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Chapter 55: Her Interest in You Deepens
🕑 Added 2025-02-04 07:34:22 +0000 UTC[You have piqued Ryo Yamada's curiosity.]
[As someone deeply passionate about music, Ryo has her own unique perspective on the art. However, your absurdly rapid progress challenges her understanding, making it impossible for her to ignore you any longer.]
So that's how it was.
Minami finally understood—
Why Ryo Yamada always ended up paying attention to him in every simulation.
For This Deep-Blue-Haired Girl, The Only Thing That Can Truly Captivate Her Is Music
Just like in the previous simulations.
Even in the timelines where he made the wrong choices and Kessoku Band disbanded, Ryo Yamada never abandoned her love for music.
Even after the band fell apart, she continued playing her bass—alone.
She never formed another band.
Instead, she chose the path of solitude for the rest of her life.
So stubborn, yet so heartbreakingly endearing.
That was just the kind of person Ryo Yamada was.
Minami let out a small sigh and continued reading the simulation's text.
[You continue to practice guitar. Although you have caught Ryo Yamada's attention, your relationship remains that of casual acquaintances. She acknowledges you, but it ends there.]
[Until one day, during one of Ijichi Nijika's endless ramblings, you learn about Ryo Yamada's disastrous mock exam results.]
[Through her, you come to understand that Ryo isn't actually bad at studying—it's just that she struggles to balance academics with her dedication to bass. If she focuses on studying, she forgets how to play. If she practices bass, she forgets everything she learned in school.]
[As you and Nijika chat, Ryo, who had been nearby, suddenly walks over and curiously asks about your grades.]
[You don't say a word. Instead, you simply pull out your phone and show her a picture of the latest academic rankings—where you hold the #1 spot.]
[She had already heard rumors about your genius-level intellect, but seeing such undeniable proof firsthand leaves even the normally emotionless Ryo Yamada visibly surprised.]
[She had always dreamed of getting into the University of Tokyo. If music was her lifelong ambition, then getting into Todai was her short-term goal. But given her academic struggles, that dream had always felt out of reach.]
[Yet now, standing before her was someone who had already achieved what she could barely even dream of.]
[That day, she made a request—she wanted you to tutor her. She was willing to discuss a fair payment for the lessons.]
[This piqued your interest. Given your financial situation, growing up in the rural countryside of Japan, money was always scarce.]
[Without much hesitation, you agreed to tutor Ryo Yamada—promising to help her balance both bass and academics.]
Serious Student, Lazy Prodigy
[When it came to tutoring, you took your role very seriously. Even though Ryo Yamada had a laid-back and lazy personality, you never let that affect your approach.]
[While she practiced bass, you would sit beside her, quietly reciting classical literature lessons into her ear. The moment she put her bass down, you would immediately hit her with basic math questions.]
[At first, the independent and absent-minded Ryo paid little attention to your efforts. She would often respond half-heartedly or try to deflect with music-related topics.]
[For her, asking you for help was probably nothing more than a passing whim.]
[Yet despite her dismissive attitude, you never got angry. Instead, you patiently adjusted your approach—crafting personalized practice sheets, offering words of encouragement whenever she struggled, and never giving up on her.]
[Your constant presence, unwavering patience, and unrelenting dedication slowly began to change something within her. For the first time, she was experiencing what it was like to have someone by her side—day after day.]
[On the surface, she still acted indifferent. Whenever you showed concern for her, she would brush it off with a cold expression. But the moment she turned away… a small, almost imperceptible smirk would appear on her lips.]
[She began to realize—what she looked forward to every day was no longer just practicing bass at Starry, nor even tutoring sessions themselves, but rather… meeting with you.]
[She started stealing glances at you whenever she thought you weren't looking. She even began actively trying to make conversation with you—despite her complete lack of social skills.]
[Even though she had always been quiet and preferred solitude, she found herself wanting to bring up new topics just to keep you engaged.]
[Ryo Yamada's Affection For You Has Deepened.]
Three Months Later…
[After skipping out on paying for tutoring for three whole months, Ryo finally paid you back in full.]
[And then, for the next month, she survived on nothing but wild vegetables.]
[In truth, you didn't really care about the money. Ryo had always looked out for you in her own way—she often lent you rare music albums and records, helping you expand your musical knowledge. Tutoring her never felt like a burden, so you never brought up the unpaid lessons.]
[To you, Ryo Yamada was someone truly admirable—a girl who never wavered in her pursuit of music.]
[As the tutoring continued, she slowly began to put more effort into balancing both academics and bass. Your patience helped her overcome some of her laziness, and she started to genuinely try.]
[But as mentioned before… no matter what, Ryo Yamada just couldn't balance both studies and music. Her progress remained painfully slow. Her grades didn't improve.]
[It was as if time itself had frozen between you and her.]
[After every test, she would be met with the same disappointing scores.]
[And every time, you would simply offer her the same gentle, nonjudgmental reassurance.]
The Day She Disappeared
[One day, without warning, Ryo Yamada stopped coming to Starry.]
[Her sudden absence confused Nijika and the others, and even you found yourself caught off guard.]
[At this point, you had a decision to make—]
1. Maybe you were pushing her too hard. She might just be feeling overwhelmed. It might be best to give her a couple of days to relax.
2. Now is the time to push forward, not back. Whether she likes it or not, you should go find her immediately.
3. Damn woman! Not only did she waste my tutoring time, but she vanished without a word?! Buy sleeping pills, kidnap her, and "correct" her with a lesson in another way!
4. Direct Simulation.
"..."
Minami stared at the third option in absolute disbelief.
Sleeping pills?!
What kind of lesson are you even planning to teach her?!
This wasn't just a bad choice—it was a one-way ticket to jail.
And worst of all, this was an IF Route Card.
He only had one shot at this.
If he messed it up, Ryo Yamada's IF Route would disappear forever.
If he had two or three retries, then maybe he'd—
…
…
No. No, he definitely wouldn't.
He was Minami Shouji—a man destined to be a perfect gentleman.
"A man who drowns in his desires is the most pathetic kind of man!"
He repeated this mantra in his head, then immediately discarded the third option.
Now, between Option 1 and Option 2…
Give Her Space? Or Confront Her?
The first option made sense.
It was entirely possible that Ryo was overwhelmed by the constant tutoring sessions and her inability to improve, causing a buildup of mental stress.
But…
Thinking back on all the previous simulations of Ryo Yamada—
Her free-spirited, lazy, independent personality—
Would giving her space for two days really solve anything?
Or would she just use it as an excuse to never come back?
Overindulgence and excessive concern might not be good for someone like her.
After some thought—
Minami chose the second option.
[2. Now is the time to push forward, not back. Whether she likes it or not, you should go find her immediately.]
Even if it meant being forceful, sometimes Ryo needed someone stubborn enough to pull her forward.
