Sure enough, whenever Haru realized something in real life, his simulated self would also start to adjust.
Even if Tomori locked herself away in an EVA Unit, Haru was ready to pierce her out with a spear of Longinus.
[You decide you can't let this slide. You begin searching for what's hurting Tomori.]
[Surprisingly, the search is easy. You find a thread on the school forum discussing your relationship with her. Your sudden closeness has sparked a wave of gossip.]
[Ever since Haneoka High changed from an all-girls school to coed, the forum's tone has grown more focused on romance.]
[As one of the few boys, and blessed with striking looks and a gentle personality, you've attracted attention. Many girls who attended when it was still all-girls have quietly developed feelings for you.]
[Meanwhile, Tomori, with her adorable, animal-like innocence, is extremely popular among the boys.]
[Your growing closeness has stirred jealousy and negativity, and the forum is now filled with cruel speculation and envy.]
[You suspect these rumors have reached Tomori's ears.]
So, just as he thought.
Tomori was like a traveler walking a quiet, leaf-strewn path in the dark, her heart locked beneath a heavy hat.
And then, out of nowhere, she spotted a warm, glowing cabin ahead.
Despite her hesitation, she stepped inside, like a drowning soul grasping at a lifeline.
By pure chance, the warmth of that cabin soothed her like nothing before. And in her heart, something precious began to bloom again.
But when she looked back, she realized... the cabin might not be hers alone.
If she stayed in that little cabin too long, resentment would begin to fester.
After all, others weren't allowed inside, and that very exclusion would make them jealous of her "good luck." Eventually, even the innocent little cabin itself might become a target.
She wasn't just afraid of suffering, what terrified her more was that something precious might be hurt because of her.
"So that's why she worked up the courage to ask something like that? Incredible."
Kazami Haru, of course, couldn't care less about gossip, but Tomori was a different story.
It had taken her so long to find someone who accepted and understood her. And now, because of her, that person was being dragged into something painful. Even if she wanted to clear things up, her shy personality made it nearly impossible.
Lost and helpless, she had slipped into a cycle of guilt and isolation.
She didn't know how to hold on to something she treasured. And when she finally summoned the courage to ask for clarity, she didn't get the answer she was hoping for.
[Faced with the toxic rumors spreading on the Haneoka High forum, you decide—]
1. Unleash a million-horsepower punch [literally].
2. Confess to Tomori and be honest about your feelings.
3. Self-destruct—find a way to attract all the negativity to yourself.
4. Virtual reality: experience it yourself.
All of these choices could help in their own way, especially the third, which was famously the specialty of a certain dead fish-eyed hero.
But Kazami Haru knew just how deeply Tomori valued her friends. Choosing option three would only make her blame herself even more.
So the correct path was already clear.
[You swiftly registered an account and posted your thoughts on the school forum. You declared, bluntly and without hesitation, that you and Tomori Takamatsu were preparing to date with marriage in mind. Anyone with a problem could come say it to your face.]
[You also followed breadcrumbs from social media accounts to identify several ringleaders and warned them with defamation threats. These warnings were intentionally leaked to set an example.]
[Your decisive action had an immediate impact, effectively silencing the malicious gossip.]
[Perhaps due to both of you being popular figures at school, once your relationship was made public, most people said nothing and some even openly Discover more novels on NovelHub - your gateway to endless stories.]
That's the thing about rumors: the more you endure them without pushing back, the deeper you sink.
People here respected strength and preyed on the soft. If you came out swinging, most of them would shut their mouths. Even if whispers continued in private, they wouldn't dare show their faces.
[Tomori Takamatsu didn't understand why the gossip vanished or what others were really thinking. But even someone as emotionally reserved as her could sense that you had done something.]
[Tomori Takamatsu's emotional state has improved.]
[You've joined the Astronomy Club, becoming the first member besides its president, Tomori herself. You begin to notice her smiling more often, and the distance between you slowly shrinks.]
The lace curtain at the window fluttered in the breeze. Sunlight filtered through the blue sky and drifting clouds, then slipped between the vibrant green leaves, falling gently over the girl like scattered starlight.
The wind stirred the glossy strands of hair at her temples. Her smooth, radiant skin glowed faintly in the warm light.
With just the slightest lift at the corners of her lips, she could so easily tug at a teenage boy's heartstrings.
Ever since meeting Tomori, Kazami Haru had come to understand the unique charm of short-haired girls.
It was precisely because she didn't have long, flowing hair that the soft, pale nape of her neck was revealed.
Just a slight lift of her hair would expose the blush at the tips of her ears and the rosy hue in the corners of her eyes. Her long lashes only amplified her quiet charm.
All because... Tomori was simply too adorable.
"Tomori... you were in a band once, weren't you?"
Haru asked as he stuffed another bite of chocolate twist into his mouth, flipping through the strange notebook in his hands.
This was one of Tomori's treasures, a notebook that recorded the first song by her former band CRYCHIC: "Haruhikage." (Spring Sunlight)
"Um... I'm not in a band anymore,"
Tomori murmured as she shook her head. Her gaze dropped to the floor, as if remembering something that filled her with guilt.
But before she could even show a trace of sadness, Kazami Haru's voice cut in.
"You know, I think you'd make a great vocalist."
Haru gently closed the notebook and carefully returned it to its place. Then, with a touch of pride, he tapped his slender, fair fingers on the empty space beside it.
"Funny coincidence, I happen to know a thing or two about playing the piano."
Her eyes widened slightly. Her golden-amber irises gleamed like the sun on an autumn afternoon. Her right hand clutched at the fabric near her chest as her lips quivered, something unspoken just on the verge of escaping.
But before she could say anything, Haru locked eyes with her trembling gaze and spoke softly, his voice warm:
"Would you start a band with me for the rest of our lives?"