"User has stayed in Time Stop for 5 hours. Recommend user to deactivate Time Stop or user's mental state will deteriorate due to difference in time perception."

…Good.

"User has stayed in Time Stop for 10 hours. Highly recommend user to deactivate Time Stop to prevent permanent damage to the user's mental state."

…Like I care…

"Warning! Warning! Time Stop has reached the 15 hours mark! Deactivating -"

Do not deactivate.

"..."

…Just… I need a bit more time…

Please…

"User request accepted."

…Thanks.

…15 hours, huh…? Just me wandering the city… And wandering again whenever I get teleported back…

God, is this how you feel when you erase a person from existence? No one to remember they even existed, just… Nothing.

Scratch that, I remember her. No matter how brief our first and last encounter was.

Guess I can say me and God have something in common, huh… Though, I don't think God understands this…

…I don't want to become a god…

These powers… Can't somebody take them away from me…? Just… Anybody… Even Ko -

My right hand instantly flies up to my face to punch, sending me to the ground with my jaw almost broken. Through my disorienting vision, I can vaguely see Komachi staring at me with a smile, with acceptance visible in her eyes, as if saying that she -

…No.

NO!

FUCK OFF!

I WON'T LET MY PRECIOUS LITTLE SISTER SUFFER!

I shake my head, vaguely seeing metal chains around me, though I can see multiple cracks all around it, then I try to get up, yet a feeling of something dragging me down stops me.

For some reason, a familiar soothing feeling envelops me, one that almost sends me to sleep, yet I shake my head since this familiarity isn't a good thing. Far from it.

I have a feeling that if I fall asleep here then I will never wake up again. Seeing that the chains are slowly repairing themselves adds credibility to my feeling.

…Ah fuck.

I immediately try to escape from the chains, be it trying to squeeze out, ripping them apart, and at one point biting it, yet nothing works. I feel my senses dulling again and my eyes growing heavier, prompting me to bite my tongue to stay awake.

Ignoring the coppery taste, I look around to see if I can find anything useful, yet I can only see a vast darkness. No light, no sound, nothing except for this feeling that wants me to stay.

Like hell I will stay!

I renew my struggle to escape this place, vaguely hearing snapping sounds around me, while ignoring everything else that's not important.

The darkness that always comforted me when I was at my breaking point? Snap

The loneliness that always soothed me to sleep when everybody left? Snap

"EVERYTHING!" Snap

"NEEDS!" Snap

"TO CHANGE!" Snap

As I yell out the last word, I feel the pressure lifting, causing me to almost fall due to the suddenness but I quickly find my footing. Looking around, I see light a bit away from me, most likely the exit.

"...I know that you're doing this for my good." I glance back at the darkness, as if I could see somebody in there, "But… Not this time."

I let out a sigh as I slowly walk towards the light, "I'm not comfortable, I'm not alright, I'm not ready. At all. For everything and anything. Even right now, I'm fighting against my urge to run away, to crawl back into my safe haven like before. Because I know I will suffer. I will agonize over everything. I might not even be able to rest."

"...But." I stop in front of the light, a door made up of brightness, then turn to look back, "If I don't change… Everybody else will suffer. Komachi, Shiro, the Main Heroines, Optional Heroines, hell even the NPCs! Just one careless remark and look at the damage! I was the one that erased Hinata's existence. No body, nobody to remember her, NOTHING!"

"SO LIKE HELL I WILL BE SATISFIED WITH MYSELF!"

I roughly breathe in and out as I glare at the darkness, as if daring it to say or do something when I know that's impossible. Letting out a long sigh, I turn to look at the door and open it without another glance at the darkness, letting the light blind me.

"Do not mistake my silence as agreement, Hachiman."

LineBreak*

"Warning! User has surpassed the 20 hour mark! Forcibly terminating Time Stop!"

…Can't believe I'm saying this, but I almost miss you system.

Wait. Terminati -

"ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!"

What the fuck?! I feel so hungry and thirsty and my brain feels like splitting! Why am I burning?! Oh god, I need to go to the bathroom too!

It's literally like a sensory overload right now!

System do something!

"Initiating Randomise Teleportation mode."

I meant do something to help me get rid of these feelings right now you stupid system!

"User request denied - due to prolonged usage of Time Stop, the user's body is experiencing 20 hours worth of sensory input for 1 minute. Further intervention has a 99% chance of worsening the problem."

What the hell does that mean?!

"Hunger, thirst, waste expel, blood circulation, and more are frozen during Time Stop. After Time Stop usage, the system will immediately correct the user's body, but the longer Time Stop is active, the more severe the aftereffects with a longer duration."

…WHO THE FUCK DESIGNED THIS?! HOW DOES IT MAKE SENSE THAT THE USER IS AFFECTED TOO?!

"Due to system immaturity and one locked Main Heroine, functions are limited."

YEAH?! THAT DIDN'T STOP YOU FROM ERASING HINATA!

"User requested it. As long as the user does not request for system or creator destruction, then the system will strive to complete the request no matter what."

…Fuck you. Just. Fuck you.

Just my luck to get a malfunctioning system. Immaturity? Are you fucking with me? What are you, a baby system that needs time to grow up?

"Yes."

…I don't know what to say to that. Truly, I am beyond speechless.

"URGH!" I loudly groan as I press my head against the ground with my eyes closed, desperately trying to keep my mind occupied, then nothing.

I slowly open my eyes, feeling the tears freely dripping out, as I try to comprehend how I instantly went from dying to feeling fine, "What…?"

"User's body has returned to normal condition."

First, I want my whole body washed and clothes changed to an identical but clean version.

"Required skill -"

I swear that if you give me some bullshit required skill missing then I will stay in the Time Stop world until you kick me out again over and over.

"Required skill 'Portable Wardrobe' is missing - user may exchange 3 Love Coin for a single usage."

Good. Proceed with the exchange and fucking do it already!

I tightly close my eyes as I try to calm myself down, feeling my body being cleaned up in the meantime. After a few deep breaths, I hear a ding sound then slowly open my eyes.

"User request completed."

I look down to see my clothes, still in my school uniform, now spotless and… Shiny? No really, why does it look like it's shining?

…You know what? I don't care.

I let out a long sigh then look around, only to see that I'm in the middle of an alleyway and I'm standing on liqu -

"Fuck!" Letting out a curse as I quickly jump away from the puddle, then lifting up my right leg to see the damage done to my shoes, only to blink as I see no liquid dripping.

"...Well, that's nice of the system for keeping my shoes clean at least…"

I shake my head while pressing my right hand against the wall, "System, where are we?"

"In an alleyway between a clinic and convenience store."

"...For damn sake, be more specific." I could literally be in another country with that description!

"140 meters from AEON MARINPIA SHOPPING CENTER MAIN BUILDING, Japan, Chiba."

…I feel like you're sassing me but I'm too tired to deal with you. Fortunately, I'm still in Chiba for that matter and I can just walk back home… Not looking forward to that…

I let out a long sigh as I walk out of the alleyway then blink at the fact that everything is moving again and I can hear them, people, cars, hell even the animals too. Can't believe I'm saying this but I miss the loud -

…I am way too tired of your shit, system.

"Haruno Yukinoshita - Benevolent Devil"

"*. *. *. *. *. *. She loves(?) and her hobbies(?) She dislikes(?)."

"-90/100 - Slight loathing."

…Oh. My. God.

Ok, ok, I'll-I'll-I'll deal with-with you la-la-later.

I slowly look away from her then take one step forward, ignoring how it feels like the world itself is falling onto me, then blankly stare as the world crawls to a stop.

"Option A - Walk away and don't help."

"Option B - Help her."

"...Ha. Haha. HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

I laugh. At the world. At myself. At the system. At the Heroines. Everything.

I laugh.

!!!!!!!!!!!*

"-Hahaha…"

At the end of my laughter, I feel my tears freely flowing down and hitting my pants while I blankly gaze at the choices, the Branching Point.

This, this is way too much. Me almost collapsing back into my comfort zone, the sensation overload, and now… Now a Main Heroine at the negatives? Fucking negative 90 at that?

Impossible. Pure impossible.

Everything before this? All flukes, lucky, just something!

I -

"Congratulations user for encountering the final Main Heroine! Last requirement is met - activating the Shop function."

Wh-

"Welcome to the Shop, user!"

I blankly gaze at the newly appeared box then read the first one out loud, "Love Potion…?"

"User is free to buy anything from the shop by using the Love Coin, and as a reward for unlocking the shop, a 20% discount is applied to all products!"

…Ok, we have shops now. Alright. Shops. Just like - nope! Nope! Don't, just don't think about it, I barely got my mind back and I don't want any more mental breakdowns.

So just shut up and -

"Warning! Warning! User has 10 seconds to choose an option before an option is randomly chosen!"

I blankly gaze at the box then see a small timer, counting down from 10 - oh shit!

I quickly press Option B, with 4 seconds to spare, and I see the world coming back to life, ironic considering I feel like I'm dying here. For fuck sake, what was the countdown for system?!

I feel my body slowly moving towards the last Main Heroine while I focus my attention on the system.

"Due to previous Time Stop usage, user's body is at its limits. Further experience has a high possibility of permanent side effects."

Alright. I can get behind that reasoning. Not like I have a choice or anything.

I let out a long sigh then turn my attention to her now, seeing as she's being accompanied by 2 guys and heading to an alleyway -

I'm sorry what? 2 guys? Alleyway? Cliche?

I change to running after them, idly noticing how there are no cars or people around us now but I quickly push that thought away, then slow down as I near the alleyway.

I vaguely hear one of the guy's speaking as I press my back against the wall, something about showing her a good time and laughter, then I shake my head, "Ok. Ok, what can I do to get the best impression? Record? Fight? Call?" I peek around the corner to see what's going on.

The scene is just your normal cliche stuff where the girl is being pressed against the wall while the 2 guys slowly approach the girl. Typical stuff.

…Though, why does it feel so wrong?

A scream pierces the sky, cutting my thoughts off, and I unconsciously show myself to them, "Oi. Let her go." I mentally cringe at myself as I hear the cringe words, though it manages to catch their attention.

"Huuuuh? Who the hell are you supposed to be?" I idly note how they resemble the typical gangsters found in anime while they slowly walk over to me.

…Ok. What now? Both of them are now approaching me and I have no weapon. It's too late to call the police and it's useless to threaten them with a recording since nothing happened. Fist fight? Impossible -

Wait, system. Is there any strength buff and can I purchase it?

"Minor Strength Boost for 2 Love Coins. Purchase?"

Yes.

Just as I finish talking to the system, the gangsters arrive right in front of me, glaring at me, "Are you deaf or something? I said -"

I quickly throw a punch at them, successfully hitting one in the stomach, then another punch at the other gangster. Both of them instantly collapse to the ground, as if their strings were cut.

"...Eh?" I blink while blankly gazing at the gangsters in front of me, "...That's… It…?"

"H-hey… Is-Is everything over n-now…?" I snap my eyes at the new voice, watching as the last Main Heroine slowly walks over to me with careful steps while looking around us…

Fake.

Dangerous.

That's what my gut is telling me right now.

She stops right behind the bodies, alternating her scared gaze and grateful filled gaze at the gangster and me, "Than-thank you! I-I–I-If you weren't here… I just… I don't know what would -"

"You weren't in any danger." I glare at her while instantly cutting her off, to save myself from having to deal with her acting. If I didn't know any better then her acting would have completely fooled me. Far better than Isshiki, better than those women, better than anything I had ever seen.

She blinks then lightly tilts her head, her previous expression gone like a lie while standing perfectly still, "Oh? My acting wasn't perfect?"

I shake my head, "No, it was." And that terrifies me.

"You saw through it." She lightly smiles, sending a shiver through my spine.

I keep my mouth shut, not trusting myself to say anything since that would just give her more ammo than she already has.

She shrugs, then lightly steps on top of the bodies at our feet, uncaring if the gangster is alive or not, and looks down at me, "Why?"

…What do you mean why?! Why for what?! Why did I expose you? Why did I step in to help you? Why -

…Oh. That why, huh.

"I'm not you."

She warmly smiles.

"Not yet."

Before I could respond, she lightly jumps at me, prompting me to quickly move out of the way and she lightly lands on where I stood before.

"Well, this has been a fun and interesting moment, but I have to go." She lightly claps and multiple people appear from the entrance and above us, "Don't worry about the bodies. I'll take care of them, so you owe me a favor…" She widely smiles at me.

"Hachiman Hikigaya."

!!!!!!!!!!!*

A/N

Hey everyone. I'm still alive… Yeah, alive. But fuck man, I hate this year. I don't know or can't remember if I said some bits of this before but my brother bought us a house and renovated it, somewhere nearby his house like early this year and the house finished being renovated like a few months ago now. The problem is that he has been bitching about me and my family on when we will move into the new house,a house that all of us (Mother, Father, Sisters, and Me) don't want and told him no, multiple times in the beginning, because we don't have any money to pay people to move our belongings into the house. Also, imagine if that fucker had given us the money that went into buying and renovating that house, we could have paid back everything and gotten out of this hell hole. This isn't even taking into account that all of my plans are either delayed or canceled or rejected. Seriously… So, so tired.

But the worst thing of all that I had to endure… Is the fact that all of my fics had stopped right before the interesting arc of the story. Also, I don't know if I can write again, though that's just part of the course by now, right? Apologies for not being able to confidently say that I can continue writing... So, yeah. I have so, so, so many interesting ideas to play around with, especially with the new animes and stories out there (also, ffs why are there so few interesting fanfics for Oregairu? I can literally count the interesting ones with 2 hands!), but alas, life just doesn't work out like we want to.

Anyway, fanficton. Net website is fucking with me rn, so I'm sorry that I can't answer the comments left behind. Hopefully the next chapter I am able to, or I might edit this one later.