The living room was shrouded in silence, but no one stared at the youth lying on the sofa with frightening gazes, as Masuzu imagined.
As if directly reading her thoughts and theatrics, Yukino regained composure and said softly, "The notebook wrote, 'If I haven't gone crazy before meeting that Tenkuji,' and behind it also keeps complaining about Tenkuji-kun. That shows the two haven't met, how could he be the culprit?"
Words easily refuted if thought through carefully, had no power before her.
Besides, assume there's a one-in-a-million possibility that Yuu really secretly confined Utaha who entered the trial...
Yukino was also confident there were reasons behind it, and not for silly reasons like being attracted to her beauty.
In the real world, there were still many beautiful girls waiting for him to return, including herself... why would Yuu approach an adult woman who only had a good body but no emotional connection?
Feeling she had found the truth, Yukino unhesitatingly threw out a sharp question, "Are you underestimating our intelligence, or are you still trying to divide us at a time like this?"
"Neither. Just wanted to liven up the atmosphere. Why are you all so serious?"
Masuzu answered quickly, but everyone knew it was just a too-obvious lie.
However, no one wanted to truly discuss her thoughts, and once Haruno spoke up, this issue was easily passed over.
"It seems, this Exploration Team Captain is going through difficult times."
The corner of her mouth lifted as if amused, but there wasn't much laughter in her eyes. Her gaze occasionally swept the notebook's contents, like a computer running an analysis program, her brain continuously summarizing and organizing current information.
Once she was serious, this mature and reliable college student radiated an unavoidable aura, making others instinctively follow her, like an elite team leader.
"Yukino, here's the pen, write a reply as you like below the last message." Haruno took out a ballpoint pen from her bag, threw it to her sister, and after thinking for a moment, said, "Just write... We received your message, can you tell us the information you know first, like that."
"That's not called as you like."
Yukino glanced at her sulkily, took a deep breath, suppressed the awkwardness in her heart, and obediently followed her sister's instructions.
Neat handwriting appeared on the notebook's white page. She thought the ink would automatically disappear and send the message to another world, like in fantasy movies.
But not long after, while the sentence [We received your message, can you tell us the information you know first] still existed, a new reply appeared, same as before.
"I thought it failed, turns out just too high delay... Hahahaha, good! Indeed worthy of being called me, Utaha-chan who can do anything if I want!"
"She's almost crazy." While folding her arms, Masuzu commented mercilessly, "Looking at previous content, she might be confined in a dark room, typing without seeing the sun for months? No wonder although we just separated minutes ago in the real world, now she looks like her personality completely changed."
If a beautiful and attractive writer experienced treatment like that, let alone personality change, perhaps her entire self would become an emotionless typing machine, and her personality would truly disappear.
Asuna wanted to laugh a bit, but felt bad building happiness on others' suffering. She could only smile bitterly and shift her worried gaze to Yuu.
"But this proves that trial is very harsh. Even Kasumigaoka-senpai who just went to help experienced a situation like this, then Yuu-kun he..."
"On the surface, his sleep is quite sound." Sora poked Yuu's cheek, her finger pressing both sides of his lips, forming a stiff smile.
Seeing Sora freely play with Yuu's face, Yukino unconsciously threw a slightly envious glance. Then she quickly became aware before others noticed, and cleared her throat with pretended seriousness.
"Anyway, let's first find out Senpai's situation... If we can also get a way to bypass the administrator and enter the trial, that would be better."
No matter how difficult Yuu's life was, as long as they were still helpless like now, the more they knew, it would only make them more anxious without results.
She slowly exhaled, the fingers holding the pen gradually stabilized again.
(Family members praying outside the operating room, probably feel the same emotions, right?)
Although equally anxious and worried, Yukino never prayed to God for Yuu's safety.
Because she believed in Yuu's ability to create miracles that even God or Buddha couldn't achieve.
Because she believed humans could overcome nature, and they would ultimately meet again in the real world, then regain everything that was lost.
"So... nothing will happen."
Staring at the notebook with firm eyes, Yukino pressed her lips into a straight line, and slowly began writing.
She suddenly had a premonition.
The journey to save her beloved from the difficult trial seemed to have just officially begun now, when this notebook connected the two worlds.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Summer.
Waist-high water, scorching sun.
In this difficult sea bath, Yuu brought his girlfriend to enjoy wild and free summer vacation time.
"Senpai, why are you daydreaming~"
Lying on a duck-shaped air mattress, Iroha lifted her sunglasses with her index finger. Her soft pink lips pursed into a small point, and her bright and lively eyes stared at him unhappily.
"If you stay still later it'll be hot, do you want your girlfriend to be dried out?"
Awakening from unclear daydreams, Yuu continued kicking his legs, pushing the duck-shaped air mattress carrying the girl toward the cooler deep sea.
He said resignedly, "Do you consider me a boyfriend, or a servant who can be ordered around at will?"
"Of course the boyfriend I love most most most~" Iroha turned around, lay prone on the air mattress, and stared at him while chuckling. Her voice was sweeter than processed honey, "Precisely because Senpai will forgive Iroha-chan's mischief, this slightly naughty side of Iroha-chan can be shown to Senpai without hesitation!"
"What an honor."
Yuu stared at the snow-white gap in the middle of her pink bikini, decorated with traces of lightly flowing water mixed with sweat and seawater, while criticizing coldly and expressionlessly.
Iroha pursed her lips, her cheeks that appeared flushed from the sun puffed out.
"What's with that reluctant tone... I already said, I'll give you a bonus as compensation after returning to the hotel. You're not excited like this, it's not fun!"
With one light kick, the seawater gently pushed him forward.
Showing expert-level swimming skills, Yuu said fearlessly, "What we do every day, how can that be called compensation?"
"Ugh..."
As if thinking of scenes inappropriate for minors, Iroha's face reddened even more, and she hissed embarrassedly, "How dare you talk like that! Perverted Senpai who kissed me on the first day of dating, French kissed on the fifth day, then at the weekend directly broke through the final boundary under the pretext of teaching me to study at kouhai's house, and since then wanted me endlessly!"
"Amazing how you can say such a long sentence in one breath."
Yuu clapped admiringly, but felt no shame at all, just as a wolf should eat meat.
"Who told you to be so cute, and occasionally tease me in various ways? If I could restrain myself, wouldn't that mean my love for you isn't strong enough?"
"True..."
Iroha suddenly ran out of words. Thinking about it, if he really could restrain himself in situations that almost blatantly teased, she would instead doubt whether she was unattractive.
Remembering her first experience, although her cheeks heated up, Iroha couldn't hold back a proud smile.
(Hmph, turns out I'm really attractive!)
(Otherwise, how could Senpai who's usually calm and restrained become like an animal that lost reason, doing it from morning to night, and only stopped after my parents came home?)
She directly ignored how messy she was after that, like a pile of mud that almost lost consciousness.
"Anyway!"
Shaking her head, throwing away those strange scenes, Iroha stared at him seriously, with piercing seriousness in her eyes.
"Senpai, you'll take responsibility, right?"
(If you don't take responsibility, I'll commit suicide at the bottom of the sea with you right now!)
Her eyes seemed to say that, her gaze unmoving as if frozen—there was no more firm threat than this.
Yuu only replied with a helpless expression.
"Didn't I already say? If someday you accidentally get pregnant, you can directly drop out of school and marry me, it's fine. I've also talked nicely with your parents, they're instead worried we'll accidentally go too far... So, I only dare use condoms I brought myself, afraid of someday feeling them pierced with holes."
"Those stupid parents, what are they thinking..." Iroha gritted her teeth with a flushed face, then snorted loudly, "I'm a seventeen-year-old high school girl who's still young, I don't want to enter the grave of marriage that quickly!"
"I think so too."
Yuu nodded in agreement. He was also still young, and although he didn't need to worry about money, he didn't want to be tied down by a small child.
Moreover, if he hadn't completed the trial before graduation, but already had a child with Iroha...
That feeling of gain and loss, he didn't want to experience.
"Anyway, don't worry. The marriage certificate is in the drawer, can be sent to the civil registry office anytime." Yuu extended his hand and stroked her slightly damp hair, which over time had begun to look like shoulder-length hair.
[When your hair grows long, will you marry me]—although he thought so, he couldn't say such cliché words.
He pulled a strand of her hair, gave it a kiss, and Yuu gazed at Iroha affectionately, speaking with overflowing tenderness, "Nothing can stop me from taking responsibility for you, even if time passes, seas turn into mulberry fields, even if I have to fight the entire world—you will always be the treasure that belongs only to me."
"...So cheesy." Iroha twisted her face, hugged his arm as if getting goosebumps, almost openly saying she felt ticklish.
Then she sighed loudly, "Whatever, Senpai's intention to take responsibility I've felt... Although too cheesy, but who told Senpai's position is so high in my heart? For now, I'll trust you."
"So arrogant." Yuu pinched her cheek, and seeing the girl's gaze that looked displeased but was actually moist and alluring, he understood her meaning and kissed her.
Their lips tasted salty, but the sweet taste between lips and teeth was very captivating.
Not long after, Iroha panted, her hot thin arm encircled his neck, her cheek pressed softly against Yuu's cheek, and she rested her chin on his broad bare shoulder.
"Hehehe, Senpai, I'll tell you a secret~"
She suddenly giggled, warm coquettish voice echoing in Yuu's ear.
"Actually, I secretly brought school swimsuit... the outfit from the film you secretly watched before."
"That's the real compensation..."
After saying that, as if to hide her embarrassment, Iroha lightly bit his earlobe and hid her head far between shoulder and neck.
"What did you say?"
With soft warmth in his embrace, Yuu's expression suddenly tensed.
Damn, he got caught watching films for learning!
No, that's not the point.
He took a deep breath, restraining the urge to drag her underwater in the middle of this sea, under the blinding sunlight, for swim practice together. His expression and tone equally serious, "I understand. I didn't expect my girlfriend to be so considerate, doing things this far for me... In that case, don't delay anymore, let's quickly return to the hotel to rest!"
Iroha hit his chest once.
"Stupid Senpai, it's not even dark yet! I'm accompanying you out to have fun, not for... ahem ahem."
Her voice braked suddenly, she ultimately didn't say those crude words, and bit her lower lip while snorting annoyed, "Anyway, I'll only return after satisfied playing, okay!?"
"Of course."
Yuu smiled and nodded, returning to moving his legs that had stopped at some point. His head tilted back slightly, using frog-style kicks to push the duck air mattress to slowly float on the water surface.
Iroha also returned to her previous sunbathing position. Her white and beautiful body was exposed under the sunlight, but only Yuu could see her perfect figure, simultaneously sexy and cute, wearing adult-style bikini.
The No Eavesdropping Behind Walls condition had become MVP in his heart.
"By the way, Senpai, what were you thinking about earlier?"
Lazily enjoying the sea breeze, Iroha asked casually.
Yuu was too lazy to explain, and answered indifferently, "Nothing, just small matters."
However, Iroha hit the air mattress, showing dissatisfaction.
"Don't lie! There's no one in this world who knows Senpai better than me, you think I'll believe that statement?"
"There's some truth to that."
Yuu smiled resignedly, and quickly gave up hiding, he said honestly, "Really nothing, just suddenly felt like being watched by someone."
"Watched? Isn't that a normal thing for Senpai?"
Iroha couldn't hold back a confused expression.
Her boyfriend was the only student council president at Sobu High with one hundred percent approval rating. Although now he had resigned for exam preparation, and had announced he had a girlfriend who was lovesick.
However, his popularity level hadn't decreased. Every few days, love letters and suspicious chocolates appeared in his drawer.
If just being watched, Yuu should already be used to it to the point of indifference.
"Indeed... But it just feels strange."
Yuu didn't know how to explain this strange feeling in his heart, he could only smile faintly as an answer.
"Hmm..."
Placing a finger on her soft lips, Iroha pondered for a few seconds, then suddenly got an idea and became aware,
"Ah! Is this like what Senpai said before, the feeling that there's someone else around us who's very familiar, but now for some reason we don't remember their existence at all?"
Iroha paused, and tilted her head somewhat uncertainly, "I mean... that strange feeling of unclear origin?"
"Like forgetting someone..."
Yuu froze in place, his mouth slightly open, and his legs unconsciously stopped moving, letting the scorching sunlight pour on the water surface, making his skin change from white to reddish.
Summer, three months had passed since he came to this trial world.
Although he gained nothing during the first month, after officially dating Iroha and getting new clues, Yuu had found a purpose to move forward, and enthusiastically prepared to complete it quickly.
Regaining memories, or regaining girlfriends.
So, without Iroha's knowledge, he secretly gathered much information, and took time to visit girls he had approached in his memory, but he fell into the same difficulty as at the trial's beginning, hitting dead ends everywhere and without any progress.
At the same time, an inexplicable empty feeling often shrouded his heart, as if he had lost one hand, but from the depths of his heart, he felt it was normal to lose one hand. Yuu always felt there was a clear disharmony in this life.
"It shouldn't be because I'm overthinking... Whatever, let's analyze further after returning."
Returning to moving his legs in the water, Yuu sighed soundlessly.
During summer vacation, dating his girlfriend at the beach—he didn't want too many trivial matters ruining this beautiful and rare time.
Anyway, there was still very long time until graduation.