After listening to what Futaba Rio said, the outgoing Futaba Rio froze for a long mont. She never imagined she wouldn't have to disappear.
"Thank you…"
Her expression was complicated as she gave a sincere bow.
"Mm."
The original Futaba Rio calmly accepted her thanks.
Afterward, the two locked eyes, then both fell into an awkward silence.
After all, facing an exact copy of oneself made even a normal conversation feel strange.
"So this counts as a happy ending for everyone, right?"
In the end, it was the "outsider," Rei Ao, who spoke up first, breaking their stiff atmosphere, clearly offering congratulations on the current situation.
To him, this was indeed sothing to celebrate:
Futaba Rio (the original) had gained a new power.
Futaba Rio (the outgoing version) had been granted "human rights."
And Rei Ao had secured two special "goals" he was interested in, having paid no particular cost beyond freely granting his blessing.
You could certainly call that a "win for everyone," a multi-win scenario.
"'Happy ending'…"
Futaba Rio's eyes were sowhat distant.
"Because of you, things have gotten complicated."
If Rei Ao hadn't taken it upon himself to give her that power, she most likely wouldn't have been forced to make such a difficult choice. Deciding soone else's fate was hardly sothing that brought her relief; all she felt was enormous pressure. Her palms were already sweating.
"I said I wouldn't lock her away. So you must take responsibility!"
"Responsibility? Sure, I'd be more than happy to."
Rei Ao had long been prepared—and eager—to take responsibility.
"But are the two of you willing?"
He spoke with a slight grin, teasing the potential "double aning" in her words.
"???"
Realizing they weren't talking about the sa thing, Futaba Rio's face reddened, and she hastily clarified:
"Don't misunderstand! I an responsibility about her identity issue!"
Since the two had decided to live separately for the ti being, if people found out about them, it was sure to cause an uproar. The secret had to remain protected. That naturally ant they couldn't live together, nor both appear at school at the sa ti.
"Then let her stay here." Rei Ao casually suggested. There's that room you've been using, it's perfect."
"…"
Right in front of her, he was basically giving her room to soone else. That felt a bit off. Yet in the end, she said:
"I'll be heading back today, but in the future we might switch places. We'll share the room, and I can pay rent or sothing."
"That's fine,"
he agreed without hesitation. It clearly didn't put him at any disadvantage.
Later, Futaba Rio left. She needed to return ho for the mont. On her way back, a sudden thought struck her:
"Leaving those two alone together… Could sothing happen?"
She felt a pang of worry.
…
"In that case, from now on this is your room," Rei Ao said to the other Futaba, the "outgoing" one.
"It used to be Futaba Rio's (the original) room."
But recalling sothing, he added:
"From here on, I'll call you 'Futaba,' and call her 'Rio,' so it doesn't get confusing."
"Futaba…"
She repeated the na softly, eyes lighting up. Even though she too was "Futaba Rio," she was more like a separate, split-off existence. The na "Futaba Rio" in full was never truly hers. Being called simply "Futaba," as if she were recognized independently when she spoke with him, felt comforting—she actually liked it.
"Mm, I'll go by 'Futaba' from now on."
Futaba smiled sweetly, a slight movent but a very natural, enchanting expression. She looked so lovely Rei Ao couldn't help praising:
"At this mont, Futaba is really captivating."
"Ugh…"
Futaba froze. She rembered the reason for her existence: the desire to be noticed. Now it had changed—she only wanted to be noticed by this person. The man who had kept every promise and gifted her a new life.
She couldn't deny that she was now quite taken with Rei Ao. Lips trembling slightly, she mumbled:
"Then… can I attract your attention, Rei Ao-kun?"
"Of course."
He answered without hesitation.
"You attracted from the very first ti we t. I like you, Futaba. Will you entrust your future to ?"
He even slipped in a confession right then.
"!!!"
Futaba's heart pounded wildly. eting his blazing gaze, her whole body felt faint. She couldn't help nodding. The mont she did, Rei Ao scooped her into his arms. Their gazes locked in a profound warmth as the two drew closer. Futaba closed her eyes, eyelashes quivering, feeling the warmth land on her lips—
"Hey, you two…"
They hadn't even deepened the exchange before a voice interrupted them: a soft, brooding voice from Sakurajima Mai, who'd apparently finished lecturing Tohru. Being caught so close up, Futaba was embarrassed beyond asure, fleeing Rei Ao's arms:
"I—I'll go tidy up my room!"
She slamd the door shut.
Leaving Rei Ao and Mai outside, they stared at each other. Mai sighed:
"While I was in there having it out with Tohru, you were out here seducing Futaba Rio?"
"Rei Ao-kun, should I be angry?"
"Angry?"
Rei Ao gave a calm smile, reaching out to wrap an arm around her waist. Though Mai tried to dodge, he just effortlessly held her.
"If Mai's angry, let make it up to you~ and get rid of that anger."
"Ugh!!"
…
anwhile, the original Futaba Rio, on her way ho, suddenly halted.
"Mmph!!"
So strange tingle, warm and electric, flashed across her lips. She patted them, perplexed.
"Static shock?"
Rio felt puzzled, though she soon brushed it off as trivial and continued on her way.
After so persuasion, Rei Ao had soothed Mai. He also explained Futaba's situation to her.
"…"
Mai was exasperated. This guy hadn't just set his sights on Futaba Rio but was going after the other "version" of her too. Knowing Rei Ao's nature, he'd be after them both eventually…
Mai let out a ntal sigh. Tohru, when she learned of it, didn't care at all, so Mai felt she couldn't say much. Since apparently everyone would be "one family" in the end, best to get along well.
So, in a gentle tone, she asked:
"Then do you know what taste of food Futaba might like?"
She planned to help Futaba settle in from the angle of good cooking.
"I'm not sure," Rei Ao said. "We only saw each other a few tis before we ended up deciding on our relationship—that did happen pretty fast."
"You really…"
Mai started to protest. Rei Ao preempted her:
"Today, I plan to thoroughly get to know Futaba. Make up for our lack of real communication."
"…"
Is that how you plan to 'get to know' her? Mai gave him a fierce side-eye, but only said:
"I'll go make dinner."
~~~
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