I was somehow able to chase away my last fiancé, but there was no way that the rest of the company would let me get away with it a second time. After all, stabilizing the company with the help of the Nanjo Group had been very carefully outlined in Father's will, so I couldn't just throw all of his painstaking plans away. He had done this for me.

Idly, I twirled the glass of water in front of me, suddenly fascinated with the way the ice cubes chinked against the sides and not at all with my overwhelming—almost suffocating—surroundings. The evening was quiet, most other conversations in the restaurant muffled from behind the private room's shut doors, and the dim lighting in the dining room might have been romantic had there actually been another party sitting across the table from me. I blinked in remembrance, suddenly recalling just where I was and why. More importantly…

He was late.

After all the wild apologies about my last fiancé, the Nanjo Group finally offered to negotiate a marriage between me and their actual heir, which felt fairer to say the least. The age gap was much smaller between the two of us, and we had been the top students at our respective schools back in our schooldays according to what I learned at the omiai. It should have been a match made in heaven… had he actually showed up to said omiai. I was annoyed and perhaps a little insulted by his absence, to say the least.

The door opened unceremoniously, and there stood a tall man with glasses and dark hair, his blue scarf printed with the number one standing out against his black suit. There was a motorcycle helmet clutched under the crook of his arm, and I couldn't help but raise a fine eyebrow at the sight.

"I apologize for being late," he said curtly, confidently stepping forward to sit in the seat across from me, not even pausing to bow. The helmet still held my attention, and I didn't realize I was staring until he interrupted my reverie with a rough chuckle. "I have a tendency to lose track of time when I ride."

"I also have a bike," I blurted out before I could control myself. My cheeks quickly caught up with my mind and became unbearably hot in mortification. Since when was I so impulsive? And what would I gain from trying to impress this man who had the gall to show up to dinner with Kirijo Mitsuru thirty minutes late? With a shake of my head, I placed my carefully constructed mask into place and waited for him to take his seat.

His interest seemed to be piqued, and I hated how I needed to force myself to meet those sparkling eyes of his. There was a strange air of dominance about him… Of course, I would not openly declare that he was my equal until he earned that title himself.

"Really?" He seemed to want to say more, but he quickly stopped himself with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry, not only am I late, but I neglected to properly introduce myself. I am Nanjo Kei, the current head of Nanjo Konzern or, as some most people prefer to call us, the Nanjo Group… I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

"I am Kirijo Mitsuru, the current head of the Kirijo Group, and… the pleasure is all mine," I replied, trying to keep my tone patient and even. He was obviously just putting up pleasantries, and two could play that game.

Nanjo placed his helmet on the corner of the table before leaning forward, his chin resting on the tops of his intertwined hands. "You're far more impressive than your picture made you out to be…"

I didn't know whether or not to feel offended by that.

"Don't give me that look. I obviously meant it as a compliment."

"…I see," I said simply, diverting my eyes warily. Despite my words, part of me still couldn't help the creeping irritation at his haughtiness. He was definitely a Nanjo. That front of his and those innately irritating words were proof enough.

"And look me in the eyes when you talk to me. I can't tell if I'm being intimidating or if you're looking down on me." I could hear the sound of his glasses being adjusted and his sigh from across the table. "Rest assured that I am nothing like that sad excuse of a director they tried to marry you off to."

My eyes widened ever so much at his words. The playing field was uneven now. "So you knew about that…"

"Of course I did! I mean…" My eyes defiantly flew to lock with his just in time to for the glare from his glasses to block them from my view. I did, however, see him run a hand through his hair, tugging just a little at the dark tresses. "Ungrateful bastard got himself fired. No one in the Nanjo Group badmouths Kirijo Takeharu and gets away with it."

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Your father was a great man. Despite the Kirijo Group's success after splitting from the main company, he still maintained friendly ties with us. Because of him, the two companies have been through thick and thin together, for better or worse. Why do you think you were engaged to someone from the Nanjo Group in the first place?"

I.e. Why do you think the companies are hell bent on staying together?

I didn't even realize just how much time had passed with us talking about the littlest things until he was asking whether or not I wanted dessert. Flustered, I politely declined the offer, and when he asked about my condition, I just assured him that I was tired from working too much earlier in the day. He quietly agreed as he wasn't a stranger to overworking himself either. After that, he paid the bill (he insisted that it was the least he could do after being so late) and escorted me out the door.

We exited the restaurant in silence and turned to each other to bid the other good night before departing. My hand rose towards him ever-so-slightly but stopped short, unsure of what exactly it was doing. There appeared to be a ghost of a smile on the older man's face before he swooped down to the level of my hand, gently grasped it in his own gloved one, and pressed his lips to my knuckles. I shouldn't have been so ruffled by the action since I was the one who technically initiated it, but some part of me was surprised that he understood the greeting. Just how old-fashioned was he?

To be fair, Mochizuki Ryoji had often flirtatiously done the same with a certain equally playful leader, so perhaps I was just thinking too hard of the possible romantic connotations of the action? Before I could delve too far into the issue, the warmth of his lips was already gone, and I was just as quickly turning away from him and in the direction of my waiting ride.

"Good night," I forced out, tripping over my words uncharacteristically once again. My cheeks burned slightly, and idly, I wondered if someone had not only used Agi skills on me but also cast Ice Break to tear down the only strength I possessed. I shook the thoughts out of my head and resolved to show that arrogant Nanjo the Ice Queen I normally was the next time we met.

…But perhaps this was what I was really like under the façade of Ice Queen. After all, this wasn't the first time I had been reduced to stutters and flushed cheeks, though it was the first time a man like him had been able to push all the right and wrong buttons at the same time. Maybe he just had a death wish?

I shook my head and climbed into the car, my thoughts finally clearing. There was a surprising jolt when our skin made contact, and that was most likely what was jumbling all of my thoughts at the moment. Hierophant… He had an arcana as well as a persona sleeping inside. But still, what irony; the heirs of Nanjo and Kirijo were both persona users. Perhaps it was fate or maybe even karma that caused such a curious situation.

I let out a fatigued yawn and allowed myself to doze against the window on the ride back home. I could always dwell on these thoughts at a later time.

A week or so later, we had run into each other at a conference. Obviously, Nanjo wasn't too impressed with the company's presentation (I don't think there was much that could impress that man…), and I caught him on several occasions trying to stifle yawns. Truthfully, I was rather taken with their shopping channel's catchy theme song they had decided to play throughout the entire thing more than anything. Once it was all over, Nanjo caught up with me just outside the venue's elevator and invited me out for coffee.

That was how I found myself sitting at Café Chagall talking with the scion of Nanjo about nothing in particular.

"I've heard some interesting stories about you," Nanjo said suddenly, catching my interest.

I raised an eyebrow but went back to my coffee regardless. "And? What's the most notable one?"

"'Ice Queen of Gekkoukan?'" he asked skeptically. There was something about the way he said the first two words that was disconcerting. "Queens of anything cold and bitter leave a bad taste in my mouth."

"Firstly, I have no idea what you're referring to. Secondly, you'll regret those words one day. And Thirdly, I honestly," I paused to take a sip of my drink, my brows furrowed just slightly, "don't know where that title comes from. Unless…"

Iori. Yukari and the leader had constantly complained to me about his tendencies to spread rumors, and he was part of SEES…

"'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,' huh? How fitting." He seemed taken aback at my choice of words but nodded in agreement anyway. I took another sip and debated whether or not I should add more sugar or cream. "What about you? I've heard some interesting things about your scarf."

"What about it?" he shot back almost defensively, and I resisted the urge to smirk. It was time to dig for some information that might give me the advantage over him.

"I've just heard the number one aspect of it applied to various things."

"Such as?" Hook, line, and sinker.

"'Jerk' is probably the most noteworthy one I've heard," I told him with a little smile. Truthfully, that was most likely my own bias talking, but I did hear many refer to him that way. Nanjo frowned from across the booth before carefully stroking the scarf in question with a sigh.

"There was someone very important to me… He was the father my real one could never be, and his last wish…" Nanjo paused, as if debating whether or not to continue. "'Become the number one man in Japan,' he told me. That's what this scarf serves as a reminder for."

I could identify with losing a dear father figure, but that didn't change the fact that I was about to declare war upon him. Imposingly, I leaned closer, the corners of my lips quirking upward in challenge. "Don't you know the Kirijo Group's motto? 'Two in Harmony Surpasses One in Perfection,' Nanjo. It's all well and good if you wish to become the greatest man in Japan, but if you intend to marry me, you'd best keep those words in mind."

I stood up from the cushioned seat, slung my purse over my shoulder, and walked away from the table.

"I accept your challenge, Kirijo," I heard him call after me, and I couldn't help but turn just enough to catch a glimpse of him. His smug grin made some part of me bubble inside, so I simply released a small huff before leaving the café.

We were officially engaged.

My challenge to him made it apparent that this relationship was interesting enough to pursue, so it wasn't long before it was made official. It wasn't everyday that someone put him in his place or made me realize just how painfully inexperienced in life I was. We were on equal ground, but our positions on the battlefield still weren't very close. Rather than strike blindly and just immediately marry, we decided to clash and see just how worthy we were of the other. It was the closest I'd ever get to dating.

Somehow, we had worked another meeting into our busy schedules, but when I made my way through the Nanjo estate, I definitely didn't expect this. Kirishima Eriko, a model that Yukari constantly gushed over whenever we spent time together in the past, was leaning against the doorframe to what I was told was Nanjo's study, a bulging bag hanging limply from her hand. I cleared my throat to get her attention, unsure of why her presence was so unsettling, but some part of me told me I'd regret my actions.

"Oh!" She turned abruptly, her cropped hair swishing in sync with the rest of her. "Mitsuru-chan, right?"

I had the urge to request that she not address me so familiarly, as we hadn't even gone through proper introductions with each other yet, and tried not to frown at the older woman. "Yes, and you are Kirishima Eriko… correct?"

"Oh, just call me Elly. That's what all my friends call me…" I moved to pass her, but she grabbed my hand and tightened her grip just a bit. I could've sworn I felt that distinct spark from the contact…

Judgment? …No, it was Empress now. The arcana had since shifted…

My eyes widened when Eriko began pulling me past the study where I was told I could find my fiancé. I frantically looked up at her face, my narrowed eyes demanding answers, but she either didn't notice or didn't care. Defiantly, I tried to wrench my hand out of hers, but her grip wouldn't yield: fencer's hands.

"Don't struggle so much, Mitsuru-chan. Nanjo asked me to do him a favor, and he never asks for favors like that, you know? So I figured it wouldn't hurt…" Eriko paused in her speech but still continued further down the hall. "Though, looking at you now, I guess I can see why he asked me…"

I involuntarily scrunched my nose in indignation. Something told me that she didn't quite mean it offensively, but that didn't change the fact that it still sounded very much like it. "What's wrong with my appearance?" I put a lot of faith into the family stylist...

"Oh! It's nothing really. Your style is just… a little dated."

"I prefer the term 'classic,' Kirishima." I wasn't quite sure what else to say in response, but there was definitely a growing hostility in the back of my mind. As far as I was concerned, any semblance of an insult to my appearance affected not just me but also my trusted stylist whose job was to make sure I was the very image of elegance at all times. I had to uphold the reputation of Kirijo after all.

"Ah, I mean it wouldn't kill you to wear something cute… Maybe with a little pink…?" Eriko seemed to be muttering something to herself as she continued pulling me through the endless halls, seeming as though she knew the place like the back of her hand (a thought that triggered an uncomfortable, boiling feeling in the pit of my stomach). Finally, she abruptly turned and pulled me into a vacant room where there was a vanity against one wall and a changing screen against another. It was quite obvious what was going to happen to me if I stayed in this room with this strange woman any longer…

I tried to turn back the way we came, but her grip really was stronger than I gave credit for.

"Mitsuru-chan, I've been requested to make you look just right for today. Nanjo has something special planned, so…"

Her grip somehow tightened even more.

"…Don't even think of escaping, okay?"

Something about her words struck a chord in me, so I immediately replied, "I never run away from adversity."

"Hmm," Eriko hummed thoughtfully, making me sit in front of the vanity and dropping the bag next to me. She experimentally held my hair up then dropped it, most likely trying to decide how to style it. "If what you say is true, then you really are his type."

I nearly sputtered at her words in embarrassment, but Kirijo Mitsuru most definitely does not sputter.

"What exactly does he have planned for today?" I asked warily, my brows furrowing in response to Eriko's darkening face in the mirror. Apparently, whatever it was, it was something that the other woman wasn't looking forward to. Possible competition for my fiancé's affections, perhaps? "If he had informed me beforehand, I could have had my stylist dress me appropriately…"

"Mitsuru-chan, what are your thoughts on marriage?" Eriko asked abruptly, resting her hand on my shoulder.

The question struck me as odd, and there was a sense of familiarity behind those words… "A close friend once told me that it's about being with your true love," I answered without a second thought. She had impacted my life more than I could have ever imagined, but in the end, I was still doing as I was told. A bitter laugh escaped my lips at the thought. "Truthfully, I used to just see it as a social contract in which not only is your body and soul linked but also your social backgrounds. My mother and father… their marriage was arranged, but they slowly grew to love each other as time passed.

"Love comes in all kinds of forms, so I didn't think them unfortunate. Anyone can come to love someone, I believe." I cast my eyes downward, not wanting to see the judgment swimming in Eriko's half-lidded eyes. "Why would you ask a Kirijo about something like marriage? It's not as though you're a stranger to strategic arrangements yourself, Kirishima."

Her grip on my shoulder tightened ever so much but loosened again after a moment of silence. "Don't be so cold, Mitsuru-chan. Anyway, you'll be attending a wedding with Nanjo later today. Our friends decided on a Western style wedding, so showing up in traditional wear simply wouldn't do…" Her tone had turned slightly cold, but I wasn't intimidated in the least. After all, no one could top me in the realm of ice.

"Aren't you going as well?"

"I…" Eriko trailed off, her eyes flitting about consciously and her voice cracking slightly. "I have another engagement later, so I'm afraid I won't be able to attend…"

That was obviously a lie, but I decided that I wouldn't pursue the topic any further. I wasn't about to cross the woman who had my hair in one of her hands and a pair of scissors close to her other on the surface in front of us…

"Now let's stop being so gloomy. I was supposed to make you presentable enough to be Nanjo's fiancée, so let's get back to it! Besides, moping around wouldn't make a certain someone and her Mr. Rabbit very happy."

I was about to take offense to the first part of Eriko's attempt to change the topic, but the other half caught my attention briefly. "…'Mr. Rabbit'?"

"'Let's think positive!' or 'Mr. Rabbit doesn't want you to be sad!' Stuff like that…" Eriko finally grabbed a brush and started to run it through my hair. "Maybe I'll tell you a story," she continued with a wink.

My eyes closed in acquiescence, and a small smile slipped into my face. "I'm interested."

"Aha, there are plenty of things that you'll probably never hear from Nanjo himself, so…"

"So…?"

"His one true weakness."

My eyes widened with wonder. It was apparent that he had multiple weaknesses (a way of thinking that I just couldn't drop from my days as SEES's support), so to hear that there was one to trump them all was fascinating in itself. Eriko's smile grew even bigger.

"Now, I'm not extremely close to Nanjo, but a friend of ours told me that there was one thing that always seemed to break down that haughty exterior of his."

"Really? And what was it?" I asked with bated breath. Eriko's mischievous smile in the mirror somehow grew even wider.

"The Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy Theme…"

"I'm done, Nanjo. Now remember to keep your end of the deal."

I raised an eyebrow at Eriko's statement.

"A deal is the closest Nanjo will go to making a real request," Eriko whispered into my ear, somehow catching on to my puzzlement. She waved cheerfully at her old friend before embracing me and pulling away so quickly I wasn't sure we even made contact. "Let's play again sometime, Mitsuru-chan."

"Ah, alright…" I was at a loss of words for how I should describe Kirishima Eriko. She hadn't made the best first impression on me, but as she helped me look "presentable," I came to realize just how much we had in common… Despite the eight or so years between us (with her on the older end), it felt as though she was the same age as, if not younger than, me.

"You look…" I turned back to my fiancé who I forgot was standing in the hall with us the entire time and couldn't help but smirk faintly at his reaction. A moment passed before he cleared his throat and faced away from me, unable to say anything more with a very obvious flush dusting his cheeks.

The odds were definitely in my favor with him so obviously crumbling at the sight of me in such simple formal wear (as it obviously isn't polite to dress flashier than a bride on her wedding day). The dress was a pale pink that Eriko insisted would match everyone else at the gathering quite well with waves of ruffled fabric spilling around my figure and gathering at my hip with a rose decorative. Admittedly, the dress exceeded my expectations; at the mention of "pink" and "ruffles," I expected a bubblegum-pink nightmare that belonged nowhere near a wedding.

"Let us be going. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be late."

"Yes, you're absolutely right." He offered his arm to me, and for a moment, I hesitated before taking it.

"Ah, Nanjo, you made it."

"Naoya, it's good to see you." I tore my attention away from the lively wedding reception and turned to the two men.

The groom was quite handsome with a distinct piercing in his left ear, and the air about him seemed very similar to the former field leader of SEES. When he turned away from Nanjo and glanced in my direction, he offered his hand to me in greeting, and I responded with a firm shake. That familiar feeling was back again, and his arcana… Emperor? I took my hand back as quickly as I was able to without offending him and graced him with a civil smile.

"This is my fiancée Kirijo Mitsuru," Nanjo told the other man, carefully cupping the small of my back to create an image of intimacy, and I resisted the urge to grind my heel into his foot. "And Mitsuru, this is my old friend Toudou Naoya. We were in the same class in high school."

I bowed my head just enough to acknowledge him before fixing my posture to glance around the room in search of the blushing bride. Naoya let out a breathy chuckle next to Nanjo and crossed his arms.

"She seems awfully young for you Nanjo," he was saying smilingly, a hint of affectionate teasing in his tone. "Honestly, cradle-robbing?"

My icy eyes snapped back to his stormy grey ones, but he didn't seem fazed in the least by my glare.

"Oh, there you are, Naoya! And Nanjo, too!" A woman with dark brown hair in a bun and a beautiful white gown appeared next to me, and I would've flinched from surprise had Nanjo not been firmly pressing me into his side.

"Maki, it's been a while," Nanjo greeted with little attachment. He must not have been as close to her as he was to the groom…

"It has," she agreed without further comment and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Her eyes wandered downward before locking with mine, sparkling with curiosity. "And this is…?"

"My fiancée Kirijo Mitsuru."

"Fiancée, you say?" The bride was looking me up and down as if to gauge me before breaking into a smile. "When is the wedding?"

"We haven't decided yet. The engagement only became official just recently."

"Well, don't forget to send us invitations, Nanjo," Naoya reminded him playfully.

"Absolutely. Just don't tell Masao about it if he's still around… I heard he came back from the states recently?"

Masao? Inaba Masao? Wasn't he a famous pop artist whose works were especially popular in America? Just how did Nanjo become acquainted with all of these people?

"Mark? He was here for the wedding, but he had to leave before the reception. You must've just missed him. Lucky you, Nanjo," Naoya teased. I heard someone approaching the bride and tried to ignore whoever it was, but the voice made that feat impossible.

"Maki-san! Congratulations on your marriage!" That voice… it couldn't be…

"Thank you, Yukari. How's your mother been lately? I was worried when I heard she couldn't come today…"

"Yukari?" I pulled away from Nanjo and smiled down at my former underclassman. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, Mitsuru! I could ask you the same thing." Yukari tucked a stray hair behind her ear before gesturing to the bride. "After I started talking to my mom again, I realized just how much help she needed, so we looked for a psychiatrist to help her actually get over my dad's death. I took her to Hiiragi Therapy, and that's when I met Maki-san. She helped my mom and even me, so…"

"Don't worry about it so much, Yukari," Maki interrupted with a dismissive wave. "It's my job to help."

I caught Nanjo's expression out of the corner of my eye and saw that he didn't seem all too impressed… It was either that, or he was trying to ignore her…? My brows knitted slightly in confusion at his strange behavior.

"By the way… Isn't Elly coming?" Maki asked suddenly, her attention focused on Nanjo, who seemed to tense. "She said she'd be here today…"

"Now remember to keep your end of the deal."

It all seemed to click, and now I could see what was going on here. Nanjo was supposed to cover for her absence, but… what reason would she have for responding that she'd come and then do the opposite? And why have Nanjo excuse her?

"Something suddenly came up, so she asked me to give her congratulations in her stead."

Yukari quietly excused herself, most likely concluding that the missing guest business didn't concern her. I was compelled to excuse myself as well, but Nanjo's hand was suddenly on my wrist.

"…Is that so…?" The bride seemed confused, like Nanjo and lying didn't mix. "It's a shame she couldn't make it... And she sounded so excited over the phone, too. Anyway, if you happen to see her soon, then please give her our thanks," she said before wandering away to mingle with the rest of the guests.

Nanjo tugged my hand as if to escape with me, but Naoya blocked his escape once Maki was out of earshot.

"Nanjo, tell me the truth. What really happened?" His eyes were narrowed and serious. "It's not every day you and Eriko pass messages for each other. In fact, if something really did come up, she would've called herself… unless she's lying."

Ah, so Nanjo was the more credible one in the group then? Regardless, his lips were sealed. Naoya, sensing this, instead turned to me.

"Kirijo, what do you know since your fiancé doesn't want to tell me anything?"

"Naoya, she really doesn't know anything!" Nanjo protested, but the groom just ignored him and stared at me pleadingly.

"Why would that girl do something like that? If the one she loves doesn't love her back, then shouldn't she just give up on him and move on? That part of the movie confused me."

"Kirijo-senpai, it's not that simple… Love is… confusing." The girl with the auburn hair crossed her arms in thought. "You don't just decide who you'll love. It just happens. So when it becomes unrequited, you can't just say you don't love that person anymore."

"Then what does one do in that situation?"

She looked away almost shamefully. "You find someone else who you can love even more, but… sometimes that person doesn't come for a long time or… ever."

"Are you… speaking from experience?"

The telltale tear rolling down her cheek was answer enough.

"She… did she love you?" I found myself asking suddenly, and both his and Nanjo's eyes widened.

"I…" Naoya appeared to be at a loss for words, and Nanjo cleared his throat impatiently.

"She still does," Nanjo answered for his stunned friend, adjusting his glasses and crossing his arms. "I had to listen to all of her 'Naoya this,' 'Naoya that,' stories for the past couple years, and when we got invitations to the wedding, that was when she just finally broke down. One minute she'd be cheerful and say that she was fine, but the next, she'd be secretly crying her eyes out."

"I…" Naoya looked away sadly, his brows furrowing. "I know this doesn't really help anything, but… just tell her that when she's ready to hear it, I'll always be ready to apologize."

Apologize? "…Do you regret anything?"

"Regret?" The man with the piercing seemed genuinely confused for a moment before breaking out into a smile once again. "Not a thing. I'm happy with all the choices I made, and I intend to take responsibility for them."

"All's fair in love and war. I mean, hearts are bound to get broken, but as long as you're happy and have no regrets, that's all that matters."

Feelings of doubt began to cloud my mind. Would I be able to continue down this path with no regrets? Then again, the choice was made for me, so was there anything for me to regret in the first place? I began to feel uncharacteristically sick, so we excused ourselves from the festivities shortly after.

When the engagement hit the public, my phone was assaulted with more emails, messages, and calls than I could handle.

The first call I allowed to come through was from Akihiko.

"Mitsuru, are you serious? You're engaged?" He didn't even bother with a greeting. How rude.

I flipped through the company's stocks for the month and resisted the urge to groan at the phone. "Hello, Akihiko. It's nice to hear from you, too." When I heard the frustrated grunt on the other end, I decided to cut the pleasantries short. "It's my second engagement. It's nothing new."

"Your what? You were engaged before? When was this?"

"During our senior year."

"And why didn't I hear about it?"

I made a mark on the page where some improvement was needed before answering, "It didn't last long enough for it to even go public. In fact, there was only one person outside the company who even knew about it."

"…It was her, wasn't it?"

We had an unspoken policy between us to not say her name. Between the two of us, Akihiko was hurt the most by the events nearly two years ago. Maybe I should recommend Hiiragi Therapy to him. If it didn't immediately get him off the busy line, then I don't know what would.

"Anyway, Akihiko, it'd be nice if we could catch up later. It seems you're not the only one who thought it would be a lovely idea to call today."

"…Fine. But you better make sure you sock 'im if he does something he shouldn't."

"I appreciate your concern, Akihiko. Good bye."

I hit the end button and instantly cringed when the phone immediately began ringing again. "Hello?"

"So that glasses-guy at the wedding is your fiancé, huh? You could've at least told me!"

"I would have, Yukari, but I suddenly felt ill that day and retired early. I had planned on telling you, though."

"Okay, okay. But anyway, was it arranged, are you guys in love, or both? Spill!"

"Love?" I put my pen down and leaned back in my chair, turning to observe the busy cityscape through my large office window.

Could what was between us be described as "love"? I shook my head, unsure of what to believe at this point. It still felt much too early to call it anything. But more than anything, what was "love" to begin with? I couldn't say I really understood the concept myself, despite how often I seemed to be throwing the term around as of late…

"If anything, I'd call it a mutual interest."

"…So it was arranged, huh? Well, he didn't seem like too bad of a guy from what I could see. Oh, but if he does try anything weird, you should skewer him on the spot! …Then again, I don't think anyone really needs to tell you that…"

It felt like everyone was saying the same thing, and some part of me felt angered at the thought. "I'll talk to you later."

"Wait, Senpa—"

I stared at the phone with disdain and quickly turned it off. If there was anything I needed right now, it was to get out of the office and clear my head. I hastily threw my coat on, shoving whatever I needed into my pocket, and I left the suddenly cramped workspace before anyone could ask what was going on. My eyes flew to where my bike was parked, and they narrowed when the source of all of my troubles raised a gloved hand in greeting.

"Hey."

I made a point to wordlessly storm past him and get on my bike, putting my helmet on and kicking the brake all in a matter of seconds. He was the last person I had any time for right now, so I blazed onto the road and away from everything.

"Well, this makes things a lot easier."

My brows twitched in irritation just slightly, and I let out an inaudible sigh before picking up my Wuck burger. "I thought I left you back there."

"You're not the only one who's pretty good on a bike around here."

"Sit," I commanded, tired of having to either look up at him or pointedly away from him. He did as told and crossed his arms at me. I just picked at the wrapper hesitantly, unsure of whether or not I really wanted to eat the contents anymore.

"Have a hard day at the office?"

I immediately fished around in my coat pocket and slammed my annoying phone down on the booth table for him to see. That was the only answer he needed.

"Just how many people have your personal number and mail?" he muttered rhetorically before letting out a sigh himself. The following silence was broken moments later when he abruptly reached across the table and snatched the still-wrapped food out of my frozen hands. "And just how long are you going to sit there staring at this? If you want to eat it, you have to unwrap it like this first…" And he demonstrated his technique, pausing once the wrapper was innocently lying on the table.

"…I know very well how to eat fast food," I snapped back at him, though not with as much bite as I would've liked, and my head wearily dove to rest on the palm of my hand. "I just seem to have lost my appetite."

"Hm? Is that so?" I knew from his tone that he was about to do something I wouldn't like, and lo and behold, I was absolutely correct.

Nanjo took a bite out of my Wild Duck burger.

"I paid for that," I drawled dangerously, but Nanjo only shrugged in response and continued eating.

"What is yours will also be mine," he replied dryly, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. It was something that should have been taken as a joke, but somehow, there was an undeniable truth in his words that bothered me. Suddenly, the world around me began to swim, and a strange, foreign feeling overwhelmed me. There was an uncomfortable heat in my chest and unbearable weight in the pit of my stomach…

What was this?

"…And do you also mean to claim my heart and soul as well?" I asked venomously before I could stop myself. My eyes widened once I realized what words I had thoughtlessly uttered, and I flushed angrily, forcing myself to stand and look down upon his shocked countenance. "I will be taking my leave now."

"Hey, wai—"

"I will not take those words back," I told him resolutely before grabbing what belongings of mine I could in the space of a couple seconds and storming out of the restaurant. Most of the patrons had stopped what they were doing to watch us, but I couldn't care less.

"I want you to have this." I didn't even give her a chance to ask what it was before I forced the key into her hands. "It's the key to my motorcycle…"

She turned it around in her hands and examined it with the utmost care and wonder. "Are you sure it's okay to give this to me?"

I closed her hands over the slowly-warming metal and let my own rest over hers in reassurance. "I'm not going to run from the future anymore." My eyes slipped shut for a moment and the corners of my lips quirked upward. "I don't have to think of my motorcycle as a means to escape from my feelings."

A breathy chuckle escaped my lips, and I suddenly found it hard to endure the underclassman's awed silence. "Though I do regret that I won't be riding it as often anymore…"

"It's not like I'll take it away from you, Mitsuru," she mumbled, her eyes lowering and her cheeks flushing from embarrassment.

"…Let's ride together..."

"Ah, really?"

"…But, you'll have to sit on the back until you get your license."

"…Of course you would say that," she muttered with a pout.

"When we're done fighting, I'll teach you how to operate it…" At the sight of her widening grin, I found it hard not to smile along with her. "…I can't wait until then."

"Let me ride on the back!" she suddenly exclaimed, her eyes shimmering with excitement, and I just as quickly found myself flushing and fumbling for words.

"Hm…? Indeed? If that's your preference, I won't object." Another long moment seemed to pass before I broke into chuckles again, all tension nonexistent. "I feel like I've got a younger sister now."

She began to laugh with me, leaning into my side slightly. "I'd love to have an older sister like you!"

When our giggles calmed down, I finally found the courage to say what I truly needed to, if only to hear myself say it. "I am Kirijo Mitsuru. I hold my head high when I give that name. Thank you… You have given me pride." I finished the last part with what I believed to be a resolute nod, and time almost seemed to stop for that moment. It felt as though I had finally left all of my problems behind…

"How much have I really changed?" My grip on my helmet tightened, and I had to resist the urge to throw it away from me and into the sandbox. "Perhaps… I haven't really tried my hardest to grow…"

"I'm not sure how you can be so scared of these movies, Mitsuru," she was pondering out loud, her ginger hair shifting when she tilted her head in an effort to see under my fringe. "There are a lot scarier things out there in my opinion…"

"Such as?" I asked shakily, forcing myself to look away from the TV. Her grip on my hand tightened.

"I think being left alone in the world is scarier."

She had been a seemingly outgoing person, and no one had ever seen on her own at any given moment. In that final month… how must she have felt, carrying that burden of her memories by herself for so long? The people she held dear had mostly deserted her… and when they realized just how important she was…

It had already been too late.

My problems were nothing next to hers. I shouldn't be so self-absorbed to call my situation misfortune... I needed to face everything head on just as I had in that final month with SEES. No more running, just as I had vowed.

"Mitsuru?" My eyes widened at the sound of his voice, and my grip on the helmet in my lap grew even tighter.

"What are you doing here, Akihiko?" I asked without as much as a glance at him.

"Out for a jog. You?"

"Nothing in particular," I answered enigmatically and scooted to the far end of the bench, gesturing for him to join me. "Shall we catch up?"

"'You're in love.' Heh, that's actually something she said once. But you know, Mitsuru, I think it applies to you, too… especially now."

"Love is what it all comes down to, I suppose?" I wasn't surprised when my office door opened, interrupting my quiet musings, and my visitor immediately walked to my desk without even the briefest excuse for his abrupt entry. Instead of turning away from my window to look at him, I crossed my arms in an act of defiance.

"Kirijo Mitsuru…"

"Yes, Nanjo? Wha—?" My question was cut off when his hand reached over my desk and grabbed the top of my chair, forcing it to spin and face him. I nearly fell off in surprise, but such an action probably would've been best saved for what came next anyway.

"You owe me a date."

"What?" I could feel my cheeks flushing, but not from girlish embarrassment. A mixture of bewilderment and indignation would most likely be more accurate. "Since when do I owe you anything?"

"…Do you realize how much time I spent looking for you yesterday?" he shot back just as irate before slamming something down on my desk.

It was my cell phone.

"You left that behind. What would you have done if something had happened to you?" he continued with a strained voice. My arms tensed as my own irritation began to escalate to a level equal to his.

"Yes, I can understand that enough, but how exactly does this all justify a date with you?"

He took a step back to create space between us and mirrored my actions, crossing his own arms. Words seemed to form in his mouth, but he seemed to be struggling with how to voice them. There was also a hint of color in his cheeks, but I doubted it was from embarrassment, of all things. He didn't look very close to giving me a coherent answer, so instead of waiting for it, I decided to shift the topic slightly if only to sate my curiosity.

"Nanjo," I began cautiously, "what are your thoughts on love?"

"What?" He looked confused by the change in subject, and truthfully, I couldn't exactly blame him because of how random my question had been. "Love… is all in the mind. You think you're in love, so you're in love. But…"

"Exactly what I expe—" He cut my words short once again because he was still caught up in his own answer.

"…I don't think that's true anymore. I believe I said that to a good friend of mine once, but he definitely showed me otherwise. The strength to protect… Heh, it's no wonder why he was always stronger than me…"

I cleared my throat to let him know he was getting caught up in his thoughts and straying from the matter at hand, but the look in his eyes told me that he had something different in mind.

"Anyway, I do believe that you're forgetting something very important, Mitsuru."

Before I could object to his sudden use of my name so intimately, he pulled me out of my chair and embraced me in the space over my desk, which was an awkward position for the both of us, but he didn't seem keen on releasing me anytime soon.

"'Two in Harmony Surpasses One in Perfection,' Mitsuru. You seem to have forgotten the very words you challenged me with." He pulled away from me but still kept a firm hold on my shoulders.

"Let go of me…" My voice sounded so small next to him, and I hated it. "Please."

"You're accomplishing nothing by pushing me away…" he continued, pointedly ignoring my near-silent pleas. "Can't we walk this path together?"

"I…" I fumbled for an answer, but the only thing I could really do was return to the previous topic. "A-anyway, how exactly does a date of all things factor into this?"

He sighed and diverted his eyes. "Why do you think couples go on dates?" he muttered. "It's obviously how they get closer… Isn't that how we should be?"

I was hit with an epiphany: Nanjo was taking the initiative now. It wasn't all about passing messages on via communication channels or chance meetings; he was calling the shots now.

"For a relationship to work, both parties must put in the same amount of effort, Mitsuru," my father had often told me as a child, but I just as often pushed his words to the back of my mind.

"How interesting," I mused under my breath, my cheeks warming ever so much. "Fine then, Kei. You will get your outing." Even though there was no way I'd admit out loud how much my heart suddenly sped up at that moment or the wave of relief that washed over me when he smiled down at me, I finally felt I could call this man my equal.

Kei released my shoulders and instead gently took my hand to lead me around my desk. "Then let us be off."

"Where to?"

"Anywhere, as long as I am with you…" I actually did grind my heel into his foot that time and took satisfaction in the way his face twisted in pain.

"And just where did you get that line?"

"From a friend who is a very bad influence on me and shall not be invited to the wedding."

"Then… may I also borrow a line from a friend?"

"…Yes?"

My cheeks flared for proper reasons this time. "…You were… very cute."

.'.

The man with the distinct piercing gratefully accepted the coffee mug his wife handed him and affectionately wrapped his arm around her shoulders when she joined him on the couch. Once they were both settled, he turned the television on.

"—ny companies are surprised by the sudden merge of the Kirijo and Nanjo Groups into what most people have already affectionately dubbed the Kiri-Nanjo Group. The reason for the merge that the two companies have both decided to release to the public is apparently their upcoming marriage. As for whe—"

"So they finally got somewhere on that road of theirs… I was starting to get worried about them."

"Be nice, Naoya," the woman next to him chided good-naturedly before blowing on her hot drink.

"Anyway, I hope that means we'll be getting those invitations soon." He set his mug down on the coffee table and lovingly rubbed his wife's belly. "I don't want to go shopping for a maternity formal dress."

"Hey," she swatted at his hand playfully. "You're still going shopping with me for maternity clothes period."

The two stared at each other for a moment. Cogs were turning in their heads.

"…Maki, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Are we going to tell Mark about this?"

"Definitely."

A/N: Didn't have as much fluff as I was aiming for in the end, but I think it does a pretty good job setting up the groundwork for their relationship and a potential sequel. Also, I'm sure Nanjo definitely did regret his words from towards the beginning… (As I'm sure kissing Mitsuru totally wouldn't leave a bad taste in your mouth. ;P)

I'm going to leave it here for now since this story wasn't exactly meant for pure fluff. (That's what a sequel would be for! …If I made one, anyway. There's already a long list of stuff to do, so... we'll see.)