Humans are creatures who always want the freedom to stay in bed.
If they know they have to get ready for school or work soon, this sense of complete relaxation is quickly suppressed. But on a lazy holiday, it might be unleashed entirely, with even a short thirty-minute nap stretching on without end.
By the time the body and mind fully awaken from sleep, the phone's clock might already read three or four in the afternoon.
But no matter how fond he was of sleeping in, Haru would never usually sleep for that long.
Ever since his Endurance skill had reached Level 5, his recovery speed had improved dramatically. He barely ever felt fatigue anymore, and even pulling an all-nighter was nothing to him. By all logic, there was no way he should be sleeping so deeply.
Today, he had only meant to take a short nap in his room to refresh himself.
But after falling asleep, he had faintly seen all sorts of memories and scenes. Realizing what they were, his eyes grew thoughtful, and he began to understand the reason for his unusual drowsiness today.
"These dreams… they were all memory fragments?"
These "memory fragments" often appeared in his simulations, especially after a VR Simulation, when he would see even more. But he hadn't run a single simulation recently, and yet here he was dreaming of so many fragments.
What was going on?
Pushing the question aside for now, Haru sat up slowly as his mind cleared.
"…"
Thanks to those memory fragments, he had slept deeply, and the moment he woke he noticed his phone flooded with new messages. Sitting silently on the bed for nearly five minutes, he finally came back to his senses.
Most of the unread Line messages were from his "annoying pink-haired" girlfriend, who even on holidays would keep sending him a couple of texts here and there. If he didn't reply, she would bombard him without hesitation with a barrage of stickers.
There were also messages from Taki, from Kita, and many others. Even Ryo, who almost never sent messages, had sent him two bass tutorial videos, along with a direct request to borrow money, dressing it up as "an investment in the future."
In short, Haru was starting to truly understand what it meant to have multiple girlfriends.
"Taki's messages… they're mostly about arrangement issues and band performance plans, huh?"
Looking at the long, detailed "text reports" she had sent, he could almost picture her expression on the other side of the screen.
Even after letting go of her reserve and becoming his girlfriend, Shiina Taki's Line messages weren't much different from before, except that she now sometimes added a few cute panda stickers when discussing "work."
If he teased her, she would sometimes respond with strange silences, but she still answered every message properly. This quiet charm of hers made Haru struggle not to laugh.
Maybe next time he teased her, he could try coaxing her into sending a selfie or two… maybe something risqué.
"…"
The corner of his mouth curved upward, and he replied leisurely to everyone's messages.
But when he was done, he noticed something from Soyo, who used to message him often, had been silent until now. Seeing her quiet chat window, a trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes.
Still, as her boyfriend, he couldn't just ignore it.
If Mutsumi didn't want him to approach Soyo directly, then what was the best way to make contact?
Unconsciously, he thought of the "simulation" option.
"A simulation, huh?"
Haru frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation on his face.
He hadn't run a simulation in a while for a reason. That buggy, half-broken simulator could only run along one linear route, and its start "time" and "conditions" were always based directly on reality...
Which could be quite a problem.
The simulator's full reliance on real-world conditions had been useful to him before, letting him use its unique system to "foresee the future" to some extent.
But right now, in reality, he already had a girlfriend... well actually, several girlfriends who had confirmed their feelings and relationships with him. This meant that the moment a simulation began, it would forcibly start with him already in a "harem" state.
And the simulator, unfortunately, could only run a single linear romance route.
If it really started based on his current reality, he honestly had no idea what would happen.
Not to mention, today's sudden drowsiness made him uneasy, and the memory fragments he'd seen left him reluctant to start the simulation. But he also couldn't ignore its current state.
"…If I successfully finish Sakiko's route, what will happen to the simulator?"
He murmured to himself, eyes fixed on the "Start Simulation" button.
So far, no new simulation targets had appeared. It was as if the simulator was silently telling him to capture the "final one."
[Simulation Target Confirmed — Toyokawa Sakiko]
[Begin Simulation?]
But before he could start, the wooden door to his room was gently pushed open by a small hand.
The girl peeking in seemed to be deliberately keeping her voice down, only sticking her head through the door.
Her pale golden eyes shimmered faintly in the light, making Haru chuckle despite himself. He lifted a hand and beckoned her over.
"Mutsumi, what are you hiding for?"
"…Haru, you're awake already?"
Treading softly in her slippers, Mutsumi blinked and walked obediently over to his side.
Seeing her looking so well-behaved, Haru arched a brow, a hint of mischief rising in his heart as he spoke in mock seriousness. "I only meant to take a short nap, but when I woke up it was already three or four in the afternoon."
"Mutsumi, you saw me sleeping so long, why didn't you come wake me?"
Mutsumi blinked blankly, then lowered her head with a small, aggrieved air.
"Because you spent the whole morning drawing, I wanted you to rest well in the afternoon."
The care and concern in her words felt almost tangible, overflowing into the air. Even though Haru's physical condition was so good that he hardly needed rest at all, he naturally wouldn't be so tactless as to reject her heartfelt kindness.
His gaze drifted to the easel not far away, where a half-finished oil painting lay hidden under a tightly drawn cloth.
The painting was scheduled to be handed over to his agent, Miss Lan, in a month, to be entered directly into the London International Art Exhibition after their discussions.
If Haru wanted to establish his name and position overseas, a single gold medal from an international exhibition would clearly not be enough. But the fact that Van Gogh's Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had once been displayed at the museum there gave this stage more than enough prestige.
"Haru, are you mad at me?"
Mutsumi lifted her small head, as if worried that he might have taken offense at her actions.
"Of course not. How could I possibly be angry with you?"
Haru reached out to pinch the soft cheek of the girl in front of him, his voice laced with an unmistakable teasing tone.
The truth was, when it came to Mutsumi, he could never truly be harsh, not even in jest.
Her wooden expression didn't change, but even in the dim light of the room, the flush on her cheeks was easy to see. Instead of shying away from such an intimate gesture, she leaned forward and settled herself on his lap.
Haru: ?
If she's offering herself up like this, how could he possibly refuse?
The warm, delicate weight of her body shifted lightly against him, her flushed face pressing into his chest. When he stole a kiss from her slightly parted lips, her response was instinctive eager, clumsy, and yet filled with a surprising heat.
The usually silent doll seemed wound tight like a toy spring, her movements more fervent than he had imagined. She even tried to push forward, taking the upper hand despite her small frame. Haru's hand quietly moved to the key point of her wind-up spring.
"Eep———!"
The doll arched back suddenly, then went limp in his arms, golden eyes glazed as she caught her breath in shallow, quick bursts. Even when his teeth grazed her earlobe, all she could manage were faint, intoxicating sighs.
Completely giving in, Mutsumi slumped in his embrace, as if waiting for his next move.
But just then, a flicker of hesitation crossed Haru's face.
He released his hold around her waist and instead brushed a light kiss against her forehead. A trace of shyness and confusion lit up her eyes. After a brief pause, she spoke in her usual faint tone, testing the waters.
"Haru, are you not going to… 'hold' me now?"
This girl really had some nerve.
"My dear Mutsumi, sometimes I really do feel like bullying you until you break."
What was wrong with him? Had he played too many fighting games lately, that he was automatically entering combo mode?
Haru took a deep breath, forcing down the restless heat building inside him.
He was no longer the same as before. Whether in terms of finances or ability, he had proven himself. That restraint he once had to cling to was now perilously close to shattering.
If the time and place were right, he certainly wouldn't resist taking things further with Mutsumi.
The problem was, he had only just moved into this new place. While the Kazami home was now well-furnished, the preparations had focused so much on furniture and daily necessities that one rather crucial "defensive measure" had been overlooked.
And if he was going to take responsibility for this little wooden doll, he couldn't act without it.
Mutsumi seemed to realize what was on his mind, and a faint understanding lit up her gaze.
So, Haru still did care deeply for her.
A shy yet pleased warmth stirred inside her. She pressed her lips together and looked up at him, her eyes shimmering faintly as she spoke, slow and deliberate, as if gathering all her courage.
"I understand… but… I don't really mind, you know."
That caught Haru off guard. With a quiet chuckle, he said,
"Didn't expect my little Mutsumi to be getting so bold."
If she was this forward now, who knew what she'd dare to try in the future.
Earlier, all it took was a playful pinch of her cheek to make her fight back with a heated kiss. Compared to the young lady who once couldn't even voice her true feelings, today's Mutsumi really had grown fearless.
She only lowered her head, cheeks red, without offering a rebuttal.
It seemed that ever since gaining her freedom, she had been finding it easier to show what was in her heart.
"I'm going to the convenience store to pick up a few things. I'll be back before dinner."
Haru let out a slow breath, gently smoothing down the pale green strands she had accidentally bitten during their kiss.
Sleeping too long in the afternoon had left his head foggy, and the strange dream full of memory fragments only added to his restlessness. A walk in the cold air would help clear his thoughts—and cool his mood.
Either way, it was about time to prepare for the final simulation.
He had run the simulator hundreds of times already, even brute-forcing progress through personal simulations. But how would reality now influence the outcome? And what results would this run bring?
Those memory fragments gave him a strange, unshakable feeling.
…
A chill wind slipped past his collar as he stepped out of the convenience store, making him shiver.
Glancing at the white plastic bag in his hand, a sudden thought made his lips twitch, his face tightening as he quickened his pace. Only when he had crossed the street and put a good ten meters between himself and the store did he relax slightly.
Just now, he hadn't even dared to blink.
If, in the space of closing his eyes, he suddenly found himself in another world, with an old man at an apple cart asking if he wanted to buy one… what then? Was he supposed to count on dying to get back?
Smack!
A hand clapped down on his shoulder, and Haru instinctively stepped back, putting distance between himself and the figure behind him.
The culprit, it turned out, was a tall, purple-haired woman with a playful glint in her eyes.
She had a graceful figure, dressed in a mature-style camisole with lace-trimmed satin ribbons, and a pure black pencil skirt that highlighted her curves. Her snow-white shoulders, glowing with a soft pink sheen, could be faintly seen beneath a thick white fur coat.
The moment he saw her, Haru's expression turned strange.
"Nyamu-san, do you really not feel cold at all?"
It was already the twelfth lunar month, the edge of a frigid winter.
Even though legendary creatures known as "high school girls" would still wear sailor uniforms with short skirts in this season, showing off their smooth, pale legs, Nyamu's outfit was on the revealing side, and she was relying only on a white fur coat for warmth. Haru couldn't imagine how she endured it.
"Heh heh, that's why you're still just a kid, Haru-kun."
"For a mature adult, outward presentation always takes priority."
Yuutenji Nyamu lowered her oversized brown-tinted sunglasses, revealing jewel-like pink diamond eyes. Her already excellent features paired with just the right touch of makeup perfectly displayed her mature allure.
But even from a distance, Haru could see the faint trace of mockery in her gaze.
It was like a wildcat toying with prey, lightly licking her gleaming claws before striking.
"True enough. I am just a kid."
Haru rolled his eyes, not bothering to argue.
"So, why is Nyamu-san in Ikebukuro today? Filming content for your channel, or just wandering around?"
"It's Nyamu-chan!"
Yuutenji Nyamu seemed quite particular about how she was addressed. The smile she had just been wearing shifted into a slight pout.
The act of feigned cuteness might have worked on someone else, but for Haru, after all his time with his girlfriend, there was no intimidation factor at all.
"Alright, alright, Nyamu-chan."
His offhand tone made Nyamu lift an eyebrow. For a moment she felt like she was the one being humored, like a child.
But thinking it over...
Even if his body was that of a teenager, his personality and the way he handled things were nothing like a typical sixteen-year-old. And while she herself had no romantic experience as an adult, his personal relationships were messy in ways she couldn't quite untangle.
Setting those odd thoughts aside, Nyamu brought her hands together with a sweet smile.
"Actually, I'm not here to film today. I was just wandering around near Ikebukuro. But a good influencer has to grab any chance for content, so I might do a little shop scouting later."
As she spoke, she gave him a subtle glance. To Haru, it was anything but subtle.
"I'll say this now, I'm going home for dinner tonight."
As expected, the moment those words left Haru's mouth, Nyamu's expression showed a hint of loss. She stepped closer with a pitiful tone.
"Eh? We're good friends, right? And more importantly, we're bandmates!"
"We just had dinner together last time, so why won't you eat with me today?"
We're bandmates, huh?
That odd choice of words made Haru's eyes narrow.
Perhaps Nyamu realized she'd slipped up, because her face froze for an instant before she returned to her pitiful expression and earnestly pleaded,
"Come on, let me treat you this time. Please have dinner with me?"
Most guys, faced with such a request from someone like Nyamu, would refuse halfheartedly but eventually give in.
But Haru's mental defenses had been tempered into steel by his girlfriend's training. This level of cutesy begging didn't move him in the slightest.
He rolled his eyes, replying with a hint of dry humor, "The reason I'm going home for dinner is just that I have something to do. If you really insist on eating with me… then I guess you'll have to come over to my place tonight."
How could he not see through her intentions?
No matter how hard she worked, Nyamu was still just a moderately popular beauty influencer. Even adding drum practice to her content didn't draw much traffic. Her follower count and engagement had already hit their plateau.
Not only was her popularity no longer rising, it was slipping bit by bit.
And yet, flirtation always had an outsized pull.
The last shop-scouting video had gotten unprecedented views and engagement...
Because Nyamu had subtly hinted she wasn't eating alone. The mix of curiosity and speculation was perfect for drawing traffic, and she had reaped a windfall.
Experiencing that high once, only to have it fade, left her with a painful sense of loss. She couldn't stand it.
Of course she wanted to go further.
"Going to your place, huh?"
Her expression turned a touch strange. She hadn't expected Haru to invite her so naturally. Even after their relationship had warmed a bit since that greedy little incident last time, she still thought of them as only casual friends.
So he was really inviting her to his home, to have dinner together, just the two of them?
She didn't reject him right away. In fact, even her reflex to politely decline stalled. She knew she wanted to make use of him. Someone with his talent and looks was far too rare.
If a mere hint that she wasn't eating alone could draw that much attention, what if she revealed that her companion was a man or that he was a genius composer or better yet... showed his face and teased a little romance?
The possibilities were endless. She couldn't just let go.
"So you invite a girl over alone… Haru-kun, are you trying to seduce me?"
Nyamu's lips curved into a teasing smile.
But Haru only spread his hands, his tone carrying a faintly amused edge.
"Actually, I was joking just now. But I really do have to go home for dinner today."
After all, his cute little fiancée was waiting at home, there was no way he'd abandon his "little block of wood."
At that, a flicker of light passed through Yuutenji Nyamu's eyes. In an affectedly coy voice, she said,
"Eh? But Nyamu-chan was hoping to have a proper talk with Haru-kun about the band today~ Ave Mujica has had quite a few problems lately, you know."
She knew very well how much Haru valued Ave Mujica, every part of it. That was why she deliberately seized on this point to pull him in. He'd never turn a blind eye to problems with the band.
Of course, she wasn't lying, either.
"Is this about Sakiko?"
"…Sometimes, being that sharp will make girls dislike you, you know?"
Nyamu puffed her cheeks slightly before continuing at a leisurely pace.
"Haru-kun should know, right? Ave Mujica's shows have been a huge success~ We might even become the fastest band to reach the Budokan after debut. Amazing, isn't it?"
"Fastest to reach the Budokan, huh?"
Haru narrowed his black eyes meaningfully. Naturally, he took her statement at face value.
Debuting as the number one trending topic, and within just a few months already on track to qualify for the Budokan with each member possessing the skill to match their momentum. In anyone's eyes, Ave Mujica was an exceptional band.
Seeing him nod in tacit agreement, Nyamu's lips slowly curved into a faint smile.
"So~ when does Haru-kun think we should reveal our faces to the public?"
He raised an eyebrow, choosing not to answer directly.
"Why ask that all of a sudden?"
Realizing she couldn't draw any solid opinion from the black-haired boy, Nyamu clicked her tongue inwardly. Narrowing her eyes, she spoke in a light, playful tone:
"Because Nyamu-chan thinks it's about time~"
"We're the number one trending band right now! If we show our faces while we're riding this wave, we might become even more amazing. Who knows... maybe we could even get on the Kouhaku New Year's program!"
Looking at the smile on her face, Haru found his mind drifting back to the look in Sakiko's eyes that time.
Outwardly, though, he only nodded thoughtfully before replying seriously,
"Have you discussed this with Sakiko? As the leader, she should know the best timing for revealing our identities."
"Of course I have. But..."
Nyamu batted her eyes with a bright smile, then deliberately put on a tired expression and complained,
"Nyamu-chan has been standing here with Haru-kun for ages. I haven't even had dinner yet, and I'm cold and starving~"
Haru's mouth twitched.
"Dinner is non-negotiable for me, I have to go home for that. But there's still a little time before then… If Nyamu-chan doesn't mind, how about we find a café nearby and keep talking?"
"Yay!"
Nyamu secretly made a peace sign, the smile on her face growing even brighter.