Early morning.
Takumi Yuuya and Kawasaki Saki had breakfast together, then headed off to Sobu High.
At the entrance of the school building, they parted ways.
A few minutes later—
Yukinoshita Yukino appeared.
She spotted Yuuya and walked straight toward him.
"When do we start?"
"Lunch break. The Service Club room isn't the place for a fight—the rooftop's better. You can change into gym clothes, the wind's pretty strong up there."
"I brought my gym clothes."
"Then see you at lunch."
Yuuya smiled faintly.
Yukino brushed past him without another word.
Yuuya didn't leave immediately.
When Sawamura Eriri came into view, he greeted her with an easy smile.
"Morning, Eriri."
"Morning, Yuuya-kun."
"Are you free this afternoon?"
"…Yeah."
"Want to go shopping? I need to pick up a few light novels."
"I—I was planning to buy some too."
…
Lunchtime.
The moment Yuuya stepped out of his classroom, he ran into Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"What's going on between you and Yukinoshita? She suddenly told me she wants me to act as a witness."
"Nothing much. I just want to challenge Yukino."
"You planning on ending up in the hospital?"
"Shizuka-sensei, you underestimate me."
"If you can't win, then surrender. There's no shame in that."
"I'm going to win."
With that, Yuuya headed upstairs.
The two pushed open the rooftop door.
Yukino was already there in her gym uniform.
Hearing the door creak, she turned.
Her long hair swayed gently in the wind, her expression calm as ever.
Yuuya walked closer.
Yukino stepped forward as well, meeting him halfway.
"Yukinoshita, don't go too hard on him," Shizuka reminded.
"…Alright," Yukino answered with a small nod.
"Begin."
Shizuka backed up a few steps.
Yukino fixed her gaze on Yuuya.
"You're just standing there. Does that mean you're giving up?"
"The training I've had only strengthens my body. I don't know any proper techniques. You make the first move."
Yuuya shook his head lightly.
Without hesitation, Yukino shifted into a fighting stance.
The next second—
A sharp side kick flew straight toward Yuuya.
He caught her ankle with one hand.
Yukino's eyes widened.
Impossible.
That speed, that strength—how could he just grab it?
"Yukino, in the face of absolute strength, all the martial arts you've learned can't hurt me." Yuuya released her foot.
"I don't believe you're really that strong."
Abandoning kicks, she stepped forward, grabbing his arm, aiming for a shoulder throw.
Yuuya went along with it.
But just as the motion peaked—
He wrapped his other arm around her.
Yukino reacted quickly, twisting into an elbow strike.
Yuuya seized the chance, lifting both arms and locking her in place.
She stomped down hard on his foot.
"Hss—"
Yuuya grimaced.
Rolling to the ground, he used his strength and leverage to pin Yukino completely.
She struggled again and again—
But Yuuya's power left her no way out.
Shizuka approached with a frown.
"Yuuya-kun, I underestimated you."
"Does this mean I win, Shizuka-sensei?"
"No. Yukinoshita hasn't admitted defeat yet."
"Fine, fine. Then you can leave us. I'll take the rest of the afternoon off with Yukino."
Yuuya showed no sign of letting go.
Yukino, too, showed no sign of giving up.
"…Do as you like. I'm heading back." Shizuka shook her head and left.
Yuuya looked at the girl still straining against him.
"Yukino, my technique's nowhere near yours. This is the only tactic I've got. You don't mind me holding you like this, right?"
Disgust from Yukinoshita Yukino +50.
"Don't worry, struggle as much as you want. If you can stand up today, I'll admit defeat."
Disgust from Yukinoshita Yukino +50.
"Besides, I promised to have lunch here with Eriri. She should be arriving any minute."
Disgust from Yukinoshita Yukino +50.
Minutes passed.
Finally, Yukino stilled.
"…I lost."
"Sorry, what was that? Couldn't hear you."
"I admit defeat. I'll honor our deal."
"So, you mean starting now, you're my girlfriend?"
"…Yes."
"Actually, I lied. I already planned to go bookstore-hopping with Eriri this afternoon."
Yuuya grinned.
Disgust from Yukinoshita Yukino +50.
Yukino clenched her small fists.
"…Can you let me go now?"
"Of course."
He released her.
Yukino stood, flexing her arms and legs.
"What kind of training was that?"
"My master taught me. Honestly, it's not suited for real combat."
"I could tell. You don't know a single move—you're just overpowering me."
"If you'd like, I could pass it on to you."
"With no conditions?"
"There's one."
"What condition?"
"We'll need to have a child together."
Yuuya deadpanned.
Yukino's face didn't so much as twitch. She simply walked over to the lunchboxes.
…
After lunch.
Yukino didn't leave.
She sat beside Yuuya, leaning against the wall, eyes lifted to the sky.
Yuuya took her hand.
"You'll get a second chance—tennis."
"And if I lose, I have to be your girlfriend for life?"
"Correct."
"I could just surrender now, on one condition."
"Oh? Let's hear it."
"You'll have to surpass the Yukinoshita family's wealth."
Yukino's tone was serious.
Yuuya blinked, momentarily thrown off.
"You sure about that?"
"I'm sure."
"How much are we talking?"
"With land and assets included… around one quadrillion yen."
"And if I surpass it, what do I get?"
"All of me."
She met his gaze directly.
Yuuya hesitated, then leaned in and kissed her forehead.
"Before graduation, I'll surpass the Yukinoshita family's wealth. After that—you're mine, right?"
"Yes."
"Deal."
"Until then, I won't… be with you."
"That's fine. I'm not rushing. But you'll have to learn some other things."
"…I know."
A faint blush spread across Yukino's cheeks.
It was, essentially, dangling an impossible dream in front of him.
A quadrillion yen—utterly unrealistic.
If, by some miracle, Yuuya succeeded… she would accept him completely.
And if he failed—
Yukino glanced at him.
For some reason, she couldn't even imagine that possibility.
Yuuya tilted his head back toward the sky, lips curling.
Normally, making a quadrillion yen in two years was impossible.
But he had the system.
A single platinum chest was worth over ten billion yen.
And the golden ones…