I have a life simulator.

However, such doubts only flashed through their minds for a moment. After all, what was more important to them right now was to intercept Kitagawa Ryo. It must be said that the sisterhood they had cultivated over the past few years had fostered a considerable tacit understanding. They didn't even need to exchange words; they simply exchanged glances and tacitly raised their hands to block Yuki, saying in unison:

"We need to talk to Ryo privately."

"Could you please return Liang to you temporarily?"

It can only be said that when Kitagawa Ryo saw Karuizawa Megumi and Shiina Hiyori appear together, his heart was already in his throat, and when he heard their two sentences, his heart finally settled down completely.

Especially the last sentence that Karuizawa Kei said was an obvious act of adding fuel to the fire. Hey, Kei, you don't seem like the type to say things like that before, do you?

What do you mean by "temporarily returning him to me"? Isn't this blatantly showing that he has always belonged to them from the beginning, and that his date with Xue today is just them being merciful by temporarily lending him to her for a day?

As expected, Karuizawa Kei's undisguisedly aggressive remarks successfully provoked Yuki, who was already easily angered, and she glared at him fiercely with her purplish-red eyes:

"Karuizawa Megumi, right?"

Although this was technically their first meeting, Xue had seen Kitagawa Ryo's face countless times since her rebirth six months prior. Nearly half of the posts on all of Kitagawa Ryo's known social media accounts were related to Karuizawa Kei. Even searching Kitagawa Ryo's name on various search engines yielded numerous related search terms such as "Are Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Kei dating?", "What is the relationship between Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Kei?", and "Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Kei's relationship is public."

"Yes, I am Karuizawa Megumi. Does this Yuki-san know me? For example, is she a fan of my and Ryo's drama?"

Most of the weakness and other negative emotions that had been suppressed until now had been released by Hiyori Shiina just now. Now Karuizawa Megumi has returned to her old self, but not the gentle and reliable class president that the students of Class 1-B are familiar with. Instead, she is Karuizawa Megumi who was a role model for reborn people, a terminator of school bullying, and a rising star in the theater world long before she entered school.

Yuki was clearly not good at dealing with girls who were in a "socially savvy" mode and seemed to be radiating dazzling light. Her social circle was very narrow, and she had only seen a small world. She didn't see snow until she was ten years old. She was completely different from Karuizawa Kei, who had been active under the spotlight in the center of the stage for several years.

At this point, Kitagawa Ryo took the initiative to smooth things over:

"Alright, there's no need to be so aggressive on our first meeting. Xue does really enjoy watching plays; she has a lot of videos cached on her phone. She was just watching a performance and was disappointed that our play wasn't included in this year's cultural festival."

"As for what Hui and Hiyori wanted to tell me, I can probably guess. At that time, the whole responsibility was mine. Later, I told Hui not to tell Hiyori because I felt that the way the three of us got along was good enough, and there was no need to create any more trouble."

In no time, the battle-hardened Kitagawa Ryo had salvaged the situation. He offered both sides a way out and took responsibility, while subtly reminding them of his earlier statement about leaving the theater after graduation by mentioning the scene when they watched the play together.

But misfortunes never come singly. Just as the atmosphere between the three of them eased up a little, Sakayanagi Arisu and Amasawa Ichika, who had been arguing with each other in the venue, noticed that Kitagawa Ryo and Yuki had run away. They had just chased after them out of the stadium and then belatedly entered this dramatic scene of chaos.

Sakayanagi Arisu, who in every sense had become the ultimate yin-yang instigator, merely glanced around and found a new verbal bullet, and without hesitation continued to fire at Yuki:

"It seems Xue is quite lucky. She was just saying she was going to the dorm, and now she's run into the best mentor. This Karuizawa is one of the earliest pioneers in this field. You two should have a lot in common."

If there was anyone who kept a close eye on Kitagawa Ryo's every move during the cruise vacation in the latter half of summer vacation, besides Amasawa Ichika, who followed Karuizawa Megumi and Kitagawa Ryo almost the entire first day, then it would be Sakayanagi Arisu.

Given that Kitagawa Ryo's date on the first day was Karuizawa Megumi, his date on the second day was Amasawa Ichika, and his date on the third day was Sakayanagi Arisu, then who among these three people is the most out of place?

For Sakayanagi Arisu, those few days on the cruise ship were hardly pleasant memories. Not only was Kitagawa Ryo politely declined her invitation to join her in taking advantage of the school during the treasure hunt on the second day, but the private date on the third day allowed Kitagawa Ryo to rest for a whole day and give her tired body and mind a break.

In truth, the person most affected by Karuizawa Kei's early lead that day was Sakayanagi Arisu herself, because another person, Amasawa, who was also greatly affected, successfully retaliated against the person involved the next day. Meanwhile, Ichinose Honami was single-mindedly waiting for the cruise vacation to end and return to school to confront her mother. As for Horikita Suzune... it can only be said that Suzune was indeed unaware of the situation.

Sakayanagi Arisu is a rational person who is used to analyzing her own inner thoughts, so she quickly figured out the source of her inexplicable irritability and depression: the time difference.

Unlike Ichinose Honami, Karuizawa Megumi, and Horikita Suzune, who had similar experiences, Sakayanagi Arisu's troubles during this period stemmed from the fact that she was the last girl to finish the simulation. Kitagawa Ryo only just finished Sakayanagi Arisu's final chapter before the special exam on the deserted island during summer vacation, which resulted in only a few dozen days' difference between the simulation and reality.

Just a few dozen days ago, Sakayanagi Arisu was the undisputed heroine of another timeline, possessing a multitude of positive buffs that seemed to defy all odds: 'the savior who personally brought Kitagawa Ryo out of the white room,' 'the sweetest childhood couple,' 'mutual engagement,' and 'the wedding room is ready for immediate move-in.' However, as the world spun and time began to move forward again, everything except for this memory remembered by only a handful of people and her body finally free from the torment of congenital heart disease became as ephemeral as a bubble. It was as if she had gone from being the only one in the world to just one of many.

In fact, Sakayanagi Arisu had already been discouraged for a while during the special exam on the deserted island due to this psychological gap. However, Kitagawa Ryo managed to calm her down with two actions: a nighttime stargazing trip and handing over the final task command to her. But as the cruise vacation began, this feeling inevitably began to resurface, and those two sports rings were one of the most obvious pieces of evidence.

That's why she was so upset by Tianze Yixia's taunts in the gymnasium. In a sense, the truth is the sharpest knife that can hurt.

However, it is precisely because of this that Sakayanagi Arisu was able to so clearly recognize another point, that is, Yuki and her mindset are actually similar and convergent.

Sure enough, as soon as Sakayanagi Arisu said those words, she was almost calmed down. Thinking that Kitagawa Ryo wouldn't be able to work with this so-called 'go-to heroine' Yuki because of work, she suddenly felt that the problem was getting tricky. This was no longer about how many good sisters you have, but was about to turn into a scene of "Why are you so good at this?"

"Go to the dorm? What does Liang want to do with her in the dorm? Besides, aren't people not allowed to enter or leave the dorm now?"

Although she didn't immediately understand why Sakayanagi Arisu was acting so differently from her usual self, as if she had been shot and was spitting fire everywhere, Karuizawa Kei was still quite perceptive enough to pick up on the most crucial words in the other person's words. She immediately took two steps closer to Kitagawa Ryo, as if to say that if she didn't explain herself clearly, she wouldn't be allowed to pass, but if she did explain herself clearly, she definitely wouldn't be allowed to pass.

"Right, during the cultural festival, you can't just go in and out of the dormitory area and the campus. But I remember that Tianze took the day off and was resting in the dormitory today. How come he's here now?"

Compared to Karuizawa Megumi, who rarely indulged her emotions, Shiina Hiyori, who was more peaceful and had been coaxed into coming by her best friend, suddenly became inexplicably concerned about the somewhat strange detail of Amasawa Ichika, and subconsciously asked her this question.

Seeing this, Ying, who was still perched on the treetop, couldn't bear it any longer and covered her other pupil with her front paw.

As early as when the conflict broke out between Sakayanagi Arisu, Amasawa Ichika, and Yuki in the lounge, the students of Class 2-A had already noticed what was happening. Of course, they didn't know what kind of emotional drama was unfolding. When they saw Kitagawa Ryo also present, they subconsciously had the illusion that the other party was trying to sabotage them and ruin their show. They immediately called the class president, Nagumo Masa, hoping that she could come back quickly to take charge.

Nan Yunya had just found no one at the dormitory building with President Tianze, and was now helping him search around. He hadn't initially planned to get involved in this matter, since solving the problem for President Tianze and Mr. Kamogawa was the top priority. However, after the students from Class 2-A pointed out that Tianze Ichika was suspected to be among the people causing trouble at the scene, he immediately instructed them to keep calm and not to act rashly. He was on his way.

This is also why, from the moment Kitagawa Ryo and his group began their confrontation inside the gymnasium to the moment they left, not a single student from Class 2-A has come to maintain order.

So, just as Shiina Hiyori asked the question, Nagumo Masaru and President Amasawa, who had rushed over from the dormitory area, finally arrived at the scene.

Although Amasawa Ichika was still wearing a hood, it was no longer as completely concealed as before, and his signature hair color was now clearly visible. Coupled with the voice that came through, Nagumo Ya immediately pointed to the other person and introduced him to President Amasawa beside her:

"That is your daughter, Tianze Yixia."

The appearance of Nagumo Masaru and President Amasawa undoubtedly broke the deadlock on the field once again. Amasawa Ichika, who originally planned to repeat the same line he used to fool Yuki in the gymnasium, no longer cared about anything else. He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and went straight to Kitagawa Ryo.

Then, without hesitation, she snatched the other's other arm in front of Xue, and in an instant, she changed her posture while standing on tiptoe. Without any attempt to conceal it, she restored her deliberately tied-up shirt and coat to a loose state that made it obvious at a glance that they were not her own clothes. The hood also fell back and hung down, and her long hair, which had not been tied up in her haste to leave, was now free and flowing like a waterfall. The familiar scent of shampoo, along with Tianze Yixia's deliberately shy words, reached Kitagawa Ryo:

"The reason someone is feeling unwell and needs to take the day off—we should ask them about the chill last night."

Chapter 349: Cotton Cloth and Skin

Although Kitagawa Ryo had learned of this from the text message Amasawa Ichika sent him while he was in the gymnasium, he hadn't expected it to happen at what could be described as the worst possible time. Fortunately, the students of Tokyo Advanced Educational High School were all busy with their respective classes and duties, and most of the guests watching the performance at the gymnasium were middle-aged or elderly people who weren't too interested in the emotional entanglements of high school students. Otherwise, the sensation caused at this moment would have even surpassed the smooth combo of public confession and kissing that Ichinose Honami had demonstrated at the sports festival more than a month ago.

Even so, Kitagawa Ryo's pressure now is no less than it was back then, because the girls around him have clearly heard everything. Especially those who are closest to him and who have been tricked by Amaze Ichika into doing something that is almost a direct mockery, are completely surprised that Amaze Ichika could do such a thing. They feel both ashamed and angry, their faces burning hot. They want to subconsciously accuse someone, but they can't utter a single word.

Are these really the students we can teach in our white room?

Those who don't know might think the white room is some strange facility where you can't get out once you go in.

In short, this is no ordinary White House faction traitor; we must strike hard!

Perhaps it was because Amazuki's remarks were indeed too impactful, or perhaps it was only then that she belatedly realized that the other person was wearing Kitagawa Ryo's clothes, Karuizawa Megumi, who had just been firing on all cylinders, also paused for a moment as if she were stuck.

I originally thought that everyone having a spare key to room 408 was a relatively fair strategic deterrent, but it turns out that someone actually dared to be that bold?

Although Kitagawa Ryo really wanted to clarify that he and Amasawa Ichika hadn't done anything that violated school rules or public morals last night, he had also noticed President Amasawa nearby out of the corner of his eye. He could only play along with Amasawa Ichika's lead for now, giving a rather ambiguous and vague answer:

"There's no need to say this out loud. There's a rule in the school rules that prohibits romantic relationships that are inappropriate for high school students."

To Kitagawa Ryo's surprise, the moment he uttered those words, Yuki immediately chimed in, gritting her teeth as she replied:

"I'm not a student here, these school rules don't apply to me!"

After saying that, she reached out again to try to pry open the hand that was holding Kitagawa Ryo's right arm, as if she was about to do something that was against school rules. However, the half-graduate of the white gym was no match for the level of an outstanding graduate. Soon, Tianze Yixia smiled and started playing guerrilla warfare with Yuki. The two of them circled around Kitagawa Ryo on both sides and played a game of eagle catching chicks. In the end, it was Sakayanagi Arisu, who also knew the inside story but was actually unable to bear it any longer, who stepped forward to stop this scene that made her blood pressure rise.

Nan Yunya, who was not far away, was also somewhat shocked. He had previously thought that this junior, who had caused a stir throughout the school in terms of his private life and relationships, was just exaggerating and could not compare to his charm that almost swept through the second-year students. However, after witnessing the gravity black hole vortex that was entangled around the other party, even the experienced President Nan Yunya could not help but admire him.

Wait a minute, isn't this Kitagawa kid also known for his messy private life and complicated romantic history? Why does Asahina treat him with such favor?

"Is that Ichika?"

Before Nan Yunya could think about the problem further, President Tianze was already stroking his stubble thoughtfully and looking at the accident scene with great interest.

"Yes, the boy next to her is Kitagawa Ryo, a classmate. The other girl looks unfamiliar; she doesn't seem to be a student from our school. She must be a foreign guest attending this cultural festival."

Nan Yunya continued to adopt a humble attitude and gave him a brief introduction in a somewhat cautious tone.

"...Interesting. Your name is Nagumo, right? You're the student council president of this school, um, Tokyo Advanced Educational High School. So, do you know that those two are actually dating?"

"There were indeed such rumors. Kitagawa and Ichika were both in the drama club, and the rumors about their relationship started during the summer vacation. It is said that many first-year students saw the two of them on a date on a cruise ship."

Unconsciously, Nan Yunya had already politely added a respectful title after Tian Zeyixia's name, and was even thinking about how to leverage this relationship after the cultural festival ended.

"I see."

After confirming that more than four months had passed in the past, President Tianze nodded again, then turned away with a flourish, catching Nan Yunya somewhat off guard.

"Hey? President Tianze, aren't you going to go over and say hello to your daughter?"

"There's no need for that."

Compared to his previous attitude, President Tianze now displayed a completely indifferent demeanor, leaving Nan Yunya somewhat bewildered. She could only follow closely behind, not daring to ask a single question. After a long while of forcing a smile, she cautiously spoke:

"So, are we going back to the chairman's office now?"

"I don't want to go there. Just take me out of the school."

President Tianze simply shook his head, put his hands in his pockets, and unconsciously revealed a rather relaxed and cheerful expression.

After all, for him, even if it was just because of what he had just seen and heard, his half-unintentional act of coming to Tokyo Advanced Educational High School to participate in the cultural festival was already a kind of fulfillment on another level.

-------------------------------------

As it turns out, Amasawa Ichika, with her mischievous nature, is completely unstoppable when she starts causing trouble. Even though she had already seen Nagumo Masaru and President Amasawa walk away and leave, she showed no sign of stopping. Without further ado, she dragged Sakayanagi Arisu, who had come to mediate, into the fray as well.

"If one isn't enough, should we use two? But it doesn't seem like that would be enough even if we added them all together."

As she spoke, Amazusa Ichika raised an eyebrow at Sakayanagi Arisu and Yuki, and subtly leaned forward slightly, showing off a certain impressive asset that even the two of them combined couldn't quite match.

Although Yuki really wanted to argue halfway through that her size was clearly the normal, small size of a high school girl, and the shape was a perfect, beautiful teardrop shape, completely different from Sakayanagi Arisu, who was flat-chested and whose breasts were so small that you couldn't tell the difference between front and back in the dark, and who probably wouldn't even be able to feed her children, her confidence was far too insignificant in front of Amasawa Ichika. She could only gurgle and mumble in her throat for a long time before reluctantly turning her gaze to Kitagawa Ryo.

"Ahem, I like them all."

Seeing Yuki glaring at him with her red eyes that looked like she was about to cry, while she forcefully pulled his arm into her embrace, as if she wanted him to feel the soft touch of her hand before answering seriously, Kitagawa Ryo decisively chose to follow his heart and once again made the classic scumbag-style statement, "I want it all."

As she spoke, Kitagawa Ryo, feeling that if she let Tianze Yixia continue, she would really be taken away on the spot by the school staff, gently patted her back from behind, indicating that she should stop.

Then, Kitagawa Ryo smiled and spoke to Sakayanagi Arisu, who had initially only intended to be a troublemaker but ended up breaking down herself:

"Youqi has worked really hard this cultural festival, as always."

After hesitating for a moment, Kitagawa Ryo leaned over and whispered in Sakayanagi Arisu's ear, adding another sentence:

"After all, Arisu has always been so reliable, I can't help but want to ask you for help."

As the person Hotaru considers the best at coaxing girls, Kitagawa Ryo truly understands these girls' little thoughts the most, and knows exactly where each of them's soft spots and tickles.

As expected, as soon as he uttered those words, which sounded like a mix of trust and submission, and carried a hint of lingering affection, Sakayanagi Arisu felt as if her heart had been touched. Her cheeks, which were already fairer than most people's, quickly flushed an unnatural red. The blood that had rushed to her head seemed to return to its source in an instant, and she inexplicably calmed down.

Actually, after Amazawa Ichika really brought up this topic, Karuizawa Megumi and Shiina Hiyori quieted down. This was mainly because the former was having her horizons broadened and discovering new things through Amazawa Ichika's remarks, and was thinking about the feasibility of the idea that "if Kou can go, I can go too." The latter, on the other hand, wasn't particularly interested in this kind of thing, since literary girls always cared about mutual recognition, communication, and fusion between spirits and souls.

It can only be said that if it were Amaze Ichika who was in charge, Kitagawa Ryo would definitely not have been able to return the item intact the next day, especially on that stormy night before the special exam on the deserted island.

Moreover, Shiina Hiyori is currently figuring out how to create a scene no less dramatic than the one she received back then to give the ring away again, because she herself is already eagerly waiting to wear the return gift she received from Kitagawa Ryo.

And so, as the fireflies on the treetops finally dared to slowly lower their forepaws and open their eyes, Kitagawa Ryo, who had been tormented again and again by the girls' heavy emotions, was finally able to catch his breath a little:

"Okay, then Ichika should go to the student council and submit a report now. After all, you asked for leave before, and in order to prevent being held accountable and punished after the cultural festival, the procedures are necessary. Let Arisu go with you, since she is a member of the student council."

"As for Hui and Rihe, it's the same as I said before. I can roughly guess why you came to see me this time, and I've said that everything was my fault. But from now on, I will definitely take full responsibility, okay?"

Having said all that, the girls, who had already indulged themselves or rather, had been given a rare opportunity to experience firsthand some of their true thoughts, were quite satisfied. After all, today was the day Kitagawa Ryo had told them earlier that he would be going to the cultural festival alone with Yuki, so they accepted Kitagawa Ryo's words with either composure or pride and left one by one, leaving only Yuki behind.

Even after all those shady, philandering women had dispersed, Xue seemed completely unmoved by her original intentions, and without hesitation continued to encourage Kitagawa Ryo to break the rules with her:

"Come on, Liang, take me to the dormitory area."

"...So it wasn't a joke after all?"

"How could this be a joke!"

Yuki stared intently at Kitagawa Ryo with her beautiful, purplish-red eyes, and raised a finger to add:

"I can accept that Ichika, but at least he should beat Arisu."

She had never won against her opponent before her rebirth. If she didn't win after her rebirth, wouldn't it be a waste of her rebirth?

"You can't refuse! If Yi Xia was able to get out of there, it means there must be a way to get in... Liang, you won't refuse, right?"

Seeing Yuki transform from domineering to pitiful and submissive in just a few seconds, Kitagawa Ryo could only surrender. He truly couldn't resist a girl in such a state.

"Okay, I'll take Xue there."

Without hesitation, while Nan Yunya was away with President Tianze, Kitagawa Ryo quickly led Yuki back into the dormitory area from the campus. After entering the first-year dormitory building, they took the elevator and soon arrived at his room, number 408.

To be honest, this place has been filled with the sentiments of many girls. On the kitchen wall hang the three aprons he and Horikita Suzune and Sakura Airi used when they were researching desserts. In the cabinet below, there is tea that Shiina Hiyori gave him from the tea ceremony club senior. On the shelf of the desk are souvenirs that Karuizawa Megumi gave him during the summer vacation. And the sports ring that was paired with Sakayanagi Arisu is now charging on the bedside table.

Even the bedding on the bed was in disarray, a testament to the recent departure of Tianze Yixia.

"So this is the kind of place Ryo lives in."

But after this half-day experience, Xue's mental fortitude has visibly improved. Her cerebral cortex and field of vision automatically filtered out those things that didn't need to be looked at closely or examined in detail. She skillfully took off the indoor shoes she had just put on, and the next second after saying those words, she lay down on Kitagawa Ryo's bed, unconsciously leaving him the perfect space in front of her.

In this respect, Yuki's deep psychology is actually quite similar to that of Sakayanagi Arisu, that is, in their eyes, Kitagawa Ryo is the vulnerable child who needs love and care, which is exactly the opposite of Amasawa Ichika's feelings, so it is normal for them to have conflicts.

However, compared to Sakayanagi Arisu, whom he had already corrected to some extent, Yuki, who had met less and spent less time with him, undoubtedly exhibited a more severe problem in this regard.

However, before the other party officially enrolls in school next April, Kitagawa Ryo has no intention of eradicating Yuki's mysterious complex, which can be described as a psychological obstacle.

So he simply lay down next to the girl, letting this much smaller girl embrace him in her arms, just like they had done countless times in the white room.

Memories are the most powerful catalyst for emotions. When the world enters the familiar environment for the two of them, that burning emotion quickly overflows from the bottom of their hearts. All the thoughts in the white room begin to grow vigorously and unrestrainedly like never before.

I love him, I want to give him everything I have, I want to hold him like this forever, I want to watch him grow up healthy and strong...

She is his—.

But it doesn't want to be limited to so-called cotton cloth; it's about the skin inside.

Yuki had heard Sakayanagi Arisu say something like this: