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V4 Chapter 29: Because This Is [Destiny]
🕑 Added 2025-06-05 12:04:58 +0000 UTCThe soft light of the morning sun pierced through the clouds, shining gently through the thin, bluish curtains, casting a misty glow across the polished wooden floor. That light, refracted by the glass, landed softly on the girl's face.
Her long, silky hair spilled across the pillow, catching the warm orange hues of the morning light like strands of gold.
Lying on her side, Nagasaki Soyo had, at some point, opened her eyes. Her head felt heavy and foggy, and for a while, she couldn't move, sunk into the bed by a sluggish kind of fatigue.
The sunlight had already filtered through the gauze curtains and now shone directly on her serene face.
"…."
Soyo slowly raised her right hand, still weak, and propped herself up from the soft bed. Her blue eyes, still dazed, instinctively drifted toward the nightstand. On top of the swirling woodgrain surface sat a single alarm clock.
The time was frozen at 8:05.
Even on a lazy summer break, it was rare for her to wake up this late.
As someone who didn't believe in staying up late… she had, once again, stayed up until dawn the night before—
"It's already… morning?"
Her mind was still cluttered with fragments of something wild and tangled, making it hard to focus. Her whole body felt sluggish.
It was like she'd just woken from an incredibly long dream—
And even now, fully awake, the images from that dream were crystal clear.
"…Haru…"
She whispered his name, hands instinctively rising to press against her chest. Unnoticed by herself, a gentle smile bloomed across her face, as soft as spring water.
The dream had been so long.
So long it felt like she had lived an entire life—from that first, brave confession, to a shy and growing romance. Then naturally, they began living together, exchanged vows, got engaged… married, had children, and grew old together.
It all felt far too real.
So real that she now struggled to tell if she was awake or still dreaming.
"…Haa…"
Still dazed, Soyo slowly sat up, pulling the curtains aside completely. The soft, hazy morning sunlight streamed in, making her squint until she could barely keep her eyes open.
Only then did she give a small, confirming nod.
This... was reality.
"Still… it's all so fuzzy."
Shaking her head gently, she tried to clear the lingering fog.
Her eyes drifted toward the sky outside, pale with the first light of day. The chirping of larks echoed in her ears, and she sat back down on the bed, trying to make sense of everything.
She had married Kazami Haru.
That memory stood out with vivid clarity, even amidst the mental chaos.
She and Haru had become husband and wife in that incredibly lifelike dream. She could still see herself in the snow-white wedding dress, smiling as she tossed the bouquet to the sky.
It was beautiful.
Just thinking about it made her lips curl into a soft smile. Her sapphire eyes narrowed into gentle crescents. That pure joy, welling from within, wiped away every trace of weariness from her body.
And she let herself fall again into the lingering warmth of that blissful "dream"—
But—
The smile on Soyo's face slowly faded.
The realism of that dream had been too much. Unrealistically vivid.
If she closed her eyes, she could recall every moment spent with that black-haired boy, his warmth when he held her, the fluttering thrill of his kisses… everything, as if it had truly happened.
Could just a dream really contain such detailed sensations?
"It's true… I do like Haru, so having a romantic dream isn't strange—"
"But if it really were just a dream… how could I remember even the embarrassing stuff?"
Her cheeks flushed a deep red as she muttered to herself.
In that dream, she had been the one who took the initiative—moving in with him, suppressing her rising desires until she finally gave in and made him hers.
Way too bold—
She hadn't even been in a relationship before!
And yet, even the image of herself straddling him was crystal clear. But dreams are supposed to skip over unfamiliar "territories." You can't dream of something you don't know. That's just not how it works.
"This… definitely isn't a simple dream."
"This is…"
Soyo lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers, deep in thought.
She remembered exactly when it happened in the dream: after that day's band practice. She had invited him out to eat, just the two of them. Then, once she realized her feelings were real, she had confessed. They became a couple, just like that.
Their love had grown naturally from there. As two people experiencing love for the first time, they explored it gently—hand-holding, hugging—each touch bringing a thrilling rush of happiness and excitement.
Those heart-fluttering emotions… they were too vivid to forget.
This wasn't just some "beautiful dream."
Maybe… maybe it really had happened, like a glimpse into the future, a moment of precognition, like in a movie.
"…Haa…"
Soyo suddenly felt warm all over.
Only now did she notice how flushed her cheeks had become so red it looked like they might bleed. Her heart was pounding with a mix of embarrassment and joy she couldn't quite suppress.
She wanted to feel that "love" from the dream in real life. Now.
She wanted to hold his hand. To hug him. To kiss him…
Before she even realized it, Soyo had unlocked her phone.
Years of habitually texting had made her a fast typist. In just a few seconds, she'd typed out several lines. But just as she was about to hit send on a message to Haru via LINE—
She froze.
Reality isn't a dream.
Right now, Haru wasn't her boyfriend.
"…Jeez. I'm getting way ahead of myself."
Realizing she couldn't rush things, Nagasaki Soyo quietly deleted all the messages she had typed into the chat box.
With the "power to foresee the future" in her grasp, all she had to do now was follow the steps to win over Kazami Haru. If she acted impulsively and startled him too early, it might trigger an unexpected "variable" that derailed everything.
That would be a disaster.
Because Nagasaki Soyo knew very well, she wasn't the only one who had feelings for Kazami Haru.
"Anon, Tomori, and even Taki… they're all dangerous in their own way."
Maybe it was because she recalled certain scenes from the "dream," but her once-gentle expression began to turn cold.
The other girls in their band had shown feelings for Haru that went far beyond friendship. If that dumb pink-head suddenly got her act together and confessed... and worse, if Haru accepted…
Then Soyo would face the greatest crisis of her life.
As someone who had become Haru's wife in that dream, she knew just how faithful he was. If another girl got to him first and they became a couple, no matter what Soyo did afterward, she'd never be able to win him back.
Her beautiful, blissful future would become nothing more than a dream.
"Calm down. I still have the advantage right now."
Taking a deep breath to settle her swirling emotions, Soyo reminded herself: all she needed to do was mirror what happened in the dream. After band practice today, just like before, she would confess to him.
That would solve everything.
There was no need to fear any of the other "losers." She and her beloved would be together forever.
Because this is [destiny]
Plop.
Soyo-san flopped back into bed and pulled the covers over herself, deciding to squeeze in a bit more sleep before the day began.
Maybe if she drifted off again, she could catch another glimpse of that "future." Just imagining the happy life she'd shared with Haru brought her joy. She hugged her soft little pillow tightly, basking in that warmth.
Buzz!
Suddenly, the sound of a message notification snapped her out of it.
Annoyed by the interruption, Soyo furrowed her brows and reached for her phone. She glanced at the screen without much interest, until she saw who the message was from.
Instantly, all traces of sleep vanished from her mind.
["@everyone I'm not feeling great today, so I won't be coming to practice this morning." — "WantToBeFertilizer"]
Nagasaki Soyo: ?
...
Even though he'd gone to bed early the night before, Kazami Haru still felt exhausted when he woke up.
It wasn't physical exhaustion. Rather, it was the kind of mental fatigue that came from concentrating too long during simulations.
Even though his body had woken up on its own, he couldn't shake the lingering drowsiness.
Buzz!
[Shiina Taki: "If that's the case, let's all just take the day off and rest."]
Haru hadn't expected that a simple sick day message from him would lead to Taki declaring a full group break.
Maybe it was because Taki still didn't know that Soyo had given up on chasing after Sakiko. So she figured with the guitarist, drummer, and lead vocalist missing, there wasn't any point in practicing.
Considering that, Haru decided to message Taki privately.
[WantToBeFertilizer: "Shiina, unless something comes up, Soyo will probably be back at practice in the next day or two."]
[Shiina Taki: "Hah? I thought she was still hung up on that CRYCHIC nonsense?"]
Even through a screen, Haru could just imagine Taki's reaction.
That pretty face of hers was definitely scrunched into an annoyed scowl, lips curled in a sneer, and her sharp violet eyes glaring daggers at her phone.
Honestly, her frustration made sense. From her point of view, Soyo was practically a traitor.
To gain Taki's forgiveness, Haru's word alone wouldn't be enough. Soyo would have to apologize herself.
[WantToBeFertilizer: "She's done with CRYCHIC now. She'll be coming back, and she's planning to apologize properly to everyone."]
There was a long pause before Taki finally replied with a grumpy panda sticker.
That was a good sign. Clearly, her anger had cooled off a bit. As long as Soyo apologized to Tomori too, things would probably settle down.
After all, Taki was a tsundere through and through—a tough exterior, but soft inside.
If you handled her the right way, even mistakes could be forgiven.
Buzz!
[Nagasaki Soyo: "Haru-san, are you feeling unwell?"]
Kazami Haru hadn't expected another message to pop up just as he was about to put down his phone and worse, it was from the one person he was currently most wary of: Nagasaki Soyo!
Sure, part of the reason he took today off was that he really did want to rest… but the other reason was that he was trying to dodge Soyo-san for a bit.
After all, in the simulation, Nagasaki Soyo had confessed to him right after practice on this very day. Which meant the real-world Soyo likely had feelings for him, too.
That was... complicated.
This wasn't a simulation, it was real life.
And right now, Kazami Haru wasn't prepared to deal with a direct confession from her.
[WantToBeFertilizer: I didn't sleep that well. Thanks for checking in, Soyo.]
[WantToBeFertilizer: I told Shiina already. Soyo, this might be a good time to apologize to her. She'll probably complain, but she's not the type to hold a grudge.]
As soon as he sent the message, it was marked as "read."
It was hard not to suspect that Soyo-san was already staring at the chat, waiting for him.
[Nagasaki Soyo: Okay! I'll make sure to apologize properly to Taki-chan! You take care and get some rest too, Haru-san~ And if there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to rely on me~]
[Nagasaki Soyo: Cute.JPG]
After chatting with her a bit more, Haru finally put down his phone.
Even just from the frequency of her messages and her clearly shifting tone, it was obvious: Soyo-san was no longer trying to hide her affection. She was going all in—playing the sweet, understanding, lovable card with everything she had.
He had to admit—she really was adorable like this.
If he weren't careful, he might fall headfirst into her gentle embrace and never get out.
Shaking his head to clear away those thoughts, Haru realized he hadn't eaten anything all morning. Survival came first.
"Lv.5 cooking from that last sim, huh? After all that work, I've earned a good meal."
He made his way to the small apartment kitchen, excited to test out his upgraded cooking skills.
Only to discover…
The fridge was practically empty.
Not just empty, barren. Not a single usable ingredient for cooking. Not even a whole onion, just half a one sitting pathetically in the drawer.
After a moment of contemplation, Haru unplugged the fridge.
What was the point of keeping it on for half an onion?
"Well, looks like I'll have to eat out for lunch again... Ugh, at this rate, my leftover living expenses are gonna dry up. Guess I can't just quit that café job so casually after all…"
Rubbing his temples, Haru sighed. The days of struggling to survive were far from over.
Even with Lv.5 "Ultimate Wife Cooking" skills, not even Haru could make anything good with half an onion.
He was starting to understand why his simulated self had fallen so easily into Soyo-san's warm, domestic paradise. She could cook, clean, shop, raise kids... she was the full package.
As long as he marries Soyo, he'd never have to lift a finger again.
...
"UWAAAH!!"
A sudden, despairing cry rang out.
A girl with long, pastel-pink hair bolted upright in bed. Sweat glistened on her delicate, lovely face, and her soft hair, normally so smooth, stuck messily to her forehead.
Click. Click…
The steady ticking of the clock on the nightstand echoed in sync with her racing heartbeat. Warm sunlight streamed through the window, casting shifting patterns onto the wardrobe. Cool air drifted down from the ceiling AC.
"Ugh…"
Chihaya Anon sat there in stunned silence, her silver-gray eyes filled with a storm of emotion: confusion, frustration, disbelief.
It had happened again.
Another "dream."
Though it lasted only a few fleeting moments, this one had been completely different.
The Haru who was supposed to fall in love and marry her, was instead walking down the aisle with a woman who wasn't her.
And even though it was just a glimpse, she had clearly seen the bride's face.
"—That was Soyo-chan?!"
Anon clutched her pink head in her hands and let out a groan of incomprehensible anguish.
If it had been Tomori or Taki, she might've been annoyed, but she wouldn't have been surprised.
But Soyo? The one person she had considered zero threat?
In her past "dreams," Soyo had never shown any romantic interest in Haru. Even Taki the iron-willed tsundere had been more forward!
That's why, in real life, Anon had always treated Soyo like a harmless friend.
So she had spent all her time watching out for Kita and Taki…
Why? Why did it turn out like this?!
For the first time, she had someone she truly liked… and for the first time, she'd made real friends she could trust. These two precious things had brought her so much joy—
This was supposed to be her dream life…
"Bassists can never be trusted!"
"Ughhh… Soyo-chan's a fox too!"
Anon sulked for a long time before she finally calmed down, reluctantly moving Soyo into her "high threat" list.
She still couldn't figure out where it all went wrong.
She was trying to win Haru over too, so then why…?
"Wait a sec… could it be—"
Anon's face stiffened.
She suddenly remembered how Soyo had stormed off after that last Live. That caused the band to pause practices for several days. Haru had said he'd go talk to her about it.
At the time, Anon had been totally okay with it, she trusted her dear future boyfriend to handle things.
But now that she thought about it...
Wasn't this the perfect opening?
"I-I need to do something!"
If the dream had suddenly changed, then maybe the gods themselves were warning her about Soyo. The sooner she had intel, the sooner she could act!
Anon grabbed her phone and opened the band's LINE chat.
"Eh?"
Right away she spotted Haru's sick-day message. Opportunity!
All she had to do was visit him, just like last time. Soyo didn't even know where he lived. Information advantage: hers!
"I can't sit back and let Soyo-chan do whatever she wants!"
She had to speed up her own route, and right now Anon felt like a complete idiot for ever feeling smug. If she stalled, the future might really end with Soyo marrying Haru. Even the thought made her want to cry.
August heat pressed down on the streets near Haneoka High. Even during summer break the sidewalks bustled: salarymen rushing to meetings, sweat-soaked flyer boys, underground idols hawking concert tickets… Everyone had somewhere to be.
Haru smiled and politely declined yet another girl trying to give him her number. Walking faster, he started thinking about lunch.
That was five minutes ago.
"Feels like it's getting hotter every day…"
He spoke casually, but didn't pick up his pace. From the moment he left home he'd felt eyes on his back. Long ago he'd always been sensitive to that, but it was only a hunch.
Since earning Soyo's Recon & Counter-Recon Lv. 3 in the last simulation, he could sense a tail with startling clarity, he could even guess roughly where the watcher was.
The pressure of that gaze made every step heavier.
…
Haru turned abruptly into a side alley. The girl following him: blonde, baseball cap pulled low, hesitated, then hurried after him.
The second she rounded the corner, Haru pinned her to the wall.
Face-to-face, both froze. At this range Haru finally saw who it was.
"Misumi Uika?"
His voice cracked with surprise.
Even under a cap, the idol's beauty was impossible to hide: golden hair catching the sun, violet eyes shining with poise.
Misumi Uika, a big name.
Haru had half-expected the serial stalker Kira Yoshikage; he never imagined a current pop idol.
They'd only met twice, hardly even friends. Why would she be tailing him?
Was his charm really that devastating? Had he stolen the idol's heart at first sight?
…
Uika's forehead thumped lightly against his chest. Caught red-handed, panic flashed in her eyes, but idol training kicked in and she produced a perfect smile.
"Sorry, Kazami-kun. I didn't mean anything shady."
"I was on my way to Evening Primrose and just happened to take this street. When I saw you I wasn't sure how to say hi, so… I hesitated and ended up following you."
A neat excuse; if Haru couldn't feel her gaze he'd never spot the lie. She hadn't simply followed him, she'd kept just far enough back to avoid notice. Without that new skill he wouldn't have caught her.
Misumi herself looked surprised he'd noticed.
The moment she'd spotted Haru, she'd drifted after him on instinct. She was still bothered by her friend Sakiko's feelings, and she hadn't wanted to waste the chance. Every time she saw Haru he seemed to be with a different girl; to her, that screamed "playboy." Yet Sakiko remained infatuated, and it troubled Misumi.
If she could find proof of his "cheating," maybe she could make love-struck Sakiko give up.
While Misumi was thinking, a soft voice cut in.
"Haru?"
Both turned. Not far away stood Nagasaki Soyo, beige sundress fluttering, blue eyes knit in a puzzled frown.
Wait—!
Why is Soyo here too?!
