Yuigahama nodded vigorously. When her eyes met his, a few more shades of red crept up her slender neck, making her look utterly adorable.
She touched the dango hair ties on her head as if to hide her embarrassment, casually changing the topic. "By the way, Yuu-kun, since when did you start calling me by my name?"
"Hmm? Since the summer—" Yuu paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Sorry, I don't quite remember the reason either."
"Is that so? Oh well, it's not important!" Yuigahama turned her half-flushed cheek away. She waited for him to catch up from behind, tugged at the hem of his shirt, and whispered:
"Yesterday… that shouldn't count as a first kiss."
The first was a gentle touch on the lips, and the second was her biting him to vent her emotions. Neither felt like the first kiss Yuigahama had imagined. She didn't want her girlish heart to be shattered so easily!
In the most perfect scenario, it should've been like in manga—soft and innocent, with them tentatively feeling each other's breaths. From light to heavy, from shallow to deep, from lips to tongue, their breaths and saliva intertwining…
In the end, their fingers would interlock. In a daze, she'd be pressed onto a bed. His lips would slowly move from the corner of her mouth to her chin, then her neck. After leaving a firm mark on her collarbone, her buttons would be gently undone…
"Yui?"
"N-nothing! I wasn't thinking about anything indecent at all!"
Yuigahama protested loudly, as if jolted awake from a dream. She covered her face with both hands but couldn't hide her reddening fair skin. Her cute, delicate ears turned red, and it seemed like steam was rising from her head.
(Is this what they call wanting more? After he took one step forward with me, I'm already looking forward to the next three or four…)
(Yui, you impure-minded girl!)
Yuu saw her embarrassment. Holding back a laugh, he pretended to be serious. "If you think yesterday wasn't romantic enough, then when the mood's right, we'll talk about a proper first kiss?"
"T-that's it! Besides, kissing isn't something only couples can do. Lots of childhood friends do it too…"
Yuigahama turned away as if she didn't dare look at him. She walked toward the classroom, muttering something he couldn't make out.
Yuu followed her happily. Watching her white thighs sway under her skirt, he was in a great mood.
"Oh, I suddenly remembered something."
Before entering the classroom, Yuigahama stopped abruptly. Her eyes looked at him cautiously.
"Yuu-kun… Was that your first kiss too?"
"…"
For some reason, facing her hopeful gaze, Yuu was slightly taken aback, then answered without thinking.
"Yeah. After all… I've never had a girlfriend."
He shouldn't be lying, if it was the usual him.
In Yuigahama's world, Yuu indeed never had a girlfriend and naturally never had the chance to give away his first kiss.
If the events that had happened would vanish after the tasks were complete… then what he said now was a truth that could reassure Yuigahama and distinguish those worlds.
So… there was nothing to worry about. He never made the wrong choice.
"I see…" Yuigahama placed her hand on her chest. She quietly let out a sigh of relief. Her smile was as sweet and shy as that of a girl in love.
When they entered Class 2-F, half the seats were still empty.
Some classmates who were chatting saw them enter one after the other. They exchanged glances, then, as if unable to contain their curiosity, gathered around them and started asking questions noisily.
"I heard you went to a kendo tournament? How'd it go?"
"Did you win? My kendo friend said to keep it secret until the school announces it. So annoying!"
"By the way, you went to Kyoto together. So lucky, getting an extra school trip experience~"
"Eh, I heard there's a super effective love shrine near Kyoto. Did you go pray together? Your vibe seems different~"
"No way nothing happened during four days and three nights. I heard Yukinoshita-san went too. Any exciting experiences…"
"Alright, alright." Before Yuigahama could show a troubled expression, Yuu spoke with a smile.
His voice wasn't loud, and his tone was very gentle, but it cut through the clamor, reaching their ears clearly.
"Nothing interesting happened. Please return to your seats. Our business isn't worth paying attention to."
"…"
The group was stunned. Suddenly, they felt it made sense. They nodded, visibly disappointed. After saying a few unimportant things, they turned and returned to their seats.
Since Yuigahama wasn't a target of the Bullet Word (Kotodama) emotional transmission, she wasn't affected. She stared at the scene in surprise. After a long pause, she shifted her gaze from their backs to Yuu and said with admiration:
"Yuu-kun, since when did you become class president? You can make everyone so obedient!"
"Because I have a lot of influence." Yuu raised his finger amusedly and flicked the round, beautiful dango hair tie on her head. "You should hurry back to your seat too. I heard Hiratsuka-sensei might hold a pop quiz today. Anyone who fails will get extra work."
"Seriously?! Oh no, I didn't prepare anything—"
Too late to protect her hairstyle, Yuigahama let out a panicked squeal. She grabbed her school bag and quickly sat at her desk.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
After morning classes ended, Yuu originally planned to eat lunch and catch up with Totsuka Saika, whom he hadn't seen in a while. Unfortunately, the slender tennis club captain had to prepare for an upcoming tournament. He even planned to bring his lunch to the tennis court. Yuu could only decline his invitation with a wry smile.
As for Yuigahama, she had her own group to maintain—the "fire queen" dragged her to the cafeteria right after class, giving her no chance to say goodbye to Yuu.
Before leaving, Yumiko frowned and glanced at him. She looked like a mother hen protecting her chick. There wasn't much hostility in her eyes, but there was a hint of wariness, as if she suspected something.
Yuu didn't care. Regardless of how Yumiko's memories were altered after the world reset or how his image in her mind changed, it no longer mattered—for people he didn't care about, he was usually indifferent.
Since his only two friends had things to do, he took his bento box alone, stood up, and left the classroom.
If he didn't want to eat lunch in class, a destination naturally came to mind.
—The small forest behind the school building.
Yuu saw the familiar stone gazebo. There were no longer any clingy, odd couples like before. He could no longer see them feeding each other or flirting.
Even alone, the silver-haired girl didn't appear here either… Naturally, since she had forgotten everything from the past. She forgot about their promise to eat lunch here every day.
Pausing for a moment, Yuu shook his head. The corners of his lips formed a relieved smile. He silently prayed toward the stone gazebo:
"I hope Masuzu can live a happy life, even without me, just like those two."
After that, he turned and left without regret.
In the empty forest, the wind blew through the dry branches.
Yellowing leaves fell quietly, disappearing into shadows unnoticed by anyone.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Special building, Service Club.
Traces of alcohol disinfectant lingered on the windows and even the door handle. The classroom, originally just a storage room, felt cleaner than any classroom in the school building.
Just like the girl inside. She had a temperament as pure as snow—ethereal, proud, and so perfect it felt unreal.
Before Yuu opened the door, his fingers paused briefly. Then he knocked lightly.
"Come in."
A cool, clear voice, refreshing to the mind, sounded.
"Then, I'm coming in."
With that, Yuu entered the bright classroom filled with midday sunlight, carrying his bento box.
She still sat upright by the window. Her long, glossy black hair, like a 0.5 mm pencil lead, swayed gently in the breeze. Her pleated skirt revealed her slender waist. Her legs, wrapped in long stockings, looked slim and toned. A faint glimpse of the absolute territory of pure white.
There was no expression on her beautiful, delicate face. Only her captivating blue eyes looked indifferently at the vice-president approaching her. Her tone was steady.
"You're rarely so polite."
"Don't be jealous of my good character."
"I'm quite jealous of your face as thick as a wall."
Gently tucking her hair behind her ear, Yukino averted her gaze, as if at a loss for words. But the corners of her soft lips and a slight flush rose faintly.
Whether it was just his imagination or not, Yuu seemed to see a calm emotion on her face.