[You abandoned your best friend and chose to betray her. Stand proud, you're strong.]
Ikuyo Kita: "..."
Anyway, it's just a simulation, so what's the problem?
In real life, I can still play matchmaker for Gotoh-san...
Who knows what the future holds, right?
Gotoh-san might lose completely in the simulation but win big in real life.
That's... not impossible, probably.
[In truth, Toru Kitahara never planned to invite Hitori Gotoh along, since her stamina was too hopeless. Every time she went out to play, she'd end up with sore muscles the next day and need to take time off.]
[At the end of the month, Toru Kitahara set off with you on a spontaneous trip.]
[You left in the morning and arrived in the afternoon at a campsite at the foot of Mount Fuji. A rather luxurious place, with a perfect view that let you admire the mountain up close, as if it were a personal meeting with Fuji itself.]
[The cabin you booked had a great location, surrounded by cedar forest, with a quiet lake not far away.]
[Because of the season, climbing Mount Fuji was currently off-limits.]
[Carrying the luggage, Toru Kitahara led you into the cozy cabin. He had originally wanted to climb the mountain, but after checking, he found that the climbing season only runs from July to August, when the snow and ice have melted.]
…?
Winter camping was already ridiculous, and he actually wanted to climb a mountain too.
[So, why come all the way out here to stand in the freezing wind? You couldn't help but wonder. Spending the winter snuggled up under a warm kotatsu was the normal thing to do, like those retired grandpas and grandmas with nothing better to do.]
["Because I've never tried it before, so I thought I'd give it a go." Toru Kitahara 's answer was simple.]
That reason was way too casual.
Camping wasn't a quick shopping trip. Most of the day had already been wasted on travel.
["No matter what I do, the value of today won't change. As long as I can spend a beautiful day with you, that's enough." Toru Kitahara smiled at you as he continued fiddling with something in his hands. When you looked closer, you saw it was a canvas frame.]
[You had no idea when he started learning to paint.]
[After some questioning, you found out...]
[Toru Kitahara had decided to try painting after seeing an oil painting of a Mount Fuji sunset online a few days ago.]
[It seemed this trip wasn't planned in advance, but a spur-of-the-moment idea.]
[Toru Kitahara was like a dandelion seed, always drifting somewhere you'd never expect, and somehow taking root there.]
[A few minutes later, he set up his frame, mixed the paints, and waited for the Fuji sunset.]
[Time flowed quietly.]
[Before long, a streak of orange appeared on the horizon. You, as always, took out your phone to capture the beauty.]
[Toru Kitahara slowly moved his brush.]
[An hour later, in the cold wind, with his nose reddened, he finally packed up his work. When you looked at the finished piece, you saw a crooked Mount Fuji, splashed with thick red paint for the sunset, something that looked like a toddler's doodle.]
[Toru Kitahara insisted that he was an abstract painter. You didn't have the heart to hurt his pride, but even so, your concerned gaze still stung him a little.]
Pfft…
Sorry, Kitahara-kun.
But it really was ugly.
Kita lay in bed stifling her laughter. In the simulation, 2D Toru Kitahara 's expression was just too funny.
But soon, she couldn't laugh anymore...
[Toru Kitahara was about to argue again when he suddenly clutched his stomach, his face twisting in pain.]
What's wrong?
A stomachache...?
Last summer, when they went to Enoshima, he'd had the same problem.
[Toru Kitahara recovered quickly, saying his stomach had been hurting lately, probably from staying up late and eating irregularly.]
So it's just a stomachache?
Come to think of it, Ryo-senpai also had stomach problems.
[Toru Kitahara walked to his luggage, took out some "medicine," and swallowed it with mineral water.]
Why the quotation marks around "medicine"?
Kita tilted her head.
[At night, under the starry sky, the two of you sat in front of the cabin, warming yourselves by the fire.]
[The firelight gently illuminated the small space between you. The atmosphere was soft and warm. You decided: ]
[1. Be direct and confess - "I like you, Toru-kun, please marry me!"]
[2. It's late, go back inside and sleep. Good night.]
[3. Simulate it yourself.]
Which one to choose...
Let's go with 1.
[After gathering your courage, you spoke shyly "I like you, Toru-kun."]
[The cold wind brushed a few strands of hair across Toru Kitahara 's forehead. Your sudden confession stunned the young boy for several seconds.]
Was he... shocked?
[Toru Kitahara had considered the possibility that you might confess to him, but he never imagined you'd do it now...]
[After thinking for a few seconds, he looked up at the winter stars and said he couldn't accept your confession.]
Eh?
[You were rejected.]
What?
[It felt like he was hiding something from you. You could sense that he liked you, but for some unspoken reason, he couldn't accept your feelings.]
Something's off.
Kita immediately sensed the strangeness.
[Disheartened, you asked him why. Toru Kitahara said he already liked someone else, so he couldn't accept your love.]
A lie.
Anyone could tell that based on what he'd just said, it was obvious...
[Unfortunately, you couldn't see through his lie.]
Ah! Idiot! How can you not tell?
Kita clutched her head, rolling back and forth on the bed.
So the fool was me all along?
If she'd known, she would have chosen to simulate it herself.
[As the saying goes, you won't stop until you hit the wall, you won't give up until you reach the end. You asked him again, if he already had someone he liked, who was it?]
[Toru Kitahara fell silent for a long time, then said a name you never expected...]
Who?
[Hitori Gotoh.]
Wait!
Gotoh-san?
No way.
How does a shy, introverted girl get a handsome guy's attention? She hasn't even done anything! This isn't fair!
"No, that's fake," Kita quickly realized, connecting the clues.
Toru Kitahara was lying.
But why tell that kind of lie?
What was the point of rejecting her like that?
[Yet when he said that name, there was no love, no fondness, no emotion in his eyes...]
How cruel.
If Gotoh-san ever heard that, she'd cry.
[You looked at him, and for some reason, your chest tightened painfully. You didn't want to be just a passing figure in his life. In silence, the two of you returned to your room. Late that night, you lay staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. You decided: ]
[1. Let go of your feelings and sincerely wish Toru Kitahara happiness.]
[2. Confess again tomorrow - you're no worse than Hitori Gotoh.]
[3. Close your eyes and sleep, meaninglessness.]
[4. Simulate it yourself.]
Was there even a choice?
Option 4, of course.