I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

It's a pity that Yukino can't see it now.

"He doesn't have a girlfriend, right? His relationship with Tuanzi-chan doesn't seem that close. Although he's popular, he keeps a proper distance from both classmates and younger female students. He's a good boy who keeps himself clean."

"Perhaps. Don't ask me, I have no interest in his affairs." Yukino Yukinoshita remained noncommittal, then asked with some doubt, "But the way you're asking, could it really be..."

Yang Nai chuckled like a child.

"Heh heh, guess? Give me a guess!"

"……boring."

Separated by a door, the two chatted about various things, mostly with Yukino Yukinoshita initiating the conversation and forcing Yukino Yukinoshita, who seemed to be packing her luggage, to answer.

Not long after, Yukinoshita Haruno prepared to go back.

She already knew most of the information she wanted to get from Yukino—the differences in their memories, and Yuu's behavior at school after losing his memory—and had no intention of lingering any longer.

As for the final step, it is naturally to find an opportunity to directly test him and find out what role he plays in this puzzle.

Is he the victim or the perpetrator?

Is he a hero enduring the pain of amnesia, or a scumbag who promises a lifetime of love and then runs away?

Even if it's my favorite Youyou, if she really did something to betray her...

"Wouldn't it be too lenient of him to punish him by draining him dry?"

While excitedly contemplating such matters, Yukinoshita Haruno herself was unaware that she had unconsciously come to believe that Tenkuji Yu could not possibly betray her.

The reason is also very simple.

Whether at the amusement park or the hotel, on the night before his memory faded, Yuu Tenkuji gave her all his love before turning away.

He never said goodbye; he wanted her to end in happiness—until the very end, Yuuki Tenkuji still loved Yukino Yukinoshita.

Just like Yukino Yukinoshita, who still cares about him even after losing her memory.

"I know... you're waiting for me."

A smile appeared on her lips as she muttered to herself. Yukinoshita Haruno opened the door to her luxury apartment, completely ignoring the strange gazes peeking out from behind her.

The thought of reuniting with him filled her with a long-lost joy, and even her steps became lighter.

"Don't worry, just wait a little longer, I'll be there to see you soon!"

Her bright eyes curved into crescent moons, her gaze resolute, without any hesitation.

This time, I'm determined to get everything done. I'll make it a fait accompli and make him dependent on my body before I talk about anything else!

Thinking of this, her face flushed slightly, and Yukinoshita Haruno couldn't help but chuckle softly twice before flicking the elevator button with her finger.

Little Youyou, your naughty yet adorable girlfriend is coming to see you!

……

Yuuto didn't argue when Mrs. Yuigahama mistook him for Yui's boyfriend. After a polite greeting, he turned and headed home.

When a boy runs into his girlfriend's parents while taking her home, most boys feel embarrassed and flustered, fearing that they will leave a bad impression on their parents and be forced to separate from the girl they like.

Yuuka Tenkuji is different—he's more experienced than anyone else when it comes to meeting the parents.

She knows how to make a good impression on different types of parents, and she's not afraid of being separated from her partner for various reasons, which makes her seem particularly casual and calm.

Before leaving, I could still hear the two beautiful women, who looked more like sisters than mother and daughter, arguing in hushed tones behind me.

"I told you, he's not my boyfriend yet!"

"Don't be shy, dating is a good thing~ So, how far have you and this Tenkuji-kun gone? Well, we've already gone beyond kissing, right? You haven't secretly climbed the adult ladder without Mom knowing..."

"No! No! No! Mom, please stop!"

"Don't worry, Mom has a good first impression of him and won't break you up because of the fast pace... But you still need to be careful until you can afford the cost of having the baby."

"Waaaaah—don't be so loud! If Xiaoyou hears me, how am I supposed to face him tomorrow?!"

Sorry, I heard everything.

Tenkuji Yu thought to himself, a helpless expression on his face, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.

"Next time I visit Yui's house, I'll bring some homemade desserts with me..."

Although she is not an elder of a large family or the president of a company, Yui Yuigahama's family will never forget her family.

This is more precious than anything else.

Therefore, he wanted to take the initiative to maintain a good relationship with the other party, and continue like this until all the missions were over, and then one day, he would take Qiong to meet her as her in-laws...

Thinking too far ahead is a flaw that Yuuki Tenkuji has never been able to shake.

He shook his head, banishing the extraneous thoughts, and returned home before all the streetlights came on.

Clutching a rabbit plushie, Kasugano Sora waited listlessly for him in the entryway, her pale feet tapping idly on the floor. Upon seeing him, she called out:

"So slow! I'm starving!"

"Yes, yes, I'll go cook right now!"

As he passed by, Kasugano Sora blushed slightly, but said nonchalantly.

"Also, since you brought back a bunch of souvenirs, you can do whatever you want to me today... but only today!"

"Okay, okay, let's do it today... huh?"

Yuu Tenkuji paused on her way to the kitchen, blinking as if she couldn't believe her ears.

Now, my sister looks a little strange... Is this the aftereffect of bringing a girl home to play games?

No, it seems that Qiong has always been this strange.

Oh, that's alright then.

Chapter Sixteen: You can have many girlfriends, but you can only have one sister.

To not disappoint his sister's kindness, after dinner, Yuu Tenkuji asked Sora Kasugano to cook for him.

Knee Pillow.

"Why is it a lap pillow...?"

With a blushing face full of happiness, Kasugano Sora muttered a complaint under her breath. As soon as she got off the dining table, she couldn't wait to sit in the corner of the sofa and wait for him to come over.

"It just popped into my head. Didn't I make it for you this afternoon? It only took a few seconds."

Not seeing anything wrong with letting her younger sister give her a lap pillow, Yuu Tenkuji naturally lay down on her side, her feet dangling off the sofa, her face facing the TV, her head resting on her slender, soft thighs, the sweet scent of milk filling the air.

There wasn't much meat, but it was very springy.

He didn't exert any force, just leaned back gently, as if resting his head on a cool pillow made of jelly.

"Sora, this seems to be the first time you've given me a lap pillow, right?" Tenkuji Yu remarked.

"Yes, that's why I find it strange."

Kasugano Sora pursed her pink lips slightly, her pale eyes lowered, and she gazed tenderly at his profile.

Her fair fingertips gently touched his bangs, then slipped into his hair, gently combing his short hair.

"When did Yu, who is always strong and confident, start to act cute?"

"Is that not allowed?"

"I didn't say no. I just wanted to know why." Qiong scratched his scalp with her nails, her usually cool voice becoming noticeably emotional. "Don't change the subject. Even if you don't want to answer, I'm still going to ask—"

What happened during your trip to Kyoto?

"..."

Unable to lie to Kasugano Sora, Tenkuji Yu fell silent for a moment.

He felt the warmth of his sister's thigh against his cheek, and the temperature of her fingertips traveled from his scalp to his mind. There was no romantic stirring in his heart, only a constant warmth lingering there.

It's like a ship entering a safe harbor, shedding its scarred armor.

For a moment, I couldn't even remember what I was striving for.

"The more you regret the fleeting beauty of life, the more cruelly beautiful this world becomes... Is that why you start to fear the scenery of the future?"

As if giving up, Tenkuji Yu spoke, his voice so faint it seemed it might vanish into thin air at any moment.

His gaze was fixed on the endless void ahead, and regardless of whether his sister could understand him or not, he began to mutter to himself:

"Can I really make it to the end? How many more 'selves' can be stripped away? And how many more decisions that will hurt others will I have to make?"

Yuu Tenkuji, facing Yui Yuigahama, would never say such a thing, nor would he even have overly pessimistic thoughts.

Even he himself didn't know whether this was the effect of his perfect "acting skills".

It's as if countless real versions of him exist. Although none of them lied, they didn't fully reveal their true selves, and their so-called "true feelings" became increasingly fragmented.

A thousand people have a thousand faces, and even one person can have a thousand faces.

Perhaps, just as Sora said, he is currently just "Yuu Tenkuji who wants to act cute," which is why he suddenly wants a lap pillow and is asking questions in confusion that he can't get answers to.

"...I just suddenly felt a bit sentimental, don't worry about it."

This state only lasted a few seconds before Yuu Tenkuji closed her eyes and put on a relaxed and cheerful smile again.

"As for what happened, do you really want to know?"

"Otherwise, why would I ask you?"

Cool, soft fingers pinched his cheek, preventing him from showing that forced smile.

Using her little finger to brush aside the silver hair that fell across his face, Kasugano Sora said earnestly, "If even I can't say it, then no one in this world is qualified to listen to Yu."

Tenkuji Yu looked up at her, meeting her unquestionable gaze.

"Saying goodbye to those happy times again and again is more painful than I imagined."

……

"Otherwise, why would I ask you?"

Halfway through his sentence, Kasugano Sora pinched his cheek and frowned slightly: "Why are you sweating? Are you feeling unwell?"

"...A little, let me lie down quietly for a bit."