How can my simulation be a real love?

"I'm sorry... I like you... Yes, I'm sorry... I really... really love you."

The girl's words were broken and muffled, with a faint nasal tone. A hint of apology flashed in Kazami's eyes as she grasped her right hand. Her soft, white hands were so cold that they seemed to have just been taken out of the snow, and every inch of her skin exuded a bone-chilling cold.

Kazami Mei reached out and gently patted the girl's back as if coaxing an infant. She was shivering in the winter despite wearing only a thin dress, and her little face buried in his chest gradually became wet.

I wonder what her journey here was like, but it probably wasn't easy.

“I have never been angry with you, Xiangzi.”

Toyokawa Shoko kept saying "I'm sorry" over and over again, while Kazami Mei responded "It's okay" over and over again.

Despite her childlike nature, she bravely pretends to be the most mature. Now, however, she is like an egg whose hard shell has been cracked open, revealing her truest and most vulnerable inner self to Kazami Mei.

"Ming, thank you..."

Teacher Da Xiang, who was crying, rubbed his cheek against his neck, his trembling yet soft words like those of a kitten hiding in a cardboard box to avoid the rain.

"I should thank you, Xiangzi, for still liking me even after knowing what I've done."

"However, Xiangzi is a little slow-witted."

A faint smile appeared on Kazami Mei's face, and a touch of genuine gentleness flashed in her eyes.

Despite being the childish and stubborn Toyokawa Shoko, who, knowing about his relationships with other people, his ambiguous entanglements with so many girls, and even his obvious desire to build a harem, was still willing to take the initiative to confess to her.

"...Where am I stupid?"

Toyokawa Shoko lifted her small face from his chest, her misty yet incredibly stubborn eyes staring at his face.

Miss Toyokawa, who has been called a 'genius' since childhood, refuses to admit that she is actually stupid!

"A smart girl wouldn't want to accept me after knowing I'm dating so many girls at the same time and that I'm a scumbag who wants a harem, right? But Xiangzi, you still say you like me—"

"...I like you, and it has nothing to do with whether Ming dates other people or not!"

Toyokawa Shoko interrupted him without hesitation, and gently bumped his chest with her smooth forehead. Then, as if remembering Kazami Mei's status as an 'injured person,' her eyes immediately welled up with intense regret and heartache.

However, Kazami Mei's injuries had almost healed, not to mention that Toyokawa-san's strength was no different from her coquettishness.

"...I've thought about it carefully too."

"No matter how much I want to have Ming all to myself, I can't force Ming to break up with other girls, especially since Mutsu and Hatsuka are among them... Their feelings for Ming are no less than mine."

"What's more, my 'fate' has already been messed up by Ming. Ming said before... that he would never abandon me and that he would become someone I could rely on completely."

She couldn't leave him anymore.

For Toyokawa Shoko now, spending her life with Kazami Mei has become an integral part of her life. She simply cannot leave his side, and he is the only one she loves.

This was the first time that Toyokawa Shoko had truly intertwined her fingers with him, and also the first time that she had truly embraced him. Ming's embrace was ten, a hundred, or even a thousand times warmer than she had imagined.

Now that things have come to this, she no longer wants to leave this place.

The girl raised her beautiful amber eyes, filled with shyness and determination. The moment her eyes touched his chest, they could feel each other's heartbeats. The warmth enveloping her made her thoughts a little blurry, but she still used her last bit of strength to speak—

“You have taken responsibility for saying such things without my permission.”

Her pure beauty was like the bright moon hanging in the sky.

Perhaps Toyokawa Shoko has as many small flaws as there are stars in the sky, but her strengths are as great as the scorching sun. The moment the sun appears on the horizon, all the stars that were originally scattered around her disappear completely.

"...I think you're the most cunning one, Xiangzi."

Kazami Mei, whose heart was racing, regulated his mind with his breathing. Then, he gently straightened the girl's waist with his right hand, and his head slowly lowered until it met the girl's shadow. Their breaths mingled together at that moment.

The girl's long, delicate eyelashes trembled slightly, and her hot breath made her unable to resist becoming lost in it.

The temperature of the blood rose rapidly, and the soul and body were immersed in this most ordinary kiss. The warm breath conveyed the burning emotion, and the faint sweetness made the warmth from the heart flow to every corner of the body.

"..."

Before she knew it, the girl's breathing gradually became even.

Having worked tirelessly all night and exerted herself so much today, she was completely exhausted. Feeling utterly at ease, she gradually relaxed her tense nerves and, in just a few breaths, collapsed into his arms, falling into a deep sleep.

"...I almost thought you kissed me unconscious."

Kazami Mei couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark, then turned her gaze to the girl's peaceful sleeping face.

The faint dark circles under his eyes were unusually noticeable against his pale, sickly skin. His swollen eye sockets still held traces of moisture, and his thin, moist lips were inexplicably cracked and bleeding, the dryness and chafing causing him to let out a long sigh.

But what should we do now?

After all, this wasn't his home, and in order to avoid waking her, Kazami Naruto couldn't just move the girl's body. But this was a single hospital room with only one bed, so he couldn't just let this 'injured' person go home to sleep, could he?

Click.

The door to the ward was gently pushed open, and a small head with long, light green hair peeked out.

"..."

Little Wood had been guarding the door since the beginning. After the crying stopped coming from the ward, she stood at the door for another fifteen minutes. After hesitating for a long time, she finally opened the door slowly, but even then she only dared to open it a crack.

Kazami Mei was both amused and exasperated.

Without hesitation, he simply waved in the direction of Wakaba Mutsu, which made the little wooden figure hiding by the door cautiously walk over. Clearly, even without any explanation from Kazami Mei, she understood the situation at a glance.

"Xiang?"

Wakaba Mutsu opened her mouth blankly, staring at the sleeping girl being held in Kazami Mei's arms.

"She must be too tired. I'm thinking of letting Xiangzi sleep here tonight so I don't have to wake her up."

"..."

If Ye Mu nodded her little head gently as if she understood, she stared blankly as Feng Jianming moved the sleeping Xiangzi to her side and then carefully covered her with a blanket, a faint look of envy gradually welling up in her eyes.

Even though she was Ming's fiancée, she hadn't slept with him more than a few times.

"...Although I feel bad for you, Xiao Mu, it's probably difficult for a third person to sleep in this bed."

Kazami Mei naturally noticed the faint disappointment on Wakaba Mutsu's face. He explained with a hint of helplessness, but then gently took the little wooden girl's hand and pulled her to his side.

Under the girl's blank gaze, he lightly touched her lips with a light, fleeting touch.

"But after I'm discharged from the hospital in a couple of days, there will be plenty of opportunities."

"When the time comes, neither Xiao Mu nor Xiangzi will be able to escape."

Is one bed not big enough for three people?

What a joke! Couldn't he just get a bigger bed?

If all else fails, just stack Xiao Mu and Xiao Xiang together...

"Well, I see."

With a slightly flushed face, Ruoye Mu nodded obediently to him. Then, as if she were shy, she quickened her pace to the door of the ward. Finally, she glanced at the room casually before carefully closing the door slowly.

Kazami Mei was somewhat amused and exasperated, then glanced at Toyokawa, who was fast asleep but still refused to let go of her hand.

"Now, the task ahead is truly arduous and the road is long."

……

December 12th, sunny.

Snow blankets the mountains and rivers, making them beautiful; jade dust floats in the clouds.

Winter in bustling Tokyo may be a prelude to Christmas. Snowflakes, as light and soft as smoke, fall gently and dance in the air with the breeze. The crisp air adds a clear mist to the breath exhaled.

Wearing a bright red scarf, Kazami Mei carried a shopping basket and stood in front of the supermarket's special offer freezer section, carefully selecting items. A light green-haired girl, also wearing a fiery red scarf, obediently followed beside her, the thick scarf almost completely covering her small face.

"Although there's a 'discharge' celebration banquet in a few days... since it's a celebration for being discharged, how about we have something nice to eat tonight?"

"Yeah, I think it's good."

The fiancée nodded vigorously, seemingly quite in agreement with the suggestion.

Today is the day Kazami Mei is discharged from the hospital.

Originally, Ruo Yemu wanted him to be observed for a week before being discharged from the hospital, but in fact, when the bandages were changed on the third day, his injuries had almost healed, and even the step of changing the dressings could be skipped.

Not only was Kazami Meikata practically rusting from staying in the hospital, but even the doctor with the silver braid was getting impatient.

"Since that's the case, let's have a Wagyu beef hot pot, something we haven't done in a long time!"

Whoosh...

She seemed to faintly hear something whistling past her ears. When she turned her head, she found that Wakaba Mutsu was still standing obediently in the same place, only her ears, which were exposed from under her scarf, were slightly red, just like before.

"Ok?"

Kazami Mei narrowed her dark eyes meaningfully, then continued selecting ingredients as if nothing had happened.

Whoosh...

The whistling sound came again, and Mr. Kazami, who reacted quickly, reached out in a certain direction without turning his head and grabbed the girl's small hand that was reaching for the shopping basket with great precision. At the same time, he also grabbed a bag of fresh sea cucumbers from her hand.

Sea cucumber?

Kazami Mei raised an eyebrow and looked into the shopping basket.

Abalone, sea cucumber, broccoli, tofu... and even ingredients like kidneys. These things were not in Kazami Naru's memory at all, which means that Kazami Naru himself did not put them in. Obviously, someone put them in without him noticing.

The 'prisoner' was now standing in front of him, looking utterly wronged.

"Xiao Mu, tofu and broccoli are fine... but what about abalone and sea cucumber?"

"These are ingredients for hot pot."

"Would anyone normally put something like this in a hot pot?"

"These are ingredients for hot pot."

"...What about this bag of goji berries?"

"These are ingredients for hot pot."

As if stubbornly refusing to admit it, the doll girl standing in front of him always responded with that expressionless little face, which made Kazami Naruto's lips twitch slightly, and even his raised eyebrows trembled a little more at this moment.

Kazami Mei gently raised her eyebrows and looked at the other person with a subtle gaze.

No, you should at least come up with a different reason, shouldn't you?

"..."

If Ye Mu's face remained flushed, she would choose to remain despicable and silent in the face of scrutinizing gazes.

Mr. Kazami, unable to resist her insistence, could only click his tongue in amazement. Even as they walked out of the supermarket, the girl's face was still slightly flushed, and when Kazami Mei took her hand, her delicate body trembled slightly.

"..."

This is truly meaningful.

The pure white dandelions flying everywhere exuded a chill, but the little hand that Kazami Mei held was so hot and burning, just like the tender little face of Wakaba Mutsu hidden under her scarf.

In the blink of an eye, the two arrived once again at the familiar 'human bridge'.

Kazami Mei couldn't help but stop in his tracks. He looked at the bridge that had knocked him flying about three times with a rather strange expression. Feeling inexplicably wary, he quickly glanced around, afraid that he might see something he didn't want to see.

But instead of seeing what he was wary of, Kazami Mei suddenly spotted a petite yet familiar figure.

A gray-haired girl wearing a pure white scarf stood on the bridge, tiptoeing gently. Snowflakes fell from the sky and piled up on her head, but she didn't seem to care as she stared blankly at the sky.

"lamp?"

Kazami Mei's soft call brought the gray-haired girl not far away back to her senses. Holding a snowflake, she blinked her amber eyes gently until she saw him, at which point her eyes widened, and she immediately ran over.

"Ming, you're really being discharged from the hospital today!"

Its pattering steps were just like those of a waddling little penguin.

"As you can see, it is a perfect resurrection."

"Little Lamp, what are you doing here at this hour?"

The girl paused for a few seconds upon hearing Kazami's question, then earnestly raised the snowflake in her hand and replied, "I'm touching the snowflakes. They... each one is unique."

"Like countless tiny and indescribable lives, drifting in the air... they may eventually turn into droplets, but... I don't feel sad, because I have already remembered them well in my heart."

Kazami Mei couldn't help but widen her eyes, then glanced in the direction of Wakaba Mutsu.

Even the usually expressionless Wakaba Mutsu seemed somewhat surprised. As a former member of 'CRYCHIC', she naturally understood Takamatsu Akari's pessimistic personality, but now she was saying things with completely different emotions.

“…Well said, here’s a pat on the head.”

Kazami Mei couldn't help but rub the girl's soft gray hair. The hair, which had been touched by snowflakes, felt cool and refreshing, with an indescribable sense of comfort.