The tab was basically a guide on dates, which wasn't weird for a dating sim. In large red letters, the words ‘Random Example’ throned over everything, to make sure I didn’t misunderstand.

Similar to the character entries, this tab had area entries. Restaurants, scenic places, the cinema… All kinds of places were included. I skimmed through them after opening their info on the right side.

A description, opening times and prices were listed, as well as another button. I opened it to find that it also included information on what my current target thought about the place. Looking through other entries showed that this was all information I had to manually unlock, just like Mizuki’s likes and dislikes. Basically, it stored information I already knew and gathered it into a nice look.

This actually made sense and was a good thing to have, considering my thoughts were usually a mess. It was always good to have a note on what your lover or crush liked, considering you want them to be in a good mood when going out. 

I jumped over to the third tab, that had gained the same orange-ish look as the shortly unlocked subcategory.

Curious, I took a moment to breathe, then opened it.

The basic look was like the hint category: Excluding the red letters warning me that this was an example, it also listed that Mizuki was my boyfriend - yes, boyfriend not target - and ‘weaknesses’ as well as ‘preferences’.

That stunned me for a second. Weaknesses? Was this going to turn into a fighting game? And wasn’t preferences kinda close to likes and dislikes?

The empty area rippled to fill in with exemplary information that I curiously read.

…

Motherfucker (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

What’s!! With!! This!! PG18 information!!!

My brain immediately filled with images at the mention of ‘ears’ under weaknesses, all around with my brain supplying sound.

I slapped my hands in front of my face and closed my eyes to hide the window for a while, rolling around on my bed. Holy fucking shit! You were going to supply that kind of information, too?! How was I going to unlock that?!

No, wait, rhetorical question! Don’t answer! I’ll get a nosebleed!
I don’t even want to look at preferences now, that kind of dirty stuff-

.........On the other hand, screw that. Too curious.

Soo, the example for preferences is…

(╯°Д°）╯︵/(.□ . )

System, can you get anymore direct?! Aren’t you ashamed?!

Is ‘bondage’ really a preference I need to know about someone! How do I even-!
I-I’m not asking because I want to know! It’s another rhetorical question, okay?!

Ughh!! I mean, thank god it was weekend, but how was I supposed to look at Mizuki on Monday with my mind conjuring the image of-

Noooo! Bad me! I shouldn’t be so expec-
Uh-
…

Okay, I just don’t want to be so expectant of something that might never happen! Don’t make me look forward to it! I’d be talking absolute and utter rubbish if I said I wouldn’t want to make use of this function!

Shit, I shouldn’t have asked to see it!

The system heard my inner whining, reacting quite promptly with a large ripple that went over everything.
The menu jumped back to the hint category and the two areas greyed out again. I was really just allowed to look for a moment.

Groaning, I dragged my pillow over my face and screamed into it.

I often screamed if a game wouldn’t go well.
My parents wouldn’t come looking.

---

I didn’t tell Haru of this complete loss against the system. She prodded at me for obviously hiding something, but I’d be damned to tell her. I’m a young man, I don’t need to share my fantasies with my sister! She already knows enough!

Neither Mizuki nor I were children anymore. Calling us adults was debatable, even if we were by law, but we certainly weren’t innocent kids. If guys our age thought about a relationship, then we didn’t just mean holding hands and chaste kisses. We were past that age already.

Well, we weren’t horny teenagers either, so it wasn’t purely about sex but for a virgin like me, it certainly held a large temptation.

My Monday had been about as awkward as I had expected thanks to that - I looked at Mizuki for five seconds before very obviously whipping my head away cause I couldn’t stop my head from thinking about all kinds of nonsense.

I was definitely the type to get a comic-like nosebleed when seeing their crush naked.

Which was I was going to avoid that at all-

[(Please choose what to say.)

 

• “How about we all go to the swimming pool this Saturday?”]

 

Oh, fuck you.

And I was even sure they’d all agree because Kaoru is a waterrat that always drags us along, Prez will say that it’s a great reward after finishing exams and the project and Mizuki… No idea, but I had a feeling he’d come anyway.

Oh right, our project was finished - a great success, if I may say so, judging by the children’s reactions. Prez had become kinda close to us, which felt rather weird to me, but it had helped keep a relaxing atmosphere until the end of the project.

We had just finished gathering our documentation together and finishing it, so of course now was the perfect time to invite them all. With the condensed awkwardness of me still remembering the issue about being kissed by Mizuki, then the issue of Mizuki possibly kissing someone else and then the issue of the system going havoc, I actually wanted to avoid him, but I wasn’t left any choice. Literally.

I rolled my eyes to the heavens and asked the dreadful question.

“That’s a great idea!”, was what Prez said immediately, beaming. “I agree with it.”

“Me too! Though it’s suspicious!” Kaoru sprung up just as fast, adding unnecessary info.
I know it’s weird, shut up. I avoided pools for the same reason other teenagers did.

They didn’t want to be noticed staring at the girls in swimsuits.
Well, I didn’t want to be noticed glancing at guys. There’s always an immediate reaction you can’t hide and I didn’t want to be in a place where my sexuality might be too obvious.

Although this time, I fear my glances will be placed onto one person alone, which isn’t the tiniest bit better.

All of us ended up agreeing pretty fast, as expected, leaving only Mizuki who was hesitantly frowning.

“Don’t worry, we won’t let anyone approach you”, was what Prez softly said at the sight.
“Don’t care about that.” Mizuki snapped back at him, staring at the table. Prez didn’t look offended. “I’ll come.”

Huh? If you’re not worrying about that… Does he not like swimming?

[He’s insecure about his body you bloody idiot.]

...Aaaaah??

Wait wait wait, pop-up, come back here for a second! I saw that! Don’t think you can act all mechanical again when you clearly just snapped at me!

Anyway… isn’t that kinda ridiculous? Mizuki and insecure about his body? What kind of standard is that?

I postponed the issue until I got rid of everyone and could run off to my sister’s parttime job in a rather… eccentric maid cafe. As long as she liked it.

“Haru!” I barged in. The owner and staff all knew me and the customers didn’t care.

My sister, her hair styled in a ponytail and wearing a maid outfit, hopped over to me and gave me a hug.
“Riku! What are you up to?”

“Do you have a minute?” I probably sounded stressed out because the owner just waved at us to go. My sister giggled and talked to me quietly.

“I always have time for gay stuff.”
“...I already regret this.”
“Don’t be like that. You did come here for my great fujoshi abilities, right?”
“Ugh. I admit I came here because I wanted to ask you whether you might have an idea about something.”

She blinked at me and waited for me to continue.

“Uh, the system forced me to invite everyone out to the pool and Mizuki was hesitating. I was just thinking about why when the system threw a ‘He is insecure about his body’ at me.”
“Wait, the system commented on your thoughts?”
“Yep.”
“Creepy, but cool. But that’s for later. So what’s your question?”
“Do any of your several dozen yaoi stories you know give an idea as to why the fuck he would be insecure? That doesn’t strike me as something he’d be.”

She laughed quietly. “Riku, do you know how to judge a girl’s beauty by common male standard?”

I frowned and thought about it. “I guess? I mean, I know what my friends look for in a girl and I can appreciate beauties ad much as everyone else...”

“Then could you say what a lesbian would look for in a girl? Appearance-wise?”

That had me stumped but I could see where she was going. “You mean to say he’s not sure if he’d fit into what a gay guy might like? But isn’t that different for everyone?”

“It sure is, but tell that to a love-drunk brain. Don’t you worry that you’re not the common handsome standard?”

I… wanted to deny that but yeah, that’s exactly what I did. I kept my mouth shut.