Chapter 55: My Senior Is Super Tiny.

Minami Yuuki put away the storage box and came out of the room, encountering Ibuki Yuko in the elevator.

The girl met his gaze and took two steps back, making space.

Her small figure stood in the corner of the elevator, making the already small elevator cabin seem much larger in comparison.

The smooth walls of the elevator reflected a metallic sheen on her, making the expressionless girl look even more lifeless, as if she were an emotionless doll modeled after a middle school girl.

"Good morning," Minami Yuuki greeted the girl.

"Good morning," Ibuki Yuko replied.

She was wearing a white mask, so Minami Yuuki couldn't see her expression, but from her unflinching eyes, it was clear that the conversation hadn't stirred any emotions in her.

What a strange person, Minami Yuuki thought.

Generally, a girl of her age, in her adolescence, would at least steal a glance at his handsome face, even if her heart remained calm, right?

After all, seeking beauty is human nature, and without a doubt, he is the embodiment of beauty.

After exiting the elevator, they walked together on the road to school. Minami Yuuki deliberately fell back a step, observing her from behind.

The girl's attire was very formal: she wore the school's custom sailor uniform, school-issued loafers, simple black socks, and a canvas school bag without any decorations. Her hair was tied in a simple ponytail with a black hair tie.

Normally, if a woman—or even a man—was being followed and watched by someone they had only met a few times, they would start to feel nervous and look back frequently.

But the girl's face remained forward. Her steps were steady and didn't seem to be restrained.

This gave Minami Yuuki a sense of frustration. Could it be that his 9 out of 10 charm wasn't as effective as he thought?

He reminisced about last night when he helped the girl's mother into the house, and the girl had a faintly disgusted expression on her face.

At least then, she had a reaction.

Should he find another chance to enter the house with her mother again?

Of course, this was a joke.

If he wanted to see other expressions on the girl's face, he could simulate it with a dating simulator after class.

He admitted he was a bit curious, a bit interested.

What kind of personality did the girl have to be able to ignore his beauty?

Come to think of it, her disgusted expression last night was also excessive.

A normal lovestruck girl, seeing a handsome male classmate with her mother, should feel a sense of loss, right?

Why did she look so disdainful?

Not normal, way too abnormal!

He had to study her carefully!

After making up his mind, Minami Yuuki temporarily set the matter aside.

Overthinking would only increase his troubles.

Entering the school, he changed into his indoor shoes and walked upstairs with Ibuki Yuko.

To his surprise, the girl walked into the second-year high school floor.

This little shorty is older than him?

My senior is super tiny?

He got a bit excited.

Entering his classroom, Minami Yuuki sat down at his desk. Today, he arrived early, and only half of his classmates were present.

He lay down on his desk, pretending to sleep, and opened the simulator interface.

[Unused rewards: Free simulation times *1, skill extraction opportunity *1, skill points *2]

Last night, he had been so focused on that mysterious reward that he forgot to use the skill extraction opportunity.

He clicked to use it.

[Do you want to use the skill extraction opportunity?]

Yes.

[Please select the life to extract from. Currently available simulation lives are numbered 001, 002...]

Select the most recent simulation life, number 006.

[Extracting...]

[Extraction successful]

[You have acquired all musical field experiences from simulation life 006]

Piano, organ, violin... guitar, bass, drums... classical, pop, folk... a vast amount of experience flooded into his body.

Closing his eyes, Minami Yuuki digested the relevant memories and sensations.

In his previous simulated life, his achievements were mainly in piano composition, but his piano performance and proficiency with other instruments were also strong.

If he were to participate in an international competition now, he would easily take first place!

Moreover, the piano pieces he composed in the simulation were still vividly clear in his mind.

Even a mediocre piece would earn him the title of a young prodigy.

And if he showcased his best works, he would become world-famous.

However, he hadn't yet decided if he wanted to pursue a career in music.

Like with romance, he wanted to experience more professions before choosing his favorite.

He checked the skill section on his attribute panel.

[Skills: Composition LV7, Instrumental LV6, Vocal LV4]

Composition had surpassed Instrumental to become his highest-level skill.

Time to try out the skill points he was rewarded with earlier.

[Use Skill Points?]

[Upon use, the simulator will create a dream space where you can practice an existing skill for a year (dream time) and gain related experience.]

Why do others get to directly add points while I have to work hard to practice!

Thinking carefully, those skill rewards were also earned through hard work in the simulated life!

He dismissed the prompt and didn't rush to use the skill points, as he didn't need any of the three skills right now.

He lifted his head from the desk. The morning sunlight brightly lit the classroom, which was now bustling with most of the students.

In his diagonal front, Chitose Kazumi was sitting and quietly watching him.

Meeting his gaze, the girl raised her hand and softly greeted him.

The girl sitting in front of Chitose Kazumi hadn't arrived yet, so Minami Yuuki turned that chair around and sat facing Kazumi.

He wanted to gather some information.

His sudden move startled Chitose Kazumi. Seeing his face so close, she blushed and instinctively leaned back. She wasn't trying to distance herself from Minami Yuuki but feared being too close would displease him.

Minami Yuuki was pleased with her reaction; this was how a normal teenage girl should act!

Unlike Asano Nao and Ibuki Yuko, who were both unusual!

"Do you need something, Minami-kun?" Chitose Kazumi asked softly.

She initially tilted her face away, too shy to look directly at him. After speaking, she mustered the courage to look at him.

Her heart was filled with joy. Last night at home, she had been worried for a long time, uncertain whether their relationship would progress smoothly from friendship to romance. She didn't expect their interaction to improve so quickly.

Minami-kun came to chat with her, right?

Friends do this, and lovers too… No, she shouldn't be so presumptuous!

What would Minami-kun talk about? Recent TV shows? School life? Difficult knowledge points?

"Do you know Ibuki Yuko from the second year?" Minami Yuuki's question was beyond Chitose Kazumi's expectations, and it hit her hard, making her hands and feet cold.

Why are you asking about another girl?!