"The content of Akame ga Kill is significantly more than Your Lie In April."
"They can't seriously expect me to finish drawing everything before unlocking the next part of the story, right?"
With that in mind, Akifumi had an idea.
Whether it would work or not was something only time would tell—after the game was made.
That was why, after completing the first volume of Akame ga Kill, he decided to dive into game development.
Your Lie In April could be brushed off with the excuse that it had been drawn in advance.
But if Akame ga Kill kept releasing volume after volume without pause, what would people think?
Wasn't it a little too blatant? Wouldn't anyone be suspicious?
Pushing aside those scattered thoughts, Akifumi let out a sigh.
"I really hope I'm right about this."
As long as he didn't have to deal with two long-term projects at the same time, he could maintain a high creative output.
———————————————————————
Morning passed in a blur.
Stretching lazily, Akifumi walked out of his workspace, only to see Eriri curled up with a pillow, fast asleep.
He couldn't help but smile.
Stepping closer, he looked at her peaceful sleeping face, his gaze softening.
"Why does she look so much cuter than usual when she's asleep?"
Just then, a silly smile appeared on Eriri's delicate face, as if she were dreaming about something amusing.
'So cute.'
It was like watching a small, goofy animal.
Unable to resist, Akifumi reached out and lightly poked her cheek.
Her skin was soft like a baby's.
Even though his touch was gentle, Eriri's smile faded slightly, her brow knitting in the slightest frown.
Then, she stirred.
Her eyes blinked open slowly, hazy with sleep. For a moment, she looked completely lost.
Her long lashes fluttered as her mind cleared.
And then her expression changed.
Realizing that Akifumi was barely inches away from her, her eyes widened in shock.
She instinctively shrank back against the sofa, trembling.
"W-what are you doing!?"
It wasn't hard to guess what had happened.
Before falling asleep, Eriri had probably been thinking about all sorts of… scenarios.
And now, freshly awake, her half-conscious mind must have assumed that those scenarios were about to become reality.
Flustered and frightened—but also, deep down, a little thrilled.
Akifumi gave her a deadpan look, as if she were an idiot.
Then, he reached out and touched her forehead.
He withdrew his hand and sighed. "You're not running a fever… so why are you acting so dumb?"
'Who says I'm not burning up!?'
She very nearly blurted it out.
But—
"Wait. Fever?"
Eriri blinked. Then, as if just realizing something, a faint pink spread across her cheeks.
"As if! It's not even cold outside!"
Akifumi shrugged. "Then I've got no idea what's wrong with you."
"Do you want anything for lunch?"
Hearing that, Eriri deflated.
She had expected… something else.
Now, disappointment settled in the pit of her stomach.
Listlessly, she mumbled, "No."
"Alright. I'll just order whatever, then."
He grabbed his phone and scrolled through his contact list, picking out a familiar takeout place.
Thanks to Mahiru, he rarely had the chance to order food delivery.
But every now and then, he would take the girls out to eat and treat them to a good meal.
This was one of those restaurants.
As Akifumi browsed the menu, Eriri bit her lip.
Her large, expressive eyes shone with frustration.
'There's not much time left!'
Mahiru had mentioned she would be back around 8 PM.
But the entire morning had already been wasted.
If she kept hesitating for the next few hours, even an extra day wouldn't be enough.
———————————————————————
"The reason you keep losing is because you never make a move first."
"You have such a perfect chance right now—are you really going to let it slip away?"
"If you just stand by and watch as they get closer and closer, one day..."
———————————————————————
Her mind flashed to Your Lie In April, where Arima and Kaori gradually grew closer, while childhood friend Tsubaki faded into the background.
Even so, when Tsubaki finally realized her feelings, she mustered the courage to confess.
'It's just a confession. What's there to be afraid of?'
'Do I like him?'
Yes.
Even knowing Mahiru existed—she still liked him.
'Could I walk away?'
The very thought made it hard to breathe.
Her chest tightened, suffocating with a heavy weight.
She took a deep breath.
Her eyes filled with determination.
She had never intended to back down.
So what was there to hesitate about?
"Mugiho."
Eriri's voice came from behind him just as he finished ordering.
He was about to turn around when—
A warm body suddenly hugged him from behind.
"Don't turn around. Okay?"
She was so close he could feel the rapid thudding of her heart against his back.
Like it was about to burst out of her chest.
Akifumi remained silent, unmoving.
Hearing no protest, Eriri let out a quiet breath, then spoke.
"When I first saw you… when you play with me since childhood… I knew."
"I still love you."
"I thought that as long as I stayed by your side, one day, it would happen naturally."
"But Tsubaki from your manga told me—it doesn't work like that."
"If I don't take action, the person I love will eventually leave."
"Losing to Mahiru doesn't make me angry. What makes me angry is myself—for being so stupid."
"For wasting such a perfect opportunity."
"It's dumb, isn't it?"
Akifumi let out a deep sigh.
Then, he nodded.
"Yeah. Super dumb."
The arms around him tightened.
"But not because you missed your chance."
"Huh?"
His unexpected answer made her freeze.
Taking advantage of the moment, Akifumi turned around.
Seeing her tear-streaked face, he reached out and wiped the wetness from her cheeks.
"Turn back around!"
Flustered, Eriri panicked.
Akifumi just smiled, gently cupping her face.
"You're dumb because you don't know me well enough."
"Even if you didn't make a move, I wouldn't have let you go."
"And even if you did make a move, I wouldn't let Mahiru go either."
"You understand, right?"
Her tears stilled.
Then, fresh ones welled up.
Red-eyed, she scowled at him. "Scumbag!"
Akifumi chuckled.
As if a single insult like that would bother him.
"Let me guess. You and Mahiru planned for you to confess right now, didn't you?"
A flicker of guilt flashed across Eriri's face before she quickly recovered.
"N-no! It was a spur-of-the-moment thing!"
As if he'd believe that.
"Plotting behind my back, huh? You two have some nerve."
His teasing gaze made her flinch, but she still puffed up her chest and glared back, as if daring him to try something.
Seeing her weak attempt at bravado, Akifumi smirked.
"Well, I'll deal with Mahiru when she gets back."
"But as for you—since you chose to confess now, I assume you've already prepared yourself, right?"
"P-prepared for what?"
Her voice wavered.
No matter how pure she pretended to be, as a doujin artist, she knew.
Seeing her feigned innocence, Akifumi said nothing.
Instead, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her towards his room.
"If you play with fire, you better be ready to get burned."
..............................
After they enter the room Akifumi drop her on his bed, Eriri's eyes flickered nervously, her hand tightening around the fabric of her pants.
She had started this—initiated everything—but now, as the moment was upon her, hesitation crept in.
She looked up at Akifumi, her voice soft and unsure.
"Mu-Mugiho, I'm not sure..." she murmured, as if questioning herself more than him.
He raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly.
"What's wrong?" His tone was steady, though a trace of concern flickered in his eyes.
Eriri bit her lip, the confusion evident in her gaze.
"Isn't this too early? Mahiru will be back in a bit"
Akifumi's lips curled into a faint smirk, a spark of amusement in his eyes.
"You started this, Eriri."
Her face flushed, her hands fidgeting in her lap. "That was… I just wanted to tell you how I feel. It's not like—"
"So, you don't want to do this?" Akifumi's voice was gentle but firm.
He needed to hear her answer, to know if she was truly ready. If not, he wouldn't push her.
Eriri flinched, her gaze darting away.
"This isn't about yes or no! Why now, though? You already have Mahiru."
"You don't need to know how I feel! It's pointless!" Her voice trembled, a mix of frustration and something deeper—perhaps fear.
Akifumi's expression softened. "Then why do you want to be with me?" he asked, his voice quiet but sincere.
"That's what I need to understand."
Eriri's breath hitched, her heart racing. "W-what do you mean?"
He let out a soft sigh, his tone thoughtful.
"From the moment we met, I felt like I had to protect you. At first, it was more like… wanting to look out for you. But over time, that feeling changed."
Eriri blinked, her pulse quickening. "Changed how?"
Akifumi's smile was warm, his eyes holding hers. "What do you think I mean? You asked. I'm giving you the answer. The rest is up to you to figure out."
The words hung in the air, and Eriri's mind raced to catch up.
"You mean… you've fallen for me?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Even though you already have Mahiru?"
Akifumi didn't flinch. Instead, he nodded slowly, his gaze steady.
"Does that surprise you?"
She glared at him, though there was no real heat in it.
"You scumbag," she muttered, raising a hand to playfully swat at his chest.
But before she could, Akifumi caught her wrist, his grip firm yet gentle.
"Hold on, Eriri," he said, his voice calm but teasing.
"You're the one who started this, remember?"
Her face flushed deeper, and she looked away.
"I just… I needed to know how you felt. That's all."
Akifumi's expression softened, his thumb brushing lightly over her wrist.
"And now you do. So, what's next?"
Eriri hesitated, her breath catching. "I… I don't know."
Her eyes meet with his and he began to lose himself in her gaze.
"Eriri...I love you"
"Nnh… "
Akifumi softly caress her lips. Reassured, she closes her eyes and the contours of a smile shape their kiss.