I DON'T OWN TWGOK

Overture 2: The Problem

"Keima Nii-sama, you're going to meet Kanon-chan, right? You'll bring home that autograph, riiiiiight?" Elsie hugged Keima's arm, pleading for her older brother to accept the idol's invitation.

"No! I'll just do my best finding the same game. There must be some leftover in the store!" He answered.

"Eeeeh?"

The siblings are now standing in front of a game store. They should've gone home if it wasn't for an unexpected dispute with Kanon. House wasn't their afterschool destination today because Keima would do anything it takes to avoid the meeting even though he has to walk around the city to find the same game he hasn't finished yet, which is in the enemy's possession at the moment. Unfortunately, every store has already sent the games back to the distributor since they found too many bugs in the game. Keima failed to take the safety route and had no other way than showing up next day.

"Tch, is there no other place in this town?" he grumbled.

"Isn't it great, Nii-sama? You'll get to see Kanon-chan tomorrow~"

Keima turned at Elsie, "No. Not yet! I am going to find it online!"

"Aww you're so stubborn!"

He finally left the shopping district and went home; Elsie was trailing behind him. As a citizen of the 2D world, it's only normal for Keima to do his best on minimizing the number of interaction with the resident of the other side even though she's a famous idol.

Soon as they arrived, Keima blinked to his room instantly, passing the mother who's greeted her children by the bar.

…

Keima has been browsing the Internet on his PC in the gaming throne for about an hour. However, he doesn't seem to be satisfied with the result. On the monitor screen was shown the news regarding the game, 'Tears From Heaven'. It says, 'Malfunction, Developers Pull 'Tears From Heaven' Back!' and another screen was showing a 'No Results' from a search engine. Elsie could see black smoke coming out from Keima's head comically.

The little sister approached him from the door, entering the dark room, and shook his brother, "Come on, Nii-sama… Just give up and meet her tomorrow! I need that autograaaph! If you don't come tomorrow, I won't make you dinner and breakfast! Ah, maybe it's too harsh…" she gaped, "I—if you don't see Kanon-chan tomorrow, you'll only eat rice for dinner and breakfaaa—"

Elsie stopped as she heard a large sigh from Keima. "I'm going to retrieve my PFP tomorrow."

"Yaaaay!" Elsie jumped cheerfully.

"And obviously going to ERASE whatever written on the screen!"

"Eeeeeh!? Y-you meanie!"

Next day, on the school's rooftop, Keima met Kanon who's already waiting.

Looking uneasy, she bowed. "I'm sorry for asking you to come here!"

"Whatever. Give me my PFP now."

"I'm afraid I can't do that yet!"

"What? I've come this far to get my PFP back, you know!"

"Eh? You don't come here to see me?" Kanon frowned, putting her sad expression on her face.

"Obviously not."

"Is that so…" she dropped her head. "I guess I'm failure after all…"

Keima stared at Kanon with his usual dead-fish eyes to say, "Don't worry about that."

"Eh?" Kanon reacted as he approached her. She was a bit startled by his gesture.

"You're not alone. You're not the only one who fail in this world…"

'Yeah, Every idol in this side is a failure. Good thing she at least understands' was what in Keima's head when he spoke to Kanon earlier.

Again, he laid out his hand, asking for his PFP. The pink-haired girl gazed at his empty hand.

Then she grabbed it.

And waved it up and down.

…

Keima was furious about this. He threw Kanon's hand away and yelled, "I'm not asking for a handshake you stupid real idol!"

"!" Kanon was shocked at Keima's overreaction and automatically had her taser ready.

"Whoa! That thing again?" Keima backed off. "Oi, come to your senses!"

"You…" Kanon stammered. "You just called me real idol…" [1]

He was dumbfounded. Looks like she wasn't really angry. She was just surprised, that's all. Regardless, Keima still kept his guard on. None can predict what she'll do next.

"So Katsuragi-kun finally accept me as an idol, huh?"

"Nope. Never."

Kanon grit her teeth. "But just now you called me an idol, you trickster!"

The glasses-boy knew punishment was bound to happen after witnessing her face. Expressionless, but there's no doubt that there was an amazing amount of depression and anger.

Nevertheless, looks like he still won't lower his pride even a little to ask for her forgiveness. And that was the moment when Keima felt the worst pain in his life. "GYAAAA! Stoooop!"

She pulled the stun gun away from Keima. He was still lying on the ground, unable to move, when Kanon said: "Listen! I'll make you accept my existence as an idol!"

"Yeah whatever," he sat up. "So what can I do for you in exchange for my PFP?"

"… And for me not to get stung?" he added.

Kanon smirked happily and turned off her cat-shaped stun gun; the jumping electron on the tip of its claws was no longer visible. She pointed at one of the benches on the rooftop. "How about we sit over there?"

"Alright."

The otaku obediently walked to the bench, which Kanon pointed at earlier. After they sat together Keima asked, "So what do you want actually?"

"Just sit over there~"

After Keima did as she ask, Kanon jumped away from him and turned at him. "Watch me!"

She started singing one of her song.

And dancing while narrated on her mind, "How is it, Katsuragi-kun? You must be thinking how cute an idol is right now!"

On the other side Keima thought, "Hmm… So she wanted me to watch her doing a live concert. How should I react after all this useless show finished?"

"Katsuragi-kun, you bothered me; you made me off-balance. You're my enemy! With my songs, I shall make you take back what you said and make you my fan!"

After a while, Kanon finally finished performing. "How was that?"

Keima clapped his hands, "Brilliant! You're the best newcomer after all!"

"Really? Then—" Kanon gazed at the only spectator there and instantly got mad, "You… You weren't serious! As if I'd trust you with that expressionless mask of yours!"

He couldn't lie to his heart after all.

"Katsuragi-kun…" she pointed at him. "I won't be satisfied with just a lie!"

"What! Outrageous! I'm not lying!" he made a grin, but his eyes were still dead as ever. "See?"

"Uuu… Come again tomorrow! Make sure you tell no soul about today! Understand!?" Kanon stomped her foot and walked away from the scene, leaving the conquering god alone.

"Tch…" Keima scratched his head. He flipped his PFP and started playing a galge. "What is this all about, actually? Why would she try so bad just to make me into her fan anyway? She should already have plenty!"

After school, Keima went to the shopping district and gave another try in finding 'Tears from Heaven',but it only resulted a yet another failure.

…

The following day, the boy meets the girl again at the same place. The idol is wearing a black cloack and black hat. It was like she was trying to hide something underneath.

After Keima took the very same seat, she jumped away from him.

"Today, I'll defeat you!" She took off her disguise, showing a costume she once used for a live concert: a short-sleeved school uniform with a tie and bright colored, plaid-patterned skirt.

She performed another of her songs again, but this time, she also had a radio with her, playing the melody of her song.

"Geez," Keima sighed. He still doesn't feel any change of heart after having a personal live concert by the most famous idol.

The music finally stopped. "How was that, Katsuragi?"

"Beautiful! You are the best idol in the world~"

"Uuughhh liaaar!"

Hey, I put my best smile today! How rude!

"This won't stop until you properly accept me, Katsuragi-kun! Come again tomorrow!"

Day after day, she tried her best to impress Keima. She'd try different costumes, sexier ones, and different songs with much better audio systems. However, the god of conquest was still unable to satisfy her. Keima himself was almost at the edge of his nerve. He couldn't think of anything but getting his PFP back. He even considered about raiding Kanon's apartment. The problem is, he doesn't know where it was and there'd be a lot of problem if he really does so.

4 days has passed and the exam week is next week. Nevertheless Kanon still urged Keima to come to their usual place, usual bench. When he first met her today, he found that she was unbelievably timid. She even was only wearing the school uniform. 'She finally gives up' is what Keima thought. However…

"Today I want you to help me," she spoke.

"Huh?"

This isn't the first time someone asked him for help. Countless number of people has asked for his revelation everyday, so Keima was at least get used to her request. However, it's his very first time that a girl, a real 3D girl of the same age; asked him personally, face to face. Of course such matter won't bother him at the least. He was still as composed as ever.

"There's this stalker…"

"—I'm not a combatant."

Kanon shook her head, "No, no. You don't need to fight!"

"He used a program to leech information from my computer. When it leeches, the folders became corrupted. I can't stop it except by turning my computer off."

Keima heaved a sigh. "A virus."

"Yes. Could you help me find and destroy the virus? I'm not good at computers, so…"

"You can just have your antivirus scan your PC!" he yelled. "Don't tell me you don't know how."

"Ehehe yeah… It's written in English, so…"

Her reaction had almost made Keima fell to the floor.

"Would you help me?" she blinked.

Keima held his head. "Well, I'll do anything to get that game back…"

"Really? Then please come to this address afterschool!" she handed him a piece of paper.

…

Time flies by and the school bell rang. Homeroom is over and it's after school. Students are beginning to scatter around the school. Some of them went to their clubroom or the field, while there were also others who went straight to the gate and bid farewell to their friends. In his case, he bid it to his sister.

"You can go without me Elsie."

"Eh? Where are you going?"

"Somewhere. You don't need to know," he turned his back on her. "See ya later."

"Eeh, Nii-sama! What if Mom asked? Nii-samaa!?"

He decided to ignore Elsie by putting on his earphone and eventually took the bus that's already waiting.

"Uh… He didn't hear me." Elsie could only pouted as she watched the bus moved away from her.

Haqua who was also with them commented, "Elsie, he ignored you."

"No way…"

"He's such a bad brother..."

Elsie turned at Haqua, "No! Nii-sama is actually a nice guy! He's just acting cool!"

"Hee~ could it be, you like your brother?" she teased.

Elsie smiled. "Yes. I like Keima nii-sama. I want to live with him forever!"

The violet-haired girl was shocked for a moment. "You know, Elsie. I wasn't talking about that kind of 'like'…"

Elsie was dumbfounded, "Eh?"

"Whatever…" she sighed, "What a cliché conversation."

…

Meanwhile, as Kanon told Keima before, she'd be waiting in her room. She left the school earlier than Keima so no one could find out about him. It would be a trouble if the media caught her walking with a boy together.

She was at her desk, looking troubled.

"After this, I won't get to see Katsuragi-kun again…" she heaved a sigh that she's been holding up.

"… So it is my loss…" she hugged her legs, reminiscing her past. "I'm a failure after all. I am still… invisible…"

Her heart became uneasy that she had to shed a tear.

*DING-DONG*

On the bell's ring, Kanon quickly wiped her tears and jumped. She eventually is standing at the door. She took a peek through the peephole. "It's Katsuragi-kun!" she giggled. She opened the door and greeted him, "Welcome, Katsuragi-kun!"

"Hm," he replied and walked into the room nonchalantly.

She closed the door while saying with cheerful face, "Hey, smile! You are at an idol's apartment! Aren't you exited?"

"Yeah, yeah. Yay." He raised his hand, "Now where's your PC?"

"Relax a little~ Have a tea!" she showed him the dining table. There are a pitcher of tea and two cat-patterned empty mugs.

"I'm here to fix your PC. Not to slack off."

"Come on~ It's a tea I made myself! It's sweet!"

"Thanks for your warning. I won't touch that tea now. I don't like sweet things anyway," he pointed out. "Now where is that PC? Or would you rather have a tea with me here and give me my PFP?"

Kanon made a peace sign, "I'd rather to have both!"

Keima shriveled at her response. She noticed it; therefore she added, "Or else, I will charge your console with my stun gun!"

He was shocked. What a dreadful woman!

He already came this far. He doesn't want to come back empty-handed. "Playing your wildcard like that! Damn real!"

Keima sat at one of the chairs while Kanon was happily pouring the tea to the cups. Then, she sat across him.

"Ugh it's too sweet!" Keima reflected after he slurped the tea. "How much sugar did you use?"

"Huh? It's pretty normal for me."

"You definitely got numb tongue," he commented. "Listen. I'm living in a café so I know at least how the true taste of a tea. You can't argue with me."

"Oh, that's a news to me. Show me then!" she pulled out Keima's PFP that she had consficated. "Or else I'd put your PFP into this tea pot."

"You demon!" Keima grit his teeth.

"Ahaha~ Go make it!"

"Tch. Ordering a god like that. Who does she think she is?" he mumbled.

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"No!" Keima stomped his steps, walking towards the kitchen. Kanon trailed behind him.

A moment later, Keima teaches Kanon how to make a better tea. He began by putting a tea bag in a mug. "First, Add 200ml of freshly boiled water to your tea bag."

"Uh-huh," Kanon nodded as the hot water creating a white vapor.

"Second, allow the tea bag to brew for 2 minutes."

After waiting for 2 minutes, color of the water is changed. "Remove the tea bag. Add 10ml of milk..."

"Ooh… Milk, huh…"

"Then, we wait exactly 6 minutes before consumption for the cup to reach its optimum temperature of 60 degrees centigrade," he turned around to face Kanon.

"You don't use sugar at all."

"It's better this way."

"I see…" she twirled her pink hair. "Say, where did you learn it?"

"Game."

"Not from working at your café?"

"No."

"Hee… Anwyays, there's that kind of game, huh?"

"Well, it's my typical game. I couldn't raise that British heroine's heart points if I fail to make her favorite tea."

Kanon kept asking him questions about anything, just to keep him away from being silent. She felt she never been this talkative to a boy before. She thought, I wonder why am I doing this… Maybe I fall for him?

"…" She gazed at Keima who's still busy explaining about the storyline of the game. She smiled, rejecting her thoughts just now "… No. That's wrong."

"Hey it's 10 seconds to 6 minutes." Keima grabbed the mug and handed it to Kanon. She was about to drink it, but Keima held her arm to stop her. While she was blushing, Keima pointed at himself. "On my mark… 3… 2…"

"… Now! Drink!"

"Eh? Y—yes!" Kanon sipped the tea and instantly amazed with the flavor. Her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were blushing when she shouted, "This is briliant!"

Keima skipped a heartbeat. Weird. That was the exact reaction after I served the tea Charlotte-chan.

He shook his head. "No! That's just my imagination! Their parameters are very different! It's purely a coincidence!"

Kanon stared at him, "Huh? What did you say?"

"No! Nothing, really!" he calmed himself, "Now show me your PC."

"I know, I know…" she hung her head as she put the mug on the kitchen. … This is it, huh?

…

They are now standing in front of the PC. After he turned it on, Keima directed his head at Kanon and said, "Promise me."

"Eh?"

Keima stared deep in her eyes, "After I fix your PC you'll give me my galge and we won't see each other again."

"…" Kanon was heartbroken. In the end, she never gets to win against Keima.

The conquering god noticed her gloomy expression. Why do you look so troubled? You are not a heroine! Only a heroine has troubles!

The PC finally starts up. It turns out that Kanon hasn't activated the firewall yet. Keima quickly turns it on. After that he found that the antivirus is outdated, so he begins an update and a scan after it is completed. "Now your PC should be protected from harm..."

He turned around and found the depressed idol on her knees. He repeated her name couple of times but she didn't even budge.

"…" She didn't react.

At this rate, she won't give my PFP back and I won't play that game... What should I do?

Keima sighed.

There's no other way then…
I don't know if this would work on this side, but…
I will conquer Kanon.

The conquering god closes his eyes to enhance his memory. He's trying to call every event he had with Kanon this far. What could be used as information? What's troubling her? After a moment of thinking deeply, he finally came up to a conclusion. "So… I unconsciously had triggered flags since the very beginning. What a troublesome world…"

And her trouble is…

Keima moved his hands to her shoulders and shook it, "Kanon. Oi."

She finally lifted her head a little, "Katsuragi-kun?"

"It's alright now."

"What?"

He patted her head, "We can meet at the usual place everynow and then."

Light suddenly comes back to her eyes, they are filled by hope. "Really?"

Keima nodded.

"Really, really, really?"

"Really, really, really." He smiled.

She let out a sigh of relief. Tears are filling her eyes when she remarked, "Thank God! I thought I'm going to lose a friend again…"

So I was right…

She…

Doesn't have any friends. I'm the only one whom she can talk to. Perfect. I can conquer her in no time.

"Ah, Katsuragi-kun. We'll have an exam on Monday, right? Would you teach me?"

"Yes, I can."

"But I have a rehearsal at 5 PM... How about tomorrow at Camelia Café by the shopping district?"

"Alright," he nodded.

"Good!"

…

Next day, at Camelia Café…

"I'm sorry! That took longer than I thought!" Kanon said as she arrived at the table where Keima's been waiting. She's wearing the same cover as the one she wore evertime she hides her costume from Keima.

"OK. So let's begin the class," Keima said, pulling out his notes from his orange colored bag and a pen from his uniform jacket.

"Umm… Katsuragi-kun…"

"What?"

"I only have 1 hour break."

"So?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can learn anything in just 1 hour… Let's meet tomorrow. I'm free all day."

He nodded slightly, "Okay. So what are we going to do now?"

"Let's just have a chat here!" she giggled.

"OK."

"I'm very sad today, you know…"

"Why?"

"… The director yelled at me…" she confessed; tears are filling up her eyes. She continued chatting and before they know it, an hour has passed.

"Ah, this is bad!" she stood up. "Let's meet again tomorrow, Katsuragi-kun!"

"Yeah."

The next day, Keima meets her at the same café and finally able to teaches her. She was amazed on how good Keima is at math. She also could learn everything Keima taught.

The following days, they meet each other everyday at the rooftop. Keima would give her lesson to face the exams. After the exam-week ended, they still meet each other at the rooftop or the café. Kanon also asked Keima to come to her concert and watched her. 'It relaxes me whenever I see your face, Katsuragi-kun' she said after she finished.

However, Keima eventually grew tired of this. He threw himself on a bench at the rooftop and played his PFP while muttering his annoyance, "Ugh this is tiring! My legs are still tired from standing at the concert yesterday! I can't tell her affection points! I can't skip the conversation! Aaargh! I can't handle it anymoooore! Reality is not a game after all!"

*YOU GOT MAIL*

He hit the notification.

"Kanon?"

From: Kanon
Subj: No Subject
Keima-kun…

"Finally," he smirked.

Am I invisible?

Meanwhile, Kanon was standing by a fountain at the center of the park, facing a fairly good-looking boy who's taller than her. He suddenly grabbed Kanon on her shoulders, making her trembled. The boy gently moved his head towards the idol, "I love you…"

A/N:

[1] 'Real' as in 'Real World'. Keima tends to call everything from that side with 'Real'.