August 2nd.
A sunny morning. Haruki Kaito awoke from his sleep. The first thing he did wasn't getting up to wash, but starting the once-a-day simulation.
[Second simulation beginning... Good luck.]
"Haruki-kun!"
The same opening at the school gate, the same familiar girl, her exquisite disguise unchanged.
Using the same dialogue as last time, Haruki Kaito got acquainted with this "strange girl," and the two of them walked together to the classroom.
Noon, the weather was sweltering. Haruki, who had just returned from buying a boxed lunch, was drenched in sweat. Sitting at his seat, just as he was about to start eating, a slender hand suddenly offered him a canned drink.
"Ha... Haruki-kun, d-do you... need this?"
Looking up, it was Haruki's female classmate. Since everyone in class had introduced themselves during the first period that morning, he knew her name.
"N-no thanks, I don't need it."
Different from last time, Haruki Kaito chose to decline her kindness this time.
While refusing her, he glanced at Moriyama Shiori sitting in the corner of the classroom.
Their eyes met for an instant before they both looked away as if nothing had happened. The well-meaning female classmate left awkwardly.
School ended in the afternoon. Haruki Kaito, who had spent the whole day in煎熬, returned home.
He didn't encounter Moriyama Shiori on the way, meaning she didn't plan to knife him this time.
Back home, Haruki immediately called his uncle.
"What? You want to come over here?"
When he heard Haruki wanted to come to his place, his uncle's tone sounded somewhat surprised.
"Yeah, can you arrange a school transfer? I want to study over there."
"Of... of course I can. But why so sudden? Did something happen?"
"It's a personal matter. I'd rather you not ask too much. Please, Uncle."
"Alright, I'll arrange it."
Hanging up the phone, Haruki Kaito let out a long sigh. But he didn't relax because of it, as whether this method was viable remained unknown.
[Day 2: You didn't go to school. Instead, you packed your luggage at home, preparing to move to Kyoto.]
[Day 3: Your uncle brought you from Tokyo to Kyoto. You started a new life in the new city.]
[Day 4: The transfer procedures are still being processed, but you can already attend the new school.]
[Day 5: You arrive at the new campus. No yandere here, only a youth waiting for you to live to the fullest.]
[Day 6: You spent a wonderful day at the new campus.]
[Day 7: You spent a wonderful day at the new campus.]
[Day 8: You spent a wonderful day at the new campus.]
[Day 9: You spent a wonderful day at the new campus.]
[Day 10: You spent a wonderful day at the new campus.]
[Day 11: On your way back, you suddenly meet Moriyama Shiori. Her dark circles are heavy, looking as if she hasn't slept for days.]
[She demands to know why you left her. You don't answer, turning to run instead. You succeed.]
[Day 12: You fake illness to skip school. You spend the day in惶恐, but don't see Moriyama Shiori again.]
[Day 13: You fake illness to skip school.]
[Day 14: You fake illness to skip school.]
[Day 15: You gather your courage and go to school. On the way home, you don't encounter Moriyama Shiori. You think you've succeeded.]
"Succeeded?" At this point in the simulation, Haruki Kaito thought he was about to succeed. But the unexpected happened so suddenly.
[Day 16: You return home from school. A shocking scene unfolds.]
[A blood-soaked Moriyama Shiori appears here. In her hand is the familiar fruit knife, its blade stained red. At her feet lie your uncle's family. You can't comprehend it. Rage surges within you. You demand to know why she did this.]
[The mentally unhinged Moriyama Shiori believes your uncle's family took you away. Hearing this answer fills you with burning anger. You charge forward and struggle with her. Unexpectedly, her strength is far greater than imagined. You are counter-killed.]
[You died.]
[Second Simulation Ended]
[Simulation Duration: Sixteen Days]
[Rewards Obtained: Simulation Coins X16]
[Summary: Reminder once more: never attempt to escape a yandere. Also, do not underestimate her combat ability.]
Returning to reality from the simulation world, Haruki Kaito lay on his bed, stunned.
To be honest, this result far exceeded his expectations. Especially the final counter-kill—wasn't that too far-fetched?
Haruki admitted he didn't exercise much usually, with little to no training. But dealing with a seemingly delicate girl shouldn't be a problem, right? Why was he counter-killed?
Was it because she had a weapon? That was certainly a factor. But during the struggle, Haruki had grabbed Moriyama Shiori's wrist more than once, only for her to break free each time.
In other words, it wasn't about the weapon, but a difference in strength.
A beautiful girl who looked so fragile on the outside actually possessed such formidable combat ability? Even for a yandere, this wasn't part of the archetype, was it?
Or was Moriyama Shiori's yandere nature somewhat special?
Thinking carefully, during their first meeting, Haruki had seen many bruises on Moriyama Shiori's body—signs of past violence.
Could it be that frequent abuse had resulted in her formidable combat strength?
The answer to this question was unknown, and it wasn't Haruki's main concern right now.
Escaping to his uncle's house to avoid the yandere was no longer a viable method. No matter where he fled, Moriyama Shiori would likely track him down.
This was also why the System had warned him from the start to never try to escape a yandere.
He still had fourteen simulation opportunities left. Within these fourteen simulations, Haruki needed to find a way to successfully escape the yandere... No, rather, find a way to live peacefully with the yandere.
After all, he couldn't escape Moriyama Shiori. The only way to survive might be to live with her.
Well, actually, there was another method Haruki could try in a simulation.
That was... counter-killing the yandere.
Counter-killing the yandere... Taking her out before she could make a move on him. If successful, he wouldn't have to worry about being entangled by a yandere anymore.
But the biggest problem was: if Haruki's act of killing someone was discovered by the police, how would he get out of it?
Using self-defense as a reason to convince the police was a good method. Not only could it minimize the sentence, in a good scenario, he might even be acquitted.
However, for it to be self-defense, evidence was needed.
Only by providing evidence that Moriyama Shiori intended to kill him would counter-killing her under such circumstances count as self-defense. Otherwise, with just his word and no proof, who would believe him? He couldn't very well have a dead person jump out of a coffin to testify.