Part 1 - Please, Can I Have An Anime Girlfriend?

Currently nighttime, with heavy rain pouring down from the clouds. I take this as a comfortable time to watch one of my favorite shows.

As I lay down, bundled under my covers, and surrounded by darkness, there's one light ahead of me that I see. Just ahead of me is my phone, and on that phone is one of the most romantic anime romcoms I've ever witnessed. 'Say The Word'.

While watching it, my eyes can't help but glow up, not just from the brightness of the phone. But from how immersed I am. "Kiss her." I plead desperately, as my eyes grow more focused, and I lean my face in closer to the phone. All while the two people on the phone move in closer and closer to one another.

As their faces grow less spacious, their lips move in closer to each other. Both of them have crimson red faces, with beautiful snow falling down to enhance it. Unfortunately, just before they could kiss, I got the ring of death. "What?? No!" My eyes widened with uneasiness, as I jump out of my blankets with clenched teeth and inflated stress.

"Koyoko, did the power go out!" My mom called out to me from downstairs. Each time I tried to rewind the video, just for it to get paused at the exact same time, it was assured that the power did indeed go out.

Moments after, I got up from my bed, and looked out of the window. With the rain, and the dark sky, the stars were shining brightly above me. So, I look up at those very stars, with one wish.

A wish that I've had since my second year of junior high. A wish, that I acquired ever since I became informed with the existence of anime romcoms. "Please, can I have an anime girlfriend?" Since I start my first year of highschool tomorrow, I realize that my time is running short. I won't get to have a love like those junior high romcoms, but it's not too late for me to have a highschool one. I think this will be the year, that I find my anime girlfriend.

With optimistic thoughts in my head, I can't help but smile at them. And soon came the next day. I got dressed, did my hair, and brushed my teeth. While looking in the mirror, I realize how ordinary I look. Average height, green eyes, and brown hair. Typical for the main character of a anime romcom. Or typical for a side character that's in the background with terrible quality.

"Koyoko, are you ready?!" My mom called to me from downstairs. "Give me a second!" I respond back to her, as I adjust my school uniform, in an attempt to make my entire appearance as perfect as possible.

Once it's perfect by my standards, I run downstairs. I greet both my parents, before heading into the car with my mom. While driving, I look out of the window. The birds seem to be singing under the bright sun. "You know you didn't have to drop me off today right? I could've walked." I say to my mom in a tired way. Though that doesn't stop her from having such a cheerful smile on her face.

"It's your first day of highschool. I had to drop you off for this special day." My mom said, as she looked towards me with that bright smile. Before long, we made it to my school, Junkai academy.

While looking out of the window, I already realize that high school is much different than junior high. The kids seem to be taller, and bigger. The girls are much more...developed to say the least. "Go on." My mom encourages, as I stare out at the kids with slight nervousness.

I hesitantly get out of the car. "Have a good day! Love you!" My mom says to me in her usual cheery tone. "Don't embarrass me.." I whisper back to my mom, before she chuckled and drives off.

After that, I look ahead at what lays ahead of me. The next three years of my life will revolve around this place. The place where I'll find my anime girlfriend, get the usual cool group of friends, and make memories that'll last a lifetime.

With those thoughts, I swallow the nervousness that I had when looking out of the window, and I take my first steps towards the future I desire.

As I walk to get to school, I realize the kids are much bigger up close. It may be because I'm kinda of short at 5'5(165 cm). Even so, I put on my big boy pants, and head into the school.

When getting a closer look, I notice that there are tons of beautiful girls in this school. Some are short with a smaller body, while some others are taller with the exact opposite. Nerdy girls, hot girls, and emo girls. If I was a hot guy, this would be a buffet. Unfortunately, I've been dealt a hand of cards, and it doesn't seem like I've been invited to the buffet.

Even so, I have to try. First impressions are very important.

After changing my shoes, I head to class. I walk through the halls, while observing the others around me talking. I question which girl it would be nice to make a move on. Should I make it seem like an accident like what happens in the romcoms? Or pull out some romantic quote that I heard?

I stop walking, once my eyes latch onto a blonde girl with pink eyes standing against the wall. Her jacket is perfectly wrapped around her waist, while she texts on her phone. Will this be the girl for me? There's only one way to find out.

I hesitantly approach the girl, while reflecting on some of the actions I've seen in underground romcoms. If I'm going to use something that I've seen from one, I can't make it obvious.

I approached the girl, with a toothy grin on my face, and my hand leaned up against the wall. The girl proceeds to take her earphones out, and glance towards me. "I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you." With such romantic words coming from my mouth, I just knew I nailed it. The smile, the unknown breeze going through my hair, and the sun from the window shining down on me.

"What room? This is a hallway..." The girl responded to me nonchalantly. And just like that, my confidence was shattered.

After that, I walked into my classroom, completely shattered. Though I quickly took the seat next to the window, because everyone knows the main character of a romcom is supposed to sit there for amazing things to happen to them.

Not too long after, class began. The kids in my class were all first years. A good balance of boys and girls from what I could see. What was good to me, is the fact that a girl with glasses and green hair sat next to me. As I got a glance at her, she seemed like a shy type of girl.

Without realizing it, the girl dropped her pencil, and it just so happened to roll next to my shoe. In this moment, I knew this was destiny. "Hey, you dropped your pencil." I whisper those words to the girl next to me, as I lean down and pick it up. She faces me in an awkward way as a result.

"If my heart dropped...would you pick it up for me?" I ask her, while holding out the pencil for her, along with a confident smirk on my face. After asking such words, I expected her to immediately blush, with a sparkle in her eyes. The amount of disappointment that hit me, when her face cringed more than I've ever saw another human being cringe.

That was strike two. Unfortunately my third attempt didn't go any differently. The next quote I said, was met with the girl falling on the floor in laughter. It was humiliating to say the least.

After those charades, my confidence was completely broken. All hope that I had of getting the ideal anime girlfriend was getting slimmer by the day. I didn't get why. I lived in Japan, I sit by the window, and I look pretty average. Maybe I went on too strong? Even with that knowledge, the lack of confidence that I accumulated from that first day of school wouldn't allow me to approach another girl. It felt as if the star that I wished on, was completely hopeless. Though I should've expected that.

And just like that, an entire month went by of me not speaking word to another girl, unless I absolutely had to.

Just like on the day before the first day of school, I laid bundled under my blankets, while watching a romcom. While watching, my entire heart wasn't in it as it used to be. I quickly came to the conclusion, that this has been happening. Ever since junior high when I wanted an anime girlfriend, the more I watched these romcoms, the more I yearned for the love that's shown in them.

So why can't I achieve that?

At some point, it almost made it painful to watch, under all the enjoyment that I was feeling from it.

Soon enough, the next day came. I sit down at my desk, just like any other day. "Koyoko, you're on cleaning duty today." The teacher informed me. Without any arguing, I agreed.

"Okay, class. Please take your seats, as I want to introduce you to someone." The teacher said to the talkative students. After saying that to the students, they all took their seats. Unfortunately by this time, my hope of getting the ideal anime girlfriend has faltered, so I didn't care much for who he wanted to introduce us to.

"Thank you." The teacher responded to all of the kids taking their seats. "I'd like to introduce you to a new transfer student. Her name, is Haruka Siyori. She transferred over all the way from Sapporo." After the teacher introduced the new transfer student, I could hear the gasps and chatter from the others students in the class.

Because of this, I couldn't help but look at the new transfer student. The moment I laid my eyes on her, I could feel my heart racing, and my eyes widen at the sight of her.

The girl that stood before the class looked perfect in my eyes. She had long pink hair, and bright blue eyes. She was slim, but not too slim, and she was about the same height as me. "It's nice to meet all of you. My name is Haruka Siyori. I hope we can become friends." As she spoke, I realized that this was my opportunity. My last opportunity to getting the future I desire.

"Take that seat in front of Koyoko Kitigawa. The last open seat over there." As the teacher pointed out the seat infront of me, I couldn't believe my eyes. The girl walked over to me, with her bag in her hands. I noticed some of the other guys looking her direction as well.

As she sat in the chair in front of me, I could smell her hair. I realized that it smelled like cherries. This will definitely be my moment. I'll talk to her at the end of class, and this time I won't screw it up. Why? Because I think she's the one. My anime girlfriend.

For the rest of the entire day, I watched the clock. I couldn't wait for the day to end. Even when we had gym class, I couldn't help but look in the direction of the clock.

What felt like days, the school day finally ended. As the other students got up from their desks and headed out of the classroom, I kept my eyes fixated down at my own desk, while in my own head.

I wondered how I could go about approaching the girl. Should I say another quote that I know, or should I just wing it? I was only in my head for a few seconds, but when I looked up, I realized everyone was gone. "Wait, what?" I quickly jumped up from my seat, and ran to the door. I watched as the other students roamed the hallways. But I didn't see Haruka anywhere.

Since I was on cleaning duty, I don't think I had time to go running in the hallways to look after her. So while I looked out of the classroom, the more I looked, the less hope I felt. Realizing that a guy will come up to her in any second now. A guy much cooler and good looking than me.

After coming to the conclusion that I lost my last chance, I walked to the back of the room to get the broom and other cleaning supplies.

Time passed, as I cleaned the room. The sun began shining a more orange color in the classroom. And soon after, I realized a bag infront of my desk. As I looked down, and squinted at the bag, I quickly realized that it was Harukas. "She left her bag?" I question, as I go in to pick it up.

"Is that my bag? I'm sorry, I think I left it." As I heard those words from a girl behind me, my body suddenly froze. I froze, because I instantly recognized the voice. It was Haruka.

So I turned to look towards Haruka, and there she stood. She stood by the doorway, looking at me with a polite smile and stance. After realizing that I was staring, I quickly shook myself out of it. "Uhh yeah. I was just trying to see who's it was." I chuckle awkwardly in response.

"Thanks for keeping it safe then." Haruka said to me, as she walked closer in my direction. As she did, I felt my body freeze once again. I knew that I just got my chance again, I can't blow it this time.

Haruka grabbed the bag, and gave me one last smile, before heading back towards the door. As I watched her walk away, I felt my chance at the bright future that I want also slip away. But my body felt frozen, and my mouth wouldn't open for the life of me.

"H-hey.." I called out to her with an obvious stutter. My grasp on the broom that I was holding started to become more shaky, as she turned around to look at me with a confused face. "Umm..uh-" I muttered, as I question in my head what I should do. If I should say another quote that I know, or just go with the flow.

I clench my eyes shut with my nervous state. As I did, Haruka became even more confused. While I clenched my eyes, I started working up the courage to achieve my goal. The goal of getting my ideal anime girlfriend. Once I open my eyes, there's a newfound determination behind them. Though the nervousness didn't automatically disappear.

"Your eyes..they're pretty." As I say those words to her, she looks at me with a surprised face. As I look at her, I expect her to walk away, or maybe laugh. My face quickly gains the expression of a defeated person from the assumptions.

But I'm quickly surprised, when she smiles at me. My defeated face changes into a more surprised one, as my eyes widen. With Harukas bright smile, it seems like her eyes are shining, and her skin is glowing. And not just from the bright sun shining through the window upon us. "Thank you." She says to me in response.

She wasn't laughing at me, nor has she completely shunned me. So I take this opportunity. "So!- do you wanna maybe have lunch with me tomorrow? Like, at school." I asked her with a slightly trembling voice.

Haruka watches me. She looks surprised, but also a bit happy at my question. "I don't have any friends yet. So I'd like that." Haruka responds to me. The moment she does, I feel this wave of happiness shower over me, with the sun shining even more brightly than it just was.

After her answer, the both of us looked at eachother with smiles on our faces. The atmosphere around us felt bright and warm as well.

Maybe I was supposed to get rejected as many times as I did. Maybe it all led up to this moment. This moment for me to meet you. I no longer think you're the one, I know you are. My anime girlfriend.