How can my simulation be a real love?

After a long silence, Hachiman Kairin continued, "Overall, the performance was just so-so, wasn't it?"

"……real or fake?"

"fake."

Hachiman Kairin narrowed her eyes slightly and raised the corners of her mouth as if deliberately teasing him.

Kazami Naruto, who always enjoyed teasing others and taking pleasure in their embarrassed expressions, twitched at the corner of his mouth. It was quite rare for him to be suddenly turned around and have the upper hand like this. Feeling a little awkward, he couldn't help but cheer himself up in his heart.

He then raised his eyes and spoke slowly and deliberately—

"So, what about today's date?"

"Miss Hailing, are you feeling anything for me right now?"

The distant streetlights cast a warm, pale yellow glow, adorning the night sky like a thin veil draped over the metal stair railings. The black-haired girl standing on the steps calmly met his gaze.

The biting autumn wind gently brushed against her delicate face, quietly lifting a few strands of her fine, black hair.

The sudden question was like an arrow piercing the heart, causing Hachiman Kairin, who had been standing motionless, to furrow her brows. Her composure and calmness, which she always maintained, were now shaken in an unimaginable way.

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Hachiman Kairin gave a meaningful reply—

"Ming, how do you want me to answer?"

Her straightforward personality led her to bring the topic back, an attitude that actually relieved Kazami Naruto.

It seems that this is actually Miss Hailing testing his attitude, wanting to know what Kazami Naruto thinks of her now. This also means that Kazami Naruto's response to her will determine how Hachiman Hailing responds, seemingly handing over the initiative to him completely.

"I want Hailing... what's your answer?"

Kazami Mei slowly closed her eyes, and raised her head as if talking to herself, speaking softly.

He used to feel like a friend to this ice-cold beauty. Whether it was personality compatibility or acting partner, Hachiman Kairin was quite compatible with him. When he encountered trouble, she would casually come over to help him out of the predicament, and even take the initiative to stand between him and Riki as a bridge for communication.

Hachiman Kairin always upheld her responsibility as a friend, maintaining a certain distance from him at all times; even when they were very close, she addressed him by his surname, and she never showed any ambiguity or romantic atmosphere in front of Kazami Mei.

She relied on this point to keep their relationship within a simple, unassuming way.

If it weren't for Ms. Riki's self-disclosure back then, perhaps Kazami Naru would still be struggling to detect Ms. Hailin's hidden feelings.

However, after realizing that Hachiman Kairin's feelings for him were not purely friendship, Kazami Mei found it difficult to view her as a 'good brother' anymore. It was at this time that he began to gradually perceive the charm of Miss Kairin—

Her calmness and composure, even though she always appeared cold and aloof in front of others or herself, could never conceal the deep-seated tenderness within her; even though she harbored love in her heart, she kept it hidden, choosing to sacrifice herself to support her friend's romance.

Even knowing she had a chance to be happy, this straightforward fool simply stayed by his side silently.

Stubborn and clumsy, they only give silently from behind.

Perhaps from the moment Kazami noticed Hachiman Kairin's truest self on stage, Kazami's feelings for her had already completely changed.

"Hailin, I don't need your answer. I just want to hear your honest, heartfelt thoughts."

Do you like me now?

"...!"

Yawata Kairin was clearly stunned; her usually calm and beautiful eyes gradually widened.

"This has nothing to do with how you're going to answer me next. I just want to express all my current thoughts."

Kazami Mei slowly squeezed out the emotions from her mouth, little by little.

Without realizing it, he closed his eyes and ears, began to regulate his breathing, and quietly waited for the words that were about to pour out his emotions.

"I……"

The girl's furrowed brows relaxed at a visible speed. Even though she had a vague feeling that he was about to say something, Hachiman Kairin still couldn't help feeling uneasy and apprehensive. Her trembling heart made her usually calm and elegant voice gradually become hoarse and low.

She never imagined, nor dared to imagine, that such a day would come.

Yawata Kairin clenched her fists tightly, trying to maintain her usual composure, but even as she desperately pursed her lips and gritted her teeth, she couldn't stop her wildly pounding heart, as if the blood and soul in her entire body were trembling.

My fingers turned white and stiff, making it impossible to exert any force. I could only feel a suffocating sensation, as if I were standing at an altitude of 10,000 meters.

She could no longer remain calm.

Kazami Mei, having reopened his eyes, slowly raised his head. His deep black pupils were fixed on the black-haired girl's slightly trembling emerald eyes. Sensing her wavering, a handsome smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

The next moment, he said with genuine seriousness—

"Hachiman Kairin, I like you."

As a result, he confessed his feelings first.

After uttering this heartfelt confession, Mr. Kazami finally breathed a sigh of relief. Since Ms. Hailin had suddenly taken the initiative in the conversation, he was determined to strike back in an absolutely flawless manner.

He has said everything he needed to say; now it's up to Miss Hailing to respond.

"..."

Yawata Kairin fell completely silent.

She thought that by getting used to stagnation, she could let go of her pointless worries and stubbornness; that if she stopped expecting things, she wouldn't be disappointed. Who would have thought that when she chose to give up the courage to take a step forward, what she lost was the very place she had been seeking, the place she could never have found?

Even if she is such a stubborn and foolish person, will someone forcefully pull out the expectations in her heart and turn them into her "home"?

"...That's why I hate gentle people."

Muttering to herself, Hachiman Kairin gently shook her head and took a step forward, her long, beautiful legs exposed to the air.

In less than half a second, she suddenly closed the distance between herself and Kazami Naruto. She, who was a step higher, raised her calm green eyes to look Kazami Naruto in the eye. Before this, both of them had kept their distance from each other. This was the first time that the two of them had looked at each other at such a close distance.

A cold wind, like a knife, lashed against their smooth skin, and neither of them looked away.

“…I really lost to you.”

"Where did you lose to me?"

"All."

A slight smile appeared on Hachiman Kairin's lips, as if she were just joking.

We did lose, and we lost terribly.

Forced to this point, no matter how much Hachiman Kairin struggles, she can no longer deceive herself into believing 'he doesn't like me,' nor can she convince herself that 'I don't like him.'

Both sides understood that their relationship had been completely changed from that moment on.

"Kazami Mei, I like you."

With a cold expression, Miss Hailing spoke slowly and calmly, her tone as simple as breathing.

"……real or fake?"

"This time, it's for real."

Straightforward and earnest, that's the true nature of Hachiman Kairin.

Hachiman Kairin immediately understood from the slight raised eyebrow of Kazami Naruto that this guy knew what she meant but was pretending not to. Perhaps the tacit understanding they had cultivated between them was being used in a strange way at this moment.

That shouldn't be the case for Hailing now, but that might be irrelevant.

"Fine, I'll prove it to you."

Upon hearing this, Kazami Naru was stunned for two seconds, and then he saw that Miss Hailin was a few steps closer to him.

Oh no, this seems familiar.

Thinking he was about to be forcibly kissed, Kazami Naru instinctively steadied himself, preparing for the impending assault.

Who knew that the ice beauty in front of him glanced at him with a playful look, gently grabbed his left hand and held it in mid-air, then pressed it directly against her heart without saying a word, the rapid and powerful heartbeat coming through her palm.

"Is that enough proof?"

That's more than enough proof.

Kazami Mei gasped as he felt the touch in his palm. Hachiman Kairin grabbed his hand tightly to prevent him from escaping. Although Ms. Kairin remained calm and composed, Kazami Mei felt his heart pounding.

It was as if one could feel waves of surging emotions churning within the heart of this icy-cold girl.

Scalding hot.

Beneath her icy exterior lies an unimaginable passion, like a raging fire burning in a snow cave.

If Hachiman Kairin was previously so stubborn in refusing to admit her feelings that Kazami Mei could forcefully take the initiative, now that she has completely confessed her love to him, she has nothing to worry about. All she needs to do is openly express her long-suppressed emotions to him.

"...If, I mean if."

"If I said it wasn't enough proof, Hailing, would you do this?"

Hachiman Kairin was surprised to hear such an unexpected answer. She gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear with her fingertips, pursed her lips, and revealed a meaningful smile.

Do you really want to know?

The tone of the inquiry was so calm, yet it inexplicably revealed a hint of power.

Recalling the strength with which Hachiman Kairin pried open the can with one hand, Kazami Naruto's lips twitched as he had only intended to tease her out of habit.

The ice beauty before him had completely changed from her previous calm and composure. Her sharp emerald eyes were filled with a strong sense of aggression, and even he felt a strange urge to back down.

"I suddenly felt that this was enough proof."

"Right now, I feel it's not enough."

After coldly uttering those words, Hachiman Kairin grabbed his hand and dragged him into the alley.

As if to vent her frustration at Kazami's unintentional rejection of her, Hachiman Kairin, who had been suppressing her emotions for a long time, gently but firmly wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him directly and without any hesitation. Their first kiss, which was only just established, was completely more mature than that of ordinary couples.

Intertwined, close together, integrated.

Their burning hearts were slowly closing in, while the strong-willed girl's eyelashes trembled incessantly. They felt each other's rapid, disordered, and scorching breaths, yet they still refused to separate.

He didn't know how much time had passed when a crisp sound of water splashing reached his ears. Miss Hailing, her face slightly flushed, slowly released his neck. Her unprecedentedly different expression made Kazami Naruto take a deep breath. He just tried his best to open his eyes wide and imprint this scene completely in his mind.

Yawata Kairin took a deep breath and quickly recovered. Staring at Kazami Mei's face, she said in a subtle tone, "Is this what they call a first kiss? It feels a little strange..."

“Miss Hailing, we’ve actually tried this many times before.”

"...?"

Hachiman Kairin frowned, seemingly not quite understanding the meaning of those words.

Seeing this, Feng Jianming simply shrugged and chuckled unhurriedly: "Didn't the ancients often say that 'the eye contact between humans is a kiss of the spirit and soul'? We've already tried it countless times back when we were performing on stage, haven't we?"

"I see."

Hachiman Kairin nodded thoughtfully; her serious and thoughtful demeanor was quite endearing.

Ever since he started dating this aloof, icy beauty, Kazami Naruto has found Miss Hailin to be more and more adorable and beautiful from every angle, even though he was just recently considering whether to become sworn brothers with her.

But now, judging from this changed relationship, I'm afraid I have no choice but to get married to her.

Perhaps suddenly remembering something, after a moment of thought, Hachiman Kairin slowly said—

"It seems that the ancients also said that if couples do not maintain enough 'communication,' then they will not be able to go on together in the future."

"Let's find somewhere to continue what happened next."

No, brother... no, you actually used my Frostmourne to stab me?

Kazami Naruto suddenly felt his arm go limp. Without him noticing, the expressionless Hachiman Kairin had already taken his left arm into her embrace. Understanding her intentions immediately, Kazami-sensei broke out in a cold sweat, and tentatively began to speak—

"Miss Hailing, I think these things... should be done gradually, right?"

"[Because I only consider Hachiman a friend]"

Hachiman Kairin raised her head expressionlessly and read out the somewhat familiar words, one word at a time.

Haha, I'm sending it!

However, Miss Hailin wouldn't actually force him to go to the hotel. After Kazami Mei repeatedly apologized to her and confessed his feelings, even though Hachiman Hailin had resentment in her heart, she calmed down and returned to her elegant and composed demeanor.

The aloof and beautiful ice queen remained expressionless, simply strolling beside him.

The two walked back onto the commercial street, seemingly as calm and natural as before. However, the girl's slightly red ears revealed something unusual. Their relationship had unknowingly undergone a tremendous change.

Perhaps suddenly remembering something, Hachiman Kairin, with a composed expression, said calmly—

"How many are there now?"

Upon hearing this, Kazami's expression stiffened slightly. Turning around and seeing his icy beauty girlfriend's calm eyes, he replied in a somewhat subtle tone, "If you include Hailing, there are six in total."

"is it?"

Yawata Kairin gave a lukewarm response, then returned to her expressionless demeanor.

Because of her aloof and cold appearance, she can always maintain calmness and rationality, so it is difficult for Kazami to judge her current emotional state directly from her appearance. The pressure brought by the expressionless ice beauty is quite astonishing.