Morning at the Yukinoshita residence.
Sitting before her dressing table, Haruno ran her hands through her messy short hair, opened her mouth wide and yawned.
"Ha-ah~ If only terrorists suddenly attacked campus and classes were canceled, that'd be nice…"
Uttering a dangerously careless remark with a blank expression, the college student didn't reach for the luxurious Mason Pearson wooden comb with natural boar bristles on the shelf. Instead, she pulled out a cheap plastic comb adorned with cherry blossom patterns from her bag and began slowly combing her hair.
Her strokes were uneven, sometimes accidentally snapping one or two strands. This was different from her usual careful grooming routine—lately, this had become Haruno's habit, whether good or bad, she wasn't sure.
Sometime recently, although her chest hadn't changed at all, her shoulders felt much lighter. She no longer burdened herself with so many rules.
"People change, and at the same time, human relationships continuously evolve. Everything flows—nothing is permanent. If we learn from the changing world, then it's only natural that we change too."
"...Ah, it seems I've said something wise again! You're amazing, Haruno-chan~"
Haruno giggled to herself, like a circus clown, exceptionally skilled at entertaining her own thoughts.
Looking at her cheerful reflection in the mirror, and at her gradually neatened shoulder-length hair, she lowered her glistening eyes, suddenly slowing her breath, focusing her mind, chasing a vague, elusive feeling.
...The wooden comb gently scratched her scalp, and an unconscious smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
A deeply familiar sensation.
It was different from the routines of her past, yet so familiar it felt etched into the depths of her heart.
What was it?
Like searching for sunlight between snow-laden clouds, Haruno slowly halted her movements, fingers and comb tangled in her hair. Her expression turned serious as she closed her eyes and pondered.
*TING-TONG!*
The pre-set alarm suddenly blared. She turned it off, her arm dropping limply. She tilted her head up and sighed deeply.
"Ha~ Haruno-chan totally failed~ Still can't figure anything out."
Used to it by now, she wasn't particularly disappointed—just slightly unwilling to give up.
Every morning, Haruno gave herself ten minutes of "mystery-solving time," attempting to unravel the riddles emerging within herself.
The mysterious wooden comb, the hollow feeling of loss, and the strange sensation of having gained something—
Since that day, she'd been like an awkward child, stubbornly trying to untangle a set of nine interlocked rings, persisting every single day.
If her mother and younger sister found out, they'd surely shower her with attention and merciless teasing, right?
Her usual composed, calm, and collected self had become so sensitive as to experience illusions—how ridiculous~
Still, it didn't matter.
Haruno admitted it—she was a woman who took things too seriously.
What she wanted, she wouldn't let go. What she had, she wouldn't allow others to take. What she lost, she would find again—even if it was merely an illusion, she had to know its origin, then decide for herself whether to let go or not.
So, no matter how many times she failed, she would keep trying, until she found the answer.
"But it's not like there's been no progress at all~"
Thinking this, Haruno immediately perked up, a smile unconsciously returning to her lips.
After combing her hair, she placed the comb at the bottom of her bag and opened her vanity drawer.
"Let me think… when should I visit Sobu High again…?"
Facing the mirror, she hummed cheerfully as she drew her eyebrows.
After all, there was a certain high school boy who deeply intrigued her.
He was connected to her sister, and related to her abilities, but what fascinated Haruno most…
Was the expression on his face when the young man saw this comb.
Perhaps the key to unraveling this illusion lay with that piano-playing, handsome, and incredibly attractive high school student in her eyes!
Although they'd only met yesterday, he probably didn't have a good impression of her. And if she visited Sobu High too often, her whiny younger sister would scold her…
But if she truly wanted something, she wouldn't care too much. To achieve her goal, she would use every means necessary!
"Tenkuji-kun… tch, too formal. I'll just call him Yuu-chan~"
As she whispered the name in her heart, Haruno realized she couldn't suppress her joyful smile. A turbulent emotion stirred in her chest, boiling hot like magma beneath the earth.
Why was this happening?
Finding the answer to that question was precisely why she was pursuing Yuu.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Achoo!"
Yuu, who had just finished his morning jog, was slightly startled. He rubbed his nose and stood frozen at the entrance.
"With my current physical condition, I can still catch a cold? It's not even that cold outside."
Especially with the Refresh ability, catching a cold from cold air while sweating was impossible. This sneeze felt more like an unreliable warning.
"Damn system, are you planning to stab me in the back again?" He rubbed his chin, concluding with eighty percent certainty.
「Master, the system does not perform unnecessary actions toward you.」
As if to prove its innocence, the soft voice of Hatsune Miku from the system echoed in his mind, making Yuu wince uncomfortably.
He preferred the system cold and mechanical. Too human-like made him uneasy—and this was only at normal intelligence level.
What if, after completing five missions, the system really did transform into a cute girl?
Then, would he really resort to cruel methods like (censored) and (censored) against her?
Out of politeness, Yuu began to hesitate.
But then he remembered the system had forced him first—every doubt vanished instantly, his heart once again hardened with vengeful determination.
"System, if I don't ask, stay silent. Don't read my mind, and don't mock me."
As he walked toward the bathroom, Yuu firmly issued a gag order.
Though her voice was gentle and pleasant, the system's tone still sounded slightly robotic:
「Understood, Master.」
The world finally fell silent again.
Since it was still early morning, Yuu took a hot bath, washing away all fatigue while pondering what he should do next.
After leaving the bathroom, he entered the kitchen, his body dry, and began preparing breakfast while calling someone who had helped him greatly across both worlds.
The call connected, but the other end was silent—only heavy breathing could be heard.
"Hello, Kōu-nii?"
"..."
"Are you still sleeping? I forgot you're a college student who never wakes up on time."
"...What is it?"
"How's your sister, Yuuki Asuna? Oh, and do you know Sugou Nobuyuki?"
"...Fine… In prison…"
"Alright, never mind then. Go back to sleep, college boy."
"Damn it…"
Without waiting for Kouichirou to finish cursing from his interrupted sleep, Yuu hung up. Now that he knew the core issue, his cooking movements became slightly lighter.
He didn't need to know the detailed shifts in the world's timeline—just knowing his former girlfriend was safe was enough.
The past was past. He would look toward the future—after all, a healthy mindset leads to healthy love.
"Right. I'm now a slave to love!"