Yuu 211-215

Title: The Final Symphony (Part One)

In the serene, pristine white cathedral, another nun seemed to have been excluded from this overtime space, leaving only the young man and woman in wedding attire, facing each other at close range.

Their palms overlapped, a perfectly matched pair of lovers, blessed by the floral wreaths of the Goddess statue—a scene that was undeniably sweet and warm…

But at this moment, Yuu felt a shiver run through his core.

For no other reason than the terrifying expression on the girl’s face.

“Yuu-kun.”

Asuna called again in a low voice, like a witch’s whisper.

Beneath her neatly trimmed chestnut bangs, her dark eyes seemed swallowed by the night, a cold flame flickering like candlelight, mingling with confusion and sorrow.

The pressure from her small hand gradually intensified, as if intent on crushing Yuu’s palm into minced meat.

“Asuna, what’s wrong?”

While frantically asking the system in his mind what was happening, Yuu forced a calming smile, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

Her brows trembled slightly, and Asuna took a deep breath, speaking in a low, flat, emotionless voice:

“Just now, a voice suddenly spoke in my head.”

“A voice?” Yuu froze for a moment, then cursed the system internally.

(I knew it had to be you, you treacherous bastard!)

Seeing Yuu, Asuna seemed to detect a hint of panic and anger, making her hazel eyes darken further.

“Yes, it said it was the administrator of the world, or you could call it a God… It said Yuu-kun met me under its orders, became my boyfriend to complete its mission.”

“Now that the mission is complete, everything was supposed to end immediately, but due to some factor, there’s leftover time for me to say goodbye to Yuu-kun… Even though I won’t remember this time afterward.”

Asuna explained briefly, and as the involved party, Yuu quickly understood the meaning of her words.

“It told you everything?”

Asuna shook her head, looking at him expressionlessly. “There were many strange things. I asked, but it didn’t tell me—like why it did this or what that certain factor was… It was all vague, only saying it was forbidden for those without sufficient clearance.”

Perhaps to avoid the girl’s questions, Yuu reflexively asked, “And you just believed it?”

“Heh.” Asuna slightly curled the corner of her lips, showing an unpleasant smile. “It showed me various scenes of us meeting in that desolate world, with you looking relaxed and enjoying it… If those scenes were fabricated and Yuu-kun knew nothing about it, I would choose not to believe it and only trust you.”

After speaking, Asuna stared intently into his eyes, leaving no room for evasion or lies, her serious aura freezing the already heavy air.

“Yuu-kun, is it true?”

“…”

Under her gaze, Yuu fell silent, his lips parting slightly before closing again.

Lying to her now—what was the point?

After all, Asuna would forget sooner or later, so it would be better to calm her down in this bonus time, to bid a final farewell with a smile.

Whatever that damn system was thinking, revealing the truth he’d hidden by rewinding time… But for Yuu, the present mattered more than the future, and a kind lie could create a now where no one got hurt.

Yet, after a moment of silence, Yuu gave up on it.

Not out of some noble reason like not wanting to betray Asuna’s trust, but simply because lying now wouldn’t fool her at all.

After all, his unconscious silence when questioned was already the clearest answer.

“Yes, it’s true.”

The answer fell into the frozen air.

Asuna’s lips were slowly bitten until pale, her pupils shrinking as if gasping.

“…So, you approached me with a purpose, that’s true too?”

Her voice, coming from her throat, was sharp and fragile like icicles.

“Yes.” Yuu nodded, the mask he wore gone, answering her question flatly.

Asuna continued, “…After the mission is complete, the fact that we know each other will vanish, and you’ll find another girl for a mission, becoming her boyfriend too—that’s true as well?”

Yuu couldn’t help but click his tongue. “Tch, that bastard even said stuff like that?”

Asuna slowly lowered her head, her body trembling visibly.

“…So, all this time, you were just acting?”

“What can I say? Life’s a play, and a play’s like life.”

Yuu shrugged, pulling his hand from Asuna’s grip, which suddenly loosened.

“Talking about this now is pointless. After all, everything will be forgotten in the end, so just relax, Asuna.”

Speaking casually, Yuu turned toward the pew beneath the altar, sat down, leaned back, and sighed with a grumble.

“They said it’s for me to make up for regrets, but this is clearly torture time, and overtime at that… Can we just end it already?”

Unfortunately, the system seemed dead, offering no response.

But Asuna clearly heard his muttering.

Her slender, fair fist slowly clenched, faint veins protruding on the back of her hand.

As if responding to this anger, her wedding dress instantly transformed into red-and-white armor, a pristine white rapier sheathed at her waist.

Suddenly gritting her teeth, Asuna took a large step, standing in front of Yuu, and raised her hand high.

“Yuu-kun, you—”

Yuu initially thought she was going to slap him—after all, that’s how drama series always went.

So he didn’t resist, tilting his face up to let her vent her anger in their final moments.

But he noticed a flicker of hesitation on Asuna’s face. In the end, she lowered her hand, instead drawing the ruby-adorned rapier from her waist, pointing its tip at him.

Her eyes sharpened, piercing like a meteor crashing to earth.

“…Wait, this is a bit much!”

His pupils shrank suddenly, and Yuu reflexively rolled to dodge. The rapier pierced straight through the wooden pew—right where his left chest had been.

Stepping onto the second row’s pew, he looked at her in disbelief. “Were you hesitating to kill me just now?!”

Pulling her rapier free, Asuna laughed as if her anger had turned to amusement, curling the corner of her lips. “After all, with the protection of God, Yuu-kun must be immortal, right? Like a bad dream, I won’t remember anything, and you won’t be affected after returning to the real world, so a few holes shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“It’s a huge problem! Whether I die or not, I still feel pain!”

“Talking’s useless! For deceiving a girl’s feelings, you’ll pay with this pain!”

“Your grudge is that big?!”

Amid the shouting.

Asuna stepped onto the first row’s wooden pew, her slender, agile body leaping forward. The meteor-like glint flashed again, thrusting straight at Yuu’s chest without wavering.

But just before it pierced, she stopped steadily.

-

Title: The Final Symphony (Part Two)

“…Why didn’t you dodge?”

Yuu seemed unresponsive, standing upright, letting the tip of the rapier pierce the clothing over his left chest.

He looked at the girl before him, her gaze sharp and commanding, his expression equally serious.

“I’d rather ask you, why didn’t you thrust?”

“You didn’t dodge, so I didn’t thrust.”

“You didn’t thrust, so I didn’t dodge.”

“…”

Silence.

The two locked eyes, finally breaking into resigned smiles.

Asuna sheathed her rapier, glanced at the unfamiliar armor on her body, closed her eyes, and focused for a few seconds.

When she opened them again, the armor had transformed into casual home attire—an orange cotton top and a long cream skirt.

“It’s so comfortable here.” Asuna twirled in place, her long skirt blooming like an umbrella, unable to help exclaiming, “Even though the sensation is the same as in the real world, changing clothes feels freer than in the virtual one.”

“Is that what you’re focused on? Truly such a girl.” As if relieved, Yuu slumped back onto the pew, patting his chest with lingering fear. “I thought you were really mad. I was ready to let you vent your anger.”

“Of course I’m mad.”

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Asuna tilted her head, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone. “Faced with something like this, anyone would be mad.”

Yet her emotions were entirely different from before. Not only was the explosive anger gone, but her gaze toward him remained soft and warm.

Yuu felt puzzled but didn’t ask directly, instead continuing her line of thought.

“True. Not only targeted by some unclear entity, but also having your feelings betrayed by someone you like—how could anyone easily accept a truth like that? So, this system is basically just causing trouble for us!”

“System? You mean that God?”

Asuna walked to his side, sitting down while pressing her skirt, her eyes still fixed on the side of his face. “Also, you might be misunderstanding something, Yuu-kun.”

“What?”

Suddenly laughing, her voice and expression both gentle, Asuna said slowly, “I never felt betrayed by you, and I think you probably had a reason for not telling me about that strange mission right away… So, whether you lied to me or approached me with a purpose, I won’t be mad about those things.”

“As for why I’m not mad, I’ll tell you later—” Asuna winked mischievously, deliberately creating a small mystery.

Yuu was momentarily stunned. “Then what made you so mad just now…”

“Before that!” Asuna extended her finger, lightly tapping his nose. “You answer a few of my questions first. No more lying, or I’ll really get mad at you.”

“Alright.”

Like a student called to answer a teacher’s question, Yuu reluctantly sat up straight.

Beside him, Asuna seemed to use her eyes as a lie detector, staring at him unblinkingly.

“First, did you not want to carry out that God’s mission?”

“…Why would you think that?”

“During our time together, I never felt like you were trying to gain something from me. Even the online boyfriend thing was my idea first, and you just agreed.”

“It only gave me a goal. I wanted to do it my own way… At least so far, I didn’t need to do anything specific to you for the mission.”

Silently praising the girl’s sharp mind, Yuu spread his hands, his tone casual. “Feeling interested in me, liking me, making me your boyfriend—that was all your choice. I just did what I wanted to do.”

(Wow, such a narcissist.)

Asuna showed a slightly disgusted expression, then nodded with an “whatever you say” attitude. “Fine, fine, my liking you has nothing to do with you.”

Yuu crossed his arms. “Good, you get it.”

“Next question: Were your feelings for me just acting? Were the promises you made to me lies?”

Like his perfect acting as her boyfriend and in-game husband.

Like the unwavering promise to always be with her.

Were they all fake? Asuna’s eyes seemed to ask.

“…”

Silence for a few seconds. Having promised not to lie, Yuu could only sigh and say, “I don’t have hypnosis, and I don’t want to force myself to like anyone… As for promises, once spoken, they must be kept. I’ve always done that.”

“Hmm, that’s the Yuu-kun I know!” Asuna smiled with satisfaction, then asked, “Last one: Am I your… how many-th girlfriend?”

“Second… Huh?”

Answering reflexively, Yuu realized something was off, looking at Asuna with a strange expression. “…You didn’t ask about anything else, but this?”

“Idiot, for a girl, nothing’s more important than this!”

Asuna scolded him firmly, then pondered, gazing at the rapier at her waist thoughtfully.

“I see… I’m only the second, and there’ll be a third…”

Yuu couldn’t help but shudder.

That tone and expression—it felt like Asuna might draw her rapier the next second and slice away his roots of wisdom.

Yuu quickly defended his innocence. “Asuna, I was about to say, this is all the system’s—or that God you mentioned—doing… Who I like is my business, but there’s no doubt the system is the mastermind behind it all, making me have an ex-girlfriend!”

“In this, I was forced. If I could, I really wouldn’t want another girlfriend.”

Saying this with a resigned tone, Yuu subtly shifted his hips to the side.

Asuna snapped out of it, waving her hand at him with a smile. “You dummy! I’m not someone who can’t tell right from wrong.”

“Logically, if there wasn’t an ex-girlfriend, I wouldn’t have had the chance to date Yuu-kun, right?”

“…Something like that.” Yuu answered cautiously. “I couldn’t date someone, then shortly after become someone else’s online boyfriend in a game, could I?”

Asuna grinned widely. “Great, such an honest trait! So, while dating me, you didn’t think about other girls, right?”

A deadly question!

Taking a deep breath, Yuu put on a serious face, nodding honestly.

“Even if there were comparisons, the girl I truly loved from the bottom of my heart was only you!”

Sora, of course, didn’t count. If a girlfriend was number one in the world, a little sister was the supreme, one-and-only heaven.

Such things wouldn’t be said carelessly—but this answer clearly didn’t satisfy Asuna.

“…”

Asuna kept smiling, her face darkening slightly. “Yuu-kun, even though I asked you not to lie… With the way you said that, I kind of want to hit you!”

-

Title: A Prelude to a Future Shaped by Lies

Yuu puffed out his chest, as if calmly prepared to sacrifice himself.

“If hitting me will make you feel better, go ahead.”

He understood now.

This overtime wasn’t about making up for regrets at all—it was the system deliberately messing with him. Perhaps it wanted him to experience the reactions of the target girls after learning the truth?

Truly, there was no crueler joke than this.

At this point, if hitting him could ease Asuna’s heart even a little, Yuu didn’t care about the pain in his flesh—he’d even feel relieved.

Unfortunately, as he expected, Asuna had no interest in hitting her boyfriend, nor did she intend to draw her rapier again to scare him.

“Even though I’m really upset, this is a factor beyond our control. There’s really nothing we can do… Oh well.”

She straightened her hands on her knees, sighing in complaint as if venting, then suddenly asked:

“What’s the name of your ex-girlfriend? What kind of person was she?”

Yuu shrugged, without a hint of longing or reluctance, his tone casual as ever. “Yukinoshita Haruno. She’s not as open as you are.”

“So it’s that older sister… During the autumn exhibition, she seemed to help a lot.”

Asuna replied softly, letting out a sigh of relief, though for some reason, she also felt uneasy.

If this wasn’t a dream, would she, in the future, call out to Yuu in the same way?

Just imagining it made her heart ache as if torn apart.

Shaking her head to dispel the gloomy thoughts, Asuna changed the topic. “When did you meet her? How long did you date?”

“We met during summer vacation, dated for thirty-three days…” Yuu paused, glancing at her hesitantly. “It’s a bit of a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it?”

“Maybe later.” Asuna shook her head, her bright, clear hazel eyes fixed on him. “I still have a lot I want to talk about with you, Yuu-kun. Let’s put other people’s matters aside for now.”

“Later?” Yuu couldn’t help but smile. “Later, you won’t remember anymore—unless the system goes crazy again and makes me your boyfriend for a second time.”

“If there was no God, would you not have liked me?”

“Even if I liked you again, it doesn’t mean I could date you.” Yuu leaned back, as if resigned to everything, speaking in a defeated tone. “Until the system is gone, my possibilities will always be controlled by it… No matter the choice, the outcome might not be right.”

“So, I’m sorry, Asuna.”

He gazed at the cathedral’s ornate ceiling, his eyes reflecting a cold light from some unknown source.

His flat voice fell into the air, carrying heavy emotions.

“After this overtime ends, you and I will be strangers… For the sake of the next mission, I probably won’t approach you directly. At most, I’ll ask about you through your brother.”

“Since you won’t know who I am, please let me do that.”

As if delivering a final message, Yuu smiled, his tone finally becoming lighter.

“From now on, decide your own life. Don’t listen to others’ words—remember this well, even if you forget it after today. Follow it with your instincts.”

“Don’t waste my seventeen days of effort. You’re my girlfriend, Asuna, who’s grown up. You can definitely handle something small like this, even without memories.”

Casually talking about things that burden others, Yuu let out a soft sigh, then turned to look at Asuna.

For some reason, she was still gazing at him, acting alone, with a gentle look that seemed to accept and forgive everything.

“Yuu-kun, why are you apologizing?”

“…Huh?” Caught off guard, Yuu opened his mouth dumbly.

Asuna suddenly grabbed his left hand, took the crystal ring from her pocket, and naturally slipped it onto his ring finger.

“I was never mad at you, and I don’t think you owe me anything. At most, I’m just a little dissatisfied… Who told you to still not be honest with me even now?”

“No way.” Yuu put on an innocent face, complaining, “I swear, everything I’ve said to you now is sincere, not acting at all…”

“Even to yourself?”

“…”

In front of Yuu, who suddenly fell silent, Asuna pressed her hand to his cheek, using its warmth to melt the coldness in his palm.

Her serious voice fell into the air.

“Yuu-kun, what made me mad was that God.”

“It arbitrarily told me the truth, making the person I like feel troubled.”

“It controlled others’ lives for no reason, forcing the person I love to deceive himself.”

“It made me meet my boyfriend, but at the happiest moment, it tore us apart.”

“It made me meet the most important person in my life, but forced me, starting tomorrow… to ignore him.”

At the end of her words, a faint sob crept in.

Yuu seemed to forget how to breathe, staring blankly at the grieving girl before him, full of reluctance.

Asuna tried to swallow the pain in her throat, rapidly blinking her red eyes, wrinkling her slightly sobbing nose, and forcing out her voice:

“This is so unfair, isn’t it? Why do we have to go through something like this?”

“And why, when Yuu-kun is suffering the most, can’t I help at all, and instead, you have to apologize to me?”

“When the one suffering the most, the one who least wants to forget, the one who should be the angriest—it should be you, Yuu-kun!”

Yuu: “…”

Speechless, after a long pause, he forced a wry smile, speaking in a hoarse voice. “Asuna, don’t make me sound like the biggest victim… I got rewards from the system too. I was thrilled getting money and items. I’m not that pitiful.”

“I’m not pitying you.” Asuna shook her head, using her thumb to wipe the tears falling from her eyes, looking at him directly.

“Yuu-kun, are our feelings just one-sided?”

Yuu: “…Now, yes, and later too.”

“Yuu-kun, can you really accept this ending? Me forgetting you, and you moving on to date other girls, only to be forgotten again?”

Yuu: “…Of course, I’m almost used to it.”

“Yuu-kun, do you really think this is enough?”

Yuu: “…Don’t think I’m too weak. I’ve already made the resolve I needed.”

Asuna suddenly laughed.

Like a rainbow after the rain, blooming beautifully and gently before him.

“All of that is a lie.”

-

Title: Navigating the Future with This Promise of Lies

“…”

Like a bullet of words piercing through, cruelly striking his heart, shattering all the walls he had built.

After standing stunned with wide eyes for a few seconds, Yuu pressed his lips together, silently averting his gaze.

At some point, the white suit on his body had reverted to his original casual clothes, no longer looking solemn, formal, or gallant.

Ordinary, fragile, soft—stripped of the confident and carefree facade, he was no different from anyone else.

Outside the window, it seemed as if clouds were passing by.

The bright, pristine cathedral was cloaked in shadow, the air heavy, pressing down on his shoulders.

“Yuu-kun, it must be so hard to go through love that will ultimately vanish like this, right?”

Breaking the silence with her clear voice, the girl spread her arms, hugging him tightly and whispering in his ear, “Because, in any world, just as I love you, you love me too.”

“True feelings can never lie.”

“…”

Yuu leaned against her chest, closing his eyes as if falling asleep, only to slowly open them again moments later.

Then, with resolve, he stood from the pew, leaving her overly warm embrace.

“I feel like you’re treating me like a child… Don’t overthink it. If it weren’t for the mess the system made, I’d have already completed this mission and be thinking about how to approach the next girl. Where would I have time to feel sad?”

“Hmm, let’s just say that!” Meeting his displeased gaze without backing down, Asuna tilted her head slightly, smiling as sweetly as a spring breeze. “Actually, this dishonest side of Yuu-kun is pretty cute too!”

“Shh…”

Yuu took a deep breath, as if suppressing boiling irritation, but he didn’t want to take it out on Asuna.

So he directed his spear at the culprit, shouting into the air, “System, how much longer is this overtime?!”

Asuna answered first, a mischievous smile on her face. “There’s still a dozen minutes or so. That damn system—or God, as I called it—told me.”

“Why does it only tell you and not me?” Yuu’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I’m the Host! What is this, some new kind of bull-man?!”

“I don’t know either.” Asuna mimicked his shrug, her expression nonchalant. “Anyway, we still have time to talk, and I have a lot I want to say to you.”

“Tch…” Yuu’s expression twisted slightly. Finally, he rubbed his face with his hand, letting out a long sigh. “Stop teasing me already. Just say what you want to say.”

He moved to sit back on the pew, but Asuna stopped him.

“Let’s talk outside. Before the wedding, I wanted to see outside. It looks like there’s a meadow out there.”

“Whatever you want.”

Yuu, already disheartened, was too listless to argue. He walked out of the cathedral with Asuna.

As far as the eye could see, an endless green meadow stretched out.

The vast sky was adorned with pristine white clouds. Though clear, the sun seemed to hide behind them, quietly casting light and warmth.

There were no other people, no sounds of insects or birds, only a gentle breeze occasionally brushing their temples, sweeping through grass too perfect to be real.

Asuna pulled Yuu to sit down, smiling with inexplicable joy.

“Hmm, this view is really nice~”

Yuu couldn’t understand how Asuna still had the mood to admire the scenery.

With a slight sneer, he explained reluctantly, “This is probably an original game scene, just borrowed by the system.”

“I see.” Asuna nodded, seemingly uninterested in the mechanics. “Well then, Yuu-kun, listen carefully to what I’m about to say, okay?”

“Alright, I’m all ears.”

Yuu leaned his shoulder against hers, tilting his head to look at the sky.

Then, a voice as soft as a spring breeze sounded quietly beside him.

“Didn’t you promise? As long as I don’t hate you or forget you, you won’t part from me and will always be with me, no matter where.”

“I made a similar promise to Yukinoshita Haruno too,” Yuu immediately countered. “You saw how that turned out. Even though she was with me, it was all for her little sister. She forgot everything about me and didn’t say anything after learning you were my girlfriend… After this overtime ends, you’ll be the same.”

Asuna shook her head slowly, speaking firmly and calmly. “I don’t know about others, but mere memories won’t stop me from being with you.”

Seeing her stubbornness, Yuu was truly at a loss for words. He could only keep staring at the sky.

“Yuu-kun, you know what I was like before.” Asuna also looked up, hugging her knees with both hands, gazing at the sky with drifting clouds as she continued. “Avoiding reality, cowardly and dull, not knowing what to strive for, just moving forward as ordered, my life not even feeling like my own.”

“Then one day, you appeared and told me so many things.”

“Be confident, face things bravely—you’re the coolest person in the world.”

“If you want something, reach for it boldly. Stay determined, and you’ll see a different view.”

“Instead of finding reasons to give up, count the things you can do… So many things. Even though you encouraged me like that, when I faced setbacks, I couldn’t help but look away, avoid, lie to myself, and convince myself with grandiose excuses.”

“Even so, I made a decision.”

Turning her gaze from the fake sky, Asuna looked at his face.

Her brows furrowed seriously, her gaze earnest as she spoke word by word:

“Even if I forget you, no matter how many times, I will remember you.”

“Even if I lose you, no matter how many times, I will love you.”

“This is my promise to you—I will never forgive you, I will definitely forgive you, I will definitely remember you!”

Yuu closed his eyes, lying back on the grass, saying softly, “Contradictory.”

“Not contradictory.” Asuna smiled, then lay beside him. “If you did something to hurt me, I wouldn’t forgive you… But if you kissed me first, I might just say, ‘What am I going to do with you~’ and forgive you, right?”

“Someone who’ll lose their memories sooner or later shouldn’t talk so confidently.”

Yuu sighed. “Fine, whatever. You’ll forget after today anyway.”

“Hmm~ Maybe.”

“You will forget.”

“Then I’ll hurry and remember.”

“No way.”

“Don’t underestimate me. My memory’s great—you even praised me for being smart.”

“That’s got nothing to do with memory, unless you’re stronger than a God.”

“Love can conquer anything!”

“Hah, you still dreaming of being Sailor Moon?”

“Ugh, Yuu-kun, you really don’t understand a girl’s feelings…”

“What can I say? I’m just that clueless.”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Listening to Yuu’s voice.

Asuna thought, right now, she must be happy.

True happiness is wishing the time before her eyes could last forever.

So, without hesitation, every second spent with him was extraordinarily joyful.

So joyful that her heart ached a little.

Afraid of losing him, afraid of becoming strangers…

In the erosion of time, coral will wear away; steel will rust; even flowing water will evaporate.

Even without a God’s interference, nothing in this world is eternal.

Will the hands holding each other always be as warm as before? Will the heartbeat beside her always belong to her?

Asuna couldn’t help but ask herself: How much strength does it take to hold happiness in your hands?

(Something even Yuu-kun couldn’t do—can I do it?)

Without a moment’s doubt, Asuna smiled resolutely.

“For you, what I can do might not mean much… But I still want to reach for it.”

If her hands couldn’t reach, she’d use her sword; if her sword couldn’t reach, she’d stake everything.

A girl’s love is that honest and that foolish.

No matter what difficult barriers she’d face in the future, she would overcome them, firmly holding his hand.

Because Asuna loved him so deeply, she could no longer let go.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

“Since I’m this clueless, that’s why I can be swayed by your words, right?”

Yuu sneered, staring at the vast, fake sky.

-

Title: Tomorrow’s Sky Will Surely Be Clear

Open, relieved, relaxed, indifferent…

Performing flawlessly with all his might could certainly deceive himself.

As long as no one exposed him, Yuu could remain strong, with a heart as unyielding as steel.

Unfortunately, the girl beside him seemed far more resolute than he was.

…Truly, didn’t that render all the resolve he’d built up beforehand meaningless?

He no longer wanted to be a hero, so why wasn’t he even allowed to be a strong, mature ordinary person?

—Indeed, both the system and Asuna were too much for him!

Yuu grumbled to himself, but a faint smile crept onto his face.

“I’m not that weak. After the last lesson, I’ve become immune to parting with the people I love.”

Seeing Asuna’s smile, this mission had already left him satisfied, and Yuu didn’t want to hope for more.

But if…

If one day, they could truly recall the beautiful moments they shared, moments that existed only in his memory…

Yuu thought he might be deeply moved.

Indeed, if they remembered that they had once dated him, it would cause countless problems—the more people who experienced it, the bigger the mess.

But that would still be better than being told “nice to meet you” by someone he loved.

If so, perhaps it could be called… a problem that’s too blissful?

“So this time, I’ll say goodbye properly.”

Yuu opened his eyes, tilting his head.

Long chestnut hair, an oval face as fair as snow, a full chest and slender waist—his sweetly smiling girlfriend came into view.

The gentle breeze swept through the grass and brushed against his gaze, which was almost too tender.

Yuu suddenly realized.

The courage to move forward wasn’t always about overwhelming strength; it could also be the gentleness that embraces wounds.

Asuna always said she learned so much from him, but hadn’t Yuu learned just as much from her?

Even if his steps faltered, he forced himself not to face reality.

After avoiding, at least take one more step forward.

So as not to regret the choices that had accumulated up to now.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The two kept talking under a clear sky that seemed never to dim.

They spoke about everything—about Haruno, about that damn system.

Time felt slow yet passed quickly. A dozen minutes slipped by, yet it felt like they’d chatted for a full year.

Yuu no longer hid anything.

He was happy now, truly happy.

He even wished this moment could last forever—a feeling he’d experienced once before.

He wanted to shout, to wish they could stay together forever, to curse the rotten system to die, and so on.

But Yuu held back, continuing to chat as if nothing was wrong.

Because this was the last moment, he could part with her with a smile.

This Overtime, saved by her steadfast heart, gave him the courage to face himself.

“Yuu-kun, I have to go.”

Startled for a moment, Yuu smiled and clapped his hands. “Great job! No lingering attachments. Starting tomorrow, be a strong swordswoman who listens to no one!”

Just as he finished speaking, Asuna turned from the grass, propping her hands beside his ears, looking down at him.

They gazed at each other for a few seconds before she leaned down and kissed him.

The force was better described as a coerced kiss.

“…Is this a goodbye kiss?”

After her soft lips parted from his, Yuu smirked.

“No, I just wanted to say…” Asuna suddenly laughed, lying on top of him, listening to his heartbeat with a joyful expression. “I won’t listen to you, Yuu-kun!”

“You’re too stubborn…” Yuu patted her head resignedly.

Though they had to say goodbye, the heart-to-heart warmth still filled his entire being—he might never forget this feeling.

“Yuu-kun, is that all you wanted to say for the last time?” Asuna seemed a bit dissatisfied, looking up at him.

Yuu thought for a moment.

“I’ll be waiting for you in the future.”

Asuna, nestled in his arms, smiled with satisfaction, hugging him even tighter.

Because she knew Yuu always kept his word.

And so, the girl said, “Yes, I’ll go soon, running!”

—May you one day reunite with the one you love.

In the end, those words remained.

The next second, she vanished.

Simply gone.

Disappearing from Overtime, as if she had never existed.

“…Goodbye, Asuna.”

Yuu spread his arms, facing the vast sky with an empty embrace.

The warmth in his body quickly faded, the autumn chill sweeping through the green grass.

The surroundings fell silent, and he closed his eyes.

The pain brought tears, and after his heart was torn apart again, Yuu struggled to hold back the tears threatening to fall, then opened his eyes once more.

At some point, he had returned to that silent, desolate world.

In the pale gray sky, besides the golden jade orb emitting sunlight, there was also a deep blue sphere of light.

Rain began to fall softly—a sunshower scene.

“Oh, so warm…”

Yuu lay back on the ground, facing the rain, unable to help laughing. The laughter grew louder, freer.

“Hahaha—”

Sorrow and longing turned into laughter; tears and pain dissolved.

Because, until the very end, this time was too joyful not to laugh.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

In the desolate world, his loud laughter echoed far.

Only the ruined buildings, two glowing orbs, and the flickering screen with a snow effect listened to his carefree laughter in silence.

After who-knows-how-long, Yuu stood up. Despite the drizzle, his body wasn’t wet at all.

“System, I have to go.”

“Confirmed.” A stone gate resembling the Sage’s Gate rose from the ground. “Host, you can still change the option to release emotions. Would you like to cancel the release of emotions toward the target—Yuuki Asuna?”

“Huh, why?” Pushing the gate, Yuu looked at the avatar on the screen in surprise. “My mission’s done here, right? Are you leaving?”

“…No, not yet.”

“Then that’s that. Go ahead and release my feelings.” Yuu shrugged, stepping forward as he spoke honestly.

“I’m not mature enough. I can’t be a Pirate King, loving someone while being someone else’s boyfriend… If my feelings aren’t released, I’m afraid I’d seek out Asuna in the middle of a mission.”

The system replied, “If this is the Host’s choice, the system will maintain the original command, releasing the Host’s emotions.”

“How many times are you gonna say it? So annoying.”

With half a foot already in the white light, before leaving, Yuu removed the ring from his ring finger and placed it on the ground.

“Let me warn you first, damn system—don’t mess around and secretly help me, or help Asuna or Haruno regain their memories…”

“A girl who can truly do something like that on her own, no matter how many times her feelings are taken, I’ll love her again—definitely.”

The gate closed, his resolute voice echoing in the uninhabited world.

“So, stay out of my love life!”

Chalk dust fell.

Silence enveloped the ruins, the rain quietly slicing through the sunlight, falling to the ground.

The avatar on the screen didn’t respond or move. A few seconds later, it flickered with a snow effect and went dark.

The ring on the ground blinked a few times before vanishing.

After an unknown amount of time passed.

“World correction completed… Host’s emotion retrieval completed.”

The system’s voice sounded soft.

“Detected excessive in-game mood fluctuations from the Host. Heart Technique (Limited) status automatically activated—consuming Heart Technique (Limited) status.”

The screen lit up with a click, showing a girl sleeping soundly on her bed, a virtual headset beside her.

A silver diamond ring, adorned with crystal flowers, transitioned from virtual to real, slowly floating toward her left ring finger.

But just as it was about to settle, she turned and swatted it to the corner of the wall.

System: “…”

At that moment, the chestnut-haired girl on the bed mumbled as if sleep-talking, reaching out into the air as if trying to grasp something.

“…-kun, wait for me… I’ll find you soon…”

Her voice’s echo faded, followed by steady, soft breathing.

The silver ring lay in the corner for a moment, then suddenly glowed and vanished from its place.

After that, the girl continued dreaming of chasing something, yet always unable to reach it.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

The next morning.

September 22, 6:00 a.m. sharp.

Yuu woke up on time. After rubbing his eyes, his gaze first landed on the spot beside his bed where glasses usually sat.

Now, there was nothing there.

“…”

He sat on the bed, staring for a few minutes, before smiling resignedly and rubbing his chest.

“What a pity.”

Commenting casually, Yuu picked up the virtual headset beside his bed and logged into Sword Art Online.

His account was a level-five noob, with sword skills, equipment, and the like barely different from a day-old player—naturally, no high-end accessories like rings.

Checking his friend list and confirming it was empty, Yuu logged out of the virtual space with satisfaction, placing the headset in a corner of the room, planning not to touch it unless necessary.

A buggy game like this would be more fun played together after the official version came out.

“Alright, morning run!”

After doing all that, Yuu looked out the transparent window and decided cheerfully without overthinking.

He cleaned up as usual, changed into athletic wear, and quietly left the house.

The world was still quiet, waiting for people to wake it.

The morning sun shyly hid between buildings, but a ray of golden light broke through, kissing his shoes on the gray pavement.

Yuu closed his eyes, his hands hanging casually at his sides, tilting his head to breathe in the cool air.

“The future… Huh.”

“Then I’ll look forward to it. Both the past and the present.”

He smiled faintly to himself, then soon took a step, jogging lightly and rhythmically toward the sunrise.

If possible, Yuu really didn’t want to have another girlfriend.

But the system wouldn’t grant his wish. This time was done, but there’d be another, until he could use the glowing orb to make a wish and expel it from his body.

So until then, at the very least, he had to learn how to enjoy the process of love, to hold happiness in his hands.

And when the time came to let go, to say from the depths of his heart—

“It was wonderful to love you. Thank you for the beautiful memories you gave me.”

This standard shoujo manga scene might be the target of Yuu’s next mission.

“Whoever it is next…”

Thinking this, he couldn’t help but pray silently, hoping it wouldn’t be someone troublesome.

(Chapter End)

Volume Afterword

It’s done.

Volume two.

I don’t want to delve into the details of my inner process, but in short, I feel relieved and hope those who skipped parts will push through to read it to the end.

After all, I poured a lot into it. While planting foreshadowing, I also gave the main character’s inner growth some subtle changes, not leaving him unchanged after going through so much.

Honestly, if I wrote a lighter, less complicated story, this book might have turned out better. Unfortunately, my writing style can’t be changed—as you know from my previous work, it always has that vibe.

In this volume, there were very few knives (painful moments), almost none, and I apologize to the friends disappointed by that… I’ll try harder to improve in the future, but honestly, I don’t want to write too many stomachache-inducing moments (uncomfortable scenes).

For volume three, we’ll officially enter the school arc. Various activity plots, challenging situations, and so on will increase, returning to my usual daily-life writing style, no longer forcing strange plots.

Having learned from past lessons, I won’t promise to write something that satisfies everyone this time. I’ll just do my best to complete this story and give them a decent ending.

Thank you to all the readers who subscribed, commented, and posted, especially to one reader who consistently teased every chapter—half of many chapters are your teasing.

You are all my wings. I love you all, mua~ prprprprprprpr~

…Looking at it now, it might take a million words to finish volume three.