I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

As the spirit following them, Tachibana Kanade inevitably witnesses various scenes unsuitable for children and teenagers. However, apart from accidentally seeing the whole thing the first time, whenever they showed signs of "going to war," she would awkwardly cover her eyes and avoid them, while using the power of miracles to cut off her hearing, until the two of them finished before returning to their side.

She was still not used to facing that kind of thing.

If ghosts weren't immune to blushing, they probably would have used up all the blushing opportunities they'd accumulated over hundreds of years in less than a year...

Well, this also means that the two of them have a good relationship, which is something to be happy about.

Overall, during her time as a spirit, she felt as if she had returned to the past, watching over the people she cared about with warm eyes, and finding a sense of satisfaction in it.

When they realized they had disappeared, they felt a complex mix of panic and anticipation, but thankfully they didn't remember anything in the end.

When familiar classmates pass by without noticing you, that kind of loneliness and solitude is always hard to get used to.

Even though he had already completed the final step of the trial and successfully started dating Iroha, he still had to face the next cycle of reincarnation. It's hard not to worry about whether he can pass the trial...

And there's more. There's a lot more.

More and more thoughts sprang up in my mind like mushrooms after rain, only to disappear one by one, until finally only one sentence remained—

"Actually, I don't want to disappear."

Once you've lost something and gotten it back, you don't want to lose it again.

Tachibana Kanade slowly opened her eyes, a slight smile of regret appearing on her lips.

Even so, she did not reach out to stop the clock hands from turning.

Her pale golden pupils reflected the world ablaze with the colors of the sunset, and her soft lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something one last time, or perhaps she wanted to bid farewell to this short life with a song.

But the girl still chose to give up, simply letting her hands hang at her sides and quietly waiting for time to pass.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from downstairs.

Then the iron gate was flung open, and the impetuous boy burst into the rooftop where time seemed to stand still. His slightly rapid breathing disrupted the tranquility, and his eyes quickly locked onto the clock tower directly opposite.

"Yu...?"

Tachibana Kanade turned her head in surprise, seemingly caught off guard, but quickly regained her composure and looked at him tenderly.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

She knew he couldn't hear her voice, couldn't see her, and couldn't even remember her existence.

But I still couldn't help talking to him like this, as if I had returned to the time before last year's fireworks festival, or to the very beginning.

Even though she was unaware of it, her eyes, expression, and even her voice were all in the gentle tone of "I like you."

Not expecting any answer, Tachibana Kanade was about to step towards him when Tenkuji Yu suddenly shifted his gaze from the clock tower and looked at her.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

It wasn't an illusion; their eyes truly met.

"..."

Like a creature targeted by Medusa, Tachibana Kanade reflexively froze on the spot, his breathing as if petrified, his pale golden eyes gradually filled with astonishment.

—But that's impossible, isn't it?

Those two were being intimate in the student council president's office just now, and they didn't even glance at her, who was standing right at the door...

Why can he suddenly see himself when the cycle of reincarnation is about to begin? This doesn't make sense!

Her little hands clenched nervously for no apparent reason. To confirm her doubts, Tachibana Kanade tentatively took a step to the side, pressing down on the corner of her skirt that had been lifted by the wind to prevent herself from being exposed in front of him.

To her relief, the boy who had suddenly appeared opposite her did not follow her movements with his eyes. He remained staring intently at the spot where she had just been standing, as if he had discovered a new continent.

'Is it a coincidence? Or is there something on the rooftop that's attracting him...?'

Patting his chest in relief, Tachibana Kanade couldn't help but look at where his gaze was fixed with a puzzled expression.

There's clearly nothing there...

"It's not like there's nothing there, is it? Such a cute girl alone on the rooftop makes people worry that she might be thinking of doing something drastic. Please be mindful of the impact this has on innocent students."

His tone was so natural that Tachibana Kanade subconsciously replied, "But the students have already left the school, and I didn't plan to jump..."

She had barely finished speaking when she realized something was wrong. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Tenkuji Yu, who remained motionless, her mouth slightly agape as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

He slowly turned his face, as if ending a prank, straightened up, stretched, and gave her a hearty laugh:

"Hey! Should I say 'long time no see' or 'nice to meet you'?"

"Honestly, our school doesn't have a rooftop for students to use. Only bad students would come here to get some fresh air... You made me search all over the place, I almost missed the deadline."

So……

Ignoring her reaction, after finishing his explanation, Yuuki Tenkuji muttered a few words under his breath, then cleared his throat and said to her in a surprised tone:

"President Yuan, what are you doing here?"

"..."

The words fell.

The quiet rooftop is like an aquarium filled with orange juice, and the distant clouds are like clownfish drifting by.

The dazzling orange glow gradually disappeared below the horizon, the sky darkened, and the boundary between dusk and night slowly swallowed the entire city. The increasingly strong evening wind blew the hem of their clothes.

Her long, snow-white hair, as translucent as silk, reflected a gentle yet dazzling light.

After a while, her gaze gradually shifted from surprise to helplessness, and she sighed softly in silence.

And in a tone he knew well, he said softly:

"Senior Yu, please don't call me that in private."

Chapter 71 The Cycle Begins, Tachibana Kanade Is About to Disappear

A strange atmosphere flowed between the two, and the time it took for their eyes to meet seemed to stand still.

"Lihua, what are you doing here alone so late?"

Yuu Tenkuji broke the silence first, speaking casually in a conversational tone.

Instead of responding to the atmosphere, Tachibana Kanade suppressed the slight smile on her lips and looked directly at him with her calm and straightforward eyes.

"How did you remember me? In my current state, no one should be able to notice me."

"Because I have Doraemon Sora," Yuu Tenkuji said with a smile, one hand in his pocket. "Plus, with the help of a certain angel who wandered in, even if you disappeared to the ends of the earth, as long as it's not too late, I can find you."

"..."

She ignored his feignedly affectionate words as if they were commonplace, and upon hearing the name Sora, Tachibana Kanade understood pretty much everything.

Finding a ghost is not difficult when you use the power of miracles.

Although she didn't know what the "crashing angel" was all about, the reason wasn't really important to her—after all, not long after, she would really disappear from this world completely, and even Xiao Qiong wouldn't be able to find her again.

Just like how there's no need to nitpick about the quality of dishes other than Mapo Tofu, she's too lazy to care about such things.

They remained silent facing each other for a long time. Tachibana Kanade brushed the long hair that had fallen in front of her eyes behind her ear, and suddenly sighed softly. Her gentle and melodious voice was carried to him by the wind.

"...Did Xiao Qiong send you here to bring me back?"

Yuu Tenkuji raised an eyebrow, offering no further explanation, and continued, "'The guy who disappears without permission, next time we meet I'll definitely tie you to a chair and then eat three big bowls of your favorite Mapo Tofu right in front of you'—that's what she said, right?"

"!?"

Upon hearing this, Tachibana Kanade's expression visibly stiffened, his gaze shifting slightly downwards guiltily, and he crossed his arms as if at a loss.

Those eyes, which had been so decisive and piercing, blinked rapidly, like a prisoner in court trying to find a way to defend himself.

"Punishment, isn't that a bit too much... At least change it to one bowl?"

She had barely finished speaking when she suddenly realized—wait a minute, she was going to disappear in a few minutes, so why was Qiong going to tie her to a chair and do something so outrageous?

Concern leads to confusion... Although it was somewhat inappropriate, Tachibana Kanade couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of relief.

Looking at her subtle yet incredibly varied expressions, Yuu Tenkuji smiled and continued, "While you were gone, Sora worked so hard on her own for a long time, and she has a lot of complaints she wants to tell you."

"I know. I feel so sorry for her."

As she spoke so frankly, the guilt and unease she felt earlier instantly vanished into a calm and settled peace. Tachibana Kanade looked calmly and resolutely into his eyes: "Even so, for your future, I must disappear."

She bowed deeply, a full ninety degrees, her snow-white, translucent silver hair obscuring her delicate, slender face. From the shadows came a steady, unwavering voice: "Please apologize to Xiao Qiong for me. Staying here would only be a burden; the best choice for me is to return to where I belong..."

I also believe that she can, like she is now, create a future that belongs to you all through her own efforts.

"—Because she's my hero too!"

Raising her face, Tachibana Kanade smiled faintly, her expression serene and without a trace of gloom. Her clear and crisp voice resonated, dispelling all the gloom on the rooftop.

So please don't stop me.

"Let's live happily together with Xiaoqiong, Caiyu, and everyone else!"

As long as I'm not around, fate can definitely be changed, and that kind of ending will come sooner or later.

Regardless, Tachibana Kanade firmly believes this.

"..."

Unfortunately, just like singing praises of the beauty of heaven in front of atheists, such words cannot move anyone.

If Qiong were there, she would probably rush over, grab her by the collar, and give her a good scolding, right?

Then she said things like, "Stop wallowing in self-pity! Do I need your sacrifice? I just want you by my side!" Crystal tears streamed down her face as she spoke these harsh words, her trembling eyes filled with a resentful, clenched-teeth expression. The two beautiful girls were locked in a passionate embrace under the setting sun…

Just imagining that scene in her mind, Yuu Tenkuji almost moved herself to tears.

This also proves that he basically ignored the girl's declaration.

Whether you firmly believe it or just pretend to be strong, it doesn't matter.

Still unable to recall anything, relying solely on "intelligence" to operate, when faced with this familiar stranger, it was like throwing a pebble onto a frozen lake; he simply couldn't be moved by her so easily.

Even so, he couldn't just turn around and leave.

He had to finish what he had to say, and whatever choice she made afterward was none of Tenkuji Yu's business.

A farewell under the setting sun cannot end like this.

"Don't worry, I have no intention of stopping you."

Suddenly, Tenkuji Yu took a step forward towards her.