"…"
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.