Am I being simulated by their love affair?

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What are you doing with your backpack?

“Because I saw you carrying a bag,” Mochizuki Haruka said matter-of-factly.

"I'm just here to sit for a while and make myself a cup of tea."

"How would I know? What if you're going to climb a mountain?"

"Then shouldn't you have stopped me?" Jun Matsue packed his things, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed towards the camp.

"Why should I stop you?" the girl asked, following behind him. "Of course I want to climb the mountain with you."

"...It's very dangerous. There are no supply points during the closed season, and there's snow on the road." Jun Matsue actually started to think seriously. "It's the highest mountain in Japan, after all, at 3,776 meters. Please show some respect."

"I know." The girl glanced at him, her eyes stubbornly defiant.

"Visibility is poor at night, and there are bears in the forest. Now is the time for them to store up fat before hibernation."

"I know."

So Jun Matsue could only sigh again.

"madman."

"Fool!"

The girl retorted sharply.

Chapter 434 Unnecessary Expectations

"What do you think of this, Pine Branch?"

In a shop in Kawaguchiko, Tomatsu Yuka picked up a miniature Mount Fuji-shaped keychain from the shelf and waved it at the boy standing on the other side of the shelf.

Jun Matsue looked up and glanced at it. "Not bad."

"Right?" The girl nodded in satisfaction.

Mochizuki Haruka, who was passing by her, snorted disdainfully and went to the counter to pay for the Fuji Cat keychain in her hand.

It's 1 p.m., and the third day of the overnight study program is coming to an end. Before boarding the bus back home, the young men and women decided to buy some souvenirs at a nearby shop.

Matsueda Jun also picked out quite a few things. The sake brewed with Fuji spring water was for Kurusu Yose, the Fuji gold leaf amulet was for his senior, and he even went out of his way to find the Fuji gashapon machine that was surrounded by girls and bought a gashapon, intending for Miyamura Aya to twist it open herself.

Before boarding the return bus, Mochizuki Haruka turned around and glanced regretfully at the towering, cloud-shrouded shadow of Mount Fuji, whose snow-capped peak seemed to have grown even thicker.

"Unfortunately, I didn't make it to Mount Fuji in the end."

"So you were serious after all..." the boy next to him couldn't help but say.

"There will be opportunities in the future," Tomatsu Yuka said with a smile.

Ten minutes later, accompanied by the gradually accelerating engine hum, the bus left Kawaguchiko Station and headed towards Tokyo beyond the mountains.

Jun Matsueda glanced at the slightly swaying scenery outside the window, then took out his phone and sent a message to Maki Yami.

"We've set off back to Tokyo."

"Okay~ Be careful on the road!" the senior replied quickly.

There was no further communication in the chat box. Jun Matsue put his phone away, and people started chatting and laughing to pass the time. He rested his chin on his right hand on the edge of the car window, watching the town gradually being left behind outside the window.

As the houses and buildings gradually disappeared and the view was filled with rolling hills and vegetation, the boy suddenly realized something.

The maple leaves at the foot of Mount Fuji are starting to turn red.

Around 4 p.m., the bus entered Tokyo and stopped at a congested intersection. Jun Matsueda looked at the sidewalk and saw boys and girls in school uniforms, who were either junior high or high school students.

“It’s just after school.” Tomatsu Yuka, sitting behind him, was also looking out the window. “It’s a strange feeling to see them like this on a day when they should be in school.”

"It's like watching my own life from the sidelines," the boy said casually, then turned his phone screen back on.

My senior seems to have a tea ceremony class after school today, so she probably won't have time.

Before he could even click on the motionless parrot avatar, the "Kirakira" avatar above it started flashing.

"Is Matsueda almost in Tokyo?!"

He glanced out the window. "We've entered Suginami Ward. There's a bit of traffic now. We'll be there in about half an hour."

"So fast? Why didn't you say so sooner!"

The girl sent an angry emoji; although it wasn't a voice message, Jun Matsue could already imagine her irritable tone.

"Which stop are you getting off at?"

"Is this guy coming to pick me up?" The boy hesitated for a moment.

"Speak quickly!"

"Shinjuku."

"I'll be passing by after get off work. Wait for me a bit, and we can go back to the apartment together!"

What time do you get off work today?

Jun Matsueda's message remained unread, as if the girl had never considered that he would refuse, and simply put down her phone.

Half an hour later, he got off the bus and watched the crowds scattering out of the station.

"Are you satisfied with these three days, Matsu-san?" Tomatsu Yuka walked up to the boy, turned around, and asked.

Jun Matsue nodded. "I've seen everything I wanted to see and experienced everything I wanted to experience. Tomatsu's sukiyaki and spaghetti soup were also delicious. It was a worthwhile trip."

"It's a bit of a shame that someone didn't climb to the top of Mount Fuji."

Standing on the other side, Mochizuki Haruka rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm glad you like it, Matsu-san." Tomatsu Tomoka smiled as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "See you at school tomorrow!"

She walked out of the station and headed towards the other subway entrance. Jun Matsue watched the girl's back until Mochizuki blocked his way.

"Aren't you going home? I can take you back."

“No rush.” The boy looked at the bustling traffic outside the door. “Kurasu said she’ll be off work soon, so we can go grocery shopping together on the way.”

"..."

The girl's eyes showed a hint of dissatisfaction, but she didn't say anything. When the black sedan appeared at the station entrance, the woman in the driver's seat waved to the two of them.

Matsue Jun watched as Mochizuki Haruka walked over. She didn't get into the car, but just stood by the car door, turning around and looking over with her aunt.

Looking for him?

The boy left the station and walked to the car. "Did Auntie want to see me about something?"

"It's been so long since I've seen Songzhi~" Wang Yuehua rolled the car window down to its lowest position and looked him up and down with a smile.

"Songzhi is a very busy person now, so it's rare to have the chance. Of course, I want to take a good look at you."

“I’m not busy at all,” Jun Matsue smiled.

The woman looked nonchalant. "If you're not busy now, you'll be busy at the Yamami family's place later."

"..." He couldn't laugh anymore.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Mochizuki blinked innocently. "Anyway, you know, our Mochizuki family has always been there."

"Whenever you're feeling down or tired, you're welcome to visit our estate anytime."

Wang Yueyao got into the car, the woman waved casually, and the black sedan sped away.

Jun Matsue stood still as students on bicycles passed by, their clear bicycle bells fading into the distance.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Maki Yami.

"We've arrived at the station. I brought a souvenir for my senior; I think she'll like it."

The girl replied a few minutes later: "Welcome back! Tea ceremony class isn't over yet, I'm secretly messaging you~"

"I'm already looking forward to tomorrow's present!"

As expected, he didn't plan to meet now, which didn't surprise Jun Matsue.

Rationally speaking, the senior student should go home after her course ends, and time is tight, so it's reasonable not to meet.

But thinking of his aunt who waved goodbye so casually, and how he asked Yosuke Kurusu to wait for him to go home together, Jun Matsue's sentimentality inevitably stirred up expectations for Maki Yamami, only to be disappointed when those expectations were dashed.

"Pine branch——"

Jun Matsueda looked up and saw a girl waving at him from across the street. She was wearing a mask and a hat, revealing only her exceptionally bright eyes.

Yosei Kurusu crossed the road and walked towards him, like a little deer leaping lightly to his side.

"You're finally back! Did you bring me a present?"

Jun Matsue pointed to the backpack behind him, "I'll give it to you when we get home."

"You have to satisfy me!" Kurusu Yosei raised an eyebrow. "I even finished practice early to pick you up~"

"So, what made you decide to come pick me up?"

Jun Matsue looked across the street and saw the girl getting out of a car, where her manager, looking helpless, was sitting.

"Because I've performed in other cities before, I always feel quite lonely on my way home alone when I return to Tokyo."

The girl winked at him, "So I've decided not to let Matsueda feel this terrible emotion either!"

"Thank you very much." Jun Matsueda smiled.

A sense of warmth and a subtle sense of loss intertwined in his heart.

Anyway, at least I'll finally get to see my senior tomorrow.

Chapter 435 Sweetness and Bitterness

The next day, Thursday, the empty second-year classrooms at Haneoka High School were once again filled with people.

"Thank you for your hard work, here are some snacks for you~" Kominato Shoko handed the bag of cookies on the table to the boy and girl in front of her.

"Class is about to start, you should go back to the classroom and hand out the parent-teacher meeting notices."

"Okay." Jun Matsueda and the girl next to him nodded in unison and left the classroom office.

The corridor was unusually lively. The newly elected student council members were posting notices about this year's cultural festival on the bulletin board. Several girls were gathered together, discussing the recently concluded national wind instrument competition. The yellowing leaves outside the window seemed to have no effect on bringing the bleak atmosphere into the teaching building.

"Even though I was only gone for three days, it feels like Tokyo has entered autumn in the blink of an eye." Tomatsu Yuka handed the boy the cookies in her hand.

"It's that time of year again when you can easily gain weight if you're not careful. I'll leave these cookies to my friend Songzhi."

Jun Matsue didn't say much, but reached out and took the biscuit and put it in his pocket. "I'm going to have to worry about what to do for this year's cultural festival again."

"We can just let everyone vote," the girl said with a smile. "We'll be responsible for motivating everyone."

The two walked out of the stairwell and back to the third-floor corridor. The girl walking towards them made Tomatsu Yuka's smile fade.

"Good morning, senior." Jun Matsueda greeted her immediately.

Good morning, Songzhi!

Yamami Maki looked surprised. After greeting the boy, she looked at her junior standing to the side, her expression somewhat bewildered.

"Good morning, senior." Tomatsu Tomohana smiled at her, "I'm going back to the classroom now, so as not to disturb your conversation."

She watched the girl walk past her nonchalantly, then cast a bewildered glance at the boy.

"Yuka?"

Jun Matsue nodded. "Although I don't know if Tomatsu has come to her senses, she's accepting it for now."

"If that's the case, then that's great..." Yami Maki's tone was filled with relief at surviving a disaster.

"Is today's schedule the same as usual, senior?" Jun Matsue glanced at the figures in the hallway. This wasn't a private place, and class was about to start.

"Yes!" The girl nodded more forcefully than before, her long black hair swaying as she did so, revealing a clear joy.

"I have to go to the office now." She waved her right hand slightly, half-hidden in her sleeve, and her rosy lips parted and closed, silently speaking to the boy in front of her.

See you at noon!

So Jun Matsue continued walking toward his class, recalling his senior's expression on the way—although he seemed to have accumulated a lot of negative emotions during the days when they could only communicate through mobile phones, most of those emotions dissipated when the living girl appeared in front of him.

The boy hoped this wasn't just his imagination.

The so-called usual arrangement was the lunch break time every Thursday. After the lunch break bell rang, Jun Matsueda found the girl holding the lunchbox on the rooftop.