Considering it was only 9 AM, Yuu didn't immediately visit the Yuigahama Residence, but instead stopped by a supermarket near his home on his way back to buy groceries.
The shopping street was mostly cleared of snow by now. The ice crystals hanging from dry tree branches and eaves were no longer bothersome, and along with the streetlights, they adorned a scene that should have been for a white Christmas. Surely by night, all of Tokyo would once again be dreamily beautiful, filled with a romantic atmosphere rarely seen on ordinary days.
Then, on last Christmas Eve, if he wasn't with Yukino, how did he spend it?
Pondering this question, Yuu passed a small park, and was drawn by cheerful shouts emanating from within.
He could see several petite girls with different hair colors playing a snowball fight, perhaps around eleven or twelve years old? Their small gloved hands clutched snowballs. They threw them at their opponents without much force, laughing heartily as they dodged scattered snow, their slender, tiny yet energetic bodies running and jumping on the snow.
Such a beautiful everyday scene, just by watching from afar, Yuu felt an inexplicable sense of healing. A joyful smile unconsciously appeared on his face—of course, to avoid being considered a perverted pedophile, before smiling, he had used Existence Adjustment to lower his level of presence.
After overtly watching from the side for two or three minutes, Yuu finally walked away content. The elementary school girls were still merrily playing a snowball fight, and he hadn't bothered any pedestrians or patrolling police.
At the same time, he also recalled his encounter with this group of little girls.
"How nostalgic... Back then, to try out my throwing skills, I even deliberately took an elementary schooler's basketball to throw..."
Like an old general reminiscing his past on the battlefield, Yuu sighed, shaking his head sadly.
Yet, he hadn't actually "taken" the ball. It had merely rolled to his feet by chance, and he used it to show off in front of those little girls.
In the past, a 20-meter free throw that required full concentration to make, for him now, he could sink it with just a header—and his Expert-level Throwing skill from back then had now been synthesized to the highest perfect level. Whatever he threw, and however he threw it, it would surely hit the target.
From summer vacation to winter vacation, in less than half a year, those little girls were still just as spirited and cute, not much had changed.
However, Yuu himself was as if he had walked into the Spiritual Time Chamber. Both physically and mentally, he was vastly different from his former self, who was a Part-Time Worker, an Emotionless Task Machine, a Completely Unbeatable Virgin Siscon, and lived only for his sister.
He probably never expected that he would meet such important people, finding more reasons to strive for life in this world.
He probably never expected that he, whose heart and actions were righteous, would choose to race down a clearly wrong path, solely for the girls he dated for dozens of days.
He probably never expected that he, who lacked neither money nor ability, and had no worries about the future, would be troubled every day by many trivial matters concerning girls, even tasting forbidden fruit with other women before Sora grew up.
Regardless of whether he had ever thought about it, Yuu couldn't help but ask himself now—
Did he miss the pure and ordinary days of the past? Did he want to continue a restarted life without the system?
The answer was unequivocally no.
From the first task to the current fifth task, Yuu could face every timeline calmly. Every step he took was his choice—except for the day he was saved by Yukino, when his weaker self yielded the choice to her, and it took him a long time to truly rise.
But the person who made the final decision was always him. Yuu had once regretted, thinking he could have done better, but he never regretted his choice at that time.
Including retrieving emotions, with his fragile and stubborn mentality at the time, he might not have been able to do it after breaking up with Asuna, and would have been tormented by guilt.
Right or wrong, the current story was the one Yuu himself had lived through. Therefore, not looking back and continuing forward was inevitable—if this story didn't limit itself to one heroine, and ended with a happy harem ending, that would be even better.
...Ahem, don't misunderstand, one man and many women here means everyone watching fireworks together, going to the beach together, and so on, there's no other meaning.
"Haaah, time flies so fast, in the blink of an eye oceans turn into mulberry fields, and people have already changed~"
Ignoring those chaotic thoughts, with both hands in his pockets and a relaxed smile.
Yuu ambled away from the front of the park, stepping onto the gray street drenched by snow, heading toward the supermarket closest to home.
Midway, he passed an old red brick wall covered in graffiti.
Yuu still remembered, that was where the two of them usually caught a ride. Haruno would typically pick him up and drive him back in the evening.
Such a scene he hadn't experienced for months—it even only appeared as a faint memory, leaving behind only longing when recalled, like a rootless water hyacinth.
"I hope Haruno's memories are still there..."
Seeing another unfamiliar white sports car parked in front of the red brick wall, Yuu could only sigh softly, with an indescribable complex feeling rising in his heart, mostly the bitterness of guilt.
Although having such thoughts now was actually just as bad as a green tea girl who had had her fill of playing around, and hoped her backup boy still loved her...
"Jerk" was just one word, and he wouldn't say it twice.
His way of thinking about liking someone was completely different now for Yuu—just like when he recalled the past now, he truly wanted to punch his past self who had unhesitatingly hurt Haruno.
Even though there were reasons for doing so, he had never lied to Haruno. All his words and actions were the most authentic and truthful reactions at that time.
That still couldn't erase the fact that he made his girlfriend cry.
That woman had pursued him from the past until now, not even hesitating to break the system's boundaries, recover her memories, and wanting to restore him.
However, Yuu used the excuse that his former feelings were gone, stood from a victim's perspective, avoided her, rejected her, and distanced himself. He betrayed feelings softer than the winter sun, letting her tears, her determination to fight her younger sister for him, and the bracelet she made for him, all go to waste.
Was there anything more outrageous than this in the world?
...There was.
It was after all that, somehow his feelings returned, and he still hoped that woman could retain her memories, and become one of his harem members.
Thinking this, Yuu couldn't help but hug his head, and immediately began to self-blame, muttering in a gloomy tone:
"Ah, I'm such a jerk. Why am I such a jerk? I'd be better off dead, why ruin those girls' lives..."
His self-hatred polluted his surroundings like exhaust fumes from an old bus.
However, it didn't last long. Yuu regained his spirits, and stepped into the supermarket with a calm expression.
He pulled a shopping cart and walked toward the meat section, leaving not the slightest trace of the person who had been squatting on the ground and hating himself moments ago.
After all, first, he was thick-skinned.
Second, Haruno once said, only they could deny it. The only thing he had to do was to stand before them responsibly, let them remember everything, and then let them mete out punishment as they wished.
So this path Yuu had to take was not only a bright path that allowed everyone to be happy, but also a path of redemption for those he had hurt.
No matter how much criticism he would receive, no matter how many times he had to hear the words "jerk" or "disgusting" Yuu could not possibly stop now.
This wasn't self-pity, but a responsibility he had to bear.
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Carrying two plastic bags in his hands, after buying enough groceries for five days for the siblings, Yuu left the supermarket, preparing to go home.
His steps were light. However, turning a corner, he stopped slightly stiffly as soon as he saw his house door.
At the same time, as if telepathy stimulated her nerves, the suspicious woman looking left and right in front of Yuu's house suddenly turned around.
Both faced each other directly across the distant street.
"Why..."
Caught off guard, his eyes went blank. Yuu muttered unconsciously.
He saw the fashionable, mature, and beautiful young woman in the distance. After being stunned for a moment, she slowly narrowed her gentle and charming eyes, as if saying proudly, "I caught you~"
The corners of her soft and full lips also gradually pulled into a bloodthirsty and cold smile. The focus of her eyes locked onto Yuu's neck and vital points, repeatedly scrutinizing him like a venomous snake, as if she wanted to try something immediately.
Why was this happening?
In her gaze, for no apparent reason, Yuu felt the fear of a great catastrophe about to befall him.
"Why is Haruno here?"
The young man who had just been contemplating atonement couldn't help but tremble. A chill ran from his backside to the top of his head, warning him that he should run now.
...But now, it seemed too late to regret.