"Hun, please." Chris sighed. "You're interrupting the fruits of young love again."

"Wha-!?" Haru gasped, his entire face turning pink now.

"I am hanging up now." Ben informed- reaching for the phone.

"Noo-!" They boy cried as he hit the end call button.

"Are you okay?" Haru asked, trying to change the subject as he took the phone and shoved it into his pocket.

"No, I'm sick, hurt and pissed." Ben replied as he started to get to his feet.

"Wait!" Haru breathed. "I'll help you!"

He got up and put one of Ben's arms around his neck, blushing as he helped the other to his feet and moved him onto his bed.

"You need to stay in bed," He informed, gently. "That was a shock to your system and if you're not careful it could cause you to go into shock. I suggest you take a day off from classes and a day off from The Game."

"My nervous system isn't fried...that thing thinks it's a real person." Ben informed as he was set down.

"What happened?" Haru inquired, nodding to the Dorm Lady, who closed the door and left them in peace.

"He invaded my...head." Ben frowned. "I could feel him in there...and hear him talking...he's...he's something different...not a program or a person, but he thinks and feels like one."

"And Wyatt made friends with him or something?" Haru asked. "Why did he say he didn't want to 'lose him again'?"

He could tell something was going on, something deeper - but he didn't feel like he really had a right to press it.

Ben sighed.

"...He thinks it's our old friend." Ben replied. "He died...in-game...and the system fried him...but some guys think he got pulled into the game and stuck."

Haru's eyes went wide and he pulled back a little. "I... I heard that the NPC's look was based on the 5th alpha tester, but... I didn't know he..."

He looked down - more meek then Ben could remember him being in-game. He was smaller, too... the look was the same, in fact he had seen Haru in class and thought he looked similar to Arashi, but hadn't put it together.

Haru's hair was the same ebony, though much shorter and fell over his shoulder in waves. His eyes were dark brown instead of crystal blue, but the face shape was the same. He had a smaller build and was shorter, but there was a major difference... Haru was real and Ben could almost feel the warmth coming off of him.

"I'm really sorry that happened to you," Haru finally said after a moment. "That has to be awful..."

"...I think Pin- that's what he calls himself -I think that he's more than something programmed." Ben said. "I think...that because he's based off of that tester...the bits of him that have been floating around in The Game after the accident like bits of broken code...a ghost in the machine...have latched on and possessed this NPC."

"Wyatt said that... if someone disconnects suddenly... it can cause damage..." Haru whispered, looking away again. "Is... is that...?"

"The older equipment was being tested and had problems." Was all Ben offered in explaination.

Haru nodded, accepting the explication without saying anything more.

He glanced up at Ben through his bangs, taking in the the other's appearance - Ben was Indian, but was probably either adopted or had taken on an English name because his own was too hard to say for the other students. He had sharp features and was quite attractive... not that Haru was into guys or anything! If he was though, he would be attracted to Ben...

His cheeks turned pink again and he looked away.