I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"..."

Even as Yukino glared at her unhappily, the girl in black stockings continued to toss her long hair over her shoulder and curled her lips into a mocking smile.

"Of course I know the situation is completely different from the game—didn't you see it written in the notebook that if things go wrong, it won't just be him who gets hurt, it'll be me too?"

"I've been threatened by things like death cycles and an irreversible future. The pressure I faced was far greater than what you, an outsider, have faced. Not to mention, I don't like your boyfriend at all, yet I was inexplicably dragged into this mess and have to do so many things for him—and he hasn't complained at all. What right do you, someone who can't even recall any of your past memories, have to make a fuss here?"

With a cold snort, Kasumigaoka Utaha's tone grew increasingly stern as she stared intently at Yukino and said, "So, either you shut up and take good care of him, or you go home right now and cry into your blankets... Don't worry, we'll handle the rest."

"you--!"

Silver teeth clenched unconsciously, Yukino's expression was stern and her gaze sharp, as if she wanted to say something in retaliation.

Looking into Kasumigaoka Utaha's unyielding eyes, she could only clench her fists tightly and couldn't utter a single decent rebuttal. She lowered her head with a face full of resentment, her slender shoulders trembling slightly.

'Does having no memory mean having no right to speak? How pathetic…'

Thinking this casually, the traffic light in front of her turned green, and Yukino stepped on the gas, turning into the neighborhood she had visited that morning in a brief silence inside the car.

She didn't intend to speak up for her sister right now.

Although I did remember this debt, I will definitely take revenge on Kasumigaoka Utaha for my sister's sake if I have the chance in the future.

However, what the other party said was true. After what happened this morning and being hit by this sudden accident, Yukino's mentality has become very fragile, and she is even unable to think calmly enough.

She only makes useless worries, asks the same questions over and over again, and can't help at all. This is not the usual her. Even Natsukawa Masuzu is more rational than her. It's good that an outsider can scold her and wake her up. It saves me the trouble.

At the same time, she was also able to quietly gather in-depth information that Kasumigaoka Utaha hadn't told them—such as the fact that Kasumigaoka Utaha's current situation might be very similar to that of Yu-Yu. These were things that her subordinates couldn't find out, and they could also learn more about Yu-Yu from the sidelines.

If it were Yukino from before today, perhaps she could have handled the situation more maturely and reliably than I have?

After all, she helped Xiao Youyou make a decision about her relationship, something that no one else could do, and she was able to calmly face the end of the relationship for his sake.

Yukino Yukinoshita admitted that she probably didn't have the same courage as Yukino.

Unfortunately, Yukino is completely useless now, and even I, as her older sister, can hardly stand it anymore. I just don't have the time or energy to give her any "loving guidance." Otherwise, how could outsiders be allowed to scold my younger sister?

Well, I can understand that...

With a silent sigh, watching the scenery outside the window rush past, Yang Nai couldn't help but think of what had happened not long ago, and she couldn't bring herself to blame her sister anymore.

After all, if we're talking about panic, during the period when she had to shorten a half-hour drive to less than ten minutes and run countless red lights, her panic was no less than Yukino's.

When Yukino rushed to the apartment as fast as she could and saw her pale-faced girlfriends surrounding her, while her lover lay alone on the ground, fast asleep and seemingly dead, Yukino felt a sense of collapse and impending death.

She used all her strength to suppress the despair that felt as if the whole world had collapsed because of him, and buried it deep within her body.

And with an air of calm as if all emotion had been erased, he forced out the question, "What happened?"

Because she knows what to do now.

Because she knew what she shouldn't do.

If he's not around, my vulnerability is meaningless; it's just venting my emotions. So I need to calm down quickly, turn my worries into concrete actions, and become his strongest and most trustworthy support.

Then, when he wakes up, use tears and smiles to make him remember her kindness completely, make him frantically comfort her, and with this guilt and gratitude, bind him firmly to her side.

This will greatly enhance his chances of success in the future.

—That's right. Instead of worrying about his safety, we should think about how to use this to our advantage after he wakes up.

This is the maturity of Yukinoshita Haruno, this is the cunning of Yukinoshita Haruno.

This is her—

lie.

"There's no way around it, my little sister has already embarrassed herself so much, so I, as the older sister, have to step up my game..."

His fingers, which had been gripping the steering wheel until they turned white, slowly released it.

With a smirk, Yukino Yukinoshita chuckled self-deprecatingly and adjusted the rearview mirror with her unsteady fingertips—that way, she wouldn't see him lying flat on the back seat like a corpse.

Then, she exhaled a slightly trembling breath and forced herself to shift her thoughts, pondering and organizing the information that Kasumigaoka Utaha had told them.

For example, the notebook contained records of their interactions with Yuu Tenkuji, but only Utaha Kasumigaoka could see them, showing no intention of protecting their privacy at all...

For example, they can see the tasks and hints given to Kasumigaoka Utaha in the notebook, but they can't see what's written after the rewards, and the other party doesn't seem to have any intention of being completely transparent with them...

For example, she also retains the memory of the last mission, and the power outage in that building was because she wanted to rewrite Xiao Youyou's fate of being stabbed in the chest...

By the time Yukino Yukino came to her senses, the car had already stopped in front of the Tenkuji family's house.

Taking him home immediately while he was asleep and notifying Kasugano Sora at the first opportunity was also a decision made by Yukino Yukinoshita, taking into account Tenkuji Yu's personality and the fact that there were outsiders present, so she could not act selfishly.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Riddlers also have an art of speaking.

Yukinoshita turned off the engine and got out of the car. She glanced back at the interior and saw Kasumigaoka Utaha and her younger sister Yukino following her out. When Natsukawa Masuzu met her gaze, she obediently raised her hand and said:

"I'll stay in the car to look after him. I'll leave the matter of informing Xiao Qiong to you."

Upon hearing this, Yukino Yukinoshita stopped in her tracks as she walked towards Haruno. She decisively turned around and returned to a spot where she could easily keep an eye on Yuu Tenkuji.

"I'll stay too. Too many people will make Xiaoqiong feel uneasy."

This is not a lie, it's just that there are other motives involved.

Natsukawa Masaki knew that her main purpose in staying was to be wary of him, but he shrugged it off without much concern.

Are you kidding me? Is she the kind of person who would make a move on her crush while he's asleep?

Even if it were true, there wouldn't be enough room to move around in this cramped van. Not to mention, people could pass by at any moment, and she wasn't that bold; at most, she'd just take the opportunity to kiss them a few times.

So Yukino Yukinoshita's precautions were entirely correct; Yukino's little scheme was accurately detected by Yukino.

Natsukawa Masuzu couldn't help but click her tongue in regret—although she seemed to have become a bit weaker after losing her memory, the second young lady of the Yukinoshita family was still the same, too clever to be fooled.

"Then I'll leave him in your care~"

Not worried that the two of them would team up to do anything to the lying-down Yuu Tenkuji, Haruno casually waved her hand, stood in front of Yuu Tenkuji's house, and gently pressed the doorbell.

Suddenly remembering something, she asked Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was following behind her with little enthusiasm, "Utaha... I hope it's okay for me to call you that? You're two years ahead of me, after all."

"I don't mind. Even though it's my first time meeting you, Senior Haruno, I've at least learned a lot about you from your perspective."

With a similar composed demeanor, Kasumigaoka Utaha tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

She glanced at Yukino Yukinoshita, who had returned to the car, and suddenly sighed helplessly. She smiled apologetically at Hinano and said, "I was really rude just now, saying so many unpleasant things to your sister. I hope you won't take it to heart."

"How could that be? On the contrary, I should thank you. You tolerated her willfulness for so long before finally scolding her to wake her up. It's been hard on you to put up with her willfulness."

When the other party apologized with an insincere attitude, Yukinoshita Haruno naturally responded with a fake smile.

Although there was no hostility, there was also little goodwill; their words and actions conveyed a sense of distance, as if they didn't want to get too involved with them.

I can understand why she would have such thoughts, but Yang Nai always felt that things wouldn't go as she wished.

The fact that the "gods" chose to let her possess that notebook that records destiny was definitely not a coincidence or accident... Perhaps Kasumigaoka Utaha is the next mission target for Tenkuji Yuu.

Looking at the girl with long, straight black hair in front of her, who was no less beautiful or had a better figure than herself, Yukinoshita Haruno smiled, but couldn't help but shake her head inwardly.

Just like her, and all her "girlfriends," some relationships, once formed, only become more and more tangled, like knotted headphone wires, becoming increasingly difficult to separate.

After a few brief, polite words, Yukinoshita Haruno steered the conversation back on track.

"I can handle things here myself. You can go back to the car and wait for me."

"You're planning to explain the reason for his coma to his sister, right? After all, in this situation, it's futile to tell any lie, so it's better to just be honest from the beginning."

The black notebook gently rested against her fair and delicate chin. Kasumigaoka Utaha lazily squinted her eyes and slightly curled her cherry blossom-colored lips: "Even if we want to repeat the method of persuading you just now, I have to do it myself. Of course, I have to come with you so as not to waste too much time."

“That’s true. Physical evidence is always more convincing than empty words.” Yukinoshita nodded in agreement, but then changed her mind. “However, his sister also retains the memories of the previous mission. It won’t be difficult to get her to accept a situation that is even more beyond common sense—just tell her that it is related to her ‘girlfriend’ again, and she shouldn’t need your notebook.”

"That would be best... No, wouldn't you make her misunderstand if you said that? Let's stick to the facts and reason."

Kasumigaoka Utaha frowned slightly, her tone full of displeasure, and said as tactfully as possible, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to belittle you—but to be honest, I don't want to be considered one of you."

Forgetting others, being abandoned by others, and then being covered in wounds on the way to win them back—it's okay to read about in novels, but a sane girl would stay as far away as possible from such an excessively rich emotional experience.

"Pfft! Hahaha, that's really going too far!"

Yukinoshita couldn't help but cover her lips with a smile, turning her head slightly away so she wouldn't see the cold light flashing in her eyes, devoid of any smile.

"Oh dear, it seems that notebook really did record everything that happened between us and him."

"It's just a general outline. You can think of it as a record of the plot or something." Kasumigaoka Utaha shrugged, her slender white fingers flipping through the pages like she was counting money. "And it only records important or obviously key points in the plot. Things like the trivialities of daily life and the various scenes of your intimacy are not written here, so don't worry."

"Oh, that's really fortunate."

She answered indifferently, without any emotion. Suddenly, footsteps came from inside the door as people came downstairs. Yukino Shino pursed her lips, her face gradually darkening, revealing a slightly solemn expression.

Seemingly peering through the peephole, the noise lingered in front of the door for a moment before the door slowly opened with the sound of the chain being removed.

"Is something wrong? Yu went out to find other girls."

With half her head peeking out of the door crack, Kasugano Sora stared warily at the two giant cat women in front of the gate, looking as if she might shut them out at any moment, giving off the vibe of a cute little animal whose territory had been invaded by a natural enemy.

Yukinoshita couldn't help but smile wryly: "I know, he told me. Thank you for reminding me, Sora..."

However, before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was flipping through her notebook behind her.

"It's written in the notebook that he spoke to Asuna Yuuki first before going to the apartment to find the two of them. Did he tell you that too?"

Kasugano Sora tilted her head in confusion: "Notebook? And who are you?"

"..."

Yukinoshita paused for a moment, then slowly turned around and looked at her with a bright smile.

"Kasumigaoka, please don't interrupt when you're speaking. Has no one taught you this? If not, I'd be happy to do it for you now."

"Hug, sorry."

The deep, cold eyes revealed that the other person was not joking, and the dangerous aura emanating from their entire body sent chills down one's spine and made one's heart tremble, as if they were about to pull out a knife from under their skirt and slit one's throat at any moment.

Kasumigaoka Utaha subconsciously took a step back while holding her notebook, as if she was completely overwhelmed by the other person's gentle and cheerful aura. Even her reply had a timid and obedient feel to it.

Yukinoshita turned back with satisfaction, looking at Kasugano Sora again, her warning smile replaced by a serious expression.

"Xiao Qiong, you should know that all sorts of unscientific things often happen around Xiao Youyou, right?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Kasugano Sora opened her mouth slightly in bewilderment, blinking her bright, clear eyes, which were filled with confusion.

"Having relationships with all of you in turn, and even trying to build a harem in modern society, isn't that the most unscientific thing? Are you only realizing that now?"