I have a life simulator.

Page 325

Just like when two people are getting caught in the rain, the former will definitely make sure you notice, while the latter won't, and she might not even realize that she's getting wet.

However, the current Karuizawa Kei shows no trace of her past self, while Ichinose Honami is still hesitant. The former has broken through and then established herself, while the latter has broken through but not yet established herself.

Judging from their experiences alone, both of them resolved their overt inner conflicts after the simulation. Karuizawa Kei's conflict was with school bullying, and Ichinose Honami's conflict was with theft. However, unlike Karuizawa Kei, Ichinose Honami's growth was almost negligible, and she even carried the additional burden of "killing Kitagawa Ryo" compared to the past.

Because no matter how many times it happens again, Ichinose Honami's family is still the same family, and her mother is still the same mother.

Expressing love to parents directly is a difficult task for most children.

But in fact, hatred, or rather dissatisfaction, is just as arduous and extraordinary.

Especially for a sensible girl like Honami Ichinose.

So even now, Honami Ichinose can only, and dares only, make the smallest changes within an invisible circle.

Honami Ichinose would never truly hate someone.

This statement is actually correct, because Ichinose Honami will ultimately blame everything on herself, which is also the source of the abnormality that Kitagawa Ryo noticed.

The ultimate outcome of self-abuse is self-destruction.

"I can answer that question."

Kitagawa Ryo feigned nonchalance, but his pupils subtly glanced at Ichinose Honami's trembling lips, which were about to speak again:

"What I hate most are people who overestimate or underestimate themselves."

This statement completely shut down Ichinose Honami's answer.

"After all, no one is a truly omnipotent angel, nor a prisoner born with original sin."

This is the original text I wrote to Honami Ichinose during the simulation.

Honami Ichinose also noticed this, and she finally slowly closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.

Kitagawa Ryo waited quietly for Ichinose Honami to calm down, then smiled and drew another card from the deck of truth cards.

"That doesn't count."

"Again."

Kitagawa Ryo held up a brand-new 'Truth or Dare' card and read the words on it aloud:

Please tell me about the happiest thing that happened between you and the person sitting opposite you.

Ichinose Honami's seat opposite Kitagawa Ryo.

Sitting to Kitagawa Ryo's right, Sakayanagi Arisu pursed her lips imperceptibly.

Because the card that Kitagawa Ryo was holding was the very one whose position she had specifically noted down beforehand – the 'truth or dare' card.

Moreover, the question above is not the one Kitagawa Ryōnen mentioned at all, but rather the more amusing one: "Please state the body part you are most dissatisfied with."

"I'm biased towards all of you."

Sakayanagi Arisu inexplicably recalled the words Kitagawa Ryo had said to Ichinose Honami not long ago.

However, Honami Ichinose obviously wouldn't know this information. Perhaps because Kitagawa Ryo's words "Let's do it again" collided with some past memories, her furrowed brows finally relaxed.

"There are also many happy things."

As she spoke, Honami Ichinose secretly glanced into Ryo Kitagawa's eyes. Rather, for her, apart from that one accident, all the time she spent with Ryo Kitagawa was a happy one.

"If you can't think of the happiest thing right away, you can mention a few more memorable things."

"Anyway, there's still plenty of time tonight."

Kitagawa Ryo casually leaned back on someone's backpack and said this.

His eyes were fixed directly on Ichinose Honami across from him.

But to everyone's surprise, Ichinose Honami talked for almost two hours before finally stopping, seemingly still wanting to continue.

She used the most trivial and insignificant sentences to describe a very simple thing, as if she were sculpting some extraordinary work of art.

Ichinose Honami was talking about how, back when she was working part-time as a mascot handing out flyers outside a coffee shop, she ran into Kitagawa Ryo again and received a cup of hot cocoa from him.

In short, it can be summed up in just one sentence.

However, Honami Ichinose broke down even the smallest movements into countless details, with each detail giving rise to even smaller details, creating a complex and intricate narrative.

She remembers it all too clearly.

It even made Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu feel like they had a thorn in their side.

This was the second time the two of them had felt this way tonight. The last time was when Ichinose Honami used her almost terrifying insight to find the loophole in Kitagawa Ryo's words.

The two women exchanged a glance. From tonight onward, their views on Ichinose Honami would undergo a complete transformation.

"It's getting late, how about we play one last round?"

"We have to get up early tomorrow to move out; the second round of lockdown measures is about to begin."

Kitagawa Ryo listened very carefully throughout, and after Ichinose Honami finished speaking, he smiled and shook the dice box in his hand, making a suggestion.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't manage the time very well."

Honami Ichinose quickly apologized, but after recounting a rather pleasant memory, her mood improved, and her eyes were full of smiles.

"Let's have another round then."

"can."

Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune nodded in unison. Although Ichinose Honami and Kitagawa Ryo's story was moving enough, they were not just readers listening to the story, but rather a part of it.

With all sorts of thoughts swirling in their minds, the four of them rolled the dice faster than usual.

The final results were 10 points for Sakayanagi Arisu, 7 points for Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu, and 6 points for Kitagawa Ryo.

"I win again."

Sakayanagi Arisu raised her arm and stretched her body, but the visual effect wasn't enough to make Kitagawa Ryo look away. She pointed to her profile.

"Let Ryo be punished this time."

"Then I'll choose dare."

Kitagawa Ryo knew he couldn't escape this fate sooner or later, so he decided to just go all out and have some fun.

"If everyone chooses truth, this game might as well be renamed Truth and Truth."

"Then let's see what Liang's punishment is like."

Sakayanagi Arisu was pleased to see Kitagawa Ryo choose "Dare." Just as she was about to draw a card she had marked beforehand, Kitagawa Ryo preemptively picked up the "Dare" deck, shuffled it again with remarkable ease, and then presented it to Sakayanagi Arisu, giving her a slightly mischievous, quick wink with his left eye.

"Let's see what cards Arisu can draw."

Sakayanagi Arisu then realized that Kitagawa Ryo had seen through her little tricks, and the smile on her face froze slightly. She had no choice but to randomly draw a card of dare.

[Share knees with the first person of the opposite sex on your left for three minutes.]

"The first person of the opposite sex to my left."

"Isn't that Rinne?"

Horikita Suzune, who had been almost invisible during the game all night, subconsciously moved closer. The text on the card was indeed these words.

What does "sharing a lap pillow" mean?

"So, you give me your lap for three minutes, and I'll give you my lap for another three minutes?"

Kitagawa Ryo tentatively spoke.

"Oh."

Horikita Suzune nodded in agreement, then quite decisively lay down to the side, resting on Kitagawa Ryo's lap, and looked up to ask:

"Is that so? It's a bit off-putting."

"Is it possible that my knees weren't flat?"

Kitagawa Ryo sighed. He was sitting cross-legged, and Horikita Suzune was lying down like that. It would be strange if it didn't make him uncomfortable.

With his right hand, Kitagawa Ryo gently lifted Horikita Suzune's head and straightened his legs.

"Okay, that should be fine."

Kitagawa Ryo, with interest, gathered Horikita Suzune's hair, which had spread out while she was lying down, back together:

"how do you feel?"

Hotaru used to love lying on his lap like this, so Kitagawa Ryo didn't feel anything unusual, but he found the perspective of looking down at Horikita Suzune a bit novel.

"More comfortable than a sleeping bag."

As Horikita Suzune said this, she naturally closed her eyes.

"Two minutes left."

Sakayanagi Arisu and Ichinose Honami were keeping time with their watches, their expressions serious, as if they were at some kind of scientific research site.

Amused by their reactions, Kitagawa Ryo shook his head with a helpless smile.

"So, even though it's lying on your lap, why is it always called a lap pillow?"

Honami Ichinose suddenly thought of this question.

"Because in the earliest days, the meaning of the word 'knee' included the thigh, I think it was in the Manyoshu. At that time, people did not have as clear about human anatomy as they do now."

Kitagawa Ryo nodded and explained the issue.

"However, nowadays lap pillows are always associated with ear cleaning."

Recalling the time he shared a lap pillow with Karuizawa Megumi at the hotel, Kitagawa Ryo added another comment.

"Alright, three minutes are up!"

Sakayanagi Arisu clapped her hands and announced it, seemingly not listening at all.

Under the watchful eyes of the two, Horikita Suzune could no longer linger. She could only straighten up and address Kitagawa Ryo:

"It's time to cool off."

"it is good."

Kitagawa Ryo didn't stand on ceremony and simply lay down on Horikita Suzune's lap.

You can feel the muscles tense up for a moment, but then they relax and you feel only a soft touch and warmth.

This should be the closest physical contact between Horikita Suzune and Kitagawa Ryo.

Unlike when she was lying on Kitagawa Ryo's lap, Horikita Suzune now felt strange all over her body, especially her legs which were pressed together, which had a strange, tingling sensation.

Not knowing where to put her hands, Horikita Suzune simply placed them over Kitagawa Ryo's eyes. But then she realized her action seemed to be criticizing Kitagawa Ryo's gaze, so she quickly spread her fingers and massaged Kitagawa Ryo's temples, while lowering her head slightly and asking softly:

"how do you feel?"

A few strands of hair that had fallen down because he was looking down tickled Kitagawa Ryo's cheek. He half-opened his eyes and found Horikita Suzune's purplish-red eyes through some obscuring part of her face.

"Of course it's comfortable."

"It has a very distinctive ringtone sound."

A gentle warmth emanated from the palms covering my eyelids, and I could feel the fingertips lightly touching the area near my temples.

Unlike his previous reaction when he mentioned "Rinne's unique characteristics," Horikita Rinne simply gave a relieved smile this time.

Because 'characteristic' means 'special'.

"Three minutes! Three minutes!"

"Time's up! Time's up!"

Sakayanagi Arisu and Ichinose Honami each pulled Kitagawa Ryo up with one hand each.

That's all for tonight.

Kitagawa Ryo glanced at the time, yawned, and stepped out of the tent.

"Good night."

He turned around, nodded to the three of them under the starry sky, and said...