Am I being simulated by their love affair?

"I didn't see Songzhi as particularly flattered~"

Jun Matsueda rubbed his face against hers and gently kissed the girl's lips.

"now what?"

"That's more like it..."

Wang Yueyao loosened her embrace and straightened the fur collar around her neck.

"Songzhi, have you had breakfast yet? If you have, we'll head straight up the mountain."

“No problem.” The boy took a step back and examined her attire.

Mochizuki wore a plain white kimono, cinched with a black sash, and a pair of low-heeled white leather boots were tucked into the hem, making her look elegant and cute.

The kimono had a wide neckline, so the girl wore a pure white fluffy shawl, which made her look very elegant.

"...What event did Mochizuki just attend?" Jun Matsueda blinked.

This makes the girl's unusual early rising seem particularly reasonable.

"No." Mochizuki Haruka rolled her eyes at him.

“I came to pick you up as soon as I got up. Wearing a kimono is just to fit in with local customs—we’ve been wearing it at home all this time.”

"No wonder you've been posting pictures of yourself in a kimono these past few days..." The boy took her hand.

"Then how do we get up the mountain?"

The girl pointed to the parking lot not far behind her.

"Take a car."

The hills by the sea weren't high or large. After walking along a tree-lined concrete road, the boy, who had gotten into the white sedan, saw another mansion belonging to the Mochizuki family a few minutes later.

A Japanese-style villa sits atop a flat hill, its retro wood and stone structure elegant and grand, yet also incorporating modern design elements.

The villa has only two floors, but it is quite large, so it occupies a vast area—the only one of its kind in the open space in the forest, coupled with the silhouette of Mount Fuji on the distant horizon, it is the best symbol of wealth and status.

"Isn't it pretty?" Mochizuki Haruka led the boy out of the car, her tone as casual as if she were introducing her own pet.

“My aunt especially likes it because you can see Mount Fuji and the coastline from here.”

“It’s pretty good…” Jun Matsueda looked up at Mount Fuji in the distance.

"But didn't you lure me in with hot springs and maple leaves? This doesn't seem to be the same place as here."

“That’s right.” The girl nodded. “That’s our ancestral home in the east of Kamakura. It’s all wood and not as comfortable as here in winter.”

"I see." The boy walked towards the mansion and looked at the deluxe "kadomatsu" on both sides of the entrance.

"I forgot you're not just any ordinary wealthy family."

Mochizuki Haruka caught up with him and tugged at his arm.

"What do you mean 'you'? It's us!"

Upon entering the room, Jun Matsue's slightly tense state of mind quickly relaxed.

This hilltop villa is far smaller than the manor on the outskirts of Mitaka City, and the respectful faces in the corridors are still familiar—except that the Western-style interior decoration has been replaced with a classic Japanese-style room, and the servants have also changed into kimonos, so it is really no different from staying in Tokyo.

The boy and girl quickly left the entrance hall with the shimenawa rope hanging behind them. They walked into the living room on the first floor, where the golden cat lying on the sofa raised its head and let out a joyful yet lazy meow.

"Has Jinzhi gained weight again?" the boy asked with a smile as he walked over.

Wang Yueyao took off her fluffy shawl behind him and comfortably lay down on the large sofa next to him.

"It only eats and doesn't exercise—it becomes incredibly lazy in winter."

Jun Matsue sat down next to her, holding the cat.

Aside from a sofa arranged in a circle that could serve as a bed and shelves on the wall, the living room wasn't furnished much. In front of the two of them was an exceptionally wide glass curtain wall.

The verdant slopes and the coastal neighborhoods at the foot of the mountain are all within sight—just gazing at them silently can soothe a furrowed brow and calm a troubled mind.

"This is just too wonderful..."

The girl standing next to him turned her head to the side. "Are you talking about Jinzhi, or me?"

“I’m talking about myself.” Jun Matsue leaned against her shoulder like a little bird.

"Thanks to my girlfriend, Miss Mochizuki, I can sit on this mountaintop and enjoy the scenery and the cats..."

Mochizuki Haruka wrinkled her delicate nose with a reserved air and pushed away the heavy head on her shoulder.

"Does Songzhi really care about these things? He's just saying nice things."

"And beauties."

The boy slowly uttered the last few words, released the cat from his arms, and pulled her into his embrace.

"Mochizuki looks so beautiful in her kimono that I almost forgot it's still winter."

The girl leaning on his shoulder curved her thin lips into a smile, seemingly quite pleased with his words of love.

"Since Matsueda can still say such cheesy things, I won't pursue the matter of you bringing Yami Maki back to the orphanage."

Sure enough... Jun Matsue was holding his girlfriend, staring at the cat behind her.

The statement, "It makes no difference whether you talk to one more or a hundred more," was said casually, but Wang Yue still harbored some resentment, which is why she acted both arrogant and coquettish, begging for a hug, upon meeting him.

"We really can't relax for a moment..." the boy sighed, gently stroking the silky fabric in his palm.

Smelling the masculine scent close to her, Mochizuki Haruka rubbed against him affectionately.

"When I was away, Songzhi didn't engage in any sexual acts or debauchery with them, did he?"

"..." Matsueda Jun released her hand and looked at her small face. "What kind of word is that?"

The girl stuck her tongue out at him. "I saw it in the Kamakura Chronicle."

“What do you mean by licentious and unrestrained—” the boy flicked her nose, “I’ve been well-behaved since I went back to the orphanage, and I haven’t done it even once.”

Although Jun Matsueda had only been back at the orphanage for three days, he wasn't lying—even when he went on a date with Tomatsu yesterday, the two of them were just sweetly nurturing their relationship, and they didn't rush into a love hotel and lose all sense of the world.

"Really?" The young lady smiled even more pleased.

"That's good. I've picked out a kimono for Songzhi. How about you change into one later?"

Is this a way of marking him as clean and tidy? The boy nodded.

"No problem. By the way, isn't Auntie here?"

Matsueda Jun looked around—given his aunt's personality, she should at least have come out and made things difficult for him in front of the entrance, if not make things difficult for him.

“Auntie is still sleeping.” Mochizuki Haruka glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s about time to wake her up.”

"Still sleeping?" Jun Matsueda looked surprised.

"Otherwise what?" The girl's clear black and white eyes flickered.

"They've all gone back to their hometowns to rest, why aren't they sleeping in?"

"If I hadn't gone to collect pine branches, I would be sleeping right now."

"I thought..." The boy smiled helplessly.

"Does Matsue think today will be busy?" Mochizuki Haruka rolled her eyes.

"Will you be taken to various occasions to meet all kinds of people and become familiar with the Mochizuki family's situation?"

"More or less..." Jun Matsue guiltily patted the cat beside him.

The girl snorted loudly, "I told you before, my family doesn't have that many troubles."

"The reason we sent Songzhi over before the New Year was simply to let you get familiar with the environment here."

"There's a gathering at noon today, hosted by the Mochizuki family in Kamakura. Matsue just needs to show his face."

"Just show your face and then leave," she emphasized.

"You can't stay even if you want to; these social gatherings for ladies don't welcome men."

"—This is Songzhi's only task for today. You just need to spend the rest of the time with me and Aunt."

Jun Matsueda blinked. "That's it?"

“That’s it.” Mochizuki Haruka stood up. “Oh, and I’ll be spending the night here.”

"Now, can Songzhi come with me to wake Auntie up without worry?"

"no problem!"

The boy's tone was more forceful and resolute this time.

Twenty minutes later, Jun Matsueda stood on the second-floor corridor of the villa, leaning against the wall, gazing at the distant, golden Mount Fuji through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Several seabirds flew overhead. He turned his head and asked a question to the closed door by the wall.

"Is it not ready yet?"

"What's the rush!" Mochizuki Kaori quickly replied from inside the room. "Wearing a kimono takes a lot of time!"

"Isn't it because you stayed in bed and refused to get up that it took so long?" the girl's voice followed.

Then came a faint commotion, accompanied by a maid's soft reminder—the boy standing outside the door shook his head helplessly.

Considering the similarities in personality between his aunt and his niece, he did not go into the bedroom with the girl to wake her up, lest he witness some unexpected glimpses of spring.

However, Jun Matsue is now having second thoughts—if he had gone in with her, his aunt certainly wouldn't have been so willful and dawdling.

Five minutes later, after Matsueda Jun replied to the message sent by his senior who had gotten up early, the tightly closed door next to him finally opened—

The maid was the first to walk out the door, followed closely by Mochizuki Haruka who walked to the boy's side and yawned wearily.

"That was really difficult..."

"It's just that I spent a little more time choosing~" Wang Yuehua then leisurely walked out of the bedroom, narcissistically smoothing her black hair over her shoulder.

"This will definitely be the most beautiful one at noon today!"

She turned around and winked at Jun Matsue beside the girl, exuding a natural charm.

"What do you think of Songzhi?"

"..." The boy's gaze wavered.

The woman was wearing a gorgeous kimono, a stark contrast to her niece's outfit—

The pure black background is woven with brightly colored flowers, large bright red and deep purple peonies with gold edges, and small and delicate light pink cherry blossoms... What might appear pretentious and vulgar on others, on her, exudes a noble and natural charm.

“It is worthy of Aunt’s splendor.” Jun Matsue nodded gently.

There's no need for any extra sentimental words when facing your aunt.

"Right?" Mochizuki smiled and raised her chin. "Only I can handle her."

She smiled at the boy, then suddenly changed her expression to a "fierce" one.

"What's the meaning of you bringing Yamami Maki back to the orphanage?!"

Like a fish swimming in the sea being suddenly pecked by a swooping white gull, the boy quickly calmed himself down and revealed a sincere and simple expression.

"Because my senior had a huge fight as soon as she got home, she's not planning to go back for the New Year—"

"Didn't we already say that on the phone!" the woman complained, her slightly bulging breasts above her belt pressing closer angrily.

"I need to know what happened next, what happened next!"

“There’s no going back,” Mochizuki Haruka finally spoke up. “Yamami Maki can just stay at the orphanage for the New Year. That’s our home, what could possibly happen there?”

"Putting her in with Songzhi is the most important thing!" Auntie raised her right hand and pointed her index finger at the boy's chest.

"Give this scumbag a chance, and Songzhi will definitely rekindle his old flame with his ex-girlfriend!"

"It's safe to say that they've rekindled their old flame, which is why he brought Yamami Maki back to the orphanage!"

Jun Matsue was about to speak when the girl took his hand and led him towards the stairwell.

"Let it reignite if it does," Mochizuki Haruka said without turning her head.

"I've said it before, it's quite interesting that the men of the Mochizuki family run off with the daughter of the Yamami family."

"It is quite interesting..." Wang Yuehua stomped her foot on the ground in frustration.

"We can't just let the pine branches get away with this!"

The boy who was being pulled away turned around and waved apologetically to her, as if to say, "See you next time."