I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

It was as if the room contained a world filled with light, with blinding white light overflowing from it, illuminating the two people's blank and speechless expressions in every detail.

Yuu Tenkuji: "..."

Yukinoshita Yono: "..."

An awkward silence filled the air for a moment. Then, Tenkuji Yuu twitched the corners of his mouth and gave a dry laugh.

"Heh, that's it?"

"Pfft...cough cough, I get it, this is just toying with someone like you who overthinks things, right?" Struggling to suppress the urge to burst out laughing, Yukino Yukinoshita adopted a serious analytical demeanor. "Lies, snow, sunlight, nothing matters, it's just to make you waste your time on trivial things—you could call it a prank by a mastermind?"

"Perhaps we've focused on the wrong thing. It's not before we go in, but after we've gone in, that we'll understand the meaning of those words."

Speaking in a flat tone, Yuu Tenkuji ignored her expression as she tried to suppress her laughter, and kicked the door open completely, but could see nothing but a sea of ​​white light.

He narrowed his eyes: "You'll only know what's inside once you go in... We can't close the door and turn around now, let's just go in, Yang Nai."

"Right on my mind!"

With great enthusiasm, Yukino Shino grabbed his arm and stepped through the door with him without hesitation, her face even showing a joyful smile as if she were enjoying an adventure.

Not long ago, I was somewhat nervous. After all, in the face of the unknown, intelligent people tend to have a sense of fear and awe, and strive to turn the unknown into the known and the known into common sense.

For some reason, she completely relaxed, letting the intense white light envelop her entire body, painting the world a different shade of white.

Then, the two figures disappeared into the white light, and the door slowly closed automatically.

"Is a lie sunshine or snow?"—this question, which no one has ever answered, still shines with a gentle radiance.

△

Mid-July, Shibuya, Japan.

In order to meet his mission target, Yuu Tenkuji arrived at the meeting place ten minutes early and met the older girl named Yukino Yukinoshita in front of the Hachiko statue on time.

She was stylishly dressed, with a bright smile, and her slightly curled, highlighted hair was smooth and shiny. The curves accentuated by her crossbody bag were deep and alluring. Every smile and gesture seemed meticulously designed, capable of hitting the bullseye for everyone.

She was like the most dazzling gem at an exhibition. Even on the front lines of Japanese fashion—the streets of Shibuya—you couldn't find another beauty who radiated such natural brilliance and became the focus of attention simply by her presence.

In comparison, the boy in cheap casual clothes looked rather shabby; not to mention the stark contrast, it was like a red flower paired with green leaves—he wasn't bad-looking, but he wasn't particularly eye-catching.

He paid no attention to the stares of others, simply hiding his indifferent gaze toward the merchandise—or prey—and, like the young woman, put on a fake friendly smile and began to chat amiably.

After that, they met at a nearby fast food restaurant to discuss the details of renting her boyfriend, while also subtly testing each other.

"..."

Yuu Tenkuji stood beside the two, his brows twitching slightly, his expression indescribably complex.

Even though they weren't in a spirit state, they could still feel the softness and warmth in each other's palms, just like when they were the spirits behind them during their journey of memories. No one noticed them standing there brazenly eavesdropping on other people's conversations.

Similarly, they can't touch anything other than each other—evidence of which is Yukinoshita Haruno, who is currently enjoying slapping Yukinoshita Haruno with great interest, even though her hand keeps running across her face.

Seeing that Tenkuji Yu was looking over, she laughed heartily, just like a child encountering a handheld game console for the first time.

"Hahaha, this is so interesting! Virtual reality? Or has my consciousness gone back to the past? Little Youyou, look, it feels so strange to be face-to-face with yourself talking to someone like this!"

"Indeed, indeed..."

Having experienced this for the second time, Yuu Tenkuji felt only helplessness. He had basically guessed what would happen next and felt no interest at all.

Even if I'm just going through the motions, I still have to watch the story unfold carefully—it's my precious lost memories, and maybe if I experience it all, I can remember everything I've forgotten.

Yukinoshita was still making a fuss beside her: "Little Yuyu, I suddenly thought of an exciting way to play."

"what?"

"Anyway, they can't see us, and we can still bump into each other. If we were here, kissing in front of them, or even doing ○○○..."

"I know what you're trying to say, so quickly put away your audacious idea."

"Tch, how boring~ Shouldn't we do something special to commemorate this rare experience?"

"I never expected that when you saw your past self, your first thought would be to show off your love in front of yourself and play this 'invisible person' game..."

Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but wonder again if he was just a pervert, attracted to girls with slightly problematic XP systems.

He stared blankly at the sky until the two people in the fast food restaurant were about to leave, at which point he followed along with Yukino Yukinoshita, who had calmed down a bit.

Chapter 170 Yukinoshita's Round

From July to August, we went from strangers to gradually becoming acquainted.

Scenes filled with a sense of déjà vu slowly unfold before Yuu Tenkuji, sometimes fast-forwarding to an important scene, and sometimes so delicate that even trivial details are presented.

That might have come from one's own memories, or it might have been a system attached to oneself that recorded all of this.

In any case, it belonged only to him.

This is not the first time that Yuu Tenkuji has undertaken this kind of "time travel".

But unlike last time, he is now experiencing a personal experience he has already forgotten, rather than another life in a parallel world.

It's not about revisiting new stories, but about rediscovering old tales.

This left him with mixed feelings, a strange sensation that the wall of his heart, erected instinctively, was gradually melting away, slowly twisting the self hidden inside into something else entirely.

Yes, that's right. That's for the best.

—It was precisely to become his original self that he came here with them, to trample that false "Tenkuji Yu" underfoot.

He was intently observing his own life.

Watching the lying boy and the young woman on the verge of breaking down, the story unfolds on a stage built of lies, as they search for the truth that belongs to the two of them.

……

It's unclear when it started, but Yukinoshita Haruno has lost the will to joke.

This is a completely unconventional, thrilling, and unique experience—think about it, it's time travel from a third-person perspective!

How many people in the world can experience such an overly novel adventure? Even the protagonists who travel to another world can't compare.

Even if she could only be a viewer outside the television set, unable to interfere with anything, it would still be enough to add another amazing chapter to her wonderful life.

Yukinoshita Haruno should have been overjoyed, wandering around with boundless curiosity, playing little pranks like [putting her head through Tenkuji Yu's chest and then making a lifeless, decaying expression like a masked monster].

Someone as shameless as Natsukawa Masashi would probably peep at him while he showers or goes to the toilet, right? I'm not that lewd; at most, I'll just comment on his physique while he's changing clothes.

—At first, that's exactly what she did.

However, as the plot progressed, from their less-than-pleasant farewell to their second meeting in the car and their trip to the sports center for the six-item trial, Yukino Shinobu quieted down, her thoughts gradually settling. She watched their conversation and interaction with a wistful smile playing on her lips.

"So, that's the expression I had back then..."

How embarrassing, Yukinoshita Haruno.

She was captivated by a boy the same age as her sister on their second meeting, and even lied to hide her feelings. You wouldn't do that even if it were free, would you? Is this some innocent girl experiencing her first love?

Although it really is true.

"I was stuck in the mire, looking for a hero—and then, you appeared right in front of me, becoming the most familiar stranger."

Watching him leave the panda plush toy behind, then stand in the alleyway smiling as he watched her drive away, Yukinoshita murmured to herself.

Then, I clenched the hand that I've held onto ever since.

The owner of the hand gripped it tightly in return, offering her an incredibly real sense of warmth and security in this world where nothing could be touched.

She couldn't help but laugh.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his gaze still following Tenkuji Yu as she turned to go home.

"nothing."

Recalling the sunset she saw that day, Yukinoshita slowly closed her eyes and hummed as if singing, "I just feel that little Yuuyu back then was so innocent, completely different from how you stroll so calmly among the flowers now. What destroyed your innocence?"

"Don't portray me like a playboy... Although that's the truth, judging by my heart rather than my actions, I'm actually quite innocent..."

"Hahaha! '[Tenkuji Yu is a pure-hearted boy]' That's the funniest joke I've heard lately!"

"You..."

The scene changed again.

Yuu Tenkuji encounters a variety show crew on the riverbank and temporarily acts out a scene with a woman named Chizuru Ichinose.

"Oh, something like that happened."

Because the entire focus was on Yuuto Tenkuji, Yukinoshita naturally had no idea what happened after they parted ways.

After observing Tenkuji Yu's interaction with this beautiful woman who was probably around her age, she nodded thoughtfully.

"What's wrong?" he couldn't help but ask again, but this time it was out of some ominous premonition.

Yukinoshita smiled slightly, her lips soft, but her voice was crisp and clear: "I'll make a note of this for you, and we'll settle the score when your memory returns."

"...Do I have to settle this score?" Tenkuji Yu said, a little aggrieved, pointing at the boy's back as he walked away without turning around or leaving any contact information. "It was just playing around with a girl I didn't know. I didn't even touch her. There's no score to settle, is there?"

Yukinoshita tiptoed and breathed gently into his ear: "Is that so? You're just playing along with me too?"

"...Okay. Count it, count it or not."

Yuu Tenkuji knew better than anyone that when girls got upset, they were the most unreasonable creatures in the world.

You can save a lot of trouble by just petting her in the direction of her fur—provided that her tantrums are cute enough.

"Anyway, I haven't seen her since then."

Having never heard the name Ichinose Chizuru from anyone else, Tenkuji Yu patted Haruno's head, making this solemn promise.

Having rarely been touched on the head, Yukino Yukinoshita was momentarily stunned, but quickly leaned in obediently, letting the warmth of his palm caress her head.

She smiled and said, "That's good."

……

"That's quite something."

She laughed and said, "You said you wouldn't see her again, so what's going on?"

With just a scene change, there's a scene where Yuu Tenkuji places an order on a rental girlfriend website and then goes on a date with Chizuru Mizuhara.

Yukino Yukinoshita is not the kind of domineering girlfriend, and she rarely pinches her boyfriend's waist and hurts him.

So when she's angry, the places she pinches or grabs are usually different from other people's.