For some reason—perhaps he'd come to understand a few things, or perhaps he'd crossed some kind of hurdle.
In the dark corner behind the stairs, Yuu's mood was exceptionally good. He couldn't even stop himself from lifting the corners of his lips in delight. Fortunately, it was a secluded spot. Otherwise, with that handsome smile on his attractive face, walking down the street might lure a few lost girls or lonely women.
Tokyo's handsome men were truly terrifying.
He knew this. So outside, he'd only offer a thin, polite smile in return—to avoid his charm unintentionally growing stronger, affecting others, and racking up unnecessary love debts.
But right now, Yuu had no intention of holding back. The reason was simple.
"Is something funny?" A cold question rang in his ear.
"Can't you see this is a helpless, bitter smile?" Even as his girlfriend expressionlessly kicked his shin in front, Yuu kept smiling. He spun a story in a calm tone: "My mood is heavy right now. I don't know how to explain this to Yui. Please understand me a little."
"Understand? I really underestimated your thick face."
Yukino narrowed her eyes. She smiled softly. Suddenly, she yanked his collar. She stared straight into his eyes from very close range.
In Yuu's vision, only a pair of eyes cold as a frozen pond remained. Her gaze completely dominated, allowing no distraction.
"Tenkuji-kun, someone as gentle, friendly, and kind-hearted as me also has a few unforgivable things."
Yukino spoke softly. Her tone warm and polite. But her eyes were terrifyingly serious.
"Though we're not married yet, I feel I'd make a good wife. I'd protect my husband's dignity outside and settle things slowly at home."
"Even if he cheated right in front of me, considering others are watching, I wouldn't do anything to embarrass him… So, do you know what I mean?"
As if stared down by a real Yuki-onna, Yuu didn't dare act up. He nodded with a grave expression.
"I know. Accepting Haruno's bracelet is clearly betrayal in front of you and Yui… If I had to compare, it's like openly taking a bribe from an enemy company in front of a senior who values you."
Matching his expression, he sighed full of regret.
"I didn't ask for a comparison." After a cold stare, Yukino released his collar. Her softened voice carried a sigh.
"I know you only did it out of softness, but have you ever thought—"
Her sentence was cut off by an annoying voice from the side, on par with Yuu.
"Alright, alright, Yukino-chan. Why so serious~"
Like sticky gum, Haruno lazily rested her chin on Yuu's shoulder. Half her body skillfully leaned in. An indifferent smile etched on her face.
"We all know Yuu-chan's feelings for me are gone. The ones he truly loves are just you two. It won't waver easily just because I gave him a bracelet… Right, he just felt sorry for this Onee-san~"
Finishing, as if holding back an unstoppable smile, she buried her face in Yuu's neck. Then she started fake-crying.
"Sniff sniff sniff, come to think of it, I'm still heartbroken… Pff, pff hehehe… Cough, sniff sniff sniff—My heart hurts so much, so sad~"
"Nee-san…" Yukino frowned. She coldly stared at their near-fused position. Then she slowly shifted her calm gaze to Yuu's face.
It felt more like a threat than a warning.
Sensing deadly danger, Yuu instantly slipped free. He escaped Haruno's soft body.
"You know, what I said earlier about cheating with three women was just to lighten the mood. I didn't really mean it."
To prove his innocence, Yuu brushed hair off his shoulder. He stood beside Yukino with an honest expression. He openly held her soft, boneless little hand in front of her sister.
Yukino struggled awkwardly for a bit. She quickly gave up. She let him perform this ownership-proving act. She raised her brows again at her sister.
Their gazes clashed in the air. Snap. As if invisible electric sparks exploded.
"Tch."
Seeing the standard couple stance, Haruno—forced to stand straight—unhesitatingly clicked her tongue. She rotated her slightly stiff shoulders. She said somewhat uninterestedly: "Give it up, Yukino-chan. No matter how much you provoke, I won't get anxious like before."
"Provoke? I think you're misunderstanding, Nee-san."
Yukino maintained elder-respectful politeness. She showed an elegant smile. She said lightly:
"I have no intention of blaming Tenkuji-kun's choice. Because if it were me, I wouldn't want to let an adult cry so badly in front of me, even forcing her abroad for healing… Such fragile mentality—even if the other side wanted to attack my boyfriend, I wouldn't feel the need to provoke her."
Haruno frowned. Her face slowly darkened. She showed a dangerous smile like a hidden knife behind laughter.
"Naive Yukino-chan, do you think seeing me cry means you got my trump card?"
Yukino said indifferently: "Anyway, no recording, so not a trump card."
"Ahem ahem, just like you wetting the bed as a kid. Things that can only be said mean nothing." Haruno nodded as if understanding. She smiled. She looked at Yuu: "By the way, you still remember, right? The little secret about Yukino-chan I told you back then~"
"You!" Her beautiful eyes suddenly widened. Yukino turned her increasingly red face. She anxiously and embarrassedly stared at Yuu. She unconsciously squeezed the fingers gripping his palm. She forced out word by word:
"What did she tell you!?"
Yuu blinked innocently. He turned and blamed Haruno with his gaze.
Haruno stuck out her tongue. Before she could speak, Yukino twisted Yuu's head back.
"Now, I'm asking you."
Those bright dark-blue eyes held no light at all. Just like Haruno earlier—deep, coldly frozen, unpredictable.
"Depending on the situation, I'll erase your memory in a rather extreme way."
"Like what?" Yuu unconsciously swallowed.
"…" As if not expecting him to dare ask again, Yukino couldn't help freezing briefly.
Right in that short freeze, Yuu decisively changed topics: "Compared to these small things, aren't you curious? My past with Haruno, and what happened with the lost memories and feelings."
Hearing this, Yukino's eyes sharpened instantly. Her expression returned to normal. She frowned thoughtfully.
"Too many strange things. On the contrary, I don't know where to start asking…"
"Because of God, some things I can't say. We can only rely on Haruno to tell from the beginning." Without past stiffness, Yuu and Haruno's speaking tones naturally became casual.
"I'll add as much as possible. You can ask me anything too. What I can't say, I'll replace with This is forbidden as the answer."
Haruno folded her arms. She raised her brows in surprise: "I can say, but you can't? God's so biased?"
"Who knows?" Yuu shrugged. "He's a bastard. He's been targeting me since the day I met you."
"Agreed. Daring to toy with my memories. I won't be satisfied until landing a few solid punches!"
Knowing that even just words, she couldn't do anything against a being that could alter the world, Haruno cursed twice. Then she switched to asking: "Fine to tell. Coincidentally, I want Yukino-chan to know her big sister isn't hallucinating. She won't obsess over someone like a crazy woman after just two or three meetings…"
Yukino lightly sneered. She pinched Yuu's hand hard, as if sulking.
"…But Yuu-chan, are you sure you don't want Yui-chan to join and listen?"
Yuu secretly scratched Yukino's soft, smooth palm. He looked at Haruno surprised: "Yui? Why suddenly mention her…"
Haruno smiled mysteriously. She was as calm as someone who'd mastered all info. She said meaningfully: "You think I know nothing after doing so much behind you? You must understand what I'm saying."
Yuu's eye corner twitched slightly. He was somewhat at a loss for words: "…It's late. Can we stop playing riddles?"
"Who made you pretend to be dumb first?"
Haruno opened her arms in despair. Then she smiled slyly. She directly exposed his secret.
"Yuigahama is your current target, right?"
"That's why you made her your girlfriend and repeated the things we experienced."
"…"
After that sentence, the air among the three froze again.
As expected, Haruno saw shocked expressions on both faces. They looked so confused they couldn't speak.
One couldn't believe she'd uncovered the truth long ago. The other… shocked by the secret of cheating with two women?
Haruno sighed inwardly. She felt no joy in revealing the truth as imagined before.
Having info advantage did make her feel proud and satisfied like a winner—But Yukino was still her sister. That stupid, pure little sister, easily fooled with a few words.
Now seeing her sister show an expression like being deceived by a trash man, though she didn't regret speaking the truth, she felt a bit sorry.
What could she do. Who made Yuu have Yuigahama as target yet still date Yukino?
She was just letting Yukino see reality's cruelty earlier. The fault was entirely on him and that God!
"…Nee-san, sorry to interrupt while you seem to understand everything and sigh deeply over it."
Beyond Haruno's expectations.
After a series of expression changes, Yukino suddenly bowed her head as if surrendering. Her tone calm and regretful. Her shoulders trembled slightly. On her snow-white side face, faint tense lines showed.
It felt like holding back laughter, and also maintaining calm to not burst out laughing—Wait, aren't both almost the same?
Haruno slowly stopped her expression. She felt an inexplicable bad premonition in her heart.
"It's not actually what you think." Saying it seriously, Yukino raised her head. She looked at her sister ahead.
The corners of her lips twitched like a spasm. In the end, she couldn't hold back.
"Pff, too overconfident…"
As she laughed, she quickly buried her head in Yuu's shoulder. She gripped his sleeve tightly. After several breaths, she raised her beautiful, calm face again.
Ignoring Haruno's completely darkened expression, Yukino continued calmly: "Tenkuji-kun's current target is me, not Yuigahama-san."
"Before we two became like this, Yuigahama-san was already dating him… Though she knows what I know too, in this unreasonable task, she might only be considered an outsider."
Yukino sighed. She showed little expression on her face. But the mockery and joy in her tone were clear, impossible to hide.
"Sorry, you misunderstood."
Haruno: "…"
[Today's Battle—Victory: Yukino.]
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"…Let's discuss serious matters. It's late."
After long silence, Haruno closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. She wasn't angry, nor embarrassed. She just showed a mature adult attitude. She returned the topic to track with an emotionless voice.
"First tell me the things between you all. Then I'll tell you about my past with Yuu-chan and how I lost my memories."
"After everything's gathered, ask Yuu-chan questions one by one… Like that. Any objections?"
Yuu and Yukino exchanged looks. They shook heads in agreement, showing no objections.
Yuu added: "Change places first. Not comfortable talking here… I remember a coffee shop nearby. Call Yui too. Share info together."
With Haruno—who wouldn't have her heart shattered by the System, who'd recovered past memories, and who could say things he couldn't—he could finally betray the System and escape the mysterious role.
Indeed, after revealing everything, explanations would pile like a mountain. He might be looked down on for past experiences. Even hated, creating distance. Side effects countless.
But better than hiding all important people in darkness, bearing heavy burdens alone for unclear tasks, only bitterly smiling with cool lines, and maybe telling the truth only at the story's end.
That's what a hero would do.
In his life, Yuu was never a hero. So he chose to let Yukino and Yui know about the task. He chose to entrust his weaknesses to others.
Because he understood: rather than hidden, they wanted to face it together with him. If trusting each other, they must cooperate, say what needs saying, then discuss solutions.
The ones who taught him this were Yukino and Yuigahama.
If not for his mental growth, he wouldn't discuss the past with Haruno so casually either.
Thinking this, Yuu couldn't help smiling. He took his phone from his pocket.
"I'll call her. Hope she's nearby…"
He pressed two buttons casually. Outgoing call. Busy tone in his ear.
Soon after, from the other side of the stairs, a light, familiar ringtone sounded.
Then came anxious chatter deliberately suppressed by two people.
"D-Danger. I forgot to silence it! M-Masuzu, what now!"
"Yui, you… Haaah. Silencing your phone while stalking and eavesdropping isn't basic knowledge? Remembering this only after hiding so long. I don't know what to say to you…"
"Who knows basic stalking and eavesdropping knowledge! Forget that—should I hang up? Or answer and say we're somewhere else…"
"Oh God, why did I consider someone this stupid my best friend… Tch. Your voice is too loud. They definitely heard. Hurry and come surrender."
Masuzu walked from the other stair side, with guilt-ridden Yuigahama. She calmly waved at them. She spoke with a sweet smile:
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We've been eavesdropping since the line Sorry, Haruno-san… Now there are people more important than you, so forgive me for not reviving old love. About five minutes before that, we were on the second-floor terrace of the coffee shop across, reading your lips with binoculars. Now, due to a small mistake, we've decided to come out and confess our crimes to you."
"Sorry for violating your privacy."
She said it clearly, fluently, and calmly. At the same time, she bowed respectfully. Only her attitude was perfectly proper.
(Alright, after apologizing, you can't blame me anymore)—As she straightened, her smile seemed to say this. Masuzu showed no shame or awkwardness like the short ponytail girl beside her. It oddly annoyed people.
"Masuzu, that's not confessing, that's clearly summarizing the crime process… Sorry, I shouldn't have joined the eavesdropping."
After softly grumbling, Yuigahama also bowed her head and apologized sincerely.
Her secretly lifted gaze kept observing the Yukinoshita sisters and Yuu. She seemed to want to say something but didn't know what.
"Don't mind it. Who made us talk in a public place like this." Yuu pocketed his phone. He said casually: "If not focused on what's in front, I wouldn't let you eavesdrop so long without noticing you… You win this time. Nothing to blame."
"Good…" Saying it as if relieved, Yuigahama suddenly stepped forward. She carefully walked toward him.
Then she hesitantly reached out. She grasped his empty palm. Like a little girl afraid her candy would be taken, she gripped tighter.
She didn't speak. Yuu didn't speak either. He just gripped back firmly, in the same position as holding Yukino.
Then without waiting for others to react, he just walked toward the coffee shop, hand-in-hand with two beautiful girls. Three walked together.
"Let's go. I remember that coffee shop seems to have private rooms…"
"We'll hold our first Couple Meeting there."
No one knew how much relief and memories that sentence contained.
Silence followed their footsteps, continuing behind—Except the private whispers of the other two.
Haruno: "Tch tch, he really dares do it. Just thinking about it embarrasses me for Yukino-chan. Poor thing."
Masuzu: "Yeah. This is a crowded amusement park. Are guys cheating with two women this arrogant now? Truly him, acting without caring about others' views at all."
From the left, Yukino spoke calmly.
"…I said, Tenkuji-kun Darling."
Yuu looked at her confused: "What is it?"
Taking a deep breath to hide her embarrassment, Yukino said coldly: "If you don't let go of my hand right now, from now on, you won't even touch a single finger of mine!"
"That cruel!?"
From the right, Yuigahama also dry-smiled with a red face.
"Ahaha, being stared at by so many people with weird looks is really embarrassing…"
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
In short, after a small commotion, the five finally entered the coffee shop's private room. They also ordered several delicious afternoon tea sets as dinner.
After the waiter closed the door and left, Yuu sat in the main seat facing the door. He folded his hands over his knees, propping his chin. He seriously observed the four girls… women closely related to him.
Yukinoshita Haruno, first girlfriend. Memories recovered.
Natsukawa Masuzu, third girlfriend. Memories not recovered. Acting influenced by Haruno's provocation and lingering feelings.
Yuigahama Yui, real girlfriend unrelated to the task. Most important pillar for him besides Sora.
Yukinoshita Yukino, fourth girlfriend. Currently dating. Also the one who knows most about task info.
(In less than half a year, I've gotten involved with this many girls… If Asuna burst through the door now, it'd be complete.)
Unfortunately, such an emergency was too ridiculous. Basically impossible.
Retracting his expressionless gaze, Yuu closed his eyes. He sighed lightly, then spoke calmly.
"Before discussing serious matters, allow me to say one thing you all vaguely realize."
"That is, everyone present here, past or present, is my girlfriend."
When this fact was spoken.
His heart felt no exploding pressure.
(...Passed the check?)
(How does this System judge? Why was it okay to say this time?)
(Because of Haruno?)
He asked inwardly. Unfortunately, the trash System suddenly went offline. No intent to answer. It stayed silent.
And the women beside him had no plans to give him leisure to think carefully.
"You said everyone present here… all are your girlfriends?"
As soon as that came out, Yukino slowly shifted her gaze. She looked at brightly smiling Masuzu across the seats. She frowned as if somewhat unwilling to accept.
Meanwhile, Masuzu seemed in a good mood.
"True. Maybe I dated him after Haruno-san. Too bad, I have no memories from then either~"
Saying it, her gaze passed Yuigahama and fixed on his arm. She revealed intent to hug if nothing blocked.
But she quickly retracted her gaze. Masuzu blinked. She smiled friendly at Yukino as if doing a favor: "Yukinoshita-san, you can surely guess, right?"
"If this has become some pattern, later, you'll forget everything about him too. Not even a trace left… Right, just like me and Haruno-san."
Yukino: "…"