I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Kasugano Sora, who was playing on her phone in the corner, had no intention of interrupting. Her eyes were fixed on the screen, but her ears were not missing a single word coming from it.

"First up is Kasumigaoka-senpai..."

She followed me at the train station in July, but after I shook her off, we never crossed paths again. She avoided me like the plague in the stairwell, I found a third-year student's flyer at a stall in the grove, and she suddenly appeared at the virtual research lab and behaved strangely…

Without worrying about being overheard, Yuu Tenkuji recounted everything in great detail, vividly describing the details she discovered and the feelings she experienced at the time.

Even Yukino Yukinoshita, who already knew 90% of the content, listened very attentively, occasionally showing a surprised expression of disbelief—although this reaction was much calmer than Yui Yuigahama, who was prone to making a fuss and exclaiming randomly.

"I never imagined we'd end up getting involved with Kasumigaoka-senpai..."

After explaining a section, Yui Yuigahama said with some emotion.

“Yeah, I don’t know why either. I’ve never said a single word to her.” Tenkuji Yu spread his hands innocently and immediately declared his innocence. “Neither now nor in the past, I’ve never even looked at her face to face. She’s basically a stranger to me… I have no idea what her motives are.”

The lie detector at Yukinoshita nodded responsibly, indicating that Yuu Tenkuji was not lying.

"Well, let's ask her together after she comes to school."

Yui Yuigahama quickly came to terms with the situation and stopped dwelling on the issue. She even started to let her thoughts wander: "On the bright side, maybe you're from the future and deliberately cut off the power to the entire club building to save you from the danger you're about to face! The reason you left without saying anything might be the same as you, Yui—you were silenced by some mysterious being?"

Yukino Yukinoshita rubbed her forehead, unable to resist complaining, "Yui, you're not thinking positively at all! You're clearly guessing the most unlikely scenarios... How could such an absurd thing possibly happen in reality..."

As if she had thought of something, she became less and less confident as she spoke, unconsciously biting her lip and casting a pleading look at Tenkuji Yu.

"...While I can't guarantee it, I don't think it'll be that extreme. Let's just continue to treat her as a perverted stalker for now."

As someone who had personally experienced a supernatural event, Yuu Tenkuji coughed awkwardly twice, then solemnly assured her, "Anyway, my attitude towards my senior will not change in any way, and if I no longer have anything to know, I will naturally not get close to her again."

Faced with his sincere and heartfelt sincerity, Yui Yuigahama was taken aback at first, then suddenly pretended to be afraid and shrank her shoulders, tightly hugging Yukino Yukinoshita's arm.

"So you just throw it away after squeezing out all its value?! Xiaoyou is so cold-blooded..."

"Yes, yes, I'm cold-blooded, but I'm only hot-blooded with you guys, okay?" Yuu Tenkuji replied casually, but Yui looked even more frightened and buried her head in Yukino's chest.

"Xiaoxue, look! He's not only cold-blooded, he's also making lewd jokes at me!"

With a hint of exasperation, Yukino gently patted her head and asked, puzzled, "Making a dirty joke? I didn't hear anything?"

"They're only passionate towards us! When men talk about passion, they're not usually referring to that..."

Yui Yuigahama looked up and whispered something in Yukino Yukinoshita's pink ear, while rubbing her cheek and honestly expressing her thoughts:

"It just looks plain, but it's actually super soft and smells great."

"...Thank you so much for your kind words."

With a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth, Yukino Yukinoshita glared down at Yui Yuigahama, who was leaning against her chest. Her face was flushed red, whether from anger or embarrassment, but she quickly regained her expressionless look and pushed Yui aside with a look of disgust.

"Tenkuji-kun, ignore her and continue."

Lazy to give a reason, just like Yui Hama, Yukino Yukinoshita turned her gaze to him.

Yuu Tenkuji nodded: "That's about it for Kasumigaoka-senpai. Next up is Yuuki-kun."

Or rather, this is the thing that must be said.

"Didn't we say before that Haruno was first, Natsukawa Masuzu was third, and Yukino was fourth?"

"I don't need to say who the second one is."

Yukino and Yui: "..."

The two men watched him fall silent, their eyes filled with complex emotions, no longer having the leisure for jokes or playful banter.

Tenkuuji Yu tentatively tested the forbidden boundaries of the system, finally organizing her thoughts and slowly explaining, "It was probably from the start of the semester to the fall performance, less than a month, and most of the time we met in the game... On the way back from Kyoto, didn't she come to me and say some strange things? That must be due to the influence of her lost memories. Perhaps she came to Soubu High today to find me too; the evidence is from when the fight started in the arena..."

He spoke slowly but clearly and concisely, as if he were talking about someone else's business. In just a few minutes, he had revealed all the information he could, leaving only two expressions that seemed to be still in shock.

Gently exhaling, Tenkuji Yu raised his eyes and cautiously observed the reactions of the two people.

"That's really all. There's no one else. You don't need to worry about anything like the 'another ex-girlfriend who suddenly regained her memories and came looking for me' scenario. Apart from Yukino, I've only ever dated three people. You all know who those three people are. It's that simple."

After saying this, he raised his hands, assuming a submissive posture: "Although it was beyond my control, overall it was trouble I caused myself, and I am willing to accept my girlfriend's punishment."

His girlfriends looked at each other, seemingly unsure of what to say to him.

Yuu Tenkuji knew that most girls would feel very uncomfortable if their boyfriends mentioned their ex-girlfriends. Those who cared too much about it could easily become depressed and start to wonder if their boyfriends wanted to rekindle their relationship.

Even if the reason is perfectly legitimate, and there is no sense of comparison or lingering affection, never underestimate a girl's sensitivity.

Therefore, admitting your mistake as soon as possible to shut her up and let her gradually calm down is a good thing for both of you.

"...Although I was mentally prepared, I was still a little shocked when I heard that Yuu had dated Yuuki in the past."

A short while later, Yui Yuigahama suddenly gave a wry smile, gently fiddling with the two buns on her head, her voice sounding even more tender in the twilight.

"Even though you don't remember anything, Yuuki-kun sensed something was wrong back in Kyoto and tried hard to 'find' you... It seems you two had a really good relationship during that time."

"...That's all in the past." Slowly lowering his hand, Tenkuji Yu said calmly.

Looking at him like that, Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly spoke up: "Even if it's the past, even if everything that happened has been erased from this world... for you who has the memories, it's all something that truly existed, right? It's an important experience that can't be ignored with a casual remark, isn't it?"

"Huh? That's... "Tenkuji Yu was taken aback, thinking she wanted to question why he was so popular, and quickly tried to explain for him.

But in those youthful eyes, there gleamed a serious gaze that left him speechless.

"Even now, even me, will you say in the future, 'That's all in the past'?"

"..."

of course not.

However, giving such an answer would contradict his earlier nonchalant attitude.

Because Yukino Yukinoshita isn't special; before her, there were three other girls who had done similar things and were liked by him in similar ways.

What I did in the past, I will do now... Telling the truth is too hurtful, but if I lie, Yukino Yukinoshita will see through it instantly.

The Service Department fell silent once again.

Neither of them spoke; they simply gazed at each other silently, trying to convey their feelings through their eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, it was Yui Yuigahama who broke the silence first.

With her usual cheerful voice, she directly entered the silent gaze between the two people.

"Alright, alright, since Yuuki-kun isn't here anyway, let's leave this matter at that! Let's think about what we can do now~"

"What can we do now?" Yukino Yukinoshita slowly withdrew her gaze, rubbing her sore eyes, and asked Yui Yuigahama, who seemed genuinely unconcerned about her past with Yuuki.

"Right now, all we can do is take our things to the landfill and get home safely. Where else do you want to go?"

"Tch, tch, tch!" Yui Yuigahama, with her eyes half-closed and an air of arrogance, waved her hand and said pretentiously, "Yuki, you still don't understand. Didn't the campfire outside go out?"

"It's definitely off..." With no hope of what she wanted to say, Yukino Yukinoshita narrowed her eyes helplessly.

Sure enough, Yui Yuigahama suddenly clenched her fist and shouted energetically, "But the flame in our hearts hasn't gone out yet! We can dance around a bonfire anytime, and we can always act cute with Yui. That's what a girl in love is like, right, Yui?"

“Of course!” Upon receiving her gaze, Yuu Tenkuji readily agreed. “How about we dance here until we’re satisfied before going back? We have music on our phones, and we can even simulate a campfire with videos or GIFs.”

"..."

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at them several times, then lowered her head as if giving up, gently scratching her furrowed brow, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Do whatever you want."

So the two quickly set up everything needed for a small bonfire party.

First and foremost is the campfire, which was kept in a prominent position by Yuu Tenkuji's phone. He even switched to flight mode to prevent the campfire from being extinguished or disturbed by external factors.

Next is the music, which is handled by Yui Yuigahama's phone. The resources were found on YouTube, and the brainwashing loop has already begun.

As for the platform for the campfire, it was a table that Tenkuji Yuu pulled out from the storage area at the back. He originally wanted to bring a few more tables to make it more luxurious, but Yukino gave him a cold glare, as if warning him not to cause trouble for the people in charge of cleaning up.

So a desk was placed in the very center of the Service Department, with a cell phone on it. The phone displayed an image of a blazing bonfire, and the faint sounds of commotion from the side could be heard.

There's no way around it; it may be simple, but at least it creates some atmosphere, and it's good enough that people can dance around it.

And so, under Kasugano Sora's subtle gaze, everything was ready.

"They really know how to make a scene..." She pouted and continued playing on her phone.

For some reason, Kasugano Sora wasn't in a hurry to go home and rest. Instead, she found it quite interesting to stay and observe their interactions.

It's better than a cold, empty house that feels devoid of human warmth when my brother isn't around.

Although she's gotten used to it, she'll never like that feeling.

"Hmm... We were originally going to dance a folk dance where we switch partners first, but considering there are only three of us, we might get tired of it quickly if we keep switching."

Yui Yuigahama pondered for a few seconds, then suddenly clapped her hands and suggested, "It's decided, let's change the plan on the spot!"

"Xiaoxue, you dance with me first. After we finish, Xiaoyou, you can dance with both of us at the same time. That way, everyone can enjoy it!"

After saying that, she flashed a bright smile that seemed to say, "See? Aren't I smart?"

Before Yuu Tenkuji could even think it through, she reflexively asked, "You two jump first? What am I supposed to do during that time?"

“Just jump with the air,” Yui Yuigahama said matter-of-factly.

Yuu Tenkuji: "..."

Chapter 171 Let's Move Forward, Xiaoxue

Clear the space in the center of the clubroom and have the four of them stand in two teams around the 'campfire'.

That's right, Kasugano Sora, who only intended to play on her phone and watch from the sidelines, was forcibly pulled off the stage by Tenkuji Yu to become his dance partner—he didn't want to watch his two girlfriends dancing intimately while he was spinning around in the air.

That would be too tragic; it's not something a winner in life like him should do.

"Let me preface this by saying, although I'm pretty good at Ring Fit Adventure, and can even do a few moves of the SOS Brigade dance or Gokuraku Jodo..." Kasugano Sora frowned as she let him take her hand, her thin lips twisting awkwardly as she reluctantly said, "But I've never done any campfire dances before, so don't expect me to be very good at it..."

"It's alright, why worry about these things when dancing with your brother?" Tenkuji Yu smiled and lowered his head, affectionately rubbing his forehead against her bangs. "Just sway your body to the music, leave the rest to me."

“…Yes, then I’ll leave it to you.” Kasugano Sora blinked, a small, relieved smile blooming on her face, her palm responding to him with even softer, warmer touch.

"Let's start the music~" Yui Yuigahama announced loudly, then tapped the screen, and a strong rhythm came from the phone.

Similar to the dance music they had heard outside the window not long ago, it seemed to be an adaptation of some kind of folk music, like the simple rhythms casually clapped by travelers in the desert, or the distant sounds played by ancient tribes on flutes.

A virtual campfire was burning, and occasionally the crackling sound of sparks could be heard.

"One, two, three... two, two, three..."

"Yui-kun, you've jumped the wrong way. The girl's instructions are like this..."