“By the way, Kotomi, you really are brave. You knew Megumi Kato had seen through your lies, and yet you still followed her home.”

Kazumi sat on a comfortable sofa conjured within the mental space, stroking Kotomi Izumi’s head as she lay on her lap. That sort of act was probably best called a lap pillow.

“I knew Megumi realized I was lying. I did it on purpose—I wanted her to get angry… yes, I deliberately let her see through my lie, just to make her mad.”

After speaking, Kotomi glanced at her abdomen, where the gory wound still remained. No matter how bloody horror games were, they were ultimately fiction. Seeing it in reality sent a chill crawling up her spine. Fortunately, when Megumi stabbed her and then herself, she used a short knife. If it had been a longer blade, it might have pierced her entire abdomen through.

“Why would you do that? You know Megumi’s calm exterior hides a deep possessiveness.”

“I guess… I wanted her to be rougher with me when we’re doing that kind of thing.”

Kotomi murmured softly. For some reason, she liked it when Megumi treated her roughly in intimate moments. So she kept testing her, wanting to see just how rough Megumi could get.

This time, too, she had wanted to lure Megumi into being harsher. That was why she deliberately let her see through the lie about spending all of Sunday at home, and then followed her to her house without hesitation.

She hadn’t expected things to spiral out of control. Megumi’s actions had indeed grown rougher—no, more than rough. They had turned cruel. She had even used a knife.

Kazumi needed a moment to process Kotomi’s words. After her mind spun for a bit, she finally reacted and tugged the corner of her lips.

“You’re a masochist, aren’t you?”

“…I won’t deny it.” Kotomi stayed silent for a long time before quietly admitting it.

Those four simple words were like a trigger. Kazumi instantly felt the urge to unleash her tentacles.

Fortunately, she managed to reel in her reason quickly. After all, while Kotomi appeared tangible right now, she was still essentially a fragile soul. She couldn’t endure anything too extreme.

“In a bit, I’ll revive you and Megumi, then rewind time a little. But if you can’t coax her properly, even if you’re revived, she might stab you again. Don’t expect me to be able to save you both twice. Next time, I’ll only preserve your soul.”

“Like saving and loading in a game?”

“Something like that—but not exactly.”

“Will Megumi remember stabbing me?”

“Afraid she’ll hold it against you later? That I can’t say for sure. Normally, after a soul is preserved and time is rewound, humans forget the memory of their death.”

“And me? Will I forget?”

“You won’t. You’re not human,” Kazumi replied without hesitation. Then, realizing how it sounded, she added quickly: “You’re the Queen of All Females. Even if you went through countless cycles of soul preservation and time rewinding, you wouldn’t forget.”

“Once is enough. I don’t want to be stabbed over and over again…” Kotomi shuddered, then rolled over, burying her head between Kazumi’s thighs.

After a while, she asked again, “Kazumi, can you revive me and Megumi now?”

“Anytime. I rested just now and regained a little strength. But you’d better be careful this time. If you trigger the yandere ending again, Megumi won’t survive it. I won’t be able to use soul preservation and time rewind twice in quick succession. I’ll only protect your soul, holding you in eternal darkness until the moment comes to bring you into a new world.”

Kazumi poked Kotomi’s cheek, her tone as light as ever. But the words themselves were anything but a joke.

“Did using soul preservation and time rewind back-to-back have any side effects on you?”

Sensing something off in Kazumi’s words, Kotomi sat up and looked at her seriously. Only then did she notice that the hand Kazumi had been stroking her hair with looked like dandelion fluff in the wind—ready to scatter and vanish at any moment.

Kazumi gave a wry smile, shaking her small hand helplessly.

“I was planning to tell you after reviving you, but I didn’t expect you, usually as dense as a block of wood, to notice now. Hmph. I’ve used soul preservation twice in a row, and next I’ll use time rewind. The energy cost is something I can’t explain clearly to you right now. From one perspective, what I’m doing is reversing life and death itself.

“Everything in the world has its own laws. Humans have their laws, nature has its rules, and the system world has its order too. To reverse life and death means bearing sin as the price. Don’t think I’m not afraid—I am. But for your sake, I find I have nothing left to fear. Inside me there’s only courage.”

“What price exactly?!” Kotomi asked anxiously. She wanted to be revived, but not at the cost of Kazumi’s wellbeing…

“Forcing life back, especially reviving two at once—the energy consumed and the price I must bear will instantly exhaust me as a system. I’ll fall into a long slumber. As for when I’ll wake…” Kazumi’s bitter smile deepened. “I don’t know.”

But it was the only way. The moment Kazumi chose soul preservation, she had already accepted this outcome.

She was afraid. As a system, if her energy were depleted, the host’s powers wouldn’t disappear—but Kazumi herself might either wake from her slumber after a long time or never wake at all, vanishing in her sleep.

Even knowing this, she still used soul preservation, and she would use time rewind next. Because she didn’t want Kotomi to die.

The rest of the path… would have to be walked by Kotomi alone.

Seeing Kotomi’s face about to crumple into tears, Kazumi smiled faintly and pushed her small shoulder. “Don’t show that expression. You need to grow up. From here on, you’ll have to rely on yourself.”

“Will the slumber from energy depletion hurt you in any way?” Kotomi asked, lips trembling.

“No.”

Kazumi shook her head firmly, her brightest smile on her face.

“It’s just exhaustion. Just a long sleep. You don’t need to worry. It’s like when humans get tired and need rest. What, you weren’t planning on making me work overtime, were you? Haha… enough joking. Be ready. I’ll return your soul and rewind time.”

Her words eased Kotomi’s heart a little. She followed Kazumi’s instructions, stepping off the sofa and sitting on the floor.

Kazumi also left the sofa.

The two faced each other.

“Before I fall asleep, I have one small request. Kotomi, can you… hug me first?”

Kotomi did as asked, holding her tightly in her arms. Kazumi’s skin was soft and damp with sweat.

Her warm body carried the steady thump-thump of a heartbeat.

The silent embrace lasted who knew how long. It could have been hours, or just a few seconds. In this mental space without time, there was no way to tell.

Kazumi leaned closer, brushing her nose against Kotomi’s. Light of pink and blue shimmered beautifully around her, like when she usually returned from the real world into Kotomi’s body.

As Kotomi’s eyes began to close fully, Kazumi seemed to whisper something softly.

When Kotomi returned from the mental space to reality, Kazumi had already set things in place: if she were to vanish during her slumber, then Kotomi would forget everything about her.

In Kotomi’s memory, she would only recall having a cold, silent system. One that never spoke, never chatted with her. Its only benefit? The shop prices were cheap.

“If you ever feel lonely or afraid~ just climb the mountains and cross the seas~ all that you lack will be healed by the imagined sound of strings and the ocean’s tide~ with kindness and love, hold onto the love within your reach~ with those eyes full of affection~ watch her~ as she walks toward the place no one else can reach~”

At the very end, Kazumi smiled faintly, humming softly, before sinking into her long sleep.

…

When Kotomi opened her eyes again, the world around her from her feet to the horizon was dyed in afternoon sunset.

She realized time had rewound to after school, when she was walking home with Megumi Kato.

“Kazumi…” Kotomi called softly. But unlike before, there was no reply. The mental space was silent, vast, and empty.

Before she knew it, tears had begun to fall.

From now on, she would have to live using only her own strength.

And wait—until Kazumi awakened from her long slumber.

…

“Kotomi.”

Megumi Kato softly called her name from not far away. Kotomi turned around, instinctively touching her stomach.

The wound was gone. Her soft skin had returned to normal.

Kotomi walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped, again rubbing her stomach. To Megumi, this little action looked so cute she couldn’t help but laugh lightly.

“Are you hungry? Come on, let’s go. I bought a lot of snacks earlier and left them in the kitchen. Once we get home, I’ll grab some for you.”

Kotomi almost replied casually, but then quickly recalled her death—when Megumi stabbed her. Both of them had entered the house empty-handed, so where had Megumi gotten the knife?

Only one place—the kitchen.

Realizing this, Kotomi understood immediately: she couldn’t let Megumi go into the kitchen alone. From the moment they stepped into the Kato house, she had to stay close to her at all times.

That was only the beginning. Last time, after killing Kotomi, Megumi had decisively killed herself too—because love had turned to hatred.

Now it was Monday afternoon. It was too late to erase the lie about “spending all of Sunday at home.” What mattered was finding a way to ease the imbalance in Megumi’s heart.

If she succeeded, she could avoid the yandere ending and continue sweetly together with her.

If she failed, even if she stuck to Megumi’s side and never let her act alone, Megumi would still find some way to grab a weapon. Maybe not a knife this time—maybe strangling, or another method.

Kazumi’s warning remained clear. If Kotomi was killed again, Kazumi might barely save her—but Megumi would definitely die.

Revival had not made Kotomi relax. If anything, her mindset had changed. Neither she nor Kazumi had infinite saves and reloads. If she died again this time, it would truly be the end.

Kazumi had traded a long slumber for this one chance at revival—for both her and Megumi. Kotomi had to succeed.

Not only for herself, but also for Megumi—and for Kazumi, now asleep.

Kotomi’s death memory hadn’t vanished. She still remembered Megumi’s tear-streaked face smeared with blood as she looked at Kotomi’s corpse—eyes brimming with love, her expression twisted between crying and laughing—as she ended her own life without hesitation.

That moment burned into Kotomi’s heart. She admitted that when Megumi stabbed her, she had felt panic, confusion, and the rage of survival instinct.

But when she saw Megumi turn the knife on herself, what Kotomi wanted most was to reach out and hold that blade in her hand.

And say: I’m sorry, Megumi. I really do love you.

But back then, she had already lost too much blood. Her vision was gone. She couldn’t even lift her hand, let alone speak.

They entered the Kato house again.

Mr. and Mrs. Kato were out. Only Megumi and Kotomi were home.

“Kotomi, go upstairs to my room first. I’ll grab some snacks from the kitchen,” Megumi said with a light laugh as she slipped off her shoes.

“No.” Kotomi refused flatly.

“Hm?” Megumi turned slightly, looking at her in puzzlement.

“Snacks aren’t necessary. If we eat now, we won’t have room for dinner. Mmhm! Let’s just go upstairs. I want to copy the notes quickly. Or… did you really invite me here just to copy notes?” Kotomi leaned close to her, her tone carrying a trace of temptation.

Megumi blinked, then chuckled softly. “That doesn’t sound like something you’d say. No matter how many snacks you eat, it never affects your appetite for dinner~”

If I let you go to the kitchen for snacks, I can kiss tonight’s dinner goodbye! Kotomi screamed inwardly.

Her soft but insistent coaxing left Megumi Kato with no choice but to give in. She agreed not to go to the kitchen and went upstairs to the bedroom together with Kotomi.

As soon as they entered the room, Kotomi sat down as usual to copy notes, though she kept a constant watch on Megumi’s movements. When Megumi stood up to draw the curtains, Kotomi also rose to her feet—

The moment the curtains were closed, the room dimmed instantly, with no light turned on. Only faint streaks of the sunset filtered through the cracks.

When Megumi turned back around, she froze. Just a moment ago Kotomi had been sitting, head lowered, copying notes. Now… she was undressing?

“K-Kotomi, what are you doing?” Megumi was caught completely off guard.

Kotomi shot her a coquettish glance, tossing her discarded undergarment onto the floor before pulling Megumi into her arms.

“Megumi, don’t think about anything. Just do what you want most right now.”

Megumi could feel Kotomi’s racing heartbeat.

She could feel the softness of her touch.

Why was everything about Kotomi so intoxicating?

She loved Kotomi far too much.

Every word Kotomi had ever spoken to her, she treasured as the most beautiful words and memories of her life.

That was why, when she realized Kotomi hadn’t really spent all of Sunday at home as she had said, but instead had gone to karaoke with Yui Yuigahama—when she had skipped school that morning and arrived late together with Yukino Yukinoshita—Megumi’s heart had completely collapsed. Silent, yet utterly hysterical.

She couldn’t accept Kotomi’s lies.

Kotomi was like a flower petal drifting in the wind—so beautiful, yet whenever Megumi tried to grasp her, she would slip away, floating off again. No matter how hard she reached, she could only hold onto that petal for a fleeting moment before it slipped through her fingers.

That sense of never truly having her… was unbearable.

“How… how can I truly make you mine?” Megumi whispered, clutching Kotomi’s small hands around her.

Then she pushed Kotomi down onto the bed, her movements rough, almost violent—yet filled with love, and anger.

“I’m right here in front of you, aren’t I~?” Kotomi answered in a sultry tone, her voice light and teasing.

—

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