"And what's this, my dear System?"
Three golden rings gleamed in the depths of her pupils — impossible to ignore from any angle, impossible to look away from.
They were so quiet, so mysterious. They filled Yoshiiro Chiose's wine-red eyes with an ineffable, unknowable allure.
[Those are Lifespan Marks — each one represents a successful simulation completed by the Host.]
[Each time the Host completes a simulation and earns more than one year of lifespan, one Lifespan Mark is awarded.]
"So I'm going to end up with the same spiral eyes as Makima?"
[More or less.]
"Are they useful?"
[Not at the moment. They will be, eventually. They can also be hidden, if my darling Chiose would like?]
Honestly, that was just too cool.
"Never mind… no need to hide them. None of that matters."
Chiose cast one last glance at her reflection in the display case glass. In her hand she still clutched her wallet — thirty-three ten-thousand-yen notes and a fistful of loose change.
One day. It had only been one day, and she was barely recognizable as the same person.
The "Yoshiiro Chiose" staring back at her from the glass felt like a stranger — even to herself.
She had a longer lifespan now. Richer knowledge. More skills under her belt. And all of it had happened in what felt like the blink of an eye — leaving Yoshiiro Chiose with the vague, dizzying sensation that it was all somehow too much, too fast.
Who would believe that just a week ago, she'd been bedridden in a hospital?
For the first time, Chiose felt the underlying rhythm of life with perfect clarity. She realized: as long as she kept this delicate balance, there was no limit to the treasures she could acquire — the very treasures others would spend their whole lives chasing.
The white-haired, red-eyed girl drifted through the crowd at a pace entirely her own, utterly out of step with the people around her — as though she simply didn't belong to this world.
She watched the pedestrians flowing past and felt, with quiet certainty, that she was slowly, steadily leaving them all behind.
"You might want to pick up the pace — the light's about to turn red."
A gentle voice came from behind her. Chiose glanced sideways and found a girl with long brown hair and blue eyes looking at her.
The sight of her gave Chiose a moment's pause.
She looked familiar…
Nagasaki Soyo, wasn't it?
"Of course. Thanks for the heads-up."
Chiose didn't linger. She quietly slipped away.
[Takamatsu Tomori, Shiina Taki, Sakiko Togawa.]
She had already met all three — though in reality, she only knew Sakiko Togawa personally.
If she recalled correctly, that little band called Crychic had two more remarkable members: one named Wakaba Mutsumi, and another who was none other than the girl who had just spoken to her — Nagasaki Soyo.
"The simulation targets — it's probably those two, isn't it."
With the remaining change, Chiose bought Kyoumoto's favourite ingredients and a brand-new teddy bear. The soft, plush warmth of the toy against her chest made something flutter pleasantly in her heart.
"Kyoumoto. Are you up yet?"
She'd only gone out and come back — it was barely past eight. At the entryway mirror, Chiose caught sight of the small golden rings in her pupils once again.
Gold and red… was this a symbol of power?
"Big sis? Mmph?"
Haizuka Kyoumoto poked her head out of the bathroom, toothbrush dangling from her mouth.
"What do you want to eat today? Tell me, and I'll make it for you."
Today, Chiose had no intention of simulating. She wanted to give herself a break — to properly spend time with her adorable little Haizuka Kyoumoto.
If she ran another simulation now, she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't lose her mind entirely.
"Mmm? Big sis feels a little… different today."
Kyoumoto still had a mouthful of toothpaste foam. She was basking in the feeling of her sister's hand ruffling her hair when, out of nowhere, she let that remark slip.
"Oh? In what way have I changed?"
Chiose dabbed a towel at the foam at the corner of Kyoumoto's mouth, then gave her little cheek a gentle, affectionate graze.
"Big sis has gotten as gentle as Mama… Big sis, have you, like… grown up?"
Chiose nearly burst out laughing. What a perfectly adorable, childlike thing to say.
"I've always been your big sis, you know. I'm not Mama… but I'll always take care of little Kyō. Now go finish brushing your teeth — I'm going to make breakfast."
"Okay!"
She ushered Kyoumoto back to brush her teeth, then returned to the kitchen. Chiose rinsed the last traces of toothpaste foam from under her fingernails under the tap.
"Growing up, huh?"
Like force-ripening fruit. And yet — the feeling was, in its own strange way, rather wonderful.
The kitchen range hood was framed in clear plastic, and Yoshiiro Chiose caught her own reflection in it.
Suddenly, she thought she looked a great deal like the brown-haired girl she'd passed on the road this morning — someone who carried about her a certain…
"Adult quality? How odd."
She tied on her apron and began to chop vegetables, quietly humming Shiina Taki's song, Odoriko.
Truly, in this world, no one could be completely indifferent to anything — not so long as they were still human.
But caring about something isn't the same as being able to live on it…
Let the melody carry away the last of her longing for Tomori and Taki. Let the future come a little sooner.
You two, in the real world — you have to be happy.
[Wishing you happiness.]
"Aah!"
Takamatsu Tomori jolted awake from a nightmare.
She gasped for breath, scanning the room around her until she was certain she had escaped that dreadful dream.
"I dreamed of little Chiose saying goodbye to me again…"
The dream held only a single image, repeating over and over — Yoshiiro Chiose's face.
That lively, lovely face, forever wearing its unstoppable, brilliant smile.
That smile was poison. Time and again, it pulled Takamatsu Tomori out of sleep with tears still running down her cheeks.
She huddled against the wall, arms wrapped around her knees. Once again, Takamatsu Tomori felt the very real, physical weight of loneliness.
She was thinking, always thinking, always aching for someone who didn't exist — no, wait! Chiose did exist in the real world!
Except… was that really Chiose?
And even if it was really Chiose — that Chiose wasn't her Chiose…
Even if she were her Chiose, she couldn't go near her Chiose…
Chiose would become unhappy…
Just as Tomori was sinking into that dark spiral, she seemed to see — standing in her bedroom doorway — a miniature adult-Tomori and a middle-aged Alcohol Lamp Tomori, both glaring at her with expressions of profound, disappointed exasperation.
"!!!"
No. No, no, no. Even if that wasn't Yoshiiro Chiose — even if she looked at her with the eyes of a stranger!
"I still have to go… go and say hello to her… if I could see Chiose again…"
She would absolutely become Chiose's lifelong friend!
The curse of misfortune… maybe it could be avoided!
No more drinking. Stay away from ladders. Keep safe. Keep away from dangerous, out-of-the-way places…
And Takamatsu Tomori! You listen to me!
Tomori rushed into the bathroom, soaked a towel in cold water, and washed her face.
"Takamatsu Tomori! You… you have to be confident. You have to seize the moment. You have to be like what Yoshiiro Chiose taught you — no retreating, no overthinking. Be decisive!"
If she ever saw Yoshiiro Chiose again — she, Takamatsu Tomori, would absolutely be brave! She would ask for her contact information!
She would become friends with her, just like in the dream!
Tomori caught sight of herself in the mirror — face set with fierce, unshakeable resolve — and for a moment, she thought she saw a phantom flicker of Yoshiiro Chiose reflected there beside her, waving.
"Ah…"
Just a single thought of Yoshiiro Chiose…
"And I can't even hold it together. I just start crying?"
Tomori wiped the tears from the corner of her eye and whispered to her reflection:
"I'm going to win!"
Was she going to win? Absolutely, positively, definitely yes.
____
________________________________________
🌸 Help Love Bloom!
Our girls need a little push... and you can help!
💖 Gift for Everyone: Once we hit 50 Powerstones, I'll release +1 bonus chapter to warm your hearts.
🚀 Community Reward: If we reach 20 supporting members, we'll have a +5 chapter marathon across all stories! The romance won't stop.
👻 Come to our secret corner: Search for GirlsLove on (P). You know that's where the magic happens... 😉