Am I being simulated by their love affair?

Page 155

"Cai-chan said we should go ahead first." The senior student came back. "I'll send them the location later."

"...Is Senior going too?" Mochizuki Haruka thought she would stay and keep Tomatsu Yuka company.

"Hmm." The girl nodded gently. "I also quite like The Garden of Words, and I'd like to hear Mochizuki-san tell me more about it~"

Mochizuki Haruka stared at her for two seconds, and Yamami Maki blinked innocently, "Aren't we leaving?"

Tomatsu Yuka watched as the girl in the black dress led the two of them out of the cherry blossom grove. She looked away, and the shutter of her phone camera flashed.

"What do you think of this one, Cai Jiang?"

"Very good!" Miyamura Aya nodded in satisfaction, looking in the direction where the three had disappeared.

"Are Tomatsu-nee and Mochizuki-nee still not on good terms?"

“How can this be good?” Tomatsu Yuka sighed. “The more we like Matsueda-kun, the more we find each other annoying.”

“If Mochizuki Haruka doesn’t try to take your brother from me, I’d be happy to be her friend, or even her servant.”

Aya Miyamura flashed an incredibly cute smile at the girl's camera.

"My Chun-ge really has committed many sins~"

Jun Matsue looked at the green reflection on the water's surface. The branches, overburdened, clung to the pool of spring water, swaying in the wind as if they were intermittently kissing the pond.

“It’s almost exactly like a scene from a movie,” Yami Maki exclaimed softly, impressed by the tree’s branches that drooped towards the water.

"If you keep going, you'll reach the lawn after the rain, just like in the movie. It's a good place to rest." Mochizuki Haruka gazed quietly at the water, her tone devoid of any emotion.

In Mochizuki Haruka's view, Yami Maki was much less aggressive than Tomatsu Yuka, but this only made her more difficult to deal with—the girl would simply ask one or two questions out of curiosity while she was talking to Matsueda Jun, or stand by and pretend to listen attentively, and the atmosphere between the two of them alone would be easily ruined.

"Jun-nii~" Miyamura Aya's voice came faintly. Matsueda Jun, who was standing by the pool, turned around. The girls who had finished taking pictures had already followed.

"Never mind," Mochizuki sighed. Opportunities to be alone are not so easy to create.

"Shall we rest here?" Jun Matsue looked at the dazzling green lawn in front of him and turned to ask the girls behind him.

"Let's do it here. The lawn here is very spacious and the light is especially good." Tomatsu Yuka nodded.

They stood in the center of a large lawn, surrounded by cherry blossom trees. Nearby, some people were picnicking, while others lay down and covered their faces with their hats for a nap.

Jun Matsue laid out the picnic mat, and the girls sat on the large green and white checkered cloth, with clouds slowly drifting across the sky above them, casting moving shadows on the grass.

Yamami Maki took a deep breath of the fresh air, which carried the scent of grass and leaves, and her chest heaved more.

"Being able to breathe this kind of air is already a rare comfort."

The girls placed their handbags in the center of the placemats. Mochizuki Haruka, who hadn't brought anything, tilted her head in confusion and secretly moved closer to Matsueda Jun's position.

Tomatsu Yuka took out a box wrapped in cloth, Yamami Maki had a large glass box, and Miyamura Aya had a cardboard box with a cake pattern on it.

"Snack time!" Cai Jiang announced excitedly, opening the box in her hand. Inside were several slices of mille-feuille cake, which she had bought in advance.

The glass box containing Maki Yami's creations features sliced ​​fruits of various colors, mixed with yogurt. It's a fresh and tempting treat that the young girl prepared herself before heading out.

Tomatsu Yuka untied the bento cloth, gently opened the lid, and pink wagashi wrapped in green leaves appeared before everyone's eyes.

"It's sakura mochi~" Miyamura Aya exclaimed, "A sweet treat specially made for spring!"

"I made it myself." The girl had a hint of pride on her face.

"This must be complicated to make, right?" Yami Maki carefully picked up a piece of sakura mochi. It was a Kanto-style "Chōmeiji Sakura Mochi," made by rolling red bean paste in mochi skin and then wrapping it in a layer of salted cherry blossom leaves. It was delicate and beautiful.

"It's alright. The cherry blossom leaves were bought from the supermarket, and the mochi skin was also a semi-finished product. The main problem was that making the red bean filling took a bit of effort."

Tomatsu Tomoka glanced at the eager boy, "Well, it's because Matsueda-kun wants to eat it~"

Yamami Maki and Mochizuki Haruka remained silent in perfect unison as they watched Matsueda Jun put a sakura mochi into his mouth.

"What a wonderful texture and taste..." He chewed slowly. The cherry blossom leaves were crunchy and crunchy, with a hint of cherry blossom fragrance. They were also slightly salty after being pickled. The mochi skin was very soft and chewy, and the sweetness of the red bean paste filling was just right.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and looked at the silent girls. "We agreed on snack time. Aren't you going to eat?"

Mochizuki Haruka picked up a sakura mochi and tasted it. She wasn't very interested in wagashi and didn't eat much of it, but this sakura mochi was indeed quite delicious.

"How are you feeling, Mochizuki Haruka?" Tomatsu Tomoka asked with a smile.

Does my heartfelt gift taste delicious?

Chapter 263 Words about Love Can Be Sharp Enough

Mochizuki Haruka chewed the sakura mochi carefully, the sweet and salty flavors intertwining in the girl's mouth. The edge of the cherry blossom leaf brushed against the soft flesh inside her mouth, leaving a slightly serrated feel.

"If it were pine branches, they would probably prefer a coarser red bean paste filling, and the sweetness could be increased slightly."

She looked up at Jun Matsue beside her, "The degree to which you can feel the shape of a red bean is his favorite."

"Is that so?" Tomatsu Yuka looked at the boy with a questioning gaze.

"Actually, it's fine either way. I'm not qualified to be that picky." Jun Matsueda licked his lips, which was his approval of the handmade sakura mochi.

Mochizuki Haruka looked at him relentlessly, pouting with a wronged expression, "Did I say something wrong?"

"...If you really want to know, I do belong to the coarse red bean paste type." Matsueda Jun hesitated for a moment. "When did I mention this to Mochizuki?"

“I have my own methods,” the girl said proudly, raising her head.

When she was still living in 507, Mochizuki Haruka would often feed Matsueda Jun sweets. He discovered his liking for red bean paste after the girl had been feeding him dorayaki for a few days, and this was also recorded in her notebook.

“I see… I’ll remember that.” Tomatsu Yuka’s face still had a smile on it. “If I have the chance to make it again in the future, I will use coarser red bean paste.”

"But I didn't expect that although Mochizuki can't cook, she has a very keen sense of taste."

Mochizuki Haruka frowned. Only a fool would take that as a compliment. "Not being able to cook doesn't mean anything. I can have someone deliver anything you want to eat."

Although she was saying this to Tomatsu Yuka, her eyes were fixed on Matsueda Jun, who was using a toothpick to pick up a slice of apple with yogurt from Yamami Maki's box.

"And I can cook," the girl added in her mind, though she only knew how to make mixed rice porridge.

"Really? But I prefer the cooking process." Tomatsu Tomohana dismissed the girl's rebuttal.

"Making food with feeling and then watching it be swallowed by the other person is a very happy thing. I hope that Mochizuki will have the opportunity to experience it in the future."

She looked at the few remaining sakura mochi in the box and shamelessly displayed her inner satisfaction.

“…I hope so.” Mochizuki Haruka’s expression was somewhat stiff.

After swallowing a small piece of mille-feuille cake, Jun Matsue took out his vibrating phone from his pocket, tapped on the flashing profile picture, and then stood up and walked towards the lawn on the other side.

"I'm going to take this call, don't save any snacks for me."

Yamami Maki carefully swallowed the banana chip in her mouth, exchanging a glance with Miyamura Aya. As the boy left, the previously somewhat restrained verbal sparring turned treacherous.

"So what brings you here today?" Tomatsu Yuka watched Matsueda Jun's figure disappear into the woods. She picked up the last sakura mochi, tore it apart along with the leaves, and slowly put it into her mouth.

"Is it to assert a sovereignty that doesn't exist, or is it simply to make me uncomfortable?"

"Is it possible that both are true?" Mochizuki Haruka sat directly in Matsueda Jun's seat. "I'm just afraid that Matsueda will be bewitched by someone's gentle charm and someone's superb acting skills."

As Yamami Maki was about to try the strawberries she had brought, she noticed the three girls' gazes fixed on her. At first, she looked confused, but when she realized that the so-called "gentle haven" referred to her, a blush of embarrassment and annoyance appeared on her face.

"I have absolutely no romantic relationship with Matsueda-san! Please make things clear, Mochizuki-san!" The girl said this with 90% sincerity.

"That would be best if that were the case." Mochizuki Haruka maintained her indifferent expression; she was merely taking the opportunity to test this potentially threatening senior.

Sparkling, transparent spheres floated overhead, while parents and children blew bubbles in the distance. The lawn was much more crowded during cherry blossom season, but it seemed that no one was approaching them.

"You said your family's situation had improved, does that mean things have been resolved?" Tomatsu Yuka suddenly asked a completely unrelated question.

Yamami Maki blinked. Tokyo wasn't that big, and of course she had heard about the Mochizuki family's situation. It was so tragic that one wondered if this sparsely populated family had offended the gods and was burdened with a shameful curse.

"It will be resolved soon."

"Then Mochizuki-san's life will soon return to normal, right? Is there any need for her to keep bothering Matsueda-san?" Tomatsu-yuka smoothed her bangs, which had been ruffled by the wind.

"Could you please stay away from Songzhi-kun?"

Mochizuki Haruka stretched out the sharp fork in her hand and stabbed it into a piece of matcha mille-feuille with a murderous aura, causing Miyamura Aya, who was sitting in front of the cake, to tremble.

"I love pine branches, and I hope to love them for the rest of my life." The girl's tone was firm. "For him, I am determined to change myself beyond recognition."

Having endured pain to transform into a better human being, she certainly has the right to say such things.

"Tomoka Tomatsu, you don't understand him as well as I do. You're just showing him your enthusiasm all the time. It's like dessert; it serves no purpose other than satisfying your appetite."

She was still so mean, Yamami Maki thought angrily. Just as the girl was about to speak, she saw Tomatsu Yuka's even brighter smile.

"I can also say that when it comes to determination, have you ever experienced the feeling of having your relationship rejected by the person you respect most?"

"Isn't so-called determination just a byproduct of liking something? I don't think there's anything commendable about it."

Miyamura Aya moved a little closer to Yamami Maki. Although it was a sunny afternoon, the girl felt a little chilly.

"You say you know Tsunkun better than I do?" The girl seemed to have heard something utterly ridiculous. "Your so-called understanding is only due to having tied yourself to his side. Give me the opportunity, give me the time, and I will know his preferences perfectly well."

"Does that mean I understand?"

Have you helped him? Have you gone through challenges with him? Have you seen how exhausted he is after working overtime? Do you know how to comfort him when he's vulnerable?

"Do you have any serious plans in your so-called romantic fantasy of spending your life together?"

"Do you know that these things that satisfy our appetites are the most relaxing and gentle comfort for Tsunkun and me, who repeat the same monotonous daily routines?"

Tomatsu Yuka's tone grew increasingly sarcastic, and Mochizuki Haruka's gaze grew colder. Just as she was about to retort, the person who had disappeared finally returned after finishing his phone call.

"Have you finished all the snacks?" Jun Matsueda asked with a hint of regret.

"Didn't you say you didn't need any left for me?" Mochizuki Haruka rolled her eyes at him, her murderous aura completely gone, with only the tightly gripped fork proving that it wasn't just the girls' imagination.

"Here are some fruits from my seniors~" Tomatsu Yuka held up the glass box, her tone undisguisedly affectionate and gentle, as if those sarcastic and heavy words had just come from someone else's mouth.

Jun Matsueda looked at Aya Miyamura and Maki Yamami, who were much closer to him, and asked, "Has everyone rested well?"

"My body is well-rested, but I feel a little uneasy..." Aya said softly, and Yamami Maki nodded slightly as if agreeing with her.

"Um, although it's a bit late to ask, would you mind if someone else wanted to come?" Jun Matsueda looked at the message on his phone, the "Kirakira" avatar flashing.

Despite being rivals, Tomatsu Tomoka and Mochizuki Haruka shared the same premonition.

An even more annoying guy is coming.

Chapter 264 Sharing the same path doesn't necessarily mean traveling together

Who is coming?

Miyamura Aya blinked, and several of the bubbles floating in the air seemed unable to withstand the pressure and quietly burst.

“You’ve all met Yosei Lai, she said she’s in Shinjuku.” Jun Matsueda looked at the message on his phone, then noticed the somewhat bewildered Maki Yami.

"I don't think I've ever seen her before. Lai Xiyang is my roommate."

"Ah... I understand." Yami Maki nodded, secretly glancing at Mochizuki Haruka and Tomatsu Yuka's expressionless faces, and a sense of curiosity arose about her roommate whom she hadn't met yet.

When she was on the phone with her classmate Matsueda at home, it seemed that Matsueda had mentioned this roommate when they went to Hatsumode together before.

"If you don't mind, I'll call her over?" Jun asked again. Actually, this question was a bit redundant, as the girl who had acted first and asked later was already on her way.

"It's okay, it'll be more lively with more people."

Tomatsu Yuka gave a forced smile. Mochizuki Haruka didn't say anything, but simply moved her body to the side, giving Matsueda Jun his place.

The boy sat down again on the edge of the picnic mat. The sunlight overhead was a bit dazzling, but it made him feel warm all over. He lay down on the grass and watched the clouds gradually disappear into the distance.

"The best afternoon is one where you do absolutely nothing."

Jun Matsue sighed, the bent grass beneath his head and the scent of cherry blossoms in the wind being the best proof of his feelings.

"Matsueda-san, you've been working hard overtime." Tomatsu Yuka glanced at Mochizuki Haruka. This was the little comfort she was talking about in her boring daily life. Some people probably wouldn't understand, right?

Mochizuki Haruka ignored the girl's provocation and simply stared at the profile of the boy beside her. She did not intend to stir up any conflict while Matsueda Jun was present.

"It's been a month since school started. Has Aya-chan adapted to high school life?" Jun Matsue asked the girl sitting across from him.

"That's great!" Aya Miyamura lay down on the lawn, her arms and legs spread out, her spread-eagled posture even more arrogant than Jun Matsueda's.

"The teachers and classmates are all very nice people, I haven't fallen behind in my studies, and the food in the cafeteria is delicious..."

"Ah, but there's a small problem with the light music club. Our band isn't fully formed yet; we're still missing a drummer and a keyboardist."

The girl suddenly sat up on the grass, a few bits of grass still clinging to her hair. "But my intuition tells me that once the band is formed, we can dominate Yuqiu!"

"Are you going to conquer Haneoka with music...?" The girls laughed. Jun Matsueda looked up at the distant sky, where a building resembling the Empire State Building stood outside the forest.

"That building seems to appear quite often in movies, doesn't it?"