Love Comes After Simulation

Ibuki Yuko’s gaze was unwavering as she stared into Asano Nao’s eyes, searching for any trace of clues.

Asano Nao held her ground for just one second before avoiding Ibuki Yuko’s gaze. Shrinking back, she retreated into the bathroom.

Sitting on the small stool beneath the showerhead, she thought, That girl is so cute, like a doll. Is she Yuuki’s friend? She was still dazed, unaware that she had just encountered her greatest rival. It wasn’t entirely her fault for lacking a sense of danger—Ibuki Yuko’s figure was far too misleading.

In Asano Nao’s estimation, Ibuki Yuko was either a tall elementary school student or a slightly short middle schooler. Who would ever suspect such a small girl of being a threat in a romantic relationship?

Moreover, in the dreamlike future she envisioned with Minami Yuuki, this girl had no role at all. She assumed the girl must be some insignificant passerby.

Compared to Asano Nao’s lack of awareness, Ibuki Yuko was burning with fighting spirit. She clenched her teeth, jealousy surging through her.

Why is this cow in Yuuki’s house?

And why is there bathwater ready? What did you two do behind my back?

Her emotions churned beneath the surface like an undercurrent, yet not a trace showed on her face. Her expression remained as cold as ever.

“I made curry. Thought I’d bring you some.” Ibuki Yuko held out the lunchbox. “Consider it a thank-you for last night.”

She enunciated the second half of the sentence clearly, ensuring that Asano Nao, who was in the bathroom, could hear it. This was her counterattack.

Hearing the excuse of gratitude, Minami Yuuki swallowed the words of refusal he was about to say. Since it was a return gift, he couldn’t decline.

“Thank you,” he said as he took the lunchbox. “I’ll grab a bowl to serve it.”

“Just give me back the container next time. I still have plenty at home.”

Minami Yuuki didn’t insist. The bowls and utensils in his house hadn’t been used for a long time and were gathering dust. He didn’t want to use those to serve the curry.

“Thanks for going to the trouble.” He offered another polite remark before glancing at the girl in front of him.

The girl stared back at him expressionlessly, tilting her head slightly as if in confusion.

She seemed to be asking, Why are you staring at me?

Why am I staring? You don’t know? Minami Yuuki thought sarcastically. You’ve delivered the gift, so why are you still standing at the door? He tactfully tried to send her off. “I was about to take a bath.”

Ibuki Yuko nodded, then bent down to remove her small leather shoes. “I’ll wait for you in the bedroom.”

Minami Yuuki sighed inwardly. It seemed this doll-like girl was determined to feign ignorance. Since Asano Nao was also at home, he decided to let her stay.

There were no spare slippers in the apartment. Asano Nao was wearing Minami Yuuki’s summer sandals, leaving Ibuki Yuko with no choice but to step barefoot onto the floor, her legs wrapped in white stockings.

After leading her to sit in the bedroom, Minami Yuuki went back to the bathroom to drag out Asano Nao.

“You two can talk.”

He placed the socially anxious older woman next to Ibuki Yuko, grabbed his change of clothes, and went into the bathroom.

The closed bathroom door separated him from the two women in the bedroom. Soaking in the perfectly warm bathwater washed away the troubles brought on by their presence, leaving him feeling at ease.

In the bedroom, however, both Asano Nao and Ibuki Yuko were wrestling with their inner turmoil. For Ibuki Yuko, it was hostility; for Asano Nao, it was social anxiety.

Even at this point, Asano Nao hadn’t figured out Ibuki Yuko’s role. She thought to herself, This girl is so cute. Since she’s in Yuuki’s house, she must be his friend, right?

What’s more, the girl had even made curry for Yuuki. She must be a good kid, just like Kazumi! Maybe we can be friends too, Asano Nao thought optimistically.

“Good morning. My name is Asano Nao,” she said, mustering up unprecedented courage to introduce herself.

“I’m Ibuki Yuko,” the girl replied.

“Can I call you Yuko? Are you Yuuki-kun’s friend?”

“You can. And yes, I am.”

Ibuki Yuko’s overly cold response made Asano Nao shrink back, her courage quickly evaporating. Her social skills were already abysmal, and Ibuki Yuko happened to be the type with an unpleasant personality.

Instinctively, Asano Nao inched away from Ibuki Yuko, creating more distance between them.

Her reaction satisfied Ibuki Yuko. She concluded that such a timid person could never be her rival.

Still, she couldn’t deny that Asano Nao’s figure was shockingly unfair.

This was her first time seeing Asano Nao up close. With a “know your enemy” mentality, she carefully scrutinized the woman.

The girl’s piercing gaze reminded Asano Nao of Minami Yuuki. She liked it when Yuuki stared at her like that, but when it came from another girl… She shrank even further away.

Ibuki Yuko closely observed her every emotional shift. From both the dreamlike data she had and this brief interaction, she sharply deduced that this shut-in was just like Mayuri, someone she could safely bully.

“Take off your jacket,” she commanded.

“Huh?” Asano Nao froze.

“Hurry up. Let me see.”

“Why? Wait, hang on!”

Seeing Asano Nao hesitate, Ibuki Yuko took matters into her own hands and yanked off her tracksuit jacket. With the jacket removed, she could see everything even more clearly.

To describe that “mountain range” as “towering” would be an insult. Only the word majestic could begin to capture its grand scale and impressive height.

This body is way too unfair!

Ibuki Yuko glanced down at herself and felt the injustice of fate.

She thought, Even though this shut-in’s battle techniques are a complete disaster, with such innate strength, Asano Nao could crush any opponent when the timing is right! Forget Chitose Kazumi—this Asano Nao is the true threat!

“Have you seen enough? Can I have my jacket back now?” Asano Nao asked weakly, her face flushed.

Taking one last reluctant look at the majestic peaks, Ibuki Yuko tossed the jacket onto her.

Asano Nao immediately put her jacket back on and zipped it up, veiling the mountains in clouds.

She looked at Ibuki Yuko with a hint of fear in her eyes. This girl is so strange!

“What are you doing here?” Ibuki Yuko stood on the bed, looking down at the seated Asano Nao, continuing her interrogation.

“Yuuki-kun asked me to help clean his room,” Asano Nao replied, too scared to resist.

“Why would cleaning the room require filling the bathtub?”

“It was Yuuki-kun’s request.”

“Is the bathwater still clean? Did you do anything in it?”

“Huh?”

“How far have you and Yuuki progressed?”

“Huh?”

“No more ‘huhs.’ Hurry up and answer. Keep your voice down.”

Under Ibuki Yuko’s relentless questioning, Asano Nao, in her confusion, divulged nearly all the details, sparing only those related to her dream.

Ibuki Yuko finally felt relieved. For now, Asano Nao was just an ordinary friend to her “husband.” As for Chitose Kazumi, her progress was even worse than Asano Nao’s. If she stayed proactive, victory was surely within reach!

Having confirmed her chances of winning, she decided to deliver the most crucial piece of information and declare war on Asano Nao.

“Do you like Yuuki?”

“Huh?”

Asano Nao’s cheeks grew hot. Are my feelings that obvious? she wondered. Is Yuko-chan asking this because she wants to help me?

Even now, she still clung to hopeful fantasies about Ibuki Yuko, but that illusion was quickly shattered.

“Give up,” Ibuki Yuko said, looking down on her from above.

Asano Nao stared at her in shock.

“Yuuki is mine,” the doll-like girl declared, staking her claim.

Asano Nao was thrown into a panic. In her dreams, although she had Kazumi as a rival, Kazumi had never been this aggressive in declaring war.

Hesitantly, she said, “But… Yuko is just a little girl…”

Ibuki Yuko clenched her fists. Even she couldn’t remain calm in the face of such ridicule!

Just because it’s a hill doesn’t mean it’s not a mountain! Damn you, Everest!

“I’m Yuuki’s senpai. I’m 16, almost 17,” she said, crossing her arms and suppressing the anger boiling within her.

Asano Nao finally realized—the girl before her was an enemy!

Usually inclined to retreat and avoid confrontation, this time, a firm determination welled up within her. She stood up, meeting the gaze of the girl standing on the bed at eye level. “Yuuki is mine!”

“You don’t stand a chance,” Ibuki Yuko bluffed, though in truth, she saw the woman in front of her as her number one threat. If she could force Asano Nao to back down through this verbal sparring, her goal would be achieved.

“That’s not true! You’re the one who doesn’t stand a chance!”

They began bickering like elementary schoolers, lowering their voices to avoid being overheard by Minami Yuuki in the bathroom.

Neither could outargue the other, and neither had any concrete evidence to back their claims. All they could do was glare at each other’s flushed faces, red from the heated argument.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Their deadlock would have continued until Minami Yuuki finished his bath and came out. However, Asano Nao’s gaze unexpectedly landed on a photograph on the bedside table.

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