I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"You jumped from the 130th in the grade to the top three in the grade, that's really impressive."

Upon hearing this, Tenkuji Yu raised an eyebrow.

"What, does the school suspect me of cheating?"

A slight upturn at the corners of his mouth revealed a look of eager anticipation.

Here it comes, the classic show-off-and-face-slapping trope is here!

Next, you'll be forced to take a test on the spot, right? Then a teacher who doesn't like you will secretly switch the test with one that's too difficult even for the top student in the grade, trying to embarrass you. But instead, the teacher will be shocked because the student easily gets all the answers right...

"You've been watching too many school-themed action dramas, haven't you?"

The fantasy had barely flashed through his mind when it was mercilessly shattered by a right fist.

Hiratsuka Shizuka propped her head up with her fist, leaning against the desk, looking at him with a helpless expression.

“There are examples of students whose grades suddenly improve significantly. You weren’t the kind of lazy, good-for-nothing student in the past. Who would be so bored as to suspect you of cheating? On the contrary, you should be commended for striving for excellence.”

"At the morning assembly later, the school will commend you as a model of progress, and also to encourage other students, so I'm informing you here in advance. Then, I'll ask if you have any study tips, inspirational insights, or anything like that you can share with other students... Basically, it's just going through the motions."

Her expression instantly fell, and Tenkuji Yuu pouted listlessly: "No, it's just studying by rote."

Her eyes lit up instantly, and Hiratsuka Shizuka couldn't help but clap her hands and exclaim, "Good, very good!"

"To make my family proud, I turned my pride and resentment into motivation, forcing myself to study day and night. In the end, I spent a whole summer vacation working hard to climb to the position of the strong... As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement! Sky Temple, you said it well, you said it so well!"

"..." This impassioned and overly exaggerated tone caused Tenkuji Yu to fall silent.

Hiratsuka-sensei, it's a waste of your talents to have you working in the UC department. You should be the Prime Minister's spokesperson.

She was embarrassed by what she said...

Quickly leaving the awkward atmosphere of the teachers' office, Yuu Tenkuji returned to the classroom and went straight to Saika Totsuka, proposing the idea of ​​being officially registered in the Service Club.

But then he gave a wry smile with a troubled expression: "Um, Yu, have you forgotten... the only people who can join two clubs at the same time are student council members."

"..." Tenkuji Yu slapped his forehead.

This is awkward.

He thought that if it was just a nominal appointment, he could just find someone to sign the membership agreement and that would be fine. He had no idea that there was a rule that "loyal members do not serve two departments".

Excluding strangers he hadn't spoken a word to, within the vast Soubu High School, he probably only had three people he could ask for help: Yui Yuigahama, Masuzu Natsukawa, and Iroha Isshiki, a first-year student who worked part-time.

Unfortunately, Yuu Tenkuji's social circle is pitifully small, even including transfer students who have only recently arrived—and to be honest, if it were really necessary, the success rate of recruiting Masuzu Natsukawa into the club would be quite high.

For example, in exchange for not wearing underwear...

"I'd have to be an idiot to do that."

With a troubled sigh, having not yet come up with a good solution, Yuu Tenkuji put the matter out of his mind again.

On his way to the auditorium for the morning assembly, he mingled with the crowd of students and quietly took out his phone.

Although she didn't know if the other party could see it, Yuu Tenkuji still sent a message.

Yu: "Are you there?"

About five minutes later, when Class 2-F had all arrived at the auditorium, she replied to the message she had just received:

Asuna: "Sending a message at a time like this... Is something very important?"

Yu: "Yes, I chatted with you."

Hiding in the toilet to secretly use her phone, Asuna Yuuki couldn't help but chuckle. Then she quickly straightened her slightly flushed face and began to press the keyboard on the screen with a serious expression.

Asuna: "I snuck out to reply to your message. If you're playing me for a fool, I'll block you!"

Yu: "Alright, I originally wanted to practice what it's like to have a 'virtual boyfriend' in real life, but since you hate me so much, I'll get straight to the point."

Seeing the message suddenly become serious, Asuna frowned, her cheeks puffing out slightly in dissatisfaction.

Asuna: "It's not that I hate it... I can only stay in the toilet for two or three minutes at most, otherwise people will get suspicious."

This girls' school, famous for its high college entrance rate, is not very strict and relies entirely on the students' self-discipline. Students can even carry cell phones with them. However, if you spend too long in the toilet, you are likely to attract strange looks and gossip.

So, holding her phone at this moment, Asuna Yuuki felt a little anxious and uneasy.

I wanted to relax and have a good chat with him, but I was also afraid that my teachers or classmates would notice something was wrong. When I replied to his messages, I secretly complained that he didn't choose a better time.

Isn't a lunch break perfect?

Why did they have to choose to have self-study in the early morning? They really don't know how to keep track of time!

Of course, just as he said, it was only to practice the feeling of a "virtual boyfriend"—Yuuki Asuna felt no surprise whatsoever at the fact that he took the initiative to chat with her.

Anyway, it's all just Granny Ma's task!

After a moment of feigned confusion, the chestnut-haired girl glanced nervously into the toilet stall before finally turning her attention back to the messages.

Yu: "You're being suspected of having constipation? That's not good. I'll talk to you again at noon. You should leave the bathroom now."

"..."

Veins bulged on the back of her fair hand, and Asuna Yuuki's cheeks twitched, a faint grinding sound coming from between her teeth.

If humans could penetrate the signal, she would definitely run up to him right now, just like she did back in Aincrad, and poke several big holes in him with whatever she could find!

I ran all this way for you, and now you're saying this—isn't this just playing with my feelings?!

Yu: "Anyway, I suddenly have something to take care of. Let's talk later."

After sending the message, Yuu Tenkuji closed the chat interface and casually raised his hand to cover a head that was peeking out from behind.

"Yuigahama-san... excuse me, what are you peeking at?"

Chapter 52 My Current Online Girlfriend

The auditorium was packed with students from Zongwu High School, and the emcee on the stage was adjusting the microphone, preparing to begin today's morning assembly.

The air was filled with the noise of early summer, but there was no air conditioning to cool things down. It was estimated that the students' mouths wouldn't be quiet until the assembly officially began.

Class 2-F was in a corner of the auditorium, while Tenkuji Yu stood in the third row, fifth column, which was a relatively central position.

There were people all around him, and with Hiratsuka-sensei not around, he was confident he could take out his phone and use it without being noticed.

Unfortunately, a sneaky pink-haired puppy was watching his movements closely from behind, even trying to peer over his shoulder at the chat history on his screen.

As Tenkuji's gaze drifted over, Yuigahama Yui slowly returned to her original position, casually patting the bun on her head as she looked away with an innocent expression, saying:

"I wasn't peeking~ I just thought it wasn't right for you to take your phone out now, so I was just trying to kindly remind you to put it away~"

Tenkuji chuckled: "Oh, I didn't expect someone as simple-minded as you to be so natural at lying."

"I...I didn't lie!" she pouted, retorting with barely any confidence.

With her small head drooping slightly and her chest unable to stand up straight, she looked inexplicably pitiful.

"And are you calling me naive and stupid? Although I haven't improved as much as you, I at least improved my ranking by about ten places in this semester's entrance exam! I'm not stupid at all!"

"Then I'll thank you for your kindness."

Yuu Tenkuji didn't press the matter further. After shrugging, he noticed that she suddenly bit her lip and looked at her phone with a hesitant expression.

"Are you curious?"

Yui Yuigahama hesitated for a second, then nodded vigorously as if she were going all out, saying with unwavering determination:

"I'm curious!"

"It's a privacy issue, I can't show it to you."

"..."

He wasn't trying to tease her, so he added, "Don't be so curious. No one likes someone who loves to pry into other people's secrets, let alone spying on their chats... You should understand that."

"Um, I'm sorry..."

Like a scolded dog, Yui Yuigahama lowered her head with a pitiful expression, her once rosy lips now pale from being bitten.

But not long after, she quietly raised her eyes, her watery and pitiful gaze peering at him, forcing a smile as if to please him: "I...I just want to ask one question, is that alright?"

The emotions in her eyes transformed into an ocean, seemingly wanting to completely engulf him; yet they were also like a small puddle in the corner, trying to make him create ripples, no matter how slight.

The view of the Sky Temple shifted back to the master of ceremonies on the stage, who was just announcing the start of the morning assembly.

"What's the problem?"

Yui Yuigahama's voice was very low, but he could still hear it.

"Was the person you were just chatting with... your ex-girlfriend?"

"..."

To be honest, he had anticipated this problem.

Tilting her head slightly, Tenkuji Yu glanced at the girl behind her out of the corner of her eye. The girl's chubby, cute face was flushed, as if she was ashamed of asking such a question.

But the way she looked at him while biting her lip resembled Sisyphus pushing the boulder that had rolled down countless times to the top of the mountain, with a stubborn and determined light shining in her eyes.

Yui Yuigahama wanted to know so many real reasons, but Yuu Tenkuji didn't understand, and didn't know if there was something wrong with his attitude.

However, that doesn't stop him from telling the truth.

"She's not my ex-girlfriend."

Then, before a look of relief appeared on her face, he said, just as calmly and decisively as before:

"She's my current online girlfriend. We call each other 'darling' as soon as we log on, and we even got married in the game."

"..."

With her mouth agape, Yui Yuigahama was completely petrified.

△

Both sense of sight.

Also known as hallucinatory memory, it refers to the feeling of déjà vu or inexplicable familiarity when something or a scene actually happens, even though you have never experienced it.

This is a perfectly normal physiological phenomenon that can be explained scientifically; however, if déjà vu occurs too frequently over a period of time, it is worth paying attention to.

It's possible that an endless August is unfolding, or it's possible that I accidentally got punched by "Gold Experience Requiem," and as a result, I'll never be able to reach the reality of time moving forward.

As for now, after the lunch break bell rang, the scene of Totsuka Saika being harassed by the girls and Yui Yuigahama not daring to meet his gaze gave Tenkuji Yu a strong sense of déjà vu, as if he had returned to a few days before he was about to go to the Service Club for lunch.