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V5 Chapter 25: All or Nothing
🕑 Added 2025-06-20 09:38:01 +0000 UTC[You chose to accept her gesture.]
[Overjoyed, Kita Ikuyo sat beside you with a cheerful smile, resting her smooth chin in both hands as she watched you eat her lunchbox bite by bite. After you finished every last grain of rice, she blushed and eagerly volunteered to do the dishes and clean up.]
[With how passionately devoted she was, it was like she had become your personal "one-day maid."]
[She was just too cute, you couldn't bring yourself to refuse.]
"Okay, wait a minute—"
Haru was getting a little concerned.
Even in Kita's original route simulation, he hadn't felt this embarrassed just from her being too adorable. Was the simulator screwing with him?
Was it turning his simulated self into some weak-willed pushover who couldn't say no to any pretty girl?
What, was he supposed to be some Japanese LN protag now?
[Seeing how much effort Kita Ikuyo put in, you naturally felt the need to thank her.]
[After she finished cleaning, you kindly handed her a clean towel and a glass of barley tea. Flustered by your thoughtfulness, she twirled her fiery red hair with shy fingers, her face turning bright red, but she gratefully accepted.]
[But Kita Ikuyo told you her arms were really sore and it was hard for her to wipe the sweat off her neck and back. Blushing, she shyly asked you to help. Even though it was a small request after much hesitation, you still couldn't say no.]
[Under her bashful yet hopeful gaze, you carefully used a towel to gently wipe the sweat from her neck and cheeks. Your soft movements made the ends of her ponytail tremble slightly.]
[Even through the towel, you could feel the heat of her flushed skin.]
[Your bond with Kita Ikuyo has deepened.]
[October: Thanks to the popularity gained from your last summer festival live, your band "Kessoku Band" quickly made a name online. In no time, record labels started showing up with business cards.]
[Your relationship with Gotoh Hitori also continued to grow as time passed. The closeness between you two sometimes even showed on stage at the LiveHouse and others definitely noticed.]
[As the band's composer, you handled your work exceptionally well. Even after school started, you managed to carry the band's responsibilities alone. When dealing with seasoned record label reps, you stayed calm and measured.]
[Ijichi Nijika entrusted you with managing those affairs completely, and her sister often teased her about how much she trusted you.]
[Maybe because of how close you and Hitori had become, Kita Ikuyo , unwilling to be outdone, began finding every reason to interact with you. Even at school, she made no effort to hold back.]
[But perhaps Ikuyo was a little too hasty. Her overly assertive 'advances' eventually caught Chihaya Anon's attention. Every time Ikuyo tried to bring you lunch, Anon would smilingly drag her off to the "normie clique" for lunch instead.]
[This left Ikuyo unsure of how to make a move.]
[Maybe that's why the "chains" tangled around you began to stir.]
[The professional band "Ave Mujica" officially debuted.]
[With your efforts alongside Togawa Sakiko, the band quickly became a hot topic. Their skills already far exceeded that of most bands, and striking while the iron was hot made their name rise rapidly.]
[But such a sudden spike in popularity was hard to maintain. Sakiko, who always bore the pressure alone, started working around the clock to retain fans and attention, making tight training and promo plans. But no matter how hard she tried, her lack of experience in management made the promotional plans fall short.]
[Trying to live up to the "professional" label, she upped her personal training too, all while managing the band's activities. This nonstop "high pressure" began to take its toll.]
[Still, she grit her teeth and kept going, which you could no longer watch silently.]
[So you decided—]
[1. You're part of Ave Mujica too. It's only right to share her burden.]
[2. This is her chosen path. You shouldn't interfere too much.]
[3. Dive into the VR. Simulate it yourself.]
"Of course it came to this, huh?"
The three choices popped up again. This time, Kazami Haru couldn't help but frown.
He had known from the start that the deeper the simulation got, the more likely unexpected events would arise. But now that it was actually happening, it was still a bit overwhelming. He had to tread carefully.
The simulator's time-limited "special choice" didn't allow for long deliberation.
Without hesitation, Kazami Haru selected the first option.
If nothing went wrong, Saki-sensei might really fall for him.
As the choice was made, fragments of memory began fusing into his mind.
—
—Ave Mujica Rest Room.
Tap tap tap...
Sharp keystrokes echoed in the dim room.
Togawa Sakiko's tired eyes narrowed beneath her fragile yet forced composure. Her fingers, usually reserved for her electronic keyboard, flew restlessly across the laptop. A soft light glowed from the screen, reflected in her weary eyes.
The whiteboard used for meetings was covered in black marker plans. Stacks of documents sat beside empty bottles of Monster energy drinks. Her beautiful yet already haggard features now looked sickly with fatigue.
"Still not heading home?"
The sudden voice made Sakiko pause, brows furrowing deeper as she turned around.
Before she could react, a warm cup of milk was gently placed on her desk. A soft cloud of steam rose into the air, slowly melting the coldness in her expression.
"Try it. I added a lot of sugar," Kazami Haru said casually.
A complicated look crossed Sakiko's face. Her fingers slowed on the keyboard, and her tired amber eyes quietly drooped.
The blue-haired girl sighed softly. Her voice, airy as cotton candy, replied:
"Warm milk makes you sleepy..."
She still had work to do later.
All the band's promotion and planning were on her.
Technically, these should be handled by staff. But Sakiko had staked everything on this, and she refused to hand off any task, no matter how many people called her "stubborn," she just bit her lip and carried on.
Still keeping her fragile but proud self-respect, the girl watched as Haru picked up the proposal papers and sighed.
"Then just sneak in a little nap. Nobody said it all had to be finished tonight, right?"
"...No, I can't. That'll mess up the training schedule."
As Sakiko lightly shook her head, Haru laid down a stack of already-organized documents in front of her. Looking into her slowly widening eyes, he said—
"I just sorted out some of the files. The main planning's still up to you. Don't count on me for the tough parts."
"..."
Sakiko bit her lip, uncertain of what to say.
He didn't take over her work but quietly helped with the dull proofreading instead. It was a genuine help but done with care for her pride.
She couldn't even bring herself to refuse.
Too sneaky.
"...Haru, can I rest for a bit?"
Before he could answer, the blue-haired girl gently leaned her head against his shoulder.
The warmth and safety made her too exhausted to resist any longer. In no time, she was caught in the trap of comfort.
Her tightly wound nerves could finally ease up. That fragile self-respect only let down its guard in front of him. Even this side of her didn't need to be hidden from him.
So maybe, just maybe. It's okay to be weak in front of him?
—
[Your bond with Togawa Sakiko has deepened significantly.]
The memory fragments rushed into Kazami Haru's mind, and he chose to pause the simulation.
He had made this particular route extra messy on purpose. At this rate, he was probably headed straight for a "scumbag" route.
But so far, he'd stuck to pure love. Even he wasn't sure how this round of simulation would end.
Still, things were going mostly as expected. After all, he had this newly dug-up, bargain-bin simulator in the palm of his hand. Even if it twitched, he could tell whether it was about to drop a train on him.
Then again, he had taken a lot of hits from this thing before.
"Let's keep going."
Kazami Haru shook his head, brushing away the chaotic thoughts, and focused entirely on the simulation.
[Your relationship with Gotoh Hitori continues to grow slowly and steadily. She's gotten used to chatting with you on LINE and has started to open up. Sometimes, she'll even invite you over, using her little sister's longing for her "big brother" as an excuse. Even though she's not good at conversation, she tries hard to find 'interesting' topics for you.]
[Whenever Togawa Sakiko falls into the whirlpool of fatigue from overwork, you quietly offer small but meaningful gestures of care. That strong-willed girl has grown used to letting her softer, more innocent side show around you. Her occasional teasing and subtle spoiled behavior are almost too adorable and you're finding it harder and harder to resist.]
[The energetic and passionate Kita Ikuyo shows no hesitation in getting close to you. When she finds a chance to be alone with you, she'll 'accidentally' brush up against you. For example, while eating lunch together, she might lightly trace your palm with her fingertip. Sometimes, when she misjudges the moment, she blushes furiously and covers her face, totally flustered.]
[Your relationships with Kita Ikuyo , Gotoh Hitori , and Togawa Sakiko have all deepened.]
[Everything seemed to be heading in a good direction.]
[One day, as usual, Kita Ikuyo came over beaming and invited you to have lunch together with a bento she'd made. Just as you were about to accept like always, Chihaya Anon suddenly appeared beside you, wearing her usual cheerful smile.]
[She held out her bento box, saying she made it herself today, and asked if she could eat lunch with you two.]
[Neither you nor Ikuyo had any reason to say no.]
[But something about Chihaya Anon seemed off today. She didn't have her usual bubbly, lively spark. Her cute face looked calm, even a little serious.]
[Ikuyo, sitting beside her, didn't seem to notice anything strange. She chatted with her usual enthusiasm about fashion trends, the band's current status, and even trading guitar practice tips.]
[But the moment Ikuyo passed the conversation baton her way, Anon stayed silent and looked straight at you. That moment, she lifted her head seriously.]
[Chihaya Anon confessed to you.]
…
Warm, dappled sunlight spilled across the wide rooftop bench, gently bathing the cold concrete tiles in a soft, shimmering glow.
The crisp autumn breeze brushed against his cheek, lifting the black hair at the nape of his neck into the light.
Kita Ikuyo looked up, her eyes bright with warmth and passion as she glanced over at the boy beside her.
"Hey, there's this Japanese sweets shop I've been dying to try, it's called Homura, I think? How about we check it out before guitar practice today?" [1]
Bento box in hand, Ikuyo radiated that unmistakable "Kita energy," dazzling and blinding in its intensity. Just her presence alone could incinerate everything around her in brilliance.
But this "Kita energy" felt different now.
There was a time when just her smile could obliterate the feeble Shimokitazawa Wild tsuchinoko.
Now, even though she still sparkled just like before, there was a new gentleness, a lingering fondness in her light, one that made people want to be pulled in and stay there.
"Mm…"
But the usually sunny and spirited Chihaya Anon now stared blankly at her bento box. Her delicately sculpted features had gone quiet and serious.
Her crystal-grey eyes shimmered faintly like silver. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face and vanished. Kazami Haru, quick to notice, watched her carefully.
"Um, Haru…"
Her voice broke the silence as she turned to face him directly.
Her cherry-colored hair danced in the wind like floating petals. Her fair skin glowed with a passionate flush, and though her outfit was simple, she looked full of youthful vitality.
Hesitation. Worry. Uncertainty.
Countless emotions flashed across her face but she crushed them all with sheer determination. She gently grabbed Haru's sleeve.
Her flushed face turned up again, and after a brief pause, she bit her lip and, syllable by syllable, said with all her heart—
"I like you."
Her words were light but powerful, the clearest expression of her sincere feelings.
Having finally said the words she'd held back for so long, Anon let out a deep breath, as if she'd been freed.
Her face was bright red, but she couldn't help smiling—a sweet, innocent smile that caught Haru completely off guard.
Yes, she'd thrown everything on the line.
If this bold confession didn't work out, she swore she'd run all the way back to London like a deserter.
"Wait—"
Ikuyo froze on the spot. But her instincts quickly kicked in. Even if she wasn't the bravest, this was one moment where she had to step up.
So she reached out, grabbing Haru's other sleeve.
"Haru, I like you too!"
…
[Caught off guard by Chihaya Anon's sudden confession, Kita Ikuyo froze completely. But the fear of you accepting it right away drove her to speak up too. Fueled by a rush of urgency and defiance, she confessed her feelings without holding back.]
[Two girls, head-to-head, each laying everything on the line. Faced with this explosive emotional standoff, you decide—]
[1. Accept Chihaya Anon's confession]
[2. Accept Kita Ikuyo 's confession]
"Haa…"
Even though he had expected something like this, Kazami Haru couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath.
Who would've thought that Anon-san would go toe-to-toe with Kita and confess right in front of her?
It was provocation within provocation.
Even the always composed Ikuyo couldn't take it. She lashed back on the spot, no hesitation, flipping the board with her own confession.
Now he was caught in a perfect pincer attack.
Still, Haru had been ready. This simulation round? He was aiming straight for the harem route. So no matter what came up, he had his plan.
These so-called "limited time special choices"? Useless against him. In moments like this, it was time for his ultimate weapon:
"VR manual simulation!"
"Hm?"
Wait a second, something's not right.
Kazami Haru finally noticed what was off. He had only just skimmed through the choices before realizing that something crucial was missing.
Even when he closed his eyes again to carefully re-examine everything, he still couldn't find it. The usual third option, the ever-present [VR Simulation], was nowhere to be seen. This time, the special choices only gave him two?
Why was it just a choice between Kita and Anon?
Where's my VR simulation?
- - -
[1]: Homura is a reference from Love live's Honoka Kosaka japanese sweets shop named Homura.
