Am I being simulated by their love affair?

Page 528

"...That's good news." The girl smiled, her hands behind her back silently twisting together.

"We've taken the most difficult first step; things should go much smoother from here on out."

"I hope so." The boy pursed his lips. "Actually, I'm a little scared now."

Yamami Maki's eyelashes fluttered, somewhat surprised.

"afraid of what?"

"...I'm afraid my feelings will change, I'm afraid I won't be able to control my desires."

Matsueda Jun took a light breath and repeated the worries he had confided to Imagawa in the office earlier.

“I see…” the girl nodded. “That is indeed a reasonable thought process.”

"Right?" The boy breathed a sigh of relief.

Talking to his senior about these things is a kind of confession—it makes him feel much better when someone listens to his "sins" and understands his suffering.

Yamami Maki smiled again, her eyes crinkling.

But I don't think it's a problem.

"It's alright?" Jun Matsue was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, because I trust Jun-kun."

"..." The boy looked at the girl in front of him.

He thought he would hear rational and mature thoughts and advice from his senior.

After all, she was the senior I respected.

"Are you surprised?" Yami Maki looked at his expression. "But I just believe in you."

“I don’t think Jun-kun is a greedy person who lets his desires control his mind.”

"How could someone who knows how to reflect on themselves and honestly face their inner thoughts become a truly promiscuous and fickle person?"

Jun Matsue smiled helplessly, "But I don't seem to be too far from that situation myself."

The girl smiled and raised her right hand, pinching a small section between her index finger and thumb.

"It doesn't look that far, but in reality, it's quite different."

"After all, Matsueda is a conscientious, sincere, and gentle person—otherwise, how could we have come to like you?"

"A person like that will never become the terrible person they fear."

On this basis, a little bit of flirting is acceptable... Yami Maki told herself in her heart.

Otherwise, how would she have had the chance to return to Tsun-kun's side?

"...Thank you." That was the only polite way the boy could reply.

He was somewhat happy, but he didn't want to show it in front of his senior.

The two fell silent again, just as a soft knock came from behind Matsueda Jun.

He turned and opened the door, and Tsushima Kou, smiling, slipped out with his coat tucked in.

"I bet you guys haven't left yet." The boy stood next to his junior.

"So I came to chat with you before I left."

Yamami Maki smiled gratefully; she no longer needed to start a conversation.

Matsueda Jun glanced at him twice under the light. Unlike his senior, Tsushima-senpai hadn't changed much.

"How are you feeling? It seems like you haven't come back since graduation, right?"

"It's pretty good." Tsushima Kou put on his coat. "It's quite moving to come back and see a group of energetic younger colleagues."

"Why do you sound like a middle-aged man? You haven't changed much."

The boy made a comment, and the female student opposite him smiled.

Tsushima-senpai wagged his index finger, seemingly becoming even more humorous.

"College students are college students. Looking back at you, my mindset is different."

Jun Matsueda turned his head. "Is it like this too, senpai?"

“…” Yamami Maki nodded, resting her chin on her hand.

"That's true to some extent, but when I'm with Matsueda-kun, I still feel like he's my peer."

“Matsueda is an exception.” Tsushima Kou patted his junior’s shoulder with a smile.

"I heard that Imokawa-san has passed the Tokyo University of the Arts' selection?"

The boy nodded. "You must have seen the short film she made."

"Not bad, not bad." The former head of the news department looked satisfied. "With one of you going to Tokyo University of the Arts and the other to Tokyo University, our news department is now full of talent."

"I'm leaving now, I have things to do back home." He buttoned up his trench coat and patted the person next to him on the shoulder one last time.

"If you happen to be passing by Waseda University again, feel free to come find me, I'll treat you to a meal~"

The boy's gaze lingered between the two people beside him for a moment before he turned around with a flourish, waved, and walked toward the exit.

"Goodbye, Tsushima-kun." Yami Maki waved politely and watched him walk away.

If you pass by Waseda, then Ochanomizu University isn't far away... she thought to herself.

Jun Matsueda's gaze returned to his senior. "By the way, didn't the student council president come this time?"

"The school invited him, but the president seems to be busy."

"..."

Silence fell again in the corridor. The boy took out his phone and checked it; the three-way meeting should be coming to an end soon.

"Isn't it almost time for you to leave, senior? Shall I see you out?"

“…No need.” Yamami Maki shook her head with a smile.

“It’s very cold outside. Pine Branch isn’t even dressed as warmly as me. You should take care of yourself too.”

So the two, who were going in different directions, parted ways at the entrance of the auditorium. The drizzling rain was still falling. Jun Matsue opened his umbrella and watched the girl walk to the other side.

"Senior, don't forget what I told you: keep warm, and if your condition worsens, remember to take your medicine in advance."

"Okay~" Yamami Maki touched her forehead with the back of her free hand and smiled at him.

See you next time!

See you next time.

After watching the girl walk away from the roadside grove, Jun Matsuoka returned to the teaching building.

The black and white figures on the fourth floor have decreased, with only some dirty water stains in the corridor showing traces of the previous crowding.

As they approached the classroom of Class 6, Grade 3, Mochizuki Haruka was just walking out of the back door, holding her aunt's hand. Noticing the approaching boy, the girl raised her handbag and shook it.

"Pine branches."

"Are you leaving already?" Jun Matsue gave a refreshing smile to the woman staring at him from the side.

"Auntie, you've worked hard."

Wang Yuehua turned her face away haughtily.

"Xiaoyao, come home with me tonight!"

Mochizuki Haruka pouted, indicating that this was the situation.

"No problem." The boy nodded. "Shall I see you out?"

"No need." Aunt raised her free left hand, pulled down her eyelid with her index finger, and made a face at him.

"It's no use having a problem!"

Watching helplessly as the aunt and niece walked away hand in hand, Jun Matsue finally entered the classroom—Tomoka Tomatsu was sitting in her seat, smiling as she welcomed his return.

"I thought Tomatsu had left first." The boy returned to his seat and smiled at her.

"How could that be~" The girl waved her phone. "If I leave school, I will definitely tell Tsun-kun."

"Didn't you leave with your parents?" Jun Matsue looked carefully out the window, but the Tomatsu couple were nowhere to be seen.

"I need to pack my things." Tomatsu Yuka picked up her schoolbag hanging on the side of the table.

"Mom is waiting for me in the car. Dad went to book a restaurant first. We're going to have dinner together tonight."

The boy blinked. Tomatsu didn't use the term "family," which meant he had completely accepted reality.

He sighed inwardly, unsure whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Tsun-kun wasn't in the classroom just now. Did he go to find Aya-chan?" the girl asked while packing her things.

"I eavesdropped on a second-year student's lecture and chatted with some seniors who had returned to school."

“I see.” Tomatsu Yuka fastened her uniform bag. “It’s a good thing you weren’t here. My parents and Mochizuki’s aunt were all in the classroom just now. It was really troublesome.”

She looked up and smiled, "I should try to avoid these kinds of parent-teacher meetings in the future."

The girl's thoughtfulness put Matsueda Jun at ease a little. "This kind of situation doesn't happen often."

He bent down and stuffed the interview materials and workbooks into his bag. "Do you want me to see Youhua out of school?"

"Okay~" The girl smiled sweetly.

The fraught three-way talks thus came to an end.

Back home, Jun Matsue and his idol lay on the sofa, eating sweet, crisp persimmons, thinking tonight would be a peaceful night.

His phone suddenly rang at 8 p.m.

Is it Jun-kun?

Yamami Maki's voice was somewhat hurried, sounding hoarse and weak.

"Um, someone keeps knocking on my door..."

Chapter 772 Don't Go

"Um, someone keeps knocking on my door..."

The girl's weak voice came through the phone, and the juicy persimmon flesh in Matsueda Jun's mouth quickly lost its sweet taste.

"Is someone knocking? Who is it?"

He put down the persimmon he was eating halfway through, and Miss Idol, who was sitting at the other end of the sofa, looked over.

"They said they were NHK staff and asked me to pay a fee..."

Maki Yami's voice came through the phone intermittently, with obvious panting and a somewhat distorted quality.

“But when I told them I didn’t have a TV, they still wouldn’t leave and insisted on coming in to take a look.”

The boy stood up. "NHK? That's possible."

"But at this hour, why would NHK personnel come to the door..."

The girl's questioning tone sounded somewhat weak, and Jun Matsue frowned.

Are you feeling unwell?

"Hmm... It's a bit hot, and I feel a little dizzy." Yami Maki seemed to be nodding on the other side.

"I did as you said, but it seems too late..."

She explained weakly, just as the knocking on the door started again.

“Miss, we just want to go inside to check something, according to the Broadcasting Act…”

"..." The girl on the phone was silent for a moment, then said softly.

"Jun-kun, I'm a little scared..."

Her voice sounded helpless and frightened. Under the idol's gaze, Jun Matsueda returned to his bedroom and came out again with a metal baseball bat.

"There's more than one person outside the door, isn't there?"

"Hmm, a man and a woman. I looked through the peephole, and they didn't seem to have any weapons or anything."