This Girl is My Ticket

[Scene: Clubroom]

[Characters: Sakito, main love interest; Kawamura, main character]

“”

“Kiyotaka-kun, you haven’t typed anything in nearly fifteen minutes.”

I could feel my right eyebrow begin to twitch from her comment. I knew better than anyone how long it’s been since I typed a word!

“Are you at a difficult scene or something? Lemme see—”

Akimoto snatched my laptop from across the table and spun it towards her. Her eyebrows sank when she saw what minimal progress I had made.

“I’m pretty sure the most difficult scene is the first one, no? Heh—...” I barely squeaked out these words.

“Do you have any clue what you want to write?”

“A plot, with characters, and a setting…”

“You’re an idiot.”

“I know. I apologize.”

I hung my head—defeat was near. Was it truly time to throw in the towel? Say GG go next? Move onto something that will actually help m— No. Don’t go that far. Writing can still take you far in life. It’s just… maybe not me.

“Kiyotaka-kun.”

“What…?”

“Are you alright?””

“Huh? Yeah, why?” I looked up at her.

“You’re crying.”

“W-what?”

My hands subconsciously went to my face and rubbed my cheeks. It felt wet.

She was right, I was crying.

Why…?

“Kiyo…taka…-kun?”

I began rubbing my eyes harder, trying to get them to stop coming. I think I know what this is—my brain has subconsciously given up on writing, hasn’t it?

“I-it’s funny. Just one failure was all it took to make me concede? Am I really that pathetic? ——— Ow! What the heck!?”

A hardcover book smacked me squarely in the forehead.

Okay! What the fuck is this girls deal and throwin’ shit at me! I’m getting sick of it!

Akimoto stared at me with a stupid expression, it was a combination of disinterest and apathy. Her mouth was slightly open and she was hunched a little.

“You’re seriously a loser.”

“Huh!? Where’s this coming from!?”

“It’s not because you’re into LN’s or anime, it’s because you’re giving up after one draft.”

“...”

“You know it takes decades, hundreds of drafts, and thousands of hours to make it somewhere in the writing industry. And you’re callin’ it quits after one failed internet writing contest?”

“...”

“You seriously kept yapping about the “creative heart”. Well, where is it?”

“...”

Akimoto kept looking at me with her same stupid expression. She wasn’t wearing makeup, her uniform was thrown on and not styled at all, she scratched her side then sniffed her finger. Was that some drool as well?

Oh my god… I’ve got it.

Why I haven’t responded to her was because God himself directly inspired me. He sent down this angle with her blonde hair for me. She’s a gift—a gift to help me.

It was like a golden spot light illuminated her where she sat.

“No… I’m not quitting… You’re right, I was about to give up way too early in the game. And you, Akimoto-san, saved me.”

“W-what?”

“I don’t need a golden-ticket idea. You— you are my golden-ticket!”

“I don’t think I did that much…” Her cheeks flushed a light red.

I thrust myself across the table and gripped her hands.

“Kiyotaka-kun… are you confessing to me?”

“Yes! I’m confessing my love for our potential!”

“T-t-this is way too soon! I can’t!”

“Please! Imagine how far we could go!”

Her face was now a deep red.

“No! I don’t wanna think about that!”

“Why!? We could have our own publishing house! Our own fanbase!” I sat back down in my seat.

The redness in her cheeks suddenly vanished. Wait, why was she blushing in the first place?”

“A-ahem… Kiyotaka-kun, please choose your words more carefully in the future. I was close to hitting you with another book.”

“Did I really say something weird?”

She shook her head. “Nevermind. So this is about us writing a novel together?”

“Mhm. Did you give it any thought?”

“Yes… I did.”

“And!?”

“Okay, first, don’t give me that puppy-dog look. It’s creepy.”

“Sorry…”

“Second. Yes, I’ll write a novel with you.”

“Seriously!?”

“Yes… But! On one condition.”

“Only one? Of course! Anything!”

“...You have to help me get out of that cook-out with Katsuki’s family this weekend.”

“What?”

“I briefly mentioned it in the alley.”

“Oh… yeah, of course.” I don’t remember that at all! You expect me to remember details like that!? It’s like asking a reader to remember something so insignificant! “So… how do I help you with that?”

“That’s the condition. You have to figure it out.”

I extended my hand across the table. “You got a deal. I’ll help you this weekend, and you’ll write a light novel with me.

She met my hand with her’s and a confident smirk.

Despite her outwards appearance of being someone calm and friendly, Akimoto has a lot of character to her.

I don't think she's like the heroines from my favorite LN's or manga. She can be crude, annoying, and forceful about getting her way. But I think that's exactly what inspired me. You don't achieve your dream of becoming a famous writer by accepting defeat and going with the flow.

No.

You get it by being crude and forceful about your way. You keep hitting your head against that brick wall until you break through it.

It's just, I'll be using Akimoto as my battering-ram.