VOLUME 5
Chapter 2 – The author never expected the story to be so chaotic, so you can’t blame him for being sad
Part II
“Hey Aki-kun, would it be alright if I downloaded this big file?”
“So long as it isn’t anything that will destroy societal order.”
“Oh no worries, it’s from a site you already bookmarked.”
“What’s with that yandere thoroughness, Megumi?!”
It had been a few hours since the two arrived at my house and were in the midst of taking a short break after lunch.
Katou’s last sentence prompted an immediate reaction from Eriri, who was fiddling with her tablet on the table at the other side of the room.
And standing in the middle of it all, I answered Katou’s question subconsciously, but my eyes were focused on two different sets of paper I each held in one hand.
As you’d have probably guessed, they were Utaha-senpai’s two versions of the scenario.
“Hmm…”
“Hmm…how do I go about installing this?”
“There’ll be a readme inside after you unzip the folder.”
“Wow, you’re right! Thanks, Aki-kun.”
“Hmm…Hmm…”
Abandoned– I mean, entrusted with making the final call on the scenario, I had been mumbling to myself for more than an hour.
“All right, the installation looks complete. Now how do I–”
“Double click on the file with .exe behind the title.”
“Ooh, it’s the title screen! Thanks, Aki-kun.”
“Hmm…Hmm…Hmm…”
But while I’ve been desperately scratching my head for answers, I haven’t been able to get any serious thinking, analyzing or deciding done because of minor distractions like Katou’s sporadic murmuring.
It’s not Katou’s fault though – it’s mine that she’s free enough to play games in the first place.
If I can’t decide where to take our circle, the scripting can’t go anywhere either. If the scripting can’t go anywhere, then Katou’s going to continue to act like a restless hamster and I’ll keep saying stupid things like these and my thinking will get nowhere and…
“Hmm…Hmm…Hmm…HMM–”
“Shut up, Tomoya!”
“B-But Katou talked way more than me!”
“I’m fine as long she speaks normally instead of making stupid sounds like you!”
“Ooh, I totally get what you mean! Like I can sleep with the TV on just fine but one mosquito is enough to ruin my entire night.”
“I know, right? I hate it when people snore. It gets on my nerves no matter how soft it is.”
“So now you know why you need to shut up?”
“…Ok.”
…And I’ll create the sort of vicious cycle that gets others (Eriri) irritated.
So consciously reminding myself to stay silent, I took three deep breaths and dove back into the text – into the soundproof world I had dwelled in since the middle of the previous night and past the break of today’s dawn.
Hmm…Hmm…Hmm…Hmm…Hmm…
But no matter how much I read and reread, deciding on one or the other is as futile as trying to stop myself from making those meaningless noises in my head even when my mouth is shut.
When I read the first before the second, the latter seems to have more impact, but reverse the order and I’ll feel exactly the same about the original.
I cannot help but conclude that both are extraordinarily captivating and persuasive and equally so.
“Oh, and by the way Aki-kun, don’t you notice something different about Eriri today?”
“M-Megumi?”
On what criteria should I base my decision?
If it’s ‘moe’-ness, I’ll have to pick the first.
If it’s about drawing out an emotional response from the audience, I’ll have to go with the second.
If it’s in terms of overall balance, then the former would be the right choice.
If it’s all about the True route, then it’s definitely the latter.
“Eriri always comes over in her tracksuit, but for some reason today she’s decided on getting an upgrade…”
“L-Like I said Megumi, you promised me wouldn’t say anything about that today!”
Compared to the alternative, the original version feels shallow.
It’s appealing, but nothing is surprising about the plot development, which makes it engaging for the majority of players, but also kind of… bland.
Then when I read the first after the second, it’s impossible to deny that the latter’s pretty amazing in its intricacy, but it just doesn’t fit in with our original concept of a game that draws its strength from the charm of its main heroine.
Like Eriri said, it’s Kasumi Utako’s brainchild – the type of game only connoisseurs will be able to appreciate.
“But considering we spent so much effort picking it out yesterday, aren’t you at least curious about what Aki-kun thinks about your dress?”
“W-W-Why would I be interested in the opinion of a 2D otaku? A-And besides, it’s all your fault for choosing such a plain one-piece dress, Megumi!”
“Ehhhh, that’s strange… I sort of remember you asking me to choose something not very outstanding…”
I’m a Kasumi Utako fanboy. A 「A Metronome in Love」fanboy.
But is Kasumi Utako the person we need to carry this game?
“Aki-kun?”
“…”
I found myself experiencing the same feelings that I had not so long ago.
I don’t want a ‘moe’-less Katou – a boring heroine.
What I want is the character Kashiwagi Eri created – cute, gorgeous, a little risqué and immensely appealing.
Then cue Kasumi Utako’s pen – adversity that can only make her more precious and more deserving of your love. You’ll wish you could reach into your screen and protect her from harm.
Only by marrying 「blessing software」’s veritable powers we will achieve a main heroine with the perfect combination of ‘moe’, ‘dere’, melancholy, joy…
“Nnnnnnnnnnyaaaahhhh!”
“…Hmm?”
“What’s going on? What’s happening?”
I was so perplexed by the two sets of paper in my hands I didn’t see the golden blur of centrifugal force before it was too late.
I haven’t experienced the twintail vortex in quite a while.
* * *
“So I’m not allowed to disturb your work, but you’re allowed to interrupt mine?”
“…Shut up.”
Having finally collected all the paper strewn around the room, I turned to face Eriri, who had a… weird expression on her face as she avoided my gaze.
“So, what’s wrong?”
“…Nothing’s wrong.”
“You wanted something, right? Tell me.”
“You…didn’t hear anything I said just now?”
“Wasn’t that because a certain somebody wanted me to think really hard about this scenario thing?”
“…”
“Look, I’m really sorry, but we’ll have to start from the beginning. So, what is it?”
“Hmm…Hmm…Hmm…”
“Ok, now you’re really making me angry.”
“M-Megumi…”
With her wrath from before gone without a trace, Eriri withered despondently and glanced repeatedly to the side, where somebody sat rooted to the PC.
“Hmm? Oh, sorry Eriri, but I’m in the middle of something.”
Katou was evidently absorbed in the trial she had downloaded earlier, playing with a desperation you could sense by the way she rhythmically clicked the mouse.
I noticed that while the two of them must have been in animated conversation only just a while ago, Katou’s latest answer was as flat as the computer screen.
I’m not sure if I should be annoyed or impressed by her “talent” for atmosphere-reading.
“A-Ah, well, in other words, to put it simply, in conclusion–”
“…In conclusion?”
“Ooh…”
Cut off from aid, Eriri all but wilted over.
I can’t figure out what it is she can’t say that has her forming beads of cold sweat on her forehead, her eyes forever looking downward, and her hands trembling while grabbing not her usual tracksuit but the hem of her skirt…
Wait, what?
“Hey, I just realized but–”
“What? What?”
“You and Katou have gotten pretty close recently, huh? Like how you’re calling each other by your first names…”
“…………We’ve been doing that for almost a month now.”
Ah, the trembling stopped.
“Really? But that’s great! I still remember how your first meeting didn’t go all that well…”
“And whose fault was that?”
“Don’t you think it’s great that Katou has leveled up from 「Classmate B」 to 「Eriri’s Friend A」?”
“That’s more of a downgrade if anything.”
Well, jokes aside, it seems that I’ve managed to steer the conversation to an area Eriri’s much more comfortable in.
All those hours playing galge were not spent in vain.
“Anyway, I’m sure you and Katou will– huh?”
“What is it now?”
“You’re wearing normal clothes like Katou today!”
“A delayed reaction?!”
I’d completely missed it before, but today Eriri’s wearing a one-piece dress – with three-quarter sleeves revealing her shoulders.
It’s not something you’d expect from a rich heiress… but then it’s not something a hikikomori would wear either.
It’s been eight years since she’d last worn a skirt in my room.1
“A-Aaah…i-it’s something Megumi and I picked up from P**CO yesterday…”
“Oh, that’s pretty rare. I’ve only ever seen you wear our school’s uniform or something tailor-made.”
“W-Well, even I have to go out and get clothes once in a while…”
“I don’t think you’d have the fashion sense to pull that off if Katou wasn’t there though.”
“I– Wait, I look good?!”
“Like a normal 3D bishoujo, yeah.”
“A bi-bi-bi–”
“Eriri?”
“That’s, I…ah…”
As I was wondering why Eriri seemed to have suddenly lost the ability to form complete sentences…
“Woah! Come look at this, you two!”
“Katou?”
Katou demonstrated an equally dismal aptitude for grasping the situation as she suddenly cut in.
“M-Megumi, you interrupt at the worst possible times!”
“Sorry, but isn’t this Izumi-chan’s work?”2
“Huh?”
“What?”
But the initial shock of that revelation lasted only as long as it took for Katou to say her next line.
“This trial is the work of Hashima Izumi-chan… without a doubt,” Katou said as she gestured towards the display – a CG3 of a kimono-clad girl dancing, but with a certain illusionary flavor.
Whether it was the design or color arrangement, the beauty or cuteness of the character, everything exuded an aura far beyond what you’d expect from doujin art.
But it wasn’t the art I found myself looking at.
“Izumi-chan…but why?”
Because ensconced in fine print at the bottom right corner of this specimen of doujin art was a emblem of the corporate world – 「©rouge en rouge」.
Deadpan’s Wonderland:
1Ok that came out wrong.
2Remember that cute kouhai illustrator character who’s surprisingly… well-endowed for her age?
3Computer Graphic – still image found in VNs. Then again if you’re still reading this crappy translation you probably didn’t need me to tell you that.