Love Comes After Simulation

[The new hospital room felt much more alive than the old one. Gone were the plastic floors and the sterile white bedding and curtains. If not for the bars on the walls and the medical equipment by the bed, one could hardly tell it was a hospital room.]

[What pleased you most was that the new ward didn’t require wearing those drab, pale blue patient gowns. Reina Nakajima could wear anything she wanted—or rather, anything you wanted her to wear.]

[You bought her a variety of outfits, letting her try on something new every day. No matter what she wore, the girl always exuded an elegant charm.]

[The room’s temperature was kept at a constant 22 degrees Celsius, making it unsuitable for thick formal kimonos. Your favorite look for her was either a dress or a casual yukata.]

[What Reina regretted, however, was that while there was a small garden outside the window, the distant sky was mostly obscured by tall buildings, robbing her of a view of the horizon.]

[The special ward was equipped with many recreational facilities for patients, and quite a few wealthy elderly people treated it like a retirement home. Reina, however, had little interest in such amenities. When you weren’t there, she would sit quietly by the window, watching the view. Over time, even the skyscrapers blocking her view became part of her scenery.]

[After school, you would come to the hospital to keep her company, staying until she fell asleep before leaving.]

[Anxious about her surgery two years down the line, you cherished every moment with her even more. Not wanting to be separated from her because of classes, you discussed the matter with your father. You made an agreement: as long as you maintained your grades by taking monthly tests, you would be allowed to skip attending classes.]

[To secure this privilege and free you from attendance requirements, your father went to great lengths on your behalf.]

[You continued your frequent visits to Azuki Mountain, the Chigusa University Hospital garden, and nearby parks.]

[The first semester of your second year passed, and summer vacation arrived.]

[You kept Reina’s wishes in mind. What she wanted most was to see the snow and the lakes in Hokkaido that her father had spoken of. Her second wish was to visit one of the small local festivals often shown on TV.]

[You picked the destination. At the end of July, you took Reina and two nurses aboard a train.]

[The train ride was far slower than a plane, but you worried that the discomfort of takeoff and landing might strain her heart.]

[It was Reina’s first time on a train, and she was curious about everything, holding your hand as she gazed around in wonder.]

[You booked two rooms—one for the nurses and one for you and Reina. Your room was a small sightseeing cabin with a sofa, two foldable narrow beds, and a large glass window.]

[You claimed the seat by the window, hoping Reina would plead for it and give you an excuse to bargain. To your surprise, she simply lay down on your lap.]

[As the train left the city, the vivid blue sky and verdant green countryside filled the large window. The pure blue and fresh green reflected in Reina’s dark eyes, making your heart skip a beat.]

[Your hand rested on her face, and she opened her lips to bite one of your fingers. At some point, this princess-like girl had developed a habit of nibbling on you—your fingers, ears, and neck had all been her targets at one time or another.]

[By evening, you arrived at your destination: a tourist town called Hoiri.]

[The town was internationally famous, and the streets were dotted with foreign visitors who had come for the festival. These foreigners became Reina’s first source of amazement upon arriving in the town.]

[That night, Reina was captivated by the traditional charm of the inn where you stayed, exploring it with curiosity.]

[In Reina’s life, the only time she had seen places beyond Misaki was when she accompanied Yōhei Nakajima on his search for medical treatment during her childhood. Those memories had long faded with time, leaving behind only fragmented, disjointed pieces. This trip was precious to her.]

[The festival was set to begin the next day. During the day, you wandered around the town with her, and in the evening, you asked the nurses to take her to enjoy the hot spring she had been dreaming of.]

[Late at night, she sneaked into your room. Together, you gazed through the window at the town’s nighttime scenery and the moonlit sky. Before bed, she pulled out her cherished keepsake.]

[She successfully used the keepsake.]

[The next morning, you arrived late to the festival. Neither you nor she paid much attention to the ceremonial sword-drawing event at the shrine.]

[That evening, you helped her put on a yukata and made your way to the shrine atop the mountain.]

[Her frail body gave out after climbing only a few steps. She clung to you, pouting playfully, and you carried her on your back, ascending the mountain slowly.]

[The long stone staircase leading to the shrine was flanked by twin rows of lanterns, connecting the town below to the shrine above. On either side of the stairs, countless simple stalls were neatly arranged, offering food and games: takoyaki, crepes, candied apples…; shooting games, goldfish scooping, dart throwing…]

[The evening air atop the mountain was pleasantly cool. Over the past year, your frequent hikes to Azuki Mountain had strengthened you somewhat. Reina Nakajima was slender and light, making the task of carrying her manageable.]

[You bought her a candied apple. The vibrant red of the treat matched beautifully with the deep crimson plaid pattern of her yukata.]

A vivid scene flashed in his memory:

The enticing aroma of street food, the lively chatter of festival-goers, and the warm glow of lanterns from the stalls all blended into a sensory overload that filled Yuuki Minami’s mind.

The girl on his back wrapped one arm around his neck, holding the candied apple in her other hand. The hem of her yukata swayed near his face as she rested against him, the faint sound of her biting into the candy crisp and clear in his ears.

Before long, the hand holding the candied apple fell limply, her arm draped over Yuuki’s shoulder. Her palm rested just below his chin, the half-eaten apple—now missing two small bites—dangling in front of his eyes.

The glossy red candy coating gleamed under the lanterns, its vibrancy accentuated by the translucent sugar glaze. Its purity and luster reminded Yuuki of the girl’s shy yet eager expression the night before, when she had longed for his kiss.

Within the bitten edges of the apple, the beige, moist flesh peeked out from the crimson shell. Its soft, tantalizing allure, swaying gently with her hand’s movement, stirred memories of her figure from the previous night.

His gaze followed the candied apple as it bobbed up and down.

Reina noticed his lingering look. Holding the apple closer, now marked with even more bites, she offered it to him.

“Do you want a taste?” She tilted her head curiously, studying his expression. In her memory, Yuuki was never one to crave sweets. Why was he so interested in this candied apple today?

“I do.”

“Then why don’t you just take a bite?”

“I’m saying I want your bite.”

“Fine, take one… ah, why are you biting my hand?”

Yuuki didn’t answer. Instead, he gently took her pale, lotus-like fingers into his mouth, savoring the sugar glaze still clinging to her fingertips.

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