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Chapter 212: A Trio? A Four-Person Ending?
🕑 Added 2025-03-21 15:43:14 +0000 UTC[Your baiting scheme succeeded.]
[The now-bold Rio Futaba, completely unguarded, handed over the leverage to you herself.]
[Faced with your relentless questioning, cornered against the wall, Rio Futaba was at a complete loss—unable to respond.]
"I really didn't expect this, Rio. You actually went and did something like that behind my back."
Staring down at Rio, who had retreated into the corner, Minami Shouji strode forward, boxing her in, feigning a look of sorrow.
"I trusted you so much."
"I..."
Rio's face turned scarlet.
Not the soft, cherry blossom pink of mild embarrassment—but the deep, steamy red of a boiled octopus.
She wanted to explain, to defend herself, but the words caught in her throat. All she could manage was a long, stammering "I..."
"Do you think a guy's purity is just a joke to you, Rio?!"
Minami's face was full of anguish.
"No, it's not like that, Minami... just listen, let me explain."
She instinctively looked up.
"Forget it."
Minami turned his head with exaggerated sadness. "After you've already done that to me... what more is there to say?"
"I..."
His tone, so full of resignation, left Rio completely at a loss.
"It's already come to this. What are you going to do? How will you make it up to me?"
Minami pressed further.
"I-I-I... um..."
Her pale fingers trembling, Rio fumbled in her pocket, pulling out her wallet. She dumped out a dozen 10,000-yen bills, lowering her head.
"I... I only have this much for now..."
"Do I look like the kind of guy who's satisfied with money? Sigh... I can't believe this is how you see me."
Minami tore his gaze away from the bills with great effort, shaking his head and sighing.
"There's only one way to fix this now…"
"Whatever it is, I'll do it."
Completely losing her composure, Rio could only follow Minami's lead, her voice filled with anxiety.
She couldn't bear the thought that this one moment of impulse might ruin everything between them.
Only now did she realize just how much this young man—who had been by her side both at school and at work—meant to her.
So no matter what Minami asked for, as long as it was reasonable, legal, and fair...
She was truly willing to make amends.
Holding her breath, Rio waited for Minami's answer.
And then—
"Then, Rio, take responsibility."
"Eh...?"
Rio's golden eyes widened in shock.
She hadn't expected this at all.
In a tiny voice, she asked, "Um... take responsibility, as in...?"
"Of course, become my girlfriend. Go out with me."
Minami flashed a mischievous smile—that handsome face of his always seemed like he was plotting something when he smiled like that.
"Eh?"
"Hmm? You don't want to?"
"No... it's not that... I..."
The sudden turn of events had Rio's mind in a complete mess.
She was overjoyed—Minami Shouji had just confessed to her!
But alongside that joy, there was a heavy worry.
Because over these many days, Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue had become her dearest friends...
Would becoming boyfriend and girlfriend with Minami cause her to grow distant from her friends?
All sorts of emotions surged in her heart, only to sink once more.
But in the end, she gave a slight nod.
The motion of her head was almost imperceptible.
If Minami hadn't been watching her so intently, he might have missed it entirely.
Taking this into account, Minami pushed the four-eyed girl completely into a corner, as if driving her into his own personal cage, and asked:
"You agreed?"
"...Yeah."
A shy pink blush spread across her cheeks.
Futaba Rio gave a gentle nod.
[You didn't miss this opportunity. You used it to take responsibility, forcing her into becoming your girlfriend.]
[Her hesitant nature needed that final push from you.]
[Under your aggressive approach, Futaba Rio could only accept.]
[Yet she was worried—worried that Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue would drift away because of it.]
[But that worry was clearly unnecessary.]
[Even after she started dating you...]
[Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue treated her just as they always had—if anything, they were even more affectionate.]
[This sudden warmth made Futaba Rio feel even more attached, but also left her with a sense of guilt toward Chisato and Takina.]
[They were so close to her, and yet she had gone ahead on her own.]
[She didn't want to see her friends miss out on happiness.]
[But at the same time, she couldn't walk away from you either.]
[Two conflicting emotions were pulling her in different directions.]
"Miss Nishikigi, oh Miss Nishikigi."
Watching Nishikigi's actions in the simulation, Minami Shouji realized his earlier suspicions had been spot on.
This wasn't some yuri storyline, nor was it the same dual-happiness ending as in the Chisato Nishikigi romance simulation... This time, it was very likely heading toward a three-person happy ending.
Let's take another look.
Chisato Nishikigi had intentionally developed a relationship with Futaba Rio—clearly as part of the 'three's a party' plan.
Their growing intimacy.
And considering Futaba Rio's nature—someone who couldn't stand to see her friends sad or deprived of happiness...
The path ahead was almost too easy to predict.
"Didn't expect this... I really didn't."
Minami Shouji was both annoyed and amused.
This girl, who always seemed carefree and careless...
Turns out she was secretly meticulous, pushing everything to reach this current outcome.
She really did have the makings of a romance tactician.
Minami Shouji perked up.
After Gotoh Hitori's personal simulation, his mindset had shifted considerably.
Miss Nishikigi's actions were actually in his favor.
He continued watching.
[After officially becoming your girlfriend, Futaba Rio became much bolder than before.]
[Especially with your approval, this usually cold and indifferent science girl would sneak into your tiny apartment to take care of you.]
[From cleaning the place to making tea, serving water, even cleaning your ears—she handled it all with ease.]
[Living on her own from a young age, her self-sufficiency rivaled yours.]
[You tried to refuse—after all, as Tokyo's No.1 Pretty Boy, you didn't need your girlfriend to serve and assist you. You believed you could take care of yourself.]
[You began resisting her caring advances.]
"Oh? Not bad."
Minami Shouji lit up.
Even if it was just a simulated version of himself, this time around he was clearly a lot more assertive than in the previous playthrough.
Exactly.
That's how it should be.
How could he fall into temptation and indulge in laziness?
He was the perfect Tokyo Pretty Boy, after all.
With high spirits, Minami Shouji read on.
[But your resistance had limits.]
[Futaba Rio's persistence wore you down, and you gradually accepted her kindness.]
[Bit by bit, you stopped resisting and began enjoying her meticulous care.]
[Your self-dependence started to decline.]
"..." Minami Shouji.
He fell silent.
There was nothing he could do.
He'd gotten used to it.
After all, it was only the simulated version of himself.
But if it were him, the real deal!
Minami couldn't help imagining Futaba Rio caring for him.
A good-morning kiss, cooking meals, feeding him, helping him dress, bringing an umbrella when it rains, staying quiet while he talks with others, instantly responding to any request with that silent, obedient demeanor...
This... seems...
Hard to resist?
"Tch... hmm..."
Minami Shouji coughed twice.
He pushed the thought aside, refusing to dwell on it any longer.
[You accepted Futaba Rio's dedicated care.]
[Yet when it came to working with Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue, she remained uncertain.]
[Her bond with them deepened.]
[The more time she spent with the imaginative, golden-haired Chisato, and the cold, silent, black-haired Takina...]
[The more she realized—their love for you was no less than hers.]
[She didn't want to lose you, but she also didn't want her friendship with them to end.]
[With those feelings in her heart, she seemed to have made a decision.]
[She began subtly testing your limits.]
[For example, she'd occasionally show you anime or dramas with harem endings.]
[She'd secretly ask what you thought of the male and female leads.]
In the simulation.
Memories resurfaced.
After watching a teen romance drama with Futaba Rio, Minami Shouji yawned.
He wasn't into that kind of sappy show.
He'd only watched it at her request.
"So, how was it, Shouji?"
While tidying up the DVD case, Futaba Rio glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Hm? Eh... pretty boring, I'd say."
Minami Shouji rested his chin on his hand, offering his critique: "A shy, introverted girl meets a cheerful and a cold girl, becomes friends with them, and falls for the guy they both like..."
"In the end, out of guilt and friendship, the four of them live happily ever after... That plot is way too bland."
He shrugged. "If I'd written it, the introverted girl would've schemed to climb the social ladder, battling the cheerful and cold girls in a fierce game of wits."
"Eh?"
Futaba Rio's mouth opened slightly.
"Then, after emotional turmoil and guilt over her friends, she finally succeeds in becoming the guy's girlfriend—but loses the most important thing along the way: their friendship. Now that would be an interesting story."
Minami Shouji criticized sharply:
"It's 2025 and they're still writing such flat plots? Makes me question the writer's skills."
"Ugh—"
At a loss for words, Futaba Rio turned her head aside.
"Forget that—did you try the game I recommended?"
"Oh... that game, huh."
Minami Shouji leaned against the bed, replying casually, "Don't have a computer. I'd have to go to a net café..."
Futaba Rio's fingers twitched slightly, then she spoke as if it were nothing:
"I've got a spare laptop at home. I'll bring it over now."
She stood up and headed for the door.
"No need."
Minami Shouji yawned. "Not really into those kinds of games."
"You have to."
In a rare moment, the always calm and quiet girl sounded a little flustered: "You have to play it. I really recommend it. The ending with the three heroines is really good."
"Oh?"
Minami Shouji dragged out his tone with interest.
"Come to think of it, Rio, all your recent recommendations have been harem-themed shows and games, haven't they?"
Click.
Grinning mischievously, Minami Shouji hugged the petite girl from behind and whispered into her ear: "What's this? Trying to hide something from me? Planning something sneaky, hmm?"
"I... I'm not."
Caught in the act, Futaba Rio kept her calm voice, shaking her head.
"Really?"
Looking at her slightly flushed cheek, Minami Shouji chuckled: "Alright, let's say I believe you—but forcing me to play a game I don't even like—Rio, you'd better reward me after it's over."
"What kind of reward...?"
"I don't care."
Minami Shouji patted Futaba Rio's head and smiled. In a voice the girl couldn't possibly say no to, he said, "Anyway, I will be expecting that reward."
"Oh..."
Knowing she couldn't refuse Minami Shouji's demand, Futaba Rio nodded softly.
[Your agreement made her really happy, and she started to get bolder.]
[She began recommending all kinds of harem stories for you to play.]
"You're really going all in, huh."
In real life, Minami felt the memories from the simulation running through his head and couldn't help but comment.
That's Rio for you.
Once she decides to do something, she puts her heart into it.
But she's being so obvious now.
Does she really think he hasn't figured it out?
Even if it's the version of himself in the simulation—
The way she's acting...
He had to notice, right?
The simulation seemed to prove Minami's guess.
[She thought she was hiding it really well. In fact, she even felt pretty proud of herself.]
[But in truth, you had already noticed what she was thinking.]
[You just didn't bring it up because you didn't want to upset her.]
[Because just like Futaba Rio, Chisato Nishikigi, and Takina Inoue...]
[From the start, you just wanted them all to be happy.]
[Her active moves only pushed you to take action too.]
Is it happening?
Watching closely, Minami Shouji perked up.
Three people together... or maybe four? Is that the ending coming?
