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Chapter 5: Am I CPU-ing You?
🕑 Added 2025-02-03 12:19:06 +0000 UTC"Phew— After all that effort, I only managed to become friends?"
Temporarily disengaging from the simulation, Minami Shouji let out a heavy sigh, his eyes filled with disbelief toward Gotoh Hitori as a being.
Aren't girls supposed to be creatures who, if left alone, would line up to give him love letters and chocolates?
Why was Gotoh Hitori so hard to win over?
Was it because she was a 2D heroine?
He glanced at the time.
Lunch break was about to end.
He abandoned the idea of visiting Class 1-3 to check on Gotoh Hitori and refocused on the simulation.
[You have become friends with Gotoh Hitori. You tell her that the whole "three to four hours of lessons every day" thing was just a joke. As long as she could spare some time to guide you occasionally, that would be enough.]
[Hearing this, Gotoh Hitori finally relaxed. Yet, behind that relief, there seemed to be a faint trace of disappointment, one unique to a young girl.]
[A new day has arrived. You wake up and attend class as usual.]
[The fact that you went to Class 1-3 yesterday to find Gotoh Hitori has already spread throughout the student body. Everyone is talking about it, puzzled as to why someone like you—at the very center of the school's social life—would willingly approach a socially awkward outcast like Gotoh Hitori.]
[But you don't care. As someone highly self-disciplined, other people's opinions are irrelevant to you.]
[Lunch break arrives as scheduled. You decide—]
1. Go meet her and practice guitar.
2. Guitar practice is just an excuse—Gotoh Hitori, be my girlfriend! Let's skip ahead!
3. This 2D heroine is too much trouble. Time to find another girl to have fun with.
4. Run a personal simulation.
Minami Shouji quickly skimmed through the options. Seeing it was an easy question, he chose the first option.
After spending time with Gotoh Hitori, he knew exactly what kind of socially anxious species she was.
Option 2? A death flag waiting to happen.
As for option 3… Why was he always thinking about playing with other girls? Clearly, this was just a simulation—it failed to replicate his pure and devoted nature.
[You decide to learn guitar from Gotoh Hitori. Although it was just an excuse to get close to her, you believe in giving your all in everything you do. After all, if you're going to spend time with her long-term, it's only responsible for your future relationship.]
[You practice guitar for a week. In between lessons, you also chat with Gotoh Hitori.]
[In the borrowed music room, the two of you talk about everything and nothing. Under your witty and eloquent guidance, Gotoh Hitori gradually forgets her nervousness and starts responding in bits and pieces.]
Memories began to take shape.
Having already taught Minami Shouji the basics of guitar chords for a week, Gotoh Hitori had relaxed a little. She carefully spoke up:
"Um… Minami-senpai."
"What is it?"
To Gotoh Hitori, Minami Shouji still looked as dazzling as ever.
Bathed in the golden afternoon light, he casually held his guitar, his pale fingers resting lightly on the strings. His handsome face carried an indescribable focus.
Compared to the sunlight—
Gotoh Hitori, who had always hidden in dark, damp corners, suddenly felt ashamed of herself.
She anxiously stared at her feet, fingers nervously twisting together.
"W-Why did you c-choose me to teach you guitar? Minami-senpai, if you just clapped your hands, I'm sure plenty of girls at school would be willing to teach you..."
She wasn't wrong.
Even after a week, she still didn't understand.
Someone as popular as Minami Shouji—if he asked, surely plenty of girls with guitar experience would rush to teach him.
Not just for two or three hours—if he wanted, they'd probably spend ten hours, or even have a one-on-one overnight session with him…
Instead of spending time with someone like her, someone awkward and difficult to talk to…
There were so many better choices.
She didn't understand, so she had to ask.
But just voicing this question had already taken all the courage she had.
After speaking, she shrank into herself, head down, unable to even look at Minami Shouji directly.
"Rather than learning from someone like me…"
As if reading her thoughts, Minami Shouji set his guitar down and fell into deep thought.
Minami-senpai is thinking… He must have realized that she wasn't good enough, right?
No… Maybe this was for the best. Rather than spending time with someone like her…
This past week had already been more than enough happiness.
His silence dragged her even deeper into self-doubt.
An overwhelming bitterness swelled in her chest.
Social anxiety was a self-destructive thing.
They could be overjoyed from the smallest bit of recognition—
But they could also be crushed by the slightest rejection.
Then, Minami Shouji finally spoke. His tone was calm and sincere.
"What if I said… I simply wanted to learn guitar with Gotoh-san?"
There was no deceit in his words.
"Huh…?"
Gotoh Hitori shrank back, clearly not expecting this response.
"Why are you so surprised?"
Minami Shouji placed his fingers back on the strings.
"Gold always shines. Gotoh, your guitar skills are amazing. Even putting aside how cute you are, someday, people will recognize just how talented you are."
"M-My talent…?"
Gotoh Hitori whispered, eyes wide with disbelief. Her gaze, hidden behind her bangs, cautiously peeked at the boy before her.
His sincere words, without a trace of falsehood, deeply touched her—someone who had spent her whole life in the shadows, where everything was dull and colorless.
In anime, social anxiety might seem like an interesting character trait.
But few ever truly considered what it was like to live with it.
Wanting to connect with people—
Yet terrified of doing so.
Afraid of making others uncomfortable, so they shut themselves away.
Endless hesitation, contradiction, self-isolation.
Over time, they became silent, unable to communicate, even making others uncomfortable in return.
The loneliness was suffocating.
The sky had always been a muted gray.
The only escape was the online world.
Hiding away, practicing guitar—her only source of fleeting pride and comfort.
She knew most of it was an illusion.
But it was the only social lifeline she had.
Self-doubt, self-pity, and a desperate longing for connection—
After a week with Gotoh Hitori, Minami Shouji understood.
She was a difficult person to deal with.
"So… why don't you let me be the first person to truly get to know you?"
Under the afternoon sun, he reached out his hand to the timid girl curled up in the shadows.
Hesitation.
A long, painful silence.
Just as Minami Shouji sighed, thinking he had been too hasty—
A pale, delicate hand trembled as it grasped his, so quickly it was almost imperceptible.
Minami Shouji looked up in surprise.
Gotoh Hitori had already pulled her hand back in a flash.
"I-I'll do my best…!"
Her voice trembled under the sunlight.
Her gaze remained timid beneath her bangs.
But her overly pale cheeks—
Were completely flushed.
Gotoh Hitori, who had finally mustered a little bit of courage—
Was beautiful like a blooming flower.
