30 Himiko

Haruto's eyes would flicker to Yuuto's silhouette, observing him as they walked side by side. The silence around them felt denser than usual, as if it was charged with unspoken words. Yuuto's face held an unreadable expression, his gaze fixed on some distant point only he could see. Maybe Haruto had ruffled his feathers the wrong way. But there was something different too—Yuuto's hair was noticeably shorter.

"You cut your hair?" Haruto's voice broke the quiet between them.

Yuuto, taken aback, instinctively reached up to his head, his fingers missing the familiar disguise. "Oh... This... Well, you see... Actually—"

Haruto's laughter interrupted him, light and understanding. "It's fine, it's fine... I kind of figured you were the guy from that website. Your secret's safe with me—I wasn't going to poke around."

'So, you've chosen, death.' The psychopath's thought as he stared at Haruto with the eyes of a predator. Haruto did not notice Yuuto's sudden mood swing.

"... You've helped me a lot. Don't worry. I ain't gonna tell no one. I won't benefit much from it, anyway." Haruto uttered casually, looking forward with a peaceful grin.

'...'

"I didn't do the job. Himiko isn't yours. You are ACTIVELY being NTR'd now. Kyoya is banging your mom." He uttered, his look intensifies as Haruto's gaze remains casual.

"So?" Haruto's response was nonchalant, his question hanging between them.

Yuuto's eyes narrowed, a mix of confusion and curiosity flickering within.

Haruto's stride slowed as he pondered Yuuto's earlier statement, his voice trailing off, "I said, so what? Kyoya isn't going to harm her. He just aimed at me, and even that was just on the emotional end. And let's be honest, she's not some untouchable saint. She and my dad... well, it's likely they've been together. And we've been over this, haven't we? She was never mine to begin with. Whoever she chooses to be with... well, that's her choice..." His voice waned a bit, the words catching slightly in his throat.

"It's just an unrequited love, really. A fantasy I was clinging to."

Haruto sighed, his shoulders relaxing as if he were shedding the weight of his words. "Life's more than chasing after her. I've got to look beyond, plan for my own future... I'm already 19, you know?"

Yuuto studied Haruto's profile, seeing the struggle in the set of his jaw, the way he blinked a bit too long when saying her name.

"So why are you so into this Anti-NTR stuff?" Haruto's inquiry was genuine, his eyes searching Yuuto's for an answer.

"Why?" Yuuto echoed, taken aback as if the question were as foreign as another language.

"Yeah. Why all the effort?" Haruto pressed.

Yuuto's mind mocked the simplicity of the question, 'Bro literally asking for something so obvious. Am I asking you why the sky is blue or why we laugh at a funny joke, such as how fragile your balls are? Yet here I am, needing to spell it out for him. I guess the NTR really dropped his IQ points.'

"Because NTR exists. That's reason enough." Yuuto's reply was flat, a statement of fact as he met Haruto's inquiring gaze.

Haruto's forehead creased with curiosity. "Just because it exists? That's it?" He paused, considering his next words carefully. "I thought maybe there'd be some.. Well, you know, maybe... Passion behind your actions, some personal motive that gets you going. Not prying, just... perhaps you've experienced something similar...?"

'Something that happened to me in the past, huh...?'

Yuuto's face remained unreadable for a moment, then a spark of amusement flickered in his eyes, a wry smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"That would make for a good story, huh?" he mused aloud. "A shadowy past shrouded in anguish. The perfect hook to reel in some more wimps-erhm, I mean, CUSTOMERS." A smirk playing on his lips as he considered the allure of a fabricated sob story.

'I mean, losers DO tend to get along with someone who shares their pain. That's a good idea...'

Haruto's gaze flicked over Yuuto's face, searching for any sign of jest. Finding none, he exhaled a soft, almost disbelieving chuckle. "So, one day you just popped out of bed and thought, 'This is it; this is what I'm going to do'?"

"Exactly," Yuuto replied with a shrug.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Haruto's mouth, a wistful hint of acceptance in his expression. "Just like that, huh..." he murmured, his smile lingering with a mixture of amusement and resignation.

The crunch of gravel underfoot punctuated the silence of the early noon as Yuuto and Haruto approached the modest Sakurai household that had served as their base. It stood solitary, a silent witness to the turmoil that had swirled around its walls in recent weeks.

Yuuto halted at the front step, turning to Haruto with a look that brooked no argument.

"Go for a jog," he instructed, an edge of command in his voice that was softened by the barest hint of concern.

Haruto hesitated, "A jog, of all things? That's odd... Why not 'go for a swim?' "

"The school's open right now, you would get caught." The good-for-nothing replied, absent for the past month from school. "And I don't consider you hiking up that trail as exercise. Consider the extra workout as punishment for breaking the clause, if that'll help."

"I'll go send the evidence to the police station." His words were vague, casual - as he waved the USB before Haruto's eyes.

Haruto read the seriousness, yet aloofness in Yuuto's posture, the unwavering gaze that had so often assessed his own determination. "The training," he began, seeking confirmation, "All the swimmingI did the past month... Think I can manage with a jog now?"

"You've built the stamina. Trust it," Yuuto affirmed, clapping a firm hand on Haruto's shoulder. There was a pride in his voice that wasn't often allowed to surface, a recognition of the effort and change that had taken place in the younger man before him.

'Truth be told. I haven't seen anyone to go through all this, even when the Anti-NTRing is doomed in their eyes. It's like... He found a new purpose.'

Haruto set off with a jog, his initial steps cautious, feeling out the freedom of the path ahead. The hesitant beginnings soon blossomed into a steady, rhythmic pace, each footfall a solid note in the newfound melody of his life's direction.

Glancing back, a playful spark lit up his features. "Hey, you oughta up your rates!"

Yuuto blinked, caught off guard. "What's that?"

"For the website," Haruto called over his shoulder, the gap between them growing. "Your fees, man. 10,000 yen's a steal for all you've done for me!"

A chortle escaped Yuuto, light and unguarded. Haruto's back was to him now, but his bright smile lingered in Yuuto's vision, a stark contrast to the wistful pang tugging at his heart.

'I'm well aware,' he mused silently.

His own smile was a mix of genuine warmth and hidden exhaustion, unseen by Haruto, who was already becoming a small figure against the sprawling canvas of the setting sun.

"I know!!! I'll kick your ass if you yell that out loud again!!!" he yelled in response, voice chasing after the retreating form.

'But thanks, cuck.'

Yuuto thought, as he saw Haruto disappear with the sunrays shining above him as he jogged. He then turned around.

'Now... Time for the final act in this job. Kyoya Guuji. You're going down, you motherfucker.'

---------HIMIKO--------------

Himiko's face showed worry. "What got into Haruto to hit you like that, Kyoya?"

Kyoya shook his head slightly. "I only invited him to hike with us. Maybe that upset him. Hiking was something special for you two."

"It's not just our thing," she said. "We both enjoyed it. Haruto has his issues, though."

Kyoya looked at her seriously. "Himiko, I've got issues too. I had a rough start in life before meeting you. I get it if you want to call it quits. You've got enough on your plate with little bro and all—"

Before he could finish, Himiko kissed him, stopping his words. They walked on towards her place. "Stop, Kyoya. I've told you before, it doesn't bother me. I know the real you—you're a good man, and you got a kind heart. If your past comes back to haunt us, we'll deal with it together. And maybe Haruto could use someone like you in his life," she added, looking sad for a moment as she rested against him.

"One day, I'll tell you my whole story," Kyoya said, covering her hand with his on his chest.

"There's no rush. It's got to be tough to talk about," she said, trusting him. "But I believe in you, Kyoya."

By the time their hike was over, it was already late afternoon. They had been down every trail. For Himiko, it felt like the end of a map.

When they got back to Himiko's house, Kyoya rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm beat... Do you mind if I stay over tonight?"

"Of course not," Himiko replied with a warm smile, bustling towards the kitchen. "You're always welcome here. It's not like there's someone to object..."

Kyoya leaned against the door frame, watching her as he sensed the frustration in her tone. "Seems like you're not too pleased with little bro, huh?"

Himiko paused, a frown briefly crossing her face. 'Why didn't Haruto tell me he had an issue with Kyoya? I thought we shared everything... I thought we were closer. He just went ahead and did that... Haah...'

"I won't pretend I'm not upset with him," she admitted, turning the stove on. "But Haruto's his own person now. And for now, let's not dwell on him..."

Changing the subject, she looked at Kyoya, her eyes sparkling. "So, what are you in the mood to eat?"

Kyoya seemed taken aback by the question. "I can... choose?"

Himiko chuckled. "Yes, you can choose. I've cooked more meals than I can count. So, what'll it be?"

A slight blush tinged Kyoya's cheeks, and he looked off to the side. "Um... curry?"

Himiko laughed softly at his shyness. "Curry it is. How cute... I never saw you this bashful before..."

Kyoya muttered under his breath, a little embarrassed but smiling. "Well, you did ask..."

"Don't worry, curry is on the menu. Haruto doesn't know what he's missing out on, staying away tonight," she said cheerfully. "Why don't you go ahead and make yourself comfortable on the couch? Dinner won't take long."

'... She... She actually asked if I want to eat some curry. Damn. Little bro, you got a sexy mommy, I'll give you that... Can't wait to make her completely my woman...' Kyoya thought as he sprawled his limbs on the couch, with the television still turned off. Instinctively, he rubbed his cheek where Haruto laid his fist.

'I wonder if little bro's still in the mountain. He must've gone back by now, right? Pshe, he's probably too devastated to move since she was his world, AND he's on the pills. I wouldn't be surprised if he offed himself by now. Frankly, that's the only conclusion I can come to. Ain't no way he's still alive, when you think about it. Well, it doesn't really matter. The client's gonna be even happier, heh, he might even give us a bonus if he hears he killed himself somewhere...' He thought to himself, raising up his phone, looking through his contacts.

'... Should I call him?'

Kyoya's thoughts halted for a few moments.

'That... That WOULD earn me a favor with Himiko. That's the whole point. Who would care about that naive little pussy?'

'But then again, what if he had someone like Kazuki in his life earlier? Someone who could've shown him the ropes... Would he have turned out different? Tougher? If he's still out there, and if he's open to it, maybe he could still learn a thing or two...' Kyoya's contemplation was a mix of calculation and a rare hint of curiosity about Haruto's potential fate.

'Kid's probably long dead, but I bet I could do it. Shit, he was open to the idea of me banging his stepmommy as long as I dropped what shit I did... So that could've actually happened. We could've been some big, happy family with enough attention...' He thought, sounds of sizzling can be heard from the kitchen, the aroma of boiled onions roamed around the house.

'Well, that's too late now. I already decided what I'm gonna do. His suicide's only gonna enforce it. I'll make up something. Maybe tell her about how he probably regrets filming her, he regretted it so much that he wanted to make amends before finish himself off.'

Kyoya exhaled a heavy sigh as he scrolled through his phone contacts, pausing at the name 'KAZUKI'.

'What might that scoundrel be into now?' he mused.

He dialed Kazuki's number, but only the impersonal tone of an automated message met his ear: [The person you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please try again later.]

'Out partying, no doubt. Typical Kazuki, phone dead, drowned in pussy, must likely,' Kyoya chuckled to himself, a wry smile flickering across his face.

But his amusement was cut short as he wondered, 'Speaking of which, how did little bro knew what I was doing...? Could he have actually...'

The shrill ring of an incoming call cut through his thoughts.

'Who's ringing at this hour? Takoyama? What does the rookie want?' Puzzled, Kyoya answered the call.

[BOSS! It's chaos here! We can't handle this guy—BANG BANG—We need you now! Get over to Blank Avenue, 192nd Street, back alley, QUICK!—CALL ENDS]

"Damn, what a mess," Kyoya muttered under his breath, adrenaline kicking in as he sprang up from the couch.

Himiko turned sharply at the commotion, her voice laced with concern. "Kyoya, what's wrong?"

Trying to keep his composure, Kyoya grabbed his phone and made for the door. "It's nothing, just... just that pesky inspector on my case again."

"That Sakurai..."

"Oh dear, not that guy again... You should go quickly," Himiko said, her brow creasing in concern—a look not lost on Kyoya even in his rush. He stepped close to her, gently cupping her face.

"Hold that curry for me, will you? I promise, I'll be back before it gets cold. I'll shake them off if it comes to that."

Himiko placed her hand over his, offering a smile full of warmth and assurance.

"Be careful... And don't worry about rushing back. Just let me know if you're going to be late, alright?"

"Thanks..." Kyoya managed, his voice softer than he intended. He turned on his heel, opened the door, and left with a quiet close behind him.

As Kyoya disappeared, Himiko returned to her simmering curry, lost in thought. 'Well, it's going to take a while to boil... Now would be a good time,' She climbed the stairs with a different weight in her step, a pregnancy test clutched in her hand. Alone in the bathroom, she cast a glance at the small device that held her future.

[POSITIVE]

A breath of relief and happiness escaped her, as silent as the secret she now carried.

'I'm... I'm going to have a baby...' Her heart fluttered with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

'Haruto will have a new sibling... Kyoya's baby... Could this mean... Could we become a real family?' The vision danced before her eyes: sitting with Kyoya on a sandy shore while Haruto played with his new brother, the waves lapping at their feet and the sunset casting a golden glow on their happy faces. A single tear of joy slid down her cheek.

'Yes, a family... I'll see to it that no one ever has to feel alone again. Loneliness... it's just too hard, too cruel. No one should have to endure it.'

In Mr. Narukami, Haruto's father, she saw a kindred spirit. She, an orphan, understood all too well the sharp sting of solitude. Mr. Narukami, with his gentle understanding and his own cloak of sadness, didn't look down on her, or sneered, tried to seduce, as others did. He was different; he was kind. Their bond grew, flowering into marriage when she was still young.

And then there was Haruto.

He was a beacon of laughter, a boy who found mirth in the mundane, who seemed untouched by the loneliness that his father bore. At first, she wondered, 'Is he just naïve?' But in time, she saw the truth: his innocence was a gift. It ignited a forgotten warmth within her, a happiness she hadn't realized she yearned for. She grew to want nothing more than to be by his side, to nurture that infectious smile, just one more time.

'Looking back, I realize I devoted all my care to Haruto. That must have driven his father away. But who could help it? Haruto, with a father who couldn't rein him in, still managed to laugh freely. It was as if he was destined for a life filled with laughter, but fate mistakenly placed him in Mr. Narukami's care...'

'I can't help but wonder if he inherited that joy from his biological mother.'

'Sigh... It's a heart-wrenching tale... How is Mr. Narukami now? I hope he's not alone; I hope he's found companionship...'

With a smile of conviction, she thought, 'It'll be alright, Haruto.'

'We're going to have a big, happy family. And Kyoya... he'll help you find a wonderful girlfriend. You've made a friend, so it shouldn't be too difficult... Everyone will find their happiness..!!'

[BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.]

"Oh, what's that?" she murmured as she got up from the toilet seat. After quickly getting herself together, she followed the beeping noise, which continued insistently.

'Could it be a fire alarm? I need to check immediately.'

With swift steps, she moved towards the bedroom, her heart racing. Yet, as she entered, there was no sign of fire or smoke—the room remained untouched, just as she had left it earlier in the day.

'What could this be?' Her confusion deepened as she located the persistent beeping nestled high among the books.

'It's too high up... I can't just grab it...'

She fetched a sturdy stool and positioned it before the bookshelf, stepping up carefully. Reaching between the volumes, her fingers closed around the object. It was a small, incongruous beeping device.

'Why would this be here?' She turned it over in her hands, and that's when she noticed a compact camera, secreted away next to where the beeper had been.

The camera was coated with dust, except for the clean shape it had left on the shelf. 'This... It's been here for quite some time...'

'Is it Haruto's doing... or Kyoya's?'

Then her eyes caught a glimpse of a note attached to a USB drive: "HIMIKO, LOOK AT ME - Haruto"

"Haruto?" She murmured, a mix of curiosity and worry knitting her brows.

She stepped off the stool and approached her laptop, inserting the USB drive with a sense of urgency.

On the drive, there was just one file—a video. She hesitated for a moment before opening it.

A man in a ski mask appeared on the screen, his voice thick with a feigned Indian accent.

"Hello, hello! If you are watching this, you must be Himiko. I am not Haruto, but I had to get your attention."

As Himiko listened, the man's accent abruptly shifted to something resembling African.

"I cannot reveal my true identity, yes."

He paused, his tone growing serious.

"I am pursuing a criminal—Kyoya."

Himiko's heart skipped a beat.

'Could this stranger hold a piece of Kyoya's hidden past?' She wondered, her pulse quickening at the thought.

The narrative on the screen took a sudden, dark turn, unraveling the vile task Kyoya was involved in: "That criminal was tasked in exploiting an unsuspecting woman, that would be you, Himiko, to fulfill the twisted wishes of a man known as Kiyoichi Narukami—a man set on the destruction of Haruto Narukami's life. Kyoya was hired by Mr. Narukami through the dark web."

As Himiko grappled with her disbelief, the video swiftly transitioned to a series of disjointed clips showing her in private moments with Kyoya. Her breath hitched in her throat as she watched Kyoya approach the camera, an action that occurred just yesterday.

Himiko felt her world tilt.

"What..?"

The laptop nearly slipped from her grasp, her body reacting to the shock, but the video preempted her horror, transitioning to a recorded conversation between two all-too-familiar voices.

The first voice was unmistakably Kyoya's, his words laced with contempt. "Yeah, the kid's clearly got issues. Those pills he's downing like candy? He's deteriorating day by day. It's been obvious these past few months."

Himiko's hands trembled. "Haruto... Pills...? What..."

Then came the second voice, dripping with scorn and malice, "PFFT, HAHAHA... That weak? My own son?"

She could barely whisper, "Mr. Narukami... How could you..."

The audio continued to invade the room, a vile juxtaposition of the intimate visuals involving Himiko and Kyoya, and the heartless banter.

"Yeah, just some cheap sleep aids. A bottle a week, no less... Kid probably can't get any rest with all the noise his stepmommy makes."

Their laughter was like daggers. "SERVES HIM RIGHT, HAHAHA!!! Keep pushing him. It should hurt. He stole my wife, my life. He deserves every bit of pain."

Himiko's voice broke, "W-wait... Stop..."

The footage rolled on, painting a portrait of betrayal in stark, unforgiving strokes. Kyoya's voice, once a sound of comfort, now twisted into a sinister promise to the venomous Mr. Narukami.

"Don't worry, Mr. Narukami. That kid's a lost cause. And that woman doesn't suspect a thing."

Himiko's heart ached, "K-kyoya... No... This isn't you..." She choked on her sobs, her mind assaulted by the happier memories of his presence.

"...It's effortless, really. To charm, to lead astray—it's like breathing."

The screen abruptly shifted, showcasing Haruto's solitary struggles with pill bottles in the stark loneliness of the bathroom.

"Capture those moments, too. I want to see every second of his despair."

"Your wish is my command, Mr. Narukami. With the rate he's popping those pills, it won't be long before he offs himself somewhere nice and quiet."

Himiko's fingertips grazed the cold screen, tracing Haruto's image as though she could reach out and pull him from this nightmare.

"Ha-... Haruto... Don't... Please don't..."

Her whispers were drowned out by the continuation of the footage, a relentless stream of visuals interspersed with dialogues that wove a narrative of manipulation and malice, leaving her with a maelstrom of pain and disbelief.

The video concluded with the mysterious figure's final words hanging heavy in the air, a mix of threat and resolve. "Send this to the authorities, or don't. Regardless, Kyoya and Mr. Narukami's apprehension is imminent."

Overwhelmed by the revelations, Himiko's mind raced to Haruto—his consistent reassurances, his insistence that all was well, urging her not to fret. It was all a facade, a tragic play where the curtains were now violently drawn.

Without hesitation, she acted, her next steps automatic and urgent. She reached for the emergency contraception. Her resolve solidified with the swallow of the pill; She needs to find Haruto, immediately.

With urgency propelling her every move, Himiko reached for her phone, attempting to dial Haruto. But there was no answer, only the haunting silence that seemed to echo her escalating fear. She whispered to herself, a soft litany of reassurance meant as much for her as for the absent Haruto. "Hold on, Haruto. I'm coming," she murmured, imagining her words as a comforting hand on his shoulder, steadying his spirit until she could reach him.

She rushed to the house's door, poised on the threshold, a message notification pierced the tense air. Her heart lurched as she read Haruto's words on the screen.

"Haruto...! He messaged!" Her hopeful expression just as quickly vanished as her eyes darted from letter to letter on the message he wrote.

The phone nearly slipped from her nerveless fingers as she crumpled to her knees, the world tilting on its axis. The message, brief and shattering, was enough to drain the strength from her legs, leaving her grounded, grappling with the weight of her words just moments before she had planned to rush into the uncertainty of the outside to find him.

Days stretched long, filled with a heavy silence until the inevitable moment arrived. As the door creaked open, Himiko's gaze lifted, her eyes pools of solemnity. Haruto materialized in the doorway, his simple greeting, "Hi," hanging in the air as he passed her.

The urge to envelop him in a hug surged within her, it nearly overcame her. Yet, she restrained the gesture before it could bridge the gulf between them, her arms falling to her sides in silent resignation.

Amid the sounds of zippers and rustling fabric, small talk fluttered weakly; "Where have you rented a house?" she ventured, her voice a tentative whisper.

"Close... Somewhere cheap," he replied tersely.

The quiet shuffle of Haruto's belongings melded with the dull thud of Himiko's heartbeat, each item packed away punctuating the pervasive silence.

"How's... the packing going?" she asked, awkwardly.

"Fine,"

She watched his movements, looking for a gap to speak "Do you... need any help with the heavy stuff?" She quietly inquired.

"No, I've got it," he assured her.

Her gaze flickered around the room, alighting on mundane details—a loose thread on the couch, the slant of light through the blinds—anything to anchor her next words. "Will you be needing any... kitchen stuff? Pots, pans?"

"Again... I've got it. Thank you," He calmly said as he continued packing.

"You look better... Are you working out?" She pointed out, after a careful examination of his physique, to check signs of malnutrition - only to find his body a bit more toned.

"..." Haruto did not reply. Himiko looked down in shame, believing she said something out of place.

"You must be hungry," she ventured hastily, "I could make something quick if you—"

He shook his head, a subtle but firm barrier to her offer.

"I ate earlier."

 "Are you... feeling alright?" She inquired gently.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Haruto murmured.

In a voice barely above a whisper, she offered a frail hope, "Maybe you could stay... just for today?" Her heart lurched with the audacity of the wish.

"...Or perhaps dinner?" she pressed gently, "I... I have leftovers, from a few days ago when I—"

The sentence stumbled and fell, her eyes widened and cold sweat briefly grazed her forehead as she recalls who was she cooking that for, and she hurriedly corrected course.

"Never mind that, how about some ramen instead? Your favorite." Her eyes brightened with the proposal,

"... Thanks... I already said I ate, though. So, I'm not hungry," Haruto repeated.

She fidgeted, a restless energy building within her as she cast about for something, anything,

"How about a movie then?" she suggested with a hopeful lilt. "We always loved those movie nights, didn't we?" She smiled.

"...Or a hike, maybe?" she added quickly, the words tumbling out in her eagerness. "We could find a new trail, one we haven't tried before."

Haruto's response came with a hesitancy that cut through her enthusiasm. "You know there aren't any new trails for miles,"

The silence that followed was profound. She knew it well—the last trail both she and Haruto never walked together, she had already walked with Kyoya. 

He walked past her after he finished packing, walking down the stairs. She silently walked behind him.

"Please, stay," her heart whispered through the silence.

Haruto's hand hovered over the doorknob, his figure casting a long shadow across the threshold. "Won't you... be lonely?" She prodded.

He paused, his back still to her, "I'll be fine," he replied blankly.

"You don't have to worry about me anymore." His stance, silhouetted against the door.

With a weighty sigh, he confessed without turning to face her, "Moving out... it's going to be hard. But it's something I have to do."

As Haruto's fingers grazed the doorknob, the restraint that Himiko had so meticulously constructed crumbled away.

"Why...?" The word was a whisper, yet it pierced the silence sharply enough to halt Haruto's departure.

He froze, the motion of the doorknob arrested mid-turn, as the question hung in the air/

"I... Understand... If he was still here," her voice faltered, then rose with a swell of emotion. "But Kyoya isn't here anymore! There will NEVER be any more Kyoya here. It... It will be just us..!! Just the two of us... You weren't... You weren't in pain before he came, right?!" She asked, her voice almost booming

"Things could just... Go back to how they used to be... With just us being happy... You don't want that...?" She added

Haruto's hand clamped around the doorknob.

"How they used to be...?"

'No... Another Kyoya will just come again. I've had enough of that,'

He pressed the door knob, but she surged forward, her arms encircling him from behind in a desperate embrace, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. "Don't leave me... Please..." Her voice was a whisper.

Haruto almost couldn't remember the last time he felt such a strong embrace, filled with such warmth and longing... from the person he cherished above all.

"Himiko... I... I'm very selfish," he confessed, his voice tinged with a somber honesty as he covered her hand with his, acknowledging her hold on him.

"Ehh...? How can you say that!? You're the most beautiful, kind, and caring kid anyone could ask for...!! you're—" Her voice broke, tears beginning to thread their way down her cheeks.

A soft chuckle escaped him. "Kid, huh? Yeah, I suppose to you, Himiko, that's all I ever was," Haruto said with gentle resignation, turning to face her, his smile bittersweet.

"What...?" She was taken aback, her eyes wide with a mix of hope and dread for what he might say next.

"I wasn't... A man to you," he continued, the admission heavy in the air between them.

Color rose in her cheeks, her heart pounding with the implications of his words.

"I was in love with you, Himiko. But I was never the man you could see yourself with, was I?" Haruto's voice was calm, yet melancholic.

"H... Haru.." Her voice was barely audible.

"That's why I say I'm selfish... Because I can't stay in the same house with someone I love... someone who will inevitably find happiness with another," he explained with a quiet resolve. 

Haruto's voice was a shadow of itself, "I... I was only happy with you, thinking selfishly... of my own happiness. I never really tried to do things for you, did I? I just... took it all for granted, wanted it to last forever without considering anything else. And now here I am, your own stepson, confessing to you... Honestly, It's better if I just leave."

Himiko stood frozen, her eyes wide with a dawning realization, the full weight of the truth hitting her all at once. The truth that she had unknowingly made Haruto endure nights filled with the sounds of her intimacy with another man. This was the same Haruto who always greeted her return with a bright smile and engaged with her about her day with genuine interest. The same Haruto who tenderly draped a blanket over her when she succumbed to sleep, drained from the day's labors. The Haruto who, in his culinary naivety, still managed to concoct comforting meals or brew soothing tea when she was ill, just to see her smile.

This was the Haruto who laughed heartily at even her poorest attempts at humor, and who, despite a profound aversion to horror films, would sit through them, suffering nightmares for weeks, if only to share those moments with her.

Haruto's voice broke through her cascade of memories. "...You're a beautiful woman... In every sense of the word. You will find someone who truly deserves you before long..." His words came quietly, tinged with a sense of unworthiness, his eyes cast downward as he fought back tears. Standing there, he grappled with his longing to express the feelings that had been simmering within him for so long. To speak them out loud meant another minute, another moment in her presence—to gaze upon her hands, to savor the melody of her voice, to immerse in the floral fragrance that was so uniquely hers.

With a gentle firmness, he took her hands, unwrapping them from his body.

He opened the door as he looked down, and marched forward to the outside, walking away from the warmth of her touch, from the life they had known, carrying with him the imprints of their shared past and the echoes of what could never be.

Tears brimmed in Himiko's eyes.

With a heart sinking in regret, she pondered how her obliviousness had pushed away the very warmth that had sustained her through her darkest times.

As he moved away from her, a tide of thoughts crashed over Himiko. She told herself that Haruto, so deserving of joy, ought to find someone better, someone not marred by the choices she had made. In her eyes, he should seek happiness away from her, away from the pain of their shared past and the shadows of his own difficult childhood.

And yet, in the silent chambers of her heart, she knew. No matter how far she searched, there would be no one who could ever replace Haruto, no one who could embody the same spirit, the same tenderness. It was a cruel irony, she thought—a punishment befitting her actions.

But as she dwelled in this space between sorrow and self-reproach, a different rhythm began to pulse within her—a rhythm that spoke of possibilities and whispered a daring 'what if.'

"What if..." The words left her lips, barely louder than a breath. Haruto paused mid-stride as he heard her voice.

He turned back to her, his expression a mixture of longing and resignation, and met her gaze.

"What if I already had someone..." Her voice was a tremulous thread weaving through the still air. "If I told him that... Would he choose to stay...?"

In that instant, time seemed to suspend, the very wind holding its breath in anticipation. There, in her eyes, he saw it—the reflection of his own adoration, the recognition he had yearned for.

But within him, a battle raged—a clash between desire and duty. To do what was honorable, what was expected, he must stand firm. He must relinquish his most cherished wishes, even his dreams. For in the bittersweet torment of love's embrace, he knew that strength often meant letting go, no matter the cost to his own heart.

Haruto's heart ached with the vivid recollections of another's touch upon her, the remembered laughter and pleasure that he had borne as silent witness. He knew his own inexperience and hesitations were walls yet too high for him to scale, his self-perceived inadequacies a chasm between what was and what might have been.

With the ghost of a smile, a whisper of acceptance, he prepared his farewell.

"You said it yourself... Back on the mountain. And you were right; I'm lame. I... I can't stay."

"Goodbye, Himi—"

The words were abruptly stolen from the air as an unexpected force collided with his front, sending him stumbling backward into the very arms he had resolved to leave.

Yuuto stood before them, his intervention as sudden as it was forceful. Haruto and Himiko were a tangled mess of limbs and confusion, their hearts racing from the shock and the closeness.

"You're making this way too complicated, Haruto," Yuuto said.

"S-Sakurai...?"

"Oh... Another friend of yours, Haruto..?"

Haruto looked at her, unused to being so closed to her face.

"Y-yeah..."

Yuuto let out an exasperated sigh as Haruto and Himiko tried to untangle themselves.

"Look... If it was me from a few months or weeks ago, I'd have told you to get going already and leave your stepmom,"

Yuuto leaned against the doorway.

"But you know, I've come to realize something... Humans don't always have to grow from painful experiences."

He walked closer, his gaze shifting between Haruto and Himiko, tying them together with his words.

"You selflessly loved her, sure, deep inside, but you also SELFISHLY desired her happiness. Your self-doubt was so damn big that it blinded you to a simple truth—she was already happy. The joy she found in life wasn't about the gyms, the grand gifts, travelling, or a hunk of a man to handle her. (though it might help)" he said with a slight shrug, "but they were never the source of her happiness."

Yuuto's eyes locked on Himiko's.

"It was you, Haruto. You were the essence of her joy. Your presence made traveling fun, yoga or exercise satisfying. And when you insisted—out of your own insecurity—that she needed more, like the gym, she interpreted it as her being less... less desirable in your eyes. So, inevitably, she looked in Kyoya what she thought she lost in you. Isn't that right, Himiko?"

Himiko's cheeks were tinged with the warmth of a delicate blush, her lips curving into the faintest of smiles as Yuuto spoke.

Yuuto paused, recalling Sendo's words.

'I can't believe I'm saying this...'

"And sure, she's said and done some things—things that seemed unnecessary. But weren't they just her frustration talking? Not her heart, not her true self."

He inclined his head slightly towards her, prompting, "We all have our moments—anger, sorrow, moments when we act out of turn, say things we don't mean. Apparently, people who are close often do that without meaning it. But now, take a good look at her."

Guided by Yuuto's suggestion, Haruto's eyes met Himiko's.

"Tell me, Haruto," Yuuto's voice was soft but insistent, "does that look like the expression of someone who doesn't long to be by your side?"

Haruto, momentarily lost in the depth of Himiko's eyes as he saw that shine he had longed.

Before the silence broke, Himiko's voice, fragile as thin ice, began to crack, "Ha-haruto... I'm sorry... For being such a—"

With an impulse as sudden as a summer storm, Haruto reached out, gently lifting Himiko's chin, and in a fleeting moment, their lips met. The kiss, unexpected and tender, left her momentarily stunned, retreating in a reflex of surprise.

'Tsk, he fucked it up...' Yuuto clicked his tongue.

"Ah... I... I'm sorry... I don't know what came over me," Haruto stammered, his gaze dropping in a mix of regret and uncertainty as Himiko stepped back.

But then, as if guided by an unseen thread, Himiko drew him back toward her, cradling his face in her hands. With a gentle assertiveness, she kissed him, her blush spreading like wildfire to him, their hesitation dissolving in the dance of a shared, exploratory kiss.

Yuuto exhaled a relieved 'Phew...' and muttered under his breath with a smirk, "Score one for love, then. That's 2-1."

After a heartbeat, Himiko eased away, a mischievous sparkle lighting up her eyes as she held Haruto's spellbound gaze and looped her arms around his neck.

Haruto, bewitched and barely able to form words, started, "H-... Himik—"

She pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him with a sultry smile, and leaned in close, her whisper tickling his ear. "Call me mommy~," she breathed out, her lips grazing his earlobe softly, coaxing an involuntary shiver from him.

"Hee~!!" Haruto couldn't help but gasp out loud, his usual composure undone by her playful intimacy.

He turned to Yuuto, seeking some semblance of solidarity in his flustered state.

Yuuto, with an enthusiastic grin, gave a thumbs-up, though his eyes carried a hint of playful envy. "Nice," he praised.

Later that evening, Haruto and Himiko laid in bed.

In a clumsy attempt to recreate what he had witnessed her doing with Kyoya, Haruto endeavored to lift Himiko in the way he had seen him do, his movements awkward with inexperience. Being unable to lift her wholly, he crumbled onto the bed, with Himiko laying on top of him.

"Did you... see us do it often...?" Himiko inquired, her voice laced with curiosity. She noticed the shame in his eyes as he averted his gaze.

"....Yes... I tried to do it... Since... You seemed to enjoy it so much—" Haruto's confession was cut short by a playful flick on his forehead.

"Pervert~..." Himiko's smile was broad and teasing, kindling a blush on Haruto's cheeks and a frown of embarrassment as memories of her elation with that man flooded back.

"... Do you want to be like him..?" she prodded further.

Haruto's voice was but a whisper, "Y-yes.."

"Well, you can't," she stated plainly.

Himiko's voice softened, a playful tilt to her words. "Because you are not him... You are Haruto. And you are much better than any other man~..." as she spoke, Haruto's heart swelled with warmth, the blush on his face deepening while he lay there, spellbound beneath her.

Himiko leaned in closer, her big breasts aligning with his chest as she imparted her playful yet pointed critique. "In regards to sex... I suppose there's room for improvement..." her ample figure pressing against him, her hands guiding his face back towards hers with gentle firmness.

"And improve we shall~... With a bit of guidance, you'll surpass anyone you're comparing yourself to... Are you prepared for that?" Her voice was a siren's song, teasing the pout from his lips, sending his pulse into a frantic dance, his cheeks blooming with a fiery blush.

He could only nod, wordlessly assenting.

"Excellent... Then our lessons begin~..." Himiko's announcement was a whisper that preluded a deep, intentful kiss, initiating a dance of intimacy that promised to teach, to taste, and to transform.

-------

Howdy. Author here. The current Arc is one episode away from finishing. This does, however, mark the beginning of the second Volume!

I intended this to go in a different direction, more of a bittersweet route, but I am just a sucker for fairy-tale endings. I wanted Haruto to leave and set out his own way, grow as a person and develop. But then I thought why not do it while he's happy. Also, it ain't like future problems in the story will be solved the same way.

Either way, stay tuned for the final chapter in the arc. I daresay it'll be a bit surprising :)