All the people who like me are other people’s girlfriends! ?

"Well……"

Deep in her mind, some fragmented but suffocating images flashed uncontrollably, causing the athletic girl's cheeks to twitch suddenly.

She took a deep breath, moved her legs again, and ran, only ran!

She headed north, speeding up to overtake others, but she couldn't shake off the sadness that followed her closely.

*

In the dark room, the reflection of the computer screen revealed dark circles under the eyes and a lifeless face. Xiaoju typed with a strange smile, and the speed of tapping on the keyboard reached the limit of human beings.

"Hehe, hehe, yes, that's it."

She kept mumbling to herself, words that sounded like lines from a novel. After mumbling them several times, she finally uttered:

"In the cold hotel suite, the air was thick with ambiguous smells, the folds of the sheets, the overlapping figures, the intimate whispers... In this chaotic warmth, a cold, clear, and controlling female voice rang out. The boy and the bad woman heard the girl named Zhihua say:"

"Ms. Yukinoshita Haruno, you don't want your beloved sister to know what a heinous thing you do every night, right?"

"I will keep it a secret for you...but in return...you must hand him over to me..."

After a long time, she deleted the long paragraph and smiled foolishly.

Woo.

?008. An old married couple.jpg [Two-in-one]

The next morning, Kiyono was awakened by a brief, almost commanding, phone call.

"Get up and open the door."

The woman's voice coming from the receiver was calm and clear, yet it carried a gentleness that penetrated to the bone. When he caught this unique voice, he yawned, his eyes not even fully open, but he still got out of bed in a daze, as if it were a habit he had had for decades.

His arm swayed and rested on the doorknob, twisting.

Before me appeared a cool and aloof young woman with bright and clear eyes. She held a basin of hot water in her hands, which softened her unapproachable demeanor. This was no longer a high-and-mighty beauty, but a gentle and serene Yamato Nadeshiko.

Kiyono looked at the sixteen-year-old girl, scratched his head, and felt a sense of disorientation, as if he were caught between a dream and reality. They had shared countless mornings like this before, which led him to habitually complain:

"I haven't had enough sleep yet."

Yukino Hikari's gaze swept over his languid, relaxed face and slightly disheveled hair, softening his clear, sharp features even more:

"Don't just stand there like an idiot."

She walked in very naturally, put the basin of water on the ground, and Qingye followed behind her, yawning.

When Yukino scooped the blue towel soaked in hot water from the basin and skillfully wrung out the excess moisture, Kiyono almost reflexively, with a sleepy and docile demeanor, brought his face closer. Without a word, the girl naturally raised her hand, and the warm, damp towel gently covered his cheek, carefully wiping his forehead, eyelids, nose, and chin. Her movements were gentle yet firm, with a serious focus.

The warm, comforting touch finally dispelled the last trace of confusion. Qingye blinked, and her vision cleared, revealing the girl's exquisite face so close to her.

"Hmm... wait a minute." He realized what was happening and looked around. "Aren't we in a hotel? Where did you get the hot water?"

“I booked a room across from yours, and this is hot water boiled in a kettle.”

Yukinoshita's voice remained calm; she hadn't noticed anything amiss. Although it was troublesome, she knew that if she ignored it, Kiyono would simply rinse her off with a handful of cold water.

"This is already a waste..."

Kiyono couldn't help but complain. As he spoke, Yukinoshita casually put the blue towel into the basin to soak, then gently wiped her face. Then, looking in the mirror, she seriously tidied her slightly messy hair and bangs.

Kiyono's mouth gaped slightly, forgetting to complain, a feeling mixed with surprise and a certain thrill spread through his heart.

After the girl finished tidying up, she turned around and met his gaze, which was filled with complex emotions. She raised her delicate eyebrows in confusion.

"what happened?"

“During the years we lived together in college, you were absolutely unwilling to share a towel with me at first,” Kiyono pondered.

"That's because the only cleaning tool you have is that one towel." The girl's expression turned cold.

Just then, the two suddenly realized something, their eyes met briefly in mid-air, and then quickly looked away, their faces flushed with embarrassment.

Now, they are not in that kind of relationship anymore!

That tacit understanding and naturalness, like that of an old married couple, had vanished, leaving only an awkward shyness.

After a moment of silence, Yukino stood by the hotel room window, not looking at him, and said softly:

"After you finish breakfast, come home with me."

Kiyono understood what Yukino meant; he was going to be taken back to be a live-in son-in-law!

He hesitated for a long time before uttering some outrageous words.

"Feel sorry……"

Most women would probably glare angrily upon hearing those two words, but Yukinoshita remained quiet, knowing that the boy had more to say.

Sure enough, Kiyono shook her head for a moment and continued, "I have a promise with Hachina, and I also want to think about how we can be happier in the future, so I can't go home for the time being."

He spoke frankly and openly, but of course, this didn't mean he might abandon Yukino and choose someone else. He felt that no matter what happened, their feelings for each other would not waver.

"When?" Yukino Yukinoshita frowned slightly and handed him a tissue.

"Let's get through this winter." Kiyono wiped his mouth.

Yukino Yukinoshita responded with an "oh," her expression remaining calm, showing no reaction to the other women the boy mentioned, even though they had actually arrived before her, and her every move exuded the confidence of an empress.

She should have just brought Kiyono home without a second thought, but she genuinely wanted a better outcome, a happier future, and to untangle the complicated problems that were intertwined with her—this made her both brave and hesitant.

She also felt that Kiyono's status in the Yukinoshita family should indeed be elevated.

Also... does he mean he wants to stay in Tokyo temporarily?

Tokyo.

Yukino Yukinoshita had an idea.

*

Summer is a season that makes people want to move forward.

It wasn't just Kiyono; the female protagonists who shared their lives with him in the simulation had been wandering aimlessly in this summer for a long time, so they wanted to move forward and change.

Qingye began to settle down.

Although he was vaguely surrounded by a distorted gravitational field, he did not forget the important things for a man—dreams and career!

To be precise, it would be more appropriate to call it a career, because what was once a dream and aspiration has now become a predetermined future for him. This has left him, who is used to striving, feeling somewhat lost. But a young man's heart is always burning with passion and unwilling to stand still. This time, how can he reach an even higher peak?

The path of literature may be vast and boundless, and no matter how much time one invests, the end may remain in sight. However, there is a limit to a century in human life. The rest can only be left to time and history. If one wants to make further breakthroughs, one must open up new fields.

Is it to become a painter who can be called a "master"? Or a musician? Or perhaps to simply become the evil capitalist?

With these thoughts in mind, Kiyono began his second... third playthrough of the Urban Dragon King journey.

There's no need to worry about his light novel career; the first volume is a huge bestseller. In the simulation, he's also preparing his second new book, "Suppressing Eternity," in his spare time. On the other hand, starting out with literary books is a bit of a concern, since the timelines of the two worlds are different, and the trends in writing will also have subtle differences. Some writing styles may not be suitable. Fortunately, the system didn't mess with him, and a month later, he still secured the Akutagawa Prize as his debut achievement.

The man, once recognized as a literary giant of the new century, remained calm and composed. However, the light novel companies and editors were starting to panic. Seriously, dude, this summer isn't even over yet, and you've already achieved such a meteoric rise in industry standing? What kind of magical skill did you master? And are you even going to write light novels anymore?!

In short, the legend of the mysterious and talented man has quietly begun to circulate.

Meanwhile, the female protagonists are also striving towards their ideals.

Komari worked tirelessly to write her light novel set in the simulation, carefully revising its shortcomings. Now she has received notification that it will be published. Banami is eating and reading, Eriri is drawing and researching the special simulation, and Haruno is looking for a chance to sneak away...

—By the way, Yukino Yukinoshita has rented the room next to his and comes every two days, while Hachimi comes every three days, and Haruno, Haruno… So, this isn’t a hotel!

then……

Summer is over just like that.

After all, their simulations created too many problems in reality, leaving no time even for romance.

As the seasons changed, Kiyono seriously pondered a question:

"Should I go to school?"

Although in his dream world he is already the face of Tokyo University, in the real world he is still a dropout who works hard to support himself.

Going to school isn't just about learning, it's also about...

The sparks and romance of a bonfire party! The sweat and sunshine of a sports festival! The exotic charm of a school trip! And the thrilling and heart-pounding romantic comedy of "The Quintessential Quintuplets"☆! —Let's skip this one.

Yes, kids, I go to school to celebrate this exciting youth—I've already worked so hard in my dreams, so there's nothing wrong with enjoying it in the real world!

"But which high school should I attend?"

If Yukinoshita and the others are in Chiba, then in Tokyo...

"Master, please rest assured, I have activated my mysterious power to help you merge all the high schools attended by the heroines except for Yukino Yukinoshita into one school!" the system said proudly.

Kiyono frowned. Why did this setting seem so familiar? And why was it targeting my husband?

He thought for a while, changed his clothes, went out the door, and prepared to buy some daily necessities that were almost used up.

Once downstairs, although it wasn't exactly cool, the days when you'd sweat just standing there seemed to be over.

The occasional breeze brings the scent of the next season.

Arrived at the mall.

Buying toilet paper, snacks, rice, fruits and vegetables... Even though I'm not short of money, I still subconsciously take advantage of various discounts and membership cards. This is a habit I developed with Yukinoshita.

Some memories suddenly resurfaced in my mind, including images of Hachiman.

"Clear, clear, clear, clear the fields!?"

A familiar girl's voice rang out behind me.

Kiyono turned around, but what she saw was neither Yukinoshita nor Yagami... A beautiful, well-proportioned face with half of her face hidden by her bangs, a slender figure, a gloomy and introverted temperament, and very white skin upon closer inspection...

"Xiao Ju?" Qingye raised an eyebrow. She was pushing a shopping cart filled with meat, eggs, vegetables, and some snacks. It seemed she was there to buy things, just like him.

Upon seeing him, Xiao Ju couldn't help but reveal a suspicious smile, and a blush appeared on her cheeks—this must be what they call a lucky encounter, right? My heart, my heart is beating so fast—Ugh! You idiot, stop smiling!

She seemed to realize how disgusting her smile was, suddenly snapped back to reality, slapped her cheek hard, and whispered:

"I...I'm here to buy something!"

"I know." Kiyono smiled and naturally walked to her side.

As the two drew closer, Xiaoju felt her breathing become labored. She stole a glance at the dazzling Qingye, almost holding her breath, her body stiff as a board.

"I...I didn't follow you on purpose!" She said something that even she found speechless. Just how bad am I at communicating?

"I'm curious how you came up with that." Kiyono glanced at her speechlessly. The girl was putting herself in such a lowly position!

"Because, because I was misunderstood before..."

Xiao Ju looked away and muttered something.

It seems like I inadvertently triggered some sad memories from the past!

Kiyono didn't know what to say for a moment. After a two-second silence, he finally said, "Well... it probably won't happen again."

"Why?" Xiao Ju couldn't understand and tilted her head to look at him in confusion, her bangs also tilting slightly.

“Because—” Kiyono’s smile was like the winter sun, “If you are misunderstood in the future, you can come to me. If you can’t defend yourself, I will help you clarify to everyone that ‘Xiao Ju is not that kind of girl.’”

He had always admired Xiao Ju for many reasons. For example, although she was poor, she did not give up on herself but was proactive. She also had a strong spirit and could endure poverty and hardship that most people could not bear. They were actually the same kind of people—they had all experienced pain and hardship, and they were all afraid of difficulties, but they still had the courage and determination to move forward.

The girl's quiet, animal-like nature and endearing charm made him subconsciously treat her like a younger sister.

Xiao Ju suddenly froze. She gripped the stroller tightly because she felt her legs were weak and she was afraid she would fall if she didn't. Even so, she felt her brain shut down and her cheeks were so hot they could fry an egg. She even wondered if steam was sizzling from the top of her head.

Seriously, don't say things like that! I might misunderstand and think you're confessing your feelings to me!

"Oh...I...I...I understand." She tried hard to keep her voice from trembling.

The two chatted as they waited in line at the checkout counter. The girl wished the time could last longer, even if they just talked about meaningless things. But soon it was her turn to pay, which made her feel a little regretful and disappointed.

"Great deal, 6400 yen!" the waiter said with a warm smile.

Xiao Ju took out her wallet, ready to pay, but something unexpected happened.

……what?

Where is my money?

The girl's eyes widened as she rummaged through the compartments of her small wallet, but there were only two pitiful banknotes left. Even with all the jingling coins, it wouldn't be enough. A chill ran down her spine—oh no, the aftereffects of the simulation were kicking in! She thought she was still a light novel author with decent royalties, but she subconsciously exceeded her budget when buying things!

Sweat beaded on her forehead, and the gazes of those around her felt like needles piercing her skin. Why... why did it have to be in front of this person? She just didn't want to show this side of herself in front of Qingye.

Embarrassment and helplessness overwhelmed her; she felt paralyzed and involuntarily lowered her head.