Am I Really Unlucky?

Faced with Horikita Suzune's somewhat questioning gaze, Kitagawa Ryo simply let out a long breath and gave this ambiguous answer, which wasn't actually a lie.

In fact, Kitagawa Ryo himself sometimes had doubts about this issue. After all, after experiencing so many simulations, he could actually feel that although the talents he extracted seemed strange and varied, almost all of them did not go against his true nature, did not distort his personality, and were mostly based on fundamental abilities.

In terms of personality, even though he had previously extracted seemingly strange talents such as 'Tokyo Handsome Guy' or 'Carnivore', they were not obvious in those two simulations, or even at all.

In terms of ability, just like the golden talent 'Grand Master', Kitagawa Ryo had already demonstrated his talent in Chess before his transmigration and rebirth.

That's why the talent called "Thespian" is so dazzling; it was never something that should have belonged to him in the first place.

It was as if it had been taken from him and forcibly given to him.

"So, for me, the possibility of opening a dessert shop with Suzune again in the future is probably greater than going back to acting."

Unwilling to look into Horikita Suzune's eyes and recall those vague and distant past events, Kitagawa Ryo turned his gaze back to the future, smiling at the girl and making a promise once more:

"However, by then, it won't be a game of playing the family anymore."

"It should be a family role-playing game between me and Suzune."

Chapter 494: Really Unlucky?

Before long, it was lunchtime at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School. As usual, the students, having finished their morning classes, called out to each other, either heading to the Student Cafeteria for lunch or grabbing some bread from the convenience store, chatting and laughing about topics they hadn't finished during the break.

At this time of day, Shiina Hiyori would usually be walking briskly to her classroom in Class 1-B. But today was different, because Kitagawa Ryo had sent her a text message that morning saying, "Something came up today, so please make sure you have lunch Hiyori yourself."

"Huh? Why didn't Hiyori go today?"

Sitting next to Shiina Hiyori Ibuki Mio took out a wrapping cloth from her bag and casually asked her a question with some doubt.

Since learning to cook from Horikita Suzune for a while, Ibuki Mio is now able to take care of her own meals. Although the taste is only barely palatable, it is a huge breakthrough for a sports student like her, and she will definitely continue to improve.

"It seems Liang took the day off today."

Perhaps because she was currently slumped listlessly on her desk, Shiina Hiyori's voice sounded muffled, like that of an abandoned little animal.

"Are you sick? You seemed perfectly fine yesterday."

Ibuki Mio continued unpacking her bento box, chopsticks in her mouth, and gave a brief reply.

"I've never seen Ryo sick before. I heard Honami also took leave... Well, that's about it."

Thanks to a certain mysterious mystery writer, Shiina Hiyori, who learned about mouths, non-humans, and placement play from just one book, "Shiina Hiyori Rainbow Toothbrush," still possesses a remarkable imagination in these areas. After all, the rumors that Kitagawa Ryo spread during the Mixed Training Camp Special Exam were too astonishing.

The thought that Shiina Hiyori Ichinose Honami, who frequents the gym and is clearly much better fit than her, had taken the day off rekindled, or rather confirmed, the idea she had shared with Karuizawa Kei yesterday.

"Oh, I see."

Ibuki Mio remained remarkably calm, as she wasn't particularly interested in such matters. She scooped up a large mouthful of rice with a spoon, chewed, and mumbled a concerned inquiry:

"So you're not going to eat Hiyori or dinner then? That's not good for your health. At least grab something from the convenience store. I heard they have new bread flavors. It's a shame I'm not a good cook, otherwise I'd share half with you."

"It's okay, I'll just go to the convenience store. Thanks."

After saying goodbye to Ibuki Mio, who was still engrossed in eating, Shiina Hiyori perked up, stood up, and left the Class 1-D classroom. However, instead of going to the convenience store immediately, she headed towards the Class B classroom at the other end of the corridor.

Compared to Class D, which scatters like birds during lunch break, Class B has a relatively high percentage of students who bring their own lunches. This is partly due to the students' personalities, and partly because the three main figures in the class— Kitagawa Ryo, Karuizawa Kei, and Ichinose Honami— all bring their own lunches, which does influence some other students.

However, due to the absence of Kitagawa Ryo and Ichinose Honami today, the four-person group that should have included her couldn't get together. Shiina Hiyori Karuizawa Kei glanced inside through the window, but didn't see Karuizawa Megumi either; she was probably out eating with the other girls in her class.

Just as she was thinking this, Shiina Hiyori heard a familiar voice behind her again; it was Karuizawa Kei, who seemed to have just come out of the teachers' office.

"Huh? What's Hiyori doing here? Didn't Ryo text you? He didn't come to class today; he and Honami took the day off."

"I came to chat with Hui and maybe get a free meal."

"Sure, but I need to make it clear beforehand that my bento isn't as good Hiyori's. I hope Hiyori won't mind."

After all, they had been best friends for several years, so Karuizawa Kei didn't stand on ceremony at all Shiina Hiyori into the classroom. Since Hiyori had always come to visit during lunch break without fail, the other students in Class B didn't pay much attention.

"Did I just see him coming out of the office?"

"Yeah, I was called over by Hoshinomiya teacher, for something. It's nothing serious, just that she asked me to keep an eye on Ryo and Honami. After all, this is still high school, and if anything happens, she, as the homeroom teacher, will definitely be held responsible."

At this point, Karuizawa Kei herself couldn't help but chuckle. The idea of having her supervise Ichinose Honami and Kitagawa Ryo sounded abstract, but in fact, if you trace it back to the source, it was she who made the first move.

"Then the homeroom teacher gave her a long, rambling complaint about what happened at yesterday's matchmaking event. All I can say is that she and Chabashira-sensei really need to stay together; they absolutely can't be let out to mess with other people."

What happened at the matchmaking event?

"They just feel like Chabashira-sensei has stolen their thunder. From yesterday to today, quite a few male teachers have been running around helping Chabashira-sensei find the cat, like they're completing some kind of Kaguya-hime trial."

As she spoke, Karuizawa Kei lowered her voice again, leaning closer to Shiina Hiyori and whispering:

"Actually, the cat that Chabashira-sensei is looking for is Hotaru. This whole thing was probably Ryo's plan from the beginning, to whitewash Hotaru's identity."

"Whoa whoa."

Shiina Hiyori quickly understood what the other person meant and couldn't help but sigh:

"Liang really likes her; last time, she went to great lengths to get her into the school."

"Yes, Hotaru is indeed a very cute and smart little cat. It's just that sometimes when I see Ryo being so nice to her, it makes me a little jealous for a cat."

Half-jokingly, Karuizawa Kei emptied half of her lunchbox and handed the spoon to him. The two chatted as they ate their lunch.

However, this leisurely time did not last long. Kanzaki Ryuji rushed in from outside and came to the two of them. Without saying a word, he directly showed them his phone screen.

That was a new post published a few minutes earlier on the campus forum by the official account of the Investment and Finance Classroom:

With the Student Council election approaching, who is your top candidate for Student Council president?

Below the large title, the first line prominently displays Horikita Suzune's name and personal information, detailing her various data and score rankings on OAA, along with her own opinion:

"Without a doubt, she is the most popular candidate in this Student Council election, without exception. Since joining the Student Council, under the guidance of former president Horikita Manabu, Horikita Suzune has demonstrated an extremely high level of competence and ability. Not only has she never missed a day of the Student Council's daily work in the past year, but the outstanding achievements of the Drama Club, which she strongly supports and favors, also prove her excellent vision."

Although they had only read the first paragraph, Karuizawa Kei and Shiina Hiyori frowned in unison, clearly having noticed the subtle nuances in this writing style.

"Where's Suzune? I'll go talk to her about this."

Since Class 1-B had already firmly sided with Horikita Suzune, and Karuizawa Kei herself had a good relationship with her, Karuizawa Kei realized the problem the moment she saw the post and decided to immediately get up and go to talk to Horikita Suzune in person.

Since both Kitagawa Ryo and Ichinose Honami are currently absent due to leave, she, as the class representative, will have to take over for Class B.

"I asked when I passed by Class C on my way back."

Having finally caught his breath, Kanzaki Ryuji answered:

"Horikita isn't in class; she's absent today too."

Upon hearing this, Shiina Hiyori nearly choked on her food, a great look of confusion flashing in her amethyst-like eyes.

No, surely no one could possibly beat her to it?

In fact, Tsukishiro has always been quite fair. In this post, not only Horikita Suzune, but also the other three candidates were mentioned by name in various ways. In fact, compared to them, Horikita Suzune was just nitpicking.

"Katsuragi Kohei, Class 1-C, previously had a 'glorious record' of leading Class A to Class D as a class Leader. He was also specially recruited into the Student Council by the former Student Council, Miyabi Nagumo. His abilities are questionable..."

"Sakayanagi Arisu, a first-year student in Class 1-A, openly missed a semester of routine duties after joining the Student Council, citing health reasons. Therefore, it's hard to believe she can handle the daily pressures of being the Student Council..."

"Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, a first-year student in Class 1-C, has performed adequately since joining the Student Council. He was also specially recruited by the former Student Council Miyabi Nagumo. Rumor has it that this matter may also involve a large-scale loan transaction..."

In Class 1-A, Sakayanagi Arisu idly scrolling through the rest of the post. The other students around her were also discussing the matter enthusiastically, but because she was the person involved, they mostly avoided talking about her and Horikita Suzune and focused on the two candidates from Class C.

"Katsuragi's odds are indeed the highest. Anyone want to bet on him, this big upset? What if he pulls off a major upset and we'll make a fortune?"

"They dare to reject such a blatantly malicious vote? I wonder how many votes Katsuragi will get in this Student Council election. Forget about the entire Class C Student Council voting for Ayanokoji, I reckon even he himself will stand up and campaign for Ayanokoji, after all, Ayanokoji is the one in charge of Class C now, okay?"

"Well, there's nothing I can do about it. Some students led their classes from A to D, while others at least turned things around in the last Special Exam. I'm a student in Class C, and I'd still choose Ayanokoji."

"What comeback? I think it's just because they clung to Kitagawa's coattails and took advantage of the small group and the larger group."

Upon unexpectedly hearing Kitagawa Ryo's name, Sakayanagi Arisu subconsciously shifted her gaze to her left middle finger. The sports ring she had been wearing there, meant to deceive herself, had been replaced with a shiny, genuine one, which shimmered with captivating colors as she turned it, reflecting light from different angles.

To be honest, the reason why Sakayanagi Arisu didn't go to see Kitagawa Ryo this morning was actually quite similar to Horikita Suzune's: she also stayed up too late last night.

However, unlike Kitagawa Ryo, who texted Horikita Suzune until late at night and then looked through the chat history over and over again, Sakayanagi Arisu looked through news reports and comments from outside the school.

Although Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School does not prohibit students from receiving information from the outside world, most ANHS have gradually lost some of their awareness of the outside world due to their accustomed to the completely closed environment. Therefore, the incident that occurred near Tokyo Tower last night did not cause any disturbance on campus. For them, the school's celebration yesterday was the main event.

But for the citizens of Tokyo and many other netizens around the world, it was a different story. After the performance ended, the related trend quickly became a hot topic. After all, everyone was curious about the truth behind this inexplicable Confessions ceremony, which ended without a clear conclusion about who gave the confession to whom.

However, it is undeniable that the vast majority of female netizens highly approve of this performance, which is extremely romantic in every aspect. After all, it is much grander than setting up a flower arrangement with candles downstairs.

Of course, many netizens simply commented that this was probably just another rich kid's whim. After all, getting a landmark like the Tokyo Tower to change its color for one person is no easy feat. Judging from this alone, the man must be no ordinary person. Forget about romance; all I see is money.

Although on the other hand, someone immediately said that the fact that the two are willing to put on such a grand show despite their wealth proves their genuine feelings, I'm already shipping them.

In short, it was comments like these that kept Sakayanagi Arisu scrolling through the comments until she lost track of time. It just made her feel like she was back in the days when she was envied and blessed by millions of people. After all, the Alice that the whole internet was looking for was her.

"... You're really something."

At this point, even Sakayanagi Arisu herself had to admit that Kitagawa Ryo's plan had indeed scratched her itch, but not quite satisfyingly; it was almost like a small act of revenge added to her intentions.

However, she couldn't bring herself to retaliate, because she was the one who started it, and all Kitagawa Ryo did was pretend to be confused in response.

After letting out a small sigh, Sakayanagi Arisu unconsciously glanced at Horikita Suzune's seat, which had been empty since morning.

This was the first time she had seen Horikita Suzune absent from work due to illness.

Anyone would feel unlucky to be sick and take the day off on their birthday, right?

Should I send her a message or make a phone call to check on her later?

Sitting in her seat, Sakayanagi Arisu rested her chin on her right hand and continued to admire the ring on the middle finger of her left hand with her eyes half-closed, exuding a sense of ease and contentment in every way.

... but.

No matter what.

I still want the other person to put it on me personally.

Bonus: The World's Smallest Collar

Important Note Before Reading: This chapter is the second epilogue of Karuizawa Kei's first simulation, namely the epilogue of the "Autumn Remembrance of Karuizawa Kei" volume. It is a story on the same timeline as the first epilogue, "Taming and Being Tamed," and is used to supplement the story that takes place on the extended timeline of that simulation, so that readers can better understand the character's current mental journey and actual actions.

I tried to impress you with confusion, danger, and failure.

-- Jorge Luis Borge (Argentina)

If Hotaru's most unpleasant memory is the aftermath of Sakayanagi Arisu's first simulation, then Kitagawa Ryo's most unpleasant memory is undoubtedly the aftermath of Karuizawa Kei's first simulation.

If he were to define it, it would be the worst ending where no one finds happiness. Whether it's Karuizawa Kei, who watered her Paper Rose with self-harm and lies, or Shiina Hiyori, who longed for but never dared to reveal their relationship until the very Shiina Hiyori, or Horikita Suzune, who worshipped a new shrine in her own world with even greater devotion, none of these four people, including himself, truly achieved their wishes.

That is why Kitagawa Ryo only ever admitted to the rings he received and gave away in all the simulations, specifically the one involving Shiina Hiyori.

However, it must be said that it was also because of this simulation that Kitagawa Ryo fully understood Horikita Suzune's entire past and personality. In this respect, the reason why he was able to perfectly complete her chapter in one go is also due to this.

If Hotaru hadn't betrayed him during this Valentine's Day celebration, Kitagawa Ryo would probably have kept that memory buried deep in his heart. But this unplanned action forced him to take back the ring related to Horikita Suzune from Hotaru.

He stared at the ring he was supposed to give away again today, and suddenly this thought popped into his head.

If we were to add a title to that period of time, the post-marriage period could be called "Taming and Being Tamed".

As for before marriage...

It can be called:

The World's Smallest Collar.

Do you know a famous proverb from abroad?

Kitagawa Ryo, resting his chin on his hand, raised an eyebrow at Horikita Manabu, who was sitting opposite him, his tone slightly wistful:

"Get married quickly, then slowly regret it."

"So, you mean you're not in a hurry to get married?"

"No, I just suddenly realized that if you think about this proverb in reverse, things seem even worse."

Kitagawa Ryo took a sip of the tea in front of him.

"Isn't that just getting married slowly and then quickly regretting it?"

Taking this sentence as a starting point, he finally began to vent his true feelings to a friend he had known for over ten years:

"As expected, I still regret it now. I shouldn't have accepted your request to contact and communicate with Suzune. Otherwise, things would never have turned out like this."

"But you also know that I can't persuade Suzune to change her mind right now. In fact, no one in the world can convince her right now, not even God."

Horikita Manabu maintained his calm demeanor, but his tone also carried a hint of apology and helplessness.

"Moreover, everyone except Liang already believes that this is the best outcome."