AN: "In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety."

Thank you for all the love, everyone! Your reviews always make my day! As promised, the chapter is up and it wraps up the lose ties in chapter 9... Mostly:) Onto chapter 10, now!

The equivalence point is when the number of moles of titrant and the number of moles of a solution of unknown concentration find themselves in a stoechiometric raport or, in other words, when the reaction is over. It does not necessarily overlap with the endpoint of a titration.

Chapter 10: Equivalence Point

"So, Okuda-san, we still have two hours until your train leaves. What do you want to do?" Karma asked. He hadn't brought up the incident back in the conference room yet, but he hadn't let go of her until they left the university grounds either, so Manami could tell it weighed on his mind.

She still fidgeted over it, too- what she did put a lot of pressure on their team, but what worried her most was the trouble that annoying fellow was going to bring Karma. She was too busy playing with the ends of her jacket hood to notice Karma stealing a sideways glance at her.

"Okuda-san," he said again, this time much closer to her ear. His breath tickled her skin and Manami's head jerked into his direction. His golden eyes and red hair accaparated her whole vision field, traping her look into his steady gaze. She stilled under the calm and confidence in his eyes, forgetting how to breathe altogether, her whole being focused on the intensity of his stare and their almost touching noses.

"Let's go to a cafe." It didn't sound like a suggestion, but Manami wouldn't have refused either way. Her brain was too preoccupied with processing his scent to give him a proper answer. She had spent so much time with him, yet never so close that she could smell him without sniffing - it was sweet and fresh at the same time, a mystery as hard to crack as Karma himself.

The meeting suddenly seemed very far away.

He straightened up, but Manami's eyes remained on him. She felt an electric spark pulse through her when the tips of their fingers touched, and the tension she hadn't realised accumulated in her shoulders melted away as his hand cupped hers.

"Don't mind Daisuke, he's always a jerk," Karma told her. His eyes were tracking the outline of the skyscrapers, lost somewhere beyond the horizon. If Manami hadn't known any better, she would have sworn that his cheeks coloured rose, and she gave his hand a shy squeeze. It was a tad bit awkward, but he was obviously trying to make her feel better just like she had when he first met her team.

"But we made it through," she said, her voice urging Karma to look at her. "Because I had Karma-kun with me," she added, imprisoning his eyes in hers.

"No, you would have made it anyway," he told her and his mouth curled into a smile. "Being together just makes it more enjoyable," he said and wove his fingers tightly with hers. She mirrored the smile, and hoped to never have to let go of his hand.

Postponing the inevitable forever became a favourite pastime of theirs without either of them noticing- or agreeing to it.

"It's strange," she mused. "I feel like there's nothing I can't do if I'm with you."

"You say that because the meeting is over. Shall I remind you how confidenceless you were before?" She pouted at his smirk, but acknowledged the truth in his words nonetheless. "That's why, Okuda-san, you should trust yourself more. You stood up for both of us back there."

"Because I knew you had my back."

"I'll always have your back. Even when I'm not physically there."

Hope lit up her eyes and she searched his face to check the truth behind his words. Always sounded better than maybe. "Is that a promise?"

"It is," he said and tugged on her hand to bring her closer. "And it's as true as the fact that I'll take you to the place that serves the best honeycomb toffee you have ever tried." Karma grinned widely and she mirrored him again, ignoring the cold that bit away at her bare teeth.

Perhaps they could even go against nature if they were together.

Akari called back two hours after Nagisa had called. He was correcting Sakura's homework when the phone buzzed. He answered immediately.

"I'm sorry, Nagisa, I was on the set," she said in one breath, and Nagisa quirked an eyebrow. It was Saturday- he thought she had the day off.

"Are you overworking yourself again?" he asked with genuine concern.

"Not at all!" The wide smile broke her phrase into inconsistent gushing. "I've got a role in a movie! And they managed to get the crowded temple in Kyoto for us this weekend!" Nagisa found it very hard not to give in to the smile that was playing around his lips because of Akari's contagious excitement.

"So you'll be working throughout the weekend?"

"Yes, but I have the next one free, so I was thinking we can go to Manami-chan's fair. If you want to go with me, that is. Oh and if you're free of course, but I-"

"I'd love to," Nagisa assured her and heard her relieved sigh on the other end of the call. She sounded healthy and enthusiastic, and Nagisa's worry evaporated into happiness for his friend. This could well be her lucky break, and she more than deserved it. He also knew that people could work more when they did something they loved without their body being taxed by the constant pressure.

"Then we'll go on Saturday?" Akari asked with the same enthusiasm.

"Sure. I have classes in the morning, but I'm free after 2. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes~" she singsonged. Nagisa had actually called to tell her about the haircut, but something in her voice made him want to surprise her on Saturday.

"So, what role is it?"

"Oh Nagisa, you won't believe it! It's the role of a spy!" She chuckled and he laughed, cushioning his chin on his palm and dropping the red pen to give her his undivided attention. As she launched into a detailed description of the plot, he stopped fighting the smile After all, Akari was one of the only persons who could put it there.

"You deserve some kind of award, Karma-kun," Okuda said. The toffee on her plate was halfway devoured and the smile on her face grew wider with every new bite. Karma wanted to say that she was the one who deserved an award for how much her attitude could influence his mood, but he bit his tongue. "How did you even discover this place?" she asked, looking around the shop.

"One day of skipping classes and wandering around the city pays off," Karma answered with a smirk. Okuda shot him a look of disapproval. "It's not my fault classes are boring," he defended himself and she rolled her eyes. "Besides, my grades are perfect," he grinned again.

Okuda let out a small sigh and squared her shoulders. "Still, Karma-kun, you shouldn't skip class. It affects your record."

"What fun is a straight record?" he pouted, licking his lips. The aftertaste of cream and strawberries was strong. "Besides, sitting through class means more annoying Daisuke," he lamented and watched her reaction from the corner of his eyes.

She flinched and stammered, barely above a whisper, "Well, he is a jerk."

"So Okuda-san is with me on this one?"

She squinted at him, her brow furrowing as she scrutinised Karma. He allowed her to search for whatever it was that intrigued her so much in his features, staring at her in return: the way she toyed with her spoon; the way her hands were rough from the lab hours and papers, and yet softened whenever he touched them; her frankness that still caught him off guard. There was something bittersweet about taking her in when their time together was limited- it was a one in a lifetime opportunity that Karma wished to become a daily habit.

A sly smile lazily curled on Karma's lips and the creases on her forehead simultaneously dissolved. "I'm with you on this one."

"Only on this one?" Karma's mouth acted before his brain could process what he said. Luckily, it was barely more than an incoherent mumble.

"Did you say something?"

"No," he said and stuffed his mouth with dessert, trying to fool his brain with the sweetness and to shush the voice that was getting louder and louder in his head. Say you'll be with me on every one of my adventures. Embark on this journey with me.

Sugino ran a hand through his hair and checked his bangs in the window, ignoring the city of Kunugigaoka that extended beyond the bus. He doubted this was the time to admire the city of his childhood- and he could barely think of anything but meeting his girlfriend's parents. If not for the word parents in that phrase, he would have been giddy to call Kanzaki his girlfriend. The parental figures were scary enough to dampen that sweet idea, though.

Sugino was so deep in thought that he didn't even hear Kanzaki the first time. "Sugino-kun? It's not too late to turn back, you know?"

"No way." He shook his head categorically, rejecting her suggestion. "We're in this together from now on."

Kanzaki smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Sugino felt an electric shiver crawl its way through his spine. He brushed the fear off, steeling himself for the upcoming dinner. After the shock of Kanzaki kissing him at the airport passed- though he sometimes still wondered if it wasn't only a dream- she told him what had happened.

Her father had apparently arranged a marriage interview with the head of some pharmaceutics company, without bothering to inform his daughter about it beforehand. She only found out on the day itself- the same day when Sugino returned from his practice match in Okinawa. Needless to say, Kanzaki wasn't present at the omiai- and neither party was pleased with that.

So here they were, meeting her father for the first time since the failed omiai. Sugino had never met the man beforehand and he had a very strong hunch this wasn't the way to meet your possible in-laws. He could have been the president of Japan and he still wouldn't have started with the right foot.

"He won't eat you," Kanzaki tried assuring him, doubtlessly feeling his shiver.

"You think?" Sugino mumbled, only half ironic.

"I'm really sorry, this is my mess." She stared at the laces on her boots. "And I shouldn't drag you with me."

"Hey, I was the one who offered to come in the first place. I also need to take responsibility."

"For my decisions?" Kanzaki questioned with a frown.

"For not confessing sooner." A trail of rose adorned Kanzaki's cheeks, but she was nowhere near as flushed as Sugino.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Yukiko breathed in and knocked on the door. "Huuuuuuuge," she heard Sugino whistle from besides her, tightening the grasp he had on her hand. She hoped the size of her home wouldn't put even more pressure on him- his forced calmness told her otherwise.

The door creaked open and they both jerked to position, Sugino even stiffer than before- just a bit more and he'd turn into a rock, Yukiko noticed as she spared him a sideways glance and a new reassuring squeeze. Any tighter and their hands would morfe into one, she also noted.

"Good evening, sir!" Sugino said before the door was even fully opened and bowed deeply. Kanzaki followed his bow, though much lower, and peeked at her father from behind her bangs. She hadn't expected him to open the door- that was a privilege he reserved for the important people stepping into their house.

"Oh my, don't stand there, come in," Yukiko heard her mother say. She straightened herself and stepped in, dragging Sugino with her.

"This is not much, but I hope you'll like it," Sugino said and presented her mother with a small packet.

"How nice! You shouldn't have!" she politely exclaimed and then moved to hug her daughter. "A real gentleman," she whispered so only she could hear. "He might stand a chance, although your father is very angry."

Yukiko gulped and nodded into the hug. Her mother always had her children's back, but she respected the decisions her husband made nonetheless.

"This-" Yukiko pointed to Sugino, who was seemingly engaged in a staring competition with her father- and shrinking into himself as the seconds passed"-is my boyfriend, Sugino Tomohito."

"Pleasure to meet you," the boy bowed again, as if on cue. Her father said nothing.

"Well come on in, Yukiko, Sugino-kun! Dinner is almost ready," her mother continued in her trained polite tone. It was the same voice Kanzaki usually used- the one that pleased her father's ears.

"Is Aki-nii home?" Yukiko asked with a glimmer of hope. Her brother had the uncanny ability of brightening any situation- and he loved Sugino to boot.

"Not yet," her mother answered, leading the way into the dining room. Yukiko felt her heart sink- she had been holding onto her brother's presence as a lifevest. She squared her shoulders and brushed off the uncomfortable feeling- this was something she had to do on her own.

"He's in court," Kanzaki's father spoke up for the first time and he met her look with an icy glare.

"Should I help with the food?" Sugino offered, reading the mood in the room.

"That'd be wonderful," her mother agreed immediately and they disappeared into the kitchen, leaving father and daughter alone.

Kanzaki pondered sitting down at her usual spot, a chair away from her father, but she eventually sat in her brother's, directly to her father's left. She laced her fingers together under the table and looked at him, wondering if she should start by apologising or listen to his admonishing.

She was about to break the tensed silence when her father said, "The way you acted was unexpected, Yukiko." His voice was harsh, but not cutting through her- it was laced with more disappointment then spite. "What was your reasoning?"

There wasn't reasoning, but rather a gut feeling. "I thought marriage should be a choice, not an obligation."

"The fact that you have to make a choice is an obligation in itself," her father said with a hint of remorse, and Kanzaki couldn't help the tug of her heart at the resigned tone. She expected more of a monologue than a confession. Maybe this could work out peacefully. "Me and your mother have an arranged marriage and it turned out just fine."

Before she could humbly say, "I know, Father." he continued. "In addition, you need to marry someone whose name you can take, without feeling ashamed you let go of the Kanzaki name." Kanzaki gritted her teeth- was this about his pride or her future? No, it was about carrying his pride into her future.

Before he could say anything about "healthy grandchildren to inherit the law firm", Yukiko spoke up, "Is this about carrying the weight of my choices in my stead? Or is this about finding a partner that is worthy of the Kanzaki family?" Despite her best attempt to keep her voice steady and emotionless, she hissed the last part. Perhaps she was lucky to be a girl- she was bound to change her family later.

"This is a choice that doesn't only affect you, Yukiko." He reverted to the strong tone so fast that Kanzaki thought the earlier undertones in his voice must have been an illusion.

"Of course not. It affects your reputation." Her common sense issued danger signals, but she drove by them.

"Watch your tone," her father snarled. "You have a reputation too- or would you rather run away from home and your problems like you ran from your omiai?"

"I'd rather discuss this! And I'd rather you discussed it with me too!" she stood up, clenching the table so tight her knuckles turned white. Where was the peaceful solution hidden? "I am perfectly aware that carrying the Kanzaki name comes with responsibilities, but I'm also Yukiko- your daughter who would like to talk to you. Your daughter who was afraid to bring her boyfriend here because you jump to conclusions before you even discuss things with me."

"And I am your father, who has to make sure you don't repeat mistakes-"

"No, Father!" she interrupted him. "You're supposed to watch over me while I make my own mistakes!" Her voice was nowhere near calm now- it was hurt and broke near the end, as she choked on her own words. Maybe she never would have made those mistakes if it weren't for her father.

"Does anybody want dinner?" her mother suddenly stepped in and Yukiko tore her eyes from her father to rest them on Sugino. There was something that urged her to calm down in the way he pinned her with his look. She breathed in deeply, then exhaled a bit of her stress away. She hadn't meant to raise her voice, but her instincts took over, and she realised she had slipped in her gamer- no, her assassin persona.

She didn't meet her father's look as she sat back on the seat to his left and unfolded the napkin in her lap. "Thank you," she said when Sugino placed the plate in front of her. It wasn't only the food she was thankful for.

"So, Sugino-san," her father cleared his throat and picked up his chopsticks, "how did you meet Yukiko?"

"We were classmates in middle school, Sir," he responded, and it was as if all of his prior nervousness had vanished. Yukiko stole a glance at him, and noticed how his features were schooled into a perfect mask, but under the table, his left hand was squeezed into a tight fist, tugging at his pants. The woman bit back a small smile.

"And yet you only started going out recently?" her father questioned. From the displeased tone of his voice, this was going to be a true interrogation- what Yukiko feared the most.

"If I have to be honest, Sir, I've liked Kanzaki-san ever since back then," Sugino said with a nervous laughter.

"But you were too cowardly to ask her out?" her father said. She shot him a displeased look, but he didn't seem to intercept it.

"I'm not proud to admit it, but yes. Kanzaki-san has always been ahead of me, and I didn't want to confess while I wasn't worthy of being her boyfriend." Yukiko looked at him, surprised- she didn't know that. To her, it was Sugino that, in his passion and freedom, was notches above her.

"And what makes you think you are worthy now?" The questions came like bullets, one after the other. Yukiko held her breath as she waited for Sugino to dodge this one, as well.

"Well, being in the public eye puts quite some restraints on what you do, but I've managed to withstand the stress quite well until now. My career also allowed me to realise that what I want to achieve is meaningless until I share it with somebody- and that's why I think I can properly date Kanzaki-san now."

Sugino turned to let Yukiko see that he mirrored her soft smile. She realised he had been so concerned with her situation that he never told her any of this- and she never told him that she held off because of his career, either.

Her father was frowning when he began talking again, "When you say the public eye, what exactly do you-"

"I'm home~" a masculine voice interrupted them. Shortly thereafter, the head of its possessor popped through the door and his face broke into a delighted smile, ignoring the displeased look on his father's face. "Ah, Yuki-chan, you're home! It's been a while."

"Has been indeed, Aki-nii. Won't you join us?"

"Sure. I heard we had a guest tonight so I bought some pastries." His grin widened and he returned to the hall to shrug his coat off.

Sugino's head followed the direction of his "savior"'s voice, gladly indulging himself this small distraction. His fist relaxed, but his hand remained clawed into the fabric of his pants. Yukiko was equally as thankful for the kind smile her brother flashed her as sat down in her usual place, not questioning the switch. The calm he brought in the middle of the storm didn't last long, because the seating switch also meant that her brother sat across from Sugino, and his jaw didn't fail to drop even lower that Yukiko thought was humanly possible without breaking it.

"Aki-nii, please don't freak-"

"Sugino Tomohito is at our table! No way! I must be dreaming! You're the real deal?!" He didn't give Sugino any time to actually react at any of the statements, yet he did male time to accompany his yelps by clapping his hands on the table, as if to prove the excitement was genuine.

Sugino whipped his head to Yukiko, who smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry about him, I told you he's a fan."

"I'm not just a fan, I am a huge fan!" Akihito stressed. "So Yuki-chan wasn't lying- she really does know you!"

"Akihito, what's with the fuss?" their father asked, puzzled by the situation and trying to regain his monopole over it.

"Ah, Father, you should watch something other than the news every now and then!" Akihito was the only one in their family who reproached something to their father, even if half-jokingly. "Although I think Sugino-san was also on the news?"

Sugino scratched the back of his neck. The attention was back on him again, and he shifted under the stern, expectant gazes. "It was just an interview."

"Either way, he's Japan's top rising baseball star!" Akihito told his father, emphasising his words with grand hand gestures. "Most trainers say he'll be making the cut for the national team before he finishes college! By the way, is that true?" Akihito whipped his head back to his subject of interest.

"I certainly hope so, but I still can't match the players there. My pitches need more speed," Sugino admitted, rolling his wrist thoughtfully.

"But that curve you give the ball more than makes up for it! I mean damn, it's almost inhuman!"

Sugino cracked a smile. "My first trainer was pretty inhuman," Sugino admitted and Yukiko chuckled. Korosensei would have been so proud of them, standing up for each other- and ticking one of the couples he so much wanted to see.

"But how come you're in our house? Wait, maybe I should ask for an autograph first!" Akihito scrambled to his feet and ran upstairs before Sugino could react, leaving him alone with their parents again. Yukiko kept in a sigh- couldn't her hot-headed brother wait a bit more for that autograph?

"You're a baseball player?" Kanzaki's father asked once he grasped the reigns of the situation again. "Doesn't that mean you're often away?"

"Pretty much. We have practice matches almost every weekend, and some of them are outside Tokyo."

"So then how do you expect to have time for your family? If you want to be with Yukiko, shouldn't you give up baseball?"

"Father!" Yukiko put both her hands on the table and watched the man in disbelief. He didn't flinch under her shocked- almost outraged- look.

"With all due respect, Sir, I can't give up baseball. It's my life, and I love it as much as I love Kanzaki-san. Time proved that if I really put my mind and heart into something, I could do it- and I don't want to believe there's anybody else that can make Kanzaki-san happy, as much as I want to believe that there is a place for me in Japan's team. There is no basis for my words save for my feelings, but I won't give up either of those, no matter what it takes."

Silence settled in the dining room as the words sunk in. Yukiko's mother brought both of her hands to her mouth- doubtlessly, to hide a grin, the creases around her eyes betrayed her; her brother freezed on the foot of the stairs and her father simply stared at them both. Sugino's face turned a few shades redder, and Kanazaki herself wasn't missing a blush.

"I feel like I've just witnessed something amazing," Akihiko whistled and traversed the distance between him and Sugino in the blink of an eye to pat the man's back. "I like you," he declared and moved his hand to Sugino's head to ruffle his hair. "That mindset is fit for a winner. Wouldn't you agree, father?"

Words failed to express how much gratitude Yukiko felt for her brother. She turned her hopeful eyes to her dad, who pondered the situation for a while longer. "He passes," he sighed in the end.

"Do you mean that, Sir?" Sugino asked with genuine emotion in his voice. When her father nodded gravely, Akihito messed with his bangs further.

"Now take good care of my sister, you hear?"

"Roger!" Sugino said with a grin Yukiko hadn't seen on his face in real life, but only on the TV, when he won a match.

"He's a wonderful young man!" her mother excitedly praised Sugino, who was being monopolised by Akihito for a session of gushing over baseball.

"If only dad thought so too," she sighed and handed her mother another dish to be dried off.

"Yukiko!" her father chose that exact moment to call.

"Guess I'll find out," she mumbled. Her mother gave her an encouraging smile and Yukiko turned off the tap and let the dishes rest, wiping her hands dry. She peeked into the dining room, where her father was reading the newspaper quietly,not having left his chair .

"Sit down," he instructed her and folded his newspaper back. Yukiko obeyed, lacing her fingers together in her lap.

"Father, I'm sorry," she blurted out.

"I'm sorry too." Yukiko's head shot back up to him with an incredulous look. "You see, I've been worried- your mother brought it to my attention that you have the worst luck with men. But this Sugino kid seems to treasure you, so-"

"Thank you, Father." Yukiko placed a hand over his gently, meeting his eyes with a determined and fond look of her own.

If not for her father, she may not have made certain mistakes. And maybe she wouldn't have been with Sugino now. Her mother was right- all things balanced each other out, a good deed for a bad one, until the world was in perfect balance.

"You really said that?" Karma asked his friend, sliding the phone into his other hand to protect himself from frostbite.

"Don't make me repeat it, it's embarrassing!" Sugino grumbled, but Karma only laughed. "It's not funny!" the former-fry admonished the prankster, but without meaning it- Karma's laugh was nothing if not genuine.

"You're amazing, Sugino," Karma wholeheartedly said.

"You too, Karma."

No, Karma pondered, Sugino had surpassed him by standing up like that for himself. He was just like Manami when she didn't allow him to wallow in self-depreciation. A question weighed on his mind as he ended the call and pressed the still warm phone against his chin.

When will I ever be like that?

AN:I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, too:) SugiZaki is a couple that I like and the dynamics of both Sugino and Kanzanki as individual characters are "human worthy", as Karma would put it. Also, I hope Kanzanki's family made sense. Her father was genuinely worried about her luck with men, and her brother is a super Sugino fan:) (and he will definitely speak about his declaration at his little sister's wedding)

As always, thank you!