I have a life simulator.

At 7 p.m., Kitagawa Ryo sat on the hotel bed, using his laptop to look through the information that Mr. Izaki had prepared for him. It included information about Karuizawa Megumi's school life over the past six months, as well as the family and personal information of Emi Eura and the other bullies.

He frowned and recounted everything that had happened in the past six months, from Karuizawa Kei unexpectedly becoming the center of attention among the girls in the class because of him, to the incident of surrounding Wakata, and finally Wakata's suicide and Karuizawa Kei being subjected to school violence as a culprit.

"First is Wakata."

Kitagawa Ryo pulled up the information about the other party and immediately saw that the other party's father had to flee to Hokkaido three months ago to escape loan sharks because he owed a huge gambling debt. In the month that followed, which was the month before Wakata committed suicide, she and her mother had been harassed by loan sharks. For example, they would knock on the door loudly in the middle of the night, and when they opened the door in the morning, they would find the dead dog hanging in front of the door. These annoying incidents forced the landlord of the apartment where they lived to terminate the rental contract for the sake of other tenants.

Then, on the last day before moving out, this desperate mother burned coal with her daughter and died at home. However, because the dosage of sleeping pills she had given Wakata was not enough, Wakata even woke up in the middle of burning coal and crawled to the door and broke down the door in a daze.

It was precisely because Wakata herself broke down the door that her and her mother's suicide attempt was discovered immediately. Furthermore, because Wakata herself inhaled a relatively small amount, she was even saved after timely rescue, though she was temporarily in a vegetative state of brain death. Her runaway father only went back to his hometown to raise funds, and in the end, he had to sell the family's old house and a famous family heirloom sword before he could return to Tokyo with the money.

As a result, his pride, which prevented him from asking his wife for help, led to the current tragedy. After paying off all the high-interest loans, the father invested all his remaining assets in his daughter's medical treatment.

"...So, Wakata himself didn't die at all?"

Kitagawa Ryo typed on his keyboard and searched through the day's news again, and indeed found the case.

"The claim that Ruotian committed suicide because of school bullying is just a false rumor."

After discovering this fact, Kitagawa Ryo even saw it in Mr. Izaki's notes:

According to the hospital, the patient is recovering well and is expected to wake up.

"So how exactly did this rumor start?"

Kitagawa Ryo clicked on the next page of information, and the name "Emi Emi" immediately caught his eye.

He knew this girl for two reasons: firstly, because she came from the same elementary school as him, and secondly, because Emi Jiangpu had already shown an extremely bad personality at that time. Kitagawa Ryo had once witnessed her skinning a live frog with a toothpick without any scruples, a scene he could still recall to this day.

Emi Jiangpu is a girl who is extremely indifferent to life.

Kitagawa Ryo opened her detailed information:

“A 14-year-old from Toshima Ward, Tokyo. His father, Tadashi Eura, was a former worker at Toshima Chiba Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., but is now unemployed. His mother, Yuko Eura, is a housewife. The family has a total debt of 21 million yen.”

[The rumors about Wakata were most likely spread secretly by her.]

Mr. Izaki noted it this way.

During the six months that Kitagawa Ryo spent with his parents in England, he learned many lessons. When his father learned that he had transferred schools in elementary school for his friend and fought with bullies, he told him that "violence is not always the best way."

Kitagawa Ryo was somewhat dissatisfied and argued back with his father at the time:

"But this is the most direct, powerful, and satisfying way."

The father nodded in agreement, but then immediately said:

"Perhaps in the future, Liang will also encounter similar situations. You can use violence to stop and threaten them as before, but those people may agree temporarily, or even apologize. However, they will never give up and will continue to seek revenge."

"Find the thugs in your class, find the big shots in the school, or even find some people in the underworld. Just keep finding fights like this. Even if you win every time, they won't be afraid. At most, they'll just think you're good at fighting. If you really go all out, they can turn the tables on you."

"And if they can't do anything to you in the end, they can target the people you protect. If that really happens, no matter how you retaliate or fight back afterward, it won't change the fact that she was injured or even more seriously."

Kitagawa Ryo nodded thoughtfully:

"Does my father want me to directly address the root of the problem?"

The father patted Kitagawa Ryo's head approvingly:

"Liang, you need to remember that you can directly jump out of the rules set for you by the campus circle."

"Because your surname is Beichuan."

Violence is the rule that humans are best at. My fist is bigger than yours, and I'm better at fighting, so I can make you submit.

However, modern society cannot take this rule to its extreme because causing serious injury or even death is illegal. With this restriction, no matter how many times Kitagawa Ryo beats the bullies down and makes them kneel in front of the bullied and beg for mercy, he is only acting within the rules that the students have touched. As long as it is still within the rules that they understand, even if it can deter them for a while, it cannot make them permanently give up their bullying behavior.

Therefore, we need to break free from this rule and directly shatter their long-held perceptions within a higher framework.

Kitagawa Ryo recalled his father's words while making arrangements for the classification and coordination of personnel.

About half an hour later, Kitagawa Ryo heard a knock on the door.

Karuizawa Megumi fell asleep in Kitagawa Ryo's arms just half an hour after their meeting in the afternoon. Perhaps because she hadn't had a good night's sleep in the past two months, she slept very soundly this time. Kitagawa Ryo could only take her to the hotel he had booked and let Karuizawa Megumi sleep in another room for the time being. He also left a note next to her pillow saying that he was in the next room.

Kitagawa Ryo opened the door, and sure enough, it was Karuizawa Megumi. She seemed to have just woken up, and her hair was a mess, with her ahoge sticking up in a tangled mess. Kitagawa Ryo couldn't help but reach out and smooth it down for her.

Karuizawa Megumi lowered her head, her lips opening and closing repeatedly, writhing like a fish washed ashore by the waves, her eyes filled with a thirst and hope.

"Liang, will you still walk?"

Kitagawa Ryo's movements stopped.

Chapter Ten: Childhood Sweethearts, Betrothed, and Book Friends

Will Liang leave again?

When Karuizawa asked that question, she sounded like a frail old woman. She held onto Kitagawa Ryo's shoulder as if his answer would determine her life or death. When she noticed that Kitagawa Ryo's right hand, which was stroking her hair, had stopped, Karuizawa felt as if the air itself had frozen, making their movements both sticky and slow. Even opening their lips and vibrating their vocal cords was a struggle.

"I'll help Hui solve the problem, and they shouldn't do it again..."

Kitagawa Ryo tried to comfort Karuizawa Kei, explaining that his return was indeed only a short trip. His parents had already arranged his school and future schedule in London, and he might try to find time to come back and see Karuizawa Kei as often as possible, or the two could contact each other through modern communication technology. But after these words swirled in his throat, he couldn't bring himself to say them.

Karuizawa Megumi looked pale. She seemed not to realize what Kitagawa Ryo was saying, yet she also seemed to understand the implied meaning in Kitagawa Ryo's words.

"Liang...when are you leaving?"

After asking the question, Kitagawa Ryo knew that Karuizawa Megumi was still making a last-ditch effort. Seeing her unnatural expression, he felt a pang of pity, but still gave her the answer:

"About a week later."

"Going back to England?"

"Ah."

Karuizawa Kei looked at Kitagawa Ryo's face a few more times as if she had been relieved, and then her body collapsed as if all her strength had been drained away, as if the ice beneath her feet had suddenly shattered, and she felt as if she was about to sink into the ground.

Kitagawa Ryo also noticed Karuizawa Megumi's feelings, but all he could do for now was offer words of comfort:

"I promise that Hui will never encounter what happened before again. I believe Hui can..."

"I do not believe."

Karuizawa Megumi suddenly interrupted Kitagawa Ryo, not even knowing why she had suddenly raised her voice:

"Can I not believe in myself?"

For a fleeting moment, Karuizawa Kei thought that if Kitagawa Ryo hadn't appeared in front of her today, she might have felt that this development was actually the right one. She couldn't accept that Kitagawa Ryo's return would only last a week.

Compared to the present reality, she would rather Kitagawa Ryo live forever in her memory and the photo on her bedside table. The Kitagawa Ryo of that time was the real Kitagawa Ryo, someone who would always be by Karuizawa Megumi's side and would never leave.

"I don't want Liang to leave, but he can't leave. If he's alone... there's no other way."

But when reality was laid bare before her, Karuizawa Megumi's voice grew increasingly desperate, as if she were talking to Kitagawa Ryo through a thick, frosted glass. Her broken, incoherent words carried a pleading tone. She knew she was putting Kitagawa Ryo in a difficult position, but she couldn't stop herself from doing so.

But Kitagawa Ryo still didn't answer, or rather, he couldn't answer at that moment. Should he make a promise to Karuizawa Megumi? If he did, how would he fulfill it?

Others may find it hard to understand the relationship between Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Kei, but for Kitagawa Ryo himself, Karuizawa Kei was the companion who accompanied him through his lonely childhood. He had never seen his parents before the age of twelve. Mr. Izaki just kept repeating that his parents would come to him naturally when the time was right, but this reason was not something the children could believe. The fact they could see was that Kitagawa Ryo was a boy without parents.

Karuizawa Megumi is the only child who gets close to Kitagawa Ryo.

While it's possible that they were mutually ostracized and thus banded together for mutual support, Karuizawa Kei certainly held a significant place in Kitagawa Ryo's heart.

So the two remained silent for a long time, and that silence continued to fall until it shattered into pieces.

"I……"

Kitagawa Ryo shook his head with a slight headache. He looked around, searching for another topic. When he looked down, he saw Karuizawa Megumi's skirt. Although Kitagawa Ryo had pulled Karuizawa Megumi away in time that afternoon, some coffee had still been spilled on her. As a result, coffee stains were left on her pure white dress.

"Hui is still wearing this dress."

Although the way the topic was changed was too abrupt, even Kitagawa Ryo himself felt it was a form of avoidance, Karuizawa Megumi was unexpectedly drawn to it. She quickly lowered her head, nervously rubbing the coffee stains with her hand.

"It's a pity it got dirty."

"It's alright. I think this outfit won't fit Hui very well this year either."

Kitagawa Ryo compared his height to Megumi's with his hands:

"Huibi has grown several centimeters taller at this time last year, at least three or four centimeters."

"Yes, really?"

"Hmm, how about I take you to buy a new dress for summer?"

Kitagawa Ryo took her hand and, with a slightly forceful gesture, led Karuizawa Megumi into the elevator, pressing the button for the first floor.

Karuizawa Kei seemed to have some fear of the enclosed space of the elevator. When people came in and out, she kept clinging to Kitagawa Ryo's arm and hiding behind him. Kitagawa Ryo felt her body trembling slightly, and this trembling came through the part where the two were connected, like a strange longing.

Over the next two hours, Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Megumi walked into various clothing stores like a real student couple, trying on clothes one after another. However, Karuizawa Megumi still couldn't decide which one she wanted, so Kitagawa Ryo could only follow her into the next clothing store.

Karuizawa Megumi, with her hair down, put on a blood-red dress in front of Kitagawa Ryo.

Karuizawa Kei tied her hair into a ponytail and put on a snow-white dress in front of Kitagawa Ryo.

Her hair was very long, and she seemed to be able to easily pull off both high and low ponytails. Whenever Karuizawa Megumi stood next to Kitagawa Ryo in front of the dressing mirror, her honey-colored hair would carry a delicate fragrance that lingered around Kitagawa Ryo's nose.

"I think this one is pretty good."

Kitagawa Ryo regained his composure and commented on Karuizawa Megumi, who was currently wearing a light blue floral dress.

"is it?"

Karuizawa Megumi stretched, revealing her beautiful figure.

"But maybe there will be something better."

She shook her head at the fitting room mirror, intending to go into the changing room to change back into the outfit she was wearing.

It's almost ten o'clock.

Kitagawa Ryo checked the time on his phone and reminded her. Although he knew that girls were very talented at shopping, he also sensed something was wrong that she had spent more than two hours just to buy a piece of clothing and still hadn't made a decision.

"Then Liang can accompany me to choose again tomorrow."

A rustling sound came from the fitting room, and Karuizawa Megumi's voice reached Kitagawa Ryo's ears through the door, making him chuckle involuntarily.

"If we can't decide, then we'll buy them all."

"no."

Karuizawa Kei seemed to panic all of a sudden. She pressed herself against the door, quickly changing her clothes while denying anything:

"You have to pick the one that's most suitable."

"..."

Kitagawa Ryo sighed and leaned against the wall. He roughly knew what the other party was trying to do.

He escorted Karuizawa to the bottom of her apartment building. Kitagawa Ryo was planning to watch Karuizawa walk up the stairs and back home before turning back, but unexpectedly, she ran back as soon as she reached the entrance on the first floor.

Karuizawa Kei said to Kitagawa Ryo:

"Let's take a picture together."

Kitagawa Ryo didn't quite understand the other party's intention. If they wanted to take a photo together, the brightly lit street earlier would have been the best choice. Now, apart from a dim, somewhat aged street lamp, the area under this apartment building was basically pitch black.

"it is good."

However, he would not refuse Karuizawa Kei's words. Kitagawa Ryo always felt a sense of indebtedness when facing her, especially when Karuizawa Kei looked into his eyes.

So the two found a relatively well-lit open space under a street lamp. When they got closer, they discovered two fluttering moths buzzing and bumping around the light bulb. Kitagawa Ryo stretched out his right hand holding the phone as far as he could, but his arm wasn't a selfie stick that could be extended at will. Even when stretched to its limit, the camera only captured a small part of the face, and someone's half-face would always be missed.

"Just get a little closer."

Karuizawa Kei suddenly leaned her head closer, her face pressed tightly against Kitagawa Ryo's, so close that their breaths and nostrils overlapped, giving Kitagawa Ryo the illusion that he and Karuizawa Kei were breathing the same oxygen.

"cheese!"

Kitagawa Ryo secretly glanced at Karuizawa Megumi out of the corner of his eye; she was looking intently at the camera.

With a gentle press of the shutter button on his right thumb, the second photo of the two of them was taken under the somewhat glaring flash.

"It looks a bit like those photo booth pictures you see on the street?"

Karuizawa Kei looked at the group photo and uttered this sentiment. Seemingly satisfied, she stepped onto the stairs, and after a few steps, she turned her head with her hands behind her back to look at Kitagawa Ryo, who was still standing there:

"Liang, do you still remember the group photo we took at our elementary school graduation ceremony?"

"At that time, we held hands secretly, using the crowd in front of us as cover."

She suddenly smiled playfully, her tone calm and cheerful:

“I’m so glad Ryo came back to me.”

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