The breeze that slipped through the window grew bolder, threading itself across the living room like a curious thing. It found the small spaces between them and Tenka's words, carrying them into the quiet until they landed on Kentaro like cold iron.
"I love you, Kentaro, from the day I met you, I always have. A-and that's why I want this to stop, the sealing Alberlines, everything. We can find another way. This has to end." Tenka's voice was small. Not the iron-voice that barked commands, but a soft thing that trembled at the edges.
Her words punched through Kentaro harder than any attack had. He stared, mouth working as if learning to form the sound again. "Y-y-you love me?!" he blurted, sitting up so fast the futon squeaked.
