CHAPTER 5

TOSHIRO'S POV

"What do you want? Why the hell are you here?" Harumi snapped, her frustration evident.

I opened my mouth to speak, but my mind was a complete mess, running through a million thoughts. I knew what I did was wrong—I shouldn't have—

"TOSHIRO, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE?!" she yelled again, snapping me out of my daze.

"I-I… on that day, I shouldn't have done that—"

"Toshiro, I don't want to talk about it. You can leave."

I could tell she was hurt, her voice carrying an edge of something deeper. Guilt, regret, maybe even sadness. But I couldn't just walk away.

"Please, Harumi, just listen to me—"

"I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING! What do you think of me? J-just because—"

I don't even know when it happened. My body moved on its own, my heart screaming louder than my thoughts. Before I realized it—

I kissed her.

Her body froze against mine, too shocked to even react. She started to push me away, but I pressed her between the couch and myself, unwilling to let this moment slip away.

I only pulled back when I felt her running out of breath.

Her eyes—those beautiful eyes—held a look I had longed to see. But they were also filled with tears.

I gently kissed them, hoping to calm her down.

And then, like an absolute madman, I said,

"LET'S GET MARRIED, HARUMI."

---

RINA'S POV

"Can you hear anything?" I whispered to Kerin, pressing my ear against the door.

"No. How could I, when you are the one eavesdropping?" she deadpanned, standing just two steps behind me with her arms crossed.

"Well, it's not a crime or anything," I huffed, waving her off.

She rolled her eyes. "Says the person who almost got caught last time."

"What are you doing?" A familiar voice chimed in. I turned to see Yoshi staring at me, his glasses slightly slipping down his nose.

"That person from Kyoto came to talk to my sister," I whispered dramatically.

Yoshi frowned. "Then let's go in."

"No, we cannot."

"Why?"

"Because they're having an intense conversation," I replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Rina… stop that," Keirna sighed, already used to my antics.

I was about to argue when—

BAM!

The door suddenly swung open, and out rushed Toshiro. He looked pale. No—worse than pale. He looked like he had just seen his entire life flash before his eyes.

We barely had time to register the situation when—

"TOSHIRO, HOW DARE YOU TRY TO RUN AWAY WITHOUT GIVING ME AN ANSWER?!"

Harumi's voice rang through the house like a war cry.

We all turned—just in time to see her storming out, knife in hand.

I swear, at that moment, time stopped.

Toshiro let out a strangled noise and ran for his life.

Harumi chased after him like a demon possessed.

"HOW DARE YOU KISS ME?!" she shrieked.

I exchanged looks with Keirna, Yoshi, and Kerin. And then—

We BURST into laughter.

Toshiro was sprinting across the garden, dodging Harumi's swipes like an action hero in the worst rom-com ever. They looked like two five-year-olds fighting over the last piece of candy.

And then—

I felt it.

A gaze.

I turned my head—and oh, my God.

He was looking at me.

His hazel-green eyes locked onto mine, unreadable yet so intense that I felt my breath hitch. I gulped. My throat was dry. Why was it so dry?

How could someone be that handsome? How could someone have such a powerful aura?

I quickly looked away, my brain screaming at me to stay calm. Luckily, Yoshi was there, and I focused on him to keep myself from combusting.

Beside me, Kerin was giggling at her phone.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh, I miss Kei," she sighed dramatically.

Yoshi blinked. "By the way, where is Kei? I haven't seen him all morning."

Kerin opened her mouth to answer when—

"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE?!"

We all whipped our heads toward the entrance.

And there stood Kei.

Perfect timing.

Toshiro was still struggling in Harumi's grasp—who now had him in a headlock—while he desperately tried to free himself.

Harumi's face was red with rage. Toshiro looked like he had given up on life.

And then, in the most exhausted voice, all Harumi could say was—

"K E I."

Kei sighed. "I don't even wanna know."