That one word Ren had let slip on the balcony—"I'm saved"—was still catching somewhere in Hana's chest. Several days had passed since that night. The memories of the party were fading bit by bit, and yet only Ren's profile remained somehow vivid. The trembling voice saying he'd died at fourteen. The words whispered in Seiji's smile. That back, saying softly, *I'm saved*. (*I keep telling myself it's just business, but it's not working at all.*) Hana opened her planner to the page marked "Father—Regular Checkup—Ono Clinic" and let out a small sigh. Today was that day. --- Ono Clinic stood quietly in a residential neighborhood in Bunkyo Ward. A wooden sign. A modest exterior. The same unchanging view Hana had known since childhood. Passing through the automatic doors, the familiar smell of disinfectant touched her nose. The leather sofa in the waiting room. A potted plant by the window. From beyond the reception desk, she could hear a calm voice speaking with someone. (*There's no reason to be nervous.*) Her father, Soichiro, slowly lowered himself into the seat beside her. Five years of dialysis. His movements had slowed slightly. But his complexion was good. Then the examination room door opened. A white coat. Pale silver wavy hair. Warm golden eyes. "[gentle]Hana, it's been a while. I'm glad to see you looking well," Sota smiled. Even now at twenty-eight, that calm smile hadn't changed from back then. He'd become more settled since becoming a doctor, but the kindness at his core remained the same. Hana found herself smiling in return. "[gentle]Yes, thanks to you. Father, thank you for seeing him today," In that moment, Sota's gaze stopped on Hana's left hand. The ring on her ring finger. A simple band indicating her marriage to Ren. Sota's smile froze instantly. She could tell immediately that he was trying to suppress his emotions. And that made it sting all the more in her chest. Sota quickly looked away and spoke in an ordinary voice. "[serious]...Please come this way, sir," The tone was different from before. --- The examination took about thirty minutes. The numbers were stable. When Sota said so, Soichiro laughed and said, "As expected of the doctor." Hana sent her father home by taxi. He said he had his next dialysis appointment. After seeing the taxi off from the clinic's parking lot, Hana turned around to find Sota standing there in his white coat. "[serious]Do you have a moment?" "[surprised]...Yes," --- Behind the clinic was a small garden. An old bench. Grass mixed with weeds. Early summer wind rustled the leaves of low trees. A garden that patients didn't use—just something that existed there. Sota and Hana had talked here often when he was a child. They sat side by side on the bench. For a while, neither spoke. Sota clasped his hands on his lap and looked down slightly. Then, slowly, he raised his face and looked at Hana. "[serious]Hana, I've always... I've always liked you," He said it plainly. Hana's mind went completely white for a moment. Sota continued. His voice was calm. But his hands trembled faintly. "That night when your mother passed away, I really wanted to stay by your side the whole time. But I couldn't take that step. I've regretted it ever since," That night. When Hana was eighteen. The night her mother suddenly passed, when Hana collapsed in tears. Sota had come to the house and stayed beside her without saying anything. All through the night until morning. "[serious]I know it's too late now. But... is that man really good enough for you?" The phrase "that man" made Hana's chest stir. (*He's talking about Ren.*) No answer came. She couldn't say anything. She thought of Ren. His back standing alone on the balcony. His hand placed on her, in a place not in the plan, yet somehow warm. The pudding left in the refrigerator with the words that it would spoil if not kept cold. She thought of Sota. That night at eighteen when she collapsed in tears. The warmth of him being beside her without saying anything. The sense of responsibility he'd carried for years supporting her father's dialysis. (*I don't know which is my real feeling, which is gratitude, which is pity.*) A long silence stretched out. The wind blew. Sota didn't rush her. He simply waited for Hana to say something. That made it all the more painful. "[sad]...I'm sorry. I can't answer right now," Her voice trembled slightly. Sota nodded quietly. "[gentle]...I understand," Hana stood up and fled the clinic. --- She returned to the penthouse in the evening. The elevator stopped at the forty-second floor. Opening the front door, the living room lights were on. Ren was home. Ren was reading documents on the sofa. He looked up at the sound of Hana entering. Sharp, clear silver eyes met her face for just a moment. Hana knew roughly what her face looked like. Her eyes were slightly red. Her steps were heavy. She'd been holding back tears on the train ever since leaving Sota's garden. Ren said nothing. He returned his gaze to the documents and turned the page. (*I thought he'd ask me something.*) Hana thought to herself. But Ren didn't say a word. The contract stated "no interference in each other's private lives." Ren was keeping to that literally. "I'm home," Hana said. "[cold]Yeah," That was all. Hana headed toward her room, and then her eyes caught on something on the living room table. She stopped. On the table sat a single pudding with plastic wrap. Not from a convenience store. From the cake shop nearby that Hana liked. The pudding with the dark caramel and firm texture. That one. Hana cautiously peeked into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator slightly, there was another one inside. Ren had already gone into his study. No explanation. Not a word. (*Why... does he do things like this?*) Maybe he'd looked it up. This person could look up anything. But if he'd go to the trouble of looking it up to do something like this, could he really be someone who "can't love people"? Something tangled deep in her chest became even more tangled. Sota's confession. Ren's awkwardly clumsy consideration. She had no idea what kind of feelings she held for either of them. Hana covered her mouth with one hand. She felt like crying. But she couldn't quite explain why. --- Late at night, Hana lay collapsed on her bed, staring at the ceiling. What should she say to Sota? What were her feelings for Ren? Round and round she thought. No answer came. The more she thought, the further away it became. From beyond the wall—from the study, she sensed Ren coming to the kitchen. The sound of a coffee cup. Hana hesitated for a moment, then left her room. In the hallway, Ren stood with his back to her in the kitchen. Black hair with red mesh. The ear cuff on his right ear reflected the dim hallway light. "[gentle]...Um, the pudding was delicious," After speaking, she wondered why she'd said that. Ren didn't turn around. "[cold]It'll spoil if you don't keep it in the refrigerator," That was all he said before returning to his study with the cup. Hana was left alone in the hallway. (*How many times is that today, telling myself it's just business?*) A wry smile escaped her. She'd been on the verge of tears, yet somehow a little strength drained away. This person's awkwardness was somehow both ridiculous and painful. Hana stood in the hallway for a while longer. --- The next day at noon. On the upper floors of Crossfield Tower was Kurosaki Seiji's office. The view of Minato Ward spread out through the windows of the spacious office. Seiji sat in a leather chair, accepting the documents the personnel department representative offered. "[serious]Kirishima Hana. Sales administrative staff at Trista Stationery, a writing supplies manufacturer. Annual income approximately 3.2 million yen. Father suffers from kidney failure and continues artificial dialysis. Monthly medical expenses exceeding 400,000 yen," The representative remained silent. Seiji placed the report on the table once and smiled quietly. The same smile as the night of the party. That smile where the eyes didn't laugh. "[sarcastic]I see. So it's about the money," He murmured it. Then Seiji opened his planner. He flipped through the pages and stopped at a certain date. A circle marked in red pen. The date of the next board meeting. The existence of the contract had already been confirmed through the legal advisor. The procedures to obtain a copy were already in motion beneath the surface. (*She had her hand on that woman's back on the balcony. Before it becomes something real.*) Seiji looked out the window. Tokyo's sky was clear today as well. Beneath that sky, Hana and Ren still knew nothing. The red circle in the planner quietly aimed at Ren's future.