MMMS 80

Aoi sat there in stunned silence. Her stomach turned. She could barely understand what he was saying—and deep down, she didn’t want to.

And as Tokiomi’s words spilled from the receiver, Aoi felt like she was being pushed into an icy abyss. The cold seemed to seep into her bones, making her fingers tremble. If not for Ryuuto’s arms wrapped around her, she might have collapsed right there.

To seek the Root alongside the other founding families... that could only mean one thing.

"Tokiomi... are you saying you want Rin and Sakura to fight each other someday?"

"That’s not what I want. But if it comes to that, then so be it. Even then, it would be a blessing for our lineage. Glory will come to our descendants, and the Tohsaka name will endure."

Click.

Aoi hung up without a word. Her fingers tightened around the receiver for just a moment before letting it fall.

She didn’t want to hear another word from him.

Her heart felt like it had been hollowed out. She had lost something that could never be recovered—not just her trust in Tokiomi, but perhaps in the entire world of magi.

"Um... Aoi? Are you okay?" Ryuuto asked gently, tightening his embrace.

She didn’t answer. Instead, she turned and collapsed onto the bed, burying her face in his chest. Her sobs broke free all at once, raw and uncontrollable. The tears she’d held in for so long came pouring out in waves, muffled against his chest.

He said nothing. He simply held her, letting her cry for as long as she needed.

No one knew how much time passed before the sobbing faded.

Lying quietly against his chest, she finally spoke in a hoarse voice. "...Ryuuto-kun. I’m sorry you had to see me like this."

"There’s nothing to apologize for," he said, stroking her back gently like he was soothing a child. "He’s the one who made you cry. I hate him for that."

His words were simple, but they warmed her heart more than any elegant speech ever could.

“Heh... you’re so sweet, Ryuuto-kun. Even though you’re just a kid, you know how to take care of an adult.”

Aoi managed a faint smile, then gently nuzzled her face against his chest. There was a playful lilt in her voice, but something softer, more vulnerable, lingered just beneath it.

“I wonder what kind of girl will end up as your wife one day... She’ll be really lucky. I’m kind of jealous, you know... Just kidding.”

“…If she’s anything like you, then I think I’d be lucky too.”

Aoi blinked, caught off guard by the sudden earnestness.

“I want to make you happy,” he added, his voice low but certain. “Not someday—right now. And I’m already a full-grown man.”

“...Eh?” Aoi blinked up at him, startled. “Do you even know what that means?”

“I do.” His voice was steady, and the serious nod that followed left no room for doubt.

A soft blush bloomed across her elegant cheeks.

"Ryuuto-kun..."

"Aoi..." he murmured, and leaned down to kiss her.

…

The next morning.

Golden sunlight poured through the windows of the Zenjou residence, flooding the room with warmth. It was nearly noon when Ryuuto finally stirred.

His head was nestled against Aoi’s chest, wrapped securely in her arms. The two of them had drifted off only after dawn, exhausted in both body and heart. But in that shared warmth, they’d found a fleeting sense of peace.

Still groggy, Ryuuto slowly lifted his gaze. Aoi’s sleeping face was so calm, it was almost hard to believe she’d cried so much the night before. Her soft breaths brushed against his hair, warm and steady. Maybe it was the sunlight tracing the curve of her face, or maybe it was the way her heart had settled—but to him, she looked more beautiful than ever.

“…Mmm…”

Still half-asleep, Aoi gently buried her face in his hair.

As he watched her, fragments of last night returned to him. The way she hesitated, yet still reached for him. How her every movement carried a quiet courage, her usual elegance now touched by something more vulnerable, something real.

"Sleep in a little longer, Aoi," he whispered.

Carefully, he tried to slip out from her arms, but even that small motion stirred her.

“…Haa…” Aoi yawned softly, blinking as she woke. Her eyes moved slowly around the room, as if trying to recall where she was.

Then—her breath caught.

Her cheeks turned a vivid red as last night’s memories came rushing back. For a moment, she looked like she didn’t know where to hide.

Guilt twisted inside her chest. But it wasn’t because she had betrayed her husband. No, what made her heart ache was the thought that she might’ve taken advantage of Ryuuto—that she’d burdened him with something he wasn’t ready for.

‘I can’t believe I did that to Ryuuto-kun... What was I thinking…?’ She curled her fingers into the sheets and shut her eyes tight.

Still, Aoi knew—even if she apologized, he would just smile and forgive her. That’s the kind of boy he was. Thoughtful, gentle, and far too kind for this world.

Just thinking about it made her heart swell with gratitude… and something deeper. Something warmer.

‘He’s too good.’ Her throat tightened. ‘If I keep thinking like this, I’m going to cry again.’

As for Tokiomi?

She didn’t care. Not even a little.

It wasn’t until she met Ryuuto that she realized what had been missing all along. The quiet ache in her chest she’d ignored for years… the longing she’d buried behind smiles and routine.

It wasn’t until she was in Ryuuto’s arms that she finally understood what it meant to feel truly cherished.

Bathed in that quiet bliss, she felt one overwhelming regret—

‘If only I’d met him sooner.’

Even if this moment repeated a hundred times, she wouldn’t hesitate. No matter how many times it happened, she would still—

“…Love you.” Aoi closed her eyes and pressed a tender kiss to his forehead, her fingers gently combing through his hair with affectionate care.

Ryuuto let out a soft pout and leaned closer. “Hey… Aoi, are you thinking of me as just a kid?”

"Hehe… of course not."

Blushing like a girl in love, she leaned in and whispered something a little mischievous, just soft enough for his ears alone.

“Ryuuto-kun definitely isn’t a kid. I could feel that very clearly last night. You were… amazing.”

She paused, flustered, the tips of her ears turning red.

“Mmm, wait, Ryuuto-kun, we shouldn’t. It’s already morning, and someone might—eep—”

Before long, faint sounds began to slip from behind Aoi’s bedroom door. Soft and rhythmically sweet, it lasted far longer than she would expect. By the time things settled, nearly two hours had passed.

Wrapped up in the afterglow, she lay nestled in his arms, her fingers lightly trailing over his chest.

He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and smiled gently.

“Aoi,” he said, lifting her chin with a playful touch.

“…Mm, I’m listening,” she mumbled, her voice dazed and sweet.

Then he gave her that look. The one he always wore when teasing.

“Which one was better?” he asked. “Say it out loud, and I’ll give you a reward.”

Aoi’s face lit up in a vivid blush. “Y-You already know the answer…”

“But I want to hear you say it.”

She hesitated, then finally whispered, cheeks flushed and eyes still glistening with leftover tears.

“…There’s no comparison. Of course it was you…” She leaned into him, clinging to his arm, then looked up with watery eyes and a faint pout. “Okay, I said it… so now, Ryuuto-kun…”

“Okay, okay.” He chuckled softly, brushing his lips against hers. “I got it.”

And just like that, she melted into his kiss, her eyes fluttering shut with a blissful sigh.