[You only used Mrs. Tanaka as a tool. This incident gave you a perfect excuse to distance yourself from her. As one of the Japanese who claimed to be able to read the air, Mrs. Tanaka quickly sensed your intentions, and you two became strangers.]
[Having dealt with Mrs. Tanaka, you shifted your focus back to Asano Nao. You decided on your strategy: create opportunities for Asano Nao to approach and talk to you.]
Minami Yuuki nodded. Yes, this is the approach he would take.
In romantic relationships, or rather, in all interpersonal relationships, the one who takes the initiative is at a disadvantage. The initiator cannot control the other's response, cannot be sure if the other will accept or reject.
In contrast, the passive one conserves energy, responding to action with inaction. The success of this encounter, at least for this meeting, depends entirely on him. He is in an invincible position.
[Three days later, you get an opportunity. It's a rainy day. You walk out of school, deliberately not using the umbrella in your bag, and walk home in the rain.]
The scene played out in Minami Yuuki's mind.
Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed across the sky, like a hammer shattering foggy glass, the cracks spreading rapidly.
[You walked very slowly on purpose, pretending to be melancholy. When you got near Asano's house, you stopped and leaned against a wall, head slightly lowered, watching people pass by.]
April, the spring chill lingered. Raindrops soaked his coat, seeping into his shirt, making his clothes cling to his body, feeling cool and rough, like touching a frog's skin when he was a child, very cold and harsh. The chill penetrated his skin.
Minami Yuuki sneezed. The wall, damp with rain, felt especially cold. The unpainted, rough cement surface stung his back.
He was proud of the scene he set up.
A melancholy boy soaked in rain, such a shoujo manga moment, such a straightforward scene, Asano Nao would surely rush over, right?
Minami Yuuki pretended to watch passersby and bicycles, occasionally glancing quickly, imperceptibly, clearly in the direction where Asano Nao might appear.
"Um... are you okay? You'll catch a cold like this."
A concerned voice spoke, but it wasn't Asano Nao, just an ordinary office lady.
Minami Yuuki shook his head, not responding.
Talking to such a woman would only make her think she had a chance, leading her to pester him.
The office lady tried to give him her umbrella, but he still shook his head, expressionless.
The woman, at a loss, left.
[The rain gradually stopped, but you didn't see Asano Nao. You cursed her in your heart for a long time.]
Did she not notice me at all? Or was she too timid to come over?
Tch, this is troublesome.
[You caught a cold.]
[After recovering, you started jogging at night. Every evening at nine, on the dot, you ran around the neighborhood.]
Asano Nao didn't have the courage to meet him directly, so he created indirect meeting scenarios. Minami Yuuki thought while running.
Asano Nao could pretend to be a fellow jogger and "coincidentally" meet him, or just act as a passerby, breathing heavily as he passed, greedily and perversely pursuing his scent.
[Two years passed. You gave Asano Nao many opportunities, including night runs and walking in the rain, but she never appeared.]
[Because of your persistence in running, your talent in track and field was discovered. You joined the track team and represented the school in many competitions.]
[You graduated. Thanks to your achievements in track and field, you were accepted into the top private university, Waseda University. You felt a bit regretful. If not for the time wasted enticing Asano Nao and other trivial matters, and your somewhat poor physical condition, you might have made it into the top public university, Misaki University.]
[Simulation ended.]
I failed again!
Minami Yuuki clenched his fists.
"That guy is such a shut-in. Two years, a whole two years, and she didn't show up even once?"
He picked up the water cup on his bedside table and drank the oolong tea in one gulp, still angry.
In the simulation, he looked so pitiful, yet Asano Nao remained unmoved? Does she even have a heart!
"No wonder she's such a creepy voyeur."
He muttered and looked at the simulation summary.
[Summary]
[Phase: Pursuit]
[Score: 9]
[Comment: She is too shy, you are too reserved. Your romance remained within your hearts, failing to convey a single bit to each other.]
[Result: You gained the attribute point [Physique*1]]
Attribute point?
Speaking of which, in the first simulation, I also gained "a slight amount of learning experience," but I was too engrossed in the simulation game to remember.
He put aside the matter with Asano Nao and extracted the slight learning experience first.
Many high school knowledge points surfaced in his mind. His academic ability improved.
Unexpectedly, this simulator also had such an effect.
He extracted the attribute point.
How does this work?
As soon as he had the thought, the text on the panel changed.
[Name: Minami Yuuki]
[Gender: Male]
[Title: None]
[Physique: 7](+)
[Strength: 7]
[Agility: 7]
[Charm: 9]
[Spirit: 8]
[Skills: None]
There was a plus sign behind physique. Minami Yuki clicked it, and the value changed to 8.
He stood up, moved his limbs, jumped a bit, and felt much lighter.
He walked to the mirror, seeing more color in his previously pale face.
Not bad, not bad.
He was very satisfied with the simulator's reward. Health is the foundation of everything, something money can't buy.
It would be nice to get more attribute points.
He touched his chin, which was still smooth with only a fine layer of fuzz.
He pondered the rules of the simulation settlement.
"The first simulation, I focused on studying, so the reward was learning experience."
"The second simulation, I was a sports prodigy, so the reward was physique."
"It's related to the experiences in the simulation."
Minami Yuuki was more motivated. He lay back on his bed.
Third simulation, start!
[Simulation begins]
[Remaining simulation attempts: 2]
[Simulation target: Asano Nao]
[Initial relationship: Unrequited love]
[You open your eyes...]
Skipping the repetitive opening, Minami Yuuki went straight to the next choices.
[You pick up your phone and realize you've missed class. You don't care, your goal is not studying but—Asano Nao!]
[With the experience from the previous two times, you understand you must take the initiative to capture that shy little rabbit.]
[You choose...]
[1. Climb over the wall to steal Asano Nao's underwear, showing her you're also a pervert; 2. Wait until night and sneak into Asano Nao's house; 3. Knock on Asano Nao's door, pretending to borrow something; 4. Free simulation]
The first option had its unique appeal, attracting Minami Yuuki's gaze. His right hand trembled, almost uncontrollably wanting to click it.
"Calm down, calm down. You only have two simulation chances left, you can't waste them!" Minami Yuuki tried to convince his right hand. "Besides, if you get reported for such a criminal act, the review… no, the police will come and lock you up!"
His right hand calmed down, and Minami Yuuki breathed a sigh of relief.
He chose the most normal option, option three.
[You got dressed and went to Asano's house. Unable to lure the prey's hunter, you decided to become the hunter!]
[Standing in front of Asano's house, you felt nervous. The woman who made you redo twice would finally reveal her true face! You touched your right pocket, feeling the coolness of the folding knife, then your left pocket, feeling the hardness of the alarm. You looked at the busy street, ensuring that as long as you didn't lose consciousness instantly, you could be saved.]
[You rang the doorbell of Asano's house.]