(T/N: sus ahh title)
Even after the door was closed again, Chihaya Tetsuya still hadn't noticed Hoshino Ai, who had already walked into the room.
He remained focused on inspecting the clothes before him, with no change in his expression or movements.
As for Ai, she had seen this side of him seven years ago.
(It's exactly the same... as when he was altering my clothes for me seven years ago.)
His eyes were fixed, his posture was perfect, his concentration was absolute.
Although Ai would always try to find ways to get Tetsu's attention, whenever he entered his work mode, she would obediently stay by his side, quietly waiting for him to finish everything he was doing.
This was partly because she didn't want Tetsu to get hurt by a needle or scissors if she distracted him, and partly because... she loved the look of his side profile when he was working seriously.
Even after seven years, even after entering the entertainment world where looks are everything, her definition of handsome, mature, steady, and reliable was still the image of Tetsu at work.
"..."
Ai found it somewhat incredible.
Until the moment she walked into this room, her mind had been filled with nothing but unspeakable, lewd images. Yet, the instant she saw him like this, all the agitation and delusion in her heart subsided.
Just like that night when he had held her tightly in his arms.
"Why is this, I wonder?"
Ai murmured to herself as she walked over to his side.
"For these seven years, I've dreamed of doing this with you."
She took out the box in her hand and looked again at the defenseless man before her.
Although she had promised their manager she would wear this, in the end, that promise didn't need to be kept.
There were only the two of them in the room. No one was watching her, and no one could stop her.
And even without any protection, even if she really did get pregnant with Tetsu's child, a period of less than a month wouldn't be enough to affect her condition.
She could completely toss the manager's agreement aside, just as she had once planned: to devour Tetsu, bear his children, and become a real family with him.
But... what was the cost?
First, Higuchi-san and Uika... they would surely become strangers to her, wouldn't they? Even if they were still willing to talk to her, due to outside pressure, they would avoid seeing her as much as possible.
Second, was Tetsu's career. She had heard he was preparing to launch his own brand and had met almost all the necessary conditions. If he were to suddenly be burdened with the public opinion pressure she brought upon him, forget starting a business, he probably wouldn't even be able to stay at [KaZoKu].
And finally... was the relationship between them.
Tetsu had indeed said that he would never hate her no matter what happened, and that he would work with her to find a way for them to be happy together. But even so, there was still an irrefutable fact—that she would be definitively stripping away the happiness Tetsu currently possessed.
"Stripping away..."
For a moment, she was suddenly reminded of the day the orphanage was shut down and she was forced to separate from him.
The pain of that sudden emptiness and despair, of losing everything, was still deeply etched in her memory.
It was precisely because she never wanted to experience that despair again that she had been so desperate to create a tangible fact with him that would put her at ease.
It was only today, with her mind clouded by intense desire and anxiety, that she had suddenly thought of it.
If she really did this, then Tetsu would experience the very same feeling she had—
Even if I bring him such deep and intense pain, will he still not hate me?
Or, will he simply revert to how he was seven years ago, desperately enduring it all while continuing to press forward as always?
To become a family, is having a child really all it takes?
If it were that simple, why did we end up in an orphanage in the first place?
After giving birth, could she really become a parent as responsible as Tetsu?
For Tetsu, would such a family truly bring him even a sliver of happiness?
The closer she got to him, the more questions flooded her mind.
Every centimeter she moved forward was exchanged for a wave of self-doubt that clouded all her thoughts.
And at the same time, that side profile she was so infatuated with and dependent on drew ever closer.
Finally, having maintained the same posture for a long time, Tetsuya shifted his shoulders slightly, briefly pulling his attention away from the clothes.
And at that exact moment, Ai had gotten close enough to feel the warmth of his body.
And so, under his stunned gaze, Ai placed her hands directly on his shoulders—
...
Having just pulled himself out of a state of deep focus, Tetsuya's body had no time to activate its defense mechanisms.
By the time he came to his senses, he had already been pushed down onto the bed by Ai.
"Eh... you're already back..."
Tetsuya asked, dazed.
"By the way, I'm sure I closed the door, wasn't I? How did you get in?"
"..."
Ai didn't answer. She just stared intently at Tetsuya, whom she was straddling, her hands pressing down on his shoulders.
At the same time, Tetsuya suddenly noticed that a square, unopened paper box had appeared beside him at some point.
"...Ai!?"
Realizing her intentions, Tetsuya's eyes widened in shock. Then, when he saw the strangely vacant look in her eyes, he froze for a moment before finally letting out a sigh.
"You... can't endure it any longer?"
He asked.
"Even though I've promised you again and again... you're still worried that I'll leave you?"
"..."
Ai still didn't answer. Yet, despite holding all the power, her expression was even more lost than his.
She had no idea how to answer his question, nor did she know what her next move should be.
Tetsuya, on the other hand, didn't press her further. Not only that, but he also relaxed his tense body, slowly unclenching the fists he hadn't realized he'd made.
"If you've really reached the point where you can't be at ease without doing this, then..."
Tetsuya said, slowly closing his eyes.
"From now on, I will no longer resist you."
"?!"
His reaction was completely beyond Ai's expectations.
She had thought he would fight back with all his might. She had thought he would continue to try and persuade her with words. But she had never imagined that he would simply give up all resistance.
The sluggishness that filled her body and the desire that had been brewing in her heart ever since she received that key card now squeezed her rationality between them, making it difficult for her to make a decision.
Until Tetsuya spoke his next words—
"I'm sorry I couldn't find you seven years ago."