[The impending brief separation made both you and her reluctant to part; just the thought of soon being apart made you cherish the present moment even more, deepening your affection.]
[Ibuki Honoka got a new boyfriend. That young man who dropped out of high school didn't put in any effort during his school days and envied the well-behaved boys and girls who excelled. Because of his preferences, Ibuki Honoka dressed her daughter as a glasses-wearing girl.]
Sure enough.
Looking at the simulated text, Minami Yuuki thought, he had found the reason for Ibuki Yuko's constantly changing style.
As he suspected, it was because Ibuki Honoka dressed her daughter to please her new boyfriend.
Just like in the previous simulation, after he got on good terms with Ibuki Honoka and expressed his desire to marry Ibuki Yuko, Honoka immediately agreed without considering Yuko's feelings at all.
He also thought of Ibuki Yuko in a wheelchair.
Was Ibuki Honoka's boyfriend at that time into weak and sickly girls?
What a perverse fetish!
Unlike him, he just likes to be sick and let nurse Yuko touch him.
[You have bought a ticket back to Ino Prefecture. While staying with Ibuki Yuko, you relish the sweet air with her presence while also worrying about the approaching departure date.]
[On the second day of the winter break, the day before your departure, things took a turn.]
[Ibuki Honoka's current relationship seems to be going well; the boyfriend wants to take her home for the New Year, but there's not enough room at his place. Ibuki Yuko's presence became an issue.]
[Ibuki Honoka left her daughter behind, gave her a meager living allowance, and left with her new boyfriend.]
[Upon hearing this, you choose...]
[1. Take Ibuki Yuko home with you]
[2. Find an excuse to placate your parents and sister back home and stay in Misaki to accompany the girl]
[3. Stick to your original plan and leave Ibuki Yuko behind to go home alone]
[4. Free simulation]
Looking at the options, Minami Yuuki pondered.
Putting himself in that situation and considering it with simple emotions, he would definitely choose option one and take Ibuki Yuko home with him.
His family in Ino Prefecture hadn't seen him for almost a year, and it would be too much to disappoint them again.
Leaving Ibuki Yuko alone was an extremely cold and heartless choice.
However, sometimes the option that feels right doesn't lead to a happy ending.
Was taking Ibuki Yuko home really the right choice?
Minami Yuuki couldn't help but recall Asano Nao's situation, trying to find answers from past experiences.
Taking Asano Nao home was definitely a bad move; this socially anxious shut-in felt pressure from any serious matter, and the more pressure she felt, the more fragile she became.
Then, what about Ibuki Yuko?
This world-weary, petite mother seemed very natural, even a bit brazen, around Chitose Kazumi.
Such a person didn't seem like she would feel pressured by others.
Taking Ibuki Yuko home shouldn't negatively impact her emotions, but apart from inner feelings, external realities had to be considered.
For example, in the first simulation with the girl, there was an option to follow Ibuki Yuko.
He didn't choose it, and as a result, Ibuki Yuko got hit by a truck. If he had chosen to follow her, he might have saved her in time.
What negative real-world impact could taking Ibuki Yuko home have?
Minami Yuuki thought of Ibuki Honoka.
If there were external obstacles, they would probably come from Ibuki Honoka or Ibuki Yuko's long-lost biological father.
Ibuki Honoka shouldn't be an issue; in the previous simulation, she readily agreed to their relationship.
So, it was down to Ibuki Yuko's biological father?
But someone who had been absent for many years suddenly appearing shouldn't affect the girl.
Minami Yuuki thought for a while and couldn't come to a conclusion. He looked at the options and clicked the first one.
Since it was impossible to predict, he decided to follow his feelings and choose accordingly.
[You decided to bring Ibuki Yuko with you to your hometown in Ino Prefecture.]
[There were no seats left on the train to Ino Prefecture, so you bought a night flight ticket for tonight. Time was tight, so you went to Ibuki's house to help the girl pack her luggage.]
[Faced with your sudden decision, Ibuki Yuko easily accepted. She opened her wardrobe and packed her intimate clothing without any reservations about your presence.]
[The girl had very few clothes, with only two sets of casual wear to alternate between. While her outer clothes were relatively new, her inner garments were very worn out. You took her to the mall to buy new ones, silently berating yourself for not noticing sooner.]
How could you have noticed earlier?
Those clothes aren't something you usually see!
Minami Yuuki grumbled internally.
[You said it was a New Year's gift for Mama Yuko. She accepted and asked what you wanted in return.]
[You bought her a maid outfit as well, which was what you wanted.]
[In the early hours, you hauled two large suitcases into a taxi and headed to the airport. You only managed to get middle seats, so the blue skies and white clouds outside the window were out of reach, but you were each other's beautiful scenery.]
[The plane landed, and you transferred to a bus to head to your hometown, Inozumi City.]
Japan's administrative divisions differ greatly from those in China; a prefecture is above a city.
[On the bus, you called your father to wake him up, saying you were coming home and bringing a female classmate.]
[This was your mischievous delight. What could make parents more nervous than meeting their future daughter-in-law?]
[When you arrived home, it was still dark. As expected, your father, mother, and sister were awake. Even though it was early morning, they had changed into formal attire.]
[Ibuki Yuko greeted your family and presented them with gifts. Her beautiful appearance and elegant demeanor reminiscent of the Nara period greatly pleased your parents.]
[Upon learning the girl's age, they were even more satisfied.]
[Your sister, who was as tall as the new 'sister-in-law,' felt some resistance. She sat next to your mother, not speaking to you and acting as if you weren't there. When you gave her the famous artisan doll you had prepared, she was happy for only a moment before setting it aside.]
[You had to resort to your trump card: showing her the photos of the doll dressed in Ibuki Yuko's style.]
[Your doll-loving sister immediately realized that your petite girlfriend looked like a beautiful moving doll. She was tempted and slowly moved closer to Ibuki Yuko to observe her posture and features up close.]
[As dawn approached, your mother prepared a sumptuous breakfast, which you all enjoyed together.]
[After the meal, your sister wanted to take Ibuki Yuko to her room, but your mother stopped her and told you to go upstairs and rest first. Unfortunately for you, the house had plenty of rooms, so you couldn't sleep with Ibuki Yuko.]
[In the afternoon, Ibuki Yuko came to your room to wake you up, unaware that your mother was watching her.]