Am I being simulated by their love affair?

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The girl is no longer the one who is always ready to exude charm and express love.

Surprisingly, these changes happened naturally, yet in just the right amount, perfectly matching the boy's expectations. It was as if even this distance was the girl's way of accommodating him.

This occasionally gave Jun Matsue the illusion that their pace was no longer in sync, yet had become even more synchronized.

After a while, once the noise of people jostling in the corridor had subsided, Jun Matsue put the completed workbook into the drawer.

The girl at the next table had already opened her lunchbox, which contained two plump white rice balls, two thick omelets, a piece of karaage chicken, and leafy greens sprinkled with white sesame seeds.

He knew very well that Tomatsu Yuka had made all of these by hand. If it had been two months ago, the girl would have asked him if he wanted to try her thick omelet soaked in broth.

The girl had told him that she brought her own lunchbox because she didn't want her cooking skills to decline.

"After all, Matsueda likes the food I make~"

As the girl said this, a happy smile appeared on her face. That was two months ago, before she and her senior were together.

Matsueda Jun let his memories rewind completely before getting up to leave the classroom. As he passed Tomatsu Yuka, the girl lowered her head, held her breath, and listened carefully to the boy's footsteps.

Without the slightest pause or hesitation, he walked out of the classroom.

Tomatsu Yuka felt like crying, so she stuffed the rice ball into her mouth and took a big, fierce bite.

Because the boy once told her that if her stomach was full, her heart wouldn't feel empty.

Jun Matsue walked into the stairwell without stopping. He opened the door to the rooftop and found Maki Yamami sitting on a picnic mat behind the stairwell.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, senior." The boy smiled.

"I just arrived not long ago either." The seated girl smiled and patted the spot next to her.

"Pine Branch, come sit here quickly~"

After the boy sat down, Yamami Maki picked up the lunchbox from behind her. "Um, this is my first time cooking for someone else, so it might not taste very good..."

"It's alright," Matsueda Jun laughed. "I believe in your talent, senpai!"

The girl carefully opened the box. Inside were fried eggs, croquettes, a small vegetable salad, and rice at the bottom.

"It looks pretty good." The boy couldn't wait to pick up his chopsticks and start by separating the eggs.

"It should have been a runny egg when I made it, but it seems to have solidified now..." the senior student explained weakly, her mouth stuffed shut by a small piece of fried egg.

The girl savored it for a while, "There seems to be too little salt, the flavor is a bit bland?"

"It's probably because it's been sitting out for too long." Jun Matsueda had already picked up a croquette. "For a first time, it's already pretty good!"

"Is it because fried eggs aren't really suitable for bento boxes?" Yami Maki said somewhat awkwardly. "I originally wanted to make tamagoyaki, but my mom said it's a bit difficult to make tamagoyaki for the first time."

The boy didn't say anything, but expressed his approval by shoveling large mouthfuls of rice into his mouth, which made the girl smile even more happily.

"Well, I talked to my parents about my college choices. They said that I don't necessarily have to choose Ochanomizu University, but I should try to choose a major that is related to my future career plans."

"That's good news, I guess." Jun Matsueda nodded. "Then let's see together which university would be better."

"As for professional skills, all we need to do is make our uncles and the others feel that it will be useful for taking over family affairs in the future, right? Maybe we can find a way to persuade them?"

The girl nodded; she didn't really want to talk about this anymore. "Do you know where the second-year students' accommodation training program in October is going?"

"It's not clear yet; there might be news next week."

"It seems our third-year school trip will be earlier? Everyone is already voting: Nagano Kamikochi, Tateyama Kurobe, Aomori... I wonder where we'll end up."

After finishing their lunch, the two did not leave. They leaned against the outer wall of the stairwell behind them, quietly watching the clouds on the top of the teaching building, as if they could already see the clear and crisp autumn sky of October.

Matsueda Jun felt a slight increase in weight on his right shoulder. Yamami Maki rested her head on his shoulder. The girl had already closed her eyes, whether it was because she was sleepy or simply resting.

That didn't matter. The boy adjusted the girl's posture, hugged her sideways, and continued to look at the sky in front of him.

If someone were standing in front of Jun Matsueda, they would notice that the boy's gaze was unfocused; he was thinking about what was behind them.

It wasn't the outer wall of the stairwell, nor the rooftop entrance, but further back, directly opposite the rooftop entrance railing.

That was the spot where Tomatsu Yuka had once clung tightly to his collar, and the two were only one step away from committing suicide by jumping off a building.

Looking back now, the ugly wounds he and another girl left on each other seem like they happened a long time ago.

Jun Matsue recalled the words he had written that day.

Forgiveness is a long and tortuous process.

After hesitating for a moment, he closed his eyes.

Chapter 407 The Summer That Is About to End

Tuesday, September 23rd.

In the practice room on the fourth floor of "Denny's studio", Jun Matsueda put down his drumsticks.

"Let's take a break first." Izumi Mizuki checked the time. "Aya-chan must be tired of singing by now."

Aya Miyamura stuck out her tongue. "My throat's practically on fire!"

"I need to spend more time getting used to the new song, since I'll be performing again soon."

Xiaoxing strummed the strings, and the bass in her hands emitted a deep hum.

"I wonder if there will be any opportunities for outdoor performances?" Aya-chan began to look forward to it. "Singing amidst fallen leaves sounds really interesting!"

Today is the Autumn Equinox, a public holiday in Japan, so even though it's only 2 PM, the four of them have already been in the practice room for three hours.

“If you really want to perform, we can find a venue ourselves and treat it as a pure street performance.” Jun Matsueda looked down at his phone.

"Oh, right!" Aya Miyamura exclaimed in realization. "Let me see where performances would be more popular!"

The knocking interrupted their conversation. Before the girl could run to open the door, Yamami Maki walked in herself.

"Everyone, you've all worked hard~ I brought you some drinks~" She walked in carrying a bag, "The dessert shop nearby sells mini crepes, so I bought some for everyone to try."

"Thank you, senior!"

The girls quickly surrounded the plastic bag on the chair, like begging cats dividing up their spoils.

Yamami Maki had already taken out a bottle of coffee milk and two bags of snacks. She walked past the girls, went to Matsueda Jun's side, and sat on the chair that the boy had placed there in advance.

The girl handed the drink to the boy, placed the snack on her lap, and watched him tilt his head back to drink the water, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

Girls in love seem to always want to admire one of their boyfriends' fingers or Adam's apple.

After Jun Matsueda put down his drink bottle, Maki Yamami handed him the snack on her lap.

"I specially picked out mini crepes for Songzhi, they're matcha flavored."

"Thank you, senior." Jun Matsue tore open the wrapping paper, which still seemed to retain the warmth of the girl's skin.

The girl smiled and nodded, then took another crepe and ate it in small bites. Their eyes met, and her smile deepened.

On the other side, Xiaoxing silently watched the two behind the drum set. She nudged Miyamura Aya's arm and whispered something.

"So they've already started talking?"

"I don't know either," the girl waved her hand. "Anyway, as long as everyone knows, it's fine as long as you don't tell anyone."

Xiaoxing then looked at Izumi Mizuki, "Captain, didn't we say that couples were not allowed to bring each other into the practice room?"

"..." The minister glanced at her expressionlessly. "Indeed, but she's the big spender who provided the venue, so I can't control her."

The girl sighed helplessly, "Rich people are really despicable..."

Yamami Maki has been like this for several days now. Although her performance at school hasn't changed much, she's been coming to the practice room much more often.

On one hand, the girl's feelings were beginning to heat up; on the other hand, Tomatsu Yuka would certainly not come here again, and Mochizuki Haruka, who was busy poaching someone else's girlfriend, had no intention of facing the person in question. As for Yamami Maki, she didn't need to hide her feelings here.

Even so, the two only sat relatively close to each other; the girl would never do things like hugging or kissing in front of others.

After resting for about ten minutes, the mini crepes were completely devoured, and the melody started playing again in the practice room. The girls didn't leave the room until 4:30 p.m.

After saying goodbye to Izumi Mizuki, who was the last to leave, Matsueda Jun and Yamami Maki went downstairs together. The two planned to stroll around the neighborhood and then have dinner together.

"Don't you get bored watching like this for hours?" the boy asked the girl walking beside him.

“How could that be?” Yamami Maki smiled. “I’m basically a guest who has booked the entire venue. I get to hear the new songs in advance and watch everyone perform up close. It’s really interesting.”

"And I'm already happy as long as I can be with Matsueda-kun."

Jun Matsueda looked up. In late September, Tokyo's weather had finally broken away from summer. The sunlight shone in a wavy pattern on the streets, seemingly losing its previous intensity and gradually becoming gentle.

He looked down and took the girl's hand, saying, "Senior, you can say sweet nothings now."

A faint blush appeared on Yamami Maki's cheeks. "It was just something I felt compelled to say..."

The two walked into the dappled shadows of the trees. The sound of a train arriving at the station echoed from the nearby railway tracks. The girl looked at the vegetation on both sides of the road and said, "Autumn is coming soon. The hydrangeas that were in full bloom before have all withered now."

“After all, today is the Autumn Equinox.” Jun Matsueda didn’t want to evoke any sentimental thoughts in his senior. “It seems that this year’s accommodation training program is arranged near Mount Fuji. I wonder if we’ll be able to see the autumn leaves.”

The so-called overnight study tour is actually very similar to a study trip, except that outdoor activities will account for a larger proportion.

“That’s possible,” the girl said, thinking for the boy. “If the temperature drops quickly, the autumn leaves at Fuji Palace should be in bloom by mid-October.”

"Has the school trip for the third-year students been finalized yet, senior?"

"Not yet, but judging from everyone's intentions, Nagano is the most likely candidate."

"That should be just in time for the autumn foliage season, a great place to admire the fall leaves."

"If you can't see the autumn leaves, I'll take a picture for you later~" the girl said with a smile.

"So, we'll need to buy some travel supplies before we leave, right?" Jun Matsue thought of what happened last year.

"Does the senior want to come with me?"

"Is it necessary to ask such a question?" Yami Maki rolled her eyes at him. "Or does Matsueda-kun think he no longer needs me?"

The boy didn't say anything, but simply made a gesture of surrender.

The two strolled and chatted aimlessly until the sun set, then went into a small but cozy Japanese restaurant.

"Senior, did you talk to Yuxiang afterward?" Jun Matsueda poured the girl a glass of lemonade.

Yamami Maki's smile faded slightly. Although the boy's question was vague, she knew it was about family matters.

“I told Sister Yuxiang what Grandpa said, and we talked about it a few times afterward.”

"What did she say?" Jun Matsuoka asked nervously, hoping it would be good news.

"..." The girl hesitated for a moment, "She said she didn't object, but she didn't support it either."

"The main problem is that Dad is unlikely to agree..."

Yamami Maki lowered her head, avoiding the boy's gaze. Her ambiguous expression made Matsueda Jun sigh inwardly.

If we want to truly change the senior student, this is probably the most difficult hurdle.

Chapter 408 Habit

"Let's eat first."

Jun Matsue smiled and placed the set meal that the waiter had brought in front of the two of them.

A golden-brown omelet rice, buttered potatoes, a vegetable salad, and double scoops of ice cream. The buttered potatoes were Yamami Maki's main dish; the girl wasn't very hungry at night, so this was enough to fill her stomach.

Even so, an essential part of dining together as a couple is exchanging food. So after the boy scooped up a big spoonful of her potato, the girl reluctantly tried the omelet rice with tomato sauce.

"It tastes good." Yamami Maki licked her lips. "I wonder if this is easy to make?"

When the girl recently tasted something delicious, her first thought was whether she could make it for Jun Matsue.

“This isn’t difficult.” Jun Matsue fed his senior a spoonful of ice cream. “It’s actually similar to frying an egg. Just keep stirring the butter and egg mixture in a pan, and then put the fried rice on top and wrap it up.”

"If you learn how to make thick omelet, making omelet rice will be a piece of cake."

Yamami Maki blinked. "Matsueda-kun really knows everything."

"This isn't really knowledge," the boy said, scooping up a spoonful of omelet rice. "I just have experience working in a restaurant, so I've definitely seen how to make omelet rice before."

"But I don't think I've ever seen anything that could stump Matsueda-kun?" the girl joked.

“Of course there are,” Jun Matsue said without hesitation. “For example, I don’t even know what major my senior wants to study.”

This topic isn't that sensitive; it's perfect to bring it up at the dinner table. The boy looked at the girl sitting opposite him, waiting for her answer.

“As for me…” Yamami Maki stuck out her tongue and licked the remaining ice cream on the spoon, looking particularly tempting.

"I actually want to study literature or languages."