[Warning: May contain explicit words and scenes. Read at own risk.]

I never thought that the girl I once hated was the one I'll risk my life for.

Chiyoharu Koutarou. 18 years old and in my third year of high school. I've lived as an heir to the Chiyoharu clan, next to my father. Of course, that would require 17 years of living with stinky, tough, and foul-mouthed yakuzas around me. That somehow influenced me, though with my father's guidance, I became the proper yakuza my family expected me to be.

I have blue short, spiky hair as well as black eyes. I'm quite small for a height of 5'3", and have the build of just about any teenager you might see. I walk around town wearing a blue hoodie with a white shirt underneath, but when I'm yakuza mode, I wear my whole set of suits. Tuxedo, long sleeves, red tie, black slacks, and leather shoes. Yes. I only have two clothes in my closet, so what?

I also work for the Kiyoshima household, where I myself could earn a real profit. This job was to assist Kiyoshima Ren in almost everything he does, though I was more than an assistant to him. We soon became friends and hung out some other day.

But enough about me. That story I'm about to tell is about me and this girly girl who has always been my reason for fighting.

This story started back when I was in first year high school. I was walking down an alley when I saw a shadow headed towards me. The shadow revealed a young girl with black hair tied into twin tails by red ribbons. She seemed to be in a hurry, heard in her heavy breathing. But suddenly, two aggressors were actually chasing her.

The girl passed by me and pushed me to the side as the aggressors were nearing her. When they got in front of me, they paused there.

"Hey, kid! Why'd you let the girl through, huh?!" one asked, who revealed to be a built man wearing a tank top and camouflage jeans as well as army boots.

"What can I do? The girl pushed me away!" I reasoned, because it was the absolute truth.

"Ah, the girl is getting far away! Time to use this..." the other one said. He was a skinny one wearing a loose t-shirt and jeans, as well as sneakers to pair with his style. In accordance with what he said, he pulled out a pistol and loaded it with bullets before aiming at it the girl.

"The hell are you doing?!" I shouted, threatened from the object.

"Don't you worry kid. I'm licensed, and I'm just aiming for the legs, geez! Now, outta my way if you don't wanna get shot!" the skinny one shoved me and aimed his gun. The bulky guy was smirking to this and held me down to assure that I don't interfere.

I looked at the girl, who was frozen in place when she saw the weapon aimed at her. The sight gave me a fit of anger, which lit a fire in my eyes.

"Oh, no you don't," I threatened and tied my legs around the bulky guys left thigh, and when the guy looked at his thigh from under, I bumped my head with his, so he sat up and pressed his forehead. I stood up myself, so the skinny guy can't aim straight for the legs.

"You brat! I'll beat you up!" he bellowed and charged at me. He was about to go for the grab when I ducked and swept him off his feet with a spin kick. I forgot the fact that we were both down and gave the guy a totally open space to shoot.

"No!" I shouted, and lunged at the skinny guy before he pulled the trigger. The guy missed what he was about to shoot, but managed to graze the girl's arm. I looked at the girl, who tumbled over the ground while pressing her arm.

I got angered by the scene and took the gun from the skinny guy. I loaded it and aimed it at the bulky one, then shot him in the right ankle. The guy shouted in pain, but no one came to his rescue. I then pointed the gun at the skinny one, ready to aim for the head.

"Wh-Who the hell are you...?!" the skinny guy asked, totally shaken up in fear.

"Oh, you don't wanna know, brother," I threatened, and shot another bullet an inch to his left. He shook violently, and passed out soon enough. I confiscated the magazine and tossed the gun to his chest. I pocketed the rest of the bullets and walked away.

I realized the girl was still there, but she passed out for some reason, and her arm was still bleeding, so I took pity and carried her back home.

"Oooh! Young master has brought home a girl!" one of the members of the clan exclaimed when he saw me carrying the girl inside.

"Shut up! I'm just gonna treat her wound, feed her, and send her back to her own home, that's all!" I denied. "Don't tell the others and bring me a first aid kit."

"U-Understood!" the guy saluted and ran back to get what I asked. While waiting, I looked properly at the girl. She was wearing a school uniform, though the left sleeve of the jacket was also grazed from the gunshot. The arm received quite a large wound, which made me impatient.

The guy brought back the kit, and I started treating her. I took off both her jacket and polo, which revealed only the sleeveless undergarment, so it wasn't that much on an issue.

I cleaned the wound first before sewing it up and wrapping a bandage around it. It was always the way I treated those with grazed wounds. Yeah, sewing through the skin is a given. It's to prevent the flesh from tearing apart.

After pinning the roller bandage, I stood up and backed away I saw the result. It was clean enough, but then I thought it would be hideous in her school, and both blazer and polo were damaged, so I decided to sew them.

After a few hours, both clothing were patched up, but would still look ugly on her, so I also decided to hide that, which brought me to the idea of a blazer. I thought pink would suit her, so I decided to knit it myself. With the supply of yarn, it was enough to do.

It took me another hour to finish knitting it, so I decided to put it on her. The polo first before the blazer, then the jacket. I then picked her up and laid her down the bed. I looked her sleeping form, and brought an unusual comfort in me. That was why I also decided to cook for her.

I went to the kitchen to cook her a plate of curry, so with the prepared materials, I began cooking. Without knowing her tastes, there was no way I could make just one. I had to make two; one mild, and one spicy. After finishing -which took me almost half-an hour-, I prepared two plates and served the curry. I left the leftovers with the rest of the members, considering it was almost dinnertime.

I went to the room where the girl was resting. She was still asleep, so I waited for her to wake up on her own so that I could sit her up and feed her.

She woke up quite immediately. Her eyes blinked open, and she used her right arm to rub her eyes. New fact for that one. She turned her head to look around.

"I see you're awake," I casually said. "Dinnertime. We have curry."

"... Uhhh, where am I..?" The girl asked before she saw me. "... Eh?! The scary guy back in the alley! What happened?!" I remembered the scene back then, and I accidentally showed the girl my dark side. She abruptly sat up, but realized her arm was injured.

"Ah, sorry. I was just so angry at them for hurting such a cute girl," I apologized and reasoned. "Anyways, refrain from using your left arm too much. It'll hurt real bad. Now," I said and helped her sit up, "Let me feed you. Would you like mild curry or spicy?"

"As long as it's food, please," she agreed, so I decided to pick the spicy one and fed her with that one. She had her first bite of the food. Surprisingly, the girl was sweating while chewing. Maybe it was too spicy...

"... This is spicy, yet so tasty!" the girl commented, her eyes shining. "How do you make it?!"

"Well, it's just a simple recipe, but let me get you in with that one," I answered. "I'll write the recipe and procedure down later. Or would you let me teach you? I mean, once you're injury's gone."

"Any method is fine," the girl said and smiled.

"I see... After all this, I never got to ask you name. What is it?" I asked.

"Oh, if you insist, then I guess I should introduce myself." the girl closed her eyes and prepared her hands. She formed the rock sign with both hands and raised them high. "I am Nico Nico- Ouch! What was that for?!"

"I asked for your name, not a concert," I said, after flicking her forehead. "You're not an idol, nor fit to become one."

"What did you say? Of course I am, and I will hit number one in the charts! Just you watch! I'll assure you that one!"

"Of course you will. And I already told you not to use your left arm voluntarily. Now, just rest for the night. You need it. Tomorrow, I'll send you home."

"A-Ah, thank you," the girl replied. "I'm Yazawa Nico. I'll be in your care for the rest of the night." She was about to raise her left arm to shake hands with me, but realized that arm had no function in the moment, so she raised her right hand instead. I did the same and we shook hands.

"I'll be calling lights off soon," I announced as I stood up. "Be sure to sleep by then."

"Yeah," Nico obliged, smiled at me, and said, "Good night."

"Good night," I greeted before exiting the room. I closed the sliding door before me and sighed. It was a day indeed. I sat down before the doorway, and pretty much fell asleep there.

I shook the memory off my head as I walked down the leveled road. I didn't want to remember what happened later that time, because that thought pissed me off.

Ungrateful bitch, I mentally cursed as I remembered her face.

Right now, I was told by Ren that he has found someone to be his personal maid. Huh, rich kids, I thought to myself as I remembered that. He gave me a name, so before I went out to get her, I sent out a research on her profile. I saw her address and was now on the way. Once in front of her house, I knocked on the door. When the door opened, an adult woman had appeared.

"What do you need?" the woman asked.

"Ummm... I want to talk to Minami Kotori," I saud casually.

"And who might you be? I don't remember seeing you before," she continued to ask.

The hard part, I thought, and gulped. "Ah, I'm... her... newly-made friend. I live in Akihabara, and we don't meet each other that much." A stupid excuse, but I like the way I put it.

"I see... What do you need from her?" the woman asked once again.

"You see, I... signed her up for a big fashion contest. I believed she would fit the requirements, so I suddenly signed her up. But... she has to be away for the preparations. I believe you wouldn't mind if I... borrowed her for a few weeks, right?"

"... What? She's supposed to be away for weeks? She's gonna miss school!"

"Ah, you need not worry about that. It is assured that she is tutored well, and the tutors are advanced in teaching high school students. There are also professional fashion designers to help her with costume designing. And if she herself decides to take up fashion there, I'll let you know. Is that okay?" If I tell Kiyoshima this, he'll burst! I gulped nervously after I spit out the excuses.

"Wow, that's a big offer for such a contest. But as her mother," she said, "this might become an experience for Kotori. Let me get her. Please wait inside." She then

"Please do. And thanks," I replied and stepped inside the household. "Pardon my intrusion," I whispered, took off my shoes, and looked around. It was pretty a normal house for someone who piqued Ren's interest.

"Ah, it's you," a cute but teenage voice called from behind. I stood up and turned around to see Kotori, still in uniform. It was... pretty familiar, but I couldn't make up where I last saw it.

"Ah, Minami-san," I greeted. "Would you mind if I-?"

"Mother already told me everything," she interrupted. "Of course I'll take up the offer."

"Ah, sorry for putting you up to this," I said and led the way outside. "I wish you a good evening, Minami-san's mother."

"Be careful out there, you two," she advised, and waved goodbye. "I'll miss you, Kotori."

"Me too, Mother!" Kotori called back and waved goodbye. We exited the household and began walking.

We did walk, and would be sure to reach Ren's mansion in a few minutes, but Kotori was lagging from time to time.

"What are you think about, Minami-san?" I asked her.

"Ah, it's nothing," she denied. "... To be honest, I met someone in a maid café. Black hair with blond streaks. Black eyes... huh, I wonder if I can meet him again..."

"In love, I'm sure," I answered straightforwardly. "And... I might know who this person is." It's Kiyoshima, after all, I thought to myself.

"Really?! Do you know where he is?" she enthusiastically asked, clapping her hands together and looking at me with pleading eyes.

"Let's see..." I muttered. "Sorry for doing this, but..." I pinched her nape, and she fell unconscious. "Really sorry for doing this one..." I tied her hands and feet then gagged her mouth. I carried her in my arms as I walked towards Ren's mansion.

After that talk with Ren, Kotori went to his room. Ren gave me an unusual look and told me that my work was done for that day. I then excused myself and went outside. I wore my hat and coat on the way past the gates.

"Free at last," I muttered and stretched my arms upward. "But that uniform, though... Where did I last see it?" I asked myself as I walked down the silent night road. I was headed home, but I heard nimble footsteps getting louder. Emerged from the alley was a girl, who seemed to be chased. She was still in her uniform, but with a cardigan under her blazer, and she was carrying a school bag with her. The girl, who stopped for a moment, also looked around. She seemed to have saw me, and ran up to me.

"Save me, please!" she cried desperately. "Those guys with guns are chasing me! They-!" And she screamed at the sight of them.

"Oi, little girl! We just wanted to have fun! Come on, we'll put our guns away if you just accept our offer!" one guy said.

"No way! I know what you're up to!" she yelled at them.

"Then you leave us no choice," another guy chuckled and aimed a gun at her. It felt like something on the past, but with a different setting. Now I was able to really save a girl.

The girl screamed and ran away from me, but I took hold of her arm, and locked her in my arms as the guys started shooting a few bullets. One hit me in the left shoulder blade, and the other hit the joint of my right shoulder. It hurt so bad, and I bellowed in pain, but luckily I was wearing a bulletproof vest that time. I maintained my composure and took out my own gun. The guys took aim, but my gun was certain kill.

"Screw you guys!" I shouted and shot them immediately, for my gun was already loaded. The first bullets hit their thighs. They tripped and fell face-first into the ground. They couldn't do anything at the time, so I let go of the girl and staggered to the guys while aiming a gun at them.

"You bastards!" I shouted at them. "You bastards deserve to die here! Hitting on girls as you wish... What kind of men are you?! If you want a girl to like you, how about you start acting like real men, and treat women like one of your kind?!" I shouted between gunshots. They two of them were already shaking in fear, but I kept on scolding them.

"S-Stop already!" the girl herself shouted from behind me. She also pulled on my arm to stop me from shooting anymore. "I-It's fine, they already stopped! Please-!"

"And you!" I shouted at her and faced her. I realized that my back was already bleeding out so much, that I passed out mid-sentence.

I woke up in a heavily lighted room. Too bright that I had to close my eyes again. I tried to cover them with my arm, but I realized that I was still injured from the gunshot.

I also saw some roller bandages wrapped around my chest and right shoulder. It was soft to the touch, it actually felt good to wrapped in them.

After checking on my injuries, I looked around me. I realized that I was in a hospital. The open window, the desk with a basket of fruits over it beside the bed I was on, a white curtain around the bed, as well as a big bouquet of daisies rested beside me. It wasn't the best wake I had, but it was, at the very least, comfortable.

I slowly sat up to take a good look around. There was also one person resting with only her head on the bed. It was the girl I saved that night. I took a good look at her and remembered.

She was the same girl I saved two years ago.

The thought somehow got my heart racing. She was the one I couldn't get out of my head. Well, they were mostly negative thoughts, but to be honest, she was stuck in head for those two whole years.

Yazawa Nico... was it?

From too much staring, I realized she was already awake. She yawned and rubbed the sleep off her eyes before looking around. Her eyes came to life when she saw me.

"So you're awake," she noticed. "I spent all night making that dress the guy requested from you that I fell asleep right here. It wasn't easy-"

"Wait," I interrupted. "Someone mailed me?"

"Yeah," she confirmed and brought out my phone from her bag. "Here."

"You better not have explored my phone," I muttered and unlocked my phone. There was one message I couldn't have read before. It was from Ren, who sent a design for a maid uniform. I was supposed to be sewing that one, but considering my injury, I couldn't have done it. And it had a due time, which was set that afternoon.

"I took the job instead, and sewn the dress myself. You could say it was average," she said, and picked up a wrapped uniform from the table. She unwrapped it and unraveled the dress. I looked at the image, and the real one. Exactly the same. Even the back side was the same as the requested dress.

"H... How did you..? This dress is complicated, even for professionals!"

"Hmph. Don't you believe in me? I have been trying to learn how to sew ever since that incident."

"Wait, what incident?" I suddenly asked.

"Don't you remember? Two years ago, when you saved me from two guys. You patched up my polo and blazer, even knit me a cardigan. Ever since then, I wanted to pay back the favor, so I also tried studying fashion. I also asked the guys in your house on how you cooked your curry, so... I think I'm a bit good at it now." Nico folded the dress and placed on the foot of the bed. "... You see, I never forgot the time you saved me that day. Had you never interfered, I would have been done for. I really, really, really wanted to show my gratitude, but I couldn't do it, because you did me too big a favor. And here, you saved my life a second time. I... don't know what to do to pay you back." She then covered her face and started crying.

"Oi, Yazawa..." I called out. "I... don't need anything besides a simple thanks. That was... all I ever desired from you."

"Eh..?" Nico sounded and looked up to me.

"I got mad when you went out of the house without leaving a note or something," I explained. "I thought you weren't... grateful for what I did. I couldn't get you off my head, though. I just... hoped that one day, I can meet you again and then kidnap you and hold you for ransom. Sell you to the other yakuza clans, maybe."

"Wh-Wha-?!" Nico stuttered. "That's what I get for not saying thanks?! What kind of person are you?!"

"Hmmm... you have a point," I said. "No one would want a girl with a flat chest, won't they?"

"Wh-What are you saying, all so suddenly?!" Nico shouted. "You're gross! And I'm not... flat chested! I'm gonna prove it to you right here, right-!"

"Stop," I ordered, trying to stifle a laugh. "You took me seriously, and you're really going for the kill?! Hahahaha!" I then continued laughing on the spot. After some time, I stopped laughing and cleared my throat before saying, "Anyways, I've gotta deliver this to that bastard. No point staying here. Come with me, Yazawa." I slipped off of my bed and raised my arms. Then I clicked my tongue as I felt pain in my right shoulder.

"The doctors told me that you need further treatment on your right shoulder," Nico informed. "It will remain dysfunctional until the operation. I think you should-"

"Tell them I don't need it," I interrupted. "Just bandaging it is fine."

"... Can't be helped," Nico sighed. "By the way, they disposed your bulletproof jacket. Will that pose a problem?"

"I don't need that one," I immediately answered. "Let's get the hell out of this building, yeah?"

"... Yeah," Nico obliged, and we started walking side by side, out of the hospital. We admitted ourselves from the counter and told them to leave the payments to the clan. We then headed straight for Ren's mansion, which was a twenty-minute walking distance from where we were.

I made the normal appearance and handed Ren the uniform he requested. He seemed to be contented with it and gave me a smile.

Of course, I thought. He hasn't heard of what happened last night.

He went inside his own home and guided his maid-in-training further inside.

"... Where the hell is my credit?!" Nico yelled after the coast was clear. She has been standing beside me the whole time.

"He obviously wouldn't see you, dumbass," I said with a straight face. "With your small stature and small chest, who would?"

"Look who's talking, idiot!" Nico argued. "You just happen to be two inches taller than me, and that's it!"

"But you in your school uniform would stand out less. My suit and tie are perfect for these kinds of households," I bragged.

"... Tch. I'm going home," Nico announced and slung her bag over her shoulder. She walked past the gates, but I caught hold of her.

"Let me come with you this time," I insisted. "It's almost nighttime, so I don't want you to get regressed like last night."

"... If you want to do it so badly, then I won't mind letting you," Nico teased, smirking at me.

I comically popped a nerve and muttered, "Annoying..." but still came with her on her way home.

As we walked down the road, I saw some men gathering on the cross path. They kept on coming until they completely blocked the way. We also decided to take a detour, but some men were also swarming the alley. We also tried going back, but some men also blocked the path. I then realized that we were completely surrounded.

"Hoooh? Chiyoharu and his girlfriend, I see," one man pushed through the crowd. "Has Daddy found you a wife yet?"

He was a heavily built man, as tall as a telephone booth. He was also tanned to the core, and his muscles rippled through his tank top. With camouflage pants to go with it, and standing spiky hair, he seemed like your usual foreigner macho man.

"... Who are you?" I questioned, a strange fire boiling my blood.

"Oh, just some random clan leader passing by," he answered casually. "By the way, I heard you interfered with the kidnap of Yazawa Nico?"

"I'm sorry, mister clan leader, and I'm sure we'll speak again, but can you, like, give way to us? If it's from the Chiyoharu clan you speak of, then I guess you got the wrong person. There are many candidates for the heir, so there may be a little misunderstanding-" I tried to explain, but was interrupted.

"Stop giving us your crappy lies," the leader bellowed. "We all bear witness to how you shot two of our members."

In a situation where I couldn't lie about it, all I could do then was point out what happened. "If you bear witness to it, why don't you tell me the reason you want Yazawa Nico?"

"Oh, just so you know, Yazawa right there is a famous school idol," the leader informed. "She values more yen than you could ever dream of. Hundreds of millions of yen. Highest bid is a billion! Who wouldn't aim for such money?"

"She's just a high school student! What does that have to do with her being a school idol? If you faggots want a billion yen, you can just earn it the normal way! Don't-!"

"We want it fast. Cash flow these days are sluggish. If we are to sell this girl, we'd be swimming in fortune! Oh, how about this? If you hand her over, we split the money-"

"Don't fuck with me! Negotiations won't work if you're dealing with me. I won't hand her over, so why not let us past?"

"Oh, you've done it, kid. Good thing we have prepared something right here!" He signaled his team on something, and after some shuffling in the back, one of them came out with an unconscious body. He looked rag with ripped clothing, slash wounds, grazes, and a beat up face. I almost couldn't recognize him until they brought him closer to the right side of the madman.

"Dad!" I yelled, but I was sure he couldn't hear me. I took a step towards him, but the leader took out a gun with his right hand, loaded it, and pointed it at me.

"It's your daddy, all right," he confirmed. "But this is the real negotiation. If you hand her over, I'll give you back your precious daddy. If you don't..." He pointed the gun at Dad, and raised it immediately with a loud "BANG!"

"No!" I shouted and reached out a hand, my face in total misery. The man laughed at this, and so did his gang.

"How childish can you be, Chiyoharu?!" the leader teased. "But if you don't hand over the girl, you daddy is as good as dead."

"Fuck you!" I raised my voice at the man before me, and used my right arm to reach for my gun, but realized that it was dysfunctional.

"Well, who's gonna get fucked today?" The leader and his people raised their weapons, ranging from iron poles to pistols to shotguns. They were all aimed at me and Nico, and I looked around in horror as they approached us. Nico was frozen in place, her eyes darkening as if she was knocking at death's door.

"Tche," I cursed. I pressed my teeth together and called out my only option; the only choice I never even wanted: call out the others from the clan. "CHIYOHARU!"

A few seconds later, the back row went crazy as one of our own members smacked them in the head with an iron pipe. After a few cleared people, he looked at me and gave me a thumbs-up.

A few more ambushes occurred, until a few more were fighting. My brethren soon left running away from possible survivors, but one thing was for sure:

It's game over for this clan.

To make sure the leader was not gonna do anything, I readied a gun and pointed it at him. "Nico, run!" I shouted at the frozen girl, and Nico responded with a nod. She then took a step towards the right alley.

"Oh, no, you don't!" the clan leader reacted and pointed a gun at her. I took a firm stance and readied myself to pull the trigger.

"If you threaten to shoot that gun, I'll send you somewhere worse than hell!" I threatened him.

"And if you shoot that gun, I'll still have enough time to kill that girl! I won't go down easily!" he shot back and smirked at me.

I looked at Nico, who was also looking at me. Her face was pale from the current situation, from the fact that there was a gun pointed at her. I clicked my tongue and faced the bastard.

"Then shoot me instead! Let her go, just have it all on me!" I offered, but a gun was already pointed at me. The leader had another one equipped at his left hand.

"Shut up. Forever," the leader said, and shot the other gun at me. Luckily, the gun lacked aim, and missed by an inch. I took the opportunity to spin to the left and disarm the gun on his right hand. I took hold of his arm and held it forcefully behind his back. To counter it, he pointed the pistol on Nico, but my legs were long enough to kick the gun and send it into the air. Once the leader was weaponless, I swept his feet and laid him flat into the ground. I pressed a foot on his back to force his arm further back.

A few of my brethren came back and pointed guns at him, ready to shoot.

"I don't need anything here. Just get the girl to safety. I'm okay here," I ordered, and they seemed reluctant, but some were already on the act, and surrounded Nico. They soon started walking down the road, leaving me with the leader and one of my brethren.

I pulled on the leader's arm, and he bellowed in pain. I pointed a gun at him and gave him a real pain the back.

I was too lost in it that I almost felt no pain when I was shot in the abdomen. I felt nothing when I touched my abdomen, and my head started to clear.

I heard someone calling my name. I also heard "Young Master! Young Master!" Must be my brethren. But the loudest of them all was the name "Koutarou! Koutarou!" It was a... girl's voice.

I might have heard whimpers, an evil laugh, and two gunshots. One after the other, I heard them. My hearing blurred. My eyesight also blurred, slowly but constantly.

The last thing I wanted to look at was Nico. She was calling my name while being pulled away by my brethren. I felt someone carrying me and running with me in their arms.

That was when my vision turned black.

The same tragedy happened a third time. I was sure of that.

But I was asking myself how in the world I was still conscious as if I survived that gunshot.

I never had the strength to open my eyes, but I could let out a small moan. I heard my own moan, but most of what happened after, I have no comprehension on that one.

I heard nothing else besides my own regular breathing. But slowly did my hearing returned, and I heard panicked voices and tiled footsteps. My consciousness came back slowly, and I soon got to open my eyes.

It was slow progress yet again, considering the lights illuminating the room. I soon opened them fully, but someone covered my eyes.

"Keep them shut, Koutarou," a male voice dictated. "This is me, Ren."

"... Ren," I called out. "Did you die too? Are we in heaven now?"

"Don't joke about death, Chibi Gangsta," Ren scolded.

"Please... I'm suffering here. Don't call me Chibi Gangsta," I groaned.

"Yeah, yeah," Ren casually waved the subject off. "You just saved a girl's life, in exchange for your own. How does it feel to survive?" he teased after.

"What the hell, Ren? Don't joke about death, especially mine," I threatened. "... But yeah. It felt like something new. Like-"

"Anyways, a girl passed by here to look at your condition," he informed. "When I asked how you two were related, she told me that she was the one you saved a few months ago."

"... Yazawa, huh..." I muttered to myself. She was the girl I saved a few months ago.

A few months ago...

"WHAT?!" I jumped and jolted up from the bed. My eyes were wide open. But then, i realized that I had an injury in my abdomen. I clutched my stomach and laid back into the bed, now in a fetal position. "God dammit, I was here for a few months?"

"I told you not to rush yourself," Ren chided. "But yes, you seem to have saved the girl from something bad. She told me she was grateful of what you did to save her, and she started crying. She also told me to pass you this letter." He then brought out a piece of paper and gave it me.

"Ah, thanks," I said and received the letter. I unfolded the paper and read the message.

Dear Chiyoharu Koutarou,

You're a terrible person. The worst person I might have met. Making me worry all this time is the worst thing you could've done. Why am I even worrying about you? Do you even know how many months I've been worrying about you?

But worrying wasn't the biggest regret. Once I heard you survived that shot, I felt relieved. Something was finally off my burden. I could finally forget about you. Or so I thought.

Damn it, I couldn't. Even after I've become a super idol I was supposed to be. You were, after all, the person who sacrificed his own life for the sake of another's.

Right now, I'm with other aspiring idols on the way to stardom. This is what I've decided on. It was my dream to become an idol, after all. I hope you can cheer me on from the audience. But...

Never mind. You're in your pitiful state in the same bed in the same room in the same hospital. In the very least, watch my performance over the internet. Watch me as I fulfill my dream and the promise we agreed on two years ago.

Get well soon, Koutarou. I hope we can meet again. And by that time, you should be heads over heels for me. And if you ever propose, I'll gladly reach my hand out.

I love you, after all.

Again, get well soon, my prince.

Sincerely yours,
Yazawa Nico

I stared at the written message for a few seconds before bringing it down and looking up at the ceiling. I didn't know how to respond to the letter, especially the last part.

She loves me? What was that? An idol can't be seen with someone she loves, right?

But I would love to take her up on her offer. Maybe, when she graduates. A few more months. I'll be able to meet her again, after all.