After the duel had finished, everyone had logged out, finding themselves in Art's man cave, the blonde had made some tea for them in the meantime, and now it was cold. A waste. But oh well, he was curious.
"So?" Art asked, then saw Akira's downed expression. "I take it the younger couple won then." he noticed.
Akira simply sat on the couch again and struggled to speak for a few seconds before saying "yes… they won." With a look of regret on his face.
"A deal is a deal, mate, so you have to leave those 2 alone." Art said.
"No way… there's no way I can give up! Aoi is my sister! It's my job to take care of and protect her!" Akira shouted out with much emotion.
"Brother… I understand how you feel. Please believe me, I do. So I hope that you can try to understand how I feel as well. Yusaku is a man who has struggled so much in his life and has gone through a lot of suffering just like we have, no even more so than us because of the Lost Incident. When we first met, I considered him to be a sad presence to be around because of his attitude but over time, I've come to truly understand why he is the way he is. He's just like me. Lonely and in a lot of pain. But despite all of the pain that he was and the ambition of vengeance he once had, he never stopped protecting me and everyone else, including you. He even went so far as to defeat his partner, Ai, in order to do so. Ever since then he's been in so much pain which is why he only logged into Link Vrains once in 4 months despite the fact that Playmaker meant so much to him." Aoi said while looking at Yusaku.
"But, Aoi, why? Why did you run away from home? Why go to his house if he's feeling so much pain? You don't need to put yourself down for his sake!" Akira tried to reason.
"See, this is why you don't get it. I ran away from home because you treated me like a bird trapped in a cage! I had no freedom! I couldn't do anything I wanted! I know you did it with good intentions in mind but you never even considered how I felt about it! Do you know why I was in so much pain and depressed at home? That's the reason! I absolutely hated it! I tried my best to accept all of it through Link Vrains, but when you took that away from me, I had nothing left! I couldn't even enjoy being Blue Maiden because of your selfish desire to keep me locked away from the world! I couldn't take it anymore so I had to get out of there! I do admit that I regret leaving you to feel such pain when you didn't know where I was and I'm sorry for that, but I was done being in that cage! Ever since I went to Yusaku's place and started living with him, I've been happy! These have been the happiest days of my life! I've felt truly alive for the first time since I was a child! He could have easily turned me away and thrown me back into your cage but he instead chose to give me the freedom that I've wanted for so long! I've started to learn how to cook, gone to see a horror movie at the cinema, and have even started working to help get by! I feel like a normal girl now! And for that, I'm eternally grateful to Yusaku. He's the one man that has constantly been there to make my life better. How could I not fall for him after all that? I love him and will never abandon him, no matter what. Not even if you ask me to brother." Aoi said with possibly the most amount of emotion that she's ever used to speak. She of course loves her brother but she wanted him to understand and accept her decision. For her to be happy with the man she loves.
Akira stared stunned at her, but alas, Art was the one to speak. "Your sister is no little girl anymore, mate. She is old enough to answer for herself now, and if anything I think you should at least be at ease knowing this guy right here didn't bang her on the first night." Art said, making Yusaku sigh.
"Art is right Akira. Aoi is 17 years old now and has shown the ability to clearly be able to make her decisions. I must admit, I was hesitant about the whole living together thing at first but now, I couldn't imagine my life anymore without Aoi in it. When I lost Ai I was completely broken and didn't have any more ambition in life. Without her, I might even be dead by now for sticking to eating only hotdogs to get by. But she took the broken pieces of my heart and placed them back together. She gave me what I needed. The love and trust from another person that only someone like her could give. She's by far the best woman that I've ever met, and the only one that I can really say this about or towards. I love her. So that's why, no matter what happens, even if bounty hunters, the police, or even you come to take her away against her will, I will do everything to stop it, including risking my life. I don't intend to ever lose something precious to me again, no matter what the personal cost I must make." Yusaku said with more conviction than Akira, Emma or Art had ever seen from him before. Aoi knew that this was really Yusaku. Not the envoy of vengeance, but a simple man who has found something precious to him and will defend it to the death.
"Damn right!" Art exclaimed.
Slowly, however, they heard a chuckle. Low at first, but then it grew it. Akira was laughing. "Why are you laughing, Akira?" Emma asked.
"Because this entire situation is, more lack of a better word, upside down." He said looking down. "I'm supposed to be the adult here-"
"Hey!" Art shouted.
"- and yet, I am getting a pep talk from 2 teenagers." He finished.
"Brother!" Aoi said as she, Yusaku, and even Emma were surprised at Akira's reaction.
Akira sighed. "I guess you really are not a little girl anymore…" He stood up, fixing his clothes to look more formal. "Very well. You have my blessing."
"Brother, thank you! I love you so much!" Aoi said with now tears of happiness stream down her face as she lept towards and hugged her older brother.
"I see that I've been putting too little faith in you Aoi. I've been a terrible older brother to you. Is there… anything I can do to make you forgive me?" Akira said as he himself was now crying which was incredibly rare for such a serious man such as himself.
Aoi with tears of happiness still streaming down her face kept her right arm around her brother in a hug while she used her left arm to wipe the tears from his eyes.
"Brother, it's ok. It's not like I hate you. I understand that you were just trying your best to protect me because you didn't want me to get hurt or even worse. I promise that I'll come to your office and see you as much as possible. I love you so much, brother!" Aoi said as she shifted her focus back to hugging her brother.
"Aoi, I love you too!" Akira said with now tears of happiness streaming down his face as he proceeded to hug his younger sister back.
Art cleared his throat. "As much as I enjoy this heart-warming moment, mind if I remind you that your sister is currently working for me? And it is her shift as well right now." Art pointed out. "I wouldn't like to lose business because of this. I had 4 clients while you were dueling, after all."
"Oh, of course," Akira said as he took some distance from Aoi and cleared his throat. "I guess I do have to go back to the office as well."
"Have a good day, brother," Aoi said, her brother smiling at her.
"You too, Aoi. And Yusaku?" He turned to the boy, who looked back at him. "Take care of my sister...Or else." Akira said, a hint of threat and murderous intent lingering around.
"I will," Yusaku replied.