Classroom of the Elite, I Have a Life Simulator

By the time Kitagawa Ryo came to his senses, he realized he was already crying. Once he acknowledged this fact, he simply cast aside all other restraints and wept openly, his crystalline tears rolling down his cheeks one by one before soaking into the soil.

He was suddenly struck by an intense urge to dig up the grave, as if Hotaru were still alive, just waiting for him to save it like when it had been trapped in a cardboard box during a rainstorm. He felt that if he only reached out his hand again, it would blink its firefly-colored eyes and step on the back of his hand with a look of disdain.

"Ryo..."

Ichinose Honami called out her childhood friend's name with a hint of worry. In the past fifteen years, this was the first time she had seen Kitagawa Ryo, who was a year her senior, lose control of his emotions to such an extent. This unexpected situation left her flustered.

"Hey, Honami."

Seemingly hearing her call, Kitagawa Ryo sniffled hard, stopping his tears, though his voice still carried a heavy nasal tone that made him sound exceptionally haggard.

"What is Hotaru to you?"

The question, which seemed inexplicable and confusing at first, made Ichinose Honami part her lips slightly:

"...A very good cat."

"Maki likes it very much. Although Mother sometimes complains about it, I can tell she doesn't dislike Hotaru; she even brings it food occasionally."

"Besides, Ryo gave it to me as a birthday present, so I was very happy."

Kitagawa Ryo stood up. Back when they were children, he had been a boy who feared that having his head patted would stop him from growing taller, but now he was a head taller than Ichinose Honami.

"Honami, do you like Hotaru?"

"Hmm."

The question caught the girl off guard, but she quickly replied:

"I—I like it, of course."

"Then why bring others into it? If Maki and the others didn't like Hotaru, would you stop liking it too?"

"Are my thoughts that important? Besides, Maki isn't just 'others'."

"Because it's your cat!"

Kitagawa Ryo grabbed his hair in frustration, his voice raspy as he shouted.

"I don't understand what you mean, Ryo. You were the one who found Hotaru, and we raised it together. What's wrong with that?"

"Hah."

Kitagawa Ryo took a deep breath, steadying his emotions:

"Even without me, didn't you want to take it in and bring it home from the very beginning?"

"How could I do something like that? Back then, bringing a cat home would only cause trouble for the family, what use would it be?"

Seemingly recalling that rainy day, Ichinose Honami denied it as well.

"So that's how it is..."

Kitagawa Ryo wore a bitter smile as he leaned his back against the old parasol tree.

"Ichinose Honami will always be the most sensible child."

He stared at the girl's beautiful features, looking over his childhood friend of more than a decade from head to toe.

"Honami is the best daughter, the best sister, and the best student council president—though you aren't one yet, you will be someday, right?"

"In short, Ichinose Honami is the perfect angel."

"But, Honami isn't the best lov... childhood friend."

Kitagawa Ryo reached into his pocket and pulled out a small hair clip:

"This is something Maki has been wanting lately."

"But if I gave it to you, you wouldn't accept it, right?"

He shook his head and put the hair clip back into his pocket:

"Because Honami understands Maki; you know your sister is sensible and won't make a scene demanding this clip. You also trust that you can appease her. After all, Honami is smart, beautiful, tolerant, and hardworking—simply omnipotent."

"But if one day Maki really did clamor for something—maybe this clip, or something else—you would definitely fulfill that wish, wouldn't you?"

"What exactly are you trying to say, Ryo?"

Ichinose Honami stared blankly at the boy before her, who was so different from his usual self. The sarcastic words coming from his mouth made it even harder for her to believe.

"I thought that even if Maki didn't understand, you, Ryo, would be the one who knows me best."

"That's right, I know you. I've been by your side for as long as you've been with me. Our fates and life paths have been intertwined since we were children."

Kitagawa Ryo gazed into Ichinose Honami's eyes.

The sunset cast a fiery red glow, yet Ichinose Honami's azure pupils seemed to embrace Kitagawa Ryo's burning heart like the sea.

[It's precisely because I know you that my heart aches.]

Kitagawa Ryo looked up:

"Honami."

"Yes."

"Do you know about Maki confessing to me two days ago?"

"I know."

"You don't seem to have much of a reaction."

"Because Maki is just a child. Ryo, you refused her because you knew that, didn't you?"

"That's not it."

Kitagawa Ryo shook his head. He looked at Ichinose Honami and spoke with a smile:

"The reason I refused is because there is someone I like. Her name is Ichinose Honami."

"The person Kitagawa Ryo likes is Ichinose Honami."

He emphasized his words, waiting quietly for an answer.

[No.]

These were the two words Ichinose Honami had heard from her mother countless times in the past.

Wanting a pretty hair clip? No.

Wanting nice stationery? No.

Wanting to take in a stray kitten? Of course not.

Her mother said it so easily; with a simple opening and closing of her lips, those two words could effortlessly block any wish.

Yet, at the same time, she taught Ichinose Honami to grow up candidly as someone others could trust, which meant she constantly had to give her affirmation to everyone else.

Can Ichinose help with cleaning duty? Yes.

Can Ichinose help with tutoring? Yes.

Can Ichinose join the student council to serve all the students? Of course.

Her brain felt as if it had crashed.

She looked at Kitagawa Ryo, who was waiting for an answer, and in a daze, she saw the kitten that had tried so hard to lift its head to look at her with its last bit of strength all those years ago.

Their pupils were so similar, equally beautiful.

"No... no."

Kitagawa Ryo heard the answer clearly.

"Yeah, it's fine."

He heard himself say that, and he stumbled away.

[Goodbye, Hotaru. Goodbye.]

Ichinose Honami watched his retreating back. If she were willing to chase after him, she could probably catch up.

But at this moment, her legs felt as if they had suddenly lost all strength, or perhaps she didn't even know what the point of chasing him would be. She bit her lower lip with her teeth, applying enough pressure to turn it white, but in the end, Ichinose Honami did not go after him. She took one last look at the small mound and left in the opposite direction.

[I like the cat he gave me. I like cats. I like him.]

[But today, just like a satellite, I continue to circle around the things I truly want to say while responding to his words.]

[Plot CG: She and His Cat, Read Complete]

Chapter Eleven: Actors, Take Your Places

[Day 7: Today is the last day of Ichinose Honami's part-time job. After dropping her off at her destination, you begin to wander around aimlessly. Karuizawa Kei and Ichinose Maki, who have been clinging to you for the past two days, are surprisingly getting along well. You heard they planned to go shopping together today, so once you knew their general activity range, you began to consciously avoid them. Before you knew it, you had walked to the park where Hotaru is buried.]

[You generally don't come to this place of sorrow on your own. On one hand, the cat that accompanied you for nine years is buried here; on the other, it is because of your confession.]

[You are someone who has received confessions frequently since elementary school. The most recent one seems to have been just a few days ago. Excluding this "fake" confession that happened at the stadium, you have faced countless girls of all kinds. Some were unrestrained and bold, pinning you against the wall despite being a head shorter than you. Others were introverted and shy, trembling for a long time before finally managing to choke out their words. But regardless of the girl, the words that spilled from their lips and the burning intensity in their eyes belonged to the era of innocent youth—a sincere affection.]

[Although they didn't really know you, most of the time they were just falling for a projected shadow, an object constructed by others.]

[They don't know if you prefer idol dramas or historical dramas, if you like your ramen noodles firm or soft, or if you listen to classical music or rock. In a sense, all the girls who have confessed to you don't know you at all. They know nothing of your true self.]

[But Ichinose Honami knows everything.]

[She knows your favorite ramen order is firm noodles, slightly spicy, with vinegar and no cilantro, and a light broth.]

[She knows your birthday and prepares a gift for you in advance.]

[She knows you once had a cat.]

[You cast your gaze toward the sand mound that is no longer distinct. A year later, it has become even more desolate. If you hadn't specifically memorized the spot, it would probably be hard to find this small grave.]

[That is because the large plane tree next to it has been cut down, leaving not even the roots, as if there had never been a plane tree here at all.]

[You once read in a book that memory requires a medium. This medium could be an object, a landscape, or a scent. When you come into contact with them again, it is like a safe with the correct combination; those memories come flooding out all at once.]

[But even if this plane tree has completely vanished, you think you still won't forget the time you spent under it. Just like Hotaru, who has likely decomposed and become part of the earth, their departure does not make your memories blurry, or rather, forgotten.]

[You touch the beaded bracelet on your right wrist. It was a gift Ichinose Honami gave you when you were twelve. It was the result of her buying beads separately and stringing them together one by one. You remember she originally intended to fold you one thousand two hundred paper cranes, but she canceled the plan because she didn't have enough time. However, the dozens of colorful paper cranes she made beforehand are actually in the glass jar on your bedside table. You say goodnight to them before you fall asleep.]

[The memories between you and Ichinose Honami don't need any medium. The two of you are the best vessels for this time. As long as you see her, you naturally remember the past. Your lives were intertwined from the start.]

[Therefore, Ichinose Honami should know that you like her. Realizing this shouldn't be any harder than remembering every single food preference a boy has had since childhood.]

[The midday sun grows intense. You stand before Hotaru's grave for a quiet moment before leaving.]

[In the afternoon, your underclassman Hirata Yosuke sends you a message. He seems troubled by his academic advancement for next year and wants to ask you for some advice.]

[You arranged to meet at a nearby cafe, and by the time you arrived at a leisurely pace right at the appointed time, Yosuke Hirata was already sitting there waiting.]

[After a brief exchange of pleasantries, you began asking about his plans for further education, during which you also revealed that you would be studying abroad for a year after the summer break. Yosuke Hirata couldn't help but sigh with admiration:]

["For a senior as excellent as you, even if you didn't enroll in Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, your future achievements would surely be just as high."]

[You noted the mention of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. You had heard of the school's reputation, famous for its claimed one-hundred-percent college placement rate and the guarantee that students would be able to work in their desired fields upon graduation. You had actually considered it yourself at one point, but abandoned the idea after hearing it was a fully residential school.]

[Although Yosuke Hirata had his heart set on entering the school, he was unsure if he would be accepted, leading to a recent state of anxiety that prompted him to message you for advice.]

[You were actually aware that Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School selected all its incoming students in advance each year. While the criteria for selection remained unclear, the fact itself managed to comfort Yosuke Hirata. After agreeing to play soccer together again when you were both free, you bid him farewell.]

[Day 8: Today was the day you had arranged to go shopping with Honami Ichinose. You set your alarm half an hour earlier than usual, tidied yourself up a bit, and headed to the building where Honami Ichinose lived. Not long after, you saw Honami Ichinose coming downstairs dressed in casual clothes.]

[In a pure white shirt and a light blue pleated skirt with a belt, paired with white knee-high socks and flat leather shoes, Honami Ichinose rarely chose flashy styles for her casual wear, usually sticking to simple, elegant whites and blues. Waiting at the bottom of the stairs, you felt a bit awkward due to the angle and averted your gaze.]

[Only when Honami Ichinose reached the bottom and stood prettily by your side did you turn your head back. You walked side-by-side along the path leading to the street. It was the season when irises were in full bloom, and in this slightly cool morning, your day with Honami Ichinose began.]

[Although you had said you were going to buy a hair clip for Maki Ichinose, both of you tacitly avoided mentioning it. In truth, you hadn't gone shopping together in a long time—at least not since you moved out of the house across from Honami Ichinose a year ago, after which you both kept your meetings to a minimum.]

[Since you had no destination in mind, you decided to board the first bus that arrived, planning to get off at a random stop and see if there was anything interesting nearby.]

[The morning bus was empty save for a few elderly passengers. Most office workers chose the subway as their primary mode of transport, and unless they were tourists with a specific interest, there were rarely many passengers on the bus. Thus, you easily found a window-side double seat in the back.]

[Honami Ichinose, sitting on the inside, took out the lemon flower tea she had brewed early that morning from her bag. A few dried lemon slices floated in the large thermos. The tea was warm, sweet, and tart. You both chatted and sipped your tea while watching the scenery outside the window as the morning light began to dawn.]

[You got off at a random stop called "So-and-So Park." As soon as you stepped off, you saw a massive stone signpost. Although it was still early, many tourists and local residents had already arrived, some exercising and others birdwatching. The lush forest seemed endless, making one want to take a deep, refreshing breath.]

["Should we hold hands? There are quite a lot of people here."]

[Even though you could have held hands with your fingers interlaced all day long without a second thought when you were children, now, you could only offer your stiff right hand to the girl beside you with a flimsy, lame excuse.]

["Let's have a fun day today."]

[Honami Ichinose took your hand openly and naturally. Her hand was a full size smaller than yours, so you could easily wrap your palm around hers. Your hand was a bit cold, and you could clearly feel the heat radiating from her palm, as if warm blood were seeping from there into your own veins.]

["Yeah, it'll be fun."]