Chapter 1

>Tomoya confesses

>Megumi dodges answering directly in her usual flat tone

>disheartened and embarrassed, he says he thought he had a chance

>she asks what he thought his chances were, and he says 50-50

>she asks why he thought that when just a while ago he betrayed her and made her cry

>Tomoya says that her coming back to see him even after all that was what convinced him

>Megumi wavers and doesn’t have a good answer, and he goes on to show how she’s been holding his hand so hard there are marks from her fingernails

>Megumi quickly lets go of his hand and denies doing that, but Tomoya is stubborn and asks for an answer to his confession

>she says that she’s already made up her answer but doesn’t know about the timing since just going straight home after it would be lame and not suit the atmosphere

>Megumi suggests staying over at his house and continuing the conversation there

>they make up excuses to their parents for Megumi to stay over and get their permission, though none of their parents are very convinced by their excuses

>after taking a shower and brushing their teeth, Megumi tries to start off their conversation from where they left off, telling him there are things she wants to make sure of

>exasperated and embarrassed, Tomoya just tells her he loves her and tries to cut off the conversation to go to sleep, but Megumi won’t let him do so until she’s gotten answers

>she holds his hand hard and asks him what he thinks of Eriri and Utaha

>he says that he likes them, as creators he respects, friends to chase their dreams together, and as girls he will never reach

>internally, he monologues that he doesn’t want to be in a relationship where he feels inferior and be the one to break them, thinking about how his complex, cowardice, and feelings like that have always been swirling inside him

>Megumi says that Utaha will understand this but not accept it and that Eriri won’t even understand

>she tells him that he has to properly talk with Eriri and sets the time limit to within this year

>Megumi is satisfied with his answers on how he feels towards the two

>Tomoya says that he wasn’t scared of Megumi and felt that no matter how much he made her mad, if he just kept working at it, things would work out somehow

>he says that because of that, Megumi is the only one he can confess to

>Megumi points out that it looks like she was the only option from the beginning

>Tomoya just affirms it, saying that by process of elimination, he chose her as his most precious girl

>Megumi is silent for a while and just pinches his cheek during that time

>she asks him if he thinks there is any girl who would be happy hearing that

>he replies probably not, but Megumi would forgive him anyway

>she says that she’s lost the desire to seriously, but their faces have moved to about three centimeters apart and they can feel each other’s breath

>she remarks that at this point there’s no point in even answering, but Tomoya says he still wants to hear her reply

>they put their foreheads together

>she points out that if she didn’t want to be here, she would’ve just left

>Tomoya keeps asking for her answer

>she wonders out loud if she’s the type of girl who would just accept a confession from someone if they just repeated it enough and got bothersome

>he asks Megumi if that’s her answer and that he’ll believe it at that rate

>she tells him to do whatever he wants

>while they were talking, they accidentally brush their lips together

>Megumi says it doesn’t count and that it has to be at least three seconds

>she tells him to challenge again

>he keeps saying “I love you” to Megumi

>she keeps denying it saying things like “I don’t care” and “nope”

>he asks how many times he has to do this before she says OK

>she tells him the counter just got reset since he stopped confessing

>some time later, he’s still saying “I love you”

>she asks him if he’s gotten tired yet

>he tries to tell her off but cuts off mid-sentence to say “I love you” so the counter doesn’t get reset

>she remarks that he hasn’t even grown any facial hair yet

>Tomoya asks why she’s asking that now only to realize the counter got reset

>it’s gotten completely dark and they can’t see each other anymore, and the only reason Megumi could tell he had no facial hair was because the area above her lip was touching that area

>more time passes, he’s still saying “I love you”

>Megumi finally gets tired of it and says, “I love you”

>they kiss, Tomoya counts in his head one, two, three seconds but forgets to stop and they continue for at least thirty seconds

>they go to sleep (it’s explicitly described they didn’t have sex that night from Tomoya’s own cowardice)

>Megumi leaves to get ready for school in the morning, but before leaving they kiss twice, first from Tomoya, then from Megumi

Chapter 2

>the circle gets together for one last spurt to finish the game

>Megumi says Meguri 27 is absolutely no good though everyone else there thinks it’s good, but Megumi refuses to explain

>they ask Iori on Skype what’s wrong with the scenario, with Megumi away at the kitchen making food and talking using a webcam

>Iori agrees that the scenario is bad, saying the main heroine is too selfish and arrogant and that no one would like such a land mine

>he says that the protagonist must be a huge M to put up with her

>Megumi is furious and starts chopping things with a kitchen knife so hard they can’t hear what she’s grumbling about

>later, they call Utaha over, and she says the scenario is bad because it’s too bland and not memorable

>she suggests having him meet another heroine again and for the epilogue to devolve into a love triangle

>Megumi says she doesn’t want any conflict in the epilogue, and in reference to GS3 Utaha replies that whatever happens in the story is up to the story’s god (creator)

>Megumi asks her who she thinks she is to go against what that god has written, and Utaha compares herself to a devil who could lead him astray

>things are tense between the two, and when Tomoya asks Izumi and Michiru for what happened between them they can only awkwardly say, “well, that happened...” referencing GS3

>next scene, Izumi has decided that she needs seven pages of art for the game

>Tomoya and Megumi are against it, saying she doesn’t have enough time, but Izumi won’t concede

>they call Eriri over to convince her, but Izumi only gets more fired up

>they wind up going with Eriri helping Izumi out on the parts where the artist’s individuality doesn’t really show

>later, Tomoya is chatting with Iori

>Megumi shows up and complains that Iori isn’t doing anything

>Tomoya tries to defend him since Iori had actually done a lot of marketing for the game, but before he can really say anything, Iori teases Megumi in how she’s totally got the mannerisms of a young wife down

>this infuriates her and she dashes to the kitchen, where she starts doing really loud dishwashing

>Iori tells Tomoya not to defend him in front of her since Tomoya is Megumi’s boyfriend now

>he then tells him that he has to come out with it to everyone

>Tomoya says he’s scared it’ll cause strain on the circle’s relationships, but Iori replies that romance only damages these things when there’s cheating and scandal, making Tomoya wonder just what Iori has seen in the circles he’s been in

>it’s six in the morning in the next scene, and Michiru jumps out of the shower onto Tomoya as he’s asleep because she’s so happy that she’s finished the songs for the game

>Iori bails out and it winds up being Megumi who pulls Michiru off him, who does it while glaring at Tomoya

>later after everything is sorted out, Michiru plays the songs she’s come up with, and Tomoya is in tears at the end from how it’s inspired from previous songs and perfectly sums up the route

>Megumi lowers her head in a way that no one can see her expression, and her shoulders are shaking

>inspired by Michiru’s music, Izumi finishes the roughs for her drawings, and amazed, Eriri remarks she won’t be able to keep up

>later, Tomoya and Megumi are doing their work, with the scenarios split so that Megumi has the main heroine’s route and he has the rest

>Megumi is totally red from reading the lines, and Tomoya realizes that they are totally alone in the room

>the scene ends with none of them doing anything more than holding hands

Chapter 3

>it’s winter comiket

>they sell out

Chapter 4

>they hold a party for their success

>they check online for references to their game

>good reception for art, mixed reception for the writing

>Tomoya walks Eriri home

>they reflect on the past year

>Eriri says she’s scared of Izumi’s talent

>before, she thought she had to give something up to grow, but she sees Izumi grow so fast without giving anything up at all

>Tomoya just says she should be glad she has such a great rival

>they walk a bit more, and Tomoya suddenly starts apologizing

>Eriri is confused on what he’s apologizing from how much wrong he’s done recently, but he clarifies that he’s apologizing for things way past

>he says sorry for not being able to be her rival, for becoming jealous and giving up, and for failing as a best friend and being too focused on being an otaku

>Eriri tells him to stop, but he goes on and apologizes for blaming everything on her

>he says he was a cowardly, horrible person then

>Eriri replies that she was too, but Tomoya replies that had he worked harder, things should’ve worked out

>he thanks her for becoming his friend again and joining his circle

>Tomoya was crying throughout but looks refreshed in the end, Eriri has a pained look

>some time passes and they talk about their future

>Eriri has a new LN to draw for and some more work for Fields Chronicle and that she’ll have more fun drawing from now on

>Tomoya hasn’t really thought about the future except that he’ll go in the same direction as Eriri

>Eriri asks him if he’ll be doing these future things with Megumi

>he’s surprised and stuttering, bu before he can properly respond, Eriri tells him she gets it and he doesn’t need to explain anything

>she tells him “Happy New Year” and asks if he liked her ten years ago

>Tomoya starts crying and though the words “like I care!” go through his head, he fails to say anything

>Eriri smiles and remarks that he’s stubborn

>she disappears into her house

Chapter 5

>Tomoya walks back to his house and sees Utaha

>she asks if he wants to talk about what’s wrong, but he refuses

>he says there’s something he has to report to her, but she says he doesn’t need to say it

>she tells him she’s fought plenty with Megumi and she’s emphasized to Utaha to never get close to him again

>he says that he has to say it anyway, even though he sees how she’s joking to avoid progressing the conversation

>when she asks him if it’s because she was his first, he says yes, and in his head he monologues that she was the first girl to treat him as a boy

>Tomoya says he’s going out with Megumi

>Utaha laments her failed love and how she’s suffered from it

>he tells her that he’ll continue to be Utaha’s fan and follow her as long as she keeps the quality of her work

>she asks him if he loved heroine

>Tomoya is surprised, but before he can answer she tells him she doesn’t need one

>she says that Tomoya loved her and still does because she and Kasumi Utako are the same person

Chapter 6: Girls Side 3.5

>Megumi and Eriri are in the bath together

>Megumi tells Eriri that she likes her and that if Eriri won’t forgive her, she’ll accept it

>she says that she wanted to support Eriri, but at some point she wound up competing against her

>Eriri says that’s not true because Megumi had been serious from the start, and Megumi realizes Eriri overheard her on the train

>Megumi says that at that point her feelings were 50-50 and that she felt if Eriri would be sad, she wouldn’t make a move

>Eriri points out that Megumi just implied that currently, she doesn’t care if she’s sad from Tomoya being taken, and Megumi affirms it

>they’re having a water fight now

>Eriri says that it’s not Megumi’s fault and everything is on her for things not working out with Tomoya

>Eriri puts her forehead on Megumi’s

>she again says that Megumi had nothing to do with it

>Megumi asks if she’s implying that no matter what she did or felt, had Eriri stayed strong, she wouldn’t have gotten together with Tomoya, and is unwilling to concede that point

>exasperated, Eriri tells Megumi she’s stubborn and that she should let her be a sore loser

>she asks Megumi if she wants to be forgiven, to which she says that she really doesn’t know

>Eriri tells her to make up her mind

>some time passes, they’re now relaxing in the bathtub

>Eriri asks Megumi if she can swear she’ll always be with Tomoya

>she replies that she doesn’t know, and Eriri asks if she’s serious about the relationship

>Megumi wonders aloud if Tomoya is even that great of a guy to be worth fighting so much over

>Eriri says she has no idea what Megumi feels because even though she says Tomoya isn’t that great, she wants to make it so that it looks like she’s the one who chose him and is unwilling to concede anything about him

>Megumi again says she’s unsure

>she points out how she said feelings keep changing in GS2 but goes on to say that if she really has become a main heroine, she should be able to always love the protagonist

>Eriri asks if this is all dependent on the protagonist and if as long as the protagonist treats her as a main heroine, she’ll keep loving him, to which Megumi agrees

>Eriri takes one last glare at Megumi and lets out a breath before sinking her head below the water

>even though she can’t see Eriri’s face, Megumi looks up so she doesn’t imagine how she looks right now

Chapter 7

>Megumi meets Tomoya outside

>they start walking back while holding hands

>she asks him what he’ll do in the future and tells him she needs him to become someone great

>she asks, “aren’t we going to do another celebration party? One like today’s, with everyone gathered around?”

>he says that they will and promises to give his best

>Megumi puts her head next to his

>the New Year’s Eve bell rings

>they remark that it’s like a cliché situation for a galge

>Megumi suggests hurrying up and returning to where everyone else is

>Tomoya seems a bit disappointed the cliché situation won’t last

>what goes on in the next three seconds isn’t explicitly described (heavily implied to be a kiss from Megumi)

>Megumi then asks him if they should buy some mentsuyu before heading back, Tomoya complains that she switches moods way too fast

>they return to his house to find all the other girls drunk from eating chocolate with alcohol

>Eriri and Utaha are sobbing over their failed loves and try to make moves on him

Epilogue

>Tomoya has failed all of his college entrance exams

>Michiru didn’t go to college either and asks him if he wants to be Icy Tail’s manager

>he refuses

>Machida invites him over and offers him a position at the publishing company

>he refuses

>Tomoya goes over to see Akane and sign some papers

>just before he gives the signature he realizes he’s being paid a huge amount of money and tells her he can’t accept this much

>the money offered is reduced and he tries to sign again before realizing these papers also involved employment and Akane was trying to hire him

>he refuses

>lastly Akane offers her impressions of his game, that while the music and art was good, the scenario sucked, but the main heroine was extraordinarily cute and that she is something only he can write

>later, Tomoya is at a cafe with Megumi

>he’s angry she’s gone off to be a college student without him and asks her how she got in

>she explains that she got in through a recommendation, and Tomoya is angry she didn’t tell him about it

>Megumi says she planned to tell him about it in September, but then the events of V12 happened, and Tomoya quickly shuts up about it

>she asks him if he’s just playing dumb since normally, he’d just go off and make these important decisions without any consulting (internally Tomoya monologues that he wouldn’t since he’s too terrified of what would happen if he did)

>she pinches his hand before gently holding it and says that Tomoya just wants his girlfriend or rather, his main heroine, to comfort him

What she says to him

“The reasons I chose my future myself...was because I thought I couldn’t follow you.”

Going low in the beginning is how a main heroine usually operates.

If you do this, the reversal is far more effective.

“Even now, I can’t follow you. Diagonal, backwards, no matter where you go, you think you’re going forward.”

She can keep going low because of her confidence as the main heroine.

Because she believes that this reversal from tsun to dere, cool to dere will be very charming.

“So I chose not to follow.”

...there’s going to be a reversal, right?

She’ll turn dere, right?”

“After all, I have no idea where you’re going.”

Hey, wait…

“...which is why I decided that no matter you go, no matter where I am, as long as nothing changes, that’s fine.”

…

“Wherever you aim for or how things turn out, I...well, maybe not physically, but I’ll be there, together with you. I’ll accept whatever path you take.”

It’s here, it’s here…

“For that, I chose to be flat. I decided to stay flat and unchanging, no matter what happens. I decided that no matter where you flew off to, I’d be there, with the same feelings I have now.”

“...I decided to keep loving you.”

“How was it? Was I able to be the main heroine you wished for?”

“Was I able to be a main heroine not for a bunch of users, but a main heroine just for you…?”

>Tomoya is speechless, his mind had gone blank midway from how moe she was

>he says that he’s decided to keep trying to become a creator and first he’ll try to enter Fushikawa University and continue the circle

>Megumi tells Iori and Izumi that Tomoya has decided to continue

>he turns around and realizes they were behind them and listening the whole time and gets very embarrassed

>Megumi had brought them there just in case Tomoya didn’t decide to continue the circle and they needed to keep him down

>he notices that that Megumi has been calling Iori “Hashima-kun” for some time and that Izumi’s attitude towards Megumi is becoming increasingly cynical

>Tomoya and Megumi are walking back

>he’s silent and Megumi thinks he’s mad about how he got set up

>she gets sad and her walking gets slower, but it turns out he was busy thinking about what to write for the circle’s third work

Last lines of the noval

“H-hey, Megumi...isn’t our rating going to change in a few hours?”

“...I get it, I get it, you don’t need to go out of your way to make sure.”

“D-didn’t need to...uh...”