My Simulation… Why Is It Turning into a Real Romance?!

"Saki-chan! Wait a minute…"

A familiar voice from childhood called out from behind. The blue-haired girl turned slowly, unhurried, facing the breeze that swept toward her. The cold night wind lifted her pale blue twin tails into the air.

Her fingers tightened around the hem of her skirt. At some point, her delicate brows had already drawn together in a frown.

The dim night sky shimmered faintly with stars that seemed almost intoxicating. For a moment, it felt like they had been transported back to a summer ten years ago.

Time seemed to blur, slow to a halt.

Togawa Sakiko, suddenly feeling a little dazed, shook her head gently. She looked up, calmly meeting the eyes of the golden-haired girl before her. But the tangled and uncertain emotions flowed from her gaze like something nearly tangible.

The slight turn of her body was perhaps the last trace of her pride.

"Uika, what is it?"

There wasn't a hint of anger in her voice. Maybe she had already guessed what this was about. That would explain her calmness.

"Saki-chan…"

Misumi Uika had taken off her cap without Sakiko even noticing. The pure, bright moonlight illuminated her radiant hair, shining like threads of gold. Emotions wove around her like silken threads, trapping her in her own cocoon.

She stared at the ground, uncertain how to respond.

Even now, she couldn't shake the guilt she felt toward the friend standing in front of her. No matter what, she had to make her apology clear.

"Saki-chan…"

"Uika."

Before Uika could finish her sentence, Sakiko spoke first, her brows furrowed.

She could sense her friend was about to explain something, but Sakiko, proud and stubborn, didn't want to hear it. Her voice was flat and cold as she said,

"You said you barely talked to Haru. That was a lie, wasn't it?"

She had long suspected her childhood friend had a closer relationship with Kazami Haru than she admitted. Sakiko had tried more than once to probe her indirectly.

But every time, Uika had said the same thing:

"We barely talk,"

"We just exchange ideas about lyrics and composition."

And now, it was clear…

"You're right. It was all my fault."

Uika lifted her head, lips pressed together, and confessed. She had never seen Sakiko's gaze so sharp.

The lie between them had long since unraveled. The moment they saw each other again, both had understood.

"I see."

Sakiko's eyes narrowed slightly.

Uika, gripping her cap in both hands, could feel the weight of those cold, half-lidded eyes fixed on her face.

Even if Sakiko didn't speak, Uika could tell what she was thinking. Maybe when they crossed paths outside Haru's house, the trust between them had already broken.

"…"

Uika took a deep breath, trying to steady herself under the pressure.

She had made her decision. She would apologize sincerely, and she would tell Sakiko she would give up her feelings for Haru. If that was what it took to protect their friendship, she would bury her heart forever.

The golden-haired girl lifted her head, mustering her courage. Her violet eyes, vivid and striking, looked straight ahead.

"I'm sorry. What I really wanted was for you, Saki-chan, to be able to—"

"I already understand, Uika. You don't need to say anything else."

Sakiko closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. Her calm, indifferent tone made Uika's face pale. The apology she'd tried so hard to form vanished like dust in the air.

She had never seen Sakiko with that expression before. It left her completely at a loss.

Maybe it was the echo of Nagasaki Soyo's mocking words from earlier. Already weary and burdened, Sakiko clenched her fists tightly.

When she opened her amber eyes again, eyes like finely cut gemstones, they were filled with sharpness and resolve.

"Uika, let me ask you something."

"Do you like Haru?"

The words came like an arrow straight through the heart. Uika, who had barely gathered her courage, was stunned.

Did she like Kazami Haru?

Her thoughts flickered to the black-haired boy, and the moments they had shared.

That unfamiliar warmth, that sense of ease. It had always made her relax. Even in front of Sakiko, she couldn't feel as at ease as she did when she was alone with him.

If she had never met Kazami Haru, would she still be enduring everything on her own, swallowing down all the pressure and pain by herself?

"I…"

But Misumi Uika hesitated.

The words "I like him" were the one thing she didn't want to say to Sakiko. Because if she said it out loud, it might truly damage their friendship.

As a popular idol, Uika could always maintain a professional smile, staying calm and rational no matter the situation.

But in this moment, her inner confusion left her unable to suppress her hesitation, something that Togawa Sakiko immediately picked up on.

Sakiko clutched her skirt tightly and let out a long sigh, her voice cool and flat. "I see. So you really do like Haru, don't you?"

She had seen right through her...

Uika knew she couldn't deny it now, nor could she deceive Sakiko any further. All she could do was nod firmly.

Seeing that reaction from her childhood friend, Sakiko lifted her chin slightly, brushing a soft strand of blue hair away from her cheek.

Then, under Uika's regretful gaze, she stepped forward with poised, graceful steps, her expression unwavering and cold as she stared straight into Uika's eyes.

"Even if we're friends, I'm not giving Haru up to you."

It wasn't that she hadn't considered Haru's feelings.

But this one, precious piece of her world—she would never hand it over to anyone else.

"Uika, from this day on… we're rivals in love."

The moment she said it, it was like Sakiko had exhaled all the heaviness she'd been carrying. Her cold and cutting demeanor was sharp like a hedgehog's spines, a complete contrast to the soft, fragile girl she'd been just moments before.

Uika, who had planned to quietly step aside and support her instead, was left stunned.

She had no idea what to do anymore.

"Well then… I'll be going."

With those final words, Sakiko gave Uika one last deep look, then turned and walked quickly down the street.

Uika remained rooted in place, blankly watching her walk away. Her eyes, filled with sadness, drifted up toward the starry night sky as she murmured in a daze,

"Rivals… huh?"

Lost in her thoughts, Uika didn't notice the girl standing behind her at the crosswalk, a black-haired figure with a bass case at her side, leaning silently against the wall.

Her fingertips, trained for bass playing, gently tapped the case handle, making a faint clicking sound. Her jade-green eyes gazed up quietly at the sky.

"…"

She hadn't planned to stay long. After glancing at the time on her phone, the black-haired girl turned and walked away, her steps heavy and firm.

As for Sakiko, walking farther and farther away, she had no idea any of this was happening behind her.

After throwing out those cold, piercing words, she had walked off like she was fleeing. Even after reaching the sidewalk beyond the Yokohama district, her slender fingers (those same ones used to play piano) remained clenched around the corner of her skirt.

The street buzzed with car horns and passing footsteps as people moved across the thinning crowd.

Each step she took seemed to weigh heavier on her chest. Just moments ago, she'd put up a fierce front, but now she felt like a curled-up hedgehog—bristling on the outside, soft and aching inside.

"...Was I too harsh with Uika?"

Waves of regret surged up in her chest.

Sakiko pressed her slightly chapped lips together, the corners of her eyes beginning to tremble. She hadn't meant to be so cold to Uika, someone who had always been her closest friend. After all, Uika had only wanted to apologize.

But when she realized she had been lied to, her emotions had slipped out of control.

Now, if she tried to go back and apologize herself, her fragile pride wouldn't allow it. All she could do was be gentler toward Uika during the next Ave Mujica rehearsal.

Meanwhile, Uika, still walking the streets with a blank look on her face, suddenly seemed to remember something. Her dazed eyes flickered, and she pulled out her phone from her pocket. After hesitating for a full thirty seconds, she finally dialed a number.

She waited anxiously through the ringing until the call connected. Grasping at what little hope she had, her voice came out flustered and full of guilt.

"Hello? Mutsumi… is that you?"

…

The next day, at RiNG~

Yawning, Kazami Haru dragged himself upstairs into the café. Lately, he should have been neck-deep in composing, but for this competition, he'd decided to use a track from his earlier drafts.

That way, he could lighten the workload and give both bands more time to rehearse.

To prepare for the "Duel of Bands" performance at the cultural festival in just two weeks, MyGO!!!!!, which usually only practiced two or three days a week had suddenly ramped up their schedule.

Today was another training day, but Haru had arrived early. The score for the upcoming performance was already more than halfway done, and he needed to show it to Shiina Taki-san for feedback.

"…"

As soon as he sat down, Haru instinctively looked toward the counter.

He thought Shiina-san would be working today, she usually handed him a menu with her usual cold stare. But instead, bro behind the counter only frowned when she saw him, then went back to brewing coffee without a word.

Trying to act like she didn't see me? Seriously?

Just as Haru picked up his phone to message her and "call her out," Shiina-san suddenly walked over with a coffee in hand.

"Here. On the house."

Wearing her work uniform, Shiina Taki gently placed the steaming coffee in front of him. Her elegant, striking face remained just as unreadable as always.

"Cappuccino?"

Kazami Haru raised an eyebrow in mild surprise at the coffee placed before him.

Without a word, he picked it up and took a small sip. The rich aroma and sweet intensity hit his tongue immediately, his eyes lighting up ever so slightly. The overpowering sweetness made it obvious, this was loaded with white sugar.

But… what was this supposed to mean?

A bro showing up with coffee? Clearly, this was a bribe. She must want something from him.

"Shiina, do you need me to take the fall for something?"

"Hah? What the hell are you babbling about?"

Shiina Taki frowned, giving him a strange look. But being long accustomed to his nonsense, she just curled her lips and, after a slight pause, muttered with a faint blush,

"I just brought it to hurry you up with the composition. Everyone's still waiting to practice the new song."

"Anyway, what are you doing here at RiNG today, Kazami? You're not even performing in the next live. No reason for you to come train, is there?"

Haru didn't hold back with Taki. He replied bluntly, "So if I'm not training, I can't show up to watch? I could at least come have some coffee and check on practice. Or is it that you've already used me up, and now you're ready to toss me aside?"

"Hah? Like I'd ever do something like that!"

The second those words left his mouth, Shiina Taki sprang upright like she'd been shocked. The commotion startled Matsugi Ririko, who was peeking from behind the counter and nearly ducked back out of sight.

Realizing she'd overreacted, Taki quickly sat back down, her cheeks tinged with red.

"Lame."

Seeing his blushing friend grinding her teeth in embarrassment, Haru couldn't help but feel a smug satisfaction. He raised a brow, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Taki-nii, as expected… a total lightweight.

"I'm just messing with you. Actually, I came to show you how the new track's shaping up."

"You've already finished it?!"

"Of course not. I've only gotten halfway. Just put together the demo using some software."

Rolling his eyes, Haru pulled a stack of sheet music and an audio player from a plastic bag. Taki didn't hesitate, she immediately took them and started reading carefully.

As she scanned the notation for the [Intro] and [Main Melody], which were already mostly completed, her face stiffened noticeably.

"Even if it's only half done, that's insanely fast!"

Wasn't this only the third day since they decided to write a new song?

In less than two days, he had already written over half of a brand new composition, printed the sheet music, and produced a demo. For someone like Taki, who also arranged music, this was just… absurd.

Even two Togawa Sakikos wouldn't dare claim they could do the same.

Holding the sheet music, Shiina Taki felt something click inside her. Her brows furrowed as she asked with a suspicious look, "Haru… Don't tell me you prioritized writing our song first?"

The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

If Haru had temporarily set aside the other band's track to focus entirely on MyGO's new song, then yes, with his talent and skill, it was feasible to have gotten this far in such a short time.

But if he was writing two entirely different styles of music at the same time… in that short of a span?

Seeing her glaring at him, Haru caught on immediately. He answered in an easy tone,

"Actually, I already had ideas for both bands' songs a while back. So once we decided to do new tracks, the music was already in my head. All I'm doing now is writing it down."

"So relax, Taki. Both bands are progressing equally."

Of course he knew how proud she was.

To Shiina Taki, a proper showdown meant facing each other head-on. She'd never accept Haru playing favorites with MyGO.

And truthfully, he wasn't lying. The two original songs planned for the cultural festival's live had been sketched out in his mind long ago. He had written both of them himself.

Now he was simply transcribing the 'music' from his head into actual scores.

Seeing her tension gradually ease, Haru smiled a little and asked, "By the way, how did you know I like my cappuccino sweet?"

"…!"

Shiina Taki froze as if she'd just been stabbed through the heart. A visible blush spread across her fair cheeks, and in a panic, she raised the sheet music to shield her face.

Then, half in embarrassment, she reached out and gave Haru's chest a tiny punch with her fist.

"Ow—!"

Haru suddenly sucked in a sharp breath, pretending to be in pain. That startled Taki enough to make her glance up in a panic.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?!"

Shiina Taki had never looked so flustered. Her voice lost its usual cold tone, sounding anxious and worried.

Shoot. Did I overdo it?

In truth, there was no way her little punch could hurt. She wasn't some muscle-bound beast, and Haru… well, Haru could probably get hit by a truck and still be fine. That barely counted as playful.

But he hadn't expected Taki-nii to actually panic. If he told her it was a joke now:

"No, I'm fine. Don't worry about it, Shiina…"

As Haru was still deciding how to play it off, he felt a tap on his right shoulder.

Turning his head, he found himself staring into a pair of calm, emotionless green eyes.

Standing beside him, her black mid-length hair swaying slightly, was Yahata Umiri.

"Haru. Come with me."