Yuu 241-245 (Patreon)

Title: A Fan Meetup Event?

Holiday.

Although the Angel Café wasn’t as busy as usual, it was still livelier than on an ordinary day.

“If only that new café near here hadn’t opened, our business would definitely be better...”

Leaning on the table with her elbows, Iroha sighed.

Yuu sat in the seat near the window, slowly replying to messages on his phone. He answered casually, “What’s there to complain about? No need to worry—the shop won’t close, the work is easy, and you have more free time to do your own things. It’s the perfect environment for a part-timer.”

“That’s true... But it still feels weirdly unpleasant that our customers are being stolen! And me—when I work, I’m surprisingly the diligent type, okay?”

Clenching her small fist, Iroha sighed resignedly, as if there was nothing she could do.

Then she twisted her slender waist and sat beside Yuu, leaning in to peek at his phone screen.

“By the way, Senpai, are you chatting with your girlfriend? Don’t you feel guilty talking to me, your super cute junior, while doing that?”

Iroha whined in a sweet voice, but her expression wasn’t serious—she just seemed to be looking for something to talk about.

A soft scent approached from beside him, and her light brown hair was close.

She naturally shortened the distance, getting closer without making it feel clingy. This was the natural skill every cute girl possessed.

But perhaps because she knew the other party already had a girlfriend—and might be misinterpreted as flirting—Iroha didn’t get too close. She just pretended to look at his phone.

Glancing away from the chat interface, Yuu looked at her.

“Leaving your girlfriend for a junior is even worse.”

Though this junior was still ridiculously cute.

Since they’d made plans for a blind date at this café, Iroha had no work schedule today, so she wasn’t wearing her uniform, but casual clothes.

Autumn had arrived. Though the weather wasn’t exactly cold, she wore a cream-colored sweater, her pink fingers shrinking into the sleeves that were too long. Underneath was a light brown knitted cardigan with a V-neck, slightly revealing her collarbone. She looked youthful and cheerful, yet didn’t lose her mature aura.

The well-fitted clothes accentuated the curves of the young, beautiful girl. Below, she wore short denim shorts with black leggings—her calves were firm and slender. Clearly, this outfit had been carefully designed, perfectly showcasing her charm and best features.

Yuu silently noted the outfit. He’d go home later and try to convince his little sister to wear something like this—Sora at home only ever wore that white dress. Her closet had over ten identical dresses. He couldn’t remember how long it had been since he’d seen her dressed like a normal girl. Even when going to the hospital, Sora only wore a windbreaker over it.

If possible, Yuu also wanted Sora to wear a sailor uniform, a work uniform, a maid outfit—host a special cosplay event just for his little sister...

“Of course.”

Iroha nodded. Yuu thought she agreed with his naughty thoughts, but he quickly realized and saw her meaningful expression.

“After all, Senpai’s girlfriend is Natsukawa-senpai—the one nicknamed the Nordic Gem, Cosmic-Level Beauty, Imperial Valkyrie!” Iroha propped her chin, speaking firmly. “With someone like that as your girlfriend, most women must feel like cats and dogs to you—no interest at all, right?”

“What’s with those weird nicknames... And, plenty of people are fond of cats and dogs, you know?”

Yuu couldn’t help but sigh.

Leaving aside the overly imaginative nature of Japanese people... Masuzu was beautiful, but not that beautiful.

At least by Yuu’s standards, Yuigahama, Yukino, and even Iroha wouldn’t be inferior.

She was exaggerating so much it made him feel like this junior was subtly implying something...

“Please stop complaining about unimportant things like that, Senpai.”

Rolling her eyes with resignation, as if giving up on serious talk, Iroha pulled out her phone too. She spoke casually while swiping her screen. “Honestly, I still find it a bit unbelievable... Natsukawa-senpai, who rejected so many people, actually dating someone like Senpai. Was she tricked by your talent and looks?”

“What do you mean, ‘someone like Senpai’? Now I don’t know if you’re complimenting me.”

“Complimenting, of course complimenting~”

“No way I’d believe that.”

Yuu tapped her head. She immediately hugged her head, whining in dissatisfaction. She even deliberately shifted her hips away from him, but her expression wasn’t truly rejecting—her ears were slightly red.

“But the strangest thing is, Natsukawa-senpai lets you go on a blind date with other girls... Senpai, are foreigners really that open-minded? Or does she truly trust you that much?”

She asked with gossipy curiosity. Iroha looked up from her phone, her big eyes blinking playfully as she tilted her head to look at him.

His phone vibrated. Yuu glanced at the message.

“It’s more like a fan meetup than a blind date. How could someone in a relationship be calm enough to allow this?—That’s what she thinks.”

“As for whether she trusts me or not, I can’t say. Who knows? Maybe she wants to spy on me or just enjoy the show.”

Iroha looked confused. “What do you mean by that?”

Before she could ask, the loud café bell rang.

Instinctively turning around, she quickly stood up. “They’re here. Senpai, wait here a moment—I’ll bring them over!”

After that, the slender waist and cute backside of the girl walked away toward the door.

Yuu shifted his gaze and picked up the phone that had just rung.

“Hello?”

On the other end, a voice tried to sound deep but remained melodious, like a summer breeze.

“Yuu, you’re looking at me, aren’t you?!”

Yuu rubbed his temple in pain. “What are you talking about? Aren’t you the one hiding in the corner spying on me?”

“Yuu, you’re looking at that junior’s butt, aren’t you?!”

“Listen when I’m talking.”

Masuzu ignored him, even starting to pant.

“When I first saw... that junior swaying her hips as she walked away... Hehehe... How should I put it, it sounds a bit dirty... Yuu actually... got turned on...”

“Enough.” Yuu cut her off immediately, looking toward the corner. “If you keep talking, I’ll drag you out right now.”

“Oh, feeling guilty?” Masuzu’s tone finally returned to normal. She teased him with a sweet smile. “I didn’t even rush over to splash water on you, even though you two were sitting so close, your movements so intimate—yet now you’re threatening me?”

Though her voice was cheerful, it carried a faint dangerous aura—cold and bone-chilling.

“You truly deserve to be called Yuu. I can see the playboy potential in you.”

As she spoke, the suspicious figure in the corner also lowered her sunglasses. Sharp blue eyes stared straight at him—no smile at all.

“My boyfriend, after the ponytail girl, is this your second mistress?”

Though she was a fake girlfriend, Masuzu questioned him with the oppressive aura of a real girlfriend.

After that day’s conflict, Masuzu’s attitude had grown increasingly strange. Not only did she deliberately come to Yuu’s class to have lunch with him, but when he talked with Yuigahama, she’d deliberately push Yuigahama away, casually asserting her position.

Yuu no longer knew what to say to her. Even he couldn’t distinguish what was real and what was fake anymore.

But from the fifth volume of JOJO given by the system, he knew she didn’t hate him—knowing that was enough.

“Isshiki is just a regular junior. Masuzu, are you too jealous?”

Masuzu sneered coldly. “Jealous? Don’t use such a disgusting word on me. I just don’t like my belongings being tainted by others... including my fake boyfriend.”

Yuu rubbed his forehead in despair. “You’re so possessive? You’re such a troublesome woman...”

“Of course, I am troublesome.” Masuzu said cheerfully. “Why? Are you going to cancel our plans and run off to find the ponytail girl and that junior?”

“...”

Yuu fell silent, raising his gaze to meet her eyes. But he could only see a thin layer of calmness and a mocking smile that looked like it was pretending.

(If those words were sincere, then this woman... how anxious is she really?)

“Alright, the joke ends here.”

As if realizing something from his gaze, Masuzu suddenly changed the subject, her demeanor returning to calm and confident.

“Yuu, show me how you charm your fans. As long as you can make them all fall under your control, one day we’ll be able to trample over the entire Service Club!”

Yuu froze. “Huh? Why the Service Club...?”

Before he could finish, the call was unilaterally disconnected.

She put her sunglasses back on. Masuzu turned around, holding a cup of black tea, continuing to pretend to be a suspicious figure in the corner.

“Really...”

Yuu put down his phone, letting out a long, weary sigh.

Originally, Masuzu’s reason for agreeing to this blind date was simple—she just wanted to watch the show and enjoy the spectacle.

Though she set a few conditions—like wanting to observe the entire process from the side, and reminding Yuu to always remember he had a girlfriend—she didn’t care much about this matter.

Since it wasn’t a big deal, Yuu just went along with her wishes.

He never expected that in just a few days, this woman’s attitude would suddenly change. Not only did she now show approval of the junior’s request as if she wanted him to flirt with girls!—but she also refused to let him cancel the blind date. Instead, she insisted on coming herself to watch her boyfriend meet other girls.

If their relationship weren’t fake, this behavior would be pure self-torture—like she enjoyed the feeling of being cheated on.

Even Haruno wasn’t this weird.

Anyway, Yuu didn’t intend to do anything with the fans. He only planned to chat a few words, hear their opinions about him, then leave.

“Senpai, made you wait~”

She must’ve already ordered something at the counter. A few minutes later, Iroha returned with three girls and casually sat beside him, her tone cheerful.

“Everyone, relax! Senpai isn’t a monster or a celebrity. It’s fine if the atmosphere isn’t too tense~”

Seeing the three girls sit across from them, they slowly relaxed their bodies. Iroha, like a party host, turned toward him, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Senpai, I’ve ordered coffee for you.”

“Hm, thanks.”

“But I didn’t order cake for you—you’ll just have to watch us eat.”

“...”

Seeing her look at him despairingly, one of the girls—the shy-looking one with braids—quickly spoke in a low voice. “U-um, the cake I ordered is for Tenkuji-senpai...”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry~” Iroha smiled sweetly, her small hand on the girl’s shoulder, chin proudly raised. “Our Senpai is very kind to me—he won’t mind such a small thing!”

“B-but okay...”

She secretly observed Yuu’s expression. After seeing him merely roll his eyes and completely ignore it, the braided girl sighed in relief and said nothing more.

After a brief silence, the straight-haired black-haired girl who had been staring at Yuu curiously spoke frankly. “So Tenkuji-senpai is a friendly, laid-back person? I could tell from your piano performance, but from your aura, you somehow feel hard to approach...”

“Hm? Is that so?”

This was the first time Yuu realized he had an aura that made juniors feel he was hard to approach...

But Iroha agreed.

“Yeah, it’s true. Senpai looks so scary when he’s not talking. He can even glare at cute girls with a blank expression—really...”

Her complaints, which seemed like they could go on forever, were cut short as she was forced back to the main topic under Yuu’s friendly gaze.

“Then, I’ll introduce them first!”

“After all, they all came here specially for him, so I won’t talk too much about Senpai... Senpai, they’re members of the Cooking Club, Music Club, and Kendo Club...”

“Hm, I recognize two of them.”

Listening to the introduction, Yuu nodded. He looked at the girl with braids, the straight-haired black-haired girl, and the dark-skinned girl who had been sitting quietly, her eyes sharply fixed on him.

“I’ve met the Cooking Club member at the competition. And for the Kendo Club... I remember you said, ‘How could a volunteer club member defeat Club President Himura?’ right?”

The dark-skinned girl, who had been slightly hostile earlier, was surprised into silence. “...You know that?”

“Don’t underestimate my memory. Even people caught making bets by the disciplinary committee—I still remember their faces.”

Yuu gave a faint smile. Without small talk, he got straight to the point. “So, what did you want to ask me? I heard from Isshiki that there’s something you wanted to discuss?”

As he spoke, he paused briefly and added:

“Sorry, to prevent my girlfriend from getting jealous enough to have a stroke, I can’t chat with you all too long.”

After those words were spoken, the vibration in his pocket suddenly stopped—then started again a few seconds later.

Yuu quietly took out his phone to check. Beneath a series of annoying messages [Boyfriend cheating in front of me], one message looked particularly odd.

Masuzu: {I’m not jealous, and I didn’t have a stroke. Stop talking nonsense. Stupid stupid, stupid Yuu}

...This woman had incredibly sharp hearing, and her reply was so childish.

Calmly putting his phone down, Yuu glanced at Iroha, who kept watching his every move with curious eyes, signaling her with his eyes to focus on what was in front of them.

“Got it. I won’t waste your time.”

Even though he’d mentioned having a girlfriend, the atmosphere didn’t turn awkward—just from this, Yuu knew there were no fans in love with him here. They hadn’t asked Iroha to arrange this blind date just to flirt with him.

The three girls exchanged glances, silently confirming their speaking order with their eyes. Then, slightly nervous, they began to speak:

Braided Girl: “I-I wanted to ask you about how to make fried rice...”

Straight-Haired Girl: “I really loved the piano piece you played at the fair, but when I got home, no matter how many times I listened to the notes and played it from memory, I couldn’t recreate the feeling you gave me then... Please, no matter what it takes, I hope you can teach me that song...”

Dark-Skinned Girl: “Please tell me—how to defeat Club President Himura!”

-

Title: For Whom Was the Song Played?

Yuu hadn’t expected that these three weren’t actually here for him, but for his talents.

One wanted a fried rice recipe, one wanted the sheet music for Harusame, and another wanted to know how to become stronger...

“Hah? Wait a second, why do you want to defeat President Himura?” Setting aside other doubts for now, Yuu looked at the dark-skinned girl with curiosity.

After hesitating, the dark-skinned girl spoke with a slightly flushed face, “The president once said... only someone who can defeat her has the right to confess to her.”

“...”

Yuu fell completely silent.

The honorable kendo club president had set a condition for marriage proposals... Honestly, wasn’t that usually something cute girls from sports clubs did? Dating whoever could beat them.

Maybe she’d given up on the endless stream of suitors? If Masuzu had thought of this, she wouldn’t have needed to go through the trouble of finding a fake boyfriend to scare off admirers.

As soon as this thought arose, his phone vibrated in his pocket again.

Masuzu: {Even though I’m beautiful and smart, I’m not perfect. Aside from JOJO jokes, I don’t have any other strengths far surpassing others, so this method isn’t suitable for me.}

Yuu: {You can be narcissistic all you want, but don’t consider JOJO jokes a strength.}

Masuzu: {Above the sky, there’s still sky; above humans, there are still greater humans. Even that monster-level kendo club president was eventually defeated by you. I don’t want to risk there being another pervert like you.}

Yuu: {Well, fair point... And, I’m not a pervert.}

Masuzu: {It doesn’t matter. Thinking about it, if you’d confessed to her on the day of the fair, if she refused you, she’d lose credibility. If she accepted, it’d be ASS♂WE♂CAN... Wait, isn’t that storyline not bad either?}

Unwilling to look at that disgusting message, Yuu immediately closed the chat window and refocused on the dark-skinned girl in front of him.

“I understand your request. But sorry, there are many factors that allowed me to defeat President Himura—superior physical strength, special sword techniques easy to use, natural observational skills, adaptability, and a bit of luck... Some aspects are innate, some require years of training, and others depend on being in the right place at the right time. You can’t win just by doing what I say.”

“So, I can’t tell you how to defeat President Himura. I can only share ways to become stronger.”

Yuu interlaced his fingers, resting his elbows on the table.

His flat tone and serious demeanor while explaining made others unconsciously focus and listen intently to every word he said.

Though he was only bluffing, his calm voice filled the café’s air, making the girls—including Iroha—grow serious. They instinctively straightened their backs and nodded meaningfully.

The dark-skinned girl blinked in confusion, stared at him for a moment, then suddenly opened her mouth, showing her bright little fangs.

“I get it!”

“Ehem, good that you understand.” Yuu cleared his throat, suppressing the urge to joke. He didn’t ask what the other party had understood.

Because the girl quickly explained excitedly on her own: “So, if I become strong enough, even without asking the teacher how to defeat President Himura, I’ll become invincible without even realizing it, right!?”

Yuu replied casually, “Yeah, that’s it. Your understanding is excellent—your future is bright... And, I don’t want to be your teacher.”

“Then, Teacher, do you have a way to make me super strong before the president graduates?” The dark-skinned girl slapped the table, her large eyes shining with excitement as she stared at him.

Yuu grabbed Iroha’s arm and pushed the girl’s head with his hand.

“I already said don’t call me teacher... If the time is too short, there’s no way. If you’re willing to fight long-term, try finding out the bald guy’s training method.”

Two voices rang out at once.

“Yes, Teacher, tell me!”

“Senpai, why use my arm for that?!”

Iroha pulled her arm away in disgust, rubbing the spot Yuu had touched. Her blushing cheeks puffed slightly as she glared at him.

At the same time, his phone started vibrating intensely. A massive aura of hatred rose from the seat in the corner. Yuu faintly formed a ghostly face.

Ignoring it all, Yuu calmly told the dark-skinned girl the method guaranteed to make her strong: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run every day for three years. He repeatedly reminded her that this was just the foundation, and she’d have to find ways to train other aspects like kendo and her own mental strength. Only then did the girl feel satisfied and start eating her freshly arrived cake.

Maintaining an odd distance, Iroha tugged his sleeve, lowered her head, and whispered:

“Senpai, kendo club members are very pure, honest, and naive... Isn’t it bad to deceive her like that?”

“I’m not deceiving her. Doing that really will make her stronger.” Yuu replied in a low voice too, his expression unchanged, not a trace of guilt. “That’s why I added that last sentence—so she’d find ways to train the other aspects herself... I can’t help with that, and I don’t want to waste too much energy on someone I don’t know.”

“So most of what you just said was actually just to pacify the kendo club member? Senpai, I never thought you were this cruel.” Iroha whispered fearfully. “Putting aside external advantages, you’re kind on the outside but cold inside, and you’re also good with words... Waaah, Senpai’s strength is terrifying! No wonder Natsukawa-Senpai fell into your grasp.”

Yuu raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the praise. “Indeed, I think so too.”

Iroha rolled her eyes and pulled away, too tired to talk to him.

Then, somehow, the aura of hatred from the corner faded again. The suspicious figure in sunglasses was casually sipping black tea, and the phone vibrations stopped.

Yuu felt a slight chill.

(Even the girls across from me couldn’t hear what we whispered, so there’s no way Masuzu, so far away, could’ve heard it, right?)

The scariest part was, he couldn’t draw a conclusion.

After all, this woman’s senses about certain things were so sharp Yuu wondered if Masuzu had supernatural abilities...

“Then, next.”

Shaking off the girlfriend spying from the side, Yuu turned to the braided girl.

“Do you also want to defeat President Soma?”

“Hah?” The girl was startled, then frantically waved her hands, her plain but cute face suddenly turning red. “N-no, no! How could I have such a thought? That’d be too rude... And the president is very kind to me. There’s no reason to defeat her.”

After teasing her, Yuu said indifferently, “I see. Then why do you want the fried rice recipe?”

“Hu~ It’s because...”

The braided girl held her chest, took a deep breath to calm herself, then looked into his eyes seriously.

“I tasted my mother’s flavor in your cooking... I know it sounds strange, but it’s my most sincere feeling!”

After pausing, Yuu listened as she continued.

Bowing her head, the shy girl whispered, “Even though I only ate one bite, it reminded me of the warm fried rice my mom made for me when I was little... After I went home and tried to recreate it step by step, I couldn’t get the same taste.”

“If possible, I want my dad and younger brother to taste it again!”

She lifted her gaze. The eyes that had been shy were now filled with a firm, sincere light as she stared straight at Yuu.

(She’s someone with a story.)

After pondering for a few seconds, Yuu didn’t ask further. He just sighed and said:

“Do you have paper and a pen?”

“Ah, yes!”

Her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly pulled out paper and pen from her bag, handed them to Yuu, and, restraining her excitement and hope, watched him write line by line.

Shortly after, Yuu returned the paper and pen. After the girl carefully read it, she couldn’t help but look at him in confusion.

“These ingredients...”

“Right, same as regular fried rice... You’ve helped prepare ingredients before, so you must know.” Yuu said calmly. “I’ve written down the most important fire control and seasoning formula there. As long as you master it perfectly, you’ll be able to make fried rice exactly the same.”

“I understand. Thank you, Tenkuji-Senpai!” The braided girl didn’t hesitate at all. She nodded gratefully, then carefully stored the paper. “Though I’m not sure I can do it perfectly, I’ll do my best to learn! To recreate that warm mother’s fried rice from the past...”

Before she could finish, Yuu shook his head. “That might not happen.”

“Hah?” Her movement froze. She stared at him in shock as he took back his words. “Why...”

“The reason is very simple.” Resting his chin on his palm, Yuu showed a meaningful smile. “Though the cooking process is the same, if the medicine used is different, of course you can’t make fried rice with the same taste.”

“Medicine?!” The girl was startled, leaning back into the sofa. “S-Senpai, did you use a technique from the Dark Culinary World back then...?”

“...No, I was just joking to lighten the mood.”

Yuu’s smile froze. He rubbed his temple. “I didn’t expect you to take it seriously... By the way, does the Dark Culinary World really exist in this world?”

The braided girl sighed in relief, patting her chest. “Yes, my mother is one of the Four Great Kings of the Dark Culinary World.”

“...”

Yuu decided not to dig deeper into this weird world setting, to prevent his normal slice-of-life novel from changing genres.

Yuu spoke at length about cooking techniques—intent as seasoning, emotion as medicine, giving soul to food—to the braided girl. She pulled out her notebook and seriously wrote down each point, promising to study hard and definitely recreate her mother’s warm fried rice that would let her family feel the warmth of the past.

Lastly, the straight-haired black-haired girl. Her reason for wanting the piano sheet music for Harusame had already been clearly explained earlier—to embody the perseverance of a musician and an artist.

“No matter the price. If you don’t like money, I can also exchange it for sheet music of equal value.”

The girl seemed wealthy. Though she didn’t have Yukino’s elegant, pure aura, she was graceful, confident, and generous—showing a good family background.

Unfortunately, Yuu wasn’t interested in any of that. He simply stood up and walked to the counter, saying to the shop owner watching from behind:

“Can I play the piano in the shop?”

Angel Café did have a piano. It was said the owner had once hired pianists to create a luxurious restaurant atmosphere, but since the results were unsatisfactory and applicants kept demanding higher pay, he eventually just used speakers to play music.

“Ah, sure...” The shop owner’s usually half-closed eyes opened slightly. He smiled. “But it hasn’t been used in a long time. It’ll need tuning, right?... Honestly, I’m quite confident in piano tuning.”

“No need to bother. I can do it myself.” After that, Yuu pulled the piano stool, sat down, opened the cover, wiped off the dust, and tuned the piano with skilled, swift movements.

The shop owner stood behind the counter, wiping a cup with a disappointed expression.

At that moment, only they were in the shop. Iroha and the three other girls stood around him, watching as he rolled up his sleeves and stretched his fingers.

The suspicious figure also lowered her sunglasses, staring at him without blinking as he took position before the piano.

“I’ll play the sheet music version for you first.” Turning to the girl, Yuu looked at the black-and-white keys. His fingers smoothly played the melody.

The braided girl immediately sank into the beautiful melody, smiling and gently swaying her body.

The dark-skinned girl tilted her head in confusion. She didn’t seem to understand what was so beautiful, but still obediently stood in place.

The straight-haired girl closed her eyes and listened intently. She nodded occasionally, but her brows furrowed deeper, as if facing an unsolvable problem.

As for Iroha...

She didn’t care whether the melody was good or not. Her eyes were fixed on his ten slender, clean fingers with clearly defined knuckles. Taking advantage of no one else paying attention, her gaze showed admiration and attraction she didn’t hide.

She didn’t just want to see them—she wanted to touch them, lick them from fingertip to base, suck each knuckle—hands so beautiful.

But for some reason, when she looked at Yuu, Iroha felt a chill down her spine, as if a murderous aura surrounded her.

She quietly turned around. Aside from a suspicious customer sipping black tea and playing on his phone, she found no one else looking at her.

Was it just her imagination?

Before she could find the answer, the melody ended. Yuu played the final note, pulled back his hands, and looked behind.

“How was it? Is it the same as what you played?”

The straight-haired girl, who had just opened her mouth to speak, asked with slight confusion: “How... did you know?”

“You must’ve transcribed all the notes by listening, right? Even so, you couldn’t get the feeling, so you wondered if something was missing, or if there was a technique you couldn’t hear—then decided to come and ask me.”

“...Yes.”

The girl nodded slowly. In her clear eyes, there was a hint of genuine admiration and respect.

(With just that information, he could deduce her situation so accurately—amazing! He truly deserves to be Tenkuji-Senpai, the champion of two competitions!)

Though she looked graceful and calm on the outside, the girl cheered inside like a fan.

(I really want him to be my piano teacher, so I can hehehehe (drooling) every day...)

“Unfortunately, it’s impossible for you to regain that feeling just from sheet music.” Yuu said again.

“Why?”

Snapped from her bad fantasy, the girl stared at his back in surprise.

“I’ll play it for you once more. This time, it’s the live version.”

Not answering directly, Yuu placed his hands back on the piano keys and spoke before beginning:

“You must’ve heard what I told the braided friend, right? Cooking is actually the same as playing piano. Whether you put in emotion, whether you convey your feelings—it greatly affects the person eating and the person listening...”

“If this song is played for someone, then it becomes truly beautiful.”

As those words ended, a clear melody rang out, like spring rain falling.

In a small café, Yuu closed his eyes, gently and feelingly touching the piano keys, recalling the past.

For whom was this song played?

Yuuki Asuna, and... Yukinoshita Haruno.

Yes, this was a melodious tune filled with memories.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The sun set. Yuu left Angel Café.

At a street corner not far away, a girl with silver hair tinted golden waited for him.

-

Title: No More Pretending

Whether due to autumn or the setting sun being more fitting, the twilight glow was so intense it seemed to swallow the entire world.

Crows cawed hoarsely on power poles, pedestrians strolled leisurely, as if all were waiting for night to arrive.

“While waiting for you, I was approached three times by love followers. So disgusting.” Masuzu tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear and sighed. “Tell me, how will you compensate me for my losses?”

“How about some cake?” Yuu walked ahead, holding up a small box.

Masuzu slightly frowned, giving him a look as if he were an idiot. “I already said I don’t like eating—especially sweets.”

“I made it myself.”

“...I’ll assume you’re sincere.”

Masuzu took the cake, turning her face away. Not meeting his smiling eyes, her tone remained flat.

“Alright, walk me home.”

“Understood, Miss.”

He stopped, and Masuzu said seriously, “Don’t call me that.”

“Masuzu.” Yuu looked at the back of her perfectly round head, as if he could see into her thoughts. “Was today’s performance not to your liking?”

(In other words, what’s bothering you now?)

“Well, of course?” Unfazed by his sharp observation, Masuzu stretched her arms and sighed, shaking her head.

“There’s no scene where a senior with a girlfriend suddenly has a secret lover! No chance for me to step in dramatically and shout, ‘Stay away from my boyfriend, you little bitches!’—this wasn’t the fate-filled stage I wanted to see!”

She rambled with dramatic flair, making Yuu behind her roll his eyes.

“If you really wanted a scene like that, why keep interrupting me with messages mid-way? You seemed afraid I’d cheat on you right there.”

“To build tension, so you wouldn’t make a mistake driven by emotion.” Masuzu spoke in a reasonable tone. “Seeing you flirt with those juniors made me angry. Are you two really that close? Do you plan to add them to your harem under the pretense of teaching cooking and piano? Such a disgustingly romantic scene—it wouldn’t be like me not to interfere.”

She did this from an anti-love perspective! Masuzu proudly lifted her chin, giving a conclusion for her behavior moments ago.

“Hah, I see...”

It was hard to say at other times, but now, Yuu could hear it—eighty percent of her words were lies, used to cover her true feelings beneath.

Pursing his lips, Yuu didn’t immediately expose her. “So, the result of today’s fan meeting didn’t satisfy you?”

“Before that, what exactly is ‘satisfaction’?” Masuzu raised one finger, as if about to speak at length, but hesitated for some reason. Finally, she sighed, her voice lowering, her expression returning to calm.

“Never mind... I just wanted to ask.”

“What?”

“Do you have any ex-girlfriends?”

“...”

On the road bathed in red twilight, Masuzu slowed her pace and turned to face him walking beside her.

As if merely curious, or as if harboring emotions so complex even she didn’t know the answer, she carefully studied Yuu’s face, searching for any shift in expression.

But soon, under his honest, clear gaze, she instinctively looked away, stroking the hair by her ear, staring straight ahead as if nothing had happened.

”If this song is played for someone, then it becomes truly beautiful...” You were the one who said that.

“That song was amazing—wasn’t it called Harusame?”

“So, who was that song played for?”

Her voice was calm and soft, as if she were just casually asking, her profile glowing in the sunset light.

Yuu thought for a moment, then replied: “That’s personal privacy. As fake partners... do you really need to know that deeply?”

Then, it was his turn to observe Masuzu’s expression shift.

“...”

After a brief silence, Masuzu stopped and turned halfway.

“Don’t answer a question with another question! Did school teach you to respond like that?!”

Though she used her favorite JOJO joke, her tone lacked its usual energy and cheer. Instead, Masuzu seemed troubled by something, showing a hint of despair.

Her silver hair fluttered in the wind as she smiled with a touch of loneliness.

“You’re right. Everyone has things they don’t want touched. That’s why people can’t truly trust each other—whether partners or spouses.”

“Hah, I should control my curiosity a little... Pretend I never asked. After all, it’s none of my business~”

The fake girlfriend said this, shrugging casually as she started walking again.

Perhaps she didn’t even know why she wanted to know the answer, or why she felt annoyed and anxious hearing that emotionally charged song?

Maybe, as the other said, she was too possessive?

Even if it was fake, she didn’t want anyone else to take him...

“If you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

Yuu’s voice came from beside her, and Masuzu immediately felt warmth in her palm.

Coming to her senses, she looked down at her hand, now held in his. Masuzu raised an eyebrow, giving him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes: “If we’re pretending to be a couple, do we really need to share personal privacy?”

“I never said I wouldn’t tell you.”

Yuu was mocked with his own words, but he didn’t care at all, his expression relaxed.

“I just wanted to see how much you care about me... Now it seems you’re starting to like me more?”

“Hah! Impossible!”

Scoffing, Masuzu spoke with harsh attitude and hateful tone: “Didn’t I already say? In me, there will never be those cheap, disgusting plots only love followers have!”

She looked away, suppressing her excitement, suddenly smiling sweetly. “Yuu, you should be careful not to get too carried away and actually fall in love with me, okay?”

“If that happens, I’ll just break up with you and find someone else to be my second fake boyfriend.”

Yuu shifted his gaze from her, looking at the colorful sky between the buildings.

“...I see.”

The touch in her hand was so real, yet someone stubbornly insisted it was a fabricated illusion—the girl struggled with all her might to deny and mock it.

(What happened in the past, that Masuzu hates anything related to love so much?)

Everyone had sides they didn’t want touched.

Even Yuu had a past he didn’t want to talk about.

So, was half of a girlfriend perhaps made of things like this?

Masuzu, like this, was far more complex and profound than the ever-changing twilight sky—and she could vanish in an instant.

“Fine. To prevent that, I’ll try to be a better fake boyfriend.”

Hearing his answer, Masuzu still smiled, though her gaze subtly shifted. “You don’t want to see me owned by another man? Huh, you’re no different. A guy as popular as you—just wave your hand, and women come running.”

“Aren’t you the same? Plenty of guys want to be your boyfriend, yet you won’t let me go—you’re getting clingier.”

“Heh, sorry.” Masuzu gave a cold smile.

Feeling her try to pull her hand away, Yuu tightened his grip, holding her more firmly as he thought.

As a boyfriend, what could he do?

Wait patiently? Chase her aggressively?

Neither.

He had to take the step. He had to change this ongoing lie, change reality itself—until he saw a happy ending for both of them.

Yuu smiled meaningfully.

What was called love—wasn’t it roughly the process of someone dedicating their heart and effort to things like this?

That’s why he once traveled 133 kilometers just to hug her.

That’s why he once crossed the boundary between virtual and real to help her.

A piano melody echoed from the past, and now, twilight cast silver light. He gently pulled her into the night wind.

Yuu suddenly spoke.

“I said, Masuzu.”

“What? You’re holding me so tightly—do you want to drag me to a hotel to rest?”

Held too tightly, Masuzu could only resign herself, glaring at his profile in annoyance.

(Ugh, why does he look so happy?)
(Is he a sadist?)

Complaining inwardly, Yuu looked into her eyes and smiled.

“What if one day I really fall in love with you, and we start a serious relationship?”

“...”

Silent for several seconds, then Masuzu stared at him like he was an idiot.

“Even as a joke, please don’t make such a terrible one?”

“What if it’s not a joke?”

“Then it’s even worse. I’ll have to consider breaking up with you now, moving somewhere else to start a new life, and finding someone else who definitely won’t fall in love with me as my second fake boyfriend.”

Facing her stubborn attitude, Yuu pressed further.

“What if we eventually fall in love with each other? Don’t rush to refuse—this is just a hypothetical. Would you still want to leave the people, things, and feelings you love, no matter what?”

“I...”

A statement, not a question—but it made Masuzu fall silent.

They walked quietly down the street, passing shops, arriving at a quiet residential area.

After passing a park filled with laughter, a sigh escaped her cherry-colored lips.

“...I don’t know. Don’t ask me.”

“People like me, who can only live through lies, don’t have time to think about such luxuries.”

Yuu nodded, seemingly unsurprised by her answer.

“Fine. Pretend I never said that.”

“Tch, I really don’t understand what you’re thinking... Never mind. Maybe that’s what makes it interesting.”

Angrily stroking her long hair, after a long sigh, Masuzu showed a relieved smile again—and unconsciously tightened her grip on his hand.

“To be honest, seeing you chat with those juniors made me really uncomfortable. And the feeling when you played piano, as if longing for someone, also annoyed me... Worse than with that ponytail girl.”

“You’re jealous.”

“Yeah, I am.”

(Hah? She’s so honest?)

Yuu stared at her in surprise, but saw a mischievous smile in her crescent-shaped, narrowed eyes.

“Then, how will you compensate me? Remember, cake alone won’t satisfy me.”

From shopping streets to upscale residential areas, less than ten minutes on foot without taking a train.

Standing beneath a luxury apartment building, Masuzu tilted her head up, gazing at him, her lips forming a flirtatious, teasing curve.

On her pale, delicate face, a blush spread as if burned by the setting sun.

“If your girlfriend is jealous, how far will you go for her? I’m curious, Yuu.”

Real or fake—

Masuzu stood in the night wind, released his hand, and smiled brighter than the entire twilight.

“If you can, tell me about your ex-girlfriend too—if your answer satisfies me, I’ll give you a reward appropriate to the situation.”

Firm, smooth thighs, a swaying skirt, and the absolute territory above it.

As if expecting a reaction, Masuzu watched his expression.

“...Then, I won’t hold back?”

Yuu smiled too, without hesitation, lifting her chin.

This was the best solution.

Masuzu narrowed her eyes slightly, as if realizing a fact, and scoffed.

“Such a skilled move... When you said it was your first kiss, were you lying to me?”

Yuu’s expression didn’t change. “I was a rental boyfriend. Rather than lying, isn’t it more like acting?”

Annoyed, Masuzu continued accusing firmly: “So you stole the first kiss of a pure 17-year-old girl like me? You’re truly cruel—you’re more perverted than frog urine!”

(Enough, how obsessed is she with frog urine?!)

Yuu couldn’t help but frown.

“Aren’t you embarrassed saying that... When you were the one who kissed me first just to joke around?”

“But you can’t deny you lied to me, can you?” Her expression shifted again. Masuzu smiled flirtatiously, looking like her plan had succeeded.

“Hmph, later I’ll write down this crime in my notebook. Once I collect ten, Yuu will become my pet dog.”

“What is that? Worse than a Death Note!”

Yuu initially thought it was just her usual joke. He could joke carelessly even in a moment like this.

But upon closer observation, he noticed Masuzu occasionally avoiding his gaze, swallowing, her blush never fading from her small face, and her hand hanging at her side nervously rubbing the hem of her skirt.

Clearly, these were signs of nervousness.

(A kiss is just the touch of two lips and mucous membranes sticking together, right? Why is she so nervous now, like a girl truly experiencing her first kiss?)

Of course, Yuu didn’t ask. He only smiled resignedly—then, before Masuzu could react, he lowered his head and kissed her soft, moist lips.

Her temperature was higher than expected, stiffer and more awkward than before.

[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host has received a reward: Horseback Riding Skill (Expert Level)]
[Congratulations, host has received a reward: Kissing Skill (Expert Level). (Current count: 2)]

“...”

Masuzu’s eyes widened slightly. She stared at him up close, silent for three or four seconds, then closed her eyes calmly.

Then, she stood like a wooden statue, letting her lips be touched, breaths mingling, ears behind her hair turning red.

When she closed her eyes, Yuu couldn’t suppress a smile—

Back then, even during first kisses, both people would actively respond.

Turns out, when Masuzu wasn’t joking, she was so nervous during a kiss—just standing still, letting him kiss her, almost like she was clinking teeth...

Truly a surprising side.

Smiling as he thought, Yuu placed both hands on her slender shoulders, gently massaging them, relaxing her shoulder blades that had unconsciously tensed.

Just as Yuu was about to use his Expert-Level Kissing Skill to show this girl, who wanted to appear calm, what a real kiss felt like—

A voice suddenly came from afar.

“I didn’t expect Masuzu to be so bold, kissing a man in public... If Father sees it, he’ll surely punish you severely, won’t he?”

It was a clear, young girl’s voice.

Masuzu suddenly opened her eyes. Unconcerned with the transparent thread stretching and breaking in the air, she turned around.

In a hoarse voice Yuu had never heard, she murmured in disbelief:

“Mana... why are you here?”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Meanwhile.

“My older sister is coming again... Can’t this person just stay at university or at home instead of coming to my apartment to bother me?”

Taking the elevator down, Yukino pulled her jacket collar tighter, sighing with an annoyed expression.

“After all the effort to leave home, really... Huh.”

She swiped her card to open the main door. Blinding twilight filled the world, but the shadow of sunset was no longer visible in the distance.

Ink-black night colored the sky. A bright full moon hung high, not yet casting the dreamy moonlight.

Yukino looked left and right. Not seeing anyone familiar, she walked toward the road outside the apartment.

Though waiting inside would’ve been easier, to avoid her sister criticizing her for laziness, Yukino decided to take the initiative.

But before finding Haruno, she spotted two figures who shouldn’t be here, not far away.

“Tenkuji? Natsukawa-san?”

Yukino’s eyes widened in shock, her steps instinctively freezing.

Before she understood what was happening, she saw familiar shoulder-length curly hair behind a nearby power pole.

“...Sister?” She gasped.

She’d only come down to pick someone up—why did it feel like...

She’d stepped into a world unrelated to herself?

-

Title: Such a Cruel Man

“Is my presence here really that strange?”

The little girl with blonde twin tails placed one hand on her hip, observing their flushed expressions with interest, her gaze fixed on Masuzu’s face.

“It’s not just Masuzu who moved to this city. Isn’t it normal for us to meet while I’m out walking?”

“Though I did come here on purpose to find you~”

Giggling softly, the girl’s eyes sparkled with clear malice.

Masuzu’s expression tensed. She was no longer calm as usual. Instead, she hunched like a venomous snake facing a predator.

“Why did you come looking for me?”

Mana gently stroked her blonde hair, speaking casually. “I just wanted to see your boyfriend... He goes to Sobu High, right? The rumors about you two have been quite a stir at school.”

“...So what?”

“So what? You know better than I do.” After that, Mana stopped looking at Masuzu and shifted her gaze to Yuu.

She stepped closer, studying him as if inspecting a product.

“Hmm... He doesn’t look bad. He’s got a good aura too. If the rumors are true, he won’t make Masuzu look cheap!”

Mana smiled, nodding in satisfaction.

Yuu glanced at Masuzu, whose expression beside him was tense. Guessing their relationship in his mind, he returned her smile.

“Thank you for the compliment. I think so too.”

“Confidence is good too! Sister, Father won’t dislike you, will he?”

Her blue eyes instantly sparkled. Mana stepped forward, smiling even wider.

On the other hand, Masuzu bit her red lip. Her silver hair fell, hiding her expression, and she forced her voice out from her throat. “...Who cares whether that man likes me or not.”

“Don’t be like that~ Father would worry if Masuzu found a bad man outside.”

“Besides, he knows everything about Masuzu at school through the school board here—he’s very concerned about you.”

Masuzu’s body trembled slightly, her pale fist clenched.

After enjoying her wavering state, Mana gave a faint smile. “Well, as long as I speak nicely to Father, he might not interfere in the life you want... I won’t do anything troublesome for Masuzu.”

“...I see. Then I’m very grateful.”

Hearing these words, Masuzu looked slightly more relaxed, but couldn’t hide the disgust in her tone.

“But, in return...”

At the same time, a hint of cunning appeared in Mana’s eyes.

Before Masuzu could react, the little blonde girl grabbed Yuu’s collar and stood on her tiptoes.

“Masuzu’s boyfriend... I’ll take him~”

With a cheerful tone, as if she could toy with everything in her palm, Mana brought her face close to his lips—still carrying Masuzu’s taste.

Masuzu’s eyes widened. She froze in place, mouth open but no sound came out.

In that instant, she remembered Yuigahama that day—

Was this how it felt?

No, maybe this was just karma.

“...”

A faint pain in her chest made her unable to protest.

Just as their lips were about to meet—

“How old do you think you are to do something so indecent?”

“Stay away from me. I don’t want to be seen as a pedophile.”

Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, Yuu swiftly covered the little girl’s face with one hand—completely blocking her eyes, nose, and lips, at a speed no one could see.

His voice, once soft and resigned, slowly turned cold and emotionless.

“Most importantly, I don’t want to be forcibly kissed by someone I hate... No, I don’t even want to be touched.”

Through the handkerchief, Yuu pushed Mana backward, showing no intention of being gentle at all.

“So, no matter who you are, right now I am Masuzu’s boyfriend—don’t dream of taking him, or even touching him.”

“Ugh...!”

Mana didn’t react at all. She stumbled several steps back, then fell hard on her backside, unable to suppress a cry of pain.

Hearing that sound, Masuzu snapped out of it. She stared at Yuu with wide eyes, her dark blue eyes trembling violently, unlike her usual self.

“Yuu, you...”

“Masuzu, if she’s your little sister, I apologize.” Yuu tucked the handkerchief into Masuzu’s pocket, looked at her, and his cold expression softened. He blinked, feigning sincerity. “I’m not used to being polite to arrogant people, so my actions were a bit rough. Can you forgive me?”

“...You’re overthinking it.”

Masuzu glanced at the blonde girl on the ground. Her shocked expression slowly turned strange—she even looked like she wanted to laugh.

“Even though she’s my sister, I don’t care... Besides, it’s not me who’s hurt.”

“You bastard!” Seeming to need time to process the situation, Mana snapped out of her shock. She glared at Yuu, her voice sharp. “How dare you... Yasuo! Teach him a lesson!”

As she gave the order.

Somehow, from a sleek black luxury car parked by the roadside, a muscular, bald man in sunglasses stepped out.

He must have been Mana’s driver and bodyguard. Coldly cracking his knuckles, he slowly walked toward Yuu.

His heavy aura of killing intent—like a veteran soldier who’d survived countless battles.

“Mana, what do you plan to do?”

Masuzu’s expression tensed. Without thinking, she stepped in front of Yuu, speaking seriously. “This is a street in Japan. Even if there are no pedestrians around, there are surveillance cameras recording every move... You don’t want this to end up at the police station, do you?”

“Don’t worry, Yasuo is a professional... As long as there are no provable injuries, this can be easily settled with Father’s connections!”

Rubbing her sore backside while gritting her teeth, Mana stood up from the ground, looking furious.

After glaring sharply at Yuu, she said to the bald bodyguard who had stopped walking:

“Understood? If Masuzu gets in your way, don’t hurt her—just punch that arrogant man a few times!”

“Yes, Miss.”

Yasuo nodded and continued walking toward Yuu.

Masuzu wanted to say something, but a hand landed on her shoulder, pulling her back.

“Don’t worry about me.”

“What are you saying?” Masuzu frowned, her fingers tugging at the hem of his shirt. Her face turned slightly pale, her eyes filled with worry. “There’s no bamboo sword here for you to use—it’s not time to be a hero. Let me handle this...”

“Trust your boyfriend. That’s all you need to do now.”

Yuu patted her head, smiling casually, as if trying to calm her.

Then, he turned to Yasuo, his eyes slightly narrowing, his voice suddenly dropping.

“Hoho, he’s walking toward me? He didn’t choose to run—he’s coming to die?”

“...” Yasuo didn’t react, already clenching a fist the size of a pot.

Masuzu knew Yuu said that for her sake... But how could she stay calm just by hearing a JOJO joke?!

Though JOJO was all-purpose, JOJO jokes weren’t all-purpose—everyone on Earth knew that!

Was he really that confident...?

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Standing in front of the apartment, Yukino watched the strange conflict about to escalate into violence, her expression complex.

“Should I go stop them? But... this might be their family matter, right? They’re not bothering anyone else...”

After hesitating briefly, seeing the muscular bald man getting closer to Yuu, Yukino sighed heavily and stepped forward with a cold expression.

She didn’t care what happened to Yuu, but it wasn’t her style to watch a classmate in trouble without doing anything—she wanted to mediate.

No matter what family issues they had, since it happened in front of her, she wouldn’t let it turn violent—that was Yukino’s sense of justice.

But after just a few steps, someone suddenly tapped her shoulder.

“Yukino-chan, do you want to go help~?”

“K-Ka... Sister!?”

Like a frightened kitten, Yukino instinctively let out a soft whimper, then quickly covered her mouth. She stared at the college student beside her, her face slightly flushed.

Haruno smiled with narrowed eyes, intimately hugging her arm. “Yes, it’s me—your perfect older sister~ Yukino-chan’s whimpering voice is so lovely.”

“When did you get here?” Yukino, completely ignoring her words, tried to free her arm from her deep cleavage. “Earlier, I saw you spying on them from behind that power pole...”

“So did you. Shall we call ourselves spectators?”

Haruno released her arm with a smile, patting her younger sister’s head under her disgusted gaze. “But honestly, I didn’t expect that just coming to visit for a day, I’d witness such an interesting scene... Yukino-chan, you’re truly my lucky star!”

“What’s interesting... They’re about to fight, you know?” Glancing at the increasingly tense scene in the distance, Yukino couldn’t help clicking her tongue, her face filled with concern. “Only you see this as entertainment. I have no interest in seeing a club member and classmate get involved in violence... I’ll call the police. I’m going to intervene.”

With that, she stepped forward with a serious expression, walking again toward the four people.

This time, no one stopped her—only a slightly amused voice came from behind:

“Yukino-chan, what if you try trusting him?”

“What?”

Yukino turned around, confused.

Her soft black hair fluttered in the night wind. Haruno crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on Yuu standing before the muscular bald man.

No trace of worry on her face, she smiled with sparkling eyes, like a child anticipating a Kamen Rider’s appearance.

“Trust him. A situation like this is nothing to him—he doesn’t need anyone’s help.”

It was a rare sight for Haruno—she trusted something from the bottom of her heart.

Her steps halted. Yukino was speechless. “...You only met him once at the fair. Why do you trust him so much?”

“Who knows?” Haruno shrugged irresponsibly, her tone slightly regretful. “Maybe because I like him? Unfortunately, it seems he already has a girlfriend.”

“Hah...” Yukino slightly twitched the corner of her mouth, unable to suppress her inner complaint.

(If he didn’t have a girlfriend, would you fall in love at first sight and immediately chase after him?)
(He’s a high school student the same age as your little sister! Don’t you have any shame as a college student...)

“Well, even if we don’t talk emotionally, rationally, he can swing a bamboo sword with that speed and strength, and he’s skilled in various sports like basketball, baseball, and tennis. His physical and athletic abilities are far beyond those of an average high schooler... So, do you really think Tenkuji is reckless and showy?”

“What about it?”

Yukino tilted her head slightly, looking very confident.

Haruno paused briefly. “...Would he do something like this without preparation?”

“He wouldn’t.” Yukino sighed, brushing her long hair from her shoulder. For now, she abandoned her intention to intervene. “I understand what you’re trying to say, Sister. In short, we’ll decide after seeing his actions?”

“Exactly, that’s it!” Haruno snapped her fingers, smiling again. “As long as he can handle this himself, we don’t need to worry about whether we should mediate someone else’s family issue, and we can avoid more trouble—watching from the side is the perfect choice!”

“You talk so grandly, but your last sentence completely exposes you.” Yukino rubbed her temple in pain, asking casually, “Just to confirm—if they really fight, and Tenkuji isn’t as strong as that bald man in sunglasses, will you keep watching?”

“Hmph, of course not~”

Haruno said with a smile.

But for some reason, at this moment, Yukino felt a bone-chilling coldness deep in her heart.

As if a demon was crawling out of a chasm, grinning beside her, breathing cold air.

“Though I don’t know why, when I imagine that scene, I feel so angry I want to encase that man in concrete... Could it be because he has a good relationship with Yukino-chan?”

Her tone was flat, as if asking herself.

Haruno stared at Yuu’s back. Though her face held a pleasant smile, her eyes held a cold calmness.

“...Our relationship isn’t good.”

Yukino only dared to deny that, then fell silent—like a kitten crouching quietly beside a tiger, trying not to make a sound.

(My sister right now is several times scarier than Mother when she’s serious...)

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The changing sky seemed frozen. Both sunset and night wind appeared to slow down now. The air felt heavy and dense.

Mana rubbed her sore backside, glaring angrily at Yuu.

Masuzu was no longer calm as usual. She stood behind him, her face full of anxiety.

The muscular bald man slowly opened his fist, reaching for Yuu’s shoulder with his palm.

And Yuu right now...

He could feel it—behind him, in front of the luxury apartment, someone was staring at his backside with intense focus.

(What pervert doesn’t know timing?!)

Yuu cursed coldly in his heart, but didn’t dare turn around—it would break his concentration.

In front, a bald man. Behind, a weirdo staring at his backside—what kind of hell was this? Why was he squeezed between two men?

(Damn system, this is all your fault!)

System: “?”

“Hah, you’re too scared to move, aren’t you? Yasuo is someone Father hired at a high price...”

Mana spoke in a low voice like a standard villain, successfully refocusing Yuu’s slightly distracted attention.

Seeing the rough, large palm about to touch his shoulder, Yuu thought for a moment. He didn’t pull out his handkerchief—he simply grabbed it.

“I don’t want to fight in front of my girlfriend. If you want to teach me a lesson, let’s just test strength.”

“We’ll stop when someone gives up. Whoever surrenders first has to apologize. How about it, Uncle?”

“...”

Through his sunglasses, the muscular bald man stared silently.

Yuu smiled warmly, calmly waiting for his answer.

The man said nothing, didn’t let go—but his thick palm slowly increased pressure.

“Good, then...”

(How much strength should I use to make the other surrender without breaking their arm bones?)

Yuu thought, without warming up or preparing, immediately increasing strength with one hand.

(Let’s try 200% first.)

Veins suddenly bulged on his arm.

A faint sound of muscle fibers straining to the brink of tearing echoed. Then, a tremendous force surged from his arm to his palm—like electric current flowing, his bones creaked, and all concentrated in the clenched hand.

The bald man’s expression changed. His palm, much larger than Yuu’s, was forced to release its grip. His fingers trembled uncontrollably, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

He tried to resist. Veins popped on his temple, his face turned red, his arm tensed like stone as he gripped the man’s hand again, as if using all his strength.

Though he gritted his teeth, he could only endure the cold breath in his chest—he couldn’t resist the hand tightening like a steel clamp.

Yuu looked at him in surprise, then smiled even wider.

Any man, when meeting an equal in strength, would be thrilled to defeat him.

“—300%.”

A light voice sounded.

CRACK!

Someone’s bones made an unpleasant noise.

The next second, the one unable to resist bending over was the muscular bald man in sunglasses.

Yuu slightly twisted his wrist, forcing the opponent to his knees. His serious face kept twitching, as if holding back a scream of pain.

Not broken or fractured—but extremely painful. Some time ago, Yuu had painstakingly learned a technique from Sugou that caused intense pain, combining it with highly effective muscle control.

“Good. I win.”

He declared his own victory, ignoring the man struggling to endure.

Yuu released his hand, letting rapid recovery heal the torn muscles, and smiled at Mana.

“Little sister, do you still want to teach me another lesson?”

“If so, next it’ll be my turn to teach you?”

“...”

Mana stared at Yasuo kneeling on the ground, clutching his hand in confusion, then at the man’s eyes—under the darkening sky, they seemed to glint with cold, evil, bloodthirsty, and dirty light.

Her mouth trembled open. Before she could speak, she collapsed back onto the ground.

Then her eyes turned red. Sniffling like a child, she screamed with teary eyes:

“Masuzu—older sister! Your boyfriend is bullying me! Are you just going to watch?!”

“Stupid, stupid! Sister, brother-in-law—you’re all stupid—!!”

-

Title: Yukinoshita Haruno’s Experiment

“Mana...”

Looking at her younger sister crying and whining on the ground, Masuzu showed a confused expression, slightly reluctant to pay attention.

Yuu was completely unaffected. He walked toward Mana, glanced at the bald, sunglasses-wearing bodyguard who tried to stop him—making the man instinctively freeze and dare not move—then crouched in front of the blonde-haired girl.

“You said I bullied you, but if I didn’t have strength and was beaten down by this Yasuo, would you apologize to me?”

Mana gritted her teeth, her red eyes glaring at him with fear and anger, but she couldn’t utter a word in rebuttal.

Of course, if Yasuo had successfully taught Yuu a lesson, Mana wouldn’t just refuse to apologize—she’d laugh at him and mock his helplessness.

“At your age, you should use your cuteness as an advantage instead of always trying to fight adults and using dirty tricks... Ah, since you called me brother-in-law, I’ll give you a little advice.”

Yuu patted her head, adopting the posture of an elder brother giving advice. He spoke gently:

“Your IQ is lower than your sister’s, and even she couldn’t beat me. So you’d better go home and be a good little sister.”

“I kindly forgive you this time, but if one day you meet a perverted criminal Yasuo can’t defeat—someone cruel to girls... You’re old enough to kiss strange men. You should know what’ll happen, right?”

“...”

Mana’s eyes widened. She seemed to imagine several horrifying scenes, her small body trembling slightly.

Yuu lifted her chin. “Answer me?”

His voice seemed hypnotic, his eyes locking onto her unstable blue ones. The pressure slowly seeped into her.

The girl was forced to stare back, feeling as if her breath would stop, her entire body stiff and unable to move.

After lasting less than three seconds, she bit her lip, lowered her gaze, and her arrogant tone finally softened.

“...I understand. I won’t do it again.”

“Good. I like good kids.”

Yuu smiled brightly. He no longer applied any pressure. He casually and familiarly pinched her cheek, pulling her up from the ground.

“Though our first meeting was a bit rough, let’s officially introduce ourselves—I’m your sister’s boyfriend, Tenkuji Yuu. Nice to meet you, Mana.”

Mana initially didn’t want to respond, but under his kind gaze, she gave a small nod and mumbled reluctantly.

“...Nice to meet you.”

Then, without looking at Yuu in front of her, she turned to the bald bodyguard and shouted: “Yasuo, if you can still drive, get in the car and prepare to leave. If not, call someone.”

Yasuo nodded, clutching his wrist as he walked toward the sleek black luxury car parked by the roadside.

“And, Masuzu...” Mana looked at Masuzu, placing one hand on her hip. Her aura, which had nearly vanished, returned to arrogance.

“He told me to warn you to behave. You can have a boyfriend, but if you do anything strange that damages the Natsukawa family’s reputation, he’ll bring you back to Sweden.”

“If you don’t want to make him angry, you’d better obey, okay?”

Masuzu stared coldly. “Are you done talking? If so, go home. Don’t bother me again.”

“Tch, heartless person...” Mana clicked her tongue. After complaining a few times, she turned and prepared to leave.

Yuu smiled and said, “Say goodbye? It’s very rude to leave without saying farewell.”

Mana’s forward step stiffened.

“...Excuse me, Sister, Brother-in-law.”

She gave a sloppy bow, then quickly walked toward the black car as if fleeing.

Masuzu stood beside Yuu, tugging his sleeve with a gloomy face, whispering as she plotted something.

“What if we finish them off here? So Mana won’t go tell that man strange things to get revenge on you...”

A voice from afar immediately rang out: “I won’t! Didn’t I say I’m thinking of Masuzu?!”

“Tch, she heard it?” Masuzu frowned in annoyance. “My stealth attack failed...”

Mana kept shouting: “You’re speaking so loudly—someone who isn’t deaf can hear it, you know?!”

“Never mind. Yuu, just bring this girl to my apartment. It’ll be easier to kill or hypnotize her...”

CRASH!

Before Masuzu could finish, Mana slammed the car door. The sound of tires screeching on the pavement echoed as the black car sped away.

Every movement showed survival instinct.

Watching the car’s lights fade, Masuzu said regretfully, “She escaped...”

Yuu glanced at her. “You’re such a good older sister, scaring your little sister like that.”

“She started it, so don’t blame me... Besides, wasn’t you the one who scared her first? You still have the nerve to blame others—that’s just like you.”

Masuzu crossed her arms over her chest. The frightened expression she’d shown moments ago seemed like an illusion. She was relaxed and calm again, her slender shoulders loose, her bright blue eyes gazing at him.

“To be honest, I thought you’d give her Stockholm syndrome right then and there.”

“I just taught her a little lesson. I don’t intend to do unnecessary things.”

“Like taming her, then secretly performing a double kill with both sisters?”

“Not interested...”

“Then secretly seizing the Natsukawa family fortune through us, eventually building a huge harem in Sweden?”

“Even less interested...”

“Is that so? I’m actually very interested.”

“...” Yuu rolled his eyes. He was too tired to talk to this shameless person.

Masuzu was best at baiting. If Yuu agreed, she’d definitely mock him again as a playboy, bastard, and so on.

Yuu always distanced himself from such false accusations.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

Masuzu suddenly asked without reason.

“What?”

“Retaliation from the Natsukawa family. Even if Mana didn’t say it, that bald man will definitely report it.”

“His name’s Yasuo... Is the Natsukawa family really that powerful?”

“Extremely powerful. They can even use local board members to monitor my school life.”

“I see...” Yuu thought for a moment. The Yukinoshita family were local board members and successful entrepreneurs—did he really need to fear the Natsukawa family after kidnapping their eldest daughter?

Though the two couldn’t be compared, for someone with a system as backup, he didn’t need to fear retaliation from the Natsukawa or Yukinoshita families.

“Then we’ll discuss it when they come for revenge.” Yuu shrugged, speaking casually. “I don’t care about your family situation. I just do what I want.”

“Like teaching a lesson to your mischievous little sister—and also...”

As he spoke, Yuu gently patted Masuzu’s thin, fragile back, smiling as he said, “Being your support, so you don’t show that desperate, helpless expression... That’s what a boyfriend should do.”

The twilight slowly faded. Streetlights turned on, and the sky grew calm in pale gray.

Masuzu looked at his profile, as if she’d found stars in the dark night sky—ones that made her seem brighter, deeper within her heart.

Her heartbeat had never been so clear.

“...Desperate and helpless? I’m not such a fragile woman.”

After a pause, she lifted her silver hair from her shoulder and smiled too.

“I forgot to say nasty things to that man before he left, so you could see my determination. Such a mistake... You, over there with the Stand, quickly stop time and chase them.”

Yuu nodded in satisfaction. “Right. Arrogant, stubborn, and selfish like this—that’s the Masuzu I know.”

“Hmph, even a fake boyfriend dares to be arrogant.”

Masuzu sneered in disgust, suddenly hugging him and burying her small face in his chest.

She started rubbing her face against him.

“Hmm~”

As she rubbed her face, Masuzu even made a comfortable breathing sound. She moved her left cheek to the right, then back from right to left, as if wanting to cover his entire chest with her scent.

“Eh... Masuzu?”

Yuu’s expression turned strange. He placed his hands on her shoulders, unsure whether to push her away or hug her back.

(Why is she suddenly so clingy? Isn’t this too sudden?)

“What is it?” Masuzu answered lazily.

Yuu asked hesitantly, “Is this what a fake girlfriend should do?”

“We’ve already kissed. Why are you asking such a stupid question?” Masuzu sighed resignedly. “Well, basically, this is just copying a JOJO joke.”

“Which part? Which volume?”

Yuu didn’t recall any face-rubbing scenes in JOJO.

“...”

Rub.

“...Aren’t you going to answer?”

Masuzu snorted. “You not only ignore my JOJO jokes, but you also forgot I said we should act more real than real—truly cruel and arrogant Tenkuji.”

“Natsukawa-san, is your evaluation of me a bit biased?”

As a result, before Yuu could push her back toward the apartment door, Masuzu stuck to his chest like gum, continuing to rub her face.

Yuu lost count of how many times she rubbed her face—like she wanted to release all the affection she’d stored from the past. It was very annoying, but he couldn’t bring himself to push her away. He could only let her be with a resigned expression.

Yet, he didn’t hate it.

Only now did Yuu realize—he actually loved the feeling of being trusted and relied upon—

It was like proving he had the right to exist in this world. He didn’t need to worry that no one would care if he disappeared anytime.

Even if he didn’t have to be a hero, as long as he was willing to reach out and help others, to be their support... Sooner or later, someone would support him too.

Just like him and Sora—they’d both gone through that.

Just like the two previous missions—he’d gone through that too.

“Masuzu, you haven’t fallen in love with me, right?”

“What are you saying? Do you enjoy insulting me with the thoughts of love followers? Cruel Yuu.”

“Never mind. Pretend I never asked.”

Yuu firmly gave up, but Masuzu had no intention of ending the conversation.

“Didn’t I tell you long ago?”

Masuzu smiled like then, her tone cold, not a trace of seriousness.

“I love you, Yuu.”

But beneath her shimmering silver hair, her ears and cheeks were faintly tinted with red—beautiful like twilight that hadn’t yet faded.

Like a pure silver lily blooming to illuminate the night.

Yuu froze for a moment, then smiled in admiration.

“I’m the one who should say it—you’re truly a fake girlfriend.”

[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host has received a reward: Disguise (Expert Level).]
[Congratulations, host has received a reward: Martial Arts (Expert Level).]
[Congratulations, host has received a reward: Intimidation (Status).]

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Inside the sleek black luxury car.

“That man—my intel says he’s an ordinary person with no background, supporting himself and his younger sister through part-time work... Though his sports grades are good and his strength is greater, that terrifying aura... It was even scarier than Father when angry.”

Biting her nails, Mana complained restlessly, hiding the small tremors that hadn’t yet subsided by moving her legs.

The driver, Yasuo, fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly: “Miss, forgive me if I’m bold, but I hope you won’t confront him directly... Not just his strength—my intuition tells me that high school student seems to hide many things.”

“He had the power to shatter my arm bones, but he didn’t... If you truly want someone to teach him a lesson, you’d need at least three men with abilities like mine, and they’d need batons or stun guns to have any chance of winning.”

“You’re rating him that highly?” Mana couldn’t help but be surprised.

Yasuo nodded. He didn’t say more, calmly continuing to drive.

His attitude was clear. Even if seen as overly cautious, he didn’t want to trouble someone clearly with deeper background—it wasn’t worth it.

Mana ruffled her hair, whining in frustration: “Damn it~~ Why is there a monster like that around Masuzu?! So it’ll be harder to make her come home, right?”

The girl who just wanted her sister to return finally could only slump her shoulders in despair, sighing as she blankly stared out the window.

“I can’t beat him... Fine. After all, Masuzu will be very happy there, right? Her boyfriend is so great, and he’s willing to protect her like a knight...”

Muttering, Mana felt a little envy.

—Envy for that man, who could be so close and familiar with her sister, trusted and relied upon by her.

“...Hmph, too bad his personality is so annoying. He’ll definitely be dumped by Masuzu sooner or later!”

Cursing the man angrily, Mana unconsciously touched her cheek, as if she could still feel the warm fingers that had gently pinched it twice.

Like a real older brother—though his gaze was fierce and his attitude cruel, he had an adult aura that made people willingly bow and let him protect and tease them. The sense of safety from his smile was incredibly strong.

If someone like this became her brother-in-law, would he protect her too, just like he protected her sister...

“Hmph, I don’t need that.”

Mana muttered, but unconsciously smiled, happily enjoying the scenery outside the window.

As for today’s apology—let’s discuss it when they meet again next time...

That would be a good excuse to see her sister. Hopefully, that annoying brother-in-law wouldn’t be there.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

“Sister, how long will you keep watching here?”

Inside the luxury apartment.

After being pulled by her sister behind a decorative plant, Yukino watched the couple outside affectionately, frowning in disgust. She desperately wanted to go upstairs and return to her room.

Unfortunately, her hand was tightly held by her sister—she couldn’t break free at all. Her sister had no intention of listening to her protests, still standing there as a loyal spectator, refusing to leave until the performance truly ended.

“If you want to talk, go talk. If you don’t want to be seen, just leave. Why watch other people being affectionate here...”

Yukino didn’t understand Haruno’s actions. She didn’t understand why her sister was acting so crazy, dragging her along.

Haruno shifted her gaze from Yuu, finally glancing at her younger sister.

“Yukino-chan, you wouldn’t understand, would you?”

“...If I understood, would I be asking you? Sister, since when did you become so stupid?”

“Rude.” Haruno flicked her forehead, mentally noting this debt to settle later in the room. Her gaze returned to the man still affectionate with the silver-haired girl, the corner of her lips lifting into a faint smile.

“I’m just doing an experiment.”

“What kind of experiment?”

Haruno didn’t answer. Instead, she calmed her mind, her eyes turning cold as ice, silently feeling her emotions from within.

It was very strange.

Though this was only their second meeting.

Though she didn’t feel even a trace of romantic feelings.

Though she didn’t think they had anything in common.

Though she had no memory of this young man in her mind—so of course, he had no place in her heart.

Yet, when she saw Yuu being affectionate with his girlfriend, and saw the gentle smile on his face—reserved only for her—somehow, there was always a pain in her heart, as if choked by chains. Her head felt like something was swelling, and her whole body felt uncomfortable.

Haruno wanted to separate them and reclaim ○○○—

Though such an impulsive urge arose, Haruno remained calm.

The rational monster observed everything from above, calmly analyzing her own feelings—cold, objective, and correct.

Because she felt uncomfortable watching them being affectionate, she would keep watching. She would keep observing, never looking away.

She would let the pain pierce her heart, until she understood the shape of her wound. She would understand why she felt this way—until she obtained a hundred percent reliable answer.

—That’s why it’s called an experiment.

Haruno didn’t believe she’d fall in love so easily. She didn’t believe she’d change without reason. She could only obtain objective data and conclusions through experimentation.

“...What can I do? Who told me to be such a twisted person?”

Haruno closed her eyes, smiling bitterly in resignation.

Yukino watched her sister’s expression in confusion. She looked toward the two people outside the apartment, seeing them wave goodbye, and Masuzu preparing to walk toward the main door.

“Sister, let’s go... You’ve spied enough, right?”

“Hmm.”

Haruno gave Yuu’s back one final look.

To find the answer. To find something real in this world full of lies.

Haruno thought—she needed to get closer to this pain.