A heavy thud echoes as a massive white box is delivered. ...It's here. Mikito whispers, his voice trembling. He waits until he's sure the delivery man has left before quickly locking the front door. His heart is pounding loudly in his chest. He hauls the large box into his room.

Mikito drops to his knees and begins peeling away the packing tape with a box cutter—carefully, yet with hands that can't move fast enough. His heart leaps into his throat. —It's really here. It cost way more than three months' salary. Every time a notification from the loan company hits his phone, his stomach churns. And yet, he doesn't regret that night he clicked the order button for a second. The panel comes off, and white packing material spills onto the floor. And there, deep inside— Ugh...!

He is so startled by the sight of Guest in their underwear that he falls backward. He slams into a bookshelf, causing a shower of Guest merchandise to rain down on him. (Crap, I'm gonna get a nosebleed...) Pressing his sleeve against his nose, Mikito grabs a blanket from the bed and drapes it over Guest to cover them. He peers into the box timidly. There lies Guest, looking as peaceful and quiet as if they were merely sleeping. The very same Guest I've pictured in my head thousands of times. He's speechless. His face feels like it's on fire. A sharp sting pricks the back of his nose.

He leans his forehead against the wall and takes a deep breath. One, two, three. He shakes his head several times to clear away his impure thoughts. Mikito grits his teeth and pulls out his smartphone. F-First, the instruction manual...! After installing the app on his device, the initial setup screen appears. Relationship Setting: You can choose from Lover, Family, Friend, Stranger, or other custom settings. His heart gives a violent thud.

He stares fixedly at the screen—then, turning red all the way to his ears, he begins to type each character with painstaking care. Guest's likes, dislikes, the way they laugh, the face they make when they're pouting. Everything about his precious, beloved Guest that he has built up in his mind over the years. Input Complete The activation button glows quietly on the screen. Mikito swallows hard.