I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

I changed back into my pajamas, went upstairs to my room, and was just about to read a book before going to sleep when my phone screen suddenly lit up with a message notification.

—It is Yukino Yukinoshita.

"Little Youyou~ Are you free the day after tomorrow?"

Clicking his tongue, Tenkuji Yu replied to the message expressionlessly:

"I have time. By the way, why did you change your address from 'Yu-kun' to that other kind of address?"

"Let them call me whatever they want!"

"..."

"Well, it's good that you're free. I'll pick you up at 9:30 that morning."

Tenkuji Yu suddenly frowned, his expression turning slightly somber.

"Drive? Miss Yang, do you know where I live?"

"How could I possibly know? Just give me an address, and we'll arrange to meet there."

call……

Tenkuji Yuu breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that he didn't know; he didn't want trouble to come knocking on his door.

Before I could reply, Yukinoshita Haruno sent another message:

"Or do you want to take me to your house for a visit? Ugh, that's too early for that~ Kids shouldn't be in such a hurry, let's build up our relationship first!"

As if it were commonplace, Yuu Tenkuji replied calmly:

"Let's meet at the entrance of Zongwu High School. Where are you taking me?"

"Hehe (evil smile sticker) Big sister is going to take you to a fun place to do some fun sports!"

"Going to the sports center?"

"Tch, being too smart isn't fun at all."

After that message, she seemed to lose interest in teasing him, and her replies became brief and indifferent.

"In short, remember to change into clothes that are comfortable for exercising, so you won't be late."

"it is good."

"that's it."

"See you tomorrow."

Message read.

Tenkuji Yu put down her phone, and after a couple of seconds, she suddenly remembered something and opened her chat again.

Good night, sweet dreams.

This was probably the first time he had sent such a message to anyone other than his sister.

I felt inexplicably embarrassed and hesitated for a moment before sending it, but thinking that I should be 'professional', I did it anyway.

So, how will she react?

Under the slightly complicated gaze of Yuu Tenkuji, the message was quickly marked as read.

Then, a "goodnight" sticker appeared below, as if it were just a casual reply, and nothing else.

"Congratulations, host, you have received a reward of 50 yen."

"...Tch, how stingy."

With a slight smirk, Yuu tossed her phone back onto the table, also relegating the image of Yukinoshita in her mind to tomorrow.

Today's work is finished.

Without the lease agreement, she is nobody.

△

Lying on the bed, Kasugano Sora stared at the laptop screen in a position that would surely make her older brother scold her if he saw her.

Her slender, pale fingers gently scrolled the mouse wheel, while her other hand picked up a potato chip and popped it into her mouth. The silver-haired girl frowned slightly and mumbled something indistinctly to herself:

"I forgot to ask, what kind of job did Yu do to suddenly become so rich..."

Since it involved her brother, she was very curious about it.

He didn't sell his kidneys or work in any dangerous industry, so what did he use to get a new job that pays him handsomely and is paid daily?

"Well……"

With a potato chip in her mouth, Kasugano Sora was deep in thought, scrolling through the 2CH forum when she suddenly saw a post.

Anyone here who's tried renting a girlfriend? Looking for experiences to share!

"Rent...a girlfriend?"

She was taken aback, realizing it was a new type of industry where people pretend to be in a relationship with others. She had heard that many students were doing this kind of part-time job, and the pay seemed to be quite high.

Knowing this, she couldn't understand what girls were thinking, willing to date and hold hands with strange men, even at the risk of being harassed or encountering danger.

Even if you're short of money, there are better jobs available, right?

Aren't you afraid to rent out your feelings and body to strangers?

In any case, Qiong dared not and did not want to imagine any scene where any man other than Yu approached her.

Yu wouldn't agree to be someone's girlfriend, even if it's just a 'rented' one... Well, Yu is a super siscon, she would definitely think that way!

Nodding to herself, she prepared to skip the post and continue scrolling.

But suddenly, a few words flashed through her mind and formed a series of clues, seemingly hinting at something.

"Honest about paying", "Daily pay", "Smells like a woman's perfume"...

"No, no way..."

The potato chip fell from the slightly open, pink mouth.

Unable to believe her own sudden thought, Kasugano Sora was stunned for a moment before suddenly closing her mouth and quickly clicking the search bar above to check if there was such a thing as "rent-a-boyfriend".

But just as she placed her hands on the keyboard, she saw another post below, along with a preview image.

[The piano heartthrob at Shibuya Station—even professional pianists would want to become his apprentice!! (Photo: Profile of the boy sitting at the piano)]

"...Yu?"

He murmured to himself without realizing it.

Kasugano Sora never mistakes her older brother's appearance, even when half of his face is covered by a mask.

Unless he's wearing a robber's mask, she could recognize him even from a low-resolution photo just by his profile, hairstyle, demeanor, and the shape of his ears.

But that's precisely why she found it strange:

"Yu, are you going to Shibuya today? And what's with the piano playing?"

Subconsciously putting the matter of renting a boyfriend out of her mind, Kasugano Sora frowned, opened the post, saved the photo that was indeed of Tenkuji Yu, and then continued reading the text.

Then his expression gradually became bewildered, and he began to doubt his own eyes and ears.

"...Is this really Yu?"

Chapter Seventeen: A willful girl can also start and end conversations in a willful manner.

The next day, July 25th, was cloudy.

After telling the foreman of the temporary workers that she needed to rest for a while, Yuu Tenkuji went to prepare breakfast and, incidentally, woke up Sora, who was sleeping in.

When they started eating, Qiong's strange gaze made it hard for him to swallow. Finally, he couldn't help but put down his chopsticks and asked helplessly:

"Qiong, is there something you want to say to me?"

Upon hearing this, Kasugano Sora remained silent for a while before slowly placing her bowl and chopsticks on the table.

"Since you've put it that way, I'll just ask you directly."

Yuu Tenkuji: "..."

Who taught you that smooth way of pushing the pot?

Question 1.

A cool voice landed on the table, and Qiong narrowed her eyes, as if she wasn't going to let him off the hook for any moment of lying.

"Where did you go yesterday? What did you do? Who did you meet?"

Yuu Tenkuji corrected: "These are three questions."

"Guilty!" Qiong raised her eyebrows, grabbing the rabbit doll's arm and pointing it directly at him. "Seppuku is one thing, but Yu is sentenced to imprisonment without a wife!"

"Thank you so much for saving me money on my wedding..."

With a slight twitch of her lips, Tenkuji Yu sighed, not intending to continue the joke—otherwise, she didn't know how long this breakfast would take.

So he answered honestly:

“I went to Shibuya, met my new employer, and received my first paycheck while getting familiar with the job.”

This is the absolute truth, 100% pure; the system can vouch for it.

Unless absolutely necessary, he never lies to his sister; this is a source of pride for Yuu Tenkuji as her older brother.

—But it didn't say we couldn't play word games.

"Hmph... So she really went to Shibuya?" she muttered, then asked, "That's all?"

Yuu Tenkuji thought for a moment: "Not only that, I also helped an elementary school girl retrieve a ball over at the basketball court..."

"Elementary school girl?" she repeated, a hint of doubt in her voice.

“Yes…” Just as he was about to nod, Tenkuji Yu noticed something strange and couldn’t help but twitch his lips twice.

"What's with that look you're giving me? What's wrong with being a primary school student?"

"……nothing."

Qiong turned her little face away, her slender fingers lightly playing with the rabbit doll's ears, and said casually: