2.1k words: Suguru overheard:

As you stepped into the quiet hallway, seeking solitude to ease your frustration, you hadn't expected to find Utahime already there. Hidden away from the bustling gala, she stood with her arms crossed, exuding a confident, almost taunting aura. Her lips curled into a smug smirk as she met your gaze, while you, caught off guard, felt irritation flicker beneath your composed exterior.

Unbeknownst to you both, Suguru had followed after politely excusing himself from the women surrounding him. He now lingered just out of sight, concealed behind the wall, observing the tension unfolding between you and Utahime.

Your brows furrowed as you studied her expression—too knowing, too amused. Meanwhile, she merely tilted her head slightly, her stance relaxed yet undeniably sharp, as if relishing the sight of you standing there, annoyed and unprepared for this encounter.

You quickly regained your composure, letting a confident smile tug at your lips. "Oh right, I've been wanting to meet with you, Utahime."

Her brow arched slightly, a small, knowing smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "I wonder why," she mused, amusement flickering in her gaze as she studied you.

You took a step closer, your smile unwavering but your eyes sharp. "You've been sleeping with my man, haven't you?"

Utahime let out a soft, almost wicked laugh, tilting her head as if amused by your question. "Haven't I always?" she mused, her voice laced with mockery. Then, with a casual shrug, she added, "Thought you knew."

Behind the wall, hidden in the dimly lit hallway, Suguru remained perfectly still, eavesdropping on the conversation unfolding just a few steps away. His breath was shallow, his body tense as he listened.

No way… this can't be true. His mind raced, unwilling to accept what he was hearing. My best friend wouldn't cheat on his wife. He wouldn't betray her…

Utahime's tone was too smug, too certain, and your accusation had been too direct. A sinking feeling settled in his chest, but still, he stayed hidden, forced to listen, dreading what might come next.

Your smile faded, your expression turning cold as you stood still, eyes locked onto hers. The air between you grew heavier, charged with unspoken tension.

Utahime leaned casually against the wall, a smirk lingering on her lips as she brought a cigarette to them. She took a slow drag before exhaling the smoke upward, her posture utterly relaxed.

"And you're proud?" you asked, your voice low and sharp.

She let out a soft chuckle, flicking ash from the tip of her cigarette. "Why wouldn't I be? A man as popular and attractive as him chose me over his own wife."

A sharp sting spread through your chest, a mix of pain, insecurity, and jealousy twisting inside you like a knife. Your fingers curled into tight fists at your sides, trembling with the urge to lash out, to hurt her the way she was hurting you. Every fiber of your being screamed to make her suffer, to wipe that smug expression off her face.

But you couldn't.

Your body felt heavy, as if some invisible force was holding you back. No matter how much rage burned within you, your limbs wouldn't move. Instead, you just stood there, the weight of your emotions pressing down on you, leaving you feeling weak—too weak.

Utahime took another slow drag from her cigarette before turning her head slightly toward you, her smirk never fading. With a mocking lilt in her voice, she mused,

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" She exhaled a stream of smoke, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Or are you just struggling to deny the truth—that your man finds me more desirable than you?"

Her words struck deep, catching on the rawest parts of you. Your heart clenched, a familiar ache settling in your chest. No matter how much you wanted to shake it off, the truth was undeniable—her taunts weren't just words. They were daggers, twisting into wounds that had never fully healed.

You had been raised to be weak. Raised to obey, to submit, to accept pain without resistance. To be unable to help yourself.

You had been planning for so long to make Utahime pay for what she'd done, to get back at her for sinking her claws into Satoru. But deep down, you knew the truth. You couldn't do it.

Because I am weak.

Because I am sensitive.

Because I am dumb, idiotic, pathetic—nothing more than a loser.

Utahime watched you in silence for a few lingering seconds, amusement still dancing in her eyes. Then, with a slow exhale, she blew a stream of smoke directly into your face, her smirk never wavering.

That was it.

You turned on your heel and ran away. Through the dimly lit hallways, past the muffled sounds of the gala, your footsteps echoed in your ears. Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of her words pressing down on you, suffocating you.

As you rushed down the hallway, Utahime's voice followed you, sharp and taunting, yet just low enough to stay hidden from the party's guests.

"Yeah, run! Run like the pathetic, worthless woman no man would ever ask for! Even Satoru never wanted to marry you—he was just forced to!"

Her cruel laughter echoed behind you, each word slicing deeper, feeding the storm of emotions already tearing you apart.

As she leaned against the wall, her smirk faltered for just a moment. She lowered her gaze to the floor, resting her hands on her knees as a flicker of doubt crossed her mind.

"Have I become too cruel? She was once my best friend."

The thought lingered, but only for a second. With a quick toss of her hair, she straightened up, regaining her usual composure. A smug grin returned to her lips as she scoffed to herself.

"Nah. She stole my man. Selfish much."

Without another thought, she turned on her heel and walked away, her confidence unshaken.

Meanwhile, Suguru, who had been listening in silence the entire time, tensed as she moved toward his hiding spot. His body stiffened, and he quickly pressed himself further into the shadows, holding his breath to ensure she wouldn't notice him. His sharp eyes tracked her every step as she passed, walking away as if nothing had happened. Only when she disappeared down the hallway did he finally exhale, his mind reeling from everything he had just heard.

Suguru remained frozen, his breath uneven as your footsteps faded into the distance. His mind reeled, the weight of what he had just heard settling deep in his chest.

"What have I just witnessed?" he murmured to himself.

Without another thought, he turned toward the path you had taken, his steps steady as he moved forward, drawn toward the aftermath of what had just unfolded.

~~~

By the time you reached the balcony, the cold night air hit your skin, but it did nothing to ease the suffocating feeling in your chest. You had lost. Not in a battle of strength, but in something far worse.

Defeated. By nothing more than her light which is darkness, effortless words that felt unbearably heavy.

The night sky stretched endlessly above, stars distant and indifferent to your turmoil.

"How worse could this get? Is it all because I'm not standing up for myself?" The question left your lips in a whisper, swallowed by the cold air.

"I really should've spoken up as a witness to Satoru's intimacy with Utahime before I became his wife…" Regret twisted in your chest, a bitter truth you could no longer ignore.

"Tch." A sharp scoff escaped as you shook your head. "It's late. What am I even thinking?"

The defiance wavered, slipping into something heavier. Your gaze lowered, sadness creeping in despite your attempts to push it away.

"But I shouldn't let myself down like this…" The words felt weak, but saying them was the only thing keeping you from falling apart.

Soft footsteps echoed against the marble floor, breaking the fragile silence. Suguru approached, his presence calm, unhurried. Though he had overheard everything, he masked his sympathy behind an easy demeanor, as if he had simply wandered onto the balcony for fresh air.

You turned at the sound, your eyes glistening—teary yet untouched by actual tears. A small, surprised smile found its way to your lips. "Oh, Suguru, it's you."

He returned the smile, stepping beside you. "What are you doing here all by yourself?"

Your gaze drifted back to the sky as a quiet chuckle escaped. "Nothing. I just wanted to get some fresh air, you know? The party made me feel suffocated."

Suguru let out a soft laugh, glancing at you. "Same, actually. That's why I'm here as well."

You turned to look at him, meeting his eyes with a gentle smile of your own.

He's so handsome… His smile is charming…

Suguru's smile gradually faded as he studied your face, his expression turning unreadable. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle yet firm.

Your own smile faltered instantly. Without meeting his gaze, you quickly turned away, forcing out a small, unconvincing chuckle. "Yes, I am." You nodded, as if saying it enough times would make it true.

But the lie only made the ache in your chest worse.

A lump formed in your throat as the weight of everything pressed down on you, suffocating, relentless. Nobody in your life had ever been able to tell when you weren't okay. They always assumed. They always believed the smile you wore. And realizing that once again… it hurt.

Tears welled up before you could stop them, blurring your vision.

Before you could move, Suguru turned slightly toward you, his movements slow, deliberate. He reached into the chest pocket of his suit and pulled out a neatly folded tissue. Without hesitation, he lifted it to your cheek, carefully dabbing away the tears that had begun to slip down.

His fingers hesitated for a brief moment, as if considering something—perhaps the urge to use his thumb instead, to wipe them away more tenderly. But he didn't. He couldn't. That would be too intimate.

You weren't his to comfort like that. You were his best friend's wife.

Even if the relationship was already a mess, Suguru wasn't the type to interfere.

Yet, as he wiped your tears away, your heart pounded faster and faster, the warmth of his touch igniting something within you.

The more he wiped, the more the tears fell, as if your body had finally found a moment of safety—a moment where you weren't forced to pretend you were okay. Your breath hitched, and without thinking, you moved slightly forward, drawn to the quiet reassurance he gave.

Suguru didn't step back. He remained still, his gaze never leaving your face. His voice was quiet but certain when he said, "You are not okay."

The words cut through you, undeniable.

At that moment, a sudden gust of wind rushed over the balcony, its cold touch seeping through the fabric of your dress, sending a shiver down your spine. The force of it nudged you even closer against him.

"The wind is strong tonight." His voice was steady, almost as if he were making an excuse for what happened next.

He shifted slightly, and before you could react, he wrapped his arms around you, shielding you from the cold. "Sorry about that."

But you didn't move away.

Instead, you let yourself lean into him, your hands clutching onto his suit jacket as your tears finally broke free. The emotions you had held back for so long crashed over you all at once, and you buried your face against his chest, sobbing quietly.

Suguru let out a quiet breath, his arms tightening around you just a little more. His hand moved gently, his fingers threading through your hair before settling at the back of your head. With slow, comforting strokes, he patted you softly.

"It's okay. Let it all out."

His voice was calm, steady—offering something you hadn't felt in a long time. Safety.

While the two of you embraced, Sukuna, who had also been invited to the business gala, was making his way to the balcony to smoke. But the moment his eyes landed on you—his longtime crush since middle school, the one who had rejected him after his confession—his steps faltered.

There you were, wrapped in the arms of a man with long black hair. A man who was not Satoru.

A sharp pang of jealousy struck him, his brows drawing together in anger. His hands twitched with the urge to storm over, to shove the man away—because he wasn't your husband, and that gave him a reason not to.

But Sukuna held himself back, staying hidden behind the wall.

Silently, he pulled out his phone, making sure there was no flash or sound, and took a photo of you and Suguru hugging.

💌Delusional even in the story—

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