Surprise, surprise! Double upload this week! Trying out a different writing style in a format meant for actual books I guess. So this is instead of the usual script format I've always done.

Let me know which format you prefer. This is also a bit of an original chapter as I modified some things which did not appear in the original episode of the anime, but I hope you enjoy the chapter. And also, thanks for reading the book as I love writing this book. The anime is one of my favorites in the romance genre. Anyway, adieu.

Edited on June 5, 2021: Changed the original format of the chapter back to the script format.

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It was nighttime, after Summer Comiket. Y/N groaned as he woke up, opening his eyes as he noticed his room had been darkened. He noticed that there was something in front of him, the color blue.

He tried to move his hands, but they were bound to something. His bed posts. He tried to move his legs, but something was wrapped tightly around them that he couldn't move. The lights then finally turn on, now finding himself tied to the bed. In nothing but a tank top and gym shorts, he sees the person who was in front of him.

Y/N: U-Utaha-senpai...?

Utaha: Yes, my knight?~

Y/N: Why am I bound to the bed? In fact, I don't remember changing into this.

She didn't respond as she leaned down, their faces close for contact. He tries to look away, but Utaha only grabbed his face, giving him a clear view of the seductive smirk on her face.

Utaha: Stay calm, everything is all right now.

Y/N: I-In this current situation, nothing is all right. (thoughts) "In fact, I can feel something rising..."

Utaha: Hmmm...what's this I feel? Don't tell me you've been aroused already.~

Y/N: U-Utaha-senpai...! Can you please stop shifting around so much! And what are you even doing here, anyway!?

Utaha: Because I had zero screen time in the last chapter, obviously. In fact, it was only a mention.

Y/N: That's not a fucking reason! (looks to the side) Cover up the fucking hole already, author!

Whoops. Sorry!~

Y/N: At least let me change into something more comfortable woman! Go bother Tomoya or something!

Utaha: (pouts) You're no fun.

Begrudgingly, she gets off, swaying her hips as she went to the door, but not before untying the binds on Y/N's hands. He gripped his wrists, feeling relieved that they were now free. Putting on a normal t-shirt, but keeping his gym shorts on, he went downstairs to see Megumi preparing some drinks.

As he was about to ask a question, he heard a scream. Tomoya's scream to be exact. In that time, the two had headed up their way to the otaku's room and opened it.

Megumi: (walks in with a tray along with a smile) Oh, you're awake, Aki-kun.

Tomoya: Senpai, what are you doing!?

Y/N:Utaha-senpai, try not to kill him. His weakness is the intensity of the female body parts in contact with him.

Tomoya: Don't look! Stop her, Kato, Y/N!

Y/N: No can do, buddy.

Megumi: Um, okay.

Minutes later, Utaha finally stopping her "rampage," the group sat at Tomoya's coffee table. Tomoya spoke first.

Tomoya: Oh, so Kato called you here, Utaha-senpai.

Utaha: Setting that aside, isn't your casually entering his house a topic for discussion, Kato-san?

Megumi: Actually, isn't the real topic of discussion the fact that you rushed over in fifteen minutes just because I said, "L/N-kun stubbed his toe and broke it"?

Y/N: You said what now?

Utaha: So, what happened, Rinri-kun?

Tomoya: (confused) What do you mean?

Y/N: The problem is that Tomoya is being a dumbass and is a real fucking idiot.

Utaha: I got the gist of what happened from Kato-san, but I won't understand why you and Sawamura-san ended up in that situation unless I hear it from your own mouth. Come on, out with it. And then let's think of a way to fix that.

Tomoya: But this is a problem between me and Eriri. I can't drag you into it.

Y/N: Oh dear cousin of mine, you've already dragged her into it the moment you started talking about it.

Utaha: Kato-san, what you see here is a textbook example of the 'wimp protagonist' who is so common in the dating sim world.

Y/N: She's not wrong there. At least 70% of it has the "wimp protagonist." It's probably even higher.

Utaha: Whenever there's trouble, he makes a show of indecisive worrying, and then annoys everyone around him by dragging them into it. If you are going to be the main heroine, you are going to have to deal with his sort in the future, so observe his behavior closely.

Y/N: (raised eyebrows) What, so put him on a watch list?

Megumi: That sounds like a hassle...

Tomoya: (slumped shoulders) Um, I'm sorry, but I genuinely am worried.

Finally coming clean, Tomoya tells them everything with a guilty look. Y/N only shook his head in a disappointment, Utaha only shooting Tomoya a disapproving look.

Utaha: Ah, I see. Basically, when you sang the praises of Hashima-san's book, Sawamura-san flew off the hilt for some reason, berated Hashima-san, and then, after she tore her books to shreds, she shoved her into a mud puddle and laughed at her with her posse. Right?

Y/N: Utaha-senpai, why did that turn into your own writing style? In fact, you'd use some of the words I used in one of my less popular titles.

Tomoya: (pushes glasses up) The first part was pretty much accurate.

Utaha: That's rather immature.

Tomoya: (sighs) That's for sure. She doesn't act like the big-name doujinshi creator that she is.

Y/N: She was referring to you, dumbass.

Tomoya: Me!?

Utaha: (glares) Was it really necessary to praise someone else's book in front of Sawamura-san? You were going to put your foot in your mouth no matter what you said to her, so perhaps you should have kept how you actually felt to yourself?

Tomoya: I...can't do that. I can't say that something that I think is great isn't. I'd sooner quit being an otaku than say Izumi-chan's doujinshi or yours or Y/N's novels aren't that great.

Y/N: Preciate the flattery on my books, Tomoya, but stop being a stubborn dumbass.

Utaha: (sighs) Be that as it may, your words were a fatal blow to Sawamura-san.

Tomoya: Nothing I could say could make a dent in Eriri's popularity or ability.

Y/N: (mentally facepalms) Why the hell are you this dumb?

Tomoya: What's that supposed to mean!?

Y/N: You made a dent in her damn heart!

Utaha: It's possible that this might leave her unable to draw.

Tomoya: Come on, that would never happen. 

Tomoya looked at his cousin and Utaha with disbelieving eyes. However, the two's stares were quite stern, trying to make Tomoya realize his mistake.

Utaha: Sawamura-san must have felt like everything had been stolen from her.

Tomoya: What do you mean, everything?

Utaha: Her dignity as a creator, as well as her position as "childhood friend." I mean, Hashiman-san has grown quite close to you, so it was like she had an extremely high initial likability stat in spite of the fact that she had only recently appeared.

Y/N: Basically the sort who will confess her love for the protagonist when said protagonist fails to conquer his intended girl. Man, I remember when Izumi had confessed her love to me in the second year of middle school. I rejected her. Twice!

Utaha: (darkened face) She...did...what?

Utaha's hair began to flow around, the three beginning to feel heat coming off of her. Y/N frantically sprang to his feet.

Y/N: N-Nothing happened! Nothing happened!

Tomoya: Senpai!

Megumi then looks over from her phone, seeing Y/N being strangled by the older girl as Tomoya flails his arms around. She looked on curiously as Y/N was now being tortured, Utaha stepping on his leg as Y/N flails from underneath.

Many minutes later, she finally calmed down, her arms crossed under her chest. Various bumps could be see on Y/N's face as he kept an irritated look.

Utaha: Will you behave now, Y/N?

Y/N: ...Yes.

Utaha: (stomping foot) I don't hear anything!

Y/N: Yes! I will behave!

Utaha: Good. (clears throat) In any event, for the circle to overcome this threat to it's very existence, you will have to work very hard, Rinri-kun.

Tomoya: What do you think I should do?

Y/N: That's a question you'll have to answer yourself.

A visible tick mark appeared on the top of Utaha's head, her slapping the top of Y/N's head as he looks at her annoyed.

Utaha: (looks to Tomoya) Conquer the childhood friend heroine, Mr. Wimp Protagonist...Rinri-kun, rather.

Tomoya: (deadpan look) That would have made for a touching scene, but you wrecked it.

Utaha: Hazy memories, fond recollections, promises made as children...use every last childhood friend advantage to raise Sawamura-san's flags.

Y/N: Wait, wait, back up. When the hell did this get to LitRhap?

Tomoya: Do you think she'll fall for something that obvious?

Megumi: I think it will work.

The three then look to Megumi, who was oddly quiet most of the time. Megumi scrolled through her phone and showed a picture of Servis extending his hand to the main character of LitRhap.

Megumi: Aki-kun, you need to be the heroine here, not the protagonist.

It was the next day, the scene opening towards the Sawamura Manor. The blonde artist lied down in her bed, the lights dimmed as the curtains were covered. Her eyes was red, due to her crying her eyes out because of Tomoya, who never gave her a straight answer about yesterday.

There was then a knock at her door. Her mother's voice could be heard from the other side.

Eriri's Mother: Eriri, daddy and I are leaving, okay? Summer Comiket, day three! The final day! The day of the sacred battle! Yes, off to bask in works of the 'male-oriented' genre!

Eriri: (depressed tone) ...Have fun.

Eriri's Mother: Oh, and about the party tonight--

Eriri: I know. I wouldn't dream of embarrassing papa.

Over in the Aki household, there were several papers lying on the coffee table. A picture of Servis was on it as well as the picture of the main protagonist of LitRhap. In Y/N's room, Y/N was not occupying it. Instead, it was Utaha Kasumigaoka, who was currently rolling around in Y/N's bed, sniffing his covers as she smiled gleefully to herself.

Downstairs, Megumi and Y/N were seeing Tomoya off.

Megumi: You're heading out already?

Tomoya: Yeah, I'm leaving. To Summer Comiket day 3, East A276, Egoistic Lily.

Y/N: What's to say she'll be there, Tomoya?

Megumi: Do you think Sawamura-san will come?

Tomoya: (looks down) Probably not, but I have to go.

Megumi: Sure. Good luck.

Tomoya: Kato, Y/N, thanks.

Y/N: What the hell you thanking me for? Go get the girl already.

Megumi: (tilts head) But I haven't done anything. It was Kasumigaoka-senpai and L/N-kun who did all the work last night.

Tomoya: ...Maybe, but thanks all the same.

The boring girl gained a slight blush while Y/N rubbed his temple in annoyance. Turning Tomoya around, he kicked his ass.

Y/N: Now scurry on out of here and go to her already.

Tomoya: Right!

Before Tomoya could walk out the door, the next thing Megumi said made Y/N comically fall backwards.

Megumi: That reminds me, you need to come up with a name for our circle soon.

Tomoya: Oh, you're right. Well, I'm off.

Megumi: Sure. See you later.

And with that, Tomoya set off the front door, running to the Summer Comiket.

Megumi: ...You're going to after him, aren't you, L/N-kun?

Y/N: Yeah, I am. Well, see ya. Oh, and please remove Utaha-senpai off my covers.

Taking off through the doors as well, Megumi waves with an expressionless look. She then gained a confused look as she heard Utaha moaning in delight.

With Y/N, he kept a steady pace, but a good distance away from Tomoya. Arriving at the site of the Summer Comiket, he hid behind a column to see Tomoya bowing and thanking Eriri's parents, who manned her table. Tomoya then marched on over to Iori Hashima, whom had the same idea as Y/N, watching Tomoya at a good distance.

He watched them exchange a few words before the two went off walking elsewhere. Before he could follow behind, he heard a voice call out to him.

Akane: Fancy meeting you here, Makabe-kun.~

Y/N: (sighs) What do you want, Akane-san?

Akane: Why do you run away boy? You know how much I crave for your work.~

Y/N: I already told you...It was a one time thing.

Akane: Are you sure about that?

She had pulled out a document, Y/N's eyes widening before they narrowed.

Y/N: What do you want then?

Akane: Hmm, nothing right now. Let's just say I want you to, savor your moments while they last. I already told you boy, you can't outsmart me. Now, run along.

Tucking the document away, she turned the other way, putting on some shades. She turned her head Y/N's way, pulling the shades down and giving him a wink.

Akane then walks away, Y/N gritting his teeth.

Y/N: Tsk. Guess I didn't play my cards right. Well, guess I'll have to make our time worthwhile, huh, Tomoya?

After the small encounter, he picked up on his trail of following Iori and Tomoya. The two had went to a cosplay store, Tomoya picking out a suit that resembled the look of Servis.

Iori laughed at Tomoya, who looked embarrassed and irritated that he had to wear such an outfit.

It was then nighttime. The sounds of explosions filled the air as fireworks were set off into the night sky at Eriri's manor. Eriri had walked out onto her balcony, wearing a red dress with a dark blue ribbon. She gazed down below, watching as the guests of her father congregated among themselves.

She was then reminded of the time her and Tomoya played LitRhap, the moment Servis climbed a tree and presented himself to the protagonist. The scene begins to play out in her head.

Tomoya: Over here, Eriri!

She wasn't sure if she heard that right. In fact, it sounded like Tomoya's voice. She turned to the right, only to find the glasses wearing teen extending his arm out.

Eriri: ...What are you doing here, Tomoya?

Tomoya: May I take you away from it all for a while, Eriri?

Eriri: (looked confused) Huh? What are you--

Tomoya: Come into town with me!

And at the right moment, the sound of a firework exploded, the blush she had on her face only growing deeper. She wasn't sure how to respond.

Tomoya: Let's go, Eriri!

Eriri: Aren't you embarrassed doing that?

Tomoya: Totally embarrassed! I could die of shame!

Y/N: Hah! He could!

Tomoya: Shut up, Y/N! Now's not the time!

Y/N: Then hurry the fuck up! God damn, sitting in this seat's already hurting my ass.

Tomoya: (looks up at Eriri) But I can't die, not yet! I refuse to die until I've patched things up with you!

As the fireworks kept going, she looked at him shocked. Tomoya extended his hand out, also struggling to keep his grip on the tree branch.

Finally, she stepped off the balcony and took his hand. Arriving at the bottom of the ground, they see a bike, Y/N dressed up in a chauffeur's outfit.

Y/N: (teasing smirk) So where will it be, lovebirds?

Eriri: W-We're not like that!

Beforehand

Y/N: All right, the plan will be carried out tomorrow night. I assume the location will be Sawamura-san's balcony?

Yesterday night, the four of them discussed the plan on how Tomoya will get to Eriri and patch things up.

Tomoya: Every year, her family throws a party the night of the fireworks display. So that will be my opportunity to win her back.

Utaha: Very well.

Y/N: Better make it count then, Tomoya. We're basing the situation off on the fireworks display event in LitRhap.

Utaha: Kato-san, can you play that scene right now?

Megumi: (unenthusiastically) Sure.

Utaha: This plan will be designed to stimulate past memories and nostalgia to get her to make up with you.

Tomoya: Do you think it will work?

Utaha: Don't worry. Because Eriri Spencer Sawamura is by nature a maiden!

Y/N: (mutters) More like a bitchy tsundere.

Utaha: She's a nerdy girl waiting for her otaku prince to arrive in his white itasha and sweep her off her feet! (laughs manically) Can you believe that? Isn't that a bit too romantic for a porn doujin artist?

Megumi: I'm not so sure. Maybe she's a romantic because she's a porn doujin artist.

Y/N: Wow, did not expect that you from, Kato-chan. The unexpected.

Tomoya: Utaha-senpai and Y/N is one thing, but don't you join in, Kato! That's mean!

Present Day

Currently, Y/N was hauling the two, who sat in a side car, to their requested location. Their destination, Shimamura Grade School.

Y/N parks the bike right outside the school gate, the two getting off as Y/N leans against the bike.

Y/N: Don't you do anything crazy, you horny kids!

Tomoya/Eriri: Shut up, Y/N!

Y/N let out a soft chuckle as he watched the interaction from afar. He thought the time was now.

Tomoya: Eriri, hear me out! (clenches his gloved fists) There's something that I've never been able to say to you.

Eriri: Even if you apologize, it's too late.

Tomoya: For a long time now, I've felt--

Eriri: That's no fair, playing that card now!

Tomoya: I've felt incredibly pissed at you!

Y/N comically falls to the side, then standing back up as he looked at the scene in disbelief. Eriri was in disbelief as well, but also confused.

Tomoya: Make up with you, my ass! How can I do that!? I can't forgive you, not after what you did!

This piqued Y/N's interest. He did remember that Tomoya and Eriri had started to become distant back in their elementary school days.

Eriri: What do you mean? What's that supposed to mean!? I'm the one who was wronged here! What's this crap!?

Tomoya: You're the one who turned your back on me, Eriri!

The crackling boom of the firework was then set off once more. The two childhood friends were at a standstill, staring at each other.

Tomoya: Eight years ago, you're the one who pretended you'd quit being an otaku and made new friends and abandoned me!

Eriri: You...you're still carrying a grudge over a little thing like that?

Tomoya: "Little thing!?" How could you call that a little thing!?

Eriri: I didn't have a choice! Back then, that's all I could do!

Tomoya: You think that excuses it!? Was making new friends that important to you!? Was it more important than talking to me about anime!?

Eriri: Tomoya?

Tomoya: Do you have any idea how much you meant to me back then!? I'd made enemies of just about all the guys and Y/N was the only one who defended me! It was all to protect what we had! Back then, you were all I had!

Y/N: (thoughts) Except me, dumbass.

Tomoya: It took years, but I can finally talk to people normally now! But even so, I'll never forget how badly you treated me back then!

Eriri: That was...that was just you getting carried away on your own!

Tomoya: Apologize!

Eriri: ...I won't apologize. No matter what happens, I'll never apologize to you! You don't know how much I cried, Tomoya!

Tomoya: Eriri?

Eriri: Because I severed ties with you and couldn't talk to you at school and had to ignore you! Because of how lonely, how frustrating, how painful it was! I've suffered way more than you have! All these years, I've had a boomerang stuck in my heart! So I have no reason to apologize!

Tomoya: Even though it was your own fault!?

Eriri: Yeah! Is that so wrong!?

Y/N: (thoughts) Yeah, on many levels.

Tomoya: It is!

Eriri: You don't care less! You apologize to me!

Tomoya: Why!?

Eriri: Why would you choose that girl's book over mine!?

Tomoya: Huh!?

Eriri: My popularity and ability and the amount of time I've known you, they're all way higher! Why wouldn't you pick me!?

Tomoya: I-I like what I like! I don't care about our history! Izumi-chan's books excite me more!

Y/N: (mentally facepalms and sighs) You fucking idiot.

Eriri: You're saying I'm inferior to that girl!?

Tomoya: That's right! You're beneath her! Inferior to her! Not as good!

Eriri: Even with all that hard work? Even though I work myself into the ground?

Tomoya: Screw talent and hard work! The book you put out at Summer Comiket today was a loser! Right now, you don't have what it takes! Not even close!

Eriri: But I worked so hard...I wore a mask outside, but worked myself to death at home! I wanted to get back at those jerks who split us up! I wanted to go back to how it was. I thought I'd come so far...

Y/N: (bitter smile) That's the thing Eriri, there are some things that you just can't bring back from the past.

Tomoya: You're right. You've come a long way. You're fast and skilled and consistent. So next, become great! Let's see you become great and fast and skilled and consistent!

Eriri: (cries) How do I do that!? I can't work any harder or any better!

Tomoya: How should I know!? It's your art! Figure it out yourself!

Eriri: That doesn't make any sense!

Eriri: That's right! It's crazy! So if you don't want to, you don't have to become great! I don't care if you're my #1!

Eriri then wiped her tears away, stepping up to Tomoya as she gave a light punch to his chest. Tomoya stared at her confused.

Eriri: ...Just watch me. I'm gonna become you're #1. (determined face) Until then, I'm never gonna apologize.

As the grand finale of fireworks occur, Eriri buries her face into Tomoya's chest and wraps her arms around him. Tomoya was still stunned before he smiled himself.

Tomoya: ...Whatever.

As Y/N watched with a small smile, he felt his phone vibrate. He saw that he was getting a call, from a number he knew all too well.

Gaining a scowl, he answers.

Y/N: What do you want?

Akane: (on phone) Why so cold, N/N-kun?~

Y/N: (growled in annoyance) You don't get to call me that.

Akane: (on phone) Hmm...I was just wondering about that project you're working on--

Y/N: Any information of that isn't allowed to be disclosed. It wasn't in the contract, anyway.

Akane: Now you mention that, huh? And here I thought you wanted to forget about it. What happened to it being a "one time thing"?

Y/N: ...What do you want?

Akane: You can't hide from me, boy. I still have a tight leash on you.

Y/N: Piss off and leave me alone.

Before Akane could answer, Y/N hung up. Shoving his phone back into his pocket, he put up a fake smile as Tomoya and Eriri were walking back up to him.

Y/N: Guess you guys didn't make up, huh?

Tomoya: I guess we didn't.

Y/N: (grins) Whatever. Last ride of the day. Where're you headed?

Tomoya: Take us home, Sir Y/N.

Y/N: At once, "Your Highness."

Tomoya: Please don't say that.

Y/N: You asked for it.

Next Day

Eriri: ...Finished! The circle banner is now illustration is done!

Tomoya: Show us, show us!

In the Aki household, the group gathered around Eriri to see the circle banner illustration.

Utaha: Eh. For you, that's almost pleasant, Sawamura-san.

Y/N: Got to hand it to you, Eriri. That's pretty good.

Megumi: (stares in disbelief) Hey, wait a minute! Is it just me, or is that girl not wearing anything?

Eriri:It's fine, Kato-san. I think I've captured the figure of her model, meaning you.

Megumi: That's not perfectly fine at all!

Utaha: What are you saying? A real heroine is one who strips when told to strip and who breathes heavily when told to breathe heavily.

Y/N: Senpai, stop bringing in your fetishes!

Utaha: But you certainly enjoyed them.

Y/N: S-Stop it!

Megumi: Oh, I had no idea.

Tomoya: Relax, this game is for everyone.

Y/N: Are you sure it is, Tomoya!?

Eriri: One more thing, Tomoya. Put the finishing touch on it, Producer.

Tomoya: (smiles) Sure.

Writing out the name of their circle group, it being Blessing Software.

Y/N: "Blessing Software," huh?

Tomoya: Good name, huh?

Eriri: For you, I guess.

Y/N: Wait, doesn't this mean "Megumi Software"?

Megumi looked confused, Eriri leaning forward in her chair with her mouth agape while Tomoya looked dumbfounded.

Y/N: (slow clapping) So, not only did you choose her as the main heroine, you also chose her name for the circle name as well, huh? Wow. Just wow.

Tomoya: Um. Uh, I just thought--

Tomoya's screams and exclaiming could then be heard as Eriri begins to chase him around. Y/N chuckles before he remembers what Akane said to him last night.

"I still have a tight leash on you."

He grits his teeth, gripping his arms even tighter as he tries to forget it. Forget the deal.