Just barely making it back from Ryo's gentle arms of "Song of Ice and Fire" love barrage, Kazami Haru was now staring down another major dilemma. He took a deep breath and double-checked the options—surely, he wasn't seeing things?
No way. Something's off with these choices.
He'd joked before about "cheating" with Nijika, but now here it was. A very real, very specific option.
In this simulation, he and Nijika were nothing more than bandmates with a good rapport. He figured that, since he'd already become Ryo's boyfriend, Nijika wouldn't develop feelings beyond friendship.
Or... was there something he missed? Another reason?
Whatever the case, this set of options was even more suffocating than the last.
"So... what do I do?"
Option 1 was clearly the pure love route with Ryo, safe if you were committed to that path.
But choosing either of the other two could flip the entire simulation upside down.
After careful thought, he made his decision.
[You know full well that, as Yamada Ryo's boyfriend, you're not the right person to be comforting Ijichi Nijika. So, you decide to leave it to fate and let things take their course.]
[Even if you don't know whether this choice will bring regret.]
[In your final year of high school, the pressure of future decisions became overwhelming. After checking in with everyone, Kessoku Band ultimately disbanded. Ijichi Nijika gave up her dream for the sake of her future.]
[You slowly lost touch with the other members. Outwardly calm, Yamada Ryo clearly wasn't as unaffected as she seemed. She kept practicing bass as usual, but never joined another band again.]
[You start to wonder, if you'd done more back then, would things have turned out differently?]
The warm orange glow of a nearby lamp wasn't bright, but it lit up the night like a guiding neon sign.
The fragrant steam from a ramen stand wafted in the air, full of rich, savory scent. A gentle summer breeze brushed across his cheek—warm, familiar.
A shoulder-length blue-haired girl took a small sip of sake, a tipsy blush tinting her delicate features as a faint smile crossed her lips.
The soft aroma of plum wine mingled with her natural scent, while a beauty mark near her eye added to her snow-lotus-like allure.
"Our first time meeting was over ramen too, wasn't it?"
"...No. I actually saw you long before that."
Yamada Ryo propped her chin on one hand, the other brushing aside a strand of her soft, cherry-blossom-colored hair.
The gentle light bathed her beautiful profile. Gone was the youthful immaturity of her school days, replaced with a mature, quiet grace.
"One time, my family took me to a piano recital. I saw you perform there, your playing had a unique voice."
"But the next time we met, I'd forgotten about it. When I remembered later, I figured there was no need to bring it up."
Her tone had a playful edge—like she just wanted to see what kind of face Kazami Haru would make.
Whenever Ryo got tipsy, she'd start rambling nonsense, resting her head on his shoulder and mumbling disjointed thoughts.
He was used to it by now—carefully adjusting his posture so she could rest more comfortably.
Then suddenly, she went quiet.
"Haru, what do you think of Nijika... and the others?"
The question came out of nowhere, buried among her usual nonsense, and caught him completely off guard.
Kazami Haru knew Ryo always carried some guilt toward Nijika, her dearest friend. To everyone else, she might seem unreliable, but inside, Ryo was thoughtful and deeply caring.
Which is exactly why he had to do his part, honestly and fully.
"Ryo... do you think we're living a happy life right now?"
"Then that's enough."
A light chuckle brushed his ears. Then, the weight on his shoulder shifted. Ryo, who'd been feigning drunkenness, leaned in close.
Her watery gold eyes drew near under the glow of the orange light. Slowly, their shadows merged.
"Don't answer a question with a question. That's cheating."
[A few years after graduation, you became a composer thanks to your innate musical talent. Your gift allowed you to create hit after hit, gaining fame and recognition.]
[Yamada Ryo, who had given up performing on stage to focus on getting into the University of Tokyo, rarely touched her beloved bass again.]
[You and Ryo eventually held a quiet wedding. Since neither of you had many friends and the few you had were mutual, the ceremony was an intimate one with only a handful of guests.]
[But for two people who preferred peace and quiet, it was more than enough.]
[You and Yamada Ryo became husband and wife.]
Looks like he really did become the [Pure Love God of War], Haru.
After making that final choice, the simulator skipped straight ahead to marriage. Everything had progressed smoothly, except for the disbanding of Kessoku Band and Ryo's abandonment of her musical dreams.
Kazami Haru glanced at his phone, skimming through the mountain of unread messages he'd missed due to being immersed in the simulation. Up at the podium, the teacher was still droning on, entirely unaware that one of his students had just lived an entire life.
Sensing eyes on him, Haru turned sharply to his right. There, trying desperately to hide her presence while staring at him, was Hitori Gotoh, startled by his sudden movement, she let out a frightened squeak.
Poor Bocchi-chan, timid as ever.
The teacher's sharp gaze glinted behind his sunglasses as he silently pointed to the door. To Bocchi, it looked like he was about to skin her alive.
Without protest, Hitori trudged out to stand in the hallway for punishment.
Seeing her pitiful figure, Haru couldn't help but chuckle, but being the decent guy he was, he clasped his hands together and quietly offered an apology in his heart.
Even if she couldn't hear it.