Chapter 15: Dreams End
"The so-called simulation is just a story pre-programmed by the system, isn't it?"
If we don't act according to the story's logic, will the logic of how this world operates change?
The curly-haired youth's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. Facing the sea, he stepped forward, walking into the ocean as if possessed.
The icy seawater gradually washed over his ankles, then his calves, his knees, and up to his thighs.
Are you really planning to take your own life in this situation...?
When Narumi found it difficult to even move forward, the system indeed issued a warning.
"I'm not bold enough to try and fail like that," Narumi said with a faint smile, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the girl slowly sitting up on the beach.
Yukino rubbed her sleepy eyes, barely able to make out a blurry figure standing in the moonlit waves.
The curly-haired youth stood calmly in the shimmering water. Even as the tide reached his thighs, he remained composed, the faint glow of moonlight outlining his silhouette. When he turned to look at her, there was only a relaxed smile on his face.
"You woke up so quickly? Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"
"Wait— you idiot…!"
Yukino pushed herself up from the sand, her frail body trembling, and waded into the sea without hesitation.
"What are you doing?"
"Hmm? Trying to solve everything, as Yukino suggested," he said lightly. "Don't worry, it hasn't worked yet."
"You idiot, I'm telling you, you're a complete idiot with absolutely no common sense!"
"They're not entirely without common sense, are they..." Narumi tilted his head lazily, watching the girl beside him struggle through the frigid water. Though shivering from the cold, she still wore that stubbornly angry expression.
Like a small, soft-hearted kitten fierce, yet hopelessly kind. It was, in a way, endearing.
"Yukino, didn't you also consider ending it all? Then why are you stopping me?"
"There's no contradiction between my pessimistic view of my own survival and my wish that you not be harmed...!"
Her voice trembled with anger, and she clutched his wet clothes tightly afraid that if she let go, he might vanish into the darkness.
Yet because they had never clearly defined their relationship, she didn't dare to hold him any closer.
Even if I face the worst possible outcome, I hope you can... return to your normal life.
"But without you," Narumi said softly, "there's no point in me continuing in this 'world.'"
The words struck like a blow — simple, decisive, and impossible to refute.
"...You really are hard to understand."
"Because you're special," Narumi said, his tone steady. "That's true for me and for this 'world' too."
He reached for Yukino's hand. Though she instinctively flinched, she didn't pull away. Instead, she let him hold her hand, their fingers brushing lightly before intertwining.
"At this point, how can you still say such embarrassing things in such a calm tone...?"
"Because I have thick skin," he replied, smiling faintly.
Narumi intertwined his fingers with hers, her cold hand trembling slightly in his grasp.
"If you were to disappear tomorrow, I'd plan everything so I could leave with you. But if you wish to live, truly live then I'll do everything in my power to make that wish come true."
Under the bright moonlight, the silver whistle hanging from Yukino's neck shimmered faintly, catching the light like a promise made tangible.
"All you need to do," Narumi continued, "is tell me what's really on your mind. No more hiding. No more pretending."
His voice was calm but carried a quiet power, each word both gentle and unyielding.
"Life or death — a choice between two. A simple choice, isn't it, Yukino?"
"That kind of thing..."
Feeling the warmth in her palm, Yukino looked away awkwardly, realizing for the first time that she had never dared to meet Narumi's eyes for too long.
As for why... she already knew the answer in her heart.
"Of course I... want to live a good life," she whispered.
Everybody would want that, right?
"I want to go back to my previous life. I want my healthy body back... I want to rebuild my relationships with my family while there's still time. And I don't want to stay in that oppressive home any longer where I feel like I'd rather be dead!"
Her voice trembled uncontrollably. She didn't notice how Narumi's expression softened, the faintest smile curving his lips.
"I used to think that as long as I stayed true to my principles, I could get my life back on track... But the truth is, I didn't have that power. I never had enough time..."
"She will wake up," Narumi said quietly.
"...Huh?"
"Such a terrible life," he murmured, "is just a nightmare for you."
He spread his arms and pulled her close, holding the trembling girl against his chest. Her eyes were red-rimmed, yet she refused to lift her head, unwilling to let him see her fragile side.
"You will wake up from this dream," Narumi whispered. "I promise."
Words of reassurance and the warmth of an embrace were more powerful than anything else.
Yukino Yukinoshita leaned against the young man's shoulder, her gaze drifting upward toward the clear, starless sky. She tried her hardest not to let the tears in her eyes fall.
"...Don't make such unrealistic wishes of mine."
"I've made all the promises," Narumi replied softly. "If I don't deliver, feel free to come and cause me trouble."
"…"
After a long silence, she closed her eyes and buried her head deeper against his shoulder. Hesitatingly, she wrapped her arms around his back — weakly, but firmly enough to be felt.
"...…Thank you."
If only we could wake up from this nightmare.
"I hope we can meet again after I wake up from this dream," Yukino Yukinoshita whispered, her voice trembling with a quiet finality — a farewell hidden between the words.
"...Yes, it will."
The curly-haired youth gazed at the sea that had swallowed most of his body, then tightened his embrace around the girl in his arms.
"...We'll meet again."
With mixed feelings, Narumi Toru made the only promise that might never come true.
---
Getting too close to anyone is always a disaster.
Every step after love reaches its peak is simply a slow decline.
The most beautiful relationships are brief fleeting encounters that end before decay can set in.
While interdependence may seem comforting, it often breeds exploitation.
To build something truly close with another person is, by nature, a painful act.
There's no solution to that. The only way to avoid being hurt is to avoid the possibility altogether.
In this simulation, Narumi Toru made his choice after weighing these truths.
Now, let's speed up the story's pace.
> [The night passed, and the comet that was supposed to streak across the sky never came. Despite waiting until dawn, you were left with nothing but disappointment as if the unfulfilled miracle itself was a quiet foreshadowing of a wish that would never come true.]
Yukino Yukinoshita woke up from a nap in the back seat of your car, only to find it empty.
She searched for nearly half an hour without finding you until the Yukinoshita family's car gradually approached from the other side of the coastal highway, blocking her path as she desperately looked for you.
She was embraced by her parents, who hurriedly got out of the car, while her sister gently patted her head with a relieved expression. As if she understood something, Yukino fell silent, lowering her head and bringing the whistle to her lips.
No matter how hard she blew, it was all in vain; all wishes remained unfulfilled, and the most precious thing was lost.
That was her first thought until she received good news from the hospital some time later.
> [Yukino's condition can now be treated with a pancreas transplant. The Yukinoshita family, who had never found a suitable donor, recently received a letter from one.
With arrangements made by the hospital and related institutions, they performed the operation, eliminating the need to risk taking her abroad for long, painful treatment.]
> [As Yukino's health gradually recovered, her relationship with her family also returned to normal, and her life became much more stable. During this time, she never gave up searching for news of the man named Toru Narumi, but Haruno remained silent about your situation.]
Of course since saying it out loud would make for a cliché, outdated development.
Your excessive energy and capricious behavior had always exhausted her.
But when you suddenly vanished without a trace, Yukino began asking everyone you had ever interacted with about your whereabouts, unintentionally making them all think of you in turn.
> [She persisted like this for dozens of days, months, years. Time flew by like a white horse galloping past a crack in the wall. Having found her answer, she stopped asking, finally understanding why her family had remained silent from beginning to end.]
Yukino Yukinoshita graduated from Soubu High School with excellent grades.
With the support of her older sister Haruno, she rejected the career path arranged by her parents and entered one of Tokyo's top universities with outstanding exam results her future shining brightly.
Despite having countless suitors, she never established a relationship with any of them.
Whether it was her childhood friend Hayato Hayama or her former clubmate Hachiman Hikigaya, Yukino maintained a polite but distant relationship with each.
Even when her parents tried arranging formal meetings with suitable young men, Haruno always found a way to intervene.
She lived like this for over a decade.
The time she had spent with you seemed like a fleeting dream but sometimes, people need memories to sustain them.
At least, that was how it was for her.
> [Yukino Yukinoshita is living the life she wanted.
At least no one can control her anymore, and her frail body has become healthy.
You've achieved your goal, Toru. Congratulations.]
Everything before her eyes blurred.
Of Narumi's five senses, only hearing remained.
Yes everything was over.
It was time for the simulation settlement.
> [Ending: A Mistake in the Stars.
Sacrificing oneself to ensure another's life is a noble act—and one that is most easily remembered.
Memories of you, including her feelings for you, are like the comet that never arrived forever frozen in that one night for Yukino Yukinoshita.
Your story will have no sequel, nor will it ever truly end.]
> [Self-Synchronization: SS
Story Completion: A+
Impact: SS
Ending Rating: S
Overall Rating: S+
Considering you are still a beginner, the evaluation criteria have been slightly relaxed.
However, for your first simulation, your performance is still outstanding.]
The high rating was probably due to the system's "new player protection."
After all, if the system wanted to stay competitive, it needed to use scarcity marketing tactics.
> [Achieved 14 entries in total, including:
Autumn in My Heart, I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, The Night the Comet Came, The Day the Stars Disappeared, and The Temptator of Young Men's Hearts.]
Wait—"Temptator of Young Men's Hearts"?
Who exactly got tempted here?
Could it be that Hachiman… you really—?
> [Positive attributes you can inherit from this simulation:
"Avid Movie Fan," "Driving Skills," and "Eloquent Speaking Skills Comparable to a Presidential Candidate."]
These were all useless skills… and that last one didn't sound like a compliment.
> [Your first simulation received a very high rating due to the newbie protection period.
To maintain balance, the corresponding rewards will be diluted. We apologize for the inconvenience.]
> [Due to your overall evaluation score of S or higher, you have unlocked the rare keyword: "The Unconventional and Bizarre Novelist."
You have perfectly inherited your writing talent from this simulation.
With the added bonus from the ending evaluation, you will surpass your predecessor.
If you try writing in real life after exiting the simulation, you might be surprised by the results.]
> [This concludes your initial simulation experience.
The journey wasn't particularly long or short, but I'm grateful for your patience and cooperation in getting this far.
I sincerely look forward to seeing you again next time.]
Just like a television playing on loop suddenly being turned off, all the restraints blocking Narumi's senses vanished.
His consciousness slowly drifted back to reality.
He lowered his head and saw the floor of the school corridor beneath his feet.
Right. He had been led by Hiratsuka-sensei to a certain place when he suddenly fell into the simulation.
"Narumi, what are you standing there for?"
Looking up, he saw Hiratsuka Shizuka watching him with concern.
"Didn't you have breakfast today? You seem a bit dazed. Don't let your Precident see you like this. Get yourself together."
"Precident…?"
"Yeah. That's why I brought you here to join this club. For a stubborn kid like you, it's easier to let someone your own age teach you a lesson."
Hiratsuka chuckled, grabbing the still-dazed Narumi by the shoulder and steering him toward a door at the end of the hallway.
Narumi knew this spot all too well.
He was also very familiar with the sign beside the activity room door:
"Service Department."
"...?"
There was a feeling like the wheel of fate had turned full circle and landed exactly where it was meant to.
Narumi, having guessed what awaited him beyond the door, stood frozen for a few seconds before finally reaching out and pushing it open.
At that moment, whether his story with her would end or continue awaited his choice.
The system's mischievous voice echoed in his mind the instant a familiar figure entered his field of vision.
If we immerse ourselves in a dream for too long, will it make it harder to feel real in reality?
Yukino Yukinoshita watered the Chinese-style rubber bonsai with a green plastic watering can and drew a red line on the calendar.
She had lost count of how many times she'd repeated this meaningless act; she only knew that it had become a habit she kept ever since the curly-haired young man left.
Since he disappeared, the concept of time itself had become hazy.
Yukino's life was well-organized.
In her spare time, she socialized with family and classmates, went to the hospital for regular check-ups, and always set aside a weekend day to go to the cinema and watch re-released old movies.
In the dark theater, the screen flickered with stories of people from different eras and countries.
It was as if she could see through time itself glimpsing the joys and sorrows of strangers by simply looking at the screen.
That, perhaps, was the magic of cinema.
And slowly, she came to understand why that person had loved watching movies so much.
End Of The Chapter.