I_LOVE_RICE+

Chapter 203. Stay with Me After School

No reply.

Just a soft "Eh?"—and that alone was enough to show how shaken Rio Futaba's heart was at this moment.

She truly hadn't expected it.

The pressure she'd been keeping buried deep inside... had suddenly been brought to light by Minami Shouji in such a direct way.

She really had been constantly demanding perfection from herself, unable to accept her flaws.

But these were things she had never spoken of to anyone.

Not to Sakuta Azusagawa, not to Yuuma ...

Chapter 202. Stat Points, Allocate!

Yamada Ryo's chest.

How to put it...

Just as she had said.

While it couldn't compare to Rio Futaba's or Gotoh Hitori's, the shape was undeniably quite nice.

The key was that when Yamada Ryo pressed his hand against it, she did it with particular force. It felt... ahem...

Back to the topic.

Though Yamada Ryo's sudden action left Minami Shouji bewildered, her words had indeed given him a new perspective.

That was—

"No need to strive for perfecti...

Chapter 201: Wanna Touch Mine? 

"?" Minami Shouji.

The consequences of the option before him caught Minami Shouji somewhat off guard.

In his mind, the reason he ended up with a mediocre ending was because he hadn't chosen the more proactive first option here.

But now it seemed, the first option wasn't the right one either.

In the simulation, [On her, aside from the feeling of "being needed," there is another emotion you need to pay attention to…]—this line made him feel very uneasy.

He wasn...

Chapter 200: No Matter the Choice, Regret is Inevitable 

[She relies on you immensely, and you are well aware of it.]

[Letting her depend on you isn't necessarily a bad thing.]

[You have already decided that, on this long journey of life, you will stay by her side.]

[News of you having a girlfriend soon spread across the university through SNS.]

[Many of the girls who were previously interested in you gradually lost enthusiasm.]

[However, at the same time, some girls—who clearly had something wrong with them—became...

Chapter 199: The Izakaya, the Senpai, and Her

"..."

Minami stared at the screen.

His eyes locked onto one particular line—

[Everything seemed to be heading in a good direction.]

Seemed.

He wasn't surprised.

Not even a little.

After all, he knew—

Futaba Rio's deep-rooted insecurities had not been resolved.

And so, despite the apparent stability,
despite their deepening relationship,
there was still something... something that hadn't been addressed.

But since what was do...

Chapter 198: You Both Slept in Late

"Not bad at all."

Watching the simulation unfold, Minami felt a surge of satisfaction.

It seemed like he had made all the right choices.

Their relationship had naturally progressed into romance.

And with Futaba Rio's personality, there was no chance she would ever suggest breaking up.

In other words, this route was secure—stable and almost impossible to lose.

But aside from that…

Minami still had some concerns.

Yes, he had successfully becom...

Chapter 197: You Have to Take Responsibility for Me!

Outside the simulation, in real life.

"I really didn't expect it to be like this."

Feeling the dramatic turn of events in the simulated life,

Minami sighed.

At first, he thought he had already figured out the root cause of Futaba Rio's complicated personality.

But he never imagined that there would be more layers beneath it.

A deep desire for friendship, yet anxiety when her friends entered relationships—

Afraid of being abandoned.

Without a d...

Chapter 196: The Regretful Neighboring Wife

"?" Minami.

Staring at the four choices that suddenly popped up on the screen,

Minami's mood could be summed up with just one character—"?".

What the hell does 'target the lonely housewives' mean?

Or 'target the arrogant girls in Futaba's class'?

Minami could kind of understand why those were options.

But the third one—'target Azusagawa Sakuta and Kunimi Yuuma'?

What was that even supposed to mean?!

If he remembered correctly,

Those tw...

Chapter 195: Target the Lonely Wives!

"Forget it."

Minami thought for a long time about whether he could use "Shouji Akane's Perfect, Enchanting Smile" to farm affection points.

But in the end, he shook his head.

Using it once in a while shouldn't be a big deal.

But he had seen the effects of his 10/10 appearance-level smile firsthand—and the impact was just too terrifying.

Especially for the girls who already liked him—

It was probably a serious test of their hearts.

If he kept using...

Chapter 194: I Took Precautions, Minami 

Minami's appearance stat was at 9 points, but the moment he smiled, it reached 10 points—the absolute limit of human attractiveness.

At that level, a single smile was enough to create the kind of instant love at first sight that only existed in novels and TV dramas.

And right now—

Minami smiled.

It was a magnetic expression that perfectly matched human aesthetics from every angle, a smile that effortlessly captured the gaze of anyone who saw it.

Just one look...

Chapter 193: Minami Shouji Smiles

"Any woman caught in Minami's sights is doomed! Not a single one can escape!"

Futaba Rio stared at Yamada Ryo, who had just uttered such absurd words.

As a girl of science, Futaba Rio maintained her usual calm expression.

But the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth and her slightly widened eyes completely betrayed the storm raging in her heart.

Wait a second…

What the hell was this person even saying?

Did she even know what she was talking about?

Chapter 192: The Woman He Sets His Eyes On, None Can Escape

"Guess I'll go with option three after all."

After careful consideration, Minami Shouji ultimately decided on the third option.

Though it was the safest choice, the simulation had only just begun.

Observing the situation first and figuring out why the other party was in an unstable mental state was the most logical course of action.

And precisely because the simulation had just started—

Even if the first option turned out to be a mistake, a cautious approach sh...

Chapter 191: The Cuckold Warrior—Your Fate is Sealed!

Admiration?

Or was it something deeper—like, love?

Sitting alone in the science prep room, Futaba Rio stood up.

Then sat back down.

The white lab coat she was wearing crumpled slightly.

Her thin eyebrows furrowed together tightly.

She tried to think it through, alone.

As a science girl, she always had a unique ability to analyze herself objectively.

But—

"I can't figure it out."

Futaba Rio's autumn-leaf-colored eyes lift...

Chapter 190: "Like" or "Admiration" 

Azusagawa Sakuta and Kunimi Yuuma really did exist in this world.

Minami Shouji's suspicions were confirmed.

But—

That has absolutely nothing to do with me.

Minami thought to himself.

To avoid unnecessary complications, he had already removed Futaba Rio from his simulation target list.

So what he needed to do next…

Was to treat this situation normally.

With that in mind, Minami spoke.

"Since Futaba-san already has friends, why not talk...

Chapter 189: How to Become More Popular

Since Futaba Rio had been temporarily removed from the simulation list,

Minami Shouji could no longer see her affection level or current status.

Which meant he had no clue why she was looking for him.

As far as he was concerned, she was the stereotypical science girl—

And in daily life, they had zero overlap.

Plus, given Futaba Rio's personality in the anime,

She didn't seem like the type to care about others too much.

So what exactly did she want?<...

Chapter 188: What Exactly Does Futaba Rio Want?

Living together with everyone…?

Five people… doing this and that together…?

Just the mere thought of it made Gotoh Hitori's pale face flush bright red beneath her oversized, well-worn button-up shirt that she used as pajamas.

This kind of thing… this kind of thing… was just too—

With a thud, she collapsed face-first onto her bed.

The loud noise naturally alarmed the two people sleeping in the master bedroom downsta...

Chapter 187: Five People Doing This and That Together 

"97 points, huh?"

Looking at the terrifying score in front of him, Shouji Minami stroked his chin.

It wasn't that the score was too high.

Rather, he felt…

"This seems a bit low, doesn't it?"

Minami muttered to himself.

He was confident—very confident.

When it came to whether he could make everyone happy, he never doubted himself, not even for a second.

But even with everyone happy, it still didn't reach that perfect 100-point e...

Chapter 186: Love Falls Like a Sudden Storm, Yet Never Ceases 

(TL Note: Let's listen to [gentle love ˚ ⋆ 𐙚 ｡𖦹 .ᡣ𐭩 ˚ || soft playlist].)

"It's about my sister's future—her happiness."

The moment Ijichi Seika said those words, the lively atmosphere around the table shifted.

Hiroi Kikuri, who had been making a ruckus just moments ago, suddenly went silent.

PA-san, who always had her eyes closed in an easygoing smile, opened them slightly, her gaze shifting toward Seika.

It was clear that both of them already...

Chapter 185: The Hidden Happy Ending in the Direct Simulation

After everything had settled, Shouji Minami gently stroked Shouji Hitori's soft hair, his eyes tracing the smooth, fair skin of her back, as flawless as a snow-covered mountain.

He was satisfied.

Truly satisfied.

With a wife so gentle and kind—

With a daughter so incredibly gifted—

Minami felt nothing but contentment.

And yet…

For some reason, deep in his heart, he couldn't shake the feeling—

That beneath his wife's serene and elegant ex...

Chapter 184: Stay Up Late Tonight, Hitori

Seriously—

Did this woman even know what she was saying?

Ijichi Nijika shot Yamada Ryo a glare.

But in the end, it was just a glare.

Even at thirty-one, Nijika still found herself powerless against her longtime best friend.

Ryo, however, was completely unfazed by Nijika's piercing stare. She didn't even flinch—if anything, she sounded completely justified as she countered:

"Tell me, Nijika, don't you want to receive a Valentine's Day gift from that guy?...

Chapter 183: Gotoh Hitori, the Incomplete Harem Ending 

"So… what should I do next?"

Minami Shouji stared at the remaining Heartthrob Points, deep in thought.

1,510 Heartthrob Points.

That was undoubtedly a massive amount.

Even if he used 1,200 points for a Direct Simulation, he'd still have 310 points left, enough for another normal simulation.

The question before him was simple—

To simulate… or not to simulate?

"Hmm…"

To be honest, Minami personally leaned toward not simulating.

Direc...

Chapter 182: Second Chance to Simulate in Person 

"I'm relieved because you've grown."

Minami Shouji, confirming that Hitori Gotoh was fine, stood up and poured her a glass of water.

"At that moment, on that stage, openly confessing to someone—was that something you could have even imagined doing before?"

It was true.

Even Hitori had to admit it.

Yes, maybe her brain had short-circuited in that moment.

But the fact that she had stood on that stage, without hiding inside her "Ripe Mango" box, and still ha...

Chapter 181: "I'll Take Responsibility!" 

Thunderous applause.

Just like Hitori Gotoh's Please Tell Me, Ryo Yamada's Only My Sound had won over the entire crowd.

Amidst the continuous clapping, excited discussions about Kessoku Band began to spread.

A lone wolf bassist with a cold, untouchable aura.

A passionate, energetic drummer.

A main vocalist with a rich voice, doubling as rhythm guitarist.

And a lead guitarist who, despite her quiet presence, possessed remarkable techni...

Chapter 180: A Song Completely Different from the Simulation! 

A sea of people.

Standing on the stage inside the gymnasium, looking out—there was a dense, endless crowd.

A wave of heat.

Even though autumn had already set in, the sheer volume of voices crashing together felt like a heatwave surging through the venue.

This was a real performance.

Completely different from the Starry venue(first gig), where a typhoon had kept most people away.

Just standing on this stage, Hitori Gotou could <...

Chapter 179: The Disliked Drunkard, Hiroi Kikuri 

Compared to the feelings and thoughts of Kessoku Band, Shinjo Akane's thoughts were far simpler.

That was—

"We did it, Minami-kun."

Returning to celebrate with Takarada Rikka and the others, Shinjo Akane suppressed the excitement in her heart and approached Minami Shouji, who had just stepped out of the studio after narrating.

"Ah… yeah. We did it."

Minami Shouji didn't seem as ecstatic as Hibiki Yuuta or Utsumi Sho, merely nodding with a small smile—nothin...

Chapter 178: "The Monster of the Human Heart" Becomes a Huge Success 

Hitori Gotoh really hadn't expected it—she had done nothing but lie low the entire time, yet somehow, she had ended up as the unexpected winner.

B-But… this isn't bad either!

Feeling Minami Shouji's hand gently patting her head, her cheeks flushed bright red, and a soft giggle escaped her lips.

Hehehe…

She made up her mind—she would keep her mouth shut.

No one needed to know that the only reason she hadn't joined in on the confessions… was because she h...

Chapter 177: Confessions… So, I Want Them All? 

"Well then, Naomi and I will be leaving now."

Standing at the entrance of Shuka High, Shouji Yuko looked at Minami Shouji and spoke in her usual soft tone.

"I've left your winter clothes with your landlord. Make sure to pick them up later, don't forget."

"Got it, Yuko-nee."

Minami nodded before apologizing, "Sorry, Yuko-nee, I should've been the one taking you two to the station."

"You'd better stay here and sort out your own mess, you brat!"

Unlike Yuko's ...

Chapter 176: A Love Triangle… or a Battlefield?! 

This woman…

Her scheming is terrifying!

Had she really planned everything this far ahead?!

As Minami glanced at the calm and indifferent blue-haired girl, he noticed—

Shinjo Akane's eyes widened in shock.
Nishikagi Chisato's elegant eyebrows arched in surprise.
Inoue Takina, usually composed, looked visibly shaken.

It wasn't until now that Akane realized—

Yamada Ryo had planned this whole situation.

First, she blindsided them with an unexp...

Chapter 175: Did Yamada Just Confess in Public? 

—Class 1-2, Maid & Butler Café—

The omelet rice had already been served, but Shouji Yuko and Shouji Naomi had no intention of eating.

Their expressions were… strange.

Their eyebrows twitched.
Their mouths subtly tightened.
They would scratch their chins from time to time…

—They looked incredibly uneasy.

And to be honest—they had every reason to be.

On one side of the table sat Minami and the rest of the Shouji faction.

On the ot...

Chapter 174: Like a Battlefield—They Finally Meet

A single chocolate banana was priced at 500 yen.

Yet—

Minami Shouji had doubled the price out of nowhere!

That wasn't just random inflation—this was daylight robbery!

Witnessing Minami's blatant price gouging,

Youko Morishita—who just moments ago had thought, "Minami-kun is so kind and gentle",

—was now re-evaluating the man before her.

But after carefully observing him,

She still couldn't hold back and gently tugged his sleeve....