[The midterm exams have ended.]
[With your boyfriend's help, you managed to pass and even reach the average score.]
[Time quickly moved on to the second semester's school trip, this time to the southern islands of Okinawa.]
[During the trip, Toru seemed to know a lot about Okinawa. He acted as your personal guide, leading you to experience all sorts of unique activities and to visit places few tourists ever found.]
[You simply assumed he had done some research in advance, and thought nothing more of it.]
[Also on the trip was Hitori…]
[Though she hadn't shown up for a long while, as the guitarist of the Kessoku Band she had always remained on good terms with you.]
I'm sorry.
Gotoh-san… I'm really sorry.
Kita looked at Hitori's gloomy, tearful eyes and felt her heart crumble.
[Perhaps guessing that you and Toru were dating, Hitori's expression instantly turned into an "Ah, whatever" face, as if she'd grown used to this kind of thing.]
…Huh?
Gotoh-san is already used to this sort of thing?
What a strong heart.
How did she even train herself to be like that?
——
Gotoh residence.
Inside a dark little closet.
"Cheated on again."
Hitori's lips curved into a dead smile as her vacant eyes stared into nothingness. Hugging her knees, she curled up into a ball.
It's fine now…
It doesn't matter anymore.
It's just a husbando, after all.
I'll have another simulation soon.
Everyone in Kessoku Band has had their turn already, so following the pattern, it should be mine next, right?
"Uuuuh, I don't want to be alone forever..."
A tear slid from the corner of Hitori's eye as she rolled around in the closet several times.
This stupid simulator! She didn't want to play it anymore.
Every simulation ended with her watching her husbando flirt with some other woman…
Dating simulator?
More like Cuck simulator.
[Notice, Master, you still have one free simulation remaining…]
What's the point of one more?
No matter what, I'll never win Kitahara-kun's love. I'll just rot away in this damp, gloomy closet, living a life of mild failure.
Might as well die.
[Master, if you can overcome your inferiority complex and use the full-immersion mode, success should be guaranteed.]
What's that supposed to mean?
You're blaming me now?
Even if I'm ninety-nine percent at fault, are you saying you're completely innocent?
[First, let's set the facts aside.]
[From the second simulation, if you had only acted bolder, then after the AI sequence, launch a continuous attack, and the target has a high probability of abandoning Yamada Ryo to cheat with you.]
But I'm not some AI girl…
[In the third simulation, you hold the "Transfer of Affection" card. After Toru's wife dies and he becomes a widower, if you use the "A child shouldn't be without a mother" reasoning, you'll have a 63.97% chance of succeeding. At that time, Toru had have placed his daughter above all else, even burning away his own life just to keep Kitahara Shio alive.]
What?
What do you take me for?
Hitori's eyes widened.
Sure, she craved Toru's body, but she wasn't some heartless woman.
His wife had just died, and she was supposed to take advantage of that? And even make his daughter call her "Mom"?
[As for this current simulation…]
Go on, Simulator-chan, let's hear your grand insight.
[There's no possible victory.]
See? Even you, a love simulator, admit it...
[Because according to the premonition, Toru's life is already nearing its end. He only has five months left.]
Several seconds later.
Futari Gotoh could hear her sister pounding the floor upstairs.
——
Aside from the devastated Hitori , Ijichi Nijika was also feeling a little down.
She had thought this simulation would go like the last one, where Toru transferred to Shimokitazawa High in his third year, and they rekindled their bond.
But who could have guessed that he would start dating Kita back in first year…
Given the way her husband loved. Once he fell for someone, he never let go. Nijika, the little angel had figured this simulation was probably hopeless.
It's fine though. A simulation is only a simulation.
Even if she "wins" here, in reality, if she never pursues Toru, it all ends in loss anyway.
The reason she kept running the simulations was simply to see her adorable daughter again.
She had no other desire.
Winning or losing didn't matter; Nijika the angel was a grand slam champion in her own way. Her heart was calm.
Unlike Hitori or Yamada Ryo, she didn't suffer from unrequited love.
Lose?
Sorry, she couldn't.
At worst, it would be a small win, a medium win, or a big win.
This time, getting to be with Toru as a friend counted as a small win.
Next time, if they got married, that would be the big one.
——
[The school trip ends.]
[On Christmas, Kessoku Band is invited to perform at a live show.]
[Since you switched to keyboard, Yamada Ryo completely unleashed her creativity, and within just half a year, Kessoku Band became a fairly well-known name in Shimokitazawa.]
[The live venue was packed and lively, filled with cheers.]
[In the audience, Toru watched your bright figures on stage, his eyes filled with gentle pride.]
You… plural?
For some reason, Kita could easily pick out the key points from the simulator's text.
[After the concert, Kessoku Band held a small celebration. Still underage, you all toasted with juice, chatting excitedly about the band's future.]
[When the gathering ended, Toru walked you home. As he was about to leave, you thought, "It's Christmas. If I don't do something, it'd be such a waste," so: ]
[1. Step forward, hug him, and stay over at his place tonight.]
[2. Wrap your arms around him and give him a kiss as a Christmas gift.]
[3. Simulate personally.]
Wh-which one should I choose?
Kita rarely blushed, but now she did. Something about these options felt… off.
The first one means doing that kind of thing, right?
Should I?
Or maybe…
"Do it." Kita quickly made up her mind.
If not today, she'd have to do it in a later simulation anyway. Might as well go all in.
Go all the way.
[You lean close to his ear and tell him you want to go home with him tonight.]
[Toru smiles, gently straightens your loose scarf, then lowers his head and softly presses his lips against yours.]
[His lips are cold, unlike the warmth of yours.]
[After that short kiss, your boyfriend leans close to your ear—]
["As a Christmas gift, one kiss is enough."]
You jerk…
Don't act cool at a time like this!
Though, well, it was kind of romantic. I liked it.
But, but, but... still, I wanted your body!
Kita cursed Toru for being such a dummy.
[New Year.]
[You visit Asakusa Shrine again.]
[At the fortune-drawing spot.]
[This time, Toru wasn't so lucky. He drew a "Great Misfortune," predicting a terrible year ahead.]
[You drew a "Small Blessing." Everything would go smoothly except your luck in love, which remained poor.]
Heh heh…
What goes around comes around.
Karma's real.