I have a life simulator.

Everyone can see the stars, but only one person can catch them and pluck them from the sky.

"Many people expend a lot of courage and heartbeats, but in the end they only chase after a distant beam of light that will not stay for them, projected from countless light-years away."

Sakayanagi Arisu turned her head away and stopped talking to Karuizawa Megumi, simply feeling her heartbeat quietly under the starry sky.

From the moment it began to beat steadily and healthily in her chest, she had already made up her mind.

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

"The meal is finished!"

Kitagawa Ryo wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel, and as if he wasn't afraid of the heat, he lifted the entire stew pot and placed it in the center of the four people sitting in a circle. The moment the lid was lifted, the rising heat and aroma burst out together.

"The barbecue is over here."

Next, Kitagawa Ryo took a pork skewer from the other grill. Considering the girls' tastes and the lack of seasoning, he didn't make it too spicy.

Kitagawa Ryo actually has a strong palate, but he hadn't dared to eat anything too spicy before because he wanted to protect his voice. You know, he did eat shrimp dumplings with chili sauce in the simulation.

Judging from the abundance of their food alone, they are among the best on the entire deserted island. After all, most students probably only eat portable food like bread and wouldn't be so rich as to spend over a thousand points to buy a full set of kitchenware to cook for themselves.

Although Kitagawa Ryo's group only received four sets of bowls and chopsticks, Karuizawa Megumi also bought a set of bowls and chopsticks herself during the day, so there was no problem with not having enough bowls and chopsticks.

After pouring the exchanged drinking water into disposable paper cups, Kitagawa Ryo was the first to raise his cup and shout like a child:

"cheers!"

It had a camping atmosphere, and the girls smiled and, quite obligingly, raised their paper cups in the air as well.

"cheers."

No one mentioned exams or grades. Instead, they chatted about their daily lives, including but not limited to who liked whom and who was pursuing whom. After all, the students of Tokyo Advanced Educational High School were just a group of sixteen or seventeen-year-old boys and girls, and there were countless kinds of love gossip.

For example, Yoshimoto from Class C of the Archery Club successfully pursued a second-year female student in the club, and they officially started dating before the summer vacation.

Speaking of which, Kitagawa Ryo had also heard about this incident. At the time, a few of Yoshimoto's friends from Class C had a misunderstanding with Miyake Akito of their archery club because of this, but now it seems that the matter has been resolved.

"How long do you think they'll stay together?"

Karuizawa suddenly threw the question at Kitagawa Ryo.

"For example, after this senior graduatees, would she be willing to wait for Yoshimoto for a whole year?"

She then asked and answered herself:

"Age gap relationships on campus have always had this problem, especially since Tokyo Advanced Educational High School is a completely closed environment, so it's even harder to say."

"When they fall in love on campus, the school is everything they can see and reach, so they don't need to think about anything, and they won't think about anything."

If Kitagawa Ryo hadn't poured the water himself, he would have even suspected that Karuizawa Megumi was drunk.

Because the girl's azure pupils had become visibly hazy, she raised her head, and the glittering stars fell into her eyes:

"I once read a quote from Camus."

"The young couple on the train were both not good-looking. She held his hand, smiling and flirting, but he was listless and even felt embarrassed to be loved by a woman he was not proud of in public."

Karuizawa Megumi looked intently at Kitagawa Ryo, and spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Am I now a girl that Ryo can be proud of...?"

Chapter 143: Swimsuit, swimsuit!

"Yes."

When asked about Karuizawa Megumi's question, Kitagawa Ryo gave a firm and unequivocal answer.

His resolute tone even gave Karuizawa Megumi a fleeting illusion, as if Kitagawa Ryo was standing in a grand church, facing a priest and God, saying "I do" to her.

Kitagawa Ryo recalled a line that Sakamoto Yuji once wrote in "Quartet":

The first step in seduction is to abandon humanity, which basically involves three methods:

[Become a cat, become a tiger, become a dog soaked in the rain]

These three routines actually correspond to mystery, authority, and pity, respectively. However, Karuizawa Kei was neither a cat nor could she turn into a tiger at the beginning, so she could only choose to get soaked in the rain. Even if there was no rain, she had to pretend to be pitiful because she was soaked. This was the role that Karuizawa Kei played for a long time.

That's why Kitagawa Ryo was willing to see her grow. The original Karuizawa Megumi had neither Ichinose Honami's innate friendliness, nor Horikita Suzune's self-control and discipline, nor Sakayanagi Arisu's family background and extraordinary intelligence.

"The current Hui is a girl I can be very proud of."

Kitagawa Ryo repeated his answer, without mentioning whether Karuizawa Kei was satisfied with herself as she was now, because this question was not about Karuizawa Kei's confusion or any unresolved issues.

Combining this with what Karuizawa Kei said earlier about Camus, it's easy to understand.

This should be a confession from a young girl.

It may be a bit convoluted, or perhaps a bit vague, but that's the truth.

Therefore, Kitagawa Ryo also took it very seriously, nodding and adding with a smile:

"It's so great to be able to meet someone like Hui."

The life simulator is his simulator, but in a way, it is also the life simulator for everyone here.

Everyone witnessed another, two, or three phases of their own lives; in other words, everyone simulated their own life.

Then, at the same time, they were given the opportunity to start their lives over again, which is now.

Among them, the one who seized this opportunity the earliest and best was Karuizawa Kei herself.

Kitagawa Ryo doesn't believe that anyone who is reborn with past memories will necessarily become better. Hideo Tomura from Class 1-D has expressed his desire to be reincarnated or reborn into another world countless times. Every time, he says that he will work hard to learn swordsmanship from a young age to become a hero, but in reality, he can't even lose his excessive weight.

Everyone knows that studying hard can improve grades and exercising can improve physical fitness. But for someone like Kitagawa Ryo, who can't make changes in reality, he doesn't think that he can suddenly become diligent and hardworking and start a perfect second life after being reborn.

Therefore, in these kinds of works, rebirth and past memories often bring the protagonists more of a head start in information, such as the next trend, the upcoming popularity of a certain type of product, the winning numbers of a lottery, or even the score of a World Cup match.

But Karuizawa Megumi had almost none; the only piece of information she received that could be considered advance notice was this:

If you don't change, you'll regret it.

This is something you can know without being reborn, just like how outsiders know that if they don't lose weight, they'll embarrass themselves in every PE test.

And so Karuizawa Kei got to where she is today. Compared to everything she has achieved so far, transforming from a bully to a protector in school bullying is the least remarkable achievement.

Whether you're improving yourself for the sake of others or for your own sake, at this point, the process and the beginning are no longer so important, because everyone can only see the result.

Then accept it, just like Kitagawa Ryo is saying now.

Just as Karuizawa Megumi was about to continue speaking, her eyes slightly red, Kitagawa Ryo added another sentence:

"It's so great to meet everyone like you."

These words brought Karuizawa Megumi back to reality. Only then did she realize that the other three people had already put down their bowls and chopsticks and turned their attention to her.

After hearing Kitagawa Ryo's last words, Ichinose Honami, Sakayanagi Arisu, and Horikita Suzune seemed to relax together, just like a child passing by a shop window in a shopping street every day. Even if they know that the new clothes they like hanging there are not theirs, they are satisfied just to see them there.

After realizing this, Karuizawa Kei pursed her lips and lowered her head again, feeling a mix of melancholy, emotion, and resentment. After all, she had gotten the answer she wanted, even if it was only a fraction of it.

Because of the somewhat abrupt topic of Karuizawa Megumi, the sumptuous dinner came to an abrupt end. The group finished the cleanup together, set up a makeshift emergency toilet and shower room provided free of charge by the school outside the tent, washed up, extinguished the fire, and returned to their respective tents.

It was already past eight o'clock. Although this was undoubtedly an early bedtime for high school students, it was unwise to go for a walk in the forest at night, especially since there were a lot of mosquitoes and other insects around at that time.

In this way, chatting naturally began through the outer tent.

Kitagawa Ryo and Karuizawa Megumi's single tents were on one side, while Ichinose Honami, Sakayanagi Arisu, and Horikita Suzune's three-person tents were opposite them. Because the forest was relatively quiet at night, they could hear each other's voices clearly.

Perhaps it was Kitagawa Ryo's words that revealed a certain attitude, because the four girls tacitly began to talk about their past, about topics that only they and Kitagawa Ryo knew about.

"Ryo, do you remember those popsicles we used to buy all the time? They didn't even have a brand, they were super cheap, and you could win a prize. I went to the convenience store in Keyakizaka Shopping Center a few days ago when it was hot, and now the cheapest one is over 100 yen, and they don't have the 'buy one get one free' sign anymore."

"Although we can't have another one, we can already afford two. If Fanbo really wants one, then I'll buy you one more, and you buy me one more. Wouldn't that be like winning the lottery?"

“A few days ago, the director of the Izaki Theater Company posted high-definition live photos of our last performance of ‘The Human Chair.’ Did Ryo see the top comments? A lot of people are guessing whether we are dating, after all, a tabloid reporter took a photo of us going back to the hotel together. To be honest, that photo was actually quite blurry, although the lighting was really not good, but I remember that Ryo and I took a better photo together under a street lamp.”

"Back then, Hui pitifully asked me if I was going to leave again. But when I wanted to quit the troupe a couple of years ago, Hui kept encouraging me, saying, 'You know that if I leave, you'll come after me, right?'"

"I'm still keeping the goldfish that Ryo brought me back last time. They're not fighting at all like what people say online. They've always been getting along well. A couple of days ago, I suddenly remembered that Tokyo's fireworks festival is about to start. It's a pity I can't go out of school all the time like Ryo does. Otherwise, I'd like to show Ryo my goldfish-catching skills."

"While it's true that you shouldn't do something too many times, I really don't believe Lingyin's goldfish catching skills. Wait... you don't keep goldfish in your dorm and just use them to practice your skills, do you?"

"Actually, I don't know much about heart disease, but I often look at the contents of that USB drive. Every time I do, I wonder what kind of mood Liang was in when she organized and thought about these things. Perhaps it's like the heart-shaped function formula that Descartes drew for the princess. Most people can only see and be amazed by that heart."

"Rather than what I was feeling, I just thought that a child like Alice, without a healthy heart, wouldn't have the courage to jump down that rabbit hole."

The girls brought up one topic after another, and Kitagawa Ryo answered them all without any awkwardness. He responded with topics that only the two of them had experienced and understood, earnestly replying to everyone's sentiments.

The five of them talked for nearly two hours, and they were still not done talking when it was time to rest. But in order to ensure their energy for tomorrow, they finally had to stop and try to close their eyes and half-force themselves to fall asleep.

At this point, even Horikita Suzune, who had always been at ease, had to face the reality of the situation.

The large tent, which could accommodate three people, was actually quite spacious, more than enough to sleep three boys. However, Horikita Suzune, Ichinose Honami, and Sakayanagi Arisu, who were in the same tent, all felt a sense of unease, as if they were being crowded.

The three people's breathing was turbulent and crowded together. No one was tossing and turning or making any rustling sounds, but it was precisely this silence that made each person's breathing sound clear.

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

On the second day of the exam on the deserted island, no one in Kitagawa Ryo's group slept in. After getting up, they went through the usual washing and grooming routine, which was rather simple.

Today's breakfast consisted of bread and canned food. Kitagawa Ryo took some vegetables and made a salad to try and balance the nutrition.

"I won't be with you today. Maybe we'll meet again tonight if fate allows."

Because it was a solo group, Karuizawa Megumi packed up much faster than Kitagawa Ryo's group. She quickly slung her bag over her shoulder and prepared to leave, waving in Kitagawa Ryo's direction before she left.

Although the deserted island exam does not prohibit groups from teaming up, most groups do not choose to team up with other groups. This is because even basic necessities like finding a group missing from a given task can be a headache, not to mention other various life-related issues.

Furthermore, Karuizawa Megumi's Class B is essentially a competitor of Kitagawa Ryo's Class D. Karuizawa Megumi is also the class president of Class B. If she acts together with Kitagawa Ryo, it's easy to wonder if Class B and Class D have formed some kind of alliance during this exam.

So Kitagawa Ryo's group wasn't surprised. However, the girls were a little allergic to Karuizawa Megumi's words "we'll meet again if fate allows," and they secretly became more vigilant, determined to find a campsite that was not easy to be discovered or that could only accommodate their group.

After saying goodbye to Karuizawa Kei, who was acting alone, Kitagawa Ryo's group spent a little more time packing everything up before, under the girls' insistence, choosing a path completely opposite to Karuizawa Kei's.

Although the shrinking of the uninhabited island will not officially begin until the third day, most students have already been intentionally moving towards the center of the island, while a small group is thinking the opposite and plans to take advantage of the time while others are moving towards the center to thoroughly explore the topics around the edge of the island.

After all, many projects offer rewards for finishing in the top three. In other words, the fewer groups that sign up for a project, the more likely they are to receive a reward. With this in mind, many groups continue to operate on the edge of the island.

Around 8 a.m., the first round of tasks for the second day finally began to be updated. Perhaps because Kitagawa Ryo's group had moved to a location closer to the beach, the first task that caught their eyes was the "Beach Flag Capture Showdown (Male and Female Groups)" task.

The so-called capture the flag on the beach is a competition in which participants face away from the flag, lie down with their hands under their chins, and run to compete for the flag 20 meters away after the referee gives the signal. It was originally designed to train lifeguards' reaction ability and explosive power.

Category: Sports

[Topic: Capture the Flag on the Beach]

[A flag-capture competition will be held on the beach, with separate groups for men and women. There is no limit to the number of participants in each group, but registration will close once each group has reached twenty participants. The competition will then begin immediately.]

[First Place (Same for both genders): 800 points, 2L of drinking water.]

[Second Place: 600 points, 1.5L of drinking water]

[Third Place: 400 points, 1L of drinking water]

[Participation Prize: 500ml of drinking water]

The rewards are quite generous. Even the participation prize includes 500ml of drinking water, and there is no limit to the number of people in the group. In other words, a full group of four people can get a total of 2L of drinking water as long as they participate in this project, regardless of their performance. If converted into points, it is worth 400 points.

Most of the nearby teams would likely rush there upon hearing the news.

"Let's go too!"

"agree!"

"completely fine!"

"Liang, hurry up, it won't be good if the registration deadline comes."

Before Kitagawa Ryo could even speak, the other three members of the group had already made a decision for him.

Kitagawa Ryo nodded with amusement. He wasn't stupid; he naturally knew what the girls were thinking.

He also began to prepare himself mentally in advance.

Of course, this is definitely not about capturing the flag on the beach.

Chapter 144: Even Small Things Are Cute

Although they had anticipated that the "Beach Flag Capture Showdown" project would be very attractive to the surrounding groups, Kitagawa Ryo's group was still taken aback by the crowd when they climbed over the hillside and arrived at the project registration site on the beach.

At least ten groups of students were gathered on this beach, including many elite groups that were currently ranked at the top. Kitagawa Ryo glanced over and saw that his two big guys, Sudo Ken and Yamada Albert, were rubbing their hands together and doing some warm-up exercises, looking like they were determined to win first place this time.

However, since the first priority was to register, Kitagawa Ryo temporarily put aside the idea of ​​greeting them. The project was divided into male and female groups, and the registration points and competition locations for the two groups were different. Kitagawa Ryo could only temporarily separate from Ichinose Honami, Horikita Suzune, and Sakayanagi Arisu and go to the male group's registration point alone.

Fortunately, there were no cases of not being able to register, but it was indeed quite a close call. After confirmation by the responsible teacher, Kitagawa Ryo finally got the twentieth and last spot in the competition.