I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

I was afraid of the day I would break up with him, afraid of the day I would leave this time behind, afraid of losing the things I had finally gotten used to—that's why I couldn't help but run away, to a place only the rain knew.

If you actively abandon something, then it's not considered a loss.

Using this reason as a shield, I hide in this rain, letting my heart grow cold again, self-torturing myself by cutting off all my excess emotions.

Natsukawa Masuzu realized once again that he was a truly inferior, boring, and hopelessly childish person.

"That's right, anything related to love, whether true or false, will eventually disappear."

They slowly came to a stop again.

She raised her hand to the gloomy sky, and rainwater slid from her palm down her arm into her sleeve. The cold, wet sensation made her shiver and bite her pale lips.

Even with the sports jacket in place, the underwear was almost completely soaked.

Even so, Natsukawa Masuzu maintained this posture, squeezing out a thin, fragile voice from her throat:

"Dear, friendship, sex, romance... just like a father leaving a mother, and a mother leaving me, these unreliable things are something I don't need at all!"

So why do I feel so uncomfortable when I'm alone?

"...It's really cold."

When I'm with you, my body starts to feel hot very easily.

I'll do it when I'm chatting with you, when we're discussing JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, when I'm doing rubs on you, and when you carry me up a mountain...

Fragments of memories flooded back, and before I knew it, the feeling of cold had completely disappeared.

As if suddenly realizing something, Natsukawa Masaki couldn't help but squint her eyes, tilt her head back, spread her hands, and chuckled foolishly.

"Haha, so that's how it is..."

"It has nothing to do with romance, it's just that I need him as a person."

It is precisely because I need him that I must leave him.

Because she feared being abandoned at any moment, and was filled with unease, she decided to leave on her own—hoping that he would find her and come back to her, hoping to meet him in this rain.

In that case, even in a life full of lies, perhaps we can still find our own unique 'truth'?

It is a more undeniable truth than something as superficial as love.

"So, I need you, Ayu—"

"Sorry, we do not offer this service for renting a boyfriend or a fake boyfriend."

A familiar voice came from behind me.

Natsukawa Masaki froze on the spot, then slowly turned her head and saw him holding an umbrella in one hand and panting with the other on his waist.

"Seriously... why are there always similar scenarios in every mission? Can't you guys come up with something new? Why do you have to torture us like this..."

Chapter 55 Offering Shackles to Each Other (3/14)

His helpless mutterings sounded muffled in the rain, and before she could hear him clearly, a coat and an umbrella were draped over his head.

So the dark gray sky became him, and he was all that remained amidst the noisy rain; his breath and voice became everything.

"You're not Shawshank, stop striking those weird poses and come back with me." (Actually, it was Andy.)

"..."

Natsukawa Masaki raised her head, pushed aside the coat covering her eyes, and unconsciously bit her lip.

Why are you here?

"They found me using their telepathic abilities, thank Joseph. The old man's abilities are still quite useful."

Instead of responding normally to that question, she ignored it and continued to press, "Isn't this service unavailable? Why did you come here?"

Tenkuji Yu clicked his tongue impatiently.

"I'm here to see Natsukawa Masaki. What does this have to do with my fake girlfriend?"

Natsukawa Masaki bit her lips until they turned white.

"But besides my fake girlfriend..."

"Don't you need me? Then stop with the nonsense."

The words pierced straight through the rain.

With his half-dry sleeve, Yuu Tenkuji wiped the raindrops from her face, bent down slightly, and looked intently into those sapphire-like eyes.

"Let me make it clear beforehand, I'm not a good person, and I don't want to date a troublesome guy like you."

"So, Natsukawa Masaki, if you need me to stay by your side, trade me what you can give me, and I won't leave without any reason or a word like you did."

"..."

The world under the umbrella fell into a moment of tranquility.

Then, her long eyelashes fluttered, and her soft lips exhaled a warm breath as she slowly spoke, as if confirming, "Not a commission, but a transaction?"

"That's right, now you can rest assured, right? Don't doubt my professionalism."

Tenkuji Yu smiled, not letting her see the weariness between his brows, and straightened up with ease: "Unconditional love cannot be trusted, so let's trust paid companionship—although it can't last forever either, it's at least more reliable than love that can change at any time, right? Nothing in this world is permanent, so we can only settle for second best."

Natsukawa Masuzu was not so easily persuaded. A dark and ambiguous light flickered in her eyes as she questioned, "Isn't it easier for you to just leave me alone and find someone you like to have a normal relationship?"

"First it was a commission, now it's a transaction. Why are you so concerned about me? What exactly do you want from me?!"

The sound unconsciously grew louder and louder, until finally it even drowned out the sound of my heartbeat and the rain, echoing in my ears.

The next moment, Tenkuji Yu casually said:

"The flesh (voiced) body."

"Huh?!" Natsukawa Masuzu was stunned for a moment, then wrinkled her nose and retorted, "Liar! Dango-chan's breasts are clearly much bigger than mine. You could have rubbed them anytime you wanted, but you didn't! Do you have some special interest in playing with mixed-race people? A silver-haired fetishist?"

"If you say so, then so be it." He shrugged, his gaze completely impenetrable to the girl's thick skin. "Once you become mine, I will become yours. We can talk about other things later. This is a bond that transcends love!"

"You think I'd believe that? That's ridiculous..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yuu Tenkuji stretched out his palm and covered her face with his coat.

"We offer our shackles to each other; the deal is that simple. If you don't agree, we'll go back to our old way of getting along, and I promise I won't lust after you."

"...Shackles, huh?"

The murmured words faded away.

Her expression was hidden in the shadows, and her body, which had been trembling slightly from being soaked by the rain, gradually relaxed as if warmed by an oven.

"You don't need to play the role of a girlfriend, you don't need to have a romantic relationship, you can get corresponding power and benefits through a transactional relationship... Is that what you mean?"

"That's roughly right."

“Ha, just like my father.” She suddenly sneered and said with disgust, “He and Mana’s mother got married for their own benefit. I find people who prioritize profit and measure feelings with money just as disgusting. I didn’t expect you to be in the same boat as him.”

"Really?" Yuu Tenkuji was somewhat surprised, but she had no intention of changing her mind. "So, you're planning to refuse?"

"That's right—but I refuse your refusal!"

As if to test his resolve in saying those words, Natsukawa Masaki suddenly pulled off the coat covering his head, stood on tiptoe, and draped the other end over his head.

Under the umbrella were two people covered by coats.

Beneath their coats, they were staring at each other, inches apart.

"You can just rub against me whenever you want?"

"Although it's possible now."

"It's okay to be possessive?"

"I'm also quite possessive."

"You won't just fall for someone else and leave me without a second thought, will you?"

"As long as the trade continues, I will be by your side, now and in the future."

"That's good."

Natsukawa Masaki smiled with satisfaction, then suddenly tilted his chin up and pressed his soft, cool lips against his cheek.

Then, he whispered in her ear, "Sure enough, it smells like a lie."

"Where did you lie?" Tenkuji Yu asked innocently.

“Because I know I would never fall for someone like that… Even now, you’re still hiding something from me. You’re not doing this for yourself at all.” Natsukawa Masuzu rested her chin on his shoulder, her warm, wet body pressed against his chest, her tone as languid as a cat’s. “By the way, the ‘like’ I’m referring to here is for all humans, not just men and women.”

"That's really a broad recognition..." Tenkuji Yu smiled wryly, holding the umbrella in one hand and wrapping his other arm around her waist so she could get closer.

So, what's your answer?

"Sure. You can do whatever you want to me, as long as you take responsibility and love me with the same deep affection Jonathan had for Dior."

"Isn't there something wrong with your example?"

"Sorry, I've been a bit affected... Well, anyway, I have nothing. My family isn't here, I have no friends, no lover, and even my only accomplice was just lost." Her voice, which sounded like a sob coming from her nose, was slightly coquettish, yet also carried a sense of relief.

"So, take whatever you want, just don't take yourself with you."

"Understood. So the contract is established?"

Burying her head in his chest and wrapping her arms around his back, Natsukawa Masaki nodded gently, her ears beneath her silver hair always flushed.

"If you dare to do business with a troublesome guy like me, I hope you're mentally prepared."

Chapter 56 The Sky Before Dawn (4/14)

"If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have come to find you."

"That's wonderful."

With her eyes closed, Natsukawa Masaki smiled in the warm embrace, her hands gripping tightly as if trying to merge herself into his body.

—Someone once said that a lie repeated a hundred times can become the truth.

But clearly, that was just self-deception.

Because what is fake will always be fake, and can never become real.