I have a life simulator.

After Kitagawa Ryo's explanation, Horikita Suzune realized that Sakayanagi Arisu, who always wore a sports ring, only wore it on the middle finger of her left hand. If she really wore such a flashy gold and diamond ring on her ring finger, it might indeed cause a terrible accident.

"It's alright. Actually, I've already made all the preparations. Lingyin, just relax and wait until tomorrow."

As he spoke, Kitagawa Ryo gave Hotaru a kind smile again:

"Hotaru thinks so too, right?"

"Meow."

The kitten instinctively shrank its neck, but having lived closely with Kitagawa Ryo for so many years, it understood what the other meant almost instantly.

Indeed, no ring appeared in Horikita Suzune's simulation.

But in all those simulations, the ring that belonged to the other person really did exist, only in the simulation of Karuizawa Megumi who had just left.

Incidentally, those were three couples who actually had engagements, proposals, and wedding rings—after all, it was a proper, formal wedding that Kitagawa Ryo had held in a simulation, completely different from Ichinose Honami's tribute to the classic piano piece 'Wedding in a Dream' and Sakayanagi Arisu's stillborn wedding.

Although the two parties involved are in a strange state where one doesn't want to recall anything and the other doesn't remember anything at all, Hotaru can still use her little paws to dredge up those souvenirs from the river of time. Speaking of which, she had thought about this kind of thing in a rather wicked way when Karuizawa Kei complained about why there was only one group photo left, and it seems to have a particularly outstanding effect on Karuizawa Kei.

Seeing that Hotaru must have understood what he meant, Kitagawa Ryo put her down again, and sighed inwardly.

To be honest, if it weren't for Hotaru's sudden betrayal today, he really wouldn't have wanted to bring up that item from his memories again. After all, Shiina Hiyori's example was a perfect example. If Suzune were to put on the ring and say, like in that classic scene from a toilet paper light novel, "I remember now!", then everything would really fall apart.

However, on the other hand, if he couldn't calm Horikita Suzune down now, and just admitted that he never intended to give her the ring today, and that it was all Hotaru's doing...

That reason sounds ridiculous.

So being a cat is really convenient!

Thinking of this, Kitagawa Ryo glared at Hotaru again, but the other party still seemed indifferent, after all, she had achieved her goal.

Forget about misunderstandings for now. Things have come to this point, and the older brother can only swallow his bitterness and accept the established fact.

I have a feeling that this approach has great potential.

Should we take this a step further and do it to another version of ourselves, making it a fait accompli...? No one would doubt the cuteness of this kitten, right?

Kitagawa Ryo had no idea what plan Hotaru, who was already brainstorming and continuing to make sugar-free white bread with a wicked smile, was brewing, because Horikita Suzune in front of him seemed to be grappling with another problem.

"Even if Ryo says that... I still want to keep this ring for myself, after all, well, it has a lot of sentimental value."

"When I look back on this Valentine's Day, I will not only have those densely packed plans and execution schemes, problem reports and all kinds of submitted materials in my mind."

Horikita Suzune had already made her point so clearly that even though Kitagawa Ryo had a strong premonition that this ring would become some kind of hidden bomb in the future, he couldn't bring himself to say a word of refusal.

"Yes, if it can bring Lingyin some precious and beautiful memories, then it is valuable, and that's what I want to see."

"Tomorrow is Lingyin's birthday. Do you have any plans? I'm fine with anything."

"If that's what Ryo asked, I was actually going to say that I have classes tomorrow during the day and I also have to go to the student council after school, since there will definitely be a lot of things to deal with after the festival... but..."

At this point, Horikita Suzune paused slightly:

"On my birthday, I just feel like it's just another ordinary day. I continue to go to work and do the same things as yesterday. It feels more like something that adults would do and have to do."

Since joining the student council, Horikita Suzune has maintained an amazing perfect attendance record, never being late or leaving early, and never skipping work without reason like Sakayanagi Arisu.

The same applies to schools. Over the years, even when they were unwell or sick, they would still choose to continue attending school as if nothing had happened.

She recalled a story she had read in a book, where an employee who had never taken a vacation finally combined all his annual leave and used it up, fulfilling his dream of traveling around the country in those three months.

If she has accumulated many birthday wishes, then she should have just as many during the holidays.

"Please come with me..."

The moment she opened her mouth, Horikita Suzune suddenly felt that the word 'asking for leave' was not enough to describe her feelings at that moment.

Too light, too bland, neither good nor bad enough.

Therefore, the top student, Horikita Suzune, revised her statement:

"Whether it's classes or club activities tomorrow, Ryo will be with me—"

She was already a bad girl in high school who wanted to put a ring on her left ring finger to decide the rest of her life.

"Take it or leave it."

"If it's Rinne, then that's good."

Chapter 483: Perfume and Fireworks

"...Was it because you stayed there for too long? Or is the perfume Hui bought too effective? I still feel like I can't quite smell it."

After seeing Horikita Suzune off, Kitagawa Ryo quickly took a shower in the last remaining time. But he didn't know if it was just his imagination, but he felt that even after showering and changing into new clothes, he still felt that faint herbal scent lingered on his body.

However, it's much better than before. Unless you're very close to your body and carefully smell it, you can hardly detect it, since the other party didn't buy the kind with a particularly strong smell.

Although he was still a little worried, he didn't have much time left for Kitagawa Ryo. Under these circumstances, he could only compose himself, straighten his posture, and give Hotaru a good scolding before quickly leaving the room.

It's now 6:15, and there are only 15 minutes left before the fireworks display begins.

Winter days do indeed darken quite quickly. It was only a little past six o'clock, and daylight had already seamlessly switched to night mode. However, tonight was a clear night, with bright moonlight shining down from the clouds and a gentle breeze caressing our faces.

While Kitagawa Ryo waited quietly outside Ichinose Honami's dormitory room, gentlemanly refraining from knocking or sending a text message to urge her, Ichinose Honami inside the room had already completed her rather lengthy preparations.

Hairstyle, hair accessories, makeup, clothes—the only thing that Ichinose Honami regrets is that the time was too short. Even though she washed her hair as soon as she got back to the dorm, it was still half-dry. But perhaps that's why the green citrus scent of the shampoo she's been using all this time lingered so clearly around her nose, making her presence felt.

Honami Ichinose doesn't have the habit of wearing perfume. Even now, like most girls her age, she is proficient in using various cosmetics and has a good understanding of related knowledge, but she still subconsciously avoids perfume.

Honami Ichinose is certainly willing to admit that part of this is due to her family and childhood experiences, but she also cannot deny that another part of the reason is that during the darkest few seconds of her life so far, the background scent that constituted that tragic picture was a strong, almost decadent rose perfume.

In this respect, the fireworks festival, or rather the sound of fireworks being set off, should also be part of her unpleasant memories. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to add a meme or GIF of "fireworks, sails, fireworks" to it. And in fact, that's exactly the case. Before Kitagawa Ryo's invitation tonight, she hadn't been to that annual fireworks festival for many years.

Kitagawa Ryo was certainly aware of this as well, and that was why he had meticulously laid a series of groundwork beforehand. Everything that happened at the cultural festival today was for this purpose, almost as if he was gently coaxing her step by step, telling her that the past was all over and that the current world line was already like this.

They will have the perfect date, without the sudden appearance of Karuizawa Megumi (?), and without any scheming or backstabbing. Irises, the messengers of love, will send them their blessings. The girl will draw the fortune stick that is destined for her and open it. They will eat, play, and take photos together. They will write down the words they used to only dare to keep in their hearts on a Polaroid camera. Finally, they will go to a fireworks festival for the two of them.

It was precisely because Kitagawa Ryo had already accomplished these things that she did not experience any negative emotions, but instead habitually began to anticipate and even enjoy them.

Thinking this, Honami Ichinose finally picked up the perfume from the vanity in front of her. It was the same scent as her favorite shampoo, a blend of green mandarin orange and other fruity notes.

Generally speaking, there are two ways to apply perfume.

The first and simplest method is the spray method. Spray a mist of perfume onto your body from about 10 to 20 centimeters away, covering a wide area as much as possible. Then stand in the mist for about five minutes. Alternatively, spray the perfume widely into the air and then slowly walk through the mist. This allows the perfume to settle evenly on your body, leaving a light, pleasant fragrance.

However, considering that winter clothes might be too thick and the issue of durability, and since their night was also very long, after thinking about it for a while, Ichinose Honami chose the second method, the so-called seven-point perfume application method.

Gently squeezing the perfume sprayer, Honami Ichinose first sprayed some perfume onto the veins of her wrists on both hands. She then lightly touched the corresponding veins with her middle and ring fingers for a while before lifting them up in front of the mirror.

This may be the first time in her life that she has examined and observed her body and appearance so carefully, and then gradually regained her confidence in certain aspects of herself.

Her fingers brushed over the back of her small, delicate ears, which looked even whiter and more rosy after her recent bath, and her long, fair neck.

Then she gently gathered her hair, the golden-pink strands half-dry and cascading down her shoulders, radiating a dazzling sheen. Ichinose Honami twirled the ends of her hair, lingering there for a moment.

After applying the perfume to the inside of her elbows, corresponding to her wrists, the girl silently lifted the hem of her dress in front of the mirror, revealing the slender branches that contrasted sharply with the fullness of her upper body. She then picked up the spray bottle again and lightly sprayed the perfume on the left and right sides of her waist, which were so alluring and tempting to peek at her upper and lower body. Then, she used her left and right fingers to gently spread the perfume evenly and applied it to the inside of her knees and the inside of her ankles.

By this point, only six points had actually been completed by seven.

After a slight hesitation, Honami Ichinose quickly made a decision, or rather, it was something that had already been prepared in advance.

The sash of the yukata was loosened slightly again, and fingertips, like dragonflies skimming the water, brushed across the inner thigh, leaving it with a familiar scent.

Honami Ichinose could clearly feel the tips of her ears burning, and she even felt that the temperature was causing the perfume behind her ears to evaporate quickly. So she reapplied it and then felt relieved and stood up again.

If everything that happened today was Kitagawa Ryo's Valentine's Day gift to her, then she probably couldn't wait, or rather, didn't want to wait until March 14th, White Day, a month later, to reciprocate.

She will do it today, she will do it today—

But it's not about offering it up, it's about exchanging it.

Go and exchange your body, mind, memories, soul, and love with him.

And the rest of my life.

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

"Fanbo looks really beautiful in that outfit."

The moment Honami Ichinose stepped out of her dormitory room, Ryo Kitagawa, who was waiting there, arrived as promised to offer his blessings.

The yukata, with its blue and purple base and ice crack pattern, complemented the girl's golden-pink hair quite well. Although the dark waist belt concealed her slender waistline, it couldn't hide the breathtaking curves of her chest. Without a doubt, among the girls Kitagawa Ryo knew, Ichinose Honami had the best figure. After all, Amasawa Ichika's main advantage was the contrast created by her incredibly youthful baby face; her actual measurements were definitely not as explosive as Honami's.

"Ah."

Ultimately, the reason why girls are willing to spend more than an hour dressing up from head to toe is essentially because of this one sentence from their crush. This is the principle of "women dress up for those who appreciate them." Therefore, although Ichinose Honami simply hummed in agreement, she couldn't help but reach out and put her arm around Kitagawa Ryo with some satisfaction.

Unlike her, Kitagawa Ryo did not choose to wear a yukata tonight, but Ichinose Honami did not care much. After all, even at the most formal fireworks festival, it is not mandatory for everyone, especially the men, to wear yukata, let alone at a 'makeshift' event like tonight.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that Ichinose Honami is probably the only girl in the entire Tokyo Advanced Educational High School who would go out of her way to buy a yukata just for tonight. After all, in the eyes of most students and faculty at Tokyo Advanced Educational High School, this fireworks display is just one of the programs in today's Valentine's Day celebration.

However, the reason why Kitagawa Ryo doesn't wear a yukata is actually quite simple.

Because wearing that thing was really inconvenient to move around in, and it was too conspicuous, he was destined to make several large moves tonight, so the lighter the clothes, the better.

Undoubtedly, Kitagawa Ryo and Ichinose Honami attracted a lot of attention on their way from the student dormitory to the gymnasium. After all, they were one of the most famous couples on campus, and they had been showing off their affection all day long, like they were on a real-life dating reality show. It was hard for them not to attract attention.

However, Honami Ichinose did not respond with words and smiles to every student who greeted her as usual. Being love-struck can sometimes be a very useful excuse, allowing one to subtly and gradually correct one's so-called persona and personality.

Since people always unconsciously suspect that gentle girls are not only gentle to them and therefore keep their distance, then literally give your gentleness to only one person. You should tell them in front of everyone and in the loudest voice in their ear that you are the most special one.

At exactly 6:30, the fireworks display began on time, as expected, under the watchful eyes of all the students and faculty of Dongyu University.

As the clock struck the appointed hour, the first dazzling firework exploded in the clear, bright winter night sky, followed by a continuous stream of fireworks rising and bursting into bloom. Even the moon on the horizon seemed to lose its luster and become merely a backdrop.

It is clearly just a physicochemical phenomenon created by humans, made from a mixture of gunpowder and metal salts, and manifested through a flame test. But like the bright crescent moon next to it, people throughout history have long endowed it with many other meanings.

This also applies to Kitagawa Ryo and Ichinose Honami.

It was no longer just background color and background sound matching the rotting rose perfume. The warmth of the right palm had never felt so real. Unlike the thud of the hilt of the knife, it was the softness of skin. Ichinose Honami held Kitagawa Ryo's hand and looked up at the night sky.

The fireworks display is also divided into rounds and themes, and the types are naturally different. The first round is a duet of round and spiral fireworks. After all the fireworks are set off, there is a few minutes of rest before the second round begins.

"How about we go buy some snacks?"

During this break, Kitagawa Ryo suggested to Ichinose Honami beside him, pointing to a nearby food stall that had already started selling all sorts of stereotypical snacks.

"Apple candy? Or marshmallow?"

After seeing Ichinose Honami nod slightly in agreement, Kitagawa Ryo continued to ask questions.

"Let's have some marshmallows. Just buy one, we can share it."

After tilting her head and thinking for a moment, Honami Ichinose quickly made her choice.

So, Kitagawa Ryo quickly bought a huge, fluffy cotton candy from a roadside stall. He and Honami had agreed that one would eat the left side and the other the right, but it soon turned into a couple's game where each of them would take a big bite out of the other's side and then retaliate by taking a big bite out of the other's side. They stopped when all that was left was a bare wooden stick, and couldn't help but smile as they looked at the cotton candy strands that had gotten on each other's lips from their earlier actions.

"Fanbo's mouth was completely covered in it."

As Kitagawa Ryo said this, he reached out towards her, seemingly wanting to wipe the sugar strands from the corner of her mouth. When Ichinose Honami also cooperated by slightly standing on tiptoe, it was the boy's lips that touched her.

This was not their first kiss.

But in every respect, she should be the sweetest one.

The second round of fireworks began at just the right time, this time with a combination of thousands of stars and falling rain, like a thousand trees blooming in the east wind at night, and stars falling like rain.

On the rooftop of the stadium, which was closed to everyone today and locked in advance, the photographers who had received Kitagawa Ryo's personal points had already focused their lenses and locked them on from all directions, determined to take the photos that best matched their reward and get another bonus.

Just as one of them wanted to change the angle and adjusted the position of the camera, he was surprised to catch something unusual in another direction.

That was the direction where Karuizawa Megumi and Shiina Hiyori were.

Touching the day at the beginning of the month

I went to the hospital today for a follow-up appointment and to pick up my medication. I'm a bit tired, so I'm taking a day off.

Wishing you and your families good health and safety.

I'm including a picture of Rin, which I really like. It's from her official solo manga. Her personality is much cuter than in the original manga. I also referenced a lot of the character designs from this manga when I wrote about Rin in this book. Long, straight black hair is so nice.


Chapter 484: To Alice

"It's amazing that you approved this level of fireworks display. This must be the first time since Dongyu was founded."

As dazzling fireworks lit up the sky above Tokyo Advanced Educational High School, Sakayanagi Shigemori and Tsukishiro Tsunehira, who were chatting and drinking tea in the chairman's office, stood together by the window, their hands behind their backs, gazing at the distant night sky.

"After all, I'm just an acting chairman who'll be stepping down in two months. It just so happens that the student council president who also applied is an acting chairman. So naturally, one of us dared to apply and the other dared to approve it."

In response to Sakayanagi Narimori's half-teasing, half-questioning remarks, Tsukishiro Tsunehira also cracked a small joke:

"Besides, I had long expected Kitagawa to do something like this after I forced him to become the acting president of the student council. After all, he has always been a student who doesn't play by the rules, and he is more willing to act according to his feelings in many ways."

"It sounds like you're saying the kid isn't rational enough."

"You could certainly understand it from that perspective, but wouldn't it be more humane to say it in another way?"