A Great Transfer

Rather, it's more accurate to say that in such a place, the fact that everyone is given their own name, instead of simply being addressed with a number or something more befitting an experimental subject, is the last vestige of human compassion.

Of course, this is hindsight, because in fact, in the White Room at that time, very few children cared about their names. To them, it was essentially no different from a number; it was just a basis for differentiation.

But in an environment where even personal freedom is not one's own, the only thing that truly belongs to oneself is one's name. Only after realizing this can one generate more emotions that are uniquely one's own.

"But wouldn't she feel that this development lacks narrative depth? Aren't literature-loving girls the type who most likely to fantasize about unrealistic scenarios happening to them?"

"Hiyori and I believe that if we are willing to actively discover those tiny details in life, there are stories everywhere, and we can also create our own stories."

After briefly explaining to Yuki what they had done during summer vacation and on Valentine's Day—using various mystery novels to connect a day's date and the love letter used for Confessions — Kitagawa Ryo added:

"Build your own stage, enjoy your own performance, and guarantee that the ending will never be a tragedy—that's the kind of story that should happen all the time in reality."

Just like the date he once recreated with Ichinose Honami, Kitagawa Ryo could accept that the unpredictable stage of Fate would only ever happen in a simulation of the past, but he would not accept that a similar story would reappear in reality. Therefore, he would rather go to the venue himself and polish every detail to ensure that everything was perfect.

But this method is clearly not suitable for Xue, because he really has neither the ability nor the idea to replicate a 'happy ending' version of the White Room.

"All right."

Whether or not she truly understood the meaning behind Kitagawa Ryo's words, Yuki simply nodded in response and then changed the subject again:

"I heard that Ryo has been holding a study session with Sakurako recently."

"Well, after all, we're partners for this Special Exam. Actually, Yuki could also do it with Arisu."

"Then forget it."

Although the question was asked so abruptly, Yuki herself didn't care much about it. After all, aside from the fact that her younger sister had never been interested in interacting with Kitagawa Ryo, there were also Ichinose Honami and Amasawa Ichika keeping a close eye on things in the Drama Club, making it extremely safe. If there were any signs of trouble, these two couldn't just let it go, so there was no need to ask any more questions.

"Even without the study group, Arisu and I would still have gotten first place in our group in this Special Exam."

Then, she confidently declared her victory.

It has to be said that this pairing is indeed more motivating than when he was with Kitagawa Ryo. Moreover, not only against Yuki, but Arisu will also not allow himself to face White Room's three consecutive losses. After all, Kitagawa Ryo lost to Amasawa Ichika, and Amasawa Ichika lost to Yuki. If he keeps losing, then there will really be no one left to lose to.

"Okay, let's have a competition then."

Only when facing snow would Kitagawa Ryo experience that complex, insincere emotion, which he hadn't felt in a long time. He always felt that there were many things he needed to say to her, but in the end, he couldn't say them.

The reason is just as he told Xue before: once certain words are spoken, they will inevitably leave irreparable rifts in the relationship between the two of them. Therefore, they are both trying their best to avoid them, to pretend to be innocent, and to use a gentler approach.

But the more you try, the closer sincerity gets to a lie.

"Why act like you've lost something when you've never actually received it?"

He still couldn't bring himself to ask that question.

Chapter Twenty: A Great Transfer

Today, Kitagawa Ryo, once again under some kind of external pressure, was forced to wake up from a good dream.

It was still the same familiar ceiling in his room, the same familiar cat curled up and furry beside him on his pillow, and the same familiar Miss Alice. However, unlike last time when she straddled his lower abdomen, this time Sakayanagi Arisu lay directly in front of him, her hands on the edge of the blanket supporting her chin, seemingly observing his sleeping face with great interest.

"Arisu's here."

In fact, Kitagawa Ryo didn't even need to open his eyes to identify who was in front of him. After all, there were only two people who would actively invade his room so early in the morning. However, the other person Amasawa, usually made a certain part of his body wake up faster than his eyes, so it was very easy to identify him.

To be honest, Kitagawa Ryo is sometimes really afraid that these two will bump into each other. From this perspective alone, Ichinose Honami's anti-theft chain method is worth promoting.

"Um."

Sakayanagi Arisu responded languidly, then rolled slightly to the side, got off Kitagawa Ryo, casually lifted the edge of the blanket, slowly shifted, and tucked the blanket in, thus completing all three steps of how she got into bed.

"... I thought Arisu was coming to call me for morning exercise."

"Ryo actually remembers that we used to do morning exercises together."

"Well, it's only been a little over three months since we last saw each other."

Hearing Sakayanagi Arisu bring this up, Kitagawa Ryo couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, after all, he had really stood her up for a long time:

"But when I Arisu again later, didn't Arisu refuse me the same time?"

"I declined that day, but Liang could have invited me again the next day or the day after, but I didn't."

"That sounds incredibly arrogant."

"Isn't being willful a good thing? Besides, didn't Ryo herself tell me that if you want to be willful with other girls, you should just take it out on Ryo first?"

"Was my original statement really that strange?"

After making this subtle comment, Kitagawa Ryo reached out and pulled the petite girl who had crawled into his bed into his arms, also saving the kitten that was almost thrown off the bed by Sakayanagi Arisu as usual.

"So, Arisu came here this time to vent her frustrations about whom?"

"I know the truth about the situation myself."

Feeling as if he were back on the set of the final simulation, Kitagawa Ryo, once again caught in the middle between Sakayanagi Arisu and Yuki, couldn't continue pretending to be clueless. However, he didn't give a direct answer either, instead subtly changing the subject:

"It seems the Student Council recruitment ended yesterday."

"That's why I came to see Liang today."

"Actually, Suzune came to see me last night."

"... All right."

Sakayanagi Arisu remained silent for a moment after hearing this, before letting out a soft sigh.

The final list of new Student Council members has been confirmed: Ishigami Kyo from Class 1-A, Takahashi Osamu from Class 1-B, Utsunomiya Riku from Class 1-C, and Tsubaki Yuki from Class 1-D have successfully joined the Student Council.

It has to be said that this is a list that, apart from Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, even Student Council Horikita Suzune and another vice president Sakayanagi Arisu, are somewhat dissatisfied with.

The former was naturally worried that the Ayanokoji Faction made up three-quarters of the list, while the latter had some objections to the missing quarter. However, the result was unchangeable, as the abilities of these four individuals were indeed among the best of this year's freshmen. Unless there was a forced manipulation, it was impossible to remove anyone's spot.

In hindsight, if Tsubaki Sakurako and Nanase Tsubasa had also signed up for the Student Council, Horikita Suzune could have easily pulled some strings. However, the fact that both of them chose the Drama Club was a way of indirectly putting the Student Council in a difficult position.

"The new members reported to the Student Council yesterday afternoon."

Seeing that Kitagawa Ryo didn't want to point it out, Sakayanagi Arisu simply went along with him, speaking to Kitagawa Ryo in a rare manner, like a little victim who had been wronged outside:

"I guess they felt it was difficult to make a move against the president, Suzune, right away, so they tried to intimidate me, the vice president, by using me directly. In the end, it was Suzune who took the initiative to help me out of the predicament."

Looking at Sakayanagi Arisu had inexplicably become much weaker, Kitagawa Ryo himself was a little taken aback.

Although Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's power rapidly expanded to almost half of the Student Council after the Student Council recruitment ended, it still sounded strange coming from Sakayanagi Arisu.

As someone with an insatiable sense of pride and a strong competitive spirit, let alone such an overly arrogant behavior, even a slight offense in daily life would leave Arisu holding a grudge for a long time, and she would then find a suitable opportunity to retaliate.

How should I put it? It's like a strong contrast, like Aisi suddenly turning into Aimu.

Was the effect of Amasawa Ichika's game of Go really that obvious?

Beside Kitagawa Ryo, Hotaru, who had been spared from being thrown off the bed thanks to his help, arched her back high as if in response, rubbing her two front paws somewhat uneasily. It can only be said that she had seen Arisu suddenly become somewhat broken before, which had left a deep psychological shadow on her cat life.

Arrogance and inferiority are indeed two extreme psychological states that are very close, separated by only a fine line, especially for someone with a personality like Sakayanagi Arisu.

Her two simulations were similar. The first one was so memorable that I couldn't save him when we were separated by life and death. The second one was almost a happy family drama where I was praised as a national couple and I was able to save him. The two emotions that coexisted at the same time created the current Sakayanagi Arisu.

The Chess played by Amasawa Ichika was just the last straw that broke the camel's back. In fact, the psychological pressure had been steadily weighing on Sakayanagi Arisu's heart since a series of events, including the Student Council election, the Mixed Training Camp Special Exam, and the Valentine's Day celebration.

And this was precisely the three months during which Kitagawa Ryo didn't exercise with her in the mornings.

Physical discomfort and defects can easily trigger adverse psychological reactions, but physical improvements and enhancements do not necessarily cure psychological problems as well.

Or, as physical health gradually improves and returns to normal, people may have extra energy to pay more attention to psychological matters.

But this is clearly not something that can be figured out in a short time.

Do you need my help?

Faced with Kitagawa Ryo's question, Sakayanagi Arisu finally gave up her own thoughts for the time being, even though she used to be wary of her romantic thoughts being as bloated as a sponge after being soaked in water.

"Want."

Then she repeated it again:

"I want."

[Announcement from the Drama Club of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School]

After thorough and friendly communication between the club and its members, we are pleased to announce that former Drama Club member Amasawa Ichika has become a free agent and is officially disconnected from the club effective immediately.

A year has passed, and we have progressed side by side, through dawn and dusk, and through the changing seasons. Our pursuit of dreams has traversed major competitions and spanned both on and off campus.

In the rushing flow of time, those brilliant moments adorned by the paintbrush will forever reside in our memory palace and display case, among every weighty honor.

Everyone has dreams, and each person's life is unique and wonderful.

May Amasawa Ichika have a bright future and all things go smoothly in the years to come.

Inside the Drama Club's activity room, the members gathered around the computer, staring at the few lines of text that Kitagawa Ryo had casually typed out, each lost in thought.

"... Hmm, doesn't this announcement look a little too formal?"

"I never expected that everyone could have their own dreams and live a fulfilling life; I feel like I've been kicked out."

"Hey, I wasn't kicked out, I was the one who voluntarily withdrew, okay? It's just that it's not a cold, rainy night today."

"Shouldn't this role be given to Ryo?"

"Should I say that I've never enjoyed acting?"

Because Amasawa Ichika had clearly explained her reasons for leaving the club beforehand, the other members of the club didn't feel any pressure and joked around, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

After the farewell banquet was concluded in a cheerful manner, Kitagawa Ryo called Amasawa Ichika aside again.

"I've already spoken to Suzune, and Ichika will be joining the Student Council Ichika as a specially recruited member from the second year."

The Student Council of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School have all had the power to specially recruit students of the same grade into the Student Council. This is to facilitate the formation of their teams. However, after Horikita Suzune succeeded as Student Council, she could not find a suitable candidate for the time being, so she did not use this power.

Although this spot was theoretically originally intended for Kitagawa Ryo.

If it weren't for Karuizawa Kei's words, Kitagawa Ryo would have actually been preparing to join the Student Council for quite some time.

As for why it's Amasawa Ichika's turn now, it can only be said that the other party really understands the last simulated ward riot situation too well, or that he was originally one of them.

That's why, the moment Kitagawa Ryo received Sakayanagi Arisu's request and told Amasawa Ichika about it, the latter immediately understood and suggested that she could leave the Drama Club and join the Student Council.

After all, Amasawa Ichika wasn't particularly fixated on whether or not to stay in the Drama Club. She wasn't very interested in drama itself, and the club president, whom all the First Year students longed for, had already won the title countless times. She was basically just a slacker in the club, so leaving wouldn't have a big impact.

But the Student Council really needs her.

First of all, the addition of Amasawa Ichika finally brought together the three gods of the final simulation bond for the Student Council... cough, I should say all the parties involved.

Secondly, she also has a good relationship with the Student Council President, Horikita Suzune. Suzune herself even had the intention of recruiting her into the Student Council to help.

Third, Amasawa Ichika's personality and abilities perfectly meet the requirements. After all, she can do things that Sakayanagi Arisu and Horikita Suzune can't do without any psychological burden. Moreover, if it really comes down to a matter of strength and force, she can easily handle everyone except Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Of course, the most crucial point is that she was an insider from beginning to end, and compared to the other two who were already 'terminally ill,' she truly emerged from that period and was undoubtedly Kitagawa Ryo's best helper.

"Okay, okay, Ryo can rest assured and leave everything to me."

Amasawa Ichika nodded seriously. Although she was usually unreliable and liked to tease people, she never made a mistake when necessary. In fact, this was the real reason why Kitagawa Ryo always let her have her way.

"But without me in the Drama Club, Liang will have to put in a lot more effort."

"The Drama Club is doing alright, I guess."

"There were no problems before the recruitment, but after all, we recruited two new First Year members, especially Tsubaki Sakurako."

After being serious for a moment, Amasawa Ichika quickly reverted to her usual demeanor, smiling slyly as she leaned close to Kitagawa Ryo's ear:

"At first, I thought I was the only one deliberately letting the two of you talk alone, but then I found out that Honami was doing the same thing. She's always been quite concerned about what's going on between you, her, and Xue."

"But Ryo doesn't need to worry about Honami eavesdropping or anything. She's not capable of doing something like that. She's just trying to find a way to get through to Yuki through Tsubaki."

"My thoughts are pretty much the same as yours?"

After listening to Amasawa Ichika's whispered report, Kitagawa Ryo nodded with a hint of distress:

"I never expected that Honami would be involved."

"It's all Ryo's fault for agreeing to Yuki's request so easily during the last Cultural Festival, bringing her to the dorm, and then Honami seeing it."

At this point, Amasawa Ichika lowered her voice further, her curiosity piqued, and secretly asked Kitagawa Ryo:

"By the way, have Liang and Xue come again since school started?"

"Without."

Kitagawa Ryo answered honestly.

"There was a chance on the first day of school, but Xue was blocked by Honami with a security chain that day, and then there was no more."

"I see."