[Chitose Kazumi took out the beer, handed it to you all. The intoxication gave her strength and courage, and she wanted to confess to you again. Before she could speak, you stopped her.]
[You picked her up and walked towards the guest room upstairs. On the stairs, Chitose Kazumi's fingers loosened their grip on your wrist.]
[After tucking Chitose Kazumi in, you returned downstairs and picked up Asano Nao.]
[Her body was stiff, her eyebrows trembling slightly. You knew she had seen what just happened.]
[You didn't expose her. You carried her to the bedroom upstairs, helped her take off her sweater, and tucked her in. As you were about to leave, Asano Nao grabbed your wrist.]
[You turned back, and Asano Nao looked at you with shy affection in her eyes. Beneath that affection was unease and apprehension. Since Asano Nao's bed was a single bed, you carried her to the master bedroom downstairs.]
[After the lovemaking, you and she soaked in the bathtub together, looking at the snow outside through the slats of the blinds.]
[The pure white snowflakes floated down to the yellow streetlights, reflecting spots of yellow, like spring butterflies dancing at dusk.]
Minami Yuuki looked at the simulation text and couldn't help but smile. Finally, it had come to this point.
Poor Chitose Kazumi, though. She didn't get into Misaki University, her confession was stopped before she could say it, and she inadvertently deepened the feelings between her crush and his girlfriend.
He thought of the real Chitose Kazumi, the girl sitting diagonally across from him in class.
Putting aside his wandering thoughts, he continued to look at the simulation panel. How would his relationship with Asano Nao progress, and what would happen to Chitose Kazumi?
And there was another significant issue to consider.
Should he use the free simulation?
He had already tried demanding the simulator to give a memory scene, but it didn't respond, so it seemed impossible.
So, if he wanted to experience this piece of text, he could only use the free simulation.
The sun had already reached the height of the window, and the sunlight pierced directly into Minami Yuuki's eyes. He placed the back of his hand on his forehead, casting a shadow over his eyes.
Better to save the free simulation for now. If things go smoothly later, there will be plenty of opportunities. If there are problems, he might need the free simulation to salvage things.
The text continued to appear on the simulator.
[To avoid embarrassing Asano Nao, you restrained your actions and gaze, not teasing her, but she was still very nervous. She blushed and ran away.]
[You soaked for a while longer, then got up and put on a bathrobe.]
[Hearing your footsteps entering the bedroom, Asano Nao hurriedly covered her head with the quilt, pretending to be asleep.]
[You wrapped your arms around her waist and confessed your feelings to her.]
[In the morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains onto your face. You opened your eyes, your arm felt empty. Asano Nao was not beside you.]
A memory scene appeared.
The warmth from last night still lingered on his fingertips, in the crook of his arm, on the surface of his skin, but Asano Nao was nowhere to be seen, causing panic to rise in Minami Yuuki's heart. He threw off the covers, stepping barefoot on the cool floor, and quickly walked to the living room.
Asano Nao was in the kitchen, wearing an apron and preparing breakfast.
Hearing the footsteps and seeing that familiar figure in the corner of her eye, Asano Nao shyly lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.
"Morning," she greeted with the frying pan.
Minami Yuuki walked into the kitchen, the cold from the tiles seeping into his body through his feet. He hugged Asano Nao, the warmth from his lover dispelling the chill.
"Wait, I'm frying eggs." Asano Nao blushed, protesting softly.
"Let our love fry them."
"No matter how you think about it, that's impossible."
"I believe in you, Sister."
"Believing in me won't help."
Asano Nao noticed the chill on Minami Yuuki. She put down the spatula and reached out to touch his arm wrapped around her shoulders.
He was only wearing a bathrobe.
"Why didn't you put on clothes?" She pried his arms away, turning to see the boy standing there in a thin bathrobe, his pale feet on the light blue tiles, veins like patterns.
"You're not even wearing shoes!" She was startled.
"It's all your fault. I woke up this morning and couldn't see you. I didn't have the heart to change, didn't even have time to put on shoes, and came out to find you."
His sincere words made Asano Nao's cheeks burn, his unusual dependence making her shy. She took off her apron, intending to give him her slippers and coat.
"No need, hugging you is warm enough." Minami Yuuki held her again, sneezing.
"Go get dressed quickly!" Asano Nao broke free.
She turned off the stove and pushed Minami Yuuki back to the bedroom. The warm air from the heater made them both feel cozy.
She pressed Minami Yuuki back into bed. "Sleep a bit more. I'll call you when breakfast is ready."
"Okay."
Minami Yuuki nodded, his gaze fixed on Asano Nao, his smile, lazy demeanor, all tugging at her heartstrings, making her heartbeat quicken.
As she turned to leave, a hand grabbed her wrist.
The scene felt oddly familiar.
Upstairs, sparrows chirped noisily on the windowsill, unsettling Chitose Kazumi.
She hadn't slept all night, replaying last night's events in her mind.
She felt embarrassed, guilty even. How could she want to confess to her friend's boyfriend?
Luckily, Minami Yuuki stopped her in time, preventing her from making such a mistake.
But now, how was she supposed to face Minami Yuuki and Asano Nao?
Since dawn, she had been agonizing over this.
Might as well confess and let the relationship break down, never seeing each other again!
She sat up, rummaging through her coat pockets, taking out the love charm attached to her keys. The red charm lay in her palm, the gold-threaded characters seeming to glow in the sunlight.
She clenched the charm in her hand, marched to the window, opened it, and threw the charm at the chirping sparrows on the utility pole.
The red charm fell onto the gray concrete, the sparrows scattering. She put on her coat and headed downstairs.
It's just drunken antics, right? Nothing to be hung up about! Anything done while drunk can be excused!
She stomped down the stairs, each step steady.
She had a plan: act dumb when she saw Minami Yuuki, pretend last night's her wasn't today's her, today's her knew nothing!
She reached the living room but didn't see Minami Yuuki or Asano Nao. The kitchen had half-fried eggs lying quietly in the black pan.
A premonition arose in her heart, leading her to the master bedroom door.
She heard the sounds inside.
[You found Asano Nao, and after a tender moment, when you both emerged, Chitose Kazumi had already left.]
[For a whole month, Chitose Kazumi didn't appear or respond to messages.]
[You were a bit worried but didn't go looking for her after much deliberation. Asano Nao was downcast, and you stayed by her side to comfort her.]