Tsutsukakushi Tsukiko/Story

==Meeting Youto==
While in middle school, Tsukiko volunteered at Tsukimi Nursery School. She dreamed of becoming a nursery school teacher but struggled with shyness and communication issues, and wore an ogre 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, she finds Yokodera Youto emerging from a tunnel in the backyard of the nursery school, skipping club activity, which marks the beginning of a series of regular hangouts, where she would open up about her struggles to Youto. 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, this was also her last day volunteering here, as she was about to start attending the same high school as Youto.
During their time together, Youto had never once seen Tsukiko's face or learned her name. Tsukiko would challenge him to find and approach her in school, which he agreed to. However, this would never happen, as she was unaware of a sacrifice that Youto made in his childhood that made him exceedingly forgetful.
==Beginning of the Story==
Tsukiko, who has been extremely close to her older sister Tsukushi since the deaths of both of their parents, suddenly finds a rapidly growing distance between them. She attributes the change to her overly expressive emotions, and seeks to suppress them to become more mature and potentially reconcile with Tsukushi.
At night, she climbs a hill near her house where the statue of the Stony Cat resides at the root of a cedar tree, intending to use the cat's power to remove her unwanted trait of being overly expressive. There, she reunites with Yokodera Youto, who does not remember her, but is there to rid himself of his facade which had caused him constant inconveniences. Both make their wishes, and as they part ways, subtle signs suggest the Stony Cat's power may have begun to take effect, such as one of Tsukiko's meat buns mysteriously disappearing.
Their wishes are granted, but not in the ways they desired. Youto finds himself expressing his true intentions uncontrollably, and Tsukiko has lost the ability to show her emotions entirely, whether through voice or facial expressions. Deducing that their lost traits have been transferred to others who do not consider them burdens, they form an alliance to retrieve what they lost.
They set their sights on Azusa, whom they discover has obtained Youto's facade. In order to get closer to her, Youto ends up swearing to be her pet. Azuki maintains a noble and elegant persona at school but harbors a secret life of part-time jobs, which the duo uncovers. Their investigation reveals she works at a maid cafe, engages in road construction, and delivers newspapers, all while living modestly in a public housing complex.
Youto confronts Azuki directly, expressing his desire to reclaim his facade and challenging her to examine her reasons for maintaining her false identity. Though initially resistant, Azuki reluctantly agrees to go on a date with Youto. As he doesn't know the first thing about dating, he takes her to a wedding store and a midwifery place, but Tsukiko shows up to save the date, recommending the game center. Azusa recounts a past story where she was abandoned at the airport at her last school when they went on their school trip, because her two friends tricked her into going to the wrong destination.
Around this point, they are spotted by the Steel King, Tsutsukakushi Tsukushi, who apparently forbids people from having fun, even on weekends. Youto also discovers that the Steel King is Tsukiko's older sister. Youto grabs Tsukiko's hand and runs away from the Steel King, but knowing he can't possibly outrun the Steel King, hops into a taxi to escape. Away they go, but they soon realize they're abandoning Azusa, so they exit the taxi and run back to the game center. Azusa, who just coincidentally meets her two bully friends from the old school there, believes that Youto has set this up and leaves crying.
For a few days, Azuki Azusa is absent from school. Tsukiko pays her a visit, attempting to convince her that it was Tsukushi's fault and not Youto's, but to no avail. They meet up again atop the hill with the cat statue, where she encourages Youto to face Azusa with his honest feelings. Inspired by this, Youto's continuous efforts over the following days leads to the resolution of the misunderstanding, and Youto manages to regain his facade.
Later, Tsukiko and Youto meet up in a classroom. Tsukiko reveals to Youto her relationship struggles with her older sister and the reason for wishing away her emotions. Youto later confronts Tsukushi, who openly admits wanting to sever their sisterly bonds. However, she later clarifies that she meant instead to bring their relationship to the next stage, revealing that she has been studying to go to college in Massachusetts in order to legally marry her.
Though she initially dismissed the idea that the cat statue holds any real power, attributing Tsukiko's changes to natural maturity, she eventually changes her mind and threatens the Stony Cat 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 a really kind person who struggles with expressing herself, has decided to give up her expressions for good and offer them to her sister instead.
==Confronting the Fear of Separation==
Tsukiko and Youto spend their days together during summer break. Youto frequently mentions his dream of developing a sibling-like relationship with Tsukiko, imagining her affectionately calling him "Onii-chan" and cherishing their bond over her sister Tsukushi. Near the end of summer break however, Tsukiko grows increasingly anxious about the physical separation that will come with being in different school years when they resume school. In order to avoid future pain, she begins attempting to distance herself from Youto.
One evening, they split up after their usual hangout. Not long after however, Tsukiko receives a call from Youto, who explains that his home has disappeared. She promptly comes to his aid, inviting him to her home. However, after two awkward bath encounters involving her older sister Tsukushi, Youto, whom Tsukushi believes is his "evil twin," is forced to sleep in the storehouse for the night.
The next day, Tsukiko checks out the storehouse herself, finding that a large number of unfamiliar items have appeared inside. She calls Youto, who rushes over and identifies the items as ones from his missing house. Tsukiko looks through his items, including DVDs of questionable content, which she calmly destroys one by one.
Tsukushi arrives and identifies Youto as the evil twin. Youto scrambles to escape, resorting to diving into a closet as a desperate attempt to avoid her wrath. To stall for time, Youto claims the closet has "special abilities" and can transport him to another dimension. Exiting the closet, he manages to avoid death by apologizing for his younger brother, marking himself as the good Yokodera.
However, Tsukushi suspects him based on the sports jersey he is wearing. Youto looks at Tsukiko, attempting to signal her for help, but his expectant gaze draws even more suspicion from Tsukushi. Fortunately, he manages to win her over by praising Tsukiko's cuteness. 
Youto's praises lighten Tsukiko's mood significantly. Left alone, she prepares dinner while dancing and humming, cheerfully reciting Youto's praises. A typhoon surrounds the household, and when Youto returns to the main house, he is with Azuki Azusa.
During dinner, Tsukushi, who views Youto's "evil twin" as a threat to her relationship with Tsukiko, executes the plan she previously formulated with the help of the "older Yokodera" in order to separate Tsukiko from him. She flirts with who she believes to be the evil twin, which incurs Azusa's jealousy. Their conflict grows tense, while Tsukiko observes in silence, eventually stepping in to restore order.
After the meal, Tsukiko discusses the cause for Azusa's sudden arrival with Youto, learning that she was teleported here by the Cat God's powers after an accidental wish made by Youto, prompting her to admit that she might have triggered the events surrounding Youto's missing house.
Tsukiko confesses she had wished for Youto's house to be closer so they could spend more time together, not realizing the Cat God would take her thoughts literally. When Youto notes the contradiction between her recent distance and her true feelings, Tsukiko reveals her recent anxiety about their upcoming separation. She thanks Youto for the fun evening, declaring her wish fulfilled and implying that she's ready to move on. However, her emotions yet remain unresolved.
The typhoon outside continue to worsen. After breakfirst the next morning, they assume that school would have been cancelled due to the typhoon, so they begin a game of Daifugo to kill time. Amidst the game however, the storm shutters break, allowing rain and wind to enter the house. Youto suggests that they take shelter in Tsukushi's secret mezzanine floor, which holds Tsukushi's private collection of videos, photos, and records documenting Tsukiko's life. Upon discovering this, her response is to tear down the photos.
After a group effort of moving important items to the mezzanine floor, Tsukiko leads Youto to her room to offer him dry clothes. She provides Youto with her father's old jersey, casually mentioning her lack of memories of him. Unlike Tsukushi, who reveres their parents' memory, Tsukiko approaches their absence with cold logic, claiming she has no emotional connection to them. Youto gently suggests that Tsukushi's attachment to family memorabilia stems from loneliness. Tsukiko dismisses the idea, asserting that her sister needs to grow beyond such sentiments. When Youto asks if Tsukiko ever feels sadness, she denies it outright, maintaining her emotionlessness.
After changing clothes, Youto receives a call from his friend Ponta, who questions why Youto missed school, claiming that the typhoon has already passed and the weather outside is clear. However, the Tsutsukakushi household remains trapped in a storm, leading Youto to deduce its cause — lingering supernatural interference.
While Youto investigates the cause of the storm, Tsukiko sits alone in the banquet hall, shuffling cards for another Daifugo game. However, Youto soon returns, having found the root cause. He confronts Tsukiko about her lingering wish, which isn't just about spending time together with Youto, but a subconscious desire to create a world where they can exist like a family, isolated and safe from the outside.
Under his pressure, Tsukiko eventually admits that the house, once a lively space, has become suffocating and lonely for her. Tsukiko buries her face in Youto's borrowed jersey, it reminding her of her father's scent despite having no real memories of him. She expresses her own wish for Youto to follow through with his plan to become his older brother, she too desiring a relationship where they will never be separated.
However, Youto rejects this wish. Youto explains that he wants to be more of a brother-in-law rather than a blood-related brother, reassuring Tsukiko that their connection doesn't require constant togetherness to be meaningful. He proposes maintaining a balance between closeness and independence, which preserves the excitement of their meet-ups and allows them something to look forward to when away from each other. He then invites Tsukiko to come to his house and meet his family, where they can eat and play together.
Though initially frustrated, Youto's proposal manages to satisfy Tsukiko. She demands Youto to swear that he will honor his promise, and as he nods in affirmation, Tsukiko cancels her lingering wish, ceasing the storm outside and restoring the house to its original state.
==Meeting Emi==
Tsukiko first meets Emi when accompanying Youto to school. The girl, energetic and childlike, instantly clings to Youto. Slightly annoyed by her intimacy, she questions Youto who the girl is, but he has no idea. Emi whispers something to a plush she carried, and in the next instant, Ponta appears, introducing her as his younger sister.
Tsukiko leaves them alone for the time being. While hanging out with Youto, Emi's actions stir supernatural interference from the Cat God, transforming the school buildings into Italian landmarks and causing all students to change into swimsuits. However, the students, including Tsukiko, remain unaware of this.
Later, when joined by Youto at lunch, Tsukiko warns him about Emi, describing her as someone who disregards rules and fairness. Youto assures her that he doesn't see Emi as an romantic interest, expressing a preference for the Onee-san type. Youto convinces her to go meet with Emi again. They meet up with Tsukushi and Emi, but soon spot Azuki Azusa in the distance, spying on them — a persistent issue for the past few days.
Youto manages to catch Azusa this time as she attempts to flee. Still dressed in her normal school uniform, she points out the oddities of the school and the swimsuits, much to Tsukiko's embarrassment as she comes to her senses. After changing into normal clothes and forcing Tsukushi to do the same, she confronts Youto, believing that he is the one responsible for the strange transformations, but also allowing him another day to enjoy himself before cancelling his wishes.
The next day at lunchtime, Tsukiko is joined by Youto and Emi as she practices alone for the children's welfare club. Due to her lack of expressions, her singing sounds fairly flat. Emi sings a beautiful song of her own, and questions why Tsukiko doesn't put any emotion into her singing while playing with her face. Tsukiko is a little perturbed by this, and she and Emi start arguing 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.
Both changing into swimsuits, they dive in as the race starts. Immediately, Emi changes from racing mode to fun mode and begins plays around. Tsukiko, on the other hand, is practically drowning. They reach the end at about the same time. Emi, the true culprit behind parts of the school's transformations, says that she's had enough fun and cancels her wish of "making everyone want to go to the pool." As a result, everything generated by the wish also disappears, including the swimsuits everyone's wearing. Tsukiko runs aways to change. However, the Italian buildings yet remain.
Eventually, Youto discovers the cause behind the remaining transformations and manages to revert them in a confrontation with the Cat God. However, the encounters with Emi leads Tsukiko to believe that Youto prefers a girl that smiles more. Later, she decides to go on an "adventure" to rediscover her honest feelings and expressions.
==Start of the Rivalry==
Some time later, while on children's welfare club duties, Tsukiko encounters Youto and Azusa together at the amusement park. Wanting to keep Youto to herself, Tsukiko immediately clings to him with a possessive air. Azusa, appearing unbothered, invites Tsukiko to play together.
They arrive at a restaurant, where Tsukiko learns that Youto and Azusa bought the couple's ticket. Youto explains that it is a form of rebellion against societal trends, and Azusa says it's only to save money with no deeper meaning. Their explanations naturally do not satisfy Tsukiko. 
Youto sits down in a corner seat, and Tsukiko immediately moves to claim the seat next to him with inhuman speed, but then hesitates before sitting down. Azusa, noticing the hesitation, insists that Tsukiko takes the seat, masking her control. After some back and forth, Tsukiko reluctantly accepts. Azusa then treats Tsukiko with a teasing affection, poking her cheeks and calling out her reluctance. 
Throughout their interactions, Azusa emits a confident, dominant aura. Tsukiko asks Azusa if something good happened, prompting her to cryptically share that she had a dream where she had her first kiss, further irritating Tsukiko.
When Azusa leaves the table to get everyone's salad, Tsukiko seizes the moment to confront Youto directly. She sits on Youto's lap, her hands gripping his shirt and tugging at his bangs like a form of punishment, as she quietly asserts that she has known him the longest and their bond is the most significant.
==Visit to the Past==
Tsukiko and Tsukushi's grandparents from the Italian side have been pressuring them to move back to Italy. At one point, they receive a pair of one-way tickets to Rome, so Tsukiko visits Youto's home, intending to seek his advice.
Tsukiko is allowed in by Youto's mother. Alone in Youto's room while she waits for him, she goes through his belongings to clean them up, including taking detailed notes of Youto's "treasured goods" and organizing them into boxes to be thrown out. Finding Youto's body pillow, Barbara-san, she comes up with an "NTT Project" — the "Nonchalantly Tackle Him So We Can Be Together Project." She slashes the pillow open with scissors and remove its stuffing, before climbing inside.
At this point, Youto arrives. He discovers Tsukiko inside the gutted pillow, hiding herself completely except for her feet. Attempting to de-escalate the situation, Yokodera tries humor, pretending not to notice her presence and making exaggerated remarks about Barbara-san having "grown legs." He teasingly tickles her feet, and Tsukiko eventually bursts out of the pillow and retaliates by biting him in frustration.
Among Youto's belongings, Tsukiko finds a piece of diary that reads "A certain devil's indictment," which seems to contain middle school memories with Emi, though Youto doesn't quite recall any of it. Reading through this particular diary, Tsukiko realizes that her earlier claim of being the person Youto has known the longest is untrue — Emi, in fact, knew him for longer. Youto's casual mention of an upcoming outing with Emi only deepens her frustration and insecurities, causing her to storm out of the room, though leaving the plane tickets behind.
Youto finds the tickets and realizes the implications. He later visits the Tsutsukakushi household to confront the sisters about the tickets. Tsukiko. Tsukushi confirms that their grandparents have been pressuring them to move overseas, an idea she vehemently rejects, emphasizing the importance of the house and reminiscing about childhood moments like her mother carving height markings into the veranda and praising her growth. However, their grandparents disputed her memories, claiming that the sisters lived in Italy during their early childhood.
Tsukiko supports the effort to uncover evidence of their past by searching for old photographs, but the search yields no substantial results. They do however, find a photo of a young boy resembling Youto. This instills a hint of hope in Tsukiko, as it indicates a probability that Tsukiko and Youto have met as children, which would solidify her position as the "longest." However, her continued search would once again yield no definitive evidence.
Later, Tsukiko joins Youto in a break from the search to shop for dinner. They have a brief run-in with Azusa, and in order to separate them, Tsukiko hops on a bus on a whim, which takes them near a children's park. There, Tsukiko's true emotions begin to surface. She confesses to having a bad personality, criticizing her own envious and manipulative nature. Feeling a deep sense of inadequacy, she fears that she has nothing to offer to stand out in Youto's eyes, believing that she could only secure a special place by being the "longest."
Tsukiko begins dismissing what she said, claiming that failing to find any photos has worsened her mental state, and mentions that it would be convenient if they could confirm their past directly. They are suddenly interrupted by the Cat God, possessing Ponta's rabbit. It offers to grant Tsukiko's wish to confirm the past, and before they can react, it begins unraveling their surroundings.
When they regain consciousness, Tsukiko and Youto find themselves transported ten years into the past. Tsukiko remains composed, reasoning that this presents an opportunity to validate her connection to Youto and to confirm Tsukushi's memories, even as Youto initially panics about their predicament. Her logical and calm demeanor convinces Youto to stay and explore this altered reality.
At the Tsukimi Nursery School, they unexpectedly meet Youto's his six-year-old self. As the young Youto compliments Tsukiko's beauty, she becomes increasingly enamored, treating the young boy with doting affection. Her excitement escalates to the point where she begins inspecting the boy's hair and comparing it to Youto's present self. The boy voices embarrassment with Tsukiko ruffling his head, but this only boosts her enthusiasm. She passionately lectures the boy to never gain any weird interests or turn into a pervert, prompting an innocent response, promising to grow up to be someone cool like the big brother in front of him.
The two learn that the young Youto 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, though her subtle acts of care reveal hidden affection.
Little Youto invites the two of them to stay over. To avoid suspicion, Tsukiko introduces herself and Youto as step-siblings. However, they realize that Tsukasa lived alone, separated from her daughters. The once-pristine household is in a state of disarray, and Tsukasa's meals only includes convenience store food, reflecting a profound loneliness and emotional decline.
Much to Tsukiko's disappointment, there is no evidence of Tsukushi's memories, nor of any shared past between Tsukiko and Youto. Her mother's unrecognizable demeanor further deepens her sense of regret and disillusionment, leaving her feeling defeated. The next morning, little Youto proudly shows Tsukiko and Youto a pillar marked with his own growth records, which further contradicts with Tsukushi's claim that the pillar was used to mark her height. 
The next day, the household is unexpectedly visited by Tsukasa's long-separated daughter, Tsukushi. Her 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. Under conflicted feelings between blaming her mother and apologizing for hurting her, she runs off back into the car, swearing that they'll never meet again.
Tsukasa quietly accepts blame, making no attempt to reconnect with her daughter. Unable to bear the sight any longer, Tsukiko bluntly confronts her mother and calls her a failure. Tsukiko reasons that a mother should treasure her daughter more than anything in the world, and if she does, she should be able to hold her, rub her head, and tell her how much she loves her. 
Tsukasa sinks deep into a depressed stupor afterwards, changing into a hedgehog costume and drinking her sorrows away. Little Youto attempts to stop her from drinking as per her doctor's orders, and Tsukiko is caught in the crossfire as she is splashed by beer, causing her to become drunk when after licking beer from her face. The tipsy Tsukiko crawls underneath Youto's jersey and falls asleep.
After Youto removes her from her jersey, Tsukasa begins to open up. She runs her fingers through Tsukiko's hair, restyling her single tail into two buns. She whispers "thanks for earlier" to her, and when questioned by Youto, she explains that her earlier criticism felt like it came from her own daughter.
Despite Tsukasa's seeming acceptance of the situation, Youto, motivated by his young self, feels an urgent need to mend Tsukasa's regrets. He finds the hotel that Tsukushi is staying at and persuades her to give her mother another chance, also discovering a young version of Tsukiko who he too brings along.
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 by borrowing the Cat God's power, fulfilling her longing but at the cost of his own past and future connections. Realizing the extent of past Youto's sacrifice and learning the truth behind Tsukushi's memories, Tsukiko tries to stop the process, but Youto intervenes, 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. Tsukiko is devastated, having failed to change the past or to even make bodily contact with her mother. Youto pulls her into an embrace, apologizing. 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, mistakenly believed by Tsukiko to be their mother at first. Tsukushi explains that she was searching for traces of their mother when she found the costume, declaring 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 something Tsukasa told him in private while discussing the circumstances that led to her separation from her daughters — 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.
=="Yokodera-kun Notes" and Field Trip==
The revelation in the time leap leads Tsukiko to make a subconscious wish to remember everything in Youto's stead, after which she would begin to keep a series of notes documenting Youto's every action, by which she hopes to preserve Youto's bonds and memories and combat the forgetfulness that resulted from his childhood sacrifice.
She initially disguises the notes as a "point system," where for every interaction Youto has with another girl, he must compensate her through acts like holding hands and hugging. On one Saturday, she meets up with Youto at a cafe, tallying his points for the week: acts like glancing at other girls in class, having a fight with Mai, walking home with Emi result in 26 total points. Just as Youto breathes a sigh of relief, Tsukiko proceeds to add particularly begrudging entry: patting Azusa on the head multiple times, which earns him 700000 points.
Learning that Youto's is going on a field trip along with Azusa, she demands to go together with him despite being in different years, emphasizing her position as 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.
Persistent, Tsukiko uses the guidebook to secretly follow Youto on his trip. At the field trip's first stop, she sneaks onto the school's bus and is unexpectedly found by Youto, who returns to retrieve his camera. 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.
That night, Youto and Maimaki Mai, who had continuously exhibited hostility towards him, open up to each other about their struggles. Mai confesses her struggles to form strong bonds with others, jealous of Youto's ability to maintain meaningful relationships. Youto, however, reveals her own struggles with his forgetfulness which erases the connections he works hard to create. As express mutual envy for each other's lives, the Cat God responds to their wish, causing them to undergo a body swap.
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" as practice.
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 is satisfied as she affirms to herself that she, as the number one, have the most important feelings. Throughout their interactions, Tsukiko completely fails 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 and pairs herself with who she thought was Youto. She spends hours alone with "Youto," asking countless questions about his recent experiences and meticulously noting them down. She believes that remembering everything in Youto's stead is the least she can do after failing to stop his past sacrifice.
Returning to the hotel, Youto, still in Mai's body, 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, and agrees to reverse the body swap. Overhearing the exchange, Tsukiko is confused, but then recalls Mai behaving like Youto back in the bath. Youto denies this, saying he only poured water on himself, only realizing after that he had practically admitted the truth. 
Learning that Youto and Mai had switched bodies since the previous night, she compares herself to the cat asking for sweets: "Just like this cat. I didn't care who it was so long as I could get sweets. I said over and over that Senpai was most important to me. But I didn't even realize it. I just fell victim to relying on his looks. And kept talking like I knew everything. Even though I wasn't aware of anything. Nothing at all. I have nothing. Nothing at all."
Tsukiko, growing increasingly despondent, curls up smaller and smaller in front of the cat. Succumbing to her despair, she whispers an anguished wish and bumps her head against the cat. With the Cat God grants her wish, Tsukiko and the cat undergo a body swap. 
A power outage follows, and the cat, inhabiting Tsukiko's body, darts out of the room in an instant. Yet unsure of what truly transpired, Youto, Mai, and Azusa form a search party and encounter hints of her presence through reports of a mysterious "ghost" behaving erratically. Their search eventually leads them back to the girls' room, where the cat has returned after stealing the faculty's sashimi dinner, confirming that the real Tsukiko's consciousness has been displaced into the cat.
In her cat form, Tsukiko remains despondent and withdrawn, gnawing at her are her feelings of inadequacy and her belief that her actions are burdensome to Youto. When the other girls decide to report the situation to the teachers, Youto and Azusa desperately 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 recounting her experience at the Ninja Village and showing Youto Tsukiko's notebook, pointing out Tsukiko's effort to preserve his memories despite his condition. 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 arrive, Youto diverts their attention by embracing his persona as the Hentai Prince, successfully protecting Tsukiko from facing repercussions.
==Reconciliation With Azusa==
Since the events of the field trip, Tsukiko has been hesitant to face Youto. Distancing herself from him, she begins reading a variety of books, including Turgenev's First love, Saneatsu Mushanokouji's Friendship, Stendhal's On Love, Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, and Shakespeare's Sonnet Collection, hoping to understand the true meaning of love.
Tsukiko and Tsukushi are invited on a new year shrine visit by Youto. Tsukiko initially intends to decline, but feels the need to take care of her sister, convincing herself that it'll be safe enough as long as Azusa is not present.
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 exploring. However, they run into Azuki Azusa on their way. Sliding off his back, Tsukiko clings to Youto, hiding behind him. She runs in circles around Youto as Azusa notices her hiding behind and attempts to interact. Eventually catching her, Azusa greets her warmly. Tsukiko, flustered, awkwardly waves her hands and stammers excuses, trying to explain why she was with Youto. Overwhelmed by the situation, Tsukiko runs away.
When the next school term starts and Tsukiko's birthday approaches, she notices Youto, Azusa, and the members of the children's welfare club planning a celebration in secret. The next day, she waits in the clubroom alone. Azusa and Youto arrive, expecting to find the rest of the club members and continue planning the surprise, but Tsukiko confronts them, expressing her preference for a planned celebration over a surprise one.
Taking Azusa's hand, she places it back into Youto's palm as she walks away, sulking. An invisible tug-of-war occurs, as Azusa tries to make Tsukiko hold Youto's hand instead. Tsukiko then proposes practicing a puppet theater performance for the club's event, bringing out two puppets — a pig and a sheep. She instructs Azusa, the sheep, to simply respond with "Baa" as she, the pig, narrates a story:
The pig and the sheep lived in a certain place. They had a mutual interest in being eaten, so they fed themselves lots and became fatter and fatter. However, the pig thought it was more delicious, and in its evil nature, itdtried to outwit the sheep with all kinds of unfair acts, while the sheep danced through the sky without a care.
But one day, when the pig went to a hot spring with the sheep, it was utterly defeated with no means of retaliation. On top of that, the kind wolf that wanted to help the pig was actually shot down by a hunter. Reflecting on this, the pig started to hate itself, and decided to become an adult. The pig read lots of books, and was moved by a sonnet collection that described love as a lighthouse in the storm. But no matter how hard it tried, it cannot copy the book because of its own selfishness.
At this point, the immersion starts to break as Tsukiko begins using "I" instead of "the pig," confessing to a strong desire for control and her unfair treatments towards the "sheep." Embarrassed by its own pathetic nature, the pig could no longer face the sheep, but the sheep wouldn't get angry no matter what, acting like a true adult. The sheep's effortless perfection only fueled the pig's jealousy and self-hatred further.
Eventually, Tsukiko plainly admits to being a pig. Fully breaking the fourth wall, she adds that despite all this, the pig would force the sheep to hold hands with the wolf, and wanted them to get along with a smile, which she struggles to understand.
An uncomfortable silence ensues. Youto suggests that they leave off the play for now, but Azusa remains frozen in place. A few moments later, Azusa proceeds to put the ear mufflers back on Youto's ears as she continues the play, declaring that contrary to the pig's beliefs, the sheep isn't lying about anything. Mixing "oink" sounds into her sentences, Tsukiko questions whether Azusa is truly sincere, or if she simply gave up from the start. Azusa defends that she's not giving up anything, but Tsukiko continues to challenge her on whether she's accepting the idea of being second.
The pig pushes the sheep to the corner of the stage. Azusa confesses to having her own flaws, like skipping PE class or selfish thoughts while spending Christmas with Youto, and confesses that she only tries to hide her bad sides. The sheep and pig both forcefully bump into each other, neither of them backing down. Tsukiko argues that Azusa's facade in itself is cunning and unfair, which leads to an incoherent series of back and forth arguments about who is actually the cunning one.
Youto notices the rest of the club members who have arrived some time ago but dared not interrupt. He tries to explain the situation away, but Tsukiko and Azusa simply continue fighting. They speak their own feelings, not listening to the other party in the slightest, continuing on and on. Ultimately, the argument is ended by the school bell without either of them backing down or accepting Youto's attempts to mediate.
The next morning is the day of Tsukushi's central exam. When Tsukiko tells her older sister that she's unable to accompany her, she reacts dramatically, even calling Youto over. Tsukiko arranges Emi's father, who works at the university where the exams are held, to take Tsukushi instead. After they leave, Tsukiko waits at home for Azusa whom she has also invited, intending to make up with her. She reflects on her behavior, admitting to being unfair, cunning, and self-critical, likening herself to a pig. Despite this, she is determination to grow.
When Azusa arrives, Tsukiko asks Youto to leave them alone as they work to address their strained relationship. Though the details of their conversation are unknown, Youto later finds Tsukiko and Azusa sitting together on the porch, casually chatting about their experiences with Youto despite their earlier animosity. When asked about their conversation, they call it a secret. Though they deny fully making up, their closeness indicates significant progress. Following Youto's suggestion, they attempt to address each other using nicknames, "A-chan" and "Tsu-chan." The moment is awkward and hesitant, yet it marks a crucial step towards their friendship.
==Birthday Party==
On her birthday, a party organized by Youto, Azusa, Emi, and the children's welfare club members unfolds. Since she previously expressed a preference for preparing the celebration together with everyone, they ended up preparing lots of ingredients so they can cook together. Despite this, they still retained some element of surprise with a surprise greeting.
During the party, she embraces her role as the "main character," wearing a sash and participating enthusiastically in the planned activities, including a comedic rendition of Snow White and a series of games. During a game of twister, Tsukiko and Azusa bond even closer, engaging in a playful competition which turns into teasing banters.
Later, Tsukiko's friends present their gifts. She particularly cherishes a black stuffed cat from Youto. When Tsukushi's dramatically presents her gift of a "Do Whatever You Want to Me for One Day Ticket," Tsukiko pokes her about her exam results, turning her plan against her and leading her to flee.
==Observing Youto's Change==
After making up with Azusa, they agree to "share" Youto by spending time with him on alternating days. On "Azusa Days," she instead observes Youto from afar, continuing to document his daily life in her "Yokodera-kun Notes."
Though they do not inform Youto of this agreement, he begins to notice the oddity. On one such day, Youto catches her in the hallway, wearing a horse costume from her club and "stalking" Youto. However, Tsukiko has also noticed changes in Youto's behavior: He has been helping people and solving all sorts of issues around the school, his reputation as the Hentai Prince quickly turning into that of a hero.
When confronted about this, Youto explains a recent encounter with Emi's father which led to the awakening of a "hero" persona within himself. Manifesting as a shadow, this "hero" would take over Youto's consciousness and come up with the perfect solutions for every issue, whether his own or someone else's.
Youto assures Tsukiko that he is fine with this turn of events, acknowledging that it brings the greatest happiness to the greatest amount of people. However, Tsukiko grows skeptical, challenging Youto on whether this greater good truly included Youto himself.
Youto continues to embrace his new persona of a righteous hero. One evening, Tsukiko visits Youto's house but receives no response at the doorbell. So, she breaks into his room through the balcony and discovers Youto sick with a fever. Forcing Youto to stay in bed, Tsukiko skillfully cleans up the evidence of her break-in and proceeds to clean Youto's living space as well.
Noticing the absence of Youto's family, Tsukiko questions their whereabouts, learning that Youto's mother is in the hospital while his father is on a business trip. He speaks as if nothing is out of the ordinary, claiming that he is used to this. This makes Tsukiko begin to blame herself as it occurs to her that she never once tried to learn anything about Youto's family.
Tsukiko puts down some banana and yogurt next to Youto, prompting him to open his mouth, hoping to be fed. She scolds him for his shamelessness but goes on to feed him nonetheless. She continues to take care of him for the night, putting what she learned in the children's welfare club to good use. She sings Youto to sleep with a lullaby, which lacks pitch or intonation but is nostalgic and comforting to him nonetheless.
The next morning, Youto panicks as he is reminded of the looming marathon tournament — in order to settle conflicts between the track-and-field club and the baseball club, his hero persona had challenged the president of the baseball club to a duel at the upcoming marathon. 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. Her words fill a void in Youto's heart as begins to tear up, and Tsukiko wraps him in a warm embrace.
Despite this, knowing Youto's nature, Tsukiko worries that she may not have gotten through to him fully. The next day, her fears are confirmed when she finds Youto attending the marathon tournament despite her words.
==Time Loop==
Tsukiko is frustrated by Youto's stubbornness after he attended the marathon against her advice. An awkward atmosphere would manifests between them since that day.
Some time later, Tsukiko would find himself trapped in a mysterious time loop. The details of the true original timeline are unclear, as the story skips directly to the first loop. It is only known that a "curse" tied to the Tsutsukakushi lineage surfaced and caused a sharp decline in Tsukushi's health, and Youto, embracing his desire to save anyone in need no matter the cost, sacrificed his remaining lifespan to the Cat God to save Tsukushi's life.
After Youto's death, Tsukiko would fall into despair. This is when the time loop initiates, resetting time back to before Tsukushi's university entrance exams. However, Tsukiko would retain her memories thanks to her "Yokodera-kun Notes" — her wish to remember everything in Youto's stead was strong enough for the physical notebooks to persist across time loops.
Aware of Tsukushi's condition, which would cause her to collapse at her exams in the afternoon, Tsukiko calls for an ambulance, but Tsukushi skips the afternoon exams and sneaks back home early. Joined by Youto and Azusa at the Tsutsukakushi household, Tsukushi proposes an outing to the skating rink. Tsukiko steps forward to suggest going on Saturday due to discounted prices, but still acts cold towards Youto.
On the day of the outing, 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 however, Tsukushi overexerts herself while she helps lost children find their parents, leading her to collapse. Together with Youto, they carry Tsukushi home. When they arrive, they discover Tsukiko's room has been ransacked, though nothing is missing.
Investigating further, Youto runs into the Cat God possessing Emi's father. 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 accepts the deal, wishing away his remaining lifespan at the hill with the cedar tree, ending the loop in the same tragedy.
Time continues to loop, and the notes kept by Tsukiko documenting previous timelines begin to pile up. In the third loop, Tsukiko has gotten used to these circumstances, and begins numbering her notebooks. She reflects on her past failures to save Youto and protect the world's peace, determined to succeed this time. The initial events of the third loop remain identical, but when Tsukushi proposes the outing, Tsukiko suggests going early morning on Sunday, because there will be less children around.
At the skating rink, Tsukiko briefly indulges herself as she clings to Youto. Afterwards, she takes it upon herself to look for lost children and return them to their parents, and convinces Tsukushi to go home early in order to not overexert her.
Upon returning home, Tsukiko expects the intruder, but is surprised to find her room in perfect order. She breaks down in panic and confusion, questioning if she has made a mistake somewhere. Puzzled, Youto decides to take a look around and finds one of Tsukiko's notebooks. 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."
Feeling that secrets are being kept, Youto takes Tsukiko outside and asks for an explanation for her strange behavior throughout the day, assuring her that there is no need to keep things from him. After a brief hesitation, Tsukiko runs out of willpower to keep silent. She claims that a hooded man should have intruded their house and she wanted to capture her at all costs, wondering where she went wrong.
When asked how she knows about this, Tsukiko claims 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 questions Youto what he would do if he lost something important, but is in a situation where he cannot get it back. Youto answers that he would live with his failure and try not to repeat the mistake. However, Tsukiko expresses that she would try to remake it and take it back no matter what, because she doesn't want to lose anymore. Claiming to have seen the future, she expresses her resolve to change it and keep the world at peace.
She admits that she despises stories with bad endings and finds no value in outcomes that are not emotionally satisfying. She expresses her belief that if a story's resolution is unsatisfactory, it is worth altering — even if it means fundamentally changing its core.
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, Youto is once again visited by the Cat God, informing him of Tsukushi's illness. 
The photoshoot is interrupted when Tsukushi collapses. Seeing that her efforts have only seemed to delay the inevitable, Tsukiko, fearing that she would once again lose Youto, confronts him again. Referencing their conversation before the marathon tournament, she once again 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, breaking down, stomps on the ground and makes a desperate plea.
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.
However, her efforts prove to be for naught, as the time loop once again ends in tragedy. Time resets again and again, and as her attempts to save Youto repeatedly ends in failure, Tsukiko grows disheartened. In the 8th loop, she returns Youto's birthday gift in frustration, believing that their relationship is not equal as Youto bears all sacrifices alone, paying too great of a price each time.
However, the 8th loop serves as a turning point for Youto. With the help of Emi, Youto eventually realizes his mistake, finally understanding the extent of pain that his actions have caused Tsukiko. 
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. In the ensuing darkness, Tsukiko calls out for Youto and reaches out her hands. As their hands meet, their surroundings are illuminated by a light, before they are transported back to the past.
==Visit to the Past, Again==
Once again, Youto and Tsukiko arrives back in the past 10 years ago. However, instead of retaining his grown-up form like the previous time, they find themselves regressed in age, taking the place of their younger selves in this timeline.
Fearing the butterfly effect, Tsukiko decides to act appropriate for her age, pretending to struggle with words while she observes Youto and continues taking her notes. She also takes this opportunity to indulge in physical intimacy with Youto such as sucking on his fingers or licking him, disguising her ulterior motives behind childish antics. As part of her plan to reform her older sister, she also makes the seven-year-old Tsukushi read advanced books to her at bedtime, such as Great Learning and Doctrine of the Mean.
Youto on the other hand, immerses himself into the role of a six-year-old, excited for the myriad of possibilities this new world presents. By chance, he encounters the separated childhood friends, Azuki Azusa and Maimaki Mai, and manages to reunite them. Over the coming days, Tsukushi observes as Youto enjoys the freedoms of a child, playing together with Mai, Azusa, and Tsukushi.
One day, the Tsutsukakushi household is visited by a mysterious woman, who apparently serves as the representative for the Italian grandparents in the ongoing custody negotiations. Seeing as Youto appears to have lost track of their original goal, Tsukiko finally decides to break character and confront him. 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.
Tsukiko joins in, speaking in a calm and matter-of-fact manner unbefitting of her exterior. Using crayons and drawing paper, she skillfully creates an exaggerated depiction of her future self, boasting of an impossibly idealized physique. She proceeds to proudly brag about this supposed future self, momentarily derailing the seriousness of the topic. Youto teases her, questioning the realism of the drawing. Tsukiko switches to an assertive stance, climbing onto Youto's lap and pinning him down. She uses a mix of "logical" and physical dominance to prove her point.
Tsukasa observes their antics in utter confusion, wondering what kind of relationship they have in the future. 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, the family goes 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, Tsukasa promises to go to the storehouse with Youto tomorrow. However, 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, which draws Tsukiko's jealousy.
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.
This prompts Tsukiko to discuss a growing concern with Youto: 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. Meanwhile, her own efforts to guide her older sister have proved difficult, as her quick-witted and intelligent nature has begun to fade under Mai's influence.
As she reveals her deep-seated fear that their attempts to change the past may be futile, Youto 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 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. 
When the return to the main house, they are unexpectedly joined by Tsukasa. 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 an earlier phone call between Youto and his mother, she jabs at Youto for failing to visit his sister at the hospital. However, Tsukasa assures him that his avoidance is 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.
Tsukasa then 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.
==New Timeline==
With Tsukasa canceling her wish and restoring Youto connections to his own family, he soon grows distant from the Tsutsukakushi family, Azusa, and Mai. Some time later, Tsukasa passes away, while Tsukiko continues to maintain close friendships with Tsukushi, Azusa, and Mai.
Despite their closeness, Tsukiko would keep an important goal to herself — clinging to memories of the old world through the "Yokodera-kun Notes," she is unable to let go of Youto, and resolves to restore this world to the one they knew.
Eventually, the fateful day of their first meeting arrives. Once again a first-year in high school, Tsukiko arrives at the hill with the cedar tree, finding Youto there as well. They exchange silent bows as they pass, and Youto, having lost all memories of his past bonds, 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, venting her frustration about the long wait she had to endure.
Tsukiko invites Youto on a picnic, where she makes him read all 11 volumes of her Yokodera-kun notes.
Growing increasingly fixated on restoring the world to exactly how it used to be, Tsukiko organizes outings and study sessions to rekindle his old friendships. While this succeeds for the most part, Mai would display unexplained hostility towards Youto.
When Youto rereads Tsukiko's notes and comparing past events with the current timeline, he realizes that many events seem to be repeating despite their efforts to change the future. This leads him to worry that no matter how much they alter history, events are destined to converge back to their original path.
Mai later confronts Youto, 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. Offering a sincere apology, he 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.
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 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.
ater, 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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