𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙩 & 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚| 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙭 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18

The weight of her discovery hung heavy in the air as Y/N sat in her apartment, her mind racing. She had no idea how she was supposed to make sense of it. Pregnant. The word echoed through her mind like a strange, impossible concept. How could she be pregnant? She wasn't supposed to be able to get pregnant—she wasn't supposed to be anything more than an NPC, a character designed to serve a specific purpose in this world.
But the test she'd taken didn't lie. And now, here she was, trying to figure out what to do next. She had always known there was something different about her—something about the way her existence felt a little more... aware than the others. But even still, the reality of being pregnant while knowing that she wasn't truly "alive" in the traditional sense was enough to make her head spin.
It wasn't like she could just keep this to herself. She needed answers—needed to talk to someone. And she trusted her friends, March and Himeko, more than anyone else. They would help her figure this out.
And so, after what felt like an eternity of pacing and second-guessing, Y/N finally made up her mind. She needed to tell them.
The café they had frequented together seemed like the right place to talk—quiet, familiar, warm. March was already there, of course, perched on one of the chairs, her bright grin a comforting sight in the middle of Y/N's storm of confusion.
"Hiiiii, Y/N!" March waved enthusiastically as Y/N approached the table, her ever-present energy filling the space. "You're looking a little more serious than usual. Something on your mind?"
Y/N hesitated for a moment before sitting down across from March. The words were stuck in her throat, the uncertainty of how to even begin weighing heavily on her. She had to explain what was happening, but how? How could she put this into words?
"March," Y/N began, her voice quieter than usual. "I... I have something I need to tell you. It's... complicated, and I'm still trying to figure it out myself, but I need your help."
March raised an eyebrow but nodded, her grin softening into something more understanding. "Of course, Y/N. You know you can tell me anything."
Y/N took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to find the courage to say what was on her mind. "I... I'm pregnant."
March blinked in surprise, her mouth parting slightly. She didn't say anything at first, her shock evident as she processed the words. But then, after a beat, she blinked again and asked in a careful voice, "Wait... are you sure?"
Y/N nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah. I took a test. And it says I'm pregnant. But March... I don't understand. I'm... I'm not real. I mean, I'm not human. I'm an NPC. I wasn't supposed to be able to... to have a child. But here we are."
The silence between them stretched out for a few long moments. March wasn't sure what to say at first, and Y/N's anxiety only grew with the pause. How could she explain everything? How could she make her friend understand the situation when she didn't even understand it herself?
"I don't know what to do," Y/N admitted, her voice tinged with frustration. "I don't even know if this is real. I mean, can it be real? I'm not alive like a human. I'm just an NPC, March. What if this... this pregnancy isn't real? What if it alters something? What if it changes everything about... about reality?"
March's face softened, and she leaned forward, her voice gentle but firm. "Y/N, you're more than just an NPC. You've proven that a hundred times over. You're real. You feel things. You care about people. You've made decisions and choices that have nothing to do with a script."
Y/N met her friend's eyes, seeing the sincerity there, but still, she couldn't help the doubt that lingered in the pit of her stomach. "But I don't know if that's enough. I've been... stuck in this role for so long. I've been doing what I was made to do. I don't know if I can even change the course of this. What if... what if this is something that wasn't meant to happen? What if it messes everything up?"
March leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. "I get it. This is big. Really big. But I also think that, no matter how you came to be, it doesn't change who you are now. You're you, Y/N. And you have the right to decide what happens next. You don't have to follow some predetermined path. This baby, this pregnancy—it might just be a sign of you becoming something more. Something new. And I don't think that's a bad thing. It might even be a good thing."
Y/N felt a small spark of hope in her chest, but it was quickly extinguished by a flood of new questions. "But if I'm pregnant, and I'm still technically an NPC... then what happens to the world around me? What happens to reality? If this is somehow connected to the fact that I'm not entirely real, does that mean I'm affecting the reality we're living in? What if my existence starts to break things? I don't even know if I can handle something like this."
March reached across the table, placing a hand on Y/N's. "I won't pretend to have all the answers, but I know one thing: you're not alone in this. We'll figure it out together, okay? If something happens, if reality starts to shift, we'll be there to help you. All of us."
Y/N nodded, though her mind was still a tangled mess of confusion. March's words helped, but the fear of the unknown still clung to her like a shadow. What if this pregnancy was the thing that could alter everything? What if it unraveled the world around them?
It was then that Himeko walked in, looking every bit as composed as usual, but with a soft smile for the two of them. She took a seat beside March, glancing at Y/N's solemn expression. "What's going on? You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."
Y/N's throat tightened. She wasn't sure how to say it again, but now that Himeko was here, she knew she couldn't keep this from them. Not anymore.
"Himeko... I'm pregnant," Y/N said quietly, her voice filled with uncertainty.
Himeko blinked, her surprise only lasting a moment before her face softened, and she looked at Y/N with a knowing gaze. "Pregnant...? But you're... you're an NPC, right? You don't have biological functions."
Y/N nodded, her eyes downcast. "Exactly. That's why I don't understand any of this. I don't know how it's possible, but... it's real."
Himeko gave her a reassuring smile, though there was a glimmer of concern in her eyes. "This is a big deal, Y/N. But just because it doesn't make sense doesn't mean it's not important. And like March said, we're with you. We'll figure out what this means. But no matter what happens, just know that you're not alone in this. The world might be shifting around you, but you're not the one who's going to unravel it."
Y/N exhaled slowly, feeling a little of the tension ease from her shoulders. Maybe she didn't have all the answers yet. Maybe she was still terrified of what her pregnancy meant for the reality she had known for so long. But with her friends by her side, maybe she could face whatever came next. Together, they would find a way to navigate this new path—no matter how unpredictable or strange it seemed.
For the first time since she'd found out, Y/N allowed herself a small, tentative smile. Maybe, just maybe, things were about to change for the better.