Yuu 501-505 (Patreon)

Title: Yuuki Asuna Prepares to Depart

Page after page of the calendar flipped by. The awaited days felt slow yet fast, but never stopped moving forward.

Under the changing nights, at the Yuuki residence.

All transfer procedures were complete, the farewell party had been attended, and the transfer qualification exam was passed with a perfect score.

Now, Asuna was fully prepared—she only needed to wait until after the weekend to officially transfer to Sōbu High, to find the person she missed day and night and longed to see as soon as possible.

Of course, she didn’t need to wait that long. She should be able to meet him at tomorrow’s Cultural Festival.

Although she’d obtained contact information from three students of Sōbu High during the Kyoto competition, Asuna had never taken the initiative to reach out.

First, she wanted to surprise them. Second, she wished to get to know them again once all doubts were cleared.

Most importantly, ever since returning from Kyoto, she’d always felt as if she were wrapped in a thin, translucent layer. The entire world, everyone—even herself—suddenly felt illusory and unreal, as if she could see strange double images while dazed.

Yes, like playing a full-dive virtual reality game.

Physically more real than Sword Art Online, yet the feeling of dissonance with reality was even clearer than in any game.

Ignorance breeds fear. Once she realized this, Asuna couldn’t suppress her dread; she even began to suspect everything.

Yet, she quickly regained her calm.

She didn’t know when her mental resilience had grown so strong—so accustomed to weathering storms—but precisely because of it, she could maintain composure, observe everything carefully, and decided to keep her distance from everyone, even her family, until this thin layer was truly torn away.

After all, even her own memories might just be some kind of setup.

“The only thing I can trust... might be this instinctive urge to meet him...”

Her fingers gently slid over the numbers on the calendar, brown hair cascading over her shoulders and back.

The girl in her pajamas let out a long sigh, pressing her chest against the desk, her cheek slowly resting against its cool surface.

She closed her eyes. In the dark, silent room, only the sound of her heartbeat filled her eardrums.

The closer the day to meet him approached, the faster her heart raced, her chest fluttering without reason.

After such a long separation, she thought his face would fade from memory, but unexpectedly, it grew sharper.

As if she’d stared at him in a daze all day long, every line of his face was so familiar, as if etched into her soul.

“Yuu... Yuu-kun...”

Murmuring his name softly, she felt as if love-struck. Unable to bear the embarrassment, she covered her warming cheeks.

This didn’t feel like love, but what exactly was this emotion? Asuna couldn’t name it—this was why she looked forward so much to meeting him.

No matter how many problems existed, she would find answers simply by seeking him out... Even if everything was an illusion, Yuu was still the person she wanted to meet, enough to transfer schools for.

If her feelings were as sharp as a blade’s edge, then there was no reason to hesitate!

In short—just stab first!

“Alright, let’s do one final confirmation!”

Rousing her spirits, Asuna rose from her prone position, grabbed her phone, and dialed.

“Hallo, Nii-san? Do you have time to talk now?”

“Hm? Yeah, what is it?” Faint sounds of gaming could be heard, followed by Kouichirou’s slightly silly voice. “Aren’t you going to Sōbu High’s Cultural Festival tomorrow? Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

“I’m about to sleep—I just want to ask a few things before bed.”

With a friendly tone, Asuna smiled:

“Nii-san, you haven’t told Tenkuji-kun about my business, right?”

Including Yuu’s class, whether he’d be in class or club during the festival, what programs his class had prepared, and so on—all this information, Asuna had long known through a spy.

Though they usually didn’t meet in real life, her older brother seemed to be discussing some sort of business with that guy; their online chat frequency had sharply increased lately. Though ninety percent was business talk, there must’ve been ten percent casual conversation between friends, sharing updates.

So one day, out of curiosity, Asuna managed to extract information about Yuu from her brother, gradually becoming bolder, skillfully using her brother as a ruthless information machine—

She asked through him about things she wanted to know, commanding him to investigate things she wanted uncovered, without revealing herself. Slowly, she made herself understand who Yuu truly was.

Of course, to prevent her brother from saying something like, “My little sister is really interested in you—she’s been gathering info about you like crazy lately,” or interfering and taking initiative to set them up, Asuna also had safeguards.

“Of course not! How could I say that? I never mentioned your name—only asked about him every day until Yuu almost thought I was gay...”

At this point, Kouichirou’s voice suddenly showed a hint of sorrow.

Like a hostage pushed out by a robber, forced to tremble under the aim of multiple guns.

He feigned sniffles, crying pitifully: “I only cosplayed as a woman once at a comic con because my friends forced me! Who knew you happened to pass by and took photos to blackmail me—if I don’t help you, you’ll send those photos to Mom’s email... Asuna, you weren’t this cruel before! What’s wrong with you?!”

“Nothing~” Asuna casually swung her small legs, showing no mercy on her face, replying indifferently. “You just don’t know me well enough. I’m indeed a wicked woman who’ll do anything to achieve my goals~”

Kouichirou gritted his teeth: “Is it worth it, sacrificing your own brother?”

“Sacrificing Nii-san? Hmm...” Tapping her chin with a finger, Asuna puffed one cheek, nodding thoughtfully. “I think it’s quite worth it.”

“Ah—!”

On the other end, Kouichirou seemed to drop his controller, despairingly groaning: “How can you say something so stabbing to your brother like that? You’re not the sweet, innocent Asuna anymore... By the way, he only won a national championship—have you fallen for him that hard?”

This was the excuse Asuna used to cover for her brother—she saw him compete at the National Kendo Championship and spent two days playing with his team, so she accidentally started liking him.

As for why she gathered info secretly instead of initiating chances to interact... wasn’t it normal for a girl to feel shy?

Anyway, no one would believe the truth, and Asuna was too lazy to care about her brother’s opinion.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m super obsessed with him~” Asuna sighed helplessly, rising from her chair. “Don’t worry, after meeting him, I’ll delete the photos, and you won’t need to help me gather info anymore.”

Kouichirou sighed in relief: “Good, good. If I keep chatting with him like this, what if I end up liking him more than you do... Besides, Asuna looks like someone who has absolutely no idea how to chase a guy.”

After a pause, Asuna asked, laughing cheerfully: “What did you say? Could you repeat that?”

“Just kidding.” Sensing great danger in her tone, Kouichirou instantly turned serious, his voice showing a strong will to survive. “Asuna, whenever you want to bring him home to meet Mom, I’ll gladly go first and praise him in front of her!”

“Is that so...”

As if not hearing the sentence, Asuna sighed sadly, murmuring to herself: “Ugh, if only Mom knew the reason her elite-raised son likes wearing women’s clothes is because he’s attracted to his high school male friend, how shocked would she be...”

“Sorry, I was wrong!” If Kouichirou were there, he’d probably be prostrating himself firmly before his younger sister.

“From now on, I’ll do whatever you ask, without question! Even if I have to beat Yuu unconscious and tie him in your room, I... I...!”

His fierce tone suddenly stopped, then weakened: “...I can’t do it either... Yuu’s strong like a monster—even with weapons, I’m not sure I could defeat him... In-game, I don’t know.”

“In-game, you wouldn’t be able to defeat him either, you know? Even I...” Asuna grumbled unconsciously, then suddenly froze in place, frowning slightly.

Before her brother noticed the oddness, she quickly corrected herself: “Anyway, starting today, Nii-san, don’t interfere in our affairs anymore. Thanks for your help all this time.”

“Hah? Help? If it weren’t for you threatening me...”

Her merciless smile: “Enough, if there’s nothing else, I’m going to sleep.”

“Wait, don’t hang up yet!” Kouichirou hastily called out.

“What now?” Asuna yawned lazily, walking toward her bed.

“You changed your attitude too fast—like throwing away an ice cream stick that didn’t win a prize...” After complaining unsatisfied, Kouichirou finally said something serious.

“I have some juniors in Sōbu High’s gaming club. They borrowed several NERvGears from me for this year’s Cultural Festival—they say they’re holding a ‘World’s Greatest Martial Arts Tournament’ in a virtual game... Come help me check it briefly, make sure they’re not doing anything weird.”

“A World Martial Arts Tournament?”

Hearing this, Asuna was no longer sleepy.

Her eyes sparkled, sitting on the edge of the bed, blood boiling with excitement, she asked eagerly: “It’s held in Sword Art Online, right? Can I join too?”

Kouichirou gave a dry laugh with an unreadable expression.

“Don’t go bully weaklings—it sounds bad.”

“What are you talking about, I won’t bully weaklings!” Asuna wrinkled her nose, pouting as if feeling guilty. “I only defeated all of you attackers’ team—how come you’d revoke my participation rights... Who knows, maybe your e-sports club juniors are strong too!”

“How strong could they possibly be compared to the National High School Women’s Fencing Champion?” Kouichirou sighed helplessly. “Just come help me check the situation. If you’re really itching, give them a little hint—don’t seriously bully people.”

“Hmm... Alright, alright, I got it!” As if doused with cold water, Asuna’s interest immediately dimmed, her cheeks puffing slightly. “Besides, there’s Mom—she might not let me play games.”

“Good then.” Kouichirou kept reminding her, “Remember to watch the pain level—they don’t have keys to adjust it to 100%, but even 60% is pretty painful... If anything happens, we’ll ultimately be responsible.”

“Then why did you lend them?” Rolling her eyes wordlessly, after giving a half-hearted reply, Asuna hung up, placing her phone on the charger beside the bed.

Turning off the lights and climbing into bed, the darkness of the night outside instantly enveloped the room, as if trying to merge with it.

Yet, her mind still spun rapidly, completely unable to fall asleep.

Asuna opened her eyes wide. The sentence she’d just spoken naturally surfaced in her thoughts—

“In-game, you wouldn’t be able to defeat him—and I... couldn’t either?”

This added-on question was stated with confident certainty.

If she had truly played that game with Yuu, even married him in-game... With her unexpectedly aggressive personality, she’d surely have frequently challenged him to duels—the winner would issue commands the loser had to obey for a whole day.

And precisely because Asuna had never won, she subconsciously became utterly convinced that even in-game, her brother couldn’t defeat him.

The logic was crystal clear; she had no idea how to argue against herself.

Pulling the blanket up to her chin, Asuna let out a soft sigh.

“Right... This isn’t an illusion...”

She remembered the broken ring item in the game.

She remembered the completed couple’s quest.

She remembered the nearly simultaneous login and logout data.

She remembered the pounding heartbeat and longing that had never diminished since then until now.

“Pff... Puhuhu...”

For some reason, Asuna couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from smiling. She quickly curled up, hiding under the blanket and laughing to herself.

Laughing foolishly, dazedly—like an elementary schooler who doesn’t have to finish summer vacation homework, wriggling oddly in bed like a maggot, completely unable to contain the bubbles of joy rising from deep within her heart.

“Haaah... Thank goodness...”

After a while, her mood finally calmed slightly.

Making sure her silly laughter didn’t wake anyone, Asuna peeked her head out, rolling halfway around while hugging the blanket.

She gazed far out the window, letting her final sigh—slightly tinged with laughter—drift into the night through the gap.

“Tenkuji-kun... Yuu-kun...”

Though no stars were visible that night, the moonlight outside the glass felt clearer and more real than ever before.

“I’ll come find you.”

“Leaving right away, running away.”

“Wait for me—to meet you...”

Murmuring like a dreamer, the girl fell into a deep sleep.

Perhaps she dreamed beautifully, wrapped in the gentleness of night, the corner of her lips forever wearing a faint, sweet smile.

Her hand, placed beside the pillow, gently clenched—yet there remained a small gap between her palms.

As if she had already grasped the shape of happiness.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The next day.

In the morning, birds chirped outside the window, musical notes scattered across the carpet like light.

Slowly opening her eyes, Yuu sat up in bed, calmly staring straight ahead. The digital clock mercilessly displayed the date of the Cultural Festival.

“...Finally, we’ve reached this day.”

December 12th—inauspicious for travel, celebration, or gatherings.

“Haah—“

Hand covering half his face, Yuu supported his head, letting out a very long sigh from his lungs the moment he woke.

Even so, his expression remained flat and calm—like a battle-scarred soldier who’d survived countless battlefields, facing a bloody life without fear of hardship.

“Complaining won’t help... Maybe I should just take sick leave.”

Then firmly decided to surrender.

No one knew how much pressure he’d felt since the day he learned that the mothers of both his girlfriends would visit the Cultural Festival—and greet him.

Besides that, there was one other thing he couldn’t tell them, hidden deep within Yuu’s heart...

So for today, he truly didn’t want to face reality.

After lying in bed lost in thought for ten minutes, Yuu resignedly got up and left the room to freshen up.

“What should I do... Even though they’ll surely forget everything once the mission ends, I can’t possibly delay until then...”

The entire morning was spent pondering this problem.

Unfortunately, before finding an answer, they had to prepare to head to the Cultural Festival.

-

Title: Responsibility as a Little Sister

“Are you sure you want to go out with me? I don’t mean anything by it, but if you come to school with me, you’ll be surrounded the moment we pass through the gates.”

“Better than going out alone later, right? Aren’t you afraid someone bad might approach me on the way?”

At the entrance, facing Yuu’s slightly worried gaze, Sora casually pulled up her hoodie, letting the shadow cover her small face.

She had finally brought out outerwear that had long slept in her closet.

After all, it was already late winter—wearing that thin dress again might freeze her on the street. Plus, she’d be going to a crowded place; wearing too little felt very concerning.

So, a white gothic-style dress, layered lace paired with a sky-blue vest and thick leggings that didn’t expose any skin, her silvery-white hair gracefully flowing over her shoulders, with one braid dangling in front of her slightly curved chest—

Her hair braided by Yuu, relying on his Expert-Level Hair Braiding skill he’d possessed but never used. Meanwhile, the winter outfit Sora wore now was a birthday gift specially chosen by their mother years ago, before the plane accident.

It was incredible it still fit, also proving that from elementary school until now, her sister’s figure had barely grown—perhaps also related to their mother intentionally buying larger sizes.

Her style was fashionable yet not childish, clearly aiming to dress her daughter as a little princess, and Sora looked perfectly suited in it.

...Yet, she seemingly didn’t want this elegant, cute appearance seen by outsiders, so she added a purple-and-white cat-eared cloak on top, covering herself completely from head to toe.

The long cloak, matching Emilia’s, made her petite figure look unremarkable—rather giving an artificially cute impression—so it didn’t matter.

“Anyway, as long as I don’t see them, I won’t know they’re looking at me.”

Under the hood, Sora sneered in disgust, her voice cold.

Then she changed topics: “Anyway, just remember to protect me. If anyone approaches and asks weird questions, drive them away. If it gets too crowded, take me and run. I don’t want to greet your friends or teachers!”

Look, truly a justified statement of social anxiety.

“Yeah, yeah, I know~” Helplessly shrugging, Yuu patted her small head twice, switched shoes, and walked out the door.

“Let’s go.”

The door closed and locked.

The siblings held hands, leaving the house, walking toward the dry, cold morning streets.

The weather forecast said no rain today or tomorrow, daytime lows would dip below ten degrees, and skin moisturizing was essential—Tokyo’s cold wind was physical damage; without proper protection, lips could easily crack.

To prevent this, Sora, who actually cared deeply about her appearance, not only applied strawberry-flavored lip balm but also wore a mask covering half her small face.

Before she could put on sunglasses, Yuu firmly stopped her, so her fully-armed odd appearance wouldn’t attract even more attention.

Even so, the farther they walked from home, the clearer the trembling fear beneath the white cloak became.

Holding hands turned into holding arms; nervously, Sora pressed her body tightly against him, as if wanting to slip under his coat, her face under the hood never lifting.

The weekend morning streets were fairly quiet, but after leaving the residential area, along the road to the station, pedestrian and vehicle traffic began appearing, occasionally a loud bicycle bell passing by.

A middle-aged fishmonger gripped the metal door, his muscular arm raised, letting out a loud cry.

An elderly couple strolling in the park greeted each other, watching the curvy woman panting heavily as she ran past with friendly eyes, silently wishing she’d succeed in losing weight this time.

An uncle in pajamas scratched his belly, retrieved the newspaper from the mailbox, then quickly retreated back indoors—the blur of sleepiness swept away by the cold wind, reluctantly waking up.

Shopkeepers, pedestrians, residents...

Cats lazing on fences, sparrows chirping energetically on high-voltage power lines, crows eyeing trash cans...

Street scenes like newly ignited fire—warm, ordinary images for Yuu; but for Sora, who hadn’t left home in ages, it felt too cold and alien, as distant as another world.

That’s why she unconsciously felt afraid.

Completely different from her check-up visits, she was re-entering this unfamiliar world. Around her wasn’t the familiar, quiet room anymore, but a steel metropolis full of pressure, coldness, and noise.

She needed time to adjust.

“Sora, later at school, do you want to wait for the Cultural Festival opening at my class, or rest at our club?”

To distract her, Yuu asked a question.

“Anywhere without people... Didn’t you say your Service Club is in a somewhat secluded special building?”

Thinking while pondering, her body slowly relaxed, then she nodded. “Then I’ll go to your club. After the opening ceremony, you can come find me.”

Though he knew this was the best option and seemed to have no alternatives, Yuu still worried.

“Aren’t you scared being alone in the classroom? It’s okay, right? Or I can put my phone in my chest pocket, camera facing outward, then use Bluetooth earphones for video calls. That way, you can not only see the school scenery but also get immediate updates if anything happens.”

“Your mom-like thinking is getting more thorough...”

After grumbling with slight disbelief, Sora patted the small bag on her back, slightly lifted her chin, proudly saying in calmness: “But when it comes to being alone, Yuu is still too young!”

“Console games are enough to play all day, phone fully charged plus power bank—not to mention Monster Hunter, even breeding racehorses in Uma Musume wouldn’t be enough for one day at the club.”

When her older brother went to school or part-time work, Sora could only rely on electronic devices and cold, silent air.

Back then, there weren’t even cats, no one to talk to, no one to confide in—but rather than fear solitude, she preferred avoiding the outside world.

So, she got used to it.

Whether she wanted to or not, she had to adapt, until she reached a point where she felt comfortable with solitude—Sora no longer feared being alone.

“This is one of my few specialties—don’t underestimate me!”

Seeing her stubborn, undeniable attitude, Yuu couldn’t help laughing.

“That’s true—I forgot otaku creatures are the least afraid of being alone...”

The topic ended here; he didn’t want to think too much about how his sister turned solitude into a skill.

Pity alone was useless. After all, Yuu had sworn to Sora that he’d never leave her alone for the rest of his life.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Today’s path to school was slightly different from usual.

Normally, they’d walk up the hill, meet Yuigahama, then go to the station.

To spare his sister too much walking, today Yuu deliberately took a shortcut, cutting straight through the shopping district to the station, waiting for Yuigahama there to ride the train together.

Only after changing routes did he realize Sora’s physical condition had improved significantly from before, and he didn’t need to worry excessively.

“Yo! Yuu-kun, out early on a holiday morning.”

Stepping onto the clean red-brick sidewalk of the shopping street, the flower shop owner leaned against the door, greeting enthusiastically while smoking.

Yuu nodded politely: “Yeah, today’s our school Cultural Festival.”

The shopkeeper showed a nostalgic expression: “Cultural Festival? How I miss those days. Back then, our Cultural Festival was used to protest schools and government, fighting for autonomy…”

“Times have changed, Uncle.” Without stopping, Yuu passed the flower shop with Sora. “If you have time, you can visit our school and enjoy contemporary youth atmosphere.”

“You brat, are you saying I’m outdated?!” Waving his cigarette as if angry, the shopkeeper glanced at the little girl following him, raising an eyebrow.

“This your little sister?”

Yuu smiled: “Spot on. Do we look like siblings?”

The shopkeeper shrugged: “Nothing special—because you don’t look like someone who’d date younger girls.”

“...I can only say your guess is baseless. I’m off—have a good day.”

Yuu’s lips twitched twice, and amid the shopkeeper’s cheerful laughter saying goodbye, he quickly walked away expressionlessly.

Sora followed his pace, her small hand clutching his arm—not only less nervous than before, she even showed a faintly mocking smile, slightly relaxed.

“Yuu, does the entire shopping district know you like older women?”

“Don’t listen to Auntie’s nonsense—she doesn’t know most girlfriends I’ve dated were my age.” Yuu rolled his eyes, annoyed. “Next time I see her moving goods during her morning run, I won’t help her again—truly ungrateful.”

“Heeh~ So that’s how you two met...” Sora narrowed her eyes.

“Not really. When I worked part-time everywhere, I got to know almost everyone on this shopping street.”

While returning greetings from the vegetable vendor auntie beside them, Yuu received two apples, thanked her, shared one with Sora, then continued:

“To save money, back then I worked hard to build good relations with neighbors, becoming the ‘good kid’ by praising uncles and aunts, selling myself... So, many ingredients you ate before were gifts from them. Actually, this whole shopping district contributed to our family.”

But it wasn’t some great favor worth shedding tears over gratitude. After all, middle-school Yuu had to restrain himself, setting aside his pride as a transmigrator to act sweet and adorable toward these merchants. Besides occasionally helping with physical labor, he also paid with cheeks pinched red and hair nearly combed out.

So, when they started seeing him grow increasingly handsome and asking if he had a girlfriend, hoping he’d be interested in their daughters, Yuu firmly changed his route, avoiding this shopping street as much as possible.

“I see...”

After hearing his explanation, Sora’s expression turned strange, and she stayed silent, not speaking much.

However, when the convenience store owner grandma greeted them, she—for the first time—lifted her head, slightly bit her lip, and gave a slow nod in return.

Then she immediately hid behind him, refusing to come out at all.

The old lady laughed heartily, eyes full of affection: “Shy child. Is she your little sister?”

Yuu patted Sora’s head, his face showing relief, answering gently:

“Yes, she’s my cutest little sister—and the most important person to me.”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

After bidding farewell to the convenience store grandma, Yuu slipped a souvenir—a small box of konpeito—into Sora’s hoodie pocket.

Passing through a narrow alley and exiting the shopping district, before them lay the bustling station center. Though office worker crowds drastically reduced on holidays, many students in uniforms could be seen entering through ticket gates.

“Yuu, I suddenly thought of something.”

Guided by him, Sora entered the station after years; even the sound of swiping an electronic ticket card felt strangely foreign.

Then she brought up a completely unrelated topic: “Are the girlfriends you’ve dated, who are now practically broken up, only those two people?”

Clearly, she meant Yukinoshita Haruno and Natsukawa Masuzu.

Yuu turned, confused.

An issue ignored days ago was suddenly raised, making him slightly surprised.

After hesitating briefly, he answered honestly: “...There’s a third person, but she lives very far away—we probably won’t meet again.”

Sora played with her fingers, pondering: “Is that so? I thought it was the flower shop auntie.”

Yuu’s face twitched, sighing wordlessly.

“My sister, your guesses are truly beyond comprehension.”

“The flower shop auntie’s fine, as long as it’s not the vegetable vendor auntie, I can accept it.”

“But I can’t accept it!”

Yuu retorted by pinching her palm; the soft, pale skin easily left a red mark. “Don’t guess randomly—she’s a beautiful, gentle girl, and her combat skills are extremely high. I almost lost to her back then.”

Due to the vague wording, these words about Asuna weren’t censored by the system.

“So there are monsters like that too...”

Sighing incredulously, Sora looked up, her eyes under the hood quietly gazing at him.

As if wanting to say something, but only wondering in her heart: (So your gloomy expressions, decadent attitude, and loneliness like losing everything after returning from Kyoto... were all caused by these girlfriends?)

Though she didn’t know details, her brother seemed to have mentioned—every time Yuu dated, they’d forget him, all past memories and experiences erased.

Though love disappeared, the feeling of being forgotten by someone once loved—surely that must hurt, right?

Sora would never forget the scene of Yuu lying on the sofa, for the first time asking to rest his head on her lap.

Yuu, always strong and confident—why could he become so weak? What truly happened during the trip to Kyoto?—She’d asked, but never got a clear answer.

Only now did she understand—her brother wasn’t unwilling to speak, but unable, because someone was watching from above.

Only now did Sora know—those confusing complaints were Yuu’s final farewells to his forgotten self.

—The more regretful one feels about beauty soon to vanish, the cruelly beautiful the world becomes.

Only now did Sora know—within these words spoken directly by him, hidden were three regrets, three cruelties, and more than three wounds.

Besides her, no one understood how deeply Yuu was wounded.

(After you’ve done such things to Yuu, you still dare disturb him...)

Thinking this, inexplicable anger surged in her heart. Unconsciously, Sora clenched her fist, gritting her teeth.

Yuu sensed something wrong, bending down to look at her worriedly: “Sora, what’s wrong?”

“...Nothing.” Sora loosened her grip, pulling up her hood, speaking calmly. “I was just thinking—will that flat-chested cat-lover also forget you?”

Yuu didn’t care: “You mean Yukino? Yeah, unless something unexpected happens.”

“Are you ready?”

“It’s not my first time.”

After a pause, Sora let out a sound from her throat: “Don’t you feel... tired?”

“Tired?... Hah, maybe.”

Hearing shouts from the ticket gate, Yuu turned, waving at Yuigahama rushing into the station, her hair swaying.

The corner of his lips smiled unconsciously, his eyes gentle, speaking calmly and firmly:

“With all of you supporting me from behind, I’ll never fall—no matter how tired I am.”

Though he had a system, Yuu couldn’t escape the category of human; and the Chinese character for “person” (Ren) needs someone behind to stand upright.

No matter how many times he was forgotten, as long as remaining support didn’t disappear, he’d always be able to walk toward the future he wanted to see.

“...”

Reluctantly biting her lip, Sora could only silently nod, once again tightly gripping his palm, conveying her feelings through body temperature.

She was merely a sixteen-year-old ordinary girl, unable to interfere with decisions of entities manipulating worlds and memories.

And as Yuu’s only family, there was only one thing Sora could do now.

(Protect Yuu from those people, so he won’t be hurt a second time—that’s my responsibility...!)

-

Title: I’m Not Acting Cool at All!

After meeting Yuigahama, the three boarded a train to the nearest station to Sōbu High—Inage-Kaigan Station on the Keiyō Line.

From there, it took about fifteen minutes of walking to reach Sōbu High School.

“There’s a smell of the sea...”

As soon as they exited the station, Sora sniffed her small nose, glancing left and right.

Yuigahama smiled and explained: “Since our school is near the ocean, Inage Beach and Tokyo Bay are right beside it. The seaside park here is also very famous!”

“Oh really? Living so close for so long, this is the first time I’ve heard...” Sora murmured, turning to Yuu. “Have you ever been there?”

“Never. Interested?”

“Not interested.” Sora answered firmly, paused briefly, then added in a slightly softer voice, “...If there aren’t many people, looking at the sea is fine.”

“Wait until summer. Right now, the beach is too cold, and just seeing the sea isn’t that enjoyable.” Yuu patted her head, speaking thoughtfully. “Last time you swam was probably when you were ten. Isn’t it about time to buy a new swimsuit?”

“It’s still far off—at least half a year away.” Though her tone was complaining, the corner of Sora’s lips lifted slightly.

“Could it be your swimsuit from back then still fits now?”

“No way!” Sora’s smile vanished instantly. If Yuu hadn’t quickly pulled her hand, her angry palm might have bitten him. “Yuu, stupid! Do you think I stopped growing?!”

If not for being in public and with Yuigahama watching, Sora would definitely have pulled her hand away and made him see for himself whether she’d grown properly or not!

She’d secretly measured before—not that she could lie and claim it was big, but at least it had reached size B!

“I want to join too!” Yuigahama raised her hand enthusiastically, her bright eyes darting between the two. “Later, let me accompany Sora to pick out a swimsuit. I happen to want to replace the one I bought in middle school.”

“Fine, we’ll decide that now.” Yuu didn’t mind, immediately setting plans for something six months away.

As for Sora, though no clear expression of refusal showed on her face, after observing Yuigahama from top to bottom, her gaze lingered for several seconds on her chest—still clearly visible despite the winter coat—then she sneered slightly with mild disgust, turned her head with a huff, and said:

“Forget it. Let Yuu accompany me instead. No need for that annoying dango girl.”

“Eh?! Why~” With an almost-tearful expression, Yuigahama tugged on Sora’s sleeve without regard for seniority, whining sadly, “I didn’t do anything—why does Sora hate me—“

“Exactly because you did nothing is why I hate you.”

“That’s unfair!”

“Wait until your three dangos shrink into one, then I’ll allow you to come with me.”

“Three dangos shrinking into one? What do you mean...”

Letting his girlfriend and little sister chat cheerfully behind him, Yuu walked toward Sōbu High.

Though it was still morning, due to Cultural Festival preparations, most students arrived at school much earlier than usual.

A steady flow of people entered through the school gates. Even now, several parents accompanying their children could be seen admiring the Sōbu Festival sign hanging at the gate. Faint sounds of excitement already drifted from within the campus.

Seeing this scene, Yuu felt anything but relaxed—he remembered things he’d momentarily forgotten, things that made his head ache and his chest tighten. His expression darkened slightly; once again, he didn’t want to face reality.

“Yuu-kun...”

Observing his change in expression sharply, just as Yuigahama was about to say something to him, Yukino and Masuzu approached from a distance, and all of them gathered at the school gate.

“What a coincidence—we all arrived at school at the same time...” Walking closer, Yukino first smiled and greeted Sora with a nod, then turned to the two of them. Her clear, bright eyes blinked twice, and she immediately realized something was wrong with the atmosphere.

“What’s wrong? You both look completely unmotivated.”

“Not unmotivated—just a bit nervous.”

Yuu tugged at his collar, forcing a bitter smile, clearly uncomfortable.

“After all, today, both of your mothers are coming to the Cultural Festival.”

Or rather, they were all coming to see their prospective son-in-law.

Honestly, Yuu had never feared meeting parents—Mrs. Yuigahama was beyond doubt; during their last meeting, she’d seemed extremely satisfied with him, even wanting to pull him home for a long chat. Basically, he had no issues with her.

Even with the imposing, stiff Mrs. Yukinoshita, Yuu had faced her before. He’d even snatched her daughter right under her nose, so there was nothing to fear.

Except—when two parent meetings were combined. And these two meetings would bring him far more conflict.

What awaited him was hellish torment...

“...”

Both girls fell silent simultaneously, opening their mouths to speak but stopping. They fully understood why his expression looked so grim, as if facing execution, but they didn’t know how to comfort him.

Because when each of them talked about him to their mother, both unconsciously forgot that Yuu was currently in a double relationship—and the secret behind this romance could be called shameful.

Even if they themselves agreed, their families would absolutely never accept such an absurd situation. While lamenting their daughters had met the wrong man, both mothers would surely target him as a scoundrel.

Without being able to explain the system mission, Yuu was undoubtedly an openly cheating womanizer—even he no longer denied this fact.

After all, what mother could tolerate her daughter being ruined by such a man?

Yuu could only sigh, his weary eyes gazing distantly at the campus, as if already seeing his future self getting slapped by the mothers.

“I’m sorry—it’s my fault.”

At that moment, although she’d apologized when telling him about this, Yukino still bowed deeply to him with sincere regret: “Our relationship shouldn’t have been revealed, but I told Mother on impulse, and now it’s impossible to send her away... I truly apologize.”

Of course, she felt guilty.

And she’d kept feeling guilty and anxious since that night, deeply remorseful toward Yuu and Yuigahama.

After all, their relationship had already spread throughout the school via Class F students; if she brought her mother to meet Yuu, even if her mother asked to walk around campus, she’d surely realize through others’ reactions that her real boyfriend was someone else.

One could say her mistake had created another gap in their cover-up, fully exposing their triple relationship to each other’s parents.

With this sense of loss, Yukino bit her lip, her blue eyes dimming.

“You idiot—if you have to apologize too, wouldn’t it be better for me to just kill myself to apologize?”

Before the girl’s mood turned completely negative, Yuu raised his hand and flicked her forehead.

Only after Yukino shifted her startled gaze from the ground to his face did he look at both girls seriously, word by word:

“Yukino, from the moment I said I wanted to date you, neither of you has any reason to feel guilty toward me... Because every precondition started with me being the one at fault. If I want to date both of you at once, this is one responsibility I must bear.”

“Right! So Yukino, stop blaming yourself.”

Understanding Yuu’s meaning, Yuigahama then held Yukino’s hand, her face showing a bright, genuine smile, speaking casually: “If we’re counting, actually, I’m the one most at fault!”

“Knowing Yuu-kun is a womanizer but not breaking up with him, letting him maintain a double relationship, and even actively playing matchmaker—you’re unbelievable, who could be such a fool!”

Yukino was momentarily stunned, then her face hardened, wanting to sincerely explain: “Yuigahama-san, wasn’t it you who originally...”

But before she could finish, she heard Yuigahama say calmly and maturely:

“Who came first or second doesn’t matter—we’re both Yuu-kun’s girlfriends... He likes us, and we like him. Knowing that is enough.”

“...” Yukino fell silent.

“As for Mother, even though Yuu-kun looks desperate and unwilling to face reality, I believe he can overcome this difficulty.”

Yuigahama released her hand, then gently cupped Yukino’s small, cold cheek with her warm palm, her eyes full of care and sincerity, with the determination of a martyr.

“If there’s nothing we can do for him, then stand quietly behind him, believing he can overcome all hardships and move forward bravely.”

“That’s all I’ll do.” Yuigahama said softly, then smiled mischievously.

“If Yukino truly doesn’t believe in Yuu-kun, pretend I never said any of this~”

“...”

An awful provocation strategy, yet effective like a sharp blade, slicing through her overthinking.

Looking at Yuigahama with a complex expression, after a pause, Yukino let out a long sigh, giving a slightly helpless look.

“It’s not that I don’t believe in him... It’s just that I consider it natural that the current situation is caused by me.”

“Then it’s fine~” Yuigahama hugged her arm again, speaking affectionately and cheerfully, “We don’t blame you. Let Yuu-kun bear his suffering—it’s his own fault for wanting everything... Anyway, no matter who’s right or wrong, we’ll just silently comfort him after the mothers scold him thoroughly. Why worry so much?”

“Your heart is too broad, Yuigahama-san.” Yukino held her forehead, looking slightly dizzy, a sigh escaping beneath her long hair. “But... well, there’s truth in what you said, and it makes me feel much better. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. If you want to thank me, just call me Yui! That’s my only reward!”

Yukino hesitated, her face slightly reddening as she spoke softly: “...Yui?”

“Yes! Yui, Yukinon—!” Calling sweetly, Yuigahama happily hugged her tightly, rubbing her soft, smooth cheek against Yukino’s, the valley pressing seamlessly against the plain.

“Wait, I already said it’s hot...”

Yukino looked slightly flustered, standing stiffly in place, as if unsure how to react, even turning to Yuu for help.

Though this wasn’t the first time she’d been touched this closely by her, and she didn’t feel disgusted at all—even somewhat pleased... but they were standing at the school gate. No one would be used to being hugged in public.

Meeting her gaze, Yuu first gave a warm smile, and just as she sensed a hint of hope, he turned away as if seeing nothing, taking his sister’s hand and walking toward the school gate.

“What’s the harm~ Sumo wrestling in winter is perfect~” Yuigahama grinned mischievously, unconcerned, following with Yukino. She even took advantage of Yuu not paying attention, quietly leaning her head on Yukino’s shoulder and whispering in her ear:

“To secretly comfort him later, what do you think we should do to make him happier?”

“...”

Yukino’s expression froze instantly—whatever scene she imagined, her slender white neck slowly reddened, her beautiful, captivating face tinged with charming shyness.

She slightly bit her soft lip, her eyes frantically darting around, before finally taking a deep breath, turning, and whispering to Yuigahama, revealing her thoughts.

Perhaps because the content was too shocking, Yuigahama’s eyes gradually widened. After Yukino cleared her throat with fake seriousness as a cover-up, she stared at her in admiration, then commented:

“Yukino, I never expected you to actually be...”

“A-anything wrong? I think it’s normal!”

Yuigahama stroked her chin thoughtfully: “Doing that is normal for couples... But, I didn’t expect you to have such a cool act...”

Yukino’s face flushed crimson, angrily warning with full seriousness:
“I am NOT acting cool at all! Please don’t misunderstand, Yui-san!”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Behind them, the two girls whispered, while Yuu and Sora walked ahead.

Sometime unnoticed, Masuzu had quietly followed, positioned between that man and the girl wrapped tightly in her cloak.

She didn’t do much, maintaining a distance neither too close nor too far from her brother, so Sora only glanced warily, not baring her teeth like a tiger cub protecting its young, trying to drive her away.

Ignoring the glances coming from around her, Masuzu suddenly spoke: “Tenkuji-kun, you don’t actually need to worry too much.”

Pausing in confusion, Yuu raised an eyebrow toward her: “What do you mean?”

“Even if you’re caught cheating, even if you’re hated by both girlfriends’ mothers—it shouldn’t matter to you.”

Masuzu gave a faint smile, her eyes narrowing like crescent moons, speaking meaningfully: “Whether you admit or deny it, accept or reject it, even if you’ll never enter their homes again... once the world resets, the fact that you dated Yukinoshita-san will vanish, and no one will remember your affair. Isn’t that right?”

“After all, the future you—who feels nothing—probably won’t care anymore about Yukinoshita-san’s affairs either.”

-

Title: Masuzu Also Wants to Tell the Truth

Coincidentally, though they hadn’t made any prior plans, Masuzu met Yukino in the elevator as they prepared to head to school.

After a brief greeting, from the elevator until exiting the apartment building, an awkward silence hung between them.

Actually, it wasn’t particularly awkward. After all, neither cared about the other’s opinion, nor did they intend to chat and exchange feelings. If there was nothing to say, it was natural to stay silent—forcing conversation would only make things uncomfortable.

Walking along the quiet, cold streets, Masuzu swung her school bag, casually glancing at Yukino, whose entire small face was buried deep within her scarf.

From a romantic rival’s perspective, she should maintain distance from Yukino, calculating how to steal someone from her—a villainess in a power struggle drama. Recently, there’d been a popular imported series she’d watched out of boredom and unexpectedly found quite interesting—even learning many techniques on stealing men.

However, sadly, right now she didn’t even qualify to play. Let alone being a love rival, she couldn’t even enter the harem lineup of those three.

No amount of experience could be applied next time. She should feel fortunate just to maintain her current distance and relationship with him.

A forgotten ex-girlfriend truly was this low. Though she’d once exchanged thoughts at Yuu’s house a few days ago, feeling she almost remembered something—if she truly recalled everything, in this version where Yukino existed, as long as Yuu remained so loyal, she could only sigh resignedly and continue practicing yoga and judo at home.

For reference, see Haruno—the woman who came first and suffered most tragically.

Thinking this, Masuzu couldn’t help shaking her head and sighing.

Haruno had not only been forced to break up by the will of the great universe but also had to watch her boyfriend stolen by her own younger sister, then both turning against her together...

Ah, even the protagonist of a bitter drama wouldn’t fare worse.

Or perhaps, every girl who loved Yuu would ultimately share a similarly tragic fate.

Calmly realizing this fact, Masuzu didn’t rush to regain her memories before thinking of counterattacks—because that would only make her suffer more.

After all, the one who decided everything was Yuu.

Her world revolved around him. If she didn’t want to surrender and become a tiny planet with nowhere to go, she could only wait silently.

Waiting for the next moment, the day when Yuu hadn’t yet chosen his new target...

Snapping back from increasingly deep thoughts, following Yukino into the station, while waiting for the train on the platform, Masuzu suddenly spoke to her.

“Yukinoshita-san, have you ever thought about the future?”

Looking up from her paperback, Yukino slightly frowned, staring at her, confused why she’d suddenly ask such a thing.

“Do you mean career path? I plan to go to university first...”

“Sorry, I’m not interested in that.” Masuzu politely cut her off. Since the other party already knew her true self, she saw no point in beating around the bush and said directly, “You’ll become the next Natsukawa Masuzu and Yukinoshita Haruno. Though I don’t know if you’ll remember this later... but your dating experience with Tenkuji-kun will sooner or later be erased by that God.”

“Even though you love each other now, once the mission ends, both of you will become strangers. You won’t like him anymore, and he’ll turn away from you too.”

“...”

Calmly staring at Masuzu who spoke these words, her blue eyes were like a frozen lake surface, radiating deep coldness.

Seemingly no ripple at all, but Yukino’s fingers gripping the book page unconsciously tightened slowly.

Masuzu honestly accepted her sharp gaze. The piercing chill felt like spring wind on her face; she smiled indifferently.

“Don’t get so angry. I don’t mean to ruin your relationship—just wanted to know your thoughts... Or are you already unwilling to face reality? Then pretend I never said anything.”

“The train is arriving soon, the train is arriving soon. Passengers please stand behind the yellow line, keep away from the tracks...”

The red lights on the ground lit up, accompanied by a melodious announcement. Yukino shifted her gaze from Masuzu’s face, her cherry-colored lips pursed into a straight line, her profile cold and calm, her thumb gently flipping the next page of the paperback.

“I won’t become like you two.”

“On what basis?” Initially wanting to talk reasonably, but seeing her dismissive attitude, Masuzu couldn’t help sneering, her lip curling mockingly.

“Because you know the truth earlier? Or because you’re mentally prepared, thinking you can protect your memories from the God with something called ‘love’?”

“I don’t need to explain to you.” Without looking up, Yukino said coldly, “What kind of future it will be, I’ll ensure it together with Tenkuji-kun and Yuigahama-san.”

Strong wind blew straight silver hair and soft black hair backward.

Suddenly, the train burst through the air ahead, ears filled with wind and brake sounds, but the girl’s voice pierced eardrums clearly like ice, carrying a will to pierce through everything.

“I won’t let him repeat past mistakes...”

“Before becoming his girlfriend, I was his Club President. Fulfilling club members’ requests is my responsibility!”

“...”

With a baffled expression, Masuzu widened her eyes, staring at her in confusion and shock.

And Yukino didn’t waver at all. As the train doors slowly slid open sideways, she closed the paperback and followed the crowd, as if having no intention to say anything more to her.

Masuzu stood frozen in place for several seconds, only stepping onto the train after the door-closing announcement sounded.

Glancing at Yukino leaning against another door and continuing to read, Masuzu slightly bit her lip, withdrew her gaze with a complex expression, and near the opposite side door, turned to see the scenery outside the window slowly receding.

“The difference is, we only ever thought of our own feelings from beginning to end—only you think of the situation itself...”

Masuzu unconsciously sighed.

She felt amused inside, but couldn’t laugh—whether it was determination or mere arrogance, honestly, she didn’t know.

But Yukino now looked like a fawn running toward a cliff without hesitation, simply because someone needed saving below the cliff, so she wasn’t afraid even if she shattered into pieces...

Touching indeed touching, but was she truly ready with matching resolve?

Could she really face the cruel future where all present beauty would crumble to ash?

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Under Yuu’s sharp gaze, Masuzu quietly clenched her sweaty palm, but the smile on her face never disappeared—even widening further, she said mockingly:

“What’s wrong? I’m not wrong. Aren’t you treating me and Haruno-san exactly like that now?”

(Ugh, stupid idiot, why did I have to say the truth?)

Not yet receiving a response, Masuzu already groaned inwardly, regretting so much she wanted to hug her head and cry.

Now, she’d only be hated. The distance painstakingly narrowed would widen again.

Unrequited love was indeed like this. Just a few words, all past efforts wasted—and to fix it, she’d have to try exponentially harder.

...But she couldn’t hold it in.

She truly couldn’t hold it in—her chest full of complaints that had to be vomited at him, she wanted to pounce and bite him several times.

(I was the one who first wronged you? The responsibility I must bear?)

(Hah, how funny.)

(On the surface saying so many beautiful words, then after everyone’s memories vanish, planning to treat everything as if it never happened.)

(Don’t forget, there are still victims here! Truly impressive Yukinoshita-san can say those words so calmly.)

(No matter how sincere she seems now, once her feelings are taken by the God, we’re all strangers to him. No matter how many vows, they’re just empty words.)

(Her determination, her pride—like a paperback page, even if flipped, it’ll still be remembered, but no longer a place for eyes to stop.)

(So, you should know.)

(Tenkuji-kun, intelligent and high-EQ, surely understands how sad these girlfriends feel upon learning this.)

(If so, even if I speak the truth, you have no reason to be angry at me.)

“...”

Staring at Masuzu’s perfect smile, Yuu fell silent, his expression seeming to suppress something, barely changing—no sign of anger visible.

Yet Sora, hearing those words, exploded like ignited gunpowder, her entire body tensing.

Just said she’d protect Yuu from those evil women, and a villain immediately jumped out causing trouble?

Fine. How dare she call Yuu an emotionless scoundrel? A boyfriend might endure it—but a little sister absolutely couldn’t!

(Just you wait—I’ll unleash my online combat skills and crush this crazy silver-haired nuisance!)

In blazing fury, Sora instantly pulled Yuu’s hand, separating him from Masuzu, and angrily bared her teeth at her.

“Stupid stupid—stupid! Who do you think you are?! Get lost—if I’d known, I wouldn’t have let you into our house!”

Well, in real life she’d never scolded anyone except her brother, and this was already the harshest words she could utter.

Indeed, it looked utterly non-threatening.

“Me? Just a memory-less ex-girlfriend—truly meaningless to him.”

Masuzu shrugged, speaking casually: “But little sister, if you knew the truth, you’d understand what I said is genuine.”

She looked up at Yuu, no smile on her face, but her sapphire eyes shone with seriousness.

“Yuu, logically you’re not wrong at all, but girls’ feelings don’t recognize right or wrong.”

“The things you might not care about are precisely the futures they fear most.”

Having said that, Masuzu gave Sora no chance to threaten her, quickened her pace, and walked away from them, heading toward the school building without looking back.

“What a terrible woman, runs so fast... How dare she call your name!” Sora glared hatefully at her retreating back, stomping her feet, muttering through clenched teeth.

Sensing something amiss, the two people behind temporarily stopped whispering, stepped forward, and stared at them confusedly: “What’s wrong? Did you fight?”

“Not fighting!” Sora scoffed coldly, hugging Yuu’s arm, speaking expressionlessly, “That woman just suddenly said unclear things, making me annoyed.”

“Masuzu saying unclear things... eh, well, maybe she did...” Yuigahama glanced at the silver-haired girl walking away, slightly hesitant, unsure whether to chase after her.

Meanwhile, Yukino observed Yuu’s expression, seemingly wanting to reach for his hand, but since others were around, reluctantly placed her hand behind her back.

Finally, she only asked softly: “This morning, she also said unclear things to me.”

Yuu, who hadn’t spoken until now, suddenly pulled back his distant gaze and said in a normal tone: “What things?”

“You tell me first what she said to you.”

“Hmm... Not very clear either, but seems she wanted to tell me to treat my girlfriends well?” Yuu rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighing slightly annoyed.

“She’d say something like that?” Yukino frowned, slightly disbelieving.

“Roughly that.” Yuu didn’t elaborate further, quickly returning the topic on track. “So, what did she say to you this morning?”

“...”

Yukino stared at him in silence. After several moments, her soft cherry-colored lips suddenly puckered, and she turned her head.

“I feel you’re not telling the truth, so I won’t tell you.”

“Hah?” Yuu couldn’t help opening his mouth. “Dear Miss Yukino, why are you sulking now?”

“I’m not sulking—you’re the one hiding something first.”

Her cheeks puffed slightly, Yukino folded her arms and stared at the school gate, speaking coldly yet slightly petulantly: “Wait until one day you’re willing to tell me everything honestly—I’ll tell you everything you want to know too... Until then, let me be upset for a while.”

The foundation of human interaction is trust.

Though Yuu knew what she worried about most, he still habitually used ambiguous expressions to deceive her.

What good was seeing through lies?

To this day, Yukino still hadn’t earned Yuu’s full trust.

“To avoid misunderstanding, I’ll ask again—is what she said something you can’t tell me?”

“...No.”

Expression unchanged, Yukino nodded, then under Yuu’s gaze wanting to speak but restrained, pulled Yuigahama and quickened her pace.

“Yui, let’s go first—let that person reflect properly on their mistake behind us.”

“Eh? Eh?!” Yuigahama looked back and forth between them confusedly, steps hesitant, bewilderment filling her face.

“What’s going on? Did you two fight too?”

“Not fighting.” Yukino glanced at Yuu, speaking lightly, “Understanding a girlfriend’s dissatisfaction is something a boyfriend must do... This is also a responsibility he must bear, as he said himself just now.”

“So what’s the reason? If you don’t explain clearly, how can I understand... And Yukino, I’m in the same class as Yuu-kun—even if you pull me first, it’s useless...”

“...Then I’ll return to my own class.”

“Wait, wait, I’ll come with you! Later you must explain properly to me!” After saying this to Yukino, Yuigahama turned and waved at Yuu, shouting, “Alright then! Yuu-kun, Sora-chan, I’m going to class first with Yukino!”

“Okay, I’ll take Sora to the Service Club later—we’ll meet there after the opening ceremony.”

Composing his complex expression, Yuu stood in place, calmly watching them walk away, then calmly took Sora’s small hand again.

He didn’t look at the figures entering the school building, speaking softly:

“There’s just one thing she got wrong—I’ve never felt indifferent.”

“Huh?” Sora looked up, not hearing clearly.

“Nothing. Let’s hurry. If we walk slowly, we might get stopped and surrounded, and it’ll be hard to leave then.”

“Huh? Why...”

Before her question finished, a group of girls looking extremely enthusiastic and friendly approached, skirts swaying, emitting fragrance, surrounding them curiously.

“Tenkuji-kun, good morning! Who’s this...”

“Is this your little sister? Oh my, so tiny, so cute...”

“Yeah, this cloak suits her perfectly—she looks like a fairy...”

“Even with a mask, she looks like a beautiful little girl no less than Yukinoshita-san and the others...”

Seeing the friendly, proactive brown-nosers nearly suffocating her, Sora’s face gradually turned green, her eyes slightly trembling, and her social anxiety progress bar instantly skyrocketed to maximum!

“Yuu, Yuu... Onii-chan!”

Dodging reaching hands, she quickly hid behind Yuu.

The silver-haired girl tightly gripped the hem of his clothes, all the cold aura she showed Masuzu gone, shivering like a hamster, only able to emit sounds from her throat:

“Now—quickly get me out of here!”

Schools like this were truly as terrifying as she imagined!

-

Title: A Mind as Clear as Top-Grade Pure Water (Not Really)

After enduring a thousand hardships, Sora finally arrived at the Service Club located in the Special Building.

However, only she had struggled. Yuu handled being surrounded by greeting people quite calmly. He didn’t hesitate to refuse others or leave when needed, successfully escorting his sister to her destination quickly.

In the quiet, empty corridor, two pairs of footsteps sounded very clearly.

Sora sighed wearily. From behind, she watched her brother pull out a key and open the classroom door lacking any class plaque.

“I thought your popularity had limits, but now it seems almost the entire school is your fan...”

“Not that dramatic. Though I suppose I do have an actual ‘True Fan Club,’ there are actually more people who don’t care about me, fear me, or hate me... Honestly, I was surprised how many people greeted me just now.”

Entering the Service Club, Yuu opened the window to clear out the stuffy air inside and said casually, “Either the festival atmosphere made them overly excited, or perhaps your cuteness caught their attention.”

Accustomed to Yuu’s spontaneous praise, Sora didn’t feel happy or embarrassed at all; she merely pointed at her own face disbelievingly, “I’m wearing a hoodie and mask—how could they know I’m cute?”

“The aura, plus this cloak really suits you.” Pulling a chair and placing it behind the long table, Yuu waved at Sora still standing in the doorway. “Just sit here. If it’s cold, close the window. There’s a hot water kettle over there, and snacks in the cabinet. As long as you don’t make a mess, you can do whatever you want.”

“A creature confined at home wouldn’t mess up its territory... unless it has bad living habits.” Muttering, Sora closed the door and, while walking toward him, looked up and around.

The back of the classroom resembled a storage room, yet items were arranged extremely neatly, not appearing messy at all. Lights were only on in the front rows, hiding piles of scrap in shadow, while the other side was brightly lit like a meeting area.

The arrangement of several chairs, the long table, and the whiteboard was very simple and clear. Both window frames and cabinet corners reflected a clean white shine, surely cleaned and maintained meticulously every day.

Every object was placed neatly in its place. A faint jasmine scent from somewhere drifted by, carried with the cold wind from outside the window through her fringe, giving the entire room a comfortable impression.

This room’s decor style made Sora reflexively think of someone.

“Yukinoshita Yukino—that girl is the club president here.”

Yuu shrugged: “So she’s also the one most concerned about the cleanliness and comfort of this clubroom.”

“I can tell from her two visits to our house... That girl isn’t just germ-phobic, she has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.” Sora couldn’t help sneering. The scene of Yukino and her older brother sulking was still fresh in her memory, making her mood hard to brighten.

But... was this the place where Yuu usually ate, did club activities, and flirted with other girls?

Her steps toward the long table inexplicably halted. Sora stopped her casual glance and seriously swept every corner of the Service Club, as if wanting to memorize everything deeply in her mind.

Not to find evidence of his infidelity, but to imagine what expression Yuu would show, and what kind of time he’d spend here, when he left home, when he left her.

It was another side Sora, as mere family, would never understand without taking a step forward.

“Yuu...” Sora suddenly spoke, lowering her head, her fingers gently sliding across the smooth tabletop. “Are you happy here?”

Yuu looked at her, surprised. After thinking for several seconds, he slowly showed a sincere smile.

“Very happy—just as happy as at home.”

“Because they’re so important to you?”

“No, because I met the people important to me here.”

“I see...”

Her voice softly fell to the floor, devoid of emotion.

The next second, Sora turned around, her silvery-gold hair fluttering in the air.

On her cute, pretty face, as if spring sunshine were shining, a gentle, genuine, calming smile was etched.

“Hmm, then that’s good.”

For this alone, she had to thank those evil women.

After all, this was something Sora, closest to him, might never accomplish.

Without using the chair Yuu specially prepared for her, Sora sat in her usual spot, then pulled out snacks, drinks, and a game console from her bag, quickly establishing her territory.

“Roughly when will you pick me up?”

“Opening ceremony at eight, official Cultural Festival start at nine—probably around then.”

Returning the phone he’d just lent her, Yuu carefully reminded: “I’ve installed the single-tap emergency alarm app I wrote myself for you. If danger arises, just press it—it’ll emit a loud sound to disturb others and notify me to come rescue you as fast as possible... Honestly, I still think live-streaming is safer.”

“I want to play games—when would I have time to livestream with you?” Sora rolled her eyes, showing extreme disgust at her brother’s mother-like nature, speaking mock-coldly: “Stupid Yuu, I’m not a little kid anymore—do I still need you to teach me self-protection?”

“So now, leave the key, turn around, and return to your class. I’ll remember to lock the door and ignore anyone knocking except you lot. That’s enough.”

“...Alright, in hikikomori experience, maybe I truly can’t match you.”

Yuu sighed resignedly, grabbing his school bag heading for the door. His steps were very slow, as if still worried, glancing left and right.

“Seriously...” Sora scoffed helplessly, looking down to power on her game console, preparing to visit that adorable little animal with a tachi to collect protection money—not much, just all their body parts.

Yuu suddenly turned again, his eyes sparkling with excitement as if getting a great idea, pure and innocent like a child.

“Sora, do you want to pee now? Or should I accompany you to the toilet first, so you won’t need to later—“

“K-Kick out—!”

The next second, the girl’s embarrassed, angry shout exploded in the silent air. The powerful sound wave seemed to shake the entire Special Building twice.

After being mercilessly kicked out by his sister, Yuu looked back three times, sighed, and walked toward the main school building along the small path.

“This is the first time I’ve left my little sister alone outside like this... What if something unexpected happens! Like a tornado destroying the Service Club, or a Light Giant accidentally stepping on the building...”

Shaking his head, Yuu discarded the paranoid thoughts, slapping his face trying to cheer himself up.

He knew he was worrying too much.

But what could he do? Sora was the most precious family member to him—his concern surpassed sibling bonds. Placing hands and feet in an empty classroom, even if locked, no one could stay calm.

After all, this wasn’t the familiar, safe home, but school.

A school filled today with many outsiders wandering the campus.

Fortunately, only a little over an hour remained, and his sister was mature enough. Otherwise, he’d definitely take Sora with him and guard her, even if it meant becoming the center of attention.

What Sora feared, he didn’t fear; what Sora didn’t fear, made him uneasy.

“Hmm? This...”

While walking with a heavy heart, a flyer caught his attention.

It wasn’t pinned to a tree nor pasted on a wall—the flyer lay conspicuously in the middle of the path, as if afraid he wouldn’t see it, even weighed down with a stone so wind wouldn’t blow it away.

Exactly like a tiny fishing hero on a forum, his hook straight, bait salty.

“Meant for me?”

Raising an eyebrow, Yuu walked toward the flyer but didn’t immediately pick it up. Instead, he gathered his concentration, closed his eyes, and activated all his abilities to detect movement around him.

*SASS—*

The world instantly became silent.

Bushes rustled, dry branches swayed left and right. All sounds stopped simultaneously with the flow of time and wind, frozen in rapidly spreading awareness.

The gray, silent scene grew increasingly clear, as if a model of the entire world was printed in his mind. Even ants crawling on the ground weren’t missed. An invisible circle enveloped the dozens-of-meters radius around him, slowly expanding.

Birds flying from the forest, distant commotion, gradually lost their original forms, transforming into purest information.

At this moment, his heart was as clear as a mirror—every movement would appear clearly, like ripples on a lake’s surface.

When he got truly serious, he could do things like this now.

Even if someone hid behind a tree, desperately holding their breath and making no sound, Yuu in full concentration could still hear their heartbeat and instantly lock onto their position.

This wasn’t a specific ability granted by the system, but a special skill naturally achievable with Yuu’s current physical condition, enhanced by bonuses from various mixed skills and statuses, all synchronized.

Top Clear Mind—a pity he wasn’t some passing chūnibyō youth, so he wouldn’t give this move such a chūnibyō name.

“Haaah...”

Yet, it didn’t last long. Yuu exhaled dirtily, opened his eyes, pressed his temple as if having a headache, and wiped cold sweat from his forehead.

“Too much information—my brain isn’t enough... Feeling insects too, this is weird.”

There’s a kind of death called ‘knowing too much,’ and he felt it deeply now—if he kept observing, his brain might explode from information overload.

Though he’d likely enter unconsciousness as a defense before that happened, overall it was still very prone to damaging consciousness. If one day he accidentally became stupid, regret would be too late.

Luckily, this skill should be continuously trainable.

As long as he learned to classify wanted versus unwanted information and gradually strengthened his mental power, someday every movement around him wouldn’t escape his senses. His sister wouldn’t need to fear being murdered again!

...Though no one would probably come to murder her, and he might not survive a sniper’s bullet anyway.

“No one nearby. Was it planned I’d pass here... or just a trial?”

After his aching head eased, Yuu squatted. Carefully, he didn’t pick up the flyer to look, but pressed the paper’s corner with his foot, observing its contents like that.

“Wish to know your future’s form? Want to protect yourself and family from the unknown? Third-year Fortune Telling Shop—answers for love and career alike can be found here... You who are different, were once thus, the future shall be too. Rising and falling fate is already written in the world’s notebook.”

This a Cultural Festival flyer?

Muttering, Yuu frowned in contemplation.

Thanks to his previous help with Yukino, he quickly recalled that the stall opened by seniors from Class 3-A for this year’s Cultural Festival was indeed a fortune-telling shop.

So the question was, why was this flyer here?

Even weighed down with a stone and placed on this quiet path, it couldn’t be coincidence.

For instance, if someone knew he’d pass here at this moment, didn’t that person deliberately do this to convey some message through the flyer, or invite him to meet at the fortune-telling shop?

Was this a joke, or was there something important to discuss?

Various possibilities crossed his mind. Yuu stood and kicked the small stone, stretching his body as if tired.

Just then, a gust of wind swept past his side, wrapping the flyer and blowing it toward the woods, quickly disappearing among distant dry branches.

“Tch... Class 3-A? I don’t know anyone there...”

Muttering, he continued his steps toward the school building.

While climbing the stairs, as if suddenly enlightened, Yuu stopped.

Finger on chin, eyes wide open, he whispered slightly disbelieving:

“Right, there’s Kasumigaoka Utaha too—the stalker senior... She’s indeed from Class 3-A.”

“But she has no reason to seek me out like this...”

Last time they met, Utaha was terrified and ran away. Yuu truly couldn’t think of any reason why that leggy senior in black stockings would go through such trouble to find him...

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

School Building, third floor, girls’ restroom.

Utaha flipped the last page of the black-covered notebook.

“7:20 AM, after Tenkuji Yuu and his younger sister Sora passed by, you emerged from behind the large tree where you hid, placed a flyer on the small path from the Special Building to the school building, weighed it down with a stone, and immediately fled the scene.”

“7:31 AM, Tenkuji Yuu noticed the flyer and used extremely strong sensory powers to check movements around, finding no one.”

“7:33 AM, after confirming the flyer’s content, Tenkuji Yuu kicked the small stone, letting the flyer fly away, and left immediately...”

“Extremely strong sensory powers? Does he think he’s Saint Seiya... Ugh, luckily I ran off after placing it, otherwise it’d be troublesome.”

Scratching her smooth, straight black hair, Utaha sighed wearily, putting the notebook back into her school bag, then rose from the toilet seat.

“Overall, glad the plan went smoothly.”

She narrowed her eyes, those pomegranate-red eyes flashing sharply, like the brightest star in the night sky.

Opening the restroom door, accompanied by a cold sniff, the pride and confidence of the bestselling teenage girl writer returned to her beautiful, captivating face.

“—Your unlucky fate? I’ll rewrite it for you!”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Sōbu High’s Cultural Festival opening ceremony would be held at 8:00 AM.

Around 7:35 AM, Yuu returned to Class F. The classroom door was wide open, inside and outside filled with lively, cheerful atmosphere, like an exhibition or festival frontline.

Yuigahama was chatting with Yumiko and her friends, so Yuu didn’t hesitate to approach and interrupt. He hung his school bag beside a desk, pulled up a chair, and sat down.

Not far away, Totsuka smiled and waved at him. After saying a few words to his friend beside him, he walked over.

“Yuu, good morning.”

“Good morning, Totsuka.”

After accidentally glancing outside, the handsome silver-haired youth asked curiously: “Yuu, I heard from someone—you brought your little sister to visit the Cultural Festival today?”

“Hah?” Yuu raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a wordless twitch of his lips. “I just entered the school gate—how did this news spread so fast...”