I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Ignoring her lack of awareness about the danger, Yuu Tenkuji smiled again: "But now, your parents should feel more comfortable letting you come out and have fun, right?"

Kanade Tachibana's parents weren't strict and respected their daughter's privacy quite a bit. Even though she visited her single senior's house repeatedly, no one from Yuu Tenkuji's side ever came to warn her...

However, traveling far away is different. If the condition becomes unstable, one must go to the hospital for a follow-up visit at any time. If one goes to a place where it is difficult to call an ambulance, and something irreversible happens, no one can afford to bear the responsibility.

So, according to Yuu Tenkuji, Kanade Tachibana has never participated in any hiking trips or autumn excursions to other prefectures, and has always been on sick leave.

If her condition stabilizes, she might be able to regain her youth and slowly reclaim the things she couldn't experience in the past.

"I remember you mentioned wanting to go fishing by the river before? Why don't we start planning that now?"

She blinked: "Now?"

He shrugged. "It doesn't have to be now. Anyway, there's still a long time until summer vacation, so let's plan ahead!"

"..."

Unable to look away, Tachibana Kanade quietly watched his enthusiastic expression, a radiant smile silently blooming on her porcelain-like face.

"Yes, I'll be really looking forward to it!"

For a moment, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't look away.

That smile, if described as beautiful, still carries a touch of childish innocence; if described as cute, it cannot hide the underlying elegance.

Despite this, there is no contradiction at all; on the contrary, the two feelings are blended together in a harmonious and gentle way.

If we really had to find a "vocabulary" that could definitively describe it, then it would probably only be...

'An angel's smile, isn't it?'

As this thought surfaced in her mind, accompanied by a faint, almost imperceptible flutter of her heart, Yuu Tenkuji suddenly realized something.

To date, I have accomplished many things, achieving feats that many normal people may not be able to accomplish in their entire lives.

However, there was only one thing he had never experienced throughout his life, despite all the achievements he had made—

in love.

Is this system trying to get him to have a girlfriend?

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Abnormal Kasugano Sora (Two Chapters Combined)

This book was compiled by the [Hedgehog Cat Pineapple Bun Novel Exchange Group]. Copyright belongs to the original author. The text is for preview purposes only!

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"Are you going upstairs to say hello to Qiong?"

At the entrance, Tachibana Kanade shook her head, put her elegant sheer coat back on, and adjusted the hat on her small head.

"I just wanted to share some good news with you. I have things to do later, so I have to go back now."

Didn't they even have time to go upstairs and say hello? With this question in mind, Yuu Tenkuji didn't ask any further questions.

"It's really kind of you to make this extra trip." He chuckled, patting the straw hat he was wearing. "Then I won't see you off. Take care on your journey."

"Yes, Senior Yu too."

With a calm yet earnest voice, her white skirt fluttered as she turned and walked into the bright spring sunshine, her feather-like figure disappearing lightly at the end of the road.

Watching her leave, Tenkuji Yu closed the door, rested his head on the door panel, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Today, while he received the good news that Tachibana Kanade's health had improved, it also brought him new doubts and various speculations.

"Girlfriend..."

He subconsciously stopped thinking that once this trial was over, even the best news would be nothing more than a pipe dream.

Unbeknownst to him, Yuu Tenkuji had begun to regard the people and things in the trial as reality and to take them seriously.

Up until his senior year of high school, the only women he was close to were two female students. As a healthy 18-year-old virgin, spending so much time together and gradually developing feelings for each other, he naturally had romantic thoughts about them...

However, to be honest, Isshiki Iroha is more likely to give him the feeling of having a girlfriend. When he teases her occasionally, he often feels the urge to pin her against the wall and bully and tease her.

Kanade Tachibana is different. She's more like a mascot or a younger sister, so pure and kind that no one would want to do anything to tarnish that purity. Even just watching over her forever would be enough for her...

Of course, I'd rather not give it to other men.

Putting aside this selfish mentality for the moment, Tenkuji Yu was pondering that if the system really required him to date someone before it would unlock the next clue, then he would probably date Isshiki Hachiman instead of Tachibana Kanade, who had come all this way to report the good news to him today.

Although it was just a kind of self-confidence, he believed without hesitation that none of them would reject his confession—and that was precisely why he should choose carefully.

In contrast, Isshiki Hatake seems to value "dating" more. The mischievous junior is always finding ways to tease her, and it's time for her to know that not every man can remain unmoved by such flirting as the protagonist in a light novel.

Thinking of that scene, Yuu Tenkuji, whose expression was somewhat somber, couldn't help but laugh.

He suddenly realized that he didn't dislike becoming lovers with Iroha Isshiki, and even vaguely looked forward to that future—could this mean that he actually liked her?

Perhaps. There's no stronger love involved, just a certain degree of fondness.

Even if he were to date her, the relationship between the three of them would likely remain unchanged.

Given Tachibana Kanade's innocent and pure personality, she would probably only offer them sincere blessings and continue to treat them as close friends and family.

So relaxed and carefree, is this the kind of romantic achievement the system wants to give me in this final trial?

"Is it true or not...?"

Back in her room, looking at the unchanged content on her notebook, Yuu Tenkuji, with a troubled expression, flopped onto the bed like a high jumper.

boom!

The familiar elasticity bumped against my body, then I was enveloped by the softness of the bed. The sunlight streaming in from the window was just the right amount of warm, like a poison dissolving my skin inch by inch, gradually lulling me into a hazy drowsiness.

Yuu Tenkuji simply closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and re-examined his decision.

'Want to give it a try? Confess your feelings to Isshiki and make her your girlfriend…'

If she truly likes me, then isn't it too unfair to date her for this reason?

This isn't the rented boyfriend he used to become just to achieve some "achievement." That kind of feeling can't tolerate any falsehood—after all, Isshiki Iroha and Tachibana Kanade are both important people he wants to protect during this trial.

Since that's the case, either you should talk things out with her, or you should find someone who makes you want to date her and gives you that kind of attraction and affection.

Regarding her own feelings, regardless of the purpose, Yuu Tenkuji does not want to be controlled by the system and will not force herself to be with someone she does not like.

'…If I were a frivolous guy, things would probably be much simpler.'

At least within a year, getting a female student pregnant, forcing her to take a leave of absence, and marry him should still be achievable...

Just to probe for clues about the system, they went to great lengths to create a special story in this trial world. If they messed something up, they would ask the next cycle to reset everything and start over. They would stop at nothing to complete this final mission.

This may be the theoretically optimal solution, but it is also the least likely choice for him to make.

"Even though I've done so many outrageous things, I still have my bottom line..."

Yuu Tenkuji smirked self-deprecatingly. If he were such a scumbag, would he have bothered for so long over such a trivial matter of feelings?

He decisively slapped the bed, clearing his mind of sleepiness, and got out of bed.

I'm a little thirsty and want to go downstairs for a glass of water.

As she walked toward the door, Yuu Tenkuji was still pondering the question of "girlfriend" when she suddenly felt a tightness in her chest and a strange, awkward feeling welled up inside her, as if she had missed something important and had just missed the truth.

It was a strange feeling that was quick and fleeting, and as soon as his hand touched the doorknob, it receded completely like the tide, leaving no trace.

"So, really, I've never had a girlfriend...?"

Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but murmur softly.

Excluding the first achievement, I don't recall it at all.

But why is there a familiar feeling, like I was once so troubled and conflicted about issues related to my girlfriend?

It's as if the same problem is presented to him, but he has forgotten what answer he used to solve it.

With a slight frown, Yuu Tenkuji opened the door, rubbing her aching head as she prepared to go downstairs.

The door to the room next door also opened quietly, and a silver-haired girl who had been staying at home for a long time walked out.

She was still as petite and charming as ever, with a streamlined figure, slender hands and feet, a face as delicate and flawless as a porcelain doll, and clear gray eyes that gave her a transparent quality. Her temperament was otherworldly and elegant, as if she shouldn't exist in this world.

Compared to my memory, however, he seemed so indifferent, cold, and unapproachable, and... without realizing it, he had matured a lot.

"Did you report back?"

As if she had come out specifically to talk to him, Kasugano Sora asked this question right off the bat.

Looking at her long hair, which wasn't tied into pigtails but flowed naturally down her back, and the non-prescription glasses on her nose, Yuu Tenkuji nodded and replied, "She went back. She said she had something to do and didn't want to say goodbye to you."

"Anything else?" For some reason, she chuckled slightly, turning her head away and muttering with a complicated expression, "She's just afraid to see me, isn't she..."

"What do you mean? Did you two have a fight?" Yuu Tenkuji was taken aback and asked with concern.

"No, we have a great relationship." Kasugano Sora rolled her eyes and skillfully brushed him off. "Don't ask so many questions about girls' affairs. By the way, what's bothering you this time? Why are you frowning like that?"

Yuu Tenkuji subconsciously scratched his temple: "It's nothing, just some trivial matters related to the fate of the world..."

"How can this be called a trivial matter?!"

"Don't ask too many questions about Onii-chan. By the way, what's with your outfit? Are you trying to change your image? You're clearly a shut-in."

Kasugano Sora pushed up her glasses and said irritably, "You idiot, Yu, can't I just really be nearsighted?"

Tenkuji Yuu chuckled, "You're nearsighted? What a joke, I clearly gave you that..."

Huh?

The scene before him suddenly became chaotic for a moment, and he stared blankly with his mouth open, unable to utter a word.

What did you give her to drink?

Why did I assume that my sister, who spends all her time at home playing computer games, would naturally not be nearsighted...?

Even though Qiong's eyesight has been fine all these years, as long as she doesn't change her current habit of looking at computers and playing on her phone, it's not surprising that her vision will deteriorate at any time. As for glasses, she can just buy a pair online; there's no need for her to go to an optician to get them fitted.

—But even so, there's no reason why he would subconsciously say such a thing, is there?

Many guesses flashed through my mind in an instant, but they were like a bunch of headless flies hitting a fly trap, burning many brain cells with crackling sounds, but I couldn't come up with a single answer that I could trust.

Unconsciously, he stopped breathing. Yuu stood there blankly, lost in thought. His sister was no longer in the world before him. Instead, black and white snowflakes spread from the corner of his vision. The noise-like waves flashed by, seemingly passing through some fragments that were both strange and familiar to him.

"Xiao You, I will protect you!"