In the afternoon, Makoto and Yuna headed to the shopping district together.
Yuna walked with purpose, her twin-tails bouncing as she stomped ahead like she was trying to crack the pavent with each step.
"So what exactly are you planning for you both?" Makoto asked quietly.
Without slowing down, Yuna's voice took on a scheming tone. "For Mika, sothing innocent and sweet. Sothing that makes you want to protect her."
She glanced back at him with a wicked sparkle in her eyes. "Marin Kitagawa. The school uniform version. You know the one. Adorable, wholeso, and utterly fuckable in that girl-next-door kind of way."
She stopped in front of a fabric store. The windows displayed rolls of colorful cloth in every shade imaginable.
"And for ," she said, her smile turning sharp, "also Marin. But different."
She turned to face him fully. Sothing wild flickered across her face, part desire, part confusion, all intensity.
She pointed to a roll of soft purple fabric that stood out against the paler colors nearby. "The Shizuku-tan cosplay version."
"With the frilly apron, the maid headband, and those strategic cutouts." She picked up so black fabric, her eyes gleaming.
Makoto nodded, playing innocent. "That would make a good pair, actually." His eyes lit up. "Those leggings would definitely look good on you. I approve!"
Then the reality of fabric prices hit him. His stomach dropped. "Wait, are you sure we need all of this?"
Yuna's smile beca dangerously sweet. She draped the expensive black lace over his arm like she owned him.
"Oh, we're getting them," she purred, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "You wanted a show, didn't you, onii-chan? Good shows need good costus."
She patted his cheek in a way that felt more like a warning. "Don't worry about it. Think of it as an investnt in your entertainnt."
She kept piling fabric into his arms.
First, the crisp plaid for Mika's uniform. Then, delicate white cotton for the blouse. Finally, the softest, most expensive-looking lace for her own outfit.
His arms grew heavier with each addition, and he could feel his wallet crying.
At the checkout counter, Yuna turned on the charm for the cashier. "My brother is so generous," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "He's helping and my friend with our school project."
She looked at him with wide, innocent eyes that couldn't quite hide the fire burning underneath. "Aren't you, big brother?"
The cashier rang everything up. The number on the screen made Makoto feel physically sick.
Yuna just smiled. "Don't forget your wallet," she said sweetly.
Makoto groaned as he picked up the heavy bags and followed her out. "I'm definitely going to need more part-ti work after this."
He tried for a playful wink despite his desperation. "Can I at least get a kiss for all that sponsorship?"
Yuna stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk.
People bumped into them and grumbled as they went around. She turned slowly, grinning like a cat who'd cornered a mouse.
"A kiss?" She looked at the overflowing bags of expensive fabric and lace. "You think you've earned a kiss?"
She stepped closer and dropped her voice. "No. You haven't earned a kiss."
Her breath was warm against his cheek. "You've earned a reward."
She pulled out a small wrapped box from her pocket. Inside was the Raiden Shogun keychain he'd been trying to get for weeks, but had given up due to how expensive it was.
"Here," she muttered, shoving it into his hand. "I got a duplicate from the Gachapon."
Her fingers lingered against his for just a mont.
Her cheeks turned bright red. "Don't get used to it. And don't tell anyone I did this."
She spun around and stomped off, her twin-tails bouncing indignantly. But the way she'd just done sothing genuinely nice was impossible to miss.
Makoto caught up and walked beside her, smiling fondly. "Thank you, Yuna. I'll treasure this."
He pocketed the keychain carefully. "By the way, do you still work at that massage parlor?"
Yuna flinched hard. Her whole body went stiff, and her steps stuttered to a halt.
All the playful energy drained away, leaving cold silence.
"No." Her voice ca out flat and empty. She stared at the ground. "I quit."
She didn't explain, but the unspoken reasons hung heavy in the air between them.
I quit because of you. Because I couldn't stand anyone else touching . Because you ruined for anyone else.
She sucked in a shaky breath and forced brightness into her voice. "It was getting boring anyway. And the pay sucked."
She shot him a quick glance. "Besides, I have a new sponsor now."
Her look held so many things at once. Accusation. Affection. A hundred emotions he couldn't untangle. "And he's way more demanding."
Makoto dropped the bags right there on the sidewalk with a loud thud.
He pulled her into a hug, not caring who saw them. "Maybe it sounds hypocritical coming from , but I'm really glad and relieved to hear that," he whispered, his voice rough.
Yuna froze in his arms. She stood there like a statue while people stread around them.
For a mont, she didn't even seem to breathe. Then she made a choked sound and pressed her face into his chest, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.
"You're an idiot," she whispered brokenly. "A big, stupid, hypocritical idiot."
She pulled back. Tears streaked her face, but her expression was fierce. "And you don't get to be relieved. You don't get to be glad."
Her breath ca in ragged gasps. "You did this to . You turned into whatever this is."
She waved vaguely at herself, at the complicated ss between them. "So don't act like so kind of hero. You're just as much of a monster as I am."
She looked up at him, eyes shining with tears she wouldn't let fall. "And you're not allowed to leave , even if you have Mika or whatever."
Her voice cracked completely. "Not now. Not ever."
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