Volume 1
Chapter 2-3
Part 3
And so the following morning….
“Yo, morning Katou!”
“Ah, morning Aki-kun”
“….”
“What is it?”
“Oh nothing, it’s just that you haven’t changed.”
Having stumbled across Katou Megumi on my way to school, she had from the bottom of her heart addressed me in a most normal way.
“Well, it’s only been a day since we hung out, we wouldn’t be overly familiar with each other. It’s only normal.”
“No no, it’s the opposite, the opposite.”
“Opposite?”
“Well you’re not one of the people who would now ignore me or glare at me or something like that.”
“Aah, so that’s what it is.”
“Anyway, yesterday I was spraying words out of my mind and ended up saying these really horrible things to you without really thinking. Saying that your character wouldn’t hold its own, saying your character was half-baked and things like that….”
“Well, it was rather rude I guess.”
“…Were you angry?”
“Well, I’m not angry, although there would be a small reason to ignore you.”
“Although?”
“I mean, first thing in the morning, you’re full of energy and talking to me as though nothing had happened, so I thought ‘Ah, what happened yesterday mustn’t have been a big deal or anything’.”
“Katou, you….”
Ah, how simple….
“Hmm? Did you say something?”
“Thank you for forgiving me….”
“Ah it’s alright. I should be thanking you for treating me yesterday.”
Katou is actually a really good person. A cool, calm, rational and approachable friend who can ease the hearts of people.
For that, I’m grateful. Although—I’m still aware of some issues.
“Well from now on, if anything happens please invite me. Talking to you isn’t in the least boring.”
Why aren’t you overreacting here? Where is the tension in this boy-girl situation? Could it be that it’s not possible for you to be sad or angry?
If that’s the case, then wouldn’t that disqualify you as a heroine…?
“Ah, please don’t concern yourself over that matter.”
That’s no good Katou. Unless you take your first steps, you won’t be able to advance ahead, will you?
“Because in any case, it’s been decided that every day from now on, you’ll be spending time with me after class.”
“A confession?”
“If you’re going to think that, how about showing a bit of unrest over it?”
Katou’s expression had flattened out in the same manner as yesterday.
“I’ll say it again, Katou!”
“Yes, yes?”
I felt that the conversation was starting to take a turn for the worse, so maybe if I pushed this conversation forward….
“I’m going to make you a Main Heroine that makes everyone’s hearts go ‘Kyun! Kyun!’”
“…..”
“…Say something.”
“…What should I say?”
As expected from having pushed the conversation, all the personality in Katou’s expression rapidly drained away in a manner similar to yesterday.
“Uh, an-anyway take a look at this!”
“A love letter?”
“Like I said, if you’re going to think that, you should be more dramatic in your response.”
“…A proposal?”
“You’re a person who likes to go on with a conversation without paying heed to the other person’s responses aren’t you?”
“……, huh, what is this?”
Title.
Pending (Meg-tan’s Lovey Dovey Summer Vacation?)
Genre
Pending (Love Adventure, Love Simulation, Desktop Accessory, etc.)
Product Concept”
The concept of this product is to fully showcase the Main Heroine, Katou Megumi (Alias) with the sole objective of drawing out all of her charm.
“Like you said, it’s a proposal. For a dating sim.”
“…..”
“Although, since I have neither the money to start this up nor any business connections, this will likely be a doujin project instead.”
“….?”
“So, this will be the ticket that will transform the character called Katou Megumi into an attractive heroine.”
“…Sometimes I think the things you say are really painful Aki-kun, or maybe it’s because my sensitivities are a bit old-fashioned?”
“It’s alright, I also completely feel that way at times.”
“At times….”
“Oh by the way, there are a few more minor details on the next page….”
Character Setting”
Katou Megumi (Alias)
Main Heroine. A girl whom we meet in a fated encounter along a hillside road amongst the dancing cherry blossoms.
A Second Year of Toyogasaki Academy.
Height: To be filled by the person in question
Body Weight: To be filled by the person in question
Bust: To be filled by the person in question
Waist: To be filled by the person in question
Hips: To be filled by the person in question
Hobbies: To be filled by the person in question
Special Skills: To be filled by the person in question
Enthusiasm Line: It’s a little embarrassing but I’ll do my best! Please support me. ♪
“….Um”
“…What’s wrong?”
“Am I the one writing down the body weight, the three sizes and such? Are these meant to be my own?”
“Well, you’d expect that I wouldn’t have that kind of data.”
“Isn’t this what you’d call sexual harassment?”
“What are you blabbing about Katou, from here on out you’re going to be a dating sim heroine right? It’s not the time to be worrying over things like your personal details.”
“…I don’t even know where to begin responding to that. So for now why is only the comment line filled in? And why did you add that ♪ in?”
“The only thing I can do is to speak of your feelings on your behalf.”
“…Aki-kun, do you believe that I’ve forgiven you today?”
“I really do like kind girls such as yourself Katou.”
“I might have misinterpreted that brazenness of yours Aki-kun.”
“And in spite of all that you’re still not angry or shy, it’s the best!”
It might be that if I were to ask ‘Hey would you allow me to go ahead with this?’ the whole situation would go down like a bad joke. That kind of a result would surely be a problem. During such an event, there would be a powerful result of the girl’s acting exasperated and crying out loud as to stir the opposition’s guilty feelings and desire to protect—that is dating-sim standard.
“So then, Katou…after all that, do you want to work towards this goal together?”
“Work towards what, exactly?”
“The Dating Sim Heroine.”
“….?”
“The kind of heroine who’s cute, who has great character, who has charm, and who causes anyone who plays the game to want to make the heroine their waifu. Don’t you feel like being that sort of No.1 heroine?”
“I’m sorry, I really don’t get what you’re saying.”
“Well, I can certainly understand if you’re hesitant about it. Since I too have been running on nothing but the course of these events.”
“If I manage to get what you’re saying, I’d like to take a break.”
“But even so, even so I…!”
“A, Aki-kun….?”
“I want to make you into a heroine. I want to make a game featuring the girl called Katou Megumi as a heroine!”
As I let out that passionate shout, Katou gave me a look which wasn’t flat.
“….Why?”
By the way, we were still going to school.
“You said so yesterday didn’t you? That my character wouldn’t hold its own, that it was half-baked.”
It was alright though. Since the bell was about to ring, there weren’t any other students around, not even a single one.
….Oh wait, that’s not good at all.
“Despite that Aki-kun, why are you so fixated over someone like me?”
“That’s……”
“I’ve” been attracted to you since our encounter.
Once we were reunited, my dreams were shattered.
However, I couldn’t give up.
No matter how many times I closed my eyes, it would always be that time—
a figure of “You” wearing that white one-piece dress would cross the darkness in my sight.
And so, it would overlap with what I see in front of me now; “You” in your school uniform.
That figure of “You”, standing there next to him smiling, that image would overlap with what “I” see.
“I” won’t deceive my own feelings any more.
Even if “I” fade from ”Your” sight.
That’s why “I” want to verify this:
Whether it’s possible that “I” can capture the heart of a girl like “You”.
Whether the day that “You” will see “Me” as a man, will come.
“And the next page has the protagonist’s monologue, but I’ve got to wonder about the feeling it gives.”
“Aki-kun, are you serious in wanting to invite me?”
“Yep, the MCs who appeared in the past sure were crude, in a Virgin Heroine Only Fanatic kind of way…” (1)
“Like I said, I really don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Given the way things were, that morning’s discussion ended on a sour note. Because only a few seconds later, we heard the ringing chimes of the distant school bell, leading us to quickly break off the discussion and run towards the school with pale faces.
But even so, I wasn’t discouraged. I did not, from the very start, think this was something that would only take two or three days of persuasion.
From now on, I’m going to persistently talk to her every day, no matter how many weeks or how many months it takes, I’ll definitely make her turn around on this matter.
That’s because I’m not going to give up, Katou….
And so, the morning after that:
“Ah, Aki-kun, I gave what you said yesterday a bit more thought, and since I’ve got no club activities or any part-time job, nor any real urge to study hard, I thought I might as well go along with you if it’s just going to be after school.”
“Katou, you…. there’s a limit to being cheap, you know.”
And so began the rise of our Dating Sim Production Circle.
Translation Notes and References
1. Virgin Only Heroine sounds exactly like it is. Basically in Japan some people are super obsessed with needing the girl of their dreams be virgins. Take for example Idol culture. If an Idol is snapped having a boyfriend it would ruin their image with their fans as their fans would no longer have the pleasure of fantisizing about certain things….