The cold winter wind battered the window. The creaking sound echoed quietly in the suddenly silent clubroom.
"…"
For some reason, Yuu was at a loss for words.
Faced with the two girls' questions, he suddenly forgot how to come up with his usual perfect excuse.
…No, he understood. The reason was simple.
It was just instinct forcing him to be honest with them.
Simply put, Yuu didn't want to lie to Yukino or keep hiding things from Yuigahama.
So, subconsciously, he asked himself in his heart:
(It's come to this. It's time to tell them that Haruno was once my girlfriend.)
(Whether they believe it or not, saying what needs to be said is better than hiding it from start to finish, only to be blamed later for not being honest sooner, making things more complicated.)
Since Yukino questioned him in front of his house, Yuu should have told them this secret.
But the reasons he couldn't be honest were more numerous than the tissues used by an allergy sufferer.
Take one example—if they knew that Haruno wasn't just one-sidedly crushing on him but had dated him, only to be forced to break up due to some mysterious factor, and now was obsessed with him just to continue their relationship.
It's easy to imagine the countless problems that would follow. Yuu could practically see a future where he'd be interrogated endlessly, and resolving the task would become even harder.
That was the downside of telling the truth.
Precisely because Yuu didn't want to do something with such poor returns, he tried to hide as much as possible in the past.
As for Haruno's feelings, it wasn't that Yuu didn't consider them. He just found it hard to care, sympathize, or pity her. It was as if his sensitivity in this area was completely blocked. Subconsciously, he stood from a rational perspective, analyzing everything related to her.
This might be a side effect of the feelings that were taken—like a wall isolating his former girlfriend from his heart.
On the other hand, the reasons to be honest with Yukino and Yuigahama were plentiful.
Trying to slowly open his heart to them, sharing the pressure piling up inside; as allies, they should share information. After all, he'd already told them about the task. It shouldn't be an issue to mention his ex-girlfriend too, and so on…
The reasons to keep hiding grew weaker.
Thus, the answer emerged naturally from his heart.
Yuigahama had loved him for two years and was even willing to share her boyfriend with her friend. She was more stubborn than anyone.
Yukino was willing to be his girlfriend just because of his request, facing the bizarre task of the ideal boyfriend together. She was softer than anyone.
The two girls before him deserved for him to overcome this issue.
Yuu smiled unconsciously.
He could feel his shoulders lighten at that moment. His chest felt filled with something warm. Starting from his left chest, it felt slightly hot.
If it was them, from now on, he wouldn't need to hide so much.
Whatever secret he shared, after the shock, questions, disappointment, anger, or even sadness, they would sigh helplessly and face it with him.
Yuu was absolutely certain of that.
"Yuu-kun?"
"Tenkuji-kun, what's wrong?"
Amid the increasingly confused gazes of the two girls, Yuu suddenly took a deep breath. His eyes shifted from evasive to serious. Finally, he met their gazes.
And, word by word, he said:
"Because Haruno was my ex-girlfriend."
The next moment.
*THUD!*
"…"
"That person… was my ex-girlfriend."
*THUD!*
"Yukinoshita, your sister, was my ex-girlfriend…"
*THUD!*
"I… once…"
*THUD!*
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The cold wind outside the window kept blowing. Dark clouds covered the warm winter sun.
Silence still spread in the clubroom. After the girls' questions, no one spoke again.
"What's wrong, Yuu-kun? Didn't sleep well?"
Seeing Yuu sitting in his chair with blank eyes, not answering for a long time, Yuigahama was the first to speak. She couldn't help but ask with concern.
"Looking like this…"
Yukino also frowned, observing his expression. Her first reaction wasn't to suspect he was too embarrassed to answer but to recall the fragile look he showed her in the hallway that day.
That scene flashed in her mind. Subconsciously, her voice softened, as if not wanting to disturb a sleeping cat, matching her gaze.
She asked gently, "Are you remembering the past again?"
Amid her question, the light in Yuu's dark eyes slowly regained clarity. The numbness faded from the depths of his pupils.
As if he'd just returned from another world, Yuu blinked. Seeing the worried looks of the two girls, he paused again. The corners of his lips twitched, and only then did he slowly show a smile.
"It's fine, don't worry… As for your questions, I actually don't know how to answer. Sorry."
He took a light breath and exhaled slowly.
He looked slightly relieved but also a bit helpless.
Though still confused, seeing Yuu sweating on his forehead and unwilling to say more, they silently suppressed their curiosity, shifting to concern for his physical condition.
"If you're not feeling well, you need to say so. We can go straight to the infirmary and use the afternoon classes to rest!"
"Drink some tea and rest. Everyone has moments of feeling unwell."
As if they didn't care about why Yuu was suddenly lost in thought, Yuigahama pulled out a handkerchief, gently wiping his sweat. Yukino found a disposable paper cup from the cabinet, pouring some black tea from her thermos for him. She also turned up the heater in the clubroom.
Meanwhile, Yuu sat in his chair, eyes slightly closed as if resting, quietly enjoying their care.
His racing heart gradually calmed. His foggy consciousness slowly cleared. The events that just happened kept replaying.
—In this world, perhaps only he knew.
During that seemingly dazed moment, he had told the two girls—
"Haruno was my ex-girlfriend."
The first time those words left his mouth, Yuu's heart exploded in his chest like an apple in a strong man's grip. Juice splattered in his chest.
He didn't have time to faint. When he came to, he was back to the moment before answering.
As usual, the system gave him a second chance.
Yuu, having learned many lessons, should have given up then, finding another excuse to face them reluctantly.
But he hesitated for less than half a second. Looking into the girls' eyes, Yuu chose to open his mouth again.
Where did that impulse come from? He didn't know.
He suddenly decided to ignore everything, like a passionate teenager in puberty. Gritting his teeth, he fought the system to the end, refusing to give up easily.
So, the second time, he racked his brain and used a different phrasing.
The third time, he thought hard and used another language.
The fourth, fifth…
The tenth, eleventh…
The hundredth, hundred-and-first…
In the end, he even used sign language, Morse code, Unown script, Martian, Elvish, and every method to make them understand, just to tell the truth.
It was also to prove, again and again, that the current him wouldn't lose to a system hiding in his soul, cruelly attacking others' hearts.
Today, Yuu resolutely chose death.
Until his consciousness couldn't take it anymore, nearly fainting.
The number of times his heart was exploded, and time rewound—Total: 131 times.
No exceptions. The moment they learned this fact, the system would use the crudest method to fix this timeline.
Yuu could still feel the lingering phantom pain of his exploded heart in his chest. It was like a warning left to silence him, likely to persist for a while before fading.
The pain made him sigh inwardly.
(Jerk… You're really, truly cruel…)
This was reality.
His resistance was futile. His changes were like an ant shaking a giant tree.
Without a second chance, a fool like him fighting the system would have a cold corpse in front of his girlfriends. Where would he have time to feel pain?
Even after trying countless times, the system wouldn't let him say what shouldn't be said.
Yuu understood this truth.
…Even so.
(At least, I won't be like before.)
Lowering his head, he couldn't help but grin, chuckling softly with a stirred and excited heart.
In the past, he lost to the cruel reality imposed by the system, sitting limply with bent knees, changing his choices with a mature attitude.
But now, Yuu, holding a cup of hot tea with cold sweat wiped from his forehead by a handkerchief, decided from this moment to change the system with his own choices.
The first step was dying 131 times before it, breaking the record left in the past.
He didn't stop at this number because he gave up, was disappointed, or was desperate, nor because he feared his heart would break from constant explosions—It was just tactical avoidance.
He couldn't think of a way to deal with it now. But that didn't mean he had to admit defeat to the almighty system.
Whether it was pure unwillingness or helpless anger.
Yuu just wanted to tell himself: "From now on, no matter what happens, don't forget to stand tall and flip off the damn system torturing you."
After all, someone declared war on her family for him.
Someone supported him from behind. Someone loved someone like him from then until now.
For these people, he mustn't forget to fight.
Yuu should have realized this.
In front of them—he could lose, but he mustn't admit defeat.
(Hmph… Hahaha…)
Laughing heartily in his heart, Yuu suddenly raised his head, looking at Yuigahama and Yukino, who were still worried about him.
The smile on his face returned to normal and cheerful. He said happily:
"I told you, I'm fine. Stop looking at me like that, or I might end up liking you both even more."
"…"
The practiced flirtation left both girls stunned, as if their hearts were truly shaken.
The next moment, one huffed, the other laughed.
Both girls looked away, skillfully ignoring Yuu's faux-sincere gaze.
"Worrying about someone like you is such a waste of energy. Hurry up and eat."
"No helping it, this is the normal Yuu-kun~"
With that, the clubroom's atmosphere calmed again. The girls' expressions gradually relaxed.
Yuigahama suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right, that didn't count earlier. Yuu-kun still owes us an official love confession!"
Yukino's hand paused mid-bento. She frowned, thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"I don't need something like that."
Yuigahama was adamant. "No way! It's a must. Yukinon, don't be shy~"
"What's a must… I'm not shy. Besides, this is just a girlfriend in name. A love confession would be weird."
Sighing helplessly, Yukino looked at Yuu, saying calmly, "You think so too. I'm different from Yuigahama-san. The goal is only to make you my ideal boyfriend, not a real lover."
"Yuu-kun!"
Yuigahama looked at him with hopeful eyes, signaling him repeatedly. But she saw Yuu nod in agreement with Yukino, showing no intention of siding with her.
"Yeah, like Yukinoshita said. Our dating has a purpose. No need for unimportant stuff like that."
Yuu also looked at Yukino, spreading his hands helplessly and smiling. "Be it a love confession or a kiss, those are Yui's rights as the official girlfriend. It has nothing to do with the current Yukinoshita. As for what an ideal boyfriend should do, that's another matter to discuss."
"Mm—!" Yuigahama narrowed her eyes, looking slightly upset at Yuu, as if blaming him for saying that.
Yuu didn't intend to mind her. He just carefully observed Yukino's expression.
"Mm, I've thought about this too. For now, I don't have many clues or know where to start."
The long-haired girl by the window didn't change her expression, remaining calm and indifferent, seemingly unshaken by the words.
Her long eyelashes lowered slightly. She avoided eye contact with Yuu, pursing her cherry-colored lips slightly, and said casually, "This weekend, we'll go out as a trio. Maybe we'll figure it out then."
Yuu, who had just agreed with her, now contradicted her as if picking a fight. "But shouldn't we speed things up? Is it okay to be this relaxed?"
Yukino frowned slightly, raising her gaze with mild displeasure.
"Then give a suggestion. I don't have a habit of acting recklessly."
"Giving suggestions is fine. But we've been dating for a while. Have you really never thought about things related to being lovers that you want to do with me?"
The moment those words came out, Yukino's body visibly stiffened.
Her blue eyes soon glared with a mix of embarrassment and anger. Her white teeth bit her lower lip slightly. A faint blush colored her snow-white cheeks.
"You utterly tactless person. You really dare ask that… Do you want me to take the initiative and tell you to do couple-like things?"
"Why not? It's your right!"
As if finally hearing the answer he wanted, Yuu sighed in relief. He took the initiative to meet the girl's cold, sharp eyes, smiling gently.
"Yukinoshita, I want to know your thoughts. I also want to know what you'll do to fight back after declaring war on Haruno."
"…"
Yukino was slightly stunned, unconsciously opening her mouth. Words seemed to rise in her throat, but she quickly suppressed them.
"You're not clueless. Yukinoshita-san, who never lies." Yuu didn't miss her reaction. He narrowed his eyes at her, his smile slowly turning mischievous.
"Don't be shy now… The tables have turned. I'll let you know what a true lie detector is. Hiding is useless."
(So, admit it honestly, Yukino.)
(What do you want me to do as your boyfriend that meets the standards in your heart?)
"…Truly embarrassing."
Under his gaze, after just a few seconds of silence, Yukino sighed as if giving up. A trace of mockery and helplessness crossed her face.
Then it all vanished, replaced by a serious, commanding expression. She said undeniably:
"Fine, I'll be blunt—I thought of a few steps for the Boyfriend Project last night. I also know that starting now is the most efficient choice… But I had slight hesitation about actually doing it. That's why I lied about not having clues. I'm sorry."
Her tone was heavy, her expression quite serious.
Yet the blush gradually spreading from her ears to her cheeks made this cold-aura girl look anything but serious. She was like a child trying hard to mimic an adult, cute in her pretense.
"You really made a plan… What's the first step?" Yuigahama couldn't help but ask.
Ignored by them earlier, she wasn't just unangry—she even watched the guy flirt with the girl.
If she weren't genuinely curious, she might have waited for them to finish before jumping in to summarize.
"The first step, well, the first step… Ngh…"
Rarely, Yukino showed a wavering expression.
She unconsciously avoided their gazes, biting her lip slightly, looking at the ceiling, then the table. Her eyes roamed the entire clubroom until she realized there was nothing left to see.
Only then did Yukino take a deep breath, as if preparing herself. Her fingers gently touched the hair by her ear. Her slender back straightened. She tried to shed her weak, shy aura.
Then, the girl spoke to them in an elegant, mature tone, her voice barely louder than a mosquito's. She said calmly, "Calling each other by first names. Then, holding pinkies for one minute. Get used to each other's presence first."
"…"
"Mm, that's the first step of my Ideal Boyfriend Formation Project…" After finishing, she thought again and asked uncertainly:
"There shouldn't be any issues. Though it's a bit conservative."
Once those words were spoken, the entire Service Club was enveloped in a silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.
Yuu and Yuigahama exchanged glances with odd expressions, thinking nearly the same comment.
…If this is what she calls a bit conservative, what were they doing this morning?