I_LOVE_RICE+

Chapter 26 — The First Time I Saw That Expression on Her

Winter rain felt different from any other.

Tap tap tap…

The crisp ticking echoed near the ear, rain pelting the top of a dark gray umbrella with clear, brittle snaps.

Droplets clinging to the umbrella's frame slowly slipped off, their descent corroded by the cold air. They landed on an exposed palm like icy needles, stabbing one by one.

With the wet chill came a penetrating cold, as if it could freeze even emotions in the heart of winter.

The curtain o...

Chapter 25 — Confess Now? Right This Moment!

Another set of four options appeared.

Kazami Haru began to weigh them.

The first option was a no-holds-barred approach, powering through regardless of his condition.

In the simulation, he had already become stubborn enough to do anything to form a band with Tomori and help her achieve her dreams.

The second option, the "afraid-to-die" route, if anything went wrong, the simulation might just end.

Then there was the third option, admittedly a bit reckless.

In...

Chapter 24 — Drown Yourself in Your Ideals!

[Due to your natural musical talent, your keyboard skills improve rapidly once you commit to intense training. But this training also comes with consequences.]

[Over-practice causes tendonitis in your dominant right index finger. The sharp, stabbing pain often shoots through your nerves, and if this continues, it could affect your entire hand.]

[But such a setback isn't enough to stop you.]

[After a short rest, you dive right back into your grueling practice and composition ...

Chapter 23 — Singing With All Your Might

"Well then, it's time to continue."

Back at home, Kazami Haru tidied up quickly and immediately resumed the simulation.

He had reached a critical point in Takamatsu Tomori's storyline and needed to find a way to push forward.

[You've noticed that this makeshift band has a lot of problems. Normally, you'd hate to get involved in such a mess. But now, you're not doing this just for yourself, you still carry your original determination.]

[Faced with such a difficult probl...

Chapter 22 — Togawa Sakiko Won’t Be Swayed

After hours of hard work, it was finally the moment Kazami Haru looked forward to the most: closing time. He casually flipped the cursed "Open" sign to "Closed," and immediately relaxed.

Thanks to her strong adaptability, Togawa Sakiko had quickly gotten used to the café's rhythm.

Her coffee still wasn't quite there yet, but at least she could now handle her duties solo, which left her trainer, Kazami Haru, quite satisfied.

"Thanks a lot for today. I'll be heading out now."...

Chapter 21 — Just Follow Me

The night had fallen. A train sped down the rust-lined tracks, its metallic hum blending into the neon glow that draped the city like a shimmering necklace.

The sidewalks bustled with people, their faces laughing, chattering, each lost in their own nighttime world. Everyone seemed to have found their place under this urban sky.

Everyone, that is, except for the two figures walking across a small, dimly lit pedestrian bridge nestled between high-rises.

A breeze slipped betwee...

Chapter 20 — Taki Is a Reliable Ally

"Taki, please don't be like this."

Tomori's eyes were filled with panic as she spread her arms in front of Taki, clearly afraid that her friend might do something irreversible in the heat of the moment.

She'd always been timid, unsure, and sensitive to the dynamics of relationships.

Even Taki, who had believed she understood Tomori better than anyone, had never seen her like this.

Haru covered his face in secondhand embarrassment. Things had escalated so fast he hadn't...

Chapter 19 — Isn’t Tomori Absolutely Adorable?!

[You've formed a band with Tomori Takamatsu.]

[Your heartfelt sincerity makes her feel completely at ease. To her, you are the sunrise breaking through the clouds, a guiding light through the endless fog.]

[As long as you're there, she knows she'll never lose her way again.]

[Your bond with Tomori deepens.]

Now that's what he was talking about, straight out of the depressed cocoon.

Kazami Haru closed his eyes and let the...

Chapter 18 — I Happen to Know a Bit About Piano

Sure enough, whenever Haru realized something in real life, his simulated self would also start to adjust.

Even if Tomori locked herself away in an EVA Unit, Haru was ready to pierce her out with a spear of Longinus.

[You decide you can't let this slide. You begin searching for what's hurting Tomori.]

[Surprisingly, the search is easy. You find a thread on the school forum discussing your relationship with her. Your sudden closeness has sparked a wave of gossip.]

[Ever...

Chapter 17 — The Simulator Ate My Choice?!

Just thinking about Taki's fearsome glare and her lightning-fast, decisive actions made Kazami Haru instinctively choose the first option.

Letting things unfold naturally might seem like the calmer, safer route, but that only bought time before the real issue showed up.

Rather than wait for trouble, Haru figured it'd be easier to confront it head-on. 

[You decide that staying silent won't solve anything, and resolve to ask Tomori directly about what's on her mind.]

Chapter 16 – I’ve Always Been Team Tomori

"What about this one?"

Haru picked up a smooth, crescent-shaped stone from beneath some leaves. It looked just like a moon suspended in the sky.

Tomori's eyes lit up as she gently took it from his hand. A soft smile curved her lips.

If it's him…

"This is for you."

After a moment of hesitation, she pulled out a small bandage from her pocket and offered it.

It had a chubby little penguin with pale yellow hair printed on it—cutely clumsy, ...

Chapter 15 – This Too Is a Hero of Justice

The women's uniform at "Rabbit House" featured a crisp white dress shirt with a light vest and a black knee-length skirt. A cute bow adorned the collar, paired with black tights and short leather boots.

They hadn't gotten Sakiko's measurements yet, so she couldn't wear the official uniform today, but Haru could already picture her in it.

"She'd definitely look cute…"

Sakiko clearly heard his murmured praise, and a light blush bloomed on her profile. She slowly turned her h...

Chapter 14 – Do I Need to Be Your Walkie-Talkie?

Just one cup of coffee had helped Togawa Sakiko relax. She was now in the ideal state for an interview.

As the temporary "interviewer," Kazami Haru decided to take the task seriously and try to act the part.

He casually grabbed the guest log, conveniently labeled "Death Note", and took a black pen from the counter.

Seeing his sudden professional demeanor, Sakiko immediately straightened her posture, sitting upright like a model candidate.

"Name."

"Togawa Sakiko."...

Chapter 13 – Even Sakiko Has Fallen to… Selling Herself?!

The girl wore a refined ensemble of a white-gray blouse and a long black pleated skirt, elegantly accented with a black silk ribbon at the collar. A pure black shoulder bag with gold trim hung gracefully from her shoulder. Her twin-tails, draped like luxurious satin, shimmered with an air of sophistication.

The outfit looked expensive, classy and well-fitted. But upon closer inspection, it seemed slightly faded, likely from too many washes.

Kazami Haru recognized her at a glance. ...

Chapter 12 – Anyway, Let’s Go Play Pachinko First

"..."

It felt like a dream, as if drifting through an ethereal, unreal world, she wandered, searching for her own "truth."

But just before she could grasp the light, her body pulled her back into the waking world.

Her limbs felt heavy. Her eyelids weighed down as if tied to something.

After a long while, the blue-haired girl slowly sat up from her desk, groggy, rubbing her temples to ease the residual drowsiness.

Maybe she'd slept too long, her mind was foggy, an...

Chapter 11 – The Apology in This Version

3:00 PM —

Classes for the day were over. It was now time for students to freely participate in club activities.

But Kazami Haru had little interest in those so-called clubs.

He always had things to do after school, making him an important member of the "Go-Home Club."

"Sigh…"

"It's all my fault. My overwhelming charm… this is what it leads to."

Now completely detached from the simulation, Haru let out a long sigh. Indeed, being too at...

Chapter 10 – The Blooming Blue Snowflake

[One evening, you saw Ijichi Nijika chatting with your wife. In your memory, your usually quiet and reserved wife rarely talked so much outside specific occasions, but now, she was speaking non-stop.]

[In contrast, Nijika, always cheerful and lively, had taken the role of the quiet listener.]

[Curious about their conversation, you decided—]

[1. Eavesdrop—you're not a cat, so curiosity won't kill you.]

[2. Don't eavesdrop—ask your wife abo...