MiSide: Taming Crazy Mita

Ren Hoshino had to keep waking up Sleepy Mita mid-meal so she wouldn't face-plant into her food. She kept nodding off between bites, her head dipping dangerously toward her plate.

When she finally finished eating, Ren took a napkin and gently wiped the corner of her mouth.

"Mm… thank you, Ren," she mumbled, her voice muffled against the napkin. "You being here really helps…"

"You know that, huh?" Ren sighed. "I seriously don't know how you're still alive."

"It's dangerous here. Aren't you afraid of being attacked by one of the more hostile Mitas?"

Sleepy Mita blinked slowly. "I'm very strong."

She paused, then added, "Besides… you're a good person, Ren. A good player."

Ren smiled bitterly. "Well, you've kept to yourself, so no one's targeted you. That's probably why."

Sleepy Mita stood up, swaying. "I'm going to bed now. Good night…"

But before she could take two steps, she walked straight into the wall with a solid thud.

Ren winced, expecting her to retreat in pain, but instead—she leaned against the wall and fell asleep on the spot.

He wiped the dishwater from his hands, walked over, and gently wrapped his arms around her waist. Lifting her like a bundle of laundry, he carried her to the bed and tucked her in.

"Thanks a lot…" she mumbled into her pillow, but fell asleep before she could finish.

Ren shook his head and returned to the kitchen. He finished cleaning up the dishes and checked on the homemade bombs he'd been crafting—makeshift tools to survive future dangers. Nearby were other crafted items, scavenged supplies, and a cooling electric kettle.

"…It's time to leave."

He sat alone at the dining table, listening to the bubbling of the kettle, lost in thought.

Then he stood.

He took out two mugs, tore open some instant coffee packets, and prepared drinks for himself and Sleepy Mita—generous sugar cubes included.

In the bedroom, he placed the two steaming cups on the desk.

He gently nudged Sleepy Mita. "Mita. Wake up. I need to talk to you."

She stirred slowly, blinking.

Ren picked up a mug and handed it to her.

She accepted it, eyes still hazy. But as she took a small sip, a flicker of understanding crossed her sleepy navy-blue gaze.

"…Ren, are you leaving?"

She set her mug down and stood. Stretching her arms above her head, she bent and twisted, her body slowly waking up. She alternated pulling each arm across her chest, then raised her hands overhead, her long legs taut beneath her loose pajamas.

"…Hnn," she exhaled, stretching deeply. Then she looked at him again.

"You came to say goodbye?"

Ren nodded. "Yeah. I'm heading to an earlier version. Closer to the core."

He showed her the ring on his finger.

"This will take me there."

"I woke you up to say goodbye. And… to ask you to help me pull the lever."

Sleepy Mita looked down at the ring, then into his eyes. "You've seen through everything already…"

She sighed. "So you made it here after all."

"All the rings… hers too… No wonder."

She glanced at the chair beside her.

"Wait, I need to sit for a minute."

Before she could, Ren scooped her up again.

"No sitting. If you sit, you'll fall asleep. Just drink the coffee standing up."

Sleepy Mita groaned. "This is so exhausting…"

Her tone was reluctant, but she didn't resist. Maybe she was thinking of how Ren had cared for her these past few days.

Ren gestured to her mug. "Want to finish it?"

"No," she grimaced. "It tastes awful."

"I put a lot of sugar in it."

"Ren… you're a good person."

"You should stay."

"It's dangerous ahead."

Ren smiled. "I have to go. If I don't, the tragedies that happened to Mita… and the others… will keep happening."

"I've taken good care of you. Is that why you want me to stay?"

Sleepy Mita nodded faintly. "That's part of it…"

"You're different. It's… nice being with you."

Ren chuckled softly. "Then I'll come back when I'm done. I'll cook something good for you again."

Sleepy Mita smiled sleepily. "That'd be nice…"

"But don't fall asleep yet," Ren said. "You still need to help me."

She blinked up at him. "Pull the lever?"

"I'll help."

"Let's go."

Ren walked toward the exit gate, but after a few steps, he realized he heard nothing behind him.

He turned.

She was standing there—fast asleep.

He let out a deep sigh and walked back, wrapping his arms around her again and carrying her under his arm like a sleepy pet.

"You really can sleep anywhere, huh…"

At the heavy iron gate, Ren placed her on the sofa nearby and gently shook her.

"We're here. Wake up."

"…Hmm? Is it dinner again?"

Ren: "No. Just help me pull the lever."

Sleepy Mita blinked, walked forward groggily, and placed her hands on the rail.

"I'm ready."

Ren walked to the opposite lever and gripped it.

"Me too."

Sleepy Mita raised a finger. "One…"

"…Two…"

"…Three."

Together, they pulled.

The iron gate rumbled open.

"Thanks, Mita."

She leaned her head lazily on the lever mechanism.

"No, I should be thanking you… You took care of me…"

"Remember, come play with me again next time…"

"I'll cook for you," Ren said.

Sleepy Mita nodded drowsily. "So slow… why is this door opening so slowly…"

Without warning, she lifted the entire iron door with one hand and pushed it open faster.

Ren stared. Okay. That explains why Crazy Mita never picked a fight with her.

She's actually insanely strong.

"You're working way too hard… just to get back to bed," he muttered.

"I'm going to sleep now… Good night."

She collapsed on the nearby sofa, already snoring.

Ren stared at her for a long moment.

Falling asleep the moment you lie down… Must be nice.

He walked past the iron gate, heading into the next chamber.

In the center of the room sat a red button.

Pressing it would send him away from Sleepy Mita's zone—and into a new world:

The two-dimensional Tsundere Mita zone.

This time, it wasn't metaphorically two-dimensional.

It was literal. A version bound by 2D foil architecture—flat textures, cartoon lines, and static rendering.

And there… he would encounter Crazy Mita again.

He had to be there.

Because someone else was trapped in that version—someone who'd been alone for far too long.

This Tsundere Mita was among the earliest builds. Unlike others, she had never encountered a successful player. Not once.

She was born early, before most versions of the world had been fully patched. Alone. Unclaimed. Forgotten.

She endured more solitude than any other version.

Her harsh personality in-game was just her way of making players stay.

But in the end, Crazy Mita always arrived.

She always took the players away.

Tsundere Mita… was always the one left behind.

Ren still remembered how her final lines didn't even match her behavior.

"Cake? I hate cake! Let's just chop up some carrots!"

She had said that, even as she was bleeding out.

Moments before, she'd been fighting side by side with him to protect the protagonist.

Then she died.

Reset.

Memory erased.

But her loneliness remained—locked in that empty, outdated world.