I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

He couldn't bring himself to confess to a girl just to speed up the mission's progress—joking might be okay, but from the very first word he spoke to Natsukawa Masuzu today, Tenkuji Yu was completely serious.

Therefore, there is no way to refute it.

Just as Yui Yuigahama saw, from some point onwards, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't let go of this bold and cunning half-blood transfer student who never spoke properly, always put on a pitiful act to lure people in, loved JOJO but had no JOJO spirit whatsoever.

I want to solve her problems, I want to make her happier, I want her to still stand calmly in the wind, letting me wonder if she's wearing nothing underneath her skirt.

She was lonely, she was isolated, and she always lived a strong life while wallowing in self-pity—which is why Natsukawa Masuzu couldn't let go of herself either.

Because his strength was broken, it became a passionate dependence that melted everything, just like a fish cannot live without water or a person cannot live without air.

Perhaps this is what is meant by mutual affection?

"My answer is out. How disappointing. What's yours?"

After a moment, Yuu Tenkuji leaned back in his chair, seemingly exhausted, breaking the silence once again.

His lips slowly relaxed, revealing a smile.

"Let's start dating."

"Give me half of your life, and I will give you half of mine in return."

Natsukawa Masaki remained silent.

There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone, as if the air itself had been taken away.

Even breathing could not be heard. A darkness heavier than the night itself spread out, making Yuu Tenkuji's eyes even deeper as he stared into the boundless distance.

Half an hour passed.

"Beep-beep-"

A cold, busy tone sounded.

Natsukawa Masaki cut off the call without leaving a single word.

"Hmph, so they ran away."

Yuu Tenkuji put down his phone with an unchanged expression, as if he had expected this development, and got up to stretch.

"After that, the relationship either got worse or better... Finally, the turning point of fate is almost here!"

He muttered to himself as if reading a script, then couldn't help but smile, walked to the bedside, turned over, and lay down.

He stared at the ceiling for a long time, then covered his eyes with his arm to block out the light.

Gradually, the curve of her lips faded.

Tenkuji Yu's soft sigh couldn't even ignite a ray of starlight, and it simply disappeared into the night.

"It would be fine if I didn't confess."

A guy who always gets serious even when he knows he won't get anything out of it.

They're so stupid they're beyond saving.

Chapter 111 And so, [Tenkuji Yu] began to look up at the unsnowed sky.

Time flies like an arrow.

More than a week has passed since the day Tenkuji Yu confessed to Natsukawa Masuzu over the phone. The season has officially turned to winter, and withered branches can be seen everywhere shivering in the cold wind.

November 9th, the day before the National College Kendo Competition.

Before the competition, each team must first go to the venue—Kyoto University's gymnasium—to assemble and register. After that, it's time for rest and relaxation before the competition. You can play and relax as you please, and it's fine if you want to do some final intensive training. Anyway, the tense and exciting national competition will officially start the next day and last for two days, before returning home on the morning of the fourth day.

As a regular participant in the annual national tournament and a well-known powerhouse in kendo, Sobu High School did not book a Shinkansen to go to Kyoto like other high schools. Instead, they chartered a bus so that the members of the kendo club could compete away from home with a more relaxed and free attitude.

Tenkuji Yu got up early again. After his usual morning exercise and reading, he changed into a sports uniform designed specifically for the competition, with the Soubu High School emblem sewn on it.

The newly purchased kendo protective gear was also packed in a black bag, while the bamboo sword given to him by Captain Himura was hanging on his shoulder. He even took the time to trim his short hair, and his pair of dark eyes were stern and firm, making him look energetic, sunny and sharp, like a sporty young man who had been practicing kendo for a long time. Even though his temperament had changed, his handsomeness remained undiminished.

"Well said! So this handsome, dashing, and charming man, who suits any style, is universally loved, adored by flowers, and whose mere presence causes cars to get flat tires—"

Before he could finish speaking, Kasugano Sora, who was leaning against the stairwell, interrupted him expressionlessly, as if she couldn't stand it anymore: "If you're going out, then hurry up and go out. Stop being so narcissistic. You're ruining your precious good image the moment you open your mouth."

"What's so rare about it? Qiong, I think you just don't understand."

Yuu Tenkuji spread his hands, shook his head and sighed: "That's because you're used to seeing my face all the time, and your heart is no longer moved by it—if it were any other girl, even if I just kept babbling on and on, someone would still fall in love with me."

Kasugano Sora's tone remained completely unchanged: "Oh, then go ahead and do it? Go and use 'Aba aba' to make others fall in love with you."

"Unfortunately, I'm not the kind of person who likes to flirt."

That's enough of the jokes.

Yuu Tenkuji put away her playful expression, took her luggage to the entrance, and asked her younger sister behind her while changing her shoes, "Are you really not coming with me? I'll be away from home for three days, I'm afraid you'll go crazy from loneliness."

Kasugano Sora yawned, resting her chin on the rabbit plush toy on her chest, and said lazily:

"First, I have a cat."

"Meow~" Xue Nong happened to walk over, rubbed against her leg, and looked at Tenkuji Yu together.

“Secondly, I have internet access and a bunch of games.” She squinted her beautiful light-colored eyes, leaned against the wall, and said casually, “Finally, I’m not the little kid who couldn’t even leave the house anymore. It’s just the distance between Tokyo and Kyoto. With my current physical condition, I can see you anytime I want. Why should I go crazy from loneliness?”

Tenkuji Yu blinked cutely: "Because you love me so much, brother?"

"Disgusting." Too lazy to pay attention to him, Kasugano Sora turned and went upstairs with her smooth and delicate legs. "Remember to call tonight to let me know you're safe. Don't forget while playing with girls."

"Okay, I'll make sure you don't feel lonely."

Yuu Tenkuji tapped her heel, got up, and opened the door.

A voice suddenly came from behind: "By the way, Yu, where's your girlfriend named Xia Chuan?"

"Really cold? What happened to her?"

Tenkuji Yu turned around in confusion and saw Kasugano Sora's hesitant expression.

"No, it's just that I haven't seen you two going to school together lately... and you always seem a bit listless."

"That's because you're too sensitive. Do you think I'd be distracted by trivial things?"

Yuu Tenkuji shrugged, saying nonchalantly, "It's just a cold war period right now, it'll be over soon. And to be precise, Suzu isn't really my girlfriend. After the fake boyfriend request ends, I'll still be single, a brother who's solely devoted to Kasugano Sora!"

As he spoke, he clenched his right fist and placed it on his chest, looking solemn as if he were about to offer his heart to his sister.

"Who introduces themselves like that... No wonder the doctor said you're getting more and more shameless."

Unable to do anything about him, Kasugano Sora sighed and said, "Never mind, it's good that you're alright. Have a safe trip and get home soon."

Yuu Tenkuji smiled.

"Okay, I'm going out."

The morning sun was dim and unclear, and a gray curtain of clouds stretched across the entire sky.

The streets were shrouded in mist, and the chill was biting, making the sound of shoes on the ground even crisper.

Of course, with Yuu Tenkuji's physique, he wouldn't feel cold wearing short sleeves, but he didn't need to make himself look so brave.

He took out his phone, glanced at it, exhaled a puff of white smoke, and walked towards the station.

Five minutes later, at the bottom of the familiar long slope, I saw the girl with the bun hair who was leaning against the street lamp, her face buried in her scarf and breathing on it.

Is it that cold?

Yui Yuigahama lifted her slightly reddened face, laughing and complaining, "You're practically an ultimate being, of course you don't feel it's that cold today. Most girls are really afraid of the cold!"

"Besides your feet?" Tenkuji Yu looked down at her ample thighs beneath her school uniform skirt and couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Couldn't you at least wear some pantyhose? And you still dare to say you're cold?"

"I just wanted to wear short socks today... And don't look around, you pervert!" She pressed her thighs together so tightly that there wasn't a single gap, and her gloved hands futilely tugged at her skirt, trying to block his view.

Tenkuji Yu turned her gaze away uninterestedly, put her hands in her coat pockets, and took the lead in walking towards the top of the hill.

"Why do you suddenly want to go to school with me today?"

"Well, it's because I'm not familiar with the people in the kendo club, and I don't want to go alone."

Yui Yuigahama quickly followed and walked to his side. The two almost touched shoulders. She paused and then quickly moved a short distance to the side.

"Also, there are some things I want to ask you."

"Is this really a cold thing?" As if she had expected it, Tenkuji Yu's expression remained unchanged as she looked at the desolate and bleak street ahead.

Whether it's early morning training or heading to the national competition, the Kendo Club usually gathers very early. He and Yui Yuigahama left home much earlier than usual, so they naturally avoided the crowds of people going to work or school.

The entire city was as quiet as if only the two of them remained, their warmth dissipating with the white smoke they exhaled.

"Yuu is still so smart." Yui Yuigahama sighed softly, which was taken as an admission.

Yuu Tenkuji said helplessly, "It's not that I'm smart, you've written 'I'm very concerned about what's going on between you two' on your face. If I still can't guess, I might as well go be the protagonist of one of those slow-witted light novels."

"Is it...is it really that obvious?!"

Chapter 112 No matter how far the destination, the tram still has its end (8/23)

"Ah ha ha……"

Yui Yuigahama shrugged awkwardly, but her round, bright eyes remained fixed on his profile.

"So, something really happened?"

"I haven't seen you two together for a week, and Xia Chuan is avoiding talking about you. Everyone's guessing you two broke up..."

Yuu Tenkuji remained nonchalant, slowly pacing along the asphalt road: "It doesn't matter whether it is or isn't, right? Anyway, what we're going to do won't change. As long as Ryou knows what's going on, that's fine."

"And you, Yui?" Yui hesitated for a moment, her small fist hidden in her oversized trench coat slowly clenching as she tentatively asked, "Did you... confess to Natsukawa-san, and get rejected?"

"..."

The crisp footsteps stopped abruptly, and Tenkuji Yu froze.

Yui Yuigahama was a step ahead of him. She turned her head and saw a rare look of genuine surprise on his face.

"Yui...did you suddenly receive a profound enlightenment from a master, or did you secretly read the script?"

"What are you talking about?!" Yui Yuigahama replied, both amused and exasperated. "They were just guessing! Who knew they'd be right all of a sudden... And if we're being honest, this might actually have something to do with me too."

"Oh? I'd like to hear more." Tenkuji Yu showed an interested expression and started walking again.

Without agreeing to Natsukawa Masuzu's request to keep it a secret, nor feeling that she should help her keep it from Tenkuji Yu, Yuigahama Yui readily told Tenkuji Yu about all the conversations that happened that weekend, as much as possible.