Escape Galge Chapter 11

Aoi’s POV chappie :> … Stalkers are scary.

Kōryaku Taishō-sha na Watashi wa Gyarugē Shujinkō kara Nigetai wake de!

　My name is『Kagurazaka Aoi』.

　I didn't know whether I should reply or not. There was hesitation.

　Moreover, I wasn't confident in myself.

　Also, the way people fussed over me stirred up my anxiety.

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　The time came for my question to be answered.

　During the spring break before I advanced a year, I changed my smartphone.

　The number of people in my contacts was, of course, zero.
　On the screen of the smartphone that should only have the basic functions, I found a strange icon.

"Hanazono Academy?"

　So it said above the picture of a cute, smiling girl with blond twin-tails.

　Who installed it?

　Even as I found it strange, I launched the app.

　Sure enough, the app was a game.

　Was it déjà vu?

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　Feeling an incomprehensible impatience, I falteringly used my fingers to swipe the screen and my eyes pa.s.sed over from side to side.

　Then, I remembered.

　The me who was a dull, lame otaku from the countryside.

　The app was the game『Hanazono Academy』that I played before in my past life.

　Yes, the current me.

"Kuku… hahaha."

　When I knew the reason for the discomfort I’ve been feeling for as long as I could remember, laughter welled up.

　My consciousness and senses remained as that of the b.u.mpkin otaku times of my past life.
　Which was why I was perplexed by my outer appearance that could be called『ikemen』.

　However, all's well now.

　I am currently a『ikemen』.

　The self-confidence I didn't have until now, overflowed as though I regained them belatedly.

　I directed my eyes at the smartphone.

　The story mode of the game begun in the 2nd year.
　The things I was antic.i.p.ating was definitely going to happen from then on.

　The game data was the same as when I cleared it in my past life; it was in the perfectly cleared state.

　As though suggesting that the favourability ratings had to be upped from then on, that alone was empty. However, since I knew exactly what to do and how to do it, it was easy-peasy.

　The start was the opening ceremony for the 2nd-years.

　One by one I found them and approached them, getting close as per in the game…

　Kii was popular enough to be the game icon and was also my favourite character.

　However, I couldn't call out to her yet.

　Until the encounter event…

　I pa.s.sed the days getting closer to the other capture targets as I waited enduringly for the『encounter』with Kii.

　I beg you, hurry up!

　I endured. Looking at her from afar, I killed my urges to approach her and endured.
　Then, finally, the long-awaited day arrived… we met and things between us begun.

"Amazing… it's the Feather of Destiny! It exists!"

　Kii who jumped up and down at the sight of the『Feather of Destiny』was truly cute.

　I must move according to plans.

　Because I was able to confirm that things went accordingly.

　I prioritised increasing Kii's favourability rating.

　Her parameters then became MAXed and I reached the stage where I could receive a confession.

　I knew she would confess on the following Friday.

　I grinned broadly while looking at the MAX favourability rating on the screen multiple times.

　Kii left for another place in the middle of the confession.

　Even though I was supposed to go『I like you too』and hug her.

　Come to think of it, Kii stopped moving in the middle of her confession.
　This was the world of a game after all. Was that what it was about?

　The bug got even more aggravated.

　How can this be… don't screw around!

　Definitely strange.

　Thinking so, I continue to contact Kii but it didn't get fixed at all.

　WHY!?

　Why didn't it go as I want it to!

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　A b.u.mpkin rascal who was absolutely a background character.

　You, think about who's suitable for Kii!

　The one suitable for Kii is the『current me』.
　Or so it should have been but…

『… No one will be able to see you at this rate, you know?』

　Kii's words had always stabbed in my heart.

『That's impossible. I'm the protagonist.』

　I immediately replied inwardly.

　It wouldn't leave my mind.

『It is because I realised that there is no『heart』in your words.』

　Certainly, the words I told them were what appeared as Choices.

　However, are these not『words that can move the heart』?

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　Regardless of how much feelings I put into them, regardless of the courage I mustered to speak them, they were cruelly thrown away.

　Was there any meaning in what I come up with?

『Have you really been looking at me?』

　I knew Kii more than anyone.

　I read hers more thoroughly than anyone else's so I was confident.

『Then… pray tell, are you aware of what I do on days other than Fridays？』

　My head drew a blank.

　If I wasn't wrong, when I talk to her in school on weekdays other than Friday, she simply planned to do some shopping before returning home…

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　No, it's not that I don't remember.

　I don't even know if she stays back in school or returns home.

　Even I was surprised.
　I thought I knew everything about Kii.

　What did I think Kii was?

　Did I think she was just a game character who wouldn't speak a single word when I wasn't around, and silently walked around the same area?

　I grew scared.

　That was impossible.

　If so, Kii and the other girls were also…

　With these thoughts, I grew scared again.

　But that was because I had the smartphone, because something like this existed!

　I didn't know what to do anymore.
　Is it a game? Is it reality? I didn't know even if I thought about it.

『No one will be able to see you at this rate, you know.』

　Kii's words surfaces again.

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　It may just be interest that grew because she alone didn't move as expected. Or it may not be so.

　Also, I want to know how I'm reflected in Kii's eyes.

　If I stop thinking, perhaps I'll be the one who’s just a game character.

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