Some men are the introverted type—you have to crack them wide open to discover that even their bones are carved with something uniquely beautiful.
Takahashi Mio was starting to think Shiratori Seiya might just be that kind of person.
The more time she spent with him, the more she uncovered his extraordinary qualities. Like peeling an onion, layer after layer—except instead of tears, she got surprises.
When they first met, what caught her off guard was his wealth.
It didn't make sense. They were the same age, same generation, same struggling youth demographic—so why was she drowning in over two million yen in debt while he had more money than she could count?
The only explanation that fit was that he must be some kind of second-generation rich kid, right?
But here's the thing—he never mentioned his family. Not once. Sure, his words could sting sometimes, but he never flaunted anything. Even when he drove her to that high-end place on their first meeting, it wasn't showing off. She knew that much.
Eyes don't lie. Movements don't lie. Posture and tone don't lie.
Takahashi Mio knew she was beautiful. Out of vanity—she could admit that much—she'd bought plenty of luxury items over the years. Jewelry, celebrity-style bags, designer shoes... but those were all online purchases. Her first time shopping at an actual high-end physical store? That was with him.
Back then, she felt like a country bumpkin wandering into the big city for the first time. Her heart pounded with anxiety, terrified she'd say something stupid and make a fool of herself.
Of course, the store staff probably wouldn't laugh at her outright. But if their eyes showed even a flicker of disdain or mockery? That would've been a thousand times more humiliating than being told directly.
But reality played out completely differently from her expectations.
She followed Shiratori Seiya the entire time, and without her uttering a single word, he'd already arranged everything. Every last detail.
He specified the styles, the designs, even the sizes of various clothes and shoes like it was second nature to him. Later at the hair salon, she discovered he'd booked their spot in advance. She didn't fully understand what he'd said to the stylist, but she could tell—it was impressive. Professional.
The most embarrassing part? He even knew her measurements.
How long had this scoundrel been observing her?
At first, she assumed he was a boy who'd been secretly watching her for ages. That thought made her feel a little happy... and also a little creeped out.
Even though he'd told her she didn't have to do those H things... what else could someone this wealthy possibly want from her besides her looks? They'd never interacted before.
The idea that he liked her for her "soul"? Please. That was laughable.
But after two days of actual interaction, she realized the truth.
He had zero romantic interest in her.
Takahashi Mio was absolutely certain about this point.
Sure, she'd never been in love herself. But she'd seen plenty of people who were. Her friends in relationships—she'd watched those lovesick eyes countless times. Eyes that held nothing but the other person. Eyes that looked like they wanted to devour their beloved whole, tears and all.
So she knew, with crystal clarity, that Shiratori Seiya's gaze toward her held no love whatsoever.
Not knowing what he was really after, Takahashi Mio felt extremely anxious for a while. Downright scared, even.
Would he sell her off? She hadn't entered the real world yet, but she'd heard plenty about how dangerous it could be. She was like a fledgling bird, trembling on the edge of the nest, too afraid to fly and too afraid to stay.
Then he suddenly said he wanted to train her to become a celebrity.
That dream—the one she'd long since buried in the deepest abyss of her heart—he'd pulled it back out.
She felt like he'd seen right through her. Like she was standing naked in front of him, every insecurity exposed.
And he wasn't just talking. He was doing.
His execution was astonishing. He seemed to have thought of everything for her, planned every step. While she was amazed, her heart was also being drawn toward him—whether she liked it or not.
But before she could even digest all of that, she discovered that her long-admired idol was actually his girlfriend.
It took everything she had to accept that fact. Takahashi Mio, bitterness flooding her chest, desperately speculated that maybe the two didn't have any real emotional connection. Maybe it was like her and him—some kind of arrangement.
But reality crushed that theory fast.
Hojo Shione's gaze toward him was overflowing with love. Not only that—her younger sister clearly adored him to the bone too.
As a woman, Takahashi Mio had a keen radar for these things. The amount of hatred hidden in their eyes when they looked at her? That hatred directly corresponded to the depth of their love for Shiratori Seiya.
He held too many secrets. Every discovery was more shocking than the last.
Like a star lamp in the dark night, he kept drawing her in, making her want to peel him open layer by layer to see what kind of person he truly was.
She absolutely had to understand him completely.
She must never lose to Hojo Shione. Since that girl hated her, fine—let her keep hating. Let her burn with envy and jealousy... just like she herself had once burned.
With that thought, Takahashi Mio decided she needed to thoroughly understand him first. Since he wouldn't willingly talk, she'd piece him together from small details.
Confirming today that he practiced Kendo made her a little happy. Maybe she could catch a glimpse of his past through it.
She'd cheer him on in a bit. Definitely.
But when she saw that Shiratori Seiya's opponent was a girl, she couldn't help but freeze.
She didn't know much about Kendo, but she knew that in sports competitions, girls generally didn't have an advantage over boys. Especially in something like Kendo—there should be separate categories for a reason.
Takahashi Mio hesitated, unsure whether to cheer or not.
Then the girl on the field pounced into Shiratori Seiya's arms. Nuzzled him like a little bird seeking warmth.
Takahashi Mio's brain went blank.
And when she heard the surrounding whispers—people commenting on how obviously the girl was going easy, practically throwing the match—she subconsciously recalled Shiratori Seiya saying earlier in the coffee shop that the other party insisted he come today.
The pieces clicked into place.
Takahashi Mio's face went completely dark.
So that's what this is... Is this woman also entangled with you?
Did you learn Kendo because of her?
Just how many women love you, Shiratori Seiya...
She stared coldly at the two on the mat, suppressing the bitterness rising in her chest. Her fingers moved on instinct, snapping photos and sending them to Hojo Shione.
She absolutely shouldn't be the only one suffering.
She was already this upset. Hojo Shione, who loved him even more than she did—she had to be feeling even worse, right?
Besides, maybe she could get information about this mysterious girl from Hojo. Judging from that whole setup incident last time, Hojo Shione was extremely cunning.
And if the girl on the field was going to such ridiculous lengths... her feelings for Shiratori Seiya probably weren't any less intense than Hojo's.
Hojo definitely knew about her existence. She might even know her very well.
As for directly asking Shiratori Seiya who that girl was? Takahashi Mio didn't even consider it.
That would be way too foolish.
Never mind whether he'd actually tell her—her current position in his heart probably wasn't solid enough for him to reveal his secrets. He might even get annoyed.
And compared to everything else, Shiratori Seiya clearly cared more about her career development than his personal history.
The young girl clutched her phone tightly, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the screen.
I refuse to believe you won't get angry...