Chapter 245: Yandere Pink-Haired Girl?
(TL music recommendation: [It's 3 am and you can't sleep | listen to this playlist to escape reality])
(TL: Any returning players here in wuwa? Imma just drop my link: R3T9AAV1351609)
...
He hauled them both to a nearby park.
Probably a residential area's park—kids playing in the sandbox, a few adults watching nearby, chatting quietly.
Seeing Minami carrying two girls into the park, passersby stared with confused, intrigued looks.
Their gazes were intense.
Most people would get uncomfortable under such scrutiny.
Even Akane and Mirai began blushing, aware of how attention-grabbing their position was being carried under his arms…
"Dad... D-Dad! Let's talk this out! Put us down first!"
Unable to withstand the blistering stares, Mirai lowered her gaze and spoke up first.
"Yeah, Minami-kun, let's talk calmly. Put us down first."
Akane also murmured, a bit embarrassed.
"Now you're embarrassed?"
Minami glanced sideways at them.
Moments ago they were at each other's throats, throwing shade like it was life or death.
And now? So obedient?
He shook his head and ignored everyone's stares, setting them on a bench and finally addressing them.
"You're her mother, you know. Why are you bickering with your own daughter?"
"Uh…"
His words were blunt.
Akane's pink lips twitched, but she didn't dare talk back.
Immediately, Mirai perked up, seeing her mom scolded by Dad.
"Dad's right! You're already a mom and still arguing with your adorable daughter? Totally unnecessary!"
She spoke righteously, eyes full of gloating delight.
But—
"And you."
Minami turned to Mirai.
"You're in your twenties. Stop bullying your younger mother. Can't you be a bit more mature?"
"Uh…"
Maybe it's true what they say—like mother, like daughter.
Both of them froze identically—mouths twitching, sneaking glances at Minami before falling silent.
Now Akane had her turn.
"Minami-kun's right! No respect for your mother at all. Such a rebellious child!"
They really were mother and daughter.
The way they ganged up on each other, flawlessly synchronized.
Hearing her mother's mocking tone nearby, Mirai looked annoyed. She was about to retort—
But the next second, Minami cut her off.
He had no choice.
If he didn't step in now, these two were about to start hurling insults again.
This mother-daughter duo... seriously...
Glancing at Mirai and Akane, Minami felt a massive headache coming on.
Look away for one second and they'd be bickering again.
He sighed, pulled out his phone, and checked the time.
"It's already 6:30, huh."
Since today was Shuka High School's mock exam day, classes ended at noon.
But after dealing with Karasawa Yuka's situation and all the bickering between Akane and Mirai, time had slipped away.
"I should head back."
With everything settled, Karasawa Yuka's health restored, Akane meeting Mirai, and his tasks for the day done.
Minami figured it was time to return to STARRY Live House.
"Okay~ Dad, I'll go back with you—"
"Huh? What nonsense are you talking?"
Before Mirai could finish, a hand grabbed her collar from behind, stopping her mid-step.
"My sweet daughter should be staying with her mother, right? My house has plenty of empty rooms."
With a smile that didn't reach her eyes, Akane leaned in.
She knew that Minami had recently rented a bigger room at STARRY Live House.
Sure, it was two or three times larger than his old room.
But it was still a single's room.
Letting this rebellious daughter share a room with Minami?
Over her dead body.
Mirai was 21—older than both her 17-year-old father and herself physically.
Letting that grown woman stay with Minami?
No chance.
Plus, the way Mirai looked at Minami was suspicious.
Like all those thirsty women out there...
"Wha…?"
Mirai's mouth fell open.
With Yamada Ryo out of the picture, she thought she'd have no problem.
Only to be blocked by her own mother.
"What's the big deal about sharing a room with Dad? We're father and daughter."
Mirai didn't back down, confident in her logic.
"What you said is technically true."
Akane didn't deny it.
Fathers and daughters sharing a room isn't inherently strange.
"But—"
Her tone shifted:
"You're 21. Sharing a room with your 17-year-old father? Doesn't that strike you as weird?"
"Age gap means nothing between parent and child. Besides, I'm still at the age where daughters need help bathing, right?"
Mirai said it without a trace of shame.
Unbelievable.
This rebellious girl!
Saying something so shameless, Akane ground her teeth.
Where did this girl get her thick skin from?
"You're too childish, Mirai. At 21, you should live independently. Like they say, young eagles only soar when they leave the nest."
Akane hid her fury behind a calm tone, throwing parental wisdom her daughter's way.
This debate, whether a 21-year-old daughter should live with her father—
Wasn't ending anytime soon.
They kept arguing, neither side backing down.
Finally, both turned their gazes toward Minami.
2X "Minami-kun! (Dad)! who's right?"
They asked in unison.
But—
"Eh…?"
Expecting him to solve things, they froze.
Because Minami had vanished.
"…." Mirai.
"…." Akane.
Mother and daughter stared at each other, speechless.
...
Minami didn't bother getting in between Mirai and Akane anymore.
After all, they're both precious to him.
He couldn't favor one side and ignore the other.
Plus, there were too many points to roast in their endless bickering.
So Minami simply chose to leave and let them squabble all they wanted.
Anyway, knowing Akane's personality, she'd never let her own daughter end up on the streets.
"Might as well head back."
As he walked toward STARRY Live House, Minami stretched his body with a satisfied sigh.
Truthfully, he was in pretty good spirits.
After all, he had resolved Karasawa Yuka's health crisis.
He'd also made up for the regret he once carried in the simulation with Akane.
That alone was enough to lift his mood.
"Let's check my Points."
He raised his hand slightly and glanced at the simulation interface that appeared before him.
The once-depleted Points had now increased—
570 points.
This sudden rise didn't surprise Minami.
After all, Karasawa Yuka had already spilled the beans about him and Mirai to Akane.
Knowing her personality, she might have acted like nothing happened on the surface—but internally, there must've been some emotional waves.
"570P, huh…"
Minami murmured.
Spending 900 AP to redeem a Universal Cure Pill and gaining back 570 AP—
Yeah, not bad at all.
If he did a few intimate, couples-only things with Hitori, he'd quickly gain enough P for two more simulations.
Perfect!
Absolutely perfect!
Minami was quite pleased.
However—
"There's no one to simulate with right now."
He rubbed his chin.
Yeah.
Since simulating with Futaba, he hadn't received any system prompts.
No hints about new simulation targets either.
He couldn't just do Hitori again into the simulation, right?
That'd be utterly unrealistic.
No—
There was probably a deeper reason.
Minami shook his head.
With the entire Kessoku Band, LycoReco's Chisato and Takina, Akane, and Futaba…
That's already a huge lineup.
Adding even more simulations…
Heh…
There might come a day when he dies in bed during a simulation.
Way too many people to take care of.
He couldn't just keep redeeming Universal Recovery Pills forever, could he?
Sigh…
Minami sighed, pulled out his phone, switched the camera, and pointed it at himself.
"A boy as talented and perfect as you has so many burdens—but it's okay. You can handle it. After all, you're the world's most handsome man."
Speaking this absolute truth to the camera, Minami contentedly put his phone away.
No simulation targets for now.
Akane's situation resolved.
All that's left was to focus on Kessoku Band's tutoring and their upcoming Teen Music Festival.
For the first time, Minami felt the lightness of having nothing pressing to do.
In that case, Time to treat himself to a nice homemade meal back at STARRY.
Thinking this, Minami's steps quickened.
But perhaps the heavens weren't on his side.
Just as he took a step forward, rain began to pour in pellets.
Winter rain,
Just its presence alone was enough to send a chill down the spine.
Minami was speechless at the sudden downpour.
In the past, he wouldn't have cared much and would've just walked through the rain.
But after his previous experience catching a cold and needing Kessoku Band to take care of him, he wasn't about to make that mistake again.
So he scanned his surroundings, looking for a convenience store where he could buy an umbrella.
Thankfully, unlike the remote area of his old apartment, he was now in a shopping district, with plenty of stores around.
It only took him a few minutes to find a convenience store, walk inside, and purchase a clear plastic umbrella.
The kind meant to be used once—not very sturdy, but cheap.
Just 500–600 yen each.
Standing under the store awning, Minami tested the umbrella.
It worked fine.
He opened it and started walking again.
Rain fell hard, pounding against the umbrella, creating a steady pitter-patter sound.
A biting cold wind swept in from the front.
Minami hunched his shoulders, raising his collar.
Thinking for a moment, he pulled out his phone and dialed Akane.
"Hello? Akane? Everything okay on your end? It's raining pretty hard."
"No problem here, Minami-kun."
Akane had just arrived home and was blowing into her hands for warmth.
"Mirai and I just got home. What about you? Everything good?"
"I'm fine…"
Minami glanced around.
"No big issues. Just rain. Wind's not too strong."
Though the wind was cold, it wasn't strong enough to blow rain under the umbrella.
"…Good to hear."
Relieved, Akane sighed softly.
"Alright, Minami-kun, head home soon. Let's talk later."
"Wait! I wanna talk to Dad too—"
Click.
The call ended.
All that was left was the buzz of a busy line.
Staring at the phone, Minami chuckled.
He had no idea how those two were going to live together for a week.
But—
"As long as they're safe."
Putting his phone away, Minami continued on.
The road to STARRY Live House wasn't complicated.
Being in a shopping district, it was just a straight shot a few blocks down.
However—
"…Huh?"
A figure walking slowly through the rain caught his eye.
"Is that…?"
Minami's brows furrowed.
It was a girl with pink hair.
Her face was hidden beneath that soft pink, so her expression wasn't visible.
What caught his attention was that she was walking without an umbrella, aimlessly wandering.
She was alone, making her stand out on this street.
And—
"That's…our school uniform?"
Yes.
The pink-haired girl was wearing the winter uniform of Shuka High.
A dark blue blazer on top, and a thicker, mid-length skirt appropriate for cold weather.
But drenched in rain, she looked utterly soaked through.
"…Minami stared silently.
A girl.
Alone.
Walking along a street soaked in rain.
No matter how you looked at it, this was straight out of a story—the scene where the heroine waits for the dreamy male lead to approach her.
All it would take was a simple line:
"Are you okay? Something troubling you?"
Then holding the umbrella over her head at an angle…
And a romantic story would begin to unfold.
Undoubtedly, this was the kind of moment you'd see in anime—something people dream about.
However—
"Let's just keep walking."
Minami turned his gaze away, expressionless.
He had no intention of playing the hero.
After all, walking alone down a street in Shimokitazawa in this weather, without an umbrella…
There was no doubt—this girl was a weirdo.
And honestly, she reeked of trouble.
Minami had zero desire to get involved in some pointless mess with a stranger, so he decisively turned to leave, with no plans to stop and ask questions.
Even if she was a fellow student at Shuka High, he didn't care.
Just as he took a couple of steps forward, trying to get away—
Thud.
A dull, solid thump of body hitting pavement echoed behind him.
"…" Minami.
He sighed, shaking his head as he turned around and looked at the pink-haired girl lying motionless on the ground.
"Having a soft heart is really my only flaw."
He let out a long sigh.
Shaking his head, he walked over to the fallen girl.
He had a bad feeling.
This pink-haired girl was definitely going to be a handful.
But what could he do?
He couldn't just leave her lying on the sidewalk in the pouring rain.
"Just hang in there a bit."
Lifting her off the ground, he spoke softly, not even sure if she could hear him.
He remembered there was a clinic nearby.
First things first, he'd take her there.
The girl was light, almost too light.
As soon as he lifted her, Minami realized this.
But along with that, the cold, soaked touch of her body made him uncomfortable.
Still, since he'd made up his mind to take her to the clinic, he wasn't going to back out now.
He called her name twice more, but there was no response,
so he had no choice but to drag her step by step toward the clinic.
At Oda Clinic
"Ah… It's from a chill and anemia.
Plus, getting caught in the rain caused her already frail body to go into shock, which made her faint."
Dr. Oda, wearing square-framed glasses, had just finished examining the pink-haired girl and was pulling a blanket over her.
"She'll recover quickly with some IV fluids and proper rest."
"I see."
Hearing this, Minami's expression didn't change.
After all, this had nothing to do with him.
He stood up.
"Well then, I'll leave it to you, doctor. When she wakes up, please explain everything to her. I've got things to do, so I'll take my leave."
He gave quick instructions.
He figured he'd done more than enough for this rain-soaked mystery girl.
However—
"Hold on, young man."
Just as he turned to leave, Dr. Oda called out in disbelief.
"Are you really going to just leave your girlfriend here alone and walk out?"
Minami froze, half-amused.
Clearly, the doctor had completely misunderstood.
But Minami didn't get flustered. He simply clarified patiently:
"No, doctor, you've got it wrong. I'm not her boyfriend. I just saw her collapsed on the street and brought her here."
The doctor didn't seem convinced, frowning deeply.
He sighed and tried to reason:
"Listen, young man. I don't know what kind of fight you had with this girl, but as her boyfriend, you shouldn't say such irresponsible things. You should be staying by her side to the end."
"…Minami.
His brows knit together in frustration.
Could this doctor not understand what people were saying?
Minami had explained everything quite clearly, hadn't he?
So why was the doctor still insisting that he was the pink-haired girl's boyfriend?
It didn't take long for Minami to realize the doctor's true motive.
"Here's the bill—15,000 yen in total."
Ah. That explains it.
Looking at the bill in his hand, Minami finally understood why the doctor was so dead set on calling him the girl's boyfriend.
Clearly, the doctor was worried the pink-haired girl wouldn't be able to pay, so he came up with an excuse to make Minami stay—so he could foot the bill.
The "boyfriend" bit was just a convenient excuse to get him to pay up.
"…Seriously?"
Minami shook his head in disbelief.
But this was probably typical for private clinics in Japan.
Since they're privately run, they're wary of unpaid bills.
It really felt like he wouldn't be allowed to leave unless he paid.
Left with no choice, Minami paid the bill, and sat down to wait for the girl to wake up and pay him back.
It wasn't like he was so rich that he could just shrug off 15,000 yen.
He checked the time.
Suppressing the urge to leave, Minami went to a nearby second-hand bookstore, grabbed a book, and sat back down to wait for the girl to wake up.
...…
What is love?
Raised by her aunt, Matsuzaka Satou had never tasted even a hint of "love".
As she walked down the street, she pondered this deeply.
Her world was different from Gotoh Hitori's lonely darkness.
She was more like a blank canvas—empty, living in a simple, hollow way.
Though she had the five senses of a normal human, she felt something essential was missing.
She had never truly loved anything in her life.
She wouldn't be sad when losing something, nor happy when gaining something.
As she grew older, watching others show such rich emotions over loss and gain, she gradually realized something was off with her.
She was… an outsider.
She had human senses, but lived like a soulless shell.
She couldn't feel joy, and naturally, she couldn't feel sadness either.
Because of her peaceful temperament and good looks, she was well-liked by her peers.
Yet, within the emptiness of Matsuzaka Satou's heart, her longing for love only grew stronger.
This continued… until today.
Caught in the heavy rain, she collapsed hard onto the pavement.
And then… she lost consciousness.
In that moment—
Matsuzaka Satou felt like she was dreaming.
A distant, yet strangely close dream.
She dreamt she had finally discovered the true meaning of the "love" she had always sought…
"Ah…"
She let out a soft cry.
The pink-haired girl reached her hand out into the air before her.
The blue-and-white hospital gown alerted her that something was off. She blinked her pink eyes in confusion.
Her mouth felt dry, and her normally sweet voice was now raspy.
"Where… am I…?"
"This is Oda Clinic, Miss Matsuzaka Satou."
A middle-aged woman in a nurse's uniform smiled kindly beside her.
"How are you feeling?"
"Feeling…?"
Satou tried to speak, but her dry throat made it hard to get any words out.
"…Thirsty."
Her pale face turned to the nurse as she hoarsely whispered.
"Thirsty, huh? Hey, Boyfriend-kun! Your girlfriend's thirsty. Could you get her some water?"
Maybe it was just her lively nature, but upon hearing Satou's raspy voice, the nurse perked up and called out cheerfully beyond the curtain.
Boyfriend?
Matsuzaka Satou blinked in confusion, her adorable face filled with puzzlement.
She had never had a boyfriend—not even dated anyone.
She had no memory of anyone like that.
And just then, a voice responded from behind the curtain.
"I've told you already, Miss Uchida, I'm not her boyfriend. And fetching water is your job as the nurse."
A clear voice echoed, followed by the curtain being pushed aside.
A young man with black hair appeared before Matsuzaka Satou.
He had refined features, slightly tousled black hair, and eyes like black pearls hidden beneath his bangs.
His eyes were remarkably pure.
No impurities. Just clarity—like the clear skies of spring.
The moment she laid eyes on him, she couldn't look away.
As if he had sensed her gaze, Matsuzaka Satou couldn't tear her eyes away from the young man the moment she saw him.
He seemed to notice her stare.
His eyes turned toward her, and he looked directly at her.
Then—
The black-haired young man smiled warmly at her.
It was a smile that carried an almost otherworldly charm.
A simple smile.
And yet, it had the power to make one feel willing to lay down everything for it.
It had the temptation that could make even a devout nun abandon her vows.
Satou had never seen a smile like this.
Thump—
It was like a stone splashing into the still waters of her heart.
Or as if a great bell within her had been struck.
Her once blank, muddled inner world was suddenly filled by the sheer impact of this man's bewitching smile.
She wanted to possess that smile.
For the first time in her life, Satou felt a burning desire for something.
Like a jar of clear water, the young man's smile was the vibrant color that dyed her empty world.
Satou's pink eyes widened, lost in a daze.
As if sensing something was off, the young man quickly retracted his smile.
Satou felt an inexplicable twinge of regret.
And that regret… was a completely new sensation for her.
Having never felt joy or sorrow, she suddenly became aware of herself.
For the first time, she truly felt alive.
Meanwhile—
Minami, noticing the girl's strange expression, realized he had accidentally activated his skill, [Shinjo Akane's Perfect Enchanting Smile].
He shook his head.
Sure, it was a great skill, but it triggered subconsciously sometimes, which was annoying.
Still, looking at the pink-haired girl—
Though she looked a bit dazed, she seemed calm overall.
Nothing seemed particularly wrong.
Minami withdrew his smile, ready to speak—
And then—
[You have discovered a new simulation target: Matsuzaka Satou]
The simulator's prompt rang in his ears.
"Huh?" Minami raised an eyebrow, surprised.
A new simulation target?
Matsuzaka Satou?
What the heck?
He instinctively looked at the pink-haired girl in front of him.
Long pink hair cascading past her waist.
Pink eyes still slightly misty from the rain.
Her delicate, doll-like face was as endearing as it was exquisite.
Indeed.
Judging purely by appearance, she really did meet the conditions to be a simulation target.
But what about her first impression?
Minami rubbed his chin.
He had only just met her for the first time.
Even with the earlier boost from the [Shinjou Akane's Perfect Enchanting Smile], at best, he assumed she'd have a favorable impression of him…
"..." With that in mind, Minami stretched out his hand, pretending to offer her water, while opening the simulator interface.
And there, on the clean and simple screen of the simulator, it read:
[Simulation Target: Matsuzaka Satou — Status: Deep yearning, utterly captivated, lovestruck, instant infatuation, devoted only to you, charmed by your smile]
"HUH???" Minami couldn't help but let out a shocked exclamation.
"What's wrong, Minami-kun?" Nurse Uchida glanced over curiously.
"Ah, sorry." Minami apologized quickly, trying to suppress his inner shock.
Normally, he was pretty good at controlling his facial expressions.
And he didn't think that was a particularly hard thing to do.
But anyone, upon seeing a list of statuses this extreme and over-the-top, would react just like him—with astonishment.
What the hell is going on?
As someone with extensive simulation experience, Minami considered himself quite worldly.
But even he couldn't help but frown at Matsuzaka Satou's personal status.
Did his charming smile really have that much of an effect?
Also, the charm effects were supposed to be temporary, right?
So why was it so exaggerated in Satou's case?
It made no sense.
Absolutely no sense.
And yet—amidst all that confusion—there was one thing Minami was sure of:
This seemingly gentle and calm pink-haired girl… was NOT normal.
Seriously not normal.
At that moment, Minami decisively made a choice—or rather, a resolution.
"Sorry, I've got something to take care of. Nurse Uchida, I'll leave this young lady in your care."
Without hesitation, Minami turned and walked away.
Knowing full well there was something off about this girl, there was no way he'd stick around and deepen any kind of connection.
That would be asking for trouble.
Minami immediately decided to cut his losses and leave.
Even if it meant writing off the 15,000 yen he'd paid for her treatment—he wasn't about to get wrapped up in this kind of mess.