I really don't want to be reborn.

After leaving the police station and returning home, Kyosuke Kosaka wanted to say something to his father, but before he could speak, Kasumigaoka Utaha and his sister pulled him away, saying they were there to apply medicine to his wound.

His cheek was swollen from being hit, and he also had multiple abrasions on his arms and knees.

"Then you guys go first. Um, Kyosuke, you can have your classmate eat here."

Shi Yu quickly waved her hand: "No need, no need."

Daisuke waved his hand with great authority: "It's decided then. It's getting late, so why don't you just sleep in Kyosuke's room for the night? Any problems?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha paused for a few seconds, then tugged at Kyosuke's sleeve and gave a faint, embarrassed smile: "It's okay, I'll call home to let you know I'm safe."

As he watched the three young men go upstairs, Daisuke's brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

something wrong.

It's too much of a coincidence, and according to the daughter, the son started fighting almost immediately without saying a word.

That's too reckless; it's not like he's his son at all.

What exactly is the problem...?

He frowned and thought for a long time, then suddenly remembered something and said to his wife, who was heating up the food, "Go talk to Kirino tonight about the game—"

"What are you saying! She's crying like that, and you're still talking!"

Jia Nai's mother, her eyes red and rarely angry, was strikingly similar to Grandmother Jia: "Kyosuke is injured, and Kirino is so frightened she keeps crying, and all you care about is the game! Are you trying to drive us to our deaths?!"

"..."

"At worst, I'll just go back to the countryside with the kids!"

"...Let's talk about it later."

After being rebuked by his usually gentle wife, Daisuke reluctantly gave up on the matter. He suddenly realized what his son had been up to, but he couldn't bring himself to tell him.

"That little rascal..."

------

Spring drowsiness has been squeezed out of me a little bit.

Chapter Forty-Eight: Love, Love, Brilliant as Clouds

Kyosuke Kosaka stood at the door of his sister's bedroom, his expression somewhat complicated.

"Kirino, did what happened today scare you?"

"No, except when Dad throws the ashtray... I wasn't raised to be scared!"

He stared at his sister for a long time. Kirino, who had initially managed to force a smile, grew increasingly flustered and nervous under his complicated gaze: "What's wrong?"

"It's okay. This afternoon, Dad asked me to move the adult games from your room to my room."

Upon hearing this, Kirino practically sprang out of bed and teleported to the closet, pulling it open in an instant.

There were indeed many boxes missing from the closet, but her attention wasn't on the games at all. She glanced sideways at the secret spot, unsure if she'd been discovered, and felt her body stiffen: "Only...only the games?"

"These are all adult games. Is there anything more shameful than these?"

Kyosuke Kosaka watched her flustered appearance with great interest, like he had discovered a cornered kitten and wanted to tease her: "Kirino, do you have a lot, a lot of fluffy little secrets?"

"No, no! Get out of here! I want to sleep!"

Frustrated, she pushed her brother out, locked the door, and then shakily opened the small door on the side of the closet.

Kyosuke listened to the sounds inside for a while, then walked back to his bedroom with mixed feelings. He stood by the window for a moment, feeling that from this angle he could see the sky cut into a corner, as well as the low black trees and buildings.

"Draw the curtains."

The other person in the room said this, and he readily drew the curtains to prevent any light from escaping, because the light tonight was too warm, like freshly picked bright red strawberries.

The girl, as sweet as a strawberry, was flipping through his manuscripts and paintings without even looking up: "Aren't you going to take a shower?"

"Do you want to go?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha's hand, which was turning the pages of the manuscript, suddenly stopped. She frowned and said, "Kousaka-kun, you're not a girl. Don't do everything together."

Kyosuke Kousaka chuckled after being told that.

"Besides, there are no spare clothes for me here, so I probably don't need any..."

"Ah."

He accepted this excuse and took a shower in the bathroom for half an hour. He exuded a scorching aura, like a bottle of shochu that had just been released. It felt very hot, but actually had no smell at all.

Kyosuke went upstairs, and then he and his mother, who was eavesdropping outside his bedroom, stared at each other in bewilderment...

Jia Nai's mother, who was eavesdropping, was extremely embarrassed: "Oh dear, my dear son, did you go to take a shower just now?"

"Then... what else?"

"hey-hey……"

Kyosuke said sternly, "If you continue to disrespect my privacy, I'll take all the money you've saved over the years and use it to buy cosmetics for Kirino!"

"..."

He went inside and locked the door, then heard Kasumigaoka say, "Sir, what did you say to your mother? She was walking very awkwardly just now, and I feel like you've bullied her terribly."

"I suggested that she respect her children's privacy."

"is it?"

On the newly laid tatami mat, Kasumigaoka Utaha looked away from her drawing and lazily teased, "I thought she was angry that you seduced her daughter."

"..."

Kyosuke Kosaka pursed his lips: "No, why would I do that?"

"Humph."

"...When will your little head start to fill with something reliable?"

He turned off the light despite her protests, then lay down next to her.

"today."

"Ok?"

The two young people stared silently at the ceiling in the dark, not feeling too awkward, because they often lay together like this before. Although they were used to it, it was still quite intimate.

"You tricked your parents today. If they hadn't recognized those fat guys, if they hadn't received your email, I would probably be just as surprised as your sister by your impulsiveness..."

She paused slightly.

"And then what?"

"...call the police and then knock them unconscious."

Upon hearing this answer, Kyosuke Kosaka smiled with satisfaction and pride. The laughter was short-lived and gradually faded: "The best way to temporarily suppress internal family conflicts is to create an external conflict."

"Then?"

"As long as Kirino behaves well recently, Father will let it go and turn a blind eye."

She pinched the back of his hand with her fingers: "You're very cunning."

"That's clever."

Kasumigaoka Utaha could tell from his closed eyes that he was looking smug: "Can't there be less scheming and more sincerity in this world?"

"The world is vast, and there are always some sincere people."

She remained silent for a long time, then slowly placed her palm on the back of his hand: "This world is not big, and it is very indifferent to people."

"Look, someone eats with you and sleeps with you, how can you be lonely?"

Thinking of Kirino's almost desperate roar earlier, she hesitated slightly: "I just feel it's very selfish."

Kousaka Kyosuke didn't say anything more, but took her hand in his own and closed his eyes.

Two lonely people hold hands.

Love is somewhat like a way for lonely people to escape reality.

However, people throughout history have always praised the selflessness and sacrifice of love.

But if you think about it carefully—there is nothing more selfish than love.

…………

The next morning, he and Kasumigaoka Utaha went to Benten High School early, buying lots of snacks and fruit along the way.

To express his gratitude, Kyosuke even selected some items from his sister's H treasures and sent them to a rather unpopular department at the school.

The so-called Game Research Department.

"Yo, Kosaka, you're here so early today?"

Minister Miura Gennosuke looked at him in surprise, then at what Kosaka was carrying, and smiled with relief: "Those guys you beat up yesterday afternoon didn't come today, so just leave the gifts here."

“You went a bit too far yesterday. I didn’t know that your members, who looked so strong, were actually incredibly weak.”

Miura spread his hands: "What did the fat otaku do wrong? Yesterday afternoon he suddenly asked me to call someone over immediately, which really made me flustered... By the way, your dad didn't suspect anything this time, did he?"

"Probably not."

"That's good... Their injuries aren't a big deal, but they were questioned by the police for two hours. You have to understand that pretending to be a thug is already the limit; don't expect them to speak normally in front of the police."

“I know that nerdy guys usually can’t keep their legs closed in front of the police.”

Kyosuke clasped his hands together apologetically again: "I will personally express my gratitude when those gentlemen come to the school."

Miura saw him out: "That's not important. What's important is that you promised to release a game by the end of this year, preferably before the year-end exams."

Kyosuke walked down the corridor, remembering that the Literature Club's office hadn't been cleaned in a long time. Since it was still early, he thought he might as well go there and do some cleaning, and then get praised by that guy at noon.

He walked briskly to the door of the department office and was surprised to find the department head sweeping the floor with a broom, making his sweeping posture incredibly cute.

The clouds outside the window were brilliantly illuminated by the rising sun.

Love, love, as radiant as the clouds.

Looking at the people inside the room and the scenery outside the window, he felt empty and buzzing inside.

Alright, fate, stop rushing me.