Chapter 20: “Tell Me I Wasn’t Just Another Transaction”

Yuuki couldn't focus.

Arisa sat cross-legged on his floor, opening snacks and humming quietly. She looked… comfortable. Like this was normal. Like she belonged.

But his mind was still stuck on that guy's voice.

> "You're not the only one who rented her."

He hadn't said anything.

Yet.

But the silence between them was stretching. And Arisa felt it.

She looked up. "You okay?"

He nodded. Lied. "Yeah. Just tired."

She tossed him a bag of chips. "Well, sugar and salt usually helps with that."

Yuuki didn't smile.

Didn't eat.

Didn't speak.

Arisa narrowed her eyes. "Okay, what's going on?"

He looked up. "How many others were there?"

She froze.

"…What?"

"Before me. Clients. Guys who sat where I'm sitting now. Who maybe thought they were special too."

Her expression cracked.

"Is that what this is about?" she asked, voice quiet.

"I just— I need to know if I'm really different. Or if I just feel like I am."

She stood slowly. "You want the truth?"

Yuuki met her gaze. "Yeah."

A pause. Then—

"There were five," she said. "One of them stuck around longer than the rest. A few tried to cross lines. One cried. One proposed."

Yuuki's chest tightened.

"But none of them ever made me want to quit."

She stepped closer. "You didn't rent me, Yuuki. Not really. You changed me."

Then she whispered—

"Tell me you're not the kind of guy who only loves someone if no one else ever did."

That hit harder than anything.

He looked away. "I just needed to know I wasn't another transaction."

"You're not," she said. "But if you need me to prove it... I'll walk out right now and never come back. You tell me."

Silence.

Then—

He reached out.

And grabbed her hand.