True Education: I Have a Life Simulator

["Yes, young master is still asleep. He's on an IV drip. It's nothing too serious, just a combination of expired cold medicine and lack of rest. Yes, once he wakes up, I'll have him call you back."]

["It was my oversight—pardon? You want him to return early? I believe the original plan was August 9th? Two weeks early, understood. I'll relay the message once he's awake."]

[Bit by bit, your senses began to return. The first was smell— the familiar disinfectant and medicine of the hospital. Since childhood, you'd stubbornly referred to this particular scent as the 'medicine smell,' believing it potent enough to kill all bacteria just by inhaling it.]

[Next came hearing. You could make out a phone call just outside the room. Though the man's voice was hushed, you recognized it instantly as Izaki, your family's butler of over twenty years. Judging by his tone, he was likely speaking to one of your parents.]

[Soon, your remaining senses followed. The softness of the bedding beneath you. The clean, white ceiling above. The bitter aftertaste lingering in your mouth. And your right arm, currently hooked to a slow-dripping IV line that fed into your veins.]

[The memories started flooding back—you remembered collapsing after calling the butler, and something crashing to the ground… what was it again? Your mind clouded once more, eyelids heavy. You bit your tongue to stay awake and moistened your parched throat to call for the butler.]

[Right then, Izaki entered. In his fifties but looking younger, he bore little resemblance to the stereotypical butler. No perpetual suits, no immaculately trimmed beard—just a plain, ordinary-looking older man.]

["Young master, you're awake."]

[He approached quickly, poured you a glass of hot water, and pressed the call button for the doctor.]

[Rain tapped against the windows, thunder rumbling now and then. A summer storm had arrived—just the kind that firework festivals had to plan around.]

[Izaki drew the thick curtains tighter. With the wind and rain shut out, you finished your water and glanced at the wall clock. 7:00 PM. You'd been unconscious for about four hours.]

["Cough, cough." Your throat scratched as you cleared it. You turned to ask, "Did anyone come by?"]

[You asked because beside the nightstand sat an umbrella—definitely not yours or Izaki's. You only used black umbrellas. Even the one you'd gifted Ichinose Honami had been a large black one. And Izaki… you eyed him curiously. He wasn't the type to use a pink umbrella covered in floral patterns.]

["It was Karuizawa Kei."]

["In fact, she arrived at your house before us. She's the one who called the ambulance. When I got there, they were about to break the door open. I used the spare key to let them in and we brought you here."]

["Is that so? Where's my phone?" You struggled to sit up. Knowing he couldn't dissuade you, Izaki adjusted your pillow so you could rest comfortably upright.]

["What you need now is rest. Otherwise, someone may decide to board a morning flight just to visit you in this very room." You caught the implication—your mother. Like a kitten grabbed by the scruff, you stopped asking for the phone.]

["I overheard something about leaving the country early—is that true?" You tried to confirm what you'd heard earlier.]

["That was Madam's proposal. If you think you can persuade her over the phone, I'll fetch your device immediately. Unless… you've already rehearsed your speech?" You sipped your hot water gloomily. After all, you had only been allowed to live alone under the condition that you could care for yourself. Your mother's demand wasn't unreasonable. You were scheduled to go abroad in early August anyway. A few days early didn't change much.]

[The doctor's arrival gave you time to think. You answered his questions while pondering how best to negotiate with your mother. If she simply wanted a few days together before departure, you had little grounds to refuse.]

["If recovery continues smoothly, you can be discharged in a few days." The doctor left. Izaki walked him out and spoke with him briefly in the corridor. You were too deep in thought to notice.]

["Senpai?" A familiar pair of blue eyes greeted you. Her eye color matched hers so well, it dazed you. A pale hand waved in front of your face. Karuizawa Kei, equal parts smug and concerned, said: "Told you not to drink iced coffee in the morning. And no AC at night, remember?"]

[She sat at your bedside. Maybe because this was a deluxe room, the bed was much wider than normal. You instinctively scooted inward, despite there still being 30 cm of blanket between your legs and hers.]

["Izaki-san said you called the ambulance." For some reason, you avoided eye contact. Maybe being sick gave you this luxury—small gestures passed off as weakness, perhaps even something allowed only in front of her.]

["Yes. You didn't respond to my messages in the morning—I thought maybe you overslept like before. But by noon there was still no read receipt. I asked Maki, and she said you didn't answer her calls either. So I got your address and came over."]

["Your window was open—I saw you collapsed inside. I called out but you didn't respond, so I dialed 120. The ambulance came quickly, and that grandpa arrived soon after to open the door. Then we brought you here."]

["The doctor said it started as a mild fever, but expired medicine and poor habits made it worse. You were soaked in sweat when you arrived."]

[Kei's voice, soft and low beside you, became a lullaby. As your head grew heavy again, her words wrapped around you like silk threads—layer after layer until you were cocooned in a drowsy warmth.]

["Turn on the TV for me." You didn't want to fall asleep again. You'd slept enough today. You pointed at the TV on the wall.]

[Kei quickly found the remote. The room filled with the sound of evening news. You didn't care about the content—you just wanted background noise to resist the silence lulling you to sleep. Kei, on the other hand, listened intently while peeling an apple she'd produced from somewhere.]

[The crisp sound of the peeling knife echoed. The uneven spiral of apple skin curled downward. Just as the last bit was coming off, hurried footsteps approached outside. Then the door burst open.]

[There she stood.

Ichinose Honami, usually praised for her shimmering golden-pink hair, now stood soaked and disheveled. Her right shoulder drenched. Her white blouse soaked into a dull yellow stain that stung your eyes. Her pant legs were haphazardly rolled up. Sandaled feet, bloated and pruney from water. Her arches still wet.]

[You suddenly recalled Sakamoto Yuji's line in Quartet:

"The first step to seduction is to abandon humanity."

Three methods: Become a cat. Become a tiger. Become a rain-soaked puppy.]

[In her hand, a large umbrella still dripped steadily. Raindrops fell from its surface—one, then another. The handle bore the initials "I & K"—your gift to Honami. If she'd gotten wet holding an umbrella large enough for two, then she must've run all the way here.]

[Ichinose Honami looked up.]

[The news anchor on TV smiled as they delivered their report:

"According to updated forecasts, this year's Fireworks Festival may be moved up to the 22nd—four days from now. We hope everyone enjoys this annual celebration."]

[CG Unlocked: Fleeting Fireworks]

[Fleeting Fireworks: Fireworks fade fast, just like people, relationships, and hearts.]

[Would you like to view this CG scene? (It may influence your upcoming story choices.)]