After breakfast, Hina paced in her room, phone in hand. She stared at her last message, cheeks already warm.
Hina: You free today? Do you want to come over? Just us. I want you here.
The reply came almost instantly.
Yuto: I was waiting for you to ask. On my way.
Thirty minutes later, Yuto was at her door.
Dressed in a soft white T-shirt and loose slacks, Yuto looked relaxed but the moment their eyes met, something shifted in the air. The way his gaze softened. The way Hina stepped forward without thinking, her fingers finding his.
"I missed you," she said quietly.
"I haven't stopped thinking about you," he replied, brushing a kiss against her forehead.
They spent the morning in the garden, under the shade of the wisteria vines, sipping iced barley tea and listening to music on Hina's phone. Her head rested against his shoulder, and every now and then, he would reach up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, fingers lingering.
At one point, Hina murmured, "This feels unreal. Like a dream I don't want to wake up from."
Yuto smiled, his voice brushing her skin. "Then don't. Let's stay here as long as you want."
Later in the afternoon, they moved back to her room. The sunlight was golden now, casting warm shadows on the wooden floors.
Hina sat cross-legged on the bed, Yuto lying beside her with one arm tucked under his head. They flipped through an old photo album she'd pulled from the bookshelf.
"This one," Yuto said, pointing to a photo of her at six wearing a red scarf and crying over a scraped knee. "Still one of my top five Hina moments."
"I was bleeding," she huffed.
"And I was panicking like the world was ending."
She laughed, but her voice softened as she looked down at the next photo—them at eight, holding hands at a fireworks festival.
"You've always been beside me," she murmured.
Yuto sat up slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "And I always will be."
She leaned in first this time.
Their lips met in a slow lingering kiss. His hand gently cupped her cheek, while her fingers curled into his shirt. When they pulled apart, barely breathing, she rested her forehead against his.
"Yuto…" she whispered. "Stay a little longer."
He kissed her again. "As long as you'll have me."
They lay back down, her head tucked beneath his chin, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Her fingers traced slow, lazy circles on his chest.
Evening arrived before they realized it.
Hina was lying half-asleep on his chest when the front door opened.
Ren was home.
Yuto straightened just as Hina sat up, rubbing her eyes.
"Should I go?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head. "Stay."
They walked downstairs together, fingers still laced, and found Ren removing his coat in the hallway.
He looked up.
His eyes briefly swept over their joined hands then he nodded at Yuto, expression unreadable. "Good evening."
"Welcome back, Papa," Hina said softly.
Ren's voice was calm. "You look better today."
"I feel better." She stepped forward, gaze steady. "Can I ask you something?"
Ren raised a brow. "Go ahead."
"Did you… do something to the Kurosawa family?" she asked quietly. "Or to Reiki?"
A long pause.
Yuto tensed beside her.
Ren's gaze held hers. "I took steps," he said finally. "On the family, not the boy. Yet."
"Why?" Hina asked. "You said not to let emotion rule decisions."
Ren's jaw tightened. "I'm not doing this because I'm angry."
"I'm doing it because I'm a father."
Hina was silent.
"You are my only child," Ren continued, voice low. "If I don't protect you even from the shadows, then what power do I have that means anything?"
He turned, walking past them toward the study. "I won't let him walk free. But I'll make sure it happens quietly."
And just before disappearing into the hall, he added over his shoulder:
"I trust Yuto to protect you in the daylight. I'll handle the dark."
*****
The scent of simmering miso and grilled salmon drifted through the Kazama estate as dusk settled over the rooftops. Inside the dining room, the table was already set.
Yuto stood beside Hina, his hand resting gently at her lower back as she whispered, "You're staying for dinner. No arguments."
He raised an amused brow. "I wasn't planning on arguing."
"Good," she said, eyes gleaming.
Emi appeared with the rice bowls, her warm smile already revealing her approval.
"I made enough for an extra mouth," she said as she passed him a plate. "And I figured you'd be too polite to ask."
"Thank you," Yuto replied with a respectful nod. "I really appreciate it."
"Eat well," she added, "or Hina will scold me later."
At that, Hina rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.
They all took their seats, Hina between Yuto and Emi, and just as they were about to dig in, footsteps approached from the hall.
Ren Kazama entered and he scanned the room, noting Yuto's position at the table.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Ren walked around the table, pulled out his seat at the head, and sat down.
Without looking at anyone, he said calmly, "Pass me the pickled vegetables."
Yuto reached for them first, handing the plate to him with both hands.
"Thank you," Ren murmured.
It was the smallest exchange. But to Hina and especially to Yuto, iit felt monumental.
Dinner proceeded with a strange but welcome warmth. Emi brought up light topics on summer vegetables from the garden, her plans to redecorate the back veranda and Hina occasionally snuck glances at Yuto, who listened attentively and responded with ease.
At one point, Ren spoke again, his voice low.
"I hear you've been working on a policy debate project for your seminar."
Yuto straightened slightly. "Yes, sir. A case study on cross-border syndicate negotiations."
Ren nodded slowly. "Good training. You'll need to understand how people hide teeth behind smiles."
Yuto didn't flinch. "I've already started seeing it, sir."
Ren finally met his gaze—and for once, there was something close to… approval in his eyes.
"You'll do well."
Beside Yuto, Hina's hand slipped under the table to gently squeeze his.
After dinner, Emi insisted on cleaning up herself. "You two go rest. Or take a walk. I'm sure Hina still has more to say."
*****
That night, as they sat again on the veranda outside her room, Hina leaned into Yuto's side.
Her father's words echoed in her chest.
"I guess I never realized how far Papa would go for me," she whispered.
Yuto kissed her temple. "Now you know."
"I also never thought I'd see your name attached to a seat at my family's table," she whispered.
"I wasn't sure I'd earn it," he replied quietly.
She turned to him, brushing her fingers over his. "You didn't just earn it. You fit here. Like you always have."
He leaned in slowly, their foreheads touching.
"And you," he murmured, "feel more like home than anywhere I've ever been."
They kissed again softly and sweetly beneath the dark sky, their fingers intertwined.
The clock neared midnight when Yuto finally stood to leave. Hina had already walked him to the entrance, fingers lingering on his as they said goodnight beneath the soft glow of the hallway lights.
Just as Yuto was slipping on his shoes, a familiar voice echoed from behind him.
"Yuto."
He turned.
Ren Kazama stood in the doorway of his study, arms crossed behind his back, his expression unreadable in the dim lighting.
Hina blinked. "Papa?"
Ren's gaze didn't leave Yuto's. "Give us a moment."
Yuto nodded. "It's okay," he said softly to Hina.
She hesitated, then stepped back, trusting them both.
Ren motioned for Yuto to follow him into the study.
The room smelled of aged wood, faint tobacco, and the subtle spice of old ink. Ren walked to the window and stood there for a moment, looking out across the garden.
"When a man chooses to stand beside my daughter," he said quietly, "he doesn't just take on her heart. He takes on her world."
Yuto stood a few feet behind him, straight-backed and still.
"She is my only heir," Ren continued, his tone even. "And this family Kazama is not just a name. It is the most powerful underground group in this country. She will inherit not just wealth, but power. And enemies. People who will seek to destroy her for what she represents."
He turned slowly, locking eyes with Yuto.
"Do you understand what it means to be with her?"
Yuto met his gaze without flinching.
"I do."
Ren raised a brow. "You're young. Most men wouldn't survive the weight of our name, let alone protect someone bound to it."
Yuto's voice was calm. Steady. "Since I was young, I knew what it meant to stand next to her. I was born beside this world. I've seen its blood, its silence, its rules."
He took a step forward. "While I was in Paris, I didn't forget it. I trained in martial arts. I worked under my father, studied how men like you command loyalty, fear, and respect. I've watched. I've listened. I've learned."
Ren studied him for a long, heavy moment.
Then he spoke, quieter now. "Do you love her enough to give up your life for hers?"
"I love her enough to live for her," Yuto said. "And if it comes to it, yes. I'll die for her too."
The silence that followed was not uncomfortable. It was sacred.
Finally, Ren gave a single nod. The kind men like him didn't offer often.
"Then you have my permission to stay by her side."
His voice softened. "But if you ever make her heart broken—"
"I won't," Yuto said without hesitation. "Never."
Ren's eyes flicked with something close to respect. "Alright, it's late. Go home and have a good rest."
Yuto bowed deeply before turning to leave.
As he stepped back into the hallway, Hina was there waiting.
She looked up at him, wide-eyed. "What did he say?"
Yuto smiled faintly, taking her hand again.
"He told me I could stay by your side."
Her eyes widened. "He did?"
Yuto leaned in and kissed her forehead.
"And I'm not going anywhere."