The red Audi R8 smoothly merged into the bustling traffic of East Jin.
Gaio gripped the steering wheel, his peripheral vision catching the passenger seat. Marin was focused on her phone, her expression relaxed, as if the intense "family trial" from that morning had never happened. The car was oddly quiet for a place where Marin was present.
"Ahem…" Gaio cleared his throat.
Marin's eyes flicked up, giving him a quick glance before letting out a soft huff and pointedly turning her head toward the window. "Hmph, don't think you can get my attention. I haven't forgiven you yet."
Gaio's lips curved into a slight smile. "Alright, Little Sunshine, can I ask you something?"
At that, Marin turned back, crossing her arms and tilting her chin up. "Go ahead, I'm listening."
There it is again, Gaio thought, chuckling out loud. "Hahaha…"
"What's so funny?!" Marin pouted, playfully smacking his arm. "Spit it out already!"
Gaio quickly stifled his laughter. "Okay, okay. I just want to know, oh great Lady Marin, why'd you say those things to Rin this morning?"
He was referring to Marin's bombshell comments about "free trial periods," "product manuals," and "safety."
Marin's carefree expression faltered for a moment. She went quiet for a few seconds, her fingers absentmindedly twisting the seatbelt.
"Actually, ever since Rin moved in, I've noticed something," Marin said, sounding a bit frustrated as her fingers tightened around the seatbelt.
Gaio kept his eyes on the road, letting her continue.
"Rin keeps stealing glances at you," Marin said, counting on her fingers. "When you hand her a drink, her ears turn red. When you compliment her cooking, she hides a little smile. Even when you casually fix her tie…" She paused, shooting Gaio an annoyed glare. "Anyway! The way she looks at you—she can't hide it!"
The light turned red, and Gaio hit the brakes, turning to look at the passenger seat. Marin was pouting, her cheeks faintly pink from her heated rant.
"At her age…" Marin's voice softened, "it's when you're most likely to fall for someone. And…" She gave Gaio a resentful glance. "Certain people's charm stats are just way too high! Especially for girls who've seen your concerts…"
Gaio let out a light chuckle. "Jealous?"
"No way!" Marin bristled, her voice rising in protest. "I'm just stating facts!" She started counting on her fingers again. "Kaguya Shinomiya, Megumi Kato, Eriri Spencer, Yukino Yukinoshita…"
She stopped mid-count, ruffling her hair in frustration. "Argh, there's too many to keep track of! All these girls are eyeing you like hawks! Not to mention your crazy fangirls!"
Gaio watched her flustered outburst, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.
He reached out to ruffle her hair, but she swatted his hand away.
"No touching!" Marin warned fiercely, though her eyes betrayed a hint of a smile. "I've made up my mind!"
She suddenly clenched her fist, her eyes sparkling with determination. "As they say at your fancy university—'keep the good stuff in the family!'"
Gaio raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"I'm recruiting allies!" Marin declared, her expression turning sly. "Instead of worrying about this girl or that girl…" She leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Why not turn the reliable ones into our people? Like Rin-chan…"
Gaio's eyebrows shot up, his shoulders slumping slightly as a faint smirk played on his lips. "So…"
Marin waved her fist, making the seatbelt rattle. "I'm gonna be the head wife!"
Her eyes gleamed with determination. "No matter how many girls join the household, I'm keeping them all in line!"
Gaio blinked, caught off guard. "Hold up, where'd you even learn that term…"
"Don't interrupt!" Marin snapped, counting on her fingers again. "Your concert earnings, your investment profits—I know all about them."
She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "We're living in a single-family house now, but we'll need a bigger one soon, right? Because…" Her ears turned red. "Every time… you know… I can't keep my voice down…"
"Pfft—" Gaio burst out laughing.
"Don't laugh!" Marin huffed, smacking his shoulder in embarrassment. "It's your fault for being… too… too…" She stammered, then threw caution to the wind. "Too amazing!"
After the laughter died down, Marin's expression softened, her fingers tracing circles on her skirt. "Honestly… I don't think I'm a good enough girlfriend…"
Gaio immediately grabbed her fidgeting hand, lacing their fingers together. "Little Dream, you'll always be the best girlfriend in my heart."
Marin's lips curved up, but she quickly pouted again. "That's not true… Every time, at the end, you're still not satisfied… I'm exhausted, and you're still holding back to take care of me…"
The light turned red again, and Gaio stopped the car. He turned to her, gently cupping her flushed cheeks. "Listen," he said, his thumbs brushing her skin. "To me, falling asleep with you in my arms is more important than anything."
Marin nuzzled into his palm, the warmth of his touch making her heart race.
"I feel the same, but…" She sat up straight, her eyes suddenly fierce with resolve. "I can't be selfish and only think about myself."
"Take the Shinomiya family," she said, ticking off points on her fingers, her eyelashes casting soft shadows in the sunlight. "They control a third of Kanto's financial sector. Just being Kaguya Shinomiya's boyfriend could get you into elite social circles."
Her words sped up. "Then there's the Yukinoshita family's construction empire, Eriri's mom's connections in the art world…"
Gaio's hand suddenly dropped, landing on Marin's thigh, cutting off her "marriage alliance" analysis.
Marin froze, looking up at him in surprise.
The Gaio before her had transformed.
The gentle, considerate boyfriend was gone.
He leaned back in the driver's seat, his jaw slightly raised, his gaze fixed ahead. His eyes no longer held the warmth of a lover but the commanding presence of a star on stage, looking down at thousands of fans—or a warrior surveying a battlefield.
An overwhelming aura of confidence and dominance radiated from him, filling the car's interior.
"Little Dream," he said, his voice low and steady, "I don't need anyone's help."
Marin's breath caught, her heart pounding.
"I," Gaio said, a wild, untamed smile spreading across his face, his eyes gleaming with defiance and disdain for the world, "can take everything I want."
He paused, each word landing like a hammer. "If I want it, I'll have it."
Marin stared, dumbfounded, as that familiar, electrifying sense of absolute control—the one that made her scream at his concerts—washed over her again.
If this were an anime, her pupils would've turned into giant, throbbing pink hearts. Her throat tightened, words failing her.
Gaio's smile deepened, carrying an air of detached supremacy. "This world," he said casually, each word a thunderclap, "is just one big playground to me."
His gaze swept over the bustling street outside, as if it were nothing more than a collection of meaningless pixels.
"And I," he continued, his voice calm yet brimming with unbreakable will, "am the biggest cheat in this game."
He turned to meet Marin's eyes, his gaze commanding and certain. "So, Marin, forget all that pointless alliance talk. I don't need their backgrounds to boost my status."
He enunciated each word with the authority of a king. "They need me."
The car fell into absolute silence. All Marin could hear was her heart pounding like a drum.
She stared at Gaio's face, radiating aggression and unshakable power, her mouth dry, her cheeks burning, her mind blank except for his world-shaking declaration echoing in her ears.
The silence was broken by the noise of the street outside.
"Ugh…" Marin finally snapped out of it, clutching her racing heart. "That's… too much…" she mumbled, her face practically steaming.
The commanding, world-defying Gaio and the gentle, doting boyfriend were such a stark contrast—it was like a high-explosive bomb had gone off in her brain, leaving her dizzy and weak-kneed.
The car pulled smoothly into the auto showroom's parking lot, and Gaio parked with practiced ease.
He turned to the passenger seat, his commanding aura fading like a receding tide, replaced by the familiar, warm smile Marin knew so well. His eyes softened, like a gentle spring stream.
"We're here, Little Sunshine," he said, his voice back to its usual warmth, as if his earth-shattering speech had never happened.
Marin blinked, still dazed by his sudden shift.
Gaio unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over, gently pressing the release on Marin's. With a soft click, the belt came loose.
He leaned in closer, his clean, pleasant scent enveloping her, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. The gentle touch carried a soothing power.
"Little Dream," he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her skin, "don't overthink complicated stuff." His fingers brushed a stray strand of blonde hair from her forehead. "I'm still me," he said, gazing into her slightly dazed eyes with a warm smile. "Just Gaio, who wants to live every day peacefully with you."
Marin looked at his gentle face, the lingering thrill from his earlier intensity slowly replaced by a deeper, more comforting warmth. Whether he was the domineering king or the tender boyfriend, he was still him.
"I… I can't hold back anymore…" Marin screamed internally, her chest heaving.
Her body moved faster than her thoughts. Before Gaio could react, she lunged forward.
"Mm!" Gaio let out a muffled grunt as Marin's arms wrapped tightly around his neck.
Her soft lips pressed against his with a fiery intensity, the kiss sudden and passionate. She poured all her pent-up emotions—shock, awe, and love—into it, as if trying to convey everything through this one moment.
Gaio froze for a second before taking control. One hand cradled the back of her head, the other wrapped around her slim waist, pulling her closer.
In the cramped driver's seat, they pressed against each other, their heartbeats almost synchronized.
"Mmm… ha…" The long kiss left Marin breathless, but she didn't want to pull away. She retreated just slightly, her forehead resting against his as she panted.
When they parted, a thin silver thread stretched and snapped between their lips.
Marin's face was as red as a ripe apple. She bit her lower lip, her legs rubbing together unconsciously.
"Boyfriend-kun…" Her voice trembled with sweetness. "I… don't want to buy a car anymore…" She gathered her courage, leaning close to his ear, her breath warm. "I… want you…"
Gaio let out a low chuckle and shifted gears with a smooth motion. "Hold on tight."
His voice was a touch deeper than usual.
The red R8 roared to life, its tires leaving faint marks on the pavement as it peeled out of the showroom lot.
At the showroom entrance, the bald salesman who'd been waiting for them bowed deeply, only to look up and see the R8's taillights disappearing into the distance.
"They… they're not buying?" he muttered, his price sheet dangling limply in his hand.
"It must've been my bow! It wasn't a full ninety degrees! I messed it up!" He tugged at his sparse hair in frustration. "No way! I've got to win them back!"