I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

That quiet yet mischievous smile captivated Sky Temple Yu.

Her sideburns brushed against her fair cheeks as she turned her gaze back, her earlobes glistening in her black hair: "Alright, now just watch quietly. Don't say a word until you've finished watching, and try to retrieve all your memories in one go."

Otherwise, if we read it slowly page by page like this, we don't know when we'll be able to go out and find Yui-hama.

"Fine, then even if you see something stimulating, you can't turn around and glare at me."

"..."

Her hand, which was about to rest on the words, paused slightly. Yukino Yukinoshita turned around and glared at him: "You have a premonition that you will do something to make me angry in the future, don't you?"

"No, I just wanted to give you a heads-up." Tenkuji Yu's eyes were pure and full of sincerity. "I know what kind of person I am best. Now I have this kind of relationship with Yui, and later I'll be dating both of you at the same time. It would be strange if things could develop normally, right? I guess people with higher moral standards probably wouldn't be able to accept the things I might do."

"...Don't think too much before you've remembered." Yukino Yukinoshita took a deep breath, suppressing the inexplicable heat rising in her chest. "I promise you, I won't make things difficult for you because of what you did in the past until I fully regain my memories, is that okay?"

Incidentally, she only just realized that, if her sister and Xiao Qiong's guesses were correct, she might have actually done *that* with him on Christmas Eve...

If she and he continued to look through the records, and eventually came across the record from that night, she wondered whether the embarrassment would make her strangle him first, or whether the memories would return to them first, allowing her to accept the fact that she had stepped onto the adult ladder as his official girlfriend?

Yukino Yukinoshita decided not to think too much, otherwise she wouldn't be able to continue reading the book—after all, she couldn't knock out Yuu Tenkuji or kick him out, so she could only deal with things as they came and remain calm, pretending not to know what the future held.

Clearing her mind, the girl lowered her gaze, letting her mind sink into the river of time presented in the text and pictures, carefully experiencing the emotional ups and downs, joys and sorrows of the characters.

A lot has really happened.

Like pebbles in a whirlpool, whether it's Yui, her older sister, Natsukawa, or Yuuki who only appeared at the school festival, they all collide with each other around him. Knowing that being caught in the middle is dangerous, they are still attracted to him regardless of everything, and feel happy, sad, angry, and disappointed because of it.

Even Yukino Yukinoshita, who prides herself on being clear-headed, could no longer let go of him after the day he showed his vulnerable side and "acted cute" towards her. Even though she noticed that he was popular and had a close relationship with her best friend, she still resolutely agreed to his request to make him her ideal boyfriend.

It wasn't simply for him; there was indeed a selfish motive involved—if one didn't truly like someone, who would be willing to sacrifice their own feelings to accept a commission whose authenticity was unknown?

As her memories flowed, she also saw herself more clearly again and examined her feelings for him.

"Why would I like someone like this?"

"Arrogant and unreasonable, with a strong sense of self-esteem and looking down on everyone. Despite her talent, she is so careless in her work that it's unbearable to watch, and she is also indecisive. Her heart is as delicate and soft as a girl's, and her personality is just as troublesome as her sister's..."

"So naive as to want to openly have his cake and eat it too, yet so responsible as to confess to their parents about cheating, indulging in unrealistic dreams, but with a drive to act that surpasses everyone else's..."

"With so many things about you that I dislike, you still want to be my 'ideal boyfriend'? You might as well start over."

"That's what I used to think."

"But after actually dating you, I saw things about you that I couldn't see with ordinary friends, things that made me like you."

The pages of the book were turned one by one.

Scenes flashed by one after another.

Yukino Yukinoshita had closed her eyes, feeling as if she had walked alone through the time she had spent with him, picking up the scattered fragments and carefully putting them back in her pocket.

In the Service Department...

At the school gate...

In front of Yui's house...

At the amusement park...

In the office of the cultural festival's executive committee...

Every sunset, I dare not look at him holding my hand...

Suddenly I realize that I can't quite put my finger on what I like about you.

Yukino Yukinoshita sighed, her fingertips brushing across the pages of the book, and slowly opened her eyes.

—As she said before, when she wants to confess her feelings, she will say it to him herself.

Then, those dark blue eyes turned and stared intently at Tenkuji Yu.

The will it contains is awe-inspiring and refreshing, yet warmer and more melting than the first snow melting in the sun, with a sparkling brilliance.

She looked at him and said in a clear and solemn tone:

"I just like the feeling of being with you, I like being called by your name gently, I like the tacit understanding between us that makes us instantly understand each other's thoughts, and I like your annoyingly awkward gentleness even more."

"Did you hear me clearly? I like you, Tenkuji-kun."

Her voice grew louder, and Yukino Yukinoshita turned to the side, gripping his arm tightly, emphasizing each word as she spoke:

"I was caught off guard before, but from now on, whether it's time travel or a parallel world—this feeling can't be stopped even by the end of the world!"

Tenkuji Yu stared wide-eyed, like a virgin about to be pushed down by a mature, sexy woman, speechless and helpless as he looked into her clear yet fierce gaze.

After a long while, he slowly closed his slightly parted lips, curving them into a helpless smile.

"It's rare to hear you say something so childish."

"I don't think my statement has anything to do with 'chuunibyou' (middle school syndrome)." With a slight furrow of her delicate eyebrows, Yukino tilted her chin up, calmly explaining herself, "Although I'm unsure if my individual abilities can contend with your 'system,' as long as I firmly believe this more than anyone else, I will absolutely not lose to any being in terms of willpower!"

Sister, this isn't called being immature, it's called being overconfident.

Thinking this to himself, Tenkuji Yu shook his head with amusement and pressed down on her small hand, which was casually trying to quickly turn the pages as she spoke.

"Putting aside whether it's cheesy or not, the part where the two of us went to your apartment to celebrate Christmas Eve alone is obviously the most important and exciting climax, right? Why are you in such a hurry to skip it?"

"..."

Chapter 184 See You Later, My Hero

how to say……

Reliving the memories of Christmas Eve was even more embarrassing than Yukino Yukinoshita had imagined.

The main point is the way it's revisited; it's not like lying in bed and casually recalling those beautiful moments, but rather from a third-person perspective...

Well, she won't go into details, but she recalled everything clearly—how embarrassing and intoxicated she was back then, like she'd drunk strong liquor, including all the different positions the man had put her in all night. The impact of this vivid memory was unimaginable.

This is probably the most exciting A○ for the person involved, right?

Although Ms. Yukino has never seen that kind of thing, whenever she searches for cat videos online and comes across those ads, she just clicks away with a look of disgust.

"..."

Take a deep breath, take a deep breath.

I could feel my cheeks getting hot, but it was alright. After all, I've already crossed the adult threshold, so there's no need to let my heart be thrown into turmoil over my first experience.

Before Yuu Tenkuji could speak, Yukino Yukinoshita gave him a cold look, the meaning of which was very simple—

You dare to make fun of me about this? You'll find out when you get back.

"Hahaha……"

Seeing the girl's eyes suddenly mature and become elegant after regaining her memories of that day, with a gentle yet authoritative gaze like that of a young noblewoman, Tenkuji Yu obediently shut his mouth and gave her a couple of awkward laughs.

Like her, he had recalled everything from their relationship to the settlement of tasks on Christmas morning.

He had grown from a boy into an adult, but he didn't feel that anything had changed about him. Instead, he was like a child, curious about the feelings of the girl next to him and wanting to flirt with her...

However, considering his future happiness, he temporarily abandoned this suicidal idea.

His gaze shifted from her eyes to her legs, and Tenkuji Yu suddenly realized that the return of his memories hadn't left him unchanged—he knew what the pure, innocent girl in front of him would look like after shedding all her pretenses, so looking at her dignified figure sitting in a chair in her school uniform, he couldn't help but have all sorts of ominous thoughts.

For example, how exquisite it feels to gently caress those slender legs encased in over-the-knee socks in your palm; for example, how her flat chest, seemingly tightly bound by her school uniform, becomes small and adorable once the bindings are removed, completely unlike the skinny, bony type one might imagine; and for example, how her supple and taut waist, without a man holding its stunning curves, leaves her with no time to think about anything else.

He knew everything about her, and she knew everything about him. They truly saw each other completely, and no longer needed to hide anything from one another...

It sounds a bit vulgar, but he was aroused, both emotionally and physically.

"To be honest, including the events of our first time, there are still many things I haven't taught you. I hope you'll correct your attitude... Tenkuji-kun, are you listening?"

Before Yukino could finish speaking, she noticed his absent-minded attitude. Just as she was about to turn around and scold him, she found that the man's gaze was gradually becoming strange, and his breathing was slow and heavy, as if a fire dragon was breathing scorching air and getting closer and closer to her.

After a slight pause, as if she understood something, the blush on her face deepened, and she bit her lip lightly, seemingly both shy and annoyed. But then she thought, the two of them had already crossed that threshold and were now boyfriend and girlfriend, in a close relationship where they would die together if they didn't get married...

The shyness receded like the tide, and she slowly relaxed her slightly tense body. A helpless, gentle smile curved her lips as she lightly patted his hand on her lap and said with a slight reproach, "Silly boy, now's not the time to be in heat. Don't you have more important things to do?"

He turned and grasped her hand, pressing his upper body against hers. His hoarse voice and hot breath, as if melting her brain, assaulted her through her extremely sensitive earlobe: "Don't worry, I know, I won't do anything to you..."

"Then, then stay away." Her whole body tingled and trembled as if she had been electrocuted. Yukino Yukinoshita's face was flushed, and she pressed her legs together tightly. Her weak little hands tried to push him away, and her voice was involuntarily tinged with panting. "Now, no, Yui is still waiting outside... It's not like I won't let you do it when we get back. Just bear with it, okay?"

"Of course, I'll listen to my wife."

Thinking back to that Christmas Eve, when neither of them knew that Yui Yuigahama had placed the scarf as a gift at the door, Yuu Tenkuji's mind, which had been captivated by the girl's charm, returned to normal. His eyes lost their complex smile as he looked away from her beautiful, glistening earlobes.

To dispel the lingering, suggestive atmosphere that might tempt him to make a move on the soft and adorable Yukino, Yuu Tenkuji deliberately grinned mischievously and pointed to his lips:

"I originally wanted to hold you tight and have a passionate kiss to celebrate the return of our memories, but how about we compromise and you kiss me first?"

Yukino Yukinoshita responded with an rude look as if she were looking at an idiot.

Tenkuji Yu thought she had refused, and was about to spread his hands and pretend to cry to ease the atmosphere when a strand of black hair fluttered in the corner of his eye. She quickly pecked her lips, like a cool snowflake falling from the sky.

Yukino Yukinoshita pursed her cherry lips and turned her face away, refusing to look at his astonished expression, and sighed heavily with helplessness.

"It's true that guys become even more beastly after their first time..."

Tenkuji Yu touched his lips, then looked at her already red and white earlobes in her hair, and slowly smiled.

"...If it were you, any guy would turn into a beast, right?"

“That makes sense.” She nodded matter-of-factly. “It’s always been like this, except that the only beast I can get this close to is you.”

“I will not let any other beasts near you, even if it costs me my life.”

"It sounds touching, but I hope you'll refrain from making such life-risking vows."

She finally turned her gaze back, earnest yet gentle, straightforward yet dignified, her eyes fixed on him as if they held only his presence—a tenderness that brought happiness to the heart.

"If you're not here, everything we've accumulated will become meaningless zero."

"I know~"

Tenkuji Yu kissed her, savoring the soft, cherry blossom-like scent on her lips, and feeling the flutter in his heart.

"I promise you, from now on I will never leave any of you, and I will cherish my life more than anyone else."

His life, from beginning to end, never belonged to himself.

Kasugano Sora was once his only pillar, the auxiliary wheel that supported the decadent reborn man and helped him move forward.

Now, his girlfriends are a weight on his shoulders, heroes he can no longer afford to fall, and the courage to challenge all difficulties.

If it were just him, he couldn't do anything, and might just die easily, like in the past.