It was a very girlish bedroom, predominantly pink, with sketches scattered all over the floor.
A blonde girl in a green tracksuit sat in front of her computer, drawing on a graphics tablet.
Displayed on the screen was a slightly disheveled young man, somewhat resembling Nohara Hiroshi, though his eyes were deeper and more mature.
He sat on a sofa, holding a cute Yorkshire Terrier in his arms.
Most of the dog's fur was golden, mixed with hints of blue-gray, and it was gazing up at the young man in the illustration.
The man himself looked a little unkempt, but at a glance, it was obvious that the Yorkshire Terrier was extremely well cared for.
Its fur was smooth and glossy, brushed to softness, and even styled with a few tiny braids, making it look almost like a doll.
As she stared at the drawing of the young man and the Yorkshire Terrier in his arms, Eriri's expression became complicated.
Those were more than ten years of memories.
In this world, she was only a high school student. Dogs had short lifespans, faster metabolisms, and were far more sensitive to the passage of time.
When she compared the two sets of memories, the more than ten years she had lived as Xiaoli with Nohara Shin Chan were far clearer and far deeper.
Looking at the illustration in front of her, Eriri felt restless.
She missed her master's embrace terribly.
She wanted her master to bathe her and comb her fur. She wanted him to gently pat her head and scratch her chin.
But she was no longer Xiaoli, and Shin Chan was no longer that Shin Chan.
After two full days of contemplation, Eriri finally made up her mind.
She would conquer Nohara Shin Chan!
If she couldn't be Shin Chan's puppy in this life, then she would be Shin Chan's lover!
No matter what form their relationship took, they would spend the rest of their lives together.
This time, she would not be the one to leave first.
Just as Eriri was fantasizing about her beautiful future with Shin Chan, several sharp notification sounds from her phone startled her.
"What is it?! So annoying!"
She picked up her phone with a frown.
Friend request: Aki Tomoya.
A childhood friend?
What a joke. How could he possibly be more important than her master?
During her years as Xiaoli in another world, Eriri had long since sorted out the few relationships that truly mattered to her.
As for Aki Tomoya, this so-called childhood friend—upon closer inspection, he had no real advantages at all.
The incident they experienced in elementary school… Eriri's choice back then hadn't been completely right, but for a little girl, it certainly couldn't be called a mistake either.
Everyone had their own position. It was impossible to always prioritize others.
After that incident, the two of them never contacted each other again. So why was he suddenly adding her on LINE now?
After hesitating for a moment, Eriri still accepted the request. What she had done back then wasn't right, and she did owe Aki Tomoya something.
TAKI: Eriri, I have something to ask of you!
Aki Tomoya ran a blog under the name TAKI. Thanks to his objective, responsible reviews—and his refusal to accept sponsorships—it had built a strong reputation within the ACG community.
Xiaoli: What is it?
Eriri's reply made Aki Tomoya pause. Something felt… off.
Although he often appeared slow, Aki Tomoya actually understood things perfectly well. He was just pretending most of the time.
Eriri, after all, was incredibly easy to read—a classic tsundere and an unwavering supporter of childhood-friend routes.
But Eriri's family background put immense pressure on him, and her mother, Sayuri, was especially terrifying.
Aki Tomoya had no doubt that if he ever crossed a line with Eriri, he would be quietly sunk into Tokyo Bay by the Sawamura family.
There was no way he could be with Eriri.
His fragile self-esteem and deep inferiority complex made it impossible for him to imagine ending up with a sheltered young lady in the future.
Especially after meeting Kato Megumi at Detective Hill.
Even though his hat had been picked up by Shin Chan at the time, that encounter made Aki Tomoya realize something clearly—
An ordinary girl like Kato Megumi was his perfect heroine.
TAKI: I want to make a game of my own—the most perfect galgame in the world! Eriri, be my original artist! Let's create the most perfect game together!
After sending the message, Aki Tomoya felt certain he had already won.
Eriri would definitely be thrilled, right?
Even if she said no at first, she would surely agree in the end!
But after the message was marked as read, Eriri didn't reply for a long time.
Aki Tomoya began to panic.
Didn't Eriri like him?
Wasn't she always waiting for him to apologize so they could reconcile?
Or… was she just too excited?
Xiaoli: What kind of game? Do you have a concrete plan? And how much is my salary?
TAKI: ???
Aki Tomoya stared at the message, utterly unable to believe it came from Eriri.
Was Aunt Sayuri using Eriri's phone?
TAKI: I haven't thought that far yet, but once school starts, we can form a club! That'll be our bishōjo game! Isn't that exciting?!
In truth, Aki Tomoya really hadn't thought that far ahead.
Eriri, as a professional adult illustrator, was more than qualified to be the original artist for a game.
As for planning, writing, programming, and background music…
He hadn't considered any of it.
He'd played so many games already—wouldn't handling those things be easy?
Didn't protagonists in anime overcome everything just by shouting about friendship, bonds, and promises?
If he poured 100% of his passion into it, couldn't he make a good game?
Xiaoli: Then you should think it through properly. If you can come up with a plan that moves me, I might—out of consideration for our past—offer you a discounted price.
TAKI: ???
Aki Tomoya was now certain.
The person on the other end of the phone was absolutely not Eriri.
Or had her tsundere level increased again? Was she being sarcastic on purpose?
TAKI: I'll prepare properly!
Forget it. It'd be better to talk in person once school starts. Eriri would definitely agree then!
By the way… what did the girl he met last time look like again?
Aki Tomoya had already forgotten Kato Megumi's appearance, only vaguely remembering that she was very beautiful.
She was truly ordinary, yet also a hidden bishōjo.
That kind of setting was perfect.
Aki Tomoya firmly believed that their meeting at Detective Hill had been fate itself.
Kato Megumi was his destined heroine!
As that thought crossed his mind, he couldn't help thinking of Nohara Shin Chan again.
What a hateful man!
But unfortunately for him, this was his game, and he would lead the story.
His bishōjo game would never have NTR!
On the other side, Eriri shook her head.
Aki Tomoya was still the same—wanting to make a game without thinking anything through.
She didn't have time to play house with him.
The name Kashiwagi Eri carried real weight in the adult illustration industry, and her manuscript fees were anything but cheap.
Did Aki Tomoya really think he could get her work for free?
Yeah. As if.
...
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