Chapter 9. Everything "seemed" to be going in a good direction

Looking at the mature woman in front of me with long pink hair, slender figure and tears in her eyes, I was a little surprised when I bumped into her while carrying a plastic bag in the convenience store.

The distance from here to the other party's location in Tokyo was well over a hundred kilometers.

How did they find him?

Minami Shouji couldn't help but start thinking.

Although he had been surviving on half-priced bento meals for a long time, his ability to think hadn't deteriorated in the slightest. After a brief consideration, he quickly understood how the other party had tracked him down.

Years ago, in order to support the newly emerging band "Kessoku," he had anonymously sent money to them—sums that were by no means small.

Anyone with a little determination to investigate could easily figure out where the transfers had come from.

Minami Shouji sighed and turned his gaze to Gotoh Hitori in front of him.

She was different from the high school version of Gotoh Hitori.

Back then, her figure had already started to take shape, but now her body had matured and become more voluptuous.

Her fair and delicate face had fully developed, with no trace of the youthful immaturity she once had—now refined and beautiful.

Her deep blue eyes were looking at him.

They glistened with tears.

Minami Shouji froze, standing there as if he had been caught cheating by his wife, unsure of what to do.

Not knowing how to define his relationship with her, he simply stood in place, waiting for Gotoh Hitori's scolding.

But the expected reprimand never came.

"This is your dinner?"

Gotoh Hitori took the half-priced bento from his hands.

Seeing the humble meal inside the plastic bag, she didn't say another word and firmly grasped his hand.

In Minami Shouji's memory, this was the first time Gotoh Hitori had been so assertive with him.

"Where are we going?" he couldn't help but ask.

"To your place. I'll cook for you."

Minami Shouji was about to respond—

But he felt the grip of her hand tighten.

"You've gotten thinner, Shouji."

The choke in her voice made Minami Shouji abandon any further words.

Before him, she wasn't the queen of the stage, conquering audiences with her masterful guitar skills.

She was still the timid, tearful Hitori.

There was no dramatic reunion, no long and passionate monologues.

They simply walked forward together.

Around them, passersby who recognized Gotoh Hitori—the nation's rock queen—shot piercing glances their way.

Feeling the weight of those stares, Minami Shouji instinctively loosened his grip slightly.

But the moment he did, he felt it.

For every bit he loosened, Gotoh Hitori gripped tighter.

Yes.

She was holding on.

And she wasn't letting go—

[Gotoh Hitori moved into your home. It was small—so small that it couldn't even compare to the room where she stored her instruments. But she didn't mind. With clumsy hands, she prepared a meal for you.]

[Noticing her struggle, you stepped forward, took the knife from her, and offered to assist. In reality, you ended up cooking the entire meal. Gotoh Hitori, slightly embarrassed, playfully hit your chest with her fist.]

[Despite years of separation, your bond hadn't faded. If anything, the distance had only made it stronger.]

[She stayed. After all these years, you and Gotoh Hitori spent the night discussing guitars and performances. Her enthusiasm, bottled up for so long, overwhelmed you.]

[Leaning against the back of the bed, you ran your fingers through her long hair, stroking her smooth back, absentmindedly responding to her questions.]

[She didn't blame you for leaving without a word. Even as the queen of Japan's rock scene, in front of you, she was still the same timid girl—willing to be held in your hands.]

[But you had concerns. After all, what happened today—her holding onto you so publicly—could be tomorrow's headline scandal. While rock musicians might not care about such things, you didn't want Gotoh Hitori's reputation to suffer.]

[Yet she was unfazed. She had long considered retiring. Years of performing had earned her an immense fortune—enough to last both of you for the rest of your lives. Even if left in a bank, the interest alone would be enough for future generations. And as for that money—hers was yours.]

[Seeing the unwavering determination in her eyes, this time, you didn't resist. You respected her decision.]

[The next day, Gotoh Hitori took you to a press conference. Before the entire nation, she announced both her retirement and her plans to marry you.]

[The shocking news sent ripples throughout Japan.]

[But she didn't care. She introduced you to the members of "Kessoku" band. Though some were reluctant to see her go, there was no resentment—only heartfelt blessings.]

[Your wedding wasn't grand. In your student days, you had few friends. The guests were limited to a few colleagues and family members. Gotoh Hitori was the same—having devoted her life to music, only her bandmates and family attended.]

[But none of that mattered. In your eyes, in her eyes, only each other existed. You were wed.]

[You and Gotoh Hitori became husband and wife.]

Finally, they had reached this point.

Pulling himself out of his memories, Minami Shouji exhaled deeply and glanced at the classroom, where the lesson had long since begun.

As the top student in his grade, he enjoyed privileges that ordinary students did not. Even if he spaced out in class, the teacher wouldn't scold him.

Today's lecture wasn't particularly challenging—something he could grasp effortlessly. He wasn't planning to listen anymore.

Because, more than the lesson itself, Minami Shouji cared more about the real-world Gotoh Hitori.

That girl, still stuck in self-doubt and fear—

How was she doing today?

For a moment, he pondered, then abandoned the thought.

With a small mental adjustment, he reimmersed himself in the simulation.

[Your married life was blissful. Just as she had said, her fortune was more than enough to sustain you both, even without working. You loved your wife deeply—just as she loved you.]

The simulator described it simply: Married life was very happy.

But if that were the case, why hadn't the simulation ended?

A subtle unease crept into Minami Shouji's heart as he continued reading.

[You both decided to have a child—to extend your happiness.]

[Everything seemed to be heading in a good direction.]

That word—"seemed"—felt unsettling here.

Frowning, Minami Shouji kept reading.

[But neither of you realized that an ominous seed had long been sown.]

A turning point.