Am I being simulated by their love affair.

Chapter 681 Boring
The next morning, the 20-square-meter room, with the curtains drawn, was somewhat dimly lit.

Jun Matsue lay in bed, still half asleep, with only half the blanket covering him. One of his legs was dangling off the bed, his left hand was pressed against his chest, his brows were furrowed, and his sleeping posture was somewhat crooked.

The breathing in the room gradually became rapid and heavy. The boy on the bed twitched, then suddenly opened his eyes.

Before me was a somewhat familiar white ceiling, and in my ears were the monotonous sound of the air conditioner vents and the noisy chirping of cicadas outside the window.

Jun Matsue blinked and remained lying in bed without getting up.

"...I had a nightmare."

Five minutes later, the boy stood under the showerhead and turned it on, the cool water wetting his black hair.

The cold water quickly woke him up. With his head down, Jun Matsue turned his head slightly to look at the toilet and the bathtub behind it not far away.

The bathtub was small; he couldn't stretch his legs out in it, so he could only sit with his legs bent and knees drawn up to his chest. He imagined Cai Jiang soaking in it—it felt like a pose that would easily make him feel emo.

Such a small space and they still want to put a bathtub in it... The boy closed his eyes, tilted his head back to face the water.

"A Japanese person who loves taking baths all his life."

After drying himself off and getting dressed, Jun Matsue opened the sliding door to the balcony and breathed in the fresh outdoor air.

The sky had cleared up and the temperature was starting to rise again. He took out his phone and checked the weather forecast; the high was 33 degrees Celsius.

He put the milk on the balcony railing and opened the bag of toast in his hand. He bought it when he came back last night. He didn't have to go to work today, so he just ate whatever he wanted for breakfast.

Chewing on the soft bread in his mouth and taking a sip of milk, the boy stared at the glittering buildings and green park in the distance. The expansive view dispelled the discomfort lingering in his chest.

Last night's nightmare wasn't actually that scary—

He successfully entered the University of Tokyo, where his freshman year was fulfilling, busy, and full of novelty. Sometimes he attended classes with Tomatsu Yuka, and sometimes he sat alone in the back row, glancing at the professor lecturing on the PowerPoint presentation while flipping through a copy of "Naomi" borrowed from the library.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated in the dream, Jun Matsue knew that he and Tomatsu were still in a romantic relationship.

One day after class, he appeared in front of Tomatsu with his senior. Although the girl showed a resentful and complicated expression, she eventually accepted Yamami Maki's existence.

The boy had already realized it was a dream, but what happened next still startled him.

When Jun Matsueda walked out of the University of Tokyo gate with the two girls, what appeared before him was not the path leading to Komaba Todai-mae Station, but a meticulously maintained lawn and a magnificent manor not far away.

In a daze, the clear sky turned into a dark cloud, and Mochizuki Haruka, who appeared out of nowhere, stood on the lawn, looking at him with a quiet gaze.

The girl was holding a tombstone in front of her with the name of Jun Matsue engraved on it.

"..."

The buzzing of the air conditioner unit overhead, along with the sound of cicadas, pulled him back to reality. The boy swallowed the toast in his mouth and then drank two large gulps of milk.

After meeting with her senior yesterday, Jun Matsue deliberately avoided thinking about the girls, just to give herself a peaceful and reassuring night.

Unexpectedly, the thoughts I hid when I was awake surged up again in my dream.

The boy shook his head. The girl's melancholy face, which had been so clear and vivid when he woke up, was now much blurry—that's how fleeting the memory of dreams is.

Picking up the empty milk bottle and the half-eaten plain toast, Jun Matsueda returned to his room and drew back the curtains. The dimly lit room was immediately bathed in sunlight, casting a translucent white glow on everything inside.

He rarely dreams and has always had good sleep quality, so when he woke up from a nightmare today, he almost thought his system had returned.

However, the system's simulation wouldn't be so far-fetched, jumping from the University of Tokyo to the Mochizuki family's manor in an instant...

Jun Matsue gathered up the dried clothes, spread out the blankets on the bed, and sat down at his desk to open his workbook.

So this dream was probably because of his own worries, he thought to himself as he looked at the neatly arranged questions.

From the current perspective, compared to the chaotic future in the simulation, the two options given by the senior student are indeed better.

Running away is easy, but it means giving up many things—your dream university, long-standing relationships, the orphanage where you grew up…

And a future where he will never see the girls again.

"...It feels like I've traveled through time again." The boy turned a page in his notebook.

In comparison, conquest seems much more perfect—except for the visible difficulties and the inevitable heartbreak for the girls.

But even if it were possible, the outcome might not be as wonderful as imagined... Jun Matsue recalled his past life.

He tore off the scrap paper from which he had been unconsciously scribbling and drawing, and focused his attention on the question.

The boy got up quite late today, and after studying for more than an hour, it was lunchtime. The quiet room was filled with the sizzling sound of delicious food. Jun Matsue turned off the induction cooker and ladled the beef and scrambled eggs from the pot onto the freshly cooked rice.

The apartment's stove was small, and the mini range hood was barely functional, only enough to cook simple dishes like this. He carried his lunch back to his desk, and the sun, high in the sky outside the window, made him squint.

He put the book aside, and the beef and scrambled egg rice glistened in the sunlight. The aroma of onions gradually rose, and his hunger was becoming more pronounced. Matsueda Jun scooped up a large mouthful with a spoon and put it in his mouth.

The induction cooker did not affect the flavor of the food, and he nodded in satisfaction.

Before scooping up the second spoonful, the boy remembered something, took out his phone, took a picture, and sent it to Natsumi Imokawa.

"Beef and scrambled egg rice is simple and delicious. You don't need to add milk when beating the eggs."

I received a reply immediately after sending the message.

"I'm currently in seclusion editing. If Matsuko needs anything, you can call me."

Jun Matsue blinked. An automatic reply?

"Okay." He put away his phone and continued eating, not intending to disturb Imokawa.

The cicadas chirped louder outside the window as the sunlight intensified, and the boy silently chewed his beef.

At midday, the streets were mostly empty except for cars driving by on the highway and the occasional bird taking flight; there was hardly any human presence.

Looking down at the small park next to the intersection not far away, the dry, large patch of land seemed to be a baseball field for the nearby children, but now only crooked field lines could be seen.

"..." Matsueda Jun slowed down his chewing.

After the initial delight, for some reason, the food in the bowl, like the scenery before him, seemed to have lost some of its essence under the scorching sun, making him feel cloying.

The boy glanced at the scrambled eggs and beef in front of him again to make sure there was nothing wrong with it.

Was the meat not good enough? I went to the supermarket early yesterday, and I didn't buy any discounted items.

Is there something wrong with the seasonings? He got up and went to the stove to take a look. Several bottles and jars were seasonings that he and Laixi had recommended back then.

Unable to find the reason, Jun Matsue had no choice but to return to his desk. The scrambled eggs rice, which had cooled down a bit in the air-conditioned room, seemed to have lost some of its deliciousness.

After quickly finishing his lunch and washing the dishes, the boy was about to continue studying when his phone rang.

It wasn't Natsumi Imokawa's reply, but a message from Aya Miyamura.

"Is Chun-ge home now? I'm back to pick up some things~"

"When?"

"About an hour from now, I'll still be on my way back." "No problem."

He continued working on his problems, and forty minutes later, a knock came at the door in the small room.

"Jun-ge, open the door~" His younger sister's voice was quite energetic. Matsueda Jun put down his pen, got up and walked towards the entrance.

"Open the door~" Another knock sounded, and the girl's excited voice made the boy pause in his steps.

Why is Kurusu here too?
After a brief moment of thought, Jun Matsueda still gripped the handle.

Although we agreed to keep our distance, it doesn't mean we can't meet. Besides, Aya-chan needs to get something, so there's no reason not to open the door.

He pushed open the door and saw beautifully dressed young women standing in front of him, greeting him with their colorful attire.

"Ta-da! Good afternoon, Chun-nii~" Miyamura Aya jumped up and down twice. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"I just finished eating." The boy smiled and looked at the girl standing behind him.

"Why is Kurusu here too?"

Yosei Kurusu smiled playfully and brightly, with a large expanse of clear blue sky behind her, outlining her shimmering silhouette.

"I came back with Aya-chan~ Didn't she tell you?"

"I forgot!" Aya stuck out her tongue, her apology seeming like a mere formality.

"Just let us in, it's so hot outside!"

"..." Matsueda Jun turned to the side, and the girls walked past him with light steps, bringing with them a breeze carrying different fragrances.

The quiet, cramped room was filled with chattering noises. He closed the door and returned inside. The girls made no attempt to be polite; one sat on the bed, and the other at the table. The boy looked around, then had no choice but to sit on the cushioned floor.

"Did you go out together this morning?"

Jun Matsue looked at Yosei Kurusu sitting at the foot of the bed. The girl was wearing a simple short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts today, and her fair legs were right in front of him, swaying back and forth. The sunlight outside the window flowed on her skin, alluring and dazzling.

"Hmm~" The idol took off her sunglasses and tentatively stretched out a small foot in front of the boy, only to be slapped away unmoved.

"I'm going to secretly visit my manager and take Aya-chan out for some fun."

"Which agent? Your previous one?"

"Hmm~ Because Ms. Mochizuki doesn't want to hand over the operations and management to YM, she wants me to poach her former manager."

“That’s good.” Jun Matsue nodded. “His character and abilities are trustworthy.”

"She was really interested after we talked this morning~ There shouldn't be any problems!" The girl winked, hoping he would be interested too.

"..." The boy ignored her eager gaze and looked at Miyamura Aya, who was sitting at the table with her back to the two of them.

"You haven't had lunch yet?"

"There are so many people in the store, it's inconvenient for Yang Shi-jie." Cai Jiang opened the paper bag, picked it up, and turned to face them.

"One of the most popular burger joints in the port area! Their super popular item! Honey Mustard Chicken Burger!"

As if celebrating the birth of some great invention, the girls clapped their hands, then picked up their hamburgers and eagerly tore open the wrappers.

Jun Matsue stood up, and the smooth, long legs in front of her transformed into shimmering pink hair. "Don't eat in bed, or the sauce will drip down and stain the blankets."

The two switched places; he sat at the foot of the bed, watching his idol sit cross-legged on the carpet, taking a big bite of her hamburger.

"Pine branches! Delicious!" the girl mumbled, her chubby cheeks making her look especially adorable.

"Be careful not to choke." The boy's eyes lit up with a smile. "There's still milk in the fridge."

"A hamburger definitely needs a Coke!" Yosuke Kurusu took a Coke from a bag and took a sip, squinting his eyes in satisfaction.

"Pine branch! How wonderful!"

"Is it really that delicious?" Jun Matsue asked with a smile, looking at the sauce smeared on her cheeks.

"Really!" Aya Miyamura leaned back in her chair, munching on a hamburger.

"Brother Chun, would you like to try some?" she said with ill intent.

Before the boy could refuse, the girl sitting in front of him had already leaned her upper body towards him, with a carefree and easygoing demeanor.

"Don't take too big a bite! I'm starving!"

Jun Matsueda shook his head. "I already said I've had lunch. You can eat by yourself."

"Tch—" The girl gave him a disdainful look. "I knew you'd say that!"

She took a box out of the paper bag and placed it on the boy's lap. "This is pudding from the dessert shop next door. You can keep it for this afternoon."

"It tastes even better after being put in the refrigerator for a while!"

The girls came and went in a hurry, leaving the apartment after lunch. Besides the conditioner that Aya wanted to take, Yosuke Kurusu also took the trash bag for the boy when she left.

Matsueda Jun looked at the room, which had quieted down again, but he could still hear the sounds of the two arguing in his ears.

"Like a gust of wind." He shook his head helplessly and picked up the pudding on the table.

"Honey lemon cheese pudding..." the boy read the name on the packaging, walked to the refrigerator, and put it in.

The pale yellow pudding looked absolutely gorgeous in the light from the refrigerator, and Jun Matsue was looking forward to tasting it that afternoon.

After closing the refrigerator door, he returned to his desk and sat down, staring blankly at the sunlight streaming through the window.

Perhaps the scrambled eggs and beef at noon were indeed fine, the boy suddenly remembered.

It's just that eating alone is definitely not as enjoyable as having someone with you.

Come to think of it, before moving to Caijiang's place, it seemed like he hadn't eaten alone for a long time.

At home, there's Mochizuki Kurusu; at part-time work, there's Tomatsu; and at school, besides the girls, there are friends like Sakamuro...

So that very evening, Jun Matsueda conducted an experiment—

Dinner was cold udon salad with shredded chicken, cucumber, and carrot. He added some scallion oil and sesame seeds to the sauce and topped it with a fried egg.

The aroma filled the windowless room as Jun Matsueda ate his noodles, imagining himself and a certain girl leaving Tokyo and flying away together.

Looking at the distant moon, Hu Songyouhua, come to live in the sun world...

He stopped halfway through his imagination.

It was utterly boring.

(End of this chapter)