NEET Receives a Dating Sim Game Leveling System
chapter-140

Shika Kagura discovered some strange items in her temporary room at Natsuya’s residence .

A laptop, that was normal… some manga and poker cards, those were normal as well .

But she also discovered the Monopoly board game, stuffed plushies, and drawing pencils used by young children… what was with these items?

The strangest item of them all was a sketchbook .

Inside was a drawing that was rather amateurish in skill .

There was a reddish-orange sun, a large house, and seven roughly drawn characters were standing together in a row .

Shika felt strange emotions well up within her when she saw this drawing .

As she inspected the seven figures, the sense of strangeness within her only kept growing .

Finally, her line of sight fell upon the tall boy and petite girl in the center of the rough sketch .

They were smiling while holding onto each other’s hand .

Even though it was only an amateurish sketch, it felt… so blissful .

Bliss?

‘Why… am I able to feel bliss?’

Shika slowly held her hand over her chest .

Her current feelings were indescribable for her .

She kept staring at these two characters .

‘Who drew this? Who are the people in these drawing?’

She was suddenly possessed by a strong desire to find out .

At this moment, someone knocked on the door .

Shika turned around to see who it was .

"I’m here to deliver your lunch; may I enter?" a gentle female voice asked on the other side of the door .

"…Please enter . "

‘I’m being imprisoned under house arrest, right? Why is she being so polite with me?’ Shika wondered .

A girl with a light smile and a gentle look in her eyes entered the room carrying a tray in her hands . She was wearing black-and-white maid attire .

Shika didn’t know who she was, but this girl felt vaguely familiar .

‘That’s right—the drawing!’

She hurriedly turned around to look at the sketch again . Shika noticed a smiling girl wearing black-and-white clothing in the drawing; the girl resembled the maid who was currently in front of her .

Was this… her?

She picked up the sketchbook and turned around again to compare the two .

Mai Houjou had just placed the tray on the table when she noticed that Shika had picked up the sketchbook and was looking in her direction .

That sketchbook was…

The maid blinked as her smile deepened .

She had already received an order from her master, Natsuya, to keep tight-lipped about the events which had happened over the past two days .

Since Mai was a highly intelligent person, she quickly realized the reasons behind this order .

Personally, Mai didn’t particularly agree with this course of action .

That cute junior of hers was likely making a silly mistake with this .

Even though she didn’t agree, since it was her master’s order, she would obey .

But the degree to which she obeyed was up to her .

"My apologies, I should have cleaned up these items," Mai said as she walked over to Shika . "These items may be bothering you, so I’ll clean them up right now . "

She reached out to the sketchbook as she spoke .

Shika suddenly retracted her hand, preventing Mai from taking the sketchbook .

‘Why did I just do that?’ she wondered immediately after .

An indescribable light flashed in Mai’s eyes as she witnessed Shika’s reaction .

"You… would you like to keep this?"

The black-haired girl nodded slowly .

"Why is that? I heard that you’ve already forgotten the past two days’ events," Mai said calmly .

Hearing this, Shika felt as if a light bulb had suddenly turned on in her mind .

"This is… something I used… from when I had amnesia?"

That’s right—she should have thought of this long ago .

‘Why didn’t I think of it? The answer was so obvious . ’

Shika looked back towards the sketchbook .

This was something that she used . This was something that she sketched .

‘Why did I sketch this? Why did I use drawing pencils typically used by young children and draw at the level of a young child?‘

‘Those plushies… did I play with those? Monopoly, poker cards… those aren’t typically one-player games; was someone playing together with me?’

Various doubts surfaced in Shika’s mind .

Various doubts surfaced in Shika’s mind .

Finally, she remembered Seigo Harano… no, Seiji Haruta’s smile .

‘He was the one taking care of you while you had amnesia . ’ Shika recalled Natsuya’s words as her mind worked at full speed .

Shika suddenly felt something erupting inside her brain, causing her to tremble .

Those were… hazy, unfocused scenes .

She was saying something to a tall figure who exuded a warm, comfortable aura .

That person was smiling at her while patting her gently on the head with a large hand .

It was so warm .

It felt so reliable .

It felt so comfortable .

It was so… reassuring .

Her vision turned hazy in real life as well .

Something wet poured down her eyes .

Shika regained her senses and abruptly noticed that her face was tear-streaked and wet .

‘What’s… going on? Why… am I…’

There was a tight and painful feeling in her chest .

It was impossible for her to control her tears .

Even though she decided long ago that she would never cry again .

‘But why… am I…’

The black-haired girl hugged the sketchbook and sobbed without making a sound .

Mai’s smile turned incredibly gentle upon witnessing this scene .

"Kagura-san, are you expressing sadness?"

Sadness . . . that wasn’t it .

Shika had no idea about what emotions she was currently experiencing . All she knew was that everything was a chaotic swirl .

Was this sadness? Pain? Discomfort?

It felt like none of the above .

Then what was it, exactly?

"You’re crying, but it isn’t a pained expression . . . I feel like you’re experiencing nostalgia," the maid said in a gentle voice .

Nostalgia?

‘I’m being nostalgic . . . about something that happened? Something in the past?’

‘I’m being nostalgic . . . about something that happened? Something in the past?’

The hazy scenes in Shika’s mind suddenly increased in number .

Shika closed her eyes .

The most distant, warm feeling in her innermost self was . . .

It was snowing outside .

The room was very warm .

There was a bright and colorful anime program playing on the television .

She was watching and laughing while sitting on a sofa .

There was a tall figure accompanying her by her side .

She looked at him and said something .

He smiled gently and said, "Shika-chan . . . "

‘Brother . . . ’

Shika finally remembered .

The deepest memory within her . A warm, blissful feeling .

She had long since forgotten, or perhaps it should be said that she purposefully sealed off her most valuable memory .

She carefully locked it away in the deepest recesses of her heart and intended to never open it again .

That was because she felt that she didn’t deserve that type of bliss .

That was because she needed to get used to living painfully in isolation .

That’s why she could only say farewell to these blissful memories and forget them .

However . . .

A certain person caused her to remember again .

A certain person caused her to feel it again .

That blissful feeling that she thought she’d never possess again .

The scene in her mind gradually changed .

In this memory, she was seated inside the room she was currently in .

She was in the midst of drawing the sketch that she was currently holding .

Footsteps sounded from behind her .

She turned around and smiled as she called out to him .

He also smiled at her in a sincere fashion that showed he truly cared for her .

The hazy face became clear .

He also smiled at her in a sincere fashion that showed he truly cared for her .

The hazy face became clear .

It was . . . Seiji Haruta’s face .

"Shika-chan . . . "

"I’m right here, and I won’t be going anywhere . "

"How about I teach you how to draw?"

"It’s just . . . a dream . "

"I won’t leave Shika-chan behind . . . "

"Good night, Shika-chan . . . "

"I’m delighted . . . that you’re awake, Shika Kagura . "

It was him .

He took care of her and accompanied her .

Like a real brother would .

He accepted her childish behavior, spoiled her, cared for her . . . and finally, said farewell to her .

Shika Kagura finally realized it .

At that moment .

Just why he had been sad .

She felt bliss from him again .

But she had forgotten him .

He didn’t say anything .

All he did was smile .

He endured his pain in silence as he smiled for her .

"I just… was a little sad for a different reason… unrelated to you . So don’t think too much about it . . . "

‘It’s wonderful that you’re awake . It’s fine as long as you’re alright . ’

‘You don’t need to worry about me . My sadness has nothing to do with you . ’

Shika understood everything now .

Her tears dripped down onto the sketchbook she was holding .

‘I’m sorry . . . ’

Her soul’s whisper seemed to dissipate into the wind .