After returning from the computer world, although it had only been half an hour in the real world, everyone felt a wave of ntal exhaustion. After a simple dinner, even the Yamai sisters, who often stayed up late, went to bed very early without exception.
However, Itsuka Shido lay in his bed but couldn't fall asleep no matter what.
It wasn't that he didn't feel tired, and his body was indeed sending him ssages of fatigue, but his eyes surprisingly wouldn't close.
"Did everyone and I... walk towards different futures... in that world?"
Shido stared blankly at the ceiling.
When in the computer world, Maria's administrator permissions were seized by Marina, making the managent restricting mories sowhat loose. Under Marina's frantic bombardnt, Shido, who had once approached the brink of death, recalled all the mories of the cycles in the computer world.
So I did that kind of thing too, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Rembering spending a unique future with everyone individually, Shido couldn't help but feel an incredible sensation, as if watching a movie.
He didn't want to bla Maria for sealing his and everyone's mories without permission. The girl just wanted to understand the essence of love as quickly as possible so everyone could leave the computer world. If he denied such goodwill, it would be too cruel.
Since everyone had already forgotten the things that happened during those cycles, Shido thought he would just go with the flow, treating these mories as a dream and burying them deep in his mind...
"If only I could do that..."
Shido couldn't help but sigh with a bitter smile.
That was a choice he could only make if everyone didn't rember these things. However, Shido knew there was one girl who possessed the sa mories as him.
He rembered that during the first cycle entering this world, Yutsuki had asked him a question: if an older sister who is an enemy and a younger sister who is a friend were drowning at the sa ti, who would he save first? Thinking back now, the two people in this question undoubtedly hinted at Marina and Maria.
[The question didn't say I was the only one there, right? Assuming it's like right now, where we can each only save one person, if the two of us separately go save the older sister and the younger sister... then wouldn't everyone be happy—ouch, ouch, ouch!]
In the end, Shido protected Maria, and Yutsuki saved Marina. If one said this was pure coincidence, no one would believe it.
Everything was telling Shido: Yutsuki had also rembered the mories of those cycles.
No, perhaps she had never forgotten them in the first place.
In the repeating cycles, being the only one holding the mories that everyone else forgot. What kind of feeling was that? Shido couldn't know. But for a partner you fell in love with just a mont ago to suddenly forget everything the next day, and be with soone else looking like they know nothing—that must definitely be full of sorrow and pain.
In the final cycle, guided by Marina, he found a dead-drunk Yutsuki on a park bench.
Thinking back now, the excuse that she got drunk because she ate too many alcohol-filled chocolates was simply a ridiculous joke.
[Shut up, shut up, shut up! It's your fault, Shido! Seeing your nonchalant face right now, I feel angry for myself, for Tohka, for Origami, for Yoshino, Yuzuru, Kaguya, Kurumi, Kotori, and Miku!]
His heart stung slightly. Was it because of guilt, apology, or a sense of sin? Shido himself didn't know.
"I did a very terrible thing."
However, except for that one ti, in Shido's mory, no matter which cycle it was, Yutsuki was no different from usual. As if she had forgotten the mories of the cycles just like everyone else, living with everyone as she always had.
Through the window of his room, Shido looked towards the sky. Because it was still relatively early, in contrast to the brightly lit Tengu City, the night sky appeared pitch-black.
"..."
Shido tossed and turned in bed, finally giving up on the idea of sleeping and sit up.
—————————————-
15,000 ters above Tengu City, the
Fraxinus airship.
Yutsuki was currently staying in the room where they had dived into the computer world, her fingers rapidly tapping the keyboard, performing complex operations on the computer in front of her.
"Hah~"
Perhaps the content of the work was too dull, Yutsuki couldn't help but stretch her back and let out a long yawn.
[Yutsuki, if you really feel sleepy. You should go rest early.]
[Sister is right. You must have accumulated a lot of fatigue in the computer world too, Yutsuki. It's better to rest early.]
On the computer screen, Maria and Marina looked at Yutsuki with so concern.
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Yutsuki smiled and waved her hand, "It's just pulling an all-nighter for a bit. For an otaku, this level is completely commonplace."
Right now, Yutsuki and the Arusu sisters were trying to repair the damaged data inside the computer world. Although everyone was safe and sound in the end, whether it was the area formatting Yutsuki did using Ratziel when fighting Marina's clones, or the data self-destruction Marina caused near the core at the end, it had left this computer space riddled with scars.
This world would be quite helpful for Yutsuki's future plans, so she asked Maria and Marina to help repair it together.
[That has nothing to do with this... Besides, I should be the one doing this alone in the first place.]
Marina said, unable to let it go. In her view, these damages were completely caused by her, and the one who should truly take responsibility and fix them was herself. There was absolutely no need for Yutsuki and Maria to accompany her to repair it.
Yutsuki annoyedly tapped the Marina on the screen and said dissatisfiedly,
"No one said anything about pursuing responsibility. Marina, stop putting inexplicable pressure on yourself. Family mbers are supposed to help each other."
[Yutsuki is right. You're treating us too much like outsiders, Sister.]
Maria nodded in agreent, holding Marina's hand and saying, [Besides, isn't it more efficient for everyone to work together rather than working alone? And this way, Sister won't be lonely either.]
[Wh-Who's lonely!] Marina's cheeks turned completely red. She turned her head away, and after a mont, answered in a small voice, [I-I know. Sorry... and thank you...]
A faint smile appeared on Maria's face. Then she turned around, looking at Yutsuki with a serious face.
[However, Yutsuki, you really should go rest!]
"Whose side are you on, Maria..."
Yutsuki said with black lines on her forehead.
[These are two completely different matters. What you need to do right now, Yutsuki, is go rest. If you keep this up, you'll get dark circles under your eyes like Reine-san!]
Well, although saying that is a bit rude to Reine-san. But Yutsuki had to admit, that look is indeed a bit scary.
"Well... even though you say that, I just feel like I shouldn't just go to sleep like this..."
Yutsuki scratched her hair, sowhat troubled. Actually, Yutsuki herself also felt very exhausted and intended to sleep early. But when actually lying in bed, she kept having this feeling that she couldn't just fall asleep like this. As a result, even though she was very sleepy, she just couldn't close her eyes. Out of boredom, she ran here to pull an all-nighter fixing the computer.
Clicking open a window, the screen displayed Shido's house—where the lights were already out.
After staring at it for a mont, Yutsuki rested her chin on her hand and let out an inexplicable sigh.
What exactly am I expecting...
Knock, knock—
Suddenly, a knocking sound ca from the door.
Reine-san? Considering it was a ti when everyone should be asleep, Yutsuki guessed in her heart.
"Co in, the door isn't locked."
Hearing Yutsuki's words, the person outside pushed the door and walked in.
"Yutsuki, I'm coming in."
"Shido?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Yutsuki turned her head in surprise and looked at Shido.
[Good evening~ Shido.]
[Yo, Itsuka Shido. To think you're still not asleep this late.]
"Good evening. Maria, Marina!"
After smiling and greeting the two, Shido turned to Yutsuki.
"Yo, aren't you asleep yet, Yutsuki?"
"Y-You too, Shido, wh-why are you here?"
Yutsuki stamred a bit.
"I went to your room to look for you earlier, but you weren't there. So I contacted Reine-san. That's how I knew you were here."
"O-Oh, I-I see..."
Yutsuki's face flushed slightly. After all, the other party had kissed her when she was logging out earlier. Although she didn't mind it, the current Yutsuki still didn't quite know how to face Shido, and her voice sounded a bit stiff.
Shido seed to understand Yutsuki's awkwardness and hurriedly bowed his head to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Yutsuki! Back then I didn't know you were fine, so I did that kind of thing. I'm really very sorry."
"I-It's fine! You were just worried about , right, Shido. It's not like you did it with impure intentions, I won't mind."
Waving her hand to show she didn't mind. But in reality, just thinking about the scene back then made Yutsuki feel her cheeks burning.
To cover this up, Yutsuki deliberately said playfully.
"Of course, if it had been Shiori giving a morning kiss back then, I would have been even happier."
"Well... about that, if it can express my apology..."
Seeing Shido's face seriously considering it like an idiot, Yutsuki couldn't help but chuckle. Her heart instantly felt much lighter.
"Just joking, I don't mind. Anyway, did you need for sothing, Shido?"
"Well... I wouldn't call it anything special. I just couldn't sleep, so I wanted to ask Yutsuki to go out for a walk together."
"Is this... considered a date invitation?"
Yutsuki widened her eyes in slight surprise.
"W-Well, I guess so."
Shido nodded embarrassedly. Then, for so unknown reason, Yutsuki's face turned completely red, and a weird smile appeared on the corners of her mouth.
"My, my~ Shido is so ecchi~"
Shido was blank for a mont, then suddenly realized that suddenly inviting a girl out for a date in the middle of the night did seem to have a vulgar aning to it. Shido hurriedly waved his hands to deny it.
"N-No, no, it's not like that! It's just normally taking a walk on the street. No other thoughts. If you're going to sleep or have things to do, Yutsuki, it's okay to refuse."
"Well, I figured as much. After all, Shido doesn't have that kind of guts."
"Uh—I feel like being trusted like this, I can't feel happy at all..."
Shido mumbled, brooding over it slightly.
Although it was a teasing tone, Yutsuki actually secretly sighed in relief. After all, even after accepting Shido's confession in the computer world, although she gave out quite a bit of fanservice, she never went to the final step.
The resolve needed was too great.
"So? Are you willing or not? If you're busy now, another day is fine too."
"Ugh, my original intention is that I am willing... but I'm in the middle of fixing the computer right now."
Just when Yutsuki felt troubled, Marina and Maria suddenly interjected.
[Geez, what's there to hesitate about? If you want to go, just go. You look completely distracted staying here anyway.]
[Leave this place to and Sister. You and Shido have worked hard for so long, you should relax properly together.]
Hearing Maria and Marina say this, Yutsuki had no reason to refuse.
"Well... then I'll leave it to you."
Nodding gently, Yutsuki patted her chest and said to Shido.
"Then, I accept your invitation, Shido. The roads at night are very dangerous, I'll properly protect your safety."
"Yutsuki, that should be my line."
Shido couldn't help but give a bitter smile, and then the two set off on their date together.
Watching Yutsuki and Shido leave, Marina let out a helpless sigh.
[Geez, both of them are acting so clumsy, pretending like nothing happened. It's so awkward to watch.]
Hearing Marina's words, Maria couldn't help but smile.
[Geez, you clearly could be more honest in expressing your concern, Sister.]
[None of your business.] Pouting annoyed, Marina looked at Maria and asked, [But what about you, you just confessed to Shido with a kiss recently. Is this okay?]
[Well~ I think hoping the person you like can find happiness is also a kind of love. Sister, are you really okay with it?]
[If it's family, how could I not hope for it?]
Maria and Marina exchanged a glance and smiled helplessly in unison.
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