Chapter 23: The Guitar of Regret

[Simulation complete.]

Minami Shouji stared at those words for a moment, then picked up the cup beside him and gulped down its contents in one go.

The memories lingered in his mind—Gotoh Hitori, consumed by sorrow, following him into death; Ijichi Nijika and Kita Ikuyo burdened by regrets from their youth; Yamada Ryo, who in the end, was buried with him and Gotoh Hitori, her soul weighed down with unspoken feelings.

The slight ease he had felt moments ago was now replaced by a heavy, suffocating sense of melancholy.

After all, everything in the simulation was a possibility for the future.

He downed several more gulps of water, forcing down the lump in his chest as he ate a cheap pork cutlet bento from the supermarket.

Only then did he turn his attention to the system's evaluation.

Final Score: 70 points.

[System Evaluation: Your love for her was unwavering. You met, understood, and accepted each other naturally. As long as she was with you, her timid heart found the courage to move forward. To her, you were her entire world—too bright, too dazzling for someone as self-conscious as her. Perhaps, on your journey through life, you should have had more confidence in her.]

[Your youth was filled with regrets. After giving up on her dreams, she lived in quiet despair, timid and afraid.]

[In adulthood, you supported each other, and she gradually recovered. But you sacrificed everything—your career, your ambitions—devoting yourself entirely to her. Because of this, neither of you could truly move on. She never wanted to be a burden to you. When you passed away, she lost the will to continue and followed you soon after. Looking back on your life, it was filled with nothing but regret.]

[System Rewards: You have obtained a permanent item: Guitar "A Lifetime of Regret."]

[Your understanding of music has deepened.]

[Your music proficiency has increased. Current level: LV2.]

Another simulation, another score hovering around 70 points.

Minami Shouji fell into thought.

His third attempt had only earned him a slightly higher score than his second.

But the outcome had been predictable. This time, he had stayed with Gotoh Hitori until the very end, yet the regrets left behind were too many to count.

The failure of Kessoku Band in high school.

His decision to abandon his career, dedicating himself solely to Gotoh Hitori.

And in the end, the two of them had cut themselves off from the world, living in their own little bubble—never overcoming her social anxieties, and even dragging himself into that isolation.

Was that not just another kind of regret?

From his perspective, the score made perfect sense.

As for the music proficiency increase, it wasn't unexpected.

After all, in this simulation, he had practiced guitar from high school onward, even gaining a small reputation as a street performer. Later, he gave up everything—his career, his work—just to practice guitar with Gotoh Hitori.

Aside from her, guitar was the single biggest presence in his life during this run. By the end, his skills were probably on par with hers.

So his increase in proficiency was only natural.

Still, LV2...?

That was about the same level as Kita Ikuyo's playing back in high school—nothing to be impressed by.

To put it into perspective, someone like Gotoh Hitori, who had gained massive recognition online as the Guitar Hero, was probably around LV3 or LV4.

And LV5… That was the system's maximum rating.

Only Rock Queen Gotoh Hitori—at the peak of her abilities—could possibly reach that level.

At LV5, everything—stage presence, rhythm, technique, finger positioning—would be in a league of its own, unmatched by anyone.

So a mere LV2... Minami Shouji wasn't particularly excited.

At the very least, LV3 was necessary before he could even think about making money off his skills.

And the higher the level, the longer the experience bar. The next upgrade would only be harder to achieve.

But what interested him more was the so-called permanent item the system had rewarded him with.

Minami Shouji opened his status menu.

At the bottom, in the newly unlocked Items section, there was a small icon of a natural-wood guitar.

Curious, he tapped on it.

In that instant, he felt a sudden weight in his hands.

A guitar case—one that carried the marks of time.

"Wait… Isn't this the guitar I gave to Gotoh Hitori in the simulation?"

Staring at the all-too-familiar case, Minami Shouji froze for a moment before shifting his gaze to the system's description.

"A Lifetime of Regret" Guitar

[This is the guitar that once carried her youthful dreams. Abandoning those dreams inevitably led to regret. Even if she were to pick them up again later in life, her heart would never truly be at peace.]

[The bass leans against the natural-wood guitar. When the music begins to play, it can either be the sound of a dream that ended before it began or the sorrow of unfulfilled love that lasted a lifetime...]

[So, should one obediently follow the path others have planned for them? Or should they choose their true passion, even if it seems impossible to achieve? But life offers no second chances—whether for you or for her, life is nothing but an ocean of regret.]

[If one pours their emotions into this guitar and plays with complete focus, it will stir the deepest sadness and regrets hidden within the hearts of those who listen.]

"Huh?"

Minami Shouji frowned as he read the description.

The wording was somewhat abstract.

From his understanding, it seemed that if he played this guitar with deep emotion, its sound would resonate with people's innermost sorrow and regret.

But…

"Does it really have such a dramatic effect?"

Minami Shouji unzipped the guitar case, revealing the natural-wood guitar inside.

It looked exactly like the one he had given to Gotoh Hitori in the simulation.

Aside from that, however, it seemed like an ordinary guitar—nothing about it hinted at the so-called depressing-cloud effect it supposedly carried.

Still, he decided to give it a try.

Gripping the pick in his right hand, he pressed down on the strings with his left, recalling the simulation's tragic ending with Gotoh Hitori… and Yamada Ryo, who had spent her life waiting for him, burdened with regret.

Feeling his emotions settle into place, he gently strummed the strings.

A harsh, dry sound rang out.

Minami Shouji wasn't too concerned. After all, he hadn't connected it to an amp or any external output device—acoustic guitar strings often sounded sharp and raw when played unplugged.

He continued with bends and hammer-ons.

Given that he was only at LV2, his playing was… unremarkable at best. In fact, it was a bit unpleasant to listen to.

Letting out a sigh, Minami Shouji set down the pick.

At this level, forget about evoking emotion in others—he could barely stand listening to himself.

He instinctively moved to put the guitar away, but—

He froze.

The dry, piercing notes hadn't faded.

They lingered in his mind, reverberating over and over again.

The brittle sound, faint yet persistent, felt like a series of soft, weary sighs—filling his heart with a dull ache.

Sadness, melancholy, regret—each emotion, drawn out by the music, surged forth uncontrollably.

And with them came memories—images of people and things weighed down by sorrow, flashing through his mind like an unstoppable tide.

The warmth faded away.

All that remained was the silence within and an unbearable loneliness.

Minami Shouji found himself tearing up.

He suddenly remembered the stray dog that his aunt's friend's uncle had adopted—how it had died alone in the cold winter.

It shouldn't have ended like that.

Life was so fragile, so fleeting—he really—

Wait a second?!

Snapping out of his daze, Minami Shouji shook his head violently, breaking free from the overwhelming sorrow.

He looked down at the guitar in his hands, utterly bewildered.

"What the hell is this cursed, depression-inducing guitar?!"

(TL Notes: "What the hell is this NetEase Cloud Music Guitar?" an Alternative translation from Google TL.)