Outside the gates of the Four Seasons Resort Estate.
The sun still shone brightly, the cool air carried by the mountain breeze gently stirring disheveled black hair.
Yuu took one last glance back, opening his mouth as if to say goodbye to the young woman who had returned to the small building to continue her lunch with her parents.
But everything he wanted to say had already been said. He quietly averted his gaze, a faint smile forming at the corners of his lips, and stepped into the pre-booked taxi.
"To Karuizawa Station, please."
The engine purred smoothly, its vibrations barely noticeable—a nice car.
Leaning back in the soft leather seat, Yuu gazed at the scenery slowly receding outside the window, his thoughts gently swirling in his mind.
—Being a rental boyfriend was a great job.
Since when had his perspective shifted? Lately, he'd even started to enjoy it.
It began with money, allowing him to interact intimately with someone without bearing any responsibility—both sides knew that sweet words or tender glances were just fleeting fireworks, soon fading back into silence.
So he could honestly express his thoughts, embrace, and kiss her without burden. The feeling was light yet captivating.
Chizuru once said her reasons for doing this job were, first, to earn money, and second, to do so with dignity.
A rental girlfriend rents her heart, not her body. She wanted to provide emotional comfort, not physical release.
She wanted to be like a bandage protecting a wound, letting them, for those few brief hours, escape a harsh and difficult reality and laugh with enough joy.
—Even if it was a lie, she wanted to make it the most beautiful lie.
So, what about him?
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"Karuizawa Station has arrived." The driver said.
After paying the considerable taxi fare, Yuu bought a ticket and boarded the Shinkansen that had just pulled into the station.
The scenery outside the window sped by again. He propped his head with one hand, quietly gazing at the vast, seemingly still sky, though faint changes lingered.
Since he had time, he'd ask again:
With what feelings had he come? At first, he only intended to play the role of a boyfriend well on the surface, seeing Haruno as a gold mine to tap. But now, despite her warped, peculiar nature, he was willing to travel over a hundred kilometers to continue this rental relationship?
Clearly, there was only one answer—
Not just Haruno, but he too had been swept up, fully immersed in this fake love.
Professional actors could face psychological issues from diving too deeply into a role. For example, those playing mentally ill characters might grow crazier, those playing serial killers might feel murderous urges, let alone those playing mentally ill serial killers… The better the acting, the higher the risk.
After all, becoming the character itself is the ultimate expression of "acting."
Thus, these actors regularly visited psychologists, forcing themselves to step out of their roles—with others' help, distinguishing between acting and reality.
More simply, countless lead actors and actresses fall in love after filming a drama.
Though Yuu had perfect acting skills, he lacked a perfect psychologist, and no one urged him back to reality—that damned system was always silent, and during dates, he often forgot about it.
For him, while dating Haruno, every heartbeat, every thrill, was an undeniable, vivid reality.
He'd feel proud at Haruno's reluctant expressions, fall silent at her somber ones; he'd feel joy at her smiles and resignation at her childish antics.
Even after returning home, Haruno never left his life.
So, Chizuru was wrong—Yuu was hardly a qualified rental boyfriend.
"Tokyo Station has arrived, Tokyo Station has arrived…"
The train announcement snapped him out of his thoughts. Yuu stood and exited the Shinkansen.
While transferring trains, he unconsciously touched his lips, the corners curling slightly.
Before they parted, Haruno had said:
"Even if our relationship stays like this, I won't just kiss you anymore… If you want a kiss, you'll have to initiate it."
"Such a cunning person." Yuu couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Since Yuu had proactively "extended the contract." Haruno felt in control, slowly making demands of him, as if she'd fully take the reins.
In love, the one who gives in first loses—though Yuu didn't feel he'd truly lost. He didn't mind Haruno's little tactics or this calculating love dynamic.
Or rather, he loved it.
Like Haruno, Yuu had unintentionally fallen for his rental lover—that's all.
"I'm home."
After getting off at the station and returning home, it was 2 p.m.
Sora was playing on her computer in her room, not coming out to greet him. The hallway was slightly bright, and the aroma of pizza filled the house.
Yuu went upstairs to drop off his things, then brought clothes to the bathroom, preparing to wash away the day's travel fatigue.
Self-Recovery could keep him clean, but the greatest meaning of bathing, soaking, was to think alone, letting himself fully relax as if melting into the hot water.
After casually washing his hair and body, he lay in the tub, watching the hot water slowly cover his thighs, his thoughts evaporating with the white steam.
"Haaa…"
He stared blankly for a moment, then unconsciously let out a sigh.
When does someone realize they've fallen in love?
Some realize it when a classmate hands them a test paper, their eyes meeting, and the girl smiles at them.
Some realize it when, alone during group activities, she suddenly approaches, enthusiastically talking about things they don't understand, just to keep them from looking so lonely.
And him…
Perhaps this morning, riding the Shinkansen, watching the scenery outside, his mind was filled with what kind of smile Haruno would show?
"I thought my teenage years were over, but it turns out they're just arriving now."
Yuu laughed self-deprecatingly, then turned off the hot water, letting himself sink, his ears filled with the rippling sound of water.
Only when he couldn't hold his breath anymore did he suddenly rise, taking a deep breath to calm himself, so his expression was no longer so forced and troubled.
"If there were no system…"
Water dripped from his hair. Yuu lowered his head. After a long pause, he spoke softly:
"Of course, I'd stand in front of you, becoming the hero that meets the standards in your heart… Your smile, I want to see it more often."
The bathroom echoed, but no one heard.
If she heard this answer, according to the system, their relationship would end here, and her memories would be altered.
A meeting started by the system would also be ended by the system—perfectly logical.
"Damn logic."
Muttering a curse, Yuu stood, leaving the bathroom without using the system's status. He dried off and put on fresh clothes.
Looking at himself in the mirror, he slapped his cheeks and gave a resigned smile.
Back in his room, he took out his phone and sent Haruno a message:
Yuu: {Babe, want to go on a date tomorrow? My treat.}
Haruno: {Ugh, so cringey! You're not my cool, sadistic Yuu-chan—who are you!?}
Yuu: {If you wanted to be the M, just say so from the start. Tomorrow, I'll buy props to satisfy you.}
Haruno: {Yuu-chan, you pervert~}
With a satisfied smile, Yuu put away his phone.
The only thing he could do was try to delay the deadline and keep interacting with Haruno as a rental lover.
Surviving desperately—whatever. If this lie could continue, it wouldn't be any different from the truth, right?
Who the next target was, he didn't care; when the mission might accidentally end, he didn't care either.
From now on, Yuu only wanted to try his hardest, without regrets—
To fall in love with Haruno.
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Yuu suddenly remembered something, left his room, and knocked on Sora's door.
"Sora, busy?"
Soon, her lazy, crisp voice came from inside: "Not busy, what's up?"
"You said last time, if I got a girlfriend, I had to tell you, right?"
"That's right…"
As if choking on her slender throat, the girl suddenly fell silent.
Immediately, a loud crash came from the room, and the door swung open with a bang.
Her white dress bloomed like a lotus flower. The petite silver-haired girl widened her eyes, staring at him in disbelief:
"Yuu, don't tell me you!?"
The siblings locked eyes at the door.
Unconsciously, the corners of Yuu's lips curled into a mischievous grin, eerily similar to someone's, specifically to tease his sister.
"Well, what do you think?"