A Father's Request / I Want to Be Just Like You

While she was still conducting her initial investigation into Ayanokoji Atsuomi, Kitagawa Ryo had already taken action.

Long before Sakayanagi Arisu knew, Kitagawa Ryo had already set his sights on the assistant in the White Room.

Kitagawa Ryo knew very well that Ayanokoji Atsuomi was a politician through and through, and all his actions were based on self-interest.

But his assistant was different; he was a true, almost obsessive madman. Back in the White Room, Kitagawa Ryo had already noticed the various details the other person had left behind.

Kitagawa Ryo clearly remembers the last words he heard from his assistant as he lay dying before leaving the White Room:

[Although I think you could be observed for another two years at this stage, sometimes it's not up to me to decide.]

All he ever cared about was the experiment he was conducting.

Therefore, Ayanokoji Atsuomi could easily destroy all unfavorable data records to cover up the past of the White Room, but his assistant would not.

That was the most important thing to him.

But the reality was even more surprising than Kitagawa Ryo had anticipated. The assistant's secret stash wasn't just some past experimental reports, but a complete set, including video footage—evidence that could reveal the past of the White Room.

But Sakayanagi Arisu doesn't care about any of that right now.

She curled up on the sofa, hugging her knees, and stared at the screen that had gone black after playing all the videos.

Sakayanagi Arisu pursed her lips; she simply felt a pang of heartache.

She should have recovered by now.

Chapter 115: A Father's Request

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Kitagawa-kun. Thank you so much for coming today."

As soon as Kitagawa Ryo stepped out of the car, a middle-aged man who had been waiting there immediately came to greet him. What was somewhat noticeable was that the man was holding a vase full of fresh flowers.

When the man saw Kitagawa Ryo's two bodyguards constantly glancing warily at the vase in his hand, he smiled gently and explained:

"It was a decoration that was originally placed in that child's room. I just went out to change its water. Speaking of which, Xue really likes these white cherry blossoms; she even asked for the wallpaper and ceiling to be printed with this pattern."

How is Xue doing now?

Stopping the two bodyguards behind him from reaching out to check again, Kitagawa Ryo took a step forward and walked alongside the man into the psychological clinic behind him, asking questions as they went.

Kitagawa Ryo initially thought he would need the help of the Sakayanagi Family and the Onigashima Faction behind them to exact revenge on the White Room, but unexpectedly, during his investigation of the White Room, he discovered his hidden identity in this simulation.

This is undoubtedly the effect of the item [Marriage Contract].

Just as Kitagawa Ryo had envisioned, the [Marriage Contract] should be a tool involving basic logic, that is, to make the establishment of this Marriage Contract as reasonable as possible.

Sakayanagi Arisu is the only son of the Sakayanagi Family, while Kitagawa Ryo is an experiment in the White Room. Therefore, the only logical and workable point for Kitagawa Ryo to enter into Marriage Contract with Sakayanagi Arisu is his background.

In other words, the [Marriage Contract] item in this simulation is almost equivalent to a golden [Heir of the Wealthy Family].

This is one of the reasons why the White Room and Ayanokoji Atsuomi himself were purged so quickly.

Kitagawa Ryo frowned as he turned slightly to look at the two bodyguards who were always by his side.

In fact, even though the Kitagawa Family acknowledged his identity the moment they learned the news, Kitagawa Ryo himself was well aware that it was all based on the abilities he had demonstrated so far.

Ayanokoji Atsuomi and the White Room were not wrong at first. Even top-tier zaibatsu would not easily attack them for the sake of a potential heir who was already a waste. They were all creatures who acted for their own interests.

Kitagawa Ryo was even certain that if he were a child who had been psychologically brainwashed and physically addicted to drugs, the Kitagawa Family would most likely not acknowledge him as their long-lost illegitimate son, let alone launch a large-scale revenge against the White Room.

After the Naoe Faction and the Onigashima Faction secretly reached a deal, the White Room project was ordered to stop, the facilities were sealed off, and all the children were sent back to their parents or adopted in welfare facilities.

However, because too many forces were involved, the Naoe Faction did not want such a big scandal to affect its image. Therefore, most of the turmoil was temporarily carried out in secret. To the outside world, the White Room was still there, only Ayanokoji Atsuomi himself had been transferred.

This was also one of the demands made by the Naoe Faction. They also had their eyes on the White Room's popularity, which was almost on par with Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School that year. If nothing unexpected happened, the person in charge of the [new] White Room should be Naoe Jinnosuke's biological son.

All of Naoe Jinnosuke's deals with the Onigashima Faction were aimed at paving the way for his biological son, the next Leader of the Naoe Faction.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this lucky individual will inherit this enormous political legacy at his father's funeral a few years later, and with the support of the Onigashima Faction, he will easily embark on the path to becoming prime minister.

In truth, Naoe Jinnosuke himself was well aware that his initial interest in and promotion of Ayanokoji Atsuomi was merely to find a right-hand man for his son.

He never intended to elevate Ayanokoji Atsuomi to the pinnacle of the country; ultimately, Ayanokoji Atsuomi was one of the legacies he originally intended to leave to his son.

Naoe Jinnosuke knew his son well; he was not outstanding, and could hardly be considered a qualified politician.

But his surname is Naoe, and that's enough.

A politician's son is a politician, and that remains unchanged.

However, after entering the psychological clinic, Kitagawa Ryo pulled himself out of his thoughts and stopped thinking about these messy things.

Over the past decade or so in the White Room, almost all the children have developed some degree of psychological problems.

Therefore, after the White Room was disbanded, most of the parents chose to have their children receive psychological treatment, but in reality, they just wanted to take the opportunity to abandon these children in another place.

The children sent to the White Room who already had parents were almost all illegitimate children. They already had difficulty returning to their original families, and on top of that, they had psychological issues...

Kitagawa Ryo thought of the ending of his last simulation.

As the children of chaebols, although they have access to the best treatment, they can only stay in one room for their entire lives, and even family visits are rare.

"The snow's condition... I'd say it's improved somewhat?"

The man walking beside Kitagawa Ryo, Yuki's biological father, answered in this way.

Unlike other parents, he took his daughter's condition very seriously. He not only decided to let Xue receive the best psychological treatment, but also stayed by her side all the time.

"Although I still want to see you, Kitagawa-kun, things are much better than they were at the beginning."

The man couldn't help but give a wry smile as he said this:

"When she was first brought out, Xue was almost unable to communicate or go outside; she just kept thinking about you."

"The doctor said she has a strange psychology."

"On the one hand, it shows resistance and aversion to the [White Room], and on the other hand, it subtly reveals a hint of nostalgia in the subconscious. To use a perhaps inaccurate analogy, it's like Stockholm syndrome."

"These past few years in the White Room have undoubtedly been painful for Xue, yet she also cherishes something about it."

"It's me... right?"

Kitagawa Ryo stopped and turned to look at the man beside him.

But the man's reaction surprised him; the other person bowed deeply to him, the child, with utmost solemnity.

"I've heard some of the real stories behind the White Room, so thank you very much."

"Perhaps in other people's eyes, Kitagawa-kun is a genius prodigy, but to me, Kitagawa-kun is more like a hero, a hero who protected my daughter and destroyed that place."

"Because I was also a victim there, and I care about her a lot."

Kitagawa Ryo accepted the gratitude.

"Thank you so much for your help these past few days, including with the police statements. I'm very grateful, and also very... sorry."

"Because ultimately, only I can do it."

Kitagawa Ryo pursed his lips. After the White Room was closed, almost all the children showed strong resistance.

Therefore, for most of the time, only Kitagawa Ryo and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka were able to recount everything that happened in the White Room based on their own memories.

Disregard for human rights and inhumane treatment; unreasonable, violent, and presumptuous orders, as well as various experiments that go beyond abuse, trampling on dignity and manipulating emotions.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was a child so calm he was almost inorganic, and he had not suffered as much persecution as Kitagawa Ryo. Therefore, in Yuki's father's eyes, Kitagawa Ryo was the biggest victim in the whole incident.

After all, recalling painful memories often means secondary trauma.

We're almost there.

The two walked for a while longer, and then the man suddenly showed a sad expression:

"In fact, sometimes I feel powerless myself, including my wife and second daughter. It seems like Xue doesn't listen to what we say."

"Now I only hope she can have the happiness that is appropriate for her age, but that's hard to achieve."

As a father, he may have reached his limit.

Although Kitagawa Ryo didn't know why the other party had sent snow into the White Room back then, he now displayed the vulnerability and pleading of a father:

"Therefore, I have a rude request."

"Can you and my daughter go back to the relationship we had back then? Not a fake one, but a real one."

"What?"

Kitagawa Ryo was stunned for a moment, and he subconsciously looked at the man beside him.

"Only when she's with you can she be considered a normal child."

"She only calms down when she hears about you, and we've already asked her about it."

"My daughter, Xue, has fallen in love with you."

"Whether it's intentional brainwashing or not, feelings of affection won't go wrong."

"So--"

"I've already asked, and Liang went to the mental health clinic downtown today."

Sakayanagi Narimori put down the phone, glanced at his daughter who was getting ready to leave, and shook his head helplessly.

"Let me go out with you."

"Um."

Sakayanagi Arisu. She bent down to change her shoes. After seeing those images, a long-lost impulse welled up in her heart—an urgent urge to see him.

What she wanted to tell Kitagawa Ryo was very simple:

All of Kitagawa Ryo's past has nothing to do with her or Sakayanagi Arisu.

But every day after that was different.

[Marriage Contract].

It's a term that seems to only appear in fairy tales and dramas; it can be used as a guarantee that lovers will eventually be together, or as a source of conflict that separates couples.

Throughout the entire journey, Sakayanagi Arisu in thought.

Upon arriving at her destination, she hurried inside, but after wandering around for a while, she spotted Kitagawa Ryo's back.

But Sakayanagi Arisu didn't speak immediately, because at the same time another sincere statement rang out:

"Could you please arrange Marriage Contract between my daughter and me?"

Chapter 116: I Want to Be Like You Too

Just as Sakayanagi Arisu was stunned by this sudden remark, a slightly flippant voice came from the other end of the corridor:

"President Tsubaki, after all this back and forth, isn't it all just about forming a marriage alliance with the Kitagawa Family? There are so many victims of the White Room. According to you, shouldn't Kitagawa-kun get closer to every single one of the Fifth Generation members?"

Upon hearing this, Kitagawa Ryo turned around and looked in the direction from which the sound came. A middle-aged man with brightly colored hair was leading a little girl and walking towards them in an exaggerated manner.

"President Amasawa... perhaps things aren't as you think."

After seeing the other person's face clearly, Xue's father explained with a troubled expression.

Even within the upper echelons of society, disparities in assets and power persist—something even children understand.

At the last gathering held by Ayanokoji Atsuomi, when the children of the zaibatsu got into a fight, they even shouted things like, "I'll make my father bankrupt your father's company."

Xue's father was, in reality, just the president of a large company. Although he was quite well-off in the eyes of others, he was only famous in the business world. Otherwise, he wouldn't have invested a large sum of money in the early stages of the White Room Project. He just wanted to make contact with important figures in the political and financial world.

Although the Amasawa Family cannot compare to the top conglomerates in the country like the Koenji and Kitagawa families, they can easily surpass him in every aspect. Therefore, when he saw the other party appear, his tone became somewhat humble.

Or perhaps, there was also a sense of embarrassment at having one's hidden thoughts exposed so clearly.

Xue was indeed his biological daughter, but she was also a 'stranger' child he had never met since birth.

The best psychological treatment and meticulous care—how much of it stems from genuine guilt, and how much is merely for show? Perhaps only the person in question truly knows.

"Long time no see, Ichika."

However, Kitagawa Ryo didn't bother with the two's witty banter. He affectionately patted Amasawa Ichika's head, who had come with President Amasawa.

Despite President Amasawa's current disapproving attitude, his behavior is no different from that of the Tsubaki Family. If Xue's father still harbors some guilt towards his daughter, his attitude towards Amasawa Ichika has always been nothing more than cold exploitation.

When the White Room was disbanded, Ichika was also sent back to the Amasawa Family, but no one, including President Amasawa himself, had any feelings for this former [test-tube baby].

Perhaps at the beginning, Amasawa Ichika still harbored a sliver of hope for family affection, but the attitude of the Amasawa Family quickly shattered that hope completely.