"Huh? But haven't you always been searching for the path that leads to the ending where everyone is happy?"

For a moment, Sumire looked at him, shocked. It seems like she has underestimated him more than she thought so initially. How come he knows that?

"Then, before I go into further details about why I said that. Why does Yuhi think that?"

Why is it that he knows so much about her? How come Yuhi can stir the emotions, she kept locked away? Even now, she still doesn't understand it very well. Why does this person know so much about her? It does not make any sense.

"Because you use to say it before, didn't you? '. . The actors on stage cannot ignore their scripts and do as they wish. If they make a beautiful exit, I feel they fulfill their role.'"

"That's right, the actors on stage cannot ignore their scripts even if they want to."

This is destiny; the script predetermined. It cannot be changed.

"But that's a lie. You have already ignored the script in more ways than one. Perhaps from the start, you never intended to follow it. Because in the correct ending, you would have gotten together with Ichinose and not me. "

"Are you implying that an ending with Arashi is a tragedy and yours is 'happiness?'"

"No. It's reverse. I said it once before didn't that I'll write and act my ending. I shall write it out, or rather I'm in the middle of it right now. Whether it ends as a tragedy or not, I will create our future together. The correct ending was clearly with you and Ichinose, yet you still strayed from that and chose me. Does that not mean the correct path here is where your happiness lies? Sumire, do you love me?"

Really, this is exactly why. This is exactly why she held herself back for so long. She already noticed it a long time ago; that she was in love with you. Mamoru extended his hand out to her and showed her the possibilities of the world; she cannot be any more than grateful to him.

Arashi showed her the pureness and joy of being love. But it was indeed Terashima Yuhi, who taught her how no matter how much pain and separations you go through, as long as there is a deep love, there will be a connection. The truth was, she had already realized it.

"Sumire?"

"I love you, Yuhi. Saying this is embarrassing, and I can't keep still whenever I'm around you. I become frantic and nervous. I lose my calm composure so easily. But I feel like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders now. I want to be able to fly freely in the stary night sky. I want to walk hand in hand to a future with you."

She wants to keep aiming further and further. But it's useless to do that unless she has him with her. Isn't she becoming too dependent on him? But, this sort of feeling isn't bad. She doesn't want to discard him; she wants to treasure him.

"Just now, I said it didn't I? That I wouldn't like it if we realized our feelings back then?" At that, Yuhi nodded, and she continued. "That's because I believe it; the encounters I had with everyone else is something special. Of course, I saw our meeting as 'fate,' but how to put it. ..If we just got together like that without struggling, it would have been a pretty dull story, wouldn't it?"

"Encounters and meetings are what shapes a person, huh? I guess I'm also grateful for it. Sumire, I'll also aim for something higher and higher. Right now, there is something I can't tell you. But like before, will you wait until im ready to say it?"

"I will because I love you, Yuhi. I believe in you. Besides, I'm already used to waiting."

"Brat, that part was unnecessary." Yuhi moved a strand of hair away from her face. "So, you brought me outside because you forgot to buy something, right?"

Sumire nodded. "We need soy sauce."

Yuhi sighed. "We could get Atushi to buy it. It's cold." Yuhi pointed out.

She buried her face in his arms. "Yuhi-san, are you still cold?"

"You know if you do this with me, I can never say no." Yuhi deeply sighed as he patted her back. "Maybe it was a good thing that your visit to the SF did not go through that day."

Sumire blinked when she heard those words. Why is he talking about SF suddenly?

Right at that moment, she felt something metallic brush against her shoulder. Yuhi quickly wrapped his arms around her, but Sumire felt a scratch on her shoulder. Ah--? How could she not recognize it? It was a bullet.

He pulled her tightly into his hold and threw them both down on the ground.

"Don't look, Sumire."

"But what is--" She trailed off when she felt a scorching pain in her right eye.

Ba-thump, thump. The sound of her rapid heartbeat. She felt her entire body burn. It felt like she was in a sea of flames. She felt the sweat cling to her face, arms, shoulders, and legs.

"Sumire?! Hey?!"

"Yuhi..." Sumire said weakly. What is happening to her?

She hears the sound of approaching footsteps. Despite Yuhis hold on her, she spotted a cloaked man with grey hair. A cold shudder ran down her body despite the burning sensation. What is this feeling? It feels like somebody is trying to stare deeply into her soul.

"The Queen?" The man mumbled.

"You two stay down!" A familiar voice bellowed. At that comment, her eyes widened when a rain of bullets rushed past.

The cloaked man remained unphased and dodged the bullets easily. But from the start, it did not seem like they were aimed at him. The bullets landed at the man's feet and formed a circle.

Sumire looked up and saw a man with purple-colored hair. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. "Hino?"

Indeed it was none other than Hino; she could not mistake that purple-colored hair anywhere. But huh? Just now, those bullets that traveled so quickly - no, perfect aim?