[FFML] [orig] Keit-AI! Tomoyuki x Seiko Chapter 3: Where Do We Go From Here?

[Matt Knudsen]

Huzzah!  Another fantastic and fascinating installment!  I loved the little nod when Yamamoto claimed he be able to spot a love interest because real-life wasn't a manga or anime, dammit.  So far I'm enjoying all the dialogue and all the twists and turns, and I'm eagerly waiting for more!  Thanks for writing, and keep up the good work!

~ Matt "Tannim Murphy" Knudsen

> On Sep 6, 2014, at 10:13 AM, Abdiel <chester.castaneda at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Last time on "Keit-Ai! Tomoyuki x Seiko"...
> 
> Tomoyuki Yamamoto got the cell phone number of his crush, Seiko Okamoto,
> and they confessed each other's love on the phone. However, it turned
> out that the number wasn't from her but from an alternate universe
> version of her.
> 
> From there, Alternate Universe (AU) Seiko gave Tomoyuki a piece of her
> mind after realizing he wasn't the Tomoyuki she was pining for, unaware
> of the fact that she was calling the alternate universe version of her
> own crush.
> 
> "How do you know so much about Yamamoto-kun? How do you know so much
> about _me_? Are you his cousin or estranged twin or something? How dare
> you play with the feelings of a pure maiden like that!" ranted Seiko.
> 
> "If you would just listen..." pleaded Tomoyuki.
> 
> "NO! YOU LISTEN, BUSTER! I believed that you were Yamamoto-kun, and you
> _lied_ to me! If I ever see you face-to-face, I will rip your lying lips
> right off your mouth! I have half the mind to block this number from my
> cell altogether!"
> 
> She wouldn't listen. If he were in her shoes, he probably wouldn't
> listen either. The idea of two people from alternate universes talking
> to one another was in and of itself insane. He didn't quite believe in
> the theory either, and the person who suggested it, Machida, thought he
> was making a sci-fi love story about it.
> 
> But he had to try, because if the AU Seiko were to cut communications
> with him forever, the real Seiko would forever be out of his grasp. She
> was the one Seiko Okamoto... the one girl, in fact... who actually
> returned his feelings for her, however brief it was.
> 
> That was what prompted him to talk over Okamoto and say, "What if I told
> you I'm the real Yamamoto Tomoyuki? What if I told you that you weren't
> mistaken at all?"
> 
> "Oh, give it a rest already! I'm looking at the real Yamamoto Tomoyuki
> right this instant, and he's not holding a cell phone. You really must
> have some nerve to think I'd still fall for your cockamamie...!"
> 
> "No, not that Yamamoto Tomoyuki. I'm a Yamamoto Tomoyuki of another
> universe. From an alternate reality that's just like yours, but
> different."
> 
> "...I'm hanging up. Never call me again. I'm blocking your phone
> number."
> 
> "WAIT! Can you really risk cutting off your one chance of winning over
> the Yamamoto of your universe?" Tomoyuki asked, and for the longest
> time, Seiko didn't answer.
> 
> She then hung up on him.
> 
> 
> ========================================================================
> 
> 
> Keit-AI! Tomoyuki x Seiko
> An Anime-Inspired Original Story from 4chan's /a/ Board
> By Abdiel
> Original Idea by Hataki
> http://www.fictionpress.com/s/3206139/
> 
> What would you do if your crush who confessed his or her love to you is
> instead the alternate universe version of the person you're infatuated
> with?
> 
> 
> ========================================================================
> 
> Chapter 3: Where Do We Go From Here?
> 
> ========================================================================
> 
> 
> Tomoyuki's cell phone clattered on the pavement after it slipped from
> his trembling grasp. It was still functional afterwards, but he didn't
> really care at that point.
> 
> She hung up on him. AU Seiko hung up on him. She didn't believe him.
> Well, he didn't totally believe the explanation he gave to her either,
> but... Ah, who was he kidding? Who could blame her for thinking that he
> was lying or crazy?
> 
> The whole thing was too ridiculous to believe. The more he thought about
> it, the less sense it made. How much money did interdimensional calls
> cost anyway? How was it possible to call from dimension to dimension?
> 
> Were aliens responsible for this? Did Doraemon, the futuristic robot cat
> of Nobita, secretly hand Yamamoto a transdimensional phone that allowed
> communication from across dimensions?
> 
> Could it be that he believed the story too easily because he wanted it
> to be true so badly, he'd accept any explanation for what had happened
> between him and "AU" Seiko, no matter how farfetched it was?
> 
> Anyway, it was over. The only version of Seiko who was actually in love
> with him had essentially dumped him, just like the Seiko of his
> universe. He might as well delete that number of hers from his contact
> list, because he was never, ever going to hear from her again.
> 
> The real Seiko had friendzoned him, thinking that Miku Machida, the
> Class Rep and his next-door neighbor, was in love with him, unaware that
> Miku herself had given him the Friend Zone Speech too.
> 
> Okamoto was probably in love with her fellow former Hiroshima resident
> and childhood friend Kazuhito Sugata, who himself was showing some
> romantic interest (probably) for Machida instead.
> 
> And now AU Okamoto had broken all ties with him by hanging up and
> blocking his number. He really was going to end up forever alone. He'd
> never get laid within his lifetime. No wonder he was called the Cherry
> Boy of Section 2B.
> 
> He might as well become like those creepy otaku virgins Machida told him
> about that lurked in message boards and had life-sized pillows with the
> images of sexy female anime characters emblazoned on them.
> 
> At times, those losers (Did he have the _right_ to call them that,
> though?) even "married" the fictional "2D" characters they saw from
> anime, calling them their "waifu".
> 
> Even fujoshi like Machida didn't want anything to do with those sad,
> pathetic individuals, and that was saying _a lot_. On the other hand,
> the Class Rep herself had mentioned time and again her love for 2D too,
> so she might not be any better than those lonely nerds.
> 
> Maybe getting a "waifu" was the best course of action for Yamamoto.
> After all, a 2D wife would never judge him, misunderstand him, or betray
> him. Could a fictional character love him back like a real girl, though?
> Or was he essentially indulging in another form of masturbation?
> 
> Afterwards, the phone chimed. He answered it, but no one answered back.
> He looked at his cell phone and slapped his forehead. It was a text
> message
> 
> After deciding to finally change his ring tone so that it'd sound
> different from the music it made when he got mail, he went into his
> inbox to see who had mailed him, his chest pounding as he sweated
> bullets.
> 
> "Let's say what you're saying is true. What now? Where do we go from
> here?" AU Seiko texted him.
> 
> He hadn't really thought about that.
> 
> Lunch break came and went. The next subject was Physics, and Class 2B
> was assigned to do some lab work. Naturally, he was again partnered with
> Machida, as usual. At any rate, he still didn't know how to answer AU
> Seiko's challenge.
> 
> "How's your story going, Yamamoto-kun?" whispered the bespectacled
> Machida. "You know, the one about transdimensional lovers."
> 
> Great timing. Yesterday, he and Miku discussed what was going on with
> him and this other Seiko, and the Class Rep thought he was talking about
> some sort of story idea or screenplay. Maybe he could get answers from a
> writer's or a woman's perspective.
> 
> "I'm at the part where AU Okamoto called me back, but she's really angry
> because she found out that I'm not the Tomoyuki from her universe. Also,
> she still has no idea about the alternate universe thing," he began.
> 
> After she heard the whole story, the Class Rep crossed her arms and
> nodded. "Interesting. She doesn't believe that you're actually the AU
> version of the Yamamoto-kun she knows, and you have a hard time proving
> that fact. Nevertheless, she still gave you a bone and asked where you
> two should go from here."
> 
> "What do you think?" asked Tomoyuki as he helped Miku set up the light
> box they were making to find out about refraction or something. "I mean,
> she's not the real Okamoto, so what's the point of talking to her? If
> she's from another dimension, I won't be able to meet with her. Having a
> relationship with an AU Okamoto is painful; it's like having a long-
> distance relationship or marrying one of those "2D waifu" you've talked
> to me about."
> 
> "Can't talk right now. Box on my head," said the Class Rep.
> 
> "Er, we're supposed to wear that inside the dark room, or else it
> wouldn't work," reminded Yamamoto while wiping the chagrined bead of
> sweat on his forehead.
> 
> "Oh, right. Well, the answer to your plot-related problems should be
> obvious! You can help each other win over the affections of your AU
> selves."
> 
> "...What? Come again?"
> 
> "Think about it. Even though AU Yamamoto-kun is a bit different from
> you, you still have a lot of things in common too, right? AU Seiko-chan
> can help you out with your hopeless love with the Seiko-chan of your
> universe... and vice-versa with her hopeless love with the Yamamoto-kun
> of her universe! It's the classic matchmaking story!"
> 
> "You're absolutely right," said the mind-blown Yamamoto as he used the
> table to steady himself. "That's brilliant. As expected of our Class
> Rep."
> 
> "Hey, if you're going to keep asking me these questions, you might as
> well give me co-writing credit for your story," said Miku while nudging
> Tomoyuki's ribs.
> 
> "Fine, fine. Anything you want! I could even kiss you right now!"
> 
> "...."
> 
> "...Uh, metaphorically speaking," he appended as he averted Machida's
> gaze. Well, _that_ was awkward. As he scanned the room, he chanced upon
> the eyeballs of another lab pair... a glaring Sugata and a beaming
> Okamoto.
> 
> Seiko... the Seiko of his universe... winked and gave him a thumb's up
> sign. Tomoyuki felt his heart twinge and ache; Okamoto's support to his
> nonexistent romance with Machida was like a pinprick to his soul.
> 
> A little after Physics Class, when their experiment was over (Yamamoto
> and his partner had the highest grade because, as usual, the Class Rep
> was brilliant with such things, despite her absentmindedness at times),
> his messages to AU Seiko came pouring in.
> 
> "I've been thinking about it all day. If you're the alternate universe
> version of Okamoto, then what's the point of calling you?" was one such
> message.
> 
> "Even though you're in love with me, you're still not the Okamoto that I
> can actually interact with," was another message.
> 
> "In turn, you can't interact with me either. We might as well not exist.
> We only know each other through text and voice," was yet another
> message.
> 
> "The only way our relationship can work is if we can make our other
> selves fall in love with us. What do you say?" he propositioned.
> 
> "Think about it. I know your crush better than anyone else in your
> world. You know my crush better than anyone else in my world too. Even
> if you don't believe me, can you really let go of this chance?"
> 
> He waited all afternoon till dismissal time for a response. He could
> barely concentrate on any of his classes. He was sure he flunked
> English Class, at the very least.
> 
> The bell rang. There was neither a call nor a message from the other
> Okamoto.
> 
> It was all over.
> 
> 
> ===
> 
> 
> Tomoyuki was in the middle of sullenly eating the TV dinner his mother
> and father left as they went out on a movie date on a school night when
> his phone rang.
> 
> His plate almost broke as he made a mad dash to his room.
> 
> "Hello, Okamoto?"
> 
> "Hello, Yamamoto-kun's cousin who sounds like him."
> 
> He sighed in relief and collapsed on the floor, his back resting against
> his room's door. He realized later that AU Seiko called him during the
> evening, which was the same time he called her for the first time, like
> clockwork.
> 
> "You still don't believe me, huh?" asked Yamamoto.
> 
> "Can you blame me?" rejoined Okamoto.
> 
> "No. Not really. I can barely believe it myself."
> 
> "So you're admitting it was a lie?"
> 
> "No, I didn't say that. I'm merely saying that I have a hard time
> believing that theory too, but it's also the only one that makes the
> most sense, weirdly enough."
> 
> "How can you not know how you got my number, Mister AU Yamamoto-kun?"
> she demanded. "You were the one who called me!"
> 
> "I swear, I have no idea how it happened. All I know is that here you
> are, and here I am, and we're basically talking to the alternate
> versions of our... crushes."
> 
> After half a minute, the other Seiko said, "You can't be serious."
> 
> "I'm dead fucking serious," said Tomoyuki. "Oh, and don't bother hunting
> me down to maim me like you threatened earlier. You'll never find me
> anywhere in the Tokyo of your universe."
> 
> "Why? Is it because you're located somewhere in Hokkaido? You sound like
> a kidnapper or some other criminal."
> 
> "Oh, sorry. That's not my intention. Anyway, even if you have my number
> traced, you won't locate me in Hokkaido or anywhere else in Japan, your
> world, or your universe. My phone number probably isn't supposed to
> exist over there, like your number would to my world... I suppose."
> 
> "You're really sticking to this cockamamie story of yours? That's some
> dedication you have there, Mister Stalker. Even _I_ could come up with a
> better, more logical lie than that!"
> 
> Yamamoto sighed. He didn't expect Seiko would be so obstinate about not
> believing Machida's alternate universe theory. Maybe he should be more
> surprised at how easily he came to accept that hypothesis as fact. Up
> until now, it still sounded like something out of the movies or a comic
> book.
> 
> Afterwards, Seiko gave Tomoyuki her ultimatum. "If you really are
> Yamamoto-kun, then prove it. Tell me something only I and Yamamoto-kun
> know."
> 
> "How the hell am I supposed to do that? I have no idea what Okamoto
> knows about me, much less what you know about the other me back in your
> own universe!"
> 
> Okamoto groaned. "Okay, fine. Tell me something that only Yamamoto-kun
> knows, and I'll double-check it with him. Something no one else, not
> even Miku-chin, his parents, or his cousin who won't admit to his
> wrongdoing would know."
> 
> Tomoyuki gulped. "Y-You do realize that your Yamamoto may have _totally_
> different experiences from me, right?"
> 
> He remembered that AU Seiko was surprised to hear that he had the
> nickname of Cherry Boy, which meant it was possible that AU Tomoyuki
> never experienced the same kind of rejection from women he did.
> 
> "DO IT! Do it or you'll never hear from me again!" threatened Seiko.
> 
> "All right! ALL RIGHT! Um... I have asthma on top of allergies."
> 
> "I already learned that from Miku-chin. Try again."
> 
> "I used to play with cheap plastic clothespins and turned them into
> ships that combined into super robots or a really long enemy robot
> snake!"
> 
> "Lots of kids do that! One last chance!"
> 
> "I, I, I... my earliest memory as a child was that I used to put on my
> mother's clothing and parade around like a little girl wishing she was
> Miss Universe!"
> 
> "...."
> 
> Dammit, what was he thinking? If Seiko texted his other self that he
> cross-dressed, he'd never admit to it in a million years. "You know
> what, forget about..."
> 
> "Hold on for a minute. I'll call you right back."
> 
> "Hey, wait...!" It was too late. She hung up. Even if she called or
> messaged his other self, knowing him, he'd deny that embarrassing fact
> till the cows came home. Or worse, maybe he'd never had such tendencies
> as he did. What was he thinking?
> 
> A minute later, as promised, Seiko called back. "How did you know that?
> Are you sure you're not some sort of older cousin, uncle, or auntie of
> Yamamoto-kun who saw him parade around in a dress?"
> 
> "Listen to yourself! Of course I'm not his auntie! I'm not his uncle or
> cousin either, we barely meet each other except on holidays, if at all!"
> 
> "Hmm. That's what the real Yamamoto-kun said too..."
> 
> "Hey, how were you able to force him to confess that? That was an
> embarrassing secret I'd take to my grave, if I were him! The only
> reason I told you is because I was desperate."
> 
> "Simple. I told him that _Miku-chin_ told me that he wore girl's
> clothing when he was younger."
> 
> "...Oh."
> 
> "The first thing he asked me is how did Miku-chin find out, because he
> never told her that. Ever. He even asked if his parents told her or
> not. He might be frantically texting Miku-chin right at this moment,
> demanding the truth."
> 
> "Huh."
> 
> "I couldn't stop laughing when I read his message. He even called me
> to confirm! He was panicking. Serves him right for always obsessing
> about Miku-chin even in the middle of our conversations. Now I know
> something even his precious Machida Miku doesn't know."
> 
> "G-Good for you, I guess." On the bright side, no one in Tomoyuki's
> universe would ever find out his dark secret, because the person he
> confessed it to was someone who lived a reality away.
> 
> "...So just who are you really, Cherry Boy?"
> 
> "Like I said, to you, I'm the alternate universe version of Yamamoto
> Tomoyuki."
> 
> "I still can't believe it."
> 
> "Neither can I, but this is the best answer we've got for now barring
> alien body snatchers."
> 
> "I hear ya."
> 
> There was a pregnant pause between the both of them.
> 
> Okamoto was the first one to break the ice. "What now?"
> 
> "I don't know. I guess... um, I'm sorry for pissing you off yesterday
> for mentioning Sugata."
> 
> "Oh, that. No, no, it's all right. It's not your fault. If you really
> are another version of Yamamoto-kun, you couldn't have known about what
> happened to Kazu-kun."
> 
> "Uh... so what did happen to him?" he ventured.
> 
> "I guess you have the right to know. I forced you to reveal some
> embarrassing stuff about yourself, so I suppose it's my turn. Kazu-kun
> was my first love in Hiroshima."
> 
> "AHA! I knew it!" Tomoyuki couldn't help but exclaim.
> 
> "Did my... um... 'other' self have a crush on Kazu-kun too?"
> 
> "Not only a crush, she has a continuing 'relationship' with him. You and
> Sugata... I mean, her and _our_ Sugata were the poster children for the
> manga cliche of 'childhood friends'. Half of the time, people keep
> stopping and asking them if they're already dating. Both deny it
> vehemently, of course. Oh, and she doesn't call him Kazu-kun. She calls
> him Furyou-kun instead."
> 
> "Furyou... as in a Yankee? A delinquent? _That_ country bumpkin?"
> Tomoyuki could almost imagine AU Seiko shaking her head in dismay.
> "People really tend to change when they end up in the big city, don't
> they? Oh, and what about me? Did I change too?"
> 
> "What are you talking about? You and your other self are both in Tokyo,
> and you both act the exact same way! Same fast temper! Same forgiving
> nature!" remarked Yamamoto.
> 
> He knew the AU Seiko was also as forgiving as the Seiko he knew, because
> if she wasn't, then that conversation he had with her while he lounged
> around the rooftop would've been their last.
> 
> "Huh. So do I practice judo there too, or...?"
> 
> "Karate, actually. In fairness, the judo club was quite saddened by your
> counterpart's decision to become part of the karate club instead," said
> Tomoyuki. "Hey, so what happened to Sugata? Why didn't he end up in
> Tokyo with you?"
> 
> "He moved along with me during the first year, but he had to move back.
> The economy is bad in our universe, so he was forced to quit school and
> help out his family back in Hiroshima."
> 
> "Speaking of Hiroshima, did... you know... the atomic bombing of Japan
> in World War II happen there? How about the black ships of Commodore
> Perry? Or even the Sengoku Era?"
> 
> "All of those events happened in my world too, although I do find it
> weird you have a different area code system from ours. Is that the only
> difference between our two universes?" she wondered.
> 
> "Well, what happened to the Japanese economy on your dimension? Right
> here, it's perfectly fine. America is getting antsy by our progress,
> though."
> 
> "Ever heard of the Bubble Economy? The Lost Decade of Japan? The
> Japanese economic drop and stagnation throughout the Nineties and the
> Turn of the Millennium? We were just discussing that during our Social
> Studies class."
> 
> "Nope, can't say I have. Sounds terrible," said Yamamoto. "To be honest,
> even if we talked about the differences and similarities of our
> universes all day, we wouldn't be able to cover everything."
> 
> "I can't help but talk about it anyway, dude." Seiko guffawed. "If what
> you're saying is true, then it's cool to talk to a person from another
> dimension that's so different yet so similar from my own. Awesome,
> even!"
> 
> 'Oh my god, she's so cute when she's all excited!' Tomoyuki cleared his
> throat out of embarrassment and promptly put his foot in his mouth. "So
> that we won't waste time, let's talk about something specific for now,
> like Sugata."
> 
> The coldness of AU Seiko's voice somehow made the temperature of
> Yamamoto's own room go down several notches. "You're pretty insistent
> about topic."
> 
> "Sorry, but I'm having my own Sugata-related problems in this universe."
> 
> "I'm sorry too... I was deliberately trying to change the subject."
> Seiko took a deep breath. "When he got back to Hiroshima, he made up
> with Megu-chin, and they're now engaged."
> 
> "Wait. Who's 'Megu-chin'?" asked Tomoyuki.
> 
> "She's another childhood friend of mine from Hiroshima. We three were
> inseparable back in the day. I was the tomboy of the group, and she's a
> lot more girly than I am, so..."
> 
> "...He ended up falling for her instead of you."
> 
> "And then I met you and Miku-chin. You were the ones who are always
> there for me when I was adjusting to Tokyo life. However, as you can
> imagine, history has repeated itself. I'm now friends with my crush and
> his crush _yet again_. The pony-tailed tomboy always seems to end up the
> best friend, not the girlfriend."
> 
> Well, that went awkward really fast. No wonder she wanted to change the
> subject. If she knew that the Machida in his universe had somehow
> charmed their version of Sugata, she'd be doubly upset.
> 
> "Oh, that's right! Sugata mentioned something to me about having a
> girlfriend back in Hiroshima, even though girls all over our class and
> other classes are swooning over him. He's a really nice guy."
> 
> He proceeded to get a book and slam it repeatedly on his head. Yeah,
> that was a great way to change the subject. Bring up the fact that
> Sugata was a sought-after playboy who regularly broke the heart of his
> universe's Seiko.
> 
> Thankfully, instead of hanging up, Seiko said, "Oh, so in your universe,
> you've met Kazu-kun? And he didn't hook up with Megu-chin? Well, that
> explains a lot."
> 
> "That was rude of me. I apologize for bringing him up again when clearly
> you still have feelings for him," said Tomoyuki.
> 
> "Oh no, it's probably your universe's Seiko that has feelings for Kazu-
> kun. I've been over him since first year high school. The only reason I
> hung up on you when you mentioned him is because I thought you were the
> Yamamoto-kun whom I told about these things, so it was painful to hear
> you mock my failed relationship. Believe me, that ship has sailed."
> 
> "Oh. As expected of Section 2B's Amazon Queen. Tough as nails," praised
> Yamamoto before what Okamoto said to him next made his ears and cheeks
> become hot enough to pop corn kernels.
> 
> "I'm now in love with someone else entirely, Cherry Boy."
> 
> He didn't quite know what to say to that. "Is that the reason why you
> gave me a second chance?"
> 
> Quietly, the AU Okamoto answered, "I couldn't bring myself to block your
> number, much less delete it. Even if you aren't the Yamamoto-kun I know
> or fell in love with, you're the closest I have to him loving me back."
> 
> Tomoyuki wiped his eyes while giggling at what Seiko said even though it
> wasn't remotely funny. He then remembered the thumbs up and smile Seiko
> gave him for clowning around with Machida earlier in Physics Class. "I
> could say the same thing about you."
> 
> "AUGH! Why can't you be the Yamamoto-kun of this universe instead of the
> one who's head over heels in love with Machida?"
> 
> "I hear you, sister. Damn, I wish you and my universe's version of
> Okamoto would exchange places, as selfish as that may sound."
> 
> "You're preaching to the choir here, bro!"
> 
> They laughed together so hard, they almost cried. What a tragedy. A
> well-disguised blessing that bordered on a curse. The crushes they could
> meet wouldn't even give them the time of day, while the crushes that
> returned their affections literally didn't exist in their respective
> universes.
> 
> "What do we do now? Where do we go from here? Were you serious when you
> messaged me that we'd help each other get our crushes?" asked Seiko.
> 
> "Actually, that was Machida's idea," answered Tomoyuki.
> 
> "Miku-chin knows about this alternate universe nonsense?"
> 
> "Oh, she didn't _really_ think I was talking to an AU Okamoto. Machida
> thought I was describing to her the plot of a sci-fi screenplay I'm
> writing. I simply never corrected her on her presumptions."
> 
> "That's rather sneaky of you," Seiko appraised. "So wait, she's also the
> sci-fi nut representative of your class that loves gay-themed comic
> books, right?"
> 
> "...You know about Machida's secret?" asked Tomoyuki.
> 
> "It isn't a secret over here. In fact, there are times when I wish she'd
> be more discreet about her fangirlism. So she's also the class rep over
> there in your corner of... um... your alternate universe?" asked Seiko.
> 
> "Yup."
> 
> "And your neighbor?"
> 
> "U-huh."
> 
> "Who has sleepovers in your room from time to time?"
> 
> "...Uh, yes?"
> 
> "Iiinteresting."
> 
> Yamamoto didn't like where the conversation was headed. He almost said,
> "It's not what you think!" but that almost always never helped the
> situation. Instead, he brought up, "The Okamoto I know probably heard
> about the sleepovers and thought immediately that Machida and I were a
> couple. It's so frustrating."
> 
> "I don't blame my other self for thinking that. You two sound like
> you're already married," Seiko noted while Yamamoto inwardly groaned.
> 
> He inwardly rejoiced too. He _wished_ that the Seiko in his world would
> react to his relationship with Machida with jealousy.
> 
> "_Anyway_, it's not my relationship with Machida you should be worried
> about, but my other self's relationship with the other Machida. The AU
> Machida. You know what I'm talking about."
> 
> "Question," probed Seiko, "Are you sure you aren't enamored in any way
> by Miku-chin?"
> 
> Tomoyuki considered that. "This is going to sound horrible, so brace
> yourself. I have as close of a relationship to Machida as you have with
> your universe's Sugata."
> 
> "Ouch. You're right. That did burn."
> 
> "Told you."
> 
> "Thanks. I get it now. Sorry for acting so petty..."
> 
> "No, no. I quite enjoyed it. Talking to you about Machida is like
> walking through glass. It's great!"
> 
> "...What do you mean, Cherry Boy?"
> 
> "You're the exact opposite of the Okamoto of my universe in that
> regard; she keeps cheering me on whenever she thinks Machida and I are
> making headway in our 'relationship'. It's refreshing to see an Okamoto
> that's jealous for a change."
> 
> Seiko went silent for half a minute.
> 
> "Hmmm. You have quite the hurdle to overcome with your universe's me,"
> she said. "She might still be enamored with Sei-kun. I can't imagine him
> going through a bad boy Yankee phase as you described, but knowing me,
> I'm sure I'll be there to try to 'change' him or some nonsense."
> 
> "Speaking of Yankee, did you know he's blond now?"
> 
> Seiko guffawed so hard, she snorted. "Oh my goodness, really? Do you
> have a picture of it? Send it to me now! Your Amazon Queen demands it!"
> 
> "...Aaand it's sent," said Tomoyuki.
> 
> "Oh. My. God." Yamamoto could almost imagine AU Okamoto doubling over in
> hilarity. "My sides!"
> 
> Their subsequent laughter was so loud and obnoxious that they were both
> grounded for a week by their parents from making any more phone calls.
> 
> So they sent each other constant text messages instead for the rest of
> the week. One particular message from AU Seiko brightened up Yamamoto's
> day.
> 
> "I wish you were here, Cherry Boy. I know you can make your universe's
> Seiko fall in love with you. I'm speaking from firsthand experience
> here."
> 
> 
> ===
> 
> 
> On Monday, a weekend after Tomoyuki and AU Seiko were grounded from
> calling each other...
> 
> "That was not cool," Sugata said in between the early morning classes of
> Section 2B. "How could you, Cherry Boy? I thought we were bros! Bros
> before hos, man!"
> 
> "W-What's not cool?" asked Yamamoto while holding back his chuckles,
> remembering the "badass" picture of an blond Kazuhito he sent to Seiko's
> phone.
> 
> He probably had no reason to laugh because he'd known Sugata as blond
> for the longest time, but AU Seiko's laughter was so infectious that he
> couldn't help but see the ridiculousness of the supposed heartthrob's
> face.
> 
> "Are you making fun of me? What's with that smirk of yours?" growled
> Kazuhito as he grabbed hold of Tomoyuki's collar and raised him up,
> which prompted the Cherry Boy to force his chortles down.
> 
> "I have no idea why you're angry with me, but I'm sorry," said Yamamoto
> as sincerely as he could. "What's on your mind?"
> 
> Sugata deflated and relaxed his body as he slumped with his back on the
> wall. "Sorry, Cherry Boy. But I have to ask, what's your relationship
> with the Class Rep? Are you two dating already? No fair!"
> 
> "What? Dating? No! We're not! She only sees me as a friend," assured
> Yamamoto. "I told you, Machida doesn't respond well to people who'd do
> something as underhanded as get their cell phone number from someone
> else. She's easy enough to talk to. If you want to get her number, you
> should go ask her for it."
> 
> "OUCH!" yelped Kazuhito as someone twisted his ear. "YOU CRAZY NEWHALF
> BITCH! LEGGO MY EAR!"
> 
> "Oh, hi, Yamamoto-kun! Don't mind Furyou-kun over here, we were just
> leaving," said the Amazon Queen with wave as she led the raging Kazuhito
> back into his seat.
> 
> "Uh, yeah. Thanks, Okamoto." Tomoyuki sighed. How he wished he got the AU
> Seiko in his class instead of his universe's Seiko. At least _she_ wasn't
> desperately trying to push him towards having a relationship with a girl
> who didn't see him that way.
> 
> "Stop meddling into other people's relationships, you goddamn Yankee!"
> 
> "THAT'S MY LINE, YOU OVERBEARING DYKE! Hey, Cherry Boy! You better ain't
> lying about that friend zone with the Class Rep!"
> 
> "Like I said, it's not what you think! And don't call it a friend zone!"
> Yamamoto called after Sugata. The Cherry Boy turned in time to see a
> faintly smiling Miku from behind him. "Oh, Class Rep. What's the
> matter?"
> 
> "Oh. No, no, no!" Machida waved her hands around. "I want to apologize
> to you for getting you involved with my... issues with Sugata-kun. I'm
> sorry he's been bothering you about me all this time," she said as she
> rapped her knuckles on her head and stuck her tongue out cutely.
> 
> "Oh, okay," said Yamamoto. "Well? Should I tell him or would you rather
> be the one to spill the beans?"
> 
> She blinked. "Say what to whom now?"
> 
> "You know. Sugata. Will you let him down easy or just tell him straight
> out?"
> 
> She tilted her head to the side. "Tell him what?"
> 
> He moved his lips near enough for him to smell her shampoo and whispered
> in her ear, "Tell him that you don't see guys that way. The only ones
> you're attracted to are 2D characters."
> 
> As Tomoyuki moved back, he saw Miku turn red all over. It was either
> she was having another one of her fujoshi fantasies at the mention of
> her 2D obsessions, or she could've been more attracted to Sugata than he
> initially thought.
> 
> Tomoyuki's stomach twisted at the prospect of her actually considering
> Kazuhito to be viable boyfriend material, but he quickly waved the
> thought off because he realized she'd sooner pair him and Sugata
> together than have the latter end up as her lover.
> 
> He should relax. Their days of lounging around in the classroom or in
> his room talking about all sorts of nonsense regarding boy's love
> comics, the state of the anime industry at present (wherein producers
> excessively pander to the otaku fanbase), and the growing movement of
> fujoshi in events like Comiket (which was once the safe haven of smelly,
> overweight or reed-thin anime and manga otaku) were far from over.
> 
> "Iiinteresting," Yamamoto remembered AU Okamoto drawl, which also
> rustled his jimmies, for lack of a better term.
> 
> Was he asking too much from his friendship with Machida? Even though she
> never saw him "that way" and immediately rejected his advances... his
> "Cherry Boy" reputation had already spread by then... he kept being her
> friend because she was easy to talk to about trivial things.
> 
> All the other girls who offered their friendship to him after rejecting
> him, he never talked to again. Besides, when he found out she was
> (literally) the girl next door, things became even more convenient.
> Essentially, she was a friend with no benefits.
> 
> Wait, that didn't sound right...
> 
> She'd been there for him through thick and thin, and she even managed to
> help him stop some of his creepier habits, like giving girls lingering
> stares, his aggressive body language, and his overzealousness when it
> came to text messaging (he used to text by the hundreds). As such, she
> was a friend with benefits after all.
> 
> That didn't sound right either.
> 
> Then again, his AU self was head over heels in love with the AU Machida.
> He wasn't totally surprised in regards to that development. After all,
> his friendship started with the real Machida because he was attracted to
> her.
> 
> However, the blossoming romance between his other self and the other
> Miku was probably because the Class Rep in that universe _wasn't_ as
> humongous of a "rotten girl" who loved fictional characters over real
> ones as the Miku he knew.
> 
> Probably.
> 
> Miku adjusted her thick glasses, the white glare hiding her eyes. She
> covered her mouth and whispered, "That's right. Only the pureness of 2D
> love is enough for me, Yamamoto-kun. I'm glad you understand that." She
> beamed and gave him a peace sign.
> 
> He breathed a sigh of relief. At least _Machida_ knew what "the deal"
> was between them.
> 
> 
> ===
> 
> 
> After PE class, as Tomoyuki changed clothes and retrieved his cell phone
> from his locker, he received several text messages.
> 
> First, there was Sugata, begging him to tell Machida he wasn't stalking
> her or anything (he must've overheard their discussion earlier). What a
> lady-killer indeed.
> 
> Then there was the "real" Seiko, who sent him a message that read,
> "Miku-chin is a bit shy and can't express herself well. However, you
> two are already close. You only need to take the next step!"
> 
> His universe's Seiko seemed quite good at poking at the scabs of his
> wounded heart by accident. Maybe he should give up and be satisfied with
> the fact that somewhere out there, in a parallel universe among many
> other universes, there was a Seiko Okamoto who actually loved him, or at
> least another him.
> 
> Wow, that sounded really pathetic.
> 
> "What's up, Cross-Dresser?" AU Seiko greeted through a text message. "I
> guess you're the one who's the okama now."
> 
> _This_ Seiko wasn't any better than his Seiko _at all_.
> 
> He texted, "Whatever you say, _Okamato_."
> 
> She texted back, "Oooh, so _that's_ how you spell 'Okamato', Cherry Boy.
> So what's going on with you?" She seemed in good spirits.
> 
> "Nothing much. Just finished PE class. I might flunk it. How about you?"
> 
> "Looks like AU Yamamoto-kun is as clumsy and wimpy as the real one.
> Makes me wonder what it is I saw in either of you," she texted.
> 
> "Hehehe," he texted back.
> 
> She continued. "Your counterpart in my world kept begging me to tell him
> how I knew about his prepubescent cross-dressing days. He swore me to
> secrecy. I decided to give him a bone by telling him a secret of mine."
> 
> Dammit. No fair. She worked fast! She was already making more progress
> in her relationship woes than he was with his?
> 
> "How about the other me? Have you wooed her yet?" she texted.
> 
> "No luck on that front. She's still clinging to your first love like
> white on rice. First love never dies, huh?"
> 
> "Hmm. I expected as much. You need to make my other self see you're a
> better catch."
> 
> "I don't see how. The only reason you want the other me is because you
> were dumped by the other Sugata!" retorted Tomoyuki.
> 
> "What the hell, dude? Have a bit more delicacy when bringing up
> sensitive topics like that! No wonder you're still a virgin," snapped AU
> Seiko.
> 
> 'Yeah, well, the only reason you got to talk to AU Yamamoto is because I
> told you an embarrassing secret about him!' was what he didn't text to
> her because he was now practicing how to be more prudent in his words,
> just as she suggested.
> 
> Instead, he sent, "Wait a minute, I want to know the secret you told my
> other self too!"
> 
> "That's between me and your other self, buddy!" she texted, followed by
> a heart sign using the less than symbol and the number three.
> 
> "That's unfair!"
> 
> "Life usually is."
> 
> Forgetting himself, Tomoyuki's next messages came in bunches.
> 
> "It looks like unlike you, I won't be getting my crush. That blond
> childhood friend of yours is too much of a hurdle."
> 
> "How am I supposed to impress the Okamoto in my world if she's still
> head over heels in love with someone you've admitted to be your first
> love?
> 
> "Maybe it's for the best that things go on this way. I hope you don't
> end up like me, stuck in a dead end, in love with someone I can never
> have.
> 
> "I mean, she did it again! She's still insisting that I and Machida
> should hook up, probably so Sugata wouldn't end up dating the Class
> Rep instead!"
> 
> After a minute or so, AU Seiko provided her two yen's worth in the
> conversation.
> 
> "Hey, I'm in the same boat too, you know. Your messages sound _exactly_
> like what the Yamamoto-kun in my world would say, except replace
> 'Okamoto' with 'Machida'.
> 
> "Thank the gods you both have a basic inability to spit your true
> feelings out, or else it'd be really over.
> 
> "I'm surprised you were even able to confess your feelings to _me_.
> 
> "Also, I'm sorry to say, but hooking you and Miku-chin up sounds
> _exactly_ like something I'd do.
> 
> "As underhanded as that might sound, hooking up Megu-chin with another
> guy was my last ditch effort to get Kazu-kun to dump her."
> 
> So there was his confirmation of Okamoto's plans right there. Damn, he
> sure wished he could call instead of just text AU Seiko right then, but
> his mother actually said she'd check on his call history in case he
> decided to call her in the middle of school.
> 
> He texted another bunch of messages in one go.
> 
> "I knew it. What do I do now? Your other self has her sights trained on
> Sugata, and you yourself know how stubborn she could get.
> 
> "Even Machida got involved in this debacle. Sugata has been asking me
> for her phone number nonstop. She probably overheard him asking me if we
> were a couple too.
> 
> "That's silly, because the Machida in my universe is only in love with
> fictional male characters who bone each other. She never once showed any
> interest in real-life boys, much less me. Not that she'd admit her
> tendency to anyone..."
> 
> AU Seiko took some time to respond, but she eventually sent, "Let me
> get this straight. Sugata doesn't know that Machida is a fujoshi?"
> 
> "_No one_ in our class knows," he texted back. "It's our little secret,
> because in our universe, revealing that you're a fujoshi or an otaku
> will spell the end of your social life."
> 
> She answered, "That's fascinating, because that means not only has she
> slept in your room multiple times, you also know something about her
> that no one else does as well."
> 
> What was she implying? "Yeah. And...?"
> 
> "You know, it's rather ironic how you keep complaining about being a
> Cherry Boy and getting friendzoned when you yourself have a penchant
> for friendzoning other people," AU Seiko's latest text message read.
> 
> Now what did she mean by that? Also, at the back of Yamamoto's head, he
> was still quite curious about what secret Seiko shared with his
> alternate universe counterpart.
> 
> 
> ===
> 
> 
> During the last few classes that Monday, before dismissal time...
> 
> Tomoyuki didn't feel like texting AU Seiko for a while. Not only was the
> _real_ Okamoto currently harping him regarding Machida, but so was her
> AU self.
> 
> What was with them? Seriously. They should stop presuming things about
> people they barely knew.
> 
> Maybe he should show them how wrong they were by him "confessing" his
> unrequited feelings for Machida and recording the same blank, uncaring
> reaction she gave him the first time he did so.
> 
> Except he kind of didn't. If Machida thought that he'd been hanging out
> with her and learning her deepest, darkest secrets because he had a
> hidden agenda or ulterior motives (he didn't), then their friendship
> could very well end. She was too important a friend for him to abandon
> like that for the sake of romance.
> 
> If she really was in love with him, then he'd know. He wasn't one of
> those dense anime or manga main characters who had someone fall for them
> right under their nose. This was real life, dammit. If she really was in
> love with him, he'd be her boyfriend in a heartbeat.
> 
> He'd never admit that to either version of Seiko, though.
> 
> But what if the Class Rep _really_ was in love with him? Who would he
> choose? Seiko or Miku?
> 
> Practically speaking, the answer should be obvious. Seiko was nice to
> him, but so were all the rest of the girls that friendzoned him. She was
> far too in love with Sugata to ever take notice of him.
> 
> But what about AU Seiko and Miku?
> 
> Obviously, he'd never meet AU Seiko in real life, while Miku had always
> been there for him. Even though the class representative wasn't his
> childhood friend, they might as well have been. Even if she wasn't
> romantically into him, he couldn't imagine life without her.
> 
> Dammit, because of all this talk of Miku, even he had begun to want her
> to see him "that way".
> 
> "It's best that you start going out with Miku-chin instead. I only see
> you as a friend," he remembered the real Seiko saying that fateful
> Thursday last week.
> 
> "I'm sorry about my text earlier. I crossed the line," texted AU Seiko
> around the time the last class for the day started, which woke him up
> from his idle (and dangerous) reverie. Luckily, he'd set his phone in
> silent mode in case she texted in the middle of class.
> 
> He breathed a sigh of relief. At last, one of the Seikos he knew gave
> him a break. "You don't need to apologize," he texted while the
> teacher's back was turned away from the class. After all, she didn't
> know better.
> 
> "As a token of my regret, I'm going to tell you my embarrassing secret
> that your counterpart in my universe already knows about."
> 
> Well, this could be interesting. "I'll keep that secret to my grave.
> I'll even delete that message of yours so that no one in this universe
> or beyond would ever know its existence."
> 
> She expressed her laughter in text message shorthand. "Okay, here goes."
> 
> Tomoyuki didn't expect much. Maybe she was going to reveal that she wore
> boy clothes when she was little. Or she wet her bed as a young girl. Or
> maybe people thought of her as a boy when she was a kid.
> 
> Or perhaps she was a middle school "sukeban" or female delinquent before
> going to Tokyo and living on her own (which would make sense, since she
> showed the same penchant as Sugata when it came to delinquency).
> 
> He didn't expect what she told him instead, though.
> 
> She texted, "Kazu-kun used to be a huge crybaby when we were younger."
> 
> "Wait, what? That's cheating! That's not your deepest, darkest secret!
> That's Sugata's!" he replied.
> 
> "I'm not yet finished," she replied. "The person who made him cry the
> most when we were kids was me."
> 
> "Oh."
> 
> "I pulled pranks on him, learned that boys don't like getting hit on
> the crotch because of him, and stole his lunch money every chance I
> got."
> 
> Well, now. This was different. "So what happened?"
> 
> "We became friends after I outgrew my bullying phase, he got taller and
> hotter, and I soon got jealous of all the girls who were chasing after
> him in our class."
> 
> She added, "Oh, and it was Megu-chin who was always there to protect him
> from me when we were younger. She's kind of like Miku-chin in a way...
> shy, demure, and nurturing."
> 
> "...." was what Tomoyuki actually texted before following up with, "So
> essentially, it's your fault why this 'Megu-chin' ended up being engaged
> to Sugata?"
> 
> "...Yes."
> 
> "I have no words. I'm surprised he even forgave you." He thought a bit
> before adding, "Your other self's relationship with him hasn't changed
> much either."
> 
> "So we're still teasing each other like when we were kids back in your
> universe too, huh?" she inquired.
> 
> "Pretty much." That secret wasn't funny or cute at all. Then again, it
> still fit the definition of "deepest, darkest secret".
> 
> "As I've promised, my queen, I will now delete this conversation so that
> it won't go into the wrong hands."
> 
> She expressed her laughter in text yet again. "You go do that, Cherry
> Boy."
> 
> "No offense, but that little secret of yours gives me hope, just in case
> the Seiko I know and love fell for Sugata the exact same way as you
> did."
> 
> "So you're not giving up yet on the other me?"
> 
> "Not while you're around to support me, no."
> 
> "I'm glad. If you're not giving up, then I'm not giving up on your other
> you either."
> 
> He smiled and returned his attention to class. Even though he wasn't all
> that attentive to his history teacher's discussion of Meiji Era
> politics, this had been a fulfilling class all-in-all.
> 
> "One last thing before dismissal time," texted Seiko. He waited and
> waited, but it took her an eternity to continue that text.
> 
> The bell came and went. He bid the real Okamoto and Sugata goodbye.
> Machida said she had stuff to do, so she excused herself from riding
> home with him to the train. Still, he waited for AU Seiko's text.
> 
> Once he got home, the text messages came one after the other.
> 
> "Even though I apologized, what I texted about Machida is true. You're
> treating her the same way all those girls who've rejected you did.
> You've put her in the Friend Zone.
> 
> "She shared to you her own deepest, darkest secrets, like I did to you
> right now. No girl would ever do that to just anyone, must less a guy
> who's only a friend.
> 
> "Here's your first lesson about women. Whenever a girl reveals a side of
> her to you that she doesn't show to anyone else, that means you're
> really important to her."
> 
> Yamamoto harrumphed. Couldn't a man be friends with a woman without
> complicating it with the shadow of romance?
> 
> Of course, he could. That was why the Friend Zone existed. Wasn't it
> Miku herself who, after he continuously complained about not getting
> a girlfriend despite being a nice guy, sarcastically quipped, "So you
> were being nice to women you're attracted to because you want to score
> with them? You think being nice entitles you to having a girlfriend even
> though you're unfunny, uninteresting, and plain-looking?"
> 
> Seriously, there was no romance to be had there. He knew how to take a
> hint.
> 
> However, the other Okamoto's suggestion for his next course of action
> regarding how to get the real Seiko's attention was even more dire.
> 
> "This is going to piss you off, but I've got to be frank. Your best bet
> in getting my other self to stop obsessing about Kazu-kun is to let
> Kazu-kun have Miku-chin's number."
> 
> Well, she was right about one thing. That did piss him off. He had half
> the mind to block her number for even suggesting that. What the hell?
> 
> On the other hand, why _was_ Tomoyuki so opposed about Sugata getting
> Miku's number? If he did give the delinquent her _number_ now, he was
> only going to upset the Class Rep.
> 
> Anyway, Sugata was going _way_ too fast with his advances on someone so
> shy, sweet, and quiet like Machida.
> 
> Yamamoto was in the middle of texting Seiko back to explain to her why
> that was a bad idea when he felt a might slap on his shoulder. It was
> Kazuhito.
> 
> "I followed your advice, Cherry Boy. You were right."
> 
> "I... I was?"
> 
> "Yep." The Yankee-looking hooligan preened himself. "I asked the Class
> Rep for her number, she gave it to me, I was able to apologize to her
> about the whole roof incident... don't ask... and now I have her as my
> text buddy of sorts!"
> 
> "Text buddy..." The words tasted bitter in Tomoyuki's mouth. "Good for
> you, bro."
> 
> "You're a lifesaver, man. I owe you one."
> 
> "D-Don't mention it."
> 
> As Sugata twirled his cell phone by its strap and slipped it into his
> pants' pocket like a cowboy would holster a gun, Yamamoto ended up at a
> loss for words. 'What just happened?'
> 
> Did Machida really give Sugata her number? Even after everything that
> happened earlier?
> 
> 'Wait a minute. It's no big deal. So what if she gave her number to
> Sugata? It's only a phone number, not a marriage proposal...'
> 
> Right?
> 
> 
> ===
> 
> 
> The texts from AU Okamoto that Yamamoto had been receiving since then
> were less about love advice in regards to each other's alternate selves
> and more about the differences between their two worlds...
> 
> Even though there were some things that his world had in common with AU
> Seiko's own world, like the fact that PRIDE FC had folded back in 2007
> and the existence of the Internet, there were also many things that
> were different from their universes.
> 
> For example, instead of his world's Nintendo Ultra CD, the people in
> Seiko's world ended up with two consoles based on that one concept,
> which were the Sony PlayStation and the Nintendo 64.
> 
> Apparently, according to AU Okamoto's version of the Encyclopedia
> Britannica Online (something called "Wikipedia", whatever "Wiki"
> meant... it sounded like something associated with voodoo), instead of
> Nintendo canceling plans to make a CD-ROM for the Super Famicom in favor
> of creating a CD-based console in partnership with Sony, they had
> different, un-Nintendo-like plans altogether.
> 
> He also had no idea what a "Virtua Boy" was supposed to be, although he
> did ask if it was anything like Sega's Virtua Fighter. It wasn't. Also,
> ironically enough, "Final" Fantasy had many installments in the other
> world, although the first Final Fantasy that both their worlds had
> remained a classic on either dimension.
> 
> On the local music front, otaku pandering had gone to an extreme that
> even Machida wouldn't believe in the form of Vocaloids or, as Seiko
> described them, "A do-it-yourself pop idol meets anime character." She
> sent videos and whatnot, but all Yamamoto could make out of them was
> artificial-sounding synthesizer-pop vocals and a strange, green-haired
> CGI girl.
> 
> He didn't get it. The world was definitely not hers, or at least _his_
> world wasn't. Funnily enough, this vocaloid had the same first name as
> the Class Rep. Even more interesting was the fact that AU Miku Machida
> regularly (and shamelessly) cosplayed as this "Miku Hatsune" character
> as well. Was it because they had the same first names?
> 
> Online, the Japanese localization efforts of the other world's version
> of Friendster and YouTube Japan were less that stellar. Less than two
> million Japanese users go to the "Facebook" social network, which was
> in stark contrast to the international following of Friendster and its
> closest competitor, MySpace, in Tomoyuki's world.
> 
> Meanwhile, instead of YouTube Japan, all the video-sharing needs of
> Seiko's AU Japan were handled by a site called Nico Nico Douga or Smile
> Videos. Instead of people vlogging like normal, Nico Nico was a site
> dedicated to Internet (particularly anime and manga) memes, the
> strangest commercials around, and the videos of the aforementioned
> Vocaloids.
> 
> On the international music scene, John Lennon wasn't the only one that
> died in their universe, but Kurt Cobain as well... way back in 1995 at
> that... via suicide. That was funny, because thanks to recent a wave of
> Nineties Nostalgia on the web, neo-grunge had returned and Nirvana made
> a recent reunion tour.
> 
> He also called bullshit on the picture she sent him that she alleged
> was Michael Jackson. He didn't know who that scary ghoul with the
> twisted nose was, but that wasn't the King of Pop. Michael Jackson was
> black, dammit. They had more convincing zombies in Jackson's Thriller
> video. The picture must've been altered using Corel Photo-Paint.
> 
> Finally, the major difference between the Japan of Yamamoto over the
> Japan of AU Seiko was the fact that the other Okamoto's Japan had a
> period of recent history called the "Lost Decade" or the "Ushinawareta
> Nijunen", which was rife with economic turmoil, failing businesses, and
> lost jobs.
> 
> In fact, it was this financial slowdown that forced AU Sugata and his
> family to move back to Hiroshima in the first place and leave AU
> Okamoto to fend for herself in the big city. He was no economic expert,
> but from what he could gather, the trouble started when the bubble
> economy happened because there was a massive wave of speculation by
> securities companies, banks, and other Japanese businesses.
> 
> The low interest rates and exceptionally high land values then produced
> more liquidity in the market. However, when the Finance Ministry pulled
> the plug of the unsustainable bubble, the bubble burst, causing economic
> stagnation that worsened throughout the Nineties and continued through
> the Turn of the Millennium.
> 
> That never happened in the Japan and reality Tomoyuki resided in. No
> mass speculation of futures markets arose regarding land values and
> whatnot, so any steep decrease on the market wouldn't lead to the
> collapse of a whole economy. By the sound of things, the Eighties of
> Seiko's universe was a period of excess, while the Eighties that
> Tomoyuki heard about in history class had less of a penchant towards
> overindulgence, which helped a lot in curbing possible economic
> stagnation.
> 
> He wasn't sure, though. He was no expert in speculation bubbles. Then
> again, a more  moderate Eighties did lead to his universe having a
> Michael Jackson that _remained_ black. Just saying.
> 
> However, all good things came to an end, and finally, on one lazy
> Wednesday morning, he was greeted with the following exchange...
> 
> "Hey Drag Queen," AU Seiko texted.
> 
> "Hello, fellow Drag Queen," Tomoyuki texted back.
> 
> "If you think I bring up Miku-chin too much, guess what your other self
> has been texting me all day?" she messaged.
> 
> He replied, "Let me apologize in AU Yamamoto's stead for you. I'm very
> sorry. He seems quite enamored with a Machida that actually loves him."
> 
> "You're not too sore about the fact that Kazu-kun succeeded in getting
> Miku-chin's phone number, are you?"
> 
> So she finally asked about that issue they dropped two days ago. "It
> doesn't bother me. Machida is free to give away her cell phone number to
> whomever she wants."
> 
> "Hypothetically speaking, if Machida did love you, would you give up on
> me and the other Seiko?"
> 
> Yamamoto changed the subject, because there was no way Seiko would enjoy
> hearing his answer. "Why are you so jealous of Machida?"
> 
> "Oh, you know why. I just told you. Your other self won't shut up about
> her."
> 
> "If I tell you a secret that will help you snag him from the clutches of
> your universe's Machida, will you shut up about Machida?"
> 
> "Sounds legit. Lay it on me. Should I start talking to him about Kazu-
> kun again, like always?"
> 
> "He won't feel jealous of Sugata because he doesn't even know him,"
> Tomoyuki reminded before thinking long and hard in regards to his
> answer. He sure texted himself to a corner this time around.
> 
> "Well? What do I do, Master Yamamoto?" insisted AU Seiko. "Take note,
> your other self isn't even interested in sports or anything related to
> it. I know. I've tried taking to him about it."
> 
> He thought back to what attracted him to Okamoto in the first place. "Be
> yourself."
> 
> "I'm going to block and delete your number right now. What kind of
> wholesome Disney bullshit advice is that?"
> 
> "No, I'm serious. Be a bro. You know what attracted me to your other self
> in the first place?"
> 
> "What?"
> 
> "You're easy to talk to. You're approachable. You don't have many airs.
> You're completely honest. Also, tomboys are adorable."
> 
> "So... I should do what I've always been doing with both Kazu-kun and
> Yamamoto-kun all this time that hasn't worked at all in snagging their
> hearts?"
> 
> Tomoyuki considered AU Seiko's words. What could she possibly do in
> order to make his other self choose her instead of the other Machida if
> the other Machida were in love with him, especially in light of all that
> he and the Class Rep had been through?
> 
> "It's hard to 'undo' what AU Machida did for him, so don't. Make your
> own  special memories with him, like what we're doing now."
> 
> "Eeeeh..." she actually texted.
> 
> "Either that, or offer him lots of sex."
> 
> "Oh, piss off, you pervert."
> 
> 
> ===
> 
> 
> Next: Complicated feelings.
> 
> Good news, everyone! I've already mapped out Keit-AI! Tomoyuki x Seiko's
> story from start to finish, so there'll be less second-guessing on my
> part when it comes to what's going to happen next.
> 
> Farewell,
> Abdiel
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