I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Forgetting to reactivate the "no ears behind the walls" mode, Tenkuji Yu raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from being stared at by the indifferent gazes on both sides. Not daring to waste any more words, he quickly told Tachibana Kanade the names of the dishes.

"Ok."

Not only does she have a strong memory, but Tachibana Kanade's hand speed is also incredibly fast.

Almost as soon as he finished listing all the dishes, she had already written the menu on the board and then accurately repeated it to Yuu Tenkuji.

That nonchalant demeanor actually gave off a bit of an AI girl vibe.

As Tachibana Kanade deftly weaved through the crowd, her elfin figure disappearing into the direction of the kitchen, Tenkuji Yu also withdrew his gaze, calmly facing the table filled with expressions ranging from indifference, disdain, mockery, to raised eyebrows—all of which he ignored. He simply introduced the table to the two ladies, saying:

"She is the next student council president of our school, and one of my juniors whom I value highly. She often comes to my house to play with Yukino and Yui, and she is also very close to my sister."

Although she only came twice, her relationship with Qiong was only decent when they were playing games.

However, since no one objected, Yuu Tenkuji naturally didn't bother to explain.

"I see..."

Seemingly seeing through the fact that he only had 'cherishing' feelings for Tachibana Kanade but not 'love', Mrs. Yukinoshita gently waved her fan, not intending to pay attention to the matter between him and her junior, and instead, in a gentle and calm voice, opened up the topic again:

"Sky Temple, there's still some time before dinner. May I ask you a few questions?"

"Of course, it's up to you."

Yuu Tenkuji nodded and smiled generously, while giving the two people a look that reassured them that he could handle the situation.

At the same time, Mrs. Yukinoshita glanced at Mrs. Yuihama and received a friendly look from her that said, "Please go first."

"So first of all..."

Mrs. Yukinoshita didn't stand on ceremony. She snapped her fan shut, her smile vanished, and she asked directly about what was on her mind most.

"Was that piano piece you just played your own original composition?"

Chapter 158 The Belated Battleground (Part 2)

"Of course, I should say that the pieces I played on stage were all written on the spot based on my current mood."

With an air of nonchalance, Yuu Tenkuji nodded in response.

"Written on the spot..."

She murmured in surprise, then covered her full, soft lips with her fan, her eyes gradually revealing a clear look of admiration.

"Tenkuji-kun, I believe you wouldn't exaggerate at this time... In other words, can you really write a piano piece with a complete structure, rhythmic cadence, rich emotion, and no less than the classics in such a short time?"

"You flatter me, it's not actually that good." After being praised by his wife, Tenkuji Yu coughed twice, feeling a little embarrassed.

"My piano skills are only average, and I pale in comparison to those professional masters... However, I am quite confident in conveying emotions through musical instruments, which is my strongest point."

Of those present, only Yukino Yukinoshita seemed to realize that only half of what this guy said could be believed; the rest was either out of modesty or a deliberate attempt to hide his true abilities.

However, she didn't intend to expose his disguise. Instead, she quietly shifted her gaze from her mother to her sister, keeping a watchful eye on her to prevent her from suddenly doing anything strange.

“You don’t need to be so modest. For the Yukinoshita family, talent, whether strong or weak, is not the standard for judging you. Attitude and character are the most important.” In a gentle tone, Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled at him. “I have seen geniuses like you who are practically monsters, and I have also seen children who gave up great talents to pursue their dreams. Whether they succeed in the end or not, such people are always admirable.”

"Yes, so I don't plan to pursue a career in piano professionally in the future." With her attitude suddenly becoming more serious, Yuu Tenkuji took out a business card holder from her pocket and pushed the business card across the table.

"Although it's not a large company, I'm currently running an internet technology company, and I've completed quite a few projects since its inception. That's the direction I plan to work towards in the future."

He didn't forget to give Mrs. Yuihama a card, and just as he was about to put away his card holder, he felt Yukino Yukinoshita's incredibly kind gaze, so he had no choice but to hand her another card.

"Yuankong Network Technology Company... I'll remember that. I hope there will be opportunities for cooperation in the future."

After glancing at the business card, she casually put it away, seemingly unconcerned about his achievements. Mrs. Yukinoshita continued, "Let's get back to the topic of music. Since it's your original composition, have you already decided on a title?"

Yuu Tenkuji asked with some confusion, "The title of the song? We haven't heard of that yet..."

"Then don't hesitate, use the person you're thinking of when you play this piece as the title."

"..."

Enjoying his sudden silence, Mrs. Yukinoshita chuckled as expected, snapped her fan shut, and slowly explained, "My appreciation of art is not bad. I can tell that this is a piece you composed for someone... or rather, it is because your music conveys such strong emotions that even though it is just pure music without a single lyric, I can hear the shadow of someone in it, and your deep longing for her."

Yuu Tenkuji had a strange expression on his face and still didn't say a word.

"Still not admitting it?"

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Mrs. Yukinoshita suddenly turned her head and looked at Yukinoshita Yukino, who looked completely bewildered: "Yukino, didn't you realize?"

"What did you hear...?"

After a moment of stunned silence, Yukino suddenly realized what he meant and looked at him in surprise: "That piece of music just now was for me..."

"Alright, let's call it 'Winter Snow' then."

Yuu Tenkuji shrugged and looked into Yukino's eyes as he replied, "Although it wasn't specifically written for Yukino, the overall tone of this piece is indeed based on my impression of her."

"Yes, my feeling was right after all." Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded in satisfaction, and then sincerely praised, "It's a very beautiful piece of music. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it's the most affectionate confession in the world."

Yuu Tenkuji readily accepted the compliment.

"So, why couldn't you tell, Yukino?"

Beside her, Yukinoshita Haruno propped her cheek on her hand, her eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and sourness as she looked her younger sister up and down, asking in a sarcastic tone:

"My mother and I both know that piece was played for you, and you, the person directly involved and the one closest to the stage, don't you have any self-awareness at all?"

"Because...because I was thinking about things at the time, and there was a lot of work to do backstage..."

Unusually flustered, Yukino Yukinoshita offered a few words of explanation, then secretly glanced at Yuu Tenkuji, her face gradually turning red as she lowered her head and awkwardly fiddled with her long hair.

Then, he whispered a sentence:

"...Thank you, I'm very happy."

"Aha……"

Tenkuji Yuu couldn't help but scratch his cheek, feeling a slight itch in his heart at her shy and adorable appearance, but he couldn't really do anything about it, so he could only endure it.

"You're welcome. Anyway, it really wasn't played especially for you... I was just thinking of you while I was playing, and that's all."

"Okay, okay, stop talking!"

Her long hair perfectly covered her bright red ears and cheeks. Yukino pursed her soft lips and gently kicked him under the table, as if it were a warning or a spoiled gesture.

The pungent smell of romance hit her nose immediately, and Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't stand being at the table for even a second longer, but she couldn't very well slam her fist on the table and storm off.

Then, with a quick glint in her eye, she interjected with a smile, "By the way, Yukino, I have some audio recordings here. Do you want them?"

"I would be honored to decline."

Yukino Yukinoshita instantly regained her composure, raised her head, brushed her bangs aside, and said calmly, "In contrast, the committee has the highest quality audio files. Would you like me to give you a copy?"

"Tsk!"

Yang Nai pouted, gave Tenkuji Yu a displeased look, and then stopped talking.

"you……"

He usually pretended not to see her, but for some reason, a strange emotion suddenly welled up in his heart. His mouth opened slightly, and he almost couldn't resist the urge to talk to her, just like not long ago.

Why is this? Why am I suddenly paying attention to her?

Before Tenkuji Yu could even process this feeling, Mrs. Yuihama's voice rang out from the side.

"That's great~ Doesn't our Yui have one too~"

The woman with the youthful face cupped her cheeks, looking like a child who hadn't gotten candy, pouting her small, glistening lips as she cried out.

Yui Yuigahama, her face filled with shame, tried to cover her mouth with her hand.

"Mom, please don't do this! I don't need it..."

"Is it that you don't need it, or that you don't want it?"

As if she could see through everything, Mrs. Yui looked at her deeply, her eyes gentle yet unyielding.

Yui Yuigahama paused for a moment, then subconsciously replied, "I... I do want to, but as I told Yu, he'll play for me anytime..."

"This was originally a right that belonged only to me."

Sandwiched between the two monstrous figures, Kasugano Sora added casually.

"Anytime, right?" Mrs. Yuihama, confirming her expression, suddenly smiled with relief and said with a knowing look:

"That's good~ After all, the two of us have to walk together for a long time in the future. At that time, let alone one song, it would be quite romantic to have Yu-chan write a special song for Yui every year on her birthday!"

"Yes, it is quite romantic."

Even though this wasn't meant for anyone in particular, Mrs. Yukinoshita took the initiative to continue the conversation.

She opened her fan again, covering her lips, and seemed to reveal a faint smile behind the fan.

"But after this song 'Winter Snow,' will Tenkuji-kun compose another song for Yukino? Or is this just for this one time?"

Staring at him with his wife's icy gaze, Yuu suddenly had a strange feeling that the grown-up Yukino was threatening him to tell the truth.

"Uh, of course not..."

“Oh, right!” Before he could finish speaking, Mrs. Yuihama suddenly clasped her hands together, tilted her head on her hands, and said with a smile, “Why don’t we compose a song for Yui right now? I remember there are piano apps that allow you to play directly on your phone… How about calling it ‘Love for Yui’?”

Mrs. Yukinoshita raised an eyebrow, finally turning her gaze to the person beside her, and said in a gentle tone, "Mrs. Yuihama, it's dinner time now, doesn't this suggestion seem a bit inappropriate?"

Mrs. Yuihama also turned her head, seemingly oblivious to the oppressive force and superior authority emanating from those eyes, and winked at her somewhat naturally.

"Really? It's alright! Anyway, the food hasn't been served yet, so I'll just let Yuu play a song to pass the time for Yui."

"Art is not something you do to kill time."

Knowing that this argument wouldn't convince her, Mrs. Yukinoshita immediately changed her tune: "The time and place aren't suitable, and the music that pops up on those phone apps won't be pleasant to listen to."

"It doesn't matter, I just want to hear what kind of song he'll send to Yui."

"Indeed, that's something to look forward to."

"Hmm?" Mrs. Yuihama looked at Mrs. Yukinoshita with some surprise as she nodded in agreement.

However, the next second, the kimono-clad beauty narrowed her crescent-shaped eyes, rested her fan against her delicate chin, and said with a slightly smug, childlike air:

"After all, a piece of music that is so full of emotion and is no different from a confession is probably impossible to replicate, right? Under such circumstances, how will he play a piano piece to celebrate friendship? This is something that makes people really curious."

"Hmm, I see..."

Muttering to herself, Mrs. Yuihama gently pressed her palm against Mrs. Yukinoshita's smooth cheek, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized Mrs. Yukinoshita, a hint of defiance flashing in them.