"Huh?"
Shiratori Seiya slammed on the brakes so hard the car jolted to a stop. His brow furrowed deeply as he looked at the girl beside him in utter confusion. The topic was so sudden—so completely out of left field—that he couldn't help but wonder if he had misheard. Did she just say what I think she said?
The car lurched forward from the sudden stop, and Takahashi Mio's body pitched forward before her seatbelt caught her.
She reacted quickly, instinctively meeting Shiratori Seiya's gaze. After a brief moment of distraction—those eyes, that expression—she opened her mouth and stammered:
"Ah, no... I mean..."
She quickly turned her head away, propping her chin with her left hand as she looked out the rain-streaked window, her profile a perfect picture of embarrassed denial.
"..."
His affection level had dropped to 80 again—whoosh, right back down. Shiratori Seiya gave her a long, searching look, then restarted the car and pretended he hadn't heard anything. Sometimes selective hearing is a survival skill.
The jolt seemed to have sobered Takahashi Mio up quite a bit, and the pink flush that had spread across her neck faded considerably, like morning mist burning off under the sun.
After driving for about ten minutes in heavy silence—the kind that screams awkward, the car was suddenly enveloped by a dark cloud that rolled in from nowhere.
The rain initially fell on the windshield like a gentle drizzle—tap, tap, tap—then gradually intensified, hammering against the glass with a furious pitter-patter that matched the rhythm of a racing heart. Shiratori Seiya turned on all the lights—headlights, fog lights, hazard blinkers—and slowed the car to a crawl, barely able to see the road ahead through the curtain of water.
After driving like this for two minutes, the silence finally broke. Takahashi Mio's voice suddenly rang out beside him, soft but clear:
"Have you ever... had sex?"
"..."
After the previous surprise attack—that critical hit from nowhere—Shiratori Seiya's reaction was considerably less sensitive to hearing such a question again. He exhaled a long, weary sigh and said:
"Did you take some bad medicine this morning? Why do you keep asking things like that?"
"I..."
Takahashi Mio's red lips parted, ready to explain—it was my mother, she wouldn't stop talking about it—but then she looked at Shiratori Seiya's profile, and her mind involuntarily recalled his two ex-girlfriends. The shame she had originally felt was once again suppressed by a familiar green monster: jealousy.
She smiled—a forced, casual smile—and asked, pretending not to care:
"Don't change the subject. Isn't it completely normal for a girlfriend to ask about things like that?"
"It's not normal."
Shiratori Seiya glanced at her out of the corner of his eye—a quick, sharp look—and said:
"After just resolving such a serious family matter—facing your parents, dealing with the whole marriage certificate situation—a normal person would feel relieved, take a moment to breathe and calm down. They wouldn't be in the mood to ask about... this."
Besides, our relationship hasn't reached the point where we can have sex, has it?
He had intended to say that out loud, but the words caught in his throat. Thinking of Takahashi Mio's affection level, which had already risen to eighty—a solid B-tier ranking—he swallowed them back.
Perhaps for him, it hadn't reached the point of going to bed. But for Mio, it might have already.
But saying such words would be too hurtful—like a critical hit to her self-esteem. Before Takahashi Mio's acting skill reached master level—when she could separate her feelings from her performance—Shiratori Seiya believed he needed to keep her affection level hovering around eighty.
This way, he could both avoid her being so lovestruck that she neglected her career and also have the potential to rapidly increase her affection to one hundred after she reached master-level acting proficiency.
Of course, this was also a buffer for him to fully accept Mio as more than just a project.
Although he had lectured her harshly last night and been genuinely angry that she had returned home alone without telling him—reckless, impulsive, dangerous—seeing her face her once-feared parents alone for her career, to live up to his expectations, he couldn't help but be moved.
However, considering Shione and Saori—two other emotional landmines waiting to explode—controlling Mio's affection level seemed to be the optimal solution for now.
I can only make you suffer a little, Mio.
"I..."
Hearing Shiratori Seiya's words, as if he meant that her mind was only focused on that one thing, Takahashi Mio suddenly felt a flash of genuine anger. She bit her lip and candidly blurted out:
"I didn't even want to talk about these things! Wasn't it Mother who brought it up this morning?!"
"Hmm?"
Shiratori Seiya was genuinely surprised—his mother-in-law? Really?
"Auntie said it?"
Upon hearing this, Takahashi Mio turned her head sharply, her moist eyes glaring at him with a mix of embarrassment and indignation:
"Otherwise? Do you think I'd just randomly bring this up in the middle of a drive?"
"Mom said a whole bunch of things—about getting married for real, about having children in the future, about how I need to 'keep your interest' or whatever nonsense..."
Her voice dropped to a mumble:
"Honestly, she's the one who said all that stuff, but then she won't let me actually think about it?"
If that was the case, it made sense. Parental pressure—the ultimate relationship accelerator.
Thinking that she was also a girl—young, inexperienced, suddenly wearing the fake hat of marriage and being pressured by her mother about these intimate matters—she would inevitably feel annoyed and confused. Shiratori Seiya tried to comfort her:
"It's okay. If Uncle and Auntie pressure you again, you can use your young age as an excuse—say you're focusing on your career first and not ready for that step yet. It's perfectly reasonable..."
Hearing him say that—so practical, so reasonable—Takahashi Mio sighed heavily and said:
"Of course I know that. But..."
She paused mid-sentence, looking at Shiratori's profile with searching eyes.
"Then what? How long can that excuse last?"
Three years? After you marry Hasegawa, you'll just break up with me and that'll be the end of it?
Perhaps it was the rain outside—the low temperature passing through the transparent glass that made her barely calm down—Takahashi Mio held back from asking that question aloud. She knew that, given the current situation, even if she asked, she might not get the answer she wanted.
Not yet. Not now.
Then, before Shiratori Seiya could speak, she took a deep breath—the kind you take before jumping off a diving board—and said directly:
"I'll just say it plainly. Mom noticed."
Her words were without beginning or end—a puzzle piece dropped in the middle of a conversation. Shiratori Seiya raised an eyebrow and asked:
"Noticed what?"
"Noticed..."
Biting her pink lips—a nervous habit—Takahashi Mio turned her head toward the rain-smeared window and whispered:
"Noticed that I... haven't done it yet..."
"..."
Hearing her say that—the confession hanging in the air like a wet blanket—Shiratori Seiya frowned and couldn't help but ask:
"How could she possibly tell?"
Even if a professional gynecologist examined them, could they really tell which women on the street were virgins and which weren't?
If there truly was such a magical ability, textbooks would be written about it. Why bother going to the hospital for examinations?
"How would I know?!"
Takahashi Mio shot him an annoyed look—the audacity—then pouted and asked:
"So, have you or haven't you?"
"..."
Shiratori Seiya said nothing. He just kept driving, his eyes fixed on the rain-slicked road ahead.
Seeing this, Takahashi Mio assumed he felt it was inappropriate to mention such things in front of his 'girlfriend' and 'wife.' She gave him a meaningful look—a half-smile that didn't quite reach her eyes—and chuckled:
"I know. You've definitely done it, haven't you?"
"Let me guess who it was?"
Without waiting for Shiratori Seiya to answer, she seemed to be playing detective in a mystery novel. Her moist eyes lit up with competitive fire, and she shifted her hips back in her seat, straightening her posture, enthusiastically speculating:
"Hasegawa Saori? Ah, no—it definitely wasn't that idiot. She's not proactive enough, and she's flat-chested. No charm at all."
"Hojo Suzune? That little radish? Probably not either. You probably haven't even dated her, have you? Besides, she's Hojo Shione's sister, so you definitely wouldn't make a move on her."
"So... it was Hojo Shione."
Hearing Takahashi Mio even guess Suzune—how did she even know about her?—Shiratori Seiya couldn't help but glare at her, his voice cold and sharp:
"What nonsense are you talking about? If you're going to guess, guess something more reliable. And besides—don't guess anymore. I haven't done it."
*Istg he and Shione did it in the hospital, it was heavily implied so I made the scene!
"Huh?"
Upon hearing this answer, Takahashi Mio's beautiful eyes suddenly widened like saucers. Her red lips parted slightly, looking at him with pure, unfiltered surprise.
Noticing her expression—that stunned, disbelieving look—Shiratori Seiya said impatiently:
"What? Is that so unbelievable?"
Hearing this, Takahashi Mio slowly nodded, staring at Shiratori Seiya like he'd just revealed a secret side quest. With difficulty, she uttered a few words:
"Very... unbelievable."
She couldn't help but shift her gaze to his lower abdomen—a quick, involuntary glance.
If it weren't for that time she kissed him and felt something pressing uncomfortably against her—definitely not a phone—she would have suspected Shiratori Seiya had some kind of physical problem. But that kiss proved otherwise.
Thinking of that moment—that electric, embarrassing moment—a pink flush again colored her fair cheeks as she asked:
"So... can I ask why?"
Shiratori Seiya looked at her curious, probing expression. He knew that if he didn't give some kind of answer, she would wonder about him in her heart—question his manhood, his intentions, his everything. After some thought, he said seriously:
"I'm a slow starter."
"?"
Takahashi Mio's mouth hung open, momentarily unsure what expression to make. A slow starter? What kind of answer was that?
She was silent for a long while—processing, thinking, connecting dots—then lowered her gaze and sighed:
"So that's it... No wonder you could break up with Hojo Shione..."
Hearing this, Shiratori Seiya glanced at her, his eyes calm and steady as he asked:
"Does doing it mean you won't break up?"
Takahashi Mio's eyes widened.
The answer to that question was self-evident—as clear as the rain-streaked windshield in front of them.
No matter how beautifully people adorned love with pretty words and grand promises, real-life examples spelled out the truth in bold, undeniable letters. She had many friends in relationships—some had been through one, two, three, four, five, even six relationships. Going to bed was a completely commonplace step for these couples, as routine as a second date.
She couldn't help but recall what Haruno Reika had once told her, words that had stuck like a burr in her mind:
'Love, men—isn't it just like that? Nowadays, after confirming a relationship, you go on a first and second date, but by the third date, you might go to bed with him. It's a very normal thing—just getting what you need.'
'A situation like yours, Mio, is the anomaly...'
Let alone whether they would break up after doing it—even marriage could end in divorce. Nothing was guaranteed. Perhaps precisely because of the consideration that "the other person might not belong to me in the future," out of pure selfishness, most people would want to "get it" first, to claim something before it slipped away.
But Shiratori Seiya—who had given so much to so many, who had poured time and energy into her, Saori, and even Shione... not to mention Hasegawa Saori and Hojo Shione, who had clearly gotten more of his attention. Even for herself, in this past month, she felt that no one had ever been so good to her since childhood, except her parents.
What exactly was he thinking?
'An anomaly'?
For a moment, Takahashi Mio felt she had found a kindred spirit—someone who shared her old-fashioned, cautious view of intimacy. But then she felt something was off. If it were anyone else, there would still be a high probability of breaking up after doing it. But Shiratori Seiya... her intuition told her otherwise.
He wouldn't.
She frowned, thought for a moment, and then narrowed her eyes, asking:
"Seiya, are you... afraid of responsibility?"
Shiratori Seiya rolled his eyes at her—a sharp, exasperated look. Such words made him sound like a coward who ran at the first sign of commitment. He couldn't help but explain:
"If I can't be sure we won't break up in the future, then wouldn't doing it be completely irresponsible? But it's fine if you want to think I'm a coward. I've been called worse."
"..."
Hearing him say that—so matter-of-fact, so sincere—a thoughtful expression appeared in Takahashi Mio's eyes. She turned her head to look at her own reflection in the car window, and a bright, genuine smile spread across her face.
She only felt that both Hojo Shione and Hasegawa Saori were too foolish.
Especially Hojo Shione.
If she knew he thought this way—that he held back out of a sense of responsibility, that he wouldn't take what he couldn't guarantee—she'd probably be regretting it bitterly, wouldn't she?
That madwoman had probably never expected to break up with Shiratori Seiya in the future. At the time, she'd been too confident, too sure. And she probably never knew his thoughts would be so... peculiar.
Otherwise, she would have used any means necessary to keep him, wouldn't she? She'd have chained him down with every weapon in her arsenal.
But he hadn't done it with anyone else yet.
The realization hit Takahashi Mio like a warm ray of sunlight. She suddenly felt an inexplicable delight bubbling up in her chest—a smug, secret satisfaction.
She involuntarily recalled what Hojo Shione had once said to her, that smug declaration:
'I've experienced all of these things you're experiencing.'
Indeed, his first kiss, his embraces, his various concerns and thoughtful gestures toward her—none of them were firsts. Someone else had already claimed those milestones. But what if she got his body's first time?
That kind of thing was more important than everything else before it, wasn't it?
According to his personality—that cautious, responsible, honor-bound personality—grasping his first time would be equivalent to grasping the future. It would secure her position. It would give her an edge that no one else had.
She could get more preferential treatment from him. More attention. More of his heart.
If there was a shortcut, who wouldn't want to take it?
Undoubtedly, she was currently at the very bottom of Shiratori Seiya's heart. She knew it. She could feel it in the way he looked at her compared to the others. Who was ahead of her didn't matter right now—what mattered was that she was at the bottom.
Every time she thought of this, she got so angry her chest hurt.
Takahashi Mio subconsciously kneaded her palms together, her mind racing through possibilities. What methods should she use? How could she close the gap? But then she immediately thought of the agreement he had made with Hasegawa Saori—the three-year promise.
Thinking of this, the expression in her eyes froze for a moment. She cleared her throat, turned her head to look at Shiratori Seiya, and asked:
"Um... I remember you told me when we first started dating, didn't you?"
"What?"
The car gradually drove out of the rain, the raindrops hitting the glass lessening to a gentle patter.
"You said that if I needed it, you would fulfill your duties as a boyfriend. Does that still count?"
"..."
Shiratori Seiya was silent for a moment, not answering directly. Instead, he asked:
"You're not afraid anymore?"
Hearing this, Takahashi Mio shrugged, adopting a pitiful, exaggerated expression:
"I am afraid. I'm still quite afraid of dying, you know. So I was just asking for fun, really. Why so serious?"
"There's nothing fun about that question. Auditions are in two days—you'd better adjust your mindset and focus on that."
"Got it."
She responded casually, then turned her head away, not looking at Shiratori Seiya anymore. But inside, her thoughts were churning like a storm.
Although he hadn't answered directly, the answer was already very clear.
All those damned agreements, all those previous promises—they were insignificant in the face of unexpected situations. This could be seen from how he gave up watching Saori's competition for her, and from how he was now considering Hojo Shione and Hasegawa Saori's refusal of her request.
Even if he was powerful, even if he tried to control everything, he was still human. He would always be at the mercy of circumstances. And that meant she still had a chance.
A chance to kick those few people out of their positions in his heart.
I want to be the first in his heart. The only one.
The car burst out of the rain, emerging into clear sunlight. Looking at the rainbow forming in the rearview mirror—a brilliant arc of color against the blue sky—feeling the warm sunlight on her skin, Takahashi Mio felt an unprecedented sense of exhilaration.
She vaguely felt that returning home this time was the second most correct choice she had ever made in her life.
The car drove back home, and it was already two in the afternoon.
As soon as they got out of the car—stretching their legs, breathing in the fresh post-rain air—they happened to see a familiar figure carrying groceries, walking into the residential area.
Even though Hojo Shione was wearing a mask and a baseball cap, just by her walking posture alone—that elegant, unhurried grace—she could be recognized at a glance.
Seeing Shiratori Seiya getting out of the car from a distance, she couldn't help but stop. She blinked, then quickened her pace toward him like a character who'd just spotted their long-awaited quest-giver.
Finally, she stood gracefully in front of him, her bright eyes sparkling with unmistakable tenderness. She tilted her head and said softly:
"You're back?"
Before Shiratori Seiya could speak, Takahashi Mio glanced at her, yawned dramatically—the kind of yawn that said I'm not impressed—and smiled:
"Oh, what a coincidence. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were waiting here specifically for someone to come home."
Seeing her deliberately provocative attitude—those claws coming out—Shiratori Seiya shot her a warning glare and jabbed her in the waist with his fist, his voice low and pointed:
"Didn't you say you were tired in the car just now? You seem pretty energetic all of a sudden. Didn't you take the afternoon off? Wouldn't it be better to go find Araki-Sensei for some extra training?"
Hiss!
Feeling a sharp, stinging pain in her waist—that jerk actually hit her—Takahashi Mio gasped, pouted, and retorted:
"Hmph, why are you protecting her so much? Hasegawa would probably pull out her sword if she saw how you're acting right now."
"Heh heh."
Hearing this, Hojo Shione took off her mask with deliberate slowness, revealing a gentle, almost sweet smile. She looked at Takahashi Mio with that serene expression that somehow managed to be both innocent and cutting.
"Compared to Takahashi-San, what am I? Seiya didn't even go to Saori's competition yesterday—he went straight to find you instead. Speaking of which, Saori came back with her wooden sword last night, which really gave me quite a fright."
"..."
Although what Hojo Shione said was a bit terrifying—and probably not an exaggeration—Takahashi Mio felt a chill run down her spine. That lunatic was exactly like that. She was actually a little afraid of Hasegawa Saori, feeling that even if she went out anywhere recently, she would have to call Shiratori Seiya to escort her, otherwise she might get directly hacked to death in some dark alley.
She subconsciously swallowed, raised her hand to smooth her hair—a nervous gesture—and said:
"I'm going back to catch up on some sleep first. I also need to study for the audition this afternoon. But actually, I feel like it should be fine—I'll go to Araki-Sensei on Saturday. You two can take your time catching up."
Takahashi Mio delivered these words in a tone that suggested she didn't care at all—completely unbothered, totally relaxed—and gave Hojo Shione a "condescending" look before turning and walking toward home.
She started slowly for the first two steps, maintaining her dignity, but then—as if a ghost was chasing her—she walked faster and faster, eventually almost jogging as she scurried into the building like a scared quail.
...
Watching Takahashi Mio's fleeing figure disappear through the doorway, Hojo Shione's eyes surged with hidden currents—a mix of amusement, jealousy, and something darker. After a long pause, she turned her head and said softly to Shiratori Seiya:
"You've worked hard, Seiya."
Hearing her say that—so gentle, so understanding—Shiratori Seiya felt particularly awkward. It was like being caught cheating by his wife, who then, instead of getting angry, said "you've worked hard, dear" with a sweet smile.
Especially when he met her eyes, he vaguely saw tears glistening within them, like dew on morning petals. An emotion named longing surged toward him like a tumultuous tide, threatening to sweep him away.
"Saying 'you've worked hard' is fine, but it makes me feel like I'm some heartless man who just dragged you through the mud..."
Shiratori Seiya gave a wry smile, bent down, and reached out to take the groceries from her hand.
Hojo Shione didn't refuse. She simply handed him the groceries in her left hand. But when he reached for the second bag, she pulled her hand back.
When Shiratori Seiya looked at her, confused, she shook her head and said:
"I don't want Seiya to bear so much alone. Let's walk together."
Her words were suggestive, layered with meaning, and he naturally understood the subtext—she wanted to share his burdens, not add to them. After a moment of hesitation, he still reached out and took the other bag of groceries from her hand, saying:
"You bought the groceries, and you've already been carrying them alone for so long. Only if I carry them all can it truly be considered walking together."
Hojo Shione was stunned. Her lips moved, and a complex expression flickered in her eyes—surprise, hope, something fragile. Then she smiled, as if relieved, and said softly:
"That's true."
As if knowing he had many questions to ask—about last night, about Saori, about everything—she followed him into the house without Shiratori Seiya needing to ask.
Changing her shoes in the entryway, Hojo Shione took off her coat, revealing a white knitted turtleneck sweater underneath, paired with blue slim-fit jeans that hugged her figure perfectly. She removed her hair tie, and her dark, smooth hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall of silk. The steaming hot water from the teapot swirled in front of her, filling the room with the comforting aroma of green tea.
The two sat opposite each other on the sofa. Shiratori Seiya looked at the girl with her dark, beautiful hair unbound—so different from her usual polished, stage-ready appearance—and for a moment, he actually felt a sense of "good wife and loving mother" emanating from her.
Noticing his gaze fixed on her, Hojo Shione slowly raised her face, a gentle smile playing at the corners of her lips:
"What's wrong? Haven't seen me for a day, Seiya, have you forgotten who I am?"
"No, it's just that I feel... Shione, you're more beautiful than before."
Hojo Shione was startled, a blush spreading across her fair cheeks like cherry blossoms blooming. Her smile widened a little, and then she lowered her eyes, twirling a strand of hair by her ear twice with her fingers—a shy, almost girlish gesture.
"Heh heh, although I'm happy that Seiya praises me like this... you probably saw me dressed like this about a year ago, didn't you?"
"But I genuinely think Shione is prettier than before."
Seeing the conversation starting to drift back to the past—dangerous territory—Shiratori Seiya bit the bullet and praised her again, then took a sip of tea to steady himself.
"By the way, last night..."
Seeing that he was about to ask about Saori, Hojo Shione suddenly interrupted, her voice gentle but firm:
"Is Seiya worried about Hasegawa? She's fine. Very energetic and lively. So, comparatively, I'd rather know how you handled Miss Takahashi's situation?"
She paused, a troubled expression appearing on her face. She sighed softly:
"Actually, regarding what Seiya asked me that day—about how to handle parental opposition—I privately thought of many, many solutions. But I felt none of them could perfectly resolve it. Yet seeing Miss Takahashi just now, it seems like everything is completely resolved?"
"So I'm a little curious, Seiya. How exactly did you convince her family?"