I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"Do you guys use Instagram? Let's add each other, and I'll upload the photos later."

"Xiaoyou, Xiaoxue, and Xiachuan don't have any yet, so let's add each other and mark each other."

"I might as well create a group chat and put all the photos I just took there. I took quite a few on a whim."

"Ah, this is good!"

At Miura Yumiko's suggestion, the six of them exchanged LINE IDs and, starting with Miura Yumiko, created a small chat group.

Before the constant notification sounds started ringing incessantly, they turned off the notification sounds and then began looking at the constantly updated photos in the group album to pass the time while waiting in line.

Yuu Tenkuji was also flipping through the photos. He wasn't sure if these photos would still exist after the world line changed—the photos he took with Yukino Yukinoshita had completely disappeared, which was a bit of a pity when he thought about it.

Why not delete all the dark history stored in the system?

Let's get back to the main topic.

Even if he loses contact with Natsukawa Masuzu this time, as long as she is still in the same group as Yukinoshita on the day of the autumn outing, the fact that the two groups meet and take photos on the mountaintop will probably not change much. At most, the expressions and positions will be different.

Furthermore, he hadn't taken any photos with Natsukawa Masuzu alone, and these group photos didn't show how close the two of them were—the distance between them was so great that it would be hard to believe they were even just ordinary friends, let alone boyfriend and girlfriend.

Yuu Tenkuji shifted his gaze from Natsukawa Masuzu on the screen to her in reality.

She leaned against the wall, expressionless as in the photos, her eyes lifeless, as if she had suddenly lost her soul or hadn't woken up properly. Her gaze wasn't on the phone at all; she was just mechanically scrolling through the photos.

"Did those words just say really hurt her that much?"

Yuu Tenkuji was somewhat taken aback and couldn't help but reflect on whether she had gone too far.

But he doesn't think he did anything wrong.

Whether he was telling the truth, forcing her to face the facts, or giving her a chance to sort out her feelings, Yuu Tenkuji hadn't forgotten that the most important reason he became their boyfriend was to "fill the void in their hearts" and "make them leave this timeline with a smile," rather than being lovey-dovey with beautiful girls and indulging in romance.

While enjoying the feeling of being in love, you should also make every moment you spend meaningful.

If the gaps are always filled with lies, the mission will never end, and Natsukawa Masuzu will never grow into a better, stronger woman like Yukinoshita Haruno and Yuuki Asuna.

Whether his relationship with her is good or bad, it's time to move to the next stage.

"It's really cold. There's a menu you can look at first. Do you want to see it?" he said casually.

After a few seconds of pause, Natsukawa Masaki finally raised her head, her gaze refocusing.

She glanced at him, then quickly hid her gaze behind her phone: "No need, I'll just order some spaghetti."

"Indeed, you said you don't like the feeling of eating, and you eat those nutritionally deficient jellies all day long... Well then, I'll order you some spaghetti bolognese later, and a cup of Apa Tea, okay?"

Completely ignoring her increasingly cold tone, Tenkuji Yu shrugged and listlessly flipped through the menu.

But whether it was just my imagination or not, as soon as I finished speaking, I could see out of the corner of my eye that Natsukawa Masaki's expression seemed to have relaxed a bit, gradually returning to its normal temperature.

Although she wasn't as excited to respond to jokes as usual, JOJO jokes really do have a magical effect on girls who are into JOJO.

For some inexplicable reason, Yuu Tenkuji also breathed a sigh of relief.

……

They weren't kept waiting long; about ten minutes later, a waiter came and led them into the restaurant.

First, we disinfect their hands, and then we reiterate some prohibitions—such as not holding cats and not using flash photography. Once we confirm that everything is in order, we lead them to seats at the round wooden table and let them choose their own seats.

The seating arrangement is as follows:

Yuu, Yui, Yumeko.

Cool, snow, regular sauce.

No one objected to grouping them into one group.

After the waiter took the order and left, Yukino Yukinoshita could no longer contain her excitement. She took out her phone, turned on the camera, and softly called out to the calico cat that was slowly passing by the table:

"Meow~"

The cat heard the sound, glanced at her, and came over wagging its tail with a lazy yet arrogant air.

Then, as if bestowing a reward, it jumped onto Xuexia's legs, plopped down, and arrogantly yawned.

"So...so proactive?"

Yukino Yukinoshita stared wide-eyed for a long time before two blushes slowly rose on her fair face. After carefully taking a picture of the cat, she put down her phone, gently stroked the cat's back and neck with her slender, soft hands, and observed its reaction with some trepidation.

She looked just like a mother caring for a newborn, her face radiating joy and contentment.

"Meow~"

Everyone who witnessed this scene and heard this sound felt as if they had been healed by the most beautiful thing in the world.

Noticing that Yui Yuigahama was raising her phone as if to take a picture of the scene, Yukino Yukinoshita quickly snapped out of her daze, covering the upper part of her face with her arm while scolding her softly with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance:

"Yuigahama-san, I never said you were allowed to take photos without my consent!"

"Ah, sorry... Hehehe~ But Xiaoxue is so cute right now, it's impossible not to press the shutter!"

Yui Yuigahama chuckled awkwardly and quickly put her phone away.

Although it was a bit of a pity, seeing Yukino Yukinoshita trying her best to minimize her reaction even though she was clearly dissatisfied, because she didn't want to disturb the kitten, Yui Yuigahama felt her heart was filled with a strange warmth, and she felt like she could eat three big bowls of rice with this scene.

Not only ordinary people, but even Yumiko Miura nodded in agreement.

"I don't understand... If you're really that bored, why don't you go and get a cat to pet?"

Yukino Yukinoshita sighed as if she had lost all her strength, too lazy to pay any more attention to the group of frivolous people in front of her, and tried to concentrate on the great cause of petting cats.

She forgot that there was a very unserious person right in front of her.

“I didn’t film it, but I recorded it… starting from the first meow you made.”

Tenkuji waved his phone, smiling innocently.

"How could that be?" Raising an eyebrow, Yukino Yukinoshita looked at him suspiciously, but she hadn't lost her basic composure and rationality. "There's a shutter sound when you record a video, right? Besides, how could I let you point your phone camera at me in front of me?"

"Is it because you were too engrossed in playing with the cat?" Yuu Tenkuji opened the video and presented the evidence to her. "Look, even though it's only a few seconds long, it's already enough to be someone's family heirloom."

Needless to say, some of the people here definitely include Yukino Yukinoshita.

In the video, Yukino Yukinoshita, with her shoulders slightly hunched and her lips gently biting, meows softly at the calico cat, perfectly embodies the word "cute."

Yukino Yukinoshita stood there stunned, seemingly too shocked to react for a moment. Only her complexion changed, but the blush on her ears never faded.

Taking advantage of this moment, Yui Yuigahama tugged at his sleeve, chuckled, and whispered, "Yu, send me a copy later..."

"Why don't you just send it to the group chat?" suggested Miura Yumiko, who had sharp ears, and Putsu-chan chimed in.

"This..." Before Yuu Tenkuji could answer, she swiftly withdrew her hand, successfully protecting her phone from being snatched away by that soft, snow-white hand.

"Yukinoshita-kun, robbery isn't something you'd do."

"Delete the video!"

To prevent the cat she had finally managed to climb onto her lap from running away, Yukino Yukinoshita tried her best to lower her voice, her face turning red as she glared at him through gritted teeth.

"Hey? It's such a waste to delete it, isn't it? It was so hard to record, and it's not like it's anything embarrassing."

Although the "presence adjustment" technique was used, this video was indeed recorded by Yuu Tenkuji through his own efforts, so how can it be deleted so easily?

"Don't worry, it won't get out. If a seventh person besides us sees this video, I'll become Miss Yukinoshita's dog and your chainsaw man, okay?"

"I don't understand what you're saying. Anyway, delete it right now."

The cat on her lap suddenly jumped up and left Yukino's legs. She couldn't help but let out a regretful "Ah!" and then turned her icy gaze towards him, staring at him with extreme cold and anger.

After coughing twice, Yuu Tenkuji put his phone back in his pocket and said seriously, "I got permission before I took the picture."

"Who gave you permission?" A murderous glint appeared in her eyes.

"It's really cold."

“Natsukawa-san?” She glanced at the stunned Natsukawa Masashi, her expression unwavering, and continued to coldly stare at Tenkuji Yu. “You’ve already told enough clumsy lies. If you don’t delete that video…”

"That's right, I saw him taking pictures of you without your permission, but I didn't stop him."

Natsukawa Masuzu suddenly interrupted her, saying apologetically, "If this is considered tacit consent, then I am an accomplice to him. I'm really sorry, Yukinoshita-san."

Yukino Yukinoshita stared at her for a long time before calmly withdrawing her cold gaze.

"...Anyway, as long as the video is deleted, that's fine."

Natsukawa Masaki looked towards Tenkuji Yuu.

He shrugged and deleted the video in front of Yukino Yukinoshita, thus ending the small commotion.

As for going home to restore the files, Yuu Tenkuji hadn't even considered it—if he really wanted to keep the video, he wouldn't have brought it out to 'show off' in the first place.

"I'm going to pick a flower."

Before the food was served, Natsukawa Masaki suddenly got up and walked towards the restroom.

Not long after she left, Yui Yuigahama also stood up from her seat.

"I'm going to the restroom too."

Chapter Fifty is the Taste of a Lie (pr)

White water splashed onto the porcelain white washbasin.

As the foam was rinsed away, the snow-white skin of the hands shook off the water droplets and the tap was turned off.

The mirror reflected the silver-haired girl's elfin-like beauty, and an indescribable heaviness.

"This feeling is the same as telling your employees in a company that is clearly about to go bankrupt that we are about to go bankrupt and we can no longer pay your salaries, right?"

Natsukawa Masaki murmured to herself, her icy fingers touching her cheek, leaving a teardrop-like droplet.

"Even though I knew the outcome all along, and I was just staying at this company to slack off, it still makes me feel a bit conflicted to be told that..."

Whether it's true or not, things related to 'love' will eventually leave—she's understood this since childhood and deeply resents it.

That's the reason; there's no other reason.

Making her own interpretation of her feelings, Natsukawa Masuzu looked at herself in the mirror, made sure her expression remained calm and composed, and prepared to leave the restroom.

But their eyes met right in front of Yui Yuigahama, who was walking towards them.

Both of them were taken aback for a moment. Natsukawa Masuzu reacted faster and spoke first with a smile to her:

"Hey, Dango-chan—did you come here to use the restroom, or were you controlled by a 'close-up' to attack me?"