I have a life simulator.

Her emotions seemed to become slightly transparent, which made Kitagawa Ryo smile involuntarily:

"There's no need to force yourself to say such things."

"I……"

“Megumi wouldn’t say something like that, because the girl I know named Karuizawa Megumi is both weak and strong, probably someone who makes people feel sorry for her and thinks she’s a bit pathetic. So—you understand?”

Kitagawa Ryo continued, trying to speak as gently as possible:

"It's okay, I'll be fine, I'll definitely come back, and I'll always be by your side."

"So, please wait for me at home, Hui. And let's have dinner together tonight."

After saying that, Kitagawa Ryo hung up the phone.

Kitagawa Ryo knew all of Karuizawa Megumi's weaknesses and scheming, but he wouldn't deny that about her.

However, despite this, he had no intention of giving up.

Kitagawa Ryo simply hoped from the bottom of his heart that Karuizawa Megumi could find her own happiness, and if possible, be by his side.

I hope you can receive it, I hope you can hold on tight, I hope you will never let go.

[I hope you can understand that the Little Prince didn't fall in love with the rose because she was unique on his planet, but rather he felt the rose was unique because he loved her.]

Kitagawa Ryo closed the door, intending to create an opportunity for Emi Eura to completely leave Karuizawa Megumi's life.

It's today.

Chapter Nineteen: Parasites

Karuizawa Kei hurriedly pushed open the door. The phone in her hand still had a hollow electronic tone indicating that the other party had hung up. She quickly changed her shoes, her movements so large that even "Hotaru" next to her was startled. She looked up and stared blankly at her female cat owner, whom she didn't know very well.

Why did Kitagawa Ryo suddenly decide to meet Emi Eura alone?

As Karuizawa Megumi locked the door and put away her phone, she hurried downstairs. When she received Kitagawa Ryo's call, she had a bad feeling. Kitagawa Ryo rarely made decisions on his own, bypassing her, especially since the person involved in this matter was Karuizawa Megumi herself.

Her intuition told her that she absolutely could not let the two of them meet alone. Karuizawa Kei knew Kitagawa Ryo. Among all the bullies, he must have had his own reasons for keeping Eura Emi out of the list. Legally speaking, Eura Emi had not done anything substantial to Karuizawa Kei. In addition, the other party was a minor. No matter how wealthy Kitagawa Ryo was, he could not directly retaliate.

School bullying is an issue that exists in a gray area between morality and law. Whether it is so-called "cold violence" that is mainly based on isolation or actual "violent behavior", law enforcement agencies often face many headaches such as the victim being too young, the degree of intentional harm not being sufficient, and the large number of accomplices. In addition, schools will try their best to cover it up for the sake of the school's reputation. Therefore, after so many years, school bullying has not only failed to improve, but has become more and more serious, and even shows a trend of becoming younger.

A knife suddenly appeared in Karuizawa Kei's mind. As time went by, the knife slowly took shape in Karuizawa Kei's consciousness. Its blade was flashing with a sharp light, and then it slashed and drew blood.

She didn't know where Kitagawa Ryo and Emi Eura would meet, so Karuizawa Megumi decided to try to find Mr. Izaki at the hotel first. She had known this old man, whom Kitagawa Ryo called Grandpa, since she was a child. If she could find Izaki, he might know Kitagawa Ryo's current location.

Just as Karuizawa Megumi arrived at the hotel entrance, panting, and headed towards the elevator, a slightly familiar voice suddenly came from the sofa in the hotel lobby. It seemed she had been waiting for Karuizawa Megumi there all along, evidenced by the half-finished hot drink in front of her and her unhurried tone:

"Karuizawa Megumi...right?"

Horikita Suzune looked up from her book, her voice like a spell that nailed Karuizawa Megumi to the spot, preventing her from moving an inch:

“Going upstairs now will only lead to nothing. The fact that he chose to tell you about his actions means that he has a clear plan and the confidence that you won’t disrupt it.”

“Let’s sit down and talk. We have about two hours before he finishes resolving the issue.”

Horikita Suzune's tone was firm, carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"who are you?"

Karuizawa Kei knew perfectly well who the other person was, but she pretended not to know and asked a question.

"Horikita Suzune."

Horikita Suzune stated her name simply, without any prefix or suffix.

"Why should I listen to you?"

Karuizawa Kei remained relentless. Whenever she saw Horikita Suzune, the word "engagement" would naturally come to mind. It transformed into a strange anger that felt like a straight steel bar supporting her body, stretching from her feet to her head, making her tense up instantly. Her neck and waist stood stiffly, and even her steps became rigid as she walked stiffly in front of Horikita Suzune.

"I think this is what Kitagawa would have liked to see."

Horikita Suzune was not intimidated by Karuizawa Megumi's imposing aura. The two stared at each other fiercely. After Kitagawa Ryo's name appeared, something even sharper seemed to pierce the air, tearing at Karuizawa Megumi's vocal cords and making her voice sound even more muffled.

Are you very familiar with him? Have you only known each other for a day or two?

Karuizawa Kei admitted that the moment she faced Horikita Suzune alone, all her quills immediately stood up like a hedgehog, as if the nightmare from before had suddenly appeared before her eyes. She looked at Horikita Suzune with fear and hatred, but also with a hint of curiosity.

"So that's the kind of person he is?"

Horikita Suzune merely glanced at her indifferently, a response that made Karuizawa Megumi even more guilty. Her confidence deflated instantly, like a balloon that had been punctured. However, a balloon can still flutter in the wind for a while before turning into a tattered piece of cloth and landing, but Karuizawa Megumi could only sit down somewhat weakly.

“You… Ms. Horikita… Mr. Horikita…”

Karuizawa Kei changed her name several times. She had always hated girls who were born with an aura of authority. Just by standing there, they seemed to be able to suffocate others. They were creatures from a completely different world than her, not to mention that they had an even more troublesome identity.

She had already accepted the fact that she could not be independent without Kitagawa Ryo, so she had considered the possibility that Kitagawa Ryo might leave her one day, but those were just assumptions. It was impossible for someone to suddenly jump out and take Kitagawa Ryo away. But now Karuizawa Megumi realized that the person who was this possibility had jumped out of her assumptions and suddenly grew into a huge monster.

This feeling was suffocating Karuizawa Megumi, but she had to get through it.

Karuizawa Kei secretly glanced at Horikita Suzune out of the corner of her eye. Matching the other's dignified temperament were a pair of purplish-red pupils, and her beautiful long black hair cascaded over her shoulders and down to her waist, with a thin braid tied on one side with a hairband. In terms of appearance alone, she was definitely top-notch.

"In the hour before I met you, I actually sketched a psychological self-portrait of you."

Horikita Suzune spoke first, taking control of the conversation:

"I'm still quite curious why he wanted me to connect with you, or even to be your friend."

"Because based on the character I've gleaned from Kitagawa's words over the past hour, Karuizawa Megumi..."

Horikita Suzune sighed, placed "Crime and Punishment" on the table, and looked directly into Karuizawa Megumi's eyes, saying:

"You are a girl whose value is basically not apparent."

"So I was puzzled as to why Kitagawa had a different attitude towards you. Later I realized it was just because you happened to be by his side during the time when he needed friends the most."

Horikita Suzune nodded:

"It's a very random chance."

"Aside from the memories accumulated over time, you have nothing else that Kitagawa would give up for you."

Karuizawa Kei gave a weak, cold laugh. She watched as the girl opposite her easily denied her past with Kitagawa Ryo in just a few words. But what horrified her was that she couldn't find a reason to refuse for the time being. Karuizawa Kei frantically racked her brains, her heart pounding like a pump, making the blood in her body flow backward. She was almost choked and unable to speak.

She didn't know the purpose of Horikita Suzune's words, and Karuizawa Megumi was also unclear about the current relationship between Kitagawa Ryo and Horikita Suzune. After all, she had been waiting for Kitagawa Ryo's explanation since she escaped from the restaurant that day, but Karuizawa Megumi did not expect that before Kitagawa Ryo could even open his mouth to explain, the other party had already come to her.

"What gives you the right to define me like that? How long have you known me? Ten minutes?"

Karuizawa Megumi answered with questions, like a wild beast cornered and putting up a last-ditch fight.

"...Then why don't you refute it?"

Horikita Suzune picked up her hot drink and took another sip. She had waited for Karuizawa Kei here on a whim. After all, Kitagawa Ryo's speech that morning had piqued her interest in Karuizawa Kei. Even foxes want to become roses, so she naturally wanted to see the rose that could tame Kitagawa Ryo.

"I just feel that Karuizawa Megumi, that is, you, is not like a rose."

Horikita Suzune put down her cup, her sharp gaze piercing Karuizawa Megumi's soul:

"No matter how capricious the rose may be, she is at least loyal to the Little Prince alone."

"Karuizawa Megumi."

Horikita Suzune's voice was as cold and sharp as the guillotine's blade:

"If, I mean if."

"Why didn't Kitagawa come back at this time, but three or five years later? What will you be like then?"

Horikita Suzune leaned closer, as if observing Karuizawa Megumi's trembling, and calmly described her conjecture:

“You were bullied for three years in junior high school. If, as Kitagawa said, you are both fragile and strong, then you probably wouldn’t choose to end your life.”

"You'll probably choose to start over in high school, just like you did when you entered junior high."

"You will sort out your feelings, piece your fragmented self back together, and then seal away the memories of the past."

"How can you avoid being bullied? This is a problem that must be very troubling for you. But past experience has taught you that you cannot survive on your own without the protection of others. After all, you were under the protection of Kitagawa Ryo when you were in junior high school, but you were bullied again after Kitagawa Ryo left."

Horikita Suzune gradually made assumptions:

"So you will definitely seek protection from others, just like you sought protection from Kitagawa before. But not everyone will protect you like Kitagawa did, just by standing there. So what should you do?"

"Abandon the so-called dignity, because if you're being bullied, those things don't exist anyway."

"Perhaps she'll use her body to seduce you? After all, you seem like a cute girl."

"If you happen to meet a guy who can accept your past and protect you, wouldn't you treat him well without any regard for your dignity? You would definitely attach yourself to him without hesitation, and maybe because of what happened with Kitagawa, you would try even harder to tie him down this time? Because you're afraid they'll leave you and abandon you like Kitagawa Ryo did, right?"

Horikita Suzune looked at Karuizawa Megumi, who was covering her face and unable to speak, with a gaze that was both pitying and incomprehensible:

"Then, if you have obtained the other party's protection, you will naturally need to improve your own status to further protect yourself."

"Actually, you've done similar things before. Whether it was your intention or not, when you became the core of the girls under the protection of the rumors in Beichuan, you must have felt a little bit of pitiful security."

"If you want to consolidate your position, there are only two paths: elevate yourself and suppress others."

Horikita Suzune picked up the book "Crime and Punishment" from her desk again, lowering her voice for the first time. Her question was as subtle as a cold, dagger:

"Will you become the new bully?"

At this moment, Karuizawa Kei was practically begging Horikita Suzune to stop talking and not to reveal any more of the darker parts of her body. She even wanted to sort them out and dry them in the sun.

Karuizawa Kei watched Horikita Suzune sitting there, calmly sipping her hot drink. Despite saying so many hurtful things just now, she showed no remorse or remorse whatsoever. It was as if she had simply stated a fact that was none of her business, and then quietly watched the situation unfold like a spectator.

"Does Karuizawa-san know about parasites?"

Horikita Suzune flipped through the book and asked the question seemingly casually, but she quickly answered it herself:

"Parasitic organisms do not actually parasitize only one type of organism. They have intermediate hosts and definitive hosts. For example, some parasites first parasitize fish, and then enter the human body through fish meat, where they finally complete their parasitic infection."

"Sometimes even the host doesn't know whether it's an intermediate host or the final host."

"There might be some wishful thinking on the part of the parasite, who thinks it's okay to transfer their nutrients to the parasite, but maybe the parasite doesn't even see them as the definitive host, but just an intermediate host used as a stepping stone."

Horikita Suzune closed the book and said:

"If this has made Karuizawa Kei uncomfortable... I'm just stating the facts."

Horikita Suzune looked at Karuizawa Megumi's back. The other woman was bent over in pain. Was she covering her face and crying?

In fact, most parasites are invertebrates...

Perhaps not wanting to further discourage Karuizawa Megumi, Horikita Suzune unusually refrained from saying her last words.

"...What do you know?"

Karuizawa Megumi's voice sounded as if it were tinged with blood.

She slowly raised her eyes to look up at Horikita Suzune's upright figure; even sitting there, her back was ramrod straight.

That was exactly the person Karuizawa Megumi had always dreamed of being:

A powerful, proud, heroic self.

Chapter Twenty: How to Disguise Oneself as a Red Rose

Emi often fantasizes about cutting open the abdomen of a woman named Karuizawa Kei with a knife. She habitually chooses a spot where the scar won't be too noticeable. She knows very well that if she leaves a scar on Karuizawa Kei's face, although it will bring her to the brink of collapse in the short term, it will also greatly increase the possibility that the other party will completely give up on her.

A hidden yet deep scar, ideally one that would plunge the other person back into fear simply by touching or even seeing it.

Making someone realize that they are a miserable victim of bullying is like branding them with a red-hot iron.

Unfortunately, the current situation no longer allows for such behavior.

Jiangpu Huimei stared emotionlessly at the object in front of her that was splashing liquid with a "plop" sound. It rolled to the windowsill and revealed its true form in the sunlight.

That was the man's face, cut open vertically.

It has already been cut off from the neck.

Half of her face, cut off, rolled around at her feet.

Its "inside" faces upwards.

It was a color tone that Emi Emi had never seen before; it was a rather rare cross-section.

The shredded and crushed brain emitted an eerie glow, and the deformed skull, which could not be completely severed, was mixed with overflowing blood and other thick liquids.

Jiangpu Huimei glanced at her mother, who was huddled in the corner of the room, too frightened to speak. She slowly washed her face with the kitchen sink. After a brief moment of numbness, she realized that the splattered blood was flowing down her face to her chest, then crawling down like a snake, like sparks flying in the dark.

After washing the blood off her face, Emi Jiangpu casually took off the apron she had been wearing. The blood-red spots gradually seeped into the slightly yellowish light blue apron. She crumpled it up and threw it aside.

Then, Emi Jiangpu began to examine the knife in her hand carefully, using her other hand to pick at the bone fragments on the edge of the blade. These bone fragments were soaked in blood and shimmered with a red light. Her movements were very slow, but also very careful.

"I killed the person."