That night still lingered in the corner of her mind. The coffee cup on the living room table. Soushi's cold profile. And that person's presence, drifting through in an unguarded moment——. (Why am I still dragging yesterday around with me?) Tsumugi scolded her own heart. She stepped out of the elevator on the 14th floor of Marunouchi Central Tower——the headquarters building towering in the center of Chiyoda Ward——and headed toward the Overseas Procurement Division. The morning air was crisp. Beyond the window, Tokyo Station's platform was visible in the distance. Soushi had said it three days ago. "Don't get close to that man." That was all. He hadn't given a reason. But Tsumugi understood. He was talking about Junichi. As she took her seat at her desk, Junichi Okuno looked up just then. His chestnut-colored, soft medium-length hair caught the fluorescent light and gleamed slightly brighter. His amber eyes narrowed as they found Tsumugi. "Good morning, Senpai. Would you like to have lunch together again today? The new pasta at Café Perla seems like something you'd enjoy——" [gentle] "Good morning" Wait, that was wrong. The dialogue had reversed. Junichi was about to say, "Senpai, would you like to have lunch together again today?" His words were directed at Tsumugi with their usual naturalness. [sad] "Sorry, I'm eating alone today." Junichi's expression stiffened slightly. "I see..." [gentle] "Sorry, I'm eating alone today." ——The next day, and the day after that. Every time Junichi came to consult, "Could you look over these documents?" Tsumugi answered, "I'm busy, I'll do it later." That happened three times. She turned down his lunch invitations twice in a row. (I'm sorry, Junichi.) While whispering that in her heart, Tsumugi stared at her monitor. Excel spreadsheets filled her vision, but the numbers wouldn't register in her mind. That afternoon, Junichi came to her desk. "Um... Senpai." His voice was lower than usual. Tsumugi looked up. Junichi's expression was clouded. The fresh, innocent smile he usually wore was gone. The silver piercing in his left ear glinted dully in the afternoon light. [serious] "Senpai... did I do something wrong?" Those words pierced her chest. ——You didn't do anything wrong. You haven't done anything. It's all my circumstances. [gentle] "Nothing like that. Work's just been piling up lately." She knew it was an excuse, even as she said it. Junichi's gaze wavered slightly. "I see..." It was a voice that didn't believe her. Junichi murmured softly and returned to his own desk. His back seemed distant somehow. Tsumugi bit down on her molars. ——— Thursday of that week. After 8 PM, when fewer people remained in the Overseas Procurement Division, Tsumugi sat alone at her desk. Documents for importing food ingredients from Southeast Asia——cross-referencing origin confirmation papers and quality certificates——were piled high. The fluorescent light was harsh and white. Outside the window, the Shinkansen was still moving through Tokyo Station's platforms. "You're still here, Senpai?" She looked up. Junichi was standing there, his jacket draped over his arm. He must have been on his way home. "I came back for something I forgot... oh, you've been working this late?" [gentle] "It's fine. I'm almost done." "Let me help." Junichi hung his jacket over a chair and sat in the adjacent seat. [surprised] "No, you should go home." "I can't leave when you're staying late alone." With that, Junichi picked up a stack of documents. His meticulous fingers turned the pages carefully. For a while, only the sound of work filled the space between them. Eventually, Junichi spoke. [serious] "Senpai, lately... you've been avoiding me, haven't you?" Tsumugi's hands stopped. "Is there something troubling you?" It was direct. A serious tone, different from the usually hesitant Junichi. [gentle] "...I'm fine." "You don't seem fine." Tsumugi couldn't find words to respond. Junichi continued. "If something's troubling you, please rely on me. I want to be of help." There was a pause. "Because... you're someone important to me, Senpai." The moment she heard those words, something deep in her chest contracted sharply. Someone important. Junichi's amber eyes looked straight at her. No calculation. No ulterior motive. Just pure concern and unwavering feeling. (This person is serious.) And that was exactly why it hurt. [gentle] "Junichi... thank you. But I'm really fine." Her voice trembled slightly. She'd tried to smile, but it probably didn't come off right. Junichi asked, "Are you sure?" while peering worriedly at her face. Tsumugi could only nod. The two of them continued organizing documents in silence. The quiet felt heavier than before. ——— She arrived home after 10 PM. Through the entrance of Grand Veil Akasaka in Minato Ward Akasaka——one of the city's most prestigious luxury tower mansions——and up to the 38th floor by elevator. When the doors opened, soft light illuminated the hallway. In the living room, Soushi sat on the sofa. He'd removed his suit jacket and wore only a white shirt. No documents in his hands. Just sitting quietly. His gaze turned toward Tsumugi. [cold] "You endured well." Tsumugi stopped in her tracks. [surprised] "...What are you talking about?" "Your distance from that man." Soushi's voice was flat. Colorless. "You're obedient." Obedient. That word touched something. [angry] "That's none of your business, is it? This is a contract. You have no right to manage my personal relationships." Her voice came out stronger than she intended. Soushi's eyebrows moved slightly. That was all. He stood. Soushi rose slowly and walked toward her. One step, then another. Tsumugi couldn't back away. The sofa was behind her. Soushi stopped. Right in front of her. Close enough to touch if he reached out. [cold] "You are my wife." His voice was low and quiet. "Contract or not, that fact doesn't change. Don't forget it." Soushi's hand rose slowly. It stopped near Tsumugi's cheek. Not touching. But almost. The air felt thin. Soushi's gray eyes were right there. His lashes were long. The sharp contours of his refined face were distinct in the night's light. Their breathing was close. Something pounded fiercely in her chest. (Why. Why does it feel like this?) [whispers] "...Let go." Her voice had no strength. Soushi's eyes wavered, just barely. [cold] "If that's what you wish." He withdrew his hand quietly. One step back. Tsumugi——ran, as if fleeing, down the hallway. She closed the door to her room. She collapsed onto the bed, hand pressed to her chest. It was pounding. Thump, thump. Fast. (What was that?) She stared at the ceiling. In the night's silence, only her own breathing could be heard. Soushi's words repeated in her mind. "You are my wife." He'd said it coldly. But his voice had been low, and the temperature when he was near——somehow, it hadn't been cold. (This is wrong. It's supposed to be a contract.) Junichi's face surfaced. "You're someone important to me, Senpai." Those straightforward eyes. That purity. And in the next moment, Soushi's gray eyes appeared again. Those eyes, watching her quietly from a distance where they almost touched. (Why is everything so tangled up?) After a while, she sensed a presence in the hallway. It stopped in front of her door. There was no knock. The presence lingered there for a moment, then slowly faded away. Tsumugi closed her eyes. [whispers] "...Good night." She whispered it softly, to no one in particular. The word "contract" seemed to have drifted a little further away. And that terrified her.