The muffled sounds of Sen talking with the other girls drifted through the house.

  But Cici ignored it, ying down on her bed and staring at the ceiling. As she did, she murmured, "There are still parts missing."

  A gaping void and a faint sense that something was wrong.

  Although Cici had been pying it off so Sen wouldn't worry... "I still can't remember."

  Since the moment she 'woke up' as Sen's system and the time she 'incarnated.' Ever since then, this faint feeling that something was wrong... No, not wrong. 'Missing' had spread through her.

  And Cici didn't know why.

  It was easy to py the part of a bratty and almost too over the top 'imouto.'

  But Cici didn't know who 'she' was. Only that it felt right being here with Sen and calling him 'Onii-chan' while having Hajime call her 'daughter.'

  [Help: Are you still thinking about it, Senpai?]

  Cici stared at the message floating in front of her eyes and then nodded. "I am."

  [Help: You know it won't help you just thinking in circles. Some things don't have answers.]

  Cici snorted. "Easy for you to say. You're an intern working over 'there' to help Sen. You still have a life and family you can go home to. But me..." She reached her hand up, covering the light in her room and said, "...I don't know what I have or who I really am."

  Was she 'real?' Or was she just something conjured up by the system too?

  Cici had seen how Hanako had turned from a ghost into a living person. And how reality itself seemed to shift so that she fit in again. Was Cici the same then?

  It scared her.

  Sen had joked and compined about his sanity, but at least he had this reality to anchor himself to. Although it wasn't the life he wanted or imagined, it was still 'his' life.

  But Cici didn't know what was 'hers.' Was she just another part of Sen's system to make his life simpler and more convenient?

  Hell, Sena and Zenki had been poofed into existence by the system.

  And Cici was only here because she had used Sen's gacha items to give her a 'life.'

  So then...

  "...Hey, kouhai."

  [Help: Yes, Senpai?]

  "...Am I real?" Cici murmured.

  [Help: Of course you are, Senpai!]

  "...This doesn't feel real to me though." Cici lowered her hand and closed her eyes, sighing. "What if I open my eyes and I'm there again? That bck void without a shred of light except the small system panel to interact with Sen?"

  [Help: You won't! I'm helping Mister Sen right now, but I'm still over in this world! But you're there! Really there!]

  Cici remained quiet, just ying there in her bed and thinking.

  [Help: Senpai!]

  "...Yeah?"

  [Help: Don't worry if it's confusing right now. Remember? Mister Sen's system and the MIRAIZ app is designed to help girls in need! So if you stick around him long enough, you'll find everything out!]

  Cici ughed. "I guess that's true."

  [Help: It is true! I double-checked with Mister ****! ...Huh? Oh! I can't say his name anymore?]

  Cici smiled and poked at the floating message. "Careful now. You don't want to get bonked by Admin-chan."

  [Help: T_T... You're right... But it'll be fine! I promise!]

  Cici nodded. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

  Even if it was 'real' or not...

  What mattered was that, there and then, Cici was alive. Real. Breathing. And not alone. Not anymore. So... "I guess it's fine."

  [Help: Yeah! It'll be fine!]

  Cici smiled. "Thanks, by the way."

  [Help: Eh? For what, Senpai?]

  "For helping me distract Sen so he didn't notice." Cici sighed. "...You didn't have to. But thanks."

  [Help: Of course, Senpai! I care for you too! I might have your job now, but I want to see you happy too!]

  Cici giggled. "Careful now. I might think you're trying to flirt with me, Kouhai."

  [Help: I would never! I care about you too much for that!]

  Cici smiled. "You're a good person. No wonder they had you repce me."

  [Help: You're a good person too, Senpai! Just... a bit too much in your fantasies.]

  Cici huffed. "Hey! A girl can dream, right? And if the opportunity's there, why not?"

  [Help: That's why you got bonked and your system privileges cut off, Senpai...]

  Cici stuck out her tongue.

  [Help: XD]

  Cici sighed, feeling a bit better.

  Sen's muffled voice along with various excmations and ughter kept echoing from the living room.

  Cici paused, debating whether she should go listen too.

  [Help: You don't have to keep isoting yourself like this, Senpai. Like I said, you aren't alone anymore.]

  "...I know. But..." Cici sighed and closed her eyes again. As she did, a rush of staticky memories she couldn't recall came to mind.

  A woman with rainbow hair. A familiar looking man with harsh gray eyes and bck hair running after her. A long corridor...

  And Cici running after the woman, crying.

  Cici sighed. "...I just don't get it."

  [Help: You don't have to, Senpai! What matters is that you're happy! And you're happy having fun with Mister Sen and the others right now, right?]

  Cici paused and then smiled. "Yeah. I guess so." She giggled. "You're really good at this, Kouhai. Is that why Sen calls you Help-chan?"

  [Help: Well... my name is Ayuda, so... yes?]

  Cici paused. Then she sat up, her eyes wide open. "WAIT!" She ughed. "Your name... is literally Help?!"

  [Help: T_T It's Ayuda! It means help, but my name isn't help!]

  "In freaking Spanish it is!" Cici giggled and said, "Are you part Latina or something?"

  [Help: No! My mom just thought Ayu was cute and 'Ayu da' was cuter. So she named me Ayuda...]

  "Pft." Cici ughed.

  [Help: T_T]

  ===

  Cici's ughter drifted from the distance.

  I paused in the middle of my summary and gnced over. "...Well. At least someone's enjoying herself."

  Celes blushed. "S-Sen..."

  Yui gasped. "Phrasing!"

  Hanako hid her face in her hands.

  "What are you all-" I paused, parsing what I just said. Then I felt my face heat up and pointed at them. "All of you! Ecchi! Terrible! Why were you even thinking that!?"

  [Help: Maybe because they all want...]

  NOT YOU TOO HELP-CHAN?!

  [Help: XD Sorry, Mister Sen! But well... there's the saying, right? People hear what's on their mind, so...]

  STOOOOP.

  [Help: Okay, okay! I just wanted to stop by and say I'll be on break the rest of tonight, so don't do anything crazy!]

  Huh? Break? You take breaks?

  [Help: Of course I do! I'm a real person, you know, Mister Sen! I just do this part time!]

  ...Okay, I'm like, seriously questioning what this system is and how it's working now. But... sure. Have fun, Help-chan.

  [Help: Will do! Bye~!]

  ===

  > SYSTEM: [Help] will be temporarily disabled for approximately 8 hours. Please refrain from causing any overt actions that would require system intervention.

  > SYSTEM: We at Myth Incorporated appreciate your cooperation.

  ===

  Sure, sure-

  Wait. Myth Incorporated? There's a FREAKING corporation behind this! Hold on! Back up! Help-chan! Get back here!

  [Help: This is an automated message! Sorry, Mister Sen! But I'm still away from the office! I'll be back in the morning! Have a good night!]

  Aaaaahhhh! What even IS my liiiiiffeeeee!?

  ===

  A/N: Next chapter is the stream chapter! Last call for comments and stuff!