I have a life simulator.

Kitagawa Ryo pulled a beautifully packaged box from his pocket:

"Here you go, just take it as the audience's recognition of your acting skills."

Perfume?

Karuizawa Kei deftly took the box, stroking the delicate and beautiful patterns engraved on it:

"Isn't the rose flavor too mature?"

"If you don't want it, I'll throw it away."

Hearing Kitagawa Ryo's mutterings, Karuizawa Megumi quickly put it into her bag, her azure eyes smiling like crescent moons.

"That won't do. Consider this the first gift you ever gave me."

"I told you this was just a reward for your help today and compensation for being blocked by someone."

Kitagawa Ryo stood up and walked down the road side by side with Karuizawa Megumi.

"benefit."

She heard him call her name, and she turned around.

"Thank you very much."

Was that line acted out?

"of course not."

"Hmph, I believe in you, senior."

[Story CG: Actors, reading complete.]

I'm sick and need to take a day off.

I had a bit of an upset stomach yesterday, so I took some medicine and wrote yesterday's update. I still felt unwell this morning, so I've decided to take a day off. However, I might update again this afternoon if I feel better. Anyway, I hope all my readers are healthy. By the way, please don't leave the air conditioner on all night. If you do, I hope you don't have the bad habit of kicking off the covers like I do. _(:з」∠)_

Chapter Fifteen: Hairpins, Hot Cocoa, and Illness

[Day 9: Today is Ichinose Maki's birthday. Ichinose Maki secretly sent you an email last night, saying that she would sneak out after having dinner and cake with her mother and sister, and hoped that you would come out to see her. After all, because of Ichinose's mother's prejudice against you, you are basically forbidden from stepping into the Ichinose family home, especially after you moved out of that apartment a year ago, you haven't even stepped into that building again.]

Although the idea was very appealing and seemed feasible, you still refused Ichinose Maki's request. You told her that birthdays are indeed a privilege for children to ask for gifts, but she should also remember that this day is also the day of her mother's suffering. You never meant to disrespect Ichinose's mother because of her prejudice against you; after all, having lived there since childhood, you are the person who understands this mother best besides Ichinose Honami.

[You know, it's not just Ichinose Honami who's been working hard on this long-awaited birthday party. Actually, Ichinose's mother, who's never been good at expressing herself, has also suddenly taken on extra work this month. If I'm not mistaken, she's probably trying to save enough money for a gift for her daughter before her birthday.]

[Furthermore, according to your investigation, the item she bought should be the same as the one Ichinose Honami wanted to give her—a hair clip that became a popular item last year because of a certain idol. They had already noticed Ichinose Maki's wish.]

"Wouldn't that create a conflict in the gift selection?"

[Ichinose Maki sent this message expressing her doubts. Although she has always acted very sensible, Maki is indeed looking forward to this gift, and it would be a bit of a shame if her mother's gift conflicted with her sister's.]

"It's just like the text we learned in the textbook last semester. (°ー°〃)"

[“The Gift of the Magi?” You’ve certainly read this famous O. Henry short story. It tells of a wife who, on Christmas Eve, sells her proud hair to buy her husband a platinum watch chain to adorn his heirloom gold watch. Little does she know that her husband will reciprocate by selling his own gold watch to buy her a set of combs she’s always wanted—a story both dramatic and heartwarming.]

"You can give the hair clip that Fanbo gave you back to Fanbo; her birthday is in two days. As for the hair clip your aunt gave you, I think you can put it on yourself and tell her 'Thank you for your hard work.'"

"Sounds good! (≧?≦)ノ"

"But then I wouldn't have a hair clip, would I? 〒▽〒"

Your belated reaction amused you; you could almost picture Maki's expression through the screen. You laughed and continued replying:

"I'll give it to you."

【"Brother, are you going to put it on me yourself? (* /ω＼*)"】

"Go put it on yourself, and go to bed early."

Both of you tacitly avoided mentioning what happened today, said goodnight to each other, and then logged off.

When you opened your eyes again, it was already nine in the morning. A rare day without waking up early, you stretched in bed, picked up your phone which was already fully charged, and found a message from Karuizawa Megumi.

【"Good morning, senior! Hi~ o(*￣▽￣*)ブ"

"Maki-chan invited me to her birthday party, but I don't know her address. Could you give me a ride there, senpai? (つω｀)～"

"Haven't replied to messages or shown as read, is she sleeping? (o???)"

[Even though you feel like you're only a year older than Karuizawa Megumi, you, who hardly ever use emoticons, were bombarded with messages like this as soon as you woke up. Come to think of it, Maki seems to use emoticons like crazy when chatting, while Honami doesn't have that habit.]

[Looking at the time, the latest message was sent to your phone half an hour ago, at 8:30. Just as you were about to reply, Karuizawa Megumi's message had already been sent to your phone.]

[“Is the senior awake yet? The message status has changed to read. (o???)”]

You sighed, rubbing your forehead. Although you didn't know if she was glued to her phone 24/7, you were certain that Karuizawa Megumi was different from when you first met her a few days ago. It seemed that after yesterday's mountain climbing incident, your relationship had become much more harmonious? You searched your memory for a long time but couldn't find a suitable word to describe it.

You're unsure whether this development is good or bad. In fact, you've only known Karuizawa Kei for a few days. You've always adhered to the principle of 'never speaking too intimately with someone you don't know well,' but this principle was easily broken when facing Karuizawa Kei. Being unconditionally trusted by someone is certainly something to be proud of, but it also means...

Thinking of this, you dialed Karuizawa Kei's number. Compared to text chat, you prefer face-to-face communication, judging a person from their demeanor, actions, and tone of voice. This skill is one you learned and mastered from a young age as the heir to the Kitagawa family.

[Perhaps the other person really was glued to their phone, because just two seconds later, you heard a girl's voice, lively yet slightly nervous, coming through the receiver. You could hear the news broadcast in the background; she was probably still at home. Without bothering with pleasantries, you directly arranged to meet Karuizawa Kei at the same café where you had met Maki. Although Karuizawa Kei had only been to that café once, her memory was quite good; she had surprisingly remembered the exact location.]

You get up, wash up, eat some bread quickly, and half an hour later you're all ready and out the door. Because your family car picked you up, you arrive a little earlier than agreed. You order an iced Americano and sit near the window, lazily observing the flow of people in the mall. But today, no one is sitting next to you, idly making up stories with you.

The morning temperature wasn't too high yet. After taking a couple of sips of your iced Americano, you put the cup down and looked up to see Karuizawa Megumi walking into the coffee shop. You waved to her, and she smiled and sat down opposite you. Not knowing what she liked to drink, you didn't order for her without consulting her first. Only after she was seated did you ask her what she would like to drink.

"Coco, make it hot."

[As Karuizawa Kei replied, a steaming cup of cocoa was quickly served. It seemed she only then noticed the iced Americano in front of you.]

"Isn't it bad for your stomach to drink something cold in the morning, senior?"

She pointed to her untouched hot cocoa:

"I think you should drink something warm in the morning."

"I only had a couple of sips." You shook your head, stirring the ice with a straw while glancing at the girl across from you who was sipping her hot cocoa in small sips. She seemed a little afraid of burning herself, and the way she took a few sips and then slurped them up was rather cute.

What gift is Megumi planning to give Maki?

[Upon hearing your question, Karuizawa Kei, a little embarrassed, pinched the end of her hair and replied that she didn't have much money to buy anything, and she didn't have enough time to make anything elaborate. She simply stayed up all night folding over a hundred little stars for the other person. After saying that, she took out a clear glass bottle from her bag, which indeed contained a large number of five-pointed stars of the same size and in various colors, making a rustling sound when shaken.]

After this topic ended, you and Karuizawa Megumi fell into silence. The coffee shop, which was already nearly empty that morning, was now filled only with the two of you idly stirring ice cubes with straws or tapping your glasses against the sides.

"Speaking of which, the fireworks festival is in a couple of days. Would you like to go with Ichinose-kun, senpai?"

The way Karuizawa Megumi was trying so hard to find a topic of conversation made you chuckle.

"If you had asked me this question a few days ago, my answer would have been an unequivocal yes."

You took a big sip of your iced Americano, and the cold, bitter taste exploded on your tongue.

"If you can't find anyone back then, you can try calling me! I'm really good at goldfish scooping, target shooting, and ring toss!"

Karuizawa Megumi, mumbling incoherently through a straw, didn't even dare to look up at you. It was as if the outside of that hot cocoa cup held some hidden treasure, and she was practically staring right into it. Of course, she might also be observing your reaction through the gleaming tabletop.

[Karuizawa Kei is a girl who knows how to maintain perfect boundaries. Occasionally, when she cautiously crosses that line, she's like a little abandoned animal, staring at you with her big, watery eyes, howling. But if you refuse, she won't actually cry. This feigned strength is quite an offensive tactic for a girl her age.]

You stir the ice cubes in your glass, the ice clinking against each other with a crisp sound. A strange thought suddenly pops into your head: what if drinking an iced Americano and hot cocoa together caused an upset stomach? What's the approximate temperature difference between them?

"Senior, you're spacing out. Are you feeling unwell? Or did you leave the air conditioning on all night again?"

"It's nothing." You snapped out of your daze when Karuizawa Kei leaned forward and placed her pale right hand on your forehead. Grabbing her wrist with your right hand and pressing her back into her seat, you looked at the concern in her equally blue eyes and felt inexplicably annoyed.

"Wow, senpai's hands are so cold." Seeing that you had returned to your initial state, Karuizawa Megumi laughed and pulled her right hand away from yours. Indeed, your right hand had been holding an iced Americano, so the sudden contact with your skin was quite chilly.

"My hands are so warm, it's the power of hot cocoa!" You feel a warm, soft little hand grasp your right hand again, pressing it tightly against your palm. The extreme temperature difference makes the warmth feel unexpectedly real. Karuizawa Megumi looks up and says earnestly:

"If you drink an iced Americano in the morning, your tongue and hands will be freezing, and then your stomach and blood will get cold too. Girls don't like guys who are cold. Next time, please have hot milk or hot cocoa in the morning."

"Alright." Once your palms had warmed up again, Karuizawa Kei released your hand and contentedly drank her hot cocoa.

"Although the human body surface temperature is between 36 and 37 degrees Celsius, you can still clearly feel the difference when holding hands. Isn't that amazing, senior?"

After that, you discussed some future plans with Karuizawa Megumi. Your conversation ended when the hot cocoa was almost empty, and unlike usual, you left about half a glass of iced Americano untouched.

[Throughout the entire day, aside from liking Maki's birthday photos on social media that evening, you unusually didn't contact Honami Ichinose at all. Although you really wanted to compliment her on her new hair clip, which suited her perfectly, you ultimately didn't send that message.]

[Day 10: When you woke up this morning, you felt a little dizzy. You had clearly turned off the air conditioner before going to bed last night. Now that you think about it, it was probably because you ran around in the mountains the day before yesterday and then came home and turned on the air conditioner. Maybe that iced Americano made things worse. You fumbled for the thermometer in the cupboard, and after groggily taking your temperature under your arm for a while, you blinked and noticed that it was 37.9 degrees Celsius. It was just a low-grade fever.]

You live alone in this fairly spacious house. Although you haven't had much contact with your parents growing up, you've always maintained a respectful yet close relationship with them. They work overseas most of the year, and you call them every three days and video chat with them once a week. At your insistence, apart from your current chauffeur and housekeeper, there is no one else in this house.

[Anyway, you're used to taking care of yourself, and you keep common medicines at home. After washing your face with hot water, you took the cold medicine according to the instructions. You can tolerate the bitterness of coffee, but you unexpectedly resist taking medicine. Finally, you found a relatively sweet powder and drank it all in one go, completely unaware of its expiration date.]

After taking the medicine, you crawled back into bed. Your throat started to hurt, and you felt weak all over. Even though you considered yourself to be in better physical condition than at least 90% of your peers, you didn't seem to last much longer than others in the face of this sudden cold. When you woke up again because you were thirsty, it was already 3 p.m.

You realize you only ate a little bread this morning, and stagger to your feet to call the housekeeper. Never before have you felt that iced Americano was so hateful. When you open your phone, you notice messages from Ichinose Maki and Karuizawa Megumi, but you have neither the inclination nor the energy to check them. After forcing yourself to send the housekeeper a message about having a cold, you then shakily try to leave your room to find something to eat.

You clearly overestimated your willpower and current physical condition. You stumbled and fell against the doorframe, your arm seemingly hitting something as you fell; a crisp sound came from behind you.

[Until a gentle breeze blew in through the open window, you vaguely saw colorful origami cranes fluttering in front of you, then landing on your head, back, and even in front of you.]

It's really beautiful.

[You thought this in the instant before you completely lost consciousness.]

Chapter Sixteen: The Approaching End

"Yes, young master hasn't woken up yet. He's receiving an IV drip. His condition isn't too serious; it's just because he took expired cold medicine and didn't get enough rest. Yes, I'll have him call home once he wakes up."

“It’s my fault. What? You want the young master to go earlier? I remember the original date was August 9th, two weeks earlier? Okay, I’ll tell the young master after he wakes up.”

[It seems you're gradually regaining your senses, and your six senses are returning one by one. First, you smelled the distinctive disinfectant and medicinal odor of the hospital. Since childhood, you've stubbornly called this indescribable smell "medicinal," as if simply smelling this special odor at the hospital would instantly kill all the germs in your body, without needing injections or IV drips.]

[Next comes the auditory experience. You seem to hear someone making a phone call outside the ward. Although the man's voice was deliberately lowered, you immediately recognized him as Mr. Izaki, who has been the butler in your family for twenty years. Judging from his tone, he was probably talking to your father or mother.]

[Your remaining four senses returned to your body all at once. You could feel the softness of the bedding beneath you, and when you looked up, you saw a clean white ceiling. A bitter taste seemed to linger in your mouth. Your right hand, extended from under the covers, was receiving an IV drip, one drop after another, as the liquid dripped from the bottle and flowed into your veins through the tubing.]

You finally remembered what happened before you lost consciousness. You recalled that you had a fever, called the butler, and then collapsed, knocking over... something else entirely. Your head started to feel dizzy again, and your eyelids grew heavy. You bit your tongue, trying to pull yourself together, swallowed to moisten your parched throat, and decided to call the butler outside the door.

Just then, the butler pushed open the door and entered. Mr. Izaki, who was in his early fifties, looked a few years younger than his actual age. However, contrary to most people's stereotypes about butlers, he neither wore a suit all the time nor had his beard neatly trimmed. Apart from his smoother skin than the average old man, he looked like an ordinary old man.

"Young Master, you're awake."

When he saw you open your eyes, he immediately came over, poured you a cup of hot water, and rang the call bell to summon the doctor.

You can hear crackling sounds coming from the window, and occasionally a few muffled claps of thunder remind you that it might be raining. Summer rains are never under the control of weather forecasts; even fireworks displays are deliberately scheduled to avoid times when the chance of precipitation is high.

Mr. Izaki stepped forward and pulled the heavy curtains tighter. After the rustling sound, the wind and rain were immediately shut out. After you finished drinking the water, you couldn't look at the clock on the wall; it was already seven o'clock in the evening. If that's the case, you've probably been unconscious for about four hours.

"Cough, cough." You coughed a few times, feeling a strange, prickled sensation, as if something was stuck in your throat. Turning to the butler beside you, you asked:

Has anyone been here?

[Your reason for asking this is simple: right next to the small cabinet by your bed, there's an umbrella that clearly doesn't belong to you or Mr. Izaki. Your usual color is always unchanging black; even the umbrella you once gave to Honami Ichinose was a large black one. But Mr. Izaki… You gave him a strange look. Based on your understanding of him, he wouldn't go so far as to use a small pink umbrella covered in flowers and plants.]

"It's Ms. Karuizawa Megumi."

"Moreover, she arrived at your house before us, and she called the ambulance first. When I arrived, they seemed to be planning to break down the door. I opened the door with the spare key and then took you to the hospital."

"Really? Where's my phone?" Feeling a little better, you struggled to sit up. Mr. Izaki knew he could never win against you, so he obediently helped you prop up the pillows so you could lie comfortably in a semi-reclined position on the bed.

"What the young master needs right now is to rest well, otherwise someone might come to your ward on a morning flight tomorrow."

You understood what Mr. Izaki meant, like a kitten whose fate had been seized by the scruff of its neck by a big cat. You twitched your lips and didn't dare to ask for your phone back.

"I just heard about going abroad earlier, right?" You recall the phone call you overheard and try to confirm its veracity.

"That's just Madam's wish. If you think you can persuade her one-on-one over the phone later, young master, I can give you your phone now. Or have you already prepared your lines?" Hearing Mr. Izaki's answer, you drank your hot water with a bit of frustration. You knew that the premise for convincing your parents to live alone was that you could take care of yourself. Your mother's request wasn't unreasonable; after all, in her view, you were going abroad in early August, and leaving a couple of days earlier wouldn't make much of a difference.

The doctor's arrival gave you time to think. While answering the doctor's questions, you began to consider how to communicate with your mother later. After all, if your mother suggested that you come earlier and spend a few days with them, you wouldn't have any reason to object.

"If your condition stabilizes and you recover, you can be discharged in a couple of days," the doctor replied after the examination. Mr. Izaki got up to see him off, and the two chatted for a while in the corridor, but you, preoccupied with thinking of an excuse, didn't notice.

"Senior?" When you came to your senses again, you were met with a pair of bright blue eyes. Her pupils were the same color as yours, making you feel a little dazed for a moment. A small, fair hand waved in front of your eyes, and Karuizawa Megumi spoke with a hint of pride mixed with a touch of tenderness:

"That's why I said don't drink iced Americanos in the morning, and you shouldn't keep the air conditioning on too late at night."

She was sitting right next to your bed. Perhaps because it was a luxury ward, and the bed was significantly larger than usual, it felt like there was plenty of room for another person to sleep beside her. Yet, you still instinctively shrank back a little, even though your legs were about thirty centimeters away from her body, separated by the blanket.

"Mr. Izaki said you called the ambulance first." For some reason, you looked away. But when you're sick, everything you do is forgivable; no one notices your little gestures. Is this a privilege of being unwell, or a privilege you have in front of her?

"Yeah, I texted you this morning but didn't get a reply. At first, I thought maybe you woke up late like yesterday, but it still wasn't read by noon. I asked Maki, and she called you but no one answered, so I asked for your address and went over there."

"Because the window of my senior's room was open, I immediately saw him lying on the ground. I called him several times but he didn't respond. So I called 120. The ambulance arrived a few minutes later, and the old man also drove over. After he opened the door, I came to the hospital with my senior."

"The doctor said that my senior initially had a simple low-grade fever, but the wrong medication worsened his condition. Furthermore, his irregular sleep and diet led to him suddenly collapsing at home. When he arrived, his clothes were soaked with sweat."

[Karuizawa Kei sat by your bedside, speaking softly. Your head grew heavy again, so much so that her gentle voice became like a lullaby, its intermittent notes like spider silk wrapping around you, enveloping you layer by layer. You lay in this thick cocoon, a slightly intoxicating comfort welling up from the depths of your soul.]

"Could you turn on the TV for me?" You didn't want to fall asleep here so easily, or perhaps you'd already slept too much today, so you reluctantly opened your eyes and pointed to the TV hanging on the opposite wall.