I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"Good grief, do you think I'm your guardian spirit?!"

Before she could finish speaking, Yuu Tenkuji met a pair of clear, peaceful eyes, as calm as a lake.

Without any warning, Yukino Yukinoshita spoke softly:

"Give me a reasonable explanation for yesterday's question."

The question was inappropriate; she even forgot that there were other people around, and simply stared at him intently and seriously.

After a moment of stunned silence, Tenkuji Yu muttered, a slight pursed of his lips:

"If it weren't for having no other choice, who would want to be seen as a jerk by their friends?"

"I see..."

She blinked her long, beautiful eyelashes twice, pondered for a moment, and then nodded gently.

"That answer was serious, but it's not what you wanted, right?"

"Lord Yukinoshita, please see the truth."

Yuu Tenkuji lowered his hand, scrutinized the still aloof and cool long-haired black-haired beauty, and couldn't help but roll his eyes: "You almost got hit on the head and you can still ask this kind of question? You're even more abnormal than I thought."

"If it's not real, you can't force me to be scared, can you?" Yukino Yukinoshita casually brushed her hair behind her ear and said, "Thank you for saving me in time. If I have the chance, I'll save you someday."

"How can you curse someone like that?!"

"Alright, alright, stop yelling over there. Move aside, I need to get someone to clean this up."

With a disdainful air, Yukino Yukinoshita calmly beckoned to the committee members, whose expressions ranged from worry and surprise to realization, and told them to come and deal with the broken side pillar of the archway. She then prepared to call Professor Hiratsuka to inform him of the safety concerns in this regard.

But when she took out her phone, her gaze couldn't help but drift to Yuu Tenkuji, who was standing outside the crowd with her arms crossed, looking at them impatiently.

The increasingly real and warm sense of security warms my chest and makes the corners of my mouth unconsciously turn up a little.

She murmured with a wry smile:

"What a perfect 'friend'."

Perhaps it's just an illusion.

This winter is warmer than I imagined.

Chapter 46 Yui Yuigahama: What did I miss?

If it weren't for Yumiko Miura, Yui Yuigahama would never have known what happened during the time she spent looking for someone during her lunch break but finding no one there.

"After Xiaoyou saved Xiaoxue at the school gate, everyone said they were already secretly dating?"

During a break between classes in the afternoon, she looked at her friend with a blank expression, unable to quite grasp the logical connections between them.

"That's what my friend told me anyway; she's also a member of the executive committee."

With her fingers curled around a blonde double-helix drill bit, Miura Yumiko pouted and said:

"Putting aside the heroic rescue of the damsel in distress by smashing a three-meter-tall wooden pillar with one punch by Tenkuji, just looking at the way those two were exchanging glances, no one would believe they weren't dating... There's also a guy from Class J who said that Yukinoshita smiled more today than he had in the past two years, making him exclaim, 'So Yuki-onna can smile too.'"

At this point, Miura Yumiko looked at Yuigahama Yui with suspicion: "Yui, are you really dating that Tenkuji guy?"

"Yes, that's right..."

After hesitating for a moment, Yui Yuigahama couldn't help but glance at Yuu Tenkuji in the distance.

Yumiko Miura pressed on, "So what exactly is his relationship with Yukinoshita? Is it just a rumor or is it true? Isn't Yukinoshita your friend? He attacked your friend?"

"Rumors! Of course, they're just rumors! Xiaoxue and Xiaoyou are just very good friends!"

Snapping out of her daze, Yui Yuigahama quickly waved her hands, trying to explain for him, "Although it's rare, Yuki does smile at me, so that doesn't prove anything! Besides, Yui isn't the kind of person who's two-timing!"

"...Hmph, who knows. Anyway, I advise you to keep a close eye on him. You can't be careless when dealing with a scumbag."

The air of someone about to reason with someone gradually dissipated, and Miura Yumiko leaned back in her chair, lazily examining her fingernails: "So, Yui, when are you finally going to have time to leave that man behind and go shopping with us?"

"Haha~ I'll definitely do it next time!"

After calming down her friends who were standing up for her, Yui Yuigahama endured it until school was over, until the props team finished their work for the day, and until Yuu Tenkuji called her to go home together.

"Hey, Xiaoyou, is there something you want to tell me?"

As he left the classroom and walked down the corridor toward the stairwell, Yui Yuigahama puffed out her round cheeks and stared at his profile with a resentful look.

After a moment's thought, Tenkuji Yu immediately understood what she wanted him to say.

After all, there are only a few things that concern her that happened today and that she would care about so much.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yuu Tenkuji said calmly, "but at noon, didn't I go to the cafeteria with Totsuka? After lunch, I went for a walk by myself near the playground, and I happened to run into Yukinoshita in front of the school gate..."

After he briefly recounted what had happened at noon, Yui nodded in sudden understanding. Ignoring their complicated relationship, she immediately asked with concern, "Xiaoxue shouldn't be hurt, right? And what about you, Xiaoyu...?"

She forcefully pulled his arm over, rolled up his sleeve, and gently enveloped his arm with her soft, cotton-candy-like fingers. She carefully felt his arm from his knuckles, and only after confirming that she did not find any wounds did she breathe a sigh of relief.

After she finished her checkup, Tenkuji Yu smiled and withdrew his hand, patting her head.

"This piece of wood can't hurt me, don't worry."

Yui Yuigahama, however, did not look away, continuing to stare at him with a serious expression, like a stern female teacher who had caught a student cheating and was not giving him a chance to bluff:

"Even so, next time you encounter such an accident, try to avoid it. Don't do things that may look cool but could cause injury!"

Sensing the concern in her words, Tenkuji Yu nodded honestly.

"I know, it won't happen again."

"Xiao Qiong will be worried."

"Ah."

"I'm worried too."

"Ah."

"Besides 'um'?"

"There are many more people who like me who are worried."

Yui Yuigahama blinked, tilting her head in confusion: "More people who like you?"

"What I mean is, for the sake of those who care about me, I shouldn't have done something so dangerous."

Tenkuji Yu rubbed his face, somewhat helplessly: "Is that enough? I'm already reflecting on my actions, so don't lecture me like a child."

"It's because Xiaoyou did those things without my knowledge... No one but me will lecture you."

Yui Yuigahama grumbled, shaking his arm playfully, then suddenly chuckled shyly, "Hehehe~ Did I look like a henpecked husband just now?"

Tenkuji Yu smirked: "You mean the housekeeper? Housekeeper Yui."

"..."

Yui Yuigahama released his hand expressionlessly and stomped hard on the back of his foot.

That's awful! If he keeps saying things like that to me, all my love will be extinguished!

As she was fuming with anger, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of her.

Her black hair flowed like tassels, and the bright and graceful profile of her face was outlined by the setting sun, her delicate cheeks were spotless, and she shone with a light glow like porcelain.

Yui Yuigahama immediately abandoned him, raised her hand, and greeted him cheerfully:

"Light snow? Yay!"

Yukino Yukinoshita, who was looking down at her documents, looked up and was taken aback when she saw the two walking towards her side by side. She subconsciously glanced at Yuuto Tenkuji first before turning her gaze to Yui Yuigahama.

"Are you getting ready to go back?"

Yui Yuigahama quickly stepped forward, affectionately hugged her arm, and smiled broadly: "Yes~ Yuki is still busy with committee matters? Should we wait for you?"

“…Never mind.” After thinking for a moment, Yukino shook her head gently. “I’ll probably be busy until the school gates close, there’s no need to keep you waiting that long.”

"I see. Then let's go home together next time." Yui looked at her face, her smile fading, and asked with concern, "But Yuki, are committee matters very busy? You look so tired..."

"I can't say I'm not tired, but it's still within my capabilities." Rubbing her brow, which had become furrowed at some point, Yukino sighed softly. "There are too many people holding me back, but there's nothing I can do. The capable should do more."

Tenkuji Yu suddenly spoke up, his tone filled with undisguised criticism: "The most capable should do more work. This is the most shameless value system, which will make more people willing to be ordinary."

Yukino paused slightly, then raised her gaze, pursed her soft lips, and stared at him indifferently.

"Oops……"

Sensing the impending storm, Yui Yuigahama instantly focused her attention, held her breath, and prepared to defuse the impending chilling war.

The next moment, as their eyes met, Yukino Yukinoshita spoke first:

"You think I don't know? The truth is, there's no one available, and everyone has to take on more work, regardless of their ability."

Tenkuji Yu immediately retaliated, giving her no room to hide her attack:

"The reality is that the executive committee's workload is getting heavier and heavier, but the other members are all useless. To avoid overworking, you need more 'capable people' to help you—am I right?"

Yukino turned her face away: "There's no need for that."

"I am your friend."

She puffed out her cheeks slightly: "...Not for now."

"Can it still hold on?"

She scoffed, "Don't underestimate me."

"I couldn't help but speak up. It's only natural for friends to help each other."

Her expression returned to calm: "You don't need to say anything more, I know what I'm doing."

"Then come to my house this weekend, and we'll cook together. Do you have the time?"

"...Sigh. Address?"

I'll send it to you later.

Amidst Yu's triumphant smile, Yukino Yukinoshita sighed helplessly, her stiffness softening considerably, and she appeared more energetic.

"I'll be going now, see you tomorrow."

After saying this to Yui Yuigahama, she walked past the two of them, her figure still as graceful and supple as a willow branch, heading towards the teachers' office.

"What a show-off."