Edited on 2/25/2021

(A/N): Added two gifs because those scenes were just too adorable and hilarious.

---

Eriri could be seen in the AV room, a concentrated look on her face. Her sketchbook and her pencil was in hand.

Eriri: All right, Kato-san. Give me a huffy expression this time, please.

Megumi: (tilts head) H-Huffy?

The main heroine was sitting in front of the blonde artist, Eriri having Megumi doing different expressions so she could sketch them. But, Megumi seemed to have a hard time of what expression she is currently trying to portray.

In the background, Y/N stood behind Utaha, pointing at the laptop. The two were arguing over the scenario they were currently typing. 

Eriri: Um, it's like...imagine you're stood up by your boyfriend, so you go: "What the hell? You're dead to me now!" It's something like that.

Megumi: You'd never actually have to behave or talk like that in real life, though.

The glasses wearing boy set a plate down at Megumi's and Eriri's table, consisting of pocky sticks, potato chips, and an orange juice container, cups stacked on top of it.

Tomoya's Narration: Our circle activities have begun at last. 

Tomoya: (sets plate down) I've got you guys some, too.

Y/N: Oh, thanks.

As Tomoya walks away, Y/N looked back to the laptop. Utaha was constantly typing "Ahhh~" on the laptop. Y/N sighs to himself as he picked up a pocky stick.

Bringing it to her face, without looking away, Utaha begins to eat the snack at a rapid pace, Y/N backing off in shock. 

However, Utaha didn't stop typing, the next line she kept constantly typing was "Another." Getting another one, he brought it up to her face, Utaha once again snacking on it rapidly without looking. But, a loud snap was heard, along with a yelp. 

The two's attention was brought over to Eriri, who had an aggravated look on her face. In her hand was her pencil, which was snapped into two.

Eriri: No good. My pencil broke. How about you two buy me another one.

Throwing the two pieces, Tomoya dodges out of the way, diving to the floor while Y/N had stayed calm and caught the pencil in midair. Looking back to Utaha, he sighs once more as she kept typing on the laptop, begging for another pocky stick.

---

Eriri: What do you mean? Kato-san, can't you even do a disgusting glare? Then, try giving me an angry expression next. Do it like there's an anger mark on your temple.

Following Eriri's gesture, Megumi had brought her index finger and pointed it at her temple, a confused look on her face as well. 

Eriri: (slumps over) You can't do that either? How about a sweat drop, then?

Megumi tilted her head slightly, trying to give her best sweat drop expression. But even her attempt didn't impress the blonde artist.

Eriri: Don't tell me you can't even get those vertical lines on your face?

Megumi then tilts her head over to the other side, her mouth open slightly as she once more gives an attempt. But this only irritated Eriri even further.

Eriri: (stands up) How am I supposed to design any standard expressions like this!? Just what am I supposed to do now!?

Megumi: I'm not sure how I can respond to that. (stands up) I'll go and try doing some self-study. (expressionless) What the hell? You're dead to me now.

As the boring girl walked away, spouting out lines of doing her best to get into character, both Y/N and Tomoya stared at her with curiosity. 

Megumi: (walks out of room) Oh, I'm not doing any of this for you, so don't get the wrong idea.

The blonde girl then laid her head on the table, tired and annoyed at the work.

Tomoya: Looks like you're having a rough time.

Eriri: Never in my life have I taken on a mission this rough. 

Tomoya: I see.

Eriri: Maybe if she were deadpan and emotionless, then we'd be able to play her off as a character similar to Rei Ayanami. But it's like her personality's neither here nor there. 

Tomoya: Ah, I know what you mean. It's not so much that she has no emotions. It's just that she doesn't put her heart into expressing them. 

Eriri: Seriously, I've never worked with a useless character before. 

Tomoya: See? She's got no character at all! Didn't I say so?

Y/N: (off-screen) You've said it many times now!

Eriri: (ticked off look) Hearing you boast about something so pointless is so annoying. 

Tomoya: Eh...at any rate, there's not a lot of time left before our character design deadline. 

Eriri: (sigh) You're not wrong there. Maybe we should meet at your place this weekend and just knock it all out at once. 

Tomoya: Wait, this weekend?

Eriri: What about it? Do you have something planned?

Tomoya: Well...

The glasses boy then thought of what happened in class. After Y/N had punched his head, Megumi had agreed to go with Tomoya to the mall instead of her cousin, much to Tomoya's shock.

Tomoya: On another note, Eriri...

Eriri: What?

Tomoya: Have you ever been on a date?

This causes Eriri to drag her pencil across her sketchbook, ripping it, and Utaha to drop her laptop on the floor. Tomoya had turned around to see Utaha stepping on Y/N's back, who was cowering under her, trying to escape.

Looking back to Eriri, he sees that she was screaming loudly, rolling around on the floor. Utaha had no idea what she was doing, thinking she was still typing on the computer while stepping on Y/N.

Y/N: Senpai...! I...! I can't breathe!

Tomoya: Is it really that shocking a question?

Eriri: Just hearing the word come out of the mouth of a gross otaku like you is cringeworthy! A-A date...d-d-- (blushing) Are you asking me out?

Tomoya: No.

Small Timeskip

Eriri: So you want an away game strategy?

Tomoya: Look, it's really just hypothetical. Let's say a girl ropes you in to going to the mall to look at clothes and stuff with her.

Eriri: I wouldn't go to a place flooded with human mobs.

Tomoya: (sweat drops) Just call it crowded.

Eriri: If you need to get clothes, why not just mail order or have a coordinator pick them out for you?

Tomoya: Try to put aside your special Milady Shut-In quirks for a minute. What I'm trying to ask is, if you were caught in a suffocating situation like that, what would you do?

Eriri: (raised eyebrows) Why are you asking me?

Tomoya: I figured you'd probably know what to do. After all, you always wear a mask at school. 

The girl tilted her head, an angered expression soon taking over. This caused Tomoya to relent.

Tomoya: Oh, sorry! That was a weird thing to say. Forget I said it. 

Tomoya then looked to the side. Eriri narrowed her eyes at her childhood friend, but she soon sighed and gave him advice.

Eriri: Well, if we're talking away game strategy, just aim for a draw.

Tomoya: A draw?

Eriri: Do a bit of research prior to the event and stay on her conversation level as much as possible. If it still gets too hard...just put up a smile and fake it!

Doing an example, Eriri put on a fake smile while Tomoya looked at her confused.

Tomoya: A smile?

Eriri: Yep. Even if you have no idea what the other person's talking about, just smile and nod. Restrain yourself from asking anything unnecessary. Don't do anything that makes you stick out like a sore thumb.

Y/N: (off-screen) He already sticks out like a sore thumb in public! 

Eriri: And definitely don't do anything dumb, like trample her options with your own.

Y/n: (off-screen) He already does that in his dating sims, too!

Tomoya: Don't you think that's kinda boring? And I didn't need your commentary, Y/N!

Y/N: (off-screen) You're welcome!

Tomoya: (looks back to Eriri) If we'd gone to the trouble of finding time to spend together, shouldn't it be a bit deeper than that?

Eriri: Well, that would be the home game strategy. That works id you're playing on the otaku field. 

Tomoya: (looks out window) But I've always wanted to just be my usual self all the time. 

Eriri: ...That's impossible. Everyone's got a secret side to them. 

Tomoya: But...Kato doesn't, does she? She's not an otaku, but even when she mingles with us, she's the same way she always is, right? I think that's actually pretty amazing thing about her. So I mean, I don't think I should just settle for a draw and force a smile with her. 

Eriri: (sigh) So this was about a real date, after all. You're going out with Kato-san, aren't you?

Y/N: (zooms to two) Huh?~ Eriri, are you getting jealous perhaps? Maybe you shoul--

Eriri: Shut up!

Y/N: Gwaah!

Falling to the ground as he was comically punched in the gut, the black haired boy was knocked unconscious. Tomoya stared at Eriri with slight fear. Utaha then came over, dragging the unconscious boy with her.

Eriri: So I was nothing but a trial run after all the times you've relied on me? How dare you treat me, Eriri Sawamura, like this!

Tomoya: It's not like that! We're just going shopping! I'm going with her to the Rokutenba Mall opening sale! 

Eriri: That's exactly what you call a date!

Tomoya: I knew that was a date. Even if it were with a cousin, that's still a date!

Y/N: (rubs head) Tomoya, you're just an idiot. It's not a date. 

Eriri: What are you talking about?

Sinister giggling was heard, as well as someone tapping their foot. Tomoya and Eriri looked over to the two writers, Y/N backing off as Utaha had a large grin spread across her face.

Tomoya: U-Utaha-senpai?

Utaha: (giggles sinisterly) I've got it! The plot's come to me at last!

Y/N: (cowers in corner) It's just like that night. (shudders) It's terrifying!

Utaha: (wicked grin) The protagonist casts aside the yandere heroine to date another girl. But when he returns home, he's knocked unconscious by a sudden blow to the back of the head. He wakes to find his arms and legs bound. Unable to move, he calls for help when who should appear before him but...

Y/N: Wait, wait, back up. Did you steal that from my scenario book? (mutters) Honestly, I thought I got rid of that one. 

Tomoya: Hey, what's with her?

Y/N: Ah, don't mind that. She can get a little...uuuuhhhh...let's just say, excited. Yeah...that's it. That's the word.

Eriri: That comes out every now and then during the creative process. The darkness in the creator's heart.

Y/N: That, too.

Tomoya: Is it just like I saw you one time parading around your room in that video game costume?

Y/N: Do not speak of the chocobros like that!

Tomoya: But she's just in the zone, right? Right!?

Y/N: Well, yeah. 

Utaha: (darkened face) Looks like you need to be punished, Rinri-kun. You, too, Y/N.~

Y/N: Hold up, hold up. What do I need to be punished for?

Tomoya: Hang on a second! She just called him Rinri-kun!

Up on the roof...

On the roof of the school, the sky clearly showed it was nighttime. Megumi sat on one of the benches, a handheld game in her hand.

Megumi: (attempting to act) Wh-Why should I be so worried about a guy like him?

Next Day, End of school

It was the next day and the gaming circle had met up in the AV room once more.

Utaha: So...Y/N and I stayed up all last night and came up with a plot.

Tomoya: So fast!

Y/N: Woman, you spent thirty minutes trying to practice the scenario.

Utaha: What scenario?

Y/N: The one yesterday! You tied me to a bed!

Utaha: Nonsense. It was good practice.

Y/N: That was practice!? And there's still more to do!? (mutters) Oh my god, kill me now...

Megumi: (staring at paper) Wow, it's so thick.

Utaha: (thoughts) I know what else is thick.

Y/N: Wait, wait, why are you looking at me? Especially with that kind of look?

Megumi: You two wrote all of this in one day?

Eriri: This looks about five times bigger than the proposal Tomoya wrote.

Tomoya: I can't pretend that I'm not humbled by this, but that's Utaha-senpai and Y/N for you! 

Utaha: Just read it over for now so you can tell us what you think.

Y/N: Yeah. (yawns) I'm going to sleep for a bit. Ciao.

The two then rest their heads on the table, light snoring could be heard from the two. Tomoya stared at the two with a dumbfounded look.

Tomoya: So fast.

His gaze then softens before he looked to the other two. Eriri was staring at the glasses wearing teen with her usual irritated look and Megumi looked at him with curiosity. Tomoya then clears his throat and picks up the stack of paper, preparing to read it.

Tomoya: Geh!

The title of the plot read, "Super Clean Dating Sim Plan (Tentative) Overflowing with Ethics. For Rinri-kin, By Rinri-kun."

On the side was a small note. Tomoya squinted his eyes and read it.

"We thought this was funny so we decided to keep it. Enjoy!"

Shaking his head, he flipped to the next page and began to read the beginning of the scenario.

Tomoya: "When he's forced to a suburban town by his parents' work, the protagonist, Seiji Azumi, on his first visit to his new school, has a fateful encounter with a girl atop a hill amongst falling cherry blossom petals."

Megumi: Um...is this your design of the protagonist that's showing, Sawamura-san?

Eriri: Well, he's the most handsome guy I could think up.

Tomoya: "The next day, when he's introduced to his new class, they share another chance encounter."

Eriri: Ugh. That's such a cliched development. 

Tomoya: "The girl's name is Meguri Kano."

Megumi: I feel like I've heard that name before. 

Tomoya: "Bit by bot, Seiji and Meguri's hearts drew closer. And eventually, they confirm their feelings for each other and enter a relationship."

Megumi: (uncontrollable amazed sounds)

Tomoya: Hoh! Even though she's based on Kato, she really has that heart-pounding feeling!

Eriri: How about you just stick to the narration!?

Tomoya: "But, that's when Meguri's behavior starts slowly changing. Her strange obsession with Seiji...her recurring subconscious fear...her memories of a time before birth... One day, Seiji worries about Meguri's erratic behavior and calls out to her, when suddenly, she refers to him in an unexpected way." You're up, Kato!

Megumi: Huh? O-Oh, um... "No, nothing's wrong, Onii-chan."

Tomoya: She said "Onii-chan!"

Eriri: Keep it down!

Tomoya: "At last, Meguri begin recalling her previous life. Her immoral love...the tragedy in her family...as she regains more of her memories, inexplicable events begin to occur around the two of them. Finally, an enemy appears before them, whose life goes back through centuries of history." Whoa! This is one hell of a plot twist!

Eriri: Ugh...sheesh...

Tomoya: "Eventually, in order to protect each other, the two lovers, once older brother and younger sister, resolve to fight!"

Megumi: Eh? Isn't it a bit inappropriate for siblings to be in love?

Tomoya: What are you talking about, Kato? It's more than appropriate in the 2D realm!

Eriri: Yes, Tomoya's exactly right. Can't you take this a bit more seriously, Kato-san?

Megumi: Eh? Sawamura-san?

Tomoya: "Finally, the final battle! The two prevail in the fierce battle, thus ending the repeating tragedy they'd face through many lives! The sibling lovers are finally united at long last!" Go, Kato!

Megumi: Okay, okay. Um... "We'll always be together from now on. I love you, Onii-chan."

Tomoya: (long gasp) It's so happening! She called him "Onii-chan" again! 

Eriri: The line itself hits the sweet spot, but it's hardly worth anything with acting like that. 

Megumi: Sorry, I still haven't gotten used to the ways of 2D.

Utaha: So, what do you think?

Y/N: I think the sibling relationship thing was a bit weird, but we went with it anyway. Thoughts?

Tomoya: It's really exciting! It goes in a completely different direction from your Utako Kasumi and Akira Makabe works, but it's so full of tension and plot twists. I was lost for breath at every new development!

Eriri: So the main heroine was the protagonist's younger sister in her past life, as well as a yandere. It was uncharacteristically sly of the two of you.

Y/N: Yeah, we borrowed a few inspirations from a few games and books here and there.

Eriri: But well, I didn't find it quite bad.

Megumi: Um...I thought the premise was quite elaborate.

Tomoya: (deadpan) Yeah, it was.

Y/N: Well, that works I guess. So, yeah? This is the scenario we're going with, then?

Utaha: It doesn't seem anyone has any objections. So should we call this the final draft?

Tomoya: Eh?

Eriri: Fine by me. I need to get character designs finalized soon, so we'd be better off having the plot ready ASAP.

Utaha: Well then, it's finally finished. 

Tomoya: Hang on a second! 

Utaha: Rinri-kun?

Y/N: Huh?

Tomoya: It's definitely exciting. I have nothing to complain about in that regard. But, I'd like some time to think about it before green-lighting it.

Y/N: (sigh) Now what?

Timeskip

After skimming through the proposed scenario again, Tomoya outlined the details with colored sticky notes.

Eriri: Give it a rest, Tomoya. It's been three days now!

Tomoya: Sorry.

Eriri: Not only aren't you doing anything yourself, but you're restraining your artists, destroying their morale! You're the very image of an "all pain, no gain" type of director.

Y/N: Eh, what can you do? 

Eriri: Isn't this good enough? It's plenty exciting already. You said so yourself, didn't you? So let's just move on already. 

Tomoya: I'm sorry. I can't allow that. 

Eriri: Tomoya!

Tomoya: It's definitely exciting. It's amazing. But something about it just doesn't satisfy me.

Eriri: Such subjective criticism based on your feelings isn't going to get us anywhere!

Y/N: Now that, I can agree on. I remember he spent at least thirty minutes in front of a booth deciding which copy of a manga he should get before he bought both of them, with two other copies for the two.

Tomoya: Yeah. I wish I could explain what I mean better. I know that's wrong.

Y/N: Now he says it. 

Tomoya: But even so, I can't approve of this. I just can't all it my work in it's current state. 

Eriri: Then why don't you write it yourself?

Y/N: What, like another path? Like Fire Emblem Fates?

Utaha: If you start saying this like that, you'll be finished, Sawamura-san. You know that are certain things a director should never say to his creators. Likewise, there are certain things creators should never say to their directors. You just said one of them. 

Eriri: Kasuigaoka Utaha! Who do you think I'm trying to help here?

Utaha: I don't know.

Y/N: But the last thing you said doesn't help us. 

With a sigh, the two writers gathered their things, but Utaha muttered something before they left.

Utaha: It's happening again. 

Tomoya: Eh?

Utaha: You won't give me an answer this time, Rinri-kun.

Y/N: You're still hung up about that?

Utaha: ...

Y/N: (sigh) See you guys tomorrow, I guess.

Small Timeskip

By now, the other three had already left. It was now only Tomoya and Megumi. Tomoya remained in his seat, staring at the proposed scenario.

Megumi: Aki-kun. Um, about our promise to go to Rokutenba Mall tomorrow...

Tomoya: Oh. The weekend's already here?

Megumi: Let's postpone that, shall we?

Tomoya: Kato...

Megumi: You're not really in the right mood for it now, aren't you? So let's go some other time. Aki-kun?

Tomoya: No, let's still go. 

Megumi: Huh?

Tomoya: We'll go on that date tomorrow. 

A loud bang was heard. Megumi had looked to one of the doors, seeing it cracked open slightly and something walked past it. She blonde hair in the crack before it went down the hall.

Tomoya: We'll try this date thing, then?

Next Day, Rokutenba Mall

Megumi: There are so many people here! 

Tomoya: Y-Yeah.

Megumi: But it's still fun. I wonder how many times it wraps around.

Tomoya peaks around the line, seeing it was still long as it led up to the mall's entrance. He then peaked behind him, the line not ending as it still continued around the corner. He was sweating profusely as he felt like he was going to faint.

Megumi: Are you all right, Aki-kun?

Tomoya: I-I'm fine. 

Megumi: Do you feel okay? Does the crowd put you off?

Tomoya: No, I'm fine with crowds. Crowds of otaku under some sort of leadership, anyway. 

Megumi: I think I would be less than fine with that. 

Tomoya: Kato, does this really not bother you at all? This chaotic throng of normals. 

Megumi: Uh, whether they're normals aside, this is typical for a sale, isn't it?

Tomoya: Is it?

Megumi: Ah, it's open, Aki-kun! 

Soon, everyone begins moving, pushing the two up the line as well. They stopped by a cafe area, Tomoya laying his head on the table while Megumi had gotten out a hand fan, blowing cool area towards him. 

Tomoya: Sorry to call for a break after waiting in line all morning and everything. 

Megumi: No, I'm the one who should apologize. 

Tomoya: How can these people be so bad at forming lines? The staff just look back and forth without even trying to manage the chaos. The customers just barge in and break lines all over the place. And there are couples as far as the eye can see! (clenches fist) Just die, normals!

Megumi: Well, our intentions aside, we appear to be contributing to that. 

Tomoya: So this is my away game baptism. You're a tough opponent, Rokutenba Mall. 

Megumi: I have no idea what you're saying, but I guess we should've waited at least a month after it opened before coming. 

Tomoya: No, I think coming anytime would've been the same. 

Megumi: (tilts head) You think so?

Tomoya: I mean, the issue isn't the numbers. It's the mindset of the people participating. 

Megumi: Their mindset?

Tomoya: The longest queue in Japan I know is nothing like this. No one runs down the aisles, walks on the escalators, or cuts into the line. People are highly aware that they're actual participants and brim with enthusiasm for making their event a success. 

Megumi: Ah, you're talking about Comic Thingy, right?

Tomoya: It's not "Comic Thingy"! It's called Comic Market! Also known as Comiket! It runs twice a year, in summer and winter! More than 500,000 people gather for the largest doujinshi sales event in Japan-- No, in the world! And you call something so grand "Comic Thingy"!?

Megumi: Wow, you sure livened up all of a sudden. 

Tomoya: Yes, at Comiket, I would never show such an unsightly appearance! Not even if ten times this many people were crowded in there. 

Megumi: Well, we're not at Comiket, so there's not much we can do.

Tomoya: (widened eyes) Oh, of course! That was the problem. No, there is something we can do. (grabs pamphlet) I just have to think of them as otaku. These guys are my people. My lovable asswipes of people. 

Megumi: (confused) Aki-kun? 

Tomoya: Kato, list all the stores you wanted to visit today. You can just mark them on the map.

Megumi: Huh? But if I listed all of them, do you know how many there'd be?

Tomoya: Don't worry about it. For now, just put them all down. 

Taking the map from Tomoya's hands, in red pen, Megumi circled the stores she wanted to visit.

Tomoya: So the conducting line...yeah, that's it. Which means if we connect the route here, then our path from south to north would go like...Kato.

Megumi: Hmm?

Tomoya: Which one of these two circles-- I mean, stores--should be more popular?

Megumi: Hmm, let me think...probably the one closer to the entrance. 

Tomoya: Then counter-clockwise would be better, albeit a little long, since we're starting late because of me. Need to be careful here. 

Megumi: You really don't need to worry about it so much. We can just go around however and visit the stores that we can. 

Tomoya: I won't allow this to become a war of attrition beyond what I've marked off! 

Megumi: Aki-kun? 

Tomoya: Now then, Kato...I'm gonna win this away game. It's time to turn the tables!

As they went around the mall gather what Megumi wanted, they ended up running into Y/N. Utaha had dragged him along, but he soon lost contact with said girl and was aimlessly walking around, carrying her bought items. 

As they moved around, Tomoya kept making unnatural noises when moving through the crowd, dragging Megumi with him. Y/N slipped through the crowd easily as if he had no presence at all. Arriving at the last store of the day, Megumi went inside while the two boys remained outside. Soon after, Tomoya went inside the store, only Y/N remaining outside. As he stood outside, he watched the two. He could see the depictions of the scenario that him and Utaha wrote within the two.

A light smirk made it to his face.

Y/N: Heh. I guess this dating sim idea can work after all.