Izumi begs Tomoya for them to go to the beach for a training camp. He refuses because of cost issues. Izumi reveals that she has spare tickets for a trip after her friends cancelled and says that it’d be a waste to not take advantage of such a deal. Just when it seems he’s about to convinced, Megumi tells them they can’t go because she invited Eriri and because of that they don’t have enough tickets. Izumi is furious and tells her to not be deceived by Eriri, calling her a traitor, but relents and says she’ll just kick Iori off to make room. However, those plans get crashed when Michiru invites Utaha.
Chapter 1[]
The circle is walking to their train. In the end, they settled for a training camp somewhere closer so all seven of them could go. They meet up with Eriri and Utaha, who squabble usually do. Tomoya starts tearing up because he hasn’t seen them squabble for so long. Megumi offers him a handkerchief but overhears Eriri and Utaha squabble. Eriri calls Utaha a zombie, more specifically a romance zombie clinging to a past love. Utaha doesn’t deny it and even agrees to what she said, referencing how, half a year ago, at the platform they were at right now, she “took his life energy.” Having taken the hint, Megumi looks at Tomoya in disgust, takes back her handkerchief, and quickly walks away.
Chapter 2[]
Iori has Tomoya talk to each of the girls individually to gather reference material for the game.
Izumi – Izumi draws something super erotic, but Tomoya explains to her that you have to save scenes such as sex with the heroine or the death of the heroine until the end because the anticipation and waiting just make that scene better (essentially, gap moe). Izumi realizes she’s had it wrong all along and resolves to draw the perfect tearjerker ending where the blonde heroine gets killed off.
Utaha – Utaha sees through Tomoya’s plan and realizes he’s just there to gather reference material. She tells him she doesn’t mind and that she’ll act out the best senpai route. Utaha does her usual attempt at sexual harassment but Michiru shows up and cockblocks her.
Michiru – Tomoya and Michiru are eating lunch together. Michiru shoves some food into his mouth, giving him an indirect kiss. Tomoya tells her she’s not fit to be a heroine of his game because she’s too close and never acts embarrassed. Michiru tries acting shy, which Tomoya finds surprisingly moe.
Chapter 3[]
Tomoya is walking on the beach at night and runs into Akane.
Chapter 4[]
Akane makes Tomoya wake up Eriri and Utaha and drag them to his room for a meeting. Akane checks on the progress of the game, starting from Eriri. She lets Utaha rest for the time being. She is really harsh on Eriri, and by the time they are done it is morning. Akane and Iori go outside for drinks while Eriri and Tomoya talk. Tomoya complements Eriri on how great she is and how she can stand up to Akane. He says that he’s had nightmares where Akane made Eriri burst into tears and went to Utaha for help. Eriri starts tearing up and tells him he should leave. When he doesn’t, Eriri tells him to stay to give protection. Before she can specify to who, Akane barges in and restarts the meeting, this time with Utaha. Akane is way harsher to Utaha. She calls her talentless and tells her to rewrite the scenario from scratch. In particular, Akane hates the ending, demanding that Utaha write either an all-good or all-bad ending. She calls the current bittersweet ending half-assed and says she wants a scenario that can appeal to everyone. By the end Tomoya realizes that Eriri meant to tell him to protect Utaha, and he regrets how he was powerless to defend her.
Chapter 5[]
Tomoya, Eriri, and Utaha are at the train station. The two girls have to leave to work on the game. Utaha apologizes for ruining their training camp. She calls herself talentless and laments how Eriri keeps on getting approval within the company while Akane has never approved one of Utaha’s scenarios. Tomoya tells her she’s an amazing writer, but Utaha rejects that. She says that the image he has of her now isn’t real and that she can’t be Tomoya’s heroine. She apologizes for not being able to be Tomoya’s goddess and gets on the train with Eriri. Eriri tries to cheer Utaha up, but Utaha finally breaks down and starts crying.
Chapter 6[]
The circle has returned from their training camp. Tomoya is working on his game. Megumi shows up to meet him but he’s too busy thinking about Utaha to notice her in the room, so she picks off some of the sunburnt skin on his neck. Tomoya screams in pain and finally notices her. Megumi tells him she’s noticed how depressed he is about Utaha and that he needs to cheer her up. Tomoya asks if it’s okay for him to focus on the ex-circle members instead of the current circle members. Megumi says yes, mentioning how she’s used to him betrayed her ever since he wrote the Eriri route. Tomoya realizes that he has to write an Utaha route.
Chapter 7[]
First event: rehash of the event at the bookstore signing where Tomoya first meets Utaha
Second event: rehash of the event where Tomoya rejects reading the final volume of Koisuru Metronome ahead of time
Third event: Utaha forces the MC down, forces him to drink soda by pretending it was champagne, holding it in her mouth and kissing him, then implied sex scene
Fourth event: MC forces Utaha down, kisses her, then implied sex scene
Fifth event: Utaha and the MC run into trouble over the plot with the chief editor. MC gets kicked off his position as Utaha’s editor for this, but it’s revealed that the MC had been planning to leave for a while before then. The MC didn’t want to just be by Utaha but wanted to actually make things and stand as an equal to her. Utaha didn’t want to rely on him anymore and wanted to make her own future. They encourage each other to give it their best as they bid each other farewell and swear that they’ll meet again after they’ve risen to the top of the industry.
Chapter 8[]
Tomoya has Utaha play her route at a café.
Epilogue 1[]
Tomoya is going to Comiket when Akane shows up and offers him a ride. As they’re driving along, Tomoya realizes Akane was the one who drove him to Eriri’s place in Volume 6 after seeing how her BMW is the same. He thanks her for driving him there at the time and asks how Utaha is doing. Akane tells him not to worry and reveals that Tomoya’s scenario motivated Utaha to write. She lets him read it and Tomoya is shocked it’s a total bad end. Akane tells him she actually loves the scenario but some executives hated it and ordered it be changed, but she defended Utaha and assured them she’ll change it into a good end by adding a time loop for the protagonists to fix everything.
Later they arrive at Comiket. Tomoya swears to Akane he’ll take back Eriri and Utaha someday. When her reaction is flat, he assumes she doesn’t think he can do it, but she actually says she has no idea. Akane says Eriri and Utaha became such monsters because they met Tomoya and that they believe in his talent. She looks forward to what Tomoya will become in the future. When she says she’ll be the first to clear his game, Tomoya responds saying that she better not skip since the first playthrough of the game is meant to be the best. Akane actually apologizes.
Epilogue 2[]
Utaha is playing the game again at Eriri’s house, much to her annoyance. She is totally in love with it.
