I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

The voice seeking answers was too faint; in the noisy environment, only a few words were scattered by the wind and drifted into Tenkuji Yu's ears.

"...Was it a fake relationship turning into a real one?"

……

"I really miss it..."

After speeding all the way, we finally arrived at Disneyland in the shortest possible time. My heart is still pounding from the journey.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Yukinoshita Haruno couldn't help but smile as she recalled the events of the summer vacation.

But then he thought about the current situation, and his lips involuntarily curled downwards, his expression unconsciously darkening, and his cold gaze carefully swept over the people around him.

Naturally, she arrived late and didn't find the person she wanted to see... she didn't even see the person she didn't want to see.

"It's okay, I can wait."

Muttering to herself, Yukinoshita Haruno gripped the bag in her hand and strode towards the amusement park's ticket check-in area.

At the same time, he regretted it—if only he had installed a tracking app on Yukino's phone!

Chapter 123 Sisters' War (15)

After leaving Uchuyama, Yukino Yukinoshita's condition was surprisingly stable.

"Didn't I say? I'm not afraid of these kinds of thrilling rides, I just don't like them."

She tidied her wind-blown hair, not even glancing at him, but a smug smile played on her lips: "I'm sorry, you've miscalculated... A mere roller coaster is nothing to me."

"So confident?" Raising an eyebrow, Yuu Tenkuji stroked his chin and recalled, "I wonder who it was that, as the roller coaster climbed higher and higher, kept their eyes closed and clung tightly to my sleeve."

"..."

"Who was trembling at the peak of their career, only to calm down after I patted their head a few times?"

"..."

"By the way, who was that lovely little girl I helped off the train, and who took more than ten seconds to calm down?"

"..."

As if she hadn't heard him speak, Yukino Yukinoshita remained silent, but the chill emanating from her back grew stronger, and her fingers, which were combing her hair, became stiff as a machine.

Yuu Tenkuji smiled suddenly, and before her anger could reach its peak, she shrugged and said casually, "Since you're so brave, let's go ride the teacups next. It's just a teacup ride that's a bit faster, it shouldn't be more thrilling than a roller coaster."

As soon as she finished speaking, he could hear her inhaling, and it seemed that her chest had swelled up even more in places he couldn't see.

"...Go try it yourself, I won't accompany you again next time."

After saying this coldly, Yukino Yukinoshita headed towards the exit of the Cosmic Mountain.

Just as Yuu Tenkuji was about to follow, she suddenly stopped and gently turned her head to the side.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with her finger, and one side of her face, dyed a light cherry blossom pink, turned towards him, her lake-like eyes reflecting his image.

"Are you trying to deliberately provoke me and make me forget what I told you in the car?"

It's still the same old thing; it's clearly a question, but it's phrased as an affirmative sentence.

As if locked onto by her clear gaze, Tenkuji Yuya stopped and smiled noncommittally.

"The wind was too strong then, I didn't hear what you said."

“Lies.” Yukino sneered dismissively, as if she saw right through him. “You should understand that a guy who’s always lying can never be my ideal boyfriend… I know there are many things you can’t say, but can’t you even face your own feelings honestly?”

"How can I be at ease about something I'm not even sure about myself? I don't like ambiguity." Tenkuji Yu shrugged and decisively retorted, "And you? If I'm not mistaken, in everything we've been through, you've been the one who's more conflicted than me, haven't you?"

He suddenly took a step forward.

The aggressive words, carrying an inexplicable oppressive force, enveloped the slender figure before her.

"Under the snow, I ask you—from Yui's feelings to the change from a three-person date to a two-person date, what aspects are you able to accept and clarify at that moment?"

No, right?

Tenkuji Yu stared intently into her eyes, questioning her word by word: "Similarly, even if I'm not your ideal boyfriend, I can still hold your hand, stand so close to you, hear your racing heartbeat, and feel your rising body temperature—why is that? Can you honestly tell me the reason?"

"If you can, so can I."

Her clear pupils contracted, and she opened her mouth slightly as if startled, falling silent in a daze.

Taking in all the subtle shifts in her dark blue eyes, Tenkuji Yu knew in her heart that she shouldn't have asked her those questions.

When he was most helpless, it was Yukino Yukinoshita who reached out to help him;

When he didn't know what to do, it was Yukino Yukinoshita's gentleness and sense of justice that made the choice for him.

Thinking about it this way, even though the mission wasn't successful yet, I still owe her a lot.

They could have gone their separate ways peacefully, but he arbitrarily ruined their friendship and forced them into this increasingly difficult situation together—he is the culprit who created the problem.

Yukino Yukinoshita is innocent, and as the culprit, Yuu Tenkuji has no right to force her to give any answer.

Her words, her actions...

They themselves had no room to say anything.

"...Sorry, I spoke without thinking. Just pretend I didn't say anything."

The words had barely left her mouth when a wave of regret washed over her, causing Tenkuji Yu to quickly lower her head and honestly admit her mistake.

Suppressing his tangled emotions, he took a deep breath to calm himself, a gentle smile appearing on his lips, trying to act as if nothing had happened.

"Let's go, where should we go next? Pan Panda's Adventure?"

As he spoke, Yuu Tenkuji walked past Yukino Yukinoshita without looking at her expression, his attitude completely nonchalant.

Then, after walking a few steps, I felt a pulling sensation in my arm.

"You think you can just run away after you've finished speaking?"

That was a very cold, emotionless voice.

Without forcefully pulling her arm back, afraid of hurting those overly slender fingers, Yuu Tenkuji simply sighed softly and slowly turned her head.

Her eyes were equally cold and stern, yet much gentler than I had imagined.

Huh? Aren't you angry?

what happened?

"As expected, a troublesome guy like you can't be dealt with just by talking."

Like a leopard that has finally found its prey's weakness and slowly reveals its fangs, Yukino Yukinoshita curled the corners of her lips and stared at his slightly uneasy expression with a half-smile.

Yuu Tenkuji subconsciously swallowed: "You dare to talk about me like that? Who's the more troublesome one here... Hey!"

Before he could finish speaking, the girl suddenly reached out and grabbed his collar, pulling him down to face her, with only a hand's width between them.

Their breaths touched, as if they could feel the warmth of each other's lips; they were both staring at each other's reflections, as if their heartbeats were in sync.

"Please remember—I will save you from that expression, and that promise still stands."

As if to etch her words deep into his heart, the girl, even more assertive than Tenkuji Yu from before, stared directly into his eyes and said in a heavy, unquestionable tone:

"It's not for some random mission, but simply because I want to help you."

"This is something I want to do. There is absolutely no reason to give up or be sloppy before it is finished."

That expression was solemn and dignified, as if he were announcing the law.

"Yukino Yukinoshita is your girlfriend, I've already acknowledged that fact—no matter if it troubles Yuihama-san, or if I have to stand against my sister, no one can make me give up this identity, including you!"

"So from now on, please treat me with the same attitude... instead of just playing around or acting deliberately."

"Admit it."

We have no choice but to admit it.

For some reason, she slowly smiled, her eyes narrowing like a lazy kitten.

That look in her eyes, as if accepting a certain helpless truth, was gentler than the first spring when the snow melts.

"You'll fall in love with me eventually, just like I'll fall in love with you eventually."

"Even without any requests, if we continue to be friends like this, one day I will..."

The murmured words abruptly stopped there.

Yukino blinked, her breath catching involuntarily. She stared at his stunned handsome face and beautifully shaped lips for a while before her face belatedly flushed with embarrassment. Her eyes slowly widened, and her body temperature noticeably rose.

In conclusion!

Slightly flustered, she loosened her grip on his collar, took a few steps back, and the force that had seemed to be about to force a kiss on him quickly dissipated.

Breathing in the cold air, Yukino Yukinoshita glanced sideways at the floor, discreetly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"No matter...what the future holds, no matter the reason..."

She bit her pink lips, trying to maintain her composure, but her voice grew softer and softer, and she even stuttered a little.

"At least for now, I'm really looking forward to... our next date..."

She finished speaking shyly, her fair and lovely face already flushed red.

Yukino Yukinoshita closed her eyes tightly, pressed her small hands to her chest, and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, she clenched her small fist in front of her chest and waved it, her lips seemingly saying, "Good, you said it!" She also had a satisfied expression on her face, as if she had accomplished some great feat, and her eyes sparkled.

Once she had calmed down, she coughed twice and walked back to Yuu Tenkuji's side with an air of nonchalance, putting her arm around his.

"Holding hands is too much trouble, let's just walk like this... By the way, I'm more used to calling him Tenkuji-kun, and I won't change it unless necessary."

Like a stray cat that had just been picked up, Yukino cautiously approached him, being careful not to let her small chest touch his arm.

Maintaining this distance, the girl seemed relieved and pursed her lips slightly, looking naturally ahead: "Next stop is Pan Panda's Adventure. After taking the cable car, we'll take pictures together. There's a camera over there that can capture unique backgrounds that can only be found here."

It sounded like a declaration that the current matter had come to an end and it was time to move on to the next stage.

The road leads to a wide-open space. Although a thin layer of cold mist still shrouds the towering castle's spires, it will surely dissipate sooner or later in the increasingly bustling amusement park.

"..."

The girl took the first step.

Yuu Tenkuji did not resist and followed her out of the Cosmic Mountain, heading towards the Pan Panda Adventure amusement park.