As if she placed great importance on the matter, Haruno looked up and stared into his eyes earnestly.
They both stopped in front of the souvenir shop. Their gazes locked, and the atmosphere grew strangely quiet.
"…Sorry, I only brush hair for family or my girlfriend. That action holds special meaning for me, so please understand."
Returning the wooden comb to her hand, Yuu refused politely but firmly. "Even for a small favor, I can't. You should try with your little sister. Just don't mention the reason."
After speaking, as if not wanting to give Haruno any excuse to pester him, he turned and walked away.
"Is that so? If you say it like that…"
Judging it wasn't the right time to press further, Haruno could only sigh resignedly and tuck the wooden comb back into her chest pocket.
With his back to her, Yuu frowned slightly, showing a thoughtful expression.
If he wasn't mistaken, that well-maintained comb had a faint black mark running through its springtime painting.
Was it an accidental scratch, or was the comb truly cracked from within?
If it was really cracked, did that mean something bad was coming?
You couldn't blame Yuu for overthinking. He had an unreliable system, which made him a bit paranoid. He feared his ex-girlfriend's memories might suddenly return, and she'd grab his collar, demanding he take responsibility…
But even if that happened, he couldn't go back to her!
After the world line shifted and his feelings were taken, the only person Yuu liked now was Natsukawa Masuzu. That was beyond doubt.
Forget Yuuki Asuna, who hadn't even spoken to him yet—his feelings for Haruno were, at most, friendly. If she kept bothering him like this, he could only play dumb and keep rejecting her.
Yuu couldn't help but sigh.
(Let's just go with the flow. After all, for others, this never happened. If she's the only one who remembers, without proof, it won't have much impact…)
This applied to himself too.
If he hadn't let the system take his feelings back then and tried to reunite with Haruno, he'd probably just get a confused stare and a "Who are you?" followed by a merciless kick.
Don't be fooled by Yuu's demeanor—he was actually quite fragile. He didn't dare do things that would surely hurt him.
Unless the system could heal the wound. Unless he was determined to end it all.
Yuu sincerely hoped Haruno wouldn't take the path he was deliberately avoiding.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Leaving Kawai Shrine, he returned to the main path connected to the Momiji Bridge.
Following the dense, red Tadasu Forest ahead and walking straight, he'd see the giant torii gate of Shimogamo's main shrine.
The sun was blocked by clouds, the sky shifting from gray to dark.
The shaded tunnel was lit by lanterns glowing on the ground. The orange light rising from the earth was beautiful, as if he were stepping into a mysterious, tranquil otherworld.
Walking on the stone path illuminated by lanterns, Yuu felt a slight regret. He hadn't insisted Masuzu leave her room to enjoy this beautiful, calming forest scenery with him.
So now, the one accompanying him was this troublesome older sister.
"Wow~ The success rate for love confessions here must be super high, don't you think?"
"Average."
"The lighting's great, and the atmosphere too. What else? Are you the type to give flowers during a confession?"
"Maybe."
"Such a pity. I think just showing up as you are is enough. You don't even need a confession. After all, companionship is the most enduring expression of love~"
"That's not true."
"…"
This was what you'd call a salty response.
Even for Haruno, after being treated like that, she lost interest in continuing the conversation. She obediently shut her mouth, looking at the fiery red forest with a bored expression.
After crossing another stone bridge, they finally reached the main Shimogamo Shrine.
The towering torii gate stood with a commanding presence ahead. To the right was the Temizu-ya, where visitors were supposed to purify their hands and mouths before entering the gate. To the left was a large rock formed from many small stones, called Sazare-ishi, symbolizing the small stones becoming a great rock in Japan's national anthem, Kimigayo.
Though aware of the purification rule, Yuu, not wanting the hassle, walked straight through the torii gate. Haruno quickly followed beside him, not glancing at the Temizu-ya either.
In a sense, they were both selfish. They did what they wanted, and if they didn't want to, even a deity couldn't force them.
In truth, passing the torii gate didn't mean reaching Shimogamo Shrine. There was another popular spot before it—Aioi Shrine.
Aioi Shrine worshipped Kami no Musubi, a deity venerating tall trees and revered as the god of creation and birth in Japan's Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. This deity also symbolized eternal life and immortality, one of the Three Creator Gods in Japanese mythology.
Tourists here typically drew love fortunes from the box beside the shrine, then completed the love prayer ritual with their partners, hoping for a happy life and growing old together.
If you enjoyed people-watching, spending ten or twenty minutes near Aioi Shrine would reveal these patterns.
Groups of girls came to the fortune box laughing, with mysterious and hopeful expressions, carefully drawing wooden sticks and exchanging them for fortune papers from the miko. Then they prayed from Aioi Shrine to other shrines and stones, tossing coins at each prayer.
Couples, on the other hand, approached Aioi Shrine quietly, looking happy yet respectful, performing the same rituals with different emotions.
Unfortunately, none of this had anything to do with Yuu.
He only came to enjoy the scenery and take photos. He had no intention of praying.
The Renri no Sakaki was to the left of Aioi Shrine. Two trees grew together as one. New sprouts emerged from their roots, branching into separate canopies. If one connected tree died, a new sprout would automatically reconnect. The tree he saw was the fourth generation.
Due to this strange phenomenon, the Renri no Sakaki was believed to hold prayer powers for love bonds, easy childbirth, child-rearing, and family harmony. Especially for love bonds, it had a magical effect. This was why young men and women eagerly prayed at Aioi Shrine. The tree was even listed as one of Shimogamo Shrine's Seven Wonders.
Yuu took several photos with his phone. He also captured the fortune box and the shrine but deliberately deleted images where Haruno snuck into the frame.
"How old are you, really?"
"Could be five, could be eighteen. Women are unpredictable~"
Smiling shamelessly, Haruno approached the prayer instruction board. She glanced at it briefly, then suddenly waved at him enthusiastically.
"Hey, how about we pray at Aioi Shrine? They say it binds soulmates. Even if we get amnesia, we could fall in love again. It sounds like it has a magical drama-like effect!"