I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"Recently, that person... the head of the Natsukawa family, Ryo's father and I are about to return to Japan. We don't know their purpose yet, but it's definitely related to Ryo!"

"Oh?" Yuu Tenkuji raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. "You mean... that Ryoji Natsukawa will cause trouble for Ryoji after he returns to Japan?"

“It’s very likely. After all, she makes a big fuss about having a boyfriend, which has already made her father a little unhappy… Wait, how do you know his name?!” Halfway through her sentence, Natsukawa Mana raised her voice in surprise, her eyes looking slightly strange.

"You can easily find out about this with a simple search, right? Don't make a fuss."

Yuu Tenkuji shook his head, not much of a waver, and asked in a calm tone, "Shouldn't this be considered your family matter? Why did you specifically come to tell me? By the way, does Ryou know about this?"

“Ryo didn’t know. If Angang hadn’t secretly told me, I wouldn’t have known he was coming back. It was like a sneak attack.” Natsukawa Mana sighed. “As for why I came to tell you, it’s because he might also come to talk to you—as Ryo’s boyfriend, your information has been on his desk for a long time.”

"That's quite an honor." As if she had expected this, Tenkuji Yu rolled her eyes and muttered boredly, "I even thought about what he would say when he came to me. Can't these people be a little more creative? They have to criticize their daughter's dating life. Do they not have a puberty or what? They insist on going to the market to pick out the best quality food for her to bring home, not caring whether it makes her sick or not. She'll get married sooner or later anyway, so why not use her to exchange for benefits? Don't they realize that there are so many good girls in the world who choose to fall into depravity, and there's a reason for that..."

“Oh…” Staring blankly at him, Natsukawa Mana blinked her big eyes. She was the one who started the conversation, but now she couldn’t get a word in edgewise. He had said all the words.

"Well, it's probably like you said... By the way, why do you seem to have more resentment than me and Ryo?"

“Yeah, I think so too.” Kasugano Sora, who had been quietly listening, also cast a suspicious glance at him. “And Yu, what’s with that experienced tone you’re using? Have other parents come to talk to you about ‘love topics’?”

“Don’t worry about such a small thing.” Tenkuji Yu waved his hand and decisively changed the subject. “I will talk to Masuzu about this. You don’t need to worry. If she is forced to leave Japan and return to Sweden, I can find a way to make her stay. If she is forced to go on blind dates with other people, I can do everything I can to stop it, even if he is a big capitalist.”

"I wasn't worried about you at all. I already said, I'm just here to do you a favor." Natsukawa Mana crossed her arms, flicked her blonde twin tails, and sneered. "If anyone else said something like that, I'd probably just laugh at them for being a stupid frog in a well, right?"

"But if it were you, you might actually be able to stand up to that person and let Ryo get the freedom she wants... Although I don't know exactly how to do it, the success rate is too small."

Where did this trust come from? Natsukawa Mana didn't know either. Perhaps it was his strength that made Angang kneel down, or perhaps it was his terrifying aura, or perhaps it was the confidence and sense of security that emanated from him when he made a promise to her.

It was as if he was truly fearless and capable of anything. Even without the silver-haired girl hiding behind him, a sense of security still rose from the depths of Natsukawa Mana's heart, telling her that she could completely trust the older brother in front of her.

"Since you already know what's going on, I won't say anything more... Well then, brother-in-law, Liang's happiness is in your hands now. Go be a prince who protects Snow White!"

With a casual wave of her hand, Natsukawa Mana glanced at Kasugano Sora, then turned around and walked towards the parked cars.

"You can leave her to me with peace of mind. Also, I'll remember this favor, really."

Not long after we started walking, the voice came from behind us.

As the brilliant sunset gradually shone, Mana Natsukawa couldn't help but smile, glancing back at him with her flowing golden hair.

"Really? What if I get bullied someday..."

"As long as you're not abusing your power, I don't mind helping you out."

"Tch, isn't this discrimination a bit too severe?"

"We'll talk about it again when you have Qiong Sancheng's cuteness and obedience. The treatment should be improved a bit then."

"Huh? Go to hell, you siscon!"

Despite being so sincerely and harshly criticized, he wasn't angry; instead, he laughed smugly.

It was the first time I had ever seen such a relaxed and unguarded, cheerful smile.

Under Kasugano Sora's warning and threatening gaze, Natsukawa Mana narrowed her eyes into crescents and chuckled happily.

—My brother-in-law is such a weirdo.

However, I don't dislike this feeling.

"See you next time! Brother-in-law, and your sister-in-law too~"

A clear and pleasant voice carried far on the wind.

As if provoked, Kasugano Sora, like an angry kitten, stood up in strands of silver hair, puffed out her cheeks, and glared at her smile.

"I don't want to see you again. Besides, I'm definitely older than you, so what right do you have to call me 'sauce'?"

Mana Natsukawa tilted her head in confusion: "Hmm? You should still be a middle school student, right? I was born in March."

Kasugano Sora immediately revealed a smug smile, holding Tenkuji Yu's arm, her delicate chin slightly raised, striking a proud pose of an elder.

"If I go to school, I'll be a standard first-year high school student—humph, you brat!"

"..."

Mana Natsukawa's lips twitched slightly.

Whether it's strange or not, this family really does speak in a way that's identical and unpleasant!

Chapter 110 An Unreachable Confession (6/23)

night.

Tenkuji Yu called Natsukawa Masuzu to tell her about the information that Natsukawa Mana had brought that day.

"Your father probably came here for two things. First, to warn you to behave yourself and not cause trouble at school, tarnishing the reputation of the Xia Chuan family. But I think you've been pretty well-behaved. Apart from having a boyfriend, you haven't caused any big news. He wouldn't have come back to China just to talk about this kind of thing."

"Of course, pessimistically speaking, that guy probably just wants to forcibly take you back to Sweden, for any reason, so that you can continue to be the obedient daughter of the Xia Chuan family and fight for his interests."

"The second thing was to warn me not to try and have my cake and eat it too, and to throw a check in my face to make me realize I was out of my depth. The process was probably like this: he would first mock me for not even being qualified to be a son-in-law of the Xia Chuan family, then try to persuade me to understand the principle of marrying someone of equal social standing, and after I left without saying goodbye and deliberately distanced myself from you, making you disheartened, he would then take you back to Sweden in a legitimate way, making you willingly become his tool for marriage alliance."

"If he's a good father who regularly returns home to visit his daughter, then consider everything I've said above to be conspiracy theories, an overly cautious paranoia. If he isn't, then rest assured, we already have the upper hand in the intelligence war, just like Jotaro knew that DIO could stop time, no matter how powerful the other side is, we can counter their moves."

After speaking fluently and confidently, Yuu Tenkuji crossed her legs on the computer chair and leisurely waited for the quiet voice on the other end of the phone.

"...Yu, did you hear all of this from Mana?"

After a long silence, Natsukawa Masuzu finally spoke in an incredulous tone.

Tenkuji swung his legs, a smile playing on his lips: "Except for the information about your father's return to the country, which she told me, everything else was my own analysis and prediction... Elementary, my Dear."

"Aha……"

As if shocked and speechless, Natsukawa Masuzu sighed blankly, then chuckled wryly.

"Honestly, should I feel relieved or scared about this... That cunning and hypocritical guy is completely defenseless in front of you, like he's stripped naked. He doesn't even know what you're capable of or how smart you are. If I want to run away one day, will I be caught and brought back to my house before I even leave?"

"Hahaha! I don't have the ability to read minds, although you're absolutely right!"

Sky Temple laughed arrogantly, showing not a trace of humility, and said in that cheerful and unrestrained voice:

"So, did something happen today that made you want to run away?"

"..."

Caught off guard, the other side fell silent once again.

Yuu Tenkuji didn't urge him; he simply tapped his knees lightly with his fingers while closing his eyes and pondering something.

"...If I'm taken back to Sweden, will you bring me back?"

She suddenly asked.

“If it’s voluntary, no. If it’s not voluntary, I’ll snatch you back home before you leave.” There was little warmth in his voice as Tenkuji Yu said calmly, “After all, my sister is the most important. Even if it’s you, I can’t leave my sister at home to go abroad to find someone.”

"What a ruthless answer, both a sister-obsessed one and a heartless one."

"Sorry, I'm not the kind of sweet-talking guy who comforts others. I'll tell the truth without hesitation when I can."

Natsukawa Masuzu couldn't help but laugh: "Liar, no one is gentler than you..."

"So gentle that, having nothing to offer, I've started to want to run away."

The words were so light they seemed to vanish from the world, as cold and fragile as ice.

Tenkuji Yu naturally couldn't have missed it. He held his phone, looked out at the deep night, and remained silent.

Being treated too gently can make people feel attached, yet they also feel that they cannot reciprocate that gentleness.

Fearing being abandoned at any moment, and feeling restless, she decided to leave on her own—was Yukinoshita Haruno feeling the same way back then?

But he just felt that this was something he should do and wanted to do.

Even Qiong didn't run away, so why would they have such thoughts?

Perhaps this is the difference between family and strangers?

No matter how intense the feelings are, there is always the possibility of them being severed at any time, and he is clearly the one who feels this most deeply.

"So it's really cold, what are your thoughts?"

Gathering her scattered thoughts, Tenkuji Yuu turned to the question: "What happened today... I won't ask, you don't seem too keen to talk about it. If your father wants to take you back, do you want to stay here, or leave with him?"

Instead of answering, Natsukawa Masaki asked directly, "If my father wanted you to leave me, what would you do?"

"You're answering questions with questions... And it seems you haven't remembered what I told you properly."

Yuu Tenkuji sighed in disappointment: "As long as the transaction continues, I will be by your side, now and in the future—it may sound like a casual boast, but I was really serious back then."

During the autumn outing, he made such a promise to Natsukawa Masaki in the rain; and as long as it was a promise, Tenkuji Yu would keep his beliefs and fulfill them to the end.

Unless the world line changes, you can always trust Yuu Tenkuji.

"Of course I remember... You should know that's not what I wanted to ask."

The voice coming from the phone brought back memories of her past confusion and unease.

"If you won't let me leave, what do you want me to do? What are you doing this for? This is the only answer I've never known—"

Before she could finish speaking, he interrupted her.

"It's so cold, you know that, but you're just afraid to face it, aren't you?"

"..."

In the instant she was speechless, Tenkuji Yu took a deep breath and suddenly spoke:

"Natsukawa Masashi, I like you—please date me formally with marriage in mind!"

"—!?"

As if trying to break through the quiet night and travel a great distance to reach her heart, the sound reverberated through the air.

It was precisely because he saw through all her excuses that he decisively chose to confess his feelings at that moment.

You could hear her holding her breath, and even the faint sound of her suddenly accelerating heartbeat could be heard.

This is the answer she wanted, and this is the reality she didn't want to face.

Both yearning and escaping, unable to let go yet unable to bear it, wanting to see clearly yet unwilling to see clearly—Natsukawa Masuzu is this kind of most troublesome, most clingy, most twisted, and also most naive girl.

If I were to date her, I'd probably have a headache for years to come.

So, do I really like this kind of person?

This is probably the third time. Even though the person is different, Yuu Tenkuji still asked himself this question.