[After careful thought, you ultimately chose to decline Togawa Sakiko's invitation.]
[You realized you no longer had the energy to take on the responsibilities of managing another band. Not to mention, the identities of Togawa Sakiko's band members needed to be kept secret. For someone with a girlfriend, this job might do more harm than good. Perhaps even Sakiko herself didn't want Nagasaki Soyo to find out.]
[With that in mind, you apologized sincerely to Togawa Sakiko. But it seemed she had already anticipated your refusal. After a brief pause, she smiled as if to say, "I figured as much."]
[Still, you noticed a faint, bittersweet expression on her beautiful face, a touch of reluctance she was trying to hide behind that composed smile.]
[Sakiko seemed to understand your reasons and chose not to press you further.]
[Wakaba Mutsumi sat silently to the side, her golden eyes calm and unreadable, betraying no hint of emotion.]
[As your conversation with Sakiko continued, Mutsumi excused herself under the pretense of going to the restroom, leaving just the two of you at the café. The air grew slightly tense after your rejection, but Sakiko continued trying to maintain her smile, doing her best to keep you from feeling guilty.]
[Just then, your phone buzzed, a message from Nagasaki Soyo.]
…
"Sorry for springing this on you all of a sudden today. I hope it didn't trouble you, Haru-san."
Togawa Sakiko, who usually kept people at arm's length, now wore a soft, gentle smile on her elegant face.
But no matter how composed she appeared, she couldn't completely hide the bitterness glimmering deep in her amber eyes. It was faint but undeniable, an overflow of emotion that her calm demeanor couldn't fully conceal.
She regretted it.
Why had she only just realized it now?
If she had been a little more natural back then, a little more forward. Would the ending have turned out completely different?
But no matter how much regret Togawa Sakiko felt in this moment, she couldn't change what was already real. And with her pride still intact, she wouldn't allow herself to dwell on it. She could only swallow down the frustration and bitterness inside her.
"I should be the one apologizing."
Kazami Haru gave a faint shake of his head.
For Sakiko to make a request like this showed just how much she trusted him.
Just as he was about to say more, his phone rang with a distinct notification tone, one he had set for a particular person.
Soyo.
Without a moment's hesitation, Haru opened her message:
[Haru, are you with Mutsumi right now?]
What does that mean?
Haru froze.
He was sure he'd told Soyo in advance that he was going to meet Wakaba Mutsumi. So why was she suddenly sending a message like that?
A creeping sense of unease flickered through his mind.
"Soyo?"
Wakaba Mutsumi, just returning from the restroom, tilted her head slightly in surprise.
And then, Haru finally noticed.
Standing right beside Mutsumi was Nagasaki Soyo.
At some point, she had arrived.
Her expression was shadowed, brows furrowed in silent tension. Her fingers, tightly gripping her phone, had turned pale, and her slender body trembled slightly. The gentle girl now stood with sorrow and conflict written all over her face.
The warmth in her gaze was gone, replaced with hesitation, and pain.
Her once-lustrous sapphire eyes were now dim, fixed squarely on Mutsumi.
"Mutsumi… why would you do this?"
"Do you really hate me that much...? Why are you always getting in my way?!"
Her voice was eerily calm, but her words cut deep. Soyo clearly had more to say, but held back. Even so, anyone present could see the pain and anger in her eyes, and Mutsumi, frozen, said nothing.
Suddenly, Soyo turned to Haru, panic overtaking her expression.
That panic quickly twisted into regret.
And that regret morphed into fear.
Her thoughts scrambled, emotions tangled. Soyo turned on her heel and bolted from the café.
…
[Only now do you realize just how much Soyo cares about you.]
[She couldn't rest easy after hearing you were meeting with Mutsumi, but she didn't want to seem possessive, so instead, she came to check for herself. And what she found was you talking with Togawa Sakiko.]
[Already anxious, she must have misunderstood what she saw. Her emotions burst out at Mutsumi, and now, overwhelmed and confused, she's run away.]
[You're stunned, of course but you know you can't just sit there.]
[So you decide—]
[1. Comfort Mutsumi first, then call Soyo.]
[2. Stay calm. Go home and wait for Soyo to return so you can explain.]
[3. Do a one-handed handstand on the table.]
[4. Enter VR.]
"…Well, I didn't expect that."
This sudden set of options left Kazami Haru speechless.
What is this? Is everyone from MyGo trained in espionage?
He honestly hadn't expected Soyo to get so anxious that she would follow him.
And the way she acted… it was a bit extreme. Likely because of seeing him with both Mutsumi and Sakiko, her mind jumped to conclusions. Otherwise, she wouldn't have lashed out at Mutsumi like that.
It probably came from a lack of security. Soyo had lost CRYCHIC, and now she was clinging to the one thing she felt she could truly call her own: him.
Even though he had told her where he was going, it wasn't enough to ease her worries.
Even if he used a "revival token" to reset the simulation and decline Mutsumi's invitation, it's likely something similar would happen again under different circumstances.
"This simulator really set me up..."
Going forward, something like this might happen any time he got too close to someone else in MyGO.
This was an issue he'd eventually have to face anyway.
What he had to do now was clear: comfort Soyo and give her the security she lacked.
So, option 3, the most ridiculous one, was immediately off the table.
Even if a "stand-on-the-table" type option had miraculously worked in the past, there was no way it would help in a moment like this.
As for the first two seemingly "normal" options, Haru began carefully weighing them.
Comfort Mutsumi first?
No way. That would almost certainly send him down Mutsumi's route.
This simulator had a nasty habit: once you started developing another route, it would cling to it like a parasite unless you actively used a "Pure Love Route" override like the one from Ijichi Nijika's run.
"Option two..."
Haru furrowed his brows, his black eyes fixed intently on the second choice.
This time, the option was to go home and wait for Soyo to calm down before talking things out. That might work with other characters.
But with Nagasaki Soyo, someone who suffered from a deep lack of emotional security, that choice might be useless.
It might even make things worse.
To Kazami Haru, none of the three options seemed ideal. And if that was the case—
Then he might as well go with the VR.
[Consume 3 simulation tokens to activate "VR"?]
Having gone through several personal simulations already, Haru was more or less used to the sudden blackout that came with it.
So when he opened his eyes to find himself in a new, unfamiliar setting, he didn't even blink. Entering simulation mode meant there was no time to waste, he immediately turned in the direction Soyo had run off to.
He took a deep breath, then walked up to the slightly dazed Wakaba Mutsumi and spoke softly:
"Sorry, Mutsumi. I'll apologize properly later."
Without waiting for a response, he dashed after Soyo.
For someone like her, messages or calls would be meaningless.
If he just waited at home, she'd only continue to spiral with anxiety. It was better to catch her immediately, before her emotions could fester and boil over.
"Soyo!"
Luckily, she hadn't gone far. Haru spotted her almost immediately after stepping outside.
Soyo deeply regretted what had just happened, how she had shown that side of herself to Haru.
So when she saw him coming after her, panic and fear surged through her. Unable to face him directly, she turned and ran toward the pedestrian bridge, trying to put distance between them.
But she had underestimated Haru's stamina and overestimated her own.
By the time she reached the center of the bridge, Haru had already caught up and grabbed her wrist.
The moment he touched her, Soyo froze like a Saiyan with her tail caught. Her whole body went slack, her head hanging as she stared at him with tired, uncertain eyes.
"Impressive, Soyo of Tsukinomori. I actually managed to catch you…"
Haru held her hand tightly, exhaling a long breath as he steadied himself.
Surprisingly easy.
He hadn't expected to physically catch up with a love interest in a "VR." Soyo's escape, oddly enough, had required barely any effort.
Maybe he was just that used to chasing after people now.
Seriously… why are all these rock girls always running off somewhere—?!
"…Haru…"
Soyo, her small hand trembling in his, no longer resisted.
But Haru could still feel her fingers shaking, fear?
He didn't understand. There was nothing about him that should frighten her.
Unless…
She wasn't afraid of him.
"Mutsumi only asked to talk about music. Sakiko wanted to collaborate on composing, so she had Mutsumi reach out to me."
"I turned her down."
Haru looked her in the eye, his voice firm and resolute.
At the word "refused," a flash of surprise crossed Soyo's eyes. Slowly, she seemed to realize she may have misunderstood something, and a hint of guilt crept into her expression.
But that undercurrent of fear hadn't disappeared, it was starting to leak through even more.
"I figured you might've gotten the wrong idea, so I came after you to explain."
"…Haru, I'm sorry!"
Unable to bear it anymore, Soyo threw her arms around him. Her voice trembled with panic.
"I didn't mean what I said to Mutsumi… I just misunderstood. My emotions got the better of me, I didn't mean anything more than that…"
"I don't normally act like that! I just—"
That's when Haru finally understood what she was afraid of.
Soyo hadn't yet fully opened her heart to him. Even if her feelings for him were real, she was still holding back.
She hadn't shown him her true self.
Haru had underestimated how much she valued this love.
To protect it, she was willing to play the "ideal girlfriend", always considerate, always composed. Every date, every step of their relationship… even their conversations might've been carefully calculated.
She was terrified that showing her jealousy or insecurity would make him leave.
Maybe because she had deceived him before, she was now hyperaware of how easily things could fall apart.
"I see..."
Haru gently pulled back, just a little. As Soyo looked up in surprise, he reached out, cupped her chin, and kissed her.
Soft lips. The citrus scent of her perfume mingled with a light sweetness that melted into his mind.
Their warm breaths overlapped.
This time, their connection wasn't about surprise or passion, it was simple. Honest.
An unspoken, mutual expression of love.
They parted slowly.
"The one I love… is just you, Nagasaki Soyo."
"You always go out of your way for me, and that means the world to me. But I hope we can be the kind of couple who trusts each other completely. Even if it means showing me your little jealous moments, or your anxiety."
"No matter what side of you it is, to me… it's part of what makes you such an adorable girlfriend."
Her face flushed a brilliant red.
Still holding her hand, Haru kept her in place, she couldn't run anymore. All she could do was listen to every word he said. She was overwhelmed with joy… but a bit of unease still lingered in her heart.
She didn't know what to say.
"…or could it be, you don't trust how I feel about you?"
"No! That's not it!"
Her pupils shrank as she panicked, rushing to explain.
But the moment she met Haru's teasing smile, her heart skipped a beat.
Realization dawned and she quickly reached up, hiding her face behind a curl of her chestnut hair.
But that couldn't hide her burning red ears.
Embarrassed, she buried her face in Haru's chest and leaned into him.
Hoooonnnk—
A truck blared its horn beneath the bridge as it sped by.
Haru instinctively pulled Soyo into a tight embrace.
The sudden movement startled her at first, but soon, she let out a soft, elegant laugh behind her hand.
Her sapphire eyes now glimmered with a gentle warmth.
…
[The emotionally starved Nagasaki Soyo, thanks to your decisive "confession," has cleared up the misunderstanding. She now understands that as her boyfriend, you're not just saying sweet words. You truly love her, even the parts of her she sees as 'fake.']
[Soyo had been afraid that showing her real self would shatter your image of her as the "ideal girlfriend," but your words reassured her. Maybe now, she's ready to start trusting you more deeply.]
[Your relationship with Nagasaki Soyo has grown stronger.]
"Using VR mode really was the right move…"
Having exited the immersive simulation, Kazami Haru felt mentally drained but the outcome from spending three simulation credits left him satisfied.
Especially the part where Soyo tackled him in a hug: so soft, so fragrant, so… addictive.
Maybe it was the aromatherapy oils she liked to use, but Haru couldn't help thinking how wonderfully sweet and soothing she smelled.
Why hadn't he noticed before just how good she smelled?
But the biggest problem was... being hugged by Soyo felt so good it defied description.
It was the kind of embrace you could drown in.
"I really need to use this VR mode thing less…"
Even after returning from the simulation, his mind was still full of Soyo. That scene replayed in his head on loop.
If he used this thing a few more times, then when real-life Soyo actually confessed to him, his brain might just blue-screen like pouring water over a CPU and using glue instead of thermal paste.
[As the two of you opened up about your true feelings, you noticed that Soyo became more willing to show her real self. She started sharing her thoughts freely.]
[Sometimes she'd smile sweetly while getting jealous when you talked to other bandmates. Then she'd act all pouty like a child, something you found absolutely adorable.]
[Band training continued, leading up to the final live show of summer break.]
[Before the performance, Soyo invited Togawa Sakiko and Wakaba Mutsumi to the show, proudly showcasing the results of her hard work. The performance was a huge success.]
[Now that she no longer harbored false hope about CRYCHIC, her relationship with Sakiko seemed to ease, though it felt like she was subtly showing off in front of her.]
[After all, the strong must shame the weak.]
Where had he heard that before?
Still, that was just like Soyo. Once she had the upper hand, her aggressive side came out full force.
[Your relationship with Soyo didn't stay secret for long.]
[After the performance, the perceptive Takamatsu Tomori asked you outright. This time, you didn't hide it, you admitted you were dating Soyo.]
[The moment you confirmed it, Soyo's eyes narrowed as she smiled, a look of pure delight on her face.]
[She was genuinely happy.]
[But your confession also shocked the rest of the band.]
[Chihaya Anon froze like a statue. Shiina Taki was uncharacteristically silent. Takamatsu Tomori lowered her head, clearly overwhelmed.]
[All three—Anon, Taki, and Tomori—fell into a deep depression.]
[Regardless of their feelings, Soyo had already decided: she would fully embrace her role as your girlfriend.]
[Sensing the emotional shifts around her, her vigilance and unease began to rise. She even started asking you to hold hands or feed each other in front of others.]
[She used the sweetest voice and the softest smile, making it nearly impossible to say no.]
This was bad. Was he… being dominated by Soyo?
He was seriously getting played by a soft-spoken, sweet-smelling Japanese girl?
Of course, Haru wasn't about to be completely wrapped around her finger.
They hadn't even been dating a full month yet. He told himself that eventually, Soyo would fall completely for his charm and be the one saying "yes dear" every time.
[Summer break ended, and the second semester began.]
[Soyo used her allowance to rent a small apartment next to your house. Her excuse: "So we can go to school together!" But in reality, she spent most of her time at your place.]
[If your bed could fit two, you were pretty sure she'd have stayed the night already.]
[Living next door, she started preparing your breakfast every morning and packing your lunch. She took over house chores entirely. And when she realized you were still working part-time to survive, she smiled and told you to quit.]
["I'll give you enough allowance every month," she said. "Don't waste time worrying about money. Use it to practice with the band and to be with me."]
[Faced with this request, you decide—]
[1. No way. A man must keep his pride. Refuse.]
[2. Uwaah! I've been captured by Soyo's love! Accept immediately.] (Mika_Uwaah.sfx)
[3. VR mode.]
A special event choice?
Haru raised an eyebrow in surprise.
These choices seemed pretty standard, so why did this come with a time-limited special event flag?
Normally, time-sensitive options only popped up for major route-changing moments. But wasn't this just the difference between "refusing help" and "embracing the sugar life"?
Not much time to think. Haru glanced over the choices and picked: [Accept]
Ahaha~ Might as well see where this goes.
Even if it was a special choice, agreeing didn't seem like a big deal. Soyo might be a bit scheming, but she was still a kind, loving girl. Getting spoiled by her wasn't the worst fate.
Sure, he had once insisted on keeping the "upper hand" in the relationship.
But now?
He just wanted to see what would happen. Worst case? He'd use a revival token.
Whatever. Let's fight!
[You naturally agreed to quit your part-time job.]
[Soyo was overjoyed. She handed over most of her allowance to you, and only then did you realize what kind of power a rich Tsukinomori girl actually wielded.]
[You were deeply moved by her kindness and consideration. In the end, you kept only a small portion for pocket money and left the rest with her for groceries and expenses. Before you knew it, you were living like a married couple.]
[You found yourself increasingly unable to live without Soyo.]
Well, that flipped quickly.
His first time getting pampered… was honestly a little nerve-wracking.
This was the first time Haru had been reverse-captured by a love interest in the simulation. Seeing lines like "you can't live without her" was… surreal.
But it didn't seem like a bad thing. It wasn't like they had a relationship problem or anything.
Tsukinomori girls… were terrifying.
[The month after you started dating, Soyo was back to her usual routine: buying ingredients, making dinner, and chatting with you late into the evening.]
[Your conversations drifted from band stuff to past memories, and eventually to the reason she fell for you. Every word was soaked in affection.]
[Before you knew it, it was late. But Soyo didn't seem like she was leaving.]
[She shyly cleaned the dishes, then pulled out her favorite scented oils, clearly prepared in advance. She asked to cuddle in your arms for a bit. How could you possibly say no?]
[A soft blush spread across her face. Her watery blue eyes looked up at you with gentle longing.]
[Even though she didn't say anything, you had a pretty good idea of what she wanted.]
[So, you decide—]
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