Love Comes After Simulation

“Sis!”

The moment Manatsu saw Asagiri Mayu, she became even more upset. Wiping her tears, she slid off the chair and walked toward her.

Mayu knelt in front of the sofa and pulled Manatsu into a hug, glancing at Minami Yuuki before looking back at the girl in her arms.

“What’s wrong?” she asked gently.

Between sniffles, Manatsu stammered through her explanation about the egg tarts and her hair. She didn’t blame her dad—she just shared her sadness: the egg tarts weren’t good, and her pigtails were ugly.

Mayu first helped her redo her hair, tying it into two neat and lovely buns. Then, she took the leftover tart crusts and ingredients from the fridge and made a fresh batch of egg tarts together with Manatsu.

With the new egg tarts, fresh and delicious, placed on the table—and having played an even bigger role in making them—Manatsu’s mood instantly turned sunny again.

“Daddy, eat.” She picked up an egg tart and held it up to Minami Yuuki’s mouth.

Her face was bright with smiles, as if she had never cried at all. Like a summer rain that comes and goes, leaving the ground damp for only a short moment before the sun’s warmth dries it all away.

Her heart was like a wide, open space, free of shadows that pooled and held onto the rain. The moment the sun came out, any lingering gloom quickly faded.

As he bit into the egg tart she fed him, Minami Yuuki felt a pang of guilt. Such a sweet daughter, and he had somehow made her cry.

Slowly, he chewed the egg tart that Mayu had made. It was still warm, crispy on the outside, soft and custardy on the inside. The crust was like a delicate biscuit, the filling as smooth as pudding.

Far better than the ones he had made.

“Sorry I was late,” Mayu said, looking at Minami Yuuki. An hour ago, she had messaged Reina and found out that Minami Yuuki and Manatsu were home alone.

“No, you got here just in time.” Minami Yuuki patted her shoulder.

When Manatsu had started crying, he had panicked. In all the times he had freely simulated different scenarios, this was the first time he had made his daughter cry. Luckily, Mayu had arrived in time to comfort her.

“You haven’t had lunch yet, have you? I’ll make something for Uncle. But since it’s already late, I’ll just use whatever’s in the fridge.” Mayu quickly headed toward the kitchen.

“Thanks for the trouble.” Minami Yuuki sat at the dining table, watching her figure as she walked away.

Uncle, huh? He clicked his tongue. In the previous simulations, she was calling me ‘Dad’.

“Daddy, eat.” Sensing a threat, Manatsu quickly stuffed another egg tart into his mouth.

Minami Yuuki ruffled her hair. A biological daughter like this was already cute enough. But still… he wanted everything.

The fridge was more stocked than Mayu had expected. After asking about Minami Yuuki and Manatsu’s preferences, she prepared fried meatballs, tempura, miso soup, and steamed some rice.

When the food was served, Manatsu ate one piece of shrimp tempura before patting her belly. “I’m full.”

She ran off to the sofa to watch cartoons, leaving Minami Yuuki and Mayu at the dining table.

“How’s Saki doing lately?” Minami Yuuki asked.

Saki was Mayu’s mother—something Minami Yuuki had pulled from his simulated memories. In these free simulations, he had access to all the memories of his simulated life, but once the simulation ended, those memories would disappear. He wouldn’t be able to take them back to reality. 𝖗ＡꞐο𝐛Е𝓢

By bringing up Saki’s name, he was hoping to keep the memory intact.

Mayu lowered her head in thought before answering, “Mom’s been doing well.”

Her response wasn’t just polite small talk—she had taken a moment to really consider it.

“By the way, besides your mom, does the Asagiri family have any other relatives?” Minami Yuuki continued.

Mayu thought again before answering, “There are some relatives, but my mom doesn’t really keep in touch with them, so I don’t know much.”

Minami Yuuki nodded. That confirmed something for him. The name Asagiri Mizuki, which Ibuki Yuko had mentioned, was likely one of those relatives.

He looked at Mayu. Compared to her mother, Saki, she resembled Mizuki from Yuko’s photos far more.

Now, he just needed to figure out what kind of relationship Mizuki and Saki actually had.

He ate in silence, lost in thought, and Mayu followed his lead, quietly taking small bites of her food.

Outside, the sunlight grew even more intense. Manatsu, tired from watching cartoons, picked up the cards on the small table and held them up to the light, refracting specks of color onto the wall, making them dance.

After Minami Yuuki and Mayu cleared the table and loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, he walked over to his daughter and started playing shadow puppets with her.

Manatsu was particularly fond of crocodiles and wolves but disliked rabbits and pigeons.

She used her hand shadow to battle Minami Yuuki’s hand shadow, the two of them running back and forth in the sunlight by the window.

Minami Yuuki made a pigeon and let it fly into the shadow of the curtain, claiming it had hidden in the treetops.

Manatsu immediately shouted, “Transform!” and turned her crocodile into an eagle, chasing after it into the treetops.

This game, blending imagination and dexterity, filled her with joy. She jumped and twirled, fully absorbed in the play. Soon, both her body and spirit were exhausted.

The rabbit slipped into the shadowy grass, and the chasing wolf crumbled apart. The little girl flopped onto the sofa, yawning, her eyelids meeting and parting, at first more apart than together, but soon, the balance shifted.

Resting her head on Minami Yuuki’s lap, she finally closed her eyes completely.

The summer sunlight streamed into the room, its heat softened by the air conditioning, turning into a warm, invisible blanket draped over Manatsu and Minami Yuuki’s legs.

Mayu brought over a light yellow blanket and gently covered Manatsu with it.

Her eyes were full of envy—envy for the playful bond between father and daughter, for the closeness they shared. She hid it well, making sure Minami Yuuki didn’t notice.

But Minami Yuuki already knew. He had seen this feeling laid bare in his simulated life.

He lightly patted his empty thigh and said to her, “Mayu, are you tired? You can rest here too.”

Mayu hesitated, glancing at Manatsu. She’s already asleep… it should be fine.

Quietly, she moved to the other side of the sofa and rested her head on Minami Yuuki’s lap.

For her, his lap was a little too high, making it an awkward pillow. Meanwhile, Manatsu unconsciously shifted onto the sofa.

But Mayu wasn’t willing to let go of this warmth. Stubbornly, she stayed still, keeping her head on Minami Yuuki’s lap.

Minami Yuuki stroked her cheek. “Mayu, you can call me ‘Dad,’ you know.”

Her eyes snapped open in shock, and she looked up at him, uncertain.

“No,” he corrected himself, “you should call me ‘Dad.'”

“…Can I?” she asked anxiously.

“Of course. I’d love to have you as my daughter.” He gently pinched her cheek.

“…Dad?”

“Mm.”

“Dad.”

“Mm. Just like Manatsu, you can ask me for things too.”

“Then… can I hug you?”

Minami Yuuki spread his arms and pulled the girl into his embrace as she sat up.

“Is there anything else you want?” he asked, pressing his forehead lightly against hers.

“…This is enough.”

Mayu wrapped her arms around his waist, closing her eyes, sinking into the warmth of the hug.

This was different from hugging her mother.

Since she could remember, she had always envied children who had fathers. More than anything, she had envied Manatsu.

But now, she had Manatsu’s dad too.

She let herself savor the moment, her emotions swelling, until drowsiness crept in, pulling her into sleep.

When the doorbell rang, she woke with a start, immediately shrinking away from Minami Yuuki’s arms.

Realizing how boldly she had demanded a hug, her face turned red. Realizing she had been happy just because she got to have Manatsu’s dad, her face turned even redder—with guilt.

When Manatsu woke up and looked at her, Mayu quickly averted her gaze.

“Sis, what’s wrong? Your face is so red,” Manatsu asked innocently.

“It’s nothing! Just too hot!” Mayu blurted out an excuse, then bolted. “I’ll get the door!”