I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Then, to avoid the other party being too good at acting, she added another layer of insurance—implying that he should take the relationship seriously and showing her feminine charm, letting him feel in advance how happy their life together would be.

Even if everything before was just an act, the date after leaving the arcade would make him genuinely like her, making it impossible for him to refuse her confession later.

This is Kasumigaoka Utaha's plan.

Although it may seem naive and wishful thinking, there's no way around it; reality isn't like a novel where you can easily create unexpected events to significantly increase the affection between the male and female protagonists.

In practice, this is the best she can do... but that doesn't mean the results are bad.

The fact that the two of them are in this position now, and that he answered without hesitation just now, is the best proof that it worked.

If they can refuse, then there must be some unavoidable factor hindering them.

That's why Kasumigaoka Utaha is staring at him so intently, not missing any suspicious changes in his expression—either he'll agree outright, or he'll refuse due to some unspeakable reason; there won't be a third outcome.

"..."

Tenkuji Yu fell silent for a long time.

The pale ink-colored sky stretched out outside the window, the clouds seemingly within reach, and one could greet the vast world simply by looking down.

At this moment, neither of them had the leisure to appreciate the scenery; their eyes were only on each other. The world seemed to have drifted away from them, and only the increasingly distinct sound of their heartbeats echoed in their ears.

"Poetry Feather".

Instead of using ventriloquism, Yu Tenkuji gently opened his lips and called her name in a low and gentle voice.

Kasumigaoka Utaha could feel her face rapidly heating up. Even though the distance between their lips was only three centimeters, it didn't make her as shy as those words.

But more than the burning shame in her chest, she was concerned about what he wanted to say when he called her so affectionately.

Does it mean accepting the confession, or apologetically rejecting it?

He gazed at me with deep affection, his lips only two centimeters away from mine.

“You’re absolutely right. Dating without the intention of marriage is just playing around… I don’t want to play around, so can you give me a chance? Let me take responsibility for you and my girlfriend to the end.”

"That is to say..."

Despite receiving the expected answer, Kasumigaoka Utaha couldn't help but widen her eyes, her gaze trembling slightly, and she murmured in a daze, an overwhelming joy and happiness welling up within her.

This was a reaction controlled by the body's instincts, the last vestiges of reason and calm whispering in my heart.

Tenkuji Yu nodded without the slightest hint of avoidance, his eyes filled with doting affection and tenderness as he gazed at her.

"Please date me formally with marriage in mind... Hmm, that sounds a bit lacking in ceremony."

He thought for a moment, then smiled and said:

"Kasumigaoka Utaha, I like you."

"—"

The voice, filled with absolute certainty, struck me like a heavy blow to the chest.

The rapid heartbeat was louder than usual, pounding against my eardrums.

—I can faintly hear the sharp sound of fireworks going off into the sky. Is it six o'clock yet?

Have the cabins beneath our feet already risen to the very top of the Ferris wheel?

What shapes would fireworks look like when viewed from mid-air?

At this moment, Kasumigaoka Utaha had no time to think about anything else.

I felt dizzy and confused, a strange feeling welling up inside me, and tears were welling up in my eyes.

She tried to calm herself down and get rid of this exaggerated emotional reaction—yes, she only confessed to avoid punishment, so how could she be so happy as to cry because of this guy's answer!

She forcefully rebuked her own emotions and tried to regain her composure, at least to stop her lips from trembling.

But for some reason, the words "I like you" possessed an unimaginable, powerful magic when they appeared before her name, making her almost forget her purpose and identity. In a daze, she overlapped with Kasumigaoka Utaha of this world...

So this is what it feels like to be in love?

While she was still in a daze, Tenkuji Yu added casually:

"And everyone else too."

"...?"

Time seemed to stand still. Due to the suddenness of the event, Kasumigaoka Utaha's mind went blank, and even her heartbeat seemed to stop.

"What's wrong?"

Tenkuji Yu tilted her head slightly, feigning confusion as she looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha, who seemed to be playing in the snow when she was suddenly buried under the snow on the trees, her initial joy completely turning into bewilderment and astonishment.

After a few seconds of hesitation, she mechanically asked, "...What did you just say?"

Without hesitation, Yuu Tenkuji repeated that sentence clearly and with absolute certainty—

"I said I like you, and everyone else too."

"..."

As soon as the words were spoken, a deathly silence spread rapidly like thin ice.

The cabin felt like a fully-frozen freezer; the previously stuffy air was completely frozen, and even the faintest breathing sounds became very noticeable.

Kasumigaoka Utaha blinked blankly, her ears hearing his voice, but her mind completely unable to comprehend the meaning of his words.

—Could I have misheard?

Unfortunately, Tenkuji Yu's next words shattered her last shred of hope.

"I like you, I like Nayuta Kana, I like Muramasa Senju, I like Aoyama Aoyama, I like Kirihime Natsuno... and I like my sister Kasugano Sora even more."

Regardless of whether he remembered them or not, he rattled off the names of all the female authors he had heard at the awards ceremony, inevitably including his sister.

He paused, ignoring Kasumigaoka Utaha's stone-carved expression, and gently bit off the chocolate bar, the remaining half of the Pocky falling out from the girl's slightly parted cherry lips.

While chewing on slightly sweet cookie crumbs, Tenkuji Yuzuru continued in a very serious tone, "I like all of you, the kind of liking between men and women!"

"The purpose of earning royalties is also to build a huge harem, establish my own 'Sky Temple' family, and make my descendants the pillars of Japan's future!"

"..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha's current expression is almost like she's been petrified by a spell; her eyes are wide open as if she's seen aliens occupying the Capitol and filming a TikTok video in the guise of a beautiful girl.

To avoid being interrupted, Yuu Tenkuji had to finish reciting the lines he had prepared before she could react.

So he didn't pause for long and continued, "Actually, I initially thought you knew my thoughts and that I had accidentally made Nayuta the first woman to get pregnant with my child three months ago. I just wanted you to be honest, so I deliberately acted that way... but it seems you don't know."

"Then this is all I can say to you—"

Tenkuji Yu gave a fake smile and said sincerely, "If you want to be my girlfriend all to yourself, I can only apologize."

"But if you're willing to become a member of the Sky Temple family, then you're very welcome to become my family. Don't worry, we don't have a distinction between 'first wife' and 'second wife' here. Apart from Sora, I like you all equally—"

As expected, before he could even finish speaking...

Snapped!

As the dazzling fireworks burst brilliantly against the pale night sky, Kasumigaoka Utaha reflexively slapped Tenkuji Yu across the face, before a strange anger gradually welled up in her eyes.

The sound was crisp and clear, and the position was perfect. In terms of both posture and force, it was a perfect slap to the face.

"...So you're right, you'll get angry."

As if nothing had happened, Tenkuji Yu looked at her with a smile, his eyes revealing genuine joy.

It's just a girl slapping his face; he can block or dodge it if he wants. When he gets serious, no one can hit him.

—So, Yuu Tenkuji did it on purpose.

An unprecedented heat spread across his face. He didn't know if his handsome face had been photographed with obvious handprints, nor did he care about such a trivial matter. Instead, he felt a sense of novelty and relief.

After all, this was the first time he had ever been slapped by a girl—or rather, not the first time.

Because this slap was aimed at the body of the scumbag You, at his bad deeds, and had nothing to do with him, this outsider who was of noble character and upright conduct.

He himself wanted to punch his own version of himself in this world, so having Kasumigaoka Utaha do it was a good way to save effort, provide a legitimate reason, and also allow them to vent their resentment together.

The pain wasn't so bad; the soft touch and delicate warmth of the girl's hand remained vividly in my memory, even making me want to do it again...

Gathering his jumbled thoughts, Tenkuji Yu looked at her glaring eyes, speechless with disbelief, and maintained his calm and gentle smile, saying unhurriedly, "This slap means you disagree with my 'Tenkuji Family' plan, right?"

"However, I won't be discouraged. I will continue to like you like this and pursue you in return."

"Kasumigaoka Utaha, you are my girlfriend, and one of the people I love."

"I just want everyone to be happy... I don't want you, or them, to look like you've just broken up with someone."

"So, whether it takes ten or twenty years, as long as you still love me, I will try my best to make you accept this fact."

It is more righteous and aboveboard than any declaration.

Amidst the deafening explosions of fireworks, Kasumigaoka Utaha heard and saw more clearly than anyone else.

Yuu Tenkuji wasn't joking; he genuinely thought so from the bottom of his heart.

—And in this absurd and ridiculous way, he accepted his own confession.

At the same time, a familiar system window popped up in front of the two of them.

What's happening on Tenkuji Yu's side?

[Mission: Without letting Kasumigaoka Utaha notice anything amiss, confess that you are dating Nayuta Kana and that she is three months pregnant, and politely reject her confession.]

[Task complete.]

[Comment: This is blatant scumbag behavior. Can this really lead to a happy ending? Can you really heal a wounded heart from a relationship that you've forcibly salvaged?]

Kasumigaoka Utaha's side is—

[Mission: Successfully confess your feelings to Yuu Tenkuji without him noticing anything amiss.]

[Task complete.]

[Comment: Her only love didn't reciprocate with the same level of affection. Even so, she cherished that excessively warm feeling more than anyone else... No matter how the world changes, our ending will ultimately only be bad or worse.]

Chapter 117 You Are Worth Cherishing [Girlfriend]

Both of their attention was simultaneously drawn to the system window.

As his gaze swept over the words above, Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but frown slightly, clenching his fist to confirm its reality.