Chapter 197: You Have to Take Responsibility for Me!

Outside the simulation, in real life.

"I really didn't expect it to be like this."

Feeling the dramatic turn of events in the simulated life,

Minami sighed.

At first, he thought he had already figured out the root cause of Futaba Rio's complicated personality.

But he never imagined that there would be more layers beneath it.

A deep desire for friendship, yet anxiety when her friends entered relationships.

Afraid of being abandoned.

Without a doubt, it was an extremely selfish way of thinking.

But at the same time, her self-loathing didn't just stem from her own body issues.

It was also fueled by guilt, for harboring such selfish thoughts.

And then there was her unhealthy obsession with "being needed."

So then...

"What happens next?"

Staring at the simulation screen, watching himself holding Futaba Rio's hand,

Minami murmured to himself.

[Your suspicions were correct.]

[Futaba Rio has never truly liked anyone romantically.]

[She is simply obsessed, almost pathologically—with the feeling of "being needed."]

[Self-loathing, self-hatred, isolation, yet a desperate longing for companionship…]

[All of these contradictions make up the person that is Futaba Rio.]

[After 'losing' two friends in a row, she can no longer bear the thought of 'losing' you too.]

[Although you had expected this, you never imagined she was this fragile, so much so that even a brief period of neglect would leave her so anxious.]

[You sigh deeply at how troublesome this woman is, but in the end, you still reach out and grasp her hand.]

For someone who had never been this close to a boy before,

She immediately froze up like a startled hamster.

But when her eyes met yours.

Those clean, sincere, unwavering black eyes.

She slowly calmed down.

Yet, the hands that you had never seen tremble before, were now shaking nervously in your grasp.

"I'm a selfish, self-loathing woman."

She turned her head to the side, silently sobbing.

"..." Minami looked at her but said nothing.

He simply reached out and pulled her into his arms.

[Her figure—graceful and breathtaking like Mount Fuji in winter—pressed tightly against your chest.]

If this had been any other day,

She probably would have been flustered and resisted such an intimate gesture.

But now—

She said nothing.

No one knew how long they stayed like that.

In the empty science prep room,

Futaba Rio's voice eventually broke the silence.

"You shouldn't have become my friend, Minami."

"A friend as beautiful as Rio, who also makes amazing coffee."

"I don't think any guy would refuse that."

Minami blinked, teasing:

"And now you want to get rid of me? Too late."

"That's not what I meant."

Her golden eyes lowered.

Even with her full chest pressed against his,

She didn't seem to care.

"I just... hate myself."

"I hate that I want my friends to stay the same forever."

"I hate that I don't want you all to move forward."

"I'm selfish."

She kept insulting herself.

Her face was filled with self-disgust.

Her expression pained.

Minami took all of it in.

And then—

He finally spoke.

"Rio, do you remember the girls who were badmouthing you when we first met?"

"...Yeah."

Of course she hadn't forgotten.

Those girls who had slandered her behind her back.

But what puzzled her was, after that day, she had barely heard any more rumors about herself.

Those girls never whispered about her in the hallways again.

"Actually, after that... I went and talked to them."

Minami reached out and wiped away the tears from her face.

The moment his fingers touched her skin,

She visibly flinched, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Her eyes, hidden behind her glasses, shut reflexively in embarrassment.

[But deep inside, her emotions surged in response to your words.]

"Let's just say... I 'bullied' them a little."

"Made sure they'd never have the guts to talk badly about anyone again."

Minami blinked, leaning in slightly.

"Now you know what kind of villain I am, don't you?"

"I pretend to be a model student, but deep down, I'm no different from those girls."

"No... Minami, you're not like that."

Hearing him criticize himself,

Futaba Rio felt a sudden, strange pain in her heart.

"No, it's true."

"That's the side of me I keep hidden."

Minami clapped his hands together, smiling playfully.

"When someone annoys me, I deal with them. I'm just that petty—"

Before he could finish—

A pair of slender, pale fingers gently pressed against his lips.

Futaba Rio stopped him from speaking any further.

She didn't want to hear Minami belittle himself.

Her soft gaze made Minami chuckle.

He reached out and gently stroked her hair.

He didn't continue the conversation.

Instead, he shifted the topic.

"Rio, you've said before, right?"

"That you hate yourself."

Minami smiled at her.

"But honestly, I kind of like you."

He wasn't joking.

One by one, he listed his reasons.

"Talking to you is fun."

"Seeing you focus so seriously on your experiments is pretty nice too."

"And sometimes... I get this feeling—"

"That just staying by your side, not going anywhere... would be really nice."

Those words, so close to a confession,

Made Futaba Rio's face heat up.

Like a powerful wave, they washed away all of her previous anxieties.

She hesitantly whispered:

"But there are still people... who think I'm weird."

"If you're always with me, Minami, you..."

"This is between you and me."

"Why should we care about what other people think?"

Minami softly cupped her cheek.

This was no longer something a 'friend' would do.

But against Minami,

The cold, logical, and withdrawn science girl

Had already shed her defenses.

She didn't resist.

She didn't even know how to resist.

All she could do—

Was press her body closer to his.

Nothing more.

In the quiet morning of the science prep room,

Aside from the sound of their beating hearts,

There was no other noise.

[Your well-crafted words stirred up the girl's emotions, her sympathy, her innocence. Helping her momentarily step out of her darkness.]

[And through this experience, you realized just how fragile she truly was.]

[To prevent this from happening again, you decide—]

[This choice will have life-changing consequences.]

[1. Take an active approach! Push her forward—force her to make new friends!]

[2. This woman is too much trouble! Forget it! Oh, Yamada Ryo just messaged me on LINE—I'm replying to her!]

[3. She needs you right now. Stabilize the situation first, then figure out how to help her grow as a person.]

[4. Simulate it Yourself!]

"A choice with life-changing consequences?"

Seeing the warning text, Minami straightened up.

Having gone through so many simulations,

He knew exactly what this meant.

At best—his whole plan could collapse.

At worst—he could fail completely.

That's the weight of a 'long-term consequences' choice.

Minami analyzed the options carefully.

First, he immediately eliminated Option 2.

Obvious trap.

Choosing that would 100% throw him onto the Yamada Ryo route.

That left Option 1 and Option 3.

Since this was a simulation about Futaba Rio's happiness,

Forcing her to make friends in Option 1 seemed too harsh.

Her isolation wasn't something that happened overnight.

So expecting her to change overnight was just as unrealistic.

Would forcing her to make friends really fix things?

Minami doubted it.

Option 3 seemed like the safer bet.

But considering how often the simulator tricked him into picking the wrong 'safe' option...

He hesitated.

In the end, he thought about it from his own perspective.

If it were him, what choice would he make?

The answer came quickly.

Minami chose Option 3.

Compared to the risky and forceful approach of Option 1,

Option 3 was clearly the more balanced, thoughtful choice.

The simulation continued.

[You decide to accept her as she is.]

[Because she needs you so much that any other action might only make her feel more insecure.]

[After what happened last time, your relationship with her has grown even closer.]

[During lunch breaks, she always prepares coffee in advance—carefully adding just the right amount of sugar and milk, exactly how you like it.]

[And as she watches you take your first sip, her delicate face softens with a warmth unlike any other.]

[Sometimes, she even makes you a homemade bento.]

[Other times, when you're lost in thought, she secretly reaches out—her fingers timidly wrapping around yours.]

[Yet the moment she realizes what she's done, she immediately flusters—hiding behind her notebook, covering half her face, unable to meet your eyes.]

[She begins to enjoy coming to school every day.]

[It no longer feels like an exhausting struggle.]

[Her once monotonous days are no longer dull.]

[Because now, she knows that no matter what, you will always be there.]

[And with her rigid "science girl" persona slowly crumbling away, she becomes completely obedient and gentle toward you.]

Minami closed his eyes.

Memories from within the simulation surfaced in his mind.

Futaba Rio, pretending to read her physics textbook, but secretly stealing glances at him.

Futaba Rio, delicately grasping his hand, only to become embarrassed and immediately withdraw.

Futaba Rio, standing by his side in front of others, no longer afraid of their judgment.

The once isolated, withdrawn girl—

Had started to change.

[You have undoubtedly carved out a place in her heart.]

[One afternoon, you confessed to her.]

[It was the first time she shed tears, not out of sadness, but from something else.]

Ripples spread across the memory.

Scenes surfaced.

It was a perfectly ordinary afternoon.

After finishing the bento Futaba Rio had prepared for him,

Minami let out a satisfied sigh.

Meanwhile, Futaba, who had been stealing glances at him throughout lunch.

Gently flipped open her physics textbook.

The next moment—

With a casual tone, as if he were simply asking about tomorrow's lunch,

Minami spoke.

"By the way, Rio, be my girlfriend."

Futaba Rio, who was already completely obedient to Minami.

Didn't even process what he said.

Thinking he was still talking about food,

She nodded absentmindedly in response.

"Ah, sure."

The words left her lips.

Then, a second later—

—Wait…?

What…

What did Minami just say?

Her pale fingers froze, halting mid-page turn.

Her golden eyes widened in shock as she lifted her gaze—

Only to see Minami smirking playfully at her.

"M-Minami…? Just now, you…"

Her voice was filled with disbelief.

But before she could even finish,

Minami spoke again—this time, more clearly.

"I said, let's date."

"Be my girlfriend, Rio."

"B-but…?"

The unexpected joy—

It left Futaba completely flustered.

Her face was a mix of shock, confusion, and overwhelming emotion.

"What's so surprising?"

Minami teased.

"I get to eat delicious bentos every day."

"Drink the best coffee."

"I don't even have to wash my lunchbox."

"Rio, you've completely spoiled me rotten."

Before she could react—

Minami wrapped his arms around her from behind,

Holding her petite yet curvy frame close.

His lips brushed near her ear,

His voice carrying a playful, mischievous edge.

"Don't you think…"

"You should take responsibility for me?"

"..."

She knew his words were completely backwards.

But still—

Her pale cheeks flushed.

Her usually intelligent, composed golden eyes—

Now fluttered shut from sheer embarrassment.

She had no way to resist Minami's advances.

She could only helplessly melt into his embrace.

"Say it. Say 'yes' to me."

His fingers gently traced along the smooth skin of her neck,

His warm breath tickling her ear as he whispered—

Softly. Commandingly.

The heat pooling in her chest,

The overwhelming mix of shyness and happiness—

She didn't know what to do with herself.

A long moment passed.

Then, finally—

She nodded.

A barely audible murmur escaped her lips.

"...Mhm."

"Say 'yes,' properly."

Minami caught her trembling hand,

His fingers intertwine with hers.

"..."

Futaba Rio.

She knew Minami was teasing her.

But completely powerless against him,

She slowly turned around.

Burying her face against his chest,

Her lips hesitantly parted.

"...Yes, Minami."

[You didn't even need to push her.]

[Everything flowed naturally.]

[Truthfully, she had already fallen into the rushing river of love long before this moment.]

[Your bond with Futaba Rio deepened.]

[You and Futaba Rio are now lovers.]