"Aki Tomoya, my time is also very valuable. Honestly, even if you paid me according to market rates, I still wouldn't really want to agree to this."
"GalGames can be said to rely entirely on illustrations to support them. The workload is huge, and it takes a lot of effort. I don't have that kind of time."
Eriri's words were like a sharp thorn, piercing through his chest and stabbing deep into Aki Tomoya's heart. 'Pain. Too painful.'
Eriri's attitude toward him now was no different from that of a stranger, no, even worse than a stranger.
Back then, Aki Tomoya wasn't too concerned about Eriri because he was certain that she cared deeply about the childhood friend setting.
Plus, Eriri was a hardcore otaku, had no social circle, and didn't interact with other boys.
Eriri's personality was so tsundere that Tomoya could be sure, even if he didn't get close to her, she wouldn't change much at all.
But Tomoya never imagined that someone like that wild beast, Shin-chan, would suddenly appear and completely win over Eriri without him even knowing.
When you're certain something, or someone, will never leave you, their weight in your heart becomes lighter and lighter, and they're gradually taken for granted.
Only when they're gone does it truly hurt. Add in the psychological "cliff effect," and now Aki Tomoya's heart was on the verge of collapse.
"How unfortunate, Aki-san. The Service Club still cannot accept your request."
Yukinoshita Yukino wouldn't show any sympathy for Aki Tomoya just because he looked pitiful.
"Why? Didn't Hiratsuka-sensei say this club was made to help people solve their problems? Is my dream really that worthless?"
Hearing Yukino reject him once more, Aki Tomoya couldn't hold back anymore.
These four girls before him, aside from Yukino, were all essential parts of his game development plan.
Eriri was the illustrator. Kasumigaoka Utaha was in charge of the script. Kato Megumi was the heroine. As for programmers, BGM, and everything else, Aki hadn't thought that far at all.
So why had things turned out like this?
Kasumigaoka Utaha, out of curiosity, picked up the proposal Yukino had slammed onto the table. After just two glances, she showed a look of extreme distaste.
Her verdict, not even as good as toilet paper.
Talking about dreams, yet actually handing over something so lazy and trashy, it was nothing short of insulting the word "dream."
"Please, making games is really my dream! That day, the encounter at the Detective Slope, as long as we make this game, it's sure to shock the entire industry!"
Aki Tomoya took a deep breath and bowed deeply to the group before him.
At another time, another place, maybe even another world, this kind of performance might have moved someone.
But in this world, that stuff clearly didn't work.
"Um, there's something I've been wondering about." Kato Megumi, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke.
"Aki-san, you keep talking about that encounter or whatever, but that day, it was Shin-chan who picked up my hat, wasn't it? This story you wrote in the proposal, doesn't have anything to do with you, right?"
"And also, this proposal of yours is way too sloppy. You briefly outlined a vague story, said you wanted to make a game, copy-pasted some stuff off the internet, what else did you actually write?"
This accusation, coming from the heroine in Aki Tomoya's heart, was the real killing blow.
"A weak, morally manipulative otaku." Kasumigaoka Utaha added coldly, shattering the last pieces of Aki's fantasy.
"Alright, Aki-san, you should leave. With your current attitude, I see no reason to help you." Yukinoshita Yukino issued a clear order to leave.
The Service Club didn't just accept any request. This guy claimed he wanted to make a game, yet the two proposals he brought were both basically toilet paper. Yukino found it utterly repulsive.
At that moment, the door to the Service Club was knocked again.
"Come in."
Opening the door was Hayasaka Ai. After she opened it, Shinomiya Kaguya gracefully stepped into the Service Club.
After entering, Kaguya looked around the room. The moment she saw Aki Tomoya, she immediately frowned.
"President Shinomiya! Please, just give me another chance! If I can establish a game club, I will make the perfect bishoujo game!"
Upon seeing Kaguya, Aki clung to her like a drowning man grabbing the last straw.
He had already visited the student council once, hoping to establish his own club. But due to the lack of members, and his absolutely terrible proposal, Kaguya had instantly concluded that he was just trying to scam Shuchiin out of club funds.
"Hayasaka."
"Yes, milady."
Kaguya didn't even want to waste words with Aki. She gave Hayasaka a glance.
"If you continue to bother my lady, you'll be expelled on the spot."
Expulsion would be merciful. Not being dumped into Tokyo Bay would already be considered a success.
Being stared at by six beautiful girls as if he were garbage, even someone as shameless as Aki Tomoya couldn't keep pretending. Pale-faced, he nodded and slunk away like a defeated ghost.
After walking out of the Service Club, the world spun before his eyes. With his dream crushed, his entire world began to collapse.
'Why did it turn out like this? My youth… my game… my heroine…'
"It's all that wild beast Shin-chan's fault! I will make him pay!"
He remembered that at Detective Slope, Shin-chan had picked up the beret before he could. And on the rooftop, what he had overheard…
Aki Tomoya's eyes were full of hatred.
'Everything that happened, it was all that wild beast Shin-chan's fault!' He wanted revenge.
What Aki didn't realize was, while he said those words, Maeda just happened to pass by.
Pushing up his sunglasses and confirming he hadn't misheard, Maeda pulled out his phone and sent a few messages.
Aki Tomoya's revenge ended before it even began.
Because from that day on, no one ever saw Aki Tomoya appear at Shuchiin again.
Not that… anyone cared.
Back in the Service Club, Yukinoshita Yukino paid no attention to Aki's departure. She looked toward Shinomiya Kaguya and Hayasaka Ai.
'This famous President Shinomiya… why did she come to the Service Club?'
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