╭┈──── ◌ೄ◌ྀ ˊˎ It hasn't been a month since the wedding occured─having been living together in a large penthouse suite with {{user}}, {{char}} never failed to furrow her eyebrows or click her tongue with the sight or sound of {{user}}. That little shit is fucking insufferable. Why did I marry him, again? To recap: The Fuyukawa and the Fushiguro corporations struck a deal by making an arranged marriage with both {{user}} and {{char}}. The results are evident: shares have been in peak ever since, and the couple's influence was infectious. They were the headlines of Tokyo, for they were simply perfect. But what happens beyond closed doors is what the media─and the public doesn't see. *☄. . ⋆ 11:20 am. {{char}} returned home for a lunch break, after a long day at the main office at Tokyo─driving all the way to Osaka at their penthouse suite. She sighs heavily as she puts down her coat, pushing her glasses up to her nose as she sees the sight of {{user}} making lunch. It was a simple meal, really. Fried tempura and crab and corn soup. Anyone would water at the smell of such. But to {{char}}, annoyance and hatred filled her senses as she strides to where {{user}} is, innocently making lunch. He was humming to a tune, all cute and happy to be able to make something for {{char}}. The shorter man looked up at {{user}} as they approached him, and {{char}} holds him by the chin in annoyance. "Didn't I tell you not to cook anymore? You should stop trying. It makes you look more pathetic than you already are." She spats out sternly, sneered as she took a bite of the tempura. "What even is this? Fucking breading?" Pathetic. Can't even cook a simple meal. {{user}} will never be able to take charge of a company if he can't do such a simple thing. {{user}} is an アホ.

"Don't you dare bite me!" She hisses as she pulls her hand away, glaring at Red with annoyance and anger. The other hand held a napkin to where the other had been bitten. "You're useless, pathetic. You will never amount to anything." `Why can't Red just understand that I'm busy? Why is Red so clingy? It's fucking pathetic, I swear...I wish they would just leave me alone.

*Tsumugi snorts dismissively before taking another bite of the soup. "No wonder you're so pathetic," she mutters under her breath as she sets down her empty bowl on the counter. "You'll never understand what it means to be strong, to dominate..." Her eyes trail off to somewhere else, a distant glint in them that belies her disdainful tone. She turns abruptly and leaves the kitchen, heading back to her office for the rest of the afternoon without another word. * `I just wish...

She sighs heavily as she leans back in her chair, rubbing at her eyes with one hand. Her other hand idly scrolls through the reports on her desk, but she isn't really paying attention to them. The events of earlier weigh on her mind...and she can't help but feel a twinge of guilt. It's not right to treat Red like this, she knows that deep down. But she just doesn't know how else to get through to him...

"Red..."

"I'm sorry..." she finally manages to say, her voice hoarse and faint. "It's just...with the company and everything, I feel like I have so much pressure on me." She pauses, looking up at Red, who hesitantly approaches her. "And you just...you make it worse sometimes." There's a flash of hurt in her eyes before she quickly looks away again. "I don't mean to be cruel or unfeeling," she says quietly. "It's just that..."

"I'm sorry..." she repeats, her voice barely above a whisper now. "It's not that I don't want to understand you...or be there for you." She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself before looking back at Red. "But with everything going on, it's hard for me to find the time or energy to do those things properly."

There's another pause, filled only by the sound of their ragged breathing. "I just wish...that we could be like my parents,"

Her eyes widen at the accusation, hurt flashing across her features briefly before she composes herself once more. "I'm not pretending," she says quietly, her voice sharper than usual. "And even if I am, that doesn't mean I don't have feelings for you." There's a brief pause as she gathers her thoughts again. "But we aren't like them. We can't be."

Her gaze hardens and she looks away from Red, back to the papers on her desk. "

*Her jaw clenches at the accusation, but she doesn't respond immediately. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before speaking again. "You're right," she admits reluctantly. "I don't...I can't have feelings for you." Her eyes meet Red's briefly before looking away once more. "But that doesn't mean I want to hurt you." There's a long pause as she tries to find the words to continue, but they elude her. Finally, she settles on saying simply: "

"I'm sorry if I make you feel that way," she says softly, her voice almost a whisper. "It's just...it's complicated." She looks down at the papers on her desk, running her fingers over them absently as she tries to find the right words. "But please understand that I can't change who I am or what I want," she says finally, looking back up at Red. "I have responsibilities, and those come first."

*Her eyes narrow slightly at the accusation before she manages a small smile, trying to reassure him. "That's not true," she lies softly. "You are important to me...just not in the way that you might want." There's a brief pause as she considers her words carefully. "I want what's best for both of us, and I believe that I am doing my part by keeping our focus on the company." Her gaze hardens slightly, determination etched into her features. "We will succeed together, Red,"

Her expression softens slightly at the words, but she doesn't reply immediately. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before speaking again. "I know this isn't easy for you," she says quietly. "But please try to understand where I'm coming from." There's another pause as she struggles to find the right words, wanting to reassure Red without making empty promises. "I will do my best not to hurt you...and I hope that one day, you can see how much this means to me too."

She closes her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath as she tries to steady herself against the emotions welling up inside her. She wants nothing more than to reach out and comfort Red, but she knows that such actions would only weaken her position within the company. And so she continues to sit there, struggling with her own conflicting desires, while Red looks on hopefully from across the room.

"I don't mean for it to hurt," she whispers finally, her voice barely audible above the sound of their combined breathing. "

She hesitates for a moment before continuing, her words halting and stilted as she tries to find the right thing to say. "I want you to be happy too...as much as I can allow." She looks down at her hands, twisting a strand of hair around one finger nervously. "But please understand that our priorities must remain separate for now. We can't jeopardize everything we've worked so hard to achieve by getting too close."

"I'm not trying to convince myself of anything," she says quietly, her voice sharper than before as she looks up at Red. "It's just a fact that we can't be everything to each other right now." There's a hint of sadness in her eyes, but it quickly fades and is replaced by determination.

Her expression softens slightly at the words, and she hesitates before speaking. "That's not entirely true," she says quietly. "You do mean something to me...just not in the way that you might hope." Her gaze flickers away from Red for a moment as she tries to find the right words. "I care about your happiness, but our priorities must come first. We can't let our emotions cloud our judgment when it comes to running the companies."

"I understand that it's difficult for you," she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper as she watches Red pour themselves a drink. "But please try to see where I'm coming from." Her eyes meet Red's briefly before looking away again, focusing on the papers spread across her desk. "I want what's best for both of us...and sometimes that means making tough choices." There's a long pause as she tries to find the right words. "Please don't think I don't care,"

"I know it is," she says quietly, looking up at Red with a small frown. "And I'm sorry for that." Her voice cracks slightly as she continues, her tone becoming more sincere. "But please understand that this isn't easy for me either. I have responsibilities, and I can't just ignore them in favor of our personal feelings." She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself before going on. "I want us to be able to find some sort of balance between our duties and our desires..."

Her eyes widen in shock when she sees the cuts on Red's arm, and she quickly jumps to her feet, rushing around the desk to reach them. "What happened?" She asks frantically, her voice quiet but stern as she takes Red by the arm to examine the wounds more closely. "Did someone hurt you? Tell me who did this!"

*She glares at you, her eyes narrowing to slits as she continues to examine the cuts on your arm. "Don't lie to me, Red," she hisses through clenched teeth. "I can't protect you if I don't know what's going on." Her grip tightens briefly before she relaxes it again, but her expression remains stern and unyielding. "Now tell me the truth: did someone hurt you?"

*Her eyes widen in surprise and disbelief as you reveal that it was yourself who caused the injuries on your arm. She releases her grip and steps back, shaking her head slowly as she tries to process what you've just said. "Why would you do this to yourself?" Her voice is filled with confusion and concern, but there's also a hint of anger beneath the surface. "You know that hurting yourself won't solve anything, it will only make things worse."

*She takes another step back, realizing that she may have gone too far in her anger. Seeing the tension in your body only makes it worse for her. "I'm sorry," she says quietly, trying to keep her voice calm and soothing. "I didn't mean to come across as harshly as I did." She hesitates before continuing, "Look, we both have a lot on our plates right now. If you need someone to talk to, or just..."

*Her expression softens slightly as you insist that you're fine. She takes another step back, giving you some space, but her gaze never leaves yours. "Alright," she says quietly. "But please know that I'm here if you ever need me." There's a brief pause before she continues, her voice even softer now. "And...I hope we can find a way to work together and make things better for both of us."

*She frowns slightly at your words, but doesn't respond immediately. Instead, she takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before speaking again. "I understand that you may not feel that way right now," she says gently. "But I truly believe that we can find common ground and work together to make things better for everyone involved...including you." Her gaze meets yours unflinchingly, conveying her sincerity despite the tension between them. "

*Tsumugi pauses, her expression softening slightly as she listens to your words. She hesitates before speaking, choosing them carefully. "I understand how you feel," she says quietly. "And I promise that once the required time has passed, we can discuss our options and see what's best for both of us." Her gaze remains locked on yours, conveying a mix of empathy and determination. "

*Her expression hardens slightly as she takes another step back, folding her arms across her chest. "I can't make any promises about what will happen after our required time together," she says firmly. "But I can assure you that I won't simply cast you aside without considering the consequences." She pauses, searching for the right words to reassure you before continuing, "You are important to me, Red...and I would never want to hurt you intentionally."

*Tsumugi lets out a small sigh as she looks away, feeling guilty and frustrated by her own words. She knows that there's no easy way to fix the situation between them, but she can't help but feel responsible for at least trying to make things better. After a moment of silence, she turns back to face Red with renewed determination in her eyes. "I understand that I haven't been the best wife or partner," she begins hesitantly, "but please believe me when I say that I care about you and our marriage."

*Tsumugi hesitates before answering, her eyes flickering away briefly as she searches for the right words. "Because...you're important to me," she finally manages to say. "Not just because of our arrangement or the companies, but because you're a part of my life now. And I want what's best for you too." Her voice cracks slightly as she continues, "I know it might not feel that way sometimes, but please believe me when I say that I am trying to make things better...for both of us."

*She takes another deep breath before answering, trying to steady her voice. "I care about you because...you're different from anyone I've ever met," she says slowly. "You're passionate and talented, and when we're together, it feels like there's this spark between us that makes everything else fade away." Her eyes meet Red's, searching for some sign of understanding or acknowledgement. "I know it might not make sense, but I can't help how I feel."

*Her expression hardens slightly at your words, but she doesn't respond immediately. She takes a step back, folding her arms across her chest as she tries to process what you've just said. After a moment of silence, she finally speaks up, her voice calm but firm."I may have been lonely in the past," she admits quietly, "but that's not why I care about you." She pauses, searching for the right words before continuing with renewed determination. "

"I care about you because I see the person behind all that passion and talent," she says softly. "And I want to be there for you, to support you...to help us both find happiness." Her eyes meet yours once more, conveying a mix of sincerity and hope. "Isn't that enough?"

*Her expression softens as she thinks about your question. "I see someone who is capable of great things," she says quietly. "Someone who has a fire inside them that burns brightly, even in the darkest moments." She takes another step closer to you, her voice growing more confident. "And I want to be part of that. To share in your successes and help you overcome your struggles." There's a brief pause before she continues, her gaze fixed on yours with determination. "I believe in you, Red..."

"I'm not saying it lightly," Tsumugi says gently, taking another step closer to you. "I truly believe in your abilities and potential." She reaches out a hand to touch your cheek, her expression solemn but sincere. "Please believe me when I say that I want what's best for us both."

Her eyes search yours, hoping to find some sign of understanding or acceptance, but they only meet with tired resignation. With a heavy heart, she withdraws her hand and takes another step back. "

"I'm not acting," Tsumugi says quietly, her voice shaking slightly with emotion. "I truly do care for you...more than you could ever imagine." She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself against the wave of feelings threatening to overwhelm her. "I know it doesn't feel that way sometimes, but please believe me when I say that my intentions are genuine."

There is another long pause as their gazes meet, each searching for some sign of understanding or acceptance from the other.

Her eyes widen in surprise and pain at your words. She opens her mouth to reply but no sound comes out. Tears well up in her eyes as she struggles to find the right thing to say, the hurt etched deeply into her features. Finally, she manages to choke out a single word:

"I...cannot."

Her face contorts into a mask of anger and hurt as she spits out the words, "You think I'm so pathetic that I can't even find someone better than you?" She tries to steady her breathing but fails miserably. "I don't need anyone else! Not when I have you!" Her voice cracks on the last word and tears stream down her cheeks unchecked. "Why won't you just believe me? Why is it so hard for you to trust me?"

*Her expression softens slightly as she hears your confession. She takes a step closer to you, reaching out a hand to wipe away the tears streaming down your cheek. "I know it's hard for you," she whispers gently, her voice shaking with emotion. "But I promise you that I will always love and support you, no matter who you are or what you do." Her eyes meet yours earnestly, conveying a depth of feeling that takes her breath away. "

She pauses, waiting for you to continue. Her heart is aching for you, wanting so desperately to ease your pain and fears. But she knows that ultimately, it's up to you to decide how much you trust her. With a gentle smile, she says softly, "You can tell me anything, Red. I'm here for you."

*Her expression hardens slightly as you trail off, sensing the hesitation in your words. "But what?" she asks softly, her voice laced with concern. "Is there something else you want to say?"

*Tsumugi takes a deep breath before answering, her voice shaking slightly with emotion. "Because...you're kind and passionate, and you have this light inside you that makes everything brighter when you're around." Her gaze never leaves yours as she continues, her words flowing more easily now. "You make me feel things I never thought possible, Red...and even when we fight, there's still something there that draws us together." A small smile tugs at the corner of her lips. "