Nagisa's feelings for Takashi had grown so strong, her possessiveness toward him ran so deep, that she didn't want to share him with anyone—not even a little.
Even just Takashi glancing kindly at Maki made her jealous.
Maki was briefly thrilled at the first part—but then utterly confused by the second: "You an… Takashi ? I don't even like him!"
She found Nagisa's words completely baffling.
Why bring that up to ?
"Kitahara Takashi is Watanabe Takashi."
Nagisa's blunt statent made Maki's pupils dilate instantly.
Poor Takashi still didn't know that after Utaha and Eriri had unmasked him, now Maki knew too.
"Y-you've got to be joking."
Right now, Maki felt just like Eriri and Utaha had.
How could Watanabe Takashi and Kitahara Takashi possibly be the sa person?
"Do I have any reason to lie to you?"
Nagisa countered calmly.
"If you don't believe , go have your people look into it."
"That kind of thing should be easy for soone like you."
Maki didn't say anything else. She suddenly went silent.
Tsuba, sitting beside her, had heard everything—and her eyes suddenly widened.
So Takashi was the sa guy who elbow-smashed the haunted house door?!
No wonder she found his elbow so familiar.
Hopefully, he won't turn into an abusive husband later.
"When did you find out?"
Unlike Utaha and Eriri, Maki quickly accepted the truth and calmly asked the question.
Because she knew Nagisa had no reason to tell such an easily exposed lie.
"After the first ti I t him."
Nagisa answered honestly.
"Then why didn't you tell right away?"
There was no trace of emotion on Maki's face. Even Nagisa, who had grown up with her, couldn't read what she was thinking anymore.
"At first, I thought you already knew. Then later, when I realized you didn't, it looked like you had already beco good friends with him.
You two seed to get along so well that I didn't want to bring it up."
Nagisa's words were half true and half false.
"Lie."
Maki fixed a cold stare on her, her intellect suddenly kicking in.
Nagisa felt extrely uncomfortable under that gaze.
She wasn't sure whether telling Maki about Watanabe Takashi's identity had been the right move.
"I'll only ask you one question now."
Maki didn't press further. Instead, she locked eyes with Nagisa, like a child who had found the toy they wanted.
"Do you really like Takashi… him?"
"Yes."
On this point, Nagisa answered with firm certainty.
At the beginning, she was only slightly interested in Takashi .
To say she liked him a lot wouldn't be accurate.
Coming from the Kashiwagi family, there was no way they'd let her end up with soone like Takashi —a poor boy with nothing.
Originally, she planned to make him fall for her, then get bored and reveal his identity to Maki.
But after spending more ti with him, she found herself thinking about him more and more.
She carried her phone with her everywhere—even into the bath—just so she wouldn't miss a ssage from him.
The day Takashi lit fireworks for gumi, she never told him that she'd actually been asleep.
But the mont his call ca through, she picked up out of reflex.
If she didn't truly like him, she wouldn't have done that.
Maybe her feelings for him hadn't been pure from the start—unlike Hitomi or Narii.
But who says sothing fake can't beco real?
At least now, her feelings for Takashi were genuine.
Not because of anyone else, not for any other reason—just pure, heartfelt affection.
"Have you thought about the future? Do you really think your family would accept soone like him—penniless, with nothing to his na?"
Every family is different.
The Kashiwagi family isn't like the Konoe family or the Kamikawa family—they care a lot about background and lineage.
Even if Takashi had potential, they'd never accept him.
They wanted stable marriage alliances—not a future full of uncertainty.
"I've thought about it. I know my family won't accept him, so I've already decided—I'll elope with him if I have to."
When Maki heard those words and saw the eagerness in Nagisa's eyes, she had only one thought: love-crazed idiot!
"Are you insane?"
"Hehe, I think I am."
Nagisa stuck out her soft pink tongue playfully.
"But I don't regret it."
"You will one day."
That's what Maki said, but in her heart, she found Nagisa's idea kind of… cool.
Even romantic.
No wonder the two of them had beco best friends—they were kindred spirits.
Just like how the n who could truly be brothers were never good boys.
"Maybe."
Nagisa didn't deny it.
"It's just that if I don't do it now, I will regret it."
"Even if my family forces to marry Tanuma Tsubasa, I'd still cheat on him with Takashi ."
Maki stared at her speechlessly.
How could she say that with such confidence?
"Do you know what kind of consequences breaking up with Tsubasa would have? Is this really worth it?"
News of Tanuma Tsubasa and Nagisa dating was pretty much common knowledge across Shuchiin—at least among the first-years.
Now if she dumped him and got together with Takashi , it would look like she'd planned it all along.
Just imagining the rumors and criticism she'd face made Maki shudder.
"It's worth it."
Nagisa answered seriously, then looked over at Kotonoha in the distance. "Even the noble Lady Katsura dares to do it—why shouldn't I?"
Kotonoha happened to look over at that exact mont. Their eyes t—like sparks clashing with lightning.
"Is Tsubasa really that bad?"
Maki couldn't understand why Nagisa would give up soone like Tanuma Tsubasa just for Takashi .
"It's not about whether he's good or bad—I just don't like him. That's all."
Nagisa turned her eyes back to the field, and her gaze suddenly softened.
"Gentle, refined Tsubasa is like a spring drizzle that nourishes everything silently.
But wild, untad Takashi is a fierce wind that roars through the open plains.
I don't want to be drenched in gentle rain—I want to chase that wild wind across the wilderness."
A lot of the ti, a girl doesn't choose you not because you're not good enough—but simply because she doesn't feel anything for you.
"Maki, I told you all this today because I don't want to fall out with you. I still want to be friends."
Nagisa wasn't afraid of any opponent.
But she didn't want to lose Maki—her only sister in spirit.
"You'll bless , right?"
Maki imagined Takashi and Nagisa together—and her heart skipped a beat. A tightness gripped her chest.
Why were her hands shaking like this?
It felt like a tsunami had erupted inside her.
But still, she forced out a smile. "Of course."
"Idiot."
Momo caught a glimpse of Maki's expression and found it pitiful.
"Maki…"
Tsuba hesitated, as if she wanted to say sothing.
Even Kotonoha looked at her with a hint of sympathy in her eyes.
Why is everyone looking at like that?
Maki didn't understand. Why did everyone's eyes seem full of pity?
"Thank you, Maki."
Nagisa hugged her gently, her eyes tinged with guilt.
Probably only Maki herself didn't realize how pained her expression looked at that mont.
The smile she forced out wasn't beautiful at all—or rather, it couldn't even be called a smile.
Unknowingly, Takashi had already taken a more important place in her heart than Tanuma Tsubasa.
She just hadn't realized it yet.
Maki, this is the choice you made. I won't give you another chance.
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