I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

He's just the vice president of the student council; he's not so busy that he doesn't have time for such a small matter.

Moreover, from the beginning, Tenkuji Yu had a good impression of Tachibana Kanade. Even setting aside their status as junior students, just from the perspective of appreciating art and a kind of mentality like protecting national treasures, he was sincerely willing to be her helper and wanted to see her spend a carefree school life without being bothered by those messy things.

So whether it's becoming the vice president or taking down the unruly underground organization SSS Group, these are things that Yuu Tenkuji would do on her own.

Furthermore, if someone were to say something like "Iroha Isshiki doesn't deserve to be around them," he would indeed not hesitate to use "Truth Bullets" to hypnotize those disrespectful bastards.

Overall, the background settings provided by the system are reasonable and there is basically no flaw in them.

The reason I say "basically" is because after learning this information, a strange feeling suddenly arose in Tenkuji Yu's heart—

"Did I really do these things...?"

Although he had no related memories, the sense of familiarity, as if he had personally experienced it, made it difficult for him to regard it as just a mere background setting.

This might be another clue. Sky Temple Yuu kept this in mind, feeling that her exploration progress had increased a little more.

As for Sora, she really didn't plan to go back to school during this trial. The uniform was just something she asked Tachibana Kanade for, to cosplay for her brother who had a sister complex, and to satisfy his little desire.

After all, since the accident that happened to her parents, Yuu's biggest wish has been to see her younger sister able to wear a school uniform and go to school normally.

"Senior, the dishes are washed! Look, don't I look virtuous in my apron?"

As she finished thinking, the sound of water in the kitchen stopped. Iroha Isshiki, who had volunteered to help wash the dishes, stepped out briskly. Her fair and bright hands were still wet when she proudly twirled around, clutching her apron.

Her short, flaxen hair was tied into a small ponytail, which looked playful yet gave her a more mature, youthful appearance.

"Yes, yes, very virtuous."

After giving a few perfunctory replies, Yuu Tenkuji got up from the sofa, put on her uniform jacket, grabbed her schoolbag, and told them to turn off the lights and fans so they could go out.

"It's almost time, let's go to the student council room."

"Hmm... Senior, if you keep being so heartless, you'll lose a certain pitiful junior sooner or later..." With a disappointed pout, Isshiki turned around and went back to the kitchen to take off her apron.

Tachibana Kanade, who had already taken off her apron, came out, untied her hair tie that was tied into a single ponytail, put back on the beige sweater that she had taken off to keep it dry, and obediently walked behind him with her schoolbag, ready to go out with him.

Suddenly noticing something, she looked up at Tenkuji Yu, her pale golden, calm eyes clearly reflecting his face.

"and many more."

Tenkuji Yu then stopped in his tracks.

Then, her delicate, fair fingers gently pinched his tie, pulled it up to his neck, and adjusted its position.

Tachibana Kanade withdrew her hand, her usually expressionless face softening slightly, a smile seemingly playing on her lips, her ethereal and gentle voice as warm as a gentle breeze.

"As a member of the student council, my dress code should be the standard for all students in the school... my vice president."

"..."

As if struck in the face by an RPG, Yuu Tenkuji fell into a stunned silence. After a long while, he suddenly looked up and spoke to Iroha Isshiki, who had just come out of the kitchen and was staring blankly at the scene:

"Look, this is what you call virtuous and wise."

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Little Confession (22/55)

This must be the first time in my memory that I've gone to school with a girl like this.

Looking at the clean, long slope stretching into the distance, enveloped in the morning mist, Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

He subconsciously stopped in his tracks, his nostalgic gaze sweeping over his surroundings, as if he saw a girl by a telephone pole who was always waiting for him to go to school together. But that phantom was instantly evaporated by the rising sun peeking through the clouds.

After all, if he really had that kind of girlfriend, why would he have to accompany two female students to school on the first day of school?

Yuu Tenkuji shook her head, started walking again, and followed the two youthful and adorable figures ahead.

Spring is in full bloom, and the roadside trees are thriving, casting long shadows. Perhaps in another ten days or so, this new green will be covered by a cherry blossom-colored rain curtain, and then pollen will run rampant, and you can hear the sniffling and painful groans of hay fever sufferers everywhere.

Luckily, I'm not afraid of these things, otherwise this season would be too unbearable, and I wouldn't be able to properly appreciate the cherry blossoms.

"Kanade, in order to prevent that perverted senior from misunderstanding anything, I think it's necessary to tell you the correct concept of the difference between men and women..."

Looking up, I saw two female students whispering to each other.

Although Iroha Isshiki tried her best to keep her voice down, Yuu Tenkuji could hear everything clearly from that distance.

Because the conversation concerned himself, he didn't hold back at all and listened to their chat openly and honestly.

Tachibana Kanade tilted her head slightly: "Men and women are different? I know that, and I don't think Yu-senpai has misunderstood anything. It's just that Iroha, you're overthinking it..."

"No, no, no, casually straightening a guy's tie and saying things like 'You are my XXXX' are incredibly seductive techniques!"

Iroha Isshiki waved her hands frantically, looking like a loving mother trying to pull her daughter back from the brink of disaster, and said earnestly, "Kanade, I know you didn't mean it, but most virgins who are treated like this by a girl will immediately fall for it and start having all sorts of disgusting misunderstandings! Not to mention a beautiful girl like Kanade, even a senior like you would definitely have your heart pounding and be thinking all sorts of terrible things right now..."

"What terrible thing?" Tachibana blinked in confusion.

"One-Colored Feather, that's enough! I can hear you!"

Before she could turn back to ask herself, Yuu Tenkuji decisively raised her voice and forcefully interrupted the girls' conversation.

"If you slander me again, you'll be cleaning the entire student council room today. Li Hua and I will just sit here eating desserts and watching you work!"

"Wow, how can someone so casually come up with such a devilish idea..."

Like a startled rabbit, Isshiki Hajime hunched her shoulders and used Tachibana Kanade as a shield, staring warily at him following behind: "Kanade, did you see that clearly? That's Senpai's true evil face!"

Knowing that she was just joking with the two of them, Tachibana Kanade didn't say anything more. The corners of her mouth curved gently, and she reached out to pat her head before continuing to walk gracefully and naturally up the slope.

Isshiki Iroha glanced at her, then exchanged a look with Tenkuji Yu, her expression seemingly becoming complicated for a moment, but she quickly turned her head and snorted, pouting angrily.

"I did not slander my seniors. You know perfectly well what you did!"

Despite saying that, when Tenkuji Yu caught up, Iroha Isshiki started walking along, swaying beside him with her hands behind her back.

Yuu Tenkuji sighed, "I didn't do anything, at most I just said, 'That's what you call virtuous'..."

"That's the problem! You blockhead senior who doesn't understand girls' hearts!"

With a soft thud, she punched him in the waist, her fingers loose, her arm and her beautiful short, flaxen hair falling down.

On the road, the girl's shadow seemed to be about to touch his shoulder at any moment, but it remained just out of reach, never quite crossing that last bit of distance.

"...As expected, everyone likes girls like Kanade."

Such a faint voice probably couldn't reach the shadow cast by her hair.

Yuu Tenkuji replied casually, "Isn't that obvious? After spending time with her, you'll understand why she's so popular."

Innocent and straightforward, gentle and adorable, and with the most beautiful face in the entire school, who wouldn't like such a beautiful girl?

"I didn't question that point, it's just..."

However, Iroha didn't say what it was. She breathed a sigh, mixed with complex emotions, into her palm, acting as if nothing was wrong.

Even though it wasn't winter and the temperature wasn't cold enough to make my fingertips feel cold, I kept breathing warm air into my skin.

As if she knew everything, Tenkuji Yu looked at Tachibana Kanade not far ahead and said calmly to the girl beside her, "Quite a few boys have confessed to you, right? They just wanted to get close to you, not because of Tachibana."

“That’s right, that’s how it is.” She muttered, her eyes fixed on the ground as if counting how many red bricks she had stepped on. “Although that’s right…”

Yuu Tenkuji continued, "And is it more important whether everyone likes it or whether the people you care about like it?"

"Of course they're all important!"

Isshiki finally raised her eyes, her large, watery brown eyes hidden under her bangs, slightly upturned as if trying to observe his expression.

"Being liked by everyone is essential for survival in a group and satisfies vanity, so you could say it's about quantity... Being liked by those who value you is like having your efforts rewarded, so quality is more important here..."

"That's a good analysis." Tenkuji Yu smiled and gently placed his hand on Tachibana Kanade's soft hair, just like he had done earlier.

Shiroi Hato trembled slightly, but instead of running away, she raised her chin against his palm, as if unwilling to be treated like a child.

A faint blush appeared on her fair and lovely face, and her eyes were intently watching his expression.

Even if this is a trial arranged by the system, even if the one-colored feather in front of you may not be a real one-colored feather.

Yuu Tenkuji once again spoke his mind from the bottom of his heart:

"From a senior's perspective, you and Li Hua are both important juniors to me, and there is no difference in who I prefer."

Frowning, Isshiki Iroha slapped his hand away dismissively, scoffing and turning her head away: "Cunning! I knew you'd play it safe, senpai!"

"What else?" Yuu Tenkuji rolled her eyes and said irritably, "Do you expect me to say to me, 'I'm sorry, senpai, although what you said was very nice and it touched me, the way you put it was really disgusting, so I can't date you like this. Please come back after you've improved your skills.'"

Iroha Isshiki suddenly opened her eyes wide, staring at him in disbelief: "Senpai, how did you know what I was about to say? Can you read minds?!"

"No, it's not the first time you've said that to me..."

"That's true. Who told you that you haven't made any progress at all?"

Isshiki Iroha sighed, her soft, reddish fingertips tugging at his sleeve, pulling him forward: "Alright, hurry up and catch up with Kanade, the way our line is arranged is so weird!"

Tenkuji Yu shrugged, letting her pull him closer to Tachibana Kanade's back.

"By the way, senior."

Almost imperceptibly, the girl's delicate and cheerful voice rang in my ears.

Tenkuji Yu didn't turn around, but answered in the same soft voice as her, "What's wrong?"

She asked, "Do you like Xiaozou?"

Despite the sudden question, Yuu Tenkuji answered without hesitation: "Yes, I like her. Ninety-nine percent of the people at Soubu High like her."

"Then you..." She thought for a moment, then shook her head helplessly, "No, never mind. I like Xiaozou very much too, so I really can't be jealous of her."

"There's nothing to be jealous of. Iroha Isshiki has so many strengths, and there are things that Tachibana Kanade can't learn."

"Wow, Senpai's sweet talk is here again..." After showing a disgusted expression, Iroha narrowed her eyes into crescent moons, smiled calmly, and said nonchalantly, "By the way, I also like Senpai very much, you know?"

“I know, I can tell,” Yuu Tenkuji said matter-of-factly, though a slight smile unconsciously appeared on her face.

"What? You really can read minds!" She lightly punched his waist again, but this time the expression under her hair was as warm and sunny as spring flowers.

As for what kind of affection it is, there isn't anyone here who would be so clueless as to break the unspoken understanding between the two of them.

Chapter Thirty: My brother must be in a lot of pain and struggling right now.

Sky Temple House.

"A trial...?"

Watching the four girls struggle to lift their brother onto the sofa, and after they retreated, panting, Kasugano Sora slowly walked to his side, squatted down, and carefully reached out to tidy up his disheveled bangs as he slept.