The house was quiet. Too quiet...

  Akari didn’t sit. She lingered near the window, hands gripping the frame so tightly her knuckles whitened. Her eyes flicked to the faint traces of blood still on my clothes... then back to my face.

  “You’re… bleeding again,” she whispered, voice trembling. “Why do you… why do you do this? You could die. You could be hurt... and everyone... everyone saw you.”

  I leaned against the wall, blank expression, trying not to betray any unease. “It’s part of the spell. Part of the price. I can handle it.”

  Her lips pressed together, trembling. She moved closer. “Handle it? You think I can just watch you get hurt like that? Do you even understand how that makes me feel...?”

  Her hands lifted, hovering near my chest, almost touching the blood but stopping short, caught between care and possession. Her voice dropped lower, edged with danger.

  “You’re mine... Don’t let anyone else have you. Not the world. Not Tatsuya. Not anyone.”

  I took a careful step back. Not because I was afraid, but because I understood her too well. Akari’s obsession wasn’t simple affection. It was a pressure building with nowhere to go.

  “You’re all I have,” she continued, her voice softening into something almost fragile. “I’ve been here. I’ve always been here... And now the whole world sees you. That’s not fair. You’re mine, not theirs. Do you understand...?”

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  I stayed silent.

  My body ached. The aftermath of DOOM still burned inside me, but her presence pressed harder than the pain. Every look, every breath, every possessive word made one thing clear. She would never let go easily.

  “I can keep you safe,” she whispered, stepping closer. Her hand brushed my arm. Not gentle. Not rough. Claiming. “I can make sure no one touches you... But you have to stay. You have to be mine.”

  For a moment, I simply watched her.

  Her hands were shaking. Her breathing was uneven. This wasn’t confidence. It was fear twisted into control.

  Slowly, I stepped forward.

  She froze...

  “Akari,” I said quietly. “Look at me.”

  Her eyes snapped up, wide and uncertain.

  “I’m not leaving... Not tonight. Not like this.”

  I closed the distance and wrapped my arms around her.

  She stiffened instantly, body tense like a drawn wire. For a second, I thought she might push me away. Or cling too hard...

  Then her hands grabbed the back of my shirt.

  She pressed her face into my chest, breath hitching. The tension in her body cracked, spilling out in uneven breaths and trembling fingers. I felt her grip tighten, as if she was afraid I would vanish the moment she loosened it.

  “I’m here,” I said quietly. “You don’t have to fight everyone.”

  Her voice was muffled when she spoke. “I wouldn’t hurt you. Never you...”

  I believed her.

  Or maybe I chose to.

  I rested my chin lightly against her head. “I know. You’re intense... And dangerous in your own way. But you’re not cruel. Just... don’t cross the line. Promise me that.”

  She hesitated...

  Then she nodded, small and slow.

  “I promise...” she whispered.

  I held her a moment longer, feeling her breathing steady. Feeling the house settle into silence again.

  She was still dangerous. Still obsessive. Still unpredictable...

  But as long as that promise held, I could accept her.

  Hopefully...