Am I being simulated by their love affair.

Chapter 174 No problem, we can make it through the New Year.

"Matsueda-san, everyone is still talking about our game yesterday!"

Tomatsu Tomoka sat at the library counter, looking at Matsueda Jun who was registering borrowing information next to her.

He was wearing a librarian's apron, quietly writing at his desk. He looked nothing like the guy in the blue and white jersey dunking on the girl's phone.

After registering the book in front of him called "Zen and Motorcycle Maintenance Manual", Jun Matsueda raised his head and asked the girl next to him.

"Who are 'everyone'?"

"Yeah, there are a lot of people, all over social media, and some people even edited your match highlights!" Tomatsu Yuka poked her cheek with the ballpoint pen in her hand, her soft cheeks bouncing.

Last night, she also watched the video of Jun Matsueda's game several times. The director of J-SPORTS was very clever in giving a lot of shots to player No. 99. Tomatsu Tomoka took a lot of screenshots and planned to use them as screensavers in turn in the future.

Matsueda Jun thought seriously for a moment, "Then they used my image, so shouldn't they pay me?"

"Uh..." The girl was speechless for a moment, then Jun Matsueda continued, "This storm should pass quickly, right?"

"Because Yuqiu Gao was eliminated today."

"It's such a pity." The girl took the books that Matsueda Jun had registered, walked out of the counter, and put them back on the bookshelf one by one.

This morning was the semi-final of the Winter Cup, and Yuqiu High School lost very decisively.

The reason is very simple. Jun Matsueda was suspended, and the starting main player Joe Joo's foot injury has not healed yet. Of course, the disabled Takashi Haneda has no hope of winning.

As soon as the game ended yesterday, the organizing committee issued an announcement that Jun Matsueda was banned for repeatedly provoking the audience and making violent gestures despite the referee's warnings.

What followed was widespread dissemination on various video websites.

Footage of Jun Matsueda coldly "slitting throats" at the audience, footage of Jun Matsueda drinking water, footage of Jun Matsueda dunking, footage of Jun Matsueda singing the school song—all sorts of Jun Matsueda quickly became trending topics.

Not many people accused the tournament organizers of "violence," likely because attractive people are often favored. Instead, people were simply discussing whether No. 99 from Haneda High School was the strongest high school player currently playing, given the large number of third-year players absent from the Winter Cup. This topic raged in various comment sections and forums.

But no one doubts that Jun Matsueda is definitely the most handsome one.

"Everyone wants to see Matsueda-san compete in the national competition next summer. Are you planning on doing that?"

After arranging the books, Tomatsu Tomoka walked back to the counter, and the girl's long skirt brushed past him from behind.

"It takes too much time. I'm not interested."

Jun Matsueda flipped through the book "Animal Behavior" that was placed aside. Senior Yamami was a hardworking person. Just a few days after the holiday, she started sending him messages asking difficult questions.

The girl stopped talking. As the year was coming to an end, there were not many people in the library. It was so empty that it gave her an illusion that she and the boy next to her were the masters of this quiet space.

Tomatsu Tomoka also opened the book "I Am a Cat" that she had read halfway yesterday. She adjusted her sitting position so that she could see the small black mole on Matsueda Jun's neck out of the corner of her eye.

The afternoon sun slowly passed over the floor beside the French window, causing the dust floating in the air to sparkle. The girl seemed to be able to smell the scent of ink on the pages of the book in her hand and the faint scent of pine around her.

Tomatsu Tomoka firmly believed that it was the scent of Matsueda Jun's soul. In the afternoon when even time slowed down, it was normal for the elusive soul to take form, right?
Just like the girl herself, who was clearly watching the cat in the book mocking humans in various ways, but she felt her tailbone starting to itch, and the tail of her soul began to grow, a large ball of white and fine fur, which circled from behind her to behind Jun Matsueda in the overflowing sunlight, and finally wrapped the two of them together.

"Matsueda-san will be returning to the orphanage tomorrow, right?"

After get off work, the two walked out of the Setagaya Literary Museum. Tomatsu Tomoka asked the boy next to her, and Matsueda Jun nodded.

"When can you come back?" The girl's tone was somewhat reluctant.

"I'll come back when the literature museum opens, since I still have to work." Today is the 28th, and the New Year is just around the corner, so Jun Matsueda's words had a touch of laziness to them.

"See you in the New Year then."

"See you in the New Year."

The girl watched Jun Matsueda's bicycle go away.

The temperature in Tokyo is close to zero degrees Celsius. This winter is colder than the previous two years. As Jun Matsueda walked in the corridor of his apartment, the moisture he exhaled was quickly blown away by the cold wind.

Being used to someone opening the door in advance, he stood at the door for a few seconds before taking out the key from his pocket.

Hearing the sound of the entrance door opening, Mochizuki Haruka hurriedly ran out of Matsueda Jun's bedroom.

"I wanted to prepare some things for you to take back to the orphanage tomorrow, but I forgot you'd be back from get off work soon."

Jun Matsueda walked into the bedroom. There was a bag next to the suitcase, which contained some snacks and toys that children liked.

"Thank you. I'll tell them then that these are from a sister named Mochizuki. The little ones might give you some greeting cards or handicrafts."

"I'll look forward to it!" Mochizuki Haruka forced a smile. Although she said that, she didn't hear the answer she expected.

The girl followed Matsueda Jun back to the living room and watched him go into the kitchen to prepare dinner, chopping vegetables, marinating meat, and preparing seasonings. Mochizuki Haruka stood by his side, handing him seasonings and ingredients.

Lai Qi Yangshi is going to attend the company's year-end party today. Without the sound of TV programs, the silence at the dinner table becomes particularly noticeable.

After dinner, Mochizuki Haruka wanted to wash the dishes, but was refused by Matsueda Jun.

When Jun Matsueda wiped the water droplets from his hands and walked out of the kitchen, the girl who was still sitting at the dining table walked towards him.

"Um, Songzhi, can I go back to the welfare home with you to celebrate the New Year?"

Mochizuki Haruka tremblingly said these words that had been lingering in her heart for a long time.

Matsueda Jun sighed, "Of course you can go if you want to. The director will probably welcome you."

"Will you welcome me?" the girl's voice trembled.

"It's not that you're not welcome, but I'd probably be happier in the orphanage if you didn't come."

"Why?" Mochizuki Yao spoke with a faint cry in her voice.

"Because when you're around me, I feel pressure from everywhere."

"Did I do something wrong again?" Wangyue Yao took two steps closer, she lowered her head, and big tears fell to the ground between them.

"What should I do? Can't you just tell me?"

The girl sat down on the ground weakly. She raised her head to look at Matsueda Jun, but her eyes were blurred by tears.

Jun Matsueda didn't intend to look down at the girl. He squatted down, took out a tissue and handed it to Haruka Mochizuki to wipe her tears.

"You did nothing wrong."

"Maybe your only mistake was falling in love with me."

(End of this chapter)