I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

In short, the change in the timeline means that neither Yukinoshita Haruno nor Natsukawa Masuzu came to Kyoto to watch the match.

Yuuki Tenkuji didn't understand why Yukino Yukinoshita was there, but in the memories without Natsukawa Masuzu, only Yukinoshita and Yuihama stayed in the group room, and Yuuki Asuna had gone to their place to play cards the night before.

There are many things to be corrected this time. After all, unlike the previous two times when most of the events occurred during the summer vacation or off-campus, his relationship with Natsukawa Masuzu involves many people and things, so the system will naturally have more to adjust.

For example, Yui Yuigahama's feelings...

Putting aside her somewhat helpless expression, Yuu Tenkuji seemed to have fallen asleep in the car, quietly lowering her head and slowly sorting through these memories.

"But what about the next target? There wasn't even a hint, and they didn't seem to be planning for me to stake out a spot somewhere in advance?"

"Is filling the gaps in girls' lives outdated, and is the system about to come up with a new trick?"

Chapter Six: Yui Yuigahama Gathers Her Courage

They took a bus to the Shinkansen, then transferred from Tokyo Station to Chiba. Without being taken back to Sobu High School, they parted ways.

Yuu Tenkuji suggested that the three of them from the Service Club could share a taxi back, and he would pay for the fare—of course, this was rejected by Yukino Yukinoshita, the proud and wealthy young lady.

But if the money is split equally among the three of them, Yui Yuigahama's small wallet might not be able to handle it.

She almost spent all her pocket money on eating, drinking, and having fun in Kyoto. The taxi fare, divided by three, was still expensive for an ordinary family like her, and it wasn't a necessary expense.

With that in mind, Yuu Tenkuji didn't say anything and naturally changed her mind and took the bus back.

However, the direction of Yukinoshita's apartment was different from theirs, so they had to take a different bus route back. They had to say goodbye to the two of them at the bus stop.

"Are you alright? Do you know how to take the bus? Do you know how to put change in the coin box?" Before she got on the bus, Yuu Tenkuji asked with a concerned look, like a parent sending their child to kindergarten.

"Don't treat me like some naive young lady, unless you want me to look down on your intelligence."

Yukino Yukinoshita ignored him, tossed her long, lead-gray, translucent black hair with a floral fragrance, took out her SUICA card for hitchhiking, and followed the group.

"Little Snow, be careful on the road!"

“Yuigahama-san, you too.” Only when facing Yuigahama Yui did Yukino Yukinoshita’s expression soften. “If that man does anything outrageous to you, don’t hesitate, take out ‘that thing’ that I gave you and use it immediately.”

"Ah, that..." Yui Yuigahama glanced at Tenkuji Yuu discreetly, scratching her flushed face and chuckling awkwardly, "Haha, thanks for your concern, but I don't think I need it..."

Yukino Yukinoshita earnestly advised: "It's good to be trusting, but it's still necessary for girls who don't know self-defense to always be wary of any member of the opposite sex around them."

Upon hearing her words, Tenkuji Yuu immediately understood—good heavens, Yukino actually sent Yuihama pepper spray to protect herself from him?!

How little trust does she really have in me?

"No, that's not the issue. Rather, it's actually more gratifying to find out when you actually need it..."

"What?" She mumbled the last part of her sentence, which Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't hear at all, so she tilted her head slightly.

Not daring to look in Tenkuji Yu's direction, Yuigahama Yui quickly urged her to get in the car: "It's nothing! Yuki, hurry up, the people in the back are waiting for you!"

“Even if you say that, I’m still waiting for the people in front to get on the bus…” Yukino Yukinoshita sighed helplessly, turning her gaze to the boy beside her, her clear and transparent eyes seemingly filled with hesitation.

After hesitating for a moment, she pursed her lips and spoke in her usual calm voice: "Tenkuji-kun, if you're in a bad mood, get some rest. Don't make that face and affect other people's moods."

"Huh?" Yuu Tenkuji's eyes widened slightly in surprise, her hand unconsciously touching her face. "What kind of face? Do I look like I'm in a bad mood?"

He turned to ask Yui Yuigahama this last question. She shook her head and looked at Yukino Yukinoshita with a similarly puzzled expression.

"...Then let's just pretend I misread it."

Her tone was as soft as a feather as she turned her face away, but her back view appeared even colder.

See you at the club tomorrow.

He finished speaking and soon disappeared into the crowd boarding the bus.

After watching the snow fall, Yuya Tenkuji and Yui Yuigahama boarded the bus back home.

Although it was difficult to find a seat, the bus wasn't too crowded, and there wasn't any of those comic book scenes where boys spread their arms to protect girls from being pushed around.

She didn't say it aloud, but when she got off the bus, Yui Yuigahama clearly looked disappointed.

In winter, bare branches peek out from inside the courtyard and over the wall, but the roadside trees still have a few patches of green that refuse to fade, proudly displaying the meaning of evergreen in the cold wind.

Her clothes fluttered in the breeze, and her pink hair gently brushed against her shoulders and neck.

As she strolled along that familiar slope, she turned her head and asked the boy beside her with concern, "Xiao You, have you really not encountered anything unpleasant?"

"Really, no." Yuu Tenkuji rolled her eyes. "You believe everything Yukino says? She won the championship so easily, what do I have to be unhappy about?"

"Interpersonal relationships aren't just about competitions." With her hands behind her back, Yui Yuigahama looked down at the toes of the feet that were running alongside hers and said softly, "Although I'm a little unwilling, I think Yuki understands you better than I do."

"Know my foot! Do you even know which male voice actor I like?"

"Huh? I remember it was Matsuoka Yoshio..." Yui Yuigahama looked up blankly and answered reflexively.

I heard him mention this during a conversation. When he recommended the JOJO manga to me, he specifically mentioned that a famous line from the first part was spoken by Mr. Matsuoka.

Because he rarely mentioned things he liked, Yui Yuigahama remembered them well and went back to look up a lot of information about that voice actor, just so she could have more topics to talk about with him next time.

Spending time with someone you like is just the basics.

“And Yukino Yukinoshita would never know something like this.” Yuuto Tōtenji ruffled her hair and smiled casually. “We’ve known each other for almost three years, while she’s known me for less than three months. How could she possibly know me better than you?”

"I see..." Yui Yuigahama muttered, her ears turning slightly red as she lowered her head and chuckled softly.

Although she wanted to say, "I'm not referring to these superficial things," Yui Yuigahama also had her own selfish reasons—she was so happy to hear him "praise" her like that, how could she possibly take the initiative to refute him?

As for Xiaoxue, perhaps she really did see things wrong?

No matter how you look at it, Xiaoyou doesn't seem unhappy at all...

They were chatting and laughing and even playing with their own hairstyle, just like usual!

"Then I'll leave you here."

Time flew by, and before Yui could fully savor the joy and warmth of chatting with him alone, the two had to part ways at the crossroads.

Although they live quite close, there are actually quite a few blocks between them... If I lived next door, I might become his childhood friend.

I heard that a romantic comedy called "Childhood Friends Never Lose" is going to be made into an anime. If I were his childhood friend, I wouldn't have to worry about so many things and I could naturally go to school with him every day, right?

However, the kind of thing I can do—riding on top of him to wake him up—is probably out of the question...

"Yui?"

"Yes!" Hearing his call, Yui Yuigahama instantly snapped out of her reverie, straightening up like a thief caught in the act, her face flushed and her expression tense. "Childhood friend... no, Yui, is there anything you need?!"

"What else do you want me to say? I'm saying I'm leaving. Be careful on your way, don't bump into any telephone poles." Tenkuji Yu flicked her forehead, said helplessly, and turned to leave.

"I know, I'm not naturally dense..."

Yui Yuigahama pouted and touched her forehead, unable to tell whether she was happy or not. She watched his back as he walked towards the street corner, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly.

In the cold wind, the warmth on her face chased away the chill; her eyes were fixed on his silhouette, her heart pounding heavily, the rhythm seeming to say—

It's still early, and I don't want to break up with him like this.

Even a second spent with someone you love feels incredibly precious.

And now she greedily wants more, wants to go even further.

"Um, Xiaoyou!"

With courage she didn't know where it came from, Yui Yuigahama suddenly took a step forward, caught up with him, and grabbed the hem of his clothes.

She raised her flushed face, and no matter how shy, uneasy, or how fast her heart was beating, she couldn't escape his gaze.

—If she's already confessed her feelings, and now she's choosing to run away, doesn't that mean her feelings for him are declining year by year?

Therefore, Yui Yuigahama's choice to attack head-on once again made him understand from the bottom of his heart:

"Are you free this afternoon? Can I come over to your house?"

—I still like you, and I want to get closer to you.

"Well, you don't have a girlfriend anyway... so inviting female classmates to your house shouldn't be anything to be ashamed of, right?"

As for the last sentence, it was just something the girl used to cover up in order to avoid him thinking of her as the kind of shameless girl.

After hesitating for a long time, I finally decided

Although I mentioned it in the author's note at the end of the book, I've decided to wait until now...

I'm taking a day off (no update on Thursday), and then I'll post a massive update of over 10,000 words on Friday.

Now that my grades are getting better and better, my heart aches every time I ask for leave... It's not because of the royalties, but because of the readers who eagerly await my updates and rush to read and comment on my work as soon as they open Hedgehog Cat!

Sigh, I'm so guilty. I've lost a day's worth of money... no, I mean I've let you guys miss out on a day of updates.

Don't worry, I won't do that again! Even if I need to take leave, I'll prepare a leave request in advance!

Chapter Seven: A Scare

Yuu Tenkuji wondered if it was because the world line had been remade.

The accumulated feelings cannot be erased, but the memories of his past girlfriends are gone. What arises from this is a heart that grows richer and richer like aged wine, and an impulse to no longer be restricted.

That's why, after knowing each other for three years, Yui Yuigahama made her first request to come to his house.

Although she doesn't remember, the various emotions that she suppressed under Natsukawa Masuzu back then, once they erupted without restraint, might make her more proactive and more aggressive in attacking herself than before.

—Analyzing Yui Yuigahama's psychological state so rationally is like a psychologist diagnosing a patient's condition.

Emotionally, Yuu Tenkuji felt a mix of self-loathing and a faint sense of relief. Looking into her shy yet straightforward eyes, his emotions became complicated.

Unlike 'ex-girlfriends'.

Yui, who has liked him for three years, will not have those feelings erased by the system. She won't say "nice to meet you" to him, nor will she... make him wait to say goodbye.

Among the emotions that Yuu Tenkuji lost, the one that belonged to Yui Yuigahama never wavered; it simply settled down, settling peacefully.

Although it's unclear how the system corrected her memories, there's no doubt that as long as the feelings haven't disappeared, it's something worth cherishing.

Yuu Tenkuji took a soft breath.

The cool air penetrated my lungs, blowing away a corner of the stuffiness, and I felt a little more relaxed.

Even in losing something, one must not forget what one still possesses—yes, he never forgot.

Sometimes, we just focus too much on the immediate goal and neglect other things.