I have a life simulator.

"Here's one last piece of advice for you."

The witch turned back, pulling her hood up to reveal most of her face, which had been hidden. When she smiled, her wrinkles gathered together, revealing her as a very ordinary old woman.

"The human heart has a capacity; too much emotion will overflow, and too little will dry up. These are both undesirable states."

"The human heart is actually very fragile, so we need to soothe it often, and frequently place our hand next to our heart and say to ourselves—"

"everything will be fine."

Quite touching lines, paired with a witch's patient admonition.

Just as Kitagawa Ryo was about to be moved for a while, a silver card reader was pushed towards him:

"It's time. Please settle your bill."

Well, this is indeed a shady shop.

-------------------------------------

"You look quite disheveled."

Standing outside Karuizawa Kei's door was an unexpected visitor.

Sakayanagi Arisu stood smiling outside the door. Karuizawa Megumi frowned. She didn't recognize the white-haired girl in front of her, only knowing that she was the temporary leader of Class A.

Aren't you going to let me in first?

"...Please come in."

Although she had applied a hot towel to her eyes temporarily, the tear stains and severe nasal voice still betrayed Karuizawa Megumi.

In fact, after parting ways with her friends yesterday, she had locked herself in her room.

Fortunately, it was summer vacation, so there was no need to worry about being noticed anything unusual.

"We're having a sports festival next semester."

Sakayanagi Arisu sat down on her own and directly revealed an important piece of information to Karuizawa Kei.

However, this information would be known sooner or later. As is customary, it would be announced by the homeroom teacher after the start of the next semester, so Sakayanagi Arisu didn't mind doing another favor.

"Are you here to tell me this as the leader of Class A?"

Karuizawa Kei quickly returned to her demeanor as the leader of Class D. Even though she looked a little haggard, she stared intently at Sakayanagi Arisu, analyzing the other party's intentions.

"If we follow the usual practice, the sports festival will be divided into two groups, red and white, to compete. Class A and Class D will be natural allies this time."

"Are you here to form an alliance with me?"

"No."

Sakayanagi Arisu shook her head:

"As I just mentioned, this is in accordance with the usual practice."

"This year's situation may be very different."

"Due to some issues within the student council, the format of this sports festival may be adjusted."

"Does the student council... have that much power?"

"This school is based on merit, and the student council, as the student representatives, naturally has the right to change the rules."

Sakayanagi Arisu explained to Karuizawa Megumi with a smile.

"Please be prepared."

"You came all this way just to tell me this?"

Karuizawa asked somewhat dejectedly, since she and Sakayanagi Arisu were not very familiar with each other. According to her, Class A and Class D might not be allies like in previous years.

What are your stance and intentions?

She began to scrutinize Sakayanagi Arisu with a sharp gaze, as if trying to discern something from her expression.

"I just hope you can help him."

As she spoke, Arisu Sakayanagi took a photograph out of her pocket:

Her slender fingers gently brushed across the group photo; thirteen-year-old Kitagawa Ryo held a white cat in her arms and gave the camera her best smile.

The logo of the photography studio in the lower right corner is somewhat blurry; only the small words "...group photo" are clearly visible.

This is a very strange group photo.

Because on the right side of the group photo, the neat knife cuts seem to exclude someone who should be standing there, leaving only a wisp of honey-colored hair that can be glimpsed.

"Come on."

Chapter 58: Before the End of Summer

"Good morning, Honoki."

At the tail end of summer vacation, with only three days left before the start of school, Kitagawa Ryo met Ichinose Honami at the agreed-upon 9 a.m.

"Good morning, Ryo."

Honami Ichinose's long, golden-pink hair was casually draped over her shoulders as always, without any hairbands or clips. Because it was still the height of summer, her attire was very light and breezy. Two fair and delicate wrists peeked out from the sleeves of her summery light blue striped shirt, highlighting a captivating figure that seemed beyond her years. She appeared to be wearing a black tank top underneath, and her light black shorts barely covered her thighs, revealing her full and straight legs, which were quite eye-catching.

"It's so hot, I'm sorry to trouble you to come with me."

Kitagawa Ryo walked up to Ichinose Honami and spoke.

"It's okay. After all, I'm the only first-year student council member. It's only reasonable for Ryo to ask me for help."

Honami Ichinose smiled knowingly and said:

"Moreover, the information that Ryo gave me last time was also very important. Chihiro was worried for a long time, but now she has finally returned to the class normally."

"The intelligence from last time was just a bargaining chip to get Fanbo to voluntarily withdraw from the Werewolf game. It was essentially a mutually beneficial arrangement, so there's no need to thank me."

Kitagawa Ryo glanced at Ichinose Honami and said calmly:

"I never expected that Vice President Nagumo, who is so well-regarded on campus, would be such a bastard who maliciously leaks other people's privacy. Fortunately, not many people know about it now. Ryuen only obtained that thing by chance, which is why he chose to threaten your Class B."

Yes, before the last Werewolf game started, Kitagawa Ryo had already reached a secret agreement with Ichinose Honami. In exchange for exposing Shiranami Chihiro, a spy he had been using for a semester, Ichinose Honami would work for Kitagawa Ryo in that Werewolf game.

For Honami Ichinose, no matter how many points she gets in the Werewolf game, it's not as important as eliminating potential threats within the class and restoring peace to the class.

This might be a childish move that others would scoff at, but Honami Ichinose made that choice nonetheless.

After discussing with Ryuen Sho, Kitagawa Ryo also chose Ryuen as the person who would threaten Shiranami Chihiro. On the one hand, this would further create the appearance that he and Ryuen had a disagreement and were acting in different ways. On the other hand, it would also make it easier for Kitagawa Ryo to gain Ichinose Honami's trust.

However, just two days ago, Kitagawa Ryo obtained another important piece of information from Sakayanagi Arisu.

Honami Ichinose once explained her past experience of theft to Masaru Nagumo.

In order to win over Sakayanagi Arisu and Class 1-A to cooperate in the sports festival, Nagumo Masaru generously revealed a lot of information, and this is one of the key pieces of information.

Nangumo Masaru's move was nothing more than to use Class 1-A to suppress the class that Ichinose Honami was in. According to him, it would be best to force the Ichinose class to the point where they had no way to retreat, and only then would he appear as the only savior.

Unfortunately, Sakayanagi Arisu immediately informed Kitagawa Ryo, so Kitagawa Ryo and Ryuen Sho promptly changed their statements, shifting most of the blame onto Nagumo Masaru.

Chihiro Shiraha had already deleted the recording from her hands long ago, and Ryo Kitagawa wasn't worried that the two of them would notice anything amiss.

"It seems there was a reason why President Horikita didn't allow new students to be recruited in the first place..."

Honami Ichinose muttered something under her breath, and seeing Ryo Kitagawa looking at her questioningly, she explained:

"Because the student council did not recruit any new members this year, both Katsuragi and I from Class A were rejected. Later, Vice President Nagumo had a private talk with me."

"At that time, I didn't think too much about it. In fact, because he was also from Class B and I felt close to and respected him, I told him about my past without hesitation."

At this point, Honami Ichinose asked curiously:

"Speaking of which, Ryo probably doesn't know about this yet, right?"

"Although it was used against me, I believe that even in the past, Fanbo would not have done anything too outrageous."

Kitagawa Ryo smiled:

"The past is meaningless; focusing on the present and the future is the right thing to do."

"Of course, if Fanbo is willing to confide in me, I am quite good at listening from a friend's perspective."

"Ah."

Honami Ichinose gave a soft reply, then quickly looked up and returned a bright smile:

"When I have the courage to tell the whole class, I will definitely tell Liang first."

"it is good."

Kitagawa Ryo made a temporary agreement with Ichinose Honami, and did not force her to confront the past that she least wanted to remember right now.

However, he was also aware of the risks of this matter being exposed. Without any preparation, if Ichinose Honami, who had always been a perfect person, were suddenly subjected to such malicious slander, she could easily fall into a predicament of self-doubt and blame. At least now there is a buffer period.

Hopefully she can get through this on her own.

Kitagawa Ryo never thought that Ichinose Honami was a hypocrite.

Even though this was the past she most wanted to hide, when faced with Kamuro Masumi who had stolen, Ichinose Honami still spoke of her own experience without hesitation to advise her.

So even now, Kitagawa Ryo still feels a little guilty towards Ichinose Honami.

"Hiyori would be very happy if she knew about Ryo's plan."

When Hiyori Shiina's name came out of Honami Ichinose's mouth, Ryo Kitagawa also withdrew his previous thoughts.

He is indeed someone who is quite inept at matters of the heart and is still in the exploratory stage, but once he has made up his mind, he will not waver.

"Therefore, it should be kept secret from Japan."

Kitagawa Ryo nodded and said:

I wonder if the student council will approve my application?

As the two walked and talked, they arrived at the club center building. Because it was summer vacation, the clubs that were usually active were either out of school to participate in competitions or on vacation. Most of the students in the school had gone to the swimming pool, which was originally reserved for the swimming club but was now open to all teachers and students for three days. Therefore, it was much quieter here than outside.

Kitagawa Ryo and Ichinose Honami took the elevator to the top floor of the student council building. Similar to other clubs, the student council's workload was reduced by more than half during the summer vacation. There was only one student in the meeting room organizing materials and dealing with possible emergencies.

"Ichinose? You're not on duty today, are you? Is there something you need?"

Noticing the two entering, the student stood up and asked Ichinose Honami, who was also a student council member.

"Vice President Tongshan".

I originally thought he was a secretary, but I didn't expect him to be a vice president.

Kitagawa Ryo glanced at the seemingly unremarkable student, but he had never heard of her before. Despite both being vice presidents, Nanono Masa was much more well-known on campus.

Honami Ichinose, of course, had no idea what Ryo Kitagawa was thinking. After politely greeting Kiriyama, she also took the initiative to explain:

"This is Kitagawa Ryo, who will be promoted to Class B after the start of the new semester, and is in Class C of the first year."

"Ah hello."

Upon hearing Kitagawa Ryo's name, Kiriyama frowned slightly but still extended his hand to greet Kitagawa Ryo.

"Hello, Kiriyama-senpai."

One shouldn't hit a smiling face, especially since Kitagawa Ryo had come to gain the student council's approval, so he politely responded to their greeting.

"The reason I was asked to bring Fanbo here today is to submit an application."

Kitagawa Ryo took the neatly prepared application form out of his bag and handed it to Kiriyama.

The student council handles most of the school's affairs, big and small. If Kitagawa Ryo wants to create a grand confession ceremony for Shiina Hiyori as he wishes, he must go through the student council's approval. Just like when he spent 20 million points to buy Hotaru a student status a few days ago, he first reported it to the student council for processing.

"Class 1-C wants to apply to host a party in two days?"

After glancing at the title and the general content, Kiriyama looked up and asked with some confusion.

This isn't to say that the application was particularly unexpected; on the contrary, compared to Kitagawa Ryo's application a few days ago to grant a cat student status, this application was as normal as could be.

In the past, there have been cases where classes applied for various activities and obtained venue approval, such as parties and birthday parties, which are all reasonable requests.

"There's nothing wrong with this application."

After carefully reviewing the application again while seated, Vice President Kiriyama nodded in approval:

"However, it must end before 10 p.m., no alcohol is allowed, and all dangerous behaviors such as lighting bonfires and setting off fireworks are prohibited."

"As for the location, the special administration building and the nearby open space can be allocated to you for use."

"At the same time, a deposit must be paid to the student union. If any damage to the venue or other issues arise afterward, the class will also need to make corresponding compensation."