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Chapter 10: "Thus, the Mountains Turn Crimson."
🕑 Added 2025-02-03 12:34:50 +0000 UTCThe twist had arrived.
[Your wife suddenly fell ill. You couldn't understand how someone who had always seemed healthy could deteriorate so suddenly. Under your relentless questioning, the doctor finally told you the truth.]
[Gotoh Hitori's rise as the rock queen was inseparable from her relentless practice—endless, sleepless nights, shouldering the pressure of a band in its infancy, enduring the expectations of fans. To keep going, she had secretly relied on stimulant medications.]
[She had always been strong-willed, never sharing her struggles. But willpower alone couldn't sustain a fragile body.]
[Now that she had finally found peace with you, her nerves relaxed—but her body, long ravaged by drugs and exhaustion, could no longer endure.]
[No amount of money could reverse the damage. You wanted to stay by her side, but to cover medical expenses, you had to work tirelessly.]
[Luckily, her bandmates from "Kessoku" stepped up, offering their unwavering support.]
[But your wife grew weaker every day.]
[In a season when maple leaves turned crimson, her life burned to its end alongside them.]
[In the final moments of her life, she told you that, despite its brevity, she had lived happily. You did not speak—only gently stroked your wife's forehead. You had always been the sun in her lonely, melancholy life, providing her with warmth and comfort during the days she endured darkness alone.]
"I have never regretted it."
She raised her hand, brushing against Minami Shouji face as she spoke.
Minami Shouji placed his hand over hers—her palm was small, delicate.
Outside the window, the maple leaves burned silently.
Minami Shouji gazed outside for a long time before standing up lightly and drawing the curtains closed for his wife.
Then, he placed his hand on her forehead, on her pale yet long-exhausted face.
"Hitori."
Minami Shouji wanted to say something, but as he looked at his wife's frail expression, the words died in his throat.
A man who could eloquently present fresh perspectives before superiors and clients now fell into silence.
A lifetime is short. A moment can be unbearably long.
In the end, he said nothing. He only held her hand tightly and spent those final moments with her in silence.
[Your wife accidentally stepped out of time. The moment she left it, she became fixed, while you were pushed forward by the current of time.]
[The faucet in the house stopped running. The glass sat in quiet stillness. The floor no longer creaked beneath footsteps. For a long time, you could not walk out of the deep wound left behind. In those days, aside from the comfort of your parents and in-laws, members of the band "Kessoku Band" frequently came to visit.]
[Perhaps because of your unwavering devotion and love for your wife, your interactions with the band unknowingly caught the attention of Yamada Ryo.]
[Yamada Ryo started visiting more often.]
Yamada Ryo?
Still weighed down by grief, Minami Shouji received a flood of memories in response.
According to what surfaced in his mind, she was the bassist of "Kessoku Band."
She had short, sharp-cut hair, and beneath her blue bangs that covered part of her eyes was a mature, androgynous face, carefully concealing emotions with little sign of fluctuation.
And yet… why does she look familiar?
Minami Shouji furrowed his brows, trying to recall.
But soon, he abandoned the thought and continued reading on.
[Falling into a state of despair, you could barely take care of yourself. During that time, it was Yamada Ryo who took time out of the band's schedule to bring you meals, arrange for someone to clean your home, and use her beautifully refined, expressionless face to crack terrible jokes just to make you smile.]
[Your relationship with Yamada Ryo grew closer.]
Yamada Ryo, what exactly are you doing?
Minami Shouji wanted to ask.
[One winter day, leaning against the railing of an observation deck in the park, Yamada Ryo confessed to you. Puzzled by her persistence, you asked her why.]
[She told you that back when "Kessoku Band" was just starting out, they faced countless struggles. At that time, it was your secret financial support and unwavering letters of encouragement that kept her going.]
[You had long been aware of Yamada Ryo's quiet dedication, but you had already given all your love and devotion to the wife who had passed. To carelessly accept her feelings would be nothing but irresponsibility toward her.]
[You rejected Yamada Ryo's confession, but her words made you realize what you truly needed.]
[In a season when the maple leaves were visible once more, you left a farewell letter behind. With steady steps, you walked toward the center of the lake. The icy water wrapped around you, but you felt an overwhelming sense of peace. In the suffocating stillness of oxygen deprivation, you seemed to see, from long ago, your shy and timid high school sweetheart. In the depths of the frigid lake, she smiled radiantly, like a blooming flower.]
[Autumn took you away, leaving behind the maple leaves and the mountains in decay. You sank to the deepest place, and everything became still.]
[Simulation ended]
[System Evaluation: 67 points.]
[System Review: You met, got to know, and became familiar with her. During your acquaintance, focusing too much on your romantic interest was not a mistake, but occasionally you need to lift your gaze and turn it towards the scenery along the path of life; you may find something new. Your relationship with her had ups and downs, but your love for her was unwavering. Your married life was happy. She gave up her own dreams for you, and you gave up a better future for her. You both accommodated each other and supported each other. Unfortunately, in the end, you could not walk together to the very end.]
[System Prompt: You have completed a full romance simulation. Now, you can start simulating from any of the available options.]
[System Settlement: You have gained the 'Love Stops Here, Goto Hitori(Rock Queen) Learning Card,' and you have gained a special skill in Music LV1.]
Minami Shouji no longer paid much attention to the system's further prompts.
Affected by the simulated memories, he became a little silent.
It took him a long while before he finally exhaled deeply.
He now had an impulse to rush into Class 3, Year 1, grab that woman Goto Hitori, slam her against the wall, and punish her severely.
How could this woman act like that?
She secretly did drugs, drained her energy, and ruined her body.
Minami Shouji shook his head, gathering his scattered thoughts, and focused back on the love simulation.
Now, he could start simulations from various options... The system's statement was simple, much like a save/load feature in a text-based game. He could freely choose to simulate from any option, effectively reloading a previous scenario for simulation.
But the key perhaps lay in the other things he had gained.
Minami Shouji glanced at the system page, noting the slight changes to his panel.
