Chapter 44: Twisting Like a Maggot

Miss Yamada really has it rough.

Seeing the Yamada Ryo route card—the first time a strategy option had appeared—Minami couldn't help but sigh.

Every time, she loves with all her heart. Every time, she is left heartbroken.

Other than a brief appearance in the zero-score simulation of the first playthrough, every other simulation had ended in deep regret.

Was it because Miss Yamada had always been a runner-up, and even the simulator could no longer bear to watch?

Minami shook his head.

Thinking too much about it wouldn't change anything.

He shifted his gaze away from Yamada Ryo's IF route card.

A simulation had just ended, and the memories embedded within it were still weighing heavily on his mind.

He decided to digest the memories from the previous simulation first before worrying about Yamada's route.

Instead, he turned his attention to the system rewards granted after the simulation.

"'Bocchi's Happy Cooking Skills'?"

Minami murmured to himself.

The "Bocchi" in the name likely referred to Shouji Hitori, who had taken his surname after marriage.

But what was with the "Happy Cooking Skills"…?

Deep in thought, Minami opened his personal panel.

[Love Simulator]

[Bound User: Minami]

[Appearance: 9 | Athletics: 6 | Academics: 8 | Skills: Cooking (Happy) LV4, Studying LV4, Music LV2, Self-Discipline LV1]

[Simulator Evaluation: A promising young man whose charm makes him highly sought after among women of all ages—including certain men with rather unique preferences.]

A new LV4 skill had appeared.

Previously, the only LV4 skill Minami had was studying. But now, out of nowhere, "Cooking LV4" had been added.

But why did it have a "Happy" tag attached to it?

Closing the personal panel, Minami refocused on the skill description.

[Bocchi's Happy Cooking Skills]

A simple bowl of rice, a plain bowl of miso soup, a not-too-complicated rolled omelet, and a perfectly grilled fish—this is the taste of home that belongs only to her.

Cooking for someone, learning for someone, and putting your heart into making a meal for someone is, in itself, an act of happiness. The love in one's heart can make a meal taste like pure bliss. Perhaps you've already forgotten what the happiest meal of your life tasted like when you were young and carefree.

Any dish you make will remind people of the happiest moments in their lives.

"Oh, wow."

Minami picked up his "Life Regret" guitar from the case beside him and reread the description of "Happy Cooking Skills."

It was both uplifting and incredibly melancholic. Was this some kind of curse?

This Love Simulator really seemed determined to push him down an irreversible path.

"Might as well give it a try."

Minami stood up and took a look inside his small fridge.

For the longest time, to maximize his study efficiency, he had been surviving on convenience store bentos, heating them up in the store's microwave.

But after reading the simulator's note about how prolonged consumption of convenience store food was unhealthy, he had finally started buying fresh vegetables and meat to stock his fridge.

Though his financial situation was tight, his body was his own. He couldn't let his health deteriorate just because of his studies.

A quick scan of the fridge showed that he had enough ingredients.

At the very least, making a homemade bento for school tomorrow wouldn't be a problem.

"Sigh, once I get better at guitar and start making money from online videos, I won't have to be so frugal anymore."

Closing the fridge, Minami thought about his long-planned money-making strategy.

In the simulation, he had earned his first paycheck from monetized videos of his band's performances.

If it worked there, then logically, it should work in real life too.

But before that—

"I need a test subject to taste this first."

The memory of how the "Regret of life: Guitar" had plunged him into days of depression was still fresh in Minami's mind.

Even if this time it was called "Happy Cooking," there was no telling what strange effects it might have.

This Love Simulator was full of weird and unpredictable twists, after all.

Now, who should be the first unlucky test subject?

Minami didn't have many friends at school. He had always prioritized studying and discipline over socializing.

After a moment of thought, he quickly settled on a candidate.

Casually pulling out his phone, he opened LINE and scrolled until he found a profile with a guitar icon and the display name "Probably Dead".

Tokyo's #1 Pretty Boy: Gotō-san, are you there?

He set his phone down and waited.

About a minute later, he got a reply.

Probably Dead (Gotoh Hitori): Eh? Umm, Minami-senpai... Do you need something?

Tokyo's #1 Pretty Boy: I recently started cooking at home. Since eating convenience store food all the time isn't very healthy, I made a bit too much by accident. Are you free tomorrow at lunch? I'd like you to help me taste-test it.

[System Notification: You have acquired the skill 'Lying LV1']

Minami glanced at the notification but didn't think much of it.

Probably Dead: Eh…? Taste-test?

On the other end of the conversation, Bocchi hesitated.

Tokyo's #1 Pretty Boy: Please, Gotoh-san.

Probably Dead: T-Tomorrow at lunch?

Tokyo's #1 Pretty Boy: Yeah, do you need me to come to your classroom to get you?

Probably Dead: Absolutely not! Um… let's meet in the courtyard.

Probably afraid that a campus idol like Minami showing up at her classroom would cause an uproar, Bocchi's reaction was unusually intense.

Still, her soft and timid tone made her sound like a frightened hamster.

But Minami was completely unfazed.

After three simulated playthroughs as a married couple, he had an unshakable psychological advantage over her.

Tokyo's #1 Pretty Boy: Alright, it's settled then.

With that, he closed LINE without even checking her last reply. He needed to start planning what to cook.

Meanwhile, elsewhere—

A pink-haired girl nervously typed out a final reply.

But after sending the message and receiving no response, she anxiously played with a strand of her hair.

N-Minami-senpai hasn't replied yet…

Her soft, pale toes fidgeted, intertwining with each other.

D-Did he get annoyed with me?

She couldn't help but spiral into self-doubt.

But… if he disliked her, it would be understandable.

From tonight onwards, she had been experiencing an inexplicable sense of unease.

Strange impressions—or perhaps memories—kept surfacing in her mind.

M-Me? Married to Minami-senpai…?

Even as a fantasy, wasn't that a bit too much?

Recalling certain fragments of those memories, Bocchi buried her flushed face into a pillow on the sofa—

Her body twisted—

And twisted…

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