[In the real world.]
Inside a villa somewhere in Shimokitazawa, Ryo Yamada sat at her desk, checking the messages displayed within the simulator.
[Toru Kitahara caught a cold.]
Again?
To be honest, after going through two simulations already, Ryo had long become desensitized to small matters like this.
As long as it wasn't some terminal illness like late-stage cancer, a mere cold was nothing worth mentioning.
She simply refused to believe it. Three simulations, and Toru would die three times?
Normally, the odds of that happening were incredibly low...
But with the simulator's twisted sense of humor, Ryo wasn't so sure.
"Ikuyo, if something happens, you have to stay strong."
Perhaps it was because she had played the role of the loser too many times, but Ryo could easily tell which girl Toru had feelings for in each simulation.
Last time, it had been Nijika. This time, it was probably Ikuyo, the girl who spent every day by his side.
"...Piano, Chopin International Competition, dreams."
Ryo murmured those words, recalling how, during her first simulation, she had focused too much on her bass and neglected Toru.
It wasn't until after he died that she finally understood what she had truly lost.
Unfortunately, by then, it was far too late.
Yes.
People always overlook the care and affection around them, taking it for granted.
Now, Ryo could only hope that Ikuyo wouldn't repeat her mistake.
The Chopin Competition? First place?
If she lost the one who cared about her the most, would she really still be happy when that dream came true?
—
[In the simulated world.]
Inside a clean, tidy hospital room.
"You're finally awake..."
Ikuyo Kita looked at Toru Kitahara's figure before her, his expression still weak.
"You had a high fever all night. The doctor said your brain was going to burn up. I really thought you weren't going to make it."
What a brutally honest thing to say.
Toru Kitahara turned his face toward her.
"We promised we'd win the music competition together... And besides, you still haven't seen me take first place at the Chopin Competition. I can't die that early."
The moment she saw the message saying he'd been hospitalized, Kita panicked and rushed straight into the simulation world.
All night long, she stayed by Kitahara-kun's side, watching as his fever refused to break, her heart tightening in pain.
Thankfully, things were better by morning.
The fever was gone.
Toru sat up in bed, sighing. "Sorry I didn't meet your expectations."
Anyone hearing her words earlier might have thought he had one foot in the grave.
Already crying over me, huh?
If I really do die in a few years, would she cry herself sick at the funeral?
Would she lose her appetite, unable to eat or sleep...
"I'm sorry, I really am."
Kita stood up at once and bowed to him.
"It's fine, I know... cough... you're just worried about me."
A dull pain spread through his abdomen, making Toru uncomfortable.
There were many side effects to cancer, but the most obvious was a weakened immune system. Otherwise, he wouldn't have caught a cold so easily.
Now, he found himself in the same situation his wife and daughter had faced in the previous simulation...
This time, even the miracle drug couldn't save him...
Simply boosting his immunity couldn't cure pancreatic cancer.
He would have to find another way.
But with his body in this state, trying to develop new medicine would only hasten his death.
"Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere else? Should we do a full checkup? What do you want to eat? Porridge maybe? Or rice... I can go buy it for you." Kita wasn't great at caring for patients, but she at least knew the basics.
For example, he shouldn't eat anything too salty or greasy; his meals needed to be light.
"Plain porridge is fine. By the way, how long did you book this hospital room for? And where did the money come from?"
"Three days."
Kita explained, "I actually wanted to book it for a week, but the doctor said no one dies from just a fever. As for the bill, I didn't pay. One of the judges from yesterday's competition helped cover the cost and said we can pay her back next time we perform."
There really were good people in this world.
"So I really caused trouble yesterday when I collapsed in the waiting room."
Toru sighed, a little guilty. He had thought his body was strong enough not to collapse from a simple cold.
Arrogance always leads to trouble.
"Don't make that face. That judge said she was extremely impressed by your performance, she couldn't stop praising you," Kita said comfortingly.
Toru raised an eyebrow. "Of course. I'm a violin prodigy."
"Smug much."
Kita laughed lightly. "Alright, I'll go get your breakfast. Don't wander off."
Toru watched her leave the room, then covered his mouth and coughed hard several times.
He had once estimated he could live about five more years, but clearly, he had overestimated himself and underestimated the power of the king of cancers.
At his last hospital checkup, the doctor had advised him to stay for treatment, saying that with chemotherapy and targeted drugs, he might live a few more years.
But Toru had refused.
To live like summer flowers, and die as quietly as autumn leaves.
He would not wither slowly in a hospital bed. He had yet to shine in full bloom, how could he fade like autumn leaves?
It was only a pity that he wouldn't be able to stay by Kita's side until the end.
He didn't even dare to confess.
Ten minutes later~
Kita returned with a warm bowl of porridge from the hospital restaurant.
"Here, let me do it," Toru said, reaching out his hand.
He could at least still feed himself.
"I can feed you."
Kita's tone was serious. "You worked so hard yesterday. Let me repay you properly."
"...Just don't burn me."
Toru accepted her offer at once. With a cute girl like Kita-chan offering to feed him, how could he refuse?
"Ah~"
Kita blew on the spoon to cool it, then gently brought it to his lips.
Toru took the porridge in one bite, like a little dog.
So cute!
Kita felt as though something inside her had awakened, a dangerous new feeling.
No, no, I can only like Ryo-senpai.
My little heart only has room for one person...
But still, Kitahara-kun really is handsome.
After finishing breakfast amid her inner turmoil,
Kita watched him drift back to sleep, then cleaned up the trash and sat by the bedside, flipping through the sheet music for their next performance.
She had dragged him down in yesterday's competition. Next time, she couldn't let that happen again.
◇
[You noticed his care for you.]
[Toru Kitahara also noticed your care for him.]
[It seems the word "friend" can no longer describe your bond. You don't want to remain his friend K. You want to become his lover.]
Do your best.
Ikuyo Kita returned to reality, silently cheering for her simulated self.
Kitahara-kun really was wonderful. As a boyfriend, aside from his habit of lying, he had no flaws at all.
[The preliminaries ended. The next round of competition would be in January.]
[After Christmas came the New Year.]
[You promised to visit Asakusa Temple together...]