Inside the elevator heading to the 38th floor of Shirogane Tower, Runa's hands had gone cold. Five days had passed. Counting from the contract marriage, it had already been over two weeks. The days at Residence Platine Shirogane had, without her noticing, become "everyday life." Making breakfast, arranging it on white dishes, watching Shunya eat it in silence. Within that quietness, Runa felt something beginning to shift. But today was different. "Mrs. President, the president's office awaits." Following the secretary's guidance, Runa was visiting Shunya's workplace for the first time. This morning, Shunya had said, "Why don't you come to the Tower today?" — his voice unusually soft. Those words seemed to contain something beyond mere formality. The elevator stopped at the 38th floor. The doors opened. The same luxurious hallway as always. Yet Runa's heart was racing. Below her left collarbone, her hand unconsciously touched the star-shaped mark. A sign of tension. She walked across the white marble floor. Oil paintings lined both sides, standing as if watching over her. The president's office door came into view. A heavy black wooden door. Beyond it, that man waited. Before she could knock, the secretary's office door opened. "Madam, we've been expecting you." Himuro Saya. Long chestnut-colored straight hair. Gray eyes. A perfectly tailored navy suit. The small bruise mark on her neck seemed more prominent than usual. Her expression was smiling. But that smile was like ice. "No, thank you for having me." Runa answered politely. The habit of choosing her words carefully while gauging the other's reaction had only grown stronger in high society. Saya glanced at Runa sideways. That gaze was appraising, looking down on her completely. Then she knocked on the president's office door and opened it without hesitation. "President, Madam has arrived." The president's office was exactly as Runa remembered it. Approximately 80 square meters. Ceiling height of 3.5 meters. Tokyo Bay spread across the entire window, and in its center, Shunya sat in his chair. Black suit. Dark chestnut eyes. A small mole at the corner of his mouth. Nothing had changed. But Runa's heart had. "You came." Shunya stood up. His voice was softer than usual. Not his typical expressionless tone, but something else mixed in, just slightly. "Yes. Since you called for me." Even as she answered, Runa's eyes swept around the desk. Documents were stacked high. Contracts, business plans, management reports. Beside them, Saya stood. Her shoulder was so close to Shunya's desk that only a finger's width separated them. It was natural. That distance was completely natural. Saya was pointing at documents beside Shunya. "President, regarding this third quarter's operating profit, it's risen 5 percent from the initial budget. Particularly the real estate division——" A calm voice. A businesslike tone. Completely the demeanor of a secretary. But her hand was gradually drawing closer to Shunya's shoulder. "That's due to the previous reforms." Shunya answered. His gaze was directed at the documents. Not looking at Saya. Yet Saya's hand was definitely drawing closer to his shoulder. And then—— Her hand rested gently on Shunya's shoulder. It was just a moment. Barely half a second. But to Runa's eyes, it felt eternal. Saya's hand. Her white wrist. Shunya's shoulder. The three touched in a straight line. "As expected, the president's guidance is quite effective." Saya's voice remained businesslike as always. But her hand still rested on Shunya's shoulder. With just a little pressure. Runa couldn't look away from that sight. *(What is this...)* Her heart was making strange sounds. Saya knew Shunya's preferences inside and out. At the last party too, he'd said he wanted coffee, and Saya had already prepared it. "The president takes coffee at this time of day," she'd said. And now, the distance at which she placed her hand. The position. Everything was natural, habitual. *(I am...)* Runa felt her own existence. As a wife. As someone bound by contract. But what that contract meant, Runa no longer understood. "Runa." Shunya noticed. That Runa was still standing by the door. "Ah. You're here." Saying that, Shunya moved away from Saya's side. Saya's hand slipped from his shoulder. Even that gesture was completely natural. "Please, have a seat." Shunya indicated a guest chair. Runa sat there. Facing Shunya across the desk. Saya remained standing at his side. Behind Runa. As if watching over her. Or rather, as if monitoring her. "Today, I wanted to show you something." Saying this, Shunya spread out documents. It was a new business plan for the Shirogane Group. A social contribution project. An educational support program. Content that Runa would be interested in. "This is...?" "I want to hear your opinion. Not as a contract partner." Shunya's words shook Runa's heart. But at that moment, Saya leaned forward. "Regarding these figures, President." Again. Once more. Saya drew Shunya's attention back to herself. Her hand was placed on the desk this time. Right beside Shunya's hand. And Saya's finger touched Shunya's finger. Just barely. Runa's chest tightened. *(Ah...)* What was this feeling? For a while, the conversation between Shunya and Saya continued. Operating profits. Market expansion. Competitive strategy. Within those professional topics, Saya was constantly drawing closer to Shunya. Their physical distance was near. Her voice was low. At times, an intimacy that seemed almost deliberate. And Runa felt as though she didn't exist in that space. *(I am...)* Once more, Runa looked at the documents. The business plan Shunya had proposed. It was truly created with someone like Runa in mind. Educational support. Understanding of ordinary life. A business protecting simple happiness. But perhaps it held no importance within the relationship between Shunya and Saya. "Runa, do you have any thoughts?" Suddenly, Shunya focused on her. His eyes looking directly at her. "Ah... yes." Even as she answered, Runa's heart was elsewhere. Saya's hand. Shunya's shoulder. That distance. That intimacy. "I think it's a good plan... ah, but." Runa studied the details of the documents. She sensed a slight inconsistency in the budget allocation. About the practicality at the implementation stage. "This part... I think it might be better to consider it a bit more carefully." A small voice. Speaking while gauging the other's reaction. The usual Runa. But Shunya nodded at those words. "...Ah. Your point is correct." *You.* For a moment, Shunya had said it that way. Usually he called her Runa-san. Even that change, Runa found herself comparing to the intimacy with Saya. "...Thank you." That was all she could say. After that, in the car on the way back, Shunya talked about work. Sales strategy. Competitive environment. Market analysis. Runa only responded with "I see" and "Yes, that's right." *(Really, what am I...)* They returned to Residence Platine Shirogane after 7 PM. Shunya shut himself in his study. The same pattern as always. Runa was left alone in the living room. She sat on the white sofa, gazing at the night view outside the window. Tokyo Tower glowed red. Rainbow Bridge shimmered in rainbow colors. Everything was beautiful. But that beauty didn't reach Runa's heart. She made coffee. Held the warm mug in both hands. Even that warmth didn't reach her heart. Below her left collarbone, she traced the star-shaped mark. Her usual habit. But today that movement was stronger than usual. Her nails dug into her skin. It hurt. But that pain felt more real. *(Jealousy...)* Runa recognized that word clearly in her heart for the first time. This was jealousy. Toward the relationship between Saya and Shunya. Toward their intimacy. Toward something. But—— *(It's a contract.)* That was what hurt the most. In this contract, she shouldn't feel such things. She had no right to feel them. Shunya had chosen his wife by contract. For compensation. So no matter who Shunya became intimate with. It should have nothing to do with her. And yet—— Her chest ached. Late at night, when Shunya came out to the living room, Runa said nothing. Usually she would greet him with "You must be tired," but today she kept her gaze directed out the window. "...Runa." Shunya called out to her. "Yes...?" A small response. Shunya sat down beside her. Without saying anything. Simply existing there. That silence made Runa's pain even worse. *(He doesn't notice anything...)* That was what hurt most. What she was feeling. How much she was wavering. How much she had truly come to care within this contract. Shunya didn't know any of it. Or perhaps he didn't want to know. On the sofa, the two of them said nothing, simply gazing at the night view. At a distance. As contract partners. As husband and wife. But in her heart, only Runa was certainly losing something.