Nighttime.
[Your skill has leveled up: Bass Playing LV.4 → Bass Playing LV.5]
Finally! Finally!
Toru's heart races with excitement. Max level at last!!
Regular skills cap here, and the next steps are uncharted.
Professional level is doable with enough time, but Master level and beyond? That's all about talent—super abstract.
In the simulator, the story's nearing the end of high school.
Over these two years, Hitomi Goto and he have stayed friends, as have he and Ryo Yamada. The only issue? Both girls' affection levels are at 80, with Hitomi's an absurd 88.
If Toru wanted, he could date either one.
But since he's decided to love only one person this time, he won't cheat.
Before transmigrating, he never liked harem routes in dating sims. With multiple simulator runs, there's no need to get greedy—one pure love story per girl per run. It's not worse than a harem; it might even be better.
Toru opens Ryo Yamada's bond panel and selects the confession location.
[Please select a confession location.] [Winter Camping, cozy cabin in a ski resort, Location: Hokkaido.] [Christmas, Tokyo Skytree observation deck, Location: Tokyo.] [Tokyo Disneyland, winter special parade, Location: Chiba.] [Note: Confession requires Full Immersion Mode; text mode is unavailable.]
Toru hesitates. It's his first time confessing, and it's winter of his third year in the simulator, just months from graduation. The location options are all seasonal.
After some thought, he picks winter camping.
It's the least crowded, making confessing less nerve-wracking. Christmas at Skytree or winter at Disneyland? Packed with people—hell-level difficulty!
Alright!
Let's simulate!
[Inviting…]
Toru watches the simulator's prompt, nervous. He has to consider his paper wife's feelings? What if she rejects him?
[Ryo Yamada has accepted your invitation.]
Heck yeah!
Inside a small villa in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward, Ryo Yamada, soaking in a bathtub, notices a simulator alert.
[Toru Kitahara invites you to travel to Hokkaido. Accept?]
What an easy guy to handle.
Ryo checks his affection level.
Wait, 87? That's insanely high!
Sure, the simulator exaggerates, but raising affection this much in two years is still wild.
Her Affection Points are at 360,000, from affection milestones plus small achievements like first date, first hand-holding, first hug…
Yup, after two years, they're still just friends—no kissing or anything intimate.
"Bass Playing LV.5??" Ryo pats her cheeks. Her Pokémon training plan is almost complete.
Once Toru hits Professional Bass, she can spend Affection Points to snag LV.5 for herself!
In reality, her bass is only LV.4—jumping a level is huge.
If she gets bold and Toru reaches Master, Grandmaster, or even God-Level… Ryo could skyrocket!
No wonder it's the vampire simulator—so strong!
'This is probably a confession, right?' Ryo won't refuse, but she won't get emotionally invested either.
To her, Toru's just a tool for skill gains—a virtual character, a digital pet.
Would anyone fall for a virtual role?
Hi, no way.
Those otaku shouting "waifu" online? They don't stay loyal forever; they switch when a better one comes along.
So, not taking Toru's affection seriously is normal, right?
[Preparing to enter Full Immersion Mode.]
Ryo's consciousness drifts from reality.
◇
Hokkaido.
Sapporo International Ski Resort.
Toru and Ryo, decked out in ski gear, sit in a rising cable car.
"Ryo, thanks for these two years." Toru turns to her.
"No big deal, don't mention it."
Ryo knows he's talking about the two days a week she "taught" him bass. It's just in the simulator—she didn't actually teach.
As for the simulated Kessoku Band, Ryo doesn't care much. It's all fake.
She's always been clear about that.
This ski resort, the guy next to her, his affection, his feelings—all just the simulator's illusions.
"My bass got this good because of you, Ryo. Of course I've gotta thank you."
Toru smiles at her, but Ryo doesn't react, like unmelting ice.
It's all for profit.
Since she's going full pragmatist, Ryo won't let emotions get in the way.
"Oh."
"…Well, thanks." Toru's a bit disappointed.
He knows Ryo's not talkative, but after over two years, she's still the same.
Is he just her wallet?
All those interactions, hundreds of conversations, thousands of times calling her name—can't they close the gap between their hearts?
Toru feels a little hurt. Ryo might not know, but every time he consulted her about bass, he used Full Immersion Mode to master it better and integrate skills more smoothly.
A few minutes later, they get off the cable car.
"Ryo, can you ski? I can teach you…"
"Not really."
Ryo doesn't pretend otherwise.
"Let's start with the basics then, yeah? Oh, your goggles are crooked." Toru slides closer, adjusting her snow goggles with a gentle, intimate gesture.
Ryo looks at his handsome face, so close, and steps back slightly.
Too close.
"…" Toru Kitahara.
He doesn't dwell on it, smiling as he continues, "Let's start with posture. Feet shoulder-width apart, legs relaxed, knees bent forward, kneecaps above your toes…"
Half an hour later.
Free novel group: 255595300
"Ryo's learning fast." Toru Kitahara claps.
Seriously fast.
For a beginner to reach this level is beyond expectations.
Worthy of my wife.
"This is the beginner slope, pretty smooth overall. We can try sliding down from here."
"Okay." Ryo Yamada starts to get into skiing. She enjoys niche activities and new experiences.
Of course, rock music is still her favorite.
They glide down slowly, Ryo in front, Toru close behind to make sure she doesn't get hurt.
Suddenly, Toru notices her veering off course.
"Ryo, stop!"
"…How do I stop?"
Ryo eyes the approaching obstacle…
Guess it's fine. It's just a simulation—she won't actually get hurt.
"Ryo—!"
Toru hurriedly adjusts his stance, speeding down.
Seconds later.
Thud! They crash together at the edge of the slope.
Ryo slowly opens her eyes, feeling the arms tightly wrapped around her, holding her close, and the clear thump of his heartbeat as her face presses against his chest.
A faint blush creeps onto her usually emotionless face.
"Ryo, you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?"
Toru quickly lets go, worried.
"…No."
Ryo doesn't understand why her heart's racing so much.
It's just a fake simulated world, and his feelings for her are all fake too.
Why?
So weird.