11: You Lost Her Trail

[The next day, Kasumigaoka Utaha threw her torn stockings into the trash, blushing as she awkwardly insisted that nothing had happened the night before.] 

[You nodded in agreement.]

[A few days later, Kasumigaoka Utaha submitted her resignation from the Visual Novel Club.]

[Tomoya Aki was visibly upset, trying hard to convince her to stay, but now he couldn't make her waver even a little, as she had already realized the truth.]

[After Kasumigaoka Utaha left the club, you naturally followed suit.] 

[Under your influence, your followers, including the heads of the Literature Club and the Computer Club, also began distancing themselves from the now useless Visual Novel Club.]

[Tomoya Aki's long-held dream shattered.]

[But that was irrelevant.]

[After that night, even though Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't say it outright, you could sense that her previous dislike and wariness toward you had gradually disappeared.]

[Your relationship wasn't that of a typical couple, but you were much closer than before.]

[After high school, you both got into the same university.] 

[Carefully planning your moves, you finally confirmed your relationship in a hotel room after a late-night movie.]

[In the time that followed, you discovered that while Kasumigaoka Utaha appeared to be a confident and mature woman on the outside, in private, she was actually quite shy.]

[Her captivating eyes and the stunning figure she hid beneath her everyday clothes became a source of endless happiness for you.]

[Your favorite moments were when she gazed at you with those almost tearful crimson eyes, filled with affection.]

[After graduating from university, Kasumigaoka Utaha naturally became a light novel author, and with your literature degree, you became an editor-in-chief at a magazine a year later.]

[Two years later, you proposed to Kasumigaoka Utaha, and with the blessings of both your families, you got married.]

[On your wedding night, as you looked at your wife in her white wedding dress, she leaned in close to your ear and softly called you 'husband,' and expressed her wish to have a baby.]

[The rush of emotions overwhelmed you, and you immediately took action, like the famous general Zhao Yun from the Three Kingdoms, charging in and out of the battlefield countless times.]

[After that night, your wife's love for you deepened.]

[During your honeymoon, as you looked at your wife's gentle and happy smile, a wave of hesitation washed over you...]

[1. Should I tell Utaha now about the things I did in secret back then to win her heart? I believe she would choose to forgive me.]

[2. The past is the past. There's no need to dwell on it anymore.]

Suddenly, a long-awaited choice appeared.

Suzumiya Chisato, who had been silently savoring the memories of the passionate white wedding dress play from that night, was brought back to reality.

The two choices were simple: Should he reveal to Utaha the means he used back then to win her heart, or should he let the past stay buried?

It was a tough decision, with either choice likely leading to negative consequences.

Chisato thought for a long time, considering Utaha's personality and the current state of their relationship in this simulation.

In the end, he chose the second option.

What mattered most was the present. In the simulation, he had a beautiful wife and a happy marriage. There was no need to introduce unnecessary complications.

[The honeymoon with your wife went smoothly.]

[Two months later, Suzumiya Utaha discovered she was pregnant. You were overjoyed and took a long leave from work to take care of her full-time.]

Even her last name had changed, huh?

[Insomnia, vomiting, loss of appetite… Pregnancy was a tough ordeal, taxing both her mind and body. But despite the hardships, Utaha had no complaints.]

[She loved you deeply, and she cherished the life growing inside her, taking every precaution during the later stages of pregnancy to avoid any mishaps.]

[Time passed, and your child was born—a baby girl who inherited her mother's dark hair and delicate features. She was absolutely adorable.]

[You took the baby from the nurse and placed her in the arms of your wife, who, despite her exhaustion, radiated a motherly warmth.]

[Without much hesitation, your wife lovingly chose the name 'Chiyu' for your daughter, combining characters from both your names.]

[But life isn't always smooth; there are bound to be bumps along the road.]

Seeing these words, Suzumiya Chisato felt a knot in his stomach.

[Chiyu was a lovely child, bringing joy and warmth to your small family, but the price was Utaha's declining health.]

[Utaha, who once had boundless energy, could focus intently on her laptop for eight hours straight, then recover with just a night's sleep.] 

[But now, she often feels dizzy, weak, and drained.]

[You advised your wife to give up her career, assuring her that you could provide for the family, but she refused.] 

[She wanted to contribute to the family she loved, to give you and your child a better life.]

[In response, you decided…]

[1. Firmly refuse and make her follow your plan, letting her focus on being a carefree housewife.]

[2. Agree to her wishes and start working overtime.]

[3. Allow her to reduce her workload and hire a professional nanny to help with household chores.]

This…

Option three seemed to be the most reasonable choice.

[You and your wife reached a consensus.] 

[You hired a nanny, and she reduced her workload.] 

[With less pressure, her health gradually improved, and everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.]

[When Chiyu turned three, your wife sat with her, showing her pictures from your school days and telling her stories about your past.]

[As the nanny was cleaning the bookshelf, she accidentally knocked down your middle school yearbook, which caught Utaha's interest.]

[She knew about your high school and college years but had no idea what you were like before that.]

[She opened the yearbook and, upon seeing several familiar names and faces, her eyes widened. Memories long buried began to resurface, and she slowly understood everything.] 

[The once warm smile on her face faded.]

[That night, when you returned home, your wife and child, who usually greeted you with warmth, were nowhere to be seen.] 

[The house was dark, and you felt something was wrong. You rushed inside.]

[On the coffee table in the living room, you found your middle school yearbook and a letter.]

[The letter was crumpled as if it had been wet with tears.] 

[Opening it, you saw your wife's elegant handwriting.] 

[The letter contained only a simple sentence: If I could, I wish I had never discovered this. I'm sorry, I can't leave Chiyu. Take care of yourself.]

[You ran frantically to your bedroom, but all of your wife's belongings were gone.]

[From that day on, you lost all trace of her.]