Bright sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Ornate wallpaper adorned the walls, and green drapes framed a massive double bed.
Eriri sat on the bed, her small feet wrapped in black tights just barely touching the carpet.
It wasn't like she was deliberately trying to strike a seductive pose—her legs were simply too short to reach the floor.
"You rushed over so early. Is something serious going on? Should I call my dad?"
Seeing the serious expression on the boy sitting across from her, Eriri couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.
Since they met, she had never seen Kyousuke looking so grave.
"It is something important. But as long as you're here, Eriri, that's enough." Kyousuke sat upright in the chair at his work desk.
'As long as I'm here? That's enough?'
Eriri, who had been about to flop back down for another nap, instantly snapped to attention.
'What is wrong with this guy today?'
Had seeing her just-out-of-bed look scrambled his brain or something?
"W-What's that supposed to mean?! If you're thinking that kind of thing, it's absolutely not allowed! It's still way too early!"
Her pale cheeks flushed red as she cried out, her voice a mix of embarrassment and indignation.
"You do look really beautiful today, Eriri. But that's not what I meant."
"What do you mean 'today'? I'm beautiful every day, thank you very much!"
"Yes, yes, of course. Our great assistant is an eternal beauty."
"You're talking about my pen name, aren't you? I still haven't finalized it, so there's no need to rush. Let's take our time."
Eriri nodded with satisfaction.
Even though his words sounded like something you'd say to a spoiled kid, she liked it. Her legs swung happily, lightly bumping against the mattress.
"No, I didn't mean that either. It's about… high school."
For once, the usually thick-skinned Kyousuke looked like he was struggling to get the words out.
That only confused Eriri more.
If it were about work, maybe she could understand—but high school? Wasn't that supposed to be his playground of youth?
"High school? What about it? Did the principal try to rope you into another opening ceremony speech?"
"I… I can't go to Toyogasaki Academy with you."
"…Huh?"
Eriri's gently swinging feet froze.
Her eyes, hidden behind her glasses, widened in disbelief. Then, with a sharp slap of her hand on the blanket, she jumped to her feet.
"What?"
'I must still be dreaming.'
It already didn't make sense that someone as sleep-loving as Kyousuke would show up at her house this early.
She stepped forward and grabbed Kyousuke's cheeks, tugging them hard to either side.
"Doesn't hurt? Yep. Definitely a dream." She shook her head to snap herself out of it.
"Well… it does sting a little," he mumbled.
"Idiot! Who told you to say something so ridiculous!?"
"No, really, I mean it. I'm sorry, Eriri."
Just as she turned away, she spun back again, eyes wide as she stared at him.
'What do you mean it's true?'
'You're not going to Toyogasaki?'
'That's impossible—we already agreed! I was the one who told you the interview results!'
'Why… why now?!'
'Inhale… exhale… inhale…'
'Nope. Not helping. I'm still furious!'
Crossing her arms in front of her chest—something she'd seen in manga featuring elegant heiresses—Eriri tried to assert pressure.
A commanding chest, they said, could overwhelm any argument and prevent eye contact.
"What the hell is going on?"
'Is my high school romance ending before it even starts? This can't be happening!'
"I made a promise a long time ago to go to Soubu High instead."
"But you promised me, too!"
Eriri's voice trembled, but she managed to shout.
What she really wanted to do was throw a tantrum, stomp her feet, and scream, "I don't care, I don't care—you're coming to Toyogasaki with me!"
But the Kyousuke she liked was honest, kind, mature.
Someone who always tried to fix his mistakes right away, who valued promises, who never lied…
If he broke a promise just because she pouted and whined, he wouldn't be him anymore.
She'd still like him—but she didn't want that to happen.
"…I forgot all about it. Someone reminded me just yesterday," Kyousuke said, sitting properly and meeting her eyes despite her glare.
"But what about me? What am I supposed to do?" Eriri's voice came out raw and vulnerable.
"I'm sorry. I really am."
"Don't just say 'sorry'! Do you have any idea how…" Her small fists clenched, her eyes locked on him angrily.
And after a 0.5-second pause, she finally yelled:
"Do you have any idea how much I was looking forward to going to school with you?! Since middle school, we've been dreaming about this!"
"Once we made it into high school, I started counting the days—tearing a page off the calendar every morning, thinking, Just a little longer."
"Just a few more days until we're together every day. That happiness… it's impossible to describe!
"And now you're telling me I won't get to see you at Toyogasaki at all?!"
Kyousuke looked up.
Eriri, usually so tsundere, was completely different now.
Her clear eyes shimmered with tears, though she stubbornly tilted her head back, refusing to let them fall.
She's crying.
"…I…"
The realization hit him hard.
That shimmering in the corners of her eyes—he had never seen her truly cry before.
Sure, she'd teared up from falling or getting hurt during PE, but real crying? Never.
He couldn't say a single word about compensation.
The pure sincerity and hope in her feelings—there was no way he could make up for that with a simple apology.
"…I'm so sorry."
Guilt consumed him.
Eriri sniffled softly and then, with a sudden spark of her usual fire, turned her head away dramatically.
"Don't get cocky, you jerk. Even without you, my high school life—Sawamura Spencer Eriri's—will be nothing short of magical."
"Every day, love letters will flood out of my shoe locker like a waterfall. The line of boys confessing to me will stretch from the classroom all the way to the rooftop!"
Her voice grew sharper as she turned to glare at him again:
"Kyousuke, you loser who can't even cross a crosswalk in under ten steps—don't think you're anything special!"
Yeah… Eriri was stunning, and with her artistic talent and looks, it wasn't hard to imagine her being super popular at school.
Kyousuke could even picture all those poor guys facing the "love letter waterfall" every morning.
He found himself drifting into that silly thought because, deep down, he knew the hardest part was over.
Eriri—so fierce in her words, yet so tender inside.
A completely different kind of charm from Shouko, but just as heart-wrenching in its own way.
"I really am sorry. But when it comes to university, I promise—whatever school you choose, I'll go there too. That's my first and most important promise from now on."
"Who the hell wants to go to university with you, dummy? I already get sick of drawing manga with you every day."
'And anyway, going to college together is just obvious—it doesn't even count as compensation, you idiot!'
"If I go to a women's university, would you break your promise again?"
"I'll apply to be a teacher there!" Kyousuke replied instantly.
"I'm moving into that house," Eriri said stiffly, her face still scrunched in a scowl.
"That house?" Kyousuke looked confused for a second.
"The one where I gave you the car, idiot!"
'Ugh, what a moron! What else could I mean? Did he really expect me to say I want to move into your house? As if a proper lady could say something that embarrassing!'
But if they weren't going to the same school, at least living nearby meant they could still see each other every day.
She'd make sure he dropped her off at school every morning, picked her up in the afternoon, then they'd head to a diner together, go home, draw manga, have a late-night snack, and maybe take a walk.
Perfect. Eriri's high school romantic comedy was back on track!
"Don't get the wrong idea! It's not like I want to live with you or anything. I'm not that desperate."
"But if we're not at the same school, we'll have trouble coordinating the manga and anime studio stuff. Living together would be more convenient, that's all."
"Manga assistants and authors living together is pretty normal, so don't start fantasizing, you perv."
"Yeah, I get it. Living together would definitely make things easier…" Kyousuke could tell he should just say yes.
This was Eriri's way of giving both of them a way forward. But—
…But if she found out that Shouko and Naoka were already living there, she might explode on the spot.
And dropping that right after the school news? That would be way too cruel.
He glanced at her.
Eriri still stood there, arms folded tight across her chest, staring at him unblinking, clearly waiting for an answer.
Her delicate little face was tense, but in her eyes he could see it—hope.
She never could hide her feelings.
"Of course it's fine. I'd love to have you move in," Kyousuke said carefully.
Eriri's tense face lit up with a smile—but then she quickly remembered she was supposed to be mad, and forced the scowl back on.
"But there's something I should tell you first. There are already a few other tenants living in the house."
"Huh? What do you mean, tenants?"
"I mean, they pay rent and live in some of the empty rooms. It's a kind of—"
"I know what tenants are. Wait, they? What do you mean they!?"
It was impressive how fast Eriri picked up on the key word despite usually being so slow on the uptake.
"Ah… I mean, the two girls you saw at the signing event—Nishimiya Shouko and Ueno Naoka. And also—"
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Her furious scream cut him off.
Kyousuke cautiously looked up and saw Eriri clutching her head in disbelief.
"That was my house! I picked it! I haven't even moved in yet!"
Betrayal. Pure, undiluted betrayal. She didn't even have time to feel jealous.
All those tears she held back before finally surged out, overflowing and streaming down her cheeks in one unbroken line.
This idiot.
She'd already forgiven him for not going to the same high school.
She'd already come up with a compromise that let them still be together. And now this? This was how he repaid her?!
Eriri was on the verge of a breakdown.
She knew she never should've gotten out of bed so early—nothing good ever came from it.
"You heartless jerk! You cold-blooded animal! You rock-brained moron! You ungrateful, two-faced mystery novelist! You absolute perv with a brain full of nasty white goo!"
She unleashed a rapid-fire tirade of barely coherent insults like a Tommy gun, grabbing pillows from the bed and launching them at him.
When she ran out of lightweight ammo, she yanked at the comforter, but the thick down filling made it a terrible projectile.
Kyousuke just sat there, head lowered, unmoving even as the pillows hit him.
That only made her angrier.
She stormed over and started punching him—his shoulder, chest, arms—wherever she could reach.
"I'm sorry, Eriri."
Kyousuke had always believed in owning up to his mistakes.
His pen name might be EGOIST, but he could never act that way in real life.
He cared too much about the people around him.
Watching Eriri's fury and heartbreak made his chest ache—but he also knew she needed this. It had to happen.
"Get out! I never want to see you again!"
She grabbed his arm and tried to drag him toward the door, but he didn't budge.
He was solid as a rock.
Tears streamed from her eyes.
She let out sobs and grunts as she kicked the floor in frustration.
The wool carpet was soft, but not exactly slip-proof.
Her cotton tights were smooth, and in her flailing she lost her balance and tumbled backward.
Naturally, Kyousuke caught her around the waist.
"Don't touch me!"
For a split second, Eriri felt like she was back to the day they first met, cradled in those familiar arms.
But the thought only made her more furious—that Kyousuke was nothing like this perverted, infuriating jerk!
Without hesitation, she grabbed his arm and bit down hard.
Her sharp canines tore right through his shirt and dug into the skin.
She met a bit of resistance, and when she didn't break through, her frustration swelled even more.
Still biting, she kept punching him with her fists.
Even with her mouth full, she didn't stop hurling curses—muffled, growly sounds of rage.
Kyousuke was used to pain.
Yet, despite her rage, Eriri didn't go all the way.
Her teeth pressed down, but she held back just enough to avoid really hurting him.
You idiot.
Even when you're this angry… you still can't bring yourself to hurt me.
"Get out! And don't ever come back!" Eriri finally let go of his arm and stood up, switching tactics to pushing him from behind.
Kyousuke had no choice but to stand up and walk toward the door, careful not to let her trip again.
"Eriri… I really am sorry. But you know I mean it—I truly love you."
'How dare you say something like that now, you bastard!'
"Oh, and I guess you also love those other girls too, huh!?" She switched to kicking him now, trying to shove him out the door with her feet.
…So this is what women are like, huh? They might act clueless most of the time, but when it matters, they're terrifyingly sharp.
Kyousuke realized he'd made a serious misstep.
He let her push him to the doorway.
Experience told him: Don't bother trying to explain now. Unless you've got a magic head-pat or a dramatic princess carry ready, today is not the day for apologies or forgiveness.
Step by step, he walked out the door.
Then, just before leaving, he turned back.
"Eriri—"
BAM!
"BAKA!!!"
A furious shout and the slam of the door cut him off in one violent combo.
That impact? Way too powerful for a simple door.
"I'll come back to see you tomorrow, Eriri," Kyousuke said quietly.
"I'm never opening the door for you again! I don't ever want to see your stupid face!" came her voice, a mix of fury and tears.
Sighing, Kyousuke pulled out his phone and called Mrs. Sayuri.
He told her he'd upset Eriri and asked her to come home to look after her.
"Ugh…"
Letting out another long sigh, Kyousuke shoved the can of cola back into the fridge.
"You don't deserve this, heartless jerk," he muttered to himself. "No cola for a week. Not until Eriri forgives you."
He had originally planned to sip on the soda while waiting for Sayuri to return—he didn't feel comfortable leaving Eriri alone in that emotional state.
But now, he made his way to the kitchen instead.
With practiced ease, he pulled out vegetables from the pantry, then moved on to potato tempura, fried fish, shrimp…
Sure, his "head pats" didn't work like magic and his cooking wouldn't make anyone's clothes burst off in delight—but good food had a way of softening even the hardest moods.
Crispy fries could crunch away the frustration, and fizzy soda could interrupt angry rants with unexpected burps.
And if nothing else, making her favorite dishes might help him carve out a little redemption for tomorrow.
Yes. This was the plan.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Eriri was fuming even harder.
That jerk… He actually left?! I told him to go and he really just went?!?
Ughhh, damn him! Good thing he's transferring schools—go far, far away, and don't you ever show your face around here again!
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she collapsed onto the soft carpet, overwhelmed by rage and heartbreak.
She crawled under her desk, dragging out a heavy black box.
With a thud, she slammed it onto the floor.
It was elegant, black with brown trim and golden clasps that popped open from the impact.
Inside, sketch after sketch spilled out—some in black and white, others vivid with color.
There he was: Kyousuke, his face lit by the glow of a monitor, focused as he typed.
Kyousuke with a resigned smile, eyes full of helpless affection.
Kyousuke, napping peacefully on the sofa.
Every time she acted spoiled, he'd climb the tallest tree just to find some weird leaf she claimed was special—even when she didn't know where it really was.
Even when she lost at cards and the punishment was drawing something embarrassing, all it took was a pout and a flash of her sharp little canines, and he'd obediently offer up his hand to be drawn on.
And those… those disaster British meals she made.
Her dad wouldn't even go near them, but Kyousuke would force himself to eat them, then give her a thumbs-up with a mouth blackened by burnt crumbs.
Even when she'd pinch his nose to wake him from a nap—despite his legendary morning grumpiness—he never got angry. He'd just smile and gently pat her head.
———————————————————————
The room was empty now, but every corner held memories.
Sitting on the floor, Eriri felt the weight of those moments press down on her like the air itself was too thick to breathe.
When you're alone, the past stretches out endlessly. And it hurts.
"Why… why can't you just love only me? Why can't I be the only one?"
Her head bowed low, fingers clutching at the carpet.
Tears splashed onto the sketch pages, the ink bleeding and blurring beneath them.
Slowly, carefully, she began to gather each drawing, putting them back into the box one by one in the right order.
She curled up on the old chair that had supported her through countless sleepless nights, knees pulled tightly to her chest, resting her chin on them like a small abandoned puppy.
And in a voice as fragile as autumn wind, she whispered:
"Give me back my Kyousuke…"