Yui sat in class with her eyes locked on her textbook, unable to focus. Whispers surrounded her like biting winds.

“She’s disgusting…”

“Two-timing both of them… so shameless.”

“I heard Louis-sama bought her expensive gifts… also someone saw them holding each others hands too.." 

"Whaaa...how shameless of her!" 

"They don’t even KNOW anything And why am I getting blamed for everything!?" , she told herself firmly. "Ignore them, Yui. Ignore it all."

But her chest burned with humiliation and fear. If they found out the real truth… about her forced marriage to Yuki… it would be worse than any rumour.

-----

After final period ended, she packed her bag slowly. As she walked down the corridor to leave, three girls blocked her path.

“Yukimura-san,” the tallest one called, her sharp eyes gleaming with disdain. “Still acting so high and mighty even after today’s scandal?”

Yui lifted her chin, refusing to show weakness. “Move.”

But the girl smirked, stepping closer. “Stay away from Yuki-kun and Louis-kun. Both of them deserve someone better than… a spoiled high-society brat playing games.”

Yui’s fingers tightened around her bag strap. Her gaze turned cold.

“I don’t recall asking for your opinion.”

The girls flinched slightly at her regal tone but the leader recovered quickly, leaning in to hiss softly, “If you keep seducing them both… we’ll make sure your life here becomes hell.”

Without waiting for a reply, they turned and walked away, their perfume lingering like poison in the air.

Yui’s shoulders slumped as soon as they left, her legs trembling slightly. "I hate this…"

Yuki didn’t say a word to her on the train ride home. He simply stood beside her, one hand gripping the rail, eyes closed as if blocking the world out.

The tension between them was suffocating, but Yui’s heart twisted every time their shoulders brushed with the train’s movements.

"Why… is he so quiet… does he believe the rumours too?"

---

When they entered their apartment, Yui placed her bag down quietly and went to her room without a word. Her chest felt heavy with unspoken pain.

An hour later, she emerged, hair tied up loosely, wearing a simple oversized t-shirt and shorts. Yuki was in the kitchen, wearing a grey hoodie, sleeves rolled up as he stirred something on the stove.

She paused at the doorway, watching him in silence. The soft lighting bathed his face in warmth. "He looks… so peaceful like this…"

As if sensing her gaze, he turned.

“Hungry?” he asked, voice quiet but gentle.

She nodded wordlessly and sat at the small dining table. He brought over two bowls of steaming chicken porridge.

“It’ll help with your fever,” he said, placing a spoon in hers. “Eat slowly.”

She blinked at him, startled. “You… made this for me…?”

He shrugged, sitting down and opening his phone lazily. “Don’t misunderstand. I was hungry too.”

Despite his cold words, a soft smile tugged at her lips. 

Later, while she was washing the dishes her eyes softened unconsciously following Yuki who was sitting on the sofa scrolling through his phone.

Memories flickered through her mind – him silently placing his umbrella over her during their first year when it rained during track practice, pretending he just “happened to be there”…

Him lending her his notes before exams, complaining she’d ruin his handwriting with her pink highlighter but letting her anyway…

Him pulling her behind him when an upperclassman scolded them for making noise in the hall…

And him yesterday, carrying her when she couldn’t stand.

Her chest tightened painfully.

Her hands stopped for a moment. Her eyes widened as a thought crossed her mind. Mrs Sanada's words suddenly replayed in her mind.

“Whatever this marriage started as… don’t be afraid if it starts becoming something else.”

-----

Late at night, Yui's bedroom door was slightly ajar, letting a sliver of golden hallway light spill onto her sleeping face. Yui walked inside softly.

She lay curled up on her side, blankets pulled up to her chin, her breathing soft and shallow. Damp hair clung to her cheek, and her lashes flickered against flushed skin.

He knelt by her bedside quietly, his shadow falling over her delicate features. Gently, he pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. Still warm, but not as dangerously hot as earlier.

A small sigh escaped his lips, relief flooding his chest before he could stop it.

"Why do you always push yourself like this…"

He stared at her sleeping face, so close he could feel the warmth of her fevered breaths brushing his cheek. His heart ached painfully in his chest.

You…

He reached out, almost touching her hair, but stopped just before his fingers grazed it.

"…from the very beginning…"

He closed his hand into a loose fist and withdrew, standing up silently.

"It’s always been you."

He glanced at her one last time before turning away, his expression unreadable under the dim glow.

"But for you..."

He closed her door gently behind him, leaning his forehead against it for a brief moment as he exhaled shakily.

"Louis Kisaragi...."