Romantic Experiences

"Okay, this time let's keep it simple. I need to write a romantic story, so I'll need two characters. These two characters won't be together initially, but they'll end up together in the end. Ka-Boom! I've managed to summarize my entire story in two sentences. Huh, wait, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Okay, let's start adding details. He's a high school boy, just like her. What does he like to do? Hm... What could he possibly do in his free time? Got it! He enjoys writing in his free time! It'll be easier if I use my own name for him too! Alright, his name is Shin. And she... hm, I can't think of a name.
At this point, maybe I can take some inspiration from what's happening to me in real life right now... 'Shin²' is participating in a contest, and she's helping him. Later, the two of them get to know each other better and... Huh? I don't like the way things are turning out. If it's really like this, then it means that... me and Aya... No, wait. Let's not mix up reality and fiction. Aya is just helping me write the story.

That being said... this particular kind of development is more than acceptable and shouldn't cause any issues or awkwardness as Aya and I analyze together the story I'm writing. She should be here any moment now. I wonder how she'll react when I tell her what I've written.
Meanwhile, I'm done writing about how the story will develop! Fantastic! The only thing left is to write the entire story. I think I'm making good progress!

DLIN DLON

Okay, here we go. I'm really curious to know what Aya thinks of the story.
I headed to the door, opened it, and said,
"Hello Aya--"
However, Aya wasn't at the door.
I saw brown hair and green eyes. It was Rei.
"Ahem... Hello Rei, please come in."
We settled into my room.
"What brings you here?"
"I was in the neighborhood and remembered that you were writing a story. So, I thought I'd read it from you and maybe give you some advice."
"I understand. But next time, send me a message, because I might not be home."
To be honest, Rei's straightforward manner irked me a bit, but I get it because she's always been like that, ever since we first met.
"Alright, Rei. Tell me what you think, okay?"
I read her the story I had written. The first thing she said was quite unexpected.
"So, you couldn't decide on the girl's name? If you think too much, not only will it take a long time, but you might not even decide. The simplest choice is to pick a random girl's name. It might seem like a choice you dislike at the moment, but you'll probably arrive at the same decision after thinking about it for a while."
"Thanks again, Rei, for your advice. I'll do as you say."
"As for the rest, Shin... Keeping things simple is often the best thing to do. The plot doesn't need to be overly complex, so focus on the few things you need to do, but do them well. I'm looking forward to reading your romantic story... and seeing your take on romance."
"Huh? What did you just say?"
"You see, Shin, often when an author writes a story, they end up putting their ideas and worldview into their work. When an author writes a romance story, they're likely writing it based on their idea of love and their perspective on romance. There are countless different viewpoints, and because there's no one right way to love, then no way is wrong. So, I'm looking forward to reading how you'll develop the romantic part of the story."
"..."
I needed some time to reflect on what Rei had just said.
"Shin, I have to go now. I hope I didn't bore you with my reflections."
"On the contrary, Rei. In a few days, you'll be able to understand my perspective on love."
Argh, I don't even know what my perspective is! I better think about it thoroughly tonight or tomorrow; otherwise, it'll be almost impossible for me to continue!
"Alright, see you next time, Shin!"
10 minutes later, when I was deeply lost in my thoughts...

DLIN DLON

Okay, who's coming this time? It surely must be Aya... Oh no, I mustn't say something that could trigger a flag! Okay, then, let's start over again...
Hm, I wonder who it is... maybe Aya?
It would make sense since we had plans 10 minutes ago, and she's a bit late. That would be a very typical Aya thing to do. Alright, let's go and open the door...
"Oh, hi Aya! What a pleasure to see you!"
"Huh? Is it just my impression, or are you unusually happy to see me today?"
"Hm? Oh no, it's just your impression. Oh, but today I see you haven't brought any bag with you?"
"Not bad. You're observant, Shin. Yes, I stopped carrying it around because it's purely aesthetic and useless to me."
"But... what about all that talk last time about not understanding why someone would wear something just for aesthetic reasons... But then again, you could still make the bag useful by putting something inside. Like a pack of paper tissues?"
"And why should I? When I'm at your house, you can lend me a paper tissue, right?"
"Besides 'lend' not being the best term... don't worry, I'd give you the tissue without wanting it back. For the rest... it's quite debatable, so let's just move on. Ugh... better change the subject. I've written about what the story will be. Now I'll read it to you."
"Ah, finally. You sure took your time."
I know that violence should be avoided as much as possible, and problems should be resolved peacefully, but...
"Ahem, now I'll start."
I read to her what I had written. I noticed her face was slightly flushed, but she tried to hide it. Now that I think about it, Aya seems particularly good at not letting her emotions show. Even that time when I brought her the bag to her house...
"Shin... I understand. So, according to you, things between us will develop this way... This is a really well-organized confession! The contest was just an excuse for you to let me know your feelings!"
From her facial expression, I couldn't tell if she was serious or joking. However, the tone of her voice seemed anything but ambiguous. Suddenly, I felt my fist had a strong desire to rise and land in the direction of "Aya's face." "
At this point, why not name the girl in the story Aya?"
"...I can't quite explain it, but I haven't thought of a name yet. I'll probably just choose one randomly."
"...Alright. Nevertheless, the story seems to have good potential. And tell me, are you planning to add another girl to create a love triangle and make things even more dramatic?"
"Hm, I'm not sure anyone is trying to get together with me at the moment, let alone two at the same time... anyway, I'm not very good with love triangles... I'd rather focus more on the relationship between the two main characters, honestly."
"Shin, that's a choice I appreciate. However, consider that this path you've chosen isn't easy, because making the relationship develop naturally and interestingly can be challenging... Also, there's your very limited romantic experience!"
"Huh? Aya, it's not fair for you to make assumptions about my love life!"
"Alright then, answer this... have you ever had a girlfriend?"
Darn... why did the topic suddenly shift to my romantic experiences... wait, is this Aya's convoluted way of telling me that I need to be careful because not having had a girlfriend will make the writing harder? Nah, after all, we're talking about Aya here. Anyway, I don't want to give her the satisfaction.
"At the moment, I'm not in a relationship."
Perfect! This way, I haven't lied, but at the same time, I give the impression that I've been in a relationship in the past.
"Huh?"
Aya looked at me with a suspicious expression and then burst into laughter.
"I'm not trying to tease you, Shin, but it's worth noting that having few (or no) romantic experiences will make writing more challenging."
"..."
Maybe I have a low opinion of Aya after all.
"Aya, I don't entirely agree. Even though I haven't had any romantic experiences, I've read plenty of romantic stories. In my opinion, those count as experiences, in a way."
Heh, how will you respond now, Aya?
"I understand. So, it's true that you've never had a girlfriend..."
"That's not the point!"
"Alright, Shin. Reading romantic stories can help you develop empathy for the characters and understand the emotions involved in romantic relationships. Also, many romance novels address themes like communication, trust, personal growth, and compromise. Through reading, you can absorb the challenges and solutions that arise from these stories, learning from them. However, romance stories often idealize and focus on intense and emotional moments. While reading romantic stories can give you some insight into relational dynamics, it doesn't replace direct experience."
I didn't expect Aya to actually give me some interesting advice on this topic... well, actually, on any topic.
"Alright. I have 7 days left to write the story, so I'll have to play the cards I've been dealt. It's physically impossible to have a romantic relationship in such a short period."
"Well, Shin, there's actually one person... *Wink Wink* "
I tried to keep an expressionless face, like Aya is so good at doing. Yet, I realized it's harder than it seems. Even if my face was impassive (in my opinion), maybe my cheeks had become slightly flushed.
"Alright, for today that's enough. See you tomorrow, Aya?"
"Whenever you have to make a significant decision, you immediately try to escape. But that's alright, we'll see each other tomorrow then, bye!"
Huh? What was that? In the end, I decided not to pay much attention to her provocation.
"Oh, Aya. You forgot your bag again."
She didn't look back, completely ignoring me, and left the house.