Milo Takagashi finished reading the last sentence, then closed his eyes and sighed.
2011, to him, was a simpler time. But then again, youth was often ignorant of what else was going on in the world.
He had written this story out of...idealism, he supposed. Inspiration from the anime he had seen. Romance, the blissful want of a high school love story. And that's what would happen, even with the dramatic parts of the anime penned in. Sure, there would be challenges, but love would overcome it all, right?
He had stopped writing when life began to show him that reality was stranger than fiction, big time.
Milo found his own relationship. He began to experience love on his own. And he found that love and everything that came with it, could be extremely complicated, emotionally volatile, and brutal.
It made writing a fictional narrative seem like a pale imitation.
He chuckled to himself. He still was a bit puzzled how that anime made such a significant imprint on him. There had been many stories, animes, mangas since, with even more gripping narratives. In the end, he concluded that the impeccable character design, extreme emotional content, the drama and tragedy, all delivered to an impressionable youth, made things stick.
And that was BEFORE he had discovered the anime was based on an eroge. Before he had discovered the ridiculous amounts of sex and debauchery going on behind the scenes. A family tree of Tomaru Sawagoe came to mind.
Milo would always have a bittersweet spot in his heart for School Days. He knew the memes - Nice Boat, the usual yandere tropes, Mankoto, and the notorious MadThad (who got out of prison and started making videos again).
And lastly, Milo knew he would always remember School Days, because he lived it.
Well, at least a version of it. Like that multiverse stuff that everyone decided to make media about.
Makoto, Sekai, Setsuna, and Kotonoha? All real, with minor name changes. That motherfucker Tomaru Sawagoe? Also real (plus a sisterfucker and daughterfucker and granddaughterfucker and greatgranddaughterfucker and possibly more).
Milo did thank the butterfly effect, otherwise he would have been extremely alarmed at how a 2007 anime (from a 2005 game) would predict his life in 2011. He still had a theory that someone with ridiculous foresight was present on Overflow's staff, or had the capability to mess with reality, but at some point, he had accepted it, and life went on.
The years passing had helped him come to terms with everything that had happened. Emotional events became something to laugh about, and he supposed he had told his friends the entire story void of all emotion, several times over.
It was just analysis and hindsight now.
He occasionally followed up on where everyone was. Makoto and Sekai were still back in Japan, and he would never see them again, if he had his way. Setsuna was apparently happily married in France. There were a bunch of other friends that he forgot the names of, but from their pics they all seemed to living the best they could.
And Milo thanked God that someone had decided to off Tomaru Sawagoe. Assassinated right before former prime minister Abe was supposed to speak. Milo had seen the video and bought a celebratory cake afterwards.
And finally, as for Kotonoha, the girl that Milo had befriended, 12 years before..
Her life was a series of ups and downs, he knew. The friendship between Milo and Kotonoha had flourished, before being rudely interrupted by Makoto and Sekai. A lot of drama ensued, and in hindsight, it was just a bunch of stupid teenage crap.
But how could he have known? He was new to it all, and was making it up as he went.
Kotonoha even dated Makoto for a short while, although Milo later found out that she was conflicted and unhappy for most of it.
Milo realized in hindsight, that his relationship with Setsuna should have effectively killed any hope of reconcilation with Kotonoha.
Truly, love was complicated, emotions could be a blessing or a curse.
Milo looked at the ceiling, and spoke aloud.
"If things were more peaceful, if Kotonoha and I had a peaceful high school romance, would that be better?"
Soft hands found his. "Maybe it would have been better. But like what you said before..."
Milo turned to the older, yet still beautiful woman at his side. "Yeah. This was our path to walk, and it finally lead us to each other."
Kotonoha smiled. "The snow is getting heavier, so we will have to go and pick Akira and Noriko up...but afterwards, help me out some more with the autobiography, yes?"
Milo kissed his wife, and turned to follow her out the door, but then stopped.
He recalled there was one reviewer that had mourned that his story would never be getting an update, even after ten years.
Milo smiled sadly, and powered the computer down.
That reviewer would have to go unanswered for years to come.
Because Milo and Kotonoha's story wasn't done yet.
AN: And one day, I decided to write a conclusion in two hours.