The World Only the Girls Know: A Sorrel's Teasing
Chapter 1: The Greatest Adversary
Author's Note: Sister Fic of the Azalea Side
Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well.
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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ
Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki
Written by: wrathie
Author's Notes: The Sorrel stands for Wit and affection.. Thank you dongaro for the beta-read and edit!
This carries on from Azalea side Chapter 8 and is the Sister Fic of the Azalea Side.
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Do you believe in love? It is a wonderful feeling is it not? The way you can only think about that person. The happiness you feel when you are with him or her and of course, the constriction of your chest as you recall the sweet things the two of you did together.
That is the feeling of love. My love is pretty much the same.
I would always think about that person, wondering what he was doing now. Was he still gaming? Was he thinking about me?
I would always have this feeling of joy and time would always pass quicker than I imagined when I was spending time with him.
That same feeling of affection and longing, I feel it every time he came close to me, when he displayed surprising warmth and gentleness when helping, teaching and lecturing me about the favorite things we shared together.
That is… if only I can remember who he is… to prove that my feelings are not a lie.
The feeling that one should never have forgotten… that is love after all.
Have you ever felt like you've forgotten something important to you? Felt something just out of your reach, a veil in your mind; something precious that is at the tip of your fingertips haunting, mocking you as you tried to remember.
It is like your mind is filled with fog, obscuring your vision but letting you hear the distant cries in the distance.
One's imagination is powerful and I could not help but speculate as to what I could have forgotten.
But if it was a coincidence, it must have been a very common coincidence as I felt that way every time the familiar loading screen that my PFP displays when I load it up.
I feel that there should be someone sitting behind me, someone I must greet and acknowledge.
But the instant that I try to speak that person's name, it escapes me… All I can remember is that the person is a he, a Boy who had defeated me, frustrated me, taught me how to truly live and at the same time, is my ideal partner.
Why did I forget him?
Why did I, Fuse Aoba, forget someone who was that important to me? Yes, he is important… I must remind myself of that every single day or that thought will escape me.
It is like a conspiracy, trying to mislead me into forgetting he even existed.
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Whenever I am asked: "Why do I play those games? Aren't those games targeted at boys?" I would always give the same answer.
"Mm. One of the reasons is that I love those games and… I feel that if I keep playing those games, I will meet someone. Someone very special to me."
The reason for my answer was that someone had definitely asked me an odd question which was: "Who are you?"
Someone definitely asked me that question once… I can remember that faintly, and right now I can answer with confidence…
That I am the person who would keep playing these games and will eventually meet that Person that I have forgotten. That is who I, Fuse Aoba, truly am…
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It too makes me wonder at who, or what, made me want to play such games. The same games that gave me my monicker 'Mai-hime' and at the same time labeled me as a hopeless Otaku
I do not regret this decision, it is a joy in my life that I cannot replace. But when did I start playing? That memory escapes me too…
But I do not regret, as after all; Galgames are an expression of love. Of the Author's wish to create a Perfect World, a perfect Answer to a specific girl's problems, worries and to fill her heart and soul with the protagonist.
It is like a cure, if the world in the game is created by the Author and Creator of the game, the person who is the savior is the player, the hero of that particular world.
No matter how many times I reach an Ending, whether good or bad… I feel content that I did fill a void in someone's heart.
It is that simple…
But it, at the same time makes me wonder if I am just escaping from reality to another world… am I simply filling the gaps in my heart with the games I claim I love playing?
No, that is not the case… I do love those games and… somehow I feel that is my calling in life.
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I find joy in having the heroines being saved, their stories, events, sadness, joy is mine to savor, mine to remember and most importantly, mine to solve on behalf of the hero.
But… there can only be one Hero after all.
Yes and logically that means there can only be one Heroine…
Somehow, that makes me sad… Even if there are multiple paths, multiple endings in the Game, It is only a game.
It is impossible to create a Happy End for everyone…
Merely that thought makes me stop playing for a brief instant. I know it is the same feeling that compels me to play, to know their deliverance, to know their happiness… but this feels different.
It is like, knowing that I am a Heroine as well, and my route is not acknowledged or chosen by the Protagonist of my story.
One might laugh, but in rare moments like this, I believe in it with a pinch of salt.
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My history is a story, and there is nothing that stops this world from being a 'Game' as well.
So that's why I keep playing, to save the Heroines from their sadness, even if I myself cannot be saved. It is not a vicious circle, it is something terrible and wonderful that I cannot ignore. The games I play, are not for myself, they are for them.
That is my firm belief.
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But all that would change today.
Everything changed in an instant, from the ticking of the clock to the movement of my fingers as they completed yet another game, change is forever with me.
But even this change was sudden; the person who offered me that change was someone I would not have glanced at normally.
But she caught my attention; she was the only person of my age and my gender in that section of the game store and despite myself, I feel that it was exactly like she planned it to be.
She smiled in greeting and I nodded back while picking out a game I was going to challenge that night. It was just a normal meeting with a random stranger that I would take notice of and then subsequently forget about…
But I would not forget how casual the meeting was.
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"Ah… you are… a heroine too, right?"
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I froze while holding the game and I admit that for a moment, my mind went blank as she walked passed me and asked casually again.
"Well, aren't you a Heroine of your own story?"
It was like she had read my mind and while she walked away, I whirled around I spoke confidently back to her while I was holding back my beating heart.
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"If I am the Heroine, then… then, My 'route' will be the one that is chosen!"
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I must have sounded silly, idiotic even but I could not let this chance slip away. I could feel it inside me; this girl… this person knows something that I do not. There was meaning behind her words, and I am never wrong about things like that!
That's right; in the games the heroines never have a choice. They would have to wait wistfully, hoping and praying that the hero would answer their prayers and save them.
But in the game, only one heroine can be saved at one single time…
She is not the main heroine; she knew that as her Hero had not appeared, she would not fit the bill as she had neither the character nor the shared memories to fit that bill.
But this was reality, and this time she as a heroine would make the Hero fall for her instead. Who needed flags to be triggered? She was Fuse Aoba, she would force those flags to be triggered by themselves, whether the hero liked it or not!
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"Then, make it happen, Heroine."
The girl asked mischievously and I felt something like lightning coursing through my body… and I… remembered.
"…"
The girl was gone just like that but she left me something very important…
The image of the hero in her own story returned to her. And like she had imagined, she most probably was not the Main Heroine… But like she had considered and feared, reality dictates that there can only be one Heroine… but at the same time, that didn't mean she would give up.
If the girls that she had saved never once gave up on waiting for the hero, neither should she.
But she is Fuse Aoba, she is Maihime and this is her story… even if the target is a God, even a God will select her route!
This was her decision the moment she remembered, and being called a genius, she was not someone to be underestimated.
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If she could remember him, that meant she could know who that person was, where he could be and how to find him.
Even if she could not remember all the times they spent together, this standard of deduction was possible for her!
After all, the person has to be someone who is above her, someone that had defeated her, someone who could have met her and be close with her for a period of time… and the only person that could fit that bill would be matched with the name of the person that she had remembered.
Only God was above her…
And thus her reasoning deduced immediately that… God can only be him, the boy named Katsuragi Keima.
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"Eh?"
Haqua was surprised; no she was happy and bewildered at how easily Keima accepted the offer to help when she raised it. She had expected a fierce struggle that would likely end in her defeat; as she knew how stubborn and proud Keima was, and for him to admit that he needed help was probably very painful.
But after cornering him before dinner and offering to help Keima in his little bind, Haqua was proven wrong when Keima accepted immediately and admitted that the plan that Haqua had proposed would be probably their best option so far if she was willing to accept some amendments from him.
She had no idea why Keima wanted her help but she knew that Keima would never call for her unless something serious occurred.
Yes, she was upset that the girl, Ikoma Minami, had confessed to him and was furious that he had actually agreed to listen to her after school.
What happened between them was not Haqua's concern! She was just… just… curious, that's all! Seeing Keima with a g-girlfriend...! That would be hilarious, wouldn't it?
No, it probably wouldn't… and that was probably why, Haqua had admitted to herself privately, that she was relieved that Keima had told her that he only thanked Minami for liking him and have not gotten into any relationship with her.
But Haqua would admit that only over her dead body!
Hence, she was excited and happy that Keima had actually counter offered to have Haqua with him as his partner for this investigation, and she had accepted immediately without even questioning what investigation this was about.
O-of course it is not to get close to him, it was to find a weakness for her to exploit next time! Fuufuufuu~
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'I would need your help, all of it… and I would be greatly in your debt if you accept."
He had told Haqua that seriously and under the spell of the Capturing God's eyes, Haqua had slowly nodded her head and agreed, spellbound by this human boy.
It was an opportunity to see how he worked and most importantly… to finally verify what she felt towards him after so long… was it just a passing phase? Or would it… be something more permanent.
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"… I understand Kami-Onii-sama!"
Elsi saluted the silent Keima, as he had just given them a briefing about the current situation, and he had taken special care to highlight the possibilities to Elsi. As she would be working alone this time, finding out some clues from Ayumi, and Chihiro by herself.
Although Haqua was a little apprehensive, Keima was still adamant, and insisted that Elsi would have better results if she was not constantly supervised.
That praise was apparently a great compliment to her as she had responded by kissing him on the cheeks and declaring that she would find out the truth or not return home alive!
Seriously, she could be a little dramatic at times… and no, Haqua was not jealous that Keima allowed her to do that so readily. The two of them are just family, Haqua… just Family, there is no need to read too much into what possibilities that entails!
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For Haqua, she was a bit skeptical that the memories of the 'Captured Girls' could return, even partially. But she had to admit that the situation certainly suggested it to be true. Most importantly, it would explain why Ikoma Minami would confess to Keima out of the blue.
There was no way anyone could actually like the 'Otamegane', and certainly no one would have enough courage to confess to someone like him so openly like Minami.
It made Haqua wonder what Keima did to make that poor girl so infatuated with him…
No, of course she would not want to go through the same experience like that poor girl!
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"Are you listening to me, Haqua?"
"A-ah yes!"
Flushing red that she was caught day dreaming instead of Elsi, Haqua adverted her eyes from Elsi, who was looking at her curiously as well. Curses, Elsi looks more like the model student than she was at the moment.
Did something happen to cause that change? Elsi seemed so confident in her abilities all of a sudden…
What magic did Keima pull to give her that courage?
"Like I was saying, Elsi would have her hands full with Chihiro and Ayumi… but I would like the two of you to help modify or erase the other girls' memories that I have highlighted earlier."
"I-I see… that shouldn't be a problem… but one question…"
"What would that be?"
"Which girls?"
She was embarrassed even further when Elsi whispered to her that they were: Tsukiyo, Kusonoki and Mio. This was the ultimate insult! Accepting help from Elsi and having it turning out correct was unprecedented!
Hoping but failing to foam in the mouth in rage, Haqua clenched her teeth and hands and just tried to laugh it off embarrassingly when Keima patted Elsi's head, causing her to blush as she was praised.
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Kuuuuu~~! She was so jealous!
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"I will see you tomorrow then."
"Bye bye, Haqua~"
Waving weakly back at them, Haqua left the Katsuragi residence a broken girl… she could never seem to perform well in front of Keima and this time, Elsi was strangely competent today, and that would mean her own image took a double beating in the same day.
For now, all she could do was hope tomorrow would be a better day and Haqua swore it would be, raising her scythe in the air in defiance at her run of bad luck!
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"… I expected a better competitor."
A sudden unfamiliar voice called out to her and she felt the hair in the back of her head rise up. Was this an enemy? Did she find the culprit so easily? Did her foe want to get rid of her so soon after she pledged her help to Keima?
Well, that would be the likely response from the enemy after all, the strongest should always be 'eliminated' first. But she has no plans in allowing them to succeed!
"Logically, you should be much better endowed…"
"! WHAT DID YOU SAY?"
Screaming at the unknown person, Haqua closed her mouth as she realized that she had been successfully baited by the opponent and she took a worried step back. Whoever that was, it was someone she would not want to face as the enemy most possibly could read her like a book.
"After all, among all the girls surrounding the hero, you are the most likely person to be the Main Heroine… The other girl could not count as they share the same blood between them. A pairing between Blood-Relations is always prohibited."
A girl stepped out from the shadows, one with pale bluish green hair that was held back with a small red hairclip. She was wearing the same school uniform as Elsi… did that meant she was in the same school as Elsi was?
Was she a classmate of theirs… but even if she wasn't, what was she referring to? What does 'Heroine' mean?
"Thus, you must be the Main Heroine. You are the only girl who is close enough to the Hero to share close memories with him as well as to have sufficient characterization to fit the criteria.
The most important point is that… you are a close confidant of the Hero… even if you do fail the requirement that Main heroines are generally well endowed…"
The girl was staring at Haqua as if scrutinizing her but Haqua did not know why this girl's competitive edge was being targeted solely at her. Haqua had no idea what that girl was talking about but it seems that she is looking for a fight or is just mad at her for some reason.
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"From all those points, I can reason that you, Haqua, are the Main Heroine in Katsuragi Keima's eyes. I, Fuse Aoba, hereby declare a challenge. Whether you accept or refuse to acknowledge it is of no importance. I will definitely succeed in making him choose my 'route'. You have now been warned."
A ridiculous declaration, but why did Haqua suddenly feel that same deathly chill that she felt when she was called out by Keima.
This human girl in front of her… was someone that couldn't be underestimated?
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Author's Notes: R&R would be good. I hope the readers can see the difference in the two stories at this point. For those unacquainted, please read the Sister Fic: TWOGK: Azalea Side to keep up to date.
