I gently brushed a tear from her cheek with my thumb. "Even if it was to save me... You still called me your husband. That word came out pretty naturally, don’t you think?"

Tachibana slapped my hand away lightly, though there was almost no strength behind it. "Shut up! You’re twisting my words again!"

She bit her lip hard, clearly struggling with her own emotions. After a few seconds, her voice became much quieter and more vulnerable.

"...When you said you’d marry me that night... I really wanted to believe you. Even though I acted stubborn and angry, a part of me hoped it was real. No one has ever said something like that to me before. No one has ever been willing to take responsibility for me like that..."

She lowered her head, her ponytail falling forward slightly. "But then I saw you with those women this morning... especially that energetic one who was clinging to your arm. It hurt. It hurt more than I expected. I felt like a complete fool for even considering it."

Tachibana slowly looked back up at me, her eyes searching mine. "So tell me again... Are you really serious? Or are you the type of man who says things like that easily to many women? Because if you’re just playing around with me... I’d rather you tell me the truth right now. I can handle being rejected. What I can’t handle is false hope."

Her voice trembled slightly at the end.

Despite her tough words, her hand was still gently gripping the front of my shirt, as if she was afraid I might disappear if she let go. The usually fierce and prideful Tachibana was showing a side of herself that very few people had probably ever seen.

I could feel the rapid beating of her heart through her chest as she waited anxiously for my next words, her face still flushed with a deep blush.

I shook my head slowly and looked into her eyes with complete sincerity. "I never lied to you. When I said I would marry you... I meant every word. I still do."

Tachibana’s breath caught in her throat. Before I could continue, she interrupted me, her voice shaky and uncertain. "Then what about your girlfriend? That girl who was clinging to your arm earlier... Haruna, right? Don’t tell me you’re going to hide me or treat me like some dirty secret on the side."

I held her gaze steadily. "I will talk to her. If you want, I can call her right now and explain everything."

Tachibana’s eyes widened dramatically in shock. She stared at me as if I had just said something completely insane. "Right now?! Call her... here?!"

Her face turned from flushed pink to bright red in an instant. She looked extremely flustered and panicked, clearly surprised by how direct and immediate I was being. "Are you crazy?! You want to confront her about this... about me... right here in the middle of a crowded mall?!" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

She pulled back slightly, hesitation and doubt flooding her expression. Her grip on my shirt tightened even more, but her eyes darted around nervously. "W-Wait... you’re really going to do that? Just like that? What if she gets angry? What if she starts crying or hates me? I... I don’t want to cause a fight between you two. I don’t want to be the reason your relationship breaks..."

Tachibana bit her lip hard, clearly conflicted. Doubt was written all over her face. "I’ve seen this kind of situation before. Men always say they’ll handle it, but in the end, the mistress gets blamed and thrown away. Are you really going to tell her the truth so openly? Or are you just testing me...?"

I gently brushed a stray tear from her cheek. "I’m not testing you. I’m serious."

Tachibana looked down, her voice becoming smaller. "You... you really are a scumbag for wanting both of us. But..."

I pulled her into a firm hug again, holding her close. "Wait. I’ll call her right now. Here—"

Tachibana immediately panicked even more, pushing against my chest frantically. "No! Not here! Are you out of your mind?! Everyone is already staring at us because of what happened earlier! If you call her now and start talking about marriage and sharing... I’ll die from embarrassment!"

She buried her face in my chest for a moment, clearly overwhelmed. After a few seconds, she muttered, "You’re too reckless... You say these big things so easily. What if Haruna really hates the idea? What if she forces you to choose? I told you... If she doesn’t want this, I’ll leave. I won’t destroy your happiness."

I loosened the hug slightly and looked at her. "I will not let you leave. And don’t worry about Haruna. I will handle it properly. Trust me on this."

Tachibana stared at me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine deeply. Hesitation, doubt, fear, and a tiny spark of hope all swirled together in her gaze. Finally, she gave a small, hesitant nod.

"...If my Master can trust you... even after knowing you already have a girlfriend, and she still didn’t stop you from saving me or making that promise... then I’ll trust her judgment too. And... I’ll try to trust you."

She looked away, clearly embarrassed by her own admission. "But I’m warning you right now — if you ever treat me like a toy, a side piece, or a temporary replacement, I’ll really kill you. Slowly. I’m not joking."

Even though she threatened me, her hand was still clutching my shirt, and her body remained close to mine. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke again, her voice barely audible:

"...And if Haruna really agrees to this crazy idea... then... I guess I wouldn’t mind... being with you. But only if she’s truly okay with it. I refuse to be the woman who ruins another girl’s relationship."

I smiled softly and gently stroked her hair. "Thank you for trusting me, Tachibana."

Tachibana suddenly realized how intimate the situation had become. She quickly pulled back, clearing her throat and trying to put on her usual tough front again, though her red ears and flushed cheeks completely betrayed her.

"Hmph! Don’t get too full of yourself just because I said that! This doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you yet. You still have a lot to prove."

She stood up and offered me her hand to help me up from the floor. Even though she tried to act cold, her grip was surprisingly gentle and warm.

As I stood up, she glanced nervously toward the direction where Haruna and the others were shopping, then back at me.

"So... when are you actually going to tell her? Today? You’re not really going to call her right now while we’re in the mall... right?"