I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

The principle of balance lies in ensuring that everyone receives equal treatment.

He's not an ancient emperor who distinguishes between empresses and concubines based on the status of the girls he likes—he loves Iroha Isshiki, whom he's been dating for a year, but that doesn't mean he looks down on Kasumigaoka Utaha, whom he's only recently fallen for.

I suppose all my other girlfriends were the same to me?

Liking someone is liking someone. Even if the depth of love differs, the desire to be with the other person forever is equally important.

Without this understanding and the awareness to accept multiple loves, how can one be qualified to accept multiple loves?

Although he hasn't yet recalled what happened in the real world, after kissing Kasumigaoka Utaha, Tenkuji Yu is becoming more and more accustomed to thinking from the perspective of a light novel harem protagonist.

Gradually becoming yourself again.jpg

"Scumbag! Indecisive! Cruel! A scoundrel in his harem!"

Naturally, Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't hold back in scolding him, then pouted with a wronged expression, whimpering, "Anyway, I'm just a latecomer, a mistress, and can only use my weak hands to protect those precious bits of happiness. Every day I worry that you'll just throw me away like a prop when you're tired of me. Anyway, you have so many other options..."

Tenkuji Yu's cheek twitched.

No wonder she's a novelist; give her a topic and she can instantly write a two-thousand-word essay.

Although he hadn't officially confessed yet, when his girlfriend threw a tantrum, he could only put his arm around her thin and delicate shoulders and gently comfort her: "Don't be like this. Didn't I say I would protect you? Like you just said, I'm a scumbag who's gentle to everyone—and because I'm such a scumbag, unless I leave everyone for some reason, I won't let any girl I like leave me."

"Including you, Shiyu."

But as if she couldn't let it go, Kasumigaoka Utaha snorted softly and awkwardly twisted her lips: "Don't think that these cheesy pickup lines can soothe the wounds in a girl's delicate heart."

"Then what should I do?" Tenkuji Yu asked earnestly, following her lead.

“It’s simple.” Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly grabbed his hand and excitedly dragged him into the nearby grove of trees. A chilling glint flashed in her eyes, a determination to win the war by any means necessary. “First, we’ll make it a fait accompli, then lie to them that you got me pregnant before, but the system ruthlessly took the child away after the reincarnation… So what if we start late? As long as we reach the finish line first, I’ll be invincible!”

Tenkuji Yu stood there stunned for a long time before struggling like a virtuous young girl being forcibly taken by a landlord.

"Wait, wait, wait! Calm down!"

"I'm very calm! This is the best choice I've made after careful analysis, and I believe you can understand me!"

The black-haired beauty who said this was chuckling softly with a flushed face.

That grotesque expression, coupled with his matter-of-fact and forceful tone, made him seem like a lustful middle-aged man who couldn't wait to find a back alley and start having sex.

—Yuuma Tenkuji never expected that this guy's true nature of no longer suppressing his emotions would turn out to be this bad.

"Understand my foot! Whose best option is to drag their boyfriend into the woods and force themselves on him?!"

"Don't worry, I'll just rub against it, I won't go inside. You can count the leaves on the tree, it'll be over soon!"

"You've got the positions reversed! Stop joking, we have serious business to attend to now."

"This is preparation for battle! If you don't intend to be my ally, then become my weapon!"

"I think it's not a weapon, but rather a prop with an unknown purpose!"

"It's all the same~ Even though it's my first time, I'll try my best to finish the battle within five minutes..."

"...I don't really want to argue with you, but since it concerns male dignity, I must solemnly tell you that it will take at least fifty minutes for me to surrender."

"I don't believe it. Come and try if you dare!"

The silver-haired girl stood there indifferently watching them tug and pull at each other in front of the grove, wasting their time on this farce.

I was originally going to say something in response to Kasumigaoka Utaha, but now...

Forget it, they're all outsiders anyway.

She was just a lowly maidservant, not even a concubine. She should just do her job and no matter how proactive she was, no one would give her a second glance.

With such complex and lonely feelings, the silver-haired girl looked up at the sky and sighed softly.

"I don't know until now that the sky in this world can be so beautifully blue..."

……

After much bickering, the three finally arrived at the infirmary.

"Having a baby was just a joke, of course, but I still hope you can handle our relationship carefully."

Calm and intellectual, that's the mature demeanor Kasumigaoka Utaha should have when discussing serious matters.

She rested one hand on her chest and gently twirled a strand of hair by her temple with the other, speaking casually yet earnestly to the young man beside her: "If you weren't so unwilling to have a harem, my chances of winning would be as slim as winning the lottery. I would do anything to stop you."

Tenkuji Yu opened his mouth slightly, but Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't intend for him to comfort her. She said calmly, "But since you intend to make everyone happy and write a perfect ending that anyone can be satisfied with, you can't just be like those useless male protagonists in light novels, letting the girls around you scheme against each other and create all sorts of chaotic situations, while you just watch from the sidelines and occasionally get intimate with a few of the girls."

"That will only cause bigger problems, turning you from a scumbag into a piece of trash who's even worse than a scumbag."

"Chicken with broken skin..."

Tenkuji Yu couldn't help but have a subtle expression. Is this the male synonym for rotten crotch?

He sighed and looked earnestly into Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes: "Don't worry, I understand what you're saying. I won't make that kind of fundamental mistake."

"If that's the case, that's great. Anyway, for my own rights, I'll complain to you fiercely whenever I feel unhappy or think that the way you treat girls is unfair!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha leaned in and retaliated by lightly biting his cheek, leaving a faint scent of teeth.

With a mixture of resentment and helplessness, a faint smile appeared on her stunningly beautiful face.

"It takes so much courage to be with you. Don't let me down."

"Mm." Tenkuji Yu grasped her hand, turned back, and said in a deep, calm yet firm voice, "I never go back on my promises."

"Then open the door."

Kasumigaoka Utaha also looked at the door of the infirmary, took a deep breath, and her eyes flashed: "Get ready to find our long-lost 'comrade' completely!"

Itoko followed behind the two like air, her eyes slightly closed, as if she were watching out for their surroundings.

Yuu Tenkuji reached out and opened the door to the infirmary without knocking.

The interior view came into view, and as expected, it was empty; a nameplate with "Yukinoshita Haruno" on the desk was still there, but no note had been left indicating that she had gone out.

The windows were still closed, but the sun shone brightly outside, and the green grass stretched to the path leading to the school gate, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

Without the slightest hesitation, Yuu Tenkuji led the other two inside.

Chapter 152 Teasing Yukino

"Is this where you met Yukino Yukinoshita?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha glanced around and looked out the window, but found nothing. She then sat down next to the infirmary bed and said, "What if she changes her mind this time? Are we supposed to search the whole campus for her?"

While recalling the details of their last encounter, Yuu Tenkuji casually replied, "Let's wait and see. Whether we look for her or she comes to me, as long as we haven't disappeared from this world, we'll meet again somewhere."

After a moment's thought, he turned to the silver-haired girl behind him and said, "Itoko, find a place to hide. They don't know yet that the 'mastermind' has been brought into our camp. Your presence might make them temporarily back down."

Itoko nodded, stood in the shadows of the corner, and activated "Presence Adjustment," instantly becoming as inconspicuous as the mannequin next to her.

"And what about me?" When he turned his gaze, Kasumigaoka Utaha crossed her left leg over her right, lazily propped her head up with her arm, and said in a leisurely tone, "Do I have to hide too? Like a mistress who almost ran into the wife while having an affair at home."

Beneath his kind and casual smile lay a chillingly sharp murderous intent.

"If you don't want to hide, you can rest here," Yuu Tenkuji said helplessly. "Whether you want to draw the curtains is up to you. Anyway, the moment she looks at the bed, she'll be trapped in my grasp."

"Really? Then I won't pull you." Kasumigaoka Utaha snorted twice, then lay down on the bed with a carefree attitude, completely unconcerned about the view of her black stockings leaking out from under her skirt. Her long, plump legs hung over the edge of the bed, swinging gently like a child.

Yuu Tenkuji picked up the neatly folded blanket next to him and calmly tossed it onto the girl who was generously handing out "fan service"—he was a respectable person, and he would do such things when he got back. Soubu High School's infirmary wasn't without beds, right?

That's why Kasumigaoka Utaha deliberately teased him when he couldn't bring himself to do it, just to see his unwavering yet feignedly serious expression.

"Come on, let's have some fun." She turned to the side, clutching the blanket, patted the spot behind her, her eyes moist as spring water, and said with a smile, "A moment of pleasure is worth a thousand pieces of gold, why don't we have Itoko keep watch for us, and enjoy ourselves before Yukino arrives?"

“Female benefactor, this humble monk is not that kind of person. Please do not disturb my spiritual practice.” Tiankong Temple Youwei narrowed his eyes, flicked his fingers and chuckled, his face serene and detached from worldly affairs.

Kasumigaoka Utaha lay flat on her back, gazing at the sky, and muttered to herself, "Right, this is a dream-like world, which means I can have sex without any consequences..."

"What?!"

Tenkuji Yuu suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with a sharp light, and a stern expression like that of a Buddha's wrath appeared on his face.

It seemed as if pure flames were spreading from his body. He roared righteously and lunged at the bed: "Witch, I need you to help me cultivate!"

"Oh no, sir!"

The farce ends here.

In the past, even if Kasumigaoka Utaha teased him like that, Tenkuji Yu would only make a few sarcastic remarks and wouldn't really pay any attention to her.

However, as his feelings became more open and their relationship progressed, his attitude towards Kasumigaoka Utaha naturally changed as well—specifically, he became more relaxed and more like his true self.

After placing the girl, whose face was flushed and whose body was weak, back on the bed, Yuu Tenkuji walked to the window and opened it.

Pretending to admire the scenery, but actually leaning against the window frame observing the surroundings, focusing on certain bushes where small animals might hide.

He wasn't entirely sure whether the black cat would follow the historical trajectory to find him.

But in any case, is it wrong to wait here for class to start? Even if Kuroneko is absent for some reason, he can still catch Yukinoshita Haruno in the infirmary, who will definitely be back without any surprises.

And so, I sat by the window for two or three minutes, enjoying the cool breeze.

Tenkuji Yu's ears twitched as he heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes diagonally in front of him.

Although faint, the sound of footsteps treading on withered branches and decaying leaves still reached his ears clearly.

If Yukino Yukinoshita in her animal form knew herself well, she would know that this commotion would not escape her senses. Pretending not to notice would only make her more wary.

So Yuu Tenkuji simply turned his head and stared at the bushes over there without saying a word.

Not long after, a rather familiar-looking, thin black cat emerged from the shadows with elegant cat steps.

It's described as small and thin, but that's only in comparison to another cat; it's slender and delicate, bony but not frail, and its fur is jet black without a single stray hair, just like a little princess in the cat world.

Those strange, dark blue cat-like eyes were gazing at him quietly and gently, as if saying:

haven't seen you for a long time.

……

"A lost kitten?"

At the window, Tenkuji Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise, her gaze curiously observing the cat as it gracefully approached: "Such a beautiful cat, if the other girls at school saw it, they'd probably pet it until it sheds all its fur, right?"

His muttering reached the black cat's ears. Its long tail, held high, seemed to flick twice with pride and joy. Then, it narrowed its eyes warily to observe its surroundings, and its pace quickened unconsciously.

Seeing that it was not only unafraid of people, but was also walking straight towards him, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but whistle and jokingly stretched out his hands: "Come on, I'm the only one in the infirmary, come in and rest for a bit."

Like a kidnapper reaching out his evil hand to an innocent and ignorant little girl, he smiled innocently and cheerfully, but a cold glint of triumphant scheming flashed in his eyes.