Chapter 22: She Is Buried with You (Simulation End)

Minutes after Minami Shouji knocked on the door—

It opened.

Behind it, Gotoh Hitori's eyes were red and swollen.

Without a word, Minami Shouji pulled her into his arms.

The heart, already battered with wounds, could no longer endure.

Gotoh Hitori clung to him and wept.

Her Tears Were So Faint

Even the sound of her crying was weak.

Minami Shouji gently stroked her back, whispering words of comfort—though, in truth, he spoke more as if reminiscing.

"Do you remember Kessoku Band's last performance?"

Gotoh Hitori lifted her head, her reddened sapphire-blue eyes looking up at him in confusion.

The memory of Kessoku Band had always been the deepest regret between them.

Though they both understood, they had never spoken of it.

Hearing him mention it now, she could only nod silently.

"That performance started off badly, but in the end, we pulled through together."

Minami Shouji led his wife to sit beside him on the bed. As he carefully tucked the stray strands of pink hair from her forehead, he continued,

"I thought that was the best outcome, but looking back now, maybe I was just being arrogant."

"No."

His wife had always been timid, never knowing how to comfort others. Faced with the self-reproach in her husband's voice, she could only shake her head firmly.

But Minami Shouji simply smiled and gently cupped her face.

"Thinking about it now, I regret not trusting you all more back then."

Perhaps, he hadn't needed to step in at all.

Perhaps, Kessoku Band could have overcome that challenge on their own.

His interference may have only stunted their growth.

Now, looking back—was there ever a band that was naturally destined for success?

No.

Every great band had to endure performance after performance, crisis after crisis, constantly growing and improving before they could truly make a name for themselves.

And yet, back then, what had he done?

He had taken away Kessoku Band's right to struggle, to grow.

So what if their performance had truly failed that day?

"Success is important for a band, but failure is just as necessary on the road to fame."

Minami Shouji held his wife's pale hands.

He had protected Kessoku Band from failure that night.

But for a group of girls who had longed to spread their wings and soar, his "protection" had been the very thing that clipped those wings.

So—

"I've always owed you all an apology."

Minami Shouji looked at his wife seriously.

Gotoh Hitori's face turned bright red under his gaze.

His sudden apology caught her off guard, but the fact that he was finally willing to open up about the past brought her a sense of comfort.

She clutched a pillow to her chest, hesitated, and spoke softly,

"A-shi didn't do anything wrong."

(TL Notes: She bit her tongue)

No matter what others said about Minami Shouji, she would always stand by his side.

Even if he had truly made a mistake, she would still believe there was nothing wrong with him.

And yet—she still didn't understand.

Why was he bringing this up now?

After all—

"It's too late for that."

A suppressed, pained sigh escaped her lips.

Memories of Kessoku Band's happy days flashed through her mind.

And then she looked at herself now.

She couldn't even step outside her own bedroom door.

A band… that was nothing but a fantasy.

But then—

"Maybe it's not too late after all."

A Guitar in the Darkness

In her confused and hesitant gaze, Minami Shouji pulled something out from under the bed.

It was an old, worn guitar case.

When he opened it, a pristine, natural-wood guitar lay inside.

"I bought this with my first paycheck, intending to give it to you."

Under her watchful eyes, Minami Shouji carefully lifted the guitar from its case and placed it in her hands.

"It doesn't matter if you can't go outside to play rock music. It doesn't matter if you can't leave the house or talk to others. Just live the way you want."

He tapped on his phone screen, and together, they looked at an account that hadn't uploaded a single guitar video in years.

Minami Shouji smiled softly.

"No matter what, you'll always be my guitar hero, Hitori."

The dimly lit room had no overhead lights on.

The faint glow of the phone screen cast soft illumination over them.

There was no blame.

No anger.

Only silent understanding and gentle encouragement.

Gotoh Hitori hesitated for a long time.

Finally—

She reached out to touch the guitar she hadn't played in years.

A Hero's Return

[With your encouragement, Gotoh Hitori picked up her guitar again after many years and became active online once more.]

[Though her memories of playing had faded and her skills were rusty, she rediscovered something she hadn't felt in a long time—joy.]

[She still couldn't step outside, but her online presence grew stronger and stronger.]

[To support her, you dissolved your growing studio, leaving only the marketing department intact.]

[With you by her side, constantly practicing, her guitar skills quickly returned to their peak.]

[And just as you had predicted, at her core, Gotoh Hitori was a strong person. She had never been worthless—she had just never found her purpose.]

[With your behind-the-scenes support, she soon became one of the most famous online guitarists of the era.]

[Before long, she could earn a considerable income simply by uploading videos.]

[Her title as the "Guitar Hero" was finally cemented.]

[She overcame her depression and regained her spirit.]

[At home, after you abandoned your own career to care for her, she slowly regained her energy. She stopped overthinking. Every day, she felt fulfilled. As long as you were with her, it seemed that was all she needed.]

[You and she never thought about having children. For Gotoh Hitori, who couldn't interact with people or step outside, your three-story home was the perfect world for just the two of you.]

[You let go of everything and rarely interacted with others, content to stay with her in your small world, making her smile.]

[Time stretched infinitely. You and she were no longer two separate beings, but one.]

An Ending Written in Snow

[As time passed, an abrupt drop in temperature during a snowy night took its toll. Growing older, you fell ill. Though your wife cared for you devotedly, your condition only worsened.]

[But you didn't mind. Spending your life by her side had been happiness enough. Even in your weakest moments, you whispered sweet nothings to her, making her smile through her tears.]

[Winter came. The wind and snow buried not just the silent world outside but also quietly carried you away.]

[On the day of your funeral, the wife who had never dared to stand in the spotlight, who always spoke in a timid voice, cried until she nearly collapsed.]

[Time continued to move forward.]

[She tried to live on, but in the house filled with memories of you, she often found herself calling your name, forgetting for a moment that you were gone.]

[One year later, still burdened by grief, she took the guitar you had bought for her and, with Yamada Ryo's arrangement, was buried by your side.]

[At the funeral, Yamada Ryo stood silently under a black umbrella, saying nothing.]

[Three years later, Yamada Ryo passed away. Her bass was placed alongside Gotoh Hitori's guitar.]

[As per her long-standing wish, Yamada Ryo's family buried her next to you.]

[In life, she had never been able to stand close to you.]

[But in death—she was finally by your side.]

[Simulation complete.]