I have a life simulator.

After watching Karuizawa Megumi return home, Kitagawa Ryo dialed Horikita Manabu's number. There is about an eight or nine-hour time difference between London and Tokyo. Although it was around 10 p.m. in Tokyo, it should be noon in London.

Thinking about this, Kitagawa Ryo realized that he hadn't adjusted to the time difference after coming all this way. Upon realizing this, a wave of fatigue suddenly surged through his body, as if a taut string had suddenly been released, and his tone of voice also became languid.

"Hello, this is Horikita Manabu."

"Ah, I am Kitagawa."

Kitagawa Ryo yawned heavily. He absentmindedly walked slowly toward his hotel while talking on the phone with his friend Horikita Manabu. He had deliberately not asked Mr. Izaki to come over tonight, since he had asked Mr. Izaki to gather information all afternoon and he should be fast asleep in his hotel bed now.

"Yes, Ryo. You should be back in Tokyo by now."

Horikita Manabu seemed to stand up from his chair, making a creaking sound.

"Yes, I've been back for half a day now, and I've finished what you asked me to do."

Kitagawa Ryo, recalling Horikita Suzune whom he had met during the day, replied:

"Your sister seems fine. She just eats and reads at the restaurant you gave me. She's reading Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None'."

"Ha, your sister is quite brave. At least among the little girls I know, none of them have been scared to tears by that 'Ten Little Soldiers' nursery rhyme."

Kitagawa Ryo couldn't help but yawn again.

Horikita Manabu seemed to have noticed Kitagawa Ryo's mental state as well, and asked with some concern:

"You seem tired?"

"I'm really tired. I'm quite stressed about Hui's situation, and I haven't had a good night's sleep yet."

"is it?"

Horikita Manabu recalled some things Kitagawa Ryo had told him about Karuizawa Megumi:

"Solve it?"

"I don't know, it should be resolved, but not completely."

Kitagawa Ryo thought about it for a while, and finally gave this answer.

"Don't just talk about my problems. It's your escapist brother who should give me a proper explanation."

"...I suddenly remembered that you seem quite interested in the role of the younger sister?"

"That's just a fantasy about family relationships from an only child who doesn't have a younger sister."

Kitagawa Ryo readily admitted:

"Actually, I was hoping that my parents might have secretly given birth to a younger sister or something."

"But when you actually have a sister, you won't think that way."

"Of course, especially after I met you."

Kitagawa Ryo heard Horikita Manabu sigh on the other end of the receiver.

"Actually, the way Lingyin became is indeed influenced by me."

How is her hair now?

"Uh, what do you mean? Do you want me to answer that my hair is in good condition and I have no signs of balding?"

"Just asking if you have long or short hair."

"Ah, of course it's long hair, a perfectly standard long, straight black hair."

Kitagawa Ryo thought for a moment about the girl in the restaurant who exuded a commanding presence:

"I think it suits me quite well."

"Would you believe me if I said it was because I once casually mentioned that I liked long hair?"

"Believe it or not. After all, your sister forced you to go to England, and you're going to be forced to attend a boarding, highly intensive secondary school next. If it weren't for the great influence you have on your sister, why would you need to avoid her?"

"...I originally thought that Lingyin's condition would improve after I left."

"Alright, I don't want to hear your story again. I'm just calling to let you know that I'm no longer involved."

Kitagawa Ryo's mind is still mostly on Karuizawa Megumi, so naturally he doesn't want to get involved with a girl who looks like she'll cause a lot of trouble.

Although Karuizawa Megumi herself was a problem child.

"..."

Horikita Manabu remained silent for a long while, as if he had something he wanted to say.

"Ryo, do you know why your aunt and uncle allowed you to return to Tokyo this time?"

"Mr. Izaki did mention a reason, but he didn't tell me."

"Well, actually the most important reason is to let you go to Tokyo to see Suzune."

Kitagawa Ryo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, remembering how the Horikita family seemed to be quite familiar with the Kitagawa family. He knew Horikita Manabu because the latter frequently visited his home.

"Hey, hey, this can't possibly go like this, can it? This isn't some kind of romance comic."

Horikita Manabu sighed somewhat helplessly:

"Although this fact may be hard to accept, Ryo does indeed have a marriage contract with Suzune."

Just as this explosive news was shocking Kitagawa Ryo's mind, his phone received a message from Karuizawa Megumi:

"I'm home now. Ryo, you have to stay with me tomorrow too! ヽ(??▽?)ノ"

Immediately afterwards, a second message came from Hiyori Shiina.

"Today I read 'Eight Million Ways to Die,' which Kitagawa-kun recommended, and I feel like I have a lot to discuss with him."

"Ah, sorry, I forgot that Kitagawa-kun is in Tokyo right now. It must be late at night there. Please don't reply if I'm bothering you."

Kitagawa abruptly turned off his phone.

Chapter Eleven: The Beginning and End of Everyday Life

Karuizawa Kei woke up much earlier than she had expected. If judged solely by time, she had only slept for about four to five hours. However, a compulsion forced her to open her eyes before six in the morning. She felt no sleepiness whatsoever, and was even slightly excited. If every morning for the past two months had felt like a bottomless pit, long and dark, then this morning was the first time Karuizawa Kei had any anticipation for a new day.

She seemed to have lost track of time. Karuizawa Kei didn't even realize that it was only a little past five o'clock. Like a flower awakened by the first rays of morning sunlight, Karuizawa Kei drew back the curtains, opened the window, and hummed a song as she went to the bathroom to wash up.

Karuizawa Kei's heart was pounding as soon as she woke up, like a child looking forward to a spring outing. She held a hair tie in her mouth, tied her hair up in front of the mirror, raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes to check for dark circles. It was as if two little people were fighting in her mind. One urged her to hurry up and get ready to go to the hotel, while the other gently comforted her to spend more time getting ready at home. This conflicted feeling only barely disappeared after Karuizawa Kei finished washing up.

The white dress I wore yesterday has already been washed. Karuizawa Kei simply picked out a simple outfit: a white collared short-sleeved casual shirt with small patterns on the edge of the buttons that added a touch of color to the otherwise plain look. The back of the shirt was tucked into the waistband of her jeans, while the flowing front was tied in a small knot, making her look fresh, bright, and full of summer vibes.

After leaving a note for her parents, Karuizawa Kei walked briskly in her sandals toward the hotel where Kitagawa Ryo was staying. The streets were quiet at this time of day, and the air was fresh. She took a deep breath, and the familiar scenery along the way suddenly felt new again.

She suddenly realized that she seemed to have done something similar before:

Kitagawa Ryo's previous home was not far from Karuizawa Megumi's original home, roughly the distance between one end of the street and the other end. Back then, it only took Karuizawa Megumi about five minutes to get to Kitagawa Ryo's home, half of which was spent going up and down the stairs. About half a year ago, when the two graduated from elementary school, Karuizawa Megumi suddenly heard Kitagawa Ryo say that his parents had returned. At that time, she had a premonition that Kitagawa Ryo might leave one day.

Kitagawa Ryo might even suddenly disappear one morning, and then she would knock on the door as always, but no one would ever open it. This scene often appeared in Karuizawa Megumi's dreams during that period.

So during the days before Kitagawa Ryo left, Karuizawa Megumi woke up earlier than everyone else. The first thing she did every morning was to sneak out of the house and knock on Kitagawa Ryo's door. Only when she saw Kitagawa Ryo, still sleepy, get up and open the door for her could she go back to wash up. Of course, most of the time she would go back to sleep for a peaceful nap.

When she was with Kitagawa Ryo, she cherished every minute and second. Karuizawa Megumi would often stare at Kitagawa Ryo's face for a long time for no apparent reason, as if she wanted to carefully trace every inch of him into her heart, as if she was afraid that she would forget his appearance after Kitagawa Ryo really left. Karuizawa Megumi would even occasionally touch Kitagawa Ryo's face with her hand until he frowned in confusion.

They were practically inseparable all day long. Even when Karuizawa Kei went home at night, she wished she could fold Kitagawa Ryo like a piece of origami and put him in her pocket to carry with her. After Kitagawa Ryo officially told Karuizawa Kei when he was leaving, Karuizawa Kei treated every day she spent with Kitagawa Ryo as if it were her last day. Every separation felt like a rehearsal for the final farewell.

Even after Kitagawa Ryo had truly left, Karuizawa Megumi still habitually knocked on that door the next day. Pink cherry blossoms were fluttering against the glass, and for the first time she realized that the doorknob was made of metal. After holding it for a while, a unique metallic chill would come from her palm and flow down her veins to her heart.

It was as if a nightmare from one of her past dreams had suddenly emerged clearly from the darkness, and the illusory fear suddenly appeared vividly before her, growing into a terrifying new species that bared its fangs and claws at her.

Karuizawa Kei strolled briskly along the path in the early morning, reminiscing as she relived all the time she had spent with Kitagawa Ryo, warming it up little by little until it burned in her heart.

Her pace quickened, eventually almost turning into a run. Karuizawa was eager to see Kitagawa Ryo, but at this moment, a strange feeling welled up in her heart—a kind of repentance, like a devout believer stumbling towards a cross. Karuizawa entered the hotel elevator and arrived at Kitagawa Ryo's room.

Kitagawa Ryo can seamlessly connect with the past.

But Karuizawa Kei couldn't do that. For some reason, she didn't dare to knock on Kitagawa Ryo's door like she used to. Her fingers rested on the wooden door, and she listened to the sounds inside like a timid child pressing her ear against the door.

Less than three minutes after this action began, the door to the room suddenly opened, and the thing separating the two was abruptly pulled away. Karuizawa Kei, somewhat bewildered, lost her balance and fell inside. Kitagawa Ryo, who had just gotten up and opened the door, didn't react in time and instinctively caught Karuizawa Kei. The whole process looked as if Karuizawa Kei had deliberately stood guard at the door and jumped into Kitagawa Ryo's arms.

Neither of them was quite clear about what was going on. They looked up at the same time and found their own reflections in each other's pupils.

"benefit?"

Kitagawa Ryo spoke first; he had just gotten up and was still wearing his pajamas.

"Ah...it's okay."

Karuizawa Megumi was also pulled back to her senses by Kitagawa Ryo's call. She quickly stood up and awkwardly tried to start a conversation:

"It's getting cool really early."

"If we're talking about early, Hui should have gotten up earlier than me."

Kitagawa Ryo, wearing slippers, went back to her room and got Karuizawa Megumi a new pair of slippers:

"After all, I had just gotten up, and Hui had already washed up and come to my place."

He stroked his chin and guessed:

"But Hui must not have had breakfast since she came here. Would you like me to make you one?"

The luxurious large room, booked by Mr. Izaki, comes with its own kitchen and a refrigerator stocked with fresh ingredients. Kitagawa Ryo confirmed these facts yesterday, which is why he is now so confident in speaking up.

"Ah."

Karuizawa Megumi nodded. She seemed unable to find a place to sit for a moment, so she simply sat on the bed where Kitagawa Ryo had just slept, hugging her knees and waiting for Kitagawa Ryo's move.

"Want to watch TV?"

Before entering the kitchen, Kitagawa Ryo gestured towards the large-screen TV hanging on the wall.

Karuizawa Megumi gave a soft "hmm," and after a while, Kitagawa Ryo guessed she was looking for the remote control.

"The remote control is in the second drawer of the bedside table."

Karuizawa Kei blushed slightly as she tossed some small, exquisitely packaged items back into the deepest part of the first drawer. Using the remote control she found in the second drawer, she successfully turned on the television. It was almost seven o'clock, and the earlier channels had already started broadcasting the morning news.

The annual fireworks display will open in five days. Meteorological experts predict good weather with a low probability of precipitation. We hope all citizens can enjoy this grand celebration.

Today's headline news is an advance report on the fireworks festival that will be held in a couple of days. The opening time of the city's fireworks festival is rather unpredictable, but it is generally distributed within the month from mid-July to mid-August. This year's fireworks festival is considered to be one of the later ones.

"cold."

Upon hearing the news and Karuizawa Megumi's voice, Kitagawa Ryo immediately stopped what he was doing.

A sudden unease welled up inside Kitagawa Ryo, who turned around to find Karuizawa Megumi seemingly oblivious to the television. Kitagawa Ryo couldn't tell if she was dozing off from waking up too early; in any case, Karuizawa Megumi was currently staring blankly into space, her azure pupils appearing unfocused, only seeming to come into focus when Kitagawa Ryo turned around.

Karuizawa Megumi tilted her head, staring at Kitagawa Ryo with some confusion, and asked:

"What's wrong?"

"I think I heard Hui call me just now."

"Really? I don't remember."

Karuizawa Kei curled up as if she felt cold, and even wrapped the blanket she had lifted up next to her back up. Kitagawa Ryo guessed that the air conditioner in the room was set too high, so he came out and adjusted the temperature with the remote control.

Kitagawa Ryo felt that Karuizawa Kei looked a little different now than before. As he fried eggs, he recalled the image of Karuizawa Kei in his mind in the past.

What was Karuizawa Kei like before? Although the time she was gone was not long enough for the memories to become ambiguous, nor long enough for her appearance to change drastically, Kitagawa Ryo couldn't recall Karuizawa Kei's specific "past image" for the moment.

Karuizawa Kei was indeed a competitive and assertive child in the past. In fact, for the first five years of elementary school, Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Kei only had contact during their free time outside of school. Moreover, Kitagawa Ryo was not very talkative at that time. Karuizawa Kei usually took the lead in the conversation and made the decisions. There were even a few times when Karuizawa Kei planned some secret activities, such as sneaking off to a park dozens of kilometers away with Kitagawa Ryo.

From this perspective, Karuizawa Kei is a girl with a lot of initiative.

Compared to this, Karuizawa Kei seems a bit off now.

Kitagawa Ryo placed the fried eggs onto a plate, constantly feeling Karuizawa Megumi's gaze fixed on his back.

however--

Karuizawa Kei is like Kitagawa Ryo... a similar existence.

Kitagawa Ryo was trying to come up with an adjective to fill in the blank, but nothing seemed to accurately describe it, so he decided to leave it as "special" for now.

"Come and eat, but my cooking skills are limited to this."

Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Megumi sat facing each other on opposite sides of the table, with golden fried eggs and sliced ​​bread on plates, and two cups of hot, snow-white milk.

And so, Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Megumi's daily routine began.

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This is a rather simple room for a girl, with no unnecessary decorations. The walls and ceiling are simply white, and there is no wallpaper. The overall layout of the room is quite simple, with a neat and spotless bookshelf filled with a considerable number of books categorized by type. All the furniture is also in a minimalist style, with white and light blue as the main colors. This is Horikita Suzune's room.

The alarm clock was stopped by a slender, fair hand as soon as it went off at six o'clock in the morning. Without any hesitation, Horikita Suzune got up, quickly changed into light sportswear, and went out for her morning exercise after a simple but thorough wash.