Kojiro looked down at Rumika, who was still on the ground after Sonansu had gotten up and bounded loyally after Musashi. Kojiro ripped off his tie and threw it on the ground next to her.
"Goodbye Rumika," he said to her in a firm tone. "I never want to see you again."
Rumika sobbed pathetically and looked up at him with defeated eyes. "Go," she sobbed. "Go be with that filthy woman!"
"Please," Kojiro laughed softly. "That woman has more class that you can ever afford to buy." He took off his suit jacket and threw it down next to the tie. "Don't ever come near me again," Kojiro warned before walking away from her.
"Let us go!" both Kojiro's parents shouted at Kiteruguma. "How dare you interfere!"
"How dare you?!" Musashi asked incredulously. "You're the ones who want to force your own son into an unhappy marriage with that madwoman! And for what? Your own benefit! How selfish can you be?"
Musashi looked up at Kiteruguma. "Thank you Kiteruguma," Musashi said. "You can take them inside. We'll meet you back home from here."
Kiteruguma stomped away, both Kojiro's parents in either arm, squirming to get down. "Well," Musashi sighed in relief. "It's nice to see Kiteruguma carrying off someone else for a change."
"Musashi!"
Musashi turned to see Kojiro jogging towards her. "Oh Kojiro!" she cried out. "About time you showed up!"
Nyasu sensed the upcoming awkwardness and led Sonansu to the air balloon. Windie backed away, but watched them from a few feet.
Kojiro stopped when he was just short of Musashi. Breathless, he stared into her eyes for a few moments longer than Musashi was comfortable. Suddenly, he pulled her into an embrace. Musashi gasped in surprise as it was the tightest hug Kojiro had ever given her. She reached around him to hold him and noticed his shoulders were shaking. Taking aback, she realized he was sobbing into her softly.
His sobs soon became louder as he fell to his knees; his embrace pulling Musashi down with him. Musashi continued to hold him, hoping he would calm down. She looked at him with the utmost sympathy, but also felt pangs of guilt, knowing that she could have prevented this from happening altogether. She struggled with the words to say to make the situation better. The only words that came to mind were 'I'm sorry' or 'she can't hurt you no more'.
Before she could say anything, Kojiro blurted out. "I'm so glad you came back!"
"I never should have let her take you, knowing how much of a monster she is," Musashi answered. "Please forgive me for taking so long."
Kojiro sniffed and looked over towards Windie. Windie came bounding over happily. "Is that?" Kojiro asked. "Gar-Chan?"
Windie licked Kojiro affectionately and he laughed. "It is you!" Kojiro took in the large Pokemon before him. "Well, and more!" He made a face and looked at Musashi. "I thought he could only have evolved with a fire stone?"
Musashi grinned sheepishly. "I did ask his permission, you know," Musashi explained. "I knew he would be of much more help if he was in his evolved state." Kojiro continued to beam at Windie. He stood up and looked into his eyes.
"Like always, I have to ask much of you," he said softly to his old Pokemon friend. "Can you look after my parents?" Kojiro asked while looking at his parent's destroyed vacation home. "It looks like they need some help." Windie barked at Kojiro. "If they give you any trouble, I'm sure you can handle it better now, right?" He stroked the Pokemon and hugged him tight. "Thank you, old friend," he murmured. "I'll see you again soon!"
Windie bounded off towards the home, leaving Kojiro and Musashi alone once more. Kojiro smiled shyly and kicked at the ground. Musashi mimicked him. "So," she began. "I know you're waiting for my answer..."
"I already have it," Kojiro replied. Musashi looked confused. "I don't want to make things awkward," Kojiro continued. "but you said that whatever I need you to be, you'll be." He took her hand and held it up. "Most of all, I want to be your partner forever." He brought her hand to his lips, planting a soft kiss. "But, even if I want you to be more than that, I want you to want that as well. Not just to please me."
Musashi blushed. "I don't want things to change between us, especially to make things weird," she replied. "But I want to see how this could be," she smiled hopefully at him. "I'm not sure if I'm ready to say those 3 words yet. But I know I'm close!"
Kojiro leaned in to kiss Musashi but she cried out in alarm. "J-Just a moment! Not in front of Nyasu and the others!"
Kojiro smiled warmly at Musashi. "Then we'll just have to take it slow." He held out his hand. Musashi took it and walked with him together to the balloon.
"Together," she said.