[When little Amane turned six, your husband became the school's dean of students.]
[He was quite formidable at Shuka High School. Almost no student dared look him in the eye.]
"This is completely fear based respect, isn't it?" Kita's eyelid twitched.
[That old story about him opening his eyes and blood being spilled grew more exaggerated each year, racing toward the realm of urban legend.]
[Because your daughter was born, you gave up your dream over these years.]
[The former Kessoku Band had Yamada Ryo take over as lead vocalist. She led the band to new heights.]
[Not long ago, you saw them shining on the stage of the Kōhaku music festival on television.]
[You felt no envy. Even if you were given ten thousand chances to choose, you would still choose family.]
[In a recent interview, they mentioned your name. Their voices carried a hint of disappointment, because everyone in Kessoku Band had hoped to reach the peak together with you.]
[Perhaps this would become the only regret of your life.]
A regret only in the simulation.
She would make up for it in reality, Kita thought.
[You became a full time homemaker, cleaning daily, picking up your daughter from school, waiting for your husband to come home. Life was quiet and ordinary.]
[In spring, your family went to the park to view cherry blossoms.]
[In summer, you escaped the heat by traveling to cold Hokkaido.]
[In autumn, the red maple forests seemed beautiful enough to admire ten thousand times without growing tired.]
[In winter, your daughter left tiny footprints across the snow. Her laughter filled you with happiness.]
[When Amane turned eight, due to personnel changes, Toru became vice principal. He suddenly had more time, and he gave it all to his family.]
[That year.]
[Kitahara Amane still hadn't overcome her fear of ghosts. She slept with her father every night. She said there was a ghost under her bed waiting for her to fall asleep so it could crawl out and eat her.]
[This was a lie.]
[Amane stopped being afraid of ghosts long ago.]
[She was simply using this excuse to monopolize her father and push her mother out.]
[This family belonged to her and her dad. And you, this strange woman, had to be removed.]
So that's how it is, Kitahara Amane?
Just you wait.
In reality, once she married Toru kun, she would give birth to this child the following year.
And she would spank her until her backside blossomed.
Kita made her resolve.
Such rebellious, father stealing daughters needed strict punishment.
[Toru felt helpless. His daughter had already reached the age to sleep in her own room. This couldn't go on forever.]
[Later.]
[To counter his clingy and adorable daughter...]
[Your husband created a set of Rules of the Netherworld, explaining the laws of ghosts in detail.]
[1. According to Article 241 of the Netherworld Code, harming humans while they are under blanket protection results in capital punishment.]
[2. Article 132 states ghosts may only attack exposed feet. They cannot harm good children who sleep properly without kicking the blanket.]
[3. Article 112 forbids ghosts from staying in a human's blind spot. Violators must pay a fine of 500 Nether Coins.]
[...]
[Kitahara Amane had originally stopped believing in ghosts, but after hearing her father's stories, she became terrified again.]
[That night, she hid under the blanket leaving only a tiny breathing hole. She slept like that for months.]
Well done.
Husband, well done.
[Once Amane slept alone, you and Toru could finally resume your married life.]
[Would you like to enter...?]
...
Half an hour later.
Kita's chest rose and fell as she clutched the sheets, pressing her thighs tightly together.
After turning her face to the side and taking several deep breaths, she finally regained her senses.
In this moment, she admired Gotoh Hitori even more.
...Just what kind of shameless, insatiable, filthy body did it take to satisfy Toru like that?
[When Amane turned ten, your husband resigned. The leukemia miracle drug he developed years ago had finally achieved mass production, and the patents made him so much money that he could barely hold it. Teaching had only ever been a hobby to him.]
"Hobby?"
He reached the position of vice principal at a public high school out of hobby alone?
Kita understood Toru less and less.
Or maybe, she had never understood him at all.
Everything he showed others was simply the part he allowed them to see.
Handsome, gentle, genius, divine, devoted...
"…I really want to see the filth he hides inside."
Kita's mind worked differently from other girls.
She wanted to witness the face he refused to show the world.
The frightening side he kept hidden.
[When Amane turned eleven.]
[Toru's health remained stable. His appearance had stayed the same for ten years. His snow white hair gave him a unique charm as a mature middle aged man. Young women often turned their heads to look at him on the street.]
[Whenever that happened, you would hold his arm tightly, declaring your claim.]
[Time flew by.]
[A year later, Kitahara Amane entered junior high.]
[She seemed a bit rebellious. She glared at you every day.]
[She even ran away from home several times.]
[You couldn't understand why your daughter with Toru had turned into a delinquent.]
[Later, you finally realized.]
[Amane ran away only to gain her father's attention. The moment she disappeared, he would desperately search for her.]
[But Amane wasn't foolish. Afraid of danger, she stayed at different female classmates' homes each time, clearly telling her father: I'm here, come get me.]
[Without realizing it, this strange hide and seek became a silent ritual between them. You eventually stopped caring.]
At this moment.
Kita felt she was unnecessary.
A complete obstacle between a father daughter bonding fest.
[Three years later.]
[Kitahara Amane entered high school.]
[That year, Toru's health suddenly declined...]
[In winter, he was hospitalized.]
[The doctors said his body resembled that of someone at the end of their life, with almost no vitality left. His time was near.]
[Your daughter cried in his arms for a long time after hearing the news.]
[That night, Toru showed loneliness for the first time. He had known this outcome long ago and had still chosen to face it.]
[You didn't want to cry, yet tears fell uncontrollably, dropping to the floor.]
["See? You regret it now, don't you?"]
["I don't regret it." You wiped your tears.]
["I've spent all these years trying to make you happy. But it seems it still wasn't enough." Toru's voice was indescribably gentle. "After I'm gone, you two must live well, alright?"]
[You didn't answer. You simply hugged him. Your tears soaked his collar.]
["Alright."]
[Outside the window, cherry blossoms were preparing to bloom.]
[Spring would arrive soon.]