Hekiyou Private Academy Student Council
I'm basically what you would call a model student.
I want to be liked, and I like being depended on.
I don't mind putting in extra effort to that end.
"Gifted" would be a charitable way to put it.
But in a sense, that also means I don't have any particular talents.
I can accomplish anything effortlessly.
I always rank among the top students in both academics and athletics.
But I've never been number one at anything.
Someone better always takes it all.
So I was shocked
when I was chosen to be this school's student council president.
I was savoring the happiness I'd finally found,
but that happiness was fleeting.
Tendou Karen.
She was impeccable. She had everything.
Even I know how unproductive it is to get jealous about another person's talents.
But seeing someone one-up me
after how much I've struggled to get to where I am hurts a lot.
So thank you every much, everyone.
Thank you very much.
We'll be leaving now.
Don't push yourself too hard.
I'll be fine.
Get home safely!
I'm the Student Council President!!
You're the protagonist in your life. You're the only one who can make you happy!
The scent of pure, untainted maidens!
Our student council is full of cute girls.
I'm in heaven!
Shoot! I don't have time for this.
What a perfect disguise this is!
"The innocent student council president" is but a disguise to keep society unaware.
The true me is nothing but a completely screwed-up
adult game freak girl!
This is what I'm after today.
The new BUILD series game by GAGI!
The stories are always high-quality, the girls are cute... It's so awesome.
It's epic!
The console version isn't bad, either.
Golden Memories
If Tendou Karen had gone to this school instead of Otobuki,
she would totally have been the school council president.
I know, right?
I mean, Konoha-chan, for better or worse...
This is probably a better game for me.
Rainbow Court
You're so dedicated, though, Misumi-kun.
I admire you.
I wouldn't say that.
That uniform...
It's from Otobuki, where Tendou Karen goes.
Crap! Even I go nuts for pretty boys like him!
And... the other one...
Ah, he's like the average protagonist type you see in dating sims.
One, two, three, four...
What's up?
Oh, nothing.
six, seven, eight, nine...
That was close!
Oh, yeah! So anyway, I wanted you to give me some recommendations.
What? What?
Man, it's a little embarrassing when I get asked straight-up
for bishoujo game recommendations.
Oh, come on.
I'm not going to judge you for your tastes.
I don't think my tastes are that specific,
but I've never made recommendations for anyone.
So waffly.
Why is this Amano-kun guy so waffly?
Uh, then is there anything you're interested in, Misumi-kun?
I did do some research earlier.
The internet says this one's godly, right?
Well, that is a good one. Super mainstream, too.
It's an absolute masterpiece.
I spent a week sleep-deprived to finish it.
Wow...
Well, it has your stamp of approval, so I think I'll buy this one.
That's it? No fun.
W-Wait a second!
It is a masterpiece, but I never said I'd recommend it for you.
Really?
You pain in the ass!
You want to learn what makes dating sims so good, right?
Yeah.
There's no one in our game club that knows much about this genre.
Okay, hang on.
What's wrong with you? Hurry it up!
You're seriously like a stupid dating sim protagonist, the way you're so indecisive.
Found it.
I'd rather recommend this one, then.
Rainbow Court
Rainbow Court.
I've never heard of that one.
Of course not.
It's a really old game.
And it was never a huge success.
It's not like it sold very well or anything, but...
See?
So why, then?
Um...
Because I like it, I guess?
Uh...
Of course, whichever one you pick is fine with me.
But if I'm going to make recommendations,
I'd like to give some of these hidden ones some time in the light, too.
Right...
You know how even some really good games
get the cold shoulder just because the art style is really old or something?
That really bums me out.
I guess it's like how you'd rather root for the person
who's struggling in the shadows
than for the person who's got everything going for them.
Sorry! I'm acting like a connoisseur just because I know some obscure titles.
I'd say this is one of my top three games, though.
Especially the way the character parameters...
Crap...
What is this?
Why am I...
so...
Yeah?
Okay.
I think I'll go with your recommendation, then.
Okay.
Rainbow Court
Huh?
You were home, Konoha?
Yeah, I'm home.
Huh?
Where'd you get this?
Hey!
I never knew you liked these games.
I borrowed it from a friend!
There's a price tag on it, though.
Just give it back! Onee-chan!
Amano and Aguri got married.
It happened soon after they graduated from college.
We all gave our congratulations and celebrated their new beginning.
Of course, inside, we were all conflicted.
Hoshinomori, who had no full-time job, was loathe to congratulate her nemesis, Amano.
Neither Tendou nor I were struggling financially, but our fake smiles,
which we so excelled at making, twitched at the sight of our desires marrying away.
The spectacular ceremony was held at a reception hall
a few years after our time at Otobuki High, a period fraught with misunderstandings.
The Game of Half-Life
Or not.
It's easy to fix a misunderstanding. You just bring everyone together to talk it over!
What are you, stupid?
What do you expect me to do? It is what it is.
It's so obvious... and, well,
to be honest, it's not like I hadn't figured that out a long time ago.
But in reality, given the peculiar distance we'd had between each of us,
it was never easy for the five of us to get together.
After school, a few days ago
Hey, hey, take a look at this!
Love-Love Game of Half-Life
Love-Love Game of Half-Life?
Yeah.
My mom won it in the lottery at the supermarket.
Hey, I saw this online.
It's a super specific romance board game or something.
It sounds fun, doesn't it?
We don't have enough people, though.
Right, it's a board game...
Then I'll join, too. Let's play.
It'll be part of our Gamers Meet-up activities.
Really?
Then would you like to come to my place?
Although I don't know how I feel about letting Keita in my house.
What's that supposed to mean?
Not again.
Oh, but hey, it won't be any fun with just three of us.
Why don't we invite more people?
Like who?
I mean, we know the perfect people, don't we?
Don't tell me...
She's a gamer, too.
I'm sure she'll be cool with it if Amano invites her.
Me?!
T-Tendou-san, coming to my place?
That makes me kind of nervous.
A board game would be easy enough for Aguri to play, too.
Besides, the more the merrier, right?
Th-Thank you.
I never thought you'd be so enthusiastic.
At last!
All parties will assemble!
We'll all talk about what's going on,
and finally put a clean end to this ridiculous love pentagon!
But that was never going to happen.
Everyone's become so careful around each other
that we ended up seating ourselves like this.
Tendou
Tasuku
Hoshinomori
Amano
Aguri
Well, that's fine, in the sense that it ensures we don't end up talking only to
the ones we're already comfortable with.
O-Okay, so it's my turn now, right?
H-Here I go.
All you really have to do in this game is spin the roulette and follow the events.
It's easy to enjoy, there's plenty of time to talk,
and it makes it easy to segue into the main discussion.
I was sure my set-up was perfect.
And yet...
Payday
Your divorce with your previous spouse doesn't go too well. You settle. Pay 100,000 yen
One, two, three...
Release date for the new game! You stay home from work and play all night. Miss a turn
Newlywed life is going great! You are blessed with a new child on your honeymoon. You and your spouse receive 3,000 yen in gifts from everyone.
"Newlywed life is going great!
You are blessed with a new child on your honeymoon.
You and your spouse receive 3,000 yen in gifts from everyone."
* Inner Monologue
This is bullshit!
Aguri-san, how could you have a baby now?
Wh-What am I supposed to do?
You're responsible for it, too, you know.
Love is everything Rose-colored love-love life!!
Maybe this Love-Love Game of Half-Life wasn't the best idea to begin with.
Start
Fail fifty interviews in a row. Emotionally hurt. Miss a turn
You work, you lose. You are jobless
You become interested in someone at a group interview. Move ahead four spaces
You join a club to meet new people. It costs you 5,000 yen
You're broke! You beg your folks for money. Earn 3,000 yen
The girl/guy next to you distracts you from your exam. Your grades suffer. Miss a turn
You hit it off with the person in your club. If you are in a club, you enter a relationship
You find a job as a tutor, and get into a taboo relationship with your student. Earn 5,000 yen
Your friend invites you to a mixer. Pay 5,000 yen
The student part begins with Amano and Aguri dating.
Hoshinomori can't find a job after graduating.
The sun, it burns!
The photocopier breaks down, and you go to the convenience store to make copies. Out of your own pocket. Disgusted, you enter joblessness.
You only leave the house for your part-time job. You break down and work for a sweatshop.
Payday
Your partner cheats on you. You are forced to pay their lover compensation for mental suffering. You and your spouse lose 5,000 yen
Your credit card application is declined, and you can't buy in-game items. You break down and work for a sweatshop.
No one knows how to react to these developments.
As for Tendou...
O-Okay, it's my turn.
Eight.
Let's see...
Your crush gets married, and you become more focused on work. 50,000 yen in extra income
"Your crush gets married, and you become more focused on work."
Look at me. I'm so rich.
You deserve better.
Your grades are tops. You really deserve better.
A-All right, my turn.
Your crush gets married, and you become more focused on work. 50,000 yen in extra income
New clients! Earn 50,000 yen
It's the marriage space.
Chance to get married!!
On this space, you spin the roulette once more,
and you get a chance to force a marriage with the person represented by the number.
If I get a one or two, I can start over with Aguri,
and Amano falls into the loner route.
This is what I'm really after.
In more ways than one.
Please!
One or two! One or two!
Go!
I-I'm honored.
What do you want?
What do you want me to do?
O-Okay, it's my turn.
There!
Two.
Uh...
"Your partner cheats on you.
You are forced to pay their lover compensation for mental suffering.
You and your spouse lose 5,000 yen."
Stare...
What? You're giving me death glares.
I'm up next.
Let's see how it goes.
Five.
You slip on a banana peel. Ouch. Miss a turn
One, two, three, four, five.
Your ex makes their major debut. You watch their concert with mixed feelings. Pay 5,000 yen
You force your spouse to pay into life insurance. They pay 1,000 yen each turn
You waste a ton of money in a social network game. Pay 100,000 yen
That famous dating sim gets VR support! Droves of people go missing
Your lovey-dovey newlywed life reaches high tide! You bust your bed getting busy! You and your spouse pay 6,000 yen
Let's see...
"Your lovey-dovey newlywed life reaches high tide!
You bust your bed getting busy!"
Can't you be a little bit more discreet?
Discreet? I'm just doing it like normal.
Just "doing it" like normal? Gross, Amanocchi!
No, that's not what I meant by "doing it"...
Ahem.
Sorry.
O-Okay, it's my turn next.
Nine.
Okay...
Oh.
Your lovey-dovey newly-wed life reaches high tide! You bust your bed getting busy! You and your spouse pay 6,000 yen
The tragic couple of the century, silently paying 6,000.
I feel sorry for them now.
I can't even feel jealous anymore.
O-Okay, next.
Your love interest won't even look at you, but you're popular with your clients. 100,000 extra income
"Your love interest won't even look at you, but you're popular with your clients."
Y-Yay.
I've never heard such a deflated "yay" in my life.
The elite, blonde lone wolf, flying high all by herself.
To me, she looks more worn out than when she came here.
Four.
You cheat on your partner with their sister. There is bloodshed. Miss a turn
Let's see...
"You cheat on your partner with their sister.
There is bloodshed. Miss a turn."
Sorry, that was probably my sister.
Y-Your sister was home?
For a moment, I thought her sister was really going to stab me!
O-Okay, here I go.
Hmm...
"You realize that your soulmate was someone else.
You realize that your soulmate was someone else. You learn that you had some fateful connections with them, and you become infatuated. You get distracted at work and lose 3,000 yen.
You learn that you had some fateful connections with them, and you become infatuated.
You get distracted at work and lose 3,000 yen."
I see.
That's a really vague event.
That's too girly of an event for you.
Shut up, Keita.
You don't get to talk to me like that.
How did this space pinpoint them so perfectly?!
It's literally right on the dot!
Not that anyone else is reacting much, since I'm the only one who knows!
Do you know how serendipitous that space is, Hoshinomori?!
What's wrong, Uehara-kun?
N-Nothing!
Just keep playing.
A-All right.
You realize that your soulmate was someone else. You learn that you had some fateful connections, and you become infatuated. You get distracted at work and lose 3,000 yen.
Bah, same space as Chiaki.
Lame.
That's insanely fateful, damn it!
My bad.
I'm just so happy that the five of us are playing together.
I'm getting weirdly excited.
Really?
Although, this is my first time doing this.
I'm having a lot of fun, too.
Oh, it's my turn next.
Let's see what happens.
Hey, it's an eight.
Woohoo! I can get far.
Okay, let's see...
The person you'd been seeing before makes a move on you.
"The person you'd been seeing before makes a move on you."
Seriously?
Um... "But your love for your current partner is unwavering!
But your love for your current partner is unwavering! You turn him/her down without a second thought, and reaffirm your own love. You have yet another child.
You turn him down without a second thought, and reaffirm your own love.
You have yet another child."
I'm up next.
You become an important person. You make money. Earn 100,000 yen
They aren't even trying now!
Onee-chan, do you have a minute?
Sorry, I'll be right back.
Want to take a break?
What's up, Konoha?
I was kind of interested in Chiaki's sister, actually.
Oh? What might you mean by that?
No, not in a weird way.
I just mean their faces are similar.
That's all I mean, sir!
Sir?
Must be a notification from my social network game.
There's a new event starting today.
Oh, right.
They're both in the same social network game,
so they'll get the same event notification at the same time.
Wait, crap!
What if Amano picks up on it, and they start talking about the social network game?
Th-There.
Uehara-kun, what are you doing?
Nothing, man.
Hey, that actually looks pretty fun.
It is.
Sorry...
I don't have time to explain right now.
Don't mind me. Keep playing.
I'll just watch you play.
Dodged a bullet.
Good job, Tendou.
You're making me nervous!
Don't you think those two are starting to really hit it off?
Yeah, they are.
I'm so happy things are working out for Amanocchi.
Are you?
Aren't you, Tasuku?
Well, I am.
I am, but...
You seem really... close to Amano. What do you think of that, really?
About Amanocchi?
What do I...
He's like a really high-maintenance kid brother.
So he's also a bit annoying, now that he has a girlfriend.
But still, I'm generally happy for him.
Yeah?
Wh-What?
What's wrong?
What's wrong with holding your girlfriend's hand?
Nothing's wrong. I mean, you're more than welcome...
But we're in front of Tendou-san.
Tendou?
Say what?
What does she have to do with it?
R-Really?
Sh-She doesn't, huh?
Tendou-san doesn't have anything to do with it.
Okay.
It's just no good without Mono-san.
Wh-Who's Mono-san?
My in-game friend who helps me out a lot.
I'm really grateful to them, in a lot of ways.
Y-Yeah?
You have good friends online, huh?
I'm ashamed to say they seem to replace meatspace friends for me.
A-And do you happen to have other online friends?
Let's see...
I use different nicknames with different people, but...
Sorry, I'm back.
But I mainly stick to two names.
Rather, I only really talk to certain people.
In this game, I go by the name Tsucchie,
and I hang out with this person named Mono-san.
And I use the name Yama-san only when I'm
talking to this freeware game developer named Nobe-san.
Oh, really?
So you don't have as many friends as I thought online, either.
Well, of course.
I can't help that I'm just as shy online.
What's wrong, Tasuku?
I can't watch.
It's just that Mono-san and Nobe-san are special to me.
They're really, really dear to me.
There before me was a woman who had finally, after all this time,
made it to the start line, at the absolute worst moment imaginable.
It was the tragic sight of a truly hopeless girl
who had just begun her first love when it was far too late.
So bored.
Isn't there anything fun to do?
Onee-chan?!
What's wrong?
Nyoronnn...