Volume 13 Chapter 392 Sayamu Inko, The Real Otome (Death) Game Begins!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Today was the day. I finally cleared the Otome Game¹, and my reward? A real-life date with Aqua-kun. I stood in front of the mirror, restless and checking my outfit from every possible angle for the hundredth time.
”Can I really pull this off…?” I muttered.
To be honest, I’m a shut-in gamer. Fashion isn’t just a foreign language to me; it’s a dead one. That’s why I reached out to Iria, a fellow member of the Nightmare Generation² and a self-proclaimed style icon. She didn’t hesitate – she called in a personal shopper from the Shirogane Kingdom branch of Fuji Department Store immediately.
”Clearly, we’re going with the classic mellow frill blouse,” Iria said.
”Wait, a melon pudding brownie? Are we talking about food now?!” I asked.
Iria gave me a flat, judgmental look and handed me a blouse with ruffles on the shoulders.
Seriously? This thing looked like an oyster shell. Was this actually what girls were wearing these days? If I wore this to a dive bar back in Kansai, the old ladies would heckle me until I cried.
”Coat goes over this, skirt on the bottom. Here are the accessories,” Iria commanded. “I’ll handle the hair, so just sit down and get dressed.”
”Fine, fine,” I replied.
I felt like a total dress-up doll. I did exactly what Iria told me to.
Come to think of it, I never really played with dolls as a kid. I was always out with the neighborhood brats, playing ‘crying in the sandbox’ until I dragged a handful of dirt home. I remember my mom screaming at me, “Why are you bringing park dirt into my house?! Are you an idiot?!” Looking back, I guess I was already being groomed for the baseball club. A few years later, when I actually brought home ‘souvenir dirt’³ after a crushing loss, my mom just used it as fertilizer for her flower beds. Well, better for it to return to the earth than stay stuck in a bottle, I guess.
”Alright, it’s done. What do you think? I can swap the pattern if you hate it,” Iria said.
”Whoa…” I whispered.
I stared at the girl in the mirror. My long hair, usually just slapped into a messy ponytail, had been reborn into adorable braided pigtails.
”Actually, this is great. Thanks, Iria!”
”Don’t mention it. It’s a big date, so give it your all,” Iria said.
She gave me a firm push out the door. I’d been a nervous wreck while I was alone, but now I felt like I could actually do this. I hailed a taxi and headed for the Shibuya shopping complex.
”Deep breaths. Don’t freak out,” I told myself.
I practically bolted out of the cab and into the building.
Ninth floor… ninth floor… wait, no! This is the eighth!
I swear, I’m so impatient it’s a medical condition. I scrambled onto the escalator and finally made it to the ninth floor for real.
”This is it,” I whispered.
I reached the meeting spot just as the crowd filtered out of the event hall. It looked like the last group had just finished the trial run. I was early – classic me. I ducked against the wall to wait for the coast to clear when a staff member approached.
”Excuse me, but we’re closing for the day. If you’re waiting for a cancellation, you’ll have to try again tomorrow. Is that okay?” the staffer asked.
”Oh, uh, well…” I stammered.
How was I supposed to explain this? Just as I started to panic, I felt a light tap on my shoulder.
”Sorry. Did I keep you waiting?” a voice asked.
”A-Ak – “
Aqua-kun pressed his finger against my lips.
”Shh. We’re in a blind spot here. Nobody’s noticed us yet,” Aqua-kun said softly.
”Oh. Right,” I replied.
He pulled his finger away. My heart was thumping so hard I thought it would crack a rib. I’m sorry, Aqua-kun, but I might need a cardiologist before we even start the date.
”Wait… are you In – ” the staffer began, her eyes widening as she realized who I was. She clamped her hands over her mouth.
Thank god for Beryl staff. They’re way quicker on the uptake than my usual crew. My guys would’ve noticed and then started roasting me for clout.
”Sorry, we had a reservation. Were we too early?” Aqua-kun asked.
”Oh, no! Everyone else is gone, so it’s perfectly fine. This way, please,” the staffer said.
She led us through a staff corridor, past the dressing rooms, and right to the entrance behind the reception.
”Please, enjoy yourselves,” she said.
”Thanks. Sorry for the trouble,” Aqua-kun replied.
The girl waved her hands frantically, her face turning red.
”No, don’t worry about it! President Atori said she wanted the BERYL members to experience this. Kanon-san and the others actually snuck in on the first day pretending to be regulars!” she whispered.
Man, that’s some hardcore dedication. I can’t believe they actually won tickets in the general lottery. Talk about god-tier luck.
”Thanks a ton. And, uh, about me…” I said.
”I know, I know! It’s our secret. Don’t worry,” she replied.
She was an angel. I almost offered an autograph, then realized – who wants mine? Wait, she does? Fine, then! I’ll give her the sharpest, most elegant signature I’ve ever written!
”Oh, if you’re both signing, could you put them here?” she asked.
I looked at the board. It was covered in familiar names. Wait – is that Yukari’s signature?! That brat! She didn’t say a word about coming here! Fine, I’m signing right next to her.
”Oh, hey. Tenga-senpai, Shintaro, and Toa-kun’s signatures are here too,” Aqua-kun noted. “Man, was I really the last one? Everyone is so fast.”
But then, for some reason, Aqua-kun signed way off in the corner.
Does he really hate being near Yukari’s signature that much? I get it… she isn’t exactly ‘honest’ with her feelings, but Aqua-kun can be just as stubborn. Whatever. They’ve always been like that. If we tried to force them together, they’d just push back. They’ll figure it out eventually.
”Just let us know when you’re done!” the staffer called out.
”We will! Thank you!” I shouted back.
We waved goodbye. The second we were alone, the panic hit me again.
This was it. The ‘Doki-Doki System’⁴ from the games. It’s a total trash mechanic – if your heart rate hits the red zone, you pass out, get hauled away in an ambulance, and it’s Game Over!
”Well then, Inko-san… no. Sumire-san. Shall we?” Aqua-kun asked.
”A-Ah, yeah,” I replied.
My heart skipped a beat just hearing him use my real name. How long has it been since someone called me that?
Aqua-kun held out his hand. It was exactly like a CG from the game. I reached out and took it.
Wait… what is this? I’m spiraling just from touching him. The warmth, the skin, the feel of his hand… the games I play don’t have haptic feedback this good!
”Sumire-san… do you need a break?” Aqua-kun asked.
”Huh?”
He gave me a gentle smile. Seriously? That smile is a hundred times more effective than the 2D version! It was so bright I almost had to look away.
”We just got here. If you’re tired, I don’t want to push you,” he said.
”Aqua-kun…” I whispered.
What a saint. I wish I could show him to my Manager, who usually just drags me kicking and screaming to the studio. I shook my head.
”No, I’m fine. I’m just… a little nervous. And I guess I feel embarrassed being all dolled up like this…” I stammered.
I was mid-sentence when Aqua-kun leaned in close to my ear.
Stop! If he whispers like that, I’m going to lose my mind!
”You’re not the only one who’s nervous, Inko-san. See? My heart is racing because of how beautiful you look today,” Aqua-kun whispered.
He took my hand and pressed it against his chest.
Whoa, Aqua-kun! Stop! A guy shouldn’t let a girl touch him so easily! I can handle it, but a normal girl would be a puddle on the floor by now!
”Actually… my heart races whenever I’m around you, not just today,” he said.
I almost saw the pearly gates just now. I’m definitely overheating. I need to get this coat off.
”Uh, thanks, Aqua-kun. But really, I’m okay,” I said.
He beamed at me.
”Good. But tell me if you get tired, okay? No holding back,” he said.
”Y-Yeah,” I replied.
We walked into the event hall hand-in-hand. This is bad. My hands are getting sweaty. Calm down, sweat glands! Mission failure is not an option! I tried to shut it down with pure willpower. I did not want him thinking I was some sweaty-palmed weirdo.
”Whoa, there are a lot of rooms,” I noted.
”Looks like we have to register the number of people before we enter,” Aqua-kun said.
We shared a look, hit the button for ‘Two People,’ and stepped inside.
The room was blindingly white.
Wait… is this the afterlife? Did I actually drop dead in the middle of the date? Well, if this is the end, at least it was a hell of a ride.
”Sumire-san, it says to stand in the center,” Aqua-kun said.
”Oh… right. Got it,” I replied.
Guess I’m still kickin’ after all. My Ma always said I was too stubborn to die. I walked to the center of the room. Wait, why is Aqua-kun staying by the wall?
Oh, the trial is one person at a time? Gotcha.
I looked at the instructions on the screen:
[JOIN THE MEMBERS OF BERYL AND DANCE ON STAGE!]
A dancing game with the BERYL members? Now this looks like fun.
I bet the reason the surroundings are white is that the whole room acts as a projector for the live footage. After some light stretching and a deep breath, I set the difficulty to Hard and slammed the start button. Suddenly, a bird’s-eye view of the stadium seats flashed onto the white wall in front of me.
”Wait, why are there audience seats there-hold on, WHAT!?” I shouted.
Out of nowhere, Aqua appeared right next to me. And it wasn’t even the real him. It was a 3D-projected Aqua!! I glanced back to where the real Aqua was; he was standing behind me, cheering me on with everything he had.
”Sumi-no, wait, we’re going with Inko-san here! Get it, Inko-san! You’ve got this!” Aqua shouted.
Well, if it’s come to this, I’ve just gotta do it! Despite how I look, I’m still a Vtuber⁵-at least technically! I’m forced to do dance training all the time, so I’ve got enough confidence to think I can hold my own better than some amateur.
Or at least, that was the delusion I held for a brief moment.
”Wheeze… huff… gasp…”
No way. I totally underestimated this. This is legitimately brutal. Actually, I was an idiot for picking Hard mode while forgetting I was wearing a long skirt. And besides, the studio that made this game is the same one that made that Otome Game! You should’ve led with that!! Dammit, if I’d known those guys were behind this, I would’ve stuck to Easy mode. Because of them, I didn’t even have the brainpower to spare a glance at the BERYL members dancing around me.
”Sayamu-san, there’s a chair over there. Take five while I take my turn,” the real Aqua said.
”Yeah… thanks,” I replied, breathless.
I slumped into the chair behind us to catch my breath. Oh! Aqua, you’re going for Ultimate Hard? Good luck with that. Ultimate Hard is a Heaven’s Sword track, huh? That’s high-tempo-it’s gonna be a nightmare.
”Aqua-kun, do your beeeeest~!” I called out.
Within seconds of the song starting, Aqua absolutely schooled me. Those sharp turns, those gorgeous steps… that’s Aqua for you. From the tips of his toes to his very fingernails, every movement was art. And then, there was that face. Even while pulling off such an intense routine, his smile was fresh and vibrant. But just when I’d think that, he’d suddenly turn sharp and cool for the intense scenes. My heart was basically doing parkour the entire time I watched.
The real Aqua and the projected Aqua stood back-to-back. Incredible… it was a perfect mirror-match, synchronized down to the millimeter. What’s more, Aqua was performing the official choreography perfectly while horizontally flipped. I know from my own dancing, but trying to take a routine your body has memorized and suddenly flipping the directions… you’re bound to mess up somewhere. Yet, Aqua was pulling off a perfect Flawless Run. This isn’t just talent. I realized just how much he must practice every single day-the sheer effort he pours into this.
”Aqua-kun…” I whispered.
As I sat there, mesmerized by his dancing, Aqua gradually started closing the distance toward me. Wait, uh, hold on. If you come any closer, just your gaze alone is gonna send my heart rate red-lining straight into the Danger Zone!
Aqua performed a graceful pirouette right in front of me, stopping perfectly in sync with the final note of the song. Amazing. He’s practically not even out of breath. Both of them-the real and the fake-turned their gaze toward me.
”Sayamu-san, which did you like better? The real me, or the fake me?” Aqua asked.
”I mean… you don’t even have to ask,” I muttered.
My face went nuclear red right in front of him. Obviously, the real one was better. I wanted to say it, but I was so embarrassed the words just got stuck in my throat.
”Sayamu-san,” he said softly.
Ugh, don’t look at me with that sharp, handsome face that is exactly my type. I’m literally going to die of embarrassment!
”The… the real one was better,” I finally managed to say.
”Thank you,” Aqua replied with a grin.
I only said the obvious, but my face is so hot I’m dying.
”Sayamu-san, next up is the singing game,” he noted.
”Y-yeah. I’m actually pretty confident in my vocals. Leave it to me,” I said, trying to regain my composure.
I gripped the mic and did a duet of Hanabi with the 3D Aqua. Phew, I am so glad I swallowed my pride and dropped the difficulty to Normal. Also, to all the Ayana-chan fans nationwide: I am so, so sorry that I’m the one singing her part.
”Your singing voice was wonderful, Sayamu-san. Next time, let’s sing together for real,” the real Aqua said.
”Eeeh!? No way, I can’t! I mean, that’s way too embarrassing…” I stammered.
Aqua took both of my hands in his and stared straight into my eyes. This is bad. Aqua’s face is so unfairly attractive that my brain is just flatlining.
”It won’t be embarrassing if you’re with me,” he said.
”U-uh, yeah. I guess if that’s the case…”
If that’s the case? What am I even saying!? It’s embarrassing because I’m with you! Seriously… I’m so captivated by his stupidly handsome face that I’m just giving these brain-dead replies. You total moron! I wondered what kind of idiot would act like this and looked in the mirror, only to find it was totally my own face!!
”Hello, hello! I’m Inko Sayamu, the resident idiot of the Generation of Ruin⁶!!” Honestly, the only things bigger than the joke I’m making are these stupidly, needlessly huge tits!!
”Well then, it’s my turn for a duet. Sayamu-san, would you mind standing right here?” Aqua asked.
”Oh, uh, sure,” I agreed.
I stood exactly where Aqua told me to. Oh, the song is Otome-iro no Kokoro? I love this one. It’s a total banger! A classic! While I was standing there with a totally gormless, relaxed look on my face, the real Aqua and the fake Aqua flanked me on both sides and started singing. Wait, hold the phone!! My turn ended a second ago, didn’t it!? Why am I the only one stuck playing a brand-new survival game!?
Aqua reached out and gently lifted a strand of my hair. No-no-no-no-no! That’s cheating, Aqua! Then, he softly pressed a kiss into my hair.
”UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!” I screamed internally.
Aqua, stop! You can’t! Doing that is just gonna get your beautiful lips dirty from my hair!
I fought to keep my heart from exploding, standing there in “The Freeze”-totally motionless, not even breathing or blinking. Pant… pant… I thought I was actually going to die today. For a split second there, I swear I saw the face of my late great-grandmother beckoning me. I’m a survivor. For real.
”Sorry. I just didn’t want to lose to the fake me, so I played a little dirty,” Aqua said, winking at me and giving a little playful tongue poke.
I’m telling you, STOP. It’s a good thing I’m a girl with a shred of decency, because if it were most girls, they would’ve tackled you and started grinding right then and there!
”Ah, er, sorry. I need to… go strip-mine some flowers in the restroom.”
Strip-mine some flowers!? What am I even gonna do with “strip-mined” flowers!? I tried to be all ladylike and say I was going to “pick flowers,” but I ended up sounding like I was going on a horticultural rampage!!
”Sure thing. I’ll wait here. Oh, the restroom is right outside,” Aqua said.
”Got it. Thanks. I’ll be right back,” I replied, making a break for it.
I practically speed-walked into the restroom and slammed both hands onto the sink in front of the mirror.
”Huff, puff… Seriously, no matter how many lives I have, it won’t be enough.”
That’s when I realized the truth. This isn’t a “Maiden Game”-it’s a “Dying Game⁷.” The kind where you can’t get the Clear unless you die at least a dozen times. As I thought, a real-life Dating Sim is way more brutal than the games. But I can’t let myself lose here! No matter what, I’m gonna win this real-life Otome Game… this death game where my life is on the line! I did a quick touch-up on my makeup, hyped myself up one more time, and stepped out of the restroom.
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Summary:
Inko prepares for her reward date with Aqua-kun after clearing an otome game. After a fashion makeover from Iria, she meets Aqua-kun at a Shibuya event hall. They enter a high-tech ‘experience’ room that triggers Inko’s social anxiety and excitement, culminating in a VR-style dance event.
Inko and Aqua participate in a VR rhythm and dance game where Inko struggles physically while Aqua shows off his professional skills. The tension peaks during a duet when Aqua gets physically intimate by kissing Inko’s hair, sending her into a state of shock. Inko retreats to the restroom to recover, realizing that real-life romance is a high-stakes ‘death game’ far harder than any simulation.
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Trivia:
- Inko was in a baseball club and used to bring ‘souvenir dirt’ home.
- Other BERYL members (Kanon, Yukari) already visited the event in secret.
- Aqua-kun deliberately avoids signing near Yukari’s autograph.
- Inko’s real name is Sumire.
- The ‘Doki-Doki System’ is a recurring game mechanic Inko hates.
- The game was developed by the same studio that made the ‘Otome Game’ mentioned earlier in the story.
- Aqua performed the dance routine perfectly even while mirrored (horizontally flipped).
- Inko is part of a specific group called the ‘Generation of Ruin’ (Nightmare Generation).
- The song ‘Hanabi’ is a duet originally featuring a character named Ayana-chan.
- Inko’s internal monologue is much cruder and more frantic than her spoken dialogue
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Character Insight:
Inko shows extreme vulnerability regarding her ‘femininity’, feeling like an ‘oyster’ in frills, but finds genuine physical connection with Aqua-kun. Aqua-kun shows a more assertive side by initiating physical contact and using her real name.
Inko shows intense vulnerability and attraction to Aqua, struggling to maintain her ‘senpai’ or professional composure. Aqua demonstrates a competitive and slightly ‘sadistic’ or teasing side, explicitly using ‘dirty’ tactics like physical affection to outdo his own virtual projection and fluster Inko.
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Behind the Scenes:
The ‘mellow frill blouse’ (merō furiru) is a common J-fashion term often associated with ‘量産型’ (ryousangata) or mass-produced girly styles popular in Shibuya/Harajuku.
The author uses heavy Kansai-ben for Inko to emphasize her comedic ‘tsukkomi’ (straight man) role, even though she is the one suffering. The ‘flower picking’ joke is a staple of Japanese ‘ojou-sama’ tropes used ironically here.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Inko – Vtuber from ‘Generation of Ruin’ (Nightmare Generation)—Beryl’s shut-in gamer idol with self-deprecating high-energy personality, stupidly huge tits, long skirt, and hair transformed into braided pigtails for the date. Former baseball club member in youth. Usually messy long haired ponytail.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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