From the moment my phone vibrated, the colors of the world began to fade once more.

No—maybe I should say it became too full of color.

Yukishiro Miru, the pure primary color of the sun.

Ayabe Mirei, the bottomless jet-black.

And Himuro Reika, the transparent ice.

All of those colors were beginning to mix chaotically across the canvas called “me.” And who could guarantee that the color waiting at the end of that blend wasn’t the same ruin I’d already experienced twice before?

A few days have passed since then.

Somehow, my after-school ski training with Yukishiro Miru continued.

I should have refused. After all, I swore on my third life to become a “Solid Self,” so there’s no way I’d let myself be swayed by others.

But the next day, Miru appeared in my classroom with her usual cheerful face and said this:

“Yuuma-kun, about that training you mentioned yesterday to become a ‘Solid Self,’ I’ll help too!”

“Huh?”

“It’s way more efficient if I train you without holding back instead of you practicing alone! And skiing is definitely more fun with two people than by yourself!”

Her reasoning was so innocent and so unclouded. And in front of that smile—like the northern country’s sunlight condensed into a single point—my flimsy resistance melted away like early spring snow.

If I rejected this affection, I might hurt her. I know all too well how even the slightest crack in her could trigger a tragedy from before.

(Another pattern again! Why does my life keep getting stuck with events I can’t refuse! )

As a result, today once more, I found myself alone with her on the white ski slope.

“Yuuma-kun, your posture is too backward! Lean forward more!”

Miru skied past me and turned back to scold me.

“I-I know that!”

Though my mouth said that, my body betrayed me. Fear pushed my center of gravity further and further back.

As expected, I lost balance and fell onto the snow with a pitiful cry.

“Ahhhh…”

“Geez, I told you so! Are you okay?”

Miru slid next to me and offered her hand worriedly.

I hesitated for a moment before taking her hand. This warmth was like a drug. Who knew what awaited me if I let myself get swept away by this kindness?

“I-I’m fine. I can stand on my own. It’s part of the training!”

I pretended to be strong and struggled to rise from the snow. However, my skis got tangled, making it hard to move properly.

My clumsy limbs flailing in the snow looked like a bug flipped over.

“Fufu…”

Miru couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“W-what’s so funny!”

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just… Yuuma-kun is too adorable!”

“Adorable…!?”

That northern-country word… I’m pretty sure it means “cute”. But what part of a snow-covered, mentally-thirty-years-old guy wriggling around like a bug could possibly be called cute?

“Come on, don’t be stubborn.”

Saying that, Miru grabbed my hesitant hand. Despite her delicate appearance, her grip was surprisingly strong.

With a tug, I was easily pulled up from the snow.

But then, the next instant.

“Uwah!”

My body gained too much momentum, completely lost its balance, and I fell forward—right toward Miru.

A soft sensation.

The sweet shampoo scent brushing past my nose and the crisp winter air. Through her clothing, I could feel the delicate curves of a girl’s body pressed against mine.

When I lifted my head, just a few centimeters in front of me were Miru’s wide, surprised eyes. Her long eyelashes trembled in my breath.

My heart gave a loud thump.

(This is bad! This softness is dangerous! It’s a bomb that melts my rationality! )

The same prelude to ruin I’d experienced countless times—back in Kumamoto and even in the other world. This pull… this gravity… it was what drove me mad.

I hurriedly pulled away.

“M-my bad!”

“No, it’s fine. You managed to stand up!”

Miru smiled happily, not seeming to care at all. Her innocence only deepened my guilt.

Vrrrt.

At that moment, my smartphone in my pocket vibrated as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.

I swallowed hard. I knew without looking. There was only one sender.

Nervously, I removed my glove and tapped the cold screen.

“To Onii”

“How’s your ‘training’ going today? Looks like you’re having fun clinging to that girl. Yukishiro-san’s chest pocket looked a little puffed up—did you stuff your self-control in there? But remember… the one who understands you best is me, okay?”

The message included a photo of the exact moment I had collapsed onto Miru, taken from an impeccable angle.

A chill ran down my spine, like an icy fingertip tracing along it.

“Yuuma-kun? What’s wrong? Your face looks pale.”

“N-nothing… It’s just a bit cold.”

I forced a smile and pushed the phone back into my pocket.

Right. This is training. Only by overcoming this sweet temptation and the freezing gaze of surveillance can I become the true “Solid Self.” Don’t let yourself be swept away, Ayabe Yuuma. You’re a man who’s died twice already.

That day’s training, weighed down by all the mental exhaustion, ended in a complete disaster.

On our way back to the lift station, the sunset dyed the snowfield crimson.

“Haaah, I’m tired, but that was fun!”

Miru stretched happily beside me.

“I was just tired…”

“Again! But you really are sliding way better than when you started.
That’s thanks to my teaching, you know!”

Puffing her chest proudly, Miru was undeniably cute. I don’t want to admit it, but it’s true.

“…Well, I guess I should thank you.”

Sincerely saying that, she lit up with joy.

“Really!? Yay! Then, Yuuma-kun!”

“What is it?”

“I want you to accompany me somewhere as a thank you!”

Here it comes. This flow. The devil’s invitation precisely targeting my 【Liquid Self】 that can’t refuse requests.

“I’ll decline. I’m about to enter meditation time as a ‘Solid Self.'”

“Meditation?”

“Yes. A noble ritual to unify the spirit and block all external temptations.”

“Ooh, that sounds interesting! Okay, then we can do it after you’re done!”

“…”

No good. Before this sun, no excuse will work.

“Where are we going?”

When I gave in and asked, Miru’s eyes sparkled as if she’d been waiting for this.

“It’s ‘Shime Pafe’! I want to let you try the best Shime Pafe in Azumibetsu!”

“Shime pafe…?”

“Eh? You don’t know!? Shime Pafe is the soul of Hokkaido! It’s a parfait you eat after meals or drinks! It’s amazing!”

Her passionate gaze made my resolve as fragile as tofu.

(…Wait, this is cultural exchange. The saying goes ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Definitely not because I want to eat parfait with a beautiful girl. Absolutely not. Yeah, definitely not.)

I completed an elaborate self-justification in 3 seconds.

“…Okay. I’ll accompany you for that Shime Pafe. It’s part of my training too.”

“Really!? Yay!”

Miru jumped up and down like a child.

(…Why am I like this…)

My brain, immersed in self-loathing for three seconds, already hallucinated the image of a huge parfait.

Miru led me to a stylish brick café in the center of town.

Inside, warm lighting illuminated the space, and jazz played softly.

“This is my favorite shop,”

Encouraged by Miru’s cheerful words, we sat across from each other at a window table.

The menu displays photos of parfaits arranged in a row like precious gems.

“Wow… amazing.”

“Right? Right! I’m going to choose this ‘Tokachi Cheese & Haskap Jewel Parfait’! What about you, Yuuma-kun?”

“I’ll go with the ‘Yubari Melon & Milk Soft Luxury Parfait.'”

After placing our orders, Miru began chatting enthusiastically about events at school. I nodded along while listening to her story.

Being with her somehow calmed my heart. For a moment, it made me forget this abnormal daily life of having experienced two deaths and being monitored by my sister.

Eventually, the parfaits arrived, even more extravagant than the photos on the menu. Our excitement reached its peak.

“Whoa! Amazing! Let’s take a photo!”

Miru took out her smartphone and positioned the camera to include both the parfait and us.

“Then let’s eat! Itadakimasu!”

“Itadakimasu.”

The cold soft serve and the sweet aroma of melon filled my mouth. I could feel sugar spreading through my tired body from skiing.

“…delicious.”

“Right? Oh, and give me a bite of yours, Yuuma-kun!”

“You ordered your own.”

“Eeh, don’t be stingy. Then— then— I’ll say ‘aahh,’ so you feed me!”

Miru puffed out her cheeks and started saying something outrageous.

“Huh!? Why would I—”

“Just take one bite! Okay, please?”

She looked up at me with sparkling eyes. Ugh… this sun is terrifying.

“…Just one bite.”

As I sighed and used my spoon to offer the melon to her, she happily opened her mouth with “ahhh” and took a big bite. Seeing her happy face made me feel happy too.

(…Ahh, I’m totally getting swept along! That’s my spoon she’s using!? There’s no way she’s even aware of it! )

I shouldn’t get lost in this comfort. This sweetness is a trap! Not just high-calorie, but a sweet bomb that will destroy my life plan!

As I wrestled with these thoughts internally, suddenly I felt someone’s gaze.

A calculating, emotionless stare.

In the corner of the shop, a female student was quietly reading a paperback book while staring at us from her single sofa seat.

Long black hair. Skin as white as snow. Behind her glasses that gave an intellectual impression were eyes cold like ice, piercing through me.

That female student suddenly stood up.

Then she walked straight toward our table with unwavering steps.

Miru must have noticed her presence too. Her expression briefly tightened.

“Oh, Himuro-san… Hello.”

Calling her “Himuro-san,” Miru-san greeted her with some caution, but the one called Himuro didn’t look at Miru-san at all and she kept her eyes fixed solely on me.

Then she stopped right in front of me and opened her thin lips.

“Ayabe-kun”

Her voice was as quiet and cold as a winter lake’s surface.

“You fell during ski class. Lame.”

…Huh?

The remark was so sudden and so harsh that my thoughts just completely shut down.

“Hey, Himuro-san! What are you saying all of a sudden? That’s rude!”

Miru-san protested with puffed cheeks after regaining her composure. However, Himuro didn’t seem to care at all.

“I was just stating the facts.”

“But even if it’s true, there’s a way to phrase things!”

“And falling that dramatically disrupts the flow of people around you. Inefficient. Selfish.”

“Th-that’s…! Yuuma-kun’s a beginner, so he can’t help it!”

I was grateful for Miru stepping in to defend me, but I had no argument against Himuro’s words.

Seeing me lower my head, Himuro suddenly averted her gaze.

“…But”

It was a small voice, barely audible.

“The way you kept falling and getting back up over and over—that behavior fell outside my prediction model.”

Eh?

When I raised my face, she slightly adjusted her glasses with her finger.

“…I wasn’t bored watching. It was a little interesting. Ayabe Yuuma… I’ll add you to my observation subjects.”

(Observation subject…? What is that, could it be… this icy cool beauty has noticed the hidden charm of my existence!? No no, calm down, me. Don’t get full of yourself. A man who’s experienced two deaths shouldn’t be so happy.)

After saying that, Himuro turned around and walked away with a receipt toward the counter.

A stillness like the calm after a storm settled over our table.

“Wh-what was with that girl…?”

Miru muttered in bewilderment.

“She kept staring at you, Yuuma-kun… and then—was she praising you or insulting you? I couldn’t tell at all…”

I felt the same way too.

But there was one thing certain.

In her icy eyes, I saw a flicker of curiosity for just an instant. And when she left, I thought I noticed her ears slightly reddening.

Even after leaving the cafe, my mind remained confused.

Himuro Reika. The top student in our grade, always reading books alone, an unapproachable cool beauty.

Why would someone like her be interested in me?

Miru walking beside me still seemed a bit angry and muttered, “Honestly, she’s got bad vibes.”

I couldn’t even properly nod along to her words, just staring at my feet.

And then it hit me.

This… hopeless setup.

A bright, sunny extrovert beautiful girl — Yukishiro Miru.

A cold, icy introvert beautiful girl — Himuro Reika.

And the yandere little sister who monitors me at home — Ayabe Mirei.

…Huh?

This arrangement, I’ve seen it somewhere before.

In my mind, puzzle pieces fitting together with an unpleasant feeling.

Yes. It’s Kumamoto.

The stage moved from the land of fire to an extremely cold place.

Only the performers changed, but the structure of the people around me is completely identical to that hell…!

“U… a… aaaaaa…”

I instinctively hugged my head and crouched down on the spot.

All the blood drained from my body.

“Yuuma-kun!? What’s wrong! Is your stomach hurting!?”

Miru hurriedly rubbed my back. The warmth of her hand now felt terrifying.

No. I must not repeat this.

I have to become “Solid Self.” No one will sway me, and I’ll grasp a peaceful life.

That was the vow I made.

Why does God give me the same trial three times?

“Why is my romantic comedy always life-threatening!?”

My groan turned into white breath, dissolving helplessly into the cold night sky of the northern country.

Miru’s concerned eyes are peering at me.

She looked puzzled by my scream but eventually clapped her hands as if remembering something.

“Oh right, Yuuma-kun! Are you going to participate in next week’s snow marathon?”

“…S-snow… marathon?”

“Yeah! I’m gonna cheer super hard for you, Yuuma-kun! So you absolutely better get first place!”

In the innocent smile of her eyes, I definitely saw it.

The starting line of my third run through this hell called a romcom—an endless loop with no finish in sight.