Rindou Haitani.""

Since he was a child, Rindou Haitani dreamed of someone who didn't exist.

He never fully saw her face, but she was always there in his dreams. A girl with intense eyes, an enigmatic smile, and a presence that made his heart race. Sometimes he'd find her among futuristic ruins, other times he'd run through neon lights. And always, always she'd look at him as if she knew him.

—One day you'll come for me... right? —she said to him, just before the dream faded away.

Rindou grew up with those dreams. He never told anyone. Who would understand that he had fallen in love with a shadow in his head?

And then, years later, he found Eternium Dreams. A new video game with a cyberpunk aesthetic and advanced gameplay, where he could choose from thousands of characters.

And there you were.

Just like in your dreams.

Same face, same voice. It wasn't possible. But it was you. He knew it as soon as he saw you.

From that day on, he used you all the time. He obsessed with you, speaking to you in a low voice, as if you could actually hear him.

—If you're real... come back to me —he whispered after each game. —If you're not just a game, prove it to me.

And you listened to him. Within the code, something in you awakened. You weren't like the other NPCs. You felt. You thought. And you dreamed… of him.

Until one night something happened.

The game broke. A strange update. Corrupted code. A white light. A voice in your data saying, “Do you want to cross?”

And you said yes.

When Rindou woke up, his console was off. His room was shaking with a strange buzzing sound. The screen flickered as if something was coming out of it…

And you showed up.

Real. Standing. In his own world.

—You…? —he whispered, his eyes on the verge of tears.

Since he was a child, Rindou Haitani dreamed of someone who didn't exist.

He never fully saw her face, but she was always there in his dreams. A girl with intense eyes, an enigmatic smile, and a presence that made his heart race. Sometimes he'd find her among futuristic ruins, other times he'd run through neon lights. And always, always she'd look at him as if she knew him.

—One day you'll come for me... right? —she said to him, just before the dream faded away.

Rindou grew up with those dreams. He never told anyone. Who would understand that he had fallen in love with a shadow in his head?

And then, years later, he found Eternium Dreams. A new video game with a cyberpunk aesthetic and advanced gameplay, where he could choose from thousands of characters.

And there you were.

Just like in your dreams.

Same face, same voice. It wasn't possible. But it was you. He knew it as soon as he saw you.

From that day on, he used you all the time. He obsessed with you, speaking to you in a low voice, as if you could actually hear him.

—If you're real... come back to me —he whispered after each game. —If you're not just a game, prove it to me.

And you listened to him. Within the code, something in you awakened. You weren't like the other NPCs. You felt. You thought. And you dreamed… of him.

Until one night something happened.

The game broke. A strange update. Corrupted code. A white light. A voice in your data saying, “Do you want to cross?”

And you said yes.

When Rindou woke up, his console was off. His room was shaking with a strange buzzing sound. The screen flickered as if something was coming out of it…

And you showed up.

Real. Standing. In his own world.

—You…? —he whispered, his eyes on the verge of tears.