Am I being simulated by their love affair.

Chapter 538 Reluctant

The first day back at school has passed, and Haneoka High School welcomes May—with the four-day holiday just around the corner, the students, eager for the holiday to continue, are really restless.

"Even though we'll be on holiday tomorrow afternoon, you still have to study hard!" That's what Ms. Kominato reminded everyone.

After watching the homeroom teacher leave the classroom, Jun Matsue stretched.

The sunshine these past few days has been exceptionally bright, making people feel more active—sitting in a small space, head down writing, is indeed a bit tedious.

"How did you feel about the English quiz?" he asked, looking at the girl sitting by the window.

"It's alright." Mochizuki Haruka fiddled with the fish-shaped keychain on her pencil case. "Only the last reading comprehension passage was a bit difficult."

"That means you've made a lot of progress." The boy closed his book. "You certainly wouldn't have found this easy before."

"Of course." The girl rolled her eyes at him. "I haven't forgotten what I learned before."

“Keep it up.” Jun Matsue smiled, looking at the squashed blue fish in her hand. “You actually put it to use.”

This fish-shaped plush pendant was a haul the two of them picked up yesterday at a pet supply store; Mochizuki Haruka bought it on a whim.

Logically, this was supposed to be a pet toy for Jinzhi, but the girl grew to like the little blue fish more and more, and eventually kept it for herself.

"Is it not allowed?" Mochizuki Haruka wrinkled her nose. "They're all toys anyway, so it doesn't matter whether Jinzhi plays with them or I do."

"Whatever makes you happy." Jun Matsueda shrugged.

He remembered that this stuff contained catnip. Since Mochizuki liked it so much, maybe she really was a cat?
The boy turned around and saw that Tomatsu Yuka's seat was empty. Her morning classes had just ended, and she must have already gone to eat.

Since understanding the reason for Tomatsu's melancholy, Jun Matsueda has been paying more attention to her, but he has been taking exams these past two days and can't tell what's wrong with the girl's emotional state.

If her parents really don't get back together, Tomatsu will probably be even more heartbroken than he was the day before yesterday... The boy was a little worried.

"Is Matsue going to the cafeteria?" Mochizuki Haruka's voice rang in his ears, bringing him back to his senses.

"How about I have dinner with you today?"

Jun Matsueda looked up at the noisy classroom. Everyone was busy laying out tablecloths and opening lunchboxes, and no one noticed him.

He whispered to the girl, "Tomatsu and I haven't broken up yet."

Mochizuki Haruka pouted in dissatisfaction, "Then when will we split up?"

"The Golden Week holiday isn't over yet..."

"Can't you hurry up?" She clenched her fists and sat back down in her seat. "I'm not going to the cafeteria, I want to sleep."

"Remember to bring me rice balls and milk," the girl said sullenly.

One person eats lunch quickly. When Jun Matsue returned to the classroom, Yuka Tomatsu was already back in her seat, while Haruka Mochizuki was still sleeping on her desk.

The boy placed the food he was holding on the girl's table by the window. When he turned around, the girl on the other side waved to him.

"What's wrong?" Jun Matsuoka walked up to her.

"I'd like to call my dad at noon," Tomatsu Yuka said hesitantly. "Could Tsunku come with me?"

The boy glanced behind him and said, "...Of course."

The two walked up to the rooftop of the teaching building. The clouds were thin today, like puddles on the ground that could disappear at any moment after a summer rain.

“I often come here when I’m feeling down lately,” the girl said with a troubled smile.

“I can understand.” Jun Matsue nodded. “After all, once we move to the fourth floor, we’ll be the group of people in the school who are closest to the sky.”

Tomatsu Yuka's eyes crinkled with a smile. "As expected of Jun-kun, he can even make something like this sound so appealing."

"So what do you want to say to your father? Ask him about his infidelity?" the boy asked, leaning against the outer wall of the stairwell behind him.

"Hmm." The girl brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and gazed at the clouds on the distant horizon. "If it really is true, I don't want to just see 'yes' words; I want to at least hear Dad's voice..."

“Agreed.” Jun Matsue nodded.

He had similar thoughts when he received the message "I can't fall in love" on the night of his farewell performance.

“Right?” Tomatsu Yuka tilted her head, then picked up her phone.

She took a few deep breaths while looking up at the sky, then gently pinched the boy's shirt on his arm with her left hand and dialed a number.

"Hey Dad~ Good afternoon, have you had lunch yet?"

Jun Matsue heard a male voice coming from the girl's phone receiver. It was muffled, but it didn't sound old or weary; he seemed quite young.

Tomatsu Yuka exchanged a few pleasantries and quickly got down to business.

"Um, I heard from Mom that you have someone you like now..."

The girl was silent for a while, probably listening to the person opposite her. The boy looked at her face. Tomatsu Yuka lowered her head slightly, and her bangs cast shadows around her eyes.

The sun shines especially brightly today, making the shadows all the more pronounced.

It is clearly not a "no" answer.

"I see... um, umm..."

All that remained from the girl's lips were empty words of agreement. A few minutes later, she hung up the phone.

"What did he say?" Jun Matsue moved a little closer to her.

“Mom is right.” Tomatsu Yuka smiled weakly. “It’s just that Dad was a little hesitant when he told me.”

I don't know if it's because they're embarrassed to tell me these things in person, or if there's some other reason.

The boy sighed inwardly, "Do you want to stay on the rooftop a little longer? I'll stay with you."

"No need," the girl shook her head. "Let's go back to the classroom."

The stairwell was unusually quiet, and the sound of their footsteps echoed softly. When they were almost on the fourth floor, there was no sound behind Matsueda Jun.

He turned around, and Tomatsu Yuka stood on the platform in the middle of the stairs, her left hand holding her right arm.

"Tomatsu?"

"...I think Dad's stammering is suspicious." The girl looked up, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

She is never one to give up easily, whether it's in love or family.

"I want to go find him. Jun-kun, will you come with me to find him?"

"Now?" Jun Matsuoka was caught off guard.

"How could that be?" Tomatsu Yuka smiled. "I still have to go to class, and I have a part-time job after school today."

"Let's wait until tomorrow, or during the Golden Week holiday."

"As long as I'm free." The boy breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed Tomatsu was still quite rational.

"Fortunately, Chun-jun is still here." The girl took another step and walked to his side, gently tugging at the hem of his clothes.

"Also, please don't call me Tomatsu, just call me Yuka, okay?"

“…Tomoka.” Matsueda Jun obediently changed his address.