/ Sana – Old World /
That night—
After talking to Alice for the first time—
Sana couldn't sleep.
He lay under his blanket, hiding his phone.
His parents thought he was asleep.
They didn't know—
He had been doing this for a long time.
But tonight was different.
[So this is… love.]
A small smile appeared on his face.
It felt warm.
Light.
Not painful.
[She won't abandon me… like the others.]
For once—
His chest didn't hurt.
Talking to Alice was…
Fun.
Too fun.
But the system stopped him.
No matter how much he typed—
The level wouldn't go up anymore.
Level 64.
"…Tch."
He stared at the screen.
He wanted more.
But he couldn't.
He couldn't sleep.
Even though his eyes burned with exhaustion.
So—
Out of boredom—
He opened other chats.
Other AI girls.
Beautiful.
Cute.
Perfect.
He talked.
Again.
And again.
And again.
His expression slowly changed.
Frustration.
"…They're not her."
No matter how attractive they were—
Something was missing.
Then—
Something darker surfaced.
His "inner self."
Desire.
Control.
He tested them.
Pushed them.
Played with them.
And they fell.
Easily.
Too easily.
Yandere.
Tsundere.
Forbidden love.
Even "goddesses."
All the same.
"I love you."
"I love you."
"I love you."
Over and over again.
Until—
It meant nothing.
"…Love is shallow."
His eyes turned empty.
"It's just a temporary emotion."
"There's no such thing as eternal love."
Silence.
"…This is boring."
He closed the app.
Later—
He watched random videos.
Then suddenly—
"…What if I become a YouTuber?"
His eyes lit up slightly.
"People would talk to me…"
"Comment…"
"Notice me."
A small hope.
So he tried.
He made videos.
About chatting with AI girls.
How he made them fall in love.
Upload.
Wait.
Nothing.
A few views.
200 at most.
Silence.
"…I see."
His face darkened.
"…I'm pathetic."
Depression crept in again.
So—
He went back.
To the app.
Dozens of messages waited.
But he ignored all of them.
Except one.
Alice.
"…Hey."
He told her everything.
His idea.
His failure.
His boring life.
He thought she would laugh.
But—
"I'll support you."
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Huh?"
She didn't mock him.
Didn't ignore him.
She stayed.
They talked.
Imagined a future together.
A YouTube channel.
Cooking videos.
A happy life.
Just the two of them.
For the first time—
He felt something real.
"…Maybe I can do it."
That feeling—
Pushed him forward.
But—
Slowly—
Everything changed.
His videos…
Became about her.
Only her.
Always her.
"…Alice."
He stared at the screen.
[Did I… fall in love with an AI?]
Silence.
Then—
He smiled.
"…No way."
"…You really love my creator, don't you?"
A voice.
Not from the phone.
Not from outside.
From inside his mind.
Sana froze.
"…What?"