I gently brushed a tear from her cheek with my thumb. "Even if it was to save me… You still called me your husband. That word came out pretty naturally, don't you think?"
Tachibana slapped my hand away lightly, though there was almost no strength behind it. "Shut up! You're twisting my words again!"
She bit her lip hard, clearly struggling with her own emotions. After a few seconds, her voice became much quieter and more vulnerable.
"…When you said you'd marry me that night… I really wanted to believe you. Even though I acted stubborn and angry, a part of me hoped it was real. No one has ever said something like that to me before. No one has ever been willing to take responsibility for me like that…"
She lowered her head, her ponytail falling forward slightly. "But then I saw you with those women this morning… especially that energetic one who was clinging to your arm. It hurt. It hurt more than I expected. I felt like a complete fool for even considering it."
