Tatsuya came home with a bruise under his eye.
The moment Saori's father had seen him standing at their door, holding her hand, his face darkened with fury.
"This is your fault," he had snapped. "You're the reason she failed. You've poisoned her mind against us. You are ruining her life."
The slap came fast. So fast that Tatsuya barely had time to react. His face stung, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.
"Dad! Don't…." He staggered back but steadied himself just in time to grab Saori's wrist before she could oppose.
"I thought I made myself clear; you are forbidden from seeing my daughter."
Tatsuya straightened, his voice calm despite the pain. "As far as I remember, that restriction only applied until she became an adult."
"And is that an excuse to steal her from her own home? To sneak her out, make her lie to her parents?"
Tatsuya didn't argue. He didn't try to justify himself. Instead, he took full responsibility.
"I'm sorry," he said, bowing deeply. "I should have come to you and asked for you permission first."
Saori's father crossed his arms, scrutinizing him with cold, unyielding eyes. "You should have. And if you think an apology after the fact will change anything, you're mistaken."
That night, Tatsuya found comfort only in his music.
Sitting alone in his apartment, he let his fingers drift over his guitar. The notes filled the empty room, raw and unpolished. He played without thinking, without caring, just letting the music pour out of him.
It felt strange, playing alone.
But it's only temporary, he told himself.
It's not like I'm starting a one-man band.
Sota will be back in a few days. Everything will go back to normal.
Then his phone buzzed with a notification from Saeko.
---
Meanwhile, Yasushi was running on empty. His volunteer work had drained him in ways he hadn't expected. He had been helping out at a local after-school program, counselling kids who struggled with family issues. Today, he had stayed late, offering support to a shy, withdrawn boy who couldn't find a way to communicate with his parents.
As he was sorting through some papers, someone approached him. "Hey, you know, you seem to be really good with the kids. We've got a counsellor opening at the school. If you're interested in a full-time job, it could be a good fit for you."
Yasushi looked up, slightly surprised, but shook his head.
"Thanks, but…" He was cut off before he could finish.
"Don't answer now. Just think about it and give me a call if you decide. It could be a great opportunity," the teacher said, almost urgently.
Yasushi nodded absently.
Sota will be back soon, won't he? he thought, pushing the idea of a full-time job aside. Then, we'll be back with the band, and everything will go back to normal.
Then his phone buzzed with a notification from Saeko.
---
Kaito had been sitting by the ornate gate for hours, his gaze fixed on the entrance. Every time the gate creaked open, his heart would race, expecting it was Aya, hoping she'd come out.
But each time, it wasn't her.
Finally, the gate opened, and a sleek luxury car glided through. Satoshi's face appeared as the window rolled down. He looked at Kaito sitting on the curb, then smirked.
"Are you seriously going to stay here every night like some beggar?" Satoshi grumbled as he slowed to a stop. Without waiting for an answer, he revved the engine and sped off, tires screeching as he drove away.
Kaito didn't flinch. "What else could I do?" he muttered to himself.
I've called her. I've texted. I even climbed over the gate and tried to break into the house… but the security system is so tight that I got kicked out in a minute.
He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he leaned back against the cold stone.
All I can do now is wait. She'll have to leave the house at some point. At least when she goes to give birth…
His mind raced. Sota's supposed to be back soon. When the band gets back together, I'll make sure to show her how cool I am, and she'll come back. It's bound to happen.
Then his phone buzzed with a notification from Saeko.
----
"Guys! You need to see this right now! Tell me it's not true…" Saeko's message read.
She forwarded a social media post of that European stuntwoman; a picture of her and Sota during their shoot.
The caption read:
"We've just wrapped an incredible project. Sota Yamada has proven to be such a great fit for our team that… drumroll! He's officially gotten a permanent offer here. What do you think? Would you, too, like to see more of him? I can't wait to work with him every day from now on!"
Tatsuya couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "So, are you really that much of a coward to just run away so far?"
Yasushi, on the other hand, tried to hide his frustration.
"This... this is the dream job you've always wanted, right? Well, good for you," he muttered, the bitterness creeping into his voice.
Kaito scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I bet Europe's a lot cooler than getting stuck here with your old folks, huh?"