[Spring came, and cherry blossoms drifted down at five centimeters per second.]
[But you could never go back to how things were before.]
Staring at those last two lines, Hitori's vision went dark, the world blurred as she nearly fainted.
Kita... Kitahara-kun doesn't want me anymore?
The shock hit all at once, and Hitori felt as if death were near.
Fortunately, the merciful simulator saved her life again—
[Unfortunately, this is only your imagination. Toru loves you deeply. Every month he takes time off to visit you, spending an unimaginable amount just on plane tickets.]
After reading that, Hitori's sight cleared again.
Her love life, revived infinitely by the simulator!
[And to keep you from feeling lonely, Toru calls you every day. No matter how busy he is, your boyfriend always spends half an hour chatting with you, listening to the little stories of your day.]
Kitahara-kun, I love you.
I love you to death.
[Because of this, you stopped worrying about your relationship and began to focus on realizing your personal goals.]
[You set your aim for university: To take the civil service exam and one day become a government employee with a stable job.]
[Meanwhile, your friends also found their own paths—]
[Ryo gave up chasing her musical dreams, picked up a pen, and immersed herself in writing.]
[Nijika decided to become a teacher, planning to earn her teaching license after graduation.]
[Kita, with her impressive guitar skills and adorable face, became a popular online figure, walking the path you might have taken in another life.]
How nice.
Everyone has a good future ahead of them.
Hitori loved this university phase in every simulation.
Her friends were maturing, setting goals, chasing dreams, shining brightly.
[While you were pursuing your dreams, Toru prepared a surprise for you.]
[At your twenty-second birthday party, he secretly arranged a ceremony and proposed to you.]
["I love you, Hitori."]
[Toru promised that he would love only you for the rest of his life.]
["I love you too."] You shyly extended your left hand, letting him slip the ring onto your finger.
So wonderful.
Everything was moving in a good direction.
[Not long after the engagement, Toru began discussing the details of the wedding with you.]
[Both of you were of marriageable age, and he worried that your long-distance relationship might cool over time. So, ever devoted, he decided to rekindle your love with a grand wedding.]
…But I already feel warm enough.
Hitori felt a bit embarrassed. After all, they'd already been together for five or six years in the simulation, and their relationship still felt as fresh as ever. If things kept going this well, she thought, she might just burst from happiness.
[After some discussion, you decided on a Western-style church wedding.]
[The ceremony would be held in spring.]
[Your parents were deeply moved seeing you both busy preparing.]
[After nearly ten years together, from childhood friends to lovers, it had not been easy to reach this point. Even when Toru went abroad years ago, your love had conquered distance and time.]
[Gotoh Michiyo, ever sentimental, couldn't help but shed tears at the thought.]
Mom…
[Your younger sister, Futari, had grown old enough to understand. She no longer dreamed of marrying "Brother Kitahara." As a sister, she was quite pleased with her soon-to-be brother-in-law.]
Futari…
Hitori felt touched.
[On the day of the wedding, you invited several friends. Toru invited a few of his own. The total number of guests was not large.]
[Special event triggered. Enter?]
◇
The chapel was breathtakingly beautiful, pure white in every corner.
Ryo sat among the friends and family, sighing softly.
This was the second Toru wedding she had attended.
The last one had been with Nijika, and this time it was Bocchi.
When would it finally be her turn?
Ryo couldn't help but wonder.
She'd attended Shinto and Western weddings before. Which would she choose for her own?
A Buddhist ceremony?
Or perhaps a traditional Chinese one? A phoenix coronet and crimson robe did sound beautiful.
"Ryo, why aren't you the bridesmaid?"
Nijika, sitting beside her, asked curiously.
Kita had gone to be the bridesmaid and seemed very happy—
Even though she, too, had feelings for Toru.
Honestly, Nijika was a bit envious of her, being able to live each day so carefree.
Recalling the last wedding, her own with Toru, she felt a twinge of loneliness.
The groom hadn't changed, but the bride had.
Just because she entered the simulation a few hours later, the timeline had jumped far ahead.
Nijika no longer had the chance to compete for him.
"I've already lost to Bocchi. I don't want to embarrass myself any further."
"Same here. Being a bridesmaid feels like admitting defeat halfway through."
Nijika sighed. "So you really do like Kitahara-kun."
"Yeah, I do."
Ryo didn't deny it.
She might have lost in this simulation, but not in reality.
The real Toru still belonged to no one, and the final outcome was far from decided.
A few minutes later.
The gentle melody filled the church as Kita, the bridesmaid, walked down the aisle holding a bouquet of white flowers, leading the other attendants past the guests.
Ryo quickly noticed that the entrance music was an original composition… probably written by the groom himself?
But as far as she knew, Toru hadn't been involved with music lately.
Could it be…
Ryo kept her thoughts to herself.
Because the bride and groom had appeared.
Hitori entered, holding the groom's arm. She wore a white, trailing wedding gown that symbolized purity, her delicate face veiled in soft transparency, a small tiara resting on her forehead. The hem of her dress spread across the floor like freshly fallen snow.
In that moment, Hitori looked like a celestial maiden untouched by the mortal world, and Miss Ryo couldn't help but feel envious.
Pulling her gaze from the bride, she turned to observe the groom. As always, he was strikingly handsome, his face glowing with happiness. The sight stirred complex emotions in her heart. If not for that one accident, she too could have shared a life with Toru.
With another quiet sigh, Ryo looked away before her stomach could start aching again.
After the couple's entrance came the vows...
The priest's voice was kind and solemn.
"Bride, do you take this man to be your husband, to enter into marriage with him? To love him, care for him, respect him, accept him, and remain faithful to him until the end of your life, whether in sickness or in health, through all reasons and seasons?"
"I do."
Hitori's voice trembled slightly, but it was filled with sincerity.
Then the priest turned to Toru. "Groom, do you take this woman to be your wife, to enter into marriage with her? To love her, care for her, respect her, accept her, and remain faithful to her until the end of your life, whether in sickness or in health, through all reasons and seasons?"
Toru gazed into his bride's radiant eyes and flawless face.
Softly, he said, "I do."
And with that, the vow was sealed.
The two of them would walk together until the end of their lives.
Off to the side, Ryo puffed her cheeks in a rare show of frustration and turned away, determined that next time, she would win.
Next time, she swore, she would win.
Nijika, meanwhile, was deep in thought.
When she and Toru got married in real life, perhaps they could also try a church wedding?
It did feel quite nice.
As for Kita, she was wondering what to eat for dinner afterward.
Ramen, or sushi?
What a hard choice.
————