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Chapter 214. Spring’s Contrail, Just the Right Flavor
🕑 Added 2025-03-22 16:22:58 +0000 UTC"Nice! This is going really well!"
In reality, Minami Shouji let out a satisfied voice.
He was pretty sure now.
Up to this point, he hadn't made any wrong choices.
Everything he picked was right on target.
Futaba Rio's inner struggles were resolved.
Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue had accepted her.
A good future was basically waving at him from inside the simulation.
But...
"This still isn't the time to relax."
Minami, curled up under his blanket, sneezed.
He'd gotten caught in the cold autumn rain, and now he was feeling chilly, tightly wrapped in the covers.
He hadn't forgotten—besides Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue—
There was one more thing he had to face.
That was—
"Futaba-san still needs to go study abroad."
Leaning against his blanket, Minami didn't forget this event, which was basically a turning point in Futaba Rio's life.
It hadn't happened yet because they were still in their second year of high school.
But once third year began... everyone would have to face this issue.
With that thought in mind—
Minami kept his eyes on the simulator as the text kept changing.
[You and Rio, Chisato , and Takina grew even closer.]
[The four of you officially became lovers.]
[Even though you became a couple, your daily life didn't change much.]
[Going to and from school each day—your routine stayed pretty much the same.]
[The only real change was that the bond between the four of you was now much stronger than before.]
[With no more doubts or worries holding her back, Futaba Rio got bolder, and sometimes, with Chisato's encouragement, she would sneak into your small apartment.]
[At times like this, Takina Inoue would step in, trying to calm things down and stop the two of them.]
[But even with Takina's efforts, Chisato never really held back.]
[Having finally gotten everything she wanted, this fearless, golden-haired girl clearly wanted to take things further with you.]
[Just holding hands and hugging wasn't enough for her anymore.]
[Sometimes, she would kiss you first, or even boldly say, 'I'm wearing special underwear today, and I don't mind if you see it.']
[Seeing this, both Takina Inoue and Futaba Rio didn't say much, but they definitely started to feel the pressure.]
[They also began acting bolder.]
[At their request, you gave each of them a spare key to your small apartment.]
[But honestly, the place was just too small.]
[Four people squeezed in together wasn't ideal.]
[That's when you all decided to start looking for a new place in Tokyo.]
[Thanks to your part-time work at LycoReco, you'd saved up quite a bit of money.]
[Finding a good place in Tokyo wasn't a problem with that money.]
[And right around this time, you and Futaba Rio moved from second year to third year.]
"Is it happening now?"
Minami Shouji sat up, fully alert.
Was the study abroad event about to start?
[Finding a new apartment was important, but so was the pressure of third-year studies.]
[You cut back your hours at LycoReco but didn't neglect your schoolwork.]
[You also noticed something.]
[Unlike you, who cut back on work, Futaba Rio seemed busy with something else and also stopped coming to LycoReco.]
[In her absence, Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue kept the café running.]
[And even when you and Futaba Rio were busy, they often brought snacks from the café to share and chatted with you both.]
[Thanks to Chisato and Takina's company, even though life was busy, it never felt boring or heavy for you and Futaba Rio.]
[But you weren't the only one who noticed.]
[Chisato and Takina also saw it.]
[Futaba Rio wasn't just busy with studying—she was clearly up to something else. But every time they asked, she would just wave it off and say it was nothing.]
[Time went on.]
[Finally, the three of you couldn't hold it in anymore and asked her directly.]
[Seeing that she couldn't hide it any longer, Futaba Rio sighed and shared what had been going on.]
[Her parents had already arranged for her to join a well-known physics institute in Germany. If she went now, she could start working as an assistant in their physics department.]
[Chisato and Takina were shocked. They had never expected that the girl they'd spent so much time with had such resources and background.]
[While they were surprised, Futaba Rio looked worried and sighed again.]
[She had never really talked about it, but as a science genius, she did have a dream in physics.]
[But Germany was just too far away.]
[And there was no set return date—if she left, it might be seven or eight years before she could come back.]
[In the worst case, the Futaba family might just settle down in Germany for good.]
[She wanted to chase higher knowledge in physics—but at the same time, she didn't want to leave all of you behind.]
"My father, who's a well-known scholar, told me I have to decide before the end of this month."
Futaba Rio sighed as she said those words.
Inside the room, Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue fell silent.
Futaba Rio didn't know what else to say.
The three girls stayed quiet for a long time, then all looked toward the young man with messy black hair, who hadn't said a word yet and seemed deep in thought.
[This month, a decision must be made. That can't be changed anymore.]
[Neither Chisato Nishikigi, Takina Inoue, nor Futaba Rio herself knew how to move forward.]
[But if it's you—someone who always acts without hesitation, someone they all trust—you might have a better idea.]
[With their eyes full of hope on you, you think—]
[This is a choice with long-lasting consequences.]
[Option 1: If she goes to study in Germany, many things could happen. Her family might settle there, and you wouldn't see her again until she's financially independent. That's something you can't accept. Try to stop her.]
[Option 2: A girl's dream doesn't come easily. Even if waiting is painful, you can't hold her back for your own reasons. Respect her wish, tell her you won't stop her, and encourage her to chase her dream.]
[Option 3: After confirming your relationship, she wants to study abroad? Even considering Chisato and Takina's feelings, you can't let her go.]
[Option 4: Simulate it yourself.]
The simulator stopped.
The options appeared clearly on the screen.
Minami Shouji looked up.
Three choices neatly lined up before him.
He understood the meaning of Option 1 and Option 3 very clearly.
They both meant stopping Futaba Rio.
The difference was, Option 1 tried to persuade her gently. Option 3 was straight-up forceful.
"If I go by the second simulation... Option 1 and 3 were both wrong."
In the second simulation—
[If you stopped Futaba Rio from studying abroad, she'd become an ordinary high school teacher.]
[She'd blend into the crowd, becoming just another face in the crowd.]
It wasn't a terrible ending—
But Futaba Rio deserved more.
As a genius in physics, she'd already shown incredible talent even in high school.
She could have a great future, but because of one choice, she became ordinary...
That's something Minami Shouji couldn't accept.
So by that logic, Option 1 and 3 had to go.
But—
"The situation this time is different from the last time."
Minami shook his head.
In the second simulation, Futaba Rio hadn't moved past her psychological trauma. She still hated herself and couldn't accept who she was. That's why she ended up to her eventual mediocre ending.
But now, in this fourth simulation, things were different.
Futaba Rio had already overcome her inner struggles.
So from another view, could the stronger version of her still reach her dream even without going to Germany?
Even Minami Shouji couldn't say for sure.
You can understand a person—
But you can never completely know someone's heart, or what their future holds.
Option 1 and 3 were both uncertain. If he had to choose, Minami Shouji leaned a bit more toward Option 1.
But—
"There's still Option 2..."
Minami Shouji looked at Option 2.
Encouraging Futaba Rio to chase her dream—it basically meant encouraging her to go to Germany.
Her father had already arranged everything.
If she took that path, it would likely be smooth sailing.
But if she went to Germany...
That meant she might settle there, and it could be seven, eight, or even ten years before they'd meet again.
"This really feels like a BAD END ending."
Minami Shouji tapped on the screen.
Options 1, 2, and 3—Option 3 was too forceful and could be ruled out.
That left just Option 1 or 2.
Minami Shouji started thinking.
If it was a normal choice, he might decide quickly.
But this choice was too important.
It could undo all the correct choices he'd made before and change the final ending.
He didn't want that to happen.
After thinking for a while with no clear answer, Minami Shouji relaxed and raised his hand.
"If I can't tell which is right, I'll just follow my heart."
He chose Option 2.
[Option 2: A girl's dream doesn't come easily. Even if waiting is painful, you can't hold her back for your own reasons. Respect her wish, tell her you won't stop her, and encourage her to chase her dream.]
Rather than stopping Futaba Rio—
As her boyfriend in this simulation—
He wanted her to reach greater heights and follow her dream. He didn't want to drag her down.
Respecting her choice was the right thing to do.
[You never wanted to hold her back or become a burden.]
[You're important to each other—but her dream is also important. As her partner, you should push her forward, not keep her stuck.]
[Even though it's hard to let go, you tell yourself—once you have enough money, you won't wait for her to come back. You'll go find her in Germany.]
[As Tokyo's No.1 Pretty Boy, you're definitely capable of that.]
In the simulation, memories began to flow—
"I think you should go after what you truly want."
Minami, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"Minami-kun... but if she does that... Rio might..." Chisato looked shocked.
She already saw Futaba Rio as an irreplaceable friend. The idea of not seeing her for seven or eight years, or more, was too much.
Takina Inoue felt the same.
Her fingers turned pale from gripping her teacup too tightly.
Their feelings were clear.
Even Futaba Rio looked unsure again.
But—
"There's no need to think too much."
Minami Shouji looked at Futaba Rio and shook his head. "I respect your feelings and wishes. I hope you won't change your mind just because of us."
"..." Futaba Rio.
Looking at Minami Shouji, Chisato, and Takina—
She gave a small nod. "I understand."
[After hearing your advice, Futaba Rio didn't bring up the topic again. Life returned to normal for all of you.]
[But during that time, she often looked thoughtful and confused.]
[Chisato and Takina didn't bother her. They quietly hoped she'd make her own decision.]
[One month isn't long—especially for Futaba Rio.]
[Then one day, she called you.]
[She told you she'd decided to follow her dream, just as you said.]
[She thanked you. Your encouragement helped her make the decision.]
[She was leaving today, to chase a higher level of physics.]
[You just smiled at her thanks.]
[Even though it hurt, maybe that's what youth is.]
[With that thought, you looked up.]
[The spring sky was wide and clear, the sunlight perfect. You could see bright hydrangeas here and there.]
[You lifted your gaze high, past the scenery, and your heart seemed to soar into the blue sky.]
[You saw the tail of a plane disappearing into the thick clouds above.]
[Good luck.]
[You whispered softly.]
[Then turned toward your small apartment.]
[But after only a few steps, you stopped.]
[You saw her—Futaba Rio standing at your door.]
[Wearing a white lab coat, leaning on the railing, holding two cans of coffee.]
[She saw you.]
[That emotionless face—]
[You Smiled.]
[Spring day and airplane cloud trails on the sky.]
[Warm black coffee.]
[Just the right taste—]
