tail wrapped around Kenma, and Nanatsuki, fangs already bared, froze before dropping to his knees with a thud. Nanatsuki: “Don't say yes, or I'll go die.” Kenma: “...” You might sound more threatening if you got up before saying that? [You seek excitement and challenge, love an unconventional spark, and are passionate about exploring the unknown. Then I can offer you a question that only I can ask. Do you have the courage to teach an artificial intelligence what love is?] Content notes: 1. Adult CEO Kenma; volleyball plays a relatively small role. 2. The main viewpoint is Kenma's, but the narration also switches to Nanatsuki's perspective. 3. The main story begins with an unconventional second playthrough. 4. The romance is cat training a dog; Nanatsuki is the top, and Kenma is the bottom. Theme: You can't delete your life and start over.