School ended like usual, nothing out of the ordinary. It was still the first week of the school year, so there wasn't much homework or pressure. Everything passed slowly, maybe a little boring… but at the same time, calm enough for me to feel relaxed.
Sumire walked with Ayaka and me to the school gate.
She didn't talk much, just quietly walked beside us, hugging her bag tightly. Every now and then, she would glance at me as if she was thinking about something but couldn't quite bring herself to say it.
Ayaka, on the other hand, talked about random things that happened in class. Her voice made the walk home feel a little less dull.
After parting with them at the familiar intersection, I headed home, dropped my bag on the chair, and collapsed onto my bed.
In that quiet moment, I took a moment to gather my thoughts.
About the short story topic... About Mizuki's lingering gaze... About Ayaka's gentle smile... And the adorable idea Sumire shared...
I wasn't sure what I was going to write just yet, but at the very least… this world no longer felt like "just a game."
It was starting to come alive in ways I never expected.
---
Today was Saturday. Students had the weekend off, and I allowed myself to sleep in a little.
I woke up later than usual, with sunlight already streaming through the window of my small room. I had a simple plan for the day: explore the neighborhood, pick up a few necessary items, and most importantly,meet her. The final heroine, the one I hadn't had the chance to encounter yet.
I took my time getting ready and left the house. On the way, I stopped by a nearby diner and ordered a simple but tasty meal. The atmosphere was relaxing, the food was good, and the pace of life here was oddly comforting.
It was now eleven o'clock. Almost time.
Lucy Infernia is the textbook example of a tsundere. She was Ren's childhood friend, and they were very close when they were five. But when she turned six, her family moved abroad. Now, she's returned to Japan and decided to live independently. Although her parents still kept in touch with Ren's family, they were worried, so they asked Ren to look after her,even though it was clear Lucy didn't think she needed any help.
The setup was simple and familiar, but maybe that's exactly why I found it so charming. I genuinely liked her.
Lucy had a petite figure, slightly taller than Sumire, with golden hair a shade darker than Celestine's, tied in a side ponytail. She was strong, mature, always seemed independent… but in front of someone she liked, she became clumsy, easily flustered, and unsure of how to express her feelings.
There was only one thing I didn't like about this game: I couldn't understand why the developers seemed to dislike Lucy.
In the game, her events were noticeably fewer compared to the other heroines, and her relationship with Ren was oddly… flat? Even though she was presented as a main heroine, she barely had any meaningful scenes. Even in the latest version, her romantic route with Ren hadn't progressed at all.
I was speechless.
What frustrated me even more was that Ren, in-game, didn't even seem to remember her. When his parents called, he brushed it off like it didn't matter. There wasn't even a single option to recall their past or show any significant impression of her.
And now, I was in this world. Maybe I was being greedy, but I wanted Lucy. I had a way to break through this lovely tsundere's defenses.
But how…? How should I intervene?
While I was still sitting in the diner, a bus pulled up at the stop nearby. A fashionable girl in sunglasses stepped down, a suitcase in one hand. In person, she looked even more stunning than her 2D version.
I saw her take out her phone and call someone, surely Ren but no one answered. She tried again, several times, but still nothing.
I felt a bit uneasy. Where the heck was Ren now? The butterfly effect really was terrifying.
I feel quite worried.