You and Me: Love Interest Quest

A tiny ray of light streams through my window. Just like yesterday, it gives birth to a new possibility.

Hajime always wakes up early. At first, it was a habit borne out of necessity, but after seeing the sun slowly raise every morning, illuminating the tranquil city, he came to like it. His mornings start with a light jog after which he takes a shower.

Aoi is a heavy sleeper. Ever since she was a baby, it was very hard for her to wake up in time. Even now, after starting her first year of high school, she needs no set no less than two alarm clocks every morning. It usually helps, and in those rare cases it doesn't, her father is there for her.

Seeing his mother sprawled on the couch on the first floor, muttering in her sleep, Hajime smiles. His mother's room is on the second floor, next to his own, but it's not used as often. Picking up a sloppily discarded jacket off the floor, he walks up the stairs and returns with a blanket.

Putting on her brand new uniform and looking at her reflection in the mirror, Aoi smiles. It makes her look older and more mature, or so the girl thinks. The pleats of her skirt were meticulously ironed yesterday, and the smell of freshness still clings to her black jacket. Hearing her father call her, she walks to the kitchen.

Breakfast are simple in this household: sunny-side up eggs and a pair of toasts. As the familiar smell of freshly brewed coffee permeates the kitchen, the boy sits down and starts eating. The peaceful silence remains undisturbed as he finishes. Before leaving, he diligently wraps the second portion he made.

Aoi stops her father before he leaves. Huffing and puffing, she adjusts his tie, making him chuckle. Despite all the things he is good at like cooking and cleaning, her dad will always be a bit of a scatterbrain, and she will always love him for that. Just before he leaves, the man tells her not to be late to school.

The ride to school takes half an hour. Holding on to the strap, bumping his shoulders against other passengers, Hajime closes his eyes and listens. The boastful talk between a pair of middle school students, the reserved chat between two white collar workers, the muted sound of music coming from some girl's headphones – these tiny fragments overlap and create a melody. Hajime finds it infinitely better than any silence.

The lock clicks, and Aoi leaves the bicycle stand. The school is one five minute ride away from her home, but even then, she often comes late. Even if she is older now, some parts of her always remain the same. She reaches the shoe locker and stops.

Choose the protagonist:

[] Hajime Midorima. A third-year student at Shinohara High. Good-hearted, but lacks any real desire to move in life. Doesn't talk much.

[] Aoi Shimaru. A first-year student at Shinohara High. Cheerful and energetic, she likes to help people. Once she starts talking, it's hard to make her stop.

The protagonist is not the main character of this quest. Instead, they are the protagonist of a non-existent game in which you will play as one of the potential love interests. That said, your main task isn't making the protagonist fall in love with you, but rather, deciding whether you want to be a love interest or not. From then, you can either decline or accept their advances.

Create the main character:

Name: [] Write-in.
Gender: [] Male / Female

The main character creation will be made by choosing three separate traits from which the character will be created. Here they are:

[] Childhood Friend. (The bonds between you and the protagonist go way back. Whether you are friends or simply acquaintances, there's no denying that you know each other.)

[] Ill. (Your health was always poor. That made you miss a lot of fun things growing up, and the looming threat never went away. Even now, you need to be careful about your body.)

[] Delinquent. (Everyone knows about you, and the things they say aren't nice. You get into a lot of fights and constantly skip school.)

[] Athlete. (You are a star of the track club. People often put you on pedestal, and this pressure can sometimes be too much.)

[] Bookish. (Books are easier to deal with than people. You spend your days hidden inside the library, in complete solitude.)

[] Prim. (You're an epitome of good manners and elegance. That makes other admire you, but in a way, that also places you on a pedestal.)

[] Shy. (It's hard to talk to people since you always lose your composure. You lack the bravery to face such challenges head-on, even if you want to.)

[] Rich. (Your family is well-off, and you make sure everyone knows this. No one knows whether there's something hidden behind this luster but you.)

[] Cute. (From your usual mannerisms to your voice, everything about you is simply adorable. Because of this, people often don't take you seriously.)

[] Mature. (There's something about you that makes you seem far more mature than other people your age. This enigmatic charm both attracts and drives people away.)

[] Write-in. (Describe your character trait here.)

Remember: no more than three character traits allowed.