I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Pressing her throbbing temples, Yuu Tenkuji really didn't know where to begin complaining.

The "Boyfriend System" is baffling enough. Why didn't it appear when he first transmigrated and needed help the most, but instead suddenly appeared after his life had almost stabilized, disrupting his life plans?

What's most frustrating is that this broken system has no AI, so he doesn't even know who to complain to.

"Phew... I'll leave it for now. Tomorrow is the 24th, and I should be able to find out more by then."

Putting away the 'system panel' in front of him, Yuu Tenkuji took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, calming his emotions.

He was excited, but for him right now, the important thing was the mundane struggle of life, not the strange system that had suddenly appeared.

He's a down-to-earth person. Instead of overthinking, he should focus on doing the things in front of him well and taking one step at a time. That's the right way to move forward.

After standing there dumbfounded for a while, Tenkuji Yuu finally gripped the doorknob again, pushed open his front door, and shouted upstairs:

"I am back!"

As he changed his shoes in the entryway and was about to walk towards the kitchen, a slender and petite figure appeared on the stairs.

"Yu, welcome back."

"Ah."

Tenkuji Yu nodded lightly, and the girl on the second floor walked down the stairs with light steps, following him into the kitchen.

"Qiong, you didn't eat any potato chips just now, did you?"

The girl didn't answer his question. Instead, with a calm expression, she took a can of soda from the refrigerator, still clutching a black rabbit plush toy, and casually asked:

"Yu, what's for dinner tonight?"

"Stewed potatoes and meat... Don't try to change the subject." Tenkuji Yu turned around, poked her smooth forehead with one finger, and squinted his eyes.

"Didn't I tell you last time? No potato chips before dinner. If you do it again, I'll confiscate all your potato chips!"

"Yu, don't be angry."

She affectionately nuzzled her forehead against his fingers, showing no fear of his deliberately fierce expression. Instead, she gently lifted the hem of her short skirt, intentionally showing off her slender legs clad in white stockings. With her eyes lowered and a smile on her face, she spoke softly:

"Look, I'm wearing your favorite white stockings."

As she said this, she playfully poked his calf with her toes.

Tenkuji Yu's lips twitched, and he immediately changed his poke to a flick, mercilessly snapping his finger on the girl's forehead.

"I never said I liked white stockings."

Even if he really liked her, the white stockings on his sister's feet held no allure for him whatsoever!

"Ugh..." The girl covered her forehead and stepped back, hugging the rabbit doll tightly and glaring at her angrily.

"Yu, you're bullying me!"

"I haven't even said you're slandering me yet."

"Stop making excuses! Last time I asked you whether black or white was better, you clearly said white!"

"Who knew you were asking about stockings!" Yuu Tenkuji showed no pity for her tearful expression and pushed her out of the kitchen with a stern face.

"I'm going to cook now. I'll go watch TV in the living room. If I'm too busy, I'll clean the house."

"Hmph, I know~" With her long, silver-white hair fluttering, the girl pouted her pink and almost white lips and turned away with a displeased expression.

But Yuu Tenkuji knew that this girl was probably gloating behind his back, that she had distracted him and that he had forgotten about confiscating her potato chips.

"Really..."

With a sigh, he rallied his spirits and opened the refrigerator to begin selecting ingredients for today's dinner.

……

Whether by coincidence or design, Yuu Tenkuji's younger sister is named Kasugano Sora.

You can tell from her surname that she is not her biological sister, but her cousin.

The Tenkuji and Kasugano families have a very good relationship. Even when he was a child, he often met with Sora. Both families have even talked about arranging a marriage between the two children several times.

Unfortunately, before they could turn this joke into reality, they perished in a plane crash at sea.

It was a honeymoon trip planned by both families to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary.

Because Qiong was in poor health and unable to travel far, they entrusted themselves and Qiong to their grandmother in the countryside and never returned, forever separated by death.

Upon hearing this news, Qiong's condition worsened instantly, and she was hospitalized for more than half a year before she was able to recover both physically and mentally.

Many things happened after that, but they were too complicated for Tenkuji Yu to recall—anyway, it had taken a lot of effort for him to get this far with Sora.

As a result, guardianship of both individuals was transferred to their respective relatives, but instead of moving in with them, they settled down together at the Tenkuji family home.

Although many elders were willing to help them, Kasugano Sora refused them all, saying that she would only follow Tenkuji Yu's arrangements. She then completely stayed in her room, never leaving the house, and even stopped going to school, becoming a hikikomori (social recluse).

What else can Yuu Tenkuji do?

He could understand the anxiety and fear the Qiong family felt in the face of this sudden change, and he knew that she needed time to accept everything and recover.

So, as the older brother, he abandoned what adults called a "wise choice" and instead indulged a little girl's willfulness, supporting her through the world and sheltering her from the wind and rain.

The accident insurance money was deposited in the bank to cover the tuition and insurance premiums for the two siblings. He worked part-time to support himself and his sister, taking on their living expenses at a young age, so that she could stay at home and surf the internet with peace of mind.

Before obtaining the system, Yuu Tenkuji thought that this kind of life would continue indefinitely until Sora came to her senses and went to school, or until she graduated from high school.

But I didn't expect...

Well, even if the system comes, he will still cook, and he will still discipline his sister. Nothing will change.

"The food is ready, come and get it."

He called out to the living room, and Tenkuji Yu first filled two bowls with rice and took them out with two pairs of chopsticks.

"understood."

Setting down the doll, Kasugano Sora walked over gracefully, like a delicate, movable doll, the scent of shampoo wafting into her nose as her silvery-white hair danced in the air.

Unconsciously, Yuu Tenkuji took a sniff of the air.

She had a different scent from the woman I had passed by earlier. I couldn't say which one was better, but there was a difference between her youthful innocence and her maturity.

The moment the thought popped into his head, Qiong suddenly stopped and stood at the kitchen doorway, turning to look at him with some suspicion.

"Yu."

"what happened?"

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she stared intently at him, seemingly trying to discern something from his face.

"Were you... just thinking about another woman, and even comparing me to her?"

"..."

Yuu Tenkuji wondered if her younger sister had also obtained some kind of system.

The kind that can read minds.

Chapter 3: First Encounter, Yukinoshita

"You're overthinking it. Go and serve the dishes."

Without changing his expression, Yuu Tenkuji turned and walked to the dining table, without answering her question.

Kasugano Sora was just asking, and after dismissing that fleeting feeling as a misperception, she went to the kitchen and served the dishes.

When she returned, Tenkuji looked at her paused phone screen, tapped the table, and asked thoughtfully:

"Qiong, do you want to get a cat?"

Qiong shook her head, turned off the half-played cat-watching video, and said calmly, "I'm just watching. Raising a cat is too much trouble."

"Really?" Thinking of the stray cat outside, Yuu Tenkuji considered it for a moment, then said in a relaxed tone, "If you want to keep one, I can go and get one. Anyway, you're home all the time, having a cat for company wouldn't be bad..."

Owning a cat is indeed expensive and time-consuming. If you lived alone, even if you had money, you probably wouldn't make such a plan.

However, for the sake of his sister, all previous considerations could be discarded, and no amount of trouble was a big deal.

To be honest, Yuu Tenkuji didn't want to leave his younger sister at home alone to look after the house by herself.

But putting aside the fact that Qiong has her own principles, he also has to go out to earn money to support the family, so he simply can't spend all his time with her.

In situations like these, the value of pets becomes apparent—although dogs offer more protection for young women living alone compared to cats, the most important factor is what the younger sister likes.

If she really wanted to get a cat to alleviate her loneliness, Yuu Tenkuji would pick it up now and leave it there, then take it to get vaccinated and buy necessities later.

"Really, you don't need to." Qiong sighed helplessly, holding the bowl and chopsticks in her small hands, staring at him earnestly.

"When You're not home, I can pass the time online, and Black Rabbit keeps me company."

Black Rabbit is the name of the plush toy she often holds in her arms. It was a birthday gift from her parents and one of her most treasured possessions.

"When Yu is home, I only need Yu... so I'm not lonely."

Qiong said calmly, picking up a piece of food from the plate and placing it in Tenkuji Yu's bowl.

"Let's eat. After we finish eating, you can play games with me."

Tenkuji Yu paused for a moment, then sighed softly, patted the girl's head, and sighed with emotion.

"As expected of my sister, even though she's a shut-in."

Do you have any issues with staying at home?

With a slightly cold expression, Kasugano Sora kicked him with her small foot clad in white stockings.

……

Tenkuji Yu knew that his younger sister wasn't putting on a brave face because of him; she genuinely didn't want to keep a cat.

Despite her young age, having experienced so much, Qiong is much more mature and sensible than the average girl; she understands that her family is not wealthy, and she also understands the various things that he, as the head of the family, must consider.

For the two siblings who depend on each other for survival, the most important thing is not to compromise themselves for the sake of mutual understanding, but to be honest with each other about what they want or don't want, and then decide what to do after communicating. This can save unnecessary guessing and testing.

Therefore, Qiong rarely lies to him or hides anything from him. She will say what she wants directly and will not tolerate what she hates.

For example, green peppers and going to school.

Even though she can be a little too willful at times, in Yuu's eyes, Kasugano Sora is the most perfect little sister in the world.

"Thank you for your hospitality."