"Well…"
Seeing the slightly awkward atmosphere and realizing her question was too direct to likely get an honest answer, Asuna took a deep breath. She suppressed the unease that had been stirring since morning and gave a wry smile, shrugging at the three of them.
"I was just asking for a club member. If you don't want to answer, that's fine~ I'll head back now. See you!"
"Yeah!" Yuigahama nodded with relief, beaming widely. "Next time, let's play cards again, just the three of us! No Yuu-kun this time. Let's make it a girls-only meetup!"
"Yuigahama-san, have you even asked for my opinion…"
Asuna smiled and waved at them. "Alright, it's a deal then. We'll connect on LINE later."
After parting with the Sobu High members, she returned to her school team. Occasionally, she frowned, lost in thought, and occasionally checked her phone to chat with her brother.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
About three hours later, they left the culturally rich city of Kyoto. As soon as they stepped off the Shinkansen, Tokyo's hazier air greeted them.
Declining invitations to celebrate the victory, sing, or shop, Asuna gave a brief goodbye to her friends from Kuroyuri Academy. She took a taxi straight home and hurried back to her room.
Then she grabbed her notebook and began writing down things she hadn't thought about before but now seemed slightly illogical upon reflection.
"Why did Mom so easily allow me to play games…"
"Why did Sugou-san suddenly go overseas…"
"Why was I able to argue (crossed out) reason with Mom…"
"Why did my skill level rise so quickly…"
"Why was I able to complete Grandma Martha's mission…"
"Why am I happy… why am I sad…"
"Why does Tenkuji Yuu feel so familiar, yet I can't remember where I met him?"
"Why, even though I only spoke a few words with him, do I instinctively think the issue is related to him?"
The paper was filled with the word why, but she couldn't find a single because to calm her heart.
Frustrated, Asuna put down her pen. She fell back onto the bed, letting her messy chestnut hair spread across it. She stared blankly at the ceiling.
"This is too weird, this world…"
This real world felt less real than the virtual full-dive game—what was the problem?
Her tangled thoughts made her brain feel like an overheating machine. She could only pause her thinking for a moment to let herself cool down.
Lying on the bed as if asleep, before she realized it, it was already dinnertime.
Hearing her mother's instructions from outside the door, Asuna suddenly opened her eyes. Her gaze was firm and serious, like a sword drawn from its sheath.
"Thinking here won't solve anything! If I want to uncover the truth, I need to get closer to the most suspicious place."
The game world was one of them. She'd log in later, talk properly with Grandma Martha, and ask her brother to check the deleted data logs.
And then, the real world…
She went downstairs. Aunt Sada had prepared dinner. Her mother sat upright at the dimly lit dining table, illuminated only by candles. She'd already started eating without waiting, her hand still holding a tablet.
"Mom, we won the national championship."
Kyoko stared at the tablet without looking up, speaking in a cold tone. "Yes, it's good that club activities can achieve results. But remember, as a student, grades are always the priority. Since you've won the national championship, quit the club and focus on studying. Don't practice useless things."
"Alright, I'll quit the club." Asuna nodded and pulled out a chair to sit.
In contrast, Kyoko paused her eating. She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Why? No arguing? You fought with me for so long about joining the club, but now you're so obedient…"
Asuna picked up her knife and fork. While eating, she said flatly, "Because the next thing I'll argue about is more important. So, whether it's quitting the club or being the top student in class, I can agree to your requests."
"…What kind of trouble are you planning now?"
Kyoko's face looked displeased. She set her work tablet aside. The candlelight reflected in her deep, cold pupils, trying to make Asuna shiver.
But at some point, her daughter was no longer afraid of her like this, nor of her cold demeanor.
Asuna also set down the knife and fork she'd just picked up. Like a soldier about to charge into battle, she spoke to her mother, word by word, with a firm and non-negotiable tone:
"As soon as possible, I want to transfer to Sobu High!"
"…"
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Flashback.
That afternoon, after seeing off Asuna, who asked strange questions, Yuu and the others boarded the bus together.
Their belongings were already loaded onto the bus. They'd checked out of the inn, so now they could head straight to the Shinkansen station and return to Tokyo.
Since Masuzu wasn't there, the seat next to Yuu was taken by someone else.
"Tenkuji-kun, you showed something impressive again in today's match."
With a gentle smile, Himura approached him, sitting by the window. He suddenly grabbed Yuu's wrist. His voice was like a spring breeze: "The hand that mimicked Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu and defeated the opposing team single-handedly—does it really have so few calluses? It's hard to believe."
As he spoke, he touched the area below Yuu's left ring finger and the fleshy part under his thumb with warm hands, his movements careful and gentle.
As if a big brother had groped his, Yuu got goosebumps all over. He quickly pulled his hand back and glared at him in disgust.
"Talk properly! How dare you touch me. Watch out, or I'll beat you up!"
Himura raised both hands with an innocent look, but a smile played on his lips. "Don't worry. I was just touching. Like a touch in Chinese medicine, nothing to fear."
"Who cares if it's a touch or not? Don't cause trouble with me. I'm not interested in guys."
"Coincidentally, neither am I. I don't like guys who are too weak."
"Who's talking about strength? We're talking about gender."
"Oh, can't I touch you out of curiosity?"
"If you say one more word, I'll switch seats with Yukinoshita."
Yukino in the back seat: "…"
After ruthlessly rejecting the overly enthusiastic president multiple times and seeing him finally calm down, Yuu let out a soft sigh and looked out the window.
In the glass, he could see the reflection of the girl in the back seat. Her cold gaze could perfectly freeze a frog in a lake.
Yuu smiled at her, but she frowned and turned away as if disgusted.
"What's with that? My smile's pretty good…"
Yuu looked at his reflection in the glass. Unable to see clearly, he quickly lost interest in looking at himself. He leaned his head against the cold window and closed his eyes for a nap.
The third task was complete.
As usual, Yuu asked the system to take back his feelings—he thought this would be the last time.
After waking up this morning, he decided to change and face things he didn't dare to before.
Until he could face the next task without having his feelings taken back, he wouldn't indulge himself anymore…
Perhaps that's what's called growing up.
Though only two tasks remained, it seemed a bit late to say this, but that was fine.
As for the timeline changes this time, simply put, Yukinoshita Haruno and Natsukawa Masuzu didn't come to Kyoto to watch the matches.
Yuu didn't understand why Haruno didn't come, but in the memories without Masuzu, it was indeed only Yukino and Yuigahama staying in the group room. Asuna had only come by last night to play cards.
There were many things to fix this time. After all, unlike the previous two times, which mostly happened during summer vacation or outside school, his relationship with Masuzu involved many people and things. Naturally, the system had to adjust more.
For example, Yuigahama's feelings…
Hiding a slightly resigned expression, Yuu seemed to fall asleep in the bus. He lowered his head quietly and slowly sorted through these memories.
"But why are there no clues at all for the next target? Why don't I have to go somewhere at a specific time to wait for someone?"
"Is filling the emptiness of girls outdated? Is the system going to pull a new trick?"