I have a life simulator.

Before leaving the house, Emi Jiangpu said two things to her mother in the corner:

"That's acceptable."

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"I really don't know anything, so everything just now was just assumption and hypothetical."

Karuizawa Megumi and Horikita Suzune's conversation continued, and Horikita Suzune nodded very seriously:

"One of the abilities that humanity possesses that we can be proud of is 'change'."

"If you can do that, you can be better every day than the day before, and with enough time to accumulate experience..."

Horikita Suzune has clear goals and a clear path, although Kitagawa Ryo sees it as a crooked path, she is indeed making plans for her goals and working tirelessly towards them. Her words are based on her own growth.

However, Karuizawa Megumi interrupted her decisively:

"What if you die?"

Karuizawa Kei reached out and lifted the hair on the right side of her bangs, revealing a six- or seven-centimeter-long scar that snaked across her scalp like a centipede. She showed the scar to Horikita Suzune and gave a self-deprecating sneer.

Since Horikita Suzune enjoys exposing other people's lies so much, she might as well lay bare her past memories and tell the other person clearly that everything about her was fake, an act, and that she was fundamentally a weak, useless, and fragile girl who almost died.

Do you know why I don't want Ryo and Emi to meet alone?

Karuizawa Kei finally seized control of the conversation, and she began her narration in a self-deprecating manner:

Emi Eura and Karuizawa Kei actually had some connection; the scar on Karuizawa Kei's head was Emi Eura's handiwork.

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Kitagawa Ryo was not surprised that Eura Megumi kept her appointment on time. They were probably both aware of each other's intentions, which were simply to completely remove the person sitting opposite them from Karuizawa Megumi's life.

However, one side is completely protective, while the other side is completely malicious.

"...The second time we met."

Kitagawa Ryo and Emi Eura met in a private room at a restaurant, but there was no food or drink on the table, only a snow-white tablecloth.

"Ah."

Emi Jiangpu was calmer than Kitagawa Ryo had imagined. She took off the bag she had brought and placed it aside, then spread her hands out on the table within Kitagawa Ryo's field of vision.

"Would you like to talk to me about Karuizawa Megumi?"

"But you should have investigated everything, right? You might know more about it than I do, the person involved, such as the rumors about Wakata."

Emi Eura turned her gaze to Ryo Kitagawa:

"But these are not enough to convict me, or rather, they are not enough to convict me to the extent you want."

"Right?"

“Half correct.”

Kitagawa Ryo responded in a lighthearted tone:

"But the reason I called you out today is actually to ask you about something."

Do I have to answer?

“I think your mother must need a little support to survive after losing her husband and daughter.”

Kitagawa Ryo glanced at Emi's hands:

"Even though you've deliberately cut your nails short, you can still see red in the creases. And the last time I saw you, I don't think you had any bright red nail polish."

"Was it because the time was too short? It wasn't washed properly."

Jiangpu Huimei wasn't surprised by what she heard; instead, she casually played with her nails.

"I wish I hadn't cut it off."

As Kitagawa Ryo had predicted, Emi still harbored a slight sense of guilt towards her mother. Therefore, before meeting with Kitagawa Ryo this time, Kitagawa Ryo had already judged that she would definitely choose to end her father's life.

After her operation against Karuizawa Kei failed, she seemed to have lost all will to live, and it's not surprising that someone like that would do anything.

"What do you want to know? While I'm still in a good mood."

Seemingly recalling the man whose head she had severed in her sleep, Emi Emi responded with a cheerful laugh.

"I want to know what happened between you and Megumi in the month before I left Tokyo?"

Kitagawa Ryo stared intently into Emi's pupils.

Why does Hui keep insisting on meeting with you "alone"?

"It's that matter."

Jiangpu Huimei's lips curled into a playful smile:

"It seems the relationship between the two of you isn't as good as I thought."

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Karuizawa Megumi began to recount some things about herself and Emi, a past she seemed extremely reluctant to recall, pausing frequently as if overcoming a growing unease:

After becoming a bully herself, Emi Jiangpu not only retaliated against the girls in her own class who had bullied her, but she also frequently targeted girls from other classes. Her favorite thing to do was to sit by the door of a certain class after school every day with a toothpick or a blade of grass in her mouth, waiting for her prey. In fact, she usually didn't really use any serious force; at most, she would just block people from leaving. Unlike some other bullies, she didn't forcibly drag her victims to the woods to demand money.

Jiangpu Huimei's bullying behavior is more like a form of protection, which is why she chooses to do it at the classroom door. She needs other students as her audience, and the more students watch, the more smug she becomes. The girls who are blocked are, to some extent, just props for her. She doesn't care what the other girls' names are. She just needs someone to pay attention to her and imprint her identity as a "bully" in other people's minds.

This seemingly childish behavior continued until graduation, when Emi Kamura was blocking someone when Megumi Karuizawa suddenly stopped her.

"reason."

Horikita Suzune asked briefly.

"Maybe it's just that I suddenly couldn't stand this kind of behavior anymore."

Karuizawa gave an ambiguous excuse.

"Then why didn't you stop them before, but instead tried to stop them just before graduation?"

"Because I had just escaped from being bullied, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to provoke these people... At that time, I probably remembered when Ryo protected me, and I thought I would try to see if I could protect others like Ryo did one day."

Horikita Suzune nodded, signaling Karuizawa Megumi to continue.

However, at that time, Emi showed great disgust and hatred towards Karuizawa Megumi, but Karuizawa Megumi was unaware of this at the time. For the first time, she bravely stood in front of the bully:

"You're not allowed to do that kind of thing anymore."

The last word was interrupted because Karuizawa Kei saw the other person reach into their bag, revealing a threatening glint in their eyes.

She quickly recalled the rumor that Emi Jiangpu carried a knife with her.

"Since you've decided to protect her, then come with me alone."

Jiangpu Huimei wisely refrained from pulling out the knife in front of everyone; instead, she simply pointed to a secluded spot outside the school:

"dare?"

At that moment, Karuizawa Megumi completely forgot that Kitagawa Ryo wasn't by her side. She didn't believe that someone could calmly stab someone with a knife; it was just a scare tactic. So, Karuizawa Megumi said, holding her breath:

"Go and go."

"So you went there with Emi Jiangpu, and she left this scar on you with a knife?"

Horikita Suzune's voice remained flat, and she even began to speculate on how the events would unfold.

Karuizawa looked up at her and felt the air between them thicken, like melted sugar water, heavy and murky, flowing into her lungs through her nose and making her vocal cords sticky and unable to speak for a moment.

The air grew increasingly tense, like a bow being drawn back to its full extent, ready to shoot out from some corner at any moment.

"Yes."

When Karuizawa uttered that single word, it was as if she had cast off a thousand-pound burden; she had honestly admitted her weakness.

"It was from that time that I realized how terrifying it is to be bullied."

Karuizawa Kei covered her head, seemingly recalling that scene. She looked extremely fragile now, like a mollusk without a shell. Any creature that got close to her could hurt her, and even her shadow on the ground looked precarious.

For the first time, Horikita Suzune fell silent. She truly couldn't bring herself to rebuke Karuizawa Megumi. Perhaps for her, who had already experienced such harm, surviving like a parasite was the best outcome.

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“I had no intention of hurting her, and I wouldn’t even think of touching her.”

Emi Emi propped her head up as she recalled the scene:

"In fact, at first I didn't understand why Karuizawa Kei suddenly stood up to stop me. She was only able to get rid of being bullied because of you, and she could only smile every day under your protection."

"How could she possibly have the courage to protect others? She can't even protect herself."

Perhaps feeling a slight sense of superiority in this regard, Emi Jiangpu said with a hint of disdain:

"Karuizawa Kei was terrified at that time, and she could barely speak. You know, you hadn't left Tokyo yet, so how could I possibly hurt Karuizawa Kei while you were still here?"

"At the time, I just wanted to give her a way out. If she wanted to be the hero, then let her be the hero."

"Ah."

Kitagawa Ryo stroked the white tablecloth, lowered his eyes, and said:

"So what happened when the two of you were alone together?"

"...Do you really not know, or do you really need me to spell it out for you?"

Emi Jiangpu grinned defiantly at Ryo Kitagawa, almost bursting out laughing on the spot:

"It seems she really didn't tell you about this. You were also deceived by her."

"say clearly."

Kitagawa Ryo's dark pupils stared intently at Emi's mouth, as if he were determined to confirm a certain fact.

"With only two people present, I have already stated that I did not lay a hand on them..."

Jiangpu Huimei crossed her arms over her chest and deliberately raised her voice as she spoke:

"So who exactly left those scars on her?"

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How can a pale paper rose be disguised as a red rose?

Just pour blood on it.

[Story CG: The Little Prince and the Rose, now finished reading.]

Chapter Twenty-One: Plot Branches and Ending

[Day 3: It wasn't until long after Emi Jiangpu left that you stiffly moved your neck, making a rattling sound like a robot. You raised your head, propped your chin up with your hand, and looked at the empty seat opposite you.]

Contrary to your expectations, Emi Jiangpu did not choose to harm you. In fact, after revealing the truth of the past, she seemed to fall into a complex state of excitement and amusement, as if she had shattered a fixed myth in her heart, and she was already satisfied with this.

You no longer need to use yourself as bait to send Emi Jiangpu to prison. Her crime of murdering her own father is enough. Therefore, you both let each other go and believe that you have achieved your goals.

Emi Eura has finally and completely left Karuizawa Kei's life, at least for the next ten years. However, you're not feeling as well as you imagined. Perhaps only now do you realize that the center of this series of events surrounding Karuizawa Kei is actually Karuizawa Kei herself. Emi Eura was a trigger and catalyst, but she wasn't the one who initiated the chemical reaction.

As for why Karuizawa Kei chose such extreme behavior at that time, you can probably guess some of the reasons, but it is precisely these reasons that give you a chilling feeling.

Even now, you've never heard Karuizawa Megumi mention her scar. It's like a cliff she's prepared for herself, ready to leap at any moment, not to die, but to show someone what she's made of.

It's like a last trump card, waiting to be played in the final moments and unleash its power.

You even smiled bitterly, wondering if Karuizawa Kei had suffered some injustice in her past life and was determined to repay it to you in this one. You didn't want to see any of Karuizawa Kei's new tricks, those ridiculous and humble lies. It was as if she had forgotten how to walk on her own, wanting only to hide forever in that protected time of the past, as if only in those real days could everything remain uncorrupted and immortal.

You've already placed a cat in her hands, but Karuizawa Megumi seems to want you to fold yourself up neatly, turning you into a paper crane or a rose, and then hold you forever in her palm.

You seem unable to bear this kind of emotion. Even though you are standing in front of the truth, and can even reach out and touch it, if you were to question Karuizawa Kei, you would rather accept a lie full of loopholes.

Karuizawa Kei has ruthlessly given herself to you; she has become your private property without your permission.

This is truly... one of the worst relationships ever.

You sat in that private room for a long, long time, and before you could sort out the tangled thoughts in your mind, you thought you didn't want to go back to see Karuizawa Kei. Before you knew it, another hour had passed, and after eating lunch alone, you continued to think about all sorts of things.

You scroll through your past chat history with Karuizawa Kei. In fact, it's only a few pages long, since you and Karuizawa Kei have only been in contact again for three days. She still calls you "Ryou," your name.

Karuizawa Kei is the only girl who deserves this title. Among the few girls you know, Shiina Hiyori would honestly call you "Kitagawa-kun," and Horikita Suzune would simply call you "Kitagawa." In a sense, this single-word form of address is even exclusive to Karuizawa Kei.

【"cold".

You hold this word in your hand for a long time, unwilling to let go, as if you were walking from a frozen wasteland into a warm house and first warming yourself with a piece of charcoal to allow your body to adjust to the temperature change before confidently reading it word by word.

Every single word, even the emoticons, you feel an urge to chew them up, swallow them whole, digest them completely before continuing to read. After finishing, you want to revisit them, slowly piecing together the image of Karuizawa Kei from within, and then painstakingly and slowly overlapping this character with the Karuizawa Kei you remember.