"I just can't anymore," Shuu said.

"What?"

"I can't do it."

"Do what?" Maria asked, looking up sharply.

"This. Everything. The business. This marriage."

"This is about that woman, isn't it."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "No. It's not about Ken. It's about how you can't tell the different between when I'm smiling for me from when I'm smiling for you, and lately, I've only been smiling for you and for the public. It's about how you see my happiness as a procrastination project that can wait, or like a business venture that needed the initial investment of getting married to you and then expecting it to grow by itself. It's about how I'm sitting behind a desk, closer to dying with each passing signature and legal document, and you just hand me another pile of papers to drain my life away. I don't care if this seems selfish, childish, immature, ungrateful, wrong...This is how I feel, Maria. How I really feel. Because I'm done faking it, for you, for our future, for everyone else." He opened his eyes.

Maria just stared at him. "You know how much this is going to hurt your mother."

Of any blow she could have landed, that one hurt the most. "I know. But I can't fake it for her, either. I tried to make everyone happy. But it just made me miserable instead. And maybe you're all okay with that. I was okay with it for a long time. But, not anymore."

"This is about Ken, isn't it," she said again, her eyes dull.

He paused before nodding. "Yes. It is."

***

"Ken, darling, what happened to your wrist?" Hide asked, being overly fussy as usual. He was her roommate, only he seemed convinced that he was her mom.

"Ayato grabbed it," Ken said. She didn't keep secrets from Hide. He was the one constant in her life. He had helped her through everything. Without him...without him, there would be no Ken.

Hide frowned as he gently iced the bruising. "That idiot. He doesn't know his own strength. Grabbing a precious lady's arm? Absolutely unacceptable."

"No, it was my fault," Ken said weakly. "Because I don't tell him-"

"Don't make excuses for him," Hide interrupted seriously. "What have I told you?"

"That if the pancake is on fire, you've gone too far?"

"What else have I told you?"

"That if he doesn't open the car door for you, he isn't worth it?"

"Keep going."

"Makeup doesn't make up for a bitchy personality?"

"That was just me venting about Akira, try again."

"That I can't wear the color yellow without looking albino?"

Hide shook his head, face palming. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, those are all true but what I'm talking about is this: if a guy touches you in any way that you don't like just one time, it's over. I don't care if he calls it an accident. If he hits you or tries to go too far too soon, you walk right out of that relationship."

Ken looked down. "But-"

"The word 'but' is an empty hole of excuses. It's empty because there's no bottom, and you'll always find that you can dig deeper." Hide patted Ken's hand gently. "I know you like Ayato. But I also told him several times that if he ever hurt you, I would make sure to snap every bone in his body. I'll be lenient and settle for half, but only because I believe it was an accident. But, Ken? An accident is just a precursor for more accidents. What happens once will surely happen again. I think Ayato's a good guy, but I don't trust him anymore. Not with you. You're too precious to risk, okay? And don't look at me like that. I'm serious. Believe it."

Ken sighed before nodding. "So, I have to break up with him?"

Hide stared at her. "What? No."

"Oh, then-"

"I'm breaking up with Ayato for you," Hide said, smiling.