Am I being simulated by their love affair?

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"Tsun-kun, you should go back first. Anyway, we'll just be spending a lot of time packing anyway." The girl stood up and took off her coat.

"Besides, my small room probably isn't big enough for four people to move around in."

After glancing at her shapely figure beneath her coat, Mochizuki Haruka looked away and shook the boy's hand.

"Shall we be going now?" Jun Matsueda drank the last sip of matcha in his cup.

"Like I said, if you have any questions, just contact me."

"Okay~" The girl nodded with a smile and picked up the coat she had just taken off.

"Let me walk you downstairs."

Kuroba Shin huddled in the warm kotatsu and refused to come out, while the remaining three left the apartment. The stairwell was cramped, and Yamami Maki lagged behind, watching the boy and girl walk down the stairs hand in hand.

Their footsteps echoed in the stairwell for a moment, then abruptly stopped—

Mochizuki Haruka suddenly turned around and looked at the girl staring at her from behind.

Yamami Maki paused, first looking at Matsueda Jun who had turned around, and then smiling at the aloof-looking girl.

"Did Mochizuki-san leave something behind?"

Mochizuki Haruka didn't say much, but simply raised her hand, which was still clasped with the boy's.

"You want one too, right?"

Her frankness elicited a shared surprise in the eyes of both Jun Matsuoka and the girl in front of him.

Yamami Maki quickly realized what was going on. She didn't say anything, but simply nodded directly and without any pretense.

Mochizuki Haruka gave a soft hum, but didn't let go of the hand she was holding.

"Let me tell you in advance that Matsue will be deeply involved in the affairs of the Mochizuki family from now on."

"Even if we don't announce it publicly, everyone in the circle will know that Songzhi is a member of our family."

"If word gets out that you're together with him, it will be said that the man from the Mochizuki family has abducted you, and the Yami family will definitely have a bigger problem with you then."

"..." Yamami Maki didn't think for long before quickly regaining her calm demeanor.

"I understand, thank you for reminding me, Mochizuki."

Mochizuki Haruka ignored him and simply turned around to take the boy's hand and continue downstairs.

Slightly altered footsteps descended to the first floor. Jun Matsue turned to look at the girl who was pulling her coat tighter around her neck—the soft strands of hair at her temples were being blown by the wind outside the corridor, like willow branches by a lake.

"Senior, hurry up and go upstairs, it's still quite cold outside today."

"Okay~" Watching Mochizuki Haruka get into the car first, Yamami Maki's smile became a little sweeter. "When does Jun-kun start school?"

Number eight.

"That'll be quick too." She winked playfully.

"The common exam is just around the corner, Tsun-kun, good luck!"

The boy looked at her face; the weariness in the corners of the girl's eyes had not yet faded.

He thought, "My senior is too strong."

Choosing to leave her family and face a future that is not understood is certainly not something that can be resolved with a few laughs for the young girl.

She didn't even notice the dirt on her pets when she got home today, yet she still thoughtfully made them matcha tea...

Jun Matsue glanced back at the silent black sedan behind him.

"Senior, please take good care of yourself first. The less I worry, the better I'll perform in the exam."

Like an untimely spring breeze, Yamami Maki's eyes suddenly brightened—

Even when they were so close at the orphanage, Tsun-kun had never expressed such direct concern.

The girl smiled, her smile less forced and more genuinely joyful and energetic, reminding one of tiny animals that come into the world hopping and skipping in the spring sunshine.

"I will take good care of myself!"

After glancing at her smile a couple more times, Jun Matsue turned and walked toward the car.

"I'm too busy today, I'll treat you to a meal next time."

"Okay! See you next time~"

As he got into the car and watched his senior disappear into the stairwell, the boy turned around and met the gaze of the girl beside him who was observing him.

"You're tempted?" Mochizuki Haruka's tone wasn't sharp.

“A little.” Jun Matsue nodded honestly.

"But if I ask myself honestly, it seems like we're still a little short of getting back together."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," the aloof young lady uttered with a nasal tone.

"After all, Songzhi had already softened his heart."

As the girl thought this, she looked at the driver waiting in the driver's seat.

"Let's drive back to the apartment."

"Stop at the nearby supermarket when we're almost there." Matsueda Jun's tone was exactly the same as hers. "We haven't decided on lunch yet."

"Then I'll go grocery shopping with you." Mochizuki Haruka took his arm. "Kurasu's back too?"

"I just got back yesterday, just in time for the snow in Tokyo."

"Tch... She got off easy yesterday."

As the wind subsided and the scenery outside the car began to recede, the girl raised her eyes and looked at the unassuming five-story building in the rearview mirror.

Then she'll mark Yamami Maki with the Mochizuki family name...

Then I ran to Kito Matsumata!

Chapter 851 Prelude to the Common Examination

January 6th was the last mock exam at Kawai Juku.

As they walked out of the towering private school building in Shinjuku, Jun Matsueda and the girl beside him stretched at the same time—the identical movement symbolizing their perfect understanding and harmony.

"Finally finished the exams." Tomatsu Yuka exhaled a breath of hot air towards the dim sky through the gaps between the buildings.

"My hand is sore from writing..."

The boy naturally took her right hand and warmed it with his palm.

"Let's find a restaurant to eat at and relax."

"I've already picked out some restaurants!" The girl's tone became energetic again. "Dipping noodles, Indian food, roast pork, and Italian food—there are plenty of good options around here!"

"But... isn't Jun-kun going home for dinner today?" She blinked.

"Didn't Kurusu-san and Mochizuki both go back to their apartment?"

"Let's have some dipping noodles." Jun Matsue made his decision first, then breathed warm air on the soft little hands he was holding.

"I'm craving the rich, hot broth for dipping noodles."

“Then let’s go to the right,” Tomatsu Yuka said, taking his hand. “That tsukemen shop is behind the building.”

Outside the Kawaijuku Shinjuku building lies a major intersection in the city, with pedestrian overpasses and traffic light signs crisscrossing the area. Instead of joining the bustling crowds, the young boys and girls turned right along the sidewalk in front of the building and slipped into their own little alley.

"Kurasu started work yesterday, and she should still be at the office now," Jun Matsue said, guiding the girl to the innermost side of the room as he answered her question.

"As for Mochizuki, she's been taking exams these past two days, and she's bored being alone in the apartment, so she's gone back to her aunt's place."

"I see~" Tomatsu Yuka smiled and hugged his arm tightly.

"Then I can have dinner with Jun-kun without any guilt!"

"..." The boy glanced at her. "If I didn't tell you all this, would you have advised me to go back and stay with them?"

"How could that be~" the girl said mischievously, nuzzling his arm. "It's just sweet talk."

The two turned into a side street and walked a short distance before finding a noodle shop with a brightly lit sign on the street.

Entering the store, they sat side by side in a corner. Jun Matsueda picked up the menu on the table and asked, "Does Tomoka have any recommendations?"

"Their dipping noodles are all pretty good." Tomatsu Yuka took off her coat and leaned closer.

"Just don't order ramen, Jun-kun. Everyone says the ramen soup is too oily and heavy."

"Then I'll order a large bowl of thick, spicy dipping noodles." The boy held the menu up to his side.

What does Tomatsu want?

"I'd like this shrimp and tomato dipping noodles~" The girl's fair fingertips pointed to the menu. "Standard portion is fine."

After ordering, it was naturally time for an expectant chat. As Jun Matsuoka watched bowls of noodles, rich in oil and savory in sauce, pass by, his mouth naturally began to water.

The boy took a sip of ice water and picked up the side dishes the waiter brought him—after the tense and tedious exams, he now had a particularly good appetite.

"This wakame salad is pretty good." He looked at the girl beside him. "Yuka, would you like some?"

Tomatsu Tomoka naturally tilted her little face up and opened her mouth, looking like she was waiting to be fed.

"Mmm..." The seaweed strips, dipped in sesame oil and soy sauce, fell into her mouth. The girl closed her eyes slightly as she chewed and nodded in satisfaction.

"It's actually pretty good~"

She looked at the calendar hanging on the wall inside the store and leaned her head on the boy's shoulder.

"How come there are only a few days left of the holiday? It feels like Tsunku and I haven't even had a proper date yet!"

"Because winter break is inherently short." Jun Matsueda had already gotten used to the feel of the girl's hair on his shoulder.

"It's only a three-week holiday, after Christmas and New Year's, it will be over soon."

"That's true~"

He lifted his girlfriend's right hand, which was resting on his lap, and gently twirled and played with her fingers.

"Just bear with it a little longer. Anyway, once the exams are over, there will be plenty of time to go on dates."

"Actually, I'm not in a hurry." Tomatsu Yuka stared at the boy's fingertips.

"We've come this far, what's the rush?"

“Speaking of which, I’ve been seriously looking for an apartment lately,” she said, looking up.

Jun Matsue blinked. "You're really looking for it?"

“Yes!” The girl nodded. “Didn’t Jun-kun tell me before that I could start looking for a place to live?”

“We really should look for one.” The boy looked at the wisps of steam rising from behind the glass window of the kitchen.

"Waiting until after the entrance exam to start looking is too rushed."

...But isn't that a bit unfair to Imokawa? The thought suddenly popped into his head.

“That’s right.” Tomatsu Yuka took out her phone and showed her boyfriend the interface of the rental app.

"I've been looking at these for two days, and I still feel overwhelmed—there are just too many factors to consider, such as price, location, and apartment layout."

"...It's mainly because we have a slightly larger number of residents." Jun Matsueda's tone was somewhat awkward.

"Yes, that's right~" the girl replied with a smile.

"Me, Mochizuki, and Jun-kun, that's already three people—won't you be living with us after we come to Suzukura?"

"It should be." The boy took a sip of ice water and watched as the staff member wearing a headscarf scooped up noodles in the kitchen.

"I'll ask her when I get home tonight."

"So that's a four-bedroom apartment? Or are you renting two apartments?" the girl asked, counting on her fingers.

"In that case, the location for renting an apartment would have to be close to Shinjuku, Tokyo University, and Keio University?"

"..." Jun Matsueda mentally scanned the map of Tokyo.

"Then you'd have to live in Omotesando, wouldn't you?"

"Really?" Tomatsu Yuka said, holding her phone. "Then the price definitely won't be low, right?"

"Price is secondary." The boy watched as the clerk placed the noodles and broth on a tray and walked towards the corner.

"I feel like these rental requirements might not be easy to meet..."