Am I being simulated by their love affair?

Page 304

So it's no wonder that her heart, which had already accepted reality, started to falter again...

Chapter 535 The Life She Yearned For

Jun Matsue opened the refrigerator and pondered tonight's recipe as the cool air hit him.

"For dinner, would Tomatsu like something elaborate or something simple?"

“I’ll eat whatever Jun-kun usually cooks.” The girl sitting on the sofa looked at his back. “I want to eat what you’ve eaten.”

"Hmm..." The boy put the ingredients into his arms one by one, "Then tonight we'll have dry pot cabbage, Mapo tofu, and tomato and egg soup."

"Is it Chinese food?" Tomatsu Tomoka blinked. "Does Tsunku usually make this at home?"

"To be precise, it's Chinese cuisine." Jun Matsue carried the ingredients towards the kitchen. "I quite like it."

The quiet room became noisy—the sounds of arranging ingredients, taking out the cutting board, rinsing rice, and chopping vegetables drifted out of the kitchen, but they made the girl feel more at ease.

"Let me help Jun-kun." She got up from the sofa and went into the kitchen.

"Is it okay? Don't you feel very tired?" The boy glanced at her.

“But it’s boring to sit in the living room,” Tomatsu Yuka smiled.

She didn't like feeling left out, and she didn't want to just be a guest in the apartment.

"That's fine too." The kitchen wasn't big, so Jun Matsueda moved aside to make room for the girl.

Tomatsu Yuka looked at the wall. "There's only one apron."

“It’s rare for two people to work together in the kitchen.” The boy took out an empty plate and placed it in front of her. “Help me tear the cabbage apart first.”

"Tear it open?" The girl stared at the spherical vegetable in front of her that had been cut in half.

"Yes, you can just tear it into small pieces." Jun Matsue picked up a cabbage and demonstrated, the torn leaves making a crisp sound.

"Maybe it can help you relieve stress? Like squeezing bubble wrap."

"..." Tomatsu Yuka took the cabbage from the boy's hand.

She reached out and pinched the leaf, watching it slowly detach from the main stem, the sound like a withered leaf being crushed in autumn.

"It's a rather strange feeling."

"Well done." Jun Matsue glanced at the vegetable leaves on the plate. "Just throw those thick, old stems in the trash."

"Although it's a bit rough, it's actually quite fun to tear it apart..." the girl sighed, her tearing movements becoming more efficient.

"Hmm." Jun Matsue put the chopped pork aside, using the fatty part to slice and stir-fry with cabbage, and the lean part to mince and make Mapo Tofu.

"It's really boring to always just shred and make cold dishes."

By the time he finished cutting the tofu into pieces, Tomatsu Yuka had already torn the cabbage. She cracked open the two eggs on the table and poured the egg mixture into a small bowl.

She held the bowl in her left hand at chest height, and held chopsticks in her right hand. Her wrist moved her arm in a steady, small motion, and her fair skin and smooth black hair trembled slightly. The girl's movements did not feel boring or mechanical, but rather carried a unique, orderly beauty.

The swirling egg mixture in the bowl turned into a uniform, bright golden yellow, and the girl's inner turmoil and worries seemed to temporarily dissipate like a wisp of foam. Tomatsu Yuka slowed down her movements and looked up at the boy beside her who was busy dealing with tomatoes.

"Does Jun-kun usually buy groceries by himself?"

"Yeah, I usually go to the supermarket after school or after work to buy enough for one or two days."

"Will you buy discounted ingredients?" she blinked curiously.

"Of course I do. I used to only buy discounted ingredients, like eggs, beef, and vegetables." Jun Matsueda put down his knife; the ingredients were all ready.

"But I'm not the kind of person who goes to the supermarket after 7 or 8 o'clock, otherwise I could probably get more bargains."

“That sounds interesting~” Tomatsu Yuka smiled with her eyes narrowed.

“We rarely buy groceries at home.” She placed the beaten egg mixture on the counter. “My mom usually orders directly online.”

It perfectly captures the feeling of a busy, high-paid office worker, Jun Matsueda nodded.

"Wandering around the supermarket with a shopping cart, looking for deals and thinking about what to eat tonight, and sitting at the table with loved ones to share the day's events," the girl continued. "I still prefer this feeling of Tsunku."

Jun Matsue pressed the gas stove switch and watched the pale blue flame rise.

"Then enjoy the life you want today." He poured the oil into the pan, ignoring the girl's face.

"The cooking fumes will be very strong, so you can wait for me outside."

"No problem~" Tomatsu Yuka smiled sweetly.

Twenty minutes later, the girl sat at the dining table and carefully scooped up a spoonful of bright red tofu and put it in her mouth.

"It's delicious!" she mumbled. "It smells wonderful, and it's not as spicy as I expected!"

“You don’t seem to eat much spicy food, so I put in less.” Jun Matsue handed her a small bowl filled with tomato and egg soup. “If you still find it spicy, drink more soup.”

"Mmm!" Tomatsu Tomohana nodded. "Tsun-kun is a great cook!"

“These dishes aren’t actually difficult to make.” The boy put his arm on the table. “If you learn how to cook them, they should taste even better than mine.”

Jun Matsue ate unusually slowly this meal, while the girl ate much faster than usual. Seeing the satisfied expression on her face as she chewed, the boy couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.

After dinner, Tomatsu Yuka volunteered to wash the dishes, and by the time the two sat down on the sofa again, it was almost 7 p.m.

"Mom didn't message me." The girl glanced at her phone, her expression unsurprised. "Looks like she really isn't planning on coming home today."

"Then you can sleep here." Jun Matsueda finally said it.

"...Is it okay?" the girl asked cautiously.

"You don't want to go home, do you?" The boy looked at the two cups of barley tea on the table. "Sleeping for one night is certainly not a problem."

"But don't think about anything naughty. We'll go to school together tomorrow morning."

"I understand." The girl nodded happily, not caring much about whether it was arousing or not at the moment.

All she wanted was companionship, something that would keep her from feeling lonely. That would be enough.

"So, are you still planning to go out?" Jun Matsueda breathed a sigh of relief. "Like an after-dinner walk?"

"No, thank you." Tomatsu Yuka shook her head and stood up from the sofa. "I want to take a shower first; I've sweated a bit."

"Tsun-kun, could you help me find some clothes to change into?"

"...Okay, you can go to the bathroom first."

Okay~

The girl's footsteps, now completely at ease, disappeared into the bathroom. Jun Matsueda sighed and went into his room.

Finding clothes is a minor issue; the real problem is where Tomatsu will sleep.

Kurusu doesn't allow girls into her room, and as for the apartment next door, Mochizuki, he plans not to step into it tonight to avoid leaving any traces.

The sofa in the living room might be comfortable for watching TV while lying down, but it's not so comfortable for sleeping on it.

Does this mean I'll really have to sleep in the same room as Tomatsu Tomoka tonight?

Listening to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, Jun Matsueda felt somewhat uneasy.

Chapter 536 Christmas Eve

As the sound of water in the bathroom gradually subsided, Jun Matsue already had an idea in his mind.

If all else fails, I'll just sleep in Raiju's room.

Opening the bedroom door of Laixi Youse, the room was spotless. To make it convenient for the owner to come back to sleep at any time, a light yellow quilt was laid on the bed, which looked much more comfortable than the boy's own bed.

Finding a light short-sleeved shirt and adjustable shorts in her closet, Jun Matsue walked towards the bathroom. A blurry figure of a young girl could be seen through the frosted glass door, and the sound of water flowed quietly over her alluring flesh.

The boy put down the clothes he was holding, then turned around and walked outside.

"I put the clothes on the chair outside."

"Wait a minute," Tomatsu Yuka called out to him, "Tsunku, could you please pass this in for me?"

The sound of the sliding door being pulled open rang out. Jun Matsue turned around, and the shadow on the glass was magnified considerably, revealing a clear outline. A girl's arm, still wet with water droplets, peeked out from the crack in the door.

"..." The boy picked up the clothes from the chair and put them in her hands.

"I don't have underwear. If you're uncomfortable wearing these, I'll find you some other clothes."

She probably wouldn't mind if I secretly slept in Raisi's room, but if she found out that another woman had worn my underwear... Matsueda Jun couldn't imagine what the girl would look like when she got angry.

The smooth, fair arm trembled slightly. "It's alright, it should be."

Ten minutes later, Tomatsu Yuka, having finished drying her hair, walked into the living room wearing a large T-shirt that was big enough to cover her shorts. When the boy on the sofa turned his head to look at her, she spun around on the spot, and the hem of her white T-shirt fluttered up, revealing shorts that looked like safety shorts underneath.

"It feels like a boyfriend's shirt." The girl smiled, her cheeks still flushed with a warm blush.

Jun Matsue didn't argue with her, but turned to look at the TV that was on. "There's still a while before bedtime. I'm going to take a shower too. You can watch TV first."

“Okay~” The girl sat obediently next to him, picked up the remote control—without raising her thighs or showing her shoulders, looking very proper.

"There are some snacks in the coffee table drawer, and the ice cream and milk are in the refrigerator," the boy instructed before getting up. "You can do whatever you want, except don't come into Qiyangshi's room."

"Okay~" Tomatsu Yuka nodded.

Boys shower much faster than girls. By the time Jun Matsue dried his hair and came out of the bathroom, the girl had only taken two bites of the cup of ice cream in her hand.

"I ate more for dinner than I felt..." Tomatsu Tomoka looked at him with a troubled expression. "Tsunku, do you want to eat with me?"

Jun Matsueda glanced at the ice cream packaging. "I'll get another spoon."

She has a good eye; she chose the rum chocolate flavor that Mochizuki likes best.

The sweetness of the chocolate, with a hint of rum, slid coolly down his throat, and Jun Matsueda's mind became calm and clear as he looked at the screen.

"The moonlight night is still young."

"Hmm," the girl said, with a spoon in her mouth. "I'm not really interested in TV programs, but everyone likes to watch them, so I watch them too."

To be honest, Jun Matsueda wasn't particularly interested in programs filled with regionalism, dirty jokes, and various offensive topics. However, after watching television with Yosuke Kurusu many times, he discovered that many Japanese entertainment programs were like that.

Perhaps it's because people in real life live such repressed and rule-bound lives that these shows meant to entertain people have become like this.

However, to the man's surprise, Tomatsu Yuka, who was sitting next to him, was smiling very happily—not the polite smile that girls usually have, but a genuine smile with her lips open, teeth showing, and her shoulders and hair trembling.

"Does this show really make you this happy?" Jun Matsue looked at her swaying body and almost thought that Yosei Kurusu was sitting next to him.

"Actually, no." Tomatsu Yuka blinked and pulled her legs up onto the sofa. "Well, I was just going with the flow."

"What really makes me happy is being together like this, watching meaningless TV, laughing meaninglessly, and killing time."

Even the most meaningless things can become fun and interesting when someone is around.

"..." The boy shook his head helplessly, "If I don't eat it now, I'm going to finish all the ice cream."

The girl scooped a small spoonful of ice cream into her mouth and revealed her rare innocent smile.

Time flies by in front of the TV. By the time Jun Matsueda picked up his phone, it was already 9:30 p.m.—after a final wash, he could get ready for bed.

The boy stood up. "I'll go get you a toothbrush first. You can sleep at my place tonight, and I'll sleep in Laixi's room."

"No!" Tomatsu Yuka grabbed his hand. "How about we sleep together? I want to fall asleep chatting with Tsun-kun tonight."

“I didn’t deliberately provoke you today…” The girl shook his hand again.

"..." Considering how upset she was today, Jun Matsue said to himself, "Then I'll sleep on the floor and not get any closer."

The girl nodded contentedly, "That's fine!"

So after washing up before bed, Tomatsu Yuka lay on her bed, which was both extremely unfamiliar and very familiar. She watched as the light outside the door went out, and the boy walked into the room and spread the bedding from the closet on the floor.

"This is the first time I've ever felt like this," the girl said expectantly, burying her head under the covers.

Matsueda Jun quietly put away his pillow, turned off the bedroom light, and crawled into bed—this wasn't the first time he'd done this.

A rustling sound came from the boy and girl turning over. The two, who were not in the same bed, faced each other and then fell silent.

"Didn't you say you wanted to chat while you went to sleep?" the boy asked, pointing to the wooden board on the side of the bed in front of him.

"I had so much to say." The girl looked at the blank wall in front of her and took a breath of the warmth of the blankets.

"But now that I'm lying here, I don't know what to say."

Jun Matsue sighed, "Get some rest, you have to go to school tomorrow."

"Ok!"

They fell silent again, and the only sound in the room was their breathing.