Switching to Another POV Because Why Not?

///Shiina Mahiru's POV\\\\

After settling down to live on my own in this apartment, I figured I was off to a great start.

I had sorted out my personal belongings, and no longer had to worry about entrance exams. I opted to take a relaxing break on the day.

I made myself a chocolate coffee to go with the treat from my neighbor, picked up one of the books to read while I had them, and headed to the terrace out back, available to all residents. Coincidentally, Yoshikawa-kun was already on the terrace before me. He was in a white shirt and shorts, a drink and also cakes on the table, along with writing utensils. [Is he studying...? He sure is diligent.]

"Oh," he noticed me right away, cracking a smile. "Tried out to hang out as well?"

I returned the smile. "Yes, I'm having the urge to do so. Yoshikawa-kun yourself is eager to study, aren't you?"

He lightly chuckled. "Well, I'm only working on a novel."

My interest was piqued. "A novel? What kind?"

"Fantasy," he replied. "A story with more than one character. Multiple Leads, basically."

I wasn't really interested in that genre, to be honest, but I continued the topic to keep the conversation moving. "You could tell me the title if you like. I might try checking it out later."

"I'm a man of simple tastes, so I took a simple, even somewhat dry title," he looked a little doubtful. Even so, he answered anyway. "Its title is Dreadfall: Story of the Survivors. I'm just trying to write the first part now, and intend to finish at least one POV from one of the main characters before entering school."

"I like to read novels personally... Well, not often, and truthfuly, I never read multiple leads novel."

"I can let you read part of mine when it's finished, might as well know as many people's opinions as possible."

"I'm interested. Where do you go to school?"

"Chikura High School."

"What a coincidence... I was about to enroll myself. You're transferring, then?"

"Do I look that old...?"

"E-Eh, could it be that you're just about to enter as well?"

He smiled dryly. "Yep."

"I'm so sorry..."

Yoshikawa-kun laughed it off. "Well, it's not something to make a big deal about. Besides, being called old by others isn't as bad as you think, you know?"

"...Is that so?"

"...Yeah, it might be different for women."

My first impression when I saw Yoshikawa-kun was of a kind senior. That's my honest assessment. His physical features don't look old, it's fairly youthful. His impression alone made him look as if he was one. Experienced? I'm a little bit confused to describe it myself.

"I didn't get a chance to say this before, but your cooking is wonderful." Yoshikawa-kun seemed genuinely impressed. He didn't come off as exaggerating either.

"Thank you," I was happy, of course. I just didn't show it on my face. Then, I was wondering. "Can you make a food by yourself, Yoshikawa-kun?"

"I can. Although not as good as you, I'm pretty sure it's above average, at least."

"Can I try it?"

"...Eh?" Yoshikawa-kun was taken aback.

"Huh?" I was more surprised, my face began to feel hot. "W-What am I— ah, t-that was, please forget it...!"

[Why did I say that?!] I shouted that in my mind.

Yes, I was interested in his meal. I thought that since I had given him my cooking, the opposite would be normal, but I was only "slightly" interested!

It was a slip-out on my part.

"If you're truly interested, I could do it..." Yoshikawa-kun, on the other hand, took it more seriously than I expected. His pale blue eyes traveled to me. "I want to know what you think, and fix what's missing to make better food in the future."

"U-Um," my mind was still muddled from my own remarks. I couldn't respond to Yoshikawa-kun right away.

[Calm down, Shiina... Act normal.]

I took a few moments of easy breaths and then looked straight at Yoshikawa-kun. "...If Yoshikawa-kun doesn't mind, I'd like to. I don't mind giving my opinion on your cooking."

"I look forward to it."

I nodded slowly.

[I must be more careful with my wording in the future.]

///Hirosha Yoshikawa's POV\\\\

"That works greatly."

As the time approached noon, and the weather on the terrace was too scorching for me to enjoy writing in peace, I returned to my room. I didn't have to be afraid to speak whatever was on my mind here.

[From hanging out on the terrace, small talk, to an agreement to give her my food.] Everything went well. If I hadn't changed her diary, she wouldn't have gone to the terrace at all.

When I realized I could get her to do the opposite and not immediately be erased by the Diary's function, all I had to do was following the changes I made to myself in that Diary.

The Diary doesn't explain in detail what the Heroine does, or maybe it just depends on who the Heroine in question is. The writing style in each Diary is different, after all.

Shiina Mahiru's Heroine Diary originally started like this:

Friday, March 8, 2024

7.30 AM

I spent more time studying until just before noon while eating the cake that Yoshikawa-kun gave me. Along with a chocolate drink, it proved to be a pleasant combination. I might have to ask Yoshikawa-kun about where he bought that later on.

***

That's all.

Since it's just a diary, they aren't thorough. Well, anyway, the point of that part is Mahiru being too diligent, so she wouldn't have meet me under normal circumstances. That's why I changed it to:

Friday, March 8, 2024

7.30 AM

Since I had no more worries about the school entrance exam, I thought of taking a break by eating the cake that Yoshikawa-kun gave me with a chocolate drink. I didn't get to know the terrace very well, so I thought it would be a suitable location to sit around. I had a nice conversation with Yoshikawa-kun there. We talked for a while until he said something about my food, which he said was delicious. Of course I was happy. When I asked him back about himself, he also answered me honestly. I was naturally curious about what the food was like, but I slipped up and said something embarrassing instead. Well, I was curious about how the food turned out, so I guess it wasn't a terrible outcome.

***

I don't know exactly what made her decide to offered such an embarrassing proposal in the first place. Writing in the Diary is troublesome because I have to make it as if I were the Heroine, acting according to their own logic. The workable abilities I could applied, namely— ugh— Minor Incidents Maker, Movements Maker, and Thoughts Provoker, they can't all be as specific as a number of people might have thought. They are highly dependent on the situation the heroine is in. To get a specific action, it takes clever wordplay rather than a specific command to get it done. That naturally leaves the storyteller not knowing specifically what exactly caused the change to happen in the first place, but who cares? Not me.

(Congratulations!)

[What now?]

Those white texts floating in my vision is something I'm used to see by now.

For some unclear reason, which I didn't think would be that acceptable, System turned out to be understanding about the time and place— to give me a gift of whatever it was after accomplishing something.

(As a reward for raising Shiina Mahiru's Flag, you get Kosaki Onodera's Heroine Diary!)

I sighed.

After the Gorilla woman, it's a Baker's Daughter now...?