[Available Simulation Target: Yamada Ryo]
Kazami Haru was pretty sure he had never interacted with Yamada Ryo before.
Had she somehow found his online comments and opened his profile?
Regardless, if she was curious about him, then this was probably a good thing.
Between the two initial options, Kazami Haru would choose Yamada Ryo.
After all, Takamatsu Tomori had way too much emotional baggage.
At this point in time, she had already parted ways with Togawa Sakiko, and without a band, she was currently in her gloomy and despair arc.
Breaking that ice required a special key figure, Chihaya Anon—who had yet to transfer in.
Kazami Haru considered himself lacking in ability. Under these circumstances, it was difficult to measure up to the great "Archangel" Holy Anon.
Challenging a heavy-weight heroine right from the first simulation was a bit much for him.
"So, relatively speaking, the disappointing, good-for-nothing woman, Yamada-san, was obviously a more suitable choice for his first simulation."
"...Alright, let's give it a shot."
Kazami Haru's dark eyes scanned the simulation screen as he confirmed his selection, his face calm and fearless.
"Well, let's give it a try..."
Kazami Haru's pitch-black eyes swept across the various pieces of information on his phone screen as he confirmed in his mind that Yamada Ryo would be his initial simulation target. His face carried an expression of absolute fearlessness.
There were a total of five simulation attempts available, so even if the first one failed miserably, it wouldn't matter.
[Simulation begins. Remaining attempts: 4]
Lines of text started appearing one after another on the system panel in his mind.
[You, who already possessed a certain level of musical talent before crossing over, are still idly scrolling through Twitter today. Even though your outstanding appearance and aura have drawn plenty of youthful romance opportunities, none have ever truly moved your heart.]
[It's now lunchtime. Your next choice is—]
1. Continue making critical comments on various forums, fully utilizing your skills as a keyboard warrior.
2. Realizing you shouldn't be so lazy, you decide to take action and make full use of your musical talents. After school, you plan to visit a Live House in search of bandmates to realize your dreams.
3. Skip class and wander around town.
4. Virtual reality simulation—experience it firsthand.
[Note: Using virtual reality will consume three simulation attempts.]
"Skipping class it is."
Without hesitation, without even the slightest pause—Kazami Haru immediately chose the third option.
To be honest, he was quite curious about what kind of interesting things would happen if he simply picked randomly. And since this simulation was mainly for experimentation, he figured he might as well ignore the seemingly ideal choices.
From a logical standpoint, Option 1 was a guaranteed failure.
How could internet surfing possibly create any meaningful interactions with the heroine?
Yamada Ryo wasn't some Eromanga-sensei, nor was she a fallen angel who spent all day surfing the web.
"This disappointing woman was the type who occasionally posted on social media, but she clearly wasn't online all that often."
As for Option 2, while it seemed like a normal choice that could lead to an encounter with Yamada-san, his thought process was unconventional. He was more curious about what skipping class would lead to.
Option 4 wasn't even worth considering. In this situation, even if he tried a virtual simulation, he doubted he'd find a better option. Plus, it would cost three simulation attempts, if this run ended in failure, it would be a complete waste.
[Tired of aimlessly browsing the internet, you decide to skip class during lunch. Since your excellent grades ensure that even if you're absent in the afternoon, the school would just assume you were in the infirmary, you take the opportunity to sneak out.]
[You decide to wander around and enjoy the freedom and leisure of youth—]
1. Roam around an unpopular shopping district.
2. Find a quiet café to enjoy some snacks while reading free light novels.
3. Head to a bar, smoke, drink, and party with women.
4. Virtual reality simulation—experience it firsthand.
Compared to the previous set of choices, these options seemed much more mundane. No matter which one he picked, the day would likely pass in boredom. This made Kazami Haru, who preferred interesting developments, raise an eyebrow.
Options 2 and 3 weren't really his type. He didn't enjoy those kinds of places, and he genuinely avoided alcohol and cigarettes.
If he had to choose, he'd rather indulge his inner child and pretend he was a treasure hunter, searching for hidden gems in an old but charming marketplace.
With a hint of anticipation, Kazami Haru chose Option 1.
[You decide to wander around the second-hand shopping district in Shimokitazawa. Eventually, as hunger sets in, you realize you haven't had lunch, so you casually pick a quiet little restaurant to eat.]
[At that moment, a blue-haired girl, about your age, walks into the restaurant with a blank expression. She's dressed in an androgynous black knitted sweater and a long skirt, carrying herself with the elegant manners of a rich lady.]
[With just one glance, you recognize her, it's none other than Yamada Ryo.]
[Because there were few seats in the small restaurant, Yamada-san sat directly at the counter, right next to you. Her calm eyes briefly fixated on the steaming bowl of hell-spicy miso ramen in front of you before she turned to the owner and ordered the exact same ramen set.]
Wait, so this girl skipped class too?
"And isn't this a ramen shop? Shouldn't the odds of running into that pink-haired Chika be way higher here?"
Kazami Haru hadn't expected that, despite picking such a random option, he'd coincidentally run into his target for the simulation. Once again, he found himself marveling at just how small Japan really was.
If this were a normal situation, he'd probably just pretend not to notice her and continue eating his ramen in peace...
But this was a simulation.
[The fact that she deliberately chose to sit next to you leaves you feeling rather puzzled. At the same time, a faint hint of distress flickers across her usually calm and lazy expression, as if something is bothering her. This is the perfect chance to start a conversation!]
[Faced with a seemingly troubled Yamada-san, you decide to—]
1. Strike up a natural yet polite conversation to slowly close the distance between you two.
2. Ignore her—your hell-spicy miso ramen will turn soggy if you don't eat it soon.
3. Ask to borrow money from her.
4. Enter virtual reality.
I choose option three.