The Gal Game Heroines Who Were Supposed to Die Somehow Learned My Secret ～By the Way, Where Did My [Diary] Go?～ - Chapter 07: Shino Shinonome

Chapter 07: Shino Shinonome

After Shuna left, I decided to continue the game. But when I turned it on, all the data had been reset. Apparently, old games like this didn’t have auto-save features.

All the progress Shuna and I made together was gone, reduced to nothing.

Still, I tried to convince myself that this sense of emptiness was part of the charm of retro gaming. That made me feel… slightly better.

At the end of the day, I was still in the hospital. Something like this wasn’t a big deal. If anything, I could see it as more time to kill.

Positive thinking is important. I just had to hang in there a little longer until I got discharged.

“That said, Yuto really ended up being hated, huh.”

It’s his own fault, so I couldn’t bring myself to feel bad for him.

Serves him right.

I’d gone through hell trying to ensure he and the heroines reached a happy ending. I had literally risked my life for it.

If throwing money at problems could fix everything, it would’ve been easy. But no. I had to take on Yuto’s role, pretending to be him while achieving results, or secretly helping the heroines so he could take the credit. That was the hardest part. Whatever I did, the outcome always benefited Yuto, while my only reward was a slightly higher chance of survival.

How many times had I been crushed by a sense of futility?

I tried to find solace in the smiles of the heroines, convincing myself they were my reward. But after ending up at this bad ending, I swore to hold a grudge for the rest of my life.

It had been rough. The most troublesome part was the world’s enforcement of the scenario. If I deviated too far from Love or Dead’s script, I’d face obstacles that made it impossible to act openly. It was incredibly frustrating.

“Seriously, if it weren’t for that, everything would’ve been so much easier…”

“And what might that be?”

“Huh? Oh, the world’s enfor—whoa! Since when were you here!?”

When I glanced to my side, a beautiful girl was sitting in the chair next to me.

“Fufu, just a moment ago. You seemed deep in thought, so I didn’t want to interrupt. I made sure to enter as quietly as possible.”

“Please don’t do that—it’s bad for my heart. Just call out to me like a normal person.”

“As you wish, Satoshi-sama.”

“…I’m begging you, just call me normally. Having the young lady of the Shinonome Conglomerate address me with ‘-sama’ would cause all kinds of problems.”

“Fufu, you’re right. Then I’ll call you Satoshi-san.”

She laughed softly, covering her mouth as if amused.

Why do all of them—Satsuki, Reine, Shuna, and now her—insist on calling me Satoshi-sama? Sure, I saved their lives, but that doesn’t mean they need to act this formal.

In fact, if anyone should be using honorifics, it’s me. Her position as the daughter of the powerful Shinonome family makes it entirely inappropriate for her to address me with such reverence.

“Please, call me Shino as well. Being so distant feels unnecessary, don’t you think? After all, aren’t we close, Satoshi-san?”

“Oh, sorry. Shino.”

But what kind of closeness did we have, anyway…?

Thanks to what I’d learned from the previous three, I knew better than to call her by her last name. When a girl tells you to use her first name, you use her first name. That’s just how it works—I’ve learned my lesson.

Shino Shinonome. The final heroine of Love or Dead (LoD).

She was the epitome of grace, with her long, mysterious black hair that seemed to capture the essence of the night sky itself. Not only was she the top student in our grade, but she was also one of the brightest minds in the entire country—a true genius. She excelled in both academics and sports, embodying the ideal of the Yamato Nadeshiko. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that phrase was invented for someone like her.

As the young lady of the Shinonome Conglomerate, she stood in stark contrast to Shuna, the impoverished working student. They were often compared as polar opposites.

Frankly, I liked them both, so I didn’t see the point in ranking them.

“So, what were you thinking about?”

“Oh, uh…”

Yeah, I couldn’t exactly tell her I was thinking about the world’s enforcement mechanics.

“Money. I was just thinking about money. You know, I feel like the company I’ve invested in is going to hit its peak soon, so I’ve been considering shifting my investments to another one.”

Smooth, right? Totally convincing.

…Not. That was probably the clumsiest attempt to dodge a topic ever.

Normally, this is where someone would just nod and go, “Oh, I see,” and that’d be the end of it. Especially if they were a high school girl.

But Shino? She wasn’t just any high school girl.

“I see. In that case, how about Hoshinet? It’s a rising company with an innovative business model centered on staffing services. They’re experiencing rapid growth, and according to economic analysts, their revenue is projected to double—or even triple—within a year.”

Of course she’d say that…

“No, Hoshinet’s a bad choice. I don’t think their growth will last.”

“And why is that? Staffing services are a novel business model, and from an investor’s perspective, it seems like an attractive opportunity, doesn’t it?”

“There are several reasons, but first and foremost, staffing services are easy to replicate. If a large, well-funded company—like, say, the Shinonome Corp.—decided to copy their business model, Hoshinet would stop being profitable in no time.”

How’s that for an answer?

“Fufu, as expected of your sharp insight. Well done.”

She clapped her hands cheerfully, clearly pleased.

Like she wasn’t just testing me or something.

This was a common tactic used by large corporations. If a promising business model or product emerged, they’d flood the market with similar products using their massive capital. I didn’t see it as unfair—it was just how business worked. But for small companies, it must feel like being steamrolled.

“As you correctly surmised, the Shinonome Corp. is planning to establish a company in the same industry as Hoshinet. We’ll be investing capital and manpower several times greater than what Hoshinet has at its disposal.”

“Brutal… But I guess it’s Hoshinet’s fault for being an easy target.”

“Exactly. Society operates on survival of the fittest. If you expose your weaknesses and temptations, it’s your own fault for being exploited.”

The way she said that so matter-of-factly showed just how detached her worldview was from that of the average person. She fully understood that if Hoshinet were crushed, many people would lose their livelihoods—and yet, she said it without hesitation.

“Still, Satoshi-san, your insight never ceases to amaze me. To think that someone with intelligence and wisdom surpassing mine exists in the same grade as me… Truly impressive.”

“You’re giving me too much credit. I’ve never once beaten you in a test. In that sense, Yuto’s actually pretty amazing.”

“Fufu, please don’t mention that name. It makes me want to kill something.”

“Ah, okay.”

It seemed Yuto had successfully managed to earn the hatred of every single heroine.

Chasing not two, but four rabbits left him with nothing in the end. What a shame.

The reason Shino enrolled in our ordinary high school was to find friends. In the world of the upper class, it seemed no one could stand on equal footing with her. She’d been consistently ranked among the nation’s top students in mock exams without even studying.

That’s why she went out of her way to join a normal high school. She thought that by changing her environment, she might encounter more interesting people.

And among those people, she singled out Yuto. Good for him, I guess?

Shino had a habit of testing people. The conversation about companies earlier was just one example. It was her way of determining whether someone was worth talking to. Apparently, she found it entertaining.

It seemed I had passed Shino’s filter, which is why I got to enjoy conversations with her.

“I can’t say what your motivation was, but perhaps you held back on purpose during tests. As the saying goes, ‘A wise hawk hides its talons.’ Living a long, quiet life is often wiser than standing out.”

Shino smiled meaningfully, as if to say, I know exactly what you’re up to.

No, seriously, I was actually trying my hardest to rank first at school…

But thanks to the world’s enforcement mechanics, my grades were perpetually kept at an average level.

Let me explain what I mean by world’s enforcement mechanics.

This world is based on the gal game Love or Dead (LoD), which means there’s a predetermined script. If you act in a way that contradicts the game’s scenario, the world itself adjusts to correct the inconsistency.

For example, I knew Shino sought someone with intelligence comparable to hers. So, despite being just a background character, I decided to ace every subject and get perfect scores.

At least, that’s what should have happened.

Instead, the scores I received were abysmal. Worse, even correct answers were marked wrong, and my grades were heavily penalized. When I tried to appeal, the teachers flat-out rejected me. No matter who I asked, they all insisted my answers were incorrect.

At one point, I started doubting myself—until I noticed that a neighboring student had written the exact same answer and received full marks.

At first, I didn’t understand what was happening. It didn’t take long, however, to realize this was the world’s way of enforcing LoD’s narrative.

Shino’s character had a set trait: until she fell in love with Yuto, she was a genius who consistently ranked first in the grade. When I broke that rule, the world stepped in to fix it.

It felt like one of Nobita’s answers being marked wrong—1+1=2 scored as zero.

When it actually happens to you, it’s infuriating. I tried interfering with the scenario by giving my all in sports and mock exams, only to be thwarted by the world’s enforcement mechanics every time.

When I aimed to win the 50-meter dash, I tripped. When I tried to ace a mock exam, my score was marked as zero because “I forgot to write my name.”

That’s when I realized my place. No matter how hard I tried, a mob character would always remain a mob character. The scenario was absolute, and I had no choice but to follow it.

If altering the scenario had been possible, I wouldn’t have gone to such lengths—sacrificing myself to save the heroines.

“Satoshi-san, with your intellect, I’d love for you to work for the Shinonome Corp. someday.”

“Please don’t…”

Even my earlier comments about Hoshinet came from knowledge of my previous life.

In my past world, I already knew how Hoshinet’s story ended. Combining that with what I learned here, I just pieced together a plausible-sounding explanation.

By the way, the reason I’m familiar with stocks and forex is also tied to my past life. As a useless NEET, I felt so guilty about being a burden to my family that I started searching for a way to turn my life around. That’s when I turned to stocks and forex.

The plan was to borrow money from my parents’ account, invest it, and make it grow exponentially. Instead, I lost all the money and was left with nothing but crushing guilt.

So yeah, my knowledge of investments came at a steep price. I figured I’d make the most of it in this life while I still could, but thanks to that worthless bastard, most of my remaining funds were already gone.

Now, I’m running out of tricks, and things are getting dangerously bad.

“I’m so glad… so glad Satoshi-san didn’t die…!”

“Huh?”

As I was contemplating my precarious future, Shino suddenly threw herself into my chest. Her voice was trembling, mixed with faint sobs.

“If you had died back then for my sake… just thinking about it terrifies me. I couldn’t sleep at all during the days you wouldn’t wake up. If the worst had happened, I intended to follow you…”

Ehhh!? That’s way too heavy!

I was genuinely relieved we didn’t end up having a tearful reunion in hell after I went out of my way to save her.

“Shino, I’m alive now, so you don’t need to think about things like that anymore.”

“But… it’s because of me…”

As Shino pulled away from my chest, her eyes glanced at my injured right arm.

“This injury is a badge of honor. A nobody like me became the savior of a beautiful girl like you, Shino. That’s something I’ll be proud of for the rest of my life. So please, don’t say anything that diminishes yourself.”

In both my past and present lives, I’d never been able to do anything meaningful for anyone. But this time, I had sacrificed myself to save someone. And it wasn’t just anyone—it was one of LoD’s heroines. That made it even more fulfilling.

“…That’s not fair, you know.”

Then, burying her face between my knees again, she spoke with a slightly sulky tone.

Still, that was Shino for you.

Blaming herself any further would be an insult to me, the one who saved her. Someone like Shino, who valued honor and duty, would never allow herself to do such a thing. The fact that she understood my intentions so well just reinforced how amazing she was.

…Though, this has been going on for a while now.

“Shino?”

“I’m sorry. Just give me ten more minutes like this… hah, hah.”

“Oh… okay.”

“Yes. I’m sorry. My tears just won’t stop… hah, hah.”

Liar!?

I didn’t hear any sobbing, and if anything, her breathing sounded oddly… excited.

Not that I could say that to her face, but there was one thing I’d add about Shino. Out of the Four Beauties, she was definitely the most sensual. They say curiosity leads to sensuality, and with Shino, that seemed especially true.

Still… this is kind of a shock.

I’d thought Shino only acted this way with people she was romantically interested in, but apparently even someone like me could stir such feelings. Now I’m worried about what’ll happen when she gets to college. What if she ends up in one of those clubs?

As I spiraled into this strange train of thought, Shino finally raised her head, as if nothing had happened.

“Ah… I indulged myself a little too much. I’m sorry for losing my composure.”

“As long as you’re feeling better, that’s fine.”

I decided to play dumb, but upon closer observation, Shino’s complexion seemed noticeably better than when she first arrived.

Still, it was a bit concerning.

“Phew… It seems our pleasant time ends here. I have a dinner meeting to attend…”

“As expected of the daughter of a Conglomerate. Sounds tough.”

“Yes, it’s a hassle, but it can’t be helped—it’s for the sake of the family. I’ll visit again soon.”

“Alright, take care.”

Shino stood up from her chair and walked toward the door. She placed her hand on the handle but suddenly paused.

“Satoshi-san…”

She spoke, her back still turned to me.

“Hm? Did you forget something?”

“No, there’s just one last thing I’d like to ask.”

“One last thing?”

“Yes. Is there anyone you truly and deeply hate, Satoshi-sama?”

“Huh?”

She let go of the door handle and turned to face me, her gaze steady and unwavering.

“For instance, how do you feel about the person who ran you over with their car, Satoshi-sama?”

Ah, so that’s what this is about. From Shino’s perspective, the car driver would naturally seem like the one responsible for my current condition.

“No, not at all. I don’t hate them in the slightest. Honestly, I even feel sorry for them.”

“What…?”

The truth is, I spoke with the guy who hit me, and his story didn’t hold up logically. His behavior resembled that of people whose actions were influenced by the world’s enforcement mechanics—it was eerily similar.

When I thought about it that way, I couldn’t help but pity him as just another victim of this world’s narrative. I didn’t even charge him for my medical expenses.

“Satoshi-san, you’re far too kind…”

Shino gave me a faint, troubled smile as she looked at me.

“No, no, it’s not like that. I have people I hate too, you know. Like the gods who tried to kill you all, for instance.”

“…Eh?”

A heavy silence fell between us.

Damn it… I tried to sound cool, but I went way too far with that line.

That being said, it was true—I absolutely despised the creators of this world. And Yuto. I sincerely hoped they’d both spend eternity in misery.

“Satoshi-sama, I… No, never mind. More importantly, Satoshi-san, could you give me your right hand?”

“I’d like to, but sorry. I still can’t move it at all.”

Even when I tried, all I could do was make it tremble slightly.

“I see. Then, allow me.”

Shino turned and moved to my right side. Gently, she lifted my hand in both of hers, as delicately as if she were holding something fragile. Then, like a knight showing their oath, she placed a kiss on the back of my hand.

“W-What are you doing!?”

Flustered beyond belief, I stared at her in disbelief as she looked up at me, her cheeks slightly flushed.

“Satoshi-sama, I will never forget the debt I owe you for saving my life.”

“Uh… yeah.”

“And just as you did for me, I will shield you from any harm that comes your way.”

“…Huh?”

Before I could even ask what she meant, Shino had already stood up and was calmly walking toward the door of the hospital room.

“…Well then, farewell. I sincerely pray for your swift recovery.”

“Ah, yeah.”

She closed the door silently behind her. So that’s why I didn’t hear her come in earlier—she even handled the door with deliberate care. I guess even something as simple as opening and closing a door could showcase her refinement.

Still, what lingered in my mind wasn’t the door—it was a strange sense of unease. Not just with Shino, but with the other three as well. It was subtle, but something about all of them felt… off. Yet, I couldn’t put it into words.

“Well, whatever… It’s probably just my imagination.”

Soon, I’d be discharged. Once that happened, I wouldn’t have any reason to interact with the heroines of LoD anymore. Thinking about that left me feeling a little regretful.

But come April, I’d be starting my first-ever college life—even including my past life. That thought alone made the future seem brighter.

Yeah, staying positive really is important.

━━━

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