I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

However, no one wanted to seriously investigate her thoughts. As soon as Yukino Yukinoshita spoke, the matter was glossed over.

"It seems our 'exploration team leader' is having a rough time."

She curled the corners of her mouth as if she found it amusing, but there was little smile in her eyes. Her gaze swept across the contents of the notebook from time to time, like a computer running an analysis program, her mind constantly summarizing and organizing the current information.

When she gets serious, this mature and reliable college student exudes an aura that is impossible to ignore and makes people subconsciously follow her lead, much like the leader of some elite team.

"Yukino, here's a pen. Write anything you like in the last comment." Yukino pulled a pen from her bag and tossed it to her younger sister. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Just write... 'We received your message. Could you tell us what information you have?'"

"That's not called casual."

Frowning and glancing at her sideways, Yukino took a deep breath, suppressed her awkwardness, and obediently followed her sister's instructions.

The neat handwriting was written on the clean white pages of the notebook. I thought it would be like in some fantasy movies, where the ink would disappear automatically and transmit the information to another world.

However, not long after, while the message "We received your message, could you please tell us what information you know?" was still available, a new reply appeared just like before.

"I thought it had failed, but it turns out it was just too high a latency... Hahaha, that's great! As expected of me, Utaha-chan, I can do anything if I want to!"

"She's almost gone crazy." With her arms crossed, Natsukawa Masuzu commented mercilessly, "Judging from the previous content, she was probably locked in a dark room and forced to write for several months? No wonder she's acting like her personality has completely changed after only being apart for a dozen minutes in real life."

If a handsome and charismatic author were to suffer such treatment, not only would his personality change drastically, but he would probably turn into a ruthless writing machine, with his personality completely destroyed.

Asuna Yuuki wanted to laugh, but she felt it was wrong to build her happiness on other people's suffering, so she could only force a wry smile and turn her worried gaze to Yuu Tenkuji.

"But this also proves that the trial was extremely harsh, right? Even Kasumigaoka-senpai, who only went to help, ended up in this situation. What about Yu-kun...?"

"On the surface, he seems to be sleeping quite peacefully." Kasugano Sora poked his cheek, pressed her fingers to the sides of her lips, and forced a stiff smile.

Watching her playfully tease Yuuki Tenkuji's face, Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but cast a slightly envious glance. Before anyone else noticed, she quickly snapped back to reality and coughed twice, feigning seriousness.

"Let's find out what's going on with the senior first... If we can also find out how to bypass the administrator and enter the trial, that would be even better."

No matter how dire the situation is for Yuu Tenkuji, as long as they remain helpless as they are now, knowing more will only make them more helplessly anxious.

She slowly exhaled, and the fingers gripping the pen gradually regained their stability.

...The family members praying and praying outside the operating room probably feel the same way, right?

Despite sharing the same anxiety and worry, Yukino Yukinoshita never prayed to gods or Buddhas for his safety.

Because they believed in his abilities, that he could create miracles that even gods and Buddhas couldn't touch.

Because they believe that human will can overcome fate, they will eventually meet again in reality and regain everything they have lost.

So... nothing will happen.

With a determined look at the notebook, Yukino Yukinoshita pursed her lips into a thin line and slowly began to write.

She suddenly had a premonition.

The journey to rescue his beloved from the trials of hell seems to have only officially begun now, from the moment the notebook connects the two worlds.

……

summer.

The water was waist-deep, and the sun was blazing.

In the sweltering heat of the beach, Yuu Tenkuji and his girlfriend enjoyed a carefree and exhilarating summer vacation.

"Senior, what are you daydreaming about?"

Lying on the duck-shaped air cushion, Isshiki pushed up her sunglasses with her index finger, her pink and soft lips twisted into a tiny dot, and her bright and lively eyes looked at him with dissatisfaction.

"It'll be very hot if you stay still. Do you want your girlfriend to be dried out by the sun?"

Coming to her senses from her inexplicable daze, Yuu Tenkuji continued kicking her legs, pushing the duck-shaped air cushion carrying the girl towards the cooler depths of the sea.

He said helplessly, "Do you see me as your boyfriend, or as a servant you can order around at will?"

"Of course, he's my favorite boyfriend~" The flaxen-haired girl turned around, lay on the air cushion, and looked at him with a grin. Her voice was sweeter than processed honey. "It's because you're willing to tolerate my willfulness that I, Aya-chan, show you my slightly worse side without reservation!"

"That would be an honor."

While staring at the snow-white cleavage in the middle of her pink bikini, where water droplets mixed with sweat and seawater were lightly seeping out, Yuu Tenkuji coldly remarked without expression.

Iroha pouted, her cheeks puffing out as if they were sunburned.

"What's with that reluctant tone... They already said they'd give you a treat when we get back to the hotel as compensation, and you're so listless, it's really a downer!"

With a gentle kick of the foot, the seawater gently carries me forward.

Displaying her expert-level swimming skills, Yuu Tenkuji said unwaveringly, "How can something I do every day be considered compensation?"

"Well……"

As if recalling some inappropriate images, Iroha Isshiki's face flushed even more, and she spat at him with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance: "How dare you say that! We kissed on the first day of our relationship, and on the fifth day we French kissed. On the weekend, you used the excuse of going to your junior's house to tutor her to cross the final line, and since then you've been endlessly craving her perverted senior!"

"It's amazing that you could finish saying all that in one breath."

Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but applaud in admiration, without feeling the slightest bit ashamed, as if it were the natural thing for a wolf to eat meat.

"Who told you to be so cute, and to keep tempting me with all sorts of methods? If I could resist, wouldn't that mean my love for you isn't strong enough?"

"That's right..."

Iroha was speechless. If he could actually resist in such an almost blatantly provocative situation, she would doubt whether she herself lacked charm.

Recalling her first experience, Isshiki Hatake's cheeks flushed, but she couldn't help but smile proudly—"Hmph, I'm still quite charming!"

Otherwise, how could a usually calm and composed senior act like a irrational beast, working from morning till night and only stopping when his parents came home?

She completely ignored the pathetic state she was in afterward, almost losing consciousness like a lump of mud.

"all in all!"

Shaking her head to clear her mind of the chaotic images, Isshiki Hatake stared intently at him, her eyes flashing with a chilling seriousness.

"Senior, you'll take responsibility, right?"

If you're not going to take responsibility, I'll just die with you at the bottom of the sea right now!

Her eyes seemed to say this, her gaze frozen and unwavering—there could be no more resolute threat.

Yuu Tenkuji could only offer a helpless expression.

"Didn't I already say? If you accidentally get pregnant one day, you can just drop out of school and marry into my family without any problem. I've also taken care of your parents. They're always worried that something might happen to us... It's made me only dare to use my own little umbrella, for fear that one day I'll experience what it feels like to have a hole poked in it."

"Th-what are those stupid parents thinking..." Iroha Isshiki blushed and gritted her teeth, then snorted heavily, "I'm a seventeen-year-old high school girl in the prime of my youth, I don't want to step into the grave of marriage so early!"

"I think so too."

Yuu Tenkuji nodded in deep agreement. He was still young, and even if he didn't have to worry about money, he didn't want to be tied down by a child.

Not to mention, what if he hadn't passed the trial before graduation, but then had a child with Isshiki Iroha...

He didn't want to experience that feeling of gaining something and then losing it again.

"Anyway, don't worry, the marriage certificate is in the drawer, it can be sent to the Civil Affairs Bureau anytime." Tenkuji Yu reached out and smoothed her slightly damp hair, which had grown to waist length over time.

When your hair grows long enough to reach your waist, will you marry me? — He might think about it, but he could never bring himself to say such a corny love line.

He took her hair in his hand, gave her a kiss, and looked at Isshiki with deep affection, saying tenderly, "No one can stop me from taking responsibility for you, even if time flows and the world changes, even if I have to be at odds with the whole world - you will always be my treasure."

"...How cheesy!" Iroha Isshiki twisted her face, crossed her arms as if she had goosebumps all over, and practically admitted that she was disgusted by how cheesy it was.

Then she sighed heavily: "Fine, I can feel your desire to take responsibility... It's a bit too cheesy, but you hold such a high place in my heart, so I'll just trust you for now."

"You really are so high and mighty." Tenkuji Yu pinched her cheek, and seeing her seemingly dissatisfied but actually moist and alluring gaze, he understood and kissed her.

The lips were salty, yet the taste between them was irresistibly sweet.

Not long after, Isshiki Hachiman, panting lightly, wrapped her slender, hot arms around his neck, gently pressed her cheek against his, and rested her chin on his broad, bare shoulder.

"Hehehe, senior, I'll tell you a secret~"

She suddenly giggled, her sweet, warm voice lingering in Tenkuji Yu's ears.

"Actually, I secretly brought my school swimsuit with me... it's the one from that movie you secretly watched before."

"That is the real compensation..."

After saying that, Isshiki Hatake, as if trying to hide her shyness, gently bit his earlobe and buried her head deeply in his neck and shoulder.

"What did you say?"

As the warm, soft body embraced him, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but stiffen.

—Oh no, I've been caught watching videos to study!

That's not the point.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to drag her into the water to "practice swimming" in broad daylight in the middle of the ocean. With a serious expression and tone, he said, "I understand. I didn't expect my girlfriend to be so thoughtful and go to such lengths for me... In that case, let's not delay and go back to the hotel to rest!"

Ichiro Iroha punched him in the chest.

"You idiot senior, it's not even dark yet! I came out to have fun with you, not to be... cough cough."

She abruptly stopped herself from uttering those vulgar words, and bit her lower lip angrily: "Anyway, I can only go back after I've had my fill of fun, okay?!"

"of course."

Tenkuji smiled and nodded, then resumed paddling with his legs, which had stopped at some point. He tilted his head back slightly and used a frog-style kick to propel the duck-shaped air cushion slowly onto the water's surface.

Iroha Isshiki returned to her sunbathing posture, her snow-white and beautiful figure exposed to the sun. Only Yuu Tenkuji could see her perfect appearance, a combination of sexiness and cuteness, in a mature-style bikini.

The state of "no one can hear what's going on behind the scenes" is already his ideal of being MVP.

"By the way, senior, what were you thinking about just now?"

Lazily enjoying the sea breeze, Isshiki asked casually.

Yuu Tenkuji was too lazy to explain and replied casually, "It's nothing, just a small matter."

Iroha, however, frantically patted the air cushion, expressing her dissatisfaction.

"Come on! There's no one in this world who knows your senior better than me. Do you think I'd believe that?"

"That makes sense."

Yuu Tenkuji smiled helplessly, quickly giving up on hiding it, and said truthfully, "It's nothing, I just suddenly have a feeling that someone is watching me."

"Being targeted? Isn't this commonplace for seniors?"

Isshiki Hachiko couldn't help but look puzzled.

His lover is the only student council president at Soubu High School with 100% support. Although he is now stepping down to prepare for exams and has told everyone that he has a girlfriend he is in love with.