The World The Girls Also Knows: The Girls God Can Only Save
AU after Goddesses Arc. Keima has to keep the affection of the seven Goddess hosts and Chihiro at the same time. And he still has to exorcise loose souls from girls by making them fall in love with him. Miyako has a loose soul that needs to be exorcised, and the God of Conquests gets himself a new disciple in the game world named Aoba Fuse.
And I do not own The World God Only Knows.
Aoba Fuse is a light novel heroine. I took her characterization both from the light novel, and also from Wrathie Winsre's stories.
Oh and an announcement and request. In the near future, I probably would run out of events that the girls could do with Keima during their "official" time. So if any of you could suggest activities that they could engage in one hour, two hours, or three, as long as those activities are in character, please tell me. I'd probably include it, with full credit of course.
Flag VIII
Books of Moons
Translation of Manga Terms that I use
Nii-sama = Big Brother, Exalted Brother, Beloved Brother
Kami-Nii-sama or Kami-Onii-Sama = Divine Brother
Kami-sama = Divine One, Godly One, God. Aoba Fuse calls Keima Kami-sama, so I use Divine One.
Kami = God
Sama = Lord or Lady so Kujo-Sama is Lady Kujo, or Tsukiyo Sama is Lady Tsukiyo
Otamegane or Otamega = Glasses Wearing Game Nerd or Game Nut. I left it mostly untranslated.
Sensei = Teacher. But in context, I use Mr. or Miss. So Kodoma-Sensei would be Mr. Kodoma.
Otome Games = Games for Girls. The female equivalent of male dating sims.
Ojou-sama = aristocratic lady or noble lady
Please review! Reviews would make me a very happy author!
Part 66 – Beautiful Things
Tsukiyo Kujo almost ran from class 2-A to the Astronomy Club. It was her second hour with Keima, and she didn't want to be late. She knew that the gamer could walk fast when exiting classrooms. She needed to be quick, so she wouldn't have to deal with the embarrassment of her beau standing outside a locked door waiting for the club President to arrive.
She made it just in time. There was no Keima Katsuragi anywhere. She rushed in and wiped off the sweat that she worked up running up the stairs, and prepared all the necessary stuff.
She hoped that the hour was more tranquil than the last time. She did not need more dramatics. She had affirmed once again her determination to wait, which meant, in practice, that she was going to share Keima with six other girls for the next five years. She didn't mind. She was confident that she was going to be picked in the end. After all, she was the most beautiful and most ladylike of all the candidates. How could she lose?
Still, she had to admit she had formidable rivals. Kanon was a famous national idol. Ayumi was the second most popular girl in school. Chihiro was the leader of the new band 2B Pencils. Both girls were in his class too, and his sister Elsie was part of that band. And Yui, despite being her classmate in 2A, was also part of the 2B Pencils band, so she too had an advantage over her. Tenri, despite the lack of star power of the others, was Keima's childhood friend and neighbor. That makes her very formidable. The only girl who she had an advantage over was Shiori. Which wasn't saying much.
She looked at the clock and waited.
There was a knock, and the door opened. A brown-haired boy entered. It was Keima.
"Tsukiyo," he said, hands clutching a PFP. He glanced at her, then looked at his PFP again, before walking towards her.
"Keima," she said, "come here."
The boy walked to Tsukiyo, and she guided him, so he sat by the table in the center of the room.
"You haven't eaten lunch, have you?"
"I haven't," he replied, still playing his PFP.
She briefly considered asking the rude boy to put away his game console but changed her mind. She did not want to be overbearing.
"I knew you wouldn't. Here," the moon-lover said and presented him with a bento.
By this time, he had stopped bringing or even buying his own food to school. Girls in the schedule bringing him food was becoming a routine fact of his life. It was not unwelcome. It was an unanticipated benefit from his situation. One that he intended to use and abuse. It was fair compensation for all that he had to put up with.
"Thank you," he said.
Tsukiyo put Luna in the spare chair, and put her own bento on the table.
"Bon Appetit," she said.
He nodded, saved his game, and put away his PHP. The two teenagers ate in silence.
Keima ate a reasonable pace, his eyes on his food, and occasionally looking at the club President.
"So, what do you consider beautiful?" asked Tsukiyo.
"Yokkyun," he said.
"Huh?"
"You know her. She's a game character."
"Wait. Is she the one you kept showing me? Oh yes, Yokkyun! How could I forget! Yes, yes, she's quite a character!" she finally said, remembering the game character with a unique head shape. And she still couldn't figure out what was so beautiful about Yokkyun. But she knew that it's her responsibility to humor Keima.
"She is the ultimate beauty, that a seeker of ultimate beauty such as myself could only appreciate. Pity that she had such poor recognition," he remarked.
"I think Yokkyun has a certain unique beauty about her, that no one but the God of Conquests could understand. I am sorry I wasn't able to recognize it sooner. In fact, I'm sorry I laughed at her," said Tsukiyo, trying to make herself as apologetic as possible.
Keima looked at her and knew that she was faking the apology, but nonetheless accepted it. "That's fine. At least now you know the glory and greatness of Yokkyun."
"So, outside game characters, what is the most beautiful thing for you, Keima?" asked Tsukiyo.
"Outside of game characters? Why, it's the PFP or Play Field Personal. Look at his thing!" he said, showing the device to Tsukiyo. "Look at its sleek design! It's ergonomic placement of buttons! It's bright screen! And it's big enough that it provides a good gaming experience, yet small enough to fit inside a pocket! Look at it! Isn't it a thing of beauty?"
"Yes, it is beautiful," Tsukiyo said, more from a desire to agree, not from conviction.
"Glad you see it my way," said Keima.
"So outside of anything relating to games, what is the most beautiful thing for you, Keima?"
Keima wondered. The easy answer would be to lie and tell Tsukiyo was the most beautiful thing he set his eyes on. That would certainly raise her affection points. Still, other girls might hear of it. There would be an uproar, and they might get jealous. They might think that he was favoring Tsukiyo. That was why harem games are the worst. The player needed to think of the opinions of other heroines, rather than only the current heroine he was saving.
Tsukiyo was beautiful. But so were the other conquered girls. They all were beautiful in their own way. Tsukiyo was beautiful in both a Western and Japanese kind of way. Her appearance was unique and very doll-like. Of course, the heroine's physical parameters do not really matter anyway. He would save the heroine no matter what parameter she got.
But how to answer? He decided to be diplomatic. "All of my real heroines are the most beautiful," he said nonchalantly before he took a bite off his food. He wanted to make it as factual as possible, so she would think that he did not think much of it and that the answer did not matter at all to him.
"Um, okay. But among us conquered girls, who do you think is the most beautiful?" she asked.
"You'll find out in five years," he answered as soon as he swallowed his food.
"So, you're going to choose among us based on our beauty?" asked Tsukiyo.
"No, no, no. The physical parameters of the heroines do not matter. If they matter, it's dead last," said Keima. "I'm not saying it now because you might think that I'm going to choose the girl whom I say is the most beautiful."
"That's certainly diplomatic," she said, a bit disappointed, but not mad. She understood what the galge player meant.
Part 67 – Tea with Tsukiyo
After they ate, Keima offered, "Do you want me to serve tea?"
"Not this time," said the blonde. "You have served me before. I am grateful to you, Keima, so let me do it."
"Go ahead," he said and began playing his PFP again. He looked at the doll-like girl as she stood up and went to where she kept the tea set. The slap she gave the day before certainly had been worth it. Because of what happened, Tsukiyo had her love points raised even higher. She had chosen to wait for him for five years. Thus, being so high, he could afford to antagonize her for a bit. And he felt safe to show her some of his real personality. If she truly loved him, and he was sure that she did, she would accept him, warts and all.
…
Tsukiyo could not stop blushing as she thought of the boy while she prepared his tea. She could not understand what was going on. Was this the real Keima Katsuragi? She knew how much of a gamer he was—he was, after all, the Otamegane. And that had been confirmed by the meeting at the café. But to see it up close and personal was something else. Was this the same person she had fallen in love with—twice?
Where was the Keima that acted as a servant? Was that only an act?
It did not matter. Act or not, Tsukiyo had fallen in love with the boy. She was going to prove Vulcan wrong—he was not scum. He might have acted like scum and was something of a playboy, but she believed with all her heart that deep down, he was not scum. He was something else. Because if he were evil, or were truly scum like Vulcan said he was, he would not even give any of them a chance, or give his time to them.
He did not have to. Despite it being clear as day that he did not want to, that all he wanted to do was play games, he still gave them his time. That showed true nobility of heart. Yes, Keima had a beautiful soul.
Yes, that was worthy of her love.
In turn, she would prove herself worthy of his love too. It was inevitable.
Just you wait, Keima! I'll make you fall head over heels for me.
…
She not only served him tea but also sandwiches.
"Do you like it?" she asked as he sipped the hot drink.
"It's not bad," he said. Like before, his face was unreadable. "I won't mind having another tea party with you with this kind of tea."
That made her blush a bit. "Is that an invitation to another tea party?"
"Maybe. It's up to you to decide," he said. "I won't refuse."
"Thank you," she finally said before she also poured herself a cup of tea.
…
"Anyway, I need to tell you something," Keima began and in a severe tone.
Tsukiyo looked at him and invited him to continue.
"Do you know Miyako Terada?"
"Isn't she the pianist of the 2B Pencils?" asked Tsukiyo. She had seen the band perform after the Goddess hunt during the Mai High Festival. As the moon-lover recognized four of the five members of the said band, she made inquiries on the identity of the pianist.
"The same. She has a Weiss."
"Oh. That's too bad. Are you going to save her?"
"Yes. That is why you need to know. You might see me wooing her, or even kissing her. If you do, then you should understand that it's part of her conquest. She will forget everything afterward," the God of Conquests said.
Tsukiyo gripped her cup. It hurt to think of Keima holding and kissing another girl, but she swallowed her jealousy.
"You don't have a choice, I suppose," she said.
"I don't. It's my duty. And even if I didn't want to do that, this collar around my neck would kill me if I don't," he added.
She nodded. "Just don't forget us. Your first set of heroines," she pleaded. "Conquer other girls if you must, but always remember who has your heart first."
"I will," he affirmed. "And another thing. You already know that I have a new disciple."
"Yes. Aoba Fuse."
"I asked her to talk to you. Just to clarify things. You might see her as a rival. Believe me, she's not."
"I will trust you on this, Keima. But I am concerned. You believe her to be not in love with you, but what if in fact, she is? What if she's just hiding it? It would be terribly unfair to all of us in the schedule to abide by the rules while she can just do what she wants," she argued.
"That's why you two need to talk. If there's one thing that needs to be made clear, it's that she had no feelings for me. Please give her the time and listen to what she has to say?"
"I will do that," Tsukiyo agreed.
…
Part 68 – The Message from The Girl Gamer
After school…
The bell had rung for the last period, and class 2C filed out of their classroom. Shiori Shiomiya all but ran out, but this time remembering to take her bag. Aoba Fuse was one of the last students to leave.
The girl gamer headed for the Astronomy Club. She hoped that Tsukiyo Kujo would be less difficult than Yui. She wondered why the crossdresser seemed to believe her when they first met, yet refused to believe her the second time. It must be because of the so-called "date". How can she be so blind? To be fair, in games, heroines used many excuses to be alone with the hero, which some games treated as dates even without following the proper process of love. But still! Inviting Yui over their "date" ought to have convinced her.
She reached the Astronomy Club. She knocked, yet there was no answer. Was the club president simply refusing to see her? That was not a good start.
"The Astronomy Club does not accept new members," a voice said, and Aoba saw a blonde girl who had just climbed the stairs, obviously from the 2A classroom. It was Tsukiyo Kujo, the only member of the said club.
"Hello, President," greeted Aoba, giving the girl a bow. "May I speak with you? I am Aoba Fuse. And I am Keima Katsuragi's new disciple."
"You're Miss Fuse? I expected you," she answered as she opened the Astronomy Club door. Her voice was polite, formal, and correct. "Come in."
"Thank you, President," Aoba replied. Looking at her, she immediately put her as an aristocratic lady archetype. Her looks, demeanor, language all screamed that she was a proper lady of impeccable background. Thus, she needed to approach her by being deferential.
She entered the club and was surprised by its sumptuous interior. It looked more like a room of a rich girl rather than a club room. It's more than the school budget could afford, so most probably, Kujo used her personal money to furnish the club room to her taste.
"Have a seat," she said. "Wait here. I'll serve tea."
She sat on a chair by the table and saw that another chair was occupied by a doll. She looked around and saw a doll-house. The girl herself gives off the vibe of a doll.
She was really tempted to take her PFP and play but decided not to. Now was not the time.
A few minutes later, the sole Astronomy Club member came back with a tea set. She poured a cup for the genius, and it was good.
"Thank you, President."
"How can I help you, Miss Fuse?"
"I'm just here to inform you of something. I'm Keima Katsuragi's new disciple on games. Keima Katsuragi is the God of Conquests in games, especially dating sims. I am a gamer like him. I want to be as good as him. That's why I became a disciple," she said.
"Is that all?"
"Yes. I am a disciple and nothing else. I am not in love with him. In fact, I love another boy," she declared. Aoba was also tempted to say that she had nothing to fear, but that would be too much as it would imply she knew that Kujo likes Keima. Kujo was different from Goido and the others.
"Why are you telling me this?" she finally asked, blue eyes looking questioningly at her.
You already know why. "As a disciple, I may be seen lots of times by his side. I don't want my intentions to be misinterpreted," Aoba answered.
Tsukiyo merely nodded. Fuse knew. Why else would she make such a declaration if the disciple didn't know the blonde likes Keima?
"I'll be frank. I am fond of Keima," she admitted. Keima probably already told her that. "You already know that, because you won't say what you just said if you don't. Keima sent you here, right?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
"Keima believes you. He thinks you really love another boy, and that you're not in love with him. He was not lying when he told me that."
"He believes it because it is the truth."
Part 69 - Confrontation
"Tell me, are you lying when you say you really don't love him?" Tsukiyo asked her directly. "That's not beautiful."
"President, I resent that! I am not a liar!" Aoba protested, her voice, laced with iciness with a hint of anger, even as her tone remained calm. How dare she suggest she was lying? Better nip this in the bud. "I admire him, but only as my master."
"I'm sorry. I believe Keima," said the blonde. "Please, I apologize if I offended you. I'm just testing you."
"Testing me?"
"Yes, Miss Fuse. To see your reaction. It's just as I expected. It was beautiful," she said, without saying more.
"So, you believe me?"
"Before I answer that, answer this. When did you first meet Keima?"
"Personally, well, last Tuesday. Before that, I only heard of him as the Otamegane and the First Genius of this school."
"You did not know him before?"
"No. Why? I never even talked to him before Tuesday," the gamer said.
"You haven't kissed him before?" she asked as if she was asking if she had seen the moon.
"No, President," she answered, and she said it calmly and without any blushing as if she was telling that she had completed a route. "Like I said, I haven't met him before Tuesday."
She's not lying. She doesn't remember being conquered by Keima before. So, she cannot be in love with him. Right now.
"I don't know you well enough to fully trust you yet, but I trust Keima on this, so yes, for now, I believe you," she said, carefully selecting her words. "I know it's not beautiful, but it is what it is."
Aoba realized she was not going to get more, so she accepted it. "Thank you. President, I admire him very much. And being his disciple is a dream come true. At the same time, I realized that I got him in trouble because of my selfish wish. So please, don't give him a hard time because of me. I'd rather not be his disciple if it makes him miserable."
Tsukiyo could tell by the tone of her voice that she really was sincere.
"Don't worry. I won't hold this against him."
"Thank God!"
"We both admire the same boy," she said. "Believe me, I don't resent other girls for loving him. Just remember, if you discover that you really are in love with him, I won't get mad, but please, ask to be included in the schedule. But all of us has to approve."
"What schedule?"
"You don't know yet? Ask Keima about it. Just remember this. If you are going after him, play fair. Or I'm going to get really mad," Tsukiyo warned with a tiny hint of malice. She was concerned that she will remember her conquest. Or would fall in love with Keima all over again. Or had already fallen for him and was in denial. The moon lover cannot claim him as her own as he had not chosen her, not yet. But she could protect the interests of the seven girls that he would have to choose from.
"You don't have to worry about it, he's not in my route. I am not his heroine, nor is he my hero," she declared.
Tsukiyo nodded. "Well, that's it then. Nice to meet you. Please, don't call me President, as you're not a member of the club."
"Very well then, Lady Kujo."
Tsukiyo extended her arm, and they shook hands.
"I hope we can be friends," Aoba said.
"I hope so too," Tsukiyo said. "Tell me, Miss Fuse, like Keima, you're a gamer too, right?"
"Yes."
"Now then, do you understand the gamer talk that Keima always uses?"
Aoba nodded.
"Then teach me about it. No, I don't want to be a hardcore gamer, but just enough so I can make sense what he's talking about half the time," the Astronomy Club President said.
"Fine, Lady Kujo. When do you want to start?"
…
"Don't tell me you believe that?" asked Vulcan through Luna when the blue-haired girl left.
"She's not lying when she told me she can't remember her conquest. She's like Chihiro. Except she doesn't know what's really going on," Tsukiyo said.
"And you believe that she's not in love with him?" asked Vulcan.
"Yes. But that could change."
"But why tell her to ask to be included in the schedule? You're just asking for more competition."
"It won't matter. If the competition is fair, Keima will choose me in the end anyway," she confidently said. "It's our fate to be together. So, Aoba Fuse won't be an obstacle, any more than Kosaka or Goido would be. I've got six rivals already, so having one more is nothing. Don't you believe in me?"
"But still…"
"But I will only win if I have a fair chance," said the blonde. "That's why it's important to keep all the players bound by the rules—otherwise, they may win by foul means. So, it's better to keep my rivals in the schedule. That way, everything's fair, and we can control events. So, if Miss Fuse remembers, or falls in love with him again, we'll tell Keima to include her in the schedule, or drop her as a disciple if they refuse."
Vulcan sighed. "You really have faith in yourself."
"If I weren't confident of my ability to win Keima in five years, I would not join this schedule in the first place," she replied. Still, she hoped she wasn't making a big mistake in this.
…
Part 70 – Pick One Leaf
Keima Katsuragi took his time entering the library. He knew Shiori would be waiting for him. It was her time. She had two hours of after school events.
He wondered what the librarian had in store for him. In truth, the reason for letting the girls decide what to do was so he did not have to think about what they wanted to do. It would be a pain to think of different activities for different girls every time. At least, if the girls would decide, they could not blame him if the event was uninteresting. All he had to do was to let the girls lead—the conquests were basically over, anyway. He only would take over when he had a specific objective in mind. Right now, he had none.
…
Shiori Shiomiya was once again waiting by a table that could be seen from the library door. It was her break, but she chose to spend her first hour in the library.
I hope he likes what I prepared for us. It's really nice. Well, she said that he would like it very much.
She referred to the message Aoba Fuse gave her the day before. It merely stated, Pick One Leaf.
Earlier in the day…
Shiori puzzled over the meaning of the message the genius had left. What does it mean? One Leaf? Was it a book?
She wracked her brain to recall any book she knew with that title. She had read every book in the library, so if it were in the library, she would know.
Her mind became blank. There was no such book. So, what does it mean?
She used her detective skills she learned from reading countless mystery novels.
First, what does One Leaf mean? It came from Fuse. Was that a clue? Well, who is Fuse? A genius. Top of our class 2C. And as big a game nerd as Katsuragi. And?
What was she doing again when she gave that message? Oh yes, apologizing about interrupting my beautiful date with Katsuragi in the library. Yes, we were looking at the Game Novelization section, and she was just there. So, was that a clue?
Think! What would Sherlock Holmes say to Watson? Was it Elementary, my dear Watson? Or Agatha Christie's Poirot and Miss Maple? Or Detective Konan? God, I hope Casiraghi would like whatever it was I'm supposed to figure out.
Since she was apologizing for the Game Novelization Section, maybe it had something to do with it? But what? I know every title on that section, and I've read everything except the recent shipments. I really need to get on with reading the recent arrivals, or I might get a backlog. Wait! Recent arrivals! So, does she mean the recent arrivals in the Game Novelization Section? Come to think of it, Fuse was the one who makes recommendations on the Game Novelization acquisitions of the library. The library usually accepts her recommendations.
So, she went to the list of recent books, and there it was. One Leaf. She picked it up. It was a hefty book, and as Shiori read it, the thickness was because it was a Choose Your Own Adventure Book, and all the possible choices were made into different stories. It was like a game Casiraghi plays!
As for the story itself, Shiori could not figure out why Fuse asked her to pick it.
Yokkyun, or Yotsuba Sugimoto, was not that pretty. She had big eyes and is short. But her story is compelling. It's not like all those trashy romance novels that I've read. But why would Fuse ask me to pick this book? So, what again was she telling me? She's not interested in him romantically. She knows I like him. So, what is the meaning of this?
Maybe Katsuragi likes this book? If that's the case, perhaps I should show it to him? Better yet, maybe he should read it to me? Wait! I know what we'll do!
Should I trust her? Or maybe this was done as an act of sabotage? No, no, no! Don't think negative thoughts. Why would she sabotage an insignificant mouse like me? And she hoped that we could be friends. Maybe this was a way to get my friendship?
…
Part 71 – Happy Making You Happy
Present time…
"Shiori," said Keima Katsuragi as he sat opposite of her, across the table. He was playing his PFP as he talked, "what's the plan?"
"Um, could you follow me?" she squeaked as she stood up and looked at him.
Keima looked at her and put his device away in this pocket.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
She unthinkingly grabbed his right hand, and once more, lead him deeper into the library. Near the back, there was a door, with a sign "SOUNDPROOF" written above it. She opened it, and the two entered.
The room was of average size, with couches on the walls, a big table in the center, and two chairs around it.
The librarian sat on one of the chairs.
She looked at Keima and pointed to the other chair.
He took his cue and sat.
In the middle of the table was something covered with a large piece of cloth.
I need to tell him to take the cloth away and look at the thing under it. So how should I say it? Should I first attempt small talk to break the ice? But I'm not good at small talk. Maybe ask him to guess what's under it? So how would I go about it? No, that's stupid. I should just ask him to just look under. Look under? That sounds creepy! Well, Casiraghi is a creep, but he's a charming, handsome creep. What am I thinking about?
"Well?" he asked, looking into her eyes.
She blushed harder.
What to do? What to do? He's looking at me with those eyes! He has such a strong presence! Amazing! Even as a cross-dressing pervert! He's one of a kind. I'm lucky he's the one I fell for, and not some loser like I read in those novels! All the so-called popular boys have nothing on Katsuragi! Calm down, Shiori, no need to think about. Just tell him to remove the cloth and take what's under it. Yeah, that's it.
"Um, Casiraghi! I… ahhhhh!" she squirmed as she realized what she called him. Stupid! Stupid! Why did I call him that? Casiraghi was just a story character! Not related to anyone I know. Yeah. Who am I kidding? I need to be brave. He gave me my voice back! Use it! But I am using it! I can speak well with Fujidera and the other library users. Only when it comes to him, I clam up! Why? Why? Okay, just tell him to…
"I need to know what's under the cloth, right? Can I take a look?" he asked.
She nodded.
He lifted the cloth, and as expected, it was a book. But his eyes widened at a glance of the cover.
One Leaf.
"Yokkyun!" he shouted, grabbing the book, staring at the cover. How could? How did it end up here? Of all the things under the cloth, this was the last thing he expected. He put it down, looked at the shy librarian, and got her hands and shook it. "Thank you!"
He grabbed her by the shoulder and kissed her on the left and right cheek. "Thank you! Thank God!" he said, lifting her up and spinning her around before putting her dizzy form back to the chair.
He looked at the book and opened it. A piece of paper fell.
It was written in Shiori's handwriting. Please read this book to me.
"Yes, yes, I will!" he yelled very excitedly. "This was the best ever! The greatest ever!"
Fortunately, it was a soundproof room, so all the shouting was not heard outside the room.
Keima Katsuragi finally got a hold of himself. He wanted to smack himself for losing control that easily. Still, it was Yokkyun! If there was someone worth getting crazy over, that's Yokkyun.
He grabbed the book, and hugged it one last time, and finally put it on the table. He breathed deeply. It was Shiori's event. He needed to stay in control. It was bad form for a heroine to seize control of the flags, but apparently, Shiori did.
"Let's start. Again, thanks Shiori. Yokkyun is my favorite heroine. I didn't know they had a novelization of her game. Her game only sold in the hundreds. Shows the bad taste of the real, but still! You would think that such a perfect game with such an ideal heroine would have sold more! And because of such low sales, it's almost impossible for this game to have a game novelization. I mean, look at all the other game novelizations that got made! All best sellers! Some titles sold in the millions! So, of course, they all would have been novelized. But One Leaf! Such a cheap title with barely any sales? It would have been ludicrous from a business standpoint to novelize this! So, to see this? To see that the publishers have gotten insane! That's the most wonderful thing! I didn't even know that they novelized my favorite game!"
This time though, Shiori could understand a bit of what Keima was talking about.
That's right. There are many books that are good and are better than so-called popular ones, that don't get adapted into film or TV series, just because they happened to be poor in sales. The reverse is true of course of novelization of films. Popular movies have novelizations, unpopular ones have none. Oh, Casiraghi, I understand completely. Even if I can't understand why that particular book was good, I'm glad you like it.
And I'm so happy! I made you happy, Katsuragi. You sometimes make me sad. You broke my heart before. But above all, you make me happy. Just thinking about you makes me happy! And I want to make you happy. But I didn't know how. Until now. I made you happy! I'm so happy!
"I'm happy you're happy," she got out, and that made her blush even more.
Part 72 – The Second Hour Starts
"Shall we start?" he suggested, going back to his chair, and motioned for Shiori to do the same.
Once they were ready, he opened the book and began to read.
Shiori was entranced by the boy in front of her as he read. His voice as he recited the words was passionate, and he controlled the tone perfectly. And the voice acting! Oh, his voice acting was superb! It's like he's the greatest actor she ever heard. And the facial expressions he was making while reading, it was appropriate.
And she could tell that he already memorized several lines. And the way he said the lines of Yokkyun! He could play a girl very well! Well, he did cross-dress before. Maybe Katsuragi was an actor who was forced to play a girl in the theatre? He did say before that he crossdressed because the gamer was in a situation where he had to dress like a girl.
And the story became grander, more beautiful when performed by him. It was as if the change of medium from mere reading to being told by her beloved transformed it.
…
They had only finished one route by the time the hour was completed since it was a thick Choose Your Own Adventure book.
"Um, Katsuragi?" said Shiori.
"Yes, Shiori?"
"Um, the first hour's over. I want to do something else for the other hour," she managed to say.
"So, what do you want to do?" he asked as he closed the book, somewhat reluctantly, and handed it back to the librarian.
Okay. Now that Katsuragi's in a good mood now is the time to ask. I want to go back to that ramen place where you can order food without talking to anyone. But I can't even remember the name of that place. I can't just say, remember that ramen place where we went the time you dressed like a girl? That would be so embarrassing! On both our parts, not just mine. Maybe he'll get mad! I don't want him to be mad at me now that I've made him happy. What to do, what to do?
"So how about the game store?" he suggested.
Not that! Not that! Anything but that! I need to talk. I need to speak up! Or I might go to a store full of noisy people. I could go to the game store if it's empty, but I know it's full of nerds just like Katsuragi!
"Casiraghi, the ramen place," she squeaked. Then got mortified when she mistook his name—again.
"Okay, Simone. Let's go to that place. I also forgot the name, but I know it. You want some Negi Ramen Nebula Synthetic, right?" he asked, looking at her. "Return this book, and then we'll go."
…
The two walked to the Ramen Place from the library. As they walked through the campus, they were spotted by various students. Keima clutched another manuscript for another novel of Shiori, and he was reading it as they walked along. He did this so they would have an excuse when someone would ask them—Keima was merely reviewing and helping Shiori write her next book. And Shiori did have another novel—Nebula Synthetic Negi Ramen, starring Simone and Casiraghi. The librarian was still working on it.
Keima sighed and wished that they had another cover story. The novel, in his opinion, was terrible, stupid, and insipid. Though it had some entertainment value, such as looking at how Simone and Casiraghi acted would indicate Shiori's deepest wishes for their relationship.
Several students, curious as to what they were up to, approached them and asked them what they were doing. Shiori was all too shy to say anything, but Keima patiently explained his cover story. And they were believed.
If they were any other couple, such an explanation would be met with laughter or mockery or teasing. But Keima Katsuragi had such a reputation for nerdiness and creepiness that his fellow students readily believed all other explanations for girls hanging out with him other than because the girl liked him. It was just too weird to think a girl liked Keima. It's easier to believe that the girl was being kind to her bandmate who happened to be Keima's sister, rather than loving Keima. Or that he really was helping a girl in her novel than the girl liking him. Or that they had the same interests in games.
Unless a girl openly and without reservation declared in public that she loved the Otamegane, like Kanon did, nobody would believe a girl could ever take a fancy to him. And only Kanon did so. Yui's declarations were all to Keima himself or to the other members of the schedule, so her actions were easy to interpret differently than what it implied. Even if the explanations were reaching.
Which still didn't make it any easier for "popular" boys who wanted the girls hanging around Keima. They still tried to hit on them, but they were politely or even coldly rebuffed.
…
Part 73 – Library Committee Head
It was the second time Shiori entered the Ramen shop. It was also the second time she would share a meal with a boy. And it would be the first time where she would be seen with a boy by the others in the shop.
They quickly ordered on the vending machine and got their ramen without ever interacting with anybody, which pleased the shy librarian.
They ate in silence at first, until Keima spoke. "Thank you. That was a rare book. I never expected that to be novelized," he said, referring to the One Leaf book. "It must be super rare. Of all the times I've looked for it, this was the first time I found it. Anyway, I would like to ask, could the library give away that book? Not now, of course, but I want to have it before I graduate."
"Um, if it's slated for disposal," said Shiori, remembering the incident of the Audio-Visual room. "I have first dibs on those books."
"Hm. How could a book be disposed of?"
"Um, usually, it's the head of the library committee who decides which books would be disposed of. Technically, it's the head librarian, a teacher, but the teacher always approves the choices made by Fujidera," explained Shiori.
"So, who will be the next committee head?"
"I don't know."
"Would you like to be the library committee head?"
"Yes. But I know I won't be it," said the librarian. Shiori knew she was too shy and too reserved to be the head. Although she talked a bit since the library strike, so she could communicate easily enough. But her authority was feeble. And she does not have the connections for it. Just like in the adult world, connections were part of student life in Mai High Private High.
"Why not make a try for it?"
"Me? Library Committee head?" she asked. That would be a dream come true, but she can't be in the running. She was not assertive enough. But to have the power to order the books in the library in the way she wanted, to organize it, to decide about things like the Audio-Visual room.
"Yes. I want you to be the library committee head. I can make you one," said the boy as he ate Ramen.
"But you can't! Only the principal could do so."
"Yes, but the principal always appoints the recommendation of the Student Council president. All we have to do is get someone friendly to be President, then have him appoint you. Then you could recommend the One Leaf book to be disposed of, and give it to me."
"But how?"
"I'm not sure. I'm going to ask around. We'll see," said Keima. Privately, he would try convincing Kanon or Ayumi to run when they reached third year. He was sure they would easily win. He was very confident he could talk any of his conquests into doing it for him. All for Yokkyun. Yes, he would get that wonderful book for free.
"But I'm not sure I could be a good committee head," Shiori protested.
"But you want it."
"Yes, but…"
"Then, don't worry. We have until the end of the school year to prepare you for it," he assured.
…
After the Ramen feast, they walked back to the school. Shiori still had to assist in the closing of the library.
As they walked, they were at first silent.
"Shiori, I need to tell you something," he began.
The librarian looked at him and hoped that it wasn't anything terrible. The look on his face was too inscrutable to judge.
"I have a disciple," he began. "Your classmate."
"Fuse," she whispered.
"Just so you'd know, I do not like her that way. She is not in my route. But more importantly, she doesn't like me romantically. She is not your rival. You might see her all the time with me, but that's just because I'm teaching her to be a better gamer. One day, she may become as great as the God of Conquests, and I will be the one to guide her to it."
"I know," Shiori said. If there was any doubt of Fuse's intentions, it was quashed when she helped Shiori make Keima happy. If Fuse really were after Katsuragi, then she would not do so. "She's a good girl."
"Thank you. One more thing. You know the 2B Pencils pianist, Miyako Terada?"
"Not really," she said. "I may have seen her once or twice during their concert."
"She has a loose soul. I am going to extract it. I will make her fall in love with me. So, you may catch me kissing her or saying sweet nothings to her. Or hear me utter the words 'I love you' or 'I like you' to her," he said. "It's part of my job. It's needed."
Shiori's jaw dropped at the news. There was already a loose soul? Although the girls were informed of what was really happening, it was so out there that it didn't really register for Shiori. And as she heard what she may expect Keima to do, something tightened in her chest
Was it jealousy? Yes, it was jealousy. She hoped to never witness Keima do his job. It would be too painful.
"Please, don't be hurt by this. If I do not do this, the possessed girls will meet a horrible end," he said. "I need you to get used to it."
How could I get used to it? I know it's necessary, but I can't take it!
"Just promise us you won't forget about us," Shiori asked.
"I won't," he said.
They reached the gate at about the two-hour mark of their meeting for that day. He walked her around a corner, under a tree, making sure no one was around to see them. There, he wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her on the lips. It was not as deep and long as the others, but it was still special for the librarian.
"Well Shiori, this really has been a fun day for me," Keima said as he pulled away. "See you next week."
Shiori's heart ached upon hearing that. Next Week? My three hours are done, I guess. Still, I should be happy I'm guaranteed Keima-time every week. But I want to see him every day. But I'm happy. I made him happy today. See you next time, Katsuragi.
…
"Did I do a good job?" asked Shiori as she returned to the library to make last-minute borrowings.
"You did great!" Minerva cheered. "Now, with him busy making you library committee head, he'll spend more time with you. And you made him so happy with that book. He'll come back just to read it. Make sure that he has to come to you if he wants to read it. You didn't tell him where you kept that book in this library, did you?"
"No."
"Don't put it in the public shelves. Keep it so only you can get it," the Goddess advised. "That way, even outside your schedule, he'll come and see you."
…
Part 74 – An Accidental Meeting
Tsukiyo Kujo allowed a small smile on her face as she packed her telescope into her bag. She had one hour left with Keima, and she'll make the most of it. She dressed warmly, in a thick coat, a hood that covered her head, and tall warm boots.
She walked out of the Astronomy Club when it was dusk. The moon tonight would be full, and the skies would be clear. And she just had the perfect place for moongazing.
She carried Luna as she went down the stairs of the building. Vulcan cheered her all the way, because, despite the Goddess' dislike of the gamer, she still encouraged Tsukiyo in her quest for love.
"You've got to win him over this night!" said Vulcan.
"Don't you know that slow and steady wins the race? It doesn't matter who wins now or tomorrow. Only who wins at the end of five years," Tsukiyo said. "It would be foolish to try to win now. We could lose next year or the year after that. But that does not matter if we win at the end. We should aim to be the ones he loves the most at the end of the period, so he would have no choice but to pick me. It's inevitable anyway that we would be together, so why worry right now?"
"You're too complacent," Vulcan argued through Luna. "Six other girls are competing for him. If you lose now, you might never get back in the fight. Please, don't be overconfident."
"I know that. But we must be patient. It's not good if I win Keima today, only for another girl to win him tomorrow and win him at the end. I shall win him in the end. It's fate for that to happen."
She was too busy arguing with the Goddess that she didn't notice as she turned a corner, another girl who also turned the corner, but in the opposite direction. A collision occurred, and Tsukiyo fell, and she ended up sitting on the concrete ground. Her first instinct was to see if her stuff was damaged. Thankfully, the only thing that got injured and damaged was her pride.
"I'm so sorry," she said as she removed her bag and pulled herself up before putting on again the heavy bag.
"My apologies," said the other girl, who picked up the book she was holding. She was wearing the Mai High Private High uniform.
"Um, Shiomiya?" asked Tsukiyo, recognizing the girl as one of her rivals.
"Miss Kujo?" said the shy girl as her face became red at her mistake.
"Big Sister!" Minerva, who was following behind, exclaimed.
"Minerva!" Vulcan said through Luna.
"What are you doing here?" asked the eldest Goddess.
"I'm w-w-w-with Shiori," the small Goddess replied. "She just finished her date. T-t-t-that boy's going to be Shiori's!"
"And we're going on a date with that scum. He's Tsukiyo's!" Vulcan argued back.
While the Goddesses were arguing, their hosts just looked at each other.
"So how were your two hours with Keima?" asked Tsukiyo. She was a bit wary of the librarian, as she was a rival, but she did not hold it against her. It was not the librarian's fault she got possessed by a loose soul. Once that happened, it was inevitable that she would fall in love with Keima. Though the same could be said of her, Tsukiyo did not dwell on it. The moon lover was confident enough that she did not fear the competition.
"It was fun," said Shiori. "Good luck on your hour." Shiori too was wary of Tsukiyo, but she did not hate her. She did not resent the other girls. Instead, she just lacked confidence because of her personality. Still, the events of the day convinced her that she could make Keima happy. Hopefully, she got the key to his heart.
Part 75 - A Friendship is Born
Looking at her, with a big knapsack, and a doll in front, she doesn't seem like a normal person.
"Thanks. Hey, is that An Introduction to Celestial Bodies?" the blue-eyed lady asked, pointing to Shiori's book.
"Yes. I am planning on reading it tonight," the librarian replied.
Tsukiyo was pleasantly surprised. This girl knows about that book. She's good. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going home."
"So, where do you live?"
Shiori gave her the address.
"Oh, so that's where you're going? I'm going that way too. How about we walk together until the crossroads?"
"Where are you going?"
"Maijima shrine," said Tsukiyo.
"Oh! Okay," said the librarian shyly, finding no reason to refuse. Despite her seemingly warm words, Kujo gave the impression of an aristocratic lady, and her tone and voice had an air of superiority. However, there was no malice in it. It was just her natural tone of voice. She felt Kujo to be cold. But not the iciness of Fuse, which, before she became a disciple, was downright chilling. The librarian felt drawn to blonde in a way that she could not explain, despite her haughty demeanor.
The two walked silently.
Tsukiyo looked at the sky and marveled at the bright moon against the clear night sky. "Embracing the light and bearing the darkness, the moon treads through the cold and distant night," she said, more to herself than to anyone, in a whisper, but loud enough for her companion to hear her.
"I know that poem," Shiori said involuntarily. "It's A Golden Rabbit by Haruko Endou, published by Nohara Press!"
"You really know a lot," said a surprised Tsukiyo.
"I-I just like to read."
The ice broke, and she became friendlier. She lost the haughtiness of her demeanor.
"This is Luna. She's my friend," said the moon lover. She never met anyone, except Keima, so knowledgeable before. She's a wonderful girl. She didn't even flinch when I showed Luna to her.
"Oh, H-hello." Looking at her companion, Shiori noticed that Kujo resembles a doll when seen up close. Is it really okay for riffraff like me to talk to someone as cute as her?
"Why don't you come some time to the Astronomy Club? We can have tea if you like," she invited.
"I would like too," said Shiori.
"Good. Even though we're rivals, we can still be friends," she said. "How about tomorrow? Drop by at the Astronomy Club for lunch?"
"I would love to," said the librarian as they reached the crossroads where they would separate.
"Well, I'm off to meet Keima," she said. "See you tomorrow."
"Y-yes," said Shiori. She really was thankful that Katsuragi gave her back her voice. Otherwise, she would not even be able to talk to Tsukiyo!
…
"She's a nice girl," said Tsukiyo as they walked to the top of the shrine.
"She's your rival! Why do you have to be friends with her?" asked Vulcan through Luna.
"She's not a threat. Like I said, it's destiny that I would be chosen by Keima if everyone plays by the rules," said the blonde. "She's not the type to rock the boat."
Vulcan sighed. "I really wish you would take your competition more seriously."
"Don't worry. It's not beautiful," the moon-lover said as she reached the top of the shrine. "And don't come out during the hour."
…
Part 76 – Moon Gazing
Keima Katsuragi was already at the shrine when the moon-lover arrived. His eyes, were, as usual, glued to the gaming device he was playing.
"So how was Shiori?" he asked.
"How did you—?"
"It was just a guess," he said. "Her home was partially on the way to this shrine. And I just left her at school, so there was a good chance that you'd bump into her."
"Oh. That's beautiful reasoning," the lady admitted. "Shiomiya was fine. She's a rival, but I can't be mad at her for that."
He finally turned off his PFP. "Lady Tsukiyo, we're going to look at the moon, are we not? Let me help you set up that telescope."
"What? How did you know that's my purpose?" she asked.
He simply looked at the bright moon above them, and said, "This is the perfect place to look. And that thing in your bag cannot be anything than your telescope."
"You're right, again," said Tsukiyo. "So, Keima, you do know how to set it up, don't you?"
"Of course, my lady," he said as he helped her set up the telescope.
…
The telescope was set up before the bench. She sat down and viewed the moon.
It was beautiful. And the night was perfect. Not a cloud could be seen in that cold November night. The wind was cold, as it was near winter, but both were warmly dressed. And the stars were bright as there was no light pollution on the shrine. And the moon was beautiful.
"Isn't it beautiful? That's the most beautiful thing in this world," she exclaimed.
"Technically, it isn't in this world."
"Yes. I meant to say this universe. At least that which we can observe."
"Do you still want to go to the moon?"
"Maybe. But at the same time, I don't want to be an astronaut. That's too much work, and it's not beautiful. If only we could go there by magic. Sadly, Vulcan and the Goddesses said they couldn't do it for me. But don't worry. I only want to visit," said Tsukiyo. "But if I get the opportunity, Keima…"
She took her eye off the telescope and looked at him, who was also gazing at the moon.
"Yes, I will visit it with you," he said. "But, if that happens, you must also search for beautiful things in this world as well. If I pick you, I will search with you."
"I know. That's why I love you so much," she said. "Come, and look at the moon through this telescope. You'll find it much more compelling than through the naked eye alone."
He nodded, and he sat on the bench as soon as she moved out of the way. He sat beside Luna and adjusted the telescope.
The moon was much more impressive using the telescope. And Tsukiyo's telescope was a high-end one—enough to see the details on the moon's surface. He would not know if it was objectively beautiful, but it was a compelling sight.
"That's remarkable," he said as he again stood up and Tsukiyo took his place.
"Yes. The perfect object. Beautiful," she said as she looked at the moon once more. "Tell me which is more beautiful? The stars, or the moon?"
"The stars, of course," he replied.
That surprised her. "Explain yourself."
"The moon just borrows the light of the stars, of which our sun is the closest," he explained. "Without the sun, the moon is just a dark rock. It's the reflected light that makes the moon such a wonderful object."
"True. But just because it borrows the light, does not make it any less beautiful," she said. "Beauty is to be seen. What good is beauty if you can't look at it? You cannot gaze at the beauty of the sun; thus, you cannot see its beauty. But you can see the magnificence of the sun through the moon. It reflects the glory of the sun. That makes it very beautiful. So how can your games be more beautiful than the moon?"
"It's because the games contain the ideal, and reality is just an inferior version of the ideal."
"How can you say that? Your games are made in this world, and thus, based on reality!"
"Precisely. It is based on this world. But the makers of games remove the bad parts of the real and only retain what is necessary. They also add things which would make reality more enjoyable if it were possible. Thus, it is better. In the ideal, you can save. You can redo routes. You can skip dialogue. And much more. All of which does not exist in the real. So, games and the ideal are like the stars. It shines so brightly. Reality is like the moon's light. It's just a pale imitation of the ideal."
"Isn't it the other way around? The stars are the real, and the games, the moonlight? Since your games only reflect reality, but not all of reality, just like the moon only reflects part of the light of the sun?"
"Perhaps. In that case, if the ideal is the moon, and reality the stars, then I am wrong. Then the moon is much more beautiful than the stars and the sun. Since the moon only reflects the best light from the sun to illuminate the night, so does the ideal only reflect the best of the reality, to make it better for the players and the heroines."
"You speak as if games are just a perfect version of reality," she chided.
"The ideal is better than reality, but that does not make it perfect. Games are not perfect. Because nothing is perfect," he said. "Certainly not the ideal. Because if the ideal is perfect, then the heroines in it would not need saving. The protagonist would not need to get the heroine to fall in love with him."
"I never knew games could make you think so deep. You could be a philosopher."
"I can be a lot of things, and I can do it, only if I wanted it," said Keima. "And I could help you fulfill your dreams, all of you. Just tell me, and I'll do my best."
"Your thoughts are so beautiful, even if I disagree with some of it," said Tsukiyo. Truly, Keima is a beautiful man. How else can he possess such a great mind?
…
Part 77 – Moonlight Sonata
…
She stared at the full moon through the telescope, it's beauty arresting, while Keima just stood beside her, also looking at the sky. She enjoyed the silent stillness, as the only thing that she noticed was the cold wind blowing.
Then the silence was broken as she heard music. At first, faint, later it became louder and louder.
She looked around, and there was an old-fashioned turntable phonograph, complete with a large horn. It was playing a vinyl record. Though the player was antiquated, the sound itself was modern, like it was produced in a CD player.
But what caught her attention was the music. She immediately identified it. Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. One of her favorite musical pieces. Because as long as the music was associated with the moon, it became one of her favorites.
And there was Keima Katsuragi, wearing a black coat and white tie, and a top hat on his head. He bowed.
"Lady Tsukiyo, may I have this dance?" he said in the gentlest voice he could muster.
It made her blush.
"Keima, how could I, dressed like this?" she modestly said. She was tucked in a thick coat and scarf and hood. Not something for dancing. She was an aristocrat, so she knew the etiquette for such things.
"It's only the two of us. Does it matter?"
"If you're wearing something fancy, then it matters," she insisted.
"If you don't want the dance, I understand," he said, a look on disappointment showing on his face.
"Fine. But only this time. Next time, we dance properly, with all the finery and stuff. Tell me in advance," she said, extending her gloved hand.
Keima took it and wrapped his left arm around her waist. She blushed before they danced together, in the shrine.
"You're good," Tsukiyo noticed. "You've danced before?"
"Maybe," he said. He had learned how to dance from Mio Aoyama, but he wasn't about to tell Tsukiyo that. Both Mio and Tsukiyo were aristocratic ladies, so he knew that there were some things that would work on both girls. It seemed, dancing formally to classical music was one of them.
"Next time, we're going to have a proper dance. Maybe I'll throw a ball."
"No, thank you. If that happens, all the other girls will get jealous, and they'll demand that I dance with them. You won't have me for yourself if that happens," he said.
"Then I'll arrange a private ball. Only you, me, Luna, and Vulcan. I'll arrange the Astronomy Club so the proper atmosphere could be had," Tsukiyo said. "And I'll dress more magnificently than any girl you've seen. You'll see a very beautiful Tsukiyo!"
"Well, it's your decision how to use your time with me," he said, smiling.
"Or I'll invite all the other girls during my time. Won't they get jealous to see the two of us dancing?"
Keima laughed. "Don't. Then all of them would demand I dance with them during their time!"
"They don't matter during my time with you. And thank you, Keima," Tsukiyo said as the danced wound down as the sonata came to its conclusion.
He merely nodded.
As Keima was much taller, she leaned her head against his chest. "I love you, Keima. More than anything else. More than my parents. More than my own life."
"I know."
Then he bent so that his head was next to hers, and pulled her closer to him. And kissed her on the lips. It was deep and long. And it ended when they were out of breath.
…
After that, Elsie, who created both the phonograph and Keima's fancy clothes, appeared, as it was at the end of Tsukiyo's hour. She flew both of them to the front of Tsukiyo's house. There, Keima and Tsukiyo made their farewells. Then Elsie flew him back home.
"That was sweet of you, Beloved Brother," Elsie said, who witnessed everything. "I just wished you could act like that more often."
"It's part of my mission. It's like a conquest," said Keima. "Anyway, the three hours of Shiori and Tsukiyo are finished. For this week, at least."
"And you were awesome, Divine Brother! She was totally head over heels for you. She's yours!"
Keima had to agree. The operation with regards to Shiori and Tsukiyo was a total success. Their affection points were extremely high at the moment, approaching the affection of Yui and Tenri, he calculated. Thus, he had a little breathing room regarding the two and could afford to make mistakes.
The next day was Friday. Yui had three hours for the day. Lunch, then two hours after school for afterschool events. He shuddered as he began to recall the plans he had made regarding the cross-dresser. But he could never be sure with Yui.
He hoped he could survive Friday.
End of Flag VIII
Please review! Reviews would make me a very happy author!
Stats for the Week
Monday – Official Time
Tenri – Morning Walk – 15 minutes
Chihiro – Lunch – 1 hour
Ayumi – After School Event – 1 hour
Tenri – Visit After School – 45 minutes
Tuesday – Official Time
Ayumi – Lunch – 1 hour
Chihiro – After School Event – 1 hour
Shiori – After School Event – 1 hour
Wednesday – Official Time
Tenri – Morning Walk – 15 minutes
Tsukiyo – Lunch – 1 hour
Chihiro – After School Event – 1 hour (shared with Ayumi)
Ayumi – After School Event – 1 hour (shared with Chihiro)
Tenri – Visit After School – 45 minutes
Thursday – Official Time
Tsukiyo – Lunch – 1 hour
Shiori – After School Events – 2 hours
Tsukiyo – Nighttime Event – 1 hour
Total:
Tenri – 2 hours
Chihiro – 3 hours
Ayumi – 3 hours
Shiori – 3 hours
Tsukiyo – 3 hours
Author Notes
First of all, full credit to xellos540 for the idea of moon-gazing for Tsukiyo and Shiori going to the Ramen shop. Although I got the place of Maijima Shrine from the manga.
Speaking of Manga, I got the idea and the dialogue of Shiori and Tsukiyo's meeting each other from the Manga. It was too beautiful not to happen. Since it happened in the Heart of Jupiter arc, I needed to make it happen in this fic. So yeah, expect Shiori and Tsukiyo to hang out more often together.
As for some characters:
Aoba Fuse is a light novel heroine. I took her characterization both from the light novel, and also from Wrathie Winsre's stories.
Oh and an announcement and request. In the near future, I probably would run out of events that the girls could do with Keima during their "official" time. So if any of you could suggest activities that they could engage in one hour, two hours, or three, as long as those activities are in character, please tell me. I'd probably include it, with full credit of course.
And now for review replies!
To The Hansa,
First, thank you for your review. Seeing new reviews always bring a smile to my face.
Yes, I agree. Although at first, Keima has the one to make the effort, as he was not sure the girls were totally on board with the schedule and waiting for the five years. But once that was taken cared of, it's the girls who would make the effort. And it's beginning to show. Tenri, Yui, Tsukiyo, and Shiori all made efforts on that score, as it was easier on them as they already were very sure from the beginning of their intentions, unlike Ayumi and Chihiro who at first was reluctant to "join in" so to speak and so had to be persuaded first.
And Aoba Fuse was a very big factor in that. Seeing another girl with the same hobby as their love interest spending more time with Keima than her is a big motivation. A
And yeah, I agree. Guy games, or Otome games, exists. Keima in Yui's body became addicted to them, after all. And I think Fuse prefers otome games, but also plays galge's because that's what she learned from Keima.
And yes, Tenri is very wholesome. I adore her. She only wants what's best for Keima, and wants him to be happy. Even at the cost of her own happiness.
Yes, that is a very good idea. Although that idea had been done by other authors in other stories, if I incorporate it, I'm going to credit those authors where I read it too, as well as you for suggesting it. As for Romantic? Anything can be romantic, even as silly as ramen. Keima could do it.
And once again, thanks for the review.
To xellos540,
Thank you for your review!
The late review is fine. After all, even the real could get in the way of the ideal.
And thanks. I'm just fast at typing, as I learned touch typing when I was in high school, and I've been writing (not stories) ever since. I sometimes type as fast as I think, so my main bottleneck is laziness, author's block, and the real (life getting in the way). And right now, I have a lot of free time. You'll notice a slowdown in updates if my free time gets taken away for one reason or another.
As for admitting the existence of the harem and it's size, I got the idea from Wrathie Winsre. And the harem there is even larger, as it was started before the Goddess Arc got published, so there was no inherent limit on the number.
And yes, it was Aoba who made Keima think about it's implications. He really didn't put much thought about making her his disciple, did he?
As for popularity, I could have sworn I read that Ayumi was the second most popular girl after Kanon. Still trying to find it. Maybe it's a fanfic I've read it got implanted in my brain? Anyway, it's plausible. And for Yui, I got it from the fact that she kept receiving presents from random people after she crossdressed. Shiori is well known ever since the strike and the entry of her novel in the Festival. Still not as known as the other girls, but not unknown either. As for proof of their eligibility? Maybe I'll put it in.
I wonder how the school will react when faced with undeniable proof that those girls actually and really like Keima? And the most unpopular boy was actually a ladies' man?
Yeah, the boys would lynch Keima.
It's fun writing about Shiori's thoughts. Her idiosyncrasies make for very funny thought processes. And makes her quite a character in contrast to her silent exterior.
This chapter answers what Aoba gave Shiori. And no, the gamer does not ship Shiori with Keima. Keima, not only asked her to give messages to the girls, but also to try to be friends with all of them. This was a way to gain Shiori's friendship. She only ships Keima with Tenri at the moment because Tenri's reaction to Aoba was very friendly, in comparison to the other girls.
And now, only Kanon remains to be visited. And it would present problems, of course. She can't just approach the idol like Aoba did the other girls. As for the two kuudere meeting, I hope the meeting was satisfying. No punches were pulled on that one.
Yep. She's trying to imitate her Beloved Brother. And was saved by Keima's gift for improvisation. As for her parents, I can't say much without saying spoilers.
The teaching plan shows how Keima could rapidly adapt to unfavorable events and turn it into his favor.
I know. Though Elsie has a more extensive word selection to choose from, all relating to "brother" which Fuse could not use.
Ha ha, yeah. That was a poor choice of expression for Keima to use. And it's too late. I don't think anything can change Yui's mind that it's really a date.
To my knowledge, only Elsie had ever seen the God of Conquest mode. Yep, it will be a treat to see how the girls react to him.
Ha ha, I don't think Ayumi will even mention that to her. Still, Ayumi may bring up the marriage thing to Keima one of these days.
Can't wait to see Fuse ask Keima about the schedule. How will Keima talk his way out of it?
As for length of chapter, yeah it's long. I'm not deliberately trying to make it this long. It just turned out that way. You see, I already have an outline in my head of the contents of each chapter, to make a better flow of events. And when I imagine it in my head, the events in the future chapter seemed to be short and would not be long. But when I type it, it always turns out to be much longer than I anticipated, since filling the details could make a chapter really long. And then I have a problem of where to divide it if it's too long, as it may disrupt the flow.
So I tend to leave it as it is.
For example, in this chapter, I already decided long ago that the contents would be the second hour of Tsukiyo, then the meeting of Tsukiyo and Fuse, then two hours of Shiori, Shiori and Tsukiyo meeting and the final hour of Tsukiyo. Sounds short when I think about it, but when filling it, it ballooned in size. And I can't divide it as this chapter is all about Shiori and Tsukiyo, as the chapter title implies.
Anyway, this is one reason I used 'parts' to aid me in writing and to help readers remember where they are.
Once again, thanks for the review.
To ZelgadisGW,
Thank you for your review.
I'm glad you like the Aoba that I created for this tale. And yeah, her interactions with the other girls were a joy to write. You're right. Goido's interactions set up future events, while for Tenri, it's Tenri's concern for Keima and her lack of any hostility was what caused Aoba to root for her. Yeah, Tenri and Aoba could easily become friends in this scenario.
Speaking of Tenri, yeah, the introduction of Fuse would be a catalyst of many events, including Tenri getting interested about Keima's hobby.
As for Miyako, you'll see. I can't say more without spoilers.
As for Yui and Kanon, be patient. It is coming.