#ariyama

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Chapter 1: My Best Friend is My Rival in Love?!

By Yamada Ryosuke

Arioka and I were in the same year in the same high school.  We knew each other since we were kids; in fact, we were best friends.  However, we had completely opposite personalities.  Arioka was serious and a bit timid and weak, and in comparison, I was a bit of a player*… if I may say so myself.  I didn’t have a steady girlfriend; I dated a lot of girls from school.  

[* Charai refers to flashy, shallow, frivolous, goof, thoughtless and also super flirty behaviour.  When used to describe a person, it’s probably closest to “player” in English.  I will stick with “charai” when they are talking about behaviour since I haven’t thought of a single word that describes all of the above.]

Recently, Arioka had fallen for Yuko, a girl from the class next to his.  Every day, he would nag me with questions like “How do I get her to go out with me?” Once in a while, I gave him some advice on matters of love.

This story started one day after school.  As usual, I was in the gym making out with a girl whose name I didn’t know.  I heard familiar footsteps approaching, and even though my eyes were closed, I knew it was Arioka who was coming over to get me.

“Yamada!! Let’s go home!! Hey you, you are doing that with [random] girls again?!”

My eyes opened and the girl slowly looked back at Arioka.  At that moment, Arioka froze; the bag he was holding fell on the ground.

“Yu...Yuko-chan…!!”

[T/N: Yes, “Yu” as in Chinen Yuri.]

Author’s Comment:

While this is totally fictional, I wanted to write a love triangle where Dai-chan and I were fighting over a girl.  Dai-chan, I leave this to you to make the story more messed up (lol)!!

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Chapter 2: Hitting Rock Bottom, My Revenge Begins!

By Arioka Daiki

I definitely saw something I didn't want to see.

My best friend Yamada and my crush Yuko kissing!!

Unable to take the shock, I ran out of that place.

“That girl is Yuko-chan, my crush? That can't be!! I don't know what to think~!”

I heard Yamada's urgent appeal from behind me, but I wasn’t listening, I ran and ran aimlessly… and without noticing, I ended up at the park.

“Why is this happening…”

For me who lost my best friend and the girl I liked in one shot, I didn’t know what to do.  I wondered why I am so useless...

“Yamada is so popular, why can't I be like that... What does he have that I don't?”

I was thinking about that as I walked into a convenience store. And then it appeared before my eyes: a handbook for love called “From Today Onwards, You Can Be Popular Too”. Grasping at straws, I poured over the contents of the book, studying [the methods] over and over again…

A few days later, I, who used to wear my uniform super properly, left three buttons of my shirt open and wore a sparkly earring in my pierced ear.  My hair was waxed and big and I had a party girl* under each of my arms.  This was the new me that bumped into Yamada.

[* Ike ike girl (イケイケガール) is literally translated as a “go go girl”. Similar to “charai”, there seems to be certain traits associated with the term.  I am just going to use “party girl” here.]

“You are Ar...Arioka?”

Facing this shocked Yamada, I openly declared.

“I will make you feel the pain I felt!”

Author's Comment:

Since Yamada requested that I make “the story messy!”, I turned this into a revenge drama.  It was an experience imagining ourselves being bad (laughs).  Let’s see what you can cook up next [Yamada]!

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Chapter 3: The Playboy met His True Love?

By Yamada Ryosuke

Unbuttoned uniform, sparkly earring, and waxed hair.

The Arioka in front me had certainly turned into an “unmissable character”. However, his eyes were wide opened from shock.

That’s right. I had dyed my hair blonde and was wearing colour con, so I had become more charai than ever!

“Take a good look, Arioka! This is called “the comeback of a player”!!!”

Faced with that [embarrassing] situation, Arioka was crestfallen. Yet the party girls with him became turned on by this defeated Arioka.

I casually met the eyes of one of the girls…

Eh?! Is that…. Is that Yuko?!

In other words, Yuko, who made out with me just a few days ago, was attracted to Arioka at this moment….

What?  When have I cared about Yuko?  She was just one of the many girls I made out with!  

Well then, why is my heart so confused…

I slowly left that place.

Author’s Comment:

This month’s theme is the comeback of a player (laughs)! Yuko, who was uninterested at first, had finally turned around and looked at Arioka.  Dai-chan, how will you continue this battle of the players?

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Chapter 4: The Curtains are Drawn on the Battle of the Players!

By Arioka Daiki

With a sad look on his face, Yamada turned back and started to walk away slowly.  

And then... “Wait a minute!”, Yuko-chan suddenly shouted at Yamada.  I looked up when I heard her voice. Yuko-chan slowly looked back and forth between me and Yamada, and with determination, she said this.

“I love players. The more they play the field, the more I love them. So with that, the first ever “Battle of the Players” begins!”

Not quite knowing what she meant, both Yamada and I asked, “Battle of the Players?”

“Yama-chan and Dai-chan are part of it of course, but all the guys at school who feel like they are players are welcome to join too.  The winner of the “Battle of the Players” can go out with me!”

Hearing Yuko-chan’s words, I was fired up. “I’ll do it!”  

Yamada, cracking his knuckles and brushing his hair upwards, said, “I am not going to lose!”

And then Yuko-chan explained the details of the battle; both Yamada and I were dumbfounded.

Author’s Comment:

No way. I didn’t expect Yamada to become even more charai than me, I wasn’t sure how to continue… So, I decided to add the popular battle element from shounen manga.  Let’s heat this up!

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Chapter 5: Arioka’s Secret is Revealed…?!

By Yamada Ryosuke

[T/N: To be honest, some of the characters’ actions are making me a bit uncomfortable.  I guess they are stereotypical “charai” behaviour?  Which kinda made them creeps, but whatever...  😅’ ]

“Simply speaking, I am going to observe the two of you round the clock to see which of you have a more charai lifestyle.”

And just as she said, Yuko started observing us the next day.  Even though we were being watched, I was very charai to begin with, so I was pretty confident in my chances of winning.  After all, I was someone who greeted every girl a “good morning” with kisses.

While I was confident I had the edge, two days, three days later, the winner was still not decided.  Yuko said Arioka was showing his “player” quality by repeatedly flipping girls’ skirts and she was feeling turned on by that.

This went on until one day, I was in the nurse’s station getting hot and heavy with this girl from my class.  Yuko and Arioka happened to walk by.  To appeal to Yuko, Arioka cut in and started getting involved with the same girl I was with.

“WTH is this?! I am not going to lose!”, I said as I ripped open my uniform to show my beautiful, muscular body*.  Seeing me and not wanting to lose, Arioka also started taking off his shirt.  However, when Arioka saw his own topless self, he immediately regretted doing that.  That is because Arioka’s tummy was on full display!  In that moment, the battle was over…  I snickered, knowing that I had won.

[* Yamada just really wanted to remind people he got a nice muscular body, huh?]

Author’s Comment:

Since we didn’t really thought through the plot of the story, it was a bit hard to keep going but I trust Dai-chan’s powerful ideas! Who will get Yuko’s heart? I am very curious to know too!

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Chapter 6: The Battle of the Players is Over! Who Got True Love in the End?

By Arioka Daiki

Facing Yamada’s well toned abs, I started taking off my shirt too and immediately realized it was the wrong move.  That was because my abs were not in top condition.  I was eating a lot of good food during winter and didn’t train my body, so it was no wonder I looked like that.

Yuko was staring at Yamada’s body and she was definitely into it.  Yamada pulled Yuko into his embrace and they kissed passionately.

Yup, total defeat-----.

To stop my tears from coming out, I held my head up, but then I felt someone’s warm gaze on me.  Suddenly, I remembered there was someone else in the room other than Yamada, Yuko, and I.  In the room, there was also Keiko* who was making out with Yamada earlier!  Keiko slowly opened her mouth, her eyes turned heart shaped, and shouted.

[* Yes, Kei as in Inoo Kei]

“Arioka-kun’s tummy reminds me of my papa’s!  I loooove it!”

From that point on, Keiko pursued me relentlessly!  No matter where I was, she was always beside me. No matter what I said, she would laugh [like it was the funniest joke].  My heart slowly turned towards the single-minded Keiko.

3 days later, I saw Yamada and Yuko taking a walk and holding hands.  Now I was able to wholeheartedly support this couple.

That was because beside me…

My new love goddess, Keiko, was smiling at me.

Author’s Comment:

Since Inoo-chan was there, the story has a happy ending (laughs).  Honestly, at first I was worried as the story kinda went off the rails!  But I was enjoying the writing process.  Will this story be published? Until the day we meet again, to be continued~

[Aside: I don’t know what to say.  I guess Keiko likes the dad bod… in any case, she can help Dai-chan draw on some abs if need be. All things considered, the fight in My Girl makes more sense - at least the 3 of them had grown up together and frankly, I think the girl in the song probably think they are ridiculous and dump them anyway. ]

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