"…Eh?"
Yuigahama widened her eyes in shock. She didn't even have time to feel embarrassed. She only responded with a blank expression:
"W-why are you suddenly asking that…"
"The reason, I can't quite explain it myself. I just want to know, I guess?" In an ambiguous tone, Yuu raised the corner of his lips again, giving a gentle smile.
"So, do you like me or not?"
"…"
Yuigahama's breath halted along with the sound of the wind. She fell silent for a moment. Her palms grew sweaty.
It was just like when she confessed her feelings in her third year of middle school, except the reasons for her hesitation and panic now took a different form.
Even so, there was only one answer she could give.
"I like you. Always have."
Letting out a slow breath, Yuigahama showed a faint, lonely smile. Her soft hair fluttered in the night breeze. "You already know that clearly, so why ask me? Do you want me to give up early?"
For some reason, her calves started cramping. She unconsciously took a step back.
"Hm… The old me might've thought that way."
"The old you?"
Her slightly weak breathing made her stop trembling. Her furrowed brows shifted to confusion. Yuu looked at her as she pondered, his expression uncertain.
"Yui, though it sounds a bit late to say this now…" Taking a breath, Yuu looked straight into Yuigahama's eyes.
Without excessive emotion, just gazing at her sincerely and seriously so she could believe him.
"There was only one reason I rejected you in middle school—I had to take care of my little sister. I didn't feel I deserved to date you."
If not for that, even if his feelings hadn't reached the level of love, Yuu wouldn't have minded having a girlfriend earlier—beneath the shell of reality, he was a normal guy with desires too.
If he weren't tied down, who wouldn't want to do whatever they pleased?
Moreover, he had never disliked this strong, gentle, slightly awkward dango-haired girl.
"Eh? You mean…"
Yuigahama snapped back to reality. Her mouth opened slightly in disbelief. She felt as if a massive shock had hit her face.
Before she could respond, Yuu continued honestly: "Then, when the second semester started, the reason I rejected you was simple—dating you would only bring harm to both of us. Once we crossed the line of friendship, sooner or later, I'd hurt you."
That's why, in the previous tasks, he always kept his distance from her. Though he knew it would make her sad and disappointed, it was still easier to accept than the difference between gaining happiness and slowly losing it.
Yuu had never considered that if all five tasks were completed, and he had no more worries, and Yuigahama still liked him…
There'd be no harm in turning back and letting this unrequited love have a happy ending.
"…"
Looking at him, Yuigahama was speechless.
She covered her mouth with both hands. Her trembling eyes misted over, quickly turning into clear teardrops.
All her past guesses shattered into pieces. The emptiness that was lost was now filled.
(Ah, so that's all it was—)
Along with the words echoing in her heart, happiness surged like a flood, as if her dangling heart had finally landed safely on the ground.
In life, there are always things that don't go as planned. Like tying hair with a rubber band—two loops are too loose, three are too tight. When showering, a slight shift of the lever to the left makes the water freezing, a slight shift to the right makes it scalding. One packet of instant noodles isn't enough, two are too much.
And…
More than friends, but not yet lovers.
"So, it wasn't my unrequited love…"
Though she was only confirming the fact that he didn't reject her confessions because he disliked her, Yuigahama couldn't hold back the wave of emotions. Tears of happiness streamed from her reddened eyes.
Seeing this, Yuu panicked slightly. He raised his hands. "Wait, don't get too emotional yet!"
"?"
As if a pause button had been pressed, Yuigahama stared at him unblinkingly, her gaze showing confusion.
Yuu cleared his throat and got to the main point: "Though I said those nice things earlier, the reality is I've liked other girls during this time, and not just one… You get what I mean."
(Meaning, my feelings for you aren't that deep. I could date you, but I might cheat on you anytime.)
Even Yuu himself felt that someone bold enough to say such words was so scummy that even sugarcane pulp would be ashamed of him.
Such an openly flirtatious statement could undeniably be called that of a player.
"Yuu-kun, what are you actually trying to say?"
The shock was suddenly doused by this cold water. Instead, Yuigahama gradually calmed down. She was no longer swept away by turbulent emotions.
She wiped the tears from her face. Looking at him against the backdrop of the sunset, she seemed to be questioning.
"I'm not as smart as Yukinon. Can you explain it to me more simply?"
"I just want to tell you the truth."
Yuu exhaled all the air from his lungs. As if giving up, he said firmly:
"I can't explain why. If you start dating me now, I'll definitely cheat—at least twice!"
Perhaps because the system was updating, he managed to say this without his heart feeling like it was being squeezed by a witch's hand.
However, it left Yuigahama with a confused expression. "C-cheat? Why are you so sure…"
"It's something forbidden."
"…" Yuigahama felt like she was being toyed with. She wasn't a wooden puppet. Of course, she'd get angry when she was supposed to.
Noticing her emotional shift, Yuu could only try to explain to keep her from ignoring him and walking away.
"Yui, besides Sora, you're the one who knows the most about my past… Let me ask you. If I were so smart that I could beat someone like Yukinoshita in exams and win a national kendo tournament without much practice, why did I have to study so hard and work part-time to get into Sobu High School?"
"That's because, Yuu-kun, you got smarter over the summer break…"
"Getting smarter isn't like transforming. Can I become Kamen Rider just by saying 'Transform! Open your eyes!'?"
"That's a different situation…"
"The difference is the same. Someone who can do that is clearly not normal."
Yuu carefully revealed information within the limits of what he could say. He tried to make Yuigahama accept his explanation in a serious tone.
"Just like I can't tell you the reason for this abnormality, I also can't tell you why I know I'll cheat sooner or later."
Yuigahama wanted to say something, but Yuu felt her gaze was like she was looking at an idiot.
"I'm only telling you this… If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do."
"I believe you!"
Embarrassingly, the moment she saw Yuu's disappointed expression, Yuigahama reflexively raised her hands in surrender, hurriedly trying to prove herself.