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Chapter 2 - Chapter 2

[Before the school trip, you muster the courage to give Toru Kitahara a love letter.] [On the first day of the trip, you're so excited you barely sleep, leaving you with darker-than-usual eye circles.] [On the evening of the second day, with Ikuyo Kita's help, you wear stylish clothes and light makeup. After six months of effort, you're less timid. Your charm is striking, and you believe you can face the outcome of this confession, whatever it may be! Charm +2]

Go, six-months-from-now me!

Next is the confession scene, right? Bocchi-chan's heart raced. This was her white moonlight, her long-time crush. Even if it was just a simulator, a successful confession would make her happy for days.

[Under glowing lanterns, the ancient streets of Kyoto's Arashiyama are bathed in breathtaking hues.] [Arashiyama, the destination of your school trip.] [In the rustling Sagano Bamboo Forest, under dim lights, you gather all your courage to confess and start your own youthful love story!] [But when you see the boy before you, the words stick in your throat.] ["Like a figure from a painting, only I know the path to you; at the edge of water and sky, you're no mere mortal." Facing such a perfect white moonlight, timid-as-a-giant-rat you panics.]

Giant rat? A fat, huge rat?!

Bocchi-chan, just immersed in the confession, snapped out of it.

Who's a giant rat?! You're the giant rat! She inwardly cursed the simulator.

[I-I-I… Your social anxiety stops you from saying "I like you." You fall silent, the bamboo forest's crisp rustling around you. The Sagano Bamboo Forest's sounds are among Japan's top 100 must-hear noises, but your nerves drown them out.]

Say it, other me! Don't be so timid! Bocchi-chan, watching through the screen, cringed at her simulated self.

["The bamboo's music is beautiful, isn't it? I've heard your guitar—it's interesting." Toru Kitahara's voice pulls you back to reality. You know he's being kind to spare you embarrassment. But the kinder he is, the harder it is to confess.]

[After a dozen seconds, the wind dies down, and the "music" he mentioned stops. The atmosphere turns awkward.] ["What color do you like?" he asks, then adds, "White? Red? Blue? Green?"] [You like pink, but it's not an option, so you pick the closest one: red. Red symbolizes passion and cheerfulness—qualities better suited to Ikuyo Kita than you. You're convinced this confession is doomed to fail.] [That's right. A rosy youth was never meant for a socially anxious person like you. Perhaps energy-saving mode suits you better?]

What do I do? What do I do?!

Hitomi Goto clutches her head, her messy pink hair becoming even messier. Is her first simulation about to fail?

[Facing a crumbling romance, you muster the last shred of courage buried deep within and say—] [1. "I like you, Kitahara-kun! Please go out with me!"] [2. "Kitahara-kun, I'm your fan!! Please give me your autograph!"] [3. Lie on the ground, play dead, and wait for the world to end.]

"What do I choose?" Hitomi stares at the three options.

Option 1? No way. Confessing now would be throwing herself into rejection. Option 2? A temporary dodge, but it doesn't solve anything. Option 3? That's just pathetic.

"Option 2!"

["Kitahara-kun, I'm your fan!! Please give me your autograph!"] [As you blurt it out, you notice a flicker of surprise on Toru Kitahara's face. He read your love letter and knows your true intentions, which is why he looks so taken aback. Toru Kitahara Affection +5] [You receive an autograph. You think to yourself that selling it to his fans could net you at least a few tens of thousands of yen. You're thrilled… or so you lie.] [After the school trip, you return home and can't hold back anymore. You hide in your closet and cry for an entire day.] [Heartbreak makes you even more timid, but with your bandmates' comfort, you recover over the next month. Courage +2, Charm +1] [You let go of love and focus on honing your skills. You firmly believe: no man in your heart, and your guitar skills will shine. As expected, under your leadership, Kessoku Band becomes a well-known act in Shimokitazawa, drawing hundreds of fans to every performance.]

Hitomi stares at the simulator's text, unsure whether this is a bad ending or a happy one. Kessoku Band is famous, but she feels no joy.

Where's the love simulator she was promised?

It hurts. It hurts so much. Hitomi clutches her stomach, empathizing with her simulated self's pain.

[Time passes slowly. Soon, your three years of high school come to an end. These three years, symbolizing youth and innocence, yield no romantic progress. But as the saying goes, what you lose in one area, you gain in another. Your romantic failures lead to unprecedented success in your career and studies. Charm +1, Courage +1, Knowledge +2] [After the graduation ceremony, determined to bid farewell to youth without regrets, you confess to Toru Kitahara again.] [In spring, cherry blossoms bloom once more. Near Shuka High School lies a park famous for cherry blossom viewing, where legend says a confession guarantees a lifetime together.] [This time, you boldly express your feelings. Faced with your sincere emotions, Toru wavers…]

What's the outcome?!

Hurry up!

Hitomi is both excited and terrified.

After a dozen seconds:

[Toru Kitahara agrees.] [You and Toru Kitahara become a couple.]

Yes! Yes!! It worked!

Hitomi jumps up in her closet, only to bang her head with a thud. Wincing and rubbing her head, she tearfully continues reading the simulator's text.

She's finally dating her crush. So happy!

[Since you attend different universities, you begin a long-distance relationship. Kessoku Band doesn't disband, but everyone's busy, and activities dwindle.] [Toru Kitahara often visits you at your university.] [On Christmas of your freshman year, you both say goodbye to your innocence. Consideration +5, Dexterity +2, Knowledge +2]

"It's normal for college couples to do that…" Bocchi-chan turns away, too shy to keep reading.

No visuals, just text, but she's still embarrassed.

[You spend two blissful years together.] [In the spring of your third year, he suddenly tells you he's going to study abroad. You ask why, and he only says he's chasing his dreams. Dreams? You're baffled. No matter how much you press, he won't elaborate, only smiling.] [You realize you know very little about him. He's gentle and considerate, always revolving around you like you're the sun. He knows your social anxiety and never lets you plan dates, quietly arranging everything. He never scolds you, even when upset, just pats your head and chuckles helplessly. You took it all for granted, never noticing his inner thoughts.] [You regret it. In two years, you only gave him one gift—a red scarf.] [Heartbroken upon realizing the truth, you still can't persuade him to stay.] [Soon after, he gradually cuts off all contact with you.]

The sudden shift in tone makes Hitomi's heart clench.

No way.

Did they break up?

[He leaves and never returns.] [Ten years later, still single, you return to the confession park. In that decade, you've made many new friends and achieved career success, but you've never seen him again. You wonder if things would've been different if you'd cared more about his feelings.] [You don't know.] [Sitting on a bench, a spring breeze caresses your now-mature face. In the warm sunlight, you close your eyes. In a dreamy haze, you faintly hear footsteps.]

Hitomi stares at the simulator's "Game Over" screen, silent for a long time.

[Game Over!] [Your life was successful. You cut ties with romance to fulfill your dream of becoming a rock star, earning piles of money and shedding your socially anxious persona to become a confident, outgoing figure. But you regretted a man for the rest of your life, never seeing him again.] [You won, yet it feels like a complete loss.] [Simulation Evaluation: C] [As your first simulation, you may choose two of the following rewards:] [1. Perfect Pitch (You can identify any note from instruments or the environment without a reference. Legend has it Ludwig van Beethoven had this ability.)] [2. Charisma Boost (You can always liven up any conversation, never letting it go cold.)] [3. Toru Kitahara Affection +10]

Do I even need to choose?

I pick 1 and 3.

Though Hitomi longs to be outgoing, her sensitive heart can't ignore the simulation's story after experiencing it.

"Kitahara-kun, I won't let you feel hurt again."

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