I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Yes, it's a good thing, we shouldn't be angry...

She tried to comfort herself internally, forcing a stiff smile onto her face:

"Let's exchange contact information. If you have time, I'd like to ask you for advice on how to improve my acting skills."

"Sure, but I'll charge you." Yuu Tenkuji took out his phone and joked, "It's only fair, right?"

"I didn't mean for you to work for free." Relieved, Mizuhara Chizuru let out a sigh of relief and added.

"If it's too expensive, then forget it. I also have acting school to attend, so I can't afford too much."

"We'll see when the time comes. I'm not sure if I can teach people."

The two exchanged contact information and parted ways in front of the station.

Having boarded the tram home, Yuuki Tenkuji, holding onto the handrail, gazed absently at the scenery rushing past the window.

The meaning of renting a lover, how to handle a date, how to change his attitude towards Yukinoshita Haruno... all sorts of messy things were tangled up in his mind, like a knotted headphone cord in his backpack.

It doesn't cause distress, it's just that you suddenly have a feeling that you're actually only at that level.

"Does experiencing more lead to growth...?"

He couldn't help but rub his temples. Only now did he realize that this body belonged to a seventeen-year-old high school student, yet he lived like a twenty-seven-year-old.

Even so, in some aspects, their thinking is not necessarily more mature than that of a twenty-year-old girl.

Perhaps, there is no greater joy in life than this.

After getting off the tram, he stood in front of the barbecue stall for a while a second time. The owner was too lazy to scold him anymore, just hoping that he wouldn't make it a habit and stand in front of him every day to annoy people.

On the way home, no TV crews stopped us on the street. The afterglow of the setting sun illuminated the peaceful streets and sprinkled the seeds of nightfall on every brick corner.

I brought the barbecue home, and my sister kicked my butt and made me take a shower. After that, I made her a very appetizing dinner, and that was how the day went.

Tenkuji Yu lay in bed, thinking about what clothes to wear to the party tomorrow.

The next day.

At the same spot where she got off the bus last time, Yukinoshita Haruno leaned against the car, gazing up at the gray, cloud-covered sky, seemingly lost in thought.

Sensing someone approaching, she lowered her head, blinked, and revealed a bright, sunny smile.

"Long time no see, my boyfriend~"

For some reason, from the bottom of his heart, Tenkuji Yuu also smiled at her.

"Long time no see, Yang Naisang."

△

The four-wheeled vehicle drove across the dark road, the window half-open, a cool breeze blowing through the soft strands of hair.

"The weather is so nice today, it's rare that it's not so hot."

"I heard a typhoon is coming. I hope it won't rain."

Tenkuji Yu glanced at the weather forecast and saw that the probability of rain today was 85%, so he immediately closed the page.

"Okay, hopefully the rain won't be too heavy."

"Hmph~ I deliberately didn't bring an umbrella today, do you know why?"

Tenkuji Yu didn't answer, but instead glanced at her helplessly.

She announced the answer on her own:

"Because I knew that Xiaoyouyou would definitely bring an umbrella."

Just as she said, Tenkuji Yu unzipped the zipper, revealing the black and stiff handle of the folding umbrella inside.

As if she had guessed the lottery numbers, Yukinoshita laughed happily twice: "See? This way, if it rains, we can share an umbrella, achieving a romantic scene that's essential in dating."

Is this what's known as a compatible umbrella?

Yuu Tenkuji sighed, "You really do like romance."

Yukinoshita tapped the steering wheel with her slender fingers, and her smile turned indifferent.

"Of course. Reality is so cruel these days, a delicate girl can't survive without a little romance, you know?"

It sounds like a motto, yet it carries a subtle sense of mockery.

As always, Yuu Tenkuji didn't bother to analyze the sentence and chose to change the subject.

"Is there any book you'd like to buy?"

"Yes! I love reading...you can tell from my appearance, right?"

Taking advantage of the fact that there were no cars ahead, Yukinoshita Haruno turned her head to look over, her eyes filled with anticipation.

After receiving a speechless look of "What do you think?" from Yuu Tenkuji, she instead looked as if she had been praised, and said in a light tone:

"I recently discovered a really fun book! I think it's called 'Love Metronome'... I didn't buy it last time I saw it, but I'm planning to put it on my bookshelf this time, and take it out to read whenever I'm feeling down."

He gave her a strange look: "A fun book? A light novel?"

"I guess so? The romance type." As if she had thought of something funny, Yukinoshita Haruno laughed heartily.

"Haha, you wouldn't believe it if you hadn't read it! The writing is good, but the romance between the male and female leads is incredibly childish!"

"It's so childish that it makes you burst out laughing, yet it's telling stories in a serious manner, like a minor solemnly saying how cruel the adult world is and how we need to mature as soon as possible."

"Oh, so cute, so adorable! It's perfect for relaxing after work!"

She slapped her knees repeatedly, almost abandoning the steering wheel altogether.

"Ha, is that so..." Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth.

This guy really can say such cruel things with a smile on his face.

"Luckily the author can't hear you, otherwise he would definitely fight you."

Yukinoshita immediately became dissatisfied.

"Hey~ Do I look that clueless about the atmosphere? Even if what you write is terrible, it's common sense to say nice things to the person in front of them."

“Okay, that’s true…” After a pause, Yuu Tenkuji asked curiously, “What if it was your sister who wrote those things?”

"..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yukinoshita Haruno's smile faded, and she slightly turned her gaze away.

In an instant, it was like a cold, mechanical ray sweeping across him, analyzing his expression, eyes, and tone of voice, guessing his intentions, and choosing how to respond.

However, it wasn't long before she realized that there was no point in doing this to him, so she simply looked away.

With his head resting on the back of the chair and bobbing lazily twice, Yukinoshita sighed listlessly.

"Ha, let me think... As for Yukino, although she wouldn't write romance novels, she has written quite a few meaningless, empty, and pretentious essays."

"How did I laugh at her back then..."

As I pondered this, the red light ahead turned on.

Yukino stopped the car, rubbed her chin, and mumbled "Ugh~" in distress as she tried to recall the past.

Just then, a clear, melodious voice was heard from the roadside:

"elder sister?"

Tenkuji Yuu turned his head and saw a beautiful girl with long black hair standing on the sidewalk, looking at him and Yukinoshita Haruno sitting in the driver's seat with surprise.

Her hand unconsciously loosened its grip on her chin. Yukinoshita Haruno met the gaze of the girl outside, her small mouth slightly open, seemingly too surprised to speak.

But soon, a bright smile appeared on her face. She rested her cheek on the steering wheel, calmly waved her finger at the girl, and spoke affectionately:

"Oh, Yukino Yukino is here~ Are you free now? Have you eaten yet? There's air conditioning in the car, would you like me to take you for a drive?"

Yukinoshita Yukino: "..."

Yuu Tenkuji: "..."

Hey, what kind of weird way is this older sister trying to pick up a guy?

Bounty settlement and post-launch remarks!

Okay, let's put it on the shelves this time~

Let's talk about the progress of the bounty this week—

Monthly pass: 467-179=288 (Two chapters)

Blade count: 319 - 116 = 203 (Two updates)

Donations: 34056 - 9852 = 24024 (Two chapters)

Thank you all for your support. There have been six chapters in total! With an additional two guaranteed chapters, that makes eight chapters.

Great, it's very easy for the author; they can finish repaying it in a day.

If all goes well, it will sell out quickly on the day of release. If the author still has the energy, ten chapters a day is not a problem.

Even though the bounty is closed, there will still be extra chapters for whoever throws in the treasure chest~ Five chapters for Silver, eighteen chapters for Gold.

Don't ask me why it's not sixteen or twenty, but eighteen—I like to take the middle value.

Putting aside this impossible scenario, I still hope to get some first-day subscriptions and self-subscriptions on the day of release. Better numbers will motivate the author to update more frequently, and the plot will become even more exciting! (starry-eyed)

Then let me talk about my journey to getting my books published... There's not much to talk about. I've been writing on Hedgehog Cat for almost five years now, from the very beginning when I finished a 900,000-word book for free, to the point where I couldn't continue writing two consecutive books that flopped.

Next is the most well-known novel, "Love After School," which is the pinnacle of my work, completed at 2.6 million words. I am very grateful to everyone for continuing to support me until the very end.

There's also the book "Entering Dreams," which was ignored after being signed due to poor grades, so it couldn't be written.

Then there's that book by Ishigami, which I ruined myself by changing its style and plot halfway through and then stopping updates. Now it's become a pure sweet story with lots of Ishigami-Mi fans—I'll finish it, everyone, don't worry.

In general, as long as I can keep writing, make a living, and have people supporting me, I will persevere and finish writing. Please trust the character of the author, Ji!

The more you order on your first order, the more likely you are to be blessed with good character; your liver will practically explode from exhaustion!

Then there's the issue of the plot.

This book is a bit slow-paced; the real excitement comes in the middle, when all the characters appear and interact with the protagonist and other characters.

The Haruno arc is the beginning and also a foreshadowing that will change the overall situation; next is the school opening arc, where the protagonist will truly come into contact with Yukino, Asuna, Kasumigaoka, and others, and experience more events.