I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Tenkuji strolled leisurely away from the front of the park, walking along the snow-soaked gray road towards the nearest supermarket.

Along the way, we passed an old red brick wall covered in graffiti.

Yuu Tenkuji still remembers that it was the pick-up point when the two of them went out. Usually, Yukinoshita Haruno would pick him up and then take him back in the evening.

Such a scene hasn't been experienced for months—it only appears in vague memories, leaving only longing when recalled, like a rootless duckweed.

"I hope Haruno's memories are still intact..."

Looking at the unfamiliar white sports car parked in front of the red brick wall, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but sigh softly, feeling a complex mix of emotions, mostly guilt.

Holding this thought now is like a manipulative woman who, after having her fun outside, hopes that her backup boyfriend still likes her—it's indescribably awful…

"Scumbag" is the only word I use, and I never say it twice.

Whether or not one likes someone's way of thinking makes a world of difference to Yuu Tenkuji—just like when he recalls the past, he really wants to punch the version of himself that hurt Haruno without hesitation.

Even if there were reasons to do so, he never lied to Yukino Yukinoshita; all his words and actions were the most genuine and correct reactions at that moment.

That can't erase the fact that this guy made his girlfriend cry.

—People have been chasing you from the past to the present, even breaking through system limitations and regaining their memories in order to find you.

As a result, you used the excuse that the feelings you once had were gone to avoid her, reject her, and distance yourself from her from the perspective of a victim. You took it for granted that the feelings that were gentler than the winter sun, and made her tears, her determination to stand against her own sister for you, and the bracelet she made for you all become meat buns that could never be returned.

Is there anything more outrageous than this in the world?

……have.

That is, after that, he inexplicably regained his feelings and hoped that she could retain her memories and become a member of his harem.

Thinking of this, Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but clutch her head in her hands, and began to give up on herself, muttering in a gloomy tone:

"Ugh, I'm such a jerk. How could I be so terrible? I might as well just die. Why did I have to ruin other girls' lives like this..."

The resentment one harbors is like the exhaust fumes from an old bus, polluting the surroundings.

However, it didn't last long. Tenkuji Yu quickly regained her composure and stepped into the supermarket with a calm expression.

He pulled a handcart toward the meat section, leaving no trace of the self-loathing he had felt while squatting on the ground.

First of all, he's thick-skinned.

Second. Grandma once said that the only people who could deny him were them. The only thing he had to do was to stand responsibly in front of them, let them recall everything, and then judge him according to their own ideas.

Therefore, the path that Yuu Tenkuji is about to take is not only a bright road that brings happiness to everyone, but also a path to atone for the sins he has committed against those he has hurt.

No matter how much criticism he receives, no matter how many times he has to hear "scumbag" or "disgusting," Yuu Tenkuji is not going to stop now.

This is not self-pity, but a responsibility he must shoulder.

……

Carrying two plastic bags, Yuu Tenkuji bought enough groceries to last the brother and sister for about five days before leaving the supermarket to go home.

He walked with light steps, but when he saw his front door, he stopped abruptly.

At the same time, as if a telepathic stimulation had triggered a nerve, the woman who had been suspiciously looking around at the entrance of the Tenkuji house suddenly turned her head.

The two met eye to eye, separated by a long street.

"Why……"

Caught off guard, her eyes glazed over, and Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but murmur to herself.

He watched as the stylish, mature, and beautiful young woman in the distance, after a brief moment of stunned silence, slowly narrowed her alluring eyes at him, as if smugly saying, "Gotcha!"

A bloodthirsty, cold smile gradually spread across her soft, full lips. Her gaze fixed on his neck and vital points, darting back and forth like a venomous snake, as if she were eager to pounce.

Why is this?

In her gaze, for no apparent reason, Tenkuji Yu felt a sense of impending doom.

Why is Yang Nai here?

The boy, who had just been thinking about atoning for his sins, couldn't help but shudder. A chill ran from his buttocks to the top of his head, warning him that he had better run away now.

...But now, it seems too late to regret it, right?

Chapter Five: The snow melted, and the sun returned to the streets.

"Was it just my imagination? It seemed like you looked like you wanted to run away the moment you saw me."

As Yuuki Tenkuji walked solemnly and tragically to his front door, like a soldier about to fight a battle he was about to die, Yukino Yukinoshita blurted out these words.

She wore a friendly smile, but deep in her eyes lay a chilling coldness—her most skillful smirk was a forced, insincere one.

"Why would I run away if I have nothing to do? But you, what brings you here all of a sudden?"

As Tenkuji Yu spoke casually, he gestured for her to move aside so he could take out his key and open the door.

Yukinoshita Haruno readily took a step back, leaning against the wall beside her, her meaningful eyes scrutinizing his expression.

"Yes, I also want to know what I did that made you want to run away... Tenkuji-kun."

Yuuki Tenkuji paused slightly as he turned the key.

Naturally, the two began testing each other from their very first words upon meeting.

He had thought that he would have to say a few more words before Yukinoshita Haruno would start looking for clues in her form of address, so he had consciously been vague in his words to try to control the pace... He didn't expect her to be so impatient and throw out the bait right away.

This is not her usual practice.

Is it because the memory of the last time is still preserved, so they can't wait to seize the initiative?

I returned to the time before my memories returned, and once again relied on my intuition and the strange things in my memory to pretend to be at ease in order to try to find clues.

Tenkuji Yu tilted his head slightly, scrutinizing the meaningful smile on the female college student's face.

Neither his perfect acting skills nor his "lie detector" could help him guess what Yukino Yukinoshita was thinking.

Yes, only she could give me this feeling—we clearly understand each other perfectly, yet she can maintain an air of mystery in front of each other, and keep her from speaking human language to the very end.

Thinking of this, Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but turn around and laugh silently with his back to her.

...The feelings returned, the familiar emotions returned, and the meeting was even more pleasant than I had imagined.

As for why they didn't just say what they cared about directly, but instead used this awkward and troublesome method to probe for information, making it seem like a spy rendezvous...

How should I put it, habit?

Every couple has their own way of getting along, and that's how it is with him and Yukino Yukinoshita. It's rare for them to be completely honest with each other—since they can both understand the true meaning behind each other's words, it's like how some clothes look better on than off, so there's no need to force yourself to take off all the pretenses.

So now, Tenkuji Yuu also used his old tone, suppressing his smile and feigning seriousness as he said:

"Well... that's hard to say. Rather than saying you did something that scared me, it's more like I did a lot of things I was afraid to face you... so when I saw you without being mentally prepared, my subconscious thought was to run away, right?"

She said with some surprise, "Oh? What did you do that you're ashamed to face me about? I don't remember doing that."

"Don't you remember? That's fine, it's enough that I remember those things."

Tenkuji Yu opened her front door and muttered to herself, "You might find it strange, or even think I'm talking nonsense... but I've made up my mind. Even if this isn't even atonement, I'm going to find the you of the past, find our past, and stop running away from the beautiful things we once experienced."

"What are you talking about? Are you delusional? Why can't I understand a single word?"

“Yes, you can take it that way…” Stepping into the entrance hall, Tenkuji Yu took a deep breath and then exhaled heavily.

He knew that Yukino was still watching him from behind, and he could roughly imagine the complicated expression on her face at that moment.

Just like when she first met Hino after she regained her memories, she was not only shocked by the current situation, but also confused about what to do and what to say to deal with this sudden situation.

Yuu Tenkuji didn't intend to reveal everything now. He wanted to find a good opportunity—a good time to sit down and have a long talk with Yukino Yukinoshita, to resolve everything he understood and didn't understand all at once.

Winter break is long, life is long, and it's not just about the Yukinoshita sisters; he will rediscover all his feelings and memories, and from now on, he will never let anyone down again.

"Therefore, Yang Nai—"

He turned his head halfway, and the words had just left his mouth.

The soft impact suddenly touched his back, which he caught steadily.

Then came the pale arms that wrapped around his chest, as if trying to crush him in their embrace, their force so intense that they trembled slightly.

A familiar scent wafted into my nostrils from behind, and my coat, chilled by the wind, began to warm up in an instant.

After a moment of surprise, Yuu Tenkuji gradually gave up all her movements.

Standing there, Yukinoshita Haruno seemed to be venting her emotions as she kept applying force to her arms, trying to crush their hair and bones together so that they could never be separated.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally spoke softly in a hoarse, weary voice:

"I knew it... you're back."

Tenkuji Yu gently patted her hands, which were placed on her lower abdomen. She wasn't too surprised, and simply smiled and said, "Yes, your little Yuyu is back."

When? During the cultural festival?

"Pretty much. I keep dreaming about what happened during summer vacation, and when I come to my senses, I find that there's someone else in my heart... Did you secretly put a curse on me?"

"Laughable. If you really knew that kind of spell, you would have crawled up to me and called me Lord Yang Nai by now, okay? Why would I need to come here to find you in person?"

Yang Nai scoffed disdainfully, then, like a child, raised her voice in a spoiled tone and corrected him with great dissatisfaction: "Besides, it's not that there's another one on my heart, it was already there, you just made it disappear!"

"Sorry, it was a slip of the tongue."

Fearing being questioned on this issue, Yuu Tenkuji quickly changed the subject: "And what about your memories? Were they not changed because of the world's remake, or did you preserve them in some way?"

She didn't answer immediately, but instead murmured to herself in a tone that had instantly calmed down:

"The world has been remade...? So, Yukino actually completed the 'ideal boyfriend' mission yesterday? That's quite impressive... But, right now, she..."

Being so close, Tenkuji Yuu could naturally hear her whisper. He then casually offered an explanation:

"She is now just like you were before, in a state where her memories have been altered, she doesn't remember anything related to my interactions, and her perception is vastly different from that of us who have the memories."

Yukino nodded, gently nuzzling her head against his back, her tone showing little surprise: "Although there are still many things I want to ask you, I roughly understand. What goes around comes around. How I felt back then, is how Yukino feels now?"

"Uh... there are still some differences..."

"Hmm~ What a difference~"

Despite trying to tilt his head back, Yuu Tenkuji isn't an owl, so of course he couldn't see what expression she was wearing behind him.

But for some reason, he felt that Yukinoshita Haruno was slowly raising a sinister and malicious smile, like a villain brewing some evil plan, which made him shiver inexplicably and feel a bad premonition.

Before he could say anything more, his waist was suddenly poked twice by her neatly trimmed nails, and her gentle, slightly amused voice crept up his neck and softly whispered in his ear: