How can my simulation be a real love?

She really hadn't expected there to be such a hidden 'enemy'. Nagasaki Motoyo knew very well how charming her husband was, that he could even attract a popular idol like [Hatsuka]?

Nagasaki Motoyo should be used to this level of activity by now. After a brief moment of surprise, she regained her composure; at least for now, she didn't know just how threatening this Miss [Hatsuka] truly was.

"...Yes, I'm sorry to have bothered you by coming here so abruptly today."

Sangoka forced herself not to meet Xiangzi's gaze, and her slightly backward steps clearly indicated that she was already considering retreating.

Nagasaki Motoyo noticed her body language at that moment, and then Motoyo glanced at Shoko, whose face looked quite ugly, and she seemed to have sensed something as well.

Although Nagasaki Motoyo was meeting Sumimi's popular idol, Hatsuka, for the first time, she could tell from the fact that the idol had suddenly appeared at her apartment without saying a word that this idol was probably quite close to her husband.

Most importantly, the other party seems to know Xiangzi as well.

If that's the case, then...

"Since Miss Hatsuka is also Ming's friend, please come in quickly~ We're just about to start eating, aren't we?"

Since I'm no longer alone with my husband, it doesn't matter if there's another person.

Moreover, Nagasaki Motoyo wanted to constantly 'update' her information.

Now that Kazami Mei has broken free from her control, there is more and more hidden information around her. If Nagasaki Motoyo still clings to the old information and doesn't know how to adapt, then it's quite normal for her to end up as a loser.

"what happened?"

The noise in the entryway also drew Kazami Mei's attention.

He was worried that Da Xiang might suddenly pull Miss Su Shi out and cause a conflict between them, but as soon as he came out, he met the eyes of Miss Chu Hua in the entrance hall. The moment she raised her purple eyes, she immediately showed a hint of apology.

Oh no, things seem to be getting more complicated now?

Just like when he invited Xiao Xiang and Xiao Mu over for a meal, which refreshed Miss Liang's image, this time Su Shi and Xiao Xiang, who came to his house to find him by coincidence, will surely refresh Chu Hua's image again.

This mechanism seems to make sense, just like how stacking two two-star monsters to summon a giant jet monster will definitely result in the special summoning of a blue jet monster.

But why is it Miss Chuhua?

Thinking of the friendship between Toyokawa Shoko and Mikami Hatsuka, Kazami Mei, feeling a little uneasy, merely raised an eyebrow. After a brief eye contact with Mikami Hatsuka, he shrugged and spoke—

"We happen to have a lot of ingredients today, Chuhua, why don't you join us?"

"Thank you, then I'll take my leave."

Hearing this, Misaka Hatsuka felt a warmth in her heart. Even at a time like this, Akira would help her out of this "uninvited guest." But right now, she didn't have time to think about her own feelings.

What worries her most right now is that she bumped into Xiangzi at Ming's house today. She has no way to 'explain' to Xiangzi right now, and no matter how anxious she is, she can only wait for another opportunity.

……

As one of the sources of the [Loving Wife Cooking Lv.5] skill, Miss Su Shi possesses a 'wifely power' beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

While Kazami was preparing the food, she graciously helped out, and her skillful cooking techniques and basic culinary skills greatly reduced his workload.

This time, it didn't take long for a steaming hot meal to be prepared.

If it were any other time, Toyokawa Shoko would have happily enjoyed the delicious food he had prepared, but now, with Ms. Susei and Ms. Hatsuka sitting on her left and right, her fingertips were trembling slightly under her seemingly calm gaze.

Caught between two attacks, Toyokawa Shoko had no way to relax. In contrast to her tense state, Ms. Suze showed no signs of restraint.

She smiled and took out her phone to take pictures of the delicious-looking dishes, and quite casually included Kazami Naruto's hand in the photo as well. Then she slowly began to enjoy the meal that Kazami Naruto had made herself.

"good to eat……"

As a result, Nagasaki Motoyo's eyes widened the moment she tasted the dish; she was amazed by the deliciousness that seemed to melt happiness in her mouth.

Although she already knew in her 'dream' that her husband could cook, she never expected that his cooking skills in reality would be this good. Wouldn't she, as his wife, be outdone?

"..."

Misaka Chuka's gaze instinctively drifted toward the plate of braised pork in front of Shoko, but as Toyokawa Shoko's indifferent gaze swept over, her eyes began to unconsciously dart away.

In this awkward situation, she had no idea what to say, and with Miss Xiangzi also remaining silent today, the atmosphere at the dinner table became subtly strange.

Kazami Mei naturally sensed the strange atmosphere and, knowing he needed to lighten the mood, he took the initiative to start a conversation: "Hatsuka, did you buy cream puff oolong tea again?"

"Hmm... I actually quite like this flavor."

"I've been planning to try other flavors of drinks lately, but every time I find one, I subconsciously choose it... I've unconsciously started to get used to buying this flavor."

Upon hearing this, a faint gentleness flashed in Misaka Hatsuka's eyes.

This strangely flavored drink is the only memory she shares with Kazami Naru, and even though it doesn't taste good, she can't help but want to try it again.

Just as Misaki Hatsuka was about to chat with Kazami Mei as usual, her gaze suddenly met Toyokawa Shoko's in mid-air. At that moment, the already guilty Hatsuka immediately lowered her head to avoid eye contact.

Toyokawa Shoko's calm gaze made every nerve in her body tense.

The little 'interaction' between the two was naturally seen by Nagasaki Motoyo.

"Huh~?"

A meaningful glint flashed in Nagasaki Motoyo's eyes. She had originally thought that the popular idol "Hatsuka" might be a hidden character with considerable threat, but she did not expect that her attitude towards Shoko would be so weak.

It really makes one curious about what exactly happened between the two of them.

A smile gradually appeared on Nagasaki Motoyo's face, her mind filled with countless thoughts. She deliberately joked in a sweet and gentle tone, "Shoko, why are you staring at Hatsuka-chan like that?"

This casual joke caused Toyokawa Shoko's previously calm expression to stiffen slightly, and her right hand, which was gripping the chopsticks, turned slightly white from the force.

But in the blink of an eye, she had already returned to her usual indifferent demeanor, merely closing her eyes slightly and responding in a gentle tone—

"That's not true. You're just overthinking it."

How could this not have happened?

Even Kazami Mei, who was sitting opposite Xiangzi, was sweating profusely. Apart from Miss Hatsuka, he was the only one who knew the current state of Teacher Da Xiang best.

If Da Xiang already had a strong liking or even affection for him, then the sudden discovery that his childhood sweetheart, Miss Chu Hua, had secretly come to his house and caught him red-handed at the door was a shock.

In this situation, it's hard for her not to have some issues with Miss Chuhua, right?

Most importantly, the kiss that Hatsuka-san gave him before is something that Kazami Mei still can't forget.

However, given his current position, it wasn't convenient for him to intervene. After all, this was a matter between Chu Hua and Xiang Zi, and under Miss Su Shi's smiling gaze, he couldn't say anything.

Kazami Mei could only try her best to keep the atmosphere at the table lively in order to prevent it from becoming too awkward.

Because everyone was focused on eating, the meal ended quickly, and Toyokawa Shoko, who had been feeling quite depressed since the beginning, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She stood in the entryway, leaning lightly against the wall with one hand as she changed her little leather shoes, her delicate and beautiful face showing a slightly apologetic smile to Kazami Naruto.

"Well then, Ming, I'll take my leave now."

The sarcastic words from Nagasaki Motoyo still echoed in her mind, which made Toyokawa Shoko's eyes dim slightly. However, she gritted her teeth and shook off the thoughts in her mind.

No matter what Nagasaki Motoyo says, she will never give up on Naruto because of this!

"I'll come again next time."

Shoko Toyokawa slowly turned her beautiful profile, looked at Kazami Mei with a complicated expression, and spoke softly. Only after she finished speaking did she step away.

"Oh! I suddenly remembered I have work to do later, so..."

Seeing that Toyokawa Shoko had already left, Mikasa Hatsuka's eyes flashed with a hint of panic. She hurriedly turned to look at the black-haired boy beside her, but before she could even finish speaking, he gently patted her shoulder.

Kazami Mei said with a hint of a smile in her eyes, "I understand, then go quickly."

"……Um!"

Misaka Hatsuka's gaze softened as she looked at him, then she quickly changed her shoes and chased after Toyokawa Shoko, who had left.

She had to make things clear with Xiangzi no matter what!

8

Chapter Eight: I'm sorry, Xiao Xiang.

"Xiao Xiang! Wait a moment..."

The familiar voice of her childhood friend came from behind the blue-haired girl. She turned around slowly, facing the gentle breeze, and looked behind her. The cold night wind kept blowing her light blue twin ponytails.

The blue-haired girl, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her skirt, had her delicate eyebrows furrowed without her noticing.

The dim night sky was faintly twinkling with mesmerizing stars, and at this moment they seemed to have returned to the summer ten years ago.

In the dim light, time seemed to stand still.

Feeling somewhat dazed, Toyokawa Shoko simply shook her head slowly. She raised her eyes and calmly looked directly at the blonde girl in front of her, her complex and hesitant emotions seemingly solidified in her gaze.

Her slightly turned posture seemed to be the last bit of stubbornness she had left.

"Chuhua, is something the matter?"

There was not a trace of anger in the blue-haired girl's voice; perhaps she had already guessed it, which was why she appeared so calm at this moment.

"Xiao Xiang..."

At some point, Sanjiao Chuhua had taken off her baseball cap. The pure white moonlight illuminated her long, beautiful hair, which shone like golden silk. The intertwined emotions she felt were like the silken threads that enveloped her, trapping her in her own cocoon.

Suddenly at a loss for words, she simply stared at the ground, lost in thought.

Even now, she still feels guilty towards her friend, so she has to apologize to her no matter what.

"Xiao Xiang..."

"Chuhua."

Before Misaki Hatsuka could finish speaking, Toyokawa Shoko, with a furrowed brow, interrupted her.

She vaguely sensed that her friend seemed to be about to say something, but the stubborn and proud Toyokawa Shoko didn't want to hear those words. She simply spoke in a rather cold tone—

"You said you didn't have any communication with Ming before, but you were lying to me, weren't you?"

Because she had vaguely sensed that her childhood friend might have a close relationship with Kazami Mei, Toyokawa Shoko took the initiative to subtly probe him several times.

However, without exception, Misaka Hatsuka always said that she "didn't have much contact" with him and that "it was just a relationship of exchanging lyrics and composing music".

So now it seems...

"Yes, it's all my fault."

With her lips pursed, Hatsuka Misaki looked up at the girl in front of her and admitted that she had never felt her friend's gaze was so sharp.

The 'lie' about Xiangzi was already a done deal; they both knew it the moment they met.

"Is that so?"

Toyokawa Shoko's eyes narrowed.

As she gripped her baseball cap with both hands, Chu Hua could clearly feel the other person's slightly narrowed, indifferent eyes fixed intently on her face.

Even though Xiangzi didn't say a word, Chu Hua could guess what she was thinking. Perhaps the 'trust' between them had already been broken the moment they met at the door of Feng Jianming's house.

"..."

Unable to bear the psychological pressure, Mikasa took a deep breath.

She decided to take the initiative to sincerely apologize to her best friend and promise that she would give up her feelings for Kazami Mei. If it was for the sake of their friendship, she could bury these feelings deep in her heart forever.

The blonde girl, having mustered her courage, raised her head, her beautiful violet eyes staring intently ahead.

"I'm sorry, what I really wanted was for you, Xiao Xiang, to..."

"I understand, Chu Hua, you don't need to say anything more."

Toyokawa Shoko closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. Her calm and indifferent words made Misaki Hatsuka's face turn pale. The 'apology' she wanted to say vanished like a dreamlike bubble into the dust of the air.

Having never seen the other person with such an expression before, she was completely at a loss.

Perhaps because she was thinking about the sarcastic words Nagasaki Motoyo had just said to her, Toyokawa Shoko, who was already feeling depressed and tired, clenched her fists tightly.

When she opened her amber eyes, which resembled works of art, again, the girl's eyes were filled with sharpness and determination.

"Chuhua, I have a question for you—"

Do you like Naruto?

Toyokawa Shoko's blunt words were like an arrow piercing the heart, leaving Mikasa Hatsuka, who had finally mustered the courage, somewhat at a loss.

Does she actually like Kazami Naruto?

Thinking of this, Mikasa couldn't help but recall her past interactions and memories with that black-haired boy.

The unprecedented joy and warmth made her relax unconsciously, a feeling she couldn't achieve even when alone with her best friend Xiangzi.

If she hadn't met Kazami Mei, she might still be struggling to cope with stress and grievances on her own.