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Chapter 196: The Regretful Neighboring Wife
🕑 Added 2025-03-13 13:31:13 +0000 UTC"?" Minami.
Staring at the four choices that suddenly popped up on the screen,
Minami's mood could be summed up with just one character—"?".
What the hell does 'target the lonely housewives' mean?
Or 'target the arrogant girls in Futaba's class'?
Minami could kind of understand why those were options.
But the third one—'target Azusagawa Sakuta and Kunimi Yuuma'?
What was that even supposed to mean?!
If he remembered correctly,
Those two were guys!
Simulator, are you seriously malfunctioning?
Minami rubbed his temples, feeling increasingly confused by these options.
The general idea behind them was clear—
The simulator wanted him to gather information about Futaba Rio.
To figure out why she had self-destructive tendencies.
But the way it phrased these choices was just plain ridiculous.
'Target the lonely housewives near the Futaba residence!'
'Target Azusagawa Sakuta and Kunimi Yuuma!'
"This wording is insane."
Minami shook his head.
But whatever.
He decided to analyze the options carefully.
Step One: Eliminate the Useless Choices.
First, using process of elimination, he immediately ruled out the second choice—asking Azusagawa Sakuta and Kunimi Yuuma for information.
The reason was obvious.
Futaba Rio's mental state wasn't something that developed overnight.
Sakuta and Kunimi had only known her since high school—
There was no way they'd have any deep knowledge of her past.
And knowing Futaba's personality, there was zero chance she would have shared her personal struggles with them.
So this option was pointless.
Similarly, the third choice—asking her classmates—could also be eliminated.
If even her friends didn't know,
Then random classmates definitely wouldn't either.
Step Two: Choose the Only Viable Option.
"So that just leaves… option one."
Minami's eyes landed on the first choice.
[1. Target the lonely housewives near the Futaba residence!]
The wording was horrible,
But logically, the neighboring housewives might actually know about Futaba's past—
At least from her middle school or elementary school days.
"Then there's no reason to hesitate."
Minami selected option one.
[Asking Futaba directly is meaningless.]
[Neither Azusagawa Sakuta nor Kunimi Yuuma have any insight into Futaba Rio's middle school years.]
[So instead, you turn your attention to the Futaba family's neighbor—
—a certain Ms. Ikeda, a single woman living nearby.]
[Approaching Ms. Ikeda was unexpectedly easy.]
[For a woman who had been single for years, your youthful, elegant appearance and energetic body were simply too hard to ignore.]
[With your unnatural level of charm, you easily got close to her during a casual shopping trip, asking about the Futaba household.]
Like a stone dropped into still water,
The memory rippled outward within the simulation—
Minami closed his eyes, allowing the simulated scene to unfold.
A typical neighborhood.
Minami was walking home from shopping, engaged in friendly conversation with a woman in her thirties.
"Say, Ikeda-san, the house next door to you is insane. That kind of modern mansion—I've never seen anything like it."
Minami glanced at the elegantly designed home beside them, making an exaggerated remark.
Hearing "Ikeda-san" come from Minami's lips—
The woman, Ikeda Misa, let out a small smile.
"The fancy house next door… I assume you mean the Futaba residence?"
"Futaba family?"
"Mhm."
Ikeda Misa nodded, her eyes lingering slightly too long on Minami's handsome face.
Still, her lips kept moving as she continued:
"The Futaba family is actually quite famous in this neighborhood. They're known as an elite family."
"Elite? How so?"
Minami feigned curiosity.
"Futaba-san and his wife are well-known around here. Mr. Futaba is a prominent scholar, frequently traveling for academic research."
Noticing Minami's interest,
Ikeda Misa, eager to prolong the conversation with the attractive young man, smiled and added:
"As for Mrs. Futaba, she's a highly successful businesswoman, constantly busy managing her company."
"I see… So the Futaba house is empty most of the time?"
Minami tilted his head.
His soft lips, his youthful glow, and his fit physique hidden beneath his clothes—
For a woman in her thirties, all of this was… a lot to process.
For a brief moment, Ikeda Misa swallowed hard.
Then she quickly recovered, putting on a smile.
"Not exactly. These days, their daughter is living there alone… Futaba Rio, I believe? She's quite the beauty, a real stunner. Unlike me, I can't compare to her anymore."
She fake sighed.
"Oh, come on."
Minami gave her a gentle, charming smile.
"Ikeda-san, you still look quite young. When I first saw you, I actually thought you were a model from a fashion magazine."
"Minami-kun, you sure know how to sweet-talk."
Ikeda Misa squinted playfully, clearly enjoying the flattery.
"But Futaba Rio… she's living alone? Isn't that dangerous?"
"I think so too. Actually, she's about the same age as you. And… well, now that I think about it…"
Ikeda Misa paused, her tone shifting slightly.
"Back in middle school, I remember Futaba Rio caused a bit of a stir."
"Oh?"
Minami continued his act of curiosity.
Under his subtle guidance, Ikeda Misa showed no hesitation in sharing information, smiling as she answered:
"It seems that the Futaba family's daughter had some issues with her body development, which made her unwilling to attend school for a while. At the time, it was quite a big deal."
Issues with her body development...?
"Could it be because she was sick?"
Minami feigned surprise.
"Hehe, I'll only tell this to you, Minami-kun."
Ikeda Misa gently took Minami's hand.
Feeling the youthful energy in his slender fingers, she couldn't resist lightly tracing her fingertips along his skin.
But she held back, making sure not to go too far—
Afraid that an overly bold move might scare off this inexperienced young man.
With a playful smile, she continued:
"It seems that the Futaba daughter developed too quickly. The boys in middle school always stared at her differently, and over time, it started affecting her mentally."
"So that's what happened..."
Minami nodded thoughtfully.
He had heard of cases like this before.
Kids—who didn't understand anything—would bully those who developed differently.
Whether it was someone who was too tall, someone who stuttered, or anything that made them stand out.
If it was Futaba Rio—
Then her insecurity probably stemmed from her unusually mature figure.
"That's really sad."
Minami's voice carried genuine sympathy as he subtly withdrew his hand from Ikeda Misa's grasp.
"Oh dear, I mean, developing well should be a good thing... but who knew it would turn into such a mess?"
Regretting that she had moved too fast, Ikeda Misa silently scolded herself while maintaining her smile.
"That's true... But living alone must be tough, right?"
Looking at the Futaba family mansion, Minami couldn't help but sigh.
A huge house occupied by only one person.
It sounded like a dream come true.
But in reality, once someone actually lived there, the loneliness would become overwhelming.
An empty house.
Nothing but echoes of your own voice filling the air.
Rooms so large that they only served to amplify the emptiness.
"Isn't it the same for you, Minami-kun? Struggling alone in Tokyo—must be exhausting, right?"
With a playful smile, Ikeda Misa leaned in closer.
"A mansion like this? Even if you worked your whole life, you might never be able to afford one."
Step by step, she moved closer.
"Minami-kun, you're living alone in a cheap rental, right?"
"Is there something you want?"
"Stay with me a little longer today, and I'll buy you anything you want."
[Ikeda Misa's intentions are now crystal clear.]
[You choose—]
[1. I have the spirit of Hikaru Genji! Happily accept!]
[2. Politely decline—Minami Devilish Charmer is not that kind of man!]
[3. Take everything you can, then leave.]
[4. Simulate it Yourself!]
The choices appeared instantly.
This time, Minami didn't even need to think.
He immediately selected Option 2.
Though, in his personal opinion...
Option 1 sounded kind of interesting.
But this wasn't the time for that kind of thing.
After selecting Option 2,
The simulation continued.
[By now, you've uncovered the reason behind Futaba Rio's self-hatred and insecurity.]
[Faced with Ikeda Misa's tempting offer, you simply smile and decline.]
[She watches you leave with a gaze full of disappointment and regret.]
[After parting ways with Ikeda Misa, now that you understand Futaba Rio's 'heart's knot', you return to your daily routine.]
[You tidy up your thoughts and, as usual, push open the door to the science prep room.]
[You resume your daily conversations with Futaba Rio.]
[Just as always, when you're feeling cold, she makes you a cup of coffee.]
[During those moments, she remains quiet, holding her own cup in her hands—silently listening to your rambling about everything that's happened lately.]
[That serene, orchid-like face of hers carries a soft smile.]
[Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction.]
"That's bad."
The moment he saw the simulation's wording,
Minami immediately realized something was wrong.
That "seemed to be" stood out far too much.
Why?
Why was something still going wrong?
Minami didn't get it.
All he did was build a connection with the neighbor's wife.
How did that suddenly turn into—
"Everything seemed to be going well"?
Suppressing his confusion, Minami kept reading.
[You, thinking you've figured out Futaba Rio's problem, fail to notice the sadness and anxiety in her quiet gaze.]
[And one day, when that sadness and anxiety build up too much...]
[As usual, you push open the door to the science prep room—only to freeze in shock.]
[The always strong, always expressionless Futaba Rio...]
[...is now curled up on the table, quietly sobbing.]
Minami fell silent.
[You don't understand the reason, so you approach her and try to comfort her—listening to her self-loathing.]
"This isn't your fault, Minami."
Through her tears, she whispered:
"It's just that... I'm a troublesome, stubborn, and completely twisted woman."
[Your previous guess was correct.]
[Futaba Rio never had romantic feelings for Kunimi Yuuma.]
[She was simply unbearably lonely—desperately clinging to her friend.]
[But in the second semester of her first year, Kunimi Yuuma got a girlfriend—Kamisato Saki.]
[Suddenly, she felt a distance growing between them.]
[And then, this semester, Azusagawa Sakuta developed feelings for a popular third-year girl.]
[Her two closest friends—both slowly drifting away.]
[You became her third friend—the one she connected with the most.]
[She placed all of her feelings of warmth and companionship onto you.]
[But recently, you've been too focused on cultivating your relationship with Ikeda Misa—completely neglecting her presence.]
[She had just made a new friend—only to feel like she was losing them again.]
[The feeling of losing something precious filled her with overwhelming anxiety.]
[If she had never experienced warmth, she could have endured the cold.]
[Just like in middle school—when she lived alone at home and was treated as an outcast at school.
Back then, she could bear it.
She had always been alone.
[But then she met Azusagawa Sakuta, Kunimi Yuuma, and now Minami.]
[She had seen sunlight.]
[You were the last ray of light she wanted to hold onto.]
[And yet, she failed.]
[The fear of losing you, of losing your attention, of losing her place by your side—
—just thinking about it made her break down in tears.]
"I hate myself."
She wept softly.
"Kunimi and Sakuta getting girlfriends should be a good thing... but I'm so scared they'll stop talking to me."
"And Minami... I know you're busy with your own life... but I still selfishly wish you'd look at me more."
She lifted her eyes.
Lost and helpless.
But all she could do—
Was tightly grip Minami's sleeve.
Just like that day—
When she was slandered behind her back.
Her grip was weak.
So weak that if Minami just pulled away slightly, she would let go.
But instead—
Minami reached out and held her hand.
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