GAMERS! (ゲーマーズ！)

Hekiyou Private Academy Student Council

I'm basically what you would call a model student.

I want to be liked, and I like being depended on.

I don't mind putting in extra effort to that end.

"Gifted" would be a charitable way to put it.

But in a sense, that also means I don't have any particular talents.

I can accomplish anything effortlessly.

I always rank among the top students in both academics and athletics.

But I've never been number one at anything.

Someone better always takes it all.

So I was shocked

when I was chosen to be this school's student council president.

I was savoring the happiness I'd finally found,

but that happiness was fleeting.

Tendou Karen.

She was impeccable. She had everything.

Even I know how unproductive it is to get jealous about another person's talents.

But seeing someone one-up me

after how much I've struggled to get to where I am hurts a lot.

So thank you every much, everyone.

Thank you very much.

We'll be leaving now.

Don't push yourself too hard.

I'll be fine.

Get home safely!

I'm the Student Council President!!

You're the protagonist in your life. You're the only one who can make you happy!

The scent of pure, untainted maidens!

Our student council is full of cute girls.

I'm in heaven!

Shoot! I don't have time for this.

What a perfect disguise this is!

"The innocent student council president" is but a disguise to keep society unaware.

The true me is nothing but a completely screwed-up

adult game freak girl!

This is what I'm after today.

The new BUILD series game by GAGI!

The stories are always high-quality, the girls are cute... It's so awesome.

It's epic!

The console version isn't bad, either.

Golden Memories

Golden Memories

If Tendou Karen had gone to this school instead of Otobuki,

she would totally have been the school council president.

I know, right?

I mean, Konoha-chan, for better or worse...

This is probably a better game for me.

Rainbow Court

You're so dedicated, though, Misumi-kun.

I admire you.

I wouldn't say that.

That uniform...

It's from Otobuki, where Tendou Karen goes.

Crap! Even I go nuts for pretty boys like him!

And... the other one...

Ah, he's like the average protagonist type you see in dating sims.

One, two, three, four...

What's up?

Oh, nothing.

six, seven, eight, nine...

That was close!

Oh, yeah! So anyway, I wanted you to give me some recommendations.

What? What?

Man, it's a little embarrassing when I get asked straight-up

for bishoujo game recommendations.

Oh, come on.

I'm not going to judge you for your tastes.

I don't think my tastes are that specific,

but I've never made recommendations for anyone.

So waffly.

Why is this Amano-kun guy so waffly?

Uh, then is there anything you're interested in, Misumi-kun?

I did do some research earlier.

The internet says this one's godly, right?

Well, that is a good one. Super mainstream, too.

It's an absolute masterpiece.

I spent a week sleep-deprived to finish it.

Wow...

Well, it has your stamp of approval, so I think I'll buy this one.

That's it? No fun.

W-Wait a second!

It is a masterpiece, but I never said I'd recommend it for you.

Really?

You pain in the ass!

You want to learn what makes dating sims so good, right?

Yeah.

There's no one in our game club that knows much about this genre.

Okay, hang on.

What's wrong with you? Hurry it up!

You're seriously like a stupid dating sim protagonist, the way you're so indecisive.

Found it.

I'd rather recommend this one, then.

Rainbow Court

Rainbow Court.

I've never heard of that one.

Of course not.

It's a really old game.

And it was never a huge success.

It's not like it sold very well or anything, but...

See?

So why, then?

Um...

Because I like it, I guess?

Uh...

Of course, whichever one you pick is fine with me.

But if I'm going to make recommendations,

I'd like to give some of these hidden ones some time in the light, too.

Right...

You know how even some really good games

get the cold shoulder just because the art style is really old or something?

That really bums me out.

I guess it's like how you'd rather root for the person

who's struggling in the shadows

than for the person who's got everything going for them.

Sorry! I'm acting like a connoisseur just because I know some obscure titles.

I'd say this is one of my top three games, though.

Especially the way the character parameters...

Crap...

What is this?

Why am I...

so...

Yeah?

Okay.

I think I'll go with your recommendation, then.

Okay.

Rainbow Court

Huh?

You were home, Konoha?

Yeah, I'm home.

Huh?

Where'd you get this?

Hey!

I never knew you liked these games.

I borrowed it from a friend!

There's a price tag on it, though.

Just give it back! Onee-chan!

Amano and Aguri got married.

It happened soon after they graduated from college.

We all gave our congratulations and celebrated their new beginning.

Of course, inside, we were all conflicted.

Hoshinomori, who had no full-time job, was loathe to congratulate her nemesis, Amano.

Neither Tendou nor I were struggling financially, but our fake smiles,

which we so excelled at making, twitched at the sight of our desires marrying away.

The spectacular ceremony was held at a reception hall

a few years after our time at Otobuki High, a period fraught with misunderstandings.

The Game of Half-Life

Or not.

It's easy to fix a misunderstanding. You just bring everyone together to talk it over!

What are you, stupid?

What do you expect me to do? It is what it is.

It's so obvious... and, well,

to be honest, it's not like I hadn't figured that out a long time ago.

But in reality, given the peculiar distance we'd had between each of us,

it was never easy for the five of us to get together.

After school, a few days ago

Hey, hey, take a look at this!

Love-Love Game of Half-Life

Love-Love Game of Half-Life?

Yeah.

My mom won it in the lottery at the supermarket.

Hey, I saw this online.

It's a super specific romance board game or something.

It sounds fun, doesn't it?

We don't have enough people, though.

Right, it's a board game...

Then I'll join, too. Let's play.

It'll be part of our Gamers Meet-up activities.

Really?

Then would you like to come to my place?

Although I don't know how I feel about letting Keita in my house.

What's that supposed to mean?

Not again.

Oh, but hey, it won't be any fun with just three of us.

Why don't we invite more people?

Like who?

I mean, we know the perfect people, don't we?

Don't tell me...

She's a gamer, too.

I'm sure she'll be cool with it if Amano invites her.

Me?!

T-Tendou-san, coming to my place?

That makes me kind of nervous.

A board game would be easy enough for Aguri to play, too.

Besides, the more the merrier, right?

Th-Thank you.

I never thought you'd be so enthusiastic.

At last!

All parties will assemble!

We'll all talk about what's going on,

and finally put a clean end to this ridiculous love pentagon!

But that was never going to happen.

Everyone's become so careful around each other

that we ended up seating ourselves like this.

Tendou

Tasuku

Hoshinomori

Amano

Aguri

Well, that's fine, in the sense that it ensures we don't end up talking only to

the ones we're already comfortable with.