Am I being simulated by their love affair.

Chapter 617 Rent
Jun Matsugae didn't sleep a wink all night.

Back in his room, the boy sat on the edge of his bed, leaning against the wall, listening to the cold silence from the other side of the wall.

He was afraid that if he couldn't sleep in Qiyang City, he might impulsively run out of the apartment and do something foolish.

So the boy sat by the window as the dim light of dawn broke.

While sitting listlessly on the bed, he turned on the lamp and started reading to pass the time.

The Little Prince.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.

People Who Love

Since these were all books he had read before, reading them again was naturally much faster. After finishing the few extracurricular books on his desk, Jun Matsue opened the drawer of his bedside table and took out the photo album that Yosuke Kiyo had given him.

He didn't want to see the exclusive perks for the number one fan, but rather the debut journey that the girl showed to all her fans.

This time, the boy slowed down his reading. He flipped through the pages of photos, searching through his mind for the memories that Yosuke Kurusu and he had created together behind each moment.

Around six in the morning, a faint noise suddenly came from next door, which had been quiet all along. Jun Matsueda put down his photobook, listened carefully, and then confirmed that it wasn't his imagination.

The noise started to amplify, but quickly disappeared with a loud slam of the lid shut.

The sound of suitcase wheels followed, and slippers walked out of the room, finally stopping in front of the boy's door.

The sound disappeared from the spot. Jun Matsue got dressed, got out of bed, and opened the bedroom door.

Yosuke Kurusu, dragging a suitcase, appeared before him.

The girl was wearing a short, dark gray collared t-shirt that just reached her waist, paired with dark flared jeans that accentuated her long legs—she was no longer dressed in her usual casual home attire. Although it wasn't particularly sophisticated, it also clearly lacked her usual relaxed and carefree vibe.

She looked tired, and her eyes had lost some of their sparkle. Although there were no obvious dark circles under her eyes, she must have had a short and shallow sleep last night.

"You're awake." Kurusu Yosei was somewhat surprised.

Jun Matsue nodded. "I woke up earlier today."

The girl blinked, seemingly not quite believing him.

"..."

They both seemed hesitant to speak, a long-lost awkwardness appearing between them.

"I thought I should say goodbye to you before I leave." Yosuke Kurusu shook the lever in his hand.

"Anyway... I'm planning to leave. I don't know when I'll be back."

"Hmm." Jun Matsueda looked at the phone in the girl's hand.

Her bright pink phone case still had the "Hard to Get Rid of Wine" charm she had given him yesterday hanging on it, while deep blue waves swayed quietly.

Noticing the boy's gaze, Yosuke Kurusu quickly put his phone behind his back.

"What you gave me is mine now, and don't even think about taking it back!"

“…Hmm.” Jun Matsueda smiled.

The girl's original carefree and lively voice vanished in an instant. As Yosuke Kurusu picked up her suitcase, she reverted to her absent-minded and aloof demeanor.

"Well, that's all for now, I'm leaving."

"No need to see me off, the car is already parked downstairs."

Jun Matsue did not try to stop her. He followed the girl to the entrance and watched her bend down to change her shoes and then look up.

"The pine branch can stop here."

Yosei Kurusu opened the door, put on a hat and mask, and turned back to take one last look at the boy.

"I'm leaving."

This time, she finally remembered to close the door.

The girl's footsteps echoed through the closed metal door, sounding hollow and low compared to usual.

Jun Matsue stood in front of the entrance hall for a few minutes before turning around and walking towards the bedroom.

The boy stopped as he walked toward Qiyang's bedroom.

The wooden sign with the girl's name on it was gone. He hesitated for a moment, then pushed the door open and went inside.

The room was furnished with unprecedented simplicity. The dressing table was empty, the blankets on the bed were neatly made, and the colorful hats and sunglasses on the clothes rack were nowhere to be seen.

The clean, bright light seemed to suggest that the unique dreamlike atmosphere of this bedroom had vanished along with its owner's departure.

Jun Matsue left the room, closed the door, and returned to his own bedroom.

He stopped controlling his body and let himself fall onto the bed.

The pillow where his head was buried still carried the lingering scent of the girl's shampoo.

The boy's weary voice echoed in the room.

"Go to sleep……"

After an unknown amount of time, Jun Matsue, who was huddled in bed, was woken up by a girl standing by the bedside.

"...Pine branches? Pine branches?"

Are you still having lunch?

The boy opened his eyes, and what appeared before him was Mochizuki Haruka's concerned gaze.

"...What time is it now?"

Jun Matsue quickly woke up, perhaps because he hadn't been sleeping very deeply to begin with.

"It's past eleven o'clock." The girl looked at his tired face, and her eyes became guilty again.

"Didn't Songzhi sleep well last night?"

The boy didn't answer her question, but simply got out of bed as if nothing had happened. "It's time to prepare lunch."

"I'll cook today," Mochizuki said, blocking his way. "I'll make you tomato, shrimp, and scrambled egg rice."

“…Sounds good.” Jun Matsue laughed.

The two left the room; the boy went to the bathroom to wash up, while the girl went to the refrigerator in the living room to get some groceries.

After vigorously wiping the moisture off his face with a towel, Jun Matsue walked out of the bathroom, where Haruka Mochizuki appeared before him, carrying a teapot.

The girl stood in front of Yosei Kurusu's bedroom, looking at the simple door panel—as someone who frequently entered and exited 507, she naturally noticed this minor change.

"You've moved out of the lease at Qiyang World?" She turned to look at the boy.

Jun Matsueda shook his head. "I don't know."

Mochizuki Haruka took out her phone. "I'll make a call and ask the landlord."

Considering that Songzhi wasn't in a good mood, she could certainly not move in so soon, but she had to prevent the room from being rented to someone else first.

The girl made a phone call and sat down at the dining table to wait. Jun Matsue walked over to her, took the water bottle from her hand, and poured himself a cup of lemon tea.

He heard his landlady's voice coming through the phone receiver; she still sounded so prosperous.

Mochizuki Haruka's conversation with her was brief; she hung up the phone after asking her questions.

The girl looked at the boy who was tilting his head back to drink tea, her expression somewhat regretful.

"Last November, I extended my rent to March of next year when I came to Qiyang City."

In November... Jun Matsue thought for a moment and wondered what important matter might be at hand.

The cultural festival was followed by him seeing off a girl who was about to start her tour, during which he also mentioned his breakup.

After breaking up with her senior, she stopped following the Yamami family's arrangements and moved out of the apartment during her third year.

So Kurusu just extended his rent until graduation season next March...?

Recalling the girl's appearance when she left that morning, Jun Matsue sighed inwardly.

What a waste of money...

They probably won't have the chance to meet again in this apartment.

At that time, Jun Matsuoka did not expect that he would soon discover that his conclusion was completely wrong.

(End of this chapter)