A few days later.
September 1st, the start of the school term for most schools, marking the beginning of the second semester.
The transition from late summer to early autumn still feels warm. Yuu puts on his summer school uniform, stored away for months, and adjusts his tie in front of the mirror. After ensuring his appearance is neat, he flashes a handsome smile at his reflection.
"After experiencing so much during summer break, I'm kind of missing the school routine."
With that thought, his smile fades, and he lets out a deep sigh. Glancing at the virtual helmet untouched for days, Yuu grabs his school bag, leaves his room, and heads downstairs.
Surprisingly, Kasugano Sora woke up earlier than him. She's sprawled on the couch, hugging a bunny and a dolphin plushie, her slender, smooth legs dangling from under her skirt. Hearing his footsteps, she shifts her gaze from the gaming console and softly says to her brother entering the living room:
"What time are you coming back today?"
"Before dinner, not sure. After school, I need to stop by the café for a bit."
Answering casually, Yuu places his school bag on Sora's swinging legs, pressing down her skirt that's nearly slipped to her thighs.
"Oh…"
Sora puffs out her cheeks slightly but doesn't say much. She just lazes on the couch, continuing her game.
Once breakfast is ready, she sits at the dining table with her long, messy hair, her bright eyes fixed on him.
"Yuu, help me brush my hair later."
"Hmm?" Just picking up his chopsticks, Yuu pauses, looking at her in surprise. "Sure, I woke up early today anyway… Are you going out?"
He calculates—her hospital check-up should be this weekend… Why did his little sister suddenly change her mind?
"Yuu, your stare is rude." Sora wrinkles her small nose, squinting at him unhappily. "I didn't say I'm going out. My hair's just messy from lying down earlier."
Hearing her explanation, Yuu finally shows a cheeky expression, leaning back in his chair lazily.
"Tch, getting my hopes up for nothing."
"Mmm…" Her annoyance meter starts rising.
Picking up a perfectly browned German sausage, Sora locks her bright, large eyes on him, slowly placing the sausage into her slightly open mouth, letting him see her pink oral cavity and small tongue before her wet, white teeth snap down, biting the sausage with a loud "Craaack!"
Seeing him shudder and look away, unable to bear it, Sora gives a satisfied smirk, puffs her cheeks, and starts chewing.
The warm breakfast atmosphere soon ends.
On the couch, Sora removes her hair tie, letting her smooth, satin-like long hair cascade down her back. Facing away from Yuu, she hands him a comb.
"Yuu, this is probably the first time I've asked you to brush my hair, right?"
Her fingers fidget with her skirt, her voice soft, carrying a mix of anticipation and slight shyness.
Running his fingers through her incredibly soft hair, Yuu replies casually: "Yeah, your hair's so nice it doesn't even need brushing to avoid split ends. You can manage it yourself."
At the same time, the comb glides from the top of her head down, meeting no resistance. The slightly messy hair straightens out. He lifts the comb and brushes again, his movements gentle and light, like a warm spring breeze sweeping over a meadow.
Sora instinctively squints in comfort, her lips curling like a cat's. Her palms gently cradle her head, her consciousness sinking into warm water, too lazy to stir.
"Yuu~" As if her whole body softens from the brushing, her voice is irresistibly charming.
Focused on brushing, Yuu doesn't notice her tone: "What's up?"
"You've never brushed my hair before, so why are you so good at it?"
"…"
*BA-DUMP!* *BA-DUMP!* *BA-DUMP!*
Suppressing his inexplicably erratic heartbeat, Yuu coughs, his movements uninterrupted, his tone serious.
"Learned it online. I happened to watch a video on brushing girls' hair, so I remembered."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Then why are you holding my head, not letting me turn around?"
"Because I'm brushing your hair. You have so much of it, so of course I need to be thorough."
Unlike Yukinoshita Haruno, whose hair was done in one stroke, no effort needed…
Unaware that her brother suddenly thought of another girl, Sora huffs twice, deciding not to press further, and continues closing her eyes to enjoy the intoxicating service. Though not overly affectionate, it still carries a careful tenderness.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
After finishing, Yuu prepares to head to school.
"Be careful on the way."
Seeing him off at the entrance, Sora seizes the moment he's unprepared, stands on her tiptoes, and kisses his cheek.
"Here's your reward. Come back soon."
Her face flushed, she drops those words, flicks her smooth, long silver hair, and hurries upstairs with excited steps.
Yuu touches his still-warm cheek, shaking his head with a wry smile.
In a cheerful mood, he puts on his shoes, closes the front door, ensures it's locked, and heads to the station.
The journey isn't far—about a 500-meter walk, then two train stops to his high school, Chiba Municipal Sobu High School.
There aren't many renowned high schools in Chiba City, but Sobu High is one of them. It's not only a top-tier school with the highest deviation value but also has an international education class for elite students returning from abroad and those preparing to study overseas.
In the past, to get into this high school, Yuu had to work hard to recall knowledge he'd forgotten. Before summer break, his grades were only average. Since he didn't join clubs and wasn't proactive about socializing, despite his looks rivaling the most popular students, he remained a loner with few friends, leading a quiet, dull school life.
Of course, since acquiring the system, all this is set to change—at least academically. During this period, he specifically bought all the textbooks from second to third year of high school at a used bookstore. When he had nothing to do, he'd read a few pages like a novel. If he didn't feel like gaming, he'd solve problems to pass the time.
With his Studying skill and boosted intelligence points, his learning efficiency was several times higher than usual. In a month, he'd covered all the key points for university entrance exams—not mastering everything or jumping straight to Tokyo University, but with a few more days of review, reaching the top five in school shouldn't be an issue.
"The feeling of being a top student really makes me so happy…"
Strolling leisurely down a street bathed in soft morning light, Yuu smiles, sighing inwardly.
He's never felt this way before, so eager for the start-of-term tests, midterms, finals, and other exams, wanting to test his current growth through others. Isn't that the point of the system?
Having a system but still living timidly like a turtle is too weird. Though Yuu is usually cautious, when he judges something won't cause trouble, he becomes bolder than most.
For example, playing the piano at the station, smashing a punching machine with one hit, or using extraordinary abilities in front of others—staying low-key is just to avoid trouble, but suddenly improved grades shouldn't cause much issue.
So, while satisfying his slight vanity, he can also earn a scholarship— isn't that wonderful? Maybe that's why he left an hour early today, ready to embrace his transformed school life.
"Hmm?"
Ahead is a long uphill road. The cherry blossom trees lining both sides have leaves turning yellow in this season. On the roadside, Yuu spots a familiar figure.
The girl wears childish bear-patterned pajamas, her face showing faint sleepiness, as if she just woke up. Her pink hair cascades over her shoulders, and she's walking a cute, lively brown dachshund. Yawning, she strolls casually with her dog, as if she doesn't need to go to school today.
She seems unaware of his presence across the street.
After half a second of consideration, Yuu decides to pretend he didn't see her, continuing straight without turning.
Just then, a few barks ring out:
"Woof! (A familiar scent!)"
Feeling it's directed at him, Yuu instinctively glances over. Upon seeing her, his eyes widen unconsciously.
The dachshund, seemingly named Sable, breaks free from the leash in the pink-haired girl's hand, sticks out its tongue, and runs toward him with a joyful expression.
A road separates them, but unfortunately, a luxurious black car happens to speed down from the hill. Due to the hill's angle, the driver doesn't immediately notice the tiny dachshund, and the car's speed doesn't slow.
In an instant, Yuu grasps the situation, while the girl across the street only shouts, "Sable!"
Her panicked expression is clear in her actions and words, and she even seems ready to chase after it onto the road.
"That dumb pigtail girl!"
Sighing softly, there's no time to hesitate. Yuu tosses his school bag aside, activating every buff and skill he can use.