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.
And thank you to xellos540 for the beta!
Summary of the last chapter
Keima spends time with Shiori. Aoba explains to her clubmates Keima's situation. The bullies of High attack Keima. Keima spends time with Ayumi in a restaurant, and requests something from her.
ARC III – THE DISCIPLE
Flag XXVIII
The End of the Second Week's Schedule
Part 304 – The Ball
Keima Katsuragi was feeling a bit weirded out by Ayumi's actions as he walked to the Astronomy Club. He should have known asking her to run for President was a foolish idea. He knew it was futile to tell her to forget about it, so forbidding her to talk to him about it and letting her talk to the other girls about it was a good idea—it would do no harm.
It was Tsukiyo's final two hours, and as requested, he had donned a tuxedo—the same style that he had used in the duet concert. He already had an idea what the moon-lover wanted. Since it was cold, he wore a black coat over it, and at Tsukiyo's request, he added a top hat too.
He looked at his watch.
When Tsukiyo's time started, he knocked.
"Is that you?" Tsukiyo's voice called out.
"Yes, my lady," he bellowed—most students had already gotten home.
And the door opened.
And he saw Elsie and Haqua in maid uniforms—but modest ones, not the ones that were too short and catered to the fetishes of certain people instead of being functional. Both wore a dark floor-length dress with a frilly white apron in front. At their head was a frilly maid's cap. At the back of the dress were giant white ribbons that showed the knots that tied the apron in place.
"Welcome, sir," Haqua greeted. "Welcome to Lady Kujo's ball."
Keima was astonished at the transformation of the Astronomy Club into a ballroom. Gone were the accouterments of the club. Instead, it was a room with tables at the side and a big space in the middle, with a soft carpet decorating the floor.
And there were more maids. And Keima nearly choked at their identities.
There was Diana. Apollo. Mercury. All in maid uniforms identical to that of Haqua and Elsie.
And there was a butler. Wearing a male butler's outfit. It was Mars.
"The lady's waiting," Diana said with grace, her usual expression substituted by a soft one.
Keima resisted the urge to gawk and allowed himself to be led to the other end of the ballroom.
Then the door opened.
And Tsukiyo Kujo entered.
And she was elegant.
She wore a long white dress to the floor, with the skirt ballooning around her and petticoats under it, hiding her legs. She was taller, telling him that she was wearing high heels. She was wearing long matching opera gloves, and a small tiara on her head. Looking at her face, there was no make-up, lipstick, or any cosmetics whatsoever. Yet she looked lovely and elegant.
Keima bowed before her, and Tsukiyo gave a curtsey in the Western Style.
"You look very beautiful, my lady," Keima greeted.
"And you're very handsome, even with your glasses on," Tsukiyo complimented.
And then there was waltz music. That was their cue.
"May I have this dance, my lady?" he asked formally, offering his hand.
"I think I'm tired. I don't want to dance," Tsukiyo teased.
"If you're too tired, then may I ask where the food is?"
"Wait, I'll take you on that offer," she said as she took his hand, and the two began to dance in the middle, with the maids and butler forming a circle around them.
"That's not beautiful! You're supposed to insist on dancing with me, not go scurrying to the food when the lady turns you down!" she huffed.
"I'm sorry, but I'm hungry," Keima whined. He knew what Tsukiyo wanted, but he was in a mood to needle her a bit. "I thought it was a good excuse to avoid dancing. That takes a lot of energy that I'd rather use playing games."
"You're impossible!" Tsukiyo pouted as Keima merely smirked.
"So what happened? How did this turn into a ballroom?"
"Vulcan used her magic."
"And why are the other Goddesses acting like maids and butlers? I don't think they would be happy seeing me dance with someone other than their hosts."
"Let's just say that Vulcan won a bet against the other Goddesses."
"And the penalty is that they help you here?"
"No. They had a bet, something unrelated to this, but which the other Goddesses were reluctant to pay, so they made another bet. If the other Goddesses win, they don't have to do what they promised Vulcan. But if they lose—"
"They'd have to play maids and butlers in addition to the penalty of their first bet?"
"Yes!" Tsukiyo nodded.
"So, what was the first bet about?"
"Goddess business. Something about proving someone loving another or something. And some girl losing six weeks or years or whatever if she lost. I have no idea, and they won't tell me anything. As I said, it's Goddess business," Tsukiyo mentioned.
Keima shrugged. It does not concern him. As long as they vote against Aoba in the schedule, he does not care what they do in their free time.
"Still, it's surprising that they do all that, just for a lost bet," Keima laughed a bit.
"That's why Vulcan had to use her authority as the Eldest Goddess and head of the group. I don't know how she did it, but it worked!" the moon lover chuckled.
Part 305 – Fancy Dinner
They danced, mostly waltzes, for a long time. The Goddesses gave the two teenagers energy so they wouldn't tire. And Haqua and Elsie made props when necessary.
"So that's the real reason you need the Goddesses," Keima teased as they danced.
"Yes. I want to dance the night away, but I don't think I have the stamina for it. But thanks to the Goddess's energy, we could do this until morning! Isn't it beautiful?"
"I wished they'd give me energy so I can play games all night," he quipped.
They finally stopped after an hour. Mostly because they got hungry—their stomachs rumbled.
"Over here, sir, madam," Mars said as she led them to the side.
Haqua conjured up an elegant table with a candle in the middle.
Apollo and Diana each pulled a chair.
"Your seats," Mars said, and both Keima and Tsukiyo sat opposite each other.
Then Elsie came pushing a cart with trays of food.
Haqua served the food in front of the two teenagers.
And they ate silently. They were too hungry to focus on anything but the food.
After they ate, they rested a bit. Keima got his PFP from his pocket, and Tsukiyo also got a PFP from under the table.
Keima raised an eyebrow at the scene. He was not surprised she was playing a game. The last time they dated, she was speaking in game talk. It's logical to deduce that she took up the hobby.
"What game are you playing? Is it a gal game?"
"A Girl Game. I like playing Gal Games, but I find it more interesting to play a girl game. Surprised?"
"Not really. It explains why you speak in game talk so well."
"I do, don't I? This dance is a nice event, right? I wonder how many flags this would set in the other routes?"
"Considering the Goddesses saw everything, this would raise a lot of flags. By I guess you foresaw this event and try to take down potential flags, right?"
"Vulcan asked that the Goddesses tell their hosts nothing about this," the moon-lover answered. "I don't want the other heroines to interrupt my route while you play it."
"I can just imagine how they'd react if they saw us dancing," Keima remarked.
"They'll all demand to have a turn at you. But we can't have that, can we? You're mine and mine alone while my time runs!"
"I'm all yours! But tell me, how'd you get Haqua and Elsie to play maid for you?"
"Oh, that's easy. Your little sister is a darling and accepted immediately, and she dragged Haqua along for the ride. I didn't even need to ask for Haqua."
Keima laughed.
"So tomorrow, aside from the obvious, what do you expect us to do in the sleepover? I mean, we will meet your mother. How should we act?"
"Act like that the schedule does not exist yet. My mother only knows that I can only give three hours per week for the next five years to Kanon and Tenri. Here's the thing. You must demand to have the same rights as those two girls. And I am an oblivious fool who doesn't know you, and the rest, loves me."
"Okay. How can I do that?"
"Confess to me in front of my mother, and beg or demand to be on the same terms as Tenri and Kanon."
Tsukiyo gasped. "You're joking."
"I'm not. And don't blame me. It's my mother's idea. Anyway, I know you can do it. Just act like you usually do, except that you pretend the schedule doesn't exist yet, and you want in."
"But to confess in front of your mother?"
"Yes. Look, I'm sorry if I'm asking too much. I just want Mom to be okay with all of this. I don't want to hide you girls from her anymore."
"This would be like a girlfriend meeting the parents of her future husband, right?"
"Yes."
"Of course, I'll do that. I'll persuade your mother that I am the girl for you," Tsukiyo declared.
"That's the spirit, my Lady."
…
After resting for a while to let the food settle, they resumed dancing in the middle of the club.
"Let's dance until my time runs out," Tsukiyo proposed.
Keima smirked. "As long as they give us energy."
"Keima, I'll vote for Aoba to be [included] in the schedule," Tsukiyo suddenly announced in a very soft whisper so that the audience wouldn't hear it over the loud classical music.
"Huh?"
"To be honest, I'm jealous—a lot. And I thought she had lied. But then, I realized she was in the same boat as the rest of us before we recovered our memories. I certainly didn't think I loved you before I met Vulcan. And it's not beautiful for her to be punished for something she had no control over," she continued.
"My lady, are you sure?"
"Yes. It was certainly bold for her to kiss you in front of all of us, and that made me angry. But I know you wanted her to retain her memories. I saw that look on your face. You were sad because you think we girls of the schedule will vote against her, and she'd lose everything. Well, you don't have to worry about it. I will welcome her as the eight girl."
"You're adding a new competitor, Lady Tsukiyo."
"Yes, but she's nothing to me. You will inevitably pick me in five years. If I deny her because of that, the others would think that I'm afraid of her! By bringing her in, I'm showing how much better I am!"
"You sure are confident. But before you do anything rash, it's better if you consult with Vulcan first. Promise me you'll talk to Vulcan about your vote?"
"Maybe. If you do me a favor first."
"Favor?"
Tsukiyo gave a sly smirk as she whispered something in Keima's ear.
"Right here? In front of all of them?"
"Don't worry. I'm sure the other Goddesses won't tell their precious hosts what they are about to see."
"Fine. But we'll do it when time's nearly up, okay?"
They danced the remainder of the time away, sometimes talking sweet nothings to each other, other times just dancing in silence.
Suddenly, as their time drew to a close, he put his hand on her shoulder and closed in for a kiss as Tsukiyo tiptoed and raised her head. The audience made a collective gasp as their lips met.
Nonetheless, they kept their silence as they feared Vulcan, even as jealousy boiled underneath their silent façades.
The kiss was long but gentle, as Tsukiyo savored the wonderful feeling.
They finally broke up when they needed to breathe.
But it was only for a few seconds. They breathed deeply, then Keima again kissed her.
And the gnashing of the teeth of the Goddesses watching could almost be heard.
Tsukiyo deeply enjoyed it. Still, she had one more thing up her sleeve.
They broke off lip contact after a while, with Tsukiyo looking with adoring eyes at the beautiful boy holding her.
Keima smirked. "Are you happy with that show we gave?"
"I'm sure all the Goddesses are jealous of me," Tsukiyo remarked.
Keima relaxed a bit. "Five more minutes."
Tsukiyo pouted. "It's not beautiful that it's going to end so soon. Three hours is not enough."
It's too much for me, Keima thought.
Then, Tsukiyo suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled herself up, and kissed Keima again. His eyes widened, utterly surprised.
…
Part 306 – The Consequences of the Fight
Later…
Keima was tired. As soon as he stepped out of the Astronomy Club, the effects of the energy transfer wore off, and he felt the physical effects of constant dancing. He started sweating buckets, and his limbs ached. So that was the drawback of using transferred energy from the Goddesses.
And what was Tsukiyo thinking in kissing him thrice in front of the Goddesses? Was she emulating Aoba? Speaking of the girl genius, he still could not believe that Tsukiyo, of all people, would willingly vote for Aoba in the schedule! Tenri was one thing—but Tsukiyo was another matter. If Tsukiyo could think that voting for Aoba was an advantage to her, then that meant that it's not impossible for the remaining girls to vote for the genius. And that meant there's a high likelihood that if he asked them to vote now, all the seven girls of the schedule would unanimously vote for Aoba.
He was thankful he involved the Goddesses.
…
Before he went to sleep that night, he sent a message to the seven girls. He told them how they should act towards his mother in the sleepover. And that it was imperative to act as he asked.
The next day, Saturday…
He was bombarded with replies when he checked his phone as he woke up.
What do you mean confess to you in front of your Mother? – Ayumi
I can't do that! I'm too scared! – Shiori
What? I am not that good of an actress! You've got to be joking! – Chihiro
OMG! A future daughter-in-law confessing to the boys' parents? Count me in! – Yui
I'm glad that's over for me. If you need my help, just tell me! – Tenri
Oh boy. Lucky I already did it first! Yay! I'm gonna win! – Kanon
It's beautiful for your Mother to meet her future daughter-in-law – Tsukiyo.
He gave the proper reassurances to the girls before he called Elsie.
"What's up, Divine Brother!" Elsie greeted in his room.
"Tell the girls that they really need to get it together if they want to remain in the schedule. Just make sure that it's my Mom they blame, not me," Keima instructed.
"Don't worry!" the devil answered happily. "I can't wait for the sleepover! It would be so much fun!"
"Now listen closely. We're not going to lose any girl. This is how you're going to do it," Keima continued, as he explained his plan to Elsie.
…
"Good morning, Divine One," Aoba Fuse greeted as Keima Katsuragi stepped out of his house for school.
"Hello, Miss Fuse!" Mari Katsuragi greeted the girl as she waved at the girl genius. "Don't forget tonight's sleepover."
"I won't, Mrs. Katsuragi!" Aoba answered as Elsie emerged from the door.
…
"Yesterday was awesome! It was so cool seeing Divine Brother beat up all those meanies! Serves 'em right!" Elsie exclaimed happily.
Keima, who was busy playing as they walked to school, snorted. "You do know that it was you and Haqua who beat them up. And don't say anything. You could muck up the entire plan."
"But it was your fists which connected. I just gave it an additional punch!"
"And the only reason I connected was that Haqua was making me move like a puppet."
"But you're so awesome! And the others didn't see Haqua and I do anything, so to them, you're one cool fighter."
Keima sighed. "True. Now, I can game in peace."
"I would like to see how High School reacts," Aoba mused as they walked to the school.
…
"It's Katsuragi!" someone shouted as he and his two companions entered the campus.
And as he walked, the students went out of his way. He gave a quick look at the High School students, and most of them looked at him with terror, like he was a punk delinquent.
"I'm sorry!" someone shouted, and to his utter surprise, the delinquent trio went before him and groveled.
"We're sorry, please don't hurt us anymore!" they whimpered as their forehead touched the ground.
"I think you should accept it," Aoba Fuse counseled. "Look at them. I don't think they'll give you any more trouble."
"Promise that you three won't bother me again," Keima demanded.
"We promise!" they shouted.
"Fine. I forgive you!"
The three stood up. "Really? Thank you, Otame—I mean, Mr. Katsuragi! From now on, we three will be your best friend!"
Keima looked at them skeptically. "Are you sure?"
"Well, we were wrong. We thought that you are a no-good Otaku weakling. We still think you're a no-good Otaku, but you're no weakling! You're awesome! The way you fought us yesterday! That was magnificent!"
"Just get out of my way!" Keima demanded.
And Keima continued to his classroom, the other students acting dumbfounded by the scene.
"I never thought that would happen," Aoba remarked.
"That's proof that you still have much to learn, my disciple. This exact scenario happened in Meganekko Heroine 6. The bullies befriended the player after the player beat them up. Granted, this scenario doesn't always happen, but sometimes, it does."
"I haven't played that game yet. Perhaps I will later in the night? Is it in your game library?"
"It is, Aoba."
As they walked, many more high-schoolers went and apologized to Keima, most of them doing so out of fear, while a few were sincere. And many middle-schoolers went and congratulated him, delighted that their hero was so cool and strong.
"Senpai! You were awesome! You're not only smart, nice, kind but also a tough guy!" a middle school boy said as he walked.
"Senpai, you're so brave and strong!" a middle-school girl squealed as he passed by.
Throughout High School, Keima's image was permanently changed. Nobody would ever dare try to insult him publicly. If there were criticisms of him, it only happened behind his back. His reputation grew by leaps and bounds. His earlier image among the students was no longer recognizable.
…
Part 307 – Talk Among Girls
Yui, Ayumi, and Chihiro met at the gate and were walking towards their respective classrooms.
"What just happened?" Ayumi asked after she witnessed the scene. She wanted to go to Keima, but since it was not her time, and she could not think of an excuse, she did not even if she got jealous as she saw Aoba Fuse with Keima and Elsie.
"Haven't you heard of yesterday's fight?"
"Fight?" asked the athlete.
"You don't know? It was the most talked-about news in the last twenty-four hours!" the band leader asserted. "He was attacked by six boys, all bigger than him. And he beat them up senseless. The entire school, well, high-schoolers at least, fears him. He's worse than a delinquent in their eyes!"
Ayumi gasped. "What? That can't be right! Keima's lots of things, but a great fighter he is not!"
"I didn't believe it either," Yui said as she got her phone, "but look at this."
Yui showed them a video of the previous day's fight.
Ayumi and Chihiro were dumbstruck.
"That's staged!" Ayumi exclaimed.
"No, it's not. How do you explain the trio's groveling just a while ago?"
"It's true. I talked to Mobuko on the phone last night. The six boys planned to beat him up. Mobuko was there to watch. She saw everything!" Chihiro informed. "And don't tell anyone, but according to the grapevine, Mobuko was in on it."
Yui gasped in shock. She only knew Mobuko by reputation, but from how Chihiro and Ayumi talked about her, she was a nice girl. "What?"
"Yes. She knew it would happen, and didn't say anything to anybody," the normal girl confirmed.
"So now Katsuragi is feared because they think he's worse than a delinquent. Wait! Who taped the fight?" Ayumi wondered.
"Asami Yoshino. Rumor has it that Aoba Fuse asked her to take a video of the entire thing. Wait—you don't think that Fuse set this thing up?" Chihiro asked.
"Fuse? No way! She worships Keima! She wouldn't want Keima to be hurt! Why would she cooperate with those bullies?" Yui argued.
"Not the fight. I mean, the video. That video showed Keima in the best light possible," the normal girl mused.
"But how could she know that Keima would fight so well?" Yui queried.
"I don't know. We'll have to ask the dweeb," the normal girl answered. "Speaking of Fuse, have you two decided how you'll vote?"
"Yes," Ayumi answered. "I consulted Mercury last night, and it was decided."
"And Mars too," Yui added.
"So, how are you gonna vote?"
"I think it's obvious," the athlete said. "I want Keima to be President."
"Aren't you afraid of another competitor?" asked Chihiro.
"Well, I have six rivals right now. What's one more? Besides, I wouldn't have joined this competition if I'm not confident. I know that, whatever happens, Keima is going to choose me. And thinking about it, nothing's changed that," Ayumi pointed out.
"Me too. Still. Yui, aren't you concerned too?"
"It's safer this way," the crossdresser explained. "With Fuse in the schedule, we can control her actions. Outside it, we can't do anything."
"You're right about that. Being a disciple would give her an excuse to spend as much time with him as she wants without following the rules. If she's in, then she must follow the rules, and her time would be limited—wait! Can she remain a disciple if she in? Because if she can, she'll have an unfair advantage over the rest of the girls."
Ayumi nodded. "Like this morning. Fuse was with Keima, and we can't do anything because it's outside our time, and she has no such restrictions. If she becomes one of us, can she continue to be his disciple?"
"Well, there's no rule she can't," Yui said. "It's Keima's call. I mean, you can spend as much time with him outside your schedule if Keima agrees. Because Keima decides what's a valid reason! What we're not allowed to do is to force Keima to spend time with us outside of our time. In exchange, he must spend time with us within the schedule!"
"Yes, yes," Chihiro agreed. "Maybe we can insist that being a disciple should not be a valid reason? That if a girl in the schedule wants to be a disciple, she must use her time in the schedule for that! Not outside it! That way, all of us would have a level playing field!"
"That's not a bad idea," Ayumi concurred.
"But that needs a rule amendment," the crossdresser answered. "And that needs a unanimous vote. Keima won't agree to that."
"I know that. But if all of us girls unite, he won't be able to refuse! After the vote to include Aoba Fuse, I'll propose it, and I'll call on seven of us to vote. Then Haqua and Elsie must vote for us too. Then we can present Keima with an ultimatum!"
"Would he agree with that?" Yui asked.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it," the band leader declared.
"But would all the girls vote for that?" Ayumi wondered.
"Of course! If we have to accept Fuse, we'd want a level playing field too. I don't even have to ask you all, and I already know how you'll vote on this," Chihiro answered.
"Really?" asked Yui.
"Yes. We'll all vote yes because we would like Fuse to play fair!" Chihiro pointed out.
"Girls!" a loud voice shouted before Ayumi and Yui could answer. They all turned around to see who it was—it was Elsie.
"I'm so glad I've caught up with you," Elsie exclaimed as she panted. "Listen. I need to talk with you—all of you."
"All of us?"
"Well, not Kanon and Tenri, because they're not here, but the rest—yeah. Can we talk before class starts?"
"Fine. I'll send a message to Tsukiyo and Shiori."
"Thank you," the devil smiled.
…
Part 308 – Ayumi Lunch
Later, during lunch break…
Keima was playing his PFP in the Books and Games Club, alone. He had earlier sent a message to Aoba, Asami, and Minami telling them that he wanted the place for himself for lunch.
There was a knock on the door, and Keima said, "Come in."
And there was Ayumi Takahara, carrying three bento boxes.
"Hello, Keima," Ayumi said cheerily as she checked out the clubroom before putting the bentos on the center table. She sat on the couch opposite Keima. "Two are for you."
"Thanks," he mumbled as he opened the first bento box. He half-expected to be given three, given that Shiori had upped-the-ante by giving him that number the previous lunch.
…
"So, how do you like my lunch?" Ayumi asked.
Keima gave his standard response to such. "Oh, it's wonderful! Delicious!" he answered while rubbing his stomach in a satisfied way. "You're cooking is delightful! You're going to be a wonderful wife to a lucky man one day!"
And he knew he had her as her face became red as a tomato. "Really? You think I would be a wonderful wife?"
"Yes. To whoever that lucky man is!" he answered to crush her hopes a little.
"But dear, we are married! You're my husband, and I am your wife!" Ayumi exclaimed, "Remember?"
"I do remember," he conceded. "You do know that is not real?"
"Well, to me, it's real! Well, it's something that is bound to happen in the future. After all, I'm going to visit my future mother-in-law later tonight. Don't worry. I'll do as you and Elsie asked me to."
"Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"Don't worry. Didn't Miyako's conquest show that I can act?"
He nodded a little.
"By the way, nice club!" Ayumi commented. It was her first time in the club.
"Thank you," he said. He would have mentioned that she should thank Elsie and Aoba instead—but held his tongue as that could lead to trouble.
"So, what do you do in this club?"
"We read and play games."
"Games, I could understand, but I didn't know you're into reading books."
"Books include reading game novelizations of dating sims, and reading guides and walkthroughs of games," he answered coolly. That was the same reason Aoba used on him when he asked why he should approve the 'books' part of the club. "And it's an excuse so we can use the club as a study room during exam week."
"Could I join?"
"You know that joining more than two clubs is not allowed. In this school, one club is the ideal. Two is pushing it but allowed, and three is an absolute no-no! As for quitting clubs to join another—that's frowned upon."
"Quitting? You joined the girls' Karate club and quit," Ayumi accused.
"That's why teachers hate me. Among many reasons," he answered smugly.
"You're the worst!"
"But as long as I am top of the class, nobody can do anything," he declared. "I'll do what I want, and nobody can tell me otherwise!"
"I know," Ayumi nodded. That was one reason she remained in love with him—his strong mental fortitude. "By the way, I heard what happened yesterday afternoon. Tell me the truth! I heard you beat up six bullies by yourself! I can't believe it!"
"You saw the video?"
"Yes. I can't believe you fought so well. Tell me, are you really a skilled fighter?"
Keima laughed. "No. I'm the same scrawny guy! What you saw was a puppet."
"A puppet?"
"Yes. Specifically, a marionette. Haqua controlled my movements. Elsie cast a spell to give me an invisible shield, and to make my pathetic punches have an effect."
Ayumi laughed. "And let me guess. You did that so those bullies won't bother you again?"
"Yes. That way, no one will ever dare force me into the real! I can remain in the ideal world!" he declared. "That was the best thing ever!"
"You don't need to tell me. The entire high school is afraid of you. More than they're afraid of school delinquents," Ayumi remarked.
"It's so satisfying to see all those background characters grovel to me and do what I say because they think I'm worse than a delinquent. Did you see the delinquent trio beg me for forgiveness when I looked at them? Though accepting apologies all day is wearying. I guess all the hate just retreated underground?"
"Oh, yes. The majority of high school still hates you, but they're too afraid to tell that to your face. They think you'll beat them up if you heard them."
Keima laughed. "Let them think that. I won't do it, but at least they won't bother me!"
"And not only that, you've become more popular!"
"What? I became worse than a delinquent, but somehow, I became more popular in high school?"
"Yes. Because your image changed, you're not anymore a weakling Otaku. You're still an otaku, but a strong otaku. That alone would make you more popular and even more respected."
"That's surprising."'
"It shouldn't be. Strength by itself generates respect unless you use that strength for the wrong reasons. No one could say that you use your strength to beat up people randomly."
"Are you glad that we did that?" asked Keima.
"Yes. I am glad that you're no longer openly mocked in school," Ayumi answered sincerely. "I'm glad that you're getting what's due to you."
…
The two chatted away the rest of the hour, with Ayumi mostly leading the conversation, with Keima either agreeing or disagreeing. Surprisingly, Keima mostly agreed.
"You know Keima," Ayumi began as their hour was about to end, "I was wondering if we could go watch a movie next week?"
"If the schedule permits it," Keima answered. "Do you have a movie in mind?"
"Yes. I want to watch it with you if that's alright."
"What's the day and time of the movie? I'll make sure we have enough time on your schedule next week."
"Really? Thanks," Ayumi chirped before she revealed the time and date of the movie.
"I haven't finalized next week's schedule, so I guess I can squeeze it in," he said as he stood up, looking at his watch. "I hate to say it, but—"
"My time's nearly up," Ayumi finished as she stood up. She walked up to Keima. "I really enjoyed our week together. Yes, that includes helping you conquer Miyako."
"I'm glad you did."
"So, did you enjoy your time with me, Keima?" she teased.
He did not know what to say. His time with Ayumi was not terrible, but it was not the most enjoyable either. The most enjoyable times were when the girls used games or gaming-related things to spend time with him. Ayumi's time was decidedly average. "Enjoy? Well, I—"
Before he could answer, Ayumi cut him off by pressing her lips on his, her feet tip-toeing as Keima bent down to kiss her back, keeping their lips locked as long as possible. He was thankful that Ayumi did not give him an opportunity to answer.
After a while, they broke off.
A blushing Ayumi gathered her things and said, "see you later."
And fled the clubroom.
…
Part 309 – Fun With Chihiro
Five minutes after Ayumi left the clubroom, there was a knock on the door.
"Hey dweeb!" a voice shouted as soon as he opened the door.
It was Chihiro.
"C'mon! We have lots of places to go to! Two hours isn't enough!" she declared as she entered the clubroom.
"Wait! Where are we going?" asked Keima as he tried to process the scene.
"Shopping at Inazumart! Let's go! After all, we can't shop while we're inside this club!"
"Inazumart? Do you have any money for shopping?"
"Well, I do, but you're going to treat me too! After all, that's what players are supposed to do!" she declared.
Keima checked his wallet as his hopes of buying the latest games faded. He quickly sent a message to Aoba, Asami, and Minami telling them that they can use the clubroom.
As soon as they were outside, Chihiro grabbed his arm and leaned on him with a blissful look on her face.
"Let's go!" she declared.
When Chihiro heard what Ayumi had done the previous day—show off Keima in a dinner restaurant—she became jealous as rumors spread around the school that Keima had been dating Ayumi. And there were pictures taken by passersby who had caught a glimpse of the two in a restaurant! Chihiro had to do something—especially after the stunt Tsukiyo Kujo had pulled.
Whereas Ayumi showed off to strangers, Tsukiyo Kujo showed off to the Goddesses! And even kissed Keima in front of them. Was Kujo emulating Fuse by kissing him in front of an audience? Except this time, the kiss was premeditated, unlike that of Fuse, which, to all appearances, was an impulsive act. It was a good thing that the Goddesses did not revert control of their hosts when that happened—still, it must have taken an enormous amount of self-control for the Goddesses just to watch as Kujo was doing all that.
Well, Chihiro Kosaka was determined not to be left behind. She would show off Keima to the world! Let the world know that she was Keima's girlfriend—not that she would ever openly admit to it, of course—but the context and rumor-mongering would do the job for her. She needed to counteract Ayumi's actions.
So as they walked through the school grounds, through the streets, and into Inazumart, she clung to him like a jealous girlfriend. Keima was playing during the walk—not that she minded. This was not for Keima, but for the eyes of the people.
And she was gratified as she saw her classmates and other schoolmates eyeing the two. She could almost hear the whispers being made, and she could see many text and email messages being sent—no doubt to spread the news! Yes, the world would think that she was Keima's girlfriend.
"So, where do we go first?" Keima asked as they entered Inazumart.
"Hm! I know! Let's buy clothes!"
Keima wanted to groan. Clothes shopping was the most boring thing a boy could do on a date. Even in games, the clothes shopping event was the least fun.
Keima smiled and nodded at the normal girl. Chihiro happily dragged him to the department store and began eyeing the clothes.
She grabbed her favorite clothes, and went to the changing room, dragging Keima with her and commanding him to sit just outside and make comments on the outfits.
So for the next half-hour, Chihiro did nothing but try on different clothes. From casual summer clothes to sundresses, to fancy gowns, and every kind of fashion the mall had. She would then ask Keima what he thought. And he always gave positive comments and praised all that she wore—he would say all are equally good on her, though Chihiro could determine by the tone or how positive the comments were whether he really liked the outfit or not. Still, she was appreciative of the effort Keima was making to make the date work.
…
"Thank you for helping me choose," Chihiro happily exclaimed as she paid for her new clothes. "I had to buy a new one, but I decided it would be way more fun if I have you around."
"Wouldn't it be better if you had Ayumi or some other girl though? I'm sure they would have a much better judgment on the merits of female clothing."
"True. But you've seen many clothes worn by heroines in games, and you have your personal preferences for their outfits!" the normal girl declared.
"Parameters such as clothes mean nothing to me!" he declared, though he had to agree with Chihiro. There are certain outfits he preferred his heroines to don. "The character and personalities are much more important!"
"The outfits you liked were from games, right?" Chihiro asked.
"Maybe," he muttered.
"I knew it! Who knew your game heroines could have such good taste!" the band leader exclaimed. "Let's get something to eat!"
So Chihiro, with her right hand carrying her shopping bag, with her left grabbed Keima and pulled him to the Food Court.
They had relatively simple food compared to Ayumi's restaurant dinner the day before.
"So, Katsuragi, I have already decided! I'm going to vote to make you happy!" the normal girl declared.
"Huh?" asked Keima. "Are you referring to the vote on whether or not to include Aoba Fuse in the schedule?"
"Is there any other vote, you doofus? Really, for someone so smart, you act so dumb sometimes!"
"So how are you going to vote?" asked Keima.
"I won't tell you how, but I'm sure you'll be pleased. Still, after that, I need something from you. Can you do it for me?"
"It depends. What is it?"
Part 310 – Chihiro's Demand
"I want Fuse, if she ever becomes a member of the schedule, to stop being your disciple."
And that shook Keima. Was Chihiro serious?
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I'm not saying that she should absolutely stop being your disciple. She could still be your disciple, but only during her schedule."
And that dismayed Keima. Chihiro was serious! And that earned her massive negative points. The entire point of his whole plan was for Fuse to remain his disciple! Who does Kosaka think she is trying to dictate how he and Aoba could be master and disciple? It was a good thing that Keima had such a perfect poker face that he was able to mask his rising anger.
"Why?" he finally asked in a neutral tone.
"Because it would be unfair to the rest of us. We can't spend time with you outside our schedule. And no, I don't think being a disciple is a valid reason, either."
"Chihiro—"
"Listen. After the vote, when Fuse wins, I'll propose that the rules be changed so that being a disciple will not be considered a valid reason. And you must vote with how the majority of the girls of the schedule vote!"
The only reason that Keima was not livid was the fact that he knew it was a moot point. With his plan, Aoba won't be in the schedule. And she will remain his disciple, as he promised her. Better play along with the normal girl, even if her antics infuriated him.
"Fine. After the vote, if Aoba is voted in and joins the schedule, you can propose that. But only if you agree that if she fails to join, then she could remain a disciple as long as she and I want to."
"Okay," she conceded. If Aoba fails, then she did not have to fear anything as he would not even consider her after five years. Did Keima think that the other girls would vote against Aoba? With how Tsukiyo set things up, the girl genius was a shoo-in!
"And don't go and talk to the other girls and tell them how they should vote," Keima warned. "If you try, I'll know. I want it to be an honest vote, not something you manipulated."
Chihiro pretended to be offended. "Me manipulating girls? You're the one to talk, Otamegane! Fine, I won't campaign or do anything. But I am allowed to explain what it's about, right?" It doesn't matter. I don't need to tell the girls where their interests lie. They'll vote with me. This way, they won't have to choose between Fuse hogging all his time and her losing her memories. I've got this in the bag.
"Thank you," Keima sighed. "You can explain."
"But Otamegane, in exchange, you must not talk to the other girls about this, okay?"
Keima assented. "That's fine." It won't matter since Aoba will lose that vote anyway.
…
After their meal, they went to the arcade. Keima played through all the games, won them all, and by the end of it all, Chihiro's arms were full of plushies and prizes.
"Katsuragi, don't you think this is too much?" asked Chihiro as she tried her best so the stuff she won won't fall.
"Don't worry. I have a solution," he said as he led Chihiro to an isolated part of the mall. "Elsie!"
"What's up, Beloved Brother!" Elsie suddenly said as she appeared behind them.
"Gah!" the bandleader shouted in fright, dropping all her plushies—a bear, a crocodile, a raccoon, a snake, and a hippo—and boxes of other prizes too, on the floor.
"Can you store all of this and deliver this to Chihiro's room?" Keima asked.
"You bet, Divine Brother!" And Elsie took out a large piece of cloth, put it on the marble ground like a picnic basket, placed all of Chihiro's winnings, wrapped and folded the cloth, and made it small before pocketing it.
"Don't worry about it. You'll see it in your room when you get home," Keima assured as Elsie flew off.
…
They ended the date by going through the jewelry shop, where the normal girl gazed at the beautiful bling on display.
Keima talked to the clerk so that the store would allow Chihiro to wear the said jewelry and look at herself in the mirror.
Oh, I wish Keima would give me those! That necklace is beautiful! And that ring! I wish Keima would give one to me when we get engaged!
Chihiro was happy as they exited the jewelry shop and Inazumart.
"That was fun, Dweeb!" she exclaimed.
"I really enjoyed the arcade," he added.
"It isn't fair that I get only two hours! I want three hours next time!"'
"Fine, fine, I'll see what I can do," he said.
They walked a bit as their time ran out until they were in an isolated part of town. Seeing that nobody was around, Chihiro, with her left hand, pulled his cravat down and gave him a kiss on the lips.
She wrapped her right arm around his neck as the kiss went on and tip-toed more. Keima was expecting it, so he was not that surprised. Still, his eyes widened for a bit before he closed it and kissed her back.
After that, a blushing Chihiro said, "see you at the sleepover!" She then ran home.
Keima sighed as he retrieved his PFP from his pocket and walked to school. He decided he would spend the rest of the time playing games in his club rather than be forced to greet the girls one by one as they arrived.
…
Part 311 – A Game is a Story
Minami and Asami were delighted when Keima arrived.
"Hello, Senpai!"
"I'm glad to see you, Katsuragi!"
Keima greeted the two girls.
Aoba stood up and bowed but said nothing, as she continued her game on the PFP.
"Divine Brother! I did it! I—" Elsie exclaimed, ready to make a report on Chihiro's stuff, but a glare stopped her.
Keima then hooked up his PFP on the large TV and began playing.
Both Minami and Asami got fascinated with the game, though they became confused due to Keima's rapid progress.
After about an hour, Aoba took her leave, as she had to prepare for the sleepover.
"Hey, wait for me, Secretary!" Asami exclaimed as she rushed to pack her bags. "I need to go home too."
…
"Wow! Katsuragi's hobby looks so much fun!" Asami exclaimed as they walked down the stairs.
"It's more than fun! It's our life!" the girl gamer answered as she played her PFP.
"I wish I could get into it like you two, but I've got a big backlog on books I'm planning to read. I won't have the time."
"So what kind of books do you like to read? Fiction or non-fiction?"
"I like them both, but I read more fiction than non-fiction. I like reading them because I like reading about people. I love people and want to see them interact with one another! That's why I love books!"
"Then you should try dating sims. It's actually many many stories, bundled into one game."
"Many stories?"
"Yes. Let me show you,'" said Aoba as she saved her game and loaded another game before handing the PFP to Asami. "This is an easy game. Try to play. You're the heroine."
"But I'm not good at games," Asami protested.
"Don't worry. This game is not hard. Just try it. I'll guide you."
Asami nodded as she loaded the game.
And to her surprise, it was like she was reading a story in a book, only in electronic form. Then, she began to see choices.
"Um, secretary? What should I do?"
"Well, those are choices. Each choice you make will give you a different story. Essentially, you decide how the story will play out. But you can go back and play every other choice if you want to."
"Wait. This is like those 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books! I love those!" Asami exclaimed.
"Yes. But since the physical limitations of paper do not limit games, there can be a lot more choices and more branching lines than a normal book. Think of dating sims as electronic books," Aoba said.
"So, is there an objective to this game?"
"Well, you can aim for a good end, which in this game is to win the heart of the hero, Akira. But of course, if you want to roleplay and just read a story, you can just pick choices you're more comfortable with. Just be warned. There are a lot more bad ends than good ones."
"Oh, I don't mind stories with bad ends. I like Western tragedies like Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet too. So in one game, depending on how I make choices, I can either have a tragedy, or a comedy, according to the Classical Western Genre?"
"You do know a lot about literature!" Aoba complimented. "Technically, yes."
"Wow! I guess I'll give this a try then. It's fascinating."
Aoba nodded. "Good. You made the right choice there."
"Right choice?"
"Yes. You just increased your chance of winning the Divine One's heart. Listen, show him that you love dating sims. Trust me. It's a big help."
"Katsuragi cares if the girl wants or enjoys playing games?"
"Yes. Better yet, if you talk to him about games, and show that you know what you're talking about, he'll appreciate you more. If you and he have fun because of games, that's even better."
"I never knew that," Asami exclaimed. "Um, Secretary, could you…"
"You want to borrow my PFP?" she asked as she rummaged her bag and retrieved an identical PFP. "I can lend you mine. You can borrow that game if you want. It's simple and easy to play, so it'll guide you to the world of dating sims."
"Really? Thanks!" the girl with the side-ponytail smiled as she extracted the game from Aoba's PFP before transferring it to the PFP Aoba lent her.
…
Aoba began to think of the upcoming sleepover as she went home to pack. She needed to do things just right to survive the night. Hopefully, her Master and Mrs. Katsuragi would cooperate with her. Then she could game in peace in his game library.
End of Flag XVIII
Stats for the Week
Official Time
Monday
Tenri – Morning Walk – 15 minutes
Yui – Lunch – 1 hour
Kanon – Night Event – 1 hour
Tuesday
Tenri - Morning Walk - 15 minutes
Chihiro – Lunch – 1 hour
Tenri – After School Visit – 1 hour
Wednesday
Tenri - Morning Walk - 15 minutes
Kanon – Lunch – 1 hour
Tenri - Visit to Neighbor – 1 hour
Kanon – Night Event – 1 hour
Kanon – Night Event – 1 hour
Kanon – Night Event – 1 hour
Thursday
Tsukiyo – Lunch – 1 hour
Shiori – After School Event – 2 hours
Friday
Tenri – Morning Walk – 15 minutes
Shiori – Lunch – 1 hour
Ayumi – After School Event – 2 hours
Tsukiyo – Evening Event – 2 hours
Saturday
Ayumi – Lunch – 1 hour
Chihiro – After School Event – 2 hours
Total:
Tenri – 3 hours
Yui – 3 hours
Kanon – 3 hours
Chihiro – 3 hours
Tsukiyo – 3 hours
Shiori – 3 hours
Ayumi – 3 hours
Review Replies
To xellos540, thanks. This review was already sent by private message, and is posted here for the enlightenment of others.
You're right. It's not only Shiori, but all the girls became even more love-struck after seeing Keima in action against the Weiss. And one way that it manifested itself was by a greater sense of gratitude to Keima. That is why they were determined to repay Keima by making him Student Council President—or at least that's what Yui and Tsukiyo were hoping for.
Yep! They really are hungry and want to eat Keima! Although I guess they don't want him to be too fat! xD
20 bentos a day? I don't think Keima could eat even that much! XD.
Well, Keima's not really evil. He was just pragmatic. Because even if he knew a girl has a Weiss, with no collar and no contract with Elsie, what can he do? All the other girls would kill him if he continued to make girls fall in love with him when there's no reason for him to do so. All the other girls are very accepting of his mission in part because he has no choice. If Elsie finds a replacement who can save girls, then I don't think they'd tolerate Keima wooing girls just to save them. So if there's no collar, there's no point for Keima to care about girls having Weiss.
But that does not apply to those he already kissed and saved. He already knew them and their struggles, and he cares for them on a personal level. He can't have that same feeling to girls he did not court and kiss.
So it's not really being evil.
Well, the One Leaf tactic worked the first time wonderfully, so there's no reason not to repeat it as long as it kept working. And since Keima has not finished reading it, there's no reason not to do it if she wants to make Keima happy.
Maybe Shiori's lenient in the meantime, but after Keima chooses her in the end, she'll become even more possessive?
Yep, Shiori will vote for Aoba.
Right now, we know that Yui, Tsukiyo, Tenri, and Shiori will vote for Aoba. And Ayumi too, as shown at the end of Flag 27. So that only leaves Chihiro and Kanon unaccounted for.
Yes, the sleepover is outside the time of the schedule of the girls.
Nepotism, no, since Keima isn't related to any of the girls, but cronyism, yeah.
Yui is popular too. I remember in the manga when she kept receiving gifts on her table ever since she dressed in boys' clothes. So she's ideal for the student council—popular and assertive!
As for what Tsukiyo and Shiori discussed, remember that Shiori was not able to attend the meeting of the girls in the Astronomy Club because the time of the meeting happened to coincide with Shiori's time with Keima. So Tsukiyo would tell Shiori what they discussed in the Astronomy Club—that Keima is such a great hero, that the only way to repay him was to make him President, and that there's only one person who could do that.
Yep, Aoba is regretting her promise!
Yes, Minami is exaggerating about all girls in middle school falling in love with him, though it's based on the fact that Keima is very popular in Middle School. She probably projected her own experience to the entire female middle school population.
Well, not exactly the truth. Just the "truth" that Keima fed her when Aoba herself was ignorant. It's the "truth" that's as close to what is happening without divulging the supernatural elements of the story.
Haha! I forgot that Heart of Jupiter has aliens (well, the girls think there is an alien), espers and time travelers! But Heart of Jupiter didn't happen.
Well, it's not whether or not Aoba believes that. It's what Aoba concluded just by observing Keima, and Keima did not deny it. Remember when Aoba "figured" out what happened and Keima just went along?
Yui did "tell" Aoba everything on Tuesday afternoon to get Haqua to act, but Aoba did not believe it because it sounded fantastic. Seeing the Weiss and Haqua and Elsie floating told Aoba that Yui's tale is accurate. And Keima filled in the blanks, including the details of the girls of the schedule (Keima told Aoba Friday morning after he rejected her).
So yes, she knows almost everything about Keima's mission.
Yes, the girls of the schedule knew all about the other girls. Keima gave them a list during the first café meeting. However, Aoba herself only knew about the seven girls and herself. She does not know the identity of the conquered girls that's outside of the schedule. So no, she does not know of Jun, or Kusonoki, or Sumire. And she does not know about Asami and Minami.
I do wonder if Asami has all the information about Keima, would she understand him at all? Since Keima is as far away as a typical boy as one could be. Hm. Is there a character in Asami's books like Keima? Maybe that could Asami understand him too?
I think Asami just assumed it was their first love, even if she does not really know. But you're right that maybe it's something Freudian.
That's deliberate on Aoba's part. She wanted to make sure that the girls would have no illusions on what they were about to do, and that includes knowing certain aspects of Keima's character. And yes, a part of her wants the girls to back out since she regretted making that promise.
As for Elsie, I don't think she has emotions one way or another about the girls remembering or forgetting, as long as she catches the Weiss and does her mission. Her concern for the girls always has something to do with whether or not there is Weiss. Because during the entire show, Elsie did not say she's sad about the girls forgetting Keima. Even when she became friends with Chihiro or Ayumi, she did not seem to be concerned that they were specifically Keima's former conquests.
Yep! Aoba spilled Kanon's secret. Although she does not have much choice if she wanted to tell the "truth" of the schedule to Asami and Minami, as the story of Kanon, Okada, and Keima is fundamental to the entire situation. But yeah, if Keima finds out, it would be a big black mark against Aoba in Keima's eyes.
Well, Aoba would not mind the girls being discouraged. But she also wanted their help in making Keima President, so either way, Aoba's fine with whatever they decided. It would be best if she makes them work hard for Keima's election while bowing out of the race for Keima's heart, but even she knew that was impossible.
True. They have no memory of Keima kissing either Asami or Minami. I wonder who among them would Keima kiss first "consciously"?
As for how to get the seven girls to vote for Asami and Minami, Aoba has six months to figure that out, as she does not have to deliver her promise until Keima wins the Presidency. After all, her promise was just a giant incentive to make them work harder by giving them a clear goal after Keima's win.
Nope, Minami and Asami were not yet introduced to Haqua, although if they were, Haqua would just be known as Elsie's best friend from abroad.
Why girls too? Because some girls hated Keima, like Mobuko. Not all, but some, and they just encouraged the boys to beat up Keima to teach him a lesson and put him in his place.
Elsie as Devil Ex Machina, yup! Although it helps that Elsie is a member of the club, so she has a valid reason for being there.
Haha! You're right about Aoba being normal! XD. But seriously, she's referring to herself being normal compared to supernatural entities like devils and goddesses. In comparison to them, mere genius is just pedestrian.
I got the idea from the Heart of Jupiter arc, where Elsie and Keima fixed it so that Kaori Yuuzaki would think that Keima has superpowers by having Keima pretend to attack Kaori with magic attacks, but it's actually the invisible Elsie.
True, Haqua is jealous. Although that is compensated by the fact that Haqua puppeted Keima! Not if she could only puppet him into kissing and loving her…
And that is why Keima is acting courteous and polite. Because Asami is recording.
And he did not even lie. He did not state that Kusonoki taught him how to fight. He merely said that he was a disciple of Kusonoki. That is true. The best part it, Kusonoki still remembers having Keima as a disciple! The only thing she forgot was that final date.
Well, it's not only Shiori who fell deeper in love with Keima as a result of witnessing the capturing of a Weiss. Ayumi fell deeper in love too, as well as feeling more gratitude towards Keima. And yes, she's very hungry for Keima. XD
Keima is lying on the ground, with Ayumi on top of him, kissing him! Of course, he's not alright! That a momentary lapse of judgment due to his weakness to physical contact! XD. At least that's what he'll tell himself.
As for the ruse, Ayumi wanted the students to think she's Keima's girlfriend, as explained in the chapter.
The restaurant isn't too pricey. Otherwise, Keima won't pay. As for why Keima is paying, it's probably because Keima wanted Ayumi to be more amenable to run for President.
As for including Ayumi? Yes, Keima only said that he'll include Ayumi. But whether he'll do so remains to be seen. Maybe he'll be selective of where she can help?
Yes, Ayumi knows Aoba's plan. Aoba, before the duet, had already gotten the support of Ayumi and every other girl for her plans to make Keima president. It's just that as a result of the duet, all the girls decided that Keima needed to be president too.
Yep! Ayumi is like a sports hero for the school, while Keima is a real hero. That's the big flaw in Keima's argument.
And now you have the scene of someone accidentally telling Keima about the plans for the presidency. Except it unfolded in such a way that Keima thought that it was his fault for giving the idea to the girls, not Aoba!
And yes. Because Tsukiyo convinced the others that they needed Keima to win the presidency, Ayumi (and the others) would be willing to accept Aoba to the schedule.
As for how Yui would react, let's see!
Well, the title meant the status quo irrevocably changed because of the events of the duet. Compare it to the situation before, where Aoba still does not realize she's in love with Keima, the other girls except Yui does not believe that Aoba's in love with Keima and is no threat, they had no idea what a Weiss looks like, etc.
Thanks for this review.
To ty,
The reason I sometimes repeat things if because sometimes, some readers may forget some things, and they'd ask me obvious things. I know it sounds repetitive, and it is, but I'd rather it be that than vague or confusing. So I summarized everything that happened to make sure of it. Besides, when a girl is about to be conquered, the emphasis is always on her inner thoughts. So I emulated that. But I added new things too.
Yes, it's about the journey. It's removing the roadblocks to arriving at the destination. The biggest roadblock was the event that happened five years ago in Miyako's first duet. That was preventing her from realizing all the obvious things to us. When he read Arima's letter, that removed almost all the blocks, and made the subsequent events inevitable.
It's like when you asked why did I introduce Miyako's past in Chapter 23, with her first duet. You complained that it was just description and led to nothing. The reason for that is it set up the letter from Kousei Arima, which if I did not introduce earlier, would be disjointed. You asked for a reason why Keima did not comfort her about it during the earlier chapter. I answered that in Chapter 25. Keima already knows because he had Haqua look into all the files of Miyako and her parents. Of course, I did not tell that, but I think it's obvious.
The entire arc of Miyako is about looking at her past in a different light, which led her to rethink her entire philosophy. There's a reason why she had no confidence in herself. What Keima did is to force her to confront it head on. Because without the letter, Miyako will not draw the proper conclusions that Keima wants her to realize, no matter how much he talks. The reason I kept repeating it is to emphasize how Miyako cannot move on without that last part.
The conflict between Keima and Miyako was that Miyako would not believe Keima about herself no matter what he says, no matter how many times he repeats it, no matter how many times her friends repeat it ad nauseum, because her experience in the past told her that Keima and her friends are wrong. So Keima had to confront that past and change it.
I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy it. I'm not perfect, and I'm not a writer by profession (and I have no plans to be one), and only write fanfiction for fun, so I'm bound to make mistakes. I write fanfiction for TWGOK because I love the manga and anime, and I had a story in my head that refuses to go away until I write it. There are many writers who are far better than me, but I'll try to improve, even though I had to admit that I have habits that will not go away no matter how much I try.
As for the parsley boys, yeah, it seems filler, but that's part of something. There are lots of things here that seem insignificant or filler, but later on, would become important. So just remember it!
Anyway, thanks for review!
To Annimo 0, thank you.
As for the outcome of the bet, Yui won't have to lose her six hours because she already proved that Aoba was in love Keima. But as for the other consequences of the bet, I can't say anything yet!
As for Kusonoki's memories of Hinoki's conquest, my understanding was that it was also erased because it was part of Hinoki's conquest too. I think the memory erasure happened after that last kiss with Hinoki, though I'm not too sure.
To Rebelling Death,
Thank you. We'll see what happens with Kusonoki.
To Red888, thank you and welcome!
Yes, it's nice to read what will happen to all their well laid plans!