I really don't want to be reborn.

He had the energy to shout loudly before, but after ten people came by Kashiwagi Eri's stall, glanced at it, and then left, he gave up and sat down very dignifiedly and obediently.

In the words of Kyosuke Kosaka, "I wasn't selling doujinshi at this embarrassing stall; I was just taking a break."

However, sitting here doing nothing would look bad, so I laid these books out.

The pretentious air of Yu Dafu made the pitiful black cat appear even more pathetic.

"I have to go back tonight. Even though you seniors took care of me last night, I can't possibly trouble you for three days in a row, can I?"

The black cat tilted its head slightly to look at him.

Those eyes looked round and big on that small face, and they were bright red contact lenses, just like Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Kyosuke Kousaka wouldn't admit his mistake.

Because the way the two people looked at him was completely different.

Neither sorrowful enough to become a poet, nor indifferent enough to become a philosopher, the black cat's eyes simply held a pure self-pity, revealing that her usual mental state must have been somewhat bewildered.

In his red eyes, there was no trace of the potent poison or the fierce liquor he was familiar with.

“I disagree with that statement. From an efficiency standpoint, it’s much more efficient for you to sleep here tonight than to go back, since you’ll have to come earlier tomorrow.”

He gestured with his eyes to the small cart he was pushing: "After all, not a single book has been sold. I don't think you'd be willing to give up so easily."

"..."

Black Cat really wanted to blurt out, "I'm not selling anymore!"

"If Kirino finds out that you, the mighty Fallen Saint, have slunk back to Chiba, what do you think she'll think and say?"

"Okay, I'll pay the rent back—"

"You can't pay me back."

Kyosuke shattered the guy's boring and superfluous pride: "No need to say anything, you're my sister's good friend, so you're practically my sister too. What's wrong with taking care of you? Why are you making so many demands?"

He actually understood her feelings.

It's a kind of inertia of loneliness.

Going to school alone, cleaning alone, eating lunch alone, spacing out alone, and going home alone after school.

Many people lose themselves when they are separated from others, but Ruri Gokou has always been alone, going through all the daily routines. Only emails from her friends and meetings during holidays can temporarily alleviate this loneliness.

Kyosuke Kosaka urged her to hurry up and move forward.

This kind of loneliness, though a defeat, is still glorious.

The black cat quietly turned around, thinking to herself that it was indeed the case. Because it was related to Kousaka Kyosuke, they would take care of her. In the end, what was the relationship between Gokou Ruri and Kasumigaoka Utaha?

It has absolutely nothing to do with us!

(Back in 14, there were rumors that the voice actresses of these two people would form a "vegetarian duo" and release a photobook together. There were also rumors that Ai Kayano was also doomed under Kana Hanazawa's natural yuri aura.)

"Get that done, then we'll go have dinner."

Contrary to her usual behavior, Kasumigaoka Utaha acted quite decisively and domineeringly today. With a wave of her hand, Eriri even became their vanguard, leading them through a maze of twists and turns.

only……

"Sawamura-kun, why is your hat red? I remember it was green before."

"Don't ask, you talkative man!"

Eriri Sawamura seems capable of getting angry at any moment.

The black cat walking behind muttered under its breath, a hint of schadenfreude in its voice: "No wonder he was dumped..."

Kosaka also quietly gave her a thumbs up.

He then walked over to Kasumigaoka Utaha and asked, "What's going on? Is it to celebrate that not a single copy of 'Little Black Cat' has been sold?"

The girl pursed her lips, the setting sun casting golden dust behind her: "No, it's a friend's birthday today!"

"A birthday?" Kousaka Kyosuke asked in surprise, "Then you wouldn't mind having two more pairs of chopsticks, would you?"

Regardless of whether her friend is male or female, let's get the black cat involved first!

Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes sparkled with laughter, but her expression remained serious: "We're eating steak, but there are no chopsticks..."

After walking for a while, he couldn't help but ask again, "Is it some kind of grand hotel?"

The question he really wanted to ask was, of course, "Is your friend male or female?"

However, asking the question aloud would make him seem jealous, so his pitiful pride led him to try a roundabout approach: "Can you afford it? It can't be Sawamura paying for it, can it?"

"Money is not a problem, anyway I still have a lot of royalties I haven't spent."

Alas?

Who is the friend whose birthday celebration she would go to great lengths to prepare?

Who else could it be?

Kasumigaoka Utaha tilted her head and glanced at his unpredictable expression.

The amber-colored sunset, like sugar in a beautiful distance.

The smile that welled up in the girl's eyes softened the seriousness she was trying to maintain on her face, turning it into tenderness.

Upon arriving at a hotel, the four of them entered an elegant-looking room. Kousaka Kyosuke was speechless for a long time at the sight before him. The feeling was coming, and countless tiny pleasures trembled on his skin.

The words "Happy Birthday, Kyosuke Kousaka" were clearly written on the door...

The black cat following behind her was also stunned by this scene, its finger unconsciously poking his waist: "You...you...is this how it is? Today is your birthday? How could you forget?"

She wanted to use the "scratching" gesture to express her feelings again, but was immediately taken further into the room by Eriri Sawamura to prepare for the birthday party, with sprays, confetti, balloons and the like.

Half of the room was reserved for Kyosuke Kousaka and Utaha Kasumigaoka.

He sincerely expressed his happiness and gratitude to her and Sawamura.

She also stated that this was the literature club president's normal concern for the club members, and that it was something she should do. She also denied Sawamura's contribution, claiming that she was the one who paid for it.

The girl stood in front of him, tilting her head slightly upwards to look at him, her eyes filled with a sweet sense of pride: "How was it?"

She asked what she thought of the arrangement.

"very beautiful."

He replied that she did a great job.

Of course, she is also very beautiful.

Kyosuke thought he had probably forgotten about things like birthdays, because they were the least important things to him. But while they were worthless to him, they were very important to her.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you. You spent half a day setting things up. No wonder I didn't see you at the venue all afternoon."

Kasumigaoka Utaha gave a slightly arrogant look: "It's not that complicated, it's just buying some things and tidying up the room."

Of course, she wouldn't mention that she was exhausted and covered in sweat this afternoon from setting up this. She and Eriri had actually already taken a bath, and the fresh, warm fragrance of a young girl after a bath is an aphrodisiac.

Kosaka stared at her for a long time, then mimicked her, stretching out his hands: "I want a hug."

Without asking for her consent, he hugged her with great satisfaction and didn't separate until Black Cat and the others were ready.

The air was crisp, warm, and sweet, like a sandwich cookie.

This is a dangerous sign.

------

It took a total of three hours to cook and eat!

Ugh, I'm exhausted from making this feast today. I need a hug... no, I need razor blades!

Recommendations have gradually decreased, perhaps because the holidays are approaching.

Chapter Twenty-Six: If there's a sunset, it must be the fireworks of August 8th.

"Happy birthday."

I received the call in my hotel suite at around 9 p.m.

Actually, because it was his birthday, Eriri Sawamura wanted to use it as an excuse to take them to the Tokyo night market, but Kyosuke Kousaka was a very self-disciplined person.

"I have to help Black Cat set up his stall tomorrow, so I have to get up early. I'll skip it."

Since the birthday boy wasn't going, the other two naturally wouldn't go either. Bored, Miss Eriri had no choice but to play cards with the three of them in the room. Before nine o'clock, she was already feeling sleepy.

I'm going to bed!

Eriri shook her head and swayed her twin tails.

Her hair was interesting; it was natural, a bright golden yellow, somewhat like the shimmering candlelight behind a glass window.

The three girls returned to their room, leaving only Kyosuke Kosaka staring blankly at the pillow that Utaha Kasumigaoka had just hugged.

Her sweet scent still lingers on the pillow.

That sweetness was so pure, Kousaka Kyosuke thought. When everything was reset four years later, her memories would also be reset, and the sweetness of the past would shatter into pieces like broken glass.

Well, I'll definitely describe Kasumigaoka Utaha as "a candy wrapped in shards of glass" when the time comes, even if she doesn't understand why—it doesn't really matter if I have to start over once or twice, I'm just afraid that I'll get tired of it someday.

One looked as fresh as ever, the other was utterly exhausted.

The thought of this made him feel tired, and even his sighs became light and airy, as light as a bird rather than a feather.

Suddenly, my sister called, and the first thing she said was, "Happy birthday."

"Thank you, Kirino. It's kind of you to remember my birthday."

"Huh? Of course I wouldn't forget. Who forgot my birthday anyway!"

He paused for a moment, then smiled somewhat awkwardly: "Was it April? Sorry, sorry, I didn't remember back then."

Kirino wasn't really angry, after all, their relationship had only just begun to improve at that time.

Kyosuke changed the subject: "Speaking of Kirino, I just remembered that Kuroneko's birthday is in the same month as yours, isn't it?"

"..."

I could faintly hear my sister's trembling breathing.