Yamato's True Feelings

After reminiscing of the day she and Mashiro met, Sophie's eyes remained closed for some time. The next thing she knew, she opened her eyes, and told of her most inner feelings of her best friend. "My first chance meeting with Mashiro was unlike any other I had experienced concerning all of my platonic relationships. It was like a warm light had begun to penetrate the darkness within my heart which was once colorless from what happened in my past, and I have never once forgotten that emanating light of purity. Yet before ever getting to introduce myself to Mashiro, my mind was already set on alternating from literature to manga thanks to the diversity of the creative and artistic careers I could choose from. It never truly mattered what path I would take in life, but my decision to convert myself into another person, someone unfamiliar while being the same identity from a few seconds ago. I was prepared to leap into a whole new mirror that hid one personality from the other, and because Mashiro stumbled upon my surroundings full of nature, I could finally become the person you see today in shining view. If not for her, I may not have been able to fall in love with Ren after our engagement was declared by both of our families. Unfortunately, nothing has been completely resolved as of this moment. Furthermore, I do not know what I should do about my own situation, but…" She sighed, closed her eyes, and her posture seemed off a bit. It was like she didn't have any energy left within her body as her shoulders collapsed in a state brimming with fatigue—even the look on her face exposed her exhaustion. Sophie began to breathe as though she had a fever running, in which her normally sophisticated self was no longer there, drained of her vitality. "Ha… nnn… ugh…"

This caught Ren's instantaneous attention as his eyes widened from his fiancée's ill state. "…! Sophie!" He was about to stand up but at the same time, he felt as if he needed to restrain himself from overdoing anything. Then, he said, "You don't look well. Are you okay?"

The turquoise-haired girl opened her eyes and let off a strained smiled as she glanced at the blond. "I'm fine, really. I was just a little tired from everything today. That's all. You do need to worry about me, Ren."

Ren found himself frowning. "But I do worry about you. You're my fiancée, and evidently the woman I'm going to marry without any regrets, because…" His eyes were filled with pain as he gazed at betrothed, but he had to urge himself forward. "Because I love you more than anyone else in the world, Sophie. You mean more to me than any flower and plant I've ever seen. Without a second thought, I would also throw away my life long research if you weren't in my life. I wouldn't have any other reason to be alive if it meant you were pushing yourself too much." If Ren could conjure up the power to cry, he may have done it without any limitations on himself. But he didn't due to his docile qualities. "All I really want… is to be with you—to be by your side for as long as I can, Sophie." He shook his head. "No. What I want more than that is to embrace everything I can for both our sakes, and to overcome our struggles together, in order for the two of us to live the lives we desire. With you, I believe there is still hope to resolve your familial conflicts, and change the impossible."

As Sophie's eyes slightly widened, she understood Ren's words of enlightenment. She, too, felt they could prevail against the obstacles standing in their way [of happiness]. Shortly afterward, he placed her curled hand over her chest and stared back at her fiancé. "Ren…" She was deeply affected as well, as she loved the only man who was hers and hers to be with for infinity. "I…" She stood up from her seat, dropping her notebook on the floor when a huge pain in her chest started to torment her. She immediately clutched her fist towards her bust, leaving the sketchbook's pages flying over one another as she writhed in a resistance that sent her nerves flaring with pressure. Sophie could sense herself succumbing to her illness but was still putting her own effort into her body to keep from falling to her knees. "…!"

Without hesitation, Ren rushed to the mangaka's side. "Sophie!" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in to a hold of guarding, appearing like a knight who wanted to keep the woman he was in love with safe.

This seemed to have some type of effect, as Sophie was able to calm down. It was as if Ren's warmth healed her, and she was steadily regaining her breath. At the same time, Yamato had bent down and picked up the notebook containing her personal thoughts and emotions, also allowing the auburn-haired man to see what was written on the page. Ren turned his head around to look at what his friend was holding, only to be taken aback slightly by what he saw because he knew exactly what Sophie had written down. Until then, he had been the only person who truly contained knowledge of the younger girl's most inner feelings.

"...Yamato," the blond called out. "Don't read that any farther than you've already done. It's very important to me and to Sophie."

Yamato glanced at Ren with a bewildered expression. "Ren? What do you mean?"

Ren's stern appearance showed up as soon as he heard the last inquiry. "Forgive me for saying this, but I don't want you to read Sophie's journal entries that are inside the sketchbook. It's actually more painful for her than you'd think. Not many know her true feelings which have influenced her works in the past. There's a reason she wrote and published your favorite literature, but within those novels are true stories."

Sophie stirred a little and nodded in Ren's arms, signaling her awakening. She opening her eyes and acknowledged her fiancé's words. "That's correct."

Once again, Yamato's eyes widened. "Sophie? You're awake?"

Airi, who as watching with Lia and Kunihiko, frowned somewhat irritably. "Yamato, did you really just ask that? Wasn't it kind of obvious that she was recovering from her heart attack not too long ago?"

Lia, on the other hand, giggled at Yamato's obliviousness. "Heehee." She had placed her right hand [which was curled] near the side of her face. "I guess that's your focal point, Yamato-san. Being dense at a time like this is certainly charming about you. I think I finally understand what Mashiro liked about you, other than your kind nature towards her."

Yamato's eyes were still wide as he stared at the two girls, but directed his next words at the green-haired idol. "Huh? Are you psychic or something, Lia? It hasn't been long since we met and you're already spot on about everything."

Lia kept on smiling as she returned the older man's gaze. "Hmm. I don't believe you can precisely conclude that about me, but in a way, it's more of a strong intuition females tend to develop over time. It's probably because we mature at a quicker rate than men do. Still, I don't think your answer is wrong due to the fact I can easily sense a person's emotions by reading them. All it takes is one glance and I'll be able to acquire a vast amount of knowledge about them. So in other words, perhaps I am like a psychic—not that I'm a hundred percent sure about that speculation. Though, there are those who have thought I was one, despite my denial about it."

"Huh…" Yamato was still mystified by what he heard, but couldn't truly reject the possibility, either. Then, he turned his focus back towards Ren and Sophie.

But.

The turn of events provoked the light purple-haired girl.

"Hey." Another frown was manifested on Airi's face, but this time, she was a bit angry about Yamato's actions. "Don't ignore me, Yammy!" And of course, she had to call him by that nickname. "I'm still here, you know!"

Mutually, Yamato was currently irate about hearing his dreaded name being compared to a yam. With folded arms against his thoracic region, he scowled at the younger idol. "Didn't I tell you not to call me by that name? Man, you're just like Saeki. Like boyfriend, like girlfriend, huh? I guess that's more than enough to make you a 'perfect' couple." His face returned to a neutral form and his shoulders relaxed themselves. "Anyway, it's not like I try to ignore people most of the time; I'm more worried about Sophie at the moment. She wasn't feeling well, and it's something I can't leave alone because she's part of our group." He glanced back at the engaged couple with a disturbed expression spilling with anxiety all over.

Sophie looked at the auburn-haired man and smiled lightly. "You know… I'm not as weak as to ask for your concern, young man. I don't need it, either. As long as Ren's with me, then I'll be fine. This sort of thing isn't uncommon since I was born like this, anyway. However, I must thank you for your genuine amity towards me. I wasn't expecting it, but perhaps Mashiro's kindness has rubbed off on you. But you wouldn't believe her harsh character if you had met her back in high school." She glanced down at the floor before saying, "After enrolling in Seishin, she became stricter as time went on. Though this is only a presumption, Mashiro could have a personality disorder."

Almost every else in the room were astonished once they heard the last sentence; Kunihiko wasn't surprised, though.

"What?" came out of Yamato's mouth.

"Eh?" Was Lia's response.

Airi shouted, "Huh?!"

And Ren was speechless. "…" Then, he said, "…Is that true?"

Sophie frowned. "It's possible, but as a presumption, it's not likely that she has one. On the contrary, Mashiro's personality seems to be similar to that of the conscientious obsessive-compulsive personality disorder; in spite of how she is, she isn't trying to be perfect in what she does. Her strictness, on the other hand, is what attracts a person's attention, making her an incarnation of Seishin's heroism. Shuu once theorized Mashiro as Seishin's soul, a person born from the academy all of a sudden, in order to become a sword and shield unlike any other."

"What does that even mean?" Yamato's stiffness overtook him as he kept listening. "A sword and shield… Is Mashiro supposed to be a blood knight until the war is over? Is that it?"

"You're not getting the point of this," the turquoise-haired girl replied. "Airi Hirabayshi already mentioned this, but Mashiro is—" She was soon interrupted by the vibration of her cell phone, so she reached into her pocket with her left hand and flipped her mobile device open. Sophie's eyes widened after reading the message.

It read:

Sender: [Shuu Ohara]

To: Sophie Kanzaki

Subject: An Important Matter

Pardon my abrupt text, Kanzaki-san. There is something I must reveal to you. It's about Tsuneha-san, you see. I have just received information on her memory loss of the young man from before, as well as of the ordinary life she had with you all in Azabu.

…

Actually, this is far worse than I had imagined. I must also apologize to you and all of your friends for being so careless as to let her go alone with your grandmother. After I found Tsuneha-san the night she and her husband had their argument, we came back to our base. Once she explained to us what had happened, she insisted on having her memories of her carefree days erased. In return for that, she wanted her memories of her time at Seishin Academy back, and there was one conclusion she could think of at the top of her head.

…That's right. The Kanzaki estate. Neither did the rest of us, nor Tsuneha-san, know why her memories may have been hidden at the very place you dreaded. However, her intuition was accurate. We met up with your grandmother shortly after and she agreed to give our Leader's memories back on one condition: Tsuneha-san had to sacrifice her most recent memories, along with the ones before we graduation—the few days before we had any information of the abandoned factory. The reason I know this is because the butler your elder sister sent out was overwhelmed with guilt from hiding anything about it, so he met up with me and told the truth. Kanzaki-san, I do regret the fact I was not able to persuade Tsuneha-san to stir away from accepting your grandmother's wish to speak with her without any other company. I don't ask for your forgiveness, but what I do ask of you is that you will do what you believe is correct no matter what reality shoots at you. So please. Don't ever think of me as your former comrade anymore, just as a youth named Shuu Ohara.

Knowing what had to be done, Sophie's will and resolve fueled her body into pursuing a new task. She closed her flip phone and put it back in her pocket. After that, she backed out of Ren's hold and turned her head rapidly in Kunihiko's direction. "Kunihiko-sama. You left the door opened, right?"

Kunihiko was confused by the mangaka's behavior, but affirmed to her question. "Huh? Oh. Uh, yeah. Do whatever you want, Sophie."

Without an answer, Sophie picked up her pace and dashed the underground pathway, swiftly making her way to her family home. Everyone else was stunned by her abnormal change. It wasn't like her to rush into anything, yet it was flashing that they had to go after her.

And they did.

Ren and everyone else chased after Sophie, but knew she was most likely inside the residence by the time they decided to follow her. Eventually, they were finally able to go inside.

"…Man, she's fast…" Yamato panted and huffed from lack of energy. "…I can't even imagine what made her go back here. It's so far from Kuni's place."

Airi winced, leaving only her right eye opened and placing her hands on her knees. "But…" There was a huff from her. "…If she came back, it…" And another huff. "…It's gotta be really urgent…" She panted for a few more seconds before regaining her breath and standing upright. "I don't know what's going on, but I have a feeling it may be major for us. Not just for Sophie; we might have to find out about what's going on as well in the case it could be related to Shiro."

Lia nodded. "Yeah. I have a strong premonition in my chest, too. It's as if something's squeezing my heart to let me know that this could be dire."

"Ren, lead the way," Kunihiko instructed with a grim expression. He too, did not like the sensation they all had. "I think you might be able to find where Sophie is."

"Already on it," the blond replied. It was true that he had been walking forward ahead of the others, but within a matter of seconds, he came to a study, and slid the wooden door open.

Inside the room was an elderly woman in a white kimono and…

"Sophie!" Ren shouted.

It was like the two women didn't notice him or anyone else while they spoke, and they carried on their conversation.

"Tell me why you did this," the turquoise-haired girl demanded. Sophie's expression was one of calmed fury and her eyebrows were drawn together to accompany her unpleasant attitude towards the older woman in front of her.

The same woman the mangaka spoke to smiled ignorantly. Like Sophie and Cheryl, she also had turquoise hair and iced eyes, but her fringes were parted in the middle, wearing her hair in a bun on the back of her head. "Oh? Whatever do you mean, my dear grandchild? Surely, you must be weary from your time away from home. Why don't you rest here while you can before returning to your life in the city? It will cure you of your stress and brighten your spirits to a full degree."

Sophie's eyes narrowed. She was definitely not happy with her grandmother's patronizing tone. "That's not what I meant. You of all people know that and you're trying to toy with me even after all these years. But." She felt herself tremble with the utmost frustration and pent-up anger she was trying to prevent from seeping out in an explosion. "To think you would request for Mashiro to be alone with you only to erase her memories is unforgivable. I don't care if she agreed to go through with it; I just want to know the answer to all of this, starting with why you gave her that condition in the first place. I can comprehend the fact she had yearned for the day when she could remember everything from before, and yet…" Despite her boiling emotions, Sophie could sense the emergence of a sad sensation bursting within her chest. Newly formed tears began to sit on her lower eyelids before skiing down her cheeks. "She didn't have to do this… Mashiro didn't have to make any more sacrifices on herself. Although it isn't my privilege to make her choices for her, I wanted her to live a life without being bound to any duties because she… because Mashiro was always tied to the responsibilities of her family." She balled her hands into fists. "And you placed her back into those same obligations when she could have been freed from them! Your foolhardy beliefs went against Seishin Academy's former principal's will, and you did the exact opposite of what you were told, you horrible old woman!"

Sophie's grandmother frowned with gruesome dissatisfaction and narrowed her eyes at her granddaughter. "Quiet, you. I did what was right due to who she is, rather than act out and run away like you did. It is no wonder you were born as the disgrace of the family. You may be my son's precious child, but you are nothing compared to him, as well as your sister. The one who should be to blame for your reckless burden of a birth is none other than your mother. It was a good thing I chased the lot of you two out; however, the only remorse I have is the fact my son went along with you and your mother, despite my orders to keep him here. As if it wasn't heartbreaking enough, I had to raise Cheryl without a paternal figure. Only you were the one who had a set of parents to look after you, but not her. How revolting can you be to take away the very man who should have been here for your elder sister, you parasite?"

"You had Grandfather to help you, didn't you?" Sophie serenely bit back. "It's not like you raised my sister by yourself, so you don't even have the right to say there wasn't any male who brought her up to be the heiress of the family. And you also had multiple servants in the house, too. What kind of excuse must you give to defend your own pride, Grandmother?—Well? Are there really any words to add to that to fuel your pompous deed?"

Sophie's grandmother could sense her temper rising to its fullest at a rapid rate before finally letting it out on the younger of the two. "I believe I told you to be quiet, Sophie. Now that is enough out of you, do you hear me?! Don't you dare talk back to your grandmother like that you little rodent!" At that moment, she lifted her right hand up and was about to hit Sophie, who did not flinch at all.

…

Immediately as she was about to do so, someone who held Sophie dear to them blocked the attack with their corresponding hand. And that person was…

"Ren?!" Sophie herself was in disbelief that her fiancé had swiftly appeared in front of her in order to stop the trivial impact of the upcoming slap. She would not have cared if she had received the hit, but seeing Ren protect her was something she had not anticipated at any given point of her life. "Why are you here? I should be standing against my grandmother's hand, not you."

And yet, Ren did not budge. "No. You can't think like that, Sophie. Aren't you already hurt from everything that relates to your family? If you had gotten hit by your own grandmother's hand, would you still be putting up a strong front? I'm positive you wouldn't be able to muster up the courage to be as calm as you usually are if it had taken place. I know you, Sophie. I'm always with you, in mind and soul. I can sense your feelings because I'm with you, don't you understand? In truth, you don't actually want to be here; you want to avenge everything that's happened to you and your parents, but now isn't the best time for this. Don't try to solve your problems by yourself. If you can't depend on anyone, can you even depend on yourself?"

"…" Sophie knew Ren was right, but it continued to hurt her deep within since it was the truth. The next thing she was certain of was the fact her tears had come back. As she stared at the researcher's back, she said, "…It's not like I wanted this. I never wanted to be made into an exiled heiress just for being my mother's daughter, and you of all people know that, Ren. I… I've always wanted to be treated with kindness from my grandmother, but that was never achieved, so why am I the only one who's unwelcomed here? Out of the two of us, why couldn't I live a life like my sister's, even if it was only for a day? Am I not a member of the Kanzaki family? So why… does this have to be the way it is?"

Then, her grandmother grunted. "Oh, spare yourself the waterworks. Asking for better treatment from me isn't going to save you, nor will it save your friend from anything. I pity the fact you were chosen to be the young prince's bride in the first place, instead of Cheryl. She was always the most sophisticated twin, and she still is compared to you. How could his parents not pick her? She meets the satisfaction of the world with no troubles, unlike you. It doesn't matter whether or not you are loved by me. You, Sophie, are simply the burden of this family. No great family needs two heiresses. Ridding the Kanzaki bloodline of your existence was an act of goodwill, not self-righteousness."

With her will pulverized by her grandmother's severe words towards her, Sophie could no longer face her. Another flood of tears streamed down her visage, and she turned around. She darted out of the room, along with the rest of the household, quickly returning to the city without a second thought.

Ren instantly knew that it was too heartwrenching to bear for the turquoise-haired girl and turned his head around when his fiancée left. "Sophie!" he called after her, running to find the girl who was always composed and refined with a tranquility like no other.

Sophie's grandmother let out a sigh. "How foolish. To become so riled up as to cause a scene in the house of all places. This is why I don't approve of her presence in my home. She does not belong here, but in the polluted airs of Tokyo with her mother, but not my son. Tsk, tsk. If only she were never born. Cheryl would have benefitted from such a fine marriage if not for her."

Just then, Yamato stepped up. "Now hold on just a second." He came from the direction of the sliding doors with a serious expression on his face. "What should it matter to you if Sophie's here? I know you're her grandmother, but still. No one should be treated the way you are towards her. That's just unjust since she's your family, and you should know better than to crush her feelings like that."

"Just who do you think you are to lecture me?" the elder woman questioned with an irate manner. "It isn't any of your business to speak to me about that wretch. She does not deserve a speck of my concern, nor should she receive any from anyone else. She is nothing more than a piece of trash who was thrown into my life, and it was all her mother's fault."

"That's not true," Yamato retorted.

"What?"

"There's no way it's not any of my business," Yamato firmly argued. "Sophie's an important part of my life, and not just mine. She's filled a huge part of Ren's void and even though I don't love her romantically like he does, I still think she's a good mentor for the of us. She's helped me realize that I shouldn't take things for granted, because… it led to Mashiro's involvement in the Seishin-Rose war between the Guardians from Seishin Academy and Rose Blade. Yet…" He paused, gazing at the cold eyes that had the ability to pierce through one's soul. "I still hope for the chance to meet my wife again no matter what. We might have had a form of miscommunication before, but I want to see Mashiro once more if possible."

"Hmm…" the Kanzaki twins' grandmother contemplated. "So, you are the Tsuneha girl's…" It wasn't difficult to notice, but her eyes were now focused on the auburn-haired man for intentionally slipping a true portion of information to her.

Sophie jolted back into Long Island and continued to make her way outside, skimming past Takao and Takamasa as they were about to turn and walk into the sports dining bar. As she kept running, they were both filled with surprise, unable to fathom what was going on. Then, they saw Ren go past them, which also confused their minds. On the other hand, they both decided to leave the couple be and entered the bar.

Within a matter of minutes, Ren had finally caught up to Sophie, taking hold of her left hand in his matching one, stopping her in her tracks. "Sophie," he called out in a softer voice than when he spoke to her earlier inside the Kanzaki residence. Before saying anything else, he stared at her. Then, he added, "Will you listen to what I have to tell you?"

It felt as though an eternity passed, but… Eventually, Sophie nodded without facing Ren. "Un. Because it's you, I'll hear you out. I won't go anywhere, so go ahead." She appeared to have reflected on some things and was waiting for her significant other to speak once more.

So, he did. After a few more seconds passed by, that was. Ren averted his gaze down a bit and said, "I know it's been tough for you to deal with your family problems, and I've also had my share of them, as you already experienced a long time ago. And yet, I want to be there for you like you the time you were there for me. Sophie, we're engaged and we've stayed that way since we were in high school. But that engagement period is nearing its end as we're still in May, and before we get married next month, I want you to rely more on me. It's true I said this perhaps a bit too late. However—I really do feel this way and not towards just anyone—only to you, Sophie." He smiled faintly and inquired, "Do you know why? I've told you many times already and I'll continue to confess this to you: My heart beats faster and faster than it did before I met you solely because of my love for you. You alone are able to move my very being without having to do much, and even when you become drastic, your actions and behavior have an ecstatic effect on me to the point where I feel as though I have achieved an exploding sensation where my heart is—like a cardiac firework show inside my chest." Indeed, the blond felt his cheeks budding with shades of pink as he kept smiling tenderly. "I love you, my darling May flower, my one and only love, Sophie Kanzaki. No matter how many times we encounter one another in this cycle of life and beyond, I'll always save my affections for you."

Instantaneously, the sound of laughter was brought to Sophie's lips; she held her right hand by the side of her face, creating a gesture full of cute and sweet happiness. "Haha, that's so cheesy, Ren; when and where have I heard the cardiac words of your love before?" She had already turned around a bit to look at the researcher she was in love with dearly. "At the same time, doesn't it make you feel disgusted saying and hearing them out loud? If anyone like Airi Hirabayashi heard that come out of your mouth, they'd be pretty appalled, you know. Think about what you're gonna say before actually speaking any words." The turquoise-haired girl was quite amused to listen to those strangely sweet words which she heard once before during the days the two of them had been together years ago. Her facial expression relaxed and she added, "But thanks for loving me the way you do, Ren. You make your love for me sound so weird, it's like I'm the only one who can understand what you're trying to imply, even if it's a little repulsive for some people to decipher the meaning behind it. Likewise, I love you more than I would have ever imagined." Sophie's shoulders fell as if a load was finally taken off of them, and she paused before making her way in to Ren's arms which slowly wrapped around her. Feeling the transfer of thermal energy from her fiancé's chest to hers, she closed her eyes and buried her face onto her lover's chest. Seeing as Ren knew there were unfinished words on the mangaka's part, he allowed her to resume. "I was always afraid," the exiled heiress told him. "I wanted to depend on you more than anything, but I didn't want you to see me at my weakest state. It was the most painful decision I made while I was hesitating to let you know about my own troubles, rather than confronting them. So, thank you for everything—for being by my side and for caring about how I felt all this time. I love you more than anyone else in the world, Ren. I always will."

As Sophie entangled her arms around Ren's back, the blond gave himself away, permitting himself to embrace the one he loved with silent regard for her. The time they spent holding each other was like that of eternity, but only for two as close and affectionate as they were to their betrothed.

Takamasa and Takao, on the contrary, were still unsure of what they witnessed earlier, as they stayed inside the quiet bar, pondering where Kunihiko and the others could have gone to.

"Huh…" Takamasa had a perplexed expression on his face. "Guess everyone's got unfinished business at the moment. The thing is," his eyes lowered and wasn't very… energetic to know he was all alone. With Takao. He frowned unpleasantly, "my girlfriend isn't here when I'm around, but you're here with me, so there's got to be one explanation. Do you know what it is?" He had not even glanced at the lawyer who was standing next to him.

"Uh…" Takao trailed off with a dumbfounded look. Then, he laughed fretfully with closed eyes. "Sorry. Can you just tell me already what you're thinking of? I have no clue as to what you really need to say."

Again, without shifting his eyes' focus at Takao, the scriptwriter continued his speech. "Elementary, my honorable partner in crime!—my substitute for Watson, you are!" His manner of talking was as deep as a detective's, and was certainly peculiar for even his usual character. "Alas, I must reveal to you what your mind cannot envision. So, I will tell you finally: Airi, along with Kuni, Yamato and the others may be down where my fellow friend Kanzaki once resided for a short time. To paraphrase it for your ears of stupidity to hear, all of our comrades are at the Kanzaki household right now, excluding Kanzaki herself and Ren." He turned his head to his left, giving Takao a staid visage. "Do you now understand?" he asked in a smooth tone of voice, as though he were quite the sexy actor one would see on a drama series.

Takamasa's voice changes surprised and shocked the lawyer, who nodded. "Yeah, well, let's get going, shall we?" Takao's eyes had the sensation of almost popping like bubblegum that was blown to a full bubble, and he was putting an effort into keeping himself from giving away with utmost astonishment.

Satisfied, the handsome scriptwriter grinned and closed his eyes before making his way with his dense friend to the door in the back of the bar.

While still inside one of the plentiful rooms of the Kanzaki estate, Yamato gazed into the icy eyes of the elder woman. He was not afraid of her, but was cautious as to what he would say next.

"Although I was rude to have told you my personal opinions towards your granddaughter," he responded, "I do not believe you can take your own blood relations lightly, especially when she's so young. Like everyone else in the group we belong to, Sophie is still maturing into an adult with her own life and emotions. Her feelings are just as important as anyone else's, and no one could replace her, nor can anyone take away Mashiro's place. There is also something I want to ask of you, if you'll allow me to, of course." His eyes clearly showed how much he desired to at least give an enquiry, and even Sophie's grandmother could sense his longing to ask.

So, she replied to the auburn-haired teacher in front of her. "What is it, husband of the Tsuneha girl? Surely, you must be dying to question me of something dire to you, so get out with it and throw the beans down already. My soul is not very patient with the likes of that little scoundrel's weight here from before, and it still wishes to snipe at her."

Yamato nodded, and requested, "Is it true you erased Mashiro's memories of her time in Tokyo as a girl who came to live out a new life there?" His anguished curiosity caught the better of him, and he knew as long as the circumstances surrounding him bore any trace of his wife's previous presence, he would like to find out what he could—as much as he could—about her. Mashiro meant more than the entire universe to him, and the urge to see her again was far too great for his core to take. "I… I hadn't realized how I truly felt towards her until she disappeared from my world, but as of each passing split second, I want to know as much as I can about her. I've always been a foolish person to take everything for granted and use what I could as tools—as if they were nothing but a benefactor for me. But not anymore. No matter what reason you had to do what you did, I'll keep searching for my prayers to be answered. It's because she's too irreplaceable to me, and to Sophie and everyone else she's met that I'm saying these words. Mashiro became the center of my world, which is why I want to learn about her in hopes of remembering her. You may think it's none of my concern, but I beg to differ. After all, Mashiro someone who can never be erased in anyone's mind, spirit, heart, and that goes for everyone who's ever loved her for who she is, including myself."

With only a cold, stoic expression on her face, Sophie's grandmother frowned. "I see." She admitted, "It's true that she allowed herself to have me erase her memories for the sake of cooperating with her former schoolmates. Nevertheless, she is the successor of her family, and as a Tsuneha, she must abide by what fate has decreed for her. It has always been her duty to lead the Guardians she is affiliated with and protect her mother's legacy. She herself could never fight against what is inevitable. Without a doubt, even today, her late mother is watching over her, guarding her from getting killed."

Yamato's eyes widened. "? Mashiro's mother…?"

"Oh?" the old woman of the Kanzaki family spurted out. "Do you not know her mother was the former principal of the academy?"

Yamato frowned sternly. "Of course not. Mashiro never mentioned anything about it. But about what you just said… Could she really be her mother? And what about Mashiro's father?" His questions swirled around in his head, trying to make sense of what he heard. "What role could he have towards Seishin Academy and Mashiro?"

"Rather than interrogating me about the Tsuneha girl, why don't you look into her family background when everything is over between her band of soldiers, and that criminal organization called Rose Blade?" It was clear to Sophie and Cheryl's grandmother what was more important at the moment, but Yamato knew for a fact that she was right. There was never enough time to find out everything one desired, only to utilize whatever someone had wisely.

"…" the auburn-haired man glanced at those same pale, icy-cold eyes which could freeze anything in their path and nodded to himself. He knew, he had at least one more thing to say. "I need to reassert myself. Once again, I'll declare my love for Mashiro. In front of you, and everyone else who may be listening." He stopped for a few seconds, but then, he was fully prepared to speak his following words. "I love Mashiro, my wife. She has become my one and only love, and has always been since the night I met her. I was pretty dense when it came to my feelings for her at the beginning, but somehow, I knew a part of me couldn't resist being with her, so I stole her first kiss while she was sleeping, and let myself fall in love for the first time. I denied my love for her when everyone teased me, but that didn't stop me from entangling my central focus towards her, and it still hasn't. Contrary to what anyone thinks about my feelings for her, I can't give her up, and I won't. Because I miss her, and I want to see her once more, my heart will never change for Mashiro. She has all of my fond affection, and that's something no other woman has a hold of." He smiled since everything he said was accurate, and he was proud of himself for acknowledging those emotions that were once buried deep within him. "If she had never been in my life, I would not have known what it was like to love someone, and I would never had coped with what drove me to be the person I was before I met her."