Haru waited patiently for Yusuke to return home so he can help her care for her garden. He arrived a few minutes late, explaining the reason why is due to another escape from Junko's ridiculous attempts pestering him to move in with her, but she knew there must be more to what happened today than he's letting on. Whatever it is, she can see it in his eyes how dreadfully concerned he is if she starts asking him is there more than just Junko's constant harassment. To respect his wishes, she decides to leave it alone, unless it grows worse, she will demand an explanation.

Anyway, they continue caring for the plants on her balcony and see what needs to be done. Yusuke absorbs the knowledge on what to do or not do, nodding. With gentle care, even a tiny seed can awaken, spread its roots and grow up toward the sun. He told her this once about Haru nurturing and caring for the plants like a mother does for her children. And she smiled, aware this is true. Although with Yusuke here, he had unexpectedly become the father.

Haru never considered the possibility of being a mother and Yusuke as the father. Over plants, not actual children. She did her best to try and think of him as her friend because it's more appropriate. Though she didn't stop herself thinking of those beautiful grey orbs gazing down at her with genuine concern yesterday. How her heart raced when she was in his arms. Yusuke is a friend, and he has every right to be concerned for her. So, she guessed that was why she cared deeply for him and what he thought of her.

Those thoughts came to an abrupt end when Yusuke questioned how long has she cared for plants. Haru explained she began doing this on her school rooftop in her first year because one of her teachers asked her to. She was hesitant at first, but she liked it so much that she kept them long past the original request. She started mixing her own fertilizer, adjusting soil ratios and now she raises these plants, including the ones at school, in complete secret. Ren had assured her the school will never find out about it because a Phantom Thief doesn't fret over such trifles.

"Honestly, Yusuke... I really enjoy the time we spend together." The expression on her face suddenly frowns when another unwanted aspect enters her mind. "It's so different from how I feel when I'm around him..." she trailed off sadly, until she notices Yusuke's concern. "Oh, sorry... I meant my fiancé. That reminds me though, I wanted to ask your advice about him."

Yusuke leans in slightly, ready to listen to what she has to say. "Go on."

"This whole arrangement began when my father first introduced us, around the winter of my second-year in high school. I was told we were just meeting his friend for dinner... but then he said that 'friend' was to be my fiancé." Haru will never forget that awful dinner, remembering this sudden engagement felt like a physical blow to her stomach when her father had dropped the bomb on her.

"What was your reaction to this sudden engagement?" he asked.

"It was surprising... but I suppose I had always known I would someday be married off for political gain. So... I accepted, and that was the start of our relationship." Not that it was a real romantic relationship, if what you call allowing a creep like Sugimura to touch her without permission or trying to force her into coercion by snatching her wrists if she politely turns him down is anything but a relationship. Loss of her words had left her dearest artistic friend staring at her with an expression that isn't judgmental but understandably disturbed.

"You willingly accepted a relationship between you and that uncouth heathen?"

"Oh, b-but um... no 'relationship' stuff happened, just to be clear!" Haru hastily clears it up, so he won't get the wrong impression. "A-Anyway... I was never exactly fond of him to begin with. You see, ever since I was told I was going to be married off, I convinced my homeroom teacher that I can be a permanent caretaker of the school's planters, just so I can have a viable excuse to get out of home. My father never wanted me to go anywhere unattended, otherwise Sugimura would've resorted to even more drastic measures to keep me at his side. I did try to persuade my father to delay the marriage until after I had a chance to go to college..."

Her silence without finishing the sentence made Yusuke correctly deduce the rest. "I take it your father refused to allow it?"

Haru's distressed frown, followed by a simple nod, confirms it. "If only I could've convinced him to listen to reason... his decision was final, regardless of what I said. There was other... ugh, unpleasant young men born in wealthy families offering various proposals to me which my father received through business meetings before he settled on Sugimura. He treated me as if I, his own daughter, was a piece of property and not a human being! And for a while, I originally believed I'd have to bear it. Even after my father passed on, Sugimura has grown far worse."

"How worse, exactly?" Shifting closer, Yusuke's eyes radiate a storm brewing.

The girl could tell he was most likely ready to commit murder if Sugimura has done something atrocious to her. For a moment, the painter does look very intimidating. Perhaps he got that after becoming a Phantom Thief. They say when you unleash a rage hidden for too long until it's ready to burst like an explosion, it can be quite scary. But Haru knew this is because Yusuke is protective, and the last thing she wants is him arrested for slicing Sugimura's throat, no matter how tempting the idea is. "Recently, he sent me a text suggesting we go on an 'early honeymoon' together to celebrate our coming marriage."

"But you can't even stand to look at the barbarian though... let alone spend any actual prolonged time together, right?"

Haru nodded. "So, um... what can I say to decline his offer?"

He's absorbed in his thoughts long enough to come up with an idea, anything that could help her keep Sugimura off her back long enough to find a way to cancel the marriage arrangement. In Haru's mind, Yusuke kind of resembles Sherlock Holmes in one of those old black and while movies she watched with Futaba on a movie night when the fictional detective is often lost in thought when his mind is calculating a solution to a problem.

"Well, I'm not familiar in the emotion of love, nor have I experienced love because of my sheltered upbringing..." Yusuke explains. "But you must make it clear to him that you have no intention of marrying him. Excuses such as 'I'm afraid of flying' will never work if you try to avoid going on an 'early honeymoon' by plane."

"Knowing him, he'd likely just suggest we take a boat instead. I don't know that he'd believe it if I told him I get seasick as well," Haru giggles briefly, before her smile fades to distress. "As you know, my father passed away before he could fulfill his promise to rescind the marriage proposal. So... any conversation about putting a halt to the marriage will have to come from me. To tell the truth... I've already mentioned it to my fiancé."

All of a sudden, Yusuke's eyes darken like storm clouds and his face grew dead serious. "You need to stop referring that loathsome serpent as your fiancé! After the way he mistreats you, he has no right to call himself your fiancé!"

Haru blinked, clearly taken aback. Nonetheless, she knew he was correct. "You're right... Unfortunately, Sugimura refuses to listen to a single word I have to say. Apparently, he's even been telling the employees at Okumura Foods about the contract he made with my father. How the company would have to pay extreme reparations if it got called off for any reason. I just... don't know how to handle this. I can postpone while I'm still in high school, but after that...?"

"Now that I think about it, perhaps your father's death is turning out to be favorable for Sugimura," Yusuke deduced. "Apparently, he cares more about personal and political gain... and to control you. After all, he's still engaged to you - a major shareholder of a massive company."

"You're perfectly correct. That's just what I've been thinking."

"As I mentioned before, I'm not familiar with the concept of love. Controlling a romantic partner for the sake of power is not what a relationship is about. A relationship should be built on trust and compassion; it makes one feel at ease. A love so intense and beautiful that just viewing your significant other who smiles at you with such trust and admiration, it will make your heart skip a beat."

Encouragement spoken through poetic words. Haru couldn't help but smile at what he just said. He's right, there's no way a relationship built on control and power is admirable. Trust and compassion are what a love is truly about. "You speak so poetically, Yusuke. I find your words to be beautiful." Beautiful as his personality and looks... wait, why did she think that? "Um, have you ever experienced love like that?"

Yusuke shakes his head. "No, I have not. Perhaps I'm speaking from what little experience I've received from Junko's attempts to control the situation in her favor to make me belong to her..." he says the witch's name as if it was poison, frowning. "But I am familiar with multiple emotions, but the one I have lacked all my life whilst living under Madarame's thumb... is love."

Haru was surprised. A boy like him with such physical and spiritual beauty would've had a relationship in the past before joining the thieves. "Really? Hehehe! Though I guess it's understandable for someone as handsome as you, Yusuke." An unexpected blush on Haru's face darkens significantly. Why did she say that? "Ah, wait! What I meant is... um, uhhh... There's no spark like that with Sugimura. Spending time with him is almost like some kind of training."

Yusuke raised a puzzled eyebrow. "Training? For what?"

"Any hardship I go through now will surely help the Phantom Thieves eventually. And if I'm to meet someone whom I want to love as my future husband, I want to make sure this person will appreciate and accept me for who I am, and not some prize to be won. I'll get through this." Haru had told herself this after texting with Makoto and Ann last night. Both girls might not have had experience in the field of love, but their advice was truly helpful.

"That is a wise decision, Haru." Yusuke smiles, cheerfully. "I sense an earnest resolve from you."

The girl's phone vibrates in her pocket. Wondering who it could be, Haru reads the text she received and, just like that, her happiness goes down the drain. Sugimura is at it, again. Refusing to accept no for an answer as he continuously demands her to spend the weekend with him at either a spa or a hot spring. Most likely an attempt to get intimate with her. If only her father had canceled the marriage sooner before that nightmarish press conference...

"What's wrong?" The concern in Yusuke's voice captures her attention.

"I just received another text from Sugimura. Ugh, he won't stop asking me to spend the weekend with him."

"You need to rebuff him, firmly!"

"I'll do that, but he has been getting more and more persistent lately. At this rate, I don't know how long I can play along. I'll tell him that I have other plans with my friends this weekend." Truthfully, Haru doesn't know how long she can stand this. She just wants him out of her life for good. Although, changing his heart is the easy option, except the Phantom Thieves are wanted criminals and need to lay low.

"Save those messages as proof of his never-ending harassment!" The artist speaks suddenly, the expression on his face dead serious and determined. "You could use it against him if you want to file a restraining order. Or I could request Futaba to install a hidden camera in a tiny hairclip or broach for you to wear if you want to catch him in the act if that snake tries to hurt you!"

Wow, that is unexpected... and a good idea. Haru didn't know what to say, other than stare at him in fascinated awe.

Yusuke notices her surprised look and lack of response, worried that he said something wrong. "What? Was that too impulsive? My apologizes, I originally believed it could work because Futaba mentioned it to me yesterday when she asked me about you and that vulgar viper."

"Oh no. Not at all. That's a great idea!" Haru hurriedly assures him that his and Futaba's idea is definitely approvable. "We should speak with Futaba later tonight to ask her to make a hidden camera for me... and possibly one for you too." She knows that she's not the only one with a problem regarding an unwanted suitor's lewd advances. Why not give Yusuke a secret camera of his own to catch Junko in the act? "Well, considering what you're going through with Junko, I think you should get a hidden camera as well if she tries to bother you or send her minions after you again."

No hesitation on Yusuke's part as he willingly and readily agrees to it. "Excellent suggestion, Haru. Let's do it right now!"

"Maybe later, Yusuke." She stands up, removing her gloves. "We should get ready for dinner. Oh, and thanks for the advice, Yusuke." And what he said next instantly makes another blush color Haru's cheeks and a warmth spread through her chest.

"You know I'll do anything for you, Haru. I promise you; I will always protect you."