Even though Narumi Tōru knew he was inside a simulation and still retained every memory from his life up to now, he couldn't quite get used to switching identities from high-schooler to university student.
What felt the most awkward was probably the extra presence of a certain ex-girlfriend named Yukinoshita Haruno.
In real life he only knew Haruno as that exemplary graduate from the same high school, and as Yukinoshita Yukino's sister — a senior like that? He, who had never even held a girl's hand, naturally couldn't imagine dating someone like her.
But clearly, this "future" version of himself had done a good job.
Somehow, by mysterious charm alone he'd won Haruno over; during their relationship hugging, cuddling, and being lovey-dovey were everyday things. Hitting bases? Of course — what puberty-stricken boy or girl can reliably hold back?
Unfortunately, by the time Narumi entered the simulation they'd been broken up for a long time, and those memories could only be replayed in his head like loading a saved file in a galgame.
In other words, this Narumi existed in a Schrödinger-ish state of graduating a virgin.
Damn it — just when something good might happen, it slips through his fingers…!
"Ahh, look at you, Achē — you've got that face like you missed the supermarket sale."
A familiar, sweet voice pulled Narumi out of memory.
At the lobby entrance of the upscale apartment building, Yukinoshita Haruno wore her usual smile and poked the dazed, curly-haired young man on the cheek.
"What, you can't wait ten minutes? You were the one who volunteered to pick up little Yukino for school, you know."
Dragged back to the present and not bothered by Haruno's intimacy, Narumi blinked and glanced at the secondhand sedan parked nearby.
Right — he was the Service Club's assistant, doing his best to get on good terms with Haruno's sister, Yukinoshita Yukino: rides to and from school, regular hospital visits, that sort of thing.
Of course a college student isn't aimlessly slacking off all day; Narumi simply didn't want to get caught up in the rat race with his peers, so skipping some optional extracurriculars made sense to him.
"Haruno, are you seriously okay with your ex getting close to your beloved little sister?"
Narumi didn't answer the question head-on. He just smiled, ruffled his soft curls, and let Haruno poke his face — his body didn't resist her, so he figured, let her have her fun.
"Oh, I trust little Yukino's taste in men."
"Then I'll have to be careful not to make her fall for me."
"Achē, you're still charming as ever, aren't you?"
Haruno's smile was genuinely amused rather than mocking; she was simply entertained.
"In that case, bringing you to be near her is the least I can do."
Haruno didn't press the matter further. After that teasing remark she turned toward the elevator at the building's lobby.
Not long after, a girl stepped slowly out of the open elevator doors.
"Achē-senpai… and… onee-san?"
Yukinoshita Yukino paused for a moment when she saw the pair waiting. To an outsider, the impeccably dressed older sister and the curly-haired young man leaning by the motorcycle made a striking pair — the classic poor pretty boy and accomplished rich girl setup straight out of a romance novel.
So her expression darkened slightly on noticing their affectionate interaction.
"Still flirting even though you broke up? That's a bit too bizarre."
Yukino had never been in love; she hadn't experienced romance firsthand. Rather than being a pure-love warrior she was more like someone born solo. Because of caution toward her sister and a general aversion to couples, she wasn't exactly polite now.
"Oh come on, what's the harm? Want me to teach you how to flirt, little Yukino? I could reluctantly hand Achē over to you~"
"Please don't do that. I don't mean that at all. I just think your behavior… is inappropriate."
"Well, well— we split on good terms, and neither of us has anyone special now. Rekindling an old flame isn't so strange, is it?"
Haruno put her hand on Narumi's shoulder with a grin. Narumi shrugged and didn't much resist the former-girlfriend closeness.
"Get back together? I don't mind. But on one condition: Haruno, you have to actively win me back."
That performance probably matched the "game setting" version of himself… maybe. It did make him look a little like a noncommittal jerk who neither pursues nor refuses.
"Achē, you say things like that and I'll take you seriously."
He didn't especially love Haruno — it was more that this simulated him had trouble feeling strong emotions about anyone or anything. It was as if a vital emotional control circuit were missing. Liking or hating didn't energize him much; emotional displays in conversation were often exaggerated performances, tools to steer the interaction where he wanted it to go.
Put bluntly: most of it was acting.
Playing the clown in social scenes, self-deprecating humor, dramatized feelings, even a touch of hysterics — these helped shape the mood of a conversation and quietly steer it to his advantage while taking others' feelings into account.
"At least don't perform your canoodling show right outside my door. Or am I just a bit-player in your scene?"
Yukinoshita Yukino saw through Narumi's thinking — whether intentionally or not was unclear.
For some reason, having someone so blunt made Narumi oddly glad — even if the way she spoke back made him want to smack his own cheek.
"What's wrong with acting? Life's a play — can't I perform? Forget what I said later."
"Sorry, little Yukino. Achē's fine in most ways, he just has occasional mental condition issues."
Yukino put her hand to her forehead, exasperated by the two's bickering. She regretted letting someone with an unstable mental state be her club's assistant — and on top of that, he was her sister's ex.
"Since you're a senpai, act like one. Really, how did you and Onee-san ever hit it off…"
"Of course it's because Achē actually has his own charm."
While Narumi himself was frowning and thinking, "Yeah, why the hell is that?", Yukinoshita Haruno replied with that suggestive tone of hers.
"Hey, little Yukino, don't you want to try it out too?"
The moment Haruno said that, Yukinoshita Yukino froze in place. After a stiff pause she awkwardly waved her hand.
"Ahem — I already said I don't mean that at all."
"Pfft."
Haruno tittered and gave the used sedan parked behind Narumi a friendly pat.
"I mean the car. Achē drove me around back when we dated — want to try it too, Yukino?"
"…I'm absolutely sure that's not what you meant just now."
Achievement unlocked for Haruno: Tease little sister daily. (1/1)
God, the relationship between those two is delightfully twisted.
Narumi, who had been watching the sisters' show from the sidelines like a spectator at a melon-splitting festival, arched a brow, turned, and started up the secondhand car he'd scrimped and saved for in this simulated future.
"Right, if a high-schooler doesn't hurry, they'll be late."
That was enough sibling banter for one morning.
"…?"
Used to being chauffeured by a luxury family car, Yukino hesitated a little.
She looked at her smiling sister, then at the curly-haired young man now in the driver's seat, her eyes a little lost.
"Anyway, Achē said he's free, so let him be your personal driver. You know he loves meddling~ I can't help him, so I agreed."
Haruno gave her sister a wink, smiling warmly—but somehow that line was the least relaxing thing Yukino could hear.
"Or do you want me to ride along as well? After all, I used to always sit next to Achē."
Yukino said nothing; she kept calm on the surface but clearly looked away, unwilling to meet her sister's eyes.
"…I know that already."
Yukino clumsily slid into the cheap used-car's passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt with her head down.
"It's fine. Sit a few more times and you'll get used to it."
Narumi eased the gas and answered Haruno's loaded remark in a casual tone.
"I won't charge, and I won't kick anyone out—though don't vomit in my car."
"No way."
Haruno looked thoughtful for a beat, then her smile brightened even more.
"Then I'll leave little Yukino in your care, Achē. Be patient with a sick person, okay~"
That line again carried all of Haruno's layered meaning.
Would all you warped riddle-people just be frank and say what you mean instead of proverbially wrapping your thoughts in paper cranes?
Narumi couldn't be bothered to reply. He flicked the car's Bluetooth to his favorite station—Temperature Radio—and drove off with Yukino.
Morning streets were full of students and salarymen rushing to early shifts. Narumi kept a steady speed, enjoying the music as he made his way.
"Aside from the butler, this is actually my first time riding shotgun in someone else's car."
While Narumi enjoyed the morning breeze through the window, the girl's soft voice came with the wind across his ear.
"Then I'm honored to be the first part-time chauffeur for Second Miss Yukinoshita. How does that feel?"
"You should probably get a nicer car, senpai."
Yukino was basically incapable of lying.
"…But being driven to school by someone who isn't family is interesting."
The scenery rushed backwards: tree-shadowed streets, the faint floral scent of early spring. The morning sun made the young man's wind-tossed curls glow a pleasant light.
The mute, long-ago feeling of being driven silently to school by a family driver had become a distant memory.
"…The scenery feels more alive," she murmured.
"Well, it's what spring's like."
A song ended on the radio, and the host's voice caught their attention.
[You may have seen this on social media already — according to NAZA, a newly discovered comet will visit Earth for the first time in 5,000 years; it will be visible to the naked eye from parts of Japan…]
A comet… Narumi hadn't heard any news like that before entering the simulation.
There were a lot of strange differences in this future.
Narumi didn't care much. He switched the station back to music and continued escorting the girl into the spring morning. After all, it's just a simulation — whatever happens, he wasn't surprised.
What he didn't know was this: spring is the season of rebirth. Spring is also the season for love — and that was the one thing he'd forgotten.