Haruno froze for a moment. Then, she asked in disbelief:
"No way? Are you saying now that I'm the child of Dad's affair…?"
"Hmm? Your father dares to cheat?"
Saori smiled gently, but a murderous intent surged, forming a hannya mask behind her. A chilling aura spread through the corridor. "Don't talk nonsense. I'm the one who gave birth to you. The only possibility is that you're not his child—and even that's zero, of course."
"I know, I was just joking." For her own safety, Haruno obediently fell silent.
The chill gradually dissipated. Saori sighed helplessly and shook her head. "In short, Haruno, why do you think you can't whine to him?"
"Of course! I'm the older…"
"You're Yukino's older sister and that guy's girlfriend. Since deep down you already see him as marriage material, why can't you act spoiled with your husband?"
Faced with her mother's question, Haruno fell silent. Then, she showed a slightly lonely smile.
"Because that reality no longer exists."
Saori frowned. "Though I believe you for now, honestly, I don't understand what you've been through with that guy or what kind of bizarre love you're in… I'll ask one thing. Answer honestly."
Haruno looked straight at her mother.
"Haruno, you love him. You want to win him back."
Haruno nodded without hesitation.
"That's right."
The still-charming housewife smiled. She reached out, brushing aside Haruno's slightly messy bangs, letting the light in their eyes reflect in each other's pupils.
"Even if the family business doesn't allow you to act recklessly… you're still young. Can't you stop being mature for a moment?"
"You're only twenty. If you can't even be reckless in love, I might as well find you another match."
Pulling her hand back, with her arms elegantly crossed at the elbows, Saori returned to her commanding posture. Her expression was serious, her gaze gentle but undeniable.
"You only have this moment to object. Anything else you want to say?"
"…"
Just think about it.
Competing with her little sister for a boyfriend, throwing tantrums like a child, and confronting high school girls head-on—it wasn't Haruno's style at all.
Though her mother's words struck deep, shaking the mature resolve she once held, Haruno had no intention of shedding her pride and stubbornness to beg Yuu.
From start to finish, she only thought of resolving everything with her own strength.
…But she was so unwilling.
She couldn't accept that the happiness she once had was now out of reach, leaving her to complain and confide in her mother here.
So, Haruno could only think again.
Not using tricks on them, the one she loved didn't love her back, and even went on double dates with her little sister and her sister's best friend—only she held the memories. What else could she do?
If she could do nothing, then why…
Why not try being reckless?
"…Mom, lift my house arrest."
Haruno, who had been lost in thought with her head lowered, suddenly spoke up. "I'll keep up my grades for you. I'll maintain the necessary school attendance. But I'm not going to weekend lessons."
Saori wasn't surprised. Instead, she showed a satisfied smile.
"Fine. What do you want to do?"
"Do some things I never thought I'd do."
Haruno smiled too. She winked at her mother, saying with a hint of mischief, "Mom, can you answer one question for me?"
"What question?"
"How far do you have to go to win back a lover who left you?"
Her mother propped her chin with her hand, pondering for a few seconds.
"Mm… Your father married into our family, so I never worried about this. But maybe the distance of one arm?"
"Why?"
Haruno curiously extended her arm. Saori smiled, took her hand, and said casually, "If he ever loved you, you can reach him by stretching out your hand. If he never loved you, you won't reach him even if you walk to the ends of the earth. In that case, just give up."
"What if he loved you but forgot?"
Saori let go of her hand. She turned calmly and gracefully, walking down the stairs.
"Then take one step further. It's up to you."
"…Fair point."
Watching her mother's retreating figure, Haruno took a deep breath. Her smile was as bright as a clear day after dark clouds parted.
She knew she still had better options.
Though not the most mature or clever, let's be honest—since her memories returned, she hadn't had the leisure to calculate calmly.
Her little sister declared war. Her boyfriend openly cheated with two others. There was even a seductress lurking on the sidelines. Once her memories returned, she didn't know what drastic actions she might take.
This could be called being besieged from all directions. Retreat was wrong, advancing was wrong.
All this time, Haruno had tried so hard to restrain her feelings and keep her distance, all for Yuu's sake.
And now, that irresponsible man let her endure this torment, cruelly leaving her to countless lonely nights. If even he didn't think of her, then no one in this world would take Haruno's side.
So, she had no intention of holding back anymore.
To hell with maturity!
To hell with the truth!
To hell with waiting!
Here, there was only a pitiful girl who wanted to take back her boyfriend.
"People who plan everything and end up with nothing are everywhere. If you smile proudly now, one day, if you unfortunately become the loser, others will laugh harder than you do now… Remember, Natsukawa Masuzu once said that."
She stretched vigorously, swung her arms, and muttered with a soft chuckle.
"Hmph hmph~ Well then, I'll show you what I can do when I stop overthinking."
Closing the door with her foot, Haruno dove onto the bed. After bouncing twice, she grabbed her phone. Humming cheerfully, she opened her messages.
Typing in the number she knew by heart, she began composing a text.
She wrote a lot, deleted a lot, and struggled until midnight before finally sending a short, cryptic message.
Yes, just four words.
Imagining Yuu's expression when he saw the text, the corners of Haruno's lips twitched twice. In the end, she couldn't hold back and burst into laughter, rolling on the bed without a care for her image.
Her long, pale legs slapped the bed. She played gleefully like a child.
"Hahahahaha~ Next, I'll block him. Let him panic for a bit, then I'll proactively go find him~"
Outside the window, the night was deep.
Both Saori, who successfully retreated feeling she'd fulfilled her duty as a mother, and Haruno, suddenly enlightened and determined to cause a stir, wore relaxed smiles unique to them.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The next morning upon waking, Yuu stared at his phone with a grim expression.
More precisely, he stared at a text message on the screen.
A message from a nameless contact, but with a number he knew the sender of—a number he hadn't forgotten even now.
The content was simple. Just four words, plus some symbols. Yet it made his heart tremble with fear—
[You☆Are☆Done☆~]
This was a threatening text sent by Haruno.