I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

In the past, they didn't understand or agree with her, and unilaterally broke off relations with Iori Hashima.

Now that they've both come to terms with it, and the other still considers them friends, Aki Tomoya is naturally willing to treat Hashima Iori as a friend as well.

"What's wrong? Is it strange that Iori and I made up?"

Aki Tomoya led Eriri out of the crowd and onto the main road.

His reconciliation with Iori Hashima might seem quite strange to Eriri.

After all, Aki Tomo also disagreed with what Hashima Iori had done before, believing that the other party was using his beloved anime to promote himself and was a fame-seeker.

However, Aki Tomoya later discovered that Hashima Iori was still the same Hashima Iori who loved anime and manga, and that was indeed the case.

Is it contradictory to use anime to wrap oneself up, gain fame and fortune, and at the same time love this place?

To put it more nicely, it's about turning your hobby into a career and having the ambition to reach the top.

Therefore, Aki Tomoya will apologize to Hashima Iori for breaking their promise.

It's a real shame that he won't be able to reach the pinnacle of the world of anime. I hope he can continue on his own.

"Do not……"

Eriri didn't know how to express the restless emotions she felt at that moment.

Even Iori Hashima and Tomoya Aki were able to reconcile and return to a normal relationship, so why can't these childhood friends do the same?

Perhaps this question shouldn't be asked of the boy in front of you; you should ask yourself the same question.

Aki Tomoya said that he and Hashima Iori had both figured things out, so naturally there were no more problems.

But has Eriri figured it out now?

In Eriri's eyes, how far away is Aki Tomoya from her?

"Rinya, do you think I'm holding you back right now?"

Eriri asked a question that surprised Aki Tomoya.

Does she now feel like she's a burden to him?

Aki Tomoya thought of this and gave a bitter smile to himself.

Why do you say that?

After feeling the hand on the backpack loosen its grip, Aki Tomoya turned around and looked at Eriri, who was looking down.

Eriri looked down and said with a bitter expression, "Because you always said that being with me is tiring, right?"

Upon hearing this, Aki Tomoya wanted to say that it was fortunate she could still see this, but this was not the same thing now.

"You're not dragging me down, you're holding yourself back."

The person in front can indeed make it impossible for the person behind to catch up, but Eriri is currently too busy taking care of herself to be a burden to him.

Eriri is the one who hasn't figured it out yet.

Aki Tomoya was at most a little annoyed by it.

"The strange thing is not whether we made up or not, but that we, from two different worlds, both reached out to each other and thus our paths crossed. That's the strangest thing."

Aki Tomoya described their relationship in the same way.

Perhaps sensing that Eriri might not understand, he asked again, "Among the people your parents interact with, how many of their parents graduated from the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, or are alumni of Hitotsubashi University? And how many of them graduated from Kazuhachi University? Would you be surprised if they were alumni of those schools?"

Upon hearing this, Eriri suddenly raised her head as if to say something, but the words caught in her throat.

Because it's true, if you're exposed to peers through your parents' connections, it's perfectly normal for those parents to have graduated from those schools.

So why be surprised by things that are so common around us?

“I’m not exactly a poor boy, but you’re definitely a noble lady.”

Aki Tomoya looked into Eriri's eyes and said earnestly.

Reality isn't a fairy tale, but if a poor boy could marry a noblewoman in Japan, it would most likely be a case of a graduate from a prestigious university marrying into the family.

In Japanese upper-class society, it's not uncommon for sons-in-law to marry into their wives' families, and most of these sons-in-law actually have inheritance rights and are raised like their own sons.

Eriri is very happy, because in the future, there is a high probability that she will not be in a situation where an only child is not ambitious and has no choice but to be arranged to marry by her parents.

"So it's strange, isn't it? We're from two different worlds, yet we ended up crossing paths at the point of the two-dimensional world."

Aki Tomoya stated this fact calmly.

In a country with such a heavy sense of hierarchy, it's quite illogical that they could have crossed paths when they were children.

"Eri, you're not a burden to anyone right now. If you can't understand this, you're only holding yourself back. You're like this even before you've reached the point of no return. When that moment actually comes, you'll be in despair."

Aki Tomoya reminded Eriri.

"Aunt Sawamura and her husband are good parents, but they are not qualified as your first teachers."

So, is this kind of family education a failure?

Aki Tomoya didn't want to comment. Nobody knew what Sawamura Sayuri and the others were thinking. Maybe they just had the right to let Eriri live a carefree life?

All he knew was that he was quite happy when he learned that Eriri had decided to collaborate with Kasumigaoka Utaha.

But afterwards I realized that he was running away again, and I was really angry but couldn't get it out.

"Stop running away. You clearly want to work with that senior so much, why are you running away? You have so few things to consider, yet you insist on leaving yourself with regrets."

As Aki Tomoya spoke, he started laughing at himself.

Actually, he shouldn't be the one to say this; it's Sawamura Sayuri and the others who are the ones who should make Eriri understand.

However, Aki Tomoya didn't want to speculate on whether Sawamura Sayuri had any ulterior motives. The mother of that man must have a very strong heart to allow her daughter to have an ambiguous relationship with him for more than ten years.

Or rather, they're spoiled enough!

"So that's why Lun also wants to apply to Tokyo University?"

Eriri looked up and asked another question, as if she had already seen the gap between them.

Aki Tomoya knew what kind of answer Eriri wanted at that moment.

He closed his eyes, and after two seconds, a helpless smile appeared on his face: "Would you be happy if I said it was for you?"

Eriri didn't answer, but the expectation in her eyes was genuine.

This made Aki Tomoya feel sympathetic towards her, but also quite helpless.

"Meeting you is both the luckiest and the unluckiest thing that has ever happened to me. When we first entered high school, and no one knew about our past, if you were willing to get to know me again, I would most likely give that answer now. But now I'm going to take the entrance exam for the University of Tokyo, simply for my own sake."

Like the rich girl and the ordinary person in another story, no one would think that they would have any interaction, but a chance encounter might give the ordinary person a chance to have fantasies.

However, Aki Tomoya no longer harbors any illusions about Eriri.

Remember this feeling: once you've lost something, you'll never want to lose it a second time!

Chapter 67 Let's experience heartbreak together (9/12)

Is it for Eriri's sake to get into Tokyo University?

That's hilarious!

When they entered high school, no one knew about their past. If Eriri had pretended to sympathize with him, this otaku, and said something to him back then, Aki Tomoya might still have such fantasies now.

But he actually decided to take the entrance exam for the University of Tokyo after the spring break before the start of the previous semester!

To stand out from the crowd is the goal of most people, and it is also the most realistic goal. After careful consideration, the most direct shortcut for a high school student to stand out in Japan is to study hard and get into a prestigious university.

Making games?

What a terrible game! Playing games is fine though!

It's about studying. Taking the college entrance exam is straightforward, but in Japan, you can't avoid the cram school aspect, especially in Tokyo, where the expenses are quite high.

In truth, Aki Tomoya still wanted to consider Eriri's feelings, but what was the point of saying something against his will?

Why not tell Eriri your true thoughts?

Whether the other person can understand or not is another matter; in any case, he has spoken his true feelings.

"..."

silence!

Eriri's face was filled with a terrifying silence, her eyes trembling like shimmering water under the night lights.

In her sparkling eyes, Aki Tomoya saw her resentment towards all of this.

It's understandable that he's unwilling to accept it; he's been unwilling to accept it before.

"So, being friends with you should be even simpler."

Aki Tomoya then added a sentence.

Even setting aside the fact that they were childhood sweethearts, it's already quite rare to maintain a friendship.

He didn't ask for anything else, nor did he dare to ask for more, or even want to ask for anything at all.

Eriri looked at Aki Tomoya with a somewhat downcast expression, then suddenly forced a smile: "I knew I did it the wrong way. I'm sorry, Tomoya."

The words "I'm sorry" deeply moved Aki Tomoya. He had waited a long time to finally hear those three words from the other person.