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13: Hitori Gotoh Prepares to Steal the Boyfriend
🕑 Added 2025-09-23 01:03:46 +0000 UTCHigh Rec: (Reveries in the Crimson Beyond from Wuthering Waves)
...
Toru didn't think much and quickly rejected Hitori's confession.
"I like you, but there's someone I love more. I'm sorry."
As he refused, a sharp pain shot through his head.
He had developed severe migraines a year ago due to prolonged mental stress.
There was no fixed pattern to when they appeared, sometimes, they even struck while he was asleep, making his life miserable.
During this time, he had wanted to exit immersive mode countless times.
But Ryo kept encouraging him and supporting his dream.
Toru was happy to have such a wonderful wife, truly happy.
He wasn't afraid of hard work or perseverance.
As long as someone expected something from him, he would give it his all.
He was stubborn and tenacious.
And above all...
Toru was a man who kept his promises.
He had said he would only love Ryo in this life.
And he would only love her.
"Kitahara-san, you love her so much, but… where is she?"
He didn't want the other person to keep making mistakes.
Kitahara shook his head and said,
"Gotoh, love requires patience and trust. You can't just pluck a flower when you see it by the roadside. A flower without nourishment will only wither away."
The way he and Ryo were now seemed just right to him, he didn't see any problem.
"Kitahara-san, it's a shame that love isn't just about patience and trust, it also requires mutual support."
Hitori had made it into university, so of course, she had some intelligence.
Was this going to turn into a debate?
Alright, let's do this. Who's afraid of who?
"When you were a freshman, you practiced bass until your fingers cracked and bled. But to avoid losing your feel for playing, you insisted on practicing through the pain. Who told you to take care of your hands? It was me...I was the one who treated your wounds."
"Isn't that something a girlfriend should do? But what did she do? She just yelled at you: 'Keep practicing!'"
'Go to hell with that! Encouragement? Why didn't she just tell you to drop dead?'
Hitori didn't say that part out loud.
Toru: "..."
Isn't this just Ryo-chan's usual terrible personality?
It's kinda cute.
"When you got so drunk that you collapsed in the street, who carried you home, cleaned you up, made you a hangover soup, and took care of you the next day?
"Weird, that was me."
Hitori smiled.
"And her? She was at some seaside villa looking for inspiration, feeling the ocean breeze, and posting on her blog: 'The wind is so loud tonight!'"
'Loud? Of course, it's loud! So loud you didn't even care about your boyfriend!'
Hitori nearly ran to the beach to slap Ryo!
"..."
"When you traveled, I took two months off! I traveled all over Japan with you! And where was your girlfriend?"
She posted on her blog:
"I got lucky and found a rare record at an antique store."
She's still keeping up her weirdo personality, amazing!
Toru lowered his head and said,
"I'm pretty sure she likes me."
It was written in the favorability score.
But why did he feel like…
He was turning into a pathetic lapdog?
No, no, no...this is unconditional love.
Hitori fired back:
"And me? I love you more than she does, so why won't you accept my love? Am I not as pretty as her?"
"..."
Toru was speechless.
How was he supposed to answer that?
What does beauty have to do with whether or not I cheat?
But girls don't want to hear that, they don't want to hear it.
Hitori lowered her head, recalling all the details of their relationship...
"You keep praising me...telling me I'm beautiful, calling me a guitar genius, saying you want me to become famous, that you want me to be the future Queen of Rock."
But were those things really important to Hitori?
Not really.
As long as someone praised her, she was happy.
Hitori was an easy girl to please.
"I've changed a lot for you...I learned how to do makeup, how to dress, I even practiced socializing..."
"Do you even know what university this is? It's the University of Tokyo! My dear friend! How does a dumb girl with a head full of birds suddenly decide to take the entrance exams for this university?"
"It wasn't just for me! I did it because I liked you, and I wanted to be with you!"
She had changed so much...
But it was all useless.
Just because Ryo got there first, she was the one who won Toru's love.
"This isn't a waiting line!"
If I fail now, do I get another chance next time?
No! Life is only lived once!
"I practiced guitar for three years in high school... and I gave it all up for you. I abandoned all my dreams for you."
Hitori's voice was firm. "But I don't regret it."
Compared to the one she loved, her dream was worth nothing.
To love someone meant humbling yourself into the dust, and from there, letting flowers bloom. She was willing.
"Kitahara-kun, my world only has you in it now, so I can accept you being a little more fickle."
After so much time together, Toru could read the words behind her heart, but he could not bring himself to two-time.
"If you're willing, we can still be friends," he said.
To a girl, such words were unbearably cruel.
But to accept Hitori would mean hurting Ryo instead. For Toru, this question had no answer.
"…No need."
In the end, she still lost.
Hitori forced a smile. She did not want Toru to see her fragile side.
"Go on and stay with your Ryo. From now on, let's not see each other again. I don't want her to misunderstand."
She finished speaking, slung her guitar over her back, and turned away from the classroom, retreating with a feigned air of nonchalance.
When she pushed the door open, Hitori saw Ryo standing there. Without a word, she left. To be honest, she wanted to slap this old friend, but she held herself back.
Ryo caught the glimmer of tears at the corner of Hitori's eyes, and only then did she realize.
In the real world earlier that day, who Hitori truly liked.
And for Hitori to change herself so much for the sake of love, even Ryo was shocked. At the same time, she felt at a loss.
Of all people to choose, why did it have to be the very one her friend had a crush on?
'…Luckily, it's only a simulation.'
That could be considered the one blessing amid the misfortune.
Ryo glanced at Toru, sitting blankly in the classroom chair, eyes unfocused. For the moment, she did not know what to do.
He must be drowning in guilt.
Ryo decided to give him some time alone to think.
————
[Hitori has temporarily cut off contact with you.]
Along with the system prompt, Toru's consciousness returned to reality.
"What the hell is all this…"
He was completely exasperated. Wasn't this supposed to be a Life Simulation Game?
Toru didn't want a love triangle! He didn't want to cheat!
All he wanted was to practice bass and walk the pure love route with Ryo!
He understood what Hitori had said. He knew who had spent more time looking after him.
But to abandon Ryo and choose Hitori...that would make him pure scum. And two-timing would be even filthier!
[Dear player, the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy flavors of romance are also part of life, and cannot be avoided.]
"If I'd known, I never would've entered Full Realism mode…"
Toru rubbed his forehead. Full Realism was practically no different from real life, and in that game world, he had truly spent four whole years together with the simulator's Hitori!
[During this Full Realism period, you have gained new traits. Please check.]
[Trait: Sickly (You are more prone to illness)]
[Trait: Obsessive (You tend not to consider others' feelings)]
[Trait: Mad Genius (Congratulations, you have gained the key to becoming a prodigy)]
[Trait: Heartbreaker (Ugh, scumbag!)]
Looking at the last trait, Toru felt utterly miserable.
Right now, he wished he could run straight to Hitori's house, drop to his knees, and apologize with his forehead to the floor. Only then would he feel a little better.
To betray a girl who dared to love and hate, who gave seven years of her youth for him, Toru truly felt like garbage.
"Thank goodness it was only a simulation."
He let out a long breath.
————
Meanwhile.
At the Gotoh household.
Before bed, Bocchi checked the dating simulator she had left running in idle mode.
Hehe, wonder how AI-chan's handling things.
[In your fourth year of university, you confessed your feelings to Toru… Unfortunately, he rejected you. Courage +5]
[Because you looked after him attentively for those four years, sparing no effort for his sake, he developed an intense sense of guilt toward you. Consideration +20]
Eh?
Bocchi: "6д9"
So the one who carries regret for life… turned out to be Kitahara-kun?
Was the me inside the simulator actually this strong?
[Toru Affection +15]
Wait, what?!
Huddled in her closet, Hitori wiped her eyes. Had she… had she read that wrong?
Affection +15?
Her very first simulation had only given her +10 affection points as a reward!
Such a loss!! If only she'd taken the Power of Popularity back then!
Hitori clenched her fists, fuming with frustration!
[Attention: Your auto-simulation time has ended. From here on, the player must control directly.]
"Eh?" Hitori rubbed the back of her head.
So this meant…
She couldn't rely on AI-chan anymore?
Then what was she supposed to do?
As a hardcore introvert, if she had to personally pursue Toru, even date him… wouldn't that kill her outright?
But then again, Hitori thought...
AI had already played things into such a massive advantage for her. With this much of a head start, there was no way she could possibly lose, right?
————
