I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"Huh?" Iroha Isshiki frowned, puffing out her snow-white cheeks, and accused him with dissatisfaction, "Senpai, it's Valentine's Day, yet you asked a junior who isn't your girlfriend out to buy things. Anyone with normal emotional intelligence knows what you mean! And now you're still being so stubborn, it just makes you look like a weirdo, not cute at all?"

"Who's being difficult?" Tenkuuji Yu reached out and roughly ruffled her soft, flaxen hair. "Can't two single people just go out together for warmth? Foolish junior, your vision is so narrow."

"Whoa!" Iroha Isshiki quickly covered her head to defend against the attack from above. "Senpai, I've been using this hair for ages! Don't mess it up!"

Tenkuji Yu stopped what he was doing, and Iroha Isshiki seized the opportunity to grab his fingers and pull her hair out.

"Honestly, he has no consideration for girls at all..." she complained angrily, then suddenly opened her animal-like eyes wide in surprise, "Your hands are so warm! Did you bring a hand warmer?"

"No, I just warmed your hands beforehand because I knew they might be cold." He turned her hand over and enveloped her palm, letting the soft, cool touch melt quickly in his hand, and continued walking without looking back. "Never mind such trivial matters, let's get out of here quickly."

"...Wait, wait a minute! Senior, how can you launch a surprise attack like that! That's not fair, the last one doesn't count!"

Seeing the two holding hands like that, Isshiki Hatake snapped out of her daze, blushed, and shouted as she followed, finally keeping pace with him.

Then she bit her lip, muttering in distress, "Ugh... I hate it, doesn't this make me seem like Ayaha is so easy to win over? No, I have to let go first, and keep him in suspense for a while before he gets a taste of sweetness..."

"Little Ayaha, I heard everything, didn't I?"

"Hmm? I didn't say anything~" Tilting her head cutely, Isshiki Hatake snuggled against his shoulder and said in a coquettish tone, "Oh right, senpai, there's something I forgot to tell you."

"what's up?"

"If someone goes out and forgets their phone, it'll be really hard to find them if they don't keep a close eye on me, okay?"

"Really? What a coincidence." Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but laugh. "My phone just happened to break too, so no one can find me except you. Don't lose me either."

"Please don't compare me to you, okay?" Iroha Isshiki gave a disgusted look. "You're such a big guy, how stupid or blind would I have to be to lose you?"

"In that case, it's okay if we don't hold hands so tightly, right?"

"I'm just trying to keep warm, please don't flatter yourself, senior... Ah, or do you think this will make me feel shy? I'm so sorry, although my heart is indeed beating very fast and I'm so happy I almost shouted, I'm still a little bit away from feeling shy, so please keep trying, senior!"

"Ah, the usual program is finally here."

"What kind of logic is that! You idiot, senior! You're malicious!"

Amidst the commotion, the two left the quiet park and walked side by side toward the deserted streets outside.

The phone lay quietly asleep beneath the fountain.

It wasn't until half an hour later that it was picked up by a slender, clean hand.

"As expected of Xiao Youyou... and that junior too, everyone came prepared."

A slightly amused yet deep and icy voice froze the air.

Her shoulder-length curly hair rested on her shoulders. She pressed the power button a few times to confirm that the phone was waterlogged and unusable. Then, she casually let go of the phone and let it fall to the ground before stepping on it.

Ka!

The sharp heel shattered the screen, and the cold face reflected on it was also broken into a spiderweb-like fragment.

"But with just this much skill, don't think you can get rid of me..."

Accompanied by a emotionless murmur, water droplets dripped from fingertips and seeped into the muddy ground, leaving a black trail that snaked its way towards the park exit.

……

"Senior, you said you were going out to buy something. What are you planning to buy?"

The small bag slung over his shoulder pattered lightly at his waist as Iroha followed beside him with light steps, her beautiful big eyes looking over curiously once again.

"Let's talk about it later, there's no rush."

Tenkuji Yu casually replied, his gaze sweeping over her, and the word "cute" unsurprisingly popped into his mind.

Her soft, flaxen hair and round, bright eyes were as innocent as a small animal's.

Her slender body was mostly concealed by the oversized trench coat, with only a pink stand-up collar sweater visible above. Below that, there were no shorts or skirts to be seen, and only a pair of slender legs in black stockings were exposed below her buttocks. From a distance, it looked as if she wasn't wearing any pants, exuding a youthful allure.

Her white low-heeled shoes, like the boots of an elf, lightly touched the ground, staying close to him without ever leaving his side.

Are all girls really that cute?

Yuu Tenkuji thought, no, isn't it cute that the creature simply has the name "Isshiki Hachi"?

If I had to pick what's cute about it, everything about it, from the nails to the hair, is adorable.

"Huh? Is it really that casual?"

Not knowing what he was thinking, Isshiki tilted her head, sighing with a hint of helplessness and as if she hadn't expected the answer.

"Well, we're already here, we can't exactly go home now, can we?"

She nudged his arm, glared at him, and said in a serious tone, "So, senior, as payment for taking the time out of your way to spend Valentine's Day with you, you have to take responsibility and give him a perfect date!"

"Oh, it's being done, it's being done."

Tenkuji Yu nodded perfunctorily, then looked away from her and scanned every corner of the street, seemingly searching for something, but his gaze had no fixed point.

"You're just giving me the runaround again... Hmph." Iroha Isshiki was a little annoyed, but seeing that he still hadn't let go of her hand, she couldn't help but smile and decided not to hold it against him.

An idea suddenly flashed through her mind, and she suggested enthusiastically, "Senior, if you don't have a specific place in mind, how about we go to an amusement park?"

"An amusement park? That's so sudden."

"Isn't this better than wandering aimlessly around the streets? Or, senior, do you have somewhere you'd like to take me?"

"...Okay, let's go to the amusement park."

For Yuu Tenkuji now, there is naturally no such place.

Buying things was just an excuse; he only asked her out because he wanted to spend Valentine's Day with Isshiki Iroha, which was a huge risk.

The original plan was just to kill time by watching movies, shopping, and bowling, but now that she has suggested a place she wants to go, it has made Tenkuji Yuu much more relaxed.

It doesn't matter where we go or what we do, as long as I can be with her.

"Great! Let's set off now and take the nearest bus!"

Taking his hand, Issei Yu cheered, two blushes appearing on her fair face, and she skipped and hopped towards the bus stop.

They chatted casually along the way and soon arrived at a nearby amusement park. Perhaps because the park was also having a Valentine's Day promotion with special ticket discounts, there were couples like them everywhere on Valentine's Day.

Of course, tickets for singles or male groups remain at the same price and have not changed.

"Couple tickets please~"

"Okay." The clerk glanced at the two of them standing side by side, said nothing, and quickly handed them two tickets from the window.

Holding their tickets, they went to queue at the entrance. Iroha tugged at his sleeve and said softly with a touch of emotion:

"It feels so exciting to do this even though we're not a couple..."

Yuu Tenkuji shrugged: "At this time, the men and women who go out together are either couples or spouses. No one cares whether we are 'real' or not."

"It certainly seems so... So, senior, what's our relationship now?" She glanced over discreetly and asked casually.

Without a second thought, Tenkuji Yu replied, "It's a senior-junior relationship."

"..." Iroha Isshiki stared at his profile expressionlessly.

"Of course, that's how it seems, but it's hard to say in reality." Under that sharp gaze, Tenkuji Yu's expression remained unchanged, and she continued with a slight smile, "After all, what junior would agree to go out with her senior on Valentine's Day?"

"...Pfft, it is good, isn't it?" A smile slowly spread across her face as Isshiki Hiroha playfully bumped his shoulder and snorted twice. "I was just feeling sorry for a senior who has no one to accompany him. Please don't flatter yourself, senior!"

"Yes, yes, yes, it's because I'm unpopular. Only my junior sister is willing to pity me."

Rolling her eyes, Tenkuji Yu followed her words without being distracted by other people, and walked into the amusement park entrance with her.

The hands that had separated when paying for the tickets were still lightly touching each other's backs, but they never found the chance to hold each other's hands again.

"Ah, it's the mascot, Ponta!"

Not long after entering, Isshiki Hachiman, like a child, looked at the amusement park's mascots and shouted with shining eyes.

"Let's hurry up and take pictures... Oh, I forgot my phone, so we can't take pictures now." As if all her interest had vanished in an instant, she pouted and looked away with a bored expression. "A mascot that can't be photographed is worthless. Let's go."

"You're too realistic..."

Tenkuji Yu shook his head. As he walked around the mascot with her, he suddenly felt something and looked up at it.

The heavy mascot costume faced him, motionless, its two round black eyes seeming to gleam with a cold light, reflecting the figures of the two lovers.

For some reason, Yuu Tenkuji felt a chill run down his spine, yet a sense of familiarity rose from the bottom of his heart, and his steps unconsciously stopped in place.

"Senior, what's wrong?"

Noticing that he hadn't followed, Isshiki turned around in confusion.

"...It's nothing." Yuu Tenkuji slowly exhaled, took her hand again, and walked towards the nearest amusement park ride. "Don't worry about anything else, just have fun all day long."

"That was the plan all along... By the way, senior, why do you seem so skilled at holding a girl's hand? You don't seem to hesitate or feel embarrassed at all."

"Perhaps I have a special talent?"

"Tch~ Senior, you're such a big liar! Only a liar would fall for you, right?"

"Indeed, indeed."

The sounds of the man and woman talking gradually faded into the distance.

The mascot remained standing quietly, watching them leave its sight before walking to a secluded, shadowy spot and slowly unzipping its back.

"call……"

The person inside exhaled and shook their head.

Her chestnut hair fluttered gently, but her eyes were sharp and cold, like the glint of a sword.

"So you did escape here after all... This time, I won't lose you, Yu-kun."

……

On the roller coaster.

"Senior, if you're scared, hold on tight to me, okay?" Iroha Isshiki earnestly instructed, like an older sister telling her younger brother to behave.

Tenkuji Yu glanced at her slightly trembling arm and said speechlessly, "You're the one who's afraid, aren't you?"

"Then, senior, will you hold me tight?" Iroha immediately changed her mind and gently placed her palm on his knee.

Yuu Tenkuji naturally fastened the strap and held on tightly: "Don't worry, I won't let go even if we fall."

"..." The shy smile that was about to appear froze on her face.

"Don't say such terrible things! Huh? Huh?! Huh?!! Is it too late to get off the bus now?!"