The changing room was silent. Through the door, the sharp crack of bamboo swords echoed in, each strike clear to the three of them inside.

Alan noticed their stares and frowned. He wrapped his sleeve around his arm, hiding the scar as best he could. He didn’t even like seeing it himself—proof of a failure he’d never forgive.

He didn’t regret saving Nino Kitagawa. If he had to do it again—ten times, a hundred times—he’d still jump without hesitation. Money could buy almost anything in this world, but it couldn’t buy back Nino’s life.

Had he put too much pressure on her?

During those long weeks in the hospital, he’d had plenty of time to second-guess himself. He’d been careless, hadn’t considered Nino’s personality.

At least the lesson had sunk in deep.

His thoughts scattered as he pulled himself back to the present. The situation before him was far more complicated. Alan looked from one girl to the other.

Nino stood frozen, looking guilty as ever. She kept inching toward the corner, as if pressing herself against the wall might make her invisible.

Beside her, Nozomi’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, equally stunned by the sight of the scar.

Alan sighed inwardly. Nozomi finding out didn’t really matter—eventually, she would’ve learned the truth anyway. But that wasn’t the real problem.

Too many pieces didn’t fit.

Especially what Nino had said moments ago, and that sword thrust toward Nozomi...

She’d deliberately missed, but the threat...

He hadn’t realized she still felt this strongly. When they’d broken up, it had seemed so clean—so smooth he’d wondered if she’d ever understood what love was. Maybe she’d just thought of him as a close friend.

But now...

This battlefield had erupted too suddenly. Someone must have told her something, pushed her over the edge.

Nino had mentioned Akari Hojo.

Alan’s expression darkened.

"Sorry..."

Nino’s voice cut through his thoughts. At first, it sounded like she was apologizing to Nozomi. But when Alan looked up, Nino was biting her lip, staring at him like an abandoned puppy.

Before he could speak, Nozomi stepped aside, wiping her eyes.

"It’s okay." Her voice was soft. "I didn’t know you two... knew each other. I shouldn’t have interrupted..."

She forced a smile, glanced at Alan with wounded eyes, then started to bow to Nozomi.

"Enough."

Alan stopped her, hand on her shoulder. "I’ve got questions that need answers. I’ll explain everything."

"Alright."

Nozomi nodded, her mind racing. She’d crouched outside the door, listening. Between that and what Hojo had told her, she had the full picture.

If she hadn’t walked in when she did...

She nearly laughed at the memory. She hadn’t planned to interfere, digging into Alan’s past would only push him away.

But that scene? No guy could handle that. Her boyfriend of less than a month rekindling things with his first love?

Unacceptable.

Now she understood why Hojo had emphasized that detail.

The girl had used her as a weapon.

What a clever little manipulator.

Yet she couldn’t bring herself to be angry. Without Hojo’s warning, things might’ve gone much worse.

Actually, they had gone badly. She’d never imagined someone would swing a sword at her in the 21st century. The terror had been real, even if she’d exaggerated the tears for Alan’s sympathy.

This lunatic didn’t care if Alan hated her for it.

Nozomi’s gaze drifted to Alan’s left arm. What had he gone through to get a scar like that?

He was becoming more mysterious by the day.

She’d learned enough for one day. Push too hard and she might lose him. They had time.

She smiled sweetly at Alan. "I’m fine. You two talk..."

A knock interrupted them.

Tap tap tap.

"Nino? Are you in there?" a woman’s voice called from outside.

Nino wiped her eyes and looked at Alan for permission.

"I’ll get it."

He moved the chair aside and opened the door. It was the girl from earlier.

Miyuki blinked in surprise when she saw Alan. "Nino’s not here?"

"She is." He stepped aside.

Miyuki peeked in, first at Nino’s red-rimmed eyes, then at the other girl. She fell silent.

Definitely a battlefield...

She’d wanted to give Nino space when she’d learned about her feelings. But when another beautiful woman had walked in...

Makoto had told her the truth, that woman was Alan’s girlfriend.

Seriously? Falling for a taken man?

Nino, you idiot...

The tension was suffocating.

Miyuki sighed inwardly, glanced at Alan, then took Nino’s hand. "Come on, Nino. We’ve got that lunch gathering..."

***

"So, Alan, are you saying she’s your girlfriend too?"

Early evening, in a small restaurant just off campus, Nozomi Sakura pressed her fingers to her temples and stared at the boy across the table with a complicated expression.

"Ex-girlfriend," Alan corrected, swallowing a piece of sushi.

There was no point hiding it. He had invited Nozomi out tonight precisely to clear the air, before this little lemon spirit started over-thinking and let it ruin her studies.

At his words Nozomi let out a long sigh and gave a wry smile. "How many ex-girlfriends do you have? Why did you two break up? You’re not going to dump me later, are you? And what about the goal we agreed on, are you going to back out...?"

Alan weighed her questions, then offered calmly, "Special circumstances, that’s all. You don’t need to worry. I keep my promises, you can relax."

"Mm." Nozomi answered with a non-committal sound and took a long pull of beer.

Her peach-blossom eyes narrowed, a faint flush spread across her fair cheeks. She tilted her head and studied him with a half-smile. "Still, that ex-girlfriend of yours seems pretty into you. Doesn’t feel like you cut it off clean."

"..."

Alan’s brow creased. Nozomi was right judging by Nino Kitagawa’s reaction this morning, the break-up had been one-sided, his side only. He couldn’t help wondering why things had gone smoothly with Akari Hojo but had exploded with Nino, especially after so much time had passed.

He looked back at Nozomi. "I’ll talk to her and make it clear. This is my responsibility—"

Before he could finish, Nozomi set her glass down with a clack and waved both hands. "No, no, Alan, you misunderstood."

"I’m not asking you to cut her off completely. After all, our relationship..." She paused, then continued, "Have you ever thought about getting back together with her?"

Alan’s eyes narrowed. He stared at her face and asked in a low voice, "What do you mean?"

Seeing the shift in his expression, Nozomi sighed and bit her lip. "Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I want to break up. I mean, even if you were to date her again..."

"I could actually live with it."

Alan looked at her for a long moment, then said dryly, "If you could really live with it, you wouldn’t have barged in while I was talking to her this morning. And when she pointed a sword at you, you didn’t look all that calm."

"I..." Nozomi’s mouth opened, then closed. For a second she had no comeback.

Half a minute later she met his gaze, resentment flickering in her eyes. "Fine. I wasn’t happy."

"You two were all over each other on the dojo floor, then disappeared into the changing room alone. Even a ’girlfriend in name only’ gets upset, you know?"

"Besides, who knew she was that scary with a blade?"

"Anyway, this is the kind of relationship we have now..."

"I really don’t want to be walking alone at night and suddenly get a sword through the heart..."

She picked up a chopstick and jabbed it at her open palm, then propped her chin in her hand with a self-mocking smile. "Well... As long as you don’t humiliate me in front of my friends, do whatever you want."

"..."

On the surface her logic seemed sound, yet Alan fell silent for a moment before saying, "Quit joking. You’ve had too much to drink."

He knew the real problem was bigger. Nino might care very much—she’d nearly skewered Nozomi this morning. Two-timing would be blatantly unfair to her.

Nozomi pouted. "It’s only beer. I’m serious..."

Alan clearly had no intention of circling the topic forever. He locked eyes with her and asked abruptly, "Tell me, has Akari Hojo said anything to you?"

"..."

At that, Nozomi’s heart lurched. Her mind raced, wondering if she’d left any clues. Unless Hojo had directly told him about the texts, but that seemed impossible.

Without a word Nozomi pulled her phone from her bag, opened the chat with Hojo, and handed it to him with a wry laugh. "What would a star like her have to say to a nobody like me?"

"Unless she’s still hung up on you, I can’t think of a single reason she’d message me..."

"Well, maybe she just wanted to rub it in. At first I thought that was why she added me, but it looks like I was being paranoid."

Alan skimmed the chat history: after the initial greeting, the two had exchanged nothing.

"You’ll be famous yourself one day. You might not lose to her," he said, catching the sour note in her voice. He glanced at his watch. "It’s late. I’ll walk you home. I didn’t give you a proper date today—before the intensive training starts, I’ll take you out for real."

"Heh, maybe. I’m too tired to go anywhere lately." Nozomi gathered her things and followed him out of the restaurant.

Her apartment was only ten minutes away. At the entrance she looked up at him seriously. "About what I said, I wasn’t joking. Think it over?"

Before he could answer she winked, spun on her heel, and sprinted up the stairs.

On the third-floor landing she watched until his figure disappeared, then finally exhaled and slid down the wall to sit on the tatami, staring at the ceiling light in a daze.

Moments later a silly smile crept across her face, and she started giggling to herself.

She had expected Alan to ask whether she was in contact with Hojo. That woman was no pushover, and Alan wasn’t stupid, he’d notice sooner or later.

So after every exchange Nozomi deleted the chat history.

As for telling him she didn’t mind if he rekindled things with the "madwoman"... that had been half-sincere. If Hojo wanted to scheme and make her miserable, why not give her a push? Let’s see who ended up more wretched, at least Nozomi was still his official girlfriend for now.

Manipulative bitch.

Let’s see what you do next.

She rubbed her temples, peeled off her socks, and stared at her toes. Scenes from the past weeks flickered through her mind, and suddenly a question bubbled up.

Why are all his ex-girlfriends so terrifying?

Kendo prodigy, chart-topping singer... now helping her chase the actress dream.

Alan, what on earth are you planning?