I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

—In a world where there is nothing.

Even though the main body disappeared, the domain maintained by the light jade did not weaken at all, and the sky was still divided into its own four different parts.

When they were hanging high in the sky again, they discovered that the newly appeared "Snow Light Orb," which was unable to "go out" due to insufficient power, had erected a towering snow tower at the midpoint where the four realms intersected.

Although it has no way to express its emotions, the "Snow Light Jewel" is frantically intensifying the wind and snow, trying to make the snow tower pierce the sky and earth. It is obvious that it is venting its dissatisfaction.

After all, at the very bottom of this giant ice tower, what's being pressed down as the base is the old screen that represents the system.

Watching the "Snow Light Orb" inflict inhumane torture on the system, the three orbs silently exchanged a few words, then shook their spheres with a hint of helplessness.

Then, they enthusiastically joined in, and a dazzling and massive brawl broke out once again in the desolate and boundless world.

Meanwhile, Yuu Tenkuji had just woken up from her sleep, silently experiencing the subtle feelings of having to retain her emotions to prepare for her fifth mission.

Chapter Two: Yukinoshita, the Liar

The time is 9:30 a.m.

The location is the Service Club classroom in the Soubu High School Special Building.

Because it's only the beginning of winter break, even students with poor grades who need to attend winter break tutoring sessions won't be on campus right now. The playground, teaching buildings, and cafeteria are all quiet, with only the snow covering everything adorning this once bustling prestigious high school.

Along the way from the school gate to the special building, Tenkuji Yuu also made a special check and found that no one else was in the school except for them.

Imagine a different scenario, like when no one is home and you bring a female classmate into your room—this is a chance to be alone that would make anyone's heart race and their imagination run wild!

Even without using the "walls have no ears" rule, no matter what they do or how loud they shout, even if they take off their shirts, open the window, and do the third set of national middle school broadcast exercises in broad daylight in front of the opposite school building, no one will notice.

Of course, since the surveillance cameras are running all year round, they still have to be more discreet in the corridors... Yuu Tenkuji isn't worried that the two of them will be punished by the school if their sneaking in on the surveillance footage is discovered.

As long as they don't do anything immoral or illegal, and sincerely apologize verbally or write a self-criticism, the school will definitely give them a way out and let the two top students in their grade off the hook.

That's how the world is; to live more freely, both strength and connections are indispensable.

The same principle applies now.

Yuu Tenkuji thought that if he sincerely said some nice things to Yukino Yukinoshita, she would let him off the hook for hugging her and not hold it against him for the sake of the past.

After all, even if you don't remember that night, the feelings you shared during intimacy will always remain, right?

Surely they don't really see him as a sexual harasser?

"So, Yukinoshita-san, could you please put down your phone and let us sit down and talk rationally?"

Forced to move his chair to the doorway, Yuu Tenkuji actively tried to break the ice and ease the tense situation.

Unfortunately, the girl by the window was completely unmoved.

"I have nothing to talk to you about."

Holding the phone in her hand, as if seeing his figure would taint her eyes, Yukino turned her back to him, her voice as cold and ruthless as the howling wind outside the window.

"Don't worry, I'm thinking about whether to call Yuihama first, or call the police and then notify her when they arrive."

"Where can I find a place I can trust?!"

"At least I won't resort to vigilante justice. Or do you want to try out a stun gun?"

"You're not saying you can beat me just because you have that thing..."

"Huh?!" Hearing his sigh of helplessness from the bottom of her heart, Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but raise her eyebrows, as if she wanted to turn around and glare at him to express her dissatisfaction at being looked down upon by him.

However, she had only turned her head halfway when she forcefully restrained her impulse and turned it back.

If I make eye contact with him now, he will definitely see through my true feelings.

'I can't have any thoughts, he's Yui's boyfriend... hiss, huff...'

Facing the vast, white snowscape outside the window, Yukino Yukinoshita pressed her chest, which had little obstruction, and silently took several deep breaths, trying to suppress her heartbeat, which was still pounding.

She had no interest in stealing her best friend's lover, nor did she intend to become a third party in their relationship...

So the reason my heart is beating so fast and my face is so hot right now is because he suddenly hugged me and confessed his love, which startled me!

That's right, she can calm down after a while, and then she can settle the score with him for his reckless confession—she absolutely cannot forgive him, and she must make Yui teach this scumbag who has no sense of propriety and even dared to lay a hand on her girlfriend's best friend a lesson!

With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Yukino Yukinoshita closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down and stop overthinking.

Then she opened her eyes, looked at her reflection in the window, and couldn't help but bite her lip, clench her fists, lower her head, and show a frustrated expression that made her want to cry.

'Why do I feel at ease... Being suddenly hugged and confessed to like that should make me feel disgusted, so why do I...'

The answer no longer matters.

All those questions were just a cover for the truth that he was unwilling to admit.

'I finally convinced myself not to like him, I was almost able to calmly wish Yui well... Why did you have to use this kind of joke, so casually, to destroy my resolve?'

If she had been a little braver, perhaps she would have yelled at him directly like that?

Unfortunately, the so-called "Ice Queen" was nothing more than a coward who timidly hesitated when it came to love.

—From some point in time, Yukino Yukinoshita developed feelings for a boy named Yuu Tenkuji.

And as time went on, this affection blossomed into romance and tacit understanding, deepening with every glance and smile, changing many of her thoughts and habits.

Yukino Yukinoshita once believed that since she had finally found someone she liked, no matter what happened, she couldn't let him escape from her grasp.

There's no rush to confess. When the time is right, you'll naturally express your feelings to him, even if he doesn't say anything.

—And then, this sense of ease was soon shattered by the harsh reality.

When Yukino Yukinoshita learned that he was dating her only friend, she only remembered that her mind went blank for a moment, as if her breath and consciousness left her at the same time, and the whole world abandoned her at that moment.

It was a feeling of emptiness, an inability to think about anything; it was a sense of loss and sorrow that one did not want to recall.

She could only offer pale blessings in a dry voice, and she had no memory of how she left the Service Department or how she got home.

Even though I can't cry, my nose stings and aches. Every time I think of him, it feels like a dull knife is cutting into my heart, yet I can't help but think of him.

So ever since then, Yukino Yukinoshita has kept her feelings hidden, like a doll covered in snow, freezing her emotions that go beyond friendship until she can completely remove him from her heart.

...And such freezing now seems ridiculous.

A mere hug can melt her heart; what, then, is all her perseverance and patience over the years?

Despite her anger and distress, Yukino Yukinoshita did not turn around to confront the culprit behind everything—Yuu Soraji.

I just pretended to look at my phone, trying to regain the composure that could never be frozen in time.

After all, the only courage she had left was used up in the act of slapping him as she pushed him away...

Otherwise, I would definitely have reacted very badly in his arms, right?

However, while she ignored him, he couldn't simply leave her alone.

Yuuki Tenkuji watched her slightly trembling back and rose from his chair, asking with concern, "Yukino? Are you alright—"

"Who gave you permission to call me by my name?!"

The unusually excited reaction left Yuu Tenkuji stunned, his mouth slightly agape in astonishment.

After a moment, he sighed dejectedly, put one hand in his pocket, and looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle with a melancholy expression.

"Do you...hate me that much?"

"...It was okay before. Now, I hate you."

Without turning his head, he naturally couldn't see his strange, theatrical performance.

Yukino Yukinoshita took a deep breath, gripping the hem of her skirt above her knees with her fists, forcing her voice to become icy, and spoke without any emotion:

"Tenkuji-kun, you have disappointed me greatly."

"You already have a girlfriend, yet you still disregarded my and Yui's feelings and made jokes that were no different from sexual harassment... Didn't you think about how we would react before you did that?"

She shook her head: "No, you, who are first in the grade, must have thought about it, but even so, you still did it... Although I don't know the reason, congratulations, your despicable behavior has successfully overturned my previous evaluation of you."

"If the full score is ten, it's now a negative one hundred."

His words, like a machine gun, unknowingly fired bullets of disgust, as if to completely negate the wavering and hesitation in his heart, and from then on, to position himself as his enemy.

As soon as she finished speaking, Yukino Yukinoshita bit her lip hard. The pain spreading under her teeth finally brought her thoughts back to normal from chaos, but it was also accompanied by an uncontrollable sense of loss.

'Now that I've said all that, he'll probably just retort like he always has...'

He thought to himself, feeling utterly dejected.

But then Tenkuuji Yu suddenly laughed, letting out a relieved sigh, and said with inexplicable joy:

"As expected, even if you don't remember anything, you must still love me... Waiting for the me who loves you to come and find you."

"Huh? W-what do you mean?"

Strangely enough, Yukino Yukinoshita subconsciously turned her head around.

"It means it's all a lie."

Tenkuji Yu raised a finger, placed it near the corner of her gently upturned lips, and winked at her with a smile.

"This is terrible. You weren't such a liar before, Yukino."

Yukinoshita Yukino: "..."

Chapter Three: The Snow-Covered City Will Eventually See Clear Skies

"Stop joking..."

Subconsciously, I used this sentence to cover up my feeling of not knowing what to do.

Looking at his smiling, narrowed eyes, Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly felt a sense of confusion, and a strange panic lingered in her chest.

At this moment, I couldn't tell at all how serious he was in his words, his smile, or his eyes.

Before, whether he was lying or joking, she could always discern the various emotions hidden in his words and actions, thanks to her understanding of him and some inexplicable tacit understanding...

But why can't we do it now?

...The only possibility is that from the moment he said "I like you," every word he uttered came from the bottom of his heart, and he truly believed it from the bottom of his heart.

Because it was so real, I assumed he was joking, and that's why I was nitpicking and couldn't find what I expected.

'...But that's impossible.'