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Chapter 146: Akane Shouji’s Perfect, Enchanting Smile
🕑 Added 2025-02-21 16:38:39 +0000 UTC[The story between you and her is not over yet.]
[After retiring from Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu, you both used your industry connections to pave the way for Mirai's future career.]
[As for what happens next…]
[That was entirely up to her.]
[After all, as parents, this was as much as you could do. The pursuit of dreams was something she had to undertake herself.]
[And just a month after your retirement, Rikka held a press conference and officially announced her departure from the film industry as well.]
[With that, all of your dreams had been fulfilled.]
[The time that remained… was now for the two of you.]
[Under your watchful eyes, Mirai successfully graduated.]
[With the foundation you laid for her, and the rigorous acting training she had undergone since childhood, she quickly secured her place in the film industry, making a name for herself with her talent and striking appearance.]
[She began chasing her dream, just as you once did.]
[And as she moved forward… you and Akane gradually grew older.]
[Yet despite this, the two of you remained as inseparable as ever.]
[To you, happiness was not complicated.]
[Sometimes, simply sitting together and flipping through old photo albums was enough to pass an entire afternoon.]
[Every day, waking up and falling asleep beside each other, seeing each other first thing in the morning—these small, ordinary moments filled your hearts with immeasurable joy.]
[But time is relentless, and its strength is absolute. So powerful, it could take you away from her without warning.]
[As the years passed, your body gradually weakened.]
[Yet, you did not fear the approach of death.]
[Even if the walls of death separated you, the love between you and her would never be severed.]
[And when you finally passed away, she did not feel lonely.]
[Because she still had Mirai. Because she still had Rikka, who often came to visit.]
[Their presence filled her life with warmth.]
[In the family photo album, you sat in the middle, with them on either side. Your smile remained as bright as it had always been in their memories, never fading.]
[Perhaps… this was happiness.]
[Much like that stormy night, many years ago, when a sudden typhoon and heavy rain trapped her in your home.]
[The same night that made her stay by your side… until now.]
[Simulation complete.]
"It's over."
Minami slowly shifted his gaze away from the simulation, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.
It was like finishing an incredibly moving film.
Every time he completed a good ending, he felt this way.
And this time was no different.
Feeling content, he glanced down in anticipation at the system evaluation.
What would the score be this time?
[System Score: 92 points. You have achieved a "Happy Ending."]
[System Evaluation: A love that lasts a lifetime, unforgettable. The bond of happiness and responsibility ties you and her together, sending your love toward the future.]
[That fateful storm, years ago, may have trapped her in your home, but it also made her fall completely for your charm. Her heart, once barren and lifeless, flourished the moment you stepped into it.]
[At first, perhaps it was only your striking appearance that caught her attention. But through your unwavering influence and effort, she came to see you for who you truly were. It was your first collaboration at the Shuka Festival that gave the timid girl the courage to take her first step. And that step… became the first step toward chasing her dreams.]
[Your love unfolded naturally, as if it were always meant to be.]
[In your youth, you supported her choices and faced hardships together. During the period when she cut ties with the Shinjo family, life was difficult—but as long as she had you by her side, she found the strength to endure.]
[You pursued your dreams together, achieving success so remarkable that others couldn't ignore it. The experiences you shared during your university years became memories you would cherish for a lifetime—memories that carried you both forward.]
[As time passed, you kept chasing your dreams. To you both, dreams were not just goals—they were the catalyst that deepened your love. The moment you established your own company, you had created the foundation where those dreams would grow.]
[Your careers flourished, and your daily lives became increasingly busy. Yet, no matter how hectic things became, you always made time to be with each other.]
[As Minami & Shinjo Tokusatsu stabilized, your workload eased, and you both entered middle age.]
[With your dreams fulfilled, you finally turned your attention to marriage.]
[Under your arrangements, you quickly stepped into marriage, and soon after, your wife gave birth to a daughter—Mirai. To you, she was your greatest treasure.]
[Mirai grew up while you and Akane aged, but no matter how much time passed, it could never take away the love and happiness between you.]
[For you, simply waking up and seeing each other was a happiness beyond words.]
[But time is equal to all. And like all stories, this one too, must end.]
[The river of time swept you away, leaving her standing on its banks, collecting the remnants of your life together.]
[She was never lonely, never truly alone—because the courage you gave her, the happiness you left behind, were more than enough to carry her through those remaining days. In the deepest corners of her memories, your image never faded.]
[She continued to love you, until the very end.]
"92 points."
Minami stared at the score.
Compared to his simulations with Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue, this score was one point lower—tied with Hitori Gotoh's route.
"Maybe it was because of the lingering regret over Rikka's feelings for me… That's why points were deducted."
Minami thought for a moment.
"So if I wanted a perfect 100-point happy ending, would I have to include Rikka as well?"
With three happy endings under his belt, Minami was no stranger to the simulation system.
He understood its logic well.
But still…
"That's just a thought, nothing more."
Who could say for sure what would happen in the simulation?
Even if he aimed for a so-called "harem ending," there was no guarantee that it would score higher than the happy ending he just achieved.
After all, with Rikka's personality, could she really accept such an outcome?
The idea itself seemed far-fetched.
Shaking off those stray thoughts, Minami refocused on the system rewards.
He hadn't checked them yet.
[System Rewards: You have obtained "Akane Shouji's Perfect, Enchanting Smile" and "Filmmaking Proficiency LV4."]
"Huh?"
Minami frowned at the reward description.
The Filmmaking Proficiency LV4 was straightforward—it likely reflected the filmmaking skills he had accumulated as the "God of Reiwa Tokusatsu."
But—
"Akane Shouji's Perfect, Enchanting Smile?"
What was that supposed to be?
Curious, he checked its details.
[Akane Shouji's Perfect, Enchanting Smile:]
[A childhood scar from a broken home, coupled with an unparalleled talent for hiding emotions, created a master of deception.]
[Because of this, no matter where or when, she could always display a bright, captivating smile that could win over anyone's heart.]
["I love him. From the moment we became a couple, I never needed to fake a smile again." —Akane Shinjo]
[Effect: Whenever you intentionally smile, your attractiveness temporarily increases by +1.]
"An attractiveness boost?"
The simplified explanation made the effect crystal clear.
An increase in appearance stats—something that was entirely genetic—was no small feat.
But—
"Isn't this kind of useless for me?"
Minami glanced at his status screen and activated his phone's front camera.
His Attractiveness stat was already at 9.
If he smiled…
Would that make him a 10—the theoretical human limit?
With growing curiosity, Minami smiled at his reflection.
And then—
Minami stared at his phone screen and saw a face that felt completely unfamiliar.
Messy black hair cascaded naturally, and his deep black eyes gleamed with a pure, striking radiance. His features were sharp and undeniably handsome.
But what truly made it impossible to look away—was his smile.
It was an enchantingly irresistible smile, one that seemed to possess an almost supernatural charm.
As if with just this one expression, anyone who saw it would fall hopelessly and unconditionally in love with the person wearing it.
His eyes, his lips—his very presence...
It was as if he had become a mythical figure, akin to a Greek god, whose smile alone could bring entire kingdoms to ruin.
No matter how cold or indifferent a woman might be, the moment she saw this smile, she would never be able to look away again.
Just as the skill's name implied.
This was a devil's smile.
A smile so bewitching, so irresistible, that it could make someone fall in love with him at a mere glance.
Minami stared at his reflection on the phone screen.
Just watching himself.
Tears unconsciously welled up in his eyes.
He suddenly remembered the stray dog that his aunt's friend's uncle had adopted—the one that passed away this winter.
If it were still alive today, maybe it would have had the chance to witness something this beautiful.
But it never would.
Life only comes once, yet that dog never got to see such beauty. What a tragedy…
—Wait, no!
Minami shook his head violently, snapping out of his thoughts.
Why was he suddenly thinking about that dog again?
Rubbing his temples, he sighed.
He had no idea why that stray dog kept haunting his thoughts.
It was as if, every time he acquired a new skill, it had to pop up and remind him of its existence.
Minami thought that once the Shuka Festival was over and winter break arrived, when he returned to his hometown in Akita, he really should bring some bones and properly pay tribute to that dog.
Shaking his head, he refocused on his phone screen.
This time, he didn't dare to smile.
Because what just happened was way too bizarre.
It was that strange, unsettling feeling.
Even though the face in the screen was his, the moment he smiled, it felt as if he had transformed into someone else entirely.
That slight upward curve of his lips—
It was enough to make anyone forget everything else, drowning them in the sheer, overwhelming beauty of it.
Even Minami himself couldn't help but think—How am I this handsome?
He almost wanted to see it again.
That near-perfect, 10 out of 10 smile.
It was a deep, primal urge—
A human instinct to seek out and admire beauty.
10/10 looks.
The pinnacle of human attractiveness.
And the effect was this intense.
Even someone as far from narcissistic as Minami couldn't stop himself from whispering, "Damn… I'm really good-looking."
Even the system didn't bother refuting his words.
But this time, he resisted the temptation.
There was no point in sitting there grinning at his phone. He had already experienced the effect firsthand.
However—
"I wonder how this skill would affect other people?"
Minami rubbed his chin, intrigued.
Every skill granted by the simulator had wildly different effects, varying from person to person.
The last time he wrote a romantic novel, it made Hitori—someone as socially anxious as her—muster up the courage to ambush him and steal a kiss.
Meanwhile, for someone like PA-san, Nijika's older sister Seika, it only stirred up a faint urge to find someone to confess to.
So what about this time?
What kind of reactions would this skill trigger?
"It's definitely worth testing out."
With that thought in mind, Minami made his decision.
