Love Comes After Simulation-Chapter 169 - Is the Ship About to Sink?

Minami Yuuki failed to anticipate one thing—he thought he had figured it all out. The “Dream Cinema” had to be the mysterious reward. After all, the first time he received the mysterious reward, all he got was the Dream Cinema.

He hadn’t considered the VR headset, which provided a free simulation experience, as part of the mysterious reward. By the time he realized this, it was already too late.

That morning, he went to the Asano residence and had breakfast with Nao. During their conversation, they casually brought up the house itself.

The Asano residence was an old house. While its basic functions were still intact, it showed signs of aging—the peeling walls and the few floorboards that creaked underfoot were clear indications. Minami Yuuki asked Asano Nao if she had ever considered renovating or rebuilding it.

Nao nodded and said she wanted a small garden, one with a lounge chair where she could lie down and bask in the sunlight.

At first, the statement didn’t seem odd. But as Minami Yuuki finished his jam-covered toast and picked up his glass of milk, he realized something was off.

This socially anxious older sister was afraid of even stepping outside. Why would she want a garden? A garden would inevitably require her to go outside and take care of it. Not to mention, lying in the garden meant she could be seen by passersby.

Minami Yuuki decided to probe further. He asked her what flowers she liked, wondering if her love for flowers was the reason behind her desire for a garden. However, she stammered and couldn’t name a single flower. That possibility was ruled out.

If she didn’t love flowers and was afraid of going outside and being seen, why would she want a small garden?

Minami Yuuki thought hard. He couldn’t find an answer in reality—perhaps the answer lay within the Dream Cinema.

Could it be...

A scene from his free simulation with Asano Nao flashed through his mind. At the very beginning of the simulation, he had been lying on a lounge chair in a garden, basking in the sun. Other than that, the Dream Cinema hadn’t mentioned anything about a garden.

The realization that emerged from this train of thought was like a tight rope cinching around his neck, making his breath hitch and his heartbeat race.

Did Asano Nao also have memories of the free simulation?

He recalled the VR headset placed beside the seats in the Dream Projection Room. Could it be that the VR headset wasn’t his alone—but that each simulated character had their own?

Was the real mysterious reward not the Dream Cinema itself, but the Dream Projection Room? If so, then the VR headset inside was also part of the reward.

In other words...

Did Yuko and... Reina also have access to the free simulation experience and memories?

If it were just Nao and Yuko, that wouldn’t be too bad. But Reina...

Minami Yuuki recalled the question he had asked Reina in the free simulation. His mind trembled.

This was bad. A major crisis.

He had been hiding in the shadows, pretending to know nothing, letting them struggle and scheme. Was his entire plan about to fall apart?

No. He couldn’t be certain yet.

Maybe Asano Nao had just seen a romantic manga where a couple shared affectionate moments in a garden. Maybe she was drawn to the beautiful imagery and hadn’t even considered the maintenance a garden required.

He quickly downed the rest of his milk, a new plan forming in his mind.

“Does Onee-san have any birthmarks?” Minami Yuuki asked.

Asano Nao’s face flushed red. She shook her head.

Minami Yuuki already knew this for a fact. In the free simulation, he had explored every inch of her body. This socially anxious older sister was one of those rare women with flawless, unblemished skin.

He brought up this topic to transition to himself.

“I have one,” he said. “Want to guess where it is, Onee-san? If you get it right, I’ll take you on the subway tonight.”

The subway?

Asano Nao wasn’t sure whether that was a reward or a punishment. Just thinking about the subway brought images of crowded spaces to her mind—so many people, so many eyes. The mere thought unsettled her.

But then, she also thought about riding the subway with Minami Yuuki, traveling farther together, holding hands for longer. In that moment, the panic and fear became mere trivialities.

She recalled the body she had seen through the VR headset.

She said, “Is it on your back?”

“You actually guessed it right.” Minami Yuuki put on a troubled expression. “Want to guess again? Is it on the left or right side of my back? If you get it right, I’ll take you for a walk on Azuki Mountain. If you get it wrong, I’ll take away the previous reward.”

Azuki Mountain? Asano Nao had never heard of that place before, but since it was a mountain, it had to be a place where they could walk for a long time, right? In many romance mangas, mountain peaks at night were often where relationships progressed.

Maybe... maybe she and Minami Yuuki could take another step forward at the summit.

Along with her excitement, a tinge of guilt surfaced. Minami Yuuki was asking her to guess, but she already knew the answer. She was a cheater.

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However, that small trace of guilt was quickly buried deep inside her heart.

She wanted a future with Minami Yuuki—something more beautiful, something closer. For that, she was willing to let her virtue be stained. This tainted virtue was merely a sacrifice for a greater virtue—the virtue of love.

“Right side,” she answered.

“Wrong.” Minami Yuuki snapped his fingers. “That means the previous reward is gone too.”

“Eh?” Asano Nao froze, a wave of panic washing over her.

How could it be wrong? She had seen it clearly beneath his right shoulder blade in the VR headset! Did that mean she no longer had the reward of holding hands for a longer time?

“It’s not on the right side?”

“Nope. Want to check for yourself?” Minami Yuuki stared at her face.

Asano Nao lowered her head, her eyes filled with disappointment, confusion, and regret.

Breakfast was already finished. She stood up, tidied the table, and carried the dishes to the kitchen.

And then—it dawned on her.

Her memory couldn’t be wrong. That boy must have been messing with her!

She should have accepted his offer just now, made him show his back, exposed his lie, and claimed her right to climb the mountain!

But... if time rewound, would she really have the courage to look directly at the boy’s bare back? If she used a camera, that might be doable.

She felt frustrated with herself for being so timid.

Then again... the game had been unfair from the start. She had known the answer in advance. Perhaps her current emotions were a form of divine punishment.

“I’m heading out now, Onee-san. See you later.”

In the living room, Minami Yuuki picked up his backpack and walked toward the entrance.

“Safe travels.” Asano Nao turned her head, watching the boy’s retreating figure disappear behind the hallway wall. The front door closed behind him.

That crisp sound of the lock clicking into place seemed to echo in Asano Nao’s heart.

Now, there was only her.

Loneliness spread.

“Ah, right.”

The door suddenly opened again.

Minami Yuuki poked his head inside.

“You actually guessed right just now. It gets cold in the mountains, so don’t forget to prepare warm clothes for tonight.”

Before Asano Nao could react, the door closed again. The lock clicked, clear and crisp, like the sound of a kagura bell ringing at a shrine festival.

Asano Nao’s heart was filled with joy.

Minami Yuuki’s heart, however, felt heavy.

Walking along the road to school, he glanced in the direction of Chigusa University Hospital.

Now, he was sure—VR headsets were part of the mysterious reward.

Which meant... the question he had asked Nakajima Reina in the free simulation—she would also know it in reality.

Was he about to be exposed? His chest tightened with unease.

Judging by the timeline, Nakajima Reina should have already watched the Dream Cinema, experienced the VR headset, and woken up in her hospital bed by now.