I Really Don't Want a Girlfriend Anymore Chapter 79: If a Hero Protects Others, Who Will Protect the

Despite her words, Haruno still ordered a cup of tea for him—not Longjing, but Shizuoka tea brewed by a professional tea master.

Its aroma was fresh to the nose, yet its taste was rich in the mouth, with a lingering robust scent mixed with a hint of bitterness. After drinking, a soft, sweet aftertaste filled the lips and tongue.

"Delicious."

"My drink’s good too." Haruno ordered a bottle of shochu, swirling the clear liquid in her cup, then said slowly, "It’s just us in this booth now. Drinking secretly won’t get us caught—really don’t want to try?"

"You’re so eager to get drunk?" Yuu shook his head helplessly.

Seeing her raise her glass, he responded by lifting his teacup.

*CLINK!*

The soft sound of ceramic clinking echoed.

Tilting her head back, revealing her beautiful, fair, and delicate neck, Haruno downed the sake in one gulp, her snow-white cheeks quickly flushing red.

Lowering her glass and pouring more, a gentle smile curved her lips as she glanced at him.

"No one’s getting drunk. Not you, not ."

"..."

(Is she starting to talk nonsense again?)

Without responding, Yuu quietly sipped his tea, letting its aroma dispel the scent of alcohol in front of him.

He seed to be daydreaming, staring at the table, but in truth, he was looking at the system panel.

While brushing her hair earlier, the system had rewarded him with permanent gifts: Expert-Level Gaming and Inspiration (Status).

Not to ntion the money and one-ti rewards—he’d gained a lot. Perhaps because brushing her hair, in Haruno’s heart, was truly an act only a boyfriend could do?

Combined with her earlier words and her current behavior...

(Is it enough?)

Yuu closed his eyes, unable to see the tea or sll its aroma, only feeling his heart sink slightly.

(The first mission, completed today?)

The act of "Seeking a Wife Across Hundreds of Miles" caught Haruno off guard, filling the emptiness in her heart, making her fully accept Yuu’s identity as her boyfriend, undeniable.

Or, more bluntly—

Once Haruno liked him and wanted him to be her real boyfriend, the mission would be deed complete.

The system hadn’t sent a notification yet, perhaps because she hadn’t voiced the request explicitly?

Thinking inwardly, his hand unconsciously gripped the teacup tightly.

Yuu let out a slow breath, opened his eyes, and calmly t her gaze, which never left his face.

"We should be able to talk properly here. So, want to continue our earlier conversation?"

With the glass of alcohol at her lips, Haruno paused, as if thinking.

"...Well, first, there’s one thing I need to tell you."

Yuu watched her closely, then sipped his tea: "What is it?"

"Our situation got found out by my mother."

"Pfft!"

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Yuu realized for the first ti that spraying tea across Haruno’s face wasn’t just an ani effect.

Taking the towel she offered while stifling a laugh, he wiped his face and cleaned the spilled tea. Suppressing his embarrassnt, Yuu replied in a faux-calm tone:

"How did she find out?"

"My mother’s very perceptive. After noticing my odd behavior lately, she ca straight to and forced a confession... Even if I didn’t say anything, her curiosity would’ve led her to investigate you. To avoid her causing trouble for you, I told her most of our situation."

After explaining, Haruno added: "I ntioned the French kisses, but not your all-around skills, like punching arcade machines or sneaking into the manor."

Holding his chin, Yuu nodded thoughtfully.

"I see, good thing... Wait, good thing what?!" His eyes widened suddenly, staring at her in disbelief. "You straight-up told your mother we French kissed?!"

"Hehe~" Haruno shrugged, sticking out her tongue with a deliberately cute, exaggerated smile. "What else could I do? My mother knows when I’m lying. When she asked how far we’d gone, of course I had to answer honestly~"

"You’re really..."

With one hand on his forehead, Yuu was at a loss for words, but then he rembered sothing, frowning slightly as his gaze swept over Haruno’s cheeks.

A natural flush, like she was drunk, with no trace of slap marks...

For so reason, he felt relieved: "Your mother didn’t scold you? Normally, hearing sothing like this, wouldn’t parents react strongly?"

"Of course, there was a lecture, but she’s very rational. As long as I communicate well and convince her, she’s willing to understand."

Haruno shrugged, quickly reacting, her eyes narrowing like crescent moons as she leaned closer with a smile: "You were worried about , afraid my mother hit ?"

"A little." After saying that, Yuu coldly pushed her head back to her side. "After learning about us, what did your mother say?"

Seeing her still able to smile brightly and chat with him, eager to push their relationship further, Yuu could roughly guess the answer.

Sure enough, Haruno propped her chin with both hands, her lips curving into a sweet smile as she looked at him and said:

"She told us to date officially and get married soon."

"As I thought..." Yuu sighed.

After those words, he was montarily unsure what to say, only able to drink tea to calm his unsettled heart.

Haruno swirled the liquid in her small glass, downing the sake in one go, then slamming it on the table.

*THUD!*

The sound startled Yuu, making him set down his teacup too.

"Honestly, I hate matchmaking and socializing."

Leaning back on her hands, Haruno looked up at the ceiling light, her soft lips parting as she muttered.

Caught off guard, Yuu followed her topic: "You’re just a college student, after all. Without the pressure of the family company, you’d probably be singing karaoke with friends or strolling in Shinjuku right now. Responsibility gives you a luxurious life but takes away your freedom."

"Yeah, I knew you’d understand."

Haruno smiled, her tone mimicking an elder, voice lowered a few notes as she said slowly: "Family responsibility is passed down through generations. As long as you bear the Yukinoshita na... No, even changing the family na wouldn’t make it go away."

"As long as this bloodline exists, there will be unavoidable burdens to carry. Can you escape? Of course you can!"

"With ability, anyone can escape, and Yukinoshita Haruno clearly has the ability. She could flee anyti to a place where no one knows her, using her brain and hands to create a free, luxurious life."

Haruno sighed, her tone no longer feigning age. Pouting, she said with irritation yet resignation: "But if I leave, what about my family? Who’ll inherit the company my mother and grandfather worked so hard to manage? My foolish, stubborn, overly naive little sister?"

She snorted a laugh, not hiding the sharpness in her words.

"Yukino-chan has ability, sure. But if she used it in the business world, she’d probably beco a ’monster’ like ."

"A monster who can only lie, using smiles and appearances as weapons, always calculating in every interaction and word, never able to connect sincerely with anyone... One monster is enough."

"Let her stay the ’Ice Princess.’ Whose fault is it I didn’t escape from the start? Opportunity cost, sunk cost—every adult knows how to calculate them. I’m not willing to just run away."

At this point, Haruno suddenly stopped, puffing her flushed cheeks from drinking, glaring at him irritably.

"Hey, why aren’t you saying anything?!"

Yuu poured more tea for himself: "I’m listening to you vent. Done venting?"

"Not yet!" Haruno huffed, downing glass after glass, quickly finishing the bottle of shochu.

She ordered another. Before it arrived, she looked at his calm expression and continued:

"So, do you get what I’m trying to say?"

"You hate your current life but can’t reject it for your sister’s sake?"

She imdiately hugged his arm with disgust: "What kind of thought is that, like a siscon?"

Yuu sipped his tea casually, not bothering to respond to the jab.

Haruno pouted at his lack of reaction, fanning her heated cheeks, speaking lazily: "It’s a simple principle... If a hero stands behind those who need protection, who’ll fight the monster?"

"Yukino-chan isn’t mature yet. As her grown-up sister, of course I have to bear all the responsibility~ That’s right, I’m a hero!"

She burst into laughter, shakily raising her fist as if about to transform into light.

With a resigned purse of his lips, Yuu pushed his teacup toward her.

"You said you’re not a siscon, then went on about your sister. You’re definitely drunk. Drink this tea to sober up."

"I told you, I’m not drunk."

Haruno took his cup, not drinking, just brushing her lips against the rim he’d touched.

Her misty, drunken yet icy-calm eyes stared straight at him, her cheeks slightly flushed, the corners of her lips curving happily, though she wasn’t really smiling.

"I’ve said a lot. I think the clever Yuu-chan should understand my point... So, I’ll just ask directly."

The booth was so quiet that even the sound of her foot nervously brushing the tatami was clear.

She said softly: "Will you stand in front of , great hero?"

[If a hero protects others, who will protect the hero?]—Faintly, Haruno seed to voice such a sentint.

This was no longer a hint but almost a chant, a lant, a desperate plea grasping for a straw.

"..."

Sitting upright, Yuu pressed his lips tightly, silently gazing at Haruno.

Beneath layers of false maturity, she was just a girl—so innocent, fragile, and more sentintal than most.

After weeks as a rental boyfriend, he knew... Knew that even at this near-confession mont, this girl was still so warped.

The scent of alcohol slowly faded.

Yuu raised his hand, taking back his teacup from her.

"Hold off on the answer for a bit—can I share my own thoughts first?"