May 19, 20XX

  12:03 PM, Lunchtime

  We were having a normal lunch by the rooftop again. It’s a thing we do basically every day now.

  Takashi had his curry rice, Masaru had sushi, Madoka had sashimi, Katsuro had nigirizushi, and I had my onigiri.

  “Takashi, can I have some of your curry?” Katsuro requests.

  “Uhhh,” Takashi hesitates.

  “Oh come on, Katsuro. You have your own lunch!” Masaru grunts.

  “Sharing is caring,” Madoka expins.

  “More like robbing in this case,” I comment wittily.

  All of a sudden we heard chuckling from somewhere nearby.

  “What was that?” I wonder.

  We search our surroundings and spot 4 girls from our css. They were eating their own lunches on the opposite side.

  They’re doing the exact same as us, quirky banter and all.

  One of them snatches a sushi from another.

  “M-My sushi!”

  Note: Yuka Konishi, 3rd row, 5th column.

  “Hehe, finders keepers.”

  Note: Ran Tanimoto, 1st row, 2nd column.

  “Hm…”

  Note: Rin Goda, 3rd row, 5th column.

  “Oi, why’d you have to do that to our sweet little cupcake, Ran-san?”

  Note: Mari Chinen, 5th row, 5th column. Together, they are the Slice-of-Life Girls!

  Madoka was aghast at how boldly and sweetly they interact, as if we weren’t there. He gets up on his legs and yells.

  “What is the meaning of this?!”

  The Slice-of-Life Girls take notice of him. Well, we weren’t so far from each other, so naturally, they would.

  “What’s your business?” Mari questions aggressively.

  “Why are you people here? This is a restricted area for students,” Masaru answers.

  Wrong choice of words.

  “Doesn’t the same go for you people as well?” she asks.

  I knew she’d use that counter, that’s exactly why you shouldn’t have said that.

  I groan.

  Guess I’ll have to take charge again.

  I stand up for my comrades.

  “Why are you people at the roof? This is our turf!”

  “Huh?! Why do your people get to decide that?!” she compins.

  “Now, now, let’s all calm down,” Ran insists, “What’s the problem, boys?”

  “The problem is this pce is for us boys only! Private! No one else!” I revolt.

  “Why are we all fighting for such a pointless thing? Let’s all just share the roof!” she suggests.

  Honestly, I’d be down to compromise with that offer. However, their aura, it’s overwhelming. I sense an abnormal shift in the atmosphere. They have to leave ASAP.

  “I appreciate the offer, but we’d have to turn it down. Only one champion can reign over the roof,” Katsuro interferes.

  “One group of champions,” Masaru corrects him.

  Takashi nods his head.

  “Alright then, if that’s the case, we’d have to settle for a little game. If the lot of you are good for it, I’m all in for a little game,” Ran suggests.

  “P-Please don’t fight!” Yuka squeals.

  Her voice eases up the tension. She sounded like a little angel. Even I was entranced by her… but she’s a 2.5D girl, so I’m gonna have to scratch that thought.

  “This is getting a bit ridiculous,” Mari compins.

  “Boys, let’s go back to our pce… for now,” Masaru orders.

  “Maybe that’s a good idea,” Rin answers.

  “Hmph!”

  All of us went back to our lunches. We ate in a sour mood.

  Note: Overruling Statement: Slice-of-Life Boys’ Version to Slice-of-Life Girls’ Version.

  I was startled.

  What’s this?

  I was the only one in the world who could hear Author’s narration, although I usually ignore them because they’re annoying as heck.

  Note: Pending Status…

  I gulp.

  I knew it. The Overruling Statement is now being used against me, damn you, Author!

  I stare at the Slice-of-Life Girls eating merrily with a slight hint of a bitter mood. Carefully maintaining my distance just enough to listen and not to disturb them, I happen to overhear their conversation.

  Just wh-what is the difference between us? Why are the girls overpowering the boys?!

  “Geez, this is why I hate getting associated with boys!” Mari grunts as she feeds herself with a chopstick filled with rice.

  A man-hater, I surmise?

  “You’re generalizing them a tad bit much there, Mari-chan,” Ran responds, “Oh, sorry Rin-chan but can I borrow your water bottle?”

  “Why do you never bring any of the important stuff?” Rin ponders.

  She passes on the water bottle to Ran.

  Ran twisted the water bottle however…

  “Oops!”

  Drip. Drip.

  She accidentally spills some water on Rin’s lunch box filled with tempura.

  “S-Sorry!” Ran apologizes sporadically.

  Rin closes her eyes and a tear is excreted out of her left eye. She closes her hands as if lost in fervent prayer.

  “Take me, Lord God. There is no more reason for me to live…”

  “R-RIN-CHAN?!”

  Ran panics.

  “U-UHH… I know! Rin-chan…”

  She pats her shoulder. Rin opens her eyes and gnces at her.

  “Think of it as miso soup.”

  Bro.

  “YOU MORON! THAT’S NOT GONNA CUT IT!” Mari yells.

  Rin then peers at the sky and continues where her prayer left off.

  “Also Lord God, I have one final request…”

  “Eh?” Ran questions.

  “Please drag her to the deepest depths of hell. Just to make sure, spell her name with 蘭 (ran) meaning ‘orchid’ and for the st name use 谷 (tani) meaning ‘valley’ and 本 (moto) meaning ‘origin’.”

  “WHY ARE YOU SPELLING MY NAME?!”

  Ran shakes her shoulders back and forth repeatedly.

  “AHHH!!! I’M SORRY RIN! PLEASE DON’T SEND ME TO HELL!!!”

  I-I understand now! It’s because the influence of Slice-of-Life Girls are stronger and more influential in modern anime! That’s one of the possible rge points but from my keen observations…

  I point at the girls but they didn’t notice.

  This is the power of moe!

  I point back at the boys.

  This is the power of nothing!

  I clench my fist passionately.

  Manliness cannot compare to moe. All we have is comedy while they have comedy and cuteness!

  The power they hold makes me shiver in fear.

  At this rate, we’ll become side characters in their lives. Now, I know what the viewers are probably thinking right now, ‘What’s the problem with that? You’d still get character development.’

  I breathe in.

  The answer is no. If you’ve seen a Slice-of-Life anime, more often than not, those who are side characters barely get any screen time or heck, let alone character development! Only select few of side characters do and chances are, it won’t be us! The most problematic of all is… they y in the same genre, so our paths and antics will intersect and interact most of the time.

  I look above the heavens.

  Author… I’ll show you that we can win. Even if I’m a protagonist, I refuse to spend my days being a side character in another show. Gotta rake in those character development points.

  Masaru stares at me, but I did not notice it at the moment.

  “How long is he gonna keep making odd expressions?” he ponders.

  I’ll take on a war! A Slice-of-Life Competition!

  I approach the girls for another time. I voluntarily warrant their attention.

  “What is it now?” Mari irritatingly questions.

  “Who was it who proposed a challenge?” I ask.

  “Me.” Ran raises her hand.

  “I- No, we accept your challenge.”

  The boys were alerted. I suppose they couldn’t help but listen in as well.

  “K-Kibe?!” Masaru panics.

  “No takebacks?” she asks me.

  Before anyone could reject my notion, I speak firmly.

  “None.”

  She holds out her hand and I gracefully accept it.

  1:00 PM

  Ring. Ring.

  The school bell rings.

  I was startled.

  “It’s time for us to go back to css!” Ran cheers, “See you boys, after css ter!”

  The girls approach to the door and go downstairs.

  “Wait for me!” Yuka pleads.

  I was frozen in pce.

  H-How… did an hour pass by so quickly? Th-They finished eating.

  Madoka touches my shoulder.

  “Time to go bro.”

  Goodness, I hate how fast time passes by in Slice-of-Life. I really have to win or I’ll graduate in a few weeks’ time.

  END OF EPISODE 19, Beginning of Arc 2, Slice-of-Life Competition Arc.