Nighttime.
Yuu called Masuzu, informing her about the information Mana brought that day.
"Your father's return is likely for two reasons. First, to warn you to behave more discreetly. Don't cause a stir at school that could tarnish the Natsukawa family name—but I think you've been pretty good. Aside from having a boyfriend, you haven't made any big headlines. It's unlikely he'd return to Japan just to say that."
"Of course, if we think pessimistically, he's probably here to force you back to Sweden. The reason could be anything—to make you the obedient Natsukawa daughter again, fighting for their family's interests."
"The second reason is to warn me not to dream of catching a swan, then throw a check in my face, telling me to know my place and leave—the plot should go like that. He'll mock me directly, saying I'm not even worthy of being the Natsukawa family's son-in-law. Then he'll kindly advise me to understand the importance of status equality. After I leave you without saying goodbye and deliberately distance myself, breaking your heart, he'll take you back to Sweden with a legitimate excuse, making you willingly become his marriage pawn."
"If he's a good father who occasionally returns to Japan to visit his daughter, then consider everything I just said a conspiracy theory and overly cautious paranoia. If not, then don't worry. We've got the upper hand in this information war. Just like Jotaro knowing DIO could stop time, no matter how strong the opponent, we can counter every move."
After delivering those words smoothly and confidently, Yuu crossed his legs on the computer chair, casually waiting for a response from the silent other end of the call.
"…Yuu, did you hear all this from Mana?"
After a long silence, Masuzu finally spoke, her tone laced with disbelief.
Yuu swung his leg, a smile on his lips. "Aside from the info about your father returning to Japan, the rest is my own analysis and predictions… My Dear."
"Haaah…"
As if too shocked to speak, Masuzu let out a sigh, then chuckled softly and muttered.
"Goodness, should I feel relieved or scared… That cunning, hypocritical man seems naked and powerless in front of you. He doesn't even know your capabilities or how clever you are. If I ever tried to run away, would I be caught before I even stepped out the door?"
"Khr-khr-khr! I don't have mind-reading powers, though what you said is spot on!"
Yuu laughed arrogantly, without a shred of humility. He spoke in a cheerful, carefree voice:
"So, what happened today to make you want to run away?"
"…"
Unexpectedly, the other end of the call fell silent again.
Yuu didn't press. He just tapped his knee with his fingers, closing his eyes, lost in thought.
"…If I were forced back to Sweden, would you come after me?" Masuzu suddenly asked.
"If you left of your own will, no. If not, I'd snatch you back before you could board." His voice was cold. Yuu said flatly, "Either way, my little sister is my top priority. Even you can't make me leave her at home to chase you overseas."
"A very siscon and cruel answer."
"Sorry, I'm not the kind of guy who comforts people with sweet words. I won't hesitate to tell the truth if I can."
Masuzu couldn't hold back a laugh. "Liar, no one's gentler than you…"
"So gentle that I, who can't give anything back, want to run away."
Her words were so soft they almost vanished from the world, as cold and fragile as ice.
Of course, Yuu didn't miss them. Holding the phone, he stared at the dark night outside the window, pursing his lips.
Too much gentleness makes people want to rely on it, but also feel unable to repay it.
Fearing abandonment at any moment, they become anxious and choose to leave first—did Yukinoshita Haruno feel the same way back then?
But he only thought, this was something he had to and wanted to do.
Sora never ran away, so why did they have such thoughts?
Perhaps that's the difference between family and outsiders?
No matter how strong the feelings, they could be severed at any time. Yuu was the one who felt that most deeply.
"So, Masuzu, what do you think?"
Pulling back his scattered thoughts, Yuu shifted to asking, "I won't ask what happened today… I guess you don't want to talk about it either. If your father wants to take you back, will you stay here or go with him?"
Masuzu didn't answer; instead, she countered, "If my father wants you to leave me, what will you do?"
"Answering a question with a question… And it seems you don't remember what I told you before."
Yuu sighed in disappointment. "As long as our agreement holds, now or in the future, I'll be by your side—though it sounds like grand words thrown out casually, I was very serious back then."
During the school visit, he made that promise to Masuzu in the rain. And as long as it was a promise, Yuu would hold firm to his conviction and see it through to the end.
Unless the world's timeline changed, women could always trust Yuu.
"Of course I remember… You know that's not what I'm asking."
Her voice on the phone reverted to the confused, anxious girl from before.
"If you don't want me to leave, what do you want from me? Why are you doing all this? That answer—I've never known—"
Before Masuzu could finish, Yuu cut her off.
"Masuzu, it's not that you don't know. You're just too afraid to face it."
"…"
As the other side fell silent, Yuu took a deep breath and suddenly said:
"Masuzu, I love you—please, go out with me seriously, with marriage in mind!"
"—!?"
As if piercing through the silent night, his voice trembled in the air, crossing the distance to reach her heart.
Precisely because he saw through all of Masuzu's excuses, Yuu chose to confess his love right then.
He could hear her holding her breath. Even her heartbeat, suddenly racing, faintly echoed through.
This was the answer she wanted, and the reality she didn't dare face.
Wanting it yet avoiding it, unable to let go yet unable to endure, wanting to see clearly but refusing—Masuzu was the most troublesome, possessive, unusual, and childish girl.
If Yuu dated her, he might have headaches for years.
So, did he really like someone like this?
Perhaps this was the third time. Though the person was different, Yuu asked himself in his heart.
He couldn't confess to a girl just to speed up a mission's progress—he could joke, but from the first word he said to Masuzu today, Yuu was deadly serious.
So, he couldn't deny it anymore.
As Yuigahama saw, at some point, Yuu couldn't let go of this half-foreign transfer student—so bold yet cunning, never honest, always wearing a pitiful face to bait people, obsessed with JoJo but completely lacking its spirit.
He wanted to solve her problems, make her happier, let her stand calmly in the wind, making him wonder if she wore anything under her skirt.
Lonely and alone. She always lived strongly while pitying herself—precisely because of that, Masuzu couldn't let him go either.
Because her strength was shattered by him, she became a dependency that melted everything, like a fish unable to live without water or a human without air.
Perhaps this was what mutual love meant?
"My answer's out. Masuzu, what's yours?"
After waiting a moment, Yuu leaned back in his chair as if drained, breaking the silence again.
The corners of his lips slowly relaxed into a smile.
"—Let's date."
"Give me half your life. In return, I'll give you half of mine."
Masuzu still didn't speak.
On the other end of the phone, a deathly silence lingered, as if the air itself had been taken.
Even her breathing was inaudible. A darkness heavier than the night spread, deepening Yuu's gaze. He stared into the boundless distance.
A few moments later.
*Beep-beep!*
The cold dial tone sounded.
Masuzu hung up, leaving not a single word.
"Hmph, she ran away."
Yuu set down his phone without changing his expression, as if he'd expected this. He stood up and stretched.
"After this, our relationship will either get worse or better… Finally, the turning point of fate is coming!"
Muttering like he was reciting a script, he couldn't help but laugh, walking to his bed and lying down.
He stared at the ceiling for a moment, then covered his eyes with his arm, blocking the lamplight.
Slowly, the curve of his lips faded.
Yuu's soft sigh couldn't spark even a flicker of light. It vanished into the night.
"If I hadn't confessed, things would've been better."
He was always serious, even knowing it might lead nowhere—truly a hopeless fool.