(TL: last chap... Music Rec:
An Encounter with Robbers asking About You | The 1975 Mash Up)
...
Whether this world was real or fake...
Why this world even existed at all...
To understand those things, there was actually a very simple and direct method:
"The simulator."
Taking advantage of Chisato and Takina still cleaning up the table,
Minami lowered his voice and extended his hand forward.
The simulator's interface opened up.
[Current Host: Minami Shouji]
[Stay Time: Unlimited]
[Remaining Heartthrob Points: 4500]
The screen showed exactly the same as before.
Minami's brows twitched slightly, and he reached out with a finger again.
Even though the interface looked unchanged,
Minami didn't believe for a second that the simulator would just dump him into a world like this with no means to return.
As if sensing his thoughts, the simulator's calm interface suddenly began to ripple.
At the same time, Minami's keen senses made him instinctively lift his head.
What he saw—
The familiar Shouji family estate around him was disappearing.
The bright sun was swallowed up by the night.
Everything around him was erased as if wiped away by a giant eraser.
Darkness engulfed everything.
Minami tried to look ahead but thick darkness, deep enough to obscure everything, covered the path forward.
He reflexively tried to step back—
Only to realize the path behind him was blocked too, swallowed by the same darkness.
The darkness was dense, suffocating.
He couldn't go forward.
He couldn't go back.
He was trapped in the pitch-black void.
And then, from the endless blackness,
a timid voice whispered into his ear:
"Minami..."
"...Huh? Bocchi?"
Minami turned around, startled.
In his sight, stood a pink-haired girl in a tracksuit, looking at him with shy, timid eyes.
It was a pink-haired girl who looked exactly like Hitori Gotoh.
Minami's heart jolted in surprise.
He lifted his hand, but midway through reaching out, he froze.
Finally, he let his hand fall.
"No... you can't be Hitori."
Minami shook his head, staring at the 'Hitori Gotoh' in front of him.
If he was right, this place was the internal consciousness space of the simulator.
Hitori Gotoh could not possibly enter such a place.
And yet—
Minami backed away cautiously.
The pink-haired girl standing there truly resembled Hitori Gotoh in every way.
That might sound contradictory but it wasn't.
From the pink hair, to the awkward side cowlick, to the yellow-blue-pink hair clips, her tone of voice, her delicate, timid face hidden under long bangs, even her breathing pattern... everything matched Hitori Gotoh perfectly.
It would be no exaggeration to say she was indistinguishable.
Minami fell silent for a moment.
Then, as if something occurred to him, he raised his head:
"Are you... the love simulator?"
As he spoke those words, he wasn't completely confident.
But... who else could manifest as Hitori Gotoh and speak to him here, other than the simulator?
There wasn't a second possibility and sure enough.
The girl smiled shyly just like Hitori Gotoh and nodded.
"You guessed right... A-Ah, Minami, as expected of you."
"...You're really the 'simulator-chan'?"
Seeing her nod again, Minami couldn't help but study her carefully.
He had always jokingly referred to the simulator as "Simulator-chan" but honestly, he'd never been sure if the simulator had a gender.
He only called it that because imagining it as a greasy old man felt way too weird for something he spent so much time with.
Wait a minute...
Thinking back, Minami suddenly realized something.
Whenever he got frustrated during bad simulations, he would smack the simulator's screen... and sometimes smack it pretty hard.
If the simulator really was personified as a girl now, then every time he hit the screen...
Wasn't that basically hitting her...?
No, no, no—
Minami shook his head furiously, trying to throw out the strange thoughts bubbling up.
It didn't feel right to get caught up in common sense when dealing with a simulator.
Across from him, perhaps sensing Minami's wild train of thought, the pink-haired simulator-chan shook her head slightly and explained softly:
"Technically, I don't have a physical body. In other words, I have no gender. This form you're seeing now is something simulated through 'Heart of Love.' If I wanted, I could look like this too—"
Her timid voice paused and then she raised her hand.
The once-solid figure before him began to blur and shimmer with her raised hand, becoming ethereal and elusive.
A flash of white-hot light lit up the darkness.
And from within that radiant glow, a new figure slowly emerged.
"Using this form to speak with you… should be fine now, right?"
An elegant, lazy voice came from the lips of a short-haired girl with deep blue hair.
The previous Hitori Gotoh had vanished without a trace, replaced by a "Ryo Yamada" who brushed the hair behind her ear with a graceful motion.
Clearly, this "Ryo Yamada" was yet another form generated by the simulator.
"You can simulate the appearance of characters I've previously simulated?"
Minami Shouji frowned slightly as he asked, watching her demonstration.
"Not just their appearance, Minami."
The simulator, now wearing Ryo's face—spoke with a cool, magnetic tone:
"Their voices, personalities, habits, body types, preferences, things they dislike... As long as it's one of their characteristics, I can reproduce it perfectly."
No sooner had she said that, her appearance shifted into one that resembled Nijika Ijichi, complete with a warm, energetic voice:
"Even the way they like to pose, their habits when speaking, the little unconscious gestures they make, I can replicate all of it, Minami-kun~"
She said this with a bright smile, cheerful, understanding expression that was so familiar to Minami, it was almost unsettling.
Even Nijika's sister, Seika Ijichi, would likely be unable to tell the difference.
Minami watched silently.
Staring at this "Nijika Ijichi" standing on her toes, hands behind her back, radiating youthful warmth.
He was quiet for a long time.
And finally spoke:
"So this is the effect of collecting 'Hearts of Love'?"
"Aaah, Minami-kun really is as sharp as ever~"
The golden side ponytail swayed with a tilt but just like that, it transformed into long, light-gray hair.
Her fiery red eyes dimmed, shifting into a cool, intellectual gaze.
Now using the appearance of Rio Futaba, the simulator calmly adjusted her glasses and answered in a composed, analytical tone:
"Each of your simulations, Minami-kun, was effectively helping 'me' gather data, each one contributing a piece toward recreating 'them.'"
As she spoke, she held up a single finger.
Her appearance changed again, this time into Akane Shinjo, with short pastel-purple hair.
She giggled:
"Once you achieve a happy ending with someone, I can save a complete simulation of her, everything about her and collecting 'Hearts of Love' essentially gives me their personalities and all of their love for you."
She paused—
Then added:
"It's like a computer: memory, movement, voice, appearance… those are the hardware.
'Heart in Love' is like installing an operating system that makes the hardware run."
By this point—
Minami completely understood what the simulator was saying.
It was just like a PC.
No matter how good the hardware, you needed a functional operating system to make it all work.
The simulation data was like the CPU, memory, power supply, GPU…
And 'Heart in Love' was the OS that brought it to life.
Both were essential. Complementary. Inseparable.
No wonder the simulator could recreate people like Hitori Gotoh or Ryo Yamada so convincingly.
Because in a way—
With both the simulation data and the 'Heart in Love,'
The simulator was practically another version of Hitori Gotoh. Of Ryo Yamada.
Realizing this, Minami took a deep breath.
Then turned his head.
His voice steady, without joy or sorrow, Minami asked:
"Was the world I just experienced... real?"
Yes.
Regardless of what the simulator truly was—
What he needed to know now was whether that world he had just been in was real or not.
"As long as you want it to be, Minami-kun... it can be real."
Came the soft, soothing voice of Satou Matsuzaka.
As those words fell, the darkness beneath Minami's feet began to ripple like the surface of a lake and within that "lake,"
Scene after scene emerged.
Hitori Gotoh was leaving the kindergarten with their daughter Miyuki, about to call Minami to come pick them up.
Elsewhere, Chisato and Takina were still tidying up the table, occasionally casting soft glances toward Minami, who had dozed off on a bench.
Nijika, now feeling better, leaned against her headboard, flipping through the Shouji family photo album.
A gentle smile played on her delicate, calm face as she looked at the warm, joyful photos.
Ryo was gently coaxing Yuna to sleep—though the little girl clearly wasn't ready for a nap.
The scenes shifted.
Now the view moved from the Shouji estate to other locations.
Rio was at her lab, collapsed into an office chair from exhaustion but just thinking of tonight's family gathering brought a spark of energy back to her eyes, and she returned to analyzing the data on her screen.
Akane was busy with her latest tokusatsu project, coordinating set design and contacting actors.
Satou was at a signing event, helplessly watching the long line of fans and pleading for help from Kita.
And beyond them—
Others continued to live their lives in this world.
Kurumi, Mika, and Mizuki from LycoReco bustled about running their café.
Yamada and Gotoh's parents were sharing tips on caring for their grandchildren.
Futaba's parents, though still abroad, seemed to be planning to return home for the New Year this time.
Matsuzaka Sayuri, under Satou's care, had moved into the Shouji household.
And so many more... so many others appeared in fleeting glimpses—
Among them, Minami saw his own family.
He saw his sisters, Naomi and Yuuko, wearing joyful, contented smiles.
He saw Akane's parents tearfully apologizing to her for the pain they'd once caused.
He saw...
He saw so many things that had never happened in the real world.
So many nearly perfect moments.
"This is a perfect world, Minami-kun."
The voice shifted again, now it was Ikuyo Kita's voice.
"All the things you didn't accomplish in the other world... the regrets you still carried... in this world, they've all been made whole."
Yes...
Even Minami couldn't deny what the simulator had said.
This world in front of him... was perfect.
So perfect, in fact, that even Seika and Nijika's mom, who in the real world had passed away in a car accident over a decade ago.
In this world, had been granted life once again.
Here, the accident never happened.
She safely reached the concert hall, where she listened to Seika's performance alongside Nijika, bringing the two distant sisters back together.
Seika and Nijika, raised with love by their mother, had grown up healthy and strong.
No regrets.
No flaws.
In this world, everyone had found the things they most longed for in real life.
But—
"This world... still isn't real."
Minami shook his head.
From the simulator's words, he could already tell.
This world, in its essence, was still a creation of the simulator.
Only—unlike previous simulations, this one was so realistic, it was nearly indistinguishable from reality itself.
"And what if it's not real?"
The simulator now with the face of Satou Matsuzaka didn't hesitate to admit the truth:
"As long as Minami-senpai is willing to stay in this world, then to you, it is real. No one can deny that."
"Then let me ask you this..." Minami turned his head.
"Why do you want me to stay in this world so badly?"
He could sense it clearly, the simulator strongly hoped he would choose to stay.
"Creating a perfect world without worry, one where the host is happy is the ultimate purpose of the love simulator."
She answered simply:
"This is the reason I was created."
From the beginning, the love simulator's sole goal had been to build a complete, flawless, joyful world for its host.
That was why it constantly encouraged better outcomes with each simulation.
But—
"I will never interfere with your choices."
The simulator's face shifted once more, this time returning to Ryo Yamada's appearance.
Her voice was calm:
"Just like every simulation and every ending... it was always your decision.
I won't decide anything for you."
Yes.
Even though she now possessed the personalities, appearances, and behaviors of all the girls—
The simulator was still the simulator.
She had no real personality or selfish desires of her own.
The personality she displayed now was merely a reflection constructed from the "Hearts of Love" and the simulated data of Ryo Yamada and the others.
Which was why—
She would never interfere with Minami Shouji's choices as her host.
"This is your freedom, Minami."
She spoke calmly.
It was his choice.
In front of him were two paths.
One: remain in this world, living a happy and perfect life.
No need to struggle for money or survival.
No need to spend energy coordinating between the girls or persuading their families.
No hardships, no suffering.
Everything would go smoothly.
Two: return to the outside world.
A future full of uncertainty—just like all those past simulations, making choice after choice without guarantees.
Whether he could reach a perfect, happy ending like in the simulations...
Even Minami, with all his experience, couldn't be sure.
Everything out there was fleeting, unpredictable.
He fell silent.
And then, the simulator-chan spoke once more, her tone serene:
"Honestly, I think all your worries are unnecessary, Minami."
She blinked her amber eyes—identical to Ryo Yamada's—and continued:
"Someone as intelligent as you should be able to analyze the pros and cons easily... so why hesitate at a time like this?"
She gently shook her head.
"Giving up the certain happiness of this world, this flawless life, just to return to a reality full of unknowns and imperfections... is, in itself, irrational."
"It is irrational," Minami admitted without hesitation, nodding.
"But—"
Just as the simulator-chan looked like she was about to continue, Minami interrupted her:
"That logic only applies... if I hadn't already built relationships, fallen in love with Hitori, Ryo, Nijika, Chisato... and the others."
Minami smiled, shaking his head.
He was human.
He had selfish thoughts. He had emotions.
He had self-control, but not to the point of being impervious to temptation.
Just like he had said when he first got the simulator, his goal was to study hard, get into a good college, go into business, live a smooth life, and marry a wife who could meet his every desire.
And in this world, he had achieved all of that, even better than he'd ever imagined.
"If I hadn't experienced all those simulations... I probably would have chosen this world."
Minami crouched down,
Lightly brushing his fingers against the surface beneath him where those happy images played like reflections.
Yeah...
If he hadn't been through so much in the real world, he probably would've chosen this perfect world.
But—
"It's precisely because I've gone through all of that... that I understand now—they're what matter most to me."
His voice was calm now.
"They all exist in this world too," said the simulator-chan.
"But the versions of them here... they're still not real."
Minami shook his head, firm in his beliefs.
"Once a falsehood becomes so real... is it even false anymore?"
The simulator lowered her head and gazed at the girls—Hitori, Ryo, and the others in this world. Her voice remained soft:
"They possess the same personalities, traits, gestures... It wouldn't be wrong to say they're real."
"I don't deny that."
Minami nodded.
After spending time with the Ryo, Nijika, Chisato, and Takina of this world—
He'd confirmed it.
They were exactly like their real counterparts.
Their actions, personalities, and most importantly, the way they genuinely loved him—
All of it was real.
However—
"Even if they're real... they still aren't my world's Hitori, or the girls I've come to know."
Minami finally spoke.
He didn't say much more.
But there was no hesitation in his tone.
Even the simulator-chan fell silent.
"What do you plan to do?" she asked softly.
"...Even if they're not the ones I know, their feelings for me are genuine."
Minami sighed gently:
"I want to say goodbye to them properly."
Yes...
The girls born from the nine "Hearts of Love" in this world truly loved him.
So even if they weren't the real Hitori Gotoh and the others...
Minami couldn't just disappear without a word.
...
A breeze swept the drifting clouds away.
Golden sunlight slowly poured over the ground.
Having finished cleaning up the outdoor barbeque, Chisato and Takina Shouji paused their movements.
Their eyes drifted toward their husband, who was reclining in a soft chair, eyes half-closed, seemingly dozing off.
Dressed in a light spring shirt, asleep in the courtyard, his face looked especially handsome.
Sharp facial features, deep-set eyes, and elegant brows—all together giving him an indescribable air of refined charm.
Looking at him like this,
The peace within both Chisato and Takina's hearts unexpectedly stirred.
They exchanged a glance.
As if coming to some silent agreement,
Both of them slowly leaned forward.
At the same time, two fair hands stretched out gently from either side—
Apparently intending to do something mischievous to their sleeping husband.
But in the next moment—
Clack.
Those delicate hands were caught mid-motion by their husband, who had suddenly opened his eyes.
At the same time, he flashed a teasing smile at them from the corner of his lips.
Busted.
After living with Minami for so many years,
Chisato and Takina instantly knew what that smile meant.
What awaited them next would undoubtedly be his relentless teasing and playful tricks.
After all, getting caught red-handed trying to mess with him—
They had it coming.
Both of them closed their eyes,
Bracing themselves like prisoners facing their fate, waiting for Minami's next move.
However—
Time passed.
And the playful mischief they had expected from Minami never came.
That alone made Chisato and Takina instinctively open their eyes again.
What they saw surprised them.
The man who had been resting in the chair just moments ago—
Was now already standing.
Without them noticing, he had risen quietly to his feet,
And was now slowly walking away.
His steps were unhurried,
But firm.
Resolute.
Without hesitation.
Watching his retreating figure,
Chisato couldn't help but call out:
"Minami-kun—!"
Minami's steps faltered for a brief moment. He turned slightly to look back.
"Where are you going?"
"Mm… I've got something to take care of. Just heading out for a bit."
Minami replied calmly.
"Should we save dinner for you tonight?"
Takina called after him.
"No need."
Minami answered.
Minami turned and continued walking away.
His pace was still slow, but resolute.
For some reason, watching his figure disappear into the distance,
Chisato and Takina both felt something they couldn't put into words.
It felt as if...
Once he left, he might never come back.
Driven by some vague instinct, Chisato couldn't help but call out:
"Minami-kun… will you come back?"
"..."
Minami Shouji, who had always answered her questions without hesitation—
Didn't reply this time.
He simply raised his hand from afar and waved.
That motion looked like a farewell,
And also like a quiet signal:
Don't follow me.
Chisato and Takina stopped in their tracks, hesitating to chase after him.
Even though they didn't understand where he was going, or what he intended to do—
They still didn't move.
Because no matter the time or place,
They had always respected Minami's choices.
Outside the kindergarten, Hitori Gotoh—who had just picked up their daughter Miyuki—checked the time on her watch.
She looked a little tired after the parent-teacher meeting.
But just the thought of seeing him again soon…
Brought a faint liveliness back to her gentle and slightly worn-out face.
She kept glancing at the road on both sides, watching the time.
And then—
"Bocchi."
A voice called gently from beside her.
She jolted in surprise.
Whipping her head around—
Only to find her husband had somehow appeared silently behind her.
"Huh? Minami...? How did you get here?"
Hitori was stunned.
She had been watching the roads closely and hadn't seen him coming.
It was as if Minami had just... appeared out of thin air.
"You just didn't notice. I've been here a while."
Minami chuckled softly, then reached out and lifted little Miyuki onto his shoulders.
The sudden gesture made their daughter squeal in surprise, then burst into laughter as the world shifted around her from her new, high vantage point.
"Minami..."
Hitori gave him a playful glare.
"You spoil her too much. It's just a short walk home—let her use her own two legs."
"It's fine, it's fine. Let's go."
Balancing Miyuki with ease, Minami laughed and began walking, speaking casually to Hitori.
Hearing his relaxed tone,
The gentle and obedient Hitori didn't protest any further.
She simply murmured a soft "Mm" and followed closely behind him.
The sunset cast its golden glow slowly across the street,
Stretching Minami's shadow long and deep.
Blurring the line between dream and reality.
As her husband and daughter laughed together ahead of her,
Hitori suddenly felt—
Like this moment, this joy, was somehow far away.
She didn't understand why,
But the feeling unsettled her.
Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed the hem of Minami's sleeve.
"Bocchi?"
Minami's voice floated back, slightly surprised.
"Ah—sorry. I'm fine, Minami."
Hitori lowered her head, apologizing for the sudden action.
But she didn't let go of his sleeve.
Minami just shook his head gently, smiling, and didn't say anything more. He kept walking.
The Shouji home wasn't far from the kindergarten—
About a ten-minute walk.
But to Hitori, today, those ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
It felt like just a moment ago he had come to pick them up and now, the three of them stood at the front door.
Still carrying the now-sleeping Miyuki, Minami had no hands free.
So Hitori stepped forward, pulled out the keys, and opened the door.
"Minami, the door's open—eh?"
Before she could finish her sentence,
Minami had already handed over the peacefully sleeping Miyuki into her arms.
"Minami...?"
Hitori looked down at the child in her arms,
Then up again at Minami, who remained standing outside—
Not making a move to come in.
"I'm sorry, Hitori. There's something I need to take care of... alone."
"Something to take care of...?"
Hitori Gotoh looked at her husband, who was smiling gently before her.
But the strange feeling in her heart only grew stronger.
She wanted so badly to say, "Let me go with you."
But when the words reached her lips, she couldn't speak them aloud.
Because Minami had said, "I need to handle this alone."
And so, the only thing she could do now was...
"Then... safe travels, Minami-kun."
"Mm."
Minami replied with his usual warm smile.
At the doorway, Hitori reached out and gave him a firm, heartfelt hug.
And then—
She stood by the door, watching his figure gradually disappear into the light of the setting sun.
She didn't stop him.
She didn't say anything more.
She just did what she'd always done—
Trusted Minami Shouji.
Trusted the choice he made.
At that same moment—
Akane Shinjo was on the set of her tokusatsu project, arranging casting details.
Her brows were furrowed.
She didn't know why...
But all day, she had felt uneasy.
It was a strange kind of tension, and it left her uncharacteristically clumsy, even in her usual element.
Frustrated, she halted the set preparations and stepped away to the rooftop to cool her head.
She wanted to feel the breeze, hoping it would calm her nerves.
Pulling out her keys, she unlocked the rooftop door.
As the golden sunset poured across the sky, she had barely taken two steps—
When she saw a familiar silhouette already standing there.
"Minami-kun?"
Her voice carried a hint of surprise.
Akane stepped closer:
"What are you doing here?"
She had indeed given Minami a copy of the studio rooftop key.
But he wasn't scheduled to come by today.
And even if he were—
He would normally contact the staff first, and then meet her through official channels.
Why was he here now, out of the blue?
But the moment she saw him raise a hand and wave at her—
All of her confusion faded.
"Minami-kun."
She jogged over to him.
Gone was the commanding director who reigned over film sets.
Standing before Minami now, cheeks faintly pink, was simply Akane Shinjo—the loving, devoted wife.
"I happened to be nearby," Minami said with a small laugh.
"And suddenly, I just really wanted to see you."
Maybe it was the way the sunset gleamed in her eyes,
but Akane couldn't quite read the expression on his face.
She simply nodded and teased gently:
"Is that so? You're such a child sometimes, Minami-kun."
To think he'd come running over just because he missed her...
It was a childish excuse.
But...
This wasn't so bad after all.
Akane, already frustrated by the hiccups on set, found a small measure of comfort in Minami's presence.
With him here, she finally had someone to confide in and lean on.
She began venting about recent troubles on set and her persistent feeling of unease today.
The pile of worries weighed on her, making her feel unusually agitated.
"If it's you, Akane, I know you'll handle everything just fine."
Watching his flustered wife, Minami smiled and gently reached out, softly stroking her head.
"What are you saying, Minami-kun... I'm not a kid, okay? Saying things like that—it's just..."
Akane's cheeks flushed red at the sudden gesture, muttering her protest.
But that was only on the surface.
Because the moment Minami placed his hand on her head, the slight pout on her lips turned into a smile she couldn't hide.
They stayed close on the rooftop for a little while longer.
Eventually, Akane stepped out of Minami's embrace and gave him a playful wink.
"Minami-kun, I need to head back down. The set's still waiting on me to finish organizing things."
"Ah… alright."
Minami nodded with a gentle smile.
Maybe it was just her imagination but Akane thought that smile, under the setting sun, seemed distant somehow.
She shook her head lightly.
Then looked at him seriously.
"When I'm done with this scene, I'll come back up, okay? Wait for me just a little bit longer, alright?"
"That might be difficult. I've got something else I need to take care of."
Minami shook his head with a smile, brushing her hair once more.
"But I'll always be cheering you on, Akane."
"...Will you?"
Listening to his words,
Watching him smile—
Akane suddenly felt a deep reluctance to return to work.
She just wanted to stay with him. Beside this man. Her husband.
But she couldn't.
The Shinjo Tokusatsu Project wasn't just her dream—
It was also a hope Minami had entrusted her with.
She couldn't give that up.
And the deeper meaning in Minami's words… made it clear she wouldn't be able to make him stay.
Just like he had always stood behind her—
She wanted, just once, to be the one to support him from behind.
"I understand, Minami-kun."
She didn't say anything more.
She simply grasped his hand tightly for a long moment before turning around and walking toward the rooftop door.
She told herself not to look back.
But just as the door was about to close—
She couldn't resist glancing through the narrow gap one last time.
And saw him there.
Standing on the rooftop, gazing quietly upward at something far beyond.
Elsewhere—
Kita , Satou, and Rio Shouji were all exhausted.
They had met just after the book signing event.
At the time, Kita had helped Satou finish with the last fan in line.
The two, dragging their weary bodies out of the shopping center, stumbled along the sidewalk.
What they didn't expect was that Rio, who had just finished submitting her lab data nearby, happened to cross paths with them, about to hail a ride home.
All three of them, worn out to the bone, decided without hesitation:
Let's stop by the nearby café for a quick break.
Just a warm drink, a moment to breathe before heading home.
With that settled, they began walking together toward the café.
But the closer they got, the more distorted and winding the road seemed.
And then, out of nowhere—
A thick fog began to spill over the path to the café, slowly swallowing the street.
"...What the heck is going on?"
Kita blinked and looked around in surprise.
The entire street had vanished into the white mist without them noticing.
The buildings on either side were gone.
Even the streetlights had disappeared.
Only the faint glow of the café's sign flickered ahead.
The scene was so eerie, so unreal, that all three women froze in place.
They exchanged glances, unsure of what direction to move.
And then—
A steady voice echoed from ahead, near the café.
"Rio, Kita, Satou… over here."
The three looked up instinctively.
And saw Minami Shouji standing at the café entrance, bathed in the soft golden light.
"Minami-kun...?"
Though they were a little surprised by why Minami Shouji was in a place like this,
The three women exchanged glances, then quickened their pace toward him.
And the closer they got, the more they felt an indescribable warmth rising around them.
By the time they were standing directly in front of Minami,
The cold dampness of the surrounding mist had completely vanished.
Their bodies felt warm from head to toe.
And standing before them,
Minami gave them just one look before breaking into a smile:
"What happened to the three of you? You look like a mess."
Indeed, Satou, Kita, and Rio were in no great condition.
Each of their faces bore clear signs of exhaustion.
Kita was still relatively fine—after all, she'd only been helping Satou manage the line at the signing.
The truly worn out one was Satou.
At the book signing alone, she must've signed several hundred books—her wrist still barely able to move.
But Rio had it the worst.
She wasn't just tired—dark circles hung clearly under her eyes.
She must've burned herself out over the past few days of research and deadlines.
Looking at the three of them, so drained and sluggish,
Minami couldn't help but feel both amused and deeply sympathetic.
He sighed and shook his head helplessly.
"Finish your coffee and then all three of you head home, alright?"
With those words, he suddenly reached out and gave them each a firm push forward.
Startled by the unexpected gesture, the three of them turned around.
Only to see Minami standing alone in the thick mist behind them,
Waving gently.
And then—
"Excuse me, ladies—your coffee is ready."
The waiter's voice rang suddenly in their ears.
And just like that, the three of them opened their eyes.
They glanced at each other, confused and wide-eyed.
Then Kita murmured in disbelief:
"Did we... just fall asleep?"
"...Yeah, I think so," Satou nodded slowly.
"It felt like we dreamed about Minami-kun..."
"But... we didn't even place our order, did we?"
Rio furrowed her brows in confusion.
She couldn't make sense of that dream.
She vaguely remembered them sitting down at the café, too exhausted to stay awake—
And the next thing they knew, their coffees had arrived, unprompted.
"Ah, about that," the nearby waiter said with a smile,
"While you three were resting with your eyes closed, a young man with black hair came over, placed your order, paid for it, and then quietly left."
He added a polite "Please enjoy," and turned to walk away.
"...Was that... Minami-kun?"
Kita stared at the three cups on the table, whispering softly.
"...It must've been him," one of them said.
Rio let out a sigh. "Ugh, pulling this mysterious nonsense again... I'm giving him a proper lecture when I get home."
"...But still," Satou murmured, "That moment when Minami-kun waved at us at the end—what do you think it meant?"
She recalled the final image from the dream, Minami standing in the mist, smiling and waving goodbye.
Even though it had only been a dream, Everything had felt far too real.
As if Minami had truly entered their dreams, and... quietly said goodbye.
At that thought, the three girls looked at one another.
None of them spoke right away.
Elsewhere, in the Shouji home—
Nijika, who had been resting in bed, and Ryo, who had been putting the children to sleep and dozed off herself. Also woke up at nearly the same moment, blinking in silence.
Both slowly turned to look at the ceiling above them.
"Minami-kun..."
They whispered in unison.
...
In the simulated mental space—
The simulator-chan looked at Minami, who had returned to stand before her once again, and asked:
"...Is that enough?"
"Everything that needed to be done... is done," Minami replied calmly.
"You really won't reconsider staying?"
She blinked slowly and spoke again.
"After your goodbyes... you must know now. These girls—Hitori, Ryo, the others are all just as real, just as full of true love. Staying here, or returning to the outside... there's barely any difference."
"I know that."
Minami nodded.
This perfect world, constructed from 'Hearts of Love' and all the accumulated simulation data. The girls who lived here… were real, in their own right. One could say they existed along a separate, authentic worldline.
However—
"Their real selves... are still waiting for me back in reality."
Minami's voice was firm.
There was no hesitation in his words.
His decision had already been made.
"...I see. I understand."
The simulator-chan said no more.
As she had stated before, she had no right to interfere with the host's choices.
But still, there was one final thing she had to remind him of—
"As I said earlier:
If you cannot accept the perfect, happy world built for you by the Love Simulator—
then the Love Simulator will be unbound once you make your final choice."
Yes...
The Love Simulator existed solely to create a complete, blissful reality for its host.
By rejecting that world, It ceased to serve its original purpose.
Which meant, as soon as Minami left this space and returned to the real world,
The Love Simulator would be permanently deactivated and unbound.
"I understand that."
Minami nodded without hesitation.
But—
"Before that...
Can I use up the rest of my Heartthrob Points first?"
Minami glanced at the 4500 Heartthrob Points remaining on his interface and asked one last question.
With 4500 points, he could exchange them for five full doses of [Universal Recovery Pill].
It would be a waste not to use them.
Naturally, he had to ask.
"...Minami-kun."
The simulator-chan wearing the face of Ikuyo Kita sighed softly.
She hadn't expected Minami to try and squeeze out a last-minute advantage, even at a time like this.
But—
"As long as the simulator is still bound to you, you're free to exchange points for items."
Fulfilling her duties as a simulator, she answered without hesitation.
"Then please convert all 4500 Heartthrob Points into [Universal Recovery Pills]."
"Conversion complete."
As soon as Minami finished speaking, the simulator-chan responded promptly.
At the same time, Minami felt the unmistakable weight of new items appear in his hand.
He gave a satisfied nod.
Then he lifted his gaze, looking at the simulator-chan before him.
At this point, there was no need for more words.
He simply raised his hand,
And waved.
"Goodbye."
That's probably what he mouthed.
Then—
He gave a small, thankful nod toward the simulator floating in the air before him.
Yes.
Gratitude.
Regardless of why the simulator had attached itself to him, It was thanks to it that he had met, known, and fallen in love with those nine girls.
That alone—
Deserved his sincere thanks.
Whether or not the simulator accepted that gratitude,
Minami didn't know.
As he turned and stepped toward the departing gateway of light, he glanced back one last time.
There, where the simulator had stood,
Now stood nine girls—
All with the familiar faces of Ryo Yamada, Hitori Gotoh, and the others.
Their expressions were kind, bashful, warm, bright…
When they noticed Minami looking,
They simply smiled and raised their hands—
Waving.
No words.
No extra gestures.
Just waving hands.
Like a farewell.
Or perhaps... a blessing.
A Shinkansen sped through snowy plains on its way from Tokyo to Akita Prefecture.
Minami felt as if he had been dreaming for a very, very long time.
And when he finally awoke—
What greeted him were the concerned faces of several girls shaking him gently.
Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue from LycoReco.
The four girls from the band.
The trio from Shuka High...
And even more behind them, squished into the narrow aisle.
"Did you have a bad dream, Minami-kun? You were mumbling something in your sleep just now… we couldn't make out what you were saying."
A worried voice called out.
It was Nijika Ichiji, leaning in to check on him.
Yes—
Minami's strange behavior had startled all of them.
He'd fallen asleep and started whispering softly to himself without explanation.
"Did you not sleep well last night, Minami?"
Hitori Gotoh moved closer, asking with concern.
And she wasn't the only one.
Just from the gentle attention around him, Minami could feel the warmth of their eyes.
"...No. It's nothing, really."
Minami Shouji smiled and shook his head, dismissing the girls' concerns.
He then sat by the window, gazing at the winter scenery, staring into the distance for quite a while before softly muttering to himself:
"It was just a dream, a dream that felt so far away."
"Alas.. it was just a dream," he continued.
Chisato Nishikigi took Minami Shouji's hand: "Honestly, get a grip. Minami-kun, aren't we about to meet your parents, and your older sisters?"
She said it with a cheerful smile.
That smile seemed to melt the coldness of winter.
Minami Shouji couldn't help but stare for a moment, a little dazed.
He instinctively turned his head to look at the other girls.
Gotoh Hitori, embarrassed by Chisato Nishikigi's bold words, couldn't keep her eyes open.
Yamada Ryo had a casual, indifferent expression.
Akane Shinjo, Ikuyo Kita, and Nijika Ijichi were already discussing what gifts to give after meeting Minami Shouji's family.
Satou Matsuzaka and Futaba Rio simply gazed at him quietly.
Inoue Takina didn't say anything, but handed him a pair of warm gloves.
Yes...
Just as Chisato Nishikigi had said.
It was just a dream.
That dream had ended.
So...
"Akita Station has arrived. Akita Station."
With the sound of the train coming to a stop, under the gaze of all the girls,
Minami Shouji stood up and extended his hand to them.
"Let's go."
"Mm!"
A hand grasped his.
With nine people scrambling, Minami Shouji couldn't tell whose hand had grabbed his in the end.
But it didn't matter anymore.
Because although this was the end of the train journey,
It was only the beginning of his journey with them.
The road to love with them starts now, without end...
And it will never stop.
FIN