MiSide: Taming Crazy Mita

Ren Hoshino walked up to the bathroom door and gently pushed it open. The glass of the shower cubicle was fogged over with steam, and through the mist, the faint silhouette of a young girl could be seen.

Mila's panicked voice rang out.

"Hey!"

"Get out!"

"Don't you know how to knock!?"

Ren didn't move.

Mila's voice sharpened. "Why are you still standing there!?"

"I'm just admiring the scenery," Ren replied calmly.

"This bathroom has a really nice layout."

"Get out!" Mila snapped, furious.

"Don't make me angry!"

"I'm taking a shower, can't you see that!?"

Ren was eventually scolded into retreating. Not that he minded much. After all, as the saying goes: you shouldn't curse your mother while holding her bowl.

His only real regret was that the steam on the glass was too thick to see anything clearly.

He stepped out of the bathroom and waited.

Soon after, Mila emerged—wearing a red bathrobe and matching bunny-pattern slippers. She covered her chest with one hand. Beads of water shimmered against her snow-pale skin, rolling down her navy-blue hair and across her collarbone.

Her eyes were cold beneath her black-framed glasses. "What exactly were you doing back there?"

She glared.

"You pervert. Shameless. Abnormal."

Ren smiled—and without hesitation, raised his phone and snapped a photo.

Click.

Mila froze, clutching her robe tighter. Her cheeks turned a rosy shade of red.

"Ren Hoshino!"

"What the hell are you doing!?"

"You pervert! You can't just take pictures of girls!"

Ren casually switched to video recording.

"Come on. You can't call this 'candid photography.' I was very open about it."

"The hidden camera would've been in the bathroom—that was your one lucky escape."

He considered himself a gentleman. Never secretive.

"You're still thinking about that?!" Mila shouted. "You were going to film me in the shower! You sick creep!"

"Why'd you start showering right now, anyway?" Ren shrugged. "You could've waited until I was done."

"How was I supposed to know when you'd leave?" Mila snapped. "How long are you going to mess around with these bugs?"

"Almost done," Ren replied.

Mila sighed. "Okay… since my house is still intact, I assume you fixed the kitchen glitch?"

Ren nodded. "Yeah."

"Then I grant you permission to use the bathroom now," she said stiffly.

"Then I won't hold back."

Mila quickly stepped in front of him, eyes narrowed. "Ren, what exactly are you planning?"

"Fixing bugs," he said innocently. "What else would I do?"

Mila narrowed her eyes. "Don't do anything weird."

Ren put on a mock-offended look. "What's weird? Collect your bathwater?"

"Who would even want that?"

"How could you think such dirty things about me? I'm a man of integrity."

Mila sighed, visibly exhausted. "Since you showed up, I haven't had a moment's peace…"

"Phew—whatever. I'm getting dressed. You go in."

She shoved him into the bathroom and turned away.

Ren stepped into the lingering warmth and the soft, flowery scent of her body wash. His eyes turned toward the black, twisting glitch warping the center of the room.

He reached out his hand.

The scene distorted—and then shifted.

It didn't take long to resolve. He'd gotten more efficient each time. By now, debugging was second nature.

When he stepped out, he saw Mila sitting on the bed, half-dressed, pulling up black stockings.

Their eyes met.

Ren nodded casually. "Go ahead. Don't mind me."

It wasn't the result that mattered. It was the process. And watching a girl in glasses slowly put on her stockings…

Truly a sight for sore eyes.

Mila blushed in frustration. "You pervert! Don't stare!"

"I didn't see anything," Ren said smoothly.

"A gentleman has a clear conscience and acts openly. If I ran off in embarrassment, it would look like I was guilty."

"I'm simply admiring beauty."

Click.

Another photo.

Mila's jaw dropped. "What are you even doing?!"

Ren grinned. "You'll find out when you turn around."

He walked back to the living room and plunged his hand into another black distortion—this one glitching against the wall like a tear in the code.

Once again, the world shifted briefly—and returned to normal.

Only one bug left now.

He returned to the bedroom. No sign of Mila.

Puzzled, he pushed open the kitchen door.

There—beneath the table—he spotted the hem of her skirt and her black-stockinged legs. Mila was curled up under the table, a book clutched to her chest. Her navy-blue hair drooped down as she glanced around nervously, clearly waiting for him.

Ren lifted the tablecloth.

Snap.

He looked at the photo—Mila hiding under the table, wide-eyed and hugging her book, pure and innocent like a secret character event.

"Mila?" he called. "What are you doing down there?"

She startled and hit her head on the underside of the table.

"Ouch!"

Crawling out slowly, she looked up at him with a teary pout.

"You scared me again!"

"What do you want this time?"

"Nothing," Ren replied. "Just recording our good times."

Mila frowned. "Can't you let me finish reading this book in peace?"

"Were you really reading?" he asked. "You looked like you were just waiting for me."

Mila's face froze. "…I was just taking a break!"

Ren smirked. "I believe you."

He turned to continue bug-hunting—but Mila called out.

"Wait!"

She got to her feet and placed the book down on the table.

"I have a question."

"You want to leave this place, don't you?"

Ren nodded. "Yeah. I'm heading to the core. I plan to quit the game."

Mila folded her arms. Her cold expression faltered just a little.

"That might sound weird… but… would you stay and read with me?"

Ren paused.

"You quarreled with me earlier. And now you want me to stay?"

"You want me to read with you?"

"…Maybe I will. But I still need to go to the core and take care of things first."

Mila's expression turned cold again. "Oh, fine! Go chase your bugs!"

Her voice cracked with tension. She rubbed her neck with a wince.

"That's the second time I've hit myself today… all because of you…"

"This is your fault…"

Ren looked at her quietly. She was trying to threaten him into staying, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything truly hurtful. She didn't want to drive him away. Just… make him hesitate.

She was such a good girl.

"Mila," he said gently. "I am going to leave… but not yet."

"I'm willing to stay with you."

"I'll go to the core and finish what I have to. But for now, let's read together."

"I'll recommend you some real books from my world."

Mila's navy-blue eyes lit up. A flicker of something alive sparkled there.

She crossed her arms and looked away, her voice soft and guarded.

"…Really? You better not go back on your word."