"Unfortunately, I got out of university late tonight and didn’t have time to bring you anything. I hope I’m still welcome anyway," Miori says with a faint smile.

Truthfully, now that he thinks about it, Aoshi would’ve preferred if she hadn’t brought anything the previous day either. The lingering sweet scent left behind by the picnic basket Miori had forgotten there definitely hadn’t escaped Eliss’s notice — and she had never been that jealous before in her life.

In the end, though, Aoshi managed to get away with it by simply telling her that Ayane and Takuma had brought the basket. Naturally, he then had to ask both of them to back up his lie, but Ayane turned out to be even more jealous and persistent than Eliss. Later on, however, she completely changed her story and insisted that Takuma had actually brought it, taking advantage of her absence so the two of them could continue their erotic visual novel alone.

In short, an exhausting web of lies and pointless drama that could have been easily avoided if Miori hadn’t left that basket behind.

Miori is wearing a sky-blue sweater with a neckline slightly more daring than the night before, a white skirt ending well above mid-thigh, and tall brown cowgirl-style boots.

The outfit leaves Aoshi breathless for a moment — but the real blow comes when she kneels beside his futon, just like she did the previous evening. This time, however, the shorter skirt reveals far more in that position, inevitably drawing his eyes toward her firm, toned thighs. No matter how hard he tries to hide it, his gaze remains helplessly fixed on them.

Naturally, Miori notices immediately — after all, she didn’t choose such a provocative outfit by accident.

"Yeah... unfortunately, I have bruises there too, not just on my legs..." Miori murmurs softly, making it clear she noticed his eyes wandering over her thighs.

"Y-Yeah, I can’t help noticing... you’re covered in marks everywhere," he replies, awkwardly trying to pick up on the implication she just gave him and turn his shameless staring into something remotely justifiable.

"Forgive me for not covering them tonight like I usually do. I didn’t want to upset you with something like this, but... when I’m here, I feel free to be myself..."

Aoshi’s eyes widen instantly, his heart beginning to race after being struck head-on by those unexpected yet deeply moving words.

"When I’m here — away from Renji and from all those eyes constantly expecting me to be perfect and flawless... I... I’m not ashamed of the marks on my body, nor do I have to pretend to be someone I’m not. I can simply be myself without being afraid of being judged. I just hope you don’t mind if, when I’m with you, I let myself wear clothes I could never even dream of wearing anywhere else..."

"D-Don’t even say things like that! If I invited you here, it’s because I want you to feel free to be yourself! Think of this place as your own little corner of peace — or maybe the opposite: a place where you can finally let out everything you’ve been forced to keep bottled up inside. Miori... I know I might not mean much to you, but... I want to help you. I really do. And if spending even just a few minutes with me every day is enough to make you feel a little better, then... I’ll find a way to make sure that, even after I recover, you’ll still have someone to lean on — someone you can vent your stress and frustration to... or even cry in front of, if you need to."

He hesitates briefly before continuing.

"During these past few days, I... I think I’ve come to understand you better than I ever did during the entire month we were together. I thought you were this cold, sadistic girl who enjoyed hurting people — but now I know that’s not who you really are! The real Miori is the girl standing in front of me right now: sensitive, fragile... but trapped inside a cage that won’t let her spread her wings. I’m really glad I got to see this side of you..."

"Aoshi..." Miori whispers softly, her voice barely more than a melancholic breath, her eyes faintly shimmering.

But this time, it isn’t an act.

Her breathing grows uneven, as though something heavy were tightening around her chest while she listens to those words filled with such genuine care and kindness — words no one had ever said to her before, and that, until now, she had never even realized she wanted to hear.

She had made him believe that she was the one being dominated and used by Renji, not the other way around, and yet his words still pierced deeply into her heart — though not for the reasons Aoshi imagines.

That feeling of being trapped, of being forced to appear perfect at all times, of never being allowed to truly be herself... isn’t actually that far from the truth.

Miori falls completely silent, her eyes fixed on Aoshi yet somehow staring into nothingness, as though he were no longer even there. Her lips tremble faintly, and so do her legs, as though subtle shivers were coursing through her body.

Why are that idiot’s words getting to me so much? They’re just sentimental nonsense from a fool who genuinely believes that pathetic failure Renji is abusing me. They shouldn’t mean anything — and yet... why does this shake me so deeply?

Pff... as if I’d ever need the pity of a pathetic loser like him!

Until now, I was just testing the waters, but from the way he talks it’s obvious he can’t wait to get his hands on me. Otherwise, what would even be the point of that sweet little speech?

Selfless kindness doesn’t exist — only self-interest does. I’m sure the only reason behind those words is that he wants to take advantage of a fragile, emotionally vulnerable girl so he can finally do all the things I never even let him fantasize about back when we were together — not because he actually cares about my fake problems.

Well done, Aoshi... I have to admit, you’ve gotten a lot better with girls since I dumped you. Good enough to earn yourself a night with the most desired woman in all of Japan.

Tomorrow night, Aoshi... you’ll be mine.

"Thank you so much, Aoshi. You can’t imagine how happy it makes me to know I can rely on you. You’re the only person in this dirty, unfair world who has ever spoken to me with such kindness and understanding... who has ever treated me with such care and tenderness. You’re so sweet, so sensitive, so kind..."

Miori immediately blushes and lowers her gaze to the floor. Her eyes grow glossy and swollen as tears begin sliding down her cheeks.

"Eliss is truly lucky to have someone like you by her side. I envy her so much. You know, I always dreamed of living a love story like the ones in movies — full of closeness, genuine affection, and mutual support... It was a dream I got to live for a fleeting moment, only to lose it because of how cruel this world can be. And that’s what hurts more than anything else. But even so, even if only for a short while, I’m truly happy I got to be your girlfriend, Aoshi. The month we spent together is a precious memory I’ll carry in my heart forever — no, more than that... the most precious memory of all. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me that one small ray of light in an endless darkness."

Aoshi’s eyes begin to glisten, deeply moved by what sound to him like the most sincere and heartfelt words he has ever heard.

At the same time, however, Miori’s words reignite the thought she had planted in his mind the previous day — a thought he had desperately tried to push away: maybe things between them weren’t truly over after all.