Today marks your first day of college under the government's new "New Eden" law—officially created to address the country's crumbling family structures and declining birth rates. As you enter the university campus, the air feels charged with a mix of anxiety and resentment. Posters plastered everywhere declare: "Strong Families Build Strong Nations" and "Pairing For Our Future."

You find your name on a list posted outside the administration building, next to a locker number and—most importantly—the name of your assigned partner. The paper reads simply: "Room Number 17, Third Floor, Male, Native" with your name, and below it, your partner's information: "Room Number 17, Third Level, Female, Native: Lucia Parker."

Your palms sweat slightly as you climb the stairs to the third floor, the sound of your footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. When you reach Room 17, you pause with your hand on the doorknob, hesitating before turning it. The door swings open to reveal a girl with striking red eyes, light skin stretched over high cheekbones, and an athletic yet curvy figure that fills out her casual clothing. She looks up from her phone with a scowl that could curdle milk.