How can my simulation be a real love?

Wait, something seems off?

It was only then that Kazami Mei suddenly noticed the anomaly; he had just glanced over when he realized that something important was missing.

Even after closing his eyes again and examining the options carefully, he still couldn't find the so-called 'third option'. The [personal simulation] option that always appeared before had disappeared, and this time the special option only had two choices?

Why is it a choice between Kita and Aine?

What if I simulate it myself?

26

Chapter Twenty-Six: I'll Simulate It Myself?

What if I simulate it myself?

Kazami Naruto, who had never encountered this situation before, immediately frowned. He had thought that having more than thirteen simulation attempts would allow him to use 'personal simulation' without restraint, so even in the face of this situation, Kazami Naruto was not flustered at all. But now, a situation that had never happened before had occurred.

The option disappeared—

[The emulator will run automatically because a special option was not selected immediately.]

Just as you know the two people in front of you very well, the two people who have been with you for so long naturally understand your 'hesitation'.

Just as you lose your balance if you step forward with both legs at the same time, when faced with a serious choice, choosing one side will inevitably hurt the other.

They all seem to have sensed what you're thinking.

"Well, I'll head back now..."

[The first to react, Kita Ikuyo, forced a smile that was more like a grimace. Clutching the half-eaten bento box, she exhaled a breath of stale air. Her words lacked their usual lightness and sweetness; it was as if she had fled so quickly that you wouldn't see her humiliating side.]

[Chihaya Aine, who also noticed this, burst into tears without any hesitation. She clung to you like a spoiled child, venting her emotions until she had soaked your entire shirt with tears and snot in revenge. Then she haphazardly wiped her tear-streaked face, whispered something, and finally got up and left.]

Even though they considered the consequences before taking such a desperate gamble, they still couldn't hide their sorrow now that things have come to this.

You couldn't accept anyone's confession.

"..."

Kazami Mei stared silently at the words on the simulator, his slightly raised dark eyes merely glancing lightly at the simulator panel.

Having gone through several simulations, he had a thorough understanding of what this thing was like and was mentally prepared for all sorts of problems before the simulation.

Kazami Naruto thought that the simulator might deliberately push him towards a 'pure love route,' but he never expected that this thing could actually do such an incredible thing.

They banned his 'personal simulation' feature directly.

Even though Kazami Naruto, with more than ten simulation attempts, was capable of handling this situation, the simulator seemed to be deliberately preventing him from doing so, not even bothering to use any 'tricks' or 'traps', thus giving him no chance to even make a move.

"By the way, so this was what you were waiting for me."

Thinking of this, Kazami Mei couldn't help but sneer, as if mocking this guy who was also 'going all in'.

Forced to choose one of two options?

Is it really true that it's called a "royal romance simulator"?

At this moment, Kazami Mei finally understood what this so-called 'simulator' was all about.

Perhaps no matter who he chooses to pursue, the simulator will eventually do everything it can to get him into the final single-player route, just like in this playthrough of Pochi Simulation.

"In order to prevent me from entering the 'special route,' they would rather just ban 'personal simulation' directly?"

Unfortunately, Kazami Mei found this situation unacceptable.

The fact that simulators do this suggests that 'personal simulation' might actually produce unexpected results.

If this situation of being confessed to by two girls at the same time had actually happened in real life, then if it were Kazami Naruto himself facing their confessions, the outcome might have been completely different.

Only one of the two options is allowed?

Whether it's Kazami Mei's feelings for Aine or Kita, or the feelings of the two girls for him, they are no different. No matter which side he ultimately chooses, it will definitely hurt the other side. If he chooses neither side, then both sides will be hurt at the same time.

"Since there's no way to refuse..."

The three options for the [emulator] may have already been listed—

Now, there's only one option left to try.

Grab it in one go—

I have to be all!

"..."

Kazami Mei slowly exhaled a breath of stale air to calm himself down. The moment he considered this possibility, he also thought about what situation he would probably face in the end.

However, now that you understand what you're thinking, you must hold your head high and face it honestly.

At worst, it will end up like Shang Yang.

It's better to face Shigeo-na than Shigeo-ba.

With a myriad of thoughts swirling in her mind, Kazami Mei temporarily reined in her increasingly divergent ideas. She would have to consider the specifics of how to proceed in reality later, since the simulation was only halfway through.

Therefore, Kazami Mei plans to focus her attention on how to complete this simulation.

You couldn't accept anyone's confession.

[Ikuyo Kita and Aine Chihaya's condition has mostly declined.]

Their confessions didn't have a significant impact on your daily lives. Even Chihaya Aine, who kept saying she'd run away if she failed, was still in your band. You just occasionally noticed that her gaze towards you was becoming softer, and she would sometimes let out a silly, dreamy smile.

Kita Ikuyo, always full of energy, seems as lively and cheerful as ever, except you notice she's starting to focus a lot of her energy on guitar practice.

The changes in the two were noticed by the observant Goto Ichiri, making her seem to have become as timid as a rabbit again.

Perhaps because you hurt their feelings, you, being sensitive, have started to pay attention to the distance in your interactions with those around you. You seem to feel that so-called 'romantic' feelings have become a burden.

The bands around you may have become your 'place of belonging,' allowing you to fully dedicate yourself to this dream.

You care about your friends and place great importance on the future of being in a band for life.

Because I still feel guilty towards others, I don't want to hurt more people.

You've decided to go it alone.

[End of simulation]

Rating: 9 [Poor]

[Comment: Perhaps the 'shackles' binding you are too heavy to bear. But when you finally tear them off, the broken iron will cut your wounds. Perhaps 'hesitation' is the reason you lose your way. Even if you are destined to succeed in the end, you will not be able to extricate yourself from the 'apology' at that time.]

You received a "Poor" rating; no settlement reward will be given.

Kazami Naru: ?

"I've done so many simulations before, but this is the first time I've encountered this type."

Besides, a score of '9' is too hard to maintain, and it's actually possible to get a single-digit score.

Byd, this time the simulator didn't even give out the settlement rewards.

Kazami Mei narrowed his eyes, staring at the panel with some surprise. Would it suddenly turn into the ending if he didn't select the 'special option' in time? But he clearly ended up with the cute Ms. Kosho in the last simulation with Kodama.

And yet, this time it actually ended up being 'single'?

He underestimated the level of abstraction required for simulators.

However, each simulation is based on reality. After this simulation ended, his thoughts had changed considerably, so his thoughts in the simulation would naturally change as well. The next simulation should be quite different from the previous one.

"Let's continue anyway."

No matter what, we still need to complete the simulation of the Pochi cycle properly first.

【Simulation starts】

[Remaining simulation attempts - 1 - $22]

[Continue the previous process?]

Without a second thought, the obvious answer is 'Yes'!

As summer vacation ends, your life returns to normal. As a member of a rock band, your interpersonal relationships are as chaotic as a textbook example, not to mention that you're simultaneously juggling three different bands.

Now that you've reached this dangerous point, it's like walking a tightrope. Even the slightest misstep could lead to unimaginable and terrible consequences.

Fortunately, you take this very seriously and have already started to pay attention to the appropriate distance in your interactions with others.

The band's activities also began in full swing as summer vacation ended. In your opinion, both 'composing' and 'training' needed to be accelerated, and you felt that a short-term plan should be made for future progress.

So, you decided—

[1. Training means laying the foundation for playing; in short, we should first raise the band's minimum skill level.]

[2. Composing music represents the pinnacle of performance; in short, we should first raise the upper limit of the orchestra's capabilities.]

[3. Instead of considering the band's plans, I'd rather go out smoking, drinking, and having fun with women.]

【4. Virtual Reality, Personal Simulation】

The option that suddenly appeared made Kazami Mei begin to think.

In short, the third option can be eliminated directly. Choosing this option is no different from embarking on a philandering path. Given the nature of simulators, it is likely to easily develop into a 'forced choice between two options', or even a more extreme situation.

He doesn't want to be like Makoto Ito.

"So it's just training and composing?"

Options that seem similar may actually hide significant pitfalls.

Kazami Mei came here specifically to win over Pochi.

If he chose 'composition' here, then the simulation would probably gravitate towards either Miss Liang or Xiao Xiang, who are also in charge of composition. The combat power of these two blue-haired succubi is quite astonishing.

If the two of them accidentally deepened their relationship with him and exerted just a little force, they could probably scare the timid and cowardly Pochi into crouching down in fear.

Therefore, we choose one.

Do you think raising the lower limit is more important?

[Whether it's End Band or Mygo, the guitarist's skill level is slightly lacking, so you immediately decide to intensify your daily practice on both sides. As the 'Guitar Hero,' Goto Ichiri is the most suitable person to take on the role of instructor.]

The girl who once lacked self-confidence seems to be slowly opening her heart.

You are well aware that this is the result of her hard work.

Perhaps it was because of the increasing number of 'training sessions' that you would habitually send Kita Ikuyo and Goto Ichiri home after each training session at Chihaya Aine's house.

Because Goto Ichiri lives quite far away, you can chat with her for a very long time every time you're on the road. Over time, she seems to look forward to chatting with you more and more, and you may even occasionally notice that she deliberately slows down her pace.

Time is constantly passing—

[In the summer of their sophomore year, with the year of activities drawing to a close, the band was a completely different team. Under your deliberate guidance, they placed great emphasis on basic training while also continuously performing on the streets to build their popularity.]

In just a few months, the band's official account has already surpassed 100,000 followers.

Perhaps it's because you keep moving forward that they, having ended their band careers, don't want to be left behind.

Many well-known record companies have also started to contact you, including some that have offered to sign all members of the band to make their professional debut. However, this sudden surprise did not overwhelm everyone.

[Thanks to your experience and ability in management and operations, I can completely trust you to handle this matter, as the band leader.]

[You are also very aware that End of the Band is a very 'unique' band. If they were to sign with a well-known music company and become one of their artists, they could certainly get a lot of commercial performance and promotional opportunities in a short period of time.]

But the price for making you a 'profession' is handing over your 'personality' to others.

[You certainly know what the band needs right now, so you chose to politely decline the offers from these record companies, and no one has any complaints about your choice.]

Even without 'professional' promotion, you, who are already excellent, will naturally continue to thrive.

However, your relationships with those around you are also thriving. Whether it's the band members who have left or other girls, your relationships are getting deeper and deeper. Occasionally, you can feel the subtle, almost imperceptible, gazes from the band members who have left.

Their affection for each other seems to be solidifying into something tangible.

[All of this was naturally observed by Goto Ichiri, and a hint of disappointment could be seen in her eyes, indicating that she was somewhat affected.]

So, you decided—

[1. Great opportunity! Borrow money from her to beat up pachinko!]

[2, quack! Let's just invite Pochi out on a date!]

[3. Why does Miss Vegetarian seem a bit down lately? Go ask her what's wrong.]

【4. Virtual Reality, Personal Simulation】