I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

She paused slightly as she turned around, pursing her lips with a hint of reproach and shyness. A delicate, girlish charm was conveyed with a roll of her eyes, but a warm smile flowed from her slightly curved eyes.

With just a simple glance, the message conveyed was, of course, equally simple—

'I like you too, Yuu Tenkuji.'

Amid thunderous applause, Yukino Yukinoshita turned and left with an air of nonchalance, not at all worried that he wouldn't understand.

Tenkuji Yuuya withdrew his gaze, stretched contentedly, and smiled so brightly that Totsuka Saika couldn't help but ask him a question.

No one knows what will happen in that brief moment.

A couple reaffirmed their feelings for each other in front of hundreds of people.

……

After the opening ceremony, back in the classroom, the entire production team sprang into action. Loud shouts rang out everywhere, and everyone was doing their part, determined to deliver the best possible stage debut.

Yuu Tenkuji was the only exception.

As the "all-rounder" in the eyes of his classmates, he had already helped the class a lot during the preparation stage, and now there was no logistical work that he had to take charge of. So after getting permission from the class monitor to have free time, he felt no guilt about slacking off while others were working, and he prepared to set off to the Service Club to find Kasugano Sora.

After saying goodbye to Totsuka Saika who was changing clothes and putting on makeup, Tenkuji Yuu headed towards Yuigahama Yui's spot. However, before he could even speak to her, Miura Yumiko stood in front of him with a fierce expression, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, her aura as a queen of fire burning brightly.

"Do you want to take her away?"

"So what if it is?" Tenkuji Yu tilted his head, his expression as calm as still water.

Taking a ten-centimeter step back, Miura Yumiko continued with an annoyed expression, "I advise you to give up on this idea—Yui is different from you, a lazy person. She still has work to do in class. Do you really think our class has enough people?! Don't drag others down with you if you don't work yourself. You're the kind of person who's a black sheep!"

"I don't have a job? Am I a black sheep?" Tenkuji Yu raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth slowly curling up into a cold, crescent-shaped arc, instantly radiating a cruel aura no less than the other party's.

Before Miura Yumiko could even experience the "art of language," Yuigahama Yui quickly pulled her aside, clasped her hands together, bowed deeply to him, and solemnly apologized:

"Xiaoyou, I'm sorry! I really can't get away right now, you'll have to go by yourself!"

"..." Tenkuji Yu's expression softened slightly. He pinched her soft cheek, feeling as if he were pinching a freshly made daifuku. "It's nothing. I could have gone to pick her up by myself, but I just wanted to be with you."

"Hehehe~" Yui Yuigahama giggled happily as his warm, rough fingers caressed her skin, then said, "Okay, I'll come find you guys when I'm done here. There's a lot to help with right after the show starts, but it won't take up too much time later!"

"I'm not blaming you. Wait for me to come back." With a smile, Yuu Tenkuji turned and left without even glancing at Yumiko Miura behind her.

The sounds of those who were to be attacked could still be faintly heard.

"Yui, what's so good about that kind of man... arrogant and conceited..."

"Uh, well, it's all because Yumiko was so mean to him first... And the misunderstanding about the cheating should have been cleared up by now, so why do you still hate Yumiko so much, Yumiko..."

"I just don't like him... Besides, since she got together with him, hasn't Yui been going out with us less and less?"

"Huh? Really? I've hardly ever gone on dates with him!"

"What?! He actually didn't go on a date with you! That snobbish bastard..."

"Alright, alright, let's get back to work..."

Upon hearing this, Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but roll her eyes at the corridor.

Are most female high school students these days mentally unstable?

If that's the case, then it's just fortunate that he fell for two relatively normal high school girls.

...Well, that's relatively normal.

There wasn't a single truly normal person around him.

△

After traversing mountains and rivers and wading through crowds, Tenkuji Yu finally arrived at the special building after the cultural festival officially began, and climbed the steps to the Service Department.

However, because he heard a noise coming from the entrance, he waited there for a while, and soon he was lucky enough to see Miss Yukino, whose steps were as light as a cat's.

In the stairwell, the two met each other's gazes as they went up and down the stairs.

After a slight pause, Yukino regained her composure and walked gracefully and quietly to his side.

"Did I arrive just in time?"

"It's because we're so in sync," Yuu Tenkuji said proudly.

After confirming that no one was nearby, Yukino gently hugged his arm, rested her face against it as if to relax, and relaxed completely.

"It's better to avoid it in front of so many people; be careful of those sharp-eyed guys in the news department."

Yuu Tenkuji frowned: "Confessing with my eyes isn't even allowed? I don't believe they can understand it."

Yukino pinched him playfully: "Your silly grin is practically overflowing. Do you think you're being discreet?"

Tenkuji Yu pouted: "Aren't you the same? Your face is full of expressions of liking me."

Yukino said righteously, "It's different. I looked at you for less than two seconds!"

They walked upstairs, whispering sweet nothings to each other.

Just as she left the stairwell, Yuu Tenkuji suddenly remembered something, and her expression as she looked at Yukino became hesitant.

She keenly noticed this change, her expression instantly freezing, like a lazy kitten gracefully landing from its owner's arms, releasing his arm, and scrutinizing him with her elbows crossed.

Then, in a cold voice, he asked:

"Is there something you want to say to me?"

nod.

"I don't know where to begin, and I'm afraid I'll upset you?"

nod.

"Did...do that kind of thing behind my back and Yui's back?"

Shake your head vigorously.

"Or are you going to evolve from having two relationships to having three?"

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

"None of them? Let me think..."

She rested her hand on her chin, her delicate and lovely face showing a thoughtful expression, and then tentatively asked, "Is it related to my sister?"

Tenkuji Yu was startled and gave her a few glances with the same look one would give a mind-reading youkai.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally nodded slightly.

Yukino's eyes instantly sharpened.

"Could it be that she—"

"No, it's that I've been dreaming about her all week."

Not wanting to cause her unnecessary misunderstandings, Yuu Tenkuji went straight to the point:

"To be precise, I dreamt about the memories of my relationship with her, and the details were very clear."

"..."

Chapter 146 It would be better to elope!

It probably started from the night the wrap party ended.

Tenkuji Yu remembered it clearly. Although he was unaware of it in the dream, it was as if he had stepped into a script called memory. Every night, he became his past self and relived the process of dating Yukinoshita Haruno.

"I can guarantee it's definitely not because I've been thinking about it during the day and dreaming about it at night." Under Yukino's increasingly serious gaze, Tenkuji Yu raised his hand and swore with a strong survival instinct, "A dream that is so clear and organized, with one part leading into the next, is definitely not something an ordinary person could have!"

"...Are you trying to say that you're not an ordinary person?" Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at him lightly.

"I think there must be external interference, or someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes."

"Who else could do something like this..." Yukino stopped mid-sentence, then realized, "That 'God'?"

“It can only be that guy, although I don’t know his purpose.” Tenkuji Yu spread his hands, looking completely innocent. “I’ve never had a dream like that before. I originally wanted to treat it as a coincidence and ignore it, but after it happened so many times, I felt something was wrong. I also wondered how I could dream about women other than you every day. That’s why I told you about it, to see if you have any good suggestions.”

"Opinion? What opinion could I possibly have on something like this?" Completely ignoring his attempts to please her, Yukino crossed her arms and tapped her upper arm repeatedly with her fingers, frowning and pondering for a long time.

"...Since then, all your feelings for her have disappeared, haven't they?"

"Yes, not a single thing left." Seemingly not wanting her to have any unnecessary worries, Tenkuji said confidently, "Even if her memories come back, that relationship hasn't returned to me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to interact with you so naturally, right? So don't worry, if I were to cheat, I would only cheat with Yui, I wouldn't stray to anyone else!"

"..." She seemed to want to say something, but after opening her mouth, she only sighed and turned her face away.

"It hasn't had any impact on your mental or physical health, has it?"

“No, although the picture is very clear, it’s just a dream at best.” Yuu Tenkuji thought for a moment and answered, “It’s like watching a movie full of dark history. Even if that guy keeps showing it for a year, let alone a week, I still won’t fall in love with Haruno again.”

"Ah That's good."

The sound drifted lightly through the air. Yukino Yukinoshita remained calm, seemingly unconcerned about the matter, and continued walking towards the Service Club.

Looking at her slender, straight back, Tenkuji Yu could sense that her mood was somewhat subtle, but he couldn't pinpoint what had upset her.

Sigh, it's so hard to be an honest boy, and it's even harder to comfort a girl after being honest...

Without asking any perilous questions like, "How are you feeling right now?" or "Is your reaction really that calm?", Yuu Tenkuji quietly followed beside her, inhaling the fresh fragrance emanating from the girl.

Like a bee attracted to a flower, no matter what the scent is, it will involuntarily want to get closer and absorb it, making it its own.

In the deserted corridor, his footsteps drew closer and closer to her, until finally he couldn't help but extend his finger, his breathing becoming slightly heavier.

"...Why are you playing with my hair?"

"Sorry, I've recently become addicted to tying my sister's hair, and I couldn't resist when I saw such great material."

Under her cold and disdainful gaze, Tenkuji Yu pinched a strand of hair, brought it to her nose, and took a breath as if enjoying it.

"Hmm~ Even though they're both hair, why do they feel so different to the touch?"

“Because you’re a pervert.” He said this coldly, but Yukino didn’t struggle at all. She just let him touch her precious parts, and only the fair skin on the back of her neck turned slightly red.

Yuu Tenkuji didn't intend to go too far. He played with her for a while, tied her hair into a small braid, and then put her back—this could be considered a little playful thing between lovers, right?

Before the Service Club, Yukino Yukinoshita knocked on the door, and soon footsteps could be heard from inside.

"Is it finally over?"

Kasugano Sora opened the door and glanced at the two of them, her gaze finally settling on the small braid hanging awkwardly over the girl's flat chest.

Too lazy to ask any more questions, she quickly turned her gaze away: "Why are you the only ones here? Where's Tuanzi?"