"I'm sorry, I'm not ready to go on a date yet..."
"I'm sorry, Kanade, I'm not thinking about falling in love right now..."
"Kanade, you're a good person..."
"…"
Natsukawa Kanade opened his eyes and stared at the familiar ceiling, saying nothing.
He'd had dreams like that countless times. At first, the faces of each girl who rejected him were vivid, distinct. But over time, they blurred. Not because he forgot, but because he grew numb. Repeating the same experience every day had anesthetized him.
Like eating bread every morning. If someone asked why, he wouldn't know what to say. It simply became an instinctive need.
"Today should be the last day... time flies..."
He sat up slowly, turned off the alarm that had been ringing for minutes, and began his routine: getting dressed, washing up. Outside, dawn was just breaking. A ray of light slipped through the curtains, casting a shadow on the sheets, as if frost had fallen inside the room.
It reminded him of a Tang dynasty poem. The image was the same, though here it was early morning, not dusk.
"I really want to go back..." he murmured.
But he didn't know how. Just as he didn't understand why he'd ended up in that world after falling asleep in class, he had no idea how to return to his own.
No guide, no mission, no purpose. As if a capricious god had thrown him there for fun.
At first, he thought he had a special task. He was a novel reader, after all. But over time, he understood: that world was nearly identical to his own. No villains, no tragedies to prevent. The only difference was that the two-dimensional girls who existed only in anime now walked before him as real people.
Yukinoshita Yukino, Shinomiya Kaguya, Kasumigaoka Utaha... one by one, his "wives" stepped out of the pages and began speaking to him.
Of course he was ecstatic. Who wouldn't be, seeing the girl they love come to life?
Naturally, Kanade made them his goal. His reason for being in that world.
He recalled the plots, drew up plans, approached them and made his moves.
To succeed, he abandoned his habits, his personality, and forced himself to act like the "ideal male protagonist." He learned cooking, music, tea ceremony, shared hobbies... he spent a third of his day perfecting himself.
At first, everything seemed to go well. The relationships deepened. He became a friend, a confidant, even someone close.
More than friends, less than lovers.
It seemed that with one final push, he'd achieve the love he'd always dreamed of.
But reality hit hard.
When he arranged the perfect date, hoping for a happy ending, he was rejected. With light words, vague reasons. He couldn't accept it. The closer he got, the further they pulled away.
What went wrong? Was it bad timing? Should he have waited longer?
It didn't matter. His first love was over.
But he didn't give up. He couldn't. There were more heroines. If one failed, he could try another.
He turned his regret into motivation and began his second attempt. Then the third. The fourth. The fifth...
Always the same pattern. Always the same ending: no.
It wasn't immediate rejection. It was worse. When the relationship grew close, when feelings warmed, he made his move... and then, the answer was no.
Ah... so that's how it was. He wasn't their protagonist.
No matter how well he imitated, how sincere his feelings were. The fake never replaces the real.
He didn't want to accept it. But the truth spread like a thick fog, covering his sky.
Luckily, all of that would end. Starting today, he'd be himself again. No more masks. No more borrowed personas.
…
"Good morning, Mr. President."
"Nice morning."
Seeing his classmates greet him in the hallway, Kanade felt a pang of emotion.
Student council president of Shuchiin Academy. A prestigious institution, from preschool to university, in Minato-ku, Tokyo. His future was bright.
Influential friendships, access to elite universities... everything was within reach.
Like food. Always available when he wanted it.
But none of that mattered to him. He ran for president for one reason only: to win over Kaguya Shinomiya.
Daughter of the Shinomiya Group, with assets worth 200 trillion yen. A versatile genius, brilliant at everything she does.
She was once the heroine Kanade dreamed of sharing his life with.
But she didn't see him the same way.
The real Kaguya was nothing like the image he had idealized. She never showed a hint of affection.
Not when she lost the grade bet, not when she joined the student council out of obligation. She was always impartial. Cold. Competitive.
Even if he gave up and confessed everything, she wouldn't return a warm glance. There would only be more confrontations.
He was tired. That's why today, he wanted to end it all.
His face showed no emotion, but his decision was firm.
He pushed open the student council room door. Everyone looked at him. And then, in a clear voice, he said:
"Shinomiya, you win. I lose."