I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

With her hand resting on her chin, Ms. Yukinoshita pondered, a thoughtful expression on her face: "Judging from your words, it's as if someone forced you to make this absurd choice... no, it should be said as if someone gave you a task you couldn't refuse."

"Unable to disobey orders from above, yet afraid to make decisions on your own, that's why you're so troubled that you can't help but confide in the perfect me, right?"

"..."

Silently, Tenkuji Yu looked at her with a ghostly gaze, his lips twitching slightly.

"Yukino Yukinoshita, are you a god or a mind-reading monster?"

To be able to guess the truth with such limited information, is this person just too smart or does he know him too well?

"Just simple reasoning? Call me a god if you want, after all, I'm the perfect me."

She casually tossed her long hair to hide her smugness, quickly suppressing the proud smile that had just appeared on her lips. She frowned and looked at him seriously again.

"So, isn't it my turn to ask questions?"

Yuu Tenkuji blinked: "But you haven't answered yet..."

"Answer my question first."

"Everything has its order of arrival and departure..."

"Ok?"

Do you have a problem with that? — That's the tone I use.

"...No objection, please go first, Lady Yukino."

Under her cold, unyielding gaze, Tenkuji Yu could only helplessly raise his hands, but felt inexplicably relieved.

Even though there was only a little over a minute left in the countdown, after chatting with her for a few minutes, the suffocating feeling gradually subsided, and the feeling of confusion and helplessness vanished quietly like snow melting in the sunlight.

...So, I trusted her that much?

Feeling like a child whining to his mother, Yuu Tenkuji sighed inwardly upon realizing this.

“First of all…” Yukino Yukinoshita tapped her elbow twice with her fingers, carefully choosing her words before speaking seriously in an interrogative tone, “Have you told anyone else about these things?”

He answered honestly, "Everyone outside knows that I 'cheate' except my sister. As for choosing one of the three options, I've only told you that, and I probably will only tell you that."

"Well, it's not something you can just say out loud." Yukino commented casually, then continued, "Your relationship with Yui-chan... no, let's put it this way. You're dating Yui-chan while also becoming someone else's 'ideal boyfriend.' Have you thought about how she might feel?"

“If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t be feeling so bad right now.” Tenkuji Yu shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “Both she and I were prepared for this beforehand… that’s why we haven’t really started dating yet.”

"So, you already knew you would cheat on me sooner or later, and that's why you made Yui Hama prepare herself mentally?"

Rather than a question, it's more like a conclusion that summarizes facts.

Yukino gently pressed her temples and sighed again: "If you weren't the one saying these things, I would sincerely suggest that he see a psychiatrist... He's either insane or beyond redemption."

Tenkuji Yu raised an eyebrow and smiled: "I didn't expect you to trust me so much. You truly are my friend."

Yukino smiled faintly: "Yeah, who told me that giving you advice is useless? I'm the kind of person who will give up decisively when I should, and I won't do things that are futile."

"Hehe, you're really smart."

"Next... since you can't answer the reason, let's ask this as the last question." She murmured to herself, her smile fading, her stern and quiet gaze meeting Tenkuji Yu's eyes.

Why should I tell you?

Let alone how much courage it takes to speak out about such a thing, given his intelligence, he couldn't possibly not know that choosing to be honest would only make his "mission" more complicated and harder to complete.

Ideal boyfriend?

Who would want a boyfriend who openly admits he's going to cheat? Isn't saying it just asking for trouble?

This contradictory situation, while somewhat in line with his troublesome personality, still made Yukino Yukinoshita want to know—

What was the real reason he chose to be honest with himself?

"..."

It seemed to be a question that required thought. After a few seconds of silence, Yuu Tenkuji slowly spoke.

"There are many reasons, but probably none of them are what you want to hear, right?"

In the quiet, flowing kitchen, the two looked at each other, their expressions natural and without any further pretense.

"I cannot lie to Yukino Yukinoshita."

"Is it because you can't, or because you don't want to?"

"Aren't they all the same?"

"why?"

"Don't tell you."

"You like me?"

"From a human perspective, I like it, but I don't care if it's a man or a woman."

"Ha, the guy who was spying not long ago actually has the nerve to say something like that."

"Hey friend, can we get back to business now?"

"The important thing is, you haven't said what I want to hear yet."

Her expression suddenly became tense and serious. Yukino Yukinoshita took a step and stood in front of Yuu Tenkuji.

The distance between the two instantly shrunk to an extremely close level, and Tenkuji Yu could smell the fragrance on her body; even with a lot of food on the table, it could not mask the unique, fresh and sweet scent of the girl that still wafted into his nose.

She tilted her fair, rosy face upwards, parted her cherry lips slightly, and asked, word by word:

"Tenkuji-kun, how do you want me to answer you? Tell the truth."

"..."

I couldn't help but hold my breath, as if I were suffocating.

Although he was just standing still, Yuu Tenkuji felt like he was cornered, with no room to retreat or escape.

While he cannot lie to Yukino Yukinoshita, Yukino Yukinoshita also forbids him from lying to himself.

"All right……"

Without a thought of resistance, Yuu Tenkuji closed his eyes as if giving up.

The numbers, with less than ten seconds remaining, disappeared from his sight, and everything went dark.

Even so, her presence remained vivid, like a cool snowflake that left a warm afterglow in the palm of your hand.

He exhaled all the air from his lungs and slowly opened his mouth:

"Can I ask you for a favor, Yukinoshita?"

For the first time, Yuu Tenkuji stopped pretending to be strong and entrusted the cowardice in her heart to others.

If you can't choose, just give the choice to someone else.

But no one can tolerate such a cunning yet cowardly approach, right?

"Let's put aside what I owe you for now, but I won't stand idly by when a friend is in trouble."

Without any hesitation, Yukino Yukinoshita said matter-of-factly.

Then, her cool, soft fingers touched his brow and gently smoothed out the wrinkles.

Her voice sounded like she was laughing, but it also sounded like she was sighing.

"So, Tenkuji-kun—I'll accept your request."

"No matter what it takes, I will get you out of that expression."

Time remaining: 0:01.

"Target confirmed: Yukino Yukinoshita."

"Note: The mission has been initiated."

"Become Yukino Yukinoshita's ideal boyfriend, and you will be rewarded based on your performance."

Mission end time: Unknown.

"Mission Notice: Yukinoshita Haruno's memories have been restored. This character may affect the progress of the mission. Please handle this with caution!"

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Relationships Leading Towards the Abyss

"No matter what it takes?"

Tenkuji Yu opened his eyes, and before he could even come to his senses, he subconsciously repeated the sentence.

Thank goodness, he was simply stunned by the girl's overly resolute determination and didn't really connect it to anything else.

But Yukino Yukinoshita, after a slight pause, quickly backed away, clutching her chest and biting her lip, glaring at him angrily.

Those flushed cheeks clearly indicated a misunderstanding.

"To have such lewd thoughts even at a time like this, Tenkuji-kun, you really are—"

"Wait, this scene has happened before!"

Before she could finish speaking, Yuu Tenkuji immediately raised her hand to stop her, her expression earnest as she defended herself: "You remember, right? I said I have absolutely no interest in your figure and I would never have any improper thoughts about you! So don't get any lewd ideas out of your head!"

Yes, he knew he shouldn't say such blunt truths, but he still did it out of habit.

The instinct to tease Yukino Yukinoshita is probably ingrained in his DNA.

Naturally, upon hearing this, Yukino Yukinoshita became even angrier.

Recalling what happened when she first met him, and looking down at her barely rising and falling chest, her face flushed and paled, and a cold flame ignited in her eyes.

The kitchen temperature plummeted, and then, a chilling, sharp gaze locked onto the knife rack behind him, a glint of eager anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"Ha ha……"

Oh no! She started laughing in her anger.

Seeing that things were not going well, Tenkuji Yu immediately became serious again. He coughed twice and was about to say something to comfort her when the kitchen door was suddenly slowly opened.

"Xiaoyou, Xiaoxue?"

Yui Yuigahama peeked in from behind the door, her gaze shifting between the two of them. After blinking in confusion, she tentatively asked, "Is dinner ready? Do you need us to help serve the dishes? Everyone's a little hungry..."

His shoulders jerked suddenly, and his voice, responding reflexively, was slightly off-key.