I Won't Be a Loser

The new semester had been underway for a while now, and the social circles within the class had more or less solidified. Just as the five Nakano sisters were inseparable, it was well known among their classmates that Aoi Hinami and Eriri had a close relationship.

Now, out of the blue, Aoi had approached him, inviting him to a small gathering that included other attendees as well. Given their friendship, Haruto was certain that Eriri would be among them.

If it were just a casual school-related social event, he wouldn't have minded going. But knowing that Eriri would be there made him lose interest almost instantly. He had no desire to attend a gathering like that.

"Thanks, but I've got other things to do today. Maybe another time when I'm free."

With a polite smile, Haruto decisively turned down the invitation. Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed for the door. Aoi opened her mouth as if to call him back, but seeing that he had already left the classroom, she could only sigh and turn to look at her friend, who was still seated at her desk.

"He's gone."

"Well, I kind of figured it'd turn out this way. Since he's already left, I should probably head back too."

"Hmm… Want to go home together?"

A part of Eriri was tempted to go after Haruto on her own, but when she recalled what had happened between them the day before, she hesitated. After a moment's thought, she abandoned the idea.

Instead, she turned her gaze toward Aoi, who was smiling at her expectantly. Seeing her friend's hopeful expression, Eriri felt that going straight home might be a bit too abrupt. Since she had always tried to maintain a normal persona in class, there was no real reason to rush back.

"…Yeah. Let's walk around a bit before heading home."

After leaving school, Haruto didn't go straight home.

To be honest, even if he did, there wasn't much to do. He'd either sit at his desk reading, or force himself to continue writing that book he had long lost interest in—one he had to keep working on for the sake of his livelihood. Other than that, he had no plans.

If he went home, he'd just be lying around in his apartment, waiting for Setsuna to return. They'd spend a bit of time together, and then it would be dinnertime.

Thinking about his routine, Haruto felt a vague sense of stagnation creeping in.

Am I getting a little too complacent with my life?

"Come to think of it, I still haven't decided on a title for the book, have I?"

Walking down the street with his backpack slung over his shoulder, Haruto started contemplating the title of his novel.

Although he had only written the opening, he figured it was about time to settle on a name. No matter how the story developed, it wasn't going to suddenly shift from a rural setting to a fantasy world, was it?

Since the story revolved around a village, there was no need to overcomplicate things.

"I'll call it Honey Village."

The name had a nice ring to it. Pair it with a crimson-hued cover, and it would practically have all the elements of an erotic novel.

As for whether there were already books with the same title?

Well, if it came to that, he could just tweak it a little—maybe Honey in the Village or Dreams of a Honeyed Land—whatever the publisher preferred. Titles weren't all that important anyway. Something passable would do.

Lost in thought, Haruto wandered through the city, refining his ideas. At some point, his mind had drifted from Honey Village to crime fiction, and before he knew it, he was sketching out an erotic mystery novel in his head.

A secluded village that maintained ancient and mysterious rituals. A protagonist who grew up in the village, only to leave upon reaching adulthood. Years later, he returns following his father's death, only to find his wife missing. His childhood friend, now an enigmatic woman, speaks in riddles. Then, there's the stepmother he has only ever seen in old photographs…

"Shibuya Station, Shibuya…"

The announcement over the subway speakers pulled him back to reality. Lifting his head, he saw that he had arrived at his stop. Letting go of his musings, he stepped off the train with the flow of passengers.

Since he had nothing to do at home, he figured he might as well wander around outside for a while.

As soon as he stepped out, Haruto realized there wasn't really anywhere particularly interesting to go. He wandered the streets in silence, taking in the storefronts and designs that, despite the passage of time, had hardly changed at all.

"Well, I'll just take a look around for now."

His wallet wasn't exactly overflowing, so he was only here to browse. If something caught his eye and he could afford it, he might buy it. Otherwise, he'd just wait until his finances allowed for it.

"This is last year's Sony Xperia Z1. The price is…"

Glancing at the price tag, he saw that it was well over a hundred thousand yen. Considering that was about all the money he had at the moment, he quickly abandoned the thought.

For a brief moment, temptation flickered in his mind. Should I …work part-time in a gigolo club?

I wonder if 'mama-katsu' is still a thing these days…

No. No, I can't go down that road.

Shaking off the thought, he turned back to the display case. By today's standards, the phone was decent enough, but to someone like Haruto—a "man from the future"—its price-to-performance ratio was absurd.

Better to wait until next year—2015. By the second half of this year, the iPhone 6 will be out. Instead of wasting money on the Xperia Z1 or the iPhone 5, I might as well save up and reconsider in September.

"Still… five more months to go. I need to finish Honey Village and get it published. That'll take time too."

The weight of his financial burdens hit him all at once, draining any motivation he had for strolling around. With a sigh, he headed straight for the subway and took the train home.

Back in his apartment, Haruto sat at his desk, pulled out the manuscript drafts from his drawer, and got back to writing.

By the time Setsuna arrived at Haruto's place, she noticed the door wasn't even shut properly. With a light push, she stepped inside and immediately spotted Haruto at his desk, furiously scribbling away.

She wasn't sure why he was suddenly so diligent, but instead of interrupting him, she quietly approached and took a casual glance at his writing.

Then she froze.

"Ah… ngh… O-Onii-sama… I'm... I'm coming..."

A thousand thoughts raced through her mind.

Is this… a battle scene?

The protagonist's little sister? Is she fighting an enemy? Is the situation dire?

She slowly turned her gaze toward Haruto, who was so focused on his work that he hadn't even noticed her presence.

Worse yet, as he wrote, he was unconsciously whispering the lines under his breath.

"Ah… c-can't… hold it in… any longer… mmh… a-lets come… together… mmm…"

Setsuna's expression became increasingly complex.

Haruto … what exactly are you writing…?