I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"I don't think so... Don't overthink it. Let's make a promise. As long as you don't hate me and don't forget me, I won't break up with you. I'll always be with you, both in real life and in the game. How about it?"

"Yu-kun..."

"Ok?"

Yuu Tenkuji thought she was moved by his cheesy and affectionate words, so he continued to gaze at her with warm eyes.

Asuna Yuuki smiled somewhat awkwardly: "Well... this kind of promise is too far-fetched. I guess only middle school girls would be fooled by it?"

Yuu Tenkuji: "...Oh, is that so?"

Are all junior high school girls this mature these days?!

"but……"

She suddenly lowered her head, rested her forehead on her shoulder, and said softly with a smile, "Even if it's a lie, I'm willing to believe it."

"Because it was Yu-kun who said it... so no matter what, I will choose to believe you."

Tenkuji Yu paused for a moment, then gave a slight, bitter smile.

"...That's a bit too heavy a burden."

"Oh, the heaviness in your heart just means you hold a special place in my heart, doesn't it? Isn't that good?"

"Okay, okay, of course it's good..."

Feeling this reliance and trust, he couldn't help but scratch his cheek, his smile gradually fading.

...Honestly, being so sincerely liked by a girl who is so beautiful and kind, even with past experiences, he couldn't help but be moved.

Sometimes you like someone simply because she is close to you, and sometimes simply because she smiles sweetly at you.

Although she had anticipated this development, Yuu Tenkuji still couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

There's no other way but to avoid taking it too seriously, lest the fake act become real and end in tears...

Men always need to mature; he didn't want to be "punished" by the system again.

Before the teacher reached the podium, Yuu Tenkuji put his arm around Asuna Yuuki's slender shoulder.

They lowered their heads, their cheeks pressed together, and the places where their skin touched gradually became hot, as if they were embracing and soaking in a hot spring.

The scent of her fresh hair filled my nostrils, and I could hear her nervous yet gentle breathing. A warm feeling flowed down my spine and seeped into my heart.

Yuu Tenkuji closed her eyes.

Chapter 81 Why are you so skilled at this?

Finally, in the cram school's final exam, Yuu Tenkuji got a perfect score, while Asuna Yuuki got 98 points.

The rest of the "high achievers" scored no more than 90 points, and each of them complained that the questions were too difficult and that there wasn't enough time when grading the exams.

If someone hadn't guessed the question so accurately, essentially telling her the answer beforehand, Asuna wouldn't have been able to get such a high score—the two points she was missing were because there were a few unclear parts in the calculation, indicating a lack of rigor.

Looking back now, when the teacher asked them to announce their scores, the way everyone in the class looked at the two of them seemed to be saying, "Why are you so smart, showing off your love in the tutoring class and disturbing our studies? Get out of here!"—a feeling of surprise mixed with indignation.

Although it was rather unkind, Asuna Yuuki couldn't help but chuckle with a smug and proud smile—after all, the person she liked was just that amazing.

Time flew by and it was time to leave school.

The city lights shimmered in the night, and crowds of people in school uniforms and suits thronged the streets, creating a unique kind of liveliness.

Like many student couples, Yuu Tenkuji and Asuna Yuuki walked side by side along the wide sidewalk under the clear moonlight, slowly making their way from the commercial area to the residential area.

What should have been a 40-minute journey took them more than an hour—and that was only after Asuna tried to take a longer route, but was stopped by Yuu Tenkuji.

If you don't want time to pass too quickly, you can only slow down and make every moment memorable.

"Yu-kun, have you decided what to wear for your date this weekend?"

"You can wear anything."

"Ugh—really! This is our first date, please have some serious worries!"

"I mean, I look handsome in anything, and you look good in anything, so there's no need to worry at all."

"...Hmph, that's more like it~"

As they chatted aimlessly, the entrance to the Yuuki family's house came into view.

Asuna Yuuki gently pressed her chestnut hair, ruffled by the evening breeze, and turned her head to the side, where her gentle, bright crescent moons were reflected in his eyes.

"Then, shall we meet in front of Chiba Station this weekend?"

“I can come to your house to pick you up,” Tenkuji Yu said with a smile.

"Uh...no! That would ruin the date atmosphere!" After a moment of hesitation, Asuna Yuuki quickly shook her head, clenched her fists, and said with great determination, "A girl's heart is very important! I want to recreate as many of the scenes I've seen in shoujo manga as possible!"

Yuu Tenkuji sighed deliberately, "I also want to recreate the plot of a shonen manga, but unfortunately there's no villain I can punch a couple of times."

"Go find them in the game! Don't use a sword, just punch all the pig-headed men who bullied me back then, and you'll be my hero!"

Tenkuji Yu clearly looked disgusted: "Huh? This is too much trouble, can I not take it?"

"Hmm, she really has absolutely no romantic sense... Oh well, thinking about it carefully, it is indeed quite troublesome!"

She laughed easily and cheerfully, then released her hand, which had been held until it was hot, and turned to face him.

Behind them was the gate of the Yuki family's residence, but no one else appeared to disturb their farewell.

She smiled and said, "Yu-kun, thank you for taking me home!"

"It's what I should do." Tenkuuji Yu raised his hand and tidied her wind-blown bangs. "Even though I haven't officially become your boyfriend yet, I am, after all, your boyfriend. Don't thank me for something so small."

"So when do you want to become a full-fledged employee? Regardless of what Mom says." Without blinking, Asuna gazed at him with her beautiful eyes, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

Yuu Tenkuji thought about it seriously and replied somewhat ambiguously, "When you can return to Aincrad... then let's settle everything."

"I see..." Asuna nodded as if she understood, then waved at him and turned her slender body to the side.

"I'll head back now. Be careful on your way home."

"Okay, see you on the date."

See you on a date.

After saying goodbye, Tenkuji Yu started walking, preparing to head home.

“Oh, right,” she suddenly said, grabbing her own hand at the same time.

Is there anything else you want to say? Thinking this with a puzzled expression, Tenkuji Yuu stopped and turned around to ask:

"What... um."

Soft, moist lips pressed down unexpectedly.

Asuna Yuuki stood on tiptoe and gripped his wrist tightly, as if trying to make their pulses merge into one.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, revealing her extreme nervousness; her breathing was erratic, her face flushed, and the darkness could not conceal her shy reaction at this moment; her heartbeat was louder than ever before.

It seems that the simple act of pressing her lips firmly against his mouth required all the courage and heart of the young girl.

"..."

They kissed for a few seconds.

She quietly opened one eye, which met his wide, surprised eyes, before quickly closing it again, her whole body stiff as a fossil.

Knowing that if she didn't respond, she would probably remain motionless in "mucous membrane contact" with him for several tens of minutes, Yuu Tenkuji helplessly raised his eyebrows and placed his hands on her shoulders.

As if sensing what he wanted to do, Asuna, who couldn't be more tense, chose to slowly relax her body, hand over control to him, and close her eyes in anticipation.

"That kiss was really bad."

Tenkuji Yu took the initiative to separate their lips and sighed softly.

With a frown, Asuna Yuuki opened her eyes in displeasure. Before she could say anything, he continued with the next sentence:

"A proper kiss should be like this."

"?"

The question mark had barely appeared above his head when, with a burning heat and a man's unyielding strength, he placed one hand on the back of his head and leaned down to kiss him back.

"Ughhhhh!?"

Asuna's eyes widened suddenly, her body tensed up again, and she instinctively grabbed the shirt on his back, her breath catching in her throat.

However, just as she reflexively struggled, the gentle masculine aura that enveloped her struck her like a violent storm, capsizing her innocent little boat.

Their lips intertwined, their breaths muffled by the sound of water.

Her consciousness gradually faded, and she forgot where she was or whether she was standing on the ground. She was simply led into a door she had never seen before by that skilled kiss.

Finally, when his tongue tentatively tapped her teeth, Asuna completely gave up resisting, sinking into his arms like a boneless limp body, quietly closing her eyes, letting herself fall into the very deep sea until she suffocated.

...This is even more exciting than shoujo manga!

After a long while, Tenkuji Yu leaned back and supported the girl's slightly weak legs.

"Hoo... this is what kissing is all about." He licked his lips, his smile somewhat frivolous.

Asuna opened her eyes limply, her pretty face flushed as if she were drunk, seemingly wanting to glare at him but without any threat whatsoever.

"Why... are you... so skilled at this..."

“I have a CPR license and have watched many videos to practice.”

Tenkuji Yu told the lie he had already planned. Looking at her moist, delicate red lips, he couldn't help but start comparing them in his mind.

Yukino's lips are cold and thin, and it takes a while to warm them up completely; Yuuki Asuna's lips are different, they are like sugar cubes that melt quickly, small but delicate, and with a lingering sweetness.

Such comparisons are easily attacked by feminists, so as soon as the idea popped into his head, he tried his best to suppress it and not let Asuna see anything wrong.

"Really……"

The beautiful girl who had said "I believe whatever you say" not long ago was now raising her eyebrows and staring at him with a suspicious look.

Yuu Tenkuji looked completely innocent.

That's why I say, girls...

Why do I become so much more perceptive than usual when it comes to this kind of thing?