After
four simulation loops
, Minami was confident that he understood
Ryo Yamada's personality
.
She was free-spirited, loved solitude, and had a lazy, laid-back nature.
Not that any of those were
bad
traits.
But because of this personality, even if she felt troubled or upset, she
would never
show it on her face—let alone talk about it. Instead, she would simply
shoulder everything alone
, keeping her worries to herself.
That's why Minami
chose the second option
.
For someone like
Ryo Yamada
, sometimes a
stronger push
was necessary.
[Simulation Continues.]
[Ryo Yamada's unusual behavior has caught your attention.]
[Having spent so much time with her, you know that while showing up at her house might be too forward for other girls, for someone as carefree, lazy, and indifferent to social norms as Ryo, direct confrontation might actually be the best way to share her burdens.]
[You ask Ijichi Nijika for Ryo Yamada's home address.]
[Meanwhile, you hear Kita Ikuyo's concerns from the side.]
[As someone who had always admired Ryo, she seems particularly upset. She's worried that Ryo might be dating another guy, which is why she hasn't been coming to work.]
[Of course, she
hopes
that Ryo doesn't have a boyfriend. But if she does, she wants you to find out
who
the guy is and report back to her.]
[Although you think it's unlikely that Ryo Yamada would date anyone other than, well,
you
, you still nod in agreement—reassuring Kita that if Ryo
does
have a boyfriend, you'll let her know immediately.]
[With your promise, Kita is able to relax.]
[After temporarily leaving Starry, you quickly track down the location of the Yamada family's home with your inhuman level of efficiency.]
[And then—you see it.]
[Ryo Yamada, curled up inside a sleeping bag, camping in the backyard of her own mansion.]
Rich People Are... Different.
Minami had long known that
Ryo Yamada
was a rich young lady.
But
camping in her own backyard
instead of sleeping in a perfectly good mansion?
That was something only
Ryo Yamada
, with her carefree and unconventional ways, would do.
[Memories Begin to Surface.]
"Why are you here?"
"Why are you camping in your own backyard instead of sleeping inside your mansion?"
Faced with Ryo Yamada's questioning, Minami didn't answer. Instead, he
countered with a question of his own
—before taking a longer look at her.
For the
first time
, the ever-unbothered Ryo Yamada felt a bit
self-conscious
.
She had showered in her home's bathroom, so there was no strange smell.
But after sleeping in a
sleeping bag
, her usually neat and tidy short hair had become a little messy.
If it were
Nijika or Kita
who showed up, she wouldn't have cared. She probably would've just
stayed in the sleeping bag
and casually greeted them.
But with
Minami
standing before her...
For some reason, she
couldn't
let him see her like this.
Flustered, she
hurriedly tried to climb out of the sleeping bag
.
But because she moved too quickly—
The
zipper got stuck
, and she ended up
tripping over her own feet.
Thud—
Ryo's eyes shut tight, bracing for impact.
But...
The expected
pain never came
.
Instead, she found herself landing on
something soft.
"I guess buying an expensive sleeping bag was worth it."
With an expressionless face, Ryo
sighed in relief
—grateful for the sleeping bag's cushioning.
And then—
"What kind of sleeping bag are you talking about? Hurry up and get off me."
"Huh...?"
Ryo slowly turned her body—only to realize something
horrifying
.
At some point, she had
fallen directly onto Minami.
The "cushioning" and "warmth" she had felt wasn't from the sleeping bag.
It was from
him.
The moment she
realized
this—
Even though her face remained
calm and composed
, her
ears
started
burning
with embarrassment.
But that feeling didn't last long.
Because she suddenly
remembered
her
terrible mock exam results
.
Escape Attempt #1: Denied.
Not wanting to dwell on the situation, she quickly turned away and spoke in a cold tone.
"Minami, if you're not hurt, then you should just go home."
"What do you mean 'not hurt'? I'm in pain."
Lying on the ground, Minami gritted his teeth in "pain" and
reached out his hand to her.
"Help me up, Ryo."
"Does it really hurt? Did you get injured somewhere?"
Hearing the
hint of pain
in his voice, the
coldness in Ryo's expression softened
.
Despite herself, she couldn't
just leave him there.
So she grabbed his hand—
And then—
"Thud—"
Her
short blue hair fluttered in the air.
Just as she tried to pull Minami up—
He suddenly
tightened his grip
, pulling her down with him.
Now, she found herself
back in his arms
once again.
Completely
stunned
, she lifted her head—only to see
Minami grinning down at her.
In that moment—
She
knew.
She had been completely tricked.
Yet, despite that—
She
couldn't
put on a cold expression anymore.
Her body
remained pressed against his
, but her head turned stubbornly to the side, refusing to let him see her face.
At the same time, she tried to pull her hand free.
"Let go."
She said it
seriously
.
"Nope. I'm still in pain. But maybe if Ryo-san hugged me on her own, I'd feel better."
Minami
chuckled
, his grip tightening just slightly to
prevent her escape.
"...Minami, you're so childish."
Her voice was still
calm and cold
, but her
elegant and expressionless face
was
clearly flushed.
"Call it whatever you want."
Finding her reactions amusing, Minami
playfully poked her cheek.
And this time—
The
cool, aloof bassist
, usually so composed and untouchable—
Was
completely frozen, caught like a rabbit in a trap.
The Moment She Gave Up
After a while—
"Why did you come looking for me?"
Her voice was as cold as ever.
"I missed you."
His tone was
teasing
.
"Minami, I'm being serious."
Forcing herself to sit up, she looked at him with her
sharp amber eyes.
Minami didn't answer.
He simply
stared back at her.
Time passed.
And eventually—
Her cold gaze
couldn't withstand
his burning stare any longer.
Her face turned even
redder
as she
averted her eyes.
She was the one
who had been watching him
all this time—
And yet, in the end, she was also the
first to look away.
"Ryo is as interesting as ever."
Minami finally
burst out laughing.
Ryo, realizing
there was no escaping him
, simply leaned her face against her palm with a sigh.
Then, the cold, elegant girl—
Finally,
gave up.
She closed her eyes—
And
let herself rest against Minami's chest once again.
She had come to terms with it.
If she
couldn't escape
, then she might as well
enjoy it.
And deep down—
She
knew
.
This time, she wouldn't be able to
run away
from him anymore.
[Your Relationship with Ryo Yamada Has Deepened.]
For Advanced Chapters, 16+ ahead on my /Loverice929
Thanks to @Charlie Dalfall, @Ethan Farias, and @Insert Name.
I'll upload more chaps later