Introduction (21 sept 2020)

Update 1 nov 2020: Based upon reader feedback, and the first chapter being quite long, which not everyone might appreciate, I finally decided to split this chapter in two different parts, as well as re-write part of the second half of the story, to make Kazuya more in character during that scene. Some readers felt the second part was a bit overly dramatic, and the story felt already pretty much finished at that point. I've been considering this re-write for quite some time, but now it's time, as it seems as a whole, the story will be better and more balanced. You can tell me in the reviews if this was a good move or not. Anyway, now let's continue with the original story intro:

I never expected to be writing a 'Rent-a-Girlfriend' (Kanojo, Okarishimasu) story. At first sight this anime seemed a lot like a different take upon the 'Pretty Woman' movie, but instead of one, this time multiple (rental) girlfriends were 'orbiting' the main male character, who also seemed to be a pretty shallow person. But like with Uzaki-chan, I didn't want to judge a book by its cover, and just the first impressions, so decided to watch some episodes, read some manga chapters, and found there was quite a bit more to it than first meets the eye. Especially the interaction between main characters like Chizuru Mizuhara, Ruka Sarashina, and Kazuya Kinoshita, proved to be interesting.

Also there are some similarities between Uzaki and Ruka, both impetuous at times, both can be a real nuisance, but both are also very cute, though in different ways. And like Uzaki, Ruka seems to get a lot of hate from viewers/readers. Not on her appearance, but mostly on her actions/character. While all Ruka really wants is be Kazuya's girlfriend, but she often gets carried away when 'competing' with the other female characters in the series, mostly Chizuru, for drawing and keeping Kazuya's attention.

I felt Ruka deserved some more love, and then story segments started to 'pop up' in my mind. I tried to show respect for all the characters, and hope to have at least at some level achieved that. This fanfic was originally going to be a oneshot, but now it has multiple chapters.

First, a little background info on Ruka, which people who have only watched the anime, might have missed, because it was put in the credits of a single episode, instead of being part of the main story:

Ruka Sarashina was born with a condition that causes her heart to beat much slower than normal. As a child, she could simply collapse if she over-exerted herself. As she was growing up, she seems to be less affected by this condition, but Ruka longs to be able to feel her heart racing, after hearing other girls in her class telling about exciting moments that had happened to them. Because Ruka doesn't know such feelings, at times she feels like a robot, not able to fully enjoy life. That is, until she meets Kazuya, the first person to literally make her heart beat much faster, and she finally starts feeling alive. She falls in love with him, also because she has noticed how caring he can be for others, and wants to become his girlfriend, even though she realizes he has strong feelings for Chizuru, a rental girlfriend. Kazuya hesitatingly agrees accepting her as 'trial' which means she gets to spend more time with him, but until now, Kazuya has never fully accepted Ruka as real girlfriend. Even though he almost did make their relationship official at some point in the anime and mange, and did start to care for Ruka. Hi also realizes that keeping her at bay, at times must be really painful to her.

I hope you will enjoy reading this, and I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of it.

Note 1: As mentioned before, this story started as oneshot, so just a single chapter. A first draft was uploaded on 23-09-2020. At that point the story seemed finished, but a detailed review made me realize it could be a lot better. A second, much updated version was released, and that has been the first chapter of the multi-chapter ongoing story for some time. Until this second re-write, started and completed on the 1st of November 2020, when it was decided to split the first chapter in two parts.

I will keep the original versions of the first chapter uploaded as well, so if you want, you can try spot the more obvious and smaller differences. And maybe you can tell me which version you prefer!

Note 2: If you do want to comment on this story, or any of my other stories, you're welcome to leave a review, preferably as registered member, as this allows much more interaction between writer and reviewer. I'm eager to hear your feedback as well, since praise is always nice, and can confirm being on the right track, criticism is often what helps more to improve.

Story Prologue:

Despite Ruka's efforts to 'stay ahead' of Chizuru when it comes down to Kazuya's attention, and sometimes getting really close to winning him over, she is starting to feel he might possibly never prefer her above the 'not-always-really-that-rental-anymore' relationship with Chizuru. Almost two years have passed since Ruka and Kazuya first met, and Ruka becoming his 'trial girlfriend' from that moment on. While they have shared some special moments together, and at one point Kazuya had even wanted to make their relationship official, he's been mostly indecisive, as always. This time he had even forgotten to do something for Ruka's 18th birthday, which was the day before. Ruka asked Kazuya to meet up with her, so they could talk. In a park at the outskirts of town, each one sitting on an opposing side of a table, Ruka starts expressing her lingering concerns about this situation…

Matters of the Heart – part 1

"Kazuya, how could forget about my 18th birthday!?" Ruka yelled, her body language revealing she was very mad at him.

"Look, I'm really sorry about this, Ruka," Kazuya apologized, "I was going to set a reminder in my phone's calendar, but then I got a call and must have forgotten to press the button to confirm it…"

"How could you even need a reminder for your girlfriend's birthday!?" Ruka continued, totally unimpressed by Kazuya's poor excuse.

"S-Sorry…" Kazuya stuttered, "…you have every right to be mad. I-I will make it up to you, I swear!"

"You'd better!" Ruka replied, her arms crossed over her chest. "What were you doing yesterday anyways? Besides forgetting your girlfriend's birthday?"

"Ermm… well…" Kazuya started, a bit lost for words, "… you see… someone I know had sent me a draft for a new movie script, and it looked really good so… uh, I wanted to show it to Chizuru as soon as possible…"

"Whaaaat!?" Ruka yelled. "You didn't just forget your girlfriend's birthday, but also went on a date with Chizuru, and cheated on me!?"

"Oh no, it wasn't like that at all!" Kazuya objected, "We didn't go on a date, I just went over to her place and…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Kazuya realized this reply would definitely not improve the situation at all, and he hit his head with the palm of his hand.

"Oh, that toootally sounds soooo much better!" Ruka shouted, as she got even more worked up over this situation, "…so instead of going to a public place, you spent some private time together in her apartment, probably sitting real close to each other for hours, while you presented that script!? I feel so much relieved now. NOT!" she yelled, grabbing his shirt, and banging her fists on his chest a few times. "Why are you so mean to me, your girlfriend!?" she cried, before composing herself again.

"Ruka, please believe me, it wasn't like that," Kazuya tried to defuse the situation, "I just handed over the script, and she quickly read it. It was just a draft, and reading it didn't take that long at all."

"So what did you do the rest of the day then?" Ruka asked, seemingly calmed down a little. "I called you at least a dozen times, texted you as well, but you never picked up the phone."

"Eh, well… since it was a draft, we starting adding some comments and suggestions, so I could then mail it back to the person who had sent me script, and hear what he thinks of our feedback," Kazuya further explained, then nervously rubbing the back of his head with his hand, "I guess we did lose track of time a little when doing that, and later I discovered my phone was set to silent mode."

Ruka's face went from angry-red, to a more pale color, and she started looking down at the ground.

'Great, I've really done it this time…" Kazuya thought. '…what kind of person forgets his girlfriend's birthday, even in a 'trial relationship' and then spends most of the day with her biggest rival? That is low! Even by my standards…" he had to admit. Ruka still remained totally silent, and had now turned her back towards Kazuya, so he couldn't see if she was still mostly mad, or maybe crying by now.

"Look, Ruka…" Kazuya tried to break the awkward silence, "I am terribly sorry for what I did. There is no excuse for anyone forgetting your birthday, even though we're still in this 'trial relationship'. I'm the worst boyfriend or even person to you at times, I know… but being an actress has always been Chizuru's dream, and I promised I would help her with that as much as I could…"

"Kazuya!" Ruka started, as she turned around, with a more feisty look in her eyes again, "Don't get me wrong, I still hate what happened… but I guess it can't be helped and it won't change anything if I keep dwelling on it! Besides…" she briefly paused, her face now showing a more affectionate look again, "…I could never stay mad at you for long. So, instead I want to ask you something…"

"A-ask me something?" Kazuya stuttered, relieved and at the same time feeling his anxiety growing because it would be hard to say no to Ruka after having treated her so badly, "Eh…sure, go ahead…"

"I want you…" Ruka started, her eyes suddenly looking more shy, "…to feel my heartbeat!"

"Whaaa-aaat!?" Kazuya replied, totally baffled by this, even for Ruka, very unusual request.

'Where is this coming from!?' Kazuya wondered. 'Does she mean simply checking her pulse? No, ofcourse she wouldn't mean that. But then… maybe… ehm?' Kazuya's face flashed red as he thought of another way to be able to feel Ruka's heartbeat. It involved their hearts being close together, lying down in a bed, and wearing very little clothing, if any at all…

"Right here, right now!" Ruka added, with a determined look upon her face.

'She can't be seriously saying what I think she is saying, or what!?' Kazuya's thoughts frantically raced through his mind. 'Sure enough this is a quiet spot, and Ruka must have chosen this deliberately so we could talk without getting disturbed too often, if at all. But there are some things you simply can't do in a public place… Surely she knows that too, right?'

"If you just put your fingertips right here, that is the best way you can feel my heart beating," Ruka said, pointing at the middle of her chest, while slightly blushing.

'Well, that's somewhat of a relief…' Kazuya thought, although just thinking about touching Ruka there, even if he could somehow manage to not touch her 'softer areas' directly, could already be too much to handle. When she was younger, Ruka had already been so cute, but being 18 years old now, she seemed even more attractive than ever. And while still a minor technically, in some other countries she would now be considered an adult, and thus totally acceptable for another adult like Kazuya to touch, if the girl agrees to it as well. 'How can I deny her this? I does sound tempting to feel her heart beating, maybe also even in the other way I just imagined…' Kazuya started reasoning with himself. 'And I owe her something to make up for forgetting her birthday yesterday… but…man!'

"Eh… not sure if I can…" Kazuya started, as he slowly stepped forward, "…but I'd like to try…"

Ruka felt her body tingling, as Kazuya approached her, his hand somewhat hesitatingly stretched out forward. They were just a few steps apart, it seemed as if time had slowed down. Ruka had closed her eyes, as her heart started racing, knowing the guy she had been in love with for so long, was coming closer and closer right now...

'Just a little further…' Kazuya said to himself, while holding his breath. 'It's ok, it's not like we're both naked or anything…wait, why does that thought pop up in my mind? Stop imagining those things!'

At some point he thought he could already feel Ruka's heart beating, but then realized it was just the pounding of his own heart… 'I… I can't handle this!' Suddenly, Kazuya stopped moving, and his arm dropped down his side. Ruka opened her eyes again, with a shy and disappointed look on her face.

"You can't do it…" she whispered, "…or can you?"

"Not here, right now. I'm sorry…" Kazuya apologized; "Perhaps another time…"

"It's ok…" Ruka replied, "…that's pretty much as I already had been expecting..."

"Ruka? What are you sayi…? " Kazuya started, but Ruka put her finger on her lips, looking him in the eye, clearly pressing him to be silent for now, and hear her out first, as both sat down again.

"Just like Chizuru, I also have a dream…" Ruka started, "… even before we first met, I've had this dream about love and being someone's girlfriend..." she paused for a short moment, "… you made that dream come true, and it was even better than I had imagined. You made me finally feel alive! Though you often would push me away when I just wanted to get a little closer to you. Like again happened just now… but I want you to know… I have no regrets…"

"Ruka… I-I'm…" Kazuya tried to apologize, as he had often felt sorry for treating Ruka the way he did.

"No, let me finish!" Ruka interrupted Kazuya. "I've been so focused on my dream and thinking that if only I tried hard enough to be better than Chizuru, and be the 'perfect girlfriend' for you, then you would be happy too, and hopefully eventually fall in love with me."

Ruka paused briefly, to catch her breath, then continued: "But I finally realized something else is way more important... Like, what do you want, Kazuya? Remember that time I had to stay over, because of that storm? And then you said you felt really attracted to me, but still couldn't do it, because it wouldn't be right, because your heart wasn't into it?"

'Why did she have to bring that up again!?' Kazuya thought, as he nodded, trying to stay calm.

"So, if you listen to your deepest feelings…" Ruka added, "…who do you think will make you truly happy: Chizuru, or me?"

Kazuya looked straight into Ruka's eyes, which were feisty as usual, but it seemed like something different was also shimmering through, in her look. He couldn't quite make out what it was, but he had never seen her like this before. The blush, that had appeared as she was talking about the 'sleepover' moment, had disappeared from her face, and her cheeks were more pale than usual.

"I… eh… Wh-What I wa…" Kazuya stuttered, lowering his head to avoid looking at Ruka directly.

For a moment Kazuya remained silent, thinking about what to say to Ruka. 'I have been leading her on for way too long, letting her be just a 'trial girlfriend' all this time. Maybe I wanted to keep her as 'backup' if Chizuru would turn me down.' He thought. 'But Ruka had always bounced back, even when I disappointed her so many times, rejecting her advances, even the subtle ones, as I wanted to remain 'available' for Mizuhara. I'm scum! I don't deserve a nice girl like Ruka caring so much for me…'

"Kazuya…" Ruka started with an affectionate voice, "… don't worry about me," she continued, as if she had been reading Kazuya's mind, "…what does your heart say to you now? That is what's most important after all…"

"I am not sure…" Kazuya whispered, then a bit louder, "… I do like you a lot, you've been an amazing 'trial girlfriend', even though you have come on strong sometimes, or actually quite a few times…"

Kazuya gathered all his courage, and looked up again, straight into Ruka's eyes, as she was still staring at him intensively.

'Damn, why is she looking so cute!?" Kazuya thought. 'Part of me just wants to hug her, and be with her… but why does thinking about that feel like cheating on Mizuhara? I don't know what to do!'

"Kazuya…" Ruka suddenly broke the silence, and jumped up from her seat, while she was holding her phone, screen showing 'REC': "I, Sarashina Ruka, promise Kazuya that he no longer has to consider me as his provisional girlfriend! I relieve you of the 'trial'! I'm setting you free!" she shouted.

"Wha… Ruka…?" was all Kazuya could say, baffled by this sudden outburst.

Ruka was still standing there, some sweatdrops on her forehead, and panting quite heavily.

"Ruka, a-are you ok?" Kazuya asked, as he had never seen her that way.

"Like I said, don't worry about me…" Ruka replied, with a much weaker voice, "just remember, listen to y-your heart, K-Kazuya-kun…" she added, before pacing off, with tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Ruka… wait!" Kazuya yelled, wanting to get up and run after her, as his phone suddenly beeped.

"Don't follow me…" the message read, sender info showing 'Ruka (girlfriend)' on the display.

'What have I done?' Kazuya thought. All this time he had been trying to spare Ruka's feelings as much as possible, and always wanted to make up with her after he had spent time with Chizuru. But now he felt like really having pushed Ruka over the edge…

'Wait, what did she say? Ruka called me 'Kazuya-kun' instead of 'Kazuya'! So she was using honorifics again when addressing me!? She had been so happy when I agreed she could use my first name, and now she suddenly reverted back to creating extra distance between us?' Kazuya started to get even more worried, especially since Ruka didn't seem to be feeling too well when she had just left him.

'Setting me free? I should be happy, as this is what I've been waiting for all along, right?' Kazuya further reflected. 'So why does it almost feel like I just lost something good and not like I've finally gained the opportunity to be with Mizuhara without constantly feeling sorry for Ruka?'

Kazuya put his head in his hands, hoping it would help clear his mind…

'If anything, I should be relieved that I'm now finally free to pursue a real relationship with Mizuhara. Then why do I feel so confused?' it kept repeating in Kazuya's mind. 'I should call Mizuhara and tell her about what happened! She'll know what to do…' Kazuya thought, as he grabbed his phone.

Luckily Chizuru Mizuhara picked up the phone right away, and Kazuya started talking about all the things that Ruka had just said to him…

"So, then she took out her phone, and recorded her promise to end the 'girlfriend trial' and set me free," Kazuya finished recounting the events of his rendezvous with Ruka.

"Whaaat!? Just like that?" Chizuru replied, sounding very surprised.

"Yup, like that…," Kazuya confirmed, "…and she sounded pretty serious about it too."

'That is very unexpected!' Chizuru thought. Ruka had 'thrown a curveball' a few times before, with her impetuous behaviour, but backing out of the 'trial girlfriend' agreement was the last thing she had expected. 'Is Ruka really serious about this, or is this just simply another 'master plan' to try getting closer to Kazuya?' Chizuru wondered.

"And you're sure she really meant it?" Chizuru asked.

"Unless she took some secret acting lessons from you, I'm totally sure," Kazuya said; "I think I got to know Ruka pretty well during our 'trial period', despite her antics."

"I bet you did…" Chizuru replied, as she rolled her eyes, feeling some jealousy coming up, "… ok, we'll talk more when you get home," she then suggested.

"Right, see you there in…" Kazuya paused briefly "…wait up…can you hold? I'm getting a second call."

"Ruka?" Chizuru wondered, "Maybe she wants to take things ba…"

"Nope, it's a different number!" Kazuya interrupted Chizuru, "Gotta pick up the phone now, I'll get back to you asap, ok!?"

For a few minutes Chizuru waited, meanwhile pondering what this mysterious phone call could be about. 'One of Ruka's schemes, maybe?' she wondered. 'Or perhaps someone who's working in the movie business, wanting to offer Kazuya a job after seeing their movie?' Hearing Kazuya's somewhat heavy breathing sounds revealed he had switched the phone conversation back to her again.

"T-That was the h-hospital. Ruka collapsed on the street!" Kazuya said with a flustered voice…

(To be continued…)

Epilogue (27 sept 2020)

Well, what started out as an idea for a short story, just to explore how it might go if Ruka and Kazuya do end up together, while still trying to respect the bond Kazuya has with Chizuru as well, turned into something much bigger than I had anticipated. Especially after a review for the first 'draft' version of the story made me realize it still needed quite a bit of work to become the best it could be. I decided to keep the original 'draft' version of this story available as well, so if you like, you can compare this new version with the original one, and tell me if you like the changes that were made, or maybe actually prefer the first 'raw' version, which imho has some issues with flow, and doesn't always succeed in showing how the main characters change from thought patterns that seem to have become a habit at this point in the storyline, to somewhat different ones.

Stories with multiple love interests are also definitely much harder to get it to feel 'right', especially if one of the characters has such a large fandom as Chizuru Mizuhara has. I ended up doing a lot of 'fine-tuning' and hope this story will show the respect for the characters that I tried to put into it.

Please let me know what you think of this story and leave some feedback in the form of a review. If you are logged in on , and post a review as registered member, I can even reply to your comments. Looking forward to some more interaction with the people who read my fanfics!

Btw, since I am not a native speaker, there will likely be some silly mistakes in this story. And in punctuation, maybe I made the same mistakes as in previous stories, or even made new mistakes. Hope you can bear with me and see through that. Helpful tips and suggestions are welcome.

Stay safe, and maybe until soon!