I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

After examining the surface for a moment, she cautiously opened the book to the inside pages, ready to throw it out the window at any moment.

...Normal white paper, brand new blank, no different from an ordinary notebook, with no usage rules or anything written on the inside of the cover.

"I guess I was overthinking it... Heh." Amused by her own overthinking, Kasumigaoka Utaha shook her head, flipped through the pages of the book, and after confirming that it was all blank, quickly lost interest and was about to close it and put it back on the bookshelf.

In that instant, black text suddenly flashed in the corner of her eye, and she quickly stopped what she was doing, turning back to the only page that wasn't pure white.

"It wasn't like that just now..."

The conversation abruptly ended.

Under Kasumigaoka Utaha's horrified, wide-eyed gaze, the black characters seemed to come alive, gradually transforming from the initial "7/24" into a complete sentence.

Even though she subconsciously let go of the notebook and let it fall onto the table, the title page did not turn even half a page.

The ink continued to trace lines on the white paper, like an automatically running computer program, listing line after line of 'records'.

"On July 24th, you met Yuu Tenkuji at the street piano near JR Shibuya Station..."

Chapter Eighteen: Anticipation - The Day You Confess to Me

November 13th, Monday, morning.

On the long slope where the two often "accidentally" meet, Yuu Tenkuji arrives earlier than Yui Yuigahama for the first time, and just like she always has, she leans against a telephone pole and waits for the other to come over.

"Sorry I'm late~"

The gentle morning light revealed delicate pink hair, and the rather sizable bun swayed slightly beneath the winter uniform.

After their shadows walked side by side, Tenkuji Yu took the lead, jokingly saying, "If you consider this late, why don't we just wait for each other here before dawn?"

"Hehehe~ I just said it offhand."

Yui smiled sheepishly and glanced at his profile, her shoulder brushing against his as if by accident.

Instead of keeping his distance as usual, he simply walked forward with a normal expression; the feeling of skin touching and breaths drawing near instantly dispelled all the winter chill.

With just this small gesture, Yui Yuigahama suddenly had a dazed feeling—"Ah, he and I are no longer just ordinary friends."

She could clearly feel that the distance between them had indeed shortened significantly, and a sweet joy welled up from the bottom of her heart to her throat, quickly softening the smile on her lips, making her unable to help but giggle.

But when she thought about how he had stolen a kiss from her yesterday, and how she had taken advantage of the atmosphere to kiss him back... or bite him, a blush quickly spread across her cheeks, and her lips pursed shyly.

Yui Yuigahama quickly looked away, no longer daring to steal glances at him.

At this moment, Yuu Tenkuji took the initiative to speak, breaking the slightly silent atmosphere through conversation.

"Speaking of which, the school festival is almost here... I feel like we in the support team haven't accomplished much yet."

"There's nothing we can do about it."

The cold wind cooled the heat on her face, and Yui Yuigahama naturally continued the conversation: "Everyone just finalized the performance schedule on Thursday. During what should have been the busiest time, we were busy with the competition in Kyoto... We can only start making up for the part we couldn't help with from now on."

She turned to look at him, her large, bright, moist eyes blinking: "Speaking of which, Xiaoyou, aren't you really planning to compete for the lead role? I feel like 'Death God Adler' would suit you perfectly. You're the lead, and you're so cool!"

The cultural festival project for Class 2-F was this play called "Adler".

Featuring the Grim Reaper, Adler, as the protagonist, the story tells the tragic tale of how he is tricked by the female protagonist into searching for the meaning of life, only to end up dying alongside her.

It's worth mentioning that because the script was decided by vote, even though a certain student named Ebina wrote a wonderful and touching gay script, she was still dragged off the stage by the majority of the straight students, preventing her from trying to use her position for personal gain.

As for the lead role, although the cast has already been finalized, if Yuu Tenkuji wants to compete for it, probably not many people will dare to challenge him, and even if they do, they won't be able to win.

"So, I have no interest in acting on stage." Tenkuji Yu sighed listlessly, looking at the morning mist with melancholy eyes.

"I'm already handsome enough. If I get any more handsome, aren't you afraid that even more girls will come after me?"

Yui chuckled dryly a few times: "Haha, to be able to say something like that so confidently, I have to say, as expected of Yui..."

In contrast, she didn't even have the nerve to agree with such narcissistic statements and could only silently agree in her heart.

—That's true. It's a good thing I didn't join the acting group. As long as I know how handsome Xiaoyou is, that's enough!

"I'm scared even if you're not. Having to reject people's confessions every day is just annoying."

The image of a certain person popped into her mind, and Yuu Tenkuji blurted out unconsciously, "If that kind of situation really happens, you'll be my shield, Yui."

"A shield?" Yui Yuigahama asked, somewhat bewildered.

"It's just a fake relationship, to tell everyone else that I'm already taken..." He paused, then came to his senses, glancing away with a calmer gaze and a nonchalant smile.

"No, never mind. Thinking about it seriously, using someone as a shield is really stupid. It's better to just announce that you're only interested in guys."

“That would be even worse, wouldn’t it?! And, if it really comes down to it, I wouldn’t mind saying that…” Yui Yuigahama puffed out her round cheeks, lowered her head, and gently twisted her hands behind her back as she muttered.

"Anyway, if I become a fake girlfriend, I can eventually turn the fake into a real one."

“That’s true.” Tenkuji ruffled her bun hairstyle and said with certainty and matter-of-fact tone, “But Yui, you are special to me. There’s no need for you to deceive others with a false identity.”

"Oh, I see..."

She stammered a reply, then looked down at the road, feeling her entire face flush.

Her heart was pounding so hard that she was so shy she wanted to bury her face in his chest—she hadn't gotten used to the distance that came after being friends, and she didn't know how to respond in a way that would suit their current relationship.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, perhaps this is what is meant by a sweet kind of trouble?

Compared to her, the guy next to her was so skilled at flirting that it was like he was doing it for the first time. He didn't think there was anything wrong with talking to a girl he wasn't even officially dating yet. He just used his eyes and voice to naturally melt her heart and make her like him more and more.

How cunning! Yui Yuigahama gave a sullen snort.

No wonder he said yesterday that he would cheat on his wife twice sooner or later. With his character, as long as he doesn't actively refuse, it's possible that he would cheat on his wife twenty times!

In that case, it would be better to reserve the position of fake girlfriend first, so that other girls have no chance to get close to him...

Although she harbored many grievances, she knew in her heart that she had done everything she could, and all that was left was to wait.

He had promised that all she needed to do was wait for him to fall in love with her, and Yui Yuigahama believed him without question, not wanting to do anything to hasten his decision.

And the title of "special person" sounds even more important than a girlfriend!

Under the strange gaze of Yuu Tenkuji, Yui Yuigahama cupped her face and grinned foolishly again.

The first rays of dawn break.

Her narrowed eyes were filled with contentment and peace of mind.

……

The route to school was similar to usual, yet somewhat different; in the blink of an eye, only the final stretch remained.

The school gate was right in front of them, and students wearing the same Zongwu High School uniforms, with scarves wrapped around their necks and hunched over, were already walking into the school. The disciplinary committee members, who looked like gatekeepers, cast sharp glances at them, staring intently at their hands that had unconsciously become clasped together.

Then he gave an ambiguous smile, nodded as a greeting, and turned to the other students who hadn't put on their uniforms properly, shouting at them sternly.

"I've wanted to say this for a while now: our school is way too lenient on this kind of thing, isn't it?"

Yui Yuigahama whispered, but showed no intention of letting go of his arm.

The two of them walked intimately to the shoe cabinet, whereupon she reluctantly released her body, which felt warmer than the whole of spring, and changed into indoor shoes before walking with him toward the classroom.

As more and more people arrived, and since she didn't yet have a formal "status," her sense of shame wasn't strong enough to allow her to flaunt her affection in front of others. So, she could only stay by his side and casually ask:

"By the way, Xiaoyou... what's our relationship now?"

After pondering for a while, Yuu Tenkuji tentatively said:

"More than friends, but less than lovers?"

Although he could directly call her his girlfriend, he knew he would never want to see Yui Yuigahama dating any man other than himself, even if their relationship wasn't quite there yet. But he wouldn't give up the position of "Yui Yuigahama's boyfriend" to anyone.

However, because of what he said yesterday, he decided to be a little pretentious and seriously define the relationship between the two of them without any lies.

"As expected? It's alright, things are fine as they are for now!"

Upon hearing this answer, Yui Yuigahama did not feel disappointed. Instead, she felt open-minded, relaxed, and naturally at ease, no longer experiencing that sense of dissatisfaction.

Because compared to the past when she could never convey her feelings, she now has the answer she wanted, and from now on, she will no longer be sad because he rejected her.

"So, can I start to look forward to it?"

She suddenly quickened her pace and turned halfway around.

Her skirt arced gracefully through the air, and her bright eyes curved into crescents as she looked at him with a smile.

"—I'm looking forward to the day you confess your feelings to me!"

Without any impurities, the pure and tender feelings shone directly into the heart of Yuu Tenkuji, like a ray of warm winter sun.

He paused for a moment, then laughed:

"Of course, look forward to it, Yui."

Chapter Nineteen: Girls with Impure Thoughts

Yui Yuigahama nodded vigorously, and the moment her eyes met his, a few more blushes crept up her slender neck, making her look alluringly cute.

She touched the bun on her head as if to hide her embarrassment, and casually changed the subject: "By the way, Xiaoyou, when did you start calling me by my name?"

“Hmm? From summer…” Tenkuji paused, then shook his head and said, “Sorry, I don’t remember the reason very clearly either.”

"Really? Never mind, it's not important!" Yui Yuigahama turned her half-reddened face away, waited for him to walk up behind her, tugged at his sleeve, and whispered:

"That one yesterday... it shouldn't count as my first kiss, right?"

The first time was a light touch of lips, and the second time was when she bit down to vent her emotions. Both times were completely different from the first kiss that Yui Yuigahama had imagined. She didn't want her girlish heart to be broken so easily!

The perfect scenario would be like in a comic book, both tender and innocent, with each other tentatively breathing; from light to heavy, from shallow to deep, from lips to tongue, breath and saliva indistinguishable...

Finally, their fingers intertwined, and in a daze of passion, they were pushed down onto the bed. Their lips slowly moved down from the corners of their mouths, first to their chins, then to their necks, leaving a firm mark on their collarbone before the buttons were gently undone...

"Yui?"

"No, no, nothing! I absolutely didn't have any unhealthy fantasies!"

As if waking from a dream, Yui Yuigahama loudly defended herself, covering her face with her hands, but she couldn't hide her fair and rosy skin at all. Her delicate and cute ears were all red, and it seemed as if steam was rising from her head.

Is this pushing your luck?! We've only taken one step forward, and he's already expecting the next three or four...

Yui Yuigahama, you impure-minded girl!

Yuu Tenkuji noticed her embarrassment and, suppressing a laugh, pretended to be serious, saying, "If you feel that yesterday's wasn't romantic enough, then next time when the atmosphere is right, we can talk about the 'first kiss' properly?"

"Well, let's just leave it at that! Besides, kissing isn't something only boyfriends and girlfriends can do; many childhood friends do it too..."