Yokodera Youto/Story

==Childhood==
When Youto was a child, his older sister, Yotsuba grew extremely sick and was hospitalized long-term. Initially, he would often visit his older sister, but as her health continued to decline, a sense of helplessness and despair began to weigh heavily on him. Eventually, he began to outright reject the idea of visiting.
Because of this, Youto's disappointed parents would grow tired of him, eventually casting him aside, pushing the responsibility of raising him off onto a teacher at his nursery school, Tsutsukakushi Tsukasa. She lived alone, separated from her children, and the two of them quickly grew close. Youto often visited her home, making many memories in the place of her children as they took care of each other. At the time, he resented Tsukasa's daughters, finding it unfair that they could call her "mother" despite having barely made any memories with her. It is later revealed that the abandonment by Youto's parents was not their true intention. Instead, it was the result of Tsukasa's wish for a family in her most desperate and lonely times, granted by the Cat God.
One time, Tsukasa's daughters would return from Italy to visit her. Despite initially claiming to hate her mother, Tsukushi's true feelings were later revealed as she has longed for memories with her mother since their separation. Realizing that he cannot serve as an replacement for the daughters, Youto decided to give up the memories he made with Tsukasa and bestow them upon Tsukushi, using the power of the Stony Cat which watched over the house.
However, the effect of this extended beyond losing the memories with Tsukasa. Because of his declaration that he didn't care about the past, the Stony Cat's powers would take anything that resembles memories away from him, even ones that he makes in the future. From this point on, he would easily forget anyone that he did not interact with on a daily basis, no matter how close they might once be.
==Meeting Emi==
Youto first met Emi when in his third year of middle school. His search for his best friend Ponta's pet bunny, Yaji-san, led him to a local church, where he saw Emi, a member of the choir, storming out after being scolded by a nun for being late and dirtying her clothes. Youto finds the girl in the backyard of the church, taking care of Yaji-san, realizing this the reason why she was late and why her clothes are dirty. Seeing her cry, Youto volunteered to be her ally, marking the start of their daily hangouts. Though she initally acted in a tsundere fashion towards Youto, she opened up about her personal struggles with time, eventually developing a sibling-like relationship. At one point, Youto promised to take her to a high school sports festival. However, when Emi leaves Japan for two years, memories about Emi would eventually be lost to the Stony Cat's power.
==Meeting Tsukiko==
In his first year of high school, Youto joined the track-and-field club with an ulterior motive of peeking into the girl's swimming club. However, the training of the infamous club president, Steel King Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi would prove too harsh, leading him to find ways to escape club activity.
One day, crawling through a tunnel, he emerges out the other side at the nearby Tsukimi Nursery School, where he finds a young girl wearing an ogre mask. As they began hanging out regularly, he learned that the ogre girl dreamed of becoming a nursery school teacher but struggled with shyness and communication issues, and wore a mask to hide her emotions. No matter how hard she tried, the children at the nursery school would never take a liking to her.
One day, one of the horns on her mask broke off. Youto made the suggestion for her to pick out a new mask instead of fixing it, and she settled for a cat mask, which finally allowed her to get along with the children. However, Youto would also learn that it was their last day meeting at the nursery school, as the ogre girl was about to start attending the same high school as Youto.
During their time together, Youto had never once seen the masked girl's face or learned her name. The girl would challenge him to find and approach her in school, which he agreed to, but this promise, too, was lost to the Stony Cat's power.
==Beginning of the Story==
Due to his tendency to maintain a facade, Youto is recognized as a dedicated member of the track-and-field club and nominated as candidate for the next president. Struggling with the inconveniences caused by his facade, Youto visits the Stony Cat shrine, rumored to transfer unwanted traits to others, and wishes to discard his inability to express his true feelings. There, he meets Tsukiko, who wishes to suppress her emotions. Their wishes are granted, but with unintended consequences: Youto begins to speak his mind uncontrollably, while Tsukiko loses all emotional expression. Together, they resolve to retrieve what they have lost.
Their investigation leads them to Azuki Azusa, who has inherited Youto's facade. Youto pledges himself as her "pet" to get closer to her and uncovers her double life of part-time jobs behind her noble school persona. Attempting to retrieve his facade, Youto organizes a date with Azusa, but it is disrupted when Tsukiko's older sister, the Steel King, intervenes. The date ends in misunderstanding and conflict as Azusa encounters her former bullies, leading her to isolate herself. With persistence and the help of Azusa's mother, Youto brings her to the Stony Cat, where she relinquishes the facade, restoring it to Youto.
When confronted by the Steel King for his previous actions, he claims that the person she saw was in fact his evil twin, which Tsukushi somehow believes. Yokodera accompanies Tsukiko back to her home. The Steel King finds them and promptly thrashes Yokodera, who she deems his fictional evil twin brother.
Tsukiko reveals to Youto that she views her loss of expressions as a way to become more mature and perhaps reconcile with her sister, but Youto strongly opposes this, insisting that her true feelings matter more than appeasing others. Youto learns that the Steel King not only owns the hill where the Stony Cat resides but also created the statue in her childhood. However, Tsukushi dismisses the idea that the statue holds any real power, attributing Tsukiko's changes to natural maturity. Tensions escalate when Youto confronts Tsukushi, who openly admits wanting to sever their sisterly bonds. However, she later clarifies that she's been studying to go to college in Massachusetts in order to legally marry Tsukiko, a dream which Tsukiko quickly shoots down.
Changing her mind about the Stony Cat's powers, Tsukushi threatens it into returning Tsukiko's emotions in the form of the meat bun that she lost the night she made the wish. Tsukiko, realizing what the meatbun signifies, instead offers it to the Steel King despite Youto's attempts to stop her — Tsukiko, believing that her older sister is in fact very kind yet struggles to express herself, decides to give up her expressions for good and offer them to her sister instead.
==Stay at the Tsutsukakushi Household==
At the end of summer break, Yokodera arrives home to discover that his house has vanished. He calls Tsukiko for help, who invites him to her house.
While Tsukiko takes a bath, Youto hears the sound of an argument, prompting him to go rescue Tsukiko while naked. The angered Steel King confines who she thought was Yokodera's evil twin in a futon, and promises him many different methods of torture. Fortunately for Yokodera, she soon falls asleep. She starts talking in her sleep, revealing to Yokodera that she is terribly afraid of losing Tsukiko, her only living family member, and becoming all alone. Escaping the futon, Youto ends up at the bath again. He notices the light is on and opens the door so he can turn it off, only to reveal a naked Tsukiko. The Steel King, awakened by some sixth sense when it comes to Tsukiko, rushes to her aid. Running away, Yokodera takes shelter in the nearby storehouse to sleep for the night, which contains a huge statue of the Stony Cat.
The next morning, Youto receives a call from Azuki Azusa. She has made up with her former classmates, but is still mad at Yokodera. She mentions that she bought a great swimsuit, questioning why the hentai did not... However, Yokodera understands her as being upset because the swimsuit didn't look good on her. After saying a lot of things that are misinterpreted, he ends the call as the bus arrives.
At school, Yokodera questions Tsukushi about the huge Stony Cat in the storehouse. Tsukushi admits the Stony Cat has been a family heirloom for generations, but she doesn't really believe in its powers. In the past, after a fight with Tsukiko, when the young Steel King wished to make up with her, a block of wood and chiseling tools appeared. Tsukushi took this as a sign and created the Stony Cat of the first volume. However, she takes this as her own action and not as a wish granted by the cat. After this, she invites Youto to her house to plan an assassination of his evil twin.
Tsukiko rings Yokodera to say that something terrible has happened. Yokodera rushes to the Tsutsukakushi residence and finds Tsukiko in the storage room, surrounded by strange objects, which are identified as items from his missing house. After speaking with Tsukushi about an alternative plan to make Tsukiko hate the evil twin, he returns to the storehouse to look over his items. As he wishes for Azusa to be back from her vacation, she is immediately teleported in front of him. He explains that it was the Stony Cat who did it, and Azusa tests out a wish of her own. A pair of handcuffs appears in Yokodera's hands, who uses them to tie Azusa down to the bed and begins to remark on her attractiveness. Azusa cancels the wish, the handcuffs disappear, and Yokodera comes to his senses.
That night, the Steel King sneaks into the storehouse and attempts to seduce who she thought was the younger brother Yokodera, but fails miserably. She states that Yokodera will take Tsukiko away from her and wishes the world to just end if she can't seduce him and change that future. The wish is granted by the Stony Cat as destruction commences all around them. Yokodera protects her from falling debris, which she misinterprets as him falling for her charm, causing the apocalypse to stop.
After a day or two of being trapped in the house due to a typhoon, Yokodera senses something wrong, coming to the conclusion that it was the result of someone's wish. The continuous downpour has begun causing a flood, and the four rush to save what they can. Yokodera and the Steel King, who has started falling for the evil twin Yokodera, work together downstairs, where he asks her to cancel her wish, even if she doesn't believe in the Stony Cat's powers. She however answers that she has already tried doing so. The building then starts collapsing on them. She clings to Yokodera, who notices that none of the debris hits them — almost as if intentionally avoiding them.
Concluding that the wish was actually made by Tsukiko, he meets with her alone. She reveals how lonely she is, with her sister at school all day and no one else in their large mansion, so she wants Yokodera, who always treats her as a younger sister, to be her older brother. Yokodera refuses, explaining that even amongst "brothers," there are differences. He wants to be her brother-in-law rather than a blood-related brother. Rather than being with her all the time, he wants the excitement of being with her only some of the time. He then invites Tsukiko to come to his house and meet his family, which consists of his older sister and his two parents. She agrees and cancels her wish.
In the end, Azusa and Tsukushi also decide to go along to Yokodera's house. On the day they're to go, Yokodera meets with the Steel King a little earlier to show her his family registry, intending to come clean regarding his supposed "evil twin." However, when Tsukushi sees that no brother of Yokodera is registered, she instead concludes that the evil twin Yokodera is hated by his family so much that he has been stricken from the register. She then kisses Yokodera on the cheek, which Azusa witnesses.
==Reunion With Emi==
Tsukiko has been traveling all the way to Yokodera's house every morning, so they can go to school together. Yokodera talks about how Tsukiko has changed a little; for example, she now won't respond unless he calls her by her given name. Youto also mentions that he has been struggling with an "Azusa Problem."
Their conversation is interrupted by Emi, who tackles Yokodera before clinging onto him. Tsukiko questions who the girl is, but Yokodera has no idea, having forgotten his interactions with her back in middle school due to his childhood sacrifice. Emi whispers to a small cat statue she carries around for it to work something out, and in the next instant, Yokodera remembers her as Ponta's younger sister. Requested by Ponta, Yokodera reluctantly agrees to showing Emi around the upcoming sports festival at their school.
Yokodera sneaks into the school but is caught by the vice president of his club, Maimaki Mai. Realizing that Yokodera is treated poorly at school, Emi once again turns to her miniature cat for help, wishing that everyone were nice to Yokodera, that everyone felt more like going to the pool, and that everyone and the school were more interesting. The wish converts the school buildings into Italian landmarks, and all the students are now wearing swimsuits and treat Youto like a true prince.
Youto convinces Emi to find the Steel King for some training, while he finds Tsukiko at the cafeteria. She expresses distrust in Emi, believing that she is stealing Youto from her. However, Youto assures her that she doesn't see Emi that way and convinces her to meet Emi again. As they leave, Tsukiko takes off her blouse, revealing a swimsuit. They meet up with the Steel King, who is doing stretches in her swimsuit, and an exhausted Emi.
As the four of them chat, Emi spots a person across the field staring at them — Azuki Azusa. Youto elaborates on his "Azusa Problem": Whenever Yokodera is with Tsukushi, Azusa always seems to appear out of nowhere to spy on them. But whenever he tries to approach her, she runs away. She no longer calls or emails him, and she certainly won't talk to him. He did write a letter explaining the situation and put it in her locker, but her attitude didn't change at all.
Emi suddenly escapes, but thanks to this distraction, Yokodera is able to catch Azusa. She manages to talk some sense into Tsukiko, making her realize that the swimsuits, the strange buildings, and the "prince treatment" are not normal. Tsukiko mistakenly believes that this was a result of Youto's wish, telling him to cancel it once he is satisfied.
Later, Tsukushi finds Youto on the rooftop and expresses her belief that Youto was not the culprit. Having an idea of who it might be, Youto asks her to cooperate in his investigation and invites her and Tsukiko to his house. There, they search through photo albums for Ponta's younger sister, but find nothing except photos containing a rabbit. Yokodera finally remembers that Ponta doesn't have a younger sister, but he did have a rabbit that he treasured, even treated it as though it were his sister, realizing that his memories has been altered by a wish Emi made to the miniature cat.
The next morning, Ponta asks Yokodera to help him find his younger sister, his rabbit, no longer remembering Emi. At school, he approaches Azusa for help finding the rabbit. She ends up trapped in a net when she attempts to run away from Youto. Conversing with the now-trapped Azusa, and Yokodera learns a number of things: Azusa felt she shouldn't get too close to Yokodera, so as not to interrupt him and the Steel King, and she never received the letter Yokodera wrote. She admits she wished on the Stony Cat to become a new her. However, nothing changed, so she thinks the Stony Cat wasn't listening.
During lunchtime, Youto meets up with Emi, who shows him something she found interesting — Tsukiko is singing along to a play, but it sounds fairly flat due to her inability to express emotions. Emi questions why she puts no emotion into her singing, leading to an argument between them about who is better at what. Eventually, they both claim that they're better than the other at sports, so Emi suggests they have a swimming contest to find out.
When the contest ends in a draw, Emi says she's had enough fun, and cancels her wish making everyone want to go to the pool. This causes the swimsuits everyone is wearing to disappear, and Tsukiko runs away to change. Now alone, Emi and Yokodera talk. Yokodera asks that, if she's satisfied with her other wishes, that she cancel them, too. Emi is surprised he knows about the wishes. Yokodera then reveals that he also knows that Emi was a member of the church choir. Emi, feeling that he has finally remembered the past, starts to talk happily, but Yokodera interrupts by saying that, although he remembers that much, he doesn't know what she's trying to do now, wondering why she wants to play with him out of all people. As a diversion, Emi grabs Yokodera and jumps into the pool. She then talks about how, when she was younger, she had an Onii-chan who promised to take her to the sports festival, a memory which she treasured. After Yokodera expresses understanding Emi makes Yokodera promise to take her to the sports festival, saying that after that, she'll give up.
That night, Yokodera checks the website belonging to the church choir that Emi is in, finding a message she left, saying she was looking forward to going to the sports festival with "Onii-chan." However, having long forgotten the promise he made in middle school, she tells her the next day that he'll help as best as he can. Hearing this, Emi is greatly frustrated and cancels her wishes. She begins talking in her original fashion, calling Youto a pumpkin and launching caustic remarks, before promising revenge and running off. Youto takes the following few days off and finds himself having vague dreams of his past memories with Emi at night.
Upon returning to school, he hears from Tsukushi that she's been accepted as a transfer student to Italy, and doesn't have a choice except to go. He then spots Emi sitting on the railing of the school tower, so he makes his way up. He tells her that although he doesn't remember much of their past, he has changed and wants to become friends anew.
They are then confronted by the Cat God, possessing Azuki Azusa's body. It reveals to Youto that the Italian school is actually a result of his own wish. Yokodera has the option to cancel the wish, but in order to facilitate the wish, the Stony Cat had to bring Emi over to Japan. This means that once he cancels the wish, Emi will be forced to go back to Italy. To further add to the fine mess of the situation, the Stony Cat corners Emi with its words, and Emi "wishes" for it to "get away from her." The Stony Cat grants this wish by slowly walking towards the balcony. Yokodera is forced between choosing to cancel the wish, saving Tsukushi from going to Italy and Azusa from jumping off of the balcony, but losing Emi, or doing nothing and watching while Azusa falls.
In a desperate measure, he cancels the wish, but before Emi is sent away, he kisses the possessed Azusa. The Stony Cat, confused and shocked by this action, runs away, leaving the real Azusa, who is just as confused, but happy at the same time.
==Visit to the Past==
Following a date at the amusement park, Azuki Azusa becomes increasingly attached to Youto, regularly appearing at his track and field club practices to cheer him on with enthusiastic and disruptive behavior. Her actions create tension among the club members, and Youto struggles to address the issue until the vice president, Maimaki Mai, steps in. Despite Azusa being called a bother, Youto protects her feelings by "translating" Mai's harsh words into a friendly overture, defusing the situation humorously.
Later, Youto notices the club president, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi, behaving unusually distant and withdrawn. He finds her alone in the gym shed, where she cryptically hints at leaving on a faraway adventure. Despite her resistance, Youto helps her leave the shed but is unable to uncover the cause of her melancholy.
That evening, Youto rushes home after realizing he missed a message from Tsukiko requesting a meeting. He discovers her already at his house, behaving erratically. She slashes open his beloved hugging pillow and climbs inside, expressing her frustrations in an unusual manner. Youto uses humor to diffuse the tension, but their interaction reveals Tsukiko's insecurities and jealousy, particularly concerning Youto's past connection with Emi. Her abrupt departure after discovering this connection leaves Youto confused and worried.
While cleaning up the remnants of the encounter, Youto finds an envelope addressed to the Tsutsukakushi sisters containing a letter and one-way plane tickets to Rome, suggesting they are expected to leave Japan permanently.
Youto goes on an routine outing with Emi, which takes a turn when an off-duty police officer misinterprets the situation, forcing Youto to flee using his athletic skills. Their interaction reveals Emi's frustration with Youto's distracted demeanor, as he cannot fully focus on her due to his preoccupation with the Tsutsukakushi sisters' potential move to Italy.
Determined to address the situation, Youto visits the Tsutsukakushi estate. Using wit and manipulation, Youto convinces Tsukushi to let him into the Tsutsukakushi estate by claiming to be her younger brother, taking advantage of her shock and flustered reaction. He further strengthens his argument by referencing "rumors" about an incident between Tsukushi and his older brother during a club meeting, leaving her too embarrassed to refute him. Citing their promise to be family, Youto asserts his right to help with her struggles, ultimately persuading her to grant him entry despite her initial resistance.
During their discussion, Tsukushi reveals the pressure from their grandparents to relocate to Italy and the unsettling possibility that her childhood memories of their house may not be entirely accurate. Youto supports Tsukushi and Tsukiko as they search for evidence of their past but finds no conclusive answers.
While grocery shopping with Tsukiko, they take a detour to the park. Tsukiko reveals her insecurities, envy, and longing to solidify her emotional bond with Youto by being the person he has known the longest. She admits that failing to find any photos as evidence of this has worsened her mental state, and mentions that it would be convenient if they could confirm their past directly.
Their interaction is interrupted by the appearance of the Stony Cat, which mischievously offers to grant Tsukiko's wish to confirm the past. The Cat's powers unravel their surroundings into a surreal void, leaving Youto clinging to Tsukiko's arm before losing consciousness.
When he wakes up, he realizes they have been transported ten years into the past. While initially panicked, Youto agrees to stay and help Tsukiko confirm their pasts, under the condition that she cancels the wish immediately if things become dangerous.
At the Tsukimi Nursery School, they unexpectedly meet Youto's his six-year-old self. As Tsukiko grows enamored with the young Youto, the two learn that he is being cared for by "Tsukasa-san," who they discover is actually Tsukiko and Tsukushi's estranged mother. Tsukasa's rough, rebellious exterior contrasts sharply with their idealized image of her, but Youto observes her hidden kindness and bond with his younger self.
During dinner, Youto notes Tsukasa's subtle acts of care and later confronts her about her behavior, urging her to be honest about her feelings. This leads to a heart-to-heart conversation, where Tsukasa reveals the tragic circumstances that separated her from her daughters, including her husband's death and a custody battle. Youto encourages her to consider the possibility of reuniting with her daughters, but she dismisses the idea as impossible, masking her pain with humor.
Later that night, Youto is caught in an awkward situation when he accidentally walks in on Tsukiko changing, prompting her to issue a half-joking warning about nighttime behavior. As they prepare to sleep, Tsukiko reveals her disappointment in finding no evidence of a past connection with Youto, resigning herself to the idea that she has no claim to being the person he has known the longest. This only deepens Youto's sense of responsibility, as he chooses to stay in the alternate world a bit longer, hoping to uncover a resolution that might bring closure for both Tsukiko and Tsukasa.
The morning after, Youto observes the young Youto's bond with Tsukasa and the significance of a height-marked pillar. However, he grows uneasy recalling Tsukushi's claim from the future that the same pillar documented her own growth.
The household is later visited by a young Tsukushi, whose sharp and witty demeanor contrasts with the future Steel King's personality. Youto's attempts to mediate between Tsukushi and her estranged mother fail as Tsukushi vehemently denies Tsukasa's right to be called her mother, leading to a confrontation where she unintentionally injures Tsukasa with a thrown rock. Despite Tsukasa's calm acceptance of blame, Youto is deeply unsettled by her resigned attitude and works to bridge the divide between mother and daughter.
Later, Youto witnesses Tsukasa's vulnerability as she drunkenly reveals her regrets about her decisions and struggles to connect with her daughters. He confronts her, urging her to take back her children, but she dismisses the possibility, believing it's too late. Frustrated but determined, Youto refuses to accept her resignation and decides to take action himself.
Youto's resolve leads him to track down the young Tsukushi and her younger sister in a desperate bid to bring them back to the estate to see their mother. Using his athletic training, he races against time to retrieve Tsukushi before her family departs for Italy. He convinces her to return, presenting her with evidence of Tsukasa's lingering care, such as the clothes she had bought for her daughters.
Entering the mansion, Youto supports Tsukushi as she confronts the sight of her ailing mother. Her emotional plea for reconciliation and a chance to make memories with her mother is met with the young Youto's declaration of sacrifice. The boy decides to give all his memories of Tsukasa to Tsukushi, fulfilling her longing but at the cost of his own past and future connections. Youto intervenes when Tsukiko tries to stop the process, wishing to preserve the determination that his past self carried.
In response to Youto's wish, the world begins to crumbles again, returning them to the present. Yokodera Youto finds himself consoling a devastated Tsukiko at the rainy park. Unable to change the past or make physical contact with her mother, Tsukiko is heartbroken, and Youto pulls her into a light embrace, apologizing for their inability to alter events. The moment is interrupted by the Stony Cat, which mocks Youto for its perceived triumph. However, Youto retaliates by humiliating the Cat God with another exaggerated kiss, causing it to flee in anger.
Youto and Tsukiko return to the Tsutsukakushi estate, where they are greeted by Tsukushi, wearing a hedgehog costume she found while searching for traces of their mother. Tsukushi declares her belief that the "four of them," including Youto, had lived together as a family. She expresses renewed determination to reconnect with their grandparents and convey their feelings as many times as needed, showing growth and optimism.
Reflecting on the events, Youto realizes that the most important connections are not preserved in memories but are deeply engraved in the heart. Inspired, he expresses his feelings to Tsukiko, reassuring her that his current emotions for her outweigh all past memories. He promises to stay by her side, declaring her the most important person to him, regardless of who he has known the longest.
Tsukiko, unimpressed with just words, challenges Youto to back up his feelings with actions, referencing his kisses with the Cat God and Azuki Azusa. Her playful but determined demand for acknowledgment sparks Youto's reflection on Tsukasa's words about the inevitability of making an definitive choice. Though Youto still struggles to understand who or what he is living for, he resolves to take his first step toward confronting his feelings and making meaningful decisions.
Volume 5 concludes with an illustration depicting what appears to be their first kiss.
==Field Trip==
A field trip is coming up, and students have been gathered to determine their groups. Youto is grouped with Azuki Azusa, but their team struggles to attract members due to Youto's reputation as "The Hentai Prince" and Azusa's eccentric activity proposals.
Youto's group is eventually filled by the committee, adding two new members — the vice president of the track-and-field club, Maimaki Mai, and the swimming club president. Youto experiences tension with Mai, who expresses disgust toward him, and navigates an awkward dynamic with the swimming club president, whom he nicknames "Cozy-sama" due to her simultaneously cozy, cute, and scary demeanor.
On the weekend, Youto meets up with Tsukiko at the cafe. He faces jealousy and possessiveness from Tsukiko, who dedicates a notebook to track his interactions with other girls down to the smallest of details, and imposes a point system that determines how he must compensate her through acts like holding hands, entangling legs, touching ears, and hugging. While most of his interactions in the past week only net him 26 points, Tsukiko seems to hold a particular grudge against Azuki Azusa — the act of patting Azusa on the head earns Youto a whopping 700000 points.
As they walk home, Tsukiko's jealousy is not yet quelled. Despite being in different years, she demands to go on the field trip together as Youto number one. Youto has to bait her with all of her favorite things for her to calm down, and she eventually settles with borrowing his guidebook for the field trip.
The one person exempt from Tsukiko's point system is her older sister and university examinee Tsukushi, whom Youto privately tutors as per Tsukiko's request. However, instead of studying, Tsukushi becomes distracted with a custom game that she made known as the "Tsutsukakushi Shogi," which involves strategies focused around winning the "Tsukiko" piece. Youto eventually gives in and spends the rest of the session playing the game. Satisfied, Tsukushi even forces him to take the game with him.
Some time later, Youto meets up with Maimaki Mai after school and attempts to reconcile their differences for the sake of the field trip. He finds out that Mai also has a "cat" piece from the president's game, which Mai emphasizes that she has gotten first from Tsukushi. Mai accuses him of insincerity, having spotted him with Tsukiko on the weekend and believing that Azusa is his girlfriend. Youto is unable to find anything to respond with, aware that any attempt at explanation would only deepen misunderstandings.
The day of the field trip arrives. On the bus, he shares a quiet moment with Azuki Azusa, whose anticipation for the trip is evident, though their peace is disrupted by Cozy-sama's playful teasing and Mai's disapproving attitude. At their first destination, Zenkou Temple, Youto deepens his bond with Azusa as they explore together, with Azusa sharing her excitement and dreams.
However, the trip takes a chaotic turn when they encounter Emi Pollarola performing as a magical girl. Youto's teasing leaves Emi flustered, while Azusa's attempts to connect with Emi fail due to trauma from the Italian school incident. Youto also notices an unsettling man in the crowd, whose intense glare leaves him uneasy.
When they finally arrive at the gate of the temple, Youto realizes that he had forgotten his camera on the bus. Returning to the parking lot to retrieve it, he unexpectedly encounters Tsutsukakushi Tsukiko, who has secretly followed them on their field trip using the guidebook she borrowed. Youto stashes her in Azusa's souvenir bag and plans to extract her at their next destination, unaware that their next destination would be the hotel.
The other girls discover Tsukiko when they arrive at the girls' room, leading them to believe that Youto has kidnapped a kouhai to bring her on the field trip, with Azusa being the only exception. However, overwhelmed by her cuteness, the girls start offering food to Tsukiko and become dead set on letting her stay the night with them.
Youto becomes concerned when Mai goes missing but later finds her alone at a shrine. Their conversation begins with Mai's usual sarcasm but evolves into a rare moment of vulnerability. Mai confesses her struggles to form strong bonds with others, revealing jealousy of Youto's ability to maintain meaningful relationships. She shares her personal pain over losing contact with a childhood friend and feeling undervalued in her current relationships. Youto, in turn, reveals his own struggles with forgetfulness, explaining how it erases the significance of the connections he works hard to create. This exchange leads to mutual envy and frustration as they realize they both wish for what the other has.
As their argument intensifies, they are interrupted by a teacher, prompting Youto to grab Mai and hide. In the chaos, the "cat" pieces from Tsukushi's game that they both carry collide, triggering a mysterious phenomenon. When they regain consciousness, Youto and Mai are horrified to discover they have switched bodies.
In an empty sports room, Youto explains the Cat God's role in granting their wishes to be like each other. Hopeful that they might be able to revert the wish, Youto suggests to try bashing their heads against each other one more time. However, Mai hesitates. Her curiosity about Youto's male anatomy leads to a chaotic confrontation, culminating in Mai further tarnishing Youto's reputation by embracing his perverted persona in front of the Old Miss, a teacher known for her disdain towards Youto, only saved by the kindness of another teacher, the Moustached Daruma.
Youto, as Mai, returns to the girls' room, finding Tsukiko alone. Addressing who she thought was Maimaki-senpai, Tsukiko asks about her interaction with Youto, writing it down in her notes in extreme detail. She then instructs Mai to put herself in a specific pose, explaining that she would like to use Mai as reference, claiming that their bodies are quite similar, a statement that baffles Youto. She then proceeds to put herself in the same pose as "Mai," a heavenly sight to Youto.
Searching for a way out, Youto tells Tsukiko that she need not rely on such a pose, and what matters is the feelings of herself and the other party. Tsukiko seems satisfied as she affirms to herself that she, as the number one, have the most important feelings. Surprisingly, throughout their interactions, Tsukiko has completed failed to notice the body swap.
The next day, Youto's group sets off for Togakushi Ninja Village with Tsukiko tagging along. Due to a group size limit of 4 at the attraction, Tsukiko suggests splitting into groups of 2 and 3. She pairs herself with who she thought was Youto, and Youto, Cozy-sama, and Azusa form the other group. Conversations between Azusa and Cozy-sama reveal Azusa's confidence in Youto's kindness and her reluctance to impose her feelings on him.
Youto later encounters a strange man with a black cat puppet while momentarily left alone. Controlling the puppet, which speaks in a dandy, baritone voice, the man cryptically urges Youto to reclaim what is important for the stony girl. Proclaiming to be not suspicious at all, he proposes a conversation about a certain house god. He cautions Youto that he cannot deceive everyone forever, and warns him to confirm his own stance before a certain situation arises.
Returning to the hotel, Youto joins Tsukiko and Azusa in the hot spring. There, Tsukiko confronts Azusa under the guise of discussing a hypothetical love triangle between "A Girl-chan," "B Boy-kun," and "C Beauty-san," claiming her place as "number one" in Youto's life. Tsukiko challenges Azusa's role and feelings for Youto, asserting that Azusa should recognize her secondary position. Despite not recognizing Tsukiko's true intents, Azusa counters by questioning the validity of Tsukiko's rankings and emphasizing that love should stem from mutual acceptance rather than possessiveness. Azusa's calm reasoning leaves Tsukiko flustered and struggling to respond. Completely unaware, she delivers a final, devastating blow, suggesting that Tsukiko's feelings for Youto may not even be genuine, leaving her in emotional shock. Tsukiko collapses under the weight of the discussion, and Youto helps carry her back to their room.
They are joined by the real Mai, carrying a cat. She explains that Youto's reputation was so bad that Mai had to use a cat to barter herself in. She admits that what happened between her and Tsukiko at the ninja residence made her realize the complexity of Youto's relationships and their fundamental differences. They reverse the body swap, but the exchange leaves lingering consequences. Tsukiko, overhearing their conversation and witnessing the reversal, spirals into despair as she reflects on her dependence on superficial appearances, likening herself to the cat, which "doesn't care who it is so long as it could get sweets."
Succumbing to her despair, she whispers something to one of the cat pieces resting on the tatami mat and bumps her head against the cat. Suddenly, the room is plunged into a brief power outage. When the lights turn back on, Youto and Mai find the cat lying on Tsukiko's futon, while Tsukiko herself is nowhere to be found.
Youto, Mai, and Azusa form a search party for Tsukiko. With the mysterious cat accompanying them, they encounter Cozy-sama, who describes ghostly sightings of a figure behaving erratically in the hallways and stealing food from the teachers' sashimi dinner. The students are eventually shooed back to their rooms by a teacher, and Youto, realizing he left his cat piece in the girls' room, follows them there.
Upon entering, they find Tsukiko asleep, surrounded by stolen food, confirming Youto's suspicion that Tsukiko had swapped bodies with the cat. The real Tsukiko, sulking in despair, sits in the corner of the room. While Youto attempts to communicate with her, the other girls decide to hand her over to the teacher. Azusa tries to intervene but struggles to find convincing logic. Desperately, Youto and Azusa explain that Tsukiko was possessed by a cat, but their claims are dismissed as absurd.
As the situation grows dire, Mai presses Youto to decide what he intends to do. Youto hesitates, conflicted by his desire to save Tsukiko and his fear that his inevitable memory loss will only cause her more pain. Mai provides a crucial moment of clarity by handing Youto Tsukiko's grade book, filled with meticulous records of his actions — Tsukiko's effort to preserve his memories despite his condition. Mai recounts her conversation with Tsukiko at the ninja residence, where Tsukiko had asked countless questions to document Youto's life, calling it "the least she could do." Realizing the depth of Tsukiko's care for him, Youto regains his resolve, encouraged by Mai to take pride in his life and face his fears.
Waking the cat in Tsukiko's body, he convinces it to revert to its original form by suggesting it clearly dislikes the human experience. The cat reluctantly agrees, and Tsukiko regains her body. She immediately apologizes, expressing regret for forcing her feelings onto Youto and being a bother. As she moves to accept responsibility, Youto stops her, confessing that he likes her — even the side of her that constantly bothers him — because it makes him feel alive.
When the teachers, including the Old Miss and Moustached Daruma, arrive, Youto fully embraces his "Hentai Prince" persona. He theatrically takes responsibility for the chaos, framing it as part of his "research" on raising the region's birthrate. His absurdity earns him the scorn of the adults and laughter from the students. Unexpectedly, Youto's childhood friend, Ponta, steps forward, challenging Youto's act and suggesting he must have deeper reasons for protecting Tsukiko. Before Youto can respond, Mai comes to his rescue, declaring an emergency meeting for the field trip committee to redirect attention.
To create further distraction, Youto accuses the Old Miss of having a secret romance with Moustached Daruma. This revelation causes the room to erupt into gossip, embarrassment, and celebration as the focus shifts entirely to the teachers' relationship. Satisfied with the outcome, Youto allows himself to be dragged away for disciplinary action, having successfully protected Tsukiko from repercussions.
The field trip concludes successfully, but Youto's actions during the trip cement his reputation as the Hentai Prince, with rumors spreading rapidly. To avoid suspension, he writes numerous reflection letters and volunteers for two weeks, thanks to the leniency of Moustached Daruma. His distraction allows Tsukiko to slip away and return home unnoticed, though she became unusually distant after the body swap. When he discusses this with Mai, she responds with laughter, remarking, "What did you expect?" Reflecting on the field trip, Youto acknowledges a new friendship that has formed between him and the vice president.
==Experiencing a Bystander's Perspective==
Youto begins Christmas season fulfilling a community service punishment for taking the blame for Tsukiko during their school trip. His task involves cleaning up trash near the train station under the supervision of Maimaki Mai. Despite Mai's initial mockery and teasing, their banters gradually grow friendlier, and they both begin to call each other by the nicknames "MaiMai" and "YouYou."
However, Youto's relationship with Tsukiko Tsutsukakushi takes a troubling turn. Tsukiko has begun him after the field trip, and during a brief encounter outside the school, Youto notices her change in demeanor. She drops a library bag filled with books on love and relationships, hinting at her introspective state. Despite Youto's attempts to bridge the gap, including inviting her to Azuki Azusa's Christmas party, Tsukiko declines. She reveals that she needs to focus on understanding the true meaning of love before she can engage meaningfully with him, acknowledging her prior immaturity.
At Azusa's Christmas party, Youto is warmly welcomed by her mother and father, the latter being an massive, intimidating but ultimately good-hearted man nicknamed "Macho Bear" by Youto. Initially uneasy around Azusa's father, Youto finds common ground through a nostalgic baseball board game, leading to a surprisingly competitive yet lighthearted bonding session.
Later, Youto and Azusa run an errand together, during which Azusa opens up about her family. She reveals that her father always wanted a son and often tried to get her interested in baseball, but she preferred spending time with her neighborhood friend, "Ma-chan." Azusa mentions how happy her father seemed during the party and jokingly suggests that if Youto was her father's son, they could see him that way every day.
Azusa also comments on Tsukiko's absence from the party and suggests organizing a special celebration for her birthday. Youto admits that Tsukiko has been avoiding him since the field trip, and Azusa offers comfort, saying that sometimes friendships require patience and persistence. She compares waiting for a friend to "standing in place like a blind sheep," emphasizing that true friends are willing to wait no matter how long it takes.
Youto's new year begins with a call from Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi, who invites him for the traditional first shrine visit of the year. Upon arrival, Youto encounters Emi, performing as a priestess. A chaotic interaction follows as Emi, panicked by Youto's presence, retaliates against his teasing with a water gun she dubs the "Pumpkin Bazooka." Their antics attract unwanted attention from a police officer, almost getting Youto into trouble before he makes his way to meet Tsukushi.
At the meeting point, Youto finds Tsukushi in an elegant kimono but struggling with her tightly tied obi, which he helps loosen. She is unexpectedly accompanied by Tsukiko, also dressed in a vibrant kimono with a flower-patterned hairpin and carrying a book of Shakespearean sonnets, who explains that she felt it was her duty to accompany her older sister.
The group explores the food stalls and encounters a bizarre challenge: consuming oversized, poorly-made takoyaki within 20 minutes to win a cash prize. Encouraged by Tsukushi, Tsukiko takes on the challenge and astonishes everyone by eating at an incredible pace, though she struggles with the blandness and size of the portions. A brief respite with sweet sake re-energizes her, allowing her to finish the challenge successfully. However, the sake inadvertently intoxicates Tsukiko, causing her to mumble nonsensically and lean on Youto, claiming she wants to use the prize money for a "night together with You-kun" before falling asleep.
Youto carries Tsukiko on his back as they continue through the shrine, navigating more unusual encounters. Tsukushi points out a mysterious man with a hollow gaze, whom Youto recognizes from the field trip. Disturbed by his presence, Youto chases after the man but loses him in the crowd. On his way back, he runs into Azusa and her friends, leading to an awkward interaction as Tsukiko hides behind Youto and stammers excuses when Azusa tries to engage with her. Overwhelmed, Tsukiko runs off, prompting Azusa's friends to chase after her while Azusa stays behind. She attributes their strained relationship to her unintentionally insulting Tsukiko's favorite character back at the hot spring, still unaware of what truly transpired.
Youto mentions that Tsukiko left behind a book of Shakespearean sonnets, which he plans to return to her. He explains it is a series of poems written from Shakespeare's perspective, touching on themes of love. He provides an overview of the central drama in Shakespeare's sonnets: The person that Shakespeare loved was taken by someone else, who ironically was a former lover. The story in his poems went from love to trouble, and eventually acceptance.
Youto's knowledge about the Shakespearean sonnets was gained from his admiration of Oscar Wilde, who was fascinated by complex relationships like this one, and made it a goal to find out the identity of Shakespeare's loved one. After giving it some thought, Azusa realizes the implications of Shakespeare being male, his former lover being female, and the third person being of unknown gender, exclaiming over the "indecency." However, they both grow quiet as they realize that their own story, too, would likely be one that Wilde would enjoy.
The visit concludes with Youto reuniting with Tsukushi, who is struggling to communicate with a foreign photographer, who Youto learns is Emi's father.
In the new school term, Azusa invites Youto to help plan a surprise for Tsukiko along with the children's welfare club that Tsukiko belongs to. Initially, Youto's reputation as the "Hentai Prince" causes panic among the club's female members. Azusa steps up to defend him, addressing the rumors about him with an unusual display of authority and composure. Her efforts temporarily win over the group, and the meeting provides Youto with new insights into Tsukiko's life, including her popularity with kindergarteners, though concrete plans for the party remain elusive.
Later, Azusa leaves for her part-time job, and Youto follows, prompting curiosity from the other club members about their relationship. They suspect a romantic connection, but both Azusa and Youto deny it. Shortly after, Tsukiko unexpectedly appears, forcing Youto and Azusa to awkwardly conceal their plans.
Youto's suspension from his track-and-field club leads him to spend his time doing voluntary cleaning work. During this period, he interacts with Mai, the club's vice president. Their conversations are a mix of playful teasing and serious reflection, with Mai critiques him for living his life for others instead of focusing on his own goals and happiness, emphasizing that he should be frustrated about losing his place in the track-and-field club and challenging him to reflect on whether he's satisfied with his current choices.
Youto defends that he is indeed living for his own sake, and will do whatever he can, even if he has to throw away the club. He reflects on Tsukasa's words from 3 years ago, acknowledging that there will always come a time where he has to choose between things, and the choice he has made for himself is to make those around him happy.
Mai accuses Youto of choosing his "girlfriend," Azuki Azusa, over the club, prompting him to clarify that she is not his girlfriend. This only leads Mai to further question the nature of their relationship, urging him to make it clear what he considers them to be. However, it is hard for him to do so as their relationship and boundaries are complicated. To illustrate his point, Youto asks Mai if she thinks they could ever be a couple, an idea she vehemently rejects. Going a step further, he hugs Mai tightly and rubs his cheek against hers, arguing that these actions can feel platonic or romantic depending on the person.
The following day, Youto and Azusa visit the children's welfare club's clubroom again, only to find Tsukiko there alone. Tsukiko casually deduces that they are planning her birthday party, expressing her preference for a planned celebration over a surprise one. She proposes practicing a puppet theater performance, using animal puppets to narrate a thinly veiled allegory of her feelings. As the "pig," Tsukiko confesses to feelings of jealousy, inadequacy, and guilt, contrasting herself with Azusa, the "sheep," who remains kind and seemingly perfect.
The emotionally charged play turns into a confrontation between Tsukiko and Azusa. Tsukiko accuses Azusa of being insincere and accepting second place, while Azusa defends herself, confessing to her flaws but insisting she is genuine in her efforts. Their argument grows increasingly heated and incoherent, with neither listening to the other. Youto notices that other club members have arrived but hesitate to intervene, leaving the tension unresolved.
The next morning, Youto receives a cryptic call from Tsukushi, prompting him to rush to her house in concern. Upon arrival, he learns that the commotion was over Tsukiko's inability to accompany Tsukushi to her university Center Test, as Tsukiko has arranged for Emi and her father to escort her instead. Greeted by him in a friendly gesture, Youto learns that Emi's father is a university professor whose major field of study concerned Japanese shrines and ancient culture. Left alone with him, Youto starts an awkward conversation about his car, and the man speaks in a familiar dandy, baritone voice, which brings him a sense of unease.
After Tsukushi and Emi's father depart, Tsukiko admits to feeling flawed and unfair but insists she is committed to personal growth. Having invited Azusa over, she asks Youto to spend some time alone with Emi while the two work out their differences. Seeing that Emi is still terrified of Azusa, Youto takes Emi to the estate's storehouse to help her overcome her lingering fears of the Cat God. As Emi confronts her fear of the deity, a sudden gust of wind signals the Cat God's reappearance, now possessing Emi's body.
The Cat God engages Youto in a philosophical conversation, criticizing humanity's tendency to seek dramatic conflict and accusing Youto of selfishly positioning himself as a "savior" for his friends. Youto initially brushes off its claims but is interrupted by a call from Tsukushi, who has accidentally taken the wrong bag to her test. Desperate to help, Youto pleads with the Cat God for assistance, only to be met with resistance.
Determined, Youto humiliates himself to convince the deity, but when that fails, he resorts to a physical "tickle attack" on Emi's body, forcing the Cat God to comply. The deity grudgingly retrieves Tsukushi's correct bag, allowing Youto to resolve the crisis and receive heartfelt thanks from both Tsukushi and Emi’s father. A feeling of satisfaction leads Youto to briefly question whether his joy comes from genuinely helping others or fulfilling his own ego, but he dismisses the Cat God's accusations as nonsense.
After ensuring Emi’s consciousness is restored, Youto discovers Tsukiko and Azusa sitting together on the porch, seemingly reconciled despite their earlier hostility. The two girls deny fully making amends but acknowledge the possibility of growing closer in the future. At Youto's suggestion, they hesitantly adopt the nicknames of "Tsuu-chan" and "Aa-chan" for each other, marking a small yet meaningful step toward rebuilding their friendship.
While Tsukiko and Azusa prepare dinner, Emi accompanies Youto on a shopping trip, exchanging their usual lighthearted banter. As they leave the residence, Youto notices a mysterious man lurking near the gate, hiding in the shadows of a tree. The man appears familiar with his caved in, dark eyes. This time, instead of controlling a puppet, he would speak with his own mouth: "This is no good. At this rate, you'll fail. Completely so, to your own detriment. Very soon, you will—"
==Awakening to the Hero Persona==
Tsukiko's birthday arrives. Despite knowing Tsukiko would likely see through their plans, Youto, Azusa, Emi, and the children's welfare club members coordinate an early arrival and a dramatic surprise greeting. The event transitions into a collaborative celebration with everyone cooking together, aligning with Tsukiko's expressed preference for shared preparation.
After a feast made possible by everyone's combined efforts and a series of entertaining events, Tsukiko and the club members take a commemorative photo. Standing further away from the crowd, Youto asks Tsukiko silently by moving his lips if the party is fun. Tsukiko nods in response, but then tilts her head, which Youto assumes to mean "it's a bit too fun."
Next on the list of activities is a game of twister, an idea that Youto contributed, secretly hoping to use it as a way to observe the girls in awkward and compromising positions — a "paradise" for him. However, his plans are thwarted when Tsukiko and Azusa nominate him to demonstrate the game as a "punishment" for his transparent ulterior motives, and force him to watch from afar. The game soon abandons the official rules as the two girls resort to brute force to try and topple each other, until they fall together onto the mat. They lie side by side, giggling and teasing each other about their weird faces. 
Observing the game unfold and recalling the friendly banters between Tsukiko and Azusa during their meal, Youto realizes that they have gotten way closer, having resolved their differences without Youto's intervention. However, even though everyone is happy and enjoying the moment, Youto feels something strange deep down.
Deciding to distract himself, Youto finds Emi alone, dressed in a maid costume. He teases her dramatically, prompting Emi to retaliate with a water gun. Noting how small she really is, Youto reflects on Emi's age difference between her and the older group, acknowledges her potential struggles to fit in. In their banters, Emi hints at having unresolved feelings connected to Youto, which she admits that she's yet to fully understand.
Returning to the banquet hall, everyone presents their gifts for Tsukiko. Youto's gift is a black stuffed cat, which she cherishes, deciding she will think of it as her senpai. Tsukushi, on the other hand, presents a "Do Whatever You Want to Me for One Day Ticket." However, Tsukiko turns her scheme against her by pressuring for her central exam results. Tsukushi calls for an urgent strategy meeting with Youto, where she laments the unfairness of academic exams, proposing absurd ideas to avoid facing reality. Youto encourages her to instead focus on what's right in front of her — her next exams, but Tsukushi expresses that if she shouldn't think ahead, she'd rather live in blissful ignorance. His difficult responsibilities to Tsukiko and Tsukushi weighing on him, Youto lets out a helpless sigh.
Returning home after the party concludes, Youto receives a call from his mother. She expresses concern for Youto, also mentioning his older sister's worries about him. Youto brushes her off with affirmative responses to end the call quickly before heading to bed.
At school, he observes a heated dispute between the baseball and track-and-field clubs over shared practice space. The confrontation escalates when Maimaki Mai, the soon-to-be president of the track-and-field club, clashes with the senior "Gorilla-senpai" of the baseball club. Encouraged by Cozy-sama to intervene as a "Prince Charming," Youto's attempt to defuse the situation backfires, leaving him embarrassed and ridiculed, though Cozy-sama comforts him.
After school, Youto encounters Azusa, who invites him to a western art exhibition using tickets her father gave her. She accidentally mentions a "rotation" she and Tsukiko have established for spending time with Youto, which explains Tsukiko's earlier avoidance of him.
The following Saturday, Youto arranges a meeting with Emi's father at Kidate Shrine. The purpose of this meet was to consult him about the exam taker Tsukushi, whose future Youto is greatly concerned for. When he broaches the topic however, Emi's father questions if that's truly it, reminding him of "the real problem": "to take back what's precious to the stony girl."
Youto feels a sense of deja vu, but Emi's father assures him that there's no need to be wary. He reveals his true reason for coming here today — to investigate a "mysterious force" of the Tsutsukakushi household, taking out a bag containing a carved wooden cat — the game piece that Tsukushi gave the vice president somehow ended up under this man's possession.
Emi's father claims to have a history with the Cat God, stating that he received "something precious" from it in the past. He warns Youto that another problem will soon arise related to the Cat God and suggests that Youto needs to confront his true feelings and act according to his convictions.
He admits that on the day of Tsukushi's Central Exam, he had actually deliberately taken the wrong bag, believing that Youto too possessed some kind of power. Despite expressing sympathy for the confusing situation Youto is in, he criticizes him for deceiving himself and those around him while he ran away from his problems, a statement that once again sounds eerily familiar.
He recalls his encounter with the cat puppet man at the Togaku Shrine during the field trip. He realizes with dread that the voice of the cat puppet and Emi's father sound eerily identical, though he can't reconcile this with the memory of seeing Emi and her father together that same day.
Emi's father brings up the issue with Tsukushi's exams, calling it a fire on a faraway shore. He finds it odd that Youto is asking him for advice when all he has to do is pray to the Cat God and use the power at his disposal. Youto explains that he won't wish thoughtlessly due to the risks involved, but the man denies the existence of any true risk, attributing it to his lack of understanding of the god's mechanisms. He pressures Youto to answer a question: "What is the thing that you wish the most for right now?"
Memories flashing across his mind, Youto's true feelings begin to emerge: Even if the fire is on the opposite shore, he cannot bear to watch it from afar. If he can erase the fire on the opposite shore, then he want to do that; If there's a person crying on the other side, he want to cross the cold river and comfort them. He finally admits his true desire: to become a hero who saves people.
Youto suddenly feels a dark presence rise from within him. A shadowy figure emerges at his feet, manifesting as another version of himself. Appearing satisfied, Emi's father tells him that he has become a hero, suggesting him to resolve Tsukushi's exam issues for starters. Youto finds himself under control of the shadow, nodding along with it and responding with a firm "Yeah." as Emi's father disappears into the dark mist.
Youto visits Tsukushi in the library, where she is visibly stressed over her studies. His body moving against his will, he questions Tsukushi's motivations, which she answers is out of responsibility for her little sister. The shadow compels him to pull Tsukushi into an embrace and propose marriage, suggesting that it would absolve her of her burdens and guarantee Tsukiko's well-being. The unexpected proposal shocks Tsukushi, but she also appears happier than ever. For now, the problem appears to have been resolved.
As tensions between the track-and-field and baseball clubs persist, Youto steps in once again, not of his own volition but under the shadow's control. Using a blend of scientific reasoning and philosophical rhetoric, he defuses the conflict with an impassioned speech about the significance of the blue sky, prompting cooperation between the clubs.
Over the course of the week, the shadow takes over Youto's actions many times, resolving various conflicts and problems. While the students have begun regarding him as the school's hero, Tsukiko grows suspicious. Disguised in a horse costume, she observes Youto and later confronts him about his behavior. Youto explains his encounter at the shrine and his wish to become a hero, and assures her that this new reality benefits everyone. Tsukiko challenges Youto on whether this greater good truly included Youto himself, but their conversation is interrupted by the class bell.
The shadow's influence is further evident when a baseball club member seeks help dealing wth Gorilla-senpai's continued disruptive behavior. The shadow challenges Gorilla-senpai to a fair competition during the school's upcoming marathon tournament: If Youto wins, he will join the baseball club as an assistant and help reform it from within, ensuring peace between the clubs. If Youto loses, he will become Gorilla-senpai's personal servant. Mai questions this decision, but the shadow, still inhabiting Youto, declares that Gorilla-senpai is actually not at fault, but is instead another victim of the school's poor system. He gives an inspiring speech that motivates the students to redirect their efforts to fighting the true enemy, earning another round of applause.
On Sunday, Youto fulfills his promise to accompany Azusa to the art museum. When he attempts to show off his knowledge about the displays, the shadow takes over without warning. When Youto regains his consciousness, the day has already passed. The intelligent hero had apparently remained in control as it guided Azusa through the exhibits, demonstrating its profound knowledge of the arts, but none of which Youto seems to have retained in his memories.
When Youto regains his consciousness from his shadow self, the two are standing outside the museum. The day has progressed into evening. The intelligent hero had apparently remained in control as it guided Azusa through the exhibits, demonstrating its profound knowledge of the arts, but Youto is left with no memory of the events. 
Youto is contemplating on his other self when Azusa notices him spacing out. Youto asks Azusa what she would do if she had an "other self" — someone who looks the same but is smarter, more capable, and more impressive. Reflecting on her past experience with the Cat God, Azusa answers that she couldn't do anything herself, and the best she could do was to give up. She then reasons that if such a person exists, they couldn't really be called an "other self," as they would not be an equal.
After some time, Azusa breaks the silence again, mentioning her observation that Youto seemed different in the museum, but dismisses her statement before elaborating. Though curious about what she meant to say, Youto finds himself lacking the courage to confirm. 
Youto continues to embrace his new persona of a righteous hero. The amount of time that the shadow spends in his body spirals out of control, to the point where he disconnects as soon as he wakes up and regains consciousness when he lies down in bed.
One night, Youto wakes up from a dream and finds himself sick with a cold. While bedridden, Youto receives an unexpected visit from Tsukiko, who sneaks into his apartment through the balcony after receiving no response at the door, taking charge of his care and tidies his living space. When Tsukiko learns of Youto's family situation — his mother in the hospital and his father away on business — she expresses guilt for not having understood more about his life. Her tender care, including feeding him a meal, cooling his fevered forehead with her hands, and singing him a lullaby, evokes Youto's memories of Tsukasa.
The next morning, Youto panicks when he realizes the date — there is less than 20 hours until the marathon tournament. He feels a need to prepare himself for the tournament, but Tsukiko reminds him to take a much-needed bath after being covered in sweat for two days. Offering to wash his back, Tsukiko insists that a sick person has to rest, fully against Youto's idea of attending the marathon tournament. She questions why he is so adamant about going, as well as why he can push himself so hard. Not sure how to explain, Youto quotes a poem: "A flower is most beautiful when it knows the time to fall. People are like flowers; they will die without hesitation." He expresses his belief in the beauty of sacrificing oneself for the happiness of the greatest number.
However, Tsukiko challenges Youto's idea that he must save everyone or do something extraordinary to have value. She assures him that "flowers can stay flowers, and humans can stay humans." She tells Youto that it's okay to be himself, as she accepts him as "her Youto-kun," flaws and all. A void in Youto's heart is suddenly filled with warmth, as tears begin to well up in his eyes, pours down his cheeks, and drips down to his laps. He feels an embrace coming from behind, holding onto him as the water continues to pour down.
Despite this, Youto decides that he has to at least show up to the marathon tournament after making a promise. When the race begins however, he trips and tumbles down to the riverbank. Youto, recalling the sight of someone tampering with Gorilla-senpai's laces, stops running and descends to help him.
His decision is not driven by the shadow but by his genuine desire to aid those in need, regardless of their character. He feels his shadow letting out a laugh as it rises next to him. Youto does not attempt to reject it, having now realized that they are one and the same. The shadow, too, extends its hand towards Gorilla-senpai. As Gorilla-senpai grabs both of their hands, the two Youtos begin melting into one. With a rush of memories, the actions of the shadow during the time he was disconnected all flood back into his body.
Rejoining the marathon after carrying Gorilla-senpai to aid, he passes by Tsukiko, who remarks, "I knew it. Senpai is like this." Though he finishes near the back, Azusa commends him, pointing out that his actions have earned the admiration of others, even if he didn't win the race. She also notes a subtle shift in his demeanor, similar to what she observed during their art museum outing.
A week later, Youto and Emi accompany Tsukushi to her national university entrance exam. Youto has also asked Emi's father to come, but he is apparently preoccupied with work. Tsukushi humorously references Youto's earlier "marriage proposal," interpreting it as motivational encouragement from the younger brother Yokodera, saying that she will wait until the "older brother" gives his approval as well.
When Youto addresses her as "president," she corrects him, stating that she has officially retired from the track-and-field club and tells Youto to instead call her "Onee-san." "Onee-san, okay? Yokodera-kouhai." Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi points her finger at Youto.
Dropping her gaze, Tsukushi sees Emi clinging to Youto inside his coat. She claims to have seen a hooded man, who was also at Tsutsukakushi household on the day of the central exam. With impressive memory, he quotes the man, "At this rate, you'll fail. Completely so, to your own detriment. Very soon, you will—", and asks Youto if he really hasn't realized who the man was. Tsukushi begins coughing violently, as though something is stuck in her throat, but despite this, she leaves for her exams.
==Time Loop==
After sending Tsukushi off to her entrance exam, Youto would find himself trapped in a mysterious time loop. It is unclear what took place in the true original timeline, as the story skips directly to the first loop.
In the first loop, Youto and Emi search for the hooded man she spotted, but he is nowhere to be found. Youto's thoughts linger on Emi's father, whose actions resulted in Youto gaining the black shadow.
Azusa arrives, bearing a motivational banner for Tsukushi. Her presence stirs Emi's trauma, leading to a chase across the university grounds that ends with her falling into a bush. When Youto helps her up, her clothes are in disarray, revealing lots of skin. This causes a misunderstanding with a guard, and as Youto is taken to a temporary detention, an ambulance arrives nearby.
Afterwards, Youto accompanies Azusa to the Tsutsukakushi household, and is surprised to discover Tsukushi already home. They then plan an outing to the skating rink, with Tsukiko stepping forward to suggest going on Saturday due to discounted prices, but still acts cold towards Youto. During their discussion, Tsukushi begins coughing again, but insists that it was of no concern.
The day of the outing arrives. Maimaki Mai was invited and brings her entire club along, but her dynamic with Youto however is different from before — while trying to resolve the conflict between the track-and-field and baseball clubs, Youto left the club, which Mai viewed as a form of betrayal.
Azusa invites Youto to skate together, mentioning that her mother is looking for models for her next magazine. Her thought is interrupted however when she steps onto ice, struggling to maintain her balance. To encourage her, Youto starts moving back into the rink, only to realize that her sweater got caught on a nail. After fixing her sweater, she finds herself in close proximity with Youto. She takes the opportunity to ask Youto if she could call him You-kun, just like how she started call Tsukiko Tsuu-chan. They enter an endless loop where they repeat the nickname to each other while a jealous Tsukiko observes from afar, muttering curses.
Later, Tsukushi collapses after helping lost children, forcing Youto and Tsukiko to carry her home. Upon arrival, they discover Tsukiko's room has been ransacked, though nothing is missing. Investigating further, Youto is knocked out by Emi's father, possessed by the Cat God, who ties him to a pillar. It proceeds to blab on in its usual fashion, ridiculing and threatening Youto, but Youto is so unfazed to the point where he spaces out.
The deity divuilges that Tsukushi suffers from a terminal illness tied to the Cat God bloodline, a fate that mirrors her late mother's. It offers Youto a grim deal: to sacrifice his remaining lifespan to save Tsukushi by transferring his life force by wishing at the Cat God statue under the cedar tree.
Youto puts strength in his arm and finds the ropes becoming undone quite easily, clearly the work of an amateur. He seizes control of the situation, interrogating the Cat God about the break-in, but it insists a third party was involved. After the interrogation, a teary-eyed Cat God emphasizes that its interests lie with the Tsutsukakushi family, which is why it found Youto in an attempt to do something about Tsukushi's illness. Just as it stands up to leave however, Youto stops him and agrees to its proposal, much to its surprise.
Youto climbs the hill to the Cat God statue with the Cat God in tow. Along the way, Youto reflects on his first time meeting Tsukiko at this location, followed by a rush of memories from his diaries. The Cat God makes multiple attempts to make him reconsider, caught off guard by his lack of hesitation. However, Youto remains steadfast, viewing the sacrifice as a natural extension of his character and values.
After his death, Tsukushi's illness is cured as promised. However, the loss of her senpai also sends Tsukiko falling into despair.
The narrative skips to the third time loop, where Youto finds himself back at the university gate, having just sent Tsukushi off to her entrance exam. The initial events remain identical: Azusa arrives with a banner, a chase breaks out, a misunderstanding occurs, and they return to the Tsutsukakushi household to find Tsukushi home early.
Tsukushi once again suggests a skating outing. At this point, a subtle change in events occurs, as Tsukiko suggests going early morning on Sunday, because there will be less children around.
At the skating rink, both Azusa and Tsukiko cling to Youto. However, after they exchange glances, Azusa lets go and leaves the two of them alone. After an incident involving her skirt getting caught on a nail, she cryptically speaks of "protecting the world's peace" and her "original goal," matter-of-factly reflecting on her failed first and second attempts but resolving to succeed.
Tsukiko then takes it upon herself to help some lost children, quickly convincing Tsukushi to leave the rink early to conserve her energy. As they return home, Youto notes Tsukiko's unusual behavior, almost as if she is a soldier fighting against the entire world.
At home, Tsukiko anticipates an intruder in her room but is thrown into confusion when no such event occurs. Youto finds a notebook marked with a "#2," which appears like the one she used to document Youto's every action, indicating that she had to move on to a second notebook because the first one was filled to the brim. However, before he can read it, Tsukiko swipes the notes from him, asserting that there are good reasons "for Senpai to not know about Senpai," and it's fine "as long as she knows more about Senpai than Senpai."
When further questioned however, Tsukiko eventually reveals that she knows about the future, which she has seen through Youto's memories. She elaborates that she knows everything that has ever seen, heard, or done, deducing that she must have subconsciously wished to be the one carrying all of his memories when he handed them over ten years ago. Tsukiko expresses her determination to alter the future to achieve a satisfying resolution, rejecting outcomes that she deems emotionally unsatisfactory.
After an uneventful week, Azusa invites the group to a bridal photoshoot at the church for her mother's magazine, with Tsukushi as bride and Youto as groom. Though she originally intended to invite only Youto, it proved impossible as Tsukiko would constantly plan activities to keep all of them together.
Before the photoshoot begins, Youto once again encounters the Cat God possessing Emi's father, once again informing him of Tsukushi's terminal illness. Youto easily scares off the Cat God with a kiss before spotting Emi, who has stayed behind after her choir practice at the church. Youto suggests her to sing at the photoshoot, but Emi is discomforted by Azusa's presence.
The photoshoot is interrupted however when Tsukushi suddenly collapses. While she is transported to the hospital, Tsukiko suddenly brings up something Youto said before the marathon tournament: "A flower is most beautiful when it knows the time to fall. People are like flowers. They will die without hesitation." Insisting that the topic is important, she emphasizes that people have value without saving others, that flowers can stay flowers, and humans can stay humans.
"I know that Senpai is Senpai. So stop being anybody else, please." Tsukiko repeats these words like a chant. When Youto tries to explain that he simply wants everyone to be happy, Tsukiko suddenly stomps on the ground and lets out a loud scream unlike any sound she has ever made, "Please!" 
She emphasizes that every single person has to be included in this happiness that Youto envisions, arguing that one's happiness should not come at the cost of someone else's suffering. She implores him to stop forcing himself, as long as there is someone out there to tell him "don't do it." As a fierce fire burns in Tsukiko's eyes, Youto has no choice but to agree to a promise.
Wandering aimlessly, Youto has a vague idea in mind to sacrifice his own life in order to save Tsukushi. However, he hesitates because of Tsukiko's words. 
He is found by Azuki Azusa, who offers him an umbrella. He asks Azusa for her thoughts on whether he should be himself, or a hero who saves everyone. Though confused by the question, Azusa suggests him to do what he wants. When Youto adds, "what if someone disagrees?", she answers that either way, she will respect Youto's decision — once Youto sets his mind to something, there is nothing she can do to stop him. However, at the very least, she wants to understand Youto.
Likening Azusa to the swallow in the story of The Happy Prince, Youto invites her to walk with him, as they head for the hill where the cat statue resides, ending the loop with the same tragedy.
In the eighth loop, Youto and Emi once again send Tsukushi off to her entrance exam. This time, Tsukiko joins them, holding a book marked with "#7" and acting coldly towards Youto. She refuses to engage with him, claiming that he never listens to her, even "the one time that she begged."
Youto follows Tsukiko as he walks into the gate while the guards are on break. She makes her way into the empty guard's office and maeks some kind of call. Not long after, an ambulance arrives nearby. A patient is transported into the ambulance laying on a stretcher, and upon a closer look, Youto realizes it is none other than Tsukushi.
At the hospital, Youto overhears a conversation between Tsukiko and a professor. Tsukiko speaks as if Tsukushi had taken the exam many times, telling the professor that Tsukushi would never participate in afternoon exams, and would sneak home like nothing happened. This time, Tsukiko had called the ambulance early so she couldn't get away. After the conversation, Tsukiko passes Youto without acknowledging his presence. Realizing that as a last resort, he can pray to the Cat God for Tsukushi's happiness using his own, Youto resolves to do something about Tsukushi's illness.
Saturday's track and field practice takes place amid the group's worry over Tsukushi's condition. Afterwards, Youto encounters Tsukiko again at the Tsutsukakushi household. She is searching for an intruder and remains cold towards him, expressing her anger through cat-like gestures. She even pushes back black cat plush that he previously gifted her on her birthday, arguing that their relationship is not equal, because even though she wants to do something for Youto in return for what he has given her, he never listens, no matter what she says or does. She declares that until they become "equal," she will not give up on Youto — if he continues to "pray like always," she will "revert it back to normal." With this, Youto finally comes to understand what Tsukiko meant.
Later, Youto meets Emi at her church, where they discuss the presence of a familiar hooded man who seems to be watching them. The man reveals himself to be crying, explaining that the world is trapped in a time loop that Youto has failed to break, each time paying too great a sacrifice. In cryptic terms, he reveals himself to be another Youto from a past timeline who disregarded the same words of warning, asserting that the present Youto will be facing the same fate.
He explains that Tsukiko's subconscious wish to know everything in Youto's stead has made it so her notebooks that document his every action carry over to the next loop, which is how she retains her memories and become aware of the loop itself. He then adds that he has also been observing the notes himself: at the beginning, he struggled to differentiate between the notes for each loop. However, after the third time, Tsukiko started to number them, and always hid them in the same location in her room.
Alas, the man bids farewell, urging Youto to tread down a different path than him. He stoops down as if praying for something, and turns to look at Emi with eyes filled with sadness, before finally walking away.
Later, Youto finds an item that the man has left behind — a black cat plush toy made into a puppet, with the same design as the one he gifted Tsukiko. It contains a recording device inside, which contains clips of Emi's father's words of warning.
Moments later, the Cat God arrives, possessing Emi's father. Youto tells Emi to wait as he takes the Cat God to the back of the chapel. It claims to have come with important information, but Youto immediately kabe-dons the Cat God and goes in for a kiss, hallucinating the image of a girl to distract himself from the fact that he is kissing a middle-aged man.
After the flustered Cat God runs off, Emi receives a phone call from what sounds like her actual father, speaking in Italian. After the call ends, Emi tells Youto that her father wanted to tell him about Tsukushi's sickness, and wants him to "do what he needs to do." 
Youto ponders Emi's father's motive, suspecting that he might be working together with the Cat God. Regardless, he stands up to face the hill with the cedar tree, where the cat statue resides. However, Emi lets out a sigh, calling him an idiot for "going for another loop." Ordering Youto to listen to her, Emi suggests that they convince Tsukiko, or the loop will never end. However, Youto believes that there is no way for them to come to an understanding — he wants to do everything he can to save Tsukushi, and the fact that Tsukiko disapproves is a difference in lifestyle that cannot be mended.
Hearing this, Emi reminds him of a crucial conversation with Tsukushi during their hospital visit, where she admitted that she wanted to end the curse of the bloodline with her generation, by living and dying as herself, free from the legacy of the Cat God. When Youto asked why she didn't tell anyone, she simply answered, "Because I am an Onee-san after all!", acting like a grownup.
Listening to Youto's relay of this exchange, Emi says that Tsukushi probably wanted an equal relationship, where her pain belongs to herself only. However, Youto objects, voicing his frustration, "You can't keep the pain to yourself and still say you're part of an equal relationship. Waiting for the other person is just—" 
Youto stops when realizes the parallel between his own words and Tsukiko's, finally understanding her. With a sigh, Emi remarks on how long it has taken him to understand. Youto concurs, feeling truly deserving of his "pumpkin" title.
However, although a crucial step was made by Youto, the reality is that he had done so too late — Tsukushi's illness worsens by the day, and he had already made Tsukiko angry. The current Youto is running out of time, but only the current him. Alas, he arrives at the decision to once again pray to the Cat God, restarting the loop once more, but before doing so, he requests Emi to deliver Tsukiko a letter.
Youto continues to traverse through the time loops. With the help of Emi, Youto and Tsukiko soon reconcile, and begin investigating the cause of the time loop. Each time they ran out of time in a loop, he would have Emi deliver Tsukiko a letter before the loop resets containing everything he knew and felt. Tsukiko, retaining her memories via her notes, would talk to Youto at the start of the next loop, helping him regain his memories as well.
They eventually come to learn that Emi's father is the one responsible for the time loop — having received something precious from the Cat God via the Tsutsukakushi family at one point, he feels deeply indebted and has taken it upon himself to ensure the happiness of the bloodline. Purposely bringing the wrong bag to Tsukushi's central exam and drawing out Youto's inner desire to become a hero were all part of his plan to ensure that Youto would sacrifice his life for Tsukushi's sake. However, each time Youto dies, Tsukiko falls into despair, prompting him to reset everything and try again by wishing to the Cat God, repeating the cycle endlessly in pursuit of the best possible future.
Working together, Youto and Tsukiko come up with a plan to counteract Emi's father's plan. When they finish the necessary preparations, they have entered the 99th loop.
After sending off Tsukushi at the university gates, Tsukiko arrives but chants erratically and ignores him. She stuffs scraps of her notebooks into Youto's pocket before disappearing around a corner. Emi's father appears, urging Youto to read the notes and search for Tsukiko. The notes are filled with nonsensical phrases, suggesting a crumbling mental state.
Youto and Emi split up to find Tsukiko, with Youto heading to the Tsutsukakushi household. There, he hears banging sounds from the storehouse and discovers Emi's father present, ignoring Youto's prior instructions to search the shrine. Inside, they find Tsukiko furiously swinging a bat at the Cat God statue, a perceived act of desperation to end the loop. Emi's father dismisses her efforts, explaining that the time loop activates before the Cat God can be destroyed.
As Tsukiko drops the bat, Youto runs up to embrace her and comfort her with his words. Remarking sarcastically on the warmness of their love, Emi's father informs them of old news about Tsukushi's illness that they've heard countless times, as well as the truth of the time loop.
However, they then reveal that as part of their final plan, they've orchestrated all the events leading up to this point in the loop in order to lure Emi's father into the storehouse, including the mental breakdown exhibited by Tsukiko.
Recognizing Tsukiko's notes as the source of his troubles, Emi's father calls for the Cat God to possess him and take them away. However, Youto immediately advances on the still traumatized Cat God for another kiss. As it begs for mercy, Youto suggests making a better choice this time — send them back to the past and allow them to take care of the root of the issue.
Though it tries to warn them of the consequences of altering the past, it has no choice but to agree under their combined pressure. As the Cat God's power activates, the world begins to distort and warp into darkness. 
He reflects on how humans are solitary beings at their core, only able to see things from a subjective position, filtered by personal opinion; each person lives in their own world, and two worlds can never become one. Yet, within the darkness, Tsukiko calls out his name and reaches out her hands. As their hands meet, Youto feels the warmth of her blood flow, and a light illuminates the surrounding darkness.
Youto's reflection deepens — it is precisely because their worlds cannot become one that they reach for each other's hands, despite the differences in their worlds.
==Visit to the Past, Again==
Once again, Youto arrives back in the past 10 years ago. However, instead of retaining his grown-up form like the previous time, he finds himself regressed in age, taking the place of the six-year-old Yokodera Youto of this timeline. 
He discovers that Tsukiko, too, has also undergone the same regression, which appears to also have affected her mental state as she struggles with words. She behaves strangely, seeking comfort by sucking on Youto's finger, calling him "daddy," which only deepens his sense of isolation. While Tsukiko quickly falls asleep besides him, Youto remains overwhelmed and lost.
His despair is interrupted by the arrival of Tsukasa, wearing her signature hedgehog costume and showing no sign of illness. Pointing out that it's only six in the morning, she urges him to rest. After placing the sleeping Tsukiko in a more comfortable spot, Tsukasa wraps Youto in a warm embrace and sings him a peculiar but deeply nostalgic lullaby, sending him to the land of dreams.
When morning arrives, Youto notices signs that his young self had been staying over at the Tsutsukakushi household, likely due to the troublesome issues within his own family at the time.
While Tsukasa begins preparing breakfast, which still consists of mostly convenience store meals, Tsukiko continues exhibiting strange behavior by holding his leg and licking his ankle. Startled, Youto jumps backwards, accidentally landing on top of Tsukasa, one of his hands holding Tsukasa's breast. This event leaves him feeling guilty and reflecting on the disparity between his outward appearance and internal age. He resolves not to take advantage of the situation and vows to uphold his pride.
Despite this oath, he suffers thorough defeat on a visit to the bathhouse, where Tsukasa takes Youto into the women's bath with her. Surrounded by women, Youto succumbs to indulgence, but suddenly faints from the heat of the bath, leading to an unexpected encounter with Azuki Azusa and her mother after he wakes up. Surprised to see Azusa, he accidentally mutters her name and is mistaken by her mother as "Ma-chan," a friend Azusa frequently mentioned. Youto plays along, prompting a confused Azusa to frantically shake her head.
Tsukasa finally rushes over, worried to death with her face paler than ever. She apologizes to Azusa's mother profusely, but she gently rebukes that she needs to keep a closer eye on her children before leaving with Azusa. Feeling bad for Tsukasa and regretting his actions, Youto chases after Azusa's mother, admitting to her that everything was his own fault, asking her to scold him instead. She is taken aback but responds affectionately, assuring him that he will become a proper man in the future, much to his shame.
Only when Tsukasa hands him his clothes does Youto realize that he was fully naked throughout this entire interaction. Assaulted by an onrush of shame and embarrassment, he rushes back to the changing area, but this incident leads him to realize that he still possesses the emotion of shame, which he had lost in the original timeline due to his wish to the Cat God.
With the reality of the endless possibilities ahead setting in, he visits the storehouse, the base of the Cat God's curse, after returning from the bathhouse but finds it securely locked. Sitting down in one of the tatami rooms, Youto begins writing out a list of goals:
# Find a cure for Tsukushi's illness.
# Eliminate the Tsutsukakushi family's curse tied to the Cat God.
# Ensure Tsukasa lives a long, fulfilling life.
He continues writing on and on until the entire paper is filled, until he is found by Tsukasa. When questioned, he frantically claims to be writing a dream diary. Despite her suspicions that Youto has something to tell her, he chooses to keep his intentions private, vowing to resolve matters on his own.
Youto later visits his own home, which is desolate and filled with reminders of his difficult family past. He finds a note, a letter for Tsukasa, some money left behind, as well as an old family photo. This visit rekindles feelings of unease that linger with him despite knowing these issues are resolved in his future.
The evening progresses. After dinner, Tsukushi engages Youto in a flurry of questions about his current school, pretending disinterest but ultimately revealing her intent to find a school as she plans to remain in Japan. She insists that Youto show her around, to which he reluctantly agrees. The next day, Youto brings Tsukushi to a random school instead of the one he attended to avoid revealing his lack of memory about his own grade school life, but Tsukushi quickly deduces his deception.
Exploring the school grounds, they encounter a tomboyish girl, Maimaki Mai, who accuses them of trespassing. Tsukushi and Mai engage in a heated verbal sparring match, with Tsukushi using lofty language and Mai responding with fiery insults. The argument escalates into a physical altercation, and Youto's attempts to mediate only result in him being caught in the crossfire. To defuse the situation, Youto strategically mentions Azuki Azusa (A-chan), a mutual acquaintance from Mai's childhood, and offers to take them to her family.
The group visits the Azuki household, where they are greeted warmly by Azusa's mother. Youto introduces Mai as Azusa's childhood friend, Ma-chan. Initially hesitant, Mai attempts to reconnect with Azusa, expressing concern over their lost communication. When Azusa shyly hesitates to respond, Mai assumes she has been a bother and turns to leave. However, Azusa suddenly leaps at Mai, pinning her to the ground in an emotional, tearful embrace.
Azusa's mother explains that their letters never reached each other due to confusions with the postal system after Mai's family moved. The misunderstanding cleared, the girls reconcile, and Azusa's mother invites them inside. Tsukushi, maintaining her "Messiah" persona, feigns disinterest but reveals her true excitement, prompting Youto to call her out on wanting to play with others her age, whch leads to another playful clash between Tsukushi and Mai.
Walking home after an enjoyable afternoon, Youto reflects on the happiness shared by A-chan and Ma-chan, smiling at their restored bond. Youto briefly ponders why this moment feels so significant to him, vaguely remembering swearing and oath to never make a girl cry, but struggling to remember when it happened and feeling that he is forgetting something crucial.
Over the following days, the bond between Youto, Tsukushi, Mai, and Azusa grows as they frequently play together. During a game of hide-and-seek, Youto creates a commotion by shouting "Breasts!" at random, causing confusion among the girls and amusing a passing woman, whom he nicknames "Breasts Onee-san." Tsukasa quickly intervenes, dragging him back into the household, only for him to discover that the woman is a visitor tied to the ongoing custody negotiations involving the Tsutsukakushi family.
Tsukiko, whom Youto hasn't paid much mind to for a few days, suddenly clings to him, appearing to need the toilet. Before they reach the washroom however, Tsukiko suddenly sighs, muttering "...No more...", before she suddenly slaps Youto across the face. Speaking with unexpected levels of maturity, she accuses him of growing too comfortable in the past timeline. She reveals that, like Youto, she has retained her adult consciousness but pretended to be a child to avoid altering history. However, she changes her story when Youto questions her own odd behaviors.
Tsukiko warns him that his carefree actions risk disrupting the future, citing the potential butterfly effect, such as the possibility that Tsukushi's growing social connections might prevent the sisters' close bond and ultimately change how Tsukiko and Youto meet in the future.
Youto begins to understand Tsukiko's concerns but feels inspired by the possibility of reshaping the future. He encourages Tsukiko to move forward, arguing that they traveled to this timeline for this exact purpose, and guaranteeing her that they will not lose each other no matter what. Youto then devises a plan to assist in the custody negotiations, which are clearly wearing down Tsukasa.
To disrupt the tense discussion, Youto bursts into the room, creating chaos by shouting and accusing Tsukiko of wetting herself. His antics successfully derail the conversation, causing the woman to postpone her visit. While the immediate crisis is averted, Tsukasa is left exhausted, retreating to rest.
Tsukiko questions their next steps, worried that nothing will change at this rate. Youto however is confident with his plan, announcing that she can "leave everything to him," prompting Tsukiko reminds him about his phrasing. Youto immediately corrects himself, instead declaring that he'll borrow everyone's strength this time.
The following morning, Youto pays a visit to the Azuki household, seeking support for Tsukasa's situation and agreeing on a secret plan. However, a problem remains in convincing Tsukiko's grandparents that they are happy living in Japan, so he orchestrates a commemorative photo session with Tsukasa, Tsukushi, and Tsukiko. Despite some difficulties setting up the camera, the photoshoot succeeds. Youto and Tsukiko then prepare the house for the arrival of the Azukis, whom Youto believes will help them in dealing with Breasts Onee-san.
When the doorbell rings, however, it is Breasts Onee-san, not the expected reinforcements. Youto scrambles to buy time, but the Azukis never arrive. Tsukasa reveals that she declined their help on a phone call, determined to resolve the matter without outside intervention. She reassures Youto, explaining that the situation isn't inherently evil — both sides care deeply for the sisters, and she believes in resolving the conflict through mutual understanding rather than deceit. She adds that the negotiations already reached a resolution the previous day, emphasizing the adults' ability to handle such matters.
Despite Tsukasa's comforting words, Youto's instincts tell him otherwise. Peeking into the banquet hall, he sees Tsukasa begging desperately, her head bowed to the floor. Falling into despair, he retreats, but Tsukiko consoles him. Falling in despair, he buries his head into his arms, when he feels the warmth of another child. Tsukiko admits that she too had been too childish, overestimating their capabilities as mere children. Citing Youto's promise that he'd borrow everyone's strength, she reminds him of one particular person that he should ask more than anyone else — Tsukasa herself.
Some time later, Breasts Onee-san leaves, and Youto joins Tsukasa in the banquet hall, the yard's scenery reminding them of the photo. Tsukasa mentions that Breasts Onee-san believed the grandparents will love the photo, an obvious lie that Youto chooses not to challenge. Reflecting on the events, Youto is finally resolved to let go of his comfort in this children's world. He admits that just like Tsukasa had suspected, he indeed has something to tell her. He acknowledges that the story he is about to tell may be hard to believe, but emphasizes its importance. In response, Tsukasa nods, giving him a kind smile.
Youto reveals the truth to Tsukasa, explaining that he and Tsukiko are time travelers from ten years in the future, with the goal of preventing Tsukushi's tragic fate. Tsukasa listens patiently, displaying her characteristic maternal warmth. After making a call, she reveals that she had already deduced the identities of the mysterious boy and girl from some time prior, from when Youto and Tsukiko traveled to the past for the first time. Later, Youto joins the family on a picnic at the hill with the large cedar tree. After the meal, they relax together, holding hands and sharing a peaceful moment.
After the picnic, Youto persuades Tsukasa to open the storehouse where the Cat God resides, using his childlike demeanor to win her over despite her initial reluctance and skepticism. Tsukasa reveals her past encounter with the Cat God, having once used its power to help Emi's father, Mr. Pollarola, but expresses regret over relying on it, warning Youto about its dangers. She advises him against going alone, and agrees to accompany him to the storehouse the next day.
The next day however would begin with the shocking discovery that Tsukasa is missing, with only her hedgehog costume left behind. A phone call informs Youto that she has been hospitalized. He and Tsukiko take a bus to the hospital, during which Youto reflects on his elder sister's past hospitalization, explaining his familiarity with the route.
At the hospital, they meet the doctor, Azuki-sensei, who is revealed to be Azuki Azusa's father. He provides simple yet reassuring explanations about Tsukasa's condition, demonstrating gentle kindness despite his intimidating bear-like appearance. Arriving at Tsukasa's room, they find Tsukushi using her mother's laps as a pillow. Tsukasa appears composed and nonchalant about her condition, reassuring the others despite their concern.
Azusa and her mother arrive soon after, bringing supplies for Tsukasa. Azusa surprises everyone by enthusiastically jumping into Youto's arms, showcasing her growing fondness for him. While Youto is overwhelmed by her affection, Tsukiko watches with a sharp glare. Tsukasa takes the opportunity to remind Youto not to involve others in their problems unnecessarily, forcing him to apologize for his actions.
Azusa's mother invites Youto and the Tsutsukakushi sisters to stay at their home while Tsukasa remains hospitalized, emphasizing the mutual benefit for Azusa, who lacks friends. Later, Azusa's mother mentions her husband's dissatisfaction with the healthcare system and their potential move to a remote island. She mentions that her husband has always wanted a son, and meeting Youto only inspired him to work harder. This leaves Youto and Tsukiko wondering if they've again accidentally altered the past, and what the implications are on the future. 
Youto then encounters Tsukushi performing a strange ritual involving tally marks on her body, a belief influenced by Mai and based on an old romance manga. Overcome by curiosity and humor, Youto offers to help her, only for Tsukiko to intervene and restore order. Afterward, Tsukiko takes a serious tone, reflecting on their purpose in the past. She voices her concern about Tsukushi's personality shifting under Mai's influence, potentially leading her to become the same clumsy version they knew in the future.
Youto takes a moment to consider her perspective: thanks to his efforts, Azusa and Mai who had drifted apart in his original timeline were reunited. However, this may have merely postponed their separation as the Azuki family will eventually move far away. Then, when the school trip comes around, Mai will once again tell him about how she and A-chan grew apart. Similarly, if the past and its outcomes are truly predestined, Tsukasa will still pass away, and Tsukushi will fall ill. 
Tsukiko reveals her deep-seated fear that their attempts to change the past may be futile. Youto, in turn, adopts a more hopeful perspective. He encourages Tsukiko to focus on the act of trying rather than worrying about the outcome, suggesting that they go meet the Cat God in the storehouse and see where their choices lead. 
Upon returning to the Tsutsukakushi estate, Youto and Tsukiko meet two unexpected visitors: Breasts Onee-san and Emi's father. Youto is immediately wary, but the two of them would not exhibit any ill-intent. Both express remorse for past tensions and offer apologies. Breasts Onee-san promises to mediate with the Italian side, while Mr. Pollarola passionately shares his gratitude to Tsukasa for past kindness, recounting his experiences with the Cat God. Youto realizes this meeting marks the beginning of how Emi's parents came together, noting the resemblance between Breasts Onee-san and Emi.
Youto and Tsukiko proceed to the storehouse despite Tsukasa's warnings. Inside the dark, ominous space, Tsukiko grows hesitant, but Youto confidently makes a wish to summon the Cat God. His wish is fulfilled when a kimono-clad girl, embodying the Cat God, materializes. She chastises Youto for his arrogance in trespassing on divine territory. However, Youto boldly approaches her, kissing her to assert dominance as he has done many times before. This causes the Cat God's stern demeanor to crumble into tears.
After the Cat God recovers, Tsukiko apologizes for Youto's behavior and pleads for her cooperation. The Cat God reveals herself as an ancestral spirit of the Tsutsukakushi family, stating her role is limited to granting wishes by balancing gains and losses. She denies responsibility for any curse, explaining that if one exists, it would stem from someone's wish, not her actions. This revelation leaves Youto and Tsukiko questioning the true nature of the supposed curse and the validity of their assumptions.
Returning to the house, Youto answers a phone call from his mother, who scolds him for neglecting his hospitalized sister. Youto internally acknowledges that he could've visited his sister today, having been to the exact hospital that she stayed at to visit Tsukasa. However, he simply did not want to see his sister, finding it annoying that everything was about her. He remains silent under his mother's berating until Tsukasa unexpectedly takes the phone, curtly ends the call, and places a hand on Youto's head. When asked why she is here, she simply answers "just because."
A modest dinner takes place at the Tsutsukakushi household with Youto, Tsukasa, Tsukiko and Tsukushi sharing take out udon. Tsukushi boasts about securing the food on her own but also admits she orchestrated Tsukasa's discharge from the hospital, unable to sleep without her mother's presence. Having heard the phone call, she jabs at Youto for failing to visit his sister, prompting him to reflect on his past. He recalls how his sister Yotsuba's worsening condition led him to avoid hospital visits and how his parents, exasperated, placed him under Tsukasa's care, forming his bond with her family.
Though Youto exhibits a hint of guilt, Tsukasa assures him that his feelings are completely natural — both the ones visiting and the ones being visited go through completely different but still totally comparable levels of pain, a burden that is not a child's responsibility to bear. She promises that she'd let Youto stay with them if it came to it, recognizing him as part of her own family.
Despite the warm atmostphere, Youto is forced to confront Tsukasa about the origins of the supposed "curse" after the Cat God denied its existence. He concludes that Tsukasa's belief in the curse must have stemmed from her own wish. Tsukasa, instead of being angry, feels relieved that the curse might not exist. Yet, her composure crumbles as she confesses her despair over her limited time and her wish to see her daughters grow. The belief in a curse, she admits, was her coping mechanism for her deteriorating health.
Tsukushi returns to find Tsukasa in tears, misinterpreting the situation as Youto bullying her mother, prompting her to interrupt with her usual boisterous antics. Expressing her unreserved love for her mother, she says, "Mother and I are always together. I will walk on while holding her hand, grow as I watch her back, and sleep next to her — Until eventually I die just like her." With this, they have witnessed the true birth of the curse.
Though briefly shaken by the realization, Tsukasa reassures Tsukushi, urging her to live a long life, share her burdens with loved ones, and cancel "all things drawn to her unjustly." Tsukiko tries to suggest wishing to the Cat God to grant Tsukasa a healthy body. However, she is unwilling to accept such a method. She insists that as long as her children live strong, she will continue to live on in their hearts, and she is satisfied. With her young body still possessing expressions, Tsukiko begins to tear up, soon mirrored by Tsukushi. Tsukasa pulls the both of them into an embrace, before inviting Youto to join them as well. Before he realizes, his vision is too blurred by tears. Without thinking, he too jumps into Tsukasa's arms.
In his heart, Youto silently asks, "My first love. My beloved one. Did I make you happy?" Yet, no answer comes. Instead, Tsukasa addresses a misunderstanding that he has carried for his entire life — he wasn't cast aside by his parents. Instead, she had summoned him to her home out of a desperate desire for a family. She expresses satisfaction in the long, happy dream that she lived as a result, and erases her wish, promising to return Youto to the place he belongs, to be raised by loving parents and grow up happy.
The world around Youto begins to crumble, and the light that transported him back to the beginning envelopes him once again. Just as he begins to feel a primitive fear, a warm, loving hand grips his own. Tsukasa's voice whispers, urging him to find happiness.
With a silent farewell and heartfelt gratitude, Yokodera Youto vanishes.
==New Timeline==
In the brand new timeline, Youto finds himself back at the beginning of the story, attending the track-and-field club, peeking through the crack of a wall to observe the girls in the swimming club. Meanwhile, the previous timeline has faded into a distant dream.
Though he vaguely recalls spending time with the club president, Steel King's family in his early years, he became busy with his own family, particularly visiting his hospitalized sister and spending time with his kind parents. In this timeline, Tsukushi and Maimaki Mai share a close friendship, referring to each other affectionately as "Kou-chan" and "Ma-chan," and also sharing a mutual friend "A-chan."
Feeling disconnected, Youto roams the town alone, visiting locations like a church, shrine, and game center, as if searching for something familiar yet out of reach. His wandering leads him to a hill with a cedar tree, a place that feels both nostalgic and alien to him. There, he encounters a small girl resembling someone from a lower grade, who carries an air of familiarity. They exchange silent bows as they pass, and Youto acknowledges the lack of connection between them, preparing to leave.
However, as he turns to go, Tsukiko interrupts him, determined to break through the barriers of the new timeline. She declares that she will not let him forget her, addressing him as "senpai" and tackling him to the ground in an emotional outburst. Tsukiko vents her frustration, recounting her long wait for him after regaining her memories of the previous timeline through her notes, her love for him has enduring across time and space.
Tsukiko invites Youto on a picnic, where she makes him read all 11 volumes of her Yokodera-kun notes.
Some time later, Youto arrives at school and encounters Azuki Azusa, engaged in her usual "animal time" as a part of club practice. When she accidentally collides with him, she vaguely recognizes him, though their relationship has been reset to regular classmates. During lunch, Tsukiko pushes Youto to re-establish his connection with Azusa, accusing Youto of approaching relationships out of obligation or pity rather than genuine affection. She admits to being selfish, wanting to have a "fair battle" for Youto's affection.
On a rainy Sunday, Tsukiko orchestrates an outing that leads them to the cafe where Azusa works part-time. She explains that her goal today is to teach Youto "the joys of the common folk," a step to forming a deeper bond with Azusa. When Azusa serves them their food, Tsukiko boldly invites her on a date. The trio heads to a game center, where Azusa's spirited but clumsy performance during a rhythm game endears her to Youto.
After some time, Tsukiko leaves the two of them alone to observe from a distance. Youto awkwardly initiates a conversation, leading Azusa to reflect fondly on her friendships with Tsukiko, Mai, and Tsukushi. She admits to feeling a strange familiarity with Youto and a nagging sense that she has forgotten something important.
Hearing this, Youto finally makes up his mind to show Tsukiko's notes to Azusa, hoping to help her reconcile her feelings of emptiness. However, their growing connection is interrupted by the appearance of Maimaki Mai, who appears annoyed at their closeness. Youto addresses her by the nickname "MaiMai," provoking an angry reaction. She asserts he has no right to call her by such a familiar term and suddenly feigns illness in order to separate him from her friends.
For some time that follows, Youto would join Tsukiko, Tsukushi, Azusa, and Mai at the Tsutsukakushi household for after-school study sessions, as a part of Tsukiko's efforts to take back everything he lost. The group of childhood friends are close as ever, yet Mai's hostility towards Youto persists. Taking a walk one evening, Youto is joined in front of the long-unused storehouse by Tsukushi. She expresses contentment with every aspect of her current life, but at the same time, she suspects that there is more to this world than she knows, and feels Youto knows more than he is letting on.
After morning club activities one day, Youto finds Azuki Azusa distressed over a missing rabbit, Yaji-san. He comforts her until Maimaki Mai intervenes, taking over the consoling role and sidelining Youto. Searching for the rabbit, Youto encounters Emi in a park, wearing an ogre mask given by her father. It turns out that Azusa's puppy had been responsible for breaking the fence to the rabbit enclosure, and Emi found Yaji-san and tried to help as it escaped.
Youto treats Emi with playful teasing, prompting her to point out how intimate he's being with someone he's just met. It occurs to Youto that Emi likely lived a completely normal life in this timeline. He attempts to explain their connection, recounting how close they were in a previous world and describing the Emi he once knew. Emi initially reacts with disgust, but quickly warms up to him, opting to call him the same name that she supposedly used in the previous world, "Youto Onii-chan." Although she doesn't quite understand his words, she says she wants to get along with him agaim, and doesn't want him to be sad.
Returning the rabbit to Azusa, Youto comforts her insecurities about running the animal training club. Youto proposes a role-playing exercise where she scold him as if he were a misbehaving dog for "practice," but Azusa, oblivious to his ulterior motives, suggests switching roles and have her be the dog instead. Youto, instantly aroused, begins giving her commands which she obediently follows. Youto in turn "rewards" her by patting her in the head. When Mai returns, she is naturally furious, forcing Youto to retreat.
At home, he receives a phone call from Tsukiko, who has apparently already heard about the pet incident with Azusa. Surprisingly, she is not angry with him. She comments that "water will always return to its original shape," convincing herself that Youto's perverted nature cannot be helped. Changing the topic, Tsukiko brings up her sister's studies for university and requests Youto to help, just like he did in their original timeline. She emphasizes that the original world "definitely happened," almost like she's trying to convince herself. 
Youto rereads Tsukiko's notes, comparing past events with the current timeline, and realizes that many events seem to be repeating despite their efforts to change the future. Reflecting on Tsukiko's statement, he worries that no matter how much they alter history, events are destined to converge back to their original path.
Mai unexpectedly shows up at Youto's house, demanding that Youto leave the town immediately, stating that his continued presence will lead to him hurting others "again." She reveals her bitterness over Youto forgetting their childhood friendship and explains her hostility as an attempt to protect others, fearing he would abandon them as he seemingly did to her.
Reflecting on the past timelines, Youto realizes that while they succeeded in preserving Mai's friendship with Azusa, she ultimately lost another equally precious connection in the end. He offers a sincere apology, and Mai returns to her tsundere self, but gives Youto the permission to call her by the nickname "MaiMai" once again.
Youto decides to share the truth about the two timelines, Tsukiko's notes, and the fears he holds about the current world following the same tragic course as the previous one. To his surprise, Mai believes him, recalling something Tsukasa once told her before her passing, that the world has a way of correcting itself, steering events toward the same outcomes. She reflects that their very conversation may be evidence of this.
Mai speculates that had she known earlier, they might have acted differently. This makes Youto realize that if all of their friends were shown the notes earlier, they might have been able to reunite before reaching this age. However, such a method never occurred to Tsukiko. Instead, she has been attempting to follow the path written in the notes without deviation. Inspired by the realization, Youto suddenly embraces Mai, thanking her and requesting her help.
Deciding to help Tsukiko overcome her overreliance on the notes, Youto organizes a celebratory party at the Tsutsukakushi household, inviting everyone he could — the Tsutsukakushi sisters, Azusa, Emi, Mai, even Ponta. He then surprises everyone by introducing his older sister, Yotsuba, explaining the party is dedicated to her birthday. Yotsuba, recovering from a long illness, expresses gratitude for the gathering and shares a collection of her cherished photos from Youto's past.
As the party unfolds, lighthearted moments of bonding ensue. Tsukiko watches the party quietly, somewhat uncomfortable with the over-the-top gathering. However, Youto identifies her deeper discomfort: the deviation from the world outlined in the notes she cherishes. He questions why Tsukiko never shared the notes with others. Tsukiko hesitates, admitting that it simply never occurred to her to involve others or use the notes to bring them closer together.
Youto points out that Tsukiko puts all her trust in the past, specifically the world of the notes, instead of believing in the potential of the present and future. He frames the party as an event that challenges the rigidity of the notes, showing that meaningful relationships can form naturally without adhering to prewritten paths. Tsukiko admits her wish for the notes' world to become reality, believing it would restore her happiness, but Youto reminds her that clinging to the past dishonors her mother's wish for her to move forward.
Tsukiko admits she wished for the world of the notes to become reality, believing it would bring back the happiness she had lost. She acknowledges that her repeated reliance on the notes has kept her trapped in a cycle of sadness. Youto reminds Tsukiko that her mother's true wish was not for her to recreate the past but to move forward and find happiness in the present. He emphasizes that clinging to the past is not honoring her mother's memory but betraying her hopes for their future.
Mai supports Youto by recounting a conversation she had with Tsukasa from ten years prior: She had been upset about Youto's absence from their recent hangouts, and questioned Tsukasa about it. Tsukasa explained that Youto was working to fix his life and relationships, emphasizing the importance of nature taking its course. She promised Mai that Youto would appear in front of her again as long as she remembers him. "People only die when they are forgotten. As long as you remember them, they will exist somewhere... For sure.", Tsukasa said, moments before she left the world behind.
Youto asserts that there was no need to "take back" anything — because there was nothing that they lost. Instead, he urges her to join him in discovering all the new things in this world, promising to always be by her side, whether it's in the eleven volumes of her notes, or in the most distant future. Hearing these heartfelt words, Tsukiko breaks down in tears. 
In the aftermath of the party, Yotsuba joins the girls in the bath, asking if Youto is currently dating anyone, causing everyone to turn toward Tsukiko. The discussion spirals into chaos, touching on "child-making picnics" and wild imaginations about Tsukiko's future children. Meanwhile, Youto, secretly eavesdropping from a laundry basket, is discovered by Mai. As he emerges, Tsukiko remarks that "Senpai really is a pervert," as if finding a constant in the ever-changing new world.
Later, the two of them return to the hill with the cedar tree, burning the "Yokodera-kun notes" as a symbolic act of breaking free from the past. Tsukiko embraces the future, confident that her most important memories are now etched in her heart and no longer need to be preserved in written form. Their conversation turns to the Cat God, and Tsukiko muses about whether "she" has endured too much after their attempts to control history.
Youto reflects on the nature of the Cat God, an ancestral spirit elevated to divinity through the power of wishes, and wonders if leaving her in isolation is cruel. At that moment, he hears Tsukasa’s familiar, kind voice in his mind, reassuring him that he needn't worry in her usual straightforward fashion. Taking this as a sign, Youto concludes that they should leave the storehouse untouched and allow nature to take its course. He offers a heartfelt prayer — not a wish — hoping that the Cat God is smiling. Though neither of them can see the Cat God and Tsukasa directly, Youto is certain that they are watching over them, as long as they remain in their hearts — after all, they are "their gods."
As dawn breaks, they set off towards the Tsutsukakushi household. Along the way, Youto wonders aloud if he can make Tsukiko happy. She counters by asking if he himself is happy now. When Youto hesitates, Tsukiko declares that she will ensure his happiness, expressing confidence that he will do the same for her. As they continue walking with lighthearted skips, Tsukiko looks at Youto with her gemstone-like eyes and concludes, "This way, everyone will be happy," showing a "perfect, unparalleled, and invincible smile."
Years later, Youto and Tsukiko begin attending the same university. They have both moved out of their homes, and are shown living in a modest rented apartment together. Youto's bonds with the rest of his friends remain strong, with all of them paying frequent visits. Their story ends on a hopeful note as Youto and Tsukiko embrace the present and future.
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