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Chapter 135 - She Held Onto You, Just As You Held Onto Her
🕑 Added 2025-02-15 06:42:28 +0000 UTC[Even in front of them, Shinjo Akane still instinctively maintained her façade.]
[Yet, despite her skill at pretending, she was often moved to tears by their kindness.]
[With your presence, "Riko-Riko" flourished—so much so that, despite operating only in the afternoons like an izakaya, it was packed with customers every day.]
[Gradually, you and Akane's life began returning to normal.]
[Your top-tier Level 4 culinary skills allowed "Riko-Riko" to multiply its revenue several times over. Customers now had to line up just for a chance to taste your cooking.]
[You no longer worried about money.]
[Though juggling both work and studies was exhausting, for Akane, every moment spent with you—even the busy ones—became an unforgettable, cherished memory.]
"It's steady! Everything is finally on track!"
Seeing the simulation details and recalling the memories transmitted from it, Minami Shouji let out a satisfied sigh.
It seemed like he had finally broken the curse of "everything seems to be going well."
After all, he had resolved every issue so perfectly.
What else was there to worry about?
Everything was rock solid!
There was no way he could lose!
Minami Shouji relaxed and continued reading.
And then—
[Everything seems to be going well.]
"?" Minami Shouji.
Simulator-chan, what are you doing?
You seriously can't stand seeing me happy, can you?
Every time I think things are going well, you have to throw in this damn line, huh? Huh?!
Minami Shouji smacked the simulation text box in front of him.
The text box trembled.
This absolutely wasn't domestic violence.
It was just that Simulator-chan could be way too infuriating at times.
But…
Now that "seems" had appeared again… who knew what kind of disaster was about to unfold?
Minami Shouji continued reading.
[You successfully resolved the money issues and your relationship with Akane's parents. Every challenge was handled in an almost flawless manner.]
[With your current peaceful and happy life, even your mind was finally able to relax.]
[However, you were so focused on your studies and part-time work at "Riko-Riko" that you failed to notice the changes in Akane's psyche.]
[In her world, you were the one who solved all her problems, who effortlessly overcame every hardship for her.]
[It was as if nothing in this world could ever trouble you.]
[And because of that, she became even more dependent on you.]
[She started to believe that without you by her side, she would be incapable of doing anything.]
[Because the real her, the one without her false mask, was weak, powerless, and insignificant.]
[As the days passed, her reliance on you only grew deeper.]
[Eventually, it reached the point where she couldn't function without you.]
[Every morning, if she couldn't see you, she would feel panicked and afraid.]
[Even if you were gone for just a few minutes, anxiety would grip her heart, forcing her to call you repeatedly.]
[And each time, you would always pick up without any hint of impatience.]
[But this only provided temporary relief.]
[She was so utterly dependent on you, as if she couldn't survive without you.]
[Just the thought of losing you filled her with overwhelming dread.]
[She became sensitive, anxious, and suspicious.]
[Yet, outwardly, she maintained her near-perfect façade.]
[But while she could fool everyone else, she could never fool you.]
["Riko-Riko" had stabilized, so you finally had the chance to turn your attention back to her.]
[Naturally, her recent unusual behavior caught your eye.]
[You noticed the pain, anxiety, and turmoil in her heart, but… it was already too late.]
[The next choice ahead of you inevitably leads to regret—]
"Shit."
In reality, Minami Shouji let out a deep sigh as he read that line.
So it was heading in this direction after all.
He had actually already noticed the psychological issues Akane was facing—it was something almost impossible to avoid.
Because despite her outwardly bright and cheerful demeanor, beneath her mask, Akane was fundamentally lonely and deeply insecure.
Back when she still had financial control and even offered to "support" him, things weren't as bad.
Because at that time, she believed she could use money to maintain her relationship with him.
But afterward—
After cutting ties with her parents, her money had turned to dust.
Meanwhile, Minami Shouji had proven capable of solving every problem with ease.
Naturally, this led Akane to question herself.
"Am I even necessary to him?"
That doubt gnawed at her mind like a relentless torment.
Over time, it eroded her sense of self-worth.
Just like a parasitic relationship.
At this point, Akane probably saw herself as nothing more than a parasite, clinging to him.
Useless.
Meaningless.
Entirely dependent on him…
Which only worsened her anxiety.
Minami Shouji shook his head and turned back to the simulator.
This time, the simulator was being unusually honest—it outright told him the result.
[The next choice ahead of you inevitably leads to regret—]
Even so, no matter what, things had to be seen through to the end.
Minami Shouji braced himself and looked at the options.
[1. Confront her with care and understanding, reassuring her that no matter what, you will always accept her completely.]
[2. It's over! Everything is over! Start picking out matching tombstones for the both of you—at least make sure you go out in style.]
[3. Ah, women… so troublesome. But I have no choice—I'll use physical affection to reassure her!]
[4. Personally simulate the outcome.]
"Yeah, as expected, aside from option one and simulating it myself, none of these are particularly reliable."
Looking at these "three choices of death," Minami Shouji shook his head.
Option two was outright preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Option three… that was just falling into a succubus route, drowning in desire every day.
Honestly, if he could personally simulate the situation, there might still be a chance to turn things around.
But seeing how pitifully low his "Emotion Value" was, Minami Shouji had no choice but to pick the best available option—option one.
[You had always been incredibly understanding toward her.]
[That night, you set aside time to carefully tend to her emotions, gently asking about this issue and expressing your concern for her mental state.]
[Faced with your questioning, she could no longer maintain her mask. Tears streamed down her face as she poured out the dark and selfish thoughts that had been plaguing her.]
[She depended on you, clinging to you like a parasite.]
[She was terrified that you would come to hate her because of it… so she could only face others with a carefully crafted smile.]
Within the simulation, memories began to unravel.
"I was too scared to tell you this."
Tears soaked Minami Shouji's chest. In the quiet of the night, she looked heartbreakingly fragile.
"I was afraid you would hate me."
"Don't say things like that."
Minami Shouji gently pulled her into his embrace, as if holding a piece of precious porcelain meant to be cherished forever.
"But it's the truth."
Her teary eyes shimmered under the dim light as she sobbed softly.
"I can't live without you, Minami."
"Just the thought of losing you fills me with fear, terror, and unease."
"You won't lose me."
Minami Shouji softly ran his fingers through her pastel-purple hair.
"..."
She didn't reply.
She simply rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
Under the warm glow of the night, she gazed up at his handsome face.
For the first time in a long while, she felt at peace.
But that peace… quickly turned into fear.
Because the moment she thought about tomorrow, or the day after, and the possibility of losing him—
A nameless terror gripped her heart once more.
And as if sensing her fear,
Minami Shouji gently kissed away the tears on her face before speaking.
"Akane."
"Mm..."
She responded softly.
"I will never leave you."
Minami Shouji stroked her head.
"I will embrace all of your strengths and flaws, whether it's the false you or the real you—I will accept you completely."
His words were filled with sincerity.
Even Shinjo Akane couldn't help but lift her head slightly and murmur,
"Really? You won't find me annoying? You won't get tired of me?"
"I won't."
Minami Shouji replied firmly.
"Really?"
Shinjo Akane asked again, seeking reassurance.
"Really."
The usual Shinjo Akane would never have asked such a childish question.
But right now, she was as fragile as porcelain.
Minami Shouji could only use the gentlest tone to soothe her restless heart.
Because… the real her was just that delicate.
[That night, you held her close as tears streamed down her face, whispering to her that it was okay to keep pretending, that you would accept every part of her—both real and false.]
[Your comfort worked.]
[For the time being, her mental state stabilized.]
[But sweet words, like honey, can also be the thorns that prevent one from moving forward.]
[She became even more dependent on you.]
[On the surface, she still seemed like her usual self, always smiling mischievously, but her actions made it clear.]
[In her senior year, she deliberately transferred to your class just to see you more often.]
[When walking together, she would tightly hold onto your hand, refusing to let go, as if clutching onto her most precious treasure.]
[Even in her sleep, you could often hear her mumbling your name.]
[And you, with a patience beyond most people's imagination, accepted it all.]
[To put her at ease, you brought her along to work at "Riko-Riko," and you minimized going out alone to stay by her side.]
[Under your careful care, her emotions remained stable.]
[By the time high school ended, as everyone expected, you were admitted to the University of Tokyo.]
[And she, too, gave up on her dream of becoming a tokusatsu director to enroll in the same major as you.]
[For her, an uncertain dream was far less important than your presence.]
[Although you disagreed with her decision, since it was something she had chosen for herself, you didn't argue further.]
[After graduating, you joined a prestigious company and quickly leveraged your experience to start your own business.]
[She remained by your side. With her nearly perfect ability to mask her true self and an intellect second only to yours, she excelled at handling everything.]
[Your bond with Shinjo Akane deepened.]
[You became an irreplaceable part of her life.]
[As time passed, under both of your efforts, your business flourished, and you quickly amassed significant wealth. After her repeated urging, you decided to get married.]
[Her cheerful, outgoing façade soon won the approval of your parents and two older sisters.]
[With no real obstacles, your marriage was smoothly arranged.]
[The Shinjo family tried to approach you both, but you and Akane ignored them completely.]
[The wedding date was set.]
[And just thinking about it made her so excited that she dragged you to the bedroom to celebrate early.]
[For the next few days, she kept you so busy that you could barely get out of bed.]
[Time continued to flow.]
[Before long, your wedding day arrived.]
[You didn't have many friends.]
[Aside from the people from "STARRY," only those from "Riko-Riko" attended.]
[Seeing you two finally together, they had nothing but smiles and blessings.]
[Dressed in a pure white wedding gown, she warmly welcomed all the guests.]
[You knew it was just another layer of her mask, but even her mask was something you had long accepted and understood.]
[She loved you deeply, and you loved her just as much.]
[After marriage, her dependence on you remained—mentally, it felt almost like a master-servant relationship.]
[No matter what you said or decided, she silently supported you.]
[You both immersed yourselves in building your company.]
[Under your management, the business expanded even further.]
[But the relentless work gradually wore both of you down.]
[You both always wanted children, but with how busy you were, the opportunity never came.]
[Three years later, you finally slowed down your work and seriously considered having a child.]
[After all, endlessly accumulating wealth was meaningless.]
[You had already earned enough to provide for both yourselves and future generations.]
[A year later, your child was born.]
[You named them "Mirai."]
[Under your watchful care, Shouji Mirai slowly grew up.]
[You wanted to be there to see her become an adult.]
[But as the years passed, your body grew weaker.]
[Until finally, one day, you collapsed—and never got back up again.]
[You had been her entire world.]
[And now, in that instant, her entire world crumbled.]
[The day after your passing, while everyone was busy preparing your funeral, they found her at home, peacefully asleep beside you, clutching your hand tightly with a soft smile on her face.]
[She had closed her eyes, never to open them again.]
[Her expression was the same as when you first met her—that mischievous smirk, the strong-willed girl who never backed down…]
[Back then, in her darkest moment, you had reached out and held her hand.]
[Now, it was her turn to hold onto you.]
