[You confessed to Ikuyo Kita.]
Even though he was mentally prepared, Kazami Haru still couldn't help but feel a little tense seeing the simulator display that line.
From what he'd just experienced, Kita-san did seem to have feelings for him. But his sudden, head-on approach had probably been too much for even the sunniest, most innocent redhead to handle.
[She didn't reject you.]
[But she didn't accept, either.]
Come on, just finish the sentence already, damn it!
Simulator, if you're going to be vague, go and screw off to Honkai: Star Rail.
[Ikuyo Kita sincerely explains her thoughts to you. She admits she does feel a strong fondness for you, but she also still harbors feelings for someone else. She's unsure whether what she feels for you is admiration or love.]
[She believes it would be irresponsible to accept your confession just because she's drawn to your appearance.]
[So she decides to put her answer on hold for now. She suggests the two of you remain friends and continue spending time together. Once she's certain of her own feelings, she'll give you a proper response.]
[Ikuyo Kita's affection for you has increased.]
[You and Ikuyo Kita have become friends.]
So that's how it is, this was a bit unexpected.
Kazami Haru had thought Kita-san would flash her brightest, sunniest smile and then decisively reject his confession with a middle finger. He didn't expect to get a "maybe" instead.
As expected of someone like Kita-chan, who always considers others' feelings with such care. But still, wasn't this kind of response just a roundabout rejection?
[After becoming friends with Kita Ikuyo, she starts talking to you more frequently at school. Your gradually closer relationship surprises those around you—especially Bocchi, who is visibly shocked.]
[One day, you accidentally discover that Kita Ikuyo brought a guitar from home.]
1. Invite her to join the band, since you're still short a vocalist/guitarist.
2. Ask her out after school.
3. Ignore it, since you've got to help Sakiko with her part-time job.
It really felt like the simulator was constantly tempting him toward bizarre paths.
If he chose option 3 now, there was probably an 80% chance he'd be rerouted to Togawa Sakiko's storyline. Given how this broken simulator works, that could make things irreversibly complicated.
Still, he was slightly tempted.
After thinking it through, he decided to play it safe and focus on options 1 or 2.
Option 2 was a bold move, directly asking Kita-chan out on a date. With Kazami Haru's charm, even someone like Kita might find it hard to resist if he were this forward.
But even if he managed to win her over that way, the final score probably wouldn't be high.
Despite being the very definition of a cheerful and popular girl, Kita Ikuyo actually admired the eccentric Yamada Ryo and was tired of her unchanging normie life.
She really wanted to step outside her comfort zone—and joining the band "Kessoku Band" was her opportunity for change. In order to minimize regrets at the end of this simulation—
Kazami Haru chose option 1.
[You decide to invite her to join "Kessoku Band."]
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[When you invite her, Kita Ikuyo happily expresses her excitement but then immediately becomes downcast.]
[She confesses that she doesn't actually know how to play guitar. She's spent a lot of time practicing, following online tutorials and working hard on her own, but her lack of talent has left her with no progress at all.]
[Despite her happiness, she painfully turns down your invitation.]
Well, of course she couldn't figure it out, because the thing she bought was a six-string bass.
This wasn't a matter of musical talent or effort. If Kita-chan could make a six-string bass sound like a guitar, that'd be a miracle worthy of global recognition.
[You explain to Kita Ikuyo that what she bought wasn't a guitar but a bass. She bursts out laughing.]
[Having realized her mistake, she earnestly pleads with you to be her guitar teacher. She says she'll do anything.]
Willing to do anything? In that case——
[Within normal bounds, of course.]
[You agree without hesitation and promise to practice together every day starting from today. She's thrilled and thanks you, vowing to study seriously.]
[From this day forward, Kita Ikuyo joins "Kessoku Band."]
As the bell rang, Kazami Haru stretched and yawned.
So far, his choices in this simulation seemed to be going smoothly. The only concern was the side effect of the so-called [Infatuation Card].
While it made it easier to charm girls, it also had the scary downside of "easily falling for others." From the way those previous choices were presented, he had a bad feeling about it.
One wrong move and the entire simulation could go off-track.
Thankfully, he'd avoided the traps so far. As long as he remained cautious in his decisions, things should turn out fine.