Don't be fooled by how Haruno would, now and then, tease him with Yukino, using the pair of sister flowers to entice him and stir his heart—Lin Ye actually knew the truth.
In reality, Haruno wasn't willing. Haruno could sacrifice herself, give up her own body, but her Sister Yukino—she didn't want her Sister to get entangled with him in any deeper way at all.
Yet she couldn't openly forbid it either,
After all, both Father Yukinoshita and Mother Yukinoshita wished for Yukino to be with him, and as the eldest daughter she couldn't openly oppose her parents' wishes.
For the entire family, the best choice was for Yukino to be with him while she inherited the family and took in a live-in son-in-law.
Haruno understood this clearly, but she wouldn't directly abandon her own ideas because of it; she still tried every means to keep him and Yukino apart,
Even though Yukino had already clearly made contact with him, becoming Quasi-fiancés, and now the two had become formal lovers and a fiancé couple, she still hadn't given up.
And now,
This was probably her last-ditch attempt.
As for success?
Lin Ye felt the probability of Haruno succeeding was close to zero.
Some things, if not laid out openly, might still succeed; once laid out and stated plainly, they became even less likely to succeed.
After all, Yukino's temperament was just like that—especially when faced with her sister Haruno's persuasion, she would instinctively develop a rebellious mentality, even though she knew perfectly well that her sister Haruno was doing it for her own good.
Lin Ye stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the distant scenery.
"This view's nice,"
But at this moment, only he was there to appreciate it.
Through the glass, Lin Ye admired the night view.
Having come to Yukino's apartment so many times, this seemed to be the first time he had appreciated this view.
And the faint sounds coming from Yukino's room—he didn't listen to them attentively either, simply letting them be.
In the room,
The two sisters, Haruno and Yukino, sat facing each other,
Yukino sat at the edge of the bed, while Haruno had pulled a chair to sit directly opposite her,
The two sisters' gazes met, the atmosphere unexpectedly oppressive, the temperature seeming to drop several degrees.
"Yukino, about what happened before, I apologize to you,"
"An apology—is there any point? You've already done it, Big Sister,"
"Then how about I let you do it all back to me? Do whatever you like."
Haruno straightened her back, looking as if she'd let Yukino toy with her however she pleased.
Yukino was expressionless, with no interest in this at all. Unlike Haruno, who was full of interest in her, she didn't have the slightest interest in her sister Haruno.
What she was actually thankful for now was that it had been her sister; if the person Lin Ye had swapped with had been someone else, she couldn't even bear to imagine it.
"Let's get to business, Big Sister."
"Alright,"
Since her Sister put it that way, she no longer hesitated,
"I hope you keep your distance from Lin Ye—better yet, end the relationship and break up,"
Yukino pursed her lips. Clever as she was, she hadn't failed to notice her sister's attitude toward her relationship with Lin Ye.
Even though her sister had occasionally joked about the two of them getting together sooner, she could still discern the essential truth of the matter.
Especially her sister's act of using Lin Ye's body just this morning made her all the more certain of her thoughts.
And now, her sister's frank declaration further confirmed her sister's attitude.
"Why?"
Yukino was straightforward too, directly asking for the reason.
She wanted to know why her sister held such thoughts.
Was Lin Ye not good for the Yukinoshita family?
Her sister, who resembled Mother, who put the family's interests first—why would she make such a suggestion?
She was very curious.
"Yukino, I'm doing this for your own good."
"Big Sister, the good you do for me, I know it, but is this 'good,' in my eyes, truly good?"
She didn't want her sister to interfere with her choices.
Lin Ye had a great many problems, but he also had a great many merits.
She was willing to keep communicating and being in contact with Lin Ye, to keep dating, and then decide in the future whether to truly stay together for life and enter the hall of marriage.
"He'll die,"
Haruno closed her eyes and said slowly.
"Huh?"
He'll die—what will die?
Will I die, or will Lin Ye die?
"Big Sister, please be clear."
"Lin Ye could die at any moment, do you understand? It's a highly probable thing that he could meet with an accident and die at any time—fine today, perhaps dead tomorrow. Yukino, I'm not being alarmist, I don't want him to die either, but this is the situation he currently faces."
Haruno's grave expression forced Yukino to take it seriously as well.
"Big Sister, please explain in detail,"
She didn't doubt; she chose to believe, and to learn more.
If Lin Ye really was often in dangerous environments, then what she had to do was persuade Lin Ye to quit,
And now she had the standing and the right to persuade him; she was Lin Ye's girlfriend, Lin Ye's fiancée, with the qualification to make Lin Ye quit and return to a stable, peaceful everyday life.
"Some things can't be told; they'd drag you into danger too,"
"Then please tell me what you can tell, Big Sister,"
Yukino said frankly, even though she didn't understand why some things couldn't be told and would drag her into danger.
"You also know he's very special now, that he has many abilities, right?"
"Mm."
Besides Body Swap, there was also perspective and Hypnosis; Yukino was certain Lin Ye possessed many other mysterious abilities.
And now, judging from her sister's attitude, she felt her sister probably knew where Lin Ye's abilities came from.
"And obtaining these abilities isn't without cost or risk; he has to face very terrifying things, to personally confront those extremely dangerous existences that could kill at any moment,"
"He's survived until now, but that doesn't mean he can keep on living. I hope he can always make it back alive, but it's far too difficult."
Haruno held some confidence, but not complete confidence.
And Yukino thought of certain rumors circulating online and at school.
Could it be...
"Don't say it."
Haruno immediately stopped her Sister. "I don't know whether you've guessed right, Yukino, but don't say it—it's very dangerous. Once you say it aloud, the probability of you being noticed increases, and then you, Yukino, would have to face those dangers,"
"And those dangers—for an ordinary person, it's nine deaths and one slim chance of life."
Yukino had no concept of it, but her sister's emotion made her realize the seriousness of the matter.
Her sister truly didn't want anything to happen to her.
"Aren't you afraid, Big Sister?"
"Fear is useless. I haven't been drawn in yet, so I'm safe for now,"
"And what about Lin-kun?"
"..."
Haruno fell silent. She didn't know whether Lin Ye was afraid, but judging from his calm, natural reaction after coming back, she felt Lin Ye probably wasn't.
"He probably isn't afraid,"
"Is the family being so proactive in contacting Lin-kun also because of this reason? Because of Lin-kun's specialness."
Haruno hadn't expected Yukino to bring up this sensitive question so frankly.
But since Yukino had asked, she chose to speak plainly.
"Yes. The Yukinoshita family doesn't want to be cast out of the tide of the times. The future will surely be a new era of transformation, and Lin-kun is our family's ticket aboard the ship that sails forward into that new era—we must hold on to it tightly."
So that was it,
Yukino understood; she finally understood.
No wonder Mother had so strongly recommended she be with Lin Ye back then; it hadn't been some youthful romance, but because, from the very start, they had held extremely high expectations of Lin Ye.
From the beginning, in Mother's eyes, Lin Ye concerned the family's future.
And as the youngest daughter, she was naturally the best candidate to win Lin Ye over and bind him to them.
She was in the same class as Lin Ye, and Lin Ye had once confessed to her, holding a very high affection for her.
She was absolutely the most suitable candidate.
At this moment, Yukino's heart was heavy.
Haruno took in every one of her Sister Yukino's reactions; she could understand her Sister's feelings at this moment,
But this was reality.
"The family does hold expectations of you. Of course, Yukino, you should also know that Mother hasn't treated you as a pure tool of self-interest; she respects your wishes. If you feel it's unsuitable, Mother won't force you to do anything you're unwilling to do."
Haruno began to explain, "Back then it was also of your own will that you established a Quasi-fiancés relationship with Lin Ye,"
Yes, it was her own choice; Yukino didn't deny it. But that choice at the time also had an enormous connection to her perceiving that her parents wished for Lin Ye to be with her.
This, she remembered very clearly.
"So why is it, Big Sister, that you want me to break up and end the relationship with him?"
"I don't want you to be heartbroken—to one day in the future only be able to watch as your boyfriend, your husband, never again appears before you."
Haruno looked at her Sister. "Others may not understand you, but how could I not? If you married him and something really did happen to him in the future, you wouldn't go looking for another. You'd choose to keep on living alone."
This was Haruno's bold guess about her Sister.
This Sister of hers was simple, earnest, and devoted in matters of the heart; once she chose, it was for life.
"Big Sister, you think too highly of me,"
"Whether I think too highly of you, you know yourself. But no matter what, I don't want you to be with Lin Ye—I don't want to see you heartbroken in the future,"
Haruno had already risen and sat down beside Yukino. She gently stroked her Sister Yukino's long black hair and continued to persuade her, "Listen to me just this once, I'm begging you, Yukino—end the relationship with him!"
"He isn't devoted to you either; he's even flirting with other girls. You aren't his one and only, so why continue with him? Your youth and your life are only just beginning."
Haruno tried her best, only hoping her Sister would take it in—even just a little would do.
"Big Sister, I appreciate your good intentions,"
Haruno knew at once that Yukino had refused,
This girl really had no desire to pull herself away right now.
"Tell me the reason—why you're unwilling. Don't tell me you've already fallen for him?"
The possibility was high, but Haruno hoped it wasn't this reason.
"I too am a daughter of the Yukinoshita family; I too must contribute to the family."
Yukino's eyes met the gaze of her sister Haruno beside her. "Since Lin Ye concerns the family's future, then as a daughter of the family, the time has come for me to make my contribution."
Hearing this, Haruno's heart trembled—her Sister was about to sacrifice herself.
What a joke.
She, the elder sister, was still here; how could it possibly be her Sister's turn to sacrifice herself?
"There's no need,"
Haruno said, her tone firm. "Leave the family matters to me. You, Yukino, just pursue the happiness that belongs to you."
This was Haruno's answer.
But these words, falling into Yukino's ears, gave her a strange feeling.
She kept feeling as if her sister were trying to snatch Lin Ye away.
"I too am a member of the family; I too must make a contribution,"
"No need. I'll inherit the family; all the related responsibilities and obligations, I'll take on every one of them."
The two sisters argued for a good while, with no resolution.
This led Yukino to finally say, "Big Sister, I'm willing, so please, don't argue with me anymore."
Fighting even over who got to sacrifice—
If outsiders knew, they'd probably think the two sisters were fighting over a man—though in essence, this wasn't much different from fighting over a man.
"Yukino, you've fallen for Lin Ye, haven't you?"
"I have feelings for him; I want to be in contact,"
"But I just said—"
"I don't care. When the day truly comes that he meets with an accident, we can discuss what comes after then. You said it yourself, Big Sister—Lin-kun is quite formidable,"
"One who walks along the river is bound to wet their shoes."
Then don't let him walk by the river.
This was the method Yukino thought of.
Her sister and her parents didn't want Lin Ye to halt his steps; they wanted him to keep exploring. But she was different—she only wanted Lin Ye to be safe. Those dangerous matters could just end right here.
It was just,
The one thing she couldn't be sure of was how to successfully persuade Lin Ye to give it up.
Facing her Sister's silence, Haruno realized her Sister's decision—this girl was dead set against breaking up with Lin Ye.
Sigh,
She'd had this premonition from the very start.
But now that it had truly come to pass, Haruno couldn't quite accept it either.
She truly hoped Yukino would heed her advice and end this relationship.
"Yukino, no matter what happens in the future, your Big Sister will always be your most solid backing and support."
She gently patted her Sister Yukino's shoulder, declaring her stance.
Even if she were let down by Lin Ye in the future and grieved alone, at least she wouldn't stubbornly refuse to come back to her family for help.
Haruno had already prepared herself for her Sister encountering the worst-case scenario.
Yukino's eyes trembled slightly, her heart overflowing with a warm current of emotion.
Her sister's care for her—she genuinely received it.
Facing this care, she needed to respond.
"Thank you, Big Sister. I understand. When I need it, I'll come to you for help."
How many years had it been—once again she expressed 'asking for help' to Haruno Yukinoshita, which for a moment made Haruno think she was hearing things.
Clearly, this was her Sister's acknowledgment of her; their sisterly relationship had eased and improved considerably.
Haruno was glad,
This conversation had its effect after all; at the very least it let Yukino know how much she cared about her.
It let Yukino understand that she had this sister to rely on.
"Good. When the time comes that Lin Ye bullies you, I, as your big sister, will help you teach him a lesson—we sisters will fiercely teach him a lesson, and see whether he still dares to bully you,"
"Mm."
Yukino gave a soft murmur of assent.
She also knew that her sister had, for now, set aside the idea of persuading her.
As for giving up—honestly, she really didn't think her sister would give up just like that. She reckoned her sister would still seek opportunities later to make her give up, but at least in the short term, there was no need to worry about it.
"By the way, when it comes to that particular kind of 'bullying,' don't come to me,"
Yukino: ???
"Well, it's not that it's impossible—we sisters could fiercely teach him a lesson together, let him know our sisterly might. That's not out of the question either, right, Yukino?"
At this moment, if Yukino still couldn't catch Haruno's meaning, she wouldn't be Yukino Yukinoshita.
"Big Sister, please be more serious."
"I am very serious."
"If you ever go into heat, I can help you find a man to satisfy you,"
"Lin-kun, Lin-kun—it's definitely Lin-kun, isn't it?"
Haruno blinked her eyes, looking ever so innocent.
"Impossible."
Yukino refused flatly. Despite the two sisters having opened up to each other, certain things were absolutely impossible; for Yukino, Lin Ye was forbidden territory.
"Eh, eh, eh, so stingy,"
Haruno said without the slightest reserve, "You're even willing to share your boyfriend with that stranger, the big star from Tokyo, so what's wrong with sharing with your big sister? We're sisters! Shouldn't good things be shared?"
"No chance, stop dreaming."
She continued to refuse, without a trace of compromise.
"Yukino..."
"Go away,"
She even stood up and half-forcibly shoved her sister Haruno out the door.
Had Haruno wanted to struggle and stay, she could have, but there was no need for that now.
Everything that needed discussing had been discussed; next, Yukino probably wanted to talk with Lin Ye.
The moment she stepped out,
Haruno immediately spoke up, "Lin-kun, how awful—you were actually eavesdropping out here."
"If I'd wanted to eavesdrop, I wouldn't be standing right here, Miss Haruno."
"Hahaha, so Lin-kun really wasn't eavesdropping after all—well done, well done."
Haruno laughed heartily.
Yukino looked at Lin Ye but didn't speak, and how could Haruno, as the older sister, fail to understand her Sister's thoughts? "Lin-kun, it's your turn. My Sister Yukino wants to talk with you alone."
"Mm."
"Don't worry, I'll be eavesdropping,"
The moment she finished, Haruno felt a chill.
It was a warning from her Sister.
"Fine, fine, I won't eavesdrop then."
Haruno shrugged and left.
And Yukino turned and went back into her room.
Lin Ye walked in and casually closed the door behind him.
"Was your sister eavesdropping outside?"
"No,"
Yukino didn't draw close; instead she went over to his spot by the window, gazing out at the Chiba night view.
"Mm,"
Yukino looked at the man before her and continued, "Don't you want to know what my sister and I talked about?"
"Miss Haruno wants me to break up with you, doesn't she?"
"Mm,"
"Yukino won't agree to it,"
"Why are you so certain?"
"You didn't agree during the day, so how could you agree now?"
Her dark navy eyes settled on Lin Ye. "My sister told me about your situation."
Did she tell her about the Strange matters too?
Wasn't Haruno afraid of Yukino encountering the Strange?
Although Yukino had already encountered the Strange once before.
"Mm,"
"Don't you have anything you want to say?"
"No,"
A faint sense of stifled frustration surfaced in her at Lin Ye's silence.
"Sit here,"
She pointed at the chair in front of her, but Lin Ye instead sat down beside the girl and even wrapped his arm around her slender waist.
Yukino shifted away, and Lin Ye moved closer in turn.
"Can you keep a little distance from me?"
"No. You're my girlfriend, you're my fiancée—why should I keep distance from my girlfriend, from my fiancée?"
This matter-of-fact manner left Yukino at a loss.
"Fine. Since you know I'm your girlfriend, your fiancée, then I can make some demands of you too, can't I?"
In truth, this very line from Lin Ye was exactly what she'd been waiting for.
The relationship of status was mutual.
Since Lin Ye could make demands as a boyfriend and fiancé, she, as girlfriend and fiancée, could naturally make demands too.
"Of course you can,"
But his next words made Yukino's expression change slightly,
"I can't guarantee I'll agree to all of them."
"I hope you'll agree."
"Go ahead,"
"You want to be with me, to enter marriage in the future and spend a lifetime together, don't you?"
"Mm."
On this point, Lin Ye had not the slightest hesitation.
"You also want to be with Mai Sakurajima, to marry her and spend a lifetime together, don't you?"
This was a death trap, wasn't it?
If he answered yes, he'd probably get the machete from Yukino, wouldn't he?
Lin Ye took a quick glance but didn't spot the legendary machete.
"Answer me—your true inner thoughts."
"I do,"
Since she'd put it that way, he answered head-on.
"If that's the case, then shouldn't you cherish your own life all the more?"
After she countered, the atmosphere went quiet for a good while; then she continued, "I hope you won't go after dangerous things anymore. I hope you'll stop here and now, and return to this peaceful world."
This time she took the initiative to hold Lin Ye's hand, her eyes softening too, her voice losing a touch of cold aloofness and gaining a measure of gentleness.
"I'm... begging you. Don't do dangerous things anymore."
Lin Ye understood Yukino's meaning,
It was just that Yukino didn't know that once one became a Strange Player, there was no possibility of quitting.
"Believe me, I'll be fine,"
"Can you bear to see me frightened and worried for you?"
She would never have said such words before, but this time, to persuade Lin Ye, she'd thrown all caution to the wind.
Speaking words she might never say in her entire life.
"Yukino, I'm very strong, really. Besides the abilities you know about, I also have—"
"But there's still danger, isn't there?"
A single sentence blocked Lin Ye right back.
"For my sake, for Mai's sake, isn't quitting the better choice? Isn't your current level already enough?"
She felt that Lin Ye's current strength was already enough.
There was no longer any need to take such enormous risks.
"Haah!"
"I'll make it up to you. I know those dangerous events can feel thrilling, can excite people and stir up a desire to take on the challenge, but... I'll worry. I think Miss Mai would worry too."
Yukino truly worried about him, and sincerely hoped he would leave the Strange Game.
But,
At least at this current stage, he had no way to leave.
"I can't leave anymore,"
Lin Ye spoke earnestly, "Once you accept the invitation, there's no way to break free,"
This made Yukino's expression slowly change.
"Every month there's a mandatory mission—it's a mission that must be taken part in."
Yukino read no element of falsehood in Lin Ye's reaction.
It was true.
"Believe me, Yukino, I'll survive—survive until everything is over."
What else could she do?
Besides believing, what else could she possibly do?
Yukino let out a long sigh, voicing all the helplessness in her heart.
...
...
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