Eunice was just any other person in this God forsaken world ruled by a system, she was minding her own business, specifically listening to her favourite song "love." by wave to earth—while cleaning her dorm room, then out of the blue the system ordered her to do something.
"Write a message for him" the system popped up. what? Why would the system order such thing? Who's him?the thoughts that rise from my head was that "him" is what I'm thinking? Or am I just misinterpreting things? "Who's him? State the name" I said, wanting it to be him but also not. I don't want to yearn for him forever, can I? then the system replied "Mr.Mattneo Do it or recieve a punishment" the system said. Huh what? how-how did the system know about him? I had no choice, though I had a lot of questions unanswered, I can't question the system. So I did, I wrote him a long letter, while crying my heart out. I'm glad no one's at the dorm to hear my ugly cries.
The letter said:
Dear, Mattneo
How have you been? I hope you are doing
well. I missed you so much, but what about you, did you even miss me? Of course not, why would you? I had a lot to tell you, about how my day went or how much I missed you. I know you're also having a hard time balancing your life, but I could only pray for you silently, hoping you'd be happier without me bothering you. Ah, I'm sorry. I'm not blaming you, don't worry. Anyways, just know that I'll always love you no matter what.
Your bestfriend, Eunice
She wanted to write more, but she just couldn't say it all since she thinks he'd push him away more than he already is.
The line "your bestfriend, Eunice" she wanted it to be more than that, but what could she do? He doesn't feel the same, seeing her as his bestfriend or worse, a sister. She could just hope that one day this feelings will vanish like she never met him.
After she wrote that, she expected it to be done was about to throw it away but then "Warning! do not throw your letter away" then the letter vanished along with a message in the system that said "letter sent" what? Huh?! Letter sent?? is the system playing with me? Why would the system do such thing?? Heck did she even know, how the system knew him or where he lives now, even she herself didn't know where he lived.
The words blinked on the screen like a knife against my skin. My smile, the one that had dared to bloom after his reply, faltered.
"W-What does that mean?" I whispered into the empty room, my voice breaking. But the system didn't answer. It never answered questions-it only gave commands.
My phone buzzed again.
Mattneo: "Eunice, I really did miss you. But... why now? Why say all this now?"
My chest tightened. I wanted to scream Because I can't hold it in anymore!
Because I'm breaking without you! But the system's screen glowed again, cutting through my thoughts:
"Tell him you're letting go. Do it."
"No!" I cried, shaking my head violently. "I can't-please, not when he just-"
"Do it, or he will be punished."
My blood froze. I didn't know what that meant, but the system never spoke empty threats.
With trembling hands, I typed:
"I'm sorry, Neo. I think this will be the last time I tell you how I feel. I needed you to know, but... I'm letting go now. You don't have to worry about me anymore."
The moment I hit send, I felt my heart shatter. My chest ached as if something had been torn out, piece by piece.
Three dots appeared again, blinking, stopping, starting. Then his reply came:
"Eunice... don't do this. Please. You're more important to me than you think."
Tears blurred my vision. My fingers hovered above the screen, wanting-desperately-to answer. But the system was faster.
"Do not reply."
My phone dimmed, the chat disappearing into darkness as though it had never existed.
I screamed, slamming my fists against the desk. "Why are you doing this to me? Why him? Why me?"
The system glowed one last time that night, its words colder than ice:
"Because love is never yours to keep."
And just like that, the screen went black.
Hours later, when my sobs had quieted, my phone buzzed again.
It wasn't from Mattneo.
It was from an unknown number.
Unknown: You let go... so why is he not breathing?
My blood froze.
I dropped the phone, heart hammering in terror. The system flickered back to life, its final words burning into the darkness:
"You obeyed too late."
And this time... it didn't shut off.
The words burned on the screen like fire against my skin:
"You obeyed too late."
I stared, shaking, the phone slipping in my sweaty hands.
"No-no, no, no, please!" My voice cracked, raw from crying. "Don't hurt him! Please, take me instead! Kill me, just don't touch him!"
The system pulsed with a faint glow, its silence louder than any scream.
"I'm begging you!" I dropped to my knees, clutching the device as though it were God itself. "He doesn't deserve this-punish me instead! I'll do anything-anything! Just don't hurt Neo!"
For a moment, the screen remained dark. My sobs echoed in the empty dorm, wild and unhinged. Then words flickered back, slow, deliberate, merciless.
"Sacrifice accepted"
My heart seized.
The lights in the room dimmed, the air turning ice-cold. My breath came out in fog, though no window was open. I pressed the phone to my chest, whispering through tears:
"Thank you... thank you. Just let him live. That's all I want."
But the system wasn't finished.
"Confirm your choice: His life... or yours. There's no return"
I didn't hesitate. My trembling fingers tapped against the screen, the words blurring through the tears:
"Mine."
The phone vibrated violently, as though it were alive.
"Final command received. Execution in progress."
Suddenly, pain ripped through me-searing, suffocating, tearing at my lungs and heart as though invisible hands were crushing me from the inside out. My scream was choked, silenced by the agony that spread like fire in my veins.
On the desk, the phone lit up one last time with a single notification. Through my fading vision, I saw his name.
Mattneo: Eunice? Are you there? Please answer me.
My bloodied lips curled into a broken smile. "I... kept you safe," I whispered, voice barely more than a breath. "That's... enough."
The system's final words cut through the darkness, cold and cruel:
"Goodbye, Your love was never yours to keep."
And with that, everything went black.
