Hello.
This is usually the place where I greet you, apologize for being late and talk about the "making of" of the current chapter for a while.
But today's a bit different. Today there's something I'd like to discuss with my readers. Actually, it's more like an appeal. I'm sure you don't want to listen to a long explanation, so I'll try to keep it short.
I know people have less and less time nowadays. I also know that the KamiNomi fandom is not a very big one. But still I love it and that's why I can't help but be saddened and surprised when I see a very good stories that get barely any reviews. And that is, in short, my appeal to you, my dear readers.
Please review other stories in this fandom!
I know that not many people actually review. It can be easily seen by comparing the number of views/visitors to the number of reviews. But reviews are important. They help us, the writers, much more than views, favorites and follows normally can.
Reviews allow us to not only get opinions and help fix mistakes. They also allow to see that people care. They gave us energy to continue.
Thus, I strongly encourage you, dear readers, to leave more reviews, even if they're just something as simple as "enjoyed it, good story/chapter".
That's why I ask you to see what stories have been posted recently or do a search on your favorite characters and see if something interesting was posted.
And if you're in a hurry and can't leave too many reviews and have to decide whether to review my story or someone else's, then I prefer you review that other story.
That's it – just a humble request for you, readers, to let us, writers, know how exactly you feel about the stories we've made.
Thank you for your attention, now let's move on to the chapter at hand.
Originally, it was supposed to be a longer (around 9–10 thousand words without the author's notes) chapter and the part that you see here was actually was finished for a while now. I just originally planned one chapter, but in the end I decided to divide it in two. The next part is almost finished and I should post it in 10 days or so.
Also, here is where I'd normally put responses to the reviews, but to keep the beginning author's notes short I decided to put them on the ending author's notes. This might become the permanent setting.
Anyway, onto the chapter!
Enjoy!
(* * *)
"So Kanon-chan has asked you to go out on a date with her?" Tenri Ayukawa asked, while she continued to shuffle the deck of cards in her hands as Keima Katsuragi groaned, not looking from above his PFP.
"Of course, that is the part you're interested in, instead of the part where Yui assaults me?" he said.
Him and Tenri were in his room for another one of Keima's "progress reports" like Tenri came to call them. This time they were in his house instead of hers, because as Keima had put it "I'm not looking forward to seeing your mother's reaction to all that".
"Actually," Tenri mused, "you told me almost no details about what happened in the mop closet. So how abou-"
"Next question, please," Keima interjected firmly.
"Hmm..." Tenri thought for a few seconds, "then how about you tell me about the people's reactions to the news?"
"I told you that already," Keima said, hoping that Tenri didn't mean what he thought she meant.
Tough luck.
"Ooh, I don't mean the reaction of your family or your classmates or students in general," Tenri said, "I mean the reaction of our friends."
"I didn't really meet Shiratori gramps or that blond idiot buddy in a while."
"Our female friends, Keima-kun," Tenri specified, a small smile on her lips.
Keima groaned again. "Since when are you interested in gossip?" he asked.
"True, but it's different when it's you," Tenri said, "and where better to ask about the details than the source?"
Keima sighed as he remembered some of those "details".
(* * *)
"Homeroom is over. Go for your next class... except you, Katsuragi-kun."
Keima shivered as he heard his own name being called. The entire class was packing up after their homeroom and leaving for their first period. Everyone, but Keima.
Nikaidō's eyes were trained on him as she continued. "You stay for a moment longer. I need to have a talk with you... alone!" she added with a hiss, noticing a pair of curious brown eyes at the doorway that quickly disappeared.
"Please, tell me it's not what I think it is," Keima said as he approached the teacher's desk.
"Do you even realize what you're doing?" Nikaidō asked.
"So it is that."
"Answer, the question!"
Keima rolled his eyes. "No, I lost my mind and I was just asking out random people."
"Don't try that sarcasm thing with me!"
"Then don't talk to me like you're a teacher who caught a delinquent trying to seduce a girl or like I'm a punk who dates a celebrity for fame," Keima retorted.
"Well, you kinda were like a delinquent, you seduced plenty of girls and you are dating a celebrity," Nikaidō countered, "and I am your teacher."
They kept looking at each other for several moments, before Keima groaned. "It's funny how Tenri believes in me more than you do," he noticed, "how about you trust me a little more?"
Nikaidō sighed. "I guess you're right," she looked up at him, her gaze softening, "I just worry about you two."
"Two?" Keima repeated. "Like Kanon as well?"
"Of course," Nikaidō snorted, "don't make me look like a villain. I care for Kanon and the others too," the other woman's gaze softened again, but Keima could feel something beneath it. He guessed that Nikaidō didn't want others to suffer how she did, "I just hope you know what you're doing."
(* * *)
"So, do you, Keima-kun?" Tenri asked.
"You know I don't," Keima answered, "at least not fully."
"I see," Tenri said as to herself, before presenting Keima with a set of cards, "now pick a card, don't show me, remember it and put it back," the dark-haired girl requested and Keima done as he was asked, "what about other girls?"
Keima just sighed.
"Do you seriously want to hear every reaction?" he complained, but complied nonetheless. "Well, Tsukiyo insisted I visit her clubroom and she seemed a little peeved when I got there... and then Vulcan came out," he shivered.
"I hope she didn't do anything to you," Tenri said, stopping doing magic gestures, her tone becoming a little more sombre.
"I'm fine," Keima said, before quickly continuing the previous topic, "anyway, Shiori didn't have anything to say... or at least didn't manage to get any words out."
"Uh-huh," Tenri uttered. "What else?"
"Mio gave me a 'didn't know you had it in you, commoner' and hit me on the back out of nowhere, almost making me fall to the floor... I'm glad I didn't really meet Kusunoki lately. Her 'pat on the back' would probably send me half into a wall."
"How about, Hinoki-san?" Tenri asked.
"Well, Sumire called me to advertise her shop. Twice. Said her shop would be a great place for a date," Keima continued, purposefully avoiding Tenri's question, "and Nagase and Urara. Do you know what they did?"
"Umm... gave you, 'are-you-sure-what-you're-doing, better-don't-play-around, let-me-show-you-how-to-treat-a-lady' kinda speeches?"
"You sound as if you were there," Keima noticed, before sighing. "And I'm pretty sure Minami is tailing me half the time..."
"That's not so bad."
"...and trying to tail Kanon the other half."
"I'm sure she's just curious and excited," Tenri said, "I bet you impress her."
"She should focus on her own life more," Keima said, "by the way, what about Nanaka?"
"Oh, she didn't really have much of a reaction per se," Tenri said, "just... she didn't like that some of my classmates make... certain comments."
Keima groaned. He just hoped Nanaka wouldn't say too much by accident.
"How about Haqua-san?" Tenri asked.
"I didn't see her for a while now and I'm not really looking forward to talking to her about this. The same goes for the other devils."
"I see... now, is this the card you picked?" Tenri asked, showing him ace of spades.
"No, I had four of clubs," Keima said.
"Oh," Tenri said quietly, "I guess this trick is more difficult to master."
"..."
"..."
"Are you doing a show or practice?" Keima asked.
"..."
"Am I your magic tricks guinea pig now?"
"Your words not mine, Keima-kun."
"Hey!" Keima exclaimed, his eyebrow twitching, but Tenri only giggled.
"How about you tell me more about Yui-san?" the dark-haired girl said, which immediately earned a groan from Keima.
"She's on the global offensive... or would be if it wasn't for Chihiro and Ayumi," he said, "Chihiro actually thought it was very entertaining... till the point where it started to affect the band. She doesn't think it's so funny now."
"So what does Yui-san exactly do?" Tenri asked.
"Visits my classroom all the time, brings me food, offers me games, tries to chat with me."
"Well, at least she doesn't try physical contact, right?"
"Yeah, but still she's difficult. She's almost as bad as everyone else combined."
"Did you try to tell her you aren't interested?"
"Of course I have! She knows I'm not!" Keima said. "It doesn't work"
"What about your classmates?" Tenri asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Have they gotten used to the sight of you being surrounded by Kanon-chan and Yui-san?"
"Don't even start on that," Keima said.
Indeed, accepting the fact that Keima Katsuragi has quite suddenly evolved from 'the otamegane' to 'that boy Kanon-chan and the Goidō heir have their sights on' was too much for other students. Nonetheless, the opinion the general student body had on him did change from disgust, contempt and pity, to shock, disbelief and begrudging respect, bordering on fascination.
The last one reminded Keima that it wasn't just him and Tenri in the room. Though unseen and quiet, the tactician goddess was still there somewhere, lurking in the shadows and listening to every word. Keima could almost feel her eyes on him and while he was glad Diana was not attacking him in fury, he felt a little uncertain.
"In that case," Tenri put the cards and other magical accessories away and focused on Keima, "let's move onto the date you had with Kanon-chan,"
"Had?" Keima repeated.
"It already happened right?" Tenri asked neutrally. Keima rubbed his hair, wondering if Tenri just guessed, deduced it or learned from someone else. Not that it was surprising – she had been keeping contact with Dokurō and Shiratori gramps years before he had first heard of them.
"Alright," he said as he remembered how it went down.
(* * *)
"This is ridiculous!" Mari Katsuragi said as she put the hair gel away, "that's it! Where are the scissors!?"
"It's just one lock of hair!" Keima said, the prospect of his mother wielding the most dangerous tool since he had met Vulcan not appealing to him in the slightest.
"You are going on a date with Kanon Nakagawa today," Mari reminded him the obvious, "I don't know how you managed to make that miracle happen in the first place, but I'm not letting it go to waste, so stay still!"
Keima did as he was told and watched his stubborn bed hair fall to the ground defeated a moment later. Mari looked at it with superiority and opened her mouth, but Keima didn't learn what she wanted to say, because an excited voice came from the direction of the front door.
"She's here! She's here!" Eri was bouncing like an excited 5 year old. "Kanon-chan's here!"
"What!? Already?" Mari looked at the clock, as if she had expect for Kanon to be half an hour late. "No time to waste!" in record time she brought Keima upstairs and told him to dress, before going back to the front door just in time when the bell rang.
"Good day," Kanon said when the door opened.
"Ah, welcome!" Mari said with a beaming smile as she let Kanon in.
"You must be Keima-kun's mother," the pink-haired girl said and bowed, pretending she didn't know who Mari was, "it's nice to meet you, Katsuragi-san."
"Oh no, the pleasure is all mine," the orange-haired woman replied, bowing as well, "and please, call me Mari!"
"Aah, alright, Mari-san," Kanon said trying to sound confident. She was going for the good first impression after all.
"Here, make yourself at home," Mari brought the idol to the living room, "Keima will be here soon," the older woman said, before leaving and going upstairs. Kanon could hear her yelling something along the lines of 'what is taking so long up there!?'.
Kanon didn't have the time to react to that as a dark-haired blur pounced on her with a loud cry of "Kanon-chan!"
"I missed you too, Eri," Kanon laughed as she patted her greatest fan on the head and watched the female Katsuragi twin turn into jelly. Kanon then remembered one of the things she needed to do and figured it was the perfect chance, so she stepped back, her expression becoming more serious. "Though I have heard that you are angry with Keima-kun. Is that true?"
Eri immediately huffed in annoyance. "Yes! Nii-sama didn't tell me that he was going to go out with Kanon-chan! He didn't even tell me anything was happening! He knows how I love Kanon-chan and he kept me out of the loop! I mean I'm happy, but I'm also sooo mad!" the former devil said, flailing her arms in emphasis.
"Now, now, I do understand you," Kanon said, getting the other girl's attention, "but it wasn't Keima-kun's fault. It was me who made it hard for him, so if you have to be angry with anyone, then be angry with me," she finished as she hung her head low.
"But I could never be angry with you, Kanon-chan," Eri said like if it was obvious.
"Then please do not hold a grudge towards Keima-kun anymore, okay?" Kanon asked, before she pulled something out of the bag, "And here's a little something to compensate for me and Keima-kun troubling you."
"What is this?" Eri wondered as she examined the piece of paper in front of her, "a ticket?"
"More than that," Kanon said, "it's a permanent free-of-charge pass for any event of mine you'd like to attend."
Eri stayed unmoving for a moment, but when the meaning sank, the dark-haired girl's face lit up in a radiant smile.
"Thank you, Kanon-chan! You're the best!"
Kanon didn't have much time to retaliate, because there was some commotion outside and soon after that the door opened and Keima entered, followed by his mother.
"Hey," Keima said, trying his best to ignore the dreadful aura coming from his mother. He was apparently expected to greet his date differently.
"Hey," Kanon said back, the nervousness that subsided when talking with Eri was now back with vengeance, especially considering Keima's appearance. It wasn't anything fancy. Actually it was close to what Keima was normally wearing at home: a pair of trousers and a shirt. It was a little more formal and looked better on him than usual. He was also better groomed and Kanon immediately noticed the lack of his famous bed hair. All-in-all he was looking cute and quite handsome, at least in her opinion.
Well, it wasn't as if it was the first time Kanon thought of him that way, especially when those eyes of his were on her. Kanon felt even more nervous under his gaze, hoping the attire she had chosen for the occasion was fine. She didn't aim for fancy either like the outfits she used on stage; rather she wanted to chose something more simple. Thus, she had picked a pale yellow sundress, with no patterns that worked well with the color of her hair (or at least she thought it did). Kanon hoped such an outfit would make her look more approachable and less distant.
"Would you care for a cup of tea?" Mari said as if offering the hospitality her son failed to provide.
"I'm terrible sorry, but I have to decline," Kanon said, "my driver is waiting for us outside."
"I see," Mari said as she put her arms on Keima's shoulder a little firmer than necessary and pushed him in the direction of his girlfriend, "in that case have fun you two!"
(* * *)
"Good day," Keima said as soon as he entered the back of the car after Kanon and saw that not only was there a driver, but also Okada, who was in the passenger's seat.
"Good day, Katsuragi-kun," Okada greeted him.
"I'm sorry, Keima-kun," Kanon said quietly, "but Okada-san insisted on coming as well, as our guardian."
"And chaperone," Okada added, "I'm sure you understand."
"I do," Keima said. It was better that way. Kanon was basically being guarded all the time by New Devils, so there'd be no full privacy anyway.
Kanon smiled when she saw he was okay with it and then inched closer to him, leaning on his shoulder a bit. Keima was aware of the slight heat on his cheeks, just as he was aware of Okada's eyes watching them through the rear mirror.
(* * *)
"A movie?" Keima confirmed the obvious as they stopped in front of a cinema.
"That's right," Kanon said, fidgeting a little, "I'm sorry but I've chosen the movie as well."
The sentence felt hanging as if Kanon wanted to add 'I hope you'll like it', before realizing he probably wouldn't.
"It's ok," he said, exiting the car and moving to her door before opening it and extending his hand, hoping it will help to distract her from her doubts. It worked as a charm, if the red hue on Kanon cheeks was any indication.
(* * *)
"I'm sorry," Kanon said quietly ten minutes later as they took their designated seats in the cinema hall, waiting for the commercials to start, Okada sitting one row behind them.
"For what?" Keima asked.
"Because of me you ran into more problems with your classmates, your mother and sister," Kanon explained, her cheeks colored again, but more in shame this time, "and because it can't just be the two of us… the car driver was actually a trained bodyguard and-"
"And there was a car with four more bodyguards following us, I know," Keima finished for her, "you don't have to worry about it. I'd rather have them be there than risk something happening to you again."
"As usual, you're quick to catch on things," Kanon said, her cheeks reddening more at the concern he had shown for her, "I just don't think it's fair… I want to be able to do more for you, Keima-kun," she finished even more quietly.
Keima heard it and felt his cheeks heat up more at that. Come to think of it that was kinda a weird development. Kanon had started as a girl with attention issues, that had been all about staying in the spotlight. Then during and after the time when Keima had been searching for the goddesses Kanon had turned into a relatively calm and supporting girl, gentle and next to non-imposing. Then very recently he had seen some of her yanderish and selfish personality traits resurface along with the fact that she was very eager for contact, physical or otherwise. And right now she was worrying about him, acting selfless again. He wondered if those up-and-down changes were cyclic, after all.
"I'm sure you'll think of something then," he assured her, though Kanon was far from certain.
Keima wasn't really someone who wanted to make out all day or share the attention of a celebrity. Kanon also didn't want to give him money, because that sounded like she was buying his affection. Besides, being a minor she didn't have that much money available anyway…
Her thoughts were interrupted when the cinema screen blinked to life and the advertisements started. And the first one was... Kanon herself, performing her new special edition of "Happy Crescent". Kanon forgot that this was a thing. She suddenly felt weird when the audience around her visibly perked at the sudden music, looking at the idol, while at the same time not looking at her at all.
"That reminds me," Keima continued his voice a little louder now giving the booming sounds coming from the speakers, "I noticed no-one is making a fuss about you. Are you using an illusion again?"
"Yes," Kanon replied, "to Okada-san and most people it looks like I'm wearing a wig, but you, your mother and Eri see me with my normal appearance."
"Wait," Keima said, "does that mean everyone else sees Kanon Nakagawa's boyfriend going to movies with girl other than Kanon Nakagawa?" he asked in horror.
"Don't worry, I thought about that as well!" Kanon assured him. "Apollo cast another spell when we were in the car. For Okada-san and my escort you look normally, but other people see a completely different person.
"So we look like completely random pair to most people? Sounds like a pretty sophisticated spell," Keima commented and Kanon could sense a smug goddess smirking at the back of her mind.
Neither of them could speak anymore, because the advertisements ended and the movie started.
(* * *)
"So how was the movie?" Tenri asked.
"It was a romance movie of course," Keima said, "Kanon liked it."
"How about you, Keima-kun?"
"It didn't seem that special to me," the gamer answered with a shrug, but as expected, Tenri saw right through it.
"That bad, huh?"
"It can't be helped, the way they make these movies..." he went on a rant, disassembling the chick flick genre according to his galge tenets, making Tenri giggle.
"Glad to hear some parts of you never change," the dark-haired girl said, "did you give Kanon the same speech?"
"Of course not," Keima said, "that would spoil her fun."
"But the way it is now, she might take you to a similar movie next time?"
"So?"
"Don't you want to go to a movie you'd enjoy next time?"
Keima shrugged. "Galge adaptations aside, I doubt I'd truly enjoy the movie itself, no matter what kinda movie it was and this way Kanon at least can have fun. I don't think she has many opportunities to go to a cinema with someone she likes to watch a movie she likes."
"So Keima-kun new-found tendency to sacrifice his time and preferences for others' sake has reached new heights," Tenri noted her voice torn between pride and anxiety, "you shouldn't get overboard with it though or you might lose what makes you, you."
"Don't worry," he said, "everytime I'm getting too close either to the real or to the virtual there's you and Chihiro who pull back in the other direction."
"And at other times Kanon-chan is pulling you in her direction," Tenri said, "so what happened after the movie?"
"Well, Kanon took me shopping. For clothes."
"Really?" Tenri asked. "So she made you follow her and showed off various outfits with you getting bored stiff in between."
"That'd be a textbook game event, but you misunderstood. Kanon wasn't buying clothes for herself," Keima said, "she was buying clothes for me."
Keima couldn't help but smile when he saw actual surprise on Tenri's face.
"Kanon-chan bought you clothes?" she asked.
"It was just a pair of pants and a shirt," Keima said, "and a few T-shirts," he added after a moment.
"Any of those shirts were interesting?"
"Interesting how?"
"I don't know," Tenri mused, "like having a funny or embarrassing caption..."
"There weren't," Keima said with a poker face and changing the topic, "though one of those was a blue one with a big sun on the back and 'Summer Boy' caption in front... Anyway, after that there was dinner."
"A classy restaurant Kanon-chan has booked beforehand?" Tenri asked.
"Not exactly..."
(* * *)
"WcDonalds?" Keima asked when they arrived at the building.
"Yes," Kanon said.
"Why?" Keima said as they entered the place with Okada following shortly behind them.
"It has been a while since I've eaten in a place like this," Kanon said, her brow furrowing a little, "would you like to go somewhere else?"
"You're talking to a guy who could live off soy milk and raindrops, remember?" he reminded here. "Fast food is no problem."
"Good, 'cause I'm in a mood for fast food," Kanon said and Keima could sense Okada sighing from a few tables away. Kanon would probably have to run between venues to use up all of the calories she was about to consume.
It was already late afternoon, so there wasn't very many customers and soon the two teens were seated by their table with their orders littering the tabletop. Keima had to admit – he didn't expect he'd ever see Kanon Nakagawa dig into a BigWac and with such enthusiasm.
"You sure were hungry," Keima said some time later as Kanon was already done with her food and he didn't fail to notice her giving his French fries a passing glance.
"Here," he said, pushing his plate more towards her.
"Can I?" Kanon asked.
"Sure, help yourself," Keima said.
Kanon smiled after a moment and took one of Keima's fries and ate it, a happy look on her face.
"You seem in a really good mood," he noticed.
"Of course," Kanon said.
"I didn't think fast food eaten in a public place like this would be this fun for you," Keima admitted, "wouldn't you rather go somewhere more quiet and..."
"Nicer looking?" Kanon finished, looking over the decor and furniture that wasn't exactly new and sparkling, "not really."
"Why?" he asked.
"It's not really complicated," she said, "I told you I rarely get to do this."
"And here I thought you used to eat lunches half-asleep in a car between venues," he reminded her.
"And normal people don't do that, right?" Kanon said. "Just like normal people eat at places like this more."
"You mean you're happy because you got to have a normal day instead of doing your idol job?" he asked.
"Don't get me wrong, I love being an idol, it's like my calling of sorts now... but I do miss this sometimes," Kanon said, pointing to them and the table, "to be able to go out with a boy I like and do things people do everyday in public places like this."
"So it's a bit like 'a special person wants to be normal' flag," Keima said, "you and Chihiro should swap places for a day sometimes," he added as Kanon giggled.
"Though aren't you feeling worried?" he asked.
"Why?"
"You were attacked in a public place not so long ago," Keima reminded her, "aren't you worried at all?"
"Well, I think I am a bit anxious," Kanon said softly before looking up with a more cheerful expression, "but I don't really fear in any danger right now. In fact, I feel safe."
"So you have that much faith in your manager, Apollo and your other guardians keeping eye on you from the shadows?" Keima asked with a small smile.
"No, I mean yes, but it's not just faith in them," Kanon said, "it's also faith in you, Keima-kun."
"...me?" the boy in question asked, his brows raised.
Kanon nodded. "I know Keima-kun cares about me and would do everything to keep me safe," she said.
"W-what could I possibl-"
"I know Keima-kun is strong," Kanon said, "and don't give me that 'I'm not strong, I was never in a fight' line. I know you're strong in ways most of us never will be. That's why I trust Keima-kun. Whether it's saving me from the stress or my doubts. From myself or people who tried to kill me, Keima-kun was always there for me. That's why when I'm with Keima-kun I always feel safe."
Keima fought bravely, but despite that his face slowly turned crimson red as he gazed away. He didn't have to look at Kanon to know that she was sporting a triumphant smile.
(* * *)
"Kanon-chan's is really something if she made Keima-kun blush," Tenri said in thought and awe.
"She didn't make me blush!" Keima exclaimed in anger. "That's not what I said!"
"I know," Tenri said, "but that's exactly what happened, right, Keima-kun?"
"Anyway," Keima ignored the question, "we went for a walk..."
(* * *)
"It's okay if you play games, you know?" Kanon said on hour later when the two of them were sitting on one of the benches in the Maijima night public park for a walk. Despite the name it was a nice place even during day time and Kanon had chosen it as the next point on their date, hoping to be able to see the sun set, as it was slowly nearing the horizon.
"Your manager would hurt me for that," Keima answered her, "besides, I didn't take my console with me today."
"Really?" Kanon said, surprise in her voice.
"Really," the gamer confirmed, "it's not like you'd want to watch me play games during a date, do you?"
"Actually," Kanon squirmed a bit in her seat, "I wanted to talk with you about something concerning dating sims."
A moment of silence.
"Say that again," Keima spoke.
"I want to talk with you about galges," Kanon reiterated, "I'm interested in the music specifically."
"Ooh..." Keima deflated a bit, "for a moment I thought you wanted to make games or something."
"Something like that."
More silence.
"Please explain," Keima said, confusion in his eyes.
"It's just that when I listen to Keima-kun speak about his games I can feel the love," Kanon said calmly, "it's very similar to when I sing."
"Okay, what does that have to do with making games?" the boy asked.
"The galge industry is booming right now," the idol said, "so many young people are players. I want to reach them too. I want to make them happy."
"Isn't singing and dancing your thing though?"
"Well, yes, but games also have music, right?"
"You made songs and voice acting for a galge before," Keima noticed.
"It's different," Kanon shook her head, "you see... I don't want to just use my voice for some general heroine and my music for some background event. No, I want more."
"More?"
"Yes... I want to take part in making a game where I can affect the setting and the script... you see Keima-kun..." the pink-haired girl said as she stood up and walked a few steps away from Keima-kun, looking at the sun that has just touched the horizon, "I remember your thoughts about what makes a good game."
Keima just listened.
"You asked if it was really okay to treat a game with 100 points in music and 30 points in script as a great game," she repeated his words for just before he had been sent on the journey to the past, "well, I'm not sure I can answer that one... however..."
At this Kanon turned to him, the shine of the setting sun and the orange sky making her stand out even more in the green scenery, somewhat reminding him of the one time she sung a song when babysitting his 7 year old self.
"I want to prove that galges with music can also be great games that can bring people happiness. I want to make a game where music and songs are key part of the setting and gameplay, but where the storyline is good as well."
"There are games like that," Keima said slowly, not sure why he was saying this.
"Any good ones?" the idol asked, not a bit of worry on her face.
"A few," the gamer said, "two really good and-"
"And the God of Conquest doesn't see any chances to improve? Think about it," Kanon asked, slowly approaching him, "with my music, team and investments, your knowledge of the dating sims and with some of the developers you know... and most importantly with the love we both have for games and music... think what a game we could make," she extended her hand to him in an obvious offer, "will you join me in this endeavor, Keima-kun?"
This is a flag, Keima thought. With and undertaking such as galge design, it would require a lot of effort and time. Especially time. Time him and Kanon would spend together.
"What about our schoolwork?" he asked, once again not sure why, especially since Kanon response confirmed the obvious.
"I'm sure you will be able to make it work, Keima-kun."
Keima wasn't sure what gave Kanon that confidence. He didn't know how to explain it. He couldn't find the answer in her melodic voice. He couldn't find it in the sparkle in her eyes. He couldn't find it in her face outlined by the sinking sun.
And he couldn't find it in the way her hand felt when his reached to clasp hers.
(* * *)
There you have it. So this chapter was basically about Keima and Kanon's first official date. Also Tenri practicing unfinished magic tricks on Keima. Also Kanon meeting Mari. Also WcDonalds. And game design. I wonder who had foreseen that? :P
I don't have much to comment on this, but at least we have a chapter that actually focuses on Kanon, instead of me writing too much about Tenri or Ayumi. Moreover, while it's kinda subtle and Keima is pretty much still Keima, I do thing it's become more noticeable that our little couple has quite the good mood going on. Who knows, maybe Keima will confess before they finish university. :P
As I said, the next chapter is almost finished, so it should be posted around 10 or 12 of November. I hope you'll like it.
Below are the replies to the latest reviews:
L2X: Thank you very much :). I also like that side of Kanon, as surprising as it is. And yeah, I'm pretty sure Keima will... eventually. :P
Ghost Man: Yes, Ayumi to the rescue! And all for 4th wall breaking... or zapping it to smithereens :P. Chihiro should start a poetry literature club and compose some haikus :D. Whoa... yan/tsun girlfriend... sounds like both Hell and high water... you have it tough. Also, thank you for keeping track of my typos and such, I appreciate it. And yay for Toaru majutsu no index references! Many thanks for the review!
Big Bad Beowolf: Well, I do listen, but whether I'd actually be able and willing to do some stuff is another matter altogether. Anyway, I'm glad I could make you happy :). Also glad people didn't expect Yui... she's almost like a Spanish inquisition :D. Also I very much love the Light Novels girls, just so you know. I regret I didn't read the novels before starting this series.
ZelgadisGW: Thank you for the previous review. I agree the kidnapping scene wasn't my magnum opus, but sometime it happens. Glad I could write Chihiro scenes you liked :). Lol, I like the "I fried all your gaming consoles" even though it's scary as Old Hell. So Yui surprised everyone, huh? :)
El Sasori69: I'm starting to think of a way to "believably" introduce Asami, Tōru, Shino and Aoba into this story. I have one first sign of a start of a begin of initial introduction to an idea, but whether I'd be able to execute it and when, I don't know. Believe me I'd want to. As for Kanon and yui facing off, I agree it was very interesting, but as to how aggressive will Yui be and how Kanon will continue to react... I don't really know yet. Anyway, thanks for the review. :)
Sir Sleeps-a-lot: Thank you very much for your review. They're always great to see. Thank you for your good words and support as well. Heh, you're yet another person who sees "Kanon stakes her claim on Keima" in this chapter and I don't disagree :). But yes, Keima is very much still unsure about how he is actually feeling about this. I guess he needs more time. As for Yui, yeah, we'll see. Heh I'm not sure about the date going into the night, but it'll go well into the evening, I guess :P. Lol, I think I'll have to have a word with Kanon on how she's treating my precious reviewers ;). *blushes at you reading the chapter 4 times*. And yeah, I'll remember abut music references. :)
That's it for the responses for the reviews and for this chapter.
I'll see you next time!