The person who likes me is a yandere.

It's very elastic.

It's important just on one side, yet I touched both sides?

"Alas--"

This isn't Asuna's lament about having her breasts touched, but my scream.

I removed my hand from Asuna's chest.

Asuna snapped out of her daze, her almond-shaped eyes wide open.

"Did I just do something really embarrassing? Did Qianyu just fondle my breasts?"

"I didn't abuse you, I didn't abuse you!"

Asuna casually touched her chest through her uniform, though I doubt she was actually getting a breast cancer checkup.

"...Sorry, I'm here again."

"again?"

"Whenever I realize I'm alone with Qianyu, my brain just shuts down, right? I do weird things. Although Qianyu not remembering actually helped me a lot... I decided not to do it again, but here I am. Anyway, a girl who asks someone to touch her breasts is just too strange, isn't she?"

I pondered the meaning behind Asuna's words.

—I had resolved not to repeat this mistake, but I did it again—

This is what Asuna said when she was stunned and asked me to touch her breasts.

Judging from this statement, I must have touched Asuna's breasts at least twice in the past.

I couldn't help but stare at Asuna's breasts, which seemed about to burst out of her uniform. Asuna didn't notice my gaze and clasped her small hands together in front of her face.

"Um, Qianyu, from now on, when you're alone with me, I hope you can act like there's a third party right next to you. Because I start to feel really strange whenever I realize I'm alone with Qianyu."

I stared at Asuna's breasts, then gazed at her lips. I couldn't help but ask Asuna the question that had been bothering me all day.

"I'm asking you, Asuna."

"What's wrong? Why do you look so serious?"

"Where exactly did our relationship go?"

"Huh? Where's the progress? Hahaha."

Asuna burst into laughter as if she had heard the funniest joke in history.

"W-What's wrong? I-I was asking very seriously."

"Seeing your serious face, I thought you were going to ask something. So you're concerned about how far things have progressed between us? And you're taking it so seriously. Judging from your expression, you must have been concerned for a long time, right... You lecherous Qianyu."

I simply can't compete with Asuna's mischievous smile.

"If Qianyu and I rekindle our relationship, I'll tell you how far things have progressed. However, I won't tell anyone other than my boyfriend. Because that would be too shameless."

After saying that, Asuna walked to the classroom window.

Through Asuna's back, I could see the clear blue sky and hear the band playing. It was a classical piece whose title I didn't recognize. Although I felt it was a comforting silence, it didn't seem to be for Asuna.

Asuna turned around and asked:

"...Aren't you going to say anything?"

"what?"

“I thought that given the current situation, you would tell me to let's rebuild our old ways, so I was waiting for you.”

"Ah, no, although I think Asuna is a very charming girl, I haven't really thought about Asuna properly yet. If I were to rekindle our relationship before getting to know her better, well, let me think..."

I was completely disheveled, while Asuna laughed happily.

"Qianyu hasn't changed at all. She's still so serious. I don't think Qianyu will rekindle our relationship anytime soon... Um, we should probably go now. Besides, I feel shy about spending more time alone with Qianyu."

Asuna, who was by the window, picked up her schoolbag and headed into the corridor.

Before stepping out of the corridor, she turned back to look.

"By the way, Qianyu."

"Ok?"

"I will make you fall in love with me again. Be prepared."

Asuna smiled brightly and walked down the corridor, disappearing without a trace.

I stared blankly for five seconds, then grabbed my backpack and chased after her.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Heart Soars

After school, the beautiful girl and I walked side by side through the school gate.

For an ordinary male high school student, this was a miracle of leaving school, a blessing from the emperor that filled him with awe and trepidation.

If anyone thinks calling this a miracle is too exaggerated, then that person is probably not an ordinary high school boy.

As Asuna and I were strolling along the road, baseball team members jogging past us.

The familiar shouts of "Hey, yo, hey, yo" have turned into "Heave-ho, heave-ho." Perhaps it was the sight of me walking home with the beautiful transfer student that swayed them.

"...Are all the people on this school's baseball team psychopaths?"

"It's just that they're emotionally fragile. Witnessing a pinch hitter hit a walk-off home run and that made them waver."

"...Um, before we go to Qianyu's house, could you please come with me to the river?"

Judging by this plot development, being able to gaze at a Class I river (author's note: Class I rivers are those designated by the Japanese Rivers Law as being of vital importance to Japan's national security and economy) with a beautiful girl and discuss unanswerable youthful topics would probably become a bittersweet memory. But reality is…

"I hide my tent, sleeping bag, and other items that I use when camping in the wild in bushes of suitable size."

It truly is a genuine, bittersweet memory, filled with the scent of fresh grass.

We retrieved a set of camping gear from the bushes by the river and arrived at my house after 5:30 p.m.

A two-story building that's three years old might be an ideal home for a family of four. But for me and my sister living together... it's definitely still an ideal home. Simply put, it's a good house.

Hinata, who was supposed to cook today, should have already gone home, right?

But I can't step into my house right now.

"...We've arrived."

That's because Asuna is right next to me.

"First, I'll go and tell Sora that she has a new roommate. If I suddenly go in with Asuna, Sora will be quite surprised."

Even if I were to ask Sora to live with me on my own, she would still be startled.

"So, although I'm sorry, could you please wait here for a moment while I discuss this with Qiong? I don't think it will take too long."

"Okay, I understand... Please take care of everything."

To reassure the anxious Asuna, I nodded vigorously and opened my front door.

Perhaps noticing the sound from the entryway, I heard light footsteps approaching me from the kitchen.

"Brother, welcome back."

Qiong ran over with a big smile, like a puppy that had been waiting for its owner to come home.

To avoid gossip, Qiong and I didn't say a word to each other at school.

Perhaps due to the reaction, I talked a lot with Qiong at home.

Although I don't know how good the relationship between siblings in their adolescence is in general, given my family's situation—the fact that there are only the two of us siblings in the family probably has an impact—we should be considered to have a relatively good relationship.

"Yes, I'm back."

"I'd like you to try this."

Qiong handed me a small dish containing meat and potatoes.

I thought to myself how lucky she wasn't to have spilled it on the way to the entrance, and then I took a bite. Moving camping gear had left me starving.

"Potato stew with meat...how is it? Will it taste bad...?"

"Look at how hungry I am! I consider this potato stew to be the best!"

"...index finger? One finger?"

Idioms and proverbs are Qiong's weakness.

"Simply put, it means the potato stew with meat is delicious... Um, is this for three people?"

"Brother, really? You want to eat for two by yourself? Hehe, there's a four-person serving."

Was she originally planning to have potato stew for breakfast tomorrow? Anyway, Asuna's dinner is sorted out.

Okay, let me get to the point.

“Qiong—”

"elder brother--"

Their voices overlapped.

"what happened?"

"No, let Qiong speak first. Also, if you're asking whether potato stew needs shichimi togarashi (seven-spice powder), the answer is yes."

"Okay, leave this to me. I've even prepared the yuzu seven-spice powder."

What a virtuous younger sister.

"Sora should really be awarded the Best Little Sister Award. Her brother is very happy."

Qiong used to be a girl who would giggle like a child when I praised her, but...

Today, Qiong seemed to be holding back from going to the toilet, fidgeting and hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Qiong?"

"...A transfer student came to my brother's class today, right?"

"Yes, yes."

"The transfer student...is she a very...beautiful girl?"