Chapter Text
The rainbow coloured spotlights started shining one-by-one. The curtain arose. A beautifully animated paradise of fluffy clouds, lush gardens, and sparkling fountains awaited seven girls, cloaked in silhouette.
“Welcome, girls,” a booming voice called out, “to Yume no Sekai! The show where all your anime fantasies become reality!”
The girls stepped out of the shadows into the schoolyard to the bells calling out the notes of Big Ben. They were once ordinary women from all walks of life, but through the magic of virtual reality, have been transformed into animated versions of themselves with large eyes, small noses and lips, and multicolored hair. Each of them wore the Yume no Sekai school uniform, a sleeveless white buttoned shirt with navy stripes on the edge and a red bow on their chest, and a navy blue pleated miniskirt extending only as far as the mid thigh, with long black kneesocks. Several girls were visibly uncomfortable in these tiny outfits, tugging at their skirts to make them stay down after a light breeze. In contrast, a tall blonde girl with big blue eyes, braided pigtails, and large breasts seemed to have no care in the world as she proudly strutted down the school path like a catwalk to loud applause from the studio audience, who could be heard but not seen.
“Congratulations!” the voice from the speaker continued. “You girls are the chosen ones, destined for magic, fortune, and eternal love! But love won’t come easy. First, there are many trials you must pass to impress our lovely bachelor. Who might he be, you ask?”
The spotlights spun around and all focused on the school doors, as a tall man, rendered in anime style with brown hair, wearing a white dress shirt, black trousers, and matching shoes walked out. The purple haired girl with a ponytail and matching coloured angular eyes groaned. After all that buildup, the guy looked disappointingly ordinary.
“Yours truly, Kenji Yamato,” he spoke nervously. “True, I may not be a muscular manly man. I don’t have any special skills. I’m just an ordinary guy with a boring desk job. But this is the happiest day of the life. I’m surrounded by all these beautiful girls, one who’s destined to be the love of my life. I promise, to whoever wins this contest, I will make you happy forever! We will transcend our dull lives and make a miracle together!”
The blonde girl clasped her hands together to the right side of her face and let out a dreamy sigh as her body swayed back and forth. The purple haired girl rolled her eyes. “Showoff,” she thought. But she was not the only one. The short blue haired girl with glasses and a bowl cut looked away and clasped her hands nervously to her heart. The long green haired girl smiled serenely as she gazed at his innocent looking face.
“And now, ladies,” Kenji continued, “It’s time to get to know all of you better.”
The blonde girl immediately ran forward, giggling. “I’m Marin!” she proclaimed. “Despite my impeccable good looks, I’m nothing more than a waitress! But in your arms, I know I can be more than that! Please, Kenji, rescue me from my dull, boring life!”
Kenji started to sweat as Marin approached him and gave him a big hug, turning red in embarrassment as her skin rubbed on his body. The purple haired girl grunted. “Ugh,” she thought. “Please don’t tell me this is what we have to do for the entire contest.”
“P-pleased to meet you, Marin!” he stuttered. Noticing his unease, Marin backed off, giving a wink and a peace sign as she returned to the crowd. Kenji brushed off his sleeves. “Who’s next?”
A red haired girl with a long ponytail and matching eye colour stepped up. “I’m Rika! I was the star basketball and volleyball player in high school!”
She also ran up to hug Kenji. Wow, she’s tighter than Marin, he thought. This will be hard to choose.
The green haired girl with blue eyes walked up next as Rika ran back, hi-fiving Marin along the way. “Pleased to meet you,” she greeted him in a formal accent. “I’m Misha. I was the maid for a prominent noble-descended family, and I will be happy to serve you.”
She curtsied as she walked back to her place. Kenji grinned, fixated on her backside. The purple-haired girl was looking increasingly annoyed. Does anyone talk normally here? she wondered. Suddenly she was interrupted as Kenji looked towards him, and she felt a chill down her throat. Crap, what do I say?
Luckily, she was delayed as a short pink haired girl with hair buns tied up by red bows and round green eyes stepped forward. “I’m Anzu,” she said in a delicate, songlike voice. “I love flowers, and always wanted to be a gardener, but no one would hire me. But this world you created is beyond my wildest dreams! Please don’t think your ordinary, Kenji. You’re so talented! Please be mine, and we can spread beauty around the world together!”
A loud applause roared from the crowd as Kenji smiled, reassured by her words. He then turned her gaze to the purple haired girl, who immediately tried to avert her gaze.
“Fumie,” she stated. “Don’t expect any flattery from me. I’m not good at that kind of thing.”
To her shock, she received an applause as loud as the others, and Kenji was grinning weirdly at her. What’s with this guy? she thought. She abruptly turned around and walked back to her seat, not making eye contact with anyone else.
“Two girls left,” Kenji proclaimed. “Who wants to speak first?”
Neither the blue haired girl with glasses or the white haired girl with grey eyes and medium height wanted to come up, but Kenji and the rest of the girls continued to stare. After a period of silence, the blue haired girl blurted out, “I’m Shion! I don’t have any special talents either, but I promise I’ll work hard so you will deserve me!”
The audience gave out a loud “Aww…” as the other girls other than Fumie and the white haired girl clapped in support. Kenji too was starting to blush. But he had one last girl to announce.
“Yuko,” she said, and immediately turned back.
The audience gave a loud roar of approval as the girls all returned to their spots. “And there you have it!” the announcer proclaimed. “The rainbow coloured girls of Yume no Sekai! Who will be Kenji’s lucky wife? Kenji, do you have any idea?”
The spotlight turned back to Kenji, who was sweating and blushing nervously. “I…I can’t decide! All of you are so beautiful!”
He turned away bashfully. “Then maybe our first contest will help you decide!” the announcer responded. “Ladies, please enter the school kitchen for your first trial!”