Heartbeats and Illusions

"Sorry, I'm not ready to date yet..."

"I'm sorry, Natsukawa, I don't have any thoughts about falling in love at the moment..."

"Natsukawa, you're a good person..."

"..."

Natsukawa Kanade opened his eyes, staring at the familiar ceiling in silence.

He had dreamed this countless times. At first, the faces of the girls rejecting him were vivid and distinct, but over time, they blurred into faceless shadows.

Was it because he couldn't let go? No, it wasn't that. He had just grown numb, repeating the same painful experience every day.

It was like eating the same bread every morning—a habit ingrained so deeply that if asked why, he wouldn't have an answer. It was just... instinct.

"Today's the last day. Time flies so fast..."

Shaking off the lingering fog of sleep, Natsukawa turned off the alarm clock blaring at his bedside. He got up and began his routine of dressing and washing up.

Outside, the first light of dawn crept into the room through the curtains, casting a frosty glow on the bedsheets.

It reminded him of a line from a famous poem—a fleeting, melancholy sentiment about time slipping away, except this was morning, not dusk.

"I want to go back..." Natsukawa murmured to himself.

But just as he didn't know how he ended up here after dozing off during class one day, he also had no clue how to return to his original world.

No divine intervention, no mysterious guidance, no grand mission. It was as if some capricious god had played a joke, sending him to this unfamiliar place without rhyme or reason.

Initially, he'd entertained the fantasy of being sent here for a purpose. After all, he was an avid reader of light novels. Perhaps he had a role to fulfill, a mission to complete?

But reality proved otherwise.

This world was eerily similar to his own. There were no apocalyptic villains to defeat, no crises to avert. The only "special" thing about it was the existence of two-dimensional girls—characters from his favorite anime—walking, talking, and existing as real people.

Yukinoshita Yukino, Shinomiya Kaguya, Kasumigaoka Utaha... His "waifus," come to life.

Of course, at first, he was ecstatic.

Who wouldn't want their dream girl to appear in front of them, especially when they were someone you thought could never exist?

Naturally, Natsukawa Kanade made them his reason for living in this new world.

He recalled their stories, crafted meticulous plans, and worked tirelessly to approach them, imagining himself as the protagonist of his own romantic saga.

To achieve this, he abandoned his old self, forcing himself to adopt traits and habits he thought would appeal to these girls.

Cooking, music, tea ceremony, shared hobbies—he poured a third of his daily life into mastering these skills, preparing for the perfect moments with them.

At first, things seemed promising. Just as he'd planned, he grew closer to them. They became his friends, confidants—even close companions.

More than friends, but not yet lovers.

It always seemed as though he was just one step away. He could almost touch his dream, the romance he had yearned for.

But then, the same cruel reality struck.

When he finally gathered his courage to confess, he was met with rejection—harsh, simple words that shattered his hopes.

The reasons? They were always vague and unconvincing. But no matter how hard he tried to hold on, he found himself pushed further away.

What was he doing wrong?

Was it the timing? Should he have waited longer, nurtured the relationships more carefully?

Whatever the reason, his first attempt at love ended in failure.

But he refused to give up.

There were still more "heroines" in this world. If one romance failed, why not try another?

Fueled by determination, he moved on to the next, pouring even more effort into crafting a perfect courtship.

And yet...

Rejection again.

And again.

And again.

No matter how many times he tried, the result was always the same: No.

It wasn't immediate. Each time, he thought he was making progress, growing closer to success. But when he made his move, the door slammed shut in his face.

Eventually, he realized the bitter truth.

He wasn't their protagonist.

No matter how perfectly he imitated the heroes from their stories, no matter how genuine his feelings were, a counterfeit could never replace the original.

The truth loomed over him like a dark cloud, swallowing his optimism and casting a shadow over his world.

But today, it would end.

No more imitations. From now on, he would be himself.

"Good morning, President."

"Morning."

As classmates greeted him in the corridor, Natsukawa felt a wave of mixed emotions.

The student council president of Shuchiin Academy—an elite institution in Minato-ku, Tokyo, with students spanning from kindergarten to university.

As president of such a prestigious school, his future was practically guaranteed. Connections to the powerful, admission to world-renowned universities—anything he wanted was within reach.

But none of it mattered to him.

The only reason he'd run for student council president was for her: Kaguya Shinomiya.

The brilliant, multi-talented daughter of the Shinomiya family—a group with assets totaling over 200 trillion yen.

To Natsukawa, she was perfection incarnate. She had once been the heroine he thought he could share his life with.

But she never saw him that way.

Far from the kind, gentle image he'd imagined, the Kaguya Shinomiya of this world was cold and distant.

Her every interaction with him was rooted in rivalry, not affection. Whether competing over grades or fulfilling her obligation to work in the student council, she showed no warmth toward him.

Even when he confessed everything, hoping to bridge the gap, she met him with unyielding indifference.

He was tired.

And today, he would finally put an end to it.

Determined, Natsukawa entered the student council room. The familiar faces turned to look at him, but his focus was on one person.

With a steady voice, he spoke.

"Shinomiya, you win. I lose."