Am I being simulated by their love affair.

Chapter 761 Love and Sincerity

When Jun Matsue returned to his classroom, it was four o'clock in the afternoon.

Although his aunt came and went in a hurry, and he only accompanied her for a quick tour of the cultural festival, it still took more than an hour, and it was almost time for the festival to close.

The aroma of coffee filled the air again, but the classroom was much sparser. The boy quickly spotted Mochizuki Haruka – she and her friends were sitting in the front row, making a cotton candy coffee.

"Looking at the moon," he called softly.

The girl turned around, revealing a pair of bright and pretty eyes beneath her sweet bangs.

Mochizuki Haruka naturally got up and walked over, while her companions at the table watched her retreating figure with smiles.

Previously, Jun Matsue led the school board members on a tour of the cultural festival, and they saw almost everything—everyone was used to the boys' closeness to the Mochizuki family, which was perhaps the effect that Auntie wanted.

The girl stopped in front of the boy. "Has Auntie already left?"

Jun Matsue nodded. "She should have just gotten into the car."

Wang Yueyao looked the person she loved up and down.

"You look perfectly fine?"

“I told my aunt that it wouldn’t matter if she whipped you a lot.”

"..." The boy blinked.

"No wonder my aunt mentioned whips when I was thinking about them. It turns out it's a tacit understanding between Wangyue and her lover."

Is this what you call a couple's unspoken understanding? The girl rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to argue.

"If I have to be whipped, I hope it's better if Haruka does it herself."

"Who's your Haruka now?" Mochizuki Haruka's eyes held a hint of disdain. "Don't you only use pet names when you're talking to your girlfriend?"

“I didn’t say that.” Jun Matsue smiled. “You call me Matsue too, don’t you?”

"I like calling you that." The girl turned her face away.

"Then I'll call you Wangyue (望月) too."

“No.” She brought her cheek closer and stared into the boy’s eyes.

"Once you break up with Tomatsu, you're not allowed to call her Yuka anymore—you're only allowed to call me Haruka!"

"Okay." Jun Matsueda's expression was exceptionally doting.

Anyway, Mochizuki definitely wouldn't know what she and Tomatsu called each other in private—all she wanted was the treatment of a legitimate girlfriend after she "rose to power".

His gaze darted left and right. "Speaking of which, why haven't I seen Tomatsu?"

The cultural festival is almost over, and Tomatsu should be going back to his classroom by now.

The girl pouted. "She was called away by Ms. Kominato. She probably had her class affairs discussed after the closing ceremony."

"Then they should be back soon." Jun Matsue nodded.

"I heard... Mochizuki still has something she wants to say to me?"

Mochizuki looked around and saw that the students who had been wandering around the cultural festival were gradually returning to their classrooms.

"I'll talk to Songzhi after the closing ceremony."

A few minutes later, Tomatsu Yuka followed Kominato Shoko back to the classroom.

The homeroom teacher, who hadn't been seen much for the past two days, walked to the bar and reminded everyone to prepare for the upcoming closing ceremony. The Class 3-6 students quickly left the classroom and marched orderly towards the auditorium.

"The cultural festival is coming to an end," Tomatsu Yuka said wistfully as she walked beside the boy.

"Time seems to fly by."

“That means these past two days have been very meaningful.” Jun Matsue turned a corner on the stairs and looked out at the dome of the auditorium.

"Now I seem to wish time would pass faster."

"Why?" asked Mochizuki Haruka, who was walking on the other side.

The boy smiled.

"Because I'm increasingly looking forward to what the future will look like."

The three strode into the hall and took their seats in the same spots they had used yesterday.

Fifteen minutes later, the host's announcement, "The 91st Haneoka Festival has successfully concluded!" resounded throughout the hall, like a boulder falling into a lake, erupting in a final cheer and shout.

The boys and girls walked out of the auditorium with the procession—it was just past 4:30, and the distant horizon was already full of golden light, making people feel drowsy.

Tomatsu Yuka stretched slightly, "I still have to tidy up and clean the classroom, I'm feeling a bit tired~"

Jun Matsueda was about to speak when Haruka Mochizuki's voice rang out first.

"Songzhi is coming home with me today."

The girl, who was stretching, paused. She turned her head to the side and looked ahead nonchalantly, as if she wouldn't allow any argument.

“No problem~” Tomatsu Yuka smiled gently, “We don’t need to work part-time today, since Tsun-kun and I are going to be separated after school anyway.”

“I know.” Mochizuki Haruka nodded. “I just wanted to let you know first.”

The smiling girl blinked and naturally took the arm of the boy next to her.

It seems Mochizuki will be moving back to Tsunku's apartment tonight.

I can't wait any longer...

Half an hour later, most of the people on campus had disappeared, and the place suddenly became deserted. The corridors of the teaching building were empty again, and the cold-colored floor tiles reflected the light of the setting sun at the end, making them look even more desolate.

The last three students in Class 3-6 walked out of the classroom. Jun Matsueda closed the door and turned to face the girls carrying their uniform bags.

"Then I'll be going now?" Tomatsu Yuka put down her phone and blinked. "See you tomorrow, Tsun-kun?"

Mochizuki Haruka glanced at the girl—Matsueda had told her that tomorrow was this girl's Sunday.

"See you tomorrow."

The boy waved his arm, having been almost constantly busy cleaning the classroom so as not to keep the girls waiting.

"Tsun-kun, you've worked hard." Tomatsu Yuka turned and walked towards the stairwell, waving her hand as she turned back.

Remember to get some rest!

Tomatsu's words seemed to carry a deeper meaning, but Matsueda Jun chose to ignore them for the time being and looked at the girl who remained by his side.

"So... which home are we going back to today, the manor or the apartment?"

The boy's words pleased Mochizuki Haruka, and she suppressed the corners of her upturned lips.

"Back to the apartment!"

Jun Matsue thought for a moment, "Then I'll leave my bicycle at school and we'll walk home today?"

"If I give you a ride on my bike, the police might stop us."

“Then let’s take the bicycle back,” the girl said without hesitation. “I want to ride to school with you on Monday.”

The boy blinked and smiled happily.

"it is good."

As Mochizuki walked down the teaching building from the other side of the corridor, Jun Matsue quickly found his bicycle and pushed it out of the bike shed.

Mochizuki Haruka puffed out her cheeks and looked at him, "Push on the other side!"

The boy obediently moved to the other side of the bicycle so that the girl's skirt could brush against his uniform trousers.

The two stepped onto the deserted avenue and soon walked out of the school gate to the clatter of their bicycle chains.

The road leading to the apartment was in the direction of the setting sun, and the cheeks of the boy and girl were painted with a thin layer of gold, even the shadows behind them seemed to have a bit more color.

The red traffic light lit up in the distance, and Mochizuki Haruka gently tugged at the arm of the boy next to her.

"Matsue, Tomomatsu and I still don't get along."

"Hmm." Jun Matsueda's expression remained gentle. "It's okay if we don't get along."

The girl tugged at his sleeve and nodded. "I think so too."

“Not just Tomatsu, but also Kurusu, Yamami Maki, and Imokawa Natsumi who just confessed to you…”

The boy stopped at the crosswalk at the intersection, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Whether they end up with you or not, as long as they still like you, I won't get along with them."

“...That’s alright.” he said softly.

"Hmm." Mochizuki Haruka watched the traffic lights change.

"To be honest, I still really want to get rid of them all." Her leather shoes stepped onto the zebra crossing as the bicycle wheels rolled along, only to be blocked by the boy's shadow.

"But Songzhi wants me to accept it, so what can I do?"

"After all, I like you so much."

Jun Matsue gripped the handlebars tightly; his heart ached.

"All I can do is accept their existence and try not to think about these things—"

"That's enough." He interrupted the girl, stopped, and gently put his arm around her shoulder.

"I really don't want to be the reason you're sad and heartbroken time and time again..."

Mochizuki blinked, and the boy lowered his head and pressed his forehead against hers, his voice trembling noticeably.

"So it's enough for me that Mochizuki is willing not to see or hear it."

"I love your willfulness, your soft, coquettish way of acting cute, and your stern, proud demeanor. I love how you grow little by little, becoming the kind of person I love more and more..."

“During the Cold War, I sat in my seat watching your absent-minded profile, looking lifeless and empty, and it hurt me deeply…”

"I don't want Mochizuki Haruka to cease to be Mochizuki Haruka because of me."

"It's not that exaggerated..." the girl muttered.

“I like pine branches too.” Mochizuki Haruka hugged the boy’s arm. “I like you as much as you like me.”

“No, I want to like it even more,” she corrected.

"Back when Songzhi didn't like me that much, she could tolerate my lifeless state and tell me she wouldn't let me die in front of her..."

"I am very satisfied."

"So I can tolerate your philandering."

"It's just barely enough," the girl added earnestly.

“But I don’t care how many people you date—you’re a womanizer anyway, so it doesn’t matter whether you’re dating two or ten people at the same time.”

"But your love for me must be the same—it can only increase, not decrease."

“Of course,” Jun Matsue said without hesitation.

"You're not allowed to have less than anyone else!" Mochizuki Haruka looked up and glared at him.

"That's for sure."

"Then let's keep walking." She nudged the boy's arm. "Do you want to stand on the roadside all night?"

Jun Matsue laughed and continued pushing the bicycle. The girl naturally sat on the back seat, holding onto the seat cushion with both hands and looking at the back of the figure in front of her.

You'll get arrested for carrying a passenger on a bicycle, but you're not prohibited from pushing a bicycle with a passenger.

"Hey, pine branch."

"What's wrong?" The boy turned around without stopping.

“I don’t like thinking about these troublesome things at all. As long as you love me well and make me only have eyes for you like you do now, I naturally won’t think about anything else.”

“That won’t do.” Jun Matsue glanced at her, his gaze softening even more.

"If you only have eyes for me, wouldn't you just revert to being that hopeless, mud-like Wangyue again?"

"Besides me, you also need to have your aunt in your heart, and you also need friends like Rion who can make you happy."

"Don't forget your college life and your goal of entering the fashion industry."

The girl patted the cushion in front of her in dissatisfaction.

"All you need to do now is say 'okay'!"

The golden sunlight set quickly, casting their shadows increasingly slanted. Jun Matsueda pushed his now slightly heavier bicycle past another intersection; the Mitakadai housing complex was now in sight.

"Pine branches!"

"Hmm?" The boy turned around patiently.

Wang Yue leaned against the bicycle seat, her slightly curly black hair blowing in the wind, shimmering with the last rays of the setting sun in the deepening twilight.

"I want to eat meat and something warm for dinner."

"Shall we have sukiyaki for dinner?"

The girl smoothed her bangs, which had been blown by the wind, in acknowledgment.

"Come home with me more often in the future? I don't remember visiting Songzhi very often."

The home she was referring to was, of course, the Wangyue family's manor, and the boy nodded.

"Whenever I have time."

"How about you take a day this New Year to spend with me and my aunt?"

Jun Matsueda thought for a moment, "On New Year's Eve?"

"No need for that, around New Year's is fine."

"That's no problem."

The girl squinted her eyes in satisfaction. The bicycle was just pushed to the bottom of the apartment building. She jumped off and watched the boy push the bicycle into the bike shed.

"Pine branches~"

"Any other questions?" Jun Matsue stepped out of the shadows under the carport.

Mochizuki Haruka pressed closer, "Do you still have that wish coin I gave you back then?"

The boy stared at her for a while, then took his wallet out of his pocket—

Inside were neatly arranged banknotes, transportation cards, bank cards, and student IDs with photos printed on them.

He didn't keep his change in this bag, but a silver coin with a moon design was carefully placed in a hidden compartment.

That was Jun Matsueda's personal wish coin, a birthday gift the girl had given him.

"Give it to me." Mochizuki Haruka opened her right hand.

"..." Jun Matsue reluctantly took the wallet out and placed it in Mochizuki's palm.

The girl clasped her hands together and put them behind her back.

She looked up at the sky; the sun had already set, and the dark sky obscured any trace of the moon.

Mochizuki Haruka coughed lightly twice, her brows furrowing slightly as she adopted a serious expression.

“I have granted your wish this time, Pine Branch—but you’re not very well-behaved, so I have to confiscate this wish coin.”

Matsueda Jun looked troubled. He pulled the girl into his arms and inhaled the fragrance of her hair.

"What should I do?"

"..." Mochizuki Haruka blinked.

She originally intended to say that since it had been confiscated, it would never be returned.

But being held in the boy's arms, feeling his body temperature, which was even warmer than her own, and his all-too-familiar breath against her neck...

The girl discovered that her heart seemed unable to harden any longer.

"...I'll return it to you on Songzhi's next birthday."

They embraced for a long time downstairs at the apartment building, followed by a sweet yet restrained kiss.

By the time Mochizuki Haruka stood in front of room 507, the temperature in the sky had dropped completely, turning into a chilly black.

The girl took the boy's key out of her pocket and opened the door—it was the pine branch she had left with her when she angrily left the apartment.

Inserting the key into the lock and pushing open the door with a bit of force, Wang Yueyao was greeted by a brightly lit living room and the sound of a television.

“Matsugi’s back~” Yosei Kurusu leisurely got up from the sofa and walked towards the entrance.

"How about dinner—"

She didn't finish her sentence because the person standing in the entryway was someone the girl hadn't expected.

"why you?"

"What's wrong with me?"

Mochizuki Haruka's smile was sly. She held a silver-gray coin in her hand, with only her index finger raised, dangling the key chained to it.

"I am back."

(End of this chapter)