Before entering the inn, Haruno went to a nearby convenience store to buy a can of beer.
Due to her "allergy" to soju last time, she didn't try to persuade Yuu to drink with her. Instead, she grabbed a bottle of sports drink for him and bought a stack of small snacks to accompany her drink.
"Hehe, tonight, I won't let you sleep~"
She said that, but Haruno likely only intended to chat with Yuu all night.
As for physical matters, those who understand will understand… However, hearing Yuu's earlier words, she might do some indescribable things to him, so Haruno needed the beer to muster her courage.
This was a first for both of them. Though Haruno usually acted like an experienced older sister, casually kissing and throwing out vulgar jokes, during their "interaction" on the Ferris wheel, Yuu realized that for more intimate physical contact, even she needed considerable courage.
Of course, if Yuu really wanted to, Haruno could summon as much courage as needed.
After all, the immense happiness from intimate contact with a loved one—through skin, body heat, and the five senses—Yuu had now experienced to some extent.
"What a pity…"
Following Haruno to a room in the luxurious inn, carrying her shopping bags, Yuu watched her enter the bathroom.
Haruno said she wanted to shower, and before closing the door, she teasingly asked if he wanted to join. But when Yuu pretended to barge in, she shut the door with slightly flushed cheeks, and cheerful laughter echoed from behind it.
The corners of his lips curved into a smile, but Yuu shook his head and sighed softly.
"…Haruno, thank you for liking the gift I gave you so much."
"Tomorrow, I might make you a new bracelet?"
Tossing the shopping bags onto the sofa, Yuu walked to his bag, rummaged for a moment, and pulled out a wooden comb with a spring design.
Then, he stared out the inn's window.
"…Forget it, it'll just disappear anyway. It's meaningless."
Yuu gradually calmed down, then put the wooden comb back into his bag.
After the bracelet broke unexpectedly, the urge to discard the other gift he gave her surfaced—Yuu himself was surprised why he felt such a vengeful impulse.
Perhaps he just wanted to vent.
After all, everything would end. Whatever he did, tomorrow, Haruno wouldn't remember anything.
She wouldn't be sad, angry, or disappointed.
So, even if he threw away the wooden comb in front of her, it wouldn't leave a ripple in Haruno's heart.
The memories of happiness and pain wouldn't remain, except for him—but even so, Yuu couldn't drag Haruno into it.
Standing in place, Yuu closed his eyes, his head slightly tilted up, as if bathed in silent rain.
In the darkness, what emerged was Haruno's bright, flushed smile just before she entered the bathroom.
—That was the beautiful thing he once had.
But when Yuu decided to turn and leave the room, it vanished like smoke.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Wrapped in a bath towel, her skin fresh from the shower was smooth and elastic like an egg, tinged with a bright flush.
Haruno looked at herself in the mirror, her hand brushing her chest, where her heartbeat was fast and heavy, yet she couldn't hold back a faint, joyful, and proud smile.
"Hmph, hmph, you 17-year-old virgin, just wait and see how I'll make you ahegao!"
When alone, she didn't care much about her words. Coincidentally, she had recently seen some adult-only material online…
After checking for anything odd on her body, ensuring her hair was soft and neat, and confirming she exuded a woman's charm, she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself. Then, with her smooth, slender legs, she stepped forward. Wearing only the bath towel, she pushed open the bathroom door with a wide smile.
"I'm done showering, don't just stand there… Hm?"
The room was empty. The convenience store plastic bag was on the sofa, and his bag looked like it had been touched.
Haruno froze for a moment, looked around, and found a note under his bag.
"Really?" Haruno furrowed her brow, thinking, then her eyes suddenly widened, recalling something round. "No way, he… No, I told him today's not okay. Besides, doesn't the inn already provide…"
She turned and walked to the side of the double bed. Sure enough, she found an untouched small box of condoms there.
Puzzled, Haruno sat on the bed, crossing her full, pale thighs, and called Yuu.
The dial tone rang for over ten seconds but didn't connect.
For some reason, a strange fear surged in her heart, her lips unconsciously trembling.
Like snow that had struggled to melt, now freezing again without sunlight; though it was summer, she radiated a piercing winter chill.
"Tch…"
Biting her lip hard, Haruno put down her phone, closed her eyes, and regulated her breathing and emotions.
(He just went to buy something, it's nothing… You're not that weak, Haruno.)
To avoid losing her composure as she did when the bracelet broke, Haruno tried to reason with herself, constantly denying the vague thoughts creeping into her mind.
"Ah, the comb!"
Suddenly opening her eyes, Haruno rushed to her bag in a panic, confirming that the second gift Yuu gave her—the wooden comb—was still intact inside. Only then did she collapse onto the floor.
Pressing the wooden comb to her full chest, now mixed with cold sweat, she slightly pulled the corners of her lips, unable to hold back a bitter smile.
"Good grief, what am I doing…"
Just because Yuu left briefly, she was as fragile as glass—where was the confident, sociable woman?
Haruno shook her head, her body regaining some strength. She sat back on the bed, letting the bath towel loosen to reveal a glimpse of the view. Leaning against the headboard, she murmured dazedly:
"Yuu-chan, when are you coming back…"
"How dare he leave me alone in an empty room. When he gets back, there'll be an exciting punishment!"
Thinking this, Haruno finally showed a much more relieved smile.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Yuu left the inn without looking back.
He looked up at the night sky, a thick black curtain stretching across. Though it didn't seem like rain, there was a heavy feeling, as if the whole world would drown in a flood.
His phone vibrated, but he ignored it. Walking slowly toward the station, he opened the system panel.
[Ding!]
[Yukinoshita Haruno, wish fulfilled.]
[Congratulations, Host, you have completed the mission.]
[Mission rewards can be settled immediately. If not settled by 6:00 AM, August 25, the system will automatically enter settlement time.]
[Note: The settlement process is irreversible. Once settlement mode is entered, you cannot leave the settlement space until world correction is complete.]
To avoid hesitation, Yuu said to the system calmly:
"Settle the mission."
[Are you sure you want to settle the mission now?]
"Yes."
[Three-second countdown, entering settlement space soon.]
[Three, two…]
Yuu turned toward the inn behind him. He opened his mouth, as if many words hidden in his heart wanted to be shouted out.
But choked up, he couldn't make a sound. The countdown ended.
[One.]
[Initiating settlement.]
As the text flashed before Yuu's eyes, time suddenly stopped flowing. Swaying shadows, rustling leaves—all turned a lifeless gray, with only the words "Initiating settlement" blinking softly.
Yuu's eyes widened. Before he could think, his consciousness faded like a screen shutting off.
The world, for him, fell into darkness here.