May 12, 20XX
8:09 AM
Hmm… I’m getting along with the Slice-of-Life Protagonists so far. Funny hijinks are to be expected here and there. But I have one problem…
“But Slice-of-Life isn’t usually meant to progress, but only to make ugh, rete, and develop characters.”
One might wonder what progress means in this context, but often, when one refers to progress in this genre, it refers to character development, as there is no often goal to be accomplished.
My mind lingers about several topics for a bit and finally comes to a conclusion.
“Alright, let’s confirm if they have a goal first.”
A goal is equivalent to a plot in this case. If there’s a plot, character progression might not necessarily be the way for these people to go.
I shouldn’t really worry about progression this early, but there are things I have to confirm now rather than ter. It might become harder to steer otherwise.
…
..
.
12:00 NN, Lunchtime
Ring. Ring.
The school bell rings.
All five of us protagonists head outside of the cssroom.
Katsuro groans while walking in the hallway.
“The cafeteria’s kinda boring…”
“Then where do you propose we should go to?” I ask him.
“Hmm… I might have an idea…”
“Let’s hear it,” Masaru replies.
“Let’s go to the rooftop!”
“But isn’t the rooftop prohibited from entry?” Madoka ponders.
“Quiet,” Takashi responds, index finger next to his mouth.
While they argue, I merely engross myself in my thoughts and consider the roundabout ways I ask them.
Katsuro’s head bops all around to confirm that no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. Next thing we knew, he whispers, “That’s exactly why. There are no people there, so it’s perfect.”
“But what if we get caught?” Masaru queries.
“We won’t,” Katsuro insists.
“Sounds sketchy… Let’s do it,” Madoka responds.
“Just make sure to take responsibility, Katsuro!” Masaru answers.
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” Katsuro excims.
“Ah good, good, wait wha-”
“LET’S GO!!!”
They run along ahead, but Masaru spots me lost in thought.
“Hey, Kibe, let’s go,” he tells me.
Hearing my name tells me that I was being called and I snap to my senses immediately.
“Ah yes, I’m coming.”
Shortly, I follow along.
…
..
.
Next enters a short montage of us hurriedly running up the stairs. At long st, only a mountain of desks block our way into the promised nd. We, the five of us, carefully put one desk down, one after another until the door to the rooftop ys in its full glory.
Masaru takes the lead and opens the doors.
The sun shines brightly and the reflected light enters our eyes, so we all squint momentarily. From there, we see the promised nd, reserved only for our use. It seemed only even it was for a slight second, that the world belonged to us.
…
..
.
All five of us sit on the rooftop. I peer over to the ground from the grand height and all that could only be seen from this altitude.
What beautiful scenery. Now that I’m here, it really sinks the fact that I’m a main character now.
“Let’s eat here!” Katsuro yells.
“But we haven’t bought lunch yet,” Madoka worries.
“Eh? I forgot.”
“Why did both of you go sit down then?” I reply.
“Seriously? I brought my own lunch,” Masaru answers.
He shows us a carefully wrapped lunch box.
“I brought my own lunch this time too,” I decre.
With the natural flow of conversation, I, too present to them my neatly prepared lunch box (which was prepared by Nakatani, but you don’t need to know that).
“I have mine…” Takashi responds.
He, too shows his.
Madoka pats Katsuro’s back.
“Don’t worry bro…”
He brings out a thumbs-up to him.
“I’ll come with you.”
“Bro…”
Katsuro let out tears.
With how cheesy this scene is, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
How overdramatic…
Katsuro and Madoka both open the door and go down the staircase.
Without a moment’s notice, I grab my chopsticks and dig them into my rice.
Madoka turns around.
“AND NO ONE DARE TOUCH THEIR MEALS! I’M LOOKING AT YOU TAKAYUKI KIBE!”
The sudden rise in volume startles me from my position and I accidentally gulp my food. I look at him and retort, “Eh? FINE! JUST DON’T TAKE LONG!”
God, these Slice-of-Life events are taking long. Please let me get to the part where I ask them.
…
..
.
Katsuro and Madoka take 5 minutes. They head back up the stairs holding their ‘lunches’.
“Where have you two been? My food is getting cold,” I ask them, visibly irritated.
“We were only out for a few minutes…” Katsuro replies as both he and Madoka take a seat with us to form a circle.
“That’s enough yapping! It’s time to eat!” Madoka shouts.
I groan.
We can finally get things going.
“I only got a yakisoba pan,” Katsuro says as he showed us his ‘lunch’, “Well,” he cps his hand one time, “thank you for the meal!”
He begins chomping like a wild man.
“Guys, I have a question,” I tell them and all attention falls onto me, “Do you guys have any goals in life? Well, not really goals in life… do you guys have anything you’re trying to achieve right now?”
“That’s a surprisingly normal question for you to ask,” Masaru comments.
“Look, even I can be pretty normal too.”
“You should probably already know mine, Kibe,” Katsuro decres.
“H-Huh?” I wonder.
I-I do?
“Y-Yeah, I do,” I answer, pretending to know it.
“I want to be a comedian…” Takashi decres.
“Yeah, that one makes sense. How about you, Madoka?”
“Me? Uhhh… nothing comes in my mind?”
“Nothing at all?” I interrogate him, “There has to be something right?”
“Let me think a bit deeper. Hmm…”
“Don’t try asking this guy, he’s probably deep rooted in finding more dirty games,” Katsuro jokes.
“Pfft-” Masaru tries to hold in his ughter.
“Hmm… I really have nothing. Maybe live zily?” Madoka answers me.
“That’s… okay… You, Masaru?”
Best just to change subject.
“Me? Hm… I think all I’d want is to lead a normal and happy life. Nothing too specific.”
“I see.”
Okay, now that I sort of know their goals… I can clearly say there is no united goal, they kinda have their own wants. Their goals are personal, so I can decre that there is no coherent plot for a series like this. It’s just as I worried.
“Alright then, what’s yours, Kibe?” Masaru asks me.
“What?” I ask, taken out from my thoughts.
“Yeah, what are you aiming for?” Madoka questions.
“You went through the trouble of joining us, surely, there has to be a reason, right?” Katsuro comments.
“Tell us, tell us…” Takashi insists.
Wh-What? What do I tell them? I can’t just outright say that I wanted to become a main character, can I?!
“Uh…”
Think! Think! Ooh! A half-truth should do.
“…I didn’t want to be lonely anymore. It all boils down to that, and as you can see, I clearly achieved that goal. So right now, I’m off to achieve others.”
“Is that really it? That’s oddly wholesome. I expected something more devious,” Madoka comments.
“Just how do you people see me…”
I can let it pass, it’s a warranted response.
“You really went through a lot of trouble for that, Kibe,” Masaru replies, “but as long as you don’t cause us too much problems in the future and if you promise to be a cool guy, we’ll let you stay.”
“Please don’t bckmail us either…” Madoka worries.
“I won’t! I won’t!” I reassure.
I probably won’t. Probably.
…
..
.
1:00 PM
Ring. Ring.
The school bell rings.
School break was over. All of us were back in the hallway on our way back to css. The four of them chatter while I g a bit behind to gather my thoughts.
This is good, isn’t it?
“Yeah… I don’t need to rush it.”
Our story recently started, renewed as 5 Protagonists. In these first few days, there is no need to rush things.
…
..
.
May 18, 20XX
Exactly as I say, I make no rush towards progress. These past few days only consist of the usual Slice-of-Life banters. Teasing, joking, backstabbing, and talking about the most mundane, absurd, and trivial matters. Such is the essence of Slice-of-Life at its core. But that is exactly the part that worries me.
…
..
.
12:07 PM, Lunchtime
At the usual spot, we gather atop the rooftop eating our lunch boxes.
Everyone joyfully eats their meal, aside from me. I am yet again, lost in thought.
Is this really okay? Nothing’s happening at all.
They chat with each other as usual.
This ck of progress is making me uneasy. Legitimately nothing has happened at all.
My desire to be a protagonist of a higher form urges me to do something that substantially contributes to the progress. The nothingness that is present in this genre makes me uneasy and uncomfortable.
I feel like I’m supposed to be doing something. Scheming something grand…
The rexing atmosphere puts me in a conflicted state. Back when I wasn’t a protagonist, I could see everything happening all at the same time, so many different things happening. In contrast, now that has faded out in the background, though I still do see them from time to time.
It’s the constant urge to do something grand and it feels like doing nothing here wastes my time.
Masaru spots me again and taps my shoulder. That was enough to get me back.
“Hey, you’ve been staring into nothing for the past few days. Is there a problem?” he asks me.
I shake my head.
“No, nothing at all. I’m just contempting my bad rolls in my gachas, ahahaha…”
I put out a fake chuckle to end the conversation immediately. This is a matter only I can take care of myself.
“Don’t waste your money on gachas,” he tells me sternly.
“Hey, I’ll spend wisely,” I reply.
Should I force progress after all?
Madoka butts in to Masaru, “Hey, spending your money on gachas help fund its growth.”
“I know that but still… learn some restraint you guys,” Masaru replies, “You guys blow your money whenever you get the chance. If I’m not here, Madoka, you would be out in the streets begging for money.”
How do I kickstart progress? Do I focus on one of them and help them achieve their goal?
“At least I’m safe, a good spender, unlike all of you dummies,” Katsuro decres.
“Katsuro, you’re the greatest offender, didn’t you like spend 100,000 yen on figurines just the other day?” Masaru recalls.
“Those were essential. It’s for morale boost.”
“You could settle with one.”
“ONE?! YOU FAKE ANIME FAN!!!”
“Wha?! Who are you calling a fake?!”
Takashi, Katsuro, Madoka, Masaru. Takashi’s request is a bit hard considering the various factors involved in comedy. What was Katsuro’s request again? Uhhh… I still can’t remember. Madoka doesn’t have a goal. Masaru’s goal… is living life? Does that mean I’m forced to ask Takashi from the get-go? Or should I crify what was Katsuro’s request was again?
“Kibe.”
Man, it’s really embarrassing to ask Katsuro after I made all those decrations. I really should have asked him way earlier.
“Kibe.”
“Man… this is quite the dilemma,” I say out loud.
“Kibe.”
Finally, I come to my senses and see that Masaru was calling me. Everyone else was looking at me.
“Y-Yes? Is there something wrong?” I respond.
“Kibe, are you having fun?” he asks me.
What? What is this all of a sudden?
“Yeah, of course, I have fun with all of you, I wo-”
“Kibe. Are you having fun?” he asks me again with a slightly serious tone.
Huh? What is he getting at? I need to think of more pns, I don’t have time for this.
“I mean, yeah, of course, why wouldn’t I?”
Annoyingly, he asks me again, “Are you sure? Are you really having fun?”
What the fuck does he want? I’m really not into the mood here. What is h-
A wave of relief brushes over my body. I realize the message Masaru is trying to convey to me. It’s a simple question that means more than what he’s asking.
‘Are you having fun with us in the group? Are you happy here in the group? Are you enjoying yourself?’
Plenty of theoretical interpretations, but it all dotes on what I’ve been doing so far. Honestly, now that I see it, it makes me look like an idiot. All of these people are carefree and enjoying life as they please, while I’m here worrying about how I can rush a story forward. Why am I not doing the same?
It’s a little embarrassing how much I’m looking into this.
What am I doing? Regardless of anything, I chose to become a Slice-of-Life Protagonist. I shouldn’t be thinking too hard.
As these thought processes all occur within a span of a second, I feel as if a burden was lifted off my chest.
My expression softens and I prepare for a sincere answer.
“Yes, I’m having fun.”
It is inevitable for the plot to move forward… but not now. In this time, in this moment, I believe, they and even I, deserve to kick back and enjoy the trivial matters of life.
My expression brightens up and finally I get to dig in to my lunch. The loads of thoughts flush over and disappear in a moment’s notice and just like that, I, too, am a id-back fool.
“This lunch is delicious.”
END OF EPISODE 18
